The Southerner Volume 66, Issue 4 by David Winter

HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

VOLUME LXVI, NUMBER 4

Dec. 11, 2012

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AND WE’RE BACK: APS ACCREDITED W

At the beginning of 2001, Jamerson

By Rachel Citrin hen senior Katherine Avery heard that APS might lose its accreditation, she feared graduating from an unaccredited school. “I felt embarrassed for our school,” Avery said. Avery can now breathe a sigh of relief. On Oct. 30, AdvancED, the parent company of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, restored full accreditation to APS, changing its status from “Accredited in Advisement” to “Accredited.” APS is now meeting the standards set by SACS, a relief to families who had feared negative consequences for their children if full accreditation had not been restored. This change was not met with too much surprise from former North Atlanta parent Lisa Weldon. “I watched intensely as [the board] went through the steps and saw improvement step by step,” Weldon said. “[The process] was tough, and I was nervous—everyone was—but later, I gained confidence.” Senior Jeffrey Cox also expected APS would be granted accreditation. “I never really thought we were in danger of losing it,” Cox said. “[SACS’s threat] was an empty threat.” In January 2011, APS was put on probation due to lack of communication and quarreling among its school board members. SACS labeled the district’s board as “dysfunctional” and said it was not focused on the education of the children in the district. SACS threatened to take away full accreditation for the school district if the board’s behavior did not change. In November 2011, APS was labeled as “Accredited on Advisement,” meaning the school system was one step below full accreditation but was still being closely monitored. Weldon believes SACS was justified in putting APS on probation. “[The board] got their hands slapped,” Weldon said. “I think they had to realize that their actions affected the children, and I think they realize that now and that people are watching. It woke up a lot of parents.” Grady alumnus and Carver High School teacher Matt Westmoreland also believes the period of probation was necessary.

see BATON, page 12

see APS, page 5

TWIRL POWER: Bob Jamerson, otherwise known as Baton Bob, has marched through Atlanta since 2005.He has adopted countless personas, among them: Superman, Spiderman, “My Little Peacock,” a cowboy and “the Consummate Princess Bride,” many of which are homemade.

Baton Bob brings mirth to Midtown By Olivia Veira n 42 minutes, 19 cars honked at Baton Bob as they sped down 10th Street. Baton Bob blew his whistle and ruffled his pompoms, while dancing to Adele’s single, “Skyfall.” Students and teachers craned their necks to catch a peek of Bob Jamerson, otherwise known as Baton Bob. As Baton Bob turned onto Charles Allen Drive at 7:36 a.m., Erin Davis, former Grady math teacher, had her camera ready to film. She filmed Baton Bob dancing and blowing kisses into the camera. “He just makes you smile,” Davis said. Since 2005, Jamerson has been traipsing around Midtown, dressed head to toe in costume. Baton Bob has interacted with many students while walking around Piedmont Park and near the Grady campus. Most students, however, do not know the man behind the costume.

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BROOMSTICKS AND BATONS Jamerson, 60, was raised on a farm in Martinsville, Va. His grandmother provided a very loving and open environment for him, which he said allowed him to develop into the person he is today. “The key to it was my grandmother knew that I was gay from day one,” Jamerson said. “She respected me for that, she made no judgement of me, and she still loved me unconditionally as she did her other grandchildren.” At 8 years old, Baton Bob watched college football games with his family on Saturdays. Instead of cheering on his favorite team or betting against the opponent, Jamerson looked forward to one thing. “I just wanted to see the halftime shows,” Jamerson said. After watching show after show, Jam-

7 dining

Lee Lowery (center), class of 2010, was killed on Nov. 12. His friends and family reflect on his outgoing, genuine personality, and contagious smile.

erson became especially interested in one thing: twirling. “I was intrigued with that art form, so I just decided that I was going to figure out how to do it,” Jamerson said. “And I did. I didn’t go to no baton training school; I didn’t get no lessons. I just sort of figured it out on my own.” Jamerson was hooked. He asked his grandmother for a baton. “Her suggestion to me was to go out and find an old broom and cut the handle off,” Jamerson said. Jamerson would use that broomstick until he could afford his own baton.

FROM MISERY TO MIRTH

11 lifestyle

A Southerner staffer spent an evening gorging on pancakes, eggs, grits and tacos while reviewing Atlanta restaurants that are open all night.

12 thesoutherneronline.com

Before becoming a coach for Grady’s nationally ranked speech and debate team, the Jesters, Mario Herrera worked in health care and for Disney.

After a season of ups and downs, the girls cross-country team saw its best state finish in years. They placed sixth out of 32 teams in the AAAA meet.

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Dec. 11, 2012

rators t s i n i adm

Editorial Board

the Southerner

Rachel Citrin Sammi Dean Troy Kleber Diana Powers Alex Stearns-Bernhart Isabelle Taft

Censorship offends Grady, please deck the halls with supplies A few weeks ago, a Southerner staffer found an interesting news article about lesbian Republicans. Upon trying to show the New York Times article to other students while at school, she found the page could not be accessed because the keyword “lesbian” was blocked by an APS content filter. Further searches revealed that “gay,” “transgender” and “bisexual” are all blocked as well. While on an APS campus, students cannot access web pages containing these words through Google search, New York Times online, or any other online search engine or news source. We are outraged at this discovery. These are not offensive words. In fact, they are the very words that make up the LGBT acronym, words people proudly use to label themselves. Interestingly, “LGBT” and “homosexual” are permitted by APS’s filters. The fact remains, however, that the censoring of these words promotes a prejudiced mindset. The word “straight” certainly isn’t blocked. Two other subjects blocked by APS are pornographic and violent content. Categorizing a sexual orientation with these subjects shows a disrespect towards members of the LGBT community, many of whom attend or are employed at APS schools including Grady. In a country whose president supports gay marriage and in a city as liberal as Atlanta, it seems counterintuitive, antiquated and just plain wrong for APS to consider these words dirty or inappropriate. If the public school system is trying to protect children from these terms, they are doing a terrible job that should not have been attempted in the first place. As one staffer offered, the only words allowed are “sterile” ones that don’t include the self-acceptance and sense of community that many of the blocked words have grown to represent. This contradiction further shows the randomness of APS’s system. The words “assault,” “murder” and “bludgeon” are unblocked. Words related to terrorism are unblocked. The allowance of these words makes the rejection of words denoting sexual orientation all the more repugnant. Being gay, lesbian, transgender or bisexual is not a crime, it is not something to be ashamed of and it is not something APS has the right to block from our Internet. We strongly urge APS to reconsider this decision and reverse this policy. p

Carson Shadwell

As the holidays approach, family members often inform each other of the gifts they hope to receive. Keeping with this tradition, I wrote a letter on behalf of the student body to the school administration, detailing some holiday requests:

Dear Administration, We have been good this year, diligently completing our SLO assessments with hardly a complaint and speedily evacuating during fire drills. Maybe things got a little out of hand with the fights, but for the most part, we’ve been obedient. We hope our satisfactory behavior will be enough to earn us a reward for this coming year. 1. We would like to request that the bathrooms be regularly stocked with necessities. I remember the excitement we all felt when the noisy, unreliable hand dryers were replaced with paper towel dispensers. Now, however, the towels are depleted and damp hands are too often dried on pant legs or jackets. 2. It would be nice if the clocks in the hallway displayed the correct time. The condition of these clocks has deteriorated this year, with some stopped completely and others operating at a comical warp speed. In order to make sure we arrive in class on time without referring to the clocks on our forbidden electronic devices, we ask that the hallway clocks be repaired. 3. It seems the rodent problem at the school, although

uestion

Bon voyage, readers It has been a good run. But it seems that, as the world is ending on Dec. 21, this may very well be our last issue. We on the staff have done our best to prepare for the impending apocalypse. We cannot be sure of the exact way all of humanity will be destroyed, so be prepared for all possibilities. Even countless hours spent playing Plants versus Zombies can’t provide you with the strategies needed for survival when facing a horde of bloodthirsty undead. It will be essential at some point to think over important issues such as who to sacrifice as a distraction when they approach and who to eat first when the going gets tough. To postpone that awkward moment, however, make sure you have lots of non perishables on stock. Don’t let “survivalists” scam you through sales of high protein premade meal boxes or other packaged “necessities.” Any real trooper knows that the real gold lies in foods such as Twinkies, which will never attract bugs and last far longer than any canned good. It is also important to destroy all your valuables before the destined hour. You must not leave anything behind that aliens or zombies can use against you. A zombie wielding a coin collection book is far more lethal than one without, and it is not as if your coins will have value in the new, every-manfor-himself existence you will have to eke out—if you even make it that far. If you have any chance at survival, you already know that you must have a safe house, or bug house, to escape to. As you ride out the storm you will likely be spending countless hours with scheming companions plotting only for their own survival. It is important to remember that, even though the world is ending, it is still the holiday season. It is about the triumph of the lesser man, family and togetherness. And no matter how many times they drink more than their water ration or forget to check all 39 locks, throwing them out would only let the zombies win. If you read this advice and feel the chances of survival are minimal, here are your instructions: party hard and fulfill all your desires on the days leading up to the end because for the first time, there will be no repercussions of your actions. The world will be over by the time you wake up. p

seemingly improved from last year, still persists. It is not uncommon for students to see the occasional mouse scurry past their feet, not to mention the sporadic appearance of a terrified and disoriented squirrel. I know it is a problem unlikely to be eliminated, but we’d appreciate an effort to keep our mischievous furry friends at bay. 4. We would appreciate some peace and quiet during lunch and breakfast time. I understand announcements and directions are sometimes necessary, but the constant sound of the microphone within the first 15 minutes of school fails to speed up our commute to class and instead succeeds in giving us an early morning headache and a cantankerous attitude. This also applies to lunch in the cafeteria where we are often loudly reminded not to stand up or move about. I recognize the need for order, but we are hardly causing a riot when we walk around the room to speak with friends. 5. It would be nice if a more substantial pathway were installed from the Charles Allen building down the hill to the courtyard and toward the instructional suites. I know we aren’t supposed to walk that way, but we will continue to do it anyway for the sake of convenience. In light of this reality, it would be great to have an established pathway. I know this is a substantial request, but perhaps it could be gratified before the next school year. We appreciate all the work you’ve done on our behalf this year and understand all of you are very busy, but hopefully one of our holiday wishes can be granted. Thanks for your consideration. Happy Holidays, The Grady Student Body

What would you do if there were a zombie apocalypse?

Sports Editors: Kate de Give, Joe Lavine Web Master: Simon McLane Office Manager: Gracie White Photo Editor: Ciena Leshley Cartoonist: Will Staples Staff: Emma Aberle-Grasse, Ryan Bolton, J.D. Capelouto, Zac Carter, Darriea Clark, Mary Condolora, Riley Erickson, Declan Farrisee, Zac Garrett, Deborah Harris, Orli Hendler, Archie Kinnane, Eli Mansbach, Ansley Marks, Rebecca

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I’d probably stay in my house for the first couple of days so that the people stupid enough to leave their house would get infected.”

I would get in contact with my sister, who lives in a three-story apartment and has plenty of plans for a zombie attack.” Jasper Bradley, senior

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I would sail out onto the ocean and live off of the sea.”

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Miles Barreto, freshman

I would run, take Arielle [Conway] with me, and we would defeat the zombies.”

Robert Brown, sophomore

Southerner Staff 2012-2013 Editor-in-Chief: Isabelle Taft Managing Editors: Sammi Dean, Troy Kleber Associate Managing Editor: Diana Powers Design Editors: Lauren Ogg, Gracie White News Editors: Olivia Kleinman, Olivia Veira Comment Editors: Rachel Citrin, Alex Stearns-Bernhart Double-truck Editor: Carson Shadwell Lifestyle Editors: Jolie Jones, Hunter Rust A+E Editors: Grace Power, Megan Prendergast

f the month

Annie Mason, junior

An upbeat paper for a downtown school Martin, Caroline Morris, Quinn Mulholland, Axel Olson, Ben Searles, Ryan Switzer, Olivia Volkert, Josh Weinstock, Alex Wolfe Advisers: Kate Carter, Dave Winter The Southerner, a member of GSPA, SIPA, CSPA and NSPA, is a monthly student publication of: Henry W. Grady High School 929 Charles Allen Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30309

To our readers, The Southerner welcomes submissions, which may be edited for grammar, inappropriate language and length. Please place submissions in Mr. Winter or Ms. Carter's box in the main office. Subscriptions are also available. For more information, please contact Mr. Winter, Ms. Carter or a member of the staff.

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Dec. 11, 2012

Sink your teeth into Breaking Dawn *Spoiler Alert* At 12:56 a.m., I saw Stephanie Meyer’s career go up in flames as one of my favorite vampire’s body was being burned in the background of a giant, bloodless battle. Tears slid down my face. I imagined viewers would run out of the theaters, led by me—the angriest twi-nerd out there. Olivia Veira Back up about four years. I was at the nowclosed Borders on Ponce when Breaking Dawn, the novel, came out. Two friends and myself were dressed in costume, as every other fan would be for the midnight release of the novel. We weren’t dressed as vampires. Actually, I’m not quite sure what my costume was. I wore my thigh-high rainbow socks, a tutu and a T-shirt. I skipped the long line of people waiting for books; I had preordered mine. I stayed up until 4 a.m. because I couldn’t get enough of Meyer’s Breaking Dawn. The next day, after my teachers berated me for reading instead of paying attention in class, I was devastated. Stephanie Meyer had spent 738 pages and almost 72 hours of my life building up to … nothing. After three books detailing the tyranny of the Volturi, an evil clan of vampires, Meyer ended her book with peace. No fight; no epic battle between good and evil. If you looked up “anticlimactic” in a thesaurus, the Twilight series would be the first synonym. Fast forward four years. I’m in line to buy snacks for the movie. As I’m checking out, the cashier notices Breaking Dawn, the book, in my hands.

“The movie ending is really different,” he says. “It’s crazy.” I grimace, hoping whatever surprise the movie had in store for me wouldn’t be too awful. We take our seats, six rows away from the screen. After 15 minutes of commercials, at 11:15, it began. I’m smiling happily in my seat, watching as little Renesmee’s computerized face comes to life. Everything is going fine until 12:51 a.m., when a vicious duel between the Cullen coven and the Volturi breaks out, with Carlisle the first to die. Shortly thereafter, Jasper, Seth and Leah Clearwater die. After more characters fall down left and right, the despicable Aro dies, somewhat justifying the death of the others. I should have been elated at this ending, but instead I was confused. When I read the book, this is exactly what I wanted to happen. Aro should die, and the Volturi should fall as well. But after seeing it play out, I decided Meyer’s ending was better—albeit less exciting— because the book’s ending is more satisfying if less dramatic. The couples live happily together while the cool new characters remain alive. But then, the twist is revealed. The mass killing spree was all one of Alice’s visions. Luckily, Aro agreed with me, in that an ending with his demise was less preferable than the alternative. I’ll be the first to admit that the Twilight series isn’t the greatest. The language used in the novels is subpar, and the actors in the movie, are not the greatest. But, all in all, I thought that Breaking Dawn Part Two was a good way to finish the series. So, if you’re someone reluctantly agreeing to see Breaking Dawn with your friend, turn that frown upside down. You’re in for a pleasant surprise. p

Galaxy far, far away heads to Orlando

Will Staples

Just like any other evening, I was tooling around on FaceSimon McLane book instead of doing my homework,. On the night of Oct. 30, however, my mind was blown by a post from NPR I thought could only happen in a galaxy far, far away: Disney bought Lucasfilm and Star Wars for $4 billion. I stared in disbelief as thoughts of confusion rattled my brain. It did not surprise me someone had bought Lucasfilm. George Lucas had always been a Hollywood outsider, and he had made it clear he was not going to make Episodes VII, VIII and IX. It seemed like only a matter of time before Lucas washed his hands and sold his legacy, allowing him to move on after all the years of clashes with a demanding fan base and critical Hollywood insiders. But Disney? I thought any other film studio would buy Lucasfilm before Disney. At first, I feared that Disney might neuter Star Wars and turn it into another one of its cookiecutter fairy tales. But I realized these fears were unwarranted. The change will hopefully not be horrible for the franchise. It’s not like Episodes I, II and III were the best Star Wars movies. But then again, they were nowhere near the absolute waste of celluloid that was John Carter, Disney’s recent attempt at sci-fi. Disney announced Lucas would stay on as a creative con-

sultant, but it still begs the question, “Where does the story go from here?” Disney announced it will release Episode VII in 2015 and VIII and IX in the following four to six years, but where does the story go? The logical answer would be to continue where it left off, except Lucas never extended the story beyond Episode VI and the final redemption of his tragic hero. There is a variety of storylines that could be adapted from the myriad of Star Wars books out there, but recycling an old storyline seems unlikely. Anything immediately following Episode VI would require new actors for Luke, Han and Leia. Harrison Ford (Han) is

70, Mark Hamill (Luke) now looks more like a cross between Bruce Willis and Emperor Palpatine than a Jedi, and Carrie Fisher (Leia),—well let’s just say that she should not be wearing a slave bikini outfit anymore. New actors playing the old roles would be tantamount to sacrilege. But writing a completely new storyline is equally heretical. I hope the Force is strong with them and guides the next trilogy of Star Wars movies in the right direction, but I have a bad feeling about them. At least I know whatever Disney comes up with will not be worse than the 1987 Star Wars Holiday Special, after which George Lucas himself said,

‘If I had time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every single copy and smash it.” The old Star Wars movies hold a special place in my childhood I do not want ruined. Pretending to use the Force and defeating the Empire are memories created by the magic of a man, a vision and small film studio that defied the Hollywood bigwigs. The future of one of my favorite movie franchise and one of the cornerstones of nerd culture is up in the air. But no matter what comes of the future of Star Wars, I can at least say one thing from now on: Princess Leia is my favorite Disney princess. p

e with r u t a N

ALEX When humans kill deer for fun, who is the actual animal? By Alex Stearns-Bernhart My feet made a slight crunching sound as I walked across the freshly fallen leaves covering the path. It was past legal shooting light, 30 minutes past sunset, so I had unstrung my bow and was hustling to get to the hot plate of food waiting for me at home. As I was walking, a slight breeze picked up, and the air was filled with the repugnant smell of rotting meat. I stopped dead in my tracks. I stepped off of the trail to try to find the source of this smell. Step by step I drew closer to the stench until I came upon the culprit. It was what appeared to be a deer that had died at least three or four days earlier. As I glanced over the deer, I noticed a hunter had shot the deer. I was saddened by the fact that this meat would go to waste, but anger boiled through me when I noticed someone had removed the antlers with a saw. The only explanation was that someone shot the deer, took the antlers and left the rest of the deer to rot. There is no animal other than a human that would kill something so useful and then waste so much without a second thought towards the animal they thoughtlessly killed. An eagle kills only enough to feed itself and wastes nothing. Wolves, like eagles, gorge themselves, eat until there is nothing left, again wasting nothing. This waste comes from the bad habit of killing things for fun, which is completely unique to humans. There are many hunters who kill purely for a rush or to have what they consider a good time. I don’t understand why we believe that because we are at the top of the food chain, we can do whatever we want without consequence. One should still respect the rest of the animal kingdom. The saddest part is this waste happens all the time, not just when an animal is killed. Think back to how much food you and your family throw into the garbage each day. The amount is quite staggering. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, on average, each American produces 1,600 pounds of garbage a year. There are simple ways to fix this problem before it gets any worse. The first step is to be more aware of throwing food away. I’m not saying you should force it down, but instead prepare or buy less food next time. For those of you who are hunters, don’t kill something you are not going to eat. It is truly the No. 1 rule of hunting in my book, and it should near the top of everyone’s list. After reading this, many of you will decide to place all the blame on hunters, but not all hunters are bad; the fault is not theirs alone. I know numerous people who would never dream of killing an animal without eating or using every last bit of it. The best way to fix this problem is to look around and get some inspiration from nature. Follow the example of the wolf and the eagle. p

EXCLUSIVELY @ theSoutherneronline.com “Gangnam” gracefully gallops to glory

States’ temper tantrum displays childlike behavior

Before July 15, 2012, the idea of an Asian man wearing a tuxedo and dancing like a horse would have been met by mocking chuckles and derision. Since that date, the concept has produced not only amused laughter but also has more than 800 million views on ...

Throughout my childhood, numerous attempts at family game night have ended with an upturned board, raised voices and people pouting in their respective rooms. The recent behavior of many Georgians has recently taken a turn eerily similar to that of an angry ...

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Dec. 11, 2012

Lee Lowery remembered for big heart, bright smile

Courtesy of Emma Jackson

Courtesy of Paula Harding

ALWAYS SMILING: Many of Lowery’s friends remember his smile, which they said could light up a room. Lowery showed off his trademark grin while posing for Prom pictures with friends in 2011 (below). Lowery spent part of his time at Grady in Nikolai Curtis’s Biology class (left). He attended Grady’s 2012 graduation ceremony in support of girlfriend Emma Jackson, class of 2012 (above).

Courtesy of Lauren Harper

By Isabelle Taft During the spring of 2010, the Grady boys soccer team played a game against Druid Hills High School that would determine whether the team advanced to the state playoffs. Guarding Grady’s goal was senior Lee Lowery III, who had become the starting goalie in his first season on the team. “For them to go to the playoffs, he had to make this really, really big save,” said senior Perri Bonner, who was a freshman on the girls soccer team at the time. “And he did.” On Monday, Nov. 12, Lowery, a junior at Georgia State University, was shot and killed outside the Ford Factory Lofts on Ponce de Leon Avenue, just one mile from Grady. According to the incident report filed by the Atlanta Police Department, Lowery was shot a single time, around 5 p.m., and died of his injuries later that evening at Grady Hospital. No arrest has been made in the case, although investigators have identified several possible suspects, said APD public affairs officer John Chafee. During his time at Grady, Lowery was known for his outgoing personality, his love for spending time with his friends and especially his smile. “He had an infectious smile that would light up any room and change anyone’s disposition,” said Program for Exceptional Children teacher Mecca Handy, who was Lowery’s homeroom adviser for four years. “Even if he were in trouble, he’d smile his way out of it; at least he thought he would.” Allison Webb, Lowery’s mother, was 23 when her son was born. She said she felt they had grown up together. “I get a lot of strength from Lee,” she said. “As I raised him, I learned a lot from Lee. I admired his strength, I admired him being so self-assured, his convictions in helping people.” Kyle Campis, class of 2011 and currently a sophomore at the University of West Georgia, first met Lowery when they were students at Inman Middle School. The two became closer during high school, when they played soccer together during Lowery’s senior year and hung out after school and on weekends with a group of boys Campis called their “crew.” Campis remembers Lowery had a gift for inventing nicknames that stuck. “He’d have so much fun calling people names,” Campis said. “We’d hear it so much that we’d start calling each other by these names. Lee’d call me KC and the Sunshine Band. … [His nickname] was Leelee.” Campis said Lowery, an all-around good athlete, played the starting keeper position on the Grady soccer team during his senior year. At first, worried about the pressure of competing against another senior with three years on the varsity team, Lowery was reluctant to try out. He changed his mind and became one of the best goalies Grady has had in years, Campis said. “That shows a lot about who he was—not playing a lot of soccer but just [having] commitment and being who he was,” Campis said. Bonner also got to know Lowery through Grady soccer, as the girls and boys teams shared buses to games. During the summer of 2010, Bonner was walking through Virginia-Highland alone on a hot day. Lowery happened to drive by and offered her a ride, even though they were headed in different directions. “There are probably like three people I know that I’ve ever met that have been completely genuine, and he’s probably No. 1,” Bonner said. Webb said one of her strongest memories of Lowery is his love for singing—and his inability to stay on key. “Not only was he off key, he had all the wrong lyrics,” Webb said. “When he was really young, he’d always sing ‘I Believe I can Fly.’ He was always doing things like that, turning something that might not be funny into something funny.” After Lowery graduated from Grady in 2010, he kept in close contact with his high school friends. Sam Altman met Lowery

in kindergarten at Morningside Elementary School. After high school, Altman moved to Athens and Lowery stayed in Atlanta, but the two saw each other nearly every weekend. On Nov. 12, Altman, 70 miles from Lowery’s bedside, received updates about his friend’s condition from those present in the hospital. “As soon as he passed at the hospital after surgery, I knew, and it absolutely devastated me,” Altman said. “I lost my brother.” A funeral and memorial service were held for Lowery on Saturday, Nov. 17. Members of the class of 2010 planned a gathering in Athens that same night to remember their friend and classmate. “No one needs to be alone at times like these,” Altman said. “Being around your friends is what helps.” To many, Lowery’s murder was all the more tragic because the class of 2010 had already lost two members: Jay Jackson in June 2012 and Kaveh Sadri in October 2011. Campis agreed the impact of the deaths was broad. “It’s hard for everybody even if you didn’t know him,” Camp-

is said. “It’s almost scary knowing someone you went to high school with and not that much older than you [was killed].” Bonner attended the funeral in Atlanta and said she was comforted by the strength she saw displayed by Lowery’s mother and girlfriend Emma Jackson, who graduated from Grady in 2012. But each mind was focused on the senseless loss of a young man who spent a short lifetime smiling and making others smile. “I think the pastor said it: if anybody needs to be here today it would be Lee because he would brighten the whole mood,” Bonner said. Webb said she hoped to establish a scholarship fund, to be called The Lee Project, to keep Lowery’s memory alive. The funds will be awarded to students who are not only academically successful, but also give back to their communities. "Maybe this time next year we can start helping some kids and doing it in his honor," Webb said. "And having more people like Lee impact a lot of people. That keeps me kind of going." p

Isabelle Taft

Bold shooting stuns community By Isabelle Taft Nov. 12 was a busy Monday afternoon in the parking lot of the Ford Factory Lofts on Ponce de Leon Avenue. A few feet away from the entrance to the lofts, diners ate at Cameli’s Pizza, shoppers searched for new phones at MetroPCS and people drove toward Kroger. Surveillance camera footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows Lee Lowery III buzzing in to gain access to the lofts shortly after 5 p.m. On the portion of the tapes available to the public, a man approaches Lowery from behind and attempts to take the small package he is holding. According to the incident report filed by the APD, Lowery was shot in the chest a single time. The perpetrator fled and the police arrived at 5:07 p.m. Lowery died later that night at Grady Hospital. Officer John Chafee said police have identified several suspects but have not yet made any arrests. Hyum Jin, a MetroPCS store manager whose storefront SCENE OF THE CRIME: The loft entryway where Lowery was shot is next to Cameli’s. is two doors down from the entrance to the loft, was work-

ing when Lowery was shot. Jin said he heard a gunshot but assumed residents of the loft above MetroPCS had dropped something. “I was just surprised,” Jin said. “It was about 5 o’clock, and people were eating a few feet away [at Cameli’s].” When police and ambulances arrived, Jin went outside to see what had happened. Police told onlookers to walk away. Britney Taylor and her boyfriend heard the shot from their loft overlooking the parking lot, but thought it was a car backfiring and did not immediately go downstairs to investigate. Taylor said the owners of Cameli’s Pizza organized a meeting for residents of the loft, who discussed ways to improve the security of the area. Jin said he thought measures such as a full-time security guard would be prohibitively expensive. Taylor was not sure anything could have prevented Lowery’s death. “I don’t think it was preventable except by the people involved,” Taylor said. p

Individually we are different: students reflect on distinct backgrounds, communities

Senior James Moy lives just outside the heart of Little Five Points in a two-story bungalow style house.

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TOGETHER WE ARE GRADY Communications and journalism teacher Mario Herrera said that examples of this cross-community interaction are what make Grady unique. “I think different world views make us reconsider our own world views,” Herrera said. “When you have someone that you respect and are friends with and you find out about their past, sometimes it’s shocking. It reminds us that we don’t know everything and that the world is a big place. I wish Grady’s motto was the motto for our country. Diversity gives us strength and it forces us to be human.” p with reporting by Hunter Rust and writing by Troy Kleber and Isabelle Taft

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On the easternmost boundary of Grady’s attendance zone lies the neighborhood of Kirkwood. Junior Damian Weaver, a longtime resident of Kirkwood, said the neighborhood has undergone much renovation in recent years and is thus more gentrified than it once was. “Houses are pretty much one-story, fairly decent-looking houses,” Weaver said. “Most houses around my neighborhood have been recently built.” Weaver said Kirkwood is a nice community in which to live and with which to identify. He describes it as peaceful with not much activity going on at most times, much like other neighborhoods in the area. “Kirkwood isn’t a very profound area, so it’s not very unique,” Weaver said. “[Kirkwood is] pretty middle-class; houses are pretty decent, lawns are cut [and there] isn’t much going on.” Weaver said he mostly keeps to himself in his two-story, black-and-white wooden house, so he and his neighbors do not have much of a personal relationship. Occasionally, however, the community has to deal with crime. Once, a drive-by shooting with an AK-47 occurred on Weaver’s street. To stay safe, Weaver carried out “standard protocol: hit the deck [and] just lay down.” Also, one of Weaver’s neighboring houses contains about 14 residents, who typically appear drunk and often yell at kids in the neighborhood, Weaver said. “And then also, there’s this house next to me, [and I] think

t h e y’re racist,” Weaver said. “They always call the police on the 14people house for drug raids and stuff like that because they just don’t like them. That happens frequently, but they never find anything, so it’s just like really awkward.” One of the main drawbacks about Kirkwood, Weaver said, is its distance from Grady. Weaver is still able to meet up to skate with friends due to Kirkwood’s proximity to the other neighborhoods in the area. “Most of my friends live in Virginia-Highland, East Lake or Edgewood,” Weaver said. “Kirkwood is close to Edgewood and East Lake, so it’s easy to hang out with friends [who live there].”

Junior Damian Weaver’s classic style home fits into his Kirkwood neighborhood.

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Senior Jalen Greggory lives in an apartment building near Old Fourth Ward. The blend of community inside and outside of his building provides for a unique living experience.

A few minutes east of Inman Park, senior James Moy feels thankful to live where he does. Candler Park shares many of Inman Park’s sights, sounds and people. Over his wooden picket fence covered with dense holly bushes, Moy sees joggers, walkers and cars. The moderately busy sidewalks add muted background noise, but the sounds aren’t distinct. To Moy, everything else is just “birds and leaves.” If he leaves his window open, the sounds of “old people parties” held in the house next door fill his room. These noises help Moy define his neighborhood. He knows he is home when he sees the large, wood-panelled house behind a mane of holly. Although a bungalow style of housing is typical of Candler Park, Moy and his family haven’t done much in the way of renovating, unlike many of their neighbors. Taylor and Moy share similarly styled houses and a similar culture. “It’s a nice family sort of atmosphere,” Moy said. “But at the same time it’s not. It doesn’t feel forced, as it would in the suburbs with the white picket fences. It feels really genuine, and

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there is a lot of character. Each person we see it’s not like another soccer mom.” Moy said this urbanization is what brings people from the suburbs to Candler Park and Inman Park since the neighborhoods fuse a suburban atmosphere with an urban one. The diversity within Moy’s community is not limited to soccer moms and born-and-raised locals. Although Moy said he lives in a middle-upper class area of Candler Park, he sees both lower income areas and higher income areas throughout his community. Certain streets are even dotted with “McMansions,” decorated in overthe-top Grecian columns and brass door knockers.

Senior Mckenzie Taylor has spent her entire life in Inman Park, located just a stone’s throw from Little Five Points and a 10-minute commute from Grady. Taylor said the neighborhood provides her with a convenient and community-oriented lifestyle. “Everyone respects each other,” Taylor said. “We don’t hang out with our neighbors, but they know us and understand us because we’ve lived there forever. My dad also has a strong connection with other business owners in the area.” Taylor’s father owns Stratosphere, a neighborhood skateboard shop. His business is an integral part of the Little Five Points and Inman Park community. His relationship with the community has let his daughter’s roots grow deep within Inman Park.

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She is a member of Bond Bank on Moreland Avenue She gets coffee from Aurora. She eats at Savage Pizza regularly. Taylor and her family have supported these local businesses for years. “My life is very laid-back,” Taylor said. “I’m very lucky to live where I do. I go to school within a few minutes [of my house], and I’m close to everything I need, including all my friends.” Taylor said crime, however, is a big concern for members of her community. “We’ve had homeless people in our backyard,” Taylor said. “I’ve had people follow me home from babysitting before. I was babysitting next door and had to walk home next door to my house, and this guy walked towards me and started asking me weird questions. He asked me where I was going and told me to get off the sidewalk. The family walks me home now, or I call my dad and tell him that I’m coming home.” Although Taylor said encounters like these do not happen very frequently, they are not rare occurrences. But Taylor’s community and family allow her to feel safe. “Regardless of the crime and dangerous people, I feel comfortable in [Inman Park],” Taylor said. The concern for safety is not exclusive to Inman Park. Jalen Greggory describes the area where he lives, between Old Fourth Ward and Boulevard and off Ponce de Leon, as “rough on the outside.” “The area is nice but not safe,” Greggory said. “Boulevard is on one side, then the homeless shelter over there [is on the other side], and my community is in between.” Similar to Taylor, Greggory’s community provides him with a safe, comfortable environment. Inside his middleclass apartment complex, there are couches and lounging areas where the residents can hang out.

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Senior Mckenzie Taylor ‘s two-story house in Inman Park represents the historic feel of the neighborhood.

By Lauren Ogg As senior Chassidy Mitchell rides to school every morning, she notices neighborhoods morphing through the passenger side window. Mitchell is a member of the last class of magnet students Grady admitted, which allows her to attend the school even though she does not live within its zone. She begins her 20-minute trip in Cascade, her own neighborhood southwest of Atlanta, and merges north onto I-285 from the Cascade entrance. Here she sees trees lining the interstate, and, when the forestry clears away, she finds rows of classic two-story brick houses. The view transforms as Mitchell exits the highway near the Greenwood cemetery and emerges into a new neighborhood: Edgewood. Here, houses are smaller than in the more suburban Cascade. Some houses are new, but many are older, reflecting Edgewood’s status as a historic Atlanta neighborhood. Mitchell’s trip then takes her along Boulevard, and apartments become the predominant housing style. From inside her car, Mitchell sees people of all ages interacting outside their homes on the sidewalks and doorsteps. “[I] see people having conversations in front of the door, people walking kids to school,” Mitchell said. On Boulevard, Mitchell passes the Martin Luther King, Jr. Natatorium, one of many indicators of this neighborhood’s historic significance to the civil rights movement in the United States. Just a block away from Boulevard lies Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King was a pastor during the 1960s; King’s birth home on Auburn Avenue and the King Center, where the civil rights leader is memorialized. As Mitchell crosses Ponce de Leon Avenue, Boulevard suddenly becomes Monroe Drive, a change that reflects a less celebrated chapter of Atlanta’s history. Many streets have different names as they cross Ponce because historically, neighborhoods were racially segregated with Ponce as the dividing line; white Atlantans did not want to share street addresses with black Atlantans. Thus Moreland becomes Briarcliff, Parkway Drive becomes Charles Allen Drive, and Central Park Place becomes Argonne Avenue. Although legalized segregation is a thing of the past, Mitchell said she notices “a color difference” as she drives onto Monroe. Both neighborhoods are diverse, but Mitchell sees fewer black pedestrians on Monroe than on Boulevard. Mitchell also observes the transition from apartments to the two-story houses common to Midtown’s residential areas. As Mitchell pulls into Grady’s student parking lot a few blocks later, the skyline of Midtown Atlanta enters her view.

Mckenzie Taylor, Inman Park

James Moy, Candler Park

Jalen Greggory, South of Ponce

Chassidy Mitchell, Cascade

Damien Weaver, Kirkwood

Individually we are different: students reflect on distinct backgrounds, communities

Senior James Moy lives just outside the heart of Little Five Points in a two-story bungalow style house.

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Junior Damian Weaver’s classic style home fits into his Kirkwood neighborhood.

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Senior Jalen Greggory lives in an apartment building near Old Fourth Ward. The blend of community inside and outside of his building provides for a unique living experience.

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Senior Mckenzie Taylor ‘s two-story house in Inman Park represents the historic feel of the neighborhood.

Mckenzie Taylor, Inman Park

James Moy, Candler Park

Jalen Greggory, South of Ponce

Chassidy Mitchell, Cascade

Damien Weaver, Kirkwood

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Dec. 11, 2012

By Olivia Kleinman “Standby for rehearsal,” a crew member yelled, the sound filling the Grady cafeteria. A few minutes later, “Rehearsal’s up! Standby, quiet please. Rolling,” reverberated through the room. “Action,” director Tim Story said. The scene played out as actor Kevin Hart recited his lines. “And cut!” “Cut,” a crew member echoed. “That’s a cut,” another member of the crew shouted. Story walked over to Hart, and after instructing him to hold the Ring Pop higher so it could be seen, the process restarted. “Rolling again,” a crew member yelled. “Let’s keep it quiet please! Hold the work.” Grady was chosen as the set for two scenes in the movie Ride Along, a comedy for Universal Studios starring Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. In the movie, Hart, an elementary school teacher who is engaged to be married, is taken on a dangerous ride-along by his future brother-in-law (played by Ice Cube), a tough cop who is overprotective of his sister. Filming for Ride Along, which will premiere in January 2014, started Oct. 31 and is predicted to end on Dec. 17. The cast and crew were on set at Grady on Nov. 21 to film two scenes, on the football field and in the cafeteria. The cast includes several Grady students who were selected to be paid extras in the movie: seniors Aazia Taylor, April King and Elen Pease; and juniors Qri Montague and Alana Edmonds. Edmonds said she saw posters around the school informing students about the opportunity to be an extra in the movie and took advantage of it by sending her photograph to the extras casting email address on Oct. 24. She received an email on Nov. 15 offering her a $75 paid position and instructing her to bring several different styled outfits to the set, including athletic, nerdy, fashionable and hipster. “It was a great experience,” Edmonds said. “I didn’t expect a movie set to be like that. We had to go over scenes several times and be quiet so the microphones could pick up everything. I also met many new people.” When Edmonds arrived on set on Nov. 21, she was chosen for a “featured extra” role. “I was just sitting there, and the guy said, ‘You got the look, come here,’” Edmonds said. “I got to pretend I was driving a car. I was one of the bad kids who skipped school and smoked.” Homeschooled junior Jacob Latimore is an actor featured with Hart in the scene on the football field. Latimore said his interest started with the music industry and expanded to acting. “Working with Kevin Hart [was my favorite part in making the movie],” Latimore said. “It has always been my dream to be in his presence.” Juniors Dazja Greer and Saharah Jimenez shadowed members of the production crew during filming. “We are both thinking about going into film, and we wanted to see what it is like on set,” Jimenez said. The film crew spent eight weeks of preparing before the first

Olivia Kleinman

Eighth Street hosts Hollywood, students’ acting debut

KNIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: Crew members of Ride Along observe as Kevin Hart and Jacob Latimore prepare a scene filmed in Grady’s stadium. day of filming for the movie, which has a $15 million budget. Production assistant Jennifer Hackney said many different departments are necessary to produce the movie: wardrobe, sound, camera, video, electric, grips, art, makeup, props, set design, locations, transportation, travel coordinators, assistant directors, actors and production (accountants, for example). Location manager Mac Gordon is tasked with sending out scouts to locations and showing photographs to the director, who makes the final decision on where scenes will be filmed. “I love when [movie scenes] involve churches or schools because then we can give something back to the community rather than just taking,” Gordon said. One reason Gordon said he chose Grady as a possible location in September is because of his positive past experience at Grady while filming the television show Necessary Roughness. “Phil Scardina and the maintenance team, they’re all really good,” Gordon said. “I showed [the director] the pictures [of the school] and he liked it. This [location] was one of the easy ones [to pick].” Phoebe Brown, one of the set dressers, was responsible for transforming Grady’s field and cafeteria into that of Highlands High School, the school in the movie. “[The set dressers] covered a lot of the white wall space,” Brown said. “The camera doesn’t like big stretches of white, so we put up banners and anything to make it look like the space it’s supposed to be.”

After filming is completed, the movie enters post-production, which includes editing, sound design, color correction and automated dialogue replacement, or ADR. “When they are filming, there is nobody talking except for the actors,” associate producer Dianne Ashford said. “But the ‘loop group’ works in the sound booth to make noise for us. They create noise from a high five or conversations. They mimic what someone’s mouth could have been saying.” Mike DeGrazzio, the digital imaging technician, works in a tent with several monitors and control panels while filming takes place and prepares the footage for DI, or digital intermediate, and applies color corrections to the video. “When we read the script, we may want [the scene] to be bright,” DeGrazzio said. “But depending on how it’s edited, we may want it to be darker and colder.” He explained how the color and tone of the video can be changed based on toggling the levels of the primary colors—red, green and blue. When a sequence is filmed, it is sent to Los Angeles for editing, DeGrazzio said. Because of this, he said post-production is already 50 percent complete by the time filming ends. “They start putting together a sequence, and when they finish the edit, they put it through DI and fine-tune everything; this includes the beautification of actors and actresses,” he said. Ashford said about 150 people are working on the movie. “It takes a lot of people to make a 90-minute movie,” Ashford said. p

It is time to take a stroll through the new Fast Forward exhibit at the High Museum. The collection, on loan from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Darriea Clark in New York City, highlights six pivotal years between 1913 to 2013. By reading the preview of the exhibit provided by the museum, I learned the exhibit is about the years 1913, 1929, 1950, 1961, 1988, and 2013. These are years when artists abandoned the conventions of their time and became catalysts of change. Artists such as Pablo Picasso, Franz Klein, Andy Warhol and Annette Messager acted as pioneers by utilizing new materials and inspiration for their pieces. Simply put in by Henri Matisse, “All artists bear the imprint of their time, but the great artists are those in which this stamp is most deeply impressed.” Walking through the exhibit, I found every piece of art I saw compelling. In each year, I had notable favorites. The year 1913 was labeled “New Art for a

Darriea Clark

Exhibit zooms back in time, documents new trends

ART ATTACK: As the promotional for the exhibit at the High Musuem, the painting Girl with Ball is affixed outside the building. The 1961 oil painting by Roy Lichtenstein is feautured in the exhibit. New World” due to the influence of changes and inventions on art. New art concepts such as Futurism in Italy, Cubism in France, and Rayonism and Synchronism in Russia and the United States developed over time. My favorite piece was Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s glamorous and seductive Street, Berlin—a

painting of two prostitutes surrounded by men in the busy streets of Berlin. This painting was a great representation of Expressionism in Germany because of Kirchner’s use of vivid colors and exaggerated forms. Many of my questions were sparked by Lee Bontecou’s untitled sculpture created in 1961. He used conveyor belts as a solid canvas and

welded steel, rawhide, black fabric, copperwire and soot to finish the sculpture. As this year of the exhibit was labeled “Art and Life,” I questioned his inspiration and why he repurposed everyday day materials as artistic mediums. For me, the year 1988 stole the show, as it was the year with my favorite pieces: the threedimensional work of Jeff Koons, Kiki Smit and Annette Messager. Labeled as “Constructing Identities,” this portion of the exhibit addressed political, personal and social issues such as gender and race. Koons’s Pink Panther was my favorite. The porcelain sculpture of a woman holding the Pink Panther made me wonder, “Who was the model for this and who was she to Koons?” The surprise comes at the very end of the exhibit when you are introduced to the future of art. The sculpture by Sarah Sze incorporates household items such as buckets, cacti, bottles, lamps and much more. The development of art over time and the influence of contemporary events on art captivated my imagination. With my laborious schedule of schoolwork, volunteer work and college applications, time always seems as if it is in fast forward. I plan to come back and see this exhibit because it was the perfect time for me to press pause on my routine. p

dining

Dec. 11, 2012

By Megan Prendergast Spanish music echoes from speakers throughout the restaurant as guests enjoy bowls of salsa, queso and guacamole, eagerly waiting for main courses to arrive. Since May 1988, Caramba has relocated three times. Its latest location on Dekalb Avenue has been open for nearly two years. When the previous Caramba Cafe location unexpectedly closed in June 2010, management said the restaurant’s fans were displeased as Caramba scrambled to find a new location to house its authentic Mexican food. Within seven months, the staff unveiled its new spot. Sisters Raquel and Maggie Prieto initially opened the restaurant for fun. Although they lacked business experience, the two took a chance at owning and running a business.

“We didn’t know anything about business, but we thought that it was cool, so we [opened] in 1988 on North Highland Avenue,” Raquel Prieto said. Currently owned by the motherdaughter team of Raquel and Mia Prieto, Caramba Cafe offers a welcoming atmosphere and a family friendly environment. The majority of the staff has been employed since 1988. Mia Prieto’s favorite part of her job is interacting and getting to know the customers. “That’s the best part,” she said with a smile. “The best part is this conversation right here.” Caramba’s menu offers a variety of options including an a la carte section, fajitas, vegetarian dishes and Caramba specialties such as The Enchilada Supreme.

Megan Prendergast

¡Ay Caramba! Restaurant serves Mexican delicacies

FAJITA FRENZY: Caramba Cafe dishes out Mexican favorites, including chicken fajitas, which are served with rice, beans and veggies. This massive combo of enchiladas, chicken, cheese, beef and beans is topped with el ranchero sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

Mia’s favorite, Combination C, a beef and cheese poblano with a chicken enchilada served with rice and beans, oozes cheese over the entire plate, making it “ooey,

gooey and delicious.” Raquel Prieto, on the other hand, has trouble picking her favorite. “Oh my goodness I like it all,” Raquel said. p

Late-night restaurants exhibit creative, exciting flare

J.D. Capelouto

Recently, more and more of my friends have been talking about visiting 24-hour restaurants at obscure hours of the night. One cold night in November, my dad and I visited three 24-hour restaurants near Grady to experience latenight dining in Atlanta.

MAJESTIC DINER I began my late-night eating excursion at The Majestic Diner on Ponce de Leon Avenue. Known for its shiny diner lights and its neon promise of providing “food that pleases,” The Majestic has been serving guests since 1929. I arrived at 1:15 a.m., and a nice cashier immediately gave me the opportunity to choose my seat. Wanting to experience classic diner food, I ordered two eggs with grits and raisin toast. It seemed like as soon as the eggs hit the griddle, they were fried and on my plate. The food came faster than when I ordered the same thing at Waffle House. While I was eating, I noticed the relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. Light jazz music played over the voices of the noisy customers around me. Only three employees were working: one cook and two waiters. The rest of the staff was sitting at the counter, joking and laughing. I also noticed that the crowd in the restaurant was very diverse and young. My dad was the only customer over the age of 30. The eggs were fried perfectly over medium, just like I had ordered. The grits were a little chunky, but still well cooked and flavored. Overall the food was nothing exceptional, but still tasty nevertheless. But while the food was pleasing, the price wasn’t; my meal cost $5.99, surprisingly expensive. The funloving and relaxed atmosphere, however, made my late-night breakfast at The Majestic Diner worth the price tag.

TACO CABANA

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES

I arrived at Taco Cabana at around 2 a.m., and as soon as I entered, the lively music and decorations reminded me of a traditional Tex-Mex restaurant in San Antonio. Located near a stretch of highway famous for its bars and strip clubs, the Taco Cabana on the corner of Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge roads is known for quick Mexican food at reasonable prices. Like other fast-food restaurants, at Taco Cabana, their customers order and pay at a counter then wait for their number to be called. The woman who took my order was extremely friendly and has been working the night shift at Taco Cabana for seven years. She spoke English to us, but then turned to chat with the cooks in Spanish. I ordered two breakfast tacos and a huge styrofoam cup of coffee for a low price of $4.99. It took less than 30 seconds for my number to be called. The tacos were pretty bland, but luckily, there was a large island bar in the center of the restaurant offering salsa and other classic Mexican condiments. I added mild salsa, lime and cilantro to my tacos to spice them up. I enjoyed the opportunity to customize the food to my tastes. The crowd was again mostly young and racially diverse. Over the course of my meal, more people who had obviously been out partying entered, loudly laughing and talking. At one point, a slightly inebriated African-American man tried to talk to one of the Hispanic cooks, but an apparent language barrier cut the conversation short. Overall, the food at Taco Cabana came off as slightly tawdry, due to the fast-food format of the restaurant, but the energetic and diverse Tex-Mex atmosphere made up for that. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a cheap bite of fast, authentic Mexican food in the middle of the night.

Just a few blocks away from Grady, near the corner of Charles Allen Drive and Ponce de Leon Avenue, the International House of Pancakes serves regular restaurant food but puts an emphasis on—you guessed it—pancakes. After being seated at around 2:55 a.m., I immediately noticed IHOP’s atmosphere was much warmer, more comfortable and more inviting than the other locations I had previously visited. Due to the height of the booths, the dining experience is more private and secluded. Though I knew IHOP was packed, I couldn’t see many other diners. Despite the private setting, the loud chatter and laughter coming from other parts of the restaurant and the cheery Christmas decorations created a warm atmosphere. I ordered a hot chocolate for $2.50 which matched the feel of the restaurant—warm and inviting. It was perfectly flavored, complete with whipped cream and cinnamon on top, and my waiter, William, even offered me a free refill halfway through my meal. I gladly accepted. By this time, I wasn’t that hungry, so I ordered a simple “short stack,” consisting of three classic buttermilk pancakes for $4.59. They were exactly like what you would expect from an International House of Pancakes: warm and fluffy, with the perfect buttermilk flavor. The warm syrup William offered and the mound of butter in the center of the pancakes added to the deliciousness of the flapjacks and led to an extremely satisfying meal at IHOP. So next time you’re looking to have a great meal with friends, accompanied by an inviting and comfortable atmosphere, the IHOP on Ponce is the place for you. p

PHOTOS BY J.D. CAPE

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THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE FOOD: The Majestic Diner (far left), Taco Cabana (center), and IHOP are three Atlanta restaurants open 24 hours a day. Each establishment features a unique menu and atmosphere.

lifestyle

Dec. 11, 2012

By Grace Power Toddlers’ life aspirations and career choices rarely last more than a week—most last less than a few minutes. Kate Marani, however, has pursued a steady goal throughout most of her lifetime: to become a professional violinist. Ever since a visit to the symphony 13 years ago, Marani has held violin with consistent fondness. “I saw a beautiful woman [playing violin] in a solo. ... I was enamoured by her,” Marani, now 18, said. After persistently pestering her parents for a violin, she was met with a denial. “They said, ‘Tomorrow she’ll want to be an astronaut,’” Marani said. After a year of begging for a violin, however, Marani got one, and new life ambition began to take shape. Fast forward 13 years. Kate entered her senior year at Grady as concertmaster and first chair for the philharmonic orchestra, the advanced orchestra class. She plans to continue feeding her appetite for music in college and perhaps afterwards. Despite her interest in violin, Marani did not apply to any conservatory schools because she did not want to be restricted to only one interest. “I definitely want to start my years after high school with a focus on violin but also focusing on anything else that interests me,” Marani said. Marani has applied for music programs at Carnegie Mellon University, Miami University, the University of Georgia, the University of North Carolina, Boston University and Belmont University, the last of which she applied to early action and has already been accepted. Since admission to Belmont was not binding, Marani is still waiting for other acceptances. “The more I do it, the more I see it in my future,” Marani

said. She currently participates in the philharmonic orchestra at Grady, the Grady Knights String Five, the Emory Youth Symphony and a Vega chamber quartet at Emory University as well. She also runs a performance business with a friend. Marani serves as the concertmaster for the school’s philharmonic and full orchestra. This position is the first chair of first violin and an important leadership role in the orchestra, described as “the conductor’s second command” by sophomore Mary Claire Morris, violinist in the philharmonic orchestra. “She’s the strongest leader; she’s so committed to music,” said Sergio Rodriguez, the music director at Grady. “It is very important to know that we can count on her assets.” Rodriguez is not the only one who recognizes and admires Marani’s commitment. “Kate is an amazing player,” Morris said. “She is devoted and has been playing a long time ... Her playing is very strong, making it easy to follow her lead when playing.” The position of concertmaster includes giving cues when performers need them and clarification of points that Rodriguez makes, as well as tuning the whole orchestra before concerts. This year, to create a smaller orchestra more available for school events, Marani and Rodriguez organized a quintet comprised of Marani, junior Alice Anita, senior Javier Carbajal and freshmen Justin Oliver and Uzuki Kakinuma. Dubbed the Grady Knights String Five, or GKS5, the quintet meets once a week. Marani routinely shares her talent with crowds through her business, K Squared. The name comes from the two founders’ names: Kate and Kelly Hagan, who formed their group in fifth grade. The duo plays as background music at weddings, showers, galas, fundraisers and garden parties. “We really learned a lot: everyone wants something different,”

GRACE POWER

Violin may play a big part in concertmaster’s future

STRINGING IT TOGETHER: Marani’s leadership in class is key to her success. said Marani, who explained that one of the biggest challenges is to reach the right volume to be heard throughout the event but still be background music. K Squared has played at events held at the Atlanta History Center and the High Museum. “Whatever she does in other groups helps us, too,” Rodriguez said. “She’s always motivated and sharp on skills. She’s a very strong leader.” p

Discovery after day at Decatur: bigger is not better

QUINN MULHOLLAND

When I decided to visit Decatur High School, I didn’t expect to learn much. It’s a public school, so how different from Grady could it be? But Decatur was differOrli Hendler ent. Decatur has approximately 800 students compared to Grady’s 1,500 students. The difference in size affects the school day experience. While I was there, I also discovered some innovative ideas Grady could consider. I pulled into the Decatur parking lot a little before 8 a.m., and parked in the far back corner so I didn’t take anyone’s assigned spot. I then called Audrey, a junior at Decatur, who would be my guide for the day. Together, we walked past the front door. I could see students waiting outside the glass doors. Audrey explained that the doors don’t open until 8:20 and class starts at 8:30. Fortunately, we were allowed in the building to get my visitor’s pass, and then we headed off to Audrey’s locker. The 8:20 bell rang on our way. My heart jumped with surprise. I was not expecting the sound that, I realized afterward, came from the red, metal, stereotypical school bell. Unlike the smooth, monotonous dum, dum, dum over the PA system that signals the beginning and end of Grady classes, this bell was the sharp, clipped sound of metal choking on rocks. The first period of the day was AP U.S. History. The history teacher, Ms. Gonzalez, was a floater teacher and rolled her cart in shortly after I sat down. The bell rang again, making me jump in the desk into which I had slid. Everyone stood, and I followed suit. I didn’t understand what

we were doing until Ms. Gonzalez directed the students toward the American flag in the room as everyone started mumbling. I joined in the mumbling, “I pledge allegiance, to the flag…” Everyone sat back down as the speaker requested a moment of silence. The announcements, read by students, came next. Then, Ms. Gonzalez handed out packets, and each pair of students grabbed a laminated map. As she went through the PowerPoint about the Civil War, the students found important lines and states on the map. Ms. Gonzalez told me that today’s lesson was unusual because most classes included simulations in which everyone got a character or a set of values for which they had to argue. When class ended, Audrey and I headed to her next class called Learning Connections, which students only attend on Thursdays. It was basically a time to go to club activities that at Grady we have after school. We walked past the Yoga Club laying out mats in a classroom and the Frisbee and soccer clubs populating the stadium field. Audrey also told me about a study skills club, an AP Psychology movie club and a walking club. I personally would have joined the walking club, which walked to nearby restaurants like Chick-fil-A to get food during this period. Audrey used part of this time to take me on a tour of the athletic and performing arts building. It was pretty new, finished just before her freshman year, and in her opinion, was the best part of the school. We walked out of the gym into the lobby, an open space with high tables and a floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the stadium. Downstairs, we passed a Spanish classroom with glass walls facing the hall. As we walked by, the people in the class stared

GO BULLDOGS: Decatur’s new athletic complex and football stadium, including stands that arrange into a bold yellow D for Decatur.

out at us. When I commented on this, Audrey explained that the school was so small that she could recognize everyone, even if she didn’t know their names. The students in Spanish class, Audrey suspected, knew I didn’t go there. Advisement, another Thursday-only period, was next. Audrey explained that her homeroom was an SGA homeroom. They discussed events for their grade, dues and places and themes for prom. Afterwards, everyone chose their top choices for next semester’s Learning Connection. Meanwhile, I decided I’d better go get my lunch from my car. As I walked up the hill to the parking lot, I passed the daycare center, which Audrey had mentioned earlier that day. Audrey explained that Decatur’s daycare serves both teachers and students, and that students can help out with the daycare during school for class credit. From advisement we headed to the cafeteria for lunch. On the far wall of the cafeteria was a TV screen. I thought it was a pretty clever idea to have the clubs’ and teams’ events of the day displayed on the screen, but Audrey and her friends agreed they almost never looked at it. Audrey’s next class was graphic design, but she didn’t want me sitting around with nothing to do, so we took a detour to the library to get a temporary login username and password. As soon as I passed the metal detectors at the entrance to the library, I loved the room. It was open and circular. The room was not cluttered with chest-high bookshelves arranged in rows, but instead the books were on soaring shelves that lined the circular room. The librarian, Ms. Nolan, gave Audrey the login, and we headed to class late.

When we walked in, the teacher, Mr. Jones, didn’t seem to mind at all. We sat at computers in the front row. The room was oddly designed with columns across the middle of the room, splitting it in two halves. The half of the room with the computers was dimly lit, though all the lights were on in the other half and paintings dotting the tables. With more than half of the class time remaining, Audrey decided to continue the tour of the whole school. She asked “Jonesy,” which is what many of the students called their teacher, if she could take us to look around. He gave his permission and suggested the culinary arts class. As we walked into the culinary arts class, the sweet smells grew stronger. I longingly watched as students in white aprons, some with tall white paper hats, prepared different kinds of pies and a batch of red velvet cupcakes on the shiny metal tables. Unfortunately, they weren’t going to eat their treats until the next day. On our way back to class, the bell rang to end second lunch. It was a good thing no one else was around when it happened because I almost fell to the ground with shock. I had been doing so well, but the bells alarmed me. The rest of the day was less remarkable. I sat in on Audrey’s last period of the day, AP Literature, where the class spent the entire time reading and discussing “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift. Class ended at 3:30, and Audrey and I parted ways as I headed off to my car. I realized that Grady and Decatur weren’t too different from each other, except in size, but I think that difference is what gives Decatur more freedom to create the relaxed learning environment. p

the Sports section

thesoutherneronline.com

HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

Dec. 11, 2012

VOLUME LXVI, NUMBER 4

KNIGHTS MAKE PLAYOFFS IN ALL FIVE SPORTS ed

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influx of skilled freshmen to advance to the state playoffs, where the team’s season came to an end in the first round. “I look forward to next season even more because we have the majority of our team returning,” head coach Audrelia Austin said. “I think we gelled very well.” The talented freshman class helped lessen the impact of the loss of six seniors last year. The team placed second at the second annual APS tournament, which it won in 2011, thanks in large part to a rigorous practice schedule. Senior Miller Lansing, who was honored along with fellow senior Vidrine Jones at Senior Night on Oct. 2, said the team practices every day after school, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., and on some Saturdays. Though the Knights didn’t win it all, they are looking forward to next year, when their lofty expectations will be raised even higher. “We didn’t finish first, you know, but more than anything we just enjoyed playing together and enjoyed improving together,” Lansing said.

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SOFTBALL: TEAM MAKES FIRST RUN AT STATE PLAYOFFS IN HISTORY Led by team captain and first baseman Retonjah Burdette, the Lady Knights softball team made it to the state playoffs this season for the first time in the team’s history. Though the team lost to Chamblee High School, its playoff

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BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY: STRONG FINISH Jeff Cramer, the cross country coach, said the boys and girls seasons went about as expected, with no real surprises. The girls team finished second at the city championships, and second at the Region 6-AAAA championships, behind the state champion Marist team, to advance to the state competition. Led by senior Isabelle Taft and sophomore Grace Powers, the team steadily improved its average time, from 23:27.47 at city to 23:17.40 at regions, to 22:45.43 at state, where the team placed sixth. Junior Allison Rapoport said the hard practices in the week leading up to state helped the team lower its time. “I personally felt a lot more confident after those practices and I think the rest of the team did as well,” Rapoport said. “They definitely helped us get up those hills at state.” For the boys team, which last year lost Zane Coburn, who received a track/cross country scholarship to the University of Georgia, junior Adrian D’Avanzo led the way at the city and regional competitions. D’Avanzo finished third overall at the APS championships with a time of 18:30.59, followed closely by senior Troy Kleber in fifth place. D’Avanzo finished 15th overall at the Region 6-AAAA championships with a time of 18:50. Cramer said the difficulty with the boys team is getting the individuals to work together and think as a team. He said the goal next year will be the same as it always has been: to advance to the state championships.

AUTUMN’S UP: From top right (clockwise), seniors Retonjah Burdette, Dominic Romeo, junior Iman Madyun and seniors Luke Paddock and Miller Lansing ran, fielded, shot and served their way to victorious seasons.

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By Quinn Mulholland Although the Grady Knights football season, the longest of Grady’s six fall sports, came to a disappointing end the day after Thanksgiving, there is still plenty to be thankful for regarding Grady athletics. The softball and water polo teams experienced unprecedented success at the state level, and the football, cross country and volleyball teams bolstered their post-season resumés, with an eye to the future.

run was remarkable because the team had never even made it to the regional playoffs before, much less the statewide playoffs, according to third-year player Burdette. “Usually we have a lot of apathetic players who don’t really care about the sport,” Burdette said. But this year, she said, the team became a family by the end of the season. Burdette attributes the team’s success to the hard work and drive shown by the members of the team during the regular season. The team had to travel 15 minutes every day after school, except Friday, to practice at the softball field at Crim High School, the only field available to them. Many team members practiced on the weekend, too. “Most girls took initiative to practice on their own or with each other, without the coach, so that made our season improve as well,” Burdette said. VOLLEYBALL: TALENTED FRESHMEN BUMP EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR The Lady Knights volleyball team took advantage of an

WATER POLO: FROM DROWNING ONE YEAR TO SWIMMING THE NEXT Perhaps the biggest surprise of the fall sports season was the APS Knights water polo team. The team consists of players from North Atlanta and Grady, though it is open for all APS students to join. The Grady water polo team, which was launched in the 2008-2009 school year, entered this season coming off a 2-14 record and second-to-last place finish overall. But with the addition of several new players from North Atlanta and coach Stuart Sheldon, the team was optimistic. And after enduring a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Norcross B team in the season opener, the APS Knights won three straight and finished their best regular season ever with second place in the division. Led by top scorers senior Luke Paddock and junior Ryan Switzer, both of whom were named to the all-state teams, as well as senior Kate de Give, the APS Knights stormed into the playoffs. They beat the Lakeside B team and exacted revenge on the Norcross B1 team. They lost to Southern Crescent but finished strong, defeating Pace Academy and the Norcross B2 team to win first place in division two and ninth place overall. Coach Stuart Sheldon was very happy with the season for three reasons. “One, of course, everyone likes to win,” Sheldon said. “Number two is the team showed continuous improvement over the course of the year. And number three, we had 35 or so kids on the team and they all were good kids.” p

Knights’ playoff fate undone by botched PAT in OT By Joe Lavine Junior running back and linebacker Isiah Jenkins awoke Saturday, Nov. 24 feeling “dead sore,” both mentally and physically, after a Friday night he has been trying to forget. “I could barely lift my arm up,” Jenkins said. “I just stayed in the bed all day.” The night before, Jenkins and the rest of the Grady football team took the 45-minute bus ride home after losing a heartbreaker 21-20 in overtime to the Monroe Area Hurricanes. Despite going up 14-0 in the first half after safety and wide receiver Dashawn Benton scooped up

a fumble and scampered 80 yards for a touchdown, the Knights surrendered their lead and the game, leaving head coach Ronnie Millen’s career win total dangling at 99 wins. The Knights scored first in overtime on a six-yard touchdown toss from senior quarterback Kivon Taylor to senior wide receiver Darren Dowdell. Jenkins, who typically is a long snapper for punts, then stayed on the field to snap the ball for the point after attempt. JaByron Webb, who had successfully snapped the first two PATs in the game, remained on the sideline. Millen explained the decision.

“Isiah actually has more velocity on the ball than [Webb],” Millen said. “The other times they almost got blocked because it was slow. [Isiah]’s a little more experienced, not more so for field goals, but he’s our first snapper for the punters. He gets the ball back there pretty good.” Jenkins was not prepared for the task. “I was looking around thinking [Webb] was gonna come out, but he never came, so I’m thinking, ‘Oh, I guess I gotta do it,’” Jenkins said. “I was nervous really. I had a feeling going into it that I was gonna mess up. That’s why

Junior Isiah when [senior Jenkins cradles holder Patthe ball in the rick Carroll] Nov. 9 game said set, he against gave me the Columbia. signal, and I paused for like two seconds to try to get myself together. Then it just happened.” see LOSS, page 14

Courtesy of Grady Football

Grady Sports Score Central: November and December Football Nov. 2 Carver 22, Grady 19 Nov. 9 Grady 36, Columbia 13 Nov. 16 Grady 27, River Ridge 17 Nov. 23 Monroe Area 21, Grady 20

Boys and Girls Basketball Nov. 27 Grady 52, Woodward 38 Woodward 40, Grady 43 Nov. 30 Morrow 58, Grady 57 Grady 48, Morrow 38 Dec. 4 Grady 55, Chamblee 51

Chamblee 48, Grady 35

Cross Country

Dec. 7 p Boys Grady 63, Stone Mtn. 62 p Girls Grady 75, Stone Mtn. 41 Dec. 8 Grady 64, North Atlanta 55 North Atlanta 51, Grady 36, Dec. 11 Marist 61, Grady 52 Marist 45, Grady 40

Girls team Nov. 10 Placed sixth in the Region-AAAA State Championship Meet. The team averaged a time of 22:45 minutes and a point total of 249.

Swimming Nov. 15 (six schools competing) @ Washington Park. 1. North Atlanta. 2. Grady APS Championship Meet Dec. 11 (six schools competing) @ Washington Park. 1. North Atlanta. 2. Grady Girls swam a 1:50 200-meter freestyle relay to qualify for state.

See complete coverage of games on thesoutherneronline.com and on The Southerner Facebook page.