Vol. 49, Issue #1

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The

Knightly News

p.4 Welcome New Teachers

p. 6 Les Twins Partner with Pace

September 22, 2023

p. 11 DJ Khaled Changes the Music Industry

Photo: Fred Assaf

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Pace News

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 2

ICGL Dives into the Theme of Water

Photo: Katelyn Souza

For the 2023-2024 school year, the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) has chosen to focus on the theme of Water.

ICGL was founded at Pace in 2014 and strives to build off of the school’s mission of “creating prepared, confident citizens of the world” and build global insight and leadership skills among students and faculty in Lower, Middle, and Upper School.

“The ICGL team, Neville Isdell, Fred Assaf and the ICGL Advisory Board were all a part of creating the nine annual global themes: Water, Food, Climate, Conservation, Energy, Waste, Education, Global Health and Technology. Since the beginning, there has been an ICGL Advisory Board made up of both a Board of Trustees members and parents who are in lines of work that align with the theme and have global connections to advance our program. All of the themes that we have chosen are huge topics and also connect in

arises again with a new perspective,” said Director of ICGL Trish Anderson.

The ICGL Council is composed of 15 students in grades ninth through twelfth who explore the annual theme in depth and develop presentations, discussions and events around their research to share with the Pace community. The council is approaching water through the lens of three essential questions: how does water impact and shape living, how does human use and consumption of water impact those systems and how do we conserve water and develop sustainable practices for the future?

The ICGL Scholars, an independent study course, comprises four students: Asher Lubin, Emma Lowry, Uma Graz and Mary Oyefuga. These scholars throughout the summer read two books titled “Chasing Waters” and “The Brilliant Abyss” to unpack issues involving ocean and freshwater systems. The ICGL Scholars serve as global leaders in the Pace community and help bridge the entire school with current affairs surrounding the annual theme.

Ted Ward, Associate Director of ICGL and US History teacher, hopes students take away one

Senior Katelyn Souza designed the ICGL poster highlighting water’s abstract features and impact on life. some aspect to all of the previous themes. The reason we chose to cycle back was that if you just keep going, your themes become

less universal, and really there is no end in sight and so the faculty and students can continue to build on that theme when it

key focus around the theme of Water: “I really want students to understand the power of water. It is vital to our existence. It’s hard because we are in an environment where we’re not really exposed to it a lot. I want them to understand our impact on local waterways and how we can change the way we undermine water and make a more sustainable mark.”

During the year, students can engage with the annual theme through community and global partnerships. Pace is collaborating with two particular partnerships: The Chattahoochee River Keeper (CRK) and the Atlanta Creek League (ACL). The CRK is a program that monitors water quality levels through their Water Watch Program, and also organizes river cleanups. The ACL promotes connection with our local creek systems through cleanups and trail walks.

“This year, I hope Pace Academy students can better conserve water and become more aware of its importance.

I hope that I can develop skills to help me gain an understanding of any global issue and to be able to help educate others on those issues,” said senior ICGL Scholar Asher Lubin.

ICGL Travels the Globe With Study Tours Photo: Cele Camp Photo: Pace ICGL

During the summer, Upper School students were given the opportunity to partake in international trips around the globe under the Isdell Center for Global Leadership (ICGL) study tours. The goal of these trips is to create global leaders by enhancing their curiosity on real-world issues, interact with different cultures in hands-on experiences and develop leadership and communication skills outside of a typical classroom.

After these tours, students have a better understanding of how to tackle worldly challenges and ways to facilitate change whether that be big or small. During the months of June and July, our Pace Knights traveled abroad to Bolivia, Iceland, Greece and a two-in-one trip to England and France.

Led by College Counselor Pam Ambler and US Computer Science teacher Charlie Bryant, students explored the magnificent natural landscapes of Iceland from June 7 to the 17. With a basis on culture and sustainability, they learned about Icelandic Sagas, prose narratives based on Icelandic historical events, and the country’s renewable energy.

Starting off strong in a town called Borgarnes, trying Icelandic dishes was a must followed by a lesson about one of the Icelandic Sagas’ best-known heroes, Egil. On day two, students

ventured through the dramatic scenes of Snæfellsjökull, a 700,000-year-old glacier-capped stratovolcano in western Iceland, and then headed for Reykjavik the following day where a majority of the trip took place.

Students toured Rekyjavik’s renewable energy sources with a visit to the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant, shedding a new perspective on sustainability and climate. Kayaking through the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, students continued their exploration into climate by seeing floating icebergs and learning about the current efforts to protect the Earth’s natural resources.

Continuing to trek through Iceland’s natural beauties, the group hiked Skógafoss, one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls located on the Skógá River.

Lots of pictures were taken and even a rainbow made an appearance to an already breathtaking setting. On one of the last days, students put on dry suits and snorkeled along the continental divide into the depths of Thingvellir National Park’s waters at a temperature of two degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily the dry suits did the trick and kept everyone warm even if they did look a little silly. Transitioning from cold to hot waters, swimming in the waters of the Blue Lagoon was a relaxing end to a very exciting trip.

“I hope students harnessed the power of the Earth and have a better insight into the ways we can utilize geothermal energy to help preserve our climate. I also hope they appreciated the natural beauties of Iceland and really took in the grandness of it

Students kayaked in the cold waters of the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. all,” said Mr. Bryant.

From July 18 to July 28, students ventured through England and France led by US History Chairperson Mr. Hornor, US Math teacher Jason Smith and US Math teacher Krista Wilhelmsen. With a heavy focus on history and art, the trip started off in London, England touring the famous British Museum in the afternoon. The other days in London were filled with tours at Green Park, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Churchill’s War Rooms, the Imperial War Museum and other fabulous historical sites. Students also got to see the London Eye, shop at Harrods Department Store and enjoy an evening show in a theater in the city.

On day six, traveling on the Eurostar Express kicked off the

second half of the trip to France.

In Paris, some of the highlights were visiting the stunning tourist attractions of Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and of course the Eiffel Tower.

A day trip was spent touring Normandy Cemetery and walking along Omaha Beach, a site of war used in the World War II D-Day invasion where many American soldiers lost their lives. Ending the trip off, students traveled to and toured the gardens, grounds and palace at Versailles, the former residence built by King Louis XIV. “This trip was truly a blast.

I so enjoyed getting to know all of the students and watching the group together as a whole.

I think that students learn best outside of classrooms and that these students came back as

worldly citizens having experienced and engaged in cultures that they couldn’t experience at home,” said Mrs. Wilhelmsen.

Chaperoned by Dean of Student Academics Mrs. Lawrence and US Science teacher Dr. Kazi, the Greece trip was centered around the themes of global migration and democracy in light of the migration crisis in the Mediterranean. On June 5, students headed for Greece and started their explorations at the historical Athens Centre, taking a tour of the Acropolis, going on a guided walk in Neos Kosmos and satisfying their appetites with Feyrouz Turkish/Greek Street Food.

Hopping on another plane

(Continued on page 9)

Pace News

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 3

Mrs. Lawrence Named as Georgia’ s History Teacher of the Year

Photo: Bennett Cummings

Beloved Upper School History Teacher Mindy Lawrence returns this fall with an impressive title: Georgia History Teacher of the Year!

Created by The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the Georgia History Teacher of the Year award recognizes teachers and administrators for their outstanding work and dedication to the education of American history. Mrs. Lawrence says the goal of the institute is to “teach more effectively and mostly using primary documents.” The award was announced in late July. “It blew my mind. I was so surprised and so deeply honored because it’s an organization that I love and I respect.” Describing herself as a the biggest fangirl of the organization, Mrs. Lawrence won this award because of her passion and incredible knowledge of history along with her dedication to her students.

Back for her fourth year at Pace, Mrs. Lawrence is loved by the faculty and students.

Greeting everyone with a cheerful smile as they walk into her office or classroom, she is the most helpful, caring and understanding teacher. She says, “I love being here. I have the best students in the world, I would say. Kids are so interesting, curious and work hard. I absolutely love teaching Pace kids.” She enjoys the content she gets to teach from ancient civilizations all the way through the creation of the United States and beyond.

This year, she is teaching Ancient Civilizations, AP European and AP US history. She is most excited about getting a second chance to teach AP Euro as she taught it for the first time last year. “I love teaching history, so just the opportunity to do it all again!”

From an early age, Mrs. Lawrence always loved history.

“I just love the stories behind the stories. I love to think about how things came to be today and where that comes from? That curiosity piece for me has always been the driver behind my love for history.” She says, “it’s all like a little mystery that you’re encountering for the first time and then you’re putting together all of the pieces to then have your big, Sherlock Holmes mo-

Mrs. Lawrence teaches her United States history class. ment and say, A-ha, I have the answer to this.” She mentioned that history is filled with diverse human stories like who we are, how we got to be here and how similar we are despite the fact that time has passed.

Out of many people that have influenced her, she says, “the biggest historical influence has always been [her] mentor from

undergrad, Elliot Gorn. He was [her] thesis advisor at Brown University.” Mrs. Lawrence describes him as exceptionally hard to please. She worked extremely hard in his class and it made her a better historian. His work in American history is the work that Mrs. Lawrence would love to do one day. He continues to be a mentor and friend to her

today. “Someday, I hope to be half the historian that he is.”

Mrs. Lawrence wants to thank the Pace community.

“This is my fourth year here.

This will be my first graduating class that I saw all the way through. I just feel like really part of the family and welcomed here, so thank you.”

Pradeep Plays Cricket at Minor League Level

Photo: Prabhavh Pradeep

Many may not know of senior Prabhavh Pradeep’s success in his sport outside of the Pace community. As there is no cricket team at school, he has been unable to show his talent in front of the student body.

Outside of Pace, he plays at an extremely high level, playing with Major League players on his Minor League team. “There’s the Minor League and a Major League, similar to other sports.

For Minor League Cricket, there are 26 teams across the country, and it’s kind of a draft system.

So, each team has to have three Under 21 players, and the rest of them can be however old. You register for the draft and show your skills wherever you want to play, and you can get picked up anywhere, essentially,” said Prabhavh.

For those who are not familiar with the rules of cricket, there are two teams of 11 players each. Like baseball, each team alternates between playing the field and batting. In cricket, the pitcher is called the bowler, and the batter is called the batsman.

The bowler attempts to remove the wicket’s bail. The batter tries to stop the bowler from hitting the wicket by batting the ball.

There are two batsmen on the

level,” said Pradeep.

Prabhavh is not the only Pradeep playing on this advanced team. Pranavh Pradeep (class of 2022) plays alongside his younger brother, Prabhavh explains, “It’s really fun. We’ve grown up playing with each other, but playing at a bigger level together and being on the screen together, and just spending more time together under the dugout is great. I don’t really get to see him as often now that he’s in college, so it’s kind of nice getting to hangout on the team.”

Despite the time commitment, Prabhavh has also been able to balance playing cricket and school simultaneously. “So far, it’s been kind of hectic because the season was supposed to begin early on in the summer.

But now that I have to go back and forth during school, it’s a bit tough,” said Prabhavh. He is a determined student and player, and due to the work he has put in, playing cricket at a high level has been a life-changing experience for him. “Some good memories would definitely be practicing with my team, and getting to know the new players,” he said. “A lot of them are pretty well-known Major League players as well. So, meeting them and getting familiar with and practicing and playing under their guidance has been a pretty big deal for me.”

Prabhavh Pradeep bowls the ball during practice. field at the same time.

For many years, Pradeep has been working to perfect the skill set to succeed in this sport. “I got into playing cricket in the lower school. I was about ten

years old. My dad, you know, he plays and manages some of the local clubs. And, I grew up watching his team play, and so I kind of started getting into playing for the teams and playing for

the state for my age group. Then, once it got to a more competitive level, like the Under 19s and Under 17s, people in my age group who would perform really well would start playing at a higher

Pace News

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 4

Welcome New Pace Faculty!

Lena Andrews is a new College Counselor. pastimes. Pace students are, “happy to be here” and “everyone is really excited about what they’re doing here, which is great.”

New to the College Counseling office, Ms. Andrews is excited to begin her journey at Pace and work with students. In the past, she worked at Vanderbilt University as an associate director in undergraduate admissions.

Edna-May Hermosillo is a new French and Spanish teacher.

“My favorite part of Pace is the fantastic people - I love the energy of the students, the teachers, and the staff.” Next summer, she plans to lead an Isdell Global Community Leaders (ICGL) tour and continue her involvement with ICGL. Also returning to Pace, Ms. Conroy teaches English in the Upper School and has worked with the Knight Gallery at Pace.

“Teachers are allowed to have so much freedom with their curriculum, which I think is a really good thing because the teachers really care,” said Ms. Conroy. She loves singing, art and writing; she also sings in a local choir here in Atlanta. “I really like singing Midnight Train to Georgia.”

New to Pace, Ms. Breen is a Physics teacher in the Upper School. She started teaching 11 years ago and is excited to start at Pace. Reading, knitting and spending time with her family are some of her favorite

Hayley Conroy is a new English teacher.

Hannah Doyle is a new tutor for the ARC.

Bria Samuels is a new member of the DEI team.

Buckle up, because this article will logically break down the fundamental strategies and methods you must know as a Pace student.

BE CAREFUL and don’t spend all of your free time in the Commons or Inman. It’s good to be social, but a useful and common method is to spend one free socializing and the other getting work done. Similarly, if you only have one free, then spend the first half studying and the second half socializing.

Can’t focus? Many students find themselves attempting to study and by the time the period ends, they’ve gotten nothing done. “I want to study but I just can’t focus,” said sophomore Jack Lynch. The issue is your environment. When studying, you must eliminate distractions around you. This may include your phone, noise, movement, or even your friends.

Haven’t memorized your schedule? Before each school day search up Pace Portal Ve-

racross, sign in with your school email, and click daily schedule.

Do you need to memorize a mountain of vocabulary for a quiz tomorrow? Turns out you’ve been approaching it all wrong.

In order to memorize anything you must engage in active recall, the process of regurgitating the information back out. You don’t actually memorize information by reading or highlighting, but instead by reading it and forcing yourself to pull the information back out of your brain at a later time. For example, if you read your history textbook and then write down a summary of the important pieces of information, you will remember it a lot better.

Do you want to remember what you learned at the beginning of the year for the spring semester cumulative exam?

Then you must use spaced repetition, the process that moves information from your shortterm memory to your long-term memory. To do this, you have to space out your repetition of the information you want to know.

For example, you could study your vocabulary words three days after you learn them, then one week after, then a month after, and finally once again before the exam. That way, you

would have the material perfectly stored in your long-term memory.

If you find that your inability to sit down and focus on your studying prevents you from even being able to try these methods, the solution to your issue is the powder technique. To try it, you

use 25 minute study sessions with five-minute intervals in between, and after three of these cycles, you get a 20 minute break.

On the other hand, the deep work technique is for students who have already built strong study habits. The human brain

can effectively pay attention for 90 minutes at a time, but the best time to study is an hour after you wake up in the morning or the evening from 5:00pm - 7:30pm.

For this technique, use one or two 90 minute study sessions per day at these specified times.

New faculty join the Arthur Blank Upper School with hopes of preparing confident and fearless students. This year, we are welcoming three teachers and three faculty members: Hayley Conroy, Edna-May Hermosillo, Lena Andrews, Jillian Breen, Hannah Doyle and Bria Samuels.

You may recognize Mrs. Hermosillo from the Middle School, but this year, she will teach French and Spanish in the Upper School. Mrs. Hermosillo loves to travel, volunteer, run, hike, spend time with family and teach. “After doing a bit of subbing in all three divisions, I realized how much I missed teaching and being inspired by young people. I guess I missed Pace,” said Mrs. Hermosillo.

nonprofits and major brands” “I create an environment that empowers students and helps them find their authentic voices, builds confidence, fosters active and engaged learning and leads them to inquiry, rhetorical awareness and reflection,” she claims. In her free time, she loves to mountain bike, travel and learn new languages.

Upper School Director of Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Ms. Samuels, strives to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all students at Pace. She is originally from the Atlanta area and graduated from Elon University. Before Pace, Ms. Samuels was a director of science, history and inclusion, and also has experience working in the Henderson Collegiate High School DEI department before Pace. In her free time, she loves to paint and coach cheerleading.

Photos: Pace Academy

Jillian Breen is a new Physics teacher.

During her time at Vanderbilt, she specifically worked with students in the Greater Atlanta area, often working with Pace students. “I am really excited to work more directly with students” and “switch sides of the desk,” she said. “I have gotten to know the college counseling team very well,” and “I knew that [Pace] was a school that has really interesting students that are easy to write letters for and fun to work with.” Being new to Atlanta and from Nashville, Ms. Andrews and her husband love exploring restaurants and other cool things Atlanta has to offer.

This fall, we are lucky to welcome Ms. Doyle to the Upper School Academic Resource Center (ARC). In the ARC, Ms. Doyle will work with and tutor students in History and English classes. Prior to being at Pace, Ms. Doyle had 15 years of experience working as a “freelance tutor” and “editing and writing copy for university programs,

Student’s Guide for Survival

Photo: Hayes Pollard

Freshman Brian Kim studies physics in the Upper Library

Pace News

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 5

Students Work Hard in Summer Jobs

966 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 (404) 262-1345 knightlynews@paceacademy.org Co-Editors-in-Chief: David Fu Ellie Siskin Reed Millner

Managing Editor: Hannah Much

Current Affairs Editor Megan Klingler

Lifestyle Editor: Etan Gerber

Multimedia Editor: Kaci McCray

Social Media Editor: Julia Goode

Pace News Editor: Alice Gash

Opinion Editor: Harrison Silver

Sports Editor: Harrison Leusink

Staff Writers: Grant Chase, Bennet Cummings, Jiya Patel, Hayes Pollard, Olivia Siskin, Brian Silverboard, Sophia Webb, Anne Weiss

Photos: Asher Lubin

As school comes back into session, students are looking back on a fun and eventful summer. While many students enjoyed vacations or camps, others had more free time and picked up a job to get some extra money and experience. Here are some students’ favorite and least favorite moments about their job this past summer.

Sophomore Ashley York worked her first job at West Stride, a running and athletic store, on West Paces Ferry. “I enjoyed meeting new people and getting some experience in customer service,” said York. She spent her summer fitting shoes for customers, ringing them up and helping them place orders. She plans on doing this job again next summer or working into the school year in her free time. “My favorite part of this job was when my friends would stop by to see me, or when we ran events for Pace students to attend. The most challenging parts of it were probably the early hours,” York says.

Up in Washington D.C., senior Asher Lubin worked for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

He organized fundraising events for the finance department and overlooked donor records. “I truly enjoyed my job, learning more about our country and how it functions, and I got to meet some pretty amazing people and got some more financial experience, but I will probably work in a different field next summer,” Lubin said.

Though some people worked traditional jobs, summer opens up opportunities to have more fun in the sun.

Sophomore Madelyn Adams enjoyed her job as a lifeguard at Brookwood Hills Community Pool. Adams says “I loved being able to work with my friends and connect with more kids.” Adams also had to go through an intense training program to become a lifeguard and learn the safety precautions. Adams says “the hardest part of my job was definitely juggling having to clean up around the pool and watching everyone in the pool to make sure they are safe.”

Junior Reid Richardson had a similar job running

The Knightly News

Senior Asher Lubin smiles for the camera during his internship in Washington, D.C. his own camp over the summer. This camp was a sports centered camp called Camp G.O.A.T and he ran it with his friends for kids in his neighborhood. At the end of the sessions, all the kids competed in an “Olympics.”

“I really enjoyed being with the kids and making memories with them and the other counselors,” saidRichardson. He plans on doing this again next summer making it his fifth summer in a row running it.

Faculty Adviser: Tamara Neiley Tech Adviser: Matt Walker

Editorial Policy

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.

Every effort is made to publish accurate facts, but if you recognize an error or omission, please email knightlynews@paceacademy.org.

Class of 2023 Set tles into College

Photo: Brooke Brumfield Brooke Brumfield and Brooke McCullough celebrate becoming Tri Deltas at TCU.

Photo: Maddie Swartz

As Pace students return this fall and get to see the friendly faces of their community, the recently graduated Class of 2023 is beginning their exciting college experiences. From Santa Clara to Cambridge, the past seniors are experiencing brand-new cities and lifestyles, very different from the comfort of their Atlanta residences.

While rush provided an earlier and very exciting start at southern schools, students at northern and west coast

schools began their move in process much later. Some students like Maddie Swartz and Ava Byrne are beginning their study abroad experiences while students like Kate Webb and Bianca Vaneri moved overseas to schools in Europe. The former seniors are finally off to their new homes and the Pace community is excitedly waiting to hear from them.

In west Philadelphia, Eloise Gaudet is getting settled at The University of Pennsylvania. Gaudet was excited to start at the new student orientation and loves Penn so far, even if she’s not too sure about the food. “I like having people all around me because you are never bored or lonely,” she said. She also enjoys meeting all different types of people around campus. Gaudet is majoring in bioengineering and is excited to start her course and learn more about the topic. She is also taking physics, chemistry, multi-calc and computer science. With a science and math-heavy course load she is a little nervous, but looks to explore the campus more and meet her teachers and classmates as the semester continues.

At southern colleges such as The University of Georgia, The University of Alabama and Texas Christian University (TCU), rush was in full swing as the students arrived and many received their bids at their respective Bid days. Brooke Brumfield and Brooke McCullough pledged Tri Delta at Texas Christian University and Janie Cross pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma at Alabama. “Rush was super fun and a great experience to go through to meet new people,” said Cross. “I was really worried about homesickness and missing my friends but meeting hundreds of new girls, going into the houses every day, and burning up in the heat, you bond with all the girls about the whole experience and don’t have time to miss home.” Cross also said the nerves of preference round were abundant throughout the campus and she and her roommate barely slept the night before. She and all of her new friends ended up happily in their sororities, and her friends from Pace were all excited about theirs as well.

Maddie Swartz is going overseas for the fall semester and is currently in Paris. Swartz is attending the University of Southern California in the spring but in the meantime, she’s taking her classes in France. “I am nervous about communicating and taking the metro to class

Maddie Swartz moves into her Paris apartment with her new roommate. every day because I don’t speak French and I am not used to taking public transportation,” she said. Luckily, she has visited Paris with her family in the past and is excited to get to explore more. Swartz also notes that she knows her roommate already from camp so is excited to reconnect with her and start the semester. She is loving Parisian life so far and is extremely excited to travel all around Europe.

At Wake Forest in Winston Salem, Ronak Lalaji has already settled in and begun his semester. “Moving in was very easy and only took around 2 hours, and I am really happy with how my dorm turned out,” he said.

He has met a lot of new people and has already made great friends. He warns other college freshmen that the homework “hits you in the face” and that his classes are fast-paced and work-heavy. Lalaji is very excited for football games to start and so far is very happy with his college experience.

Pace News

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 6

Les Twins Partner with Pace Academy

“

is a non-profit organization that holds a program focused on implementing the four art disciplines, mostly writing, but the other disciplines are illustration, music and movement/dance.

The organization is

work Helen Georgaklis is the organizer of the Les Twins School tour. The Kids Write Network

about spreading awareness and helping students with mental health. “They can have fun

“It becomes indoctrinated in how we are built up foundationally to think that our mental health isn’t as important as we would like it to be. Hopefully where we’re going is getting people to understand that it’s who we are versus what we are and what we’re experiencing.”

- Shanti Das

the first mental health science-based program that uses all four disciplines. “The program is based on a neuroscientific Positive Psychology program process, it’s a six step process that kids go through to give them an understanding that there is no challenge greater than their ability to overcome,” says Georgaklis “we wanted to build a program that would give children a voice and the courage to use it.”

Georgaklis originally connected with Les Twins through one of their dance workshops. She only observed, but she felt connected to them. “ I had no idea what I was watching and so here were these young men who are telling stories through their workshops and dance which is the exact same thing that The Kids Write Network does.” From there on, they partnered up to perform at schools across the country. The program was about more than dance, students go through the writing process, but the focus is

figuring out different ways that they can use their coping skills, whether it’s through dance, writing, art or music,” says Gerogaklis. She believes that the Les Twins workshop gives a sense of freedom which leads to empowerment.

Atlanta native Shanti Das also partnered with Les Twins and Kids Write Network for the podcast event. As the founder and owner of Silence the Shame, an organization dedicated to mental health awareness, she often works with companies around Atlanta and advocates for better resources and help, especially in underprivileged communities. A Syracuse grad majoring in television, radio, and film and later a successful music executive, Das was working in New York City when she noted

problems with her own mental health in the toxic environment she was working in, as well as her personal ties to tragedy associated with poor mental health and suicide.

“I started sharing openly- digital journaling, as I call it, on social media,” she said. “I was really surprised at how many of my peers and col-

leagues in music were DMing me, thanking me for starting the conversation. This was in 2015,

“I think for being such an advocate for children, is really to be able to give them an opportunity to show their voice, to know that they truly matter, and so does how they are doing mentally.”

- Helen Georgaklis

when it was really buried and hushed in the music industry.”

Das began to group together friends and volunteers to make teen mental health tours around the country, eventually adding on to make a podcast and start her company. Having a very strong tie to music, she believes that incorporating it into the Silence the Shame therapy and coping methods adds on a whole other level. “Oftentimes we don’t have the words to articulate, and music can create that for us,” said Das. “It can make the things that we are ashamed to say come out beautifully, and it’s also just an opportunity to calm ourselves down and reduce our stress response. When I have really tough days I put on my favorite song because it immediately puts me in a different mood and relieves that stress.”

Through her organization, Das has gotten the chance to work with well known celebrities and companies that look to support her efforts. Not only was she featured in Times Square for Ryan Seacreast’s “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” but Silence the Shame was also recently awarded 25,000 dollars from SZA’s philanthropic fund.

She looks to continue her global presence in the future, as well as continue to promote the growth of mental health awareness in her hometown. “I really understand the special and unique relationship between the arts and therapy, which is why I’m so intrigued with what Les Twins are doing, and I am excited it’s going to happen here at Pace.”

“My advice is to be aware about how much your own thoughts can make you anxious, trust your teachers when they say it will be okay, and always seek help if you need it because it is available here.”

-Dr. Paula Pontes

“

On Aug. 13, dance phenomena Les Twins partnered with Kids Write Network and Silence the Shame to host a speaker event. Pace Academy was one of the schools invited, and it was announced that Les Twins would be starting their North American mental health tour at Pace.

Les Twins are a pair of two incredible dancers. Born in France, Larry and Laurent are the youngest siblings out of 18, and they have been dancing ever since they were young. “I started dance at 5 years old because in my family everybody dances… and I really found my own style at 9 years,” said Laurent in a 2011 interview. Since their humble beginnings as dance battlers in Sarcelles, the two self-taught dancers have made a name for themselves. Les Twins caught the attention of Beyonce, and they have been performing with her ever since the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

In Nov. 2022, Les Twins partnered with the Kids Write Network and hosted the first Rise for Mental Health tour in Quebec. “We don’t choose mental health. It is something that happened to us that we need to share with other people. We find out that it literally help them.” said Larry. The pair visited over 500 schools across Canada to teach kids about the relationship between art and mental health. They taught kids how to dance in their minds and be free. “One of my favorite parts

was working with someone who didn’t want to cooperate with us.

We told him, do this, do that, but he was not answering. Closing his eyes made him process how we move, and he literally lost it and started moving and he was breathing in a certain way.

He cried, and he said im so sorry I didn’t mean to do this. But it’s just dance that changed him.” said Laurent.

This year, Les Twins are hosting another iteration of the tour in North America.

“When you go to America and you see … one kid is not good, then the whole class is not good.

If you are okay with what’s going on, that means you have a problem” said Larry. The first stop will be at Pace Academy from Oct. 16 to Oct. 18. They will be visiting classrooms, talking about mental health and most importantly, dancing. “Music is the question, your body is the answer. When you know how to answer the question of music, you will know how to walk in certain different situations in life. I use my gift as an answer to help other people move better and think better for themselves.

I want them to find out how to become a better person.” said Laurant.

Founder and CEO of Kids Write Net-

Pace News

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 7

Pace Works to Expand How Can You Help?

Mental Health Initiative

ally talking about developing prepared competencies of the world, that’s much more about their emotional intelligence, their ability and their resilience,” says Millaway. Pace understands that in order to have a healthy community, everyone including family, teachers and students need to be emotionally healthy. The administration’s focus areas are family partnership and engagement, mental health toolbox, faculty trainin, support and strategic community partnerships.

Millaway says, “the majority of the program and work will be actually training teachers so that teachers feel like they have the capacity to have conversations with students in their classrooms

around mental health.” Pace’s faculty hopes to launch the program in August 2024, but, for the time being, Pace still has a lot of resources for students to use in the school.

Informing and Nurturing Students Through Education about Alcohol and other Drugs (INSTEAD) is a Pace group of faculty that provides a support group and center of help for students. The faculty members making up the group agreed to be a source of support that students can go to. The program is completely anonymous and confidential, meaning that students can go to volunteer faculty members without having to worry about the information ever getting back to parents or even Head of the Upper School Michael Gannon’s office.

Students are encouraged to self report or report friends in need.

This process provides students with someone to listen to and advise them without facing disciplinary actions.

The Student Advisory Board (SAB) is another group founded at Pace as a way to advocate for student’s mental health. They work with the school in order to organize programs for students as a way to spread awareness and hopefully ease some of the problems that students might be struggling with.

Pace Academy Student Support (PASS) is a little different from the other programs as it’s a program that supports younger students in the middle and lower school. Upper School Students can mentor these students in different ways including study strategies, time management, and the stress of going into the middle or upper school.

Pace Academy Student Support (PASS) works with students in 8th and 5th grade as mentors and discusses subjects such as healthy habits, choice making, and peer pressure.

Upper School students give their advice and help to the younger students, making their transitions to Upper and Middle School easier.

Photos: Ellyle Millaway

The Pace Academy community focuses on its newest initiative of Mental Health. Student’s mental health is as important as ever with all of the surrounding pressures inside and outside of school. Pace has advocated for years that students should practice self-care and focus on themselves through many long assemblies, the support of the counseling office and teachers, but there is still more work to do. “We have a lot of wonderful resources at Pace and I try to model their ideas to my students. We do a lot of mediation… trying to work through the hardships in a different way,” says Upper School World Language Teacher Doctor Paula Pontes. The administration declared their initiative for the next five years to improve their support for equipping and helping their students. Their mission is that we will be an exemplary model for innovative, preventative and evidencedbased mental wellness programs that provide students with the tools they need to thrive at Pace and beyond.

“The administration and board wants to approach mental health from a preventative lens rather than an intervention lens,” says Upper School Counselor Ellye Millaway. The upper school has had the counseling office and services for years which has proven helpful to students, but it’s time that students have the tools and resources to try to improve their own mental health.

This preventative strategy will be implemented from a young

age. “It’s developing a program from pre-first all the way to 12th grade that provides students with what we’re calling their mental health toolbox,” says Millaway.

This toolbox will be filled with all sorts of tools that students can use when needed learning from a young age.

This statement is a huge step in the right direction, but it aligns perfectly with Pace’s goal to create prepared, confident citizens of the world. “If we’re re-

Student Advisory Board (SAB)

advocates for mental heath by partnering with Pace and outside organizations to make events and programs for students. From making stress-free zones during exams to encouraging students to drink water and use their phone less, members of the SAB make a large impact on the mental health of Pace students.

Reach Out if You Need Help!

Upper School Counselors are always available.

Mrs. Millaway

ellye.millaway@paceacademy.org

Mrs. Harmon

amelia.harmon@paceacademy.org

INSTEAD Faculty Members 2023-24

Look to these teachers for confidential support throughout the school year.

Mrs. Neiley

Mr. Brown

Mr. Foxx

Mr. Smentek

Mrs. Lawrence

Mrs. Kann

Mrs. Spillane

Photos: Pace Academy

Mrs. Wheeler

Current Affairs

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 8

Break out Republican Primaries Protests over Affirmative Action are on for 2024 Photo: Politico

The race is on to discover which Republican will challenge Incumbent President Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election. The Republican primary elections will start Jan. 15 which means that candidates have already started debating, campaigning and raising money.

The frontrunner seems to be former President Donald Trump, promising a rematch of the 2020 elections. However, Trump skipped the primary, hosted by Fox News, in favor of an interview with Tucker Carlson, the ex-Fox News host who was fired in April. “The public already knows who I am & what a successful [p]residency I had,” said Trump on the conservative social media platform Truth Social, explaining his decision to skip. It is unclear whether he’ll participate in future primary debates, however. One requirement for participating in the debate was signing a “loyalty pledge” promising to support whoever the eventual Republican nominee is. The Hill reports that Trump refused to sign it, worrying the Republican National Committee.

With Trump missing from the debate stage the frontrunner was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis has raised his national profile in the past year by being the conservative face of culture wars in Florida.

Republican candidates appear at the first primary debate.

He signed a bill banning abortions after six weeks and put restrictions in classrooms in a bill opponents call the “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. However, despite his high profile, he’s struggled to raise enough money to finance a large-scale campaign and was forced to downsize it, CNN reports.

Vivek Ramaswamy has had an astonishing rise from an unknown candidate to third place in the polls. The biotech entrepreneur has spent less money on conventional advertising than most of his opponents, opting instead for hours of appearances on radio stations, podcasts, and online platforms, Politico reports.

However, he has recently come under fire for his conspiracy theories about the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and he was booed at the debate for denying climate change. Trump is competing with many people from his own staff, including former Vice President Mike Pence and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who Trump appointed to UN Ambassador.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott has refrained from

most culture war controversies, promising a more traditional Republican candidate. The New York Times reports Scott has used optimistic messaging and appealed to Christian voters in Iowa, where the first primary caucus will be held. However, his moderate stance may not be helpful in a primary election.

Others running on the Republican side include former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who also ran in the 2016 primary, North Carolina Governor Doug Burgum, and Trump critic and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.

There are also some Democrats challenging Biden for the nomination, though none of them are polling well enough to pose a real challenge to his reelection campaign. Author Marianne Williamson announced her bid in March. She also ran in the 2020 primaries, though she quickly dropped out. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a surprisingly strong start in the polls, The Week reports, but he lost support as his famous family members refrained from supporting him and Democrats found out about his anti-vaccine stance.

Michael Oher Blind Sides Tuohy Family

Students protest the Supreme Court’s ruling on Affirmative Action.

Photo: Jeff Zelevansky

never appear in the dedications or the acknowledgments. In contrast, his 2011 book “I Beat the Odds” is dedicated to the Tuohys and thanks them throughout the book. Oher also claims that the movie negatively affected how he was perceived in the NFL. The movie initially portrays Oher as illiterate and having little knowledge of football. One scene in the movie shows Oher being taught football plays by the Tuohy’s youngest child using spices and condiments on the kitchen table.

Oher claims that many teams were skeptical of his knowledge and considered him a risky draft prospect because of this scene.

“The biggest for me was being portrayed [in the film] as not being able to read or write,” Oher recently said. “When you go into a locker room and your teammates don’t think you can learn a playbook, that weighs heavy.”

In response to the lawsuit, the Tuohys claim that they never made any money from the lawsuit. “We’re devastated,” Sean Tuohy told ESPN. “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children. But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”

Photo: WUNG

On Aug. 14, former NFL player Michael Oher sued the Tuohy family for never officially adopting him. Instead of adoption, Oher had been under a conservatorship, which allowed the Tuohys to have authority over Oher’s medical and financial situations. In this recent lawsuit, Oher requested that the Tuohys end his conservatorship and reimburse him for the money the Tuoys received from “The Blind Side.” The Tuohys claim that they thought Oher always knew about the conservatorship, and they always split the money from “The Blind Side” into five ways among the family members.

Oher claimed that he first learned about the conservatorship in Feb. 2023. However, this is clearly untrue as he mentions the conservatorship in his 2011 book “I Beat the Odds.”

“They explained to me that it means pretty much the exact same thing as ‘adoptive parents,’ but that the laws were just written in a way that took my age into account,” “The Blind Side” is a 2009

film based on Oher’s life. The movie received an Oscar for Best Picture, and it has accrued over $300 million over its lifetime, with the Tuohys having claimed over $280 thousand from the movie. Oher claims that he never made anything from the movie.

This lawsuit is not Oher’s first complaint about the movie.

“As the years would go on, my workhorse mentality would be downplayed and eventually overshadowed by something that became almost a dirty word to me: fame,” writes Oher in his Aug. 8, 2023 autobiography “When Your Back is Against the Wall.” “After the movie came out, the narrative downplayed some of the qualities that make me who I am. That I am selftaught. That I’m intuitive. That I work for things. The fictional story swept all of that away… for the sake of a better story, the movie suggested that some of the character traits that most define me are not true.” In one case, ESPN analyst Todd McShay commented negatively on Oher’s character in 2009. Oher was outraged as he had never personally met McShay.

In his most recent book, “When Your Back is Against the Wall,” Oher only mentions the Tuohys a single time, and they

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that colleges could not determine acceptances based on race in any capacity. Recently, there have been numerous investigations into colleges discriminating against who they accept. Last year, a lawsuit targeting Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC) made its way to The Supreme Court. After months of deliberation, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges could not consider race in any capacity when admitting and declining applicants. This specifically included affirmative action. Affirmative action is a system during the application process that allows colleges to give preference to students of color or applicants from low-income backgrounds, considering that they often do not have the opportunities that other applicants have.

In the past, affirmative action has caused controversy. Some people believe that affirmative action puts qualified students at a disadvantage, while the majority of people believe that affirmative action allows colleges to even the playing field. Studies found that, on average, up to 62 percent of people support the use of affirmative action. With so much past controversy, it is not surprising that the Supreme Court’s ruling led to widespread protests. There has been intense controversy over the result of this ruling. While some believe this ruling will diminish the prejudice people have faced in the college application process, others believe the ruling will only lead to worse discrimination. While this sounds ideal initially, some believe that by not being actively conscious of race, colleges will be unable to ensure that a diverse group of people will be accepted annually.

A study done by the Ivy Institute found that subconsciously, admissions officers attempt to predict an applicant’s race, which can influence their

decision to admit a student. On account of this subconscious bias, much of the population was concerned with the result of this ruling. Many strongly believe that this decision will worsen the discrimination crisis, with admissions officers unable to combat their unconscious bias.

Additionally, most people do not support this ruling, as they believe that without affirmative action, students of color and students from underprivileged backgrounds will not be accepted to these colleges as often.

Since affirmative action weighed in the opportunities that students were given, there was a more even acceptance rate of different races.

The other side of the argument is that this ruling will help avoid discrimination in the admissions process. Harvard and UNC mentioned they were accepting students with slightly less merit than others to fulfill a racial quota. Additionally, to avoid an imbalance of minorities, these colleges were declining students of certain races, despite those applicants being overqualified.

Supporters of the ruling believe that now, as these universities are unable to reject or accept applicants based on race, discrimination in the admissions process will be diminished greatly. Additionally, some supporters of the ruling believe that this system will be an improvement as colleges will now accept students on merit alone, and no preference would be given to students from underprivileged backgrounds or underrepresented races.

Considering this ruling is so recent, there is currently no way to tell if it will negatively or positively affect students and their college acceptances. It is very likely that while this ruling will be beneficial to some students, many students with fewer opportunities will struggle with college admissions without the aid of affirmative action.

With new data being constantly collected in reference to this issue, the topic will be revisited, and an ideal solution should be evident soon.

Michael Oher poses with the Tuohy family after being selected by the Ravens in the 2009 NFL draft.

Current Affairs

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 9

Wildfires Spread Through Maui

Wreaking Havoc Among the Locals of the Island

Photo: The New York Times

Hundreds of people are still missing and at least 115 people have died as a result of the horrific wildfires that tore across the Hawaiian island of Maui.

The deadly flames, which have now spread throughout three of Hawaii’s islands, forced locals to seek emergency shelter and drove tourists off the islands.

This disaster is now the worst wildfire to strike the US in over a century, but how did it even start in the first place?

August is part of Hawaii’s traditional dry season, during which the various parts of the island experiences abnormally severe droughts. Although some wildfires have occurred on the islands in the past, the Hawaii Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) claims that over the past century, the frequency of fires has increased significantly as a result of human

activities and an increase in invasive, combustible grasses.

The invasive grasses, which became tall during the wet season, dried out rapidly during the dry season. The combination of the drought-like conditions and the withered vegetation created the ideal conditions for wildfires. “Nonnative grasslands and shrublands now cover nearly one-quarter of Hawaii’s total land area and, together with a warming, drying climate and year-round fire season, greatly increase the incidence of larger fires,” the HWMO states in a factsheet.

However, Hurricane Dora, a Category 5 hurricane that is situated several hundred miles off the coast of Hawaii, may have contributed to the boom of wildfire conditions by generating strong winds. According to The Washington Post, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a red flag warning to the Hawaii National Guard due to the strong winds, low humidity, and drought. The largest electricity provider in Hawaii

Wildfires in Maui destroy the livelihoods of locals. is currently under examination as concerns grow over whether it took adequate preparation to prevent a wildfire as the strong winds started to reach Maui last week.

As stated in The New York Times, lawyers for residents of Lahaina are suing Hawaiian Electric, arguing that the busi-

ness should have turned off the electricity before the winds hit the area because its machinery wasn’t sufficiently durable to withstand the winds coming in across the island. Nearly a week after it started, state and local authorities have not yet identified the cause of the fire, but the surrounding conditions—old

infrastructure, strong winds, and dry, easily flammable brush— were typical of other US regions where electrical equipment has been the cause of wildfires.

Uprooting the lives of the locals on the island, this disaster has sparked rescue teams that are still working to recover persons unaccounted for in the wake.

to Southern Lesbos, students arrived on the Greek island and explored its capital Mytilini, the primary hub of Greek migration.

The students interacted with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that help recently arrived refugees find a permanent place to settle and feel comfortable. By the continuation of violence in Syria, Lesbos is a primary site of forced Syrian refugee migration so they can reach countries like Turkey and Germany in hopes of finding economic opportunities. Students saw remnants of refugee camps and catched a personal glimpse into the lives of those fleeing in search of stability and freedom.

Back in Athens, Greece, the trip ended with a continuation of guided tours of historical sites, climbing Mount Lycabettus and walking through the Plaka, the oldest section of Athens.

“It was a heavy trip to some extent because of the refugee crisis, and I think when you are experiencing it firsthand, it can feel very hopeless because you can’t control what’s happening here. I think that a lot of students walked away feeling like they could make a difference which is so powerful,” said Mrs. Lawrence.

From June 4 to June 13, US World Language teacher Laura Agront-Hobbs, US Visual Arts teacher Donnice Bloodworth and US Science teacher Allison Tarvin led a trip to Bolivia, focusing on the country’s perspectives of wealth and culture.

At roughly 12,000 feet above sea level, students arrived at the capital of Bolivia in La Paz, the city with the highest elevation

in the world. On the first day, touring the Freddy Mamani Silvestre buildings was an exciting experience to learn about the city’s unique architecture. On the following day, students took a day trip to Copacabana, taking a pottery class and walking around the streets of the town.

Immersing themselves in Bolivia’s natural beauties, going to the Uyuni Salt Flats, Lake Titicaca and hiking the Andes Mountains was an out-of-thisworld experience for everyone.

The Potosi Mountain was another natural wonder with historical significance regarding Bolivia’s economy. Most of the world’s silver was mined from Potosi, and the Spanish conquistadors came to Bolivia for that silver to bring back to Spain many years ago, robbing Bolivia of their wealth.

As a result, Bolivia is the poorest country in South America.

Towards the end of the trip, students explored Sucre, the capital of Bolivia. Many enjoyed their walks along the streets bursting with vibrant shops and markets and gaining insight into the daily structures of Bolivians. “It was interesting to see how people in Bolivia choose to live simple lives. Our guide told us that they have the greatest amount of minerals in the world, and they could be a very rich country if they chose to sell the minerals. However, because of what happened with the conquistadors 200 years ago, they choose not to work with other countries and so everything that they do is to build their own country to protect themselves and be self-sufficient,” said Mrs. Tarvin.

from page 2 (ICGL Hollywood Writers and Actors Continued Summer Study Tours): Strike Due to Low Pay

Photo: The Vulture

Although you may not see the effects of the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Actors (SAG-AFTRA) strike, they will be prominent soon since production has been halted. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) began striking in February in response to writers not getting high residual checks because of large streaming services. The WGA stated that “screen pay has declined 14% in the last five years.” SAG-AFTRA joined the strike on July 17. This is the first time in over 60 years that both writers and actors have gone on strike at the same time.

Actress Kimiko Glenn from “Orange Is the New Black” shared a video on social media of her opening a residual check for only $27.30. Glenn appeared in 44 episodes of the series, but she still only gets that small amount of money as a residual payment. Many actors need acting for their income and if the main characters are getting that small amount of money, small characters and extras are also getting paid an extremely small amount.

Actor Sean Gunn, who played the iconic character Kirk on “Gilmore Girls,” was out protesting on the picket line. Gunn explained “I was on a television show called Gilmore Girls for a long time that has brought in massive profits for Netflix. It has been one of their most popular

Various writers strike in Hollywood as members of SAG-AFTRA. shows for a very long time, over a decade. It gets streamed over and over and over again, and I see almost none of the revenue that comes into that.”

He is referring to how Netflix takes away money that used to be given to actors and writers.

Other streaming services and companies in the industry that have been criticized are Warner Bros. Discovery, NBC, Universal, Paramount, Sony, Amazon, Apple and Disney.

This strike has already taken a noticeable toll on live television. For example, “Saturday Night Live (SNL)” stopped airing live on May 2 because the writers of the show went on strike. Many other late-night television shows, such as “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” have had similar

fates.

It is becoming apparent how the strike will greatly influence television and movie production.

The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s “It Ends With Us,” has had its production stopped and will not continue to film until the strike has been resolved.

The writing for season three of the television show “White Lotus,” which is set to take place in Thailand, had to be paused because the writers went on strike. The cast of the television show “Abbott Elementary,” is standing strongly with strikers and will not return to work until the strike is over. The live adaptation of Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch” and the fifth season of “Stranger Things” have both been delayed by the strike.

Soon fans will see the effects of the strike when television shows and movies began being released sparsely.

Opinion

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 10

Best and Worst School Lunches “When General Tso’s chicken is in the cafeteria my day immediately brightens and I grab multiple servings!”

servings!” The second-best lunch at Pace Academy is the pizza. However, there are many different types of pizza: square, triangle, extra cheese or extra crispy. The best type of Pace pizza is the square pizza when there is the perfect balance between cheese and crispiness.

The third-best lunch at Pace is undoubtedly chicken fingers.

According to my sources (Ms. Sonya), Pace has to order extra chicken fingers because we eat so many. Once the snack bar opens, I hope that Pace contin-

Photo: Harrison Silver

Junior Drew Thomson gets food from the cafeteria.

Photo: Harrison Silver

Pace Academy has had some mouth-watering lunches throughout my tenure at Pace.

However, there have also been a few unfavorable lunches. I have eaten 13 years of Pace lunches and I am fully qualified to rank the best and worst lunches.

The best lunch at Pace Academy is General Tso’s chicken.

General Tso’s chicken is brown, crispy and juicy. According to Michael Memar, “When General Tso’s chicken is in the cafeteria my day immediately brightens and I grab multiple

Junior Drew Thompson orders his favorite snack: Jalapeno chips. ues its trend of having chicken tenders for sale. When asked about chicken fingers at the snack bar, sophmore Jack Lynch said, “I bought chicken tenders every single day from the snack bar.”

The most unfavorable lunches at Pace Academy are unanimously any type of nonfried fish, but especially salmon.

The salmon gives students at Pace an uneasy feeling, especially because of how soft it is.

Junior Will Moss said, “The last time I ate salmon I found a bone in it, and that was the last time I will ever eat salmon from the cafeteria again.”

The second worst lunch at Pace is very close in contention with the worst. That second worst lunch is breakfast. The best part about breakfast is

the hashbrowns. However, the eggs are pretty moist and the sausage has an uneasy coloring.

While talking about breakfast for lunch, junior Cooper Williams said, “I had breakfast this morning, why would I want it for lunch.”

The third most unfavorable part of lunch is when you either cannot find a full ketchup bottle or when there is no Cholula in the entire cafeteria. This tends to be a problem for late lunchers like juniors and seniors.

Senior Maddox Crawford said, “When there is no Cholula in the cafeteria it immediately ruins my meal.”

Pace has some great lunches, however they need to eliminate the unfavorable options. Once that occurs students will be more grateful.

game is how much cheaper they are. While the average price of a major league ticket is 53 dollars, Triple-A tickets sell for a mere nine and a half! Additionally, food and beverage stands and parking in and around minor league ballparks don’t have nearly as much audacity that major league stands do to charge

as much as they do.

It might be a concern to some hardcore baseball fans that the quality of play isn’t as high, but I can assure you, as someone who’s watched baseball my whole life, that there really isn’t a significant difference. Pitchers get called up to the majors from their Triple-A teams all the time, and the batters and outfielders aren’t that bad (infielders are a different story, but they aren’t bad enough that it’s a big problem).

Additionally, new minor league technology allows batters to challenge strike calls. If this tech follows the same trend as the pitch clock, which was instituted in the majors this year, then it should reach the majors sometime in the near future; so if you want to get ahead, consider checking it out in the minors before it reaches the big leagues.

Minor league games are also much more family friendly alternatives to major league games. At the Durham Bulls game I went to, it was Harry Potter night, which included quidditch games and broom races in between innings, as well as exclusive Harry Potter themed Bulls merchandise. Minor league games are much less overwhelming compared to the loud and crowded major league games, and since there are less people, it is also so much easier to take pictures with the mascots.

Why Minor League Baseball Games Should Become a New Summer Staple When I was in Durham this summer, I got the opportunity to go to my first ever minor league baseball game, and was genuinely surprised by how fun it was. If

you consider yourself to be a fan of baseball, I would encourage you to try to attend one! They pair very well with college visits or short trips to other towns or cities, but we also have our own Triple-A team right here in Atlanta: the Gwinnett Stripers.

The way I see it, minor league games don’t have any

of the problems associated with attending a major league game. If you’re as concerned with traffic as anyone who lives in Atlanta should be, fear not!

Smaller ballparks, less attendees and more rural locations for games make getting in and out quick and easy. Perhaps the most obvious perk of a minor league

Photo: Jason Goode

Minor league baseball teams compete for the win.

Lifestyle

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 11

DJ Khaled Revolutionized the Music Industry Famous music artist Khaled Mohamed Khaled, more popularly known as DJ Khaled, has recently stirred up social media with his inspirational and wise quotes. DJ Khaled is a contemporary rapper, producer and entrepreneur. His latest album, “God Did,” refers to one of his most infamous quotes: “They ain’t believe in us, God Did.” Khaled refers to his incredible underdog story that created the chip on his shoulder that drives him to success.

Khaled grew up in New Orleans before moving to Orlando at the age of 13. As the son of Palestinian immigrants, Khaled has always been fighting his way to the top. In Orlando, Khaled learned to DJ in his parents’ garage, but due to financial hardship, Khaled and his family moved back to New Orleans. Before taking the world by storm, Khaled worked at the Odyssey record store in New Orleans, where he would record labels while networking with upcom-

ing artists, including Lil Wayne.

At the age of 31, Khaled released his debut album, “Listennn: The Album” (2006). It was a modest success and had many different featured artists.

But lately, DJ Khaled has taken the world by storm with his viral quotes featured on TikTok and Instagram. In honor of his recent fandom, I’d like to rank his top five quotes.

At number five, a quote infamous for not making sense, Khaled shouts “Gatorade!” confidently and intensely multiple times. At number four, Khaled cherishes his time on the golf course, exclaiming, “Let’s go golfing!” For the third best quote, DJ Khaled says, “Together we’re stronger!” while standing by a statue of two hands being held. Apparently, DJ Khaled loves to share his opinions on unity. In his second most inspirational quote, Khaled says, “Life is roadblocks. Don’t let nothing stop you, cause we ain’t stopping.” This line caused major controversy after it was found out that Khaled said roadblocks instead of Roblox, a popular videogame. Finally, at number

one, DJ Khaled’s greatest quote is, “Don’t ever burn no bridge.

Let me ask you a question. Can you walk on water?” This quote earns the number one spot due to its uplifting symbolic value.

Khaled suggests that people should maintain their relationships and try to keep in touch

with old friends.

Some other honorable mentions are: “And perhaps what is this? I call this cappuccino,” “bring out the lobster” and “bring out the whole ocean.”

These are all quotes from videos of Khaled narrating his fantastically prepared meals and his

cappuccino-colored car while boasting with pride and happiness. His joyousness, boss attitude and exuberant swagger make all the difference in his rising popularity.

Life is roadblocks.

“Don’t let nothing stop you, cause we ain’t stopping.

Photo: 2016 Getty Images

”

DJ Khaled smiles for the cameras on the MTV awards runway.

Taylor Swift and Beyonce Continue Global Tours Photo: NewsBreakOriginal

The Eras Tour by Taylor Swift and the Renaissance Tour

by Beyonce just might be the events of the year. As both artists journeyed around the globe, they not only captivated audiences of millions but also expanded their fandom and influence in the music industry.

In her Eras Tour, Swift takes listeners through her ten albums one by one, each with a very distinctive vibe and mood, along with impressive sets, costumes and choreography. After not being on tour since 2018 for her hit album “Reputation,” in large part due to COVID-19, Taylor is making up for lost time by creating the concert of all concerts.

Fans dress in outfits corresponding to a certain era that they like and seem to know the words to every single song, even scream-

Taylor Swift sings during the “Fearless” Era of her tour.

Photo: People

ing along for 10 minutes straight to “All Too Well.”

On the other hand, Beyonce brings her traditional glittery outfits and impressive vocals up a notch in her Renaissance tour, where she incorporates both her older and newer songs to create an overall masterpiece. “The best part was when Blue Ivy [her daughter] came out,” said senior Eva Tucker. “It was so cool to watch them dance together on stage.” Her seamless transition from slower, more ballad-like songs to her upbeat, pulsing songs and dances make it an extraordinary event.

Economically, both tours are setting records in the entertainment industry, unlike any other before. While there has previously never been a tour with a revenue of one billion dollars, both are expected to surpass that amount in ticket sales alone, something unheard of. Another

Beyonce stuns audiences with her incredible outfits and sets.

few billion dollars are projected to be brought in from each tour, coming from expenses including food, hotels and transportation for fans traveling to watch.

Economists say that Beyonce almost single handedly stopped the inflation rise in Sweden, where she began her tour. Between the large flight fare to Sweden and hotel fees, the tour’s financial effect countered Sweden’s economic issues dating back to the quarantine. A similar effect is expected of the Eras tour in Australia, which has been fighting to return to pre-pandemic levels.

“Because she is holding concerts only in Sydney and Melbourne, Swifties will be coming from other states and New Zealand and bring in money,” said Greg Jericho, an economic executive in Australia.

But even more, both women confirm to the world their wellearned spots at the top of the

music industry. Their well-over two hour performances, or marathons as some are calling them, show their true mastery and talent. With their tours they both managed to accomplish something very few other artists can do, at any point of time, man or woman. Their dedicated fandoms further prove their dominance and worldwide reach.

Nicknamed the “Swifties” and the “Beyhive,” their followers have also given them cultural dominance, not only by selling out every possible show, but also through online platforms that discuss, promote and share their music. They are making a world where girls can look at celebrities and see both themselves and other women in powerful places, where positive role models can lead the way for them. The truth is it’s Taylor and Beyonce’s world, and we’re all just living in it.

Lifestyle

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 12

Fast Fashion: the Real Price Behind Trendy and Cheap Clothing

produce clothes faster and sell them for cheaper has led fashion companies to cut corners and use cheaper, more toxic dyes.

This makes the fashion industry one of the top polluters of clean water globally, next to agriculture. About 25 trillion gallons of water are consumed annually by the fashion industry. For reference, this much water would

While an iPhone offers an exceptional, cheap option of capturing photographs, film photography is the original. 35mm film was popularized throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s with everyone that owned a camera. Around the 1980s, disposable cameras were used daily so kids could photograph their summer without their parents help. Fuji released the “Quicksnap,” a $10 disposable 35mm film camera, in the spring of 1987.

Film’s popularity was short-lived in the 2000s. Many film brands and certain stocks were going out of date and no longer popular. For example, Kodachrome, a 35mm film stock introduced in 1935, was discontinued in 2009 because of declining demand.

Today film is coming back, better than ever, with prices skyrocketing. In 2005, a set of 5 rolls of Portra 400 cost around $34.99 from the shop B&H Photo. Today, that exact same

film stock set retails for $74.95.

Another example of this increase is with film cameras. The Contax T2 was valued at $282 in 2009 and today, the Contax T2, retails for $1,200, used, on many retail sites. One main reason for this increase is when Kendall Jenner used that same camera on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and made the camera more popular than it ever was.

The increase of film prices has many causes, like the nostalgic side of 35mm film, when adults now would capture photos and develop them as a kid. Film’s return has to do with the new generation’s obsession with the vintage look film offers.

Whether it be a disposable camera, or a Point and Shoot, teens are bringing back the aesthetic that film created. Junior Drew Martin says “I am definitely worried about whether or not I will still be able to do film when I graduate.” On the brighter side, film is not dead. The community has brought back a classic timeless activity that will always be enjoyed. “Film will always be “so fun and a thrilling activity that everyone loves,” said sophomore Anne Weiss.

Photo: businessoffashion.com

Over the past three decades, fast fashion has become an increasingly accepted and accessible way to purchase clothing.

Brands like Shein, Zara, H&M, Forever 21 and ASOS mass produce cheap and “trendy” styles that often go out of fashion or wear out before they can be worn more than seven times. As of 2018, the fast fashion industry was valued at 2.5 trillion dollars and employed over 75 million people.

Poor working conditions are one of the many problems with this industry. Celebrity styles and garments from the catwalk are sampled and produced at breakneck speeds to meet consumer demand, and are then quickly disposed of once they are deemed “out of fashion.”

be enough to meet the needs of five million people. Additionally, wastewater from the dyeing and treatment of textiles often remains untreated, and can be drained back into our water systems, polluting it with heavy metals and toxins. Textile waste adds up to 92 million tons each year, and by 2030, we are expected to dispose of 134 million tons, 95% of which has the potential to be reused or recycled.

What can you do to help?

The most obvious answer is to avoid buying from fast fashion brands and to do your research before buying. Additionally, your voice as both a consumer and a citizen can have a great impact if you are willing to use it. Shopping second hand whenever possible is also a great way to reduce waste. You can also support companies whose values align with yours. If you keep in mind that your voice and choices can make a difference, we will be well on our way to a cleaner and more sustainable industry.

Underpaid workers allegedly sew and package garments for Shein.

This is part of the reason for such horrible working conditions in this labor-dependent industry. Fast fashion companies prey on workers, predominantly women, in low income countries like Bangladesh, India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

According to a 2019 Oxfam report, 0% of Bangladeshi workers and only 1% of Vietnamese

workers earn a liveable wage, forcing mothers to start putting their daughters into this system at as young as ten.

A second issue with fast fashion is the disastrous effect it has on our planet. Fast fashion has a multitude of environmental impacts, but the two most detrimental ones are water pollution and textile waste. Pressure to

New Movie Turnout Fills Prices Show Film Theaters All Summer Long is Not Dead Photo: theguardian.com “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” clash in a summer movie frenzy.

Gosling plays Ken, and the two navigate through the human world and discover that it is not what they expected. This movie, even though it was a bit childish, was a big hit. Loads of people went in full pink outfits to go admire either Barbie or Ken. Senior Rebecca Thompson said, “I loved it. Every second. I wanna be Barbie.” Due to its popularity, Barbie generated $1.286 billion in the box office. “Barbie” was a major hit and now all “Barbie” fans can be easily recognized in their full pink outfits.

While “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” did not get the attention the others got, it still put up great numbers. With Miles Morale’s back against the wall, he once again must find a way to defeat an intermultiversal villain. Voiced by Shameik Moore, Miles Morales always adds a nice humorous and youthful touch to the movie, which makes it more enjoyable. The film gets a whopping 95% from rotten tomatoes and IMDB rates it an 8.8/10. Due to the quicker

release to streaming services, the film did not gain as much attention as the others, but it must not be overlooked. “I never would have thought an animated Spider-Man could be good until I saw this,” said junior Drew Thompson, “This new version is better than anything I have ever seen before.”

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” follows Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, embarks on a mission to get back a humanity threatening weapon before it is too late. Ethan Hunt is once again tasked with saving humanity in what seems like an impossible mission.

Sophomore Ethan Holmes said, “I enjoyed that the character had the same name as me and how action packed the film was.” The film earned a surprising 96% on rotten tomatoes, while only earning a 8/10 on IMDB. This movie did not get the same traction as the others, but still turned a big profit at the box office.

Senior Caroline Hood is in shock by film price.

Photo: Bennett Cummings

This past summer, cinema’s popularity increased majorly.

With blockbusters such as “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”, everyone made their way to the theater. Along with the Barbenheimer frenzy, movies like “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” also garnered large crowds. The cinema was the place to be.

“Oppenheimer” directed by Christopher Nolan, was undoubtedly the headliner. This film covered the story of the creation of the atomic bomb and its aftermath. With a star studded cast including Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt and Rami Malek, how could anyone turn down this movie. Due to its historic nature and Nolan’s desire, the film was also fitted for 70 mm IMAX at select locations. This viewing method provides the most perfect camera quality in all of film.

“Wow, just wow,” said senior and movie enthusiast Ross Bernath, “It felt as if magic was happening before my eyes.” Many others across the globe gave similar testaments to the brilliance of the film as it earned a 93% on rotten tomatoes and similar scores on other platforms. The film is a huge success and has been nominated for numerous awards.

The other major film of the summer was “Barbie.” Margot Robbie plays Barbie and Ryan

Sports

Vol. 49, Issue #1

The Knightly News - Page 13

NFL to Continue Partnership with Nickelodeon Photo: WLWT5

The National Football League (NFL) will be a little greener, wetter and covered with more slime in the coming year as Nickelodeon has announced that it will continue its popular partnership with the NFL. What began as a collaboration with CBS sports’ production team during the January 10, 2021 wildcard playoff game between the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears will excitedly continue. The first broadcast proved an instant hit and pleased audiences of many

Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow slimes teammate Ja’Marr Chase following his NVP win. ages, despite its non-traditional graphics and commentary. The screenings, which were initially directed towards a younger audience, display cool features and twists on traditional elements of

football and NFL broadcasts.

One popular change is the slime zone. Instead of a traditional end zone, in the slime zone whenever a player scores a touchdown, computer generated

slime cannons shoot into the end zone.

In another twist, after each week of football, Nickelodeon awards Nickelodeon’s Value Player (NVP) instead of a traditional MVP. The NVP trophy, which was first awarded to the Chicago Bears former quarterback Mitch Trubisky, also gained popularity over social media. The trophy, which is made to resemble the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy, features the Nickelodeon blimp with slime dripping down from it. Following every week of the 2022 NFL season, Nickelodeon awarded their weekly NVP. During the NVP trophy presentations, the winner gets slimed.

The videos of the presentation went viral amassing millions of

views on TikTok. In 2022, Nickelodeon aired their “Nickmas” game on Christmas. The broadcast featured holiday themed special effects along with a guest appearance from famous Spongebob Squarepants character Patrick Star. Perhaps the most viral part of the Nickmas broadcast occurred when Patrick Star roasted Denver Broncos Quarterback, Russel Wilson, for throwing an interception.

Nickelodeon’s partnership with the NFL will continue as the NFL season kicks off on Sep. 7. The Nickmas day special will also continue on Dec 25. between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders. Look out for more of the same, football, and of course, slime.

Atlanta Braves Named Best Team in Baseball Following their disappointing end to the 2022 season, the Braves looked to capitalize on their recent acquisition of catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics back in December. In the 2023 offseason, the Braves lost a key player and fan favorite, Dansby Swanson.

The loss of Swanson had fans devastated, some even resorting to hateful comments on social media. However, former backup Orlando Arcia seized the opportunity, becoming one of the best players for the Braves this season. The Braves had a great start to the season going 18-9 in April, and fans hoped that the early success would continue throughout the rest of the year.

There are many factors to the Braves’ impressive 2023 campaign. “This team is loaded with talent from top-to-bottom

and at nearly every position,” noted Demetrius Bell from the Atlanta Braves Player Analysis.

Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is playing his first completely healthy season since tearing his ACL back in July 2021, and he has not disappointed. Acuña Jr. leads the league in stolen bases, led the entire league in All-Star votes, was named player of the month in June and is second in batting average and hits on the season.

Following impressive rookie seasons, pitcher Spencer Strider

and outfielder Michael Harris II continue to dominate (Strider leads the league in strikeouts).

On top of that, first-baseman Matt Olson leads the MLB in home runs and runners batted in (RBIs).

The Braves are undoubtedly the best team in baseball this year, as of Aug. 24, they have the best record in the league by six games. The Braves hitting power has been the largest factor in their success, as they lead the league in team batting average, runs scored, home runs, RBIs

and total bases. Along with their offensive success, the bullpen has done a fantastic job carrying their load. A new name to fans this year, Bryce Elder, has dominated the diamond along with pitchers Charlie Mortan and Strider. The three pitchers combined have 37 wins under their belt and have contributed a lot to the team’s success this year.

The Braves look to continue their success into the playoffs, hopefully being crowned World Series Champions for the second time in three years.

championship winner and is a fabulous golfer. While a majority of the team were no-brainers, a few of the captains’ picks could be looked at with some scrutiny.

Most notably, Justin Thomas had a horrible season. He finished 71st on the PGA tour and did not do well in any major tournament.

Zach Johnson picked Thomas because he knows Thomas’ value in the locker room and his value when he is paired with lifelong friend Jordan Spieth.

Another questionable pick was Sam Burns. There is no doubt that he is a fantastic golfer and is on the rise, but was this Ryder Cup his Ryder Cup? There were a few other golfers who played better than him over the course of the season like Keegan Bradley for example. While past performance is crucial in determining the roster, the chemistry was also crucial for Zach Johnson. With his six picks, he picked guys that he knows have great chemistry and are good friends with one another. It is a bit of a boys club that is quite exclusive, but the United States is relying on these 12 guys to bring us home the cup.

Led by Luke Donald, Team Europe consists of: Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre, Rory McIlroy, John Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Ludwig Åberg, Sepp Straka and Nicolai Højgaard.

This team is primarily PGA

tour players with a few European tour players. Team Europe has some pretty serious talent. While the US has six of the top ten in the official world golf ranking, Europe has three of the top four.

Everyone knows how lethal Rory McIlroy, John Rahm and Viktor Hovland can be when they are on their A game. Hovland demonstrated his A game recently at the Tour Championship at East Lake. He won easily by 5 strokes and nobody even came close to him. Along with this immense talent, Team Europe has leadership in the seasoned Justin Rose.

Rose has been professional for 25 years and has seen his fair share of Ryder Cups. Also, Team Europe has a home field advantage. The Ryder Cup will be taking place at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome, Italy. The crowds will all favor the Europeans and while this may not seem like a major factor, it certainly is. The last couple of golfers on the European team are some of the best European tour players. They have done exceedingly well in Europe and just decided not to join the PGA tour as they would rather stay in Europe.

This Ryder Cup is going to be exciting, nerve-racking, fun and everything that an amazing sporting event should be. Starting on Sept. 29, the best of the US take on the mighty Europeans in the Ryder Cup and this is must-watch golf.

The United States Takes on Europe in the Ryder Cup

Photo: CNN

With the conclusion of the PGA tour season, many golf fans may begin to feel heartbroken, but all spirits shall be lifted as the best golf event is just around the corner. In a week or two, the United States’ 12 best golfers will take on Europe’s finest in the Ryder Cup. The PGA tour’s season concluded right here in Atlanta, at East Lake Golf Club. Prior to East Lake, there were two tournaments that were considered the “postseason.” The first was the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, TN. The top 70 golfers based on a points system competed here and eventually, Lucas Glover was crowned as the champion.

The following week, the top 50 traveled to Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, IL for the BMW championship.

Winning here gives a massive payout and a big leg up at East Lake. The Norwegian, Viktor Hovland won the tournament and his hot streak would not stop there. The top 30 made their way to East Lake, but this time a FedEx champion would be crowned. The winner here would walk away with $18 million. As a way to make play throughout

(L-R) European Captain Luke Donald and USA Captain Zach Johnson pose with the Ryder Cup Trophy. the year meaningful, the player who had the most points going into the tournament started off at -10 while second place started off at -8. The worse you played over the season the fewer strokes you gained at the start of the tournament. Once again, Viktor Hovland demolished his competition, winning by 5 strokes and securing the FedEx cup.

In order to make either the US or European team, the golfers had to earn points through their performance over the course of the season. Even though the teams are based on a point structure, both teams’ captains have six picks as to which golfers they want for their team.

Captained by Zach Johnson, the United States Ryder Cup

team consists of: Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay, Wyndham Clark, Rickie Fowler, Brian Harman, Max Homa, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

From a first glance, this team is stacked. The US has six of the top ten in the official world golf ranking and is headlined

by Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler did not play his best to finish off the PGA season, but the US is hoping he can regain form and dominate during the Ryder Cup. Brooks Koepka is the only person on the team not on the PGA tour as he is currently on the LIV tour. He definitely deserves a spot as he is a major

Sports

September 22, 2023

The Knightly News - Page 14

Students Jump Back into the School Year with Fall Sports Football:

Cheerleading:

Junior Cooper Williams stiff arms his defender in an attempt to continue the play.

Cross Country:

Photo: Fred Assaf

Senior Grace Agolli serves the ball in an attempt to ace the opponent.

Volleyball:

The Water Polo squad looks to have another successful season under coach John Ague, attempting to take their Runnerup season from last year one step further. This year, the team plans to play 12 regular season games under the leadership of four seniors who are all focused on dominating at the State Tournament, bringing another state

championship to Pace Academy.

Senior Asher Lubin said, “After a great season last year, we are really looking forward to getting after it and doing even better this year. I’m really excited to use what I’ve learned for my former teammates and show what it means to be a leader on this team. So far, we have been putting in a lot of work and now we have the opportunity to show it.”

thias, Ted Miller, Jake Miller, and Colin Curtin. Additionally, junior Matthew Wells is a bright spot for the team, being one of the most successful runners on the team, week in and week out.

The goal for the team is the same as any previous year, to win another State Championship.

Softball: The softball team, led by diehard senior, Libby Jonas, is already off and running with ten games under their belt and impressive wins over WoodlandStockbridge and Luella. Last year, the Lady Knights made an appearance in the playoffs, ultimately falling in super regionals against Northwest Whitefield.

Junior Alexa Ibarra said, “As a new member of the team it has definitely been an adjustment.

However, I have started to find my groove and I think that the team can turn this season into something special.” Under the leadership of Jonas, the team plans to repeat its successful season and hopes to make it further in the state tournament.

Photo: Fred Assaf

This year’s volleyball team has a lot to look up to, due to the fact that the 2022 team won the state championship for the sixth year in a row. The team is off to an extremely hot start, currently sitting at an impressive record of 17-2. The team also performed well at the “Tournament of Champions” in Tampa, FL, winning the championship of the silver division. Additionally, the team has reached a national milestone of being ranked within the top ten on MaxPreps. Under Head Coach Catherine Monroe, the team is led by five seniors: Dhru Lalaji, Ellie Siskin, Gadit Bejar, Grace Agolli and Skyla Harris. Sophomore Britton McGurn said, “ We are always striving for success on and off the court, and hopefully can continue our streak of State Championship titles. As a younger member of the team, I’ve really enjoyed being able to create close relationships with some of the older girls while also learning new styles of play.”

Water Polo:

The cross country team is fresh off of its 2022 Region Champion sweep, while also placing fourth at state (boys) and, for the third year in a row, first (girls). This year’s girls’ team is led by five seniors who plan to respite their achievements from last year and win a fourth straight state title. Senior Sarah Proctor said, “I’ve spent a lot of time doing cross country throughout my high school career, and now I finally get the chance to pass down what I’ve learned. I can’t wait for the 5 a.m. wakeups to go run with my friends!” A focal point of the team is recent Duke commit, Caroline Hood. Hood is a yearround runner who has spent a lot of time preparing for the season in Crested Butte, Colorado. During the season, Hood regularly posts first-place finishes. On the boys’ side, the team looks to regain their glory and bounce back from their fourth-place finish. This year, the team is led by seven seniors: Matthew Wells, Henry Gaudet, Brody Mat-

Photo: Fred Assaf

This year’s cheerleading squad is led by a group of ten senior leaders: Katherine Davis, Holland Delley, Mary Ellis Irvin, Vivian Kohn, Charlotte Lemke, Reita Maguire, Josie Panzer, Selin Psaltis, Eva Tucker and Mia Williams. Kohn said, “being on the cheerleading squad, I’ve been able to become close with a lot of people that I would say I would not otherwise.

While it can be a little hard to get the crowd to stand up, I love being on the sidelines leading the student section in cheering.”

The team is looking forward to having a packed student section at the games to support the cheerleading squad as well as the football team.

The football team begins the season hoping to become Region Champions for the first time.

The Knights started the season with a disappointing home opener against Holy Innocents, falling to the Golden Bears 2414. The Knights would bounce back a week later, defeating the Westminster Wildcats 33-31 for the second time in a row (also the second time in Pace History).

Senior Christian Johnson said, “After missing last season, I as well as the team have a lot to prove this year. While we have not gotten off to the most perfect start, I really think we can turn this season around and finish out the season on a high note.”

The Knights would travel across the river to Lovett for a highly anticipated week four matchup.

While the Knights did not post their best performance, ultimately being defeated by the Lions 27-14, they still played well and hope to bounce back against Woodland.

Senior Libby Jonas slides into second base.