ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Volume 22_Issue2

School communities in the Athens area are grappling with the mental health effects of the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4. Volume 22 Issue 2 Nov./Dec. 2024 $8.00

School communities in the Athens area are grappling with the mental health effects of the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4.

BY WYATT MEYER

Cultural appropriation of Black hairstyles has a detrimental effect on women of color.

BY GILLIAN WILLIAMS

Communities in Schools focuses on preventing CCHS students from withdrawing from high school by connecting them to community resources and programs.

BY EMLYN MCKINNEY

Once-thriving businesses and neighborhoods in Athens have been abandoned because of urban blight, leaving a lasting impact on local communities.

As popularity and attendance at CCHS football games increase, CCHS administration and CCSD continue to adapt and evolve measures against possible violence.

BY JANIE RIPPS and LYDIA ROWELL

Illustration by Sylvia Robinson

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

BY MILES LAWRENCE, SYLVIA ROBINSON, and VIOLET CANTARELLA

Photo by Violet Cantarella

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

Cover illustration by Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya

Cover design by Wyatt Meyer

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

TWAITING ON THE WORLD TO CHANGE

Following the re-election of former United States President Donald Trump, Managing Editor Janie Ripps struggles to come to terms with the implications of the result.

BY JANE RIPPS

STEPPING TOWARDS SUCCESS

The League of Step gives children a way to connect with their history through dance.

BY VIOLET CANTARELLA

PHOTO GALLERY: WINTER SPORTS MEDIA DAY

The ODYSSEY Media Group hosted Winter Sports Media Day for varsity athletes on Nov. 3 in the Competition Gym.

BY MA’KIYAH THRASHER AND GRADY DUNSTON

IN THE MOMENT: Q&A WITH JONI TAYLOR

Joni Taylor, award-winning Texas A&M head girls basketball coach and former University of Georgia head girls basketball coach, talks about her career, coaching legacy and experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

BY JOVI GRANTHAM

ODYSSEY

he ODYSSEY is a student-produced news publication, published with the intent to inform, entertain and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community, as well as to educate student journalists.

Established in 2003, the ODYSSEY is published four times a year, and each issue is an open public forum for student expression under the guidance of a faculty adviser.

Student journalists are provided with opportunities to investigate, inform, interpret and to evaluate: all traditionally accepted functions of the press in America. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff.

The ODYSSEY staff is committed to reflect the mission statement set forth by Clarke Central High School. The goals of the staff are to provide fair, accurate news and commentaries, as well as to serve the interests of the school and Athens’ community.

Advertising must conform to the guidelines set forth for editorials. Publication of advertisements does not indicate an endorsement by CCHS or the ODYSSEY staff.

Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertising rates are available upon request from any ODYSSEY staff member.

The ODYSSEY is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Georgia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll Honor Society and Southern Interscholastic Press Association.

Corrections of errors and omissions will appear in the next issue.

Editor-in-Chief: Wyatt Meyer

Managing Editor: Janie Ripps

Senior Copy Editor: Miles Lawrence

Viewpoints Editor: Isabella Gresham

News Editor: Liza Larson

Variety Editor: Adah Hamman

Sports Editor: Cooper Jones

Beat Editor: Andreas Dillies

Business Manager: Merren Hines

Social Media Coordinator: Liya Taylor

Digital Editor: Lea D’Angelo

Diversity and Representation Editor: Peter Atchley

Staff Members: Violet Cantarella

Jesse Dantzler

Grady Dunston

Brandon Frazier

Jovi Grantham

Sam Harwell

Abigail Holloway

Cesia Martinez

Emlyn McKinney

- -

Mzee Pavlic

Marcus Quarles

Sylvia Robinson

Lydia Rowell

Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya

Iliana Tejada

Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

Gillian Williams

Adviser:

David A. Ragsdale, CJE

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

Clarke Central High School 350 S. Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia 30605

(706)-357-5200 EXT. 17370

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR >> VIEWPOINTS

THE WEIGHT OF THE SCALE

Our Sept./Oct. 2024 issue featured an in-depth story on what beauty standards look like for women at CCHS.

Corrections/Omissions Sept./Oct. 2024

Page 3, in the teaser for Nailed It, there should not be a period between “tech” and “and”

Page 4, the Diversity and Representation Editor, Peter Atchley, should be present in the masthead

Page 5, Finn Sleppy should be stated as a sophomore, not junior

Page 15, in The Weight of the Scale, the word “in” should be between “today” and “social”

Page 18, in On the Issues: Kamala Harris, under “Criminal Justice,” “Kamala” should be “Harris”

Page 20, in The Weight of the Scale, in the pull quote, there should be a quotation mark after “situations.”

Page 25, there should be a trend in the caption for the In Focus

Page 33, there should be a “at” instead of “from” in the caption for the In Focus, in the first sentence

Page 40, it should say “volunteering your time” instead of “volunteering time” in the fourth way to take care of mental health

TContact the ODYSSEY

BOILING POINT // Jane Ripps

I read the article by Jane Ripps on the recent presidential election. It was important to me to hear a young person’s perspective on the election especially since so many younger people supported Donald Trump. The parallels between 2016 and 2024 with race and misogyny in the United States were dead on. Ripps did an excellent job of conveying her fears (shared by so many) about the future of our country and those that stand to be affected.

Michael Bartlett, CCHS social studies department teacher

>> NEWS

LIGGIN’S LEADERSHIP // Liza Larson

his story is meaningful and resonates with females who struggle with accepting their body image. It also uses many different voices that capture views on beauty standards which represent the student body more. These hardhitting stories should be written about more in times where social media affects people drastically.

” ”

Isabel Blankenship, CCHS sophomore on “The Weight of the Scale” by Emlyn McKinney and Wyatt Meyer

Letters: Email 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. 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, email us at business@odysseynewsmagazine.net.

Online: Message us on Instagram at @odysseynewsmag or respond to a specific article on the ODYSSEY website by writing a comment at the bottom of the story.

I think this was a very good piece that was very well-written. It talks a little bit about Liggin’s struggles and how that has shaped him as a person who’s goal is to help those who are less fortunate. It shows how he has helped students throughout the school for years. It does a good job of painting him as the good person he is.

Henry Taylor, CCHS senior

>> VARIETY

NAILED IT // Cesia Martinez

I remember having a class with Chrysia Lane and although I didn’t know her very well, I always thought she was nice, and with stories like this one, it brings me joy to hear that she and her business are doing well! I liked some of the questions asked because I feel like it not only taught me more about the person she is, but also what her business and work ethic is like.

Ashley Gershon, CCHS junior

>> SPORTS

EQUAL, NOT EQUITABLE // Lea D’Angelo

The article not only sheds light on an issue on a global scale but within our school’s community as well. The idea that it still surrounds me and other students’ lives shows the responsibility that we each have as an individual contributor to the space our community fosters. No matter how many times equality is talked about in news articles or essays, it still disappointments me that such relentless efforts go to waste because our world today only reduces women to their gender. It truly comes down to that and the story expresses that beautifully and better than I could’ve put into words.

Daniela Funez, CCHS senior

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief Wyatt Meyer writes an open letter to President Joe Biden as he leaves office.

BY WYATT MEYER Editor-in-Chief

Dear President Biden,

As history looks back on your presidency, it will come to this conclusion: you were not a great president.

You stumbled and stuttered in press conferences, debates and speeches. You failed to either distance the nation from or resolve conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine. You did not convince the public that the Democratic party was fit to lead the country again.

For the past three years of your presidency, your approval rating was consistently lower than almost every other American president in the past 80 years.

But, regardless of the marks against you (and there were many), you were a good man.

gun crimes.

Finally, you made one of the most selfless decisions of any president in the last century. As the American public showed you they thought you were too old, too slow, too ineffective – in essence, not fit to lead the country for four more years – you decided to step aside. Your choice allowed Vice President Kamala Harris, in whom the country had more confidence, to take the reins of the Democratic party in the 2024 election.

Even in defeat, you showed the country time and time again that you cared. Does that count for everything? Absolutely not. But does it count for something? At the very least, it should.

Officials at every level of government ought to take notes – not on your policies, programs, or your plans, but on your unwavering service to this country.

Your belief in equality of opportunity made an imprint on this country. In 2021, you rescinded a ban on transgender servicemen and women in the U.S. Armed Forces, and then signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act, ensuring the legality of same-sex and interracial marriages throughout the nation.

Your administration focused on the issues most important to the nation. Amid rising suicides nationwide – 49,000 in 2022; one every 11 minutes –you established the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to help reduce minors’ access to firearms nationwide. Additionally, your administration devoted more than $350 million for community violence intervention to reduce

But does it count for something? At

very

it

As the nation looks toward a hazy next four years, citizens of this country need one thing: unity. You exemplified that ideal.

Throughout your time in the Oval Office, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, nationwide protest movements and increasing global tensions, you were a voice of strength and togetherness. You cared more for the country than for yourself, and that will always be your greatest legacy.

No matter what happens in the next four years under President-elect Donald Trumpt, officials at every level of government ought to take notes – not on your policies, programs, or your plans, but on your unwavering service to this country.

In that way, if in no other, you were one of the greatest presidents in American history.

Sincerely, Wyatt

Right: SOFT SERVE-ICE: United States President Joe Biden gives an ice cream cone to a girl with the American public in the background. President Biden was not the country’s greatest president, but his redeeming quality was his devotion to his country. “Does that count for everything? Absolutely not.

the

least,

should,” Editor-in-Chief Wyatt Meyer wrote. Illustration by Sylvia Robinson

BOILING POINT

The Second Amendment isn’t the enemy, but incorrect interpretation of it that avoids proper

gun regulation is.

BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

Huddled in a corner, putting a quill to paper.

The year is 1789 and James Madison, a Founding Father of the United States and soon-to-be fourth President, is drafting a document with the goal to unite the newly-formed nation under a single set of laws. Little does Madison know, this document will go on to shape years of unrest between political parties already divided.

This document is the Bill of Rights.

Adopted into the United States Constitution on Dec. 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights contains the first 10 amendments to the document. Each amendment offers a goal to protect individual liberties through establishing the freedom of speech, religion, assembly and due process of law.

The Second Amendment, most commonly known as the right to bear arms, is among the 10. It is also the deadliest.

According to an article published by the Washington Post in 2016, the typical Revolutionary-era musket most popular when the Bill of Rights was drafted was capable of shooting three bullets per minute with a velocity of 1,000 feet per second and an accuracy range of 50 meters.

Over 230 years later, a modern semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle can shoot 45 bullets per minute with a velocity of 3,260 feet per second and an accuracy range of 550 meters. The gun has been used in military combat, including the Vietnam War, Iraq and Afghanistan.

It has also been used in classroom.

Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012), Parkland High School (2018), Robb Elementary School (2022), Apalachee High School (2024). The list goes on. Despite the rifles’ deadliness, the Second Amendment has long been used as an excuse to fight against the regulation of them. According to the Washington Post, 20 million AR-15s were in circulation in the U.S. as of 2023.

Regardless of this, in December 2023, Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would ban semi-automatic rifles from being sold, manufactured or possessed. This bill would have also enforced background checks on citizens looking to purchase a gun.

The Second Amendment should not be used as an excuse to ignore reform when there is a clear and dire need for change.

Following the shooting at Apalachee on Sept. 4, Georgia’s Congressional District Representative Mike Collins even claimed, “The problem is not the gun.” Instead, he pushed a mental health advocacy agenda that, though important in reaction, ultimately puts a band-aid on a bullet wound.

As Madison scribbled these rights down, could he have fathomed a world where 45 people could be killed in a minute, let alone at a school?

Times have changed and circumstances have evolved. The Second Amendment should not be used as an excuse to ignore reform when there is a clear and dire need for change.

“Opinion polls always seem to suggest, ‘Are you for or against the Second Amendment?’ But that is completely missing the point,” Dr. Alexa Bankert, University of Georgia Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science, said. “Most Americans support the Second Amendment, Democrats and Republicans. But the question is, ‘What are some permissible and lawful means for the government to regulate access to those guns?’”

Purchasing a gun in the U.S., let alone a military-grade rifle, should be far from simple. Instead, there should be nation-wide policies enforced, beginning with background checks and permits.

As the nation continues to forge the way into what many politicians promise will be a “progressive” new frontier, lawmakers and citizens need to face reality, instead of clinging to the past. A law drafted over 230 years ago should not define, or end, the lives of innocent citizens and students ignored by their representatives.

So, while “The right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed,” that right needs to be adapted. The year isn’t 1791 anymore, and James Madison is gone.

His quill has long since dried up.

Above: FAR FROM THE SAME: A typical Revolutionary-style rifle is compared to a modern semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle. Although an AR-15 is considerably more dangerous than the 18th century musket, the modern gun continues to be protected under the Second Amendment in the same manner as its precursor. “A law drafted over 230 years ago should not define, or end, the lives of innocent citizens and students ignored by their representatives,” Managing

Editor Jane Ripps wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

FRESH

VOICE SASHA BARKAN

Journalism I student Sasha Barkan reflects on how climbing has affected her self-esteem.

Idistinctly remember the first time I climbed. I was six or seven, attending my friend’s birthday party at Active Climbing. After we ran around the room screaming and playing extremely competitive games of hide and seek, handfuls of harnesses were drawn from the closet. We lined up in rows behind the wall, eagerly waiting for the chance to make it to the top. I didn’t know what to expect. I feared, maybe, that the rope would snap or that I would find myself stuck.

Finally, my turn came. As I climbed higher and higher, I overwhelmingly felt a sense of joy and calm wash over me. However, I also felt many other emotions: control, empowerment and self-confidence. I thought about that experience for weeks afterward, and when I found out that there was a youth climbing team, I ecstatically joined immediately.

Now, I’ve spent nearly half of my life in the climbing gym. However, this by no means indicates that my self-confidence has never wavered. As I grew older, I became more familiar with the image of a typical “athlete” and increasingly insecure about if I fit in with that stereotype.

Fortunately, in the past couple of years, I have spent a considerable amount of time asking myself why I climb. Through this process, I forced myself to remember the reason I started climbing – it made me feel happy to be challenged and secure in who I was.

I realized that I was climbing for no one other than myself, and to me, being an athlete is much more than looking a certain way or being able to do a certain amount of push-ups.

Truly, there is no one definition.

Rather, the word “athlete” has a fluid definition, varying from person to person. Personally, being an athlete means finding joy in challenging yourself and finding pride and confidence in getting stronger.

Question of the month

What was your initial reaction to the Apalachee High School shooting?

“I was scared for my friends that go there. My friend MJ got interviewed (on national news), so I’m glad that he’s safe.”

SAMARIYAH PATMAN, CCHS freshman

“It was kind of like shock. I never thought something like this would happen to a school that I’ve been to.”

ALEX SUGGS, CCHS sophomore

"At first, I didn’t really mind it because I didn’t know it was that close, but then when I realized that it was right down (the road), like 20 miles away, it was scary.”

RODRICUS FLEMING, CCHS junior

“After hearing more and more details off of news and off of peers, it was like, ‘D***, that really happened, and it’s like 30 minutes away from us.’”

JOSIAH MICKLE, CCHS senior

“Disbelief, horror, intense sadness, shock, fear, anxiety all of everything, all in one, but mostly intense sadness because I do know several teachers in that area.”

DR. EUNICE KANG, CCHS fine arts department co-chair

Above: BELONGING: Journalism I student Sasha Barkan stares up at a rock climbing wall. As Barkan grew as a climber, she struggled to conform to the stereotypical mold of the athlete. “I realized that I was climbing for no one other than myself, and to me, being an athlete is much more than looking a certain way or being able to do a certain amount of push-ups,” Barkan wrote. Illustration by Sylvia Robinson

THUMBS

The ODYSSEY staff’s opinions on this month’s issues.

RESTORATIVE RESOLUTIONS

Restorative justice as a behavioral resolution method opens the door for open communication, growth and change.

COMMUNITY IS COOL

The Communities in Schools organization supports students by providing necessary resources, incentivizing attendance and working to improve overall well-being.

BEHIND THE COUNTER

Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez got to see how the sausages – and all the other dishes –were made when she spent a day working at Cali N Tito’s.

CAMPBELL CAME HOME

Science department teacher Sophia Campbell does more than teach; she relates to and influences her students.

ADDRESSING APPROPRIATION

The cultural appropriation of Black hairstyles can be detrimental when the history and importance behind these styles are unknown.

THAT’S MENTAL

The CCSD and CCHS administrations have provided students with ample mental health resources. The scope of the problem means students need more.

MUST-NOT-SEE TV

The quality of the media produced on popular streaming services has diminished, shortening attention spans and producing unworthy TV.

SECURING SPORTS

With many attendees at CCHS football games, more measures must be taken to improve student awareness of safety and security during sporting events.

SAM HARWELL THE ALPHA INVASION

Viewpoints Staffer Sam Harwell believes brainrot slang has destroyed the brains of Generation Alpha.

Skibidi. Rizz. Sigma. What do these words mean? What does it mean to be from Ohio or to mew? Who knows?

No one – except Generation Alpha.

Generation Alpha, or Gen Alpha for short, encompasses kids born between 2010-2024. That means this year, they will be fully cemented into the global population, which is bad news for the rest of us.

“What’s wrong with Gen Alpha?” I hear you ask. The answer, loyal reader, is practically everything.

The issues start with their vocabulary. While a few of their chosen words come from some sort of reputable origin, such as “rizz” coming from “charisma” and “sigma” coming from the Greek alphabet, some words, like skibidi, make no sense.

“It can’t be that bad,” I hear you say. “That’s just teenagers being weird.” But it’s not just teenagers, loyal readers.

I’ve seen it firsthand – children as young as 3 years old sit in front of their iPads, hunched over like a vulture looking at fresh roadkill. Their gross, sticky hands leave cloudy fingerprints on the screen as they endlessly scroll through YouTube Shorts.

They start this “iPad metamorphosis” at a young age, frying their brains with YouTube channels such as ‘Skibidi Toilet’ and ‘Cocomelon’ before they can even form a proper sentence.

Then, once they develop the ability to speak, their words are from a completely different language than English. Sigma, rizz and skibidi. Grimace Shake, Looksmaxxing and TikTok Rizz Parties. When does it end?

We are facing complete destruction at the small, grubby hands of Gen Alpha. Their words are like a verbal infection, taking full control of their host and rotting a hole into their brains.

Worse, the disease appears to be contagious – Gen Z has already started to fall victim to the brainrot. It’s nearly impossible to walk through the halls of Clarke Central High School without hearing the cursed language.

To all those who are in contact with the brainrot, please be safe out there. Don’t fall victim to this digital plague.

Featured: ENGULFED IN IPADS: A Generation Alpha child is hypnotized by his iPad screen. Recently, Gen Alpha slang has rotted kids’ brains and transformed their speech beyond recognition. “These little children sit in front of their iPads, hunched over like a vulture looking at fresh roadkill,” Viewpoints Staffer Sam Harwell wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

ISA’S IDEALS

Restorative justice is an underutilized measure of reform for students.

BY ISABELLA GRESHAM Viewpoints Editor

Thirteen fights occurred at Clarke Central High School in August, the most in one month since August 2021, according to the Clarke County School District Behavior and Attendance Analysis Dashboard.

According to the dashboard, the most common consequences for students include In-SchoolSuspension (ISS) or Out-of-School-Suspension (OSS) – not restorative justice.

Even before reactive measures like suspension, restorative justice, an approach to discipline that through inclusive processes bring together students and educators, should be the first action step taken.

Restorative justice was introduced to CCHS in the 2019-20 school year as a method of behavior resolution. It provides a way to get to the root cause an issue between two more people through restorative talks and circles.

A 2015 study conducted by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention George Mason University that after a year, just participants in a Restorative program committed 32.1% of participants

Multi-Classroom Leader Lawanna Knight, who is a part of the Restorative Cultural Leadership Team, said. “If some teachers would take time to learn about (restorative justice) and how it's used everywhere, it would be beneficial for everyone, not just here, but in life.”

In an effort to encourage leadership and problem-solving skills among students, a peer leadership elective, Peer Leadership I, was brought to CCHS during the 2022-23 school year. The class taught students how to mediate restorative justice circles. However, at the end of the 2023-24 school year, the class was cut.

Restorative justice in both schools and the juvenile justice program has served as a powerful way to avoid recidivism, or the relapse into criminal behavior, as defined by the National Institute of Justice.

However, completing restorative justice chats and circles becomes increasingly difficult at CCHS. During the 2023-24 school year, the CCHS restorative coordinator position was left unfilled, limiting capabilities to utilize the positive benefits of restorative justice.

“We give (our planning periods) up, and we're running around, doing all this other stuff because we lost our full-time (restorative coordinator),” CCHS

Restorative justice must be utilized by students and faculty at CCHS as much as possible. Locating the cause of an issue can decrease the number of in-school and arguments.

(restorative justice because I had a with this girl (in) grade, and this I got a chance resolve that problem because we ended up having a (restorative) circle,” CCHS junior Iayah Edwards, who was in the peer leadership class, said. got to get the stuff was said through other people out of way and get to the of the problem.”

Restorative justice needs to be a greater of behavioral resolution at CCHS after fights, but proactively, like during Advisement, circles as a way to build

With limited resources available to effectively apply restorative justice at CCHS, everyone in the building must take it seriously. It can become an effective way to solve issues maturely, yet is not treated as such. The restorative justice coordinator position, as well as restorative justice funding, must be brought back to CCHS.

Restorative justice enacts change within students. It grants them open communication, a way to express their feelings and room for growth. By regularly participating in restorative justice circles within classes, the number of behavioral incidents can be reduced. O

Above: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE:An illustration pictures students participating in a restorative justice circle. Restorative justice, a method of behavioral resolution focusing on proactive discussions between students and teachers, was brought to Clarke Central High School in the 2019-20 school year and has proved to be beneficial.“Restorative justice must be utilized by students and faculty at CCHS as much as possible.Locating the cause of an issue can decrease the number of in-school and out-of-school fights and arguments,”Viewpoints Editor Isabella Gresham wrote.Illustration by Sam Harwell

HISTORY IN HAIR

Cultural appropriation of Black hairstyles has a detrimental effect on women of color.

BY GILLIAN WILLIAMS Viewpoints Staffer

From knotless braids to afros and dreadlocks, various well-known Black hairstyles today have been worn since 2050 B.C., evolving throughout centuries.

According to the History Channel, many iconic hairstyles – like bantu knots and cornrows –can be traced back to Ancient Egypt through hieroglyphics, drawings and engravings.

At the turn of the 18th century, cornrows were worn during slavery to embrace ancestral roots and sometimes as a way to show routes on the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves escape the South.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Black Power Movement embraced Black people’s natural hair. The Civil Rights Movement, which sparked the Black is Beautiful movement, helped Black women embrace their natural hair and encouraged freedom of expression.

is not Black or African American, has repeatedly appropriated Black hair. In 2018, she was seen in cornrows, accrediting them after white actress Bo Derek. In a similar instance, Kardashian-West was wearing Fulani braids, a style of cornrows from West Africa known for their length and unique patterns, at the MTV Movie and TV awards in March 2020.

People who wear Black hair must educate themselves on the history and importance behind the hairstyles. Kardashian-West took a complicated symbol – one with roots in the Middle Passage and trans-Atlantic slave trade – and pared it down into a simple style.

For the people who understand the full meaning of Black hair, the effect of cultural appropriation can be devastating.

According to a study performed by the Arizona State University Department of Psychology, being shamed, mocked, and feelings of hatred towards natural hair starts as early as preschool in Black female students.

The line between appreciating and appropriating is paper thin, but the difference is important.

In modern times, Black hair has been styled in various ways that still connect to its rich history but continues to change as time progresses.

However, recently, a different group wearing Black hairstyles has emerged – a group concerned with highlights rather than history, style rather than significance. This new group is culturally appropriating Black hair.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, cultural appropriation is “The act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture.”

People who don’t understand, don’t appreciate, don’t embody the intertwined history and meaning of Black hair shouldn’t wear it. When they do, it reduces the value to nothing more than the locks themselves.

For example, media personality and socialite Kim Kardashian-West, who

Clarke Central High School senior Lyracle Long, who is Black and wears Black hairstyles like knotless box braids and Afro puffs, believes there is nothing wrong with others wearing Black hair – as long as they educate themselves.

“(Others) want to try (Black hair) too, even though their hair is straighter than ours, so they’re not going to get the exact same look as ours,” Long said. “I feel like (understanding that is) important because they want to learn. They want to learn more about us, and that’s totally fine, but they’re not going to get everything that they want.”

The line between appreciating and appropriating is paper thin, but the difference is important.

When walking that line, people need to make sure they understand the history and culture behind the hair. Otherwise, they’re cutting into a history that runs deeper than simply hair.

than significance.This new group is culturally appropriating Black hair,”Viewpoints

Above: PICK AND CHOOSE:A white woman admires a Black woman’s hair.Whether it is intentional or not, popular and protective Black hairstyles are often appropriated and used for style instead of being properly acknowledged.“Recently,a different group wearing Black hair has emerged – a group concerned with highlights rather than history,style rather

staffer Gillian Williams wrote. Illustration by Sylvia Robinson

OUR TAKE

Even at a school like CCHS, where mental health is taken seriously, there are opportunities for greater student support

Aknock sounds at Clarke Central High School Mental Health Counselor Dr. Meg Huntington’s door.

Huntington is in the midst of handling an unexpected mental health emergency with a student, but she steps out of the room to address the source of the noise. It’s a student, one who has taken the time to schedule an appointment with Huntington, one who needs to speak about an issue in their life.

With a pained expression, Huntington sends the second student back to class.

With only two mental health counselors in a school of more than 1800 students, this scenario isn’t a hypothetical – in the first two months of the 202425 school year, it’s happened to Huntington multiple times.

“(I am) having to triage with who gets the attention, who needs it most,” Huntington said.

Despite the addition of Huntington, a newly-arrived counselor at the start of the 202425 school year, CCHS still lacks the in-house mental health services students need.

However, through the lens of mental health, this ratio is misleading. Only two of those seven counselors – Huntington and Anna Moses – work as mental health counselors. The rest, known as “alpha” counselors, primarily work on advising students academically and preparing them for life after graduation.

Last year, CCHS only had one mental health counselor to meet the mental health needs of all 1800+ students – a clear problem. This year, Huntington and Moses are responsible for serving the needs of 850 students each – better, but still an overwhelming amount to handle.

In the midst of a turbulent time for students’ mental health nationwide, students need more support.

In the midst of a turbulent time for students’ mental health nationwide, students need more support.

According to the American School Counselor Association, an organization dedicated to supporting counselors nationwide, a 1:250 student-to-counselor ratio is recommended to best meet students’ needs.

On the surface, CCHS appears to be fairly close to that optimal ratio.

The CCHS staff directory lists seven counselors currently serving at CCHS, not counting the college adviser and graduation coach. According to data from the Clarke County School District School Enrollment Dashboard, there are currently 1883 students enrolled. In tandem, those two numbers result in a nearly ideal 1:269 ratio.

At CCHS, one mental health counselor is funded by the CCSD Board of Education, but all other counselors – including the other mental health counselor – are funded based on the school’s Full Time Equivalent counts. Increasing the number of in-school counselors, whether through increased BOE funding or a broader change in the statewide funding formula for counselors, would be a positive step to providing that support.

“I think there is always room for improvement to strategically use some of the supports. That can include clinical social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, so different people that are in that support area,” CCSD BOE member Lakeisha Gantt, a professional psychologist, said. “Do I think we have enough? No. Do I think we’re doing a good job? Yes.”

No student should ever be turned away from the conversation they need without an alternative option – CCHS students need more mental health resources, lest the chronic mental health issue in America’s schools be further perpetuated in red and gold.

Left: OVERRUN: Mental health counselors are depicted struggling to support an onslaught of students. Though CCHS has offered more mental health support than many high schools in the Athens area, the scope of many students’ mental health struggles means more work needs to be done. “No student should ever be turned away from the conversation they need without an alternative option – CCHS students need more mental health resources.”

Illustration by Sylvia Robinson

All About the iliad

After Apalachee

Aloud thud sounds at Apalachee High School sophomore Traveler Whaley’s front door.

He looks up from his seat on his couch. Nobody is home – neither his dad, a police officer in Atlanta, nor his mom, a teacher at Barrow County’s Haymon-Morris Middle School, are expected back for hours. Nervously, Whaley twists the lock, turns the doorknob and opens the door.

A hazy figure stands in the doorway. In his hand, he grips a steel-gray gun.

With a start, Whaley wakes up.

English department co-chair Meghan McNeeley’s mind lurches back in time, racing past the 30 students in her freshman literature class to her formative years.

She remembers being introduced to gun violence while she was in college when stray bullets struck her dad’s house.

She remembers when three teenage boys shot 13 bullets into her mother’s house – one inches from her mother’s head – in 2001, her first year teaching.

She remembers chasing down the intruder who walked into the Clarke Middle School girls bathroom with a knife and duct tape in 2007.

Angrily, McNeeley returns to the present.

Dr. Javier Soler plays an audio recording for his second-period Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture class on Oct. 3. The author Isabel Allende is discussing her novel “La casa de los espíritus” (The House of Spirits), when she is cut off by the disembodied voice from the ceiling.

“Ensure all students are in a classroom and lock the doors. Normal classroom activities may still proceed.”

Without looking up from her laptop screen, a girl toward the back of the classroom asks, “If there’s a shooting, can we run?”

Nobody laughs.

This is life, post-Apalachee.

Featured: LOOKING INTO THE PAST:

Apalachee High School sophomore Traveler

Whaley stands in front of a memorial for the victims of the Apalachee school shooting.

shooting

STORY AND LAYOUT

BY WYATT MEYER Editor-in-Chief

Twenty-five miles away from Clarke Central High School, at 10:20 a.m. on Sept. 4, a student, armed with an AR-15 style rifle, opened fire at Apalachee High School.

In doing so, the shooter forever impacted the mental health of a generation of students.

The shooting began in a hallway called J Hall. The alleged shooter, Apalachee freshman Colt Gray, fired his first shots at the far end of J Hall, right outside Whaley’s classroom.

“They say it stopped in like 20 seconds, but I don’t know. Just in the moment, it felt like 20 minutes.”

-- Traveler Whaley, Apalachee High School sophomore

“We heard the first shots and got in the corner, and then we just sat being quiet and fearful for a little bit,” Whaley said. “They say it stopped in like 20 seconds, but I don’t know. Just in the moment, it felt like 20 minutes.”

After the shooter surrendered to School Resource Officers, students and staff were evacuated to the Apalachee football field until parents were able to pick them up. On the way to the field, Whaley remembers he and his classmates walked through the fallout of the shooting – red-stained floors, injured students, and a fine white powder coating it all.

“Everyone thought that it was gunpowder, but it turns out that from the caliber of the bullet that he was shooting, it knocked dust off the ceiling and it fell over the floor,” Whaley said. “It looked like there was flour just spread out.”

News broke while CCHS students and teachers were in Advisement, with more details emerging throughout the day.

“I was in biology class, and (my classmates are) like, ‘Y’all, there was a shooting at Apalachee.’ I was like, ‘What? That doesn’t sound real,’” CCHS senior Carla Tipiani-Tumen said. “I was kind of confused at the moment, and then when I kept reading more news about it, it got me really worried to even go back to school the next day.”

The full impact of the shooting came into focus in

the following days. Four people – freshmen Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn; teachers Ricky Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie – were killed, while nine others were injured.

The school shooting became Georgia’s deadliest on record, according to the National Gun Violence Archive.

“When I first heard the news, I was numb, but then the numbness turned into frustration,” CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff said. “I feel like we revisit these tragedies every so often and we have adults or leaders in this country who play on the four (people) who lost their lives.”

In the aftermath, vigils were held for the deceased students and teachers. Barrow County schools shut down for the rest of the week – Apalachee would remain closed for another two weeks. When students did return to school, a wall was erected across the front of J-Hall, as if the hallway had never existed.

Simultaneously, though, a subtler change has come to the fore in the weeks following the shooting: the mental health of school communities.

“The whole time, my head is just thinking about the people that lost their lives, the families that will no longer see them again.”

-- Shamir Stokes, Apalachee High School senior

“The mental health issues, in my opinion, have risen, or they have come to the surface since Apalachee. Maybe they were always there, but since then, I think they’re at the surface,” CCHS Associate Principal of Operations Tamika Henson said.

Henson’s sentiment – echoed by lawmakers from Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia to Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio – has held true for students like Apalachee senior Shamir Stokes.

“I replayed the whole incident a lot, and the whole time my head is just thinking about the people that lost their lives, the families that will no longer see them again,” Stokes said. “(I’m) thinking about all of that, and just thinking that this could have been me.”

Caron Hope, Barrow County’s Project AWARE Program Manager, has observed a similar story.

Project AWARE, grant-funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency to foster sustainable mental health services in Georgia, provides mental health resources and support to counties that apply. At Apalachee, where there are no mental health counselors specifically employed, Project AWARE is the main line of defense for students’ mental health.

On the Thursday and Friday after the shooting, volunteer counselors and therapists from the

focused on students’ fight-or-flight response.

“A lot of times it’s just listening,” Hope said. “If it’s anxiety-related, (we have been) offering suggestions for (what to do) if you start feeling this way, just trying to be as solution-focused as we can while absolutely still wanting to listen.”

When Apalachee re-opened on Sept. 24, counseling services shifted location again. Counselors set up in the school media center, with teachers given the directive

“The noises are overwhelming, whether it’s a door slam or keys jingling. Something happens that (students’) senses pick up that reminds them of that day.”

surrounding schools held crisis counseling for affected families at the BCSS Board Office. In the subsequent two weeks when Apalachee remained closed, mental health services shifted to the Winder Public Library, where volunteers from around the state continued to provide counseling alongside Hope and other Project AWARE personnel.

According to Hope, who coordinated the counseling efforts, the conversations in the immediate aftermath

-- Caron Hope, Barrow County Project AWARE Program Manager

to allow any student seeking a conversation to go to the media center. Hope says students re-entering the school environment experienced a new set of triggers.

“The students who are seeking support in the media center will say that the noises are overwhelming, whether it’s a door slam or keys jingling. Something happens that their senses pick up that reminds them of that day, September 4,” Hope said. “Their body kind of goes into fight-or-flight mode, like it did that day. Their

Above: COMRADES IN ARMS: Seniors on the Apalachee High School varsity football team link arms prior to the team’s game against Clarke Central High School in Billy Henderson Stadium on Sept. 28. The game was Apalachee’s first since defensive coordinator Ricky Aspinwall was killed in the school shooting on Sept. 4. “Everything now is for Coach Aspinwall and the other victims. That’s how we want to honor them: by getting out on the field and playing football,” Apalachee head varsity football coach Mike Hancock said. Photo by Wyatt Meyer

nervous system just can’t cope with it.”

The effects have permeated beyond Barrow County.

CCHS senior Naani Simmons was a former Apalachee student until she transferred to CCHS at the start of the 2024-25 school year. When she heard the news, which impacted some of her closest friends, she says her body shut down.

“I kept thinking about the shooting and it was very heard for me to sleep. I couldn’t sleep without shaking,” Simmons said. “I would try to eat, but it felt like I had to throw up every time I ate.”

CCHS Mental Health Counselor Dr. Meg Huntington says many CCHS students and staff have reacted similarly, if not identically, to Simmons. In the first month after the shooting, roughly 20 students and teachers spoke to Huntington about the encounter.

In Huntington’s 20 years as a counselor, it’s the most people she’s ever seen related to a single event.

“(The shooting has) had a huge ripple effect. It’s never (been) this close, not down the road from where I worked,” Huntington said. “(The fears) are connected. They’re in our community.”

“The kids that come to me don’t feel safe.”

-- Dr. Meg Huntington, CCHS Mental Health Counselor

Similar to Apalachee, the students came in waves. First came students with direct connections to Apalachee: those who transferred from Apalachee or who had friends and family at the school spoke about their worry for loved ones.

Next were the students for whom the violence uncovered trauma from their personal lives – multiple students who had experienced gun violence were triggered by the incident.

The last wave – the one still ongoing – is the students and teachers concerned for their future: those wondering what to do in an active shooter situation, those triggered by lockdown drills, even those accused of looking like school shooters themselves.

“(One student) kept thinking, ‘What if it’s not (a drill)? What if they’re just telling us it’s a drill, but actually there’s a shooter?’” Huntington said. “The kids that come to me don’t feel safe.”

Outside of the CCHS Counseling Suite, teachers like McNeeley are fighting the broader effects of the trauma in their classrooms. The day following the shooting, a brother and sister came into McNeeley’s class with “something flat in their faces.”

“(The brother) had two panic attacks just from the idea of coming to school,” McNeeley said. “I gave the little brother a hug, and he just squeezed. He didn’t let go. When I let go, he just squeezed.”

CCHS Multi-Classroom Leader Lawanna Knight primarily works with ninth grade students. Among those students, she’s seen a variety of reactions.

Above: WATCHING ON: Attendees at the varsity football game between Apalachee High School and Clarke Central High School in Billy Henderson Stadium on Sept. 28 react to emotional moments throughout the game. The Wildcats’ 48-21 loss to the Gladiators was overshadowed by the return to normalcy for Apalachee student-athletes. “I think (the game) is a good way to step back into things and get to the norm for our school. Everybody (can) come back together and feel at home again,” Apalachee High School cheerleader Danaysha Butler said. Photos by Wyatt Meyer

“(Some kids) use laughter and just kind of push it aside. It was like, ‘Oh, it’s just another school shooting.’ I think trauma has become just so normalized that some students can’t even deal with it.” Knight said. “I kind of mourn a loss of innocence. You can’t even navigate through high school without experiencing (a mass shooting).”

According to Massachusetts’ Salem State University Assistant Professor Christopher Collins, a licensed

Collins has intimate experience with the impacts of gun violence. At 19, his father died by firearm-related suicide, and later, while he was pursuing his Ph.D at Florida State University, a fellow FSU student and nursing faculty member were killed in a shooting at a yoga studio miles from his house.

Those experiences were the exigence for Collins’s research into the intersection between gun violence and mental health – a relatively young field of science that has struggled to make tangible impacts on the numbers of mass shootings today.

“When every other mass shooting has a different root cause or series of different root causes, it makes it very hard to put protections in place to prevent them from happening.”

-- Christopher Collins, Salem State University Assistant Professor

clinician who researches firearm violence prevention, responses such as those seen in the Barrow and AthensClarke County communities are typical.

“It’s very easy for us to see ourselves in other people, especially when it comes to a crisis,” Collins said. “If I’m living a couple of miles or a couple of counties over from people who I know, who we play in team sports, who I’m friends with, who have been victimized, of course I’m going to see myself in that population of people.”

“Part of the reason that this discussion continues to be unresolved is that there isn’t one root cause – there’s a nexus of factors that come into play,” Collins said. “We’re, frankly, just so bad at predicting this type of behavior because it’s logistically rare, there’s not enough data. When every other mass shooting has a different root cause or series of different root causes, it makes it very hard to put protections in place to prevent them from happening.”

According to Collins, any improvement in mental health outcomes for young people begins with strong mental health infrastructure.

Yet, community mental health isn’t a high-paying job – insurance company CM&F Group reports that most U.S. mental health professionals make between $40,000

Above: WIDE-EYED: Apalachee High School sophomore Traveler Whaley (left) and Clarke Central High School English department co-chair Meghan McNeeley (right) pose for portraits. Photos by Wyatt Meyer

and $50,000 yearly. According to the Fiscal Year 2025 CCSD Certified Teacher Salary Schedule, entry-level counselors in the CCSD receive just more than that amount at $56,000.

Despite the meager pay, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that mental health-related occupations are growing by 12%, making them one of the fastest growing jobs in the country.

“We need more people who are passionate about doing that work, people growing up and saying, ‘Oh, I want to do this work right,’” Collins said. “(We need) younger people continuing to be loud voices and saying, ‘We have an unmet need that mental health providers have to help to fill.’ That’s really the only way of moving the needle.”

speaking, there’s not been that specific type of response,” Barbazon said.

Compared to surrounding counties, the CCSD offers extensive mental health resources. In addition to two Mental Wellness Specialists, the CCSD employs 12 social workers, whereas the similarly-sized BCSS has six social workers stated as employed on its website.

Nearby Oconee County School District, which boasts a #1 rating in Georgia from popular school ranking

“(We need younger people) saying, ‘We have an unmet need that mental health providers have to help to fill.’ That’s really the only way of moving the needle.”

In the CCSD, discussions regarding the fallout of the Apalachee shooting have concentrated on school safety, with Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Garrick Askew presenting a safety update at the Sept. 12 Board of Education meeting.

However, on the mental health front, Executive Director of Student and Family Support Tessa Barbazon says most of the support has been concentrated at the school level.

“We haven’t really had any district-driven, concentrated initiatives or efforts around, ‘Hey, we want everyone to do A, B, C and D. Transparently

-- Christopher collins, Salem State University Assistant Professor

site Niche.com, employs even fewer – only two social workers are listed on its website.

At the school level, after consultation with the CCSD BOE, CCSD middle and high schools have dedicated mental health counselors employed to support students. However, BOE member Dr. Lakeisha Gantt, a professional psychologist, personally believes that state and BOE resources ought to be more devoted to mental health.

Above: THE FRONT LINES: Clarke Central High School Multi-Classroom Leader Lawanna Knight (left) and CCHS senior Naani Simmons pose for portraits. Photos by Wyatt Meyer

“Our local delegates have to be open to exploring resources for children,” Gantt said. “It’s one thing to protect – that’s important – but it’s another thing to help children thrive and to build their confidence and wellness.”

On a school level, Knight believes there are small areas of improvement in CCHS’ mental health infrastructure, particularly regarding trauma-informed training courses for teachers. These courses, which some CCHS teachers have taken, focus on strategies teachers can use to support students in the classroom.

“We can only filter a certain amount of kids to counseling, to mental health, even to a social worker,” Knight said. “It would be great if teachers had a tool box of some trauma-informed strategies that they could use to assist kids, at least get them to the right place.”

“That’s the part that I struggle with: that no matter what we do, we can’t be prepared.”

shooting occurred, the district’s mental health response has helped students.

“(The district is doing) all kinds of things for the students, not that it’s going to make it better, but just to let them know, ‘Hey, we know that this traumatic event happened in your life, and it’s something that will be with you the rest of your life, but we want you to know we’re here,’” Florey said.

As a member of the CCHS school community, McNeeley is compartmentalizing. After experiencing mood swings throughout September, she took two days off of school at the end of the month – her first “true” mental health days off in almost 25 years of teaching.

She says the time allowed her to turn the corner, but coming back to school, she still doesn’t have answers for how to approach mental health.

“I think about the safety of the students primarily, and that hasn’t ever changed. I know what I’m supposed to do, but it sounds like the teachers (at Apalachee) did what they were supposed to do, and that’s the part that I struggle with: that no matter what we do, we can’t be prepared,” McNeeley said.

As Knight looks toward next semester and years beyond, she hopes students confront the struggles they face. To her, society has made recent progress in destigmatizing mental health.

English department co-chair

-- Meghan Mcneeley, CCHS

Barbazon says CCSD schools are unlikely to offer long-term clinical support. Instead, her goal is to have schools provide some structured, short-term clinical support as a bridge to more sustainable care from outside the district.

“There will always be aspects of higher-level mental health care needs and long-term needs that have to get addressed in a more clinical setting,” Barbazon said. “There’s just a lot of complex layers, because again, mental health is health. You have to (deal with) that in the same way you would with any other medical care service.”

The centralized Project AWARE system in Barrow County is fundamentally different to the school-based one in the CCSD, but the same challenges remain. Hope oversees mental health services for the BCSS, with a mental health clinician assigned to the Apalachee and Winder-Barrow High School clusters. According to Hope, prior to the shooting, school counselors would handle some student support work on-site but rely on Project AWARE for higher-level care outside of the traditional school setting.

“The system is overwhelmed right now and it’s taxed right now, but it’s there,” Hope said. “Could it be better? Have we learned a lot from this incident about mental health going forward? Sure. We’ll make some adjustments and changes around that. But, we were, and are, fortunate that we had a lot of resources and systems in place already.”

For Marcey Florey, the parent of an Apalachee sophomore who was a classroom away from where the

“It’s so weird to me because we can break a bone and get healed...but when something’s broken in your heart, something’s broken in your mind, it’s not okay to talk about.”

-- Lawanna Knight, CCHS Multi-Classroom Leader

But equally, she believes there’s a long way to go.

“It’s so weird to me, because we can break a bone and we get healed, we go to (physical therapy) for months and months, but when something’s broken in your heart, something’s broken in your head, it’s not okay to talk about,” Knight said.

Tipiani-Tumen didn’t foresee such a tragic event happening in her community, but her sense of safety was one of the reasons she decided to become a fulltime Athens Community Career Academy student at the start of the school year.

Fear already high, the shooting has taken TipianiTumen’s to an all new level.

“It makes me (be) more on fight or flight mode now. I just feel way more anxious about it because it happened out of nowhere,” Tipiani-Tumen said. “I’m scared that in a public place, (a shooting) could happen anywhere.”

From the minds of Knight, McNeeley and TipianiTumen to those of all the affected students and teachers in Athens, Barrow County and beyond, mental health struggles aren’t disappearing. Though the country’s so-called “mental health crisis” is well-documented by politicians and pundits alike, the truth may be even graver.

“A crisis, by definition, is time-limited. I think that this is probably more chronic than a crisis,” Collins said. “When we’ve been calling (it) a mental health crisis for six months, a year, an entire presidency, it’s no longer a crisis. It’s a chronic issue. It is systemic.”

This story is the first in a three-part series covering the aftermath of the Apalachee High School shooting. Parts two and three will appear in Issues III and IV of the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine.

Featured: DESENSITIZED TO DANGER: Students walk in front of the Clarke Central High School Ceremonial Entrance on Nov. 19. CCHS Multi-Classroom Leader Lawanna Knight has observed the long-running consequences of the school shooting on students’ academic experience. “Some kids are just now able to perform in school now and we’re still getting transfers from Apalachee,” Knight said. “Every time somebody comes in and says, ‘I’m from Apalachee,’ it opens up that wound.”

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

The Capcha Equation

CCHS senior Kevin Capcha was drawn to math at an early age because it allowed him to connect to his mother.

STORY

BY

ABIGAIL HOLLOWAY News Staffer

STORY BY WYATT MEYER

Editor-in-Chief

LAYOUT BY MILES

LAWRENCE

Senior Copy Editor

To some, math may serve as just a subject in school, a class to attend. But for Clarke Central High School senior Kevin Capcha, math is a means of communication.

Kevin’s mother, Soledad Llasca, immigrated to the United States from Peru in 2001. As he was growing up, his mother wasn’t fluent in English, which meant reading was difficult.

Math was a different story.

“(Math is) unambiguous. Social sciences, social studies, they have a lot of reading, which I don’t mind, (but) if I ever had problems, then obviously there’s that language barrier,” Kevin said. “At that time, (I was) in elementary school, and (my mom) knew very little English, so she couldn’t really help me. But here and in Peru, the numbers are the same.”

Kevin’s older sister, CCHS Class of 2015 Alumna Brendy Capcha, remembers Kevin playing math games on the family’s tablet – every time he completed all the levels, his mom would have to find Kevin a new app to try. Math was a way to bridge the gap between mother and son.

“My mom actually really enjoys math. I’ve never seen her use a calculator, it’s all on top of her head,” Brendy said. “I feel like my brother would see that and be able to connect with her pretty easily. She was able to understand (what they were learning) easily.”

As Kevin grew up, his love for numbers branched out from just his family.

“At that time, (I was) in elementary school, (my mom) knew very little (English), so she couldn’t really help me. But here and in Peru, the numbers are the same.”

-- Kevin Capcha, CCHS senior

In high school, he took several classes – including math-centric courses like Advanced Placement Calculus and AP Chemistry – with CCHS Class of 2024 valedictorian Patrick Allen, and the pair became friends.

“He’s definitely a very mathematically-minded person. It was strange for me because I’m not and (there’s) a big difference in the way that (we) think about the world and the way that (we) view things,” Allen said. “Kevin is very

Above: PROBLEM SOLVING: Clarke Central High School Senior Kevin Capcha stands in the Media Center courtyard on Oct. 21. CCHS Class of 2024 Alumnus Patrick Allen has seen Capcha’s passion for social justice and hopes his friend will pursue those aspirations in the future. “I’m not sure where his career goals lie, but (Kevin has) definitely shown that he wants to solve social problems, so that’s all that I’m gonna ask of him,” Allen said.

Photo by Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

rational in the way that he thinks about things, so if we’re talking about a problem or if we’re arguing about something, he tends to have a rational answer and really hold on to it.”

Now, as a CCHS senior looking ahead to graduation, Kevin is using his expertise in math to give back – in more ways than one.

“My son, Noah, is almost tutored by Kevin sometimes,” Brendy said. “Now that my son is in kindergarten, (Kevin is) helping him catch on pretty quickly through math-related things.”

Outside of his home, though, Kevin has broader goals for the application of his mathematical skills: social justice.

“He’s definitely a very mathematicallyminded person. It was strange for me because I’m not and (there’s) a big difference in the way we think about the world and the way that (we) view things.”

Patrick Allen, CCHS Class of 2024 valedictorian

--

“I find a really cool intersection between using my mathematical abilities and a career in STEM to also intersect with public policy and how society interacts, being able to (create) data-driven solutions for social justice,” Kevin said. “When my mother came (to the U.S.), she was fed the notion that the United States was (an) equitable society, (and) over time, we’ve kind of gone away from that. The dream my mother had, I want other (people) to keep having that.”

Inspired by that idea, Kevin applied and was accepted to a highly-selective Massachusetts Institute of Technology summer program in 2024 called Minority Introduction to Technology, Engineering and Science. Within that course, Kevin discovered a way to use the connection of math and social justice in a tangible way.

“We focused on education disparities in Atlanta (and) what we noticed a lot was racial segregation. If you look at Atlanta (and) overlay other layers of mapping, features like internet access, household income and then preparedness for college, we see that there’s growing disparities (of) racial segregation within schools,” Kevin said. “That’s really where I realized that STEM is now more just coding or data analysis. These are things that can be representative to politicians or professors that can lead to changes within society.”

But, Kevin doesn’t simply care in the abstract. For him, math, and the possibilities it entails, comes back to his tablet, his kitchen table and his mother, using math not to calculate, but to communicate.

As he seeks to repay his mother’s support, Kevin has gone the full 360 degrees – or, a full circle.

“I feel like, (as) a society, we’re going away from what my mother works so hard for. (If) I could do something about it (and I didn’t), then it’s not making my mother’s work worth anything. That’s why I feel such a connection,” Kevin said.

Above: SOLVING LANGUAGE: Clarke Central High School senior Kevin Capcha reads a math textbook in the CCHS Media Center on Oct. 21. In school, Kevin used math as an escape from the struggles that came with language classes. “I found solace in mathematics. I struggled a lot with logistic issues between Spanish and English, so it’s almost like math was there as a scapegoat behind my struggles in English classrooms,” Kevin said. Photo by Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

Above: MATH MERRY-GO-ROUND: Clarke Central High School senior Kevin Capcha sits on a ride with his mother, Soledad Llasca, as a child. Clarke Central High School 2015 Alumna Brendy Capcha, Kevin’s older sister, credited Kevin’s work ethic to their parents. “(Math has) always been a strength in our family for math because there’s not a language barrier with it. My parents tell all of us if you have a strength within school try to always keep working on that strength, and (Kevin) realized (his) was math,” Brandy said. Photo courtesy of Kevin Capcha

Central’s School climate

There are various factors that contribute to the climate at CCHS, all of which can build inclusivity and a productive learning enironment.

STORY BY LIZA LARSON News Editor

LAYOUT BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

From laughter in the hallways to snoring in the classroom and everything in between, the atmosphere of Clarke Central High School is a collection of students and staff’s infinitesimally small actions every day.

What most don’t know is that the seemingly intangible atmosphere has a tangible impact on CCHS in the form of two words: school climate.

School climate is the social, behavioral and educational environment within a school, according to SchoolSafety.gov. When a positive climate is cultivated, the goals and norms of the school are reflected in the relationships of students, teachers, parents and community members. A school’s climate is impacted by everyone who is involved in their community, especially leaders.

“Positive energy throughout the staff, from teachers to custodial staff to coaches to students, makes up the climate. Creating the atmosphere you want in your classroom can go throughout the school,” Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Terry Liggin said. “It’s up to the adults to bring the positive energy into the school and that will permeate throughout the building,”

However, in the state of Georgia, a school’s climate isn’t just guessed, but is measured by professional assessments. Public schools are evaluated using the School Climate Star Rating, a system which measures factors such as a schools safety, support offered and community involvement.

The rating is obtained through a state survey and then analyzed to provide schools with their appropriate score. This system helps educators across the state gauge if schools are developing as safe environments. CCHS Assistant Principal Tamika Henson feels that the CCHS administration’s effort to provide students with resources is pushing the climate in a positive direction.

“When we have a concern about a student, we work really hard to get all

stakeholders to the table. We try to create a culture where students know that they have multiple supports in the building, and also inviting parents to the table, not just to talk at them, but also ask them to enlighten us on the things that we need to know to help support their students,” Henson said.

The rating does not evaluate academic achievement, but instead the environment that encourages it. The SCSR was put on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but made a return in 2022, though scores from the return are yet to be released.

The Clarke County School District had used the tenants of Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a framework designed to help schools evaluate their environments, to improve school climate.

James Barlament, the CCSD Executive Director of Innovation, Strategy, and Governance, created the dashboard on the CCSD Data Analytics website in 2019 that synthesizes information from SCSR evaluations, using CASEL as a basis.

“Positive energy throughout the staff, from teachers to custodial staff to coaches to students, makes up the climate.”

-- TERRY LIGGIN, CCHS Assistant Principal

“Self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision-making, relationship skills and social awareness are the tenants of the CASEL model. There was a curriculum that was used that would help students increase their skills or abilities in those areas, and we were using the Georgia Student Health Survey as an evaluative measure on how well the CASEL model was working,” Barlament said.

The last time scoring from this rating was released was in 2019 and CCSD received three out of five⅗stars. Scores for the 2023-24 school year are to be released this year in January and a large component of these scores are student, teacher and community contentment.

“I have kids that I battle with on behaviors on a daily basis sometimes, but those kids still trust me, and so they may not like what I’m doing with them, but they know I’m firm, but I’m fair. The trust goes back to customer satisfaction, with students, staff, parents, stakeholders,” CCHS Assistant Principal Everett Nealy said. “Sometimes, we have to make decisions that are not always accepted by parents, by students, by district personnel, but it’s ultimately our job to make sure that (students) have a nice opportunity to come to school and learn.”

School climate isn’t just shaped in the classroom or by administrations decisions but also at practices, clubs and events. Students feeling like they have a positive place within the school environment is formative to their happiness within the climate.

“We take our school very seriously, it’s very inclusive. There’s all kinds of clubs for everybody to join, everybody’s welcome,” CCHS junior Class President Laila Bolton said. “Everything is positive. We want to do more out-of-school activities to involve everybody. It doesn’t have to be all about school, everybody can communicate with each other.”

From an analytical perspective, it is also essential to analyze school climate data in a compounded manner because one piece without the other does not accurately represent the climate as a whole.

Upper left: A HOLISTIC REVIEW: A collage of photos displaying school culture is shown. When building the dashboard that displays school climate data CCSD Executive Director of Innovation, Strategy, and Governance James Barlament looked at the data comprehensively to get a more accurate view of CCSD schools climates. “The state never overlays student, parent and personnel data, even though a lot of the questions are very similar. So it’s interesting to see how students are responding to a question versus how staff is responding to parents responding to that same question,” Barlament said. Photos from the ODYSSEY archives

Lower right: TARTING WITH STUDENTS: An array of photos displaying CCHS school events is shown. CCHS Assistant Principal Tamika Henson wanted to encourage positive student behavior to improve the school climate. “Constant reflection of your own behaviors will help you to bring a more positive attitude into the school. If we bring that type of energy to the atmosphere, then it’s just going to permeate to students and help the culture here at CCHS,” Henson said. Photos from the ODYSSEY archives

“We take our school very seriously, it’s very inclusive. There’s all kinds of clubs for everybody to join, everbody’s welcome.”

--

“There are questions that pertain to school safety, social support or cultural acceptance, and it’s interesting to me to group them together versus looking at them all in isolation,” Barlament said. “There were these groups of questions that added up to a curriculum, and it was a needs assessment on how to implement that curriculum.”

This data analysis has proved to pay off through the interpersonal relationships of everyone in the CCHS climate.

“The social aspect between teachers and students, not even just teachers but CCHS employees, so, janitors, security guards, is actually really good and not something that you see at other schools,” CCHS sophomore Macie Richardson said. “I know a couple officers who interact with the kids and who genuinely are building personal relationships. I think that that’s super cool, that’s something that you can only experience here.”

Laila Bolton, CCHS junior Class President O

are in the school, and they work collaboratively with school staff to figure out where that support (is) most needed,”

BRINGING STUDENTS TOGETHER

Communities in Schools focuses on preventing CCHS students from withdrawing from high school by connecting them to community resources and programs.

STORY BY EMLYN MCKINNEY News Staffer

LAYOUT BY LIZA LARSON News Editor

Communities In Schools, a nonprofit organization stretched across 27 states, is returning to Clarke Central High School.

According to Family Connection-Communities

In Schools of Athens Executive Director Erin Thompson Podvin, FC-CIS uses CIS to improve the well-being and success of students. They do this by incentivizing students to attend school, garnering support from community groups and increasing students’ access to toiletries or clothes.

“The (CIS) site coordinators focus on ABCs: Attendance, Behavior and Course Completion. What they’re doing is working on (identifying) the nonacademic barriers to students having good attendance, good behavior and completing their courses,” Thompson Podvin said.

organization to CCHS students again. The two coordinators are reaching out to students who need support in and outside of school and asking them if they want to join the program.

“When I meet with (students), I say, ‘Let’s go over your grades,’ and then we usually talk about it, like, ‘Do you need any support (in that class)?’” Scheffen said. “I let them know that if they’re interested in working with me, we’ll put a plan together. From there, I can help hold (students) accountable.”

“What they’re doing is working on (identifying) the non-academic barriers to students having good attendance, good behavior and completing their courses.”

-- ERIN THOMPSON PODVIN,

Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens Executive Director

After moving away from CIS during the 2019-20 school year, the program has come back for the 2024-25 school year. The return was financed by a grant from the investment company Ballmer Group that allowed CIS to hire more site coordinators and a program manager.

Because of the pause in service, CIS site coordinators, including CCHS duo Dana Scheffen and Daniela Crumley, are working to spread the word about the

While CIS has goals for its site coordinators, the support it provides depends on the school. The CIS program at CCHS primarily focuses on working with students who need academic support.

“(CIS is) partnering with the Freshman Academy and our MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) initiative to help students who are struggling in the classroom that are not identified with a disability,” CCHS Assistant Principal Terry Liggin said. “Adding another support system to help students who struggle the most through school can always be useful.”

As someone who went through CIS as a Henry County High School Class of 2018 Alumnus, Cedar Shoals High School CIS Site Coordinator Gabriel Smallwood also found the program beneficial, which eventually inspired him to become a site coordinator.

Featured: UNIQUE NEEDS: Family Connection-Communities In Schools of Athens Executive Director Erin Thompson Podvin stands outside of the Clarke Central High School Front Office on Oct. 30. Communities In Schools returned to CCHS for the 2024-25 school year. “(Site coordinators focus on) what the biggest needs

Thompson Podvin said. Photo by Wyatt Meyer

“(My site coordinators) celebrated the small and big things, like us coming to school on consecutive days,” Smallwood said. “(They were) monitoring our attendance, making sure that we had the resources that we needed and that there were organizations at (Henry County High School) that were helpful.”

Outside of academics, CIS is brokering support from organizations outside of CCHS, including the University of Georgia AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows, a group dedicated to combating food insecurity around the Athens community. Food Fellow Grayson Smith is helping to run and improve the CCHS Resource Room in Room 157, a place where students can receive food, clothes and hygiene products.

“The goal is to help run it, but hopefully reach out to some students and see if there’s a better way that (the Resource Room) can be used to serve

“Personally, my goals are to be a solid person for the kids that I work with.”

-- DANA SCHEFFEN, CCHS CIS Site Coordinator

the students here,” Smith said. “Then, we can see if there’s a (better) way to facilitate it (by) signing in, just trying to make it as streamlined and as accessible as possible.”

CIS has also supported other CCHS staff in their duties. One such staff member is School Social Worker Dy’Nazha Hughes, who has some similar duties to the site coordinators, including connecting students and families to services.

Hughes can’t be at CCHS every day of the week, so she appreciates that CIS is a constant support.

“I can’t get to everybody. Even though I want to provide that support, I know (there are) some (times) where it would be more suited for students to reach out to (the CIS site coordinators), especially because they do a lot of work in the Resource Room and making connections,” Hughes said.

Like Hughes, Scheffen values being present for the students on her caseload. As the former Community School Organizer, Scheffen worked with fewer students, so she is excited to build more relationships with students as CIS grows.

“Personally, my goals are to be a solid person for the kids that I work with,” Scheffen said. “I’ve met some cool kids so far, and I’m excited to meet some more, help them meet their personal goals and work with (them) at a younger age (to) develop those habits now.”

that we needed additional resources for, just for students,”

“It was a school that was Title One, very similar to schools here in Clarke County, and just overall, I feel like having Community in Schools (be in the) school helped a lot.” Photo from the

Above: COMMUNITY TIES: Clarke Central High School Communities In Schools Site Coordinator Dana Scheffen (back) and University of Georgia AmeriCorps Community Food Fellow Grayson Smith (front) arrange clothing in the CCHS Resource Room, Room 157, on Oct. 25. The site coordinators organized support from community organizations to support students and give them time to build their caseloads. “We are brokering a mental health support group from the UGA, and they’ll be coming in for students from the mental health counselors that could use support,” Scheffen said. “We’re also brokering support from (the) AmeriCorps Community Food Fellows and (Smith) will be starting in the Resource Room.” Photo by Marcus Quarles

Above: THE STUDENT BECOMES THE MASTER: Gabriel Smallwood, Cedar Shoals High School Communities in Schools Site Coordinator and former Clarke Central High School College Adviser, speaks on-stage in E.B. Mell Auditorium during the 2024 Black History Month program. Smallwood received support from Communities In Schools as a student at Henry County High School in 2017 and 2018. “The environment (at HCHS) overall was something

Smallwood said.

ODYSSEY archives

IN FOCUS

Featured: SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED: Attendees at the Team Trump Bus Tour event in Athens on Oct. 4 sign cutouts of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice PresidentElect JD Vance on the side of the tour bus. The event, which featured speakers from United States Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa to former White House Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, stopped at multiple locations on Milledge Avenue. “I saw (the event) on social media and thought it was a good reason to come out and support Donald Trump,” University of Georgia student Cayla Campbell said. “(I’m trying) to hear what people have to say and just give my support when I can.” Photo by Wyatt Meyer

IN FOCUS

Featured: ARMS WIDE OPEN: Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz introduces himself to the crowd at U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff’s event in Athens on Oct. 10. The rally, held at event space 1055 Barber to promote Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign, featured Girtz, Emhoff and students from the University of Georgia, followed by a musical performance from former R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe. “I really wanted to be able to come to a rally because I’m from a rural town, so haven’t been able to do any Democratic (events),” University of Georgia freshman Ella Blake Borough, an attendee, said. “The energy was really good.”

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

AUTHENTICALLY ADAH

Longform media consumers everywhere need to start valuing content that challenges and inspires them.

BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor

In 1971, psychologist and economist Herbert A. Simon coined a new term: “attention economy,” in which brands treat consumers’ attention as a rare commodity and attempt to capitalize on it as best they can.

This shift not only influences marketing strategies but also has negative implications for those involved with the film industry, including producers, screenwriters and even those watching at home.

When streaming platform Netflix reinvented the way people consumed media with on demand television, dozens of production companies like Hulu, HBO, and Disney began launching streaming services, hoping that they, too, could surf the on-demand media wave and seize the attention of viewers everywhere.

Angeles-based writer and director Brett Felty said. “(Streaming services) don’t have to make things that we like. They just have to make things that we will watch.”

But why should anyone care? As long as it’s something to do, right?

Wrong. The quality of the media we consume matters. According to a 2019 New York Times article, “a wave of new social science research shows that the quality of shows can influence us in important ways, shaping our thinking and political preferences, even affecting our cognitive ability.”

Coinciding with the rise of this trend, another phenomenon has also arisen: the concept of the “second screen,” which, according to the Oxford Learning Dictionaries, refers to a “mobile device used while watching television, especially to access additional content or apps.”

One should want to consume higher-quality content — content that makes them feel something.

However, there was a problem: these companies weren’t making enough money to cover the cost of the media they were producing.

So, they found a solution.

“If you go on Netflix, you’re going to see a lot of what’s called garbage TV. It’s where you attach one famous person that people know, and you have some sort of vague premise that isn’t particularly specific or interesting. At the end of that season, if people hate it, (you) stop making it,” New Orleans and Los

Short-form content available on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram also contributes to shortening people’s attention spans worldwide.

One should want to consume higher-quality content — content that makes them feel something, that allows them to connect with other people, that makes them question the things around them. Entertainment shouldn’t just be whatever passes the time.

In an age where attention is the ultimate currency, the solution lies not in mindlessly consuming whatever is placed in front of viewers but in choosing content that challenges, connects and inspires.

Above: INSPIRING OTHERS: A teenage girl looks at her phone with the TV on in the background. Variety Editor Adah Hamman stressed the importance of learning to engage with media that challenges

by Sylvia Robinson

Athens Abandoned

Once-thriving businesses and neighborhoods in Athens have been abandoned because of urban blight, leaving a lasting impact on local communities.

STORY BY MILES LAWRENCE Senior Copy Editor

STORY BY WYATT MEYER Editor-in-Chief

STORY BY SYLVIA ROBINSON Variety Staffer

PHOTOS BY VIOLET CANTARELLA Variety Staffer

LAYOUT BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

Dust-covered windows, overgrown parking lots, open signs that will never be lit again. Scattered around Athens are the shells of vibrant businesses, homes and communities that were once full of life.

But what happened to them?

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, blight is a botanical disease that kills plants it comes in contact with. Instead of withered foliage, urban blight leaves

Smart Growth America ranked Atlanta as No. 1 on the list of greatest sprawl for any large metropolitan area in the country, while Athens’s history with gentrification is famous for the destruction of the historically-Black Linnentown neighborhood to make way for University of Georgia high-rise dormitories.

In the left-behind margins of Athens, urban blight sets in.

In Athens, nearly 67,000 properties –

In the left-behind margins of Athens, urban blight sets in.

behind deteriorated buildings, abandoned homes, and trash-ridden parking lots.

Urban blight, otherwise known as urban decay, is defined by Collins Dictionary as “the decay and deterioration of an urban area due to neglect or age.” This phenomenon can occur for multiple reasons, including lack of maintenance by property owners, lack of ownership after bank foreclosure and leeching equity out of a property before condemnation. Although these causes lay close to the surface, according to Athens-Clarke County Comprehensive Planning Coordinator Marc Beechuk, much broader historical phenomena are culpable: suburbanization and gentrification.

“After World War II, many cities had this super donut effect. There’s those first ring suburbs, (which) were huge in the ‘50s and ‘60s and ‘70s, (but) then they had to take a step beyond that, because those were getting grittier,” Beechuk said.

“We just kept going out and out and out in the whole time the middle was just this giant suck. The value was being sucked out of the center.”

In that center, urban blight festers. Though blight caused by unsustainable city growth is a national issue, it’s especially apparent in Georgia. In 2014, urban planning organization

including former businesses Georgia Square Value Cinemas, Oldham’s Paint Shop, and Gresham’s Disco Lounge – have been affected by this widespread phenomenon, according to real estate website attomdata. com. With property taxes high as a result of low property tax revenue in blighted areas, Athenians are feeling the effects.

“We all feel (the) property tax right now, no matter what community we’re in. It hurts those who were, five years ago, able to comfortably live in (neighborhoods like Rocksprings). Now, because of the housing around them, the values of their houses have gone up to the point where they can’t afford to stay,” Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Everett Nealy said. In an attempt to fix the issue, a federal policy known as urban renewal was formally established by the Housing Act of 1954. Under this program, cities are required to develop revitalization plans and focus on improving the attractiveness of blighted properties.

While this tries to resolve one issue, it amplifies the next: local communities just like Linnentown can be put at risk because of urban renewal. Sustainable urban planning is required to maintain the balance between old and new.

“I think we’ve got the opportunity, if we do things right, to not just have the pendulum swing totally out and then we vacate a city center again,” Beechuk said. “If we can find ways to put people a little bit closer to the resources, the jobs, the transportation networks, the schools and community centers, we will begin to recognize (sustainable urban planning).”

While urban blight is marked by deterioration and abandonment, its effects run far deeper than meets the eye. Behind every shattered window, flipped car, and “permanently closed” sign, there’s a rich history with community ties that run deep.

1000 Newton Bridge Rd.

187 Oak St.

187 Oak St.

3710 Atlanta Highway

3710 Atlanta Highway

Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez writes about her experience working at longtime Athens staple Cali N Tito’s for an afternoon.

In the middle of busy Lumpkin Street, in a colorful house-like structure, sits a restaurant called Cali N Tito’s. Despite the bustle of cars on the street, swaying palm trees, upbeat music and picnic tables invited me in. Upon entering, colorful decorations and the delicious wafts of Peruvian and Colombian food reverberated throughout the open-space restaurant.

As a little kid, I would always look forward to going to Cali N Tito’s because it was one of the few restaurants in Athens that had the type of environment that felt like I was at home, back in El Salvador. The same sense of community, of appreciation for all Central American cultures made Cali N Tito’s a space I loved.

However, after spending an afternoon working everything from the cash register to the restaurant’s table service, I quickly realized I was in for more than I’d bargained for.

it was one of the few restaurants in Athens that had the type of environment that felt like I was at home, back in El Salvador.

So, when I went to work at the restaurant for the day, I thought I knew what to expect – a calm, family environment as present in the kitchen as it was at the painted wooden tables.

Entering the restaurant, I met manager Andres Ramirez., who gave me a Cali N Tito’s shirt and apron to commemorate my stint in the kitchen. He first placed me as the cashier, working behind a counter taking customers’ orders and ringing them up at the register. I had never worked as a cashier before, so the experience was a bit nerve-wracking and I quickly made mistakes. Each chef at the restaurant had a designated section, and on one of my first orders, I sent the ticket to the wrong section chef. A few orders later, I wrote down the wrong entree for a customer, putting more of a strain on the kitchen staff.

However, after seeing me struggle, Ramirez helped me re-learn the process. Although I slowed down a few more times due to learning so much at once, as soon as I was re-trained, it felt like I had been working for more than just a day.

STORY BY CESIA MARTINEZ Variety Staffer

LAYOUT BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

Above: CULTURAL APPRECIATION: Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez stands outside Cali N Tito’s, located at 1427 S. Lumpkin St, on Oct. 15. Martinez appreciated the different cultures the restaurant had incorporated into its decor. “As a little kid, I would always look forward to going to Cali N Tito’s because it was one of the few restaurants in Athens that had the type of environment that felt like I was at home, back in El Salvador,” Martinez wrote.

Photo by Violet Cantarella

As a cashier, I wasn’t just responsible for taking orders and sending them to the kitchen. As I waited for the food to come out, I also prepared appetizers, the most popular being chips with queso or salsa. Like my other duties, doing this was stressful at the beginning because of the fast-paced environment. I wanted to make sure I was making a good impression while giving customers the best experience possible.

The impression was actually the easiest part. I had

I now know the sheer effort and coordination that goes into every dish, which only makes me appreciate it even more.

no trouble delivering appetizers with a smile on my face. The hard part was remembering what to say – no matter how many times I reminded myself to ask if they needed anything else at their table or if I could get them anything else, in the moment, my mind would go blank. Having this happen to me gave me a whole new respect for restaurant servers – how do they remember to do everything, everywhere all at once?

After some time as a cashier, I transitioned to working in the kitchen, where I assembled dishes and served customers. After having already done some table service, I was pretty good at this – the only problem was when I would forget to grab customers’ order tickets and take them back to the kitchen. However, I improved quickly and soon had table service down.

When there were moments of peace in the kitchen, we worked to get ahead on simple dishes and appetizers in case there was a rush of customers. By the end of my afternoon, I was proud to be able to work at my own pace, independent of restaurant staff – I was felt almost like a veteran afte only three hours.

As I was leaving, several members of the Cali N Tito’s staff thanked me for coming and told me how much they appreciated my work. After feeling tugged in 100 different directions all afternoon, the compliments made me feel validated, like I wasn’t a burden on them after all.

Reflecting back, not only did working at Cali N Tito’s allow me to experience the hustle and bustle behind the scenes at one of my favorite restaurants, but it brought me back to the culture of El Salvdor that I’ve been raised with my entire life. I now know the sheer effort and coordination that goes into every dish, which only makes me appreciate it even more.

Though I don’t want to work in a restaurant in my career, I’ll always remember the lessons I learned during my afternoon at Cali N Tito’s.

Above: FAST-PACED: Cali N Tito’s manager Andres Ramirez (left) helps Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez (right) prepare food on Oct. 15. Martinez served in various positions during her brief time at Cali N Tito’s. “(Cashiering) was stressful at the beginning because of the fast-paced environment. I wanted to make sure I was making a good impression while giving customers the best experience possible,” Martinez wrote. Photo by Violet Cantarella

Above: A NEW PERSPECTIVE: Variety Staffer Cesia Martinez holds several platters of food at Cali N Tito’s on Oct. 15. Martinez gained a new sense of appreciation for food industry employees after visiting the restaurant. “I now know the sheer effort and coordination that goes into every dish, which only makes me appreciate it even more,” Martinez wrote. Photo by Violet Cantarella

Quest for Athens' Best:

After trying burgers at several fast food restaurants around Athens, ODYSSEY staffers determined that new addition Whataburger offers the best fast food burger.

LAYOUT BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor GRAPHICS BY SAM HARWELL

BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor

Located at 3201 Atlanta Highway, Whataburger is known for its vast array of food, including sandwiches, chicken and their signature burger, the delicious Whataburger. They’re open 24 hours a day, every day.

The Whataburger includes tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions, and mustard. At $5.79, it is one of the most affordable and best burgers on the market. The patty is cooked to absolute perfection, and each ingredient perfectly complements the others. Even though the burger is only around $6, customers should be satisfied with the portion size, as it is deceivingly large.

There are several seating options at the restaurant, including comfortable booths and tables, and while there is no outdoor seating, the full-length windows give the space an airy feel. The staff is also very helpful and happy to answer any questions that a customer may have. However, a downside of Whataburger is its location, near Academy Sports and Outdoors in a primarily car-accessible area. For Clarke Central High School students who don’t have access to a vehicle, the restaurant’s far-out placement may be too out-of-the-way.

For those who do have a car, though, Whataburger is a great place to sit down and enjoy a tasty burger with friends.

8.7

9 6

7

8.1/10

9 9

Illustrator

Above: WHAT A BURGER: Fast food restaurant Whataburger is located at 3201 Atlanta Highway and offers a variety of meal options. On Oct. 23, ODYSSEY staffers visited the restaurant and tried its original Whataburger. “At $5.79, it is one of the most affordable and best burgers on the market. The patty is cooked to absolute perfection, and each ingredient perfectly complements the others,” Variety Editor Adah Hamman wrote. Photo by Violet Cantarella

Above: FIRST PLACE: A Whataburger is pictured on Oct. 23. Variety Editor Adah Hamman visited the restaurant, located at the out-of-the-way 3201 Atlanta Highway, to try the burger. “For those who do have a car, though, Whataburger is a great place to sit down and enjoy a tasty burger with friends,” Hamman wrote. Photo by Violet Cantarella

BY MILES LAWRENCE Senior Copy Editor

Known across the country for its motto,

“Quality is our recipe,” Wendy’s has been a staple in the fast food industry since the chain opened in 1969 – and for good reason.

Located at 415 Prince Ave. and accompanied by a drive-thru window, Wendy’s west-side Athens location is considerably nicer than some of its fast food competitors. While the decor is a bit tacky, sunlight shines through the windows of the dining area, which contains several comfortable seating options that customers can enjoy their meal at.

For $3.79, customers can order a Dave’s Single cheeseburger, which contains a square ground beef patty, a slice of American cheese, tomato, crinkle-cut pickles, mayonnaise, lettuce, ketchup and sweet onions.

While the portion size is a little small and unfulfilling, the taste of the cheeseburger is surprisingly good. The patty isn’t chargrilled, but the meat’s taste doesn’t suffer as a result – the cheese combines perfectly with it to create a melt-in-your-mouth sensation while the vegetable toppings add an amazing textural satisfaction to the burger.

The Dave’s Single is an affordable and surprisingly delicious option for burger lovers, whether they want to enjoy it on the go or in the fast food chain’s pleasant dining area.

BURGER BEATDOWN

Above: WONDERFUL WENDY’S: The Wendy’s location at 415 Prince Ave. is displayed on Oct. 10. ODYSSEY Media Group Senior Copy Editor Miles Lawrence went to the restaurant and tried the Dave’s Single combo meal.

“The Dave’s Single is an affordable and surprisingly delicious option for burger lovers, whether they want to enjoy it on the go or in the fast food chain’s pleasant dining area,” Lawrence wrote. Photo by Miles Lawrence

Above: SECOND PLACE: A photo of the Wendy’s location at 415 Prince Ave. is displayed on Oct. 10. ODYSSEY Media Group Senior Copy Editor Miles Lawrence felt the Dave’s single burger’s ingredients complemented each other well. “The patty isn’t chargrilled, but the meat’s taste doesn’t suffer as a result – the cheese combines perfectly with it to

melt-in-your-mouth sensation while the vegetable toppings add an amazing textural satisfaction to the burger,” Lawrence wrote. Photo by Miles Lawrence

CULTURAL BUZZ

The horror comedy “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” premiered in theaters on Sept. 6. Directed by gothic horror and fantasy director Tim Burton, the movie had a lot to live up to in regards to the original “Beetlejuice,” released in 1988. However, it succeeded in the most spine-chilling way.

The original film centers around Lydia Deetz (Winona Rider) and her encounters with the malicious spirit Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), whereas “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” focuses on Lydia’s daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), who accidentally opens a portal to the underworld.

For returning fans to the unsettling world of “Beetlejuice,” the film will exceed expectations. The unique visuals that the original is known for, such as face morphing and the Sandworms return in this sequel, paired with hilarious lines from the cast each contribute to an immersive experience.

With a PG-13 rating, this movie isn’t for every fan of the creepy and paranormal, but is a must-watch this fall for fans of the original.

Sylvia Robinson, Variety Staffer

New York Times Bestselling author Lynn Painter released her young adult romance novel “Nothing Like the Movies” on Oct. 1 to all major retail bookstores. A sequel to Painter’s fan-favorite “Better Than the Movies,” readers get to see Wes and Liz go through college together, but not in the way that they may have hoped.

After facing a family tragedy that caused their breakup, Wes is ready to rekindle the relationship he and Liz had two years ago. However, Liz has moved on and isn’t the easily-wooed romance fanatic that Wes can win over anymore.

While the genre of the book is young-adult, the immature way that the characters, particularly Liz, act makes it seem anything but, and the unrealistic, predictable plot lines don’t help.

Despite its flaws, the characters and relationships, as well as Wes and Liz’s individual storylines, should keep devoted readers engaged.

Overall, while this book is the epitome of “some books are better as standalones”, die-hard fans of the original novel might find some enjoyment in the new storyline.

Lea D'Angelo, Digital Editor

"Woman of the Hour"

BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor

Athriller based on a true story, "Woman of the Hour," was released on Netflix movie is directed by, and stars, Anna Kendrick as Cheryl Bradshaw and committed by Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovavatto), a serial killer who terrorized of California for close to a decade.

The movie begins with Alcala taking pictures of a woman (a farce he used to lure half a dozen women deaths) atop a secluded mountain range. Alcala seems harmless enough at first, but things take a sinister when he strangles his victim and then resuscitates her, only to kill her once again.

The film jumps between timelines, and viewers watch as unsuspecting woman after unsuspecting falls into Alcala’s trap. The longest storyline follows Bradshaw, an aspiring actress who has landed a “The Dating Game,” a show closely resembling “The Bachelor” that her agent claims will “get her seen.” What Bradshaw doesn’t know, however, is that one of the contestants has, by this point, murdered women and would go on to kill several more.

“Woman of the Hour” perfectly encapsulates how it feels to be a woman living in a world built for between the leering, the varying degrees of misogyny that each man exhibits, and that sinking feeling Kendrick expertly portrays with only her facial expressions.

Though this is Kendrick’s first time directing a movie, she does it skillfully, and viewers might appreciate how she doesn’t linger on the gory details of each murder. Kendrick instead focuses on relevance of each moment of violence, which only lends credibility to her talent as a director — she doesn’t have to rely on bloodshed to keep viewers engaged.

Overall, “Woman of the Hour” is sure to strike a chord with its female audience, and is a must-watch for those interested in true crime.

Wendy's Pineapple Under The Sea Frosty was released on Oct. 8 as a part of the Krabby Patty Kollab between Nickelodeon’s animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants and Wendy’s. The treat comes in four sizes ranging from $1.39 to $2.99 and offers customers a mouth-watering combination of vanilla and tropical pineapple.

At first glance, the Frosty has an aesthetic appeal, with the pineapple purée swirled but concentrated at the bottom. To get the purée spread evenly throughout, customers must mix up their Frosty, which can be an annoying extra step, but it's worth it for the balanced flavor.

Furthermore, neither the vanilla nor pineapple flavoring overpowers the other, the treat is not excessively sweet and the pineapple purée doesn't taste artificial – all points in its favor.

Overall, Wendy's Pineapple Under The Sea Frosty is a delicious dessert option for those looking for a flavorful and fruity frozen treat. With its low price, perfect balance of flavor and genuine pineapple taste, this Frosty is one to try.

Liya Taylor, Social Media Coordinator

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor

CULTURAL BUZZ

The docuseries “The Menendez Brothers” was released to Netflix on Oct. 7, 2024. Produced by Ross Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans, it explores the life and incarceration of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were convicted in 1989.

“The Menendez Brothers” follows Erik and Lyle Menendez as they grow up and examines the events that led to where they are today. It also includes exclusive audio recordings between Lyle and Erik Menendez and director Alejandro Hartmann.

The docuseries also features interviews with family members and others involved in the case and portrays a variety of opinions from different perspectives. However, the documentary provides more perspectives that portray the brothers as victims, and less perspectives that contradict that.

Overall, while the documentary is informative, the lack of equal representation in perspectives reduces the story’s impact.

Anna Flath, Journalism I student

Released on Oct. 18 by American singersongwriter Gracie Abrams to all streaming platforms, “The Secret of Us (Deluxe)” includes four more songs than the original album, all of which blend in perfectly with the rest of Abrams’s discography.

These songs contain some of Abrams’s best songwriting. “That’s So True,” the 15th track, has become a fan favorite with lyrics like, “Made it out alive, but I think I lost it / Said that it was fine, said it from my coffin.”

As her audience is primarily younger women, Abrams uses her songwriting abilities to connect with and invoke the listener’s emotions. Her voice, although still somewhat premature, is consequently raw and filled with emotion.

Overall, “The Secret of Us (Deluxe)” serves as a great next step to Abrams’s entrance into pop stardom, and listeners will feel as though they are singing right alongside her.

Adah Hamman, Variety Editor

“CHROMAKOPIA”

BY MILES LAWRENCE Senior Copy Editor

RZaxby’s Asian Zensation Zalad was released on Oct. 7 as a limited-time menu option, delivering a hearty, balanced meal that will leave customers happy.

The “Zalad” includes a variety of vegetables, chicken, wonton strips, teriyaki sauce and even includes a veggie egg roll. The wonton strips and teriyaki sauce provide the salad with a nice crunch and a sweet aftertaste, while, surpringly the vegetables and chicken work well with the rest of the meal.

Though the salad is on the expensive side at $10.59, the portion size is enormous and should leave most customers satisfied, if not bursting at the seams.

Although the dish may not be suitable for those who prefer less sweet salads or the traditional Zaxby’s menu, with so many different options, the Asian Zensation Zalad is a nice meal and should be popular among customers.

Eloise Luken, Journalism I student

eleased on Oct. 28, over three years after his Grammy-winning album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” debuted, Tyler Okonma, otherwise known as Tyler, the Creator, released his 14-track album “CHROMAKOPIA.” The nearly hour-long album, available on all streaming platforms, is bound to satisfy both new and old listeners.

Tyler, the Creator, has been a storyteller in the music industry since his career took off in 2011 collective “Odd Future” and won a Grammy for “Best New Artist.”

All seven of the artist’s studio albums since then have included strong storytelling, but in “CHROMAKOPIA,” inspiration from life lessons his mother taught him and his own ambivalence regarding parenthood. heartstrings and appeal to those who understand the complexity of parental love.

The multi-genre album contains elements of hip-hop, rap and R&B, with a heavy focus on eclectic

In songs like “Thought I Was Dead” and “Sticky,” Tyler uses marching band instrumentals to piano in songs such as “Like Him” to soften the tone of the album.

Each song is so different that listeners won’t want to skip a single one. Not only does the instrumentation Tyler’s vocal pitch, allowing listeners to truly immerse themselves in the artist’s vocal range.

However, for those who are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with Tyler’s sometimes airy and off-key be “no skip”. In songs like “Tomorrow,” where Tyler takes a gentler approach to his vocals, listeners

For listeners who want more upbeat songs, though, there are plenty of tracks on the album brings in multiple respective artists that are sure to amp listeners up, including Daniel Caesar, Willow Childish Gambino, GloRilla, Lil Wayne, Sexyy Red and Doechii, who all add their own personal tracks.

With a golden list of features, impeccable lyricism and beautiful inspiration, Tyler, the Creator, again graced the music industry with “CHROMAKOPIA, cementing his name even further into the history books.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ADAH HAMMAN Variety Editor

IN FOCUS

Featured: THE END: Clarke Central High School varsity running back Corey Watkins Jr., a senior, looks to the Billy Henderson Stadium stands following the Gladiators’ 69-48 defeat to Houston County High School in the first round of the GHSA Class AAAAA State Playoffs on Nov. 15.

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

Evaluating safety in sports

As popularity and attendance at CCHS football games increase, CCHS and CCSD administrators continue to adapt and evolve measures against possible violence.

Floodlights glare over Death Valley.

Billy Henderson Stadium is packed with students and Athens-Clarke County community members alike as rival varsity football teams Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School take the field for the 58th annual Classic City Championship on Aug. 15.

According to CCHS Associate Athletic Director Chris Aiken, there were 2,771 GoFan tickets sold for the game. With such a large crowd, the stakes for conflict increased with high-risk football games.

In turn, the safety measures at these games have also evolved.

“About 10 years ago, (security) was very relaxed,” Clarke County School District Chief of Police Terry Reid. “(After) having more incidents, the superintendent of the state started mandating some safety (measures) that we had to put in place. We are not in this bubble in that it can’t happen in Clarke County. Everything’s kind of expanded since then.”

At CCHS, the implementation of these plans at the district level has shaped protocol at high school sporting events such as football.

“Since I’ve started working here (four years ago), I have seen the security and the ideals that we presented (progress). Things are better now than when I first started working. Things are more organized,” CCHS Security Officer Chris Hood said.

The rise in this organization isn’t random, though. According to CCHS

“Things are better now than when I first started working. Things are more organized.”

-- Chris Hood, CCHS Security Officer

Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith, incidents of violence and conflict have become more prevalent at popular sporting events because of the expanding audiences.

“The two sports that tend to cause the most issues would be football and basketball,” Smith said. “Typically, when we play (CSHS), that’s a high alert game because it’s a high volume game. We had a couple of issues at (the 56th Classic City Championship on Aug. 18, 2022), and it’s not safe for anybody when the issues pop off. We definitely make plans for games that we know will (have a) bigger volume of people.”

Before entering Billy Henderson Stadium, there are various safety measures

STORY BY LYDIA ROWELL Sports Staffer

STORY AND LAYOUT BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

Above: WHAT-IFS: A Clarke County School District police vehicle overlooks Death Valley during the Clarke Central High School varsity football team’s game against Loganville High School on Oct. 11. CCHS Security Officer Chris Hood acknowledged the concerns surrounding the need for enhanced safety protocols at CCHS sporting events. “(There were) a lot of what-ifs. What if this parent gets mad at another parent and one person has a weapon? How can it escalate?” Hood said. “Since we’re doing what we’re doing, if something did happen

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

that patrons are required to go through.

There are typically five Clarke County School District police officers and two School Resource Officers stationed across a variety of locations – in the parking

“We are not in this bubble in that it can’t happen in Clarke County. Everything’s kind of expanded since then.”

-- terry reid, CCSD Chief of Police

lot, at each of the three ticket gates, on the field as well as at each of the five entry points into the stadium.

According to Reid, CCSD officers also began to use handheld metal detectors, or “wands,” on all attendees to check for weapons before their tickets were scanned for entry in the 2020-21 football season.

“We have (hand-held metal detector) wands in every gate,” CCSD Police Department Team Leader Michael Waters said. “Anything from a small pocket knife to a gun, or anything that could be used as a weapon (sets off the wand) to make sure it doesn’t get in the game.”

Additionally, a clear bag policy with maximum capacities of 12 inches by six inches by 12 inches was instituted in the 2022-23 season.

“(The clear bag policy) was moreso (because) we’re trying to keep up with how professional athletics and college athletics have been doing it,” Aiken said. “Going to concerts or anything like that for the past 10 years, almost everyone’s shifting to clear bags. It’s just an easy thing to put in place to add (another) layer of safety.”

While many of these safety procedures were adopted with the intention of general safety, the main ticket gate between the Competition Gym and the James M. Crawford Memorial Arena was divided into two separate checkpoints for both the home and away sections at the beginning of the 2022-23 football season to combat the chances of conflict between attendees.

“We decided that allowing fans to go behind the pine trees behind the (Competition) Gym (during football games) was causing a lot of issues. It’s a pretty big open space and that’s where we saw a lot of our conflicts arise,” Aiken said. “We were just allowing too much exposure to different fan bases being able

A SAFE ENVIRONMENT: Clarke Central Security Officer Chris Hood scans an attendee with a metal detecting wand at the Clarke Central High School varsity football game against Loganville High School on Oct. 11. CCHS Athletic Director Chris Aiken has kept the safety of attendees in mind when planning sporting events at CCHS. “Fan engagement, fan excitement and fan safety are the priorities. Making sure that everyone who comes has a good time and leaves having a good time is (of) the utmost importance for all of us,” Aiken said. “That’s why we spend so much time not only planning it but, after events, going back and trying to come up with better ways to make it more enjoyable for the fans and a more safe environment.”

that CCSD’s initiative to make sporting events safer for attendees

calmed the minds of many. “With the system that we’re using, the contact with the students and the people coming to the game has been phenomenal,” Reid said. “A lot of them are to the point (that) they say it makes them feel safe. That’s all we want, (for) these events (to) be family-oriented.”

Right: POSITIVE PROGRESS: Clarke County School District Chief of Police Terry Reid stands above the Billy Henderson Stadium stands on Oct. 22. Reid felt

has

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

Above:

Photo by Wyatt Meyer

to intermingle while a varsity athletic event was going on, so we switched (to) where fans could now enter to the main gate sitting behind the weight room.”

After rising concern of patrons sneaking over the gate from South Rocksprings Street onto the practice field, portable lights have been stationed as of the 2024-25 season to prevent anyone from sneaking into the game as well as

“(I was) walking out (of the stands) to get ready to leave, and when (I) got to that first gate, a police officer stopped us and said that we couldn’t go. Then, we saw from the top of the hill a group of five police (officers) running down the hill,” CCHS senior Ava Gossett said. “Everyone saw that and started to scatter and rush through that gate (regardless). Everyone was yelling.”

“I do believe that some community issues trickle into our sporting event, and that’s the need for an increase in security personell.”

reducing gatherings behind the visitor side’s bleachers. However, some issues arising at CCHS football games have been attributed by CCHS administrators to relations outside of school brought into the stadium.

“I do believe that some community issues trickle into our sporting events, and that’s the need for an increase in security personnel,” CCHS Associate Principal of Operations Tamika Henson said. “I actually think that some security personnel are aware of the issues, and this is why we have more police officers at games.”

While these safety measures can help minimize disturbances, some conflict persists. According to an Athens-Clarke County Police Station Incident Report filed during the 58th Classic City Championship, an officer under Unit 2367 reported, “Game ending, fights everywhere, need additional units.”

-- Tamika Henson, CCHS Associate Prinicipal of Operations

For Gossett, misinterpretations of the situation along with those of other students brought uncertainty as to what students were supposed to do in cases of emergency.

“I feel like (there is a plan for the police), (but) students aren’t informed as well on those plans so we didn’t know what to do. Obviously the cops knew what they were doing because it was their plan,” Gossett said. “We have (drills) for an active shooter while we’re in school, but not at sporting events. That’s a big issue.”

Following the shooting at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4, CCHS junior Clarice Buril has processed the possibility of gun violence at a school event. After witnessing the events at the Classic City Championship combined with an actual instance of gun violence miles down the road, the fear of danger at a

“We definitely need to be more aware of what to do in a case like that, because it’s an open space and people were running into each other (to get out).”

-- Clarice Buril, CCHS junior

Although there is no simple solution to safety, Reid and the CCSD Police Department continue to advocate for new technology that will improve safety. This includes the possible institution of an Evolv Weapons Detection Technology device at sporting events. Instead of wanding, these standing detectors scan attendees as they pass through to identify potential threats.

“You can sit it out there at the gates and it can scan something like 20002500 people real quick. We utilize a laptop and whatever the scan picks up, the weapon or knife, it zeros in on that person, and we can go right to them,” Reid said. “With the approval of (CCSD Superintendent) Dr. (Robbie) Hooker, (we’re) going to try to move in that direction so we get more people scanned, and then if we have to pick and move them out, we can do it before they get to the crowd.”

sporting event is heightened.

“Before games, because of how many mass emails we (get), it could just be (a message saying) ‘In case anything happens, go here,’” Buril said. “We definitely need to be more aware of what to do in a case like that, because it’s an open space and people were running into each other (to get out). We should figure something out about it because it’s not just going to happen at a Cedar-Central game.”

As circumstances and society change, the commitment to adapt and create a safe environment for patrons at all sporting events remains a constant topic of discussion at the district and state level.

“I’ve been doing (sporting events) for about 30 years. But, as things have evolved, if there’s an athletic director or principal who is not mingling with their chief of police to maximize securities on this day, you set yourself up for liability,” Reid said. “We have other plans in place but we constantly, myself and other chiefs of school districts, we talkin’ about safety, safety, safety. That’s the priority of every conversation.”

Above: SPECTATOR SAFETY: Clarke Central High School junior Clarice Buril poses for a photo in the Billy Henderson Stadium stands. As a spectator, Buril has experienced the safety measures imposed at football games firsthand. “I like that we have a clear bag policy. I think we do a better job than other schools, and I think we’re working harder and better towards a better method. I like that we have someone patrolling at all the gates,” Buril said. Photo by Wyatt Meyer

THE

An overhead map of Billy Henderson Stadium published on the Clarke Central High School Athletic Department website is displayed. At all football games, there are five ticket gates to the entrance each secured by security personnel. “There’s three ticket windows, (and) once you enter the stadium, there’s different sections, (like) the home bleachers or away bleachers,” CCHS Associate Athletic Director Chris Aiken said. “Once you enter one of those ticket gates, we don’t allow you to go back and forth between the two different sections anymore.” Infographic courtesy of the CCHS Athletic Department

Left:

LAY OF THE LAND:

More than a Coach

CCHS head varsity football chearleading coach Sophia Campbell wears several hats, but her coaching and teaching philosophies are informed by her experiences as a former CCHS student.

Featured: MIC DROP: Clarke Central High School science department teacher and CCHS Class of 2004 alumna Sophia Campbell participates in the CCHS 2024 Homecoming Pep Rally on Oct. 23. Campbell, CCHS’s head varsity football cheerleading coach and science department teacher, established her expectations of her cheerleaders when she started coaching during the 2022-23 season. “A lot of (the cheerleaders), I’ve taught them inside of the classroom or coached them in track and field, so they know what to expect from me,” Campbell said. Photo by Wyatt

Meyer

STORY AND LAYOUT BY COOPER JONES Sports Editor

STORY BY JANE RIPPS Managing Editor

LAYOUT BY WYATT MEYER Editor-in-Chief

The last thing Sophia Campbell wanted to be when she grew up was a teacher.

Teacher parents, teacher aunts, teacher grandmother – the profession ran in the family.

“My family is teachers, my entire family. I said from childhood (that) I would never (teach). I actually wanted to be a physical therapist,” Campbell said.

Growing up in Athens, Campbell attended Timothy Road Elementary School and Clarke Middle School. In 2000, she began as a student at Clarke Central High School, where she was a multi-sport athlete: running track, cheerleading and participating in step and dance teams.

“I was just a goofball. I was Class Clown of my class, Biggest Flirt and Most Athletic because I did cheer, dance team, step team (and) track and field. I was very busy,” Campbell said.

After graduating from CCHS in 2004, Campbell left Athens to study biology at Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia. In 2017, she returned to Athens with a plan to pursue her nursing degree at Athens Technical College.

However, it wasn’t until 2019 that Campbell did the unthinkable: she decided to give teaching a try.

“I wanted to come back home, kind of reset, rethink what I wanted to do with my life. I was actually (in the) Athens Tech nursing program and sitting in a sociology class (and) I was like, ‘I’ve always said I wanted to help people, and I’m realizing that maybe these kids really need more adults that actually care and think about their well being and their futures,’” Campbell said.

This motivation led her to a job fair for aspiring educators in March 2019 in CCHS’s Mell Lobby. Following the fair, Campbell was hired by CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff to begin teaching biology for the 2019-20 school year.

“(Working at CCHS) was my dream. I wanted to come here and work for Dr. Huff. Mr. (Reginald) Thomas was here at that time as a Freshman Academy principal, he was my track coach, and I wanted to come back and work here and coach track and field with him,” Campbell said.

Having been a student at CCHS, Campbell offers her own perspective on what it’s like to be a Gladiator. Within the classroom, Campbell’s sister Ashlea Carter, an Early Intervention Program teacher at David C. Barrow Elementary School, sees the personality and authenticity Campbell brings to students.

“She teaches in a way that students respond (to) and makes them want to learn because she builds those relationships with them and their parents,” Carter said. “When kids get a hard class, after just one conversation (with her), they want to do well because it’s Ms. Campbell.”

Outside of the walls of Room 349, Campbell continues to immerse herself in the sports she participated in while she was a student. As the CCHS head varsity football cheerleading coach and former CCHS head varsity track and field coach, Campbell’s authenticity is just as applicable on the sidelines on the track as it is in front of the whiteboard.

“Of course, we’ve all grown and matured even more, but she’s still a loving young individual who loves her kids. She loves what she does,” CCHS head varsity basketball cheerleading coach LaVerne Fortson said. “She has the passion to be a coach. She’s hands-on. She helps (her cheerleaders) through any situation that she can, any difficulties that they have.”

CCHS Class of 2023 alumna Na’Khia Jordan, a Georgia Gwinnett College sophomore, had Campbell as a biology teacher and track coach while at CCHS. According to Jordan, she visited Campbell’s room often whether for advice, help with plans for the future or a simple conversation.

“She’s a teacher, which I’m in school to be also, so she (is) one of the people who made me want to become a teacher, just because of the impact or influence that she (had) on me,” Jordan said.

Campbell began coaching varsity football cheerleading in the 2023-24 season and continues to build connections by relating to students like CCHS varsity football cheerleading co-captain Dominque Bradford, a senior.

“We love Coach Campbell. She’s a great teacher. She’s a great coach. We love the way she carries herself, the way she just cares about us,” Bradford said.

Although Campbell never thought she would become a teacher – she lacked the patience and wasn’t scared to say whatever came to mind – her experience as a former CCHS student gives her a unique perspective on her student’s lives

“Our students need to be able to see themselves in their educators and their coaches, not that I can deter them from making all kinds of mistakes in life, but I feel like a lot of the advice and support that I can give might fit in the smallest little way,” Campbell said.

Against all odds, Campbell has become the teacher she grew up rejecting. She is patient and eager to help her students grow, bringing an energy to the classroom that pays homage to both her family and connection at CCHS.

In her sixth year of teaching, Campbell hopes to not only teach cell structure and genetic coding, but also valuable lessons that will prepare her students, cheerleaders and mentees for their time beyond high school.

“(Teachers are) not raising kids. We’re not taking the responsibility away from parents, but we do have a lot of influence,” Campbell said. “We are more than just educators teaching content. We teach life. O

Featured: CENTRAL ROUTING: Clarke Central High School Class of 2004 Alumna Sophia Campbell (second from left) poses alongside other seniors for superlative photos in the Gladius Yearbook. Campbell received three senior superlatives in her senior year: Class Clown, Biggest Flirt and Most Athletic. “I guess you could say I was a cool kid. I say I was like this ugly duckling, so I had to be funny. felt like I was not the cutest thing, (so) I was just a goofball,” Campbell said. Photo courtesy of the Gladius Yearbook

5things to know about Boxing

By Karl weinmeister, as told to cooper jones

1.train your brain

There’s focus mitts, and that helps a lot with hand eye-coordination. It’s good for the brain. There’s boot camp, which is pretty much conditioning. That’s a lot of just getting your body in the condition to throw the proper punches. Then there’s contact, and that’s closer to your sparring, and it’s a really important part of boxing that helps hone your reflexes and get you ready for the actual ring.

2.not-so-rocky relations

It does just provide a community outside of school. It’s a group of people who you can go to, maybe aren’t all from the area that you grew up in, that maybe are further along in their lives. You just get the opportunity to meet so many people that you wouldn’t meet otherwise, if you were on a school team.

3.Gentle giants

If you watch a lot of the biggest boxers on the scene, you picture these guys being mean or childish to some degree, but that’s really never the case. Being a boxer doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily more inclined to violence than anyone else.

4.Lighten up

Not everyone who goes into boxing has to go into boxing as a career, just in the same way you can play basketball or football or soccer or any other sport as a hobby. You can box as a hobby, and not necessarily commit yourself to a career where you could risk brain injury or something dangerous.

5.RUNS are an open door

My biggest advice (for new boxers) is don’t be shy. Don’t be worried that you won’t be accepted just because you’re not fit for the ring right away. Feel free to go. You’re gonna have a great time, even if it doesn’t work out for you.

Star Players Star Players

PATRICK COVERDILL

PATRICK COVERDILL

Grade:9 GPA:4.00

Game day ritual:We have a team dinner after (our meets).

Role Model:My favorite coach would be Jonathan Foggin.I’ve had him for three years, and he’s really inspired me to change and grow as a person.

Years of experience:2

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 written for each issue by the Sports Staff based on interviews with players and coaches.

Favorite memory:Winning two events at a state championship two years ago.Georgia age group, (at) state I won the 500 and 1000 (meter) freestyle.

What coaches say:(Patrick adds) that competitive spirit, work ethic, but also just versatility. He can swim a lot of different events, and he does them well. I look forward to seeing him in more meets now that he’s in ninth grade and putting him in different events to see how he does, but he’s very versatile.There isn’t a stroke he can’t do.

Head varsity swim and dive coach Emily Hulse

Grade:10 GPA:4.00

Game day ritual:We speak positively. My coach always says we’ve got to strive for excellence, so that’s what we keep in our minds and just have fun.

Role Model:I look up to my mom. She has always been there for me and she tells me that I can do whatever I put my mind to, so I just keep saying that in my head. I know I can do whatever.

Years of experience:3

Favorite memory:Basketball season is my favorite. We had solo cheers at Cedar Shoals, and we all got to do a solo cheer, and everybody on the team was incorporated. It was really fun.

What coaches say: Kayla is a natural-born leader. She just lights up the room when she comes in, brings spirit and strength to our cheerleading squad, and lifts her cheer (teammates) up just because of who she is and her personality.

Assistant varsity basketball cheerleading coach Tonia Jones

Photo byWyatt Meyer

Photo by Ma’KiyahThrasher

KAYLA WALKER