The ReMarker | May 2023

REMARKER

FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2023

VOLUME 69, ISSUE 7 ST. MARK’S SCHOOL OF TEXAS, DALLAS, TEXAS

COVERAGE

Zack Goforth

Grayson Redmond

Nolan Marcus

Dawson Yao

Linyang Lee

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION

Josh Goforth

Has today’s competitive climate eliminated the ‘break’ from summer?

See coverage, pages 16-17.

PERSONAL COLUMN

Tucker Carlson’s provocative message(s)

Neil Yepuri Health & Sports Editor

The explosive firing of Tucker Carlson sent shockwaves through the world of mainstream media and television. But you already know that.

While turnover in political punditry is common, surely the face of reactionary conservatism, who averaged millions of viewers each night, would have been safe. Nope! Not in the world of internet leaks.

Some may have been shocked by the contents of those leaked text messages which lead to his firing. Not me, no sir.

Did you really believe for a second that Carlson really believed in the misaligned stories that he spewed each night at 7:30?

Did you really believe that Carlson truly enjoyed grandstanding the Republican party during its progression into its current state?

Did you really believe in Carlson’s promotion and defense of the Big Don himself? Carlson revealed something more layered than the gelled-up, shiny-faced exterior that appears across the nation. Something more than the talking head on your grandpa’s TV.

And, as his job became increasingly demanding of extreme examples and exaggeration in news media, Carlson allowed it to change him.

His distaste with the overall direction of the Republican party, right up through the most recent presidential elections shows his conscience. It exists, but it is grossly misguided.

The sheer amount of hate and polarization that Carlson helped build and profit off of over the last six years is the same negative force that served to corrupt the man. For his own dignity, these texts could not have come at a better time.

Though those messages were undoubtedly full of hate, the response to cancel and deplatform Carlson is also misguided. It deflects blame instead of focus the real culprit of the crime, which was likely Fox’s reasoning in firing him.

Tucker Carlson deserves criticism for his actions. His racism and sexism are egregious, especially for a man who holds so much power through his words.

But, we must also separate the man Tucker Carlson from his figurehead. Mainstream media can be a tool to educate and provide helpful information to millions of people. But, at its core, it is powerful. And power tends to corrupt.

Chasing the LIKES

As dangerous social media trends become increasingly popular, we took a look at just what makes the harmful content so captivating.

See coverage, page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF

BACCALAUREATE The annual Baccalaureate service will be held on May 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Alongside Commencement, this special service will honor graduating seniors, serving as a bookend to their journey at St. Mark’s. Faculty members and parents of the seniors will also be present and celebrated at the event. Numerous time-honored traditions will be continued, including a speech given by a student and a faculty member as the Class of 2023 enjoys their last Chapel service together, taking in their final moments as students here.

BLUE AND GOLD DAY The Upper School and Middle School Blue and Gold Day will take place on May 16, and the Lower School event will take place May 19. Upper School and Middle School students will be able to get snow cones from a Kona Ice truck, and the Lower School has numerous games and activities planned for the entire school day.

HEADLINES

The events were planned by the Parents’ Assosciation in order to provide students with an upbeat event to end the school year.

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION The 2023-2024 Parents’ Association held its first board meeting on May 4. During the meeting, the reins were handed over to next year's President Cindy Hanson and the new Executive Committee, including new Vice President of Communications Rachel Richards and Treasurer Malia Mitchell. These new leaders of the Parents’ Association will help ensure the success of school events throughout the upcoming school year, and they are looking forward to an exciting and engaging fall.

LENDMEATENORPLAY The drama program performed the comedy Lend Me a Tenor in the Eamonn Lacy Black Box Theatre from May 28 to May 30. Over the course of the three performance

Breaking down this month’s hot topics.

What happened: George Santos was charged with theft, money laundering and fraud.

When: May 10

days, around 500 tickets were sold. Dalton Glenn ‘18 directed the performance alongside assistant director and Fine Arts Department Chair Marion Glorioso-Kirby. Four Marksmen and four Hockaday students had acting roles, but 12 others have worked behind the scenes on the 90 minute program since the beginning of March to ensure its success.

ATHLETIC BANQUETS

As the school year came to an end, spring sports teams hosted banquets to celebrate the end of their seasons. The baseball team held their event on May 7 at a players’ home, sharing memories of the season, exchanging photos and bidding farewell to senior players. The crew team held their banquet on May 10, and the lacrosse team along with the track & field team on May 15. A school-wide banquet was also held on May 19 to honor collective and individual achievements of athletes in all sports.

Importance and relevance: The Congressman plead not guilty, yet House leader and fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy will not back his re-election bid.

What happened: Title 42 ended after the COVID-19 health crisis offiicially came to a close

When: May 11

Importance and relevance: Title 8 has gone back into effect, making consequences for crossing the border illegally harsher than under Title 42.

What happened: King Charles' coronation was held at Westminster Abbey.

When: May 6

Importance and relevance: After the 70 year reign of his mother Queen Elizabeth, Charles officially inherits the Britsh throne.

When: May 6

How Seniors feel about their time here coming to an end.

Conversations with the newly elected student body leaders.

03 04 06

INSIDE Leaving the den behind Student Council Classes with Hockaday

Joint classes this year set up the potential for more future meetings.

What happened: A gunman killed eight people, including a three-year old, during a mass shooting at Allen Premium Outlets.

Importance and relevance: This DFW shooting marked the 22nd mass killing in the country this year, more than this time during any other year, potentially leading to one of the deadliest years of gun violence in American history.

PHOTO / KAYDEN ZHONG

PHOTOS / CREATIVE COMMONS, GETTY IMAGES

DANGEROUS TRENDS The Benadryl Challenge, requiring participants to take potentially fatal doses of the medicine, and the Cinnamon Challenge, involving content creators shoving a spoonful of the spice into their mouths, causing choking, populate social media platforms for users across the country.

Bursting out of the school’s bubble

As graduation approaches and the Senior class prepares to leave campus to start on a new journey, we take a look at this year's Commencement ceremony and dive deep into how seniors feel about their upcoming departure.

In only a week, bright lights will illuminate the Class of 2023 for the last time together as students, taking the stage in front of a beaming audience of parents, teachers and classmates.

As speeches are made and applauses thunder, the atmosphere will turn bittersweet. The boys, having switched from wearing blue shirts to white tuxedos, will spend the final evening hours of their time as students together, signaling the end of a chapter in their lives and beginning a new one.

On May 25 at 8 p.m., as the sun fades away and the night sky takes its place, Commencement will begin. The event will host a number of speakers, including Ali Rowghani ‘91, the valedictorian, and Senior Class President Aadi Khasgiwala.

“When I attended past Commencements, I remember that the speakers were really great to listen to,” Khasgiwala said. “That’s what I remember the most. Obviously, when my brother Aayan graduated two years above me, I remember his speech as well. Since then, he’s given me that moment to look forward to. I’ve been working really hard on my speech for a long time.”

In Khasgiwala’s mind, Commencement is not just another class gathering — it’s a unique moment for him to be with all the people he’s grown up with and matured with for so long.

“Commencement is the last time that my grade as a whole, all 100 kids in my class, are going to be together,” Khasgiwala said. “So to me, it’s a super special event to be surrounded by the St. Mark’s community. I think Commencement is also definitely a milestone in my life, especially since I’m a 12-year Marksman here. It’s what you’ve been waiting for.”

Like Khasgiwala , senior Winston Lee is also a 12-year Marksman. With an older brother who graduated from here in 2019 and a younger brother in eighth grade, the school has been a part of him and his family for as long as he can remember.

“I know this community really well, and I know most of the people here,” Lee said. “So I’m definitely ready for the next stage in life, but I’m going to miss this school because I love seeing all of my best friends, walking around campus, seeing underclassmen, and seeing my teachers who have invested so much in me. That’s going to be hard to let go.”

Lee believes that building relationships is fundamental. During the summer of 2020, he would play basketball with his older brother and his friends every day. Now, as he prepares to graduate, he’s ready to form even more bonds beyond his at school.

“Obviously there’ll be parts where I look back and think, ‘Oh, that was really fun’, but I’m not stuck in the St. Mark’s bubble,” Lee said. “I think it’s time for me to move on and grow as a person and be immersed in

new environments.”

Once the Commencement ceremony is over and the boys in the Class of 2023 continue on their own journeys, they will all share the same memories of persevering and striving together to reach common goals.

While students move on from the school, faculty and staff continue to be on campus, watching seniors grow from boys to men.

“You have this sense of accomplishment you share with them that they've achieved an important milestone in their lives, and then there’s also the other side of the coin which is some reflective sadness that you’re not going to see them as frequently,” Headmaster David Dini said. “They’re not going to be on campus every day. And even though you continue to see them a lot,

that frequency diminishes.”

For Dini, even though it’s a celebratory time accompanied by a sense of joy and excitement, there also exists a bittersweetness as the seniors prepare for a big transition.

“It’s like when colleagues retire or depart to do something else,” Dini said. “You’re going to miss them, but you’re also excited for them.”

Even after the seniors leave campus, Dini hopes the school’s values embodied in the motto “Courage and Honor” will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

“Going from student to alumnus –– we try to make it more of a natural transition and progression as opposed to an end,” Dini said. “It’s certainly a culmination of your academic experience and all the other things you’ve been a part of here, but it’s also the continuation of a lifelong association with the school.”

Craig Budner ‘83 honored for helping found debate organization in Dallas Area

BY William Kozoman

RECALLING THE PAST

On the penultimate day of school, when seniors wear shirts of the university they plan on attending, Winston Lee '23. reflects over his time at the school on the Perot Quadrangle.

C

raig Budner ‘83 was honored by the Nation Association for Urban Debate Leagues (NAUDL) for his role in helping found the Dallas Urban Debate Alliance (DUDA), an organization that provides resources for students in the Dallas area to learn debate skills.

“St. Mark’s and a number of other private schools in Dallas commit substantial resources to debate to the great benefit of the students. Dallas ISD debate largely died in the ‘80s for lack of resources,” Budner said. “We were approached by my dear friend and Dartmouth College roommate Lenny Gail, who was chairing the board of NAUDL in 2007, to potentially start a Dallas debate league. My wife Dawn and I saw this as an opportunity to afford Dallas’ more underserved communities an opportunity to engage in policy debate.”

The effort paid off; not only has DUDA succeeded in its goal of teaching debate skills to more students, but it has also profoundly affected their career success.

“Our [DUDA] alums are graduating high school, going to college and graduating from college in substantially higher percentages than their peers who don’t debate,” Budner said. “Research shows with certainty that participating in even one debate tournament increases college matriculation and graduation rates, among other benefits.”

The school has also helped DUDA succeed – various members of the community including David Baker, Ken Hersh ‘81, David Ackerman ‘89, and Sam Paulos ‘82 have played a role in supporting the organization.

Budner’s time here also drove him to support DUDA, and he seeks to continue giving back to his alma mater. His further involvement with the community includes having been on the Board of

Trustees and sending his sons Will ‘13 and Ben ‘17.

“I have been impacted by my friends, fellow alums and teachers who have greatly shaped my life,” Budner remarked. “I continue to try to give back to the school that has been so critical in shaping who I am.”

As a lawyer, Budner also sees DUDA as an opportunity to grow and diversify the law community.

“Students of color and other diverse students make up approximately 90% of DUDA and many of these debaters have or will become lawyers and other professionals; I believe DUDA has made the legal community more diverse, and it will continue to do so,” said Budner.

Looking back, Budner is happy for the success of DUDA and is thankful for everyone who made it possible.

“The honor was wonderful, but it really reflects the effort of many people and institutions over the last 15 years in allowing us to fill this important mission,” Budner said.

STORY Arjun Poi, Kevin Ho

“ I think it's time for me to move on and grow as a person and be immersed in new environments.

WINSTON LEE Senior

PHASING OUT

Preparing to enter the next stage of his life, Toby Barrett ‘22 stands awaiting his turn to walk across the stage .

CRAIG BUDNER '83 Founder of DUDA

PHOTO / WINSTON LIN

PHOTO / COURTESY DAVE CARDEN/DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Leaving their mark

After a successful year led by this year’s STUCO leaders, the newly elected representatives have high hopes for the fall. We sat down with the new executive leadership to learn just what they plan on accomplishing in their terms over the 2023-24 school year.

body. I think that rather than going out and leading by words, I can lead by example and just be a role model to kids.

Hilton Sampson: Why did you run for your position on Student Council?

Henry Estes, Executive Secretary: I ran for executive secretary because I feel that my leadership skills can best be represented through this position to the whole upper school school more than a position at the grade level can.

Harry Wang, Executive Vice President: I was on Student Council this year and I feel like I was actually able to impact the community in a positive way. I want to do that again.

Tejas Allada: What are one or two skills you bring to the table that will improve Student Council?

Alex Soliz, Executive President: I’m a pretty energetic person, and I think that it helps especially like doing more social things like assemblies. I think that can get unity from all grades because I feel like right now we’re very sectioned off by grades.

HE: I’d say organization. I’m a very organized person–I always have been. I think that throughout our busy schedules, we can often get caught up in the day to day tests and quizzes, but keeping things organized will help the year run smoother. Also, I think I am someone that can be your friend to all of the Upper School and the entire student

TA: What have you taken away from this year’s Student Council leadership that will help you next year?

AS: I think Sal is a role model to me. I very much look up to him and what he’s done this year. I feel like this year’s STUCO has been a lot better than in past years. I have been going to Student Council meetings for a few months to see how things go and [Student Council members] have been very helping and inviting.

HW: I took away how things are run which will help me next year because I’ll be more involved with my new position.

HS: What is one change that you would like to implement next year?

HE: We started bridging that gap between the Hockaday and St. Mark’s this year through different events like joint senior classes and cookie decorating. I think deepening those relationships even further to where we can include

other grades like juniors and all of high school and continuing to grow the relationship is something that we want to continue improving upon.

HW: I want to have more phone zones, more attendance at school sports and higher school spirit.

HS: How will you maintain strong student engagement at events and assemblies throughout the year?

HE: I think that we will have strong student engagement throughout the year because of the diversity of student council. We have such a wide variety of different friend groups from different grades and I think that because student council is so diverse, every person has an idea to bring to the table and their ideas can help us reach and engage every student.

HS: What do you hope your Student Council legacy will be?

AS: I want my legacy to be, not even just me, but our grade as the senior class next year. The seniors are a good class but they don’t really have good sports attendance. I want our legacy to be that we are the most unified class because we are all good friends.

HW: I want to leave a lasting impact on the culture of Student Council. I hope to make people remember our class and our job as StuCo members and make our events memorable.

Noormohamed’s Chinese poetry translations published

BY Tejas Allada

BIJAAN NOORMOHAMED Senior

Senior Bijaan Noormohamed’s translation of ancient Chinese poetry was selected and officially published in The Poetry Magazine. With a mere .23 percent acceptance rate, a selection into the magazine was close to impossible. This year, only 48 applications were taken out of over 21,000 submissions, and only 16 of the 48 acceptances were randomly selected from around the country. Even with far less experience in the field, Noormohamed’s work was amongst the likes of college professors and Chinese literary scholars.

“I was thrilled when I got a publication,” Noorhmohamed said. “I was extremely shocked, but

also really excited for my future.”

After learning of his acceptance, Noormohamed immediately went to work with The Poetry Magazine staff for edits on his translation. He conversed with various Chinese poetry editors at the magazine and he was finally able to publish it.

His translated poems were from 17th century early Qing Dynasty and were about the contrast between the heavens and earth. His selection for this specific era in Chinese history played a big part in his place in the magazine.

Throughout his high school tenure, Noormohamed has taken various levels of Chinese. He was first introduced to ancient Chinese literary history in his AP Chinese class, where he learned about ancient Chinese translation.

“We talked about Chinese history and different

2023-24

Class officers

Senior Class

President: Nolan Marcus

Vice president: Zack Goforth

Secretary: Tyler Tang

Class rep: Ryland Ellis

Junior Class

President: Matthew Hofmann

Vice president: Andrew Jin

Secretary: Teddy Fleiss

Class rep: Jack Frary

Sophomore Class

President: Andrew Zhang

Vice president: Joshua Goforth

Secretary: Reagan Graeme

Class rep: Kazim Hussain

Freshman Class

President: Ilan Gunawardena

Vice president: Julian Gerstle

Secretary: James Hoak

Class rep: Tony Lu

poets in Mrs. Lin’s class,” Noorhmohamed said. “I also heard of translating poetry as a field in Dr. Brozovich’s AP English class, so I thought that sounded really cool and I wanted to take a stab at translating the poems we learned in Chinese.”

Noormohamed, with his newfound success, has continued his work in the field with new poetry. Even though the translations are tedious and take hours to complete, Noormohamed hopes to continue his passion and integrate AI technology into his work in the future.

“I’m really excited about digital humanities, the intersection between AI technology and translation,” Noorhmohamed said. “I plan to continue going further into the genre and create a new way of thinking about the field as a whole.”

NEW STUCO LEADERSHIP

INTERVIEWS Hilton Sampson, Tejas Allada

In the last assembly of the school year, current STUCO president, Sal Hussain, and VP, Noah Asmerom (left), address the Upper School one more time and welcome their successor Alex Soliz to the stage (right).

PHOTOS / ZACHARY BASHOUR

HENRY ESTES STuCo Executive Secretary

DANGEROUS CHALLENGES

What it takes to be trendy

With social media having more and more influence on children of all ages, it is not uncommon to see kids attempting challenges found on these apps. However, not all of them are harmless, goofy acts. Many can have serious, long-term consequences on one’s health. Despite this, however, it can be difficult to limit their popularity, posing a danger to children of all ages and backgrounds across the nation.

STORY Arjun Poi, Hilton Sampson

Before the video, he played for his school football team and ran track for his local club.

Before the video, he worked a job and was waiting to get his driver’s license.

Before the video, Mason Dark was just a normal 16year old kid.

Today, his GoFundMe campaign, written by Dark’s mother, reads, “My son Mason, needs your prayers. 75% of his body is burned.”

Today, he lies on a hospital bed with third degree burns at the UNC Burn Center at Chapel Hill, breathing through a ventilator.

Dark used a spray paint can and a lighter to create a makeshift blowtorch as a reaction to a video trend he saw on Tiktok. And Dark is only one of the hundreds of teenagers who died or severely injured themselves while participating in perilous trends they saw on TikTok.

Whether it’s making a makeshift blowtorch, consuming tide pods, licking toilet seats or cooking chicken with Nyquil, social media apps like TikTok are a breeding ground for unsafe but attention-grabbing videos and trends.

As TikTok trends become increasingly dangerous, the FDA has attempted to put preventative measures in place against potentially harmful activities, warning parents of the risks that their children might encounter on TikTok and other platforms.

Daniel Creech, who participated in the hot chip TikTok challenge, knows that sometimes the desire to gain views and a following on social media often drives individuals to post more dangerous content.

“I think a lot of it is for attention, to become an ‘influencer’,” Creech said. “And there’s also a monetary value associated with those videos. The larger accounts that are posting those are making a lot of money, and then it cascades down from there. And to someone like me, I’m not looking to make any money off of it. I’m just doing it to do it just for fun.”

Creech participated in the One Chip Challenge, a viral TikTok challenge that has remained popular over the past several years requiring participants to eat a singular blue tortilla chip that has, in rare cases, sent children to the hospital.

After seeing the challenge on TikTok and exchanging entertaining reaction videos with his nephews, Creech, who enjoys spicy food, decided to give the One Chip challenge a try, posting his experience with the trend to his TikTok account.

After feeling the extreme effects himself, leaving him scrambling for water or anything to counteract the spice, Creech prevented his nephews from trying the challenge on their own, and he has since stayed away from the more ambitious, viral trends.

Trends are usually started by popular influencers. They begin to gain traction when smaller creators mimic the ideas. Senior Christian Tsvetanov, who grew in popularity on TikTok over the last couple of years, prides himself on his ability to stand out from content creators who blindly follow trends.

“My first videos had a pretty small following, and I tended to that audience once I knew what the audience

was,” Tsvetanov said. “Luckily for me, the niche videos that I was making became a trend, which was the X-factor in me getting followers. ”

Tsvetanov sees new creators trying to gain their own followings by participating in the most dangerous trends, creating hazardous videos that audiences love to see.

“People are interested in being risky because that’s what could blow you up on TikTok,” Tsvetanov said. “Obviously, it’s not worth it, but especially now with our TikTok and clout focused generation, kids will do absolutely anything to get a couple views on TikTok.”

Social media companies use algorithms to circulate content on their platforms, and the most watched and liked videos are spread more widely to more viewers.

This popular content, however, often includes dangerous actions that have negative ramifications for both content creators and video viewers as social media companies profit.

“I think [social media companies] should have ethical discussions around their algorithms and what is being recommended ‘for you’ or ‘suggested content,’” Upper School counselor Mary Bonsu said, “especially when these videos suggest something harmful, illegal or destructive. There should be ethics in deciding whether to continue prioritizing profits from attention and eyeballs over promoting dangerously influential content. It will start with these social media companies admitting to some level of responsibility for their algorithms.”

Tsvetanov believes TikTok has taken steps in the right direction, moving away from promoting harmful content.

“I think TikTok has done a pretty good job,” Tsvetanov said. “I haven’t seen a genuinely bad video in a while or a video where someone is promoting a trend that could be dangerous. I’ve seen videos with stunts and so on, which is dangerous, but they have warnings at the bottom that say ‘Don’t try this out. This is done by professionals.’”

Adina Kalish, who is the Senior Director of Media Relations at Bark, a parental control app, disagrees.

“I think they’re really dangerous,” Kalish said. “We believe that there are algorithms that are negatively informing kids. There’s a lot of sexual and violent content on TikTok that has yet to be removed. There’s a lot of exploitation. There’s a lot of trafficking. A lot of drug deals go on these apps, and they claim that they’re taking them down, but you can still find them in two

Harmful social media trends

FOR THE VIEWS

The most dangerous content on social media platforms are often what attracts the most attention from users.

seconds, so we don’t think they’re doing my good by not removing these.”

Even if social media apps make changes and start restricting hazardous videos, questions remain as to whether or not dangerous content will continue to circulate.

“I don’t think those trends are going anywhere,” Creech said. “If TikTok were to ban them or remove them, I think people will find other platforms to reach an audience. So unfortunately, it’s going to be up to individuals to make smarter decisions.”

But users on such apps interact well with dangerous content. Danger gets attention. That’s why creators make risky videos –– because they know it will get them views.

Kalish hopes that people will be able to make this conscious decision to transition away from promoting and participating in harmful TikTok trends.

“There are many ways you can be trendy online, whether it’s with clothes or with creative ideas,” Kalish said. “It takes just as much energy to do good as it does to do bad. So channel that energy into something positive that you can give to the world as opposed to something that may hurt someone. And I think everybody can stop and say, is this a smart thing to do? Could this hurt someone? Could this backfire? And if the answer is yes, don't do it.”

Trend: Blackout Rage Gallon (BORG) Challenge

What: Content creators, usually college students, fill up a gallon jug with alcohol and other flavored substances.

Impact: 46 UMass Amherst students were hospitalized, and 28 ambulances were called to campus in March 2023.

Trend: Skullbreaker Challenge

What: While one person jumps, two people on their side kick their legs out.

Impact: This fatal challenge has led to the death of at least 20 minors.

Trend: NyQuil Chicken Challenge

What: TikTok creators cook chicken in NyQuil, a nighttime cold relief syrup.

Impact: The FDA issued a warning against this challenge, claiming that too much NyQuil can have dangerous effects.

Trend: Blackout Challenge

What: Users hold their breath for as long as possible to try to pass out.

Impact: At least nine children under 14 have died after trying this challenge.

GRAPHIC / JOSHUA GOFORTH

SOURCE / TikTok

/ TikTok

/ TikTok

/ Instagram

Looking through another perspective

The Upper School has returned to a precedent unseen since the late 1990s: holding joint classes with Hockaday. Recently, students in the History of Special Operations class collaborated with Hockaday students in a mock national security conference debating how to handle a hostile nation.

STORY Nolan Marcus, Kayden

Twenty seniors filed into the spacious Nearburg room with papers clutched tightly to their chests, their minds racing and hearts pumping. They sat down at their chairs and stared blankly at each other, the same thoughts running through their heads.

Today, they would discuss matters of the nation’s security.

Today, they would be tested on the knowledge they had accrued over the past few months.

Today, they would debate with Hockaday.

In early April, 20 students from Hockaday were invited to St. Mark’s to participate in a mock National Security Conference (NSC) simulation, in which a made-up nation has to decide how to handle a hostile nation. In order to promote interaction, each student from St. Mark’s was partnered with a student from Hockaday to serve a specific role within the government.

History instructor Michele Santosuosso has long since believed in the importance of co-ed interactions between St. Mark’s and Hockaday.

“We have dances together, parties together, social events together, which is great.” said Santosuosso.

“[However], things have changed so much with social media, screens, and the ability to intellectually connect is a little more challenging.”

As such, when Santosuosso wanted to begin organizing the co-ed event, her Spec-Ops class was a natural choice.

“I only have one Spec-Ops class, and the seniors are a little bit more mature,” Santosuosso said. “They know my expectations.”

Senior George Genender was partnered with Hockaday senior Jada Beard. For Genender, a potential joint-class with the students at Hockaday was a first.

“Mrs. [Santosuosso] has prioritized relationships with Hockaday in and out of the classroom, but I have never been part of something inside the classroom with Hockaday,” Genender said. “There have been service projects, which is the closest thing to this that I’ve experienced, but it was really cool to be partnered with someone from Hockaday for a classroom activity.”

While the two schools have only held one class together, Genender is optimistic about the future of joint classes.

“Once you have one successful class, then maybe next year it happens one or two times again,” Genender said. “Then, a few more times the following year, and all of a sudden it’s a normal thing.”

In addition, everything seemed to go right during the class, encouraging more reason to do it again next school year.

“It went so well too,” Genender said. “A ton of things went really well. We came to a conclusion that pretty much everyone agreed on through a positive environment.”

One aspect of the class that made it so interesting for Genender was the difference of perspectives between students here and at Hockaday. The new perspective

helped provide more angles to the issue at hand as well as enhancing the experience.

“One guy from our class said, ‘We don’t care about them. If there are terrorists, let’s do what we have to then get out of there’,” Genender said. “But, the girls’ responses were diplomatic, and they thought through the situation more. They haven’t been in Spec-Ops the whole year, but they saw the problem differently.”

Genender found a multitude of new ways of seeing things through the class.

“There were so many times when everyone was just like ‘OH!’ because it was something I never thought about before,” Genender said. “It was just awesome.”

Genender’s value of a new perspective and overall sentiment toward the joint-venture reciprocated and replicated with Hockaday senior Alexandra Weinmeister.

“Just like we brought a new perspective to them, they gave us a new one too,” Weinmeister said. “Also, since classes in college are going to be co-ed, it’s really

important to understand the dynamic of guys and girls in class together.”

But the possibilities of engaging with Hockaday in academia don’t stop with Spec-Ops. Collaborative classes could be implemented across all subjects.

“Wherever there can be a collaborative effort that helps both schools, why not have joint classes,” Genender said. “I’m not saying every class needs to be co-ed, but let’s say we have something in Biology that Hockaday doesn’t have. They should come here to use it. If they have something to help our math skills, we should go over there.”

Using the two institutions to help build a larger community is an opportunity that has always been available, and one which, according to Genender, should be taken advantage of.

“There is so much we can learn from them and they can learn from us,” Genender said. “There is a reason we are a brother and sister school. It’s not supposed to be two separate entities. It should be two institutions working together.”

Teachers travel to international boys school coalition conference in New Zealand

BY Doan Nguyen

This July, some faculty will be traveling to New Zealand to attend the International Boys School Coalition (IBSC) conference, alongside nearly 700 other all-boys schools worldwide.

Hosted here last year for the second time, IBSC is an opportunity for faculty to share and obtain knowledge and bring it back to campus for the next school year. Seminars and meetings are scattered throughout the three-day conference, all with the goal to educate and build connections among teachers.

Assistant Head of Middle School Jason Lange, the head of the planning committee for the IBSC conference last year, will be attending his 11th conference this summer.

Lange used to teach at an all-boys school in St. Louis, Missouri. Through IBSC, he was introduced to colleagues who worked here, eventually leading to a job application to the school.

IBSC opened up new opportunities for him, so Lange travels to the conference to make new opportunities for others.

“We get together every year to share best practices in boys’ education,” Lange said. “We talk about what and how we teach boys about emotional health, well-being, facilities, college admission and the role of athletics and education.”

Additionally, the IBSC has a sub-project: the Action Research Program. Middle School computer science intructor Kendall Murphy is part of a research team that will observe seminars that discuss the topic of positive masculinity.

Finalizing their process, Murphy and her team will write a report on their findings, one of many that will be published by the IBSC for teachers and parents to learn from.

“[Our research] is not just one subject,” Murphy said. “It’s across the board: mental health, manhood, anything that is relevant to teaching and learning at an all-boys school.”

The international conference also becomes an

opportunity for the hosting country to show off a facet of its culture.

“When we hosted, we were very proud to show off Texas culture,” Lange said. “More specifically, displaying Dallas as a city of the future, a city of innovation, a city where Fortune 500 companies are moving, technology is advancing and showing that we have all of these boys at St. Mark's who are working hard to become leaders, not only in Texas, but in the United States.”

Lange believes that the IBSC conference is more than just learning about how teaching methods in other countries differ.

“It’s a conscious reminder that we have far more in common than we do different,” Lange said. “Despite geography, international boundaries and cultural differences, boys are boys; they’re the same around the world. In Australia, in England, in the United States and in Canada, these schools are all aiming for the same goal: to make boys confident leaders and capable leaders once they graduate.”

HOCKADAY COLLABORATION

GEORGE GENENDER Senior

Zhong

MICHELE SANTOSUOSSO Special Operations Instructor

COLLABORATING 20 students from Hockaday joined 20 St. Mark's students to debate how to deal with a hostile nation.

PHOTOS / COURTESY MICHELE SANTOSUOSSO

JASON LANGE Assistant Head of Middle

Defending the DEN

With hacking methods improving in the recent years, the school has implemented advanced counter algorithms.

JOSEPH SUN Environment & STEM Editor

F IRST Tech Challenge.

One of the most popular robotics competitions in the world, FTC is both a highly competitive and highly rewarding event for over 80 thousand students.

Thousands of teams around the globe build robots to compete in an annual challenge hosted by FTC, hoping to achieve greatness.

However, not all of these 80 thousand students can win awards. And at the start, I lost.

A lot.

Our team started FTC not knowing anything, blindly putting random parts together, hoping that these different combinations would be new and useful.

We took shortcuts, ignoring seemingly minor things such as adding in that extra reinforcement screw. We tested parts once, overlooking the durability and repeatability of results.

BONED Numbers of malicous hackers have been increasing in the recent years, and so has cyber crime. A common representation of cyber crime, the binary skull is often depicted in movies.

STEM IN BRIEF

ROBOTICS CLASSES

Two new classes are being added to the Upper School curriculum: Engineering & Robotics and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence. The former will teach students to program, design and compete with robots for the B.E.S.T competition, and the latter, a semester-long course, will allow students to use AI to develop real-world projects ranging from image detection to walking robot dogs. Doug Rummel, the founder’s Master Teaching Chair, will continue to teach the Information Engineering course, which has now been split into two semester-long courses.

CLEAN UP TIME

On April 8, the sixth-grade class spent the whole afternoon picking up trash along the Trinity River with classmates from Hockaday. These trips provide an experience for younger Marksmen to be

exposed to volunteering in their communities, as well as an opportunity to meet Hockaday students. Altogether, both schools collected over 600 pounds of trash.

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE Engineering and robotics teacher Stewart Mayer is going to keep his successful robotics instruction program with Alumni instructors. However, he plans to expand the LEGO robotics program and add more short LEGO robotics classes/camps to the Lower and Middle School curriculum. There are currently no plans for official workshops over the summer, but the members of the robotics team plan to meet together a few times to discuss overall plans for the next robotics season.

PHYSICS OLYMPIADS

Out of 50 students who took the first test of the Physics Olympiad, an international physics competition, seniors Alex Wang,

WEATHER REPORT

Henry Baxter and sophomore Surya

Dinesh qualified for the next round on February 9. These Marksmen are waiting for their results, and the prize for placing top 25 is one week at a physics training camp in June. The top four participants will represent the U.S. at the International Physics Olympiad, which occurs in Tokyo this July.

BIOLOGY OLYMPIADS

Nine students recently took the semi final test for USA Biology Olympiad. The test is taken over two hours and consists of three parts: two multiple choice sections and a free response section. The top twenty scorers on the Semifinal Exam advance to the national training camp, where the top four students are chosen for the International Biology Olympiad (IBO), which will take place in July in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mines, Rocks & Engines

Cyber Security

Eggflation

And, at our first competition, we brought a hurriedly put-together pile of metal that managed to fall apart after every match, with wheels popping off and plates bending abnormally.

We realized that many of the shortcuts we took bit us back, and that extra screw would have won us the match. And so, our humiliating performance created an indescribable anger that acted as fuel for success.

I’ve been back to square one more times than I want, but it was through these failures that I learned the right way, and as a team, we began to realize what specific builds to avoid and what power transmission process creates the most efficient output.

By our second competition, our robot, despite losing the previous four matches, stood triumphantly over the others, finally winning in its fifth match.

We slowly began to win more matches throughout the year, culminating in a near-perfect record at states.

Tomorrow There will be a high of 84 degrees, low of 64 degrees. Anticipate cloudy weather with 22 mph wind gusts that will blow your hat off.

Sunday Sunday’s high will 83, and it will have a low of 68. With cloudy skies, be prepared for a humid and dark day, my favorite kind!

THIS WEEK THIS MONTH GREEN CORNER

Monday Monday will be a little brighter, with a high of 83 degrees and a low of 67, with a little sun peering over the clouds.

Get ready for a wild weather ride, folks, because starting on May 19, we're in for a series of kooky climatic events that will leave you bewildered. It’s a meteorological adventure like no other. The temperatures will drop a bit, and the humidity will stick to your skin when you are outside. Thankfully, the rain will keep most inside except for the daring few who want to get wet. The rest of the week will be cloudy, with little chance of meatballs and sun.

But looking back, I don’t remember all the times we won a match or the times we received medals and honors. I remember the 2 a.m. nights spent tinkering the robot with my teammates, or ‘taking shifts’ on managing the 3D printer, an honorable duty that includes waking up every 30 minutes to reset the printer and start the next print.

At some point, everyone in the world will experience failure. Even the famed Colonel Sanders was a 6thgrade dropout.

But when you fail, pick yourself up and make each failure count.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / JOSEPH SUN

A good friend of mines

Upper School chemistry instructor Ken Owens '89 details his experiences exploring mines and his discoveries there, as well as the reason behind his passion for steam engines.

STORY Oliver Peck, Doan Nguyen

There is no doubt that technology is the future of our planet.

From electric cars to artificial intelligence to bringing back the wooly mammoth, technology is constantly shifting and advancing.

Surrounded by the changing world around us, most people mindlessly disregard these technological changes, leaving behind the history of how they were originally engineered. However, infatuated with the technology of the past, Upper School science teacher Ken Owens '89 has spent considerable time studying the rich history of two of the most crucial starting blocks of technological engineering: mines and steam engines.

Owens' journey began in 2000 at the Iron Mountain Iron Mine in the upper peninsula of Michigan. He just so happened to be driving through the area when he spotted a sign offering guided tours, and he thought that checking it out might be an interesting one-time event. However, Owens quickly found himself falling in love with the uniqueness of his surroundings: a quarter-mile underground tomb encapsulated by rock.

“I was completely blown away by the technology, the difficulty of mining, the stories of the people who worked in the mines and the scale of underground work nobody ever sees,” Owens said. “At [Iron Mountain Iron Mine], they mined out 1,000 feet across and a quarter-mile deep and hollowed out an entire mountain to get the iron out. And they did all that by hand in just eight years.”

Though potentially lucrative for the mining companies, the conditions in the mine are often extremely treacherous, and its danger is reflected by the profession’s high death tolls.

“It’s a difficult, back-breaking industry that nobody really goes to see,” Owens said. “It's just such a rich history that goes largely unstudied by most people. And I was hooked.”

Now wherever Owens goes, if there's a mine in the area, he’ll try to go explore it.

“Every one of them is different and each has a different history,” Owens said. “Some are older, some are newer, some are big pit mines, some are underground, some are very deep and some are not.”

Since his first tour over 23 years ago, Owens has visited mines in 12 different states and even abroad to Scotland, Wales, England and Canada, hitting dozens of sites around the world. Usually, these explorations are of mines that are no longer in use due to safety hazards. However, while Owens was on a tour of an old mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado, he experienced an explosion from a working pit mine nearby which shook the walls around him.

“They set off a destruction charge, a cracking charge to break up the rocks so they can keep mining,” Owens said. “I was in the drift, which is what they call the tunnel. When the explosives went off, it was like being inside a drum as the explosion echoed back and forth through the rock.”

Through studying these mines, Owens also discovered the negative environmental impacts that mining has had in places where they’ve dug out or processed ore.

“Processing ore is often a strong source of pollution,” Owens said. “You don't hear as many stories these days because the mitigation efforts have been successful in many places, so the damage isn't present there. In other places where there's still damage, the mines are usually far away from towns and cities. People don't truly see the damage unless they go look for it.”

In researching the history of these mines, Owens came across the rich history of steam engines. During the industrial revolution, steam engines played a large role in the mining industry, acting as a source of power for the mine to operate on before electricity existed.

“You would bring a steam engine in, install it at the mine and run it there,” Owens said. “The industry was no longer tethered to lakes and rivers for power. You could build anything you wanted, anywhere you wanted and make it work.”

Owens also fell in love with the impressive engineering used to create these machines.

“They're just these giant edifices,” Owens said. “I just think they’re magnificent. To try to make something that

The Pecos trip returns with two visits in a single summer

BY Weston Chance

powerful and also look that elegant, you don't see much of it anymore.”

As an Upper School chemistry teacher, Owens makes sure to incorporate his interest in mining and steam engines into his curriculum.

“Really, what brought me into enjoying the mines and steam engines is that I can teach with this stuff,” Owens said. “I have pictures of all the places I go. I have samples of metals from different mines I've been to, and I will take them out and show them around while I talk about the chemistry of extracting the ore as well as some of the mineral chemistry. For the steam engines, I have a few models in the back which I break out to show the kids and show the grandparents on Grandparent’s Day.”

O

ne major emphasis of the 2023 school year has been resuming all of the hallmark traditions that shape the journey of Marksmen. The community will look to continue that focus this summer with both the current freshman and sophomore classes going on their Pecos trips.

Traditionally, the Pecos trip has been an important milestone for all Marksmen and a major graduation requirement. For this reason, the Wilderness Program has worked to plan this summer’s double trip to fulfill its purpose of bringing every student closer together and closer to nature.

“I don’t think there will be any setbacks this year,” said Director of the Wilderness Program, Cameron Hillier ‘13.

“The setbacks were because of COVID and forest fires over the last couple of years.”

With two outings to the mountains on the agenda, double the manpower will be needed to make the trips successful.

“The community has come together and we've been able to form those groups with a couple of co-leaders and sherpas,” Hillier said. “It’s been really cool to see.”

Because the 2020 and 2022 Pecos trips were canceled due to the pandemic and forest

fires, it will take some time to get back on schedule.

“We'll take these two trips this summer,” Hillier said. “If we take two trips next summer, the second trip will be rising ninth graders, so we will be back on track with the traditional rising ninth grade trip.”

The class of 2025 will depart on July 31 and return on Aug. 6, and the very next day the class of 2026 will leave for their 7 day trip. While both trips will be slightly shortened, the school is hoping to go through all of the key experiences the prior Pecos trips delivered.

“We're maintaining the same programming: getting out there, having a couple days to acclimatize, getting into the backcountry, doing the solo, all that good stuff,” Hillier said. “So, in many ways, it’s the same Pecos trip.”

PHOTOS / COURTESY KEN OWENS

CAMERON HILLIER '13 Wildnerness Program Director

INTO THE DEPTHS Owens looks down the entrance to an adit at the Adventure Mine in Michigan.

JOURNEY'S BEGINNING The looming figure of "Big John" stands near the entrance of the Iron Mountain Iron Mine, which was the first mine Owens ever visited.

BRUTE FORCE Built to haul trains full of coal over the mountains, the Union Pacific Steam 4014 steam engine (one of the 25 largest locamotives ever built) passes through the train station in Marshall, Texas.

DOCUMENTING Owens poses for a selfie at the National Mining Museum in Wales.

CYBERSECURITY

One click away

In light of recent events such as the cyber attack on the Pentagon, the school has procedures in place to protect the community from cyber threats.

schools, hospitals and nonprofit organizations.

One click.

One click is all it takes to lose everything.

Cyber attacks have been increasing at an alarming rate, with an average of over $6 trillion stolen per year.

Especially with the advent of artificial intelligence, many cybercriminals have the ability to build better and more robust malware while remaining hidden.

Due to recent events such as classified files being hacked from the Pentagon and spread through large social media platforms such as Discord, the importance of cybersecurity has been brought to light even more than it already has in recent years, begging the question of ‘how can I protect myself and my community from these attacks?’

“We’re now seeing a shift towards attacking smaller targets, and a lot of them because they don’t always have the same systems in place that a bigger target might have, making a lot of smaller organizations easier targets,” senior technology specialist Kevin Boone said.

Because of this, the school has had to implement new policies and procedures to combat the threat of a cybersecurity attack in the future.

“We employ tools that are using AI, whether it’s through Microsoft or some of the other security companies that we use,” Boone said. “With more traditional security it’s just checking for specific instances, whereas now, with AI-enabled security, it’s not just going off that list, but also looking at patterns and learning what should be happening and what shouldn’t be happening.”

Back in 2020, Blackbaud was hacked, leading to a data leak spanning across a number of industries, such as

“They made adjustments to their environment to try to prevent that from going forward in any future events,” chief technology officer Thomas Eckel said. “There are different roles that people have when accessing Blackbaud from the administrative side, and they change some of the roles without informing us. Because of that, certain categories gain access to be able to go in and make changes to not just our website, but also other websites. Once they figured out what took place, we then made changes to prevent any future malicious actions.”

In the case of an actual cyberattack, the school makes sure important information stays safe by keeping their data organized.

“If someone did gain access into the St. Mark’s environment, they would need to have the right credentials to gain access to the data,” Eckel said. “We compartmentalize information, so each department has different credentials, and if you don’t have the proper credentials, you can only get into specific areas. So there are lots of layers that you would have to go through if you did gain access to one part to reach the rest.”

In addition to the strenuous work the IT team devotes to protecting the community of 10600, they also enlist the help of third party vendors that consists of teams dedicated to cybersecurity.

“They’re looking at what’s taking place here at St. Mark’s, looking at the reports, looking at the data that comes back and actively looking for any vulnerabilities that might be here so that we can address them,” Eckel

Robo Roar wins State Robo Performance Award

BY Weston Chance

was the team that made it to the state championships and came third overall and won the robot game challenge.”

said. “Having a team that supports us and is dedicated and trained is how we are able to put the tools in place.”

With everyone online so much these days, educating people about how to protect themselves and their data online is key. The school makes sure to preemptively train the faculty in order to protect the school’s online infrastructure.

“Each month, we send out an email that has a link to a video training series reviewing a different topic each month,” Eckel said. “The system generates and sends out test emails to faculty and staff to make sure they don’t fall prey to the things that they’ve been learning over time. So we basically send out phishing emails to see how many people clicked. If they click on something they shouldn’t click on, it automatically sends another training link to them saying, ‘Hey, you failed the test. So here’s a refresher.’”

Due to the low effort needed on the attacker’s part, malicious emails are usually the most common attacks, which are extremely easy to fall for if you’re not careful.

“Before you click on anything, make sure it’s something that you are expecting, and really look at the email address that sent the email,” Eckel said. “Is it spelled correctly? Is it ‘gmail.com’ or ‘gmai.lcom’?”

Though a trivial detail, little things like that can make a huge difference.

“It’s easy to be rushing from one thing to the next and click on something,” Boone said. “But, don’t be in a hurry, because that’s when mistakes happen. We can build the strongest fortress in the world, but if someone opens the door with keys it becomes pretty useless.”

“Our teammates became interested in robotics because it is a combination of math, science, engineering and coding,” 5th grader John Griggs said.

T

eam Robo Roar, a robotics team of seven 5th grade Marksmen, competed in the FIRST Lego League state championship this March. Team Robo Roar secured 3rd place overall and won the State Robo Performance Award.

The school’s robotics program has participated in FIRST Lego League in years past, but last year under the renewed leadership of co-sponsor Stewart Mayer, the program made huge leaps to capture the success it enjoyed this year.

“We had nine teams competing this year in FIRST Lego League,” cosponsor Dan Lipin said. “Robo Roar

The competition served as a valuable experience for all the Marksmen that participated. The nonprofit organization FIRST runs the competition and strives to promote education through project based activities across all sciences, primarily in robotics.

“We saw it as a great opportunity for kids to do something outside school,” Lipin said. “And we got a huge number of kids interested and participating in nine teams.”

The winning 5th grade team competed in the middle school division against 7th and 8th graders, making their feat all that more impressive.

“There are opportunities to work in a team and make presentations. Even though our team is only in 5th grade, we were able to win the Robot Performance Award in State.”

Griggs and his teammates created a high bar with their amazing performance this year. They plan to build upon that foundation next year with the hopes of reaching the World Championship.

“Yes, we do plan to participate next year. We want to compete again because we have a better chance of going to the World Robotics Championships,” Griggs said.

“We will have more experience as a team than other teams and feel ready.”

WITHIN THE WIRES Technology specialists work together to diagnose problems with the internet connection.

DAN LIPIN Robotics Team Co-sponsor

JOHN GRIGGS Robo Roar Team Member

STORY Oliver Peck, Joseph Sun

“ We can build the strongest fortress in the world, but if someone opens the door with keys it becomes pretty useless.

KEVIN BOONE Senior Technology Specialist

PHOTOS / JOESEPH SUN

Leveling the playing field

With many common misconceptions, extended time may seem like an unfair advantage for certain students. However, extended time students have to go through an extensive process to be granted these privileges which often yields a more accurate reflection of a student’s true abilities and fosters a level playing field for all learners.

The student sat alone, his classmates long gone. Hunched over the Harkness table, face to face with the only thing keeping him in the desolate classroom—his test.

It seemed like the extra tutoring sessions he had, the extra practice problems he did and the time he spent studying last night had gone down the drain. He felt like every answer he circled on the test was incorrect, and by the end of the class period, he was only finished with three quarters of the test.

As usual, he was the last one to finish. Even though his peers turned in their work after 45 minutes of testing, he needed more time. It took him 15 extra minutes before he finally turned in his work and walked out of the classroom.

Students like junior Caleb Maddox need extended time accommodations on tests because they need it to demonstrate their knowledge to its greatest capability, not because they want to gain an unfair advantage over other kids.

Especially with longer assessments, Maddox frequently had trouble finishing on time.

After consulting Julie Pechersky, the Coordinator of Academic Support, Maddox was introduced to extended time and recommended to talk to a specialist about possibly testing for time accommodations.

“After the tests, I qualified for extra time,” Maddox said. “I need it on pretty much all the tests I take. I drift off easier just because my anxiety is really bad, and the extended time definitely helped my anxiety. It puts way less pressure on me during the test and it’s definitely relieving.”

In addition to Maddox, several students have consulted with doctors to receive a diagnosis.

on a standardized evaluation. Some students even don’t continue to be eligible, as the testing results are considered valid for three to five years, as things can change over time.”

Especially here, the process to receive it is extensive and tedious, making it almost impossible for anyone to abuse extra time.

“It is a process that our school takes very seriously, and we are pretty conservative when it comes to granting accommodations to students,” Pechersky said. “It requires a diagnosed disability from a physician and a medical doctor, and that would not necessarily warrant extended time. It has to translate to impacting that student from an academic perspective.”

JULIE PECHERSKY Coordinator of Academic Support

“Every test would always take me the full period, and I would always feel rushed,” Maddox said. “I felt like I was always anxious about things, and sometimes I got distracted during tests, but I didn’t have ADHD. So I had conversations with my mom, and so we went to Mrs. Pechersky.”

3 FACTS & STATS

5 4

years until test invalidates percent of students are granted extra time nationwide on the SAT thousand dollars for a standard evaluation

“Lots of people want it, but not everybody qualifies for it,” said Dr. Susan Hill, a licensed specialist in school psychology. “People who qualify are students who have good capabilities, but for a diagnostic reason, they aren’t able to show that within the normal time period. So, giving that extended time definitely gives them equity in being able to demonstrate [their capabilities].”

While extended time can give extra help to students who have trouble focusing due to various causes, it can also create some misconceptions.

“The drawback mostly is with students that might be embarrassed about it,” Hill said. “There is a concern of what other students might think, but it’s so common these days that rarely is that actually an issue with peers, and I think it depends on how that’s handled.”

In addition to peer pressure some students may have an incentive to receive extra time without actually needing it.

“A good evaluator is going to prevent that from occurring,” Hill said. “Both the school and the College Board review panels make sure that it is a legitimate need and make sure that people are needing that time in a variety of settings, so not anyone can get it

For the school to allow additional time accommodations, a student first needs to consult an out-of-school psychologist who gives a psychoeducation evaluation, composed of a cognitive test and an academic achievement test, to determine whether there is a diagnosis.

“It’s a long process, and it’s an expensive process,” Pechersky said. “But that doesn’t just check the box, just because a student or a family has that documentation and it says there’s a diagnosis. And even sometimes, if it recommends extended time, we always look deeply at their performance in our classroom and what the teachers see. It’s a lot of different factors that we put together to ultimately approve that accommodation.”

However, to the few who get approved with extended time, it truly creates a much-needed equal opportunity amongst all the students.

“It does help you,” Pechersky said. “It’s an accurate reflection of their true ability. They may be really bright, and they are able to sit with you and carry a conversation that seems like, wow, this guy is really on top of it. But then when it comes to writing or long-term projects, papers, and tests, they may be underperforming because of a disability, and the extended time generally allows them to perform to their expected ability not to outperform anybody else.”

STORY Will Clifford, Joseph Sun

EMPTYING OUT

A student remains in the classroom, continuing to work on his test while his classmates are leaving.

PHOTO / ZACHARY BASHOUR

“

People who qualify are students who have good capabilities, but for a diagnostic reason, they aren’t able to show that within the normal time period.

DR. SUSAN HILL SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALIST

CALEB MADDOX Junior

SUSAN HILL School Psychology Specialist

Commemorating a LEGEND

Forty years is a significantly long time in someone's life. And to spend it in one place must make it a special community. With over four decades of service to the school, retired cafeteria worker Steve "Hollywood" Walker, a campus legend and beacon of happiness, passed away recently, leaving the school's community united in remeberance.

LEAVING TEACHERS Many faculty and staff will be stepping away from the school following the conclusion of the 2023 school year. With faculty with more than 20 years of service, the search is on for replacments for such impactful teachers. Such teachers include the Science instructor Paul Hoehn, a longtime educator, who is stepping away from Middle and Upper School science classes.

ALUMNI WEEKEND From April 20-23, the school hosted nearly 1,100 alumni from around the nation during the annual Alumni Weekend. Activities included award presentations at the Spring Alumni Dinner, including the award ceremony for the new Lee Smith '65 Courage and Honor Award, the famous and extremely popular Alumni Golf tournament, and also the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy in front of the football field, courtesy of Clark Hunt '83.

SAY WHAT?

STUDENT STORE With potential plans for student store snacks and other staples, the student store is preparing for a major overhaul should snacks be approved. Parents and students alike are excited and hopeful for the return of the favorite mid-day snacks, and hopefully, the community traffic that the student store once maintained before Covid began.

FINAL EXAMS Upper School students finished regular classes on May 16, with Reading Day, a study and review day, the following day. Students then took History finals on May 18 and Math Finals May 19, and have Foreign Language Finals on May 22 and Science Finals on May 23 to look forward to. Continually, the past month has been loaded full of Marksmen taking AP exams for various courses across different curriculums. Following final exam week is blue shirt day where rising seniors don the blue shirts.

Quotes overheard around campus

END OF YEAR CELEBRATIONS

Seniors and their little buddies will take the annual trip to the Dallas Zoo on May 22, finishing off the year with their 1st grade friends.

On May 23, Baccalaureate will be hosted in the chapel from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. To conclude their academic careers at 10600 Preston Road, Commencement will be held on May 25 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. to celebrate the graduating Seniors and all of their accomplishments throughout their time here.

MARKSMEN BALL The celebration of the Marksmen yearbook and its dedicatee was hosted on May 13 and will feature five faculty or staff members that the seniors want to celebrate. The Marksmen Ball is viewed as one of the final capstones of a student's career. The Marksmen Ball is a senior-only event aimed at celebrating not only the hard work of the yearbook staff, but also the efforts of the community.

INSIDE Leaving a lasting impact

PERSONAL COLUMN

Leaving a lasting legacy

NOLAN MARCUS Managing Editor

I

t’s about leaving a legacy.

Regardless of leadership roles, regardless of titles earned, everyone has the power to leave a legacy.

As I sat in chapel listening to Luke Noack speak about legacy I couldn’t help but think about the endless conversations I have had with my dad about the very same thing: legacy.

He would ask me what do I want to leave behind and how I plan to build it. But recently, we approached legacy a different way. While legacy can mean building something new or impacting people in the community, it can also mean taking the foundation, the brickwork, of another legacy and adding to it.

On May 25, one legacy in particular will be left behind permanently as the class of 2023 walks across the stage in their white tuxes, shaking Mr. Hillier’s hand as he hands them their diplomas.

That moment will cement their legacy. A legacy of unity, integrity and care. A class filled with strong leaders, academics, athletes and everything in between.

Jack Gordy Senior

Pipe down, pip-squeak.

J.B. McKinney Freshman

A summary of faculty and staff leaving the school and their impact.

Lee Smith '65 presented Dr. David Vanderpool his award.

12 13 18

A worthy recipient Campus icon, Hollywood

Remembering a bright light in the cafeteria, and in the community.

CALENDAR

EXAM WEEK THIS MONTH

Thursday History Finals

Friday Mathematics Finals

Monday Foreign Language Finals

Tuesday Science Finals

Wednesday Make up finals day and Fine Arts

Final Critiques

May 19 Blue and Gold day for the lower school.

May 22 Zoo trip for Seniors and 1st grade little buddies.

May 23 Baccalaureate at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel.

May 24 Middle School final assembly at 11 a.m.

May 25 Upper School final assembly at 11 a.m. and Commencement at 8 p.m.

May 26 Blue Shirt Day for rising seniors and short day for other students.

May 27 Summer Begins!

When they leave, there will be a void waiting to be filled. When the boys wearing the blue shirts take their last steps on campus as students before evolving into alumni others will need to carry out the legacy they will leave behind.

Students of all grades will have the opportunity to build on their legacy and strengthen the memory of the class of 2023, while simultaneously enhancing their own legacy for other classes behind them to build upon.

Every year legacy is created and built on. But building a good legacy is not just spoken into existence. It takes a daily commitment and discipline to achieve a strong legacy.

It takes 100 boys in every class keeping each other accountable at all times.

It takes strong leadership and willing followers.

Of course, there will always be mistakes and moments that could tarnish legacy, but it is at those times, when a class’ legacy is in jeopardy that their future is written.

No class is perfect, and even revered classes have their black marks. But we remember those classes as great because they were able to come together and overcome their faults and turn a mistake into a moment of success.

Class of 2023, on behalf of the school thank you for what you have done for all of us. You have shown all of us how to leave a good legacy.

Everyone else, now it’s our turn.

I hate Rocco.

IN ACTION Steve "Hollywood" Walker in the school's kitchen at the dish station.

PHOTO / COURTESY LORRE ALLEN AND ALEX ESHELBRENNER '04

Jack Gorwdy Jack Gorwdy Jack Gorwdy Jack Gorwdy Jack Gorwdy Jack Gorwdy.

Rocco Renda Freshman

NOAH CATHEY

San Francisco. 10:18 p.m.

BY Noah Cathey

I was sitting in Room 712 preparing for the next day of workshops.

I sat at the desk listening to “1999” trying to make the most out of the conference.

Reviewing my notes. Writing takeaways. I was doing what any good Editorin-Chief would do.

Then, it came.

Across my phone appeared a text from a girl I met earlier that day saying come hang w us. in the lobby. I had a dilemma.

Was I going to continue working? Or would I abandon what I thought was noble in favor of spending time with people I might never see again?

This dilemma is not unique to me.

This is a choice that Marksmen face too often.

On the precipice of senior year, I feel the pressure of college and the world beyond. Every quiz, every assignment, every choice seems lifealtering. Marksmen feel the weight of each moment.

It seems as if we are restlessly indulging in academia. Conjugating and rationalizing as if our life hangs in the balance. I’m always hearing:

“This essay determines my future” or “My life depends on this test.”

I have news for you: it doesn’t.

We should try to make the most of high school. Not because it is significant for college admissions or job prospects, but because it is four years we won’t get back. I am not saying don’t study or try hard. This is not the “life is completely meaningless and nothing matters” column. This is the “every individual thing does not have lifelong implications” column.

That late night text in San Francisco changed my life. I will remember my time playing tag with a London guy or talking about “pop” or taking the perfect .5 pic much longer than I will the notes from Saturday’s 2:45 p.m. session.

A life fulfilled is one that is lived in the moment.

To the junior who puts on a blue shirt for the first time in one week, I hope that you realize how precious this time is.

The rest of your life will not be characterized by the option to go play spikeball on the Quad like these days are. It won’t be everyday that you are able to enjoy the freedom of playing chess or engaging in music debate. Your laptop and engagement with education will be there long after your days at 10600.

The people will not.

GOODBYES

A new chapter

Science class will feel somewhat empty next year for many Middle School students. Leonard M. (Doc) Nelson Master Teaching Chair Paul Hoehn is retiring at the end

Hoehn did not initially plan teaching in a private school, but as soon as he met the students and faculty here, he immediately felt at home.

After teaching AP Chemistry at Skyline High School in Dallas for 17 years, Hoehn decided it was time to start a new chapter. Little did he know this new beginning would last over two decades. During that time, he inspired thousands of middle schoolers to pursue their goals and embrace their individual talents. Now, after devoting himself to education for so long, Hoehn has finally decided to step away to simply enjoy the rest of his life, bringing a bittersweet end to this chapter of his life.

After leaving Skyline High School, Hoehn found his new home here on campus.

“I felt like I was kind of sleepwalking at my job,” Hoehn said. “I decided to look around for other things, maybe another school district. Somehow the science department chair Stephanie Barta found out I was searching and gave me a call.”

Hoehn, although initially hesitant about the offer he was presented with, took the job.

“When I did my sample teaching gig,

Parting words

[the students] seemed like really sharp guys,” Hoehn said. “I said I wanted to do something different, and this was pretty different. Going from public to private, co-ed to all boys, high school to middle school.”

Hoehn used unique approaches to make learning for middle schoolers both memorable and interesting.

“When I taught seventh grade, back when the Winn Science Building was still being built, I would take them upstairs and we would watch the building process,” Hoehn said. “We watched on several different days, one day they were pouring the cement and one day they were inserting all the big beams. That really highlighted every class, hopefully making all of what I taught resonate with them.”

However, Hoehn’s time at the school was not without its challenges.

“The tornado hit after the first year when [the Winn Science Building] was finished, then COVID hit that spring,” Hoehn said. “It was like we got the building built, everything just went into turmoil for like two years.”

Despite the setbacks, Hoehn adapted and navegated his way through uncharted waters.

“There was one year long ago when we had to switch rooms while they were remodeling the school,” Hoehn said. “There was no electricity, so to teach I had to screw whiteboards into the drywall, so it was a very interesting experience.”

Outside of school, Hoehn took part in several programs giving others the chance to learn.

“I loved explaining things to my youth group programs, and after getting my degree I began tutoring for a while,” Hoehn said. “Sometimes you fall into stuff, and you like it so much, in my case, teaching.”

Aside from teaching chemistry and astronomy at school, Hoehn also devotes a lot of time to the church where he can enjoy his other passion– his love for music.

“In 1973, I learned and played handbells in college,” Hoehn said. “Many years later I directed some handbell choirs at the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, which was pretty memorable.”

After realizing how fun it was teaching new things to his youth groups at church, Hoehn decided to start several clubs here in hopes of sparking inspiration in his students.

“One year, I had eighth graders that were interested in magic,” Hoehn said. “Several students learned how to do card tricks and one guy in the club got really good.”

As much as Hoehn also wants to stay, he is glad to have made up his decision to retire with no regrets.

“I’m glad to have worked with so many students and faculty, but I feel like it is time I step down and join my wife,” Hoehn said. “Though I may be stepping down, we’ve got new talent that’s onboard doing a great job. So many people have retired, and so many new people have come on. It’s like, the more things change, the more they stay the same. So I know somebody will come and follow in my footsteps.”

Three other members of the school’s faculty and staff will be stepping away at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. They discuss what they’ll miss about the school and their plans for the future.

“I was blessed with eight years as a teacher before stepping away when my granddaughter was born. I returned in 2016 and am very grateful for these past seven years. Now with six grandchildren and many family members and friends in the northeast, I am looking forward to traveling more.”

“This is a great community. That’s what I’m going to miss the most. I enjoyed watching the boys come in as young men going through Upper School, and by the time they graduate, they’re hopefully a little more mature.

“I have been teaching for 21 years, and I absolutely love this place. I am not quitting. I’m retiring because I am ready, that is the simple truth. I have many plans, traveling to Columbia to stay with my mom and becoming an entrepreneur. I think I have at least 20 good years so I can enjoy that.”

Andrew Ye

Science instructor Paul Hoehn has served the school for more than 20 years. Now, he is hanging up the lab coat and goggles to spend time with family and begin a new chapter in his life.

STORY Andrew Ye

SHERRI DARVER Head of Lower School

ELLEN JURGENS Administrative Assistant to the Assistant Head of Upper School

EMMA NOBLE Lower School Spanish Instructor

Backpage Editor

PHOTO / COURTESY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

FAREWELL Hoehn’s time at 10600 Preston Road is ending after over two decades of service.

Courage and honor: more than a motto

This year, a new award honoring alumni service was presented for the first time at the Spring Alumni Dinner. Named for the school's first Black graduate, the Lee Smith ‘65 Courage and Honor Award was given to David Vanderpool ‘78 in honor of his humanitarian efforts following the catastrophic 2010 earthquake in Haiti.

The restless night is filled with noise: the purrs of the engine of a flatbed truck, the moans and coughs of a dozen or so dust-covered casualties on the back of the truck, an occasional gunshot or explosion, and the muffled screaming of those condemned to a stay within the earth itself.

Mounds of rubble line the streets where buildings and signs used to stand. There are pitch-black crevices sloping downwards from roads that reveal themselves far too late for several unlucky drivers.

At some point on the road back to the hospital, the driver of the truck loses internet connection. His GPS goes out. He’s forced to navigate through the eerie silence by instinct alone for fifteen minutes before his phone screen blinks on again and guides him back to safety.

He’s already made this trip twice today. And for the next few months, he will continue to make the same journey through rough terrain twice a day.

In 2010, an earthquake of unprecedented magnitude struck the coastal island of Haiti, severely damaging cities such as Port-au-Prince and claiming more than 100,000 lives. The then-present government lacked the resources to conduct necessary emergency operations, so they appealed to other countries and charities for assistance.

Enter Dr. David Vanderpool ‘78.

A beaming man of 63 years, Vanderpool is the founder of LiveBeyond, an international humanitarian aid organization, and a respected former trauma surgeon. He sees himself as a man who roots for the underdog, somebody who sees disenfranchisement and poverty in the world and feels angst.

However, according to Vanderpool, the decision to leave medical practice for charity work was not an easy one.

“I’d spent nine years learning my trade in school, and then 25 years perfecting it,” Vanderpool said. “I had a lot invested in that. In surgery, there’s a delicate standpoint, a muscle memory thing, and so if all those things are lost, it was a big deal.”

Nonetheless, Vanderpool managed to find a compromise.

“Somebody came in shot, you operated on him, they survived, so you had this immediate gratification.” Vanderpool said. “As a trauma surgeon, I can help save a life, one person at a time, but [with charity work], I can do something that is scaled, and what I do affects entire communities.”

Vanderpool first began providing medical care and aid after Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States. In 2006, Vanderpool and his team began providing healthcare to the natives of Mozambique, and in 2009 Vanderpool helped build a medical clinic in Honduras.

However, for Vanderpool and his team, the earthquake in Haiti was a challenge like no other.

“We were a disaster relief organization at that point,” Vanderpool said. “So we went in two days after the earthquake [with] a quick reaction team that I lead. We set up this hospital, started a logistics supply chain, just all the mundane things you have to do to survive. We had a flatbed truck, and we would drive through the streets of Port au Prince. The entire city was collapsed. Very few streets didn’t have rubble, so we would drive slowly through the streets, looking for the injured.”

streets, Vanderpool’s medical experience kicked in.

“We started IVs, set bones, put [casualties] on the back of the truck and then made the arduous drive back to the hospital, which was the only hospital working so we didn’t have any other choices,” Vanderpool said.

Vanderpool and his team worked around the clock for more than half a year, building a base that implemented a multitude of aid programs for the local area, while also receiving international media coverage.

In September 2021, the Lee Smith ‘65 Courage and Honor Award was created in honor of Lee Smith ‘65, the first black graduate of St. Mark’s. When the school first approached Smith, he was at a loss for words.

“In some ways, what makes me special? That’s a lot to think about,” Smith said. “I don’t go talking about my achievements and accomplishments, or casting myself as a role model. One of the points [the school] made is that I thought I was being humble, [which] is how I view myself. They said, ‘You’re not being humble, you’re being selfish.’ When someone tells you that, you got to step back and think.”

Gradually, Smith came to have a new perspective on what he previously thought were things that he did for simple reasons.

“My brain for all these years was trying to think of it the other way, to just quietly do what you do, [with] no effort wasted,” Smith said. “I didnt view myself as coming here [to St. Mark’s] to blaze a trail. I didn’t think of myself as integrating the school as [much as] I thought of myself as having [been] given the opportunity to come to St. Mark’s. Simple reasons, but purposeful reasons that have far more implications than was my objective. And I accept that.”

Nonetheless, Smith maintains much of what he has done in his life was not done out of desire for recognition.

“What [the award] means to me is more about what it will mean to [others],” Smith said. “Whatever indeed inspires other people means a lot to me. But it isn’t

what it means to me. A lot of things I did because I was ambitious, because I was curious, because I wanted to do good things. But I always valued the being able to have not the love and affection of my parents, but the pride. What this means to me is less important than what it would mean to them.”

On February 3, the recipient of the Lee Smith ‘65 Courage and Honor Award was announced to be Vanderpool. When Vanderpool first heard about the award, he was floored.

“I really thought they had the wrong guy,” Vanderpool said. “It was very humbling. It’s just such an honor, especially in the backdrop of St. Mark’s. [There are] many people who have made an unbelievable impact who graduated before I did. I’m really stunned but extremely grateful.”

Smith thinks Vanderpool is a worthy recipient.

“I think he is appropriate for what this award was designed for: people who make a difference in the world,” Smith said. “When they first asked me about courage and honor, I didn’t think of it that way. I just thought about making a difference. So I’ll stick with courage and honor because that’s one of the byproducts of it. And he’s done that. I think it’s appropriate what the committee came up with this way.”

ALL SMILES Vanderpool chats away with a young boy during one of his many service trips. His organization LiveBeyond has provided humanitatian aid in many countries like Honduras, Haiti, and Mozambique.

Musician Conner Youngblood ’08 returns to campus during Alumni Weekend

BY William Kozoman

Marksmen and alumni were treated to a performance on the Perot Quadrangle by Conner Youngblood ‘08 April 21. By using a combination of multiple instruments, sound techniques and voice tuning, Youngblood was able to create a mesmerizing show.

His musical journey thus far has been a circle of sorts, first starting on campus, then taking him across the world and eventually right back to 10600 Preston Road.

Youngblood’s involvement in music began in the Middle School band.

“I was playing clarinet here at St. Mark’s,” Youngblood said. “That was my first instrument. And then I wanted to play more and, eventually, I got a guitar for my birthday.”

As an upperclassman, Youngblood was inspired to go beyond playing music and start making it.

“I started piano lessons in the 11th grade, and that

was around the time I started writing my own songs," Youngblood said. “Then, around senior year, I started performing again and getting some confidence with piano recitals, learning to read music and wanting to write my own stuff.”

Youngblood’s favorite instrument is the guitar. He finds it easiest to write songs on and even goes as far as to call it an “extension of his fingers.” In particular, Youngblood enjoys writing songs about nature and the outdoors.

Since graduating, Youngblood has traveled the world to further his musical career to places like Denmark and Japan. It’s even encouraged him to learn more about other languages and cultures.

“I’ve fallen in love with learning languages, and I’ve even started writing songs using them,” Youngblood said.

“I’ve been learning Danish for the last 10 years, and I’ve written a few songs in Danish. I’ve also written a song in Spanish and a song in Japanese.”

Youngblood's foray into other languages has also had a unique effect on his songs.

“It’s been really fun using other languages to get thoughts out using different melodies and ways of putting words together that I haven’t thought about before,” Youngblood said.

When it came time for him to return to campus, Youngblood gladly accepted.

“The Alumni Association reached out to have me come play,” Youngblood said. “I thought it would be a fun idea to have some entertainment while Marksmen were getting lunch today.”

Youngblood finds the school an enjoyable environment. Not only does he enjoy the opportunity to share his music, but also the chance to come back home.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out and listened and enjoyed it,” Youngblood said. “Hopefully everyone had a good time.”

A GREAT HONOR Dr. David Vanderpool '78 receives the first ever Lee Smith Courage and Honor Award from the prize's namesake: Lee Smith '65.

STORY Akash Manickam, Kayden Zhong

PHOTO / COURTESY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

PHOTO / COURTESY DAVID VANDERPOOL

A toast to Hollywood,

a legend and a legacy

Walker “Hollywood” Walker passed away April 3, 2023. The school was like a second home to him, and from 1975-2020, he faithfully served the school and its community, only retiring when he had both his legs amputated. We talked to those who knew him well, exploring both his past and his impact to the school.

better than the Marksmen. They embodied the life he longed for, the life he never had, and the life he always wanted.

Steve Walker lay in his hospital bed, leaning his torso on a white pillow. In truth, it was his whole body leaning against that pillow. He had just lost his other leg, only a few months after having one of them amputated.

But he remained resilient. His smile glowed through his graying afro and wrinkling face.

Former English teacher Curtis Smith looked around the room. Different colored flowers and gifts covered the windowsill and shelf. He asked who the gifts were from.

Oh, Scott Jolly brought that. And that was from Howard Stewart and his wife.

And as they talked, the minutes flew by — one, two, 10, 30 — and soon they were saying their goodbyes. When Smith finally walked past the flowers and the gifts towards the wooden door, Walker stopped him.

Tell Howard I love him.

Smith found Howard, and told him.

And Walker could have said it of many other people.

Like Marietta Johnson, who helped him for weeks and weeks to get comfortable talking at the Spring Alumni dinner as he celebrated his fortieth year at the school.

Like equipment manager Coach Ron Turner, who brought him to the doctor in the first place.

Like the students, who made him an honored guest at the Marksmen Ball, picking him up in a limo and buying him his first tuxedo.

And he could have said it of the whole school community. The place he loved and was loved by. A place where he learned and passed on so much.

More and more people opened that same door throughout his stay in the hospital. All people he loved.

Alex Eshelbrenner ‘04 was one of those people who opened that door, walking into that room, with a big smile and a blue lunch tray for Hollywood.

A lunch tray that held the signatures of those who Hollywood loved.

A lunch tray that said, “We love you, Hollywood.”

And when they took a picture, Hollywood held those very words. Right next to his heart.

Walker never failed to grace the school with his love.

Standing at a mountainous 6’2”, Walker’s build might have seemed threatening to some. But in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Though his face looked tough, he perpetually wore an I’mjust-happy-to-be-here look. Underneath what seemed like a rough exterior was a true softie; someone who genuinely cared about his surroundings.

Walker hobbled around campus. Even though his shoes were dilapidated beyond repair, and even though the pain made it so that he could barely walk, and even though massive cuts that never healed lined his legs, Walker made sure to share a heartfelt smile.

Every. Single. Day.

His drive? The Marksmen. For Walker, there was no one

But even though they had what he so desperately wanted, he never lived downtrodden and depressed. Instead, he brought much—needed energy to each student.

After marching past the library and through the quad, following the commands of Doc Browning, the lower schoolers would set their eager eyes on the gym and hear a familiar voice.

How’s it going, man!?

After running a mile in record pace under the watchful eyes of cross country coach John Turek, middle schoolers, exhausted and drenched in sweat, would walk into the cafeteria and hear a familiar voice.

What’s good, man!?

And after a particularly hard math test or spanish exam, upper schoolers, still discussing answers over lunch, would set their empty plates down on the conveyor belt and see a familiar smile.

You got all your work done!?

For cafeteria workers, the joy and happiness he brought remained constant. The same words he greeted students with were shared among his coworkers and companions. Everyone, from Chef Howard to former food services workers May Sykes and Brenda Bell, was a benefactor of the extraordinary energy that radiated from Walker. Like a giant teddy bear, Walker made it his mission to make everyone’s day.

I love you man, I love you.

But long before it all, there was only Walker.

From birth, it was like the world was against him. Everyday, Walker woke up and went solemnly to school. For many, a place to get excited. A place to form as many friends as possible. A place to have fun.

Walker didn’t see it like that. For him, school was the place where he spent the day in the corner, only to be called names and ridiculed by everyone: teachers, staff and his supposed “peers.” They made it a living hell.

At home, at least the hell was better. Instead of spending time getting yelled at by his supposed “mentors”, he cared for his family. Whatever his household needed, he provided. Blankets? No problem. Clothes? Don’t even have to ask. Hot water for a bath? Even if it meant a trip to the local store with five gallon pails, he would do it. After all, what was chopping wood and carrying water to him?

But the obstacles didn’t stop there. Walker, raised in tattered rags and always on an empty stomach, didn’t know the difference between an A and an E, and couldn’t distinguish one word from another. Even though he worked his fingers to the bone, he still couldn’t write his own name, which made him all the more susceptible to dangerous people. Always laughed at, always misunderstood, and always taken advantage of.

Married life wasn’t much easier. But for years and years, Walker guided, helped, and carried his blind wife through life’s challenges, and it wasn’t just for the heck of it. Walker found pride in his work, knowing that he was always doing something to better his community.

STORY Dawson Yao, Linyang Lee, Matthew Hofmann

BROTHERS, FOREVER Walker (right) poses with colleague and friend of nearly forty years Chef Howard Stewart (left). The bond between the two would last past Walker's retirement, up to his death.

AT WORK Walker mops the floor of the cafeteria, making sure it’s clean so that the next day can go smoothly.

NOT JUST WORK Hollywood saw the school as an opportunity to make connections with all those around him — the faculty, the staff, and the boys. Here, he sits with fellow staff member May Sykes.

ALL THE LOVE Hollywood, in the hospital, holds a tray signed by members of the community, given to him by Alex Eshelbrenner ’04.

PHOTOS / COURTESY LORRE ALLEN

PHOTOS / COURTESY LORRE ALLEN AND ALEX ESHELBRENNER '04

Just because he didn’t have a good life didn’t mean other people couldn't. Just because his childhood was rough didn’t mean other people had to live like him. Just because God made him suffer didn’t mean his creation wasn’t great.

And when Walker came to St. Mark’s in 1975, his perspective on life didn’t waver, but grew stronger.

Armed with a short-hair afro and a small, partedpencil mustache, Walker ventured outside his small, East Dallas apartment to hitch a ride on the daily DART bus. Everyday, the yellow bus pulled up onto Stop 15 on Buckner Boulevard, and Walker would get on. From there, the vehicle slowly inched the 20 miles up to Forest and Preston, where he would get off and hobble the remaining two miles to St. Mark’s.

And once he walked on to 10600, it might as well have been heaven.

For him, St. Mark’s could not have been better. Complete with a chapel, theater, and dining hall, the school was his Garden of Eden. His sanctuary, his safe haven and his home away from home.

Everyday, Walker lived faithfully by the saying now popularized by interim Head of Upper School John Ashton, “Do the things, and do them well.” Walker not only put his heart into his job of cleaning industrial sized pots and pans, but he put his soul into embracing and building relationships with his community.

And he loved to talk — to the faculty, the staff, but especially to the boys. Always seen to be talking with lower schoolers with sunglasses on, he began to be called “Hollywood,” a nickname given to him by former Director of Development Jim Bob Womack ‘98.

He loved sharing his wisdom with them — what they should do as young men as they got older and took on more responsibility. But for the most part, he just loved sharing the moment. Whenever he would talk about the boys, his face would become jolly and he would take on the most uplifting spirit and tone.

Even on some of his bad days, whenever he talked with anyone, he would always snap back to his happy, cheerful and joking self, ending every conversation on a positive note — seeking to improve his situation instead of staying sour about it.

And improve his situation he did. Just after the tornado hit the school, Walker walked up to former English teacher Curtis Smith and asked for a favor.

Teach me to read, please.

Smith didn’t know much about how to bridge the learning gap, but he felt it was a great idea. Walker was diligent and punctual, quiet and focused, and a wonderful student who was determined to learn to read.

“People call reading, writing and arithmetic subjects today, but they used to be called disciplines because you had to bear down and struggle a bit,” Smith said.

the student stays focused and wants to learn more in the short hours that we have together,” Smith said. “It made me more determined to give back to Walker.”

Soon, he started reading a few books independently. No prompts, no pauses.

He could just read the page, flip it and keep going. But other days, he would recall a word for the first part of the lesson and would completely forget it towards the end.

But he kept on meeting with Smith every week, sitting straight-backed, focused and determined every single hour.

They both set a goal to give a speech to the entire Upper School, to share, in one fell swoop, a few words of wisdom he had given dozens of times before — learning to listen to people and not making assumptions about them until they had thoroughly proved what kind of person they were.

But the day of his speech never came. The school was shut down for COVID, and they stopped the lessons. And just as the pandemic was ending, Walker’s hobbling demeanor had grown to be noticeable. At first, it was a slight shuffle, but gradually, the shuffle became a limp, which became a stagger. The cuts on his leg, which was a result of his constant work, got worse. And his shoes, which had served him faithfully for over thirty years, were torn and ripped, which didn’t make his condition any better.

Yet still, Walker continued to work. It didn’t matter what held him back: he was relentless, tireless, and unbroken. He continued to wash pans, clean pots, and greet Marksmen. Chop wood, and carry water.

It was only when close friend, colleague and equipment manager Coach Ron Turner snapped his fingers and finally took him to the doctor where the true magnitude of his injuries was revealed.

Years of hobbling had resulted in permanent nerve damage. Over the years, Walker had slowly lost all the feeling in his legs, the discovery of which led to the first of many surgeries in Walker’s life.

The procedure started as something minor — but still the limp remained. The surgery made it bearable but didn’t fix everything. The damages to his legs were essentially irreparable.

But regardless of the news about the condition of his legs, Walker never complained once. In fact, he rejected the help he was offered. Never once did he let it slip in the cafeteria that his legs were ruined. Never once did he go to Nurse Julie to complain about his state. Never once did he show Marksmen the sad side of his story.

And when anybody tried to check up on him, it was always the same couple of responses.

I’m alright, man. I’ve paid my rent and all my bills on time.

I’m fine, man. I’m fine.

But when Turner pushed deeper, it was a different story. Through deep conversations outside of work, he found out about Walker’s fair share of problems.

Walker, stubborn like a bulldog, made sure that he always got what he wanted. In this case, it was the desire to keep on working. And when food services tried their best to elevate Walker’s role in the kitchen, that stubbornness shone through. When their opinions about the job differed from his, Walker grew impatient and eventually retired.

Happiness in retirement was short-lived. Since so much of his joy came from seeing members of the

short years, Walker went from seemingly in good health to a double amputee, with both his legs cut off and replaced by prosthetics.

But still, even in a rehabilitation center to essentially relearn how to walk, Walker never once complained, but instead was eager and excited to relearn the skill.

I got my legs, coach, I got my legs!

For him, it was just another obstacle to conquer. Something he’d done all his life: chop wood, and carry water.

Eventually, the illness proved too much for him, and Walker had to be hospitalized, this time for a while.

Out of all his struggles, from boyhood to adulthood, this time spent in the hospital was likely the toughest for Walker. Devoid of all human interaction except for the nearby nurses, Walker lost his livelihood — which relied on his connection to the community. Slipping in and out of consciousness, he had to be constantly revitalized by medical personnel.

In spite of it all, his stubbornness continued to shine through. The hospital just wasn’t the place for him, and eventually the struggle of everyday life got to him.

I wanna go home, man.

But in December of 2022, with his resilience fading, Walker made a pact with Director of Inclusion, Diversity and Human Resources Lorre Allen: that he would hang on to see the new year. The promise pushed Walker to his limits. Nevertheless, he continued to persevere, chopping wood, and carrying water.

Walker survived three months after the promise was fulfilled, until Monday, April 3rd, when medical staff cut his life support with the consent of family and friends.

He died next to a framed photo of the Path to Manhood statue, having taken on the role of the man with the boy upon his shoulders, carrying on the next generation of Marksmen. And just like the statue, Walker left his own legacy on the school — the legacy of Hollywood.

Editor's note: This story is a compilation of the perspectives of seven different people, all of whom were close to Mr. Walker.

Many thanks to Coaches Ron Turner and Dwight Phillips, former English instructor Curtis Smith, Chef Howard Stewart, Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Human Resources Lorre Allen, Ahlberg & Ribman Family Director of Alumni Relations

ALL SMILES

Despite all the flaws in his life, talking and connecting with others helped Walker maintain a constant positive and upbeat demeanor.

PHOTO / COURTESY LORRE ALLEN

Steve Walker Memorial Service

MOVIE STAR

Just like his namesake, Walker was a landmark of the community, as is the Hollywood sign in California.

IS SUMMER REALLY A BREAK? | CONTINUED FROM COVER

CATCHING THE RAYS, FEELING THE HEAT, HANDLING THE PRESSURE

Summer has changed over the years. What started as a way for kids to get out and explore the world on their terms has quickly morphed into one filled with jobs, college applications and extracurriculars. Do students still have time to do what they love, or is summer just an extended version of school?

Sophomore Zachary Yang stood outside as he watched his friends go into store after store of NorthPark Center — asking each for a summer job.

As they walked past the golden leaping hare, he realized that didn’t have a job himself. Sure, he had done some community service last year — looking after second graders at the Wesley-Rankin Community Center. But his parents wanted him to do something different this summer.

His grandpa told him that he should start looking into medical schools. His parents told him he should be getting an internship. His friends were already doing online lifeguard training.

Yang thought summer should be a time to rest and recollect and prepare for the next year — get ahead in school a bit, do some SAT and ACT prep and maybe get some more sleep. For many others, summer is time at the beach. Time swimming, diving and laughing.

After all, there’s not a lot of time to rest during the school year.

And aside from a two-week immersion program in Spain, Yang doesn’t have much else lined up for the summer.

Maybe going back to the community center would be a good idea. Would it be more responsible to work there or at a coffee shop? What job could he take on that’s more responsible? Responsibility… responsibility…

And with summer just a week away he still doesn’t know what he wants or needs to do with his summer. But he knows he wants and needs to keep busy. Not for the usual reasons — college or family pressure, but because Yang wants to make sure his summertime feels well-spent.

Like many others, he doesn’t know.

But he knows he has to start somewhere.

For Yang, summer represents a reprieve month cycle of hard work known as the school year — some well-earned time off to spend with family and friends. But junior Alex Barrett sees things a little differently.

For him, summer is the smell of green grass. For him, summer is the sharp ping baseball.

Barrett has played on a select baseball team during the summer months every year since middle school, an activity which requires unparalleled amounts of commitment, focus and, above all else, time.

Summer ‘break’ flies by in a blink of an eye as Barrett drives around the state for tournaments, which occur every single week all the way from the day after Commencement to the very end of July.

Obviously, this commitment does not leave time for much leisure.

“My friends tell me that I always just disappear in the summer, which is right,” Barrett said. “There’s really not much time to be spending hanging out with your friends on a summer night when you have to go to bed early because you have a game in the morning, or if you’re driving home from a game that was at 7:30 p.m. an hour away from your house. It makes summer not as much of a break as it should be.”

The intense tournament schedule of travel ball can leave kids feeling empty, as having a game or two every single day for over a week can begin to feel like nothing more than a mundane job over time.

But at every mundane job, there needs to be a break. Vacation time. An escape from the monotony.

Scientifically, it’s a proven

fact: people need breaks. One small company based in Singapore called Simplifying forced their employees to take a week off every seven weeks as a 12-week experiment. The managers would rate the employees throughout the experiment. And, by the end, creativity went up 33%, happiness went up 25% and productivity went up 13%.

People are not robots, but at the end of the day, even machines need to recharge.

While this seems to hold true in the corporate world, most highschoolers overcome the feeling of summer burnout by convincing themselves they’re focusing on their future, as living a baseball-centered life over the summer is essentially a prerequisite for playing in college. However, for someone like Barrett who is not hyper focused on collegiate athletics, they must find another motive for devoting years of their lives to improving their skills.

And for Barrett, the answer is simple: his love of the game. “If I didn’t really love to play baseball, there’s no way I could have played all summer, every summer for the last five or six years,” Barrett said. “I love getting to grind every day with a bunch of guys who also have the same mindset of wanting to get better. It requires a lot of mental strength to go out there and play week in and week out, and that really appeals to me.”

In addition to simply enjoying his time on

purposes, getting into a top tier school isn’t the priority.

“I don’t spend too much time stressing about others getting ahead over the summer,” Pan said. “While I have some familial influence over college, I don’t think it’s going to determine the rest of my life. And worrying about college probably isn’t the most fun way to spend your summer.”

His focus, first and foremost, is to follow his passion, and the rest will fall into place.

“If you look at the residents of Preston Hollow, what percentage of those people are going to the top colleges?” Pan said. “I don’t think it’s a high percentage. You see that a lot of people aren’t going to super-prestigious Ivy Leagues, but they still become wildly successful.”

And that success can come in many different ways, according to Carl Sewell III ’02, co-owner of Sewell Automotive Companies, who has offered a few Marksmen summer jobs at Sewell Automotive. For Sewell, the summer is one big opportunity to get closer to success, whether it be a tangible paycheck or something far closer to the heart. Sewell believes that high school work experience should be valued for growth and development, in addition to a salary.

“Some of the more perspective shaping and life shaping lessons that I learned certainly came from summer jobs,” Sewell said. “They also help you get ready for college, when you’re on your own, and help you be more self-sufficient than growing up living with your parents might.”

And his family was all about summer work — any family member who could drive should start working.

“We just grew up talking about business and work around the dinner table, and so I was always very interested in

COVERAGE Dawson Yao, Linyang Lee, Zack Goforth, Nolan Marcus, Grayson Redmond GRAPHICS/DESIGN Joshua Goforth

“ Continue to push yourself, continue to grow, while at the same time enjoying it.

This is a special time of life in high school, and you shouldn’t just let it pass you by.

CARL SEWELL III '02

Co-owner of Sewell Automotive

ALEX PAN Junior

getting a summer job,”

Sewell said. “I said I’d like work at a company and my father said, ‘Well, why don’t you start where I started, in the parts department and run parts to technicians over the summer and see what you think.’”

That summer, at the age of 16, Sewell fell in love with the auto industry. Technicians would type up a repair order and it would print out in the parts warehouse. Sewell would go to pick those parts out and run the parts to the technicians so they could start their work. And through his work, he got to form connections with them.

“I think that’s the beauty of the job,” Sewell said. “You learn a lot about people — what they do to provide for their families or their area of expertise and what they did to become a master of their craft.”

Even though Sewell still values summer work, he feels that it’s always good to take a break.

“Continuing to have rigor in the summer is really important,” Sewell said. “Some people get that through sports, some people get it through work, and some people get it through both. Continuing to push yourself to get better is important and is now probably more important than ever in this hypercompetitive world we live in. Continue to differentiate yourself and continue to learn. Yes, give yourself a break, but it shouldn’t be the whole summer.”

And ultimately, Sewell believes the best jobs offer more than just surface-level opportunities.

“The best summer jobs, and jobs in general, are going to be the ones that impact you beyond a paycheck — you don’t just want a job to check a box,” Sewell said. “You want to take something away from it. And hopefully it motivates you to pursue great things later in life.”

When he walked towards the two-story beige building, under the small terracottaroofed porch and past the heavy red door, Yang didn’t know what to expect. He had already done a two-minute Dilworth run and lift that morning. Now, he was at some community service thing at the WesleyRankin Community center that his mom signed him up for

MAXIMIZING YOUR SUMMER

Did you sleep more? Is that why you felt so rested and relaxed afterward? How can you get more sleep now? Teens should get 8-10 hours of restful sleep every day.

Did you spend more time with people you like being with?

Did you have extended conversations and recreational activity together? How can you make more time for the people you love?

Did you take some time alone? How can you make time for quiet reflections, meditations or yoga? Repeated use of relaxation techniques will improve rest over time.

Do you cherish your vacations? Did you practice the routines that make you happy, and feel relaxed? Can you keep some of these routines, even when your vacation is over?

But he might as well do it — just for the hours. Anyway, his mom had been pushing him to do it.

He signed in on the iPad at the front desk. The lady there took him to go to the second-grade room. He knew the goal of the program was to help prepare the kids for the next year and keep them busy during the summer, and he remembered vaguely that his role was to support the faculty.

“I was a little nervous at first,” Yang said. “And I didn't really know what I could or could not do.”

Looking around the room with 15 second graders, he saw that the room was decorated with some activities the kids had done. Little paper cutout hand prints of blue, red and green lined the walls, each with carefully scribbled words about what each kid thought meant to be a good friend.

Yang sat down in one of the plastic little red chairs. For a while, he just sat there. He was not left undisturbed though. One kid walked up to him, and started asking him if he watched Stranger Things. And soon, they were talking about the Demogorgon.

The more Yang went to the community center, the more relationships and connections he formed. He cut out paper snowflakes with the kids. The kids drew pictures of him. They put different colored beads and charms on a string to make bracelets, sighing as one when the beads fell off again and again as they went to tie each

Three hours. I did that the first time. But I just really enjoyed seeing the innocence they had and their outlook on everything. They always had a positive attitude. They just keep moving through it and knew that everything will work out.”

And he also saw how the kids made the most out of what they had. When the staff members had prepared a water balloon fight for the kids, the sun popped the hundreds of balloons that had been prepared. But the kids weren’t disappointed. They were just all smiles when the staff sprayed them with water from the hose, laughing just as much as if they had an actual balloon fight.

And then, for the first time, he knew.

Every day, he would wake up, crush the Dilworth workout, take a nap and head to the community center at noon. When he got there, the kids would run up to him, shout and hug him. And after he finished working, he would always go online and sign up to help with the next, knowing how much his mere presence meant to the kids and the faculty.

Yang realized it was okay not to know. It was okay to feel the pressure of mounting responsibilities and the desire to get ahead, just like it was okay to feel the sizzling sun against his skin on a beach in the Bahamas.

But right now, all Yang could see was how happy the kids were just to be there at the community center and to see him — he could see the impact he was making and the intangible satisfaction he was getting out of his work. And if Yang could choose anything to do over the summer, he knew it would just be there with them.

Year round schedule yields busy summer and mixed results

Attendance was at an all time low, and the graph for the average grade point average looked like the left half of a They needed a solution, and quickly. And while ideas for increased focus were being flung around in the committee Introducing periods of intercession, the schedule bumped the amount of school days from 174 to 180. To do this, summer was removed entirely, and periods of two-week breaks were spread uniformly throughout the year. The first week served to provide additional schooling to those who needed it, which gave students with better grades more Incentives for the change were multifaceted.

from staying on a computer for too long.

throughout the year. Additionally, recapture of learning time lost

committee over the edge. According to the then recently passed House 3, schools that had than 180 school days given additional money to fund their programs.

But among

the student body, the change produced mixed results.

For elementary students, who have not a care in the world, the change was fun. The schedule meant happier times, more often. School wasn’t just school: it was packed with small periods of time filled with fun and happiness.

For middle schoolers, who didn’t see school as their number one priority, the change was neither welcomed nor denied. The one negative sentiment was seeing their friends from different districts, already having been released to have fun with their summers.

For high schoolers, the change hit the hardest. Not only was it exhausting, but their summers, which were supposed to be filled with camps and programs in preparation for the college process, was now tainted by the extension of school.

But while some found it counterproductive, others embraced the change, as it gave people who were doing well more breaks during the year.

“It seemed a lot easier and a lot less stressful, because we actually got time to get our stuff done,” Garland ISD junior Jacobi Orange said. “You don't have a different assignment every single day, and even if you do, you have that three week break to catch up on all of it without getting stressed.”

For members of the faculty, the change was all the more difficult. In a traditional schedule, teachers would use their summers in preparation for their classes, taking long periods of time to finalize their lesson plans. But with the new schedule, teachers had to organize their plans constantly, even while on the supposed summer replacement.

In the end, after having conferred with their committees and having surveyed the opinions of the community, Garland ISD ultimately decided to shut down the new schedule, reverting back to a their previous, more traditional format.

DR. KIMBERLY CADDELL Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum

CARL SEWEWLL III '02

Co-owner of Sewell Automotive Companies.

ZACHARY YANG Sophomore

SOURCE / Queen’s University Canada, and CDC.org

Hungry for answers

Once a staple of day-to-day campus life, the student store stood as a community hub that thrived on the universal love of students: food. Now, with the school leaving COVID restrictions in the past, student store snacks may be set to return soon.

The minute hand ticked one dash closer to the magnificent start time of one of the best parts of Middle School Humanities – break. Excited glances began to be cast around towards buddies in class. Feet started to tap. Kids who were slouched over began to slow sit up and shift towards the door. There was a palpable buzz and energy in the Centennial classroom.

The teacher began winding down the first half of their lesson. Low murmurs broke out between students planning what games would be held during the magical ten minute window outside.

Now at a suitable stopping point in the lesson, the teacher released the students. Like 100-meter track stars at the sound of the starting gunshot, the middle schoolers raced through the halls, burst through the double-doors of Centennial, and broke off into seperate directions.

One group hustled to the quad to begin spikeball. Others sprinted to the basketball court for a quick game of knockout.

But one group continued running towards the Commons, straight to the student store. Inside laid the holy grail to many students on break – snacks.

This was the reality of many students. The time between classes or before chapel served as the perfect opportunity for a quick bite.

However, once a staple of the day-to-day activities on campus, student store snacks were removed in conjunction with COVID, leaving many students today hungry for the return of snacks.

In 2019, the school decided that student store snacks would be removed entirely. Quickly after, the pandemic shut down school, and with that, limited the reaction to the lack of snacks. But now, a year in to returning to “normalcy,” there is a low grumbling for the many snacks that were once offered.

For sophomore Austin Dunbar, once one of the frequent buyers in the student store, he feels like there is a small void left on campus with the absence of these snacks.

“I feel like there’s not the same variety of snacks that there used to be,” Dunbar said. “Being able to choose from a lot of options from the store was nice, and so I do feel like there is a bit of a void.”

Not only was Humanities break a main sales time for snacks, but also during community time, students would sprint across the quad from all directions headed to the student store and its variety of quick nibbles before heading off to class meeting or Chapel. While they aren’t purchasing snacks in the school store anymore, students do have snack options during the day. SAGE dining provides a snack during community time and after school before sports. According to Dunbar, these snack times are positioned at the perfect times for maximum effect, something junior Alex Soliz echoes.

“The offerings are at the right times,” Soliz said. “But there is a lack of diversity of options that buying snacks allowed for. I just miss that option.”

Interim Head of Upper School John Ashton, while not fully involved in the decision process of bringing back the snacks, understands the precautions that are needed when considering the type of food offered, something important for the student store and for SAGE.

Another crucial concern for bringing back snacks comes in terms of payment. Before, students would rack up large bills consisting of only food during break times and before events like chapel and class meetings. According to Ashton, students’ account bills that were linked to their parents would rack up huge sums solely based off by snacks, becoming “Goldfish budgets.” Bringing back snacks would have students driving up large bills again for parents.

But bringing back snacks could be the spark to revive the community hub that the student store was. Once a center of activity throughout the day, parent volunteers feel like the store is significantly emptier, including Senior mom Krista Leffel, who said that see does not see her son as often as she did. Other parent volunteers like moms Kelly Barker and Katie Erxleben feel like the energy in the student store is significantly less than it used to be.

But Ashton provides a glimmer of hope to both parents and students on the prospect of returning student store snacks.

“There have been discussions of having [snacks] returned to campus,” Ashton said. “I believe that there are some talks of beginning that process.”

And at the end of the day, that’s all students and parents ask for – the option to choose. That was what the student store provided students – the option to decide what they wanted that day if they wanted anything at all.

And Ashton is hopeful for the return of this option.

ASHTON Interim Head of Upper School

“We always have to be mindful of, which is no different than we are with SAGE, what snacks and types of snacks are available,” Ashton said. “We need to keep in mind food allergies and dietary restrictions, making sure we care for everyone.”

“Following COVID we have been reexamining things that went away,” Ashton said.

“Snacks falls into the list of one of the many things that continues to unfold. Even in recent months, there have been conversations about them, and my understanding is that snacks are going to return.”

Once stocked with snacks, the shelves that housed these bigticket items have now been replaced with dog photos.

A brief history:

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Originally located in a closet in Davis Hall before the building burned down, the student store strictly gave out textbooks and provided school supplies for sale.

A NEW HOME Intentionally built into Hoffman Center, the student store recieved its own designated home following the completion of the building.

GONE VIRAL The store’s Instagram account has gained a following of over 1000 people and posts content on a regular basis, featuring Marksmen and parents sporting their blue and gold. Follow them @ smtexasstore

PHOTOS / MATTHEW HOFMANN

STORY Matthew Hofmann

AUSTIN DUNBAR Sophomore

“ There have been conversations about them, and my understanding is that snacks are going to return.

JOHN

ARTS CULTURE

Connecting through SONG

After launching a successful career in music, Conner Youngblood '08 returns to campus for a special performance. See coverage, page 20

What’s going on here?

HB: Basically, we started a project on a still life painting blocks. And then no one really liked how they turned out. So then everyone just kind of said, Let's do something abstract. And so then I took a inverse route and just added random colors. Pretty much all there is to it.

What kind of techniques did you use for this painting?

PERFECT Connor Youngblood '08 delivers a

CULTURE IN BRIEF

FILM CLASSES DISPLAY FINAL

PROJECTS After participating in the ISAS festival, film students are getting ready to wrap up their final movies for the year, and they will be putting on an end-of-year screening for students and teachers to attend. Both the freshman and the AP film classes will be having their films shown May 24th from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Angelika theatre. Students will also receive the film department’s annual end-of-year awards.

CHOIR END-OF-YEAR EVENTS

The choir recently performed at the ISAS festival April 13-15 and at Evensong April 23, where fourth grade chorists participated in the choir’s annual whiting ceremony, officially graduating from novices to members of the school’s choir. As the year winds down, the group will have just a couple more opportunities to sing as one. The choir will sing May 23 at the Baccalaureate service.

IN THE CITY

This summer, the school will host an event for the Association of Anglican Musicians June 11-15 and will begin preparations for their next England tour in 2024.

NCECA CERAMICS COMPETITION

Upper School ceramics students attended the National Council on Education for the Ceramics Arts (NCECA)’s convention and exhibition in Cincinnati March 15-18. At NCECA, Marksmen and ceramics teacher Scott Ziegler engaged with a large community of artists and students, featuring the pieces that they brought to the showcase. Currently, ceramics students are preparing for future pottery demonstrations and competitions, like the YoungArts Foundation competition in 2024.

FINAL BAND CONCERT The band’s school year culimnated in their final performance April 26. They

Upcoming events worth checking out.

played nine total songs from slow and classical jazz to concert-style music including several solos from the older musicians. Songs performed at the concert included “Mamma Mia” from the Middle School band and “Danger Zone” from the Upper School Band. The band also featured an original song composed by senior Andrew Kogan.

ATPI PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

The photography program has submitted their portfolios to be entered in the Association of Texas Photography Instructors competition on April 28. The Marksmen whose photos are in the submission include five seniors, six juniors, three sophomores and one freshman. The categories the photos have been submitted for are thematic, architecture, still life, landscape and portrait. The photography program has won the Top Program award 16 out of the last 17 years.

INSIDE ISAS in review

A recap of the recent ISAS arts festival.

Wood and metal

A look at a new and improved wood and metal program.

20 22 23

Music and movies

A review of the latest hits in entertainment.

Hayley Kiyoko: The Panorama Tour

HB: For the actual painting of the blocks I didn’t really use any specific techniques, but when I was adding the abstract stuff I used tape to get the crispy edges. And then not really sure if it's like a technique, but I just kind of laid paint on there, and moved it around with a squeegee board. It wasn't too difficult. I guess one of the hardest things is trying to figure out colors.

evening with They Might Be Giants

An

WHEN May 19 @ 6:30 p.m.

WHERE House of Blues

WHEN May 21 @ 6:00 p.m. WHERE The Echo Lounge & Music Hall Beethoven's "Eroica"

WHEN May 23 WHERE Moody Performance Hall

What’s happening in this self-portrait?

HB: It was just an assignment to do a self portrait using only a palette knife. Honestly, I like how it's kind of blurry because I like how I used a palette knife. Because it's blurry, then you don't have to get into too much detail with anything.

What's your opinion on how this painting turned out?

HB: I liked the way it turned out, but it's harder to capture facial detail without using a paintbrush. Some paintbrushes have broad strokes, but you can't add detail. I gained an appreciation for super-detailed work. I don't think people realize how hard it is to capture details in paintings.

PICTURE

live performance on the quad as part of Alumni Weekend festivities.

Hear from one of the creators of the latest art featured around campus.

INTERVIEW

Self-Portrait by Holden Browning Featured in Nearburg Hall

PHOTO / COURTESY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

Painting by Holden Browning Featured in Nearburg Hall

PHOTOS / COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

ISAS FINE ARTS FESTIVAL

Connecting with creativity

Marksmen involved in various fine arts travelled to All Saints’ Episcopal School in Fort Worth to both showcase their talents and view the works of more than 3,000 students from over 40 schools at the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest (ISAS) Fine Arts Festival April 13 to April 15.

Eric Yi: How was ISAS this year compared to years past?

Wyatt Loehr: Compared to last year’s ISAS, this year’s main difference was the size. It was three days instead of one, and there were more schools, more areas where people performed, more interactive exhibits, and the days went later.

EY: What activities are at ISAS?

WL: There were choirs, dance groups and bands constantly playing. Rock, Jazz and concert music were playing basically constantly performing, and a coffee house stage had different schools’ coffee houses around the clock. There were also art exhibits for 2D and 3D art. There were also film exhibitions to watch, and some interactive things like chalk drawing and watercolor.

EY: Did you meet anybody cool while at ISAS?

WL: I met a lot of people, and I think the people I liked the most were some people from a school in Louisiana I’d never heard of, who were part of their school’s rock band. I went to their performance Saturday night and it was my favorite part of the whole festival.

Daniel Weinstein: I met a talented artist from ESD. My friends and I talked to him for hours about the different ways art is approached at St. Mark’s and ESD.

EY: What was your favorite part of being at ISAS?

WL: My favorite part of the festival was seeing schools I didn’t know much about. I stopped by some coffee houses and rock bands from schools I never really hear much about, and they were usually pretty good.

DW: Seeing the St. Mark's improv have a chance to perform in front of a large audience and succeed.

Cam Hurley: My favorite part is absolutely meeting new people. Even compared to other fine arts festivals I've been to, the people are definitely more eccentric.

Mateen Mostafavipour: Definitely just watching all of the St. Mark’s performances because they were all really good.

Sharang Vyas: I really enjoyed watching my acting class significantly improve performance. I also really enjoyed performing my monologue in front of so many likeminded, passionate actors. The food trucks were also really good. Specifically the taco truck.

EY: What was so good about the Taco truck?

SV: They had the Mexican cokes. The veggie tacos, because I’m a vegetarian, were really good.

DW: They were able to fill my friends with larger appetites.

EY: Did you learn more about your fine art?

SV: I got picked to have my monologue tweaked by a judge, and she took my off stage after my monologue and walked me through some things I could to do get better. That was a really big help.

DW: When critqued, the abdjudicator

for the St. Mark's Photography Program gave very particular feedback. Suprisingly, it was a nice change to be critiqued instead of complimented, so I could grow as a photographer.

EY: Can you describe what your day looked like?

SV: We’d wake up early, probably around 7 a.m., and then leave the hotel to drive to All Saints’. Then we’d go to the big Sage tent for breakfast, it was certified heat as usual. Then we’d go around and check the ceramics and wood and metal visual arts. I had two performances on the first day: the improv troop and our play. After eating lunch at the taco truck, we went to improv to warm up, where I supported the rest of my classmates. After the improv performance, we headed back towards the homeroom, which is where we’d chill at All Saints’. Then I’d play Brawlstars for a little bit, and then we got our suits and got ready for our oneact play. After the play, we had dinner, and then the whole festival went to the football field where there was a DJ, and that was really fun.

EY: What was the coolest thing you saw at ISAS and why?

WL: The coolest thing I saw at ISAS was probably the Parish rock band. I knew one of their players and decided to come watch him, but I didn’t expect them to start crowd surfing and switching instruments with each other, and it was a great experience all around.

MM: The crowd to get into the St. Mark’s film showing which was more than 100 people. They were all pushing to get a seat when the doors opened.

CH: I enjoyed seeing how well St. Mark’s stacked up to other schools and in some cases dominated the festival.

ISAS ATTENDEES

Class of 2023

Samuel Adams

Adam Alfalahi

Blake Backes

Arjun Badi

Henry Baxter

Rowan Belvin

Jake Bond

Morgan Chow

Ross Cunningham

Charles Estess

Grant Evans

Chase Fisher

Thomas Goglia

Radford Green

Aaron Greenberg

Jacob Grossfeld

Silas Hosler

Wirt Jackson, IV

Svanik Jaikumar

Jose Jimenez, Jr.

Logan Johnson

Aadi Khasgiwala

Andrew Kogan

Oliver Lambert

Sammy Larkin

Winston Lee

Anthony Martinez

Samuel Menendez

Hayward Metcalf

Akash Munshi

Stice Neuhoff

Noah Norton

Jake Park

Aidan Peck

Jonah Perez

Akash Raghunathan

Bowden Slates

Neil Song

Branden Song

Luke Stallings

John Tagtmeier

Miles Thornburg

Zane Wallace

Sewanu Whenu

Jackson Whitaker

Christian Youst

Class of 2026

Nathan Aldis

Kian Foshee

Oliver Geheb

Cooper Guiler

Nathaniel Hochman

Andy Li

William Loftus

Charles Mapes

Michael Finn McKool

Mateen

Mostafavipour

Andrew Wallace

Richard Wang

Brady Wyatt

Michael Yang

Ethan Yau

Eric Zhang

Class of 2024

Zachary Bashour

Jackson Bell

Mason Briscoe

Hudson Brown

Charlie Clark

Alexander Dobbs

Jimmy Francis

Patrick Flanagan

Ethan Gao

Matthew Gomez

Langston Hartnett

Charles Hill

Adam Kappelman

Preston Laird

Asa McCaleb

Nathan Meyer

Hayden Meyers

Winston Miller

Alexander Nelson

Baxter Perry-Miller

James Sutherland

Sharang Vyas

Daniel Weinstein

Miller Wendorf

Ethan Xavier

John Zhao

Class of 2025

Alexander Abel

Owen Ackerman

Kai Belvin

Gavin Bowles

Maddox Canham

Daniel Deng

Surya Dinesh

Burke Gordon

Hans Hesse

George Hoverman

David Hurley

Neel Jain

Matthew Jordan

Brandon Kim

Samuel Light

Wyatt Loehr

William Morrow

Eduardo Mousinho

Adithya Munshi

Jaden Ouyang

Lukas Palys

Oliver Peck

Jediel Sarfo

Bryce Smith

Aydin Sumer

Daniel Sun

Jackson Williams

Andrew Xuan

Calvin Yates

Ethan Zhang

MATEEN MOSTAFAVIPOUR Freshman

Nearly all of the major private schools in the DFW metroplex attended ISAS, along with many schools from outside the region.

WYATT LOEHR Sophomore

SHARANG VYAS Junior

GRAPHIC / MATTHEW HOFMANN

PINS Senior Arjun Badi works on an interactive art exhibit.

PHOTOS Courtesy Lynn Gant

Zack Goforth

COFFEE BREAK Seniors Jack Jackson and Sewanu Whenu enjoy coffee and french toast.

Reshaping the program

STORY Akash Manickam, Christopher Guffey

The smell of wood permeates the air. Saws and tools lie dormant around the room. Finished works, products of countless hours of work, stand proudly on display outside.

The program has come a long way, but it’s not enough for wood and metal instructor Rachel Muldez.

Scanning the room, Muldez knows there’s room for improvement. Immediately, she makes plans to buy new tools: welders, sandblasters, air compressors, and more. She sees potential in every square inch of the wood and metal classroom and computer lab.

Even though it’s her first year at 10600 Preston Road, Muldez is reshaping the school’s wood and metal program.

As a first year teacher, Muldez has a unique perspective on the environment of the school, and she is impressed by what she has seen so far.

“That's why I wanted the job. It's already very wellestablished,” Muldez said. “It certainly wasn't a lot of work to get it going. Other than cleaning the studio and moving a few desks around, it was certainly wellestablished before I came. And the students' work has been phenomenal throughout the past decades.”

Muldez has ambitious goals for the wood and metal program going forward.

“Five years down the road, I see the program branching out in space,” Muldez said. “I would like to have a place for metal casting outside or a foundry or blacksmithing work area that would be outdoors.”

In addition to that, Muldez would also like to convert the computer lab into a workshop with 3d printers and machines the students can use instead of having to walk across campus to the Winn Science Center.

“It would be nice if we could just build everything we want right here. So that's what I like to do.” Muldez admires the passion and work ethic of her students.

“I'm excited about the program,” she said. “I'm excited that my students seem to also share a love of building because I look forward to the future of the group of seventh and eighth graders that have taken the class for the first time. I'm looking forward to seeing them as seniors, seeing what they produce, watching them grow up. So I'm happy to be in an environment where I can see people grow.”

Muldez says the wood and metal program will expand in the field of community service. In particular, they plan to work with the Dwell With Dignity program.

“[Junior] Baker Long introduced this to me,” Muldez said. “They refurbish furniture for people who might need it, like Habitat for Humanity but with decor. We will be visiting them and then seeing how we can help them in the future, possibly with work days there that we’ll hopefully be able to count as community service hours.”

WOODWORKING

Eighth grader Zayan Rahman works towards finishing his project.

The wood and metal program may seem fairly isolated, especially with its remote location on campus in the back of Nearburg’s second floor, but Muldez believes students draw inspiration from other aspects of their campus life.

“The work that we do in the wood and metal shop is best when it's informed by other disciplines on campus,” Muldez said. “So if you are a math or a science guy, I find that those skills really relate over to building physically with your hands.”

In the Wood & Metal class, students can construct similar things to those who work in the MakerSpace.

“We can construct similar things, but obviously predominantly with wood and metal,” Muldez said. “It's probably something that everybody can actually get into, no matter what you like. And of course, being able to use tools is a really great life skill.”

As the wood and metal department changes and improves over time, one of the most important aspects Muldez believes in is the work ethic and attitude of Marksmen both now and in the future. Coming from a community college, Muldez enjoys the eagerness of her students to learn new things, and she finds the enthusiasm of young Marksmen to be a relieving contrast from her old teaching job.

RACHEL MULDEZ Wood & Metal Instructor

“I really enjoy problem solving with anybody, old or young,” Muldez said. “And I find that beginners tend to be more creative in different ways and I really enjoy seeing that.”

Muldez also enjoys the one-on-one time she can spend with her students in the studio.

“Getting to know them and then seeing everything they learn show up in what they build,” Muldez said.

“That’s really exciting for me also just the energy of the students when they come to class excited, it doesn't matter how worn out or tired I am, and always like, just brings my energy level right back up.”

Senior artist's masterpieces take center stage

BY Will Clifford, Joshua Goforth

Senior art pieces from the photography, ceramics and wood and metal programs are on display in Nearburg. The showcase exhibits pieces that students submitted to competitions during the year for one final viewing experience.

Behind every work of art displayed, there are hours of planning and production that go unseen. Although the artists all hope to receive awards for their work, only a select few artists receive recognition.

One such award-winning artist is senior Hayward Metcalf, who has won ten awards across different competitions throughout the year. The exhibition is a final chance for Metcalf’s photography to shine before he graduates.

“This is a culmination of all of our work,” Metcalf said. “To all of us seniors, it means our hard work is being recognized.”

To create captivating photographs, Metcalf carefully

snaps multiple pictures until he reaches perfection, so when he gets to the editing process, his creativity can take over.

“The first step is just an idea,” Metcalf said. “Then there’s an execution. You can find quality in quantity, or you can wait for quality. There's no right answer, no right way to do it. Both are perfectly acceptable. It just depends on the artist.”

As a senior, Metcalf has gained his authority and respect through a career full of unrelenting devotion –but it wasn’t always that way. To rise up the ranks, he had to endure and adapt to intense criticism.

“If someone were to point my work out as bad, as a freshman, I would just take it, but now when people criticize my work, I'm more willing to push back,”

5 3 5

FACTS & STATS

seniors in the Wood & Metal program

average number of yearly student projects years until the program branches out

Metcalf said. “When someone gives you constructive criticism, that's great, but when they don't give you reasoning, being willing to ask ‘Why?’ just makes you a better artist in general.”

Reflecting on his time in the photography program, Metcalf realizes the image displayed in his awardwinning photos is less important than the statement they make about his character.

“Photography has changed how I view the world and my perspective of what's around me,” Metcalf said. “The best thing it has taught me is to learn how to talk to people, specifically strangers. I ask for somebody's permission to take a photo of them because it's not socially acceptable to do otherwise. You learn to have these conversations, and at first, it's really scary because you don't know how they will react. Most of the time, they're judging you and making fun of you, but it’s fine, because if you take it all in stride, at the end of the day, you get a great photo.”

Even as a first year teacher, Rachel Muldez takes on the task of molding the Wood and Metal program into her vision.

HAYWARD METCALF

“ I really enjoy problem solving with anybody, old or young.

RACHEL MULDEZ

Wood & Metal Instructor

PUTTING IT TOGETHER Sophomore Jeremy Mau carefully measures out his welds.

April and May’s hottest albums

With the music scene this last month containing many important drops from artists both upcoming and already popular, the current music scene has something for everyone — country or rap, mainstream or underground and more. Come find out of if any of these recent albums would fit your taste, or better yet, expand it.

BY Vikram Singh

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: A galactic success

BY Neil Yepuri

James Gunn’s final work for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) may have been his magnum opus. This film is the result of over a decade of development and work, and it shows.

Following the progression and trajectory of the MCU over the last two years, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the fans were desperate for something better. “Thor: Love and Thunder” fell flat on its face, and the other big-ticket movies failed to live up to their billing.

One Thing at a Time Morgan Wallen

If Looks Could Kill Destroy Lonely

Upon first listen, this album stands out from almost all of Yeat's others, as it moves away from the high-energy and electronic sound we are used to from him, and instead has a more ambient and gloomy feel. Yeat’s newest abum, “Afterlyfe,” contains 22 tracks, with only a single feature from NBA Youngboy on the second track, “Shmunk,” although I personally would have appreciated more than a singular feature, as the album does span 22 songs. The album features familiar production from the likes of BNYX, who is responsible for producing countless of Yeat’s most popular songs such as “Out Tha Way,” “Talk,” and “Flawless,” and Dulio, who is responsible for tracks like “Woa..!,” and “7 nightz.” BNYX appears on many tracks throughout the album but his most notable contribution is on the intro track “No More Talk,” where listeners are greeted by the familiar “I am Working On Dying,” tag. The most streamed track and arguably the most anticipated song leading up to the album’s release was track was “Split,” a track that begins with the chorus where Yeat repeatedly states that “I want Bentley, I want money,” backed by a more familiar sound of a hardhitting bass and a more electronic and up-tempo track. This album was made with the purpose of having Yeat try to stand out from other artists also riding the new wave of rage and synth beats, while still remaining true to the sound that brought him fame. Although this song has many good tracks, I do feel that 22 songs is too much, and during a listen of the entire album, it may begin to be a little mundane of a listen. My personal favorite song is “Back up,” produced by Rision, who provides a suspenseful and slower production, allowing Yeat room on the beat to rap. Despite it not being the normal sounds we traditionally hear from yeat, this is definitely worth the listen.

Morgan Wallen has recently risen to the top of not only all of country music, but all of mainstream music in general, and his newest album, “One Thing At A Time,” is no exception to this. With 36 tracks, Morgan Wallen is asking listeners to sit through what could be considered as two albums. Morgan Wallen does this on purpose however, as the album is intended to try and have a song for everyone to enjoy, as country is not necessarily the most popular genre in 2023. Thirty six tracks allow Wallen to make songs for a wider audience as he becomes a bigger artist and gains more listeners. My personal favorite track, as well as the most streamed song from the album, is “Last Night,” which features an acoustic guitar and Wallen talking about his lover and the countless fights they have had, featuring many little anecdotes that give the track a very authentic country feel told in the form of a story. This album was truly a blockbuster as it sold over half a million units in the first week according to Billboard Charts. Although changing the subject matter from track to track is important when creating a nearly 40 track album, Morgan Wallen does a great job of sticking to essential themes like love and country life whilst still creating uniqueness in the songs by using his great storytelling. My main concern with this album is the incredibly repetitive production backing Wallen’s vocals. Although country songs are characterized by acoustic drums and guitars, from a holistic standpoint, 36 tracks of this can get fairly boring, and I personally do not think the subject matter and different anecdotes used are enough to differentiate each track when looking at the entire album. Other than this nitpick, this is a solid country album that is worth the listen, and is further solidifying Wallen’s supremacy in mainstream music.

Destroy Lonely’s new album, “If Looks Could Kill,” is a statement piece within his discography and stands out from his previous works with its unique rockstar vibe. With production coming almost entirely from his main producer, Clayco, the album features many tracks with mysterious instrumentals as well as acoustic and electric guitars, providing energy to the tracks as well as giving the album a common theme throughout. The album’s title comes from the title of the lead single, “if looks could kill,” the snippet of which went viral on TikTok around Halloween when Destroy Lonely previewed the track on his Instagram story. The album consists of twentysix tracks and runs for an hour and twenty-four minutes. My personal favorite tracks from the album are “superstar,” “money and sex,” and the intro track “how u feel,” which sets the tone of the album with the trademark electric guitars and gritty sub-basses, making Destroy Lonely appear more as a rockstar as opposed to just a rapper. The song features more acoustic drums as opposed to the trap drums we are used to hearing in today’s hip-hop scene and offers a unique sound starting a wave for other upcoming artists to hop on. Although production is more of the center focus of the album versesus the lyrics and subject matter of the tracks, the majority of the tracks consist of him solidifying himself as a fashion icon, labeling himself the “fashion demon,” a term which he coined on the track “if looks could kill.” Although this album is incredibly lengthy, both in the number of tracks and how long each track is individually, this album stands to solidify Destroy Lonely’s sound and position in the industry. This album is definitely worth the listen especially if you are looking for more experimental tracks with the evolving scene of today’s hip-hop scene.

So, many assumed that the dominant superhero franchise was beginning a decline, with significant plot holes appearing in the movies that followed “Avengers: Endgame” and the two consecutive Spiderman releases.

All of that meant this final Guardians of the Galaxy movie had to deliver. It had to serve as a bridge between the last dredges of the previous Marvel movies and a new era of heroes.

And it did.

Although the movie introduces its viewers to many new settings across time and space, its ability to bring those settings together coherently should be much appreciated.

However, the movie doesn’t do much for the Marvel superfan, as its plot largely stands as an end to the trilogy and ignores much of the development going on around it in the past few years.

This trend is becoming more common for Marvel, as they attempt to make more standalone movies in the interest of increasing profits.

Even so, these shortcomings are insignificant in comparison to what this movie actually accomplishes. Aside from concluding one of the most successful trilogies in recent memory, this movie felt like a callback to the Marvel films of the mid-2010s.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” plays much more into the emotional side than the last two. We used to know the Guardians as a fun-loving, high-flying bunch. Now, we get to see more of the sentimental parts of these characters.

And it shows in the placing of the scenes. The action and dry humor we have come to expect from the Guardians are still there but are spaced out with more slowly-paced, heart-rending scenes.

The story’s focus on one of the “side” characters of the Guardians, Rocket Raccoon, as he suffers a traumatic injury, allows us to see deeper into the bond between each of the characters in the group as they band together to try to save their friend.

I was glued to my seat as the heroes and villains fought through the twists and turns that Gunn is so well known for, and I truly felt, for the first time since “Avengers: Endgame,” that Marvel was back. And its ending once again has something for everyone.

500,000

3.9 MIL >18 MIL

Units of “One Thing at a Time” sold in the first week

Destroy Lonely's total monthly listeners

First day total streams for Aftërlyfe album &

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is definitely worth a watch because of its ability to combine the forward progression of Marvel with lovable characters from the past and provide a fantastic template for the future of the franchise.

SHATTERED

With a rise of off-campus behavioral issues and cheating, the school's reputation is at risk of fracturing.

The role of a Marksman

With the school year nearly drawn to a close, there is a tendency among students to grow more lax. With finals and summer looming over the horizon, many things begin to be caught in the chaos. Assignments, attendance and off-campus behavior have increasingly worsened, reflecting poorly on the school’s reputation and the strict culture of integrity.

With the development and popularization of AI technology, such as ChatGPT, cheating has never been easier. With a simple prompt of a few sentences, the AI can output responses that would take students hours of work. With simple techniques such as paraphrasing the AI responses and inserting sporadic words of text, the AI responses can be passed off as original content. The pressure of finals and the closeness of summer in addition to the relative ease of ChatGPT has led cheating to become more enticing. Some classes have seen a double-digit number of suspensions in the last several weeks, culminating in a crisis of integrity.

This cheating violates the trust

between the students and the school, and it inhibits character growth.

Outside of moral implications, cheating also can perpetuate itself: what may begin as a deceptively small usage of outside materials on an ungraded assignment can very easily turn into an elaborate scheme to sneak devices into examination rooms. The longer one goes without being caught only makes the house of cards fall faster; if one reaches his professional life with illegitimate credentials, he will find himself both underqualified and insecure in his ability. By emphasizing the significance of ethical behavior and its impact on personal growth and the school's reputation, discussions on the consequences of cheating and misbehavior can give Marksmen a deeper understanding of the long-term effects of their actions.

In addition to the increase in cheating, off-campus behavior has suffered as well. Both in and out of uniform, students represent both the school and each other. During a field trip to a local history museum, several students entered an off-limits corridor and played with historical artifacts, resulting in the cancellation of other planned trips. While appearing as an isolated incident, this affair is

SIDE EDITORIAL

finals:

Students across campus can be found doing one of two things: studying or procrastinating studying until later. With a flurry of AP tests, finals and departing seniors, the end of the school year is always busy, exciting and a little stressful.

For many, a part of this stress lies in how AP tests were scheduled this year. Whether a student had an AP test during the morning or afternoon, they were required to attend class the other half of the academic school day.

Many students found themselves staying up late, spending hours doing homework for classes due the day of the AP tests. Not only does this harm

performance on the test themselves, it also places a lot of pressure on a student's mental well-being at a time where stress is already high enough. Neither having class before or after the AP exams makes much sense, considering the length and difficulty of the tests. After taking one, many students report feeling lethargic, and such taking any class afterwards is not an interactive learning experience, but rather a tedious task in the way of respite. Holding classes before AP exams is even worse, as mental resources should not be expended before taking the performance-based tests. The same reasoning is not isolated

The pressures of final exams, AP tests and the looming freedom of summer create the perfect storm for falling diligence and integrity.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION / AARON AUGUSTINE

part of a larger wave of misbehavior, which reflects poorly on the school’s reputation. Whether in uniform or not, Marksmen are responsible for representing both the school and each other, especially off-campus, because just a few occurrences can result in a permanently scarred reputation. The solution does not lie in a form of punitive justice or a topdown reprimand, but rather in pride. Students need to understand how special both the school and its members are, and they need to take pride in it. This pride would show itself in how students communicate with each other. Instead of tacitly encouraging foolish behavior by treating it as a joke, students need to take responsibility for each other and treat these inane acts as what they are: an attack on what it means to be a Marksmen.

In addition to forming a culture of responsibility, the implementation of student-led peer mentoring programs, study groups, or academic integrity workshops can foster a sense of camaraderie and encourage students to uphold high standards of honesty and accountability.

By developing a sense of pride, responsibility and ethical awareness, students can become the guardians of their own integrity, shaping a positive and honorable learning environment for themselves and future generations of Marksmen.

to academic perfomances, one does not exercise heavily before a game, but rather just enough to warm the body. Holding class before AP tests is handicapping students by tiring them out. In addition, studies have shown that doing something fun or recrational in nature before a test or game improves performance significantly.

The administration should institute the relatively simple policy of not forcing students to attend class the same day as long and important tests. We do not have class the same days as finals, nor do we take classes the day of the SAT or ACT. The stress of the end of the school year is already enough.

News & Issues ARJUN POI

HILTON SAMPSON

Environment & Stem

OLIVER PECK JOSEPH SUN

Life & 10600, Arts & Culture

MATTHEW HOFMANN

AKASH MANICKAM

Health & Sports

LAWRENCE GARDNER

NEIL YEPURI

Brand Manager WILL CLIFFORD

Design Director NOAH CATHEY

Head Artist JOSH GOFORTH

HEAD STAFF WRITERS

VIKRAM SINGH

ERIC YI

WRITERS

TEJAS ALLADA

WESTON CHANCE

CHRISTOPHER GUFFEY

KEVIN HO

MICHAEL JIMENEZ

ROHAN KAKKAR

RONIT KONGARA

WILLIAM KOZOMAN

WINSTON LIN

DOAN NGUYEN

CHRISTIAN WARNER

ANDREW YE

KAYDEN ZHONG

PHOTOGRAPHERS

HUDSON BROWN WINSTON LIN

AKASH MUNSHI

NEIL SONG

TIGER YANG

ADVISER

JENNY DIAL CREECH

HEADMASTER

DAVID W. DINI

AUDIENCE

The ReMarker is intended for the students, faculty, staff and alumni community of St. Mark’s School of Texas. Press run is 3,800 copies, with more than 2,600 of those mailed out to alumni, courtesy of the school’s offices of External Affairs, Development and Alumni divisions.

OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS

Editorials represent the views of the Editorial Board and are not necessarily those of the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty or staff. All personal opinion columns, bylined with the writer’s name and photo, represent the views of that writer only and not necessarily those of The ReMarker, Board of Trustees, administration, faculty or staff.

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Letters to the editor are welcome and encouraged. They must be typed, signed and not exceed 300 words. Submissions are not accepted.

ADVERTISING

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MEMBERSHIP

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AP testing and chaotic

a scheduling mishap

Instead of tacitly encouraging foolish behavior, students need to treat these inane acts as what they are: an attack on what it means to be a Marksmen.

GUEST COLUMN

The art of fighting games

Thomas Whitehurst Junior

How long had I been holding my breath? When the last punch followed the last sword stroke before a samurai fell to his knees, when my keyboard breathed a sigh of relief after silence overtook the aggressive rock music, when my eyes bounced between “game over” and “defeat” while my reflection stared behind me, I marveled at my breathlessness. The past several minutes - a flurry of improvised decisions and refined movements - blurred together beyond recognition; only the present and future remained clear in my mind. Having already clicked the button labeled “rematch,” I thought only of the present: Breathe. Breathe and consider what you’ve learned.

In the short time I have engrossed myself with fighting games this past year, I have discovered a hobby that — like the sport of fencing — teaches me about myself. Both fighting games and fencing have taught me to adapt to situations with my own solutions and to be less

predictable with my offense and defense, yet fighting games provide a unique aspect in their varied casts of characters. A game like Guilty Gear Strive, for instance, allows for many different play styles since its fighters range from a vampiric samurai to a U.S. secretary who fights alongside an alien from Area 51. Most of my enjoyment of fighting games comes from learning to adapt to each character’s attacks by discovering which of my moves work best in response.

Fighting games provide a unique experience among video games in that each match is a best of three; losing the first round does not constitute defeat if you learn from your mistakes to win the next two. Tensions remain high during the brief respite between rounds as each player plans his or her opening move, seeking to outsmart the other with an unexpected low kick or aerial attack. Varying one’s attacks allows for a player to maintain the element of surprise and thus continue his offense; winning a match often means being able to predict your opponent’s next moves and regain control of the fight. Fighting games, however, are not just fancy versions of rock-paper-scissors; predicting an opponent’s attack is only

Stocks to watch

Lunchtime athletics

SLIGHT INCREASE

From spirited games of volleyball to the ever-present pickup basketball games, boys have stayed active at lunch.

End of year workload

STEADY DECLINE

We'd like to see our teachers spread out tests and final assignments a bit more near the end of the quarter.

Lunch food

valuable for players who can capitalize on their predictions with damaging combos. Therefore, a 10 second instance of an attack and counterattack not only involves quick thinking but the recitation of a meticulously practiced set of finger movements. Matches as a whole become a beautiful blend of these calculated reversals interspersed with quick dodging and careful defense.

While definitely not meant for everyone, fighting games provide such a powerful sense of enjoyment that I cannot help but keep coming back to them; polishing my techniques and combos in my spare time adds to the satisfaction of defeating a high-ranked opponent online. Still, I treat each loss as an opportunity to reevaluate my play style, each drop in my ranking as a chance to fight my way back up. If nothing else, fighting games have made me more resilient; each matchwin or loss - feels inconsequential after the fact yet completely engages me in the moment. My hands and mind work in tandem to grasp at victory time and time again, bringing together all my past experience to change the outcome of a single match. No wonder I’ve been holding my breath.

The bulls and bears of stocks on campus

School Spirit

SPIKE

The Class of 2023 went out with a bang their last week: constantly starting games of pickup basketball, spikeball and kickball.

School parking

KEEPING STEADY

Even though more people are driving at the end of the year, we have not seen a decrease in open parking.

Clean spaces

DIP

Students around campus are not throwing away their trash, leading to common spaces being both unappealing and having pungent scents. We can do better.

SENIOR CELEBRATIONS REPORT CARD

Shadow boxing

In general, lunch food has been mouthwatering and with a dessert on what feels like every day, we can't ask for more. Just please limit the usage of catfish.

Senior Week

With a plethora of activites including games both on and off campus, seniors put a grand capstone on their careers as students.

Security team

Whether you come on campus late at night to retrieve a forgotten bag, or simply drive into the parking lot, the security team can be seen hard at work with smiles on their faces.

Taking campus by storm, shadow boxing is quite aptly named. While fun to both watch and participate in, we need to reign it in more or the activity could go the way of fidget spinners.

Sound levels

One would be hard-pressed to find quiet and solace in the usual studying spaces, which can mostly be contributed to end of the year excitement.

AP Exams

While it is hard to cram last unit tests in at the end of the year, having several hours of homework the night before AP testing is quite painful.

As this year comes to a close, a few days remain before the transformation of current seniors into alumni, with some notable dates to keep in mind.

May 23

Baccalaureate

May 25

Graduation

What does it mean to be a captain?

BY Will Clifford

Huddled around a table at Chipotle, the varsity basketball team feasts, mentally preparing themselves for their practice an hour later. The team captains have upheld the tradition of pre-practice meals to help the team bond.

Being the captain of three different teams, senior Arjun Khatti knows the role is not just a graduation present for seniors.

“You need to show that you are a leader on and off the playing field,” Khatti said. “As a captain, you are someone the rest of the team looks up to.”

Even though coaches have standards for what a captain must do, Khatti believes a good captain goes above and beyond to lead the team to success.

“The best captains from my previous years didn’t just send messages in the team’s GroupMe,” Khatti said. “They helped ease a lot of the younger guys on the team to make sure they felt like they belonged. They didn’t want anyone to feel left behind, so they made sure the younger guys felt as important as the fastest and best players.”

And Khatti believes the captain represents the team, so he needs to be dedicated.

“Why would a team be committed to winning and working hard if the person the players are supposed to look up to doesn’t care about the team?” Khatti said. If a coach cannot rely on a player to help the team outside of practice, he will not rely on that player to step up and help the team win a game.

“When there is a choice to be made where you can help out the team, you need to be the first guy to step up,” Khatti said. “Anyone who wants to be a captain needs to know that he should always be ready to say, ‘I’ll take care of it, coach’.”

Although Khatti did not race at the SPC track championship meet due to injury, he demonstrated how a captain could fulfill his responsibilities in a different way.

“The bare minimum was showing up on time and making sure all the guys were accounted for,” Khatti said. “The little things also mattered, like having the courage to get on a guy when they’re not doing what they’re supposed to and being vulnerable when they make mistakes. I care about the whole team’s success.”

Sports spring forward

How did the Lions sports teams fare in the final season of the year?

See coverage, Page 30

SPORTS IN BRIEF

ATHLETIC DIRECTORS CUP

After a strong year of sports performance, the Lions have finished second place in the Athletic Directors Cup, which is awarded each year to the top program in SPC. This achievement is a testament to the hard work put in by all of the 12 sports judged in the outcome. The Lions have a historic record with the AD cup, winning 13 of the 16 years it was awarded, with a ten year streak from 2006 to 2016. The Lions look forward to having an even better year next year and having a shot at winning the AD cup.

ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT

On April 20, the 15th annual Alumni golf tournament took place during Alumni Weekend. Over the years, the tournament has grown in popularity. This year, the event was at its full capacity with 124 players and took place at the Cowboys Golf Club. Although most of the events throughout the weekend hold a

connection with the school, the golf tournament is purely a social event for the alumni to enjoy.

COMMITMENT UPDATE

Senior Jack Jackson committed for track and field at Baylor University in April after a long recruiting process which saw Jackson field offers from many schools. Most notably, Jackson received offers from the Universities of Kentucky, Southern California and Miami. Several factors went into his decision to attend Baylor, including the uniforms. During his official visit, the team made him feel like family. Additionally, Baylor was also ranked first in ratio of ranking track program to biology program, his major.

ALUMNI SPORTS UPDATE

As the spring NCAA Championships approach, alumni from all over the country are working hard to succeed. Enoch Ellis ‘22, a runner for the MIT Beavers, recently placed

2-MINUTE DRILL

A quick glance at the stats, scores and schedules headlining Lions athletics.

PINNACLE

The Lombardi Trophy made a stop at 10600 Preston Road on April 21 during Alumni Weekend for the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory tour. The Chiefs, who earned the trophy by beating the Eagles this February, are owned by Clark Hunt ‘83, who brought the trophy to campus.

first running the 400-meter hurdles at the MIT Sean Collier Invitational April 22, running a time of 55.86 seconds. Kit Colson ‘21, a sprinter for the Yale Bulldogs, placed first in the 4x100-meter relay with a total time of 41.56 seconds April 8. The Bulldogs’ next big tournament will be the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships June 7-10.

ALL-SPC MARKSMEN

Thirteen St. Mark’s sports players were awarded with All-SPC selections for the spring season. In baseball, Grayson Redmond represented the sole selection from St. Mark’s. In golf, James Thomson, Duff McKay, and Logan Johnson all featured. In tennis, Shreyan Daulat and Patrick Flanagan lead the way. In track and field, Temi Balogun, Julian Carson, and Asa McCaleb all showed out. Finally, in lacrosse, the Lions had four All-SPC members, the most of any sport: Luke Stallings, Grant Warnecke, Henry Boykin, and Ian Williams.

INSIDE

27 28 29

With record viewership numbers across women’s sports, is it time to reevaluate how we view them?

Harrison Ingram, the highest ranked recruit in school history, has left Stanford for UNC.

Women’s sports Transfer portal Pro-Athlete staff

Coaches Johnny Hunter and Kevin Dilworth speak on their pro sports experiences.

On Deck (for the sports fan)

Tonight 5/25 6/1 6/5

Athletic Banquet at Great Hall

6/7-6/28 6/7 6/7-6/28 7/31

Brick Basketball Summer League

Football 7v7 starts Football starts training camp

Commencement NBA Finals Start Football starts summer training Crew Nationals in Sarasota, FL

PHOTO Courtesy Dave Carden

ARJUN KHATTI

Senior captain of varsity basketball, cross-country and track.

HIGH The Lions lacrosse team runs out on to the Norma and Lamar Hunt field, flags flying, as they kick off a home game.

More than a man's game

The contentious debate over men's vs. women's sports has gone for decades, with no resolution in sight. However, there seems to be a shift as women's college basketball achieved record-breaking viewership numbers this year. Could this be a sign of progess towards closing the gender gap in sports?

STORY Lawrence Gardner, Neil Yepuri

She averaged 21.8 points. He averaged 17. She averaged 7.6 rebounds. He averaged 5. She averaged 2.9 assists. He averaged 2.3.

She is Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm. She’s making $100k a year.

He’s Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors, whose salary sits at a cool $24.3 million, fully guaranteed.

For the past two decades, inconsistencies similar to this one have surfaced across the sports world concerning women’s sports.

Whether it’s U.S. soccer’s national teams demanding equal pay, or the treatment of women’s players as second-rate athletes, the topic of women’s sports has been turbulent as of late.

And, those issues are not only prevalent on the highest level, with salaries on the line. Sometimes, they are even apparent as early as high school.

Hockaday senior lacrosse captain and Columbia commit Grace Hoverman has noticed a trend throughout her experiences as a member of the varsity lacrosse team.

“In my experience, at many of our home varsity lacrosse games, we have only had a handful of fans compared to the number of spectators at the St. Mark’s lacrosse games,” Hoverman said. “While I believe that the viewership issue between men’s and women’s sports is gradually improving, I feel there is still a large gap between the two.”

Hoverman believes that the path toward bridging that gap depends on the amount of investment, promotion and media coverage women’s sports receive.

And, these methods of improvement have already demonstrated their effectiveness, especially in the world of women’s college basketball.

This year’s national championship between the LSU Tigers and Iowa Hawkeyes marked the highest viewership of any women’s basketball game in history – a whopping 9.9 million viewers, an improvement of 104% on the previous year. The women’s Final Four was up 87% in viewership, and the tournament as a whole was up 55%.

And, according to ESPN Vice President of Production Patricia Lowry, that explosion is due to a massive rise in talent throughout the sport.

promotion campaign, or a flukish boost in popularity.

“I feel like what you're seeing right now is what people have been working on for the past 20 to 25 years, raising the awareness every year and coming up with something new, something stronger to elevate the game or our coverage,” Lowry said. “We see the same things now in the women's game and everywhere else. We're treating it like basketball, and I feel like treating it like basketball is what it needs.”

According to Lowry, play is also improving due to a broader shift in the game's investment levels and development of talent.

“Everything is improving: the coaching, the athletic ability, the workouts to get to that elite level are all improving,” Lowry said. “You've invested more in it, and now you're gaining the results from that investment.”

PATRICIA LOWRY ESPN VP of Production

“Big picture, when comparing where we are now versus 20 years ago, the level of play has improved dramatically,” Lowry told the ReMarker. “I think now people watching are genuinely excited when they see Aliyah Boston or the ‘Bayou Barbie’ herself get double-doubles the way they do, or when they see Caitlin Clark jack up a 3 from well beyond the NBA three-point line and make a good percentage of those shots. The game has gotten better.”

Since the inception of the WNBA in 1996, more and more money and attention has been directed towards women’s basketball. So, Lowry doesn’t believe that the sudden growth in the game is due to a one-off

And, Lowry is confident that this upward trajectory will continue because of the constant and rapid improvement to the level of play, driven by consistent growth in all areas of the game.

“It's been a process over the years,” Lowry said. “It took time to reach this point, but once you get the level of play where it needs to be, people want to watch, and it's entertaining.”

While the increasing viewership for women’s sports is undeniably positive, it is important to understand that with the increased exposure, female athletes may be greeted with stronger levels of scrutiny and criticism.

For Amy Laczkowski, former WashU volleyball star and current WashU volleyball hall of fame inductee, the influence of media on women’s sports has changed since her days as a collegiate athlete. Before, it used to be much more limited in its scope.

“Back then, it was either the school paper or the St. Louis Post Dispatch, a city paper,” Lackowski said. “Of course, I took notice if somebody did an article on one of the teams that we were really competitive with, in which they said that we weren't very good.”

The significant media shift in sports criticism became apparent to Laczkowski through her sons’ – all either former or current St. Mark’s basketball players –athletic careers.

“I tell my boys to just get rid of Twitter because it's hard now of days, especially if you're really wanting to play at the next level,” Laczkowski said. “Because of social media today, there are instant opinions you can hear about your performance and ability. When I was playing it wasn’t that way.”

But, as the gap between the genders closes at the higher levels of play, the discrepancy remains high in youth sports. Former Kansas State University track and field star Erica Hershner hopes that, as forward progress is made, girls' sports also become more prominent.

“When I was young, I did gymnastics – I was able to have the great opportunity to be involved in sports,” she said. “But if I weren't doing gymnastics, I don't know that I had a lot of options to get involved in a sport. So I think that having a lot of options for young girls could be great.”

Finally, Hershner believes that there’s one other crucial factor in the growth of women’s sports - that of equal opportunity.

“There are really great things about men's sports that are different from what's really great about women in the same sport,” Hershner said. “But I do think that if there's an opportunity for a men's team, that same opportunity should be given to a women's team. If something's afforded to one gender, it should be easily afforded to another.”

Crew team puts together successful campaign despite adversity

BY Michael Jimenez

Despite being plagued by tough wind conditions most of the season, the crew team ended their season with several podium finishes across various regattas. Led by seniors Brendan Kelly and Thomas Goglia and head coach Lunsford Yandell, the Lions worked hard all year and now can enjoy some time off.

“I view our season as a success, we have a lot of younger guys on the team and only a few old guys, so it’s been fun to teach all the younger guys”, Kelly said.

The bad wind conditions

meant less time on the water, leading the team to compensate by working even harder indoors which ultimately led to good results.

“A low point of our season has been a lack of water time due to bad wind conditions, but we’ve overcome it by doing a lot of work indoors,” Kelly said.

The Lions season was full of winning. During the Heart of Texas Regatta, multiple boats earned a podium finish. The varsity quad earned a third place while the novice boat finished second place in the novice race.

The Lions had another good outing at the Texas State

Championship with the varsity quad boat finishing in third again, along with Kelly and his doubles partner, freshman Ian McGowan finishing second place. Kelly and McGowan finished the 2000-meter race with an impressive time of seven minutes and ten seconds.

“Me and Ian finished second in the varsity doubles at the Texas State Championships,” Kelly said. “We finished 2000 meters in about 7 minutes and 10 seconds. The varsity quad also got third at states.”

Next year, the team has a handful of young athletes returning to build on their success from this season.

PERFECT

SHOT Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes runs back down the court flashing up three fingers after she hits a three in the Women's NCAA March Madness tournament

“

Once you get the level of play where it needs to be, people want to watch, and it's entertaining.

PHOTO / COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF IOWA ATHLETICS

PHOTO / LINYANG LEE

DOUBLES Linyang Lee and Kevon Mostafavipour compete as partners in Waco at the Texas Rowing Champiohsips.

TRANSFER PORTAL

The next step

When Harrison Ingram 20' committed to Stanford two years ago, he had the world at his fingertips. While being a solid player at Stanford, the former five-star and McDonald's All-American knew things weren't working. So, this year, he decided to leave Palo Alto for the University of North Carolina.

Neil Yepuri, Ben Adams

arrison Ingram wants to do it all. He wants to win a conference championship. He wants to be a conference player of the year. He wants to ride the wave of March Madness, all the way. He wants to cut down the nets. And someday, he wants NBA commissioner Adam Silver to announce his name on a

And now that he is playing for the University of North Carolina, those things could happen.

Receiving a college scholarship to play sports is one of the greatest achievements a high school athlete can

All the work and dedication they put in towards their sport while also performing to a sufficient academic standard is rewarded with a college education — and a chance to play on a great team.

But, as recruiting gets more competitive and the landscape of college basketball undergoes constant change, some players – like Ingram – are left looking for a new home.

That alternative option wasn’t easy to find – until

, the NCAA opened up the transfer portal for the first time. It allowed players to leave schools and enter into scholarships at other universities.

In 2020, five-star McDonald’s All-American Harrison Ingram '20 committed to Stanford, after a long recruitment process in which he received 26

Stanford was, in his eyes, where he’d play for his whole college career. He would follow that commitment up with two strong seasons for the Cardinals, including a rookie campaign where he won Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.

“I’ve got nothing bad to say about [Stanford],” Ingram said. “I love it here. It’s really hard to leave all my friends and everyone I met here, but at the end of the day, basketball is what’s most important.”

So, after Stanford finished at 14-19 this year with no major postseason success, Ingram made the choice to enter his name in the transfer portal on April 4.

“I’ve gotta do what’s best for me,” Ingram said. “And I feel like that was the best move for my career, basketball-wise, so I made the tough decision to leave.”

Ingram, who was ranked 19th nationally during his high school recruitment process, was back on the open market, and it wasn’t long before many suitors went after him.

Eighteen days later, Ingram would make his decision. He committed to the University of North Carolina, a traditional college basketball blueblood. The Tar Heels are six-time champions in the sport, with their most recent win coming in 2017. They have made the Final Four a whopping 21 times in school history.

Varsity basketball head coach Greg Guiler, who coached Ingram throughout his high school career, supports that decision because of his trust in the young star.

“He is not one to make decisions lightly — he’s always been insightful, thoughtful and to the point,” Guiler said. “I don’t know all the ins and outs of what he had at Stanford and what he will have at North Carolina, but I trust him. That’s why I am eager to support him.”

The Tar Heels were high on a list of six teams in the race to land him before his signing at Stanford two years prior. Therefore, it was no surprise when they began recruiting Ingram again – and vigorously so.

“Their coach showed a lot of love immediately when I entered the portal,” Ingram said. “Their head coach was calling me, assistant coaches and players were reaching out as well. It just seemed like a perfect fit.”

An additional part of the allure of UNC came from the school’s massive presence in the college basketball world.

“UNC will give me a huge, huge platform,” Ingram said. “They have the most watched games and the most clicked social media – the most everything, every year. I am playing in front of 22,000 fans and for a historic basketball program. There were no signs pointing anywhere else.”

That platform will give Ingram a chance to shine on the biggest stage he’s ever played on – and one of the biggest in college basketball. But he’s anything but afraid of the challenge.

“I want to play in and win March Madness,” Ingram said. “I want to win ACC player of the year and the ACC title with my team. I want to do everything, honestly.”

That desire to win and achieve everything possible came from a realization that Ingram had during his time here, propelling his career to massive heights.

“Ever since I got serious about basketball, around eighth grade, I realized that I want to excel in everything I do,” Ingram said. “Schoolwork, tests, acing a class – anything I can, I try to put my best foot forward. I’ve had a privileged life and that's why I take advantage of everything I can.”

And, that same ability to look inwards just adds to the maturity Ingram displays – which, according to Guiler, showcases his growth as a person.

“When I look at Harrison, I’m proud of the man he’s becoming,” Guiler said, “because I see evidence of him taking to heart things that we’ve tried to help him realize over the years.”

And, as Ingram continues to mature, his focus on basketball is directed towards a single goal – the NBA. That’s another reason he committed to North Carolina in the first place.

“[UNC] have three former NBA players on their coaching staff: one small forward, one point guard and one center. So I get three different views from people who have done exactly what I'm trying to do.”

As Ingram approaches his next two years in Chapel Hill, it’s that dream that he’s still chasing.

“I want to win March Madness and everything, but the end goal is still the NBA,” Ingram said. “100 percent.”

Ingram poses for a picture on his visit to North Carolina. He would go on to commit there as part of a top-10 transfer class for the Tar Heels.

PHOTOS / COURTESY HARRISON INGRAM

RISING UP Ingram shoots a mid-range jump shot in Stanford's upset win over the Arizona Wildcats Feb. 11.

From the big leagues to the classroom

Kevin Dilworth, head strength and conditioning coach, along with John Hunter, humanities instructor and head baseball coach. reflect on their personal experiences as former pro athletes and share how their unique journeys led them to teaching.

SUCCESS Kevin Dilworth celebrates after a successful long jump . He represented the USA in the World Championships for track in both 1997 and 1999.

How were you introduced to baseball?

John Hunter: For me, it started at an early age. My dad was a collegiate baseball and basketball player at the University of Utah. Sports was a big thing for my family. My grandfather actually played in the minor leagues as a catcher.

What was your high school and college baseball experience like?

JH: I was on a very competitive high school team, and I was more or less a supporting role kind of person. We had one superstar and his father was the general manager of the Texas Rangers. The player's name was Ben Greve. With Ben being on our team, he drew a lot of attention from college and professional scouts. That allowed for me to have more exposure and be seen by colleges and eventually some pro teams.

What was your reaction to being chosen to play at the pro level?

JH: I actually had two different experiences. After I went to Navarro Junior College, the Colorado Rockies drafted me and utilized a policy called draft and follow so they reserved my rights all the way up until the end of the next year's draft. They chose not to sign me and let me return to college. After my senior year at Texas A&M, the Padres called and drafted me and so from there, I started my professional career.

How were you first introduced to the school?

JH: My brother, who was also drafted by the Padres when he finished his playing career, went back and got a business degree at Oklahoma State. While he was working as a finance officer, at KPMG, he happened to meet a woman who was married to a faculty member of St. Mark's, and through conversations I got to meet Matt Jackson. We basically met and had dinner with him. He basically told me about the school and said, ‘Look, you know, I see that you've got a playing career in the background. I know you're trying to get your teacher certification. We always need substitute teachers.’ So right after my playing career, I contacted the school, and Mr. Foxworth, who used to be in charge of the middle school, started using me as a substitute teacher. So that first year I coached 8th-grade soccer and also helped out with the varsity baseball team. I got to meet Coach Adams and some of the other coaches along the way.

What is your favorite/ most interesting story that you have from playing baseball?

JH: Winning the high school 5A state championship while being at Disch Falk Field at the University of Texas is right up there on top of the list. The other one was the first time I was called up to join the major league team in a spring training game. Sometimes what teams will do is bring up an extra minor league player to help finish out a

game. I had that experience a few times but the first time was extremely special, being kind of a younger guy in the Baseball Organization, then being called up and playing with the major league team and getting to meet Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman, a lot of big names in the game that were just great guys in the organization.

How did you learn about St. Mark’s?

Kevin Dilworth : I first learned of St. Mark’s because I was working with a school called Outward School, which was down the street…we came to St. Mark’s to use their track. I was coaching some athletes who were doing long jumps… Then I did some track and field help. Then some soccer performance. Then some football performance. Then some basketball performance. Then I got invited to speak at Chapel one year in 2009. And then they asked me to be full time here and I said yes because I loved this community and giving back to it.

What is your Olympic resume?

KD: I have made four World Championship teams. But I have been a part of four Olympic trials, placing no less than fourth to sixth. So I have been very close… I continue to do things now at the age of 48-years-old, but I had a great career. And I don’t regret any of the decisions I made back then because it has set up a stage for right now.

What was you early athletic background?

KD: I didn't have a normal childhood because I came from a rural area in Baltimore, Maryland. So sports wasn't introduced to me until my sophomore year in high school when I got adopted by my grandparents. And as I got introduced into sports, it was a change for me. At first, I played football. Then I ran track and both of those avenues were great. And then I got a lot of college offers.

What has been your most memorable moment as an athlete?

KD: My personal best in long jump is 28' 2". That feeling was amazing because I had been trying to jump 20 feet for a period of time. When it finally clicked I was on cloud nine because I knew it when I took off from the board, and how much more time I was in the air than normal. I knew it when I landed and my hands went up. I was like, that's it. I was in heaven.

What is one experience you had with a student that helped them succeed?

KD: My first project was Seun Omonije. He weighed 135 pounds. He was in his sophomore year and told me that he wanted to play D1 football. I sat there and said, ‘that's not gonna happen. You’re going to have to make a change and a sacrifice if you want that to happen’. He did. He was in the weight room everyday. By the time of his junior year, he was 175 pounds. His senior year he was up to 190. He eventually played football at Yale.

What do you think the strength program means to St. Mark’s?

KD: When I first came to St. Mark's, it was very watered down. I didn't have a whole lot of guys coming in here, said . Nobody really knew about strength training. So when I came here, I came here really hungry to get guys going.

How do you feel about your time at St. Mark’s?

KD: I know my purpose here…I wake up everyday with fire in my bones, ready to share… to empower them to move in a way they have never moved before because that is what life is about. It is about elevating yourself every single day, never letting yourself flatline. So that is my transition. My transition from nothing to something to everything.

BATTER UP Hunter's path to the minor leagues was not linear. After being drafted by the Rockies after his first year at Junior College, Hunter would go on to Texas A&M before becoming a San Diego Padre.

“

My time here has been cherishable, and I take nothing for granted. I can retire here.

KEVIN DILWORTH Strength & Conditioning Coach

INTERVIEWS Eric Yi, Tejas Allada

PHOTO / COURTESY KEVIN DILWORTH

PHOTOS / COURTESY JOHN HUNTER

Four spring teams reach SPC championships, but fail to bring home titles in any sport

Lacrosse starts season strong, but loses steam

STORY Lawrence Gardner

The Lions lacrosse team had an outstanding regular season with an impressive record of 14-2, making them a strong contender as they headed into the SPC tournament. High on their success, the team defeated St. John 10-7. However, in the championship match against ESD, the Lions were unable to maintain their winning streak, falling short with a final score of 3-10, a result not many expected.

Coming into the season, first-year head lacrosse coach Trey Whitty utilized his core beliefs to best figure out how to lead his new team.

“I believe being great representatives of your school, competing really hard and being great teammates are essentially what a team should be built around,” Whitty said. “Those are in the forefront of everything when building a team.”

As Whitty began to meet the players, he found them all to be high-character kids who were ready to compete and get the job done.

“I knew we had a strong senior group coming back with a lot of game experience,” Whitty said. “The group had achieved great things, but maybe not everything they wanted to, so I knew they would be motivated.”

Whitty’s thoughts about the team rang true.

“We wanted to win it all,” senior captain Henry Boykin said. “We knew we had the talent to do it. We just needed to execute.”

With this new mindset, the Lions began to thrive, winning twelve consecutive games. This winning streak launched them to first in the state and second in the south.

“The team turned over a new leaf and started beating big opponents in big games,” senior captain Ian Williams said. “We were ready to go after it.”

As the season progressed, the team came together with 19 seniors to lead the way. Many of them held years of varsity experience, but for Williams it was different.

“This is Ian Williams’s first year as a full-time starter,” Whitty said. “And he’s been just unbelievable.”

Rather than looking at his previous years of lacrosse as

SPRING SPORTS STATS

a waste, Williams utilized them as fuel to compete.

“The mentality made up for the years I didn’t start,” Williams said. “It was something I thought about during the offseason and during games.”

Williams was not the only senior without much playing experience who stepped up in an important way this year, as Blake Malouf also played a big role.

“I don’t know where we would be without Blake Malouf,” Whitty said. “He’s just a phenomenal competitor, he’s tough and he picked the game up quickly.”

Under the guidance of the seniors, many underclassmen found their roles as well and adapted quickly, making a significant impact in the process.

“I thought Matthew Hofmann, Rocco Renda and Holden Browning stepped up big time this year, especially on the defensive end,” Williams said. “I think some of it comes from the leadership of the older defensive players and the underclassman following their lead.”

4

6:51 4

track events placed in by sophomore Mateu Parker

2K time by the top varsity crew boat starting freshmen on the varsity tennis team

Despite difficulties, track finishes on the podium

STORY Eric Yi

The track and field team worked hard to improve their skills throughout the season. With the goal of completing a three-peat front of mind, the veteranled group worked to break records and earn medals once again. Unfortunately, absence of key athletes due to injuries and unforseeen circumstances, led to a disappointing season.

Through determination and perseverance, the team was able to place 3rd overall out of the eight teams they competed against in Class 4A. Finding success in a variety of events throughout the season, the performance across the board proved the well-roundedness of the team.

“There were definitely some big losses from last year and other things, but we only focused on the things we can control,” junior distance runner Parker Steinbruek said. “So instead of wishing we had the guys

As the season came to a close and SPC approached, the team was ready to take it all, but in Whitty’s eyes, more preparation was needed to achieve that goal.

“Looking back on the weeks leading up to SPC, I don’t feel I prepared us as well as I could have in order to find success,” Whitty said. “It was a tough semifinal match with St. John’s where we didn’t play our best, but we fought and managed to grind out the victory against a good opponent. Then on Saturday against ESD, unfortunately, things did not go our way.”

Despite the disappointing loss, it is safe to say the season was far from a failure.

“It’s a group that truly cares about each other,” Whitty said. “The team never backed down no matter the opponent. We had many big moments this year and most importantly we competed.”

senior Logan Johnson’s day one SPC score 73 4 lacrosse seniors named to the All-SPC team

33 strikeouts thrown by sophomore Deven Pietrzak

that are not with us, we focused our attention on making ourselves the best we can be and by that mindset, we filled the holes left by those guys really well. I was proud of our end product.”

Steinbruek described this year’s team as having more grit than any other he has been apart of. Even when the odds were stacked against the guys, they pulled through. “The odds were not in our favor for sure, but we showed up and competed to the best of our ability and fought for every point,” Steinbrueck said.

Head coach John Turek mentioned some outstanding performances by some athletes, who fought hard to win points for the team. Instead of placing first in several events to gain points, the Lions “nickled and dimed” their way on the podium

“Temi Balogun placed 3rd in the 100m, Julian Carlson placed 2nd in the Discus and 3rd in the Shot Put, and

Asa McCaleb placed 3rd in the 1600 and 3200,” Turek said. “For their efforts, they earned All-SPC. Those guys produced big for us this year.”

Even though the team will again lose a large amount of contributing athletes to graduation, Steinbrueck is confident that the team can return to prominence. Many of this year’s injured runners will be returing. Underclassmen who will be looked to for contribution in the years to come have loads of meet experience under their belt. This gives Steinbruek confidence for next year’s season.

“Even though nobody placed first in their events, I know that the team is developing really well,” Steinbruek said. “We have a lot of younger guys who are ready to show what they can do next year. I see this year as a rebuilding year, but with another year of development and coaching, I think the team can perform really well in 2024. We could bring that first place trophy back to St Mark’s.”

PHOTOS / WINSTON LIN

PARKER STEINBRUECK Junior

FOR THE FANS Senior and Bucknell commit Henry Boykin motions towards the Lions’ Den crowd after scoring a goal at time.

Tennis falls just short of title

The Lions’ tennis team completed a strong season with a second place finish at the SPC Championships. This year’s team was led by seniors Will Grable and Shreyan Daulat, with the guidance of head coach Cameron Hillier ’13.

“The team looks very good moving forward,” Hillier said. “With only two seniors on the team, that vast majority of the guys will return next year.”

The Lions earned a 7-0 record throughout the conference counter season, with big wins coming against rival big ESD and other formidable opponents such as Trinity Valley, Casady and Greenhill.

“But also our win against Greenhill was a fantastic one,” Hillier said. “We had a great doubles showing, our number one singles won,

and then a freshman at number 3 singles capped off the win with a hard-fought victory there too.”

After the regular season, the Lions were the No. 1 North Zone team heading into the SPC tournament.

The Lions battled their way through the competition knocking out Awty and then St. Stephens in the semifinals.

“Our semifinal win against St. Stephens was a great highlight for the players, it was a good win all around,” Hillier said.

The Lions entered the SPC championship against John Cooper. Although John Cooper ended up taking the win 5-0, the Lions secured second place in SPC along with having multiple players set to receive conference recognitions.

Senior Shreyan Daulat and junior Patrick Flanagan were named All-SPC.

Baseball team puts up valiant effort all season

Led by senior captains Silas Hosler and Stice Neuhoff and junior captain Alex Barrett, with the guidance of head coach Johnny Hunter, the baseball team finished the season with an overall record of 4-15, which landed them in sixth place in SPC.

“Even though we could have won more games, we fixed our practices, and we started to become aggressive on the base paths, which will be crucial for future seasons,” Hosler said.

Entering the SPC tournament, the Lions were the sixth seed with a 3-4 record in conference play. The Lions took on Houston Christian in the first round of the tournament. After a disappointing loss they, faced a familiar Greenhill squad. The Lions took the win against Greenhill, 8-6.

“I was really proud of us,” Hunter said.“You know, despite the not great performance overall, the kids and the players really got up for the game. I’m really proud of the way

Golf finishes second in SPC

The golf team rounded out a solid season with a respectable second-place finish in the 4A division of SPC this year (third overall), which was consistent with their results throughout the campaign.

“We played in seven competitive events and placed third in almost every single one,” head coach Greg Guiler said. “Whether we’re playing private or public schools, it just seemed like every tournament we placed third.

Despite finishing second out of eight teams in the new 4A bracket, the team finished third overall out of the 16 teams that competed for the championship.

But, Guiler wasn’t only focused on the results, which is something that he tried to stress to his team this season.

“Regardless of how we finish, I always try to evaluate winning as whether or not we got a little bit better today than yesterday,” Guiler said.

Guiler saw steady improvement from his team, and as the year progressed, they got better and better.

So, when the team’s top three golfers according to Guiler, (Logan Johnson, Duff McKay and James Thompson) had a fantastic final practice round at a combined one under par, Guiler realized that his team had a legitimate shot at taking home a trophy.

“I remember thinking ‘If our top three can shoot right

around par golf at the SPC tournament, then we just need one more person to have a career day’,” Guiler said. “And then those four scores will give us a chance to beat a Kinkaid team who had won six straight SPC Championships.”

And so, after arriving at the course in Fort Worth, the team settled in for an uphill battle against some of the strongest golf teams in Dallas.

“Those three guys played really solid golf and ended up a few strokes over par,” Guiler said. “But we had a career-best performance from Mateo Ubinas, a sophomore, who shot a 78. That put us only 10 strokes behind Kinkaid.”

While that gap may seem large, things can change rapidly in golf, especially on a difficult course. A hot hand or a cold streak could easily extend or vanquish a large lead. And, the Lions started day two in exciting fashion.

“On the very first hole, Logan Johnson birdied and Kinkaid’s number one golfer bogey’s that first hole,” Guiler said, “So right there two strokes had been made up.” Unfortunately, the chasedown comeback wasn’t

Flanagan’s tennis journey to the top

STORY Christian Warner

One year ago, junior Patrick Flanagan suffered a major head injury setting him back a year. His return to normal life was slow, but he was eager to get back on the court and work towards his goal of playing tennis at the collegiate level.

Flanagan trains whenever he has the time. In the mornings, he will do a core workout. Twice a week, he trains speed and footwork, and he gets on the court every week with his dad, a coach, or other junior players.

on the court as other players because of the St. Mark’s workload, so I focus more on my athletic ability to keep myself competitive.”

Flanagan also trains with an undisclosed retired professional Swiss tennis player. One of Flanagan’s favorite aspects of training with professionals is experimenting with different shot combinations.

we competed and then turning around and playing Saturday morning at Greenhill and winning a very big rivalry game on their home field was really good.”

Despite the disappointing end of the season, the Lions still showed bright spots throughout the season. The Lions defeated Trinity Valley, the No. 1 ranked team in the North Zone, along with beating Greenhill in the tournament, the third-ranked team.

“Beating Trinity Valley in a crucial home game during the middle of conference season, a team we’ve had a tough time with over the years, and beating them four to five on our home field was great,” Hunter said.

Although this season may not have had ideal results, the future is still to come and the team looks strong heading into the next season.

“I know that the underclassmen who are returning will come back bigger and better next year,” Hosler said.

PATRICK FLANAGAN Junior

“My practice routine is different, depending on the time of year,” Flanagan said. “I can’t spend as much time

“His one-handed backhand is fun to train my slice against,” Flanagan said. One of his favorite experiences in Flanagan’s career was when he was warming up professional tennis player Austin Krajicek before his

meant to be. The team struggled on the rest of the course and tournament, but managed to hold off Greenhill and EHS for second place.

However, there are some inspirational stories from inside that struggle at the tournament, like that of Thompson, who was struggling after his first 9 holes on the course on the first day.

“Instead of hanging his head and going ‘It’s just not my day’,” Guiler said, “He buckled down and finished one under on the last seven holes, allowing him to medal again.”

match at the prestigious Indian Wells tournament to play Flanagan’s friend, Mackie Mcdonald.

“The last time I saw Mackie, we were playing Fortnite squads in Houston right after his match with Nick Kyrgios,” Flanagan said.

A side of tennis rarely seen is the community that players build on tour and the professionals are no different.

“It’s difficult for them to find people who share life experiences with them, so they often bond with each other,” Flanagan said. “The young Americans especially have grown and trained together, and their friendship sees them all rising in the ranks.”

PHOTO / COURTESY PATRICK FLANAGAN

STORY Michael Jimenez

STORY Michael Jimenez

SPORTSMANSHIP The baseball team shakes hands with their opponent after a home victory against the top-ranked Trinity Valley School. PHOTO / COURTESY JACK FRARY

IN POSITION Junior Patrick Flanagan awaits the serve during a rally vs. Awty.

ALL SMILES

The golf team poses with their new trophy after a strong showing at the SPC tournament.

STORY Neil Yepuri

PHOTO / COURTESY GREG GUILER

NEW HOME In front of 'Hicks Hole,' the community celebrated what is to come. The project, which was fully unveiled and covered in the October issue of the ReMarker, is set to open in 2025.

Breaking ground on the future

On Tuesday, May 9, the school broke ground on the Marksmen Athletic Complex in front of the former site of Hicks Gym. The program, which was attended by various community members, included speeches from members of the administration, the Mayor and the Student Council president.

DIGGING IN

Administrators and program participants dig shovels into the new home of Marksmen Athletics.

WHAT'S NEXT The new gym will be the replacement for the gym destroyed in the 2019 tornado. The project will include a gymnasium, a natatorium, locker rooms, offices for coaches and a community suite.

ME

MARKSMEN ATHLETIC COMPLEX

COMPILATION Noah Cathey PHOTOS Zachary Bashour

CITYWIDE Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, father of William '33, addresses the community at the groundbreaking.

INVESTED Alex Eshelbrenner ’03, director of Alumni Relations, listens in on the ceremonies.