Odyssey magazine may 2014

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ODYSSEY

Volume 11 Issue 4 May, 2014 $3.00

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Featured page: WIPEOUT: Cyclists scramble to avoid a pileup outside the Georgia Theatre during the Twilight Criterium bike race on April 27. The race, which takes place annually, lasted three nights and attracted hundreds of cyclists from across the Southeast to downtown Athens.

For more photos, visit odysseynewsmagazine.net

Photo by Porter McLeod

May 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

VIEWPOINTS Status check 13Undocumented students, like senior Sarahi Garfias, are barred from Georgia’s top public universities.

BY SARAHI GARFIAS

NEWS currently in place in 44 states, face mounting opposition nationwide.

BY TIERRA HAYES

Unexpected outcomes 20International Baccalaureate personal projects were submitted at a lower rate than hoped.

BY AARON HOLMES

FEATURES

Photo by Porter McLeod

Public dissent 18Common Core State Standards,

41 Cover Story Instances of cyberbullying have increased due to social media. This vicious trend has been popularized by the anonymity the faceless platform offers.

28 A balancing act

Left: CODEINE CUPS: A combination of liberal prescriptions by doctors and widespread celebrity usage has lead to a massive influx of prescription drug abuse. “The medicalization of our society has lead to widespread abuse,” Athens Commencement Center counselor Darrell Corder said.

“We like to treat illness with pharmaceuticals and insurance and drug companies. People have become desensitized to prescription drugs.”

As she grew up, senior Josephine Streipen found self-confidence through her mastery of trapeze.

BY KEVIN MOBLEY

REVIEWS Tsunami takeover 33Philanthropic restaurant Taqueria

BY TIERRA HAYES

VARIETY ink 36AsRethinking tattoos become more socially acceptable, an increasing number of high school students join the trend.

BY AUDREY HINKLE

SPORTS up 56AsLeveling senior Kavon Williams looks toward a college football career, he reflects on the challenges he has overcome.

Cover design by Rad Brosius

22 Right: GLADIATOR GLORY: The Clarke Central High School varsity soccer team won the first round of the state championship playoffs against Dunwoody High School with a score of 3-0. “It felt amazing to win our first play off game, we had to work hard to prepare for it and stay focused,” senior Eddy Gutierrez said. “Anything can happen in the playoffs, but I’m glad we won.”

Photo by Porter McLeod

Photo by Chad Rhym

Tsunami allows customers to support tsunami relief.

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BY KEVIN MOBLEY

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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May 2014

STAFF

Letter from the Editor. Lessons I learned from my sister.

M

y sister has always been more creative than me. I’ve admired her ability to see the world as a blank canvas ready for her to leave her mark. She sees the world with a different set of eyes than I do.

But she often fails to see her own talents.

When my sister was in fifth grade she was diagnosed with Dyslexia.

According to the International Dyslexia Association, “Dyslexia is a language-based learning disability.

In reality those who have dyslexia just Dyslexia refers to a cluster of symptoms, which result in people having difficulties with specific language have brains that work differently than skills, particularly reading.” most others.

For years, her teachers insisted that she did not need to be tested. They said that lots of smart kids can’t spell. And she was smart. It seemed almost unfathomable that she could have a learning disability when she excelled at school.

But they did not see the hours and hours she spent on her homework. They did not see the stress and frustration that crossed her face each time she had to complete a reading assignment.

I saw it, and I hated that it caused so much anger and anxiety for her.

With the label of Dyslexia came doubts. Dyslexia is technically a developmental reading disorder, but for my sister, it meant that she felt stupid when her classmates easily breezed through reading and spelling assignments while she struggled.

However, it also meant that she could begin to understand the steps she could take to help her find success. With a diagnosis came specific accommodations, if necessary she could take extra time on tests and homework.

She is just as capable of doing the same level of work as her classmates, however, it sometimes takes her a little longer because she reads more slowly and comprehends words differently.

Dyslexia is not a roadblock to success. According to CNN.com, famous actress Whoopi Goldberg, renowned author Agatha Christie and even former Tonight Show host Jay Leno have all been diagnosed with dyslexia.

In reality, those who have dyslexia just have brains that work differently than most.

My sister has told me that sometimes she doesn’t know if she’s read the book or seen the movie because, for her, reading a book is like watching a movie. Her brain transforms the words and sentences into pictures.

Sometimes it’s difficult for me to understand. Her mind works differently than mine. She has strengths in areas I can only wish I had.

She can spend an hour in her room with a canvas and a paintbrush and create an amazing piece of artwork. She can listen to a song a pick out the chords on the piano like it’s no big deal. She can listen to a piece of music and choreograph a dance that emits emotion and passion.

She is Dyslexic, but her Dyslexia does not define her. Her kindness, her free spirit and her creativity have shaped her to be the person she is today.

Right: SISTER, SISTER: Senior Jenny Alpaugh recounts the struggles that her sister went through and the ways it strengthened the bond they have for eachother.

Cartoon by Julie Alpaugh

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VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bringing Les Misérables to life The February issue of the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine featured a cover story on the joint Clarke Central High School-Cedar Shoals High School production of the world famous play by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables. Students felt that it was good for the two schools to work together and achieve a positive outcome.

Man and machine

SeaWorld scramble

I found “Tales from the Maz” by Nick Dawe to be very humorous. I really enjoyed reading about the bond Nick Dawe and the “Maz” have. I could relate to it because I have the same bond with my car. I think it was well written and very expressive about the relationship Nick has with his car.

I liked “Orca Injustice” by Emily Watson because it showed the orca’s aggressive nature, but also showed that SeaWorld is really just torturing the orcas. Emily Watson did an awesome job of summarizing and explaining what the movie was about, but also included her personal opinion.

-- Eddie Witchie, junior

-- Alberto Alvarado, freshman

Rap is whack

Judicial conflict “Money Buys Freedom” by Hannah Rollins really opened my eyes. It gave me insight into the injustice of the justice system. I feel that in order to change, as Rollins said, we must all recognize the problem. Only then will the world become a better place.

-- Ruqayah Bhuiyan, junior

“I

enjoyed seeing the two schools, Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals, join together to make such a wonderful production. Radford Brosius did a great job of covering this huge event.

”

Contact

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

-- Amber Edwards, senior

-- Alexandra Saupe, sophomore

Negative messages “What’s Wrong With Rap?” by Montu Miller really made me look at rap differently. Before reading this article I used to think that rap was destroying young people’s minds and making them think that it’s OK to sell drugs, kill people and steal. Really, it’s not the rappers, it’s the people that seem to be taking what rappers say the wrong way. Most rappers are rapping about what they had to do to get where they are now. They’re not saying that it’s alright and nothing’s wrong with it. Rap isn’t destroying us, we’re the ones destroying rap by receiving the negative message instead of the positive they are trying to give out. The article is very good and something you’ll sit around and think about afterwards.”

-- Shaterica Edwards, senior

I read “What’s wrong with rap?” by Montu Miller.

To start off, I’m going to say that I sort of agree with what Miller is saying. Was it rap that went wrong, or was it society that took a turn for the worst? I really think he hit some key points in this article that are really going to open some people’s eyes when they read it.

The part that really interested me was when he said, “Rap is simply a reflection of society.” Our generation of rap and hip hop comes from the society that our artists grew up in. Most of them only knew the struggle and coming up with nothing to getting money and fame. This was my first time reading the ODYSSEY in a couple of months, but I really liked this article.

Queen B Corrections/Omissions February 2014 On page 6, Deijhon Yearby’s first name was misspelled.

On page 6, Jaylon Bonner’s first name was misspelled.

On page 24, the photo was taken by Porter Mcleod.

On page 26, “American” should have been written as “America.”

On page 39, the photo was taken during practice, not during a game.

On page 40, the last paragraph was missing a period.

On page 41, Bangahly Touray’s first name was misspelled.

On page 44, the photo was taken by Porter Mcleod.

On page 45, the photo was taken by Chad Rhym.

I read “A Subtle Power” by Lela Jenkins. The article featured Beyoncé‘s latest album and Jenkins shared her interpretation of the songs. I found her review extremely enjoyable and relatable.

In pop-culture, Beyoncé is usually given the title of “Queen” because of her empowering messages.

I felt like Jenkins grasped this in an eloquent manner that gave me a whole new appreciation for Beyoncé’s music.

-- Violet Merritt, 8th grade, Clarke Middle School

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

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VIEWPOINTS

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

The ODYSSEY is a student produced newsmagazine, published with the intent to inform, entertain and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community, as well as to educate student journalists. Each issue is an open public forum for student expression under the guidance of a faculty adviser.

Student journalists are provided with opportunities to investigate, inform, interpret and to evaluate: all traditionally accepted functions of the press in America.

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

Advertising must conform to the guidelines set forth for editorials. Publication of advertisements does not indicate an endorsement by CCHS or by the ODYSSEY. Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertising rates are available upon request from any ODYSSEY staff member.

The ODYSSEY is a member of the Quill and Scroll Honor Society, Georgia Scholastic Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and Southern Interscholastic Press Association.

Corrections of errors and omissions will appear in the next issue.

Editor-in-Chief: Jenny Alpaugh Print Managing Editor: Geneva Hinkle Photography Editor: Porter McLeod Copy Editor: Chad Rhym Viewpoints Editor: Robert Walker News Editor: Aaron Holmes Features Editor: Louise Platter

Our Take W

e all grow up learning about the golden rule: treat others the way you want to be treated. Love thy neighbor and all that. It seems pretty straightforward. Don’t do anything to the people around you that you wouldn’t want done to you. Fair enough, right?

Apparently, wrong. Despite this knowledge that we are all supposedly imbued with from our youth, instances of inequality, injustice and blatant cruelty towards others litter the headlines.

From the hideous display of misogyny and rape culture from the Georgia Tech chapter of the fraternity Phi Kappa Tau to the vicious trend of cyber bullying it seems that more and more we are forgetting those lessons of our childhood.

So what’s so hard about being decent to each other? What is it within us that makes it so easy to break this integral rule?

Ancient Chinese philosopher Xun Qing theorized, “one is born with feelings of envy and hate, and, by indulging these, one is led into banditry and theft.”

Qing is not alone in this idea. There have been countless scientific studies seeking to prove that as human beings we are inherently indifferent to the suffering of others, such as the Stanford prison experiment. This experiment, which placed ordinary people into the roles of prisoner or guard, spiked into brutality with disturbing speed. The findings of the experiment were so disturbing that it was abruptly terminated after only six days.

This is bleak. It paints a grim picture of humanity that is horrifying and disturbing. It’s uncomfortable to consider. We don’t want to be a species of monsters, stripped of our humanity.

So what do we do? How do we combat the seemingly unstoppable tide of barbarity?

The way out is closer than we think. It starts and ends with us. Small acts of human kindness will pave the road to empathy and fellowship.

We don’t have to be a race of monsters, attacking each other behind screens and treating each other like pieces of meat. It doesn’t have to be this way, but until each one of us makes a concerted effort to use that golden rule, this is how it will be.

Variety Editor: Radford Brosius Sports Editor: Brittney Butler Business and Public Relations Manager: Hanna Harper Austin DeFoor Staff Writers: Esther Conaway, Nick Dawe, Tierra Hayes, Audrey Hinkle, Amy Hoyt, John Hubbard, Jaymel Israel, Lela Jenkins, Mary Merritt, Alanna Pierce, Hannah Rollins, Henry Scott, Luke Slaboda, Kendarious Sturdivant, Henry Thomas, Maria Velasquez, Emily Watson Adviser: David A. Ragsdale ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S. Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia 30605 Phone: (706) 357-5200, Ext. 17370 Fax: (706) 357-5269 www.odysseynewsmagazine.net

Cartoon by Audrey Hinkle

Above: THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU: Although children are supposedly taught the golden rule in their youth, many issues that are prevalent in society do not reflect this.

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VIEWPOINTS

Thumbs

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

Telling “tails” Rabbit Box, a local forum, has become a way for people to share their personal stories and improve their writing and speaking skills.

Communal harmony Athens has been recognized as one of the best communities for music education by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation Best Communities for Music Education Program.

Freshmen dominate Five freshmen became a part of the CCHS varsity girls tennis team, and although they are young, they have managed to be a great contribution to the team’s 2013-14 season.

Stress, not success The International Baccalaureate personal project was thrown too quickly on sophomores, while they already had a lot on their plates.

Common mistakes After new Common Core State Standards were implemented, many parents and students felt that the standards were harming students rather than helping them.

Cyber scare With the rise in internet usage in recent years, the act of bullying someone through social media or over the internet has only become more present, creating a dilemma for schools to deal with.

Below: BALL IS LIFE: Freshman Sofia Lopez overcame her fear of trying out for high school sports and learned to appreciate the dynamic of Clarke Central High School.

Photo by Chad Rhym

Individualism in ink For many people, tattoos are an integral part of their identity and should be encouraged as a way to show creativity and personality.

T

here used to be a little, worn out, one story building on Prince Avenue road. It consisted of about 250 students, and a little church stood in the front where students would attend mass every Friday. In this little school, uniforms were worn, there was a strict dress code and students brought their lunches every day. This little school was St. Joseph’s Catholic School, and it was mine.

It was different, but it was all I knew, since I was at St. Joe’s from Kindergarten to eighth grade. There were 28 people in my class and I developed such close relationships with them that I felt like they would always be my friends.

The environment of the school made it feel like one big family.

At the end of middle school, they built a new building on Epps Bridge Road.

I remember the emotion I felt the day of my first basketball game in our brand new gym. Hearing all the excitement from the fans made me play even harder. I was proud to represent St. Joe’s. We had an amazing team and were victorious throughout the season.

As a small school, St. Joe’s lacked diversity. Although this did not bother me, now it completely surprises me that For the next three years, I will there was so little. My proudly represent Clarke Central Catholic school was very different, but in a High School. good way. Eventually it was time to change schools. I decided to go to Clarke Central High School.

The anticipation leading to my first day of high school reached a climax when I walked in through the double doors and into the crowded hallways of CCHS. I felt nervous, yet excited. This was something new. Something I had never experienced before. It was a struggle to find my first class and I got lost plenty of times that day, but eventually I settled in. I became used to the diversity, the school lunches and the hundreds of different students I see every day. I have learned that there are various academic opportunities available to me and have already started to take full advantage of them.

As a freshman, I was nervous to try out for sports. It was tough competition, but I was able to make varsity cross country, junior varsity basketball and varsity soccer. The fans are hardcore at CCHS, and they inspire me to do my best at each game. For the next three years, I will proudly represent Clarke Central High School.

BY SOFIA LOPEZ Guest Writer

Codeine crisis When mixed with soda, the opiate codeine forms a drink commonly known as “lean.”

Through celebrity use, this dangerous concotion has become mainstream.

-- Compiled by Viewpoints staff

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VIEWPOINTS

Pain, no gain The International Baccalaureate Personal Project, intended to prepare students for IB curriculum, turned into more of a burden than an asset.

L

et’s face it, sophomores have dealt with an overwhelming amount of work for the 2013-14 school year.

It was mandatory to do a social studies fair project and ritt a science fair project. On top Mer ary yM

BY HANNAH ROLLINS b n of that, sophomores were told oo Viewpoints Writer Cart they had to fulfill yet another time-consuming project called the International Baccalaureate Personal Project.

Above: A FULLPLATE: With a multitude of projects, tests and homework, Clarke “(The Personal Project is) supposed to show that Central High School sophomores have been unfairly challenged too early in their (students) are able to apply different skills that they should have been learning careers. “I do not understand why the teachers expected me to do a project that then mastering by their tenth grade year,” IB coordinator Ashley Goodrich said. has no effect to my grade,” sophomore Kieffer Farber said.

“So, their ability to conduct research, their ability to communicate effectively (and) their ability to create something.”

While the concept of the personal project sounds appealing, it is tedious and teachers have.

“I think the IB project gives teachers an additional duty or something to complicates sophomore’s already overwhelming lives. oversee when they already have a lot on their plate,” social studies department “I do not understand why the teachers expected me to do a project that has teacher Karena LaRosa said. no effect to my grade,” sophomore Kieffer Farber said. “Why would I do the To add to the difficulty in executing this project, the way it was presented to project if I’m not able to graduate with an IB diploma?” sophomores this year was not how it was intended to happen.

Because sophomores gain no real IB recognition, many students chose not “The way it was presented it’s not how it needs to be done. Its supposed to to do the personal project. Another reason students did not take part in it start with their ninth grade year,” Goodrich said. “This year we dropped it on was due to the unorthodox manner in which the instructions for the personal tenth graders in October.” project were given.

The way personal projects were advertised to sophomores was an inter“It wouldn’t have been as bad as it was if it were more coordinated,” sophominable document that made more Thomas Willey said. “Everythe project seem harder than it “Everyone was confused, people didn’t one was confused, people didn’t really was. know what was going on, and know what was going on, and nothing was “Right now, it’s this 45-page nothing was happening right. The document that can be really overpersonal project will probably happening right.” whelming if it’s not broken down be better in future years, when into chunks,” Goodrich said. the school has its act together, -- THOMAS WILLEY, The worst thing about this all but right now, it’s nothing more sophomore is that these problems could have than a catastrophe (filled) with been easily fixed had there been procrastination and uncertainty.” more time to prepare for the To make matters worse, some students indicated that they were not notified personal project.

If these problems were fi xed, then more people could have on who their supervisor, the teacher assigned to guide the students during the possibly turned the project in rather than the 30 out of 352 that did. Now that course of the project, was. This made it difficult to have support when endeavCCHS is IB cetrified, the project might count for something, but as for this year, oring to complete this grueling project. it was simply another burden sophomores were asked to bear.

“One reason (I didn’t do it) was because I didn’t get to find out who my (supervisor) was,” sophomore Jasmine Evan said.

Some students were fortunate enough to be contacted by their supervisors.

However, other students were denied this luxury and remained uncertain about which teacher was their supervisor.

If the student became aware of who their supervisor was, while the supervisors are always willing to help, it added to the already massive amount of work

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VIEWPOINTS

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

How did you celebrate Earth Day? “Every year for Earth Day I plant trees to help the environment because it provides more oxygen.”

-- Skylar Rowan, senior

“On earth day my wife and I took our son along on his wagon to Let Us Compost and told our neighbors about how it could be a lot better for our environment.”

-- Sam Hicks, counselor “This year for Earth Day I recycled paper and other things to help the environment. That is important.”

-- Aakeem Wise, junior

“I do not really think about the environment that much.

I guess I won’t litter for Earth Day, but I’m not too concerned by it.”

-- Michael Rozecki, sophomore

“I think that water conservation is very important during April and for Earth Day, so I’m going to reuse the same water bottle and not use too much water.”

-- Jennifer Gutierrez, freshman

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A step backwards Gender equality is still a major problem in our society across college campuses in Georgia.

F

rom a young age, girls are taught to not dress too provocatively and to not accept drinks from strangers. Avoiding sexual assault, whether at a party or on the streets, is placed solely on the shoulders of women, whereas their aggressors are “boys being boys.” If something does happen to a woman, she should have “been smarter,” and should have “known better.”

BY GENEVA HINKLE Print Managing Editor This reality is harsh and unfair, and it’s clear that equal treatment is hardly the norm.

Examples of this mentality are present in cities across the United States, specifically on college campuses.

According to www.statisticbrain.com, 95 percent of college rapes are never reported to authorities. That number is appalling, but sadly not surprising considering the outcome when rape does come to the attention of the authorities.

A recent, yet horrific case occurred at Florida State University.

FSU quarterback James Winston was accused of rape, and when the case concluded, almost a year later all charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence, despite the protests of his accuser.

In April of 2014, Georgia Institute of Technology fraternity Phi Kappa Tau reminded us that these are not isolated occurrences.

The fraternity’s social chair Matthew Peterson initially garnered national attention for circulating an email that referred to women as “rapebait,” with detailed instructions on how to rape a girl. The fraternity was put on probation, but no serious measures were taken. It was only a matter of time before the fraternity was disbanded by the university for circulating a distrubing song referencing necrophilia and rape.

Instances like this are terAbove: SINISTER SONGS: Despite large strides rifying, especially in towns towards gender equality, fraternity culture reminds like Athens where fraternity us that the journey is far from over. houses line the streets. On Illustration by Robert Walker Milledge Avenue, in walking distance from Clarke Central High School, it is not uncommon for females to receive unwarranted, crude comments or to be honked at, regardless of their age.

Were all of these situations the woman’s fault? Could she have prevented her rape entirely if she had “just been smarter?”

This mindset needs to stop. College rape must no longer be a common occurrence and cannot be considered the result of “boys just being boys.”

Society may have made a large step forward in the overall treatment of women, but to say there is equal treatment of the genders would be naïve.

May 2014

VIEWPOINTS

Photo by Julie Alpaugh

Above: RETIREMENT: After participating in football throughout high school, senior Jaymel Israel plans to end his athletic career after graduation. Though playing at Clarke Central High School was important to his life, it will not define him.

Time to hang it up Former Clarke Central High School athletes found success in high school but struggled at the next level.

“H

e’s the best player to come through I used to always want to go to school just for sports. I played football from Clarke Central High School. There’s middle school through high school. Eventually, my name became talked about no way he doesn’t go division one.” in the region as a starting varsity cornerback at CCHS. Athens has bred great athletes who have played I wanted to use football to pay for my education. It was about me advancing and had the potential to play at the collegiate in life and if football was an aid to do so, I was going to use it to the best of my level, but where are they now? ability. Unfortunately, I got injured my junior and senior year mid season. This I remember being a freshman at CCHS and hurt my chances to play for a major university because my recognition became people talked about how great of a football player very limited.

BY JAYMEL ISRAEL Martay Mattox was. The year before I entered high Playing football in college and going to a big school slowly faded away. After Viewpoints Writer school, he led the end of my senior football the team to the I no longer thought about Sports do not determine who I am or what season GHSA AAAA State Championship game playing football in college. along with offensive lineman Alan Posey I am remembered for. Athens was a great As a freshman, I began running and junior running back Quenshaun track to better myself for football start for my life, but it is not where my life seasons to come, but now that my Watson. They were the best players at CCHS and were very well known career was over I did not really see is ending. throughout the region. a path for me in track anymore.

Mattox graduated early his senior I did not see how track was year, leaving to play for the University of South Carolina. Posey signed to the going to get me scholarships in college, and I realized the time that I used University of Tennessee, and a year later Watson played his senior season at running laps I could be looking for a way to find another path.

CCHS and also signed to the University of Tennessee.

High school sports were great while they lasted and also a great learning This achievement was short lived for all three. They used to be at the top of experience. My football coaches taught me valuable lessons on how many doors CCHS, but now not one of those three high school stars attend their former can be opened in my life just from the simple things. power house schools.

Sports do not determine who I am or what I will be remembered for.

Mattox is now playing college football for the University of North Carolina Athens was a great start for my life, but it is not where my life is ending. at Charlotte.Watson quit football and is currently living in Athens and Posey is enrolled at Mercer University, but is also no longer playing football.

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Support systems Making student attendance mandatory at extracurricular performances will support student’s hard work and benefit the crowd.

C

larke Central High School averages 1500 students every year. With around a hundred teachers as well, and a large population of Athenians, there should be more support and excitement for the events in which high school students participate.

Only there is not.

There are fans for every club, sport and activity,

BY ALANNA PIERCE but the low numbers that come out to support Viewpoints Writer often put the students’ hard work to waste.

Every fall the famous football season starts. The stands fill quickly with crowds talking and cheering and the band reserves their loyal spot that they will hold all season.

They will be at every game, celebrate every touchdown and hang their heads at every loss alongside the football team. Unfortunately, when it comes time for the band to don black dresses and neckties and step onto the stage for concert band, that support will not be returned by the team.

It is great to have big turn-outs for the games and to have the marching band in the spotlight, but there are so many teams and clubs that receive little attention.

Junior varsity games are often over-looked in favor of the varsity teams, and plays are not as popular as musicals. While lack of time and money are excusable, it should be the responsibility of the school and the members of the community to support all students.

Orchestra concerts may not be the time to shout out your friend’s name and cheer for their solo, but given the chance, their musical performances can be rewarding. Buford High School irequires their football team to attend Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE) in order to support their band.

The schools of Athens should start requiring students to attend at least one

sporting event and one arts performance every spring and fall. Imagine if the whole soccer team went to a chorus concert, every chorus member attended a wrestling match and all the wrestlers attended a junior varsity soccer game.

Students may not like it because they feel forced into going, but making attendance mandatory can benefit the viewers just as much as the players.

While the actors, athletes and musicians will gain increased confidence and motivation the attendants will be gaining new experiences, making new memories and seeing activities that may interest them in the future.

There are also students who may not be involved in extracurricular activities. If they start attending games or concerts they may be pushed to get involved. Students will be held to higher standards, but more importantly they will want to meet those standards.

Athletes have to have certain grades to play and if students become involved in athletics they will have to maintain their grades and work in their classes. Theatre performances demand a certain level of discipline from the audience, so students will have a chance to practice etiquette.

Suits and ties are not required for high school attendance but the introduction to social skills may aid in interviews, classes and future visits to formal settings and places.

While students are doing what they love, the activities are made to be public spectacles. The high notes, the tackles, are for the audience just as much as the members. No one wants an absent crowd.

The next time there is a game, concert or showcase, the community should remember that the students are thinking of them as they step onto their own stage and be there to offer a roaring applause no matter the outcome.

Below: SOLIDARITY: Despite the large number of students who attend CCHS, many extra curricular activities are woefully underattended. This problem could be partially mitigated by mandatory attendance.

Cartoon by Ella Sams

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VIEWPOINTS

Admission denied Due to a Georgia state law, senior Sarahi Garfias is ineligible to attend any of the top five universities in Georgia because she is undocumented.

I

could feel the cold silence of the room after I had denied to expose the truth of my undocumented status. He stared straight at me, shaking his head, “No... you can’t be one of them.”

I vacantly stared at him, but I couldn’t say a single word. My eyes roamed the room, towards my teacher’s face, but she too looked at me with disgust.

BY SARAHI GARFIAS Every day I wake up knowing I am undocuWeb Writer mented and I don’t share the same privileges as my peers. My parents came to the United States in hopes of a better life, however they still have to overcome the barriers of everyday life -- no driver’s license, social security number or federal assistance.

My birthplace is a foreign land, to which I hold no attachment, but I never

felt accepted in the United States. I was left behind on the loading deck, as two departing boats left without me on either of them.

As a senior, I was aware of the laws that stalled me from going to college.

I was ineligible to receive in state tuition, HOPE and Pell grants, financial aid assistance and I was banned from applying to the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia College and State University.

I understood that finding my dream school was never an option and every public or private school had different requirements for me to attend.

College was in my future, but I was too naive and thought that things would be alright. Applying to the appropriate school was the easy step and paying for tuition was the hard step because an academic scholarship was all I could receive.

Eventually, I stopped believing in the illusion of getting into college easily, because I knew it couldn’t, wouldn’t be true.

I was sick and tired of hearing admission officers say “I’m sorry you just don’t qualify for anything at this moment,” or “Deferred Action only grants you a limited status.”

No matter how much I tried, nothing seemed to be enough.

I would spend nights crying because I didn’t want my parents to know I was hurt. I refused to tell them when I got rejected from schools or anything that involved my near future. It was my responsibility to handle things on my own.

I found support in teachers, but I wouldn’t find myself to fully trust them.

They expected so much out of me or had a direction for me when I was barely trying to pick myself up.

Maybe if I were closer to God I would be strong enough, but I yearned to see a clearer path. How could I justify what I was feeling when I didn’t even believe in myself?

I would rather strip all my emotions away because that meant I didn’t have to face reality. The reality was that I was rejected by society and looked upon as someone who isn’t worth an education. I felt like I didn’t deserve to achieve anything and if I did it was simply because people felt sorry for me.

I eventually sought refuge in Betina Kaplan, a Freedom University teacher and UGA professor. It was easier to talk to someone who knew nothing about me because she didn’t have to question the walls I had previously put up.

For the first time in months, I had support and I knew it was OK to tell someone how I felt. She shared with me the opportunities I had and continued to work with me even after I wanted to give up.

Throughout the course of the semester, I’ve realized that the college, university or technical school I plan to attend doesn’t define the person I am.

I am willing to go anywhere and do anything to pursue my dreams.

Left: UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Senior Sarahi Garfias has struggled with rejection from Georgia’s top five universities: University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, the Medical College of Georgia and Georgia College and State University.

Illustration by Ella Sams

May 2014

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Photo by Porter McLeod

NEWS

News briefs Above: A GROUND-BREAKING DEVELOPMENT: From left, former Clarke Central High School principal Dr. Maxine Easom, Athens-Clarke County Mayor Nancy Denson, Clarke County School District superintendent Dr. Philip Lanoue, CCSD school board president Charles Worthy and CCHS principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker pose for photographs at a groundbreaking ceremony on March 31. “I’m very invested in this school,” Denson said.

International love

The Clarke Central High School International Day ceremony was hosted by the International Club on April 10.

“International Day has been going on for a long time now,” club sponsor and foreign language department teacher Emily Dowd said. “For as long as I can remember, even when I was a student here in the 90s.”

The ceremony consisted of student performances, a fashion show and an exhibition of flags.

“The purpose of International Day is to celebrate diversity and to recognize all of the different cultures and regions that students at Clarke Central are from,” sophomore and International Club vice president Emma Clarke said.

This year, the ceremony took place during first period on April 10 in the Mell Auditorium at CCHS. Performers included sophomores Cameron Loyal, Kameron Moore and Simone Zaccaria-Jeffers; juniors Marina Byrne, Gemma English, Alex Jennings, Jonitta Julius, Chris Lumpkin, Patrick Holmes, Ana Sherer and Tomislav Zabcic-Matic; and seniors Trey Brown, Sakeem Freeman, Charlie Harris, C.J. Laguines, Caroline Orlando, Kira Pollack, Mikayla Stapleton and Myron Watkins.

Fine Arts recognized

The National Association for Music Merchants named the Clarke County School District as one of their 2014 “Best Communities for Music Education” in March, along with 375 other school districts across the nation.

CCSD received praise from NAMM for its partnership with Athfest Educates, a local nonprofit organization intended to fund music education.

“AthFest Educates works with the schools by providing funding for music and arts based experiences and programs for Athens Clarke County public school children. We provide grants and instrument purchases for teachers and programs that enhance the arts based learning of our community’s public school students,” Athfest Educates spokesperson Rachel Allen said.

For those involved in funding CCSD music education, the recognition was vindicating.

“AthFest Educates is thrilled that our community supports and values music,” Athfest Educates marketing chair Andy Whitehead said.

Breaking ground The Clarke County School District held a ground-breaking ceremony at Clarke Central High School on March 31. The ceremony marked the finalization of plans to renovate the school using SPLOST funds.

“I’m so very proud that our administrators had the foresight to recommend these changes, and that our voters had the foresight to say, ‘Yes, we think this is necessary’,” Athens-Clarke County Mayor Nancy Denson said.

The construction, led by Atlanta construction firm Collins Cooper Carusi, will take approximately two years and $29.5 million of SPLOST funds to complete. According to information provided by an official CCSD press release, the project will include renovations of all currently standing buildings, as well as the construction of two significant additions.

“Its a tremendous project ahead of us. We have a lot of help but it’s going to be a big project with lots and lots of time and work,” associate superintendent Ted Gilbert said. “This is going to be a special project and we’re excited about it.”

During the ceremony, many emphasized the importance of funding public education.

“A wise society invests in public education, because that’s what makes democracy possible. I am so glad that the citizens of Clarke County have so often voted to spend that extra penny to support the schools that belong to us all,” foreign language department teacher Ellen Harris said.

Although construction will officially begin in May, the ground-breaking ceremony offered an opportunity for CCSD officials to express gratitude to taxpayers.

“This is a great day for so many reasons, but one of them that’s been highlighted is our investment in public education,” superintendent Dr. Philip Lanoue said. “Public schools are alive and well in the Athens community and the Clarke County community.”

Cinematic comeback

The Clarke Central High School cinematography club has resumed meetings after a hiatus.

“I kept trying to start it (again) this year, but I have been super busy. Last year we tried, but it didn’t work and I wanted to try again,” sophomore and club president Sara Tonks said.

The club, started by Tonks and sponsored by social studies department teacher Drew Wheeler, currently has three other members: sophomores Sydney Sims, Caitlin Williams and Noelle Rollins.

The club, which meets every Thursday, aims to produce a new product every week. Williams enjoys being a part of the club as she feels it will benefit her in the future.

“I really enjoy working with my peers,” Williams said. “I’ve always enjoyed acting.”

Tonks encourages anyone with an interest in cinematography join the club.

“It’s just a place to hang out, do fun stuff and make movies,” Tonks said.

-- Aaron Holmes, News Editor

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NEWS

“ “

I heard that

Training workers for Caterpillar is easy compared to teaching thoughtful citizens for a democracy.

”

ELLEN HARRIS, foreign language department teacher, speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for upcoming renovations of Clarke Central High School.

Photo by Porter McLeod

We have so many people of influence who came out of Clarke Central, maybe more than any other high school in the state can boast. I think we should be very proud of that.

Above: INTERNATIONAL FLAIR: Sophomore Cameron Loyal and junior Gemma English perform a tango during the International Day ceremony in E. B. Mell Auditorium on April 10.

Teens take over Starting next school year, a new class called the Student Tech Team will be offered to Clarke Central High School students. The goal of the program is for students interested in technology to help teachers and peers operate equipment and programs.

“Mostly, it’s a way for people to be a good Gladiator,” CCHS media specialist Lindy Weaver said. “It’s a way to give back to your school and your community.”

Middle and high schools of the Clarke County School District are moving closer to one-to-one programs, where each student is issued a laptop or tablet from the school. Along with CCHS, all middle and high schools will establish STTs of their own.

“So much of what students know, I have no idea about. They are becoming the true experts because this has been their life,” instructional technology specialist Carrie Siegmund said.

STT participants will be responsible for understanding basic technological systems. “(Members) could be very reclusive students that can go in and troubleshoot and do what they need to do, or they could be very social students who are willing to help others,” CCHS media specialist Kacy Tedder said. “You don’t have to fit a certain mold. You just have to have a certain skill set.”

Participants must also be interviewed and complete a community service learning application.

“I enjoy doing things with computers that other people might not necessarily do without help,” freshman Rigel Turner said. “If you have an empty space in your schedule or you feel like one of your classes isn’t something that interests you as much as computers or video games or coding, then you should consider it.”

-- Sara Goodie, Web Writer May 2014

“

”

NANCY DENSON, Athens-Clarke County Mayor, speaking to a crowd of CCHS parents, alumni, teachers and students.

It would be better for kids, (and) more of my kids would be doing well in college if Arne Duncan and all of them would stay out of my way, let me do what I know how to do.

”

IAN ALTMAN, English department chair, commenting on the importance placed upon Common Core performance standards in teaching.

“ ”

Parts of this school are really old and dirty. It needs work. I think the construction is a very good idea.

MILAN PAVLIC, junior, responding to the news that CCHS will undergo two-year renovations.

Below: WELL-EARNED RECOGNITION: Clarke Central High School English department teacher Erin Cawthon was named the Teacher of the Year by principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker after being elected by her fellow faculty members. “It’s a huge privilege, there were a lot of highly qualified people on the ballot,” Cawthon said.

Photo by Makayla Richards

-- Compiled by News Staff

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NEWS

IN FOCUS Featured Page: IN OUR TOWN: The Athens Human Rights Festival took place from May 3-4 in downtown Athens. The festival focuses on world peace and ending global war. “It was really pretty. The crowd was really nice and responsive,” sophomore and Athens Human Rights Festival performer Simone Zaccaria-Jeffers said.

Photo by Porter McLeod

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May 2014

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NEWS

TIERRA HAYES News Writer

Mixed emotions The recent implementation of the Common Core State Standards across the nation has been widely accepted and challenged.

C

ommon Core State Standards have been adopted in 44 states and the District of Columbia, and have been met with both acceptance and resistance. In recent months, the nationwide educational shift to Common Core has found opposition from parents, teachers and students alike.

“I know that there are some very well intentioned people who are not in favor of the common core which if you look back at our history we have always argued about curriculum (and) about what we should be teaching children,” Clarke Middle School principal Tad MacMillan said.

According to corestandards.org, the official Common Core website, in 2009, Common Core was drawn up by a committee of state leaders in hopes to create a coherent curriculum across the United States. Georgia agreed to adopt these standards in 2010, and they were fully implemented in the Clarke County School District during the 2012-2013 school year. Although the Common Core is widely supported by the CCHS administration many others find the standards to be less than satisfactory.

“I think it is failing to be helpful in actually improving instruction

BY TIERRA HAYES News Writer

or making teaching and learning better in the classroom,” CCHS parent and local activist Bertis Downs said.“(This) is why support for it is falling apart from anyone involved -- from parents and teachers to school boards and now even politicians who like to get re-elected.”

Principal Robbie P. Hooker is accepting of the nationally-mandated standards and thinks that they will be beneficial for students.

“I personally like the Common Core,” principal Robbie P. Hooker said. “I think the rigor is there and I think (having it) across each state would be great.”

Corestandards.org, features many quotes and endorsements from people high up in educational systems around the nation.

These give reasoning and testimonials about the implementation of the new standards.

“We all recognize a need to raise academic standards in the core subject areas of mathematics and English language arts,” Superintendent of the Public Instruction in Idaho Thomas Luna said.“So we decided, as states, to partner and work together to develop more rigorous standards that we all agree are fewer, clearer, higher and competitive with any other country in the world.”

Many feel that having consistent standards will be an asset to students moving from state to state.

“There are some benefits to having nationwide standards,” Clarke Middle School teacher Steve Sacco said.

“There are certain things that all students ought to get, (but) the method of delivery should be different. Every teacher should be able to have some autonomy when it comes to what and how they’re teaching.”

The Common Core standards are currently based in the English and mathematics curriculum, but do include literacy standards for science and social studies. Some teachers feel that the standards provide structure. “(It) didn’t change a lot in here, it just kind of made

Left: CORE TEACHINGS: Despite the controversy surrounding the Common Core standards, students at Clarke Central High School learn with the standards. Above: WRITING ON THE WALLS: The state’s Common Core Standards are displayed for students in each of their classrooms.

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NEWS

Infographic by Tierra Hayes and Aaron Holmes

Above: STEADILY SPREADING: Since their creation in 2009, the Common Core State Standards have been adopted in 44 states and the District of Columbia, and of those, Indiana has voted to drop Common Core from their state curriculum, according to corestandards.org. Nationally, opposition to the standards is mounting. “Why should students in a class in Connecticut be doing the same thing as some class in New Mexico? This has people skeptical,” Clarke Middle School teacher Steve Sacco said.

everything make sense,” CMS teacher Meghan McNeely said. “The standards seem a little more translatable to the kids. Common Core doesn’t feel weird to me because I think it was a lot of what we were already doing.”

Many people nationwide have expressed a general dislike for the new standards. Websites such as stopcommoncore.com have garnered support as Common Core has caught on. CCHS English department chair Ian Altman feels that the standards are highly damaging to students. “(The standards) are deeply conservative in nature,” Altman said.

“The language arts standards are specifically designed to get teachers and students to do what they call close reading, but it’s a deeply conservative view on how to read.”

Altman believes that opposition to Common Core comes from two main groups, one being right-wing Tea Party members who believe that Common Core is a “liberal indoctrination.” The other side, he believes, has more legitimate concerns.

“Some people look at the standards and think, ‘Wait a minute, this is all just empty rhetoric, this is not about anything important.’ And the testing that goes along with it is deeply damaging to kids,” Altman said.

Sacco feels that there are many other factors that work into the dislike of Common Core.

“I think it’s the ‘one-size-fits-all’ thing,” Sacco said. “Why should students in a class in Connecticut be doing the same thing as some class in New Mexico when you have different demographics and different brains and different aptitudes? I think this has people sceptical, and rightfully so.”

According to Sacco, standards do not have a large impact on student participation.

“Kids are either engaged in class or they aren’t,” Sacco said. “I don’t think it comes down so much to standards. There are other variables in place that sort of set you up for a class of engaged kids or kids that are daydreaming.”

Outside of the Common Core, the use of standardized testing in May 2014

K-12 education has long been scrutinized, according to Hooker.

Clarke Central will be administering thousands of End of Course Tests, which tests students based on Common Core State Standards, starting April 29.

“Implementation of standardized testing is challenging and students will hear from teachers how its going to affect them personally, but its a major undertaking to give 3200 standardized tests in two weeks,” assistant principal Sheila Dunham said. “I do wish the department of education would look back on it to see if there’s any (testing) we could not have.”

Although Hooker supports Common Core standards, he feels that standardized testing is too widely used and that overemphasizing the tests undermines learning.

“If you’re teaching you don’t have to have a countdown (to prepare for a test),” Hooker said. “Kids will get it, just let them take the exam.”

MacMillan has a similar stance about preparation for testing.

“We are a school, we are not a test prep center,” MacMillan said.

“The state standardized testing always puts this pressure on us. I’m not about prepping for a test. I’m trying to teach you if you’re a (student) what are the skills you needed to be successful and to be prepared for the next grade.”

In high schools throughout Georgia, student achievement on Common Core-based standardized testing accounts for 50 percent of teachers’ final evaluations, while it accounts for 70 percent for the administrators. As state-mandated EOCTS and Benchmarks approached, Hooker noted that many felt apprehensive of the tests.

“Some people are worried, but I think that if the instruction has taken place in the classroom, we don’t have too much to worry about,” Hooker said.

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NEWS

Becoming communicators

After only a fraction of sophomores completed International Baccalaureate personal projects, school officials are reconsidering their approach.

B

y the March 28 deadBY AARON HOLMES line, 30 students out News Editor of Clarke Central High School’s 352-person sophomore class had turned in their International Baccalaureate personal projects, according to IB coordinator and social studies department co-chair Ashley Goodrich.

“It’s not as many as we would have liked, but it’s better than not having any at all,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich, along with the CCHS IB committee and administration, first introduced the project, along with its guidelines, to sophomores in October. Sophomores were told completion of the project was expected.

“It was an expectation for every student to complete it,” Goodrich said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t have much to say about how it was implemented, but the way that we presented it this year is not how it needs to be done.”

At the start of the 2013-14 school year, CCHS became an IB candidate school, effectively entering a trial period after which the International Baccalaureate would evaluate the school’s progress and determine whether or not to declare CCHS an official IB World School able to grant Middle Years Programme certificates to students.

Personal projects are done by students completing their MYP, which spans grades 6-11, at an IB

signed to a CCHS faculty member who would act school. According to ibo.org, the official website of as their “supervisor” as they worked to complete the International Baccalaureate, personal projects their project, and were instructed to contact their are submitted along with a process journal and supervisor. CAPS department teacher Jane Boyd, reflective report, and should be a creative product however, never received an email from a student that demonstrates what a student has learned durregarding a personal project. ing the project.

“For many of us, we never heard from those “It’s supposed to show that they are able to students.

So that was the first problem. And there apply those different skills,” Goodrich said. “Their were students that many of us didn’t know, stuability to conduct research, their ability to commudents we never taught. So I just waited to hear from nicate effectively, their ability to create something.” mine and didn’t,” Boyd said. “I sent an email to my According to Assistant Principal Dr. Sheila Dunmentees right before spring break, but I still haven’t ham, a relatively high number of personal projects heard back from either one of them.” must be completed for a candidate school to be approved. “(Personal projects are) heavily encour- “If you want to be certified as aged, but, then, if you want to be certified an IB school, personal projects as an IB (school), it should be heavily should be encouraged.” encouraged,” Dunham said. “You want to show that your kids are doing this with fidelity if you want to get approval.”

-- DR. SHEILA DUNHAM, On April 24, CCHS was officially named Assistant Principal as an IB World School by the International Baccalaureate. According to Goodrich, Boyd said that she was confused about her own however, personal projects will not be submitted to duties as a supervisor, as well as the ramifications of the International Baccalaureate this year. the personal project.

“We’re not at that stage yet, but (next year) we’ll “With all the information I’ve been given, that have to submit personal projects for scoring,” was still not clear. And that might be my fault,” Goodrich said.

Following the announcement regarding personal Boyd said. “But I still don’t know the consequences if they don’t do the project, and they probably don’t projects in October, sophomores were each as-

Photo by Chad Rhym

Above: FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR: Sophomores Britannia Simister and Jasia Clarke present their International Baccalaureate personal projects to their peers and teachers. Right: PASSING IT ON: Sophomore Aaron Manzy shares his project with students at Clarke Middle School. “With some help from Mrs. Goodrich, (the project) was not as difficult as it seemed,” Manzy said.

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Photo courtesy of Ashley Goodrich

May 2014

NEWS either.”

Prior to the deadline, principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker encouraged students to complete projects, regardless of perceived obstacles.

“We had some negativity about it: ‘I don’t have to do it, I don’t want to do it.’ But now I’m talking to the students, and I’m seeing a lot of them turn in personal projects,” Hooker said. “And yes, I think they will benefit.”

After the deadline passed, Goodrich said that changes should be made in order to increase the number of projects submitted in years to come.

“It’s supposed to start their ninth grade year, but this year we dropped it on 10th graders in October, which is not good,” Goodrich said. “So thats why I’m really pleased that we did have students who completed it.”

For many students, like sophomore Terraina Burwell, the prospect of completing a personal project seemed nebulous, and lacking incentive.

“They told me something about getting to do hands-on work, that’s about as far as I know,” Burwell said. “And I was told it was optional.”

Boyd agrees that, without contact with their supervisors, the personal projects were simply too much work in a small amount of Photo by Chad Rhym time for many sophomores.

Above: PROUD TO PRESENT: Sophomore Caitlin Williams speaks with a visitor to the Personal Project Exhibition, “To say, ‘Here, do this project,’ is kind of a during which sophomores presented their completed International Baccalaureate Projects. daunting request,” Boyd said. “It just didn’t make sense to me to be assigned kids that process of getting accepted to schools,” Manzy said. it was fair to them, to be honest. It’s good to have you weren’t going to see, or that you didn’t “At first it was presented as a long, long project, but high expectations, but I don’t think they were fair know. I didn’t understand that part.”

I was able to do some research and with help from expectations.”

Sophomore Aaron Manzy did complete and Mrs. Goodrich, it was not as difficult as it seemed.”

Next year, Goodrich hopes to make a number of submit a personal project. However, Manzy feels Goodrich understands that many sophomores changes to alleviate the strain placed upon sophothat the process was somewhat complicated and felt burdened by the transition to a seven-period mores completing personal projects. confusing. schedule and requirements for other classes, and “I’ve heard some really good ideas on incentives “It was presented as mandatory, but then over that the addition of the personal projects may have for our 10th graders next year that i really dont time I was told it was optional. I’m not sure if the been overwhelming. Goodrich also listed newly want to share yet, because it might not get apadvisors knew who their advisees were. Maybe they required projects like science fair and social studies proved,” Goodrich said. “We don’t want to attach should have worked harder to relate them, so they fair as additional strains on sophomores. like any kind of punitive aspect to it, we want it could have worked hand-in-hand,” Manzy said.

“They’re still trying to balance their workload, to be something students do on their own, so it’s Manzy said that he resolved to complete the and as teachers we’re trying to figure out how something they can be proud of.” project because of its incentives, and that he is glad much of a workload they can handle. There’s a Goodrich hopes that more students will he did so. lot on their plate,” Goodrich said. “I think we complete the projects in the future, as she believes “I learned that there would be a type of seal on overloaded tenth graders this year, and I don’t think that those students who did so benefitted from the my diploma, and it would help during the selection experience. lets them show they are indepen“I think we overloaded tenth graders this year, and I don’t dent“Itlearners.

I think the biggest piece think it was fair to them, to be honest. It’s good to have high is building that confidence: that they can build something on their own from expectations, but I don’t think they were fair expectations.” start to finish,” Goodrich said. “Which is something we don’t really ask of students -- ASHLEY GOODRICH, very often in their schooling.”

IB coordinator and social studies department co-chair

May 2014

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May 2014

Codeine county

NEWS

In the past decade, the use of “lean”, a mixture of opiate cough syrup and soda, has become highly popular, even reaching Clarke Central High School.

I

mages of styrofoam cups filled with purple liquid have become commonplace on Instagram accounts of Clarke Central High School students, a trend fueled by the widespread use by rappers and other celebrities.

“Since superstars have started doing lean, everyone wants to do it,” junior Jackson Harter* said.

BY ROBERT WALKER

Photo by Porter Mcleod

Viewpoints Editor

May 2014

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NEWS With these death risks, some experts call into question the very existence of the drugs, and the manner in which they are prescribed. There is little margin for error concerning addiction and death.

“I think that for that cancer patient who is in so much pain, these prescription opiates are useful, but there needs to be policy changes. It needs to be less accessible; physicians, pharmacists need to tighten the reigns,” Corder said.

While experts insist that lean has addictive and dangerous properties, users tend to ignore these warnings and continue to use the drug.

“It’s not addictive at all, and while it is dangerous, I’m not really worried about it. You could die from anything,” Harter said.

Codeine use has been popularized through rappers such as DJ Screw, who was killed by the drink, “I think that for that cancer patient who is in so Lil Wayne, who has suffered seizures because of it, much pain, these prescription opiates are useful, but 2 Chainz, who was arrested for it and Schoolboy Q, who admits that he is still addicted to the drug. Due there needs to be policy changes. It needs to be less to the recent increase in demand, people anxious accessible; physicians, pharmacists need to tighten the to try lean have used other drugs as a substitute for codeine. reigns.”

“Some people think that they’re doing (lean), like some people use NyQuil. That’s not real lean, people just don’t know where to get it,” Harter said.

-- DARRELL CORDER, really Because of its close relation to heroin, one out Athens Commencement Center counselor of 15 people who take non-prescribed drugs will abuse heroin in the future, according to the National for lean. This can lead to so-called “doctor shopping”, or the act of going to Institute on Drug Abuse. different doctors attempting to obtain a codeine prescription, which is illegal in “(Heroin) is the next step really from prescription drugs. It’s cheaper, and is Georgia. more potent and kids today have been desensitized to opiates because of how According to the Official Code of Georgia, “It is unlawful for any person: To often they are prescribed,” Corder said. acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, According to Cole, heroin is substantially more dangerous and addicting fraud, forgery, deception, subterfuge or theft.” than prescription drugs.

The CCHS administrative and security team takes possession of prescription “At least with prescription medicines you know you’re getting a specific dose drugs very seriously, and students caught with drugs on campus can expect and what’s in it, with heroin it could be mixed with any number of things that serious punishment. could damage your body,” Cole said.

“If they are caught with a prescription drug bottle that is not (prescribed) *The student featured in this article wished to remain anonymous, so the pseudonym Jackson to them, we have to file a violation to the code of conduct, and from there they Harter was used. will be sent to a hearing,” principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker said. “The punishment can also depend upon the amount found.”

Codeine is a prescription narcotic that comes in either pill or syrup form, and is derived from the same opium plant used to create heroin. Codeine is legal when it is prescribed by a medical doctor, but when abused, the recommended amount is doubled, or tripled in order to achieve the high that comes with it.

“Codeine is the same type of drug as heroin, so it’s very addictive and horrible for you health wise, and if you do it too often you can become physically addicted and then go through withdrawals like you see with heroin,” school nurse Megan Cole said.

Dangerous health effects associated with lean include nausea, vomiting and suppression of pain. The most serious risks include strokes or death.

“Codeine and other opioids present a high risk of fatal overdose. Mixing with alcohol greatly increases this risk,” according to the National Institute for Drug Abuse. “Deaths from prescription opioid medications outnumber deaths from all other drugs (including cocaine and heroin), and codeine-promethazine cough syrup has been linked to the overdose deaths of some prominent rap musicians.”

Previous: DOUBLE-CUP LEAN: The now iconic two styrofoam cups to hold lean is becoming increasingly present on social media sites. “Since superstars have started doing lean, everyone wants to do it,” junior Jackson Harter* said. Right: A DEADLY MIXTURE: With the increased use of prescription drugs throughout the United States, it is projected that heroin use will increase in the coming years. “(Heroin) is the next step really from prescription drugs. It’s cheaper, and is more potent and kids today have been desensitized to opiates because of how often they are prescribed,” Athens Commencement Center counselor Darrell Corder said.

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Infographic by Austin DeFoor

In 1960s Houston, a drink mixed with narcotic cold medicines and alcohol was created and popularized. The 2000s brought its own iteration what is today known as “lean”, a concoction of prescription codeine cough syrup and soda, the abuse of which can lead to catastrophic health effects.

“In the late 80s and 90s the main additions that were seen were alcohol and cocaine, now though in the last ten years it has been perscription drugs and opioid dependence,” Athens Area Commencement Center counselor Darrell Corder said.

The proliferation of celebrities drinking from styrofoam cups, the preferred codeine vessel, and references in rap songs has led to nationwide demand

May 2014

NEWS

Featured: LEAN CENTRAL: Because of the massive explosion of lean, many people try to access it, some with little success. “Some people think that they’re doing (lean), like some people use NyQuil. That’s not real lean, people really just don’t know where to get it,” junior Jackson Harter said.

Photo by Chad Rhym

May 2014

odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | 25

NEWS

SATisfactory

changes?

T

he SAT is required for acceptance to most colleges and is meant to test students’ ability in math, reading and writing.

Last month, the College Board announced that the SAT will face major changes in the coming years.

“It’s hard to know for sure if we don’t have any data. If it had been piloted in a community similar to Clarke County then we’d have an answer but I don’t know if they’ve done that,” Assistant Principal Dr. Sheila Dunham said The changes include making questions more relevant to the world around them, grounding them in “real-world contexts,” as well as a higher focus on analysis rather than memorization. On top of this, the 1/4 point penalty for a wrong answer will be eliminated, making scoring only the amount of correct answers marked on the test.

BY RADFORD BROSIUS Variety Editor

Featured page: THE GREAT ESCAPE: Students file out of testing rooms at the close of a monthly SAT session. Pictured, from left, are seniors Blake Mustard, C.J. Leguines, Ashlynn Nash and Natasha Maddox. Photo by Rad Brosius 26 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

May 2014

NEWS

May 2014

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FEATURES

28 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

May 2014 Photo by Porter McLeod

Flying high

FEATURES

Senior Josefine Striepen uses trapeze to overcome personal obstacles.

I

t’s a brisk winter day in Athens, Ga. Inside Canopy all my stress and have a nice time. You leave everything at the door.”

Studios, however, there is warmth and life. Dim Only a year after beginning at Canopy, a test in the second grade confirmed yellow lights shine down from the ceiling and that Josefine had dyslexia - a learning disorder that, according to mayoclinic. glare on black mats. Ropes hang down, forming a canopy. org, causes the inability to read, difficulty speaking and affects memorizing, Senior Josefine Striepen moved to Athens from Philadelphia in 2000 when among other symptoms, and is found in almost one-fifth of Americans. she was just four years old, five years after her parents emigrated from Ger“I was moved in with all the special ed students and the kids who needed many. Josefine’s father, Boris, became a research scientist at the University of a little more help or were a little more rambunctious,” Josefine said. “(The Georgia, while her mother, Andrea, teachers) were like, ‘You don’t retook care of the children, Jonathan, “She wanted to be a good student, but she ally belong here but we don’t have Josefine and Magda. another space for you.’” also wanted to be with her friends and “I don’t remember a lot of PhilaJosefine’s individual dyslexia is delphia but we lived in this giant, old have as good of grades as them, too.” slightly different than the popular Victorian apartment. It’s much nicer perception of the disorder. now than it used to be,” Josefine “A lot of (my dyslexia) is not --ANDREA STRIEPEN, switching letters, but completely not said. “It’s in West Philly, which is a sketchier part of Philadelphia. It’s a Josefine’s mother being able to understand the letters really beautiful place. I just rememand the words,” Josefine said. “I ber running all over that place.” always used to think ‘t’s’ were ‘r’s’ and I would completely then shut down and After moving to Athens, Josefine chose to take up the sport of refuse to look at the word anymore.” trapeze at Athens’ Canopy Studio.

As she has grown older, Josefine has come to understand her dyslexia better.

“I do trapeze, and have since I was six. I spend more time in the studio than “My mom used to tell me that my brain was wired differently,” Josefine said.

I should,” Josefine said. “(Canopy) has always been my place to go and work off “What I’ve later come to figure out after all my crazy science studies is that it’s

BY KEVIN MOBLEY Web Writer

Previous page: GLIDING PAST OBSTACLES: Senior Josefine Striepen was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2004. She has used trapeze as a way to cope with stress and detach herself from any trials that she faces. “I’ve got all this work I have to do before Friday and I’m like ‘Oh my god, I’ve got all this stuff,’ and I just go in there for an hour and I get to work out, play and laugh,” Josefine said. Below: AN INSEPERABLE BOND: Seniors Aurora Fonesca and Josefine Striepen have been friends since they attended David C. Barrow Elementary School together. “My best friend Aurora is basically the reason that I survived any of my language or literature classes. She’s a complete word nerd and she edits all my essays, including the college essays that I just sent in. All those good grades are basically because of her,” Josefine said.

May 2014 Photo courtesy of Josefine Striepen

odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | 29

FEATURES more to do with which part of your brain takes up more of your knowledge.”

In 2007, Josefine moved on to Clarke Middle School. There, she transitioned from her specialized classes into advanced classes, a progression that Andrea feels was for the best.

“She worked hard to be an advanced student,” Andrea said. “She wanted to be a good student, but she also wanted to be with her friends and have as good of grades as them too.”

Josefine and the three other girls pull themselves up onto a PVC pipe structure. They each maneuver in and out, sometimes supporting one another in order to flip or hang. Other times, they sit and talk. Josefine seems particularly comfortable. The girls laugh and kid in the relaxed atmosphere.

The move to high school with more students and a rigorous course-load caused Josefine to become anxious.

“I remember so clearly when I moved into Central, I thought I was going to be lost every day of my life,” Josefine said. “Of course, that wasn’t true.”

Josefine recounts the challenges of taking Advanced Placement World History her freshman year.

“I spent five hours a night reading these chapters and it took me so much longer to read than everyone else,” Josefine said. “It was frustrating having to take the extra time and work the extra hour to get it all done.”

Throughout high school, Josefine has had strong support from her two sib-

Below: A HELPING HAND: Former Clarke Central High School science department Buddy Sims works with Josefine as teacher and mentor, helping her overcome her dyslexia and grow as a high school student.

Photo by Porter McLeod

lings. Jonathan, two years older than Josefine, guided his younger sister through the pressures and rigors of CCHS. “Everyone knows ( Jonathan) and respects him because he’s got a really strong personality and he’s not scared to say what’s on his mind,” Josefine said.

“I’ve always looked up to that.”

Then, in 2012, Magda moved on to CCHS and saw her relationship with Josefine strengthen.

“Over the past two years, we’ve gotten really close,” Magda said. “We hang out a lot more, we get along a lot better than we did when we were younger.

It’s definitely a good relationship.”

Josefine also feels that senior Aurora Fonseca helped her through these struggles throughout their four years together at CCHS. “(Aurora) is basically the reason that I survived any of my language or literature classes,” Josefine said. “She’s a complete word nerd and she edits all my essays, including the college essays that I sent in. All (my) good grades are basically because of her.”

Aurora also participates in trapeze at Canopy studios, and has witnessed the positive effects of the program on Josefine’s personality.

“I think (trapeze) has definitely helped Josefine have an outlet to express who she is,” Aurora said. “It’s always helped her grow creatively and gain confidence.”

Josefine and Aurora soon learned that their personalities were quite opposite, something that shows in their individual styles of trapeze.

“In trapeze, I’m into drops and things that are quick and ( Josefine)’s always

“I think (trapeze) has definitely helped Josefine have an outlet to express who she is. It’s always helped her grow creatively and gain confidence.”

-- AURORA FONSECA, senior been much more of the creative mind,” Aurora said. “She likes to make stuff up and play around.”

Josefine is very smooth in her motions. Meanwhile, Aurora flips and leaps on a bungee cord. “Josefine and I, we’re not very similar, which I guess is what makes us work,” Aurora said.

Josefine personally feels that trapeze helped to relieve her of academic and emotional stress that was often a result of her dyslexia. “(Trapeze) is really nice because it’s Thursday nights every week,” Josefine said. “I’ve got all this work I have to do before Friday and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got all this stuff,’ and I just go in there for an hour and get to work out, play and laugh.”

Social studies co-department chair and International Baccalaureate coordinator Ashley Goodrich admits that the only reason she knew that Josefine had a learning disorder was because she was notified about Josefine’s Individualized Education Program as her advisor.

“You wouldn’t have known (about Josefine’s dyslexia) just by talking to her or how she engaged in discussion in class,” Goodrich said. “I don’t think people around her would have even known.”

Josefine also acknowledges that her dyslexia is not always outwardly noticeable.

“Often times, most of my friends forget or when they find out they’re completely surprised. That isn’t that surprising because I do so well, but it’s a funny thing because I don’t really think about it all the time,” Josefine said.

Even at home with her own family - people well aware of her disorder - dyslexia rarely affects Josefine.

“I don’t notice it at all,” Magda said. “At home, I only notice it when she gets really frustrated and upset about some grade, because it’s really hard for her to

30 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

May 2014

FEATURES take standardized tests.”

Goodrich, like many other teachers that taught Josefine, chose to evaluate Josefine’s learning ability, communication skills and personality by what she witnessed in the classroom, not by the connotations of the word “dyslexia.”

“She has a worldly view,” Goodrich said. “She’s really able to connect with peoples of different cultures. I think she’s genuinely interested in other people, their background and their stories.”

One by one, Josefine and her peers perform their next movement. Sometimes they move in unison. Their grace and elegance would captivate an observer, but to one another, it’s normal.

Former science department teacher Buddy Sims admired Josefine’s inquisitive nature when he taught her sophomore year in his AP biology course during the 2011-12 school year.

“I spent five hours a night reading these chapters and it took me so much longer to read than everyone else. It was frustrating having to take the extra time and work the extra hour to get it all done.”

-- JOSEFINE STRIEPEN, senior

Photo courtesy of Josefine Striepen

Photo by Porter McLeod

“She’s energetic, she’s curious, which for science is extremely important,” Sims said. “She’s really self-motivated. If she wanted to know something, she almost didn’t need me. She found things out on her own.”

Josefine particularly enjoyed Sims’ class because of her passion for biology, inspired by memories of trips to her father’s lab with her siblings.

“I’ve always been interested in biology,” Josefine said. “My dad used to take us to his lab and look at the pretty cells, which were actually dangerous parasites -- but it’s OK, we were safe.”

Josefine plans to explore neurocellular biology at Bryn Mawr College and return to Philadelphia, her birthplace. The school is providing her with a grant for approximately $30,000. “(Bryn Mawr)’s a small school with small classes, which I love,” Josefine said.

“It has a really good science program. When I visited, I loved the campus and the people.”

Josefine ultimately hopes to conduct research in a lab of her own, much like her father does now.

“I would like to run a lab at some point because you’re doing all this crazy stuff on top of talking to five different scientists who work for you and are doing amazing work,” Josefine said.

Despite her struggles with dyslexia, Josefine moves forward in life with patience and sensitivity.

“I hate locking people out,” Josefine said. “I really believe that I should be friends with anyone who needs a friend or wants to be my friend because I think it’s important that everyone has someone to turn to.”

Lorde’s “A World Alone” spills out of the speakers into the background. Josefine’s movements are in sync with the rhythmic beat. “When people are talking, people are talking. Let ‘em talk.”

Top Left: WHO I AM: Though Josefine has struggled with dyslexia in the past, she is able to use trapeze as a means to overcome it. Both dyslexia and trapeze have been large parts of her life, whether it be as a person or as a high school student. Bottom Left: IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS: Josefine performs at Canopy in one of her trapeze showcases.

May 2014

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VARIETY

Cultural Buzz

Salad Days

Mac DeMarco has created a goofy but lovable persona in the world of indie-rock with his first two solo album releases. However, with his third studio album, Salad Days, released April 1, DeMarco takes a different approach than seen in his previous releases.

In Salad Days, DeMarco presents himself with a more refined sound, due to critics labeling his earlier albums as childish and divisive.

Singles on the album such as “Treat Her Better” and “Let Her Go” illustrate DeMarco’s newfound maturity, especially pertaining to relationships, with lyrics: “Treat her better, boy, if having her at your side's something you enjoy” and “Tell her that you love her if you really love her, but when your heart just ain’t sure, let her know.”

The air of responsibility is in stark contrast to previous singles of his like “Freaking Out the Neighborhood” and “Cooking Up Something Good”. However, Salad Days is not entirely void of the carefree vibe DeMarco’s followers have come to love and expect, and despite the musician being only 23, perhaps it was time for him to grow up a little.

The aesthetic of Salad Days has come as a refreshing deviation from the monotonous buzz of pop music found topping the charts. Hopefully, DeMarco will continue to surprise his listeners as his musical career progresses.

-- Audrey Hinkle, Variety Writer

The Moth

Sleep filled nights

Sleep from Neuro is a tasty beverage that quenches your thirst and helps you sleep.

“Sleep” by Neuro is a non-carbonated beverage that allows one to fall into a deep and tranquil sleep that refreshes your body and mind.

With natural ingredients including melatonin, a natural hormone already found in your body that promotes sleep and L-theanine, a common amino-acid primarily found in tea, “Sleep” lulls you into a full nights rest without any of the side-effects of harsh sleep aids.

Available in three refreshing flavors, “Sleep” Each drink is strikingly ensures that you can get a full night’s rest, regard- unique in the positive less of your taste buds. effects it has on your Sleep comes in peachapricot, mellow mango body as well as in flavor. and tangerine dream.

In addition to “Sleep”, Neuro has a full line of fulfilling beverages that can help you throughout the day.

“Bliss” is a carbonated beverage that is designed to relieve stress that is available in a refreshing “white raspberry” or a bubbly “summer citrus berry”.

“Sonic” is designed as a carbonated drink to energize your body after a long day of work. “Sonic” is available in the delicious “super fruit infusion” flavoring as well as “blood orange passion”.

The non-carbonated drink, “Daily” ensures that you are ready for the day with a healthy dose of vitamin-D and natural “tangerine citrus” flavoring.

Each drink is strikingly unique in the positive effects it has on your body as well as in flavor.

Neuro’s line of drinks is widely available in convenience stores around Athens such as Racetrac.

So whether one needs a full night of sleep, or just need to recover after a stressful day, Neuro’s line of all natural beverages has their back.

-- James Lumpkin, Web Writer Photos by Radford Brosius

32 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

Photo Illustration by Radford Brosius

From near death experiences to stories of comedy and faith, The Moth Podcast offers a number of interesting stories for listeners. These podcasts are unique in that every story is a real life experience. Each podcast is anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the story or stories told, and each has a different moral.

The Moth also released a $0.99 app on Oct. 18, 2013, though its podcasts remain free.

The Moth, based out of New York, is great for relaxing listens and every story is gripping. The podcast has frequent national competitions, where the best are invited to tell their stories. The Moth is a great weekly podcast for any kind of listener.

-- Radford Brosius, Variety Editor

Donʼt Step The White Tile Don’t Step The White Tile is a nerve-wracking game from mobile app developer Ayumu Kinoshita, available on Google Play and the App Store. The game comes with three modes, Time Attack, Long Run and Stopping Just.

Though the modes have slightly different rules, the objective is the same, and is stated in the game’s title.

Users are presented with a four by four interface of white and grey tiles with the task of avoiding pressing the white tiles. This deceptively easy task is complicated by unseen time limits.

Though riddled with English errors, users are put in their place by the game’s difficulty. Ultimately, the app provides a gameplay experience that is more stressful than enjoyable.

--Louise Platter, Features Editor

May 2014

Cultural Buzz Cosmos On March 9, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey premiered on Fox to an audience of more than 8.5 million.

The show, narrated by astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, is broadcasted on Sundays at 9pm on Fox. With out-of-this-world special effects and stellar scripting, Tyson explains how the scientific community has progressed, and makes it accessible for a wide audience.

The show is a follow up to Carl Sagan’s 1980 series, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which was considered to be an astronomical step in science communication. The current Tysonlead show creates an atmosphere that is equally conducive to taking on the most nebulous concepts of astronomy.

-- Henry Scott, Sports Writer

A Haunted House 2

On April 18, director Michael Tides released A Haunted House 2. The movie is supposed to be a follow-up of the original A Haunted House, but it is merely a clone.

There are the same stereotypical jokes, similar confrontations with the demons and the main character, Malcolm (Marlon Wayans), still enjoys engaging in sexual activities with dolls.

Not only is everything rehashed, but there are plot issues. In the first movie a psychic states that the demon only follows Kisha (Essence Atkins) because she made a deal with the devil for a pair of shoes. However, in A Haunted House 2, paranormal activity happens before Kisha appears. The only paranormal activity that Tides needs to worry about is how to find enough money for a third movie.

VARIETY

The New Classic

Mi casa es ‘TSU’ casa This Hispanic-Asian twist restaurant offers quality food along with great service.

Eating at Taqueria Tsunami will not just satisfy one’s hunger,but will leave the customer with the knowledge that he or she has done something good for the world.

Located in the new Epps Bridge Centre off of the Oconee Connector, Taqueria Tsunami has a mission to donate money to Tsunami relief funds and to local natural disasters. Not all proceeds go to charity, but a portion Almost every dish of the money made from certain incorporates Latin dishes that are indicated on the menu allow customers to help in American and Asian the restaurant’s endeavors. flavors that bring the A fusion of eastern and western culture, almost every dish in- two worlds a little corporates Latin American and closer together.

Asian flavors that bring the two worlds a little closer together.

The restaurant features a large variety of tacos, quesadillas, and rice dishes.

Among favorites is the Aloha Taco. With teriyaki chicken and a pineapple pico de gallo the flavors mix perfectly. The Aloha Taco is also one of the dishes that one can order to donate money to the restaurant's cause.

In addition to regular food, Taqueria Tsunami has a quite interesting dessert menu. With items like Sopaipilla, fried tortillas covered in honey, sugar and cinnamon, and Egg Roll S’mores, one is in for a treat.

The atmosphere is exceptional with indoor and outdoor seating. The staff is hospitable and the wait time is only about ten minutes.

One aspect of the restaurant that may keep people away are the prices. Although $3.50 does not seem like much for a taco, when the taco is only as big as one's hand, the prices begin to look a little steep. Everything on the menu ranges from two to eight dollars, with the more expensive items providing much more food.

With a good variety of food and a great staff, Taqueria Tsunami offers options that are enjoyable and unique.

With a mixture of hard, fast rhymes and soft, reflective beats, The New Classic paints a picture of the rise from desolate Australia to the money and lights of Miami, Fl. In TNC, released on April 22, Australian-born rapper Amethyst Kelly, known by her stage name Iggy Azalea, further cemented her position as the best active female rapper.

Throughout the album there is a large mixture of new-age beats from the club-esque “Bounce” to the slow calm and collected “Don’t Need Y’all,” keeping the album from getting too predicable.

In “Rolex,” Azalea addresses her highly publicised relationship and separation with rapper A$AP Rocky.

She promotes independence and not relying on other people as she did on Rocky.

Oddly, the song “Work” was added to TNC despite being released as a single more than a year before the album was released. “Work” is most certainly one of the best songs on the album, but it was a mistake to include it and its inclusion makes it seems as if there was a lack of content.

Don’t judge Azalea based on her multi-colored blazer or the Miami Vice font, Iggy Azalea is most certainly a serious rapper, with serious stories to tell in her baffling accent.

Unfortunately, The New Classic is not a classic. It’s fun from time to time, but does not have the longevity needed to be decorated for years to come.

-- Robert Walker, Viewpoints Editor

-- Tierra Hayes, News Writer Photos by Radford Brosius and Chad Rhym

Photo illustration by Radford Brosius

-- Samuel Hood, Guest Writer May 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Thinking inside the Rabbit Box A local storytelling event held at the Melting Point provides a platform for people to share stories from their lives.

I

n 1979, at the age of 15, I came to Atlanta. My father was in the military when I was a kid. We moved around a lot. I am both directionally challenged and a natural introvert, so it was quite difficult for me to move from place to place and meet new people and make new friends and find my way around. When I got to Atlanta in ‘79 I was glad to discover that I was going to be able to stay.

Once a month, Rabbit Box provides storytelling events that aim to connect people in the Athens community. As a public storytelling platform, both amateurs and experienced performers join together to tell stories from their lives.

“Our tag line is building community one story at a time, and you see that that happens here,” Rabbit Box board member Pat Priest said. “We are learning two things at these events: one is the story, one is the person and their way of being in the world and I do think it helps people to connect.”

Fast forward to 1984 and I’m married. I’m 20 years old. We move to our first home in Norcross. It’s a duplex and it’s in a not so nice neighborhood.

My wife is incredibly homesick. Her mother lives three miles away yet she can’t quit crying. I, on the other hand, am pretty happy. I have discovered that the convention in the neighborhood is to put furniture in the front yard. I went out and bought aluminum lawn furniture and I put it out front. I felt like that cemented my status as an adult.

On the second Wednesday of every month, people gather to see the storytellers. Each performer has a rehearsed story that they perform.

“We pretty routinely have at least 200 people come. It’s just become very popular because of that chance to (perform),” Priest said.

Two years later, my wife catches pregnant. We go through all of the normal rig-a-ma-roll, new parenty stuff, assembled all of the baby equotrement. We acquired all the stuff. Nine months later we go to the hospital. My daughter, Jessica, is born and then we return home to this room so specially prepared. But we returned home without a baby.

The Moth is a similar storytelling platform. The non-profit group based out of New York City hosts storytelling events, offers a weekly podcast and also launched a public radio show that won a Peabody Award in 2010.

Founder Marci White saw that Athens had potential to support storytelling events such as The Moth, and created Rabbit Box in its image.

It turns out that my wife is a carrier of beta strep. She carries that unbeknownst asystematically in the birth canal. My daughter was born with a fever and within a few minutes or a few hours it had spiked well above 105, 106 degrees. It stayed there and the doctors weren’t able to get it down. Eleven and a half hours in, they came to me and my wife and they told us that our daughter, Jessica’s brain had died. So the guy with the lawn chairs, the “grown up,” had to make the decision to pull the plug.

Rabbit Box also offers free storytelling coaching for those who need it, ranging from getting help on a performance to creating an outline for the story. “(Coaching) is nice for people who are shy or just want to shape their story.

I try to help people come up with a good first line, a good last line and then about four things to be sure to include,” Priest said.

EMILY WATSON Variety Writer

Left: STORY TIME: A Rabbit Box patron stands on the stage of the Melting Point and delivers a story from his life to the audience. “I saw the potential for a lot of great stories to come out of Athens,” Rabbit Box founder Marci White said. odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | 34 Photo courtesy of rabbitbox.org

May 2014

VARIETY And that was home for a while.

Rabbit Box also hosted a show in January entitled Rabbit “Our tag line is building Box Jr., which featured youth storytellers from local middle community, one story at a time and schools. Epperson took the lead on helping with that project you see that that happens here.”

“There was a little bit of apprehension about it. I got the feeling that (the middle schoolers) had very important sto-- PAT PRIEST, ries but how was it going it come out of them?” Epperson Rabbit Box Board Member said. “I was really figuring it out as I went along as well. It was challenging but good.”

When my wife got to where she couldn’t stand it Fast forward two years and my anymore she purchased a camper to pull behind her truck. Something she had wife is pregnant again. This time always wanted. For her, for the next six to eight months, that became home we know about the condition while we went through a divorce. that she has got. We are able Plans have also been in the works to host more youth shows in the future. to plan for it. In the interim be“We'd like to continue to do Rabbit Box, Jr. There are different forms it could tween the death of my first daughter take. For the next one we want to find high school students who are excited and the birth of my second, Ellie, about telling their stories,” White said. the doctor, Dr. Carter, had gone on a At that point in time, after we got through the divorce, we determined that quest. He had instituted in his pracwe would keep in touch. We wanted to make sure that the other was okay. In tice and was in the process of creating the time that passed after that, we sat down, we talked, we maintained our and working with people to create friendship. And I kind of figured something out. rules across the country to test new mommies Rabbit Box is working to broaden their reach and to have a greater impact in to be for this beta strep condition. the Athens area.

The forum has also been granted 501(c)3 status and has “We want to do workshops in the community. We want this to be as diverse received a matching grant to help archive many of the stories. as possible, as socio-economically diverse, as racially diverse, as culturally,” “It’s really encouraging that we got this grant that will provide us money for Whitehead said. “That takes time but we are making some inroads. We are going a dedicated intern and podcasting and maybe that can get us into a bigger audito keep trying” ence,” Rabbit Box board member Matthew Epperson said.

The thing that I have determined is that for me, home is about family. It’s Today, women in this room have been tested as a result of Dr. Carter. Many about acceptance. It’s about your chosen family. It’s about the people that you women have been tested and many children have been saved. Our tragedy, love, the people that you love to be with and where you want to be. when you look at it from a larger statistical level, is minor. For us, it was awful.

Rabbit Box plans to continue expanding to wider audiences.

At a larger level, it was minor. So many people had children saved as a result.

“There are so many possible avenues for storytelling in Athens so I think we In some cases, shows are catered to special audiences or may feature specific are going to keep growing and keep doing more, Epperson said. “We love it.” storytellers. Rabbit Box is hosting an upcoming show May 14 called Silver Box This has become something of a family too. These Rabbit Box events bring which will feature older storytellers. out some of the best people in town. Everybody is supportive and for me that Fast forward another many, many years, my daughter graduates from high is what home means. In conclusion, what I would like to say is I’m glad to school and decides that she is going to go to Afghanistan, which becomes her be here. I’m glad to be amongst all of you. Look at the people that you came home for about a year. She is there with the National Guard. We decide to sell with and give them a hug. Maybe look at the people that you didn’t come with our home. We decide that we want to buy our ‘til retirement home, an investand give them a hug too. And tell them it’s from me that this is what family is ment home. I moved upstairs. She stayed downstairs. We shared the kitchen. all about.

Photo By Porter McLeod

Story courtesy of Ardith Wagley

Graphic courtesy of Rabbit Box

Featured: A DUET: Two Rabbit Box storytellers get up on stage to do a “duet.” Duets involve two people who have a shared experience to tell about at these events.

May 2014

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VARIETY

Taboo tattoos

Society’s bias shifts as an increasing amount of people get tattoos.

T

he oldest known evidence of tattoos dates back thousands of years, to a 5,200-year-old body preserved in ice. The carcass, discovered in the Swiss Alps, has 57 visible tattoos, some of which appear to be an antiquated treatment for arthritis.

The purposes and perception of tattoos have continued to fluctuate over the years, branching from a form of rebellion in prisons to later being adopted by war veterans as a reminder of time served. Today, an increasing number of adolescents are getting tattoos, and the significance of an age-old practice has once again been put into question.

“I think that many people get (tattoos) too young and don’t have the wisdom of years to make the best decisions about what they want as a permanent part of their body,” Athens community member and mother Ellen Walker said. “I know several people who have had tattoos removed, cut off and burned off, and that is sad.”

Many students at Clarke Central High School have recently joined the fad of getting a tattoo directly after they turn 18, which is the legal age to receive a tattoo in the state of Georgia.

According to senior Gabriel Harper, a majority of the responses to his tattoo have been less than admiring.

“I’ve gotten a bunch of negative (responses towards my tattoo), mainly from being in church. Nobody in the church liked my tattoo,” Harper said.

Harper’s tattoo is of a Cherokee Rose, the state flower of Georgia. Despite its subject matter, he has still received judgement.

Senior Tyler Boon, after getting a depiction of his grandfather’s Vietnam war dog tags tattooed on his bicep, also received criticism.

“Some people don’t like (my tattoo) because they feel that it’s disrespecting to people who were in the Marines because I’m not in the Marines,” Boon said. “But what they don’t understand is that it’s to honor my grandfather.”

Many high school students like these have recently been exposed to the world of resentment regarding tattoos, while some people, such as independent tattoo artist and CCHS graduate Paul “Chuck” Garrett, have dealt with prejudice due to their ink for years.

“A lot of people are quick to judge because I have (tattoos) all over,” Garrett said.

“Some people are even bold enough to ask if I got them or learned how to do them in prison. I’ve never been to prison, and I’m college educated. (Tattoos are) just something I feel into and liked.”

Garrett indicates that a major goal shared by tattoo artists and the tattooed alike is ridding body art of its negative view in society.

“I hate that some people associate tattoos with jail, thugs, being uneducated and drug abuse,” Garrett said. “I know doctors, police and teachers who have tattoos.”

It is more common now than ever to find people of all racial and social backgrounds with tattoos. What drives someone to get a tattoo varies greatly from person to person.

“I was abused as a child. I grew up thinking that I didn’t have ownership of my body, that my body was bad. When I finally became completely myself and happy in my own skin, I decided it was time to take full ownership and pride in my ‘canvas’,” Walker said. “(Getting tattoos) was a way to reclaim my body.”

Walker, who used to be a teacher, says she has always been careful when getting tattoos and thinks about the consequences they could have on her personal life.

“I was very careful, up to now, to only get tattoos where they could be hidden by professional clothes,” Walker said. “ But as I get older and no longer work jobs where it might be a bad thing, I may expand where they are on my body.”

Junior Jyrekis Collins, accepts that tattoos have meaning to some people, but does not agree with them and believes that they do not belong in a professional environment.

“Tattoos makes a person unprofessional because tattoos don’t fall under unifor-

BY AUDREY HINKLE Variety Writer

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Photo by Maria Velasquez

321 students polled on April 23

Infographic by Austin DeFoor

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Photo by Porter McLeod

Previous Page: SHOWING OFF: Senior Audrey Nelson displays a tattoo she purchased on her 18th birthday. For Nelson, her tattoo symbolizes a freedom unique to her generation. “People are starting to view tattoos in a more positive light,” Nelson said. Above: TATTED UP: Senior D.J. Hewlett also got his tattoo while in high school, a trend that some think is on the rise. “The tattoo industry will always grow and continue to be profitable,” tattoo artist Mike Groves said.

mity,” Collins said. “I would never consider getting more positive light simply because more people a tattoo. I feel as though marking your body is have them,” Nelson said. “They are becoming less unhealthy and morally wrong.” taboo.”

Nonetheless, in 2014, such opinions are less Senior Demonte Hewlett holds the same view common. Walker believes a contributing reason to as Nelson, saying he believes the acceptance of the disappearance of aversion is likely public icons tattoos, and furthermore their recognition as an art such as musicians, athletes and movie stars helping form, is dependent on the generational change and to progress the perceived normality of tattoos. the way youth continues to view tattoos.

“Now, it seems that a huge percentage of celebri“Honestly, I feel like tattoos have kind of taken ties have tattoos-- actors, actresses, sports figures,” Walker said.

“My grandmother always told me Senior Paul Eckhardt confirms not to put anything on my body that that the public’s view of tattoos is an influencing factor in inciting didn't belong there, such as tattoos.” interest in youth.

“Seeing different people with -- AUDREY NELSON, tattoos inspired me (to get a tatsenior too),” Eckhardt said. “I thought it was cool.”

Senior Audrey Nelson believes a large part of the over. People want to express art in different ways, proliferation of tattoos is simply due to a change of so they are starting to become a trend,” Hewlett the times. said. “More and more people are starting to get “I definitely see a difference between my parents tattoos. If you look back in the time people weren’t generation and the generation of their parents,” as into crazy tattoos, but now everyone wants to Nelson said. “My grandmother always told me not get tatted.” to put anything on my body that didn’t belong Mike Groves, a tattoo artist at Pain and Wonder there, such as tattoos. But even she became more in Downtown Athens, where many students get accepting as she aged.” their tattoos done, believes change will come once Nelson also believes that as tattoos become people stop viewing tattoos as a body modification increasingly popular among youth, a more general and realize their artistic value. acceptance will follow. “(Being a tattoo artist) is an art job. I have an “I think people are starting to view tattoos in a amazing clientele that lets me do a lot of fun art May 2014

that I like to do, and that’s pretty rewarding,” Groves said. “Some people grab tattoos right off of google images, but some people just want this amazing artistic expression, which is incredible.”

This is acknowledged by some teens such as Harper, who got his tattoo for just that purpose.

“I love art,” Harper said, “and I designed (my) tattoo because I wanted my artwork to be on me.”

Some people with traditional views still do not condone tattoos in contempt of their artistic value.

“I really have a hard time thinking about the purpose or interpretation of a tattoo,” community member John Robertson said. “For me, the whole notion of art or meaning is outweighed by the permanent disfigurement that occurs (when getting a tattoo).”

Some people who choose to get tattoos are negatively affected by society’s bias.

“Me and my girlfriend got matching tattoos a couple months ago. We felt like it was something that bonded us together,” Hewlett said. “But I have to get it removed because I’m going into the military and I can’t have (my tattoo) showing.”

Despite possible reverberations resulting from getting tattoos at a young age, the trend is undoubtedly picking up steam among youth.

“I would counsel teenagers to wait a few years until they know themselves a bit better, (and) they have had more experiences,” Walker said.

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Denson vs. Denson Community organizer Tim Denson seeks to hold public office for the first time.

STORY BY MARY MERRITT Features Writer

Poverty:

One of the biggest parts of Tim Denson’s platform is the issue of poverty in Athens. He believes that most of the problems in the community can be tied back to the 38 percent poverty rate, one of the highest in the country. Tim hopes to put a dent in these numbers by making quality childcare and public transportation more accessible for everyone, both of which he claims to be proven tactics in fighting poverty.

Education:

Tim fervently believes that education is one of the best ways to break the generational poverty that is passed down through decades. He places a large emphasis on early education and quality childcare, because he believes they are the building blocks of a successful life. Tim believes that an emphasis on quality education and support at a very early age will carry over all the way through high school, and beyond.

Public Safety:

Tim also hopes to place a greater emphasis on public safety in Athens. He plans to focus primarily on enforcing a policy that is already in place: the Complete Street Program, which focuses on building safe roads not only for motorists, but for cyclists and pedestrians as well.

He also is pushing to establish a sexual assault task force. The task force would work hand in hand with programs such as Project Safe and the Cottage, as well as local bar owners and the police force, to ensure a safer Athens.

Environmental Sustainability:

Another program Tim is eager to implement is a single-use bag fee. This proposed initiative would add a three cent charge if buyers want a plastic bag for their items. One cent would go to the store/business to cover the cost of implementing the program, while the other two would go to the local government towards cleaning up the plastic bags that are already in the environment.

This tax would both create an incentive to reduce plastic bag use, and create a fund to help mitigate plastic bag litter. Tim believes that is a no-brainer, and because it has proven to be very successful in other cities.

Economy:

Tim believes that Athens should be taking three major steps to improve the local economy. The first step, which is already underway, is to bring large businesses from out of town to the community. This helps bring more jobs to Athens, which decreases poverty. The next step is supporting tech startups. Tim wants to push for more programs similar to Four Athens, which is a private incubator that provides office space and other support for tech startups. In doing so, four jobs would be created per one tech job in total. The third step that Tim wants to take is the creation of business cooperatives in Athens. These cooperatives would give people below the poverty line a chance to team together to make their own cooperative businesses. Tim believes that such a program would be inexpensive with a large pay-off.

Tim Denson

“I’m the best candidate because I understand Athens. I think that I come from a background that most Athenians come from.”

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Election 2014 LAYOUT BY ROBERT WALKER

Incumbent Mayor Nancy Denson is running for re-election on May 20.

Viewpoints Editor

Poverty:

Mayor Nancy Denson recognizes that poverty is an issue in Athens; however, she also suggests that once the college student population is factored in, the poverty rate is not quite as drastic. She believes that there are already policies in place, such as educational and employment programs that simply need more time before there will be more results.

Education:

Similar to her stance on poverty, Nancy believes that a lot of what needs to be changed in the educational system has already happened. She believes that superintendent Dr. Philip Lanoue is doing an excellent job handling education in the Clarke County School District, and that one of the best things she can offer as mayor is her support to people like him. She also intends to continue to reach out and interact with the student population so they have the opportunity to interact with their local government.

Public Safety:

Nancy praises Athens’ competent and professional police department, which helps to contribute toward Denson’s goal of a creating a more individualized criminal justice system. She wants to make sure that issues are handled on a case-by-case basis, dealing with the whole person and their situation. Something that Nancy has helped implement is an “accountability court,” which allows certain crimes to be dealt with through intense rehabilitation and therapy, leaving the offender with a clean record. This allows first-time offenders to have a second chance and choose a better path.

Environmental Sustainability:

While Nancy takes a firm stance on business and the economy, she is environmentally conscious as well. On her watch, Athens-Clarke County has implemented single-stream recycling, which allows all recyclable items to be mixed together by the depositor, and subsequently makes it easier for people to recycle. She has also supported the counties efforts to build a CHaRM facility in Athens that will make it possible to recycle difficult-to-recycle items such as mattresses and computers, helping to reduce the waste stream. She puts focus on the county’s efforts to purchase land trusts around Athens, which will forever be untouched natural land. For generations to come, this green space may become more and more vital.

Economy:

Nancy is a strong believer in improving the local economy, and believes we can do so primarily by bringing more jobs to Athens. She is proud of the work that has already been done, including bringing in large companies like Caterpillar and a suture-making business called Ethicon. When the projects are seen through, these businesses will create thousands of new job opportunities for the Athens’ workforce, and as a result will help to improve the poverty rate.

Illustrations by Ella Sams

“I feel that I am the best choice because of my work experience, as I have served for 26 years as tax commissioner.”

May 2014

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Virtual victims Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that has been increasing in incidence with the rise of social media.

T

he introduction of social media has truly changed the way that society interacts with each other. Though face to face socialization is still necessary, and a norm, so too is texting, tweeting and various other forms of online interaction.

While this has brought positive components to our society, it has also created harmful trends such as cyberbullying. Clarke Central High School sophomore Catherine Johnson* has experienced this victimization firsthand.

“I was on my phone and this (twitter) account followed me,” Johnson said.

“I get notifications from Twitter and it was like ‘Catherine stole my boyfriend’ or something and I was like, ‘Hm? OK.’ Then they sent more posts about me that were just about really bad sexual things about me saying I would do this or I wouldn’t do certain things.”

Director of the Safe and Welcoming Schools Project Katherine Raczynski has participated in studies on bullying and cyberbullying, and works with schools and teachers to help nurture safe environments. After extensive research, she has found bullying is present when three factors are present in an aggressive situation. “(Bullying) is something that is repeated, something that happens again and

BY RADFORD BROSIUS Variety Editor

Catherine Johnson

What did I do to them? I was just wracking my brain. Was it my fault they were targeting me or was it just a joke?

Why were they doing that? I thought it was my fault. again. It is something that is meant to intentionally harm someone. (It is) repeated, intentional aggressive acts or hurtful acts,” Raczynski said. “Within these bullying situations there is an imbalance of power, whether that be popularity, strength, size or socially, whatever it may be with the person that does not quite have all of those in a balanced way.”

Because of these different situations, bullies also have different reasons for their acts.

“There can be two different types of students who bully. They fall into two different categories. One type is maybe lacking in some of those social skills, and so they’re using these strategies because they don’t have other techniques, they don’t know how to get what they want,” Raczynski said. “The other category of students who bully know exactly what they’re doing, they have a lot of different strategies that they could be using, but for whatever reason they’ve decided ‘this is the one that I’m going to use,’ and it could be that they have had good success using those strategies to get whatever they want in the past.”

Johnson felt that she was not only being ostracized by her anonymous peers, but that it was done for no discernable reason.

May 2014

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VARIETY attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when accompanied by an “It made me think, ‘Who has a problem with me? Why would they be doing this? What did I do to them?’ I was just wracking my brain,” Johnson said. “Was apparent present ability to do so; or, any intentional display or force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm.” This it my fault they were targeting me or was it just a joke? Why were they doing includes physical, verbal, emotional or sexual bullying. that? I thought it was my fault.”

However, cyberbullying is defined as the use of electronic communication to According to Raczynski, cyberbullying has evolved along with the age of bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening social media, and has changed how students interact, including how they bully.

“There definitely are a couple of nature.

Emily Sharp “I think that you can have some things that set cyberbullying apart from more minor issues in person or more traditional forms of bullying,” RacI think any kind of cyberbullying can zynski said. “One of them is this idea of more minor issues online where anonymity that, if I say something nasty definitely leave a mark, no matter how things go on for a little while, where things tend to resolve themselves to you, to your face right now, I have to big or small. or tend to blow over,” Raczynski see the look on your face, so I get that said. “Or you can have really serious immediate response from you and that’s uncomfortable for most people.” instances of things where you have stuff out there on the internet that’s Cyberbullying is not simply limited to following people even if they go to social media interaction. It can also be different schools.” via text messages.

According to Raczyoski, cyberbullying can even have physical manifestations CCHS does have safeguards against bullying, even if it occurs off of school of the anxiety and stress that a victim feels when going through being cyberbulgrounds on the internet.

“If you have three documented incidents of bullying you are to be taken to lied by their peers.

“Some of the short term outcomes of being bullied include: feelings of the board office, so it is taken seriously,” CCHS Assistant Principal Dr. Sheila sadness, withdrawal from previously enjoyable activities, headaches (or) stomDunham said. achaches, social isolation and feelings of anxiety,” Raczynski said. “(However,) The CCHS code of conduct states that bullying is defined as “any willful

Previous Page: DAMAGING WORDS: With youth having smartphones connected to Twitter and Facebook0 it can be difficult to escape cyberbullying, even in the safety of one’s home. Below: ANONYMITY: One factor of cyberbullying is that it can feel anonymous to the bully. They feel that the consequences won’t get back to them, because they didn’t say it in person. “It’s much harder to do that in person, it’s much easier to do that on a website without having to get that instantaneous immediate feedback I think that sometimes you can get the sense of disassociating yourself from the impact,” Director of the Safe and Welcoming Schools Project Katherine Raczynski said.

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VARIETY I think that it is also important to mention that although being bullied can be very painful, many victims are quite resilient and can and do bounce back from the experience. Of course, that doesn’t mean that bullying is okay or not a big deal.”

The i-SAFE Foundation, which is dedicated to “e-safety education,” has done studies on teens and cyberbullying, finding that is prevalent with the rise of social media.

Over 50 percent of teens have been bullied online and roughly the same number have participated in cyberbullying.

More than 1 in 3 adolescents have experienced cyberthreats.

Over 25 percent of teens have been bullied repeatedly either on their phone or through the internet.

Over 50 percent do not inform their parents when they are cyberbullied.

CCHS freshman Emily Sharp has had similar experiences to Johnson, though they were over text rather than the internet. Sharp was worried about the situation getting larger than she wanted it to be. “(I thought), what do I do? I didn’t know if I should tell my parents, because I didn’t (want) them to make it a really big deal,” Sharp said. “I didn’t want to make it into a big thing, kind of like it turned out to be.”

Cyberbullying’s growth has caused the invention and growth of several non profit organizations to end cyberbullying and to support those who are or have been cyberbullied in various communities around the nation.

Emily Sharp

I didn’t know if I should tell my parents, because I didn’t (want) them to make it a really big deal. I didn’t want to make it into a big thing kind of like it turned out to be.

The Megan Meier Foundation is one such non profit that was started in 2007

by Tina Meier, mother of Megan Meier, a teen who committed suicide in 2006 because of cyberbullying.

The Foundation describes their mission as ‘to bring awareness, education and promote positive change to children, parents, and educators in response to the ongoing bullying and cyberbullying in our children’s daily environment.’

Cyberbullying is an act that has been made more readily available in recent years.

“You have less boundaries when you’re texting because you’re not talking to the person and you feel like you can say more,” Sharp said. “I think any kind of cyberbullying can definitely leave a mark no matter how big or small.”

Read the Megan Meier story at www.meganmeierfoundation.org

CYBERBULLYING STATISTICS 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have experienced it more than once.

42% 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 experienced it more than once.

35% 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.

21% 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say was reoccuring.

58% 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.

53%

*Pseudonyms used to protect the identities of some sources.

58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that they were told online.

58% Information via the i-SAFE Foundation Against Cyberbullying.

May 2014

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Photos by Porter McLeod

My experience with cyberbullying Former Clarke Central High School student Kinsey Clark recounts her experience with cyberbullying and talks about the long term effects.

T

he first time I was cyberbullied it really blindsided me and it was people who I considered to be very good friends. It definitely changed a Variety Editor lot about the course of the rest of my life.

I had an inkling the weekend before, just because people kept saying things to me; that there was a website about me. It didn’t really make any sense, and I kind of brushed it off. Then one day my two best friends came to me and they were like, “We’ve known about this and we really need to tell you, (but) don’t know how to tell you.”

I came to my best friend from forever and said, “Oh my gosh, can you believe that these people have said this, done this about me?” She said, “Actually I kind of knew about it, but I’ll go with you to the counseling office and help.”

The first page said, “We are HOK, Haters of Kinsey, join us.” It had this little blurb about why you should join. They hadn’t signed their names, they just had KINSEY CLARK with RADFORD BROSIUS

Kinsey Clark

My parents are going to read this and are going to have to know that all my friends hate me.

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their initials but it was really easy to figure out. It was these five girls. But then there were these two links. One said “secrets” and one said “bitch”, and the “secrets” one was horrible. I remember that more than anything else.

There was a chat room about me on AOL Messenger. The chats were really bad.

We had a meeting with all of them afterwards, all the parents, and half the parents weren’t even upset with their kids and so I really started to think I deserved it to a degree. We had a meeting with everyone to discuss what the parents thought the punishment should be and they were taking it all very seriously.

I just remember the administration being very angry. I felt like I had all of the adults on my side, but none of my peers on my side. I don’t think it’s because they think I deserved it, they just didn’t know what to say or what to do. I mean we were all like 12. What do you say?

We had this meeting and I remember that the administrator liked to make a point of the severity of the things they had done. There was a police officer in there too. He read some quotes from the chat and that was the only time I have heard any of what those said. One of them said that they wanted to chop my head off and use it as a bowling ball and another was that they were going to cut me into little pieces and feed me to my dog. I don’t know who said each one of those things.

It’d be one thing if they were sitting around in a group, old-school and just saying these things, but instead it was on the internet for anyone to come across that domain name to see. I don’t know, it kind of changed the game.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS It was just so embarrassing. That’s what I remember was the worst about it, like how many people have seen this? I remember. If I close my eyes, I can see it. It’s just some basic HTML web page but I remember it was orange and yellow with blue and white circles. It looked just like a powerpoint slide or something.

The counselor immediately printed those off and then, it was all a blur. I was crying.

It started to become clear that (my best friend) had more to do with it than she had originally said she did. But it’s interesting because we’re still best friends today. I would consider her my lifelong best friend.

I didn’t want to go home early and I didn’t know who was picking me up. Unfortunately, it was my dad and when you’re a teenage girl it’s even worse. It had sexual stuff in it, and I didn’t want to tell him. So the principal walked out with the copies of Photo courtesy of Kinsey Clark the stuff and told my dad out in his car. I had Previous Page: MY SUPPORT: Kinsey Clark is allowed to have a dog in her apartment, though the rules prohibit to get into the car and my mom was so angry. I them, because it is a supportive pet prescribed by her therapist. Above: AT THE TIME: Clark as a 6th grader, the time when she was cyberbullied. Below: LOOKING BACK: Clark looks at the website that was made about her, as just remember how angry my parents were. well as photos of herself at the time she was cyberbullied, for the first time since 6th grade.

I try to think back to how I was then. I go to therapy now, I didn’t realize the long term effects of this. This is the root cause of a lot of going to throw up and you’re kind of shaky. Like dread almost. This dreadful my other issues. I’m trying to build positive neurological connections in places guilt. Because it’s more than just dread of fear, it’s like you know that you did where I’ve built ones to think that people are out to get me or that the whole world is bad or that like I somehow have fooled myself into thinking I’m a good something wrong and you’re going to get in trouble.

That was the way I used to feel, shaky and like I was going to throw up. That person. was how I felt looking at the website, like, “My parents are going to read this For a while I really thought I was over it, but honestly, I think I really just and are going to have to know that all my friends hate me. Everyone is going to avoid thinking about it a lot of the time. It’s not something that really pops up have to know that I’m this terrible person.” I felt very guilty and very filled with in my memory. Right after that was the first time I’ve ever really felt depressed, dread over it all coming out. I just wanted it all to go away. I didn’t really want and that never really went away since. I look back and 10, 11 years old was to have to deal with it. some of the last times I remember being genuinely happy and yet I can’t even I was reading back through my old journals and there is one part at the remember what it feels like to be 10 and 11, I can’t. It sucks. actual time of the event. It’s so weird how detached my journal entry is. It’s I used to not like to write down my name on papers, I used to hate my name basically just like in not very much detail at all what happened. “Oh my gosh, because it just reminded me of their club.

Laura and these people made a website about me and it was really mean and I Now that I think about it, you know when you’re like real little like seven, can’t believe it but everyone says they’re just mean and I didn’t deserve it and eight, nine and you’ve done something and you know it was wrong and you blah. Blah blah blah.” It’s like nothing. It’s very surface-level. know you’re going to get in trouble. It’s in the pit of your stomach and you’re Then like a year later there is very different fast, crazy writing. I think I woke up in the middle of the night and wrote it. It’s very dramatic. It’s basically just me saying that I wish I had confronted them, that I wish I had told them what they did, that they don’t understand what they did to me. Basically that I wouldn’t ever forgive them. How could you ever think I would get over it that easily? I don’t know, it was just weird, just clearly that a year out at least I wasn’t over it, and I guess I’m not still.

I can kind of understand how (my best friend) would be easily brought into something like that. I know that she had a lot of other reasons to be angry that had nothing to do with me so I forgive her truly and wholly, and I don’t know if she knows that. We don’t really talk about it, it’s like a white elephant kind of thing and I’m not really angry at her anymore, but I think she’s still really angry at herself.

May 2014

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West Side story

The West Broad Market Garden provide fresh produce to the Athens community and serves as a learning opportunity for high school students.

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY CHAD RHYM Copy Editor

W

orkers pick a variety of crops in the April sunlight. Bees work to pollinate blooming flowers. There’s a scraping noise of shovels turning the rich soil. It’s spring in the West

Broad Market Garden.

In 2012, in cooperation with the Clarke County School District, the Athens Land Trust opened the West Broad Market Garden: Athens’ first communitybased urban farm according to athenslandtrust.org. The garden is located on the old West Broad School playground in the historic Hancock-West Broad neighborhood. “( WBMG) is one of our main projects for the Community Agricultural Program,” Athens Land Trust Director of Operations Heather Benham said. “So much of what we do is at that site, we have the Farmer’s Market at that site, we host workshops there, we do tours at that site and there will be field trips.”

The WBMG holds the West Broad Farmer’s Market from May to December.

The farmer’s market, which began in May of 2013 was originally available to the public to shop at once a month. Starting on May 3, however, the market will be open every Saturday.

“The Farmer’s Market we had at West Broad will be every week instead of every month. We’re hopeful this will mean more consistency and customers,” Benham said.

May 2014

The garden also provides the opportunity for employment and volunteer service to the Athens’ youth.

“I found out about (the job) because they came to Classic City, they talked about how they were hiring over here at the farm,” Classic City High School senior Rashaan Blasingame said. “I like it here. It’s a nice environment and it’s really relaxing being out here. I’m never stuck inside, and I get to enjoy the weather. It’s nice physically to work a little and go home and feel good.”

At the market, the produce that the WBMG provides is all-natural.

“In the grocery stores, the stuff they spray usually is going to have chemicals on it. This here is natural,” Classic City High School senior Rodney Hull said.

“This is just bare ground and plants. We only use organic fertilizer.”

Despite all of the benefits the WBMG has brought to the Athens community during the past two years, the garden is often overlooked because of its location. However, Athens Land Trust Young Urban Farmer Development Program Coordinator Bantu Gross believes that the garden brings a sense of optimism.

“I think this garden is a sign of hope, that things are changing and growing here.” Gross said. “Sometimes, when people stop by here they just stop, stare and are amazed by (the garden), like ‘Hey, that’s an actual garden here in Athens.’ Because of the area we are in, it’s shocking to see actual farm gardening. So, I think it’s a sign of hope to some people, things can change with the seasons.”

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“In the grocery stores, the stuff they spray usually is going to have chemicals on it. This here is natural.”

--RODNEY HULL, Classic City High School senior

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“I think this garden is a sign of hope, that things are changing and growing here.”

-- BANTU GROSS, Young Urban Farmer Development program coordinator

May 2014

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Photo by Porter McLeod

SPORTS

The box score Above: JUST SWING IT: Sophomore Noah Fairbairn winds up to hit the ball while playing against Loganville High School on March 26. The game ended in a loss for Clarke Central High Sschool with a score of 0-2.

Golf success

Finishing sixth place in the Region golf tournament, the Clarke Central High School girls varsity golf team finished the 2013-14 season with a 9-2 regular season record.

The team completed the Ed Hoard Invitational in second place.

These statistics from the 2014 season surpass the past years’, setting new standards for the team.

“The girls team was the bright spot this year,” head varsity golf coach Dinah Posey said. “Regular season was probably one of the best we’ve had since we’ve had a girls team.”

Masano Conine-Nakano had the lowest score in the region tournament, and had a regular season low of 44. The team hopes to have a strong season in the coming year, even with the loss of the team’s captain, Jane Fleming.

“She’s given us her all for four years and we’re really gonna miss her. She was a key component of keeping everyone together, and (she was) always dependable,” Posey said. “There is nothing more encouraging than what we have coming for girls golf.”

Coming soon As the renovations that will take place at Clarke Central High School over the next two years are underway, Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward is looking forward to the changes the renovations will bring to the athletic facilities.

“Athletics will be affected in a very positive way by the renovations,” Ward said. “The main part of it is going to be the renovations made to the old gym, small gym and weight room area. That area is going to get a total makeover.”

While the floor in the old basketball gym, the weight room and wrestling rooms will largely remain untouched apart from minor aesthetic changes, the locker room area and one set of bleachers from the old basketball court will be completely torn down and rebuilt.

In their place, new locker rooms, storage areas and two classrooms will be built.

“It’s going to be great because we’re finally going to have two large health classrooms and they’ll be just off the side of the gym,” physical education department teacher Dinah Posey said.

“And just to modernize the locker rooms in the old gym will be nice.

They’ve been there a long time and are not wheelchair accessible either.”

According to Ward, in addition to the changes in the old gym, five new tennis courts are in the plans, new storage areas will be made available for all sports and a hitting area for softball and basketball will be placed under the visiting bleachers in Billy Henderson Stadium.

“I think all the sports will be affected positively by these renovations,” Ward said. “I think it’s going to be extremely beneficial for not just the Clarke Central athletic program, but our community.”

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-- Henry Scott, Sports Writer

A banner year

Senior Blake Mustard and junior Joshua Williams received wrestling banners for the 2013-14 wrestling season.

Banners are given after winning at an area match, or placing in a state match. Williams lettered in wrestling his freshman year and has attempted to improve every year since.

“I’m proud of my achievements, but I feel like I could still do more and support my team a little better,” Williams said. “I know Stoud’s looking forward to me being a big leader on the team, I have to work up to it.”

Mustard and Williams appreciate what it means to earn a banner. The banners hang in the wrestling room, along with those of former wrestlers.

“You get two, Coach Stoud makes one, and then gives you one to take back to your house,” Mustard said. “It’s an accomplishment, it’s something to hang up on the wall that you can keep for a while.”

CCHS signs

Senior varsity volleyball player and co-captain Gansiry Thioub signed her national letter of intent to play volleyball at Alabama State University on March 27.

“I knew I could make Alabama State my home, their coach is phenomenal and the team is very diverse,” Thioub said.

Senior varsity basketball player and co-captain Cameron Johnson signed to the College of Charleston one month later on April 21.

Among those in attendance for both signings were Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward, varsity head volleyball coach Ashlee Wegmann and varsity basketball coach Andre Mcintyre.

“Any time we have one of these ceremonies, it’s always with the player’s pride and hard work in the classroom and on the court,” Ward said.

After four years on the varsity basketball team, Johnson is excited to attend the College of Charleston.

“If I could’ve gone yesterday, I would’ve,” Johnson said. “I’m so ready to get down there, get a feel for the team, get acclimated and get back on the grind.”

May 2014

“

SPORTS

Audibles

“ “ “ “

Photo by Lela Jenkins

Even if they score a goal on us, we don’t get mad, we just keep on our same way, trying to win.

Above: CHARLESTON BOUND: Senior basketball player Cameron Johnson signed his national letter of intent to play at the College of Charleston on April 21.

Future Glads On April 12, the Clarke Central High School girls soccer team attended the Clarke Middle School and BurneyHarris-Lyons Championship game at Clarke Central High School. Though the game was won by BHL 4-0, the CCHS atheletes aimed to talk to all players.

“You are going to play in a region with four of the top 10 teams in girls 5-A soccer,” varsity soccer girls head coach Chris Hulse said to the middle school players after the game. “We’ve got girls that are in Olympic Development that you are going to play against. How do we beat them? We get together, the more you play together, the more you develop the chemistry,” Hulse said.

Both CMS and BHL girls will be able to tryout for CCHS’s girls soccer program next year. According to senior varsity player Sandy Fierro, the current CCHS team felt they should start getting to know their future teammates.

“We thought it would be good because they were playing each other,” Fierro said. “Since they are both eligible to go to Clarke Central we were just telling them about our program and encouraging them to try out next year.”

The girls soccer team believes that building strong relationships with their current and future teammates will lead the lady Gladiators to success in the coming years.

“In any team environment, the more connected you are with your teammates, the better the team’s performance,” Hulse said. “The more invested you are in each other, the greater your ability to work toward team goals rather than individual goals.”

” ”

ELBER CALVILLO, senior, on the boys varsity soccer team’s positive attitude towards competition during games.

Not everybody is blessed enough to have a job. I have to take advantage of my opportunities.

JAMESON THOMAS, junior, on his commitment to running track at CCHS along with holding a steady job.

I think (underclassmen playing on varsity is) fair because if a player is good enough, they should play with equally good players.

” ”

TALIA WILLIAMS, sophomore, on the opportunity for underclassmen to participate in varsity competitions.

Because of the lack of facilities or the facilities are in such poor shape here in Athens, youth tennis is really weak in a town this size.

STEPHEN HINSON, head varsity tennis coach, on the quality of the tennis facilities available to Athens Clarke County residents.

Below: SPRING HAS SPRUNG: CCHS football players prepare in spring training for the coming 2014-15 varsity football team.

Photo by Chad Rhym

-- Fear Churchwell, Sports Writer

-- Compiled by Sports Staff May 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tennis Upheaval in Athens Athenians of all ages have been frustrated by inadequate tennis facilities.

Thanks to a SPLOST project several years in the making, however, they have reason to be optimistic.

O

“Only having three courts means I can only have girls practice on one day ne of tennis’ main qualities is that almost anyone and boys the next,” Hinson said. “It’s a very non-traditional situation.” of any age can pick up a racket and ping some In addition to the shortcomings in quantity, many students feel the courts at balls back and forth over a net. the Clarke County School District high schools also exhibit deficiencies in quality.

All one needs is sturdy shoes, a friend and, most impor“We’ve got some pretty terrible tennis facilities,” CCHS senior varsity tennis tantly, a court. player Tristan Lapetz said. “It’s pretty sad. We’ve had to use weed killer on the However, for Athens-Clarke County residents, it hasn’t been courts because there were cracks with plants growing through them.” quite that easy.

Despite being in a state considered a tennis “We’ve got some pretty terrible tennis facilites. hotspot, Athens-Clarke County residents have had very few tennis court options from which to choose until very We’ve used weed killer on the courts because there recently.

To Clarke Central High School head tennis coach Stephen were cracks with plants growing through them.”

Hinson, the lack of courts in Athens was absurd.

“It was just a little bit ridiculous in a very athletic, fitness-- TRISTAN LAPETZ, minded town,” Hinson said. “It’s something a town of senior varsity tennis player 100,000-plus people needs.”

Additionally, local high schools also have inadequate tenBut in the past few months, several changes have occurred around Athens nis facilities. At least five courts are required to host a home tennis match per Georgia High School Association rules. CCHS and cross-town rival Cedar Shoals that have been beneficial to tennis aficionados around the city.

High School have only five courts between the two of them: three at CCHS, and In November of 2013, the long-awaited Athens-Clarke County Tennis Center two at CSHS. opened at 4460 Lexington Road with 12 new tennis courts.

“In 2004, the tennis community put forth a proposal that the community “We can’t play matches (at CCHS),” Hinson said. “We have to go to needed more courts. So that was put forth and passed as part of the (SpecialBishop Park. That’s been my biggest complaint.” option local-option sales tax) referendum, which is a citizen driven initiative,” Not only does the lack of courts affect matches, practice time also President of the Clarke-Oconee Tennis Association Robin Stevens said. “It’s just has to be slashed in order for all players to be accommodated.

BY HENRY SCOTT Sports Staff

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May 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS taken a long time -- 10 years -- to go from being approved in principle, to actual construction.”

Additionally, the nine courts at Bishop Park have been resurfaced during the past year funded by money provided by SPLOST. CSHS head boys tennis coach James Blose believes that the Athens-Clarke County Tennis Center, which is only three miles away from CSHS, will be a game-changer for his program.

“I think the Athens Tennis Center will definitely give me, as a coach, the opportunity to improve tennis at Cedar Shoals,” Blose said. “It’ll be much easier to introduce kids to tennis, and that just leads to more involvement in USTA, which I think is good for the area.”

Like Hinson, Blose believes the facilities at his school were affecting his ability to recruit and train athletes.

“It’s really hard to run a practice for a wide range of skills on just two courts, given the number of players we’ve had in the past,” Blose said. “Before the tennis center was built, we were practicing some at the UGA Intramural courts, and while UGA classes were in session, it was really hard to get courts.”

While CSHS benefitted from the new facilities at the ATC, CCHS tennis players have been able to utilize the brand new surfaces at the Bishop Park courts.

However, with the SPLOST renovations that will be taking place at CCHS for the next two years, even more improvements lie on the horizon for the CCHS tennis program.

“With the SPLOST budget, and as part of the new renovation and rebuilding we’re about to go through, we will be getting anywhere from five to six courts,” CCHS Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward said. “We might not be able to compete with a tennis center, but our courts will allow us to have adequate facilities for practice and to host matches.”

CCHS senior varsity tennis player Allie Martin believes the renovations will bring about a new era for the CCHS tennis program.

“If we get more courts, we’ll be able to have more people practicing instead of wasting times because we don’t have room,” Martin said. “We’ll be better then because there will definitely be more people playing and giving tennis a chance.”

However, not just high school students will benefit from the expansion of the tennis offerings in the area. Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Tennis Specialist Jordan Dean wants to encourage the whole community to use the new and free facilities.

“If you are just wanting to play a pickup game with someone you can just come on a grab a court; it’s all public,” Dean said. “Our goal is to attract as many Athens Clarke County residents to the sport as possible and let them know that it’s not an intimidating venture to try out tennis.”

Dean believes that tennis can have an appeal for a wide range of people.

“It’s a sport that is never too late to begin and is good for all personality types,” Dean said. “It’s just such a fulfilling feeling when playing. I think that it’s really important for people to have such a sport in their lives.”

After years of frustration from playing upon outdated courts, ACC Youth Sports Director Pat Sebring believes the Athens tennis community is finally poised for a brighter future.

“This is a huge thing for Athens,” Sebring said. “We went from nine courts that needed to be fixed (at Bishop), to all of the sudden 21 really nice courts.

So, I think this will really help grow tennis in the area.”

May 2014

Photos by Porter McLeod

Opposite: A COURTLY WELCOME: Athens Clarke-County Tennis Specialist Jordan Dean stands before new Athens Tennis Center courts, located off of Lexington Rd. on the East Side of Athens. Above: FREE FOR ALL: The Athens Tennis Center is open to the public daily for recreational use. Below: TUNED FOR TENNIS: CCHS senior varsity tennis player Tristan Lapetz rallies at the recently resurfaced courts at Bishop Park, where CCHS hosts its home matches.

SPORTS

THE FRESHMAN FIVE I

n high school sports, it is unusual to find a freshman on a varsity team. Upperclassmen typically fill the varsity spots after training and competing with the team for years, but on the 2013-14 Clarke Central High School girls varsity girls tennis team, five freshmen crossed that line.

Among the girls who tried out for the varsity tennis team were five freshmen Caroline Caldwell, Isobel Crain, Amelia DeLamater, Maddy Jenkins and Denise Sunta. Although they came from different backgrounds and years of experience, each had the same goal: to play high school tennis at the varsity level.

Head varsity tennis coach Stephen Hinson anticipated a competitive season with the new talent coming onto the team.

“This time last season, I had a strong idea that we were going to have a much better team this year than we had in previous seasons,” Hinson said. “The goal of the season is continued improvement and more embracing of the team concept, and I’m very excited.”

Caldwell and Crain have known each other since kindergarten and started playing tennis together when they were nine. DeLamater and Jenkins have played together since fifth grade up until this year, when DeLamater moved to attend CCHS. “We’re all really close and tennis is just another thing we can bond over,” Jenkins said. “Also, our families are really close, so we hang out outside of practice, too.”

Sunta, the newest to tennis, took up the sport two years ago. She met the

BY BRITTNEY BUTLER Sports Editor

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other freshmen this year.

“Coach Hinson had been talking to us about joining the team since middle school and letting us know about upcoming events and stuff,” Crain said.

Crain and DeLamater became doubles partners for the first time this season after competing against each other in individual competition for years. Since both are used to competing in singles matches, they had to adjust to each other’s different styles.

“I play doubles with Isobel and I think it’s a really different because she’s left handed and I’m right handed,” DeLamater said. “It’s a really different dynamic than most pairs, so it’s fun.”

Although Sunta did not have as much prior experience with tennis as the other four girls, she was pleasantly surprised when she was accepted onto the varsity team.

“I didn’t think that, as a freshman, you could be on the varsity tennis team,” Sunta said. “I don’t have much experience playing actual matches, so knowing I had made the varsity team made me feel like I was just as good as those who have a lot of experience.”

After tryouts were complete, the team began training for their first region match against Loganville on Feb. 27.

“My first match was really nerve wracking. We were all uncoordinated, but once we got out there, we did well,” Caldwell said.

Although many of the teams the girls compete against consist of older, more experienced upperclassmen, the five began to become more confident May 2014

SPORTS

Five girls tried out for Clarke Central High School tennis with hopes of making the team and were given spots on varsity -- as freshmen. in their abilities.

“You’ll play seniors and it’s different because (individual) tournaments are other kids that play here with us,” Crain said. “It’s more one on one time in your sixteen and under, so you just play fifteen and sixteen,” Caldwell said. “But in private lessons and clinics and then when you come here, you get to practice the high school (matches) you play people who are like 18 that are going off to those things they tell you.” college.”

Although this was their first year competing at a high school level, the five From high school practice to private lessons, four out of the five freshmen average freshmen quickly adapted to playing with older athletes around 11 hours of training and hope to learn from their team dynamic. a week. They compete “We’re all really close and tennis is just “I know we’ve played some teams that have been in organized matches for playing together every year and whose bond is just another thing we can bond over.”

CCHS as well as individual amazing, and I hope that we will have that bond tournaments on weekends. all four years,” DeLamater said. “This season, I just “Tournament wise, you -- MADDY JENKINS, hope to have fun in everything that we do, stay have a bracket and then healthy as a team and individuals and do as well as freshman varsity tennis player everyone is ranked on it, we can.” so going into (the matches) Athletic Director Dr. Jon Ward is optimistic about is intimidating,” Jenkins the freshmen’s early start on varsity to contribute to said. “But it’s different going into our high school matches because the person you’re the rest of their high school tennis careers. playing is usually a senior and they’re always asking us if we are freshman, so that’s a “Hinson knew coming into the season that he had a good nucleus returnlittle awkward sometimes.” ing plus the addition of these freshmen, so it’s kind of played out to what we According to Crain, having the chance to compete on a high school team thought it would,” Ward said. “They will just progress and get better.” while continuing to take private lessons increases the ability for her to use what she learns in actual play.

YOUNG TALENT: From left, Denise Sunta, Amelia DeLamater, Maddy “I play outside of school because that’s where I learn new things and get bet- Above: Jenkins, Caroline Caldwell and Isobel Crain brought their experience to the CCHS ter and then (here) it’s more match experience and learning how to play with the varsity tennis team for the 2013-14 season.

May 2014

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Above: LITTLE MAN, BIG REPUTATION: At CCHS, Kavon used his new position, physical growth and the guidance of coaches to assert himself as a leader on the varsuty football team. “My motivation was to be the best player out there because I was small. Everyone else had the upper hand on me,” Kavon said.

Tackling life After years of fighting for the spotlight, senior Kavon Williams feels it’s his time to shine as he moves on to Mars Hill College.

R

ivalry has a way of captivating thousands on Friday nights in the fall. Because of the fierce crosstown rivalry between Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School , the Classic City Championship is no exception.

On Nov. 8, 2013, 21 seniors suited up for the last time in “Death Valley” against CSHS on Senior Night.

The pre-game ceremony arrives. Senior linebacker Kavon WIlliams saunters out alongside his mother Jackie and shakes hands with principal Dr. Robbie P. Hooker and head football coach Ahren Self.

Only one person is missing -- his biological father, Daryl Bolton.

Kavon maintains that Bolton wasn’t involved in his life until he entered high school and has never received an explanation as to why. Thus, he didn’t want Bolton to be present for his moment of recognition.

“Both your parents are supposed to walk you out there on the field,” Kavon said. “I didn’t invite (my dad). It wasn’t anything that I had against him, but don’t come in when you see me doing well. You need to be there good or bad.”

BY KEVIN MOBLEY Web Writer

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May 2014

Photo by Porter McLeod

SPORTS

Until age six, Kavon and his older siblings, brother Marquez and sister Elisha, stayed with their single mother Jackie in a housing authority apartment on East Broad St. For a while, the three children shared the same bedroom. Violence plagued the neighborhood.

“The environment around us wasn’t the best. We had many people around there who didn’t have much to live for,” Kavon said. “A lot of violence, alcoholics, drug dealers and addicts that I was raised up with for a good six years.”

During those years, the family was supported by Marquez and Elisha’s father, Leslie Gresham. However, in 2002, Jackie and Leslie separated, and the family moved to the Stonehenge subdivision in Bogart, Ga., where they have lived ever since.

“I applied for the Habitat for Humanity program, and I got approved for a house, so all I pretty much had to do was follow through with what they said,” Jackie said. “I’m just blessed being in this house that I’m in.”

In order to provide for the family, Jackie took on two part-time jobs that included working at the UGA Snelling dining hall for 10 years as well as Sam’s Club and the US Environmental Protection Agency in Athens.

“She’s a hard-working mom,” Kavon said. “I really don’t spend much time with her because she’s probably at her first or second job just trying to put food on the table, put clothes on my back and take care of the family.”

When Jackie and her children moved to their new home, she was approached by Stonehenge Youth Association administrator Melvin Hayes about his organization. “(Hayes) introduced himself to me, told me who he was and introduced football to my boys,” Jackie said. “I didn’t want my children to be a product of their environment, so if they wanted to do something positive that would keep them focused, they wouldn’t have time for all the negativity.”

Kavon joined Marquez in playing football at the age of seven. The brothers were able to connect through the sport.

“When we were little and playing pee-wee ball, (Marquez) would be there for me,” Kavon said. “He’d be like, ‘Hey Kavon, you need to do this, you need to do that.’ I realized that he was always there trying to support me.”

In 2010, Kavon entered CCHS. A year later, Kavon joined Marquez, a 5’10” 232

“When someone would come up to Marquez and compliment him on something, Kavon had to make sure that someone noticed him too.

Photo by Porter McLeod

SPORTS

-- JACKIE WILLIAMS, Kavon’s mother

Above Right: BACKING IT UP: The transition from running back to linebacker proved to benefit both Kavon and the varsity football team. Right: PEE WEE: Kavon is the youngest of three children in the Williams family. “He’s the little one, my baby,” Jackie said.

May 2014

Photo courtesy of Jackie Williams

lbs. starting fullback, on the varsity football team after playing junior varsity a year prior. At 5’4” 150 lbs., Kavon was place at third-string running back.

“I was like: ‘I work hard, and I get nothing out of it.’ It made me feel like I’m not getting looked at,” Kavon said. “It made me feel like I’m invisible.”

Kavon believes that this feeling of invisibility was in large part due to the shadow cast by his brother’s accomplishments -- the starting job at fullback and a full ride to Mars Hill College in North Carolina.

“The fact that it seems like I’m leaning on (Marquez’s) fame (angers me),” Kavon said. “I want my own fame, and when I’m getting looked at it’s always as ‘Marquez’s

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Photo courtesy of Jackie Williams

SPORTS

Above: IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY: Kavon and Marquez constantly competed during their youth, but both felt they were always supportive of the other.

“It was a hate-love relationship with my brother, but at the end of the day he always helped me out with whatever,” Kavon said. Opposite Page: LIKE MOTHER, LIKE SON: Though Kavon wasn’t able to spend as much time as he would have liked with his mother, Jackie, the two have a closs bond.

little brother.’ I’m not getting looked at as ‘that guy Kavon.’ I’m good enough relationship with Marquez became all about business. within myself.” “(Marquez) was trying to get on with life, get into school, try to find somewhere, Jackie also witnessed competition between Kavon and Marquez. so he just was grinding,” Kavon said. “I was trying to work my way up myself.”

“When someone would come up to Marquez and compliment him on someSince then, Jackie has seen her sons forge a more caring bond. thing, Kavon had to make sure that someone noticed him too,” Jackie said. “To “They work together now as a unit and have grown to love each other more, me, Kavon always felt like he had to compete with Marquez and I never wanted be more helpful to each other and just know that they’re family,” Jackie said. him to feel that way.”

The ensuing summer, Self appointed Kavon to a new position in 7-on-7 Contrary to his belief, coaches kept record of Kavon’s ability to remain competitions -- linebacker. humble and dedicated.

In the first play of the first day of fall camp in 2012, Kavon made a hit on “Kavon came in and did a really good job of recognizing that he was a senior offensive lineman Durmario Price that would cement his new identity on younger guy, kept quiet, watched and learned,” defense and usurp from his linebackers coach and director of football operations “When I left, I told him that it was his brother’s legacy.

Chris Hulse said. “As time went on, he definitely “The ball was snapped, team, his year and left it up to him to became one of our leaders.” the window opened up and Kavon also had the opportunity as the younger (Kavon) went straight ahead lead and make good decisions.” sibling to learn from Marquez’s mistakes, dubbing him full speed and exploded into the “good bad example.”

Durmario Price,” Self said.

-- MARQUEZ WILLIAMS, “That’s when I looked over at “One night in (Marquez’s) sophomore year, he Kavon’s brother (defensive line coach Marcus was sitting out there on the field late at night and would not run for nothing,” Kavon said. “Some years Washington) and said, ‘We’ve later, he was like: ‘I don’t want you to be like that. Be better.’” found us another linebacker.’”

As the older brother, Marquez wanted to ensure that Kavon made the right Kavon also grew and matured considerably betwe en his sophomore and decisions. junior years, weighing in at 5’8” 166 lbs.

“I taught (Kavon) the way he needed to lead,” Marquez said. “When I left, “In the weight room, there’s no question that (Kavon) works hard and I told him that it was his team, his year and left it up to him to lead and make pushes himself. When he comes out of there, he’s drenched in sweat. He prided good decisions.” himself on being one of the strongest players on the team especially for his Though they had a mutual respect for one another, Kavon and Marquez size,” Self said. focused on their own paths.

Early on, however, defensive teammates were unsure if Kavon possessed the “(Marquez) was supportive to a certain extent,” Kavon said. “He looked out relentlessness and football savvy needed to excel at the linebacker position. for me alright, but I had to do everything else on my own no matter what. I had “When they moved him to the defensive side I was a little iffy because I to do everything to get to where I’m at.” thought he had lost that ‘dog’ in him,” senior linebacker Cedric Armstrong said.

In their final year together at Clarke Central High School, Kavon feels that his “He proved me wrong.”

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May 2014

SPORTS That year, Kavon led the team with 83 tackles and earned First-Team Athens Banner-Herald All-Northeast Georgia Football team.

“A lot of the time when I went up against linemen, I didn’t have the most strength, but the things that gave me the stats that I had were, one, my defensive linemen up front, and two, my athleticism that can’t be coached,” Kavon said. “I’m not trying to ride my horse, honestly, but if you go watch my highlights, there’s some things that I did on there that are uncoachable.”

Following his 2012 performance, Kavon started to receive interest from colleges about playing at the next level.

“After his junior year, I started getting letters from schools,” Self said. “Colleges knew him, especially with his stats. He started getting looks right after his junior year and it continued on through the fall.”

Finally, in his senior year, Kavon culminated his athleticism, physicality and experience to notch a team-high 107 tackles and earn a spot on the Region

8-AAAAA Coaches All-Region team. “(Kavon)’s one of the most productive linebackers ever here, you can’t argue with that with numbers,” Self said. “With his hard work, dedication to football and his love for the game, he’s left a hard road to follow for somebody else.”

On April 5, 2014, Kavon chose to follow his brother’s path once again, signing with Mars Hill on a football scholarship.

“I don’t really have a problem with being overshadowed (by Marquez). I don’t think that will happen again. We’ll have our own lives on campus, but (Mars Hill) is all I had. I just had to take advantage,” Kavon said.

No one is more overjoyed by this outcome than Jackie.

“I’m as proud as a parent could be,” Jackie said. “With (Kavon) about to graduate high school, I’m glad that he’s going to Mars Hill with his brother and I feel like (Marquez) is going to help him a lot with him just starting out. I’m ecstatic.”

The game on a cold November night drudges on monotonously. With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, the Gladiators are up 38-15 on CSHS. Jaguar sophomore quarterback Greg Smith hands off to senior running back Adrian Washington. In an instant, the ball slips from Washington’s grasp.

The ball finds its way into Kavon’s hands. In a brief moment in which time seems to stand still, a feeling of euphoria bubbles up inside Kavon. He explodes past the crowd of players, nothing but green grass between him and his goal.

And in that moment, Kavon sprinted past his troubles, past his tense relationships with his parents and out of the shadow of his brother. Football was always his medium of expression, and this play was his masterpiece.

He would never look back.

Photo by Porter McLeod

May 2014

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SPORTS

Despite the behind-the-scenes nature of the job, junior Amy Hoyt’s connection with the football team makes her...

More than a watergirl

T

he first week of school of my sophomore year would discover whether or not that bond would continue into the off season.

I found my way to the training room, a place I had become so close with not only the boys, but with the coaches and the I didn’t even know existed. I signed up to training staff. I was afraid something that had been such a dominant part of my be a student trainer for the 2012-13 CCHS football life for the past three or four months would just vanish. season. There were around 10 other girls signing Walking through the hall every single coach and player I saw spoke to me. up for the exact same thing, but by the second They didn’t have to include me in that seemingly exclusive bond they share, week, I was the they could’ve easily gone the whole season just only one left. me as a watergirl and nothing more, but

BY AMY HOYT During the season, I always felt seeing It’s a little weird they didn’t.

Sports Writer being the only girl on like I was a part of that bond, It may seem over dramatic to say that I feel a field of 70 boys, and I really can’t remember honored to be a part of something like that, but but I wondered if that feeling how it got any less awkward than it was in the there’s no other way to explain it. beginning. I just know that by the end of the Coming back for a second year as a trainer would continue after the season season, those 70 boys became some of my was something I was undecided on, but after came to an end. closest friends. going to watch the CCHS vs. North Oconee Football is always talked about as being a High School scrimmage at the start of the 2013brotherhood, but I don’t think people really understand why. Mat drills and 14 season I was eager to get back on the field. morning workouts start in February, spring season begins in April, summer Once you’ve experienced a whole season on the sidelines that close workouts take place over the entire break and the regular season starts as soon to the action, sitting in the stands just isn’t the same. Especially since the as school begins. It’s no wonder that a group of people that spend so much time people I would’ve been sitting in the stands with -- my friends -- were on together would form a bond like the boys have. the field playing.

During the season, I always felt like I was a part of that bond, but I wondered That feeling of eagerness was so overwhelmingly strong that I knew right if that feeling would continue after the season came to an end. then that I would be signing up to join the team again. I really enjoyed learning Coming back to school the week after CCHS lost to East Paulding High about athletic training and sports medicine, but that feeling is the reason why I School in the first round of the AAAAA state playoffs was scary. It was when I went back. The feeling of being more than a watergirl.

Below: IN THE ACTION: Although junior Amy Hoyt is not a football player, she spends more time on the football fields than most. Working with the Clarke Central High School football team, as a student trainer, is where she feels like she belongs the most.

Cartoon by Mary Merritt

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May 2014

SPORTS

Down goes Dunwoody Gladiators faced Dunwoody High School in the first round of the Georgia State 8-AAAAA playoffs.

Above: WAR READY: Clarke Central High School senior defender Italo Pastor pumps up his team before the game kicks off. “I wouldn’t say we expected to win.

We’re just more focused and inclined to win because we know that a loss means the end of the season,” Pastor said. Left: SPEED RACER: Junior forward Gerardo Arteaga bolts down the field swerving through defenders to advance the ball.

Bottom Right: SWEET VICTORY: Arteaga and senior midfielder Gabe Arcos rejoice together after Arteaga scored his second goal of the night. The Gladiators won 3-0 against Dunwoody High School on May 2.

I

n the first round of the 8-AAAAA boys varsity Georgia State Playoffs, the Dunwoody High School varsity soccer team traveled to Billy Henderson Stadium on May 2 to face off against the No. 1 seed: the Clarke Central High School Gladiators.

Both the Wildcats and Gladiators started the match off slowly, and as the first half came to a close, the two teams were evenly matched. Neither side was able to nab a goal, and after 40 minutes of play, the score was 0-0.

In the beginning of the second half, junior forward Gerardo Arteaga scored two consecutive goals at the 35 and 33-minute mark by evading the Wildcat defenders on breakaways.

“I was just really proud for getting two goals in a playoff game, and happy for my team because we took the lead and took possession the rest of the game,” Arteaga said.

To compliment Arteaga, senior midfielder Matthew Ward added a goal of his own with 17 minutes left. At the end of the match, the Wildcats were shut out by the Gladiators 3-0. CCHS will advance to the second round of the State Playoffs and will face Riverwood High School at CCHS. “I had a feeling we were going beat Dunwoody because of the way we prepared and practiced for them and how we were playing so good as a team this season,” senior defender Eddy Guiterrez said.

PAGE BY CHAD RHYM Copy Editor

May 2014

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SPORTS

Jump on it Despite the abundance of local professional teams, plenty of Georgians send their support elsewhere due to the bandwagon effect.

Santana Baldwin Grade: 10 Sport: Varsity track Years experience: 4 GPA: 3.0

Game day ritual: “I listen to music.”

Favorite game memory: “My favorite game memory was when I won region in the 200 meter.”

What coaches say: “This is her second year working with us and we are looking forward to her coming back next year being a stronger athlete and helping the team out.

She is extremely motivated and works hard in practice. She knows on meet days it is a different level (of competition), and she gets in her zone and gets focus. She knows how to turn it up when it is time to.”

-- Reginald Thomas, head coach

Photo by Chad Rhym

ODYSSEY Star Players are selected based on their academic standing and commit-

ment to teammates, their sports program and Clarke Central High School. Star Players are selected each month by the Sports staff based on interviews with players and coaches.

Zach Meyers

Grade: 9 Sport: Junior varsity baseball Years experience: 7 GPA: 4.0 Game day ritual: “Think about what I am going to do first and then listen to music and calm down.”

O

ut of the large majority of non-die hard sports fans, most pick a traditionally good team because it’s easy to do so. As such, it’s not uncommon to find Los Angeles teams supported in Georgia.

Purple and gold in Athens? Really?

This phenomenon is considered jumping on the proverbial bandwagon.

The casual fan finds ways to relate with the upper echelon of sports teams. The excuses could range from “My grandfather lived in Miami for a month, I’m a Heat fan,” or “I went on vacation for three days in Durham, N.C. Duke is my team.”

People cheer for sports teams because of the gratification they from cheering for the winning side. No one has the pride required to power through devastating seasons, horrible losses and years of heartbreak.

If a home team has had multiple tough seasons and finally beat out the horrible losing days, doesn’t it make the victory that much sweeter?

Junior and varsity football player Raphael Bryan believes it’s important to find a middle ground.

“If you’re just starting to get into a sport, being a bandwagon fan is really how you pick a team to pull for, but everyone should be following their home teams,” Bryan said.

An outstanding example of this practice is how droves of fans started supporting the Texas A&M football team led by Johnny Manziel.

Manziel excelled as an athlete and made his way around the pop culture scene while earning quite a name for himself. The instant he became the star quarterback on the team, new “fans” flocked from far and wide.

“I believe that if the team in question is good then they deserve the praise they get,” sophomore Autumn Venson-Roscoe said. “I’m not going to say these major teams are my favorite just because my friends says so.”

However, it seems off-putting. If one spots a Yankees jersey in the South, it’s completely acceptable. Go back 25 years, and you’d have a hard time making it through downtown Atlanta with anything but a Braves jersey.

BY JOHN HUBBARD Buissness Staff

Cartoon by Tiger Villaveces

Inspiration: Freddie Freeman Favorite game memory: “My favorite game memory was when I was twelve, and I pitched the whole game, and nobody scored any runs.”

What coaches say: “Zach is very driven, intellectual and doesn’t take no for an answer. If it is the mount, the bench, second base, he is the same player, which in baseball is a very good thing.”

-- Trey Henson, head coach Photo by Porter McLeod

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Above: Many times, fans jump on the bandwagon and support only the most successful teams.

May 2014

5

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT GABE ARCOS

BY GABE ARCOS, senior varsity soccer player AS TOLD TO KENDARIUS STURDIVANT PHOTO AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PORTER MCLEOD LAYOUT BY BRITTNEY BUTLER

May 2014

SPORTS 1. BEGINNING EARLY I’ve been playing soccer for as long as I can remember. I used to play in Chile when I was four, so I’ve been playing about 14 years. When I was little, it was my dream to be a professional soccer player. I never played on a team until I moved to the United States when I was 10. Then, I played for Athens United, a local club, for a year, and I stopped when I took a break in seventh grade.

2. THE NEXT LEVEL My ninth grade year, I tried out for the Olympic Development Program state team, and I made it. I played there for two years. The skill level and the pace was just way different from where I was. These were kids at the highest level in Georgia and I didn’t think I was going to make it, but it turned out that I was good enough and it changed my view on the game.

3. INTRODUCTION TO SUCCESS My freshman year, I was a starter on varsity. That was pretty big for me. I realized I was good enough to hang with these varsity guys as a freshman, and that was a big deal.

Being able to score in games was great. The Cedar Shoals High School game my freshman year was the best. I never knew how to play in a rival match and that was pretty big because of the adrenaline that goes on. My junior year we made it to the Elite 8, and winning region was pretty big.

4. REMEMBERING THE REASON My grandpa is my biggest influence. He is the one that I want to make proud when I’m on the field and I’m thankful for GITV because he can get to watch my home games. On the phone we will be talking about the game and he tells me he is proud, and that really makes me proud. Back in the day, he was a beast at soccer. When he comes to visit, we train. He was a really smart player and everything I learned from soccer, I learned from him.

5. GOING SOLO My sophomore year, my dad got this job at the University of North Carolina and he accepted it. My whole family would have had to move to North Carolina and I was devastated because I didn’t want to move. I already had my soccer and my entire high school career in Athens and I didn’t want to leave my friends.

I just couldn’t do it. We decided that I had some soccer opportunities here, and I decided that I could live with the Ward family. I just stayed here in Athens and go visit my family whenever we have a break. It has been like that for two years now.

It is tough because I am on my own, and I am still in high school. Especially now that I’m in the whole college process because I’m having to do it over the phone. It’s just stressful, but it has really prepared me for college and the future.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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May 2014