BluePrints Magazine Volume XVIII Issue 1 - November 2018

BLUEPRINTS Mariah Parker A.K.A. Linqua Franqa: Artist And ACTIVIST P. 26 and 42

VOLUME XVIII ISSUE 1 NOVEMBER 2018

teaCHER Turnover: Not Just a LOCAL PROBLEM P. 20

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BLUEPRINTS MAGAZINE BluePrints is published as the official magazine of Cedar Shoals High School. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff and individual writers.

BluePrints is a student-led newsmagazine published for the Cedar Shoals community to enjoy as well as to educate student journalists. Each issue is an open public forum for student expression under the guidance of a faculty adviser.

The BluePrints staff is committed to reflect the mission statement set forth by Cedar Shoals High School. The staff’s goals are to provide fair, accurate news and commentaries, as well as to serve the interests of the school and Athens community.

Advertising must conform to the guidelines set forth for editorials.

Publication of advertisements does not indicate an endorsement by CSHS or by BluePrints.

Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertising rates are available upon request from any BluePrints staff member.

BluePrints is a member of the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association.

Corrections of errors and omissions will appear in the next issue. Submit letters to the editor to: cedarblueprints@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief Sachio Goodie Sports Editor Emma Dowling and Denton Redmond News Editor Daveon Montgomery Features Editor Tristan Lankford Viewpoints Editor Daveon Montgomery Variety Editor Catherine Wang Graphics and Layout Editor Catherine Wang Copy Editor Catherine Wang Buisness Manager Emma Dowling Webmaster Trent Dennison Staff Members Pace Barkdoll, Dominic Bielli, Jacob Castile, Justin Freeman, Radwan Jammoul, Tyson Jordan, Quinn Moore, Michelle Palillero, Emma Parker, Jenny Sanchez, Anna Whitford Adviser Marc Ginsberg BluePrints Magazine Cedar Shoals High School 1300 Cedar Shoals Drive Athens, GA 30605 Phone: (706) 546-5375, Ext. 21314

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From the Editor’s Desk Y

ou don’t need to be a white supremacist marching through the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia to be racist. You don’t need to have a red swastika armband or a white hooded robe either. It’s possible to have voted for Obama and still be a racist. You could also hate Donald Trump with a burning passion and still be a racist.

Since the 2016 presidential election, too many self-identifying, ‘woke’ white liberals level accusations of racism far too easily upon easy targets, all while failing to examine their own actions. When these white Democrats continue to push the narrative that anyone who supports Trump is a racist, sexist, xenophobic pig, they are hurting race relations more than they realize.

Solving racism is not as simple as ostracizing those who support a candidate who is seen as racist. The issue is not only the criticism of the Trump administration for its policies, nor is it just the problem of Republican supporters turning a blind eye to Trump’s rhetoric or actions. The other part of the problem is that many of us are hypocrites lacking the ability to self-reflect, leading to further segregation in our own communities.

Racism is not a one-dimensional issue in America. Democratic policies may be more beneficial to impoverished citizens, but many of the most Democratic communities in the country are still extremely segregated. Athens is no exception.

A person can say and believe all the right things. Often however, progressive whites complain about inequality, then move into ‘developing’ neighborhoods in the midst of gentrification.

Similarly, many of the same families will shun their local neighborhood school for private school or the “better” school across county lines. Moving their children into communities with higher test scores, higher teacher retention and less crime, they also move their children away from the sad truth in this country that these ‘low-performing schools’ are filled with minority children living in poverty.

I understand why these families move their children to these schools, but wish they would have the ability to understand how harmful those decisions can be for their communities. Everyone wants the best resources offered to their families. This mindset, while understandable, highlights the hypocrisy in the current state of progressive politics. That hypocrisy comes in blatant accusations of the opposition being racist, while simultaneously contributing to school and community segregation, without even knowing.

This hypocrisy was a problem in the days of desegregation, and continues to be an issue.

When de jure segregation ended following the Brown v. Board decision, it was seen as a big win for civil rights. “Ah, finally, America has ridden itself of racism,” northern liberals said to themselves as they sipped espressos from balconies in their gentrifying neighborhoods.

As white Democrats point their fingers at conservatives for racism, they turn a blind eye to the de facto segregation they’re allowing to form in their communities.

But segregation written into laws is much worse than races dividing themselves because of the laws of nature, or the fundamental building blocks our society was built on, right?

Segregation still remains, whether it’s by law or tradition. The only reason there was a push against de jure segregation is because it was easy to find the culprit who made it possible: the government.

Who is to blame for de facto segregation? Society as a whole? It’s very difficult to indict anyone to change their ways when the fault is on an institutionalized, structured system of segregation and inequality.

Malcolm X was one of the first to see this problem. “You don’t have to go to Mississippi to find a segregated school system. We have it right here in New York City,” he said.

Now, the UCLA Civil Rights Project says that the South is the least segregated region for students. Although the South is still segregated and overwhelmingly voted for Trump in the 2016 election, southern students are statistically more integrated than Northern states who led the push for desegregation in schools. The same South is routinely accused of being complicit to outright racism by white progressives.

I don’t believe that these liberals intend to influence segregation the way they do, but the inability to self-reflect, combined with the adamant assertions that the Republican party is to blame for every racially driven conflict is infuriating sometimes. The hypocrisy constantly displayed by these progressives will continue to move our country in a backwards direction, all under the pretense that they’re in some way helping.

If you want to help, address the real problems in our community, and fix them before criticizing others for their prevailing issues. If everyone plays the blame game, what could realistically get done? We must focus on truly advancing equality of opportunity, rather than continuing to create programs that cater to the wealthy and ignore students living in poverty.

Sachio Goodie Editor-in-chief

Table of Contents Viewpoints

Photo by Tarquavious Nash

4 Stacey Abrams endorsement 6 The Mueller investigation

Features 8 10 12 14 17 18 20 24

The Lil’ Ice Cream Dude Balancing work and school Jackson Camp Kindercore vinyl Kindercore album reviews Camryn Tanner The problem of teacher retention Getting to know Mr. Maxwell

News 26 Diverse representation 28 Peer leadership 30 The challenges of immigration

35 Photo by Tristan Lankford

26 Photo by Emma Dowling

Sports 35 Football 36 Cross Country 38 NCAA recruiting

Variety 42 Athens rappers

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Stacey Abrams:

progressive champion

By Radwan Jammoul

Abrams spoke about her younger brother’s addiction, his disorder, and the South’s disturbed mental health system to a packed Hendershot’s Coffee in Athens, Georgia. Photo by Catherine Wang.

B

efore Republican Governors Nathan Deal and Sonny Perdue, Georgia had a long history of white male Democrats holding the seat going as far back as 1872.

While the parties and their favored policies shifted between reconstruction and the civil rights era, Georgia state politics have been conservative since it was a colony.

Hopes for a Democratic leader lay in the hands of liberal strongholds such as the metro Atlanta area. One of these strongholds, Dekalb County, happens to be the home of the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate. The emergence of Progressive-Democratic leader Stacey Abrams could change Georgia history. She would be the first African-American female governor in history.

Her identity is not the only reason for the broad support Abrams has.

Her backstory and speeches have inspired a blue wave of supporters.

Growing up poor, a woman, and a person of color, Abrams’ voice speaks to impoverished and minority communities. While at Hendershot’s in downtown Athens, she shared an unfortunate tale of the day her and other valedictorians across Georgia gathered at the governor’s estate.

“That morning my parents got up, woke me up. We went outside, but we didn’t get in our car because my family didn’t have a car. My mom called us gentile poor; we had no money, but we watched PBS, and we read books.”

“We get to the top of the driveway and there was the guard station. The guard comes out and he looks at me, and he looks at my parents. He says, ‘This is a private event, you don’t belong here.’” Abrams pointed her finger at the crowd motioning the guard’s behavior.

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Abrams confessed that she was ready to leave.

“I’m ready to start running, but my mother has my arm in a death grip.

Because my parents needed me to understand in that moment that no one gets to determine your humanity but you.”

“The only clear memory I have of that day is the man standing in front of the most powerful place in Georgia, looking at me and telling me I do not belong. We have lived through two years of a leader telling us we don’t belong, and we’ve got someone running in this election who tells a lot of us we don’t belong. But we’ve got a chance to tell them something else. We will open those gates wide when I become the governor of Georgia so no one ever doubts that they belong!”

For many citizens, the choice between Abrams and her Republican counterpart Secretary of State Brian Kemp is an easy one. The two Georgia gubernatorial candidates have conflicting opinions on important issues like civil rights, economic issues, education, gun control, and healthcare.

Because of her substantial platform in these areas, BluePrints Magazine has endorsed Abrams. She supports the LGBT community and anti-discrimination laws that will advance protections for all workers.

Abrams is fighting for common sense gun control, and she has a plan to generate thousands of long term jobs that support a living wage.

She intends to protect public schools from privatization and wants to strengthen debt free pathways to higher education for students. She hopes to expand Medicaid and will protect women’s reproductive rights.

Like Abrams, Kemp also supports small businesses. He plans to do so by cutting bothersome regulations. He also plans to strengthen rural

Georgia, reform state government, and “PUT GEORGIA FIRST.” These four issues make up his 4-Point Plan to Put Georgians First.

In the past, Abrams has fought legislation that would permit discrimination. She voted against House Bill 757, a bill that would have allowed taxpayer funded groups to deny services to members of the LGBT community. Abrams also co-sponsored HB 323 to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation within state agencies.

Kemp would support a religious freedom and restoration bill that would permit businesses to deny healthcare coverage for contraception or to discriminate against gay couples. Kemp supports the construction of a border wall, wants to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, cut off benefits for illegal immigrants, and defund sanctuary cities. In short, he supports the Trump administration’s policies.

Cedar Shoals is a diverse school, and we feel that Abrams’ plans support our student body’s education and future careers. Many of our students depend on programs such as DACA, and there are many Republican endorsed bills that could negatively affect our students.

Abrams’ chances of becoming the first black female governor potentially lays in the hands of minority groups and first time voters. As Secretary of State, Kemp is overseeing his own election, and accusations of voter suppression are rampant.

There are 1.5 million new Georgia residents since 2005. Approximately 80% of these new residents are people of color. Abrams previously founded the non-profit New Georgia Project to help young people register to vote. Between 2014 and 2016 alone, this organization registered over 200,000 voters of color. Abrams also helped restore over 33,000 illegally canceled voter applications.

Stacey Abrams Democrat

Kemp, on the other hand, will continue Georgia’s notorious history of voter suppression. Kemp’s office has purged over 35,000 individuals from Georgia voter rolls using software that disproportionately targeted minority voters. He has also stalled more than 53,000 voter applications as “pending” over acute details such as hyphens, and a disproportionate amount of these voters are black. Since 2012 Kemp’s office has canceled over 1.4 million voter registrations. Abrams has called Kemp a “remarkable architect of voter suppression.”

Kemp’s purge of voter rolls is an attempt to sway the ballot in his favor and to secure his position as Georgia’s governor. Many may argue that Abrams is also acting in her own self and political interests, as the majority of the voters she helped register are likely to vote Democrat.

The difference is that Abrams’ self interests also happen to be the in the best interest of American democracy. Kemp’s attempt to mute colored voters does not mix well with the state’s changing demographics.

Kemp is attempting to earn a majority of votes from a minority of voters. Meanwhile, Abrams is trying to make Georgia responsive to its changing population.

Kemp only has four bulleted issues on his website, and the information there is not substantive. In attempting to illustrate how he will reduce regulations on small businesses, he merely links to a Gainesville Times article about his populist rhetoric. A man who cannot even explain his own issues does not deserve the title of Georgia governor.

In contrast, Abrams has a clear message of what she will do as governor, and her previous record shows that she will keep her promises.

Kemp’s bulleted gambit isn’t fooling anyone. He may have his four point plan, but Abrams is the only candidate who will actually put Georgians first.

Brian Kemp Republican

Helped submit 200,000+ voter registration forms

Since 2012 Kemp’s office has purged over 1.4 million voter registrations

Helped restore 33,000+ illegally canceled voter applications

Supports construction of a southern border wall

“I believe in the undocumented, because humanity doesn’t require paperwork.”

Has co-sponsored a bill to help prohibit discrimination

Wants to end DACA Supports defunding sanctuary cities

Supporter of LGBTQ+

Supports a religious freedom and restoration bill that would discriminate against LGBTQ+

Advocates for the expansion of Medacaid

Wants to end the Affordable Care Act

Supports reproductive rights

Wants to improve rural health care

Fought privatization of the public schools

Wants to craft customized healthcare plans

Preserved the Hope Scholarship program

Supports more local control for K-12 public education

Saved universal pre-K for four year olds from cuts in 2011 Believes that climate change exists Wants to keep money in the pockets of working families Introduced and supports legislation to raise Georgia’s minimum wage Fights for reform of gun laws

Supports charter schools and privatization of schools Wants to improve rural education Believes local communities should decide how to handle environmental issues Wants to reduce regulations on businesses Supports the second amendment Opposes gun control

Opposes campus carry Graphic by Trent Dennison.

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By Anna Whitford

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Want a Lil’ Ice Cream, Dude?

By Quinn Moore

F

rom selling ice cream out of a homemade ice cream cart at eight years old to opening a new ice cream shop this year, the Lil’ Ice Cream Dude has become a known name across Georgia.

Now a freshman at Cedar Shoals, Beau Shell plans to open his Cool World Ice Cream Shop this year.

“I don’t have an exact date. I don't want to make any assumptions yet because there’s still a lot of things to deal with financially and lots of things to get renovated for the building before the store is up and running,” said Beau.

“All of the money that he makes right now is going to the opening, renovation, and remodeling of his store. We’re getting his equipment for him to be able to make his own ice cream flavors,” said Mrs. Vickie Shell, Beau’s mother.

Even before the store opens, the Shells are looking beyond the East side.

“A lot of people's time and money went into this. I don’t want to let the community down for helping me open this store. It will be a big milestone for me. I plan on growing the business even more. I plan on trying to grow bigger, do collaborations, and even go international with this,” said Beau.

Shell formerly attended Athens Christian School until eighth grade before coming to public school on the East side.

“It was really helpful academically. The band was fun too. In private school there is more connection to religion and there is a much stricter dress code and code of conduct,” said Beau.

Photo by Pace Barkdoll.

Still, Beau has found his home as a Jaguar through the Classic City Sound marching band.

“Cedar isn't that much different from Athens Christian. Coming in I was somewhat nervous because I have heard some bad talk about Cedar, but I have made some good relationships here with the marching band and some of my other classmates,” Beau said.

When children move into high school, parents often worry about how they will balance academics, more independence, and more after-school activities. For Beau, juggling a business as well as school responsibilities can be challenging, especially for a freshman. Beau’s mother has seen her son adjust to Cedar Shoals well, and she believes he has learned to better manage his responsibilities.

“I’ve seen him become more independent and responsible. I think Beau going to Cedar will impact his business in a positive way. Going to a public school will allow more people to know him and follow him on social media, and more people from around the area will know him and come visit him at the shop,” said Mrs. Shell.

“Beau is an excellent student, he is very motivated in the classroom and every time he doesn’t understand something he keeps at it until he gets it.

His success early on in life will lead to success in the future,” said Mrs. Margaret Morgan, math department.

The entrepreneurship that Beau has honed through his ice cream business has taught him how to be a better student, too.

“I think that with Beau being an entrepreneur in high school, it forces him to be more organized and responsible,” said Morgan.

For his eighth birthday Beau asked for an ice cream cart. He liked the

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Beau Shell receiving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in Washington D.C.. Photo courtesy Vicki Shell

idea of making people happy while also making money, so he started a Kickstarter campaign to grow his brand and eventually bought his own truck.

Beau will soon open his own ice cream shop right down the road from Cedar in the Ansonborough Shopping Center. Shell plans to continue booking his ice cream truck and catering events after the opening.

“I think that going to Cedar will be beneficial to me. The store is very close and it will be easy to get from school to my store and get started with my work,” said Beau.

Cool World will also be making homemade ice cream sandwiches which will be an adjustment from the pre-bought items he currently sells.

“Cookie dough is one of my favorite flavors, so plan on seeing a cookie dough ice cream sandwich flavor,” said Beau.

Beau’s successful crowdfunding gave him enough money to open Cool World. He also got approved under the Department of Agriculture, which will allow him to make his own ice cream. He does not want to let his supporters down.

“The mobile side of the business is most important, and it wouldn’t make sense to give up a source of income. The sales at big games are good because I have a lot of supporters in this area,” said Shell.

Shell’s work ethic and maturity help him succeed as a young entrepreneur, and his management of his mobile business has him ready for the opening of his brick and mortar store.

“He has made customer relationships with a lot of people who will

come and support him. The new store will help him become more of a manager. When the store opens he will be managing his employees,” said Mrs. Shell.

The name ‘Lil’ Ice Cream Dude’ has become known, but Beau is not so little anymore. As his business continues to grow, so does Beau, but he doesn’t plan to drop the ‘Lil’ off his name. He wants to keep his business’ name, and he plans to hire other young people to help as his business grows.

“It’s more of a figurative thing. I think that since my name has become known already locally, I will just keep it as ‘Lil Ice Cream Dude’ because it also tells my story of how I started. I think that starting a business at such a young age has shown me that I can make my own money. If I were to stop selling ice cream, my mindset would still be to go out and make more money,” said Beau.

His parents have provided the necessary guidance on his journey as the Lil’ Ice Cream Dude. They have supported his business since he started, spreading his business through social media and local events.

Beau recently traveled Washington, D.C. to attend the 2018 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Conference and the 2018 Dream Big Small Business Awards Gala. Shell also participated in the Main Street Ambassadors program as part of his visit, visiting the U.S. Congress Building to lobby Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) on behalf of small businesses everywhere. At the gala he was named one of three finalists for the U.S. Chamber's Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and he won.

“As parents, we have been proud of Beau from day one. We’re proud that he has learned to balance his business as well as other things in life like school and band. We’re proud of the way he’s learned to manage his time and keep his grades up and still be successful,” said Mrs. Shell.

Beau’s plan for the future is to grow bigger and better. With his new store location he hopes to bring in new income, but this store is about more than money: it is an accomplishment.

“It is the next step in Beau achieving his ultimate dream,” said Mrs. Shell.

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Working students

By Jenny Sanchez

H

omework should ideally be the only workload a student has, but more than one-in-four high school students are employed by the age of 16 and older.

Students may acquire a job for many reasons: wanting extra money to spend on luxuries or for experience in the workforce. Some depend on their jobs for the well-being of their families.

“I started working at age 14. Both my parents work during the week, as well as helping me sell on the weekends,” said Johan Teran, a junior at Madison County High School who spends his weekends selling household products at the J&J Flea Market.

Art by Jenny Sanchez.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets wages, hours worked, and safety requirements for minors (individuals under age 18) working in jobs covered by the statute. The FLSA sets 14 years of age as the minimum age for employment, and it limits the number of hours that can be worked legally by minors under the age of 16.

The hours add up, and when an individual compares that to how much they spend towards school, it's a bit alarming.

“I spend an hour on homework compared to four hours at my job. Since my job is on the weekends, my sleeping schedule and schoolwork can sometimes fall short, and I get nagged at sometimes for not completing weekend assignments,” said Teran.

For students who work shifts on school nights, the hours and balancing act can be more complicated. For 2018 Cedar Shoals graduate and current University of Georgia student Nana Jammoul, one job was not enough.

“In high school, I worked at Moe’s and La Fiesta. I would work three or four shifts at Moe’s and five shifts at La Fiesta every week. On the weekend, I would go straight from one job to the other.

When I turned 18, I quit at Moe’s so I could serve full time at La Fiesta. Throughout the summer I would work six or seven days a week. Now in college I work only three or four days,” said Jammoul.

Those shifts at Moe’s were usually five hours after school, and Jammoul could work between 4-12 hours straight depending on the day. At Moe’s, she cooked, cleaned, and cashiered, and at La Fiesta, she hosted, served, and cleaned.

Jammoul succeeded in reaching her educational goals, but experts suggest that she was overdoing it.

The Georgia Department of Labor recommends that students work three hours on a school day, but they can be assigned more after the age of 16. Working five hour shifts after school leaves students getting off work late into the night, leaving little time for homework or studying for tests.

“In high school I spent probably two hours a week on homework, and I worked about 40 hours. In college I spend about seven hours a week studying and working 20-30 hours a week,” said Jammoul.

“I have to figure out where to do my homework. If school days were shorter it'd be a lot easier to do, but I find that if you know how to man-

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Oglethorpe County High School student Eduardo Guerrero sets up shop at the J&J Flea Market. Photo by Jenny Sanchez.

Nana Jammoul is currently studying at the University of Georgia after graduating from Cedar Shoals in May of 2018. She worked two part-time jobs her senior year. Photo by Catherine Wang.

age time, it's easier to have a job,” said Eliza Sidenstecker, a senior who works at Chick-Fil-A on Barnett Shoals 15 hours a week over 3 shifts.

Many of these students, with little time to waste, still find ways to participate in sports, band, clubs, and Advanced Placement courses.

“There is a difference between my regular and AP class workload, in terms of how much students are expected to do outside of class time. AP students often have greater amount of reading to do independently and are expected to build their own study guides for quizzes and tests,” said Mrs. Carly Chandler, science department.

That meeting point of high expectations for academics and the reality of students’ lives outside of school is where the balancing act requires students to manage communication. Sometimes the effort of finishing school assignments and homework isn’t enough, and students have to ask for different kinds of help.

“I don't find work as an excuse. Sometimes push comes to shove and a student needs extended deadlines. If I need an extended deadline because of work hours, I don't have a problem asking for one. Sometimes I ask ahead just to have a little more leeway to decrease stress,” said Sidenstecker.

“I try to be understanding, especially teaching juniors and seniors. I worked when I was that age too and I remember having to budget my time. I'm also aware that some kids work not just for spending money, but because they are helping out their family,” said Mr. Bryan Moore, English department.

“Sometimes a student will email me or privately ask for an extension on an assignment because of a long work day or weekend, and I always appreciate the info and give them some time,” said Moore.

Those situations can be more difficult than teachers may realize without that communication. ”I work a lot because my father has heart failure, so he cannot work over a certain amount each week,” said Jammoul.

As a teenager, Moore worked as a dishwasher, at a frozen yogurt shop, and as a lifeguard and swim instructor. Chandler worked at everywhere from restaurants to sales to nannying and lawn work. She praises these students for balance school and work.

“I often tell students how impressed I am that they are working to support themselves and their family, and I also appreciate the many skills that are learned at these jobs. However, I try to be careful to not let their jobs be the reason that they do not complete their work,” said Chandler.

Students say that going to college can be an escape route to working so much, but it also acts as a milestone where you can take hold of your future.

“I plan to go to a university to secure a more stable and well paying job, so that I won't have to stay at this one forever. With that, I can be able to help my parents in the future,” said Teran.

Some universities such as the University of Georgia, University of North Georgia, and Athens Tech have included the option to state whether a student has to work for their family’s financial stability.

“It's a really good question to have on a college application, it means you're dedicated. To work to support yourself and others, I find, is something of an achievement. Especially because it shows good time management and a care for self that other students don't have. It's a leg up,” said Sidenstecker.

Telling a university that you work in general can explain a lot about the grades you have in school, the way you manage time, and how much work you’re willing to put in to reach your goals. Students can also learn soft skills that are not explicitly taught in the curriculum. ”You have to talk to people, ask questions, and be a good employee.

Unless you know how to socialize, you won't be a good worker. There are some things that working teaches you that school simply can't reach.

I'd probably be less connected to my future and more introverted,” said Sidenstecker. She started working to help pay for a trip to Europe and to help her family with bills.

“Working from a young age has helped me to mature faster and appreciate the value of money more. I work with family members, although I have made some friends on the job. My job requires me to be social in order to sell products to customers. Sometimes it can be tough dealing with difficult customers,” said Teran.

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Camp’s march across the country

Jackson Camp traveled to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, home of Super Bowl XLVI, to compete in the Big, Loud & Live 15. Photo Courtesy of Spirit of Atlanta (top). The workouts with Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps were intensive. Over the summer, Camp lost 21 pounds. Photo courtesy of Spirit of Atlanta (right).

By Catherine Wang

P

ractice for 14 hours, rehearsals in the morning, a show at night, and then on to the next city.

That might sound like the life of a rock star, but it’s how Cedar Shoals junior Jackson Camp spent his summer in a three month program known as Drum Corps International (DCI): Marching Music’s Major League.

DCI produces events for the world’s most elite and exclusive marching ensembles for student musicians and performers. The organization has 46 sectors known as corps that are divided into two overarching categories: World Class and Open Class. Camp was a part of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, a World Class Corp that is based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Getting into Drum Corps International is not easy.

Thousands of people from the ages of 15-21 audition to be in DCI with over 700 people competing for 150 spots just for the Spirit of Atlanta Corps, making the program highly selective.

Jackson attended 3 separate audition camps over the course of 3 months.

“They sent out a packet with information and a couple of Etudes. You learn those, audition, and then you have to do a fitness evaluation to make sure you were actually fit enough to march,” said Jackson.

One of the youngest corps members this summer, Jackson is the first student from Clarke County to get into the program.

“It made me feel pretty good knowing that I’m 16 and everyone else is 18, 19, 20, and that at this age I’m able to compete with guys older than me,” said Camp.

After getting into Drum Corps, the challenges don’t end. Long hours of practice are required, far more than a regular high school marching band.

“In most high school bands we rehearse maybe three days a week, two and a half hours each day.

They’re spending a lot of time in music rehearsals.

They also have music time, music block, and fundamentals where they do all the marching, fitness, and calisthenics,” said Dr. Zandra Bell-McRoy, Cedar Shoals Band Director. “They’re learning the

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show and cleaning the actual drill on the field, so they’re rehearsing eight to ten, sometimes 12-hours a day plus performances.”

Drum Corps also features more variety in performances.

“We perform maybe once a week at a Friday night football game, and then we have two competitions.

They’re performing multiple times. Every time they perform they get feedback and they have to change things in the show, so they have to relearn certain parts of the show,” said Bell-McRoy. “It is not like marching band in high school or even college marching band. They travel around the country competing against other corps,” said Chris Camp, Jackson’s father.

Participation in such an intense program requires dedication. Jackson’s parents influenced this commitment since he was a child.

“Jackson has been around band his whole life. He went to his first concert when he was just a couple weeks old,” said Mrs. Laurie Camp, Jackson’s mother and Hilsman Middle School Band Director.

“From a newborn he was on stage with me when performing at Music on the Lawn at Cedar Shoals, playing on instruments at football games and after concerts, and playing around on the piano at our house,” said Mr. Camp.

24 hours a day, you learn to cooperate and get along even when exhausted,” said Mrs. Camp.

terms of marching and music, he’s still looking to grow more as a musician.

Jackson has transferred those leadership skills to taking on the job of band captain, a role typically reserved for seniors.

“I learned how to never be complacent with something and to never be happy with one thing when there’s something better that’s in front of you. It’s the mentality that you’re always going to better tomorrow than you are today,” said Camp.

To Jackson, marching band is where a group of people can get together to put a piece of art on the field. His passion for music and band led him to join Cedar’s marching band during his 8th grade year.

“The band captain is traditionally our strongest marcher and our strongest musician. They are in charge of making sure all of the other captains are doing what they are supposed to do,” said BellMcRoy.

“It was really easy for him to get it and figure out feet technique and body character; he’s just a natural mover,” said Bell-McRoy. “He gets movement and gets how to move and play at the same time and still sound good.”

Jackson also helps arrange music for the band.

Attending DCI has also allowed Jackson to pick up many skills outside the realm of music that can be contributed to the Classic City Sound at Cedar Shoals.

“Participating in Drum Corps has taught Jackson how to manage his time, be independent, and how to be a team player. Being around 200 people for

“I learned to arrange just by messing around on a program on my mom’s computer. I started playing piano when I was in kindergarten, picked up trumpet when I was in middle school, and then learned to play guitar a little bit, so I have been reading music my entire life,” said Camp. “It’s like when people learn to read and write. You learn how to read before you write so that writing becomes easier. The same thing applies to me when writing music.”

“He’s really gained the respect of the younger members. They really look up to him and they respect that he’s still one of them. He’s still just a silly, goofy band kid, and he hasn’t lost that. I think that really resonates with students,” said BellMcRoy. After high school, Camp looks forward to studying music education in college.

“I just hope he continues to not sacrifice anything for anyone by always going after what he wants.

If he wants to play in the top military band or best college band in the country, just go for it. I think that if he keeps going at the rate he’s going, he’s going to be great,” said Bell-McRoy.

While Jackson has accomplished many feats in

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A G N I S S E E R U PR T L U C W S E N N E H T A IN

By Tristan Lankford

I

t’s easy to hear why records have become a long lasting retro fad in the last decade: the warm, unforgettable, omni-dimensional sound quality that fills the room. Digital music, while convenient, simply can’t compare to the caliber of sound from a record player.

With Athens own Kindercore Vinyl recently celebrating its one year anniversary, that musical experience is now being pressed here in the Classic City.

On Newton Bridge Road in Athens, past Terrapin Beer Company, sits a small factory on a countryside hill with three large pressing plants inside. A simple look around the building reveals Kindercore Vinyl’s intricate process of creating and pressing records.

Athens’ music scene is nationally renowned for the famous artists and bands that are based here, but Kindercore gives the city something special. There are only less than 30 pressing plants in the United States, and Kindercore Vinyl is one of them.

In the fall of 2016, Athenian musician Ryan Lewis revamped his business after observing vinyl’s resurgence.

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“Vinyl is an important part of all of the different ways that we can consume music and certainly my favorite,” said Lewis.

Vinyl records offer listeners an entirely different experience than digital formats.

“Now that vinyl is back, people have realized that there’s something they were missing by not having the art, the greater sound quality, and sitting down and enjoying a record play all the way through an album,” said Lewis.

“Even though so much is digital now, people want to interact with their physical world. They like objects,” said Kindercore’s operations manager, Matt Lewis, Ryan’s brother.

Kindercore wasn’t always just a vinyl company, starting as a local record label. In the mid-1990’s, Ryan was a college student at the University of Georgia, touring the country with several bands including The Agenda!. He ultimately wanted to put out his music more broadly.

“We were sending our stuff out to labels around the country, but they already had bands that they wanted to sign,” said Ryan Lewis.

Ryan Lewis explains the process for pressing vinyl. A heated PVC puck gets flattend and then labeled. He pressed his first record on Halloween of 2017. Photo

by Tristan Lankford.

Instead of continuing to look for a label that would finally sign him and his bands, Ryan Lewis opted to make his own.

“We decided one day that we would try to put out a compilation, a cassette composed of ten local bands we were friends with. It went really well. It was called the Treble Revolution, and after that, we kept doing stuff like that” said Ryan.

In May of 1996, Kindercore Records was officially established, targeting bands they knew from Athens’ vivid music scene. The genres of music being produced varied, and Kindercore represented a diverse subset of bands across Athens.

house and destroyed all of the records. We had no money and no records to sell, so we ran out of business,” said Ryan Lewis.

From 2003 to 2015, Ryan found himself working in graphic design until a conversation with one of his friends, Cash Carter, led to a new idea.

“I told Cash that I wanted to do something new, and he tried to convince me to run the label again. I said ‘no way’, but then he asked about running a pressing plant,” said Ryan Lewis.

“I had this big idea, and he brought it in provision” said Carter, Kindercore’s Chief of Operations.

“We had loud bands, quiet bands, pop bands, but we become known for having more pop-catchy, 60’s ish bands on the label” said Ryan Lewis.

After about a year of negotiating and finding the right investor, Ryan Lewis finally brought his business to life, pressing Kindercore Vinyl’s first record on Halloween of 2017.

Most notably, Kindercore Records produced music from prominent bands such as of Montreal, The Mendoza Line, Dressy Bessy and The Agenda!.

Kindercore is not just pressing records; the label is also finding ways to invest in the Athens community with a conscience. This summer, Kindercore partnered up with the Athens Clarke-County Library to award children a free seven-inch record if they reached the goal of reading 50 books on summer vacation. To Lewis’ surprise, over 2,000 children surpassed the goal.

All was fine until 2003, where Kindercore lost all their business to “criminals,” as Ryan put it. Signing and forging paperwork, then fleeing the Canada, the thieves completely shattered the prevailing record label, leaving owners Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller with nothing.

“All of the records we had in stock, his bank repossessed the ware-

“That was really impressive and fun to be apart of to spread the love of vinyl to kids,” said Ryan Lewis. “I was actually surprised that most of the kids knew exactly what vinyl was, which goes to show how

CedarBlueprints.com | Cedar BluePrints | 15

popular vinyl is nowadays.”

In addition to supporting literacy, Kindercore also works with the University of Georgia’s Music Business program at Terry College, hosting up to five interns from the music business program each semester. Some of those interns continue to work with Kindercore after the program concludes.

Because of the established music scene and intricate ties within a small town, Athens was an ideal spot for a small record pressing plant’s home.

“We always want to increase our production and the number of artists and record labels we’re working with,” said Matt Lewis.

“We would like to get to the capacity for us to be busy enough that we need to get a fourth presser too,” said Carter.

Even if vinyl’s popularity suffers, Kindercore will survive. Independent bands will still want records pressed even if mainstream labels see a decline in sales for physical albums.

“We all feel grateful to Athens just for being the kind of place where we can live and for being the kind of place where we can do, whether it’s now, record manufacturing, or before when we played music, running a label, putting on shows, things like that,” said Matt Lewis.

“While it’s certainly nice right now to get a lot of attention and get publicity, even if all of that was to go away, we’d still have plenty of business with people that are dedicated to the format,” said Ryan Lewis. “There’s a need out there that we’re going to be able to fill regardless whether the New York Times is writing about how popular vinyl is, or if it just goes back to independent bands.”

“There’s just something about Athens that inspires creativity,” said Ryan Lewis.

Closing out their first year of business, Kindercore’s leadership has the recipe for success: a strong team built around friendship.

Just passing it’s one year anniversary, Kindercore’s owners still have goals they’re pursuing.

“I couldn’t ask for a better partner or a better crew,” said Carter. “This is probably the best team I’ve ever worked with.”

Once a record is flattened, a knife cuts off the excess PVC (right), and then the disc goes to a cooling rack (below). Photo by Tristan Lankford.

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By Dominic Bielli

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efore Kindercore Vinyl, owners Ryan Lewis and Daniel Geller owned and operated Kindercore Records, an independent record label featuring the hidden musical talents of Athens, Georgia. Founded in 1996, Kindercore Records featured earlier versions of well known bands throughout Athens such as of Montreal, Japancakes, and Maserati.

Maserati: The Language of Cities (2002) When released on Kindercore Records in 2002, instrumental The Language of Cities was only the second ever studio album to be released by Maserati. Having eight songs, this album is relatively lengthy at 50 minutes, but with each song having many different parts, you will not become uninterested. Overall, the songs on this album are fairly slow and darker sounding, with the exception of “Keep it Gold”, which is much faster paced than any other song on the album. Sound wise, instruments used are pretty standard. Not much of anything other than guitar, bass, or drums are played, but each part is played so well that it does not affect the overall theme or sound of the album. Intricate drum beats are also used throughout, and especially showcased in “Being a President Is Like Riding a Tiger,” which is very melodic and slow at first, but eventually the drums come in, gradually becoming much more upbeat and energetic.

of Montreal: The Bedside Drama: A Complete Tragedy (1998) Having a childlike, upbeat, and playful sound, The Bedside Drama: A Complete Tragedy is closely related to previous of Montreal releases such as Cherry Peel, which was released in 1997.

Songs on Bedside such as “The Couple’s First Kiss” incorporate many different child-like sounds such as bells and whistles or even the sound of an ice cream truck. Every song is a light-hearted, and Kevin Barnes’ soothing voice compliments the acoustic guitar very well, which I hear in the majority of the songs on this album. Vocal harmonies, horns, and even the saw are played during some songs, and this just adds to the uniqueness of this album. Vocal harmonies reoccur during the majority of songs on the album, but at some points they almost give tracks such as “Cutie Pie” an eerie feeling. Each song is pretty short and sweet, with the album having 16 songs, but only adding up to 39 minutes.

Japancakes : The Sleepy Strange (2001) After successfully releasing Down The Elements in 2000, Japancakes released The Sleepy Strange on Kindercore Records in 2001. Strange contains seven slow to mid-tempo instrumental songs that create a melodic and calming feel, emphasized by the unique instruments of choice: the pedal steel guitar, and the cello. Songs such as “The Waiting” and “Disconnect the Cables” each exhibit the use of these unique instruments, overall making the songs very tasteful. Each song follows a riff that gradually becomes more complex.

This approach can be boring, but with the correct use of different sounds and instruments, Japancakes makes their songs simple yet intricate at the same time, which appeals to the listener.

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Lights, camera, take action:

Photo courtesy of Camryn Tanner

Camryn Tanner on two stages

By Emma Dowling

S

ince the start of 2018 there have been over 268 mass shootings, killing and injuring 1,372 people and leaving their friends and families to grieve. But mass shootings do not account for even close to half of those killed and injured by gun violence this year.

These statistics may seem like just numbers on paper, but for Cedar Shoals senior Camryn Tanner and her family, they’re very real.

A drama student, a member of Cedar’s marching band, and now an activist, Camryn is the president of Cedar’s National Association of Students Against Gun Violence.

Camryn was seven years old when she watched a “mad man” with a gun take her father Tom Tanner’s life.

“April 25 should’ve been a happy day,” Camryn told the crowd of students at the student walkout against gun violence last spring. “My dad, Tom Tanner, and two other wonderful human beings, Marie Bruce and Ben Teague, had just completed the last show they would work on. In an instant, my dad’s smiles were stopped by gunshots and blood.”

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“Even at seven years old, I knew what I wanted. I knew I did not want him and others like him to have access to a gun. I knew that the NRA was corrupt and frightening. And yet I quickly began to keep that all to myself because of the adults who, despite what I’d seen, disregarded me and shut me down for such open criticism and anger over guns and the NRA,” said Camryn.

Camryn experienced many people’s worst fear up close and personal, left to grow up without a father because a gun was in the wrong hands.

“Kids when they are seven years old haven’t developed a lot of complex thinking skills. It’s all very black and white,” said Camryn’s mother, Chris Schultz. “At first it was fear. She was afraid that the bad man was going to come back after me, that she was going to lose both of us.”

That fear is what hides in the hearts and minds of students and families across the country. Fear that tomorrow, when you send your child to school it will be the last day you’ll get to see them. Fear that you can’t allow your teenager to walk alone at night. Fear of how easy it is for

weapons to get into the wrong hands.

And that fear is a reality. In September of 2018 alone, over 700 people have been killed at the hands of a gun, intentionally or not.

For Camryn at seven years old, the fear was all too real.

“All that time you are expected to do business as usual. You’re supposed to get back to work, take care of pets, grocery shop and interact with people.

But at that point everything had changed, everything was very different.

You’re supposed to pick up where you left off, and that’s extremely difficult,” said Schultz.

After ten years of grieving, what was once fear has turned into a desire to take action.

“The laws in place aren’t enough. They are little to nothing, and there are a lot of loopholes. People don’t really care that there are loopholes, and that’s concerning,” said Camryn.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives says all dealers must be licensed, regardless of whether they are selling guns in cyberspace, at gun shows, or at brick-and-mortar stores. Regardless, in states such as Georgia, Alabama, Alaska and others, unlicensed sellers can make private sales without conducting a background check.

Students and young adults across the United States are working together to change gun laws and regulations such as the gun show loophole, and Camryn is leading Cedar’s chapter in the fight against gun violence. As the president of Cedar’s NASAGV chapter, she is involved in political movements locally and nationally.

Last March Camryn and her mother traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the national March for Our Lives protest, organized by the survivors from the Marjory Stoneman-Douglas high school shooting that left 17 students dead and 17 injured last February.

“My favorite part was Emma Gonzalez’s speech. It was enlightening,” said Camryn about the moment when Gonzalez stood in silence for 6 minutes and 20 seconds in front of the 200,000 people in attendance. Her minutes of silence showed how long it took the Parkland shooting gunman to kill 17 people, get rid of the weapon, and blend into the fleeing students.

“I got a chance to participate in Road to Change in Atlanta with Jackie

“It’s just been so heartening to see what started as a handful of teenagers take charge and let it become a national movement. That gives me hope,” said Chris Schultz, Camryn’s mother. Photo by Emma Dowling.

Camryn Tanner carrying a sign at the March for Our Lives protest at Cedar Shoals on April 20, 2018. Tanner passionately spoke of her personal experience with gun violence. Photo by Emma Dowlilng.

Corin and Emma Gonzalez, and I actually got to share my story there. The amount of support from all of these random strangers that were around me was crazy,” said Camryn.

“It’s just been so heartening to see what started as a handful of teenagers take charge and let it become a national movement, that gives me hope,” said Schultz. “But my favorite part was having Camryn find her voice.”

Trauma shapes people, families, cities, and even countries. And for Camryn, this trauma has helped motivate her to make change as well as to follow her dreams.

Her father Tom was involved in theater throughout Camryn’s early childhood, appearing in plays at Athens’ Town & Gown before losing his life there in 2009. Camryn now follows his legacy, participating in acting and drama programs. She last appeared as Senator Fipp in the Cedar Shoals Drama production of Urinetown, and she plans to pursue acting as a career.

Her mother is supportive of Camryn just as much as she is learning from her.

“There is so much of a romance of guns and the cowboy mentality, and they are a tool and a weapon. I think that my generation went complacent. We just kind of went ‘we can’t change the minds of the people in power. It’s where the money goes and there’s nothing we can do,’ but seeing the movement from teens and young adults has been very inspiring,” said Schultz.

“I’m thinking about it more again. It’s gotten me out of my complacent bubble. I think there are going to be some changes and I think your generation is responsible for that.”

“I would relive April 25 a hundred times if I never had to see one more report of children who lost their futures in a place where they should be building them,” said Camryn. “Because eventually, we do all come to terms with what we survived. But god forbid we ever accept our country for the inescapable nightmare it has become for too many.”

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s the 2017-18 school year ended, Clarke County School District witnessed one of its largest teacher turnover rates in recent years, with 230 documented resignations throughout the county. Roughly 16-percent of all Clarke County teachers either resigned or retired. At Cedar Shoals High School, 28 employees resigned in the past year alone, almost 30-percent of the entire staff.

“It’s a problem in education in general. It’s a stressful job, being a teacher,” said Lynn Duke, the Executive Director of Human Resources and Information Services for CCSD. Unfortunately, this trend is growing. As published in “Teachers Flee CCSD: Departures Doubled Over 2016-17” by Rebecca McCarthy in Flagpole, the number of teachers to leave the school district during 2017 was double that of 2016.

At the end of last school year, former Cedar Shoals social studies department chair Mrs. Erin Adamson resigned from her position and is now teaching at North Oconee High School. Throughout her years at Cedar Shoals, Adamson taught World History, worked with the cross country team, and even hosted the 2018 Cedar Shoals Europe trip.

“I think that it’s really damaging and misleading,” said Adamson in response to McCarthy’s article in Flagpole. “North Oconee High School, which is supposedly one of the top schools in the state, hired 18 new people this year. We have three new people in the social studies department

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Where have all the teachers gone?

By Tyson Jordan alone, and I think there are a similar amount of new people in the social studies department at Cedar. This idea that it’s only Clarke County that’s experiencing this huge turnover is inaccurate,” said Adamson.

Mr. Derrick Maxwell, Cedar Shoals Principal, has worked in CCSD for 15 years in addition to his brief stint as principal at Commerce Middle School. During his time in CCSD, Maxwell has been principal at both Cedar Shoals and Whit Davis Elementary.

“I don’t think the 16% turnover rate is really unique to Clarke County,” said Maxwell. “Looking around at other similar districts, they experience similar percentages of attrition.”

As principal, Maxwell sees the struggles of new employees in CCSD. “The Department of Education did a study two or three years ago, and I think the alarming statistic was that 44-percent of educators left the profession within their first five years,” said Maxwell.

“Georgia’s Teacher Dropout Crisis,” written by Stephen J. Owens, summarizes this study. Over 53,000 educators in Georgia were surveyed, with most saying that the “Number and emphasis of mandated tests” was the predominant reason they left.

“The first step is to find out why teachers are leaving the profession. I know Georgia has conducted that survey several years ago, but I think

Graphic by Trent Dennison.

Clarke

84%

Oglethorpe

88%

Oconee

90%

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20

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Percentage of teachers retained by school district nationwide it would be good to do some research and anecdotal gathering of data,” said Maxwell.

Losing teachers is not only a personnel issue, but an expensive one.

While the cost of training teachers varies across districts, the frequency throughout the United States is apparent.

A study titled “What’s The Cost of Teacher Turnover?” published by Learning Policy Institute says that on average, urban districts can spend up to $20,000 on each new hire.

As both Adamson and Maxwell acknowledge, the teacher attrition rate is not unique to Clarke County. In “Revolving Door of Teachers Cost Schools Billions Every Year,” writer Owen Phillips interviews Dr. Richard Ingersoll, who said that over 40-percent of K-12 Teachers leave a school district within their first five years of teaching. Ingersoll’s research on teacher retention has helped shed light on current issues in American schools.

Not all new teachers are new to the field, but there are many educators who change locations and need time to adjust to new or unique circumstances.

Mr. Robert Chatmon is one of the 28 new teachers at Cedar Shoals this school year, previously working as a paraprofessional in CCSD along with teaching in both Shelby and Gwinnett County. He sees annual attrition as a cycle between various school systems.

“It’s a problem in education in general. It’s a stressful job, being a teacher.”

- Lynn Duke, Executive Director of Human Resources and Information Services for CCSD

The statistics speak for themselves. New teachers clearly have obstacles of their own to face, and they do not always feel supported.

“I think a big part of it is not having support. There’s been a couple places where the principals haven’t done well and haven’t supported their staff. People get fed up really easily with behavioral problems.

People just get tired of disciplining the same kids and the administration not doing anything about those kids. That was the real issue when I was student teaching,” said Mr. Garrett Walker, a first-year teacher at Cedar who student taught at Coile Middle School, which is now under new leadership.

alarming.”

“Opportunities present themselves.

When I was in Gwinnett, I had an opportunity to come back to Clarke County. I think that happens in Clarke County as well. When you’re teaching, other opportunities present themselves. I think we also have to be mindful that if 16% of (Clarke County teachers) left, and those positions were filled, that means that 16% of people left somewhere else to come back to Clarke County,” said Chatmon.

“People choose to leave for various reasons,” said Duke. “We hired around 200 teachers this year and we’ve already had about ten of them quit, which is startling and

Duke suggests that there are many plausible explanations as to why teachers are leaving the profession.

“It could be anything from a transfer of the spouse to a different position or general location to health issues, too. There’s a teaching shortage.

There was a period of time back during the recession when school districts were letting people go. Our attrition rates got pretty low because they were letting people go based on last one hired. Nobody wanted to move because you didn’t want to be the last one hired at the next district.

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So now that the economy is getting better, people are starting to move around a little bit more,” said Duke.

While the decision to leave was hard for Adamson, she does not blame the students.

“I don’t think it’s the students. I think, if anything, it’s the turnover, leadership, retirements. The fact that we have UGA here. The fact the we have a lot of pressure on us to document what we’re doing in the classroom,” said Adamson.

“Our situation due to our poverty level in Clarke County is very different than the ones around us, so it’s a different skill set that you need to work with our students. You have to want to work with our students,” said Duke. “If I can work in a school that doesn’t have behavior issues, would I chose that one? Probably, wouldn’t you? But by that same token, people choose to work in tough schools because that’s where you can make the most difference and see amazing things occur.”

While any conversation surrounding teacher turnover automatically focuses on those who leave, there are also those who choose to stay in CCSD -- some for the duration of their careers.

Mr. Greg Huberty is currently teaching his 30th year at Cedar Shoals.

In 2017, he was named the county’s Teacher of the Year. He, his brothers, his wife, and his children all attended Cedar as high school students. His entire career has taken place at Cedar Shoals in CCSD. “I was offered a job at Oconee County High school back when I was coaching soccer, and I turned it down because I was going to have to ‘float’. I was going to have to move classroom to classroom when I taught, and that was an issue for me because that’s a tough way to go about your day,” Huberty said. “Ever since I just haven’t really looked.

I’ve enjoyed my time here at Cedar Shoals and wanted to stay. I enjoy

the students, the faculty, and the experience that I’ve got here.”

Huberty sees Cedar Shoals as a practical high school setting that reflects the real world, whether it be the good or the bad.

“You’re not sheltered from anything. You see anything and everything here at Cedar Shoals,” said Huberty.

In nearby school systems, teacher attrition figures remain lower than CCSD’s, but the issue is still apparent.

Oconee County boasts both higher test scores and a wealthier community, in addition to higher rates of retention.

“Our retention rate here in Oconee County is over 90%. If you asked me what I thought that would be attributed to, I would point to the community support for our teachers, and the support that they receive in their building. The whole climate and culture of our school is very nurturing, rigourous, but overall a very positive learning environment,” said Oconee County Schools Director of Communication Anisa Jimenez in an email. Jimenez previously worked within CCSD as the Director of Public Relations and Communications.

Other local counties follow similar patterns. Beverley Levine, Oglethorpe County School System Superintendent, said that the collective staff had a retention rate of 88%, and when solely considering teachers that figure stands at 90%.

Fair compensation is yet another problem when trying to retain teachers. In a recent TIME Magazine cover story, “This is What It’s Like to Be a Teacher in America” writer Katie Reilly highlights the extremes that some educators go to to make ends meet.

The situation outlined by Reilly paints a dire and desperate picture of America’s teachers, but there is some truth to it locally. BluePrints

Greg Huberty teaches his AP Calculus BC course. The 2017 CCSD Teacher of the Year, Huberty’s entire career has been at Cedar Shoals. Photo by Tyson Jordan.

Erin Adamson continues to teach World History at North Oconee High School. “I like the fact that, because it’s not a Title I district, and we don’t have a lot of students struggling academically, there’s not a huge burden placed on teachers,” said Adamson. Photo by Tyson Jordan.

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Magazine conducted a survey of Cedar Shoals teachers asking about job satisfaction, compensation, and whether teachers have resorted to extra streams of income.

With 79 responses, 63.3% of respondents said that they did not feel fairly compensated for their work.

When asked “While working in the district, have you ever resorted to additional methods of income such as another part-time job, Uber, Airbnb, retail, service industry, etc.?” 58.2% of respondents said yes. For those who said yes, additional income streams like Uber and tutoring were common responses. Others included “plasma donation” and “bartending on the weekends.”

“It could be a lot of things. It could be that they’ve accumulated some debt and they want to pay it off. It could be that they’re living beyond their means and that they need to make an adjustment down the road. Am I saying that you’re in teaching to be a millionaire?

No. It isn’t one of the best high paying jobs”, said Duke.

Comparing veteran salaries amongst CCSD and Oconee County shows a pay difference between the two locations. Educators in Clarke who have taught for over 21 years with an undergraduate degree earn a salary of $56,438, including the local supplement.

The salary for the same level of experience in Oconee County is $57,327. The figures are similarly close for all experience and education level comparisons between the two systems.

In 2015-16 the Atlanta Journal-Constitution published “Which Georgia school system pays teachers the most?” by Fiza Pirani, highlighting average Georgia school system salaries. Buford City topped the list with an average annual salary of $64,636. In the list of 203 districts, CCSD ranked 178th with an average salary of $47,267.

Graphic by Anna Whitford.

The future of CCSD’s teacher salaries are in the hands of Superintendent Dr. Demond Means and the school board. Duke said that preparations for CCSD’s next budget would start in November, followed by the official supplement during July of next year. They are already considering how to offer teachers better pay.

“I have asked Dr. Means if we can do signing bonuses next year,” said Duke. “We also want to pay additional supplements to people that are in those high demand fields. Being a special education teacher has its own challenges.”

As school systems work to solve the turnover problem, Huberty looks toward the final days of his teaching career. In those 30 years at the same school, the job has come to demand more and provide less.

“The turnover rate has increased the longer that I’ve taught,” said Huberty. “This is not an anomaly. A lot of it has to do with the profession itself. The expectations of the profession are changing. The accountability for some people is skewed a little bit, and it centers around the fact that a lot of a teacher’s day is outside the classroom, outside the teaching realm.”

To Huberty, as the profession has changed, teachers have lost valuable time toward doing the work they love.

“When I started teaching, the majority of your day consisted of teaching, preparing to teach, and analyzing what you taught. Now it’s a lot of paperwork and accountability that a lot of teachers get frustrated with, because it seems to not necessarily lead you to become a better teacher. I’m not saying those things are bad, I’m saying those things are taking up a lot of teachers’ time. I think that burden for a lot of teachers is tough, especially as a new teacher coming into it,” said Huberty.

Graphic by Anna Whitford.

“As my wife likes to say, it’s a lot of people telling you how to do your job, that don’t do your job, and that can be frustrating.”

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Grilling Maxwell Getting to know Cedar Shoals’ not-so-new principal

By Trent Dennison

What is your favorite genre of music?

I went to a school much like here where all kinds of music were represented. So we had the rap and hip-hop and classic rock from my dad.

All the classic rock is the best rock ever put out: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, the Beatles. My dad really loved the Beatles. I liked some older country, not the new, poppy stuff. And you know, I sometimes like hardcore rap. I used to listen to NWA, Snoop Dogg, Dre, but I don’t really listen to any of the new stuff much. You know everyone uses the same 20 or so sounds, but right now, just the stuff we play at the dances.

What do you like about living in Athens?

It was never the plan, but when I graduated college my wife still had a couple years, so I decided to stay. When she graduated we were like “where should we go?” Because we felt like we needed to go. But we just decided to stay. Athens is a small town physically, but it has the qualities of bigger cities. I like live music. I like good food. I like to be relatively close to everything. If you want to go to water or mountains or Atlanta you’re never really too far away. It’s kind of a nice, centralized city. It’s more progressive. My hometown was more traditional, so I like the Athens scene.

Photo by Emma Dowling.

What were you like in high school?

I was actually the kind of guy who led the pep rallies, like the spirit stick, and, probably not as appropriate, but we used to dress the boys up and mock the cheerleaders. I played soccer in high school. I had good grades, but I went to a big high school, about the size of Cedar and Central together. At the time I think it was the largest high school in Georgia, but they ended up splitting up later. I had some really good teachers and had some people looking out for me. My dad went to college, but education wasn’t as important. They were just happy that I was making A’s and B’s, but then I realized at the next level that’s just average. It’s above average in high school, but at UGA about everyone is doing that. So I thought I was more prepared than I was. If I could go back I think I would have worked harder, but I was able to make A’s, never take my bookbag out of my car, and I thought that was OK.

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Do you do competition BBQ? Not much anymore, but I did. There used to be a thing here in Athens called Smokin’ Hogs with the Dawgs. I don’t really get into making money, it actually costs a lot of money. My dad and grandpa were really into outdoor cooking, smoking, experimenting, and making their own cookers. When I got into college whenever we had any tailgates for the Georgia games or pro football on Sundays, we kind of started this tradition of getting together and I would cook meat. And these TV shows came on and I was like “Oh man that looks fun,” so I entered one here in Athens. I had a good time and got 5th place out of 63 teams, and a lot of those teams do it for money and have their own shows and such.

How is elementary different from high school?

12 of my 17 years were in middle school, and everyone asks ‘you’ve been to elementary, middle and high, which one do you like better?’ And I feel like they’re so different. In elementary you’ve got kids hanging off your legs in the hallway. They all love you, but they still use the bathroom on themselves sometimes and they cry. And middle school is the most transitional moments of a young person’s life. And most awkward. And in high school, the 9th graders are kind of a different animal. I don’t know what happens over the summer between 9th and 10th, but I wish they could speed up the maturity process because they almost seem less mature than 8th graders. Not all of them, but I guess it’s just a big group of people coming together for the first time. So guess it’s just reestablishing who’s who and what’s what kind of thing. But it was a difficult transformation for me to go from middle school to high or elementary because it was outside of what I was normally doing.

What are your favorite sports?

I used to play soccer. I still do but from time to time. I played in an adult league at the YMCA, and I coached soccer at my last job. So I still enjoy it, but for watching, college football is what I like to watch. I pretty much only watch soccer during the World Cup since it’s hard to get into.

Do you remember your first job?

I actually worked at a movie theater, and I was hired to change the signs. My nickname was sign boy, but the benefit to that was I was too young at the time to work inside. You had to be 16 and I was 15, so they would not let me run the registers or anything, but they did let me put the films together so I was the projectionist. While everyone was working, I could watch the movies upstairs if I wanted. Now the movies are all digital, but they used to come in these giant cases and there were like eight reels, so you spliced them all together. And you do it in reverse, so the only way to rewind them is to watch the movie. I got to see a lot of movies for free.

Photo by Trent Dennison.

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Representation matters

By Sachio Goodie

I

n the city of Athens, GA, African-Americans make up 27.5-percent of the population of 123,912 citizens. Currently out of the ten county commissioners in Athens, only one is black.

Patrick Davenport, Cedar Shoals High School class of 1997 and newly elected commissioner from District 1, also says that the old ways of governing are conflicting with new trends.

In January of 2019, that number will triple.

“We have this older generation who feel that, ‘This is politics, this is how things should be’, and then we have a younger generation who may have a difference of opinion,” said Davenport. “Sometimes, those two factions will butt heads and create friction.”

Although the May 2018 elections for local office have corrected the disproportionate representation in Athens, minorities across the nation tend to be constituents of white politicians. There have only been ten black senators in United States history, with three of those in office now: Cory Booker (Democrat, New Jersey), Kamala Harris (Democrat, California), and Tim Scott (Republican, South Carolina).

The House of Representatives has 46 black congressmen and women: better statistically than the Senate, but still disproportionate to the demographics of the United States.

According to Mariah Parker, District 2 Commissioner and prominent Athens rapper known as Linqua Franqa, representation is so disproportionate because of systemic racism, the government being designed to give power to white men, and a failure over time to adapt to other cultures gaining the legal rights to influence politics.

“I think that a lot of the dominant and culturally valued ways of being a person of color, a black person, a ‘Latinx’ person, like the ways we talk, the ways we learn and the ways that we build community are very foreign to the dominant ways of being in government, which have been white since the inception of our city and our country,” said Parker.

Parker says that this difference in culture makes it particularly difficult for minorities to be elected office.

“I think that it’s really hard for black and brown people to break in because the norms within our different communities can differ so widely,” said Parker.

Similar to trends seen across the country, the registered voter demographics in Athens do not represent the demographics of the population. This disparity is not in the black community of Athens, but instead it’s most pronounced in the Hispanic community.

There are 18,016 registered black voters in Clarke County as of October 1, 2018. That is roughly 26% of registered voters in Athens, which is proportionate to the estimated 27.5% black population of the city.

However, there are only 2,012 registered Hispanic voters, about 2.9-percent of the registered voters in Athens. This number is disproportionate to the Hispanic or Latino community that makes up 10.6% of our population.

Areas highlighted illustrate the Congressional districts that are represented by African Americans and their political party. Graphic by Sachio Goodie.

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In January of 2019, all three black commissioners will represent districts on the eastern side of Athens. Davenport photo courtesy of Bart King. Thornton photo courtesy of Athens for Everyone. Parker photo by Sachio Goodie. Graphic by Trent Dennison.

The current makeup and history of elected officials in Athens reflects the disparity in Hispanic voter registration. There has never been a mayor or a county commissioner of Hispanic descent.

This underrepresentation of Hispanics is not only an issue in local politics, but in the United States Congress. Only four Senators and 36 of the 435 members of the House of Representatives are Hispanic, unproportional to the nearly 20-percent of the United States population that is Hispanic or Latino.

Parker says that these disparities are largely due to the the racial wealth gaps across the nation.

“When we look at the way that wealth breaks down among racial lines in our country and our city, a lot of people of color aren’t as privileged to have access to their resources to very easily win an election, and that makes it very difficult for us as well,” said Parker.

A 2010 Census Bureau survey shows that black families in America earn $57.30 for every $100 earned income compared to a white family. Similarly, the Economic Policy Institute found that about a quarter of black households have a zero or negative net worth compared to one-in-ten white households.

Parker says that a wealthy candidate has access to connections and resources that contribute to a successful campaign.

“It’s really easy for a wealthy white retiree to take on a position of commissioner, because they have a lot of time on their hands and a lot of connections to people who can fundraise in order to have a successful campaign,” said Parker.

Davenport says that when he was campaigning, he had the support and guidance of several leaders of the Athens community, including Ovita Thornton, who has represented District 9 on the Clarke County School District board. Thornton recently won her election to become county commissioner of the same district.

“I was actually groomed by Ovita, Linda Lloyd, and other civic leaders.

I followed them, shadowed them, and they showed me the way,” said Davenport.

The guidance he received is part of what made his campaign so successful.

“So when I stepped out and said, ‘I’m going to run,’ I was prepared. I had created a network. I had the support of the senior civic leaders and politicians, and I had the experience and support of the community,” said Davenport.

Thornton reached out to Davenport because he showed early interest in running for office. She says that for years, young people had no desire to influence politics, but that disinterest is changing.

“Patrick showed interest in the community. When I met Patrick, he was working a campaign,” said Thornton. The dedication demonstrated by Davenport and others such as newly elected school board members Lakeisha Gantt (District 7) and Tawana Mattox (District 9) is what prompted Thornton and others to offer their guidance.

Thornton says that it is the older generation’s responsibility to groom the young, aspiring politicians and connect them with resources they need to win.

Davenport thinks that the connections he was offered are not always easily accessible, which makes gaining support more challenging.

“In the black community, you have people who are passionate about politics. They don’t build that network. They don’t have that grooming, and they just jump out,” said Davenport.

Although the county commissioners reflect the population of Athens more than in previous years, these Athens politicians see that shift as progress but not a permanent change.

Moving forward, Thornton hopes to ensure that pendulum doesn’t swing backwards.

“At my age, I know that the pendulum will always swing back. We’re just in the time that the pendulum swung back to the left a little bit. It always changes,” said Thornton.

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A helping hand

By Pace Barkdoll

G

uidance in high school is necessary, but finding that advice can be difficult. A growing class and program at Cedar Shoals aims to help students get the support they need.

After the departure of former teacher Ms. Amelia Haynes, Mrs. Katherine Johnson, English department, took over teaching peer leadership. She added a mentoring component to the class where peer leaders work with mentees.

“Most of our classes here at Cedar are academic, like social studies or math. This is a hands-on, do-it-yourself class. It looks very different than any other class I’ve taught or been in before because I just facilitate students being leaders,” said Mrs. Johnson. “It’s much less me standing in front of the board and much more students taking initiative while doing things they actually care about.”

Jeremy Akin spoke to the Peer Leadership class, leading an activity where students were assigned roles of different community members, resolving a conflict surrounding the development of a new biking trail. Photo by Pace Barkdoll.

Johnson believes many issues like drama, drugs, and relationships are not talked about as much as they should be in school.

“Those are the kind of things teenagers think about a lot,” Johnson said, “When the mentors meet with them every week, they obviously talk about how they’re doing, who they’re hanging out with. That’s the kind of stuff teenagers really care about.”

Johnson hopes that the class will become embryonic as current mentees become future mentors. The new mentors will then use the same strategies and learn from what they did the year before.

Right now, there are two classes in the peer leadership program. 60 peer leaders mentor two other students, so 120 freshman have mentors right now.

Mentoring is not always easy, and the peer leaders have received training to help them help others. Some mentees can become discouraged and shell up because of the lack of trust early on in their relationship with a mentor. Johnson asked Clarke County Board of Education-elect, District 7 Lakeisha Gantt, a trained school psychologist and behavioral specialist, to speak to mentors to help train them.

Senior mentor Tarquavious Nash helps Jalen Baughens as he progresses on an English essay. Photo by Tristan Lankford.

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“A lot of them have learned not to talk about grades all of the time, because at the end of the day, nobody is going to want to work with you if they feel like they don’t know you,” Johnson said.

“He’s actually opened up to me in the last couple of weeks and he’s more

Mentors tutor freshman on any subject they need help in. Junior Erika Ruballos mentors Jaireliss Garcia in math. Photo by Tristan Lankford.

willing to allow me to help him. He doesn’t get as frustrated with his work as much either,” said Kylee Braswell, a 10th grade mentor, about her mentee.

Johnson founded the mentoring program three years ago, with current seniors being the first wave of mentors.

“I wanted to make a change in the school, and I realized that the first step to making a difference was to help raise the school spirit at Cedar,” Segovia said. “I saw that many students were embarrassed about coming here, and I wanted to change that. It really feels good to know that Cedar students are proud to go here.”

“My dream is that literally every freshman can have a mentor,” Johnson said. “I have freshmen and parents e-mailing me or Facebooking me asking if they or their kids can have a mentor.”

Weekly guest speakers have included Gantt, CCSD School Board-elect Tawana Mattox (District 9), John Lash from the Georgia Conflict Center, artist Broderick Flanigan, and Jeremy Akin.

The peer leadership class itself boasts many incentives to enroll.

Akin mediates conflicts across the world between governments and townspeople. His work recently took him to Uganda for four years, residing with a host family and mediating local disputes. In his speech to the class, Akin related his work to how students can use their voices to make decisions and help others in conflict.

“I joined because I wanted to help guide them through high school, and help them with whatever they needed,” said Aminata Ba, 10th grade.

Braswell wanted to offer support for freshman that she didn’t have when she was younger.

“I didn’t really have anyone there for me to guide me through high school. I really just wanted to be there to show up for what I didn’t have,” said Braswell.

Throughout the week, the mentors have different activities. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, peer leaders tutor freshman.

“They basically tutor the kids in reading and math, or they translate for Spanish speaking students,” said Johnson. “On Thursdays, guest speakers come into the class and talk. On Fridays, my kids work on independent projects.”

Shelse Segovia, sophomore, is currently working on increasing school spirit throughout Cedar Shoals.

“When someone doesn’t want to share their opinion or mindset in a conflict, it makes it so much harder to help solve that disagreement,” Akin said. “That really relates to y’all a lot when it comes to talking with your mentees.”

“You have to know what happens in your mentee’s life as well to fully help them and reach a certain level of trust,” said Akin.

As peer leadership students continue to learn from their work with mentees and their efforts to improve the school community, Johnson hopes to help them spread their influence. Overall, Mrs. Johnson wants to make a positive impact on Cedar and the Eastside of Athens.

“We want to bring spirit and pride to the East side and make Cedar Shoals feel more like a family,” said Johnson.

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Immigration through the eyes of Cedar Shoals

By Daveon Montgomery

Art by Jenny Sanchez.

"When I was born, my parents had already planned to move from Honduras and migrate me and my sister to the United States. The crime rate was increasing in Honduras, and they thought it would be a threat to us and them. Just to protect their children, they had to give up all of their jobs, friendships and social welfare in Honduras just so me and my sister can be safe,” said Walter Avila, Cedar Shoals senior.

A junior at Cedar Shoals, Jackie and her family moved to the U.S. from El Salvador as a young child. Her parents also decided to move because of the lack of economic opportunities.

T “Bread and Roses,” a 2000 film, is about a Mexican immigrant who travels to Los Angeles and faces poor working and living conditions. Art by Jenny Sanchez.

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“I was born in El Salvador and I came to Georgia when I was three. El Salvador is a place where there is a lot of crime and there is not a lot of economic prosperity. My parents came to the States hoping they would have better economic opportunities, so that I could benefit from a better life than what they could have given me there,” said Rosa, a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Cedar Shoals class of 2017.

hese three current and former Cedar Shoals students are just a small handful of the growing population of immigrant students in the United States. The LatinX population has grown from 35.3 million in 2000 to 58.6 million in 2017. That is 66-percent growth in 17 years, but the Trump administration enforces stricter immigration policies, making it harder for LatinX people to become citizens. A census project predicted that white people would become the minority by 2045, but the Trump administration has plans that would push that back as far as 2049. The president has even suggested ending birthright citizenship in the United States, but legal experts say that is unlikely.

Coming to America Persons looking to apply for citizenship must also meet a list of requirements to be lawfully permitted to live in the U.S., usually through asylum. After having asylum for a period of at least a year, you can apply for a green card.

The large number of people attempting to apply for asylum or a green card makes it even harder to become a citizen. Asylum is protection granted to those fleeing their native country out of fear of being persecuted based on things like race, religion, and nationality. In January 2018 alone, 12,069 people applied for asylum. Some people camp out for days at border crossings to apply for asylum, and fewer are getting accepted. Once they enter the U.S. illegally, they are no longer eligible to apply for citizenship.

No matter what process one uses in attempting to immigrate to the U.S., they must be able to communicate and ask questions. The language barrier only complicates matters, and even if or when families successfully obtain lawful immigration status as U.S. citizens, children often have to act as interpreters for the family. Avila recalls the negative stigma he felt for speaking his first language.

“When I was little and we would go to restaurants, we would be heckled for not being able to speak English correctly and not being from here.

That doesn’t happen anymore right now, because my parents have improved their English, but I do have memories of that happening as a kid," said Avila.

“I learned to be a translator when I was five. I was forced to learn these big words that a little girl shouldn't know in both English and Spanish, which is a neat experience. I did it at parent teacher conferences, at stores, at doctor visits, I pretty much did it all the time,” said Rosa.

These children sometimes miss school to to accompany their parents as a translator to help with legal or medical appointments, for example.

“If my parents had an important appointment, or if they had to pay a ticket at the courthouse, or go pay an important bill or something, they didn’t feel comfortable going alone,” said Rosa.

That language barrier also creates stereotypes that lead to a lack of understanding of different LatinX cultures. Not all Spanish-speaking people are from Mexico.

“People that hear others speak Spanish always assume they come from Mexico. They don't understand that there are a lot of countries that speak Spanish but have different cultures,” said Marta Rivera, Cedar Shoals custodian.

“We don’t talk about it very much, but it’s always there in our mind. We always know that if we leave the house, there is always that risk. We don’t have a plan of action, but we have talked about the consequences and what could happen in the event they were to be deported.”

-Hector

“I’ve had other custodians say, ‘talk English,’ so I say, ‘If I have to learn English to speak, you should learn Spanish.’”

- Marta Rivera

“My parents had to take these certain tests on U.S. History and how the government works, and I remember them having to study everyday so they could take this test and get their citizenship.”

- Walter Avila

”My parents fought hard for me, I’m going to fight hard back for them. I don't believe in this whole sense of the American Dream, but if I were to have an American Dream, I just want to be able to give back to them the way they have so heartily given me.”

- Rosa

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Education Aside from language and cultural barriers, immigrant students encounter an even more difficult barrier in accessing higher education. Many colleges, such as The University of Georgia, don’t accept undocumented or DACA students, and the ones that do often charge three or four times the regular in-state tuition, classifying DACA students as international or as out-of-state students.

went into effect and feeling horrified that I worked for an institution that was banning immigrant students who didn't have citizenship from attending.

Another part of it was working with teachers at Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals who were telling me more and more about students that were in their classes that didn't have any hope of going to college,” said Allen.

On top of that, neither undocumented nor DACA students are eligible for federal financial aid.

Virginia offers financial aid for DACA recipients only.

Even though there are very few federal and state aid opportunities, private scholarships are uninfluenced by this legislation. Rosa was a recipient of the Golden Doors scholarship in 2017, which aims to promote economic mobility for undocumented students.

The Georgia Board of Regents has set strict policies that limit the opportunities of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.. They were backed up by the legislature in 2008 when Senate Bill 492 passed, expressly denying undocumented students in-state tuition at any public university or college in Georgia.

In 2010, the Board of Regents adopted a new policy that prohibited its top selective institutions from accepting undocumented students.

Art by Jenny Sanchez.

Georgia’s punitive laws against undocumented and DACA students led retired UGA professor Dr. JoBeth Allen to co-found U-Lead Athens.

“Part of it was working at UGA when the ban

“I knew that if I got it, it would mean a lot to my family because there wouldn't be that financial stress about college,” said Rosa. “There was a lot of hard work, sleepless hours, and a lot of tears that came with it. I think that was probably the most unsure I've ever been in my while lifetime.

For me, I've always know I wanted to go to college.The hardship was, how was I going to get there?”

The barriers do not stop at getting accepted into a college, figuring out how to pay for it, or even after graduating and finding a job. Current policymaking has increased the threat of deportation for all immigrants, no matter their status.

Tuition Policies for Undocumented Students by State

Key Allows in-state tuition rates for undocumented students Allows undocumented students to receive financial aid and in-state tuition rates Specifically prohibits in-state tuition rates for undocumented students Prohibits undocumented students from enrolling in any public post-secondary institution Grants in-state tuition to students covered under DACA No specified statewide policy

Graphic by Anna Whitford.

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Deportation On April 6, 2018, the Trump Administration implemented a “Zero Tolerance Policy” on the southwest border to Mexico stating anyone who crosses the border illegally will be prosecuted. Many of those attempting to cross the border brought their children with them, hoping to make a better life for their families.

“We don't talk about it very much, but its always there in our mind. We always know that if we leave the house, there is always that risk. We don't have a plan of action, but we have talked about the consequences and what could happen in the event they were to be deported,” he said.

Since the policy required all adults to be referred to the Justice Department to be prosecuted, children are separated from their parents and placed in separate detention centers because they are not allowed in adult jails.

Knowing that deportation is possible, families have to discuss what to do if worst comes to worst. Who will take care of the little siblings if Mom and Dad are detained? Is an out-of-state school a good option when Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could knock on the front door the day after you move into the dorms?

About 2,600 families have been separated since Trump’s policy was announced. In June, a federal judge in California ordered that all children under five had to be reunified with their parents within 14 days of the ruling, but there are still 250 minors who have yet to be reunited with their parents.

Separation from family takes a disturbing emotional toll on children. One other issue is once families are separated, some have to consider leaving their children in U.S. custody in hopes of a better life. Some immigration lawyers even advise parents to consider leaving their child as it could afford a better life than they could provide.

The U.S. has a disturbing history of how it handles deportation - especially for Latin people.

People are often dropped off across the border into Mexico, whether they are from Mexico or not, in unfamiliar places with no help. In 1955 under Operation Wetback, the biggest mass deportation in American history, hundreds of thousands of LatinX people, both non-citizens and citizens, were deported.

“Especially now that I'm so far away from home, I think about what happens if my parents are in trouble -- what I would do. I hope and I have faith that nothing bad is going to happen to them and one day we will find a solution to immigration policy in America,” said Rosa. “When Donald Trump got elected, my parents and I had a really tough conversation, one that I never thought I would be having, about what my family has to do if they are ever detained by the police.”

“I think the hardest part of the conversation was talking to my brother, who is seven years younger than me. I don't think any child should be having those heartfelt conversations with their parents because it’s just not fair. We talked about all of the what if’s, and we left the conversation feeling really content and knowing that our family would be in a very great place no matter what,” said Rosa.

Graphic by Jenny Sanchez.

Mass deportations of LatinX people date back to the Great Depression, but a common misconception is that Latin people came over to take jobs. In reality, the United States government was providing them to immigrants back then.

In 1942, the U.S. and Mexico implemented the Bracero Program in which the U.S. agreed to house, feed, and pay Mexican immigrants minimum wage of 30 cents an hour in return for working under agricultural labor contracts in America. The program was adopted in 24 states and brought in about five million Braceros in its 22 years.

The wartime economy during World War II made immigration more appealing, but Project Wetback started during a time of economic recession. The U.S. was trying to get rid of the Mexican immigrants they blamed for taking American jobs, but when the economy began to improve later, Republican President Ronald Reagan extended amnesty to Mexican immigrants.

While we argue over immigration policy and whether or not immigrants are taking American jobs, big companies are taking more business overseas to exploit the people and working conditions in those countries, using more modern machinery to do the work instead of actual people. According to advocacy group Good Jobs Nation, over 10,000 jobs were offshored from November 2016 to November 2017 from companies such as General Motors.

Even though she is a DACA recipient, Rosa could still be deported for something as simple as running a red light, as would a person with a visa or other type of documentation who is not yet a citizen.

“Personally, it does not cross my mind. After having spent almost 18 years in America, I just can't see myself anywhere else,” she said.

“Both of my parents immigrated when they were young. I think my father was 14, and they went around the country looking for work, and eventually they ended up in Athens. That's when me and my brother were born,” said Hector He is planning to study statistics or astronomy in college, but he wants to be closer to home so that he can be here for his parents just in case they need him.

Although he does not have to worry about being deported, it’s still a reality inside the household for his family.

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Community involvement Noticing the obstacles that LatinX people face, many are doing their part to help overcome the barriers, whether social, academic, or economic.

Founded in 2014, U-Lead Athens is an organization that aims to help immigrant students attend secondary schools. U-Lead offers a variety of ways they help students including scholarships and the use of volunteer tutors, helping students prepare for the SAT, and helping with applications for school, work, or whatever else.

U-Lead is a national organization, but U-Lead Athens was founded after Georgia passed laws that made it harder for undocumented students to pursue a post-secondary education.

“It was really eye opening for me to learn that a lot of our students were not allowed to attend some of the universities here in Georgia and to learn about the barriers they face as far as finances and admissions. As an educator, when you hear about barriers to education it goes contrary to everything you believe in,” said Dr. Melissa Perez Rhym, Co-Director of U-Lead Athens.

HoPe, Hispanic Organization Promoting Education, is another local organization that strives to help educate Hispanic people. The Georgia wide HoPe was founded in 2009, but HoPe at Cedar is only three years old.

“We meet monthly and it’s basically a safe space for us to be together.

We meet after school and we do a lot of volunteer work in the community and in school as well. We try to provide that support for each other. We have speakers that come in and talk about the role that education has played in their lives, and we just motivate students to not only graduate high school but to continue their education,” said

Perez, sponsor of HoPe at Cedar.

“Overall Latinos in Georgia and nationwide have the lowest graduation rate in both high school and college, so it’s really important to have those role models and that motivation to show them they can do it,” said Perez.

You don't have to start an organization or volunteer if you want to help. Simply changing the way you view and interact with LatinX people could make a difference.

“One controversial idea is people should be color blind or recognize color. I don't fall on either extreme. I feel as if people who want to help shouldn’t just see us as Latinos, but we should still be seen as people without a cultural or racial lens put on us. The first step to helping us is to not classify us as different, but as people who are just trying to make their way in life,” said Avila.

Rosa believes that education and voting are practical ways to get involved.

“I think just educating ourselves is so important. I don't think we can say that policies don't matter and that we have to get out there and we have to vote. Those that can vote have to go out there and vote because I think now more than ever America is realizing the importance of showing up in voting,” said Rosa “It’s not that complicated, we shouldn't be making it that complicated.

Loving one another and understanding that we all have human rights that should not be denied to us. It really is that simple at the end of the day,” she said.

Pre-order your 2018-19 yearbook for $75!! bit.ly/cedaryearbook2019 2017 and 2018 books still available in limited quantities

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Jaguars keep it grounded The Jaguars enter Billy Henderson Stadium before their 17-7 win over Clarke Central High School. Photo by Illandria Ellison

Head Coach Leroy Ryals has the Jaguars poised for a second consecutive playoff appearance after breaking a ten-year losing streak to Clarke Central. That success comes behind an improved rushing attack led by three seniors.

B

etween 2014 and 2017, Cedar Shoals won just 17 varsity football games, and over one-third of those wins came in last year’s 6-5 season.

Standing at 6-3 with their only region loss coming to football powerhouse Buford High School, the team’s progress is visible.

Head Coach Leroy Ryals believed that his team could win: it was only a matter of the players putting their minds to it and putting in the work.

“We don’t have great numbers, but the kids that are out there have done a great job of dialing into the system and the process of what we’re trying to do each and every day, and that’s the biggest difference,” said Ryals, referencing a dwindling roster size. ”We knew the capability that we have. We just had to go out and do it,” said Ryals.

The running game has been crucial this season. The main question is how they will respond next year without senior running backs Osiris Walker and Devontaye Bankston as well as quarterback Ki Yonnice Smith.

As a team, the Jaguars average 187.8 rushing yards per game. Walker averages the most with 6.4 yards-per-carry, Bankston second with 5.8, and Smith third with 3.1. Walker also averages the most in yards per game with 75.9 yards, Bankston 69.2, and Smith 24.4. This trio combines for 280 carries out of 328.

The team has totaled 1,690 total rushing yards so far this season. In 2017 they only rushed for 969 yards total. The improved rushing attack also opens up downfield opportunities for Smith to connect with a trio of talented juniors at wide receiver.

Through the air, the Jags average 84 passing yards a game. Junior Jaylan Rusher leads the team in yards per catch with 19.2, followed by juniors Rickil Willingham with 15.1 and Jaiden Williams with 11.6. Smith has amassed 672 passing yards so far this season on top of 220 on the ground.

By Justin Freeman As the the unquestioned leader of the team, Smith’s success also comes behind an improved offensive line.

“He exhibits leadership in games and does it by keeping everybody dialed in and focused. He does what he’s supposed to do and the other kids follow his lead,” said Ryals.

Seniors Blake Gresham and Keon Horton and junior Steven Wakefield have improved their blocking up front to protect Smith and create openings for Walker and Bankston to run.

“We focused a lot more on the run game in practice, and we have situational things that we run in practice to help us in game,” said Horton.

Smith keeps them motivated on the sidelines and in the huddle with a serious leadership style.

“I try to be a better leader. I like to come with a new mindset every game treating it like a state championship game,” said Smith. “My first season was my most important because I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable on the field. I started varsity and I had to adjust fast. I would love to play college ball, it doesn’t matter where. Just a college that offers me a scholarship,” said Smith.

In clinching a playoff spot against Loganville, Walker rushed 12 times for 122 yards and a touchdown.

“I have something I need to improve on every year, like my speed or my agility but I have the same work ethic every year,” said Walker, who hopes to sign with a division I program.

In that same game, Bankston carried 12 times for 89 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s like a brotherhood,” said Bankston.

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Finding the drive to run

By Emma Parker

For the Cedar Shoals cross country team, the season is not all about wins and losses. It’s also about the support they show one another to find the motivation to run.

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t the Runners Fit Mountain Invitational cross country meet in Helen, Georgia, as junior Weenta James came running around the corner in first place, boys team captain Cam Bush, junior, sprinted toward the finish line encouraging her.

“Go Weenta! You’re almost done!” said Bush, yelling loudly all the way through her finish time at 20:49. Soon, the rest of the boys team caught up, and the cheers grew louder.

The team stayed to cheer on every last girls teammate until they had all finished.

“That was insane, absolutely crazy. My heart was racing and I couldn’t do anything but run after her and scream for her,” said Bush.

The scene was no different when the roles were reversed. When the boys prepared to run, the girls were there to encourage them, and the girls were there when Bush crossed the finish line in 93rd place and a time of 18:17. They were there when the rest of the team crossed the finish line, too.

The cross country team feels like more of a family than a group of individuals running for the best time.

“We have a really tight family here in cross country. Everyone is very supportive of each other. Sometimes I have the tell the athletes to not cheer because they are warming up for a race,” said Head Coach Justin Rebitch.

Bush, the top runner on the boys team, has a current personal record of 17:39 from the Unicoi State Park Regional Meet in 2017. He sees a future in his running, so he puts effort into it.

Junior Jordan Dulcio achieved a personal record of 18:51 at the 2018 region championship in Helen, Georgia. Photo by Kadeisha Camp.

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“My main motivation is the fact that this can turn into something bigger. Also the responsibility of just being a part of a team is big,” said Bush.

His teammates also see the importance of being a part of something bigger. Their favorite part of cross country in cheering on their teammates during practices and meets.

James, the top female runner, earned her personal record (PR) at the meet in Helen with a time of 20:49. She has been running cross country for four years and stays motivated because she doesn’t yet know the extent of her talent.

“What motivates me is knowing that I really don’t know my potential until I actually push myself,” said James.

Both Bush and James often find themselves motivating their teammates.

“During practice, when I pass, lap, or see anyone running on my team I always say at least ‘good job, you’re going great.’ During meets I’m screaming my head off at them,” Bush said.”They tell me that yelling at them makes them want to run faster. I usually tell them their time if I’m clocking them, or I just tell them some advice on their form.”

James encourages teammates to push themselves to the limit to meet their goal times.

“I try to tell them that there’s not a lot of people that can achieve what they’re doing at that moment. That they just have to push themselves, and that it’s gonna hurt them at that moment, but will feel like a blessing right after,” said James Coach Rebitch encourages the team to find the motivation intrinsically.

“I always tell the runners that a lot of the motivation has to come from themselves. I can yell at you all day in practice, but a lot of the motivation comes when the runners see the hard work that they put in pay off in how they perform. Also in how they feel running.

While it is hard, at the end of the day you feel good mentally and physically,” said Rebitch To run cross country you don’t have to be fast. You just have to have the will to do it and to get better.

“People have this false perception that you have to be some kind of great runner to come out and run cross country. We have some great runners and we also have some not so great runners, but they’re out here trying to be the best that they can be,” said Rebitch.

Junior Weenta James has been running cross country since she was in the seventh grade at Hilsman Middle School. Photo by Kadeisha Camp.

Junior Cam Bush is the top runner for Cedar Shoals, with a recent personal record of 17:15. Photos by Kadeisha Camp.

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Playing at the next level

By Denton Redmond

Seth Parker takes a pass in a game at Clarke Central High School last season. Photo from Cedar BluePrints archives.

Senior Cameron Hudson runs the ball to the outside at Waters-Wilkins Stadium. Photo by Tarquavious Nash.

High school athletes want to compete in college and earn scholarship money, but it’s a long, complicated road full of rules and tough decisions.

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any high school athletes aspire to be recruited by their dream school. Scholarships and the chance to play for their desired university are huge honors, but the process of recruitment is more complicated than it appears.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) supervises the recruiting of college athletes. The non-profit organization regulates athletes from 1,281 institutions and conferences, keeping competition safe, fair and “in a sportsmanlike manner.”

cess,” said Cedar Shoals Athletic Director Antonio Derricotte.

For a college like the University of Georgia, recruitment is a massive necessity. UGA brought in the top ranked college football recruiting class in 2018, and for UGA’s major athletic moneymaker, recruiting is a high stakes game.

But not all high school student-athletes realize that their dreams of playing professionally are statistically unrealistic. Only six-percent of high school student-athletes will move on to the NCAA, and only two-percent of NCAA student-athletes move on to be professionals.

“The details that make Georgia different are the things that allow us to create at a high-level. There’s definitely a lot of stress. Coach (Kirby) Smart has really high standards,” said Marshall Malchow, UGA football recruiter. “I don’t think any of us would be in it if it was it was easy. I think it’s the challenge that makes it fun. There’s a lot of other good schools.

We’re competing against them, trying to find that slight edge,” said Malchow.

“We try to identify if they want to play on the next level, and often time what ends up happening is they find out that many colleges are trying to look into them for the recruitment pro-

After the 2017-18 school year, Cedar Shoals graduates Ashton Daniel and Seth Parker took their athletic careers to the next level. Daniel now attends Howard University on a track schol-

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arship, and Parker enrolled at Emmanuel College with a soccer scholarship.

Daniel was offered three scholarships from Kennesaw State, Arkansas State, and Howard. Emmanuel and Young Harris College made offers to Parker.

Both student athletes made several official visits before making their final decisions.

“It’s a lot of pressure, a little stressful. Going on visits is fun, but you know making the decision is the most stressful,” said Daniel.

Howard’s coaches had a lot to do with Daniel’s final decision.

“There is a great coach (David Oliver) that runs the same event I’m running. He’s an olympian and a bronze medal winner, so that was a really big influence on picking to go up there,” said Daniel.

Parker had been in contact with Emmanuel since his junior year.

“I went to a bunch of camps over the summers, and the last one I went to in the winter, that’s when they offered me,” said Parker.

For both Parker and Daniel, the actual campuses weighed heavily on their decisions. The location was also the difference in their choices. Emanuel is about 40 minutes from Parker’s home. Howard is in Washington D.C..

“I like the atmosphere and the team, and I really enjoyed being around the team. We worked really well together,” said Parker.

“It’s a great atmosphere up there, I would recommend anyone to go up to the campus and the city just to visit,” said Daniel.

This year senior defensive back Cameron Hudson has gotten attention from Kennesaw State, North Texas, and Georgia State. Hudson’s first offer came from Tennessee Tech last March.

Hudson used social media to get himself out there to other colleges.

“Going to Twitter, putting it on Twitter sending it to coaches. Working with our old defensive coordinator Coach Davis, he sent out a lot of film, so he put me on a lot of colleges,” said Hudson.

There are about eight million high school athletes in America, compared to only about 460,000 college athletes. Only 5.75-percent of those high school athletes will play at the college level. For Hudson, getting recognized by even one school was an honor.

“I feel happiness and a little bit of relief knowing that I can just focus more on school and just playing ball now that I have options after high school,” said Hudson.

Schools want the best players for their team, but the process can get messy. Recently a large scandal involving student athletic recruitment led to FBI investigations of major NCAA basketball programs like Arizona, Duke, North Carolina, Louisville, and Auburn. Bribery was one of the main focuses of the investigation.

These investigations found that these schools used other unethical methods like hiring a recruit’s former high school coaches or giving the parents of the recruits financial benefits. These methods were used to ensure loyalty, but of course, these methods are not new.

The worst thing about these violations is that the rules for college athletic departments are very clear. Adults choose to break them in order to win.

“You can never offer anyone anything of value other than education, the scholarship, and the experience of being a student athlete. You cross the line when you offer anything more, whether it’s cash, a job for your parent, free housing, or anything like that is definitely off limits. I would like to think that these coaches know that sort of thing is obviously wrong,” said Glada Horvat, Senior Associate Athletic Director at UGA. The FBI’s investigation of these illegal recruiting tactics once again has raised the issue of paying student athletes for their contributions to their schools’ athletic programs.

“If they were going to pay athletes I feel like they would have to be very strict. Honestly they would have to pay all the players the same, and there would be too many restrictions. I’m in favor of it of course. I would love to get paid. But if it doesn’t happen I think education is enough,” said Daniel.

The process of recruiting high school athletes for college athletics

Sophomore year Schools may send people and recruiting materials to athletes.

Coaches may also make phone calls to athletes.

Junior year starting July 1st A college coach is allowed to send information regarding their athletic program. This information can include media guides, schedule cards, personalized letters, and personalized emails.

Junior year starting August 1st College coaches can contact a player in person. This includes meeting with the prospective athlete’s parents or speaking to them.

Coaches are permitted one phone call a week to the athlete.

Senior year The player can make up to five, official all expenses paid visits to college campuses. The visits may not exceed 48 hours, occur before the player has started senior year, or occur before the coach has received official ACT/SAT scores and a high school transcript.

Like junior year, coaches may send written correspondence or call. Coaches may also speak to parents at competition sites. This is counted as one of up to three in-person off campus visits.

Graphic by Anna Whitford.

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Raiders march on to nationals T

his year’s Raider competition teams have been cut in half, down to an A-team and a B-team. Last year, four teams from Cedar Shoals competed in Raider competitions.

The teams totaled over 60 students last year, but with participation now restricted only to students who both enroll in JROTC class after participating in summer conditioning, numbers have declined to 30 team members.

Students were not happy about the changes in numbers, but the team has adjusted.

“The reason why Major Williams isn’t letting non-ROTC students participate is for safety reasons. They want a community full of cadets that are dedicated to the ROTC program,” said Ansley Guntermann, junior.

The JROTC Raider Team competes in events such as physical training tests, map reading, rappelling and mountaineering events, and land-navigation exercises. Raider offers a competitive team sport in addition to JROTC’s focus on

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By Michelle Palillero

student leadership development.

As the membership requirements for Raider have grown more rigid, so have the expectations. Practice is now mandatory for team members, requiring a major time commitment.

Last year, students tried out for the team, and from there, they were placed on any of the four teams. Now more experienced students form the A-team, and the B-team practices against them. Both teams balance both male and female Raiders.

No spot on the team is permanent. There are times where B-team beats the A-team on some obstacles, and the students enjoy the competitive atmosphere.

“We want to build our team to be strong. I think we have the abilities to win as much as the other team because we don’t play around and we actually take this very serious.

The raiders team including Malaya Moon (left), Maribel Negrete (top), and Karen Alvarado-Mendez (top), in strength training. Photo by Michelle Palillero

We want to be that team where they’re like ‘oh they can beat their best team.’ You know, we work hard,” said Lisbeth Estaban, sophomore, mixed team B. By the looks of it so far, many of the Raiders indeed worked hard for their first competition September 15 at Winder-Barrow. Mixed team A came in 2nd place overall with the B-team in 6th place.

“Our team worked really well together. In some events I feel like we need to practice more so we can get better and try to catch up with team A. We beat A-team on some events, and I know we got this,” said Estaban.

At the next competition in Elberton, mixed team A won first place in team run and cross country run. They also came in second place in the physical training test and 3rd place in the tire flip. Mixed team B came in fourth place in rope bridge while team A came in sixth place.

“Our team was behind in the team run and I knew we could have done

better. As I was watching the other teams, some were walking and we got passed them, but by that time we fell behind. The A-team was done and did all their events much faster,” said junior Sandra Reyna, member of mixed team B. At the Raider State Championship competition, the A-team placed second overall with two first place finishes, two second place trophies, and one third place. Over 70 teams throughout Georgia competed.

Cedar Shoals hosts Raider nationals every year. This year’s competition was held November 2-4, at Camp Thunder in Molena, Georgia.

More than 50 schools from across Georgia competed. Results were unavailable at press time.

“Our expectation for this year is to be in the top three in all the events, mainly in first place. We worked very hard to make it to nationals this year. They say it’s not about winning but about fun. No, it’s about winning because we’re not gonna be running miles or carrying rucksacks for fun,” said Arely Rodriguez, sophomore, mixed team B.

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A new wave in the Classic City

By Jake Castile

Mariah Parker, aka Linqua Franqa freestyles at Cedar Shoals High School. Parker moved to Athens from Asheville, North Carolina in 2013. Photo by Radwan Jammoul

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he influence of rap music has finally reached the Athens community, providing a greater forum for expression for area rappers. An artist’s environment gives them their sound and builds their individuality with the influence of other local artists and subjects relevant to them.

Kxng Blanco performs around Athens, including shows at festivals, such as Athfest and Popfest.

Art by Jenny Sanchez

“Living in Athens will toughen a kid up if they are in a certain type of environment. I’m not a drug dealer. I’m not a gang banger. I don’t do none of that, but I was definitely raised around it. I’m aware of all of that. I’m more book smart than street smart, but I’m still street smart,” said Athens-born rapper and 2018 Clarke Central graduate Jeffery Blakely, better known by his stage name Kxng Blanco.

In his song “Quiet Storm” Blanco raps, “They got a lot of bloods where my grandma stays / Last year they had a drive-by around my momma’s place / See I lost my aunt a couple weeks before May.” His words reflect his experiences growing up in Nellie B and similar neighborhoods in Athens.

The Athens music scene has only recently developed a larger rap community. For Mariah Parker, whose stage name is Linqua Franqa, that development offered an opportunity to for her to pursue a career in music along with her other accomplishments including being elected as County Commissioner, District 2.

“The amount of musical activity made me feel empowered to get out there and try because I saw so many other people trying. The way that the music scene back two years ago was still very largely segregated also inspired me to want to use music as a way to bring people together and disrupt some of the negative patterns regarding racial discrimination and segregation that I saw happening in town and in downtown in

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particular,” said Linqua Franqa.

Both Blanco and Franqa spread messages of positivity and community improvement. Amanze Jennings, who goes by Jabari Storm on his mixtapes, is no different.

“I want people to stand united against negativity and oppression,” said Jennings, Cedar Shoals High School class of 2017.

“People should strive to be leaders and to make positive changes in their community. I hope those are all things I could inspire through the music I create,” said Linqua Franqa. This message helped her win her race for county commissioner. Similar messages come through in her lyrics, Facebook warriors be warned.

On the track “The Con & The Can,” Linqua Franqa raps, “Wishing these idiots in Athens would quit with the classism / But I’m really a sh*tty activist, cause everyone would complain about the state / The system congratulate themselves on Facebook for paying attention / And homie I know you’re right / But if nobody mobilizes and no one fights sh*t / Then we are staying slaves for centuries,” calling for more action while calling out those who sit on the sidelines.

Athens is not a perfect place. 27.9% of Clarke County’s population live in poverty. These artists all want the best for it, and they try and accomplish this with the message they spread in their music.

“I think that the community should be a safe and happy place for everybody no matter your sexuality, your religion, your race. You should be able to live here free and unharmed. Anything that is unfair I don’t approve of. I try to the best of my ability to make Athens and the world a better place,” said Kxng Blanco.

“I just want people to be reflective on their personal experiences in the way that their privileges or their hardships they face are based on systemic issues, and to own those stories. Even if you have been through hardships, be able to speak those confidently and embrace them.

Through the process of speaking the truth you can find more confidence in yourself,” said Linqua Franqa.

In Chicago, Chance the Rapper donated $1 million dollars to Chicago public schools last year. The Athens rap community may not have the financial clout that he does, but these artists find their own ways to help out. Kxng Blanco performed in support of Tim Denson’s campaign for county commission, and Linqua Franca helped facilitate a recent Cedar Shoals field trip where over 50 seniors voted for the first time.

Recognizing certain opportunities they had that helped propel their musical careers, these Athens rappers hold hopeful visions for what the Athens rap scene could become, as well as how it can influence people’s lives positively.

“I would put money into a professional recording studio in Athens. If there was a kid who couldn’t afford studio time or a kid that wanted to make music but couldn’t afford to, he could go there, do it for free, learn, and stay off the streets,” said Jennings.

“I would fix up places like Nellie B and other projects. I spent a part of my life growing up in Nellie B. Even though they made the outside look better, the inside is still the same. I can’t see people living like that. I would make the living circumstances better by improving interior maintenance. When I lived there we had had lots of roaches and rain would leak in,” said Blanco.

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