C OAC H N O R TO N C O M E S B AC K
ODYSSEY
Volume 12 Issue 5 May 2015 $3.00
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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May 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
VIEWPOINTS
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Legalized hate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed legislation allowing discrimination against LGBTQ people. BY MADELINE HALL
NEWS JROTC department will have a rifle range next year.
Photo by Sophie Fernandes
of skills 16AsRange part of CCHS renovations, the
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BY DELIA ADAMSON
18 Finding funding
To raise money for field trips, many CCHS clubs use websites like GoFundMe.
Cover Story The Clarke Central High School Interact Club hosted the third annual DREAMfest at Nuçi’s Space, an event to help underdocumented students access higher education.
BY ZOE PETERSON
FEATURES
22 Quiet strength
Left: PUT IT THERE: Junior and varsity shot putter Cameron Mims warms up before a practice. Mims is one of four female shot putters at Clarke Central High School. “I was like, I’m going to try it out, and if I don’t like it, I’ll stop,” Mims said. “But I ended up liking it.”
Junior Michael Windle adjusts to life at CCHS and pursues his passions after a family tragedy. BY KATY MAYFIELD
REVIEWS
27 Unbroken
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BY TIERRA HAYES
VARIETY He’s got the rhythm 30Senior Gedia Powell uses music performance and composition to express himself. BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ
SPORTS Back on track 40Christian Norton, a 2008 graduate,
Photo by Sophie Fernandes
Right: FREE TO CREATE: The AthensClarke County Public Library has held multiple workshops this spring for students ages 11-18 on producing “zines” and mini-comics. “They’re really nice to express yourself other than journaling,” Teen Services Assistant Brandy Erdmann said.
has returned to CCHS as the head varsity boys track coach.
BY OLIVIA RIPPS
Cover illustration by Ella Sams
Photo by Chad Rhym
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, a new Netlix original created by Tina Fey, serves smart, original humor.
Cover design by Louise Platter
May 2015
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ODYSSEY
The ODYSSEY is published monthly. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff. TheODYSSEY ODYSSEYisisa student published monthly. Published opinions notthe necessarily reflect the The produced newsmagazine, publisheddowith intent to inform, views of and anyone than staff.Central High School community, as well as to educate entertain give other voice to thethe Clarke Thejournalists. ODYSSEYEach is a issue student newsmagazine, published with under the intent to student is anproduced open public forum for student expression the guidance inform, entertain of a faculty adviser. and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community, as well as to educate student journalists. Each is an opentopublic foruminform, for student expression Student journalists are provided withissue opportunities investigate, interpret and to under theallguidance of aaccepted faculty adviser. evaluate: traditionally functions of the press in America. The ODYSSEY staff are is committed reflect the mission to statement set forth by Clarke Central Student journalists provided to with opportunities investigate, inform, interpret and High School. all Thetraditionally goals of the accepted staff are tofunctions provide fair, accurate and commentaries, as well as to evaluate: of the pressnews in America. to serve interests ofstaff theisschool and Athens’ community. The the ODYSSEY committed to reflect the mission statement set forth by Clarke Advertising must conform to theofguidelines set to forth for editorials. Publication of advertiseCentral High School. The goals the staff are provide fair, accurate news and commenments notas indicate an the endorsement by the CCHS or byand the Athens’ ODYSSEY. taries,does as well to serve interests of school community. Students pictured advertisements are not given All advertising rates Advertising must inconform to the guidelines setmonetary forth for compensation. editorials. Publication of adverare available upon request from any ODYSSEY staff member. tisements does not indicate an endorsement by CCHS or by the ODYSSEY. The ODYSSEY is a member of the Quill and Scroll Honor Society, Georgia Scholastic Press Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertisAssociation, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and ing rates Interscholastic are available upon from any ODYSSEY staff member. Southern Press request Association. The ODYSSEY is aand member of the andinScroll Honor Corrections of errors omissions willQuill appear the next issue.Society, Georgia Scholastic
Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Southern Interscholastic Press Association. Corrections of errors and omissions will appear in the next issue. Editor-in-Chief: Louise Platter
Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: Jenny Alpaugh Brittney Butler
Print Managing Editor: Senior CopyHinkle Editor: Geneva Aaron Holmes
Senior Copy Editor and Photo Editor: Visuals Coordinator: Porter McLeod Chad Rhym
Junior Copy Editor: Business Manager: Brittney Butler Claire Elliott-Gower Viewpoints Public RelationsEditor: Manager: RobertRichards Walker Makayla Viewpoints Editor: News Editor: Tiernan O’Neill Aaron Holmes News Editor: Features Editor: Amelia DeLamater Louise Platter Features Editor: Variety Editor: Mary Merritt
Ethan Crane
Variety Editor: Sports Collins Editor: Flynne
Chad Rhym
Sports Editor: Business andSamuel Public Hood Relations Manager:
Hanna Harper
Junior Copy Editor: Austin Defoor Kevin Mobley
Staff Writers: StaffDawe, Writers: Radford Brosius, Esther Conaway, Nick Tierra Hayes, Audrey Hinkle, Amy Hoyt, Delia Adamson, Bermudez,, Karla Mary Dougan, Sophie Fernandes, Goodie, Johanna John Hubbard, JaymelLucia Israel, Lela Jenkins, Merritt, Alanna Pierce,Sara Hannah Rollins, Jared Hall, Madeline Hall, Tierra Hayes, Katy Mayfield, Violet Merritt, Suncana Pavlic, Jordan Rhym, Olivia Sarabia, Henry Scott, Luke Slaboda, Kendarious Sturdivant, Henry Thomas, Ripps, Dalace Thomas, Rigel Turner, Tiger Villaveces, Grace Walker, William White. Maria Velasquez, Emily Watson Adviser: DavidAdviser: A. Ragsdale
David A. Ragsdale ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S.Central Milledge Avenue Clarke High School Athens, Georgia Avenue 30605 350 S. Milledge Phone:Athens, (706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370 Georgia 30605 357-5269 Phone: Fax: (706)(706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370 www.odysseynewsmagazine.net Fax: (706) 357-5269 www.odysseynewsmagazine.net
May 2015
Our Take O
ne of the first things we learn in elementary school is how to talk to people. First, it’s basic manners. Don’t throw food, don’t bite anyone. Then ,we get a little bit more advanced. Be kind, be a good listener. Unfortunately, as we get older, it starts to get complicated. Communication is hard. Sometimes we Communication is hard. Somehear what we want to times we hear what we want to hear, sometimes we don’t listen like we hear, sometimes we don’t listen should. Sometimes we like we should. Sometimes we just don’t understand. just don’t understand. Once we get past those base levels of human decency, there’s so much to navigate that sometimes we get lost. Journalism is all about communication. As a publication, the ODYSSEY strives to communicate with people in the Clarke Central High School community, and in turn to communicate their stories, beliefs and passions to you: our readers.
No one ever said that communication was easy, but as journalists we aren’t in the business of easy. If we don’t tell these stories, they won’t be heard, and we take that responsibility very seriously. Sometimes our wires get crossed. In our desire to tell stories we may lose sight of the people that we are talking to. We want what’s best for our readers, our sources want to be heard, our readers want to learn, but sometimes communication falls through. There’s a margin of error. The ODYSSEY Newsmagazine is committed to reducing that margin as much as possible. That means double checking our writing, double checking our interview recordings and making a concerted effort everyday to become fair, accurate and balanced story tellers. That is what journalism is about, and when That is what journalism is we slip up, we take about, and when we slip up, that experience as an we take that experience as opportunity to renew an opportunity to renew our our commitment. We want our magcommitment. azine to be an open public forum for our community to share their opinions, experiences and lives with a wider audience. We strive to create a safe environment for our sources, and as student journalists, all we can do is improve in regard to that goal. No one ever said that communication was easy, but as journalists we aren’t in the business of easy. If we don’t tell these stories, they won’t be heard, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We are grateful to CCHS for allowing us to be stewards of their voices, and we will continue to become the communicators and story-tellers that our readers can rely on.
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VIEWPOINTS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Halftime report: an inside look at the seven spring sports Our Feb.-March issue contained several stories that caught our readers attention. Our editorials and columns this issue seemed to recieve the most commentary from our readership. Readers enjoyed Editor-in-Chief Louise Platter’s Letter from the Editor and News writer Violet Merritt’s Fresh Voice.
Nike exploits culture
When athletes neglect health
I really appreciated that Sam Hood addressed the issue of Nike’s exploitation of black culture. I felt that this article hit all the key points of this issue and how black culture gets exploited at every turn. I was so disappointed at how little Black History Month was celebrated this year and then to see it reduced to an overpriced pair of shoes! It’s infuriating. -- Mia Wilhite, sophomore
I really enjoyed the fact that Zoe Peterson brought my attention to healthy eating in her article, “When atheletes neglect nutrition”. I think that it is very important for athletes to maintain a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Many athletes don’t realize that eating certain foods, even something as simple and light as cereal could really affect the way he or she plays. -- Chloe Calabria, freshman
VSCOCam
Black hair is complicated
I read Christina Kurian’s VSCOcam review. This is a very insightful and knowledgeable review on a creative app. It was a very informative review considering the length. It really gives readers a short and sweet look into the VSCOcam app. -- Evan Newman, junior
Letter from the editor Louise Platter’s “Letter from the Editor” was very interesting to me because it was concerned about classes. Obviously, school is oriented around classes, so there is always the question of which classes to take. It was helpful to be able to recognize that there is a good AP class that can entertain my interests in school. I enjoy the opinionated approach to American history and the concern about the truth and the full unhidden ideas, both hidden and from the past of American history. I agree that it would be quite unfortunate to have our curriculum altered, as it shades our past of US history. -- Samuel Ivy, freshman
Academics first Christina Kurian pointed out that we come to school to learn, not to play sports. If those sports are becoming a distraction to the point of failing grades, they shouldn’t be played. She made wonderful points, and they made sense. -- Carina Bryan, sophomore
Contact
ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
“I
think it’s great that the ODYSSEY supports local business and reaches out to other parts of the community instead of just discussing events that take place at Clarke Central.
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-- Amelia Goodwin, freshman You’re so vain When females love themselves it is considered a very harmful, bad quality. However, when a male harasses a female it is considered a compliment. This teaches people that the male gaze and and happiness is more important than one’s own self. I enjoy the way that Violet Merritt’s editorial is written in a story-like form, it helps humanize this “political” issue. -- Valley StipeMaas, senior
The article written by Makayla Richards was absolutely amazing. It grasps the conflict that many black women face everywhere. There definitely needs to be more articles like it in magazines that are read by a wide variety of races and genders. It helps everyone to see what other people go through and it isn’t just me. I have talked to other students and people who loved it; the article brought some to tears. Please put more articles with this type of view in the magazine. -- Maya Jones, freshman
Corrections/Omissions Feb.-March 2015
On page 12, “heartbreaker” is misspelled. On page 15, the third “I heard that” was said by Philip Walter, not David Knight. On page 18, Tirah Callaway’s name is misspelled. On page 34, the picture was taken by Chad Rhym. On page 39, Barrett Binder’s name is misspelled. On page 52, Zach Meyers’ name is misspelled. On page 52, the photo was taken by Christina Kurian. The ODYSSEY Newsmagazine apologizes for the subjective wording in the transitions to junior Audrey Hinkle’s quotes in the article Sexting Scene by Katy Mayfield on page 27. The words “benefit” and “beneficial” should not have been used to describe Hinkle’s viewpoint. It is the ODYSSEY’s responsibility to provide readers with reporting that is fair, accurate and balanced and in the future the publication will take greater strides to ensure that all published writing meets this standard. The ODYSSEY will use this experience to renew our commitment to providing readers with ethical and unbiased journalism.
Letters: E-mail us at editors@odysseynewsmagazine.net, or drop off in the main office, in care of the ODYSSEY. We ask that all letters be under 250 words and signed and we reserve the right to omit or edit any letters received. Insulting, unsigned or libelous statements will not be considered for publication. All letters may be edited for clarity and space. Advertising: For ad rates e-mail us at buisness@odysseynewsmagazine.net. Online: Comment online at our website, odysseynewsmagazine.net
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Letter from the Editor. School should be a place where we shape our understanding of the world, so where are the tough conversations?
n April 4, a white North Charleston, S.C. police officer allegedly shot Walter Scott, a 50-year-old black man, eight times in the back. This shooting follows hundreds of police brutality cases in 2015 alone. Killedbythepolice.net, a website dedicated to tracking the number of deaths at police hands, has recorded 324 deaths since Jan. 1, 2015. People, many of whom were under 18, took to social media in protest of the violent crime. The police officer was arrested and charged with murder, but, as many of the social media users have pointed out, hundreds of other deaths go completely unpunished. From my Twitter feed, you would think that this event had shaken people of my age group to their core. Strangely, though, this discussion was almost completely absent from Clarke Central High School classrooms.
But these issues are desperately important, and there needs to be class time delegated to discussing them. Maybe there isn’t room for that in every class, maybe every teacher isn’t up to leading those discussions, but we have to try. In September a group of students posted flyers around the school pointing out blatant sexism in the CCHS dress code policy. Those students were trying to force a conversation. They were trying to get people talking. That shouldn’t be a teenager’s job. We need unafraid adults in the building moderating risky conversations like this on a regular basis. Instead, we learn the CCGPS. The race to get ahead of the next test robs young people of a place to truly come to terms with the confusing and disturbing forces acting around us. There needs to be a change. Social media is a platform, but if we aren’t groomed and supported in Michael Brown and Eric Garner aren’t on the SLOs. our quest for understanding and possible activism, older generations will continue to write us off as a generation of faux-activists, only interacting You won’t find the statistic that one in five women with the news when it becomes trendy. are sexually assaulted before they graduate college But that’s not fair. We don’t move quickly between causes on social media out of apathy, but rather because we need to be taught how to on any AP Exam we’ll be taking this May. orate and organize and create change. CCHS is the ideal place for this kind It’s becoming increasingly cliched to refer to society as “broken.” From the of learning, and students are clearly hungry for it. trend of disturbingly racialized police brutality to the truly alarming rates of Until then, our generation should be commended for where we have gotten sexual assault on college campuses, it seems impossible not to comment. on our own. Microblogging sites like Tumblr and Twitter have become hotbeds of impassioned youth voicing their fears. Young people talking about these issues on Internet forums is an excellent gateway to a productive generational conversation. Below: BREAKING OUT: With all of the standardized tests that teachers have to Unfortunately, there is the issue of accessibility. prepare their students for, it can seem like there isn’t time for discussing current Not everyone has a Twitter, not everyone has a Smartphone, many people events. But, not talking about world events leaves students in the dark. have limited access to the Internet. Additionally, Internet conversations can Cartoon by Mary Merritt lead to over-simplified arguments, or worse still, flame wars shoved into 140 character quips and unsubstantiated claims. So if the Internet isn’t the ideal medium for teenagers and young adults frightened by the current political and cultural climate, what is? The best place for teenagers to engage in thoughtful discussion will always be in the classroom. In an educational environment, people are offered time to speak and arguments can be developed. So why doesn’t it happen? Where is #BlackLivesMatter in our social studies classes? Why is transgender teen Leelah Alcorn’s tragic suicide acknowledged by the White House sooner than by our teachers? How is it that Indiana can pass laws allowing businesses to discriminate against religion and sexuality, and we don’t discuss the flagrant repetition of history? What’s going wrong? In the high stakes testing-driven environment that characterizes most high school classes, it’s not hard to see why teachers may shy away from these discussions. Considering the number of administrator evaluations and the added fear of losing instructional time and leaving students underprepared for the next standardized test, taking time for things not in the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards must be daunting. Michael Brown and Eric Garner aren’t on the SLOs. You won’t find the statistic that one in five women are sexually assaulted before they graduate college on any AP Exam we’ll be taking this May.
May 2015
VIEWPOINTS
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
What do you want to do before the year is over? “Just to move on to the tenth grade and, you know, maybe try and get on honor roll.” -- Amaiya Fox, freshman
“I don’t really have a goal in mind. I guess, I don’t have one.” -- Joshua Aziabor, sophomore
“I want to get my grades up. I’d like to join a few more clubs maybe, just get involved you know. Get ready for next year.” -- Leah Holder, junior “I have to continue to engage students in the content of world history. We study 10,000 years and we still have like 200 years left.”
hate
Indiana’s recently enacted Religious Freedom Restoration Act is discriminatory.
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ndiana, the self-proclaimed “crossroads of America,” is known for basketball supremacy and “Hoosier hospitality.” And now, bigotry. On March 26, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed into law Indiana Senate Bill 101, or Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bill states that a “governmental entity may not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion”, and implies BY MADELINE HALL that the bill can be used as a legal defense to deny Viewpoints Writer service to LGBTQ people. On paper, S.B. 101 doesn’t explicitly target any group of people, a fact that Pence has pointed out repeatedly. And if anyone but Pence had backed it and signed it into law, this bill would probably hold no more significance than any of the 21 other state RFRA laws. “The bill is not about discrimination,” Pence claimed on March 29 in an interview with ABC. “And if I thought it legalized discrimination, I would have vetoed it.” As much as Pence tries to be believable, the statement is clearly more an attempt at saving face than ensuring that LGBTQ citizens are welcome. In the past, Pence has staunchly opposed protection of the LGBTQ community from discrimination law. Comments from Pence like, “Congress should oppose any effort to recognize homosexuals as a ‘discrete and insular minority’ entitled to the protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended to women and ethnic minorities,” and “Congress should lead a national debate on reforming the military by bringing an end to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy of permitting homosexuals to serve in the armed forces,” bring to light the true motives behind his signing S.B. 101. Since its passing, several Indiana businesses have Graphic by Tiernan O’Neill vowed to refuse service to gay customers. However, behaving as if you were raised backwards doesn’t come without consequences. Memories Pizza, one of the first businesses in the state to openly support S.B. 101, has been forced to close its doors after an outburst from the surrounding community. GenCon, the world’s longest-running gaming convention, has moved its location out of the state. Apple CEO Tim Cook is openly opposing the legislation. Angie’s List has cancelled a $40 million expansion of their Indianapolis headquarters. The mayors of San Francisco, Portland, Washington, Oakland and Seattle have all temporarily banned state-funded travel to Indiana in order to protect employees from discrimination. Hats off to Pence for tanking his Above: BYE BYE BUSINESS: The passing of Indiana state’s economy, all for religious Senate Bill 101 enables businesses in the state to freedom. A true patriot. refuse LGBTQ people on the basis of “religious freedom.”
s y a No G ed! allow
-- Ashley Goodrich, social studies department co-chair “I got to stop procrastinating and actually turn in my work.” -- Lewis Gutierrez, senior
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Kill the obsession Popular culture’s obsession with serial killers and mass murderers is sick and inappropriate.
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hen most people hear names like John killer memorabilia. One collector even said that he goes to garage sales posted Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy and Jeffrey by victims’ families to buy items owned by the victims. Dahmer they feel uncomfortable. One of the largest problems with the extreme interest in serial killers is the For some, these names strike interest. Though fact that these are real people being talked about. The lives that killers took it is natural to be interested in criminals and the were living, breathing humans. When a person decides to advocate serial killers, reasoning behind their actions, it has become an they are promoting the death of innocent people. unhealthy fascination within the media. A few days after the devastating attack, I noticed that people were describing “Although they account for no more than 1 perDzokhar Tsarnaev, one of the recently convicted Boston Bombers as “cute”. BY TIGER VILLAVECES cent of the approximately 15,000 homicides in the I had to hear this killer being admired in my own household while all I could Viewpoints Writer U.S. annually, think about were the screams of serial killers people bleeding in the streets of I had to hear this killer being admired in receive a disproportionate amount of Boston. media attention due to the incomprehen- my own household while all I could think Now that a couple of years sible savagery of their deeds,” professor of about were the screams of people bleeding have gone by, I’ve realized why criminology Dr. Scott Bonn writes on his murders and serial killers are put in the streets of Boston. website docbonn.com. on a pedestal in public. They do The documentary Serial Killer Culture, things that people only see in directed by John Borowski, follows the lives of various “serial killer collectors.” movies. Things that are only imagined but never tried. This is why people are These are people who invest their time and money into collecting the memofascinated by the idea of a serial killer. rabilia of serial killers. This includes things like newspaper clippings, murder A popular example of a loved serial killer is actually a fictional one. The weapons and even art created by the murderers. The movie brings light to this charactor Tate Langdon from Season One of FX’s American Horror Story was glorification of criminals. glorified by not only the show’s fans but the series as well. “I agree with anybody who says it’s a morbid fascination, it is, but it’s a very Because the actor Even Peters is an attractive young man, users of social mehuman fascination,” one enthusiast said in the documentary. dia sites like Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram portrayed the manipulative school Though this collector is correct about it being a human fascination, serial shooter as a heartthrob many edit flower crowns and heart stickers on. killer culture is an unhealthy concept that everyone needs to unlearn. FascinaSimilar to Peters, the Boston Bomber, Tsarnaev was given undue attention-tion and interest may be similar words, but when it comes to murderers, rapists and not just for his crime. His glamour shot on the cover of Rolling Stone not and criminals, excessive curiosity crosses the line. only gave him the representation and attention he was looking for, but made Many of the collectors in the film claim it’s artistic expression to collect serial the situation more socially acceptable.
Left: SICK CULTURE: Popular culture’s fascination with serial killers and mass murderers often crosses the line from interest to glorification. Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces
a
May 2015
VIEWPOINTS
Thumbs
FreshVoice
The ODYSSEY staff’s opinions on this month’s issues.
Makayla Moore
North to South
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Tina Fey does it again Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt, a sitcom created by the veritable queen of comedy Tina Fey, is a hilarious portrayal of a woman starting fresh after living in an underground bunker for 15 years. Dreams to reality The third Athens DREAMFest was held at Nuçi’s Space on April 4. The festival brought awareness to the struggle underdocumented students face when trying to apply to college.
Two drinks too many Chick-Fil-A and Coca Cola should both fire their food scientists for the unimpressive new drinks: the underwhelming Chick-Fil-A frozen lemonade and the unappetizing Coca Cola Life. Rain, rain go away A series of rainstorms have led to the cancellation of numerous practices for spring sports. The inclement weather forced the cancellation of region and regular season games.
The music man Senior Gedia Powell has used music to navigate his life. Powell’s ultimate dream is to be a philanthropic TV personality.
Goodbye, Posey Physical education department chair Dinah Posey is leaving CCHS after 23 years to become the site manager for Foothills Charter Education High School.
Creativity boost The Athens Public Library hosts a workshop for zine and comic book design. This service allows participants to explore a new kind of art.
Advanced displacement Due to the disturbances of constant construction around CCHS, students are taking all of their AP tests at the Career Academy this year.
hen I first arrived here in Athens from Detroit, the South was completely different from what I thought it to be. As a seven-year-old who had never set foot out of Michigan, I had to rely on second-hand sources and stereotypes. When I thought about the South, I imagined a land where everyone lived on a farm, had strong Southern drawls and wore plaid 24-7. I was halfway through first grade when my mom told me we were moving. I was excited but kind of sad to leave my friends behind. When she mentioned that we were moving to Georgia, I didn’t know how to feel. I honestly thought I would be the odd one out in an entirely new world. In Detroit we didn’t eat When I arrived in Georgia, deer, frog or anything that I was surprised by how different, yet similar, it was to really came from the woods. the way things worked and looked in the North. I was expecting to see nothing but plaid shirts and cowboy boots, but I was greeted by a sea of Nike running shoes and T-shirts. There were, of course, things that took getting used to. In Detroit, we didn’t eat deer, frog or anything that really came from the woods, but such dishes appear on the menu of even high-end restaurants in Georgia. I still don’t plan on eating something like that anytime soon. The schooling here is a little different, too. In Michigan there was elementary school, kindergarten through eighth grade, and high school--ninth through 12th grade. There was no middle school in Detroit, luckily for them. To be fair, there was one strong benefit of moving to Athens--unlike high schools in Detroit, there are no required uniforms at Clarke Central High School. It was a miracle to be able to wear my own clothing to school for once. I faced a lot of trials in moving from Michigan to Georgia--trying to make new friends and getting used to the overly hot summers, to name a few. But the biggest hurdle I had to jump, by far, was getting people to understand we say “pop” instead of “soda” or “Coke”. I can still clearly see the confused faces of my friend’s parents when I asked for a “glass of pop”.
Below: GEORGIA ON MY MIND: Freshman Makayla Moore experienced some culture shock when she moved from Detroit to Athens in the first grade. Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces
-- Compiled by Viewpoints staff
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Missed opportunity Gov. Nathan Deal’s latest education crusade for “opportunity school districts” is poorly planned and dangerous.
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tive-dominated legislative bodies--first the Senate, then the House of Represenccasionally, public schools become caught tatives on March 25. In order to become law, the amendment will be voted on in a trap: their students perform below the by the public in the next state election. state average on standardized tests, which Currently, over 140 schools throughout Georgia qualify as “failing” under causes school districts to lose federal funding the proposal’s definition, including Gaines Elementary in Athens. But, as the grants that reward high-achieving schools. Governor’s Office assures us, there’s no need to worry--the proposal only This system forces such school districts to focus allows for a maximum of 20 school takeovers per year, and 100 failing schools their attention entirely on meeting standards. It under state control at any given time, as outlined on gov.ga.gov. So, it would can also quickly undermine a school district’s reptake Deal a full seven years to totally gut the dozens of “failing” schools on his utation within its community. Families with means BY AARON HOLMES Senior Copy Editor radar. to do so move their children to different districts or to private schools, leaving behind all the students that have no other option. Why should I trust Mr. Deal’s appointees to “fix” my This phenomenon was well-chronicled by Liz school district when I see our principals and superinMoyer of Forbes in a 2008 report called “How the Rich Raise Their Kids.” It’s a vicious cycle that can tendent working hard for our advancement every day? continue forever if unabated, but it points to one clear solution: increased funding for failing schools. If public Undoubtedly, failing schools can and should be addressed at the state level. policymakers had any sense, they would support a budget that allowed for such But before we support drastic action like that being pushed by Deal, we should funding. ensure that it will be effective. Deal’s website claims that the Opportunity Unfortunately for students in Georgia, Gov. Nathan Deal--and our state School Districts proposal is “based on similar, successful initiatives in Louisiana legislators--lack such common sense. and Texas.” But as bettergeorgia.org points out, after nine years of implementaIn February, Deal proposed his ramshackle solution to what the state has tion, only four of the 107 schools taken over by the Louisiana governor’s office labeled “failing” schools, called the Opportunity School District proposal. The are performing above the state average. plan takes the form of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would It makes sense that Deal would advocate for such a breakneck, risky allow a committee at the state level permission to invade schools labeled as approach to change rather than try funding the 140 schools that are barely “failing” and to take full control of them. scraping by--after all, Deal has cut more than $4.1 billion from public education Under this amendment, locally-appointed officials, like school board since 2011, according to a report by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. But he members and superintendents, would be forced to stand by helplessly as state also needs a way to back the claim made on his campaign website that his office officials fired administrators, replaced staff and even handed off control of has “made education one of [its] top priorities for our state.” His Opportunity school districts to those in the private sector. Under Deal’s plan, failing schools School District proposal is clearly a political move, and would be nothing but would not fall under the jurisdiction of the State Superintendent’s office, rather an empty gesture were it not for the undoubtably negative consequences it a special superintendent appointed directly by--you guessed it--Deal himself. implies. Unsurprisingly, the proposal was passed by both of Georgia’s conservaSo, why should I so willingly lend power to a system of strong leadership that has driven “failing” schools further below the state average than ever before? Why should I trust Mr. Deal’s appointees (or, worse, for-profit corporations) to “fix” my school district when I see our principals and superintendent working hard for our advancement every day? I shouldn’t. And neither should the people of Georgia.
Left: TUG OF WAR: Gov. Nathan Deal’s proposed “opportunity school disticts” subvert the positive work being done by local administrators.
Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces
VIEWPOINTS
Boiling Point. Laugh it off.
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hould I be offended? Probably not. We as a culture try to be extremely politically correct at all times. Some people are so scared of what is coming out of their mouths that they are afraid to classify people as “black” or “white” and instead struggle through trying to describe someone they don’t know by name. Where do we draw the line between comedy and offensive remarks? It is becoming more and more difficult to discern where jokes end and hate starts. The most recent “Comedy Central Roast” featured Justin Bieber among other comedians and famous people such as Kevin Hart and Martha Stewart. The group took turns bantering back and forth making jokes at each other’s expense. The jokes ranged from Comedian Jeff Ross saying, “Justin, you have such a huge career behind you” to Natasha Leggero saying “All these rappers on stage and Martha Stewart has done the most jail time.” Everyone laughed along through the hour long event at jokes that in any other setting would be considered politically incorrect. The Daily Show’s new host Trevor Noah has been involved in recent controversy after fans resurfaced six less-than-tasteful tweets sent from his Twitter account. He was accused of being anti-semitic, sexist and racist.
One of his tweets mentioned was posted on Oct. 14, 2011, a date much before he was even considering hosting the Daily Show. The tweet read, “Oh yeah the weekend. People are gonna get drunk & think that I’m sexy!” - fat chicks everywhere.” With 361 retweets and 199 favorites, responses ranged from laughter to disdain. Instead of ignoring the controversy or simply brushing it off, Comedy Central came to Noah’s defense by saying, “Like many comedians, Trevor Noah pushes boundaries; he is provocative and spares no one, himself included. To judge him or his comedy based on a handful of jokes is unfair. Trevor is a talented comedian with a bright future at Comedy Central.” The fact that the public was so willing to bring up a 96 character tweet four years after it was tweeted is laughable. People almost seem to look for reasons to be offended or call someone else out for what they did or said. I would imagine such people who are offended all the time lead miserable lives. If you read a post on social media you find off-color, nobody is making you follow that account, just simply scroll past. And guess what, nobody gets hurt. It is hypocritical of us to laugh at some things but criticize other jokes of similar topic. Of course we need to treat others with respect, but there is truly no reason to get worked up about little unimportant things people aimlessly say on their twitter profiles.
Featured: JUST KIDDING: Although kindness and respect are important values, we have to avoid an obsession with political correctness.
Cartoon by Phineas Alexander
A letter to Jalen
Freshman Dalace Thomas writes a letter to her cousin, Jalen Thomas, who passed away in March.
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ear Jalen, There are so many things that I wish I could tell you to your face. Things that I would much rather look into your brown eyes and say, but I can’t because you’re not here. You have passed on to bigger and better things. But, here is my letter to you saying everything I need for you to know. I want to tell you that I am sorry for all the times I got you in trouble when we were little. The times when I would run and tell Mema that you were being mean to me. I would laugh and you would be giving me the “death stare.” Five minutes later, I would run back to you and tell you how much I loved you while laughing because I knew I was the reason you got in trouble in the first place. Remember when everyone from the family would be at Mema’s house and all the grandkids would try to pull an all-nighter, but we were all asleep by midnight? Or the times when there would be nowhere to sleep at Thanksgiving because there are always so many people at Mema’s house? My favorite memory is when Mema and I were on the way to pick you up and I saw you and ran to you and gave you the biggest hug. I wrapped myself around you and stayed that way for at least two whole minutes. You kept telling me to get off of you, so that you could go get your very unorganized bag and put it in the car. I wish I could say that we could continue to make memories together. That I could continue to get you in trouble about stupid things or that you could continue to make fun of me for having no upper body strength or eating way too much key lime pie. I wish I could run to you again and tell you how much I love you, but I can’t because you’re gone. You died March 26 of a heart attack. You were only 16. You had so much life left. You were supposed to grow up. You were supposed to go to prom and graduate from high school. You were supposed to go to college and get married and have a good healthy happy life, and now you don’t have those opportunities anymore. How am I supposed to just accept the fact that you’re gone? What am I going to do when I want to talk to you or see you? I have so many questions about why this happened and why it had to be you. Out of all the 16-year-old boys in the world, why did it have to be you? I am trying with everything I have in me to be O.K., but I’m not. Everyone keeps telling me I have to be strong for your sisters and that I have to know that everything happens for a reason, but I don’t want to be strong. I want to cry. I want to miss you. I wish I could tell you this in person but, I love you Jalen. I love the person you were and the good things that you brought to the family. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you just how much I loved you when I had the chance. I didn’t tell you that you meant so much to me. I’m sorry that you died not knowing just how much your life impacted this family and every single person in it. I will always remember you in everything that I do. I will remember your smile and the way you loved life. The way you loved this family, and the way you loved me. Rest in peace, Jalen. Right: R.I.P. JALEN: Freshman Dalace Love you with everything I got. Thomas’ 16-year-old cousin, Jalen Thomas, Your cousin, Dalace passed away from a heart attack on March
BY DALACE THOMAS Buissness Staff
26. Illustration by Ella Sams
May 2015
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NEWS A library on the move
News briefs
Photo by Karla Dougan
Above: POSEY’N ON: At the end of the 2014-15 year, physical education department chair Dinah Posey will retire from Clarke Central High School. Posey has worked at CCHS for 22 years. “When you’ve worked somewhere for long enough, you end up really caring. It gets hard to leave,” Posey said.
Posey moves on
Physical education department chair Dinah Posey is leaving Clarke Central High School after 22 years to become a site administrator at Foothills Education Charter High School, which will open in August. “I’m going to miss Coach Posey. She and I have a great relationship. I’ve told her, I hope I don’t break down in tears during her retirement celebration,” CCHS Principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker said. After starting as the varsity girls basketball coach in 1993, Posey was brought on as a full-time physical education teacher and later head varsity golf coach. “Yeah, I’m gonna miss it a lot. When you’ve worked somewhere for long enough, you end up really caring. It gets hard to leave,” Posey said. Students feel Posey has been an asset to their education. “She was there for my PE class last year and was always really nice to me. It’s sad that she’s leaving. If that’s something she wants, it’s a good thing,” sophomore Jay Daniel said. According to physical education department teacher Billy Wade, Posey’s departure will be hard to move on from. “She has done a lot for us, and that isn’t going to be easy to lose,” Wade said.
SLO adjustments The Student Learning Objective assessments took effect at the beginning of the school year and wil reappear this month as final assessments. The SLOs began with the creation of House Bill 244, which called for a teacher evaluation system. Because it is meant to serve as a teacher evaluation system, all teachers are required to give a SLO assessment, not just core classes. Some teachers are opposed to the SLOs. “It’s not necessary,” English department co-chair Ian Altman said. “If I have a graduate degree in language and literature education, then I ought to be trusted as a professional to design effective assessments.” Senior Timesha Rittenberry also sees downsides in SLOs. “We always took a final, and that was easy because the teacher knows what’s going to be on the test,” Rittenberry said. “With the SLO the teachers know what’s on the test but sometimes they’re like, ‘this might be on the test, we don’t know for sure’.” Teachers will be evaluated based on how much their students’ scores increase over the year. “The SLOs were really put in place to measure growth so they could evaluate the teachers,” Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Phil Lanoue said. Some opponents question the accuracy of the SLOs in measuring growth. “If we accept that there is a measurable continuum from not mastering standards to mastering standards, then SLOs should be able to track that,” Altman said. “The trouble is that there is no such continuum.” Lanoue hopes to remove emphasis on SLO scores. “I’m very vocal at the state level in opposition to this,” Lanoue said. “I just don’t think it’s right, and I don’t think it improves student performance. I’m heavy in accountability, but this isn’t it.”
The Clarke Central High School media center will move to a trailer at the front of the school while the existing media center is renovated at the end of the 2014-2015 school year. The move requires the library to pack, condense and move its inventory. “I’m trying to get a general idea of what gets checked out the most with circulation statistics, as well as talking to teachers and see what is most helpful for them,” CCHS media specialist Lindy Weaver said. Junior Thomas Collon believes students who frequently use the media center now will continue to do so next year. “Walking to a trailer every day will be annoying, (but) I’m excited for the new media center,” Collon said. The project is expected to be finished in December of the 2015-16 school year. “It won’t be easy. I think we’ll see a huge drop in the number of people using the library. In the end, it will pay off,” Weaver said.
On to the Academy
Due to renovations, Advanced Placement tests for Clarke Central High School students will be administered at 440 Dearing Extension at the Athens Community Career Academy. There will be no transportation available through the CCSD to get to the testing site. However, there is an Athens Transit Bus Stop located near the ACCA. “It’s a lot more of a hassle to get kids over there when they might not have easy transportation for the afternoon tests,” sophomore Grace Mauldin said. Social studies department teacher Stephen Hinson says AP Tests have not always been held at CCHS and were instead given at the Clarke County School District Board of Education. “I always thought it was an odd place to give a test. It was inconvenient for people who did not live near the district office. The Career Academy is a much more central location,” Hinson said.
-- Ella Sams, Broadcast Staff
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NEWS
I heard that
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Enjoy life. One time, you go to high school. Unless you stay here for five or six years.
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DR. ROBBIE P. HOOKER, Principal, giving advice to students on how to view their high school experience
I’m just trying to graduate. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.
Above: VIVA INTERNATIONAL: Esmerelda Guerra, Rosa Robles, Nadia Johnson-Trujillo and Alejandro DePaz represent Mexico at CCHS’ International Day program held on April 11. “I think International Day went well. Overall, the performances were great,” DePaz said.
Next year’s netbooks As originally expected at the start of the year when the freshmen received their Personal Learning Devices, students will again receive the computers on a one-to-one basis for the 2015-16 school year, according to CCHS media specialist Lindy Weaver. “As far as I know, both the ninth and tenth graders are getting computers next year. You’re going to bring them with you,” Weaver said. “You won’t have that actual computer, you’ll get a different model, but we plan on next year’s tenth graders having PLDs.” Almost every student in the freshman class received their own netbook in the middle of last semester for use in freshman classes and at home for work outside of school. “I actually really appreciate the netbooks this year in my classes because they’re actually really efficient. When I finish my work for the class I’m in, I’m able to work on other things for other classes,” freshman Makayla Moore said. However, Moore said she would like to see some changes. “I wouldn’t mind having them in my classes next year, but I do hope they’ll have lighter cases,” Moore said. Some students are divided on the proposition. “I personally like the idea of netbooks, but I think the schools have used them all wrong. Our teachers try to bring in as much technology as they can. This doesn’t always work and just leads to more distractions,” Clarke Middle School eighth grader Warren Rogers said. “(But) I am excited to have them next year because they provide an extension to my learning that I haven’t always had. I’m not one of the kids who abuses the technology and wastes my learning.”
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When I got out (of the Vietnam War,) I said, ‘How can I give back to the world?’ DR. JIM WILLIS, former principal of CCHS, on how he started his career in education
Playing ( for children) is really so different because kids are so honest. If they like it, they like it. If they don’t like it, you can’t really tell because at least they’re listening.
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KISHI BASHI, musician, reflecting after playing for a group of David C. Barrow Elementary School preschoolers. Below: PROJECTING AWARENESS: Sophomore Sofia Lopez presents a visual element of her International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme project. “It was long and time consuming. My project was environmental awareness, to establish a creek cleanup,” Lopez said. Photo by Sophie Fernandes
Photo by Sophie Fernandes
STEVEN GAINES, senior, on his personal goals for the end of the school year
--Katy Mayfield, News Writer
-- Compiled by News Staff May 2015
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NEWS
Targeting
safety
Photos by Chad Rhym
The 2015-16 school year will bring a lot of changes, including the new Clarke Central High School rifle range.
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ince its opening in 1970, Clarke Central High School has had a long tradition of JROTC programs. However, a JROTC rifle range has been absent from CCHS since the 1980s. “The old JROTC wing was on the bottom floor of the main building. There was a rifle range indoors. This disappeared after a massive renovation of old building in 1984-87. After that occurred, the rifle range disappeared,” former English department teacher George Harwood said. In the 2015-16 school year, CCHS will once again have a rifle range for JROTC members and any other CCHS student who meets eligibility requirements. “It is actually a multi-purpose room. It is two classrooms with a divider in the middle and what we will do is pick our tables up, they have rollers on them, and we will be able to slide the tables on the side,” JROTC department chair Lt. Col. William McMickle said. “We have five (shooting) lanes in one classroom, and five (shooting) lanes in the other classroom.” The range will be equipped with safety measures to protect students outside of the JROTC building. “The doors on the classrooms do not have handles coming in from the outside. It’s designed that way so students can’t walk in down range while we are actually trying to shoot the gun down toward the (target),” McMickle said. The students will go through extensive training before using the rifles. The rifles that will be used in the range are Crosman rifles and Daisy Air rifles, both of which shoot pellets, rather than bullets. While using these weapons, students will wear protective eye and ear gear. BY DELIA ADAMSON News Writer
“It’s about 40 hours worth of training before they ever put a weapon in their hand,” McMickle said. “We don’t just hand them a weapon and say ‘Shoot that way.’ Eventually, I would like every student in ROTC to be qualified with a weapon. The more comfortable they are with a weapon, the safer they can use that weapon.” Freshman Gabriel Mantione-Holmes says he does not see the purpose of a
“It’s about 40 hours worth of training before they ever put a weapon in their hand. We don’t just hand them a weapon and say ‘Shoot that way’.” -- LT. COL. WILLIAM McMICKLE, JROTC department chair rifle range, considering the restrictions. “(Using air-rifles) kinda defeats the purpose of the rifle range,” Mantione-Holmes said. “It’s a rifle range, ( JROTC members) should be shooting real guns and, while I believe they shouldn’t be at the school, if you’re going to have a rifle range do it right, don’t like mess around. JROTC is building them up to go to the Army and it’s not like they’re going to be shooting (air rifles) in the Army, that would just be ridiculous.”
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NEWS McMickle believes that those who are opposed to a rifle range are uninformed. “I think people are not educated if they have pushback. It is a Georgia high school sport, you can letter in rifle team, Madison County they have had the No. 1 rifle team in the state of Georgia for years. A lot of ROTC programs have rifle ranges,” McMickle said. “They’re very well run, they’re very safe. It is a lot of attention to detail, and either you meet the standard for me at Clarke Central on the rifle team or you’re not going to come back.” With debate aside, there are some JROTC students that are excited about the new rifle range. “I think (the rifle range) is a good thing. I think it’s going to help us overall with the whole program, especially because other schools have them and we can compete against them and learn from them,” sophomore and JROTC member Alondra Diaz said. Principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker is also excited by the prospect of JROTC students being able to access a rifle range. “(It’s a) top-notch facility, so I think the cadets are really excited about it,” Hooker said. As far as the maintenance of the range and rifles, McMickle has assumed this responsibility. “I am always, as the senior Army instructor and department chair, responsible for all the stuff that we do in ROTC, so the buck stops with me. I will be the coach, and everybody else will be responsible for maintaining the weapons,” McMickle said. According to McMickle, JROTC teaches students self-discipline, which he believes will be important to the use of air rifles. “The rules are the things that are in place to not only protect them but protect all the people involved and also we want to improve everyday, our shooting, our scores, breathing, closing one eye, opening one eye, blinking, all that stuff makes a difference in how you shoot a weapon,” McMickle said. Opposite: PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: JROTC members will practice gun holding techniques before they actually fire the weapons. “It’s about 40 hours worth of training before they ever put a weapon in their hand,” JROTC department chair Lt. Col. William McMickle said. Right: LEARNING FROM THE BEST: McMickle will be responsible for the rifle team and matinence of the weapons. “I am always, as the senior Army instructor and department chair, responsible for all the stuff that we do in ROTC, so the buck stops with me.,” McMickle said. Photos by Chad Rhym
NEWS
Funding their path Online fundraising website GoFundMe.com has recently become popular with various Clarke Central High School clubs seeking financial support.
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ake sales, car washes, raffles and auctions have we’re doing and what we’re trying to achieve,” Swain said, “I really think it slowly started to phase out from school fundbrings more security to the giver.” raising routines while an online fundraising site, Students who have used GoFundMe before also feel that it has proved to be GoFundMe, has taken over and become an effective source for many clubs and a valuable fundraising source. teams at Clarke Central High School, as well as schools around the country. “It has allowed us to connect with the public more. I think we’ve gotten The CCHS robotics team raised $3,835 for the Super-Regionals competition more attention from the community since our name is attached to the GoFundin San Antonio, the mock trial team raised $5,621 for the Empire Competition Me,” Foutz said, “We were all pleased with the effectiveness of it.” in San Francisco, the drama club raised $740 for The Georgia State Thespian Conference in Columbus, Ga. and the 2014 homecoming dance was also funded by donations through GoFundMe. Below: ONLINE ADVANTAGES: The sudden uprising in popularity of GoFundMe has provided people “It allows people in the community who didn’t even with an easy and convenient way to raise money. “I would say the number one reason (GoFundMe is popular) is because it’s easy,” science department teacher Scott Swain said. know we existed or what we do to plug in and support something that they like,” science department teacher and robotics team sponsor Scott Swain said. “It allows them to be comfortable to give in a way that’s secure and also be able to support their passions for the next generation.” The use of GoFundMe has also expanded the pool of possible contributors since it is easy to access and donate. “I think in this day and age it’s very successful because it’s certainly very easy to do,” Clarke Central High School mock trial team coach Ken Mauldin said. “It’s there, it’s readily available and it’s easy for folks to be able to contact people and email to request contributions.” GoFundMe is also useful because it allows anyone to donate if they have internet access, regardless of where they are in the world. “Kids that have family members that are out-of-state, and even out of the country, could easily go to one place and give money and help donate,” Swain said. Students also feel that GoFundMe is more effective than other fundraisers because it is always open to donations, making it more permanent. “When you do a car wash or a bake sale, you only have those couple hours to get donations, while with GoFundMe you can accept donations 24/7 until you have reached your goal or decide to end the fundraiser,” senior and Drama Club President Ben Foutz said. Swain also feels that GoFundMe provides donors with a sense of comfort because they are able to see pictures of what they are supporting, instead of blindly donating money. “When people get online and see pictures and all that, it lets them know it’s the real deal and shows them what BY ZOE PETERSON Web Writer
“It allows people in the community who didn’t even know we existed or what we do to plug in and support something that they like.” -- SCOTT SWAIN science department teacher Infographic by Aneesa Conine-Nakano.
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NEWS
Learning environement Advanced Placement Environmental Science is slated to be added to the Clarke Central High School course offerings for the 2015-16 school year.
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or the 2015-16 school year, AP Environmental Science will be offered in the Clarke Central High School science department. The class will join three other AP classes offered within the department, as well as the 20 other AP classes offered in the whole school.
where I’ll say, ‘O.K., for tomorrow, read this,’ and we’ll hit the questions instead of going and introducing the subject first, then having to read,” Gonzalez said. “It’s going to be a lot of case studies.” AP Environmental Science will be the fourth AP science course available at CCHS, alongside AP Physics 1, AP Chemistry and AP Biology. According to Boza, the class was added due to a high demand for AP class offerings. “There are so many courses “We’ve been wanting to offer AP that you can offer that are Environmental Science for a while now AP. Not everything has an AP that goes with it,” Boza but needed someone willing to teach it.” course said. “In language arts, for example there are only two -- DR. LINDA BOZA, courses that you can even offer instructional coach at all and we offer both of them. In social studies, there’s “We were looking for (a class) kids would be a ton of them and we offer five. But in science, we successful in who weren’t necessarily top science were only offering three.” students, but they would still have access to an The district will send Gonzalez to a College AP class in the science department,” instructional Board seminar in which he will have to submit an coach Dr. Linda Boza said. AP Environmental Science syllabus and fill out an Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez audit. Then, the class will be eligible to be funded will teach AP Environmental Science, and he says it by the state. will be a rigorous course. “We apply each year to the state of Georgia. It’s “There is going to be a lot more pre-reading an AP grant and they usually grant us two trainings BY CHRISTINA KURIAN Web Writer
May 2015
a year,” Boza said. Boza says that, although AP sciences are not as popular as other AP classes in other subjects, AP Environmental Science has the potential to be so. “The most popular class, I would have to say, (are) the social studies classes because they get the most sign-ups, if you look at the sessions that we offer,” Boza said. “But (Gonzalez) has been out there promoting it and he’s had some interest. I think at least in the first year, we’ll have (one) section of it and then maybe it’ll grow from there.” In the past, AP Environmental Science has been slated for addition to CCSD course offerings but was cancelled for reasons including lack of a teacher and a small number of students signed up. “Almost every social studies teacher teaches AP, and when you teach two different APs, the workload is crazy, just the planning and the grading. It’s hard.” Boza said. “We’ve been wanting to offer AP Environmental Science for a while now but needed someone willing to teach it.”
Above: GOOD POINT: Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez looks forward to teaching AP Environmental Science. “There’s very practical applications for it no matter what you do in your life,” Gonzalez said.
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NEWS
U -LEAD THE WAY
The Interact Club has partnered with U-Lead Athens in pursuit of reforming education and immigration policy in both Athens and the state of Georgia.
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ed can see that there is a community here who wants them to be successful and wants to do anything and everything we can to be there for them during hard times,” Goodrich said. or junior Naomy “Zulley” Huaman, the issue of immigration is not The culminating event for Interact: DREAMfest 2015, a festival held on April simply a march on the capitol or writing letters to a politician. It’s 4 at Nuҫi’s Space featuring speakers, live music and local artists. her life, and she has to deal with it every day. “(Co-director of Athens U-Lead) Betina Kaplan shared with me what she “My grandma and my mom got deported when I was five,” thought was so profound about the event: that the students created this posiHuaman said. “I don’t want to see tive space and it created these another five-year-old, three-year-old “I don’t want to see another five-year-old, healing effects where people or two-year-old get their parents that they could share their taken away from them. I don’t want three-year-old or two-year-old get their par- felt stories,” Goodrich said. “That that to happen to anybody, not even ents taken away from them. I don’t want that was very healing for them. We my worst enemy. I will do what is even had people whose minds possible to help them and prevent to happen to anybody, not even my worst changed.” them from being like me.” Huaman says she felt the enemy.” This year, Huaman joined the effects of the positive space Clarke Central High School Interact personally. Club to inform peers of the real NAOMY “ZULLEY” HUAMAN, “It was an unbelieveable issues that undocumented or underdocumented students face. junior thing that happened,” Huaman said. “For me, it’s the best day “I never thought of being in of my life.” Interact in the first place,” Huaman Students received aid in planning DREAMfest from Athens U-Lead co-director said. “Both of my parents and my grandmother, who raised me, are deported. I JoBeth Allen along with the other directors, Kaplan and Cedar Shoals High was just a grumpy person, grumpy with life and (English department chair Ian School English department teacher Matt Hicks. U-Lead is a local organization Altman) told me to go to (Interact adviser Ashley) Goodrich.” that offers CCSD students help in the college application process. The club’s focus during the 2014-15 school year has been aligned with this “(Hicks, Kaplan and I) asked the students what they needed most in terms of issue. “What is most important to me is just that students who are underdocument- support,” Allen said. “They told us the things that we (now) do every Thursday night, which are trying to find colleges, applying to colleges where they can be BY KEVIN MOBLEY Junior Copy Editor
PHOTOS BY SOPHIE FERNANDES Visuals Staff
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NEWS accepted, applying for scholarships, studying for the SAT and ACT and also some work with document renewal.” Allen and her colleagues soon became local activists on this issue. She notes similarities in current education policy, particularly Board of Regents Policy 4.1.6, to policies in place before the Civil Rights movement, especially within the state. “As soon as I learned about this, the parallels with the segregated University of Georgia were just so obvious and appalling,” Allen said. “It was like sort of falling into a bad dream where you go back 60 years.” In addition to working with Allen on DREAMfest, Interact Club has also hosted panels throughout the year that have featured U-Lead directors and volunteers.
“As soon as I learned about this, the parallels with the segregated University of Georgia were just so obvious and appalling. It was like sort of falling into a bad dream where you go back 60 years.” JOBETH ALLEN, U-Lead Co-director “I think it’s important for students to hear from other people besides their teacher,” Goodrich said. “And (U-Lead) does incredible work in the community, so we really did a lot of first semester just learning the laws, the policies and hearing the voices of undocumented students.” The proceeds of DREAMfest, approximately $3000 in total, are all going towards U-Lead. “It was completely student-centered with students running the show, students in the show,” Altman said. “The grown-ups were there to enjoy it and marvel at the kids’ brilliance.” Additionally, friends and family of the CCHS senior class started a GoFundMe fundraiser that will also contribute funds to U-Lead. The goal is to raise $30,000, and over $12,000 has already been donated to date. “For me, if I knew that I didn’t have those barriers to pursue an education I would love for someone to give a gift in honor of U-Lead students,” Goodrich said. “Because I think that would probably be as a student one of the best gifts anyone could give me.” The Interact Club plans to continue focusing on this issue next year, and has even bigger ideas for DREAMfest 2016. “We’re brainstorming how to allow it to reach more people and have a bigger impact,” Interact Club officer and junior Emma Clarke said. “Next year we’ll be focusing on actually changing the policies, speaking to senators and trying to get immigration education reform.” The commitment to support peers like Huaman through these hardships, however, will remain steadfast. “We want to celebrate victories with them, and we’re here in whatever capacity they need us to be,” Goodrich said.
Opposite: SPREAD YOUR WINGS: Butterfly illustrations, a symbol for the Clarke Central High School Interact Club’s DREAMfest 2015, hang at Nuci’s Space on April 4. “DREAMfest was festive and it was fun,” English department co-chair Ian Altman said. Top: PLEDGING TO FIGHT: The pledge Interact Club students created as a manifesto for DREAMfest. Above: HEAD: Junior Naomy Huaman shares her personal narrative at DREAMfest. “Everybody was hugging me, patting me and crying with me,” Huaman said.
May 2015
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FEATURES
katy
Windle 101
Photo by Sophie Fernandes
Junior Michael Windle has persevered through frequent moving and familial complications all while pursuing his passions.
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t 6’1”, junior Michael Windle easily stands out from the bustling crowds of Clarke Central High School students in the hallways. His shy demeanor, however, helps him blend in, and behind it is a complicated but steadfast love for his family and a passion for tennis. “He’s quiet, but there’s something to be said about reserved people. It’s usually the loud ones who get attention,” social studies department chair Ashley Goodrich said. “You can just tell by looking at him that he’s such a caring person. So he reaches out to people as much as people reach out to him.” Michael was born in Atlanta, where, after his parents split, he grew estranged from his father and was raised bouncing from house to house and from school to school in the Atlanta area. “My mom had to move out the house, then we had nowhere to go, so we ended up staying in a shelter for a while,” Michael said. “Then we ended up moving out, we lived with family members: my grandma, my auntie, my other auntie, my grandad.” Moving schools every few months or years proved difficult for BY KATY MAYFIELD News Writer
Michael, who was already hesitant to build friendships. “We changed schools a lot, which was hard because I had to start over,” Michael said. “Relationships I had built at other schools, they were just gone ’cause I had to move to a new school.” Despite their troubles, the family grew closer. “I’m pretty sure it strengthened my family. I knew we had each other, so we really didn’t have anything else to worry about,” Michael said. “I really didn’t let all that other stuff bother me.”
“You can just tell by looking at him that he’s such a caring person. So he reaches out to people as much as people reach out to him.”
-- ASHLEY GOODRICH, social studies department chair
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FEATURES But in 2012, the cancer that Michael’s mom, “Instead of shutting down, he wanted to persevere, and Ramona Armstrong, had been dealing with her whole life flared up again. so I think he has a lot to teach people about how to deal “The last time she had cancer it was like this with death, how to deal with changes in situations and gigantic lump (on her arm),” Michael said. “So she couldn’t use (that) arm at all.” how to still be a kind and considerate person in the Following her diagnosis, Ramona continued to live with her kids and carried on with life as meantime.” usual. -- ASHLEY GOODRICH “She still did everything, like she drove. She social studies department chair was still the same mom that I was used to, but she couldn’t do everything that she wanted to do,” Michael said. that’s where I was born, where I was raised and I had a lot of friends up After a year of living on her own, though, her condition worsened. there. That’s where all my family lives at,” Michael said. “I wouldn’t say “It ended up being too much. So she was in and out of the hospital I (have) completely settled in (here). I don’t know where anything is, at Emory. When she went in, some church member would come stay even though I’ve been here for a while.” with us, me and my sister, while we were at home,” Michael said. “She But after the family began to acclimate to Athens, and Michael to life would still send the money from the hospital to home so she could at CCHS after his freshman year, their world was turned on its head. pay the bills. So she was still taking care of us even though she was in “After like a year, July 5, 2013, right before my tenth grade year, my the hospital.” mom had passed away,” Michael said. As a result of the hospitalization, a job was not an option for RaGoodrich taught Michael in his sophomore year, and says his mona, making it all the more difficult for her to support her children emotional resilience following his mother’s passing is what she from the hospital. In the middle of the 2012-13 school year, before the admired about Michael. second semester of his freshman year, Michael, his sister and his mom “He’s just such a great example of how one deals and copes with uprooted again and moved in with Michael’s grandfather in Athens. tough times. Instead of shutting down, he wanted to persevere, “The move to Athens was kind of difficult because I lived in Atlanta and and so I think he has a lot to teach people about how to deal with Opposite: A PASSION FOR NUMBERS: Michael solves math equations on a whiteboard. Though teachers like social studies department chair Goodrich speak highly of Michael, he says the subject he really enjoys is math. “I like math… I’m just good at it. There’s a reason for things,” Michael said. Below: A CLOSE BOND: Michael smiles with Ashley Goodrich. Michael and Goodrich became close last year, when Michael had her AP World History class and Goodrich helped him settle in at CCHS. “I would take time after class to just talk to him about his interests, about his life before he came to Athens.” Goodrich said. “He could have chosen not to spend time with me outside of class and just been very short with answering my questions, but he really engaged in them... He really was interested in getting to know me as well.” Photo by Sophie Fernandes
katy
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FEATURES
Photo by Chad Rhym
Above: BEST HAND FORWARD: Michael competes at one of his early season matches. Though throughout his life Michael has been interested in other sports, including basketball and football, deciding on tennis because he said it delivers the most fun for the least risk. “At first I had no interest in tennis, I liked football, but I didn’t want to play football because I kind of don’t want to be broken. I don’t want broken bones, that’s just not attractive to me,” Michael said.
talking and so we’ve been friends since my ninth grade year.” “I plan on finding a college that can still allow me to Ferrer said he first viewed play tennis. I would like to be a pro tennis player beMichael as a shy introvert, a label that has changed after cause you get paid to do something that you love to do years of friendship. and is fun.” “As soon as I made the chance to get to know him everything fell into the right -- Michael Windle, places to help him come to junior terms with being new in the school and he also helped death, how to deal with changes in situations and how to still me a lot with mathematics as well. He’s like the textbook strong be a kind and considerate person in the meantime,” Goodrich silent type,” Ferrer said. “I’d say that Michael has evolved into said. more of an extrovert and he takes the time to interact with his The self-described shy student at first struggled with adjustsurroundings more.” ing socially to his new home and school. With the help of Ferrer and Goodrich, Michael settled in. This “On the first day of math class, everyone had a group, you spring, he decided to branch out, and joined the varsity boys tennis know, and I was a new student, and all the groups were full. team. So I’m just sitting there listening to the teacher but it’s kind of “It’s just really fun. I like the adrenaline, like the drive to win awkward because there are a lot of people around me who when I’m playing. I just love the game,” Michael said. I don’t know,” Michael said. “And one day (senior Aramis Michael remembers his passion for tennis beginning back in Ferrer) just came and sat at my group and we just started Atlanta. 24 | odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE
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FEATURES “Me and my cousin, we were playing tennis on the Wii and we “He improves so quickly, it could be a situation where were like, ‘Let’s go try maybe he could play in a small college or something and just it for real,’” Michael said. “So we just went continue getting better.” outside, got some tennis rackets and we --STEPHEN HINSON, went to the tennis head tennis coach court and started playing.” Michael cites continue getting better,” Hinson said. tennis not only as one of his passions, but also one of his No matter where his passion may later lead him, Michael has dreams. his sights on one very definite goal: graduating. “I plan on finding a college that can still allow me to “Right now I don’t know what school I want to go to but play tennis. I would like to be a pro tennis player because there’s a lot of colleges sending me stuff in the mail so I just you get paid to do something that you love to do and is need to sit down and read all of them,” Michael said. “I don’t fun,” Michael said. know what job I’m gonna have, ‘cause I don’t know where I’m Social studies department teacher and tennis coach gonna go yet. The most important thing, the priority in my life, Stephen Hinson says he, too, can see a future in tennis is graduate school.” for Michael. Ferrer is confident in his friend no matter where he chooses “He’s gonna have to get a lot more experience, but he to go. improves so quickly, it could be a situation where maybe “Success, for him, is inevitable,” Ferrer said. he could play in a small college or something and just Below: JUST HANGING: Social studies department teacher and tennis coach Stephen Hinson and Michael catch up in the bleachers. Michael joined the tennis team this year and enjoyed a successful first season, with the boys tennis team making it all the way to the first round of state. “He approached me about tennis, and he’s one of the best additions I’ve had in years,” Hinson said. Photo by Sophie Fernandes
May 2015
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Cultural Buzz N
ick Jonas’s most recent hit single, the powerful and melancholy “Chains”, which peaked at 13th on the Billboard Hot 100 list, is a perfect follow-up to Jonas’s first song to breakout in the adult music industry, “Jealous”. Both songs successfully move Jonas from boyband prodigy to respectable adult artist, a transition that has ruined many of his predecessors. Jonas is one of the three brothers who once made up the Jonas Brothers, a band popularized on the Disney Channel and in its feature film Camp Rock, a film with wide appeal to a preteen fanbase. Ultimately, it may have been Jonas’s self-titled album Jonas’s sheer talent and craft Nick Jonas, however, has that helped him do what many broken out with two current Billboard Hot 100 hits, “Jealof his peers have been unable ous” and “Chains”, and more to: grow up. than 130,000 copies sold. Both songs, as well as the rest of the album, are soulful, passionate and impressive. Jonas’s matured and versatile vocals alongside a combination of R&B rhythm and techno beats create a mature and enjoyable sound. Former Disney Channel stars aren’t exactly known for their maturity, the most popular example being Miley Cyrus’s well-publicized stunt at the 2013 VMAs. Somehow, Jonas avoided this trap. In his music videos he remains fully clothed and so do most of his female costars. His music is sensual but not explicit. Ultimately, it may have been Jonas’s sheer talent and craft that helped him do what many of his peers have been unable to: grow up. BY KATY MAYFIELD News Writer
All grown up
Photos by Flynne Collins and Tiernan O’Neill
BriefMe
eos lip balm
My House, Flo Rida
BriefMe isn’t your normal news app. It’s not cluttered or complicated, and it’s designed to tell you only what you need to know without the fluff. The app stays updated with a scrolling list of the top 10 most relevant stories on the Internet based on a social algorithm. It presents the most viral and newsworthy content based on data collected from pageviews, timeliness, Facebook and Twitter. The app is incredibly intuitive and the interface is polished. It gets you the news you need fast and leaves no room for distraction. BriefMe is the news equivalent to SportsCenter Top 10 and is executed to perfection.
Smooth Sphere Lip Balm from evolution of smooth (eos) is a hydrating lip balm that comes ready for use in a brightly-colored, playful sphere. The beauty product, priced at $3.29, comes in various colors and benefits, including Lemon Drop with SPF and Medicated Tangerine. Made primarily from shea butter, vitamin E and jojoba oil, eos Lip Balm is anywhere from 95-100 percent natural, depending on the flavor. By taking it from the traditional stick to a sphere, eos reimagines lip balm. The round shape makes application easy. The fun, matte color makes it a cheerful addition to the customers’ purse. These small details make all the difference, and make eos a beauty must-have.
American recording artist Flo Rida released his fourth EP My House on April 7 after a three year a hiatus. The album includes seven songs with collaborations from Chris Brown, Robin Thicke and more. The music is light but the choruses are repeated every other second. Chris Brown is featured on the track “Here It Is” and effectively steals the show from Flo Rida. Overall the tracks did not compare to his previous hits, such as “Whistle” and the “Club Can’t Handle Me.” The lyrics did not match with the feelings he was trying to bring forth. Better beats could be made anywhere by banging on tables in a classroom than those found on this album.
-- Nicholas Byrne, Broadcast Mangaging Editor
-- Violet Merritt, News Writer
-- Kaya Pollack, Staff Writer
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Alive and well
Cultural Buzz O
n March 6, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was released to Netflix subscribers. The series was created by writer and comedian Tina Fey, who is best known for her work on NBC’s 30 Rock. The series is another one of Fey’s comical masterpieces. After spending the last 15 years in an underground bunker, four women are rescued from their cult leader, Richard Wayne Gary Wayne, who told them that the world had ended and that they were the sole From feminism to racial survivors. The show’s main character, Kimmy Schmidt tension, the sitcom does not (Ellie Kemper), was always miss anything. the most resilient of the “mole women.” After being released from the cult, she decides to move to New York City. When she gets there she realizes that she has missed a lot in the last 15 years so she must work to assimilate to the 21st century. She gets some help from her roommate, Titus Andromedan, and her landlord, Lillian (Carol Kane). Kimmy takes on all endeavors in a hilarious manner. Although the show is very light hearted, some of the topics it focuses on are not. It addresses almost every social problem in our current society with raunchy humor. From feminism to racial tension, the sitcom does not miss anything. The sitcom fits on a platform like Netflix because all episodes are released at once, allowing for binge-watching. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is hilarious and addictive. Kimmy’s childlike naiveté brings something new the screen. The next season will be highly anticipated. BY TIERRA HAYES Sports Writer
Coca-Cola Life
Cinderella
Chick-Fil-A Frozen Lemonade
It’s important to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet, but some things are sacred. No one dares change the preparation of a McDonald’s fry or the formula of a Wendy’s Frosty. Unfortunately, it seems that the Coca Cola Company doesn’t believe in such righteousness. Initially sold exclusively at The Fresh Market stores, new Coca-Cola Life broke out into the mainstream market on Nov. 4, 2014. The drink is sweetened with an all natural sweetener called Stevia. Granted, the soda offers a health conscience alternative to the corn syrup-laden original Coke formula. Coca Cola Life, however, ultimately fails to replicate the iconic Coke taste and rather has the flavor profile of an organic drain cleaner.
There have been many remakes of Cinderella, each with its own particular merits. The new telling, directed by Kenneth Branagh and released March 13 is no exception. The Walt Disney production tells the story of young Ella (Lilly James(, while playing up its classic version and its experimentation with live action, this production has a theme of being kind and having courage. Fans of the original animated film musical will notice familiar elements, and welcome the additional characters (notably the Prince’s bodyguard, played by Nonso Anozie, and the rather dastardly Archduke, played by Jonathan Price) as well as the fleshing out of parts of the story. Branagh’s remake is truly a Happily Ever after.
Shortly after the frenzy of Free Coffee February, the popular fast food chain, Chick-Fil-A has a new addition to their menu. They have combined their freshly squeezed lemonade with their soft-serve ice cream to invent their version of a frozen lemonade. The frozen lemonade comes in a 16 oz. serving, and can be served either regular or diet. Prices begin at $2.69. With the seasons changing, Chick-Fil-A customers are eager for this new treat. While drinking this concoction, you may even chew on some lemon pulp. The lemon milkshake, or “frozen lemonade” consist of two things that should not mix--lemons and ice cream.
-- Tiernan O’Neill, Viewpoints Editor
-- Delia Adamson, News writer
-- Makayla Richards, Public Relations Manager
May 2015
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Featured: MAKING A ZINE: ACCL Teen Services Assistant Brandy Erdmann explains the difference between a zine and a mini-comic. “There’s a little bit of debate about if there is a difference (between mini-comics and zines),” said. 28Erdmann | odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE
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Featured: READ UP: A student at the mini-comic and zine-making workshop reads a zine made by another student. Instructor Brandy Erdmann believes zines help students express themselves. “It can just be completely random things coming from your head,” Erdmann said.
Zine! Photos by Sophie Fernandes
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Photo illustration and layout by Aaron Holmes
ids ages 11-18 attentively design, draw, cut, and paste their works of art into the medium of either a zine or mini-comic during the Athens-Clarke County Library mini-comic and zine workshop led by Teen Services Assistant Brandy Erdmann. “What I’m going to do in this workshop is just go over basic information about zines and mini comics, try to differentiate the two the best I can. For the most part, it’s going to be up to the participants to create what they want,” Erdmann said. Trying to explain the differences between zines and mini-comics can be a difficult task. However, Erdmann’s specialty lies within all things zine. “There’s a little bit of debate about if there is a difference (between mini-comics and zines,) but generally it boils down to, zines are handmade magazines, so they can pretty much be about anything. That’s the beauty of zines is that you don’t even have to have a topic at all, it can just be completely random things coming from your head,” Erdmann said Contrary to zines, the mini-comic aspect of the workshop is a more restricted to a specific type of format. “Mini-comics on the other hand, are always going to be some sort of sequential art so they’re going to consist of illustrations, without text.” Erdmann said. Erdmann has hopes that their second year of collaboration with a mini-comic and zine festival called FLUKE, will eventually bring more attention to the workshop. “This will be the third one I’ve done with the Athens-Clarke County May 2015 BY GRACE WALKER Variety Writer
Athens-Clarke County Library Teen Services Assistant Brandy Erdmann led her third mini-comic and zine workshop on April 9. Library. We actually did a collaboration with FLUKE last year as well which was more zine-oriented, so this one we want to try to put more focus on the mini-comic aspect,” Erdmann said. Through years of experience, Erdmann offers a lot of information and expertise to young teenagers participating in the workshops. She sees zines as a form of expression that can be helpful to some teens. “I’ve had an interest in zines since I was a teenager. I was a very awkward teen and I grew up in a small town and didn’t really relate to my peers. They’re really nice to express yourself other than journaling so when I got this job about two years ago, I was actually hired because on my resume I said I wanted to do a zine workshop for teens and the supervisor at the time thought that was a great idea, she had been wanting to do a workshop but didn’t know how to get started,” Erdmann said. The workshop consisted of about seven people ranging in ages 11-18, including CCHS senior Niké Shimobi-Obijuru. “This is my first time. It’s actually really interesting, I didn’t know what zines were before and learning about them is pretty nice. It was really informative,” Obijuru said. Erdmann is an example of how mini-comic and zine making can be a useful outlet for self expression even beyond the teen years. “It’s awesome, I love it. Sometimes I will have 20 people show up, sometimes I will only have three, but it’s OK. At least everyone that comes, they have a good time because they want to make something,” Erdmann said. odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | 29
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FEEDBACK FROM GEDIA
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Senior Gedia Powell speaks about his experience with music and the role it has played in his life. BY LUCIA BERMUDEZ Features Writer
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PHOTOS BY CHAD RHYM Visuals Coordinator
f you want music to be your livelihood, then play, play, play and play! And eventually you’ll get to where you want to be,” Eddie Van Halen said. This is the motto that senior Gedia Powell models his life after. Gedia began exploring his interest in music at a young age. By late elementary school, Gedia was already developing a passion for music, specifically rock and punk rock, a passion that inspired him to learn how to play his first instrument, the guitar. “I started playing guitar in fourth grade. I was just like into those ‘starter bands’ as I like to call them now,” Gedia said. “I first started listening to like Nirvana, AC/DC and Green Day. So I wanted to learn (songs) like the stuff I was listening to.” As he showed more interest in music, Gedia realized that guitar was something he seriously wanted to pursue, and his mother supported him in this undertaking. “My mom got me lessons, and I took lessons for maybe about three or four months. My mom played a lot of instruments, so I guess it kind of rubbed off on me. She knew that I was getting into rock music, so she funded that,” Gedia said.
As Gedia continued to explore music, he started writing songs “I started writing (in) about sixth or seventh grade, and they were just really simple songs. I started writing music, for the guitar really. I never wrote lyrics. It was always hard for me to just write stuff because I feel like you have to hear something first,” Gedia said. Along with songwriting, Gedia also started composing music.
“You gotta have some inspiration, whether it be like an intro or a riff. You gotta hear something before you start writing.” -- GEDIA POWELL, senior “You gotta have some inspiration, whether it be like an intro or a riff,” Gedia said. “You gotta hear something before you start writing. I have to have my guitar in my hand to start writing. Weezer and Green Day were my favorite bands at the time (that I began writing songs) so I was influenced by them heavily, their fast pace, their style of music.” Eventually, Gedia decided that he wanted to start his own band, so he got together with friends to make his songs come to life.
Below: PERSONALITY TO SHARE: Many of those who know senior Gedia Powell are quick to comment on his outgoing personality. “Gedia was always very bright and jovial. He brought a certain energy that was great to have in the classroom,” English department teacher Ginger Lehmann said. Gedia was a student in Lehmann’s Advanced American Literature class. Opposite page: IN TOUCH WITH THE MUSIC: Gedia plays guitar to express himself and connect with music he loves. “I wanted to learn songs like the stuff I was listening to,” Gedia said.
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“We played everywhere. We played the Melting Point twice, and we played at the cherry blossom festival a few times in Macon. My favorite show that we ever played was at the Atlanta Symphony Hall for this talent show. It was the biggest place we’d ever played and it sounded so good,” -- GEDIA POWELL, senior “(My band) was called Death of the Peanut King. It was really different because it kind of dawned at the time that I was really discovering what I could do with music,” Gedia said. “I was using my musical sense, I was writing music, I was writing different parts and melodies and things of that nature. It kind of made me, in my head of course, a musical expert. I know what to listen for and I know what is appealing to the ear.” Gedia’s musical career transitioned into a serious endeavour when he joined an after-school program for young musicians. “A lot of people know about Camp Amped at Nuçi’s Space; I was a part of the first session of after school they had. We started in 2009. I just went on this writing frenzy; I wrote a lot of songs that year,” Gedia said. “Nuci’s Space is one of the things that catapulted me into being in bands and going into like garage band culture, that kind of thing. It was sort of like my catalyst,” Gedia said. Camp Amped provided Gedia with resources and inspiration that year, especially that summer, when Gedia found his love for public performance. “2009. Second session. Camp Amped. Nuçi’s Space. I had never been on stage performing, singing, or playing guitar. The first time I performed on stage
I wasn’t nervous, because I don’t really get nervous like that, but it moved by so fast, that’s what was the sad thing,” Gedia said. “It was awesome. Everybody was so responsive to you, and I learned that even if they’re not responsive, you still have to kind of dictate the energy of the show. You have to make it fun.” Because of his experience with Camp Amped, Gedia’s band gained more exposure and began to play gigs at various venues. “We played everywhere. We played the Melting Point twice, and we played at the cherry blossom festival a few times in Macon. My favorite show that we ever played was at the Atlanta Symphony Hall for this talent show. It was the biggest place we’d ever played and it sounded so good,” Gedia said. As they got older however, the band members started pursuing separate interests and dispersed around late tenth grade. Although his band Death of the Peanut King became less prominent in Gedia’s life, music continued to play an important role. However, obstacles emerged that kept his attention divided. “In eleventh grade, I got employed. I did not march in the marching band. I got employed by Bojangles, so (I spent) the entire summer before and all of eleventh grade working,” Gedia said.
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“My first time performing was really fun, and when I was performing, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is something I want to do for a really long time.’”
As a senior, Gedia continues to work, now as an employee at Chuck-E-Cheese. He is also active in CCHS’s music programs and continues to play various instruments. “I’m in band, both band classes and orchestra, so I play (music) almost every day. (I’m in both band classes) because I wanted to learn how to play a different instrument. I played percussion in normal symphonic band, so I wanted to learn how to play a wind instrument,” Gedia said. Orchestra director Eunice Kang says she enjoys Gedia’s personality and his enthusiasm towards music and learning. “He’s a fantastic team player in orchestra. I think he brings the mood up for everyone by his personality,” Kang said. “He’s a very meticulous musician and passionate about music. It’s such a joy to have him in class. I just think he’s a great leader and a role model for the other students with his attitude, and I’m so glad he’s in orchestra as well as band.” In addition to being in orchestra and two band classes, Gedia also interns at a radio station during the week, which appeals to his interest in the larger music industry. “I want to go into broadcast journalism, so being on the radio. I want my own network one day, kind of like what Oprah does, (but) maybe on a philanthropic level, where I’m giving away stuff,” Gedia said. While Gedia says he doesn’t know exactly what his future holds, he knows music will contribute a very big piece of the puzzle. “My biggest dream is breaking people, like breaking artists and making them big, and having my own music recorded,” Gedia said. “ I’ve always had those thoughts and dreams of doing that. That would be something that would be like a dream come true.” Music has been prominent in Gedia’s upbringing, and he says it will continue to be throughout his life. “Anybody can play all day, but if you perform it well, then you’re good. If you are engaging, if you’re having fun, if you’re going incredibly hard,” Gedia said. “But yeah my first time, it was really fun and when I was performing, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is something I want to do for a really long time.’”
-- GEDIA POWELL, senior
Opposite page: RECORDS ON RECORDS: Gedia has participated in local music events like Camp Amped, located at Nuçi’s Space, where he collaborated with other young musicians. Right: IN THE ZONE: In addition to guitar, Gedia plays bass in the CCHS orchestra. “He’s a very meticulous musician and passionate about music,” orchestra director Dr. Enuice Kang said.
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Don’t sweat it I Don’t Like S***, I Don’t Go Outside by Earl Sweatshirt largely talks about his hardships while he brings a slow-paced rap and a jazzlike beat.
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eleased on March 23, I Don’t Like S***, I Don’t Go Outside by Earl Sweatshirt, whose real name is Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, offers the listener 10 vignettes of the artist’s young adult life. The album starts with the song “Huey”, which features a slow tempo and describes Sweatshirt’s personal flaws and losses. Sweatshirt says, “I’m like quicksand in my ways, was always stuck in ‘em.” The song ends with about 40 seconds of simply a beat, and no words. Most songs in this album have a very similar beat which makes the album sound repetitive. The meaningful lyrics, however, add something of a novelty to each song. Many tracks in the album include a slow beat at the end. The song “DNA” has a beat going Although the majority of the on for over a minute album is a concise descrip- before the track is cut. Sweatshirt’s hardships tion of Sweatshirt’s trouas a young adult are bles, other songs describe often throughout the album. In the song “Off exactly how Sweatshirt Top,” he describes his overcame those troubles. life after his father left him, “Trying to pay my momma rent, figure that’s just what I owe her, I been trouble since I tumbled out that stroller. Never missing dad, never prayed much.” Although the majority of the album is a concise description of Sweatshirt’s troubles, other songs describe exactly how Sweatshirt overcame those troubles. In the song “DNA” Sweatshirt says, “I never was defenseless, I stuck to one side and trusted it…..Ain’t no b**** in my DNA. ” After recieving the BET Rookie of the Year award in 2013, Earl Sweatshirt produces a powerful sophomore album with I Don’t Like S***, I Don’t Go Outside that lives up to expectations. BY FEAR CHURCHWELL Web Writer
Photos by Louise Platter
Disheartening Madonna loses her roots in her latest album, Rebel Heart.
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adonna’s latest album, Rebel Heart, released March 6, reached number two on weekly Billboard sales charts during its first week of sales. Evidently, people are disappointed; Rebel Heart dropped to #16 during week two. A month later, she doesn’t even make the top 100. This isn’t a surprise. Next to Madonna’s other albums, Rebel Heart is painfully forgettable, despite collaborations with Nicki Minaj, Chance the Rapper and Mike Tyson. This desperate attempt at remaining young has erased the Material Girl completely and is clearly not the kind of work that sustains an icon. Rebel Heart contains 19 synth-pop tracks following the theme of love. This is, of course, If someone were to listen to excepting the song about the this without knowing who the Illuminati. The artist was, there is a decent message is clear: chance they’d think it was some Madonna is not apologizing for sort of twisted Disney Channel anything, least of soundtrack all this album. To the album’s credit, most of the songs start with promising beats. The instrumentals are as good as any dance music, but there’s nothing about them to make them a real standout. This is accompanied by boring, overused lyrics about being a party girl with variances in melody smaller than those of beat poetry, such as: “Yeah we can get high and we can get stoned / And we can sniff glue and we can do E and we can drop acid / Forever be lost with no way home.” If someone were to listen to this without knowing who the artist was, there is a decent chance they’d think it was some sort of twisted Disney Channel soundtrack instead of the “Queen of Pop.” Rebel Heart is equally as repetitive and predictable as any ABC Family series, and within a matter of minutes instills the same idle feeling that one would get after sitting on the couch watching one of these shows for hours on end. BY MADELINE HALL Viewpoints Writer
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MOR E T H A N A T E ACH E R
Featured: A STRONG COMMITMENT: Deborah Archibald stands infront of Clarke Central High School, where she frequently serves as a substitute teacher. “I’ve really had a great career and I love working with children,” Archibald said.
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May 2015
Deborah Archibald reflects on her journey to becoming a teacher.
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BY FLYNNE COLLINS he lived in a Variety Editor house that has since burned down on a long dirt road. There was nothing around but trees, woods and a lake. “My Daddy was a farmer so there was some farmland and I guess the nearest house was about a half a mile,” Deborah said. This place is now Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens,. and the trees her mother planted there still stand today. After graduating from Burney Harris High School, her journey through education continued, even though Deborah’s father was a sharecropper and her mother had never gotten any further than a high school diploma. She was the second youngest of nine children, and all of them were expected to strive for excellence by their parents, who were active members of their school’s PTA and valued education greatly. Her journey was intertwined with that of her brother, Michael. As they grew older and pursued their dreams, they grew together. When they were little, she taught him how to smile for his school picture. “It’s been like one journey. In a sense, you don’t know how things are going to be. But in a sense anything he has done I have been connected with it I have helped him to achieve his goals and he will help me to achieve mine,” Deborah said. Her career was a fulfilling one. It took her from mental health counseling to working with children at Clarke Middle School to authoring a parenting manual. She is Deborah Thurmond Archibald: sister, mother, wife, writer, counselor and community member. But she is better known to the students of Clarke Central High School as substitute teacher, Ms. Archibald.
Photo by Julie Alpaugh
Photo by Sophie Fernandes
SPORTS
The box score Above: MAKING MOVES: Senior and varsity forward Talle Parrish dribbles the ball arround a Heritage High School defender during a game at Clarke Central High School on April 22.. The CCHS girls varsity soccer team lost to HHS 1-4. “We knew this was our chance to get into the playoffs. We hated losing, but we played the best we could,” Parrish said.
Crossing over
Students at Clarke Central High School have formed a lacrosse club starting at the end of this school year. The club, sponsored by media specialist Lindy Weaver, has been headed up by co-presidents freshman Hannah Gale and junior William Imes. “I had friends in high school that played and they loved it,” Weaver said. The Georgia High School Association began sanctioning the sport in 2005. “It’s not too popular in the South, but it’s one of the fastest-growing in the Southeast region,” Imes said. The club had their first meeting on May 7, which over 32 students attended, including athletes from across various CCHS varsity sports. “I’m looking forward for everyone to get a chance to learn how to play lacrosse. (I want) it to be a Varsity sport in a few years,” Gale said. The club has a five-year plan to make lacrosse a varsity sport at CCHS. “If the club is successful and it garners enough interest, then there is a good chance that CCHS can apply to form a sanctioned team,” Weaver said.
Senior night relief On April 16, the Clarke Central High School varsity boys soccer team honored their two senior players: forward Gerardo Arteaga and goalkeeper Alejandro DePaz, both of who have had four years of experience in the soccer program. The Gladiators played against Greene County High School and won 8-2, with five of the goals scored by Arteaga. “Having (Arteaga) scoring as many times as he did was good for us, because Senior Night is for the seniors,” boys varsity head coach Chris Aiken said. Knowing it was his last game at CCHS was his motivation to score for Artega. “I think that that is why I did score so many goals. It was my last home game, I just had to go off,” Arteaga said. Going into the game, the Gladiators had trouble throughout the season, but Aiken says that the team has bounced back. “A lot of people counted us out last year and thought we would be below average,” Aiken said. “We were 2-4 in the region, and on a seven-game losing streak, since then we have rebounded and are on a three-game winning streak.” Despite the troubles, Aiken has remained calm throughout the season and has tried to instill confidence in his players. “I tell them all the time to have faith in yourself and not to worry about people telling you how good or bad you are. As long as you control your own fate, that’s all that matters,” Aiken said. Aiken and the team feel that with the seniors graduating, they will miss the experience of Arteaga and De Pez. “Both of them were on the roster last year for the Final Four and experience is something that you can’t teach. Having them being able to share their experience is something valuable (that we will miss),” Aiken said.
-- Olivia Ripps, Sports Writer
Running regionals
On April 21 and 23 the boys track team participated in the 8-AAAAA regionals and ended in 5th place. Sophomores Zay Brown, Masi Mack and Friarson White and juniors Marcus Ellis, Rayshawn McCall and Desmond Sorrells all advanced to the Sectional competitions held on May 2. “So far this year I think we have made strides in the right direction,” boys track head coach Christian Norton said. “We are looking for more good performances at the Sectional meet so that we can qualify athletes for the State Championship meet May 14-16.” Ellis was named the Region Champion for the 300 meter hurdles and is optimistic about the season. “We did pretty good,” Ellis said. “We did much better than last year. (I’m looking forward) to going to State.” .
Setting up state
The Clarke Central High School girls and boys tennis teams ended their seasons in the first round of the state competitions on April 21. Both teams went in as fourth seeds and did not move on to the next round of State after playing Cambridge High School, the No. 1 seed in Region 7-AAAAA. “(The other team’s players) were very good,” head coach Stephen Hinson said. “They didn’t have anybody with less than less than five or six years of experience. It was just one of those things (where) we just kind of ran out of steam, but we had a great season.” Sophomore Denise Sunta believes that the team did well despite the circumstances and is optimistic for next year. “I think it was really impressive that we were able to make it to state because we got rained out with so many matches and we didn’t have a lot of practices,” Sunta said. “(Next year) hopefully it won’t rain so much and we can make it past the first round of state.”
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SPORTS
Audibles
It is different than my previous three years, but I feel like there is less pressure because you are more mature and able to handle adversity. NATALIE SCHMIDT, senior, on managing school work and sports her final year of high school.
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When kids walk past us, we love everybody. We don’t think you’re better just because you have a letterman jacket.
Photo by Chad Rhym
Above: NO HITTING: Varsity pitcher and junior Noah Fairbairn pitched a no-hitter against Cedar Shoals High School in the first game of the double header on April 21. “I started out, ironically, not really feeling my stuff before the game. After my first inning I got that confidence boost and the right mentality to finish out the game the way I started,” Fairbarn said.
Two and two Due to inclement weather, the Clarke Central High School varsity baseball team played against Cedar Shoals High School twice on April 21. The games happened within 30 minutes of each other. “(The team) was ready to play. They came in focused. We didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. We went through normal practice, normal pregame routine,” varsity baseball head coach Trey Henson said. Despite the brief intermission, CCHS secured two wins against CSHS, winning the first game 10-0 and the second game 111. Throughout the games, there were two home runs--one by senior outfielder Christopher Resby and the other by senior first baseman Terry McHugh. “It was a great feeling and it definitely meant a lot since we were playing (CSHS.) I didn’t hit many home runs this season, but I’m satisfied with just this one,” Resby said. After winning two games in a row, CCHS ended the season on a two game losing streak against Lanier High School. Henson says that their losses weren’t caused by the lack of rest from the double header. “They’re a good team. (Lanier) was in the final four in (Class AAAA last year),” Henson said. “They played as strong as they did in the double header. They didn’t look tired and I don’t think (the double header) had any affect.” While the CCHS baseball team’s season has ended, Henson is optimistic for the 2015-16 season. “We return a lot. We’re losing three guys in the outfield, but we’re going to have a couple of guys step up and replace first base, but the rest of the infield is back, pitchers are back, behind the dish are back. I’m cautiouslly optimistic,” Henson said. For McHugh, leaving is bittersweet. “It’s kind of sad when your time playing is over, but eventually I think you have to be happy with what you did and make peace with it,” McHugh said.
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DR. SHEILA DUNHAM, Assisstant Principal, on how the faculty views students with letterman jackets.
I believe that we should play more region games because (the scores) are a lot closer and there is less travel time.
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SHADRICK FEARS, junior, on whether teams within a region should eliminate non-region matchups for more opportunities to play within the region.
I didn’t pick them to win it all in my bracket, but I do think they are a great team and they definitely deserved it.
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MARY CARROLL WALLER, freshman, on the Duke Blue Devils winning the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
Below: KEEP SWINGING: Sophomore Caroline Caldwell strikes a forehand in a state playoff game against Cambridge High School on April 21. “I’m glad our team got to go to state because we were able to go up against really experienced players and learn as individuals on how to compete against challenging teams,” Caldwell said.
-- Samuel Hood, Sports Editor Photo by Makayla Richards
-- Compiled by Sports Staff May 2015
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SPORTS
Putting in the participation The girls track and field team has seen small numbers in shot put participation, especially over the past two years.
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n front of her is an open field with lines marking the distance she needs to throw the shot. Her momentum increases as she twists her body towards the field. Her body whips towards the field and her arm flings the shot into the air. “People don’t really know about shot put and what it is or what it’s all about. So I think they’re just like, ‘I don’t want to go out there and be alone.’ People just aren’t used to going and learning new things,” varsity shot putter and junior Cameron Mims said. Shot put is an event in the throwing and strength division of track and field. The athlete throws a metal ball slightly larger than a softball that weighs about 8.8 pounds as far as they physically can. “You don’t necessarily have to be a big, physical person, but you’ve got to have strength in order to be successful in the shot put. And if you’re strong and athletic, then you tend to be a better shot putter,” Assistant Principal and girls track head coach Reginald Thomas said. Last season, there were only four female shot putters on the Clarke Central High School track and field team. This year the number has decreased to three players. BY JORDAN RHYM Sports Writer
“I recruited those shot putters we had. All of them played basketball and all of them I saw as young ladies who looked like they would be strong. In fact, they were strong for females, and all of them were pretty strong individuals,” Thomas said. The basketball players that Thomas recruited had the physicality that he knew was necessary to be successful at shot put. He had seen their ability on the basketball court, so he told them to try shot put when they came to tryouts. “Me and my friend Cameron were just trying something new, and for it to be our first year, we were actually pretty decent and we started to feel for it and just continued with it,” junior and varsity shot putter Kiara Huff said. According to Thomas, track and field is more than hurdles and long distance running. Track and field offers events for people thats main strength is endurance or whose main strength may be strength itself. “It gives opportunity for athletes who like to participate in track and field, but aren’t considered to be sprinter or jumpers. (It is) an opportunity to participate in events that cater to their strengths, and their strengths are that they tend to be stronger individuals,” Thomas said.
Below: THROWING IT: Junior and varsity shot putter Cameron Mims practices her craft on the Clarke Central High School track field in preparation for the state tournament. “(Last year) I was throwing just to be throwing because it was my first year and it wasn’t as serious (but) I almost went to state,” Mims said. “So this year I need to do it.” Photo by Chad Rhym
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SPORTS
Congratulations! You’ve lost?
Chris Borland’s decision to quit football due to concerns regarding traumatic brain injury is rational. But what about those who can’t?
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dark, hazy cloud of criticism and doubt has been cast in recent years over the National Football League, and football at all levels, in regards to concussion treatment and protocol. In 2012, the suicide and ensuing biopsy of 12-time NFL Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau revealed that his brain had developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), piquing the fears of players, parents and spectators alike. The scathing PBS Frontline documentary League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis, which aired in September 2014, confirmed those fears. The investigation reported that 76 of 79 deceased NFL players examined had tested positive for CTE, a degenerative brain disease that has been linked to brain trauma accumulated while playing football over an extended period of time. Now, almost three years later, 24-year-old NFL linebacker and rookie sensation Chris Borland is calling it quits because of these exact anxieties, sending shockwaves through the sport. Borland made the obvious choice, determining that the benefits of gridiron glory, if only for but a few passing moments, do not outweigh the physical, emotional and psychological price that football players pay. However, there are those who do not sit atop the mountain of privilege, whose income and escape from violent neighborhoods and poverty is just as vital for their families as their physical wellbeing. And the decision is not as clear. Mychal Denzel Smith of The Nation harps on this issue--how players that come from lesser economic means, particularly Black Americans, which make up a majority of NFL players, are exploited and even endangered by the system in place in order to maintain financial security within the league--in a January BY KEVIN MOBLEY Junior Copy Editor
May 2015
2013 article published online. “For too many, this is their answer to debilitating poverty," Smith writes. "So what's a little permanent brain damage?" Junior Anthony Smith, who plays two positions that are highly susceptible to head injury in football on the Clarke Central High School varsity team--tight end and linebacker--says that in playing football he has to disregard the possible repercussions. "My past football season I had two concussions and an injured ACL. So yeah I’ve had a lot of injuries, but this is my senior year coming up and I’m hoping that I don’t get hurt because after that I wouldn’t know what to do," Anthony Smith said. "This is what I’ve been preparing for: to go to college for football." Mychal Smith refers to this usage of football as a vehicle for success as a sort of "lottery ticket." In effect, exceptional football talent can be cashed in for a free education from an elite university, sure, but more importantly it serves as a gateway to the cash itself. While some like Borland might benefit from financial security within their families and have the ability to quit football easily, many don't. The fact of the matter is the NFL is not going to go away anytime soon. There’s too much money invested, and it will only continue to increase with lucrative TV contracts. The game will go on without Chris Borland. Events like the University of North Carolina academic scandal tell us what some universities think of players, disregarding that young athletes have been taught their entire lives that athletics is one of their only options to succeed. So, instead of concentrating our efforts on professional football, the focus, rather, should be stressing to high schools and collegiate institutions that athletes are far, far more than just their physical talents.
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SPORTS
BACK ON THE
right
TRACK Photo by Julie Alpaugh
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SPORTS
Newly named head track coach and Clarke Central High School alumnus Christian Norton has always had a love for track, even at a young age.
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hristian Norton’s first word was football. He was raised in the shadow of University of Georgia athletics by a father who was the university’s head track coach. As a student, he also ran track for Clarke Central High School and eventually played football for UGA. And now, he has returned CCHS for the 2015 track season—as a coach. For as long has he can remember, Norton was surrounded by the world of collegiate track. “Now, I have been with track and field, and I can’t imagine a time not knowing and enjoying it. It’s always a passion deeply embedded in me,” Norton said. As a child, Norton and his younger sister Jasmine often helped the UGA team at races and track competitions. “There were opportunities growing up (to help) at track meets at UGA, and I used to be one of those people who would take the race results and bring them up to the press box to be announced,” Norton said. “Then as I got older, I got more complex tasks and more responsibilities.” Norton began running track in seventh grade and pursued the sport all throughout high school. “Just growing up with the sport and staying at it from that point of view, you know I had always wanted to participate. And once I did it, it was a
BY OLIVIA RIPPS Sports Writer
LAYOUT BY AARON HOLMES Senior Copy Editor
May 2015
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SPORTS dream come true,” Norton said. As a student at CCHS, Norton was the captain of the football team and the track team. Norton was remembered by many for his commitment and leadership towards the teams. “He would always work hard and have a positive attitude. He loved to compete and loved to win. He played just about every position at one point in his football career. He was a really versatile player,” Jasmine said. Norton was not only celebrated at CCHS for his athletic skills, but also his character within the classroom. “I would say Christian was a hard working, very conscientious kid. Just a good kid. He was a great kid to teach, a great kid to have in class,” former CCHS science department teacher Buddy Sims said. Norton later attended UGA, where he maintained his involvement with the two sports. “A typical spring semester for me would involve offseason football and at the same time track practice. I was a student volunteer and I was getting an education in track and field too,” Norton said. Norton returned to CCHS to become the assistant varsity boys track coach in 2011 after graduating from UGA. Then, after briefly living in Houston, he came back to CCHS to coach football starting in the spring of 2013. Following the 2013 spring track season, former CCHS track varsity coach Stefan Smith left to take the position at Cedar Shoals High School. After hearing of the job opening, Norton became interested. “As soon as the time came available, I became interested,” Norton said. “It has always been my goal and dream to be the track coach (at CCHS).”
As head track coach, Norton has worked to recruit players for the 2015 season, and has been working specifically to recruit participants of winter sports. Jasmine feels that her brother’s personality will serve Norton well in persuading athletes to join the team. “He likes to joke around and develop bonds with his athletes. However, when it comes time to get down to business he is very focused and motivated,” Jasmine said. “He is encouraging and is good at breaking down specific drills and techniques to his athletes in a way that makes it easy to understand.” Norton is expecting big things out of the track team this season, and looks forward to the progress that will be made. “We want to build off of what the team did well last year. It may sound laughable to say we came in ninth in region, but even with the region finish we still had a lot (of atheletes) go to state, and the core of those athletes are coming back,” Norton said. Sims feels that Norton’s character and strong ties to CCHS make him a wise choice for head of the boys track program. “Clarke Central needs good role models like Christian, and I was really glad to see him at the beginning of the school year and to see that he is actually working near Athens as a teacher and a coach,” Sims said. This track season, Norton plans to help not only the team develop, but hopes that he will grow as well. “The program is no stranger to success and I’m excited to be a part of that success,” Norton said. “It’s a challenge, but it’s one I’ve been waiting and preparing for.”
Previous Page: BACK ON BAXTER: Head varsity boys track coach Christian Norton says he is excited to lead the track program as an alumnus himself. “I think about being an athlete here at CCHS and the past people in the position (of head coach), and to be in that same role are big shoes to fill,” Norton said. Below: PASSING THE BATON: Norton, a former member of the varsity boys track team, instructs junior Rayshawn McCall at practice. “(I enjoyed being an athlete because) I was able to go out and represent my school and my team. I felt like I was somebody,”Norton said. Opposite Page: LEADING THE PACK: Norton walks with varsity track athletes Austin Harris, McCall and Datalion Terrell. Photo by Julie Alpaugh
“ my goal and DREAM
It has always been
track coach.”
Photo by Julie Alpaugh
May 2015
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SPORTS
The real MVP
At 13 years old, Mo’ne Davis is a better team player than the college baseball player who snubbed her online. Web Writer
Addie Downs Grade: 12 Sport: Varsity tennis Years experience: 4 GPA: 3.8 Favorite game memory: “This girl (from Cedar Shoals High School) would miss the ball (and), she would make this sound of a dying cat.” Role model: “My biological parents met playing tennis and I don’t know them, so it’s the only way I could feel like I was somehow connected to them.” What coaches say: “Her work ethic is amazing--not just in tennis, but in everything she does.” -- Stephen Hinson, head coach
Photos by Chad Rhym
ODYSSEY Star Players are selected based on their academic standing and commitment to teammates, their sports program and Clarke Central High School. Star Players are selected each month by the Sports staff based on interviews with players and coaches.
William Downs Grade: 9 Sport: Junior varsity soccer Years experience: 2 GPA: 4.0
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ere’s some sports trivia: How many people have made the the cover of Sports Illustrated… before entering 8th grade? The answer is one--Mo’ne Davis, the 13-year-old Taney Dragons Little League baseball star who gained notoriety as the first girl in Little League World Series history to pitch a winning game, and the first black girl to play in the LLWS. If by now you’re as impressed as I am, this next part is about to sound all the more detestable. Davis’ most recent accomplishment is as the focus of Disney Channel’s upcoming movie Throw Like Mo, a well-earned success for the young athlete. But Joey Casselberry disagrees, according to the former Bloomsburg University Huskies baseball player’s now deleted tweet in which he spurned Disney’s choice of to make the film and called Davis a “slut.” Within a day, Bloomsburg University released a statement on Twitter, saying that they were “deeply saddened” by the way that Casselberry represented their school, and that he would be dismissed from the school’s baseball team. Why is this man pouting about what airs on a network targeting an audience between the ages of 6-14? As if this guy didn’t already look like a fool for making fun of a child online, the world got to see just how immature he was being when Davis responded to his release by emailing BU President David L. Soltz and asking that Casselberry be reinstated. “I am sure Joey Casselberry has worked very hard to get where he is and dreams of playing in the major leagues,” Davis said in her email to Soltz. “For this reason, I’m asking you to please allow him back on the team so that he can continue to chase his dream.” I don’t think he’ll mind being off the field that much, though, considering that he’s going to have much more free time now to do what he really loves: watching children’s daytime TV. BY GRACE POLANECZKY
Below: THE BIGGER PERSON: Little League Baseball pitcher Mo’ne Davis has proved herself to be the bigger person when a grown man called her “slut” on twitter. Cartoon by Phineas Alexander
Game day ritual: “I stay quiet and think about the game.” Favorite game memory: “In the first game of the season, I scored two goals against North Oconee High School.” Role model: Cristiano Ronaldo What coaches say: “I thought William did extremely well for a freshman. He has unbelievable size and height and I think he’ll continue to grow as a player.” -- Chris Aiken, head coach May 2015
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5 SPORTS
THINGS To KNOW ABOUT
MMA BY LUKE BLACKMON AS TOLD TO SAMUEL HOOD Sports Editor PHOTO BY CHAD RHYM Visuals Coordinator
1. SHAPING UP
The most difficult part is the conditioning. I’m not letting anyone get beat up in here--we do train and we do spar. The fact is you can have the greatest technique in the world, hit the hardest in the world, hit as hard as you want, but as Muhammad Ali showed against George Foreman, if you can outlast somebody even if they hit harder, once they’re dead tired and can’t even lift their arms you can pretty much do whatever you want. The hardest part is just staying in shape.
2. MASTERING THE ARTS
The thing is that (MMA) is so big and that’s what’s kind of comforting about it. Knowing that it’s something so big that you won’t do it for two years and you’ve got your black belt and you’re done. You do (MMA) for the rest of your life and you can only scratch the surface. You may be able to master one thing and if you do that, you’re better than most other people because most people don’t even have the dedication to master one thing, but you can get pretty good at this stuff and that’s good.
3. STRIKING MOVES
Well, we got all basic boxing strikes like jab, cross, hook and uppercut. Defensive maneuvers are really important like our covers, or checks for kicks, but my favorites are going to be working towards the body. I think that’s a move that works on anybody. I like takedowns and working on the ground. I think chokes are fantastic because it doesn’t matter how big their arms are, the carotid arteries are on the outside and are easy to apply. Somebody who is much smaller can defend themselves with a chokehold.
4. KNOCKING OUT THE COMPETITION
It’s intense, it’s really intense. You would think that you’re afraid when you compete with everyone else that’s around. But honestly as soon as the cage door shuts, there’s nobody else there, it’s just you and him, you don’t even realize that the ref ’s there. So the other thing is that you’d be surprised how more than anything, I mean you see people celebrate after when you see people cry after a loss but the first thing you experience is relief, either whether you won or lost, the first thing is like, ‘Whew, it’s over.’
5. WORTH THE FIGHT
All my best friends are involved in martial arts and have been forever and it’s something that’s hard. As a matter of fact, in MMA you can’t be good at one thing. You kind of have to try to be great at everything--which is hard, very hard, but you got to try. People who do things that are difficult are probably more well rounded. You know more about yourself for sure because you pushed yourself harder than a lot of people. It’s another difficult thing that you know you learn more about yourself when you’re put in situations that you necessarily don’t want to be in.
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SPORTS
IN FOCUS Featured: ZERO GRAVITY: A participant in the Trans Jam BMX contest executes a flip at the Athens Orthopedic Clinic Twilight Criterium on April 25 in Downtown Athens. “Twilight is one of the few events that happens Downtown and it’s hands down my favorite because it’s a sport that everyone can watch. My favorite part is seeing all my friends downtown outside of school and cheering on the bikers with all of my friends,” senior Tyler Sartain said. Photo by Julie Alpaugh
May 2015
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CARE ‘BOUTCHA!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPORTS
- MR. RAGSDALE Coming soon: