Spotlight- Issue II Nov 2023

The NOV 28, 2023

SPOTLIGHT Druid hills high school

1798 haygood drive, atlanta, ga 30307

Volume 86 issue iI

Georgia teacher fired under Divisive Concepts law Lucia Rodriguez, Susie Zaharatos

Photo by Eve Herzog

Reaching new heights: Senior Jeremiah Cheese lifts teammate Zach Johnson in celebration after his touchdown in their win against Stone

Mountain, marking the devils’ first winning season since 1993. Next year, the team will return to playing a full region schedule. See the full story on page 12.

DeKalb disbands ESOL program at International Student Center Edric Bussie, Grayson Rodemsky

DeKalb County’s International Student Center (ISC) no longer houses the Intensive English program for its English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students and relocated the teaching of Intensive English to schools in the county that have ESOL programs. With the disbandment of the Intensive English program from the ISC, the amount of English Learners (EL) students attending schools with ESOL programs, such as Druid Hills, has increased.

Previously, the ISC functioned as a facility where ESOL students who did not have ESOL programs at their respective schools were taught English.

According to former DeKalb County EL coordinator Gregory Wickersham, the discontinuation of the Intensive English program at the ISC was due to a combination of transportation issues and the disruption caused to EL students having to learn at the county facility, thus losing their connection with their home school.

“It’s kind of disruptive to education when you start at one school and they get comfortable there, and they get to know their teachers, and they make friends and then they suddenly have to go to another school,” Wickersh-

am said. “It allows the schools to have more ownership of the students.”

Wickersham worked as an ESOL teacher at the ISC from 2015-2017, later becoming EL coordinator at the International Screening Center where he facilitated the EL program throughout DeKalb County. He stated he views the change as a better way for students to learn English.

“There’s a lot of factors involved, but if the teachers and the community are on board, and they have the right strategies and know about language acquisition and know what students need, I think it’s a better situation,” Wickersham said.

When ESOL teacher Romando Davis was transferred from Druid Hills in the Fall of 2021 to the ISC because of an imbalance of ESOL enrollment numbers, he had a hard time motivating his students to become proficient in English. The issue was not him nor his students, but the ISC itself. During his tenure, he encountered what he considered “significant issues.”

Davis has a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and 12 years of ESOL experience, five of those years being in Intensive English programs. When he was transferred to the ISC, he was surprised by the substantial barriers that ISC students faced.

“[The student center] wasn’t adequately resourced. There weren't enough teachers… It was just a very chaotic, stressful place where I felt very frustrated… It was not an environment where students could do well and learn English,” Davis said.

Davis decided to take action by advocating to his superiors for a change in how the ESOL and the Intensive English programs were run.

“I sent an email in February of 2022, basically to everybody in the district chain of command all the way up to the superintendent, just outlining what I saw and what I was facing as a teacher,” Davis said.

In Davis’s email, he brought to light problems with ISC leadership’s “misplaced priorities” such as over-emphasis on standardized tests, inconsistencies in time management, overpopulation of classrooms and the lack of district-provided transportation.

Even though Davis took steps to address the ISC’s problems, he does not believe he was the reason the facility discontinued its Intensive English program.

“I don’t think that I was the reason for anything, but I do think that the collective voices of the people trying to fix [the student center] really shed a

Continued on pg. 2

In 2022, Georgia passed the Protect Students First Act, more commonly known as the Divisive Concepts law, which limits discussion on systemic racism, sexuality and gender from being taught in schools. Book banning has been a major topic of discussion since the bill passed with an alarming increase in the amount of books challenged for “explicit” or “controversial” content. As a result of the bill, Cobb County 5th grade teacher Katie Rinderle was fired from Due West Elementary after complaints from a parent for reading the book “My Shadow is Purple,” a story about a child who is nonbinary, to her class.

In a statement announcing her appeal as reported by FOX5, Rinderle said, “I disagree that I’ve violated any policy and that the finding remains unjust and punitive.”

Rinderle is the first teacher in Georgia to be fired under the Divisive Concepts law, which has garnered attention nationwide.

Due West Elementary held its annual Scholastic Book Fair where Rinderle purchased the book.

“My students voted on a range of books and overwhelmingly chose ‘My Shadow is Purple,’” Rinderle said.

In a board meeting in August, the Cobb County School Board voted 4-3 to fire Rinderle, acting against the recommendation of a panel of three retired educators brought in by the county to review Rinderle’s case.

Following her removal, Rinderle has become a vocal advocate for preventing book banning in schools. Last month, Rinderle spoke at the local Decatur bookstore, Little Shop of Stories, for Banned Books Week to spread awareness about censorship.

“Censorship is clearly an affront to a free society, and the banning and removal of books is a direct form of censorship,” Rinderle said.

Many districts, schools and teachers in Georgia are now left debating what content can be taught within their classrooms.

Continued on pg. 8

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The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

ESOL Continued

lot of light on the situation there and caused [the county] to make a change,” Davis said.

Teaching ESOL and intensive English is important to Davis because it affects an underrepresented demographic not just in Druid Hills, but everywhere in DeKalb County.

“In DeKalb County, students have parents and families that advocate for them. If something’s wrong at the school, they’ll call, they’ll send an email or they’ll organize and they’ll ask for things to change on behalf of their kids, but I think that a lot of times ESOL and international families are not comfortable doing that… and if they don’t speak English, they don’t have an easy time understanding,” Davis said. “As an ESOL teacher, I think it’s important to speak up for these kids because there are fewer people speaking up for them outside the school.”

ESOL teachers at Druid Hills are now seeing the effects of relocating these Intensive English students.

“Our Intensive English program has doubled in size… with the increase of students in the program, the argument for lower class size goes out the window,” ESOL teacher and Intensive English program overseer Alexandra Salivia said. “We have to continue to be creative to keep the program successful, despite the high number of enrollment.”

Salivia has taught ESOL classes for over 10 years and knows the lengths it takes for the program to succeed, as

well as the triumphs and struggles EL students face.

“This is an amazing program,” Salivia said. “It’s unbelievably hard for students who have zero English to graduate in four years. There’s a certain heroism in that.”

To be admitted to either program,

DeKalb County School District’s EL Studies Program serves more than 27,000 international students who speak 162 languages and dialects originating from over 150 countries according to DeKalb County. The English Learners Program offers ESOL classes for over 16,000 EL students with Dru-

Photo by Eve Herzog

Davis returns to his classroom at DHHS after his challenging experience teaching English at the ISC.

students who move into DeKalb County fill out a home language survey and if indicated that the student speaks a language other than English at home, they are tested for ESOL. If their English proficiency is below a certain threshold, they are transferred from ESOL into Intensive English classes.

“ESOL is for kids whose first language isn’t English who may need extra support. Intensive English is for kids that essentially don’t speak English and are learning English for the first time,” Davis said.

id Hills having over 150 of these students. Druid Hills was also the first high school in DeKalb County to adopt Intensive English as a pilot program in the Fall of 2016, which was traditionally run at the ISC. ESOL teacher John Wallace was brought into Druid Hills this year to help with the program’s increased number of students. He teaches communication skills in math, which is meant to be a buffer between English and algebra.

“In a typical math class, you’re do-

bad. There’s been a lot of shootings, a lot of fights. People are bringing in guns, knives, and a lot of other devices that can harm spectators and players,” George said. “The clear book bag would help to limit the harmful things that could occur.”

Earlier in the school year, the district had already seen an increase in fights and shootings occurring at sporting events in the state, even at their own games, and they have made changes to put an end to them. George first heard about the policy changes during an athletic director meeting.

“The district told us we’ve been having too many issues with violence and fights breaking out at games, so we are implementing a clear bookbag policy,” George said. “It was a simple, ‘Hey this is what we are doing and we must enforce it.’”

Football games require clear book bags, whereas basketball games and other indoor sports held at a DeKalb County facility, such as the Druid Hills gym, do not allow any sort of bag at all.

George thinks that getting the kids to adhere to the new policy will be the toughest challenge in putting it into practice.

“The only way to keep it functional is by continuing to make sure the kids are aware of the policy whether that’s via social media or announcements.

We need to keep enforcing the policy and sticking to it. We can’t have one kid come in with a bookbag because it will mess everything up. There needs to be a high level of consistency and being able to get the word out,” George said.

Whether it’s just bringing one to the game because a student didn’t have time to drop it off at home, backpacks

ing word problems, and the goal is to learn the math, but if the word problem uses vocabulary you cannot understand you don’t even get to the math.

You have to climb two walls instead of one wall,” Wallace said. “What we try to do is tear down the first wall and get to the content quicker.”

Freshman Victoria Cumares Diaz is in her first year of the Intensive English program after immigrating from Venezuela and has been in the United States just four months.

“The situation in Venezuela was bad, so it’s better here for my family,” Diaz said.

Diaz plans to stay in the U.S. and study medicine. She stated she believes that her ESOL classes are helping her learn English.

Senior Noe Ramirez is from Mexico and didn’t speak English prior to coming to the United States in 2020.

“When I came here I didn’t know anything about English, [Intensive English] taught me grammar, verbs, pronouns, to conjugate sentences, all those things,” Ramirez said. “I liked how Mr. Davis [taught] me because he put me in groups with others so that we could work together and feel comfortable at different speaking levels.”

With more students, Davis, Salivia and Wallace have more opportunities for English conversations and interaction among their students in the classroom, but they will continue to revamp how they manage the increasing size of the programs.

DeKalb County limits book bags, increases safety at sports events Sienna Seskin

During a robbery, Clayton County high school senior Isaiah Thomas was shot while waiting on a ride home from a high school football game and may never walk again. Because of the Clayton County shooting and other recent safety hazards, DeKalb County has decided to apply a clear book bag policy at football games and no backpacks at basketball games. Safety has always been a top priority for those who attend sports games. From fights breaking out to weapons being brought in, security is essential at these games.

Athletic director Henrietta George stated she believes implementing clear book bags will be a great addition to safety at sports games.

“Safety has been a big issue at all the DeKalb schools. It’s really been

are a sports day essential for many students.

Sophomore Lauren Hill stated she feels conflicted about the new policy.

“The clear backpack policy is a positive thing and allows for more freedom after the games, however, I think any backpack should be allowed and should just be cleared with a metal detector because underclassmen are unable to drive, so they have no place to store their bags when going into a game,” Hill said.

DeKalb County’s goal with this new policy is to maintain security during sports games. The Druid Hills community is hopeful that the new book bag policy will limit the amount of harmful things brought into football games and other sports events in the future.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

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Inaugural One Act cast takes stage at state competition Ishita Samnani, Eve Herzog

Within the theater world, the pursuit of excellence and recognition transforms the art of One Act into a fiercely competitive sport of its own.

Druid Hills High School’s One Act cast won regionals for their performance of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and placed fifth at state. Sophomore Jackson Millarker and senior Xander Mickish were recognized as part of the all-star cast at the state competition.

One Act is a competition, like a sport, where a team of actors performs a play consisting of just a single act trying to score more points from the judges to beat other schools. Each team has a fifty-five-minute time limit to perform a single play that they’ve practiced for the last two months.

At regionals, Druid Hills defeated Holy Innocence, who had won their region for four consecutive years prior, by just a single point.

“The production of their show was amazing. They had great sets and lighting, but since this was an acting competition, I think that's what led us to win,” Millarker said.

Two weeks later the team traveled to Tipton, Georgia to compete at the state competition where they placed fifth overall.

Druid Hills's One Act play, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling

Bee,” is a musical comedy following the storyline of multiple students competing at the county spelling bee with each revealing their respective personal quirks and challenges along the way.

Theater teacher and Red Devil Productions sponsor Shamara Williams chose the play based on it only requiring a small cast, the silliness of the plot and the relatability of the play.

The musical captures the tumultuous phase of adolescence and puberty, highlighting personal growth as its central theme. In a refreshing departure from traditional narratives, the young spelling bee contestants embody a charming naivety, offering a unique perspective on life's challenges.

“As we rehearsed, I told them ‘Channel your inner 12-year-old,’” Williams said The cast is chosen like a sports team with tryouts. Williams assessed the students on their acting abilities and if they could perform well in the coming competition.

They prepared just like any other play with rehearsals and read-throughs.

Everyone exhibits a great passion for One Act with their priority being to have fun, learn and bond as a crew, rather than just win.

This year is the first year Druid Hills competed in One Act under Williams’s leadership. It is a new concept to both Williams and the cast.

Most practices took place in Wil-

liams drama and drama tech classes with many cast members of One Act being students in the classes.

Williams along with the rest of her One Act team are proud of how far they

have come considering this was their first year competing “I am so proud of everything we have done,” Williams said.

it’s everywhere in Georgia, and all the other schools in Georgia that have students that qualify,” counselor Tanya Henderson said. “UGA is just one of the hot schools... It was once Georgia State, and now it’s UGA.” In the past decade, UGA has become an increasingly popular choice for Georgia students to apply. After their back-to-back national championships from UGA’s football team in 2021 and 2022, the amount of applications went up by nearly 27,000. Besides the amazing sports program that UGA offers, they also have great academics, spirit and a high graduation rate.

Henderson has seen the rise in students who are applying to the school.

Henderson stated last year 50% of her students applied to UGA. Henderson

is just as busy this year assisting Druid Hills students with their applications.

“UGA is one of the most popular schools we are experiencing this school year. I don’t know if it has to do with the football team or what’s going on, but the requirement is to have a GPA of 4.0,” Henderson said.

English teacher and UGA alumna Emily Robinson graduated in 1999, but she didn’t always go to UGA. Robinson experienced her own unique path to becoming a bulldog.

“I didn’t get in… I went to North Georgia for my first two years, then I transferred [to UGA] as a junior,” Robinson said. “It’s so easy to transfer… people don’t need to worry about getting into UGA as a freshman; go someplace else for a year and then transfer.

All they’ll look at is your college GPA and nothing else.”

While transferring to UGA later is always an option, other future students would prefer to be at their prospective college from the start of freshman year.

“If I don’t get into UGA, I’ll go out of state. I don’t want to transfer in later.

I think freshman year is an important year to get to know your school, and I wouldn’t want to miss my first year,” senior Fiona Bernard said.

Those who attend UGA will be receiving their letters anywhere from late November to early December. Whether students make it into UGA immediately, transfer in later, or go to another college entirely, plenty of opportunities await those who take this next step in their lives.

Photos by Ishita Samnani

Mickish, who plays homeschooled spelling bee contestant Leif Coneybear, sings his feature song “I'm Not That Smart” as he gazes upon the mighty microphone.

Junior Nathan Correlle launches snacks into the audience during his song “My Unfortunate Distraction.”

Bulldog bound: seniors await rigorous UGA admissions Stori Beall, Connor Corriere

October 15th was a significant day for seniors as they submitted their early action applications to colleges across the nation, but one college in particular is sought after by many high school graduates in the state of Georgia, The University of Georgia. UGA’s early action option allows students to stand out amongst nearly 40,000 kids who eagerly await an acceptance letter each year.

Early action has become even more competitive in recent years due to a decrease in the acceptance rate by more than 10%, leaving a current acceptance rate of only 40%.

“It is harder to get accepted because of the number of students that are applying. This is not just Druid Hills;

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The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Features

Winchester’s energetic approach fosters love for math Sophia Sanchez, Ella Wade

Math teacher Eric Winchester has an unwavering commitment to teaching while demonstrating incredible positivity wherever he goes, greeting anyone and everyone he can. Winchester has a determination to make his math lessons not only comprehensible but also enjoyable for his students. The energy he exudes combined with his unusually formal wardrobe, consisting of a full suit and a bow tie that he is devoted to donning every day, makes for a show-stoppingly unique character.

Winchester grew up surrounded by educators with both his parents working in the field. He knew this lifestyle was a long time coming for him.

“The teaching bug was planted when I was really small,” Winchester said.

From a young age, Winchester observed his father and accompanied him at work, slowly learning everything he needed for what would come to be his main passion in life.

“I hung out with my dad wherever he went. I was right there with him,” Winchester said.

Since teaching has always been ingrained in Winchester’s life, he views it as a passion rather than just a job.

Every day, Winchester walks into the school with charisma and electricity, ready to brighten the days of those around him and create a positive example for students.

“I’d like to demonstrate what happiness looks like,” Winchester said.

It is a curious sight for anyone to show up to work early in the morning

Photo by Eve Herzog

Winchester's personality grabs students’ attention, bringing entertainment to his precalculus class.

with as much joy as Winchester, especially in a high school.

“I chose a path that many people frown upon, but it was where I found happiness,” Winchester said.

Because of this, his happiness is a refreshing sight, as well as a confusing one. Most people wouldn’t show up to an average day of work widely grinning, but he sees no reason not to.

“Every time I walk through the door, a smile comes on my face, even before the kids show up,” Winchester said.

In the classroom, Winchester uses his personality and excitement to connect with students in a way they may not be used to. He finds that he can greatly enhance students’ attitudes about learning through his positivity.

According to senior Lauren Yasine, a former student in Winchester’s precalculus class, Winchester’s approach

was helpful for her.

“Your teacher has a really huge impact on your ability to learn, especially in math,” Yasine said.

Yasine stated that Winchester’s teaching methods stand out in a very positive way as well as his efforts to appeal to all different learning styles. He establishes a connection with the students as well as a comfortable learning environment.

Junior Violet Kilfeather, a current student in Winchester’s precalculus class, also appreciates Winchester’s teaching style.

“He takes a more energetic approach, which I think engages his students a lot more,” Kilfeather said.

As of 2020, Winchester only works at the school part-time. With 30 years of teaching experience, Winchester explained how the switch from full-time impacted him.

being able to participate in certain events due to the excess amount of members.

“It was a really nice change of pace due to it feeling like more of a team in the atmosphere because last year it almost felt like there were only a few people in Model UN and most of them knew each other, so it was more casual,” junior Micheal Harris said.

Along with the challenges of Model UN, the new members of Model UN face new issues with this being some members’ first conference and it being a more difficult conference. Usually, the first conference of the season occurs at Emory, but this season started at Georgia Tech which is considered to be at a

more advanced level.

“Our club got a lot bigger with a lot of people. This was their first conference, so they effectively got thrown right into the lion’s den with basically each committee having around 50-plus people… So I think we did really well all things considered,” junior Dawson Rooks said.

Members of Model UN have found an appreciation for the style and structure of Model UN with its discussions relating to real-life topics and a similar skillset to debate.

“I joined Model UN because it seemed like a person who does competitive sports but… I would call it competitive speaking. So it’s a chance

“There was a level of guilt for leaving campus at 12, when everyone else had to stay,” Winchester said.

Although he felt bad leaving the school campus hours earlier than his peers, he realized that working parttime allows him to do things he cares deeply about outside of teaching.

“It has allowed me more time to serve more. I serve on four nonprofits,” Winchester said.

In his free time, Winchester does community service and volunteer work, including work at nonprofits run by former students who have asked for his support. Of course, being who he is, he jumped at those opportunities.

Winchester also uses the way he dresses to enhance his impact on his students. He is well known for wearing a full suit and bow tie every day, except on casual Fridays.

“It’s an attention grabber, hopefully for the right reasons,” Winchester said.

His attire has certainly caught the attention of students.

“The way Mr. Winchester dresses makes him look professional but also fun at the same time,” Kilfeather said.

Winchester grew up attending a private Catholic school, which taught him the importance of the image you create for yourself and for those who look up to you.

From the way he treats students to the way he presents himself, it’s apparent just how much he cares for what he does. Winchester hopes to have a lasting, positive impact on the people he meets, and he continues to do that every day at Druid Hills with a smile on his face.

New Model UN attendees garner experience at Georgia Tech conference London Mchaney-Blackwell

This year, the Model UN team has made great strides at the beginning of their season. They recently attended a conference at Georgia Tech in which 900 members of Model UN from across the county showed up to participate.

At the event, president of Druid Hill’s Model UN and senior Jai Arieh won an outstanding delegate award.

“It felt pretty good, I’m looking to win best delegate which is the firstplace award,” Arieh said.

In this upcoming season, Model UN has had an overwhelming amount of new members with some not even

to do a bunch of research on the subject and go and sort of compete but sort of collaborate with like-minded people,” Harris said. “You can plan speeches, and you get up there and you can kind of make a show of it while it is still informative and talking about realistic issues. There’s a mix of the academic and the fun.”

Model UN is great practice for a range of skills that can be used in the real world.

“Model UN is really just about getting kids who love this sort of stuff to kind of hold their skills and become good public speakers [and] learn about the different parts of the world,” faculty sponsor Nicholas Burgess said.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

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Orchestra student ambassadors inspire passion for music Lagge Dabba, Maddy Darrow

Music is a universal language and a unique form of art. It’s a way for people to express themselves and connect with others. The beauty of music is the duality of the kinds of components from the harmony, the melodies and the pitches.

At Druid Hills High School, there is an orchestra group composed of many talented students. These students share their gift of music with each other and the Druid Hills High School community.

Orchestra teacher Hye Jeong Chun has formed a leadership group composed of student ambassadors.

With a group of 10 ambassadors, each specializing in their own instruments, they lead the symphony, help teach new members of the orchestra and organize events. Some of these events include playing for special education students and going to Druid Hills Middle School to help teach younger students about music.

Junior Dominic Graziano is one

of the student ambassadors who has been playing violin for five years.

“As a student ambassador…we go around and perform for students and teachers,” Graziano said.

The ambassadors lead performances done by the orchestra, including playing birthday serenades for teachers, a new addition for this school year.

Junior Rosalia Crow is another student ambassador who plays the cello. She started playing in 6th grade and has fallen in love with it after many years of playing. From sixth grade on, she has been pursuing music.

“Playing music is my passion, it’s what I want to do in life, it’s something that can give me an escape from most things in life… It’s also something I can do to have others enjoy,” Crow said.

Not only does Crow play it for her own enjoyment, but also to learn and expand her knowledge when it comes to music. With the support of her friends, Crow started a chamber orchestra group during the summer that

Photo by Eve Herzog

Student ambassador and sophomore Alex Hood conducts his classmates as they rehearse “Minuetto.” Chun allows students to take turns stepping up to direct their fellow orchestra members, allowing them to experience their harmonies from a new perspective.

takes place outside of school.

“I started it because... I want to get better at listening to others who are playing and having a chamber group allows me to do that. We are able to rehearse with each other and listen to each other, plus we are all friends,” Crow said.

Playing with her chamber group has not only helped her improve musically but has also given her access to a large and wide variety of music.

“What drives me is the ability to be in a chamber group and what I can get out of it… continuing this chamber group can help me in all my other outside activities and orchestra. It helps distinguish the sound of different instruments and their own parts,” Crow said.

With the help of Crow and other orchestra ambassadors, Chun has pushed her students to develop their musical interests.

“Teaching is more of a calling, not just a career… You’re chosen to be a teacher, and I love watching kids grow.

That’s the major thing for me,” Chun

said.

With the encouragement of her parents, Chun has been pursuing music since she was four years old and has been teaching for over 20 years.

“My parents always believed that fine arts should be part of everyone’s education… I Fell in love with piano immediately at age four, studied very diligently for about ten-plus years. I won a couple of national competitions on piano and then switched to violin,” Chun said.

While expanding the program with the beginner’s orchestra, Chun has been able to catch the attention of not just students who already have a musical education, but students who have no experience with playing.

By becoming an orchestra teacher, Chun is further pushing her parents’ idea that music should be part of every child’s learning experience, and she is sharing her love of music with every student she teaches.

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The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Views

Rise of fights in school poses questions of inequality Jizelle Anderson

During my freshman year, an intruder brandished a firearm in the school bathroom, threatening the safety of students and traumatizing the community. Responsively, we went into a level three lockdown and waited for an all-clear. I have a vivid recollection of this day because it marked the first time I felt a sense of insecurity and vulnerability within a school environment.

I’m reminded of this moment when I reflect on the numerous fights that have occurred this school year at Druid Hills. Interestingly, the messaging from administrators remained almost identical despite the year difference: “This isn’t Druid Hills.” As if these students don’t literally make the communities that surround the school.

As if Druid Hills is above this. The irony is that they only became a part of our community when it comes to Title I funding or diversity statistics. When I think about these statements, I think about the harm caused by selectively defining who belongs to our community and who doesn’t. I agree that school violence shouldn’t be tolerated, however, I understand the complexity of these situations.

I’ve always been the curious type, so I was never content with the idea that rich, white honor-roll students don’t fight while poor, minority students who lack advanced-level education do. I have been dissatisfied with the composition of my classes, where the majority of students in my AP and ad-

vanced classes are white despite attending a school where minorities make up 69% of the student body. There is a reason that students of color are disproportionately involved in school fights at Druid Hills. It doesn’t solely stem from the disadvantages of systematic oppression. It is also because if I told you that there was an intruder at our school or a fight occurred, and I asked you to visualize those involved, you would

home to a diverse group of students, holding the second spot in DeKalb’s school diversity rankings in terms of the variety of ethnicity, race, culture, language, religion, economics and more. We have students living in poverty, students coming from single-parent households, students whose parents don’t speak English, students who come to a home without electricity, students who have faced threats of eviction, stu-

“By recognizing the underlying factors of school fights, we can start to disassemble a system of inequalities that the American education system was built on. We then can work towards a fair and just world where every student has the same opportunity to succeed.” undeniably assume individuals with a darker complexion. We don’t even give these students a chance to succeed. We already assume the worst. That is the core issue.

The increase in school fights uncovers a shameful truth within our education system. It’s evident that not all students have the same opportunities, resources and life experiences. When discussing the issue of school violence, we should always consider socioeconomic disparities, students’ exposure to neighborhood violence, students’ lack of fit role models and the stigma surrounding mental health and therapy, specifically within Black communities.

The truth is that Druid Hills is

dents who have spent time in juvenile detention centers, students whose only meals are provided by the school and students whose parents never attended college, let alone finished high school.

Failing to acknowledge these students as members of our community only perpetuates a cycle of disadvantage. Our current strategy of banishing those students from our community and subjecting them to DeKalb Alternative School where the graduation rate is 11% is flawed. It not only limits the educational opportunities and personal growth of those students, but it also reinforces the social divisions and stereotypes that plague our nation.

There’s a strong correlation between

spelling, on the other hand is the name that I didn’t understand at first but carries the stories of my culture.

I’ve never really paid much attention to my name until now. My name can be spelled in two different ways: the Americanized version, Sumbatu, and the traditional one which was something I never knew about until recently when I started asking my family about my name.

I spelled my name in the Americanized version for years, due to being in ESOL classes in elementary school.

When English isn’t your first language, it’s easy to mix letters, words and pronunciations because you are expected to learn a language that you are not familiar with. My ESOL teacher told

me in elementary school that my name was spelled wrong and she changed it to “Sembetu” in the school system, neither the traditional nor the Americanized way of spelling. I’m not really sure where the “e” came from, but that’s how my name started being spelled from then to now.

My time spent learning English in ESOL was actually one of the things that I enjoyed about elementary school.

The environment was comfortable because everyone in the class understood what it was like to come from a whole different place and be expected to learn a new language.

If you spelled my name the traditional way using the Kunama alphabet it would be “Sambatu” because in

those who fight and students enrolled in general classes. So, we already have an idea of who’s likely to engage in violence. Through restorative justice practices, smaller classes, accessible tutorials and access to therapy services, we can lessen the effects of educational disadvantages.

By recognizing the underlying factors of school fights, we can start to disassemble a system of inequalities that the American education system was built on. We then can work towards a fair and just world where every student has the same opportunity to succeed.

This conflict reminds me of a quote that former president Barack Obama said, “If there’s a child on the southside of Chicago who can’t read, that matters to me, even if it’s not my child. If there’s a senior citizen somewhere who can’t pay for her prescription and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it’s not my grandmother. If there’s an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It’s that fundamental belief. I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper, that makes this country work.

It’s what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family.” This quote reminds us to unite in a time when everyone might seem divided. It reminds us to be one in a world where society divides us.

What’s in a name? How one letter can change someone’s story Sumbatu Dabba

Names are the biggest part of our identity; they can go from having sentimental value to cultural significance or just simply what your friends and family call you. Everyone has a name, and without a name, it seems like the person doesn’t exist. Behind the name is a person’s story. My name could be seen as Sembetu, Sumbatu or Sambatu depending on where you look or who you ask.

The way I spelled my name growing up, Sumbatu, was the version of me that came from a whole different country and was trying to familiarize myself with the foreign community around me. Sambatu, the more traditional

Kunama the “a” is pronounced as “ah,” but I never realized that there was more to my name until I really started questioning it.

When I was in elementary school, the lunch lady liked my name and out of curiosity asked me about its meaning. I’ve been told my name simply means Sunday, and I can see why my parents named me after this. My parents are catholic and would often go to church on Sundays.

My name, Sumbatu, is something that I’m glad I started to ask more questions about because it gives me more clarity on why my parents gave me this name and the importance that a name can hold for not only me but a lot of other people.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

The Druid Hills Spotlight is a student-created print newspaper

dedicated to serving you: students, parents, teachers and community members.

We exist to provide the news you need and the stories you are truly interested in reading. Last year felt like regaining some of the former glory of Spotlight years past by rekindling student involvement, producing five excellent issues throughout the year and even winning top honors from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association for writing, photography and design. While we’re proud of our awards, they are not solely our mission. We exceeded our own expectations in what we created and will uphold our promise to our community to deliver meaningful stories that inform our readers. In our 86th volume, we’re excited to continue progressing from the foundation built in our previous volumes. This year, we have our first full staff of student editors overseeing the production of our paper.

With their leadership, we resolve to maintain The Spotlight as a meaningful, well-written, visually compelling newspaper that our community will be proud to call its own. As always, we will continue onward, reporting the stories that matter most to our community. - Pierce Bauer, Faculty Sponsor

Spotlight Staff

Bryson Allen • Jizelle Anderson • Stori Beall Nickell Brown • Edric Bussie • Connor Corriere Zoey Cortes • Lagge Dabba • Sumbatu Dabba • Maddy Darrow Jonah DeRosa • Mary Clare Mackenna • Santiago Gonzalez-Cassavoy Eve Herzog • Marcavia Johnson • Eric Lopez London Mchaney-Blackwell • Kori O’Brien • Grayson Rodemsky Lucia Rodriguez • Ishita Samnani • Sophia Sanchez • Sienna Seskin Lucy Williams • Ella Wade • Susie Zaharatos Beza Woldeyahanes

News Editors Sports Editor Edric Bussie & Nickell Brown Jizelle Anderson Features Editors London Mchaney-Blackwell & Lucia Rodriguez Photos Editor Grayson Rodemsky

Spotlight Patrons

Jack McFarland Rachel Herzog The Burton Family Marshall Orson Gilbert Loren Watson III Francois Watkins Family The Griffin Family Rebecca Grieco Tom and Yvette Weatherly Susan Bauer Robin and Bill Clark Ellie McQuaig

Jason and Ariadne Switchtenberg Patty Finley Tori Leydecker Gregg Bauer Clara Harrington Jon Kissel Ken and Ann Schroeder Lauren Ponta and Jesse Anderson-Lehman Katie Boice Anita Uchimura Ponda Anderson Melissa King-Rogers

Support the Spotlight!

To become a patron of Spotlight ($30) please send a check made out to The Spotlight to Druid Hills High School and have your name printed in our mast head and a paper delivered to your door!

Contact Us!

Email us at spotlight.dhhs@gmail.com Send us feedback • suggestions • stories

7

Don’t let political cynicism keep you from the ballot box Joseph Rodriguez, Guest Contributer

Just a few months ago marked the 60th anniversary of the famous March on Washington in which hundreds of thousands of Americans, including Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, came together and marched in protest of the Jim Crow laws that upheld segregation and oppression faced by African Americans at the time.

As Vice President of our Black Student Union (BSU), I’ve too often encountered fellow students who ponder whether or not things have truly gotten better since then— myself included.

These feelings come especially after what many would call a “subpar” first term for President Biden in terms of racial and economic justice, as many of President Biden’s most ambitious plans have been thwarted by either the Republican-controlled Congress or the Conservative majority on the Supreme Court. Recent polls have shown that many minority voters feel President Biden has failed to live up to the promises he made on the 2020 campaign trail, including promises of police reform legislation and his plan to cancel up to $20,000 dollars in student loan debt. As a result, they have little enthusiasm to vote in the upcoming election, but participating in our democracy has never been more crucial.

Nobody had more reason to feel cynical and pessimistic about America than the some 190,000 African Americans who attended the march. Yet, despite the indisputable evil they faced, they showed up in the thousands and protested, marched and bled in pursuit of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

I find myself wondering how people faced with such oppression found the will to risk so much for a country that denied their humanity for so long.

The answer, I believe, is because they knew that although the moral arc of the universe bends towards justice, it doesn’t bend on its own.

The story of America is a story of progress— fitful, incomplete progress, but progress nevertheless. Progress wasn’t achieved by just a handful of famous leaders making speeches but by ordinary people using their collective power to vote, organize and stand up for what they believe in.

The right to vote is the quintessential power that every citizen has to ensure our country reaches its highest ideals; the ideals of Dr. King’s dream.

In the 58 years since the right to vote was won for every American, we’ve seen a black president and vice president, four non-white justices on the Supreme Court, over 100 nonwhite members of Congress, 14 black billionaires, eight black CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and millions of non-white Americans with thriving small businesses.

That isn’t to say that things are perfect, or even where they should be.

Millions of African Americans are still wrongfully imprisoned every year, millions of immigrants are barred from taking out loans, purchasing houses or starting businesses, and police violence among African Americans and nonwhite citizens is staggering.

It’s easy to look at these stats and feel as if America is a lost cause in which nothing will ever improve, and honestly, I, too, have shared many of those feelings. It is in these moments that I remember the words of Dr. King— “Progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle.”

So if you’re feeling cynical about America, that nothing will ever improve, that for every half-step forward we take five steps back— just remember that progress isn’t always a straight line.

However small these steps may seem to you, there are people out there whose lives are improved by these actions.

Don’t allow your frustration to lead to inaction. But rather, let your frustration motivate you to help improve our government.

Remember, improving our government isn’t limited by age like it is at the ballot box. Freshmen, sophomores and juniors— join one of the many youth organizations fighting to make things better, attend a rally or meet with local leaders.

To seniors, remember that things will not get better by using your absence at the ballot box as a form of protest, but by realizing the idea that our forebears put into practice 60 years ago— the idea that participating in our democracy won’t create perfection, but will ignite a spark of hope that turns into a roaring flame of change.

Banned Banned

Books

County book bans threaten teachers’ job security Lucia Rodriguez, Susie Zaharatos

Since the passing of the Divisive Concepts law in Georiga, there has been an increase in the banning and removal of books in schools due to their “inappropriate” content. These books are often censored by district officials and school administrations because of their divisive political themes, often portraying minorities such as people of color or the LGBTQ+ community.

In August, Cobb County fired elementary school teacher Katie Rinderle for reading the book “My Shadow is Purple” to her 5th grade class. This is the first case in Georgia of a teacher’s employment being terminated for reading a “banned” book.

Cobb County is one of three districts in the state that has banned books in schools and libraries, along with Cherokee County and Forsyth County.

County book bans targeting these social issues may seem distant to DeKalb

aimed to aid student’s critical thinking to benefit them in the future.

“All students benefit from information that challenges their critical thinking to effectively engage in society,” Rinderle said.

In a statement to Georgia Public Broadcasting, a Cobb County Spokesperson stated that the district prioritizes neutrality in their classrooms and strives to keep politics separate from instruction.

Cobb County Schools lawyer Sherry Culves told FOX5, “One-sided instruction on political, religious or social beliefs does not belong in our classrooms.”

A tribunal panel of retired educa-

book banning, it is imperative to listen to students.

As of now, no books have been officially banned in DeKalb County schools, but many students and teachers are still worried.

“You’re depriving a child of knowledge that they will need later in life. If they don’t know how to respectfully interact with people, they’re never going to succeed,” sophomore Julia Tone said.

Although situations like Rinderle’s are still rare throughout the United States, books with LGBTQ+ related topics and others have been highly scrutinized by concerned parents, causing

“All students benefit from information that challenges their critical thinking to effectively engage in society” -Katie Rinderle, former Cobb County 5th grade teacher

Illustration by Sophia Sanchez

County. However, as of now, 25 books are banned in total across the three counties in Georgia.

“Firing a teacher over teaching a text is, in my opinion, absurd. It starts to make me feel like we’re heading in an Orwellian direction where we’re only allowed to read certain texts,” English teacher Alyssa Montooth said.

Multiple teachers and students around Druid Hills argued that banning books with topics seen as inappropriate limits the scope of children’s education.

“Even children can have very thought-provoking and sensitively handled conversations about an array of difficult topics as long as the teacher is creating an atmosphere in which the flow of ideas can occur without any feeling of punishment, punity or embarrassment,” Montooth said. “I would rather students read text that perhaps pushes the envelope or stimulates conversations that are a little bit heavier and require discussion. I’d rather study those together in the context of school than allow students to try to figure things out on their own.”

Echoing Montooth’s sentiment of encouraging open-mindedness towards sensitive topics, Rinderle stated she

tors brought together to review Rinderle’s case recommended not to terminate Rinderle.

“The fact that they followed all the procedures, and she went to a tribunal and they were like ‘she should be reinstated’... But then the board was like, ‘no she should be fired.’ It’s disgraceful,” media center specialist Zoë Rascoe said.

“One would hope that they know what they’re talking about, but because in so many parts of the country, especially in Georgia, board members are elected, it’s a political position. Those people... don’t always have a background in education.

They don’t always know what they’re talking about.”

Shortly after she was fired, “My Shadow is Purple,” “Flamer,” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” were all banned in Cobb County.

Rinderle argued repeatedly that book banning negatively affects students’ education, and she is against “harm to students in any form.”

Rinderle emphasized how important her classroom’s read-alouds were to the expansion of her student’s perspectives of the world.

“The morning read-aloud strongly aligns with our gifted standards by cultivating a classroom community where students engage, share thoughts, feelings and ideas. Through this, they develop essential skills as communicators and collaborators, as well as an appreciation for individual differences and strengths, nurturing empathy, and respect across various situations,” Rinderle said. “It is important and necessary for students to have access to diverse perspectives and information so they may become informed, engaged and socially responsible citizens.”

Rinderle also expressed how in order to truly understand the impact of

school boards to exert more control over teachers and librarians.

Historical precedent

Although book bans may seem like a recent issue, they have been happening since the 17th century. During this time, the majority of books being banned were due to religious differences, in which people would vocalize their beliefs that did not coincide with those of the government. Now, hundreds of books are being challenged simply because they include topics or people that are not “suitable” for school.

“Sadly, this is nothing new, and it’s incredibly cyclical. Nowadays, it’s absurd to ban books,” Montooth said. “There’s never a real reason to ban material. Instead, there needs to be an understanding on behalf of the instructor of what it is used for.”

During the Civil War, multiple works of literature were banned due to their anti-slavery themes, a standout example being “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” The author, Harriet Beacher Stowe, was an abolitionist in the North who wanted to expose the horrific acts of terror that took place in the South surrounding slavery, which led to the books being banned in the South.

“It’s also a major part of American history; the oppression of black people and the oppression of homosexual people,” Tone said.

Similar debates about what material is deemed appropriate for school still exist today.

Banning procedures

According to PEN America, a nonprofit that advocates for free speech, between July 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022, there were 1,586 book bans in 86 school districts across 26 states. A majority of

the books that have been banned include the topics of race and the LGBTQ+ community. Book banning in schools has become a widely controversial issue because it limits students to specific, “acceptable” media content.

In Georgia, as a result of the precedent from Rinderle’s firing and the passing of the Decisive Concepts law, teachers now question what they can and cannot read in their classrooms.

English teacher Shamara Williams shared her experience of meeting a fellow teacher in her Master’s program who was not allowed to teach a book in her respective school that Williams was currently teaching.

“I can do that, but the same teacher that I’m literally in the same class with, learning the same strategies on how to teach, has these limitations,” Williams said.

When it comes to the impact of book banning on a student’s education, a point of contention for many faculty and students has been how, generally, parents are the ones initiating book bannings.

According to the Washington Post’s analysis of book bannings in their article “Objection to sexual, LGBTQ content propels spike in book challenges,” 21% of the 499 challengers who gave an identification were parents, 15% were filing the ban request on behalf of a group of parents (such as local parent organiza-

inappropriate topics, they’re also barring that material from every other student in that school or school district, whether they agree with that parent or not.

Rascoe stated she feels that book bans are not likely to happen in DeKalb County because there are procedures in place at the county level to make sure that the reason for filing is unbiased.

However, not all schools go through the same procedures or any procedures at all.

According to PEN America, 98% of book bans in their index did not follow the general guidelines set by the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and the American Library Association (ALA) for consideration of banned book filings.

Current standing at DHHS

After speaking to teachers throughout the Druid Hills English department, each shared the belief that book banning is absurd and contradicts the purpose of studying literature. Book banning as a whole is especially applicable to Druid Hills because of the diversity of the student body. Providing and teaching books that reflect the diversity of the community is essential to both students and teachers.

“It’s really important for people who don’t necessarily identify with the cultures in the book to be exposed to those

“I don’t believe in book banning. I’ll always look to purchase books that uplift people, that represent our diverse community”- Zoë Rascoe, Druid Hills High School media center specialist tions), and 14% were filing on behalf of a Moms for Liberty chapter, an “American conservative political organization that advocates against school curricula that mention LGBTQIA+ rights, race and ethnicity, critical race theory, and discrimination,” as according to their website.

Furthermore, PEN America and The Washington Post found that the majority of book challenges are filed by the same people or organizations, coined as “serial book challengers”. The Washington Post analysis concluded that while they made up only 6% of all book challengers, they were responsible for 60% of the total filings.

“It’s important to understand that these efforts stem from a very small group of individuals who do not speak for all parents, nor do they encompass the overall educational needs or wellbeing of all students,” Rinderle said.

When individual parents advocate for banning a book to shelter their children from potentially controversial or

things. It’s also important for the people who do identify with those cultures to be able to see themselves in that literature,” sophomore Ruby Davis said.

Sophomore Maja Draffin expressed how keeping books with sensitive topics available in less diverse environments is just as important.

“It’s taking away information they could learn. They could be in a place that’s very single-minded, and they just don’t know what’s out in the real world,” Draffin said.

Rascoe echoed these concerns on how book banning affects the mental health of students from all backgrounds.

“There’s this whole big focus on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and helping guide children through school in a way that’s not going to impact their mental health, and then you’re telling them that books about people like them, I’m thinking more marginalized students... you’re telling them that they’re not worth learning about or understanding, or they’re not recognized. It’s dehumaniz-

ing,” Rascoe said.

Williams aims to teach material that speaks to as many of her students as she can.

“I don’t think it’s fair to limit a story for everyone just to spare a few,” Williams said. “When you’re leaving out parts of the overall narrative, you are limiting what people are able to understand and be aware of.”

Conversely, senior Ella Williams is more worried about how some books’ explicit material might affect younger kids. She stated some books simply shouldn’t be available to all age groups.

“They should be banned because young students go to a library and check out a book and read dialogue that would be disturbing for a young kid,” Ella Williams said. “I feel that young people should be able to read those books, but not certain age groups.”

As the one who determines what books are available in Druid Hills’ media center, Rascoe said she believes in acceptance, not divisiveness.

“When it comes to schools, you have to trust librarians and the teachers to know what they’re talking about and know what books are in the library or in their schools. They are the experts, parents are not,” Rascoe said.

Due to the rise in popularity of books written by viral author Colleen Hoover, Rascoe cited Hoover’s work as an example of how she’s put time and research into selecting the books that are considered appropriate for high school students. Hoover has a published list of what books are suitable for certain age groups which Rascoe took into consideration when purchasing her books for the media center.

When it comes to teaching controversial material in a literature class setting, Montooth explained that it’s up to the teacher to help students interpret

what they’re reading.

“I would be willing, with my students, to study material that I know to be inaccurate or hateful, whether that be all the way on the right or all the way on the left, in an effort to show my students that somebody made this text with an agenda; how can you tell it’s unreliable? There are people who read this and believe it, why do they do so?”

Montooth said.

Montooth stressed how teaching sensitive material this way promotes critical thinking, allowing students to better understand the more extreme topics they may encounter online.

Without critical thinking skills, Montooth argues that students will approach everything they read online the same way.

“If we don’t read texts that push us a little bit, and we only read the same ones, I’m worried that my students will approach everything they read as safe, as [if] everything they read online is fine,” Montooth said.

Many of Druid Hills’ students and teachers are against book banning, and no books have been challenged as of now. Although it has yet to reach DeKalb County, teachers are still subject to Georgia’s Divisive Concepts law.

At Druid Hills, Rascoe does not expect any changes.

“I don’t believe in book banning.

I’ll always look to purchase books that uplift people, that represent our diverse community. I want students to feel accepted and safe in the library with the knowledge that they have books that I have carefully chosen to help them have a better understanding of the world, their friends, their community and themselves,” Rascoe said.

Additional reporting by Santiago Gonzalez-Cassavoy

State by state book banning cases in the U.S.

333

281 1st- Florida 2nd- Texas 3rd- Missouri 4th- Utah 5th- Pennsylvania

186

625

625

25

1,406

Data collected from PEN America

10

Reviews

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Swing into action with ultimate Spider-Man video game Connor Corriere

Imagine swinging from building to building on a web, on the lookout to protect New York City from supervillains and criminals. With the newest Spider-Man game, you can do exactly that.

After the two previous installments of Insomniac’s superhero franchise, “Spider-Man” and “Spider-Man: Miles Morales,” the newest game brings fresh features never seen before that use the full capabilities of the PlayStation 5 while bringing a never-seen-before story into the mix. “Spider-Man 2” is by far the most unique and well-developed Spider-Man video game to have ever been created.

One of the most unique features of the game is that you’re able to play as either Peter Parker or Miles Morales outside of story-based missions. With a simple click of a button, the character changes, ranging from different costumes for the characters to different physical abilities, voice lines and even new animations when swinging around New York in the open world.

Not only are all of these features available, but the switch takes only a few seconds.

The loading rate is remarkable while still maintaining the high-quality ray-tracing graphics that the Playstation 5 has to offer. The map size has also doubled, allowing the player to explore the full extent of Queens, Brooklyn and Coney Island at any time.

There are also entirely new abilities added to the game since the previous two installments. The player now can use wings on the suit to glide through the air, making it easier and more engaging to traverse the incredibly expansive map. There are also new moves added to physical fights, such as specific actions required for specific kinds of attacks that weren’t in the previous two games. While it took a while to get used to the additional controls, making combat initially difficult, the new controls made it less repetitive and more engaging to try out unique counterattacks and combos.

Not only is the actual gameplay experience lag-free

and immersive, but the story itself is incredibly well-written. In the game, the plotline involves Peter, an experienced Spider-Man, and

Miles, a younger Spider-Man, facing Kraven the Hunter as he attempts to hunt down re-

formed supervillains for sport.

However, Venom, a species of alien

called a Symbiote that brings out the worst characteristics of its symbiotic host, is introduced into the mix.

Venom, who possesses Peter, is a direct approach to confronting his internal conflict. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t more going on beneath the surface of the other characters, however. Miles also struggles to balance his everyday life with superhero work, a typical Spider-Man arc for the new hero. Despite being a mighty superhero, he’s often left feeling inadequate compared to Peter and wants to impress him and feel useful.

Meanwhile, Miles is learning how to tackle his grief surrounding the death of his father, Jefferson Davis, who died in the first game at the hands of a supervillain Mister Negative whom Miles must confront after he escapes from prison. Miles has to learn how

Fortnite drops back into OG glory days Lucia Rodriguez

After five and a half years, “Fortnite” decided to take a trip down memory lane and reintroduce “Fortnite” OG. This might not seem like a big deal, but this was everything to the 44.7 million that logged on worldwide this past month to relive their glory days.

“Fortnite,” created by Epic Games, gained a lot of traction shortly after its release in 2017 due to its unique graphics, trending gameplay and free download. The game consists of a 100-player battle royale. The majority of the game consists of exploring the map, collecting loot and killing other players. The last player standing gets the coveted #1 Victory Royale.

Since its release, every three

months “Fortnite” changes its map and adds or removes certain items from the game, but on November 3rd, Epic Games decided to shock the world and bring back the original map and items that were available in 2018. It’s obvious that this was a ploy to bring back players they had lost within the past few years, but the ploy worked. The return of the original “Fortnite” is one of nostalgia and utter happiness.

Along with the new update of “Fortnite” came all the old memories of a time when people joined together and tried to get a Victory Royale. The new update includes the original map which many people are drawn to because of its simplicity and their familiarity with it. Certain items that once belonged to the game in 2018 are also

back which is another reason that people are excited.

I had doubts about the new update considering that in the past the updates had been rather disappointing and continued to ruin the game. But as the release date grew closer, I slowly began to gain more hope along with the rest of the “Fortnite” community and was pleasantly surprised to see that they managed to make it work.

As soon as I got home on the day of the release, I turned on my Xbox, updated the game, and hopped on with my old duo partner. The feeling of playing a game that I played back in 6th grade with all my old friends that I had not talked to in months brought me so much joy.

to cope with the resurfaced feelings of revenge and hatred completely on his own as Peter is lost to the Symbiote.

This spins into a larger conflict between the two heroes as the Symbiote causes Peter to isolate and desire to handle things by himself. The combinations of these internal and external struggles make for new settings that explore the darker side of Peter’s feelings, taking it to a new level never seen in any movies or games. There’s a unique layer added to this as Miles has to learn to push through his struggles while actively facing the mentor he desires approval from.

While playing “Spider-Man 2,” the player can engross themself in this intricate, rich story while also being able to save civilians from crime at a whim. The abilities of the two superheroes rests at your fingertips with the simple click of a few buttons on a controller. Now, the saying “anyone can wear the mask” is taken to the next level.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

11

ENT E R AT YO U R O W N R IS K

What haunted houses are worth the frights, price?

Dare to venture into Netherworld

Every October, Netherworld plasters their image across the billboards of Georgia and watches the customers file in to get the best haunted-house experience available in the area. With their iconic name and image, Stone Mountain’s Netherworld is the staple haunted experience in Atlanta. At $40 per ticket, the experience includes two haunted houses, each with different themes that change every year. At competing haunted houses, a similarly-priced ticket will only get you half of the experience, making Netherworld one of the more cost-effective options.The haunted houses move through many different scenes and scenarios that relate to the themes, this year being Primordial and Cryptid Chaos. Every corner of the place is decorated in order to fully immerse the customer, and actors are constantly popping out from hidden areas all around you. They even feature aerial actors that will jump from the ceiling and scare you senseless. Overall, the set design really impressed me. The spooky lighting and expert utilization of space makes the area feel eerily cramped and crowded, while still giving enough space to move. There are textured floors and illusions all around that make you feel like you are in a real-life horror movie. One of the well known components of their houses are the spinning rooms, where it even becomes a challenge to stay on your feet due to the dizziness created by the moving walls. By tapping into the physical confusion and fear we have when we lose control, they successfully use funhouse-like technology to make your night even more exciting. Netherworld is a wonderful option when looking for a worthwhile haunted experience in Atlanta.

As someone who was deathly afraid of the place growing up, constantly hearing stories from those who dared to enter, all I can say now is that I wish I had gone sooner. -Sophia Sanchez

Fright Fest; more fest than fright Six Flags is one of the biggest amusement park chains in the world, and every Halloween season, people prepare to be scared at the haunting experience, Fright Fest. Fright Fest is a combination of a theme park and a haunted house, which makes for an exciting and unique experience. Fright Fest is quite pricey due to the fact that you have to pay the initial fee for the park, which generally costs around $45, and an additional $30 for the haunted house. Even without paying extra for the haunted house, you can enjoy your time at Fright Fest and still get scared a reasonable amount of times. Six Flags alone is an amazing experience, but when you combine that with the chilling things that go along with Halloween and all things spooky, Fright Fest is the place to be. The park is filled with scare actors that walk around the park at night and pop out of places when you least expect it.

If you aren’t one for jumpscares, you can also purchase a light-up stick signifying those who prefer not to be scared, so this could also be a family friendly outing. As expected, the lines for the rides are very long, but the atmosphere and the actors make the wait go by faster. Fright Fest is worth the money and also a great place to go if you want to have fun and not just be scared senseless. -Lucia Rodriguez

13 Stories Haunted House falls short

Exploring haunted houses is a staple to any lover of the halloween season. An hour drive from Atlanta is the 13 Stories Haunted House in Newnan, Georgia.

If you are picturing a tall, spooky 13-story building, that’s not the case. The 13 stories are just 13 different rooms telling different stories. The inside was just as disappointing as the outside of the building. The bare walls and lack of decoration makes the $40 ticket seem to be way over priced. The rooms themself don’t really tell stories. They all look the same, but the flashing lights are just different colors. There’s not much variety. The jump scares are quite predictable, so the scare factor is low. The scare actors themselves also lacked passion. Among these scare actors, there’s a constant swarm of young kids dressed as dolls chasing you as you run. But wait, you can’t run. The strict rules add to the lack of fun this haunted house offered. No running, no standing in place, you’re only allowed to move at a dull pace. The experience is supposed to be around 30 minutes long, but with the pushy scare actors it took only about 15. Skip out on the 13-Stories Haunted House next year, and stick to the local haunted houses instead. -Stori Beall

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ adaptation favored by fans Eric Lopez

Murderous animatronics roam around freely as you watch your cameras, check your doors and look for anything that may be out of the ordinary. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is an indie horror game created by game developer Scott Cawthon. A game creator who has already made many games, but none as great as the “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise, which has finally made its way to the big screen.

The game, known for its simplistic gameplay, horrifying jumpscares and intriguing lore was bound to be a movie. Its popularity rose with the many YouTube videos created of players getting jumpscared while playing the game and the unveiling of the underlying lore within the game’s story.

Incorporating all of the lore of this popular game franchise into a movie is something many fans have looked forward to. Years passed, and finally, fans got what they waited for and received the first “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie.

The movie, released in October, garnered varying opinions amongst fans while also having concerns over the film’s PG-13 rating which left fans conflicted. While the movie, along with the original game, was marketed as a horror movie, it actually felt like more of a thriller rather than horror. There was little to no gore throughout the movie with a few kills here and there but nothing too crazy. The jumpscares were also pretty minimal and weren’t as scary as many hoped they would be.

With middling reviews from critics, many fans, myself included, were pleased with how the source material made it into the adaption. It seems

as though the movie is directed at the fan base rather than being a movie that everyone can enjoy and understand.

Film critics have said that the story is confusing, but I believe that the movie builds off of the lore of the games in the franchise with some adjustments. The lore was scattered here and there, but it was enough for people new to the franchise to get an idea of what was going on.

In the plot, the iconic animatronics from the game are haunted and controlled by children’s spirits. The one goal for these children is to get revenge on the man who murdered them. The animatronics are intended to have a murderous side, and despite the lack of horror elements throughout the movie, it seemed to show their murderous side pretty well.

The story from the movie wasn’t as precise as ones from previous games, but I believe it worked as an iteration of the game’s lore. Cawthon was a major contributor to this movie as a producer by looking over scripts, changing parts of it and making sure that the story is right for the movie. You can tell he made sure that the script satisfied fans by having key parts of lore in the plot so that it was relatively accurate to his beloved game.

“Five Nights At Freddy’s” is definitely more focused and directed towards fans rather than newcomers, as some might find the plot confusing and difficult to follow. As someone who waited nine years for this movie, I’m glad we finally got something rather than not getting anything at all, and despite critics’ complaints, true fans will enjoy this long-awaited adaptation.

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Sports

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Football achieves winning season, ready for next level Jizelle Anderson

The Druid Hills football team made history as they finished the season with a winning record of 8-1-1. This is the first time since 1993 that the football team has finished above .500 in a season. The team has come close, finishing 11 times with four wins since 1993, but this year they’ve finally surpassed this feat. For the Druid Hills community, this has become more than simply football. It’s become the pride, the culture, and above all, it’s the success story that’s taken three decades to write.

The team’s prosperity comes in part from the choice to play a non-region schedule. This season was the second, and final, of the two seasons that the team has played a non-region schedule. A non-region schedule consists of forgoing scheduling games against region opponents to play against schools that are at similar levels in development and provide more competitive games at the expense of the opportunity to compete in the state playoffs. Teams in their region consist of schools like Westminster, Southwest DeKalb and Stephenson.

“You go non-region for two years, you can’t get out of that contract. As much as we would love to go back to the region this year, we can’t. So, once those two years are up you can either renew it or you can go back to the region, and we feel like we’re ready to go back to the region,” offensive and special teams coach Zach Borowski said.

Head coach Frederick Green decided to go non-region to revitalize the program after back-to-back winless seasons in 2020 and 2021. The 2020-2021 football season was cut short due to having a depleted roster, and ultimately that season ended with a winless record and the team only scoring one touchdown in their five games.

“The first day I got hired, we had nine players in the weight room. Now we have approximately 60. So, that gives us a very, very high chance to be able to compete in the region because we actually have

program consisted of building up the roster and increasing competitiveness. By playing teams at similar skill levels, Druid Hills could compete and even win those games. Students had more desire to try

in the water and we got a taste of what we could be. I think playing region teams could definitely give us a taste of how great we can be,” junior Joshua Alaman said.

The non-region schedule

Photos by Eve Herzog

Sophomore Niko Brown recovers the costly fumble from the Stone Mountain offense and returns it for a touchdown.

Cade blows past the Stone Mountain defenders to score his sixth touchdown of the season helping the devils win 49-0.

the numbers. We built confidence. We built the talent up, and it gives us a chance to really compete,” offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Michael Harper said.

Green’s goal to restore the

out as the football team began to win.

“I feel like having a non-region schedule helped us develop as a team. We were still rebuilding and playing worse teams helped us stick our foot

showed its results promptly after being implemented. Last season, the devil dogs ended the season with a record of 4-6, an improvement from their previous season.

“We were able to put to-

gether a JV team and JV staff.

More kids got the skill sets they needed so they could play on a varsity level,” defensive coordinator Ricquel Luttery said.

However, by playing a non-region schedule the opportunity to compete in the state playoffs was sacrificed.

“The non-region schedule is kind of tough because we are just playing 10 games and we don’t get to go to the playoffs or get a chance to win a ring,” junior Bre’lon Cade said.

Additionally, every two years the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) reclassifies schools for competition.

The seven classes are based on the school’s total student body population. Druid Hills is currently in AAAA. “We’re leaning towards staying in AAAA. It is probably going to be more of a competitive region with more AAAAA teams coming down,” Luttery said.

The football team is preparing the junior varsity players for next season. Ideally, they should be able to compete on a varsity level within their region by next year.

“As we love these seniors, they’re not gonna be here next year. So, a lot of guys on JV are who we’re going to count on next year. We’re taking JV games as serious as varsity games because we know those guys gotta be developed for next year, battle-tested, and be ready to play some tougher teams,” Borowski said.

Not only have the devil dogs achieved the title of being the winningest football team Druid Hills has had in decades, but more importantly they’ve revived the pride that lives in every student, teacher, faculty member and even alumni.

“My dad went here 40 years ago, and it means a ton to me because the program hadn’t been winning since he was in school. It means a lot to him that I took this job,” Borowski said.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

13

New coach continues boys basketball success Jonah DeRosa

The Druid Hills boys basketball team was left without a coach after last season's end. The team had successful seasons for the past few years, with back-to-back state playoff appearances under former head coach Antoine Stroud. But now with Stroud gone, it’s time for a new coach to step up to the line. Former girls junior varsity head coach Danny Stubbs hopes to continue the team's past success as the new head coach for the devils.

With the season already under way, the team started strong beating North Atlanta 52-41 in their first game led by junior Elonzo Milla who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. The second game the team blew out Glenn Hills winning 105-34.

Stubbs’s coaching has proved to be very successful and is promising for the rest of the upcoming season.

“It was a better opportunity, and I felt I could do a lot better with the student-athletes and preparing them for the next level,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs’s coaching varies from

Stroud's. Comparing himself to the likes of coaching greats like John Thompson and Nolan Richardson, he has a heavy emphasis on constant defensive pressure and being able to communicate with his players.

“Coach Stubbs is an inspirational coach, and he’s got a different coaching style than coach Stroud,” Milla said.

“He’s gonna give a more constructive type of criticism which is really great.

That’s gonna help us way more than last year.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming season the team has been preparing rigorously. Having conditioning three times a week, every week. As well as playing in a very competitive fall league to prepare themselves.

“Normally we stretch, and then we run, and then we run some more, and then when we're done running, we get to run a little bit more, and then we go into the weight room,” senior Josiah Marsh said.

The team has formed a chemistry over the years that is more like being a part of a family than just being on a basketball team.

“It’s just the culture. It’s a big family,

Photo by London Mchaney-Blackwell

Marsh fights through contact under the rim to finish the tough layup against North Atlanta.

so it’s not like you feel like an outsider or anything like that,” senior Juan Wharton said.

The team faces new challenges with the schedule getting some changes, adding some more competitive competition to the season.

“It’s definitely different because we have two new teams we are going to be playing this year, North Atlanta and Paideia,” Milla said. “So that’ll definitely be a new team to face and some new competition we’re not used to.”

The past few seasons the team has gotten to state consistently but have struggled to push deep into the play-

offs as well as coming close to winning their region, coming in second just two seasons ago.

“It’s just win it all or bust, like championship or bust,” Marsh said. “I really believe that we can win state. We practice every day and put in the work.

I know all of my friends are working, so I believe in us.”

As the season is just starting, the team has come together with newfound confidence, and paired with the new leadership from Stubbs, they know they have the talent and the will to compete at the highest level.

14

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Swim team state bound in spite of setbacks Zoey Cortes, Sumbatu Dabba

The swim team has just picked up where they left off at Druid Hills High School with the team winning their first meet against Chamblee. This year’s team consists of a large freshman cohort and several returning members who are aiming to improve upon last year’s success by making it to state again.

“I’d like to go to state on the relay, but I think as a team we can beat our records from last year and get more people to state, and win some more meets,” senior Joe Verlander said.

With the team’s main goal being that they want to make it to state once again, the pre-season has been intense both in and out of the water in order to pick up where they left off last season.

“We’ve had pre-season training since early October and we’ve encouraged athletes to do different ab and core

workouts on their own,” junior Jordan Ricks said.

The pre-season training appears to have paid off, as the team started their season with a strong win against Chamblee, which already resulted in four state qualifications for the team.

Although the team has had a strong start to the season, they continue to face the same challenges as past years of not having a pool at the school and not having enough funding.

“We face the challenge by not having a pool at DHHS. That is the major issue. So that means we have to travel to Lakeside for our practices since we don’t have a home pool, we also have to travel farther afield when it comes to going to meets as the only pools near us that we normally go to are Lakeside and Chamblee,” head coach Michael Wachowski said.

Since both of these pools are a twenty to thirty-minute drive from Druid Hills, it makes morning practic-

Photo by Grayson Rodemsky

Junior Gabriel Corkran nears the end of his first-place finish in the 500 style free.

es during the school week difficult to coordinate.

“The school and district don’t offer much funding to the swim team as in itself like other sports that get more funding,” Wachowski said.

Due to their lack of funding, the team is planning several fundraisers and spirit events throughout the season with the assistance of their booster club to both raise money for the team and

build a team bond between the returning members and freshmen.

The team will continue pushing to qualify more swimmers for state at the upcoming Lakeside Invitational on December 9th.

Swimmers stated they hope to continue to have more members qualify for state and dominate at upcoming meets.

The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

15

Wrestling works way to full roster Marcavia Johnson, Beza Woldeyahanes

Forfeiting games and losing points is not what any sports team wants to do.

In the past, the Druid Hills wrestling team was small in numbers during tournaments causing head coach Shannon Miller to forfeit games due to the lack of wrestlers in certain weight classes. This caused the wrestling team to give up crucial points on matches making it more difficult to advance in the region rankings. This year, the team has gained new members but will have more challenges to face due to their inexperience Out of the fourteen wrestlers needed to create an official team, six veteran players are returning for this year’s wrestling season.

Sophomore Deonte Smith is returning to the team after

a standout freshman season in which he won the county championship in the 113 lb weight class. He also won the regional title along with senior Eh Tee Kaw Soe who is in the 120 lb weight class.

Smith and Soe have now stepped up as leaders on the team to set the example for the new wrestlers.

“We will have a lot of beginner wrestlers this year,” Miller said. “We do a lot of pre-practice after the study table, we do a lot of beginning practice, stretches, and calisthenics.”

Miller is confident this year the wrestling team will be able to fill up the missing spots and the more rigorous practices and conditioning will prepare the boys for a successful season.

The boys may face a lot of challenges due to most of the players being new, but with the

returning wrestlers guiding them it’s possible they will be successful this season.

The Druid Hills wrestling team is coed meaning both girls and boys compete in matches. In the past years, few girls have joined the team such as senior Vidalia Whyte who wrestled in her sophomore year.

“I have been doing martials arts since I was six years old, and I saw [the wrestling team] in middle school and I thought it might be fun,” Whyte said.

Girls wrestling is increasing in Georgia high school athletics, as schools across the state are creating separate wrestling teams for girls. With the Druid Hills team being coed, Miller stated most girls shied away from signing up for wrestling as it is intimidating to wrestle against boys.

“We are really trying to

Photo by Grayson Rodemsky

Smith (left) locks arms with Soe (right) during their preseason practice.

build a girls team. A lot of girls get college scholarships for wrestling,” Miller said.

Miller is hoping that this year they would be able to have an official girls team ready for the season.

“Anyone can come out and join the team, and if they like wrestling they can stay and they can compete for a position,” Miller said.

The team will open the season against familiar oppo-

nents McNair, Lithonia and MLK. The wrestling team will field a full roster, but the training of the new wrestlers to understand the tactics of the new sport may prove difficult.

Miller stated he feels this team is up for the challenge.

“It challenges you, and a lot of people who come out who are not afraid of a challenge,” Miller said.

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The Druid Hills Spotlight November 2023 • Issue II

Girls basketball leadership drives team spirit Lucy Williams, MC Mackenna

Being in the shadow of the boys basketball team, the girls basketball team has not had the spotlight on the court.

Last year the lady devils ended the region in 5th place, so they were not able to go to the state playoffs. This year, they plan to change that.

Head coach Shyronda Mifflin stated that in previous years the basketball team has not placed higher than 5th place, but their new goal is to achieve at least 4th and to keep improving by strengthening their bodies as well as their teamwork.

“We have improved with conditioning and the girls are working a lot harder than they were in the beginning. They’re practicing like they’re hungry, participating in strength and conditioning,” Mifflin said.

Mifflin has been coaching at Druid Hills for three years. Mifflin played basketball throughout her early childhood years, in high school and college, attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and went on to play professionally overseas for eight years. Alongside Mifflin are her team captains, senior

Photo by Grayson Rodemsky

Brailsford exhibits her dribbling skills during practice. She has been a vital part of the team, developing her skills over the years.

Anissa Brailsford and junior Tiara Jones.

Jones has been involved in basketball ever since she was eight, playing little league throughout her younger years.

Her previous basketball experience has shaped her perfectly for the role of captain. Being captain has also taught Jones many essential tools to help her along the way.

“You have to be a leader on and off the court because no matter what, people are watching you,” Jones said.

Jones sees herself as a quiet person, but on the court she tries her best to improve her leadership skills by being more communicative.

“Tiara contributes by being vocal and getting our team together mentally,” Mifflin said.

Whilst Jones provides the verbal side of the team’s leadership, the other girls are following suit.

“There’s more connectivity, bonding and communication. We aren’t putting each

other down, discouraging each other when people make mistakes on the court, instead, we’re lifting each other up,” Jones said.

Athletic director Henrietta George describes the team as being more unified and goal-oriented than last season, supporting each other on and off the court.

“Their level of confidence has definitely increased and I think when you have that confidence instilled in you, then you’re able to do great things,

This year, head coach Sharaye Ferguson took over the job as the third coach the team has had in three years and doubled the roster size.

The team finished the regular season with a record of 3-7, achieving their goal of winning more games this year than the previous season by beating Stone Mountain twice and Elite Scholars Academy.

This season welcomed 16 new girls who joined the team, only four of whom were returning players to the team.

With the increased roster, the team had the ability to have more substitutes and develop players in secured, specific po-

sitions.

Last season, the team earned a record of only 2-6, defeating just Clarkston and Columbia.

“We’re new at the skill but [the team] has a lot of drive, hard dedication and a good coach,” sophomore Chance Hargrove said.

Ferguson additionally is the running back coach of Atlanta Rage Women’s Football.

“She’s respectful and cares about us,” Hargrove said. “Win or lose, she cares about us as long as we try.”

Under Ferguson’s coaching, returning players recognized the differences within

the team from the very start of the season.

“More people enjoy the sport and actually want to be there,” senior Erin Diehl said.

This is the team's third coach in three years and players feel like she’s very understanding and someone who is trustworthy. The team feels that the sport has become more welcoming.

As a way to build morale within the team, they recognized MVPs for defensive and offensive positions after each game.

Due to the nature of their schedule, flag football has a short season with games being

so, I think they’ll have a great year,” George said.

This year the team gained a new guard, junior Kayla Kennedy. Kennedy has played basketball since she was five, following in the footsteps of her family members, hopefully being able to continue this passion into her college career. Already in her first season with the team, Kennedy has made an impact on Mifflin.

“She can handle the ball and knows the game. I anticipate having a good year with the addition of Kayla,” Mifflin said.

Kennedy is very confident in the fact that she can utilize her guard skills to help benefit the team as a whole.

“I’ve always played guard and I feel like that position best highlights my skills,” Kennedy said.

Along with their improved skills from last season, the girls have an improved connection as well. Jones stated she feels they all learn from each other, whether that is on the court or during school hours, they are always learning from each other. This is essential for any sports team, especially to reach their goal to proceed to state.

State playoff victory marks progress for flag football team Nickell Brown, Kori O’Brien

The flag football team began the season with a full roster, a new coach and overall a more intense program resulting in a state playoff win against Columbia High School. “[Playing in the playoffs] felt really good. We worked really hard for it, and it felt nice playing,” junior Destiny Singleton said.

In its first three years, the program has struggled to keep a coach and maintain comradery amongst players with turnover from season to season.

played in doubleheaders over the course of less than one month. With their short regular season, the team has only a small window to execute on the development and practice put into the preseason. Next year, the team aims to continue growing and developing their skills.

“The goal for next year is to get more people, so when girls get injured we can still have players available and ready to play,” Singleton said.

With the improvements this season, the girls are eager to come back and compete next season.