Henry W. Grady High School October 2012
NEXUS
Advanced photography student Katherine Avery shares some select black-and-white portraits from her film portfolio.
Photo.
p. 4 Bearing every type of lighting known to man, artsy Atlantans marched the Beltline from Lake Avenue to Monroe. The Beltline Lantern Parade literally blazed the new trail in typical Atlanta style. p. 6 Visual.
Don’t feel like jumping through hoops to hear the 2012 Olympic tuneage? We’ve compiled a convenient highlights playlist from the London Ceremonies for your listening pleasure.
Audio.
p. 10 Braves Hall of Fame player Chipper Jones has finished his last season, carrying the Braves in to the postseason before riding into the sunset. Nexus expresses its support for the Braves hero, but dreads a Chipperless team next year. blurb p. 12 4 Arena. p. Piedmont Park is home of the Dogwood Festival, Music Midtown, and so much more, but what was this peaceful Park like before the hordes of high school children and the new additions? Nexus explores the history of iconic Atlanta landmarks and finds some rennovations worth revisiting. blurb p. Feature. p. 14 4
On those rainy days when television doesn’t cut it, try this renowned Nexus recipe and enjoy some delectable banana bread. blurb p.p. 22 4 Cuisine. Fashion students spent two months without a permanent teacher, the “Ms. Wright” on their schedules nowhere to be found. With classes blurb so far behind, can these wrongs be “wright”ed? p.p. 28 4 Couture. Where did all the buses go the first few weeks of school? Did they blurb magically disappear? Find out the truth behind this scandal. p.p.30 4 Rostrum. Guten Tag America! Sharr Jakupi, German foreign-exchange student, visits Grady in hopes of creating lasting memories and lifelongfriendships. So if you see him make sure you say Willkommen! blurb 4 Menagerie. p.p. 32
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Rediscovering Atlanta
We chose this feature because whether we like it or not, change seems to be the key word this year as we look towards our futures in high school and in the world. Although the future is exciting and will hold many adventures and pleasant times with friends, we at Nexus fear that we will become the generation that forgets to look to the past to better our future. Therefore, in an effort to perserve the remnants of the past we present to you “Rediscovering Atlanta.” We’ve compiled a list of important places, dug through the deep trenches of the library and consled our elders to find the history behind these significant places in Midtown. In addition, we’ve also included pictures of the past, so that you can visit the places yourself and see if you can match the landmarks of old Atlanta with the landmarks of the new. So, pull out your maps and join us on a journey to the past.
Nexus 2011 Staff: Tia Borrego, Amelia Christopher, Victoria
Dragstedt, Jakara Griffin, Claire Hasson, Mallory Hazell, Jordan Holiman, Alexander Jones, Devina Jones-Vargas, April King, Sarah Lanham, Valentina Makrides, Courtney Marshall, Tamara Mason, Peter Mastin, Sanjida Mowla, James Moy, Abby Orlansky, Nara Smith, Laura Streib, Kate Taber, McKenzie Taylor, Lily Trapkin, Luke Webster, and Kelsey Woods. Editor-in-Chief: Kate Taber Managing Editors: Valentina Makrides and Tamara Mason Adviser: Dave Winter Printer: Florida Sun Printing Advertising: Nexus is a nonprofit organization that relies on advertising and the generous support of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to generate revenue to cover printing and maintenance costs. If you would like to advertise with and/or distribute Nexus, please contact us at nexusghs@gmail.com Submissions: Nexus accepts and welcome submissions of stories and photos. Submissions should be submitted to Mr. Winter in room E113, or to any Nexus staffer. They can also be e-mailed to us at nexusghs@gmail.com.
Nexus is a bimonthly publication of: Henry W. Grady High School 929 Charles Allen Drive NE Atlanta, GA 30309
Katherine Avery: Film Photo Essay
o ot I’m attracted to the idea of shooting people h p
outdoors. It gives more variations of light in my photos; I try to make my pictures portray a secret meaning, heightened by emotion. Katherine Avery, Senior
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Individually, we are indifferent; together, we are untrue to Grady When was the last time you went to a Grady sports game? How about the last time you enjoyed a pep rally? Or were proud to be a Grady student? “When you look around this school, where do you see any indication that we are the Grady Knights?” junior Max Brown said. Other than the shields painted in the courtyard, there isn’t much to represent us or to spark pride in students. Has school spirit waned over the years, or was there any to begin with? Grady teams or accomplishments don’t really matter to most students, but have they ever? “Most people couldn’t care less about being a Grady student,” junior Parker Routh said. “Instead we’re just students. No pride for our school or anything.” But why is there no school pride? Perhaps it’s because of a lack of school identity. Where is the spirit around the school? Where are the Grey Knights? Almost every wall in the whole school is painted a boring shade of off-white, and our colors, red and grey, are barely present. John Brandhorst, art teacher, has plans to change that. Brandhorst has been a teacher at Grady for 13 years, having seen good times and bad times. He plans to create projects around the school that will spark school spirit and represent Grady, with the help of students in his technical theater class.
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“Nowhere says Grady,” Brandhorst said to his class. “A visiting outsider wouldn’t even know what school they were in.” Starting with the theater lobby, Brandhorst’s students have already completed their first project, in which they filled spaces along the walls with red tiles. Brandhorst was also able to retrieve the “GRADY” letters from the old stadium and is planning to mount them in the theater lobby. There are so few places around the school where it is indicated that we are Grady High School. For school spirit to be picked up, Brandhorst says, that must change. “I think what we’re doing is pretty cool,” said Elijah Jordan, a student in Brandhorst’s technical theater class. “I’ve honestly never really cared much about the school teams or spirit or anything, but I think it’s nice that we can promote ourselves like this.” Jordan and his classmates say that they are excited to see how the new theater lobby will evolve throughout the year. Brandhorst’s plans for school spirit, however, are not limited to the theater lobby. He says that he has plans for projects throughout the school and that he hopes to have them all finished by this year. In years to come, Brandhorst hopes that Grady students will be more and more immersed in their school culture and encouraged by school spirit. -Alex Jones
The wall outside of the gym (top) is an expansive area of white, with only a small sign covering a tiny fraction of the wall. Evidence of school spirit is also sparse in the new stadium, (bottom) where the only mention of Grady is difficult to see.
Photo by Jordan Holiman
The courtyard of public opinion Where should I sit at lunch? I’m milling about in the Grady courtyard, backpack on back, and instantly notice multiple places to sit. I turn my body to face the hill and am hit by the sun’s glare. My eyes wander each and every direction, and I have a peculiar feeling that something in the setting is missing. A hawk shrieks above the courtyard so I divert my attention to it. My body hasn’t moved at all. I’m still facing the courtyard hill where the freshmen sit. As I lower my eyes from looking at the hawk, I see something gray and mysterious still high above my eye level near the C2 entrance. I wish I had brought my low-prescription glasses because my eyes could use a little correction. I briskly start walking – one foot after the other – along the path towards the mysterious thing. Each step makes the thing clearer until I see large bricks stacked as a palisade but divided in the center by a step. “Is that a castle?” I thought to myself. The mystery had piqued my interest. I felt like a freshman on the first day of school as I began to run up to the castle. With heavy breaths, I gave thanks to the hawk for enlightening my lunchtime. As I near my destination, beads of sweat rapidly form from my pores. “Do animals sweat?” I thought while I labored my way up the rest of the hill. “Of course they sweat; my dog pants, so he has to sweat.” Now I could really feel the sun beating down on me, but I continued my trek. As I climbed the step that divided the castle
walls, I saw a picnic table. It was perfect so I began pulling my lunch out of my backpack and sat down. The relentless sun was punishing, and my lightheadedness convinced me that it was actually a dragon, not a hawk, which I had seen earlier and that it had come to burn the castle. My mind simmered underneath the heat of the sun, causing my brain to transform the dragon I had imagined into the sun that tormented me so. The sun was burning and a feeling of fatigue quickly came over me. I felt my thoughts spin out of consciousness. Time slowed down, then stopped altogether. Blackness veiled the landscape around me until the group of seniors who built the patio two years ago appeared from the pitch black and began to walk towards me. A feeling of guilt and anxiety came over me. “Why would you choose such a horrible location?” I shouted at them as they approached nearer. “There are no trees, it’s too hot, it’s…” I stepped backwards but tripped over my own feet. “… too …” I was falling backwards into a floor that did not exist. “…hot,” I managed to say before I was abruptly brought back to the real world. The sun blinded my eyes, so I instantly moved to the shade. “No wonder no one sits up there,” I said out loud as I joined my senior peers underneath the comforting shade of the trees. -Jordan Holiman
Changes to come Two years ago the class of 2011 organized the creation of a cement patio near the C2 entrance from the courtyard. Seniors have rarely used the senior patio since its creation. This is why Mr. Brandhorst, students, and other teachers are organizing a project to improve the patio and courtyard with steps, seats and sculptures. The hill leading up to the patio has been a victim of terrible erosion, and that is another problem with the site that the senior class of 2013 will try to solve. Mr. Brandhorst hopes to see the project started by the end of October and finished by the end of the school year. The projects this year are the first in a decade-long series of projects planned for the courtyard. Future plans call for the installation of stone sculptures and other projects to make Grady’s courtyard a great place to be. -Jordan Holiman
Drawing by John Brandhorst
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BeltLine Lantern parade
Photos by Paula Harding
The Atlanta skyline wasn’t the only thing lighting up the city on Sept. 6. Instead of the white lights that typically dot the night sky, an array of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet lanterns paraded that night. The high-spirited sound of the Seed and Feed Marching Abominable band, the dancing movement of the lanterns and a tease of a cool fall breeze created a sense of community that was palpable. The third annual BeltLine Lantern Parade took place Sept. 6, marching roughly three miles on the newly paved Eastside trail. The 2,500 participants gathered at the Irwin Street entrance and wound along the trail until it reached its terminus at Piedmont Park. The lanterns they carried on their backs, hung on their bicycles, strapped to their heads and held in their hands were far from your conventional paper lantern. “There were these man-shaped lanterns that were
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humongous and the creators made it look like the lantern was walking,” sophomore Decker D’Alesio said. “I also saw this centipede lantern with a dozen people controlling it.” The driving force behind this event is The Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons, a local group that advocates for creative playtime for the community, and grownups included. The founder of the group, Chantelle Rytter, moved from New Orleans to Atlanta in 2001 and brought with her spirit and traditions she worried would be left behind. “I want Atlanta to love Atlanta like New Orleans loves New Orleans,” Rytter said. The group has a few traditions already, such as The Skeleton Krewe March, The Gingerbread Trailer Park Design Competition, The Gnome March World Record and The Fairy House Tour of Homes, and hopes the lantern parade will
lights up Atlanta sky
become another one to add to the list. Rytter first proposed the idea of a lantern parade to Art on the BeltLine in 2010. “I had been admiring lantern parades from around the world for years,” Rytter said, “I believe that individual creative participation in civic events fosters enduring bonds between people and place.” With approval from the Beltline, Rytter and her colleagues launched the city’s first lantern parade. Participants could either make their own lanterns at home or at one of the many free lantern-making workshops, hosted by the Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons. There was even a workshop devoted for people in wheelchairs. “People often arrive [at the workshops] afraid, like it is something they can’t do,” Rytter said, “then they realize that there is no right way to do it and relax and love it.”
This was the first year that the participants were able to walk on a paved trail, instead of having to walk in the mud and weeds of the unpaved trail. The improved path of the parade may explain the jump in participation from the 500 or so lined up to march in previous years to the 1,250 people who marched in the parade this year. The 70-degree weather didn’t hurt attendance either. “There was such a strong sense of community on the BeltLine that night, which can be lacking from Atlanta sometimes,” junior Eliza Renner said. The Krewe of the Grateful Gluttons hope to bring the parade to the Eastside trail again but also to the West End trail and to subsequent BeltLine developments. “The Lantern Parade is a living illustration of how the brilliance of individuals can illuminate a community,” Rytter said. -Kate Taber
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O’brothers where art thou? The Avett’s new album fails to capture the group’s signature sound
The Carpenter, the Avett Brothers’ latest album, was released on Sept. 11. It is the seventh full-length album for the band of brothers and the first release since the 2009 album I and Love and You. The group from Concord, N.C., consisting of brothers Seth and Scott Avett and bassist Bob Crawford, is known for its banjo-rich melodies, goose bump-enducing harmonies and unmatchable soulful presence on stage. Like the band’s past albums, the music on The Carpenter is lyrically beautiful and vocally brilliant. The opening track “The Once and Future Carpenter” and the later tracks “Down With the Shine” and “Live and Die” are classic examples of the group’s formulaic song style that incorporates catchy, well-written melodies and pitch-perfect two-part harmonies. The band is still able to write the painfully beautiful acoustic ballads like those on its previous records like The Gleam (2006) and The Second Gleam (2008). “Winter in My Heart” is The Avetts’ melodic, lovesick lament about the absence of emotion and empathy. The same can be said about the track “Through my Prayers,” a somber and mournful tune dedicated to a deceased lover. Both songs sound like deeply emotional poetry put to music. What I miss on this album is the musical simplicityfor
which the album is known. It is obvious that the band is aware of its audience but is also trying to branch out to new listeners. Consequently, this album has much more popular sounds, thanks to the heavy-handed studio production that is a clear departure from albums past. I feel these added elements, like studio percussion and studio mixing, take away from the simple elegance typical of the band’s earlier work. What I yearn for is the emotionally saturated and unapologetically raw tracks like those from previous albums Mignonette (2004) and Emotionalism (2007) that incorporated nothing more than a banjo, guitar, stand-up bass and maybe some stomps of the feet to keep rhythm. These are the sanguine songs that made me fall hopelessly in love with this group, not tracks tediously mixed to perfection in a lifeless studio. All in all, nothing can put down good songwriting. The album is a well-rounded mix of somber and joyful songs that incorporate well-written melodies and lyrics. It is a fan-pleasing mix of tunes that incorporate the classic, rural North Carolinian musical stylings of Seth and Scott Avett. Good music is in their genes even if it is tainted by some overeager studio meddling. -Luke Webster
God save Queen (and Bowie too) Didn’t get your fix of London tuneage in July? Stock up on these highlights from the 2012 Olympic ceremonies for a truly smashing playlist. Sex Pistols – “God Save the Queen” The Clash - “London Calling” Rizzle Kicks - “When I Was a Youngster” The Who - “My Generation” The Rolling Stones - “Satisfaction” The Kinks - “All Day and All of the Night” Queen - “Bohemian Rhapsody” Frankie Goes to Hollywood - “Relax” Eurythmics - “Sweet Dreams” Blur - “Song 2” Dizzee Rascal - “Bonkers” Arctic Monkeys - “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor”
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Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse “Valerie” New Order - “Blue Monday” Franz Ferdinand - “Take Me Out” Oasis - “Wonderwall” Emeli Sande - “Heaven” Tinie Tempah - “Pass Out” Madness – “Our House” Jessie J., B.o.B. – “Price Tag” The Spice Girls – “Wannabe” Muse - “Survival” David Bowie - “Heroes” The Beatles - “Hey Jude” -Graphics by James Moy
Shows
The Shins Oct. 8, Cobb Energy Centre Dispatch Oct. 12, Fox Theatre Passion Pit Oct. 20, Masquerade Citizen Cope Nov. 9, The Tabernacle Regina Spektor Nov. 10, The Tabernacle Dr. Dog Nov. 16, Masquerade Madonna Nov. 17, Philips Arena Waka Flocka Flame Nov. 21, The Tabernacle
Releases
Oct. 1—Muse, The 2nd Law Oct. 2—Matt and Kim, Lightning Oct. 9—A Fine Frenzy, Pines Oct. 9—Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, The Heist Oct. 15—Will.i.am, #willpower Oct. 22—Taylor Swift, Red Oct. 23—Titus Andronicus, Local Business Nov. 13—50 Cent, Street King Immortal Nov. 13—Big Boi, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors Nov. 13—Soundgarden, King Animal Dec. 4—Ke$ha, Warrior
Batter up
If you played for the Atlanta Braves, what would your walk-up song be? Taylor Baker
Bradley Mackett
Ryan Switzer
Foster the People - “Pumped Up Kicks”
Electric Six - “High Voltage”
Deerhoof - “Scream Team”
Anatole Roper
Eric Spencer
Alex Fairly
Jason Aldean - “Big Green Tractor”
Red Nation - “The Game Feat. Lil Wayne”
Chrisette Michelle - “If I Had My Way”
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Last season for a hometown legend
Photo by Peter Mastin Chipper Jones digs into the plate moments before he launched his second Bobblehead Night homer against the Padres on Aug. 16.
If you follow baseball, knowing Chipper Jones is a necessity. if you are from Atlanta, not knowing Chipper Jones is a sin. For Braves fans, Chipper is not just a Hall-of-Fame bound super-stud, he is part of the Atlanta Braves DNA. Chipper’s impact on the the franchise is immeasurable. Jones has stayed with the Atlanta Braves since he was chosen in 1990 as the No. 1 draft pick. Considering all the offers from other teams that would have earned him much more money, it is amazing that he stayed in Atlanta for 19 seasons, but he did and now it would be weird to see him wearing another jersey. Jones refused to leave legendary coach Bobby Cox and the Braves, and the result is perhaps the
best career in team history. When he leaves, there will be a missing piece out of the heart of the team. Jones is the sole remaining player from the 1995 World Series team, the only player left who played a part in the Braves’ dominance in the 1990s. In this, his last season, Jones is going out with a bang. Jones does not have to convince the world that he is one of baseball’s greats; his career is already evidence of that. Even so, Jones is obviously not satisfied. The 40-yearold is playing like he is fighting for his place on the team. On his own bobblehead night in front of a rowdy stadium, he hit not one but two home runs. It is his style to be epic. In the 2000 AllStar Game that was held in Atlanta for
the first time since the 70s. Jones hit the only home run of the game. If Larry Wayne Jr. didn’t play for the Braves, I would still be a fan of his. He is a baseball god. His life has been baseball, and he will always be part of an elite few: one of the few players drafted right out of high school, one of the few to stay with the same franchise, and one of the few to get more than 2,500 hits. He has driven in more runs than any third basemen, ever. The list goes on and on. At the end of this season, the sure Hall-of-Fame third baseman will convert to being a dad. Chipper has brought countless great moments to the Atlanta Braves and of course, to the game of baseball. -Peter Mastin
What was your favorite Olympic sport to watch?
“Diving was really fun to watch because when they put it into slow motion you could see the funny faces that the divers made.” -Hannah Meachin, senior “I liked to watch soccer because I play soccer so it’s interesting to watch others play, especially on such a high level.” -Erin Ferris, freshman
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“Pommel horse was my favorite thing to watch because it’s so different, and it takes a lot of strength and speed.”
“I liked to watch basketball because it was interesting to watch the talent live up to that hype.” -Ryan Bolton, junior
-Kyle Cobb, junior “I don’t really watch the Olympics, but gymnastics was an exception. It’s fun to watch such young gymnasts compete.” -Faye Webster, sophomore Interveiws and photos by Kelsey Woods
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Whether it’s floor routine, uneven bars or balance beam, Siegel always shoots for the perfect 10.
College gymnastics might be in the cards for gifted junior Madeline Siegel’s life has revolved around gymnastics ever since she was 18 months old. Back then, she was taking “Mommy and Me” classes. Now a junior at Grady and competing on level 10 at the Atlanta Gymnastics Center in Decatur, she spends almost as much time there as she does in school. Shortly after Siegel completed “Mommy and Me” classes, her mom decided it was time to allow her daughter to pursue gymnastics on her own. “My mom put me and my sister into gymnastics because we were always rolling around and swinging on everything we could get our hands on,” Siegel said. Siegel practices every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, leaving only two days a week to herself. Siegel wakes up each day at 7 a.m., attends school and then drives straight from Grady to the gym where she practices until 8:30 p.m. At that time, she heads home, eats, completes her homework and gets ready for bed. By the time she completes her school work, it’s usually around 1 a.m. How does Siegel balance family, friends, school work and gymnastics? It may be harder than a level-10 floor routine, but Siegel is used to it by now. “Hopefully, all of my hard work will pay off soon,” she said. Siegel’s long-term goal is to secure a spot on a college gymnastics team. “My biggest goal for right now is to focus on school and college gymnastics scholarships,” said Siegel, eyeing the University of California-Davis, located just
outside of Sacramento. “It has a good gymnastics team, it has an excellent animal science program (which I plan to go into), and it looks like a nice school,” Siegel said. Her family and friends all have high hopes for Siegel and her future in gymnastics. Her sister, Gabrielle, offers her the most support. “She works incredibly hard, so it would be awesome to see that hard work pay off at the collegiate level. I’d love to go watch her!” Gabrielle Siegel said. Now a freshman at University of Georgia, Gabrielle used to be a gymnast until she suffered a back injury that ended her gymnast career. “I try to support Madeline as much as possible because I used to do gymnastics, too, so I know how difficult and stressful it can be,” she said. Although gymnastics can be very stressful for young gymnasts, Madeline Siegel’s hard work only makes her better. She has had plenty of memorable moments that has made all intense training worth it. “My biggest accomplishment throughout my gymnastics career was placing second at Prep Optional Regionals. It was the best competition I can remember!” Siegel said. Her friends and family all believe that Siegel can make it onto a college gymnastics team, and who knows? Maybe one day we will all be watching her at the next summer Olympics, leading a new “Fab Five” to Olympic gold. -Mallory McFarlin 13
DIS UN RE
COVERING
TLANTA
Grady during the demolition of the Eighth Street building before the construction began. The 2004 renovation completely rebuilt the Eighth Street building and renovated all floors of the Charles Allen building as well. -Photo by Evelyn Barnes
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Nexus examines the past lives of Atlanta landmarks and unearths the forgotten history that is right under our nose.
The Black Box theater was built around the exsisting stage and chimney from the old gym. -Photo by Nara Smith
If Grady could talk, the stories it would share
Some things in Grady are common knowledge: the school motto, the school colors, the need to avoid the discipline office, the loopholes in the dress code, and Dr. Propst’s infamous, go-to phrase, “You are wrong.” What is less well-known, however is the history of our campus and the changes that have occurred over the past 88 years. Grady was built by the architect Philip Shutze and opened in 1924 as an all-white males-only school. During this time, the campus contained two high schools: Boys High and Tech High. In 1937, workers from the Works Progress Administration (a New Deal program) built our current practice gym. Twenty-three years later, Boys High, Tech High, and Girls High, the only public schools for white Atlantans merged, and the combined school was named Henry W. Grady High School in honor of the well-known journalist Henry Woodfin Grady who helped renew the South after the Civil War. Besides receiving a new name and more students, the main building of Grady received a makeover with the addition of an office, media center and additional classrooms. Alluding to the school’s new namesake, school officials renamed the school yearbook The Orator, and the school newspaper, The Southerner. In 1961, Grady became one of the first high schools in Georgia to integrate when Mary McMullen and Lawrence Jefferson became the first African-American students to attend the school. Over the years, the multiethnic population has grown. Under the leadership of Principal Thomas Adger and communications magnet program coordinator Kate Earnhardt, the school underwent another transformation in the 1980s and began offering Advanced Placement courses, innovative technology and a debate team. The school was also renewed through the addition of a theater, carpets in the classrooms, air-conditioning in the Charles Allen Building, and a communications wing along Eighth Street. Literature teacher Lawrence McCurdy remembers the way the school looked before the renovation. “There were murals all over the walls, and we preserved the Civil Rights mural that was done by a social studies class combined with an art class,” Mr. McCurdy said. “All of the lockers were painted different colors, which was kind of interesting. So, the place had a quirky look to it that was kind of unique, too.” The place, however, was also memorable in other ways. “The school was dirty,” McCurdy said. “We had nasty carpets, and we had visitors all the time from rodents, and the renovation was sorely needed.” During the late 1980s and 1990s the school was named a School of Excellence twice (in 1991 and 1996), and Dr. Vincent Murray began his tenure as principal. Students painted murals throughout the hallways and in the cafeteria. The Eighth Street building was completely demolished and rebuilt in 2005 as part of a multimillion dollar renovation project. Grady morphed yet again into four small learning communities in 2010, which phased out the magnet program and made the class of 2013 the last magnet class. Grady will keep evolving, and the narrative of campus history will change along with it. -Jakara Griffin
The old Grady courtyard sits empty one afternoon in 2000. Instead of cement and trees, it is covered in grasses and shrubs.
The Grady courtyard sits empty one afternoon. Instead of The oldand patio being installed cement trees, it is coveredinin2000. grasses in shrubs.
Students rendezvous in the old courtyard, which underwent a total renovation in 2000.
The threshold of the old cafeteria entrance stands in solitude during the 2005 renovation.
Photo courtesy of Dean Davis
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2012
Photo by Tia Borrego Photo by Tia Borrego
Atlanta’s Atlantis: Ponce de Leon Park The now thriving shopping center on Ponce was once a bustling baseball park full of life that hosted Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Eddie Mathews We see buildings every day, walking by them or passing them when we are on our way somewhere. Places have a lot of significance in themselves, but what may be of greater importance is what existed before it was what it is now. Many people, especially younger generations, do not realize that the large street of Ponce de Leon was not always how it now appears. According to Sarah Toton’s Vales of Amusements: Moderity, Tchnology, and Atlanta’s Ponce de Leon Park 1870-1920 (2008), the area of Ponce de Leon that is now the Ponce City Market and City Hall East was once the site of Ponce de Leon Springs. Ponce de Leon Springs was a series of natural springs that became a frequented day trip for many Atlantans who enjoyed looking at and playing in the springs in the 1860s. According to Toton, in the 1870s, omnibus and horse car services were extended into the Ponce de Leon Springs the amount of daily visitors increased substantially. As the number of visitors to the springs increased; many more attractions were added to entice people to visit the springs. These attractions were developed in the 1880s through 1890s and included a dance hall, theater and picnic grounds. As time progressed, more and more services and attractions were added to the springs until 1903 when construction began on an amusement park on the 16 site of the springs. By then, the area was already
serviced by a nine-mile circle line of streetcars, which had been in service since the late 1800s. Upon completion, the amusement park was only open to whites. People of color were allowed entrance, only if they were the servants of a white patron of the park. In 1924, the amusement park was closed, and the Sears headquarters was built in its place. According to Tim Darnell’s The Crackers: Early Days of Atlanta Baseball (2003), a four-acre lake was located by the site of the former amusement park. In 1907, this lake was filled and made into the Ponce de Leon ballpark, which was located next to the Ponce de Leon amusement park. The Ponce de Leon ballpark was home to the Atlanta Crackers, and later the Atlanta Black Crackers, baseball teams. In 1923, a fire destroyed the ballpark. The ballpark was rebuilt in 1924 and renamed Spiller Field. According to Darnell, the most notable feature of Spiller Field was the large magnolia tree located in the center of the baseball field. Babe Ruth and Eddie Mathews both hit home runs that became stuck in this tree. To this day, this large magnolia tree is the only surviving physical remnant of Spiller Field, which was demolished in 1965 and turned into a shopping center that now houses Ponce City Market, City Hall East, and the Midtown Shopping Center. -Tia Borrego
Eclectic neighborhood has seen a century of incessant reinvention From Edgewood to edgy, and from crime to sublime, Little 5 Points keeps evolving In the early 1900s, the city of Atlanta began to evolve beyond its commercial downtown. Our city started to urbanize and several now well-populated neighborhoods today came to be. The first of them was Edgewood, established in 1908, now known as Candler Park. Out of this neighborhood sprouted the shopping district of Little Five Points, the first commercial area outside of Five Points downtown. It was originally known as the Bass Neighborhood. Many shops have come and gone and the customer basis has expanded considerably, but since its creation, Little Five Points continues to offer a unique shopping experience to all. The eclectic community of Little Five Points rooted from the style of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and New Orleans’s French Quarter. In its early years, during the 1960s, the up-and-coming area and surrounding neighborhoods struggled to become a safe environment. Crime was inevitable to this transforming area frequented by roaming drug dealers and violent thugs. Rachel Taylor, who was born and raised in Atlanta, grew up on Euclid Avenue, a street directly leading to Little Five. In the early 80s, she spent just about every day hanging out with friends in the area and recalls all the evident crime. “It was just a dangerous place to live but [we] still loved the city and made the best of it”, Taylor said. It didn’t help that city officials were also trying to rezone and demolish as much of the area as possible. The Stone Mountain Freeway was originally designed to travel through the middle of Little Five Points. It was to continue from its location through Decatur, Druid Hills, Candler Park, and into downtown. The community banned together to keep the highway out. Local preservationists blocked the road where construction was to take place. The community board then requested grants from the city in order to strengthen and support itself, such as Freedom Park. The grants funded public improvements. During the 70s, several of Little Five Points’ distinct businesses were formed. Atlanta’s first alternative radio station, WRFG also started. Over the years they have
supported the ban of discrimination, and welcome all regardless of race, sex, age, or sexual orientation. This tolerant attitude flows throughout all of Little Five. BOND was the first of its kind, a community based credit union aimed at helping the local home and business owners grow along with them, not like other commercial banks. “How we work is pretty much the same but why we do things is completely different.” Manager, Alpesh Patel said. ‘We operate for the benifit of the neighborhood and community.” BOND was created for the purpose to help people save money by offering home loans. In 1970 there were small begininngs. Across from its current location, was a “shack” where a small group of people conducted bussiness in a humble kitchen. In order to fund its first year of dividens, the credit union’s founders sold peaches on local streets. The credit union has thrived ever since its official chartering in 1972. Sevenanda opened as Atlanta’s first health food and avant-garde grocery. Today it is the Southeast’s largest consumer-owned cooperative and the second oldest. Back in the day, Ragorama was an A&P Grocery Store and Wish clothing boutique was a library. As it grows. Little Five Points will always be changing and attracting more people to the area. Taylor recalls Little Five Points consisting of only punks and skinheads. Now, it serves as a home to locals as well as a new shopping experience to out-of-towners. “It has become a tourist attraction it never used to be” Taylor said. 7 Stages and Variety Playhouse offer unique theater and musical performances. Wax and Facts and Criminal Records provide to the musical junkies. Junkman’s Daughter, Psycho Sisters, Stratosphere and the Star Bar are several businesses that were established early on and continue to thrive. Little Five Points can be described as unique from any other place in Georgia. It provides our city with a culture you just can’t find anywhere else. - Nara Smith
Photo courtesy Special Collections Dept, Pullen Library, GSU
2012
Photo by Nara Smith
c.1940s
Belly dancers not broadcasters
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Many locals and countless tourists have taken the CNN Center tour. The tour starts with a ride on the world’s longest freestanding escalator, 205 feet long and eight stories up. Today, at the end of the ride, visitors get to see the inter workings of the Cable News Network, but 36 years ago they entered a room filled with circus wagons and eccentric performers. That’s because in 1976 the building housed The World of Sid and Marty Krofft. If you haven’t heard of it that’s probably because it was only open for five months and 17 days. Though the park was short-lived it was composed of many ingenious, and ridiculous, rides and performances. The park was created by and named after two brothers, Sid and Marty Krofft. They come from a long line of master puppeteers, starting with their great-great grandfather who opened a theater in Athens, Greece, in the 1700s. They were discovered as teenagers and brought to Hollywood where their creative handmade puppets and their skills as puppeteers were shown on talk shows. The pair was instantly popular and began producing Saturday morning television shows that appealed to children and college students coming off drug highs. The park contained characters and themes derived from their television shows, along with entirely new creations. Details about the park survive in contemporary newspaper articles and information pamphlets that were given out at the park. Upon entering the park, the patrons would buy their tickets on the ground floor, ride the escalator up to the top, and then work their way back down through five themed levels. The top level was named Fantasy Fair. It contained various performers and circus tents that served as shops. Many of the performers today would be considered politically incorrect such as “The World’s Littlest Little Person” and “The Fat Lady.” There were more wholesome performers, too, including a sword swallower, a tattooed belly dancer and a fortuneteller whose assistant was a talking head. On this level people could buy balloons, fudge
and giant hot dogs. The next level down was Tranquility Terrace, whose main attraction was a 60-ton carousel where passengers would ride on crystal figures of mythological creatures. The level also offered a theater with short performances where children from the audience could participate in costumed roles. H.R. Pufnstuf, the title character of the Kroffts first successful Saturday morning TV show, was around to give autographs and pose for souvenir photos. The middle level was Uptown, which featured a giant pinball machine ride. Riders would climb into giant pinballs and a 10-foot robot would pull a plunger that hurled them into all the parts of a pinball machine with bumpers, flippers, flashing lights and scoring holes. After seeing what it was like to be a real pinball, visitors could go to an arcade with coin-operated pinball machines and skeeball games. Down another level, all the shops and games were made out of giant hats, in Lidsville. In addition to giant hats, there was a theater with performances of ice ballet, whirling dervishes, tap-dancing eagles and marionettes. The show had an epic finale celebrating the country’s 200th birthday; there was a parade of puppets above the audiences’ head of Columbus, Pilgrims, cowboys, Indians and the Liberty Bell. To reach the bottom level, patrons descended down a mineshaft into the Living Island Adventure, where visitors had to escape horrifying Witchiepoo and her henchmen. There were bats, vultures, talking trees, sneezing houses and a creepy cemetery all to add to the terror. The park was original and inventive, qualities that should have at the very least given it a chance at success, but it was only open for a few months. The park cost a total of $14 million to build, $10 million of which the Kroffts took out in bank loans. The condition of the loans was that all profits would go directly to the bank; because there was low initial profit the banks took their money back. The lack of profit was due to a lack of visitors. People didn’t go because at the time the area surrounding the park was considered unsafe. There was also confusion about the overall point of the park. It wasn’t clear if the park was for children or adults, and the park didn’t really fit either. People were expecting thrill rides, and the only two rides available were for special effects. Visitors expected to spend all day at the park, but it only took three to four hours to travel through it and enjoy every attraction. There is no doubt that The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was incredibly creative and in a category of its own. It was the first indoor amusement park and the main problem was probably communicating the park as an entertainment venue rather than a place with roller coasters. Being the first of anything always causes strain, which The World of Sid and Marty Krofft buckled under despite its possibility for greatness. -Laura Streib
The Illistrations are from an information pamplets provided to park visitors. The drawings in it offer some of the few images available depicting the indoor attractions.
Photo by: Nara Smith
Piedmont Park ages with elegance Dating back to the 19th century, the historic city park across the street from Grady has the richer past than the average picnicker would expect
Piedmont Park has been Grady’s 10th Street neighbor as long as Grady has been around. In fact, if you liken Grady to a young child, Piedmont Park would be that child’s wise old grandfather. According to documents provided by the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the park has a story filled with two centuries worth of change and evolution. Back in 1895, the Cotton States Exposition came to the freshly cleared fairgrounds that are now known as Piedmont Park. It was a grand exposition promoting the new, post-Civil War South’s economy of agriculture and horticulture, as well as showcasing the area’s fine arts and education. This historically significant 100-day fair advertising southern business was the first of its kind to feature electricity, and people came from far and wide to join in on the festivities and see the light tower in the middle of the newly created lake and the electric gates that were opened by President Grover Cleveland. The expo was alive with famous speakers and politicians, like Booker T. Washington, who gave his famous and influential “Atlanta Compromise” speech promoting racial cooperation in the South. Other than listening to public addresses and examining exhibits, expo attendees frequented the multitude of entertainment options. Next to the newly constructed Lake Clara Meer in the area of the park that is now Oak Hill was a wealth of attractions such as shows about the Wild West, electric-powered boat rides, an exhibition of the Liberty Bell and the famed “Phoenix Wheel,” the second Ferris wheel ever to be constructed in the United States.
After the exposition ended, the city purchased the large plot of land and sought to put it to good use. After many Atlantans argued against turning the grounds into another cotton mill, the city contacted the acclaimed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to draft the designs for an urban park. Olmsted, the architect of Prospect Park in Brooklyn and the famous Central Park in New York City, urged many American cities, including Atlanta, to set up a park system, even if it was rudimentary, because he felt it offered a “means of counteracting the evils of town life.” Olmstead’s design featured the idea of large “outdoor rooms.” His goal was to make the average park visitor feel as if he or she was walking into a vast, budding room of nature every time he or she came into a new area of the park. The Park was built in 1910 to the specifications of Olmsted’s design firm, with one exception. The city decided to build a nine-hole golf course against the wishes of the architect. Concerned that they would not have enough money for the entire park project, the city saw the golf course as a way to generate a revenue to support the project and the city’s budding park system. The course was built on the Meadow and Oak Hill, the modern-day Bermuda grass fields located directly across the street from Grady. In the original park plan, a channelized rainwater canal ran straight through the middle of the Meadow. Clear Creek, as it was called, originated in Inman Park and flowed all throughout the city of Atlanta. It remained this way for many years until the channel was paved over in 1997. The history of the Piedmont Park nine-hole golf course is a bit hazy.
A view of the majestic Midtown Skyline can be seen from the field at Oak Hill.
Photo by James Moy
Most of the history of the course is not documented. The park has no record of the architect of the course or any of its significant happenings other than a few local, word-of-mouth legends. The most prominent story is about the great Atlanta native and worldrenowned golfer Bobby Jones. According to legend, Jones, after finishing a round in the late afternoon, was drinking and being merry with his playing partners in the course’s old clubhouse, the modern-day Park Tavern. The gentleman he was with decided to challenge the great golfer to a bet. Half jokingly, he bet him that he could not hit a golf ball from the middle of the room, out an open window and onto the ninth green, located just in front of the clubhouse. Jones accepted the man’s challenge to execute this seemingly impossible golf shot and antes were made throughout the bar. As the story goes, in classic Bobby Jones style, the golfing great pitched a shot from the middle of the carpeted room, cleanly out of the open nine-pane window, and rolled the ball onto the bent grass of the ninth green. After the golf course closed in 1979, the park began to evolve into the beautiful piece of land that it is today with all of its modern amenities, like swimming pools and recreational fields. You can still, however, hear the remains of the park’s past. Lake Clara Meer, the identifiable layout of the old golf course on Oak Hill, the old golf course clubhouse that is part of the Park Tavern and the recognizable pavedover Clear Creek running through the Meadow and under the Park Drive Bridge are all shouting to us: all we have to do is listen. -Luke Webster
1895
Then
2012
Now
Then: Oak Hill’s attractions during the Cotton States Exposition in 1895 include the “Phoenix Wheel,” the second Ferris wheel ever constructed in the United States. Now: This area is now the vast Oak Hill field.
2012
1895
Then: The aerial look from the top of the Phoenix Wheel in 1895 gives a view of the fairgrounds from the south side. Now: An aerial view of Oak Hill today shows how the park has evolved since then.
2012
c. 1955
Then: The Piedmont Park Golf Course’s cobblestone clubhouse, circa 1955, is quaint and humble. Now: The building remains relatively unchanged, today a part of the Park Tavern on 10th Street.
c. 1955
2012
Then: Two golfers rest under the shade of a tree, looking over the Piedmont Park Golf Course and the Grady football stadium c. 1955. Now: The same view can be seen from the meadow today. -Old photos courtesy of the Piedmont Park Conservancy
-New photos by Luke Webster
is in e cu
You’ll Go Bananas over this Bread
Photos by Lily Trapkin
Ingredients: • a stick of butter •2 eggs •1 1/4 cup all-purpose If there’s one smell that I’ll flour always relate to my mom, it’s the •1 teaspoon baking soda aroma of fresh baked banana • 1/2 teaspoon salt bread filling up every square inch •1 cup sugar of our small ranch house. Banana •3 ripe bananas bread was always a rare treat in •3/4 cup chopped nuts my family that we only got when (optional) Mom felt inspired to get all of •1 cup frozen blueberries the ingredients together to bake Directions: it. It took a while to make, but 1) Preheat the oven to 350 vanished in a matter of days. As degrees Fahrenheit. I’ve gotten older, I’ve delved into 2) Combine the butter and sugar the delectable world of baking in a mixer and beat until smooth. and happened to stumble upon 3) Add the eggs slowly and beat my mom’s banana bread recipe. them in for a minute. It was written on a sheet of white 4) Add the dry ingredients printer paper with a blue ballpoint and then SLOWLY stir them all together. 5) Add the bananas. 6) Stop the mixer and fold in the nuts with a spatula. 7) Add the berries! 8) Pour the mixture into a pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. 9) Sprinkle brown sugar over the mixture and pop it in the oven. 10) Check the bread after 45 minutes, baking it up to an hour. 11) Use a fork or toothpick to check if the bread is done by sticking it in the center of the loaf. 12) Once the bread is fully cooked, remove from the oven. 13) Make the first cut and enjoy!
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pen in the loopy handwriting that I associate with my mother. Seeing as she hadn’t whipped up any banana bread in quite some time, I decided to take on the responsibility of being the primary banana bread maker in my house. The recipe was straightforward and simple, two things that I look for when deciding on a sweet to bake. With one slight change to my mother’s recipe, the addition of blueberries, I baked what I believe to be the perfect banana bread.
-Lily Trapkin
”
to
P i zz a n e z o r F
One day, instead of going out to eat and spending money, my friends and I just decided to cook a frozen cheese pizza at my house. As I was preparing it on the tray, my friend Jolie suggested we add some flavor to it. I pulled out various choices for toppings, all of which were vegetables. Jolie then asked if I had any pesto sauce. The only thing I’ve ever had pesto sauce on was pasta, so I was very curious to taste the new combination. In the end, it tasted incredibly delicious, giving the pizza an extra “zing.” We all agreed it was better than what we would hav e paid for if had we gone to a restaurant. Not only did we save money, but our health too!
Ad d i n g
“ Z i
n g
Ingredients: • plain frozen cheese pizza • 1/2 green pepper sliced • 1/2 onion sliced • artichokes • pesto sauce, enough to cover the pizza • extra shredded cheese (whatever kind you prefer) • 1/2 tomato sliced
Photos by Victoria Dragstedt
Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Spread the pesto sauce over the entire pizza. 3. Throw on the sliced green peppers, onion, tomato and artichokes. 4. Cover the vegetables with a layer of shredded cheese. 5. Put the pizza in the oven for 10-15 minutes. -Victoria Dragstedt 6. Take it out, let it cool, slice and serve! The finished product. The cheese is melted, the crust is crispy, and the veggies are juicy. Clearly superior to any other frozen cheese pizza, this one is ready to eat.
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cu is in e
For Farm to School program, beating obesity goes beyond the menu
It’s known to be slimy, processed and definitely not the color one would think it to be. Students are warned about this very thing even before entering school; if there was one aspect of school students could change, this would be it – school lunches. School lunches have had a bad “wrap,” and I’m not talking about the piece of bread stuffed with squareshaped meat and covered in plastic. Student presidents can now rightfully aspire to improve school lunches because it is happening at schools all around the country. Farm to School, a program simply known as F2S, has been aiming for kids in America to have an enhanced and more nutritious connection to food. Although kids do not have a direct say in what they would want to eat for lunch every day, students who rely on school lunches still deserve the best or at least something better than what they are used to. Since Georgia has one of the highest per capita rates of child obesity, the nonprofit organization Georgia Organics organized The Georgia Farm to School Program as a way to utilize the state’s local produce to combat those statistics. Since 2007, the program has been targeting districts with high obesity rates by teaching children about nutrition and by sponsoring healthy activities throughout schools. The program chooses to focus on elementaryschool kids as a way to get children to eat
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Student lunches may not be 100-percent healthy, but thanks to F2S, at least the potato chips fight for tray space with whole-grain entrees, healthier sides and milk or juice.
healthier and to be more open to trying new foods in their cafeteria. These districts include APS, which has served more locally grown produce since it has joined the F2S program. But have the menus of school cafeteria’s really changed? It might not be obvious, but there are changes going on behind those kitchen counters. Georgia Organic’s advocacy director, Jennifer Owens, says that schools around Georgia are obtaining about 40 percent of their produce from local and regional farmers in the South.
Environmental Science teacher Korri Ellis said “I have noticed many differences in the lunches at Grady over the years; they have been using more local produce and whole grain products.” Kitchen manager Eugene Lundy, has been enforcing those changes. More fruits and vegetables are visible throughout each of the four cafeteria lines. Every morning, Lundy
Healthy food options include whole grain pizza and fruits such as apples and oranges.
The Earth Club is currently planting fall fruits in the Grady Garden, located in between the trailers and the gym. The garden (left), which is in its fourth year, is comprised of snow peas (middle) as well as purple cone flower and basil (right).
keeps an eye out on what students are eating for breakfast, making sure they grab milk or a piece of fruit along with their meal. More changes are also occurring within the schools and classrooms. Owens is working on a districtwide wellness policy that will determine the amount of physical activity that should be performed and vending-machine restrictions, as well as encouraging school gardens throughout the area just like the one at Grady High School’s. Ellis has been contributing to the
Farm to School Program herself. Ellis created a Grady Garden and recruited Earth Club students to cultivate, tend and harvest it. The garden has a wide variety of vegetables and fruit and although the garden’s produce cannot be included in school lunches. “If we have enough of something, we try to give it to students,” Ellis said. Grady’s Earth Club has had chefs visit sponsored schoolwide taste testing. With these features at Grady, students are introduced to new, healthier lunch options. The older students get, the more
Even the old cafeteria staple--the pepperoni pizza--has gotten a heathy makover. The Grady cafeteria staff introduced wholegrain pizza dough at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.
they realize that they aren’t receiving adequate meals at school. The Farm to School Program strives to strengthen ties between the four C’s: classroom, cafeteria, the culinary arts and the community. F2S does not only bring fresher, wholesome foods into schools but has kids directly involved by planting their own vegetables or learning how to cook healthier with professional chefs. Farm to School has literally been growing over the past few years and helping Georgia students along the path. -Sanjida Mowla
This cafeteria customer is probably smiling because of the conversation he’s having, but he might also be pleased with the healthier side options (side salads and fruit cups) now available.
The FreshPoint delivery man stocks up the Grady cafeteria fridge wih fresh fruits and vegetables each Tuesday.
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re tu Photo by Mckenzie Taylor
co u
A store with lots of moxie
26
Moxy always has an open door, welcoming the neighborhood with a vibrant and colorful window display.
“She’s not your average mall shopper,” said co-owner Paula Girvan of the ideal girl who would shop at Moxy. “She doesn’t like to walk around in the same thing everyone else has on. She has a unique look about her.” Girvan and Katherine Seal, friends for 27 years, have just opened Moxy, a stylish boutique in VirginiaHighland. Moxy occupies the retail space that used to be Mooncake, a whimsical boutique which had been established in the neighborhood since 1991. The owner, a friend of Girvan’s, retired and offered the space to Girvan and Seal who had been searching for a place for their store. “The concept she and I had been working on for a long time,” Girvan said. “[It was] just [to sell] some really comfortable, very wearable stylish clothes that you could go day to evening with.” The storefront of Moxy is chic. The vivid red door pops out against the black windowpanes and the sansserif font of the sign is sleek and clean. All-white walls and shelving and a smooth concrete floor make up the interior of the store, but the array of clothes and wooden accents add contrast. Music plays lightly in the background and closet-like organizers against the walls house the clothes. A plush rug with shades of brown and white floral sunbursts adds warmth and softness. The authentic wood and metal table in the center of the store displays jewelry made by local artists along with a range of skinny jeans and comfy undergarments. A silver metal ball with tons of skinny, curvy metal branches, metal ovals and crystals combine to create an eye-catching chandelier hanging as the centerpiece of the boutique. The atmosphere of the boutique is clean and cozy. Every aspect of the design adds to the ambience, including the lush plum-colored dressing-room curtains and a second chandelier made of inverted wine glasses. Moxy features about a dozen brands unique to the store. Each of these unique brands feature leisurely, stylish and durable clothing, accessories and shoes. The most unifying factor of the merchandise at Moxy is transition; the clothing can easily go from day to night. Some of the most popular brands at Moxy are Rachael Pally and Velvet, both based in New York City. With prices ranging from $50 to $400, Moxy has something for everyone. It is the perfect place to pick up a piece of jewelry or a unique top for a birthday present or to shop for an outfit for any occasion. Girvan is also the owner of The Cavern, a bar also in Virginia-Highland, which was another reason to open a boutique in the neighborhood. Moxy is Girvan and Seal’s first business venture together and first retail store. Girvan and Seal hope to open another boutique but not for a year or two. “We’re still kind of giddy about this,” Girvan said. “It’s like just having a baby: you haven’t thought about the second one yet.” Moxy opened on Aug. 4 and so far it has received a lot of positive feedback on its Facebook page. Kimberly Brewer, a Moxy customer, posted on the boutique’s Facebook page a few days after the store’s opening. “I love that I can find something new every week to wear now and through our mild winters,” Brewer said. “I bought the most scrumptious dress and can’t wait to wear it! Thanks, girls, for having something for everyone!” -Mckenzie Taylor
Do It Yourself H
E
X
N
U
International Style T
bracelet
Two foreign students talk about their world-class flair.
James Meier
“In England it’s less mainstream, so everyone is trying to look different from everyone else. There are a lot of cut jeans and cut vests, but everyone has the same snapback hats that you have here.”
Materials: -Three pieces of string or twine cut each about 16 inches long -At least 18 small hex nuts (amount depends on how long you want the bracelet to be) -Scotch tape -Scissors
What is one thing you’ve seen people wear in America that you haven’t seen in the U.K.?
Tie together the three pieces of string in a knot leaving about three inches off the end. Tape the ends down on a table.
“Bandanas. Not many people wear bandanas, like across their heads.”
1.
2.
How is style in England different than it is in America?
How would you describe your style? “Well, I’ve noticed that in the whole of Grady I think I’m the only one wearing a sweater everyday!”
Braid the string for about two inches. Thread a hex nut on the far left string and push it to the base of the braid. Braid the far left string over the middle string.
What is your favorite article of clothing that you own? “My Ralph Lauren shoes, definitely.”
Thread another hex nut onto the far right string and push it to the base of the braid. Crossover the far right string.
Sharr Jakupi How is style in Germany different than in America?
3. Continue to thread on the hex nuts as described in Steps 2 and 3 until you have the desired length of your bracelet.
“Here everyone has their own style, which is cool, but in Germany everyone looks the same and tries to look like the people in magazines instead of being different.” What is one thing you’ve seen people wear in America that you haven’t seen in Germany?
4. 5.
After all of your hex nuts are braided on, braid the string for another 2 inches and tie another knot, leaving about 3 inches at the end. Have a friend tie it on your wrist and voila!
“In Germany you don’t see people wear shirts that show your stomach area, like you do here.” What is your favorite article of clothing that you own? “My blue button down shirt.” What is your favorite store?
Photos by Mckenzie Taylor Instructions adapted from: http://honestlywtf. com/diy/diy-braided-hex-nut-bracelet/
“Abercrombie and Fitch.” -Interviews and photos by Claire Hasson
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co ut ur e
Waiting for Ms. Wright
Fashion students anticipate consistent supervisor printed on their schedules, only to find a substitute instead. Returning for their second class, students again signed in with a substitute, completing their first week without even receiving a syllabus for the course. “The first day we did nothing,” said senior Reagan Lowring, enrolled in the 2B introductory visual art class. “On the second day we had to do something from a textbook.” A week in, students found their classroom without a teacher of any kind, permanent or substitute. Art teacher John Brandhorst took notice when the 2B “Visual Art Comp 1” class was unsupervised, stepping in to distribute textbooks and some words Substitute Eva of encouragement Wilson distributes forms to the unsipervised to the adviser-less students. The class had homeroom in E107. been standing in the hallway outside the classroom, many of them unsure of the identity and whereabouts of their teacher: the enigmatic “Ms. Wright.” Previously, students would have looked at their schedules to find Mr. Martinez teaching their art history, fibers or senior
This year as art and fashion students reviewed their schedules, they discovered an unfamiliar name on the pastelcolored sheets in the space where the name “Mr. Eugenio Martinez,” had been for the past seven years. They were not surprised by this discovery. The real surprise came when senior designers and fashion newbies alike reported to room E107 on the first day of school expecting to see “Diana A Wright”
design fashion classes. With Mr. Martinez’s departure last year, however, many students were unsure as to the future of the fashion program, specifically the annual fashion show, UrbanCouture. It turns out the students’ anticipation of Ms. Wright was all wrong. “Ms. Wright is a name they put in the system because the system demands a name,” Brandhorst said. The actual Diana Wright is a former Grady English teacher who now works in the library. Two weeks before school started the art department began meeting with a prospective replacement: Fran Sinkler, a certified art teacher at M. Agnes Jones Elementary. Senior designers, eager to begin planning their lines for UrbanCouture, also planned to meet with Sinkler on Wednesdays until she could be officially hired. Two days before their first meeting, however, faculty and students were told Ms. Sinkler would not be hired. “We included the central office and our executive director in the conversation,” said Brandhorst, the director of the art department, “We hoped it would just be a clean swap.” Although Sinkler was already an APS employee, her transfer had not been requested early enough, which violated a policy limiting interschool transfers. “[The policy] nullified the request to get Ms. Sinkler here, since the request didn’t
go through the proper hands,” Brand- but also a cluttered classroom. interest in expanding the fashhorst said. “It didn’t follow protocol “It was a mess,” Smith said. “There ion program beyond Urbanand therefore wouldn’t be considered.” were cabinets full of trash, and nothing Couture to helping the designers Returning to square one, and already made sense. It was disgusting.” construct their portfolios. With three weeks into school, the art deShe and her fellow designers arrived Williams now poised to fill Martinez’s partment was again without a fashion ready to begin planning their lines. Fac- shoes, possibly with different plans for teacher. “I said, ‘OK who do we get to ing a chaotic workspace and minimal the program, Rubio was apprehensive hire from?’ and I was sent a stack of guidance, they stepped up to organize about beginning her line. resumes,” Brandhorst said. the room themselves and plan out their “I don’t know what the focus is going Sifting through the stack for schedule. to be,” Rubio said. “I just don’t know prospective fashion teach“This means a lot to me what to expect, so I haven’t gotten “Ms. Wright ers, he found Ms. Kottavei because this is what I started yet.” Williams. “She has the want to do,” Smith With the future of the class in flux, is a name they right background, she’s said. Intending to the designers focused their efforts on put in the system a fully fledged pracapply to art school, planning their lines, creating “mood because the system ticing professional Smith said she boards,” collages of magazine cutouts artist and designer,” needs at least half and other looks they want to incorpodemands a name.” he said. “She’s right of her collection rate in their designs. Until the Williams, -John Brandhorst, finished for the job; she’d be a by December however, Rubio feels she lacks the Art Director perfect fit with Grady.” for her portfolio. “[Last instruction she needs to begin her line. Before Grady could hire year] Everyone would “I was looking to learn some new skills Ms. Williams, she had to be just be sitting around, and I with a teacher,” Rubio said. “Now that approved for a provisional teaching didn’t want that to happen this year.” we don’t have that I feel like I can’t certification until she could obtain an Senior designer Madison Rubio also progress forward.” official teaching degree. She was finally expressed concern about disorganizaSome speculated that Martinez’s hired, and began teaching on Oct. 10 tion, of both the physical classroom departure meant the end of the fashion nearly a month after the school decid- and the class curriculum. The lack of show. While the rumors of his copyed they wished to hire her. adult guidance has proved righting UrbanCouture are Ms. Williams and the art department, a setback for designers, untrue, there is some uncerhowever, weren’t the only ones on the unsure of the future ditainty over its future. “I know edge of their seats during the approval rection of the program. “We can do it, but I [Brandhorst] process. The painstaking approval While the designers think we need a teachis supporting us, process also meant another month are more self-motier to support it,” she without instruction for several classes vated, the introsaid. “Mr. Brandhorst but he can’t do it all of students. ductory classes has been really great by himself.” Even with the guidance they need have had very little with us. I know he’s -Madison Rubio on the way, students, especially senior structure. “There’s a lot supporting us, but he designers, are now faced with making of people in there just can’t do it all by himself.” up for their lost time. Senior designers sitting around and doing - James Moy like Sophia Smith had returned for their nothing,” she said. “People fourth year in the fashion program to think of it as a free period.” find not only a vacant teacher’s desk Rubio said Ms. Sinkler expressed an
Left: Ms. Williams introduces herself to her visual art class, two months into school. Right: Substitute Eva Wilson sorts through materials for Mr. Martinez’s former advisement period, to which she was assigned for eight weeks. 29
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Not so magic school bus
Headed in the wrong direction: new Atlanta Public Schools bus policy leaves students It is five ‘til eight. A group of impatient and frustrated students are pacing at the bus stop. They hear the huffing of an exhaust pipe, but it turns out to be nothing more than a moving truck. They know that they are going to be late for school, but there is absolutely nothing they can do about it. The recent rezoning of APS, approved by superintendent Eroll Davis, has caused transportation chaos throughout the system. Since the first week of school, buses have been late picking up and dropping off students. Not only has the rezoning led to radically rearranged bus routes, but it has provoked anger among parents, confusion among students and chronic tardiness among helpless students. “My parents say it is kind of ridiculous,” senior Simon McLane said. “Getting to school late is just not good.” Students have been arriving to school at inexcusable times due to buses becoming tardy and unreliable. “This year my arrival time has ranged from 7:50 to 8:30,” McLane said. Not only have the buses been late in the morning, but they are extremely difficult to find in the afternoon. Bus numbers and bus drivers often change daily, and they are seldom punctual. Assistant principal Dr. David Propst stands outside in the morning to record what buses have arrived and at what time. Then in the afternoon he has to walk around shouting into a megaphone simply to get students off campus and onto busses. Many students complain that it is a disorganized and chaotic way to end the school day. But don’t start sharpening your pitchforks in pursuit of the bus drivers, as they are not to blame. This summer, for the first time in 16 years, school workers were denied unemployment checks. Some even had their houses foreclosed and are immensely struggling. “How are we supposed to get back with all of this?” said Ron Allen from the United Auto Workers Global Organizing Institute. Allen was among the attendees at the rally to protest the APS school bus policy outside the systems downtown headquarters on Aug. 13, prior to the school board meeting that evening. Parents from The Vine City neighborhood joined the rally to protest the enforcement of an old APS bus policy, which requires students who live within one mile of their school to use another form of transportation. They argued that enforcing this longstanding policy wasn’t just incompetent but highly dangerous. Chyker Harper, 10, Cheykoya Gallashaw, 6, and Courtney Drew, 6, were all walking to their school, Gideon Elementary, with their aunt Chandra Gallashaw, when they were chased by angry pit bulls. “We shouldn’t have to walk. Our legs will be hurting by the time we reach the school,” Gallashaw said. The three young girls are also sad about having to walk. “Our legs hurt and we see the cars running past us, and it makes us upset.” Gallashaw said. Although the buses are still somewhat disorganized, the protestors achieved their primary goal. After seeing the protesters concerns, the school board discussed the issue on Aug. 15th. The policy was repealed and the bus turmoil was settled once and for all. -Sarah Lanham
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Disgruntled citizens hold signs to support the protest against the new APS bus policy, outside the Office of High Schools.
Seniors swing the vote!
Lately, it’s been almost impossible to turn on your TV, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper without there being mention of the ongoing presidential race. Grady students can follow the election, the candidates’ speeches and debates and form an opinion, but for a few lucky seniors who will turn 18 by November, they can turn their opinions into votes. Senior Kate Marani, who turned 18 in August, is excited to be able to vote in the upcoming election. “It’s the first time I get to vote on anything, and the fact that it can be as big as a presidential election is awesome,” Marani said. Senior Patrick Wise, who also turned 18 in August, feels the same way about voting. “ I am looking forward to becoming a fully functioning member of society by voting,” Wise said. “I don’t see my single vote as very effective in the big scheme of things, but it will feel gnarly to have a legitimate say. I think voting is the single most important thing an American can do.” With the right to vote comes the
responsibility of making an educated choice. Senior Sawyer Folks has been keeping up with this responsibility. “I think the fact that I am now able to vote has caused me to pay closer attention to the race than I did before I was 18,” Folks said. “It hasn’t affected my decision to vote; it has just made me more interested in the race.” Marani also acknowledged feeling a responsibility to educate herself about
“ I don’t see my single vote as very effective in the big scheme of things, but it will feel gnarly to have a legitimate say”, Wise said, “I think voting is the single most important thing an American can do”.
the election. “I have not been paying attention to the political race as much as I should,” Marani said, “This definitely makes my vote a little shaky, but I know who I am voting for.” Before casting a vote, a potential
voter must register. The voting registration process, however, has developed a notorious reputation for being difficult and tedious, even though both Wise and Marani found the process to be quite smooth. Marani registered online, which only took about five minutes. Wise also found an easy way to register, right here at Grady. “I have registered to vote twice,” he said. “Both times were school sponsored registration drives on campus. It was really easy and quick. If they ever come back, I would encourage anyone who will be eligible to vote in November to go ahead and register.” Turning 18 can be a liberating time, one that comes with many perks and privileges. Voting is a privilege and a right. Those who are eligible to vote should take full advantage of the opportunity to cast their ballots and be heard. For the lucky seniors who can participate in the upcoming election, November is going to be an exciting time. - Mallory Hazell
Changing lives, 40 schools at a
Can you keep a secret? I have one to tell. I’m freaking out. Time is going by way too fast. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that I’m a senior and the
reality that I have to fill out applications for “the next step in my life.” But first I need to figure out which applications should be filled out. University of Georgia? It’s known as a “party school” but also “academically challenging.” Should I apply to Georgia State and live right in the heart of Atlanta? What about Emory, or Georgia Tech? What about out of state? So many options, so little time. Before reading Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, I had no idea what I should look for in a
college. Honestly, I was lost more than anything. That changed. Now, not only do I know what I need, but also I now know that my options are unlimited. I’m not dreading the whole college process anymore. The book outlines 40 small liberal art schools that outshine the big Ivy League schools, according to the book’s author Pope Loren. Pope illustrates that you don’t have to go to an Ivy school to get the best education will guarantee you a career in the area you studied. It’s actually the complete opposite. One of the biggest advantages a small college
has is the close community feeling that extends beyond the classroom. In class professors make sure everybody is on the same page and if they aren’t the professors are there for extra support, no matter what. Many alumni have even formed long-lasting friendships with their professors. Pope explains that it is ok if you don’t have 20 extracurricular activities, five recommendations and a perfect SAT score, as long as you can show that you want to learn and grow, you’ll get into the school that’s for you. 31 -Victoria Dragstedt
ge ri e
The new school year offers a fresh start to all students, but this is especially true for the lucky bunch who get to come to Grady from all around the world through exchange programs. Sharr Jakupi, a 16-year old from northwest Germany, endured a yearlong process in order to get the opportunity to come to America. Jakupi started the process in June 2011 only to find out he wouldn’t be headed to America until August 2012. Although he knew when he would come to America, he did not know where. He was very eager to find out from Council on International Educational Exchange, the organization for foreign-exchange affairs, where he would be going. “Finding out I had been approved was amazing, and I couldn’t really describe the emotions I felt because I didn’t believe it was real,” Jakupi said. Although Jakupi didn’t start at school until the second week, he quickly became immersed into Grady life and American culture. Jakupi likes it so much here that he plans to come to America for college, maybe somewhere in California. The list of places he wants to visit include New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Miami, Chicago, Seattle and Savannah. “People always told me the people are fake in America, but even if they are fake I like them better because they are nicer [than Germans],” Jakupi said. Jakupi’s bubbly personality has enabled him to meet many new American friends. He considers himself funny, open-minded and welcoming. He is hoping to improve his English while here, to embrace American culture and to return to Germany with a sense of independence and with memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Although Jakupi misses his two sisters and parents back in Germany, he is extremely happy to be in America. They Skype often, but he says it is hard with the time change. What were Jakupi’s first impressions of Grady? “It is huge!” Jakupi said. “I only had 300 people in my old school, and there were only 15 people in every class, and also we didn’t just have A and B days; every day was a different day and the teachers traveled instead of the students.” Jakupi said it’s been hard to adjust to the climate and to the endless variety found in everything from people to fashion. Even though Jakupi is from Germany he is like any American in many respects. His hobbies include playing tennis and kickboxing. Back home he works at his family’s ice cream parlor, which happens to be the biggest and oldest in Germany. -Valentina Makrides
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Jakupi at ages 2, 12, and 16 with sisters Donika and Dorruntina
Photo by Valentina Makrides
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Willkommen to America, Jakupi
Photos provided by Jakupi
Ross is Grady’s new addition It’s rare that you follow the career path that you choose from childhood, but Jermaine Ross knew early in life that he was destined to be a teacher. “I always say that good teachers impart legacies,” Mr. Ross said, one of the many new addition’s to Grady’s math department. The Mississippi native’s first educational experience taught him this truism. His kindergarten teacher, Mr. Moore, had a tremendous influence on him. “I looked up to my kindergarten teacher a lot. I wanted to be like him, look like him, and make people feel welcomed,” Ross said. In high school, Ross’s desire to teach was reaffirmed by his 10th-grade algebra teacher, Mr. Freedom, who was a strict teacher. “I remember on the second day of school he [Freedom] kicked a kid out of his class for breaking one of the rules,” Ross said. “The kid knew Mr. Freedom through church, so he thought he could get away with it. Mr. Freedom didn’t get angry, he just sent the kid to the office and no one gave Mr. Freedom trouble after that.” Ross still remembers the class as one of his favorites. Although he knew he wanted to become a teacher, the eldest of four siblings wasn’t always a great student. “I was a late bloomer,” Ross said. Despite his mediocre grades, Ross was active in extracurricular activities. He
divided his time between football, track, work and theater. “Every year we had a spring and fall production, and I looked forward to the spring production as much as I looked forward to football season,” he said. The scholastic thespian fondly remembers his first play, Josephs Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, as a formative experience. Although he was coerced into auditioning by one of his friends, his experience in the play fostered his love for theater and playwriting. It was Ross’s love for numbers that guided him in his college major, mathematics education. Since graduating from Kennesaw State he has been teaching math for 10 years and describes his teaching style in three words: analytical, graphical and numerical. He says that his students receive and understand the information, use the information to make and assessment about the data, and then use algebra to make sure the assessment is true. In addition to teaching, he also coached football for eight of the 10 years he’s been teaching, and although he isn’t currently coaching football at Grady, he does hope to help out in the spring. - Tamara Mason
Students R oss’s 2B math clain attentively a ss listen engage e s he m in a lession. Phsoth to b Courtney Mars y hall. 33
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Students get their daily dose of cyber
Flipped classrooms Grady has been testing out a new integrated learning option for certain classes, called flipped classes. Flipped classes are a reverse teaching style that provides instruction at home and moves the “homework” into the classroom. This allows for the teacher to have more one-on-one time with a student and gives students the opportunity to ask questions and work through the problems with the help of their teacher and peers.
Cell phones in classes
This year Grady is giving more opportunities for students to pull out their cell phones to use in a positive educational way. In certain classes, the teacher may approve certain assignments or activities for which a cell phone can be used. More and more students have stopped using planners or just forgetting their homework all together to taking photographs of their assignments that they will not lose. Math students may pull out a cell phone to use as a calculator and Spanish students may pull them out to translate unknown vocabulary.
Edmodo.com Teachers have been taking steps to help students keep up with their workload. Some teachers participate in a new educational website called Edmodo.com, an online social network for both teachers and students. This website is extremely similar to the setup and appearance to Facebook, which most students already know how to navigate. You can post links, pictures, and even comment on things. Edmodo.com provides easy access to students missing work or educational chat rooms with their school teachers and students from their classes. It provides a easy way for students to keep up with their work or to contact their teacher.
Online classes Many students have been taking advantage of new online opportunities to take their required courses. These classes include core classes and other classes like health. Online classes allow a student to go through the normal curriculum, but at home in a more individualized environment. This may be a little difficult for hands-on learners because it’s mostly reading, and there is no one there to explain the answers to any questions or assignments. Online courses require you to take the same amount of tests and quizzes, but students have to monitor their own pace to stay on schedule to finish the class before the semester’s over.
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-Devina Jones-Vargas
What do you think about the changes? “Not every class has a computer. In math you can use it as a calculator, in Spanish as a translator, and you can look up stuff. I think for certain people it can be distracting and hard to focus on their work, but most people can stick to their task.” - Kate Weatherby, freshman
“[Edmodo] is a resourceful link between students and teachers.” - Mr. Patterson, math teacher
“[Online class] sounds like a good alternative option.” - Eddie Schwartz, senior
Let me reveal to you a littleknown fact about me: I did not graduate from high school on time. I graduated in August rather than May. The delay in my diploma was due to the fact that -- at the ripe, old age of 17 -- I decided not to attend my senior English class or my Spanish class for that matter. My study habits then seem quite ironic from my current vantage point. But back then, skipping these classes made all the sense in the world. My classes were dumb and unimportant. Most importantly, they signified THE MAN determining what path my life would follow. I rejected that path. Boom. Bad Decision. You would think I would learn from the error of my ways. I did not. Fast forward, two years. I found success in my professional pursuits. I began my health-care career at the early age of 19, traveling the country. Unfulfilled, I moved to Texas for work, but I am a New Mexican, so I felt terribly alone in the Lone Star State. I even had a short stint with the Disney Company, but Orlando was a long way from home. It didn’t seem like such a small world after all. Boom. No Happy Ending. I moved back home just in time to have my mom ripped from my world. She had a massive stroke that took her from me. As it is for many sons, my mom was my rock, my safe place. She was one of only two people in the world who loved me unconditionally. Boom. Staring Down The Abyss. My best friend, trying to comfort me, asked about my first memory of my mom. I told him this: I was born six weeks premature. Mom, a brittle diabetic, was aware of the dangers of having a child, both for her and for me. On my birthday, my heart stopped beating. Mom’s physician, Dr. Bollinger, resuscitated me. When my heart stopped again the next day, he saved me the same way. I stayed in the hospital for three weeks, and my health stabilized. When I arrived home, though, I had to sleep in a drawer. Since my parents thought they had at least a month to prepare for my arrival, they had not yet built a crib. I am happy to report that they never closed the drawer while I was in it, as far as I know. Boom. Fast Forward.
Illustration by Nara Smith
When the universe speaks, listen
I’m 26, an activities direcLife is a highway: A map tracing out Herrera’s life path, from New tor working Mexico to Texas to Florida and with Alzheimer’s everywhere in between. patients. A new patient arrives, last it so much name, Bollinger. Irene that I stayed an extra Bollinger! Could it be? year — yes seniors desperate to end Boom. Thank You. your high-school career early — I chose After a family planning meeting for to stay an additional year even though Irene, I stay behind and talk to her son. I did not need do. I ask him, “Do I look familiar to you?” I graduated in 2005, summa cum He looks up. laude and one of four outstanding “Well, I’ll assume you are one of my seniors in the University Honors kids, asking that question.” Program. I had coached speech and “My name is Mario Herrera.” debate from the age of 24, while “Oh! How is Linda?” doing everything else, and now Boom. He Remembers My Mom. that decision (I finally made a good “A pleasure to finally meet you! decision) seemed to be opening Thanks for saving my life, by the way.” doors. It led me to Atlanta and to He pauses and says, “Well, you can Grady High School. And despite the thank me by watching over mom.” anger and confusion and pain of a Done. new home and career, I would not Six months later, I was working want to be anywhere else. in Texas again, in El Paso, where This I believe: The universe speaks I received a phone call from with the authority of a wisdom that Albuquerque. The message: Dr. only eternity can give. We can hear Bollinger had been in a terrible it, if we but listen. We really have no accident. Bicycling in the mountains, control of those who enter and exit he’d been thrown off his bike. our lives. The best we can do is to Boom. Death On The Mountain. cherish our time with the ones we love I flew back to New Mexico and and learn from all of the people we knocked on Irene’s door. meet. Honor the memory of those Boom. Lucid Moment. who have departed by letting their “My boy is gone. But he brought lessons into your life. so much life in to the world. It’s all a For me, writing this column is a mother could ask for.” reminder of the lessons I have learned Thus ended my story. Relating the and a promise to teach them to those I tale to my friend left me in complete encounter. meltdown mode. My friend tried to Boom. Next? change the subject, asking, “Um, OK. -- Mario Herrera How did your parents meet?” “At UNM, actually. In fact, it was my What do you believe? The Writing arrival that stopped my mom from Center wants to know. Write 700 words becoming a teacher.” or fewer on the theme, “This I Believe,” Boom. Clarity. and you could earn $100. Turn in your I knew what I wanted to do. What I submission by Nov. 9 to Ms. Abbott was supposed to do. in C319 or to Ms. Bolster in the I re-applied to UNM (at the behest Writing Center, or email it to of yet another great friend) and went 35 gradywritingcenter@gmail.com. back to school at the age of 29. I loved
The BeltLine Shines: From torches to hulahoops, performers along the BeltLine trail dazzled participants in the Lantern Parade with brilliant and death-defying antics. Photo by Gina White