>> TABLE OF CONTENTS
C L A R K E C E N T R A L’ S N E W P R I N C I PA L S P E A K S U P
Volume 14 Issue 1 Nov. 2016 $3.00
30-33 Clarke Central High School’s new head football coach David Perno a long history in the sports community.
1 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net
14-15 Clarke Central High School's renovations new, friendly improvements.
NOVEMBER 2016
>> TABLE OF CONTENTS Ad designed by Suncana Pavlic.
Ad designed by Johanna Hall.
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NOVEMBER 2016
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30
VIEWPOINTS
4
SPEAK NO EVIL
COVER STORY << BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ
CCHS students are not given a forum at school to speak about social issues or current events. BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ
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RAMPANT RACISM In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, racist attitudes have been magnified.
NEWS A NEW LOOK 14Renovation is almost complete and CCHS has been decked out with new environmentally-friendly features. BY ANA ALDRIDGE
Photo by Zoe Peterson
26
FEATURES
16 one-on-one
Left: SWEET TOOTH: The Variety staff takes a closer look at two of Athens’ best donut shops in this installment of Quest for Athens’ Best.
Editor-in-Chief Lucia Bermudez sits down with principal Marie Yuran to discuss her past, her present and her future as an educator. BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ
REVIEWS
21WithUnbroken her new album "Joanne," Lady Gaga shatters the “perfect illusion” that she can only produce pop music.
BY MADELINE HALL
VARIETY MOVING ON 23Senior Ty’Quashia Lattimore reflects on her final year at CCHS, proving that life truly is a “breath of fresh air.”
Photo by Zoe Peterson
Right: FOLLOW THE LEADER: Clarke Central High School senior Fredericka Sheats is the co-captain of the varsity volleyball team and seen as a leader to her teammates and peers. "I never talk and say what I'm going to do. I just do it. I feel like I bring that to the table as far as being a leader," Sheats said.
BY ANDREW CALDWELL
SPORTS HOME SWEET HOME 36Varsity football center Nicholas Sligh, a junior, has begun to pave his way on the football team in his first year at CCHS.
BY OWEN CHURCHWELL
Cover photo by Zoe Peterson.
Cover and Table of Contents design by Lucia Bermudez.
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35 NOVEMBER 2016
Photo by Zoe Peterson
The track to success has been a long one for David Perno, who has returned to Clarke Central High School after 30 years to serve as the head football coach.
BY SOPHIE FERNANDES
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LUCIA
BERMUDEZ
A
bombing in Syria has led to the killing of 309 innocent civilians and counting -- 5:41 p.m. A police officer has shot and killed an innocent civilian, the 865th one this year -- 8:49 p.m. A Mexican neighborhood was raided by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), leaving families in panic and disarray -- 10:02 p.m. It’s 8:45 a.m. The school day at Clarke Central High School has officially begun, and there is no mention of any of it. The headlines of any international media source on any given day are likely to mirror the ones above. That sexist thing that one politician said, that city whose water is still unclean, that police shooting that happened last week and this week and today, we’ve heard it all. Our society is constantly made aware of the happenings of our world, and the issues we as people are facing. So, why aren’t we discussing these topics at CCHS? The media acknowledges what is occurring in our world. However, in day-today life, whether it be school or work, it often goes unspoken of, as if it’s taboo to mention anything potentially controversial, or that isn’t necessarily pleasant to hear. As a young person in America, I am constantly aware of injustices. I know of the oppression black Americans continue to face. I know and feel the slandering of immigrants in this country. I know of the injustices against and mistreatment of Native Americans. I know and feel the effects of misogyny and sexism with which myself and other women struggle every day. These things are real and they are happening, and many are affected. At CCHS alone, I have seen and spoken to young people like me who are aware of these issues and affected daily. My classmate told me her little sister was terrified when their family was pulled over by the police, for fear that they would be shot. Another peer mentioned how she is afraid to walk past any group of guys, for fear of being catcalled or violated. These experiences are real and valid, and we know they occur. So, what is keeping us from having these conversations?
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. Clarke Central High School students are deeply affected by current events. Why don’t we talk about them? Are we afraid of the consequences? The response from others when we do acknowledge these issues? The silence we may be faced with? Yes, and no. Though we may hesitate to speak up because of these reasons, we also hesitate because as students, we find ourselves without a forum to speak about these issues, issues that directly impact us and the lives of our peers. In class, we usually stick to curriculum -- nothing less, nothing more. Even in classes where these discussions are relevant, such as US History or Psychology, we seldom approach sensitive or controversial subjects. What is truly holding us back from having these discussions is our teachers’ lack of facilitation. I understand teachers may be hesitant to speak on these issues for the same reasons students are hesitant to speak on them. There are consequences for teachers who input their personal opinion into such topics. They are reprimanded for straying from curriculum, they fear backlash or upset from students or their families. I get it. I don’t expect these conversations to be easy or lighthearted. Most of the time, current events are not. However, we as teachers and students must start these conversations. What is most important is for students to share their feelings and opinions on the things they hear about and experience every day, and right now, they can’t do that in the one place they are supposed to be growing, learning and thriving the most. Don’t be quiet. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Voice your opinions, your feelings and your experiences. Talk to each other about these issues. Listen to your peers when they speak, and be aware of what is going on in our world. Center: SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL: Editor-in-Chief Lucia Bermudez feels deeply affected by the current events she sees in the news, and argues Clarke Central High School students should get an outlet to discuss what affects them. Graphic illustration by Suncana Pavlic.
NOVEMBER 2016
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ODYSSEY
The ODYSSEY is a student-produced newsmagazine, published with the intent to inform, entertain and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community, as well as to educate student journalists. Established in 2003, the ODYSSEY is published multiple times a year, and each issue is an open public forum for student expression under the guidance of a faculty adviser. Student journalists are provided with opportunities to investigate, inform, interpret and to evaluate: all traditionally accepted functions of the press in America. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff. The ODYSSEY staff is committed to reflect the mission statement set forth by Clarke Central High School. The goals of the staff are to provide fair, accurate news and commentaries, as well as to serve the interests of the school and Athens’ community. Advertising must conform to the guidelines set forth for editorials. Publication of advertisements does not indicate an endorsement by CCHS or the ODYSSEY staff. Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertising rates are available upon request from any ODYSSEY staff member. The ODYSSEY is a member of the Quill and Scroll Honor Society, Georgia Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Southern Interscholastic Press Association. Corrections of errors and omissions will appear in the next issue. Editor-in-Chief: Lucia Bermudez Managing Editor: Sophie Fernandes Lead Copy Editor: Jordan Rhym Senior Visuals Editor: Julie Alpaugh Photography Editor: Zoe Peterson Viewpoints Editor: Katy Mayfield News Editor: Ana Aldridge Variety Editor: Jurnee Louder Sports Editor: Hannah Gale Junior Copy Editor: Andrew Caldwell Writing Coach: Delia Adamson Business Staff: Business Manager: Dalace Thomas, PR Manager: Adrienne Lumpkin ODTV Executive Producer Johanna Hall
W
OUR TAKE
e are the students of Clarke Central High School. We are White, Hispanic, Asian, Black, Pacific Islander, Native. We are American-born and underdocumented. We are male, female, trans and genderfluid. We are Republican, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, Independent, Communist and Anarchist. And it’s for all of those reasons, all of those families we belong to, that the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine endorses democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for president. Clinton’s policies were designed with us in mind. Every day we fear for our black classmates, for whom a routine traffic stop could turn fatal, and who are more likely to be arrested, charged and incarcerated than our white ones. Clinton vows to end mandatory minimums and discriminatory and abusive policing, and build up, not break down, communities. We worry about our LGBTQ peers, who are at an increased risk of homelessness and hate crimes. Clinton was the first First Lady to march in a gay pride parade and implemented LGBTQ-friendly policies in the State Department. She will end conversion therapy, and fight for safety and equality worldwide.
Imagine what we could do if someone took away our worry, recognized our humanity, and encouraged us to succeed. And we’re terrified that deportation raids will rip apart our underdocumented friends’ families, sending their parents, sisters and brothers continents away. Clinton supports Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which would postpone eligibility for deportation. She’ll create a National Office of Immigrant Affairs to help more people get citizenship, and will introduce comprehensive immigration reform to end the fear and discrimination that consumes eleven million lives and families. In one ad from earlier this year, Clinton talked to a young girl whose parents had gotten a letter of deportation. “You’re being very brave, and you have to be brave for them, too. Because they want you to be happy,” Clinton told her. “Let me do the worrying.” At CCHS, we embody bravery every day. In the face of all our fear, we work hard to write poetry, design inventions and raise awareness. We increased our graduation rate 13 percent from 2014 to 2015 alone. Imagine what we could do if someone took away our worry, recognized our humanity and encouraged us to succeed. Below: WE KAINE DO IT: We may not always agree with Clinton’s and Kaine’s politics or decisions, but we know a Clinton administration respects our rights and wants to help us grow. Story and photo illustration by Katy Mayfield
ODTV Director Karla Dougan Staff Writers: Owen Churchwell, Emma Ramsay, Kelly Fulford, Kiki Griffin, Kennae Hunter, Crystal Fox, Alexander Robinson, Emerson Meyer, Elena Gilbertson-Hall, Everett Vereen, Kourtney Teasley, Emma Crane, Olivia Ngu, Madeleine Ingle, Gabriel Mantione-Holmes, Prana Maldonado-Collins Adviser: David A. Ragsdale
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Photo by Julie Alpaugh
ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S. Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia 30605 Phone: (706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370
NOVEMBER 2016
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Our May issue featured a news spread on illiteracy in the Clarke County School District by Katy Mayfield and a story on the lives of high school football players after graduation by Johanna Hall.
IF YOU CAN'T READ THIS
Corrections/Omissions May 2015
>> VIEWPOINTS
On page 8, the illustration is by Phineas Alexander. On page 10, the photo is above, not to the right. On page 14, the graphic is to the left, not the right. On page 18, CAPS stands for the Curriculum Assistance Program for Students.
BOILING POINT // Amelia DeLamater
>> NEWS QUE ESTAS COMIENDO? // Ella Sams A thing such as exploring cultures is a subject that Clarke Central is lacking. The fact that we have incorporated a teaching of not only cultures, but also specific foods is an efficient step towards introducing all students to diversity. Being from a different country, I always take the time to explain Middle Eastern culture to anyone who asks me, but I’m sometimes disappointed that people are not mature enough to understand. This article and its content is a brilliant thing to inform students about the ongoing cultural diversity. Even though the story is informative, it has repetitive quotations that makes it less interesting to read. --Shahrzad Roshanz, junior
>> FEATURES IF YOU CAN’T READ THIS IT’S TOO LATE // Katy Mayfield Contact
ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
I think the issue is we need to have students be able to read at the right reading level from early age. Most of the time students are passed because the teachers do not want them to get behind as to not hurt them, but in my opinion it is hurting them more to move them to the next grade level with reading deficiencies. I believe Mr. Barner got it spot on with his perspective. --Joseph Cervantes, junior
>> VARIETY CHOOSING HAPPINESS // Ana Aldridge
“I
am more motivated to be ready for college tuition or possibly pay>> SPORTS ing off college MAKING THE CLIMB // Sheridan Cofer debt.
I enjoyed the story about Ms. Szatkowski. I thought it was interesting how she chose to quit the one thing she really loved to pursue something new. I think this story is a great lesson to readers because it shows them that they have the power to make their own decisions and be happy. I think the author did a great job of using Ms. Szatkowski’s story to motivate others. --Chloe Calabria, junior
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I am glad this is something that is being brought up in our society. When it comes to rape culture and things related, most people’s immediate reaction is to censor it. The reality is that it is a problem. It’s one of our biggest in society, and we NEED to talk about it not only in the society of this high school, but in our entire community. Most people right now can’t even give you a definition of what rape culture is, and the first step to eliminating it is being educated about it. Women are told from ages as young as five that we need to be careful, watch what we wear, where we walk, how much we drink in social settings. Instead of training young girls to prepare for sexual assault, maybe start to teach boys not to do it. At the end of the day, we could all use a lesson in consent. --Ashton Drane, sophomore
--Freshman Aidan Tell on gaining motivation to prepare for student debt after reading Viewpoints Writer Valeria Garcia-Pozo’s article “Debt Sentence” on the strain payments and loans place on college students.
I think that the article carried a good message about failure and expectations. It really opens eyes to how not everything you work really hard for will be guaranteed to you. I think the author was trying to get the message across that you don’t always have to be a winner. Hard work isn’t always guarantee for success. --Anabelle Huisa, junior
Letters: E-mail us at editors@odysseynewsmagazine.net, or drop off in the Main Office, in care of the ODYSSEY. We ask that all letters be under 250 words and signed. We reserve the right to omit or edit any letters received. Insulting, unsigned or libelous statements will not be considered for publication. All letters may be edited for clarity and space. Advertising: For ad rates e-mail us at business@odysseynewsmagazine.net. Online: Comment online at our website, www.odysseynewsmagazine.net.
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NOVEMBER 2016
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THUMBS
EVERETT VEREEN
Fresh Voice
The ODYSSEY staff’s opinions on this month’s issues.
VANDALISM CENTRAL. Gladiators should step up to defend their school from vandalism.
D
GLADS’ GREEN THUMB
TIME TO TALK
With renovation coming to an end, Clarke Central High School “goes green” with new and improved, eco-friendly features.
If high school is supposed to prepare us for the real world, then why aren’t we talking about real world issues? Is learning about the food chain more important than talking about police brutality?
SWEET VICTORY The varsity volleyball team made it to Sweet 16, the second round of the state tournament. The last time they went was in 2007. UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP The ODYSSEY Newsmagazine supports the decision of the Clarke County School District in the hiring of Marie Yuran as CCHS’ new principal.
-- Compiled by Jurnee Louder and Andrew Caldwell
SMELLS LIKE RACISM For Managing Editor Sophie Fernandes, racism never went away, and Donald Trump is just a rotten reminder of America’s plagued history.
MISEDUCATED Anatomy diagrams and vocabulary cross-word puzzles just aren’t going to cut it when it comes to teaching students about sex education. It’s time for the Clarke County School District to recognize the lesson plan does not work.
WHO’S THE BOSS Who’s in charge here? Principal Marie Yuran took Dr. Robbie P. Hooker’s spot. Unfortunately, based on a student survey, many students still are not aware of this change.
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Below: AN ARTISTIC TOUCH: Students often take to walls to express themselves in questionable ways. While some may see it as art, vandalism is nothing but a distasteful inconvenience. Illustration by Ashley Lawrence
ALL ABOARD “The Girl on the Train” perfectly combines suspense and great acting, making it the psychological thriller of the year.
iscarded candy wrappers litter the floors. Black streaks of marker line the hallways, leading to stairwells full of signatures. In just eight weeks of school, our new building has been dominated by vandalism. Something about the school environment seems to provoke vandalism like no other place. It’s hard to find any wall or floor undisturbed by destructive, disrespectful behavior. Students spend upwards of six hours a day in the school building, so we should be working hard to keep it clean – right? Unfortunately, it’s not the case. The majority of students make little to no effort to fix the issue that is vandalism. We, as students, should be the ones taking responsibility, rather than relying heavily on custodians to pick up after us. The chicken-scratch sentiments and oh-so-clever expletives cluttering walls, doors and classroom materials have no purpose other than lengthening the already-long-enough time custodians spend maintaining a tidy environment for returning students, who only bring back more vandalism. However, it’s not just the custodial In just the first semester of school, our new staff that building has been dominated by vandalism. have to worry about vandalism; other school faculty have just as much to handle. Fixes for any nicks, marks or scratches usually end up paid for out of pocket. According to Clarke Central High School construction manager Joe Dunnagan, he had to pay $1800 to paint over streaks of Magic Marker down the hallway, and if the vandal had identified, they would have had to cover the costs. Such displays of vandalism are glaring violations of school pride. School pride isn’t just wearing red and gold and cheering at sporting events. School pride is also showing respect -- not only to others but to the school itself. Leaving the school a mess every day is one of the worst examples of showing respect imaginable. “I think (vandalism is) something that we as a whole community here at Clarke Central can address, you know, holding our peers accountable, showing others how important it is that we appreciate the building that we have,” CCHS principal Marie Yuran said. The disrespect needs to stop. It’s time to be real Gladiators, step up and show some real school pride. Clarke Central is too good to leave in ruin.
NOVEMBER 2016
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KATY
mayfield
“The racism that’s going on, and how they’re handling Black Lives Matter and that stuff. We’re in 2016 and it really shouldn’t be going on anymore, but it still is. I feel like (Donald Trump) is racist.”
NESEXARY EDUCATION. Clarke County revolutionized its sex ed, but the job’s not done.
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hat’s it?” The asking of the question is almost a high school tradition, like homecoming or cafeteria pizza. “Four days, that’s it?” “A crossword puzzle and an anatomy diagram, that’s it?” “‘Sex can lead to STIs’, that’s it?” In 2009, when the Clarke County School District Board of Education voted to make the CCSD the first county in Georgia to teach birth control and contraceptives in addition to abstinence, it vowed to give students more than a “that’s it”. Why, then, can I count on one hand the facts I learned in my four-hour sex ed class? We may all know where the ovaries and urethra are, but walk the halls and you’ll still hear Clarke Central High School students say you can tell “virgins” from “non-virgins” by the way they walk and that a girl who comes to a guy’s house to hang out is giving consent for sex. It’s much harder to enumerate all of the things we didn’t learn in the class: consent, yes means yes or even no means no, the forms of birth control, sexual coercion or the costs of pregnancy. Yet these topics, in a country where one in six women are sexually assaulted in their lifetimes, are vitally important. Case in point: a 2015 Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation study asked 1,000 college students whether actions like undressing or nodding in agreement constituted consent. Over 40 percent said they did. And 40 percent said they didn’t. That misunderstanding leads not only to sexual assault, but to young men and women being accused of something they never knew they did. Lessons on what constitutes consent could clarify, and prevent tragedy. The CCSD’s Board and educators should take advantage of the wide latitude state legislation gives districts to craft a truly comprehensive sex ed curriculum, with student input, and mandate it at CCSD high schools. Researchers rightly compare an entirely academic and theoretical sex ed--the collections of warnings and diagrams we currently get--to giving a teenager a car and telling him where the motor and gas cap are, but not teaching him to steer or brake. He’s going to crash the car. Unless we teach kids not just where their own parts are, but how to use with care, Clarke County’s roads will be filled with irresponsible drivers.
-- Kimberly Morales junior
“(Donald Trump) wanted to ban all Muslims coming in. I disagree with that because I’m Muslim. It’s just not fair.” -- Safwan Bhuiyan, senior
“Growing the economy for all American citizens, not just the top. It should be just equal. Everybody should have the opportunity to prosper here.” -- Terry Reid, security officer “I want (the candidates) to make marijuana legal. (The ban on marijuana) allows more racial profiling. A lot of white people smoke weed and they don’t get in trouble because black Americans are targeted.” -- Quinn Phillips, freshman
Below: DANGEROUS DRIVERS: Viewpoints Editor Katy Mayfield likens a purely anatomical sex ed to a driver’s ed that shows students where the gas cap and motor are, but not how to steer or brake.
“I think the most important issue is women’s rights and just equal pay. You can see men and women do the same job and get paid two different things.”
Illustration by Ashley Lawrence.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
What was the most important issue in this election?
-- Mary Carroll Waller, junior Compiled by Viewpoints staff
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NOVEMBER 2016
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SOPHIE
FERNANDES “There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey where you have large Arab populations. They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down. I know it might be not politically correct for you to talk about it, but there were people cheering as that building came down.” “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!” “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” --Donald Trump
T
hese aren’t the rantings of a lunatic, but rather quotes from America’s Republican presidential candidate. In this election, discrimination was not hidden or whispered about. In fact, uninformed racism and Islamophobia are viewed as a legitimate belief structure, demonstrated by the success of Donald Trump. This racism is nothing new to my family; we have suffered from it for years. I find myself in dismay with the current state of America, having grown up hearing stories of my dad’s own persecution for being Indian. “When I was a child, my family and I awoke to something I’ll never forget,” my father said. “The Ku Klux Klan had planted a burning cross in our yard. We assume that the men in hoods meant to scare us because my father is Indian, and my mom is white; they thought that because she was blind, she was being taken advantage of. It never entered their mind that they were together because they were in love. The men hid in the bushes and watched as my father tried to put the flames out with a hose.” This happened in 1978, after the Civil Rights Act, after the integration of schools, after the abolition of poll taxes and free passes for intimidation groups like the KKK. During the Iraq War, people would ask my father why he was trying to destroy America, or if he had a bomb in his backpack. My first experience with racism came in 2004. I still remember the rotting stench that radiated from our mailbox, caused by the dead fish our neighbors had placed there as some sort of warning that my
BOILING POINT. This election’s blatant racism against immigrants worries senior Sophie Fernandes, who is no stranger to discrimination. multiracial family was not welcome. And just three years ago, in my freshman Advanced Placement Government class, my teacher asked my race. I did not mind explaining to him that I am Indian, even though my last name sounds Hispanic. I did, however, mind his new nickname for me: “terrorist." Racism has not gone away, like many Americans like to pretend. It just went underground. And today, it’s reemerging in the form of racial stereotyping and name-calling. According to the Washington Post, there was an incident in Indiana where basketball players from a majority white school yelled “build the wall!” at their opponents who were predominantly Latino. It is disturbing to me that my generation is joking about this rhetoric that demeans immigrants, let alone adopting it. Trump captivated the nation during 11 months of calling immigrants malicious names. Immigrant communities, however, have endured decades of discrimination, so for them, those words mean something. Trump supporters may think that his rhetoric is “funny” or “honest” because he is “speaking the truth," but for people of color, these stereotypical slurs should not be taken lightly, for they are the manifestation of something rotten.
I did not mind explaining to him that I am Indian. I did, however, mind his new nickname for me: “terrorist.”
Center: SOMETHING ROTTEN: Print Managing Editor Sophie Fernandes explains why Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric is personal. Illustration by Ashley Lawrence.
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NOVEMBER 2016
>> NEWS Photo by Ana Aldridge
News briefs Above: A FURRY HALLOWEEN: Ben and Anna Lawrence pose with their dog, Porkchop, during the "Boo-le-Bark on the Boulevard” dog parade, which took place on Oct. 16 in the Boulevard neighborhood. The community event featured parade participants walking through the neighborhood with their dogs dressed in various costumes. "(The parade) was great. It was really fun, better than a cat parade. You can quote that," Anna Lawrence said.
Fresh marks
The Clarke Central High School campus is currently under its final phase of construction, Phase IV-B, which will be completed in November. With the renovation near completion, vandalism, according to students and administration, has become an issue. “( Vandalism) absolutely drives me crazy. This is $35 million of taxpayer’s money that has gone into building a facility that is state of the art,” CCHS Principal Marie Yuran said. According to Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) Project Manager Joe Dunagan, school personnel submit work orders for the repair of vandalized areas to the Clarke County School District. “Somebody went all the way down the hall with a Magic Marker and did a wave. Cost (the CCSD) $1800 to repaint those walls,” Dunagan said. “That’s disgusting to me.” Sophomore Dye’tyer Tabor believes vandalism can be channeled into a positive form of expression, decreasing it in the future. “I think (administration) can use (vandalism) as an art for kids, to express their feelings,” Tabor said. “I feel like they can make it into an art program.”
"OUR NEW NORMAL" Enrollment at Clarke Central High School increases by more than 100 students.
I
n May 2016, CCHS enrollment was 1,395. Three months later enrollment jumped to 1,535 for the 2016-17 school year. CCHS Principal Marie Yuran believes the school’s ongoing renovation may be a reason for the increase in students. “Brand new school buildings automatically see an influx of additional students when the word gets out that you’ve got a brand new facility,” Yuran said. The capacity of the newly-renovated building is 1600. Although enrollment is under maximum capacity, freshman Avery Sepesi says the hallways are crowded. “Going to and from lunch and after school (the hallways) are really crowded. You can’t walk without bumping into people,” Sepesi said. Head scheduler Summer Smith schedules no more than 36 students to a class. She believes full classrooms do not necessarily cause difficulty within classes. “I think it all depends on who those 36 kids are and what the makeup is. If there are 36 students who are really into the class and want to learn, it’s not that big of a deal,” Smith said. Social studies department teacher Drew Wheeler expects enrollment to continue to increase. “I anticipate (enrollment) to keep growing, but this year, hopefully, would give a blueprint of what to do and how to handle (crowded classes) in the future,” Wheeler said. Smith agrees the increase will likely continue. “This might be our new normal,” Smith said.
BY MADELEINE INGLE News Writer
10 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net
Calling out conduct
A modified version of the Clarke County School District Code of Student Conduct was distributed to CCHS students at the beginning of the 2016-17 school year. “This year’s (Code of ) Conduct has more specific language, so that administrators in the building know the proper protocol when certain issues arise,” Assistant Principal Reginald Thomas said. Freshman Jenifer Hernandez believes the conduct is essential to students, as it explains policies enforced by administration. “If students read the conduct, then they will have something tangible telling them what would happen if they don’t follow the rules,” Hernandez said. Thomas says the updated (Code of ) Conduct fits the disciplinary needs of every student. “(CCHS is) about helping every student get to a place where they can be successful with their education and will get their diploma, and the new (Code of ) Conduct will do just that," Thomas said.
Pro pointers
New York Times best-selling author Jay Asher, best known for his young adult novel “Thirteen Reasons Why”, spoke at CCHS on Oct. 19 as part of his “What Light” book tour. “I’ve always said (school events are) my favorite part of being an author. They’re so much more fun than writing,” Asher said. “If I could just go to schools for the rest of my career, I would totally love it.” Junior Amelia Goodwin believes author visits like these open doors for students. “I think (it’s great) that students who don’t usually read come and actually listen and get interested,” Goodwin said. CCHS Media Specialist Lindy Weaver agrees author visits inspire students. “It’s just really nice for students to be able to meet authors and to understand that they’re real people because sometimes students think of them as this Hollywood star or whatever, but they’re not,” Weaver said. “They’re just regular people, and when the authors come, they encourage kids to go for their dreams.” NOVEMBER 2016
>> NEWS
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PLANNING PYRAMID
I HEARD THAT
“ ” “ ” “ “ ”
Everybody log on to Shmoop, and do the activity and you can get more shmoints. DREW WHEELER, social studies department teacher, speaking on technology-based class activities.
If you don’t remember anything else, remember that I love you. Look someone in the eyes and tell ‘em that you love ‘em. LINDA GLENN, main office secretary, giving students advice during the afternoon announcements.
You’re a doll. No, dude, I mean as a compliment.
”
ALLEN JOSEPH, sophomore, talking to sophomore Eric Osorio during their sixth period French three class.
I can tell that you guys were cooped up in a room taking a test for four or five hours. EMILY HULSE, foreign language department chair, on her students’ behavior after taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test.
The counseling department helps the senior class make post-graduation plans.
C
CHS counselors are conducting senior meetings until Thanksgiving break. The meetings consist of three tiers, each designed to help seniors find their path after graduation. The first tier consists of a senior assembly where students are presented with a broad spectrum of opportunities beyond high school. CCHS counselor Sam Hicks says these opportunities are unfamiliar to some students. “When students are moving grade level to grade level they’re used to that (transition) process, but students leaving after senior year have some major new steps that they need to take and they don’t know how to do that,” Hicks said. In the second tier, counselors visit senior English classes and give a more descriptive presentation about college opportunities. This tier allows an open forum for further discussion and questions. “We like that more intimate setting with 30 or so kids because then they can hear the information,” Hicks said. “They also feed off each others’ questions, so as they ask questions, they’re learning from one another.” Lastly, counselors conduct individual senior meetings, which can be scheduled by students. Parents are encouraged to attend because specific details are covered, such as financial aid and referrals. Senior Sofia Lopez is planning on majoring in molecular biology and found the counseling process helpful. “The (counselors) have helped. One of them scheduled me to meet with a representative from the University of Georgia and I got a lot of information from it,” Lopez said. BY KIKI GRIFFIN Broadcast Staffer
Below: CREATING PATHS: Clarke Central High School counselors aid the senior class in making post graduation plans through a three tiered system. As the tiers progress, information about senior planning is narrowed down to the specific path of each senior. “Every senior is going to have at least one meeting with their counselor to talk about their exit plan and what they’re doing,” CCHS counselor Sam Hicks said. “At that meeting we make individual plans for that person.” Infographic by Kiki Griffin and Ana Aldridge
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Meet the principal
Photo by Zoe Peterson.
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NOVEMBER 2016
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Marie Yuran was named principal of Clarke Central High School on Sept. 1. However, many students remain unaware of this position change months into the school year.
“D
r. Hooker left?” “We have a new principal?” “Wait, it’s a woman?” These questions can be heard in classrooms and hallways daily at Clarke Central High School, where many students are not yet aware of the appointment of a new principal. Former Clarke Central High School principal of eight years Dr. Robbie P. Hooker announced his resignation on May 19. The subsequent process of selecting a new principal took place through August and early September.
BY ANA ALDRIDGE News Editor
position change at CCHS. “It’s real simple when you can start at the beginning of the year. When the principal was named at (CSHS), her name was on the front page of the paper. ( When I was selected), we were in the middle of the school year, other things were going on at that time, so I just don’t think it got the same kind of publicity,” Yuran said. Yuran says that from what she has witnessed, she is better known amongst upperclassmen than underclassmen, who are new to CCHS. “I can understand why freshmen might not be as connected, because Mr. Thomas does so much with the freshman academy. I think certainly underclassmen don’t see the connection that you need with building-level leaders because they’re -- EDGAR FLORES, maybe not as involved certain things,” Yuran junior in said. According to sophomore Tyaenna Barnett, who was unaware of the position change, some students are not interested in knowing who their principal is. “Not everybody be paying attention,” Barnett said. “Some people really don’t care who the principal is. Like, not everybody’s gonna be like, ‘Oh,
"She’s the one who’s leading the school and who students should be following."
The task of finding a new principal was divided into two search committees: Tier One and Tier Two. Tier One’s committee consisted of a Parent Teacher Student Organization member, a school council member, two booster club members and four faculty members. The Tier Two principal search committee was made up of Clarke County School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Philip Lanoue and the Executive Cabinet. CCHS then-Associate Principal Marie Yuran was recommended to the CCSD Board of Education (BOE) by the Tier Two principal search committee on the morning of Sept. 1. The BOE approved Tier Two’s recommendation and named Yuran principal of CCHS the same day. The announcement was made to students through the school intercom during morning announcements on Sept. 2. However, the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine News staff polled a total of 779 CCHS students on Oct. 14 and Oct. 17, and found that 60.2% of students polled could not name the principal. Yuran, while surprised by the poll’s results, believes that this may be because she did not have an opportunity to personally introduce herself to the student body. “It is a bit shocking, but there was never a formal time after I was officially named (principal) (that I introduced myself ) in front of the student body as a whole,” Yuran said. “That wasn’t a part of our process.” Yuran says that if she were named principal at the start of the school year, like Cedar Shoals High School Principal DeAnne Varitek was, it is likely that more attention would have been brought to the
there (is) our principal right there.’ Not everybody’s gonna be lookin’ out for the principal or anything.” Junior Edgar Flores, who was able to name Yuran, believes that it is important for students to know who their principal is. Flores says the administrative team should hold class assemblies for students to meet Yuran. “(Students need to know who the principal is) because she’s the one that’s in charge. She’s the one who’s leading the school and who students should be following,” Flores said. “I think (administration) needs to have an assembly where they bring us all in and ( Yuran) says ‘Look, I’m your new principal.’” Yuran says that though an assembly is not currently feasible, CCHS administration is filming a video on Nov. 8. that will be shown to students during advisement and may help students become more familiar with Yuran and the rest of the administrative team. “We’re going to be putting together a video that teachers will be able to share out with all the students at some point over the next couple of weeks, and you’ll see all of our faces on there, so that might help with some of that, Yuran said. “We’ll introduce ourselves, ‘I’m Marie Yuran, the principal,’ and then we’ll all have our own talking points. That should kind of meet the need of the whole assembly, hopefully.”
Opposite page: THE NEXT LEVEL: Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran sits at her desk in the administrative suite. Yuran was named principal on Sept. 1. Associate Superintendent of Human Resources and Student Services Dr. Sherri Freeman, who was a part of both tiers of the principal selection process, believes that Yuran is well-suited for the position. “(CCHS) started with a great foundation with Dr. Hooker, but we really believe that (Yuran) has the vision to take it to the next level, and she was able to present that in a manner that was professional, caring, compassionate, and we really saw who she was,” Freeman said. Below: ANONYMOUS: On Oct. 14 and Oct. 17, the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine News staff polled 779 CCHS students and found that 60.2% of students polled could not name their current principal, Marie Yuran.
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making a green sweep
Clarke Central High School “goes green” with new, ecologically-friendly features incorporated in the building’s renovation.
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s Clarke Central High School’s 2016-17 fall semester proceeds, its two-and-a-half year renovation nears its end. The renovation came with an increase in environmental commodities to be found across campus. According to Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax Project (SPLOST) Manager Joe Dunagan, automatic lights and air conditioning were added to the building. “All the lights are automatic. They have motion detectors, as does the air conditioning," Dunagan said. "When you go out of the room and the lights go off, the air conditioning lowers. It has set points. It doesn’t need to get 90 degrees in the room, but it’ll warm up to 76 and then it’ll come down. It’s an energy saver, particularly on the weekends." CCHS Principal Marie Yuran says everything in the school is more energy efficient than it was prior to the renovation, including the toilets. “I don’t know if you tried to flush a toilet here yet, but it’s a low flow toilet. Someone complained about this, that they had to flush two or three times. Well that’s designed purposely that way,” Yuran said. “Certainly everything we have here is more energy efficient.” Junior Preston Harden believes it is important for the building to conserve the natural resources it uses. “(Light and water) are both really important resources that we have a limited amount of. Not only with our budget within the school, but also overall within the planet," Harden said. "Conserving these resources that aren’t really renewable (is important), especially if we’re getting them through nonrenewable sources." BY ANA ALDRIDGE News Editor
"Someone complained about (the new low-flow toilets), that they had to flush two or three times. Well, that’s designed purposely that way. Certainly everything we have here is more energy efficient.” -- MARIE YURAN, principal The renovation also included the addition of two bioretention ponds which filter runoff water from the school parking lots, therefore protecting Georgia waters from pollution. “(The bioretention ponds take) all the water that comes off of the parking lot where you have gas and oil, and it runs through a pond that has got a filter in it of sand, mulch and it has plants in it that
survive and it filters the gas and oil to keep it from moving into the Georgia waters,” Dunagan said. “Two ponds cost $48,000 apiece.” Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez expects CCHS’ bioretention ponds to develop in a similar way to the ponds at Cedar Shoals High School. “When I was working in the district office as the science coordinator, I worked with these people at (CSHS) and their (bioretention pond) was really nice. It stays wet most of the year, so there’s always a pond there and critters living there. So in the next couple of years, that’s gonna go big time (at CCHS),” Gonzalez said.
“Being high school students, we’re the new generation, and if we have this ingrained in our society and culture, we can pass it on to the next generation.” -- PRESTON HARDEN, junior According to Dunagan, the air quality of the school has also improved due to a new system of fresh air makeup that was implemented during the construction process. “This school never had fresh air makeup. Fresh air makeup is when you’re bringing in outside air and you’re keeping the carbon monoxide level down, and the carbon dioxide level down. We’re changing air, and there’s two big units sittin’ up on top of the roof, and they’re changing the air two and a half times an hour,” Dunagan said. Gonzalez believes CCHS is setting a positive example for its students by becoming more eco-friendly. “Our job here is to teach children. You teach children by example, not by dictation. So if you go and you have an environmentally friendly school, kids in turn will go home and behave in a more environmentally friendly manner,” Gonzalez said. Like Gonzalez, Harden feels it is necessary for young people to learn environmentally friendly habits that they can carry with them through their adult lives. “I think that if you start (conserving resources) at a younger age, when you go throughout (life) you’re going to be able to take that knowledge and work it into your daily life so that at the end of your (life) you end up making less of a (negative) impact on the planet,” Harden said. “Being high school students, we’re the new generation, and if we have this ingrained in our society and culture, we can pass it on to the next generation.”
Opposite page: A GREENER CAMPUS: Top left: Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez. Top right: Windows outside the front office. Bottom left: Bioretention pond. Bottom right: Old Gym. Clarke Central High School’s renovation aimed to bring more light and green space to campus by building a more environmentally conscious school, with features such as the bioretention pond. Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez says that the changes have caused students to take pride in the building. “Different than the physical changes, there’s an attitudinal change that comes with the new building. A lot of people are more interested in maintaining the new building and such, so it’s a pretty significant attitudinal change in our school,” Gonzalez said. Top left and bottom right photos by Julie Alpaugh. Bottom left and top right photos by Zoe Peterson.
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“If you go and you have an environmentally friendly school, kids in turn will go home and behave in a more environmentally friendly manner.” -- CLAUDE GONZALEZ, science department teacher
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Yuran’s plan Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran fills big shoes as the leader of a bigger and newer CCHS. Yuran spoke candidly to Editor-in-Chief Lucia Bermudez about her history in education and her aspirations as principal.
Featured: SCHOOL OF CHAMPIONS: New Principal Marie Yuran stands in Billy Henderson stadium in front of the West Wing. As Principal, Yuran aims to help CCHS students realize their potential. “I really did look for, and I talked to the rest of the faculty about this, what it means to be a champion. I’m not talking about just the football players. I’ve seen teachers work with individual students, who were struggling, to know what they were a champion of,” Yuran said. "Every single one of us is a champion.” Photo by Zoe Peterson. Layout by Lucia Bermudez.
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The Woman
the learner
the educator
Can you tell me a little bit about your family?
What were your favorite classes in college?
"Well, I'm married. We've been married now for 19 years. We met in high school and then broke up for a while, got back together after we finished college and got married and have had several different dogs in our lives and are currently a one-dog household."
“I went to Brenau University for my undergraduate degree. One of my favorite classes was political science and then I got more into my major, because my major was education and special education, mostly focused on students with pretty significant disabilities.”
What did you do after you received your master's in education?
What are your hobbies?
What were some interesting educational experiences you had?
"I love to cook, and I love to try new things to cook. My family are always my guinea pigs, you know, I'll try something new and say, 'Hey, you guys wanna come over and have this?' And I enjoy music. I was a musician when I was in high school and I enjoy playing the piano and singing. Just for my own enjoyment, though, I must say.”
What are some of the things you value most in life? "Family. My faith and my family. We lived away from family for 15 years in our marriage and we had a great time, met wonderful people, got to live in different states across the country, which was awesome, but there's nothing like being close to family.”
“(I did a) year-long internship while I was still teaching, but to take on administrative roles within the school where I was working. That focused a lot on student engagement, and also on school climate and culture and how to build in not necessarily incentives -some might say character education -- but really how to teach students to persevere when things become difficult and then recognize them for their growth over a period of time. Being able to help those who didn't necessarily grapple with whatever it was they were struggling with, to learn some of those skills and be willing to take those risks, that was, for me, a great culminating piece.”
Below: WELCOMING A NEW FUTURE: Clarke Central High School principal Marie Yuran congratulates senior Rico Arnold at fall sports senior night on Oct. 21. In college, Yuran was uncertain about her future plans, but knew she wanted to go into education. “When I was working on my undergraduate, (I didn’t have a plan). I was just thinking about being a teacher, and that's what I was in school for,” Yuran said.
“I got my master’s at least 10 years into my career, and at that point I felt like that there would come a time that I would want something different. I stayed in the classroom for 14 years in special education. A lot of people don't do that. So, I knew, at the time when I enrolled in my master’s program, I knew I was eventually gonna be looking for something different. I always saw myself staying in the special education world. I did do, like, a special education team leader coordinator in high school, so that's what brought me to Clarke Central, that's what I came here as.”
How did you get into the department of special education? “My mom was the special education teacher, and I grew up in her classrooms. She worked in the same schools where I was for a long time. Every week, we drove to work together, we drove home together. It was nice. If I got sick, I could go lay down in her room, you know, and didn’t necessarily need to go home and those were the things. You know, somewhere along the way there, I felt like I had something to offer, and that’s what really led me to special education.”
How did you begin to branch out past special education? “I came (to CCHS), had the opportunity to serve with the administrative team here in a different way, and quickly found myself involved in things that just weren't about special education, but about the whole school. It was about the best instructional strategies, “what's good for these kids with special needs that might good for everybody” kind of thing. We didn't stay in our own lanes, per se. I was working with not just special education teachers, but general education teachers as well and refining their practice in order to meet the needs of all students and I was like, 'Hey, this is kinda cool. I see how this makes a difference.’”
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>> FEATURES Photo by Zoe Peterson.
the associate principal What were some challenges you faced as associate principal?
Above: CUTTING LOOSE ENDS: (From left to right) Board of Education president Charles Worthy, Principal Marie Yuran and former principal Robbie P. Hooker cut the ribbon at Clarke Central High School's grand opening to celebrate and showcase the newly renovated buidling on Sept. 25. Yuran is grateful for the new building and is proud of CCHS' facility and students. "Every single one of us is a champion," Yuran said. "We’re on that journey to improvement and so you know, a belief in and rallying around that cry of ‘We are a school of champions, and here’s why we make the decisions that we make because we only want to move forward’ is important." Photo by Julie Alpaugh.
“Well there were some things I had never officially been responsible for, I had (only) been a part of them being done. I had always worked with families and students and problem solving related to grades or instruction or those kinds of things, so that kind of came natural. I had some experience with discipline. Now, I hadn’t had experience with when there was a major discipline issue or something like that, so that was a learning curve for me. I think that really prepared me for this job, because this is the desk where the buck stops here.”
What do you feel were some of your biggest accomplishments as Associate Principal?
Above: PRINCIPAL PARTY: Yuran embraces her mother Lynne Wheeler at an office party celebrating her appointment as principal on Sept. 1. Yuran underwent a multi-step application and interview process before learning that she got the job that morning. “I’m sitting in my house Thursday night and get a phone call saying, ‘Am I speaking to the Principal of Clarke Central High School?’ and I said, ‘I think you are,'" Yuran said. Photo by Zoe Peterson.
Below: YURAN THE (WO)MAN: Newly appointed principal Marie Yuran stands in front of the ceremonial entrance of Clarke Central High School. Yuran began in Special Education, later transitioning to administration, something she did not expect coming out of college. “Is it where I thought I would be? No. I mean did I as a 18-year-old or 21-year-old coming out of college, think, 'I'm gonna be a principal one day?’ No, that really didn't cross my mind. It's just my journey has brought me to this,” Yuran said.
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I think last year, it sounds like a little thing, but I developed a website for teachers to use during testing, when we do the EOC’s at the end of the school year, kind of like a one stop shop so everything was there, and we really heard that that made the process a whole lot easier for folks. Also, I think the focus on literacy that we’ve had with the school as a whole, and serving kind of an instructional support and leader of that along the way.
What was a fault in your career as Associate Principal? “I was very worried about losing my connection with students, because I wasn’t serving the same roles I was as a special education teacher and I struggled at that point, I was pulled out of the building a lot, and still am. And I didn’t have as much time, sometimes, in a non-evaluative capacity to be in classrooms. So, that part was a balancing act for me. The first years as associate I was able to pace my time better, so I felt I had a better balance being present and being in classrooms and with students and the school community, opposed to always in a meeting somewhere trying to figure our next steps.” NOVEMBER 2016
>> FEATURES
the principal Did you initially intend to become the principal? “To be completely candid with you, when Dr. Hooker announced that he was leaving and he asked me to be the interim, and they told me I was going to be the interim, I was very honest that I didn’t know if I was interested in, or even (interested in) going through the process of, becoming the principal. I really had to do some soul-searching and some thinking. My husband is a principal here in town (at Monsignor Donavan). The job of a high school principal is this big, it’s 24/7 often, and I also knew that I had to be at peace with it and believe that I could serve in a way that would continue the growth here at Clarke Central. And if I didn’t feel like I could give that 110%, then I wasn’t going to risk 1500 kids’ futures just to say that I had a title behind my name because that’s not who I am.
And so to hear from the most important stakeholders here, which are the students, that they felt like they would want my name in front of principal for their school, that was huge. And then, you know, I applied, one thing led to another, and I found myself in the interview. It was a process. It wasn’t just the next step in a job trajectory.”
How do you think the transition to a new principal affects students and staff? “I think any change makes people uneasy, you know. Change is hard for anybody. I really felt like when Dr. Hooker announced that he was leaving, my role as an Associate was to assure everybody that we were all gonna be okay. We were gonna be OK no matter what. We were gonna be okay whether I apply for this job, or somebody else applied for the job, or somebody else got this job. We
"I am thankful for the supportive community that we have here at Clarke Central, because I’ve worked in other places in other states, and I think sometimes we take for granted how many resources we have for all students within this building."
-- MARIE YURAN,
principal
I didn’t apply for this job until close to the window closed. I am appreciative that I was able to open up the school year with you guys and the administrative team here because that helped me have some real world experience of what it was really gonna be like, and so that, I think helped me make my decision. But, you know, the other piece was the students. I mean, even when I introduced myself as interim at the beginning of the school year, I can’t tell you the number of students that, between the time I was interim and the time I was principal, had been like ‘Well, have they named our principal yet? I’d really like for you to be our principal. That’d be so good.’
were gonna continue to do all the work that we were gonna do before. We were gonna get ready to open up our building. We were gonna be ready with renovation to welcome all of you guys back. I’m really trying to be cognizant of performing in a way that the students and the parents and the faculty felt like that there was still leadership within the building. That we were gonna continue to do the work that we’ve always done. And I was gonna try to lead them in a way that would assure them that it would be fine no matter what.”
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What do you want to see changed at CCHS? What do you want to see continued? “Well, I mean certainly continue our focus on literacy. I think we still need to work on our climate and our culture here -- that’s always evolving and changing. You know, everybody wants to know that they’re appreciated, that they’re cared for and that what they do is important. Whatever practice we need to change, whatever instructional strategy we need to do differently, whether it’s work on our climate and culture, or whatever it is, we have to continually be in that cycle of improvement in order to move forward. I look forward to being a part of that. It really is everybody working together with a solid vision and a mission of where we want to be.”
What are your personal goals in this position? “I want us to establish a strong Local School Governance Team. That’s something new that’s a part of the charter district that we are now a part of. I think that’s another group that, if the right people are there, they believe inherently in wanting what is best for Clarke Central and will be invested in putting the time and the thought and effort into aligning all of our school improvement goals and those kind of things to move students forward. And then we certainly need to continue to work on literacy and we need to continue to work on our scores for (the End of Course Tests) with biology -- we did see a growth in that last year, so we have to continue to focus. And our continued graduation rate. We went up to 84%, we need to hold that firm at 80% and above, and we need to continue to look for those ways to improve that. So, yeah, those are a lot of things, but I think important. I am thankful for the supportive community that we have here at Clarke Central, because I’ve worked in other places in other states and I think sometimes we take for granted how many resources we have for all students within this building. So at night, when I sit back and reflect and think, I’m thankful for the teacher leadership within our building. We’re thankful for collaborative efforts. It’s all at the end of the day “How can we make this better for our students?”
NOVEMBER 2016
Cultural Buzz Nezda’s Waffle cart
THE GET DOWN
Shawn mendes
Nezda’s is a gourmet pop-up waffle stand found in Athens and the surrounding area. Nedza’s menu offers a variety of both waffles and toppings, such as fruit, cookies and sugar. Customers can also add ice cream to their waffles for no additional cost. The prices range from $4.00 to $6.00, depending on the toppings, making the waffles affordable for such large portions. Shortly after ordering, customers are given a waffle covered in toppings in a white paper cone. On the side of the cone, there is a friendly, hand-written compliment to make the customer smile. Overall, Nezda’s Waffles is a great addition to the Athens community. The new waffle stand offers delicious waffles, kind compliments and a unique treat.
Part one of the Netflix original series, “The Get Down," released on Aug. 12, tells the story of hiphop’s rise in the Bronx during the late ‘70s, a time dominated by disco. The six episodes that have been released focus on Ezekiel ( Justice Smith) and Shaolin Fantastic’s (Shameik Moore) hopes to become kings in the hip-hop scene along with the rest of their crew by winning the community's DJ battle called "The Get Down." The show centered around a soundtrack that felt like a watered-down version of what the real Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five created, but the actors had the talent in both their acting and their vocal abilities to make “The Get Down” a musical drama viewers could tune in to for episodes at a time.
Shawn Mendes’ latest album, “Illuminate”, features 12 songs that showcase his ability to draw inspiration from singer-songwriters such as John Mayer, while remaining distinctly individual. This time, he ventures into more adult topics in songs like “Lights On," showing his maturity. “Illuminate” is comparable to Mendes’ debut album “Handwritten” with the theme being love and heartbreak. His teen-heartthrob image is upheld with his lyrics, painting him as a knight in shining armor, appealing to his audience. The album as a whole is solid. All the tracks are at least decent, but overall, the songs can be repetitive. The best tracks on the album, such as “Treat You Better” and “Mercy,” were released prior to the album as singles.
--Olivia Ripps, Online Sports Editor
--Jordan Rhym, Lead Copy Editor
--Aneesa Conine-Nakano, Online Editor-in-Chief
Rocky Horror
O
n Oct. 20, Fox released its remake, subtitled “Let’s Do the Time Warp Again” (“LDTTWA”), of the cult classic musical “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (“RHPS”). Too focused on looking good to have the campy fun of the original, “LDTTWA” sits in the middle of the “almost as good as the original” to “it’s ruined” remake spectrum. The film centers around white-bread couple Brad (Ryan McCartan) and Janet ( Victoria Justice) as they are alternately shocked and seduced by the cross-dressing inhabitants of the secluded Frankenstein Place, a castle in the woods. In an effort to step out from the shadow of the original, “LDTTWA” infused its songs with ill-fitting rockabilly, and, blessedly, the cast with some diversity. The remake replaced three of the featured characters with actors of color, including black transgender actress Laverne Cox as Frank-n-Furter. Picking a transgender actor to play Frank in 2016 was a relief, but Cox might not have been the right choice, as she never quite captured the cloying Frank. Her notoriety helped with views, but she serves as an example of “LDTTWA” doing what is flashiest over what is best. Another change was the sanitization. Rather than portray the raw sexuality of the original, “LDTTWA” flashed a lot of glitter-clad cleavage and called it a day. That is in stark contrast to “RHPS," which gained its following because of its unabashed portrayal of sexuality. Despite all this, actors Annaleigh Ashford as Magenta and Justice as Janet, just as fun as their predecessors, shine through. “LDTTWA” tried to make up for its lack of sexual freedom with song remixes and a huge budget. The original “RHPS” was great because it was not all that good, but its successor demonstrates the difference between belovedly bad and a true horror. It is no midnight movie like the O.G., but “LDTTWA” is a fair amount of fun-- for primetime on a Thursday.
BY KATY MAYFIELD Viewpoints Editor
Cultural Buzz the walking dead
The girl on the train
Kishi bashi - sonderlust
Season six of "The Walking Dead" ended with fans wondering which of their beloved characters would be beaten to death by the show's newest antagonist, Neegan. After 203 days of guessing who that character was, fans were in tears once they watched the premiere of season seven on Oct. 23. The characters were in a situation that was impossible to escape and Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) was forced to make some tough decisions. Although viewers came prepared knowing one life would be taken, they were mortified to find out another one of their beloved characters would be killed too. The most depressing and gory season premiere of “The Walking Dead” will resonate with the show for many seasons to come and these deaths will not be forgotten.
“The Girl on the Train,” based on Paula Hawkins’ best-selling novel, hit theaters on Oct. 7. Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt), an alcoholic divorcee, catches glimpses into the lives of Scott (Luke Evans) and Megan Hipwell (Haley Bennett) from a train window. One day, Rachel sees something disturbing in the couple’s backyard. Soon after, Megan disappears. Authorities don't believe her, so Rachel investigates, framing herself as the perfect suspect. Fast-paced, chilling scenes put the viewer in Rachel’s mind to fully understand her mental instability. However, the movie fails to incorporate scenes found in the novel, which fans of the book may find disappointing. With superb acting and stunning shots, “The Girl on the Train” is the perfect thriller that keeps you guessing.
Kaoru Ishibashi, better known by his stage name Kishi Bashi, stole listeners’ hearts and ears with his violin loops and vocal harmonies in his first two albums, “151a" and “Lighght." However, those defining characteristics are not as prominent on his latest album “Sonderlust." "Sonderlust," released on Sept. 16, strays from Kishi Bashi’s traditional sound, but he manages to keep it familiar. The album is a triumph, proving the new creative direction effective. “Can’t Let Go, Juno” is a heavily electronic ballad that has a beautiful sense of wonder, and is one of the best songs Kishi Bashi has written. “Sonderlust” greatly exceeded expectations. The lack of violin is made up for by the range of style throughout the album. The album is filled with musical genius from the master violinist himself.
--Kiki Griffin, Broadcast Staffer
--Andrew Caldwell, Junior Copy Editor
--Everett Vereen, Viewpoints Writer
Gaga’s second act
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mongst all of the notable moments in Lady Gaga’s career, her newest album “Joanne," released on Oct. 21, may be the most significant. This is not due to special effects or intriguingly grotesque visuals, but to the lack of these classic Gaga antics. If “The Fame Monster” is Lady Gaga, “Joanne” is Stefani Germanotta. Compared to the rest of her work, this album is by far the most human. Its title track, which inspired the rest of the album, is a tribute to Gaga’s late aunt, Joanne Germanotta. "Joanne" is heavily acoustic, proving Gaga can step out of her pop bubble. The sound is surprising for Gaga, amounting to a perfect blend reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac and classic westerns. “Hey I can’t wait to cast my spell, which one you’ll never tell, got it covered, city gravy southern,” from “A-YO”, is one example. Not all of the album is acoustic -- it is a grab bag of Gaga trying every musical genre she can think of. “Dancin’ in Circles” sounds like the sequel to Gaga’s 2009 single “Alejandro”, while “Come to Mama” is reminiscent of a dramatic musical. “Joanne’s” wide range of musical styles show Gaga’s talent as a musician. However, not all musical experiments are successes, and this rings true for the the more country songs on “Joanne”, which sound as if a modern pop star tried to translate the soundtrack of an old western into the present. The result is music that feels half-heartedly country, not fully wanting to commit to itself. The songs in which the listener can hear Gaga’s conviction are far superior, and her ability to express herself through music shines through in most songs on the album. Although there are a few misses on “Joanne”, there is something for every Gaga fan here, and even some things for non-fans. BY MADDIE HALL
Online Viewpoints Editor
Photo illustrations by Jurnee Louder. Photos used under Fair Use guidelines.
>> VARIETY
Below: SENIOR SIZED STEPS: Clarke Central High School senior Ty’Quashia Lattimore waits for her ride on the steps of CCHS’ ceremonial entrance. Lattimore, being in her final year at CCHS, values her time as a student in Athens as she has come to learn the importance of her education. “School’s not something I like, but it’s something I have to do,” Lattimore said. “It prepares you most for the real world.” Photo by Andrew Caldwell
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NOVEMBER 2016
>> VARIETY ust see the brighter side of everything. That’s the key to life, isn’t it?” She waits patiently, the first of autumn breezes brushing against her face as she looks outwards, her foot tapping along to the engines of running cars. She sits thinking. Thinking about what is after. After today, after tomorrow, after high school. Her whimsical, witty jokes surface as she awaits her ride to Pizza Hut, a job she has been working since the summer. With the amount of time she has before work, she reflects on her experience as a student, as an older sister and as a role model. “I’m a very expensive person. I like to spend money, mostly on my little sister. I just don’t want to have her want for anything,” senior Ty’Quashia Lattimore said. As a prominent figure for her younger sister, Ty’Quashia betters herself for her family, never backing out of arguments and standing up for who she is -- a lesson she learned from her grandmother. Ty’Quashia, now a young woman, wonders: what is to come after her final year at Clarke Central High School? “I want to be a lawyer. I’m a great debater. Honestly, I could argue with a wall,” Ty’Quashia said. “But, I have a duty: to join the military.” Her presence is strong, almost commanding. The wind does not sway her. But beyond that power, there is a light smile, a gentle laugh, a girl with a raw, infectious persona that seems at ease. Carefree. Legs crossed, right arm bent back propping her head, she runs her fingers along the chipped concrete steps, unfazed, almost relieved to face the next chapter of her life. “Being a senior, it’s such a great breath of fresh air. It’s like, I’m almost done. Like I have a couple months here and I’m gonna be done,” Ty’Quashia said. She chuckles softly, looking down and whispers, “Where has time gone?” Her words escape her, carrying off into the crisp air far above the school she has attended for four years. “I think the military will make me a better person. I feel like I’m a good person, like I have a really big heart, but I just feel like it’ll just teach me areas of weakness that I can work to fix,” Ty’Quashia said. That drive, that passion for perfecting her moral character, is undeniable. But her warmth, her open heart, is what she embodies and represents. As the last of the sunlight dips below the dark pine trees, the light catches her eyes, and three things are certain. She is independent. She is calm. She is free. CALDWELL
Editor
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NOVEMBER 2016
Layout by Jurnee Louder
Right: Photo by Zoe Peterson.
Photo by Emma Crane.
Photo by Emma Crane.
Top left: HANDS-ON LEARNING: Members of Young Urban Farmers tend to the produce at the West Broad Farmers Market. Students learn how to grow and care for crops, and apply what they have learned to their everyday life “When I’m older, I wanna start a little garden and see what happens,” Classic City High School senior Travnika Jackson said. Top Right: AT WORK: Clarke Central High School senior Dontae Meadows helps sell produce at the Young Urban Farmers stand on Saturdays. Meadows has worked with YUF for three years. “My first year, my business that I created was called, ‘The birds and the bees,' and I sold flowers and birdhouses and bee pollinator boxes,” Meadows said. Right: MURAL, MURAL ON THE WALL: A mural stands inside the West Broad Farmers Market on 1573 W Broad St. The Young Urban Farmers work at the market to sell the food and goods they produce. “Each student that goes through the program will write a business plan on an idea he or she has for a business, and in the spring, students have the opportunity to turn that idea into an actual business and sell their product here at the farmers market,” YUF program coordinator Seth Nivens said.
Farming for the future
The Young Urban Farmers Program allows students to learn how to make money through farming, as well as other enrichment opportunities. BY EMMA CRANE
BY JURNEE LOUDER
Variety Writer
Variety Editor
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he Young Urban Farmers ( YUF), founded in 2013 by the Athens Land Trust in cooperation with the Clarke County School District, is an agriculture-based program for high school students. With YUF, students plan their own business model, as well as the products they will produce. In the spring, they are given the opportunity to sell their products at the West Broad Farmers Market. “We’ve seen students in the past do things like (create) bird houses or houses for native pollinators,” YUF program coordinator Seth Nivens said. “We had one student last year do tie-dye T-shirts with the dyes made out of vegetables and fruits.” The program has provided more than 100
high school students with not only agricultural education, but also job experience. Students are paid $8.00 per hour and work eight to 10 hours a week. “(The YUF is) putting money in people’s pockets. It engages them,” Nivens said. “Working on a farm is hard work and so if they can do this, they can pretty much do anything.” Originally, the program was only for students from Classic City High School, but has since evolved to include students from Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School. CCHS junior and YUF member John Anderson believes the expansion of the program will be beneficial for the Athens community. “I think the more people we get out here, the more impact we are gonna have on the community, and I think the people that have been here and are
here now really enjoy it,” Anderson said. In addition to farm work, students study healthy eating and take a six-week course on cooking. The course teaches them about nutrition, as well as meal preparation using fresh produce. “( YUF is) just teaching you everyday life,” CCHS senior and YUF member Dontae Meadows, who has been in the program for three years, said. Classic City senior Travnika Johnson tries to use what she learns in her daily life. “I like working outside. My grandma has her little garden in front of her house and sometimes she wants me to help her. I just thought it would be nice to learn some more about (gardening),” Johnson said. Nivens believes that YUF will help students throughout their lives, as he has witnessed former members using the skills they have learned outside of high school. “( We’re) helping students learn about starting and running a business, so if that’s something that they’re interested in as they get older, they have that knowledge,” Nivens said. “(It) really helps students develop job skills, things that’ll benefit them as they enter the workforce.” Nivens has high hopes for the program to expand in the future. “I would like to see ( YUF) provide students with more avenues to opportunities beyond the program, whether that’s getting a job or getting into college,” Nivens said. “I would like to see it evolve into something more like that, where students have lots of opportunities to choose from after they go through this program.” Meadows says YUF has given him new experiences which will impact his future. “I wanted (being in YUF) to allow me to know how to go out on my own,” Meadows said. “( YUF) definitely showed me a lot of things I can do that I didn’t think I could do."”
Photos by Zoe Peterson.
Editor’s note: For each edition of “Quest for Athens’ Best”, the top two businesses from four reviews are selected for this Variety feature. Email editors@odysseynewsmagazine.net to comment on our selections and ratings, which are placed on a scale from one to five, with five being best and one being worst.
zombie coffee & donuts Zombie Coffee and Donuts makes donuts to die for.
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he second the door to Zombie Coffee and Donuts opens, the smell of freshly baked donuts fills the air. Since its opening on May 23, Zombie Donuts, as its known among locals and located on 350 E. Broad St, one mile away from Clarke Central High School, has become an Athens hot spot. At Zombie Donuts, patrons customize their own donuts with an order form detailing what icings and toppings are available for order. Zombie Donuts offers a variety of icing and glaze flavors including lemon glaze, maple icing, cinnamon sugar and powdered sugar. For toppings, Zombie Donuts offers shredded coconut, chocolate sprinkles, rainbow sprinkles, crushed oreo, bacon and more. Traditional options for icing, glazes and toppings are offered, as well. The donuts have a similar texture and flavor to funnel cake. The icing is sweet, while the glazed donuts have a subdued flavor. The bacon maple donut, which the donut shop is famous for, has sweet maple icing topped with salty bacon, making it a great contrast of flavor. Another favorite is the powdered donut. It is extremely light, but still delicious. The atmosphere of Zombie Donuts is peaceful and the staff is friendly. Zombie Donuts offers a lot of seating arrangements, from stools facing the windows to long wooden tables that line the cafe. Zombie Coffee and Donuts offers a unique experience for all donut lovers. BY EMMA RAMSAY Variety Writer
Above: DONUTS TO DIE FOR: Zombie Coffee and Donuts’ prices are affordable for their quality. Along with their unique donut selection, Zombie offers a wide range of coffee and other drinks. Below: SWEET TREAT: Located in Downtown Athens, Zombie Coffee and Donuts has been a popular spot to purchase donuts since its opening earlier this year. The shop offers a variety of donut combinations that customers can choose from.
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For our November issue, the Variety staff continues their journey across the Classic City in search for the best donuts Athens has to offer.
ike & jane CAFE AND BAKERY Ike & Jane Cafe and Bakery is perfect for an early morning. BY EMMA CRANE Variety Writer
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he atmosphere of Ike & Jane Cafe and Bakery is warm and welcoming. A rush of customers start coming in as early as 6:30 a.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. on
weekends. Upon entering, Ike & Jane’s interior is clean with round metal tables and a large window. However, seating is limited, especially during the morning rush. The menu is extensive, offering a large variety of “non-traditional” donut options. They sell donuts with Lucky Charms sprinkled on top, a S’mores-inspired donut and more. With such a diverse menu of donuts, there is something for everyone’s taste. The consistencies vary from one donut to another. Some of them are dense cake donuts while others are traditional, yeast-raised donuts. While the cake donuts were slightly drier than the raised donuts, they all melt in one’s mouth. A few of the donuts are sweeter than others, like the donut topped with Swedish Fish candy. So, those looking for a more subtle flavor might not enjoy them. The best is the red velvet donut. It has a moist consistency and a nice flavor. Although it is topped with chocolate icing, the taste is not too overpowering, allowing each flavor to shine through. All of the donuts are well priced, amounting to around $1.00 per donut. Ike & Jane is located in Normal Town, making it a convenient place for people who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. The early opening time also makes it a great place for parents to take their kids before school in the morning, or for a weekend breakfast.
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Above: SUGAR RUSH: A lemon donut, a vanilla-iced donut with sprinkles and a S’mores donut are a few options that Ike & Jane Cafe and Bakery offers. These are the more sweeter donut options. Right: NOT SO PLAIN IKE & JANE: Ike & Jane Cafe and Bakery is located at 1307 Prince Ave. The outside gives off a welcoming vibe that matches the interior.
>> SPORTS Layout by Hannah Gale Photo by Julie Alpaugh
THE BOX SCORE Above: MAKING A SPLASH: Freshman Stephanie Jimenez, member of the Clarke Central High School swim team, swims a freestyle lap during practice on Oct. 28. Jimenez has high hopes for the team this year. “My team goals are to improve our skills and work hard but also to have fun and become closer. I think we will do pretty great in this upcoming match. I’ve seen that everyone is doing better each day,” Jimenez said.
C-TEAM SCORES For the first time in the program’s history, the Clarke Central High School softball program created a C-team for the 2016-17 season. “Even though (the younger players) may be inexperienced, they’re willing to come out and work and try new things and new positions,” varsity softball head coach April Tedeschi said. The C-team helped players like freshman Rosie Sykes develop their abilities while being able to compete. “It has definitely helped me as a player. I got to find some of my strengths in softball and the teammates brought a spark to me,” Sykes said. With the addition of a C-team, Tedeschi hopes to give younger players an opportunity to condition into varsity athletes. “It’s been good for the program and (we have been) getting those girls ready for varsity material,” Tedeschi said. For Sykes, the team was a beneficial addition to the CCHS softball program. “I think the team was a good idea because we can look up to the older girls as inspiration so maybe one day we could be on varsity,” Sykes said.
CROSS COUNTRY CRAZE
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common goal amongst all Clarke Central High School sports teams is to qualify for and do well in their State Tournament. The CCHS varsity boys cross country team was no exception. “The goal was always to make it to state. We were all very excited when we did make it, and I always knew we had a chance to do well,” head varsity boys cross country coach Eric McCullough said. “The boys have not been in six years, so from the get-go, they were all very competitive with each other. Whatever they did, they were always trying to one-up one another. They definitely fed off of each other in practice and at meets, which made them run faster.” The boys competed in their Georgia High School Association State Tournament on Nov. 5 and placed 10th out of 31 teams. Varsity boys cross country runner William White, a senior, feels the team’s success, was in part, due to the new wave of freshman runners. “We got a particularly strong freshman class this year. While we might normally get one or two decent freshmen, this year we got quite a few who have proven to be very solid runners and integral parts of varsity,” White said. Varsity boys cross country runner Nathan Weinmeister, a sophomore, is proud of his team and is looking forward to next year’s season. “The team this year had so much potential. They did really good, they just blew it out of the water,” Weinmeister said. “Next year will be great.” With the State Tournament over, White reflects on his time as a runner at CCHS. “Eighth individually and 10th as a team at state was a great way to end my CCHS cross-country career,” White said. BY ANDREW CALDWELL Junior Copy Editor
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playoff bound Clarke Central High School’s varsity football team defeated Flowery Branch High School, earning a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2013. “It feels good,” head football coach David Perno said. “I have one kid, maybe two, that played on the 2013 team so it is good to get these players an opportunity to get to the playoffs for the first time.” Senior and varsity football player Byron Spraggins looks forward to the playoffs. “I have not played a playoff game since my freshman year, and I did not really get much playing time,” Spraggins said. “I am very excited to play my first playoff game.” Now that the team is in the playoffs, Perno has high expectations. “Our first goal was to get in the playoffs, and now we are there,” Perno said. “Our second goal is to win some games.”
SQUAD Up The Clarke Central High School varsity cheerleading team received two additions to their squad this season. Brooke Craft, math department teacher and former varsity assistant coach, took up the position of head coach. Math department teacher Alex Szatkowski served her first year as both the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant coach this season. Szatkowski hopes to build a relationship with her athletes. “I’ve always seen coaches and I’ve always seen how strong their relationships are with their athletes. I really admire that relationship, so I think that was probably the biggest thing that I wanted to get out of it,” Szatkowski said. Having been the varsity assistant coach for two years, Craft already had experience working with CCHS cheerleaders, but noticed a different dynamic due to her position change. “I expected different things of them. I held them to pretty high expectations, a high standard,” Craft said. NOVEMBER 2016
>> SPORTS
AUDIBLES
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I don’t like to call out (specific players) because football is the ultimate team sport. But, as a whole, the unit that has really done a great job and has given us a chance to win every game is our defense.
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DAVID PERNO, head varsity football coach, on the 2016-17 varsity football season.
If you don’t understand basketball, you won’t know how to play, that’s the biggest thing. They got the concept of basketball now more than my past group did.
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TEDDY FLEMING, boys JV basketball coach, on the upcom-
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I always thought that I would play for coach (Mark) Richt, I just thought that it would be in red and black and not orange and green.
Photo by Zoe Peterson
SPIKING TO STATE
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University of Miami running back, on playing for previous University of Georgia and current University of Miami head football coach, Mark Richt.
Prior to 2014, they had not won a game in seven years. We won two games in the 2014 season. Last season, we won eight games. That’s what (we strived) to beat this year.
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APRIL TEDESCHI, head varsity softball coach, on the CCHS varsity softball team’s goals for the 2016-17 season.
Above: PIN IT TO WIN IT: Sophomore and varsity wrestlers Max Stapleton (left) and Stephen Cofer perform a drill during practice on Oct. 27. The wrestling team has their first match on Nov. 12 at the East Coweta Duals. “Our goals for the season is to beat Buford (High School) and win area again. Really the goal is to win state duals,” Cofer said. Photo by Zoe Peterson
he Clarke Central High School varsity volleyball team has not qualified for the state tournament since the 2014-15 school year. However, on Oct. 4 the Lady Glads beat Loganville High School in the CCHS New Gym to advance to the state tournament. “The way we started our season off wasn’t so good. We wasn’t really getting together. It was a lot of mistakes being made, and just not believing in ourselves to do better,” varsity volleyball co-captain Sequeena Baldwin, a senior, said. “This year we made (the state tournament) a goal because we know what we are capable of doing. We just had to put our minds to it.” Though the team had a rocky start to the year, the Lady Glads were determined to qualify for state, after just falling short and ending in fourth place during the 2015-16 season. “Their ultimate goal was to play for a region championship, so that was what they were really working for,” head varsity volleyball coach Ashlee Wegmann said. “We got in the state game, but we lost the game that we needed to go to that region championship game. They were excited about doing that.” The team traveled to Bulloch and Henry counties to compete in the single elimination state tournament on Oct. 18 and Oct. 20. “We have been practicing the places that we have been weaker. We struggled the last couple of weeks with serving. We missed quite a few serves in our region tournament. We had a few errors on serve-receive,” Wegmann said. “We have struggled to finish things this year. We will get very close like 20 and then we kind of crap out, so that has been what we have focused on this week. We have had a really good week of practice.” BY HANNAH GALE
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MARQUEZ WILLIAMS, CCHS alumnus and
Above: LEADING THE SQUAD: Seniors and varsity cheerleaders Serenity Jernigan, Reagan Kelly and Ky’Anna Arthurton, left to right, lead the cheerleading team as they enter the 2016 Fall Sports Pep Rally on Oct. 21. The three shared the job of captain on the cheerleading squad for the 2016 season. “My job isn’t to show them how great I can be, but how great they can be if they work hard,” Arthurton said.
Sports Editor
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NOVEMBER 2016
PERNO’S PLAYBOOK David Perno, once a Gladiator himself, followed a sports-based path of playing and coaching which has lead him to his current position as the Clarke Central High School head football coach. STORY AND LAYOUT BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Zoe Peterson.
He stands on the sidelines, surrounded by a sea of players and coaches. His presence is calm, his eyes focused firmly on the play at hand. Billy Henderson Stadium is loud, the field is awash with noise and commotion, but he remains still, unfazed. His years of experience as a coach have led him to this moment. In the back of his mind, he had always envisioned a time when he would stand before his team as head coach, a team which he was once a part of. The game has ended. The team gathers in a huddle. He speaks to his players, giving words of encouragement, promise for a better tomorrow. “You did a good job, you showed up. Everything is still in front of us.” His presence commands respect, seen in his players’ responses of “Yes, sir.” His determination is apparent, his passion is contagious. He stands over his team, unsure of what lies ahead, but certain of all it took to get there.
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larke Central High School head football coach David Perno has had a long history with athletics, a history that has led him to his current position at CCHS. Perno showed an interest in sports from a young age, as he was influenced by his sports-centered family. “Young, I played everything I could. I had an older brother, I had an older cousin and we were always, always playing. We were always doing something athletic,” Perno said. “It's been a big part in my family and upbringing.” Perno spent his elementary school years at St. Joseph’s Catholic School. However, as he grew and began to play team sports, he felt the school did not fit his needs and he transitioned to Clarke Middle School, where he gravitated towards football and pursued the sport. “I (went to tryout) and I was, I think, the only seventh grader to come out one year, and the only reason I came out was because my cousin was the C-Team quarterback and I knew I always caught his passes,” Perno said. “He talked me into coming out, and I came out and that was it -- I was hooked.”
After that moment, Perno did not stop playing football. He transitioned to CCHS, where sports were not merely an aspect of his life, but rather the focal point -- what he lived for.
athletic program. “You know, to be honest, outside my dad, there is no one that had the influence on me like coach Henderson did, and that's why I’m here,” Perno said. “When it comes down to it, it’s all about the environment that coach Henderson created here and I had so much respect for the program and the way he did things and the relationship I had with him.” According to Perno, Henderson motivated his team to work hard and instilled a culture of pride within the school. “He just had this way about him. He knew when to press, he knew when he needed to push, he knew when he needed to pick you up,” Perno said. “He just had a real good feel on personalities of players and he was firm, he was fair and we had fun in his program.” Under the influence of Henderson, Perno’s passion for football grew. After a loss at the state championship of 1984 against Valdosta High School, the Gladiators were down, but would not accept defeat. “At that point, we knew that next year we had to find a way to win one more game,” Perno said. “Our mindset was it was state championship or bust.” The Gladiators won their third and last state championship at CCHS in 1985 with Henderson at the helm. Perno earned All-State honors as a senior running back on the undefeated team. The school and community reflected this pride.
“He said, ‘The team can be as good as it wants to be or as bad as it wants to be. It's up to y'all. You have more talent than anyone in the country and it's going to be up to y'all to determine what you want to do with that talent' and that meeting was a turning point as a team." -- MICHAEL HENSON, 2005 CCHS alumnus and 2009 UGA alumnus Perno played both baseball and football at CCHS, both under the leadership of Billy Henderson, who was a coach, inspiration and role model to Perno. Henderson coached at CCHS for 23 seasons and left a legacy within the school, specifically within its
“We were one of the best football programs in the country during those years, but you know what? We had one of the best high schools in the state, and I think they went together,” Perno said. “The pride that everybody had about the football
>> COVER STORY Photos courtesy of the Clarke Central High School 1986 yearbook.
Top left: NUMBER ONE SMILE: Head football coach David Perno (right) poses for a photo during his senior year at Clarke Central High School with his varsity baseball teammates Ted Tarpley, Tommy Stewart and Daryl Barnes. Top right: CLARKE CENTRAL IDOL: Ths photo from the Clarke Central High School yearbook of 1986 features Billy Henderson, a former CCHS athletic director and coach. Perno played on the varsity football and baseball team under the coaching of Henderson, who inspired him as an athlete. "Coach Henderson used to always that there was no standing still. You're either moving forward or backing up," Perno said. "That was our culture. That's what we revolved around."
program carried over to the school year.” Perno graduated from CCHS in the spring of 1986 and continued to play sports in college, but rather than football, Perno pursued baseball. Perno first played collegiately at Middle Georgia State University, later transferring to the University of Georgia in 1988, where he served as the starting second baseman on the Bulldogs’ 1990 National Championship team. “Being a part of that (team), I was able to learn a lot and that was part of the reason I always had the vision or ambition that I wanted to come back and coach Georgia because I felt like there was more in there,” Perno said. Perno did go on to become a collegiate baseball coach, first at MGSU and then as assistant coach at UGA for five years and head baseball coach for 10 years. Michael Henson, a 2005 CCHS alumnus and a 2009 and 2011 UGA alumnus, played UGA baseball under Perno's coaching in 2006 and 2007. Henson felt Perno cared greatly for his players. “Coach Perno was always very honest and he
would be quick to tell you if you were doing a great job, but would also be quick to tell you if you were not doing a great job,” Henson said. “Everyone on the team would respect the fact that he was honest and everyone knew where they stood.” Henson says that although Perno commanded respect from his players and held an authoritative position, he always had an open door. “He was someone that if you were unhappy or unsure about what was going on, he always had his door open to talk to him about whatever was going on. He was a good leader,” Henson said. “He made everyone feel like they were a part of the program regardless of their role and made everyone feel like they were welcome to come in and talk to him at any point.” The UGA baseball program thrived under Perno’s coaching, with the team placing fourth in the College World Series in 2006 and second in 2008. Henson recalls a pep talk Perno gave to his team in the spring of 2006 that set the team up for their successes to come. “He said, ‘The team can be as good as it wants to
“(Football) is just about bringing kids together, getting them to lean on each other, to believe in each other, to trust each other and create that environment to be successful as a team. -- DAVID PERNO, head football coach
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be or as or as bad as it wants to be. It's up to y'all. You have more talent than anyone in the country and it's going to be up to y'all to determine what you want to do with that talent' and that meeting was a turning point as a team,” Henson said. “We were already really close and bonded, and we kinda came together.” The baseball team was peaking, and Perno was responsible for the success of his players. However, the program took a hit after the injury of two players affected the team -- and Perno -- greatly. “Things at Georgia hit us so fast. It went from an almost-dormant program to one of the best programs in the country in a very short period of time, so I wasn't seeing it like I needed to see it,” Perno said. “Going through those injuries, those two young men and just tremendous kids, it’s tough and it's still tough to this day to talk about it. But it really changed my life, and going through those two situations really put life in perspective for me.” The two players, Chance Veazey and Jonathan Taylor, were paralyzed following their accidents. Veazey was involved in a traffic accident in 2009, and Taylor was injured in an outfield collision in 2011. After Veazey's injury, the team never won more than 16 games. Due to a perceived level of diminishing performance, UGA athletic director Greg McGarity fired Perno from his position as head coach in 2013, leaving Perno at a loss. “I was seventeen years at the University of Georgia and I gave over half my life to that baseball program, so it wasn't an easy situation,” Perno said. “It kind of blindsided me. I just didn't expect it after NOVEMBER 2016
>> COVER STORY two kids getting paralyzed and my mother passing away. I didn't expect an AD to fire me,” Perno said. After his termination, Perno focused on his family. Perno met his wife of 20 years, Melaney Perno, in high school, as she was a friend of his older sister. The two were living in Athens during Perno’s time serving as UGA assistant baseball coach and reconnected, later marrying and having their two children: Saidee and Hayes. Saidee is a junior at CCHS, and Hayes is in eighth grade at Malcom Bridge Middle School. Shortly after the beginning of Saidee's freshman year at CCHS, Perno made the decision to move his family out of Clarke County, with the intention of distancing himself from UGA. “When my daughter enrolled (at CCHS), we were right across the street, but I felt like we were too close,” Perno said. “I was probably half a mile to three fourths of a mile from (Foley field), so I could really hear the PA. I felt the need to move and we moved out (to Oconee).” Following the loss of his job and the move, Perno continued to pursue other sports opportunities, including serving as a college baseball analyst for the SEC Network. He stumbled upon the new opening for head coach at CCHS in late 2015, and applied for the job. “When I heard about (the job opening) -- someone casually had mentioned it -- (I didn’t think) anything about it because at the time, I was working on a new TV contract with ESPN and SEC network, and one thing led to another and next thing I knew, I was talking to coach Ward,” Perno said. CCHS athletic director Jon Ward supported the decision to hire Perno. “It came through to me that his strengths met the needs of our football program. Obviously,
“No matter what sports he has coached, he knows the game of football, he knows how to coach, he knows how to lead, he knows how to win, and he knows how to show the kids the right thing to do." -- BYRON "MEMPHIS" SPRAGGINS, senior and varsity starting linebacker there's the fact that he has not been a football coach at the high school or the collegiate level, but he has a wealth of experience in running a program,” Ward said. Before delving further into the hiring process, Perno first asked his daughter what she thought of him working at her high school. “When I started going about this deal about the job, I asked her, ‘What would you think’ and the first thing out of her mouth was ‘As long as you win.’ But she was completely good with it, and when she was here (at CCHS) and we were living out there (in Oconee), I was connected a little bit, so I started coming to her games and just the way she loved it, I was like, ‘Man, maybe this'll be a great situation.’” On Dec. 10, 2015, Perno was introduced as the eighth head football coach of CCHS. He went into the job feeling confident. However, he faced criticism from those who did not see him as fit to run the football program. “There were so many people questioning me and my ability to do it with no experience as a head
Above: TRADITIONAL VALUES: Clarke Central High School head football coach David Perno speaks to varsity starting linebacker senior Byron "Memphis" Spraggins on fall sports senior night on Oct. 21. Spraggins feels Perno has done well as a coach this season and is brininging back the culture and tradition of CCHS football. "He knows the tradition. Tradition is a big thing for him," Spraggins said. "He changed the uniform back to the traditional ways. He changed how they did practice based on tradition." Photo by Zoe Peterson.
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coach, and you just gotta do your job and do your job well,” Perno said. However, Perno did receive support this season from his coaches and players. Similar to the way Perno described Henderson, math department teacher and varsity running back coach Aaron Cavin describes Perno as someone who understands the needs of his players. “He is very balanced. He knows when to mash the gas and really lay it to the player and he also knows when to pull back and connect with the player. Everyone knows his expectations, and if they are not met, we deal with it. He communicates well and he knows where we stand,” Cavin said. Senior Byron “Memphis” Spraggins has been a part of the football program all four years of high school, and is currently a starting linebacker for the varsity team. Spraggins feels personally connected his new coach. “When he first got here, he called a meeting with a couple of seniors. I was in the meeting and ‘leadership’ is the first thing he said,” Spraggins said. “He said it starts with the seniors because the younger guys look up to the older guys, so he taught me how to be leader, and how to lead by example and not by words.” Spraggins speaks highly of Perno, praising his knowledge of the sport and abilities to lead the team this season. “No matter what sports he has coached, he knows the game of football, he knows how to coach, he knows how to lead, he knows how to win, and he knows how to show the kids the right thing to do,” Spraggins said. “It's not just about football with him. He has relationships with his team and he cares about his team. It is not all about meetings with coach Perno, it is about making us better men.” Though the regular season has ended, it is only the beginning for Perno, as he will continue to instill his values in his players and coach the sport he was always meant for. “Football to me is about uniting people, and it's always been that,” Perno said. “This is just about bringing kids together, getting them to lean on each other, to believe in each other, to trust each other and create that environment to be successful as a team. It had such a positive impact on shaping my life that I want to try and return the favor.” NOVEMBER 2016
IN FOCUS Featured: SCHOOL OF CHAMPIONS: The Clarke Central High School C-Team celebrates their win against Hart County at their championship game on Oct. 20. The C-Team's win resulted in praise from CCHS coaches and community members. "The C-team had a great year,” head football coach David Perno said. “They surrounded themselves with great people and they worked hard and had been at it since the summer. They did it and they will come in next year with a lot of confidence.” Photo by Julie Alpaugh. Layout by Lucia Bermudez.
Featured: SENIOR STEPS UP: Clarke Central High School senior Fredricka Sheats poses in the New Gym on Nov. 2. Sheats was a co-captain of the CCHS varsity volleyball team. “She’s learned when people need a pick me up and when people need more of a kick in the butt to get going,” head varsity volleyball coach Ashlee Wegmann said.
Layout by Lucia Bermudez.
Photo by Zoe Peterson.
Clarke Central High School senior Fredricka Sheats found her voice as a leader on the volleyball team.
QUEEN OF THE COURT C
larke Central High School senior Fredricka Sheats, known as Fred, HANNAH GALE served as one of four co-captains Sports Editor on the CCHS varsity volleyball team during the 2016 season. Although there were six seniors on the volleyball team, Sheats' natural leadership skills set her apart. “Developing leadership skills, I would say, was pretty natural. I just do it. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you what I’m gonna do, I’m just gonna do it and then everybody else will follow behind. That’s the type of leader I am,” Sheats' said. According to former CCHS varsity volleyball co-captain Sequeena Baldwin, a senior, Fred was a major asset to the volleyball team. “She has helped the team a lot this year,” Baldwin said. “When we need her the most, she steps up and gets things done. When it comes to games, she is our key player. She always takes control when we need to get things together.” Sheats' leadership skills have flourished in multiple ways, according to her head coach. “I have watched Fredricka grow into a communicator. I’ve watched her kind of turn into a real leader on the court and a communicator, where she’s able to effectively tell people what they need to do and how to do it... without hurting people’s feelings or being too harsh,” head varsity volleyball coach Ashlee Wegmann said. Sheats says her leaderhsip skills did not emerge until jumior year. “(Previously) I was following the other leaders that were on the team. Last year was the year for me to step up,” Fred said. Wegmann believes Fred’s personality has helped her achieve the status she has on the court. “She’s learned how to be harsh when she needs to, but then being softer and more kind when she needs to, too,” Wegmann said. “She’s learned when people need a pick me up and when people need more of a kick in the butt to get going,” Sheats has a simple philosophy. “If you’re going to do something then do it, and do it to your full potential. Don’t just do something because you’ve been asked to do it or because you feel like your friends are doing it. Do it because you want to, because you can do it.” Sports writer
BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON
Layout by Hannah Gale Photos by Julie Alpaugh
Featured: PLAYOFF BOUND: Clarke Central High School junior Nicholas Sligh poses after playing Flowery Branch High School on Oct. 21 for Senior Night. CCHS beat FBHS 4421 sending them to the 2016-17 8-AAAAA Georgia High School Association playoffs. “I believe that we will get better with (Sligh). Even this year, we are getting better each game. As long as we build on each game and focus that towards next year, then we will be all right,” CCHS varsity offensive line coach Demetrius Edwards said.
NEW TEAM, NEW DREAM Clarke Central High School varsity football player and starting center Nicholas Sligh, a junior, has found a new home at CCHS after moving from school to school during his high school career.
A
t 6’3, and 300 pounds, Clarke Central High School starting varsity center Nicholas Sligh, a junior, believes his leadership skills help his new team. “I believe that I am a hard worker. I try my best to be a leader on the offensive line. I try to help everyone else get better and bring the best on everyone else on the field,” Sligh said. According to CCHS varsity offensive line coach Demetrius Edwards, Sligh is an asset to the program. “His addition has really helped the offensive line. He is very smart, so he is capable of helping the other offensive linemen out (with) knowing what their job is. Having him on the team has made us a lot better,” Edwards said. Sligh spent his first two years of high school playing varsity football at North Oconee High School, but chose to attend CCHS for his junior year. “I wasn’t really too phased by the move. I moved schools a number of times. I just tried to look at it as positively as I could,” Sligh said. “I was excited to play with my new teammates and my new coaches. I was looking forward to the next football season.” Sligh believes that his transition to the CCHS football program will be beneficial to him later on in life. “I was able to move up to a school with a high classification,” Sligh said. “The raising of the level of
BY OWEN CHURCHWELL Sports Writer
competition will definitely help me competitively and will look better to college coaches.” During Sligh’s first practice during the summer, CCHS varsity quarterback Jack Mangel, a junior, who had played with Sligh numerous times before at the Oconee County Youth Football League and at Malcom Bridge Middle School, welcomed Sligh to the CCHS team. “First day, I just showed him around and introduced him to everybody. I was just like,‘Yeah, this is our new lineman, he is pretty good,’” Mangel said. Though Mangel helped Sligh adjust to the new team, Sligh says his relationship with the team grew most during the four-day summer camp in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. “When you spend four days straight near those people the whole time, every single minute you’re going to naturally bond with them and get close with them,” Sligh said. According to varsity lineman Bryson Kearney, a senior, the CCHS varsity football program was grateful for Sligh’s arrival. “We needed a center. Nick has been a much better improvement to our team and he really helps the offensive line,” Kearney said. Despite only joining the team this year, Sligh has already made an impact. “I think that he is the best lineman that we have on our team right now. He is better than me, he is better than any linemen we have out there, which is very shocking. I wouldn’t expect that out of him,
“His addition has really helped the offensive line. He is very smart, so he is capable of helping the other offensive linemen (with) what their job is. Having him on the team has made us a lot better.” -- DEMETRIUS EDWARDS, Clarke Central High School varsity football offensive line coach since it is his first year here,” Kearney said. Entering the playoffs, Sligh feels he has found the right fit in CCHS. “I definitely feel like I am a part of the team. Everybody welcomed me, everybody tried their best to help me fit into the team as soon as possible and it has been really good from that standpoint,” Sligh said.
Above: A LONG HISTORY: Clarke Central High School starting varsity quarterback Jack Mangel, a junior, and CCHS starting varsity center Nicholas Sligh, also a junior, take a breather during practice on Oct. 13. Mangel and Sligh have been playing football together since they were in the fifth grade. “I have known Jack since I was little. We have been playing football together for a long time,” Sligh said. Below: HUT, HUT, HIKE!: Sligh hikes the ball to Mangel on Oct. 28 in a game against Walnut Grove High School. Although Sligh transferred to CCHS this year, he already feels as though he’s been able to adjust to his new team. “I got here and started working out with the team at the beginning of summer and we have pretty much just been installing our offensive game plan since then, so it has been easy to acclimate to it and I have gotten used to it by now,” Sligh said.
>> SPORTS
SIDELINED Sports Editor Hannah Gale discusses her experiences as a Jewish athlete in the South. Sports Editor
EDGAR FLORES Grade: 11 Sport: JV cross country Years experience: 3 GPA: 3.6 Game day ritual: “We stretch as a team and warm up. Then we’ll just walk on the course to get familiar with where we’re running.” Favorite game memory: “As everyone’s finishing, we’re supporting them to keep on running and push themselves at the end of the race.”
I know their prayer will be specified towards their savior, not mine.
Role model: Beyoncé What coaches say: “He’s an overall team player and always encouraging his teammates.” -- Eric McCullough, head coach
Photo illustrations by Hannah Gale
ODYSSEY Star Players are selected based on their academic standing and commitment to teammates, their sports program and Clarke Central High School. Star Players are selected each month by the Sports staff based on interviews with players and coaches.
Photos by Zoe Peterson
"W
ould y’all like to pray with us?” While holding hands with the other team, their eyes closed, my team begins to pray. I’m in the dugout cleaning our equipment, killing time. I’m a Jewish softball player living in Georgia. That means no games on Easter and rarely any tournaments on Sundays. It also means prayer after games. I choose not to when Christian teams invite me to pray because they almost always devote their prayer to Jesus Christ. Being a Jew, I feel conflicted praying to Jesus. I don’t want to be disrespectful to the team asking us to pray, but I know their prayer will be specified towards their savior, not mine. BY HANNAH GALE
IMANI SYKES Grade: 9 Sport: varsity softball Years experience: 6 GPA: 4.0 Game day ritual: “I meditate. Whenever I don’t meditate, I always get in my head and I get very tense.”
Because Clarke Central High School is a public school, it is only likely that my team be asked to pray while playing private Christian schools and most times, we agree. No one pressures me to pray because my team knows I’m Jewish, but I feel uncomfortable and isolated when it’s obvious I’m the only one who’s not praying. During my freshman year at the Region 8-AAAAA softball banquet, there was a prayer to Jesus Christ before dinner. I have nothing against prayer. My family says a prayer before dinner every night and I pray at Temple when I go to services. But when I’m surrounded by other religions’ prayers that I feel somewhat obligated to participate in, it makes me feel like my religion is less important than theirs. I find it unsettling when I’m at a public event and people assume everyone there is Christian, or would want to pray. I respect Christians and their prayer, but I wish other religions were taken into account as well.
Above: BEHIND A BARRIER: As a Jewish softball player competing among Christian athletes, Sports Editor Hannah Gale feels out of place during prayer. Cartoon by Ashley Lawrence..
Favorite game memory: “When we were coming back from Oglethorpe and we were all together acting like a team and we were joking around and throwing ice at each other.” Role model: Her dad What coaches say: “She is pretty mentally solid and you have to have a lot of mental toughness to be a pitcher.” -- April Tedeschi, head coach
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>> TABLE OF CONTENTS
THINGS to know about the
FISHING CLUB
BY co-Presidents Cole bonner and jack byrne AS TOLD TO Emerson Meyer
the basics You gotta be able to set the hook, cast it well and know what to throw. Know how to fish your bait and know where the fish are at. (Know the) feeding times and have good equipment. Fish the best bait for the correct locations, so that it appeals to the fish. Rigging the bait a certain way, so you can make sure that it’s gonna set the hook good and knowin’ how to catch in certain spots.
I’ve been fishing all my life and my grandfather is a big fisherman and so he started taking me when I was young. And my grandfather also took me when I was little, and me and Cole share this and we wanted to start a competitive bass fishing team. I went to a University of Georgia tournament one time and I knew one of the guys on the team was a family friend. He got a scholarship for it, just to fish, full ride. So I quit every other sport. I had nothing left to do, so I decided to start a team here.
fishing for perfection
reeling in the gear You need a fishing rod, reels, lines, some tackles, a boat, troller motor, gas. I have about nine rods and reels, each one is set up for different stuff. In terms of fishing especially, you don’t want to have to take time out of your fishing to tie on different lures. I have different rods for different lures and they are all for each one. Certain rods do certain things, so the heavier rod gets the heavier bait.
Getting Hooked
Before tournaments, you go out and practice at the lake, so you know where to go fish. With the team, we have like a few different outings, but together, we go out as partners. We also have partnerships with the University of Georgia Bass Fishing team and they take us out sometimes, too. You have to fish with the same partners all year, so like me and Cole are partners. I personally fish before school most days, so I get up pretty early. But, I fish three out of five days a week and on the weekends. We’ve got a lot of trips and stuff to go fishing.
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for the win We go to tournaments on Lake Lanier and compete against other boats and other schools in Georgia. We have to catch like five fish. There is a five fish limit and you try to get the most points to win. For tournaments, we fish out of bass boats. We get up at 4:30 a.m. The day before, we get food, get our rods and reels rigged up. Then we get up and we go to the boat ramp, register, back the boat in and once they release us, we go to our spots we are marked on our GPS.
Photo by Zoe Peterson NOVEMBER 2016 Layout by Hannah Gale
>> TABLE OF CONTENTS
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