Junior Isaí Meléndez mostly drinks smoothies at lunch because they are the only thing he can consume without removing his mask. Whenever he grows irritated trying to wriggle the smoothie straw underneath…

When first-year English teacher Dorian Rolston came to St. John’s, he had no idea of the disarray his name would cause. Soon after his arrival, he received chaotic, misplaced emails and student complaints.

To…

Although most teenagers will not receive a COVID-19 vaccine for months due to limited supply, freshman Mackenzie Rice is already scheduled to receive two doses of the Pfizer vaccine—or a placebo. She…

In a marquee election for Texas’ 7th Congressional District, a traditionally Republican stronghold until 2018, St. John’s alums Lizzie Fletcher and Wesley Hunt went head-to-head on Nov. 3, with Fletcher…

As Jackson Jones helped open the polls early on the morning of Nov. 3, he noticed a crowd of Trump supporters gathering across the street. They began to use megaphones and play loud music, which violates…

Three days after the movie “The Lost Husband” was added to Netflix, Katherine Center (‘90), the author of the original novel, woke to discover that the film had become number one on Netflix US charts.   
…

When AP World History teacher Wendall Zartman finished his last online class on April 16, he concluded as he did every day—by waving a warm goodbye to his students. Several hours later, after experiencing…

Nearly 75 years before the COVID-19 pandemic would prompt the School’s longest unplanned closure to date, St. John’s faced another viral threat: polio. 

On Nov. 6, 1946, the St. John’s Board…

Four months ago, Elizabeth Schaefer expected to fly to Beijing for a five-week summer program to study Mandarin. Now, over a month into social distancing, just as airlines suspended flights to China, Schaefer…

While indoor spaces in Houston are deserted as COVID-19 persists, the outdoors are bustling with activity. The number of individuals biking, walking or simply enjoying the fresh air has steadily increased…

While the majority of families stayed home over spring break due to mounting concerns over COVID-19, thousands of Americans were stranded in foreign countries with no way to return. 

Freshman Natasha…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last few months of high school for seniors across the nation have been cut short—seniors missed their last dances, their graduation and their last days as high schoolers…

Music has been forced into quarantine along with the masses. Concerts have been postponed until Fall 2021. Musicians are frantically churning out new singles in front of their personal computers on Twitch…

Barely 12 weeks after the initial outbreak, COVID-19 has spread to 155 countries. The world is grappling with not only a public health crisis, but an economic one. Coronavirus has implications far beyond…

Rachel Kim woke with a start as her mother rushed into her bedroom. Squinting into the morning light, Kim glanced at her alarm clock. 10 a.m., it read. Nearly 30 minutes late for her chemistry class, Kim…

Streets are deserted and commercial parking lots lie vacant as businesses across Houston shut their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The city of Houston, normally bustling with life, is eerily…

Coronavirus has gone viral. Photos of empty toilet paper shelves and posts of people hoarding hand sanitizers or frantically searching for surgeon masks have dominated social media after the COVID-19 outbreak….

Update (March 12, 2020): St. John’s is closed from March 13 through March 27 due to COVID-19.

Grace Amandes (’17) was sitting on a bus with her friends, headed towards a famous park in Nara, Japan,…

After his second trip to space, unaccustomed to the effects of gravity on Earth, NASA astronaut Robert S. Kimbrough found himself accidentally dropping glassware around his kitchen. 

“My wife was…

In the weeks leading up to the Student Choreography Showcase, dancers squeezed in rehearsals in the VST dance studios, scrambling to finish and teach their choregraphies.

The showcase, known as STUCHO,…

Additional reporting by Kennedy Black

*The names of the students interviewed for this story have been changed to protect their privacy. The students are all in high school or college and may or may…

The first time she stepped foot on the Radio City Music Hall stage, Isabel Wallace-Green’s heart skipped a beat. 

“In that moment, I felt like I had made it,” Wallace-Green said. “I realized…

https://vimeo.com/366289507

Spotify curates an annual Summer Rewind playlist personalized for each of its users, selecting their most-listened-to songs of the season. For senior Lexie Farnell, every…

Impact focuses on St. John’s alumni who are changing the world and shaping the future. Sophomore Ella West will discuss what these alumni are doing and how St. John’s helped them get to where they…

Coming to a new school is tough, especially when you are the youngest and bark at the color red.

Sheba, a six-month-old female German Shepherd, joined the Upper School this year as a new member…

Following the unexpected burning of Paris’ iconic Notre Dame cathedral on April 15, members of the SJS community reflected on their own connections to the famous building.

French teacher Jacqueline…

As the largest crowd ever seen on Caven Field gathered in support, the girls’ lacrosse team prepared for the most difficult game they would ever play.

The overflowing number of supporters came together…

Between winning the Silver Bear for Best Director for Isle of Dogs and working on The French Dispatch, director Wes Anderson (’87) continues to make a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s most creative,…

As Lucy Curtis walked into the Lowe Theatre for rehearsal on Saturday, an onslaught of tasks, from moving set pieces to coordinating light cues and managing props, awaited her before the opening of “9…

Franklin Hart (played by senior Gray Watson) flails in midair while three of his female employees hang him from his own garage at the climax of Act I of “9 to 5.”

The musical, which is based on…

Detective Maggie Pelletier (played by junior Sacha Waters) kneels over the body bag, examining the corpse within. “I Like Ike” and Red Scare-era posters plaster the wall behind her, setting the stage…

On Feb. 1, students convened for an all-school chapel led by Unity Council. Unity Council co-chairs Warda Mohamed and Matthew Yekell helped introduce the school’s new Statement on Diversity and Inclusion,…

Posters decorated with glitter and tables piled with food filled the Great Hall, attracting students to the first Community Service Mini Project Fair. The Fair, which took place on Jan. 23 during lunch,…

Originally a small literary magazine of approximately 20 people, Imagination has doubled in size since the first issue came out in 1955. Filled with poets, novelists and short story writers, Imagination…

The lights dim as the beginning of an American tune, “Mi Gente,” is heard from within the darkness. Suddenly, the lights turn on, and the members of the South Asian Affinity Group begin to dance energetically…

Pod on the Quad (Ella’s Edition) is an offshoot of Sophia Kontos’ edition of Pod on the Quad. Ella’s Edition is produced, hosted and edited by Ella West with some additional work by Sophia Kontos….

Astronomy buffs and admirers around the Western Hemisphere looked into the night sky on Jan. 20 to witness the highly-anticipated Super Blood Wolf Moon eclipse. Over 100 of these viewers were Upper School…

The house lights of Eastville Comedy Club, one of Brooklyn’s most popular venues, dim to signal the start of another performance. The audience sits around the stage, perched on wooden stools and snacking…

As the lights gradually began to illuminate the stage, the silhouettes of dancers took form among the multi-colored, ombre background. The beat of “If You Were Mine” by Ocean Park Standoff filled the…

Additional reporting by Ashley Yen

As the partial government shutdown finishes day 29 with no end in sight, the eighth grade Big Bend trip is threatened by Congressional inaction. For the first time…

Only 30 girls signed up to participate in the soccer program this year, the smallest number in the team’s history. Twenty-seven athletes comprise the girls’ varsity soccer team, the largest number…

If you can identify that a 2CV is a classic French car known as a Deux Chevaux or name a French-speaking African country that does not touch the Sahara (Burkina Faso), then félicitations! You are on a…

The music of Kanye West has been a cornerstone of our friendship. We argue over his best albums, force song references into every sentence we can, sing/scream/rap in the car together and cry every time…

Coming off back-to-back victories and undefeated in counter games, the girls’ volleyball team beat Episcopal for the first time in six years.

The Mavericks faced the Knights on Oct. 26 at Episcopal’s…

As small and nimble as they might appear, killer bees are taking the streets of River Oaks by swarm.

Africanized bees, colloquially known as “killer bees” or “feral bees,” are hybrids of the…

Fundraisers at school are typically not allowed because, according to the Student Handbook, “the School wants students to focus on personal service to others.” On Oct. 23, administrators made an exception…

When most people think of Fiji, they think of crystal-clear water, five-star resorts and pristine beaches. When heading to the island, however, Catherine Dawson (’12), knew that this was not the Fiji…

Hearing the growing plaudits from the audience, Claremont Heir steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight. The drummer twirls her wooden sticks, exciting the crowd as the guitarists and bassist strum…

This past summer, Parker Donaldson (’14), Kate Bomar (’13) and Carolyn Martin (’14) biked in the Texas 4000, a 4,500-mile ride twice the length of the Tour de France.

The Texas 4000 is a 70-day…

Growing up, Kim Dickson rarely saw her Asian-American identity accurately portrayed in any media.