How Stacey Abrams Flipped Georgia Kailen Hicks
The Elliott
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www.elliottmag.com
What to Expect From Biden’s Presidency
Sophia Sanders
With a new administration waiting to take office, America will be seeing many changes in the next few months. President-elect Joe Biden is expected to take office in January, and has promised to enact an excess of new policies that will take the United States off of the path that Donald Trump has paved in the last four years. One of the things that Biden will need to consider while he figures out which policies to put in place first, is the possibility of a divided Congress. While Democrats have the majority in the House of Representatives, control of the Senate has yet to be decided. In January, there will be two runoff elections in Georgia that will essentially decide which party will have the senate majority. As of right now, the Republican party is projected to take control of the Senate, which may mean that Biden will have to reconsider enacting some of his policies regarding healthcare and the environment and Cont. on page 4
Confronting Holiday Political Talk
Instagram Activism
Jake Bogartz
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Anna Little
The Galloway School
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Fall 2020
Our Semester of Uncertainty Annie Levy
Over the summer, the Galloway administration made the brave choice to return to campus at nearly full capacity, shocking much of the community. After spending my summer limiting my social interactions and questioning the ethics of every choice I made, the two ideas of returning to school like normal and the Coronavirus pandemic still existing didn’t even seem coplanar. Following the announcement, group chats and text threads across the community began to sincerely question how on earth this would happen. Families were given the choice of whether they would like their kids to attend in-person or virtually, of course, but the vast majority chose to return in-person. On the first day, students and teachers alike debated how long school would last, most assuming no longer than two weeks. Yet here we are, almost a semester later, and the school has only had three
positive cases on record. You may be wondering how this is possible, and I wondered the exact same thing. The answer, I learned, is the strict, everyday safety measures put into place and the extensive contact tracing process that takes place behind closed doors. Although back at 80% capacity, our warm campus appears strikingly different than the one we left in March. The iconic white cubbies that line the halls, usually doubling as sports bag-holders and seats during breaks throughout the day, are now disinfected regularly, and have blue stickers that mark the spots where students are permitted to sit. Our teachers, usually moving about the classroom, hunched over desks and engaging with students, are restricted to their desks and designated spaces. And, of course, half our faces are covered in fabric, and my desk, blanketed in my germs, is sterilized at the end of each class. While these changes and dozens more are socially unsettling, their efficiency and effectiveness are the very reason why we’ve been able to stay in school for so long. Cont. on page 6
Shifting Gears: An Oncologist In the Time Ruby Kaufman of COVID The Coronavirus pandemic erupted in America around 8 months ago, and since then, doctors who are at the heart of finding a solution and treating those who are ill have lived in constant fear and stress. Doctors were forced to abruptly enact changes to their work environments and more specifically their role in these facilities; helping with COVID cases while still keeping up with their speciality patients. These scrub-covered heroes deserve to be applauded for their determination, dedication, and selflessness in helping Coronavirus patients despite possible personal repercussions and concerns. Dr. Jonathan Kaufman, oncologist and director of hematology at Emory Hospital, was one of the many doctors given the responsibility to balance treating and researching for his hundreds of cancer patients with the adapting of Emory Hospital to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Typically, Dr. Jonathan Kaufman focuses on an uncommon cancer called Multiple Myeloma, which is cancer of the Plasma cells, as well as running the stem cell bone marrow transplant facilities at Emory. Dr. Kaufman, along with some of his colleagues, was tasked with the role to “create and organize the entire shift in [their] practice”. This immense responsibility caused great stress due to his worry not only of contracting Coronavirus himself but also its possibly disastrous effects on his immunecompromised cancer patients. Still working long shifts each day and adapting the regimens of the hospital as the pandemic adapts in America, Dr. Kaufman opens up about his experience in the hospital during these unprecedented times, and the drastic impact on himself, his colleagues, and his patients.
The Legacy of Dr. Barksdale
Kathryn Pope
Twenty-three years ago, while in graduate school, Dr. Barksdale began working at Galloway. He quickly became a fixture in the Galloway community. He taught American Studies, ran Jug Band, and was always a positive presence in the West Wing hallway. Although he did not initially plan on becoming a teacher, he found a passion for Galloway and his students, leading him into his new career path. Recently, due to COVID, he retired. However, just because he is not here in person does not mean his presence and influence on the community is gone. I was fortunate enough to have Dr. Barksdale as a teacher, and I, like many others, was upset to learn about his unexpected departure. I was fortunate enough to talk to him for this Elliott Exclusive to gain closure for myself and hopefully the rest of the community. During his time teaching, Dr. Barksdale was known for taking his history classes beyond the classroom and providing experiential learning opportunities. One of Dr. Barksdale’s favorite memories from his years in the community was taking senior students on field trips and walking tours around downtown Atlanta to look
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