COVER STORY: CELEBRATION OF LIFE

In a world often consumed with chaos and tragedy, society is constantly subject to the negativity pervading communities that is further generated by news outlets, social media and even indirectly by those closest to us. It is during times of despair and loss that one tends to reflect the most. Yet, in all times and aspects of life, it is important to remember the positives, to cherish the memories and to recognize the silver linings. While the world continues to rampage, with news stories of upsetting events popping up wherever one goes, the positives and people we appreciate keep us grounded. The world does not only revolve around a string of unpleasant experiences; it continues to grow with the unity of people and the celebration of life that flows around us. Just like how “celebration of life” takes on multiple meanings, the world takes on multiple approaches to the traditions maintained when celebrating life. From continent to continent, the cultural customs range from incorporating specialty flowers to incorporating incense sticks. In Latin America, Nov. 1, also known as “Dia de Los Muertos,” is the day allocated for the dead, bringing about an air of celebration and happiness in remembrance of those lost. The day is usually spent with families visiting gravesites to decorate and clean tombstones of their beloved family members and offering food, drinks and flowers, amongst many other meaningful contributions to their family altars. A similar approach exists on the other side of the world in Asia. While most of the countries in Asia do not possess a specific day dedicated to those who have passed away, many celebrate the dead based on the death anniversaries of those who died. Following the Lunar calendar, many Asian cultures spend the day of the death anniversary offering up food, pictures, flowers and candles to the altar, often lighting up incense to make wishes to the dead.

Additionally, many countries in Asia burn paper money and clothing in order to bring themselves closer to lost relatives and provide them with necessities wherever they may be. In Eastern and Central Europe, Nov. 1 marks All Saints Day, a day in remembrance of all known and unknown saints. The next day, All Souls Day, focuses on the dead, and families usually visit gravesites to clean and bring lamps to the tombstones. No matter where or when, every community celebrates life in its own way in honor of not just those lost in the past but also those in the present and future. In our own community, our school works hard to unify and recognize students who go above and beyond in and out of the classroom. The administration has worked hard to create programs like ISE and CREED to further the connections between their students and staff. The idea of unifying the school began as a district initiative but the administration, staff and student body wanted to personalize this to our school; thus, CREED was created. CREED’s purpose is to bring the school together and create an easy way to recognize students and staff members for their good deeds. The school has made this possible by placing QR codes throughout the school that allow you to acknowledge someone’s kindness, as well as having created gladitude awards. These awards are accessible to everyone in the school and are slips of paper that you can give to your peers or a teacher who has committed an act of goodwill. They have also adapted our pep rallies with the help of Mr. Smith and Gladiator Army to be more student based versus being solely about athletics. Gladiator Army was created with the hopes of inspiring the student body to be more involved and creating a safe space for students to celebrate our school. “[Gladiator Army] is a second family to me and has made school events more fun with things like tailgates before football games and pep rallies,” said member of Gladiator Army, Isabella Lastra. Another program, ISE, was created by Retired Assistant Principal Ms. Hudson with the intent of recognizing students who thrive in both school and the community. “It recognizes the students who are not normally recognized,” stated Ms. Hudson. These students are nominated by their peers and are selected based on their whole character, not just a piece. They are given these awards during the morning announcements and explain all they have done within the community. All of these efforts have been put in place to celebrate the people in our community for their exemplary actions and help inspire people to do the same. “My hope is it becomes embraced by everyone,” said Assistant Principal, Mr. Martin. Once these programs become a staple in everyone’s lives, the school will be able to celebrate all of its students and staff and continue to expand its initiative. Of course, can be celebrated across multiple forums,

and social media provides a platform that reaches mass audiences. While the subject of social media and its effects has been under scrutiny for a long time, there is no doubt that social media has positively impacted the community. Although it has been a source of division in the past, social media continues to act as a medium of communication that has brought the world closer in times of distress. Specifically at Johns Creek High School, the school’s many student-run Instagram pages act as sources of unification and humor. From the JCHS bad parking page to the many student club pages, these social media accounts have acted as forums that foster harmony and collaboration amongst the student body. Assistant Principal Mr. Martin agrees that the overall outlook on social media at the school is optimistic. “Since I’ve jumped on Instagram, I’ve been pleased with how students use social media to discuss school events,” said Mr. Martin. Despite the positivity surrounding social media at the school, “if you do not set the example in a positive way then it [becomes] a free-for-all, and there are not enough regulations to keep some accounts in check,” said AP Martin, emphasizing the importance of setting the standard for accounts and using social media responsibly. Of course, social media has allowed for the celebration of events and lives, creating a channel in which people can document and share the happiest moments of their lives. Regardless of the fact that social media possesses a platform in which hate and conflict can run amok, it cannot be denied that it has cultivated relationships, allowed for education and awareness and connected society in a myriad of ways, unifying the world despite the differences and discord between communities. The celebration of life unifies everyone from the past, the present and the future. It is crucial to focus not only on the negatives in this world but the positives that lie underneath. Together, we can connect and embrace life by honoring our ancestors, recognizing individuals in our community and continuing to connect through social media. Once you shift your mindset away from the negatives, you can embrace what you already have and shift your attitude to an “attitude of gratitude” that fully allows you to appreciate the gifts you have been given.