ODYSSEY Newsmagazine volume 12 may issue

A SCREENSHOT OF THE SEXTING EPIDEMIC TABLE OF CONTENTS

ODYSSEY

Volume 12 Issue 4 Feb.-March 2015 $3.00

Halftime report:

an inside look at central’s spring sports

Featured Stories: The need for HBCUs Coach Stefan Smith speaks

Feb.-March 2015

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Check out our website & follow us on social media to find out where we will be rolling to next!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Afraid of facts Despite scientific evidence, many parents choose not to vaccinate their children, putting others at risk.

BY TIGER VILLAVECES

NEWS Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Leading by example 14 Youth Leadership Athens offers juniors the opportunity to explore different leadership environments.

BY JOHANNA HALL

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Sharing history Dr. Tony Rucker, who grew up during segregation, aims to pass on his experiences.

BY VIOLET MERRITT

FEATURES

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Cover Story At the midpoint of the spring 2015 season, we review the key players, scoring records, coach’s opinions and players outlooks for the various Spring sports.

The sexting boom

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Teen sexting has reached a record high. Students and experts attempt to explain this increase.

BY KATY MAYFIELD

REVIEWS

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New from “The 6” Drake’s recent surprise record, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, blends the public and the personal.

Left: PASS IT ON: Fine arts department chair Dr. Tony Rucker was raised in Athens during segregation and hopes that Black History Month will serve as an opportunity for Clarke Central High School students to learn about the struggles black citizens experienced. “They need to understand from whence they’ve come,” Rucker said.

BY ETHAN CRANE

VARIETY Caribbean cuisine 30Kelbourne “Kelly” Codling started serving food from a roadside stand.

Today, his restaurant is a local hit.

BY WILLIAM WHITE

SPORTS Going cross-town 42Stefan Smith, who left CCHS for an assistant coaching position at Cedar Shoals High School, speaks.

Photo by Chad Rhym Photo by Chad Rhym

Right: SWEET EATS: A batch of truffles from Condor Chocolates, located at 1658 S. Lumpkin St., cools after being prepared. The store was opened in late 2014 by brothers Nick and Peter Dale.

“We grew up eating Ecuadorian chocolate and really loving the good flavor profile of it,” Peter said.

BY AARON HOLMES AND LOUISE PLATTER

Cover photo by Chad Rhym

Cover design by Louise Platter and Aaron Holmes

Feb.-March 2015

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Letter from the Editor. There’s nothing un-American about the AP United States History curriculum.

hen I took Advanced Placement United States History as a junior, I was prepared to be thoroughly bored. I like history, to an extent, but something about the idea of spending 70 minutes in a plastic chair listening to someone drone on about the Founding Fathers didn’t particularly appeal to me.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

My teacher, former Clarke Central High School social studies department teacher Harry Cooper, brought the history of the United States to life. I looked forward to going to class just to hear him talk about battles and politicians and everything in between that made up the fabric of what he considered a proud history.

So what specifically is Ligon so afraid of?

In his editorial published in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, he objects to the inclusion of terms such as “big business” rather than “free enterprise.”

Ligon also laments the way that the concept of Manifest Destiny (you know, the ideal that forced Native Americans to relocate from their homelands, killing thousands) is not presented as “America’s commitment to expand democratic ideals.”

You know what scares me?

The idea of an entire generation being taught American history through rose-colored glasses, which seems to be exactly what Ligon’s resolution is asking for.

Mr. Cooper is living proof that American history doesn’t have You know what scares me? The idea of an entire to be “leftist” to be balanced, and there is nothing unpatriotic about acknowledging that, as a country, the United States of generation being taught American history America has a fraught history, with both dark moments and through rose-colored glasses, which seems to be proud ones.

What Ligon is really worried about, buried under the guise of exactly what Ligon’s resolution is asking for. fear of the “liberal agenda”, is students looking at their history with a critical eye and refusing to accept the time-honored narraThe way Mr. Cooper taught made it clear that he loves America, and his tive of the Great Melting Pot. passion was infectious. Though at times his viewpoint was more conservative What Ligon, and the entire Georgia General Assembly need to realize is that than mine, I could have listened to him talk about it for hours. knowledge is not the enemy. SR-80 is not going to clean up the skeletons in our But here’s the thing: I learned the facts. I would be lying if I said there was country’s closet. no slant to the class. You can’t teach history effectively without some interA generation of students who know their true history--highs and lows--and pretation on your own part, but never, at any point, did I feel like I was being are armed with the tools to create a brighter future is what we need. indoctrinated.

Shame on the state legislators, like Ligon, who would rather lie about the Several state legislatures, Georgia’s included, have raised concerns that the past then focus on the future.

College Board’s curriculum for AP U.S. History is “leftist” and, in the words of Georgia State Senator William Ligon (R-Brunswick), “minimizes America’s attributes yet maximizes her flaws.”

Ligon’s proposed solution?

Senate Resolution 80 (SR-80). This document hopes to compel the College Board to change its curriculum.

The resolution actually reads “Demanding revision by the College Board of Advanced Placement U.S. History.”

Right: HISTORY WITH AN AGENDA: Conservatives who claim the AP U.S. History curriculum is un-American are simply trying to censor facts and rewrite history with their own agenda.

Cartoons by Phineas Alexander.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Blurred lines of sexual harassment The Clarke County School District Code of Conduct defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct that is sexual in nature which interferes... with another person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the school’s educational programs.” Students had mixed opinions on whether or not such conduct is present at Clarke Central High School.

Blurred lines

Harrassment central

I have a couple things I would like to tell Katy Mayfield about her article, “Blurred lines”, on sexual harassment. You asked the wrong people about the topic. I don’t think we have a lot of sexual harassment at our school. Some boys have no life and try to talk to females to “spit game.”

Girls should take that as a compliment because the boys think you’re cute. You can just keep going about your business and feel more confident about yourself. I’m not saying sexual harassment is good, but there’s a difference between sexual harassment and somebody just trying to talk to you.

-- Nadia Johnson, junior

I read “Harassment central” by Madeline Hall. I thought this piece to be extremely well written, and the personal story fit perfectly and definitely added to it. It’s a very difficult subject that I, luckily have not had to deal with, but I think it is very important that it be addressed. I think this article did so perfectly.

-- Charlotte Reynolds, freshman

Taking control

A star section

I read the sports section in the ODYSSEY. The thing I most liked about it was that you have a variety of different sports. It’s not just focusing on one sport. The Star Players section helps you see dedicated athletes. It also helps expose the athlete to other things outside of Clarke Central High School.

-- Brittany Gresham,

junior

Sickening beats, sickening lyrics I disagree with Flynne Collins’ editorial about misogyny in music. Music is a reflection of the human condition. If not for music, many people wouldn’t have the outlet to get rid of anger and hate, these would probably manifest themselves without music. You can’t censor art because it creates a bland gray blob of what used to be culture.

-- Steven Gaines, senior

Virus prevention Violet Merritt’s article about Ebola was a bit scary considering that a disease like that could come to Athens or Clarke Central High School. I hope an outbreak of Ebola doesn’t happen in the United States.

-- Harper Calhoun, junior

Contact

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

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t is good that the ODYSSEY is bringing attention to sexual harrassment in Katy Mayfield’s article “Blurred lines” because it is a problem at Clarke Central High School.

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-- Simon Saupe, freshman Corrections/Omissions Jan. 2015

On page 9, “criticize” was spelled incorrectly.

On page 10, Dr. Sheila Dunham is the Assistant Principal not the Associate Principal.

On page 10, Luis Vicente’s name is misspelled On page 13, the year is 2015, not 2014.

On page 14, “scored” should be “scores.”

On page 15, the photo was courtesy of Trey Henson, and was not taken

by Sara Goodie.

On page 26, The book by Mindy Kaling was mislabeled. It is actually called, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). It is also a memoir, not an autobiography.

On page 31, only the photo in the top righthand corner was taken by Aaron Holmes.

On page 32, Nick Wegmann’s name is misspelled.

On back cover, William Kissane’s name is misspelled.

In “Taking control,” by Tiger Villaveces, she states that “our generation is frequently criticized for its dependence on technology, but this critique ignores the countless benefits of the internet era.”

Our generation has come to a dependence on technology. It has become so out of control that every time new devices are created, we strive to get them as soon as they come. If our phones, laptops, television sets or even game systems are not in our possession, we freak out. The only reason why we act like this is because we are used to always having technology.

-- Matthew Green, junior

Pandemic, panic and priorities I read “Pandemic, panic and priorities” by Suncana Pavlic and honestly, who cares? Of all the topics you could have chosen, you decided to write about our preparations for something that was never actually a threat. Terrorism, climate change, our politics, the carcinogens wafting through the halls...

These are all things, but no, let’s give credence to the notion that the Ebola “outbreak” in the United States is actually something to be worried about.

It’s a well-constructed article, but it never needed to be written.

-- Walker Chapman, sophomore

Letters: E-mail us at editors@odysseynewsmagazine.net, or drop off in the main office, in care of the ODYSSEY. We ask that all letters be under 250 words and signed and we reserve the right to omit or edit any letters received. Insulting, unsigned or libelous statements will not be considered for publication. All letters may be edited for clarity and space. Advertising: For ad rates e-mail us at buisness@odysseynewsmagazine.net. Online: Comment online at our website, odysseynewsmagazine.net

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The ODYSSEY is published monthly. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff.

TheODYSSEY ODYSSEYisisa student-produced published monthly.

Published opinions notthe necessarily reflect the The newsmagazine, publisheddowith intent to inform, views of and anyone than staff.Central High School community, as well as to educate entertain give other voice to thethe Clarke Thejournalists.

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Editor-in-Chief: Louise Platter

Editor-in-Chief: Managing Editor: Jenny Alpaugh Brittney Butler

Print Managing Editor: Senior CopyHinkle Editor: Geneva Aaron Holmes

Senior Copy Editor and Photo Editor: Visuals Coordinator: Porter McLeod Chad Rhym

Junior Copy Editor: Business Manager: Brittney Butler Claire Elliott-Gower Viewpoints Public RelationsEditor: Manager: RobertRichards Walker Makayla Viewpoints Editor: News Editor: Tiernan O’Neill Aaron Holmes News Editor: Features Editor: Sara Goodie Louise Platter Features Editor: Variety Editor: Mary Merritt

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Our Take

hen the photo-sharing app Snapchat was released in Sept. 2011, it became immediately popular with adolescents and twenty-somethings and has remained that way ever since. The only thing that matches the app’s popularity is its infamy.

Because of the 10-second viewing limit placed on photos shared through the app has become a hotbed of nude photosharing.

Despite the relatively low percentage of Snapchats that are actually sexts (around 14 percent, according to a study conducted at the University of Washington), the issue of nude sharing has become especially prevalent since its release. Approximately half of Snapchat users are 17 or younger, and only 19 percent are older than 25 according to canonball.com, which indicates that a decent number of sexts sent through the app are considered child pornography.

Beyond legal ramifications, the social consequences of leaked nudes can be devastating.

When the nudes of There is a tendency to forget several female celebrities, that the images you’re including Jennifer Lawsharing are more than just rence, were stolen, they were criticized for having images. These are people. them in the first place.

In 2012, 15-year-old Amanda Todd committed suicide after nude photos of her were circulated around the Internet. She posted a video one month before her death detailing several years of bullying and harassment that stemmed from these photos. The video’s comments are full of users saying she deserved it.

Instances like these demonstrate a distinctly warped view of who is in control of female bodies. The blame should lie in the person who leaks these pictures, not in the one who takes them.

Spreading something so personal denies victims control over their own sexuality. It’s an exploitation of the body, yet the poster suffers the moral condemnation. Who could feel so entitled to the rights of another person’s body?

“It’s a sexual violation. It’s disgusting,” Lawrence said. “Anybody who looked at those pictures, you’re perpetuating a sexual offense.”

There is a tendency to forget that the images you’re sharing are more than just images. These are people.

Ethan Crane

Variety Editor: Sports Collins Editor: Flynne

Chad Rhym

Sports Editor: Business andSamuel Public Hood Relations Manager:

Below: OUT OF CONTROL: When people spread sexually explicit images against the will of the sender, they are perpetrating a sex crime and potentially creating a dangerous environment for the victim. Despite this, the victim is often blamed.

Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces

Hanna Harper Junior Copy Editor: Austin Defoor Kevin Mobley

Staff Writers: StaffDawe, Writers: Radford Brosius, Esther Conaway, Nick Tierra Hayes, Audrey Hinkle, Amy Hoyt, Adamson, LuciaIsrael, Bermudez, Amelia DeLamater, Karla Dougan, Sophie Fernandes, Johanna JohnDelia Hubbard, Jaymel Lela Jenkins, Mary Merritt, Alanna Pierce, Hannah Rollins, Jared Hall, Madeline Hall, Tierra Hayes, Katy Mayfield, Violet Merritt, Suncana Pavlic, Jordan Rhym, Olivia Sarabia, Henry Scott, Luke Slaboda, Kendarious Sturdivant, Henry Thomas, Ripps, Dalace Thomas, Rigel Turner, Tiger Villaveces, Grace Walker, William White.

Maria Velasquez, Emily Watson Adviser: DavidAdviser: A. Ragsdale

David A. Ragsdale ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S.Central Milledge Avenue Clarke High School Athens, Georgia Avenue 30605 350 S. Milledge Phone:Athens, (706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370 Georgia 30605 357-5269 Phone: Fax: (706)(706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370 www.odysseynewsmagazine.net Fax: (706) 357-5269 www.odysseynewsmagazine.net

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

FreshVoice Violet Merritt

You’re so vain

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Jamaican me hungry Athens institution Kelly’s Jamaican restaurant was founded by Kelbourne “Kelly” Codling 15 years ago.

Codling has grown his franchise from a humble shack to two successful locations.

Black mystery month Clarke Central High School celebrates Black History Month with a daily “Black History Fact” in an annual performance in the Mell Auditorium. But outside of Feb., black history goes uncelebrated.

Horsing around Junior Lauren Allen has been riding horses since she was a kid. Allen has competed in multiple competitions in various events. She hopes to teach readers to ride safely to avoid any injuries.

Don’t Tryga Tyga’s newest album Fan of a Fan is a new low. This collaboration with Chris Brown’s only impact, if any, is detrimental to Tyga’s already mediocre career.

Fielding a leader Sophomore and varsity baseball catcher Cole Melacon, despite his age, has stepped up to the plate and emerged as a leader on the team.

The right choice Athough many atheletes preach a healthy lifestyle, they don’t always realize the impact of the foods they put in their bodies.

Fresh on the screen ABC’s new sitcom Fresh Off the Boat has drawn criticism for portraying stereotypes, but the comedy brings a refreshing addition of diversity to the channel’s programming.

Sext hex Teens are increasingly using apps like Kik, Snapchat and Tumblr to send nude photos of themselves to others.

Most senders are unaware of the consequences of their actions.

he first time I heard the word “vain” I was nine. A photographer at a festival took a photo of me and a friend. The camera flashed and the woman thanked us. My friend then asked if her eyes were closed and if they were, if she could she retake it.

This confused me: why did my friend care? I asked my mom about it. She told me it was vanity. I was nine and the concept was still foreign to me but for some reason, I took my friend’s “vanity” as a bad quality. Somehow, the fact that I didn’t think I had the same trait made me hold myself as her superior.

The first time I thought about the term self-confidence was when I was 11. There was one boy who, despite having never spoken a word to me, was infatuated with what I assume was my appearance. It wasn’t puppy love, as my peers and even teachers liked to call it. It was harassment. I didn’t see it as that at the time, though, I had been taught not to. It made me uncomfortable and self-conscious. But still, I was told to take it all as a compliment. I was told that it should build my self-confidence.

Self-confidence? I knew the concept but I had never before thought about it in terms of myself. Being told that these comments and actions should “build my self-confidence” completely warped its meaning to me. Was my appearance my only power now? My only ability? I was told to take consolation in the fact that my looks got me this attention.

These remarks might seem harmless or even like an attempt to make me feel better, or to boost my self-confidence. But that’s not their intention. Their intent is to remind me that no one likes someone too self-effacing. That’s right, there’s also such a thing as being too modest.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines modesty as “the quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities.” OK. Now it’s getting ridiculous. We are told to be confident in ourselves but not too confident? These pillars are long outdated, and they’re not worth the pain. Even writing this, I have to stop myself from choosing my words carefully as my subconscious longs to not sound too full of myself. I’ve learned that such attempts are futile because these concepts are too detrimental to be taken seriously.

Be proud because your face is considered to be desirable. But wait, don’t get too confident, vanity isn’t good. Instead, you should feign modesty, that’s definitely better.

But what if I’m none of those?

Apparently, it’s not attractive to be self-conscious.

Below: MIRROR, MIRROR: Freshman Violet Merritt looks in the mirror as she applies makeup. According to Merritt, balancing self-confidence and modesty is an undertaking not worth the effort.

Photo by Chad Rhym

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Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces

The national rate of autism has risen dramatically, but the increase is not related to vaccines.

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Reading through various blogs in support of Dr. Wakefield’s now retracted rowing up, my mother decided to deprive article, I found that many of these bloggers don’t have facts to back up their me of vaccines because my older brother argument. They state that vaccinations caused their child to have autism, and was diagnosed with autism shortly after rethat the government is hiding information to avoid lawsuits. ceiving vaccinations. She believed that the vaccines Not a single one of these bloggers has stated why they believe MMR has a caused his autism. direct correlation to developmental problems.

I have clear memories of listening to her vent With the anti-vaccine community on the rise, children are obviously becomabout how horrible the government was for not giving people the truth about vaccines, to the point ing more sick.

BY TIGER VILLAVECES “In the United States, more cases of measles were reported in 2008 than in where I believed it myself. Like any young child, I Viewpoints Writer any other year since 1997. More than 90 percent of those infected had not been thought my mom was always right. vaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown,” a report published on cdc.

It wasn’t until I was in middle school when I decided to Google the supgov said in response to the effects of Wakefield’s autism scare. posed connection between vaccinations and autism myself. I was surprised with what I found.

Autism is described by Dr. Jonathan Campbell, While I was able to uncover the truth, there are still many professor and program chair of school psycholpeople robbing their children of important vaccination ogy at the University of Kentucky College of because of a retracted article written over 12 years ago.

Education, as “a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes significant impairments in the areas of social-communication and restricted/repetitive behaviors or interests.”

In a report by Alice Park published on TIME.com, she states that “Autism rates What most people don’t understand is that autism is a spectrum. This continue to rise, according to a new government survey, but the skyrocketing disorder is not the same for every person. Some people with autism experience figures don’t necessarily mean the disorder is increasing.” inability to speak, extreme social anxiety and general anger management probWith the wider range of knowledge on the disorder that became available lems. Others experience less intense versions of these symptoms. during the years since the article was posted, it is clear now that autism cases aren’t actually rising, but are becoming more visible in the eyes of both parents I was born in 1998, the same year that Dr. Andrew Wakefield published an and doctors. article in British medical journal The Lancet, suggesting that autism and the While I was able to uncover the truth, there are still many people robbing measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) were directly related. Wakefield their children of important vaccinations because of a retracted article written stated in his research that children given the MMR vaccine showed signs of over 12 years ago. developmental problems weeks to months later. His research caused a huge It is unfair to the public, and a serious health issue. scare in both the United States and Europe.

Wakefield’s article was retracted in 2010 for some pretty obvious mistakes in Above: ANTI-VAX VS. FACTS: Some people blame the increase of vaccines for his research. Not only did Wakefield lack a control set of children, but no other the higher national rate of autism. Most of their argument, however, is based off study on the autism/MMR relation had similar results to his. of a now retracted 1998 article by Dr. Andrew Wakefield that claimed the two were connected.

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QUESTION OF THE MONTH

What did you do for spring break?

“For spring break this year, I went to Mississippi and hung out at casinos and walked on the beach.”

Untaught history Even though U.S. history courses teach a variety of topics, one that is barely taught is black history.

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-- Billy Wade, physical education department teacher

“I went on a cruise for seven days.”

BY SUNČANA PAVLIĆ Viewpoints Writer

-- Denny Mannakulathil, junior

“I didn’t do much. I just stayed at home and took a break from school.”

-- Joseph Clarke, freshman

“I had family visiting, and also I went to Disneyworld.”

--Taelor Threadgill, sophomore

“I went to some island, I don’t know the name.”

rowing up, my mom taught me the importance of black history. She told me it was important because it isn’t just black history, it is the history of all Americans.

We all have our place in black history because even if were not black American, parts of black history, such as the civil rights movement or the work of Richard Wright, a famous black author, relates with all Americans in some way. Because of this, the state needs to include more black history

in the curriculum.

U.S. History is a junior class at CCHS which spans from on-level to Advanced Placement courses. Within the 25 standards in on-level U.S. History set forth by the Georgia Department of Education, only little bits and pieces teach black history.

The Georgia Performance Standards for U.S. History touch lightly on immense topics like slavery. For example, students are expected to “explain the key features of the Constitution, specifically the Great Compromise, separation of powers (influence of Montesquieu), limited government and the issue of slavery.”

In lower grades, black history standards are even more scarce. In Georgia Studies, an eighth-grade social studies requirement, the civil rights movement and slavery are taught superficially, and there is no other mention of black history. Even though slavery is a huge part of black history, it’s just one part.

Slavery was abolished 149 years ago. What about contributions to the arts, like the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz movement? What about political movements after the traditionally-taught civil rights movement, like the Los Angeles riots of 1992?

Black Americans have contributed so much to our history since abolition.

Why are we not being taught about them?

To be fair, Advanced Placement U.S. History teaches significantly more black history than is set forth in Georgia standards. But the majority of students at CCHS take on-level or advanced U.S. History, and even those who do enroll in AP U.S. History must wait until 11th grade to learn black history.

Black history needs to be taught throughout social studies curricula. Not just in February. Not just in regard to slavery. Our parents and grandparents lived with segregation, and racism persists today. We are all connected to black history because of its proximity. It’s more than black history.

It’s American history.

Below: MORE THAN A MONTH: Although February is set aside to celebrate black history, the contributions of black Americans need to be celebrated throughout CCHS’ curriculum.

Cartoon by Ella Sans

-- Ashlee Hardwick, senior

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Our past, my future

Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Many question the legitimacy of historically black colleges and universities, but their scrutiny is only evidence of white privilege.

I

credit my knowledge of black history to my parents. My mother, Dr. Kecia Thomas has taught classes on black and white identity and prejudice, and my father, Darren Rhym, has taught African American studies courses, both at the University of Georgia. My upbringing revolved around my parents constantly feeding me knowledge of my heritage.

BY CHAD RHYM Personally, I’m fortunate-- more fortunate than Visuals Coordinator most.

For most students, history taught in American schools is whitewashed. The Common Core Georgia Performance Standards don’t include enough black history, and there aren’t any cultural-based history classes offered in the Clarke County School District. The fact that education systems represent white and European history far more than black history is evidence of white privilege.

And forcing students of color to sit through years of history without being given the option to take a class taught about people of their race is further evidence.

When black history is not specifically taught, white history becomes the norm.

As I approach college, I am encountering the unforeseen effects of white privilege. Whites have the ability to attend nearly any college without feeling the discomfort of racial isolation. White people will almost always be surrounded by classmates who look just like them and who share similar backgrounds.

But at the majority of colleges there is no such guarantee for black students.

However, there are universities whose students are predominantly black, called HBCUs--Historically Black Colleges and Universities. At present, there are more than 100 HBCUs scattered throughout the country, concentrated primarily in the South, with a few in the North. These include Howard University, Tuskegee University and Bethune-Cookman University, among many others.

These institutions of higher learning were founded in a time when black people weren’t allowed to attend the University of Georgia, the University of

Alabama, the University of South Carolina or any other large state schools in the South.

Yet, ironically, I’ve recently heard a lot of white people and occasionally black people criticize the idea of going to an all-black college.

“It’s not realistic.” “You’re limiting yourself.” “It’s a dated concept.” “Why go to the best all-black college, why not go to the best college?”

This attitude is evidence that, oftentimes, “white” is just considered the standard. If you’re white, you might not realize how significant the privilege of being white actually is. Predominantly white colleges are considered just colleges, whereas predominantly black colleges, such as Morehouse College and Howard University are always referred to as black colleges--I’ve even done it in this editorial.

One of my top choices to attend next fall is Morehouse College, an all-male HBCU in Atlanta which is the alma mater of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee, among others.

I want to attend an HBCU because of the tradition. There’s a pattern at Morehouse of producing intelligent, well-spoken black men. There’s a magnitude and attraction to seeing numerous Morehouse alumni becoming decorated professors, doctors and lawyers--successful men who all look like me.

The preconceived idea that these black colleges aren’t as good as predominantly white institutions is simply because they’re different, because they’re outside the norm.

This is racism. And that’s the problem.

It’s my belief that every black student should at least consider attending an HBCU. I think it’s important for not only black people, but every race to be educated regarding their heritage. People should be aware of where they come from and not ridiculed for seeking a school that accommodates this need.

Above: ABOVE THE REST: Senior Chad Rhym is seriously considering attending Morehouse College, an all-male HBCU in Atlanta that heralds such alumni as Martin Luther King Jr., Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson. He is leaning towards attending an HBCU over a large state school to be able to learn about his heritage in a college enviroment.

Feb.-March 2015

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VIEWPOINTS

M

Boiling Point. Let me tell you about the time I proposed to a heartbreaker.

ost Athletic. Most Dedicated. Most Creative. Biggest Heartbreaker? the title.

Senior Superlatives are something fun to be put in a yearbook, While I’m sure this title will be fun to look back at in the future, it takes a something that we will all look back on and laugh at later on. They are toll on me and my senior year now. intended to be good spirited or funny, not pointed or harsh.

This is not how I want to remember being labeled during what is supposed When the Clarke Central High School Yearbook Senior Superlatives were to be my “best year of high school”. announced, I was initially very surprised to see my name on the list.

Pantene ran an advertising campaign in the Philippines comparing the I heard rumors about what I could labels put on women and men. The have possibly won, but I did not truly While I’m sure this title will be fun to advertisement showcased the different know what it was until the day we ideals society held for the two sexes in look back at in the future, this takes a took photos: Biggest Heartbreaker. the workplace.

Well, that stings a little.

A persuasive man has the same qualtoll on me now.

I was voted by the entire senior ities as a so-called pushy woman. class “The Biggest Heartbreaker” A well-groomed man is on the along with senior Qua-Von Scott. same level as a vain woman.

It’s not like Most Athletic, where I cannot comprehend why I would be remembered for being two people with the same good at sports. It’s not like Most qualities would be shown in Likely to Succeed, where I would such different lights--one a good be remembered for my good leader, one an overbearing one. grades or leadership.

Men and women should not But Biggest Heartbreaker? be given labels that are based on I’m going to be remembered different standards. for cutting people off and ignoring These double standards exist texts. because girls are taught, from a Just because I say no to a date, young age, that they are not as I’m a heartbreaker? Just because I strong as boys and should look fend off unwanted advances from to them for help and acceptance. guys I am not interested in, I’m a An advertising social experiheartbreaker? ment by Always showcases how I am not my title. I am not a children interpret the phrase heartbreaker, I just know how to “like a girl” compared to teens say no. and adults.

Being a female heartbreaker The video prompts the quesentails that I have dated multiple tion,“When did doing something guys, never considering their ‘like a girl’ become an insult?” feelings. Being a male heartbreaker The director had a variety of is not offensive. Male hearbreakers volunteers from different ages are seen as guys who can win over perform different tasks “like a girls due to charm or looks and girl” such as running and fightcan’t help who fall for them. ing. The subjects including one The double standards for men man, two teen girls and a young and women are astounding. When boy all acted fragile and weak-Right: DID I DO THAT?: Although it’s intended as a lighthearted superlative, the term a guy goes around talking to girls, like that is what a girl represents. “heartbreaker” has negative connotations for women. moving on to someone new each Only the young girls were not month, or even week, it is seen as affected by this stereotype. They acceptable. But when the roles are ran hard and strong. They ran like switched, the girl is labeled easy or promiscuous. they were not tainted by the roles society assigned to them.

The day of the photo shoot, the props were all there: a box of chocolates, Double standards like those represented in this commercial can be seen at red roses and a jewelry box. I was told to get on one knee and propose for this CCHS daily, just as how being named Biggest Heartbreaker is appealing for a posed photo. guy but shameful for a girl.

Although nobody made me take the photo, I took it out of good spirit, but We need to be taught how to respect women and hold them to the same afterwards I thought about all of the connotations that were dragged behind standards as men.

Cartoon by Phineas Alexander

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VIEWPOINTS

B la c k h a i r i s c o m p l i c a te d Deciding on a hairstyle is a struggle nearly all girls understand. But black girls face a more complicated decision.

G

ood hair. It is a phrase that black girls are all too familiar with. But what makes hair good?

If you are black, you want hair that looks like the prototypical white girl’s: long, silky and flowing in the wind, just like the Pantene commercials.

Truth is, this is not how our hair grows. A black girl is born with silky curls on her head. Throughout childhood, the curls become thicker or coarser.

BY MAKAYLA RICHARDS Public Relations Manager

scalp or ears by this hair straightening tool.

These are the reasons you see so many black girls with short hair. They will all tell you the same thing: “I used to have long hair.” And they did. They had long, beautiful hair--until they were old enough to understand that the texture of their hair was not desirable.

There’s one reason black girls suffer for their hair: societal pressure.

According to an article in the New York Times published on Aug. 30, 2014, the United States Military calls our natural hair “matted and unkempt,” and banned most natural hairstyles, like three strand twists and afros, leaving only two options for black servicewomen: get a perm or cut off the hair that took years to grow, and will take over a lifetime to grow back.

And it is not just the Army. The black community has scolded black women for accepting natural hair or protective hairstyles (Bantu Knots, twists, braids). How many times do I get online and see positive comments about North West’s good hair and Blue Ivy Carter’s “nappy” hair?

One time too many, that’s the answer.

I keep reading comments left by grown women dissing Beyoncé’s child for not getting her hair straightened, at the same time commenting on how cute North West silky hair is.

We need to stop whitewashing standards of beauty. I hope one day we will get the world to fall in love with our curly ’fros.

At this stage, your family decides if you will have natural or relaxed hair. For two weeks after the treatment, you can’t swim; the chlorine from pool water will make your hair fall out. Then again, enough relaxer will make your hair fall out anyway.

Trying to keep natural hair straight is difficult, too. When I was younger, my only option for straight hair was a hot comb. I often got burned on my neck,

Black women are forced to assimilate to white culture’s standards of hair to attract attention from men of their own race. Men that should know better.

A lot of black boys tell me, “I like white girls’ hair,” or “I don’t want to deal with that nappy stuff,” which baffles me. Black girls hear this and run to get a perm. Black women are forced to assimilate to white culture’s standards of hair to attract attention from men of their own race. Men that should know better.

My hair is not considered elegant. It is not in the definition of beautiful or even professional.

But at this point, I’m sick of caring.

I went in for my last perm about nine months ago, and about a week after that I noticed my hair was thinning. I got scared, and in that moment I questioned myself. Why am I doing this to myself? I made the decision my natural hair texture was beautiful, and I was destroying it.

My mother shaved her head last year. She was not going to get another relaxer to cover her curls and harm her hair. I’m going natural, too. Love it or hate it, I’m not changing it.

We need to stop whitewashing standards of beauty. I hope one day we will get the world to fall in love with our curly ’fros.

Then, maybe, we all can make a new definition of good hair.

Left: ALL NATURAL: Senior Makayla Richards has decided to embrace her natural hair, despite the pressure to straighten it.

Photo courtesy of Makayla Richards

Feb.-March 2015

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NEWS SGA reaches out

News briefs

Photo by Nicholas Byrne

Above: A FRESH AUDIENCE: David C. Barrow Elementary School parent Kaoru Ishibashi—better known as Kishi Bashi— preformed for 500 Barrow students on March 26. “I like to play for kids, but I don’t get a whole lot of opportunities with my schedule,” Ishibashi said.

Granting knowledge

The Clarke County School District was awarded the Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant on March 5. The grant consists of $1.2 million, and is intended to strengthen literacy throughout the county over five years.

“We wrote the grant with the help of a representative from each subject area in the school,” Clarke Central High School media specialist Lindy Weaver said. “Hopefully, overall, it will raise unit test scores and literacy (rates).”

The most recent grant is intended to fund three schools: CCHS, David C. Barrow Elementary and Cleveland Road Elementary. Of the 21 schools in the CCSD, 18 have now received the grant.

“We have seen significant increases in reading proficiency,” superintendent Dr. Philip D. Lanoue said in a press release. “Reading sets the stage for success in all subjects.”

Students at CCHS feel that this grant will help the students in their learning, but some are skeptical about the grant’s intent.

“I think it’s generally a good thing,” senior Guillermo Zapata said. “But sometimes things can be marketed as a positive, but there may be stringent rules by which books can be read.”

Learning to lead Youth Leadership Athens is a program that offers high school juniors in the Athens-Clarke County area the opportunity to to explore different leadership environments.

“We have four sessions; we have a volunteerism (a public service), government, arts and business,” Youth Leadership Athens steering committee chair Susan Mull said.

This year, five schools are participating: Athens Academy, Cedar Shoals High School, Clarke Central High School, Prince Avenue Christian School and Monsignor Donovan Catholic High School.

“The vast majority of the students are from the two largest schools which would be Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals. We have 31 students and 24 of them are from Clarke and Cedar,” Mull said.

Registration for YLA is in the last three weeks of September. The fee is $150 per member. This cost goes toward the orientation, retreat and the four main sessions.

“We have a committee of five that reads all the applications, and you do apply, and we have financial assistance provided so that finances (are) not a limitation,” Mull said.

According to Mull, there are never too many leadership opportunities, and participants of leadership organizations such as YLA are exposed to a variety of venues.

“Last year, we toured the Morton Theatre and, for the business session, we went to the Caterpillar (plant),” Mull said. “Youth Leadership Athens is not the only leadership program here. You can never be exposed to too much about leadership.”

According to junior Autumn Venson-Roscoe, Youth Leadership Athens is a readily available opportunity for students to explore their leadership interests.

“I would definitely recommend YLA to younger kids at Central,” Venson-Roscoe said. “It gives them a chance to explore their leadership skills and put it to use in their community.”

--Johanna Hall, Sports Writer

The Clarke Central High School Student Government Association, under new sponsorship this semester, is attempting to change its course.

“This is student government; we really should have some feedback from other people,” social studies department teacher and SGA sponsor Karena LaRosa said.

LaRosa says that in addition to polling students, the SGA will draw student feedback from a folder currently hanging on a bulletin board outside the media center, as well as a suggestions box to be placed in the cafeteria.

“When you get information from the students... it fuels your ideas on how to improve, what to get rid of, what to add,” student body president and senior Jyrekis Collins said.

Collins believes it is important for students to submit suggestions to the SGA. “If you make an effort to reach out to the student body and the student body actually responds, you can make things that they want happen.

I encourage people to submit their ideas,” Collins said.

Dealing out literacy

First Lady of Georgia Sandra Deal spent the month of March reading to Pre-K students as a part of the initiative Read Across Georgia Month.

“It’s wonderful having a whole month dedicated to reading. We teach our kids is that learning how to read is the most important thing,” Chase Street Elementary School Pre-K teacher Amy Evans said.

One of her stops in the Clarke County School District was Chase Street Elementary School. Teachers prepared their students for the event by informing their students about the visit.

“Our students were very excited for Mrs. Deal to visit,” Evans said. “I thought it was a great opportunity to really promote literacy.”

Read Across Georgia Month was created in 2012 in order to encourage parents to be more confident when reading with their children.

“My hope is that this book will help parents become more confident as they guide their children in the process of learning to read,” Deal said in a press release.

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“

NEWS

I heard that

“ ” “ ” “ ” “ ”

(I used to want to be a) computer teacher, which is funny for those who know me well.

DR. SHEILA DUNHAM, Assistant Principal, giving her opinion on how many high school students are unsure of what career they want to pursue.

Photo by Chad Rhym

We’re all immigrants; that’s what makes us pretty great. We’re all immigrants that united and made one country.

Above: THE REAL DEAL: Sandra Deal, the First Lady of Georgia, narrates a children’s book to a crowd of Chase Street Elementary students on March 16.

Deal is traveling around Georgia to read to different elementary schools for the month of March. “I am thrilled to shine a spotlight on the importance of reading,” Deal said in a press release. Below: DRIVING CHARITY: Senior Ben Santos gives blood during an American Red Cross blood drive in the Clarke Central High School Gladiator Gallery. The blood drive was coordinated by school nurse Jessica Weems and staffed by volunteers from the CCHS National Honors Society. “There was a pretty good flow of people, so I would say it was successful,” senior and volunteer Gemma English said.

Tech throwback

KENYA DANIEL, junior, on her goal of joining the Air Force despite her views on serving a country where racism is still prevalent.

Well, I have students whose nails are weapons. And so I have to deal with that.

DAVID KNIGHT, Lancaster High School teacher, speaking during a seminar at the Southern Interscholastic Press Association conference in February.

Some kids don’t have the discipline and stability at home, so I want to provide as much as I can for them every day. That’s why I’m here.

1980’s house music played in the Clarke Central High School Media Center on Mon., March 2 while students played video games, looked at vintage machines and used iPads to scan various QR codes for clues to a scavenger hunt on Retro Tech Day, the first day of CCHS’s Teen Tech Week 2015.

As part of the event, Teen Tech Team members presented their personal “passion projects,” which corresponded with the technology-related theme of each day.

For his passion project, senior Steven Gaines created an extensive retro music playlist, accompanied by visual aids throughout that showed the cultural origin of the genre, the typical instruments used in making the music and other important information regarding the songs.

“I found that a lot of my favorite music genres were from the past, so I recreated them and figured out what makes them the genre that they are,” Gaines said. “All the music is from the ‘60s through to the ‘90s.”

Visitors to Retro Tech Day were able to use modern devices to learn about technological history in a hands-on way. Using iPads, visitors could scan QR codes placed around the room next to different vintage objects like record players, typewriters and old handheld games. By scanning the code, participants could get clues for a virtual scavenger hunt to win a prize.

All of the vintage items on display were provided collaboratively

by CCHS staff, and those participating in Teen Tech Week were surprised to find how many people still had these old pieces.

“All of these turntables were under my bed,” Media Specialist Lindy Weaver said.

--Grace Polaneczky, Web Writer

BARBARA ARCHIBALD, Clarke County School District substitute teacher, on her passion for her job.

Photo by Nicholas Byrne

-- Compiled by News Staff Feb.-March 2015

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NEWS

Featured: LIVING HISTORY: Fine arts department chair Dr. Tony Rucker remembers segregated Athens well from his youth. Rucker’s experiences with racism have shaped his worldview. “That’s the kind of stuff that these students are not living. They’ve gone past the Civil Right’s Act and they need to understand from whence they’ve come,” Rucker said.

Photo by Chad Rhym

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NEWS

HONORING B L A C K H I S T O R Y Clarke Central High School celebrated Black History Month in February.

Students and faculty share what the celebration meant to them.

STORY BY VIOLET MERRITT News Writer

LAYOUT BY LOUISE PLATTER Editor-in-Chief

W

hen fine arts department chair Dr. Tony Rucker was a child, his ness in students are guest speakers during the Black History Program, especially mother would take him to see their doctor in Athens. In the ones who have lived the history being honored. office, they had to wait in a separate area. Instead of a waiting “Sometimes (the current Black History Program) uses a speaker and someroom divided into sick and healthy patients, the area was dividtimes they don’t but it’s always good to hear from someone who has lived, ed for “colored” and “white.” especially civil rights, and can give you that perspective,” Rucker said.

“I didn’t understand that when I was younger,” Rucker said. “My mama At Clarke Central High School, Black History Month has been in some would say, ‘This is where you go, and this is what we do.’” way observed in past years. According to math department teacher and black After visiting the doctor, Rucker’s mom would take him to the nearby Dairy student union sponsor Ed Hendry, there are various events planned to honor Queen, where again he recalls being serviced in a separate colored area. black history in February.

“That’s the kind of stuff that these students are not living. They’ve gone past “We have plans for a school-wide assembly and broader evening event prethe Civil Rights Act and they need to understand from whence they’ve come,” sentation this year, along with afterschool workshops, and weekly trivia games Rucker said. for students to participate in,” Hendry said.

Segregation is one element of black history, but it’s not all of it. To honor, remember, teach and celebrate black history, The United “In the past, textbooks have not included very much States government recognized the observance of Black History Month in 1976, with the black history; today’s textbooks are doing a better job but intention that it would be the month long celthere are many students that don’t know their heritage.” ebration of black Americans. When addressing the nation in his message on the Observance of Black History Month in Feb., President --DR. TONY RUCKER, Gerald Ford urged Americans to “seize the fine arts department chair opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

For Rucker, the biggest purpose of a Black History Month observance is to In past years, CCHS traditional Black History Month Program has taken place provide students with knowledge of historical racial issues in society, like the along with a “Black History Fact” being read on the daily announcements. segregation he faced as a child.

In addition to teacher organized events, in previous years at CCHS, there was “It’s one of those historical things that brings about an awareness of stua stronger participation and leadership of students in the observance of Black dents,” Rucker said. “In the past, textbooks have not included very much black History Month. history; today’s textbooks are doing a better job, but there are many students Assistant Principal Dr. Sheila Dunham recalls one student, Fred Smith Jr., that don’t know their heritage.” who performed Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the Black Rucker also thinks that students need to realize that some struggles faced History Program for each of his four years at CCHS. by black Americans in the past never ended and are still prominent issues today.

“He started doing it his freshman year and started doing it every single year “(Students) thought that everything was hunky dory nowadays, but there are after,” Dunham said. “That was very special. I mean, I will never forget it. It still little bits and pieces going on,” Rucker said. touched me every year and it brought tears to my eyes and every year, it made Rucker believes that one element that contributes to achieving this awareme think. I would certainly put that out there to students if they want to do Feb.-March 2015

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NEWS something special like this.”

However, during Dunham’s past classroom observations during Black History Month, she said she has not noticed much discussion or teaching of black history.

“When I visit the classrooms, I don’t hear a lot about (black history) and generally do a good number of observations in the month of February,” Dunham said. “Teachers, when being observed, know that they are being evaluated on this, this, this and that. So they might purposefully shy away from these types of discussions when an administrator is in the room.”

Freshman Maya Jones appreciates the Black History Program for the constructive academic benefits it can have on students. “(Students) will probably have higher standards for themselves and it should increase their academics and their participation in school activities,” Jones said.

However, Jones said that more could be done to honor black history in addition to the annual program.

“I think (CCHS) should do more because we don’t really learn about black history. I feel like they don’t put that much effort into it because throughout the entire year we learn about more of one race then we do others and we get Hispanic Heritage Night and the African-American Celebration Day,” Jones said. “We don’t really do much for minorities.”

“I think (CCHS) should do more because we don’t really Principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker is a strong learn about black history. I feel like they don’t put that supporter of working to integrate black history into everyday learning. much effort into it because throughout the entire year we “I’ve always said it shouldn’t be one learn about more of one race than we do others.” month. If we can incorporate it into the curriculum throughout the year as opposed to one month it would be fine; you could --MAYA JONES, know more about black history,” Hooker freshman said.

When Hooker was the principal of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, one item Despite not seeing black history being focused on in classes in February, on his agenda was putting more of the school’s attention on black history.

Dunham believes that all heritages should be integrated into lessons.

“When I came to Burney Harris, one of the things I did was say, ‘Yes, we “I think all cultures, ethnicities and races should be studied throughout the will have (a Black History Month celebration), but I think it should be taught year in all courses to continually talk about diversity, but I still enjoy that we throughout all classes and how African-Americans have contributed to every have a special Black History Month program in February,” Dunham said. area,’” Hooker said.

Below: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER: Junior Tirah Calloway participates in a black history trivia game at the Black History Month ceremony on Feb. 12. “Any effort made to bridge the gap of cultural awareness and understanding on any level is a step in a positive direction,” math department teacher Ed Hendry said.

Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Caption caption caption

NEWS

Photo by Chad Rhym

Above: LEGACY OF SONG: Fine arts department chair Dr. Tony Rucker sings with freshman Breanna Gambrell during a chorus. The CCHS chorus, led by Rucker, performed at the Black History Month ceremony on Feb. 12. Rucker hopes the ceremony helped educate students. “It’s always good to hear from someone who has lived especially civil rights and can give you that perspective,” Rucker said.

Though Hendry agrees that more should be done to honor black history, he heritages at CCHS. believes that it is a start to giving students a thorough education and celebra“I think that (CCHS) should celebrate both of them equally or don’t celetion. brate either one because its not fair to my part of the population,” Atez said.

“Any effort made to bridge the gap of cultural awareness and understandJunior Zulley Ramirez believes that the program should be expanded. ing on any level is a step in a positive direction,” Hendry said. “Unfortunately “We could participate in the event more, make it bigger because it’s usually racism and injustice still exist today. Many people assume that because slavery just a group that goes, not all the school. Nobody’s actually aware of it,” is thought to be over, and an integrated system has been put in place, there Ramirez said. is nothing else for the African-Americans to talk about, but that not’s true.”

Hendry believes that by dedicating a month “Black History Month is a time of learning, reflection, to celebrating the accomplishments of black and establishing new direction for all Americans. It Americans, it opens the door to clearing up what black history is. creates a space for both personal and community “Black History Month is a time of learning, growth.” reflection, and establishing new direction for all Americans. It creates a space for both personal and community growth,” Hendry said. “It offers an op-- ED HENDRY, portunity to eradicate the myth that Black History math department teacher is somehow only for the African-American, or that the only notable contributions of African-American culture has been in sports and entertainment.”

For sophomore Maikel Atez, the occurrence of Black History Month has its While there are currently no plans for a future expansion of CCHS’ Black benefits and drawbacks.

History Month celebration, Rucker says that the program in place gives stu“I think it’s important, but I also don’t think it’s fair that we always observe dent an introduction and provides them with a snapshot of black history.

Black History Month but we never do anything for Hispanic Heritage,” Atez “It gives students an observance of what happened historically and will said. whet their taste to want to know more,” Rucker said.

Atez said that the way to fix this would be to design time to honor both Feb.-March 2015

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NEWS

Black Lives Matter PHOTOS BY SOPHIE FERNANDES Visuals Staff

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LAYOUT BY LOUISE PLATTER Editor-in-Chief

Feb.-March 2015

NEWS

“We not only discussed the topics that are normally associated with Black History Month, but we discussed challenging topics. Our major topic was that ‘black lives indeed do matter.’”

-- JYREKIS COLLINS, senior

Feb.-March 2015

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NEWS

“Today, all minority groups are walking through the doors that the African American Civil Rights Movement opened, but are far too often unrecognized for their contributions.”

-- ED HENDRY, math department teacher

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February 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS NEWS

February 2015

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NEWS

Sexting scene High schoolers are sending and posting more nude pictures of themselves on various forms of social media than ever before. Parents, tech experts and students share their experiences.

BY KATY MAYFIELD

A

News Writer

Staged Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Photo Illustration by Louise Platter and Aaron Holmes

LAYOUT BY LOUISE PLATTER Editor-in-Chief

AND KEVIN MOBLEY Junior Copy Editor

pproximately 500 nude pictures of women, mostly of well-known celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton, were posted online by hackers in August of 2013. The hackers supposedly gained access to the private files using a “blunt force” approach: they tried thousands of password combinations until they got into the targeted iCloud accounts, which stored the nude pictures.

The public seemed to take two sides on the issue. Some, like CNN op-ed writer Peggy Drexler, blamed the hackers for breaching celebrities’ personal privacy.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Jennifer Lawrence said that the leaking of her own nude pictures was “not a scandal,” but “a sex crime.”

Others felt the stars opened themselves up to the leak by taking the photos in the first place.

“I don’t think you should (take nude pictures). My rule is, ‘Don’t send or post anything you would be embarrassed about it getting out,’” Clarke Central High School freshman Mary Carroll Waller said. “Everyone should have a right to privacy, but the celebrities should at least not save them to iCloud.”

CCHS school psychologist Marcia Page thinks the leak could potentially have an impact on teenage girls’ sexting habits.

“Probably girls want to be like some of those women. Jennifer Lawrence is huge with girls these days so they probably think, ‘Well, if she’s doing it, it’s cool if I do it too,’” Page said. “(Sending nude photos) can hurt the girl’s reputation, her confidence and be pretty traumatic.”

HOW PEOPLE DO IT

Merriam-Webster defines sexting as “the sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone.” According to a 2012 study by the Journal of the American Medical Association, 28 percent of public high school students sent nude photos of themselves over text or email, a trend which the study attributes to the rise in cell phone use over the past decade.

“People can screenshot (photos). Plus, I have Professional adolescent counselor Stacy Sampson notes the exponentially increased prevalence of technology in sexting’s this friend, and he can save photos without proliferation. them knowing. And then he can replay photos “There’s a lot more technology, there’s a lot more apps. There’s Facebook and things like that, and then there’s also things like Kik,” over and over and over.”

Sampson said. “And so there’s so much technology out there, and I think having so much of it sort of makes it a lot more casual. And ASHLEY HERNANDEZ, everyone has a phone and access to a laptop or some kind of an freshman iPad. So, it’s just everywhere.”

Because of this upward trend, some teenagers find sexting to be less taboo than it was in the past.

“People are a lot more accepting of it,” junior Sarina McElreath said. “I don’t think it’s a huge thing. A girl’s never taken a photo and then everybody sent it off to everybody. It’s never like in the movies, but it’s definitely occurring a lot more in high school.”

According to the same study, 57 percent of high schoolers had been asked for nude photos.

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NEWS

TECH LOOPHOLES

Freshman Ashley Hernandez, however, emphasizes that there are loopholes in Snapchat’s promise of impermanent photos.

“People can screenshot (Snapchat photos). Plus, I have this friend and he can save photos without them knowing. And then he can replay photos over and over and over,” Hernandez said.

This means Snapchat users can find ways to permanently save photos sent to them, sometimes without the sender’s knowledge. One app is called SaveSnap, which boasts on the Apple App Store it can covertly “Share the received snaps with (the user’s) friends to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or e-mail.”

This security threat came into the public eye last year when hackers posted

Smith agrees with Gutierrez, and says nude sending can result from varying motives--most of which, she says, are negative.

“Some people do it in a way they think will hopefully start a relationship with somebody: ‘If I send that person a photograph of me that person will want to date me,’” Smith said.

Sampson and Ed Glauser, professional counselor at the Mind, Body Network, attribute the behavior to the unique psychological development process present in adolescents.

“Your prefrontal cortex is the frontal lobe of your brain and in some interesting cosmic joke. It doesn’t develop until you’re fully into your mid twenties.

And that is the decision making part of your brain,” Sampson said. “So (teenagers) just don’t always think through all the aspects of ‘I’m gonna send this picture of me in my bra or me with no bra, or my behind,’ or whatever and they don’t always think through the consequences of that.”

According to Glauser, teenagers operate under different impulses than adults.

“Teenagers need so much more stimulation than adults, so that age group,

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in that police department and (a nude photo) gets pulled up in front of mom and a cop.”

Sexting at Central

SALLY SHEPPARD, head of The Cottage, a center for sexual assault victims 2% Other 90,000 Snapchat photos and 9,000 videos, which senders thought were deleted after the allotted ten seconds, online. However, it was not Snapchat that was hacked--the photos were all taken from the digital libraries of third-party saving apps. Hackers gained access to the illicit apps’ 13 gigabytes of photos, many of which were explicit, and posted them on viralpop.com, a site which was soon taken down.

James Castle, the Instructional Designer at the UGA Office of Online Learning, says that popular photo-sharing apps are not as reliable as some might think.

“The message passes through Apple’s servers, at the very least. Depending on the type of Wi-Fi network you are on, the photos could be intercepted at other points,” Castle said. “The photos are stored on the phone’s memory, and if iCloud backup is enabled, then the photos might be uploaded to a server somewhere. In reality, the risk of losing data to a hacker isn’t all that great, but if he or she wants your files bad enough, they can get them.”

WHY PEOPLE DO IT

According to Gutierrez, the motivation behind sexting is straightforward for most teens.

“I guess if you like somebody, you send them a nude to let them know how much you like them,” Gutierrez said.

Hernandez thinks that people send nudes in order to gain attention, and do so at their own risk. “(Girls send nudes) to get boys to like their body and not for their personality, or they want attention. They think that’s the only way to get popularity,” Hernandez said. “People can call you a whore, and you don’t want that bad reputation at school.”

CCHS PTSO Secretary and Clarke County School District counselor Karen Feb.-March 2015

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Infographic by Kevin Mobley

platforms like Snapchat. “(Teenagers do not sext) on iMessage, ‘cause I know people who’ve gotten caught sending nudes and then their parents check their iMessage. And Tumblr, anybody can find your Tumblr, so I guess the one that people do the most is Snapchat because it goes away,” Gutierrez said.

Snapchat is a photo-sharing app in which a sender can set a finite time--up to ten seconds--during which the receiver can see the photo, after which the photo is supposedly deleted. According to Gutierrez, this makes it a hotspot for sexting.

NEWS

Photo by Chad Rhym

Above: AFTER THE FACT: Of 362 Clarke Central High School students surveyed by the ODYSSEY on Feb. 27, 34 percent said that one possible consequence of sexting is a worsened reputation, especially if a digitally saved nude photo is “leaked” to a large number of students. “They don’t know what safe is. Sexting is putting yourself in a very vulnerable position,” Matt Ring, of the Athens-Clarke County Family Protection Center, said.

“I don’t think that the recent fad of girls sharing these kinds of pictures on social media is a cry for attention. I believe it is a direct product of growing up in a sexist and oppressive society that devalues the opinions of teenage girls and teaches them that their bodies are something to be ashamed of.”

AUDREY HINKLE, junior I think, needs that where people who may be older don’t need that kind of stimulation,” Glauser said. “When you’re an emerging adult, you’re developing your own personality, your lifestyle, your rules, your willing to test limits and go out on a limb.”

Junior Audrey Hinkle sees some benefits to posting nude photos on blog-hosting websites like Tumblr. According to Hinkle, certain nude photo sharing can be used as a form of self expression.

“I don’t really see a difference in posting pictures online seeking sexual liberation and sending nudes, they are both the prerogative of the sender,” Hinkle said. “I don’t think that the recent fad of girls sharing these kinds of pictures on social media is a cry for attention. I believe it is a direct product of growing up in a sexist and oppressive society that devalues the opinions of teenage girls and teaches them that their bodies are something to be ashamed of.”

Hinkle’s viewpoint is one common in some communities throughout Tum-

blr, which hosts hundreds of blogs featuring nude photos. Hinkle says she sees benefits in this trend.

“Due to the sexist nature of our society, if a boy’s nude photos get released, it is often seen as a laughable mistake, whereas if the same happens to a female it is seen as a direct blow to her character, especially if she is a professional, and can limit her opportunities in the future,” Hinkle said. “So any effort that can be made to combat this ideology, normalize the female body and obliterate the sexualization of girls is helpful.”

Opponents of the “body pride” movement, however, say that nudity should be avoided. “(Posting naked pictures) for self expression? That’s weird. I mean, if you’re gonna do that you might as well walk around the school naked,” freshman Jeffery Blakely said.

Freshman Samuel Thomas sees nothing wrong with the idea of posting nude

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NEWS

photos out of self-expression, but notes the context of the photo.

“It depends on the people that are viewing them. If you’re, like, in the art community. I think it can be perceived as something else. But if you’re just a normal person just posting it, people will think you’re trying to have sex or something,” Thomas said.

CONSEQUENCES

Sally Sheppard is the head of The Cottage, an Athens center for victims of sexual abuse and assault. She says that in her experience, teens’ nude sharing does not end well.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in that police department and (a nude photo) gets pulled up in front of mom and a cop,” Sheppard said. “I hate it for their parents and I hate it for the cop having to stand there and go, ‘Is this what he sent to you? Is this what you sent to him?’ and if it gets to court and the jury gets to see that, ugh. That would be horrible.”

Possession of nude photographs of anyone under 17 is considered child pornography according to Section 2251, Title XVIII of U.S. law, and is therefore illegal. According to Sheppard, being convicted of possession of such photos holds serious consequences. “(Possession of ) one picture of child pornography, which would be anyone under the age of 17, would be 25 years in prison,” Sheppard said.

And when legal authorities are notified of such offenses, legal action is usually taken.

“By and large, yes, child pornography almost always gets charged,” Sergeant Matt Ring, Supervisor for Sexual Assault and Crimes Against Children at the Athens-Clarke County Family Protection Center, said.

This proves troublesome for Snapchat, whose user base is 50 percent 13-18 year olds.

For this reason, Hinkle says that before posting any nude photos, posters, especially underage ones, should consider the photos’ legality.

“Many of the 15 and 16-year-olds that are putting these pictures of themselves out there fail to realize the possible ramifications of their actions, because if they’re putting them on social media platforms, that becomes the distribution of child pornography, which is a felony,” Hinkle said. “Child pornography laws are definitely an important thing to have in place.”

SOCIAL MENU

Although sexting can be carried out in many different ways, below are the most common platforms.

S N A P C H AT

TUMBLR

Snapchat is a mobile app that allows users to send pictures to their friends on a timer. Unless the recipient screenshots the image or saves it using a third party app, it becomes inaccesible after a maximum of ten seconds.

Tumblr is a blogging website that allows users to follow each other and reshare posts to their personal blog. Users can post original content, which will be visible to their followers.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS

Ring suspects that sexting is not an effect of maturing, but a hindrance to it.

“I think that the implications of sexting in general are degrading to one’s ability to properly grow and develop. I think they take growth and they shortsight it,” Ring said. “It’s destructive long term for careers, destructive for a person’s emotional stability or for your ability to have a meaningful relationship with others.”

Gutierrez, too, is quick to point out that casual nude-sending can sometimes end up as a dangerous activity.

“A friend of mine, his girlfriend had an ex-boyfriend, and her ex-boyfriend sold his phone and it still had nude stuff of her in it and the guy who bought the phone started messaging my friend’s girlfriend, saying ‘Oh you have to send me more private pictures or I will expose the ones that I already have here,’” Gutierrez said. “My friend was freaking out. They called the cops and everything, it was freaky.”

Ring warns that some level of danger is present in the practice.

“I think it’s very dangerous because some people send images to people they think they’re safe with. And they really don’t understand what safety is. As a juvenile, they may think they do because they read some article or they saw some nudes or they think they live at home and that makes them safe, but it does not make them safe,” Ring said. “What makes them safe is good judgment and not putting themselves in vulnerable positions. And sexting is putting yourself in a very vulnerable position.”

Despite the consequences, Gutierrez says he thinks sexting culture in regards to nude sending is here to stay.

“If you’re gonna do it just watch who you send them to. I’m not gonna say don’t do it because I know people are still gonna do it,” Gutierrez said.

iMESSAGE

Feb.-March 2015

KIK

iMessage is a text messaging service that uses Apple’s servers rather than typical cell carrier SMS servers. Users can selectively delete messages and save any attachments.

Kik is an instant messaging app that is not connected to users’ phone numbers or Facebook accounts, providing a certain degree of anonymity. Users can send photos or text messages.

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Cultural Buzz C

anadian rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham released Senior Copy Editor his surprise record If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late on Feb. 13 to the delight of fans worldwide.

The surprise release did not hinder its commercial success, debuting at number one on the Billboard chart.

Songs like “Energy” and “6 Man” present a lyrical prowess with a streak of a defiant self-reliance. “Energy” opens strong: “Look, I got enemies, got a lotta enemies / Got a lotta people tryna drain me of this energy.” If You’re Reading This also places focus on the frustration Drake faces as a successful member of the music industry--the release date is the One thing about If You’re sixth anniversary of So Far Gone, Drake’s third mixtape.

Reading This is clear: If You’re Reading This makes Drake made this album for it clear that Drake’s true passion one person only—himself. is--and always has been--music.

“Star 67” highlights the frustrations the music industry has introduced to his life: “Walk up in my label like where the check, though?”

As he then says, “I never ever thought I’d see that in my life,” showing that Drake’s drive is not only the profit, but the product of his labor as well.

If You’re Reading This provides a clear return to Drake’s musical roots.

The blunt nature of the record’s track are reminiscent of his debut, and while the songs are not ostentatious, they are impressive and thrilling for any fan. Out of it all, one thing about If You’re Reading This is clear: Drake made this album for one person only--himself.

BY ETHAN CRANE

Right on time

Photos by Flynne Collins

Fan of a Fan, Chris Brown and Tyga

She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry

Pouch

Fan of a Fan, the first collaborative album released Feb. 20 by rapper Michael “Tyga” Nguyen-Stevenson and singer Chris Brown was doomed before recording even started.

Fan of a Fan showcases just how terrible of a lyricist and performer Tyga really is.

This means that in order to make the album worth listening to, Chris Brown would have to put in the performance of his life, which, frankly, he did not.

Altogether, listening to Fan of a Fan is more of a chore than a pleasure, as it is totally unentertaining. In the future, Chris Brown would benefit by working solo.

She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, directed by Mary Dore, is the first film of its kind. It presents the so-called “second wave” of feminism in America more accurately than ever before. Authentic, powerful and enlightened, the women represented in She’s Beautiful really are beautiful, angry and strong.

She’s Beautiful isn’t romanticized. The activists featured in the film take note that women still are not equal, that they are still paid 75 cents when men are paid a dollar for the same job and that in society women are still highly misunderstood.

Dore pays close attention to these subgroups, recognizing the uniqueness of all women and their individual journeys towards liberation.

When Americans picture pies, they usually think of a basic apple or sweet potato pie. But the new Athens restaurant Pouch throws that stereotype out the door.

Located on 151 East Broad St., Pouch brings a revolutionary, new pie to Athens. Instead of sweet fruit fillings, these pies are filled with stuffings like meat and vegetables.

Each pie is medium sized and only costs $5.50.

Pouch brings a refreshing new taste to Athens.

They offer so many delicious pies to try, but a lot of their food does have a taste of alcohol in it, which may bother some. Otherwise, nearly every dish offered is perfectly satisfying.

-- Robert Walker, Digital Managing Editor

-- Grace Polaneczky, Web Staff

-- Jurnee Louder, Digital Junior Copy Editor

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Cultural Buzz

Fresh humor News Editor

Photos by Flynne Collins

A

BC’s new sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat” premiered on Feb. 4. Though the show has received criticism for portraying Asian stereotypes, that doesn’t stop it from being hilarious and heartfelt.

The show centers around Taiwanese middle schooler Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang) as he and his family move from Chinatown in Washington, D.C. to Orlando in the 1990s. He is obsessed with rap music and trying to fit in at school, frustrated with how surprisingly well his two younger brothers are adapting.

Eddie’s mother Jessica (Constance Wu) is a cut-and-paste “tiger mom,” pushing her kids to get good grades and be grateful for what they have. Contrastingly, his dad Louis (Randall Park) is the manager of a Western steak house, acculturatStereotypes aren’t ing to American ideals of customnecessarily a bad thing to er service.

There are digs at Asians being portray if the characters cheap and being totally foreign to are three-dimensional “white culture.” despite them.

Frankly, it is obvious that these jokes are not meant to be demeaning or offensive. They’re just funny.

The Huang family is, ultimately, just like any other family, and it should be noted that stereotypes aren’t necessarily a bad thing to portray if the characters are three-dimensional despite them. “Fresh Off the Boat,” despite its stereotypes, is certainly a well-rounded and entertaining addition to ABC’s Tuesday lineup.

BY SARA GOODIE

Smoke + Mirrors, Imagine Dragons

Champy’s Famous Fried Chicken

VSCOcam

The originality of sound and style from Imagine Dragons is highlighted in their new album Smoke + Mirrors.

Their sound is a mix of pop, rock and R&B with hints of vaguely Latin style in some of the songs like “Gold”.

Their early release/sneak peek I Bet My Life quickly became popular and hyped up their fanbase for the album release.

This album has a mix of somewhat slower beats as well as faster ones.

Despite the fact that this album has catchy tunes, it could be seen as “too alternative” for some listeners who want the traditional pop sound of the old Imagine Dragons tracks.

Champy’s Famous Fried Chicken opened its fifth location on 1120 Baxter St. on Thursday, Feb. 19, much to the delight of Athenian Southern food and brewery lovers.

Located in a shack-like building across from the Athens-Clarke County Public Library, Champy’s offers a wide array of Southern classics, such as the hot tamales from the Mississippi River Delta or the Georgian favorite pecan pie.

The new Champy’s location has struck an excellent balance between quality service and delicious Southern cooking. Its one downfall is the price level--most entrees are slightly overpriced for their quality.

Nonetheless, Champy’s has the potential to become a new local favorite.

-- Kevin Mobley, Junior Copy Editor

VSCOcam, an independently-developed app available on the Apple App store and on Google Play for Android, allows users to share images with Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or the app’s own grid.

Also, if users want to share their profile with others, they can send a link directly to them or publicize it on a social media website.

VSCOcam allows people to open themselves to the world, but has some flaws--for example, there is no “like” feature through the app itself.

It is the perfect app for those who love to capture pictures and express themselves in an artistic fashion.

-- Amelia DeLamater, Writing Coach

Feb.-March 2015

-- Christina Kurian, Staff Writer

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VARIETY

humble

beginnings Kelbourne “Kelly” Codling founded Kelly’s, a popular Jamaican restaurant that serves authentic cuisine.

BY WILLIAM WHITE

V Variety Writer

PHOTOS BY CHAD RHYM

LAYOUT BY AARON HOLMES

Visuals Coordinator

Senior Copy Editor

isitors to Kelly’s Jamaican Foods, located at 1583 S Lumpkin St., are greeted by the tantalizing smells of grilling meat, as well as the owner and founder, Kelbourne “Kelly” Codling.

After moving to the United States from Jamaica and losing his job in the construction industry, Codling started a roadside restaurant where he sold traditional Jamaican food. Since then, his business has grown to become successful restaurants in Five Points and at 145 Epps Bridge Rd. Kelly’s has been in Five Points for seven years, a feat that Codling attributes to the restaurant’s authenticity. “(Kelly’s) is just unique. It’s Jamaican. Real Jamaican food. You have some places that have Jamaican food, but it’s not authentic,” Codling said.

Starting a restaurant was not Codling’s first career choice. Originally, he wanted to work in the construction industry, but the struggling economy hurt the housing market, forcing him away from construction.

“I had food as a thing that, in case things don’t work out in the construction world, that I can fall back on.

After awhile, I started a construction business in Texas, and it worked out really well until the housing market got bad. After that, I just decided I would go into the food business, and that’s been working for the last twenty-something years,” Codling said.

Kelly’s is a large and well-maintained restaurant. It offers a wide array of traditional Jamaican dishes, like jerk chicken, fish and squash. The restaurant’s beginnings, however, were far more humble.

“When I first started out in the food business, it wasn’t like this. It was a shack on the roadside doing some jerk chicken and fish. Then it just got bigger and bigger,” Codling said.

Codling prides himself on his restaurant’s quality and fresh ingredients.

“The food is something that I’ve learned from my mom and my grandmother,” Codling said. “Everything we do is from scratch. We cook our cabbage from scratch. Jerk chicken, we do it on the grill. Squash, we do it from scratch. We make everything fresh. We don’t cook from a can or a box. No preservatives, nothing like that. Everything is fresh.”

Codling has been serving Jamaican food in Athens for 15 years. Over this period of time, he has amassed a substantial customer base.

“I have a lot of customers now who have been with me for the amount of time that I have been in Athens.

I have a lot of repeat customers. One customer will tell the next customer, and then they will tell the next customer. I have a good customer base, and it gets bigger and bigger every day,” Codling said.

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VARIETY Opposite page: SERVICE WITH A SMILE: Kelbourne “Kelly” Codling stands at the counter of Kelly’s, the restaurant he founded at 1583 S. Lumpkin St. Featured: WORKING ON JERK: Codling operates the smoker behind his restaurant. “Food (was) a thing that, in case things don’t work out, I can fall back on,” Codling said.

Feb.-March 2015

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VARIETY

Photo by Chad Rhym

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As her twelfth year as school secretary comes to a close, Linda Glenn reflects on the life experiences that led her to become Clarke Central’s

Gatekeeper to the community

U

pon walking into the main entrance of Clarke Central High School, visitors see a sliding glass window with a laminated sign that reads ‘FRONT OFFICE.’ Tucked away behind those windows sits Linda Glenn at her desk, a CCHS graduate and current secretary of 12 years.

A mother, a woman of song and a true believer in the importance of respect, she is the gatekeeper of CCHS. Glenn was born and raised in Athens alongside her three sisters. When she was 12 years old, her mother unexpectedly died, a moment that defined her childhood and has always influenced the way she carries out her life.

“Everything I’ve tried to do in life, I used to always say, I’m doing it for my mama, I’m doing it for my mama,” Glenn said.

In her adolescence, Glenn attended CCHS and then completed her senior year at Athens Technical College as a part of a senior plan. There, she earned her business education degree and high school diploma.

“It was easy for me to go over to Athens Tech, because it wasn’t like I was going to miss my friends (at CCHS) because I never really hung out with a lot of people,” Glenn said.

Before Glenn even finished the business course, Athens Tech offered her a job as a production secretary, which she accepted.

After graduation, she worked.

“I got a job at Athens Regional Hospital as a secretary in the emergency room. (That was) about the most exciting job I’ve ever had in my life, never a dull moment,” Glenn

BY GRACE WALKER Variety Writer

said.

This was one of many office jobs during Glenn’s time living in Athens, along with working for the Board of Education and as secretary of University Of Georgia’s Student Activity Department, where she met celebrities such as Beyoncé, Bill Cosby and Erykah Badu.

“I’ve always done office work, I’ve never done nothing but office work all of my life,” Glenn said.

But Glenn’s heart is also tied to her

sional singer, she practices her talent every week at her church.

“I sing in church, I even sing with the choir sometimes here,” Glenn said, “I sing every chance I get. If somebody asks me, I’m just always singing. I just love to sing, that’s my gift from God.” Eventually Glenn’s string of office jobs led her to CCHS in 2002, but she was initially a back apprehensive about applying because of the value of respect in her life. “(My) biggest concern, (was) a child

“I’ve always put other people before me. I don’t know when I’ve ever put myself first” -- LINDA GLENN, front office secretary musical roots, from singing in her church choir, to opening for The Manhattans at the Georgia Theater in 1978. However, she was not able to pursue her dream.

“I wanted to be a singer more than anything, but I really didn’t have any support.

I was raised in church, and I basically just sung in the church choir,” Glenn said.

However, 37 years later, singing remains one of Glenn’s dreams.

“I wish that somehow or another I could do that at a dinner club just sitting there with people eating dinner with a piano playing some music, just singing. I would love to do that, maybe one day I will,” Glenn said.

While Glenn has yet to become a profes-

Feb.-March 2015

being disrespectful and me not being able to take it. I didn’t grow up being disrespectful and (with) children today, it’s a whole different ball game with disrespect and discipline,” Glenn said. “That was my biggest fear, of getting fired because of not being able to separate myself from a student and me being an adult, but I’ve been able to do it,” Despite this concern, Glenn has spent the last 12 years as the first face CCHS visitors see. She has made connections with students and staff ever since. This is no exception for senior Tiara Wilson, Glenn’s office aide since Wilson’s freshman year of high school.

“I am (the) office aide for Ms. Glenn, I

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VARIETY

Photo courtesy of Linda Glenn

Above: CLOSE TIES: Front office secretary Linda Glenn and office aide senior Tiara Wilson have formed a close bond during Wilson’s four years of high school. “I take our relationship very seriously. She has been one of the most important people in my high school transition to the real world. She’s helped me deal with colliding between personal and businesses, and learning how to deal with people’s attitudes, and learning how to get along with a variety of different people,” Wilson said.

answer the phone, I am there to do any errands or any duties that that she asks for me to do, and I fill in her spot whenever she is absent,” Wilson said.

Wilson sees Glenn as an exceptional model of someone handling anything from mundane office tasks to some of the more stressful job occurrences in a professional manner. Wilson can recall witnessing Glenn demonstrating this professionalism while dealing with an outraged parent.

l

other when we’re bored, (and) there’s no one in the front and we’re just handling our business on the computer,” Wilson said “( We) sing together, in harmony, in unison.”

During their time working together, Glenn has positively impacted Wilson’s life, just like so many other students.

“She has become a very important person and a factor in my life because I have changed a lot thinking of the things that she “She taught me a lot of love. She was a single parent, so has told me for these past four years,” Wilson said.

In reflecting on her actions, Glenn says she was she taught me how to be a man as well, and that’s hard, rarely motivated by self-interest. for a single woman to teach a young boy how to be a “It seems to me like I’ve always put up with other people before me. I’ve always put other people man but she did it.” before me. I don’t know when I’ve ever put myself first, I just can’t never recall doing that, putting me -- BEN EDWARDS, first,” Glenn said.

As a result of her dedication, Glenn thinks she has Linda Glenn’s son made personal connections with students.

“I think I have a good relationship with a lot of “She mostly kept calm, she didn’t let all of the anger and all of the profanity the students. I came here with this attitude, I knew I was going to treat these effect her from saying what she needed to get out to him. The main thing (was) children the same way I treat mine. Some of them are going to accept it and that she wasn’t being mean back to him like he was to us,” Wilson said. some of them won’t,” Glenn said. “I’m all about discipline because you have to In addition to working together in the front office, Glenn and Wilson attend learn in life, there’s rules and regulations all during your life, even if you’re on church together and both share an affection for singing. your own coming, there’s somebody you’re going to have to answer to.” “( We) share a favorite artist, Erykah Badu, and sometimes we sing to each Glenn’s co-worker and friend, counselor Toawondia Underwood, says that

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Above: CCHS LEGACY: Front office secretary Linda Glenn’s son, Ben Edwards, posing with his mother and father in his 1999 senior football picture. “(I’m proud of) the man that my son has become. I’m very proud of my baby, I’ve always been proud of my baby,” Glenn said. Right above: MISS CCHS: Glenn graduated from CCHS while simultaneously working on a degree at Athens Technical College. Right below: OFFICIAL BUSINESS: Glenn worked at Action Incorporated in 1985. “I’ve always done office work, I’ve never done nothing but office work all of my life,” Glenn said.

the Counseling Office gets a lot of referrals from Glenn when a student’s issue extends further than the advice she is able to offer.

“She’s so compassionate. She is so loving, so genuine. She has a really good spirit, a really good heart,” Underwood said “She’s more like a mom, she’s very nurturing and just an amazing person,” Outside of the workplace, Glenn is a mother to 32-year-old Ben Edwards who attended CCHS from 1996-2000.

He speaks fondly of the way that his mother raised him and the role that she continues to play in his life.

“She taught me a lot of love. She was a single parent, so she taught me how to be a man as well, and that’s hard, for a single woman to teach a young boy how to be a man but she did it,” Edwards said. “She is a wonderful lady, she raised me well. (She’s) an all-around, just wonderful person. I wish everyone could have a mama like mine.”

Glenn is indeed the gatekeeper of CCHS, but she is also much more than that to the people she has encountered in her life and those she’s met at CCHS. “I’ve met people, and I’ve touched lives of people I didn’t know I’d touched,” Glenn said.

Photos courtesy of Linda Glenn

Feb.-March 2015

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C O N D O R TA K E S F L I G H T

Native Athenian brothers Nick and Peter Dale opened Condor Chocolates, a shop dedicated to serving fresh, high-quality Ecuadorian chocolate.

STORY BY ROBERT WALKER Digital Managing Editor

PHOTOS BY CHAD RHYM Visuals Coordinator

LAYOUT BY LOUISE PLATTER Editor-in-Chief

ocal restaurateur and chef Peter Dale’s latest culinary endeavor roast, grind, temper and form, as well as the large birds, drawn on the walls. is a family one, and one that sprouted not as a business plan, but “We wanted education to be a part of the shop, so we wanted people to something much simpler. know the process. We had (artist David Hale) list the steps of production over “A couple of years ago, when I was in Ecuador, I wanted to bring there on the wall, so people can know how we get the chocolate to what they back some chocolate as gifts for friends (in Athens),” Peter said. “And are eating,” Peter said. “(Hale is) really well known for his birds, and because when I was there, I found that there wasn’t really a nicely-packaged and artisthe name of the store is Condor, which is the Ecuadorian version of the bald anally-produced chocolate, and there were also no companies that were higheagle, it’s on the flag, the emblem, everything, we wanted a name that evoked a lighting the unique qualities of Ecuadorian chocolate.”

After this trip, Peter teamed up with his brother, Nick, “I’ve been making chocolate for almost three years in order to start Condor Chocolates, which opened on Dec. 20, 2014. The business focuses solely on Ecuadorian now, I call myself a self-taught chocolate maker. There chocolate, something that both brothers share a passion (are) a lot of resources online, so a lot of it was me figfor, as well as their ten employees.

“Our mom is from Ecuador originally, and Ecuador uring it out in the kitchen.” produces the most cacao of any country in the Americas.

We grew up eating Ecuadorian chocolate and really -- NICK DALE, loving the good flavor profile of it,” Peter said.

As opposed to chocolate stores that simply buy preCondor Chocolates co-owner made ingredients, the determination of the Dale brothers to be as authentic as possible is evident in both of their enthusiasm for real, Ecuadorian chocolate. feeling of Ecuador.”

“Condor is a bean-to-bar business, and what that means is that we take the Condor boasts a large variety of products, from traditional bars to chocolate raw cacao and manufacture it all the way to a bar form, or other types of chocwith cayenne in typical Ecuadorian style to sipping chocolate. olate products,” Nick said. “We are a little bit unique, as there aren’t too many “I first had Condor at an event, but this is the first time that I’ve been to the other bean to bar producers (in Georgia).” real location, because I’ve really wanted to try the sipping chocolate, and it is What is very noticeable on the walls of Condor is the art, from the list of really good,” customer Andre Gallant said. steps in the process of how Condor produces their chocolate: grow, dry, ship, The experience of both of the Dale brothers has contributed to the final 36 | odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE

Feb.-March 2015

VARIETY product of Condor. Peter brings the experience of running a restaurant, serving as head chef of The National, a partner at 5 & 10 and co-founder of Seabear Oyster Bar. “There’s not a lot of free time now, but I’m having fun. I’m mostly at The National now, so my brother is running the day-to-day operations and the chocolate making,” Peter said. “I help him with big picture things like marketing and packaging and things that don’t require me to be on site during business hours.”

While Peter brings the knowledge of the business, Nick brings with him the experience of understanding how to make chocolate and operate the machinery used in the process of chocolate making.

“I’ve been making chocolate for almost three years now, I call myself a selftaught chocolate maker. A lot of it was me figuring it out in the kitchen,” Nick said.

Nick is the daily manager of the restaurant, who handles the day-to-day operations of Condor, as well as experimentations with recipes.

“I do a lot more back of the house working and managing employees, but I also create all the recipes for the chocolate,” Nick said. “I also do the tests for all of the (chocolate making) machines, but on a much smaller scale, so I know what they will taste like.”

After opening at the height of the holiday season, Condor saw an early boom in sales, firmly introducing themselves into the Athens culinary scene.

“We opened on the 20th (of December), and on the 23rd we sold out of every single piece of chocolate we had here, which is a really good problem to have,” Nick said. “And since then we’ve been analyzing the trends of when customers come in, so that we know when we need to have a lot of chocolate on hand.”

Following their booming winter period, both Dale brothers are looking ahead, so that they can remain an institution in the five points food scene.

“Our goal is to produce enough bars so that we can sell them outside of the store, be that on the website and also in specialty food shops,” Peter said. “That’s really my goal, to produce enough so we can expand outside of our own store, and maybe beyond Athens, and spread the word about Ecuadorian chocolate.”

Opposite page: HAUTE DECOR: According to co-owner Nick Dale, the interior of Condor is intended to evoke the aesthetic of Ecuador, where the store’s coffee is harvested. Right FINAL STEPS: A Condor worker prepares truffles made with Bailey’s Irish Cream for sale in the store’s kitchen. Below: STORAGE MODE: A worker inserts a tray of truffles into a refrigerator for cooling. Truffles are sold at the store for $2.50 apiece.

Photos by Chad Rhym

SPORTS

The box score Above: DOWN FIELD: Junior and varsity center back Ivan Rogel dribbles the ball away from two Gainesville High Schoolplayers on Friday, Mar. 24. The Clarke Central High School boys varsity team lost to Gainesville 2-0. “At first coming out there to the field we had that feeling where, ‘Oh, we already know we’re going to lose cause obviously they’re better than us.’

But it’s not good to have that mentality. Possibly, anything can happen.,” Rogel said.

Court obstruction

Since August, construction has been an inconvenience to students getting from class to class.

Now that the 2015 tennis season has arrived, players are experiencing similar difficulties getting from the classroom to the courts.

“Well, getting to and from the courts is difficult. You have to go through the construction sites and the noise is unbearable,” sophomore and varsity girls tennis player Denise Sunta said.

The tennis team has lost practice time as a result of construction equipment surrounding the path to the courts. As a result, construction workers built a new fenced-in pathway for the players.

“They’ve really been doing some heavy duty work around the court,” tennis coach and social studies department teacher Stephen Hinson said. “We had to cancel. (Construction workers) were just very concerned. At first it was kind of like ‘You know, we’ve got to practice,’ but, at the same time, I understand where they are coming from. They were very nice about it.”

Frisbee frenzy

Math department teacher and cross country head coach Eric McCollough is sponsoring a new Ultimate Frisbee club for spring of 2015 at Bishop park on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The club has around 15 players, most of whom are members of the CCHS cross country team.

“The kids start off with throwing the frisbee around to get familiar with it. The plan is we will run a drill and then we will scrimmage,” McCullough said.

Junior Emily Hall enjoys Ultimate Frisbee club.

“Ultimate Frisbee club is so much fun. It’s very informal and it’s mostly scrimmage. We switch up the teams every practice and it really gives us a chance to all get to know eachother and improve our skills,” Hall said. .........

Hot competition

Ready to repeat The Clarke Central High School varsity wrestling team placed seventh at the State Championship which was held at the Macon Centerplex on Feb. 12-14 for the 2014-15 season. Though this was an improvement from winning eighth place during 2013-14 season, both wrestling head coach Timothy Stoudenmire and senior varsity wrestler Bryce McAllister expected the team to finish stronger. “(Finishing seventh) was heartbreaking because we were supposed to go farther than that,” McAllister said. “I expected us to at least place top six and take a trophy home.”

According to McAllister, the reason the team did not do better at state was because the team did not communicate like they should have.

“We didn’t do as well at state because we didn’t listen to Coach Stoud. The teams were hard but not impossible to beat and if we had listened to what he said, we would’ve done as he predicted,” McAllister said.

Despite not finishing in the top six this year and losing two seniors last year, Stoudenmire said he has seen improvements in the team this year.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the guys that have filled in those (senior) holes.” We’ve got great adjustment out of our freshman class,” Stoudenmire said.

Based on what McAllister has witnessed this year, he expects next year’s wrestling team to improve their record.

“Next year I fully expect the team to go way further than ever before,” McAllister said. “The team should once again win Area Duals and traditional. In the State Dual Tournament, they should, at the very least, place top six, I hope they win it all though.”

Last year the Clarke Central High School varsity baseball team finished 7-18, now the team has tied their amount of wins in ten games with 12 more regular season games left to play.

“We’re at a point where we are able to compete with those type of teams, but we weren’t in the past,” varsity baseball head coach Trey Henson said.

A large part of the baseball team’s good start is due to their work ethic for this year, according to Henson.

“We’re better (than last year) and the whole program has worked through the off season,” Henson said. “We’ve only lost two seniors from last year, one being Patrick Mathews on the mound, but we’ve had three guys that stepped up.”

Not only is Henson optimistic for the season, but so is senior outfielder Chris Resby.

“We will compete for a playoff spot because we’ve been able to mature better than previous seasons,” Resby said. “As long as we do the small things we are coached to do and play for each other, we will surprise everyone in the region.”

-- Johanna Hall, Sports Writer

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“

SPORTS

Photos by Chad Rhym.

Audibles

Above: FLYING HIGH: Seniors Barret Binder and John Hubbard jump up and attempt to catch a frisbee during the Ultimate Frisbee club practice at Bishop Park. “It’s been a lot of different types of people I wouldn’t usually hang out with and it’s a good way to exercise,” Binder said.

“

I’m looking forward to watching baseball because I’ve played my whole life, and now I can sit back and watch my friends play the game I love.

“

I’ve noticed that when we don’t have practices before the meet, our members play stronger and are more competitive.

“

”

IMANI HEYWOOD, senior and former tennis player, on the inclement weather that has prevented tennis practice.

(The varsity soccer teams) have amazing players and great coaches who push them. Every player pushes themself to be better and everyone wants to win.

To the next level On Feb. 3, varsity senior goalkeeper Hannah Welch signed her letter of intent to Emmanuel College.

“I felt like my dreams had finally come true because for as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to play soccer in college,” Welch said.

Welch says that her journey to becoming a college soccer player was not clear until girls varsity soccer head coach Chris Hulse became the head coach her junior year.

“He set me on the path to being able to play in college. He took us to a showcase in Jekyll Island. After the Jekyll Island showcase, I remember him telling me the coach from Emmanuel liked what he had seen in my play,” Welch said.

Welch’s signing day took pressure off of her since she knows where she’ll be going to college after the season and that she’ll be playing the sport that she loves.

“I think that (signing to Emmanuel) is a big weight off of my shoulders since I don’t have to worry about what I’m going to do when (the high school soccer season) is over,” Welch said.

Her signing day was also a big moment in her life as it instilled confidence in her for the 2015 season after going 5-12 the season before.

“I go into games knowing I’m a collegiate goalkeeper. It kind of gives me that mentality that if I’m good enough to play at the college level there should be nothing stopping me at the high school level,” Welch said.

Not only is Welch optimistic about the upcoming season, but so is Hulse.

“If we can keep growing at the rate that we’ve been good things will come,” Hulse said.

”

TYLER SARTAIN, senior, on which spring sport he’s looking forward to watching this season.

“

”

CHLOE CALABRIA, freshman, on which teams she thinks will be most successful this season.

(Heritage events) are not for the recognition to celebrate, but the need to market their team.

”

DR. JON WARD, Athletic Director, on professional team’s motives for hosting heritage events.

Below: SIGNING DAY: Senior and varsity goalkeeper Hannah Welch signs her national intent to play soccer at Emmanuel College for the 2016 season. “My first two years (in high school) I never thought much about playing in college. I knew I wanted to, but I didn’t know what to do or how to do it,” Welch said.

-- Samuel Hood, Sports Editor

-- Compiled by Sports Staff Feb.-March 2015

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Sharing

the load On the varsity baseball team, leadership is shared.

BY JOHANNA HALL

LAYOUT BY AARON HOLMES

Sports Staff

Senior Copy Editor

A

team captain is typically designated to lead the team and keep them in line. But on the Clarke Central High School varsity baseball team, there is no specific ‘team captain.’ Instead, the team dynamic and leadership qualities found in the players keep the team functioning.

“We’ve got guys in basically every grade that are kind of taking on that leadership role, and when you get a bunch of guys that are holding each other accountable, which is what leaders do, you tend to raise the level of play,” varsity baseball head coach Trey Henson said.

Instead of being chosen by coaches, leaders emerge when players are willing to take charge and lead the team, according to senior and varsity first baseman Ben Tonks.

“For the most part, it’s really just people stepping up, so if you step up as a younger player, you can be a leader just as easily,” Tonks said.

Sophomore varsity catcher Cole Melancon is one of those players. He joined the varsity baseball team his freshman year, and was recognized by coaches for his leadership.

“There’s a leadership award that goes every year to someone.

Last year, Melancon won it. (That) just goes to show you that you don’t have to be one of the older players to win the leadership award,” senior and varsity first baseman Terry McHugh said.

Melancon says that earning the award as a freshman required effort.

“Earning respect from my teammates (was a challenge),” Melancon said. “I just tried to keep everyone’s head up.”

Melancon is a catcher, and is therefore responsible for letting other players know what to prepare for during the game. During the 2014 season, Melancon was frequently present behind the plate, playing 25 of the team’s 26 games.

“When you get a bunch of guys that are holding each other accountable, which is what leaders do, you tend to raise the level of play.”

-- TREY HENSON, varsity baseball head coach

Photo by Chad Rhym

Photo by Julie Alpaugh

Opposite page: UNWIND: Junior and varsity pitcher Trip Thompson pitches during a game vs. Apalachee High School on March 18. “As a younger player you can be a leader just as easily too,” senior first baseman Ben Tonks said. Above, top: YOUNG LEADER: Sophomore and varsity catcher Cole Melancon stands at bat during the Apalachee game. Despite being an underclassman, Melancon was recognized with a team leadership award as a freshman. “It’s really just a leadership position to play. It’s not surprising that a lot of times it’s the catcher that wins that award,” senior and varsity first baseman Terry McHugh said.

Above, bottom: A TEAM EFFORT: Melancon and varsity baseball head coach Trey Henson stand together on the field before practice. “We’ve got guys in basically every grade taking on a leadership role,” Henson said.

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SPORTS

Photo by Chad Rhym

“Cole really excels at leading. He does it by example, he’s vocal, he picks guys up when he needs to pick guys up and he gets on guys when he needs to get on guys,” Henson said.

Henson, who became head coach in 2012, says he has seen an increase in leadership qualities of players through the years.

“When they step through the gates, it’s time to go and it’s time to work,” Henson said. “I’m at a point I’ve been here long enough, I’ve had those guys long enough that they understand that relationship dynamic and what I expect of them and what they can expect out of me.”

According to Henson, many players take on leadership as they gain confidence later in high school.

“We didn’t have a lot of leadership early on when I took on, but now since we’ve had some years in the program…you’re starting to see leadership out of those guys that weren’t necessarily leaders before,” Henson said. “They’ve kind of grown into that role, understanding that we need leadership to be successful and be able to compete on the level that we play at.”

Many of the traditional responsibilities of a head coach have been designated to leaders on the team. “(The leaders) make sure we’re stretching on time, they make sure guys get their throwing in when we can’t. If I’m not down there, they’re holding each other accountable to what they should be doing,” Henson said. “They’ll have a set of drills...and if they’re down there messing around, I kind of hang in on those guys to be able to say something to them.”

Despite the fact that many players say age itself is not a factor in determining

“The more you know the way things work, the more you’re expected to lead the team.”

-- TERRY McHUGH, senior and varsity first baseman

leadership, leaders typically need a prior knowledge of the team dynamic. As a result of this, leaders are typically older and more experienced players.

“I’d say it’s more about the older people working as a unit,” McHugh said.

“The more you know the way things work, I guess the more you’re expected to lead the team.”

Some players may struggle with accepting leaders. But according to Henson, leaders are accepted on the CCHS varsity baseball team.

“Sometimes (leaders are) viewed negatively, (but) I think in our program, because we’ve got so many guys that are finally, they’re getting on board for the same goal, I think it’s very well accepted,” Henson said.

Feb.-March 2015

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A fresh start Stefan Smith coached Clarke Central High School basketball for 14 years before leaving for a position at Cedar Shoals High School last year.

STORY BY AARON HOLMES

AND LOUISE PLATTER

Senior Copy Editor

Editor-in-Chief

F

or more than a decade, former CAPS department teacher Stefan Smith advanced through basketball coaching positions at Clarke Central High School, including varsity boys assistant coach, a title he held from 2006-13. During this time, physical education department teacher Billy Wade was varsity boys head coach, until E2020 teacher Andre McIntyre was promoted to head coach in 2010.

In 2013, Smith was transferred to be the varsity girls assistant head coach. He left his position at CCHS following the 2013-14 season. Smith began working as a special needs department teacher at Cedar Shoals High School at the start of the 2014-15 school year, and took on the positions of boys track head coach and boys basketball assistant coach.

On Jan. 20, the ODYSSEY spoke with Smith at the CSHS gym about his career and his goals for the CSHS varsity team. At the time, the CSHS team was preparing for a game at CCHS on Jan. 24, which the CSHS team won 74-45.

The CSHS team later made it to the state tournament final four, but was eliminated after losing to Brunswick 44-43 on Feb. 28.

From the beginning

ODYSSEY: What caused you to first start coaching at Clarke Central High School?

Stefan Smith: Well, I actually started at Clarke Middle (School). Actually, let’s go back: I played at Central, I graduated in 1991. I ended up going to college and my old coach, (CCHS physical education department teacher) Billy Wade, was still there. He hired me at Clarke Middle School, and I coached there for five years, maybe six. We won a lot of middle school championships. Our players--you wouldn’t know these guys--were Corey Hill, and actually (CCHS baseball head coach) Trey Henson was on my team. In fact, he was on my first team, so the fact that he was in seventh grade when I started coaching shows how far I go back [laughs]. So after that Coach Wade called me up and I ended up coaching at Central for probably 15 years. I started off as a ninth grade coach, then JV coach and then head varsity assistant. So, I coached there with Wade until, what was it, 2010?

And after that, that’s when the other guy came, (varsity boys head coach Andre) McIntyre.

OD: When you first started coaching at Clarke Central, and began moving through positions there, did you have any goal for yourself?

SS: Yeah, one day I was planning to be the head coach.

That was one of my aspirations at the time. But then, you know, you’re coaching with your head coach, and I was trying to get him to that “promised land” of winning the state championships--something that hasn’t been done in Athens since 1941,

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Feb.-March 2015

maybe, by a boys team--so when you’re doing that, it...it meant a lot to me. And I kinda got--I hung around there, maybe a little too long, if you know what I mean [laughs]. I probably should have started applying to other jobs, but I never did.

OD: Could you talk a little bit about your coaching dynamic with Wade, and how you worked together?

SS: It was more so a family than it was coaching. It became your standard family, kind of.

We were both chasing the same thing. Coaching with him was fun because a lot of stuff I already knew from when I played for him. And it was easy, just looking at how he evolved from the time he coached us and how he grew with basketball, and I learned a lot from him--just being around, just learning a lot. And not just about basketball--life, too.

More than just a sport OD: What would you say is your most proud accomplishment during your time at Central?

SS: Our region championships and our string of going to the state playoffs, and the number of kids we graduated. All of our kids, pretty much, graduated from high school that played for us.

That was my proudest thing, I think. We did a lot in the community, we got a lot of kids scholarships that probably wouldn’t have gotten scholarships. If you saw them in ninth grade, and then saw them in 12th grade, it’s amazing the things they picked up.

When someone calls you back and says, ‘Hey, coach, thanks...’

The cross-town shift OD: After so many years as a coach at Central, what caused you to move to Cedar?

SS: Well, I ended up working with the girls for a year. And I’m not a girls coach. I mean, it taught me patience, but it wasn’t the right position for me.

And then me and Coach Drico Thomas had been talking for a while, since Coach Wade... Well, whatever happened to Coach Wade. So finally, I became head boys track coach, and he’s head assistant.

You take that opportunity when it comes, and that opportunity was there for me. And my wife didn’t want to move, that was a big part of it, too, my wife wanted to stay in town. I wanted to get a head coaching boys job, but my wife said we had settled our family here. My kids’ grandparents are

“

I’m an eye-to-eye person.

And that’s all you can ask for, to have men that are upstanding and men that are straightforward.

” Photos by Chad Rhym

OD: So you feel it’s your job as a coach to guide kids to academic success, too?

SS: Yeah, ensuring success after high school.

That’s the essential thing, that’s really what it’s about.

Because, I mean, you have to give them life lessons so they’ll be prepared for life. You do that through sports, through basketball.

Not all of them are gonna get scholarships, and what about the ones who don’t get scholarships? They need to be ready for college, or to join the military, or to get a job. That’s what I was told when I was coming up, so those are the values that my dad and my mom, especially, told me: you’ve

got those three options, and that’s it. So when you’re working with kids and you’re their role model, you tell them things like that. The other day I got a call from a guy named Rodney Jones. He called me and he said, “Coach, guess what? I got my truck driver’s license.” And he was excited about it. Things like that will make you happy as a coach.

You know, he had this dream to play basketball, but not everybody’s going to play basketball. And the fact that he found something, he found his niche in life, is really what it’s about. He wanted to go to college, but sometimes college is not for everybody.

And if you’re not going, at least have a plan. That’s what we try to teach kids.

SPORTS

Opposite page: HUDDLE UP: Cedar Shoals High School varsity basketball assistant coach Stefan Smith directs his players during a game at Clarke Central High School. Above: APPLYING PRESSURE: Smith encourages the CSHS team during their game vs. CCHS. The Jaguars eventually won 74-45.

Feb.-March 2015

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“

That kind of made it tough; when you’re by yourself. I’ve got coaches here that are in the building, and I’ve got more support, I guess, than I did there.

”

here, my parents are here, her parents are here, she didn’t want to move. So I was like, ‘Well, I don’t know where else I can go.’ I wouldn’t go to Monsignor Donovan; I’m not an Athens Christian type of guy; Athens Academy, I’m not that. And she said, ‘What about Cedar Shoals?’ and I said, ‘What?’ [laughs]. That was like blasphemy. So, what I did was I called all my guys I had went to school with, it was crazy. I mean look, I’m 42 years old and I still had to get their permission. Like, ‘Hey, man, I’m going to Cedar, man.’ And they were like, ‘What?’ [laughs]. So I broke the Billy Henderson-Billy Wade code, you know. I played for Billy Henderson--the great Billy Henderson--and learned a lot from him, and it seemed like I broke the code.

Moving forward, looking back OD: How do you feel about your position at Cedar so far?

SS: I like it. Working with Dr. Price, I learned a lot about the school. Those were the main things I was worried about, just,

Photos by Chad Rhym

would I like the school? He pretty much told me the truth about the school, he was pretty honest with me, and I can respect honesty. I’m an eye-to-eye person, you know, when a man can sit across from you and tell you something eye-to-eye. And Roger Edmunds, the Athletic Director. Great guy. Straightforward.

Coach Thomas, the basketball coach. Great guy. Straightforward.

And that’s all you can ask for, to have men that are upstanding and men that are straightforward. Our relationship is good, so...

So far, so good.

OD: Do you have any goals for the Cedar team, looking forward?

SS: Yeah, we’re taking small steps. We’re right where we thought we would be. In some aspects we’re doing a little better because we’re working pretty hard this summer, me coming in helped out Coach Thomas and we did some attitude and mindset training. So, we’ve got good guys, and we’ve got some good stuff going. And goals for the future, of course we’re chasing the state championship. We’ve got some young guys and we’re

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TABLE OF CONTENTS SPORTS

Photo courtesy of Stefan Smith

Opposite page: A WATCHFUL EYE: In addition to coaching, Smith says he keeps tabs on players’ academic achievement. “You have to give them life lessons,” Smith said. Above left: A PERSONAL HISTORY: Smith, top left, poses for a team picture during his time as a CCHS senior and varsity player. Bottom right is physical education department teacher Billy Wade. Above right: LIKE FAMILY: Smith high-fives players during the CSHS vs. CCHS game on Jan. 24. “We’ve got good guys, and we’ve got some good stuff going,” Smith said of his team.

excited about them, so we’re planning on making a run if we can. You know, everything’s got to fall into the right place for that, so hopefully we can do that. My first thing was to play competition, and I think we’ve done that; we played a lot of teams that were (AAAAAA). So we did that. And we’re planning on some big things.

OD: Looking back, what circumstances would have kept you at Central?

SS: I would be the head basketball coach. I’d have been the head track coach there. I would have had to rebuild that program and that’s a lot of work. You’ve got to have people that will support you. One big thing is I had a lot of people in the school that were willing to work with me, but that’s the thing: At the time I didn’t have any coaches in the building, so that’s a big strain for me to actually get the kids out there. If you’ve got people that will get the kids out there and help them stay on top of their grades, that makes the job a lot easier.

And that kind of made it tough, when you’re by yourself. I’ve got coaches here that are in the building, and I’ve got more support, I guess, than I did there.

OD: How do you feel about the Cedar vs. Central game? Is that going to be weird for you?

SS: When I did the first one it felt weird, because I coached these guys. The guys that are at Central right now were on the JV team that went undefeated, and I had those guys two years ago. So, I start out the game shaking their hands, and it felt kind of funny, you know, being on the other side. But, I think they understand. They understand, at least, most of them got the idea of why I left. And the main thing is that it’s about the kids. So they understand. But coming back to Central, that’s going to be different--sitting under the same roof, seeing that locker room. But I still know people, I still see Officer Reid and I still see Coach Johnson. So, you know, some of our relationships are still going to be there. So it got kind of emotional. I didn’t think it would, I was standing there in this (CSHS) gym, and it got kind of like, “God, these guys.” So it kind of felt different. I didn’t know how to treat them... real love. I just kind of shook their hand, did like this [laughs].

Feb.-March 2015

“

It got kind of emotional. I didn’t think it would.

It got kind of like, ‘God, these guys.’

I didn’t know how to treat them.

”

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2015 Spring sports halftime report

BY TIERRA HAYES Sports Writer

LAYOUT AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBERT WALKER Digital Managing Editor

The 2015 Clarke Central High School spring sports halftime report provides a comprehensive summary of all sports at their respective halfway points, including the opinions of coaches and players on their thoughts on the season. Pictured is varsity girls soccer player sophomore Alexa Bernal.

Photo Chad Rhym 46 by | odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE

Feb.-March 2015

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Feb.-March 2015

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CCHS

2015 CCHS

Girls track Head Coach: Reginald Thomas Assistants: Christopher Johnson, Stacy Scott, Stephanie Hines-Smith, Quincy Wilkins Last Season: 5th in Region Key Returning Athletes: Santana Baldwin, Cameron Mims, Brittney Robinson, Elizabeth Sams Key Senior losses: Clarissa Burton, Jalisa Howard, Amber Richardson, Gabrielle Saupe Coach’s Outlook: “If we are able to stay healthy, we have a chance to be one of the top four teams in the region.”

-- Reginald Thomas Player’s midseason update: “I feel that we’ll get better as long as we work, continue to (do what we are doing) and work as a team.” -- Brittney Robinson, junior

Photos by Chad Rhym

Baseball Head Coach: Trey Henson Assistants: Jared Jackson, Nick Wegmann Last Season: 7-18 Key Returning Players: Jecorrah Arnold, Jordan Bonner, Noah Fairburn, Chandon Haynes, Terry McHugh, Cole Melancon, Chris Resby, Isaiah Sims, Trip Thompson Key Senior losses: Tyler Boon, Patrick Matthews Coach’s Outlook: “We’ve been working hard. We’ve got guys who have put on 25, 30, 35 pounds of muscle and I’m confident that its going to show.” -- Trey Henson Player’s midseason update: “It’s the best start we’ve had in five years. I expect us to keep doing what we’re doing and hopefully we’ll win some more games.”

-- Trip Thompson, junior

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HALFTIME REPORT

Boys track

CCHS

Head Coach: Christian Norton Assistants: Christopher Johnson, Bode Osagiobare Last Season: 9th in Region Key Returning Athletes: An’zavion Brown, Marcus Ellis, Jeffrey Mack, Desmond Sorrells Coach’s outlook: “The core of the team is young so that will be good for this year and for the future. I’m excited about some new comers and to get a chance to see what they will do in competition this year.” -- Christian Norton Player’s midseason update: “We’re doing real good, kind of average this year, but we’re progressing. You never know you have to see we’re practicing hard and were going to continue to progress.” -- Matthew Green, junior Photos by Chad Rhym

Golf Head Coach: Dinah Posey Assistant Coaches: Philip Walter, William Parrish, Matthew Snow Last Season: Girls placed 4th in Region Key Returning Players: Emma Clarke, William Imes, Masano Conine-Nakano, Hannah Stubbs Key Senior loss: Jane Fleming Coach’s Outlook: “I really think we probably have the best shot at the girls competing to go to sectionals. For the boys (our goal) would be to get back to a some what consistent team.” -- Dinah Posey Player’s midseason update: “The new kids coming in have pretty good talent, it’s probably going to be the best year in a while.” -- Hannah Stubbs, senior Feb.-March 2015

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CCHS

2015 CCHS

Boys soccer Head Coach: Chris Aiken Assistants: Daniel Saucedo Last Season: 19-2 State Final Four, Region 8-AAAAA Champions Key Returning Players: Scholl Wright, Cole Wilson, Ivan Rogel, Gerardo Arteaga, Tato Felix, Miguel Erazo, Luis Diaz, Alejandro de Paz, Edwin Aramburo, Mauricio Ferrer Key Senior losses: Gabe Arcos, Henry Scott, Italo Pastor, Matthew Ward, Eddy Gutierrez, Alex Reyes, Manuel Martinez, David Guillen, Marquez Favors, Mikkel Petersen, Elber Calvillo, Alex Navarro Coach’s Outlook: “The biggest thing I’m hoping for is just to earn a spot in the playoffs.” -- Chris Aiken Photo by Chad Rhym

Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Player’s midseason update: “I think its going pretty good actually. We all know each other and we all communicate and play as a good team.” -- Gerardo Artega, senior

Girls tennis Head Coach: Stephen Hinson Assistants: Abby Suddreth, William Kissane Last Season: 9-7 Key Returning Players: Caroline Caldwell, Madeline Jenkins, Isobel Crain, Elisabeth DeLamater, Denise Sunta, Addie Downs Key Senior losses: Allie Martin Outlook: “I think the girls are going to be very competitive.

We have a really solid chance of making State.” -- Stephen Hinson Player’s midseason update: “We have a strong team and have improved a lot from last year and are continuing to improve throughout our season.” -- Madeline Jenkins, sophomore

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HALFTIME REPORT

Girls soccer

CCHS

Head Coach: Chris Hulse Assistants: Brian Lukasiewicz, Kerr McGowan Last Season: 5-12 Key Returning Players: Nicolina Boza, Magda Striepen, Hannah Welch Key Senior losses: Sandy Fiero, Marissa Ragsdale, Kimberly Shumaker Pre-season Coach’s outlook: “Every year you’re trying to win a state championship and a region championship that doesn’t change no matter what the circumstances are were definitely looking to get ourselves there.” -- Chris Hulse Player’s midseason update: “We’re a lot better this year than we were last year and (we’re) really trying to be region champions.” -- Alexa Bernal, sophomore Photo by Chad Rhym

Boys tennis

Photo by Sophie Fernandes

Head Coach: Stephen Hinson Assistants: Abby Suddreth, William Kissane Last Season: 9-7 Key Returning Players: Martin Garin, Tomislav Zabic-Matic, Ellis Flurry, Tyler Mobley, Edward Byrne, Nick Dawe Key Senior losses: Gabe Harper, Tristan Lapetz Coach’s Outlook: “I think they’re going to kind of be rebuilding so I think that they’re going to have some challenges but I think they’re capable of making it to state.”

-- Stephen Hinson Player’s midseason update: “We’ve already had a lot of rainouts and a lot of times when didn’t get to practice. I think it will badly affect (our games).” -- Michael Windle, junior Feb.-March 2015

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SPORTS

Nike exploits culture The outfitter’s Black History Month collection is ridiculous and offensive.

N

Academics first

Photo by Julie Alpaugh

Academics trump athletics in the high school arena and the GHSA eligibility policy.

H

igh school is an institution meant for educating children in core subjects and electives; therefore, a student’s focus should be on academics, not athletics.

According to freedom.mysdhc.org, 98 percent of high school athletes never play collegiate sports of any kind, at any level. College, however, can lead to many opportunities, but requires a high

BY CHRISTINA KURIAN school diploma. Passing core classes are vital, and Web Writer if sports prevent this, then a student shouldn’t be allowed to participate in extracurricular activities.

There is the probability that playing a sport may lead to a professional career. According to the NCAA, three in 10,000 high school senior boys playing interscholastic basketball will eventually be drafted by an NBA team. Focusing on sports as a driving force in your life may lead to many closed paths and opportunities.

Sports are some of the most time-consuming extracurricular activities. Athletics require a lot of a student’s time, which could be used to Sports are some of the accelerate or remediate learning. most time-consuming I chose not to participate in a extracurricular activities, winter sport so that I could focus more on school. When I did play and distract from sports, I was exhausted every day, academics. which eliminated time for studying. I was too tired to focus.

Academics can open more paths and opportunities leading to prosperity.

The core subjects that one learns will help them in their educational career and possibly with life skills.

The rule, having to be able to pass at least five classes, can be seen as positive to students as well. Restricting students from playing their favorite sports may push them into working harder in classes to pass classes. The rule can be a motivation to many athletes students.

CCHS’ policy may seem unfair, but we must recognize that as a school its primary function is to educate students. Failing more than two classes is unacceptable in the eyes of the school, making the rule justified. If a student doesn’t hold the capacities to succeed in at least five classes, playing a sport should not be a reward.

Top: BOOKS OVER BALLS: Many students focus more on sports than academics with the goal of “going pro,” despite the fact that the majority of high school athletes never play sports professionally. “Some coaches think it might benefit you if you practice until 9:00 p.m. and you don’t have any time to do your homework,” sophomore Zach Myers said.

ike introduced its 2015 Black History Month apparel collection on Jan. 7, 2015. The collection, which consists of 28 items, including 16 clothing items and 12 pairs of shoes, is supposed to honor prominent black figures throughout history, but it doesn’t.

The collection devalues Black History

BY SAMUEL HOOD Month by promoting a materialistic culture.

Sports Editor The most expensive item, the Nike Mercurial Superfly soccer cleat, retails for $300 dollars, but is closely followed by other items such as the Nike Kobe 9 Elites the that retail for $250 and the Nike Lebron 12s that retail for $220. By contrast, it costs Nike about $30 to make a pair of shoes, according to the Portland Business Journal.

What Nike is doing is wrong. They’re overpricing shoes that hardly cost them anything to make and then sell them in limited quantities to create hype.

If Nike truly wanted to celebrate Black History Month, it could host an event or even record a video where they have prominent athletes talk to citizens about the adversity they have overcome. Any show of effort would be more meaningful than a clothing line.

Through the Black History Month apparel collection, Nike is saying that by wearing a piece of clothing you are celebrating Black History Month which is completely false. No item can represent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s or Malcolm X’s struggle for equality.

Black History Month is an abstract celebration and by putting price tags on the month, the accomplishments of black Americans are cut short.

It’s painful knowing that, to Nike, the history of my culture only amounts to 28 items of overpriced clothing. Nike is a corporation and their motive is to make money at any cost. However, they shouldn’t have to use black Americans. The ideas and the advancements that black Americans have contributed to America shouldn’t be labeled with any kind of price tag.

Left: WHAT WOULD MLK SAY?: Although Nike claims to support Black History Month, their so-called “Black History Month” collection devalues black culture.

Cartoon by Ella Sams

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Feb.-March 2015

SPORTS

February 2015

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SPORTS

Photo by Julie Alpaugh

Above: A LOOMING PRESENCE: Many athletes like to snack on junk food after a practice or game. Junk food is full of unnecessary sugars and artificial flavoring that is damaging to an athlete’s health. “A lot of my teammates eat junk food during the school day,” freshman and JV soccer player Neha Mohanty said.

When athletes neglect nutrition Many athletes obssess over physical fitness, but are unaware of just how damaging junk foods can be.

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fter long training sessions, some athletes like should be mostly carbohydrates, should have protein to prolong the energy to eat at fast food restaurants to celebrate. from the meal, and should be very low in fat, to allow the stomach to digest this After big sporting events, some parents bring food quickly. Good examples of this could be a granola bar, fruit smoothie or bags filled with an assortment of chips and juice banana. pouches to the sidelines. Of course it is important Unhealthy snacks like Cheetos or Snickers bars should not be anywhere to recharge your body after a tough workout, but near athletes, especially in season. Foods like these are full of fats and artificial fast food is not always the right choice. sugars, which will do nothing but slow an athlete down.

Some popular fast food meals include the 940 Sonia Kim, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and PrevenBY ZOE PETERSON calorie Baconator burger from Wendy’s, which tion, published a report and found that one in four teenagers did not eat vegeWeb Writer is about one third of a healthy athlete’s daily tables at all during the day and one in four teenagers did not eat fruits at all. calorie intake.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an active teen“Sports nutrition is now a competitive advantage,” Alicia Kendig, a sports age boy needs about two and a half cups of fruit and four cups of vegetables dietitian for the United States Olympic a day. An active teenage girl needs two Committee said in an interview with cups of fruits and three cups of vegetaPre-game meals should be mostly the New York Times. “If you’re eating bles every day. Maintaining this healthy correctly and you’re ingesting the diet is important for everyone, but it is carbohydrates, should have protein to correct nutrients, there are clear perforespecially necessary for working athletes. prolong the energy from the meal, and mance benefits.”

Staying hydrated is also an important At Clarke Central High School part of being a healthy athlete. According should be very low in fat. sporting events, the range of foods to the President’s Council on Physical available at the concession stands Fitness and Sports, generous amounts of always seems to be low. With choices ranging from a hot dog to a large Coke, fluid should be consumed the day before a game and 400 to 600 milliliters of little room is left for healthy choices. After a long game, many athletes visit the fluid should be consumed two hours before the event. stand for a post-game snack to quickly recharge, and it makes no sense that the Some athletes stick with the most healthy choice–water–while others only choices available are high-calorie foods that are incredibly damaging to a consume sports drinks like Gatorade that are filled with food additives and young athlete’s health. excessive amounts of sugar that aren’t good for an athlete’s diet.

“After a lot of my soccer games I usually end up going to McDonalds because Athletes should make sure to exercise daily and keep a healthy diet, during it’s convenient and fast. A lot of my teammates also eat junk food during the and outside of the season. Not only does it benefit their health, but it improves school day,” freshman soccer player Neha Mohanty said. their overall performance.

According to a sports nutrition page at Brown University, pre-game meals

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TABLE OF CONTENTS SPORTS

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HORSEBACK RIDING

By Lauren Allen as told to Jordan Rhym Photo by Chad Rhym

1. SEARCHING FOR A STEED

The horses are so expensive-- anywhere between $100 to $100,000. You want to find the horse that is capable of doing what you want to do. For me, I like a really level-headed horse; some horses are crazy and scared of everything. I like a horse that’s more calm. It just depends on the person.

2 . N o Pa i n , N o G a i n

Broken collarbones happen a lot because people fall off and they try to catch themselves and it just splits their collar bones. Broken arms, broken hands and broken collarbones are really common. You do see the occasional broken leg because there are a lot of situations where the horse will fall on top of the rider, which is terrifying. Concussions happen a lot, but most people are pretty smart about wearing their helmets. The competitions require certain things. For cross-country, you have to have this vest, and it looks like a bullet-proof vest because it’s really thick. It’s to protect your rib cage, your collarbone and your lungs. So if you do fall of, it is pretty protective. It’s not going to completely save you, but it’ll help and your helmet does the same.

3 . T r i p l e T h r e at

I spend three days at a competition, and there are three phases: dressage, show jumping and then cross-country. You’ve probably seen dressage in the Olympics. A lot of people refer to it as the dancing horses, and they do the little up and down movements. You have a pattern to memorize. You get scored on that and the lower the better. Then you go to show jumping, then cross-country. By the third day, you’re exhausted. Your horse is exhausted, you’re ready to go home. The competitions can get really emotional because you’re ready to go and you’re just so tired, and then something always has to go wrong.

4 . K e e p i n g Pa c e

I have a really specific training program for my horse. I ride six days a week, and I try to do dressage two days a week and jumping two days a week. The other two days I try to do fitness for my horse. On cross-country, if you have time faults, either you’re going too fast or too slow, that will hurt you in your overall score. These jumps are huge when you get up to them and the last thing I want is for the horse to be so tired and not have enough impulsion to carry herself over the jump. .

5 . O v e r c o m i n g O b s ta c l e s

When a horse is not well-trained, they’re called a “green horse.” If you’re riding a green horse, it is so frustrating because they have no sense of right and wrong. Horses are great, but they are so stupid sometimes. I’m pretty lucky because my horse is very well trained and she is really smart. I can focus more on myself because she knows her job and she loves her job. When we go out on cross-country, she knows what she’s doing. She knows it’s business.

Feb.-March February 2015 2015

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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