Vol. 17, Issue 8

the messenger

VOL 17/ ISS 8

2019 2019 2019 2019 2019

College List pg. 24

masthead CONTACT US

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF

(770) 497-3828 nhsmessenger@gmail.com 10625 Parsons Rd Johns Creek, GA 30097 nhsmessenger.com

Nithya Mahakala Amanda Beard

Aazan Khan Melissa Liu Ben Minder Alexis Oladipo Grace Peng Meghana Ramineni Aayush Shah Erin Shin Nikki Skyer Jennah Sooknanan Anshi Vajpayee

PUBLICATION The Messenger is a student publication published for and distributed to the Northview community. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire staff or those of Northview High School, its students, faculty, staff, or administration. Content is edited and controlled by staff editors. The staff will publish only legally protected speech, adhering to the legal definitions of libel, obscenity, and the invasion of privacy.

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS The Messenger staff welcomes letters to the editors but reserves the right to edit all submissions for length, grammar, libel, obscenity, and invasion of privacy.

ADVERTISING The Messenger publishes ads with signed contracts provided that they are deemed appropriate by the staff for the intended audience. For more information about advertising with The Messenger, please contact the business manager.

IN THIS ISSUE

Cover design: Mira Sydow

2

MANAGING EDITORS

Mira Sydow Jack Lowrance

NEWS EDITOR

Shashank Ganeshan

SPORTS EDITOR Akshay Nair

FEATURES EDITOR

Jennifer Xia

OPINIONS EDITOR Noelle Reid

ONLINE EDITOR Alex Perry

PHOTO EDITORS Irene Rho Upasna Kotakonda

BUSINESS MANAGER Kaushal Gandikota

ADVISER

Chris Yarbrough

contents 05 EDITOR’S LETTER AMANDA BEARD

06 MONTHLY BRIEFS

12 SPORTS WRAP UP AKSHAY NAIR

15

DUBBY

36

SENIOR ADVICE

AMANDA BEARD JENNAH SOOKNANAN

40

STAFF

MIRA SYDOW MEGHANA RAMINENI

08

22

42

NEW SUPERINTENDENT

FOOD REVIEW

FACE-OFF

JENNAH SOOKNANAN

JACK LOWRANCE

10

24*

CRICKET TEAM NIKKI SKYER

11 PROFILE: TRINITY SAWYER ERIN SHIN

COLLEGE LIST

AMANDA BEARD NITHYA MAHAKALA

SUMMER CALENDAR NOELLE REID

BEN MINDER GRACE PENG

45

COLUMNS

JACK LOWRANCE NOELLE REID

32

47

MELISSA LIU JENNIFER XIA

NITHYA MAHAKALA

TEACHER PACKAGE

EDITOR’S LETTER

THE MESSENGER | 3

Follow the Messenger on Instagram and Twitter

@nhsmessenger

4

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Thank You Northview

M

ay. Another year has gone by, another school year filled with stressful classes, AP exams, standardized testing, all-nighters, Panera project meetings, and the list goes on. As Northview students, we pride ourselves on our busy lives, competing in who got the least amount of sleep and who manages to balance practice, music lessons and five AP’s the best.

The hectic life of a Northview Titan.

I am not going to lie, even now in May I already miss it. I know I will miss pushing off APUSH notes till the last night, Rawlin’s poetry projects, practice everyday after school only to go home and watch Friends while studying for the all the exams on the next day. There is a structure and routine that High School gave us that will be missed.

We gravitate towards the comfortable and known aspects of life therefore making the past, not only four years of our lives, but all aspects of our upbringing, a bubble we are used to. Parents always having dinner ready by the time we get home and lunches packed by the time we leave for school the next day will no longer be the case. Friends we have known since pre-school will now live on the other side of the country. Leaving high school means no longer having those comforts, no longer being in the bubble we have always known.

Leaving our bubbles, our comfortable schedules; it can all seem daunting. At least, it does to me. But, the beauty of leaving it all behind is knowing where the uncomfortable leads us. College holds new experiences, new challenges, things that are going to make us uncomfortable. We are going to question who we are, why we believe what we believe and finally come face to face with what our purpose is.

For my final letter in this publication, I would like to challenge all of us to seek the uncomfortable places. Join random clubs and intramurals. Take a class that has nothing to do with your major and end up loving it so much you make it your profession. Live the life of someone who is constantly striving, never settling and always moving. After all, that is what this was all for right? Why else did we push ourselves till ungodly hours finishing that one paper, or take online classes during the summer so we could squeeze another AP? We did it all because that is what Northview students do-we strive.

Whether you are graduating now, next year or you are still a freshman (good luck if so), then I challenge you to keep striving.

Keep pushing to be your best self, not to compete, but to know that growth is only plausible when we find ourselves in the uncomfortable.

Amanda Beard, Editor-in-Chief

THE MESSENGER | 5

4/10 The first image of a black hole was released by Event Horizon Telescope.

SPECIAL

HOA Get Away With Murder, this year’s production of Dessert Theater was showcased in the cafeteria on April 27 and 28. The show was written by three students: Constantin Claassen, Kabir Gandhi, and Alice Ware. Claassen and Ware also acted as Directors in addition to being writers. This year the show’s setting was a Home Owners Association election and feautured two twist endings. The creative idea played well with the audience and left them laughing the entire time. “Seeing how the audience reacted was an amazing feeling.”

Claassen said.

News in Brief

The Messenger’s monthly digest of events at Northview and around the world

6

Northview High school hosted Honors Night on May 2 to celebrate academically accomplished students nominated by their teachers. Some students honored include those who reached high levels of GHP, the graduating class’ valedictorian and salutatorian, those who qualified for National Merit, and the typical per-subject awards.

The valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 2019 have already been announced, but Honors Night will serve as a formal acknowledgement of the students’ accomplishments in front of their fellow students.

UPASNA KOTAKONDA/PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

On May 14, the Northview orchestra had their last spring concert. Normally, concerts are intended to showcase performance ability, but Aucoin intended this event to be dedicated to the seniors leaving the program this year. It contained excerpts about each of the seniors that indicated their future plans and included a fun fact about them. “It’s like a senior night for us,” said Philharmonic member Farzeen Himani.

4/15

Multiple churches in Sri Lanka were bombed on Easter Sunday.

4/21 The Notre Dame, an iconic facet of the Catholic Church, caught on fire in mid April.

THE MESSENGER | 7

Meet Dr. Mike Looney

Fulton County School�s finalist for replacement of Jeff Rose as superintendent of the district

JENNAH SOOKNANAN, STAFF WRITER

>>>>>>>>> 8

I

n October of 2018, Fulton County superintendent Jeff Rose announced he would be resigning on Dec. 31 that same year. In June he extended his contract from May 31 to Oct. 2019. Rose had been superintendent of Fulton County since June 2016 and his resignation came as a shock to many community members across the district. He is currently serving as a consultant to the district until June 2019.

NEWS

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> “After much prayer and conversation with my wife I have decided not to request an extension on my contract with Fulton County Schools,” Rose said. “I am making this decision for personal reasons. I love Fulton County Schools and our people.”

After his last day, the county appointed Cindy Loe, who worked as Fulton County Schools superintendent from 2008 to 2011, as interim superintendent. She will serve this position until June 30 and was not a candidate for the permanent position. In a survey released by Fulton County, parents and employees were able to share the top qualities they would like to find in a superintendent.

27 employees and 398 parents completed the survey and said their ideal candidate would be a chief executive officer with a background in education. An interesting outcome of the survey results was the group’s indifference towards someone with technology experience considering how often technology is used in a Fulton Country classroom.

Above all, the responders would most approve of someone with experience in academics and someone who could hold the position for the long term.

On April 17, 2019, Fulton County named their finalist for the new superintendent. Dr. Mike Looney was introduced as their final candidate out of 40 qualified applicants. After the announcement, Looney spoke at different locations across the district to meet the community get to know them. He was the chief of Williamson County Schools and was scouted by Fulton County for his improved graduation rates and increased enrollment in Advanced Placement courses. He worked with Williamson County for almost ten years and oversaw 106 schools. Looney spoke at Banneker High School, Centennial High School, Roswell High School, and Westlake High School where he demonstrated his knowledge on education and his natural teaching ability. At Heards Ferry Elementary School, Ocee Elementary School, Park Lane Elementary School, Bear Creek Middle School and, Northwestern Middle School, Looney continued to demonstrate his great ability to work with children and how well they adapt to him.

His experience with students and his knack for teaching, Fulton County rests assured their new superintendent will do great things for the county.

“

Every school community … deserves to have a voice and to be genuinely listened to and heard.

And so I am 100% committed to that, and I will add that the school board has challenged me to do that” Mike Looney

THE MESSENGER | 9

SPORTS

On the Rise

How cricket is growing in the Northview environment

NIKKI SKYER, STAFF WRITER

N

orthview’s cricket club is a group of determined and driven boys who truly enjoy the sport. The club has maintained a successful status in this year and in the past. Practice is very important in order to make progress on the team. The club aims to meet and practice at least once a week, but with matches every weekend, it is difficult for the boys to find time to balance school and other extracurricular activities.

“Our games are usually on Saturday so, whenever we can find an opportunity to practice, we take it,” co-captain Anish Ganga said.

The club’s sponsor, John Mccombe, plays an important role in making sure everything runs smoothly with the group. While he is sure to let the players maintain authority, he is also available to step in whenever an adult leader is needed. He is voluntarily involved in many things that happen within the club, making sure to be there to support the group of boys and help them out.

“Coach Mccombe does a lot for the club, he does his best to make it to games and even some practices,

10

despite it mostly being lead by the captains and other leaders,” co-captain Harman Soor said.

The other schools in the area with cricket teams participate in a round-robin style league.

There are not very many teams, so the Northview boys are sure to take every chance to improve

their skill level and gain more wins. There are only a few other teams in the area, so it is important for the Northview team to take every game seriously.

The team plays their hardest for each match, and they have done well in the few games they have already participated in.

“Our top priority is to play games, so we

formed a league with other teams in the area to play as much as possible,” Vice captain Vishruth Singireddy said.

The club aims to include players of all skill levels and help them grow in any way they need. The captains and other experienced players try their best to come together with boys who are unfamiliar with the sport or struggling and help them out in any way possible. While the boys enjoy winning, they make helping each player a top priority.

“The players with experience come together to help the others without any just so that they can get the proper technique and training and play to their full potential,” Soor said.

The club members are aware that it is difficult to get participants at the beginning of the season, but are dedicated to working hard to create the best outcome possible. The club has been successful in previous years, so they are expected to continue the trend. The group is looking very promising for the 2019-2020 school year, and everybody is anxious to see what is in store for the boys.

profile

highlights

Trinity Sawyer, 12 ERIN SHIN, STAFF WRITER PHOTO CREDITS: SPECIAL

W

ith many years of experience, hard work and struggles that came her way, senior Trinity Sawyer, understands the struggle and appreciates every hurdle she has come across as an athlete that has shaped her into a stronger and more well rounded athlete and student. From her earliest memory at three-years-old of flipping and rolling around across her house to her first time taking actual gymnastic classes.

After having a couple years of experience of gymnastics under her belt, Sawyer wanted to take up a new challenge and try out for the cheerleading team. Once making the cheer team, Sawyer realized she had no time to do both cheer and gymnastics, both being a very time consuming sports, she decided to drop cheer and instead focus on her gymnastics career. Sawyer committed to University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh back in February to further her gymnastic and academic wishes.

“The coach was watching me at my last regional competition where I tore my achilles,” Sawyer said. “She’s just been really motivating and supportive during my recovery process.”

After visiting the school, meeting the other girls apart of the gymnastics team and the coaching staff, Sawyer fell in love. As an athlete, Sawyer wants to continue challenging herself and is always looking for ways to better herself. Tearing her achilles on April of last year, Sawyer had more challenges to take up on, an agonizing recovery process that lasts about eight to twelve months. Head coach, Andrea Riker, especially knows the amount of work Sawyer puts in and how incredibly hardworking she is.

“She’s goes out there, throws whatever pass or skill or vault she needs to throw, and calls it a day,” Riker said.

As an athelte, Sawyer, her coach and Sawyer’s teammates know her skills when it coming to gymnastics, what she brings to the

team and the importance she had to team and the her fellow teammates and the competitive, fearless mentality she has.

“She’s always making us laugh. She takes gymnastics very seriously but always has a chill vibe so fear doesn’t get in the way of her doing her best,” Senior Amirah Boyd said.

Even though Sawyer wishes to continue her gymnastic career in college she has no plans making it out of her future, instead she is going to major in nursing but wants to continue being around gymnastics for as long as she can.

Qualified for state and regional for each level

Scored a perfect 10 on floor

Qualified for GHSA preliminary and state meet

“

She’s always making us laugh. She takes gymnastics very seriously, but always has a chill vibe so fear doesn’t get in the way of her doing her best” Amirah Boyd

THE MESSENGER | 11

sports in REview Northview’s spring sports wrap up their seasons

AKSHAY NAIR, SPORTS EDITOR PHOTOS: UPASNA KOTAKONDA, PHOTO EDITOR

GIRLS TENNIS

F

resh off of winning the first state championship in school history last year, Northview’s girl’s tennis team looks to repeat their success. Despite losing two seniors, the continued growth of the underclassmen has allowed them to maintain the strong run of play in recent years. The dominance of sophomores Sarah Yang and freshmen Shreya Yalamanchili and seemingly, ensures an immediate victory.

Even then, the players all know that even if the first two are all victorious, the key to a successful season rests on a team effort rather than individual triumphs.

“We know that our underclassmen are immensely talented, but we make it a priority to emphasize the importance of everyone on the team,” senior Ema Goh said.

Last season, they entered the state tournament as the first seed after winning the region championship as well, which enabled them to breeze through the rounds until the semi-finals. This season, however, they stumbled slightly during the regular season and fell to the three seed. Despite the lower seed, they have managed to once again roll through the first three rounds, winning each matchup without losing a game. In the quarter finals, they defeated Lakeside

12

relatively easily. They will face a tough North Atlanta squad in the semi-finals, and if they can overcome them, a potential finals rematch against Cambridge would be in store. With the season coming to a close soon and the team having reached the final four for each of the previous three seasons, the memories and the bonds of playing in high school are ones the players will never forget.

“Playing for Northview has been one of my most favorite parts of high school. I love all my amazing teammates and coach McCarthy. I’m excited to see how the season ends, and hopefully, we can win another title,” Goh said.

BOYS TENNIS

A

fter suffering a tough loss in the semifinals last season to Dunwoody High School, Northview’s boy’s tennis team looks to come back with a vengeance and recapture the state championship.The return of head coach Tracy Hefner-Ramage, who retired from teaching last year, has been instrumental in ensuring the boys continue their run of form. Because a bulk of players go through private training and coaching throughout the year, the fact that many of the starters are starting for the first or second time is trivial when compared to sports such

as football or baseball. Even then, Ramage has helped the younger players adjust to the nuances of playing Varsity. Senior Nathan Tioe has seen this development, particularly in terms of the team’s mindset.

“Generally, playing tennis as an individual sport can be quite serious, but the underclassmen have adjusted to playing high school tennis by understanding that high school tennis is a team sport, which requires cooperation,” Tioe said.

Similar to last season, they entered the state tournament as the second seed from the region. Northview hopes that despite being in a similar position to last year, they can change their fate this time around and come out victorious. Much of their success rests on sophomore Christopher Yu and freshman Eshaan Dani, who both play two pivotal singles rounds. Thus far, they have easily blown by their first three opponents and face Dunwoody High School in the semi-finals. If they win, their road will only get more difficult as they will go up against Johns Creek High School in the finals. While the challenge is looming, the team is taking each match one step at a time.

“Our main goal is to become state champions. We plan on accomplishing this by staying focused during our matches and motivating each other,” Tioe said.

SPORTS FAR LEFT: Junior Tanvi Pucha swings back at her opponent.

LEFT: Juniors Ameya Dani and Vincent Claussen prepare to recieve a serve.

BELOW: Senior Saba Iranikhah passes the ball in hopes of a goal.

RIGHT: Sophomore Tofunmi Abimbola steals the ball from an opposing player.

BOYS SOCCER

F

inishing with a 10-4 record, Northview’s boy’s soccer team has finally gelled together and overcome struggles to make the playoffs for the first time in over four years. Similar to the girl’s squad, they also obtained a new head coach: Clifton Morgan, who took over the spot from John McCombe. Because all the boys play for outside clubs during the fall and summer, they have to adjust to playing new positions and formations for the school year. Morgan’s strategies focus on the strengths of all his players and the transition to the new scheme has been relatively smooth. In addition, he preaches having a positive mentality and playing for a cause greater than just one person.

“Morgan was an assistant coach last year so adjusting to him being the head coach was relatively easy. He is all about positivity and bonds well with every player making it fun and competitive to play for the team,” Patil said. “Last season, the love and pride for Northview wasn’t there, but Morgan’s infectious positivity got us back on track.”

The team started with a five-game win streak, and although they faltered in the remaining nine games, they entered the

playoffs as the four seed from the region.

Their lower seeding resulted in a matchup against the seventh best team in the nation, Dalton High School. Despite going up 1-0 with twenty minutes left in the first half, they fell 1-2, ending the season in the round of 32. While they wanted to progress farther in the tournament, for the seniors on the team, making the playoffs for the first time is an accomplishment they can hang their hat on.

“I remember since freshman year the class of 2019 soccer boys kept saying, once we’re seniors we’re going to make playoffs, and the feeling of making playoffs was one I had to experience before graduating high school,” Patil said. “Everyone from other school laughed at Northview, and nobody believed we would make playoffs, but with coaches positivity and the love from all the players we made it happen and that means everything.”

GIRLS SOCCER

N

orthview’s girl’s soccer team has wrapped up a successful season after losing in the round of 32 to Harrison High School.

The team made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons under new head coach William Madigan. Senior Maya Patel acknowledges

the struggles in learning a new formation and playing out of her old position but also credits the change for a large part of their success this year.

“There was definitely an adjustment period involved, but we all learned the new scheme, and it had its benefits,” Patel said.

Another reason for their improved play is the abundance of seniors on the team. Six of the 11 starters were all seniors, including Sydni Dachs and Taylor Stalheim who will be playing collegiate soccer at Presbyterian College and West Point Academy respectively.

However, the team was top-heavy, as they have often struggled with depth, which has resulted in injuries to numerous starters, but their drive to compete in every game numbs any pain.

“Most of us were playing with at least some sort of injury, but we knew that if we all came together, we could do something we haven’t been able to accomplish these last four years,” Patel said.

When facing Harrison in the playoffs, they were subject to a physical contest and kept the score close throughout the game but fell 0-2 in the end. With over half the team leaving next year, the underclassmen will need to step up and fill the voids left by the graduating seniors, but for now, the team can enjoy a fruitful season.

THE MESSENGER | 13

4090 Johns Creek Pkwy, Suite C, Suwanee GA 30024 770-813-0192 2730 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite 102, Duluth GA 30097 770-813-0192

Services BALAYAGE / HIGHLIGHTS $75 & up Expires: 3/20/2019

Tanning Eyebrow threading

TEENS HAIR DOS/STYLE $35 & up Expires: 3/20/2019

Waxing Facial Hairstyle

EYEBROW SHAPING/ THREADING $5 Expires: 3/20/2019

Hair color Haircut Highlights

TEEN WAXING $39 Includes: FULL LEGS, FULL ARMS, EYEBROW Expires: 3/20/2019 3 TANNING SESSIONS $16 & up Unlimited Tan for 30 days $35 & up Expires: 3/20/2019 14

Henna tattoo

T

The SENIOR SHASHANK GANESHAN, NEWS EDITOR GRACE PENG, STAFF WRITER ALEX PERRY, ONLINE EDITOR MEGHANA RAMINENI, STAFF WRITER ANSHI VAJPAYEE, STAFF WRITER

ISSUE

THE MESSENGER | 15

Y

ou may know Kabir Ghandi, whether it be for his friendly personality or seeing him in the numerous theater shows that he stars in. He’s unique in just his strong passion for theater alone, but he has always enjoyed helping people, and has spent time to make himself more approachable over the years.

Any high schooler at Northview knows the stress that is placed on academics. To balance with an extracurricular as intense as theater is another level. Ghandi, in addition to studying for countless assessments in AP and honors courses every day, has also had to wake up early to attend swim practices in the morning, work through lunch to rehearse for theater, and take dance classes for nearly 4 hours after school at a location nearly 30 minutes away. And finally, he had to start his homework upon arriving home, which often didn’t happen until late at night.

He attributes most of his success to focus and time management - doing other assignments whenever he has time - but also by finding an escape from the stress through acting.

Acting is thought of as simply an art, but it, too requires tedious effort. Ghandi balances both academics and arts by being extremely attentive - both offstage and onstage, applying the theater term of “substituting” - taking the things that have happened to one’s character and responding to it as if it were in real life.

“Theater was this one place for me where I knew what the next step was. My whole life I was jumping from ladder to ladder, but theater was like this one where I knew where the rungs where and I could easily climb,” Ghandi said. “And each rung would require a lot of work, but I know what the next step is, and I

16

was allowed to let go of all the stress and stuff.”

Theater itself requires a lot of effort, in contrast to the cover we see onstage. One of the biggest struggles that actors face is overcoming shyness. He finds himself nervous if the material is not well rehearsed, sometimes even to the point where his hands are shaking.

However he pushes through, and some of his biggest supporters are his friends - his castmates who have been with him all four years of high school, who have backed him up in all of his shows. By having their support, he finds himself less nervous and more able to express himself. Anna Pieri, the new theater director, has found, even in the short time that she has been here, that Ghandi’s charismatic personality inspires his castmates and their acting.

“Northview’s Thespian Troupe went to the state conference this year, and on the drive back to Johns Creek, every single person on the bus stood up and said a few words about how Kabir has influenced their lives.” Pieri said. “Kabir has been given a lot, and has worked for even more, but he joyously shares every iota of that talent and success with the people around him. He is never content with ‘good enough’ and because of that, he will never stop getting better.”

The load of effort has not lessened, even for a senior such as Ghandi. As an actor who wants to pursue this passion in college, he has had to fill out both an artistic and academic application, as well as physically flying to the 25 colleges he applied for to audition. His friends, have helped him through the stress of both theater shows and college admissions. In the future, Ghandi plans on pursuing acting as a profession and hopes that college can help share his passion.

“I was always sure that I kind of wanted to

pursue this, but I had to fight against my parents and convince them that this was a profession. But if I didn’t believe it - if I didn’t have that passion, I would have just lost that fight, and I would’ve been going into pre-med, or something very seriously.” Ghandi said.

Ghandi expects the next four years to prepare him for theater in the adult world, and plans to work as hard as he did in high school in order to have his name recognized more. His dream is to perhaps teach people one day, and go to local communities and tell people who want to pursue theater that it is alright to be a person of color in the field. In Northview’s drama program, which thrives in a very diverse community, it may not seem like much of an issue, However, through his college auditions, he has learned that it is not common for people of color to pursue a degree in musical theater.

As Ghandi prepares to leave Northview, he leaves behind a legacy that will stay. He has built himself to be an approachable person to seniors or underclassmen, and enjoys meeting new people. As someone who has had to deal with numerous problems on his own, Ghandi finds comfort in his friends and hopes that he can encourage others to face their problems head-on instead of hiding them. Some of the people he has helped include the underclassmen in the drama program.

“He’s just the nicest person ever and he helps me whenever I need help. His work ethic is that he puts in as much work as he can every single time. And he always strives to make sure he’s holding up. What I’ll miss most about him is his happy energy and optimism, and he’s just a fun person to be around.” Sophomore Suraj Singareddy said.

T

o excel in a wide range of areas in a high school is hard enough given the multitude of opportunities and variety of obstacles a student can face. Northview brings several more challenges and stress on students due to its extremely rigorous atmosphere and demanding nature. However, senior Nathaniel Alemayehu has found great success throughout his four years at Northview and has thrived and grown in this hectic environment.

Juggling 12 AP classes along with time consuming extracurriculars and sports, Alemayehu has proven that it is possible for students to pursue their interests while balancing extracurriculars and a demanding academic workload.

Alemayehu, currently on the path to study both computer science and medicine at Harvard University, did not always start out with this goal in mind. Freshmen year, Alemayehu wanted to be a civil rights lawyer, as his mother is a lawyer. However, after sophomore year, he decided to pursue medicine, and HOSA served as the perfect opportunity to gain early exposure to the field.

“It was great for me to be exposed to the field and to see the different kinds of professional degrees that someone can get in those kinds of areas,” Alemayehu said. “HOSA has definitely taught me a lot, including the value of hard work when preparing for competitions as well as the importance of compassion in the healthcare field.”

Along with HOSA, Alemayehu participated in a variety of different extracurriculars offered by Northview, including the Junior Classical League, National Latin Honors Society, Secretary of State’s Ambassadors, and running cross country all four years. Alemayehu not only learned the valuable lessons of responsibility and leadership through

these activities, but also that of teamwork and compassion. Alemayehu’s mother, Missale Ayele, has seen his kind, caring personality grow over the years and has supported his decisions throughout high school, despite the stress it brought upon him like many other Northview students.

“It took dedication and hard work with a constant reminder that it will pay off, and although it was a lot to juggle at times with the clubs and sports, it probably also helped with stress,” Ayele said. “I think it was a lot of hard work but also he had fun with his wonderful group of friends.”

Having fun with friends not only helped Alemayehu unwind, but also helped him grow through the support his friends provided. Alemayehu’s parents have greatly influenced him as well, providing support where it was needed, along with lessons of both compassion and diligence. Alemayehu describes his parents as his role models, as they have made the most significant impact on his life through their endless support and love.

“My mother has not only told me to care about others, but she has also shown me how to care about others. She is an ex immigration attorney who would help African immigrants obtain citizenship and connect with their families, and now works in public health education,” Alemayehu said. “From my dad, I’ve learned how to be diligent. He has always been a hard worker and coming to this country alone, he put himself through college and has always been a rock to our family.”

As Alemayehu looks into the future, when he will be studying computer science and minoring in either global health or health policy, while on the pre-med track, he appreciates how much his parents, high school, and the people in it have impacted him.

“In college I definitely want to find dif-

ferent ways to pursue my personal interests but also a way to apply those interests for the better good of people like me,” Alemayehu said. “I’d want to find a way to impact other communities while also achieving my personal goals.”

Alemayehu feels as though his years at Northview, although they have come to an end, have taught him invaluable lessons that will stay with him forever. And despite the stress Alemayehu admits to have felt in high school, he feels as if this stress has helped him grow and has well prepared him for college.

“I definitely struggled with finding time for everything but I kind of figured out on my own how to tackle everything I wanted to do as I grew,” Alemayehu said. “I would tell underclassmen to definitely get involved with what interests them but to not be afraid to dip their toes in entirely new activities because there are several hidden gems awaiting discovery at Northview.”

Tania Pope, Alemayehu’s AP Lang teacher, is proud of how he has balanced his athletic ability and academic work, along with extracurriculars, while attaining excellence and leadership in all aspects of his life. Pope admires not only his humble, sensible personality that has continuously pushed him to success through the years, but also Alemayehu’s intrinsic motivation to do what needs to be done.

“He has a strong moral compass, and thus is not easily swayed by peers, standing by what he believes to be right about how we treat each other, and the taking on arguments that better the way we progress as human beings,” Pope said. “Harvard is not only getting one of Northview’s best academics, but it’s getting a kind, young man whose smile has won the hearts of his Northview peers and teachers.”

THE MESSENGER | 17

A

shlee Austin, a senior at Northview, embodies what it means to be a student athlete. She has excelled in her academics and dazzled the Northview fans on the court as a star power forward for the Varsity girls basketball team. When reflecting on her four years of high school, Austin believes that Northview’s rigorous academics have prepared her to continue to thrive as a student athlete at Rice University. Like her family, her basketball coaches have continually stressed the importance of academics.

Mandatory study halls before games and practices with her peers has created a culture within the basketball program that has supported Austin as both a player and a student.

“These positive influences have become a big part of my life. In my athletic career, I need to make sure academics come first. Sure basketball’s fun but I have to make school my priority,” Austin said.

Amidst rigorous training schedules and social commitments, Austin has learned to sacrifice extra workouts in the gym or meeting up with friends for homework. Because of this dedication, she has earned her Honor Roll recognition every semester at Northview. She has been equally as successful as an athlete. Her freshman season, she set herself apart as a budding talent on the Varsity team, earning all-region honorable mention. After two and a half months of committed daily training during the summer before her sophomore season, she earned 2nd team all state and 1st team all region, and continued to receive awards for the remainder of her high school career. She also tacked on the Player of the Year award for North Fulton in her junior and senior years. Fellow co-captain and fellow senior, Maya Richards, has been able

18

to play alongside Austin after years and years of being on the court together.

“Her work ethic and motivation is pretty rare. It’s incredible to see how she’s grown into better player and stronger leader,” Richards said.

However, more than the individual accolades she has earned, Richards admires Austin’s passion for the game. In middle school, Austin was not the as dominant of player. Strings of poor performances early fueled Austin’s passion to unlock her fullest potential. This meant exhausting nights and tiring mornings in the gym training outside of practice and dedicating summers to honing her craft.

“In middle school, she wasn’t the best player. There were times she struggled on the court, but she fought to be really really good. Still, she comes early in the morning to shoot,” Richards said.

As a freshman, she played mostly in the post position, but over the years, she has added skills. Now, Chrish Yarbrough, girls varsity basketball coach, trusts Austin to handle the basketball and take perimeter jump shots. She is determined to be the best and improve her game each and every practice.

College coaches approached Yarbrough, asking if she actually liked basketball, because she looks so serious when playing. Yarbrough laughingly responds by saying that Austin is focused and gives it her all every minute on the court.

“She is one of the most hardworking student athletes that I have ever coached.

Off the court she’s so fun loving and friendly and kind. It’s like a switch she turns as soon as she walks into the gym. She has this determined face when she’s out on the

court,” Yarbrough said.

Before high school, Austin used to be more reserved, but as she matured as a player, she rose to a leadership position on the team. According Yarbrough, Austin has been a leader since she has stepped on the court as a freshman. Now, her teammates and friends know her as the one who will speak her mind and challenge those around her to grow.

When Austin teaches the team new plays to implement in the huddle or offers heartfelt advice after practice, she wills the team through adversity. This year, as the season progressed, the girls basketball team started to lose intensity during practice, and with playoffs quickly approaching and the hope of winning a state championship in mind, Austin and her co-captain Richards implemented strategies to empower teammates.

“Ashlee and Maya most vocal leaders we have had since they were freshman. They really made this a player led team. And so that really made things fun. When the team has its own set of leaders, it’s not upon the coaches to have to do everything for them. They can really take self-ownership,” Yarbrough said.

Austin will miss meaningful relationships with friends and faculty who could always help on an assignment and stood by her side through four years of growth, setbacks, failures, and successes. Nonetheless, she remains optimistic for a new chapter in Houston.

“I am excited to utilize the resources such as study halls and counselors at Rice. Especially as an athlete, I will have more access to mentors. Also, I know the future holds many surprises and opportunities. I am looking forward to seeing how things play out,” Austin said.

L

ast fall, Senior Colin McLaughlin attacked the butter dog, a staple of American high school cuisine. He made it through half of the frozen stick of butter slapped in a hot dog bun before succumbing to the calorie-laden challenge.

Most people would shrink away from such an odd and revolting concept, but when dared to eat a butter dog by one of his best friends, Roy Epstein, McLaughlin could not refuse such a unique feat.

“I have never seen a man put down a dog like that. Michael Vick would be proud,” Senior Class President Epstein said.

Since sophomore year, McLaughlin has been on a path of individuality, acting around the rules whenever he can and simply not caring about what others think.

“I entered high school in this specific mindset, but then I realized I didn’t have to care,” McLaughlin said.

He accepts that it is common for students to want to fit into a specific ‘group’ or high school archetype, and that it might take a while for certain mindsets to change. According to him, he had to go through a year of uncomfortable conformity before realizing that he could act however he wanted if he just did not care.

It is this unique and genuinely quirky mentality of McLaughlin’s that has made him

famous for his classroom antics, with the most notable being a human paper shredder.

“It started in Ms. Darling’s class as a prank,” McLaughlin said. “But then I realized I could just keep doing it.”

What he is referring to is the first time he ate a friend’s notes in Sarah Darling’s 10th grade literature class. After the first time, McLaughlin saw it as an innocent way to have fun with his friends while still messing around with them.

“I’d just eat a little corner of it,” he said.

“It’s funny because they’d have to go home and revise their notes, but there would be a huge corner of it missing.”

Being a human paper shredder is only a small part of McLaughlin’s persona as a class clown. He is known for his deadpan humour and slightly sarcastic, but timely, remarks.

McLaughlin’s humour has gotten him into tense relationships with certain teachers, but his personality has also drawn the companionship of others.

Raymond Brown, AP U.S. History and Film teacher, is one of these teachers that McLaughlin admires deeply. Their relationship can best be described in a serious of puns with underlying critiques of social norms.

“He is one of the most unique young men I have had the privilege of getting to know over the past few years,” Brown said.

“It pays to believe in yourself, and Colin

has that in spades and it’s both refreshing and encouraging.”

McLaughlin loved having Brown as a teacher so much that, at the end of junior year, he signed up to take his film class during senior year, even though he had the option to leave it as a free period.

McLaughlin still has free periods though; most seniors sleep in during theirs, but McLaughlin chooses instead to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. He practices flying at the Gwinnett Airbase and is currently on the way to getting his pilot’s license. Even for such a unique dream, it has an interesting backstory.

Growing up, McLaughlin got to ride a plane only once a year for vacation. For him, this unqiue oppurtunity meant everything.

“It wasn’t even the destination, you know?”

McLaughin said. “It was just the fact that I was on a plane.”

After realizing how much he liked flying, he wanted to become a flight attendant. Looking at the world travel and chance to be up in the air most of the time, the prospect was irresistible. He remembers sharing this dream with somebody one day when they proposed that he instead became a pilot.

Since then, he has planned out his future according to his dreams. Next year he will be attending Auburn to further pursue his flight plan, then upon graduation, he will join the Air Force.

THE MESSENGER | 19

20

Madame President T he term “Madam President” was practically made to fit Caroline Custis, an 18-year-old senior at Northview High school who likes karaoke, has two golden retrievers, and a light blue Volkswagen convertible, all of which she considers to be important aspects of her life.

Custis started freshman year fully determined to create an impact wherever she set foot; she ran for class president, and even though she ended up losing, it taught her an unforgettable lesson on her role as a student leader in Johns Creek.

“When I came into highschool I’ve always wanted to be involved. I ran for class president freshman year; I didn’t win but I showed that I wanted to be involved. I learned what it actually takes to be a leader, I know it’s cliche but you have to fail to learn to succeed,” said Custis.

Her passion to be involved has carried forward through her high school years, as she currently is the president of National English Honors Society and Becca’s Closet, an organization which provides Prom and Homecoming dresses to those in need. Custis is also involved with Student Leadership Johns Creek as a project leader and Secretary of State Ambassador, and she was a representative on the Johns Creek Visitors Bureau Student Board Member in which she originated the idea to create a mural near Starbucks and Chipotle on Medlock Bridge Road. Through this, Custis has become committed to helping those around her and it has motivated her to stay on the right path and focus on her long-term goals.

“I guess because I’m really involved that can transcend into being a leader, I”ve always looked for ways to be involved. Student Leadership Johns Creek really helped me with it as I learned you’re always supposed to build connections,” said Custis. “Being a leader kept me really focused on what I’ve wanted to do, its helped me set my goals and stick to them. I think goal setting is really

important; It helps you build your own character since you’re constantly working towards something.”

To Custis, being a leader is more than a figurehead title. It is about being an exemplar, someone to look up to at times of distress and joy.

“Caroline is a great role model, she is the embodiment of a powerful woman, she stands up for what she wants and refuses to let herself be sold short.” said Gigi Fulbright, one of Custis’ closest friends.

While Custis believes it is important to get involved in the city, build lasting connections wherever is possible, and set goals, she also agrees that a good leader requires good public speaking skills. Her personality certainly helps with this aspect of being a leader, as Custis describes herself as an outgoing person who can strike a conversation with anyone without seeming intimidating.

“She’s very fun to be around and can make any boring old outing into the best time ever just by being enthusiastic and positive,” said Fulbright.

Custis’ life outside of school has greatly influenced her work ethic and her morals.

She has always had a strong support base consisting of her parents and friends.

“I’d like to shoutout to my A1 since day 1, my girlfriends I’ve been with through high school. They’ve been a good support team, it’s super fun to hang out with them on the weekends and they are the people I jam out with in my car,” said Custis.

Custis and her A-Ones all have different interests and passions, and she acknowledges it is important to have friends with contrasting backgrounds so they all grow and learn from each other with their own individual experiences.

Custis and her parents also have a lasting relationship, as her parents have always encouraged her to do what she loves. She describes her mother, Kris Custis, as her best friend.

“My mom would always tell me it’s better to dance in the rain than stay inside,” Custis said.

In the end, Custis wants her parents to be proud of her. Her parents have been the ones from the start to teach her valuable morals which Custis shows today, like her overwhelming kindness and her confident persona.

“Caroline has become the person she is today by following her heart and believing in herself as much as I do. She is love. She is joy.

She is a force like no other with a smile that lights the world,” said Kris Custis.

Kris Custis is proud of the mark her daughter has left on Johns Creek and her countless hours put into helping the Johns Creek community. Kris Custis is also not only proud of her daughter’s academic achievements, but also her outlook towards her failures and her family.

“I’m proud that when things didn’t turn out the way she planned, she was able to see God’s plan was different for her. I’m proud of the sister, daughter, and friend she is,” said Kris Custis.

In the near future, Custis hopes to pursue a career in law and history, her main hero being Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She will be attending Georgia Tech this fall, and she is debating changing her major from History, Technology and Sociology to Public Policy while minoring in Social Justice. After Tech’s Pre-Law program, Custis hopes to attend either Georgetown or Harvard Law to further her career goal.

“I’m excited to meet all the new peoplepeople say college broadens your horizon.

I’m excited to see how I can learn from other people,” said Custis.

In the end, Custis has established herself as not only a reliable leader but also a good friend whose passion and determination will continue to allow her to go above and beyond and make this world a better place.

THE MESSENGER | 21

food review: a goodbye to the places we love JACK LOWRANCE, MANAGING EDITOR

El Trompo : Mexican Taqueria 11877 Douglas Rd #113, Alpharetta, GA 30005 (770) 754-9442

Gokul 4315 Abbotts Bridge Rd #3&4, Duluth, GA 30097 (470) 268-4444

Vincent’s Bakery 10900 Medlock Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30097 (770) 476-7534 22

I

f you know me, you know that food is an important part of my life. I love to cook-- but restaurants, cafe’s, and bakeries are always what get me the most excited.

These places inspire a certain passion in me that I will never quite be able to define. And they have often served as a backdrop for the most memorable parts of my life.

When I moved to Johns Creek in eighth grade, I was destroyed for a lot of reasons.

Moving at that age is always hard-- I missed my friends, my neighborhood, and too many other qualities about California living to list here. But I also missed the food-- the restaurants that my family, friends, and I used to frequent around town. Sure they were not worthy of any Michelin stars, but I deeply valued having the kind of constant comfort and support that they provided, the memories I had there, and the relationships I had formed with the owners and workers. I can not begin to describe the pain of never being able to get that specific steak quesadilla at the Mexican place up the street from my house or that bowl of pork vermicelli on the other side of town again. Moving was not just the end of this good food, it was the end of an era-- the food just represented that.

As graduation is only a few weeks out and the end of my time here comes to end, I can’t help but feel that another era is over too.

While I’m sure there will be plenty of good food where I’ll be going to college next year, I can’t help but feel sad about leaving all the places I’ve grown to love here in Johns Creek.

These are the restaurants I will miss.

When talking about good local food, I can not go ten minutes without talking about El Trompo. Impossibly complex in its simplicity, Mexican cuisine has always been one of my favorites. After moving here, I was especially worried about finding it prepared at the same level as what I had been lucky enough to experience in the Bay Area. But El Trompo blew all of my expectations out of the water. There is not a bad thing that you can order on the menu.

Located near the Kroger on Jones Bridge Road, it is a total hole in the wall. The place is tiny and it is easy to miss if you are not

*None of the restrauants listed below are paying for advertising by the Northview Messenger

looking for it. But I do not know how I will ever live without it. I eat something from here nearly every week and it is so cheap that my wallet does not regret it either.

I have ordered everything on the menu at some point before, but specific favorites include: cerdo al pastor in taco or burrito form and lengua in taco form. You can not go wrong with any of the meat choices though-whatever you are in the mood for really.

Oh also-- the chorizo cheese fries are utterly amazing. I firmly stand by the position that they are the answer to everything.

Celebrating a college acceptance? Chorizo cheese fries. Girlfriend cheat on you? Chorizo cheese fries. Survived a five day week?

Chorizo cheese fries. Chilling with friends?

Chorizo cheese fries. You can not go wrong, I promise.

If you are vegetarian, the bean burritos and veggies quesadillas are particularly awesome too.

Another favorite is Gokul Sweets just over the river in Duluth off of Abbott’s Bridge.

Despite the name, this place is more of a restaurant than a place for sweets-- although they sell plenty of those too. There is lots of seating. A massive menu. And the food is unlike anything else.

I am embarrassed to say that I blew so much money ordering food from Gokul on Doordash that I had to shut my account down out of financial self-preservation. I now only go about twice a month, but six months ago I was eating here several times a week. It is that good.

Indian food is quite possibly my favorite cuisine in the world. It is just so utterly expansive in its range of dishes and styles and ingredients. And I am fascinated by the way that vegetarian dishes are not treated as a bland after thought, but often end up being the star of the show. I still do not understand why it is not more popular in America.

Specific favorites include: gobi manchurian, paneer tikka masala dosas, and papdi chaat.

There are lots of other good options on the menu too, but the menu is so large that I confess I have yet to try everything.

I should mention that Gokul is a totally vegetarian restaurant, but if you are a meat eater you will not notice. I certainly have not.

Walkable from Northview, the last place I would like to mention is Vincent’s Bakery-one of my favorite places to study, meet for project groups, and hang out with friends while they study and I eat. Seating is comfortable and there is a large table in the back that is great when you are with a group. A large display of various baked goods sits in the middle of the bakery on a long table and there are cakes and macarons behind a glass window at the counter.

I have always had a soft spot for bakeries-- I am not sure why. I love baked goods and my metabolism is such at the moment that I have not really ever felt the effects of this love. There is just something about the intersection between breaded wholesomeness, moderate sweetness, and an aesthetically pleasing presentation that warms my heart. Baking is all about technique and there’s something so satisfying about seeing the final product of such superior technique.

Specific favorites include: sponge cake, chocolate chip muffins-- but there are dozens of pastries, breads, cakes, and muffins to try. Go for whatever you are in the mood for and you can not go wrong.

Ultimately though, it is not the restaurants that I will really miss.

Sure, separation from good food is a travesty, but what I will miss most is the memories. Over the course of high school, and the past two years especially, I have really felt myself grow up. I have learned a lot about myself. Friendships and romances have blossomed. And restaurants have almost always been the back-

drop for all of this. I will miss El Trompo and Gokul and Vincent’s because they are where I had some of the most memorable experiences of my time living here. And even if it is not the restaurants specifically-- I suppose these memories could have taken place anywhere really-- I can not help but feel a connection to these places. The sensory experience will forever be tied to the social one and I can not help but feel that there is something beautiful in that.

It is funny how you never think about memories as you are making them-- and as time continues we find a way to reminisce on the times we once thought could never be like the last. It is sad to leave this place behind, and all the wonderful people I have met, but I have hope that as I press on into greater unknowns there remains yet more memories-- and good food-- to be had. High school may be coming to an end, but I have to hope that this is just when things start to get good. This is just the beginning, my friends. This is just the beginning.

THE MESSENGER | 23

College List

2019 24

Alabama

Auburn University Aidan Massie Emily McDanel Colin McLaughlin

Oakwood University

Michaiah Sconiers

Snead State Ryan Blake

Talladega

Makayla Davis

Troy University Malika Harper

University of Alabama Cam Auerbach David Braynard Caroline Martin Leigha Whitridge Gabrielle Woodman Daniel Woods

University of Alabama Birmingham Man-Yee Au Brijal Chokshi

Arizona University of Arizona Kendall Hill

California University of California, Berkeley

Smruthi Balasubramaniam Sahil Gupta Amaan Supariwala Divya Vemulapalli

University of California, Los Angeles Mallika Chimpiri

University of California, San Diego Anirudh Indraganti

University of San Diego Helia Tabatabaei

University of San Francisco Alex Bahk Irene Rho

District of Columbia

American University

George Washington University Jack Lowrance

Howard University Hannah Ficklin

Florida Ave Maria University Jack Armstrong

Florida State University Sean Asgari Jordyn Daigle Danielle Gioia Lance Mitchell Kade Portar Mackenzie Rawlin Eden Shappell Sydney Siegel

Miami Dade College Paul Diaz

University of Central Florida Constantin Claassen

University of Florida Sebastian Montero Jeffrey Yu

Marissa Harrold THE MESSENGER | 25

Georgia

Augusta University Riya Gandhi Madison McCraine Ankita Vayalapalli

Berry College Frederick Reich

Columbus State University Jayden Hasberry

Emory University Heidi Chung Karan Gill Emma Kang Sriya Karra (Oxford College) Keita Morisaki Sidney Oladipo Ria Puri Aditi Vellore (Oxford College)

Georgia College and State University Amanda Beard Logan Brown William Caylor Meagan Chalmers Eve Chapa Emily Galberd Emily Josselson Maria van Livingston Kayla Simon

Georgia Gwinnett College Luke Brown 26

Georgia Institute of Technology Caroline Custis Nithin Daniel Gururaj Deshpande Ema Goh Athrey Gonella Aadarsh Govani Aniruddha Gupta Lawrence He Farzeen Himani Youngho Lim Annie Lin Yuxiao Liu Uday Mandala Adam Mazlout Aditya Mungapati Priun Nagru Ayush Nene Nidhi Pai Akaash Para Carson Quan Priya Rajeev Richa Sehgal Aayush Shah Mohit Singh Varun Vangala Varun Vishwanath Jonathan Zheng

Georgia Southern University Jade Cortese Erin Jackson

Georgia State University Rida Ahmed Halime Benzer Ben Bruck Saran Charania Joel Chong Mimi Do Jameson Drake

Sydney Fret Atif Gagguturu Anish Ganga Jaden Gardner Rohan George Sakeena Haider Imtiaz Haque Michelle Ifarinde Saba Iranikhah Amir Javadi Vinay Joshi Aazan Khan Nikki Lokhande Dylan Long Ben Minder Brayton Myers Aditya Narayanan Anshika Nath Asher Nevrekar Andrew Nguyen Jaida Nichols Jason Olajide Ajinkya Patil Abby Peterson Hieu Phung Christopher Rosado-Salazar Sivani Shanmugam Darren Sze Pranav Voore Sydney Yim

Gwinnett Technical College

Alexandra Skinner

Kennesaw State University Naomi Ajayi Tai Alexander Justin Broomhead Lance Cone Max Howard Caroline Hutcheson Aldo Iturbe-Olmedo Brooklyn Johnson

Kiersten Lange Zac Nestor Taylor Revels Madhavi Shingala Mya Sparks Justine Ulrich Anajae Walker Lucas White

Mercer University Katarina Amelchenko Jane Lee Shefali Ranjan Roha Surani

Savannah College of Art and Design Brooke Casal Karina Limyadi

University of Georgia Kelsey Ahn Nadean Ali Alina Baiju Joshua Belodoff Sylvia Bui Paige Butcher Emmanuel Charles Jessica Cho Sam Clayman Nidhi Dahiya Sanjana Darsipudi Campbell Davis Caroline Davis Chloe Devre Patrick Dries Grace Erickson Gal Epstein Roy Epstein Jordyn Fulbright Kaushal Gandikota Shashank Ganeshan Suraj Gubbula Shraya Gumudavelli Jasmine Hsieh Dylan Jayasundera

Farhan Juneja Sonia Kalia Jasmine Kuwamura Andrew Lin Jay Lin Sidarth Lingatlu Peter Lu Akshay Nair Patricia Ni Sidney Oladipo Ramanan Pannirselvam Maitri Patel Maya Patel Shiva Pawar Imaan Premjee Neha Rao Vishruth Reddy Jomari Rivera Reyes Rishika Singh Morgan Spencer Christine Suh Sameer Tilva Amy Tau Alan Wu Devansh Yerpude Angela Yu Michelle Zheng Owen Zhu

University of North Georgia Brianna Upton

University of West Georgia Bailey MacInnis

Illinois

Northwestern University Kirsten Lee Nithya Mahakala Evan Ouyang

University of Chicago Aanya Gorai Livia Tibuleac

Columbia College Chicago Logan Wallace

University of Illinoisat Urbana-Champaign Prithvi Dharmaraj Anish Peruri

Indiana

Indiana University Kabir Gandhi Jenny Yun

Purdue University Varun Godbole Varun Kumar Harman Soor Simon Yan

Iowa

Grinnell College Jean Lin

Kentucky

Transylvania University

Grayson Bray

Louisiana Louisiana State University Collin Ferguson Madison Malvin

THE MESSENGER | 27

Maryland Johns Hopkins University David Ryu Grace Yu

Massachusetts Berklee College of Music Matthew Jung

Boston College Zada Morin Shane Mumma

Boston University Hannah Ferguson Seungwoo Han

Harvard University Nathaniel Alemayehu

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Annie Feng

Michigan

University of Michigan Neha Satish

Mississippi

Mississippi State University Trey Parker

28

Missouri Washington University in St. Louis Kristina Lee

University of Missouri Jared Skyer

New Jersey

United States MilitaryAcademy at West Point Dhyuti Gopalakrishna Taylor Stalheim

North Carolina Duke University Kevin Wang

Elon University Lindsay Bennett

Western Carolina University Princeton University Sruti Chitluri

Rutgers University Ariba Ahmed

New York

Columbia University Olivia Cho

Cornell University Alyssa Zhang

Fordham University Akshath Umesh

New York University Steve Kim

Parsons School of Design Camila Cho Janice Lee

Simon Shuster

Ohio

Case Western Reserve University Clara Ahn Simrita Jesthi

Ohio State University Jason Frey Robert Redmon

Pennsylvania Carnegie Mellon University Michelle Cao Grace Choi

Penn State University Halah Keramane

Temple University University of South Shreya Dhupam

University of Pennsylvania Richard Lee Sylvia Tang

University of Pittsburgh Suchita Kumar

Rhode Island

Brown University Sheri Zhang

South Carolina

Charleston Southern University Maya Richards

Clemson University Hailey Talbert Jen Weaver

Converse College

Carolina

Kendall May Cole Michel Lance Millard Kush Mitter Brandon Safarriyeh Tala Samarah Morgan White

Tennessee Maryville College Ava Bernardino

University of Tennessee Mac Bolton Mark Mclaughlin

Vanderbilt University

Virginia University of Virginia Sanjeev Kumar

Virginia Tech Johnathan Sperry

Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Trinity Sawyer

International University of British Columbia Ava Bernardino Mark Wen

Rachael Kim

Texas

Rice University Ashlee Austin

University of Texas at Dallas Safa Ahmed

Utah

Brigham Young Presbyterian College University Kelsie Glass

Amirah Boyd

Mikayla Bolander Karson Greenburg

THE MESSENGER | 29

BY THE NUMBERS

2019 Majors

*This information is based solely on submitted information to The Messenger by the Class of 2019. We cannot account for any students who did not offer information.

45%

STEM 20%

Business 13%

12%

Undecided

Social Sciences/Education Arts and/or Humanities 30

10%

&

58% in state 1 international student

THE MESSENGER | 31

MOVING ON Four Northview teachers leave to pursue personal go als JENNIFER XIA, FEATURES EDITOR MELISSA LIU, STAFF WRITER PHOTOS: UPASNA KOTAKONDA, PHOTO EDITOR

[JORDAN

J

ordan Kohanim, a literature teacher, began teaching at Northview High School in 2012. Since then, she has contributed greatly to Northview through her input in the decision of course curriculum and her active participation in clubs as a devoted head debate coach and sponsor of the philosophy club.

With both sides of her family having been teachers, Kohanim’s immediate reaction was to avoid becoming one as well. She

32

KOHANIM] originally wanted to major in psychology and neurology to help her developmentally-delayed brother, but took a difficult literature course that ended up steering her in the same direction as her relatives.

“It runs in your blood. If it’s one of those things you’re meant to do, you can’t escape it,” Kohanim said.

Her main goal as a teacher is to bring a sense of enrichment to her class and reignite the curiosity in the students who have lost it and increase the curiosity in the ones who still possess it, a task that she finds challenging due to the amount of pressure students are placed under.

“By the time you get to high school, they’ve hammered the curiosity out of you, so I hope I’ve brought back, or for some kids, brought forward, their sense of curiosity,” Kohanim said.

S o p h o m o r e Sreyaash Das greatly appreciates Kohanim for coaching him to be the nationally ranked debater he is today.

“She’s a great debate coach. She stuck with me throughout the entirety of Woodward even though I was by myself. She

made sure I didn’t feel lonely, and it’s really sad to see her go,” Das said.

Other than debate, Kohanim is extremely passionate in teaching literature and incorporating philosophy into it. She shares a special relationship with fellow teacher Tania Pope.

“We continiously share these ideas. I feel like she’s pushed me to a new kind of way of teaching,” Pope said. “These really deep intellectual discussions of books have inspired both of us. I’m going to miss her so much.”

For the students she was unable to reach, Kohanim hopes that she has brought them a sense of worth. The biggest challenge she has faced during her time at Northview is getting students to care about their own mental health. Because of this, Kohanim has placed great emphasis on teaching her students to put their mental health first and structured her classes to include lessons on its importance.

“I emphasize to my students all the time to take care of their mental health and to make sure they are taking care of themselves before they worry about their grades, friends, and parents and all those expectations and responsibilities.”

To put her own mental health first, she has had to make the tough decision of leaving Northview. Driving to from her house to Northview can take Kohanim more than an hour, whereas the school she is moving to, Milton High School, will be within walking distance. Kohanim will miss many things about Northview, but her students and colleagues most of all.

“Northview really is a magical place. It’s a unicorn as far as schools go,” Kohanim said.

“You have amazing staff, amazing teachers, and amazing administration, and the kids know how amazing the school is. That’s just so hard to find.”

Even though she is sad to be leaving, Kohanim hopes to bring some of Northview’s magic over to Milton High School.

“I’m going to try to bring some of that Northview magic over there,” Kohanim said.

“We have a lot, so we need to spread the love a little bit.”

[Timothy

Aucoin]

A

fter teaching for 32 years, 17 of which at Northview High School, orchestra director Timothy Aucoin is finally ready to retire and pursue his interest in becoming a full-time music performer. Aucoin was named the 2019 Georgia Music Educator of the Year and the 2016 Georgia American String Teachers Association Music Educator of the Year. He partially credits his position as Northview’s orchestra director for his success as it provides him with a supportive school community that helps him reach his full potential as a music educator.

“I’ve got students who are willing to work hard and parents and school administrators that support what we do,” Aucoin said. “Being in this environment has given me the opportunity to reach my full potential and given me what I need to be successful.”

During his time at Northview, he has greatly impacted the Northview orchestra through his teaching methods. Aucoin believes in maintaining a high quality level by pushing students towards being successful.

“It’s been my job to encourage them and push them,” Aucoin said. “We try to get the students to reach their full potential.”

His influence as the orchestra director has paved the way for the success of Northview’s Orchestra, consistently receiving superior ratings at the Large Group Performance Evaluations. Northview’s orchestra has also had many students qualify for the Governor’s Honors Program and All-State Orchestra for 15 years. Adding to the groups achievements, the orchestra has also performed at Georgia’s state conference and Chicago’s invitational Midwest Clinic.

“Only six high schools get invited to participate per year,” Aucoin said. “It’s like winning the state championship whenever you get invited to participate at the Midwest Clinic.”

Aucoin’s self-set goal as a music educator is to help his students on their journey to become independent musicians.

“I try to teach them so that they can be self-sufficient musicians who can read music, choose their own music, and get together to play ensembles,” Aucoin said. “Hopefully, I’ve taught them in such a way that they don’t need me.”

He enjoys teaching music to ensembles

because it gives him the opportunity to work with kids and share music, something he deeply cares about. Aucoin loves the feeling of energy he receives from students when he is teaching, something that he will miss very much.

“When you’re with a group of students you get a lot of energy back from them and back and forth,” Aucoin said. “I’m gonna miss that interaction with the kids everyday more than anything else.”

Aucoin’s students deeply appreciate their time together as he connects with them with humor and guidance. Sophomore Hilary Chen partially acredits him for her acceptance to multiple All-State Orchestras as well as the 2019 Governor’s Honors Program, but she will remember him for his jokes and pleasant personality as well.

“He has been an incredible director for the past two years, and I will miss him a lot,”

Chen said. “I appreciate all he has done for me skill wise with violin, but I also appreciate how much brighter he could make my day with a couple of jokes.”

Even though his job requires him to be tough on students at times, Aucoin still believes in incorporating humor into his teaching and making sure his students have fun.

Because of this, he wishes the orchestra could have had more opportunities to participate in fun trips over the years.

“The fun trips are where a lot of comradery is built,” Aucoin said. “It’s not stressful, and the kids get to hang out with each other, become friends, and make memories.”

Although he is formally retiring from being a music educator, Aucoin will continue to teach as guest clinician, just not on a daily basis. He hopes to return to visit Northview and work with the students in the future.

THE MESSENGER | 33

[IAN

A

CARROLL]

lthough he originally had no interest in teacher, Ian Carroll is leaving Northview with a heavy heart. Carroll put his passion in film and video towards teaching his students in order to give them an opportunity he never had. His love for the art has allowed him to expand his skills to students who go on to win prestigious awards and grow as a person through their productions.

“I didn’t have the opportunity to learn video when I was going through high school, but I would have wanted it. I came down to teach video, something I’m really passionate about,” Carroll said. “I just wanted to share that excitement and give students the opportunity to learn about it early on, earlier than I got the chance to do it.”

Teaching the audio and video technology class here for five years now, Carroll’s most memorable accomplishment is how he was able to allow his students to grow throughout the art. He has watched students change as learning film has had a big impact on them.

High school sometimes being a difficult time, Carroll has helped bring people out of

34

their shells while teaching his passion. “[The class] helped people who have struggled to communicate, whether that be with others or finding themselves,” Carroll said. “I think there have been a lot of students who have just learned to tell their own stories in this class, who have grown and become stronger.”

With the platform to share creative ideas, Carroll is thoroughly impressed by much of his students’ productions. With winning entries to local film festivals in the county, he wishes to bring some of these films to bigger areas like the Atlanta Film Festival or the Southeast U.S. Film Festival to showcase their works. Carroll finds some students producing works in ways he could not have thought of, and although they win big at local film festivals, he is more impressed by how students channel personal stories into their art.

“I’ve watched students who really struggle with anxiety, with depression, or just with being social, and I’ve watched how giving an outlet that’s all about communication can

help them find their voice,” Carroll said. “I always knew that film-making had that kind of power in a kind of hypothetical way, but it’s very different knowing that as an abstract versus seeing it really happen and people really change and coming into their own.”

Carroll, originally a freelance editor, is now going back to pursuing his passion.

When moving down to Atlanta to teach, Carroll then girlfriend, now wife, followed him down for the amazing opportunity. His wife has now received an amazing opportunity at Disney in Orlando, and he feels it is time for her to be able to chase down that dream.

Current students are extremely sad to see him leave, as Carroll was more than a teacher. With his laid back personality, students were able to talk with him naturally. Junior Binayak Pandey spends his last few days with Carroll cherishing their friendship.

“It’s kind of sad because me and him have grown very close in the past three years to the point where he’s more of a friend than a teacher and I hope we still stay in tough even after he leaves,” Pandey said.

Carroll sees his students succeed throughout high school and into the future as he has kept in contact with a lot of them. He feels proud that he is involved in their success as his former students are now pursuing dream careers. He hopes that he has had an impact on every student he teaches.

Carroll considers this as his greatest accomplishment as a teacher, and he will miss it a lot.

“I’ll miss having this constant well of feedback and this constant group of people that I can talk to about things that I really enjoy, and I’ll miss being the center of attention every day,” Carroll said.

[SARAH

N

DARLING]

orthview alumni and literature teacher Sarah Darling is leaving following the close of this school year to pursue her Masters Degree full time at Georgia State University. Sad to go, Darling thinks finishing her degree is most important for her at the moment, which may lead her back to teaching, but as of now she is still undecided.

“I will probably end up in teaching again,” Darling said. “I may have the opportunity to teach at Georgia State next year, teaching freshmen English which would be very exciting, but once I finish my degree, I’ll probably either stay teaching college or I may go back to the high school setting. I haven’t really decided yet.”

Heavily involved in the 10th Honors Literature program, Darling will miss

her English classes the most. She has developed the curriculum of this particular class with fellow teachers Tania Pope and Jordan Kohanim since her first year at Northview, so it is something very near and dear to her heart.

“Pretty much since my second year here, I have taught 10th Honors, and that curriculum has been my baby. I really take pride in that curriculum and how I helped it grow. I feel like we have been a great team with that,” Darling said.

Darling has taught sophomores from the start. She enjoys teaching at the underclassmen level as it allows her to watch them grow as students in the later years in high school and even college which has helped her develop friendships with students that are even a few years out of high school.

“I really like seeing the 10th graders grow because then I get to seem them grow their junior and senior years,” Darling said. “I like knowing that I have that impact on so many students from a younger grade.”

Other than her classes, Darling sponsors some major active clubs at Northview. Both new this year, Clique Mystique and RISE will be in need of new sponsors when Darling leaves.

“I’m really sad about not being able to see that club grow to fuller potential,” Darling said. “ I’m kind of sad that I have to leave after the first year with that because I feel like they’re headed in a great direction.”

Darling also helps with the Beta Club and SAT Prep, both stemming from her friendship with fellow teacher, Megan Sekman-Hart. Hart has been a friend from the very beginning, and Darling hopes to keep their friendship alive once she leaves. She has important memories with Hart that she will miss. Hart feels the same towards her, but she is excited to where things will take her.

“I am very sad that she’s leaving,” Hart said. “I am very excited about her opportunities and where life will take her, but I will be very sad not to see her in the halls. I’ll miss laughing with her in the hallways.”

Most of all though, Darling will miss Northview. Having spent over a third of her life in these halls, Northview was her beginning, and she will never forget it.

From the time she was a student to her years of teaching in the building. She credits the staff and students for helping her develop who she is a teacher and a person.

“I’ve been at Northview for a decade of my life which is kind of scary. I’m going to miss the atmosphere and how it just feels like home,” Darling said.

Darling hopes to leave on a bright note. She wants Northview students to remember her last parting words.

“As hard as you work, make sure you maintain perspective and take care of yourselves,” Darling said. “Do what makes you happy. You don’t have to fit into that sometimes rigid Northview mold.”

THE MESSENGER | 35

senior advice 2019

From the messenger’s staff

Aayush Shah

Amanda Beard

Always remember who you are as a person and make sure you stay true to yourself in anything. High school is a time where it’s okay for you to make mistakes. Embrace it. Discover who you are and then be who you are. And most of all, have fun. As long as you are confident in yourself, high school will be as fun of an experience as you want it to be.

Have fun. Enjoy high school. Go to football games and international night. These four years are going to fly by in the blink of an eye so don’t let stress and business prevent you from creating new experiences and lasting memories you will always cherish.

Aazan Khan Disappointment is something that many high school kids face and have to deal with at one point or another.

I learned that hesitation and lack of willpower are the two constants of disappointment, something that I wish I had understood early on in high school. The only way to escape disappointment is to live without regrets.

The best experiences come when you are out of your comfort zone.

Ben Minder Don’t buy a locker, you have a better chance of getting your money’s worth investing in a pyramid scheme.

Irene Rho Akshay Nair Don’t get caught up in everyone else’s accomplishments. Everyone has their own issues that they’re dealing with and the only thing you can do is focus on yourself. High school is going to be tough but the most important thing to remember is you win some you lose some.

36

High school feels so long but so short, and I’ve learned the importance of prioritizing happiness as well as the importance of self love through these years. High school teaches you that the world doesn’t owe you anything, so go through these years humbly and accept that sometimes it simply just is what it is. Push your pride aside and branch out to as many different people as you can.

Jack Lowrance Spend as much time doing what you love and as little time doing anything else. School is what you make of it.

Kaushal Gandikota Make mistakes. I did and you probably will as well. Each mistake made is another lesson learnt, which is why I believe one’s wealth is determined by the errors they have made along the way. High school will be a lot of things, but most of all, it will be a learning experience for everyone. Make it a fun one.

Nithya Mahakala Be open-minded to the idea of changing. A large part of who you are pieces itself together in high school, and to really enjoy it, you have to learn to be flexible and be okay with evolving. Don’t be scared to try out new ideas in fear of what others think. And don’t lose sight of the little moments that count too. It’s easy to get swept up in the undercurrent of stress and pressure of school and academics, yet in the end you’ll still want to have little mementos of great times with those who love you.

Shashank Ganeshan While it is important to challenge yourself academically, it is also important to focus on enjoying all the experiences high school has to offer. Sporting events, a good night’s sleep, and your friendships matter the most because once you graduate you take your memories with you, not your grades. Savor every moment. Don’t take experiences like pep rallies for granted because they will be over in a blink of an eye.

THE MESSENGER | 37

1

Snapshots of the Year 1. Head Football Coach Thomson argues a controversial call by the referee.

2. Drama student Jaida Nichols portrays Papa Legba in the Wax Museum.

3. Freshman Kabir Khattar is featured in Humans of Northview.

4. Logan Wallace portrays Kudy Denmark in “Ruthless�, the Fall Musical.

5. Talented artists played at Willstock to support charity.

38

3 4

2

5

THE MESSENGER | 39

ppl la an nss

summer in SEASON Movies, TV shows, concerts, and festivals to enjoy as summer kicks into session NITHYA MAHAKALA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

40

june

FEATURES

S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 7.5: Spider-MAN: FAR FROM HOME 7.18: The lion king 7.26: Luke Bryan concert 7.27: ATLANTA ICE CREAM FESTIVAL 7.31: SHAWN MENDES CONCERT

august

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

2 9 16 23 30

3 4 10 11 17 18 24 25 31

july

S M T W T F S 2 3 9 10 16 17 23 24 30 31

S M T W T F S 1 8 15 22 29

AVICI - Tim: 6.6 jonas brothers happiness: 6.7 ariana grande concert: 6.8 atlanta streets alive: 6.11 toy story: 6.20 child’s play: 6.21 billie eilish concert: 6.23

5 12 19 26

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

1 8 15 22 29

hobbs & SHAW: 7.2 KHALID & CAIRO CONCERT: 7.14 Piedmont park arts festival: 8.17-18 queen & adam lambert concert: 8.22 summer shade festival: 8.24-25 THE MESSENGER | 41

faceoff: Should Junior Marshal be re-established or not?

42

OPINIONS

yes: BEN MINDER, STAFF WRITER

T

he Junior Marshals are the top percentage of the class. They are picked not just because of their high GPA, but also for being well-rounded individuals that have demonstrated their effectiveness in the community. Being a Junior Marshal is a reward given to those that have earned it, and can also be very helpful on a college application. It also provides an incentive for students to do more than just get good grades or to just play a sport.

Colleges love Junior Marshals because they see them as leaders of the class and give significant advantages to those who have earned the title. While it might seem unfair, these students have earned the reward. Not only must they have high grades, but must also have done extracur-

riculars and proven they are more than the average student. This is often compared to class rank, but that comparison is not fair. Class rank only takes the GPA of the student into account, while Junior Marshal does not.

Another criticism of Junior Marshal is that it incites unhealthy competition in the students that fight for a spot. While some students will inevitably go overboard and endanger their health, that does not mean the entire program should be removed. Students sacrifice their health for the top scores anyway, so by removing a reward for the most dedicated seems counterintuitive. Its detractors also claim that it alienates the students that did not receive the award. Unfortunately, this is a fact of life. Not everyone can win every award, not everyone can be the best,

and at some point people need to stop expecting a participation trophy for their efforts. The feeling of failure or alienation is squarely on the people that let it get to them, not on the people that are awarded, or the award itself.

A Junior Marshal should not be seen as the only way to receive validation from a high school career. It should, however, continue to honor those that have fought and earned a spot for this prestigeous award.

Just like how not everyone can get into an ivy league school, not everyone can be a Junior Marshal. It is awarded to the top percentage of the class, not the whole class.

Those that put in the effort should not be punished to spare the feelings of others, and a great award should not be abolished because of it either.

who come from schools that rank students.” As social changes become increasingly widespread, colleges are beginning to look more into students as a whole person rather than solely based how well one does compared to his/her classmates.

Many high schools have already followed this movement with the removal of class rank, and many more have extended this reach to junior marshals.

Like class rank, the incentive to become junior marshal is so prominent that students are willing to lose sleep, health, social life, interest, and anything else that might interfere with grades. For example, a student will take an easier course for a higher grade instead of placing a challenge and taking a more difficult class. It also risks one’s integrity, as students are far more likely to cheat; the junior marshal system, like class rank, values grades over learning - the results over the process. It

teaches students to regard their peers as potential obstacles to their success, destroying the principles of friendship and community and creating young people who focus on their own awards rather than the success of society.

One might argue that the junior marshal title is a major motivator for students to do well in academics.

“The effect of class rank is to demotivate the vast swath of students who realize early on that they don’t stand a chance of acquiring this distinction,” according to the Washington Post.

Although there may be a numerical requirement to be a junior marshal, the positions easily fill up and students who do earn the spot may still be denied. The removal of junior marshals is a step towards restoring a sense of learning in schools and promoting excellence in all aspects of a person rather than just in academic rewards.

no:

GRACE PENG, STAFF WRITER

W

hile some may view the title of being junior marshal as something that should be honored, many believe that this is equivalent to the idea of class rank and should be abolished as well.

To a college, a label of how smart I was during my junior year should not determine my acceptance or not. Such vicious competition for a title that is determined by the most minute differences has no practical benefit for the health and success of both the students and the school.

Although Northview has removed class rank, the idea of junior marshal still incites the same outrage in students - particularly those who believe that colleges account for it as a major factor in admissions. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) reports that “college admissions officers said they have seen a steep drop-off in the number of applicants

THE MESSENGER | 43

REID BETWEEN THE LINES

A Time for Change Why we need to care more about our carbon foot-print N O E L L E R E I D, O P I N I O N S E D I T O R

F

ear makes a great motivator, and to think that the earth could possibly be made unliveable in a decade can shock people into being environmentally conscious in an instant. This claim was made before, 20 and 30 years ago.

But where does this statement come from, where is the truth and logic behind it?

This claim stems from one that was made at the United Nations’ Paris Conference by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or the IPCC. They said that by the year 2030, emissions need 45% of what they were in 2010 in an attempt to bring down the overall global temperature. This was mainly a call to action for big energy companies and governments to change their ways so that this goal of cutting emissions can be met, but this is less of a call to action for individuals.

When we try our best to do things that are good for the environment, whether buying and using reusable items to substitute their plastic counterparts or using ethically sourced products. Now that more and more

44

people are contributing to the cause of saving the planet, the greater effect they have. These efforts do not go unrecognized and are not useless, and hold a good intention behind them, but they are not as substantial as they should be.

Extremely large and wealthy enterprises, especially enterprises that are responsible for providing energy, and lawmakers are those that hold the greatest impact in reaching the IPCC’s goal. But these companies do not want to take the money out of their large pockets to keep the earth from inevitably reaching this so-called “point of no return.”

Individuals are not at fault for the destruction of the Earth by causing vast environmental disasters like oil spills, wiping out forests, or releasing toxic emissions into the atmosphere.

We can use reusable straws all we want, but that will not stop commercial fishing companies from leaving their plastic nets in the ocean. We can be vegan all we want, but that will not stop the unethical processes of

commercial food processing and distribution. We need to educate ourselves on who is actually behind the environmental problems that we are having. Everyone should be concerned with making sure that we can live on our planet in the next 20 years.

We all inhabit this planet, and we need to start acting like it. We should not be at the point where we have literally been scared into caring about the environment. The newer generations should not live with the burden of having to clean up the mess made by the past generations. The issue of solving climate change should not, and should never be seen as something that is a partisan one.

If we want to see a change in the ecosystem, we need to reach out to all of our policy and lawmakers to take first step in making these changes. Some of the current lawmakers are acting like climate change is not as dire of a situation as it is, so we need to start electing some leaders who are going to step up and act like it is.

COLUMNS

THE LOW DOWN

Before I Go Some parting remarks JA C K LOW R A N C E , M A N A G I N G E D I T O R

W

ell, here we are-- the final column of my high school career. Believe it or not, this is the 25th installment of The Low Down. Don’t worry, I’ll keep this one short-- I promise this won’t be another 800-worder. To be honest, I don’t have that kind of energy these days. I’m burnt out and you probably can’t take much more of my leftist propaganda anyways.

So with all that in mind, I think the only acceptable use for these final few lines that I have at my disposal is to express my utmost gratitude to everyone who has helped me get here, made the Messenger what it is today, and made high school not just a bearable experience, but sometimes a genuinely good one. Thank you Mr. Yarbrough for making all of this possible. Thank you to my editors for all your painstaking hard work-- I’ll forever be inspired by the level of professionali-

ty and drive that y’all have exhibited over the years. Thank you to anyone who has actually read my work because I know it’s not always a pleasurable experience. And thank you to those who have disagreed with the columns I’ve written here-- without a challenge from people like you, I’d never have been able to further refine my ideas.

Over the course of my four years here in high school, I’ve really fallen in love with writing. It’s the perfect medium to communicate my thoughts in an organized fashion.

And it’s an outlet for expression that I really feel like I can’t communicate in any other way. Sometimes I think I would go insane without it.

Being able to not just write with purpose on a regular basis, but publish some of the things that I write is a blessing, and I regret the times that I took it for granted over the

past four years. I feel unbelievably lucky to have the platform that I do and writing this column is one of the most meaningful parts of my life. While I should make it clear that producing acceptable content to publish each month isn’t always the romantic experience that I may sometimes describe it to be, it’s always been unquestionably worth it.

For that matter, journalism as a whole has been one of the most meaningful parts of my high school experience. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve formed some of my most valuable friendships. And I’ve found solace from the various arbitrary stresses of high school. I really can’t imagine life without it over the past four years.

I won’t miss much of Northview-- perhaps the vast majority-- but I’m really going to miss this.

THE MESSENGER | 45

S TA F F E D I TO R I A L

Do edts edits ruin the work?

T

his article will go through edits. Maybe even several rounds, before it is allowed to roam free on the plains of the Internet.

It will be published with a title and a byline with my name attached to it, dubbing this work as my own, and no one else’s. And although these minor details may hint otherwise, the idea that this piece was conceived using my authentic voice is false.

Think about it. Every error I pen, beyond spelling and in some cases grammatical, is authentically me. The stylistic choices I employ, from my colloquial tone to my oddly-fitting clauses, all represent the unique mindset in which I develop my ideas. However, the constraints of universal writing bind me to formatting my ideas into a concise and edited block.

While this block is incredibly digestible, it is not my writing, no matter how small the edits made. Differentiating between types of edits is important, too — those suggested, and those self-made. While I have separated them into two categories, they are intertwined to a point.

Suggested edits come directly from a reader, somebody on the outside looking in. While there is a spectrum to the severity of edits to be suggested, from complete idea reversals to simple clause reversals, the practice of editing still corrupts the purity of the original thoughts penned. And if these suggested edits are taken, the work is once again molded slightly to conform for the purpose of ease of access.

This is the most stark of corrupt practices

46

within humanity. However, outside influences have the potential to slyly find their way into breaking down the purity of an author’s work.

When writing, we writers are often told to consider our audience. What words make sense?

What topics are inappropriate? How can I break down this complex idea into simple sentences for you to understand?

When writers write for others, we automatically trade our voices for a more edited and conformed version. It is an automatic filter put up to control the free flow of ideas that should exist freely on a page.

When writers write for ourselves, we are able to communicate our ideas in the purest form, leaving thoughts up for interpretation.

Compare a page out of “Diary of a Young Girl” to The Diary of Anne Frank (the play) Sure, both forms communicate the same basic idea. But adaptations are created for clarity or to teach lessons in an entertaining form.

It’s an extreme melding of the content to fit purposes other than basic communication.

With journal entries penned without intention of publishing, readers are able to more accurately gauge the thoughts communicated within the piece.

So this mainstream trend of idea communication that we have agreed upon has a habit of simplifying ideas. It is why we have AP style, why we have MLA format and why students are taught to write three body paragraphs all the time.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The End Game

I

n my last bit of time set within the foreground of Northview High School, I’m left conflicted, confused, and in a conundrum of change. It’s a question on how to proceed on from this last moment, and a perplexity on what to take with me as I leave.

Yet more importantly, it’s the dawning of a realization and a bittersweet acknowledgment that I’ll miss my morning proclamations of how “it’s a great day to be a Titan”, or that I’ll never have another lunch in the courtyard, or that it’s my last time contributing to our school news magazine, the one stable puzzle piece in my constantly evolving high school journey.

The part of our lives spent in these halls has been dotted with ups and downs. For many, it’s been an unbalanced scale negatively tipping down for much too long. For others, it may very well be the best days of their lives. But for all of us, it has been a metamorphosis of who we are and how we characterize ourselves.

As we build up to the final point of our

senior years and prepare to cross the stage, I have come face to face with omnipresent cues to not let the quintessence of Northview impart itself from within us. In the hardest moments of our coming futures, I hope we take inspiration from the genuine drive of our peers in the past and their ability to push the boundaries around us to new and undiscovered places. I hope to embody the endurance and determination of our athletes on the field, who push through any barriers to play their best game. I hope to reflect that same academic dedication so many of my classmates succeeded in achieving, discovering passionate interest in subjects and carrying that to higher levels in their daily work. I hope to remind myself of that rush of camaraderie and sense of belonging and pure joy that comes from sitting in the audience during International Night and cheering on the cultural diversity that has come to define our school.

Lastly, I hope to never forget what it means to be a Northview Titan.

Nithya Mahakala, Editor-in-Chief

THE MESSENGER | 47

the messenger ONLINE AT

nhsmessenger.com

nhsmessenger@gmail.com Like our Facebook page facebook.com/nhsmessenger Follow us on Twitter at @nhsmessenger

48