The Southerner, Volume 68, Issue 6

G3 grabs gauntlet

Debate wins state

For the first time, G3 Robotics took home first place at a regional robotics competition and will advance to the FRC World Championship on April 22. For the complete story, see page 7.

The speech and debate team captured first place at GFCA Varsity State for the sixth year in a row. For the full story, visit thesoutherneronline.com.

HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

March 12, 2015

VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 6

Fifty years after the events of “Bloody Sunday,” Selma, Ala., staged a commemoration of the occasion on March 7-8.

President Barack Obama gave the keynote address at the event, which was attended by several former Civil Rights activists, including Rep. John Lewis. Additionally, APS Superintendent and Selma native, Meria Carstarphen received the Phoenix Award, which honors achievements in the struggle to ensure civil rights. For the full story of the event, please see page 9.

SUNDAY, BLOODY SUNDAY: On March 7, 1965, Civil Rights activists and volunteers gathered at the Edmund Pettis Bridge to protest the Voting Rights Act and the murder of Jimmy Lee Jackson. The demonstration ended violently, when dozens were injured in a shooting by Alabama State Troopers. The events were televised nationally.

Photos by Carter Guensler, Margo Stockdale, and madeline Veira

courtesy of scott king

Selma commemorates

Graphic by Margo Stockdale

EXPANSION STALLED AT INMAN W

news

5 lifestyle

MARTA has announced several transitoriented developments around its stations. By repurposing ill-used land, MARTA hopes to increase ridership.

Public Schools’ most populous. In July 2013, after extensive dialogue and community conversations, APS decided to move forward with adding eight new classrooms to the existing Inman site. In January, however, APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen sent a letter to Inman parents informing them that the plans for expanding the school were on hold. She decided to delay the project because of two new major factors—increased enrollment projections and the possible annexation of the Druid Hills community into the City of Atlanta.

“I know that three years and three months is a long time to not have a solution yet, and I know that we haven’t offered a final solution tonight,” Westmoreland said at the meeting. “But we sincerely want to hear what you think so that we can factor A NEIGHBORHOOD LORAX: After the district developed a plan that into the long term decision that is made.” to accommodate Inman overcrowding, 22 trees throughout the campus were marked for removal with large X’s.

see APS , Brandon Kleber

By Brandon Kleber hen school board member Matt Westmoreland addressed the Inman community at a Feb. 19 meeting to discuss overcrowding in the cluster, he reminded the audience of the pain the issue has caused in the recent past.

“Three years and three months ago, I was sitting on the secondto-last row in this room, where Erroll Davis sat on the stage, and that was the night that the maps came out,” Westmoreland said.

“Over the next four or five months this cluster and this school system went through a very painful and divisive process that we call redistricting.”

Three years and three months later, parents, teachers and neighbors filled the auditorium at Inman Middle School once again to try to address the long-term overcrowding issues at Inman and in the entire Grady cluster. For years, the Inman attendance zone has been one of Atlanta

9 a&e

Staffer Gracie Griffith reviews three hiking trails around Atlanta. Griffith, a hiking newbie, treks over the hills and through the woods to find the best trail.

15 thesoutherneronline.com

Dashboard Co-op’s exhibit Dialogue: C o n f l i c t / Re s o l u t i o n e x p l o re s contemporary racial tension through photography and art installations.

Tuck Everlasting premiered at the Alliance Theatre, hoping to make a lasting impression. Staffer Isabel Olson reviews the play.

comment

2

Editorial Board Margo Stockdale Mary Claire Morris Jenni Rogan Ben Simonds-Malamud Anna Braxton Carter Guensler Lucia Lombardo Griffin Kish

Senior payback time

While Hollywood’s award season has drawn to a close, Grady’s has just begun. The Southerner is proud to sponsor the ninth Marian P. Kelly Award. This award, named after Grady’s former English department chair (and first African-American teacher at Grady) Marian P. Kelly, is awarded each year to a teacher that the senior class selects as the most deserving. Marian P. Kelly Award winners are teachers who have inspired students and had a profound impact on their lives.

Seniors will receive a form to make their initial nominations, and the three to five teachers with the most votes will then become finalists for the award. These finalists will be listed in our next edition of The Southerner. Seniors will then vote for one of these finalists to win the award, and the winner will be revealed at this year’s Visions of the Future ceremony on May 16.

Once a teacher has won, they are not eligible for the award for five years. Past winners include. Janet Milton, Kurt Phillips, Lee Pope, Lawrence McCurdy, George Darden, Jeffery Cramer, John Brandhorst, and, most recently, Malik Bostic. Of the past winners, only Mr. Pope is eligible this year.

We at The Southerner encourage seniors to begin thinking about that one favorite teacher who has most impacted their lives. Such teachers deserve to be honored, and what better way to do that than by nominating them for the Marian P. Kelly Award? p

Don’t give up HOPE

With spring break, prom, our Visions of the Future ceremony and graduation rapidly approaching, we seniors have our eyes on the prize­—walking across the stage at graduation, fake diploma in hand, posing for camera flashes from the audience. By then we are ready to move onto the next phase of our lives, whatever that may be. Even for those of us planning on going to college in the fall, the last things on our minds is keeping our grades up. Ranks have been set and midyear reports were sent in to our colleges; second semester is seen by seniors as a time to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Now for all of you seniors who have been living by this motto for the past two months, this is a wakeup call: the current senior class has the lowest percentage of HOPE-eligible scholars in Grady’s history. In other words, possibly dozens of our fellow classmates who would, financial reasons aside, be able to attend an in-state college or university may be without a viable financially sound option to pay for this education. For the HOPE scholarship, the minimum GPA to qualify is a 3.0, or an 83 percent average. While for many people this is an attainable average, seniors must keep in mind that this scholarship, and the similar Zell Miller (which has a minimum 3.7 GPA, or 92 percent average), take into account the entirety of our high school experience; this includes the second semester (aka prime time for senioritis) of senior year.

So while seniors may want to kick back this semester, many will be struggling for points on exams to push their GPAs up to the golden 3.0 mark (of course, if we as a class had been more productive our first three years here we wouldn’t have this problem). For those of you above that standard, we as an editorial board wish you the best of luck in keeping your grades up this semester.

Now, a word of advice for underclassman: never let your grades slip because of a lack of studying or because you don’t feel like making up that quiz you failed. While you may not be thinking about college just yet, your GPA (and parents) will thank you for putting in the hard work now. Don’t wait until it’s too late (like it is going to be for many of the class of 2015) to pull up your scores; high school goes by way faster than you think (been there, done that) and the last thing you want to be doing before you graduate is wondering if you can even afford in-state tuition. So we as the class of 2015 implore you; HOPE is truly a beautiful thing, and we don’t want you to lose it. p

Legislature Dear Georgia legislators, This year, the College Board altered its curriculum for AP Grace Hawkins U.S. History to include an evaluation factor called synthesis, something that has caused controversy throughout the nation. As a legislative body, you have already discussed this measure, with the Senate passing a resolution demanding that the College Board revise the course. Synthesis requires AP U.S. History students like myself to relate what they’ve learned in class to real life, present or past. When students make this connection, they become independent thinkers who are truly able to learn from history. In the new AP U.S. History class, college-level scholars are expected to take facts and draw relationships, patterns and conclusions from them.

The problem with synthesis, however, is that it requires American history to be taught in an unbiased manner, so that students can form their own

interpretations of the facts. Synthesis requires the good, bad and controversial parts of American history to taught with fair representation, something that angers many parents, teachers and students who fear that revealing the flaws of American history dishonors the nation. On Feb. 17, the legislature of Oklahoma passed a resolution declaring that their state will cut AP U.S. History from the AP program if the curriculum is not changed. I urge my state’s House to vote no on the Senate resolution. I believe that Americans criticizing the new curriculum confuse being objective with being unpatriotic.

Teaching the truth about atrocities—like the enslavement of African-Americans and the Trail of Tears, controversies like Hiroshima and the Mexican-American War and victories like the black civil rights movement and the creation of the Bill of Rights—is the key to creating insightful, intelligent and innovative students.

I believe that teaching “unpatriotic” facts about America’s mistakes is our best chance at never repeating them again. When students learn the reality of Japanese

uestion

internment during WWII, anticommunist trials and Jim Crow Laws, they are able to recognize similar instances in the modern world and work to prevent them.

Taking pride in one’s country is a beautiful thing, but when patriotism is blinded by one-sided history, the purity of that pride is tainted. I love the America I know, the America I have learned about in AP U.S. History. I want my two younger sisters and their classmates to learn the same unbiased history I have learned in AP U.S. History when they reach high school, so that decades from now, America can be filled with unprejudiced, educated, independent thinkers who can lead us into being the best nation that we can be. p Yours, Grace Hawkins

We want to know what you think!

Love an article? Hate one? Find an error? Tell us about it! The Southerner welcomes letters from all of our readers. Submit comments to room E106 or contact us on Facebook.

f the month

How are you going to ask someone to prom?

“

Website Editor: Madeline Veira Staff: Josey Allen, Reilly Blum, Nick Caamano, William Chapman, Sophie Durham, Grace Dusenbury, Hannah Ferguson, Carson Fleming, Gracie Griffith, Nick Hamilton, Keegan Hasson, Grace Hawkins, Eli Hendler, Bailey Kish, Gabe Kovacs, John Lansing, Noah Li, Ludovica Longo, Katherine Merritt, Conrad Newton, Isabel Olson, Matthew Peterson, Brett Pollock, Grace Powers, Anna Poznyak, Chloe Prendergast, Max Rafferty,

“

I’m gonna have them check ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on a note.”

T.J. Briscoe senior

“

I’m going to present her with a lock of my hair.”

Zach Clay junior

Southerner Staff 2014-2015 Editor-in-Chief: Margo Stockdale Managing Editors: Mary Claire Morris, Jenni Rogan, Ben Simonds-Malamud Associate Managing Editors: Anna Braxton, Carter Guensler, Lucia Lombardo News Editor: Brandon Kleber Comment Editor: Griffin Kish Lifestyle/A&E Editors: Emily Dean, Maxwell Rabb Sports Editors: Chris Brown, Ike Hammond Photo and Social Media Editor: Jennifer Steckl

March 12, 2015

“

I don’t do prom.”

Skyler Diacou junior

I’m gonna spraypaint the school. “ Anthony Davis junior

An upbeat paper for a downtown school Anders Russell, Graham Russell, Kelly Scollard, John Slovensky, Will Taft, Jaleel Vaughn, Kate Weatherby, Harrison Wilco, James Winer, Sydney Wolfe, Matt Wood Adviser: 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’s box in the main office.

Subscriptions are also available. For more information, please contact Mr. Winter or a member of the staff.

comment

March 12, 2015

For the past two months after the Gr o u n d Z e r o case of Jenni Rogan measles found at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., a verbal war between proponents of vaccinating and those who do not believe in vaccination has dominated the world of blogs, social media and news sites alike. Like with every controversial topic, each person who has gotten involved vehemently believes in his or her cause.

Unlike other societal topics— like abortion, gay marriage or even cats vs. dogs—vaccinating your children is not something that will only affect the decision maker: vaccinating your children affects everybody.

Vaccinations—much like other forms of medicine— were created to keep us all alive and well. Before, for example, the diphtheria vaccine, there were approximately 15,000 yearly deaths from the disease. Now, according to the The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has just been one case of diphtheria (in the entire country) since 2004. During the 1900s, it is estimated that smallpox killed up to 500 million people worldwide.

Now, because of the vaccine, the disease has been officially considered eradicated. Obviously, the 13 vaccines every child should be given must be working.

I’m not saying that all vaccinations—in our current stage of medicine development and research—are foolproof.

There may be long-term effects of vaccinations that we

Cartoon by Anna Pozynak

Vaccinating beneficial to children, all

have yet to experience, and there may be consequences to the exponential population growth—due, in part, to the number of children who now will make it to adulthood because of childhood vaccinations—we are experiencing.

If a parent is worried about these potential long-term effects, those worries may very well have merit. The question of whether these worries warrant the decision to not vaccinate your children, is another question entirely.

When parents decide not to vaccinate their child, that decision will affect almost everyone with whom the child comes in contact, especially during the child’s first five years of life. Every time that child goes to the doctor’s office and breathes in and breathes out the same air as a twoweek old baby who happens to also be at the office, that unvaccinated child could potentially be giving that baby a deadly disease. When that un-

vaccinated child starts school, every child whose immune system is not strong enough (due to some other disease like leukemia) is constantly at risk of getting a disease from which he or she might not be able to recover. If that unvaccinated child interacts with a pregnant woman while carrying a contagious disease, he could cause a miscarriage just by polluting the same air that the woman breathes.

Many anti-vaxxers, as they are colloquially called by their opponents, base their opinions off of misconstrued or unproven pieces of scientific evidence. One common misconception is that vaccines can cause autism. Children who fall on the autistic spectrum, however, all developed the disorder while still in the womb. The doctor, Andrew Wakefield, who published his “medical research” about this topic was stripped of his license, leaving those who use his false scientific conclusion

as evidence wihtout a scientific leg to stand on.

What bothers me the most about the evidence supporting not vaccinating your child is simply how selfish it all is. Would you really prefer to kill someone else’s child to “save” your child from autism (something from which the child doesn’t need to be saved) or some other, fairly unlikely, health problem later in life?

Do you want to risk your child falling ill with chicken pox, and then later developing shingles? Do you really live in a world where no one else matters? It is our job to keep our planet, and thereby our people, healthy and safe.

We are supposed to look out for each other, work cohesively as one, giant community.

Parents who vaccinate their children are doing their part to help keep our communities, and our world, healthy.

Is it really that hard for you, parents against vaccination, to do the same? p

Lockout policy ineffective for school The recently implemented lockout policy is nothing new. High schools have been using rules just like it to get students to class for more than 30 years.

Bailey Kish Many people believe the policy’s age is a measure of its effectiveness.

Our lockout policy requires that, when the bell rings, teachers close and lock their doors.

Any student who tries to enter the classroom after the bell has rung without a pass from his or her previous teacher will be sent to get a lockout pass from the discipline office. Only after a student shows the teacher a lockout pass are they allowed into the classroom. If a student gets three lockout passes, they will receive after-school detention. At the same time, administrators will walk through the halls and send any students they see not in class to get lockout passes.

I understand the administration’s desire to get more students to class on time. If students aren’t in class, they can’t learn and their grades will fall as a result. That makes perfect sense.

But what works in theory—or maybe even at other schools—will not always work at Grady.

The administration has based its tardy policy on the belief that it is critically important for students to get to class on time, and to get as much class time as possible. Sending a student all the way to the discipline office, however, actually achieves the opposite effect. In the time it takes for a student who shows up late to class on the fourth floor to walk to the discipline office and back, they will have missed at least five to 10 extra minutes of class time.

Second, using administrators to do random tardy sweeps of the hallways is inefficient.

With only two vice principals, the amount of time it would take to canvas the entire school is probably close to half a class period. Administrators have enough on their plate already without having to take time out of their workday to patrol the whole school, shooing kids to the discipline office In addition, this policy fails to consider possible scheduling issues. If a student has one class on the music hall and the next on the fourth floor, the seven minutes or so that they have to get to class may not always be enough time to make the journey, and they’ll be punished for not achieving the impossible commute.

If the goal of high school is to prepare teenagers for adulthood, then perhaps a good way

Let me start this story by explaining the reason I am writing it. For those who may have missed it, on Nov. 11, the

to start getting students to act like adults is to treat them like adults. If you want to punish students for skipping or being tardy, let the students find out for themselves the consequences of their actions. Students who build up tardies should find that they are now not allowed to make up assignments that they were not present for, or that they will receive a zero on homework that should have been turned in at the beginning of class. Treating students like children who can’t be trusted only results in more immaturity.

If the goal of the new policy is to change student behavior, then whoever decided this first step was going about it the wrong way. Putting strict rules in place where there previously were none is a good way to create standingroom only attendance at detentions but not a good way to persuade people to do what you want. If there had been a gradual tightening of rules around the tardy procedures, I’m sure it would have produced a much more compliant student body.

I’m sure there’s a problem that needs to be fixed, but I’m also sure there’s a better way to go about it. Tardiness is a problem, but the administration needs to implement a real and reasonable solution not a lockout policy. p

3

Whole new world: study abroad a learning adventure

Harod Harashon, Israel— Today (Feb. 23), was a fantastic day. It started at 4 a.m. with a second attempt at a trip to Masada and ended with a second attempt at cooking.

OK, so I lied. Maybe wakOrly Mansbach ing up at 4 wasn’t the best start to a day. But I rolled out of bed (except not…

I have a top bunk. That might hurt) fully clothed, zombie-walked myself to the bus and fell asleep for the next few hours before waking up again for a breakfast alongside a beautiful gas station. We drove the rest of the way to Masada and hiked up the easier trail to spend a few hours on top of the site, learning, sneaking some food that we technically may or may not have been allowed to have on top of the mountain and just marveling at the view and the experience. My favorite part was when we stood at the edge of a cliff and all shouted in unison “Am Yisrael Hi” (the land of Israel lives) and heard an amazing echo right back at us.

Next, we got back on the bus and drove to a phenomenal Israeli playground (I love the lack of safety regulations for these things… seriously they should not be for children. But oh well!) for lunch and to get some pent up energy out.

Then we drove to a cave sight of the Bar Kochba rebellion (I got in a much needed nap on the bus once again) and got to crawl around in some very tight caves for quite some time. Personally, I loved the confined space. For some, though, it was a little tougher. Everyone made it through, even though it became evident who hadn’t showered in some time when you were pressed nearly butt to face in some instances. Then we drove home. And now for the cooking segment of today’s adventure.

I like cooking, especially when it’s in creative ways.

It’s what inspired me and Lily to try making lentil soup, which failed miserably. I was a little scared to try again, and wasn’t sure what to even try this time.

That is, until I found myself dreaming about eggs: fried, scrambled, omelettes, anything besides the overcooked hardboiled eggs in the cafeteria.

I voiced my concern to a fellow egg lover, my friend Ilana, who, as it turned out, was also missing eggs. We quickly devised a dreamy plan: buy a frying pan, some eggs, some vegetables, a little oil and a hot plate to make the best eggs ever. But it kept getting put off—neither of us sure we wanted to go through with it—until one day when we decided to go for it! After a failed first attempt, we went out earlier the next time and got the cheapest, smallest pan they had, along with a spatula (again, probably making the owner of this store, much like the lentils, think we were crazy). We figured out we could use our counselor’s hot plate, and steal veggies and oil from the dining room, so all we needed now were the eggs, which were surprisingly cheap. All together, the meal cost less than $10 each between the two of us.

We ran home, had a bit of an adventure tracking down the hot plate, and then attracted another audience as we sauteed some tomato, the only good vegetable that night in the dining room, and cracked eggs into our mini pan. The smell was amazing (43 times people wandered into the common room asking what smelled so good and what we were doing) and we quickly prepared both our eggs (a sandwich for Illana and all natural for me).

And, baruch Hashem (bless God), this cooking endeavor was more than a success, it was a miracle from above. It was phenomenal. Amazing. Splendid.

Whatever other synonyms you can think of, it was that. Needless to say, I now am at peace with the cooking world once again. And that’s that! Success the second time around, on both counts. p Orly Mansbach is a sophomore at Grady currently studying in a high school study-abroad program in Israel. To read more about her adventures, please visit orlyintheholyland.wordpress.com.

comment

4

Cellular device use enhances learning

March 12, 2015

If phones are present, school comes second

By erik tischer

by drew difrancesco

The Internet is the biggest collection of information there has ever been, and one of the many ways we can access this information is through our smartphones. Almost every person I know has a smartphone and brings it to school with them, allowing a large portion of our school the ability to access the greatest database of all time.

We can do research for assignments during class with ease and without having to go to the media center so everyone can use a computer or the teacher having to check out a Mac cart. If we were allowed to use our smartphones in class to aid us in researching projects, it would provide us with a more productive school day.

And the speed of cellphone communication doesn’t just provide social benefits. Although it’s true that a phone used the wrong way can be a distraction during school, it shouldn’t distract a hard-working, diligent student. If anything, a phone should help you be productive.

On many different occasions, I’ve had to wait until I got home to start researching a project because I didn’t have access to the Internet during the school day. Some people may argue that in today’s world, cellphones make us antisocial. During this day and age, cellphones have actually made it easier to communicate with each other. In just a few seconds, you can easily contact a friend and have the same deep, meaningful conversation you could have in person, but with a phone you can do it faster.

Another great benefit of phones is that it helps us keep in contact with our parents. Several times over the past few years, my mom or dad have reminded me of things needed to do while at school simply by sending me a text message. And at the end of the day, our phones give us an indispensable means to contact our parents. If we need to be picked up from school, it is easy to get in touch with them.

Another reason for having phones at school is the ability to check your grades frequently. It’s much easier to check them at school and talk to the teacher right then and there. If you have to wait days or talk through email, it is much more difficult to fix your grade or to make up an assignment. This gives you the opportunity to improve your grades in a matter of hours rather than days or weeks. The teacher can also give you missing work or work you can make up in person so you can do it right there or that night and get it back to them the next day.

Phones are very beneficial in a school environment because they help us to learn, to keep in touch with our parents, and to check our grades while at school. There have been multiple times where if I didn’t have my smartphone with me my grades would have suffered, I would have forgotten something or been behind in an assignment because I couldn’t get the information I needed. I admit that more than once I have forgotten an assignment at home or left it on the printer, and using my phone I could easily email my work to the teacher and avoid a late penalty. Overall, I believe phones are very beneficial to the average student. p

e h T

If you walk through the halls of your local high school, it’s almost guaranteed you’ll see a few cellphones. In fact, it’s common these days for students to have their cellphones on hand at all times, including during class. If you ask almost any teacher, they will tell you cellphones are not good for the school. Some students, however, would argue they are necessary for one’s academic life. From personal experience in schools where cellphones are allowed and schools where they are not allowed, I can tell you cellphones distract students much more than they help them.

It is true many students might need cellphones to contact their parents after school, but this is no reason to have your phone on hand at all times of the day. If you need a cellphone to contact your parent, put it in your backpack and use it after school. If you are worried you might miss important news from family and friends, check your phone in between classes. Some students may argue cellphones can aid in the learning process because of access to the Internet. This didn’t seem to present a problem 50 years ago, however, and it shouldn’t now.

There are textbooks and (obviously) teachers that fill this role. Cellphones make it more likely for a student to get off-task.

On many occasions I have seen students disrespecting teachers and missing valuable information because they were too busy staring at the cellphones in their laps. Teachers sometimes have no choice but to repeat instructions multiple times before distracted students finally hear. This wastes time.

Cellphones also teach us to be antisocial in a place where being social is a large part of the experience. It might be easier to look at your cellphone than to think of a conversation starter, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Messaging your friend is not the same thing as talking to them when you know you will see them at lunch. A conversation is real while a chat is not. These devices cause people to put their best selves first but leave out the emotion. This turns students into antisocialites, and it shows when a group of friends is standing around all looking at their phones instead of each other.

All that cellphones are doing is pulling kids away from reality. They interrupt classes, thoughts and friendships.

School is a place where you can learn in a social manner, and cellphones are slowing both of these processes. I’m sick of people complaining about school. If they only made an effort to apply themselves and learn, then they might see what they are missing, but cellphones are holding them back, clouding their vision. It’s becoming the norm to put school second, and cellphones are playing an instrumental role in this unfortunate change. p

STUDENT

Stance

Are phones beneficial to our learning environment?

Ignorance promotes national scientific denial, illiteracy Since my elementary school days spent exploring tide pools on the coast, science has captivated my curiosity. It’s the magic that outlasted the wonder of Santa Claus. As I’ve Mary Claire Morris grown older, I have developed a new appreciation of science as a powerful tool to solve the world’s biggest problems and mysteries. Scientific achievements, however, are often drastically diminished by widespread scientific illiteracy and denial. It was only this year that I became aware of the extent to which mainstream society resists and undermines scientific discovery.

Last spring, impressionable freshmen biology students at Grady were given a district-made PowerPoint assignment which cast doubt upon evolution and promoted creationism. The presentation was posted to the system’s file sharing website for any APS teacher to download and use in the classroom. Parent reaction to the PowerPoint assignment, led The Southerner to write a story about the PowerPoint. Published in

May, the story received both local and national media attention. This fall, I began researching to write a follow-up story. It became clear the issue was neither clear-cut nor isolated.

To fully understand the issue, I talked with experts in various fields. Without exception, each expert I consulted said unequivocally that creationism had no place in a science classroom.

My school community, however, did not talk as readily. One of the science teachers advised me to speak with her lawyer, and many of the parents and students I talked to just didn’t seem to understand the magnitude of the issue.

What I have always admired about science is its ability to uncover the truth with a question, hypothesis and experiment. Although there are many potential setbacks in any field or subject, I had no idea the leading obstacle to science is that the society it serves often chooses to turn a blind eye to the truth.

According to a 2014 report by the Pew Research Center, a minority of Americans accepts the scientific explanation for the origins of human life. While 87 percent of scientists say humans and other living things have evolved over time, only 32 percent of the public accepts this conclusion as true. Additionally, just 49

percent of the public says the Earth is getting warmer due to human activity, a near consensus among scientists at 84 percent. There also are wide popular differences over issues upon which the scientific community has reached consensus: funding embryonic stem cell research, supporting universal child vaccinations and curbing offshore oil drilling.

There is a difference, however, between scientific illiteracy and ignorance. Those who choose to believe climate change is a political sham when presented with fact, also decide not to vaccinate their children after a multitude of scientific studies prove the risks of vaccinating are infinitesimal while the risks of not vaccinating are devastating. They reject stem cell research as immoral or dismiss evolution on the basis of religion. People consistently pit ideology against scientific fact in the belief that they are being true to their faith. But the refusal to accept science isn’t pious; it’s ignorant.

On the other hand, children in the science classrooms don’t have a choice. They suffer from the education legislation and policy put in place by ignorant people and those politicians who serve them. This ignorance has infected the classroom and caused scientific

illiteracy to plague the nation.

According to a 2014 poll conducted by the National Science Foundation, one in four Americans does not know the Earth orbits the sun. The poll also revealed that the majority of Americans think astrology (prediction of the future through horoscopes and star alignment) is science and do not know humans evolved from earlier species of animals. The poll asked rudimentary questions on basic science knowledge; the average score was 6.5 out of 10.

Issues such as climate change, deforestation, ozone depletion, ocean acidification and exponential population growth will become more and more prominent this century. The next generation may be left without a basic understanding of these issues, let alone the skills to solve them. Science is the key to progress, but without proper research funding, legislation and action, no progress can be made.

The debate in science classrooms at my school—and in classrooms across the nation—is not just a debate of evolution versus creationism. The debate is society versus science: two different spheres which must not only coexist but thrive together in order for both to survive and prosper. p

news

news briefs

Hall, former APS superintendent, dies Former APS superintendent Beverly Hall died at the age of 68 on March 2 after a long struggle with breast cancer. Hall, who was one of the 34 educators indicted last year in the APS testing scandal, was unable to face trial because of her chemotherapy treatment.

Legislature plans to cut healthcare funds The Georgia legislature voted to cut healthcare benefits for some parttime school employees who work fewer than 30 hours per week The law will affect more than 11,500 state employees, including bus drivers and cafeteria workers. The cuts were proposed by Gov. Nathan Deal as part of his $21.8 billion state budget.

Orchestra, chorus superior at festival The Grady chamber orchestra received four “superior” ratings from judges at its festival on March 3. On Feb. 23, the chamber chorus scored two “superiors” for performance and an “excellent” in sight reading.

August 30, 201412, 2015 the Southerner March

5

County budget allocates more to libraries

By Gracie Griffith The Fulton County Commission unanimously voted on a $629 million county budget on Jan. 21, a $3.6 million increase from last year’s budget. The larger budget will help restore the Atlanta Fulton County Library System after the cuts in funding it received under the 2014 county budget.

Last year the county cut library funding by $5 million, which forced the system to cut hours by 36.2 percent and subsequently lay off more than 100 library staffers.

Linda Statham, a retired teacher and a member of the Friends of the Alpharetta Library, saw this decline as harmful to Fulton County residents.

“Books and education are of the utmost importance to the community,” Statham said.

“Reductions in library resources result in a dumbing down of our whole society.”

The diminished hours left many patrons unable to visit their libraries. Out of the 34 AFPLS branches, 31 were closed at least one day per week.

According to a report by the Fulton County Commissioner’s Office, circulation of library materials in 2014 was down 20 percent from 2013 throughout the system.

Statham and many other library patrons publicly expressed their dissatisfaction over the cuts.

“A lot of people petitioned, wrote letters, contacted their district representatives, in support of an increase in library funding,” Statham said.

The large reaction spurred library system directors into action. The new budget allowed the county to reopen every branch on Fridays beginning Feb. 20. According to the complete

Fulton County budget, hours will be fully re- Wolf Creek, Palmetto and East Roswell instated to their 2013 levels by April. branches.

“Fulton County residents love their libraries and The construction for these projects was fithey have shown us that throughout the last year,” nanced by a 2008 county referendum, but the said Kelly Robinson, the library system director of operational costs of each new branch will fall public relations and marketing. We appreciate get- upon library system. ting the hours back to where they were to better While it remains unclear how the library serve our patrons.” system will sustain its new additions without Hensley Roberts, the branch manager of another budget increase, Statham supports the Peachtree Library, is worried the restora- the building project. Her beloved Alpharetta tion will cause his branch to be understaffed. Branch is receiving a 15,000 square-foot exThe Peachtree pansion under phase There can never be enough Branch was one of the program. forced to lay off “There can never be money spent on libraries.” three workers enough money spent on due to the 2014 libraries,” Statham said.

Linda Statham Roberts cuts, but hasn’t remains been able to resomewhat hesitant member of the Friends of the hire any employthe project.

Alpharetta Library about ees this year.

“I just worry about “The same how the system will amount of staff is now working the longer pay to maintain [the new branches],” Roberts hours,” Roberts said. said. “New libraries are wonderful but now The county’s human resources department the same budget has to be shared between is working to solve this problem efficiently, more branches.”

Robinson said.

Despite the newly increased budget, money “At this time all eligible candidates have is still tight in the library system. Twenty libeen contacted, and teams of library staff will braries will remain closed twice a week. soon begin interviewing candidates in order to Robinson stresses that the library system is hire part-time and full-time staff,” she said. doing all that it can with the money it was alIn addition to the rehiring for each branch, lotted by the county commission. the library system will unveil five new library “The library systems’ mission is to serve locations and renovate two more within the the public to the best of our ability with our next two years as part of the Library Building hours, materials selection and customer serProgram. The ambitious project has already vice, and we strive to do that every day no led to the completion of the newly opened matter the budget,” Robinson said. p

“

MARTA development program aims to boost usage

By Reilly Blum

WALK THE WALK:A walk score,according to MARTA,awards If you build around it, they points to stations based on their distance will ride. to nearby attractions and MARTA is working to develop amenities. areas around many Atlantal a i r emo area stations through tranK i n g aMt i o n Edg A rts St sit-oriented development e wo C 2 8 e n ter S ta t P programs, or TODs, by a r ko d / C a n i o n S ta t d Walk Walk S ore leasing vacant or illcore Walk Sc Score ion l e r approx. purposed land adjacent to on 7 acres Land Land a a of stati 86 area rea of Land are the stations. station of sta 68 . tion x ro p MARTA has partnered r ap approx fo le b a ail .

4 acres appr with Walton CommuniAmou f land av Amoun 9 acres ox. mount o nt of t of lan A 1 4 T l ties and Columbia Vend avail and a acres OD TOD able fo D 1 O v 4 T a ,9 1 ilable r tures to develop around for 1.63 appr D s ie a D tr a i ox n the King Memorial and ly En ily Entr E a y c il r a e s D tries ies 5 acr . es Edgewood/Candler 6 ,6 Park stations.

72 1,314 Though the type of development will vary dein the summer of pending on the character and density of 2016 and will take approximately two years the area, MARTA has the same ultimate goal to complete. for all of its stations.

Rhein said that in the past, similar developTo ensure these developments benefit a wide cepted by the community, Rhein said that “Big picture, what we’re trying to accom- ment in close proximity to MARTA stations variety of Atlantans, MARTA requires that at each project involves some platform for plish with our transit-oriented development have attracted new riders. least 20 percent of all housing created in the community input. program is to increase MARTA ridership, “A great example of how a TOD has im- TODs be workforce housing. This ensures af“We’ve had 15 neighborhood meetings, and generate revenue for operations and support pacted ridership is at our Buckhead station,” fordable housing in the midst of TODs for in- we’ve presented plans along the way to see if regional economic development,” said Aman- Rhein said. “We opened a new bridge ... which dividuals or families whose incomes fall below [people] have any input,” Baynes said on Feb. da Rhein, MARTA’s senior director of transit- provides connectivity to areas that were previ- a certain level.

21. “All of the meetings have been open to oriented development. ously difficult to get to from the station. As a “We will have options for a wide variety of the public. We just , and both neighborhoods Work to create the TODs is already under- result of that [connectivity], last quarter saw a folks,” Baynes said. “[With the units we are voted unanimously in support of the plan.” way. In the Edgewood/Candler Park station, 26 percent increase in ridership at the station, currently proposing], we’ll be able to include Baynes projects that construction on the for example, Columbia Ventures plans to de- and the quarter before that we saw a 27 percent parents or a parent who has one or two chil- Edgewood/Candler Park TOD will begin at velop what is currently being used as a parking increase in ridership.” dren, but we may be able to include even larger the beginning of next year and will finish by lot adjacent to the station.

Walton Communities partner David [families] than that, depending on what we do late 2016 or early 2017.

Dillon Baynes, a managing partner for Co- Knight explained in an email to The South- with [a potential] three-bedroom unit.”

Midtown’s Art Center station will also be lumbia Ventures, said that development of erner that he is planning a mixed-use, mixedBoth Rhein and Baynes also indicated that the site of a TOD, although the type of dethe Edgewood/Candler Park station will income community for the area around the MARTA will partner with RideShare to ac- velopment is yet to be decided. MARTA and occur in two phases.

King Memorial MARTA station. A parking commodate cyclists in areas near the stations. the Woodruff Arts Center once discussed “In the first phase ... the major building will lot across from the station will be the site “If you have a bike and a MARTA Breeze builing a new symphony hall, but the plan have about 210 apartments and about 10,000 of development. Approximately 300 apart- Card, you’ve got a lot of mobility in Atlanta,” failed to come to fruition. Rhein indicated, feet of commercial space,” Baynes said. “We ment homes, as well as retail stores, coffee Baynes said. “You don’t have it if you just have however, that increased ridership would be a have two significant features to the first phase. shops and other commercial ventures will the Breeze Card, so we will add bike share to byproduct of this TOD. … It will have a major urban plaza in the be included in the King Memorial TOD. the MARTA station. … We want people to “If you make it easy for people to do things middle, two-thirds of which will be park and Knight indicated that construction for the have as many different options as possible.” by the station, that increases the likelihood one-third of that will be a restaurant area.”

King Memorial TOD is scheduled to begin To ensure that these developments are ac- that they’ll use trains,” Rhein said. p

news

6

March 12, 2015

APS to wait on Druid Hills before deciding Inman fate

Projected Enrollment and Inman Capacity

Number of students

1250

Capacity without portables Capacity with proposed addition Capacity with portables Updated enrollment projections (January 2015)

1025

800

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

2018-19

GRAPHIC BY WILLIAM TAFT

2019-20

Year

not only because of the green space but because of the traffic,” said Andrew Paul, an Inman parent and member of the Virginia Highland Neighborhood Association. “We’ve been great neighbors. Our children have gone through the school, they continue to go through the school, and we want to continue to be great neighbors. And that means respect for the school but also respect for the neighborhood and the environment.”

The second and third scenarios involve utilizing the former David T. Howard High School building to relieve the overcrowding. These scenarios could involve either a sixthgrade campus at the Howard school site or an eighth- and ninth-grade junior high school option that would relieve overcrowding at Grady as well.

The former Howard High School building, located in the Old Fourth Ward, has been considered for many potential uses, both educational and community-based.

The community has been asking the district to identify a restoration plan for years, and the two scenarios involving Howard would allow the district to address this concern as well.

When these plans were proposed at the meeting, the packed auditorium erupted into cheers. The two potential projects at the former Howard site are estimated to cost the same amount—$33 million.

“I think the community definitely wants to get behind Dr. Carstarphen and her ideas,” said Dr. Betsy Bockman, Inman principal. “They seemed to be very happy about the Howard possibility, so that makes everybody feel better.”

Another option, mentioned at the meeting by Inman parent Jennifer Errion, involves moving Inman into Grady, building a new high school and making Inman an elementary school.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL: Meria Carstarphen, Courtney English, Cynthia Brown, Matt Westmoreland, and Leslie Grant discuss the future of the Inman community in front of parents, teachers and neighbors. The future enrollment projections and capacity can be seen in the graph (left). By the 2015-2016 school year, the estimated number of students will surpass the capacity of Inman even with the possible addition.

This solution would alleviate overcrowding in the cluster but is, according to Carstarphen, cost prohibitive because building a new high school today would be a $120 million proposition.

All of these possible scenarios on the table for the future of Inman could be reconsidered if Atlanta annexes Druid Hills. APS believes the annexation may provide three additional buildings in an area adjacent to the Grady-Inman cluster that could also alleviate overcrowding in existing schools. There are many factors involved in the annexation, ranging from transportation issues to county services, but the state legislature is expected to make a decision on what will happen by the close of the current session in April. If the legislature decides the annexation could become a local referendum, Druid Hills residents would vote on the matter in November.

“It’s not our decision,” Carstarphen said. “There is a lot going on in this, and it is going to, in part, drive us when we consider triggering the next decision. The most important thing for us is that there would be actual facilities, a high school and two middle schools, that might be part of Atlanta, which would mean that around 1,600 students would be coming into APS. How that gets shuffled out—we have to cross that bridge when we get to it.”

The decision-making timeline for Inman will run parallel with the decision about the Druid Hills annexation, at which point APS will be prepared to move forward with one of the proposed scenarios.

As Carstarphen explained in her letter to the community, APS has an opportunity to reexamine the needs of the entire cluster in light of booming population growth. The community, along with faculty and parents of Inman, are hopeful and optimistic for what the future holds.

“This is such a wonderful opportunity for Atlanta to, kind of, create a visionary Midtown,” Errion said. “[Carstarphen] impressed me as a superintendent with vision because we really need a visionary right now ... someone who will really take all of our concerns to heart and do what’s best for all of our children.” p

Brandon Kleber

COURTESY OF ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

In July 2012, interim superintendent Erroll Davis convened a task force to study the Inman overcrowding situation and make recommendations. The task force considered three solutions, all of which involved adding a second middle school in the Grady cluster. Because of extreme opposition from parents from the five elementary schools within the district, however, Davis decided to keep the district together and expand Inman instead.

With a second middle school off the table, the district then developed a plan that would add 20,000 square feet to Inman to eliminate the overcrowding. Westmoreland promised neighbors that the expansion would accommodate all new students and also remove the trailers currently on the Inman campus. The expansion was to begin in January 2015 and last for 18 months.

Over the recent winter break, 22 trees throughout the Inman campus were marked for removal with large orange X’s. Many community members were outraged, as several of the trees were not near the planned construction site.

Tree appeals were filed with the City of Atlanta, and Westmoreland met with community members and then conveyed their concerns to Carstarphen. Several longtime neighbors, including Bonny Valente and Lee Wilson, began to push back against the expansion itself, not just the destruction of the trees.

“I was pretty ignorant about the whole thing until the X’s came on the trees,” Valente said. “We didn’t know in the immediate neighborhood what that meant. The neighborhood had already been through a couple of expansions, and every time we were promised it would be the last time. The last expansions were in ’81, ’93 and ’04, and we’ve lived through all three of these. The capacity at Inman is 875 students, and now they’re at 1,001, projected to be at 1,100­by 2016. This site simply cannot handle that kind of capacity.”

On Jan. 29, Carstarphen sent a letter to the Inman community saying she was delaying construction and that a community meeting would take place on Feb. 19.

Carstarphen said that APS is not canceling construction, but rather altering the current plan because it will not solve the problem.

She said that the expanded school would immediately need portable classrooms and that the district will seek input from parents on a new design. But, she was quick to add, overcrowding is a nice problem for a community to have.

“There are other schools across the district that are grossly under-enrolled,” she said. “This [situation] is one where it’s a challenge, but it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to get really creative and do something that would make that community proud.”

Three new possibilities to address capacity concerns were pitched at the community meeting. The first is the addition of 14 classrooms to the existing Inman building.

This addition would cost an estimated $15 million and accommodate 1,250 students at the school, an expanded capacity that did not seem to sit well with the community members present at the meeting.

“Having been in this neighborhood for a number of years, we were told twice there would be no further expansions,

BRANDON KLEBER

continued from front page

SCENARIO 1–Inman Addition (14 classrooms):

SCENARIO 2–Sixth Grade Campus at Howard:

Summer 2017 completion, estimated cost: $15 million PROS: Onsite solution CONS: Parking, green space, additional pressure on common areas—cafeteria, media center, gymnasium CAPACITY: 1,250 students

Summer 2018 completion, estimated cost: $33 million PROS: Long-term solution, additional capacity, saves the trees on Inman site CONS: Split campuses CAPACITY: 825 students

SCENARIO 3–Sixth/seventh grade at Howard and eighth/ninth grade at Inman (or vice versa) Summer 2018 completion, estimated cost: $33 million PROS: Solves enrollment issues; saves historic building, trees CONS: Split campuses, transportation challenges CAPACITY: 825 students

news

March 12, 2015

7

By Chloe Prendergast G3 Robotics, Grady’s robotics team, won the Georgia Southern Classic FIRST Robotics Competition on March 1.

This is the first time the team has won a regional competition.

“I think this is the culmination of about three years of growth for the team,” said Andrew Nichols, the G3 Robotics head coach. “It’s not something particularly different that we did this year. It’s that three years ago we started thinking more strategically about how we designed our robots, how we trained our students, what skills we developed, what resources we were using. We put a lot of emphasis on building competitive robots, not just doing it for the fun of it, although it is still a whole lot of fun.”

At the beginning of January, the team was given the parameters that their robot must meet to be successful.

“We’re given a new game every year,” said junior Gabriel Kupersmith, a member of the team. “In past years it’s been stuff like Frisbee, basketball, firing two-foot diameter exercise balls out of a catapult. This year we were given a challenge called recycle rush. It’s kind of lame, but it’s based around the idea of recycling. We’re essentially stacking two-and-a-halffoot-long totes on top of each other, and we’re trying to organize them as much as possible on a basketball-sized field.”

The team is allotted six weeks to build the robot before the competition season begins. After this time period, the competition

Photo Courtesy of Georgia FIRST

Serious strategies lift G3 Robotics to FIRST place

GEARED UP: The G3 robotics team cheers as its alliance wins the Georgia Southern Classic FIRST Robotics Competition on March 1. robot may not be removed from designing and building the ro- position to draft allies. its sealed bag until the beginning bots but also the way the team “All during the time when we of a competition and must be re- approaches competition. were doing our matches up until bagged before the team leaves.

In a robotics competition, there then they, some of the kids were The drivers, who control the are qualifying and final matches. scouting and getting information robot during the games, are only The final matches are comprised about the other robots and pickable to practice with the robot af- of eight alliances: the eight high- ing a good possible alliance,” said ter it is built. Bagging up the ro- est ranked teams each pick the Luke Esposito, one of the G3 robot after six weeks gave the driv- first member of their alliance, botics advisers. ers limited time to train. In order and together the new and origiThe fourth-ranked team selected to combat this problem, the team nal member of the alliance select G3 as its first choice to form an began building two robots for the next member to form a three- alliance. Together, FLASH, team each game three years ago. This team alliance.

1319 from Mauldin, S. C., and G3 gives the drivers the ability to “In our last three qualifying picked their third alliance member, practice with the second robot matches we had changed our strate- Robots-R-Us, team 3266 of Eaton, before the competition and learn gy in a way that we basically stopped Ohio. The joint effort of the three what modifications needed to be caring what our rank was and started members of the alliance was crucial made on the competition robot just simply trying to show what our to the victory. on pit day, which is the first day robot could do and what it was de“Winning this regional gives of a competition. signed to do and how it could do it us a ticket to the world champiThis is just one of the strategic well,” Nichols said. onships in St. Louis, which is a decisions the team has implemented Focusing on the robot instead really big deal,” Kupersmith said. over the past few years. of the ranking actually caused the “The competition is internationThe emphasis on strategic de- ranking to improve enough to al in scale so there are teams from cisions has not only influenced attract the attention of teams in Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Israel,

basically all around the world, to compete in St. Louis.”

The team’s superior performance at the regional competition has left the team elated.

“It’s something that this group of seniors has been chasing for three years,” Nichols said. “This is our 11th season that the team has existed and the 11th year in which I have been involved, and this is our first regional win in any of those years, so it’s a really big deal, not just for the students on the team but also for the mentors and adults who have been doing this for all that time who helped found the team 11 years ago.”

While Esposito has only been with the team since he arrived at Grady in August, he feels the impact of the team’s success.

“We were doing very well, which is exciting, because I don’t win anything,” Esposito said.

Competitors feel similarly.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Kupersmith said. “The competitions are extremely exciting. I don’t think I’ve ever had as much of a thrill as standing behind a driver’s station competing with these other teams.”

This is not the only success the robotics team has experienced this year. After working to help MARTA utilize Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to the department’s advantage, the UAV team of G3, which includes juniors Isabelle Carson, Gabriel Kupersmith and Sajjad Ali, placed second in the nationwide Drone Prize 2014 competition over the summer.

Because of this success, G3 piloted a new elementary and middle school drone competition which was held at Grady on March 14. p

Senate bill aims to protect victims of sex trafficking

By Chloe Prendergast The Georgia bill similarly aims to create The Georgia Senate recently passed a bill es- a way to fund statewide rehabilitation for tablishing a Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited these children and to protect minors from Children Fund. If passed in the House, the bill state prosecution. will use new fines for convicted sex traffickers “The purpose of this act is to protect a child and annual fees from adult entertainment es- from further victimization after he or she is tablishments in order to finance programs to discovered to be a sexually exploited child by aid victims of child sex trafficking in Georgia. ensuring that a child protective response is in In 2000, the federal government passed the place in this state,” the proposed law reads.

Trafficking Victims Protection Act. This law To achieve this protection, the state needs to allowed the federal judiciary system to treat establish what the fund will be able to provide. prostituted minors as victims of sex trafficking, “The Fund will be a separate entity of the rather than as prostitutes. Despite this provi- state treasury, and funds will be used to prosion, many trafficked minors are arrested and vide care, rehabilitative services, residential charged by their state law enforcement agencies housing, health services and social services to because the state lacks a law to protect them. sexually exploited children through persons Many states have since begun aligning their or programs designated by the Commission,” laws with the TVPA. The first law of this kind the Senate press office said. passed in New York in 2008. In 2007, 182 miA nonprofit company in Atlanta is currently nors in New York offering services were arrested for similar to what On average, 100 juvenile girls prostitution, acthe bill would are exploited each night in cording to numprovide. A vicbers released by tim of Georgia Georgia.” the New York sex trafficking, State Office of who Center for Public Policy Studies Rachel, Family and Child partook in this Services. rehabilitative The law passed in New York did not de- program, testified before the General Assembly criminalize the prostitution of minors; rath- to support the passage of the new legislation. er, it established the presumption that mi- The bill is now better known as Rachel’s Law. nors were victims rather than criminals and While the Senate overwhelmingly enleft prosecution to the judge’s discretion. dorsed the legislation, passing it by a 52-3 Across the nation, Safe Harbor laws were vote, some critics question how helpful created to protect children from prostitu- safe harbor laws will be. tion and to grant them services that will “Safe harbor laws have been fully implehelp them recover. mented in 12 states and partially imple-

“

mented in six,” Lauren Jekowsky, a Human Trafficking Center associate said in 2014 in an article published on the HTC website. “However, they have proven to be largely ineffective in most cases due to their incompleteness, poor implementation and lack of resources and need to be strengthened.”

Approximately 500 young girls are sold into the sex industry in Georgia each month, with 300 of those in and around Atlanta, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics. The numbers reported by law enforcement agencies and those cited by victim services vary by as much as 400 percent.

“This disparity is attributed to a number of factors, including but not limited to, organizational differences, victim-specific issues and an inability to effectively identify and treat victims,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said.

The Center for Public Policy Studies estimates, “on average, 100 juvenile girls are exploited each night in Georgia.”

The future for many of the victims of sex trafficking is often not as bright as the outlook for Rachel, who is currently enrolled at a university.

According to the FBI, the average lifespan of a female once recruited into prostitution is only seven years due to an increased risk of STDs, overdosing, suicide and homicide.

Many of these girls are recruited between the age of 11 and 14.

Because teen prostitution has such a high mortality rate, the State Senate is trying to further prevent trafficking.

In order to pass the legislation, the Senate is aiming to work with the state House of Representatives in order to pass the bill.

House Bill 244 is similar to Senate Bill eight. It is also dubbed “Rachel’s Law” and has an almost identical intent.

Despite garnering 94 percent support in the Senate, on March 3, the Atlanta JournalConstitution predicted that House Bill 244 has only an 8 percent chance of passing.

Along with the fund, the legislation increases the punishments placed on the perpetrators of sex trafficking. If passed, the bill will ensure that those convicted of trafficking a person for sexual servitude will be placed on the State Sexual Offender Registry.

The CPPS indicates that “each month, 12,400 men in Georgia pay for sex with a young woman, and 7,200 of them end up exploiting an adolescent female.”

Darren Geist of the New York University School of Law explained in 2012 the four criteria for safe harbor laws to be successful. In sum, they must separate the traffickers and the victims, protect minors from the stigmatism of the criminal justice system, provide victim services and increase penalties against those who traffic minors. The Georgia bill aims to meet all four criteria.

If passed, most of the act’s provisions will become law on July 1. In order for the bill to take full effect, however, a state constitutional amendment must be passed in the 2016 general election with a twothirds majority vote in both houses of the state legislature. p

news

8

March 12 2015

By Sophie Durham The College Board redesigned the Advanced Placement United States History curriculum structure for the 2014-15 school year to cover topics more in-depth and slow down the pace of the course.

Colleges and universities from all around the world approved these changes. Since the College Board, which outlines AP curriculum and administers AP exams, announced the new model in August 2014, however, there have been questions and complaints nationwide. In late January, the Georgia legislature introduced a bill that would put AP U.S. History at risk in public schools in Georgia.

Senate Resolution 80, a response to the recent changes made in the College Board curriculum structure for AP U.S. History, was read in the Georgia Senate for the first time on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Sponsored by Republican William Ligon of Brunswick, this resolution states that the new AP U.S. History framework reflects a “radically, revisionist view of American history that emphasizes negative aspects of our nation’s history while omitting or minimizing positive aspects.” The resolution calls for that the College Board to withdraw the new curriculum before the beginning of the 2015-16 school year and replace it with either the previous AP U.S. History course or another that “respects and incorporates the Georgia Performance Standards for Social Studies.” If the College Board does not retract its new curriculum, the law requires the State Board of Education and the Georgia Department of Education to stop funding any activities, textbooks or other materials for AP U.S. History and pushes for a reduction or elimination of federal funding for the College Board.

Sen. Ligon wrote on his website, “Tradition-

Lucy Lombardo

AP U.S. history course questioned by Ga. legislature

APUSHIN’ IT TO THE LIMIT: AP U.S. History teacher Roderick Pope teaches a class that may soon see changes. ally, the AP U.S. History course was designed states’ legislation saying the complaints to present a balanced view of American his- about the framework show “a blatant distory. With the current rewrite of the AP U.S. regard for the facts.”

History curriculum, our best and brightest In an official statement released on Sept. 19, students are being immersed in the negative as- 2014, responding to earlier complaints, the pects of our nation’s history, while the positive College Board stated it would not retract the accomplishments Americans worked hard for curriculum: “In the face of these attacks on our are minimized or omitted altogether.” longstanding and highly respected approach to He also said that he, along with the other developing college-level courses, AP teachers sponsors of the bill, have serious concerns and students, our member institutions and the that they won’t be able to find a solution American people can rest assured: the College without legislation.

Board will not compromise the integrity of the Georgia isn’t the only state where legisla- Advanced Placement Program.” tors are complaining about AP U.S. History.

According to WABE-FM, Trevor Packer, According to The Washington Post, legislators senior vice president with the College Board, in Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, told a state legislative committee last fall that Colorado and Oklahoma have attempted to the former test left out significant events. eliminate or change the AP course, all saying “It didn’t mention Gettysburg, which that the curriculum puts too much focus on the new framework mentions,” Packer the negative aspects of U.S. history. On Feb. said at the meeting. “It didn’t mention the 17, the Oklahoma legislature approved a plan battles in the 18th Century, which the new to get rid of AP U.S. History in high schools framework mentions. It didn’t mention across the state, saying that the course and the battles of World War II. But the new test is unpatriotic. framework does require that teachers pick The College Board has responded to the an example of each of those.”

This issue has prompted angry responses from hundreds of people in Georgia, including students, teachers and parents.

One Gwinnett student commented on an Atlanta Journal-Constitution post on the matter, saying, “As someone who is directly affected by this class every day, I must say that statement is false. … The [new] AP U.S. History course provides a good mix of our country’s triumphs and disappointments, drawing information from many different historians and primary sources.”

Roderick Pope, the only AP U.S. History teacher at Grady, thinks that the complaints about the new curriculum are misplaced.

“I would be shocked if [Georgia’s bill to force the College Board to change its curriculum] went anywhere,” Pope said. “I just received an email from a member of the state legislature, which said that [the resolution] is not on the House floor, and that we didn’t take a voting committee.”

Pope said the only thing that’s changed with the new model is the timing of the essays and short answer questions.

As of March 25, the resolution passed out of the House education committee and is now headed for the rules committee.

“College Board has clearly said, ‘Do not change the way you teach, do not change the stuff you teach, focus on these specific things, but you also have time to focus on these things and do what you want,’” Pope said.

The future remains uncertain. Teachers at Grady and across the nation may have to alter their curriculum. While the results of this debacle remain unclear, the two sides remain polarized on their views of not only the standards and subjects touched, but the way the future generations of children will view our country’s history. p

State halts execution of Gissendaner indefinitely

By Grace Hawkins Kelly Gissendaner, the only inmate currently on death row, faced her clemency hearing on Feb. 25, her final appeal to escape execution for the murder of her husband.

“There are no excuses for what I did,” she said at the hearing.

“I had become so self-centered and bitter about my life and who I had become, that I lost all judgment.”

The Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles reaffirmed Gissendaner’s death-penalty sentence, and scheduled her execution for Feb. 25. It was later postponed to March 2 due to inclement weather and then a second time because the lethal injection fluid was unusually cloudy. Gissendaner’s new execution date has yet to be set.

Following the multiple postponements of her execution, Gissendaner filed a federal lawsuit claiming the state infringed on her constitutional rights by subjecting her to cruel and unusual punishment—the emotional devastation of not being able to prepare mentally for death.

“Even now she waits, knowing that defendants will reset her execution as soon as they choose, with no assurances— beyond defendants’ demonstrably empty promises—that the next batch of drugs will be any more humane than their last,” the lawsuit stated.

According to evidence offered in Gissendaner v. Seaboldt (2013), Gissendaner convinced her boyfriend, Gregory Owen, to kill her husband, Doug Gissendaner in 1997. Owen suggested that she ask her husband for another divorce, but Gissendaner planned to collect the insurance money from her husband’s death and to use his credit to buy a house.

According to court documents, on the night of Feb. 7, 1997, Gissendaner drove Owen to her house, supplied him with a nightstick and a large knife and left him with instructions to kidnap and kill her husband when he arrived at the house.

“When he came in and when he was closing the door, his back was facing inside the house,” Owen testified. “I walked up behind him and put the knife to his neck.”

According to the opinion written by Chief Judge Edward Earl Carnes, in which he denied Kelly Gissendaner’s appeal, Owen forced Doug Gissendaner to drive to a remote spot in the woods and then forced him to kneel and surrender his watch and wedding ring in order to make the murder look like it was part of

a robbery. Owen struck him on the back of the head with the Porter told The Southerner that the brutality of Gissendnightstick, Gissendaner collapsed on the ground, and Owen aner’s murder is what convinced him to escalate the trial to a stabbed his neck and back repeatedly. death-row case.

Gissendaner met Owen outside of the woods after the murAfter having her execution delayed 17 years, Gissendaner der, Judge Carnes wrote in his appellate court decision. While has exhausted her resources. She has appealed to the state with Owen drove the victim’s car three-quarters of a mile down the a habeas corpus plea and to federal courts with no success in road, Gissendaner went into the woods with a flashlight to see revoking her death-penalty sentence. proof for herself of her husband’s death. Gissendaner and Owen Gissendaner, after her incriminating trial in 1998, brought then set fire to the car using kerosene. Gissendaner reported her up evidence cited in Carnes’s opinion on her case that stated husband missing the next day and spent the next two weeks pre- that she was not responsible in full for the murder of her hustending to be a distraught wife looking for her missing husband band due to mental impairment. In 2004, Dr. Myla Young as the police searched for him. He was found on Feb. 20, 1997, performed neuropsychological tests on Gissendaner and his body worn by the elements reported Gissendaner had frontal lobe In 1998 there were only two brain damage due to emotional and psyand eaten by animals. Gissendaner was arrested on Feb. 25, 1997 available sentences for murder: chological distress experienced as a child. for suspected murder of her husit was life or death. Psychiatrist Dr. William Bernet diagnosed band based on statements Owen Gissendaner with PTSD, cognitive disormade to the police confessing his der, chronic depression and submissive Danny Porter personality traits. involvement. district attorney in 1998 trial Carnes wrote in his opinion that to exAccording to Judge Carnes’s summation of the case, Gissenplain these diagnoses, Gissendaner presentdaner and Owen were both indicted for malice murder and ed a social history prepared by psychologist Dr. Mindy Rosenfelony murder, with an additional federal charge for kidnap- berg based on interviews with Gissendaner, her relatives and ping resulting in bodily injury. Carnes claims that the prosecu- other witnesses. According to the social history, Gissendaner tion offered Owen and Gissendaner each a deal: plead guilty had been physically abused as a child by her mother, stepfather in exchange for life sentence with a contract not to seek pa- and biological father. The history also reports that Gissendaner role for 25 years. Owen accepted the prosecution’s offer and was sexually abused throughout her childhood and adult life by agreed to testify against Gissendaner should her case go to six assailants: her stepfather, her stepfather’s nephew, her neightrial. Gissendaner attempted to counter-offer the state with bor’s friend’s stepfather, her uncle, the father of her first child life sentence with no restriction of parole eligibility. When her and Owen. According to the cited social history, Gissendaner counter-offer was rejected, she turned to a jury trial to resolve claims her first experience of rape was when she was 9 years the case, pleading innocent in hopes of walking away without old, by the hand of her neighbor’s father. Her mother Maxine a life sentence.

Wade, however, asserted when Gissendaner was 3 or 4 years Danny Porter, the district attorney in Gissendaner’s 1998 tri- old, she noticed that her daughter’s genital area was red and al, approved death row as a punishment in Gissendaner’s trial. raw-looking. When Wade asked Gissendaner about it, Gissen“In 1998 there were only two available sentences for murder: daner said that her stepfather’s 9-year-old nephew had “done it was life or death,” Porter said in an exclusive interview with it with his finger.”

The Southerner. “There was no [sentence of] life without parole.

Gissendaner’s claim to mental instability was unsuccessful in If I had not filed [the notice in favor of death row,] then had changing her sentence. Her new execution date, made necesthe jury convicted her of murder, the judge would have had to sary by the multiple delays, has not yet been set by the Georgia sentence her to life in prison.”

Board of Pardons and Paroles. p

“

lifestyle

Mar. 12, 2015

9

Into the woods: following the young explorer’s path JONES BRIDGE TRAIL

I have never been much of a hiker, preferring cleats and running shoes to hiking boots; nonetheless, on a whim, I decided to embark on a three-trail tour of nature preserves around Atlanta on a crisp winter day. With an abundance of GRACIE GRIFFITH thermal layers, an eagerness for the great outdoors and a firm resolve, I set out to explore nature at its finest.

At a glance...

PHOTOS BY GRACIE GRIFFITH

I decided to start my journey into the wilderness in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area on the Jones Bridge Trail, approximately 25 miles from Grady. The entrance to the 4.6 mile trail is located at the north end of the parking area, off Barnwell Road.

The path begins on a moderate incline and twists upward through a densely wooded area.

After half of a mile, the trail descends into a wide floodplain, adjacent to the bank of the Chattahoochee. Although I had glimpsed the river through a car window, I was struck by the wide expanse of the green water in front of me.

Slightly unsure of which way to go, I hopped across a small creek, following a narrow track along the bank of the river. As I continued, the trail narrowed further, squashing me between the Chattahoochee and the backyards of unattractive “McMansions.”

Suddenly fearing I was no longer on the Jones Bridge Trail, I stumbled upon the skeletal ruins of a rusted bridge—the original Jones Bridge. My doubts were calmed. I hiked around an inlet complete with a pair of mallard ducklings, and then followed the trail as it looped back towards the direction I had come.

Difficulty: moderate Distance: 4.6 miles Trail Traffic: medium Rating: 3/5

The trail skirted the edge of the Chattahoochee for about a mile, leading me over several rickety bridges. I followed the path up a steep set of wooden stairs onto a plateau that overlooked the river. I paused to rest and gaze at the breathtaking view.

I suddenly felt very insignificant and more than a little tired, so I descended into the valley below.

I followed the now narrow dirt track past several blossoming thorn bushes. I picked a bunch of yellow flowers and then continued on my way.

After retracing my route along the river bank for 20 minutes, I saw the trailhead. I took one last look at the river’s waves lapping the shore before turning into the parking area.

Jones Bridge Trail

BACKCOUNTRY LOOP Next up on my nature tour was the 2.3 mile Backcountry Loop, which is located in the Big Trees Nature Preserve, approximately 15 miles from Grady. The preserve’s entrance is adjacent to traffic-heavy Roswell Road, an odd place for a nature park.

The trail began on a steep decline, which I followed into the bottom of a huge valley. With the strange feeling that I had walked into the Cornucopia from The Hunger Games, I continued until I happened upon a narrow gorge with a rocky stream cutting through it. I hiked downstream and followed the trail over a rock dam.

I crossed a wooden bridge almost immediately and began trudging uphill. Every few minutes I passed a sign marking the entrance to a new route, but I was resolved to remain on the Backcountry Loop.

After a few more minutes, I was utterly discombobulated. Perplexed by the sheer number of forks in the trail and sure I was doubling back on myself, I nevertheless continued along the path.

The trail then passed through a large group

At a glance...

Difficulty: easy Distance: 2.3 miles Trail Traffic: medium Rating: 1.5/5

KOLB’S FARM LOOP Kolb’s Farm Loop

of uprooted trees, scattered in disarray. I paused to ponder the cause of this miniature war zone.

Eager to distance myself from the inexplicable destruction, I walked briskly up a narrow path that followed a series of rolling hills. The loop made a sharp turn to the left and then began zig-zagging downwards.

I ended in the bottom of the valley beside the wooden bridge I had crossed earlier. I was glad to have the much-needed reference point. I returned to the car park by hiking up the side of the bowl, the same way I had come.

At a glance...

Backcountry Loop

Difficulty: moderate Distance: 5.1 miles Trail Traffic: medium Rating: 4/5

The final trail on my expedition was the Kolb’s Farm Loop, located in Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, approximately 23 miles from Grady. The 5.1 mile trail begins at the south end of a narrow parking lot just off Cheatham Hill Road.

Kolb’s Farm Loop didn’t mess around. It immediately led away from the road, plunging me into a thickly wooded forest. Completely surrounded by clumps of spindly birches and mammoth oaks, the trail twists and turns over a series of rolling hills.

A series of historical placards along the trail marked the locations of Confederate and Union troops during the Battle of Kolb’s Farm.

After about a mile, the trail suddenly entered a vast thicket covered in small scrubs and completely bereft of trees. Struck by the change in brightness, my eyes had trouble adjusting to the sunlight.

At this point, I passed a park ranger riding on a large black stallion. I stared with wide eyes as he tipped his hat in my direction and spurred his horse onward.

The loop skirted the perimeter of the field and then re-entered the forest where I caught sight of the original Kolb Farmhouse, a one-room log cabin, which was used as a Union headquarters during the Civil War. As I crossed a small creek by walking across a wooden bridge, I came within a few feet of a family of deer. Once I followed the meandering creek for a hundred yeards, the trail returned me to the forest, passing several trenches General Sherman’s men built during the Civil War. A 0.05-mile detour off the main trial led me uphill to the small marble tomb of “the unknown soldier.” I then retraced my steps to rejoin the loop and continued for another mile before finding myself in the parking area.

With my completion of the Kolb’s Farm Loop, my outdoorsy streak was satisfied. Jones Bridge’s mansions and Backcountry’s confined atmosphere had both left me with the feeling that I was never fully immersed in the wild. The variety of the terrain on Kolb’s Farm Loop and the historic significance of its location made it the clear winner in my eyes—the perfect balance of adventure and leisure. Fully refreshed from my brush with nature, I returned to the city. ❐

Selma: 50 years later March 12, 2015

10

11

SECRET AGENT MAN: A secret service bodyguard awaits the arrival of the First Family on the tarmac at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.

MERIA’S MERITS: Mayor George Evans of Selma offers laudatory remarks to Carstarphen outside the historic Jackson House.

margo Stockdale

margo Stockdale

MADELINE VEIRA

MADELINE VEIRA

SOLDIER ON: Enlisted men eagerly anticipate the landing of Air Force One and with it, President Barack Obama. The president landed in Montgomery and boarded Marine One to travel to Selma.

AIRFORCE GONE: The President and the First Lady wave good-bye as they board Air Force One after a day of commemorative festivities in Selma, Ala.

IMPROVEMENT IS HER SUPER-INTENTION: 11 Alive interviews APS superintendant Meria Carstarphen inside the Jackson House the day after Lewis and Obama’s speeches.

Carstarphen joins civil rights leaders for fresh dialogue

By Margo Stockdale PS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen traveled to her hometown of Selma, Ala. to participate in the Selma 50th Bridge Crossing Jubilee on March 7-8. Carstarphen, along with approximately 100 APS students, attended the event, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Selma to Montgomery March and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Additionally, Carstarphen received the inaugural Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Foundation Phoenix Award. The award was created to recognize a person who has made valuable contributions in civil and human rights and who aims to create a peaceful society in a way that reflects the spirit of the Jackson family.

“I am ecstatic and humble,” Carstarphen told WSB-TV. “I know first-hand and respect the legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Jackson, so I was a little reluctant to be the first recipient, especially when there are men and women like them­—from the movement—still around.”

Carstarphen said her Selma upbringing was integral in preparing her to be an educator, and ultimately to take on a role as APS superintendent. “[Growing up in Selma] helped me to tackle challenge with integrity, passion and grit that only Selma knows how to teach, courageousness in the face of adversity and recognition of realities about how much more we have had to overcome, and in some cases, do again,” Carstarphen said.

Carstarphen received the award at the historic Jackson home, which served as the headquarters of civil rights leaders in the area during the voting rights movement of the 1960s. Carstarphen’s acceptance speech, titled “Fighting for the Children of Atlanta and Selma,” highlighted her passion for the children in her district and her determination to fight for these children to ensure they receive a good education.

“So I believe my job, the job of a community, must be to ensure that every student has access to a high quality education,” Carstarphen said in her speech. “With that high quality education, we have the power to break the cycle of poverty, the cycle of ignorance, the cycle of violence, the cycle of corruption. And, that happens because a high quality education also provides students with the skills to give them choices in life.”

APS students from Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy; Charles Gideons and Continental Colony elementary schools; Brown, M.L. King, Price and Sutton middle schools; Carver Early College, Grady, Mays and South Atlanta high schools traveled with Carstarphen to observe the festivities and attend the award ceremony. p

A

margo Stockdale

M

of civil rights leaders, elected officials and citizens of America.

“Fifty years from Bloody Sunday, our march is not yet finished,” Obama said. “But we’re getting closer. Two hundred and thirty-nine years after this nation’s founding, our union is not yet perfect, but we are getting closer.”

The president emphasized the fact that despite their eligiblity to vote, many people don’t.

“What’s our excuse today for not voting?”

Obama said. Approximately 40 percent of citizens eligible to vote for presidential elections, don’t vote each election according to the Center for Voting and Democracy.

“How do we so casually discard the right for which so many fought?” Obama asked. “How do we so fully give away our power, our voice, in shaping America’s future?”

“It’s the idea held by generations of citizens who believed that America is a constant work in progress; who believed that loving this country requires more than singing its praises or avoiding uncomfortable truths. It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo.

BRIDGING THE GAP: President Obama speaks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the Bloody Sunday conflict, joined by former First Lady Laura Bush, President George Bush, First Lady Michelle Obama and Rep. John Lewis, who was present that day in 1965.

That’s America.” p

SCOTT KING/APS

By Madeline Veira arch 7 marked the 50th anniversary of the infamous “Bloody Sunday,” an attack on a group of nonviolent protestors including John Lewis and other Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Southern Christian Leadership Conference activists. The protestors were attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., to demand voting rights. Once they reached the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the marchers were ordered to turn around by Alabama state troops and local police. After refusing, the activists were attacked by the officers with tear gas and billy clubs. More than 50 people were hospitalized, and the incident was televised around the world.

As a response, hundreds of people poured into Selma for a second march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and held on March 9. Dr. King, however decided to postpone the march due to a lack of federal protection. The final, successful march was held on March 21, and Congress passed the Voting Rights Act on Aug. 6, 1965.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of this historic event, President Obama and Rep. Lewis gave commemorative speeches in Selma in front

MADELINE VEIRA

Obama honors 1965 Selma demonstrators in historic memorial

‘FIGHTING FOR THE CHILDREN’: Students from Coretta Scott Academy and Atlanta International School watch as Carstarphen receives her award.

Selma: 50 years later March 12, 2015

10

11

SECRET AGENT MAN: A secret service bodyguard awaits the arrival of the First Family on the tarmac at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala.

MERIA’S MERITS: Mayor George Evans of Selma offers laudatory remarks to Carstarphen outside the historic Jackson House.

margo Stockdale

margo Stockdale

MADELINE VEIRA

MADELINE VEIRA

SOLDIER ON: Enlisted men eagerly anticipate the landing of Air Force One and with it, President Barack Obama. The president landed in Montgomery and boarded Marine One to travel to Selma.

AIRFORCE GONE: The President and the First Lady wave good-bye as they board Air Force One after a day of commemorative festivities in Selma, Ala.

IMPROVEMENT IS HER SUPER-INTENTION: 11 Alive interviews APS superintendant Meria Carstarphen inside the Jackson House the day after Lewis and Obama’s speeches.

Carstarphen joins civil rights leaders for fresh dialogue

By Margo Stockdale PS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen traveled to her hometown of Selma, Ala. to participate in the Selma 50th Bridge Crossing Jubilee on March 7-8. Carstarphen, along with approximately 100 APS students, attended the event, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Selma to Montgomery March and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Additionally, Carstarphen received the inaugural Sullivan and Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson Foundation Phoenix Award. The award was created to recognize a person who has made valuable contributions in civil and human rights and who aims to create a peaceful society in a way that reflects the spirit of the Jackson family.

“I am ecstatic and humble,” Carstarphen told WSB-TV. “I know first-hand and respect the legacy of Dr. and Mrs. Jackson, so I was a little reluctant to be the first recipient, especially when there are men and women like them­—from the movement—still around.”

Carstarphen said her Selma upbringing was integral in preparing her to be an educator, and ultimately to take on a role as APS superintendent. “[Growing up in Selma] helped me to tackle challenge with integrity, passion and grit that only Selma knows how to teach, courageousness in the face of adversity and recognition of realities about how much more we have had to overcome, and in some cases, do again,” Carstarphen said.

Carstarphen received the award at the historic Jackson home, which served as the headquarters of civil rights leaders in the area during the voting rights movement of the 1960s. Carstarphen’s acceptance speech, titled “Fighting for the Children of Atlanta and Selma,” highlighted her passion for the children in her district and her determination to fight for these children to ensure they receive a good education.

“So I believe my job, the job of a community, must be to ensure that every student has access to a high quality education,” Carstarphen said in her speech. “With that high quality education, we have the power to break the cycle of poverty, the cycle of ignorance, the cycle of violence, the cycle of corruption. And, that happens because a high quality education also provides students with the skills to give them choices in life.”

APS students from Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy; Charles Gideons and Continental Colony elementary schools; Brown, M.L. King, Price and Sutton middle schools; Carver Early College, Grady, Mays and South Atlanta high schools traveled with Carstarphen to observe the festivities and attend the award ceremony. p

A

margo Stockdale

M

of civil rights leaders, elected officials and citizens of America.

“Fifty years from Bloody Sunday, our march is not yet finished,” Obama said. “But we’re getting closer. Two hundred and thirty-nine years after this nation’s founding, our union is not yet perfect, but we are getting closer.”

The president emphasized the fact that despite their eligiblity to vote, many people don’t.

“What’s our excuse today for not voting?”

Obama said. Approximately 40 percent of citizens eligible to vote for presidential elections, don’t vote each election according to the Center for Voting and Democracy.

“How do we so casually discard the right for which so many fought?” Obama asked. “How do we so fully give away our power, our voice, in shaping America’s future?”

“It’s the idea held by generations of citizens who believed that America is a constant work in progress; who believed that loving this country requires more than singing its praises or avoiding uncomfortable truths. It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo.

BRIDGING THE GAP: President Obama speaks at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the Bloody Sunday conflict, joined by former First Lady Laura Bush, President George Bush, First Lady Michelle Obama and Rep. John Lewis, who was present that day in 1965.

That’s America.” p

SCOTT KING/APS

By Madeline Veira arch 7 marked the 50th anniversary of the infamous “Bloody Sunday,” an attack on a group of nonviolent protestors including John Lewis and other Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Southern Christian Leadership Conference activists. The protestors were attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery, Ala., to demand voting rights. Once they reached the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the marchers were ordered to turn around by Alabama state troops and local police. After refusing, the activists were attacked by the officers with tear gas and billy clubs. More than 50 people were hospitalized, and the incident was televised around the world.

As a response, hundreds of people poured into Selma for a second march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and held on March 9. Dr. King, however decided to postpone the march due to a lack of federal protection. The final, successful march was held on March 21, and Congress passed the Voting Rights Act on Aug. 6, 1965.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of this historic event, President Obama and Rep. Lewis gave commemorative speeches in Selma in front

MADELINE VEIRA

Obama honors 1965 Selma demonstrators in historic memorial

‘FIGHTING FOR THE CHILDREN’: Students from Coretta Scott Academy and Atlanta International School watch as Carstarphen receives her award.

lifestyle

12

March 12, 2015

By Isabel Olson Over the past four years, Atlanta community members have been raising funds and awareness to restore and renovate the Virginia-Highland fire station. Station 19, located on North Highland Avenue, has been in operation since 1925. After the 2011 Strategic Plan was released stating Station 19 would be closed by 2016 if funds and community support were not raised, the community gathered together to save this historic landmark. Today, the City of Atlanta claims the fire station will not be shut down; however, the community has not been notified of the decision and is working feverishly to raise funds to keep this station going.

Station 19 is the oldest running Atlanta fire station, and it shows. The station suffers from leaks, termite damage, insulation problems, and the lack of a drain system. The cost of the necessary repairs to the station were originally estimated be $200,000, but that estimate has now been increased to $450,000. Thus far, only $100,000 has been raised.

While the city proposed the shutdown years ago because of the costs of renovating the station, Janet Ward, the fire department’s community affairs director, said that the station is not in danger of closing.

“Replacement of Station 19 appeared in the 2014 Strategic Plan for 2016,” Ward said. “The money for such a project was never placed into the budget, and the department has several stations that are higher priority than Station 19. Currently, there are no plans to close the station in the foreseeable future.”

Ward describes the Strategic Plan as more of a “wish list,” as Stations 23, 25, and 30 were all scheduled for renovations in 2014 but have yet to undergo any changes.

While the likelihood of closure remains unclear, all parties seem to agree that the location is an essential site for a fire station.

“We’re perfectly located to go north and south,” Station 19 Captain Brent Jordan said. “If you move us north our response time going south is going to be greater and vice versa. We want to have the first truck on the scene in three minutes. If you put us on Ponce de Leon, it will delay the response

ISABEL OLSON

Community fired up by possible fire station closure

BIG RED TRUCK: Firefighters Hoajskins, Ethier and Lewis pose in front of their truck in the driveway of historic Station 19, located in the middle of Virginia-Highland. time: we’re talking six or seven minutes.” fighter. “It shows a lot of interest that the nity,” Haskins said. “It’s not that way everyWhile the station needs repair, the city is community wants to keep a station alive.” where in the city.” unable to make Station 19 a budget priority.

When asked what makes Station 19 so Even fire department workers from other “The city does pay for repairs, but they special, firefighter Dewitt Lewis said it was stations recognize the importance of the are prioritized by need, and Station 19 is that “the community makes you want to history and value behind Station 19. not in desperate shape,” Ward said. “Plus, come to work.”

“Station 19 has a different feel than the Station 19 has a very active and involved The apparent miscommunication be- other stations,” said firefighter Nathan community, something that some other tween the city and community has created a Ethier, who works at Station 11, near Atstations lack.” great deal of confusion. As 2016 approach- lantic Station. “The community is tight, The neighborhood is doing everything es, community members and activists are and the station is historic. There is a big in its power to make sure the fire station mobilizing to fight a battle that the city difference in the level of friendliness and remains open. Through community events, claims is not an issue. respect the workers get there compared to including the Morningside Mile and dine“To see the fire station be removed would some other stations.” out events at local restaurants, some money be heartbreaking,” said community activist To some the station is more than just has been raised; however, the outlook is Catherine Lewis, who is working with the a safety factor or historic landmark; it’s a dimmed by the disappointing results of Atlanta Historic Association to save the sta- piece of their childhood and past. many years spent fundraising. The com- tion. “It not only provides safety, but it also “I grew up in this neighborhood, and munity has been working together to raise serves as a great means of education, voting I remember visiting the station as a little funds since 2010, and only a fourth of the and a temporary shelter for women. The girl,” community member and Grady stuneeded amount has been raised. Neverthe- community would be outraged if some- dent Emily Munro said during the Yeah less, firefighters expressed deep gratitude for thing happened to the station.”

Burger dine-out and fundraiser. “I’d go to the care and support of the community.

Every firefighter from the station had only story time there every once and awhile. I “We really appreciate it,” said Jim good things to say,about the neighborhod. just wanted to come out and support the Haskins, Station 19’s relief driver and fire“To us it [the fire station] is the commu- community.” p

By Anders Russell Grady’s mock trial team won the region competition after competing on Feb. 5 and Feb. 8, marking its 16th region championship in a row. The team has enjoyed much success over the years including a world championship in 2010 and state championships in 2000, 2005 and 2009-2012. Shortly after its conception, the team experienced a surge of success and has continued its strong form for two decades. The Grady Mock Trial team was first established in 1995 by two Powell Goldstein Frazer & Murphy LLP attorneys. Grady teacher Lou Sartor was the teacher coach of that first 1995 team, with Chris Galanek and Carl Gebo as attorney coaches.

“In those years Therrell High School was the power within the region and within APS, so those first couple years we lost to Therrell, heartbreaking losses, but eventually we got pretty good.”

Sartor said.

Those involved in the Grady Mock Trial program see the consistent success as a result of good

ELI HENDLER

Mock trial members motivated by successful history

TRIAL AND ERROR: Freshman Chandler Morris practices her opening statement for attorney coaches Daniel Moriarty and Carl Gebo. coaching and hard work from the torney coach since the team was “Grady has never won a national students involved. formed in 1995, is a major con- championship,” Gebo said. “Grady “I did not realize how much tributor to the team’s success. has not won a state championship hard work the students put into “[Gebo] really is the guy that since 2012. Grady has not won a it; they are practicing all the time; should get credit for the success that world championship since 2010. they are taking difficult classes, the team has had,” Sartor said.

And with the implementation of and to be able to do something Despite the team’s successful the district level of competition like this on top of their regular history, recent competitions have in 2014, Grady has never won a course load is pretty incredible,” resulted in disappointment. The district championship. So when current teacher coach Andrew team lost in the district competi- we refer to Grady Mock Trial as Copeland said. tion final on March 1, preventing a ‘success’ that comment requires Gebo, who has served as at- the team from qualifying for state. some clarification.”

While Gebo may be critical of the team’s recent results, he also said that the value of the skills that the students learn is irrefutable.

“Grady Mock Trial is a success in that it provides students, who are willing to take joyous, passionate risks by committing to themselves and their teammates to do their best, to be their best and to help their teammates become their best, with an opportunity to develop and practice invaluable life skills,” Gebo said.

These life skills have had a tremendous impact on students’ future successes.

“The list of life skills goes far beyond the obvious ones like public speaking ... [and] critical thinking skills and includes abilities like time management [and] prioritization,” Gebo said. “Far more than knowing what hearsay is or any particular legal concept, these abilities lay the groundwork for Grady Mock Trial success and for the success of students who have gone through our program. Any student can benefit from what Grady Mock Trial has to offer.” p

March 12, 2015

lifestyle

13

Twenty Questions for Marquis Eppinger On b-ball, the ladies, surviving high school, defying stereotypes and letting off steam on the dance floor

Carte

r Guensle

r

By Carter Guensler Dude, how tall are you?

“Honestly, I do not know. I believe I am 6’ 2” or maybe 6’ 3” with shoes on.”

Alright, but what is it that really makes you so good at basketball?

“Hard work ... You have to want it more than anyone. Before I tore my ACL, I knew I wanted to do something with basketball, but in the end, it’s how you use it. Some people go for the NBA, but I used it to get into college. That’s where I wanna be.”

So what else are you passionate about? What really gets you going?

“I’m really passionate about audio/visual. I wanna do something with media and production or music and film when I get to college and become a production artist or producer—something in that field. Besides that, I wanna do something with engineering—that’s big for me. Something innovative, so I can leave a mark.”

What’s so awesome about audio/visual?

“It’s something I can be hands-on with. I think I found a passion for it when I came in and there was so much going on. I got used to the camera a little bit, and I just kept working on more projects ... I just fell in love.”

What kinds of opportunities have cropped up?

“I had an internship with Atlanta Football Insider. We film the games for APS and Dekalb county. And also, I actually did the basketball promo for our team. It showed me that I could put my best effort into something that I didn’t have a lot of experience with. Having my logo and being able to say, “I did this,” was a really powerful thing. For me, it’s just tryin’ to find different media outlets to take on. I’m always lookin’ for something new to put my hands in.”

So what is it about engineering?

“I like cars! I don’t like trucks for some reason. You know I’m so big, and my mom says I’m too tall for it ... but I want a low car—a Corvette. That’s my dream car. But engineers—they’re innovative. They come up with their own ideas and make things work. Being in the background and watching my operations come to life ... I wanna see what I can do! Being innovative leaves a mark, and when you leave a mark, you have a legacy to leave behind.”

Why do you wanna leave a mark?

“Just to, ah, to feel important. Everybody has a sense of pride, and for me, it’s not really for myself, but for my family and the generations that come after me. I wanna leave something that people can use and learn from. I’ll be the stepping stone for someone else that comes along.”

You’re always diving into new things. What’s your support system?

“My support system? The three women in my life ... my 3Ws, as I like to call them: my mom, sister, and grandmother. My father’s never been in my life like that, but my mom? She’s always been there, and she never steers me in the wrong direction. She aims for me to push for something bigger. Everything’s always been, ‘Go for it!’ Then my sister keeps me grounded. She keeps me believing in myself. And my grandmother ... she’s crazy, but she’s very loving and caring as well. I think that’s where I get my sense of care and love for everybody else. Since I’m so big, people think I’m an angry guy, but I’m quite funny actually.”

How else do you defy the norms?

“I like doing the things that people might not think I’d be able to do and things that they’d second guess. I was actually just thinking

about that in my peer leadership group. We were talking with the kids about stereotypes. Black athletes are often thought of as not smart, but that’s not the case at all. I play basketball, but without my academics, I wouldn’t be where I am today. When you understand who you are, where you wanna be in life, and what you stand for, then stereotypes can never really get to you.”

Can you tell me a little bit about your dad?

“He was incarcerated from my elementary years to 10th grade. We had a great relationship when I was younger, but when he left, things started falling apart. Our relationships just kinda broke down, and I was never really comfortable getting back to that father-son relationship. The last time I talked to him was about a year ago ... and you know, he tries.

But he tries to be more a friend than that figure I can look up to. He’s always been more of my partner. But I don’t need you to be my partner. I need you to be my friend at times, but I need you to be my parent most of the time.”

How did that impact your childhood growing up?

“I don’t think it has impacted me a lot. It’s weird to say that a mother can be a mom and a father, but she really can. She’s a soldier, and I love her for that.

I’m really blessed to have her leading me in the right direction.”

Speaking of relationships ... Someone might have mentioned that you’re a hopeless romantic. Care to comment?

“I have no clue, honestly. I don’t know what people call me, but I’m just Marquis. You know? My size does not—I’m like a big ol’ teddy bear.”

Do you have someone in your life right now?

“I do! I do. I’ve got a ... a thing. A thing-thingy. It’s goin’ pretty well.”

What’s been the most rewarding part of high school?

“Memories. Just being able to look back and see all that we went through from 9th grade to our 12th grade year! It’s been ... something. Now that we’re graduating, we can finally say we made it through—through the hard times and the days we didn’t think this sh*t was ever gonna end.”

I also heard that you’ve got the moves, Marquis ...

“I do have the dance moves! I do. And I feel great ... I feel amazing when I dance. When I was younger, I wanted to be a choreographer. It’s something I love as much as basketball, actually. It’s another way for me to express emotions—to let off steam and just feel good. I love music, and dancing has been a tool for me to say, ‘Okay Marquis, it’s cool,’ and express who I am.”

Wow. And where did that passion come from—music and dance?

“My mother. She’s actually a great singer. I guess watching her a lot ... I can’t sing, like, at all. But I think the love and passion for music—being able to see it in other people—came from everything she does with music.”

Last question, and then I’ll let you go ... Favorite food?

“From Mellow Mushroom: cheese, mushroom, and hamburger. I love that crust.

Mmmmmmm. With some ginger ale? That’s it. That’s my favorite dish.” p

for the complete interview and Marquis’s QUESTIONS promo please visit thesoutherneronline.com with Carter Guensler

Trials and tribulations: why teachers keep on trying I never really understood what it’s like to be a teacher until I became one. When I signed up to choreograph for The Wedding Singer I didn’t think that standing up Isabel Olson in front of a group of high schoolers with virtually no interest in your subject matter could be such a heart-wrenching job. Once the final production came around, and I was able to see what every hour and every rehearsal became, it made it more worth it. It struck me then that teachers deal with the same difficult thankless job every single day, always hoping for some small reward.

The very instant that students step inside the halls, the teachers, it seems, are out to get us.

They don’t approve of the way we dress, they don’t like the way we speak and they certainly don’t support our lackadaisical attitudes. To us, school is something we have to do, most of our classes are required, and we only get a few that we take simply for pleasure. This mentality is a norm for most high schoolers and exactly what teachers combat every day. Despite how

difficult this job is, society and students view their teachers with disrespect that at times approaches contempt.

Latin teacher, Scott Allen, views student disinterest as a personal challenge.

“There was a student who came to me on the first day of school this year, and she said to me ‘I hate Latin. The only reason I’m in this class is because one: I have to take two years of foreign language, and two: my father told me I had to take Latin, so I just wanted to let you know upfront,’” Allen said, “so I said, ‘Game on,’ and I made it my goal to get her interested enough to take Latin 3. I tried very hard to make it more engaging and talk to her about class. When I asked her yesterday, ‘Are you going to take Latin 3?’ She said yes.”

The real problems arise when students are not always open-minded and willing to learn new things. Teachers have to find ways to overcome the resistance and motivate kids.

“I’ve gotten frustrated with it time to time when I feel like I can’t reach a student and they have no interest whatsoever,” Allen said. “She had to be open enough to want to take another year, but there are students

who come in and are so closed off. It’s really hard to crack that exterior.”

For students, subjects range from useful to useless, but for teachers, the subject matter always has a purpose they must try to instill within their students. Sometime the real-world application of a subject becomes apparent outside the classroom experience.

“The nice thing about health care is that you’re either going to be a consumer or supplier, and it is always useful information,” biomedical teacher Leola McNeil said. “Last year we talked about stroke and heart attacks.

One of my students recognized in her grandmother the side affects and she got her into the hospital in time.”

Teachers not only have to promote their subject’s relevance, but they must also must complete for their students’ attention, which is more difficult to do now more than ever with phones, laptops and other distractions.

“I have a policy that student’s can have their phone by them but it has to be inside a container,” McNeil said. “If they can see it and touch it, they feel better. If they take it out it goes to Mr. Howard.”

Students often view reprimands for cellphone use or dress-code violations as harsh and unnecessary. For teachers, however, these policies are essential.

“I pick on kids for leggings and phones because I’m looking out for their best interests,” McNeil said. “Teachers are looking out for their [students] best interest.”

Even through everyday classroom hurdles, teaching can remain a joyful profession. It is the little things that count when teaching: seeing a student grasp a concept, getting a thank you and watching your students mature.

“While I recognize frustrations and challenges of being a teacher, I also love my job and can’t see myself doing anything else,” said physics teacher Luke Esposito. “To see students understand the things I teach is fascinating and exciting for me, and I don’t think I will ever get tired of that!”

Teachers are aware, however, that not every student will be a success story.

“I don’t think I’ve made a difference in each of my students’ lives,” Allen said. “I do feel that I’ve made a difference in some of my students’ lives.” p

a&e

14

March 12, 2015

Grady prominently featured in forgettable teen drama

READY FOR OUR CLOSEUP: Prominent Grady shots were shown in the film The DUFF. The C300 hallway (top left), shown with mean girl Madison (Bella Thorne), cafeteria (above) and the football field and track (left) were among the places featured. The DUFF follows the senior year of Bianca (Mae Whitman) as she finds out she is the DUFF among her friend group.

Her eventual love interest (shown at left with her) is Wesley (Robbie Arnell).

Photos courtesy of CBS Films

Ever since the state of Georgia passed a law allowing massive tax breaks for production and casting companies to come film their movies, Atlanta Lucia Lombardo has been inundated with celebrities and yellow filming signs. One such movie, entitled The DUFF, was not only filmed in Atlanta but at Grady. Intrigued to see exactly how much of our school would be recognizable and also to see how realistic their imagined high school life would be, I headed to the theaters for an advance showing.

The DUFF, which stands for Designated Ugly Fat Friend, chronicles the senior year of Bianca (Mae Whitman) as she realizes she is the DUFF among her more attractive, popular friends. The first fallacy for me was that Whitman is much too pretty to play the role. The producers tried to make her look unattractive by giving her loose clothing, unkempt hair and acne, but that wasn’t enough to fool me. Her best guy friend, Wesley (Robbie Amell), who was supposed to be a high school senior, looked about 30 years old. The actor was obviously too old to play the role and no amount of makeup or slim jeans could cover up this essential fact.

Knowing, however, how Hollywood likes to glamorize both male and female characters, I decided to move past these casting errors and evaluate the movie based on the plot and scenes shot on the Grady campus. The biggest thing that hit me was how often I could see our school in the film. It seemed as though every part of the school that the filmakers were allowed to film in, they did. The student parking lot, cafeteria, courtyard, field, discipline office and C300 hallway were just some examples of campus locations that took center stage; the producers kept the original door numbering and I glimpsed an E207 sign.

One scene was set in a science classroom, and the students used the same red chemistry books that we use in school. Their homecoming dance, held in a space reminiscent of the practice gym, showed a stark contrast between their crowded, loud party and the actual Grady dances that take place in the same setting.

The plot itself had an undeniable Mean Girls-esque vibe, especially when rival cliques “went to war” over a guy. The shopping scenes, shot in Phipps Plaza, with Bianca and Wesley furthered the stereotypical high

school makeover upon which so many coming-of-age movies rely. Likewise, Bianca and Wesley’s courtship wasn’t terribly believable (due in part to the fact that Wesley looked like her much older brother). There were, however, enough sparks flying for me to call the ending, with Bianca and Wesley falling in love. The movie’s saving grace was its constant barrage of high school humor to help support the plot. Not a minute went by when there wasn’t a person in the theater laughing at some comment or situation. In this way The DUFF took after Mean Girls in its cheap

laughs and also how neither school seemed to have any type of dress code; I could not help but think that the actors would have spent the entire movie in the discipline office had Mr. Howard been patrolling Malloy High School’s fictional halls.

Taking into account the laughs, but also the not-so-believable casting, I’d give The DUFF three out of five stars. While it may not be the new Mean Girls, this movie is a good choice, as long as you can keep up with the teenage humor and dirty jokes and glaze over the bad type-casting. p

Kinky Boots, Mormon best of upcoming Fox season

By James Winer Every year in February or March, Broadway in Atlanta announces its lineup of shows for the next year’s season. If you are unfamiliar with Broadway in Atlanta, it is the local branch of Broadway Across America, the company that sends out many touring Broadway productions across the country. The season usually consists of five to seven Broadway tours. On Feb. 4, Broadway in Atlanta announced its new lineup of shows for the 20152016 season, their 35th year. Luckily for Atlanta residents, this is the biggest lineup of shows we have ever seen at The Fox with nine musicals in the season. Some, of course, are much better than others.

David Larsen plays Elder Price on the national tour of The Book of Mormon.

Starting the season is Jersey Boys (Oct. 6-11). This Tony-winning Best Musical is the true story of Franki Valli and The Four Seasons. If you are looking for an artistically satisfying musical, however, this may not be the show for you. When I saw the musical, I got very bored very quickly with the excess of medleys and the lack of full songs. Middleaged men would probably enjoy Jersey Boys the most due to its strong male energy.

Next in the season is Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, a 2013 Tony nominee for Best Revival of a musical and Tony winner for Best Costumes. With timeless tunes

by Broadway’s finest composing duo, this Cinderella is a spectacle and sure to be a fun night out with the entire family. The final show in 2015 will be the

Broadway musical adaptation of Elf (Dec. 2-6). This holiday show may not be the most tantalizing night at the theater but should be cute for the children.

Starting in 2016, the Broadway blockbuster The Book of Mormon will make its second stop in Atlanta (Jan. 12-17). When this show was here in 2014, it became The Fox’s highest grossing show. This time it will be here for only a week so do not forget to get your tickets early. The Book of Mormon is the 2011 Tony Winner for Best Musical and is filled with great songs (by EGOT winner Robert Lopez) and a hilarious story (by South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone). With constant cursing and crude humor (to put it mildly), this show is most definitely not for children.

Coming next in the season is the Disney snoozer Beauty and the Beast (Feb. 2-7). This tired show has played The Fox many times before and is sure to put the audience to sleep quite quickly with its clichéd plot and mostly annoying songs that people have been hearing for decades. In early March, Atlanta will get The Sound of Music, another Rogers

and Hammerstein musical that has also played The Fox Theatre in the past. If you want to take a trip back in time to the golden age of American musical theater, this show is certainly for you.

The next (and best) musical in the season would be the Broadway sensation Kinky Boots, a Tony winner for Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Score (for Cyndi Lauper’s original music). Despite its racy title, Kinky Boots is the heartwarming and family-friendly tale of a man who has inherited his father’s failing shoe factory and comes across a drag queen who helps turn the company around by designing sturdy highheeled shoes for cross-dressers. The two men learn that they have more in common than not and become best friends, making Kinky Boots the ultimate bromance. Experience this joyous and uplifting show from March 29-April 3.

From May 24-29, Broadway in Atlanta will present Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, a 2014 Tony nominee for Best Musical and Tony winner for Best Actress (Jessie Mueller). Beautiful is a jukebox musical featuring the songs of Carole King and tell-

ing the story of the singer. The next show will be The Wizard of Oz (June 21-26). I would recommend you save the money by avoiding this extremely tedious musical. (In fact, the only good thing to ever come from The Wizard of Oz is Wicked.)

Finishing off the season will be If/Then, a 2014 Tony nominee (Aug. 9-14). This show has two plots that play themselves out simultaneously as they follow a woman’s journey through life depending on whether or not she meets a certain man in the first scene (thus the title If/ Then). I can honestly say I have never been more confused by the plot of a musical than I was at If/ Then. Featuring a few good songs

by Next to Normal’s Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, the only reason one would want to see it in New York would be its Tony winning star, Idina Menzel (Wicked), who will not be with the show on tour.

While this season certainly has a few boring shows in the mix, it is an all-around solid season, with the best shows being Kinky Boots and The Book of Mormon. These two shows are giant spectacles and are not to be missed. p

a&e

March 12, 2015

15

By Ben Simonds-Malamud In 2005, Britt Menzies painted a picture for her daughter, Emma. In the decade since creating the painting, Menzies—whose son, Max, is a sophomore at Grady—has developed a commercial line of T-shirts, children’s books and dolls under the name “StinkyKids” (derived not from an unpleasant odorx but from the phrase, “little stinker”).

StinkyKids The Musical, the latest iteration of Menzies’ brand, debuted in New York City in March 2012 and has now come home to Atlanta. The show opened Friday Feb. 13 at Synchronicity Theatre (Peachtree Pointe, 1545 Peachtree St.) and ran through March 8.

“The kids [in the audience] are just so engaged because ... it just constantly goes: there’s no real dull moment in the show,” Menzies said after a preview of the musical. “The parents love the show because there’s a lot of adult humor in there.”

Menzies hatched the idea, but credit for the musical goes to Sammy Buck, who wrote the play’s book and lyrics, and Daniel Acquisto, who composed the score. The pair, who refer to themselves collectively as “Bucquisto,” have been writing musicals together since 2000.

Clearly not locked into one specific genre, Bucquisto’s shows range from StinkyKids, which features an adult cast playing 6-year-old characters, to an autobiographical concert musical, The Seven Year B*tch, whose target audience is presumably older.

Janai and Delroy Walters attended the preview of StinkyKids with their 2-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.

“Even at this age, they understood enough of the storyline that I could say, ‘Should she go across the street?Is that a thumbs up or thumbs

Courtesy of KVC photography

Smells like kid spirit: Grady mom’s play meets stage

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: When StinkyKid Britt (center) gets chewing gum stuck in her hair, this rabble-rousing ensemble of 6-year-old characters joins hands to find a slippery solution. StinkyKids The Musical’s cast includes, from left, Ben Davis, Greg Hunter, Kristin Storla, Alexandra Karr, Lydia Frempong and Luke Georgecink. down?’” Janai Walters said. “And he’s like, ‘No, The musical numbers were composed sim- triggered an angelic choir of “ahhhs” from the mommy, that’s a thumbs down.’” ply but thoughtfully, and served varying pur- StinkyKids—not quite an original gag, but The show—which runs as a single act that poses. Some, like “Maybe This Is A Mistake,” a what’s originality to a 6-year-old? Another only lasts about an hour—follows the plight cautionary tale against crossing the street unat- relatable hook was the jingle of an ice cream of a ragtag bunch of children whose hopes of tended, featured directives on how to live safely truck offstage, followed by the slobbery, sugara trip to “Captain Happy’s Jumpy Fun Super as a young child. enamored slurring of, “IIIICE CREEEAM,” Bouncy Indoor Place” fall flat when main charOthers seemed simply to combine words from the cast. acter, Britt, gets gum stuck in her hair. and phrases that might sound amusing StinkyKids is no groundbreaking piece of The troupe faces issues familiar to viewers of to young ears—for example, “Spearnana art, but it isn’t trying to be. It succeeds as any age: an argument over who is best friends Mintberry Winternapple,” or “Captain a lighthearted musical most older theaterwith whom, disputes over what rules should Happy’s Madrigal,” an a cappella tribute to goers should find enjoyable (or, at the very and should not be broken and a frantic ensem- Captain Happy’s Jumpy Fun Super Bouncy least, tolerable) and most toddlers and small ble effort, “You’re Not Gonna Get in Trouble,” Indoor Place. children will love. to comfort the gummy-haired Britt (a song Where the musical succeeded most, at least The next step for StinkyKids is an animated made weaker by the unnecessary YMCA-style in terms of audience response, were the recur- comedy sitcom, said Menzies, clearly still folspelling of the letters T-R-O-U-B-L-E). ring jokes. Any mention of Captain Happy’s lowing the scent of success. p

By Reilly Blum After quitting her job as coordinator of teen programs at the High Museum, a short run of what she deems “bogus part-time jobs”–including a stint at a salt factory–was a necessary evil for Beth Malone, co-founder of Dashboard Co-op.

“It was pretty brave, and pretty dumb—my mom was really mad at me,” Malone said of her decision to leave the High. “[But I felt like] there was a small window of opportunity, and I had to jump ship.”

Dashboard Co-op, a nonprofit which Malone started five years ago with her best friend Courtney Hammond, began with a simple goal: to provide Atlanta artists with more ways to showcase their artwork.

“At the time, Courtney and I were really broke so we started finding vacant spaces that people would let us use for free,” Malone said. “We just started producing art shows ... around town.”

As Dashboard grew, Malone began to notice a snowball effect in the areas surrounding past exhibitions.

“We realized that other people were moving into the properties we were using and turning them into permanent gallery spaces, restaurants, dance studios or newspaper offices–all sorts of stuff,” Malone said.

“We started having this community revitalization component that started to improve neighborhoods. Now it’s kind of our mission to connect artists with space, with the idea that this will improve communities.”

Dashboard now sits at the forefront of Atlanta’s art community.

Reilly Blum

Dashboard Co-op connects Atlanta art community

DIALOGUE IN ACTION: Photographer Doris Derby speaks to a crowd on March 11 about her involvement in the civil rights movement and the photographs she selected for the exhibit.

Every year, about a hundred artists apply to present their work at Dashboard exhibits.

“Sometimes we have shows with a theme, and sometimes we don’t,” Malone said. “Sometimes we say ‘make the craziest thing that you want to make.’ We [also] require that artists tell us what they want to make before they go into a space.”

Dashboard’s current exhibition, entitled Dialogue: Conflict/ Resolution, deals directly with contemporary racial tension between policemen and black citizens. The show, which is free to the public, closes March 20. The exhibition is on view at Dashboard’s North and Mid galleries, located at 31 and 33 North Ave. “We very quickly put [Dialogue] together with the idea that using voice and language is a way to combat prejudices and also to react

to conflicts and acknowledge conflicts,” Malone said. “We invited six artists to create works or to present prior works using this idea of language and how it can do something with conflict resolution.”

One of these artists is Dr. Doris A. Derby, a documentary photographer and educator, who exhibited photographs she took during the civil rights movement.

“By junior high school, I had decided that I needed to document the history and culture of African-American people,” Derby said. “I already had been doing it through the photography but not seriously. I started ... going to various cultural events as a participant as well as an observer.”

When Derby joined a group called Southern Media, Inc., in Mississippi, she officially began documenting civil rights activities.

Her photographs, which balance

both artistic and photojournalistic elements, reveal conflicts that ordinary African-Americans faced daily.

“The photographs [show] dialogue dealing with resolution of conflict in a very broad sense,” Derby said. “My photographs reflect ways in which black people in their own communities, through self-help, dealt with the conflict to improve their lives.”

Many of Derby’s photographs depict women participating in the civil rights movement.

“I have one photograph [of] a woman who is teaching adults,” Derby said. “That’s something that didn’t happen very often, especially in areas that were predominantly black. ... [Other photographs depict] hearings in front of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.”

Derby said that activists formed the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party to challenge the state’s official Democratic Party. “[Mississippian Democrats] didn’t want us to vote, run for office or participate in [government] in any way,” Derby said. “There were hearings about this whole issue concerning which delegation would be the legitimate delegation.”

Though Derby took her photographs well before Michael Brown’s death captured the nation’s attention, she said that her work echoes a similar sentiment. “[At the time, Derby] really didn’t get as much attention as she should’ve,” Malone said. “Now, in her older age, she’s been collected by the High Museum, and we’re trying to do as much as we can to bring her

to the forefront of the conversation about the civil rights movement.”

Dialogue: Conflict/Resolution’s other pieces range from performance art to video installations.

Michi Meko, an Alabama-based artist, created a sound installation in which garbled voices emit from kettles. His piece, entitled “Pots and Kettles,” plays with the idiom “the pot calling the kettle black” to respond to race issues.

Meko spent the better part of two days recording the sounds, which vary from responses to news stories to speeches from 1960s political figures and the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan, to a recording of the correspondence between Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Banneker. “[The Jefferson-Banneker letter] gets lost in all of the conversation, which is kind of what I wanted to happen,” Meko said. “... There’s a point in the recording where everything just runs together and it’s all loud, and I think the conversation of race is kind of like that. … There’s so much chatter that you just give up.”

A mobile public art piece caps off the exhibit.

“We have the gallery, but we also have a cop car that one of the artists got from Texas,” Malone said. “It will move around to different locations in Atlanta during the exhibition. The cool thing about the car is that it has the entire grand jury testimony from the Michael Brown case written on the outside. It’s provocative and interesting, and I’m kind of worried that we’re going to get fined, but we’ll see what happens.” p

dining

16

March 12, 2015

Not all Starbucks caramel macchiatos created equal Starbucks 3: HHHHH

Graphic by Anna Braxton

I think it’s safe to assume that almost everyone at Grady has been to a Starbucks at least one time in their life. Some people love Starbucks and swear by it while others cannot stand to walk within a 50-foot radius of a location. I admittedly do not drink coffee very often, but when I do, I only go to Griffin Kish Starbucks, so I cannot relate to complaints that Starbucks coffee is too bitter compared to other coffee shops. I can understand, however, complaints about the environment of Starbucks. “Too crowded,” “too loud,” “too mainstream” and “too expensive” are all disparagements I have heard used to describe Starbucks.

What I think makes Starbucks unique is that, despite the fact it is essentially the only coffee chain that extends across the entire nation, excluding fast-food coffee sales, not every Starbucks is the same inside, nor is every visit to Starbucks the same experience. At McDonald’s, for example, nearly every location looks the same, and thus provides customers the same experience.

Since Starbucks is undoubtedly the most visited coffee shop for Grady students, I sought to find the most pleasurable Starbucks in the Grady vicinity. In order to fairly evaluate the experience of each shop, I ordered the same drink (a caramel macchiato) at every location and visited each Starbucks between noon and 3 p.m.

Starbucks 1: Midtown Promenade, on the corner of Virginia Avenue and Monroe Drive The location of this Starbucks could not be more convenient, as it as close as possible to Grady, as well as to retail stores, a movie theater and Piedmont Park. The surrounding area makes it a great place to stop and grab a snack while running errands.

This Starbucks is quite popular, which is both a good and bad thing. It’s good because the probability of running into someone you know is extremely high. On the other hand, the popularity, combined with the proximity to Grady, can result in a lot of loud kids and crowdedness before and after school hours. Overall, the great location was unable to outweigh the volume and density, so I give this location two stars out of five.

uest for the Best

Starbucks 1: HHIII

STARBUCKS

Starbucks 2: HHHHI

Starbucks 2: 650 Ponce de Leon, across from the future Ponce City Market.

I went into this Starbucks extremely skeptical. It is located in the middle of a very crowded and bustling shopping center, and does not appear from the outside to have a lot of seating.

Once I entered, however, I was confronted by an interior that was not at all what I expected. The Starbucks was very spacious and open and not filled with loud and distracting shoppers but rather with quiet readers and workers, with one group holding a small business meeting. There was also a small patio. During my time, I was able to sit undisturbed in an oasis of peace that existed in the midst of a hectic shopping center. My only complaints were the limited parking, and the fact that the outdoor seating was marred by the loud traffic of Ponce. Due to the location, environment and things to do in the surrounding area, as well as the minimal number of negatives, I give this Starbucks four out of five stars.

Starbucks 3: Emory University Bookstore, Oxford Road Of the three locations I visited, the Emory Bookstore Starbucks was my favorite. First of all, the interior is completely dif-

ferent that any other Starbucks I had ever visited. Most locations differ in a few regards, but this one had a wholly different design.

There were large tables where students could gather and study in groups, floor-to-ceiling windows and a large outdoor seating area. The Starbucks was staffed by friendly college students, who greeted their friends when they entered, which contributed to the community feel of this location. I enjoyed the environment so much I almost forgot I was there to evaluate the experience. I was tempted to walk across the hall to the bookstore, purchase a novel and spend the rest of my afternoon reading and drinking coffee. When I did get around to my evaluation, I realized that this Starbucks is very close to Emory Village, which has many shopping and dining opportunities, and has the quietness and quaintness that most shopping areas lack. These shops and the Starbucks are also in a relatively low-traffic area. My only complaint about this location was the limited parking, having only a few spaces along the side of the road on which it is situated.

Final rating: five stars out of five.

Starbucks may be the McDonald’s of coffee shops, but some Starbucks are better than others p

Part Wes Anderson film, part campground, Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall is the new restaurant getting buzz in Old Fourth Ward.

This campgroundstyle eatery sits right Anna Braxton on mile 9.25 of the BeltLine, separated by a tastefully orchestrated landscape design and a small walking path.

The concept is one-of-a-kind yet perfectly represents the quirky personality of the up-andcoming Old Fourth Ward.

After traveling down the narrow roads of this old and charming neighborhood and turning into a tiny, unevenly paved parking lot, I caught a glimpse of the industrial building.

What looked like a former warehouse—the facade covered with tin—stuck out of a group of trees and shrubs. A small staircase with bold block letters that read “you are here” sat covered near the entrance. I had finally arrived at “the base camp for the urban explorer,” as Ladybird deems itself.

The restaurant had an expansive patio with white twinkling lights dangling from the top of the building. An illuminated sign on the side of the building, “Ladybird,” shone brightly.

From the patio, the BeltLine was only steps away and a beautiful skyline view was in plain sight. Unfortunately, the 15-degree weather prohibited me from sitting outside, so I made my way inside through the heavy glass door at the entrance.

Walking into the restaurant was like stepping straight into the wilderness. The ceilings were an expansive two stories and painted black, giving the effect of a pitch-black night sky. A dark tenebrous mural was painted on one of the two-story tall walls: a huge grizzly

Anna Braxton

Urban explorers reach base camp at Ladybird Grove

X MARKS THE SPOT: Ladybird, located along the BeltLine, deems itself the “base camp for the urban explorer.” bear snarling in the middle of a dark, wooded trees for sharing) and dessert. I started off with forest, with an owl looming in the corner and the double-stack burger ($10) from the campa full moon shining brightly in the middle. On fire section, while my two companions ordered another wall was an expansive vintage Ameri- the chicken and dumplings ($13) and creamy can flag, various mounted deer heads and small ham and potato soup ($6) with a side of hearty wooden frames holding several small pictures greens and farro salad ($9). of animals and other miscellaneous paper clipThe burger was absolutely delicious. The bun pings. Nearly 40 industrial light bulbs hung in glimmered with butter and had a nice toasted, clusters from the vast ceiling, and several cabin- golden tone. Beneath the crunchy exterior esque industrial lamps were placed around the and soft interior of the bun was a phenomenal walls. Overall, the entire restaurant resembled burger. The house beef with bacon grind was the set of a Wes Anderson film taking place in tender and juicy, almost a melt-in-your-mouth the middle of the forest. texture, and had a rich smoky undertone. A My two companions and I were seated at good helping of pickled vegetables really made a wooden table with a rustic wooden bench the burger—think a more luxurious cole slaw expanding the entire length of the wall. The with even more flavor. The burger, however, menu, a small brown folded sheet of paper with was not overly fancy or pretentious with the a bison sketch and “survival guide” printed on addition of simple American cheese. On the the front, was placed on the table. The camp side was a generous helping of house-made theme was carried through the menu with the pickles, with a sweet-dill flavor and a slightly different sections labeled as trail snacks (appe- spicy aftertaste. tizers), vittles (small dishes), campfire (entrees), Of course, I had to try the other plates at base camp (heavier entrees), picnic basket (en- the table. The chicken and dumplings was a

surprisingly tasty, modern take on this classic southern dish. The dumplings were balls of dough, rather than the traditional sheets of dough, but the comforting flavor was all there.

The dough was soft and had that slightly undercooked texture that really melted in your mouth. The chicken—instead of the traditional pulled chicken scraps—was an entire leg quarter placed in the middle of the iron skillet. The meat was fall-off-the-bone and had a smoky, peppery flavor that perfectly complemented the creamy stock—chock full of roasted root vegetables—surrounding the chicken and dumplings.

I moved on to the creamy ham and potato soup next, which was placed in an unassuming tiny brown ceramic bowl that evoked a nostalgic camping feeling. The soup was by far the best meal of the night, with its silky, creamy texture—pureed to perfection—as if no potato or ham was even in the dish. The taste of the dish, however, left me assured of their presence. The soup was almost like drinking smoked gouda with slight hints of potato and a smoked ham intertwined. Sitting on top of the soup was a delicate house-baked cheese cracker that was full of toasted cheesy goodness. The farro salad was a perfect side dish to the hearty, rich and decadent potato soup. The “hearty greens” were really just kale, but the farro was mixed with smoked blue cheese, sliced green grapes and walnuts, all topped with a basil vinaigrette. Together, the components of the salad all blended harmoniously, bringing out each unique flavor in the dish.

Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall is an experience not to miss. The decorations alone are enough to warrant a visit, but the food was fantastic as well. The creamy ham and potato soup is a must, and everything else was wonderful, delicious and had its own unique spin. p

dining

March 12, 2015

17

For the past few months, Krog Street Market has been attracting people from all over Atlanta, thanks to the businesses that have set up locations in the recently renovated building. KSM has become especially inviting for the “foodies” in the area because of the many delicious entrees Madeline Veira and treats offered by the diverse selection of restaurants.

Although no one needs another motive to visit KSM other than Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, the newest restaurant, Superica, is yet one more unique and tasty reason to make the trip.

As someone who very much considers herself a foodie and a lover of spicy food, I had to try the new Mex-Tex restaurant, so I visited with a friend who had also been excited about Superica's opening. As soon as we went inside, we were overwhelmed by large crowd of people enjoying their dinner plates and drinking at the bar. I put my name down at the host stand, and we were told we'd have to wait about 20 minutes. Luckily, the restaurant texts customers when their table is ready, so we were able to explore the rest of the market instead of waiting in the restaurant. To our surprise, the table was ready in just 10 minutes.

We sat down, looked at the menu and immediately saw the queso fundito ($10), warm tortilla chips with queso and avocado salsa, and ordered it without a second thought.

When we tried the cheesy appetizer, we were both thrown off by the unique peppery flavor, but it wasn't long before we had gone through two bowls of chips and completely emptied the cup of queso.

Almost immediately, our entrees arrived at our table.

I ordered the Hamburguesa Superica ($16), an all-beef hamburger with American cheese, shredded lettuce and guacamole, which I can only describe as an exemplary combination of American and Mexican influences. Once

Madeline Viera

Superica delivers super flavors to Krog Street Market

SUPER DUPER SUPPER: Superica ‘s Mex-Tex twist on classic Tex-Mex food pleases the taste buds but costs more than some students can stomach.

I sank my teeth into the 8-ounce beef patty, my high expectations of Superica were met. The beef was fresh and cooked to perfection, and the thick guacamole made a nice, mild complement to the rest of the burger. Of course, I won't lie and say that it was one of the best hamburgers I've ever had, but I can definitely say that it's a very impressive twist on an American classic.

My friend also seemed to enjoy the Tacos de Barbacoa ($14) she ordered, since she pretty much cleaned her plate.

The dish had three slow-cooked brisket tacos with lettuce, cilantro and guacamole. Her only complaint was that it was really spicy. If you're one of those people with sensitive taste buds, don't let this turn you off; at Superica, you always

have the option to customize your order by making it mild, medium or spicy.

Not only was the food delicious, but the environment was welcoming with creative and urban decor revolving around the restaurant’s “Texican” theme. The servers were prompt and friendly and made the entire experience even more enjoyable.

Since some of the entrees may be a little out of a typical teen's price range, and it provides a more sophisticated and intimate feel than other Mexican-American restaurants, I wouldn't suggest Superica for a friendly group outing. It's a great place to eat with your family, however, if you want to enjoy a fun and unique place to eat. Also, don't forget to enjoy the rest of Krog Street Market while you're there. p

Many Atlantans recognize the Buford Highway Farmers Market for its wide vaAnna Poznyak riety of foods from all around the world. Just about 20 minutes from Midtown, the market boasts an international array of authentic ingredients: everything from Chinese to Korean, Mexican to Japanese, Polish to Vietnamese and many more.

Soon after my family moved to Atlanta from Russia, we were happy to see sour cream—a staple in western European cuisine—in every Kroger dairy department that we visited.

The majority of familiar products, however, were missing—from herring to dark bread.

We could survive without all of these Russian staples for the first couple of months, substituting for them with food from the DeKalb Farmers Market or the IKEA food shop. My mother was the first who gave up and asked our Russian friends in Atlanta where she could buy some “normal, usual herring” necessary to make Herring Under Coat, a classic Russian dish. Our friends directed us to Buford Highway Farmers Market.

Since then, my mom and dad have been to the market many times.

I couldn’t believe my eyes as my parents brought home dark bread with a Belorussian name, but produced in New York, and sweets, directly from Moscow or Minsk, tightly packed in transparent plastic bags as if they contained some deadly virus rather than chocolate. It took months, though, for me to visit the place my-

Anna Poznyak

Farmers market gives taste of Russia, sense of home

PICKLED PICKINGS: The Farmers Market boasts a selection of packaged Russian goods. self. I was very excited as we drove I was in the right place and started down Buford Highway towards the to look around. I noticed that right place I had heard so much about. behind me were boxes of zephyr (a I expected to step into a familiar dessert very similar to an American grocery shop as if I never left my na- marshmallow but larger and served tive land, but instead I confronted a in different ways. Russians neither lot of unknown fruits and vegetables. roast it over a campfire nor add it to I walked back and forth along the hot chocolate) and cookie-nuts with rows filled with all kinds of food with condensed milk. If you are inspired tags in several languages until I fi- to try something from the Russian nally saw something familiar: a good section of the Buford Highway Farmold herring, as well as famous Rus- ers Market, I would say that desserts sian caviar, both red and black, and guarantee an enjoyable experience. dried, salted fish (one of the favorite They are all delicious: chocolate, beer snacks of Russian men). All of candies, zephyr, sushki (dried rings of these Russian foods came in dozens baked dough), sukhari (dried sweet of varieties. I realized that finally bread, usually with raisins), pryaniki

(a gingerbread that comes in different shapes; the best, from Tula, a Russian city in the north of Moscow, are long and rectangular) and marmalade (I would recommend “citrus slices” in sugar crystals). The most striking difference is that Russian sweets are actually not that sweet, so people usually eat them with jam or honey.

The next items that caught my attention were jars of preserved vegetables, hundreds of them. Any imaginable harvest from “Granny’s Garden” was available: cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, peas, even carrots. Next I saw something that I bet you will see only in the Russian section of the market: medicaments. There were no sophisticated antibiotics, but rather all kinds of folk remedies, vitamins and other health supplements. One of the most outrageous things was badger fat, nasty for me but helpful and magical for Russian mommies. I walked farther and saw a variety of bottled drinks: kvass, Baikal (an herbal version of Coca-Cola), Tarhun (a kind of herbal, green Sprite), lemonade and Duchess (pear lemonade).

While I had seen many familiar things, I still felt like something was missing and realized what it was as I passed ladies looking suspiciously at my camera as they were slicing Russian smoked sausages and other meat along with French cheese. There they were! In the next refrigerator, with much space between stood several kinds traditional dishes: Olivier, Herring Under Coat and other beetroot fancies, meat cutlets, mince with carrots in pepper or wrapped in cabbage leaves (golubtsy), crepes with salt and sweet stuffing, holodec (jelly meat) and a grand bowl of buckwheat.

Everything was there. Russian children are commonly taught to stay away from store-made food, so I left the refrigerator, empty-handed, and grabbed a loaf of heavy dark bread, gazed for a moment down the row of refrigerators stuffed with packages of frozen pelmeni (small meatballs in dough for boiling) and finally proceeded to check out with a full cart of products with English tags glued over the Russian originals.

If you have already been to the Buford Highway Farmers Market to get some Chinese noodles, green tea or some exotic fruits and vegetables, stop by the Russian section next time and at least grab some sweet treats.

The dozens of glass jars with something red or green and pickled floating inside are the best indicator that you’ve found the Russian section. As for our family, we usually leave with a jar of preserved cucumbers for Olivier salad, a couple of Tula gingerbreads and a package of Belarusian Stolichnaya (Capital City) chocolate sweets, Matjes herring, a loaf of dark bread and some mayonnaise. The prices are not the best, but for the taste of mother country or an unforgettable (and hopefully delicious) experience it’s worth paying a couple dollars more.

As we packed the stuff into the trunk, I couldn’t resist and grabbed one gingerbread. I delightfully savored it with American sparkling water and felt that home was not so far away, wondering for a moment if I had ever left at all. p To read more about Herring Under Coat, please visit thesoutherneronline. com and read the second post in our international food blog, “Around the World on 80 Plates.”

sports

March 12, 2015

18

How to do a BEHIND-THE-BACK SHOT with Will Taber

Sophie Durham

STEP 1: Make a D-cut (a move used by an offensive player to STEP 2: After finding an opening, player receives a pass from STEP 3: In the same motion as step 2, bring the head of place oneself in an open position) angled toward the goal. the teammate the lacrosse stick behind one shoulder, releasing the ball.

Junior lacrosse player shows leadership on, off field

By Sophie Durham and Grace Dusenbury Junior Will Taber, one of the captains of the Grady boys lacrosse team, has been playing since seventh grade, when one of his friends introduced him to the sport. Taber also plays club lacrosse in Atlanta for a nationally ranked club called LB3 (named after former lacrosse player Liam Banks, who founded the team in 2005).

As captain, Taber’s responsibilities include coaching captain’s practices before the season starts, helping coach the new players and keeping his teammates in check.

“I chose Will to be captain because he took initiative this fall and led our informal practices,” Grady lacrosse coach Jon Ochsner said. “Will is a ‘lax rat,’ which means he lives and breathes the sport; he is constantly watching games, playing and looking for new techniques to improve his game. He is also very dedicated to improving his

own skills, which can be encouraging to others,” Ochsner said of Taber.

Sophomore Timmy Kopp, a teammate of Taber’s, both at Grady and on a summer club team, agrees that Taber is a great leader.

“He disciplines new players to the game well without being too aggressive,” Kopp said. “His biggest contribution is probably putting in time during the offseason and holding captain’s practices.”

Taber says that his most successful moment while playing was during Senior Night sophomore year. “We were down, and I scored four goals to help us come back and almost win.

It was awesome.”

Taber’s mother Karen Taber believes lacrosse has done much more for her son than just providing an extracurricular activity.

“As a parent, I have witnessed firsthand how his passion for lacrosse has motivated him to become a better student, eat better and wake up early for weight training and cardio workouts at Grady,” Karen Taber said, “His love of the game has even sparked an entrepreneurial spirit.”

Taber has started a small side business of stringing sticks called ‘String ‘Em Up,’ where he helps his teammates, coaches and other lacrosse players put on the mesh that catches the ball.

With less than a year and a half before graduation, Taber is still undecided on his future with lacrosse.

“If he chooses to continue playing,” Karen Taber said.

“I believe Will has a future in playing lacrosse at the college level, as do his coaches. Ultimately it will be up to him to decide how much he want lacrosse to dominate his college experience.” p

By William Chapman and John Slovensky Many other Atlanta Public Schools and other metro Atlanta schools have multiple practice fields in addition to at least one stadium field. In comparison, all of the Grady athletic teams have 7,500 yards of practice space in the Grady Stadium. If the space is evenly split between soccer, lacrosse, track and field, baseball, ultimate Frisbee and JROTC, each group only has 1,250 yards to themselves if they all practiced at the same time. In other words, each team has the equivalent to the space between the end zone and the 20-yard line.

The Grady lacrosse team is not at all exempt from the struggle for field space, as they have to share the field with other spring sports, including soccer. For this spring season, however, APS has built a new field that the lacrosse team can use for practice.

The field, located at Walden Middle School, will give lacrosse a full-sized field on which to practice. The lacrosse team didn’t get a chance to practice on more than a half field while practicing on Gra-

Kelly Scollard

Newly built athletic field a sign of lacrosse growth

BREAKING NEW GROUND: The girls lacrosse team runs drills at practice on their new field at Walden Middle. dy’s field.

APS has spent more than $160,000 on the field according to Grady athletic director Myss Johnson-Jelks.

“If we need a backup location, we now have one,” Johnson-Jelks said. “When you have this many sports, it’s just hard to accommodate them.”

Grady’s head lacrosse coach, Jon Ochsner, is especially excited for the new field.

“Using half a field we lose half of

the skills we need,” Ochsner said.

The new field space has the team setting new goals. Ochsner thinks that the team could win multiple regional games for the first time this season.

“We practiced where shotput and discus were supposed to be,” said senior Lindsay Van Beck, the captain of the girls lacrosse team.

The field is only a seven-minute drive and less than two miles away, and the team will take a bus from Grady to get there. While

some players are disappointed that they will have to take a bus to the new field, the field will give the team more space than it had last year.

“It’s a brand new field; [they’ve] got new goals for it, lighting and everything we need, and it’s not that far away,” junior Will Taber, a team captain said.

The field, however, may end up being too short to qualify as a full-sized lacrosse field. Also, due to the constraints of surround-

ing buildings which landlock the property, it may be quite difficult—if not impossible—to put in permanent stands. That is not the only problem the field has experienced: the grass has not taken root to this point.

“I think the new field was a good idea for APS, but I wish that they had put turf down because the sod has not really grown in yet,” said Seth Wolfe, a sophomore on the team.

Other teams may also use the field to practice. APS plans to add additional equipment for other sports including field goals and soccer goals, which will allow the football and soccer teams to use the field if Grady stadium is unavailable.

Although the field is not finished, Van Beck anticipates it will be a great facility.

“They’re talking about putting in goal posts for football, making it a full-sized regulation field, putting in light, and we are waiting for the grass to seed,” Van Beck said.

While the Walden Field will not be able to eliminate field overcrowding, it is a step in the right direction. p

sports

March 12, 2015

19

By John Slovensky Grady’s baseball team faces serious problems with its equipment and fields. Its batting cages are falling apart, and the team has to take a bus ride to Crim everyday just to go to practice.

The players have sought support from APS and the school, but so far they have struck out in their efforts to obtain better equipment and a true home field.

Sophomore pitcher Jack Bannon proposed that the athletic department build a new batting cage near the trailers because the old cage is falling apart.

“When it rains, the batting cage is pretty much a swamp; it gets completely flooded,” junior shortstop Davis Schwartz said.

According to Bannon, the batting cage is in such bad condition that the back 12 feet of the cage was netted off because of the continuous flooding. In addition, the net has a large hole in one side which forces the batters to hit the ball towards the flooded section of the net. When the balls land in water, as they often do, they become waterlogged and unusable for throwing and catching, which causes the team to have to spend money to buy new balls.

“The net’s broken, balls leave the net, balls get wet, it’s outdoors so we can’t use it in the fall because it’s too cold,” Bannon said.

Bannon started a petition to improve the cage and collected more than 500 signatures. After collecting the signatures, Bannon presented his petition to APS. He proposed building a facility where the baseball and softball teams could practice. The building would have a pitching tunnel and two batting cages, along with a storage area for the team’s equipment. Since the cage would be indoors, the team would be able to practice in it year-round. APS, however, rejected his proposal.

“After reviewing your proposal to construct a building that would house two batting cages and a portable pitching mound, our current priorities do not allow us to permit the execution of your vision,” associate superintendent Timothy Gadson III wrote to Bannon in an email.

Grady athletic director Myss JohnsonJelks sees the need for a baseball and softball facility but recognizes the space constraints mentioned by Gadson.

“I support the having a facility because it

John Slovensky

Baseball team makes pitch for new cage, home field

HEY BATTER BATTER: Senior Amyr Smith awaits a batting-practice pitch from sophomore teammate Jack Bannon in the cage next to the instructional suites. could be used for both baseball and softball,” Johnson-Jelks said, “but unfortunately with the space that we have, … they couldn’t give them what they needed.”

Gadson suggested a portable batting cage that could be moved in the event of an expansion of the trailers. Bannon suggested a brand of batting cages, but Gadson deemed that brand to be too expensive. Bannon has asked if the team could use money from fundraising, but Gadson had not responded to that question as this story went to press.

While the broken batting cage is the biggest problem facing Grady’s baseball team, the lack of field space also poses problems. The players practice and play games at Crim High School,

at times a 20-minute drive away. “[Crim] is not in a good area, and it’s 30 minutes away so nobody will come out to our games,” Bannon said.

In addition, Schwartz thinks the Crim field has some big problems.

“Sometimes during our games, the lights at Crim shut off in the middle of the game, which is a big problem,” Schwartz said.

Bannon said the team talked with Piedmont Park about building a baseball field there, but the park officials were not interested. The team also looked at nearby Central Park, but that didn’t pan out either. JohnsonJelks said that Atlanta Public Schools is considering building a field at Walden, but they

do not know if a baseball field would be feasible in that location.

Grady’s head baseball coach, Mark Davidson, declined to comment on the team’s current situation.

The baseball team’s lack of field space and equipment have a negative impact on its play.

Having to ride a bus out to practice takes a chunk of time out of practice. All the other teams in the division have their own facilities, which puts Grady at a disadvantage.

“People don’t really know about the baseball team because we don’t have anything here,” Bannon said. “Nobody wants to invest their time in a team that doesn’t have anything to show for it.” p

UK aims to join pantheon of perfection s p o r t s

In sports, the greatest legacy a team can achieve is the coveted perfect season. This year, for the first time since the 1970s, a men’s college team has a shot Conrad Newton at joining that elite group: the Kentucky men’s basketball team.

The first team to conclude with a perfect season was the Miami Dolphins in 1972. Despite valiant efforts to repeat this feat, such as the Patriots in 2007 (whose only loss came to the Giants in the Super Bowl), the Dolphins are still the only team in NFL history to go all the way without losing a single game.

In most sports, this feat is highly improbable. With an 82-game regular season, the NBA has never had a team complete a perfect season. The Chicago Bulls were the closest with a record of 72-10 in the 1995-96 season. In the NHL, the longest undefeated streak is 35, achieved by the 1979-80 Philadelphia Flyers.

Only four college programs in NCAA men’s basketball history have enjoyed undefeated seasons. The last time this happened was 1976 when the Indiana Hoosiers went undefeated through both the regular season

and tournament with a final record of 32-0.

In the last 20 years only two teams have had a perfect regular season, including last year’s Wichita State Shockers who went a perfect 34-0 in the regular season but lost to Kentucky in the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Kentucky later went on to lose in the championship game against UConn.

With the most wins at 2,169 and tied for most championship appearances at 12, the Kentucky Wildcats are already considered one of the greatest college basketball teams ever.

Coach John Calipari is continuing the legacy, and this year is no exception.

When they beat eighth-ranked Kansas by 32 points earlier in the season, Kentucky showed that his team once again was on top.

With most of their tough matchups out of the way, the Wildcats are in an ideal position to win the rest of their games. Additionally, with no other powerhouses in the Southeastern Conference, Kentucky is unlikely to lose before the NCAA tournament.

With what many consider the greatest depth of talent in NCAA basketball history, Kentucky has a real chance to accomplish what hasn’t been done in more than three decades.While Kentucky is playing better than ever, this team didn’t emerge this season out

of nowhere. Kentucky has been to the NCAA championship twice in the last three years under Coach Calipari, and as a result of having the best recruiting class in the nation over the last several years, Kentucky currently has nine five-star recruits on its roster.

Calipari’s 13 first-rounders in his first four years as Kentucky head coach make observers ask an obvious question: “How does Calipari manage to attract so many talented players?”

Because of the current one-and-done policy of collegiate basketball, many top prospects don’t even pretend to care about their education. Calipari doesn’t seem to care either because every year he gets a fresh batch of top-of-the-line freshman talent. He seems to realize the current climate of collegiate athletics, which is characterized by athletes who attend school simply to play sports and not to earn a college degree.

For better or worse, Calipari has created a monster of a team that will no doubt be remembered for a long time. Chances are they won’t win the whole thing because going undefeated in the regular season often foreshadows a devastating tournament loss.

With no other team even as remotely talented as the Kentucky Wildcats, however, they just might make history. p

briefs

Ultimate Frisbee team travels to Deep Freeze The Grady ultimate Frisbee team headed to Chattanooga, Tenn., on March 7 and 8 for the annual Deep Freeze tournament. Despite being seeded third in their pool, the team went 3-0 in pool play and placed fifth out of 16 teams.

The team ended the tournament with a 13-10 loss to regional rival Blackman High School in the quarterfinals.

Girls win, boys lose on soccer community night On Friday, March 6 the girls and boys varsity soccer teams hosted Paideia at the annual community night, catered

by Pig-N-Chik Barbeque. The event drew a crowd of at least 150. The girls team won 5-3, but the boys lost a tough game 2-0.

the Sports section

thesoutherneronline.com

HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

March 12, 2015

VOLUME LXVIII, NUMBER 6

COACH OPTIMISTIC AFTER FRUSTRATING YEAR H

(BASKET)BALLS TO THE WALL: Girls’ starting five left to right, senior Naria Woods, senior Jasmine Rich, senior Aliya Maloof, junior Danasha Smith and senior Sierra Howard trot out through the cheerleaders before the game against the St. Pius X Golden Lions on Jan. 16. Grady played a good game, but ended up losing 36-34. St. Pius had a perfect 18-0 record in the region,and made it all the way to the elite eight at the state tournament.

Anna Pozynak

By Anna Pozynak arlen Graham is a recognizable figure in the Grady community as a P.E. teacher. Students know and appreciate Coach Graham for being both funny and supportive but also reasonably demanding. The position of head coach of Grady’s girls varsity basketball, however, was a new experience for him.

Graham was appointed head coach in September of this school year, a pleasant surprise despite its challenges. He had an extensive 13 years of prior coaching experience, all in boys basketball. As he found later, coaching “unemotional” boys did not prepare him for the shifting moods of female players. “[With] girls, you don’t know what kind of mood they’re gonna be in,” Graham said. “Girls, they are up and down.”

Graham said he was not fully satisfied with the girls’ commitment and diligence as “sometimes they did not give 110 percent effort.” Futhermore, Graham only had three months to plan prior to the beginning of the season, which was not enough time to become aware of the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

Graham was dissatisfied with the season’s results. He feels that the team could have been better, but “a lot of different personalities” made the 2014-2015 season up and down.

Even though the team finished with a winning record (13-12) the fact that the girls lost six games in the final 30 seconds by three points or fewer continues to bother the head coach. The last of these six a season-ending 51-50 loss to Redan in the region tournament was especially painful.

Graham felt that all of the games were memorable for him, but the games against St. Pius were the most outstanding, even though Grady suffered losses in both games. The

team held its own against St. Pius’ Asia Durr, whom ESPN ranks as the No. 2 player in the nation. Three of the six Grady senior girls are going to play on the next level. During National Signing Day, Aliya Maloof signed a letter of intent for North Greenville University, becoming Graham’s first female player to play in college.

“She has all the opportunity, the ability to play at the next level,” Graham said.

Senior Naria Woods plans to sign with Fort Valley State University. Jasmine Rich also plans to play at a collegiate level but has not decided on a school.

Losing part of the team to graduation is a natural process

for any high school or college team. Graham does look back but instead looks ahead to next year.

“We will have to grow and develop as a team,” Graham said. “We are looking forward to next year.”

The coach plans to kick off the 2015-2016 season by getting the girls to the gym early to condition and work out.

Over the past season, he realized that consistency is a key to the team’s discipline and success, so he plans to let the players know in advance what the standards are and hold the girls accountable to these standards He considers Deasia Smith, Kelly Jackson, Briana Johns and Gracie Griffith to be future team leaders. p

Boys suffer first-round playoff exit

By Ike Hammond fter setting high standards for the season with back-to-back sweet 16 appearances, the basketball team fell short this season. The team finished with a losing record (14-15) for the first time since Brian Weeden became head coach despite having the second highest team scoring average over that same period.

The team lost a lot of talent from the previous year, and with only three seniors on the roster, the younger players had to step up and fill holes left by graduating seniors.

On Feb. 10 the team upset Stone Mountain 52-40 in the first round of the region tournament but lost a tough game against the top-seeded Lithonia Bulldogs in the second round. Senior Hassan Jordan cites the team’s preparation as its reason for success against Stone Mountain.

“We watched more film on Stone Mountain,” Jordan said of the win that guaranteed a state tournament berth. “We knew what to do and how to execute.”

The basketball team’s season ended Feb. 18 with a 58-48 loss to the Woodward Academy Eagles in the first round of the state playoffs.

The game was close through three JUMPING OUT THE GYM: Junior Avi Toomer pulls up for a jump shot quarters, with Grady up 33-32 after the over the head of a St. Pius player. Toomer lead the team in scoring on third, but Woodward pulled away with Jan. 16 against the Golden Lions, putting up 23 points in the game.

Anna Pozynak

A

a solid fourth quarter.

Grady faltered in the second half, getting outscored 35-19 mostly due to shooting only 33 percent from the field and only 27 percent (four of 15) from the three-point line.

It was Woodward’s lockdown defense that made the difference, as Woodward posted more rebounds, assists, steals and committed fewer turnovers.

“We had a lot of turnovers in the beginning of the game,” Jordan said, describing the loss.

“We were up at half, but we didn’t get any productivity from in the third quarter,” junior Avi Toomer said. “We only scored four points in the quarter.

It seemed like everyone just came down and took the first shot [available] rather than run an offense and get into what got us up in the first place.”

On offense Woodward focused on getting the ball into the paint for easy layups, which helped them overcome three-of-11 shooting beyond the arc.

Weeden was dissatisfied with the season’s result, as it was the last time he can remember having a losing record as a coach.

“It was just disappointing,” Weeden said. “It was inconsistency; we’re young, a lot of guys don’t really know what it takes or how much work is needed to get to that point. Experience-wise, we really

only have one or two players who played on the floor at the same time last year.”

Despite the disappointment, Grady has high hopes for next season. With only three seniors on the roster, there is a lot of room to grow and reason to expect Grady to improve on its 20142015 record.

Three juniors—Ahmad Herron, Avi Toomer and Joshua Jones— all averaged more than 10 points per game, so with offseason improvement those numbers should increase.

Toomer, who averaged almost 20 points a game, missed all of the games in December with an ankle injury but has a plan for improving his game for next year.

“I’m going to be training with Coach Weeden starting next week,” Toomer said. “We’re going to work over the summer too, so that should prepare me for next season. Everyone just has to come to practice and have that motive that they want to win and want to get better. We need to be on the same page to win.”

Weeden knows that it will take a lot of hard work for the team to be successful.

“Guys need to commit,” Weeden said. “They need to have a lot more heart and have an understanding of what it’s going to take to do something special for the school.” p

Grady Sports Score Central: February/March BOYS SOCCER Cross Keys 2, Grady 0 (Feb. 27) Grady 3, Marist 0 (March 2) Grady 7, Lithonia 0 (March 5) Paideia 2, Grady 0 (March 6)

GIRLS SOCCER Grady 10, Cross Keys 0 (Feb. 27) Marist 6, Grady 0 (March 2) Grady 10, Lithonia 0 (March 5) Grady 5, Paideia 3 (March 6)

BOYS LACROSSE Grady 0, Norcross 0 (Feb. 20) Grady 12, Southwest DeKalb 4 (Feb. 23) Grady 16, Druid Hills 0 (March 7)

GIRLS LACROSSE Northgate 10, Grady 9 (Feb. 27) Grady 13, Whitewater 9 (March 4) Grady 13, Decatur 10 (March 12)

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