Vol. 14, Issue 2

the messenger

VOL 14/ISS 2

THE ROUTE TO RECRUITS P. 13

masthead CONTACT US

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

STAFF WRITERS

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

Jessica Ma Tarun Ramesh

PUBLICATION

NEWS EDITOR

Amanda Beard Brooke Casal Sophia Choi Will Claussen Rameen Forghani Sarah Jang Jack Lowrance Nithya Mahakala Austin Meng Akshay Nair Joseph Ni Dennis Ottlik Caroline Pennington Mahima Pirani Niharika Sinha Sarika Temme-Bapat Morgan White

Sneha Gubbala

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.

Sally Pan

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Connie Xu

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.

ONLINE EDITOR

ADVERTISING

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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: Connie Xu

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MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR Maggie Brenan

FEATURES EDITOR Connie Xiao

OPINIONS EDITOR Andrew Teodorescu

PHOTO EDITOR Tiffany Xu

PHOTOGRAPHERS

DESIGN EDITOR

Tommy Bui Alex Jeon Annie Kong Amber Min Ben Minder Evan Moody Andrew Myers Eddie Xie

Jooeun Lee

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Bryan Liang Shelby Bradley

BUSINESS MANAGER Tanisa Mahalingam

ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER Nabila Khan

ADVISER

Chris Yarbrough

DESIGNERS Jane Paek Elly Sim

contents 05

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JESSICA MA

AKSHAY NAIR

SNEHA GUBBALA

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13*

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STAFF

STAFF

STAFF

EDITOR’S LETTER

MONTHLY OVERVIEW

SPORTS HALL OF FAME

COLLEGE RECRUITMENT

COSTUME CULTURE

STAFF EDITORIAL

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SARIKA TEMME-BAPAT

MAHIMA PIRANI

ANDREW TEODORESCU

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JACK LOWRANCE

TIFFANY XU

CAROLINE PENNINGTON

ENGINEERING TROUBLES

NCAA REGULATIONS

JOHN YI

FOOD COLUMN

COMMENTS COLUMN

MUSIC COLUMN

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WILL CLAUSSEN

ANDREW MYERS, SAM NADEL

CONNIE XU

SPORTS BRIEFS

FACE-OFF

FASHION COLUMN

THE MESSENGER | 3

Hui Lin/STAFF

Wear TODAY Sell TOMORROW 5900 STATE BRIDGE ROAD in Johns Creek | 770.495.1515

*Not valid with other offers. Expires 12/1/15. One per customer. CPNLFP015

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The minion apocalypse W

ith Halloween right around the corner, retailers are stocking up on a colorful variety of costumes, including the classic hot nurse and sexy Red Riding Hood, our favorite culturally appropriative pieces, and—arguably the worst of the bunch— the minions from Despicable Me. Individuals hailing from any age group can find the right minion costumes for them.

Walmart, for example, carries a fuzzy rendition of the classic minion getup for toddlers, as if they weren’t already nonsense-spouting, havoc-wreaking little critters. What’s more, manufacturers have even been considerate enough to provide parents with a crucial choice: their toddlers can either be Kevin or Stewart. (Kevin has hair and two eyes, while Stewart is a bald Cyclops with his own unique charm.) Walmart also provides a “female minion” alternative for older kids, complete with a trendy overall dress and knee-high socks—minion fashion has never seen a better year. Then there are the adult costumes, la crème de la crème. Surprisingly enough, this is the category with the greatest variety, including the Men’s Minion Costume, the Women’s Minion Costume, the Lady’s Minion Costume (which happens to be identical to the women’s costume but double the price), Bob, Kevin, Dave, and variations from Despicable Me 2. And we cannot forget about the star of the show—the Sexy Female Minion and her form-fitting garb.

Forget haunted houses and horror movies— minion mania is the true fright of Halloween, and it is as despicable as it is terrifying. The original movie that lit the fuse arrived in theaters more than five years ago, but Universal Pictures has cleverly timed the addition of two more installments in the past half-decade in order to maintain the minion hype: Despicable Me 2 in 2013, and Minions, released just this July. The plan, unfortunately, has met with overwhelming

success. The first movie topped box office charts in 2010 with gross earnings at $543 million across the globe, according to Box Office Mojo.

The second grossed a worldwide total of $971 million, and Minions has already amassed more than $1.1 billion as of Oct. 2. Universal, however, does not plan to stop here—the anticipated release date of Despicable Me 3 is June 30, 2017.

Fans of the franchise are spending their money on much more than movie tickets, however. In the past few years, every imaginable form of minion merchandise has hit the market, from apparel to action figures to backpacks to walkie-talkies. Minion memes are plaguing social media platforms with images of these mustard-colored creatures. A quick search on YouTube now yields video tutorials showing viewers how to paint themselves into minions. The animated yellow lumps are appearing everywhere at a frighteningly rapid pace, to the point where they are no longer the adorable mascots of a humorous children’s animation, but the fear-inducing monsters that threaten to take over every demographic in the world. Minion-themed weddings, for example, are no longer merely the stuff of an 8-year-old’s dreams; a couple in the United Kingdom tied the knot this summer at an event complete with a minion-topped cake, a life-size minion looming in the back of every picture, and yellow and blue formalwear for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. The 52-year-old groom also decided to have a tattoo of a minion bride and groom to ensure that memories of the big day would not only be etched into his mind, but into his leg as well.

Clearly, the worldwide minion obsession has crossed a crucial, healthy line. Somewhere along the course of typical movie marketing, the promotion of this massive franchise went horribly awry, and as a result, we have become minions to minions.

Jessica Ma, Editor-in-Chief

THE MESSENGER | 5

NEWS

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

T Annie Kong/STAFF

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embers of Girls in STEM (GIS) strive to change the gender ratio in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics by showing young girls how they can explore those careers. Their first meeting with elementary and middle school girls will take place on Oct. 4 at the Johns Creek fire station. Leaders of GIS plan to conduct stem-related activities to engage students and

he annual Atlanta Heart Walk, held on Sept. 26, gathered supporters intending to help raise awareness of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Northview students in Red Cross, Kaleidoscope, Key Club, FBLA, HOSA, and National Honor Society all participated to help raise money and to donate the proceedings to the American Heart Association, whose goal is to build healthier lives free of car-

diovascular disease. Northview has supported the Heart Walk since the school’s opening, and it is one of the largest annual fundraisers in which students participate. Each year, Northview clubs raise around $200 to $300 for the event. On the morning of the walk, the participating students woke up in the early morning and headed to Centennial Olympic Park to make a difference in their community.

enhance their knowledge. The members will then be introduced to STEM competitions, throughout which they will receive guidance from mentors. The sessions, which take place on one Sunday per month, provide a more handson program for girls to grow their interest in the STEM field. The Northview club aims to expose young females to all aspects of science and strengthen their understanding of STEM. Sara Lepkofker/SPECIAL

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Evan Moody/STAFF

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eta Club kicked off Stress Awareness week on Sept. 21. On Monday, students and staff came to school in their pajamas for Pajama Day. The following day, the auxiliary gym hosted a free yoga session, in which instructor Cass Lievsay guided students through sun salutations, downward-facing dogs, and other yoga exercises to prepare the body, clear the mind, and alleviate stress. On Wednesday, students participated in face painting activities and coloring sheets in the cafeteria. Thursday was Community Night, on which local Johns Creek restaurants, including Chili’s, Kani House, Twisted Taco, and Mellow Mushroom offered discounts for students. Northview administrators also designated Thursday as a no-homework day. The week concluded on Friday with music in the cafeteria.

Student opened fire at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore., killing nine

The discovery of water on Mars sparks new discussions about the possibility of extraterrestrial life

The Martian receives rave reviews from critics

Chick-fil-a finally opens in New York City

Drake and Beyonce collaborate on a new song, Can I Sam Smith releases music video for Writing on the Wall, showing a glimpse of the new James Bond film

Highly anticipated fantasy film, Pan, performs poorly in movie theaters

Chickens granted legal rights in a Texas town

THE MESSENGER | 7

NEWS

Game changers NCAA to implement new eligibility standards for student athletes JA C K LOW R A N C E , S TA F F W R I T E R

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ollowing an announcement made four years ago, the NCAA will at last officially implement new eligibility requirements for student athletes seeking to compete in college.

Designed to boost academic performance, these new requirements include adjustments to the sliding scale that considers GPA in relation to athletes’ SAT and ACT scores. These changes will have a large effect on athletes looking to compete in football and basketball, two sports with already low average GPAs and SAT scores. In turn, this will push athletes to work harder and focus more on their grades. However, currently enrolled student athletes will not be affected as the new regulations will begin to apply to those entering school in the fall of 2016.

This timing appears to be part of an effort by the NCAA to smooth the implementation by assuming the changed regulations will be less noticeable student athletes who have no prior affiliation with the NCAA. “Most colleges just adapted their requirements. The announcement was made early in order to allow prospects, their parents, and guidance counselors the opportunity to adapt,” Shoshanna Engel, Associate Athletic Director of Compliance at Georgia Institute of Technology, said.

Due to Northview’s high median GPA, the eligibility changes will not be a concern to most athletes. However, there will always be outliers.

“Not everybody has a 4.0 GPA. There are always going to be athletes who need assistance and we will continue to be on top of those students. Not much will be changing on our end,” men’s varsity basketball coach Bombard said.

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In order to attain full eligibility, student athletes must now achieve a 2.3 GPA and comply with a new, more rigorous sliding scale. For example, an SAT score of 1,000 requires a GPA of 2.5 in order to participate in competition and a 2.0 in order to qualify for financial aid and participate in practices. A prospective athlete must also complete 10 out of 16 courses before his senior year. In essence, athletes will still be able to receive scholarships and practice with a 2.0 GPA, but

There are always going to be athletes who need assistance and we will continue to be on top of those students.

STEVEN BOMBARD now must achieve higher grades in order to participate in games.

“Even though the changes aren’t going to affect me yet, Coach Bombard regularly checks our grades on and off season, even when we aren’t playing,” junior Mason McBee said. “He’s always making sure that everyone keeps their grades up.”

The policy change will exclude more athletes who, under normal circumstances, would not meet college admission standards. It will also create an incentive for athletes to work harder not only in practice, but in the classroom as well.

“Across the board nationally, we will now see students who would have been able to compete that freshman year now on the bench,” Engel said.

The NCAA’s two main revenue generators, football and basketball, will especially feel the impact of these changes, as these sports generally post the lowest graduation and academic progress rates. While the decision to begin excluding players with exceptional talent on the field for poor academic performance seems counter-intuitive to some, the NCAA may have taken this step in an effort to reclaim its media status as an organization for student athletes, not athletes who happen to be students as well. This principle has been tarnished in recent years due to scandals regarding the legitimacy of student athletes. For example, in the academic scandal at the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, eight to ten percent of the football and basketball players admitted to the school were reading below a third-grade level.

“Academics are vitally important and demand just as much attention as athletics, especially in college.” Mark Emmert, the president of the NCAA, said in a press conference.

It is evident that this move is motivated by the NCAA’s desire to boost its academic respectability while maintaining revenues essential to its continued existence. However, these regulatory changes may have the opposite effect on the NCAA in that it could induce more cheating as universities try to maintain revenues and keep talented athletes eligible. Only time will tell how these new regulation changes will play out, and how the sports governed by the NCAA will respond.

Robotics reprogrammed

NEWS

Northview’s Techno Titans struggle to continue without a sponsor S A R I K A T E M M E - B A PA T, S TA F F W R I T E R

Annie Kong/STAFF

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ithout a team sponsor, the Robotics team faces major challenges in the school system to continue their success. The Techno Titans will have to adapt to operating more independently from Northview than ever before.

A few weeks before the beginning of the school year, Jason Weinberger, the former science teacher and sponsor of the robotics team, officially signed the papers that marked his departure from Northview. Weinberger’s abrupt exit created a vacancy for a position that requires an intense commitment. Robotics is a heavily time-consuming activity, especially for a teacher. The teacher sponsor has the responsibility of watching over the team and ensuring its safety while within the school building, which means attending hours of practice on both weekdays and weekends, often extending late into the night. While students are prepared and motivated to put in the time and effort to succeed in robotics, few teachers are able to dedicate so much time and energy, on top of their existing classroom responsibilities.

In response to the lack of staff leadership, team parents have stepped up to support the team that is such a huge part of their children’s’ lives. In addition to driving,

The Robotics team sets up their display at Club Fair.

chaperoning, and paying team dues, parents also connect the team with mentors and help with fundraising.

“I am really happy to see how Animesh and Meghna are handling this situation… these kids never showed their frustration and are just pushing along and doing everything they can to keep the team and spirits alive.

Our job is just to support him in whatever way we can, ” Gopal Koratana, one of the parent board members on the robotics team, said.

Despite challenges, the robotics team have temporarily continued working outside of school in the houses of team members, in order for the team members to free themselves of the restrictions they face in school.

“The team is still very much alive, as it was last year,” junior Animesh Koratana, president of the robotics team, said.

However, with no one to sponsor the team, the Techno Titans struggle with access to vital facilities and materials in the school.

“In the absence of a Fulton County employee, a teacher, being on site, in the room, with the kids, we can’t allow the kids to use that equipment,” Principal Brian Downey said.

After hours, the team does not have a teacher to authorize its presence in the

school. During one meeting, when team members were retrieving their own tools from the school, they were told to leave due to miscommunication between administration and staff. Similar roadblocks have posed obstacles to the preparation for competitions that has, in the past, set the Techno Titans apart from other teams.

“We don’t have consistency with our meetings,” Koratana said.

The robotics team has communicated their dilemma to the Northview administration.

Despite several meetings with Downey and other staff to find a solution, progress is slow, considering that robotics competitions like BEST are fast approaching. The robotics team has continued to struggle to gain support, lacking access to the tools vital to their success, and having also lost their VEX program. The group plans to present the issue to higher-ups in the Fulton County system.

Because of the difficulties it has been facing, the team plans to transition to a 501c3.

As a 501c3, the robotics team would be an independent organization, unrestricted by the need for a sponsor or liability issues within the school, yet still affiliated with Northview. Because the school has not been granting some teams the provisions necessary to work, moving out of the school would enable the group to take the steps necessary to succeed. “ In order for these students to be successful, they need access to their equipment and their projects for lots and lots of hours, long into the night, and on weekends. It’s very hard for the school to provide that access.

So we’re working on a way to provide that access off site. And that may be by making it a 501c,” Downey said.

Any teacher who takes on the role of sponsor would have to adopt a new role, very different from the one that Weinberger played in years past. They would act as a liaison between the team and the school, bridging the newly independent Techno Titans with the school that brought them together.

“We’ll have some more freedom, regardless of if there’s a teacher sponsor… but we would still be the Northview Techno Titans,” Koratana said.

THE MESSENGER | 9

Cross country

Dwight Marsh/SPECIAL

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oth the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams had rough starts, but a few weeks into the season they have both begun to find their strides. With both teams struggling to overcome injuries and sickness at the beginning of the season, things are starting to turn around

now that the majority of the runners are healthy.

With two strong teams this year, they are keeping their eyes on the prize, and looking to bring home a state championship.

The girls are on a two-year streak and are hoping to three-peat for the state championship.

With the majority of the girls’ team being seniors, it is their last opportunity to compete in the state championships. With many star runners in the top five for the team, the girls are confident of their shot at taking home the gold once again.

The boys’ team is also looking stronger now that the injuries are in the past. The team has high hopes this year in terms of their own state championship wins. With almost all the runners from last year returning to compete this year and a strong JV team to back them up, they have enough talent to take the region by storm and perform well against the rest of the state.

“We’re starting to get the hang of it,” team captain Adam Burkley said.

Volleyball

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ith the volleyball season coming to a close, the players and coach are reflecting over the struggles and improvements made during the season. With few returning members to the varsity squad and a new coach to lead the way, time and practice was needed to adapt to the new team dynamic.

The team has been working hard to improve in hopes to carry over their improved skills to next year’s season.

Though the record does not show it, the team and coach believe that the season was better than the numbers reflect. With improvements all throughout the team, Coach Christopher James is assured that with some additional experience and mental toughness the team will be able to have an even better season next year.

“We just have to face those tough situations a little better, and the experience from this year will definitely help for next year’s season,” James said.

STAFF

Football

A STAFF ABOVE: The Northview football team takes on West Forsyth in a tough region match-up.

FAR ABOVE: Senior Adam Burkley and junior Bryce Meyer finish a tough race at Wesleyan.

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fter coming out to a 3-0 start, the Northview football team is optimistic about doing well this year. With last season ending at the first game in the state playoffs, they are looking to improve and at least to win a state playoff game this year. However, their schedule has a tough stretch of games in front of them, and with falling to 3-2, they plan to buckle down and learn where to make improvements in the next month.

“I knew the team would be up and down,” Coach Chad Davenport said.

“We’ve done some good things, and we’ve done some things that haven’t been very

good, but overall I’m pleased with where we’re at.”

Davenport has been pushing the team this season to be more consistent, as well as working with the team to improve their passing game and wide receiving.

“We have some good teams in our region so definitely working on our aggressiveness and our technique will help us improve. The last loss was pretty tough but I really feel we can bounce back and have a strong season from now on,” defensive lineman Thomas Lee said.

S P O RT S

Sports in brief Northview’s fall sports teams look to finish their seasons with a bang W I L L C L A U S S E N , S TA F F W R I T E R

RIGHT: Senior Melissa Muench gets a solid hit while at bat in a region match against West Forsyth.

INSET: The Northview Volley ball girls spike the ball for a crucial point in a match against West Forsyth.

Amber Min/ STAFF

Softball

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fter a rough patch in the middle of their season, the softball team is looking to finish strong and end the season on a good note. They came out of the gates strong with a win, but with injuries ensuing, the season became a constant challenge.

“We started off the season strong, but then we had several injuries happen with some of our key players so we did end up struggling a bit during the middle of our season,” Coach

Laura Ashby said. “But now we’ve have gotten back on tracks so we’re hoping to make the most or the rest of our season.”

Now that the season is drawing to a close, the team is starting to look towards next year and what they can do better to improve. With an absence of juniors on the team, it is up to sophomores such as Sophia Hamill to step up and lead the team. The team has been working to im-

prove specifically this year on being supportive of each other as much as possible, and hopes to build on that next season as well in order to be able to accept and work well under younger leadership.

“We can improve by just being supportive of each other. When someone makes a mistake, say it’s OK, so they know you are supporting them,” senior Melissa Muench said.

THE MESSENGER | 11

S P O RT S

Remembering the Titans Athletic department initiates Hall of Fame to commemorate current and former Northview athletes A K S H AY N A I R , S TA F F W R I T E R

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orthview has been in the market for a way to commemorate its current and former athletes, and after brainstorming and deliberating, the administration has decided to implement a brand new ‘Hall of Fame.’ The idea was proposed and will be executed by the members of Northview athletic committee, who feel it has not done enough to honor or bring attention to Northview’s past successful athletes.

Northview has been honored for its academic accomplishments for many years, so this implementation will show that Northview is serious about athletics as well.

“I think it’s a good idea because it helps promote our athletic achievements and show that Northview is not only about academic achievements but also about athletic excellence,”current varsity men’s tennis athlete Joseph Zhang said.

The committee is not entirely sure where it will put the memorial or how it will represent each athlete, but the members do know that it will be very unique. “[Our players] have been in other schools in Fulton County where they have Halls of Fame, and we have history, so it is kind of looking at other schools and saying, where is our Hall of Fame?” Northview Athletic Director Scotty McDaniel said.

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The committee feels that the implementation of the Hall of Fame will not only pay tribute to impressive Northview alumni, but also act as an incentive for current student athletes.

“It gives [athletes] some idols or models to look at and see that some greatness has come through here before, and if they work hard they may be able to make it on the wall,” McDaniel said. “Not only do they want their team to win but also, they want to be on the wall themselves, which ultimately makes the team better. I think it will be cool for them to realize that we do recognize what they do.”

Some student athletes at Northview, however, have mixed feelings about the new implementation.

“Yes, I would love to be in the Hall of Fame, but I’m not going to make that my goal... It’s not really a huge deal, it’s only high school,” current men’s baseball player Matthew Pacifico said.

To fill the Hall of Fame, every current and former head coach of each individual sport will nominate four to five players who, according to the coaches’ judgment, have earned the right to be in the Hall of Fame. The list of 30 to 40 nominees will then be sent to the athletic committee, who will determine the athletes who are most

deserving. The inaugural induction will have the most inductees with around 10-12 students, while subsequent years will only add two to five students to the Hall of Fame.

The requirements are not set in stone, but the committee is not only looking for students who have exceeded expectations in Northview, but also students who excelled after Northview.

“We do have parameters and things we look at: was the player a state champion or were they on a champion winning team? We may look at their accomplishments, when it comes to the region and how well the team did,” McDaniel said. “We do have a set standards, so if someone is near those standards they will be eligible, but if someone won the state championship that does not mean they will automatically get in.”

The inductees will be announced at an inaugural gala on Jan. 23 at the Standard Club.

The gala will be modeled after the National Football League’s ceremony, a formal, black-tie event. Each of the inductees will be expected to deliver a speech.

While the inductees have yet to be chosen, the committee plans to announce its decisions soon. For the inductees, the commemoration will be a night to remember.

FEATURES

FROM L A B VARSITY T O LETTERS TO COLLEGE LETTERS FOUR NORTHVIEW ATHLETES NAVIGATE THE WATERS OF COLLEGE RECRUITMENT THE MESSENGER | 13

DJ POTEET // 11 14

FEATURES

Baseball M O RG A N W H I T E , S TA F F W R I T E R

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ince he started on Northview’s baseball team his freshman year, junior DJ Poteet has demonstrated excellence in the sport. An aspiring major league baseball player, Poteet has received offers from Middle Tennessee State, Alabama State, Houston University, and South Carolina State to play in collegiate athletics. The complexities of the baseball recruitment process that Poteet has dived into, however, will require a great deal of time and commitment to navigate before Poteet can reach the milestone of playing at a college level.

“First you have to see what schools are available to [the players]. Meaning, how are their grades?” Northview baseball head coach, Aaron Wilkens, said.

Distinguishing the schools that a player wants to play for from the schools available to the player is the first step in the baseball recruitment process. Grades play a major role; if a player’s grades are healthy and he has a good GPA, then the college pool widens. If the player’s grades are less than average, the pool shrinks. Poteet’s fairly high grades make him a likely candidate for many schools.

The strength of the academics at the potential universities and colleges is another factor. Poteet is careful to consider how the academics at his chosen school could impact his career.

“I want to go somewhere that has both a good team and academics, because you cannot play forever,” Poteet said.

“You always have to have a backup plan.”

Money is a key component in the

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tional baseball coach, and he helps put Poteet in front of the right eyes.

“His coaches for these teams play more of a significant role than I do, because they have contact with the college coaches,” Beth Poteet, DJ’s mother, said.

Poteet’s parents, however, still play a major role in the process, as they continue to support him while he undergoes what can be a very stressful process. Beth encourages Poteet to keep an open mind during the process, and she makes sure to remain optimistic for Poteet as he journeys from college to college and explores the routes that are open to him.

Reaching out to many different schools is an important aspect DJ POTEET to the recruitment process, as is remaining positive through the recruit High school coaches will most likely ment.

The most important lesson, howevreach out to college coaches and send er, is to maintain focus on the game. them the potential recruit’s baseball resume and academic record. Afterwards, “Don’t let the recruiting affect your the next step is for the coaches to go playing,” Wilkens said. “Not allowing and see the player live, often by attend- for the recruitment process to interfere ing a high school game. Once they see with how you play is a major point that how a player performs in action, college all aspiring players need to understand. coaches will be able to decide whether Colleges want to see you at your best and or not they will offer the player a schol- players can’t play at their best if they are arship to play on their team. The goal of weighed down by the process.” the recruitment process is simply to put Though baseball recruitment is coma player in front of the right people at plicated and consumes a great deal of time and commitment, Poteet is steadily the right time. “[Poteet] is good enough where [col- learning the ropes. He urges those who lege coaches] will come to see him play, also aspire to play beyond high school and his playing will do the talking for to keep a positive attitude and continue reaching out to coaches. him,” Wilkens said.

Poteet’s travel coach for his summer “Keep working on your dream,” travel team is a former college and na- Poteet said. recruitment process as well. Athletic scholarships can be the main factor in a player’s ability to afford a certain college, ultimately determining if he will be able to attend at all. Poteet’s choice depends heavily on the value of the scholarship that he receives. To receive the scholarships, colleges must be able to see the player in action.

“The main thing is to reach out to coaches and tell them about the player,” Wilkens said.

I want to go somewhere that has both a good team and academics, because you cannot play forever.

THE MESSENGER | 15

Cross country M A G G I E B R E N A N , S P O RT S E D I T O R

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wo-time state champion cross country runner Lindsay Billings has navigated not only the toughest cross country trails in Georgia, but also the bumpy waters of the NCAA recruiting process. In addition to juggling her senior year at Northview, staying in shape in the heart of the cross country season, and applying to college, Billings also communicated with and took visits to several potential colleges, including the one which she has recently decided to commit to, Duke University.

The cross country and track recruiting process kicked into full gear for Billings at the end of her junior year, when her finishing times began to catch the eyes of Division I coaches. “[Running in college has] been an idea all of high school, but the places that you can go are very much dependent on how good you are, so I would say it wasn’t really until my junior track season that I hit times that would allow me to run for the schools that I’m looking at,” Billings said.

Unlike in many other sports, where athletes themselves often reach out to college coaches and request that they attend a game to gauge their interest, cross country and track coaches typically contact runners based on their statistics. Cross country recruitment is an especially intricate process, because the times achieved during the cross country

“

es are all different, but all tracks are the same. For cross country they’ll look at how you place in the bigger meets, but they’ll mostly look at track times when they’re recruiting,” Billings said.

Based off of the times that they have seen, colleges then send mail to their recruiting prospects.

“I got a lot of mail, especially my junior year, but you can tell they’ve just gotten your name off of some kind of list, maybe top whatever, or state champions, or whatever the category was, and they just put your name on a letter that they send to everyone,” Billings said.

Once the coach and the runner have established a connection, the intricate communication process begins. According to NCAA rules, general correspondence can begin on Sept. 1 of a runner’s junior year, telephone calls are permitted once a week beginning July 1 after a runner’s junior year, and official visits can begin in the runner’s

LINDSAY BILLINGS // 12

She’s got the whole package, which doesn’t come around that often.

ANTHONY CIANCIOLA

season are not as easily comparable among runners nationwide as those achieved during the track season. Most serious cross country runners who wish to attract the attention of college coaches also run track.

“Track is probably more important than cross country because cross country cours16

senior year. These restrictions are often considered the most difficult parts of the recruiting process.

“You can’t text coaches. They weren’t able to call me until June or July; I could only call them. Even if I called them, they couldn’t call me back. I usually stuck to email just be-

cause it’s easier anyway,” Billings said. “Some of them could message over Instagram and stuff [...] Since there’s so much social media, there’s ways to get ahead of the NCAA. They just can’t keep up with the rules.”

After overcoming the hurdles of establishing communication, the next step for the recruiting prospect is to visit the schools and coaches who have shown interest. This fall, Billings made official visits to several colleges across the Southeast.

“At least for cross country, the NCAA allows you five [official visits]. I don’t think most people take all five, but I am,” Billings said. “[I’m visiting] Furman, NC State, Duke, Vanderbilt, and Florida State.”

The combination of athletic skill and well-rounded achievement has earned Billings the opportunity to attend a range of high-caliber schools. Physical performance is not the sole deciding factor; selective schools aim to recruit and admit individuals who will both contribute positively to their college community and are extremely talented. According to Anthony Cianciola, Northview’s

FEATURES

F R ESH M AN & SOPHO M OR E College coaches are allowed to accept student calls and send camp brochures, NCAA educational information, and questionnaires.

Coaches are not allowed to make or return student calls or send students any written recruitment information.

JUNIO R 0 7 /0 1

J UN IO R 09/ 01

NCAA Recruiting Restrictions

by Date

In-person contact between students and college coaches is only allowed after completion of junior year.

Coaches can make one call per week to students or parents; students can make unlimited calls to coaches.

head cross country coach, Billings meets these standards.

“Her work ethic is by far, hands down, top notch, and her fitness level, her leadership, her skill, her academics, her personality,” Cianciola said. “She’s got the whole package, which doesn’t come around that often.”

For these reasons, the head coaches of schools who have shown interest in Billings often go to great lengths to woo her when she makes visits to campus. They allow her to spend time with and practice with the team, explore the campus, and learn more about each school to determine which will suit her the best. “[The coaches are] kind of courting you, so there’s a lot of fancy meals, and I get to run with the team and spend time with the team [during official visits],” Billings said.

“I think for most coaches, the reason for the official [visit] is because they want to see how you fit with the team, considering they already know your statistics and whether or not they want you.”

College coaches are allowed to send students information about schools and athletic programs, including media guides, schedules, personalized letters, press clippings, and official university publications. Coaches can now send and respond to student emails.

S EN IO R Students can make up to five official, expenses-paid campus visits. Coaches are allowed three in-person, off-campus recruiting visits per student. Phone and written correspondence must still follow junior year rules.

Although she is being recruited as a runner, Billings’ most complete the same college application process as that of her fellow seniors in terms of paperwork. Billings’ parents have helped to keep her on track.

“Sometimes I get caught up and think that my process will be different from everybody else’s because of the running, and [my dad] reminds me to actually fill out applications and stuff because I still need to be doing that,” Billings said.

Furthermore, her parents entirely support the additional time commitment and extra work that this project has entailed.

“The athletic recruiting process takes a significant commitment of time,” Ken Billings, Lindsay’s father, said. “But it’s also an exciting and rewarding experience for the parents and family members, well worth the investment in time. Committing to a college sport is the equivalent of taking on a full time job, even if it’s one you love, so it’s worth taking time to make the right choice.”

Despite the tedium experienced by many senior athletes, between the lim-

itations on communication methods for coaches to runners and vice versa, the research on and visits to schools, and the rudimentary application process, the NCAA has their guidelines in place in an effort to ensure fairness for all athletes.

“I think it’s very fair. The colleges that the kids pick to visit are ones that they’ve obviously researched, and have seen that it’s hopefully going to be a good fit for them,” Cianciola said.

Billings had figured through research that all of the schools she was to visit would be good fits for her, but when she stepped foot on Duke University’s campus, she knew the experience would be different from her other visits.

“I already knew I liked the handful [of schools] I had chosen, but when I got on campus and met the team in person, I felt so much more comfortable than I had in other places,” Billings said. “Duke is an opportunity I never could have imagined having, so I’m so excited it worked out so perfectly.”

THE MESSENGER | 17

JAIR ANDERSON // 12

Football R A M E E N F O RG H A N I , S TA F F W R I T E R

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enior Jair Anderson, a two-sport varsity athlete, is a highly sought-after collegiate recruit. Playing three positions on the football field in addition to running sprints at track, Anderson is deeply debating his options as to where he would like to continue his football career at the collegiate level.

“I don’t know where I’m going yet but it kind of all hit me at one time out of nowhere so I’m trying to take my time and make a good decision,” Anderson said.

On the football field, Anderson plays both wide receiver and defensive back, as well as serving as the punt and kick returner on special teams.

“He’s a great athlete, with true potential for the next level. He is one of the fastest players on the field, but one of his greatest abilities is his blocking,” sophomore quarterback Colton McDaniel said. “It helps to know that when there is a one-on-one match-up, you know that he is going to snatch the ball out of the air.”

Anderson has had a great impact on the team with his utility on calling plays.

“It is difficult, especially when you are struggling, because you want to get the ball in his hands, and get the quarterback-wide receiver relationship going,” head football coach Chad Davenport said.

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Anderson’s best skill may be his agility and utility, clocking a 4.56 second, 40-yard dash time and a 40 inch vertical. This allows him to be lined-up in a variety of formations, running receiving routes out wide, in the slot, and from the backfield, while also being incorporated into designed run plays and sweeps. His versatility has earned Anderson a three-star rating.

“He is outstanding overall. The athletic part is where his strength is. He can run, he can jump, likes to learn a lot. Skill-wise is where he is catching up. He started playing football a few years ago, and so [...] he has been trying really hard to work on the football aspect.” Davenport said.

The football recruiting process starts as soon as a player reaches the high school level, although visits and offers usually begin during the player’s junior year. The athletic departments must adhere to a strict set of calendars and by-laws from the NCAA outlining when they are able to make contact with and evaluate prospective players.

Anderson received offers from several schools early in his junior year, but the bulk of his scouting and courting occurred towards the end of his junior year and during the summer before his senior year,

when some larger Division I schools started to take an interest in him.

Anderson received his earliest offers from Appalachian State and Grambling State. Instate schools such as the University of Georgia, Georgia State University, and Georgia Southern have also extended a scholarship offer to Anderson. The list of other notable schools who have offered include Notre Dame, the University of Indiana, and Duke among others.

Over the past summer, Anderson officially visited a couple of college campuses and met the coaching staff and current players.

“I’m just looking to try and see if I would fit into that program well and if I could be successful there and most of all, if I am willing to spend the next three to four years of my life there happily and not regret anything,” Anderson said.

The top two schools rumored to currently be on Anderson’s radar include Georgia Tech, a large Division I school housed in downtown Atlanta which plays in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and the University of Cincinnati, also a large Division I school which participates in the American Athletic Conference. While Georgia Tech is close to home, Anderson also has ties to Cincinnati; his father and Northview Titan line coach, Willie Anderson, played professionally

FEATURES

Fo ot b a l l by t he num bers

1,093,234 high school football athletes for the Cincinnati Bengals in an illustrious 12 year career in the NFL, 11 of which were with the Bengals where he was selected to four probowls as an offensive tackle.

In a series of tweets on Jair Anderson’s Twitter account, he stated in late-July that he was grateful for the offers that he has gotten and would be making a decision soon. A few weeks later in mid-August, Anderson tweeted a list of ten schools that have offered him a football scholarship, out of which he would be making his choice. Those schools included University of Georgia, University of Tennessee, and Middle Tennessee State University to round out the top five, along with the aforementioned front runners.

While Georgia Tech and the University of Cincinnati are purported to be the favorites, the University of Auburn is now attempting to recruit the three-star wide receiver. Lately, it has demonstrated interest in Anderson; Anderson officially visited the Auburn campus for a game in early October. Accompanied to the campus by the senior Anderson, Auburn may have an inside advantage as Willie Anderson attended Auburn and played collegiate football there, drafted by the Bengals in the first round, tenth overall.

On whether Georgia Tech and Cincinnati where Anderson’s top choice right now, “My top schools would also include UGA and Tennessee. Florida State, the University of Florida, and Clemson will be in the top when they offer,” Anderson said.

While 32 offers have come and a lot of interest already shown, Anderson is waiting for a few other schools to make their decisions before he commits to one.

Not only has the recruiting process changed over time, but it also varies wildly between sports, even when comparing the process at the same school. Football by far is the most popular college sport, grossing a tremendous amount of money through tick-

71,060 college football athletes et sales, merchandising, and broadcast right income. Therefore, the football program at a given school is often the most expensive athletic program, in both the expenditures needed to sustain the program and the lengths at which coaches are allowed to recruit.

“The high points are the spring, there are a few crazy months in the fall. But it has really become an all-encompassing 12 months a year deal.” Davenport said. “But I don’t really even know [what colleges are looking for now when scouting]. They’re not looking for football players anymore, they’re looking for athletes that can fit into their system, and that they think will perform well for them. They look at the numbers a lot.”

While there are attempts to maintain some consistency in the collegiate recruiting process, each sport has its inherent differences. Football, with 11 men on the field for each offensive, defensive, and special teams play, has more players than other sports. Therefore, programs are allowed to maintain a maximum of 85 full-ride scholarships to player-athletes at once. Dividing amongst four year playing careers, plus a “redshirt” year, often the true freshman year where a player will practice with the team and use its facilities but not play in a game, a team has approximately 16 scholarships to award every year.

While Anderson is a two-sport athlete with attention-grabbing performances in both track and football, he will most likely only be offered football scholarships.

Because track programs have less scholarships and less resources allotted to them to recruit players with, they will often allow other larger sports to bring athletes into the program using their allocation, and then have them also run track. Seen in increasing fashion with the resurgence of multi-sport athletes and coaches encouraging their players to run track in addition to their other sport, Anderson will likely end up taking that route, if he chooses to continue running track.

1,136 professional football athletes

Down the recruitment funnel COACHES SEND LETTERS

10,000-15,000

VIDEOS EVALUATED

1,000-2,000

CALLS MADE

500

VERBAL OFFERS

62-1200

OFFICIAL VISITS

85

PLAYERS SIGNED

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THE MESSENGER | 19

Basketball TA R U N R A M E S H , E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F

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very high school athlete aspires to be recruited and later play a collegiate sport.

For varsity women’s basketball player Shannon Titus, these dreams may soon be a reality. Titus’s journey began in the seventh grade when national programs targeting potential talent to include in their programs tagged her as a ‘player to watch.’ Now a junior, Titus has officially narrowed down her choices to five Division I schools.

Basketball college recruitment contains three discrete phases: identification, verification, and commitment. Identification begins with the talent programs that reach out to parents, fans, and referees, who act as independent scouts, tracking potential talents. College recruiters often attend middle school, high school, or club level basketball games to assess both the skills of an individual player and his teamwork capabilities.

I NITIA L O UTR E ACH Head coaches send mail to promising recruiting prospects

“Shannon started getting looks last year during the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) season, but it really picked up during the summer on the exposure circuit trip,” Northview women’s varsity basketball coach Chris Yarbrough said.

During the verification process, coaches and scouts follow a player and her progress through one or more seasons. Exposure trips on the national circuit and USA national trials bring additional coverage to outstanding athleticism. “[The scouts] watch film, keep up with stats through popular sites (MaxPreps) and when possible, attend National Exposure tournaments to see the athlete perform live,” Titus’s AAU coach Steve Jacobs said.

After the initial verification process, the athlete is then subject to a thorough vetting by a college’s recruitment staff. At this point the athlete, themselves often receive notice of possible recruitment.

E VA LUAT IO NS

V ISITS

Coaches watch their prospects and evaluate skills

Athletes are invited to an official visit on campus

BASKETBALL RECRUITMENT TIMELINE 20

“I usually get either letter or emails to my parents that say a college wants me to come visit their school,” Titus said. “I can only officially visit five schools, I have not decided which schools to visit, but Stanford is definitely a top choice.”

Once the college has vetted and approved a player, they must submit the athlete to the NCAA for a formal investigation. NCAA regulations prevent the University from engaging in more than seven recruiting opportunities towards a singular player and prohibit the University from communicating with the athlete during the time he is under a NCAA investigation. The NCAA will research standardized testing scores, scholarship offers, and grade point average to approve or reject an application.

By the time athletes are ready to commit to a certain college or university, most students have already toured the grounds, met the faculty, and attended team practices and games. At this point

O F F ER S

C O NTAC T

Coaches offer players scholarships to play at their schools

Communication over email and phone officially begins

FEATURES

SHANNON TITUS// 11 if both the University and the student athlete are ready to make a binding contract to one another, both parties will make a verbal commitment.

The verbal commitment binds a student athlete to a specific school before the beginning of his senior year. In the spring of his senior year, the University will then offer an official scholarship offer to the student.

Collegiate women’s basketball scholarships vary upon the NCAA division of the target school.

“Division I Scholarships cover all costs associated with tuition, room and board. In addition, most schools also offer a monthly stipend to handle out of pocket expenses (ranges from several hundred to $1500 per month),” Jacobs said. “For out of state student athletes, a D1 scholarship can easily top a quarter of a million dollars.”

Lower divisions offer smaller scholarships. Division II schools can offer either full or partial scholarships, but usually split the total amount by the number of student athletes recruited. Division III schools still compete and recruit, but do not give formal athletic scholarships.

“Players can, should, and must reach out to coaches at their schools of choice and introduce themselves,” Jacobs said. “Provided the player initiates the conversation (email or call) a coach can engage with the prospective student athlete much earlier than if both parties merely followed the NCAA contact calendar.”

Season differences change the NCAA calen-

been a positive motivator for her to try harder academically and athletically to appeal to even more schools,” Pat Titus, Titus’s father said. “It is overwhelming at times and you have to realize that at the end of the day it’s a business and Shannon needs to get the best education possible.”

Titus’s drive, athleticism, and basketball IQ make her a top competitor for a division I school.

You have to realize that at the end of the day it’s a business and Shannon needs to get the best education possible.

PAT TITUS dar, shifting the recruitment time frame between various sports.

For her family, Titus’s opportunity has shifted their focus towards helping her prepare for the recruiting interviews, accompanying her on college visits, and exposing her to more scouts. “[The interest] schools have shown her has

While she must still complete a formal college application, Titus, if committed, would no longer has to worry about acceptance.

“We hope that when she does her five official school visits and makes her final selection that she is happy and successful at whatever school she chooses with or without athletics,” Pat Titus said.

THE MESSENGER | 21

FEATURES

Return of the king Northview alumnus John Yi arrives in Atlanta to take the stage of Fox Theatre M A H I M A P I R A N I , S TA F F W R I T E R

J

ohn Yi’s theatrical journey has taken him across stages, schools, states, and even countries, but it began at Northview High School.

Yi graduated from Northview in 2008 and has made significant strides for Thespians and Asian-Americans nationwide since then. Yi’s time with Northview theatre preceded even those of Elizabeth Lake and Paul McClain, the teachers who currently run Northview’s International Thespian Society.

In his junior year, Yi obtained his first lead role in the musical “Oklahoma,” making a strong first impression on Lake, who had just been hired that day.

“I just remember this guy who was playing Will, which is one of the main characters […] the best dancer on the stage by far,” Lake said. “And that was John.”

Yi spent two years under the instruction of Lake and McClain before attending Elon University, ranked 15th in the nation for theatre.

“The lengths that Lake and McClain went to as teachers and directors in order to push me as an actor would eventually inform me that the work I do as an artist is to tell a story truthfully and effectively,” Yi said.

Though he has moved on from Northview, Yi’s story continues to inspire Northview students.

“We’re just an ordinary high school,” senior Mary Kate Korbisch said. “John just proves that anyone can come from anywhere.”

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Yi first discovered his desire to pursue acting as a career in the audience of a Broadway Dreams Foundation concert.

“Norm Lewis sang ‘Make Them Hear You’ and I certainly ‘heard’ my convictions right then and there to be an actor,” Yi said.

Since then, he has performed in several productions at Elon, landing a role in the international tour of “Miss Saigon” before embarking on a three-year acting hiatus with Teach for America.

“I remember talking to [Yi] on the phone when he decided to do Teach for America,” Lake said. “In the State of the Union, President Obama had said that in our lower income areas, education systems are only going to improve if our best and brightest become teachers… and [Yi] was just touched by that.”

Yi taught lower-income seventh-grade students in Houston, where he established a musical theatre elective and club for students.

“I needed a life experience that would ground me, mature me, and teach me the value of grit,” Yi said. “My time in the classroom taught me that I can achieve anything with the right mindset.”

Those experiences prepared him to take the stage as the first Asian-American to play Cinderella’s princes, Jean-Michel and Prince Topher, in an industry where only 54 of the 6,639 roles cast on Broadway in the last five years were played by Asian-Americans.

“The standard for the western Disney princes is the tall white guy with a strong

jaw,” McClain said. “When he landed the role of the understudy, it was a realization that we don’t live in a performing world where people care about that.”

His preparation at Northview moved Yi to persevere through the obstacles that face minority newcomers to the acting industry.

“Being a 6’2” Korean man in show business presents both exciting opportunities and unique challenges,” Yi said. “I am my biggest advocate in regard to what I believe I can achieve and what roles I can play.”

Current Northview students identify with Yi’s background and view his success as a source of inspiration.

“I have a similar struggle being Asian, and that’s always been my big thing,” senior Hannah Dahl said. “It’s cool when I figured out that John plays the princes in Cinderella and you think Cinderella is solely white people.”

Lake expects Yi’s message to resonate not only with Dahl and her peers, but with younger children as well.

“There are going to be little kids that think, ‘That can be me some day,’” Lake said. “You don’t get that when everyone on stage looks the same.”

Yi has come a long way from the Titan stage, and he has no plans to stop. The Cinderella National Tour launched Oct. 10th in Pittsburgh and will stop in Atlanta in November, bringing Yi back to the school upon which he has left an everlasting mark.

All photos by Tiffany Xu/STAFF

Burger 21 Writers’ Digest

The Messenger’s monthly food review T I F FA N Y X U, P H O T O E D I T O R

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lean hands are a foreign concept at Burger 21. Customers’ fingers are bound to be drenched in sauce, and Burger 21 anticipates this mess with a sink placed conveniently next to the entrance for all to use. But the sink is not the only aspect that sets this burger joint apart from others: there is a sauce bar with 10 different dipping sauces for customers to choose from including ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, Thai ketchup, barbecue, ranch, ragin’ Cajun, chipotle mayo, apple cider, and toasted marshmallow available in unlimited amounts and perfect to drizzle over fries.

THE SHROOM

The Shroom burger was tender and juicy but was not exceptionally flavorful.

The Spicy Thai Shrimp burger, however, made up in flavor for what The Shroom lacked. The Strawberry Short Cake signature shake resembled liquid strawberry ice cream, and small cubes of actual short cake floated in the shake. The thin-cut, lightly seasoned fries were enjoyable, and most importantly, they were not soggy with oil, instead maintaining a pleasantly crispy outer layer. With its lively atmosphere to keep conversations going and its great food, Burger 21 has established itself as a top choice for a meal out in Johns Creek.

SPICY THAI SHRIMP

B U RG E R 2 1 11300 Medlock Bridge Rd. Ste. 350 Johns Creek, GA 30097 (470) 395-9612 This article was not sponsored by Burger 21.

STRAWBERRY SHORT CAKE THE MESSENGER | 23

FACE-OFF: Should colleges lower admission standards for athletes?

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O P I N I ON S

Yes: S A M N A D E L , S TA F F W R I T E R

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f a fish should not be judged based on its ability to fly, then an athlete should not be judged on his ability to perform on academic tests on the unit circle and the fall of the Han Empire. Student athletes have no need to think like Albert Einstein when they instead should be thinking like Peyton Manning or Lebron James. It is a ridiculous presumption that athletes who are allowed to compete for their school should be able to produce grades just as satisfactory as students who do not have the heavy responsibility of representing their school beyond just the classroom setting.

The daily schedule of a student athlete begins early and ends late. It is filled with mandatory workouts, practices, and meetings, all on top of several classes that require extensive amounts of studying. Fit all of this into a 24-hour window and the numbers just do not add up. If

student athletes are expected to succeed not only in sports but academics too, then they should not have to produce the same grades other student do. Time is a resource that is not on the side of student athletes, and if their main role is to excel on the field, then something must be sacrificed to allow for this success.

Current Florida State quarterback Everett Golson serves as a prime example of the failure of holding student athletes accountable for their academic pursuits. In 2012, Golson led Notre Dame to its first national championship game in nearly two decades. Golson had met expectations by bringing glory to Notre Dame. However, the same university would declare Golson academically ineligible in the following season. Golson lost an entire year of being able to play quarterback for his school, and not to mention a year of being seen by NFL scouts (thus making his

NFL draft stock fall). Only after receiving his degree did Golson decide to transfer to Florida State University to play quarterback. Surpassing all expectations on the field was not enough to keep Golson enrolled in a university he had brought great honor to, and this injustice should not be unleashed on both current and future athletes pursuing sports beyond the collegiate level.

The main point of college is to prepare students for their future careers. If student athletes are trained to excel in athletics but are also expected to become successful mathematicians and historians, then there is bound to be an imbalance in one of these two areas of their lives. It is time that student athletes be held to less strict academic standards to allow for preparation in the part of their lives which will constitute their future occupation.

No: A N D R E W M Y E R S , S TA F F W R I T E R

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h e scores needed to enter the realm of collegiate sports are a joke. These low standards start in high school as state high school athletic governing body sets a standard for the amount of credits and failing grades. In Georgia, the governing body is the Georgia High School Association (GHSA). GHSA requires students to be “academically eligible” in order to play high school sports. What is not emphasized is the low threshold that a student must surpass in order to compete. In Georgia, and for most states around the nation, a student is required to pass classes by achieving a grade of 70 or higher. For athletes that love to compete, this standard is laughable, if not an obvious attempt to make it virtually impossible to be considered ineligible.

Student athletes who place their sport above their schoolwork are not intimidated at all by such standards. Between choosing an easy course-load and giving minimal effort

in class, most student athletes find minimal struggle in passing necessary classes. Furthermore, student athletes who place significant hope in college recruitment have little incentive to compete in academics in the same way that they compete in athletics. Such low standards lead to complacency with nearly-failing grades. In fact, some coaches realize that all they need is for their players to keep passing grades, and they see no value in prioritizing academic proficiency.

The standards set by GHSA are pitiful. If the academic requirements were lowered anymore, players who failed their English class or Geometry class start to take the field. But this complacency with mediocrity carries over into college. In the NCAA, player eligibility depends on the ability to meet the requirements on a sliding scale that takes into account SAT scores and GPA. On the 4.0 scale, a GPA of 2.0 with a composite SAT score of 1010 is needed to be eligible.

These standards are made into requirements to make sure that students are properly educated. Lowering the standards to allow any passing student to play makes the requirements virtually redundant.

Colleges should not be the profit-seeking businesses that prioritize athletic ability over academic merit that they are today. Student athletes at colleges across the nation are accepted with scores much lower than the median score for the enrolled students just because of their athletic ability. While a student athlete should obviously be considered for his possible contributions to a college’s athletic program, colleges are perpetuating the acceptance of academic mediocrity.

Such mediocrity and complacency should hold no bearing in institutions for higher education.

Once selective colleges stop complying with the low standards and stop accepting student athletes with abysmal academic performance, high school athletes will react by ending their own expectations for academic mediocrity.

THE MESSENGER | 25

the messenger

ONLINE

nhsmessenger.com

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OPINIONS

The nightmARe befoRe Halloween Racist costumes continue to haunt Halloween SNEHA GUBBALA, MANAGING EDITOR

H

alloween is no longer about the tricks and treats, the ghosts and gummies, the pumpkins and parties. The holiday now runs rampant with people dressing up as other cultures and races, typically as the cultures of people of color. Walking down the aisles of Party City, we are accosted by an array of fun get-ups for the one night of the year that we can finally be someone other than ourselves.

How quick and easy it is to simply don a sheer crop top and harem pants, brush on foundation three shades darker than natural, and call it an “Arabian Princess” costume.

How quick and easy it is to treat other people, other human beings, as costumes, as punchlines. Dressing up as another race is ultimately an act of cultural appropriation no matter the intent, as it is rooted in racist implications, stereotypes, and xenophobia.

Cultural appropriation is the act of adopting icons, rituals, aesthetic standards, and behavior from one culture or subculture by another when the subject culture is a minority culture. White western culture in specific has had a brutal and painful history in mocking and appropriating the cultures of other races. This can be seen in the black-

face and minstrel shows of the past as well as in the current trend of companies using non-western and Native American cultures as edgy, “exotic” modifiers for their products, and thus their capitalistic gains. These trends—whether intentionally or not—distance minority cultures from western culture and alienate those who do not fit the white ideal of who an American is.

Halloween in particular is a breeding ground for these stereotypes and caricatures.

Americans looking for a laugh see the holiday as an opportunity to poke a little fun. They dress up as Terrorists, Thugs, Mexicans, Sexy Pocahontas, Sexy Geisha, Sexy Jasmine, all in hopes of getting a chuckle from their friends.

However, when a Terrorist costume includes a beard, loose robes, brownface, a prosthetic nose, and a Quran, we must question the real intent behind the costume. This costume was never meant to be a satirical commentary on the media’s representation of terrorism in America, but instead a blatant attack on an innocent group of people, charged by islamophobia and xenophobia. It promotes harmful stereotypes that ultimately have an effect on how people are treated in their everyday lives. At the end of the day, a white person

pretending to be an “Arab Terrorist” for Halloween can remove the costume and go back to living like normal without worrying about “random” security checks at the airport or disparaging remarks under the breaths of peers.

Additionally, when people dress up as “Sexy [insert culture/race here]s,” they inevitably contribute to the fetishization and exoticization of minority cultures, turning women from these historically-rich cultures into objects of lust and fetish. No longer are the people of these cultures regarded as human beings; they are objects for the sexual desires of white westerners.

The “Sexy Geisha” costume, for example, tends to take respected performers and turn them into shadows of their original form. The geisha in Japan was more than just a “sexy, submissive Asian girl,” yet western costumes show otherwise.

It is time for us to leave the microaggressions of stereotypes and caricatures behind.

It is time for us to embrace less harmful and more fun costumes and methods of celebration. It is time for us to understand, that other people are not costumes. They are not punchlines. They are not objects. They are people who deserve to be treated as such.

THE MESSENGER | 27

O P I N I ON S

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

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Now trending

e live in a technological age in which a single tweet can spark a global discussion, a status update can lead to change in the real world, and a picture upload can rally support around issues.

Social media is undoubtedly a strong tool that connects people and ideas, but the true results of hashtag activism all too often differ from the results desired by most well-intentioned users. Activism is passionate, meaningful, confrontational. Hashtag activism is not; it turns stances on social issues into trends. These trends are then consumed by Twitter’s user base of 300 million people, reverberated by mass media, and the message behind the original activism is wholly warped and removed of its original purpose.

Most recently, a freshman at a Texas high school was wrongfully arrested after teachers mistook the homemade clock that he had brought to school for a bomb. After it became evident that this student, Ahmed Mohamed, was likely suspected to be a terrorist because he is Muslim, an anti-islamophobia campaign spread like wildfire across social media outlets. Users posted pictures of clocks and tagged their tweets about their solidarity with the campaign by using #IStandWithAhmed. People were able to bring an issue that deserved more attention to the public spotlight around the world, and that’s great.

But as the movement gained traction, the campaign’s original message became distorted beyond perception.

The media capitalized on the growing popularity of #IStandWithAhmed to gain viewers and readers. Twitter offered Ahmed an internship at its headquarters, MIT invit-

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ed him to tour its campus, Reddit connected him with several influential scientists and engineers. Users of crowdfunding platforms even responded by raising tens of thousands of dollars for Ahmed to continue to pursue his interest in science. While the generous offerings made by companies and prominent individuals may seem to hold bright intentions, they only distract us from the real issue: anti-Muslim sentiment in America.

Bringing attention to an under-served issue always seems useful, but the quality of that attention matters more than the quantity. Mediums like Twitter will be used to rally against future social injustices in the next year and probably for the next decade and beyond.

As with all Internet discussion, there will be tweets and posts that people make to fit in a trend or to persuade others that they agree with a stance on an issue that they may not even care about.

It is cynical to assume that every user that tweets a hashtag like #IStandWithAhmed is indifferent about the issue at hand. But it’s also unnecessary to praise users that make such tweets without adding new discussion or without making efforts to materialize hashtag activism into in-person activism. The significance of hashtag activism is just as easy to dismiss as it is easy to accept. In the years to come, more injustices will first become exposed on Twitter and Facebook. We cannot allow this to affect how seriously we view and react to such issues. Without in-person activism, clear organization of ideas, and genuine interest in solving the complex problems of our world, hashtag activism is nothing but another meaningless trend.

COMMENTS

What are the chances?

In the midst of the college application deadline frenzy that sweeps across America each fall, students must turn to paid Internet tools to affirm their self-doubts.

A N D R E W T E O D O R E S C U, O P I N I ON S E D I T O R

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nline college admission calculators like Parchment and Cappex have made America great again.

After just a few selections from drop-down menus and some clicking around, prospective students can instantly know their chances of acceptance at universities across the nation. Surprisingly, it’s relatively easy to remove any semblance of human life from a high school student, enter his unilateral data into an array of text boxes, and obtain a pinpoint percentage that describes his chances of acceptance.

Students work for years to join clubs, to play on teams, to volunteer both within and outside of their schools, to become leaders in their communities. All that loud noise can be removed from the secret equations that determine admission chances thanks to some of the latest statistical methods employed by online admission calculators. When extracurriculars are factored into these equations, an admission chance may rise by three or five percent, but we all know that’s just a pat on the back. Colleges don’t care about who one is

as a person; numbers talk, people don’t. To colleges, a student is a 2130 or a 32, not a club president or a team captain.

Hundreds of colleges annually enter the academic statistics of their incoming freshman class into the Common Data Set, a public database that displays a school’s median standardized test scores, its acceptance rates, and the factors it considers in admission decisions. This may seem like a great reference material, but is it enough?

Prospective students need to know their exact chances of admission. The difference between a 92% admission chance affirmed by a profit-seeking online tool and an “I’ll probably get in” should make or break a student’s decision to apply to a school.

Tools like Cappex use only the most recent Common Data Set statistics to create only the most accurate admission predictions. But Cappex doesn’t stop there; like any good ol’ company that exploits the marketing vulnerability of the teenage demographic, Cappex goes the extra mile to earn its capitalistic gains. Instead of simply relying on the substantiated in-

formation provided directly from colleges on the Common Data Set, Cappex uses its own unique algorithm that takes over 200 data points into account. Comprehensive analysis, statistical regression, and other super-cool, cutting-edge math techniques advertised by Cappex ultimately combine to produce a promising percentage, as guaranteed by its paid services.

Thankfully, some high school students are already valuing such rock-solid predictions by tools like Parchment and Cappex. For these students, that percentage is not so arbitrary; they cancel applications and anxiously reconsider their chances at schools they have already applied to, rightfully letting the hope of acceptance into their dream school wither away. Yet those other students—the optimistic romantics—are not so clear-headed. The students who choose to pursue their own interests instead of prioritizing the representation of themselves as a data point are the students that suffer come decision day. These are the independent, mature, passionate students that colleges fear so deeply.

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music

C O LU M N S

C A RO L I N E P E N N I N G T O N , S TA F F W R I T E R

Light Me Up

Bronze Radio Return

Bronze Radio Return’s newest single, “Light Me Up,” was released Sept. 18, 2015. The song is brighter and sharper than their previous works.

In this piece, Bronze Radio Return seems to have moved away from their indie-folk rock roots, taking on a more electronic sound. While their old songs sounded more like Young the Giant, City and Colour, or Fleet Foxes, this new single has a sound more reminiscent of Cage the Elephant or Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Considering how different this track is from their earlier albums, it will be interesting to discover which sound their next tracks will adopt.

Soundtrac k Ellie Goulding A Walk in the Woods On My Mind Ellie Goulding’s latest single, “On My Mind,” was released as track five of 22 off of her upcoming third album, “Delirium.” The song deviates from Goulding’s latest and biggest hit, “Love Me Like You Do,” and heads back towards her earlier tracks such as “Lights.” With a sound similar to Sia’s “Elastic Heart,” the lyrics are catchy and notes are sung with power and passion. Goulding releases each new line emanating emotion and clearly displaying her wonder on why she feels emotionally attached to someone after ending their relationship. She hits every high note flawlessly, as listeners have come to expect in her inevitably popular songs. Fans of Sia, Goulding’s past songs, or Lana del Rey will likely find themselves to be fans of “On My Mind” as well.

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“The mountains are calling and I must go” seems to be the phrase that the compilers of the soundtrack for “A Walk in the Woods,” a memoir-turned-movie released Sept. 2, 2015, had in mind while choosing the tracks for this album. The songs perfectly accompany the actions in the movie, which follows author Bill Bryson and his friend Stephen Katz as they hike the Appalachian Trail. Springy guitar and banjo keep the energy elevated throughout the film, the notes supporting Bryson’s and Katz’s steps through the wilderness. The 14 tracks are excellent both in and out of the context of the film; any time some upbeat, folksy songs are needed, head in the direction of the “A Walk in the Woods” soundtrack.

fashion C ON N I E X U, D E S I G N E D I T O R

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mood board x october 2015

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Topshop/SPECIAL

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The music scene of England in the late eighties and nineties left a significant impact on English style.

Although the garments are very simple—a jean jacket, a leather jacket, a striped t-shirt, tight trousers, and maybe a floral button up reminiscent of the sixties and seventies—they give off a tousled look, a sort of effortless cool. Today, references to this style are easily identifiable when strolling through the streets of London or flipping through Fashion Week looks. England’s arctic conditions make layering and outerwear extremely important; and consequently, these looks are the perfect inspiration for making the most of an outfit for the cooler fall and winter months.

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01. topshop unique SS16 02. neil halstead & rachel goswell of slowdive 03. my bloody valentine 04. the jesus and mar y chain 05. brett anderson of suede 06. siouxsie sioux 07. members of my bloody valentine & lush 08. manic street preachers

THE MESSENGER | 31

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