The Southerner Volume 65, Issue 7

the Southerner S I N C E

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HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

thesoutherneronline.com VOLUME LXV, NUMBER 7

APRIL 17, 2012

Mock trial team captures 4th consecutive state title

By Konadu Amoakuh igh school students dressed in skirts and pantsuits hold hands, awaiting the announcement of the state champions.

When they hear their school’s name, the group explodes into a flurry of movement, with many hugs and tears.

On March 18, the Grady mock trial team won its fourth consecutive state championship at the Gwinnett Justice Center. The competition began March 17

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with 18 regional winners and two wildcard teams each competing in two rounds.

Saturday evening, the team found out it had advanced to the semifinal round on Sunday along with three other teams. After decisively beating the Atlanta International School in the final round, Grady clinched the state title. They will compete in the National High School Mock Trial Competition in Albuquerque, N.M., from May 4-5.

The team members and coaches expressed a lot of emotions about their win.

“It felt extraordinary,” third-year teacher-coach and PEC teacher Brian Leahy said. “It wasn’t something I expected, but it was something I hoped and wished for.”

In high school mock trial, students compete as attorneys and witnesses, each school forming both a prosecution and a defense team arguing both sides of the same fictional case. There are 14 compet-

, Graphic Photos

by Debbie

by Lauren

ing members, and the students prepare for about three months before competing in the regional competition. If the team wins the regional tournament, it advances to state. All the members of the team had been working very hard on the case since the Georgia high school mock trial committee released the case on Nov. 1.

Sophomore team member and witness Archie Kinnane didn’t feel as confident see DYNAMIC, page 10

3 is the magic number for debate team

Ogg

Livingston

By Kenny Cochran ension filled the Westminster auditorium as the clock neared 11:30 p.m., and the Grady Jesters debate team awaited results of the third Georgia Forensics Coaches Association State Varsity Speech and Debate Tournament.

The result: the Grady Jesters had won the state tournament for the third consecutive year.

“It’s a 3-peat, which is awesome,” speech and debate coach Mario Herrera said. “The team can always point back to these moments.”

Herrera said the team should appreciate the results of its hard work and noted this is the first time Grady has had each person on the team place at state.

Herrera and fellow speech and debate coach Lisa Willoughby agree that this was a rebuilding year for the team.

“Most competing members competed at Nationals, so we knew we could do well, but we were concerned because the team is so young,” Herrera said. “I think the entire team felt it was time to step up.”

Herrera said that, over the last 10 years, Grady has created a legacy and developed a strong reputation, and that can be hard for new team members to live up to.

“I have a great respect for this team,” Herrera said. “They don’t compete because they want to win. see JESTERS, page 7

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Putting Their

BEST FOOT Spring production astounds audience

By Steve Terry espite the fire alarm sounding in the background and a last-minute cast change, this year’s spring musical, Something’s Afoot, elicited a standing ovation after the opening-night performance on Thursday, March 22.

“It was one of the best Grady productions I have ever seen,” senior Cheyn Shah said. “I showed up expecting something more typical of Grady but was met with something much more professional.”

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Something’s Afoot was directed by literature and drama teacher Lisa Willoughby. It featured a cast of only 10 people and starred junior Miller Lansing and freshman Carter Guensler. Due to the small cast size, however, every student played a major role.

“I was very proud of the work the kids did,” Willoughby said. “It was all very professional. My only regret is that the cast wasn’t bigger so that more people could have taken part in the experience.”

Rehearsal for the play began in late January, right after the cast list came out, with practices held immediately after school until 6 p.m. from Monday through Thursday.

“Practices had a very family-like atmosphere,” junior cast member Annelise Hooper

7 a&e

Atlanta citzens protested Senate Bill 469 on the Capitol steps. This bill threatened to make picketing on a private residence chargeable by fine.

12 people

LEGOLAND Discovery Center is now open in Phipps Plaza, the third location in the country with attractions like chariot rides and the making of LEGOs.

Forward

said. “While it was still laid-back, it was definitely a good learning environment.”

Despite all the time and effort put into preparing the play, the cast was in a panic when, at 3 p.m. before opening night, four hours before the performance was to begin, senior cast member Lance Thomas suddenly became extremely sick and was unable to perform. His male understudy, junior Rex Peterson, replaced him.

“I was getting ready to settle down and go backstage and work on something or take a nap [when drama teacher Jake Dreiling told me I had to perform],” Peterson said. “My first reaction was ‘Oh no!’, but I soon calmed down and started preparing myself.” see MURDER, page 11

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Sophomore Juan Montoya rock climbs his way to the top. Montoya aspires to climb cliffs and notable rock climbing walls around the world.

People from across Atlanta came together to raise money for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on March 31 by participating in the 2012 Color Run.

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April 17, 2012

Editorial Board

the Southerner

Taylor Allen Jasmine Burnett Shaun Kleber LeJoi Lane Lucy Leonard Gabrielle Siegel

A serious correction and sincere apology There are many errors and acts of unethical conduct in the reporting of “Accounting oversight results in faculty debt, dismay,” which was published both on thesoutherneronline.com and in the March 6 print edition of The Southerner.

Miz Holmes-Ferguson was never interviewed, so the quotes attributed to her were fabricated. She never informed The Southerner of any salary amount owed to Atlanta Public Schools or any methods of repayment. In addition, her name was incomplete in both the print and web versions of this story.

Beverly Rice-Hooper never disclosed any salary information to The Southerner, and her salary-owed amount was made up.

Enoch Gill was never interviewed. He never disclosed any information about his salary, and he never made the statement attributed to him in the print edition of the story. He did not receive the letter from APS informing him that he had to pay back part of his 20102011 salary.

Other information in the story, such as the “cheating bonuses” and “leave salaries” APS paid, and the legal fees APS incurred, were not sourced but should have been. That information came from a post on the AT2W website, which also included clips from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The story reports that 143 teachers received the letter from APS requesting repayment, that the total amount that APS overpaid is $234,000 and that the average repayment is $1,700. This data is also not attributed. The information appeared in the story, “Atlanta school to bill teachers for overpayment,” which first appeared on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution website on Jan. 23.

The staff and advisers of The Southerner deeply regret these ethical transgressions, and we will work hard to regain the public’s trust in our journalistic endeavors. p

Uganda article a captivating read I felt that the Children of Uganda story, “Uganda to Atlanta,” (page 1) was well written and very interesting. It was well organized and easy to read. I connected with the writer’s words in a way that captivated me so much that it felt as if I were there. The article was fantastic, and I plan to read more like it!

Akilah George junior

SLCs come to end, so does frustration I appreciated the piece on the possible end of the Small Learning Communities, “Review may spell end of small learning communities” (page 1). My class was the first to experience the SLCs, and I was glad to read that they may be soon coming to an end. I haven’t been happy with the way the SLCs have been working. I don’t think Grady is a good place

Mallory Hazell sophomore

Article, cartoon quench curiosity The article “Harsh obesity ads speak naked truth” (page 3) was interesting to me because I have recently seen those billboards about fat kids. I was wondering who is sponsoring the ads and if they are getting criticized for the ads. The statistics that are included describing how much the state of Georgia spends on insurance and fees for obesity are amazing.

I guess the hospital (CHOA) really wants parents to know the hard truth. The cartoon by Will Staples that goes with the article makes the story even better because it illustrates the issue well.

Peter Mastin sophomore

Spotlight on strict officials necessary I really like the article “Powerhungry officials: stop hassling kids” (page 2) by Audrey Vaughn.

I liked it so much because I completely agree with it. It’s ridiculous how strict and uptight these officials have become, and it’s about time someone took notice and wrote about it. I also don’t see why they feel the need to take away someone’s iPod for listening to it during lunch. I mean, really, they need to be a little more understanding and loosen up a bit.

Mallory McFarlin sophomore

We want to know what you think!

Love an article? Hate one? Find an error? Tell us about it! The Southerner welcomes letters from any and all of our readers.

Contact us at winterworks@aol.com.

uestion

The new fad is news

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! The newest fad at Grady is caring about news. As a newspaper staff, we’ve always been at least a little interested in world affairs. Now, however, it seems as if the entire school is hopping on the bandwagon, acknowledging and taking a stand against or for any and every issue. Whether it is the Trayvon Martin shooting, KONY 2012 or the Troy Davis execution, Grady students have a tendency to trivialize major societal issues with a week of fervent protest then sudden disinterest.

While we think it’s necessary for students to take a stand on current events and things happening around them, many simply participate because they have succumbed to the latest trend. We feel that issues need to be more than posters and chocolate sales in the cafeteria. Not only are these important issues short-lived at Grady, but the students who popularize them are often misinformed, if not totally uninformed.

Let’s take KONY 2012, for example. Many students don’t actually have any idea what they are donating their pennies and dimes to. While people may think their donations are helping end the violence in Uganda based solely on the bandwagon movement on Facebook, they are often indirectly supporting it.

Then there’s Trayvon Martin, a boy who was shot and killed, alledgedly for no other reason than walking down the street. While there is definitely evidence of wrongdoing and corruption in that case, too many people are passionately jumping to conclusions without knowing the facts.

Whether or not people become involved in these causes after they have all the facts is completely up to them, but it is important that they have fully researched and understand the conflicts before making final judgments.

We aren’t condemning social activism, but any sort of coordinated movement needs to be informed and last longer than the amount of time it takes to pay your dues in the main office. p

for this system, so I’m glad the article highlighted the issues surrounding the SLCs.

f the month

If you could change one thing about Grady for next year, what would it be?

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Having a trampoline class.”

Ben Searles sophomore

To have less strict administrators.”

Emma Kasper sophomore

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C O R R E C T I O N S

Southerner Staff 2011-2012 Staff: Emma Aberle-Grasse, Ollie Aberle-Grasse, Konadu Amoakuh, Mac Barrineau, Rachel Citrin, Thomas Cox, Sammi Dean, Kate de Give, Anna Fuller, Jolie Jones, Nile Kendall, Olivia Kleinman, Troy Kleber, Joe Lavine, Ciena Leshley, Simon McLane, Lauren Ogg, Grace Power, Diana Powers, Megan Prendergast, Jordan Ross, Hunter Rust, Carson Shadwell, Will Staples, Alex Stearns-Bernhart, Isabelle Taft, Olivia Veira, Gracie White

Jeff Cramer physics teacher

I would like to change how Grady handles taking in money for AP tests.”

Rex Peterson junior

In “Arena of Acceptance” (March 6, page 8-9), we omitted Cliff Kuhn’s first name and profession. He is a professor at Georgia State University and a historian of Atlanta.

Managing Editors: Jasmine Burnett, Shaun Kleber Associate Managing Editors: LeJoi Lane, Lucy Leonard Design Editor: Elizabeth McGlamry Photo Editor: Audrey Vaughn A&E Editors: Lindsey Leonard, Alix Youngblood Comment Editors: Taylor Allen, Gabrielle Siegel Doubletruck Editors: Molly Daniel, Lauren Harper News Editors: Kenny Cochran People Editors: Steve Terry, Lauren Scott Sports Editors: Nally Kinnane, Phillip Suitts

Candy vending machines in every stairwell.”

An upbeat paper for a downtown school Advisers: Kate Carter, Dave Winter

To our readers,

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

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

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April 17, 2012

Harmful school pranks unacceptable When 24 teenagers in Dallas, Ga. were arrested on March 11 for their involvement in a senior prank, they probably didn’t think it was very funny. The school officials and workers who had to clean up the mess probably weren’t laughing either.

A senior prank is something to be exGabrielle Siegel pected at most schools—a little stunt to mess with peers and administrators before the graduating class leaves the school for good. Many believe it’s the seniors’ obligation to go out with a bang. In most cases, the senior prank consists of a harmless trick such as all the seniors wearing pajamas to school, letting a chicken loose on campus or moving all the desks into the courtyard.

In East Paulding High School’s case, however, it consisted of covering buildings, signs and vehicles in graffiti stating “2012 seniors” and throwing tables, benches and chairs into the park-

ing lot. A witness noticed the students performing these acts in the middle of the night and called the police. Overall, the vandals caused $7,500 worth of damages and now face the felony charge of criminal interference with government property.

I’m all for senior pranks. I’m also all for respect. The Class of 2012 is extraordinary, but that doesn’t mean we should go around branding or trashing government property. There are plenty of clever and humorous prank ideas that can be executed without damaging any property or hurting anyone. There is such a thing as taking a joke too far, and for that, the East Paulding students deserve to be punished.

People, especially teenagers, need to consider the consequences of their actions before executing them. If you’re about to make a huge mess, think about who will be the one paying for it and cleaning it up in the end, because it will probably be you. It’s irresponsible to simply do whatever you want and ignore the consequences. When you’re a teenager, there’s a fine line between having a good time and breaking the law, so it’s critical to watch where you step. p

Damaging twister still a dark presence “Alert: the national weather service has issued a tornado warning to the following counties: ...”

When a weather bulletin scrolls Will Staples across our television screens, we often express dissatisfaction or annoyance but rarely fear. On the night of March 14, 2008, what I had thought of as only an overcautious procedure became a shocking reality.

That night, a storm approached from the west and manifested itself as a barreling F2 tornado. The tumultuous, spiraling column of air ravaged Atlanta’s interior and greatly damaged beloved landmarks, businesses and residential neighborhoods. The area that sustained some of the most severe damage was Cabbagetown, where I live, and its connected historical district.

I had arrived home just an hour or so prior to the event to greet my mother and three dinner guests eating at the kitchen table. No one had any idea of the impending danger the looming rain clouds posed. I brushed off the televised tornado warning as needless paranoia, but as soon as the storm hit. I could feel my previous intuitions were all wrong.

The thunderstorm raged for a minute or so before I shot up and reacted.

Soon, my room began to shake, and I found myself struggling to balance. Everything previously on a shelf or hanging from a wall was soon displaced or flung to the floor. The lapses of time between lightning strikes and thunderous crashes grew shorter as my surroundings began to quake and quiver, and I lowered myself to the floor. The lights in my home let out one last weak flicker before extinguishing completely. All I could hear was what sounded like a train bolting directly beside me, followed by a cacophony of fracturing crashes.

I lay motionless for a brief moment in the silence to assure myself the crisis was over then bolted up to find the others in my home miraculously unharmed. I also came to discover that a large black walnut tree had crashed into my living room and the bedroom directly above it. The house was deemed uninhabitable until repairs were made over the next five months.

My home’s damages were not unlike other homes in the neighborhood. Upon stepping outside, we found disarray among our neighbors’ homes and, soon after, the entire community. The streets were unnavigable, with overturned trees and rubble littering their fissured surfaces.

I remain awestruck at the damages sustained in such a short amount of time.

The event occurred almost exactly four years ago, but many Cabbagetown civilians still remember that day vividly.

Making matters more complicated, many residents had to search for historical district-approved materials with which to rebuild their homes. The tornado continues to be featured in local artwork and publications as well as on Tshirts and merchandise for local events, such as the Chomp & Stomp.

The tornado season in the Southeast this year is proving to be one of the most active in years. Particularly devastating and well-publicized tornadoes have been fairly common, such as the F4 that raged through Indiana on March 4. After barreling through the small town of Henryville, it trailed off toward the east coast, leaving the rural communities to pick up the pieces.

No one deserves such a horrific experience, and no one expects it to befall them.

I know I was oblivious to the threat until it was too late, but thankfully I was lucky enough not to sustain any serious losses.

My hope is that future victims will take the preventative steps necessary to avoid the long-lasting consequences of the next natural disaster. p

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Online social media instigates rampant activism, protests I cannot tell you the number of times I have been chastised for being on Facebook. I’ve heard everything from “Get off of Facebook, and do something productive!” to “You spend way too much time on Facebook!”

Molly Daniel to “Your generation is constantly plugged in to Facebook!” Recently, however, the elder generations’ reprimands have quieted.

As of 2011, images from conflicts all over the world have been virally spread to every country through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Starting with the riots in Egypt, these social media sites have stirred national uprisings against the tyranny of undemocratic and oppressive government.

Since the Egyptian riots were ‘liked’ like wildfire, these cyber movements have gained momentum. In the United States, two particular groups have already gained public support: the Occupy movement and the KONY 2012 movement.

I, for one, used to be opposed to the Occupy idea. The protestors didn’t have a unified message; therefore, the U.S. government couldn’t really do anything to respond to the movement. I came to realize, however, that the power in the movement wasn’t from the so-called message that the protestors were shouting at the capitol building but rather the hidden message the rioters were shouting to the government.

What began on Wall Street has spread through the World Wide Web to more than 95 cities across 82 countries, from Australia to Hong Kong and more than 600 U.S. communities. These cities are filled with tents of protesters who have internet access.

These occupiers constantly update Twitter accounts or the Facebook page “Occupy Together.”

This clever use of social media has opened our government’s eyes to the power the young generation can wield.

The KONY 2012 movement has also captured national, even international, attention.

Released on March 5, the dramatic half-hour long YouTube video gained 10,000 hits in 24 hours.

I won’t share my opinion on the matter itself, whether the Invisible Children organization is admirable or not, but the video did a good job of spreading its message. It shed a light on the civil war that has been taking place in Uganda for more than 20 years. Because of a simple video, people are talking about a major issue in our world.

Sadly, these social media movements have all but replaced the common newspaper and TV newscast. While it is sad to see the old black-andwhite icons fade into the background, it could be a turn for the better.

Sending journalists overseas to capture these movements has become a greater risk than it used to be. Because these riots often became violent, journalists are losing their lives. Just last month, two journalists, an American writer and a French photographer, were killed while reporting on a deadly campaign in Syria.

By using the new social media tools, any person can contribute to a cause by tweeting a simple sentence, clicking and posting a quick picture or liking a group. These free, easy-access websites connect the world and allow people to share their views and ideas without purchasing plane tickets.

What used to be a time-sucker for young high school and college students has become a source of news for anyone with Internet access. Now every civilian with access to a phone or computer can be a reporter. p

EXCLUSIVELY @ theSoutherneronline.com Half marathon a beneficial experience

Thoughts on mock trial’s four-year winning streak

A nervous laugh escaped my lips as I quickly ate an energy gummy before the race. As It’s the night before my last state competition. That and my closing argument keep runcliché as it sounds, my stomach really was in knots. “This is it,” I told myself as I walked ning through my head on repeat, making it impossible to go to sleep. I can hear my teamtoward my corral. “I am about to run a half marathon for the first time in my life.”... mates giggling in the other room. I have been in this position for four years, but it had ...

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April 17, 2012

Viral video leads blind followers

KONY 2012 enables widespread activism

By Lukas Olson

By Aja Blair What do fleas, Boeing 767 planes and Joseph Kony have in common?

All three caused the death of thousands of innocent lives. Fleas spread the plague in Europe. The Boeing 767s spread mourning around the United States after crashing into the Twin Towers. Joseph Kony spread terror all around Uganda as the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army. We could not stop the plague because we did not have the medicine or education to do so. We could not stop the terrorist attacks of 9/11 because we did not know about the plans. We can, however, stop a mass murderer who is still at large. The “KONY 2012” campaign does not require much of an individual to make a big difference. It exercises human rights and shows people what we can accomplish when we ban together, which is why I support KONY 2012.

I have always had a strong desire to help those in need, but typically I cannot because I don’t have the financial resources required to assist them. That is why I like the KONY 2012 movement. Indeed, they have posters and flyers that you can purchase to spread the word, but something as simple as writing a tweet on Twitter or a status on Facebook is a major contribution to the cause. At the end of the day, if all you did was tell someone about Joseph Kony and the Ugandan child soldiers, you have still made an impact on the campaign to “make Kony famous.”

Secondly, why not support KONY 2012? You are exercising your right and duty as a human being to support life and justice. If we allow Kony to continue raping, enslaving and murdering people without an ounce of repercussion, we are sending a message to future generations that another’s life has no value and that events like the Holocaust are okay to recreate.

Even if Joseph Kony is not captured and charged for all of his heinous crimes by December 2012 like the movement aims to do, it will still have made a large impact on society.

KONY 2012 took flight prior to the Trayvon Martin case. I personally feel like “The Hoodie March” and other activities to support Martin would not have been as popular if the United States had not seen how big KONY 2012 became. It proved that even though I am just one person, I can make a difference.

People argue that making Kony famous will do nothing, since he has evaded capture for nearly two decades. However, his escape has been possible because no one knew who he was or what he looked like. For the past 20 years, Joseph Kony has been like Justin Bieber before Usher discovered him. Bieber was singing prior to Usher, however his career was going nowhere.

Usher—like Invisible Children is trying to do with Kony—made him famous. Now, Bieber cannot step outside without being recognized.

I see no downside to supporting the KONY 2012 movement. The Ugandan children who have been forced into sex trafficking and the military can be saved. Kony can be arrested and charged for his actions. Then other people on the International Criminal Court’s list will realize they can be taken down and brought to justice as well. All of this would have been accomplished by one small action: making Kony’s name infamous through the KONY 2012 campaign. p

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My first reaction to the video had nothing to do with its content. Forty million views in the first four days? That number scared me.

A lot of people have complained that the KONY campaign encourages “slacktivism,” generally describing “feel-good” support of a cause that doesn’t actually have any effect. I think its implications, however, go much deeper than this.

To reach so many people so quickly clearly means the majority of watchers didn’t put any effort into researching the video or any of the information in it. Rather, they simply supported it by sharing it. This means that those same people donated money and bought Action Kits and other merchandise with just as little consideration for where their money was going. What if militarizing Uganda is not the solution? What if it does more harm than good? That’s what is scary.

Even well-educated individuals and people who have spent many years working to stop Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army are undecided about the best way to stop the crimes. There is no simple solution. The Ugandan military has been accused of rape, torture, looting and mass displacement. Fueling the fight against the LRA means encouraging the attack of child soldiers. Soldiers or not, I don’t believe the best way to solve the problem is to attack the abducted and enslaved children.

If the KONY 2012 video had included more information, the incredible public support may have been more justified. Only 30 minutes long, the “documentary” spends more time featuring Jason Russell’s (the video’s creator) son and other Americans than it does Ugandans. Hardly any of the video is devoted to outlining the complexities of the situation. Rather, it is used to explain how viewers can help spread the message.

The video conveys an inaccurate image of the affected Ugandans.

When Invisible Children showed the film in Lira, a district drastically affected by the LRA, the audience of thousands of Ugandans was disgusted by the misrepresentations. The organizers were forced to seek shelter because the audience reacted by throwing stones at the screen.

By painting this unrepresentative, blackand-white picture and making no effort to encourage viewers to research the issue on their own, Invisible Children hardly can call this video a documentary.

Now don’t get me wrong; I certainly want to help the victims of LRA. A video that leads people to the wrong conclusions, however, is not the best way. The point is that we—the American public—simply do not know enough to take such drastic action. In the end, I guess my call to inaction makes me just as much of a slacktivist as all the others, but at least I’m not risking directly causing anyone harm.

And still, making Kony “famous?” It’s not even a clever misuse of grammar, it just doesn’t make sense. p

STUDENT

Stance

Are you in favor of the ‘KONY 2012’ movement?

For most seniors, getting into college is the most exciting part of the school year. I’ve always appreciated our school’s tradition of having students write the names of the colleges to which they’ve been accepted on a flag and then mounting those flags on their homeroom doors.

So when I heard that a student Jasmine Burnett ripped down some of the flags outside of Ms. Willoughby’s room, I was dismayed. And when I found out that the only ones ripped down were those representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, I was extremely angered and disappointed.

I remember when I heard the news, everyone was shocked— except me. People around me immediately made comments like, “Really? At Grady?” They were in disbelief that someone could so openly display their prejudices, especially in a community like Grady’s—one that prides itself on its diverse and accepting student body. Though I recognize that the vast ma-

jority of students at Grady are open-minded, I think we often forget that our school, just like the rest of the world, includes people with less than tolerant beliefs.

While Grady certainly prepares us for the real world in terms of helping us become independent, it shelters us socially. Because our school is one where most people are progressive and forward-thinking, many of us have never had to confront uncomfortable situations like walking past a classroom door and noticing that flags boasting HBCUs were torn down. And since we haven’t had to experience those situations, many of us don’t know how to deal with them. This makes us under-react and make the incident out to be less important than it is, because we know these hateful people are only a small part of Grady’s population. What we fail to realize, however, is that even one ignorant, prejudiced person taints our entire community.

Whoever did this should be ashamed and embarrassed. We need to make it clear to that person that his or her actions are neither encouraged nor tolerated. Understanding and acceptance in our society has grown and developed too much for

ELIZABETH MCGLAMRY

Student respect questionable after HBC flags pulled

us to let people with regressive mindsets and behaviors reverse that progress. Whether it is one person or 100 people acting contrary to our values, each and every one of us has the responsibility to stand up for what we know is right. So Grady students: let’s continue to make sure our school is a place where anyone and everyone can feel comfortable—a place free of enmity and full of understanding. p

Robotics team reaches semis at competition On March 17, the Grady Robotics team attended the Peachtree Regional Competition at the Gwinnett Center.

They were consistently ranked among the top 10 teams out of the 60 competing and were chosen to be part of the sixth place alliance during elimination rounds. The team made it to the semifinal round.

Grady not allowing internships in future The Grady administration recently announced to all teachers, faculty members and volunteers that they would not be permitted to offer internships to students during the 2012-2013 school year.

Redistricting leads to seven APS closures As part of the redistricting process, seven APS schools are closing. Parks and Kennedy middle schools will be closed, along with Capitol View, White, Cook, East Lake and Herndon elementary schools. They will close after the 2013-2014 year.

AJC finds nationwide test irregularities In a follow-up to their work on the APS testing anomalies, the AJC recently published a similar study using data from every state. It looked at 69,000 schools and found that 200 school districts showed inconsistencies similar to those in APS.

the Southerner

April 17, 2012

Changes to HOPE on legislature’s agenda

By Ciena Leshley and Sammi Dean Hoping to shore up the HOPE Scholarship in the wake of ever-shrinking lottery revenues, lawmakers last year linked the scholarship to Georgia Lottery revenues, raised the required GPA and lowered the amount of tuition the scholarship covers. Despite these reforms, however, the long-term prognosis of the HOPE Scholarship in its current state remains bleak, according to the Georgia Student Finance Commission.

In 2011, HOPE paid for 87 percent of recipients’ tuition costs. The commission projects, however, that the cash reserves currently funding the program will be exhausted by 2014. If lottery funds continue to decrease, the commission projects that HOPE will pay for less than 50 percent of each recipient’s tuition by 2016.

These projections have Democratic state senator Jason Carter looking for more substantive reforms.

“Instead of cutting scholarship money every year for all HOPE scholars,” Carter said, “[my plan is to] maintain it as a full scholarship and give it to the maximum number of students with [financial] needs.”

In order to achieve this goal, Carter proposes to cap the income of eligible recipients. The cap would be $140,000 for 2012 and would go up or down annually as lottery revenues change.

Carter said the income cap would preserve the full HOPE Scholarship for 96 percent of Georgia families who would remain eligible for it.

Junior Cole Davies feels that an income cap is the wrong way to reform the HOPE Scholarship.

Davies believes restricting eligibility for the scholarship would cause less privileged students to work less and still be rewarded.

“An income cap would reduce academic competition among applicants,” Davies said.

Gov. Nathan Deal, in a column published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, argued that placing an income cap on the recipients of HOPE would hurt middle-income families and would not be the most effective way to deal with the insufficient funds.

50%

illustration By Sammi Dean

News Briefs

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Estimated after 2016

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How much of your tuition will HOPE pay for?

87%

Current amount data from GEORGIA STUDENT FINANCE COMMISSION

Deal suggests a separate scholarship, the newly created REACH scholarship, which Deal established last February. It offers up to $10,000 to applicants who demonstrate financial need.

But Deal’s critics contend that creating more scholarships dilutes already scarce scholarship revenue. Another Georgia scholarship, The Zell Miller Scholarship, also comes out of lottery funds and awards a full-tuiton scholarship to students who have a 3.7 GPA and have scored at least a 1200 on the math and reading sections of the SAT. But the Miller scholarship is awarded disproportionately to white, urban students. The rural population of Georgia gets one tenth as much Miller Scholarship money as those in more populated areas. According to the University System of Georgia, only about 3.8 percent of Miller Scholars are African-American.

“This scholarship doesn’t measure hard work but leans toward wealth,” Carter said.

Junior Lily Trapkin believes there should be a cap but that it should account for family size.

“If you have two kids, you can make a good amount of money and not fit into the income cap, but that doesn’t mean that you can afford two tuitions,” Trapkin said.

Karen Taber, a Grady parent, agreed and added that family size isn’t the only factor that should be taken into account when determining a family’s ability to pay for college. She said she was also concerned that Carter’s income cap plan doesn’t account for the healthcare, retirement and pension costs of self-employed parents.

“There are times that our family would be disqualified from HOPE,” Taber said. “The middle class is not poor enough and not rich enough.”

Even if students are ineligible for HOPE based on their family income, Carter said they could still receive it. According to his plan students who rank in the top 3 percent of their schools would be eligible regardless of income.

“At a minimum, the income cap plan will be able to give the maximum number of students full scholarships every year,” Carter said. p

Rodents run amuck through school buildings, yards

By Shaun Kleber Sometimes the softest sounds can be the most distracting, the most unnerving. Just a quiet scratching, the sound of small feet scurrying around on linoleum tiles, pulls senior Abena Amoakuh’s attention from her work on the Grady yearbook. Just when she thinks she is alone, she remembers the rodents living in the shadows.

This year, a rodent infestation has plagued the second floor of the Eighth Street building, with an unknown number of rats and mice darting through the walls and behind classroom furniture. Broadcast journalism teacher Thaddeus Roberts has been teaching in his room on that floor since 2004 and said this year was the first time he saw mice inside the building.

Literature teacher and yearbook adviser Susie Mercer agreed the mice are new guests.

“There’s always been rats outside. That’s a given,” Mercer said. “But I’ve never seen rats in the building prior to this year.” She added that she does not know how many mice and rats are in the building but said that “if you see one mouse, there’s probably hundreds.” She first noticed the mice in September in the Southerner office attached to her classroom, and the problem has escalated since then.

“I thought, ‘Haha Southerner, they’re not in my room,’” Mercer said. “No way. They’re totally in here, and we’ve had them in a class with a room full of kids more than once.”

Amoakuh, a yearbook editor, said she didn’t notice the infestation until after winter break.

“When we came back, everybody started to notice rat poop around the [yearbook] computers and stuff,” Amoakuh said.

She said she believes the infestation is confined to the E100 hall.

Mercer has had several run-ins with the rodents. She had a couch in her classroom that she had to get rid of because she found mice living in it. She said she sometimes notices a mouse sitting in the middle of her classroom when she is eating lunch, and when she came back to school around 7 p.m. one day, she noticed one “just chilling” in front of graphic design teacher Patricia Kendall’s door.

“Last week I was here at 9 [p.m.] working, and I could hear one of them chewing,” Mercer said. “I used to keep pretzels in [my desk] drawer, before I found out they had eaten a hole in the pretzel bag and were eating the pretzels.”

Operations manager Phil Scardina said he does not know exactly what the problem is but hypothesized that the warm weather—specifically the mild winter—and trash from food have been major contributors.

“It seems to be a problem citywide, even at the University of Georgia,” Scardina said. “It may just be a seasonal thing.”

Scardina said students eating in classrooms, hallways and stairwells has created a trash problem that is difficult to control with limited cleaning staff. Mercer and Amoakuh agreed food and trash in the classrooms is probably the main reason for the problem.

“Teenagers are teenagers, and they never throw away their trash,” Mercer said. “They cram it in whatever space they can cram it, so I guess maybe we just reached critical mass with trash perhaps.”

She said because of the school rule prohibit-

ing eating in class, students who sneak food do not want to get caught throwing it away and therefore hide it in any spaces they can find.

“We cleaned out the space next to my desk, and there was half-eaten stuff and wrappers and gum,” Mercer said. “It was disgusting.”

Art teacher John Brandhorst does not have an explanation for the appearance of the rodents because he does not believe anything significant has changed at the school recently.

“There’s no different patterns about eating in the classrooms or having windows open or anything like that,” Brandhorst said. “Ironically, last summer, they locked the windows.”

Amoakuh does not believe the infestation has negatively impacted the classroom environment because her peers make light of it, and Mercer agreed.

“It’s exciting,” Mercer said. “One runs out, and the kids yell. It kind of breaks things up. I don’t think they would say, ‘Yes we’re glad we have mice,” but I don’t think they’re sad we have mice either.”

In fact, Mercer added that she would not mind the rodents if it weren’t for the feces they leave behind.

“I think they’re kind of cute,” Mercer said. “They don’t climb on me, but I have to keep cleaning off my desk because there’s mouse poop. There’s mouse poop on the computers. That’s nasty.”

Roberts is also bothered by the unsanitary environment created by the mice.

“I’m constantly having to clean the surfaces off of these tables,” Roberts said. “Wherever they crawl, they poop. And that’s very unsanitary. ... The poop is next to keyboards.”

Multiple calls and emails to the Georgia Department of Public Health about the issue went unanswered.

Scardina does not think the problem is having a negative impact on teaching and learning and believes some students “are making a mountain out of a molehill.” He is, however, making efforts to rid the school of the rodents.

“We’re trapping them,” Scardina said. “It’s been kind of quiet lately. We haven’t heard much lately. We had a run. We set traps. We had a company come out, an exterminator company come out, they set their traps. It’s controlled it [the problem].”

Scardina said the school cannot use poison for legal reasons but that the extermination process is “constant.” Mercer, however, said she has not seen any traps since shortly after the start of the semester and does not think the problem has improved.

In fact, Roberts thinks the size of the rodent population is increasing.

Brandhorst thinks the creatures are at the school to stay.

“They’re perfectly designed little mammals. They don’t eat much, they propagate like crazy, they can move inconspicuously, and I think it’s going to be a part of any public building,” Brandhorst said. “It’s not a Grady thing, it’s universal.”

If that is the case, Amoakuh will continue to hear the creatures when they come out at night for the rest of the year.

“At night, if it’s quiet and you listen, you just hear little pitter-patters and rustling in trash cans,” Amoakuh said. “It gives me chills, jeepers creepers.” p

news

6

April 17, 2012

By Sammi Dean Junior Justin Williams had originally planned to have his science fair project professionally printed on a posterboard.

The day before his project was due, however, the company informed him that his poster would not print in time, and he decided to thumbtack it together.

“I was left with one option,” Williams said. “I essentially took my science fair paper and all my figures and tacked it to my science fair board.”

This method did not work out in Williams’ favor. When he presented this version of his project to AP Statistics and AP Calculus teacher Andrew Nichols for the first due date, he was not chosen to participate in the school fair, but after he got the printed version and presented it to his science teacher, he was able to advance to the APS fair.

Williams, along with five other Grady students, advanced to the state level in the science and engineering fair, and of those six, three were chosen to attend the international level. Juniors Troy Kleber, Justin Williams, Regan Lowring and Rachel Citrin, along with sophomore JD Capelouto and freshman Daniel Tehrani have all reached the state level or beyond with project topics ranging from the effectiveness of a new method of mapping and analyzing the structure of proteins to the effect of climate change on the frequency and intensity of hurricanes.

Williams was not the only student to experience a project emergency. Capelouto lost some of his data and analysis when his computer malfunctioned. After staying up past midnight working on his project, Capelouto forgot to save some of his work.

When his computer restarted on its own, he lost some of his findings. Fortunately, it was not immediately before any due dates, and he was able to easily redo his work. "[Redoing] it did not take that much time," Capelouto said.

Troy Kleber

Gold key winners move to international level of fair

IT’S ALL IN THE GENES: Junior Justin Williams explains project about genetics to a judge at the state level.

Williams qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair along with two other Grady students.

The advancing projects shared one common trait: the huge time commitment involved in making them. "[It took] a lot [of time] because I would collect a sample every 24 hours," Lowring said. Lowring's project studied E. Coli found in a stream outside his house and how long it took these bacteria to reach a base after collected.

Capelouto also made a significant time commitment.

"It was definitely a lot [of time] because it was lots of data collection and there was lots of analysis involved," Capelouto said.

Nichols considered the projects academically beneficial for the students.

"I think the most valuable thing is that the student understood their project," Nichols said.

Williams worried more about the judg-

es’ understanding of his complex project than his own.

"Actually, at the school fair there were several Emory University biology students and doctors [judging], people who were fairly knowledgeable in my field," Williams said. "In the APS fair, they were all high school teachers."

The clarity of his project was not the only thing Williams worried about. At the APS level of the science and engineering fair, one judge asked Williams a question comparing his project, which follows evolutionism, to creationist theory. "[The question] made me uncomfortable," Williams said.

To help students prepare for their presentation to the judges at the state level, Georgia Tech professors came to Grady to advise students on their projects and presentations.

"It was really helpful,” Lowring said.

“After the citywide fair they only gave one or two comments. The Tech professors gave a lot of good feedback."

Nichols believes the math fair is worth all the time and effort.

"It gives them an opportunity to communicate their understanding to adults, which you do not get to do often in a high school classroom," Nichols said.

Before they attended the state fair, the participating students were excited.

"It'll be really fun,” Lowring said. “I have never done anything like this. It is something I like to do. I like the environment and learning about stuff."

Williams received a Grand Award at the state-level competition, placing his project among the top 10. His project was also awarded “Best in Genetics.” Lowring won the Broad River Watershed Association Award. Citrin won the NOAA Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary Award as well as the American Meteorological Society award.

She also received a third-place award.

Williams said one of the benefits of winning the state level was the scholarship opportunities that came with it.

"There are a whole bunch of scholarship opportunities and camps you can get into," Williams said. “At the state level I was interviewed by two professors of biofermatics at UGA, and they both asked me to come work with them at UGA [to prepare for International Science and Engineering Fair.]”

The highest level of the fair is the International Science and Engineering Fair.

Kleber, Tehrani and Williams will be representing Grady. The fair takes place from May 13 to 17, at the same time as AP testing. This, however, should not be a problem for competitors.

“The great thing is they have an AP exam center right there, so you can present your science fair, walk out and take the exam, then come back,” Williams said. p

Controversial ‘KONY 2012’ sensation spurs action

By LeJoi Lane It’s early morning in a 1B class and the Promethean board is alight with fast moving pictures telling a horrid story. The sound of a boy weeping for his lost brother filters through the speakers. Images of small Ugandan children, forced to carry guns nearly half their size, assault the class’ eyes. These images are from the 30-minute KONY 2012 video.

“KONY 2012 is a nonprofit organization that is trying to stop a guy named Joseph Kony from abducting children and forcing them to become child soldiers,” senior Traci Gibson said. “The way they believe they can stop him is if you make him famous, not in a good way, but in a way that if more people know about him, the more he will be taken seriously and get arrested.”

The KONY campaign was started by the Invisible Children Foundation nine years ago. Its goal is to stop African warlord Joseph Kony from recruiting young children to work in his army and rebel group, the Lord’s Resistance Army. The LRA, which boasts a 26-year history, originated in Uganda but has now taken roots in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and south Sudan.

With more than 30,000 children abducted and 2.1 million people displaced by the LRA, the KONY 2012 movement hopes to bring global awareness to such atrocities.

Gibson has played a major role in spreading the word about the KONY 2012 movement at Grady. She created flyers that she posted around the school building for students to see. She asked numerous teachers to play the KONY 2012 video in their classes for students to watch and continues to take measures to inform the student body.

Gibson said the video inspired her to help with the KONY 2012 movement.

“While I was watching the video, it asked for your help, and at first assumption you would think ‘OK they want you to donate money,’ but when it told me that all I really had to do was make KONY's name known, I thought ‘well that’s

not hard to do,’” Gibson said. “So once the video ended, substance abuse or mental distress, according to the HuffI decided that I would print papers to put around school, ingtonPost.com. ask teachers to let me play the video in my classes and tell The media coverage of Russell has caused many people people about it. Every time I watched that video I would and groups, such as the Grady Activism Club and 21st Cenbecome more and more motivated.” tury Leaders, to become less enthused about the campaign Environmental science teacher Kori Ellis, who played the and renege their contributions. video to her class, agrees with Gibson on that the issue is “The Activism Club does want to get involved in the isimportant but wants students to analyze whether the orga- sue, however, not through the particular KONY 2012 camnization is truly dependent on their donation. paign,” senior Lukas Olson, a co-founder of the Activism “I would like to see students at Grady focusing on global Club, said. “Rachel Citrin and I spoke with Ms. Van Atta issues and how they affect about how the 21st Century I would like to see students at Grady focus- Leaders was working to colthem and think critically about whether donating will ing on global issues and how they affect lect money to help on the actually help bring justice to issue. We agreed that the them and think critically about whether Invisible Children campaign this cause,” Ellis said.

KONY 2012 has received donating will actually help bring justice to has good intentions but may harsh criticism from the menot be the best way to get this cause.” dia as to where funding is goinvolved, mainly because it ing, the urgency of the LRA has become so controversial. threat and the scandal surKori Ellis We are looking into other rounding the originator of campaigns that we can get environmental science teacher involved with.” the KONY 2012 video, Jason Russell. Russell is also a coEllis agreed that the coverfounder of the advocacy group Invisible Children. age of KONY 2012 has become quite controversial but said The media has questioned whether the money donated it takes focus away from the bigger issue at hand. is being used to help cover the cost of supplying the Af“[Jason Russell] was glorified then vilified in the media rican army with the technology needed to track and stop really quickly,” Ellis said. “It’s unfortunate that the main Joseph KONY or whether the money is primarily being focus has gotten lost in media sensation. I think [KONY spent on frivolous expenses. Many media outlets have 2012] was a great intention.” said current research shows that the LRA is no longer the Gibson said even through the media’s misguided coverage threat it used to be and that focusing on KONY now is a she will still support the cause and hopes Grady students less relevant cause. will still take the time to get involved to help.

The scandal involving Jason Russell, the maker of the “I think that this organization has a positive influence on KONY video and the co-founder of the advocacy group, people,” Gibson said. “I feel that [KONY 2012] is a posiInvisible Children, has received the most coverage though, tive thing and I'm 100 percent for it, no matter how many with questions posed about whether he has been involved in people want to say otherwise.” p

“

news

April 17, 2012

7

By Carson Shadwell “This is what democracy looks like!” chanted the crowd of thousands outside the state Capitol early on March 17. Police cars circled the area as union workers, members of Occupy Atlanta and other outraged citizens spilled into the street to rally against Senate Bill 469.

The bill, which was defeated in the state House of Representatives on March 29 after being passed by the state Senate, would have made picketing on private property an aggravated misdemeanor, punishable by fines and jail time. The legislation caught the attention of civil rights leader and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Senate Democratic leader Steve Henson and the Rev. Joseph Lowery, as well as countless individual citizens.

Robby Evans, union electrician representative of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, believes the bill was unconstitutional and designed to harm unions.

“We want to send a message to lawmakers that we Georgians know our rights,” Evans said. “Bill SB 469 will deny us our First Amendment

rights to free speech and assembly.”

International Brotherhood of Teamsters member Terry Day agreed with Evans.

“This fight is for everybody, no matter [their] race, political stance or religion,” Day said.

“This affects everyone.”

Protesters marched around the Capitol well into the afternoon, careful to avoid stepping into the street and obstructing traffic.

Henson attended the Saturday rally to support the protesters.

“I’m here to support the workers that are being attacked by the [Georgia] General Assembly,” Henson said. “I hope to communicate to the people that some of us care about creating jobs and fair wages, not just protecting the rich.”

Pine Lake City Council member George Chidi also expressed concerns regarding the bill. “[SB 469] is the most obvious breach of civil liberties I’ve seen in a long time,” he said.

Chidi pledged to commit an act of symbolic civil disobedience if the bill passed.

Carson shadwell

Citizens rally against bill to punish civil disobedience

POWER TO THE PEOPLE: Representatives from unions, Occupy Atlanta and the Georgia Tea Party gathered outside the Capitol on March 17 to protest SB 469. If passed, the bill would have designated protesting on private property an aggravated misdemeanor.

“I take being arrested very serious- respond to phone calls and emails place where I don’t have a voice,” ly,” Chidi said. “I would only do it if requesting a comment.

Lacy said.

I truly believed a law to be immoral Paideia junior Lulu Lacy and seBrock added, “I’m a privileged and unconstitutional.” nior Chris Brock both attended the white male from a private school.

The sponsors of the bill, Republi- rally because of concerns raised by I don’t have to worry about this cans Don Balfour, Bill Hamrick, Bill the proposed bill. stuff, but if we don’t have a voice, Cowsert and Ross Tolleson, did not “I don’t want to grow up in a we have nothing left.” p

JESTERS win third state title

James Moy

continued from front page

PANTS ON FIRE: Dozens of firefighters battled the March 11 electrical fire at My Dry Cleaner in Little Five Points. The fire also damaged Eye Etc. and the Little Five Points Pharmacy. As the weeks-long cleanup process continued, customers mourned singed garments while business owners noticed a decline in profits.

Shops iron out damage from fire at cleaner

By Isabelle Taft An empty store became cause for relief for the employees of the Little Five Points Pharmacy at 11:30 a.m. on March 11, when employee Eleanor Walker smelled smoke wafting in from Eye Etc., an eye-care shop located in between the pharmacy and My Dry Cleaner.

“Someone came in and shouted, ‘The building’s on fire!’” Walker said. “I was never scared for my life, but I was scared the building was gonna burn down, thinking, y’know, ‘What do I grab?’”

According to the incident report prepared by the Atlanta Fire Department, the fire began due to an electrical problem in My Dry Cleaner, which is two doors down from the pharmacy. More than 60 firefighters battled the blaze until 4:40 p.m. as a crowd of onlookers gathered.

No one was injured, and the building, 484 Moreland Ave., home to neighborhood favorites including the pharmacy and Savage Pizza, remained standing. But more than a week after the fire, businesses were still struggling to rebuild.

Ira Katz, the owner of the pharmacy, had just landed in Atlanta on a flight from Memphis, Tenn. when Walker called him and described what had happened. Katz said he drove to the building as quickly as possible.

“I saw eight or nine fire trucks in the parking lot,” Katz said. “They wouldn’t let me in my store, and I was an unhappy camper.”

My Dry Cleaner was severely damaged by the fire and efforts to extinguish it. The phar-

macy, as well as Eye Etc., suffered significant smoke and water damage, said a representative of Blackmon Mooring, the restoration company hired to clean up the property.

Scott Pendergrast, the owner of the building, said he is hopeful the insurance companies will cover all the repair costs.

“I’ve never had a fire before, so this is all a learning experience for me,” Pendergrast said.

Until the AFD and each store’s insurance company completes their investigations, the total cost of the fire will remain unclear.

Jason Lee, son of My Dry Cleaner owner Jeongmin Lee, said the dry cleaner’s insurance company was working with the AFD to determine the cause of the fire and develop a plan to rebuild and reopen.

The Lees salvaged their computer hard drive from the wreckage and are trying to contact each person who had clothes inside the building. All of the clothes were damaged beyond repair by smoke and water, but Lee said customers will be compensated.

“We hired a private company that evaluated the customers’ stuff,” Lee said.

“They’re the ones who decide how much, say, a sweater you bought three years ago for $100 is worth now.”

Many customers realized what happened when they drove into the parking lot to pick up their dry cleaning.

“A couple of people have come to get their dry cleaning and [have] been really upset there was a fire,” parking lot attendant Adam McNeil said.

Sophomore Becca Martin lived close to

My Dry Cleaner until 2011, and her mother patronized it frequently.

“I think it’s sad because they were there for so long,” Martin said.

Lee said the space has housed a dry cleaner for 27 years. He believes its longevity has contributed to customer loyalty, which has persisted after the fire.

“They know we’re a family business, so they feel sorry [the fire] happened and try to understand as much as possible,” Lee said.

Eye Etc. was closed for about a week and a half for repairs. Despite its smoke and water damage, the pharmacy remained open every day but had to close early, at 3 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. each day for a week after the fire. Katz also noticed a decline in customer traffic, which he attributed to the fact that the cleanup crews and dumpsters took up about a third of the parking lot.

“Not to say that I won’t get [the revenue] back, but you never know,” Katz said.

Junior Caitlin Lochridge was at home on March 11 when her mother called her to say there had been a fire in Little Five Points. She drove past it later that day.

“The first thing I thought when I saw the fire [at Eye Etc.] is ‘I’m sure glad I stocked up on my contact solution,’” Lochridge said.

Although the fire caused mayhem and profit losses for the affected businesses, Walker did see one bright side: cleaning up after the fire made the store, well, cleaner.

“We’re getting new carpet and they put in new ceiling tiles,” Walker said. “We’re going to have a nicer store.” p

They compete because they love the thrill of argument and expression though drama.”

Senior Mallory Akard, who competes in original oratory, said the performance at the state competition was about more than just winning. Instead of jumping with joy for the team’s third consecutive win, Akard said she cried tears of sadness because it was the last time she would compete at a local debate tournament with the Grady team.

“At the time I wasn’t interested in the rank, but I was sad to leave something I’ve been in for three years because I’m surrounded by so many really good people,” Akard said.

Senior speech competitor Jahra Gholston said she felt as if she was leaving something behind.

“It was like graduation because it is the last state tournament of our high school years,” Gholston said.

Senior Marius Jackson said the team is much closer this year. Jackson considers the debate team to be the most diverse club at Grady. He added that members from different events interact with each other more than in the past, which makes the team more interesting. He said every one on the team is supportive of one another’s victory.

“The culture across the board in Grady debate is that we are pleased with the success of any Grady student,” Willoughby said.

Willoughby explained that this embodies the motto of Grady: Individually we are different, together we are Grady. She said students who are from different backgrounds come together and support one another at Grady.

Herrera said diversity of thought and expression can be seen on the debate team, and that it is one of the best places to see the true diversity of Grady.

“We attract students from different socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds,” Herrera said.

Willoughby said she enjoys the new energy the freshmen and sophomores bring. She noted, however, that it’s always hard losing seniors because the team hates to lose strong competitors.

“When seniors leave you discover the new strengths of others and they step up to new leadership roles,” Willoughby said. “The team is looking forward to seeing success in the future.” p

8

juSTIcE for all?

Hunter Rust

Citizens rally at Capitol for Trayvon Martin; Grady students show their support by sporting hoodies

CLOSE TO HOME: A young boy at a rally outside the Capitol protests Zimmerman’s choice to shoot Trayvon Martin.

What do you think the chances are that something like this would happen in AtlaNta? No Answer 1%

By Konadu Amoakuh and Hunter Rust Protesters wearing dark hoodies swarmed the steps of the Georgia Capitol. Chants of justice and peace filled the air. People raised signs featuring a young boy’s face and slogans that read, “No justice, no peace” and “I am Trayvon Martin.”

Several hundred people attended a rally on the steps of the Capitol on March 26 in order to call attention to the fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and what they believe to be the negative aspects of Georgia’s version of the “Stand Your Ground” law, which Zimmerman used as a key component in his defense.

Martin was killed Feb. 26 in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. The shooting has sparked controversy because the shooter, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, was not arrested until April 11 after the governor appointed a special prosecutor to take over the case.

V-103 radio personalities like Greg Street and Frank Ski, student government presidents at Morehouse and Spelman colleges and leaders of African-American organizations such as the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP spoke at the rally. Some focused on the evils of Georgia’s “Stand Your Ground Law” and the need for citizens to vote in all elections, while others focused on the speculation that racial profiling motivated the shooting.

One speaker said the law would never have been passed had more people voted against the state senators who supported it.

Many ralliers felt they or someone they loved identified with Martin.

“I have children,” rally attendee Anthony Smith said. “My son goes to Syracuse. He’s a law student. If it happened to Trayvon Martin, it could happen to anyone.”

Other ralliers felt scared that something like this could happen in their hometowns.

“When I thought of Trayvon Martin, I thought of all the other black boys who

shouldn’t have to worry,” said Ayana Perkins, a researcher who attended the rally.

The crowd was mostly made up of young African-American adults in their 20s and college students, including former Grady student and Morehouse freshman Reggie Hutchins.

Hutchins said Martin’s story touched him because of their closeness in age and circumstance.

He worries, however, that people will soon forget the concern and debate over the shooting.

“People jump behind the next fad, so I hope people in the Atlanta University Center actually take action,” Hutchins said.

“Hopefully this one thing we’ve done today has actually made a difference in getting these laws reversed.”

Abdul Saadiq, a 22-year-old activist and head of entertainment company Stunt Time, agreed that the African-American community should come together and bring about change.

“It happened, and we can’t let it happen again,” Saadiq said. “We need to open our eyes and come together so it won’t happen again.”

Occupy Atlanta activist Daniel Harvey said the movement was impressive because of the short time it took to organize it.

“We hope to achieve the realization that the people have the power,” Harvey said.

The younger generation is not the only one fighting for its voice to be heard. State Democratic senator Gail Davenport, who represents District 44 in North Fulton and South Cobb, said there is an underlying perception behind this case that being AfricanAmerican and wearing a hoodie is equivalent to crime.

“I am an elected official, and I’m wearing a hoodie,” Davenport said. “And yet I am not here to break the law.”

M a r t i n’s death

garnered attention across the nation and on the Grady campus. Senior and The Southerner comment editor Taylor Allen posted signs throughout the hallways instructing students to wear hoodies on Thursday, March 29 to commemorate Martin’s death.

“Other cities and high schools have movements and walkouts, so I thought we can stand up for this cause too,” Allen said.

Junior Aeron Attwooll showed his awareness by wearing a hoodie March 29.

“What happened to Trayvon was an injustice that reflects on other injustices, our criminal justice system and the obvious, inherent racism in our modern culture.” Attwooll said.

In addition to the many students who wore hoodies observing the occasion, some teachers also participated. World history teacher George Darden said he saw the signs on the walls encouraging students to wear hoodies, and he decided that he should wear one as well.

“I don’t think it’s just an issue for students,” Darden said. “It’s for teachers and adults as well.”

Teachers elsewhere in the country paid a price for their activism. On March 27 in Pontiac, Mich., Brooke Harris, a teacher at Pontiac Academy for Excellence, claimed she was suspended after attempting to help students raise money in support of Martin’s family, the Detroit Free Press reported on April 9. The students could pay a dollar to dress out of uniform for the day and wear a hoodie in honor of Martin. The superintendent, however, refused to give permission to Harris and said that the project could not go forward. Two days later, Harris was fired after challenging the suspension. The Martin case has dominated national news for weeks.

On the night of April 10, according to multiple media reports, Florida special prosecutor Angela

Corey charged Zimmerman with seconddegree murder. When the charge was placed, Zimmerman had not been seen for days. Later that night, Zimmerman showed up in Sanford to turn himself in. Zimmerman is now in jail and attended his first court date on April 12.

While Darden believes the shooting was a tragedy, he is skeptical that it will lead to major reform.

“My sense is that we as a nation and Florida and Georgia as states are not in a place where we’re going to change based on [the shooting],” Darden said. “Ideally there would be a closer look at the way that we discourage vigilante justice. Ideally we would reexamine subtle ways race and racism affect our judgment.”

Darden finds the incident deeply troubling.

“I think the idea that we can condone the vigilante shooting and killing of a teenager is repugnant,” Darden said. p

Very likely 34% Somewhat likely 47%

11% 1%

64%

24%

18%

6% 7% 69%

YES, SIGNIFICANTLY

Very unlikely 6%

SOMEWHAT NO, NOT AT ALL

Somewhat unlikely 12%

Do you feel that race played a role in George Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin?

Do you think George Zimmerman was justified in shooting Trayvon Martin?

I DON’T KNOW

9

8

juSTIcE for all?

Hunter Rust

Citizens rally at Capitol for Trayvon Martin; Grady students show their support by sporting hoodies

CLOSE TO HOME: A young boy at a rally outside the Capitol protests Zimmerman’s choice to shoot Trayvon Martin.

What do you think the chances are that something like this would happen in AtlaNta? No Answer 1%

By Konadu Amoakuh and Hunter Rust Protesters wearing dark hoodies swarmed the steps of the Georgia Capitol. Chants of justice and peace filled the air. People raised signs featuring a young boy’s face and slogans that read, “No justice, no peace” and “I am Trayvon Martin.”

Several hundred people attended a rally on the steps of the Capitol on March 26 in order to call attention to the fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin and what they believe to be the negative aspects of Georgia’s version of the “Stand Your Ground” law, which Zimmerman used as a key component in his defense.

Martin was killed Feb. 26 in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. The shooting has sparked controversy because the shooter, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, was not arrested until April 11 after the governor appointed a special prosecutor to take over the case.

V-103 radio personalities like Greg Street and Frank Ski, student government presidents at Morehouse and Spelman colleges and leaders of African-American organizations such as the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus and the NAACP spoke at the rally. Some focused on the evils of Georgia’s “Stand Your Ground Law” and the need for citizens to vote in all elections, while others focused on the speculation that racial profiling motivated the shooting.

One speaker said the law would never have been passed had more people voted against the state senators who supported it.

Many ralliers felt they or someone they loved identified with Martin.

“I have children,” rally attendee Anthony Smith said. “My son goes to Syracuse. He’s a law student. If it happened to Trayvon Martin, it could happen to anyone.”

Other ralliers felt scared that something like this could happen in their hometowns.

“When I thought of Trayvon Martin, I thought of all the other black boys who

shouldn’t have to worry,” said Ayana Perkins, a researcher who attended the rally.

The crowd was mostly made up of young African-American adults in their 20s and college students, including former Grady student and Morehouse freshman Reggie Hutchins.

Hutchins said Martin’s story touched him because of their closeness in age and circumstance.

He worries, however, that people will soon forget the concern and debate over the shooting.

“People jump behind the next fad, so I hope people in the Atlanta University Center actually take action,” Hutchins said.

“Hopefully this one thing we’ve done today has actually made a difference in getting these laws reversed.”

Abdul Saadiq, a 22-year-old activist and head of entertainment company Stunt Time, agreed that the African-American community should come together and bring about change.

“It happened, and we can’t let it happen again,” Saadiq said. “We need to open our eyes and come together so it won’t happen again.”

Occupy Atlanta activist Daniel Harvey said the movement was impressive because of the short time it took to organize it.

“We hope to achieve the realization that the people have the power,” Harvey said.

The younger generation is not the only one fighting for its voice to be heard. State Democratic senator Gail Davenport, who represents District 44 in North Fulton and South Cobb, said there is an underlying perception behind this case that being AfricanAmerican and wearing a hoodie is equivalent to crime.

“I am an elected official, and I’m wearing a hoodie,” Davenport said. “And yet I am not here to break the law.”

M a r t i n’s death

garnered attention across the nation and on the Grady campus. Senior and The Southerner comment editor Taylor Allen posted signs throughout the hallways instructing students to wear hoodies on Thursday, March 29 to commemorate Martin’s death.

“Other cities and high schools have movements and walkouts, so I thought we can stand up for this cause too,” Allen said.

Junior Aeron Attwooll showed his awareness by wearing a hoodie March 29.

“What happened to Trayvon was an injustice that reflects on other injustices, our criminal justice system and the obvious, inherent racism in our modern culture.” Attwooll said.

In addition to the many students who wore hoodies observing the occasion, some teachers also participated. World history teacher George Darden said he saw the signs on the walls encouraging students to wear hoodies, and he decided that he should wear one as well.

“I don’t think it’s just an issue for students,” Darden said. “It’s for teachers and adults as well.”

Teachers elsewhere in the country paid a price for their activism. On March 27 in Pontiac, Mich., Brooke Harris, a teacher at Pontiac Academy for Excellence, claimed she was suspended after attempting to help students raise money in support of Martin’s family, the Detroit Free Press reported on April 9. The students could pay a dollar to dress out of uniform for the day and wear a hoodie in honor of Martin. The superintendent, however, refused to give permission to Harris and said that the project could not go forward. Two days later, Harris was fired after challenging the suspension. The Martin case has dominated national news for weeks.

On the night of April 10, according to multiple media reports, Florida special prosecutor Angela

Corey charged Zimmerman with seconddegree murder. When the charge was placed, Zimmerman had not been seen for days. Later that night, Zimmerman showed up in Sanford to turn himself in. Zimmerman is now in jail and attended his first court date on April 12.

While Darden believes the shooting was a tragedy, he is skeptical that it will lead to major reform.

“My sense is that we as a nation and Florida and Georgia as states are not in a place where we’re going to change based on [the shooting],” Darden said. “Ideally there would be a closer look at the way that we discourage vigilante justice. Ideally we would reexamine subtle ways race and racism affect our judgment.”

Darden finds the incident deeply troubling.

“I think the idea that we can condone the vigilante shooting and killing of a teenager is repugnant,” Darden said. p

Very likely 34% Somewhat likely 47%

11% 1%

64%

24%

18%

6% 7% 69%

YES, SIGNIFICANTLY

Very unlikely 6%

SOMEWHAT NO, NOT AT ALL

Somewhat unlikely 12%

Do you feel that race played a role in George Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin?

Do you think George Zimmerman was justified in shooting Trayvon Martin?

I DON’T KNOW

9

news

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April 17, 2012

‘DYNAMIC’ students, coaches bring 4th win at state going into the competition as he did the previous year.

“I felt like we could win, but I didn’t know if we were going to,” Kinnane said.

“I was kind of surprised we won because we didn’t spend as much time preparing.”

The two-day state competition was suspenseful for the team, and while waiting for the results, senior Atiana Johnson said she and her teammates closed their eyes and held hands.

“The moment leading up to it, you’re on pins and needles because you know you’ve done everything you can do, and you hope they call your school’s name,” Johnson said.

This fourth consecutive win was especially meaningful for seniors who had been on the team all four years of high school and can say they have only known what it is like to win a state championship, Leahy said.

“Apparently in ninth grade I told [our coach] I wanted to be a part of a team that won state all four years in a row, and I’ve accomplished that,” Johnson said.

The team credits much of its success to the support and cooperation of the parents.

“The closeness and the family atmosphere really make the team unique,” Leahy said.

Attorney coach Trinh Huynh agreed and stressed the large size of the Grady mock trial family.

“The team’s success is due in a large part to the support we get from everyone involved in Grady mock trial, not just the students that compete,” Huynh said. “Our parents are dynamite. They spend countless hours selling water and manning the parking lot on the weekends to raise funds for our competitions. On competition days, they provide healthy meals, rides to the courthouse and a nurturing environ-

Konadu Amoakuh

continued from front page

TELL IT TO THE JURY: Senior team member Kenny Cochran portrayed witness Luiz Montague on March 17 during the mock trial state competition. The Grady mock trial team won the state competition after beating the Atlanta International School in the final round, giving the team its fourth championship in as many years. ment after the rounds.”

Huynh also credits the team’s success to the rest of the coaching staff like Leahy and head attorney coach Carl Gebo.

Despite the team’s many wins, the students haven’t become complacent.

“Ever since I have been on the coaching staff, our goals for the team have been the same: to work the case and to have fun do-

ing it,” Huynh said. “Being recognized for our effort with a win is just icing on the cake of what we hope has been a wonderful experience for everyone.”

For some students, mock trial has been helpful and an instructive tool in shaping their understanding about law.

“I intend to go to law school, hopefully, and I want to be an attorney,” Johnson said.

“[Mock trial] has helped me get a feel for whether I want to go into law.”

Though their most recent win is very exciting, the team knows they have a lot of work to do.

“We were all very proud and happy that it happened, but we understood that this was another step in us hopefully bringing a national title to Georgia,” Leahy said. p

There’s no substitute for missing substitute teachers

By Grace Power In preparation for his two-day absence in mid-March, AP calculus teacher Andrew Nichols hired a substitute and left lesson plans. The substitute didn’t show, however, and students were left with no teacher and no direction.

When Nichols returned to the classroom on Monday, he noticed something different.

“The roll hadn’t been taken, and it felt weird in the classroom,” Nichols said.

Junior Mona Adams, enrolled in Nichols’ AP Statistics class, said the students completed their work, but eventually learned that without instructions, they were doing the assigned work incorrectly.

“There was stuff on the board to do, but it was kind of vague,” Adams said.

This problem was only brought to Nichols’ attention on the following Monday.

Numerous teachers, including Nichols and fashion teacher Vincent Martinez, have faced this problem, although the discipline office could not say how often substitutes have failed to show up this year. Grady and APS officials were unable to provide any data regarding how often substitutes do not show up.

All substitute teachers sign in at the discipline office to be checked in by administrative assistant Nicole Rozier before going to their assigned room.

“A sub just didn’t pick up the job,” Rozier said, regarding Nichols’ absent substitute.

Debate and journalism teacher Mario Herrera experienced a problem with a substitute on Feb. 3. The substitute he had hired to work never showed up, leading to his class being split up and sent to other teachers’ rooms.

Herrera said that a large factor in this problem lies in the selection of substitutes, which are either chosen specifically by the teacher or randomly by a computer.

Hiring a sub involves the use of the Internet-based program called Sub Finder. Each substitute has a number that identifies him or her, and a teacher can either ask for a certain substitute or let the computer decide between the many subs listed on the website.

“Certain times there may be a shortage of subs, which atmosphere, student body and the cooperation from adleaves the school in a bind,” assistant principal Rodney ministrators and staff.

Howard said. “If we can’t find a substitute, we will split “If a sub does not come, there is probably an emer[the class] up amongst [the] department or ask [teachers] gency,” Jenkins said. “There are a lot of jobs out there. during their planning periods.”

It could be that, after a sub accepts the job, they find anEach academy leader within the small learning com- other and cancel [on the original job].” munities should be alerted whether a teacher will be late Although the discipline office does not keep records on or absent, and if a teacher the substitutes who do is unexpectedly absent or a If a sub does not come, there is probably not show up to their jobs, substitute doesn’t show up, Rozier suggested that the an emergency. There are a lot of jobs out incident of an absent an administrator must put in a request to the discithere. It could be that, after a sub accepts sub could have been crepline office, prompting the because a teacher rethe job, they find another and cancel [on ated administrative assistant to quested a substitute and the original job].” put in a call to find a sub, no substitutes chose the Howard said. job on Sub Finder.

There are, however, no “It is very rare that a Olympia Jenkins substitute does not show records at Grady of how many substitutes do not former Grady teacher up,” Rozier said. show up to their assigned The absence of substiand frequent substitute tutes, classes, and the discipline however, is not the office is not always alerted only problem. Herrera by the teacher or class, Rozier said. After repeated at- also explained that some substitutes will ignore instructempts to reach the Atlanta Public Schools offices, no one tional notes given to them by the teacher. Some teachwas available for a comment on this issue. ers prefer to hand-select their substitutes to prevent this Finding a substitute at the last minute is difficult, es- from happening. Martinez explained that although he has pecially on a Friday, Howard said. This was the case on needs different from an English or math teacher, he still March 23, when the substitute assigned to Martinez did needs a substitute who can use common sense. not show up for class.

“I use subs who I have history with, so I pre-arrange a “When this person took this position, we [expected] date with them,” Martinez said. them to be here,” Howard said.

Nichols said he is also usually satisfied with substitutes Finding a substitute teacher on that Friday at noon he chooses himself. proved to be particularly difficult.

“But I’ve had substitutes blatantly not follow the in“We can make an attempt to get a new [substitute structions I left for them,” Nichols said. teacher] depending on time of day,” Rozier said. “As of Howard explained that once a substitute is caught not right now, we are unable to get anyone to cover.” following class rules and instructions given to them, he or Frequent Grady substitute and former teacher Olympia she is asked for an explanation.

Jenkins was surprised to learn that substitutes sometimes “Anytime we find subs that aren’t doing what they are did not show up to their jobs at Grady, specifically be- supposed to do, we remove them from the list [of potencause substitutes like working at Grady due to the overall tial substitutes] at Grady,” Howard said. p

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April 17, 2012

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MURDER mystery spring musical draws rave reviews Fortunately, Peterson had been to every practice and was very familiar with each male role.

“I had to improvise some of the trickier parts, but I was familiar enough with each scene that I knew what I was doing,” Peterson said. “I was able to say lines that I knew my character would say.”

His performance was extremely well-received by both the cast and the audience.

“I didn’t even realize that he was the understudy until after the play,” said junior James Moy, who attended the show. “He just seemed so natural.”

One of the notable things about the play was the extensive set. Because the play is a murder mystery in which the house does the killing, the set was extremely complicated and had to be done just right.

“This was hands down the most complex, ambitious set Grady has ever had,” art and set-design teacher John Brandhorst said.

Not only was the set essential to creating the right atmosphere for the play, it was filled with many props and traps, including exploding stairs, a balcony and a head that popped out of a couch and shot a dart at a cast member.

Early stages of set construction began in December 2011. Brandhorst drove the construction of the set with an extreme amount of help from many students, both on and off the cast.

“We definitely couldn’t have done it without the students’ help,” Brandhorst said. “Without them, the play simply would not have happened.”

Junior Alexander Realff and senior Matt Fossett both held leadership roles backstage and devoted large amounts of time to planning, designing and constructing the set. Realff, the crew master, was in charge of coordinating the small army of crew members while Fossett acted as the technical director. Junior Charlie Denton held the role of props master for the more than 118 props.

“When they brought out the list of props, it was like in a TV show, where the list is being held loosely, and it just keeps

Courtesy of Debbie Livingston

continued from front page

SOMETHING’S A KISS: Romantic leads junior Miller Lansing and freshman Carter Guensler share an intimate moment during the parent’s night performance of the play. on dropping lower and lower until it runs all the way until the floor,” Denton said.

The students’ efforts paid off when the set was completed early, giving students more time to focus on details.

Something’s Afoot was shown as a fairly underground play, so acquiring the musical scores was difficult.

“We got the music from the start, but it looked like someone hand-wrote it, and it was very difficult to read,” senior cast member William Bradley said. “Also, we didn’t really have as many singing rehearsals as we wanted.”

Directed by band director Brian Cook, the Grady jazz band along with professional piano accompanist Bryan Mercer had less than a week to learn all the music for the play.

“Our first run-through of the entire show was for parent night [the day before

the opening performance],” junior drummer and pit orchestra member Jordan Holiman said. “Fortunately, the music was pretty easy, so it wasn’t a problem.”

Despite all the work put into the play’s production, it was not without its lastminute hiccups. During the opening-night performance, the fire alarm went off about halfway through the second act and continued to sound until after the conclusion of the show.

“For about five seconds, I thought [the alarm] was a part of the play,” Moy said. “After a little while I realized that it wasn’t, but the actors just kept on going. You couldn’t see any shock or panic in their faces.”

Unable to turn off the fire alarm, backstage members covered up the alarm’s speakers in an attempt to muffle it.

“People were getting creative with ways to cover up the speakers,” Denton said.

“There were jackets, plastic boxes, insulation and, I think in one case, menstrual pads [covering the speakers].”

Originally the crew believed the alarm sounded because the smoke machines were set off minutes before the alarm sounded.

This, however, wasn’t the cause.

“Every other time we practiced the play [with the mist explosion] the fire alarms didn’t go off,” Realff said. “We think that it was a member of the cleaning crew who saw smoke pouring out of the music hall and must have believed the building was on fire.”

Despite the hiccups, the play continued and left cast members and drama teachers excited for future plays.

“Every production is special,” Willoughby said. “It is always difficult and exciting to rise to the challenges. It leaves us looking forward to the next productions.” p

By Lindsey Leonard Tens of thousands of Atlanta residents flocked to the streets of downtown Atlanta for the 130th annual Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day celebration of the Irish culture.

The event included the world’s largest walking Irish flag, 16 community bands, 4,000 dancers, six floats and a five-story St. Patrick’s Day balloon.

The parade was led by Mayor Kasim Reed and featured two special guests from Ireland: Irish icon Liam O’Connor, the fastest Irish singer in the world, and Irish minister of culture and heritage Jimmy Deeniham.

More than 65 Georgia State University hospitality students, faculty and staff helped set a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest walking Irish flag. The flag covered more than 4,000 square feet and was carried down Peachtree Street for the parade.

The Atlanta Parade Committee had contacted GSU to ask them to participate and carry the flag during the parade.

Courtesy of georgia state University

St. Patrick’s Day parade attracts crowd of thousands

WALKING FLAG: Fifty-four Georgia State students set new world record for carrying the world’s largest Irish walking flag March 17.

“We have participated multiple times in the past with a convertible in the parade and a marching group of students giving out candy,” said Debby Cannon, director of the School of Hospitality at GSU. Cannon said the flag-walking event was promoted through classes.

“Some students participated to be unique, some for fun and some for class studies,” Cannon said. “Overall, it was a positive learning experi-

ence for the students.”

Just a week before the parade, the flag was shipped from Michigan, where it was made, to Hurt Park in downtown Atlanta so the GSU students, faculty and staff could “try on” the flag for the first time.

“Because of the design of this massive flag, it took 54 students to actually ‘wear’ the flag,” GSU student Joshua Grotheer said.

The parade was hosted by At-

lanta St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Inc., a group of parade committee members in charge of the organization and funding of the festival, including the funding for the walking Irish flag.

“The parade is still growing,” Kelcie Chambers, assistant account executive of the parade said. “It used to be in Buckhead, but it was moved downtown in the early 2000s.”

On the morning of the parade,

there was a dignitary’s breakfast recognizing Reed, Grand Marshals and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who represents District 5. A Cuties Luckie 5K was held that same morning at 8 a.m. along with a fun run race at 9 a.m.

The races began at Centennial Olympic Park and finished in the Luckie Marietta District of downtown Atlanta.

Immediately following the parade, a family-friendly festival was held, featuring more Irish culture, dancers and bands.

To top off the day of events, there was a concert located at the Buckhead Theatre. O’Connor made his second appearance of the celebration along with his troupe of Irish dancers and musicians.

To raise money for the parade funds, the Atlanta St. Patrick’s Day Parade Foundation Golf Tournament at Peachtree Golf Club was held on Oct. 31. More than 120 golfers gathered, selling out the event and raising $160,000 to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Georgia and the 2012 edition of the parade. p

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April 17, 2012

ts n e ries for stud

Elizabeth McGlamry

TOY TAKEOVER: The “Miniland” exhibit at LEGOLAND shows off the Atlanta city skyline.

The attraction highlights the aquarium as well as other Atlanta landmarks by constructing the city out of 1.5 million LEGO bricks.

Olivia Kleinman

h

toy sparks childh s s e l e ood Tim memo

rs e h c a , te

By Olivia Kleinman The March 17 opening of LEGOLAND Discovery Center, a LEGO-themed amusement park in Phipps Plaza, the third location in the United States, has triggered nostalgia for LEGO enthusiasts at Grady.

Junior Claire Hasson said she used to love constructing LEGO models when she was younger. She said the little plastic bricks could always capture her attention for hours on end, and when she visited LEGOLAND, waves of her childhood resurfaced.

“I felt like a little kid again,” Hasson said. “I sat down next to one of the LEGO bins and realized the entertainment value of them still hasn’t changed.”

LEGO may not be a brand name most people associate with such high-end stores in Phipps Plaza, but operation manager Richard Dilly said the new addition is off to a great start.

Dilly, who played with LEGO bricks as a child, flew in from England for the grand opening in Atlanta. Opening weekend attracted 3,500 people, Dilly said.

The first attraction in the discovery center is the LEGO factory, where visitors can experience the transformation of raw plastic into finished bricks and even find their weight and height in LEGO bricks.

The center’s second room features the sound of medieval music, which transports visitors to a whole different era. Blazing torches with fabric flames glow on the castle walls that surround several children eagerly fidgeting in line under the pink and blue lights.

“If he’s old enough to walk and hold a gun, he can ride,” an employee said to a parent.

With that, one by one, the children and their dazzled parents board the chariots, equipped with laser guns, on an interactive ride called “Kingdom

Quest”—a fictional mission to rescue the captured princess by defeating the skeletons and vanquishing the trolls.

Down the hall lies downtown Atlanta—intricately composed from 1.5 million LEGO bricks, one of the world’s biggest boxes of LEGO bricks. Known as “Miniland,” there are detailed recreations of several buildings and landmarks with moving parts such as the Georgia Dome, Turner Field, the High Museum, the CNN Center, the state Capitol, the Georgia Aquarium and much more. When nighttime falls, the room darkens, buildings light up and animated fireworks are projected in the “sky.”

A flood of children and their parents rush under the LEGO arch into a giant room with wide, green buckets of LEGO bricks and life-size LEGO figures spread throughout the vicinity.

“If you’re having fun, scream!” an employee yelled.

Earsplitting shrieks echo across the room as children frolic in the Fire Academy jungle gym, build LEGO cars to race down ramps, sing karaoke, construct LEGO buildings, spin around on a ride called “Merlin’s Apprentice” or count down the seconds before the next 4D LEGO animation movie.

The employees, clad in purple shirts, dance around, adding to the lively atmosphere.

“Everyday it’s a fantasy world,” employee Robin Rowland said.

Rowland said children’s faces light up in wonder as soon as they enter LEGOLAND, and she enjoys being a part of the excitement.

Dilly said child visitors have ranged in age from newborn to 13 years old. The ages of LEGO lovers, however, are boundless.

“Once, when I went to the bank, there was a man who said he got his degree in architecture because he liked playing with LEGO bricks so much,” Dilly said.

Juniors James Moy and Henry Peteet can also relate to this old pastime. “[LEGO] makes it easy to be constructive, and I was a destructive kid, so it was nice to have,” Moy said.

Peteet, who is on Grady’s robotics team, said LEGO contributed to the spark of his interest in robotics.

Math teacher and robotics coach Andrew Nichols also recalls playing with LEGO bricks when he was younger.

“It was an avenue for my interest in robotics,” Nichols said. “I already had an interest [in robotics], and LEGO helped me explore it.”

Admission to the discovery center is free for children two and under, $15 for children 3 through 12 and $19 for adults 13 and older.

Since LEGOLAND is a children’s attraction, the policy does not admit adults into the discovery center unless they are visiting with a child. All those older LEGO fans, however, have no need to fret. Beginning in May, LEGOLAND will host an adult night on the second Thursday of every month.

LEGO toys continue to rave in popularity some 65 years after they were originally produced in 1947, and Dilly believes they will remain popular for many years to come. p

people

April 17, 2012

13

From Inman to Broadway Rejected by 59 of 60 theaters, playwright gets movie deal, wins Pulitzer and sees show performed on New York stage

By Jolie Jones A tall woman flies across her classroom, her arms pounding against her chest as she stares back at a room of sixth graders. She cries out like a monkey as she points to her Promethean board.

“I want you to understand the difference between a gorilla and a guerrilla,” Maggie Edson said.

Edson has been teaching for 19 years and has been at Inman Middle School for two, teaching sixth-grade social studies. Her passion for teaching is apparent by the energy she brings to the classroom.

“I love history,” Edson said. “It’s just gossip, ‘who did what to whom.’ [History] is perfectly suited to sixth graders.”

In 1991, though, Edson wasn’t teaching. She was writing a play titled Wit. While she was in college, Edson traveled to London with her partner Lindle Merrill, who was studying abroad in London. Every night they would go see plays.

“It was very inspiring for her,” Merrill said. “She got to see very good theater.”

When Edson was 25 years old, she worked as a unit clerk at a research hospital in her hometown of Washington, D.C. She loved her secretarial duties and the hustle and bustle of working in a hospital. She also enjoyed developing relationships with her coworkers and the patients residing there.

From this setting, Edson drew the inspiration for her first and only play: Wit. It is about a professor named Vivian Bearing who is diagnosed with stage-four ovarian cancer. The play follows Bearing’s battle against a cancer that is destined to take her life.

After writing Wit, Edson sent the script to 60 theaters. She received rejection letters and phone calls from all but one of the theaters, South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, Calif., which called her in for a reading. Once they read through the whole script they decided to produce her play.

“During the first [run-through] I sat quietly,” Edson said. “The last week of rehearsals, the director and I realized [the play] needed to be cut by an hour. It was a challenging week.”

With Merrill’s help, Edson shortened the play.

“Every time I’d ask her to cut something, she’d say ‘that’s my favorite part,’” Merrill said. “She had a character opening a Coke bottle with her teeth. There would have been blood everywhere! It wasn’t realistic.”

South Coast Repertory produced Wit in January of 1995 as a 90-minute play with no intermission.

“All of the theaters that had rejected it came around and performed it,” Edson said.

The widespread production of the play was only the beginning of Edson’s journey with Wit. In 1999, Edson was working at Centennial Olympic Park Elementary School when she was called into the principal’s office.

“I thought I was in trouble,” Edson said.

To her surprise, a phone call was waiting announcing she had won the Pulitzer

Prize for Drama. Edson said it was a great feeling to win a Pulitzer, and to celebrate, she and Merrill went to Fellini’s and Zesto. Edson said the best part about winning was the attention it brought to Wit. Four producers contacted her, interested in turning her play into a movie. Edson thought they should all have to write her an essay so she could better choose between her many suitors, but then a phone conversation changed her mind. When Edson asked Colin Calendar, the head of HBO, how she should choose the producer, he simply said, “You’re just going to have to pick someone you trust.”

Edson liked that approach and decided to let HBO produce the movie version of her play. Emma Thompson starred in the 2001 HBO film in the role of Professor Bearing. Edson decided to have nothing to do with the moviemaking process.

“It is better for the director if the author is dead,” Edson said jokingly.

The movie was titled W;t. It was the movie editor’s idea to switch the ‘I’ to a semicolon—he watched the production and saw a semicolon as an additive to the theme of superficial and quick knowledge that appears throughout the story. Edson thought it was an ingenious idea.

When the movie was finally finished, Edson had nothing but positive things to say.

“I love the movie,” Edson said. “I think it is very sincere, very close to the script of the play, very quiet and gray and very heartfelt.”

Last spring the Manhattan Theatre Club contacted Edson wanting to perform Wit on Broadway.

Although Edson said all of her characters are fictional, she can identify with many aspects of Bearing’s character.

Just like Bearing, teaching is Edson’s true passion. “[Edson] makes boring subjects fun because she uses a lot of emotion,” said Julia Clark, one of Edson’s sixth-grade students. “She makes learning easier so you can understand it.”

Two years ago she discovered she had multiple sclerosis, or MS, an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. Currently Edson wears ankle bracelets, and her balance is constantly unstable.

“It was a relief to find out what was wrong,” Merrill said. “She’d spent a couple of years having tests.”

Treatment doesn’t involve medicine but instead she has to relax, lie down and take a nap. MS could result in Edson being confined to a wheel chair one day but is very “mysterious,” so it is hard to say what her medical future holds, Edson said. “[Edson] has a very big heart,” Merrill said. “She’s much more socially engaged [than Bearing]. Maggie never does the same thing twice. She’ll probably write something else, but not until she retires.”

“I’m a lot like Professor Bearing, but I’ve figured myself out, and she hasn’t,” Edson said. p

By Gracie White For junior Sofia Economou, art has been a lifelong love.

What began as a childhood hobby has grown into an intense passion of hers over the years and has become a fundamental part of her life.

From a young age, Economou developed a fascination with art. She didn’t watch TV much as a kid—instead she preferred to draw. She would sketch just about anything she saw or imagined; it didn’t matter the subject matter as long as drawing was involved.

Economou grew up in Newport Beach, Calif., but she is of Greek heritage. She visits Greece often and said she fostered her interest and talent in art overseas. As a young girl, Economou attended a prep school in Greece designed to help students build portfolios to submit to fine arts colleges in Athens. She would sometimes work for six hours a day on a single piece.

“When I was a kid, people told me that my work was exceptional,” Economou said. “It boosted my confidence and made me want to continue drawing and try to improve my technique.

The support was great.”

With her family behind her, especially her dad, Economou’s artistic ability blossomed. While her family was in Greece, he urged her to attend the various art schools. Economou said her father has been a never-ending source of encouragement.

“All of her friends are very supportive,” said junior Taylor Barnes, one of Economou’s close friends. “Some are willing to sit still for about 30 minutes just so she can sketch them.”

The impact that Greece had on her artwork didn’t end with prep school.

“The art school I went to in Greece, Tsigkris, had a lot of mythological subject matter and several statues,” Economou said. “These things ended up being a huge portion of what I drew, and my portfolio reflects all the things I saw in the school and outside of it too.”

Economou has won several awards for her drawings, including obtaining first place in this year’s High Museum’s figure drawing competition. Additionally, she submitted pieces she made in a statewide competition and was endowed four honors.

Grady art teacher John Brandhorst recalls his first impression of her: that she was quirky, friendly and quick to smile but also very serious and driven. He also recalls that when she first presented her portfolio to him, he was astounded because of the sheer skill and technique it took to draw like she did.

“She has a way of drawing a figure that is incredibly mature and aggressive in a way that belies her social character,” Brandhorst said. “She has this really quiet intensity which is apparent in her work.”

Though Economou said making a career out of drawing may be difficult, she wants to find something that allows her to use her skill as much as possible. But even if that isn’t possible, Economou will always draw, even if it has to be done in her spare time.

“It’s a skill she will always have in her back pocket whether she becomes an artist or an accountant,” Brandhorst said. “I want her to be able to improve, progress and share her gift with others, and I think with Sofia, this is very likely, no matter what she does.” p

Gracie white

Economou draws artistic muse from Greek ancestry

MODERN MUSE: Economou works on a sketch in the courtyard. She hones her artistic skills by drawing scenes she encounters during the school day.

people

14

April 17, 2012

By Megan Prendergast Scaling the indoor rock climbing walls at Atlanta Rocks! Indoor Climbing Gym, sophomore Juan Montoya discovered his love for rock climbing. After attending his second birthday party at the indoor gym in early 2011, Montoya decided that rock climbing was an activity that he wanted to passionately pursue.

Montoya participates in two contrasting forms of rock climbing: bouldering and sport climbing. Bouldering requires more power and strength, Montoya said. While bouldering, climbers have to carry around a pad that protects them in case of a fall. The standard bouldering scale rates the difficulty of climbing problems beginning with the easiest (V0) and ending with the most difficult (V16). Montoya has completed a V5 problem, an intermediate level route.

He believes, however, that if he continues to work on it, he will soon be able to master a V6 problem.

Sport climbing, on the other hand, focuses more on endurance and agility, Montoya said.

It involves climbing a tall wall while wearing a harness. Hooking quickdraws, similar to carabineers, into metal hangers bolted into the wall on his climb up, Montoya lead climbs to the top. Lead climbing, the more dangerous form of sport climbing, puts the climber at greater risk of falling because they are clipping the hooks as they climb.

Montoya tried out for the Atlanta Rocks!

Team in late August of last year. During the tryouts, about 40 kids showed up to vie for

a spot on the 20-person team. Challenging themselves on five different routes, the participants completed as much as they could before retreating to the ground. Coaches recorded and assessed the climbers’ results, but a coach said admission to the team was mostly based on each athlete’s positive attitude. Montoya impressed the coaches and was offered a roster spot.

“He is a very focused and determined kid, and his focus and drive have definitely paid off,” coach Jack Heberton said. “He has become one of the strongest climbers on the team.”

On the weekends, Montoya prefers to climb outdoors, if he considers the weather ideal: “a dry day around 70 degrees with both sun and shade.”

In addition to outdoor climbing on the weekends, Montoya also attends competitions. He said that participating in these competitions provides a challenge but also a good time. So far, Montoya has participated in five competitions—two sport climbing and three bouldering—across the Southeast. His best finish was third place at The Adrenaline Sport Climbing Competition in Suwanee.

Since he began rock climbing on a regular basis, Montoya has noticed a change in his endurance and physical capabilities. Climbing at the gym twice a week has helped him become more coordinated and fit.

“I guess it was doing something that helped, since I didn’t really do anything before,” Montoya said.

joseph montoya

Sophomore finds rock-solid refuge in fulfilling sport

BOUNCING OFF THE CEILING: Montoya demonstrates his rock climbing abilities at a sport climbing competition.

Since joining the rock climbing team, Montoya believes he has also become more social. Being part of a team has forced him to reach out and interact with others.

“The whole rock climbing community is really friendly and open to new people,” Atlanta Rocks! teammate Alexandra Wickson said. “He does seem like he has been opening up more.”

Montoya has set goals for himself, both short-term and long-term. This year, he hopes to attend sport-climbing Nationals.

“Just in general, I want to climb harder,” Montoya said. “In the long term, [I] just

[want to] keep getting stronger. There are a lot of places that I want to go, [too].”

Long term, Montoya aspires to travel around the world and scale some of the most famous and scenic cliffs and rock climbing walls. He has already added a few hot-spots to his to-do list: Castle Rock and The Obed routes, both in Tennessee, Hueco Tanks in Texas, Pinnacles in California, New River Gorge in West Virginia, Fontainebleau in France, and Red River Gorge in Kentucky.

For now, however, he is content to climb closer to home.

“I do it because it’s fun,” Montoya said. p

MARIAN P. KELLY AWARD FINALISTS Every year, the senior class nominates a teacher for The Marian P. Kelly Award. The honor, created in 2006, is named after longtime Grady English teacher and department chair who inspired countless students during her three decades at Grady. In previous years, there have been four finalists for the Kelly award. This year, however, there were three clear finalists: Jeffrey Cramer, Mario Hererra, and Andrew Nichols.

Janet Milton (2006) have all been recipients of the Kelly Award in past years. Members of the Class of 2012 nominated these three teachers as their finalists for the award.

Ebony Anderson-Johnson (2011), John Brandhorst (2010), George Darden (2009), Lee Pope (2008), Kurt Phillips (2007) and

Seniors wrote the statements below on their ballots to explain why they chose to nominate one of these three finalists. p

Mr. Cramer Jeff Cramer, physics teacher, has been teaching at Grady for 18 years. Outside the classroom, Cramer serves as the girls cross-country team coach.

“Mr. Cramer has high expectations for his students and makes an effort to ensure [that] his students meet those expectations.”

“I loved Mr. Cramer’s class because he actually took the time to start teaching from the beginning. I also feel like he deserves respect because he knows who he is (a geek) and he is not afraid to show it.” p

This year’s winner of the Kelly Award will be announced at Visions on May 19th and will be featured in the next issue of The Southerner.

MR. Herrera

Mr. Nichols

Mario Herrera has been teaching at Grady for seven years. He teaches debate, oral and written communication and Journalism I. He has been a debate coach throughout his time at Grady.

Andrew Nichols teaches AP Calculus AB and BC and AP Statistics. He is also the coach of the robotics team. He has taught at Grady for eight years.

“He is more than a teacher, he’s a life coach. He loves his job, and you can tell every day that he shows up with a smile on his face.”

“He is the best teacher at Grady. He talks to you on your level and makes sure that you’re not just listening, but also understanding. ”

“He’s just an all-around awesome teacher. [He is] very passionate about his job and the students.

[He is] always kind, respectful and energetic.” p

“He is very knowledgeable and knows how to teach complicated topics in understandable ways. He cares about his students and makes every effort to help them succeed.” p

sports

April 17, 2012

15

Discounting student tickets would strengthen spirit No school spirit.

That has been the rap on Grady students for as long as I can remember, dating back to when my brother started attending this school more than 10 Phillip Suitts years ago.

Grady students certainly aren’t the most spirited, but I have a simple solution to increase student attendance at sporting events: lower the ticket prices.

Student and teachers are charged the same amount as people from outside the Grady community: $5. And people wonder why so few Grady students and teachers attend games.

Have APS officials ever heard of something called a “student discount?”

For football games in DeKalb County, student tickets cost $2 less than regular-admission tickets. Similarly in Cobb County,

students get a $2 break on tickets for all sports except football. At Mill Creek High School in Gwinnett County, students are charged between $1 and $2 less than adults for baseball, soccer, lacrosse and track.

Admittedly, it’s impossible to know if there is more school spirit at suburban high schools just because the student ticket prices are lower.

In a July 2009 APS athletic audit, Wagner and Associates recommended an increase in the number of sporting events for which APS charges an entrance fee, including JV games and three-on-three summer basketball tournaments.

I agree that APS can better maximize gate receipt profits. The place where I part paths with Wagner and Associates is the method through which the profits can best be maximized. Lower ticket prices for students will not only increase student attendance and school spirit but will also generate more profit.

APS can make as much money from gate receipts at $3 per student ticket if the discount draws 25 students per game as it does by charging $5 per student ticket and getting only 15 students to attend.

And if you don’t believe that only 15 students would be willing to buy a $5 ticket, then I invite you to come to a Grady spring sports game this year, be it lacrosse, soccer or track. At most games this season I could count the number of students in the stands on one hand.

In fact, the most consistent supporters of the Grady boys soccer team—other than our parents—is the girls soccer team. The reason: Their love for soccer? Commitment to the Grady soccer program? Nope and nope, the main reason for their continued support is they aren’t charged admission to the game.

After their game they just head to the stands, ready to cheer us on. Similarly, the boys often make up half the crowd at the girls game.

The biggest crowd the Grady soccer teams have attracted this year was for the St. Pius game, when a $5 ticket also got you a hot dog or hamburger, a drink and chips. It’s not a coincidence that the biggest crowd of the season was on a day when the price of admission was worth the money.

The increased attendance wasn’t the only effect created by the increased value of the ticket. The Grady soccer team, which sponsored the event, raised more than $100.

Again, lower ticket prices won’t increase attendance at the expense of making money.

Those two things aren’t mutually exclusive.

It’s fine to charge $5 to students for entrance to a football game, but for all other sports, including basketball, lacrosse and soccer a $2 to $3 ticket is a better solution. That is if APS truly wants to make more money.

It’s time to wake up, APS—the solution is staring you right in the face. Now it’s just time to start paying attention. p

PHOTOS BY Troy Kleber

Desire to compete overcomes injury

GOLFING GLORY: Three Grady golf students compete in a match against North Springs. Freshman Zewditu Turpeau swings an 8-iron, junior Luke Webster goes for a chip shot, and junior Chad Watson concentrates on a putt. The team practices and plays matches at the Bobby Jones Golf Course.

Team dodges bunkers, learns game

By Troy Kleber Two years ago, the Grady golf team had no teacher coach, few team members and only one scheduled tournament.

With a new coach, math teacher Linda Brasher, and new members, the golf team has overcome the obstacles of low funding, inadequate facilities and competing extracurriculars.

“Ms. Brasher came in last season, and [the team] immediately got better,” said junior Luke Webster, a member of the golf team. “We had a good three to four matches last year before the region tournament, which is more than we can say for the season before that.”

Brasher said she had been golfing for 10 years and figured she had the ability to coach as well. Webster and junior Chad Watson both joined the golf team freshman year and were enthused when Brasher started coaching.

“She doesn’t have much experience [coaching], but I think she definitely does a very good job, especially with organizing,” Webster said. “She knows how to run [the team] well.”

Watson appreciates Brasher’s attitude on the golf course.

“She provides us with positive feedback and she never lets us down,” Watson said. “She always says positive things to help our spirits when we’re playing games.”

Brasher coaches all nine boys and two girls on the team. Watson said the team has both beginners and experienced golfers. During the spring season, the team practices twice a week and competed in 10 matches. The regional tournament will take place on April 28. The top four boys on the team are Luke Webster, Chad Watson, junior Jeffrey Cox and senior Kyle Barry, and the two girls are sophomore Schora Thomas and freshman Zewditu Turpeau.

The team has won several matches, and while Brasher hopes they will fare well at regionals, Webster understands the realities.

“We are not terribly good, but we are good sports,” Webster said. “We are flexible.”

Webster said the team has learned to adapt to the challenges they have faced.

Brasher said one of these challenges is that several students on the team participate in other extracurricular activities.

“Our biggest weakness is that everyone’s involved in so many other things,” Brasher said. “Everyone’s got 15 different directions they’re going in. … That’s definitely the biggest fight that we have, keeping everybody out on a regular basis.”

Another difficulty that the team faces is its lack of funding.

Brasher said the school gives the team no money, and therefore, does not cover the cost of uniforms or tournaments. To help pay for tournaments next year, Brasher plans to raise funds before the season begins.

Brasher said the team has the ability to maintain a positive and fun-loving attitude at all times, no matter the situation.

“Everybody gets along great,” Brasher said. “We’ve never had any issues. There is a lot of joking around, a lot of ‘joning’ on each other. There is just good team camaraderie.”

Watson and Webster agreed that the players get along very well with each other.

“We are all just really supportive of each other,” Webster said.

“There’s a lot of teamwork. You have to support your teammates, and that’s something the Grady golf team is good at.”

Brasher believes the students on the team have truly learned the values golf offers.

“Golf’s one of those games that I think everybody should learn if they have the chance,” Brasher said. “You learn a lot of rules.

You learn a lot of etiquette. You learn sportsmanship. It’s what they call a gentleman’s game.” p

“Take your mark, get set, go!”

Hearing this phrase fills me with a competitive and jubilant spirit. The enjoyable atmosphere at track meets is marked by countless athletes, cheers from the stands, jogging suits sprawled out in the middle of the field and the Taylor Allen startling sound of the starter pistol that still makes me flinch.

The best feeling as an avid athlete is stepping onto the track for the first time in the beginning of a new season.

That excitement my junior year was accompanied with aspirations to beat personal records and to make it to State.

Unfortunately, these aspirations were short-lived.

Only a couple weeks into the season, I began experiencing severe pain in my shin. With time, this localized pain only grew worse. After trying to run through the discomfort, I made an appointment to see a sports medicine doctor.

I was diagnosed with a tibial stress fracture in my left leg. After wearing a walking boot for three weeks, I had to attend eight sessions of physical therapy. As a result, I was unable to run in a single race the entire season. I was devastated. I watched my team run at practices and in meets while I cheered them on from the sidelines with an injured leg.

Because I was forced to sit out during my junior year, I was even more excited to begin the season my senior year on our newly renovated track. The beginning of the season started off well. I was training vigorously with the intention of succeeding. Then, I felt that familiar pain. As it became progressively worse, I was scared to face the truth.

On March 3, a year since the doctor’s appointment, I was diagnosed with another tibial stress fracture. This time, it was in my right leg, and I had to dig out that horrendous. black, Velcro walking boot from my closet and make an unfortunate fashion statement once again.

When I came back to practice from my doctor’s appointment, I sported my boot as I walked out onto the field. Greeted with “oohs,” “aahs” and “what happeneds?”, I told my team and coach Randy Reed my diagnosis. Blaming the injury on training too hard, too fast, I felt completely defeated again.

As the captain of the girls track and field team, however, I knew I had a duty to my teammates and to my coach. I was not going to let my injury stop me from competing again. The next day, practice continued as usual—the only difference was that I was not running. As a dedicated team member, I have been at practice religiously, stretching with the team everyday and assisting them during drills.

Unlike last year, my love for this sport overpowered my desire to run, and I am now competing in discus. I’ve accepted my doctor’s orders: “You cannot run.”

I didn’t see my senior year in track and field being one based on another injury and participating in field events, but I appreciate the fact that I am able to compete in something. I have had the opportunity to learn new aspects of my favorite sport and to realize what my body can do. Athletes don’t quit, they adjust, which is what I did. p

the Sports section thesoutherneronline.com

HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA

APRIL 17, 2012

VOLUME LXV, NUMBER 7

southerner file photo

The end of an era: In 1979, Douglas Slade came to Grady. More than three decades later, he has decided to step down.

OLivia veira

By Nally Kinnane The buzzer sounded, marking the end of the season—the end of an era. The Grady boys basketball game against Carrollton ended its most successful season since the ‘84-‘85 season and marked the close of coach Douglas Slade’s legendary coaching career at Grady. After being a part of the Grady community for more than three decades, Slade plans to retire in May. Slade graduated from David T. Howard High School in Atlanta and played professional basketball for the Philadelphia 76ers for only six months. After hurting his knee, Slade came to Grady in 1979. His high school basketball coach and principal of Grady at the time, Thomas Adger, offered Slade a position as the physical education teacher.

“My first day was strange because I really wasn’t that much older than the students,” Slade said. “It was different for me, but Grady has always been a place that really makes you feel welcome, the faculty and the students.”

Slade coached football as an assistant coach for eight years alongside current head football coach Ronnie Millen, then began coaching girls basketball in 1984.

“His biggest success was girls basketball,” Millen said. “They were top of the region on numerous occasions.”

Slade began coaching the boys in 1992.

Current and former players on the boys basketball team agree that Slade is a great coach who always gives his all.

“Some coaches I’ve had either praise you too much or criticize you too much,” said Daniel Wilco, who graduated in 2011 and played varsity basketball his junior and senior years. “Either one doesn’t help you grow as a player, but Coach Slade found a good balance between yelling at us when we screwed up and telling us when we were doing something right, which really helped me grow throughout high school.”

Wilco described Slade as an intense coach.

“He loved to give out suicides,” Wilco said.

“Whether it was for talking in practice or walk-

southerner file photo

REPLACING LEGENDARY COACH A TALL ORDER

MAN OF ALL ERAS: (Top left) Coach Douglas Slade leads the Lady Knights in the ‘90-’91 basketball season in which he had his 200th win with Grady. (Bottom left) Slade acts as an assistant football coach for the Knights in the 1987 season. (Right) On Feb. 10, Slade focuses as the basketball team defeats Washington 62-59. ing, he would always say ‘Baseline. I’m going to make you run until you don’t remember your own name.’”

Junior basketball player Kivan Taylor described Slade as a trustworthy coach.

“He really puts the game in our hands and lets us play,” Taylor said. “I really couldn’t ask for a better coach. It’s really been a dream come true to play for Coach Slade.”

Despite his tough-love mentality, Slade said he always tried to treat the team as family.

“Coach Slade really created an environment that was rewarding, challenging, fun and, most of all, memorable,” Wilco said. “I only started three games in high school, but riding the bench for Coach Slade was one of the best

experiences I’ve ever had.”

When Slade became Grady athletic director in 1990, he continued to stay involved in every team. Grady graduate Ella Miller, who played varsity soccer, said Slade always tried to be at the team’s games. She still remembers his halftime speeches.

“Even though he wasn’t part of the coaching staff, his speeches and presence motivated all of us,” Miller said. “He emphasized the importance of teamwork and determination, plus his tone of voice brought fire to his words. He truly brought out the best player in each of us.”

It is moments like the one Miller described that Slade said he is going to miss most.

“I don’t know why they would look forward to my boring soccer speeches,” Slade said. “They would come to up to me and say, ‘Coach, now we are looking forward to your speech tonight, so you gotta be there.’ They made me feel a part of the team, and I always enjoyed giving them a little added motivation.”

Millen said it is going to be tough next year without Slade.

“I don’t know Grady athletics without Coach Slade,” Millen said. “A lot of our success has been from the stability that Coach Slade has given to the athletic program. You can always consult him about anything, no matter what sport it was. He was just like a sport library for us.” p

Coach Slade’s impact extends ‘beyond the baseline’ Physically exhausted and mentally strained, we sat down on the side of the gym floor. After another grueling practice, all I hoped for was a quick exit.

Coach Douglas Slade emerged, his slim 6-foot-7 frame towering above the basketball team seated before him.

“I’m not gonna make this no long Joe Lavine speech or nothing,” he said.

That’s how Coach Slade begins every long speech. I silently groaned, and my feet screamed for relief. It was the beginning of yet another lecture. We were all used to them. They started with a summary of how we did in practice, followed with a critique of our character on and off the court and then finished by delineating the priorities we should have in basketball and in life. Shortly after joining the team I had already picked up on his passionate determination to improve us as ballplayers, but more importantly, as people. Soon enough, it came to a point when my body’s cry for a cold Gatorade and a comfy chair was overshadowed by my extreme respect for Coach Slade and his messages. Soon enough, I understood that his care for us to succeed was, and is, unwavering.

So when I heard he wasn’t coming back to Grady next year, I wanted it to be known that he will be sorely missed. So in the words of Coach Slade, “I’m not gonna make this no long speech or nothing.”

“I know y’all have heard some rumors,” Slade told us just minutes after our season had ended.

His voice stumbled around the concrete walls of the Carrollton High School visitor’s locker room. Dejected faces, many hidden by hands and tears, crowded the undersized room. My mind was still shuffling through the final images of our 70-57 loss to Carrollton in the first round of the state playoffs. But when I heard Coach Slade say those words, I immediately turned to him. My teammates reacted the same way. We all knew what was coming because we had heard the rumors.

“I’m not gonna be coming back next year,” he finished.

The words were like an icy slap in the face. Even though we knew the slap was coming, it didn’t take away the sting. It was the emotion in Coach Slade’s voice and the tears in his eyes that made it hurt. We knew how much he cared about us and about this team, and there were feelings of regret for not winning and thus prolonging his last season.

My thoughts jumped to next season. It finally dawned on me that Coach Slade was not going to be my coach next year.

He won’t be the one blowing the whistle or calling the plays. I won’t hear his pregame speeches, his incomprehensible wails or his unexpected jokes.

In the weeks after the game, I often pondered how much Coach Slade means to me and how much I admire his unrelenting character and care for other people. Coach Slade was determined to teach us valuable lessons that extended off the court.

He preached that we should show effort not only in the gym but also in the classroom. I can still hear him saying, when comparing basketball to education, “[Basketball] means absolutely nothing, man, nothing, nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Any coach can speak in clichés and tired ideas, but not every coach actually cares as Coach Slade did.

He simply urged us to be good people, and he certainly set a good example. While every high school basketball coach in the country curses up a storm, Coach Slade never did. Not once in three years have I heard him swear. But profanity and intensity are not the same thing. In the huddle during a close game, the dark fire in Coach Slade’s eyes made you play harder, faster and smarter. Seconds later, however, the fiery dragon would morph into a less intimidating version of Winnie the Pooh. It was almost comical how kind and forgiving he was to referees. After a bad call, while I’m dreaming of punching the ref in the face, Coach Slade is already giving him an encouraging butt pat.

I still marvel at how that man can balance his intensity with his kindness and humility, and I just hope that one day I can emulate it. In that locker room at Carrollton High School, I thought about how I would miss Coach Slade, but I also realized the positive impact he has had on me.

I will always remember him crying and saying through his crooked teeth, “I love all of y’all.”

We love you too Coach Slade, and I will be eternally grateful for what you taught me beyond the baseline. p