Vol. 46, Issue #6
The
Knightly News
p. 6 Ms. Smith, Ms. Stevens to Return
p. 14 Year in Review
May 14, 2021
p. 15 Senior Predictions
Photos: Omar López Thismón (top), Fred Assaf (bottom)
The May issue celebrates our seniors. See inside for senior predictions, favorite senior memories, futures of the Class of 2021 and more.
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Pace News
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 2
Class of 2021 Says Goodbye
Photo: Fred Assaf
After four years in the Upper School, the time has come for the Class of 2021 to graduate and say goodbye to Pace. While they definitely have not had a conventional four-year high school experience, the Class of 2021 certainly made the most of their senior year and are ready to leave Pace as confident, prepared students and individuals. While typical senior celebrations took a different form or did not happen as planned throughout most of this academic year, GAP Day was a return to tradition that was welcomed by students, faculty and families alike. Marked by Pace seniors’ iconic parade down West Paces Ferry, many of the traditional Great American Picnic traditions remained the same or were slightly altered in order to ensure safety from COVID-19. For example, morning assembly and senior testimonials were held on the lower field. The administration also found extra special ways to honor the Class of 2021 on their last official day on campus. Sir Wins-a-lot’s appearance from a helicopter was “extra” in and of itself, but each senior’s ability to take a tour of the city in a helicopter made the day extra special. Seniors made their own fun as well, like when they jumped in the Assafs’ pool after the annual water fight on the hill and were joined by the Class of 2021 dean Krista Wilhelmsen and Associate Director of College Counseling Ben Wescott, who belly flopped into the pool while
The Class of 2021 cheers on the varsity boys basketball team to their second consecutive state title on March 11. still sporting his mask. To detail all the accomplishments of the Class of 2021 would take far too much space, but from nationally recognized and published writers to four-time state champions to a producer with a freshly released album, it is evident that the members of this class have stayed busy throughout their four years in Pace’s upper school, and that they have diverse interests. These diverse interests carried over into these seniors’ choices of colleges, universities, and post-graduate programs as well. As of May 1, National College Decision Day, Pace seniors had chosen schools in nearly 20 states and the District of Columbia. Besides the state of Georgia, some of the states with
the highest number of members of the Pace Class of 2021 are Virginia, Texas, Louisiana and North Carolina, all with seven students each. Pace is sending six students each to the University of Virginia, Tulane University and the University of Alabama, making these three schools, along with The University of Georgia, which is receiving nine Pace seniors, the most Pace-populous schools of this year. As of the NCAA Signing Day on Feb. 7, 10 members of the Class of 2021 had committed to continuing their athletic careers in college. Four-time diving state champion and state record-holder Lizzy Kaye will dive at the University of Virginia next year, joining a program
our lives,” said senior Caroline Janki. Janki added that Mrs. Wilhelmsen is the kind of person that a student can go to about anything, a feeling shared by senior Charlie Janko. “Mrs. Wilhelmsen is like our school mom,” he said. Her extreme enthusiasm for the Pace community and its ability to thrive, contributes to her desire to help students navigate their way as their dean. “My belief in, and love for the school, consequently allow me to teach and dean effectively,” she said. “I work here and I teach here because I love this school.” Mrs. Wilhelmsen began her teaching career at Pace 21 years ago. In 2006, she received the Kessler Award for Teaching, and the Class of 2007 dedicated their yearbook that year to her. Mrs. Wilhelmsen holds bachelor’s degrees in sociology and math from Bowdoin College. She and her husband Jason live in Smyrna and have twin boys, Spencer and Eric, members of the Pace class of 2025.
Mrs. Wilhelmsen, a twin herself, is the daughter of two private-school educators, and both her sisters have worked in independent schools. Her environment as a child, growing up surrounded by educators, further enhanced her ability to understand student life and how to overcome any obstacles. She hopes to instill in her students an appreciation for the learning process, even when it is difficult, and encourages students to take responsibility for not only their own learning but the well being of their peers as well. With a farewell to her seniors, she recommends that they take advantage of their college environment. “Don’t make college all about the classroom,” she said. “Take advantage of everything. Meet and fall in love with the wonder that is the diversity of a group of incoming firstyears that come from all over the world. Get involved in clubs. Remember, you are moving to a new community that is far bigger
that just brought home its first national championship ever. Football star Jayden Thomas is headed to Notre Dame’s football program, where he will excel without a doubt. Some of the other sports to be represented at the NCAA level in the next four years include track, basketball, swimming, softball and lacrosse. Besides the seniors who are taking their athletics to the next level, Pace has had some incredible athletic achievements this year, and many of these would not have been possible without the leadership and passion brought by the members of the Class of 2021. The girls volleyball and cross country teams each won state championships in the fall; it’s worth noting that this was the
volleyball team’s fourth consecutive state championship win. The boys basketball and girls tennis teams also brought home state championships, both for the second year in a row. While spring sports have yet to all finish up, each team is performing at the highest levels, with most led by seniors. While leaving high school and moving away is always bittersweet, the past 15 months have already brought about a lot of change in the lives of this year’s seniors. While they may have been physically separated during the spring and summer of 2020, this time apart brought them closer together throughout their senior year and allowed them to make the best of the situation at hand.
Mrs. Wilhelmsen To Be Dean for Class of 2025
Photo: Emmy Minninberg
As the 2020-2021 school year comes to an end, the Class of 2025 looks forward to meeting their new dean. Upper school math teacher Krista Wilhelmsen, who has served as dean for the Class of 2021 for the past four years, will be committing to four more years as dean for the new freshman class. Mrs. Wilhelmsen describes being a dean as amazing and full of twists and turns, such as the impact of COVID-19 on learning at Pace. “But, the good, the bad and the ugly, I wouldn’t change a thing,” she said. Mrs. Wilhelmsen is known for her ability to not only connect with students but also to create a comfortable environment. “Mrs. Wilhelmsen is the best because she is so supportive of us and really cares about the things we have going on in
Mrs. Wilhelmsen chats with seniors Sean Glennon (left) and Sidney Funston (right) in the Seaman Family Student Commons about their future college plans. than Pace Academy.” Mrs. Wilhelmsen also offered advice for the Class of 2025: “Don’t make ninth grade
about college. Then repeat moving forward. If you do this, it will all work out for college.”
Vol. 46, Issue #6
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Pace News
The Knightly News - Page 3
Thank You, Ms. Wilson!
As someone who came into Pace with a passion for writing and has gone on to pursue professional journalism, I cannot thank Lee Wilson enough for teaching me the fundamentals of writing for a newspaper. My time at The Knightly News was entertaining, informative, and unforgettable and Lee was a huge reason why.” – Sloan Wyatt ‘18
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Ms. Wilson taught me how to effectively communicate and convey stories Ms. Wilson is a great friend, colleague, and in a concise and creative way. I have continued using the skills she helped me textbook example of heterochromia. Her eyes develop in my college courses and internships. Also, she is one of the most will be especially missed.” – Kaylan Haizlip patient and devoted teachers I have ever had. Her belief in me gave me the confidence to be the stuMs. Wilson has led Pace’s student journalists to transform The Knightly dent and individual I am now and continue to grow News. Her focus on journalistic ethics; high standards of grammar, style, into. I know her students and Pace will miss her and use of the AP style guide; attention to detail in writing, story selection, next year.” – Genna Schwarz ‘19 and layout; helping writers develop skills of both narrative and argumentation; and working with students to incorporate technological advances – think of When Ms. Wilson joined The Knightly News, I immediately noticed a new energy and creativity in the newspaper. She KnightFlix – have meshed to provide the guided the staff toward a greater variety of features and led the way toward some real in-depth reporting on serious issues at Pace community an outstanding record of Pace, like racial equity and standardized testing. She refined the application process, and soon the paper was attracting more our lives together and a firm basis of expetalented writers than it could take, so the program expanded to include things like guest columns. As an English teacher, I was rience for those interested in what jourso pleased and impressed with the caliber of writing in the newspaper, from political commentary to food and movie reviews. nalism is and needs to be in a democratic And yes, the April Fool’s issue is a complete riot, filled with Pace in-jokes and the most outrageous satire. Ms. Wilson’s passociety.” – Helen Smith sion for the written word and for excellence in every detail was manifest in every issue, and The Knightly News has many
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awards and prizes from state competitions to prove it. Every time the paper has come out, my students and I spend at least 20 minutes of first period eagerly reading it and talking about our favorite articles. I am so grateful to Ms. Wilson, a dear friend, for her outstanding service to this crucial element of campus life. A thriving newspaper is a sure sign of an outstanding school. It makes Pace Pace.” – Marsha Durlin
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Ms. Wilsonfacilitated the development of community in the Upper School. She encouraged all of us – students and faculty – to examine our assumptions and hold ourselves to higher standards.” – Emily Washburn
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Ms. Wilson was crucial to my journalistic and critical thinking development. She taught me the power of local focus and understanding that the best stories (and opportunities) are right in front of you.” – Charlie Hirsch ‘19
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Lee of course taught me how to be a better writer but even more how to be a better leader. When I came into newspaper sophomore year, I honestly did it as an extra So, it is certainly activity to put on difficult to put into my resume. But words what Lee she gave me my has meant to the first leadership school, especially position as co-edto the newspaper. itor and through Simply put, without that I learned Lee Wilson there how with great would not be a power comes Knightly News, not great responsibilin the way in which ity. She showed we know of it now. me how to take She has managed matters seriously to, month after when need be The Knightly News staff poses for a photo one day before learning that they won the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s All month, spearhead and to express Georgia award for General Excellence in Print Newspaper, awarded to the best print newspaper in the state! the publication of a my voice even I’ve always been impressed with Ms. Wilson’s newspaper whose quality borders on the professional, while in times when it felt unheard. The beard article is a good at the same time giving over stewardship of this newspaper ability to listen deeply and the level of detailed example because I was nervous to write that due to possible care that she applies to the Transitions Program, backlash from the admin, but she gave me the confidence to the many editors and student journalists with whom she has worked over the years. In so many ways, she will be truly Freshman Service Day, and to the Newspaper. and support to go forward with that.” – Aman Hashim ‘20 She consistently solicits feedback to improve the irreplaceable.” – Bailey Player student experience, and her thoughtful engagement across the Pace community is evident each day. Her chamNewspaper was so special Ms. Wilson has been pionship of different opinions, diverse values, and a commitment to excellence marks her as an extraordinary because it was the best balance of a friend and colleague educator.” – Caitlin Terry intellectual pursuit and carefree since my first day at banter. Ms. Wilson was the best I’ve known Lee Wilson for many years, first as a Pace parent to her lovely Pace. She helped me settle in and learn the ways of facilitator of class discussion and the school and the library, and has been a mentor children, and then as a colleague on our faculty. She’s the consummate profesI loved that she would always and confidante ever since. She has been an important sional. When Lee took on a task, be it managing our Transitions program from insert her own opinion into stuvoice of reason, caution, and encouragement for these its inception or running The Knightly News, it was going to be done well. Her dent discussions. She brought so past seven years and I will miss having her clear voice standards for herself and for those in her charge were high, but always executed much fun and focus to Pace. The with love and grace. I’m so excited for her impending retirement, but we will just down the hallway. Good news is we’re still good woman who could do it all!” – miss her on our campus.” – Michael Gannon friends, so I can always just call her up.” – Matt Ball Eden Kerker ‘19
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Photo: Ted Ward
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Ms. Wilson brings attention to and care for her job that few other teachers have ever dared to match. She truly respects that it is a studentdriven newspaper, while always offering guidance and assistance. I loved her commitment to journalism and I miss her positive influence on my life daily.” – Amy Butler ‘18
The Knightly News’ Accomplishments Under Ms. Wilson Ms. Wilson began advising at the start of the 2009-2010 school year.
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Ms. Wilson has been a big part of the Pace community, first as a parent, then as a faculty member. She has worn so many hats so well! She is engaged, supportive, smart and kind. Just look at how she ran the newspaper! Due to her guidance, the newspaper staff consistently turned in thoughtful, high-level work that made the whole Pace community better. She will be dearly missed.” – Allison Riley
Georgia Scholastic Press Association Rating System:
All Georgia General Excellence* Superior Excellent Achievement Rating Awards in descending order *Statewide based on size of school
6 “Excellents” for Newspaper
2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017
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“General Excellence” for Website 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
5 “Excellents” for Website 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 2 “General Excellence” for Newspaper 2018, 2019 1 “Achievement” for Website - 2013 6 “Superiors” for Newspaper 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 1 “All Georgia” Newspaper – 2021 “Superiors” for Website Highest statewide award (regardless of size) 4 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
Pace News
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 4
Dr. Baker Heads to Minnesota said “I’m going to sleep” and turned around in his seat and slept through the whole thing!” Throughout his six years at Pace, Dr. Baker shared his knowledge with the Pace community. “Dr. Baker has taught me not to overthink everything, to trust my instincts, and to hit send on those important communications that needed to happen,” said Mrs. Brown. Mr. Wabrek was struck by Dr. Baker’s focus on relationships. “I have learned strategies from him on how to maintain relationships with people, coaches, parents, adults, especially with folks I no longer work with from other school communities where I have been fortunate enough to work,” he said. Vincent respects Dr. Baker’s emphasis on character. “Coach Baker not only taught me how to be a better basketball player but also what it means to be a good person,” said Vincent. “From his game-day speeches to his quotes of the day and how he would do anything for his family and our team, he always inspires me to be a good person.” Junior Margo Kaye also touched on Coach Baker’s coaching. “He made sure that every minute we spent in the gym had a purpose,” said Kaye. “He showed me how to manage time and break things down, a concept he hammers home with his famous phrase ‘you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time.’”
As he moves forward with a new chapter in his life, members of the Pace community expressed appreciation for his dedication and his constant strive for excellence. “Thank you for truly being the best coach ever,” said Vincent. “Although I will miss the fist bumps that brighten my day, Minnesota is lucky to have you.” Berman echoed Vincent’s praise of Dr. Baker on the court. “I would like to say thank you for your patience and taking the time to really help me improve,” she said.“He knows that over these
past few years he has become more than a colleague but also a dear friend and brother,” said Mrs. Brown. “Thank you for always entertaining my very different style of communicating a story to you!” Mr. Wabrek remarked on all of the cool accomplishments he and Dr. Baker achieved as a team and had one final message. “Remember that I did play hockey growing up, and at Breck, hockey seems to be a big deal, so if you ever want to chat hockey and/or strategy, give me a call,” he said.
Grady Stevens joined the Pace community in 2014 and teaches Latin and European history. He is also the varsity boys head lacrosse coach and assistant wrestling coach and was the Class of 2020 dean. In addition, Mr. Stevens has led several Isdell Center for Global Leadership international trips. Mr. Stevens recently earned the GHSA 1A-5A Coach of the Year award after leading the lacrosse team to an impressive 12-2 regular season record. “Coach Stevens was one of my favorite coaches I have ever had at Pace,” said sophomore Charlie Fleming. Over the past couple of years, Mr. Stevens has been taking classes at Harvard, both during the school year and in the summer, to prepare himself for law school. He will study international law at The George Washington University Law School.
Shresttha Dubey stepped in this year to teach Honors Chemistry for tenth graders after graduating from Georgia Tech the spring before. Although he only taught for a year, he cherished the time he spent working with Pace students. “My experience has been phenomenal here,” said Mr. Dubey. ‘The standards are very high because it is such a good school, but Mr. Smentek, Dr. Pearson and Mrs. Tarvin were extremely helpful along the way.” The first year chemistry teacher had a positive impact on his students as well. “Throughout the year, Mr. Dubey was so fun in class, and he made chemistry interesting,” said sophomore Sophie Shapiro. Mr. Dubey will attend the Medical College of Georgia next year with hopes of working in the sports medicine field.
Selby Hill joined the Pace upper school English department in 2018. During her time at Pace, she has taught Literary Heroes Honors and CP classes for ninth graders. She also served as coach for the Pace equestrian team. Before joining Pace, the Atlanta native attended the Lovett School and the University of Georgia, and then taught at Dickerson Middle School in Marietta. After three years at Pace, Mrs. Hill will be moving on. “I am leaving to give my full attention to the yoga business I started two years ago,” said Mrs. Hill. “We’ve been so lucky to have grown through the pandemic, and we have big goals of opening two more locations in the next year, so I am hoping that not working two full-time jobs will help me stay a little more sane.”
Aviva Hyams, ninth grade English teacher, was new to Pace this school year. Mrs. Hyams moved to Atlanta with her husband and two children this year after her previous teaching position at Marian Catholic College in Indiana. She graduated from Australian Catholic University with a degree in English language and literature and had multiple teaching positions in Sydney, Australia. “I really enjoyed her class discussions, and the one thing I will miss the most is how the people in her class always bonded in a special way,” said freshman Grace Agolli. Mrs. Hyams will also miss her students. “My favorite part of Pace was learning the unique culture of the school and the small community and all my lovely and polite students in my classes.” Mrs. Hyams plans on traveling around the U.S. with her family for the summer.
Photo: Fred Assaf
empathetic he is,” said senior Hanna Vincent. “He is one of the most passionate and supportive people I know,” said sophomore Ella Berman. Dr. Baker’s legacy is best Director of Student Life and understood through the stories of head varsity girls basketball his colleagues and players. “My coach Troy Baker is leaving Pace favorite memory is spreading out this spring to accept a new posias wide as we could in front of tion as Head of Upper School at the student section to hold kids Breck School in Golden Valley, back from jumping on the court Minnesota. Dr. Baker served as during a Lovett basketball game Pace’s Athletic Director for five during the 2019-2020 season,” years and this year stepped into said Mr. Wabrek. Vincent looked a new position as back to a memory “Coach Baker from a different basDirector of Student not only taught me ketball game. “My Life to help implehow to be a better favorite memory was ment the Action Plan basketball player when we were warmfor Racial Equity and but also what it provide more support ing up for one of my means to be a good first games, and a to students and famiperson,” - Hanna Drake song came lies. Throughout his Vincent. six years at Pace, Dr. on,” said Vincent. Baker has had a major impact on “All of a sudden, he just started the Pace community. rapping every single word. I was No one word could describe very impressed and would later Dr. Baker, but a few can begin understand just how much he to show the positive influence loves Drake.” he has had on many students and Mrs. Brown also touched on faculty. All of his colleagues and a funny memory from her time players agreed that Dr. Baker on ICGL trips with Dr. Baker. “ is extremely intelligent. “Dr. I think my favorite and funniBaker is kind and resilient,” said est memory is when we were Athletic Director Chad Wabrek. on our second trip together to “He is clear-minded and a Ghana and Botswana,” said Mrs. wordsmith,” added Chief Equity Brown. “During our flight there and Inclusion Officer Joanne we experienced severe turbuBrown. The students on the girls lence as well as some technibasketball team got to experical issues with the plane. As ence Dr. Baker in a separate I looked to Dr. Baker to share realm. “He is super competitive, some reassuring words to calm but what stands out more is how my fears, he looked at me and
Dr. Baker celebrates a team win against Lovett on Jan. 8.
Judy Landers taught PreCalculus Honors, Calculus Honors and Algebra II at Pace this year, following a brief retirement from a long career in education, with over 20 years of teaching experience. Ms. Landers has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a master’s degree in education with a focus on mathematics from Wayne State University. “Ms. Landers taught me that school is more about learning to gain knowledge rather than learning to perform well on a test,” said senior Lane Brickley, a student in Ms. Landers’ honors calculus course. In her free time, Ms. Landers enjoys birding, walking and hiking, as well as caring for her chickens and bees.
Photos: Pace Office of Communications
Upper School Faculty Members Say Goodbye
Pace News
Vol. 46, Issue #6
The Knightly News - Page 5
Five Minutes with Senior Co-EditorsIn-Chief Hall, Kornheiser, Rosing
(L-R) Our beloved co-editors-in-chief Jamie Kornheiser, Darren Rosing and Mary Childs Hall pose together at prom on April 17. award for it but nothing from [Georgia Scholastic Press Association]. MCH: I liked conducting the interview with Tiger about his encounter with the police when he was living in Los Angeles. I feel like I have really just enjoyed doing interviews. JK: My favorite article that I wrote was probably the teachers who played sports in college because I got to interview so many teachers, many of whom I did not know before. KN: Awesome. To end, do you guys have any parting words for Ms. Wilson? MCH: Hold on while I cry. I would say, I think she’s been a really great influence on me, especially last year. I struggled a little bit at the beginning of the year being co-editor cause it was a role that was very new for me. She pushed me and made me lead and I think that’s forced
Photo: Mary Childs Hall
KNIGHTLY NEWS: Hi, how are y’all doing? DARREN ROSING: If you are treating it with this attitude, I don’t want to participate. Start over. KN: How does it feel to be leaving Pace? MC HALL: I would say that I’m excited for a new chapter, but I am definitely nervous because I have been at Pace my whole life. I’ve had a lot of great memories here and it’s really shaped me into the woman I am today. DR: I feel ready to leave Pace at this time. I made some great friends and grew as a person in the last four years, but I’m ready to apply the skills that I gained here to the real world. JAMIE KORNHEISER: I’m excited to do something new and go somewhere new. I have had some great relationships with teachers and peers, but I think I am prepared to move onto the next chapter. KN: What are y’all going to miss most about Pace? DR: I’d probably say my friends and teachers and just the community you can fall back on. It’s going to be weird not being able to see those familiar faces that make Pace feel like home. JK: Yeah, I think I am going to miss walking down the hall and saying “hi” to like, 10 to 12 people. KN: What is your favorite memory from your years at Pace? JK: My favorite memory has got to be our meeting with Ms. Wilson this summer, just the four of us planning the year. Just kidding. DR: Oh, good, I was so scared that you were being serious. *Nervous laugh* MCH: We had such high aspirations going into the year. But yeah, I would say
that one of my favorite memories was the ICGL trip I went on to Lesotho with Habitat for Humanity. Even in circumstances that weren’t ideal, just being together was really great. And I learned so much about people that I wouldn’t normally know much about. DR: I agree. I think that my ICGL trip to South Africa was pretty memorable. I think I’ve spent my years here kind of like a social chameleon, making different friends and being part of different groups, so having another outlet for friends (the South Africa group) was really important to my four years. JK: Little things come to my mind, like sitting in Mrs. Terry’s office, talking about “Parks and Rec,” or just hanging out with you guys at lunch, talking about literally nothing. KN: OK, I am scared of this question. Who is your favorite Co-Editor out of the other two? MCH: I’d definitely say myself and then Jamie. No offense – I love Darren – but Jamie’s on top of it. Darren provides the creative spirit, though. DR: I feel like I kind of envision things and it’s up to Jamie and MC to carry it out. I’d say that MC is the face, Jamie is the brains and I’m the heart. KN: If you had to give each other a superlative, what would it be? MCH: Darren’s would be most likely to be a superstar on Broadway as a drama queen. DR: I don’t know. I wish I could reject this. MCH: I think Jamie is Wonder Woman. Or kindest. Best to take home to mom and dad. DR: Jamie is the pickiest eater. MCH: Darren is most likely to go to California and never come back. He’s going to drop everyone in the small town and never look back. DR: I mean it is already happening. KN: Yeah, definitely. What is your favorite article you have ever written? DR: I wrote this article sophomore year about the danger of hyper-partisanship normalizing terror in America. For some reason, I felt so inspired and wrote like a million words about it. I got a Scholastic
me to become a really great leader. I’m also really grateful that she just cares so much. She’ll reach out over text about something random that doesn’t have to do with the newspaper. And I really love having conversations with her and I’m hoping that next year and throughout the rest of my life, I’ll be able to reach out to her whenever I want to talk to her about anything. DR: Yeah. I mean, I feel like the image of Ms. Wilson is super kind and caring and smart and wise, but I think that she also has a comedic backbone that not many people realize. She is not afraid to speak what is on her mind. JK: Ms. Wilson is the reason that the newspaper is successful, like all the accolades and all of the success that we’ve had is 100% her.
Seniors Share Favorite Memories of Pace The 5h grade Charleston trip was one of my favorite memories. I was so excited to travel and explore a different town with all my friends. – Jordan Benjamin
My favorite memory of Pace is going to the Fall Fair in Lower School. It was always so fun to get fake casts and do karaoke as a kid! – Tommy Assaf
My favorite memory was opening Pace’s TEDx event. It was a time I saw one of my visions come into fruition. – Michael Fu
I’ll always remember winning the state basketball game this year. It was so fun to be there wih all my friends and watch then bring home a trophy! – Lane Brickley
Definitely my ICGL trip to South Africa. I made so many great friends on that trip and I will never forget the fun we had. – Lily Cummings
Pace News
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 6
Ms. Smith, Ms. Stevens to Return Next Year
Photo: Emily Stevens
classes. “I think that when you’re talking about trying to create a United States that has more equity, it’s important to see that the structures that tried to apSeven Pace upper school pear unchanging and immutable teachers chose to remain at home and all-powerful, aren’t [always] during the 2020-2021 school right,” said Ms. Stevens. year due to COVID-19. While While Ms. Stevens is looking some will not be returning to forward to getting back into the school next year, upper school classroom, this year has been history teachers rather stressful. The Ms. Stevens Emily Stevens and threat of catchHelen Smith look wants “to try to ing COVID-19 is forward to being on look more at the always a possibility, campus this fall. structure of differ- and Ms. Stevens has Although it has made sure to be as ent ancient cultures, careful as possible. been a difficult year with unprec- so that people don’t While she have the sense of edented events, agrees that Pace these teachers are things being inevita- has done a good job thrilled to return to ble” in her classes. of sanitizing the a sense of normalcy school and keeping by teaching students in person. students and faculty healthy, she During these past few explains that “there’s no mitigatmonths at home, Ms. Stevens ing the enormity of the stress has made sure to prepare for the that everybody has been under.” 2021-2022 school year in every Ms. Smith has also been way possible. She explained that keeping busy during her time at although she doesn’t know what home. She continued to sponsor life at Pace will look like in four Model UN from home this year, months, she is “definitely going in addition to other endeavors. to do the Chinese trial that [she] She explains that she has “spent did the last two years.” Addition- a lot of time reading about how ally, Ms. Stevens wants “to try to be a better model and how to to look more at the structure of make Model UN more appealing different ancient cultures, so that to a diverse group of students, people don’t have the sense of and to help students see the things being inevitable” in her importance of working with
(L-R) History teachers Helen Smith and Emily Stevens reunite after staying home for months due to the pandemic. real-life problems.” Ms. Smith will also resume teaching an AP Comparative Politics class next year. She shared that she has “been trying to listen to more lectures that deal with political issues, and sort of political concepts.” Ms. Smith took time to take an online art history course from
The National Gallery in London, which she found to be a “very cool and enlightening experience.” Ms. Smith said that she has “missed being in person with faculty, friends, and with students.” Similar to Ms. Stevens, she misses having students just drop into her classroom. “I
missed that time period from say, three to five o’clock when there are lots of people on campus still doing activities,” she said. “And it was just a time to share ideas and to share about teaching or for students to work on projects or just to talk.”
Alivia Wynn Earns National Writing Honor
Photo: Ashley Myers
Senior Alivia Wynn recently became a National Gold Medalist and American Voices Medal winner in the 2021 Scholastic Writing Competition, a massive honor and accomplishment in the writing community. Only a select few writers receive this award, and Wynn won recognition multiple times for multiple works in 2019 and 2020. This year’s judges commended her poem “Victory Garden,” with various other pieces like “The Hanging Garden of Babylon” and “Fruits of Love” receiving Silver and Gold Key awards as well. Wynn commented on the subjects and themes in her award-winning “Victory Garden” poem. “It started off as me just writing down a few ideas that I had for a poem and then I just couldn’t stop writing it,” she said. “Within an hour or two I was done. Then it took a couple edits over the years to get it to the stage it’s in now. It’s about how white guilt has never helped me feel better about myself as a Black person. Instead my confidence is rooted in myself, my family, my culture and my accomplishments.” Knight Gallery faculty advisor Hayley Conroy described Wynn as a “master poet” and de-
Senior Alivia Wynn hopes to continue writing through her studies at Northwestern University this fall. tailed the importance of Alivia’s message. “Her sharp words cut right to the beating heart of things; they leave you disarmed, vulnerable as you sit with their truth,” she said. “I wish I could project her words from the rooftops like a bat signal so that everyone could feel their potency and weight.” Wynn really began her writing career in sixth grade when she came to Pace from Stonewall Tell Elementary School. Mrs. Conroy noted that she was
already a “prolific writer” when she came to her 10th grade honors English class. Wynn is not afraid to express herself in the classroom, allowing Mrs. Conroy and other students to see her talent in action when students were asked to share their weekly creative journals they had been assigned. “Alivia readily shared brilliant poetry that she had written on the spot,” Mrs. Conroy said. “I remember realizing right away that this was not the aver-
age teenage poetry. It’s intellectually, and often philosophically, sophisticated subject matter. Its fresh, idiosyncratic language and all-around beauty regularly had our class mesmerized.” Her pieces are nuanced and beautiful and cover an expansive variety of topics, including “beauty, art, race, gender, sexuality, history, colonialism, culture, psychology, morality, and even metaphysics,” according to Mrs. Conroy. “In contrast to these lofty subjects, her style and form are often playful, her language and ideas fresh, exciting, intentional – dangerous, in the best of ways.” Wynn has served as editorin-chief of “The Knight Gallery,” Pace’s literary magazine, for two years now, a position that is both time-consuming and competitive. Mrs. Conroy noted that Alivia made Pace history as the first student to serve in the position during their junior year, which she earned due to her “passion for, and deep understanding of, poetry and literature; her own sharp and scintillating poetic voice; her kind and compassionate way with peers; and her dependable nature.” Mrs Conroy also said that Wynn has probably doubled the size of the Knight Gallery staff through her outreach efforts and strong and thoughtful leadership. Wynn and her co-editorin-chief, senior Laura Romig, work every week to compile submission packets, go through
many emails and subsequent submissions, run the meetings and gather feedback from the staff, and write “diplomatic acceptance and rejection emails on a daily-to-weekly basis,” Mrs. Conroy said. The staff created a 200-page publication last year full of their best submissions spanning a variety of genres and types (prose, poetry, etc.) and gorgeous visual artwork. Wynn said that her family members are some of her most impactful influences to continue her writing career. “They all work so hard and still manage to be some of the funniest people I know,” she said. “I also consider Mrs. Conroy to be my mentor because she’s really helped me grow as a writer and a leader.” In terms of the future for Wynn, she expressed that she is not totally sure what she will study at Northwestern University, but she hopes to continue to include writing in her life. Her interests are vast, from poetry and prose to even screenwriting. “When I think of writers, I think more along the lines of just an author or a poet,” she said. “I’m more interested in storytelling in a broader sense. Becoming a storyteller is the end goal, whether that means I’m an author, poet, screenwriter, director, video editor, or some mix of all of these things.” Wynn’s award winning poem “Victory Garden” can be found in this year’s edition of The Knight Gallery magazine, coming out in May.
Pace News
Vol. 46, Issue #6
The Knightly News - Page 7
Women’s Entrepreneurship Club Launched
Photo: Raina Moseley
Last December, senior Sloan Baker and I discussed her camp friend’s female-led nonprofit organization. Ariel Beck started “Girls Who Start” to inspire, build and connect young women surrounding entrepreneurship. The club showcases female entrepreneurial speakers for their club members. Some highlights have been Jeni Bauer, founder of Jeni’s Ice Cream, and Sarah Kauss, founder of S’well. Listening to these business leaders provided club members with some of the opportunities and tools necessary to turn their dreams into reality. In 2016, founder and national president Ariel Beck attended Amazon’s first Women Entrepreneurship Conference. Beck said that it was then that she “realized the importance of female representation in the business world.” At the conference, she was surrounded by brilliant female entrepreneurs who discussed the lack of credit women receive in the field. “Venture capitalists invested $127 billion in companies with all-male founders in 2018 and women received just $2.9 billion in venture capital investment,” Beck cited from Fortune. Beck wanted to change that statistic and Girls Who Start was her way to do so. She hopes that through her organization she will provide exposure to future female entrepreneurs, raising
numbers in the field. I fell in love with the organization’s mission and was inspired to bring something similar to Pace, so I founded the “Women’s Entrepreneurship Club.” Our club sponsor, Dr. Christine Carter, was completely on board when I proposed the idea to her in January. Every Monday during break she opens her classroom to hold our weekly meetings. In these meetings, I teach and lead a team of high school girls on what it means to be a leader, hoping they carry these skills with them after they graduate from Pace. “We start each meeting with a question or activity relating to leadership,” said junior Grace Heineman. I believe this is an interactive way to ease into our main meeting goal while doing something productive. “One day we talked about different leadership styles and another day we discussed how we would act as a leader in different scenarios,” said Heineman. I believe that being a leader doesn’t have to be through traditional positions, like being president of a club. Being a leader means advocating and directing a group of people who have the same goals or ideas as you. I love to see the club members speak up about their beliefs in front of everyone in the class. I also think it teaches them to speak on their feet in front of a group of people. Such skills will help them become a confident leader in their future careers. As for the entrepreneurial side of the club, we are cur-
Members of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Club host one of their weekly meetings on April 12. rently working on hosting a female entrepreneur to speak with our club before the end of the school year. “Each meeting, we split into three groups: high school outreach, middle school outreach and speaker contact,” said sophomore Sara Mazur. “In each group we are given tasks to complete for our future event.” The speaker contact group gathers to get in touch with our potential speaker and figure out logistics for the event, such as date, time and location. High school outreach creates posters
to advertise the event and manages our social media. Middle school outreach is in charge of recruiting rising ninth graders to join our club and running our club stand during the fall club fair. I love running each meeting in this format because it gives the girls an idea of what it is like to be in a workplace environment. Teamwork is crucial but so is being in specialized groups with their own jobs to complete. While I oversee and plan each meeting and outside event, I give
the girls full responsibility for their duties, and I always listen to their ideas. It really shows me who can take charge in a group but can also listen to their coworkers. I think the reason why Women’s Entrepreneurship Club works so well is the passion that is driving it. I really do love planning every meeting, and it is the highlight of my Monday morning. I think it challenges my own leadership skills and builds those of every club member.
Pace Adds Fourth College Counselor Pace was looking to hire someone long term. “I’m trying to build a team for the long haul,” said Mr. Ferrell. “I know she is rooted in Atlanta and I know she loves Pace Academy. Because she loves the work she does and the place that she’s going to be working, that says to me that she can be here for a long, long time. That’s important to me for the kind of team that I want.” Although Ms. Ruff will be joining the college counseling team this upcoming school year, the Class of 2022 does not have to worry about any drastic changes. Everyone in the current junior class will remain paired with the counselor with whom they have already begun the college process. “That would be really disruptive, to take kids who have already started to form relationships with their college counselor and then go pluck them out and give them to a new person,” Mr. Ferrell said. Despite not being paired up with students from the Class of 2022, Ms. Ruff will still help out in areas such as interview prep. When the Class of 2023 begins the college process,
Photo: Pace Office of Communications
versity, Emory University and the University of Michigan. At Florida State, Ms. Ruff held multiple roles within the university’s office of admissions over the course of four years. One of the many highly reDuring her time at Emory, garded aspects of Pace Academy Ms. Ruff was associate director is the school’s college counselof admissions for the Nell Hodging office, which son Woodruff just became even School of Nursing. “I know she is stronger. Effective rooted in Atlanta and Most recently, Ms. next school year, I know she loves Pace Ruff served as Amy Ruff will be regional recruitjoining Director Academy. Because ment coordinator of College Coun- she loves the work she in the Office of does and the place that Undergraduate seling Jonathan Ferrell along with she’s going to be work- Admissions at Associate Direc- ing, that says to me Michigan. tors Pam Ambler “I have always that she can be here and Ben Wescott said that I believe for a long, long time.” that we have as Pace’s fourth college counselor. – Jonathan Ferrell the best college When asked what counseling team prompted this addition, Mr. Feraround, and I think that our kids rell said that there are “opportudeserve that,” said Mr. Ferrell. nities where I think we can do “When I think of the best people better work, but need another set in our business, I think that she of hands to be able to do it.” is among them. I also know how Mr. Ferrell is looking forshe feels about Pace students ward to the skills and expertise because we’ve talked about that that Ms. Ruff can bring to the for years, as she has helped them navigate this process.” table as she has a wide range of In addition to hiring an expeexperience, having previously worked at Florida State Unirienced and qualified counselor,
Ms. Ruff will begin working in the Pace college counseling office in July 2021. Ms. Ruff will be assigned to students, thereby splitting the grade into four groups for college counselor pairings. “This strategic addition to our already robust team will not only provide increased services for our students and families by lowering
the student-to-counselor ratio, but, more importantly, will allow our team to grow and expand its work on behalf of Pace and our students,” Head of School Fred Assaf wrote in an email to the Pace community.
Pace News
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 8
Pace To Reopen Without Zoom in Fall
Both Mr. Gannon and Eghtedari are excited for things to get back to normal. “I have missed our assemblies in the FAC tremendously,” said Mr. Gannon. “You can’t build culture when you’re not together. We need to get everyone together and build culture, that’s what school is ultimately about.” While Mr. Gannon remains excited about the possibility of gathering the community together once again, Eghtedari is excited about returning to the
After holding the camp virtually in summer 2020, Keeping Pace will welcome around 60 scholars to campus again for the 16th straight year of the event. Last summer, there was an increased emphasis on academic enrichment, with the kids’ inability to physically be on Pace fields or in the pool due to the pandemic. However, this year, the fifth through eighth graders who attend the program will enjoy masked, in-person classes taught by Pace teachers and students and health activities such as swimming or fitness. The camp supplies the scholars with necessary materials, transportation and two meals during the 8 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. day. This year’s camp will see many changes to keep the scholars and teachers safe, but there will also be a change in leadership. Associate Director of ICGL and upper school history teacher Ted Ward plans to step into the director position. “We’re just in the midst of
a transition where we’re shifting responsibilities, and it’s a longer transition than just one year to the next. It’s a long-term strategy,” said Mr. Ward. Martha Assaf, who has run the camp in years past, will still be involved during this shift in responsibilities. At camp, the curriculum includes math tutoring, English classes with a poetry and writing component led by lower school teacher Patrice Wright, and a brand new STEAM program headed by Dr. Kaylan Haizlip. “Now we’re going to have STEAM every day of camp,” said Mr. Ward. “Whereas before, we would have done something like a STEAM project for one week only in the afternoons.” “The focus will be on finding an issue that [the scholars] want to solve and then solving that issue,” said Dr. Haizlip. “So, our role is to have [the scholars] come with a problem, come up with a solution, design the solution to that problem, sketch it out, and then actually create the solution to that problem.” Along with academics, the scholars usually take a trip off campus. This year’s scholars will attend the Center for Civil and Human Rights museum in down-
Photo: Fred Assaf
Earlier this month, Head of Upper School Michael Gannon announced that Pace will most likely be reopening in the fall without the accommodation of Zoom. After spending over two months of the 2019-2020 school year completely on Zoom and offering a hybrid style this year, Pace will be returning to full inperson learning mode. Mr. Gannon said that the decision came after great thought for the safety and well being of the students. “There is a ton of research that suggests that remote learning is not good for students, that learning gaps emerge,” said Mr. Gannon. “I want to end it because I don’t think it’s good for students.” This sentiment is shared among most students who are on Zoom, including junior Megan Eghtedari, who agreed that “school would be better in person, honestly,” noting how she often finds it hard to concentrate during class as a result of the distance. Mr. Gannon also noted the strain it is having on teachers. “It’s incredibly burdensome on teachers,” he said. “It adds a layer of work and time that’s very, very challenging.”
Following the senior parade, the Class of 2020 kicks off their senior year in the FAC on Aug. 14, 2019. smaller communities on campus, such as her friend group. Having only met up with them once this whole year, she is eager to join them in school full time. “When I met up with them it was like back to normal, but obviously things have changed,” she said. “I’ve missed out on a year.” She said that she wants to schedule trips with her friends upon her return. “I had a bunch of trips planned with all of them, but they all got canceled.”
When it comes to the safety of returning to campus, Mr. Gannon wants to assure everyone that Pace will continue to be alert and take safety precautions. He anticipates that there will be some type of transition period before everything returns to normal and finds “it hard to believe that we will just show back up exactly as if COVID-19 never happened.” He also believes that new concerns might present themselves. “I have no doubt there
will be challenges,” he said. “I don’t know what they are, but I am sure I will have to manage them from day one.” Mr. Gannon wants to emphasize that many students and all teachers have received the vaccine, asking the students Zooming this year to “take confidence in the fact that we got through the hard part.” Looking back at this past year, Mr. Gannon remembers the initial concern he had when deciding to introduce the in-person and online mix of learning this year. “We were so worried at the beginning: would people wear their masks?” But after a tough year, he is “super grateful to our faculty and to our students for making this happen.” He noted that, as a community, “we are good at doing what we need to do.” Although this is the current plan for the next school year, nothing has been finalized. With many months to go before school starts again in August, it is hard to confirm anything as of now with the pandemic still a concern. As long as the Pace community continues to remain safe and the state of Georgia manages to control the pandemic regionally, however, Zoom students can look forward to a full and safe transition back into the classroom.
Keeping Pace To Return In-Person Under Mr. Ward
Photo: paceacademy.org Keeping Pace will be in-person and masked this summer for its 16th annual camp. Pictured are campers and counselors from Keeping Pace 2019. town Atlanta in keeping with the civil rights theme. Pace students can sign up to work a week at Keeping Pace to help tutor scholars in math, reading, swimming, tennis or fitness. There are also positions available to serve as a group
counselor for the scholars. The summer program spans five and a half weeks, starting in June and ending early in July. Tutoring or counseling for only one week in the summer fulfills a student’s full service hours requirement to graduate.
Working with the scholars can be very rewarding as well. “My three years at Keeping Pace consisted of remarkable moments and cherished memories with the campers, which I will remember for the rest of my life,” said senior Justin Johnson.
Vol. 46, Issue #6
Pace News
The Knightly News - Page 9
Memorial Day: Celebrating Faculty Who Served in the U.S. Military
Photo: Tim Hornor
Mr. Hornor poses in front of his HumVee in Korea.
Photo: Diane Hagner
ued it.” When Mr. Hornor transferred to the University of Rochester, he stumbled upon a military table at a career fair. “On a whim, really, I gave them my name,” he said. “And I remember the next morning the guy was at my door. So I joined there, A 2017 study conducted by the at the door, and I loved it.” National Center for Education Statistics Mr. Hornor’s experience was physirevealed that 2.2% of teachers in America cally grueling. During his time in college, are military veterans. Over the years, he received basic training, served in the Pace Academy has employed faculty who Reserve Officers Training Corps and have served in the United States military. attended Airborne School. Through Two of the current faculty who have Airborne School, Mr. Horner “ended up served (spotlighted here) are math teacher ultimately jumping out of airplanes about Diane Hagner and history department 111 times,” an experience he found fulfillchairperson Tim Hornor. Technology ing. “As a young man, I think there was a Coordinator Neil DeRosa and Fine Arts sort of virtue in doing that kind of thing, Center technical director Scott Sargent given the Cold War time period,” he said. are also veterans. Mr. Hornor also attended Ranger For Ms. Hagner, the military comSchool, a grueling experience which he munity and culture has always been like admits “nearly killed me.” This 10-weekhome. “I grew up in the Marine Corps,” long course, regarded as being the Army’s said Ms. Hagner. “Both of my parents toughest course, would consist of getting were in the Marine Corps. I kind of grew one dehydrated meal and 48 minutes of up around that culture of doing stuff for sleep per day. That said, the experience others. Not just your neighborhood comwas a valuable one since it taught him munity, but also the larger U.S. commu“a lot about optimism and about human nity as a whole.” capacity.” “Virtually anyone can do However, in spite of these close ties to anything if they actually put their mind to the military, Ms. Hagner never conscious- it, which is hopefully what I bring to the ly thought about joining the military classroom,” he said. herself when she was After he graduated growing up. It was only “On a whim, really, I from college, Mr. Hornor when she had finished gave them my name. was posted to the Decollege that she started Zone (DMZ) in And I remember the next militarized considering military Korea. There he served as morning the guy was the guard post commander service. “I was headed to med school when I at my door. So I joined for guard post Ouellette, first learned about the was dangerous, there, at the door, and I which nuclear program in the according to Mr. Horloved it.”– Tim Hornor nor. “They shot at us and Navy,” said Ms. Hagner. “In college, I was exploded mines around a math major and physics minor. So when us,” he said. At the time, it was also the I found out about that program in the most forwardly deployed unit in the Navy Nuclear Power School, it was like a Cold War. Despite the dangers, it was an switch flipped in my head. I pulled out of overall experience that Mr. Hornor found med school and applied to the program.” “intoxicating.” In contrast to Ms. Hagner, Mr. Hornor After a hard one and a half years in never had such close ties to the U.S. miliKorea, Mr. Hornor became a Ranger tary. “I went to The Dalton School in New Instructor, a feat that he said “even a York, which is even more Pace Academy fewer number of people could achieve, than Pace Academy, and no one that and especially rare for a first lieutenant went to Dalton joined the military,” said captain.” Mr. Hornor retired from the U.S. Mr. Hornor. Instead, it was the tensions Army after close to four and a half years between the United States and the Soviet of service. Union during the Cold War that propelled Ms. Hagner’s experience wasn’t as Mr. Hornor to enlist. physical but was still grueling. She was “I genuinely thought, and I still do deployed to the Navy Nuclear Power believe today, that the Soviet regime was School. The base restricted public access an evil regime,” he said. “It went against as “everything in the base was confidenmany of the values that I hold dear, like tial, classified, top secret,” Ms. Hagner freedom of speech and freedom of assem- recalled. There, Ms. Hagner went through bly. It was a danger to the world as I valintense training. “What happens is
Math teacher Diane Hagner in her first official military photo (as Diane L. Brouillette, Ensign, USN). anyone who wants to serve in the capacity of running the nuclear reactor that powers the different ships, whether it was a surface ship or a submarine, has to go through the school first,” she said. “I was a student and had to take the classes that I was going to teach: a total of six weeks of pure book work from algebra to calculus.” What made that experience even more challenging was that students could get asked to leave if they did not maintain an average of at least a B+. After a “grim” six weeks, Ms. Hagner graduated and began teaching enlisted navy officers and officers preparing for their new posts. She taught in the chemistry, math, and physics and radiation theory departments, teaching four classes a day. Ms. Hagner spent the entirety of her time in the military teaching at the Navy Nuclear Power School. Although they had different experiences within the military, Ms. Hagner and Mr. Hornor did share a relatively smooth transition into academia. Ms. Hagner, who spent her military career teaching, found herself doing the very thing she did while serving. Similarly, Mr. Hornor was a Ranger instructor in the military, so he had experience in a fairly similar line of work. “I had always been interested in sort of military history,” said Mr. Hornor. “It was actually my entry into normal history more generally.” Mr. Hornor now teaches AP Art History, AP European History, and AP US History at Pace. With Memorial Day approaching on May 31, Ms. Hagner and Mr. Hornor shared how they have honored fallen soldiers that served this country. Ms. Hagner remembers that, during her tenure in the military, “there were always services on Memorial Day involving prayers on base.” She remembers how the chaplain would come and how the community would hold a service at the cemetery honoring the fallen. Even today,
post military retirement, Ms. Hagner continues this ritual. “We will go to the cemetery attached to my church and have a color guard, honor guard, and service to honor all the fallen,” she said. “And if the church does not have that, then I will go with my family to the cemetery to remember.” On Memorial Day, Mr. Hornor reflects on the ethos of the holiday as well as U.S. military service in general. “I think of people who did a lot more than me, which is a legion of people,” said Mr. Hornor. “Just go through the Congressional Medal of Honor list and you’ll see many, most of whom are dead, yes, and who have sacrificed everything for the country – 400,000 plus in World War II, 115,000 in World War I, 64,000 in Vietnam, and so on. Those are real people from real families who decided to sacrifice everything for not only the people but also for ideals.” Mr. Hornor also notes that those who serve aren’t solely serving out of institutional loyalty. “Ultimately, you don’t just fight the cause, you fight for the person next to you,” he said. “You love the people in your platoon and you’ll do anything for them, including all sorts of things that you would not anticipate doing for others other than your wife or your kids.” Mr. Hornor is also of the belief that the flag plays an important role in honoring the fallen. “I hang the flag – the flag, I think, is aspirational,” he said. “The United States is aspirational. Our society is aspirational. I’m a little baffled by people who think that, somehow, we’ve arrived. It’s an unending journey of trying to be better every day, and so the flag is a sign of our aspirations, not our society as we find it. That’s why the flag continues to inspire people, I think, to join the military, to defend the country, and defend its principles.”
Opinion
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 10
The Knightly News Photo: Victoria Pickering on Flickr
Protestors display signs to combat anti-Asian violence at a rally in Washington D.C. on March 21.
Anti-Asian Sentiment Has Long History in U.S.
On March 16, eight people were shot dead in Atlanta, six of whom were Asian American. While this news may seem shocking and out-of-the-blue, anti-Asian hate crimes have been on the rise for the past year and continue to increase as a result of xenophobic rhetoric related to the pandemic. However, anti-Asian sentiment is not new in America and, in fact, has a very long and important history. Starting in the 1800s, Asian immigrants migrated to the U.S. and began working for lower wages, earning the rage of their white counterparts. This resulted in the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, banning Chinese people from migrating to the U.S. unless they intended to open a restaurant. While immigration continued, this act prevented the naturalization of Chinese Americans and targeted long-term residents. Often, racial tensions broke out in violence as white vigilantes took it upon themselves to get rid of Chinese Americans, similar to their modern descendants. In an event similar to that of March 16, white mine workers murdered 28 Chinese immigrants in 1885. The results of such exclusionary policy can be seen as communities grew to become segregated. Even today, less than 10% of Chinese Americans are able to trace their lineage back three generations. Later, during World War II, the American government forced at least 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps in which they were looked upon and treated as prisoners. Although many of these prisoners had been born and raised in America, the government
failed to see their American heritage and only associated them with their Japanese ancestry. This has been a prominent issue for many Asian Americans who often are treated as perpetual foreigners in America, even if they have lived here for generations. As a result of the internment, thousands of American citizens had their families, property and communities stripped from them. Even after their eventual release, Japanese Americans had lost over 75% of their property and were often unable to recover financially. The American government has historically capitalized upon already existing anti-Asian sentiment. In the 1980s, President Reagan blamed Japanese competition for America’s failing manufacturing industry. Similar to today, this provoked violence against Asian Americans. For example, a young man named Vincent Chin was murdered by unemployed white supremacists. And now, former President Donald Trump has exacerbated existing anti-Asian sentiments with his xenophobic and racist rhetoric regarding COVID-19. Since March 2020, Trump has publicly branded the pandemic as the “China Virus” or “Wuhan Flu,” placing a target on the backs of Asian Americans. Both Trump and many GOP officials continue to use this term on social media and in press conferences despite its horrifying consequences. The numbers speak for themselves. Just in the past year, over 3,800 incidents of hate or harassment have been reported in the U.S., according to an organization called “Stop AAPI Hate.” This marks nearly a 150% increase from the previous year. New York City saw an 883% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the past year. The main targets of anti-Asian violence include women and the elderly. While verbal harassment makes up almost 70% of these incidents, violent attacks on the elderly have gained the attention of many young activists on social media. Footage of the violent murder of an
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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.
84-year-old man, Victor Ratanapakde, was shared across social media platforms. Outraged activists have since taken to the streets, demanding change and justice. Large-scale marches have occurred in many major American cities, including Atlanta, and the hashtag “#StopAsianHate” has been shared over 365,000 times on Instagram. Similar to the Black Lives Matter movement, the Stop Asian Hate movement has made great strides through peaceful protests and social media use. The Biden administration has given Asian Americans and their allies a glimmer of hope as the President announced six actions in response to recent events. These actions include increasing funding for AAPI survivors and launching federal projects to celebrate the achievements of Asian Americans.
Defunding Police May Not Mean What You Think During the protests of 2020, a new chant came to hold just as much importance as Black Lives Matter: “Defund the police!” Defunding the police is not a new idea – it has existed at least since the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement. Prison abolitionists and critics of the prison-industrial complex have long promoted it as the most comprehensive solution to the militarization of police departments and the best way to decrease police brutality. But what does it really mean to defund the police? And could it actually make a dent in the massive issue of police brutality? Wouldn’t that lead to more crime? Well, no. What most proponents of the idea pro-
pose is to divert money away from police departments and towards more nonviolent, community-based services that also decrease crime such as rehab, homeless support and mental health services. Rather than using police officers for every situation, including those that they are poorly suited for, governments should “spread the wealth” and allow more specialized first-responders to assume some of the burdens. Many believe that this would lead to fewer violent interactions between officers and civilians. For example, during a mental health crisis, a highly trained mental health professional would be better suited to handle the person who is having an issue, whereas an untrained officer is less so. There were multiple cases, such as in the cases of Ricardo Muñoz and Walter Wallace Jr., in which police were called to handle a mental health emergency and the person whom they were called to help ended up killed. In both cases, police were called
because the beloved family member was having a crisis (often due to schizophrenia) and in both cases, they were murdered. According to Treatment Advocacy Center, people with untreated mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed in encounters with law enforcement. Seeing this, proponents of defunding the police believe that with more financial support for professionals who work best in situations such as these, there would be fewer violent encounters between civilians and police officers. Another key issue for advocates is the over militarization of police. Many cite the extensive use of military weapons, such as tanks, by police as one of the major reasons for conflicts during protests. Protesters are enraged by being treated as an enemy force, and more tension is created. In order to decrease the likelihood of these violent interactions, police should have their access to military grade weapons limited through the significant
cutting of their sizable budgets. The intention of the movement sounds good; however, does it work? How effective is it to defund the police? The unfortunate answer is that it has yet to be tried on the scale suggested. America has one of the largest police budgets in the world (if not the largest) and a massive defunding has never been attempted. However, many look at Scandinavian countries as the perfect model for the effectiveness of the plan. These countries put far less money into their police departments than they do other sectors and enjoy fairly low levels of crime. Though it is reasonable to say that these countries are both far smaller and have far different population concentrations, it would be fair to at least give the movement a chance. And who knows? Perhaps defunding the police would help mend the broken relationships between many minority communities and law enforcement.
Lifestyle
Vol. 46, Issue #6
The Knightly News - Page 11
Take Advantage of Summer 2021 3.
Get a job or internship
Need a quick way to make money? Many students get summer jobs doing yard work, scooping ice cream or even serving drinks on a golf course. Or you can improve your resume with a internship, shadowing a doctor or working alongside another professional. Reaching out to family friends or parents’ co-workers can help you find an internship opportunity.
2.
Host a bonfire and backyard BBQ
Take adavntage of the nice summer weather and move your celebrations outside with a backyard bonfire and barbeque. Grab a rack of ribs, or tofu for the vegetarians, and learn how to become grillmaster with friends by watching online tutorials. The opportunities are endless! Visit epicurious.com or foodchannel. com for recipes. Fire up the bonfire and roast marshmallows to make s’mores once the sun sets. If the night gets a bit chilly, bundle up under a pile of blankets by the fire.
Atlanta has multiple great spots for drive-in movies such as the Starlight Theater and The Springs Cinema and Taphouse. Have your friends pack in one car, bring all the snacks you want and cozy up with blankets to watch a movie on the big screen. Alternatively, many theaters allow customers to rent out whole theaters for a group of friends. Grab ten or so friends and make trip to your nearest AMC theater.
4.
Take a road trip
Although air travel is still a risk due to COVID-19, taking a road trip is a great and safe way to get out of Atlanta or even out of Georgia. Georgia is such a diverse state, so a few hours of driving could take you to the beach, the lake or the mountains. Pack up your car and travel to unique restaurants or museums within Georgia that may be new to you. If you’re feeling more adventurous, plan a cross country trip! Visit roadtrippers.com for assistance in planning your trip.
5.
Have a garage sale
Start by cleaning out your closet, bedroom and other rooms in your house. Look for some old toys, used clothes and neat trinkets. Gather some friends to do the same, and combine all of your items into one big garage sale! This is a great way to kill two birds with one stone by cleaning up and earning some money at the same time. Split your earnings with your friends after.
Photo: Meghna Singha
1.
Go to a drive-in movie
Juniors Harper and Jordan White and Laura Arenth hiked the Little Grand Canyon in September 2020.
6.
Go camping
8.
Go fruit picking
7.
Wake up for a sunrise hike
9.
Host a bake-off with friends
Pack your tents and non-perishable snacks and head over to Red Top Mountain State Park. The park allows visitors to choose between campsites with electricity, wifi and bathrooms. Around the campsite, visitors are able to hike, swim or picnic. Just a few nights of camping will give you and your friends or family a much needed break from the fast-paced life of the city.
Summer sunrises are definitely worth the early wakeup time! Pick a nice, clear morning and head over to Stone Mountain, Cochran Shoals at the Chattahoochee River, or other local hiking trails. Watch the sunrise from the top of the mountain. Pack a yummy breakfast of oatmeal or cereal in a bag and chow down with your friends after the hike.
In need of fresh fruit? Instead of going to Publix or Whole Foods, just an hourlong drive can take you down to Southern Belle Farms. Throughout the sumer, the farm has different fruits available for picking. Ranging from strawberries and blueberries to peaches, there is plenty of fresh fruit for visitors to take home.
Gather your friends and lots of baking ingredients for your own “Cupcake Wars.” Pick a theme; you could do a holiday, animal or sports theme. Or you could try to recreate a fancy cake from Pinterest. Grab a parent or sibling to judge. You can even give a prize to the winner or a punishment for the loser. Lastly, indulge in all the sweets you made!
‘Operation Varsity Blues’ Expertly Portrays College Admissions Scandal
Photo: Rolling Stone
“Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal” details the infamous 2019 college scandal that involved actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, as well as many other wealthy families. Using real recorded phone conversations, this documentary gives an inside look into the minds of the parents who sought out spots for their kids at top universities and the life of Rick Singer, the mastermind behind the operation. In the film, Singer candidly explains to parents the “side door” to get into college. The “front door” means getting into college the traditional way, based on merit, while the “back door” consists of donating large amounts, sometimes tens of millions of dollars, to the school to give your child a better chance. The third approach, the “side door,” was Singer’s way of bribing the right people and falsifying test scores in order to get unqualified students into their top school and charging the parents significantly less than the “back door” would cost. This documentary depicts the casual nature of the conversations between Singer and parents as he assures them of his experise and that there is nothing to worry
The mastermind behind the college admissions scam, Rick Singer, pleads guilty. about. By casting actors to reenact these actual conversations, the documentary feels eerily real. Singer is portrayed as an intense, hard-working person that sacrifices everything in order to meet all of his clients’ needs; he barely sleeps and when he does, he does so in a van. Singer flies all over the country functioning as the middleman between parents and collegiate coaches who
are willing to accept bribes and “recruit” these parents’ kids. Singer often took advantage of underfunded programs that needed these “donations” from parents. The film shows the incredible amount of money that parents are willing to spend on their children’s acceptance to prestigious schools. The word prestigious is essential — the parents are less concerned with their children getting a quality education, but more with the bragging rights associated with the school name. Ultimately at the end of the film, an FBI sting exposes Singer’s operation. The minute he is exposed, he realizes that there is no way out of his situation and turns on all of his clients. Singer’s selfish nature and uncalibrated moral compass are made obvious by his speed in baiting and exposing his clients. The documentary expertly portrays the corrupt college admissions system and how easily Singer took advantage of it. It also makes clear that even after Singer’s operation is stopped, the back door to get into college still exists. Furthermore, even without Singer’s exploitation of the system or the back door, the documentary explains how wealth will always play a large role in children’s success in college admissions, through access to tutors, enrollment in elite private schools and psychological testing to secure extra time for assessments.
Sports
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 12
Pace Athletes To Compete at Next Level Matthew Cleveland – Florida State University Basketball
Photo: Fred Assaf Coach Sharman White calls the team into a huddle during their game against Therrell on Feb 6. Pictured clockwise from bottom left: seniors Josh Mininberg, Matthew Cleveland and Madsison Durr; sophomore Kendall Evans and junior Josh Reed
Coach White Recognized For His Many Successes Coach White won his second straight GHSA AA state championship for Pace and was named Coach of the Year.
Sophomore Davis Rice played under Coach White on the varsity roster this year. After winning the state championship, Rice reflected on their season and triumphs. “He is an influential man who pushes you to be better, and his motivating attitude guided the team to the championship,” he said. Before arriving at Pace Academy to become associate athletic director and head coach for boys varsity basketball, Coach White previously coached at GHSA Class AAAAA Miller Grove High School, Georgia State University, and for USA Basketball. At Miller Grove, he successfully led the team to a whopping seven state championships in his 10 years there. He ended his coaching tenure with a record of 264-47, and was honored by Miller Grove naming its basketball court after him. Today, it is known as the “Sharman White Court,” and he describes it as “a surreal feeling.” Coach White was named National High School Association Coach of the Year in 2016. Also in 2016, Coach White decided to shift gears, leaving Miller Grove for an assistant coaching job at Georgia State University. Although his entire coaching experience was remarkable at GSU, one accomplishment especially stands
out to Coach White. “The best memory besides having great relationships with the players, coaches and staff was to go to win the Sun Belt conference tournament and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament,” he said. “It was exciting as well as an awesome fulfillment as a coach.” Not only has Coach White coached college and high school basketball teams, but he also played an instrumental role in developing USA basketball, having coached there for eight years. Founded in 1974, USA Basketball functions as a non-profit organization. Coach White mentors players from across the country, with his U16 and U17 teams winning gold medals in 2015 and 2019. Coach White was named AllUSA Coach of the Year in 2014. Coach White also served as a court coach for the USA Men’s U17 World Cup Team. “He comes to every game prepared and organized, always demonstrating his skilled coaching abilities and willingness to win,” said senior Josh Mininberg, who has won both championships with Coach White. The Pace players will train over the summer, preparing for next season and hoping to continue their hot streak in the world of high school hoops under Coach White’s leadership.
Evan Karetsos –
Dickinson College Lacrosse
Lizzy Kaye –
University of Virginia Diving
Amalie Little –
Wesleyan University Swimming
Cole Middleton –
Cleveland State University Basketball
Sydney Silverstein –
Denison University Softball
Evan Smith-Rooks –
Oberlin College Football
Jonny Sundermeier – Trinity College Track & Field
Alexander Swann – Middlebury College Track & Field
Jayden Thomas –
University of Notre Dame Football
Photo: Fred Assaf
3...2...1…! As the buzzer sounded, the Pace Academy varsity boys basketball team, led by head coach Sharman White, won the state championship on March 11 at the Macon Coliseum, defeating Columbia High School 73-42. Coach White, who has been at Pace for two years, has won back-to-back championships with this team. “It’s a great feeling because it is a testament to the buy-in of our players of a new culture and their commitment to the culture itself,” he said. “We didn’t just want to have a great team, we wanted to have a great program. I couldn’t think of a more deserving group of young men.” The team’s successes this year, including a 28-1 record, resulted in an invitation to the elite Geico Nationals Tournament, where Pace was one of only 10 teams to compete at the national level in Ft. Myers, Florida, March 31-April 4. The Knights were also ranked 13th this season in ESPN’s High School Top 25. By the end of the season, White had earned numerous Coach of the Year awards, including the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s All Metro Atlanta/ South Fulton Coach of the Year award, the AJC State Class AA Coach of the Year award, and the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Pinholster Coach of the Year award.
Ten members of the Pace Academy senior class will be playing their sport in college, taking part in the NCAA signing ceremony on Feb. 7. Each of these athletes will be attending a different university, representing seven different Pace sports. Choosing the right college is a long and difficult process for most athletes. Star wide receiver Jayden Thomas felt like Notre Dame “was the place to be.” “The atmosphere, the culture and the coaches are a great fit for me,” he said. “I chose them because the academics are second to none and the football program is really great.” Four-time GHSA state diving champion Lizzy Kaye is looking forward to being a part of the winning culture at the University of Virginia. “The women’s swimming and diving team just won the national championship, and I’m excited to be a part of that team and that atmosphere with such a supportive coach,” said Kaye. Cole Middleton has three primary goals for his basketball career at Cleveland State University. “Aside from the academic expectations, I want to expand my game, get recognition from pro scouts and win,” he said. The coaching staff sold me and my family on the three most valued principles to an athlete picking a school. I would fit well in the athletic program as a player, I can flourish academically and I would connect well with the coaching staff.” The Knightly News congratulates the following class of 2021 athletes who will be taking their athletic careers to the next level.
Senior Evan Smith-Rooks celebrates his commitment to play D3 football at Oberlin College.
Sports
Vol. 46, Issue #6
The Knightly News - Page 13
2-Peat! Girls Tennis Back-to-Back Champs
Photo: Fred Assaf
The varsity girls tennis team defeated Lovett at Berry College in Rome, Georgia on May 8 to win the state championship and become back-to-back champions. “The girls were disappointed last year when we didn’t have the chance to defend our title, so it was especially nice to do it this season,” said Head Coach Matt Marsico. The state championship tournament was not held last year due to COVID-19. This year’s team consisted of freshman Paige Massey; sophomores Brooke Brumfield and Caitlyn Pinsker; junior Kate Jonas; and seniors Grace Funston, Sidney Funston, Lily Kahn, Jamie Kornheiser and Sidney Silver. The girls completed the regular season with a record of 10-1, with their only loss being to Marist early on in the season. In the regular season, the girls played Lovett twice and beat them both times, which included a region championship victory. In the championship, the team won the No. 2 singles, No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles. No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles did
The girls varsity tennis team and coaches pose with the trophy after winning the GHSA 2-A state championship on May 8. not finish since the three lines were won before their completions. The No. 1 doubles match, played by Brooke Brumfield and Sidney Funston, won in two sets 6-3, 6-2. Massey dominated the
No. 2 singles slot and conquered her opponent in two sets as well. To close it out, Jonas, who played No. 3 singles, ended in two sets, bringing home the victory for the girls. “It was the best feeling to
win because I feel like we put in so much work this year, and we had to be so careful with COVID,” said Sidney Funston. “It was also so cool to basically have a repeat of my sophomore year and beat Lovett 3-0 for my
last high school match.” “All five seniors were amazing,” said Brumfield. “They were all so sweet to everyone on the team and were the best leaders and captains ever.”
Boys Tennis Finish Season as State Runners-Up On Saturday, May 8, the varsity boys tennis team headed to Berry College in Rome, Georgia to compete in the state finals against region rival Lovett. The boys knew that it would be a tough match. Having played Lovett twice before this year, beating them 3-2 in the
Photo: Fred Assaf
The boys varsity tennis team completed their season as State Runners-Up on May 8.
Baseball Wraps Up Season
Led by head coach Donice Bloodworth, the Pace boys varsity baseball team finished their season with 21 wins, 8 losses and one tie game. The team won the region championship in the second game of a best of three
series against neighborhood rival Lovett on April 21 with a 5-2 win before moving on to the state tournament. In the first round of the state playoffs, the team handily defeated Dade County on April 29 in a double header, winning 13-2 and 10-0. The second
regular season but losing 1-4 in the region tournament, the Knights were keen on winning the best of three. “We went into the finals feeling pretty confident,” said sophomore and No. 2 singles player Hunt Stevens. The Pace lineup for the state championship was different than the lineup during the regular season. While senior Matt Genser usually plays in the No. 1 or 2 singles spot, for the match against Lovett he was moved over to No. 2 doubles. Freshman William McMullen was promoted to No. 1 singles and senior Eli Mautner, who normally plays No. 1 doubles, played No. 3 singles. This left senior Jordy Elster and juniors Jude Black and Cole Kaplan playing doubles, positions they have played regularly throughout the season. But, despite the changes and after a fierce competition, the boys ultimately placed second to Lovett. McMullen, Stevens and Mautner all played val-
round of the playoffs went to a third game, after the Knights and Haralson County split wins in the first two games on May 5, 3-2 and 2-4. Pace wrapped up their season on May 6, after battling hard in a tough loss against Haralson County 5-0. The team hit a total of 15 home runs throughout the season, eight by junior RJ Austin, two by junior Jae Williams, two by senior Jayden Thomas, two by junior Myles Morris and one by junior Michael Lynch.
Photo: Junior RJ Austin throws out a runner from shortstop.
iantly, putting up strong fights, but they each came up short to the Lovett players. Mautner, in particular, played two extremely close sets, losing by margins of only 6-4 and 7-5. Kaplan and Elster secured Pace’s only win, beating the Lovett No. 1 doubles 6-3 and 7-5. Due to the loss of three matches before the completion of No. 2 doubles, Genser and Black were unable to complete their match. Overall, the boys worked hard and were able to complete a sucessful season. “We played really well and it came very close,” said Kaplan. “Although we lost, it was still amazing to see how much everyone improved and rose to the challenge.” “There were some great memories; the blood, sweat and tears really paid off,” said Stevens.
Upcoming Playoff Dates
DATE
EVENT
LOCATION
May 13
Boys Soccer State Championship* Girls Soccer State Championship*
McEachern High School
May 14 May 15
May 17-18
McEachern High School
Track and Field State Meet McEachern High School
Track and Field State Meet McEachern High School Boys Lacrosse State Denmark High Championship* School Boys & Girls Golf State Championship
Southern Hills Golf Club
* As of May 9, these teams were still competing in state playoffs
May 14, 2021
Year in Review
Year in Review
The Knightly News - Page 14
Vol. 46, Issue #6
Senior Predictions
Tommy Assaf: Banned from every professional sporting event for heckling the other teams Chase Austin: Walks on to soccer team at Howard University Logan Baker: Becomes the head Kendama coach at DePaul University Sloan Baker: Manifests… something? Idk how that works but good luck. 11:11! Pearson Bates: Marries, divorces, remarries, divorces, remarries, divorces, remarries and then divorces one last time. Isabel Battista: Grave robs the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots Jordan Benjamin: Sells Girl Scout cookies as an adult Noah Bennett: Finally wakes up Christian Bing: Becomes voice actor for National Geographic documentaries Daniel Boddie: Plays George Washington in “Hamilton” Myles Bolton: Learns how to make time for theater in his life, like long-lost brother Troy Bennett Boushka: Caught using ‘roids Will Brennan: Rolls down a backwoods Tennessee highway, one arm on the wheel Lane Brickley: Becomes CEO of Stanley Steemer Jack Brown: Shows up to college lectures? Emily Butler: Dips her toes in cheese, roommate moves out Jack Carson: Undergoes liberal awakening Hayley Cavinder: Dogsits Uga the Bulldog Austin Chastain: Falls asleep during his wedding Matthew Cleveland: Quits basketball to pursue TikTok Charlie Cooper: Becomes media director for @cooper_calligraphy George Creasman: Becomes a lumberjack Aiden Critz: Presented with the option to either drip or drown, drowns Lily Cummings: Overdoses on Skittles and Monster Jacqueline Cunningham: Turns in AP packet at high school reunion Grace Demba: Kidnaps Brendon Urie while cosplaying as him, murders him. Hugh Douglas: Gets expelled after sending virus in college GroupMe that shuts down everyone’s phones Madison Durr: Becomes Broadway actor with stage name “Maddy D” Evan Elster: Finds the chase, goes on pow-pow to debrief Jordan Elster: Gets “UMiami” tattooed across forehead to replace hat Rory Flint: Handwriting becomes so small in college that a microscope is necessary to see it Riley Fox: Straightens his hair Michael Fu: Becomes a frequent TED Talk speaker Grace Funston: Becomes CEO of Colgate toothpaste Sidney Funston: Flies home from college every morning at 4 a.m. to take her dogs out Matt Genser: Creates deodorant scent inspired by Willy’s Sean Glennon: Turns into a leg Jorge Gonzalez-Hernandez: Auditions for “The Lion King” Rivers Graham: Causes mass extinction of deer Mary Childs Hall: Loses “The Biggest Loser” Reily Hamilton: Forced to sign a pre-nup Helena Harris: Survives a Shabbat dinner Kristin Hartman: Eats only Annie’s Cheddar Buddies Grace Hatfield: Opens the first CFA that operates on Sunday, invites “Bods” to join Bates Highsmith: Votes for Elizabeth Warren Audrey Holton: Knows what’s going on Kathryn Hood: Slowly morphs into Donna Tartt Robert Houser: Gains 50 pounds two months into college Claire Howell: Gets a separate dorm room at college just for pets. Roo and Fanta team up to attack school mascot and are exiled. Caroline Janki: Runs over many dogs with her car. Laughs. Charlie Janko: Goes off the grid, lost in the bamboo forest Maggie Jenkins: Earns 12 more varsity letters at Georgia Tech Justin Johnson: Presented with the option to either drip or drown, drips Jamaal Jones: Exposed for running Atlanta Buckhead Couples Lily Kahn: Dies taking Snapchat selfie in Athens
The Knightly News - Page 15
Dylan Kaminski: Becomes Jim Cramer Evan Karetsos: Drops out of college to coach the Noble Knights Elizabeth Kaye: Gets sent gallon bags of candy for pre-meet snacks Katherine Khajavi: Becomes a featured artist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Lily Koch: Is all about the U Eve Kogon: Becomes director of Camp Kogon Jamie Kornheiser: Wears floatie to her grave Tim Kouzmine: Brings back socks and sandals Anderson Lara: “Sheesh” Noah Levenson: Imprisoned for tax evasion and insider trading Jordyn Lewis: Goes viral on Instagram singing account Amalie Little: Throws up during collegiate math lecture Jack MacRae: Becomes international fashion model Kate Mallard: Never stops singing. NEVER! Madison Martin: Gets accused of witchcraft Elliot Mathis: Starts actual cult at Serenbe Farms Eli Mautner: Commits identity fraud, turns into Ted Ward Amalia Maxa: Spreads laugh to all of Berkeley Caroline McCullough: Moves to English countryside, hunts for Mr. Darcy Cole Middleton: Makes a cinderella run in March Madness Josh Mininberg: Doesn’t care about anything Steven Morrisroe: Is first person to catch a fish in Littlefield Fountain Ashley Myers: Works out one time. Dies from overexertion. Hannah Pace: Changes name to Hannah UGA Mary Paige Pope: Is single for a day Noah Prout: Gets way too comfortable in his college classes Laura Romig: Drops out of college to run her food Instagram, @laurasxceats, full time Marc Rosenthal: Initiates the Great Leap Forward on a small island Darren Rosing: Moves to LA, goes to UCLA, drives a Maserati, gets a body, is tryna party Hannah Rowland: Becomes Archduchess of Russia Harley Ryan: Makes Latin a spoken language again Anthony Salazar: Opens a salad bar restaurant Sarah Schultz: Becomes a groupie Hayden Schwartz: Wakes up in a rabbit farm Sam Selig: Goes to culinary school Casey Shoulberg: Michigan. That’s all. Sidney Silver: Majors in Egyptology Sydney Silverstein: Starts an Oreo Balls food truck Peyton Smith: Finds out roommate isn’t as rich as she said she was. Moves out. Evan Smith-Rooks: Swallowed whole by a trout Abby Sroka: Tells people that she’s unfollowing them on Instagram at graduation Jonny Sundermeier: Chokes on a harmonica, no longer is the Piano Man Alexander Swann: Jumps over the school Gus Thomas: Dates a girl his own age. Breaks up with her after a day. Marries someone 20 years younger than him. Jayden Thomas: Quits football and baseball at Notre Dame to pursue underwater basket weaving Tripp Trimble: Rush captain of Tri-P fraternity Olivia Ullmann: Learns how to pronounce “quand” :P Hanna Vincent: Gives birth to twins Sloane Wagreich: Locks herself in room with Ms. Williams forever Miles Wallace: MW-ODT to the moon! Sam Webb: Becomes the first King of America Denzel Welsh: Brings “Tartuffe” to Broadway Oliver Whitney: Commutes from Jupiter Island to UMiami every day Hunter Williams: Has heart attack over the Falcons first-round pick Alivia Wynn: Is selected as Poet Laureate for Sam Webb’s coronation
Class of 2021
May 14, 2021
The Knightly News - Page 16
Futures of the Class of 2021 1
3
2
2
7
7
6
1
4
8
1
8
2
10
2 1 3
17
University of Alabama Will Brennan Charlie Janko Jack MacRae Josh Mininberg Hayden Schwartz Auburn University George Creasman Grace Hatfield Robert Houser Mary Paige Pope Hunter Williams
California
Chapman University Elliot Mathis University of California, Berkeley Amalia Maxa University of California, Los Angeles Darren Rosing
Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder Bates Highsmith University of Denver Aiden Critz
Connecticut
Trinity College Jonny Sundermeier Wesleyan University Amalie Little
Florida
Florida State University Matthew Cleveland University of Miami Jordy Elster Jordyn Lewis Sam Selig Oliver Whitney
Georgia
Emory University Rory Flint Georgia Institute of Technology Jacqueline Cunningham Maggie Jenkins Anthony Salazar Sam Webb Georgia State University Anderson Lara Morehouse College Hugh Douglas
Oglethorpe University Jorge Gonzalez-Hernandez University of Georgia Jordan Benjamin Hayley Cavinder Austin Chastain Riley Fox Sean Glennon Reily Hamilton Lily Kahn Hannah Pace Tripp Trimble
2
Illinois
DePaul University Logan Baker Northwestern University Alivia Wynn
Brandeis University Denzel Welsh Tufts University Kathryn Hood
Michigan
University of Michigan Bennett Boushka Casey Shoulberg Sidney Silver
Missouri
Washington University in St. Louis Grace Demba Jamie Kornheiser
New York
Indiana University Bloomington Emily Butler Charlie Cooper Caroline McCullough University of Notre Dame Tommy Assaf Caroline Janki Jayden Thomas
Colgate University Grace Funston Columbia University Ashley Myers Cornell University Sloane Wagreich Syracuse University Tim Kouzmine The New School Jack Brown Katherine Khajavi
Kentucky
North Carolina
Indiana
Berea College Daniel Boddie
Louisiana
Louisiana State University Abby Sroka Tulane University Sloan Baker Lily Cummings Evan Elster Sidney Funston Noah Prout Sarah Schultz
Maine
Bowdoin College Marc Rosenthal
Maryland
University of Maryland Eve Kogon
Massachusetts Boston College Gus Thomas
Davidson College Claire Howell North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University Noah Bennett University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kate Mallard Wake Forest University Jack Carson Dylan Kaminski Lily Koch Matt Genser Hanna Vincent
Ohio
Cleveland State University Cole Middleton Denison University Sydney Silverstein Miami University of Ohio Lane Brickley Oberlin College Evan Smith-Rooks
2
KEY
The number in each state indicates the number of seniors who are headed to those states in the fall. NOTE: College choices for each senior are current as of May 9. The list is not final, as students may move from wait lists and ultimately opt to go to different schools.
5
Alabama
3
6
3 2
1
Pennsylvania Dickinson College Evan Karetsos
Rhode Island Brown University Michael Fu Laura Romig
South Carolina
Furman University Hannah Rowland Myrtle Beach Collegiate Academy Jamaal Jones
Tennessee
Belmont University Miles Wallace Tennessee State University Myles Bolton
Texas
Southern Methodist University Noah Levenson Peyton Smith Texas Christian University Pearson Bates Rivers Graham Kristin Hartman University of Texas at Austin Audrey Holton Steven Morrisroe
Vermont
Middlebury College Alexander Swann
Virginia
Hargrave Military Academy Madison Durr University of Virginia Isabel Battista Mary Childs Hall Helena Harris Lizzy Kaye Eli Mautner Harley Ryan Washington and Lee University Olivia Ullmann
Washington, D.C. Georgetown University Madison Martin Howard University Chase Austin Christian Bing