Volume 15 Issue 7 by The Messenger

the messenger

VOL 15/ ISS 7

A Balancing Act. page 19

THE MESSENGER | 1

masthead CONTACT US

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF

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

Maggie Brenan Tarun Ramesh

PUBLICATION

NEWS EDITOR

Katie Armstrong Grace Chung Megan Cistulli Shashank Ganeshan Aniruddha Gupta Sarah Jang Suchita Kumar Lina Levitt Sherry Liang Austin Meng Ben Minder Akshay Nair Alex Perry Sruti Sajja Erin Shin Jennah Sooknanan Ramanuj Srinivasan Mira Sydow Sheetal Tadiparty Justine Ulrich Morgan White Sravika Yerneni

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: Sarika Temme-Bapat

MANAGING EDITOR Sally Pan Amanda Beard

SPORTS EDITOR Will Claussen

FEATURES EDITOR Nithya Mahakala

OPINIONS EDITOR Jack Lowrance

ONLINE EDITOR Sarika Temme-Bapat

BUSINESS MANAGERS Evan Moody Joseph Ni

ADVISER Chris Yarbrough

contents 05

EDITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LETTER TARUN RAMESH

DJ POTEET AKSHAY NAIR

FACEOFF ANIRUDDHA GUPTA BEN MINDER

MONTHLY BRIEFS

REMEMBRANCE OF SUSAN PARR AMANDA BEARD

STAFF EDITORIAL STAFF

STAFF

19*

TRAUTWEIN ASSEMBLY JOSEPH NI

A BALANCING ACT SHERRY LIANG MIRA SYDOW

THE LOW DOWN JACK LOWRANCE

ATHLETE PROFILE ALEX PERRY

FOOD REVIEW

SARIKA TEMME-BAPAT

SPORTS BRIEFS KATIE ARMSTRONG MEGAN CISTULLI

MISSING MASTERY JACK LOWRANCE

MUSIC COLUMN WILL CLAUSSEN MORGAN WHITE

FASHION EVAN MOODY

THE MESSENGER | 3

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Bridging the gap

ith controversy surrounding scientifically proven phenomenas such as pollution and climate change, this rampant disillusionment has spread to the world of mathematics as well. Lawmakers and company spokespeople alike have ignored the statical discrepancy of wages based on gender, known as the pay gap. Following the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics report, large companies such as Google and Facebook have been heavily scrutinized for their varied pay scale of similar positions based on a gender variable. In January, the US Department of Labor officially initiated an investigation into Google’s wage compensation policy claiming that the department had evidence of “systemic compensation disparities.” Litigators claimed that government analysis pointed towards deep gender discrimination within the Fortune 500 company. However, wage gap debates often boil to a ‘he said, she said’ argument rather than an discussion over methodology. In this case, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics worked in conjunction with the IRS and the US Census Department to create the most comprehensive variables to ensure fair and equal treatment of workers. While many deniers often cite occupation and women’s complacency with lower wage jobs, the new study standardized such samples to focus within a single industry/occupation rather than cross industry analysis. Manual labor jobs showed medium discrepancies with female truck drivers paid an approximate 84% of their male counterparts. Even taking education level and prior job experience into consideration, the report showed

that the results were statically significant to prove a “clear discrepancy in wage based on gender.” However, business based jobs showed an even greater difference in pay. Women were paid 65% of similar male wages in a financial managerial position. Another criticism stems from parenting. While wages of women are actually hurt by motherhood, many fathers actually receive boosts in wage. Dr. Killewad calls this phenomena the “fatherhood bonus,” a facade based on traditional patriarchal beliefs of a man supporting his household. The double standard of telling women not to have children, but encouraging fathers highlights the hypocrisies of deeply embedded bias. Even in female dominated fields, male equivalents are still statistically paid higher on average. Female elementary and middle school teachers are paid 89% of male salaries for jobs that often account for differences in education. Female maids are paid 86% of male wages, which locks women into fields that are inherently disadvantageous. A study by the American Association of University Women drew national attention after showing the higher median tip for men than women. In this capacity, the nation wide trend of wage inequalities creates a chilling effect by discouraging women from entering specific career projections or from attempting to advance up the corporate ladder. While the 77cents statistic may fail strict scrutiny, the overwhelming consensus of non-partisan, governmental agencies highlight gender wage inequalities. Rather than denying an issue, companies should take steps towards rectifying an injustice.

Tarun Ramesh, Editor-in-Chief

THE MESSENGER | 5

NEWS

IN BRIEF 4/13

Comedian Don Rickels dies at age 90 on April 6 due to kidney failure.

4/10 Alabama governor Robert Bently resigns under impeachment trial on April 10 6

President Donald Trump drops the Mother of all bombs in Afghanistan

On Mar. 24, all Northview teachers will be required to undergo training in order to work with students in the Community Based Instruction program that is being initiated in the 2017-2018 school year. This program will ensure that these new students have what they need to learn like any other student would. This program will help teach special needs students the basic skills of life as well as normal school curriculum, all in an environment that suits them. “Because it is a new program and because these students are not what we are used to, they require a different level of support,” Principal Brian Downey said. “Most of our staff has not been exposed to these kids.”

Th a G t

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

4/22

Northview’s annual talent show will take place on April 14. This year’s show will be organized by student council, and feature various musical and dance acts. “Masakaali”and “Dream High+XOXO+Quake” will be two of the dance groups that will be performing at both the talent show and international night. The event will be held in Northview’s auditorium, where the performances, scores and prizes will be given. “High school is an experience, not just academics, and part of it should be fun. Events like the talent show are fun exhibitions of our community,” said Principal Downey. Students will showcase their skills through various skits, dances and musical presentations. The night will end with an overall winner being chosen and awards being given out.

On April 9 Sergio Garcia won the 2017 Masters Tournament

3/31 Theresa May announces General Election

For the past fifteen years, Northview celebrates the last day before spring break to be a day of de-stressing and relaxing. “Titan Fest Day” is what the Friday before spring break is referred to, but the actual Titan Fest will occur during the last hour of the school day and classes will be cut short to accommodate it. During it students will be able to participate in club games and activities , purchase food and mingle with their friends. Not only will students be able to unwind, but the previous days that week will also have fun, relaxing activities occurring and themes with which students will dress up in accordance.

THE MESSENGER | 7

A Touching Message 8

JUSTINE ULRICH/STAFF

John Trautwein, founder of the Will to Live Foundation, addresses Northview students with his message of love and hope. The Will to Live Foundation works to prevent teen suicide by spreading positivity and encouraging “Life Teammates” to support and uplift each other. THE MESSENGER | 9

SPORTS

personal records 300m hurdles: 47.02 100m hurdles: 15.78 200m dash: 28.19

Profile: Sophia Hamill Track star Sophia Hamill pushes her limits year after year ALEX PERRY, STAFF WRITER

unior Sophia Hamill is a short distance runner and hurdler on the track team. Hamill’s mother is a very involved runner and Hamill started running at a young age because of her mother’s influence. In middle school she often joined her older friends at the local track; however, her first sport at Northview was softball. After softball season ended, Hamill realized she had an open spring semester and joined the track team. After joining the team, Hamill realized that both communities were pretty similar. “[Running] is a team sport too, but in a different way. You have a bigger team to support you,” Hamill said. On the track team, Hamill is known for being a positive influence and a strong runner, yet she is also modest about her abilities. “She is always positive and only wants to get better. She’s one of the best on the team but also one of the most modest,” Arah Cho, Northview senior and Hamill’s team mate said.

Her main event during freshman year was the 100 meter hurdles, and midway through her sophomore year, she became more experienced with the 300 meter hurdles. This season, Hamill broke her personal record of 15.78 seconds in the 100 hurdles event and has set her next goal on breaking

“[Running] is a team sport too, but in a different way. You have a bigger team to support you” Sophia Hamill 47 seconds in the 300 hurdles. Her personal record is 47.02 seconds. Hamill also runs the 200 meter and her personal record is 28.19. “Sophia has a great attitude on the track and you can tell that she really prac-

tices at her craft,” track coach Chad Davenport said. Hamill enjoys running because of the memories she makes with the team, and how during practice she is able to focus on running and not concentrate on the stress of school. However, Hamill recognizes the downside of running. She finds that the most stressful part about running is the time before a short distance event. “The worst part is just the time leading up to the event. You spend all this time practicing and you have less than 60 seconds to get the time you want,” Hamill said. Hamill is not currently thinking about college scholarships, but her ideal school is a good college where she is able to study medicine and run. “I would definitely recommend to anyone thinking about running to just join the team. You make so many great memories, and just get to meet new people,” Hamill said.

Girl’s Tennis

osing only one match this season, the Northview girls’ tennis team is doing exceptionally well this year. Cambridge was their only loss, and the team hopes that it will be the only one this season. Cambridge is a very well organized, competitive team, but the girls put up a good fight against them. “I believe our team has limited our struggles mentally and physically by staying positive and healthy. I’m extremely happy to have been able to play line one and two for our girls varsity tennis team as a freshman. I can’t wait to see how far all my lady titans will go this season,” freshman Chloe Brown said. Hoping to win the region tournament, or even go as far as winning championship rings this season, the Northview girls’ tennis team continues to work hard during practice and achieve their goals of success.

Junior Cody Lu prepares to hit a volley

SPORTS IN BRIEF MEGAN CISTULLI, STAFF WRITER KATIE ARMSTRONG, STAFF WRITER JUSTINE ULRICH, PHOTOGRAPHER

Boy’s Lacrosse

ith a rocky start, the Northview Boy’s Lacrosse team hopes to come together and turn their season around and win more games. Being low on players is one of the main problems contributing to the struggling team. Some players were forced to move to positions they aren’t used to, which has really slowed the team down. “I’m most proud of our defense. They always go 100 percent during practices and games. Sophomore Brandon Safarriyeh and sophomore Will Caylor are two close defenders that have been amazing this year and I’m very proud of them,” junior Noah Johnson said. Having new coaches this year is another one of the issues that the Northview boys’ lacrosse team has. It takes a while to get used to new players, but the coaches seem to be pushing the boys to work their hardest and will not give up on them. “We have the talent and the heart to succeed, but our fundamentals of the game are lacking. I’m proudofhowwellwehaveadaptedwithacompletely new coaching staff that runs very different plays

t h a n what we were accustomed to in the past,” junior Max Gound said. After a huge win against North Gwinnett on their senior night, the boys have punched their ticket to playoffs, where they hope to nicely cap their season.

Senior Kevin Siatkowski clears the ball up the field THE MESSENGER | 11

Justine Ulrich/STAFF

Track

he Northview Track team doesn’t give up to try to get better everyday and make progress on their running times. The team has a lot of talent, with some of the runners in the top 10 in the region for the some of the events. “A lot of the athletes on the team including me have been beating their times and working as hard as they can to become

Junior Sophia Hamill jumps a hurdle Junior Ashley Yin carries the ball

better runners,” Sophomore Lauren Tyler said. Some of Northview’s’ most talented runners are injured, and the track team has to work on taking care of themselves and keeping a healthy lifestyle. “I personally think we all around have the best team in the region. We have some of the best distance runners in the state. The main thing Coach Davenport preaches is staying consistent and improving. We can’t be satisfied with hitting a set time, we have to always want to do better. All he wants to do is see us succeed,” senior Malik Harper said. With the bipolar Georgia weather, it makes it hard to get through practices sometimes. It can be rough sometimes getting up at 6:30 to make the morning practices or the harsh sprints. Some new additions on the team like a sprinter, Junior Lisa Herman and sprinter/ jumper, Jonathan Baker are filling in the missing roles of what the team lost last year due to graduating seniors. There are some younger students on the track team, but they seem to be doing a great job and stepping up to the table with everything they have.

Girl’s Lacrosse

Justine Ulrich/STAFF

ith being undefeated in the region, and an overall record of 11-4 this season, the Lady Titans are doing outstanding this season. “For the rest of the season, we are only half-way, we are going to work very hard because it’s full of challenging, conference games. Some teams like Milton, Mill Creek, and North Gwinnett are going to be our biggest competition and we have to be mentally and physically prepared to beat them,” junior Ananda Thomas said. The girls had recently gone to a lacrosse tour-

nament in Maryland and beat one team, but lost to the other team they played. The team they had lost to was very talented, and was the state runner up for the state championship for Maryland, ending their previous season with an overall record of 19-0. “Our practices could use some work, but we are striving hard everyday to become a better team. I am proud of each and everyone of us, and especially the girls that have committed to colleges for the sport,” junior Madi Wangle said. The Northview Girls made a splash with a huge upset win against North Gwinnett, and currently hold the number one seed in their region.

SPORTS

Boy’s Soccer

he boys’ soccer team has had a rocky season with an overall record of 3-7 and one region win against Dunwoody. Head Coach John McCombe and players on the team believe that the community coach Sean Greenfield is helping the team with their small victories. “If he wasn’t there we would be struggling because his professional experience helps us,” senior Saba Iranikhah said. This is definitely a growing year for the boys’ soccer team, which is really frustrating for a lot of them. “We have a really young team that doesn’t have a lot of experience and that really hurts us on the field as you can see on our record,” junior Dio Briggs said. This struggling team hopes for a brighter future next year especially because their season was cut short before playoffs.

Girl’s Soccer

he girls’ soccer team has had a bumpy season so far with no region wins. The main reason for this is the excessive amount of injuries on the team. “The injuries are definitely putting a toll on the team, and we don’t have a lot of defense right now which definitely is noticeable,” junior Shelby Shepard said. With all of these injuries, the team only has one or two subs per game while other team have up to ten. The players believe that the team does not lack skill but lack the endurance required for a person to play an entire game. “The record really doesn’t matter to us anymore,” sophomore Paige Butcher said. As the team look towards a brighter future, their that their main goal will just be improving for next year.

Boy’s Baseball

Boy’s Tennis

n undefeated record and a previous state championship title gives the Northview tennis team its edge. The main competition this year for the team was Chattahoochee and Johns Creek, and they beat both teams in their matches 3-2. The team believes that all of the real competition for the school season is over. “There isn’t much pressure for defending the state title,” senior Gabe Caron said. The team says that they take one game at a time and are not affected by any pressure of any previous championship titles. The team placed second in nationals, and now they have a good chance for the region championship and state championship.

Justine Ulrich/STAFF

s the baseball team excels in their region with a 8-7 record and maintains a 20-7 record overall, they are reliant on a few more wins to make state playoffs. A recent overtime game win against Chattahoochee at the opening of the Will to Live Park has given the team a great confidence boost for the rest of the season, especially because they played a total of 13 innings. Surprised that the boys were able to easily build back team chemistry after last season, senior CJ Sell believes that this is why the team is so successful. “We already had a lot of team chemistry, but once the seniors left from last year, I wasn’t sure that it was going to be the

s a m e ,” Sell said. T h e team and coaches believe that they will go even farther than last year and will continue to play well even with their lack of pitching on the team.

Senior Michael Trautwein awaits the coming pitch THE MESSENGER | 13

DJ Poteet continues to smash Baseball player DJ Poteet shows promise as his baseball career in high school ends and a college career begins AKSHAY NAIR AND SHASHANK GANESHAN, STAFF WRITERS

aving already committed to play for University of Wake Forest’s baseball team, DJ Poteet has his sights set one step further: the Major League (MLB). In August, Poteet officially committed to Wake Forest after receiving offers from multiple offers from other Division I schools. Wake Forest is an ACC powerhouse school and the academics coupled with their baseball program was an offer he could not refuse. However, he has always had thoughts of fulfilling his dream to play in the Majors by entering the draft after high school and skipping college. His athleticism and talents have helped him get named a Pre-Season Under Armour All American and get invited to the MLB Player Development Program, a program where the top prospects in Georgia could showcase their talents to professional scouts. His ability to keep up with the top prospects in Georgia illustrated how he could succeed by entering the draft from high school. Northview baseball coach Aaron Wilkens believes

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Poteet will succeed no matter what he chooses and knows the immense pressure associated with his resolution, but Wilkens believes there is no wrong option. “Once the MLB draft comes, he’ll have a tough decision to make, but it’ll be a win-win. He can’t go wrong either way,” Wilkens said. For Northview, Poteet has been an invaluable asset to the team. His power and switch hitting ability (where he can hit on his right or left side) makes him a threat to all teams facing Northview. Furthermore, his leadership role and lead by example type model has been an important to the team’s success this season. Captain Matthew Pacifico believes Poteet’s mentorship of younger players and likeability has been critical to the team’s development and success. “He’s the glue that holds the team together as far as the balance of being good and great. Without him we’re just another team, but with him we are a team that can win championships,” Pacifico said. Baseball is different from other sports in terms of the draft. Once a player is drafted to negotiate with that team, and the two sides will try to come to an agreement on contract specifics such as signing bonus and salary. After signing he would go straight to play in the Minor league. On the other hand, once he steps onto the Wake Forest campus, he is ineligible to enter the draft until he is 21 years old or after his junior year in college. For Poteet, the decision is nearly impossible to make. The illustrious offer to fulfill his dream of playing professional baseball would mean skipping out on a college experience which he will never be able to gain. Over the summer, Poteet will have to make a difficult choice, but his main focus is one thing: baseball. “It would be exciting to get the opportunity to play professional baseball after high school [but] baseball will end at some point in my life and an education and college degree will last forever. There are pros and cons to both decisions but in the end I just want to play baseball,” Poteet said.

sh records

SPORTS

Season Recap: Baseball ANIRUDDHA GUPTA, STAFF WRITER

orthview’s baseball team has been having one of the best seasons in the school’s history. The team is 21-7 overall and 8-7 in the region. Northview plays in a competitive region including Pope High School, who is nearly undefeated in the region. Northview’s success can be attributed to the leadership and experience of eleven seniors. The team hopes to make it to playoffs and perform better than last year in the postseason, when they were cut short of the championship. The team bond has strengthened throughout the season and juniors and seniors take a mentor role with the underclassmen. “Everyone respects each other as equals,” junior Colton McDaniel said. “It is very mentor-like with focusing on how the younger guys can get better instead of saying I am going to get my reps and then stand at the back of the line. It’s hands on helping, assisting, and teaching.” Going into the season, the baseball team had lost one of the best pitchers from last year, Tommy Trautwein. Pitching, however, has not been much of an issue this season and Northview has worked on that area. The team has also improved on hitting throughout the season, one of their weaker areas. This helps them have a more dynamic offense. “We are pretty solid overall; we are a good hitting team,” Matthew Pacifico said. “We thought that going into the year that pitching was going to be a weakness because we lost one of our best pitchers, but it turns out that we have been doing fine pitching.” Northview baseball has been an impressive team this season. They were even ranked top 25 in the nation once this season and with several region wins, they have increased their seed placement for the playoffs. The team is coached by Aaron Wilkens, who is very invested in the training of the team and scouting the other opposing teams. “Last year, some of the success we had, they did not take for granted,”Wilkens said. “They liked the feeling of having success. They are thirsty for more.”

JUSTINE ULRICH/STAFF

T H E THE M E SMESSENGER S E N G E R | 1 15 5

"One of the most encouraging teachers I've ever had” “She reminded us that we are all life teammates, and just like her, we need to treat each other with kindness and positivity while we still have the chance to.” “She made sure we had a smile on our face when we came in and a smile on our face when we left.” “She made sure we had a smile on our face when we came in and a smile on our face when we left.” “Rest in peace Mrs. Parr. Thanks for making the world a little bit brighter.” “She had so much passion, she really loved being a teacher.” “Her words a Titan: made myThe day, Passing made me feltof proud of myself for the first time on just a small improvement. Words cannot describe me how much she influenced me. She had A Mpersonality... A N DA B E A R D, W Smiss E D I Ther O R so much...” such a bright weN Eall “She didn’t care really about the numbers it is more about how you developed as a person and I think that really positively impacted everyone in confidence in the class, not just in the academics, but in general.” “She built you up and was just so genuine and caring.” “Parr-fect.” “There’s no way to pick out a specific moment with her because there was something special about everyday.” “She was one of those teachers that was just really passionate about their subject so I would say that’s a word that describes her: passion.

Susan Parr

FEATURES

“S

usan wasn’t exactly a technology guru, but I’ll give her this, she jumped in full force and wanted to learn as best she could,” Northview social studies teacher Raymond Brown said. “Except this one time. During a preplanning meeting once she fell asleep on her keyboard. She ended up rotating the screen and was too embarrassed to ask anybody how to fix it so for a week she typed with her laptop on its side, her hands in the air and her head cocked to the side.” At the very end of the final period on March 28, Principal Brian Downey came on the intercom asking teachers to report to the media center. The bell rang and the familiar chaos of students going home ensued with normalcy. Yet, at home, students received devastating news. Susan Parr, the beloved AP Psychology and world history teacher at Northview High School, passed away on March 27, 2017 at the age of 60. “On Tuesday, the morning after we knew she had…I came in late but that didn’t stop me from crying more. The whole class was crying,” Anita Zhang, a junior in Parr’s class, said. Parr , who mainly taught AP Psychology with a single class of world history, always proved to be a remarkable teacher. As far as grades, Parr’s class average for the AP exams came to a 4.3 in the 2015/16 school year. Students are required to learn and memorize challenging vocabulary as well as acquire skills to relate the subject matter to everyday life. While this task may seem impossible to some, Parr made it a point to relate everything in day to day life back to psychology. “She had so much passion, she really

loved being a teacher; loved interacting with the kids and absolutely loved psychology,” Brown said. “This was her life. This is where she was happiest.” At the end of the social studies hallway in Northview High School, there is one room in which there is no normalcy. The board is covered with every quote Parr is known for and personal messages from anyone impacted by her passing. Students sit quietly in desks either choking back tears or comforting a friend. Teachers line

“I’m fortunate to have made many happy memories with her”

-Callie Christiansen the wall offering consul, yet are also grieving the loss of an esteemed colleague and more importantly a friend. “Walking into class the next day all I did was cry silently, so scared of what others would say or think if they heard my sobs and hiccups, but I was not the only one,” Callie Christiansen, a AP Psychology student, said. “I think her death, common to many others, reminds us of just how amazing of a person she really was, and I’m fortunate to have made many happy memories with her.”

The week Parr passed also happened to coincide with Titan Fest, where Northview students and faculty are permitted to dress up in funky clothes, and the week ends with a carnival the last day. The day after news regarding Parr’s passing came out was initially meant to be Hawaiian Day, and kids could dress in bright florals and vibrancy, but the message to wear black in remembrance of Parr was instead quickly spread amongst the student body. A fear of students still unaware of the tragedy before coming to school the next day caused stress for many, yet the sight of an entire student body and faculty wearing black caused a wave of surprise and emotion, reflecting the legacy and mark Parr left on each Northview titan. To help with this period of transition, social studies teachers Mike Dixon and Stephanie Zavlanos, have taken Parr’s students under their wings and will work together to finish any teaching needed for the rest of the school year. “Being neighbors in the school, the people I work with I see more than I would see family...And those everyday interactions [with Parr] are what I’m going to miss the most. I mean it kind of highlighted my day,” Dixon, who has been a close friend of Parr for almost ten years, said. Although her presence in her classroom is gone, Susan Parr’s legacy remains untouched. She will forever be remembered for being a light at Northview. A true titan with a passion for teaching, Parr was an inspiration to all those she met. Thank you for teaching us how to truly embody a titan.

T H E THE M E SMESSENGER S E N G E R | 117 7

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A B L N I G A A C N ACT A discussion of the role of parent involvement at Northview High School. SHERRY LIANG, MIRA SYDOW, STAFF WRITERS

THE MESSENGER | 19

While most teenagers exercise relative autonomy in their social lives, with no teachers, administrators, or coaches to answer to, every night Cameron’s* dad scans his texts for unknown names and new messages, keeping mental tabs of his friends and interactions at school. In both academics and athletics, Cameron’s dad constantly monitors his progress, but this restrictive relationship is not an unfamiliar scene for him. Ever since he was a young boy, Cameron began to notice some discrepancies between his parents and his friends’ parents. His friends would comment on the unusual severity of punishments he received routinely. His parents’ insistent judgement has caused him to lose interest in past hobbies he had a passion for, provoking him to rebel in an effort to distance himself from this stifling atmosphere. “The overparenting leads to a will to rebel,” Cameron said. “You kind of want to push back and rebel more, and sometimes you try to hide everything because of the fear factor of your parents seeing something they don’t approve of.” Today, he believes this constant pressuring is reflected throughout his social and academic lives. The persisting criticism wears Cameron’s self-confidence, and even though the concept of “tough love” is effective, he still believes empathy can go a long way, especially for the low self-esteems of teenagers. “Kids that are growing up into teen-

age years already have low self-esteem, and sometimes constant pressuring makes it worse,” Cameron said. “It’s in my own best interest in the sense that they want me to do well, but I also think it is important for parents to maintain a healthy balance of involvement with their kids.” Parents must find an appropriate balanced relationship, and miscommunications may inhibit growth instead of promoting it. Between spreading his message through the Will to Live Foundation and parenting his own children, Northview parent John Trautwein recognizes the difficulties for parents and children alike to adapt to the generation gap. With the plethora of opportunities for students in today’s world, it is difficult for parents to get lost in taking advantage of these experiences. “The most common mis-communication is actually a misunderstanding in that the parents, just like me, are so excited about the wonderful opportunities that our kids have in today’s world, that we fail to realize the immense pressures that these opportunities bring,” Trautwein said. Another obstacle in parenting today is the introduction of the challenges social media presents. The newfound adversities dealing with technology presents an entirely different reality; a difference parents find difficult adjust to. Social media now dictates a teenager’s

social life, developing outlets of stress never taken into consideration before. With this discrepancy between generations, it is vital for parents to foster an empathetic and balanced relationship with their children. Children often lose their chance to be kids between school and extracurriculars, but Trautwein stresses the importance for parents to understand and readjust to the pressures put on today’s kids. “Our kid are losing in that they are spending a far higher percentage of their time studying, and preparing for the future than they do enjoying the present,” Trautwein said. “As a parent, I need to show them that I understand that life today for teens is not easy. A trusted adult ‘knows and shows’ that it’s hard.” Administrators are often the key facilitators between parents and the school, addressing parents’ concerns with their children’s academic lives. From Assistant Principal Susan Walker’s vantage point, achieving a balanced relationship between a student, parent, and administrator is easier said than done. As a mother of two, Walker alternates between the roles of parent and administrator and strongly believes in a communicative equilibrium. As a parent she feels compelled to involve herself as much as she can in her children’s lives, but as an administrator she discovered the importance of allowing them to grow on their own.

Cameron and Kelly are aliases for a Northview student and teacher, respectively, who have chosen to stay anonymous. The Messenger staff has chosen these names for them to protect their identities. Any similarities to real student or staff members’ names are purely coincidental.

FEATURES McDaniel remarks that in the athletic department, parents communicate with coaches mostly without incident and continue to supp o r t their children with a n

“When you start getting involved and directing them and making decisions for them that are not in the best interest of the child, that’s when you see problems.” -Chad Davenport

“ I t ’ s m a k i n g sure that parents unders t a n d w h a t ’s going on and are involved in their child’s e d u c a t i o n ,” Walker said. “But it is also making sure that we’re teaching our students to be self advocates and to be responsible for themselves.” From the vantage point as a parent, Walker has a more informed perspective on the parental concerns she deals with such as scheduling conflicts or discipline issues. Walker makes a point to hear all sides of the conflict and recognizes the importance of understanding the concerns of both the parents and students. “The delicate position that we’re in is deciding where they’re coming from,” Walker said. “We have to make sure we hear all sides of a story about grades, even if someone appears to be a ‘helicopter parent.’” Parental supervision is prevalent in all dimensions of a high schooler’s life. From academics to athletics and other extracurriculars, parents set expectations for their children’s achievements As both a parent and a coach, Athletic Director Scotty McDaniel oversees the progress of Northview’s athletes, involved in aiding parents and students in the process of getting recruited by colleges. Parents’ concerns range from minor conflicts about playing time to going as far as switching schools for their athlete.

agreea b l e

amount of involvement. “As you move closer to the high school level, especially here, at Northview, the parents really are not that bad,” McDaniel said. “They really do back off and let the coaches coach, and I don’t deal with a lot of complaints.” Unlike other sports, college recruiting for football players is entirely based on their performance with their high school team, which made f o r m e r football c o a c h C h a d Davenport a key figure in bridging the g a p between a t h l e t e s’ parents and the school. Par-

ents would first come to Davenport with any concerns, so he was involved with information about their child’s college opportunities given the season they had. Often, parents approach him with unrealistic expectations for their child’s future. While parents’ involvement is vital in the success of student athletes, Davenport encourages them to be realistic and educate themselves about opportunities. “You want to be involved in your kids, but when you start getting involved and directing them and making decisions for them that are not in the best interest of the child, that’s when you see problems,” Davenport said. “A lot of times, parents aren’t realistic. They don’t understand what their child may or may not be able to do.” Senior Jeremy Yuan is all too familiar with the process of college recruitment for tennis, and his father’s involvement began when he was only 4-years-old, introducing him to the sport. In the beginning, his father’s role was to foster Yuan’s passion in tennis, but as he grew older, he instilled the importance in focusing on the sport. Throughout the years, Yuan’s parent’s balanced involvement gave Yuan the chance

“Honesty goes a long way when it comes to building a strong relationship; my parents began to trust my decisions more and more, and I knew I trusted their decisions from the beginning.” -Jeremy Yuan

THE MESSENGER | 21

to develop his own appreciation for tennis, culminating in his success. Signing onto University of Chicago’s men’s tennis team, Yuan reflects on the vital role his parents played in encouraging his competitive drive. “Their unique oversight gave me the ability to motivate myself, setting bars and goals for myself in everything I do,” Yuan said. “As I’ve matured, I’ve been able to find my true self on the tennis court and realize that I wouldn’t h a v e traded tennis for anything.”* I n addition to spending hours on the court, Yuan is still expected to uphold an academic standard, and while that academic standard is not as strictly enforced as tennis, Yuan sees it as an opportunity to motivate himself instead of relying on external pressures, which he has found to be more impactful to him in the long run. His self-motivation supplemented with a strong parental support system is a key factor for students’ success at Northview. For senior Amanda Zhang, her parents’ biggest contribution was fostering a trusting relationship. Even though many of her accomplishments are a product of her independent efforts and determination, she credits her parents with giving* her the necessary resources for her to succeed. “A lot of people assumed that my parents pressured me to take a lot of the classes I did, but I ended up doing a lot of that pressuring myself,” Zhang said. “Honesty goes a long way when it comes to building a strong relationship; my

parents began to trust my decisions more and more, and I knew I trusted their decisions from the beginning.” Even though many of her accomplishments are a product of her independent efforts and determination, she credits her parents with providing her the necessary resources for her to succeed. From flute to dance to school, the versatility and extensiveness of her talents reflects her parents’ constant encouragement and support. The most rewarding part for Zhang’s mother, Zheng Hui, has been witnessing Zhang’s journey of discovery throughout her endeavors. “Of course I wanted to be involved, but I wanted Amanda to set her own goals and develop her own plans because in the future, she will have to work independently in college and in her job,” Hui said. Raised by a hands on mother, Social Studies teacher Raymond Brown resented her involvement when he was younger, but as he grew older, his accomplishments were put into perspective and largely reflective of his mother’s continued persistence and dedication. Brown realized that his parents’ involvement in life ultimately promoted a supportive environment for him, even if he initially objected it. “At the time I hated it, but in hindsight, I wish she’d pushed me even more,” Brown said. “Now I can see what I was able to accomplish with her pushing me.” Parents are a crucial aspect of a school’s environment, encouraging their students to perform to their greatest potential. Northview’s rigorous environment is a result of the competitive culture parents have established at Northview, and the parents’ culture influences the student body’s motivation to succeed. As a teacher, Brown perceives these parents

“The parents have collectively established a society and expectation of success..” -Raymond Brown

to be instrumental in the classroom since they hold students accountable for the work put in outside of school. “I honestly think that Northview is where it is at not because of the teachers or the administrators. I think Northview is the way it is because of the parents,” Brown said. “The parents have collectively established a society and expectation of success.” Counselors at Northview interact with parents regularly in regards to course selection and college decisions, and the parents Counselor Kelly* meets with perpetuates an expectation of success. While she understands these concerns come from a good place, more often than not, she finds discrepancies between the parent and the student. Whether this be miscommunication or disregarding the other’s perspective, this sometimes interferes with the student’s best interest. “Sometimes they do need to step in and advocate for their student, but we’re just asking for them to give their son or daughter a chance first,” Kelly said. “I would like to think there’s a way to achieve a balance of listening and following a parent’s wishes but also empowering the student to explore.” A quality Principal Brian Downey prides Northview on is the prominent role parents hold in the community. Whether it be helping students choose courses or merely acting as a support system, he recognizes the significance parents play in determining their children’s future. “I think what makes this community so successful is that your parents are engaged,” Downey said. “They’ll reach out to us. That’s the right level of engagement.” In a high achieving environment like Northview, parents’ level of engagement is reflected in the work-ethic and achievements of the students, and as a principal, this engagement can only further the progress and excellence in the future of the school and its students.

FEATURES

“Tiger” Parents? The stereotype of the “Tiger Parent” continues to follow many parents in the Northview community. But is this label reality or caricature? SHASHANK GANESHAN, STAFF WRITER

n Northview, the success students face can be attributed most directly to the parents, that ensure that they are greatly involved in their child’s academic and extracurricular endeavors. This enthusiasm manifests itself in parents frequently contacting teachers, checking in on how their children are doing regularly, joining the PTSA, and volunteering in other school events or for sports teams. Parents that heavily include themselves in all aspects of their student’s life are considered as tiger parents. There is no doubt overinvolvement from the parents can render a reverse and negative impact on their children, particularly if the student is already motivated, but the negative consequences are greatly outweighed by the benefits that come with having their parents care about what they are doing in school. At the end of the day, tiger parents

essentially are expressing their care and their desire to help their student succeed academically, athletically, and extracurricularly throughout high school. Their sole mission is positive, and frequently, their efforts are successful as they provide an external source of motivation and urgency for students to finish all their school work and other tasks that must be done. Since parents are held in a high regard amongst their kids, the students then comply and in turn various benefits that they would not otherwise have seen had their parents not been involved. For many students, I have seen it be a helping hand along the way even when times get stressful, and as a result, the student gain important skills like perseverance, hard work, and dedication, which he or she can then utilize later in their life. The negative side of tiger parents’ ef-

forts is when some students get frustrated with their parents getting over involved and start asserting themselves as another authority in the student’s academic career. This could lead to demotivation and irritate students because every aspect of their lives becomes an issue that involves both the parent and student, infringing upon the their privacy. This, however, happens on rare occasions because majority of the time this “tiger parent” involvement can bring the kids closer to their parents. High school students, in general, become more independent and gravitate away for their parents, but this scenario forces more contact between the parent and student improving and sustaining a valuable relationship. Furthermore, students come to appreciate their parents more because they see how much their parents care about them and their success.

THE MESSENGER | 23

OPINIONS

Bezoria/SPECIAL

Writer’s Digest

Bezoria

The Messenger’s Monthly Food Review SARIKA TEMME-BAPAT, ONLINE EDITOR

or anyone searching for an alternative to Chipotle (“Again?”) Bezoria is a welcome discovery. Opposite the Avalon, Bezoria is ‘choose your own adventure’ Mediterranean fare. In the style of Chipotle and NaanStop, Bezoria offers a carb (pita bread), filled with a choice of protein (chicken, steak, or falafel), and topped with a variety of veggies and sauces, including hummus, tahini, and garlic sauce. Bezoria was conceived when three men: one Palestinian, one Pakistani, one Indian, came together and asked themselves what was missing in the area’s food scene, and with only one other location in Midtown, Bezoria truly is a novel experience. The name is a portmanteau of Bazaar and ‘euphoria’. Neon script spelling Bezoria in Arabic, glows on the wall. The restaurant offers friendly service, and is more intimate and offbeat than its Mexican counterpart. With rainbow colored lights flash-

ing in the bathroom and colored appliques plastered across the walls, Bezoria’s decor is hardly the epitome of elegance, but neon signs on the walls and lanterns hanging above the tables give the place a funky, youthful feel. Casual and laid back, Bezoria feels easy, quick, satisfying, and offers an abundance of options. The falafel was just average, but the sandwich: falafel, flame grilled veggies, spicy, tangy hummus, all wrapped in fluffy pita, came together for a satisfying meal. The portions were near-perfect and reasonably priced. Customers who can never get enough flavor should go straight for the garlic sauce, but first timers should be wary. For those familiar with the traditional Middle Eastern honey pastry, the baklava offered at Bezoria is texturally off- almost gritty- and chewing as if it was somehow less than fresh. The flavor, however, is outstanding, and like any good bakla-

va, it is near impossible to stop at just on piece; we wouldn’t recommend sharing. Bezoria is a fun, convenient way to get introduced to Mediterranean food for those who are new to the genre, and a fresh take on some traditional favorites for diehard Mediterranean foodies. Anyone spending an afternoon at the Avalon would do well to stop by for an easy bite to eat.

Bezoria Mediterranean Restaurant 2685 Old Milton Pkwy, Ste 150, A Alpharetta, GA 30009 (470) 294-0991 bezoria.com

OPINIONS

A+ Missing Mastery

The American educational system has over-emphasized the importance of test scores and is paying the ultimate price. It’s time to return to a system focused on mastery. JACK LOWRANCE, OPINIONS EDITOR

f a construction crew were only allotted two weeks to build the foundation of a building --and after those two weeks were forced to move on, no matter if everything was completed-- it would surely collapse upon reaching a certain height. Thankfully, construction crews do not operate this way. Yet one of the most influential institutions in our society does: our educational system. Our society will forever be handicapped until we shift the focus of education from test scores toward mastery. In almost every other organized institution of our society, evidence of mastery serves as the benchmark for advancement. In athletics, for example, a novice would never be rushed through a set of skills and then thrown into a varsity basketball game. He would be taught to dribble and pass and shoot layups. Then move on to shooting from mid-range and doing simple crossovers. And finally, he would have to master three point shooting and the most advanced moves. Of course, this is grossly over simplifying the sport–– but the point is clear: progressively mastering

each skill is imperative for success. And education is no different. Over the course of their academic careers, many students are rushed through

Its effectiveness decides the fate of our societal success Its failure is our failure. It needs to change. topics imperative to success further down the road. If a student fails a test, it is highly unlikely that he will have the opportunity to continue working at it until he fully understands it. Instead, the class will move on to the next topic–– therefore leaving the confused student in the dust. In two years, when the student needs that

skill to perform a new topic, he’ll struggle. And this reveals the flaw in our current system that its creators didn’t anticipate: education builds on itself. But the system isn’t just dis-servicing students, it’s labeling them as failures. Students who can’t grasp a concept in the arbitrary allotted time are viewed as idiots, when, in fact, they may be far from such. Playing with one hand behind its back, our educational system is falsely neglecting capable contributors to society based on their perceived stupidity. The stupidity, however, may be in the system itself. Education is one system that can’t merely be serviceable. It should strive for perfection. And currently, it’s nowhere near. However, it can take a great leap in the right direction if we begin teaching for mastery instead of test scores. As the backbone of a liberal democratic society, education is not something with which we should tamper carelessly. Its effectiveness decides the fate of our societal success. Its failure is our failure. It needs to change.

THE MESSENGER | 25

faceoff:

Are competitive school environments conducive to learning? 26

OPINIONS

yes BEN MINDER, STAFF WRITER

hroughout history, mankind has been driven forward by competition. The space race, the Industrial Revolution, the Manhattan Project, all brought great advances by way of competition. Schools are no different. They are designed to bring out the hidden potential in students, and identify who has the most potential. There is the argument that only one person can truly win a competition, but in a school, students that compete are going to do more than they would have. For instance, if a teacher were to put an incentive for getting the highest score on an assignment, it would drive everyone to work for the reward. They are going beyond the minimum and try to be the winner. They are going to try and be the person that has all the glory. Northview is a perfect example. One of the primary reasons Northview does so well in so many different areas is

because there are people here that are dedicated. They are determined to compete with other schools and each other to be the best. Northview has such high competition that the average student would be above average at other schools. Without competition in schools, most students surely wouldn’t put forth their best efforts. If someone wanted to join the football team, and there was no competition, then nobody would put forth any effort, or push themselves to play well. If not actively fighting for a spot on the team, or in a class, then the only lesson that a school would teach is that life is always fair. And everybody is going to get exactly what they want. And as great as that sounds, it simply is not true. When students initially realize that they can not be their best by themselves, they seek help. Cooperation is the end re-

sult of competition. People begin to work together and find better ways to be their best. How many times has studying with another person in your class helped your grade? How many times has checking homework with a classmate helped you understand something? Through enough competition, people will eventually cooperate when things get rough. And that is beneficial for all involved. Competition is the best way to teach students to cooperate, and everyone learns more because of it. Competition is healthy. People have always gotten more out of competition with one another than all getting what they want without having to fight for it. Without a healthy amount of competition, our school would be much less effective and every student would not be where they are academically.

no ANIRUDDHA GUPTA, STAFF WRITER

student’s GPA and extracurricular awards are important in the college admission process. Due to such a high level of competition, students strive towards academic excellence to be at the top of their class. Many may believe this to be a positive aspect of competition. But this is not the case because striving to be academically excellent does not guarantee true learning. Most students rely on memorization for tests, and stress too much about doing better than peers instead of thoroughly learning the material. In competitive academic environments many students solely memorize the information that they expect to see on tests. Yielding high scores in the short term, students can easily be deceived by the woes of rote memorization. But in doing so, students sacrifice the true value of learning. Most students forget the material after taking a test. Creativity and a sense of intellectual curiosity are essential to learning. By memorizing for a higher GPA, a student sacrifices these aspects of learning. This process, a result of high competition, ren-

ders a student desireless to expand his knowledge and hinders creativity. Teachers should increase the number of lessons involving hands on learning group projects and make have project grades more important than test grades. This way, students are taken away from the system of memorization, and must focus on actually learning; group projects will also lower the level of competition because the peers become essential to a student’s grade. Academic competition can be disadvantageous for students if prone to stress. Many students, especially in Johns Creek worry that they will not be admitted into a good college and fear their parents and peers expectations. At Northview, taking away class ranks was supposed to decrease competition. However, competition manages to increase every year and competition is still at a high level. Taking away the class ranks has had a reverse effect on competition because of the anxiety induced through not knowing one’s current standing. Students give up extracurricular activities, sports, musical interests, drama or communi-

ty events to focus solely on academics in order to increase their standings among peers, leading to unbalanced lives. Competition brings chaos to a student’s life and many experience depression and unhealthy levels of stress. Competition can never be completely eliminated; it is human nature to strive to win and to be the best there ever was. It is important to cherish that fiery aspect of the human spirit. However, winning should not include wishing failure upon fellow peers. Students need to realize that they are in charge of their future because they create their own resumes. Increasing the number of hands on learning experiences at school in groups will also reduce competition. Posting class ranks will decrease anxiety and stress that comes with not knowing ranks until second semester junior year. Student should care about grades, standardized test scores, and extracurriculars, but maintaining a healthy life and actually learning by reducing competition is much more important.

THE MESSENGER | 27

COLUMNS

STAFF EDITORIAL

Obsessing over Nothing

he NFL, MLB, and NBA are among many of the multimillion dollar corporations who thrive off of America’s unhealthy obsession with the sports industry. Football players have their own clothing lines; society idolizes them as “warriors” and “godlike” beings. Veterans, who actually put their lives on the line everyday to ensure freedom and justice for all, find themselves cast aside. Although sporting events dedicate the first few minutes to honor veterans, the big leagues reserve the other ninety percent of the time to indulge in lionizing athletes, watching all the local games and memorizing sports statistics. Professional sports in America reflect not the best, but the worst, of an American society that obsessively feeds on both immoral and narcissistic behavior. Demands for public subsidies for new stadiums from affluent owners and teams, immoral acts and committed by athletes and coaches, and reports of doping, dishonesty, and scandals dominate the news. These negative moral and ethical influences develop with a child’s participation in sports from an early age. Our nation’s schools typically pour more funds into sports programs compared to the arts or mathematics programs. Participating in sports gradually morphed from a learning experience to a vicious cycle. Joining sports teams at an early age supposedly instill the concepts of not only striving to be the best, but also putting effort into training to compete, understanding how to act in a team, and learning how to ethically play by the rules. Unfortunately, rather than building character around this concept of “excellence,” many of our kids today find themselves involved in overly structure programs and camps. Obsessive parents and coaches

who stress high standards of winning at any cost target the ones who show superior skill at a sport, valuing professional recognition over the debilitation of the children’s own bodies and moral standings. Some former top athletes and coaches feed parents’ obsessions by capitalizing on their willingness to spend heavily on camps and private coaching, some starting at $400 an hour. Even though their expectations can sometimes be out of whack, parents pay the price and their children attend, sacrificing time, emotion, and childhood. There are some three million high school players and by the time that number is scaled that down to the quarterback position there are a couple of hundred thousand starters, as well as Division I and II, there are 360 quarterbacks. Then, there are 64 in the NFL, which do not prove to be very good odds. Parents believe these investments are justified, thinking they will lead to a full ride to college, an assumption which is highly misinformed. The percentage of high school kids who go on to play in college is extremely small— under 5 percent for most sports—, and the number of kids getting school aid is even smaller—3 percent. High school and college sports programs continue to reinforce this pressed culture of sports egotism, offering special scholarships and revenues from alumni and administrators more concerned about the ranking of their alma mater’s sports team rather than the quality of the institution’s academic standing. Of course sports bring in revenue, but the glorification of athletes denigrates the politicians, scientists, and academics who have dedicated their lives towards societal advancement.

COLUMNS

THE LOW DOWN

Give Him A Chance? Over the short span of Trump’s presidency many things have gone wrong. Were we right to question him?

JACK LOWRANCE, OPINIONS EDITOR

s I write this column, It has been 138 days since Donald Trump was elected president. And much has happened over the course of such a short time. Our new president has let us down in a multitude of ways. Some extraordinarily large, and others seemingly insignificant yet equally magnitudinous. President Trump has attempted to ban refugees seeking to immigrate to our country for their religion; miserably failed in rallying his Republican Majority congress around a healthcare bill; spent around a third of his time as president on vacation; and spent an obscene amount of taxpayer money shuttling between his Mar-a-Lago Resort and the White House. Honestly, his presidency is largely going as expected. But the most galling part of Trump’s idiocracy may not be the failure and incompetence. It’s the fact that his sympathizers were telling the rest of us after the election to ‘give him a chance.’ We were told to wait and see what would happen. Well... I tried that. I withheld my judgment for as long as I could bear. And then I watched as he did what, err, almost anyone could have predicted.

Give him a chance? In the United States, our political system should be a beacon for all that we stand for, but instead it has become a poignant circus caught in a state of utter disarray. It shouldn’t be a cliche for politicians to always lie, yet it is. The president shouldn’t be under investigation for his connections with Russia, yet he is. Twenty million people’s access to healthcare shouldn’t be an object of political meddling, yet it is. Though many Americans may feel lied to, it’s not as if his job performance was a surprise. In hindsight, the advice to give him a chance was useless. Giving Trump a chance is like eating gas station sushi: you don’t really have to ‘wait and see’ to know the result. But honestly, I’d put my money on the sushi over a successful Trump presidency everyday of the week. Give him a chance? Apparently, President Trump never had a plan from the beginning. Maybe he didn’t anticipate an actual victory. Or maybe he thought he could figure everything out once he got elected. But whatever his thought process was, it was wildly evident on the campaign trail

that he would not make for a successful president. His schoolyard insults, bullying, and blatant bigotry made it obvious. I didn’t need to ‘wait and see.’ He’s an ornery septuagenarian. And as the old saying goes, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Give him a chance? I sincerely hope that our government can turn it around and make some truly beneficial progress, but it would be foolish not to call out the failures and incompetence that have surrounded our new president. Unsurprisingly, the notion that we should ‘wait and see’ or ‘give the man a chance’ was a weak attempt at convincing dissenters that a lying, bombastic candidate wouldn’t act the same way as president. And as long as we accept this flawed approach, we will be stuck with the same results: horrible politicians. It was Albert Einstein who once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Have we gone insane? Give him a chance? The world has seen that film before.

THE MESSENGER | 29

music

MORGAN WHITE, STAFF WRITER

1. Something Just Like ThisThe Chainsmokers and Coldplay 2. HUMBLE.- Kendrick Lamar 3. Body Like a Back Road- Sam Hunt 4. Issues- Julia Michaels

April Top 5

5. Sign of the Times- Harry Styles

Harr y Styles

he debut single, Sign of the Times, brings a fresh contrast to Styles’ past chart toppers as 1/4 of the pop boyband “One Direction”. Styles’ slow, yet slightly monotone, rock ballad attempts to mimic a pink floyd-esc song. However, he falls just below the line as Styles begins to fall into a much more mainstream flow, failing to meet any expectations set for the album. While Styles’ is able to mimic a very popular genre of music, the unoriginality of the music is too adamant to be enjoyed.

More Life

ore Life follows his hit album Views, but in no way recreates the feeling that came with it. More Life in no way can compare to his prior releases and really strays from what made his music good. The album is chock full of weak collaborations, and with almost no standout pieces, the album as a whole lacks any pop. The lackluster album strays away from the deep tones and vibes that came along with his prior albums, and makes his new take nothing more than Jamaican lounge music.

fashion

COLUMNS

EVAN MOODY, BUSINESS MANAGER

welcoming spring

Jordan Stewart models a summer selection that samples from several decades of American fashion, but exudes youth and freedom. To achieve this look, she takes advantage of the heat, knowing that Americana fashion is at its best underneath the glare of the noonday sun.

J.S. THE MESSENGER | 31

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32 3 2 | OPINIONS

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