ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Volume 21, Issue 4

CCHS drama club member La’Kyla Jones, a senior, has the power to transform into every character she plays.

Clarke County School District schools do not provide Gifted Education Services to a representative sample of the CCSD student body.

BY STAFF

Following the death of Augusta University student Laken Riley in Athens, the call for education surrounding women’s safety has risen in the Athens community and at CCHS.

BY JANIE RIPPS

CCHS introduced new Advanced Placement classes during course registration for the 2024-25 school year that may be on students’ schedules next year.

BY SAMAYA ELLIS

Featured: OLIVE: Clarke Central High School Drama club member La’Kyla Jones, a senior, plays spelling bee contestant Olive during a rehearsal of the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” on April 30 in the E.B. Mell Auditorium. Jones has performed in five CCHS drama productions, which has helped her gain empathy that she brings to her own life. “You have to understand people’s feelings towards certain situations (to portray them),” Jones said. “You’re like, ‘Oh, people in real life do feel like this,’ and then you kind of understand people in your own life.”

After trying cold treats around Athens, ODYSSEY staffers conclude that Essential Bowls and Pelican’s SnoBalls are the best options to cool down in the summer heat.

BY JANIE RIPPS AND MAGGIE MONK

Clarke Central High School sophomore Josephine Thrasher dances at Dancefx, located at 396 Foundry St., on Jan. 30. Through her experience with dance, Thrasher found hip-hop to be the style that worked best for her. “I started really enjoying hip-hop when was 10 years old. In hip-hop, (I) have a style more comfortable to me and I feel like it’s something that my body can do,” Thrasher said. Photo by Aza Khan

Eighth graders from feeder middle schools have the chance to play for CCHS junior varsity sports teams.

BY LIYA TAYLOR

B.

Road Elementary School in the elementary school soccer quarterfinal at Holland Youth Sports Complex on April 15. For Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School head soccer coach Jonathon Wallace, the elementary school sports leagues have provided more than just athletic opportunities. “It really gives (student participation a chance to start developing and fostering their school spirit, appreciation for their classmates and what it means to support one another and grow through diversity with one another,” Wallace said.

Cover photo by Aza Khan

Featured: SOCCER YOUNGSTERS: Howard

Stroud Elementary School plays Timothy

Photo by Aza Khan

Featured: HIP-HOP HOORAY:

Photo by Aza Khan

Cover design by Wyatt Meyer

RECOGNIZING CHANGE

CHASING PLOOPY

The Dr. Miller Jordan Jr. Memorial Scholarship recognizes a student who grew from freshman to senior year, and varsity football and basketball player Jamarion Davis is the 2024 recipient.

BY MAYA CLEMENT

Lead Copy Editor Wyatt Meyer journeys to understand Bethel High School junior Josh Heyel – or, as you may know him, ‘Ploopy.’

BY WYATT MEYER

GAME COVERAGE: CCHS VS. LSHS

In the first round of Georgia High School Association AAAAA state playoffs, the CCHS boys varsity soccer team dominated Lithia Springs High School 5-0.

BY ANGEL TEJADA

REVIEW: “BABY REINDEER”

“Baby Reindeer,” released April 11 on Netflix, follows the intense story of trauma based on real-life events.

BY IZZY DUNCAN

Odyssey

The ODYSSEY is a studentproduced 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: Molly Harwell

Digital Editor-in-Chief: Anna Shaikun

Managing Editor: Maya Clement

Lead Copy Editor: Wyatt Meyer

Viewpoints Editor: Peter Atchley

News Editor: Isabella Westrich

Variety Editor: Janie Ripps

Sports Editor: Cadence Schapker

Photography Editor: Aza Khan

Beat Editor: Cooper Jones

Business Manager: Audrey St. Onge

Social Media Coordinator: Isabelle Duncan

Webmaster: Luke Shannon

Staff Members: Violet Cantarella

Daniel Cruz

Jesse Dantzler

Samaya Ellis

Adah Hamman

Sam Harwell

Merren Hines

Abigail Holloway Amya Hopkins

Angel Jara

Maggie Monk

Liya Taylor

Angel Tejada

Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

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

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

>> VIEWPOINTS

ABSENT PERIOD PRODUCTS // Amya Hopkins

Although I don’t have a personal need for period products, I was drawn to Amya’s story on the absence of them at Clarke Central because I’ve heard about how big of a problem this is. Even though there are period product stations on each floor, many students do not have proper access to them, which can cause students to feel humiliated or embarrassed when attaining items since they are not exactly placed in private areas. Amya does a great job of highlighting this issue and providing solutions to the problem in her editorial, and I found the outside input from a custodian and teacher very insightful and considerate.

-- Miles Lawrence, CCHS junior

Corrections/Omissions Feb./March 2024

The ODYSSEY is aware that some copies of Volume 21, Issue III, were defective due to printing errors. Anyone who has received a defective copy may pick up another one in Room 231 or email business@odysseynewsmagazine.net to receive another copy at no additional cost.

Page 10, in Actually Atchley, in the beginning, the Student School Climates Committee’s role in the recycling program is misrepresented. The story states that the SSCC created the program, when in reality, the SSCC introduced the idea to CCHS Family Engagement Specialist Christian Barner, who then pitched the idea to the Ecology Club.

Page 10, in Actually Atchley, in the title, “Actchley” should be replaced with “Atchley”

Page 10, in Actually Atchley, “Grandados” should be replaced with “Granados”

Page 16, in Black History Month: Celebrating Excellence, under “Fannie Smith”, “NAACP” should be replaced with “(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)”

Page 18, in Kids Are the Now, in the deck, “2023” should be “2022”

Page 21, in Believing Student Voice, in the first quote, there should be an apostrophe after “in,”

Page 22, in Cooking Up a Storm, in the second quote, “hard pressed” should be hyphenated

Page 24, in The Shack is Back, “administrative suite” should be capitalized

Page 24, in The Shack is Back, in the last quote, “Ground Zero” should not be capitalized

Page 27, in Judge Janie, in the pull quote, “Student’s” should be replaced with “Students’”

Page 29, in Quest for Athens’ Best: Late-night Snackdown, in the second caption, the second “with” in the second sentence should be omitted

Page 44, in Playing for Pops, in the pull quote, there should be a space between “school.” and “He”

Page 53, in The Impossible Dream, “ad” should be replaced with “and”

In honor of Black History Month, our Feb./March 2024 issue featured a series of spotlights on prominent Black community members in Athens.

>> NEWS

For one, I really enjoy cooking and I have been very interested in this class, so reading about it gave me a better idea of what to expect or see when you are in the class.

Two, the article really delves into the students and staff’s perspective of how this program works and how the people work together during it.

>> VARIETY

AS DIVA DOES // Maggie Monk

I found this article to be not only informational but also enjoyable. I’ve always been interested in different types of business or organizations in Athens, so reading this article was very enjoyable for me. I found this article to be inspiring and it was a good reminder to stay positive and to always try and better myself.

” ”

I really appreciate how this story speaks to such a large demographic at our school. It makes reading the news and staying up-to-date engaging and relevant to them. For me, it was a great way to learn about the different influential people within the Athens/CCSD community.

-- Erin Kuny, CCHS English department teacher on “Black History Month: Celebrating Excellence” by Anna Shaikun and Journalism I students

-- Elizabeth McArthur, CCHS freshman

THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM // Wyatt Meyer

Prior to reading this, I knew nothing of Percy Eberhart. Despite this, I was touched by his inspiring story and the legacy he left behind. The story really created a connection towards me as a reader due to his early life in Athens. His tragic passing, which is also acknowledged by the story, is not left in a bittersweet regard but instead is embodied as a symbol of inspiration and hope for basketball. Overall, this captivating story gives the Athens legend Percy Eberhart his much-deserved spotlight and respect.

-- Luci Prelipceanu, CCHS junior

Contact ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

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.

-- Will Ridley, CCHS sophomore

COOKING UP A STORM // Isabella Westrich

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief

Molly Harwell writes a letter to the Class of 2024 thanking classmates for their persistence throughout their high school careers.

BY MOLLY HARWELL Editor-in-Chief

Dear Class of 2024,

Well, here we are.

To say that it’s been an topsyturvy high school journey for us would be an understatement.

We’ve done it all, starting with freshman year on Zoom – eager to get back in the building –and ending with senior year – each of us with probably way too many absences and a higher daily caffeine intake than normal.

We began our high school careers the same way our middle school ones ended: over a computer, trying not to fall asleep while our teacher was sharing their screen – the last generation of Zoom kids.

When some of us were able to come back for the last few months of school in 2021, we struggled to fit into the Clarke Central High School community.

while trying to allow us grace, we were allowed to turn in work months late… often in bad shape.

As a class, we struggled to build up our work ethic again, creating bad habits that have stayed with us to this day.

Aside from the global pandemic, we watched as political turmoil surrounding the 2020 presidential election and race-related division stemming from the killing of George Floyd and countless others engulfed our country.

We watched as nightly news channels became more and more flooded with images of death, violence and fear.

We watched as the world around us seemed to burn.

To the Class of 2024: whether you’ll miss CCHS or not, take some time to reflect on how far you’ve come.

We folded ourselves into hallway corners to eat lunch, got lost trying to find our classes and tried not to get hit by a senior’s car in the student parking lot.

After my first day back in-person, I vividly remember telling my mom how excited I was to go back the next day. Even though I wasn’t quite sure where I fit in yet, I already felt at home at CCHS.

Despite the community building, the pandemic left lasting, irreparable effects on our academic success as a generation. Exceptions were changed for us and

But many of us took action –protesting and pushing for change, like at the Athens Black Lives Matter protests in early 2020. In the face of adversity, I admire our commitment to doing what we felt was right.

And somehow, we made it through.

We started eating in the cafeteria, learned how to navigate the winding hallways of CCHS and are now the ones narrowly avoiding hitting freshmen in the student parking lot ourselves.

We started showing up to football games and school dances. We formed clubs and joined sports teams. We created art, performed music and cultivated our communities.

In our own ways, we made our high school experience our own, whatever that may have looked like.

So, to the Class of 2024: take some time to reflect on how far you’ve come. Pat yourself on the back for making it to this point. You all deserve it.

Whether we’re close friends or we’ve never spoken a word to each other, know that I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know.

Left: LOOKING BACK: An illustration depicts senior and Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell in her graduation cap and gown, looking back down a hallway at the different versions of herself throughout her high school career. Despite the difficulties of beginning high school during a tumultuous period of time in the world, Harwell believed the Class of 2024 made the best of their high school years. “In our own ways, we made our high school experience our own, whatever that may have looked like,” Harwell wrote. “So, to the Class of 2024: whether you’ll miss CCHS or not, take some time to reflect on how far you’ve come. Pat yourself on the back for making it to this point.” Illustration by Sam Harwell

BOILING POINT

Managing Editor Maya Clement discusses the importance of having a place to feel free.

BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

I’ve always been someone whose mind races.

I constantly have thoughts in my head or am figuring out what task to do next, rarely giving myself a moment to relax. When I’m sitting in my math class, I’m not just focused on the content of the lesson, but on my three other classes, walking my dog, some test I have in three days, what birthday present I’m getting for my friend and so much more.

Having my brain always running can be exhausting, especially with the many stressors in my life like school work, household duties and college preparation.

However, there is one place where my mind is silent. Where I am the most comfortable. Where I let go of my worries. Where I feel free.

This place is Canopy Studio.

This led me to take more classes, improve my abilities and further my connection with Canopy. In August of 2022, I started taking a silks class and in August of 2023, I started taking two trapeze classes a week instead of one. The more time I spent at Canopy, the more love I gained for the place.

Eventually, in June of 2023, I started teaching trapeze to kids of all ages, allowing me to share my favorite place with others. Every week, I get to see each of my students trust themselves more and find their place in the room.

But, it’s not just what I get to do that makes me love Canopy. It’s the community of people, the growing passion, the mental freedom and so much more. To me, Canopy is more than a sport or hobby.

Canopy is my place. The one I can rely on. The one I can be myself at. The one where I’m happiest. The one I want to spend all my time at. The one I love no matter what.

Canopy is my place. The one I can rely on. The one I can be myself at. The one where I’m happiest.

For the past three years, I have taken trapeze and silks classes at Canopy, an aerial dance studio in Athens. In August of 2021, I started out taking one trapeze class a week, feeling shy and out-of-place among the other people who had been taking classes for years.

However, even at the beginning, I felt a sense of belonging. While balancing on an ever-moving bar feet off the ground would be nerve-wracking for most, I felt at home. Instead of fear, I felt confident and empowered. Even with the most basic tricks, I felt a rush of joy getting to learn something new.

I believe that everybody needs a place. A place where they feel comfortable. A place where they feel safe. A place that is always there for them.

It doesn’t matter where the location is, but everybody needs a place where they can relax and be themselves. For some, this place might be their bedroom or even outside. For others, it might be a classroom or club.

With only a few months left at Canopy before I move hundreds of miles away to Tufts University in Boston, I know that I will not just carry these memories forever, but I'll remember the importance of having a place to be myself. I’m sad to leave Canopy behind, but I know it will always be there when I need it the most, and I look forward to discovering my next place.

Above: HANGING OUT: Managing Editor Maya Clement does a split under a trapeze bar. Clement discussed her experience with Canopy Studio, an aerial dance studio in Athens, and the importance of always having a place to feel free. “Canopy is my place. The one I can rely on. The one I can be myself at. The one where I’m happiest. The one I want to spend all my time at. The one I love no matter what,” Clement wrote. “I believe that everybody needs a place. A place where they feel comfortable. A place where they feel safe. A place that is always there for them.” Illustration by Sam Harwell

FRESH

VOICE

Journalism I student Isabella Gresham shares her experience of being bicultural and the difficulties she has faced.

Iwas born and raised in Athens by my American dad and mom from Barranquilla, Colombia. I've grown up around my American family, which has made it difficult to feel close to my Colombian culture.

This is because assumptions are made every day based on how I look. These assumptions are largely incorrect, especially when I look different than my actual ethnicity. I am a white-presenting person, but I am still half-Colombian.

The assumptions made about me because I look “whiter” than most Hispanics make it extremely difficult to embrace the Colombian part of me.

Until eigthth grade, I went to a small private Catholic school where each grade consisted of 12-18 kids, who were almost all white. This prompted me to ask the question, “Why am I the only mixed-Hispanic kid in my grade?”

This inability to relate to those around me made me feel like a fish out of water. I felt forced to choose between my Colombian or American side when I didn’t feel particularly close to either.

This isn’t just the case for me. According to the United States Census Bureau, “Between 2010 and 2020, the number of people of Hispanic or Latino origin reporting more than one race increased 567% from 3 million (6.0%) to 20.3 million (32.7%).” The number of Hispanic-mixed people in the US increases yearly, but kids are still left feeling alone and unsure in their identity.

Since entering high school, I have tried connecting to my culture through my family and the more diverse environment at Clarke Central High School. With my Colombian family, I have worked on my Spanish and helped my mom create typical Colombian dishes, like arepas. At CCHS, I have met many more Hispanic and Hispanic-mixed students whom I can relate to on a cultural level.

Bicultural students may never feel the same as individuals identifying as one race, but both cultures matter. I am confident that the Colombian side of me is important, unique and most importantly: there.

Question of the month

What is your dream summer vacation?

"Italy, because I've seen pictures and stuff and it looks really pretty nice and fun to go to. (And) I love Italian foods.”

-- ANNA GOSSETT, CCHS freshman

"I would love to go back to Europe. I used to live overseas, so I would love to go back to northern Italy to see my friends and hang out”

-- ISABEL CHASTAIN, CCHS junior

“My dream vacation goes around the Caribbean Sea. Different islands at the right time of the year, so the weather and the food and the cultures are just perfect.”

-- MATTHEW SHUMAN, CCHS science department teacher

“My dream vacation was the place with the waterfalls, Bora Bora. It just seems cool (with) good vibes all around. (I) like the nature aspect of it.”

-- AJ LONON, CCHS sophomore

"Anywhere with a beach, water, peace and quiet. (I’m) very much a water person and I love the beach and collecting seashells, so anywhere I can walk along the beach is where I want to be.”

-- AZARYAH CORNISH, CCHS senior

Above: APPEARANCE ASSUMPTIONS: An illustration shows Journalism I student Isabella Gresham conflicted between a group of white students and a group of Hispanic students. As a bicultural individual, Gresham has struggled to fit in. “Assumptions are made every day based on how I look. These assumptions are largely incorrect, especially when I look different than my actual ethnicity,” Gresham wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

THUMBS

The ODYSSEY staff’s opinions on this month’s

MIDDLE SCHOOL MATCHES

Eighth graders from feeder middle schools have taken over some CCHS JV sports teams and are making a big splash. It sounds like a dream, but transportation is no easy feat.

ANYBODY ANYDAY

When CCHS drama club member La’Kayla Jones, a senior, takes the stage, she could be anyone: a street urchin, a British ghost or an eccentric theater director.

HIT THE DANCEFLOOR

What brings together the members of a tight-knit, uniformed community and the bright lights and flair of another? The answer: dance.

LEAGUES SO LITTLE

Tiny tykes have taken to the fields! Have you ever seen a 4’11 linebacker? How about a 4’7 shooting guard? Well now you can, thanks to the CCSD elementary school sports leagues.

issues.

NEVER-ENDING NIGHTMARE

In the backyard of CCHS, the death of Augusta University student Laken Riley shows just how far society has to go to make women actually safe.

FIXING THE SYSTEM

Gifted Education Services in the CCSD are supposed to extend opportunities for students identified as gifted, but some groups of students are woefully underrepresented.

MONEY OR MADNESS?

Name, image, and likeness can divide opinion like nothing else, but with the GHSA’s decision to allow NIL deals for high school athletes, the cat is well and truly out of the bag.

ABUSE IN THE HOME

For most people, the sight of their own house means that they’re safe, but for others, home can mean anything but safety.

Angel Jara YOUR DINO DON’T LOSE

News StafferAngel Jara discusses the significance of the movie “Step Brothers” and what it means to him as he prepares to enter the adult world.

“Don’t lose your dinosaur.”

These are the words spoken by Dr. Robert Doback (Richard Jenkins) to his son Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) in the movie “Step Brothers.” The 2008 slapstick comedy is about two immature men, Dale and Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell), who still live with their single parents and are forced to form a bond after becoming stepbrothers.

In the film, Dale grows up to be a more mature adult, and while his father is proud of him, Robert misses the childlike and quirky side of Dale’s younger personality. In an attempt to sway him back to his original self, Robert shares his childhood dream of wanting to be a dinosaur with his son.

To many, myself included, this just seemed like a cheesy scene from a comedy that was released almost 20 years ago.

However, as I near the end of my high school career and prepare to enter the adult world, I think back more to what the line meant. Its ethos rings true to the point that it has become a daily mantra.

To me, never losing your dinosaur means never losing the ambition and unwavering faith that one may have in their dreams or passions, even if it means being judged by others.

Just think of how many kids were fascinated with skateboarding or sharks but gave up pursuing those passions because they were deemed “childish.”

What’s stopping these kids from designing skateboards or becoming marine biologists?

As we grow older, society begins to drive our dinosaurs to extinction because they may not fit into the monotony of adult life and the norms of civilization. Because of this, pursuing our dinosaurs isn’t the easiest thing to do.

I once had a dream of talking to every person on earth – all 8 billion people. While I don’t think I’ll be doing that any time soon, that illogical, silly dream I once had manifested itself into a desire to create things that connect with people – hopefully, this piece is one of them.

As I graduate and enter the so-called real world, I haven’t lost my dinosaur — don’t lose yours.

Above: DINO-SIZED DREAMS: An illustration shows News Staffer Angel Jara making peace with his dinosaur rather than letting it go extinct. After watching the 2008 comedy “Step Brothers,” Jara was inspired to take up a new philosophy in life. “To me, never losing your dinosaur means never losing the ambition and unwavering faith that one may have in their dreams or passions, even if it means being judged by others,” Jara wrote.

Illustration by Sam Harwell

ACTUALLY ATCHLEY

Viewpoints Editor Peter

Atchley talks about how he questioned Christianty from a young age and struggled to build his own relationship with religion.

BY PETER ATCHLEY Viewpoints Editor

Ireceived a lot of love from the Oconee Presbyterian Church growing up.

Most people knew my name because of my older siblings and parents. They would greet me, entertain me and once even baked my family a casserole when I was having surgery.

However, even with all of the love from the church, I felt pressured to be silently religious.

For as long as I can remember, it was hard to argue or question why my family was at church; I just knew I had to wear nice clothes on Sunday mornings and again in the evening for youth groups.

At 8 years old, I would sit in my car on the way to church thinking to myself, ‘Does God exist? Is he made up?’ I was confused and felt like I couldn't ask anyone. I was surrounded by family members, adults and peers who bought into everything I was questioning.

people think you reject Christianity. It’s hard to grow up religious with these conflicting stereotypes in your everyday life, especially as a teenager.

At 14, I was put into a confirmation class at my church, where I began working towards confirming the promises that my parents made for me at baptism. Confirmation is the means of moving from the children’s congrgation to the adults’ via discussions with adults that serve as mentors in the church. While my mentors were great, I still felt unsure. I had a hard time answering their questions, but I put on a holy persona and got through it.

The class culminated with me having to read a written declaration of my faith on a Zoom call with a few church elders several weeks later. It all felt like lying. I thought they would see right through me and reject me, but after they deliberated, I was in.

As I grew up, it was hard to feel like I could be my own person without this Christian weight on my shoulders.

As I grew up, it was hard to feel like I could be my own person without this Christian weight on my shoulders.

When I was 11, I came out as Queer to my parents and later my family, and while my church had nothing against this, the world seemed to.

Being Christian comes with as many political connotations as being Queer does. As I see it, Christianity is associated with the Republican party and a conservative mindset, while being any part of the LGBTQ+ community makes

Even then, it really didn't feel right. I still had this question if God was even real or not, I couldn’t talk to anyone.

I was baptized because I was a son of a Christian family, but I still have negative feelings towards religion and unanswered questions. What I do know: I refuse to be quiet anymore. I want to build my own relationship with religion and stop feeling like my questions will never be answered.

However, with the expansion of my social circles in seventh and eighth grade, I was able to expose myself to different viewpoints.

Though I may never fully come to terms with my family's religion, I now have my own relationship with religion that feels right for me, and only me.

Above: CHRISTIAN WEIGHT: Viewpoints Editor Peter Atchley sits in church during a sermon. Atchley spent a long time feeling unable to question religion and struggled with religious pressure as he grew up. “At eight years old, I would sit in my car on the way to church thinking to myself, ‘Does God exist? Is he made up?’ I was confused and felt like I couldn’t ask anyone,” Atchley wrote. “I was surrounded by Christian family members, adults and peers who bought into everything I was questioning.” Illustration by Sam Harwell

BREAK THE CYCLE

The Athens community has some access to domestic violence services, but at CCHS, the preventative education surrounding the issue must match the reactive support.

BY AMYA HOPKINS Viewpoints Staffer

Nearly three in 10 women and one in 10 men in the US have experienced physical violence or stalking by a partner, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Domestic violence, defined by the United States Department of Justice as “a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner,” continues to be a problem today. Nationally, there are upward trends in intimate partner violence, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which is responsible for measuring crime within the United States.

Despite this uptick, 27 counties in Georgia have no access to domestic violence services, and another 26 counties have very limited access, according to the SAFE Shelter Center for Domestic Violence Service in Savannah, Georgia.

Project Safe, a domestic violence support organization based in Athens, works to educate young people on warning signs and provides resources to those who may be experiencing domestic abuse. According to their 2022 Annual Report, Project Safe served 616 survivors through their outreach office, 113 survivors in emergency shelters, and placed 30 survivors in long-term housing – all crucial services for those in need.

These services provided by Project Safe are a laudable and tangible step to mitigating the effects of violent situations. However, when it comes to education, Clarke Central High School is not doing enough to incorporate education surrounding domestic violence situations into its Family Life and Sexual Health (FLASH) curriculum surrounding sex education.

Georgians – including those in Athens-Clarke County – need access to domestic violence services and education surrounding the issue.

There’s a tragic relationship between these lack of resources and a loss of life – as recently as 2018, SAFE reports that 97 Georgians lost their lives to domestic violence.

Domestic violence is a prevalent and relevant issue today, so Georgians –including those in Athens-Clarke County – need access to domestic violence services and education surrounding the issue. Fortunately, citizens in Athens are lucky to have access to the former.

Instead, for the last three years, Project Safe Youth Educator and Advocate Aysha Joyner has been educating students in CCHS’ Women’s Literature class on how to identify violent situations.

“I think it’s important for y’all to have basic education (about) the signs of teen dating violence like the warning signs of an abuser,” Joyner said. “Warning signs of abusers can be things like if they have a history of violence, things like possessiveness.”

Senior Kelbi Phillips, who took Women’s Literature, says the education she received from Joyner encouraged her peers to question some of their ideas about their relationships.

“There were so many girls (in the Women’s Literature class) that didn’t even realize that (the behaviors their partner exhibited) was love bombing or was emotional manipulation,” Phillips said. “So many girls sat there and dissected previous situations or even their current situation (and) they were like, ‘Dang, I didn’t even know that this was a bad thing.’”

Though it’s obviously commendable that Joyner and Project Safe, who gave 53 youthfocused presentations in 2022, are educating students, CCHS needs to match that initiative for all students. If the students in Women’s Literature hadn’t received that education, as most of the student body does not, those students might not have been able to recognize warning signs until it was too late.

Compared to the rest of Georgia, Athenians have access to some domestic violence services. But, to truly take a step towards ending abusive relationships, the CCHS FLASH curriculum must have more extensive domestic violence education built into it – otherwise, students remain at a higher risk.

Above: CLOSED IN: A young woman pleads with the ominous figure that shadows her to stop approaching her. Clarke Central High School students have had a limited education regarding the dating violence that continues to rise in America. “To truly take a step towards ending abusive relationships, the CCHS (Family Life and Sexual Health) curriculum must have more extensive domestic violence education built into it – otherwise, students remain at a higher risk,” Viewpoints Staffer Amya Hopkins wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

OUR TAKE

Clarke County School District schools do not provide Gifted Education Services to a representative sample of the student body.

2,171.

That’s the number of students who are gifted-identified in the Clarke County School District according to the April 19 CCSD Demographics Analysis Dashboard. That’s the number of students who receive differentiated, more rigorous instruction in Gifted Education models like Advanced Placement or advanced classes.

Unfortunately, that same number of gifted-identified students is wildly unrepresentative of the district’s holistic population.

According to April 19 data on the dashboard, of the 2,171 gifted-identified students in the CCSD, 1,171 are white. Of the 10,402 non-gifted-identified students in the CCSD, just 1,507 are white. That means, in the CCSD, more than two in every five (43.7%) white students are gifted-identified.

For Hispanic students: 385 giftedidentified students to 3,478 non-giftedidentified students – just over one in 10 students (11.1%).

For Black students: 438 giftedidentified students to 5,356 non-gifted identified students. Not even one in 10 students (7.6%).

district’s Gifted Education Services.

To make that a reality, CCSD leaders need to prioritize the identification of minority students by whatever means necessary – even drastic measures.

One such measure is to change the criteria that students are required to meet to become gifted-identified. Currently, the Georgia Department of Education requires students to obtain a qualifying score in three out of four areas – mental ability, achievement, motivation, and creativity – or exceptionally high in mental ability and achievement to be identified.

Nationally normed-assessments to measure students in most areas –however, Dr. Tarek Grantham, an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology with the University of Georgia’s Gifted and Creative Program, advocates for waiving these requirements in favor of local norms, which are created by individual districts to identify gifted students. These could exist as district-created assessments or different qualifying scores on present exams.

CCSD leaders need to prioritize the identification of minority students by whatever means necessary.

In a majority-minority school district, where Black and Hispanic students outnumber white students by a ratio of far more than 3:1, it is appalling that Black and Hispanic students are so dramatically underrepresented in the giftedidentified population.

The numbers tell the story, but individual students live it.

“Socially, (being gifted-identified), definitely affected (me) when (I was) separated from that group, especially as a minority individual,” junior Kevin Capcha, who is Hispanic, said. “I feel like (the disparity is) still persistent even at the high school level (in) AP courses.”

Minority students in the CCSD must be represented more equitably in the

“The (gifted education) field has not only embraced but encouraged local norms. (They) give educators, especially those who are equity-minded, (who are) proactive and not bystanders, options and ways in which to look at how they can set goals,” Grantham said.

The CCSD certainly isn’t solely responsible for the demographics of its gifted program – historical inequities in education and resources are barriers stretching far beyond Athens.

While these circumstances should certainly be acknowledged, they shouldn’t be an excuse not to change. As former U.S. President Barack Obama said, “It’s not enough to just change the players. We’ve gotta change the game.”

The CCSD has a major problem with its gifted-identified players. To change those players, district leaders might just have to change the whole game.

The unchanged narrative

Following the death of Augusta University student Laken Riley in Athens, the call for education surrounding women’s safety has risen in the Athens community and at CCHS.

JANE RIPPS

On Feb. 22, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old student at Augusta University, was attacked and killed while running at the University of Georgia Intramural Fields.

According to the University of Georgia Police Department, Riley was running in broad daylight with her phone. Her roommate knew she was on a run.

“At this time, the investigation suggests that they had no relationship. He did not know her at all. I think this was a crime of opportunity,” UGA Police Department Chief Jeffrey Clark said at a news briefing on Feb. 23.

in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

In the United States, an online survey distributed by nonprofit organization Stop Street Harassment in 2018 reported that 81% of women have experienced a form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.

Harassment can include, but isn’t limited to, “unwanted whistling, leering, sexist, homophobic or transphobic slurs, following, flashing, sexual assault, and rape,” SSH states on their website.

Growing up in the Athens community, CCHS sophomore Zaara Bhuiyan is one female student who has experienced acts of sexual harassment, including cat calling, in Athens at CCHS.

“We educate women about how to not be attacked, but we don’t educate men on mental health and how to not grow up to be attackers.”

-- Grace Crumpton, CCHS English Department teacher

“Im

scared to...

Riley’s reality is a fear many women carry with them. An international survey conducted by athletic apparel brand Adidas from Dec. 2022 to Jan. 2023 found that nine out of every 10 women are concerned for their safety while running and 51% are afraid of being physically attacked during a run.

The survey gathered responses from an equal number of men and women ages 16 to 32, and while 62% of men recognize these safety concerns, only 18% feel they have a responsibility to help women feel safer.

In a larger context, according to a study conducted by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security in 2020, 46% of women feel unsafe in their daily life because of their gender.

For UGA freshman and Clarke Central High School class of 2023 alumna Sarah Posey, the devastation following Riley’s death is a reminder of the danger women face daily.

“I’m not even a woman who goes running, but being independent on (UGA) campus is dangerous,” Posey said. “You could do everything right. You could send people locations, you can tell people how long they’re going to be gone for and still have something like that happen to you purely because you are a victim of circumstance and you’re

“I’ve seen as I’ve gotten older, a lot of places I go, no matter what I’m wearing or what I’m doing, a lot of people will come up to me and say weird things,” CCHS sophomore Zaara Bhuiyan said. “(At CCHS) boys (will say), ‘I just think you’re so beautiful,’ and they’ll follow me down the hall.”

Forms of more extreme harassment, such as rape, are present in the Athens community. According to Athens-Clarke County public records, there were 17 rape allegations in the Athens area in the year of 2023.

“Unfortunately, we live in a society where there are evil people that want to do harm to people (and) women become victims more than anyone,” Jerry Saulters, ACC Police Department Chief of Police, said. “They have been targeted for years and nothing has changed in our society as far as that goes.”

In light of Riley’s death, CCHS English department teacher Grace Crumpton has noticed many female students at CCHS on edge and worried for their safety. As an educator, Crumpton believes that the first step towards addressing these events is reframing the issue so all the responsibility to stay safe doesn’t fall on those targeted.

“We educate women about how to not be

...go shopping and go downtown alone.”

about this?’ I think some of it is that we tend to stigmatize

and

do about

and how

...

Left: CHANGING THE NARRATIVE: Female students at Clarke Central High School pose in the CCHS breezeway April 15. On Feb. 22, Augusta University student Laken Riley was attacked and killed on University of Georgia campus, an extreme result of the gender divides Elise Robinson, the UGA Institute for Women’s Studies Public Relations and Program Coordinator, believes needs to be discussed. “I hope women and men (students say) ‘This violent act happened in our town. Can we take an all inclusive school discussion

sexuality so much,” Robinson said. “We (need to) share our stories and talk about violence against women

what to

it

people feel about it.” Photo by Isabelle Duncan

STORY AND LAYOUT BY

Variety Editor

- Nora Schindler, sophomore

Get into my car at night.”

- Nora murthy, junior

run with airpods in.”

- sadie eubanks, senior

Speak out about things that bother me.”

- ellie Reyes, freshman

attacked, but we don’t educate men about mental health and how to not grow up to be an attacker and to look out for women in their lives. I don’t think our young men are taught that enough,” Crumpton said.

Like Crumpton, Bhuiyan feels that more than can be done at CCHS to support young females in the community.

“(CCHS) has had talks with us (as) women (to) ‘cover up your body, don’t wear stuff like that’ and basically making it seem like it’s all the woman’s fault for being a woman, having woman body parts,” Bhuiyan said. “What they need to do is teach everyone what respect is, what ‘no’ means and what boundaries are.”

According to CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff, CCHS uses the Clarke County School District Code of Conduct to address issues including harassment and abuse as a reactionary measure. To educate students, Huff says Advisement – which has included lessons on student behavior – reinforce appropriate student conduct.

“The problem is so deeply embedded in the way that our culture is built, and it’s going to be consistent until we get to a point where society is more equitable in terms of gender.”

-- Elise Robinson,

University of Georgia Institute for Women’s Studies

Public Relations and Program Coordinator

“Depending on the nature of the violation, then we solicit support from the (CCSD) District Office, but I think Advisement carries the expectations that should be established at home with parents. Those are the factors that I feel like really impact whether or not a student comes to school and makes good choices,” Huff said.

Among these tough conversations, the news of Riley’s death wasn’t officially acknowledged in the classroom setting, as noted by CCHS junior Sam Kiefer. As a male, Kiefer has noticed the lasting effects of Riley’s death in his running community with members of the CCHS cross country team.

“The male and female experience differs because a few weeks ago (I) went on a run in the IM fields (with) a lot of the guys from the (CCHS) cross country team,” Kiefer said. “We were shirtless, we were playing music, we were having fun. We were just running through the woods and I don’t know of a girl on the cross country team that’s gone back or wanted to go back to the IM fields since. There were still flowers for (Riley). It’s fresh.”

Not officially acknowledging Riley’s death is one reason Kiefer feels that CCHS needs to begin opening up the conversation of women’s safety.

“I feel like a lot of kids just don’t know (about what women experience), because for every son getting a lesson on, ‘Here’s how to do things right,’ There’s a mother giving her daughter a lesson on ‘Here’s how not to get attacked when you’re walking home.’ There’s a big divide,” Kiefer said.

This discussion surrounding prevention for harassment has been happening for decades, though, and women like CCHS physical education department teacher Kasi Carvell have sometimes resorted to more immediate solutions. While in college 35 years ago, Carvell was exposed to valuable self defense tips following the attack of a female in her college community.

“When I was in college, my coach had our team (learn) self defense. We had somebody come in, they wore (a) helmet and padding, and they literally attacked us to teach us what to do in that situation. I remember the tips from

Above: EMPHASIZING DECENCY: Clarke Central High School sophomore Zaara Bhuiyan poses in the CCHS breezeway on April 15. As a female student at CCHS, as well as resident in the Athens community, who has experienced sexual harassment in her everday life, Bhuiyan feels CCHS could be doing a better job at educating all gender orientations on respect. “Everybody has boundaries. (CCHS) needs to teach everybody, and men in general, that boundaries are a thing and they need to be kept in place, and it’s not just (women) who are pushing them,” Bhuiyan said. Photo by Izzy Duncan

today, and it was 35 years ago,” Carvell said. “I think that (it) would be amazing to have (self defense classes) offered, whether it be before school, after school, or even during one of my classes.”

In response to the trend of harassment in the community, Saulters and other members of the police department have been drafting proposals for a self defense class offered to community members by the end of 2024 or early 2025. These classes would be opportunities for anyone to practice getting out of a dangerous situation if they were ever attacked.

“We just brought an officer back that is certified in teaching different techniques for women to be safe and we’re looking at bringing that here and offering that in the community,” Saulters said. “But overall I don’t believe we should live in fear, we should live our lives and get out and enjoy, but also be aware of our surroundings and have a plan if something does go wrong.”

Regardless of the benefits, Elise Robinson, the UGA Institute for Women’s Studies Public Relations and Program Coordinator, feels that reactive measures would act as a bandaid on a larger systemic problem.

“As long as we have been living in a patriarchal system, which is basically for the history of western civilization, (women have been targeted). We live in a society where straight white men are sort of centered as the norm and so anybody who is not a straight white man is ‘less important,’” Robinson said. “The problem is so deeply embedded in the way that our culture is built, and it’s going to be this consistent until we can get to a point where society is more equitable in terms of gender.”

For Robinson, the taboo surrounding the discussion of women’s safety should be lifted and open conversation should be emphasized among students in order to raise awareness.

“Why are we aiming all our rape prevention stuff at the victims of violence, rather than at the perpetrators of violence? It needs to stop at the source, not at the victim,” Robinson said. “A lot of the daily stuff in helping women to feel safer is being able to talk about it (and women should be) able to say things like, ‘I don’t feel safe going somewhere by myself alone at night in Athens.’”

At CCHS, Crumpton hopes to bring these conversations to the classroom to educate students of all gender orientations, so the following generations can work towards solutions surrounding the dangers of sexual targeting.

“We’ve got to stop framing it as a women’s issue and reframe it. It’s not just violence against women. It’s violence by men,” Crumpton said. “There are obviously exceptions, but women’s safety has got to be a men’s issue. I think right now it’s still seen as a women’s issue, which is a problem.”

However, in the face of these systemic issues, Crumpton also recognizes how undoing the centuries of disparities and protecting females from further violence is not an easy issue to solve.

“I have questions about how to (raise awareness about this violence) in a way that is meaningful and listened to,” Crumpton said. “We’re talking about centuries and decades worth of violence against women, you can’t just fix that.” O

Right: OPENING THE CONVERSATION: Clarke Central High School junior Sam Kiefer poses in the CCHS breezeway on April 22. As a male student at CCHS, Kiefer had recognized the lack of emphasis on conversations surrounding women’s safety on campus for people of all gender orientations and believed more spaces could be created to encourage awareness. “I think the school just needs to do a better job of having mentors for young men and women,” Kiefer said. “I think just making everybody more aware of that is important, not to further divide but more to understand each other.”

Photo by Aza Khan

Above: A LEARNING CURVE: Clarke Central High School English department teacher Grace Crumpton poses in the breezeway on April 22. Following the death of Augusta University student Laken Riley on Feb. 22, many female students and educators feel that education surrounding women’s safety needs to be prioritized. “Specifically, I would like to see more adult men who are very explicit with young men about the ways that we do and don’t treat women,” Crumpton said. “I see some gross aggressive behavior from boys in the hallway sometimes, and I think we have all these incredible male figures at (CCHS), so it’d be cool if we had something to teach boys how to act.”

Photo by Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

A Vanishing Act

Featured: IN THEIR SHOES: Clarke Central High School Drama Club member La’Kyla Jones, a senior, sings as spelling bee contestant Olive during a rehearsal of the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” on April 30 in the E.B. Mell Auditorium. Jones has enjoyed playing various characters since she was little, but has officially been in five drama productions while at CCHS. “Drama is a way for me to let go,” Jones said. “I don’t have to think about anything and get to portray different characters and kind of just forget my life for a second and think about this fictional character’s life. It’s kind of a way of escapism.”

Photo by Aza Khan

CCHS Drama Club member La’Kyla Jones, a senior, has the power to transform into every character she plays.

always pushing myself to do something different and be this person or be this character,” Jones said “My range is what makes me unique.”

Before performing a role, Jones first gets to know her character intimately –she builds a background, deciding on their personality, how they talk, walk and dress. In the Drama Club’s production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Jones knows her character Olive’s tics, what she’s scared of and how she feels when she opens her mouth to sing. When it’s time for the show, Jones herself vanishes. Audience members will see a shy girl on stage, unaware that within the span of the musical she will find herself. This ability to shapeshift –not just into Olive, but into every character she encounters –is what earned Jones callbacks from 14 different colleges at Thescon, a statewide high school thespian conference, and she hopes it will take her beyond college to a career in both stage and screenplay. Because Jones still has more characters to become. O

Olive is a shy schoolgirl and spelling bee contestant who’s barely able to speak in front of people but comes alive when she sings. The Ballerina is a performer in a circus party that ends up with front row seats to an elephant-sized tragedy. Ronette is a street urchin who is nothing if not loyal to her girls.

Despite their differences, Clarke Central High School Drama Club member La’Kyla Jones, a senior, stepped fully into each character’s respective shoes, regardless of whether they were Mary Janes, ballet slippers or no shoes at all. Jones has performed five times in vastly different roles since joining the drama department when she moved to CCHS at the start of her junior year. But even before that, Jones experimented with a wide variety of characters, beginning by transforming herself into a British ghost as a five-year-old. “I try not to limit myself to one specific type of character, and I’m

NEW AP OFFERINGS

CCHS introduced new Advanced Placement classes during course registration for the 2024-25 school year that may be on students’ schedules next year.

Next year, Clarke Central High School students may have the chance to take two new Advanced Placement classes.

AP African American Studies and AP Seminar are courses offered by college preparation organization College Board and implemented in the CCSD program of study for the 2024-25 school year. In January, students had the option to register for both classes for the first time.

The AP African American Studies curriculum examines diverse African American experiences stretching from the roots of early African civilization roughly 3000 years ago to present-day experiences and challenges. In the AP Seminar class, the focus is skill-based learning, as students develop academic communication, research prowess and peer collaboration.

“We don’t have any classes that focus on the African American experience. The AP African American Studies class is just a very different classroom (compared to) anything we have,”

CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith said.

“(The new AP classes) provide more opportunities for students to get involved with AP-level courses that aren’t necessarily for a core class. I think these classes will allow students to have that opportunity at the high school level rather than waiting until they get to college,” Scott said.

However, these classes aren’t guaranteed to be on students’ schedules next year, even if students registered for them during spring registration. For a class to make, a certain number of students must register for said class — if that requirement is not met, the class will not be offered and students won’t have the opportunity to take it.

“(The new AP classes) provide more opportunities for students to get involved with AP-level courses.”

“The AP Seminar class is a very different type of class that increases the rigor in terms of the skills that you need to succeed in college.”

CCHS Assistant Scheduler Alexis Scott, who schedules students’ courses, feels these classes, if finalized onto next year’s schedule, would help prepare students for the demands of higher-level coursework they may encounter later in life.

-- Alexis Scott, CCHS Assistant Scheduler

“AP African American Studies is pretty solid. There’s plenty of requests, so that class is going to make,” Smith said. “AP Seminar, I don’t know if it’s gonna make, there just wasn’t the interest that I was hoping there would be.”

Ultimately, course schedules for next year won’t be finalized until July, meaning students who registered for the classes won’t know if they are available until then. However, CCHS sophomore Gillian Williams hopes the classes will be offered.

“(AP Seminar) gives students more preparedness, especially for college or if students go straight into the workforce after high school,” Williams said. “With (AP) African American Studies, I think a bunch of kids are gonna like it because history is something that is continuously changing, and it never stays the same. It gives you more opportunities to learn and be put in somebody else’s shoes.”

STORY BY SAMAYA ELLIS Viewpoints Staffer

LAYOUT BY WYATT MEYER Lead Copy Editor

Featured: AP ADDITIONS: A Clarke Central High School student looks at the CCHS student registration website in Room 231 on April 24. CCHS students were able to register for Advanced Placement Seminar and AP African American Studies, two new additions to the CCSD program of study, during course registration in January. “I think it’s important to have both of these classes because (AP Seminar) teaches you how to prepare for life and the AP African American Studies teaches you about history that you were never really taught in other history classes,” CCHS sophomore Gillian Williams said. Photo by Aza Khan

5 things to know about voting

By Charlotte Sosebee, as told to Merren Hines

Charlotte Sosebee,Athens-Clarke County Director of Elections and Voter Registration, shares her insight about the voting process.

1. Registering

You can register to vote in person by completing a voter registration form here at the office (Elections Office at 155 East Washington St.), at the Athens Public Library (2025 Baxter St.) or in any other location that provides public assistance. Georgia is an online voter registration state, so you’re able to register that way as well.

2. Planning Ahead

You don’t want to wait until the day before or the day (of the election), you want to identify that you’re actually eligible to vote. I would encourage a student to get a sample ballot and call the candidates (to) get their opinions on different topics that might be of interest. I would (also) encourage a student to get involved in the voting process, whether (by) working as a poll worker or working on a campaign for a candidate.

3. Voting Early

If you didn’t vote early, there’s no other time that you can vote except for Election Day. If that takes you away from town, then you’ve lost your right to vote for that particular election. Voting early is an advantage and it should be taken into consideration.

4. Location, location

During early voting, we have at least six locations that a person could vote. Here in our office – the Elections Office – the Miriam Moore Community Center, the (Athens Public) Library, the Cooperative Extension Office on Cleveland Road, the Athens Tennis Center, the Winterville Cultural Center, and during our general elections, we use the Tate (Student) Center at University of Georgia.

5. Making it count

Voting is voluntary, but should be exercised. It is very critical and the privilege should not be taken for granted. It is the most important nonviolent tool for change. Voting is easy and our way of expressing ourselves. Voting can determine the outcome of many issues such as healthcare, social security, education, and how accessible other resources are to us. It is important to me that I vote by taking advantage of the one time I know for sure that my voice is heard.

Above: OUTREACH EFFORTS: Charlotte Sosebee, Athens-Clarke County Director of Elections and Voter Registration, stands at the Elections Office at 155 East Washingtion St. on March 22. Sosebee, along with the ACC Board of Elections and Voter Registration Office, have worked to increase voter turnout. “We go to our schools and we try to educate our students and faculty. Not just students, we want senior citizens to get in (to vote),” Sosebee said. Photos by Aza Khan

IN FOCUS

I’m sure everyone appreciated that.”

Photo by Aza Khan

Featured: A Clarke Central High School student watches this solar eclipse in Billy Henderson Stadium during fourth period on April 8. CCHS community members experienced the last solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. “(A solar eclipse) is the kind of thing that only happens once in a while. I thought it was really fun,” CCHS sophomore Molly Orbock said. “I think everyone had a pretty good time because it was a break during the day.

Quest for Athens' Best:

After trying cold treats around Athens, ODYSSEY staffers conclude that

and Pelican’s SnoBalls are the best options to cool down in the summer heat.

BY MAGGIE MONK Variety Staffer

located at 175 Tracy St., in a small outside shopping area, Essential Bowls is a tasty place to grab an açai bowl to cool down in the heat.

The acai bowls, which are fruit-based cold bowls, range from $7.99 to $12.99 and prices vary depending on what the bowl consists of, the size – 12 oz. or 16 oz. – and extra toppings.

With base flavors such as blue majik, a blue-green algae Arthrospira platensis and pitaya, as well as toppings like Nutella, cacao nibs and a variety of fruits and vegetables for added flavor, customers have many options to choose from.

The texture and thickness of each bowl base are spot on, and the fresh ingredients make each bowl feel light.

Even though Essential Bowls is a delicious option to help cool down, the lack of indoor seating is a downside – the bowls melt quickly, so those dining there will have to eat quickly to avoid a slushy mess.

Overall, Essential Bowls is a great option in the warmer months to grab a unique, refreshing treat to cool down, but the lack of a shaded area to enjoy the bowl may be a dealbreaker for some customers.

7.5 8.5

Above: VARIETY OF OPTIONS: Essential bowls’ “Sunrise Bowl,” layered with blue majik and pitaya, and topped with granola, strawberry, blueberry and honey, is shown. With their large menu, Essential Bowls gave customers a wide variety of choices to build a bowl. “With base flavors such as blue majik, a blue-green algae Arthrospira platensis and pitaya, as well as toppings such as nutella, cacao nibs and a variety of fruits and veggies for added flavor, customers have many options to choose from,” Variety Staffer Maggie Monk wrote. Photo by Izzy Duncan

Above: REFRESHING FRUIT: The outside store front of Essential Bowls, located at 175 Tracy St., is shown. Although the açai bowl was satisfactory, one downfall to the Essential Bowls experience was the price. “Even though Essential Bowls is a delicious option to help cool down, the lack of indoor seating is a downside – the bowls melt quickly, so those dining there will have to eat quickly to avoid a slushy mess,” Variety Staffer Maggie Monk wrote. Photo by Izzy Duncan

LAYOUT BY JANE RIPPS Variety Editor GRAPHICS BY SAM HARWELL Illustrator

COLD TREAT CLASH

BY JANIE RIPPS Variety Editor

Pelican’s SnoBalls, located on 510 Baxter St., is the perfect seasonal treat for customers who are craving something sweet and refreshing

With over 100 flavors, Pelican’s SnoBalls has a variety of options that can suit any cravings. From classic flavors such as spearmint, to more adventurous syrups like red velvet cake, customers are guaranteed to find something they like.

As well as the variety of flavors, there are four reasonably-priced sizes for the SnoBalls themselves, ranging from $4.00 for a Kiddie, the smallest size, to $7.00 for an Avalanche, the largest. After ordering, customers can also enjoy an option between indoor and outdoor seating depending on the weather or mood.

However, customers should be wary of the syrup concentration. The ratio of ice to syrup was extremely unproportional, as the syrup was extremely overpowering. It is also extremely sugary, so if customers are looking for something on the healthier side, they should stay away from SnoBalls.

Regardless, for those looking for a refreshing and sweet treat, Pelican’s SnoBalls is accessible and yummy.

8.75/10

Above: SWEET AND COLD: A Kiddie-sized SnoBall in the flavor “Grenade” is shown at Pelican’s SnoBalls, located on 510 Baxter St. Although the SnoBall was cold and would be a solid choice to stay cool in the heat, it was drenched in syrup making it very sweet. “It is extremely sugary, so if customers are looking for something on the healthier side, they should stay away from SnoBalls,” Variety Editor Janie Ripps wrote. “Regardless, for those looking for a refreshing and sweet treat, Pelican’s SnoBalls is accessible and yummy.” Photo by Janie Ripps

Above: ACCESSIBLE AND COLD: The storefront of Pelican’s SnoBalls, located at 510 Baxter St., is shown. For customers searching for a place to enjoy a cold treat to combat the heat, Pelican’s SnoBalls was fairly priced and a satisfactory option. “There are four reasonably priced sizes for the SnoBalls themselves, ranging from $4.00 for a kiddie to $7.00 for an Avalanche,” Variety Editor Janie Ripps wrote. Photo by Aza Khan

Though different studios approach dance differently, one thing unites Athens’ thriving dance scene: an unwavering dedication to the art.

STORY

When most Athenians think about their town, they may think of mighty University of Georgia football or the vibrant music scene.

They probably won’t think of dance.

In spite of that, at studios like Dancefx and East Athens Educational Dance Center, young Athenians’ passion for dance is not just alive, but thriving.

“I’ve met lifelong friends from dance,” Dancefx dancer Josephine Thrasher, a Clarke Central High School sophomore, said. “They’re the people that stuck with me my whole life. When I’m focused on school and work, I need somewhere to go to take my mind off (those things), something that makes me happy. That’s what dancing is.”

EAEDC dancer Tajah Thomas, a CCHS senior, has danced for 16 years, forming a similar attachment to dance with a more classical training.

“Dance is my safe place, I can let all my emotions go into dance,” Thomas

“I need somewhere to go to take my mind off (school and work), something that makes me happy. That’s what dancing is.

-- Josie thrasher, Dancefx Dancer

BY ABBY HOLLOWAY Variety Staffer

LAYOUT BY JANIE RIPPS

Variety Editor

PHOTOS BY AZA KHAN

Photography Editor

THE

said. “I can express so much into it and tell a story through my dancing.”

“Dance is my safe place, I can let all my emotions go into dance.”

-- Tajah Thomas, EAEDC Dancer

Though dancers across Athens share a passion, the approach varies from studio to studio. Having seen both traditional and modern environments, Dancefx Youth Education Director Kaitlin Butcher feels dancers benefit from personal relationships between their counterparts at different studios.

“Every dancer has their highs and lows. Dancers, just like friends, weave in and out of relationships (their) entire (lives),” Butcher said. “One thing that I stress to my dancers more than anything is, ‘You may not be best friends with everyone at the same time, but only you share this talent.’”

As a dancer in Athens, EAEDC Facility and Program Supervisor Nena Gilreath sees the number of dance studios in Athens as an opportunity for all types of dancers to work together to create a productive dancing community.

“It’s important that people know there’s vibrant dancing going on. (Athens has) all these places that people can train and study (because) we’re allies. The more our community is stronger as dance artists, the more people will come here to produce,” Gilreath said. O

DANCE

FX

Dancefx, a dance studio located at 396 Foundry St., rejects the rigidity of the archetypal dance studio, with individuality and flair placed at the forefront of most routines.

For Dancefx Youth Education Director Kaitlin Butcher, highlighting dancer’s individual talents, even in group spaces, allows dancers to learn from their peers alongside the teachers themselves.

“these kids have so much talent and so many ideas and a lot of times there’s no outlet for them to express themselves.”

-- Kaitlin Butcher, Dancefx Youth Education Director

“Some dancers have an incredible ability to do one particular style really well. Everyone just looks at them with googly eyes and is like, ‘I just want to look like you doing this style,’” Butcher said.

Seeing her fellow dancers perfecting their own skills gives Dancefx dancer Siena Avolio, an Athens Academy junior, confidence in the group as a whole.

“It’s really cool to see everyone working as a team, and in the end, all of our dances (come) together, it’s like all of our hard work paid off,” Avolio said. “(Seeing the dances is) really satisfying, I get a sense of pride from that.”

Aside from practicing in class, Butcher sees Dancefx dancers express themselves through the choreography they create for the community classes taught by the student dancers at Dancefx. These classes include Open Contemporary, taught by Josephine Thrasher, a Clarke Central High School sophomore, and Intermediate Contemporary, taught by Avolio.

“These kids have so much talent and they have so many ideas and a lot of times at studios there’s no outlet for them to express themselves, their ideas and their choreography,” Butcher said. “These community classes that we’ve started doing this year (are) a really wonderful opportunity for them to make up their own (choreography) and find their own style.”

East

East Athens Educational Dance Center, a dance studio located at 390 Mckinley Dr., takes a more classical approach to their dances. They also take inspiration from traditional African dance by incorporating emotion into their routines.

EAEDC dancer Tajah Thomas, a Clarke Central High School senior, feels her studio stands out in the way they incorporate African dance in their pieces.

“Dancing at East Athens, we’ve always done things different because most studios didn’t do African dance,” Thomas said. “My (old) studio did things like

other studios, but our ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop and contemporary dance are different (because) we use a lot of emotions.”

Practicing these dances is valuable to EAEDC instructor Sydni Sims because it allows the students to learn about and share the history of African dance.

“So much of African American history and culture has been erased, it’s important that we still learn those roots,” Sims said. “At EAEDC we center Black expression and history through dance.”

Facility and Program Supervisor Nena Gilreath finds the inspiration from

“our ballet, modern, jazz hip hop and contemporary dance are different (because) we use a lot of emotion.” --

athens

African dance important because it allows people to tell stories they might not get to with standard ballet.

“Everybody deserves a chance to be represented, to be seen, to be in the front and not in the back and not to be a token,” Gilreath said. “We all have different stories from all of the backgrounds that we come from, and sometimes people’s stories aren’t always celebrated or talked about, so I thought that was really important.”

Gilreath believes every dancer who participates in her classes deserves to be seen.

“I will look for the student that most people won’t see, I call them the dark horse. They’re the person that’s in the back and they’re doing the work but people might not notice them because they might not be as outward in their personality,” Gilreath said. “I look for those students to try to pull out their confidence and to help them understand what their superpowers are.”

“everyone deserves a chance to represented, to be seen, To be in the front and not in the back.”

-- Nena Gilreath, EAEDC Facility and Program Supervisor

CULTURAL BUZZ

Racquel Marie released her newest book “This is Me Trying,” the perfect read for those looking for a coming of age story, on April 16.

The book follows Beatriz, known as “Bea,” and Santiago, who, along with their friend Bryce, were inseparable growing up. But, when Santiago moved away, the friendship fell apart. Now, three years later, Bryce is dead, Santiago is back and Bea is figuring out where she fits amid the guilt and grief.

Alternating between Bea and Santiago’s points of view, the complexity of the characters shines through. Packed with an emotional punch, readers will find themselves rooting for, and against, each of the characters and the emotional stories they carry.

Much like Marie’s previous books, “This is Me Trying” explores themes of sexuality, friendship and mental health. However, readers should be aware that “This is Me Trying” contains mentions of suicide, panic attacks, and depression.

Regardless, Marie does a remarkable job of portraying an accurate telling of these topics, giving readers something to relate to.

-- Lea D'Angelo, Journalism I student

On April 8, Chick-Fil-A released a limited-edition group of Cherry Berry drinks. The additions include the Cherry Berry-version of Chick-Fil-A Sunjoy, lemonade, iced tea and frosted lemonade.

Despite the visually appealing and seasonally appropriate pink color of the drinks, the flavor leaves customers disappointed. The expectation for a bright and refreshing sip is met but the aftertaste leaves an overwhelming and artificial taste lingering.

The already strong tart lemonade paired with the berry makes for an unpleasantly sour taste. Customers who are looking for a springy drink are better off ordering a regular lemonade over the Cherry berry drink series.

Regardless, the drink is respectfully springy and has a variety of fresh flavors.

Sitting at $2.79, the Chick-Fil-A Cherry Berry Sunjoy, lemonade and iced tea will leave customers disappointed in flavor but content with aesthetic and seasonal flavors.

-- Liza Larson, Journalism I student

r.e.m. beauty, a makeup line created by singer Ariana Grande in 2021, released the Essential Drip Glossy Balms on April 12. Available online at rembeauty.com and in select Ulta Beauty locations, the Glossy Balms are perfect for customers looking for a simple tinted lippy, but nothing impressive.

In six shades ranging from a warm, muted brown to bright strawberry pink, customers who are looking for a balm to add some color to their lips are sure to find a color to suit them. The formula is smooth but considerably sticky and, although the initial color and shine is strong, both wear off quickly.

For $20, the amount of product is substantial, but the applicator is small. Although this is helpful for precision, it may take multiple coats to achieve the desired pigment because of the small amount of product applied at one time.

Overall, the r.e.m. beauty Essential Drip Glossy Balm is a pleasant balm, perfect for on-the-go, but it isn’t anything groundbreaking. Customers will be satisfied, but shouldn’t expect much more.

The Tortured Poet’s Department

BY ADAH HAMMAN News Staffer

American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” to all streaming platforms on April 19. The album consists of 16 songs and has a tracklist that lasts 65 minutes. While the album does have a few good songs, overall, it proved to be a disappointment. The lyrics were inconsistent and even laughable at times, such as in the album’s title track, where Swift is rumored to be singing about her ex-boyfriend, singer-songwriter Matty Healy of band The 1975. “I scratch your head, you fall asleep / like a tattooed golden retriever,” Swift sings.

And this is the same person who wrote “my tears ricochet?” Yeah, right.

On top of that, the album’s sound is just boring. It was produced by American singer and record producer Jack Antonoff, and while Antonoff may have brought a new, exciting sound to Swift’s other albums, such as “Lover,” “Reputation” and “Midnights,” he has since worn out his welcome.

The same chord progressions are used throughout the entire album – talk about having seen this film before – and the sound design feels soulless.

Swift has marketed herself as this relatable, girl-next-door figure, but in this album, the disconnect between her and fans couldn’t be more apparent. For example, in “But Daddy I Love Him,” Swift’s lyrics are obviously targeted at fans’ comments on a personal relationship, as she sings “God save the most judgemental creeps / who say they want what’s best for me.”

However, this album did have a few good songs, like “The Black Dog,” featured in “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” the second part of the album. The lyricism is beautiful and reminiscent of her other album, “folklore,” which contains some of her strongest work.

Though diehard Swifties might like the album, anyone else who is looking for good music will be woefully disappointed.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JANIE RIPPS Variety Editor

-- Janie Ripps, Variety Editor

Featured: FRESHMAN FANTASTIC: Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer forward Henry Payne, a freshman, holds off a defender during the Gladiators 2-1 loss to Dalton High School in the second round of the Georgia High School Association AAAAA state playoffs on April 24 at Billy Henderson Stadium. Payne scored in the first half to put the Gladiators in front, but two DHS goals at the end of the second half handed CCHS a late loss. “Even though we couldn’t come out on top, it felt great to schore in a big moment and match,” Payne said.

IN FOCUS

Photo by Daniel Cruz

The Littlest Leagues

CCSD elementary school sports leagues were created to develop interest in sports for a new generation of young student-athletes.

STORY BY ANGEL TEJADA Sports Staffer

LAYOUT BY CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor

The Clarke County School District Youth Development Initiative introduced a program aiming to expand access to youth athletics in the 2022-23 school year, which has created an opportunity for those in fourth and fifth grade to get involved in elementary school sports.

The YDI is funded by the University of Georgia Athletic Association, the Athens-Clarke County Government and the CCSD. With this money, the YDI created elementary school sports leagues for football, soccer, cheerleading, basketball and volleyball.

According to CCSD YDI Coordinator Chris Hulse, the creation of elementary sports leagues stemmed from kids' inability to participate in sports without a price tag attached.

“The initial conversation actually started between the two athletic directors

at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central about girls' volleyball,” Hulse said. “In our community, unless your family is capable of paying thousands of dollars, you can't play volleyball until you get to seventh grade. That began a discussion of trying to fight back against kids being priced out of opportunities to play sports.”

CSHS Athletic Director L’Dreco Thomas and CCHS Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward are in charge of the YDI, funding and reaching out to different people in the community to let them know about the organization.

“We see this as being more than a feeder program to CCHS and CSHS. In my mind, it's an investment in our community,” Ward said. “Athletic events are one of the few places where we see (our) community come together. There are few types of events where you (see) people that (don’t normally) show up to that (specific event), but athletics cross that (line).”

“Athletic events are one of the few places where we each truly see (our) community come together.”

The leagues hold games weekly at CCSD schools and public parks for boys and girls basketball and soccer, leading to a tournament-style playoff. The most recent soccer season ended in a final championship game on April 18.

“These feeder programs are increasing the amount of opportunities for athletes to get involved, stay involved in extracurriculars after school in a structured environment, as well as providing opportunities for the kids to have a safe area to be with coaches," Aiken said.

A unique function of the YDI is the academic enrichment components that accompany the athletics, as participating students talk with tutors to understand the human side of the game

“UGA (tutors) run some program materials associated with (academics). We have conversations, it's not just athletics,” Jonathon Wallace, a youth soccer coach for Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School, said. “There is a sit-down component that we're running with the kids (where) we talk through different aspects of the game, different values and principles, trusting your teammates, (having) good communication (and) what good communication looks like with one another.”

Hulse hopes the program can create an encouraging environment that any youth athlete can join to get out of the house.

“We're giving them a chance to be a part of something at their school, to be proud of themselves, to be supported, and to see their community come out and show out how proud of them they are,” Hulse said.

-- Dr. jon Ward, CCHS Athletic Director O

Left: SOCCER: Timothy Road Elementary School plays Howard B. Stroud Elementary School in the elementary school boys soccer quarterfinals at Holland Youth Sports Complex on April 15. Clarke Central High School English department teacher Jennifer Tesler’s son Ben Tesler played for Johnnie Lay Burks Elementary School in their quarterfinal match against Gaines Elementary School. “It was a beautiful experience for the community. It was alive, and there were so many onlookers in the crowd,” Jennifer said. Photo by Daniel Cruz

GOING PRE-PRO

In the summer of 2024,Athens FC, a pre-professional soccer club, will hold games and practices at CCHS.

STORY BY COOPER JONES Beat Editor

LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

With practices and games held in Clarke Central High School’s Billy Henderson Stadium, the Athens United Soccer Association will collaborate with the United Soccer League to bring a pre-professional soccer club, Athens Football Club, to Athens in the summer of 2024.

The club has two teams, a men's team participating in a USL League Two men's league and a women's team participating in the USL W league, allowing athletes, including high school-aged players, to compete at a preprofessional level while maintaining potential collegiate opportunities.

USL, the organization the teams are a part of, consists of seven soccer leagues across North America, ranging from youth to professional levels. The Athens FC teams will compete in the South Central division of their respective leagues, with games against six other clubs in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and North Carolina.

AUSA Director of Coaching and Athens FC Director of Operations Martin Suiza says he has worked with Athens FC Administrator Jon Cook for over a year to plan for the club’s opening.

“(We are) making sure that we all have the same goal, which is to provide a professional soccer team to our community.”

-- Martin Suiza, Athens United Soccer Association Director of Coaching and Athens FC Director of Operations

“There (were) a lot of moving parts with the USL side. (USL) understands that Clarke County and the Athens area is great as far as the soccer community,” Suiza said. “Meeting with their groups and our groups, (we are) making sure that we all have the same goal, which is to provide a professional soccer team to our community.”

Chris Aiken, CCHS Associate Athletic Director and head boys varsity soccer coach, feels that the club provides an environment in which players with different experience levels can play together.

“(Playing on the team will) help (players) improve their skills for wherever they end up next, playing versus players that have already experienced college soccer. Even former professional players can play in the league, so you never know who you're gonna run up to or go against,” Aiken said. “It's just another opportunity

to play in very competitive environments against the best kind of southeast competition.”

Tryouts were open to players of all ages at Holland Youth Sports Complex on March 16 and 17 for the men’s team, with invite-only men’s tryouts on March 24 and women’s tryouts held later on April 7. CCHS boys varsity soccer winger and right back Raul Navarro, a senior, was one of several CCHS students who tried out for Athens FC. Navarro made the team, but is currently undecided about whether he will join the side.

“They were looking for high-level players who have played on competitive teams throughout their careers and who have the desire and conviction to go out and win the conference,” Navarro said. “(Playing for Athens FC) would have a big impact on me as an athlete and a soccer player because I would be playing with and against high-level players who are older.”

CCHS girls varsity soccer winger and striker Farrell Hyde tried out for Athens FC’s USL W League team on April 7.

“To host one of these professional expansion teams, there are a lot of things you had to have in place such as a scoreboard, a certain amount of seating in your stadium, locker rooms, parking and stadium lights. Having the very nice turf facility, we can host games in all types of weather,” Aiken said. “It created a nice environment where we could be the host venue. It's a great opportunity to promote the game of soccer for men and women.”

CCHS boys varsity soccer midfielder Lucas Stewart, a senior, believes that Athens FC will not only create opportunities for players seeking to go pro, but also serve the Athens community and highlight CCHS soccer.

“It will increase the soccer community in Athens. It will bring an attraction because it’s a pro team and a lot of new people will want to know what it’s about."

-- Lucas Stewart, CCHS boys varsity soccer midfielder and senior

“If I was playing on the team, I would feel motivated to become better because I'm playing with these girls that are D1, play at UGA and stuff like that. It would just push me to become a better player and try harder,” Hyde said.

CCHS will host Athens FC’s home games throughout the team’s summer season, which lasts from May 22 to July 13. According to Aiken, CCHS was selected as the home venue due to the resources it offers.

“It will increase the soccer community in Athens. It will bring an attraction because it’s a pro team and a lot of new people will want to know what it’s about. By playing the home games at Clarke Central, it will promote Clarke Central and its soccer program as well,” Stewart said.

The club’s first home games are on May 22, with the men’s and women’s teams playing against Birmingham Legion FC at 4:30 and 7:00 p.m., respectively. Aiken hopes that the club’s games will unite the Athens community.

“It's another avenue for people in Clarke County who enjoy the game of soccer and want to watch the highest level (to come together),” Aiken said. “They can watch (soccer) without going to Atlanta United for a very low-cost entry point, bring their family and have first row seats to a great atmosphere.”O

Left: LEARNING TO THRIVE: Martin Suiza, Athens United Soccer Association Director of Coaching and Athens FC Director of Operations, stands in Clarke Central High School’s Billy Henderson Stadium on April 29. Suiza collaborated with the United Soccer League to bring a pre-professional soccer club to Athens. “For us to be a thriving organization, we have to be willing to listen and we have to be willing to learn from either our mistakes or mistakes of other clubs, and make sure that we continue to work on our goal of providing the best service for our community,” Suiza said. Photo by Aza Khan

Above: MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer winger Raul Navarro, a senior, takes a shot in the Gladiators’ game against Cedar Shoals High School on Feb. 10. After trying out for local preprofessional soccer team Athens FC’s men’s team in March, Navarro was selected to the squad. “They were looking for high-level players who have played on competitive teams throughout their careers and who have the desire and conviction to go out and win the conference,” Navarro said. Photo by Daniel Cruz

Making Money Move

$

The Georgia High School Association permitted NIL deals for high school athletes on Oct. 2, 2023, changing the game in high school sports, literally and figuratively.

CADENCE SCHAPKER

Name, image and likeness (NIL) are the three aspects referred to when discussing an athlete's ability to market themselves.

The concept is not new to the athletic world, but it has become a recent topic of national contention as college athletes began advocating for their rights to profit from their careers as athletes.

Dr. David Welch Suggs, an Associate Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, explained that the athletes' demand is a historically taboo topic.

“There's been this insistence that athletes should not be able to profit from being athletes, either in high school or college,” Suggs said.

“I honestly felt that through legal action, (the GHSA was) going to be forced into (permitting NIL).”

--

Dr. Robin Hines, Georgia High School Association Executive Director

“That's been this law both with the (National Collegiate Athletic Association), but also with the high schools going back all this time – that there's something pure and noble and amateur about sports, and we want to protect athletes by saying, ‘You cannot make any money. You cannot receive any money outside of scholarships to compete in sports. You can't use your sports to make money.’”

Due to this precedent, the NCAA prohibited college athletes from accepting money for any aspect of their athletic career up until 2021. However, with the passing of California’s Fair Pay to Play Act in 2019, the first legislation permitting NIL deals for college athletes, conversations across the rest of the country arose. This conversation reached Georgia when Governor Brian Kemp signed House Bill 617 into law on May 6, 2021—allowing Georgia college athletes to sign NIL deals. In response to the wave of states and institutions legalizing the practice of NIL, the NCAA installed an interim NIL policy, permitting the marketization of college athletes on July 1, 2021. Since making this decision, college athletes nationwide have made brand deals worth thousands of dollars. Among these players is UGA football players like Carson Beck, whose NIL valuation is reportedly $1.5 million, according to On3.com. This new freedom for student-athletes causes mixed feelings for people such as retired Woodward Academy track and field, football and basketball coach Scott Crook.

STORY AND LAYOUT BY

Sports Editor

Below: SPONSOR: An illustration depicts a high school student athlete being featured on a billboard promoting a “DRINK!” as a part of a name, image, and likeness deal. Clarke Central High School head varsity football coach David Perno expressed his concerns regarding NIL. “(NIL) brings up a dynamic that you never had to worry about. There’s just less value on the team and winning than there is getting paid for your NIL,” Perno said. Illustration by Eleanor Robinson

GHSA. “When (NIL) started cropping up, I didn’t understand what NIL was either. I thought it was paying kids to play football or basketball, and it’s really not. When you look at it, name, image and likeness are an individual’s right to publicity,” Hines said. Infographics by Cadence Schapker

“There (used to be) some absurdities where kids got penalized and (lost) eligibility for simple things like having a jersey signed or selling one of their own jerseys to a fan. That's absurd,” Crook said. “Now let's go on to the opposite extreme. Almost everybody is a free agent every year, and you have people like Georgia's quarterback (Carson Beck) being able to buy Lamborghinis. Those are two opposite extremes of absurdity there.”

The NCAA’s decision caused a domino effect on amateur athletics as statebased high school athletic associations began enabling high school athletes to sign NIL deals. Georgia High School Association Executive Director Dr. Robin Hines announced the GHSA’s intentions to begin discussions about NIL in a Feb. 2023 newsletter published on the GHSA website, stating that the association was working towards a policy to address it.

On October 2, 2023, the GHSA voted 66-9 in favor of permitting NIL deals for high school athletes, further broadening the horizons of student-athletes across Georgia and joining the ranks of more than 30 other high school associations and state legislations that do the same.

“I honestly felt that through legal action, (the GHSA was) going to be forced into (permitting NIL) or there would be legislation that forced us into it that may (not) have been done with the due diligence from an education perspective. So, we wanted to jump on there and go ahead and get it going,” Hines said. “I felt like (the GHSA was) discriminating against students who happened to play sports because everybody else that they're in school with has the rights to their own name, image and likeness.”

With the approval of NIL deals, concerns regarding the education of families and student athletes about NIL arose. As of Jan. 9, the GHSA has

been working with Triple Threat Leadership, a national program that offers guidance and support to those in search of assistance when maneuvering the laws and policies that surround NIL. Even with this resource, experts like Suggs question the validity of professional athletics being intertwined with the education system.

“When you stop and think about it, preparing someone to be a professional athlete is kind of incompatible with a traditional high school (or) college education,” Suggs said. “In terms of developing professional athletes who aren't necessarily looking for either the knowledge, the skills or the soft skills and cognitive stuff that an education is supposed to bring you.”

However, programs like Overtime Elite have brought athletic-based educational programs to the forefront. Based in Atlanta, OE is a basketball league that utilizes online teaching to prioritize the training of their professional athletes by providing playing and marketing opportunities for their top-of-the-line student-athletes.

“NIL is the upside down where we don’t really understand how it works.”

-- Dr. David Welch Suggs, Associate

Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia

CCHS varsity boys basketball combo guard Marcus Gillespie, a junior, has played basketball for 10 years and plans to play past the high school level. As an athlete, NIL has opened the door for Gillespie to pursue opportunities including playing for Overtime Elite.

“It's every athlete's dream. You (do) school two to four hours a day, basketball whenever you want to. You can better yourself every day with that platform,” Gillespie said. “I still love Clarke Central, but sometimes, once you have an opportunity, you do have to take it. Especially if it's a better opportunity, but I can't ever forget where you really came from and what got you there.”

Despite the activity surrounding NIL, the challenges that may follow the new policies are still up for debate.

“NIL is the upside down where we don't really understand how it works,” Suggs said, “It's this kind of murky place where the rules don't necessarily seem to apply and it's really hard to figure out.”

Above and below: MAIN POINTS: Infographics depict the main ideas of the Georgia High School Association and National Collegiate Athletic Association’s name, image, and likeness policies. GHSA Executive Director Dr. Robin Hines proposed the prospect of an NIL policy for the

What are people saying?

Sports Editor Cadence Schapker spoke with a variety of people impacted by the Georgia High School Association’s decision to allow NIL deals for high school athletes.

5How is NIL impacting amateur athletics?

David Perno,

Clarke Central High School head varsity football coach

DS: What I worry is (that NIL) becomes a distraction and people make decisions based on that as opposed to based on finding the best coach, finding the best environment in that school to help (them) meet (their) goals. I see it a lot with kids who really want to play sports in college and they make a deal at some school and (it turns) out not to be the right place for them.

Marcus Gillespie,

CCHS boys varsity basketball combo guard, a junior

SC: I'm generalizing here, (but sports have become) less teamoriented now and more (about) individual accomplishments, and regretfully so. I appreciate the athletes, coaches and teams that get individual awards. But, I'm of the belief that the biggest reward (of sports is) relationships, intangibles, the perseverance (to improve) that individuals make as they are contributing to teams, and I have a feeling that appreciation has diminished.

Joshua dawson,

CCHS assistant boys varsity football coach and former professional football player

DP: (Professional athletes are the) skilled elite. They worked harder than a lot of people. They’ve overcome adversity. They’ve done everything they’ve had to do to perform or play at that elite level, and you’re undermining (them) when you got an 18-year-old kid that rolls to college and gets $1.5 million to do nothing. The whole thing in my opinion about athletics – it’s about (what) you get, what you earn. We’re skipping that part. (NIL is) creating a society of entitlement.

Dr. David welch Suggs,

Associate Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia

MG: (NIL) probably won't impact me as much as it would impact other people. I've been blessed to have offers to play (at) the next level, so I have my exposure already without NIL. It'd really just be a add-on. More people are going to want me and I feel like when that happens, your draft stock goes up.

Scott Crook,

Retired Woodward Academy track and field, baseball and football coach

JD: From safety to recruiting to NIL, everything is changing. You have to keep changing and you have to keep growing as a coach. Coach (David) Perno does a good job (at CCHS) with doing the research. You still have to be a student of the game, and a lot of older coaches have a problem with that because they’ve been (coaching) for 30 and 40 years. (NIL) can be a resource. Coaches are starting to realize, ‘If I don’t want to be phased out of the game, I must adapt.’

STORY BY CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor

LAYOUT BY CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor

LAYOUT BY WYATT MEYER Lead Copy Editor

4

“The whole thing in my opinion about athletics – it’s about (what) you get, what you earn. We’re skipping that part. (NIL is) creating a society of entitlement.”

-- David perno,

CCHS head varsity football coach

Left: FOOTBALL PERSPECTIVE: Clarke Central High School head varsity football coach David Perno addresses his players during the Classic City Championship on Aug. 18, 2022. Perno has coached CCHS for ten years and worries about the effects name, image and likeness could have on team unity. “I’ve always gathered football, as a sport or vehicle, especially in high school, to unite a community, to unite players, to unite our coaching staff. That brings people together. I think all this NIL separates,” Perno said. Photo by Lucas Donnelly

What is your opinion on the GHSA policy?

Scott

Crook, Retired Woodward Academy track and field, baseball and football coach

SC: The lack of standards, specific rules and regulations. I’m more liberal than I am anything else, but we benefit from rules. We benefit from guardrails, ones that are well thought-out and consciously considered, and have some built in flexibility to them. Right now, there doesn’t seem to be any set governing body for (NIL). It’s just a little too scattered.

Joshua Dawson, CCHS assistant boys varsity football coach and former professional football player

JD: (There) should be a cap on the money limit. You wouldn’t want a high school player making $100,000 in high school because that’s a lot of pressure. Yes, it sounds good, but that’s a lot of pressure.

Dr. Jon Ward,

CCHS Athletic Director

JW: There’s a lot of gray area, because if you’re going to strike an NIL deal with (an) athlete, more than likely that athlete does perform very well. That’s why you choose an athlete, because they’re the fastest girl in school or they scored the most touchdowns on Friday night.

David Perno,

CCHS head varsity football coach

DP: There’s just no parameters. (GHSA says) you shouldn’t get (NIL deals) for on-the-field achievement. Think about businesses. Why are (businesses) going to go get someone that doesn’t play? Who (are they) going to get? It’s just a situation (that needs) some common sense values and rulings. Everybody needs to work together. The genie’s out of the bottle.

3How will the commercial aspect of NIL impact athletes?

Marcus

Gillespie, CCHS boys varsity basketball combo guard, a junior

MG: Some people can get out of hand with (NIL) because some kids touch some money (then) they don’t want to work as hard as they did to get to the money. There’s pros and cons about (NIL). Really, I feel like it’s more so on the good side, though, because everybody isn’t going to make it to the NBA or everybody’s not gonna make (it) past college.

Dr. Jon Ward,

CCHS Athletic Director

JW: I don’t know how healthy giving a 16 or 17-year-old crazy amounts of money (is). Let’s compensate the kids, but there’s a lot of effects that I don’t think we understand quite yet that’re gonna happen.

Dr. David welch Suggs,

Associate Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UGA

DS: (Professional) athletes have agents because they are much better at understanding and negotiating the commercial landscape and how all that stuff works. So yes, (the undereducation of families is) a critical problem and it’s a situation where a sketchy booster (club or) family for this one school can influence another family to make decisions that might, short term, (be) really great, but may not be in a kid’s best, long-term, interests from (an) educational or career athletic standpoint.

“It’s pretty cool that (the GHSA is) letting people make money at a younger age and people have the ability (to have) respect on their talent.”

-- MARCUS GILLESPIE,

CCHS boys varsity basketball combo guard, a junior

Above: Clarke Central High School boys varsity basketball combo guard Marcus Gillespie, a junior, dunks on a Maynard Holbrook Jackson High School player on Feb. 21 in the CCHS Competition Gym. Gillespie, a recruited athlete, has planned on taking his basketball career past the high school level. “It’s pretty cool that (the GHSA is) letting people make money at a younger age and people have the ability (to have) respect on their talent,” Gillespie said. Photo by Aza Khan

“What I worry is (that NIL) becomes a distraction and people make decisions based on that as opposed to based on finding the best coach (and) best environment in that school to help (them) meet (their) goals.”

--

Dr. David Welch Suggs, Associate Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia

Dr. David Welch Suggs, an Associate Professor at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, lectures on April 22. According to Suggs, only recently did the taboo of amateur athletes profitting from their name, image, and likeness become challenged to a substantial extent. “What has happened in the last 10 years or so is that a bunch of athletes have challenged the NCAA saying, ‘You can’t do this because this is violating anti-trust (laws). You’re preventing me from making a living doing what I do,’” Suggs said.

2How will NIL impact CCHS?

Joshua Dawson,

CCHS assistant boys varsity football coach and former professional football player

Dr.

Jon Ward,

CCHS Athletic Director

JD: (CCHS is) one mile away from the University of Georgia, which is, right now, the college football powerhouse. Their recruiting can play an effect (on CCHS) if people want to be closer to good football. Let’s say I’m a five-star quarterback and I live 15 minutes down the road from the school that I might be going to. I can just drive on campus and I can go watch practice. Coaches can come see me. (Recruiters) can come watch me practice, they can come watch me in the weight room. (I’m) a little bit more accessible. (NIL) can play a role for, not just Clarke Central, but the whole Athens community.

JW: If a business wants to invest some of their marketing resources, more than likely they’re gonna go with a UGA athlete as opposed to a Clarke Central, Cedar Shoals athlete because I do think geography has a lot to do with it. Our athletic program is overshadowed by the UGA athletic program.

Marcus Gillespie,

CCHS boys varsity basketball combo

guard, a junior

MG: It’s pretty cool that (the GHSA is) letting people make money at a younger age and people have the ability (to have) respect on their talent. (They can) actually make money for it instead of having to be in the NBA in order to make that kind of money.

Above: LECTURING:

Photo by Aza Khan

Eighth Grade Gladiators

Eighth grade students from feeder middle schools have the chance to play

for CCHS junior varsity sports teams.

STORY BY LIYA TAYLOR Sports Staffer

LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

Ahigh school baseball game, but five of the starting nine are eighth graders.

That’s the reality for the Clarke Central High School junior varsity baseball team, and for other CCHS JV teams, in 2024.

In Georgia, eighth graders can participate in middle school C-teams and high school JV sports teams. A handful of states allow eighth grade students to play at the varsity level, but the Georgia High School Association limits eighth graders to play for JV teams, an opportunity that CCHS has taken advantage of.

“This is year 25 for me, and we've done it throughout my tenure here. Looking back (at) some of (former CCHS head varsity football coach Billy Henderson's) teams, he would bring up eighth graders to play on the freshman football teams,” CCHS Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward said. “(For) baseball, we've always used eighth graders to play JV (and) we’ve done it with softball, also.”

For the JV baseball team, which has a total of ten eighth graders on it, the rationale for playing eighth graders has fluctuated. According to CCHS head JV baseball coach Jason Bedgood, the team sometimes utilizes eighth graders due to their athletic skill but usually out of necessity.

“There are programs that don't need it: Loganville (High School) would not. I can't imagine Loganville utilizing eighth graders on their JV,” Bedgood said. “But for us, having a smaller number of players to pull from and grow from, we need that extra year of development.”

Of the 10 eighth grade players on the 2024 JV baseball team, five consistently started. Hudson Welter, a CCHS JV baseball shortstop and Clarke Middle School

eighth grader, started this season.

“It's kind of nerve-wracking (to start for JV). The first time I played for JV, the first three balls of that inning all went to me so I was put right into it. I am not nervous anymore, but I was to start off,” Welter said.

CMS eighth grader and CCHS JV track and field 800-meter runner Jackson Brooks, one of two eighth graders on the JV track team, also experienced nerves. However, since overcoming them, Brooks feels the opportunity of playing at the high school-level has improved his performance.

“The workouts are a lot more difficult and (on) par with my level. Clarke Middle workouts are on the easier side and for newer kids,” Brooks said.

“(Practicing with JV has) helped me improve a lot of my skills and I’m so much

“For us, having a smaller number of players to pull from and grow from, we need that extra year of development.”

-- Jason Bedgood, CCHS head JV baseball coach

(faster) than I was last year. I’m in the best shape of my life right now.”

Although many middle schoolers see this opportunity as beneficial, it doesn’t come without issues. Both CMS and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School release students from school at 3:45 p.m. and the CCHS baseball and track and field practices start at 4 p.m. CCHS provides an after-school Activity Bus to transport middle school students from both CMS and BHL; however, Ward says this solution has not been as effective as intended.

“We have the two feeder schools, but we have one right next door to (CCHS) and then we have one about eight miles away,” Ward said. “CMS (students are) normally here, if they walk up the hill, (at) about four o’clock, but the BHL kids and those that wait at CMS to ride the Activity Bus don’t get here until 4:30 (p.m.) We are trying to work through this because we think the concept of letting them have this opportunity is that important, but there are challenges.”

The 2024 CCHS tennis team doesn’t have a JV squad, but still have three eighth grade practice players, including BHL eighth grader Shepherd Shaikun. Shaikun comes to CCHS twice a week after school for tennis practice and is driven by his family due to timing issues.

“(Practicing with JV has) helped me improve a lot of my skills and I’m so much (faster) than I was last year."

-- Jackson Brooks, CMS eighth grader and CCHS JV track and field athlete

“It was quicker going with car riders because we would (get) there faster,” Shaikun said. “I was content with the system, it wouldn’t take too long. We would get picked up, drive over, and then we’d be there in five minutes.”

Despite the transportation difficulty, CCHS head boys varsity soccer head coach and Associate Athletic Director Chris Aiken sees middle schoolers’ involvement in high school athletics as a benefit to both athletes and the respective program.

“It’s a big advantage if you have a player that skill development-wise is already ready to help the JV team. It gives (them that) opportunity,” Aiken said. “It also opens up a lot of opportunities for the players that are still on the middle school teams to not only make the team but (have) a lot of actual in-game opportunities.”

left: GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: Clarke Middle School eighth graders Clarke Central High School junior varsity athletes Noah Oshri, Hudson Welter and Jackson Brooks (left to right) sit in Billy Henderson Stadium on March 23. During the 2024 baseball season, the CCHS JV baseball team had 10 eighth grade players, including Welter “I didn't even know you could do this until last year when other eighth graders played with JV, (but) I think it's an amazing opportunity for me and for other people,” Welter said. Photo by Aza Khan

Right: RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: Clarke Middle School eighth graders and Clarke Central High School junior varsity track and field runners Jackson Brooks (left) and Noah Oshri (right) in starting position on the CCHS track on March 24. Brooks expressed his belief that he has benefitted from working with a high school team. “The workouts are a lot more difficult and (on) par with my level. Clarke Middle workouts are on the easier side and for newer kids,” Brooks said. Photo by Aza Khan

Top

Above: LEARNING AGAINST THE BEST: Clarke Middle School eighth grader and Clarke Central High School junior varsity baseball shortstop Hudson Welter takes a swing in A.B Weathersby Field on March 24. CCHS JV baseball head coach Jason Bedgood has coached CCHS baseball for ten years and views using eighth graders on JV as a positive opportunity. “(The) eighth graders (are) very likely playing a 10th grader at some point and that’s a really big developmental gap. For them to go up there and get some confidence against much older and stronger guys is a really neat experience,” Bedgood said. Photo by Aza Khan

Star Players Star Players

ODYSSEY Star Players

VARSITY TRACK AND FIELD

IZZY GROGAN

Grade:9

GPA:4.0

Years of experience:2

Game day ritual:My grandpa taught me this.(He’d) say,‘Okay, just forget it all and just swing,’ because (there’s) so many things to remember that you get so in your head about it. It helps me to remember that.

Favorite memory:Going out to the course with my grandparents.It’s just super fun and I’m really close with them, so we’ll go out and play five holes.

Role Model:My grandma and grandpa, and also my dad. He’s one of my biggest encouragers. (When) I was thinking about trying out for golf, I was really nervous, so he was the one who really encouraged me.

What coaches say:“Izzy has been an awesome addition to the golf team this year.She is a great,supportive teammate that really makes the golf team more enjoyable. Izzy has really improved her ball striking this year, and will hopefully continue to be a leader.”

-- Stephen Howard,CCHS varsity golf head coach

Grade:11

GPA:3.9

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.

RYAN MARSHALL

Years of experience:8

Game day ritual:Meet days are long, so about an hour before my event, I’ll start getting anybody in my event together.We’ll run a couple of laps around the track (and) do our stretches. I always have a little 12-ounce bottle of caffeinated water and I’ll (listen to) some good music to get me ready to race.

Favorite memory:Taking photos at meets. I’ve been bringing the camera (to) every meet since sophomore year and it’s a great way to spend time.We mess around with the camera and have fun taking pictures of each other.

Role Model:Definitely (varsity track and field athlete) Beck-Wolf Hardy, (a senior.) He’s a great mentor, he’s fast (and) he’s got great energy. Unfortunately, it’s his senior year but he’s been a great asset to the team. What coaches say:“I’ve been coaching Ryan for eight years, he was on a youth team with me, so I watched him grow. He puts the work in (and) he’s a leader, consistently showing up and consistently doing what you ask him to do. He has one of the fastest times, he is our top runner (on the team) in (the) mile currently and probably the two mile.”

-- Lee Patterson, CCHS assistant track and field coach

Photo by Ma’KiyahThrasher

Photo by Ma’KiyahThrasher

ODYSSEY Star Players

VARSITY GOLF

1. Anything for the team

You’re like a golf caddy. You carry everything around, like ball bags, pennies, stuff like that. I (also) take the team roster up to the (announcer’s room) so he can read off the rosters. When they’re doing shooting drills, practice, or warmups for games, I’ll (retrieve) balls and get them all back on the field if they shoot

2. New knowledge

You’re gonna know a lot about sports that you don’t even play, but (it’s) fun and interesting. I don’t play soccer, so I know more about the sport than I did before. I used to play when I was little, but I haven’t played in a long time, so now I know more about it. I kind of had an idea of the game but now I know more of the logistics and understand the drills more.

3. Different perspectives

It’s kind of interesting to see a sport from a different perspective than being actually on the field. You’re seeing a sport from like a coach’s perspective because you’re basically only sitting with the coaches, mostly

4. Meeting new people

You’ll make a lot of new friends and meet a lot of people that usually wouldn’t, because you don’t play the same sports, but now you’re in the same environment with them. I wouldn’t have met some of the girls on the team if I hadn’t been the manager, we all do different activities and sports, so it’s cool that our paths crossed this way.

5. Working with others

Sometimes, all three (soccer managers are) at practice, and sometimes there’s more than one of us at games. But, usually if one of us can’t make it to a game, the other one will go or if someone’s not at practice, the other ones will go to practice.

Featured: MANAGER: Clarke Central High School girls varsity soccer team manager Ava Gosset, a junior, holds a bag full of soccer balls in Billy Henderson Stadium on April 24. As team manager, Gosset became closer to her teammates. “I wouldn’t have met some of the girls on the team if I hadn’t been the manager,” Gosset said. “We all do different activities and sports, so it’s cool that our paths crossed this way.” Photo by Aza Khan