The Class of 2026 chose the simple yet effective theme of Monsters Inc. for their first Spirit Week. While around 30 freshmen chose not to participate in the dance, they still presented a fun first performance. Leads Anne Weiss as Boo and Bennett Cummings as Randall wowed the crowd with their dance moves. While Spencer Wilhelmsen and Roan Dutta as Mike and as Sully rocked their onesies, their two and a half minute fight scene began to bore audiences. While the leads had some great costumes, the rest of the freshmen class were left with t-shirts due to their tiny budget. Freshmen decorations were nonexistent, but their banner was impressive despite a scary looking Boo. However, it seems like the Class of 2026 missed the memo on how to carry it, for it ripped during their presentation. The real question is, who did it better: The Class of 2026 as freshmen, or the Class of 2022 as freshmen just four years earlier?
After receiving what one might call “typical freshmen fourth place” last year, many students were curious to see what the Class of 2025 would bring to the table. To everyone’s delightful surprise, the sophomores knocked it out of the park with their performance, taking on the theme of Phineas and Ferb. The Class of 2025 defi nitely proved they can dance, as their perfectly cast leads (including Harrison Silver and Reid Richardson as Phineas and Ferb respectively) did a great job guiding character groups in unison.
Their music track featured songs like “Squirrels in my Pants,” a dance led by Cassidy Davis as Candace, the audio telling a story on a level that is typical for juniors and seniors only. The sophomores presented an impressive banner, and their costumes were creative despite a smaller budget. However, their cafeteria decorations were interesting, to say the least.
In only their second year of
Spirit Week performances due to COVID-19, the Class of 2024 had a lot to prove this year, as they were now required to present a morning dance and a video as well. Banners become larger and therefore more difficult each year, yet Reed Millner led the banner committee graciously in a very impressive work. The Class of 2024 decorated the Inman Center well. Despite the cute idea to wear pajama pants as their morning dance costume, the juniors were a bit out of sync. Still, they presented an entertaining video including the iconic trip to Lenox mall. When it came to their performance, the juniors pre sented an ador able and well told version of the classic movie. Starring Henry Levenson as Peter and Deyo Bourne as Wendy, highlights included Gabby Mautner as Tinker Bell tumbling during dances and Sydney Vincent as Captain Hook being thrown high in the air by her pirate crew. To conclude, the juniors pretended to fly in a circle around Gabby
and Henry as they traveled to Neverland. Also, their costumes represented each character simply yet perfectly.
After two impressive performances, the Class of 2023 was ready to take it home for their senior Spirit Week, and
pretending it was Wonka’s factory. With a costume committee led by Eloise Gaudet, the Class of 2023 has always had representative costumes to their theme, with this year being no exception and including green wigs for the Oompa Loompas. Emma Beth Neville led the banner committee with grace, pulling off an impressive feat and creating one last masterpiece beautifully representing the theme. When it came down to the afternoon performance, the seniors delivered the sweet story along to DJ Schmitt’s audio track through a 15 minute dance.
crew, who absolutely de voured while rocking their tutus. The Class of 2023 presented a creative and amusing video, as they traveled to “Candytopia”
Playing Willy Wonka, Oliver Loree’s dance moves to “Candy Shop” were definitely a highlight of the dance. Each group practiced their individual and partner dances carefully, so many times that every senior memorized the iconic Oompa Loompa dance led by Jordan Loughran. Although one group fell short, CJ Thomas still led an enthusiastic group of girls in the Grandpa Joe dance. The dance was definitely topped off by Charlie Bucket’s (Charlie Fleming) bucket.
Photos: Fred Assaf
said Ms. Beauvoir Brown.
February is a month where the United States pays tribute to the generations of African Americans who have struggled with adversity throughout American history. The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) named ‘Black Resistance’ as the theme for February 2023. Looking at what Pace is doing to incorporate this theme into the month, multiple events and presentations will be hosted in order to celebrate the Black community. “Black History Month is when we take a moment to pause during the month of February to spotlight Black history as we engage this conversation throughout the year,” said Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Joanne Beauvoir Brown.
Pace is focusing on various areas of the arts in order to educate students on Black history. To kick off the month, Andre Bradford, with the stage name S.C Says, will be showing us the artistry of words. He is a spoken
word artist who will be performing his poetry pieces. He tends to emphasize the importance of empathy around identity and focuses on celebrating Black culture. “I hope our students take away another layer of curiosity,
and walk away with a heightened sense of appreciation for what they learn and what they are exposed to. I hope students will see our assemblies as another opportunity for us to learn outside of the four walls of a classroom,”
Looking at the following assembly, Creative Soul Photography introduces an appreciation for Black culture through the visual arts. The final assembly is a preview to a Knight of Jazz. The discussion will lead to the origin of jazz music out of Black culture, emphasizing the influence that Black artists have had on the music industry and other arts. “I would say the best way to learn more would be to be led by your own curiosity. What are you passionate about? And then, look and see whether or not that pool of content that you have is diverse. Does it include Black voices? If not, that is where I think you should start,” said Ms. Beauvoir Brown. These assemblies dive into various aspects of the arts, but they only
introduce the beginning of what could be explored individually.
“ I would say the best way to learn more would be to be led by your own curiosity. What are you passionate about? And
then, look and see whether or not that pool of content that you have is diverse. ”
– Ms. BeauvoirBrownTo close out Black History Month, Pace will be hosting “The Cookout” that is open to all black families from Pre-first through 12th Grade. Taking place Feb. 26, “The Cookout” was created with the hope to bring the Pace community together through a shared identity. “I am looking forward to Black History Month because it focuses on African American accomplishments, and some of the unseen things they went through,” said junior Terrence Kiel. These events will be eye-opening, introducing a new perspective to Black history, and creating great opportunities to look forward to.
Last month, 21 seniors embarked on the first international ICGL trip in nearly three years, setting off on a red-eye flight to Munich on the evening of Friday, Jan. 6. Led by three electric chaperones, history teacher Tim Hornor and math teachers Jason Smith and Heather McCloskey, the dynamic group landed and learned to navigate the metro with only minor setbacks. After a traditional German dinner on the first night, including schnitzel and spaetzle, the students retreated to the hostel to catch up on their jet-lag. “Staying in the hostels was like a ten day sleepover with your best friends,” said Sara Mazur. “The company made up for the freezing cold communal showers.”
The next morning marked the commencement of the weeklong deep dive into German culture and history, with a walking tour of Munich and its most famous museums. Mr. Hornor’s AP Art History students were thrilled with the opportunity of applying their knowledge in real time. “Seeing the bust of Nefertiti in person was an experience on par with seeing God in the flesh” shared Alice Voigt. Mr. Hornor acted as a museum guide for the group, cold-calling students to answer questions on the works they had studied last semester.
Braving the cold of the Alps, the group awoke at 5AM the next morning to make the journey to Neuschwanstein Castle. “The scenery at the castle was so incredible. We took a horse-drawn carriage to the top which was so cinematic,” said Sheza Merchant. The trip was also a celebration of the arts,
and the group leaders fit two performances into the itinerary, the philharmonic and the opera. “Seeing Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ at the Berlin Philharmonic was exhilarating. From the famed orchestra to the talented singers, the musical and cultural experience was unmatched!” said Charlotte Vadnais.
The most impactful event of the trip was certainly the side trip to the Dachau concentration camp, a site of innumerable atrocities. “Visiting Dachau was a sobering experience.” shared Marit Uyham “However, as with the rest of the trip, I appreciated the opportunity to deepen my understanding of historical events.” Viewing the bunkers, gas chamber and memorial sites on ground, was both a painful and educational experience for the group, but one they felt privileged to have the opportunity to witness nonetheless.
On the final day of the trip,
The group poses in front of Sans-Souci Palace.
the group retreated to Potsdam to explore the extravagant lifestyle of the royal Hohenzollern ruler, Frederick the Great. This enlightened absolutist personality became a group favorite.
“Frederick the Great was only 5 ’2’’ but when he stands on his money he’s 6 ‘6”. Sans Souci’s opulent decor and vast grounds are unmatched,” said Forest
Pollard. Bundled up for the cold, they walked around the gardens and palace complexes, appreciating the rococo flair of the former ruler.
As they returned to Atlanta to catch up on their week’s worth of missed schoolwork, the group reflected on the valuable historical and cultural lessons they learned.
afternoon.
KN: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
BW: I have some interesting hobbies. I often think about distinctive hobbies because I often try to get you guys to talk about distinctive hobbies as well. I love tracking planes.
KN: Tracking planes?
KN: My dad does that.
pella music, like “Pitch Perfect.”
KN: Do you have any favorite groups?
BW: It’s more collegiate groups, so I’m kind of into that. I spend time with my family. I’ve got an incredible wife, and we spend a lot of time together with her family in Texas. I love going out to breakfast.
me. I love Philly cheesesteaks. I would rather eat less than eat poorly.
KN: What do you love about college counseling?
BW: My favorite part of my work is strategy. Planning out a sequence of pivots... I love that.
KN: Favorite way to procrastinate at work?
KN: Describe your daily routine.
Ben Wescott: Depends on the time of year as to what’s going on. But I probably have a meeting at 8:30am. It could be with seniors, like yourselves, talking about upcoming release dates. It could be planning a strategy on what’s going on. It could be a meeting with other colleagues and adults, like class deans and the counseling staff. And then I have a series of meetings in the
KN: Describe your daily routine.
Amy Ruff: So the interesting thing about the college counseling office is that we go cyclically. We are an office that functions like the school day, but we don’t function on the class schedule. We meet with parents, families, and college reps. But there’s no typical day. We have to adapt on the fly all the time. We also love food in this office, so lunch is always a conversation. And if it’s breakfast for lunch? We’re finding other things.
KN: What do you love about college counseling?
AR: I love meeting with students and I love the essay stuff. I also love researching colleges. We all have our strengths, like Mr. Wescott is really good at strategy, you know. We work as a team and then we also work very individually.
KN: Got it. What is your routine after you leave Pace?
AR: I mean, I’m a mom when I’m not here. Also, when
BW: I love tracking air travel in general. Like, flight paths, what airlines fly, what routes with what equipment. I love it. I’m not a big reader, except for in the summertime. I read the beach book type of stuff. I love cold weather things. Anything cold weather, I love that. If it’s 15 degrees, I want to go on a walk with my daughter.
KN: Snowball fight?
BW: Oh yeah, any snowrelated activity. I like shoveling snow. I like spending time with my dog. I like watching sporting events. I’m really into male aca-
I’m not here, I’m always thinking about food. Making dinner. Walking my dog. It’s a very mundane life. I have a cat named Oreo, but our neighbors have an Oreo too, but he’s an outdoor cat. My child has no discerning ability to know which Oreo is which, and we don’t want ours to get outside.
KN: Is one bigger than the other?
AR: Mine is bigger.
KN: Call yours double stuff.
KN: Least favorite part of your day?
AR: I’m not a morning person. I wish I could be that person that gets up early and starts my day quietly with my coffee. When I finally get Charlie ready and get out the door, I get stuck in traffic on West Paces and then it’s a litany of swears and then I put on my podcast.
KN: What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time?
AR: I love podcasts.
KN: You got a top three favorite podcasts?
AR: Top 45. They rotate.
KN: What’s your favorite breakfast spot?
BW: Anybody who can get us out quickly with a young child.
KN: If you could have dinner with one person, historical or fictitious, real or animated, who would it be and why?
BW: Ellen. James Corden. Late night show people because they would be fun to have dinner with. They’re fun for a living. It would be a fun dinner.
KN: Favorite lunch?
BW: I don’t like breakfast for lunch. I love burger day... hotdogs. Tacos are a winner for
Every day I listen to “The Daily” in the car. My Spotify is like a multiple hour part of my life every day. It’s like a place of refuge for me. I listen to “Normal Gossip.” Have you listened to it? I also listened to “Archetypes” with Meghan Markle. It has great information about the etymology of words, and especially how they impact women. I used to listen to “Armchair Expert” all the time, to the point where it took up all of my time.
KN: Okay, if you could have dinner with one person, historical or fictitious, alive or dead, real or animated, who would it be?
AR: Obviously Meghan Markle, but I wish it was before all of this contention about her. I would rather listen to what she was passionate about before she got drug through the media. She was so committed to global topics and female initiatives, even at such a young age. I’d also like to have dinner with David Chang. He’s a chef, but he’s much more than that. He thinks about the
BW: Go hang out with students in the Commons.
KN: Favorite music / Spotify Wrapped?
BW: I don’t own Spotify. I am a Pandora man. I listen to a lot of Jason Isbell. I’m big into John Legend. I love Leslie Odom Jr., the California Honey Drops and classical choral music. Another person people don’t know I’m into: John Splithoff. St. Paul and the Broken Bones, you guys know them.
KN: Nope.
KN: I don’t.
BW: Okay…
KN: Who is your lunchroom
global impact of he’s eating and if something healthy for you can impact the world in a negative way, like overfishing salmon.
KN: Sweet. That’s an excuse for me to not eat salmon now. Anyway, what is your favorite way to procrastinate at work?
AR: At work, my favorite way to procrastinate is honestly researching colleges.
KN: That is not procrastinating.
AR: During the fall when I’m working with you guys and we’re not necessarily in research mode, part of my procrastination is doing deep dives into really particular programs. And when reps come in, a 20 minute conversation can turn into an hour. It’s just not the most effective use of time all the time.
KN: Okay, fair. What is your favorite music/Spotify wrapped?
AR: I love country music.
KN: That’s really surprising.
AR: What would you think I would like? Pop? Because I’m mainstream and basic?
KN: No! You’re twisting my
pal?
BW: Some of it just syncs up with whenever you eat lunch. I have lunch frequently with Mrs. Tam Neiley, Dr. Jason Brooks and Mrs. Caitlin Terry.
KN: Do you have a hot take?
BW: I think it’s lunacy how narrow the parking spots are here.
KN: Most embarrassing story or moment?
BW: I’m not a very embarrassed person. My threshold for embarrassment is pretty high.
KN: Favorite TV show and why?
BW: I’m really, really into “Shantaram” on AppleTV+. It’s underrated. I’m all caught up, and I hope they do another season.
KN: Thank you for your time Mr. Wescott. Have a great day!
BW: Thank you guys.
words.
AR: I love Adele. And Ed Sheeran is huge in my house. Charlie’s favorite song is “Bad Habits.” He also loves seventies rock.
KN: Sounds like we should just interview Charlie.
AR: Probably. I also love “Levitating” by Dua Lipa.
KN: I love that song! You can’t go wrong with that one. Okay, do you have a hot take for us?
AR: I hate breakfast for lunch. That’s kind of a hot take here at Pace.
KN: Non food-related hot take?
AR: Oh, I don’t have any of those. My world doesn’t revolve around anything but college counseling and food.
KN: In honor of Valentine’s Day, who is your celebrity crush?
AR: Hmm. Miles Teller. Pre “Top Gun” though. Now he’s mainstream and it’s kind of annoying.
KN: Solid choice.
least 40 fatalities. Now officials are facing many questions from the public. What more could have been done? Why weren’t they prepared? Had the county waited too long to shut down roadways resulting in the deaths of citizens?
The Knightly News
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Co-Editors-in-Chief: Emmy Mininberg Jack Wagreich
Mary Amelia Weiss
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Over the holiday break, a once-in-a-generation blizzard hit Buffalo, New York, resulting in power outages, fatalities and many questions. Buffalo officials prepared themselves for another storm with a small group of emergency responders and supplies, but they never could have predicted what was to come. Prior to the storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said, “The snow, coupled with wind gusts approaching hurricane force, will create enormous drifts and impossible travel.” The deadly mix of wind and snow will be embedded in history and the minds of citizens forever. Buffalo is accustomed to some snow every once in a while, but this storm hit them particularly hard. ABC News said, “The icy wind chill and the plunging temperatures left Buffalo in minus 10 and minus 30 degree weather for days.” The combination of hurricane-force winds and lake-effect snow resulted in a fatal storm leaving buffalo citizen’s in shambles.
The storm lasted about four days and left up to 50 inches of snow in parts of Buffalo. While Buffalo weather officials did have a travel advisory, there was not an outright travel ban until it was too late. Many people, including emergency response teams, were left in their cars or stranded on the icy streets resulting in at
Along with the Buffalo citizens, around 150 million people across the United States (U.S.) faced abnormally frigid conditions this winter. U.S. President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency for the state of New York in an effort to recover what had been lost. Many states, like California and Oklahoma, declared a state of emergency and some states even activated the National Guard to help combat the effects of the winter storms. Millions were left without power as the winds and blizzard conditions took out power lines and grids. These extremely frigid conditions are responsible for more than twice as many deaths as extreme heat according to a Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report. So far at least 56 storm-related deaths are reported across the U.S according to CNN.
Buffalo experienced a “bomb cyclone” which is the most intense breed of mid-latitude storm. Due to the recent drop in temperatures and extreme weather conditions, scientists question what the cause is. According to The Washington Post, new research reveals that global warming and climate change could be to blame. The Arctic is warming at an alarming rate due to the global emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide according to the New York Times which would cause the Arctic air to move southward. The rising global temperatures creates warmer winters than normal, but on the other hand it changes the atmospheric patterns. This change pushes outbreaks of the arctic polar air to shift into other climates. Due to global warming, these polar vortex outbreaks are not expected to stop.
Managing Editor: Marley Venturi
Current Affairs Editor: David Fu
Multimedia Editor: Stella Nelson
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Staff Writers: Etan Gerber, Julia Goode, Megan Klingler, Sydney Lettes, Corey Lochan, Hannah Much, Harrison Silver
The Knightly News is the student-run newspaper of Pace Academy. For over 40 years it has reported the news that affects Pace, as well as the opinions of students.
The Knightly News is published by the students of Pace Academy, and approximately 600 copies are printed by School Publications Company.
The Knightly News welcomes letters to the editor and guest opinions, which may be edited for spelling and grammar, as well as space constraints. Neither Knightly News-generated opinion pieces nor guest opinions are reflective of the official policy of Pace Academy.
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On Nov. 13, 2022, four students at the University of Idaho were found stabbed to death in a house near the campus in Moscow, Idaho. Ethan Chapin (20), Madison Mogen (21), Xana Kernodle (20) and Kaylee Goncalves (21) fell victim to leading suspect Bryan Kohberger who is facing four counts of first-degree murder and a count of felony burglary. It took police more than six weeks to identify a suspect, and now the 28-year-old is held in custody without bail.
According to Moscow Police, Goncalves and Mogen went out to the Corner Club Bar in Moscow from approximately 9:00 pm on Nov. 12 to 1:45 am on Nov. 13. Chapin and Kernodle, who were dating, went to the Sigma Chi House on the University of Idaho campus between 10:00 pm on Nov. 12 to 1:30 am on Nov. 13. Two other roomates who survived the attack, Dylan Mortenson and Bethany Funke, were also out in Moscow that night. At approximately 1:30 am Goncalves and Mogen were seen on video at a local food vendor called the “Grub Truck.” Both of the roomates made statements that all of the occupants of the off-campus
rental home on King Road were home by 2:00 am on Nov. 13 and asleep or in their rooms by 4:00 am. The statements made by the roomates were revealed in the chilling 18-page affidavit released on Jan. 5 that outlines key evidence that exposes Kohenberger as a suspect. However, at approximately 4:00 am, Kernodle received a DoorDash order to the King Road Residence and went back to her room.
According to the affidavit, Mortenson stated that she originally went to sleep in her bedroom located on the second floor and was awoken at around 4:00 am by strange noises, crying and a man’s voice saying something to the effect of “it’s ok, I’m going to help you.” The roommate opened her door two times, and on the third time saw a figure clad in black clothing and a mask who appeared to be a man with bushy eyebrows walking towards her. The male walked past her, and Mortenson stood “frozen” according to court documents. Investigators believe that the murders took place between 4:00 am and 4:25 am. According to ABC News, authorities were not alerted until 11:58 am by a 911 phone call from one of the roommate’s phone.
While investigating the crime scene, a knife sheath was found on the bed of Mogen and Goncalves’ bedroom
(continued on page 10)
The 1975, a British synthpop band with over 16 million monthly listeners on Spotify, was recently on their “At Their Very Best” World Tour promoting their most recent album, “Being Funny in a Foreign language.” This tour premiered the band’s innovative performance style, which the Rolling Stones categorized as “part performance art, part rock show, all bolstered by some of the best pop songs to have emerged in the last decade.”
Oddly enough, most of the publicity generated from this tour focuses not on the music or performance, but on the antics of the band’s lead singer and rhythmic guitarist, Matthew “Matty” Healy. Son of English actors, Denise Welch and Tim Healy, Healy has embraced his spotlight for most of his life. Recently, his popularity on TikTok stems from his on-stage tendency to performatively kiss fans.
This stage trick is not new; in fact, singers like Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen are famous for acts like this that excite their crowds and fuel the future daydreams of their fans. Associ-
ate Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Virginia Jack Hamilton posits that “if you think about the crooner tradition or the singing of love songs, it’s nothing new for people to have crushes on stars. Kissing someone on stage is the literal fulfillment of that fantasy.” While Healy does rely on this trope, it seems to be only a fraction of a larger performance containing many more acts.
Healy has surely kissed his fair share of fans, but three main instances got caught in TikTok’s algorithm. The first happened at a Dallas show, when Healy brought 24-year-old bartender Isabella onto stage with him and
made out with her. She frantically relayed the events to her Twitter followers, most notably pointing out that “he ASKED before he kissed [her].” This theme of consent stays consistent with the second lucky guy, who claims to have held up his “phone with the words GIVE A GUY A TRY,” thinking that it would “be a cute way to get a smile from Matty.” This fan was starstruck as Healy brought him on stage, making the fan “feel something [he] just [couldn’t] fully put into words.” The third fan held up a sign that asked Healy to be her first kiss. After checking her ID and asking “are you sure?” a number of times,
Healy kissed her, the video of which now has 1.2 million likes on Tik Tok.
Another collection of Healy’s viral moments takes place during the band’s performance of “I Like America & America Likes Me,” a song that uses a near controversial amount of autotune, even when being performed live. There is a small pause at one point in the song, where Healy takes it upon himself to do a multitude of things: criticize security guards for not helping a fan up, apologize to fans with bad seats, compliment the crowd and even express his dislike of menthols, all with a roboticsounding voice.
Their show in Madison Square Garden in early November showcased more of Healy’s bizarre acts. One of the television sets played a video showcasing shots of Logan Paul, Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg and even Bored Ape NFTs. Then, after taking his shirt off, Healy took a large bite out of a slab of raw steak, and started doing push ups on stage.
All of this information begs the question: how does Matty Healy have such a large community of stans on Tik Tok? Creator of SYSCAbout Lucy Blakiston explains that people find him so attractive because “we’re so used to seeing celebrities being so manufactured, living and dying by their publicists, made for our consumption. There’s something really enticing about someone that seems unpolished.” The Rolling Stones describes Healy as “a subversive and surreal take on modern masculinity,” which speaks to the growing population of teens on social media who prefer men who contradict their masculinity.
Healy is joining the ranks of men like Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet, who comfortably express their femininity and are widely appreciated on platforms like Instagram and TikTok for doing so.
historians were able to be assisted by AI in recoloring paintings by the artist Gustav Klimt, reports The Wall Street Journal.
As artificial intelligence develops further and increases its capabilities, the technology has received tremendous backlash over the past year. One of the uses for AI has been widely criticized in particular - AI art. New programs like DALL-E 2 and Midjourney use AI to generate art from short word prompts, and artists and illustrators worry that these AI programs could replace them due to the efficiency and relative affordability of AI art.
Last year, at the Colorado State Fair, Jason Allen submitted a piece created using Midjourney and won the digital art contest. Although he did disclose that his art was AI-generated, the New York Times reports that many artists were still enraged that Allen won the competition and $300 prize without creating the art himself.
Additionally, Cosmopolitan used AI to create the cover of their magazine, advertising that it only took 20 seconds to make. The Economist magazine did something similar, using an AI-generated image as an inset on the cover of their artificial intelligence issue.
But artificial intelligence might not only have a negative impact in the art world. AI can be helpful in art restoration. Art
One of his triptychs was lost in a fire, leaving only black and white photos of it, but recently they were recolored by an AI.
The AI used references of other Klimt paintings and what critics had written about the piece before it burned to guess what it had looked like. However, not all historians agree that the recoloring is accurate.
Another use of AI that has recently come under fire is textgenerating programs like Chat GPT, created by the company Open AI. English teacher Dr. Jason Brooks has been experimenting with it. There was a lot of worry in the academic community about the chatbot being able to write essays for students, but the chatbot has many limitations, he explained. “It doesn’t do analysis, and it doesn’t have style or voice.” But Dr. Brooks does believe teachers will have to adapt to this new technology. “My goal is always to ask questions that AI can’t answer,” he said.
Dr. Brooks believes Chat GPT could produce useful structures or models to help students with essay writing, similar to how students are taught the “three-prong thesis” or given an outline. It could also “provide starting points for creative writing.” He thinks it could eventually be a useful tool in research because its natural language abilities make it easier to find research without worrying as much about manipulating search terms.
However, Brooks does worry about AI being abused and replicating hate language.
And in fact, Chat GPT users have reported many instances of the text-generator producing racist statements, The Intercept reports.
Artificial intelligence replicating racism is not a new problem; in 2015 a Google Photos service designed to sort photos into categories based on what was pictured mistakenly labeled 80 photos of Black people as photos of gorillas. AI is predominantly being built by white men, and biases can be embedded into technology, New York Times Opinion contributor Cade Metz writes. AI is trained by analyzing huge amounts of data. If that data contains biases, it can absorb that.
One app that has received backlash for allegations of embedded racism is Lensa AI, a program created by the startup Prisma Labs. The app uses pictures of people to create personalized “AI avatars” of them, turning users into fairy princesses, astronauts, and anime and sci-fi characters. But users of color also noticed the app often ended up lightening their skin as well, seemingly replicating colorism, the Smithsonian reported.
With artificial intelligence continuously being developed and seeming to expand its capabilities every time, it remains to be seen how, if at all, it will be regulated, and what effects that could have on our relationship with technology.
On Jan. 8, China reopened its land and sea borders for the first time in three years. China’s 1.4 billion inhabitants can finally see their friends and family again.
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2019, China has followed a zero-COVID policy. In order to minimize the number of infections, it has utilized mass testing, government-organized quarantines and strict lockdowns, even if only a couple of cases are detected. These approaches had many drawbacks, however. The many lockdowns have slowly depleted China’s resources, resulting in food shortages. Residents that endured these policies could not travel and were often confined to their homes for weeks or months at a time.
Public sentiment toward the zero-COVID policy slowly soured over time, resulting in mass protests in Nov. 2022.
Because of the heavy censorship of media, protestors would hold up a blank sheet of paper, representing the powerful, voiceless citizens. Other protestors took to social media, where millions of users on WeChat and Douyin would send photos and videos that were flipped or edited to bypass the firewall. These protests were not only for the loosening of the Covid restrictions but also for political and social freedoms.
These protests appeared successful, as President Xi Jinping loosened China’s zero-COVID policy in December. Forced quarantines, lockdowns and mass testing were done away with. Additionally, many schools and businesses have reopened. Citizens no longer had to report negative virus tests and health code checks to travel domestically.
However, there has been a massive surge in Coronavirus infections due to the easing policies. Many hospitals are filling up rapidly, especially in largely populated cities like Beijing. Some hospitals have even run out of beds and intensive care units.
Despite the rising cases, China and Hong Kong have decided to reopen their borders. Hong Kong placed a daily quota of 60,000 travelers crossing into mainland China. These crossings still require a negative Covid test within the last 48 hours.
For Chinese travelers, the most popular destinations are Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Thailand. With all of these countries celebrating the Lunar New year, scientists are predicting another surge in Coronavirus cases. Jan. 7, the day before
reopening, was the beginning of “Chun yun” - the 40-day period of travel for the Lunar New Year. With China expecting over 2 billion trips for the upcoming New Year travel, the risk of coronavirus infections is higher than ever.
Scandal and fraud mar the reputation of Silicon Valley, the epicenter of western technological innovation. The California tech hub is home to companies like Google, Twitter and Apple Inc and has the third highest GDP in the world. According to The Atlantic, these corporations “define our digital lives.” However, in recent years, the tech giants have struggled to “create the futures they’ve long advertised,” failing to democratize the tech world, instead prioritizing profit over customer and planet well-being.
As recently as Dec. 2022, cryptocurrency exchange FTX founder and billionaire Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas for eight counts of fraud and the breaking of federal finance laws. The month before, the company went bankrupt and suffered billion-dollar financial losses for his customers, forcing Bankman-Fried to step down from his CEO position. In January, he pled not guilty but remains in house arrest for his crimes.
The story of infamous former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes a few years prior bears stark similarities to BankmanFried. Holmes, a Stanford University dropout, believed she could reinvent and revitalize the blood testing industry, pitching a product that could test for various medical condi-
tions using only a single drop of blood. Holmes devised this idea at the mere age of 19, and in order to gain investor support, faked the original demonstration of the Theronos prototype as the technology had not been fully developed.
Holmes was deemed a healthcare revolutionary, and in 2014 became the youngest female self-made billionaire. Theranos gained a partnership with Walgreens, and the pharmaceutical giant administered these blood tests on patients after many release delays.
These “delays” were just a small piece of Holmes’ massive
commitment of fraud. The tests had a low success rate and fed inaccurate results to doctors, who based their prescriptions on the tests, including false indications of cancer. Holmes’ final breaking point came with journalist John Carryrou’s exposure of her lies to investors and faulty technology using inside sources at Theranos. The formerly $9 billion startup, complete with big-name investors like businessman Larry Ellison and former Secretary of State George Shultz, shut down in 2018. Holmes has been ordered to turn herself in to the authorities by April 2023.
For years, the success of these companies has come partly from the star power of their leaders. According to The Guardian, investors look for a new young “mastermind” to put their money behind, sometimes disregarding the actual tech they have to offer, like in Holmes’ case.
This cult of personality is all too familiar when observing the patterns of these moguls, but simultaneously has gone unnoticed by investors for years.
Steve Jobs, for example, was one of the first to attach his personality to his company image; he used certain quirks, like his ever-present black turtleneck, to
his advantage. Holmes, inspired by Jobs, acted similarly, opting to wear the Jobs-esque turtleneck and bright lipstick and to speak in an unnaturally low voice. Investors, initially skeptical, became drawn to her image as a teenage, and more importantly female, CEO of a medical startup. Holmes capitalized on the sense of awe and trust people felt for her; like Jobs, most Theranos advertising shows a closeup of Holmes’ face as she holds the product. At the end of her tenure as CEO, she went so far as to blame her failing technology on misogyny.
After so many catastrophic mishaps, investors cannot continue to support these “geniuses,” who continue to falsely ensure they are working for the betterment of society, without any checks and balances. According to The Guardian, the model where “a visionary is entrusted with millions to invest the culture with scant oversight” has come to an end.
On the bright side, these debacles will most likely create a new era of brisk enforcement and accountability, but the negative impacts will still echo throughout society. According to Yahoo, for example, in addition to the ethical repercussions of fraudulent technology, many women attempting to build startups have already reported the “long shadow” that people like Holmes have cast on the industry. Holmes’ particular scandal leaves women at a significant disadvantage, since the primary female Silicon Valley persona turned out to be a massive sham.
Over 20 states have banned TikTok from government-owned devices, and the federal government has recently passed a similar ban too. Additionally, in Dec. 2022, a complete ban on TikTok in the U.S. was introduced to the senate by Marco Rubio (R-Fl). While the closure of the 117th Congress renders that bill dead, the current attitude around the app and its Chinese ownership leaves little doubt that a similar bill will be proposed in the next two year congress.
The recent attention to TikTok may seem like déjà vu, as President Trump signed an executive order attempting to ban the app in 2020, but the opposition to it has grown stronger than ever before, with lawmakers now comparing the app to “digital fentanyl” and a threat to national security. TikTok data is currently handled by an American company Oracle, but is still accessible by the Chinese company behind TikTok.
Recently confirmed reports that TikTok’s parent company used the app’s data collection to monitor locations and information on journalists have forced governments to reconsider the app’s future. Even the European Union, which formerly ignored
potential risks of TikTok, has begun a shift in policy in favor of restricting the app with new regulations to be unveiled in the near future.
While the risks of TikTok’s data collection often take the center stage, what sometimes go unnoticed are the issues with the app itself. TikTok uses one of the most advanced algorithms in the social media industry to show its users exactly what they want to see.
Recently, many TikTok users found their “for you” pages inundated with bots posting clips from the show Family Guy above mobile gameplay. Dubbed
the “Family Guy pipeline incident,” these clips quickly became more and more plentiful, until one might find five or more in a row while scrolling.
“Family guy clips backing Subway Surfers has taken over my for you page.” said senior David Grice. “I hate getting them and yet I watch them all the way through because I have no self-control and am the ideal consumer.”
Family Guy may seem innocent enough, but what happens when these bots start peddling Russian disinformation about their war in Ukraine, or
racist videos aiming to influence the way the viewer sees other people? These are not unreasonable reaches, and, in fact, are very easy to test and prove.
Studies into the app’s algorithm have already shown that content promoting suicide or other mental health issues can begin flooding a “for you” page in as short as 2.6 minutes. Another study by the journalism credibility organization NewsGuard proved that within 40 minutes, someone’s main feed can become filled with misinformation about the war in Ukraine.
There are many more controversial issues that can populate TikTok with a goal of influencing public opinion, and the takeover of Family Guy on the app
proves just how easily that goal can be accomplished. Any action on a post, apart from the “not interested button,” will lead to more and more videos expressing the same viewpoint on the topic; even leaving a comment disagreeing with the content does the same.
Who, then, is in charge of what we see on a daily basis?
TikTok has claimed time and time again that the companies’ actions are not influenced by the Chinese government, but in reality, that direct influence isn’t even necessary.
The Chinese government could, as could any government, use bots to create content specifically designed to take advantage of the TikTok algorithm to influence opinions, a strategy taken by the Russian government in the past on other platforms.
In July 2022, TikTok forbade the Chinese government from their attempt to create a secret account to spread propaganda. The intent exists in plain sight, but it is impossible to know how they have acted on that intent.
It is safe to assume that they did not abandon their plan after July, and could currently be pushing their own propaganda straight to our phones, aided by the powerful algorithm.
The rise in Family Guy clips have shifted from entertainment to annoyances to now warnings about what is possible with TikTok.
With the commencement of 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A) officially removed the in-person requirement when obtaining mifepristone, a drug that blocks a hormone necessary for pregnancy development. According to The New York Times, prescribing physicians previously dispensed mifepristone directly to the patient, at specific clinics or hospitals. But now, for the first time, retail pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, when aligned with F.D.A guidelines, can provide easy access to an abortion pill. As stated in The Washington Post, this acts as the latest step to ease restrictions on abortion medications since mifepristone was approved in 2000.
The F.D.A official website addresses specific rules and qualifications when dispensing mifepristone: patients will still need a prescription from a certified doctor and must complete a form of consent. Not all physicians can prescribe mifepristone, first having to prove, to agency
satisfaction, their ability to perform an abortion. Steps must take place to conceal doctors’ names and protect them from any sort of public harassment or violence. Given the time and resources needed to ensure compliance and complete these steps, some pharmacies choose not to dispense mifepristone, a medication that only a small percentage of their customers use.
While abortion pills are widely used in hospitals and pregnancy termination centers around the United States (U.S.), mifepristone and step two of the abortion regimen, misoprostol, causing contractions that expel pregnancy tissue, have become largely sought after following the Supreme Court decision in 2022 overturning the federal right to abortion. With this, discussion surfaces around what this decision means for states where abortion is illegal.
As stated by The Washington Post, The Department of Justice (DOJ), authored by Assistant Attorney General Christopher H. Shroeder, issued a legal opinion that U.S. postal services may deliver abortion pills to any state. “There are manifold ways in which recipients in every state may use these drugs, including
to produce an abortion, without violating state law,” said Schroeder. “Therefore, the mere mailing of such drugs to a particular jurisdiction is an insufficient basis for concluding that the sender intends them to be used unlawfully.”
Abortion laws can act as a catalyst for political battles, affecting a pharmacy’s choice of weather or not to dispense the pills. Contrasting responses following the F.D.A’s decision immediately sparked political
uproar. Marjorie Dannenfelser, the President of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America says, “The Biden administration has once again proved that it values abortion industry profits over women’s safety and unborn children’s lives…abortion activists want to turn every post office and pharmacy into an abortion business, and the Biden F.D.A. is a willing participant,” while Kirsten Moore, director of the Expanding Medication Abortion Access project, says that
by, “allowing brick-and-mortar pharmacies to dispense medication abortion care, the F.D.A. is treating medication abortion like the safe, effective, time-sensitive care that it is.” While mifepristone is only authorized for abortions, as stated in Penn Medicine News, it maintains the ability to aid with miscarriages. According to The New York Times, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, filed a citizen petition requesting that the F.D.A. ease restrictions for mifepristone to be used for miscarriages.
A spokesman for Walgreens, Fraser Engerman, establishes the pharmacy’s intentions to review the F.D.A’s decision and, “continue to enable our pharmacists to dispense medications consistent with federal and state law.” According to the National Public Radio (NPR), Danco Laboratories, having created the abortion pill with GenBioPro, clarified that, “Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.”
pop the question?
EF: Well, I had just run a 50k race and he met me halfway and drove me home.
Knightly News (KN): Hi guys! We are here with Elizabeth and Graves!
Elizabeth Feagin (EF): Hi!
Graves Hamilton (GH): Hi!
KN: How long have you guys been dating?
EF: Three months.
KN: Who liked who first?
GH: Uh, probably Elizabeth.
EF: Yeah it was me.
KN: What was your first date?
GH: We went to Bartaco.
EF: Yeah on November 1st.
KN: How did things become official? Like when did Graves
GH: Yeah yeah. I asked her to be my girlfriend when I dropped her off.
EF: He picked me up at a Buc-ee’s!
KN: That is adorable! Do you guys have a favorite type of date to go on?
GH: Oh, that is a hard question.
EF: Anything that involves food.
KN: Do you guys have any exciting Valentine’s Day plans? Or have you not thought that far ahead?
EF: We have not thought that far!
KN: Do you guys like to give gifts for holidays? Christmas gifts?
GH: Oh yeah I got Elizabeth a necklace for Christmas.
EF: I got Graves a Porsche sweatshirt.
KN: Wow, those are good gifts! Anyways, who wears the pants in the relationship?
EF: I feel like an outside perspective is needed to answer this question.
KN: Well, I feel like it is Elizabeth. Oh, William Cummings, come over here. Who do you think wears the pants in this relationship?
William Cummings (WC): For sure Graves.
EF: Uh oh, now we have both sides.
KN: We have to conduct a poll.
WC: Oh, I like the idea of that!
KN: William, do you think Elizabeth and Graves make a good couple?
WC: I would say they do!
GH: Okay, William you are not a part of this relationship. You can leave.
KN: Okay, back to the interview. Whose house do you hang out at more?
GH: Probably my house more.
KN: Well this was great, but before we end, what is your favorite candy?
EF: Definitely Almond Joy.
KN: Oh that is quite a controversial answer.
GH: I think a Milky Way.
KN: Thanks for talking with us today! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Kids hear many lies as they grow up that shape their lives. Parents will occasionally tell lies to their kids, making their own lives easier, and kids will then tell each other myths that they have heard from an adult or an older sibling.
One of the first and most common myths you are told as a child is that watching too much TV will rot your brain or sitting too close to the TV will make you go blind. This myth is false because televisions emit such low radiation that they cannot cause any sort of eye or brain damage. Another common myth that kids are told is that they have to wait 30 minutes after eating to swim. Kids are told that swimming too soon will make their arms and legs cramp, and they might drown. However, this is false, and no blood is diverted away from your arms and legs to your stomach to help with digestion.
Some lies are told by adults so that they can get kids to eat more vegetables. The most popular one is that eating carrots will help you see in the dark, which sounds like a helpful superpow-
er. Carrots are turned into vitamin A in the body which helps your eyesight, but eating carrots will not drastically change anything with your vision.
Some myths that kids hear are created by other kids or “funny” adults. The first of these kinds of myths is that swallowing an apple seed will cause an apple tree to grow inside of you. For years, I picked out the seeds in all my fruits due to hearing this myth. A similar myth is that, if you swallow chewing gum it will stay in your stomach for five to seven years. Sophomore Ryan Wrigley said, “I never purposefully swallow gum because there is a chance that the myth could
be true.” Our stomachs cannot digest gum, but doctors believe that eventually, the gum goes through our digestive system, and it takes less than five years.
Kids will also hear scary myths that are mostly derived from comics. These myths include that sneezing with your eyes open will cause them to pop out. I personally have never tried to sneeze with my eyes open because I do not want my eyes to pop out, but closing your eyes when sneezing is a biological reflex. Doctors are not sure why we close our eyes when we sneeze, but they do believe that your eyes will not pop out of their sockets when attempting an
open-eyed sneeze. Some myths that are told to kids are very nerve-racking. One that I am commonly told is that cracking my knuckles will give me arthritis. Sophomore Cooper Williams said, “Every time I crack my knuckles, my mom tells me I am going to get arthritis.” A 30-year study was done on this myth and proved that cracking your knuckles does not give you arthritis, but rather loosens your grip strength because of the stretching of tendons. The last medical myth that I have heard is that if you go outside with wet hair on a cold day you will catch a cold or get pneumonia. I was always quite nervous about this
one, so I would thoroughly dry my hair or put something over my head when walking outside. This myth is false because colds stem from a virus, but if you stay outside for too long in the cold you may experience a runny nose from being chilled.
Some myths we hear come from popular movies, the first being that it is dangerous to wake a sleepwalker. I have never had to experience this as I do not know anyone that sleepwalks, but this myth was spread from the popular movie “Step Brothers.” The two brothers are awakened while they are sleepwalking and then attack their parents. Doctors say to not wake up a sleepwalker unless they are doing something dangerous because it might scare them. Another myth that spread from the popular movie, “Grown Ups” is that peeing in a pool will cause the color to change. The fear is that you will pee in the pool and be immediately outed as the culprit because the color will change around you. This myth is false because this type of chemical does not exist. However, do not pee in pools because that is nasty.
Kids hear many myths as they grow up and those myths shape the way kids make decisions, but at some point, the myths need to be debunked.
Wabrek sets resolutions “about NOT doing something.” He says “One year, I made it a whole year without eating fast food.” For 2023, Mr. Wabrek’s resolution is to “not drink any soda.”
With the start of the New Year, resolutions present an opportunity to improve yourself and your habits. Although this sounds like a great idea, only about 16% of people who set resolutions actually follow through with them. The majority end up giving up within the first six weeks of the year. Upper School English chairperson and English teacher Bailey Player says “I generally don’t set New Year’s resolutions. I have in the past, but they never really stick so I just gave up on doing it.” Mr. Player as well as many other people believe that resolutions are unnecessarily stressful.
A common issue with resolutions is not having a realistic, detailed plan to follow through on. The acronym SMART is productive for helping set up resolutions. It stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Head of Upper School Michael Gannon says “I think they are helpful as long as the resolutions are aspirational targets rather than hard and fast rules.” As Mr. Gannon states, it is easier to follow through on goals when you make goals for yourself that are attainable and not impossible to accomplish.
This year, Mr. Gannon’s resolutions are to “get more exercise” and to “eat healthy.” He
shares the same resolutions as Head of School Fred Assaf. Mr. Gannon says “Eating healthy does not mean never eating unhealthy foods, just aiming for better. Exercising more is pretty attainable when your baseline is as low as mine!” Mr. Gannon plans to accomplish these goals by putting “positive energy behind the resolution, not negative.” It is great to start a new year with positive energy and it can make it easier to accomplish your goals.
Along with his earlier mentioned goals, Mr. Assaf states
that another one of his goals for 2023 is “crushing Lovett and Westminster.” I bet this goal is one that is pretty common around the Pace community.
Mr. Assaf shows his support for resolutions by saying, “I love the motivation - and you can begin change at the very moment you feel the courage to strive for excellence!!”
Biology teacher and Class of 2026 Dean Ben Ewing says that “rather than resolutions,” he creates “a list of goals and priorities for the upcoming year.” This consists of “spending every day
this year learning and practicing Spanish so that I can travel more to Spanish-speaking nations” and “getting my vegetable garden up and running.” Mr. Ewing states “I think that any opportunity to reflect on how you are living and to make intentional decisions about what you want to change is always helpful, as long as you keep learning and growing, you can’t go wrong!”
Mr. Ewing believes that New Year’s resolutions can be positive as long as you learn throughout the process.
Director of athletics Chad
Mr. Wabrek also believes that having “a New Year’s resolution that takes you out of your comfort zone is important, because if you’re committed to it, then you have to do it.”
Mr. Player says “I don’t believe in waiting for an arbitrary date to change one’s life for the better.” Mr. Player believes that Jan. 1 is an arbitrary date because “It is only by complete cosmic accident that the spacerock we happen to inhabit takes 365 days to make a full revolution around a ball of fire in the middle of our galaxy.”
Mr. Player understands why people like resolutions and says, “It does make sense that people would want to acknowledge going into a new year by, in some ways, becoming a bit of a new person.”
A few students shared their resolutions for 2023. Junior Eva Tucker shared that her 2023 New Year’s resolution is to “Drink more water.” Eva plans on accomplishing this goal by “trying to drink at least two of my waterbottles a day.”
Junior Uma Graz shared that her New Year’s resolution is “to be less stressed in school”. This is an excellent goal for 2023 that I imagine many other students share.
Asthe 2023 New
Year is celebrated, people start off the New Year with resolutions to improve themselves.Photo: New York Latin Culture Magazine
literally lawn fertilizer more flavorful than these monstrosities. You’re better off fasting than stopping for a bagel at Dunkin.
While northern states such as New “Yark” York and New “Jarsey” Jersey are infamous for their bagels, Atlanta has some decent bagel spots worth your dollars, as well as some pretty dreadful ones. A profound bagel is determined by the contrast between the crunchy exterior and the soft, fluffy interior complimented by an elegant schmear in between.
Firstly, Dunkin makes a mockery of this meal. They should un-rebrand their name back to Dunkin Donuts and strictly stick to selling donuts and never attempt to serve another bagel. Their bagel is bland, artificial and lacks crunch or depth. They clearly receive them from a third-party source, defrost them and sell them to the customer. Shameful, do not purchase. Furthermore, they attempted to reinvent the bagel and create bagel bites filled with cream cheese. There is quite
As for other large chains, Starbucks and Panera do a better job at preparing this dish. These bagels both have better crunch and flavor profiles. Furthermore, they look like real bagels, unlike Dunkin. However, these restaurants lack in the schmear department with average storebought cream cheeses and lack of variety.
Getting into a more gourmet bagel chain is Einstein Bros Bagels. While still being a chain, their forte is strictly bagels, allowing for a much more delightful experience. This restaurant has a much better variety of bagels that all possess good flavor for a much better value. Furthermore, this company is based out of Manhattan, meaning it is rooted in bagelness and truly represents pride in bagel making.
While one might laugh about the importance of the bagel, it is so much more than a breakfast item. For instance, our own Pace community is brought together
roughly every other Friday by the Bagels and Bonsai™ club. Led by Juniors Henry “H-Lev” Levenson and Ryan “Ryan” Reiss, this club convenes around bagels and bonsai trees to dis-
cuss philosophy and important current events. Co-Leader Junior Will Moore states, “Everybody knows that bagels grow from Bonsai trees. In a way, we’re all Bonsai trees. Kinda.”
One of the best places to get your bagel in the metro Atlanta area right down the street from Pace is 101 Bagel Cafe on Cobb Parkway. This store resembles a standard New York bagel shop, with glass windows showing the bagel kitchen right at the entrance. This is a reflection of 101 Bagel Cafe’s products as they are freshly house-made every day giving for a firm, delicious bagel. Furthermore, they have their own cream cheese, not cheaping out on standard Philadelphia cream cheese. While this shop’s bagels have great flavors, they don’t quite live up to the top restaurant bagels.
The all-around best bagel shop is hands down Goldbergs. This New York-style deli has the best bagel with a variety of options that all possess the best crunch ratio and flavor profiles. Furthermore, they have multiple locations, multiple cream cheese options and breakfast sandwiches (the ocky way). This restaurant is also so much more than a bagel with many other fantastic breakfast and lunch options and a very nice, friendly staff.
trust me.
Dating back to around the 14th century, Valentine’s Day is a day filled with romance and joy… for a few. When someone has a valentine, the day is awesome, as you have a day dedicated to your own relationship and connection. Some people are not fortunate enough to have a valentine, so they spend the day in sorrow. Unfortunately, I typically do not have a valentine, and I spend the day wondering “what if?” Why does Valentine’s Day have to take a shot at single people? Valentine’s is an overrated day and a complete waste of a holiday.
First off, why is chocolate so special for Valentine’s Day?
People buy specialty chocolates for an astronomically high price just because they are in a special heart container. The chocolate
does not taste any different and is just a big waste of money.
Chocolate is not romantic in any way, but there is a societal misconception about this special chocolate. On any given day, a box of chocolates is a dessert,
but for Valentine’s, it is a symbol of love. I personally prefer chocolate in a non-romantic way because it is definitely cheaper. Nowadays, relationships are difficult things to achieve, whereas throughout history
relationships were forced. Some people seek out a significant other, while others prefer being alone. Why should this holiday be celebrated, if not everyone can partake? Obtaining a relationship is a difficult thing,
The spirit of a holiday is a day to unite everyone, so why should this holiday tear people apart? Someone without a valentine is seen as an outsider on this “special day”. Valentine’s Day is so overrated and designed for a select few, so it should be erased from the calendar. This waste of a day primarily promotes romantic love rather than just general love. I personally love many things, but a single person is not the object of my love. Why should my love for the world around me and my family be disregarded on Valentine’s Day? Why does this holiday force people to devote their love to one person?
According to the US Census, 50% of Americans are single. These people do not have someone to love, so they sit alone on this “special day”.
The overall nature of Valentine’s Day disgusts me. A holiday meant to separate people by relationships is not a holiday that I will ever choose to follow.
on the third floor. A single source of DNA was found on the button snap of the knife sheath that connected the sample to another sample of DNA collected from trash of Kohberger’s parents’ home in Pennsylvania.
The trash revealed that Mr. Kohberger was most likely the father of the person who left DNA on the knife sheath.
On the night of the murder, a white Hyundai Elantra was seen on surveillance footage from 3:29 am to 4:20 am. A Washington State University police officer discovered that the car
belonged to Kohberger on Nov. 29. On Nov. 13, the car made three passes by the King Road Residence and then left the area. At around 4:04 am, the vehicle entered the area a fourth time and was seen quickly departing the area at approximately 4:20 am. During the time of the murders, records revealed that Kohberger disconnected his phone from the network and did not turn it back on until 4:48 am. However, at around 9:12 am, Kohberger’s phone was detected near the crime scene for nine minutes according to the New
York Times. According to the affidavit, the suspect’s phone account was opened on June 23, 2022, and his phone “provided coverage to the area of 1122 King Road on at least twelve occasions prior to Nov. 13, 2022.”
Bryan Kohberger had taken a keen interest in criminology in his past. He received his bachelor’s degree from DeSales University in 2020 and Masters of Arts in Criminal Justice in June 2022, according to the New York Times. Kohberger then became a PhD student at the department of criminal justice and crimi-
nology at Washington State University where he worked as a teacher’s assistant. Even after the murders, Kohberger went on with his normal routine of attending class, grading papers and leading class discussions.
After hearing the news of their son’s arrest, Kohberger’s family was in “shock” and wrote that “we have fully cooperated with law enforcement agencies in an attempt to seek the truth and promote his presumption of innocence rather than judge unknown facts and make erroneous assumptions,” said to Jason
Labar, the chief public defender of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in a statement released on the Kohberger’s family behalf. Kohberger appeared in court on Jan. 12 for a status conference and delayed the preliminary hearing until June 26 to ensure enough time to gather evidence.
The preliminary hearing will allow both sides to provide evidence and call witnesses to the stand. It will last about five days to decide if Kohberger, the suspect, is innocent or guilty of murdering four University of Idaho students.
While other years of sports may be remembered for epic wins or famous underdogs, 2022 had a very different pattern. As athlete after athlete announced their retirement to the world, the world of sports was altered. Even more, these people were not just any athletes; they might even be called the greatest of all time in their sports. With some of the best players in the world not playing anymore, fans wonder if a new era in sports has begun, and what it will take to replace the talent.
Professional tennis fans around the world were shocked when legends Serena Williams and Roger Federer both announced the end of their careers in the 2022 season. Williams first announced her plan to “evolve away from tennis” in a September Vogue article, then was celebrated by thousands of fans at the US Open with her last and unexpected victories. Her career stats speak for themselves- from a record-making 23 grand slam wins to Olympic gold medals- but she is most remembered for her determination and ability to pull out wins over her lengthy career. Federer announced his retirement through
an Instagram post just weeks after Williams’ last game, remarking on how the sport treated him “more generously than he had ever dreamt.” His dominance in the sport lasted for decades, when at one point in his career he played in 21 out of 25 major finals in a row. Federer ended his career with an astonishing 20 Grand Slam wins and played his last match with longtime rival Rafael Nadar as his doubles partner.
Most people do not think about the WNBA without thinking about Sue Bird. As the league has continued to grow,
she has been at the forefront, not only with a successful career but also with her leadership skills. She has won at every level- from NCAA Championships, WNBA Championships, to Olympic Gold Medals- but also helped found the WNBA Players’ Union to promote female participation and activism in sports. She frequently talks to young girls, encouraging them to keep up their sports and teaching others about the female athlete experience. Bird was sent off in her last game with a record number of WNBA fans, all chanting “thank you Sue!” for her unforgettable
contribution to the game.
Of all the GOATs making news in 2022, Lionel Messi may be the most undisputed one for his sport. His long list of achievements includes a recordbreaking six Ballon d’Or awards, ten La Liga titles and six Golden Shoe Awards, and his millions of fans around the world have cheered him on through every moment. He made his GOAT status even more clear after leading his Argentinian team to a thrilling World Cup 2022 win, his lifelong goal, when he announced that he would not return to the competition anymore. He
plans to continue with international play and his club, Paris Saint-Germain, so fans will be able to watch him shine for a few more years to come. However, he will be missed at the World Cup as Argentina looks to a new generation of players to carry on his success.
A notorious ‘might-be’ retirement started out the year with so many. Tom Brady began 2022 announcing that his monumental football career was over, but then quickly turned back on it to return for the upcoming season. He wrote in a post that he “realized his place is on the field and not on the stands,” and that he wanted to return to some “unfinished business.”
This year did not only include the retirement of athletes, as it also saw the retirement of one of the most influential coaches in NCAA basketball history: Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski, or “Coach K.” He entered a program with zero previous national championships, and managed to turn Duke into a widelyknown powerhouse with five by the end of his career. Besides being the winningest coach in the history of NCAA basketball, Coach K also coached multiple gold-winning teams at the Olympics and was a Sports Illustrated “Sportsman of the Year” in 2011. He set a new standard of excellence in the NCAA that coaches will continue to look up to.
The 2022-2023 National Football League (NFL) playoffs began with 12 teams: Los Angeles Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals.
The 49ers hosted the Seahawks in what most fans were sure was going to be a blowout. The 49ers were the clear favorites going into the game and plenty of fans had them as their Super Bowl favorite. The first half shocked many fans as the Seahawks had a one point lead over the 49ers going into halftime. The 49ers took over in the second half putting up a total of forty-one points in the game and only allowing the Seahawks to score six more.
The second game of the playoffs at first appeared to be a blowout, the Chargers were up 27-0 with a few minutes left in the first half. However, the Jaguars had other plans. They scored a touchdown with 24 seconds left in the first half giving them some momentum going into halftime. From there,
the Jaguars held the Chargers to three points in the second half and slowly etched away at the Chargers lead. With three seconds left in the game, Jaguars kicker Riley Patterson sent the Jaguars to the Divisional Round, officially completing one of the largest comebacks in playoff history.
The Sunday games entertained fans across the country.
The Bills barely made it past the Skylar Thompson led Dolphins winning 34-31. The Giants shocked the world defeating the Vikings 31-24 in Minnesota. Giants running back Saquon Barkley posted two touchdowns in the game, securing the win for the Giants. The Ravens put up a fight against the Bengals, however, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver
Jamarr Chase were too much for the Ravens to handle. The Bengals would win 24-17. The next day, the Cowboys, led by quarterback Dak Prescott’s five total touchdowns, as well as kicker Brett Maher’s four missed extra point attempts, walked all over the Buccaneers and won 31-14, concluding the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
In the Divisional round, the
Jaguars once again fell behind early to their opponent. The Chiefs were too difficult of a match for the Jaguars and held off their attempted comeback, winning 27-20. Coming off the Giants big win against the Vikings, many fans thought the Giants would put up a good fight against the one seeded Eagles; that was not the case. The Eagles stomped on the Giants and won 38-7. Joe Burrow and the Bengals were once again too much for their opponent, defeating the Bills 27-10. The last game of the Divisional Round was a defensive one. The 49ers defense proved to be the more dominant of the two, and led the team to a 19-12 victory.
The Eagles-49ers National Football Conference (NFC) Championship game was a much anticipated one. Early into the game, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy got injured and from there the Eagles took over. The Eagles defense played lights out against backup quarterback Josh Johnson and won 31-7, clinching a spot in the Super Bowl. The American Football Conference (AFC) Championship was an extremely close game until the final whistle. With a few minutes left in the game, the Chiefs’ offense charged down the field and kicker Harrison Butker kicked the game winner with three seconds left on the clock. The Eagles will host the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
The men’s track and field team is optimistic about this upcoming season. Following their successful state championship season last year, the team has the goal of repeating their triumph. Junior Matthew Wells said, “I am excited to be a leader on the team this year. I would say I have learned a lot from some of the past members on the team and I am looking forward to passing my knowledge down to some of the new, younger guys. I hope we go a long way this year.”
The women’s tennis team also looks to capitalize off of the state championship season from last year and put up another impressive one. Seniors Brooke Brumfield, Sara Mazur and Caitlyn Pinsker accompanied by Coach Matt Marsico lead the team this year. Junior Sarah Proctor said, “I am looking forward to all the fun matches and tournaments with my team and getting to know all my new teammates.” The teams first match was played on Feb. 8 against Marist.
The men’s soccer team looks to three-peat this year with another state championship in their sights. Despite the new competition, Coach Lucas Moreno has his eyes set on another great season for the soccer team in their new AAAA division. Senior Brian Lee said, “I am looking forward to the season as we will have a lot of young players stepping into important roles so we can continue our success. I am excited to help them along the way as a senior and to see what they are capable of.”
Following an extremely successful season, the baseball team looks to take it one step further and bring a trophy back home. The team is led by seniors: Jack Janko, James Romig, Lucas Klopp, Porter Kendall and Forest Pollard. Sophomore Miles Mador said, “We’re looking to go beyond what we achieved last year. We have made adjustments to our positions in the field and our pitching rotation is looking strong. The chemistry this year is much tighter than previous years, so it’ll be a fun ride to the end.” There are many players that are being put into new roles this season due to the graduation of Jae Williams and RJ Austin. Some important games this season are on Feb. 15 against Westminster and March 29 and 31 against Lovett.
After falling short last season, the women’s lacrosse team looks to make Pace history. Coach Kelsea Lowe along with seniors Katie Janko, Marley Venturi, Sophia Mador, Maddie Swartz, Anna Nuckols, Cele Camp and Victoria Hadley lead the team this year. Junior Wells Howe said, “My favorite thing about lacrosse is how close our team is and how our dedication has improved so much over the past few years. I’m so excited to see how much we will grow this season.” Like the men’s team, the GHSA also made the switch to a A-AAAA bracket for the women. The team has high hopes for the season and they will definitely put in the effort to go a long way.
After a devastating loss in the state championship last season, the women’s soccer team looks to take it one step further.
Coach Declan Traquir along with seniors Kate Romero and Caroline Cole lead the team and hope to post a successful season in their new division: AAAA.
Junior Adair Smith said, “I am looking forward to an amazing season with a great group of girls! I think we can really do something special this year and I am excited for it.”
The golf team, coached by Middle School history teacher
Mr. Scott Shupe, is ambitious to have a good year on the course. Senior Ronak Lalaji said, “I am looking forward to being able to spend bonding time with my teammates and creating great memories at tournaments. As a leader on the team I am looking forward to helping some of the new guys. Even though we do not know who is on the team yet, I know we’re going to be great and I can not wait to see what we do this year.” The team is extremely competitive and they hope to bring something home to the Academy.
After going out in the elite eight last year, the men’s lacrosse team has their eyes set on another successful season. The team invites back Offensive Coach Shayne Jackson, a coach of the 2021 state championship runner-up team, as well as two new coaches: Brett Dobson and Luke Trevino. The team is led by seniors David Grice, Charlie Fleming, Nick Klein, Aidan Caroll, Ian Dempsey and Grant Stebbins. Starting this year, Georgia High School Association (GHSA) created new playoff brackets which put the Knights in a A-AAAA bracket. Senior David Grice said, “As a senior, this season I am looking forward to the moments I get to spend with my teammates, whether it is on the bus, eating lunch on Saturdays, or at practice.” Overall, the team has a lot to prove this year.
As one of the less represented teams at Pace, the gymnastics team’s main goal this season is to have a successful year. The team has one senior, Bianca Vaneri, and she said, “We only have four girls on the team this year, but we’ve had really great seasons with small teams before” about the upcoming season. They have their first meet on March 15 against Decatur.
The women’s track and field team wants to take their state runner-up from last year one step further. Junior Erielle Harris said “I am super excited for this season. After falling short last year I really think our team has what it takes to take it one step further and bring the trophy back home to Pace. I am also looking forward to bonding with some of the younger people on the team.”
The men’s tennis team strives to repeat their state championship in another victorious season. Coach Matt Marsico along with seniors Hunt Stevens and Colin Koch are the leaders of the team this year and they look to make this repeat season happen.
Sophomore Matthew Hall said, “As one of the younger players on the team I have a lot to prove this year, but I am excited for it. I think we have a great group of guys on the team and I am looking forward to getting to know them better and play with them.”
