Volume 13, Issue 2 - Oct. 2014

the

essenger

N o r t h v i e w H i g h S c h o o l Volume 13 路 issue 2 路 october 2014

BVP program welcomes new te acher Ian Carroll

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unArmed officer at nort hview Am y B o o m s j o i n s n HS staf f P. 2 6

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N o r th v i e w f o otbal l st r o n g e r t han e v e r

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MATTY BIONDICH: the comeback kid

masthead Email: nhsmessenger@gmail.com Phone: (770) 497-3828 ext. 176 Website: nhsmessenger.com

EDITORS-In-CHIEF Marri Kang Jessica Ma

Address: 10625 Parsons Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097

MANAGING EDITOR Nancy Coleman

PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION The Messenger is a student publication published for and distributed to students, faculty, staff, and the Northview community to promote readership of the students’ current events and issues.

The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire staff or those of Northview High School, its students, faculty, staff, or administration. Content is controlled and edited by staff editors, with a high-priority on celebrating the achievements of its readers as well as events occurring within the circulation. The staff will publish only legally protected speech, adhering to the legal definitions of libel, obscenity, and the invasion of privacy.

NEWS EDITOR Rachel Williams

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 advertisements 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, Meredith Keisler, and assistant business manager, Tarun Ramesh, at nhsmessenger@ gmail.com.

IN THIS ISSUE Cover design: Jessica Ma, Connie Xu Cover photo: Hui Lin

FEATURES EDITOR Sneha Gubbala OPINIONS EDITOR Andrew Teodorescu PHOTO EDITOR Hui Lin DESIGN EDITOR Connie Xu ONLINE EDITOR Bryan Liang COPY EDITOR Maggie Xia BUSINESS MANAGER Meredith Keisler ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER Tarun Ramesh STAFF WRITERS Shelby Bradley Maggie Brenan Tommy Bui Manasa Chimpiri Megan Cistulli Sophia Choi Ryan Daigle Milika Dhru Rameen Forghani Chad Johnson Annie Kong Jooeun Lee Justin Leung Tanisa Mahalingam Austin Meng Lindsey Moon Sally Pan Caroline Pennington Sumit Sohani Parnia Vaghef Eashaa Velamuri Justin Westbrook Sabrina Wilson Connie Xiao PHOTOGRAPHERS Nabila Khan Brittney Neser Tiffany Xu

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table of

contents

2 masthead 5 Editor’s Letter 6 news 13 sports 17 cover story 22 features 26 FACEOFF 28 opinions 29 STAFF EDITORIAL 30 staff columns

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Brittney Neser/STAFF

articles 6 News briefs / STAFF 8 Amy Booms joins administrative staff/ JUSTIN LEUNG 10 Six vending machines added to Northview’s fleet / MANASA CHIMPIRI 12 Thespians collect cans for TOTSEAT / SABRINA WILSON 13 Sports briefs / STAFF 14 Cianciola takes over cross-country coaching / MAGGIE BRENAN 17 COVER STORY: Senior Matty Biondich on track to break state record despite injury / SUMIT SOHANI 20 Strong defense leads to success on the football field / CHAD JOHNSON and RAMEEN FORGHANI 22 BVP program gains a new teacher / CONNIE XIAO 24 Andrew and Richard Jeng: Bridge Champions / TANISA MAHALINGAM 26 Face-off: Should Northview have one armed officer or two? / NANCY COLEMAN and MAGGIE XIA 28 Scotland votes on independence / SOPHIA CHOI 29 Staff editorial / STAFF 30 Music and fashion columns / EASHAA VELAMURI and CONNIE XU 31 Comments / ANDREW TEODORESCU

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Defusing the Ebola bomb

n October 17, a school-wide message was sent informing parents of Fulton County students that a new Ebola preparedness plan had been put in place – the joke being that the Superintendent’s office had bothered sending it in the first place.

I understand that the message was likely sent as a way of placating any overly concerned parents about this supposed upcoming epidemic, but at some point, someone has the draw the line.

Anyone who has bothered to actually look up the disease and read up on some news instead of listening to sensationalized gossip would know better than to believe that Ebola was of any threat.

For one thing, Ebola is spread through bodily fluids or other contaminated objects, so unless someone is poisoning the water supply with the tears of an infected person, no one should worry about catching it.

Also, this disease has already been infecting the people of West Africa since 1976 and certain areas, such as the Republic of the Congo, are experiencing their seventh outbreak. But of course, none of this mattered until American citizens happened to catch the disease. Then it became an actual threat, apparently, which resulted in all the hyped up news rampaging across the media lately.

The problem is that all this undeserved fear and paranoia make it even harder for people who need treatment to actually get the medicine they need.

Everyone is so busy panicking about Ebola that they won’t do anything to actually stop it which – surprise, surprise – just makes it easier for things to go wrong.

True, there is a chance that Ebola may start to mutate and become airborne if it is allowed to spread, but there is no way anyone is going to prevent that from happening if everyone is too busy building up their food supply for the near

apocalypse. Instead of preparing for it to become a problem, it needs to be stopped before it becomes a problem at all.

And yet another place where the media has gone wrong in covering Ebola – news personalities are so quick to condemn the spread of Ebola through travel that innocent people are coming under the attack of anti-immigration ideals. It seems that the racists in the country took Ebola as their chance to condemn immigrants by doing so under the guise of wanting to protect others or trying to prevent the spread of the virus.

In Boston, one person shut down a train line because they reported that a “Liberian woman” was vomiting and therefore had Ebola. By the time officials shut down the line and got everything sorted out, two things were made very clear.

One, she was Haitian. And two, she had no traces of Ebola.

Nina Pham, a nurse who recently contracted the disease, has also come under fire on social media sites. Comments on news articles regarding her status are filled with racial slurs, and certain Twitter users have started to wish for her death so that she will not be able to spread the disease to “real Americans,” despite that fact that she was raised in Texas and that she had been trying to save people from the disease days earlier.

Ebola may have a chance of becoming an actual threat in the US, but that time is not now and we need to take advantage of that. A plan to educate the public about the virus in a calm manner would be superior to an email telling parents it is “always good to run your own ‘what if ’ situations and projected next steps,” which only drives further hysteria into communities and prevents people from actually trying to do anything for any of the people affected. And that’s the real epidemic around here.

Marri Kang, Editor-in-Chief

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M O N T H L Y

NEWS

Gay-Straight Alliance goes to Pride Parade SALLY PAN, Staff Writer

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orthview’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) marched in the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, October 12. GSA aims to bring together straight and LGBTQA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Asexual) students in an environment that is safe to socialize in, as well as fighting homophobia and transphobia. Pride Parade is an event where the public can come together to show support and march for equality rights for LGBTQA+ people and typically has a large turnout.

"There were many businesses giving out water to participants as well as police officers following us with motorcycles," senior Meagan Shepherd, Northview GSA secretary, said.

Among the numerous participants were many members of Northview’s GSA. Two years ago, Sam Yi and Jakob Anderson “re-founded” Northview GSA. As an extension of the national Gay-Straight Alliance, the club provides a safe place for students who cannot talk to other people about the issues or feelings they are dealing with.

Another major event sponsored by GSA is the Day of Silence, a day in which students can call attention to the LGBTQA+ students silenced by bullying by vowing to be silent themselves. This year, however, GSA not only plans to promote awareness during the Day of Silence, but it also plans to host an awareness week in the days leading up to that day.

"The Day of Silence and awareness week will not only help to promote equality at our school," junior Sanaa Abdelmageed, GSA publicity manager, said, “but it will also help create a safe environment for everyone."

Ultimately, the events and activities the GSA has planned all contribute towards one fundamental idea: equality and safety for everyone.

FBLA attends fall rally PARNIA VAGHEF, Staff Writer

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ith over 200 members this year, Northview High School’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club is ready for another fulfilling school year.

The FBLA organization uses innovative leadership and career development programs to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship for students.

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The club intends to effectively expose students to the business career cluster by helping them to build various skills in speaking, research, technology, and communication. FBLA attends various competitions and business seminars throughout the school year. This month, FBLA attended the Fall Rally, a motivational rally where members can sample objective tests, which are competition-based multiple choice tests that assess knowledge on various topics. Members also attended the Rally orientation, which attracted around 7,000 attendants. At the orientation, national FBLA competitors and state and regional officers stood on stage to speak and share their experience.

Later, the club spent an afternoon at the carnival where the event was held.

In the upcoming month, FBLA will attend another event known as the Fall Leadership Conference, a convention that will provide a learning experience to those who attend. Members will attend different leadership tracks to provide variety for the students.

FBLA officers and members plan to attend additional regional and state competitions in the near future.

Northview fencing ranks high in state PARNIA VAGHEF, Staff Writer

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orthview’s fencing team has had a successful start to the year, with the boys ranked first in state and the girls ranked third in state. Northview is part of the Georgia High School Fencing League (GHSFL) along with many neighboring schools. GHSFL is the oldest and third largest high school fencing league in the United States. Although Northview fencing is not technically a team that holds tryouts every year like the other sports at Northview, fencing is still considered a varsity sport, in which students can receive a varsity letter if they earn enough points for their team. Students can do so by advancing to higher levels in tournaments that are held two Saturdays per month at various high schools in Georgia. Several of Northview fencers have already earned medals this season including senior Cassandra Cronin, who won a first place medal for Northview girls fencing at Pinecrest High School on October 18, making her number two in the entire state of Georgia.

For the past three official tournaments, the Northview fencers have placed multiple times. Northview will host two fencing tournaments this season in November.

Stress awareness week by the numbers thought stress awareness week (based on a survey of 139 freshmen, 66 sophomores, 220 juniors, and 165 seniors)

was effective

59.3%

77.8% 90.8%

preferred no homework day the most

would like stress awareness week to become a regular event

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NEWS

NOT WITH A BANG, B U T W I T H A

BOOMS

Tiffany Xu/STAFF

Amy Booms opens a new chapter with the Northview family

JUSTIN LEUNG, Staff Writer

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my Booms joined the Northview administration as a new assistant principal for the 2014-2015 school year.

Before coming to Northview, Booms worked as a curriculum specialist for the Fulton County school system along with other English and social studies teachers in the district. Upon her arrival, the Northview staff welcomed Booms with open arms.

“I was excited,” Ashley Ulrich, Language Arts department co-chair, said. “I had, as the department chair last year, gone to several different meetings with her.”

Booms, who joined the administrative team this past July, developed her passion for education at an early age, driven by her younger brother’s struggles with reading.

“I wanted to be a teacher since I was in the third grade,” Booms said. “There was never any other option for me.”

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Born and raised in Ohio, Booms received a degree in elementary education from Ohio University. At age 22, however, she left her home state in search of a job as a substitute teacher. Booms’ best friend from high school was living in Atlanta at the time.

“I came down here to visit her. I fell in love with Atlanta and Fulton County Schools,” Booms said. “[Booms’ friend] had worked at Hillside Elementary, and that’s where I got my first job.”

Booms’ experience as a language arts and social studies specialist makes her a valuable addition to Northview as an assistant principal. During her two years as Humanities Program Specialist at Northeast Learning Communities, Booms worked with 22 schools, grades K-12.

“I worked with all sorts of teachers, all sorts of principals, and all sorts of leaders,” Booms said. “My old focus was teaching and learning. I was concerned with language arts, social studies,

“I knew that I wanted to be part of a school where the principal and the assistant principals care about their students and the teachers and that’s the first priority.”

– AMY BOOMS

NEWS and world language, how those teachers were teaching, and what those kids were learning.”

For Booms, her new job as an assistant principal combines her passion for teaching with elements of her previous position.

“It’s not just centered around curriculum anymore, which is my passion. But I still get to do that; I still get to work with the English and social studies teachers, so that really makes me happy,” Booms said. “And, now I feel like I have a family. In my old job, I was in a different place every day, so not many people knew me as well as the Northview family is getting to know me.”

One of Booms’ roles as assistant principal emphasizes her interaction with teachers. According to Vijay Purugulla, fellow assistant principal, she is expected to provide support and professional development for Northview teachers.

“I am teaching teachers, developing them to be better teachers. I am helping them with instructional strategies,” Booms said.

“I really enjoyed that in my old job and I’m doing it now in my new job.”

Although she provides instruction for teachers, Booms is also learning new skills in her position as assistant principal.

“I need to learn how to be a better leader, so I’m constantly reading articles, doing research online[...]I’m always learning new ways to be a good leader,” Booms said. “I’m in school right now to get a specialist degree from Kennesaw State University.”

Last year, prior to her transfer to Northview, Booms worked with Principal Brian Downey. Her positive impression of the students, staff, and academic environment led her to choose Northview.

“I know [Downey] truly cares so much about the students and teachers here,” Booms said. “I knew that I wanted to be a part of a school where the principal and the assistant principals care about their students and the teachers and that’s the first priority. So, that made me want to be a part of Northview.”

After her first three months as an assistant principal, Booms has gained the impression that Northview students are too concerned with their future.

“They are thinking about the next step. They need to think about the present, and the classes they are taking now,” Booms said.

During her own high school years, Booms, although serious about her grades, did not focus solely on academics. She also participated in cheer leading and singing. In comparing her own high school experience to her observations of Northview students, Booms is concerned with the lack of balance in their lives.

“It is important to maintain balance in social activities, academics, and family,” Booms said. “Academics won’t always offer support. Spending time with your family and friends makes you happy. You won’t be a good student if you are not going to be happy, because your mind will be somewhere else.”

She has been dedicated and has been working happily with the curriculum, teachers, and students, along with her new responsibilities of keeping the school safe, discipline, and management of the school.

“I’m the assistant principal, but I constantly need to learn,” Booms said. “I’m always learning new ways to be a good leader.”

MILEY JOINS SUPERINTENDENT STAFF RACHEL WILLIAMS, News Editor

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ssistant Principal Latoya Miley, after two years at Northview, has been promoted to the role of Executive Manager in the superintendent’s office.

In the Chief of Staff-like role, Miley will assist Superintendent Robert Avossa in several different ways, such as organizing board meetings, creating agendas for legislative sessions, and other managerial tasks.

“I will serve as an advisor to the superintendent, and a manager of some of his work. I’ll attend executive level meetings and school board meetings, so it gives me a political view of Fulton County Schools,” Miley said.

Miley will work with Avossa for a year, and then go on to compete for a position as a principal.

“The hope here is that we’ll prepare [Miley] for an opportunity to compete and become a principal somewhere,” Avossa said.

As one of three potential candidates for the job, Miley stood out due to her wide range of experiences in her 15 years in education.

“She has a very good set of experiences. She’s been a teacher, a data support specialist, she knows a lot about data and school achievement. She’s a very good communicator, she’s very organized, and she’s a problem solver,” Avossa said.

Miley will use her experiences at Northview to bring a fresh perspective on Fulton County Schools to the superintendent’s office.

“I’m bringing to him the current things that are going on, because he is removed from our everyday work. And so I get to bring that fresh aspect to what he’s doing,” Miley said.

Miley looks forward to the new learning opportunity this promotion presents her.

“In my 15 years in education I’ve seen a lot. I’ve seen [the] classroom. I’ve supported data with middle and high school, an assistant principal at a high school, central office work, so I think I’m looking forward to growing and seeing a different aspect of Fulton County Schools that I haven’t seen before,” she said.

Though Miley looks forward to this new chapter in her career, she will miss Northview’s community.

“The students and the events, that’s the most enjoyable part of what I do. Everything else is duties and tasks, and I think more than anything I’m just going to miss the students. I’m going to miss seeing the students everyday. But I don’t plan to stay away from it for very long,” she said.

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VENDING MACHINE

mania

Northview installs six more vending machines MANASA CHIMPIRI, Staff Writer

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orthview has added six new vending machines for the 2014-2015 school year, in addition to the six machines already in place.

According to Principal Brian Downey, the student body had been using the six original vending machines so often that they had to be restocked twice a week to keep up with the excessive usage. Because of the low supply and high demand, Northview obtained six more machines.

Northview currently has a contract with Coca-Cola, in which the school receives 20% of the total profits of the vending machines, according to Downey. Northview deposits these profits into an account to be used for any school-related activities or equipment. As a business partner, Coca-Cola also gives the school additional supplies and equipment, such as coolers and towels used for the sports teams. Northview collected approximately $5100 from vending machine sales within the ten months of the 2013-2014 school year.

“It’s not going to buy another teacher, but it does allow us to buy one or two pieces of technology to help us. With everything else, there is a cost benefit associated with it,” Downey said. “We have installed more [vending machines], so we will see how those sales go. If it is meeting the demand, and we are getting a bigger check that we can then spend on [Northview], great.”

Northview’s vending machines offer some healthier snacking options, according to language arts teacher Megan Hart. Hart compared the choices available in Northview’s vending machines with those available at North Cobb High School, where she previously taught. According to Hart, North Cobb served snacks such as candy bars, unhealthy potato chips, and chocolate.

“There are pretty good choices with whole grains, and not a lot of ingredients. I would prefer to see this rather than the choices at North Cobb, which is totally unhealthy stuff,” Hart said.

The constant use of these vending machines may create competition against food served in the school cafeteria. Although, according to Downey, students are not allowed to access vending machines during lunch hours, many do. On the other hand, many students purchase lunch in the cafeteria and do not consume food or drinks from the vending machines.

“I think it’s just a different product. The cafeteria sells hot food

and salads, which you’re not going to get out of a machine,” Hart said. “So, if you want snack food, you’re going to buy snack food, and if you want a hot lunch, you’re going to buy your lunch. I just think it is two different products.”

However, some students opt to purchase snacks for lunch in place of complete cafeteria meals.

“A lot of kids buy from the vending machines, and a lot of my friends actually buy food at the vending machines instead of cafeteria food,” senior Hery Park said.

Overall, however, Downey and Hart believe that snacks from the vending machines do not pose a threat to cafeteria meals, because the two provide different portions and serve different purposes.

Some students believe that the addition of six new vending machines creates traffic and narrows hallways in the school building. In the past, the six original machines were located only at the ends of the wings of the school and near the gymnasium. Now, however, new machines stand in the middle of cross-hallways, and some students claim that they contribute to hallway congestion.

“The school is already crowded and people always hang around in the hallway before class starts to socialize with their friends,” Park said. “Because the vending machines are there, it blocks the hallways.”

Other students acknowledge the convenience of the placement of the vending machines. Between or during classes, the proximity of the machines makes purchasing snacks and beverages faster and easier for students, according to Hart. Ultimately, despite complaints of competition with cafeteria food and increased hallway traffic, both students and teachers at Northview continue to use them and have already adapted to the addition of six new vending machines.

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NEWS

TRICK OR EAT? Northview’s Thespians collect canned goods for hungry children

SABRINA WILSON, Staff Writer

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ometimes a few students can make all the difference in the world. Trick-or-Treat So Kids Can Eat (TOTSEAT) is a nationwide fund raiser started by the International Thespian Society in order to provide food to the hungry. Last year, 333 Thespian troupes from 41 different states collected about 400,000 pounds of food – 2,000 of which were contributed by the Northview troupe.

“During Halloween, rather than going door-to-door asking for candy, we go door-to-door and ask people for canned goods. We try to rack up as much as we can,” senior Mohamad Wehbe, president of Northview’s Thespian Society troupe, said. “We fund raise nonperishable foods [...] for people who are less fortunate than we are.”

Northview teachers also get involved in the program. Friendly rivalries between different classes encourage students to bring in as many canned goods as possible.

“The language arts teachers have a competition going on...all the classes collect cans. The middle schools are going to start collecting cans too,” junior Taran Beasley said.

Northview has participated in this community service initiative for several years, with many of its members coming back to help out once again. Wehbe has been collecting goods for two years in a row, along with juniors Beasley and Ava Feneberger They take pride in the amount of support for the program.

“We counted about 2,000 cans [last year]. There was a lot of ramen and Vienna sausages...but overall we had a pretty well rounded amount of food,” Feneberger said.

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Both Feneberger and Beasley plan on collecting cans again this year, and Wehbe looks forward to involving even more people in the fund raiser this year. Looking for new ways to spread awareness of TOTSEAT, they may host a food drive at the next football game in order to raise even more cans. “[Last year], we won an award for the most amount of food from any troupe in Georgia, so hopefully we’ll keep that streak,” Feneberger said.

One in four Georgian children go hungry every day and 800,000 people locally suffer from hunger. TOTSEAT has helped ease these statistics and improve our local area. After witnessing firsthand the success of the program, Wehbe believes that Northview students can step up and make a lasting impact on their community.

“I definitely believe a lot of people are benefiting from this. I feel like what we’re doing is a great thing, and we’re helping out a lot of people. We did well last year, and I believe every other school doing this did as well,” he said.

Wehbe has gained valuable insight and experience from his participation in TOTSEAT. “I just want people to take away the fact that we may be fortunate enough to have food and all these things that we care for, but not everyone else in the world does,” Wehbe said. “We need to bring out that idea that we have to do what we can to help other people out. Just because we have a lot of things doesn’t mean everyone else does. It’s great to give back to people who are less fortunate than you.”

SPORTS in BRIEF Senior Liesl Engelbrecht spikes the ball in a game against Lambert High School.

LADY TITANS ADVANCE TO PLAYOFFS MEGAN CISTULLI, Staff Writer

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he Northview varsity girls volleyball team advanced to the GHSA Class AAAAAA State Tournament, but the season came to a close with a 1st Round loss to East Coweta.

After winning over half of their games this season, the Lady Titans focused their energy on playing well in the regional tournament on October 7-9. After an incredible showing at the regional tournament, where they earned the No. 4 seed, the team moved on to face one of the top teams in the state.

“I [was] really excited for it,” senior Liesl Engelbrecht said. “We’ve been through a lot this year and [...] the team has struggled a little bit, but the team has really come together.”

Engelbrecht believes that with continued training and teamwork, the Northview girls will be successful in the state playoffs.

The Lady Titans have three more region games against Johns Creek, West Forsyth, and Alpharetta. On September 23, 2014, they crushed their biggest rival, Chattahoochee High School, in straight sets. The team played East Coweta on October 16. Although they lost the game, the team had a great season and fought hard to continue their journey.

Players on the varsity team, such as Engelbrecht and fellow senior Emily Pierce, show dedication to their sport. Engelbrecht already has definite plans for the future, having committed to play volleyball for Kennesaw State University. Pierce has been out with an injury this season and does not plan to continue playing volleyball in college. However, she appreciates the lessons she learned as she played the sport.

“Volleyball has taught me that hard work, dedication, and working with others really pays off,” Pierce said.

SPORTS

SOFTBALL SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE RYAN DAIGLE, Staff Writer

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very team makes playoffs its goal at the start of each season, but the Northview Lady Titans missed out on the playoffs the last two years. After knocking off rival Johns Creek 5-4 in their regular season game, the Lady Titans clinched their first playoff berth since 2011.

“The thought of walking off that field for the last time with a loss [against Johns Creek] was not an option,” Madison Strauss said.

The Titans captured a playoff berth with a 5-4 win, which puts them in 4th place for region 6-AAAAAA. They finished with an overall record of 14-9 and a Region 6 record of 10-8. The first round pitted the team against Lassiter, which was a rematch of the 2011 first round playoffs where they lost 5-3 and 10-3.

“It’s a little ironic because we played them freshman year in the first round of state playoffs so it seems only fitting that we get a chance to play them again,” senior Rachel Smith said.

The playoff run was quick, as Lassiter was ranked No. 1 in AAAAAA. The Lady Titans were knocked out of the playoffs with a 8-0 loss in both of their games in their double header. The Lady Titans only have three seniors leaving, so next year looks to be a promising year for the young group of girls.

“I think that we will be stronger next year even though we are replacing three of our starting seniors,” head coach Laura Ashby said.

ENGELBRECHT COMMITS TO KSU TOMMY BUI, Staff Writer

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fter helping the Titans reach the state volleyball tournament, Northview’s middle blocker and team captain, Liesl Engelbrecht, received the Area 6-AAAAAA Offensive Player of the Year Award. Leading the team with 314 kills scored, Engelbrecht is undoubtedly one of Northview’s best assets. Her .325 hitting percentage makes her one of the region’s most reliable hitters. Not only is she an offensive machine, but Engelbrecht also leads the team’s defense with 103 total blocks.

“I honestly did not expect it, so I am really excited,” Engelbrecht said.

Although she did not think so, it was inevitable for Engelbrecht to be recognized as the region’s offensive player of the year. Her stats lead not only the team, but also the region. Her well rounded and consistent performance has earned her spots on the top of the Region 6-AAAAAA Area 6 kill, hit percentage, and block rankings.

“I am constantly working on my game, constantly trying to improve,” Engelbrecht said.

Engelbrecht plays volleyball year-round, and her work ethic has contributed to her success. Outside of Northview, Engelbrecht perfects her craft by playing on a club team and at volleyball camps. She plans to continue her volleyball career in college. Engelbrecht is committed to play volleyball at Kennesaw State University in the 2015-2016 school year.

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New cross country coach Anthony Cianciola watches the team at a regular practice.

Brittney Neser/STAFF

SPORTS

IRON MAN “Coach C” leads the charge into a new era of cross country MAGGIE BRENAN, Staff Writer

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nthony Cianciola has moved into the position recently vacated by Mike Morris, who was the head coach of the Northview Cross Country program for the previous 12 years. According to Cianciola, the athletes on the team played a large role in the decision to coach the sport.

“Some of the kids on the team came to me and asked if I would be willing to take over cross country, and I was more than happy to,” Cianciola said. “I was honored that I was asked, and I really enjoy doing it so far.”

The team returns the positive sentiments and appreciates Cianciola’s guidance and ambition, according to junior Cole Matthews.

“He genuinely cares about the team […] He listens to the team and tries to improve as a coach every day,” Matthews said. “And for someone who started out great, getting better every day is a huge accomplishment.”

Cianciola is backed with many qualifications, having been involved with athletics for all of his life. In high school, he ran track and cross country, biked, and played soccer. More recently, he participated in the Ironman World Championships, where runners from across the world compete for the fastest time in a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run in Kona, Hawaii.

“I [have played] mostly endurance sports my whole life, so it’s a passion that I just continue to do through my adulthood,” Cianciola said.

“For one, the pure fitness aspect of it, and two, it’s been fun traveling, and meeting new people.”

Cianciola is now coaching the team that has improved and performed remarkably throughout recent seasons. With a team state championship title and an individual state championship win from last year, the girls’ varsity team is expected to return and to place in

“It’s a passion that I just continue to do.”

– Anthony Cianciola

this season’s state meet, regardless of Northview’s transfer to the more difficult Region 6-AAAAAA. Leading the team is junior Lindsay Billings. After capturing the individual state title a year ago and already having shattered the course record at this season’s Fulton County meet, Billings is charging into the heart of the season as a strong favorite for some big titles. Other members of the girls’ team are equally eager and prepared for continued success this year.

“They’re so self-driven and so self-motivated and very, very coachable,” Cianciola said. “[The success] they’ve had in the past [can be] mainly attributed to their work ethic and their drive. You get out what you put in, and these kids have been such a pleasure to coach. So, I hope this year the girls have another shot at winning the state title, and they definitely have a legitimate chance if everybody stays healthy.”

According to Billings, the team has already seen improvement in race results, which in turn drive them to continue training.

“Cross country is just a measure of how hard you can push yourself,” Billings said. “Seeing times drop each week at the races proves you’re getting stronger even if you don’t feel it, which motivates you to work harder the following week.”

The boys’ team also has the potential to win big this year, and they are working hard to do so. Cianciola places them as third or fourth in the state, based on current standings.

“They’re a little bit of a younger group of kids, but again, as far as hard work, I couldn’t ask for a better team,” Cianciola said.

Cianciola understands the long-term benefits of passionate commitment to a sport. He plans to not only prepare his team for the short-term races and success, but also to teach them how to be successful in the long term. He places particular emphasis on the importance of rest. According to Cianciola, rest is just as important as hard work, and the runners must treat their bodies as machines.

“That will separate a good team from a great team [...] working hard but also knowing when to rest to stay healthy. So the biggest thing that we have tried to reiterate the whole season is […] the general overall constant maintenance of your body,” Cianciola said. “That’s going to be the biggest contributive factor to the team that wins state this year; it’s who’s going to be the healthiest, and who knows how much is too much.”

Billings Continues to Rack up Awards and Titles A

s of last year, Lindsay Billings holds the title for the fastest girl in class AAAAA. She has already stolen two course records this year, including at the Milton cross country course, home to this year’s Fulton County championships, and the Lambert River Run course. On both of these courses, she was said to not only have beaten the previous record, but to have shattered it. Her latest win was in the elite division of the Disney Cross Country classic, nearly beating the course record and leading the Northview girls to third place. She has recently been honored with Milesplit’s All-Class runner of the week for her win at the state course in Carrollton, Georgia, and Milesplit’s National Girls Cross Country Performer of the week for her performance at the Lambert River Run. Although Lambert’s course turned out to measure just short of 3.1 miles, disqualifying Lindsay for any national 5K records, she still beat both her personal and the course record times by a wide margin and caught the attention of running officials across the country. In addition to apparent talent, Lindsay has worked her way to these incredible successes using her amazing ambition and drive. “[Her work ethic is] absolutely hands down the best I’ve ever seen or had the privilege of coaching,” Cianciola said. “She has tremendous dedication to the sport, and is very very passionate about running. Her overall commitment and dedication to being the best she can be is awesome.”

Dwight Marsh/SPECIAL

sports | the messenger | 15

DOWN BUT NOT

OUT Senior Matty Biondich perseveres through injury as a star athlete on and off the field SUMIT SOHANI, Staff Writer

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ime seems to stand still as a football soars through the air and nears the top of its arc. Thrown from deep within Titan territory, the ball is set to travel to midfield, a tall order for a wide receiver to reach in the few seconds after the quarterback calls hike. Moments later, one senior is there to make the miraculous catch and score a touchdown for the Titans.

The reception seemed impossible, the odds insurmountable—then again, Matty Biondich has always been beyond the norm.

As a verbal Army commit for two sports, a four-year Varsity letterman in lacrosse and football, and an All-American with countless awards to his name, Biondich has had wild success in his high school athletic career. The Northview senior has played both sports for four years with incredible accomplishments in each.

As a football player, he stars as one of the fastest and most explosive wide receivers in Georgia history. His 76 receptions and 1,265 receiving yards were both good enough to top the state standings in 2013. More telling, however, is the fact that 72 percent of Biondich’s yards came after the catch, meaning that about three-quarters of his production was generated by his own innate ability to bob, weave, sprint, and juke through defenders after he had the ball. Overall, he is only a few games away from breaking the all-time reception record for the entire state.

Continued on page 18

U

nfortunately, Biondich may not get the chance to do so. After breaking his fibula and tearing various ligaments in his foot during the first five minutes of the game against West Forsyth High School, Biondich has been out for the past two games. He is unsure yet if he will be able to finish the season. The football team was undefeated prior to the injury —however, they have lost both games without Biondich on the field.

“We haven’t scored since he’s gone out. I think it’s the comfort level,” Coach Chad Davenport said. “It’s been a lot for us [...] I hope we can work through it.”

Biondich’s ability to do more than he is asked as a two-sport athlete also comes into play on the gridiron itself, where he serves as the team’s punter.

His 1,567 punting yards last year far outpaced anyone else across all 159 Georgia counties, and he was also able to pin teams inside of their own twenty-yard line the most times—crucial for field position, as a punt that lands that close to the end zone indicates that the opposing team has nearly the whole field to make up to be able to travel for a touchdown. As a punter, Matty is like his off-the-field self: quiet and reserved, but impactful and an immediate magnet for attention.

In one season alone last year as a junior, Matty was named the North Fulton Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-Region, All-State, All-Area, All-State Writers’ Poll Second, and All-Southeast Third Teams.

Biondich’s football accolades stretch far and wide, back to his days as a Junior Titan in middle school. In eighth grade, Biondich was awarded the huge honor of playing with Team USA twice on two different squads. Right before the start of his 2014 campaign, Biondich was selected to the Preseason All-State Football team, another huge distinction.

“My favorite [memory] would [have] to be the eighth grade All-American game. I got the Offensive MVP that time—the good times,” Biondich said.

“He’s always been unique by size and talent,” his father and coach Bob Biondich said.

The coach is a regular in the Northview community as the coach of both the wrestling team and freshman football, and has played an instrumental role in helping him grow as an athlete both physically and mentally.

“That’s what I’ve been doing with Matt always. The mental part is so big. I’ve stressed that mentally, no matter what size, as long as you believe you can compete and you believe you can be good at the sport, you’ll have a chance,” he said. “Matt has never gone out on the field every thinking he can’t do it. And that comes from years and years of reinforcement saying that ‘You can do it.’ And a lot of kids just don’t have that enforcements.”

On the lacrosse field, Matty Biondich is just as impressive. Dishing out 51 assists as a junior (once again, the best in the state), he showed that he is an incredible facilitator, able to read defenses and execute tight passes to hit the right teammate for the goal. His statistics for scoring goals are also impressive—the 40 goals he buried last year is evidence of his goal-scoring prowess. Furthermore, he’s a two-time lacrosse All-American through three years of playing the sport in high school.

Matty Biondich’s life as an athlete began early—at age three, when his father coached his older sister’s soccer team. Matty Biondich began kicking the ball around on his sister’s soccer team before starting to play for real. Finding success as the odd kid out would

continue to be a recurring theme in his story growing up.

“I used to have fun playing; it didn’t really bother me if I got singled out.

As long as I could play, I knew I’d be good,” said Matty Biondich.

Enamored with soccer, he stuck with the sport for three years until he was six—he left his sister’s team when he turned four, demonstrating enough success to both “graduate” from his first team and continue as an avid athlete in the game. Matty Biondich also took up baseball, though he dropped it as a six-year old. With two sports already under his belt, he ventured on to a new sport that stuck at the age of seven: lacrosse.

“With lacrosse, I found out why I’m playing sports,” Matty Biondich said, speaking of his immediate connection to the game.

The source of his success in lacrosse probably stems from both soccer, which involves running and delicate footwork, and baseball, which involves hand-eye coordination with a bat. Lacrosse combines those two skills, mixing the first three years of his introduction to sports.

“I played both lacrosse and soccer until [age] eight or nine. But my mom never let me play tackle football until the seventh grade,” Matty Biondich said. He began playing flag football in the fourth grade and continued on with it until he was given the parental green light to move up.

Under the Junior Titans in his middle school years, Matty Biondich continued to play a multitude of sports. In sixth grade, he committed to lacrosse and wrestling. The next year, he added a challenge and took on football, which he would continue on with as he entered eighth grade.

When he started high school, Matty Biondich chose to drop wrestling, still leaving him with a demanding schedule of football and lacrosse. At the beginning of freshman year, Biondich almost chose to forego football as well.

“It took a week before football’s first game in my freshman year,” Matty Biondich said. “A couple of the senior guys talked to me and said I should do it—they talked me into playing football.

That first scrimmage—I still remember it, against Johns Creek— that was the only football game where I’ve been on the sidelines and didn’t play because I hadn’t joined until very late.”

Since then, Matty Biondich has fully undertaken both lacrosse and football for all four years of his high school career. They key to making it work is finding the balance—the magic amount of work and play that keeps the game fresh.

“I was very competitive, and he’s very competitive, so my wife tries to keep us focused about what’s really important—whether it’s about[…]playing and having fun or winning at all costs,” Bob Biondich said.

Matty Biondich has consistently stepped up to the plate when he and his teammates needed it the most.

“In the State Championship Lacrosse game from last year[… ]I remember scoring that last goal and telling myself we were going to be champs.

What helped me [was connecting with] the memory of losing the year before—it inspires you to want to win,” Matty Biondich said.

Though Matty Biondich can run laps around defenders on the field, he remains close to his entire family at home. Even with the awards and the recognition, Matty Biondich continues to remember what’s important. After a long day of practice, he will share supper with his dad. This, more than his clear prowess on the field, may be the talent alluded to by his father—he does not let the grind of practices and games turn him into someone isolated; instead, Matty Biondich continues to rely on his family

“He has everything you need to be a good player and good athlete.”

18 | sports

—Bob Biondich, father and coach

H

Biondich dives in for a ground ball on April 15 in a home game against Cambridge High School last season.

Hui Lin/STAFF

for guidance and the determination to push on.

“I got the competitive part from my dad. [He said,] ‘You play to win, go out there and give it your all.’ [But] I’ve also told myself to go out there and have fun. ‘Make sure you have fun’—I adapted that to myself. Go out there and if you’re having fun, you’ll be playing well,” Matty Biondich said.

No matter what, though, there’s always been one tag that’s stuck with Matty Biondich on any surface he’s walked on: his height. Standing at five feet, five inches, and 150 pounds, Matty Biondich is one of the smaller athletes in the pack.

“Ever since the eighth grade, I told myself, ‘I’m not going to be tall,’” Matty Biondich said. “Kids look down on you.”

Contrary to his initial beliefs, his height has actually worked to his advantage. His theory is that his stature gives him a lower center of gravity that makes him exceedingly difficult to tackle. Furthermore, Matty Biondich has noticed that his ability to balance outpaces that of his lacrosse teammates.

“If I were taller, a lot of it wouldn’t be possible,” Matty Biondich said.

More often than not, however, the arsenal is mental. Hearing another crack about his height or how his small size cannot possibly produce good play only provides Matty Biondich with the extra spark he needs.

“He’s shorter than most kids. But what he’s been able to accomplish since year two or three is being one of the fastest or best athletes in any sport he’s played, which has made him popular[…]He’s coachable, and a lot of fun to watch. And I would consider him the ultimate team player. It’s about the team with Matt. He doesn’t complain if he doesn’t get the ball.

He’s always the first one there to give someone a pat on the back if they did something wrong,” his father said.

A teammate on and off the field, Matty Biondich is actively involved in

the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Young Life. He teaches lacrosse to Johns Creek kids and loves to fish and bowl.

“I always get on kids about having jobs and being multi-faceted and involved so going into college and having that resume they belong to a club, they belong to a sport, and they have good grades. Most kids trying to get into UGA or West Point are smart—what else can you bring? [My wife and I] focused a lot [on] making sure Matt is well rounded so that he’ll have choices,” his father said.

As a member of the West Point Class of 2019, he will join the ranks of two former Presidents and 75 Medal of Honor Recipients. “[West Point] has a sense of some of the best leaders on campus in America, and they know how to build a leader. Being able to go through the experience[… ]and form a relationship with all the other [cadets] is what I’m looking forward to,” Matty Biondich said.

The journey through two intense high school sports has prepared Matty for his coming years.

“He seems very calm no matter what’s going on on the field. He’s matured very much so over the last four years. The surrounds, he handles much better; people, coaches, and everything,” his father said.

His accomplishments put him in a class of his own, and his experience with high school athletics have set him up to continue his career in college.

“I’ve watched and seen many coaches and players point at him, and I know they don’t think he can do it. But when he gets out there and they try to stop him—they can’t. It’s the same in lacrosse too. In the championship game, he had three goals in the second half and I told him at halftime that he had to do whatever he had to do to win the game and he did it. He’s very determined—an athlete with a strong-willed, big heart; quick feet; and field awareness. He has everything you need to be a good player and good athlete.”

sports | the messenger | 19

Running toward

SPORTS

Victory Lindsey Moon/STAFF

After a disappointing 2013 season, varsity football makes a recordbreaking comeback with the best defense in school history

T

RAMEEN FORGHANI and CHAD JOHNSON, Staff Writers

he Titans were never known for their wins and playoff appearances. This season has changed the way Northview football is viewed in the community and the school. As of right now, the team’s defense has only allowed 64 points to be scored against them.

“All of the starters have been starting since their freshman or sophomore year, so the defense is very experienced,” senior Matt Ferguson said.

Ferguson is a four-year varsity player and a three-year starter.

He believes that players on the defense work together well and have great teamwork; however, the coaching staff has contributed to the success of the team as well.

“For the past two years we have had coaches who really know what they’re doing,” said Ferguson.

Dan Owens, defensive coordinator, has been making big changes in the way the defense is run. Having a defensive coach that played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions is a huge contributor to the defense’s performance.

Spotting why Northview has improved so dramatically this

20 | sports

year is challenging. Poised to make the playoffs and shatter school records along the way, the Titans triumphantly top the division because of their one non-region victory. The Titans were able to beat Duluth 42-7 to open the season, bettering the marks anyone else in the region could set.

Alpharetta, one of the Titans’ fiercest competitors in Region 6-AAAAAA, also stands undefeated in region play at 6-0.

The Titans still have big games left to play to prove their dominance in the region. The Titans have Alpharetta remaining on the schedule, a home game on the ninth week of the season.

On a night dominated by Halloween costumes, candy, and homecoming royalty, the Titans will hope to solidify their spot in the region, and playoffs, with a victory over the Raiders.

Northview’s defense will have their work cut out for them facing Alpharetta with a remarkable offense. The Alpharetta Raiders have averaged 33.2 points per game through their first five. In a match up of potent offense versus stingy defense, the Titans’ defensive front will be forced to continue their dominant way of play in order to keep the offense in the game.

Game after game, the defense continues to show its prowess by forcing early turnovers and holding the opposing offense at bay, giving the Northview offense opportunities to get the ball in good field position and to put points on the scoreboard. However, the offense isn’t the only one scoring points. The defense is holding its own in the points category, returning many interceptions for touchdowns. In addition to the interceptions, the Titans’ defensive line has held firm against the run while still being able to get to the quarterback and sack for loss.

“They are the leaders of our team. They are going to lead us through offense. When you have a great defense, you just can keep plugging on offense and things will happen,” Head Coach Chad Davenport said.

Northview’s defense has gotten several new players from other schools. Turner Fortin, Josh Moran, Ernest Gunn, and Malcom Conn are new additions to Northview’s defense. Junior Moran played for Northview his freshman year, went to Buford High School, and then came back to Northview his junior year.

Fortin played at Johns Creek High School for his first three years of high school and then came to Northview as a senior.

Gunn and Conn are both from Selma, Alabama. The two transfer students came to play at Northview because they wanted to go up against better competition and get better offers from bigger colleges and universities. Both players were made starters over the summer and were welcomed by the defense with open arms.

“This team is great on and off the field. We didn’t know what to expect joining a new team but the guys have treated us great,” Gunn said.

The new players have helped to change the attitude of the team.

“We are finally enjoying ourselves out there; we really want to win and now everything is finally coming together and it’s a really good feeling. Getting scored on is devastating, but that is something that happens rarely,” Ferguson said.

Northview’s defense is arguably one of the best in the state, and the players look forward to the remainder of the season.

2014 results 8.29 vs. duluth Win 42 7 9.05 vs. habersham central win 41 0 9.12 vs. north forsyth win 49 0 9.19 vs. johns creek win 50 7 9.26 vs. west forsyth win 28 14 10.10 vs. south forsyth lOSS 8 33 10.17 vs. lambert lOSS 0 3 10.24 vs. chattahoochee to be determined 10.31 vs. alpharetta to be determined 11.07 vs. centennial to be determined

Below: Junior Josh Moran (15) tackles an offensive player from Johns Creek High School during the game on September 19. The Titans won 50-7.

Top Left: Senior Devan Johnson (43) sprints past a Johns Creek defensive player in the same game to score a touchdown.

Brittney Neser/STAFF

sports | the messenger | 21

FEATURES

Ian Carroll swoops down from the Windy City to head Northview’s BVP program Tiffany Xu/STAFF

CONNIE XIAO, Staff Writer

W

hen the previous Broadcast Video Production (BVP) teacher, Josh Lee, was promoted to county head of technology a few weeks into the 2014 school year, the school scrambled to find a suitable replacement. A month later, Northview welcomed Ian Carroll as the new head of the BVP team.

Carroll was exposed to film early in life, with his mother frequently showing him the movies she had a passion for. By the time he reached high school, Carroll knew that he wanted to make film. In his sophomore year, attending a re-release of an old movie at a local movie theater developed his interests further.

“It kind of changed the way I watched movies,” Carroll said.

“I wanted to not just make them, but actually study them, learn the history and theory behind them.”

He went on to attend the University of Georgia, where he received his degree in Film History and Theory, never losing his desire to produce his own work. While completing postgraduate work at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he met Hakim Belabbes, who had just begun planning to direct a feature film.

22 | features

“I talked to him a few times, told him ‘Hey, I wanna work on this,’” Carroll said.

He was soon hired as a second unit director of photography, and he and the film crew flew to Morocco. They filmed for five weeks on the movie, Defining Love: A Failed Attempt, which premiered at the Dubai International Film Festival and was nominated for the Best Feature award. At the Moroccan International Film Festival, it won the Critics’ Choice award.

Carroll returned to Chicago, where he took freelance jobs shooting video and taking photos for local DJs and bands. He was just beginning to dabble in real estate when Lee left Northview.

“I got a call from one of my friends, Mr. Brown, who works here at Northview. He said, ‘Hey, there’s a film job here.’ There wasn’t a film department, or any sort of film production when I was in high school, so I thought it would be really cool to work with younger people who were interested in it,” Carroll said.

Raymond Brown, who teaches history and a film class at Northview, knew that Carroll would be the best for the job. The two were roommates in

college, and Carroll will move in once again with Brown until other arrangements can be made. Both share a passion for film; Carroll’s own obsession with the art often prompted his friends to get deeper into it as well.

“I like to think that I know a lot about film,” Brown said.. “But I’m a small fish in a big pond when he’s around. He knows more about the history of film, the production of film. He names every camera that was ever used in film. His knowledge base is unreal.”

Even with his extensive experience in film, Carroll is impressed with what the Northview BVP team has achieved.

“Some of the seniors and juniors are making some absolutely fantastic stuff. And the potential in the younger students is definitely great as well,” Carroll said.

He hopes to see more students enter their pieces in competition, in a venue with a greater audience than the one at home. Carroll also plans to push for projects that require more planning and execution, with the aim of turning two-to-three minute shorts into 20-30 minute features. With the Halloween Bolt coming up, Carroll has begun meeting with the students, developing ideas and helping with the story line and other aspects of writing.

“He’s been very interactive,” Theodore Yun, a senior BVP member, said. “He’s really friendly and cooperative, too. We have a producer group

that makes a lot of decisions, and he’s not overstepping his boundaries, he’s not implementing ideas too quickly.”

The students are eager to see what Carroll, with his extensive background in film, has to offer. Lee, who had received his training in broadcast journalism, a vastly different field, could not always meet their specific needs.

“Most of us in here want to do film as a career choice,” senior Joseph An said. “[Carroll] did film, so we can relate to him on a whole different level.”

With Carroll at the head, a shift in emphasis is likely to occur. His proposal to make longer features has already intrigued the BVP students.

“It’s really crazy, because that’s never been suggested before. He’s letting us try and become better filmmakers by giving us something we don’t usually expect, don’t usually get. Students really need that to strive to become better, to get out of our comfort zones,” An said.

While the outcome of such a large undertaking is uncertain, the students are optimistic.

“A good teacher teaches a student how to walk,” An said. “But a great teacher walks with the students, and I think Mr. Carroll is going to be very hands-on with us.”

“There wasn’t a film department,

or any sort of film production when I was in high school, so I thought it would be really cool to work with younger people who were interested in [film].”

Carroll oversees and critiques senior Benjamin Self on a new video project in the BVP room.

Hui Lin/STAFF

features | the messenger | 23

FEATURES

A HOUSE OF CARDS

Brothers Andrew and Richard Jeng reflect on their bridge careers and current status as World Champions.

TANISA MAHALINGAM, Staff Writer

B

rothers Andrew Jeng and Richard Jeng already excel in their academic studies, participate in Latin extracurricular activities, are award-winning pianists, and hold first degree Black Belts in Karate.

In July 2013, they added one more achievement to their impressive résumés: they became gold medalists at the World Youth Open Bridge Championships, making the duo world champions in competitive bridge.

Andrew and Richard Jengs’ grandfather, an avid bridge player, introduced them to bridge at a young age. They got their first exposure from him, but it was at a summer camp, when they first learned to play the game.

“Eight years ago, when I was nine and Richard was six, we first learned to play bridge because our mom thought it would be nice of us to play with our grandpa. Also, Atlanta has a really strong youth program called Atlanta Junior Bridge. They host summer camps every year, and my mom saw an advertisement in a local newspaper, she thought it would be a great idea for us to play, and so she signed us up- that was where it all started. It didn’t take long for me to become passionate about bridge,” senior Andrew Jeng said.

Atlanta Junior Bridge is a non-profit corporation with a mission of bringing bridge to Atlanta’s youth. The organization is funded by private and corporate donations. The corporation supplies teachers and materials to other organizations which would like to offer children and young adults the opportunity to learn and play bridge. The Jengs now volunteer at the summer camp because after seven years of competing in tournaments, the pair have mastered bridge to the point of becoming proficient instructors.

Andrew and Richard Jeng both became Life Masters at ages nine and twelve respectively, with Richard Jeng breaking the then world record by becoming the youngest Life Master in American Contract Bridge League history at nine years, six months, and twelve days. The rank of Life Master

24 | features

is among the highest accomplishments that only elite bridge players can hope to obtain.

“The 2013 tournament, which we won last year, was in Atlanta and it lasted for ten days. So everyday, we would compete for a couple of hours,” Andrew Jeng said. In past years, they had achieved many other elite accolades, and they still continue to achieve them, however this accomplishment is the pinnacle of their bridge careers so far.

“I was actually supposed to go to Croatia for a competition this year, but I couldn’t because I didn’t want to miss two weeks of AP World History,” Richard Jeng said.

The brothers have competed in national and international events, traveling all over the world to places like Philadelphia, Toronto, and China.

The two credit their success in last year’s tournament to hard-work, dedication, and the simple fact that they are brothers, which gives them frequent opportunities to practice and help each other, correct minor flaws, and overall just perfect their techniques.

The brothers cultivated a strong bond through their many years of practicing, traveling, and competing together. Richard Jeng admits the two have had their downfalls to a point of almost not playing anymore, but, the duo never let petty arguments get in the way of their relationship and success.

“The downfalls and accomplishments I’ve achieved help me further my experiences in the game of life, and to just move on if I achieve a bad result,” Richard Jeng said.

Andrew Jeng says that his brother is the better player. The question of who is more talented is subjective, but if one thing is certain, it is the fact that these two have both made remarkable achievements at a young age.

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features | the messenger | 25

The spike in school violence in the past decade has caused schools across the country to crack down on preventative security measures and procedures. With the departure of former Resource Officer Keith Johnson and the introduction of Campus Security Associate (CSA) Latasha Dillard, Northview seems to be taking a step back in the nationwide fight for school safety. Having one less weapon on campus may make the school safer; however, there is also one less armed resource officer to protect the students and faculty.

Should Northview maintain the established standard of having two resource officers on campus, or is one armed officer enough?

26 | opinions

[ Y E S] MAGGIE XIA, Copy Editor

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he escalation of mass shootings in America is precisely the reason why the two armed officer minimum in public schools should be strictly enforced.

The Fulton County School Board has decided that the absence of disciplinary issues surrounding Northview calls for the replacement of the second armed resource officer with a CSA, in turn providing another school with one more armed officer that supposedly needs him more. True, Northview is widely known for its extremely safe environment where students have a higher possibility of having dangers befalling them due to rigor of classes and competition than from any serious incident. But that doesn’t mean that its armed officers should be reduced in number; Northview should still maintain two armed officers. Even though the possibility of an incident is low, there is still a chance that something could happen; one simply does not know what the future holds.

Norcross High School was recently put under lock down due to an incident dealing with the assault of one of its students, who

was under the influence at the time. Though the exact details of the incident are not too clear, one thing is for sure: Norcross High is a clear example that though we may live in a secure environment, there may arise a situation where armed officers are needed.

The uncertainty of future events makes the need for two armed officers necessary.

“The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” National Rifle Association’s Vice President Wayne LaPierre said.

The increase in school shootings came as a result of the possession of guns by bad people. The armed officers in some cases were unable to contain the threat, leading to the tragic results of these horrific events. This only fortifies the need to have two armed officers at Northview; in the case of a threat, two armed officers are better than one in defending the school.

There is a reason why two armed officers is the minimum requirement.

Let us not get too comfortable just because nothing has happened yet to let it be acceptable to only have one armed officer around the school.

[ N O] NANCY COLEMAN, Managing Editor

W

ith mass shootings in America on the rise, especially those that occur on school campuses, the last thing any school needs is another gun in the building.

In general, the resolutions to American gun debates fall under one of two broad categories: arm more Americans, or armless. Whichever side may be correct is still up for debate--regardless, there is no reason to have firearms on campus, even in the possession of a trusted resource officer. It is simply too easy for it to fall into the wrong hands.

The arrival of Campus Security Associate Latasha Dillard is a step in the right direction in the ongoing struggle to keep schools safe. Unlike Resource Officer Linda Robinson, CSA Dillard does not carry a weapon--and she is still perfectly capable of protecting our school without one.

The primary goal of having resource officers, armed or not, at Northview and other schools across the nation is to protect the students. Having an armed resource officer adds some extra insurance in case of an intruder.

While the threat of a school shooter breaking in can never be truly eradicated, the chances of a school shooting are still relatively rare.

Northview simply does not need two fully armed resource officers.

One resource officer and one CSA, however, is an ideal balance for Northview in particular.

When the Fulton County School Board sat down to reallocate funding and resources for the 2014-2015 school year, Northview’s remarkable lack of disciplinary problems played a key factor in the switch to a CSA in lieu of a second resource officer, according to Principal Brian Downey. Between the budget available and the disciplinary need, the resources spent on an additional resource officer were simply spent better elsewhere at a different Fulton County School.

In general, guns are rarely--if ever--used for disciplinary action at schools. The thought of pulling a gun on a student for cutting class or even getting in a minor fist fight is preposterous.

Having an armed resource officer on campus is reassuring in the case of an emergency like a school shooting. However, one is enough-there is no need to have multiple firearms on a school campus.

opinions | the messenger | 27

OPINIONS

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK Scotland’s vote for independence proves ineffective but promising SOPHIA CHOI, Staff Writer

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cotland was denied a potential future of greatness and glory when the results of a referendum showed that the majority of Scots would prefer that Scotland remain under the United Kingdom rather than become an independent nation. The referendum, held on Thursday, September 18, asked the citizens of Scotland: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” The Scottish National Party specially lowered the minimum voting age from 18 to 16 for the vote, hoping to encourage political participation among Scotland’s youth population. An astonishing 85% of Scottish citizens took part in the vote, breaking the record for percent voter turnout in the United Kingdom. 55% of voters said “No,” meaning that Scotland will continue its union with England as the United Kingdom.

Scotland and England were joined together as the United Kingdom in 1707 when King James VI of Scotland was crowned King James I of England, and England has bullied Scotland ever since. For example, England has been storing its nuclear weapons in Scotland for years, making Scotland a potential target in the event of an attack. Additionally, England has been funneling most of the revenue made from oil drilled from Scottish soil into its own federal government, rather than Scotland’s. The United Kingdom also imposes many taxes and restrictive policies on Scotland, but not any other country in the Union. The fact that England is able put Scotland at a disadvantage both socially and economically indicates the skewed balance of power within the Union. Scottish independence is im-

28 | opinions

perative if Scots have any hope to stop complaining about England’s power over Scotland and to start deciding its own policies.

In the midst of aftermath of the vote, Scotland sent itself into a panic. People began uploading footage to the Internet that supposedly proved that the voting count was fixed. In the videos, tellers appear to be moving votes from the “Yes” pile to the “No” pile. Immediately, political parties explained that the tellers were merely putting the “Yes” votes in the place where the “No” votes were to be counted and placed. Still, many Scots, “Yes” and “No” voters alike, were skeptical as to whether this was a valid explanation of what was happening in the videos. Had the voting process been designed to allow little to no room for possibly cheating the vote, we would have a true understanding of the distribution of public opinion in Scotland and the integrity of the United Kingdom’s political system.

Though the majority of voters were not enthusiastic for Scottish independence, the fight is far from over. Public opinion polls over the years show the steady growth of Scottish nationalists, and a voter breakdown from the referendum show that the majority of “Yes” voters were younger than 50 years old. As the debate over Scottish independence continues, the new pool of voters will likely take after their pro-independence parents, further increasing the support for Scottish nationalists. Even England’s desperate attempts to strengthen the “No” vote with promises of greater Scottish government suggest the dwindling dominance of Unionism in Scotland. We all may even live to see Scotland become an independent nation.

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STAFF EDITORIAL

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idely known as a symbol from the television show How I Met Your Mother, the yellow umbrella now represents a much larger movement: the Umbrella Revolution.

Throughout the recent Hong Kong protests, students innovated and used everyday household items, namely umbrellas, to shield themselves from police tactics, such as tear gas and batons. A reporter then coined the term “Umbrella Revolution”, and the name caught on.

After over 100 years of colonial rule, Great Britain handed off jurisdiction of Hong Kong to China in 1997. Hong Kong maintained its elected system of government, despite the fact that China continued it's communist rule. The citizens of Hong Kong voted for their governor every four years similar to previous rule under the British.

Recently, however, the Chinese government stated that it will select the candidates instead of the Hong Kong population. People were outraged, but instead of committing acts of violence and destruction, the Hong Kong people resorted to nonviolence, borrowing ideas from Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.

Students and teachers gathered in the center of the city, chok-

ing major life lines and roadways. Unlike many protests around the world, Hong Kong students were very organized and structured to the extent of issuing books guiding actions during various situations. The highly controlled and efficient protesting ensured a lack of looting within the city.

The Hong Kong protests also connected with the protests in Ferguson, MO through their use of the “hands up, don’t shoot” chant. The connection between the two protests, across the world and over different subjects, creates a global protest network that proves solidarity across borders.

Overall, these nonviolent, efficient, and organized protests of Hong Kong serve as examples for us on how to advocate for policy and rights. Like Hobbe’s theory, people have the ability to protest and fight if the government isn’t governing the population. The Hong Kong protests aren’t the beginning, or the end. Following Arab Springs and the Occupy movement, people just like you and me will continue to fight for legislation and changes to improve our well-being. Instead of looking down on the Chinese government, let’s look up at the youth and adults protesting. We are all in the same situation, just fighting for a different cause.

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MUSIC

FASHION

EASHAA VELAMURI, Staff Writer

CONNIE XU, Design Editor

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Hoodie Allen/SPECIAL

ALBUM

oodie Allen, a UPenn graduate and former employee of Google, is back at it again.

Though he released the EP “All American” in 2012 with hits “No Interruption” and “No Faith in Brooklyn,” People Keep Talking is his first official debut album. He maintains his carefree nature in “Act My Age”, while displaying his serious side in “People Keep Talking”.

Personal favorites include “100 Percent of Something”, “Overtime”, “All About It” in which Ed Sheeran features in.

HASHEMI SHIREEN

T

he recent dip in temperatures has pleaded for a transition between summer and fall wardrobes. Fall is the best season to maximize your wardrobe because it harnesses the ability to use both your summer and winter pieces. Simply throw on a winter jacket over a summer top or wear a light sweater with some shorts or jeans. This season we love clean cut, leather, sportswear inspired, and fur jackets; a closed or chunky knits in an earthy palette is always a classic.

03.

SHIREEN HASHEMI

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his month, Childish Gambino released the EP Kauai. The mixtape STN MTN also came with it on iTunes. Compared to his previous material, the songs off Kauai seem to be more emotional. “Sober” stands out as the most memorable song off the EP. Otherwise the real gem of this whole project is Stn Mtn. Gambino or Donald Glover takes it back to his roots in Atlanta through his songs, showing his transition from where he came from to where he ended up. Personal favorite is “No Small Talk”.

01. H&M fur coat and

skirt, Topshop blouse, thrifted boots

01.

02. JCrew flannel, thrifted tee H&M boyfriend jeans, thrifted ankle boots

02.

Glassnote /SPECIAL

03. TJMaxx leather

MIXTAPE

jacket, Forever 21 turtleneck, thrifted skirt, UO platforms

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Island Records/SPECIAL

SPOTLIGHT

ozier is still relatively unknown in the mainstream music community. His 60,000 followers on Twitter pales in comparison to the millions of followers that many more popular musicians have. And for those who do know who he is, they primarily know him for his song “Take Me to Church” that plays on many alternative stations. His self-titled debut album Hozier as a whole is amazing; each song being its own story. Personal favorites include “Angel of Small Death & the Codeine Scene”, “Jackie and WIlson”, and “Sedated”.

THROWBACK 01.

Elvis Presley releases the romantic ballad “Can’t Help Falling in Love” on October 1, 1961.

Genre: Traditional Pop

02.

Queen releases “Bohemian Rhapsody” on October 31, 1975. They were not poor boys for much longer.

Genre: Hard rock, Progressive rock

03.

Flo Rida released “Low” on October 9, 2007. The song was named third on Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade.

Genre: Southern hip hop

30 | opinions

02.

ANDREW TEODORESCU 01. J.Crew bomber

jacket and tee, H&M chinos,Vans Old Skool sneakers

02. Jack Spade Utility jacket, Banana Republic button down, A.P.C. jeans, Vans sneakers 03. Banana Re- 01. public Color Block, Levis 511 jeans, Nike Killshot Shoes

03.

OPINIONS

Comments: LOUDER THAn the MUSIC Andre 3000 takes the role of the modern artist outside the studio ANDREW TEODORESCU, Opinions Editor

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he lights illuminate the stage, the bass shakes the crowd, and two figures—André 3000 and Big Boi— step out from the darkness. At the second showing of their sold out “homecoming” tour in Atlanta, on September 27, they took the stage at Centennial Olympic Park and energized the crowd of thousands in the center of their hometown. The twentieth anniversary reunion marked a special date for Outkast, which is arguably the most successful hip-hop duo of all time. However, the sight of the world-renowned duo was less awe-inspiring than the words bolded across André’s chest: “Teacher’s deserve more.” Since I shielded myself from all news or pictures from Outkast’s performances previous to the homecoming concert, I was drawn to the ambiguity of the statement and to the mysterious significance of the apostrophe. The blinding white letters stamped across André’s nylon black jumpsuit had to hold meaning.

With a little research after returning from the rare concert experience, I found that André has actually worn the same type of black jumpsuit with variations of statements on almost all of his tour dates this year. Some are comical, with sayings like “ninjas kill me,” “sloppy wet poseidon,” and “fruit snack addict.” A few are mysterious, reading “breathe,” “children of the cornbread,” and “I love old people.” However, among the odd mix, there is a handful of jumpsuits with stand-out statements: “I pray there’s a god at the end of all of this,” “obviously oblivious,” “big girls are beautiful to me,” “art or fart?,” “I’ve never had f@cebook, twitt@r, or inst@gram,” “narcissistic americans,” and “across cultures, darker people suffer most. why?” Although these statements combine to make a puzzling compilation, it is clear that, when they are not hilarious or bizarre, André’s jumpsuits seek to challenge cultural norms.

André Benjamin, known to fans as “André 3000” or simply, “Three Stacks,” is no ordinary artist; he tends

to hide behind his shield of complexity. After years of success with his rather normal partner, Big Boi, André decided to quit music in near totality. He remained concealed for years, producing and releasing extraneous songs at random. Despite being viewed as one of the most talented modern producers, André has threatened to end his musical career multiple times, while also contradictorily confirming his progress on new albums and projects. However, André has remained true and consistent to making challenging statements throughout his career, not only in his lyrics, but also in his unique retro-prep style and his views on the music industry.

Popular artists today are often known for their attraction to controversy. Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Robin Thicke have all received criticism from the media juxtaposed with praise from their fans. Nevertheless, controversy tends to challenge the integrity of an artist in a negative light. André’s jumpsuits prove that celebrities have the power to show off their values without fiery speeches or bold acts or passionate tweets.

With such a popular demand, especially among younger demographics, it is obvious that music artists have the ability to inspire audiences to buy a product or dress with a certain style. André takes the power of celebrity advertising a step further, selling ideas and values rather than shirts and shoes. Although the statements differ in their degrees of clarity, they are significant in their existence. The literal black-and-white portrayal of challenging statements inspires crowds beyond music; the jumpsuits promote thought about the current state of our world.

The competition of market and the inherent avoidance of public controversy plagues many new artists, who fear that they jeopardize their reputation by taking sides. Ironically, the very nature of lyricism is to take sides, publicize strong opinions, and question the norms.

opinions | the messenger | 31

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