THE
B L A D E
Letter from the Editors Just like the writers working behind the scenes of any great show, far too many vital people and issues go uncovered, unnoticed and sometimes unappreciated. Whether it be students whose passions don’t get a section in the yearbook or the hardworking and dedicated staff members who don’t get enough recognition for the important work that they do, these people deserve their moment in the spotlight, but that doesn’t end with the students and staff. Far too often, we forget that we are immersed in an entire community whose lives we impact everyday. For example, restaurants around campus fuel us before and after school; yet, they don’t get enough recognition for their hard work. People, however, aren’t the only ones not getting enough coverage. Problems like the tremendous and onerous stress placed on each and every student day in and day out isn’t talked about nearly enough. This issue hopes to change all of that. This issue hopes to make those who may feel unappreciated know that the Woodward community knows and cares about them. This issue hopes to bring all the issues that go undiscussed to the forefront of the conversation. So here’s to the unrecognized, silent majority and to all the hard work that they do. We of course would like to thank our advisor Ms. Goode-Peoples for letting us even attempt such an ambitious venture. This issue, while made in haste, was made with care and was in the great hands of our wonderful advisor. We would also like to thank Woodward Academy for giving the staff such an amazing opportunity and for generously providing us with the tools and resources we need to reach our full potential. This project was done by a small portion of the staff who wanted to expand on this year’s projects. Aditya Singh and Olivia Hehir
Visit us online at www.woodwardblade.com Woodward Academy 1662 Rugby Avenue College Park, GA 30337
Editors-In-Chiefs Aditya Singh ‘16 Olivia Hehir ‘16
Adviser: Rebekah Goode-Peoples rebekah.goode-peoples@woodward.edu
Staff Maddie Ledet ‘18 Writer Erin Harris ‘17 Correspondent Contributing Staff Zach Orig ‘16 Writer, Photogrpaher & Correspondent Kase van Rees ‘16 Photographer Nic Huey ‘16 Photographer Clara Quillin Perlis Photographer
The Blade is a publication of the Woodward Academy Upper School and is distributed free of charge. Publication is funded through the student publications account. The opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the Woodward Academy administration, student body, or of The Blade. The Blade welcomes editorial comments and letters to the editor from students and Academy staff.
@wastpress
Table of Contents
27
21
25
32
9
3
m
Cracking Under Pressure
Most common stressors
Sometimes
1
Tests
2
Homework
3
Sports
4
Family
5
Friends
58students % ofconfide
stress affects both mind and body
stress can prematurely age you
No
Do you handle Stress well?
Yes
d extreme stress
80% have experience
Leading Neurologists recently discovered that long term Stress Can potentially Damage the Brain’s Structure and Connectivity
in their parents when stressed
How do students deal with stress?
18% exercise 17% Organize 7% Play video games 17% Watch tv 20% surf the web 21% Eat
W
ith the school year coming to a close, many teenagers are finding it impossible to keep stress levels down. With term papers, projects and test piling up, it seems like students just can’t catch a break. With over 78% of students citing extreme stress levels compared to the national average of 27%, Woodward students seem to dramatically exceed the average stress level. While the student body mostly experiences stress during the end of the year, 45% say that the middle of the semester is the most stressful. According to students, factors of stress include sports, homework, tests, friends and clubs. Students don’t always deal with stress in the healthiest way seeing as only 16% citing that they handle stress well. Students who do not handle stress well said that sports sports, getting organized, playing video games, watching TV, spending time online, and eating helped them unwind. When stressed, most students neglect responsibilities at home/school and experience headaches, but some even stated that they have changes in sleeping habits or even act short and snap at others. 39% of students have even seen their grades fall because of stress. While most of us deal with stress, one junior
experienced an extremely stressful couple of weeks during the beginning of the first semester. Darya Hosein, an honors student, started the year with great hopes and expectations for her first year as an upperclassman. Enrolling in harder classes than the year before, Hosein wanted to keep her high grades while challenging herself with rigorous studies, but she faced a difficult road because of her history of stress. “I’ve been a very anxious kid since I was little” said Hosein as she recounted her days as an ambitious student. “I’ve always just thought about the future. … Nobody really took much notice to it,” said Hosein. She accounts the lack of attention towards her anxiety because she was in higher classes and ‘subsequent’ stress. With growing anxiety, Hosein began to feel uncomfortable with school and herself. “Nobody really listened to me. … I would have breakdowns every five months or so,” said Hosein. As Hosein’s problems with her stress continued to escalate throughout middle school, she started to get into trouble and became disinterested in her studies. Noting her daughter’s change in personality and increased anxiety, Hosein’s mother took her to a therapist. “I just I didn’t care anymore about school. I would fall asleep during class. I still had good grades, but I didn’t want to do anything” said Hosein. “I think it was more for the attention than anything else,” said Hosein as she scratched up and down her arm nervously. “I don’t think that I meant to hurt people’s feelings or anything. I just wanted people to listen to me.” Though she was attending therapy sessions, she continued to have disagreements with her mom. “I spent a lot of my middle school years...just kind of uncomfortable with myself, not wanting to be in my own skin,” said Hosein. The situation came to a boiling point during the end of middle school. “In eighth grade,” Hosein said, “my parents and I got into a huge fight, them saying that I was driving them crazy and that I was not doing anything right. I think at that point it started getting worse.” In the ninth grade is when she started battling an eating disorder. “I stopped eating. Completely. I would eat a granola bar maybe. I think it was because anxiety, stress. I was sad all the time. I was anxious about classes.
If I didn’t get a good grade, I wouldn’t eat dinner because I was like ‘you don’t deserve the dinner.’” The situation got so extreme that Hosein soon reached 100 pounds. Concerned, Hosein’s therepist warned Hosein about the severity of her condition and that she might have depression. “In March of sophomore year,” Hosein said, “I was diagnosed as bulimic because I started throwing up, and I was out of school all of March.” At this point, Hosein had given up. “I didn’t want to do homework,” said Hosein, “didn’t want to see anybody, didn’t want to talk to anybody. I was just determined that I was not going to do anything anymore.” Hosein was experiencing several emotions. “I was just scared; it was the scariest time of my life. The stress was taking over. I would have nightmares. I wouldn’t sleep correctly.” The American Psychological Association reported that 34% of millennials, like Hosein, suffer stressrelated sleep loss, resulting in lack of motivation and interest. “Here’s the thing about high school,” Hosein said, sitting up a little straighter, “as you go through [school], your parents say just focus on school. Everybody said just focus on school, but you can’t do that.” Hosein cited her inability to concentrate solely on academics on the social aspects of high school. “There is the part [in high school] where you’re emotionally growing up you’re developing. You’re figuring out who you are.” “Everyone is just watching to see how you’re going to react to [different situations].” Going through high school, Hosein felt uncomfortable with this notion because she thought she was always being monitored or judged for her actions. “I was not sure of myself,” said Hosein. “I was not sure of what was going on.” The balance of social and academic life is one of the many challenges for Hosein. “It’s hard because you have to focus,” she said. “You have to get into college, but then on the other hand, you don’t want to be alone through the whole process. Being ignored [by your friends], being left [by your friends]- that’s possibly one of the hardest things to go through, especially in high school when you’re already stressed out.” Last summer, Hosein started seeing a new therapist. “At first, [the therapist] thought I had ADHD, and she was like, ‘Oh you’re misdiagnosed. You don’t have ADHD’, and so she gave me Zoloft medication,” said Hosein. Hosein
I was sad all the time. I was anxious about classes. If I didn’t get a good grade, I wouldn’t eat dinner, because I was like, ‘you don’t deserve the dinner’
confirmed that the medication helped her as she became calmer and had fewer meltdowns. “The medication only goes so far,” she said. “It gets to a point where you finally have to pick yourself and be like ‘Ok this is anxiety. This is stress.’ Everything is in my head. I need to get out of my own head,” said Hosein. And you have to teach yourself how to get out of your own head. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned from anxiety.” “I’m just tired of it all. I feel like just driving away and not coming back because I’m so scared of everything. But at the end of the day, I realize that this is all in my head. It’ll get better,” said Hosein. She admits she still has days where she doesn’t want to do anything, but with this new mentality she began to recover. The road to recovery, however, was not a smooth one. “It was at the beginning of this year and my medicine was just kicking in,” she said. Hosein, while dealing with her anxiety, continued to maintain her high grades, which resulted her being placed in higher classes including AP Chem. The start of her addiction the caffeinated beverage was at the end of last year after she had been absent for almost a month. During this time, Hosein felt really sick and almost couldn’t do anything but felt the overwheliming urge to try. Hosein said, “It was a stimulant to keep me up, to keep me going. Basically, it was my motivation because I couldn’t motivate myself.” She recounted the reemergence of her problems on the morning of a Chem lab. “I drank a lot of coffee in the morning,” Hosein said. “I remember—I had a caffeine addiction for a while. I just drank coffee. Constantly. And I drank a bunch of coffee because I had to go to early lab in the morning.” Hosein was at lunch when the caffeine caught up with her. “All of the sudden I started hyperventilating,” said Hosein. “I didn’t know what was going on. I was scared, so I ran to the nurse’s office, and my heart rate was really high,” Hosein said. The nurse, concerned about Hosein’s condition, inquired what had happened. When she revealed she had not eaten and had only drunk coffee, the nurse made Hosein lie down. She took a nap before returning to her classes and later heading home. Once home, even after the nurse’s instructions to not consume any more caffeine, Hosein drank to complete
the night’s homework. “I didn’t even think [the coffee] was the problem, … [until] all of the sudden, I couldn’t breathe at all, and my heart was moving really fast. I was sweating. I was blotchy,” said Hosein. Immediately, Hosein’s mother took her to the clinic and demanded to know what was going on. “My mom is a doctor. ... She knew what was happening, but she wanted me to hear it from myself,” said Hosein. Self-acceptance was one of the biggest steps for Hosein. “I was at the clinic for a while. … I passed out there, and they gave me some ice when I woke up,” said Hosein. As the staff indicated that they could do no more, it was up to Hosein to continue her recovery. “The withdrawal phase of it was worse than my caffeine overdose,” said Hosein. “I had shivers. I realized I can’t do anything right. I constantly just cried. It’s not worth it at the end of the day,” Hosein said. “I watched my parents come into this country without money…I was with them as they went from grad school and residency to becoming as successful as they are now, and I thought education was the most important thing. They came to this country … and they made me a citizen by letting me be born in New York. I have to prove that they brought me here for a reason,” said Hosein. This is one of the main reasons that drove her to succeed, but like many other teens, she didn’t believe they understood her. “The thing is, you always need someone to understand what you’re going through. You need someone, maybe not to understand, but to listen and sympathize. Everybody needs somebody.” Hosein admits the cause might have been misguided encouragement, which made her feel as if they weren’t listening. “I think that they were just stressed with their lives, and it kind of came on to me.” Today, Hosein is working towards keeping her social and academic life balanced. While still struggling with her anxieties, Hosein seems to be optimistic for the future. Her story goes to show, that life stresses out even the best of us. It is hard to keep everything in balance when juggling academics, clubs, sports, family and friends. Contact a respected adult if you need to talk.
I’ve spent a lot of my middle school years just kind of uncomfortable with myself, not wanting to be in my own skin.
By Olivia Hehir
You have to teach yourself how to get out of your own head. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned from anxiety.
Let Me Ride
By Aditya Singh
Some students play sports; others play instruments. Some act, sing or dance, and these passions are widely recognized by the student body. Take a look at the parking lot, however, and you’ll find the culmination of another passion. No, not the passion of taking up two parking spaces or leaving car lights on. A passion for cars. For many students, getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage as they transition into adulthood, but for a few, driving has become a passion. These students spend countless hours on their cars, perfecting and customizing them to the point that their cars are instantly recognizable to most. Some drive trucks, others drive Jeeps, but whatever the car may be, these students clearly care about them. Students aren’t the only ones who enjoy the freedom of the open road. Teachers and staff who have had fond memories of their first cars haven’t forgotten the feeling of driving for the first time, and for them, the passion for cars hasn’t died, it’s grown.
Photos By Kase van Rees
Kase van Rees ’16 is, by any standard, a car guy. On any given weekend, he is probably working on his very own beloved ’75 CB750, Mazda3 and the other host of cars he enjoys. While his family’s cars, motorcycles and other vehicles are all interesting, perhaps no other vehicle has a greater and more impactful story than that of his great grandfather Harry J. Hoenselaar’s prized 1972 Mercedes 280sel. About his grandfather’s life and car, van Rees said, “Harry Hoenselaar lived a modest life for most of his years. He was the owner of a small store in Detroit that sold ham. The ham he sold had a special sweet glaze on the outside and was sliced into perfectly even slices by a machine of his creation. The HoneyBaked Ham Company was the only store with this patented machine, and because of it, lines stretched around the block. His business was a success, and he took great care to keep it that way. Many years after his success in business, Harry was asked by his family if there was anything he would want to buy for himself if given the chance. All Harry wanted was a Mercedes, so his family took him shopping, and he bought his treasured 1972 Mercedes 280sel. In the 1970s a Mercedes was a rare item, far more difficult to come by than it is today. Harry polished and looked after his car carefully for many years. Harry had a great deal of appreciation for his car, and it stayed under his care for the rest of his life. After his passing, the car was cared for by family members who used it as often as they could. Not wanting the car to leave the family they contacted my mother and asked if we were interested in keeping the car. Excitedly, we took on the project and now plan to carefully and methodically bring the car back to its former glory in honor of Grandpa Hoenselaar. The car will be cared for and brought back to life with the same affection that Harry showed the car 40 years ago.”
Photos By Kase van Rees
Four years ago at a car show, a car struck Mr. Bob Hawks’ eye. That car was a 1960 Chevy Impala. Hawks did not go to the car show expecting to buy a car, but once he saw it, he knew he had to have it. Hawks continued to walk around the car show, thinking about the blue and yellow car. Hawks decided that he would not get the time to take on another major project, invoking the old phrase, if not now, then when? Hawks went back to the owner just as he was about load it up and take it home. Within five minutes, Hawks bought the car. This was only the beginning of the journey to make the car what it is today. The only thing on the car that had not been changed the paint job, which was one of the reasons Hawks bought the car. He added an antenna, got era-appropriate whitewall wheels and made the interior era-appropriate. His work was not done. Hawks also fixed the electrical components of the car, and he also put a great deal of work into the engine. The only part of the car that isn’t era-appropriate is the center console, which Hawks installed to make sure that drinks did not spill all over the car. The car requires a great deal of maintenance as Hawks meticaulously polishes the car using a clay bar, which removes any substance that might detract from the car’s shine. Hawks’ passion for the classic cars began when he and his brother bought a ‘47 Plymouth. A year later, Hawks got a ‘64 Impala, but the ‘64 was not as stylish as the ‘60 due to its boxy nature. One of the amazing things about the car is that 1960 is the last year that Chevrolet made large wings on the Impala. The large wings are only part of the car’s unique beauty. Hawks often gets stopped by people who grew up in the 50’s and 60’s as it reminds them of their childhood. Hawks cites the memories that the car invokes as one of his favorite things about the car. Another interesting aspect of the car is the classic license plate. The first number of the plate is one, since, in the 60’s, the first number of license plates was based on the size of the county. Since Fulton County is the largest county in GA, Hawks got one as his first number. Hawks also has a ‘normal’ or modern license plate in his glove box. The radio in the car only picks up AM stations, and the only music station that the car picks up is the Disney Music station. Another great feature of the car is the amount of glass that the car has. When Hawks rolls down the windows, the car feels more like a convertible than it does a four door sedan. The amount of chrome on the car also sets it apart from the cars of today and is one of the reasons why many people look at and admire the car. Hawks often just looks at the Chevy, seeing as it is a true work of art and history. To see other classic cars, be sure to check out the Woodward Academy Car show on November 7th. There is also a VIP event at the Porsche plant for those who are interested.
Photos By Clara Quillin Perlis
Clifford Murphy ‘15 drives one of the most easily recognizable and perhaps even one of the oldest cars on campus, and if there was ever a car that matched its owner, it would be Murphy’s car. Murphy drives a 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser that his mom owned. Murphy said, “My favorite thing about the car is the fact that it can still run perfectly after over 25 years and 180,000 miles on it. It’s very reliable and I love when strangers compliment it. Often, people say my car is ‘so me’.” The car is so reliable that aside from the occasional waxing, Murphy doesn’t have to have work done on the car. While he hasn’t modified the car himself, the windows have been tainted purple, adding to the overall funky greatness of the car. Another interesting feature of the Land Cruiser is its old-timey and unthreatening horn, which only enhances the cars overall uniqueness. “Sometimes, strangers will ask or leave notes asking to buy my car,” said Murphy. The Land Cruiser isn’t the only old car that Murphy’s family owns. They also own a 1966 Series III Land Rover, which helped to add to Murphy’s love of cars that has been growing ever since he was little. While the Land Cruiser is irreplaceable, Murphy’s dream car is a new Toyota FJ in British Racing Green as it is similar to the Land Cruiser, just slightly more reliable.
Photos By Clifford Murphy
Mr. George Dietz, Assistant Middle School Principal and Terranova School Coordinator, has been here since 1977, many students and faculty know him, but what many do not know is that Dietz is also a motorcycle rider. While there are some other motorcycle riders on campus, Dietz is one of the only, if not the only, person who rides his Triumph to school. For Dietz, one of the appeals of driving the motorcycle is the solitude that comes with riding, since he isn’t distracted by radios, phones or people. Riding gives him time to think, and he also mentally plans for lectures. Dietz said, “I rode dirt bikes before motorcycles. When I spent summers on my grandfathers farm, the mailbox was a mile from the farmhouse, so if you got the mail, you could ride the bike to the main road. We always went thru fields, around trees, etc. as the road was not challenging. Both of my brothers have or have had motorcycles.” Dietz would later get his motorcycle after his son graduated from college. One of the biggest fear of anyone who drives, especially those who drive motorcycles, is crashing. Dietz experienced an accident on a cold, wet and rainy day in November. He left the Middle School and was only going around 35 when a stop sign came up. Dietz pressed the brakes to no avail; the wheel had locked up. The bike turned sideways, trapping him underneath, and he and the bike slid to stop on the hard pavement, ironically in front of the stop sign. Dietz continues, “It hurt, but startled me more than anything. I remember noticing that I was bleeding from several spots even though they were under clothing and leather. The next day I felt like what a pinata must feel like. After picking up my bike and heading home, my next thought was what happens if it does this again on the interstate? The fall showed me very clearly that I was not invincible. It was a classic example of the quote, ‘A good scare is better than good advice.’” Dietz clearly recognizes and knows the danger of motorcycles since drivers often do not pay attention to motorcyclists and would never recommend them to teenagers or anyone with kids.
Photos By Nic Huey
In the new age of global awareness about climate change, electric cars have become very popular. The leader in the electric car market is, by far, Tesla. Mr. Clay Cushman got his Tesla Model S it is innovative and environmentally friendly. One of the most appealing features of the car for Cushman is its beauty and the attention that it constantly gets. As with all Teslas, the car was individually designed and personalized online, meaning that Cushman did not have to modify the car at all. Another attractive feature of Teslas is the great interior, notably the giant screen, and seeing as Cushman spends around an hour in the car everyday, the interior becomes even more appealing. While a Tesla Model S is a departure from Cushman’s beloved first car, a 1966 Mustang Convertible, it is his dream car as he had been following Tesla’s stunning rise as a company and as a movement.
Photos By Aditya Singh
Welcome to...
W A F F L E H O U S E
Photo By Nic Huey
W
affle House is as much an institution in the South as the Confederate Flag, hospitality and sweet tea. Waffle House also holds a special place in the Woodward community. Students and teachers can be found at Waffle House at almost any hour of the day, enjoying some the world’s greatest food and relaxing, but what students and teachers see as a haven in the mornings and after school has turned into anything but for the people that work there. During first shift teachers and students who come in regularly before school. A Waffle House employee said that while the students and teachers come in regularly in mornings are great, some still don’t leave a tip for the servers who less than half of minimum wage. The
employee did say however that the mornings are better since there is more staff on hand and since people are generally nicer and quieter. Also, many students go to Waffle House with their parents which helps keeping instances of insufficient tipping down, but the employee said that it’s still somewhat emotional when a person doesn’t leave a tip since it is difficult to make a living on a server’s salary. Second shift is home to students and teachers going to Waffle House after a long, hard and tiring day. Second shift hours are generally slower and are a nice time for students to unwind with friends. Since there is a Waffle House within walking distance, it is a place for students and teachers a place to grab a bite to eat and hang out. For some employees, our casual dining is a source of frustration. Waffle House is in the service industry, an
On a scale from one to five, one being the worst & five being the best, how would you describe your behavior at Waffle House?
43%
38%
5%
12%
Do you leave a tip when you go to Waffle House?
2%
Is your tip at least 10% of the bill?
No No
Yes
Yes
How often would you say you go to Waffle House?
14% Very Often
41% Somewhat Often
What's your favorite food to get at Waffle House?
45%
56%
Not Often
Waffle
32% Hashbrowns
12% Other
Samantha Seidel Celebrates Her Birthday at Waffle House
industry based almost entirely on paying their employees via tips. That means that for the average employee, his or her daily wages, his or her living, depend on tips. Without tips, some employees may not eat that night. One would think that kids as privileged as the ones that go to Woodward would be mindful of this, yet it seems as though we have fallen short, very short. One Waffle House employee said, “The girls used to complain so much about Woodward. It was always Woodward. I hate coming to work when Woodward come here because they come in here, and they pack it out and they take up whole sections and nobody really leaves a tip. It’s kinda depressing to the people that work because we already here from 2-9. This is a slow shift, and we already don’t make any money. So the only person that’s really getting paid is the cook. Servers get paid $3.20 an hour, and everything else is in tips. So if I don’t make no money at the end of the shift, now I can go in and put in the system how much I made, and if put zero, they calculate between the seven hours I’m here I and give me the difference, but most of the time I don’t worry about it cause what I make when I’m here is what I make.” The employee went on to say, “Be respectful. I think y’all are a good bunch of kids that come in here. Now I can’t speak for third shift or the mornings. Y’all are very respectful. It’s just that y’all don’t leave a tip. I mean overall, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give y’all an 8 because other than that, nine and ten.” In regards to the true effect of tipping, an employee said, “I feel the parents or the school should be teaching the value of the work place, especially if you come into an establishment based off tips. So if you don’t tip me, then I’m not making anything. I give good customer service no matter who it is. Even if you leaving me a penny, I will still give you good customer service, regardless, because if you don’t give me a tip, someone else will.” While students have not been up to par with tipping, the other half of the Woodward community does not get off scot-free. When asked about teachers, the employee said, “Teachers? Now we don’t deal with a lot of teachers on second shift, but I think they have some of the same problems as students because I guess they tend to feel ok we work at Woodward and just … The parents tip good. The parents always tip good. Just the teachers and students. Now when the students come in with their parents, it’s a whole other story … and they tip real good. ” Many times after an exciting home game, students will go to Waffle House to celebrate a win, bemoan a loss or just to hang out. Third shift runs late into the night, home to all the late night games and all the late night eaters. An employee said, “The only problem we have for the most part when you all come in here, it’s not everybody, but they’ll come in rowdy and then they’ll sit like four to a table and some of them will order food and they won’t
tip. That’s the number one problem, and they take all those chairs back there and pile them up near the tables and leave and leave it a mess. They don’t do it with me, but the complaints come on third shift when y’all come in here after games and stuff like that.” For example, “One Friday they came in here after a basketball game and they came in really turnt up. The only thing you have to ask yourself is this question: if your parents were in here, would you be acting the same way? Or if your schoolteachers were in here? I know it’s fun and all, but you have to remember that this is a business, and you all aren’t the only ones in here. So when you got other customers in here, it gets a little much. I don’t mind because second shift is kinda dead, so when y’all come in here and y’all wanna have fun I have no problem as long as you do what you gotta do. But tipping is the number one thing. They’ll come in here and order a $12 meal and then give you $13 and tell you keep the change. Really? If their bill is $12.60 and they give you $13 and tell you keep the change, I give it back because if that’s how you feel, then here you go.” Lastly, the employee noted that, “I don’t have a problem with most of the Woodward students coming in typically because most of the ones that come in here are the regular ones. They know I’m giving them good customer service, and they tip me. I had two of them come in, and one gave me a $10 tip and the other left me a $5 tip and I was like wow. Thank you. I like when y’all come in here cause it give me something to do … I just think about it like this: You gotta think about it when you in the job field. If you ever doing customer service, if you ever had to get a job and work in this field here, you’ll see why we push for our tips. … I feel like if you all had one day here to work and see what we go through, you all would appreciate that it’s good to tip because you get some customers that come in here and wanna be just plain right disrespectful, and you can’t allow that to affect your day.” When students were surveyed about eating at Waffle House, one student left a response that caught The Blade’s attention. Holden Salomon ‘16 said he left the response. “I went to Waffle House with a couple people, and we talked to the staff for a while, and they said the Woodward kids that came in before us left without paying. We left a bigger tip. It was before a football game.” Salomon’s comments go to show that it only takes a few to make an entire community look bad. Again: Waffle House employees only make $3.20 an hour. The rest of their livings is based on tips. Everyone must also remember that tipping does not end with Waffle House. The vast majority of the service industry rely on tips to make a living. While most students have done a great job tipping, others have fallen short, far too short. By Aditya Singh
Finding Ann & Ben
Near the parking lots, across from the consignment shop and next to the Chapel lies a yellow house. What is the mysterious yellow house? Well, it’s the main building for the Advancement Office. No, the Advancement Office has nothing to do AP classes or AP exams; rather, the Advancement Office contains the Woodward Fund team, some of the Communications and Marketing team and the Alumni Office. As for the building itself, it was someone’s home in the early 1900’s, and the school later acquired the building. The home was then renovated and retooled into an office. The inhabitants of the yellow house raise funds for the school since tution does not cover the full operating cost each year. We are not special. According to the Director of Alumni Relations, Caroline Stancil ‘03, “Every independent institution has an advancement team that operates in this way where they have an operating budget that comes from several different sources, tuition being one of them, auxiliary programs being another, draw from our endowment and funds raised from people. The whole Woodward community gives back to make up that difference, from parents, alumni, friends of the school,
grandparents, faculty and staff. In the alumni office, we put on events for alumni, from homecoming to reunion. As a student you think that homecoming is all about the fun parade and the costumes and the homecoming court, but homecoming is actually for alumni to come back home and see their school today and reconnect and visit old teachers.” The Woodward Fund does philanthropy for and through the school. While working with volunteers, the yellow house hosts the Woodward Academy Car Show, which helps to raise money for need-based student financial aid. The Woodward Fund supports several projects on campus and accounts for 3% of the school’s operating budget as they raise nearly $2 million a year. The yellow house is also responsible for making sure the school’s collateral is consistent. The Woodward Fund and the Alumni Office both help to support student financial aid. With over 10,000 living alumni, the Alumni Office has its hands full with Homecoming weekend, which sees about 250 alums come back. Even more work and effort goes into the reunion parties where many alumni bring
Photos By Aditya Singh
Hey, Who’s in McKay?
their spouses with them. While most alums who come back during the school year go and visit their former teachers, they usually end up in the yellow house where they can get a pass or get a tour. The Alumni Office also holds an event every year to raise funds for student financial aid. In February, the event was held at the Football Hall of Fame, which created an opportunity for alumni to reconnect with friends and support students at the same time. In addition to the Alumni Office, over 50 alumni now work on campus. Across from the yellow house stands the Consignment Shop, a twin to the Yellow House. In fact, two brothers built the houses in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s which Woodward eventually acquired and renovated. Many may not know that the consignment shop is also home to the Marketing and Communications Department. The Communications and Marketing team is another large part of the yellow house. They are responsible for the Academy Magazine and the Annual Donor Report. The team is also responsible for talking to the media and organizing the school’s media relations. The consignment shop not only sells clothing, they also sort through the lost and found to make sure that items
are returned to their rightful owners. The shop also takes the items it would not sell and donates them to charities, adding to the philanthropic nature of both the yellow house and the consignment shop. Non-uniform items are often sent to local charities, and other items are reused and recycled. Another part of the consignment shop is obviously consignment. At the end of the year, you can consign your books, and even if you are going off to college, the consignment shop would be happy to take your books and give you a check. Adding to the philanthropy of the yellow house and the consignment shop, all the money that the shop earns goes directly back to the school. Another added bonus is that you can pay with your student ID at the shop. Next time you find yourself by the yellow house or the consignment shop, be sure to go on in and check it out. Also, if your were wondering, the yellow house is offically called the Ann & Ben Johnson Center, and the consignment shop is called the McKay House. By Aditya Singh
Portraits of the Artists as Young People By Maddie Ledet
Caroline Yarborough ‘18 Sculptor: Ceramics “Art is relaxing. My art specifically is playful. The clay works with itself to make beauty.”
Arjun Srvynivasin ‘18 Celloist “My inspirations are my brother and my uncle. Art is the expression of our emotion through a non-language format. My art is beautiful.”
Riley Schatz ‘15 Actor and Songwriter
“ I am inspired by my dad who is a singer and songwriter. Art is super important to me. I just love art so much because you can express yourself. Art is beautiful, wonderful, and amazing. My art is loud.
Sabrina Zhou ‘17 Painter “The earth itself is my inspiration. It’s an art of its own. Art is a way of life honestly and a hobby. I have been doing it since I was little, so it definitely is a part of me.
Anna Lee ‘18 Drawing “I don’t really have an inspiration. My artwork is ugly.”
Will Romero ‘16 Sculptor
“My inspiration is to be better than the person next to me. Art means you can do whatever you want with something and make it your own. My art is amazing.”
Jordan Chapman ‘15 Dancer “My inspiration was girl power and music. Art is self expression without just having to do painting or drawing. My dancing is energizing.”
Fanny ‘15, Elise ‘15, and Lou ‘15 Painters & French Foreign Exchange Students
“Our inspiration is doing things for fun. We just paint. Art means my life, and we just tried to do art today as friends. Our art is abstract.”
Kat
Johnson ‘16 Painter
“The assignment was hanging cloth and tin can. So I wanted to use a bunch of hanging cloth, but I don’t really know how to incorporate a tin can. I will just play it by ear. Art can be seen in everything. Everything that is created is made out of some sort of artistic or creative intent. You can find art in anything. My art, I would say, is spontaneous.”
Grant West ‘15 Painter “Honestly, something that I thought of when making this piece was the changing of the weather. Art is a visual representation of linguistics. I have always been really into speaking Chinese and studying other cultures, so it means alot to me to represent culture and language.
Alex Kostyshean ‘16 Painter “Art is something that makes you think, so you have to look at it more than once in order to think about it.”
From the Web The articles below were first featuered on The Blade website. These articles were selected due to their relevance to this issue’s theme of covering people and problems that do not get covered enough. For more articles, please visit the website at woodwardblade.com.
feed their families. “I think it is so unfortunate that there are so many people out there who do not have the money to buy food,” said Hill. “Eating is a basic human right.” Hill had the opportunity to serve pumpkin pie to people who regularly eat at the Atlanta Mission and was able to “sit down with them and hear their unique stories.” After speaking with the Natalie Hill’s Pumpkin Project people at the shelter, Hill gained By Jacob Reich a better understanding of how her service work had impacted the lives of others who are less fortunate. Hill is very happy with how her creative service project turned out, but she wishes that she “could have started earlier and gotten the word out on a larger If you have ever celebrated scale.” Hill plans on continuing Halloween, you may have faced her pumpkin project next the difficult decision of what to Halloween and into college. Hill’s do with your pumpkins once the advice for others who want to start holiday was over. When Natalie Hill ’16 saw all the post-Halloween their own service projects is to “do something meaningful that you pumpkins in her neighborhood, can really get involved in.” she decided that she wanted the Although “it was a pain to pumpkins to end up somewhere cook the pumpkins,” Hill joked, other than the nearest trashcan. she is “glad to know that many “I saw all the leftover pumpkins people benefitted from my project and thought about how wasteful and were able to eat holiday it is that people just carve these dinner with their families.” pumpkins and throw them away,” said Hill. Many people forget that while Halloween pumpkins are Mr. Poley – Exclusive Interview great decorations, they can also By Arfan Khawaja be used as food. After passing out flyers asking to collect the neighborhood pumpkins, Hill gathered dozens of leftover pumpkins and brought them to the Atlanta Mission, a shelter for people who are homeless. In addition to donating over 60 pounds of uncooked Last year, “The pumpkin to the Atlanta Mission, Blade” ran a piece about new Hill helped cook 30 pounds of teachers in which several teachers pumpkin, which were used to feed were interviewed about various people who could not afford to topics. One of the more interesting
interview responses came from Mr. Poley, and some of his answers garnered curiosity behind the stories. Your curiosity can be put to rest with this new interview, following up the previous question and answer session, as well as some new questions for Mr. Poley. How does Woodward compare to the last school that you taught in? Woodward is a lot bigger and has a lot more resources, and I really think that the student body here is something really special. The students here have to take a lot of personal responsibility and have a lot more maturity than the students at a lot of the places I have taught. What is your favorite thing about being at Woodward? Most definitely the students. The students take care of the place around them, respect themselves, and respect the reasons why they are here at Woodward. They come by and ask questions they want to know the answers to because they want to get help, and they know that Woodward is something that they can take advantage of. How do you make a potato launcher/hovercraft? Well, a hovercraft is pretty simple; all you need is a platform, a vinyl tarp used as the bag underneath and an electric leaf blower for the air source. To make the Potato Launcher gun, I found instructions from a book. What was your dream job when you were young? When I was little, I always wanted to be an astronaut because they did Skylab and the Apollo Soyuz missions. What is your favorite hobby? I think my favorite hobby is going to movies.
From the Web
Tell us more about the Johnny Ramone incident. Well, he almost kinda knocked me off of a stool. I didn’t see him come up behind me at a small table in the back of a club and he didn’t see me. When I turned around to Johnny Ramone, he still doesn’t even notice me after he does it and then I see two guys standing next to him, which were his bodyguards who were really big. So I just decided to just turn myself around and not do anything. Did you have a favorite teacher/ professor? When I was in high school, it was a tossup between my art teacher and my AP History teacher. My art teacher would encourage you, but on the other hand, he would not tell you something that was not true. I remember one time he looked over my shoulder and I asked him, “Well, what do you think?” and he said “Well do you want the truth or encouragement?” My AP US History teacher really had a love for his topic and liked to be able to explain it to people. What inspired you to become a teacher? I think looking around the teachers that I had while I was in high school, I saw that they were doing something besides trading their hours for dollars. I went to a high school that had people who wanted to go into business. I mean people had Donald Trump’s book, “The Art of The Deal”, like it was some Bible or something. So I wanted to get something a little more meaningful out of life and looking around at the teachers at my school, I saw that they got a lot of meaning from their work. What was your greatest thing that you’ve built? So far, the potato launcher is the best thing that I’ve ever built, but I do have a couple things that I am working on that I will keep secret for now. If I get finished, I will bring it in here at school. Who was your role model as a child?
Now that I realize looking back from now, my biggest role model was my dad. He’s kinda got a way of coping with things in a way that he is always sure of himself, inner strength type of thing, but never taking himself too seriously. He believed that there are all sorts of things that can happen to you in life, the good and the bad. He taught me to enjoy what you can and try not to hold on to anything too tightly. If you could become anyone in the world, who would you be? I would probably say Tony Stark. How did your nickname become the Squid-Monster? Some of the guys on the cross country team would call me that and I would talk to them asking what the deal was and I would hear one story one week, but on the next week they would give me another story. The Voice of the War Eagles By Jason Seeb
Justin Berger always has the best seat in the house. As the voice of Woodward athletics, Justin brings viewers football, basketball, soccer, and baseball games. By broadcasting games, Justin allows students to keep up with the teams even when they are unable to attend the games. Justin does not take his job lightly. He studies professional broadcasters in order to deliver the best call possible. “I look up to Verne Lundquist (CBS college football, golf, and college basketball), Jim Nantz (CBS NFL, Masters, and basketball), Bob Rathbun (Hawks TV), and Steve Holman (Hawks radio),” said Justin. Lundquist and Nantz are known
for their ability to make signature calls in big moments, and Rathbun and Holman are known for their enthusiasm at the smallest moment in any game. These aspects come through in Justin’s calls, as seen in Darien Wiggins memorable fumble return for a touchdown. Just as Burke County was about to score a touchdown and tie up the playoff game, the War Eagles forced a fumble, which Wiggins returned for a touchdown. The excitement and importance of this pivotal play was conveyed by Coach Bryant, his broadcast partner, and Justin’s enthusiastic call. As Wiggins raced down the field to secure a playoff victory, Justin yelled at the top of his lungs, “fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, ten, touchdown War Eagles. Yes sir.” The excitement of this game changing play was amplified by the call. When Justin reflected on the great memories of his short time broadcasting, his favorite memory was calling the historic playoff run this past season. However, he knows that the best calls are still to come. He says that he looks forward to “calling [his] first basketball game,” the seniors final soccer game, and the next football season. Justin has recently expanded from only doing sports broadcasting, and has taken a position as an anchor on the announcements for WA Live. He and fellow new anchor Max Richardson have revitalized announcements, joining Zach Orig, Olivia Jones and Jessica Vass in a solid cast of anchors. Justin has also been featured as a correspondent on WA Live, hosting a segment called “Off The Grill,” in which he interviews athletes about their seasons and achievements. Only a sophomore, Justin will be calling games for a long time. As the voice of the War Eagles, Justin is sure to add to and create many great memories for those watching his broadcasts online.
From the Web
Soaring Into Success By Maddie Ledet
atmosphere in China as a highly stressed environment. “People only were friends with you if you had the top grades in school.” This mentality caused him to push himself even harder in school. The continual pressures of school began to take a toll. His grades began to lower, but his optimism never failed. Social and educational events Atlanta, 2011. Looking became more difficult for Chen, out the airplane window, Jeremy and he longed to come to America. Chen gazed at the plane’s turbines, His first American experience was pondering his new life in America. when his aunt asked him to stay the His journey had already been a long summer with her in Atlanta. Excited and hard one, but during the next to see America, Chen eagerly went to three years, he would progress in all his aunt’s house, and she showed him aspects of his life, and all his struggles the beauty of the United States. would be worth it. During his trip to Atlanta, his Chen came to Woodward aunt signed him up for summer camp Academy, specifically the North at Woodward Academy. Walking campus, in 2011. He only knew a onto the North Campus, Chen was limited amount of English because shocked that everyone, including the he was born and raised in China. His principal, was so friendly and nice. entire life was flipped. Everything From that moment on, Chen knew he he had ever known in China was would do anything to be in America. different in America. Chen had After his return to China, to learn how to break the barriers Chen’s parents finally agreed to move between the Chinese and American to Atlanta. Applying to the top private cultures. schools in the city, Chen considered When Chen first arrived Woodward and Westminster; on campus, he struggled with however, once he received his some classes due to the change Woodward acceptance letter, his heart in languages. In China, he had was set. understood English and was very Chen’s first year at Woodward advanced. His interest in the was very difficult. During the first language began when he was three semester, he said that “he had trouble years old when he heard stories of understanding everyone’s shorthands people traveling to America and the and lingo.” Even though his English adventures they would have. His skills were incredible, finishing his parents took interest in teaching him homework entirely in English proved English by purchasing “English Time,” difficult. His grades were poor the a TV show for children learning first semester, but he pushed through English. The TV show portrayed the language barrier and received many positive stories that impacted outstanding scores. Chen’s idea of American culture. Chen has found motivation When he was in the first grade, Chen from his family. “None of my family was one of the top students in China. in China had the opportunities that His English skills were superb, and I do. They are intelligent people; he had the highest English grade in however, the industries in China are his city. Chen’s dream to journey to so competitive that they ended up America was starting to become more being grocery workers.” His one true of a reality. goal in life is to be successful so that Chen described the he can make his family proud and
prove his journey was well worth the struggles. Atlanta, 2014. The glistening marching band instruments shone through the cheering Woodward fans at the North Oconee football game. On the bleachers, Chen proudly played his flute and contributed to the spirited ambience created by the marching band. As well as being one of the top chairs in flute, Chen is also one of the top students in the freshman class, a boy scout and a robotics student. Looking back, he can confidently say that his life is only going up. Welcome to Washington By Olivia Hehir
Lugging their bags to the Fairfax Hotel, six journalism students got the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C. for the for the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention. Each student attended a variety of seminars concerning design, leadership, photography, and student journalism. Each lecture was led by journalism teachers, students, and/or those involved in the media. One of The Blade staff members Aditya Singh said, “I gained extremely valuable experience and advice, particularly in regards to design and writing.” Students submitted the Best of Show contests and came home with the second for the Silent Voices literary magazine. Other noteworthy feats was when Nic Huey took home two honorable mentions for the Sports Action and Feature photographs. The students also hosted a seminar called “Hashtag Awesome.”
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They discussed the importance of social media and tips and tricks to increase one’s online footprint. Other than attending the conference, the students also went to the Newseum and the Washington Mall. 2015 Georgia Thespian Conference By Andy Sun The 2015 Georgia Thespian Conference began February 5 in Columbus, Georgia and lasted for two and a half days. The Conference featured various productions presented by high school student acting troupes from all corners of Georgia. Volunteer professionals from colleges and acting groups also held workshops and judged individual competitions. Highscoring individuals at the state conference had a chance of qualifying for the national conference. Theater enthusiasts who had logged a certain number of hours working with a troupe were invited to perform a piece of their choice, which was judged by volunteer professional actors. Actors who prefered not to compete could also enjoy workshops, work at tech events, audition for scholarships, talk to college representatives, and convene with nearly 3,000 other Georgia Thespians. This year, thirty-one Woodward Thespians attended the Thespian Conference both for competition and recreation. They were chaperoned by Theater Director Levi Kaplan, who said, “The students [saw] a variety of shows from high schools across the state of Georgia and [had] a good time interacting with other high school thespians.” Last year, thirty-five students attended the conference, but only a few competed. This year’s group has the most competing out of the past couple of years, and competed in acting scenes, duet musicals, group musicals, monologues, tech challenges, and improvisation pieces. Students who received a “Superior” rating from two out of three judges
will be invited to the National Thespian Conference in Nebraska in the summer. Also, each set of judges chose its favorite piece of the day to be performed at the judge’s showcase at the end of the convention. Last year, our troupe won the tech challenge, and a couple students were named to the judge’s showcase. In addition to competition, students also had the opportunity to attend workshops run by guest artists from Georgia and other states. Mr. Kaplan himself has run a workshop in the Florida convention in the past. Sophomore Thespian Jackson Payan said, “The shows are very professional, and just seeing the schools’ different interpretations on the shows is really cool.” On the first day of the convention, a full-blown production was performed featuring students from all over Georgia who auditioned over the summer and rehearsed all year. The Georgia Thespian Conference gives Thespians the opportunity to observe other actors and attend workshops, and it provides a welcoming environment for all kinds of Thespians from all over the state to interact and connect. Seniors Survive Car Accident By Alli Gordon Driving down 285, listening to Schoolboy Q with your best friend in tow, a horrific car crash is probably the last thing on your mind. Unfortunately, this was exactly the situation that faced seniors Kelvin Jones and Roderick Thomas last Saturday night. Jones and Thomas were driving to a friend’s party when a drunk driver pulled in front of their car. It was obvious that the other driver was in an impaired state of mind because “he turned right and instead of turning into the correct lane, he went all the way over into the left lane.” In a moment of shock and confusion, Thomas “tried to hit him to avoid other traffic.” In the following sequence, his car flipped three times.
When asked to recount that experience, Jones answered that he asked himself “am I ready to die?” Without a note of melodrama, he recounts that he really did not know if he would survive. Surrounded by a table of his friends, Jones’ answers were spare but telling. He revealed that now he “definitely has a different outlook on things” and that he “drives extra cautiously now.” It is important to know that both Jones and Thomas had been making waves on social media long before their car accident. Jones’ mixtape Bhavana scored major retweets and favorites on Twitter, and Thomas averages hundreds of likes on his Instagram account. Therefore, it is unsurprising that news of their car crash flooded news feeds and group texts alike. People were both shocked and delighted when Jones posted a Mystory on Snapchat in the EMT. Seeing his recognizable smile and catchphrase of “y’all got an AUX cord?” everyone felt better knowing they were alright. When asked why he chose to take the comedic approach to the situation, he replied that he was “just happy to be alive.” Thomas remembers that he heard from his peers immediately “and my friends Ryann, Taylor, Kathryn, Nile and Summer were all crying. I also remember my friend Marcus calling me from the hospital.”
Walking down the halls in their Woodward uniforms, the two guys appear pretty unscathed today. However, Thomas’ car was “completely totaled” and the other driver was “rushed immediately to the hospital.” Jones does not want other student drivers at Woodward to be afraid of driving because of their accident. Instead, “you just need to be careful driving but also be really aware of other drivers.” Thomas simply wants people to #stayinyourlane.
“The PolyGONE Girl” by Olivia Hehir ‘16