The AHS Meridian: Labyrinth

Vol . I

Labyrinth

Disclaimer This publication is a forum for students to openly express themselves.

All art, literature, and photography was submitted by students of Alpharetta High School and selected by a committee of The Meridian staff students before being accepted. The pieces accepted into the magazine represent the diverse views and opinions of the creators themselves.

The works in any way, shape, or form, do not represent the opinions of Alpharetta High School staff, administration or Fulton County Schools.

Special Thanks Thank you to Dr. Kersey for her support of our publication.

Thank you to all of our patrons, past and future!

2

Dear Students, A Letter to High School Students | Carmen Hamilton

4

Unspoken Rules of AHS | Alexa Banke

6

Which AP Exams Have Low Passing Rates and Why? | Sara Lawrence

7

Which AP Classes Have High Passing Rates on the Exam? | Savanna Stewart

8

You're Not Pathetic So Be Empathetic | Casey Aghedo

10

How the Fires in the Amazon Rainforest Contribute to Global Warming | Samira Squires

12

Ode to Amazonia | Sabrina Powell

14

Finding Your Way Around AHS | Gracie Clement

11

New Student Advice | Njeri Lewis

16

I ntroducing I nternational Baccalaureate | Dana Alamoudi and Ally Metcalf

18

Getting Your Voice Heard: Why You Should Vote and How to Do I t | Bella Philip

20

A Brief Guide to the Democratic Presidential Candidates | Allen Anderson

22

The Rise of Esports | Kaytlin Tabb

28

A Generation Addicted to Their Phones | Cassie Bizzarro

31

Experience the National Park Service with the Youth Conservation Corps | Richard Little

32

I nteresting Extracurricular | Hamza Chougle

34

The Growing Community in Downtown Alpharetta | Kalada Nwuke

36

AHS 2019-2020 Football Prediction | Tyler Medina

34

How to Survive Freshman Year | Durva Pai

35

High School vs. Reality | Shiri Tsfany

40

High School: Anxiety, Pressure, Competitiveness | I sabella Zeman

42

How Can We Learn to Expand our Social Comfort Zone in AHS? | Katelyn Rodriguez

44

The Struggles of High School | Ava Pettenson

46

New Teachers | Siri Vinjamara

48

I 'm Not Gay | Chit Thu

50

Outfit Basics | Zuri Brown

51

The Best and Worst of School Cafeteria Food | Olivia McKenzie

52

Senior Year is an I llusion | Lucinda Warnke

55

Lab-yrinth | Kyle Wong

56

New Fashion Trends of Fall 2019 | Jennifer Light

58

Rising Star | Kondwani Kamanga

60

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Dear Reader,

Aletter tohigh school students

I hope this letter finds you well. I ?m not gonna lie to you: High School will push you past your breaking point. You might have some midnight panic attacks along the way, but you will be a senior in no time. High School, like friendship, is what you make it; you might not find your best friends right away but they are definitely worth searching for. I n the meantime, remember no one is perfect so don?t expect them to be. Not every friend has to be your best friend and not every relationship is the be-all and end-all. I t?s possible that you might lose friends along the way but it is important that you stay true to yourself. You might not know who you are yet , and that is okay because the good news is YOU ARE NOT ALONE even though you might feel like that sometimes. You are not the only one that failed the first AP World test or procrastinated summer work. You are not the only student that is stressed, unsure, or just plain tired. High School might be easy for some? but for others it might prove to be challenging. You might feel pressured to fit in, lose weight, dye your hair, or have a Hydro Flask? to be cool. But, remember there are more than 2,300 students at Alpharetta that are trying to navigate their lives as well. Like them, you will have good days and bad. But you can?t lose sight of your goals. You must embrace your failures and mistakes.

This is what makes you who you are.

Best Wishes, Carmen Hamilton

4

P.S: I t?s okay to sit alone at lunch, but never walk slowly in the hallways.

Seriously.

P.S: I t?s okay to sit alone at lunch, but never walk slowly in the hallways. Seriously.

5

UnspoAutho kenr: AleRxaule s o f AHS Banke Here at Alpharetta High School, there is an established underlying basis of how students interact around the school. These ?rules", although not sanctioned by administration, are how the students of Alpharetta High are able to maintain an orderly fashion within the school environment.

For example, although not specifically said by the students, it is accepted by all four grade levels that seniors sit in the far left section of the cafeteria with the circular tables and booths while juniors are located to the right of seniors at the first section of long tables, sophomores to the right of them, and finally freshman at the far right end of the cafeteria. This keeps all grade levels in their respective areas and allows Pictured: Cassie Bizzarro

for an improved environment during lunch.

These ground rules also apply to behavior in the hallways. I t is understood by the majority of the student body that the right side of the hallway is where to walk. The speed at which the students walk is also uniform. For example, it is easier if everyone walks at a steady pace, that is quick enough to ensure that everyone can get to class on time, but not too fast that students are trampled. Occasionally, students try to push their way through the over crowded halls and the result is chaos in the halls with students being pushed and knocked over.

Another unspoken rule at Alpharetta High School is that seniors get senior priority. This means that the senior class is supposed to get the top two lots in the parking lots because they are closest to the school. This rule has been around for countless generations throughout the history of the school. However this year, senior priority was taken away and juniors got senior lot spots and seniors got junior lot spots. After realizing that this created an uproar among the senior student body, the administration decided to return it back during the second semester.

However, because these rules are unofficial and not held by the school itself, there are a select few students every year who believe that they are above the basis of how Alpharetta High functions within the student body. For example, some juniors take it upon themselves to steal seats from seniors in the senior section or clump in the hallways and block others from getting to class while disrupting the flow of foot traffic. Despite the annoying tendencies of these few exceptions, the majority of the student body at Alpharetta High School follows the expectations set by their peers to maintain the school environment.

6

Which APExamsHaveLowPassing Ratesand Why? Senior year was a week away, and already there was a groupchat brimming with are rigorous college courses AP classes notifications regarding designed for high school students, and some are tailgates, college info notoriously challenging. According to Prep Scholar, sessions, and car painting the four lowest passing rates in 2019 were English in the school parking lot. I Literature and Composition (50.1%), Environmental sat on my porch, scrolling Science Human Geography (49.1%), and through (49.6%), the myrad of Physics 1 (44.6%). messages, feeling a certain disconnect from I t is hard to determine whether a course?s the excitement. content or other factors contribute to its low passing Perhaps if it was 1950, I ?d rate. AP Physics 1 teachers from Alpharetta High be soaking in the same School, Gretchen Adegbaju and Padmavathi euphoria as everyone else.

Molugoori, gaveasome I n an era where high insight on this topic. school ?AP diploma was1the Physics covers a lot of content in key to success, I would be extreme depth? Adegbaju stated. reveling in my final lack of deep reasoning and the ability to monthsAof childhood, my

SaraLawrence

been increasing as college degrees have become more and more vital to a middle-class wage.

Even after getting into college, there is little escape from the strain to succeed. I n modern Physics 1 had thedebt lowest passing rate on the 2019 of letting me go in times, good grades are AP Exam. for the next twentythat years Questions students are not familiar simply not enough to (Not to mention the with appear on AP Exams, which tests if enter the workforce out stress of taking multiple of college, as many students can apply what they learned.

AP classes in order to professional jobs now makers aren?t consistent,? impress?The said test colleges; so ask for experience. This much Adegbaju for aadded. simple requires many students senior year). give upare their She stressed that to teachers not always summers to to Iaware n today?

America, of show much of the test willinbeorder devoted take on an internship. stress and anxiety, a topic, which makes preparation challenging.

A study conducted by especially in "Not every schoolMount has the resources to Holyoke College hyper-competitive future peering overcould the explain why some students schools recentlyAdegbaju determined apply information Alpharetta, supportlike student achievement," said. horizon.

The only barrier college students that is on theShe rise.

Accordingthat fail the AP Exam. mentioned lab equipment is between me and being have pursued multiple a recent poll Regarding why AP Physics C?s passing rate in tohelpful to demonstrate concepts, but some free to make my own internships were far conducted by the 2019 was over 70%, Molugoori explained, ?They were schools lack this resource. choices and build a family American Psychological more likely to have a already trained in Physics 1.? or career would be the jobof inAP thecourses six months Association, high school ?Students take a lot and are I n AP Physics 1, a strong math background is nine month span between students a higher not ablereport to focus on just after one,?graduation Molugoori than stated. crucial for success, which the higher-level course August and May. their peers who didn?t. average stress level I f a student is overloaded with AP during the school year With so much pressure already and many other AP courses require I nstead,has, it?s 2019, and the courses, they don't often succeed on every exam. than most adults do at waiting for us background to build foundation upon as well. only thing waiting fora me seniors any timeOverall, during some the APcollege-bound courses are simply is the dystopian process of Molugoori believes that some students do well year. Much of this stress after high school, we more challenging than others, but there are also summarizing my life in the course but fail the AP Exam because ?they are can be attributed to the owe it to ourselves to experiences on a single many external factors involved that determine crushing pressure to get ask, ?is this really what looking at new things on the [test].? document, begging whether students pass the exam. into a respected college we?ve been waiting colleges for the privelege 7 or university, which has for??

Edwards, Halle. ?These Are the Hardest AP Classes and Tests for You.? PrepScholar, https://blog.prepscholar.com/hardest-ap-classes-and-tests.

Which APClassesHaveHigh Passingrateson theExam?

Honors and AP classes are the pride and joy of Alpharetta High School. Out of the two thousand plus teenagers that attend AHS, quite a few turn towards honors courses freshman year, preparing themselves for AP classes. Although AHS M r . W om ack i n h i s 5t h p er i od AP L i t er at u r e cl ass

offers a number of AP classes, the question remains: which AP classes have high passing rates on the exams and why?

After interviewing AHS AP teachers in different

subjects, a majority of subjects taught here had passing rates of over 60% of their students in the 2018-2019 school year. Ms.

and the work ethic of the students taking the course.

Furthermore, another math teacher at AHS, Ms. Kaczkowska, who teaches BC Calculus, found that only ?eight of [her] students got ones? on the exam. Throughout the year, students in this course are taking tests modeled after the AP exam, but she said that ?the five?s are very hard-working students with very good skills with math and have fun with it?; the hard-working students ?will get a three or four, but gifted students have a chance for a five?.

Davis, a teacher at AHS, said that out of the 61 students in her classes that took the AP Statistics exam, 32.8% received a 5 on their exams.

She concluded that ?one of the reasons? teenagers either succeed or ?flop?a class is determined by ?the attitude and the work ethic of the students taking the course.

The same general trends apply for AP classes in the subject of Social Studies, Language Arts, and Science.

Coach Floyd, an AP World History teacher, had, ?70% of [his]students get a four or five? on the AP exam last year; however, this course has proven to be the most strenuous and exhausting AP course a student can take.Similarly, Dr. Payne, an AP Chemistry teacher at AHS, recorded that ?[she] reached 100% passing rates for all students taking the exam? with her mean score of a?4.13?. The passing 8

scores for this difficult exam show that the aspect of simply content?is not a primary factor as to why some receive

scores for this difficult

for the subject. The teachers

to put in the time and

exam show that the

interviews indirectly came to

determination will score a

aspect of simply content?

a census that while some

high grade.The answer to

is not a primary factor as

courses have harder

the question simply lies in

to why some receive

material and require more

the hands and minds of

better scores.

effort, the students willing

the students.

Each teacher gave their opinion why students have more success in certain subjects than others. Mr. Womack, an AP Literature teacher, said that ?if a kid is not interested in a particular subject? then they won?t try as hard while being ?hardworking in a class they are passionate about?. What Mr. Womack spoke of is like the words of Ms. Kaczkowska.

Do different subjects have different passing rates for exams that change from year to year? Yes, but the reasoning as to why there can be such a vast

D r .Payn e, an AP Ch em i st r y t each er s.

difference in scores is based primarily on the student?s ability to work hard and have a passion 9

You'reNot PatheticSoBeEmpathetic CaseyAghedo Bored out of my life, Swivelling in the seat, She came in meekly, Shuffling her feet.

?I s the counselor free right now??

The light bounces off her cheek and her eyes shine.

She?s been crying. ?No she?s not free-?

She lets out a sigh that I feel in my heart, so I continue, ?-but I am! Sit down, what?s wrong??

She starts to deny, but I ?ve already moved my chair, so she sits and spills.

Though she was small, putting myself in her shoes wasn?t hard.

Looking at them, I see myself. We mingle together, all of us going to our different destinations.

I n corners some stop and cry and suddenly they become invisible. I n trying to be respectful, we turn our faces away and ignore their pain.

A cry for help going unheard.

Though they?re not my emotions, I see them, and I feel them. The boredom, the exhaustion, the stress, the turmoil. Being able to relate to people in this way, I never feel alone.

We are all growing, maturing, and as we do that, we all need to understand that actions, that emotions, get more complex.

Picture by Rounce, Shane, " Team Building at RGB Parkour Tour back in 2014", Unsplash, 2014.

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That we can?t see things as black and white anymore. We as a community, full of differing people, with extreme opposites on either side of the spectrum, should still be able to come together and care.

Care about the classmate you?ve seen crying in the stairway for the third time in a row.

Care about the boy who couldn?t understand his classwork and the teacher was no help, whose money got stolen and he couldn?t eat lunch, who just got projects three different projects due on the same day, and when his books were bumped from his hands, he had a breakdown.

Share one?s sufferings.

Understand that your personal beliefs don?t really matter if they prevent you from reaching out and doing good, leaving your imprint on someone?s memories.

Conflict comes from misunderstanding.

When people get into arguments, it?s usually because they?re saying the same words, but they mean two different things.

Empathy is not getting mad.

I t is stopping to figure out what you both mean.

I t is recognizing that your experiences are not the same as anyone else?s.

I t is being big enough to recognize and understand where the other person is coming from. Even when you disagree. Especially when you disagree.

Saying you?ll change and fiercely believing you?ll be better isn?t the same thing as actively trying.

Conviction is worthless unless it becomes conduct and that conduct only matters if it actually helps.

Picture by Grone, Perry, https://unsplash.com/photos/lbLgFFlADrY

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HowtheFiresin TheAmazon Rainforest ContributetoGlobal Warming SamiraSquires For the last month in Southwest Brazil,

atmospheric chemicals, the reaction contributes

the largest rainforest has been abnormally

to the hole in the ozone layer, which is a

ablaze. The Amazon Rainforest, 5.1 million

depletion in Earth?s protective material. This

square miles of dense plant life, is home to

enables a higher concentration of UV rays to

around 10 million species of animals

reach the surface, further warming the Earth

(SoftSchools). Since 2015, The Amazon has had a

(National Geographic).

35 percent increase of fires, both man-made and

Along with the release of carbon

natural. The widespread fires were originally

monoxide, the fires burn thousands of trees,

caused by cattle ranchers who illegally burned

which convert carbon dioxide to oxygen.

portions of the Amazon to create room for cattle,

According to Earth Observatory, The Amazon

but due to the dry climate the fires rapidly

Rainforest is responsible for a significant amount

spread and became uncontrollable. The fires

of carbon dioxide absorption and oxygen

have released over 100-160 parts per billion by

creation through photosynthesis. Also, carbon

volume of carbon monoxide into the air. Luckily,

dioxide is a heat trapping molecule that keeps

the cloud is low in the atmosphere, not affecting

the Earth at a hospitable temperature, but a large

local air quality, as stated in an article by Vox.

increase will cause the global temperature to rise.

However, when mixed with sunlight and other

12

This rise is commonly known as global

increased pollution (Earth Observatory). The

warming. When the global temperature rises, the

foriegn materials create a toxic environment for

dry season is elongated. The dry weather creates

sea life. I n an article by NASA, along with sea

a more likely chance of wildfires and droughts.

life, land animals will begin migrating to cooler

The dry weather is what originally allowed the

areas and begin adapting to the warmer climate,

fires to escalate. Global warming also melts the

changing the natural ecosystem.

polar ice caps, and affects the normal weather patterns. Hurricanes,

As the Amazon burns, it leaves thousands

tropical storms,

and floods are predicted to

of

increase, as

stated by Geophysical Fluid Laboratory. As the ice caps

animals without their natural habitat and

releases chemicals that forever change the

Dynamics

atmosphere. Without The Amazon the world will

melt, the sea

have to make drastic adaptations to losing the

level will rise and the ocean will

become

largest rainforest and one of the biggest animal

more acidic because it absorbs

the

habitats.

?Amazon Rainforest Facts.? Amazon Rainforest Facts www.softschools.com/ facts/ wonders_of_the_world/ amazon_rainforest_facts/ 98/ . Brown, Shelby. ?Amazon Rainforest Fires: I ndigenous Tribal Lands Are Burning. Here's How to Help.? CNET, 30 Aug. 2019, www.cnet.com/ how-to/ amazon-rainforest-fire-whats-happening-now-and-how-you-can-help- update-indigenous-tribes/ . ?Carbon Monoxide.? NASA, NASA, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ global-maps/ MOP_CO_M. ?Global Warming and Hurricanes.? GFDL, www.gfdl.noaa.gov/ global-warming-and-hurricanes/ . Shindell, Drew. ?Understanding Carbon Monoxide as Pollutant and as Agent of Climate Change.?

NASA, NASA, Feb. 2007, www.giss.nasa.gov/ research/ briefs/ shindell_09/ .

I rfan, Umair. ?The Amazon Rainforest's Worst-Case Scenario I s Uncomfortably Near.? Vox, Vox Media, 27 Aug. 2019, www.vox.com/ 2019/ 8/ 27/ 20833275/ amazon-rainforest-fire-wildfire-dieback. Slezak, Michael, et al. ?From Space, You Can Clearly See the Human I mpact on 'Earth's Lungs'.? ABC News, 18 Sept. 2019, www.abc.net.au/ news/ 2019-09-19/ satellite-images-of-amazon-reveals-human-impact-of-fires/ 11478580. Thiessen, Mark. ?The Facts about Ozone Depletion.? Ozone Depletion Facts and I nformation, National Geographic, 18 Apr. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/ environment/ global-warming/ ozone-depletion/ .

13

OdetoAmazonia treetops,

Hearts everywhere sank like a lung in exhale with every new headline, gloomy and bleak:

and we listen to the birdsong from the television screen,

thoughts and prayers! a thousand empty voices chorus.

and we dream of words like extinguish,

we stand with the people of the Amazon.

awaken, wintertime.

but is there a patron saint of the forest we can pray to?

so here?s to you, Amazonia. redefine what

is there anywhere to stand that isn?t blackened?

it means to be reborn. until your rainwater baptism, we hold our

?burnt? is a word that means irreversible, irreparable damage; it?s a word that tastes like white-hot coals and tobacco smoke. it?s a word that splinters and destroys, melting things like iron and wood and faith, collapsing monuments that weren?t meant to fall ?

but ?hope? is a word that means sanctuary. there are no songs to sing praises of the Amazon, so we listen to the echoes hidden in the

14Powell Sabrina

breath.

Findingyour Way Around A.H.S. I magine being a freshman during the first week of school. Pretty intense right?

Attending a new school can be intimidating.

Alpharetta High School has a lot of different classrooms and multiple hallways which can seem overwhelming. When I was in 9th grade, everyday I was so stressed about finding my class. There a few ways to help prevent this from happening.

I f you find yourself in the wrong hallway or floor, look at the numbers located on the entrance to each hallway. This helped me a lot.

For example, the 2200 hallway is the closest to the entrance of the school, which is on the main floor near the front office. The 2300 hallway is upstairs along with 3300 and 4300. I often got lost trying to find the 5200 hallway. I soon realized that this is located past the 4200 hallway on the main floor.

I remember trying to find the 2200 hallway and I walked around the entire school in a panic.

I had no idea where I was and I was too scared to ask for help. I finally learned that it is totally okay to ask other students or staff for help, especially if you can not find your classroom. Even though I am a senior I still get lost. Even though Alpharetta High School can seem intimidating and scary, once you find your way around, it isn?t so bad.

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NewStudent Advice -Njeri Lewis New friends, new environment, new beginnings. I know, transferring to a new school can be hard.

But, with these few tips, the transition to a new school will be much easier to handle.

1. Try to reach out to people. I n other words, get yourself out there. Find someone in one of your classes and mention that your new. One close friend

Corl, Eric Road Start! January 24 201

can go a long way. They can introduce 4. Start on a positive note. I know

you to their friends and that one friend

transferring schools is hard and it's

can turn into five friends just like that.

definitely not fun when you don't know anyone. But, being negative about it will

2. Choose your friends carefully. I know

definitely not help the situation. Connect

you probably will be in a rush to get

with your teachers and start off on their

friends quick, but choose wisely. Not

good side. Keep pushing on and try to stay

everyone you first meet is the best

as positive as possible. Who likes negative

option. Having good friends are better

people anyways?

than a bunch of fake ones. Stay away from bad influences and stay close to the people that will affect your future in a

5. Strive for high academic standards.

positive way.

Since it?s the start of a new school year, don't slack off on your grades. Stay

3. Join clubs or sports teams. Being

productive and stay on track by keeping up

teammates is a different type of bond.

with your tests, homework, quizzes, etc.

Once you?re on a team, knowing the

and by performing to the best of your

people that you work with is very

ability.

important. Bonds will automatically form due to spending time together.

This is another easy way to find friends and connect with people.

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6. Don?t believe everything that you hear. One

7. Be yourself. I know it?s cliche, but stay true

person?s opinion on someone or something

to yourself. Think before you make your

may be totally different from another's. Don't

decisions. Ask yourself, ?I s this necessary??,

base a conclusion on someone, just from one

?Will this negatively impact my life??, or

source of information. Find out for yourself

?What is the purpose of this??. I f you ask

and don't let other people have an opinion for

yourself these questions and you have a

you.

negative answer, don't do it.

.

I f you follow these quick and easy steps, transferring to a new school will be a breeze.

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IntroducingInternational Baccalaureate By: DanaAlamoudi and AllyMetcalf

Ally Metcalf: First year I B Diploma Programme Students

This year marks the first year that students will be able to graduate from Alpharetta High School with an I B diploma. I B stands for the I nternational Baccalaureate program, which was authorized to be practiced at AHS last year (2018). According to the official I B website, the purpose of the Diploma Programme is to, ?develop students who have excellent depth of knowledge ? students who flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.?

The I B Diploma Programme has six main subjects that students are required to take: language acquisition, sciences, arts, mathematics, individuals and societies, and studies of language and literature. Along with this, I B Diploma students are also required to complete the Theory of Knowledge course, an extended essay of 4 thousand words, and at least 150 hours of service tasks outside of school. Students may choose whether to take courses at the Standard Level or Higher Level, however, each student must take at least three classes at the Higher Level.

Many courses in the I B program are two years long, with a final test at the end of the second year. All I B students must earn at least 24 out of 45 points on the final to receive the I B Diploma.

According to www.ibo.org, ?universities recognize the DP as one of the highest standards in preparatory education.? The official I B website also claims that students who have taken the I B program before college reported feeling more prepared for higher education based on the skills they were taught during the Diploma Programme. However, many are still unsure of which courses will lead to greater success in college: Advanced Placement (AP) classes, or the I B programme.

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AP and I B programs are considered the highest level of courses that a student can take in high school. According to PrepScholar.com, I B program have more emphasis on developing writing and critical skills. They are more focused on the skills that students will achieve rather than just preparation for the exam. On the other hand, AP courses are concentrated on teaching students specific content and testing their knowledge of it on exams.

The AP program is American based and provides classes that high school students can earn credits for college. I B programs are internationally based and offer an integrated approach to learning. According to BestValueSchools.com, over 14 thousand public schools in the United States provide students with the AP program, compared to approximately 8 hundred that collaborate with the I B program.

Leila Dibai, a student at AHS, has undergone the challenges and experiences of both AP and I B courses. Her sophomore year of high school, she took AP Language and Composition, and now, a junior is taking I B Language year one. Her experience in an AP class was ?more focused on perfect scores and grades, while I B classes focus on personal growth.? While being assessed in an AP course, she believed that she ?had to live up to a certain expectation, like everyone has to be the same.? On the contrary, I B classes ?have felt more personal and focused on individuality, not feeling grouped with the rest of the class.?

Overall, AP and I B classes are courses with rigorous academic standards that help students prepare and possibly persist with credits in college. Both programs are designed for different students; many students may excel in some classes that others may not. Knowledge of both programs is essential in the process of determining which courses students should take.

19

GettingYour VoiceHeard Bel l a Phi l i p

WhyYou Should VoteAnd HowToDoIt

I f you care about combating climate change, you should vote.

I f you care about people in the LGBTQ+ community, you should vote.

I f you care about access to safe and legal reproductive services, you should vote.

I f you care about the integrity of our elections, you should vote.

I f you care about anything, anything at all? yeah, you guessed it. You sh ou l d vot e.

I

n my short, short life,

a price, if not for yourself,

a State Department

I ?ve heard many excuses

then for those in less

testimony about the

privileged positions.

?possibly catastrophic?

as to why people don?t.

Whether they don?t like politics, think their vote doesn?t count, or don?t feel

O

ne example of this

effects of human-caused

would be the climate

climate change. The

crisis. I f we elected officials

infamously ignorant tweets

inspired by the candidates

who made combating

just stoke the flames of both

(don?t get me started), the

climate change a priority,

literal and figurative fires.

end result is the same.

we?d certainly be in a better

According to fairvote.org,

place than we are now. Alas,

only about 60% of eligible

W

President Trump has been

argument with your racist

voters went to the polls in

dead set on lowering

Aunt Sally about Rep. I lhan

2016*, which was arguably

standards for the oil and gas

Omar not being an I SI S plant

one of the most contentious

industry, essentially

over Thanksgiving?s sweet

elections in our country?s

increasing methane

potato casserole, you can

recent history.

emissions and gutting the

vote minority candidates you

any people feel

Clean Power Plan, among

like into Congress.

strongly about the

other incredibly sane

M

issues above, yet decide not to take part in the process by which many of them will be legislated. The bottom line is, not getting involved comes at

decisions.

E

W

hat I ?m saying is, if you can get into an

hether you go to the polls or not, someone

ven the rhetoric of the

will win. Don?t let that

current administration

outcome happen to you.

in regards to climate change

Control your future.

is toxic, as it20 recently blocked

Vote.

A Guideto theResuscitation of American Democracy For New Voters Who Are Concerned About This Country's AcceleratingDescent IntoOligarchicRule

1

Do some research on the candidates.

You aren?t just voting for the next

president! Resources include I Side With and Ballotpedia are good resources for this. I f there's a candidate or issue you're particularly passionate about, canvass.

Bolin, Annie. ?Protest signs always...? Unsplash, April 4, 2018, https:/ / unsplash.com/ photos/ L2dMboUwyMg.

2

Register

to vote at My VP by

October 5th, 2020 to vote in the

general election for federal, state, and local offices. You have to be 17.5 years old and a U.S. citizen to register. Once done, check your voting location and make a plan.

Stallion, Elliot. ?Polling station sign door.? Unsplash, 24th June 2016, https:/ / unsplash.com/ photos/ 1UY8UuUkids.

3

On voting day, arrive between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m (varies). Remember to

bring a valid photo I D. Afterwards, buy yourself something nice for being an engaged citizen, because capitalism.

Carter, Josh. ?I Voted coupon...? Unsplash. November 6, 2018, https:/ / unsplash.com/ photos/ yQvcqyI m79U.

21

*FairVote.org. ?Voter Turnout.? FairVote, www.fairvote.org/ voter_turnout#voter_turnout_101. Accessed September 16th, 2019.

ABrief GuidetotheDemocratic Presidential Candidates Allen Anderson

22

I nformation on the five highest polling candidates for the Democratic Nomination Source: Politico/ Morning Consult - September 4, 2019

Headings

23

Joe Bi d en

Previous Positions: Vice President 2009-2017, Senator from Delaware 1973-2009, New Castle County Councilman 1970-1972

Bearer of Past Glory

After eight years as Vice President under Barack Obama, and two years of observation and commentary under President Trump, Biden is hoping to restore integrity and trust to the White House.

Principal issues: Preservation and expansion of the Affordable Care Act, securing funds for retired Americans, protecting elderly workers, reaffirming and recommitting to global alliances Polling at 32% P

David Lienemann: "Official portrait of Vice President Joe Biden"

Previous Positions: Senator from Vermont 2007-Present, House of Representatives Vermont-At Large 1991-2004, Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1982-1991 Sanders surged in popularity during the hotly contested 2016 presidential election, rallying the populous in record-setting civic engagement. He presented his defining ideology - democratic socialism - to a national audience. He aims to implement institutional reform to establish a better society for all people.

Principal issues: Universal healthcare, universal employment, minimum wage Kena Betancur: "Sanders holds his first presidential campaign rally at Brooklyn

raise, trust-busting, Green New Deal, student loan debt forgiveness, election

Ber n i e San d er s Left-Wing Populist Powerhouse

reform 24 Polling at 20%

El i zabet h W ar r en Progressive Runner-Up

Previous Positions: Senator from Massachusetts 2013-Present, Assistant to the President - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 2010-2012 A former conservative, Warren?s political evolution has led to establishing herself as a progressive front runner, rivaling Sanders. She has described herself as ?capitalist to her bones,? desiring to reform the market it so that it works for everyone.

Principal issues: Lobbying reform, trust-busting, ?Ultra-Millionaire Tax?, student loan debt forgiveness for the middle and lower classes Polling at 16%

John Locher: "Presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaks at an organizing event on February 17 in Las Vegas."

Previous Positions: Senator from California 2017-Present, Attorney General of California 2011-2017, District Attorney of San Francisco 2004-2011 Since joining the Senate at the time Trump ascended to the Presidency, Harris has been considered a serious presidential candidate for a while now, presenting herself as a true representative of the people as a woman of mixed race. Her lengthy career in law has driven her to restore and administer justice in the U.S. Principal I ssues: Criminal justice reform, immigration reform, protection of LGBT rights, increased gun control, raising teacher pay

Sean Rayford: "Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris of California addresses the crowd at the 2019 South Carolina Democratic Party State Convention"

K am al a H ar r i s

Polling at 8% 25

Scepter of the Law

Pet e Bu t t i gi eg Small Town Superstar

From CNN's 2020 Townhalls at South

by Southwest Previous Positions: Mayor of South Bend, I ndiana 2012-Present Veteran and mayor Pete Buttigieg rose to nation-wide prominence following his candidacy for the presidency, making history as the first openly gay presidential nominee in American history. As mayor of a city with over 100,000 people, he focused on urban and economic development, environmental preservation, and protection of LGBT rights. He plans to take these initiatives to the national stage.

Principal I ssues: LGBT rights, combating climate change, mental health care, and addiction support, developing rural America, infrastructural development, implementation of the Douglas Plan (?Empowerment of Black America?), reproductive rights.

Polling at 5% 26

References ?Bernie Sanders - Official Campaign Website.? Bernie Sanders - Official Campaign Website, https:/ / berniesanders.com/ .

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. ?Joe Biden.? Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, I nc., 4 Sept. 2019, https:/ / www.britannica.com/ biography/ Joe-Biden.

?Elizabeth Warren.? Elizabeth Warren, https:/ / elizabethwarren.com/ .

?Joe Biden For President 2020: Official Campaign Website.? Joe Biden for President, https:/ / joebiden.com/ .

?Kamala Harris For The People.? Kamala Harris For The People, https:/ / kamalaharris.org/ .

McNamee, Gregory Lewis. ?Bernie Sanders.? Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, I nc., 4 Sept. 2019, https:/ / www.britannica.com/ biography/ Bernie-Sanders.

McNamee, Gregory Lewis. ?Kamala Harris.? Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, I nc., https:/ / www.britannica.com/ biography/ Kamala-Harris.

?Pete Buttigieg for President - Official Campaign Website.? Pete For America, https:/ / peteforamerica.com/ .

Relman, Eliza. ?Pete Buttigieg I s Running for President in 2020.

Here's Everything We Know about the Candidate and How He Stacks up against the Competition.?

Business I nsider, Business I nsider, 13 Sept. 2019, https:/ / www.businessinsider.com/ who-is-pete-buttigieg-bio-age-family-key-positions-2019-3.

Wallenfeldt, Jeff. ?Elizabeth Warren.? Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, I nc., https:/ / www.britannica.com/ biography/ Elizabeth-Warren.

27

Kaytlin Tabb

TheRiseof Esports

WHATAREESPORTS?

Esports is a growing industry that stems from the professional playing of video games. These games include Overwatch, League of Legends, Defense of the Ancients 2 [DotA 2], Fortnite, Apex Legends, and more. All of these games have incredibly large followings, and when played on a professional level, their views increase even more.

There are a multitude of esports leagues, including more than 20 games and twice as many tournaments. Pioneers of the industry include: -

-

Over w at ch L eagu e: A 3-year-old professional gaming league funded by sponsors and the makers of the game: Blizzard Entertainment. There are 20 teams in the league, eight of which are international, and more teams are set to join.

Cal l of D u t y W or l d L eagu e:A 3-year-old professional gaming league centered around the games Call of Duty: Black Ops I I I , Black Ops I V, World War I I , and I nfinite Warfare. I t is funded by sponsors and the makers of the Pictured: Adam "Assault" Garcia, game: Activision.

Justin "SILLY" Fargo, Patrick "ACHES" Price, and Bryan "Apathy" Zhelyazkov.

28

WHEREARETHEYFOUND? -

Tournaments and matches are found on

multiple platforms. They are found on streaming platforms (Twitch and YouTube), channels on cable television (ESPN and DisneyXD), and live radio broadcasts from the competitions.

They are also available to watch as a live audience. Overwatch League has mainly been hosted at the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles, California for the past three years, Evolution Championship Fighting Series [EVO] has been hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada for the past 23 years, and the Smite World Cup has been hosted in Atlanta, Georgia for the past year.

-

Tournaments host thousands of attendees each year, and coupled with broadcasts on Twitch, have many viewers and supporters.

Notable tournaments include: 29

Evol u t i on Ch am p i on sh i p Fi gh t i n g Ser i es [ EVO] : A tournament that specializes in hosting competitions in the fighting game genre. These games include Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat 11, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and Tekken 7. I t takes place in August and has garnered 9,000 participants and thousands more viewers. There is a prize pool of $35,340 with $21,204 given to the winner.

Cou n t er - St r i k e: Gl obal Of f en si ve M aj or s [ CS:GO M aj or s] : A tournament that centers around the firstperson shooter game: Counter- Strike: Global Offensive. This tournament is sponsored by the makers of the game: Valve. The prize pool, all of which goes to the winner, is $1,000,000.

Pictured (left to right): Se-yeon "Geguri" Kim, Sung-hyeon "JJoNak" Bang, Gael "Poko" Gouzerch, Josue "Eqo" Corona, Je-hong "ryujehong" Ryu

ARETHEYTHENEWFUTUREOFENTERTAINMENT? They definitely are- esports are gaining traction quickly, permeating their way into live TV and sports bars. With new generations growing up with technology their entire lives, this new sport particularly appeals to them. Leagues are extremely professional, rivaling football in terms of production.

They?re clean, concise, and garner bigger crowds every time there is a new tournament. Video games are considered a legitimate career in spite of the backlash and prejudice they received in previous years.

Four games alone are capable of averaging 541,000 viewers on Twitch. 431 million hours of video games, played professionally, have been streamed in the past 365 days.

Streamers can make over $500,000 per month playing video games professionally, while players employed in leagues get free housing, a yearly stipend, and are able to stream in their free time. The video game industry, specifically esports, is growing exponentially and becoming normalized in ways it has never been before.

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Ageneration addicted totheir phones CassieBizzarro "Oh those teenagers, always on their phones,? is a very typical phrase said by older generations that is usually brushed off. But it?s true.

People are able to access different social media platforms, stream TV and movies, and explore the internet from wherever they are.

This easy accessibility and convenience has created a reliance on phones which can be a

Pictured above are Alpharetta High School

time sucker and distraction.

student's Tyler Medina and Allen Anderson

I n an age of growing technology, social

comfortably using technology.

media has taken off. I nstagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and other apps have millions of daily users. Typically, teenagers casually check

teenagers would rather risk their grades to explore social media.

social media periodically throughout the day, and they do not realize the amount of time it encompasses. However, the new "screen time" setting on iPhones proves otherwise.

Social influencers are very popular, and they have teenagers hooked. Most people have a favorite YouTuber or I nstagram celebrity that they seem to idolize. Getting to have more insight into

I n a poll conducted in The Meridian staff, results concluded that 83.3% of the staff?s screen time is between four and seven hours.

Only one staff member had a screen time between one and two hours. The staff was very

these celebrities' lifestyle through social media draws in the attention of fans. Since they are so interested in these celebs?lives, they want to invest time into learning more about them and their ?cool? lifestyles.

shocked after they saw the hours they spent on their phone since it highlighted their lack of productiveness.

Social media sucks in users causing them to aimlessly watch other people?s lives from afar.

Most succumb to the power while others manage

This time could be used to accomplish tasks and be productive because high school requires a lot of time and attention, but

to resist. Screen time greatly impacts efficiency.

Picking up your phone is an option. The choice is 31yours to make.

ExperiencetheNational Park Servicewith TheYouth Conservation Corps By:RichardLittle From Delaware, to I daho, to Utah, people from all over the United States apply for the chance of a lifetime, a summer job in Yellowstone. After all, who wouldn't want to work around beautiful forests, geysers, and a supervolcano? The job itself is part of a program called the U.S. Youth Conservation Corps, and Yellowstone is one of many National Parks where you could apply. Although, it should be noted that Yellowstone is the only park that provides room and board, as well as food. The Youth Conservation Corps, otherwise referred to as YCC, pays people between 15-18 years old minimum wage ($7.25/ hr) to do work such as trail maintenance, campground improvement, and social science.

For many people, YCC is a way for them to explore their interests. ?I was always interested in working for the Delaware Fish and Wildlife Service, and YCC compounded on them,?

17 year old Anthony Puleo said. ?I t?s also a good way to meet cool people and escape from reality,? Puleo further stated.

YCC also allows for a strenuous, yet safe environment to test and grow your abilities. Enrollees make use of many tools, and some of them, such as the cross-cut, require personal protective equipment such as a hard hat. I n Yellowstone, enrollees are required to also go through Bear safety training.

32 XX

They also learn how the park captures and records visitor data through GPS, camera?s, and surveys. By doing this, enrollees will learn how to communicate with many park visitors as well tracking and seeing visitor habits and patterns. The data gathered will be used in official park research programs, and might even be published.

I f this is something that you are interested in, applications go out in February (due by April) and can be found on the NPS website by searching Youth Conservation Corps. They hire randomly from the pool of applicants who apply to the same park as you. Everybody has an equal chance.

You could also apply for a local conservation corps, they are usually volunteer only, but they still serve the same premise. So go on, get out there, and experience your National Parks with YCC!

The United States Youth Conservation Corps allows people from all over the U.S. a summer job in the National Park Service.

Sometimes it feels great to get outdoors and away from everything. YCC is perfect for that.

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InterestingExtracurricular HamzaChougle All of us have been told that colleges prioritize extracurricular activities almost as much as grades, but some of us have difficulty choosing something that we are interested in. Alpharetta High school offers over 50 options for you to choose from, however, these two clubs stood out to me.

An i m al Ri gh t s an d Rescu e ( ARR) The Animal Rights and Rescue Club (ARR) is a student-run organization focused on stopping animal cruelty and taking all volunteering opportunities. Examples of these opportunities include helping at Petco, Save the Horses, and the House Rabbit Society. The organization has successfully been running since 2010 with three main focuses in mind: volunteering, advocating, and fundraising. This club is in need of more members so any sort of help would be appreciated. For more information, you can join the remind by texting ?@e9afk2? to 810-10 or you can visit Ms. Davis?s website.

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N at i on al Tech n i cal H on or Soci et y National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) is an organization that has been running for over 30 years since its birth in 1984. With around 100,000 current members and a total of nearly a million members throughout its history, NTHS has been able to provide over $1.4 million in scholarships as it ?has been the acknowledged leader in the recognition of outstanding student achievement in career and technical education.?(National Technical Honor Society) This club not only offers scholarship opportunities but also allows students to build up

volunteering hours, gain leadership positions, and allow members to spread their knowledge of computer science via tutoring. I f interested in careers like engineering, cyber-security, business, or if you simply want to become an educator, this club can help launch you to a dream job. I f interested you can visit the website for more information , attend one of the meetings conducted the third Wednesday of every month before and after school, you can also talk to Mr. Nicholson in the 4300 hall.

National Technical Honor Society. ?About: Alpharetta Technical National Honor Society.?

Alpharetta Technical National Honor Society, https:/ / alpharettanths.weebly.com Accessed 1 September 2019.

35

TheGrowingCommunityin Downtown Alpharetta By: KaladaNwuke With Georgia being one of the blander states in America, the main part of our state that people know about is downtown Atlanta. Alpharetta, however, is now trying to build its very own downtown community and, with this new area rapidly growing, it is bound to benefit our society by bringing in more jobs, entertainment, and adding a nice place to relax.

The main attractions in downtown Alpharetta are all the new businesses, restaurants, and stores that are opening up. I t has provided a whole new place for people to work and get paid which is sure to help our economy and the involvement of younger people in our society. For high school students specifically, it is a great spot to find jobs if they are interested. An employee at Shade, a restaurant in the area, said that ?while it can get very hectic, it is a good experience and a great place to work?.

Because the downtown Alpharetta area growing and expanding, there is a lot of construction occurring as well. A construction worker said "we are working hard to finish the construction as quickly as we can" about all the new attractions being built. This hope and desire for the construction workers to complete the new establishments will surely help the community by Downtown Alpharettalit upat night| photocourtesyof GoogleMaps

creating more job opportunities and attracting more people to the downtown area.

Due to the plethora of potential activities that can be done in downtown Alpharetta, people are there for a number of different reasons. A passerby in the area said "I came to check out a book from the library, but I ended up staying and just walking around, taking in the area".

TheAlpharettaLibrary, oneof manyattractionsin thenewarea| photocourtesyof GoogleMaps

The wide variety of options that are available in the area 36

will be able to attract different types of people for different reasons and build a diverse community.

The new construction and renovation will continue to increase the significance of the downtown area in Alpharetta and become a more notorious spot for relaxing and spending time.

logocourtesyof Cityof Alpharettaevent application pdf ahousecomplex in downtown Alpharetta

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AHS2019-2020 Football Prediction Tyler Medina

M y 20 18 -20 19 Al p h ar et t a f oot bal l p r ed i ct i on w as 91% accu r at e! ( Ph ot o t ak en by L u cy W ar n k e) Alpharetta?s football team was amongst many Fulton County teams that won a plethora of games and graduated many student-athletes last year. They posted a lackluster 6-5 record, but still managed to make the playoffs riding a 5-3 region record. I n the first round of the playoffs, the Raiders lost a heartbreaker to Sequoyah. This season will be somewhat similar despite some key differences. The following prediction will feature games divided by paragraph according to the month they are played.

On Aug. 29, the Raiders were shutout by the defending state champion Milton Eagles. We won?t talk about that...

Coming off a tough loss from Milton, September will be a bounceback month for the Raiders. On Sep. 7, the Raiders played Lanier High School at home. This was a tough game for us as Lanier currently has one of the top ranked linebackers in the nation (MaxPreps). He single-handedly proved to be too much for our offensive line this game, handing us our second loss of the season. After Lanier, the Pope Greyhounds will venture down to take on the Raiders in their first conference game of the season. Home field advantage will be just enough for Alpharetta to come out with a win here, but this will be an extremely competitive game. The Raiders should pick up some momentum at this point as they gear up for a game against Dunwoody. This should be another relatively easy win for Alpharetta. Look for a heavy dosage of the run game from Alpharetta as they will likely control the clock.

To start October, I see the Raiders having a 2-2 overall record with a solid 2-0 conference record. Their first game of the month will be against the Centennial Knights. Centennial is going to test Alpharetta?s run defense this game as their former division one-bound quarterback graduated last year, forcing them to rely more on their run game (MaxPreps). Centennial is going to prove to be just too much for us in the end. After Centennial is North Atlanta. I think they are a very underrated team this year, and I see them shocking the Raiders here.

Next up in October is Chattahoochee. Alpharetta will control this game for one of the rare times this season.

This will give Alpharetta some confidence as they prepare for Northview. Although this will be a close game, I see Northview coming out on top by a few points late. Depth will play a key factor here- Alpharetta will lose their identity around halftime or the 3rd quarter.

Coming out of October, the Raiders will be 3-5, posting an adequate 3-3 conference record as well. They start November with a game against Johns Creek. Johns Creek is a powerhouse team this year, and despite the motivation being there for Alpharetta, they won?t come out on top. To end their season, Alpharetta plays Cambridge. This will be a win for the Raiders and will leave them in possible playoff contention depending on how well other teams in the 7-A conference perform this year.

Alpharetta won?t make the playoffs this year because of their weak 4-4 conference record, but they do have rising young talent that will be primed to take over in the years to come.

*All statistics retrieved from ?https://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/alpharetta-raiders-(alpharetta,ga)/football? * 38

Howtosurvivefreshman year DurvaR. Pai

Many students look forward to going to high school for the first time; however, not all students are prepared for what they are about to experience.

Freshman year to some people is keeping grades up or joining many clubs, while to other people, it is to make new friends or to fit in. Regardless of the reason, the most common emotion that students feel is nervousness. Thankfully, there are many ways to get rid of this feeling and to have an awesome freshman year.

Firstly, students should actually start caring about their grades, and they should start studying for tests and quizzes earlier on. This is helpful because it helps freshmen be prepared for the hard work they will

Pai, Durva. "Alpharetta High School" 4 September 2019

Something that many freshmen

meet in the years later to come. This also lets students

should consider doing would be going to

raise their GPA?s early on so that they have a stable

Homecoming. This allows students to

background structure for colleges to see.

feel relaxed from their hectic lifestyles

Secondly, students should consider taking classes

and let loose while dancing and

that they actually enjoy rather than the ones that their

socializing with their friends.

parents want. Over the course of time, people forget that

Homecoming also helps students, who

high school is not only a time to study but to also develop

have never talked to each other, to

an interest in a particular topic that they might consider

connect through mutual friends.

studying for their careers in the future.

Finally, students should consider

Thirdly, students should try talking to newer

joining newer clubs. Joining clubs will

people that they haven?t spoken to previously. I t will help

not only be fun for students, but they

increase their interactions with students from outside

will look appealing to colleges when

their middle schools, and it will allow them to socialize

students are applying to them. Another

with people who are outside their comfort zones. Once

excellent idea would be to create a new

they start talking to newer people, they will make more

club with a unique purpose at school. I t

and more friends that may last them throughout their

will allow students to enhance their

high school lives.

creativity and gain leadership 39

experience.

High Scho o l vs .

R e ality Shiri Tsfany Within all of this chaos and confusion, they find the time to be cheerleaders, football players, and acting in their school musicals.

Sometimes we want to watch shows like this so we can feel like we can bite off more than we can chew. To feel like we can have these perfect high school lives and have fun both in and out of school. On the other hand, we handle When was the last time you saw Troy

much more than these characters do. We don?t

Bolton from High School Musical studying for

get handed scholarships for athletics and drama

his senior year AP exams and drama finals? How

like Troy Bolton and we can?t block out the view

about Regina George from Mean Girls? A lot of

of Aaron Samuels from that day we were learning

our favorite childhood movies have given us

limits in calculus. I nstead, we work on our

these unrealistic expectations of the ?ideal high

college applications for months before having the

school lives? where everyone somehow graduates

nerve to submit them. We study for hours on end

with a 4.0 GPA, spends about 9 hours after

for a test that we know we?ll probably struggle

school at some sort of extracurricular activity

with. Unfortunately, that?s the realities of the

that the entire movie is based on, falls in love

high school life we live in, and we wish it were as

with their high school sweetheart where the only

easy as it was for these characters.

conflict they have is one incredibly minor inconvenience, and just to top it all off, they ALWAYS have clear skin.

Once you?ve finally transitioned out of that phase and think that just maybe things will be a little more realistic, you get shows like Riverdale where these high school sophomores (in the first season) are investigating a murder, writing for the school newspaper, learning about the inner works of their family drama, and joining a gang.

BUT, they find the need to immerse themselves in some sort of stereotypical high school culture.

40

But there are upsides; we ACTUALLY get to live these lives while these actors are in their 20?s and playing 16 year-olds. Chances are, they didn?t get to live the high school lives they portray. We make actual memories of the Alpharetta versus Milton football game, late-night waffle house adventures, painting our cars the day before senior year, coming to school on Monday morning and wanting to go back to sleep every minute. We make actual memories about the times we care about the most.

So maybe high school isn?t all its made out to be in the movies and the TV shows about them glorify it way out of proportion too, but at least we create the entire culture of what they?re based on.

Sources: ?Gilbert Architects.? Gilbert Architects, 2019,

www.gilbertarchitects.com/ project/ east-high-school/ .

?School Starts Now.? School Starts Now, 2017, www.startschoolnow.org/ tips-for-dealing-with-stress-in-high-school/ .

41

High School: Anxiety, Pressure, Competitiveness IsabellaZeman The thought of starting high

Before you know

school can be exciting: school

it, you might?ve

supply shopping, wondering if

failed a test or

you?re going to have a friend in

gotten homework

your classes, hoping that you?ll

from every single

get along with your teachers,

class all due the

texting your best friend to see

next day. Then,

what she?s going to wear on the

the pressure

first day of school so you aren?t

hits. Your hands

too dressy. A lot of students get

start to clam up at

nervous during the first few

the thought of telling your

days but for others, the nerves

friend that you failed. Your

hit later. The difficult part is

stomach is in knots because you

that once that anxiety hits you,

don?t know what?s going to

it feels like you can?t find the

happen to your grade. You feel

light at the end of the tunnel.

like you are competing with

Cultine 2

everyone. I t?s hard to be happy with a panicked mindset which is why we need to talk about mental health.

Whatever it is, school matters.

Some may say that it might even matter too much. The pressure that is put on us as students to succeed is excessive and in all honesty, mental health is something that we don?t talk about enough. Why is that? Is it the stigma surrounded by the topic? Is it because we are scared to address a problem this

During high school, students are pushed to their limit to prepare for one thing. To compete for one thing. Many of us are living and breathing for what may be perfect report cards or college acceptance letters from an Ivy League.

42

serious? Maybe. But, our mindset is too strong to just ignore it.

When I asked a senior if she felt like she was competing with her peers, she said, ?Yes, everyday. There are lots of students in the classroom and everybody wants good grades" (Ambadapudi, Salini). Other students talked about the crazy amount of homework they had or taking hard AP classes. The rigor in high school alone can seem like too much to handle so there needs to come a time where we stop competing with others and focus on ourselves. After all, that?s all you can do. Put forth your best; nothing less, nothing more. Some people think that talking about anxiety, pressure, depression, or suicide is a bad idea because it?s ?too sensitive? but at this point, we don?t have a choice. I t?s the sensitive topics that are the most important ones.

Ambadapudi, Salini. Personal I nterview. 30 August 2019.

43

Howcan welearn toexpand our social comfort zonein AHS? Katelyn Rodriguez Staying in your comfort zone is like being on the couch, with your favourite TV show on and your bag of chips (which in reality is 80% air) in hand. No one wants to get up, no one wants to reach towards the remote control that changes the channels of your comfort zone. Everyone wants to grow and mature, but no one wants to do anything about it.

The newbies of high school struggle most with blending or fitting in with the varieties of groups. Some groups revolve around labels such as popular girls, the jockies, skateboarders, vine and meme enthusiasts, and normies, only listing the main stereotypes of school. Once you get labeled as being in one of these groups, or once you choose to join one, you get settled down and you begin to feel comfortable.

You change your style of dressing, the way that you speak, and the way that you interact with other people, with, or without knowing it. This makes it a lot harder to blend with people from other groups. How can a person who loves to read and watch uncommon television shows by themselves all the time and communicate mainly through the internet, hidden behind a screen, connect and find comfort with a group of people who love being social, loud, and thrive on attention?

When you take an animal out of its natural habitat, they adapt, but they do so with difficulty. I n that moment they yearn for their old environment, while trying to change their new environment to fit the old one. I t's like taking a polar bear and putting it in the desert; it will search for a cold environment, or it will die. The polar bear has become used to its home habitat and has developed a thick coat of white fur to keep itself warm when it's freezing cold. When the polar bear is in a hot place, its sleek, white pelt wouldn't be beneficial to 44its need for survival.

Just as humans have different habits and interests based on their friend groups, when they are placed in an unfamiliar situation such as working with students that are completely new to them, they become uncomfortable and awkward because they have never spoken to them before. The only way people in these kinds of situations could re-enter their comfort zone is if the new society would welcome or accept the anxious individuals with politeness. I f people try to fit the interests of their peers instead of forcing their friends to conform to a standard, then friend groups can merge, which may make people want to unwrap out of their comfort zones.

45

Thestrugglesof High school AvaPettenon

High school is the time when students are working their way up to becoming adults and navigate their way to the real world. I t is a time that is very exciting, but it certainly takes a lot of hard work. Senior Cierra McFerrin said , ?I spend around four hours a day after school on academics usually, it is a lot of work.? High school can be stressful for a freshman who is transitioning from middle school and are not prepared for the competitive

juniors and seniors high school intensifies as they come closer to application deadlines.

Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior year all have different struggles that some students may adapt to better, or worse than others.

Freshman year is the first year of high school and educators begin to treat students their age and respect their independence. This can be an ideal scenario for some, but for others who like to be guided can find themselves struggling. High school freshman face ?? a new level of academic demands,? (Leffler) and teachers will not always be there to hold a student?s hand in difficult situations. Learning to become more academically independent can be very challenging especially coming from Middle school where teacher?s monitor their students very closely.

Sophomore year is difficult not only when it comes to the workload, but it can also alter the mentality of a student. Students tend to experience a sophomore slump which ?is generally a period of being underwhelmed or even bored by high school during your sophomore year,? (Sundquist). The excitement of starting high school has worn off and leaves adolescents feeling worn out. This does not mean that sophomores do not have hard work however, some students argue it was or is their hardest grade. Many students begin to take AP courses and more honors classes this year, and the fast pace, as well as the new level of difficulty can cause extreme stress.

Although sophomore year is when a student begins to take harder classes, Junior year is the time when students must take multiple AP courses. This is also the time when ?Teachers are trying to 46 prep you for college, so they are harder on you," (Clement).

Juniors must juggle doing school work

and preparing for the SAT?s and ACT?S which can be a determining factor in what college you get into.

Students really start to feel pressure this year and it can be very daunting.

I n senior year, students are held to the highest standard as they represent the school. Pressure is put on them to set a good example because ?? they are literally the last class and the top of the totem pole?. (Victorino) Students are also very eager to graduate so they may stop trying as hard in their classes than previous years. Also, many seniors have been accepted to college so their motivation to do extremely well in school is tarnished and that can ultimately set them up for failure.

Many argue which grade faces the most struggles and the truth is there is no real answer to that question. Everyone is different in their own way and how one performs in one grade can be different from another student. The results vary, but high school is a very exciting time and despite the hard work, students are working their way up to a more fulfilling and desirable future.

Sources

?5 Ways to Prepare for Freshman Year of High School.? Sweety High, www.sweetyhigh.com/ read/ freshman-year-high-school-prepare-012319.

?How to Beat the Sophomore Slump in High School.? CollegeVine, 12 Apr. 2019, blog.collegevine.com/ how-to-beat-the-sophomore-slump-in-high-school/ .

Johnson, Olivia. ?Which Year of High School I s Hardest?? The Express, sjhexpress.com/ opinion/ 2013/ 05/ 01/ which-year-of-high-school-is-hardest/ .

"Photo by Aaron Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash".

47

NewTeachers Siri Vinjamara Thomson200, ?Alpharetta High School.? Wikimedia, Thomson200, 7 Sept. 2015, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alpharetta_High_School.JPG

Everyone has been the "new student? at school, whether you've moved to an entire new school or started off as a freshman in high school -- and so have teachers. Some teachers start their new professions, while others might transfer to entirely different schools, but we have to agree that everyone gets the new school jitters. As the new school year begins, Alpharetta High School is introduced to a number of new teachers that have much to offer.

1. How is your experience at Alpharetta so far? What do you think of it? ?My experience so far at AHS is great. My colleagues are great with guiding me when I ask for help so the transition here has been smooth.? Harper, Rachel.

Online I nterview. ?I have loved my experience at AHS so far. AHS has a very welcoming and positive environment. I have felt a part of the Raider family right from the start.? Kirk Jessica. Online I nterview. ?I love how supportive everyone is! I have had a MI LLI ON questions since starting, but staff and students have been more than happy to help out a newbie!?

Johnson Aliyah. Online I nterview 2. What are your likes and dislikes in the aspects of the syllabus, rules, and students. ?I believe all aspects of the syllabus and rules are necessary. The syllabus keeps everyone abreast to the expectations of the class while also holding the teacher accountable to make sure the class is run smooth. I n addition, the students here are wonderful!? Harper, Rachel. Online I nterview.

48

?My biggest like so far has been the respectful students in my classroom! My students are polite and productive. My biggest dislike is getting lost on campus. On a daily basis I can be seen walking the wrong direction to somewhere, it must look hilarious on those hallway cameras! :)? Kirk, Jessica. Online I nterview.

3. How is Alpharetta different from your old school, and how is it the same? ?The culture of my previous school was different than at AHS. The school was considered title 1 and many of the students did not speak English as their first language. Though the culture between the two schools are different, both schools are the same in that they both embrace cultural differences among staff as well as students.? Harper, Rachel. Online I nterview. ?I came from a high school with a similar number of students so I am used to a larger school. One major difference between my old school and AHS is that my old school was not a 1:1 school, therefore my students were not given an electronic device by the school. That meant that much more of our classwork had to be done with pen and paper.? Kirk, Jessica. Online I nterview.

With the new school year, Alpharetta has been gifted with many capable and amazing teachers, and we couldn?t ask for more! Though they?re new, we hope to make them feel at home and wish them the best. They?ll certainly find their place here at Alpharetta, and we?ll be by their side as they do. Welcome to the family, Raiders!

49

ME O C WEL RS !

ID E

I'mnot gay.

I wear lipstick and makeup.

I 'm not gay.

I wear skirts and little pink outfits.

I 'm not gay.

My hair is long and decorated with crystal pins.

I 'm not gay.

My nails are polished and painted.

I 'm not gay.

I like wearing six inch heels that bruise my feet.

I 'm not gay.

I don't like football, soccer, or softball.

I 'm not gay.

My room is filled with boy band posters and plush teddy bears.

I 'm not gay.

Shim, Dean. Person With Man and Woman Face. 10 Dec. 2015.

I 've only ever known boyfriends.

I 'm not gay.

Their faces are barren, unfurnished, and imperfect.

I 'm not that.

They wear oversized plaid shirts, concealing any forms of femininity.

I 'm not that.

Their hair is dyed in neon colors, decorated in pride.

I 'm not that.

Their nails are bitten, untouched by a manicurist.

I 'm not that They dress for comfort, only owning a single pair of rugged converse.

I 'm not that.

Their days are cluttered with softball games, uniforms tainted with dirt.

I 'm not that.

Their rooms are filled with bursts of colors and flags, matching their hair.

I 'm not that.

They knew since birth who they were, screaming pride from the womb.

I 'm not that.

But your smile makes all the evil things in the world melt away.

I love running my fingers through your long silky hair.

When you hold my hand., I feel calm and euphoric.

50

So...

Okay.

Maybe I 'm gay.

Now what?

Ou Outt ffiitt B Baassiicc ss T here are 3 layers to a successful outfit. I magine a parfait and think of the layers. So, think of the first layer as the fruit. The fruit is funky statement pieces that spice up your outfit and make it more you! This layer is so important because a parfait without fruit is just granola and yogurt and that's so boring...and we are not boring! The second layer is basics, which is the yogurt. The yogurt is the essential ingredient that makes a parfait a parfait, and having basics in outfits is what makes a good outfit good. The third layer is accessories AKA the granola. The parfait would be good without this but the granola just makes it infinitely better.

Okay, first things first. Basics are called basics for a reason. They?re basic. Simple items of clothing that make up your outfits. I 'll leave a list of examples below but basics are the foundation of any outfit just tune these to your personal style. So also it is important to keep in mind while these are necessities they aren't the entire closet.

-

Jeans Black pants/ skirts Plain t-shirt/ tees/ tank top/ singlet Leggings White shirt Plain scarfs Long sleeves Simple dress Denim jacket Blazer or Suit Jacket

Funky pieces are essential to making any outfit uniquely you. Any outfit is instantly transformed. The hardest part of this is simply finding a piece that fits your style but also isn't a basic. A cool pattern jacket, a dope pair of over the top platforms or even just a bright colored shirt. Personally, I recommend going to your local thrift store and trying things that you feel matches your personal style.

And not only is thrifting fun, sustainable, and cheap, but it's a great way to figure out what your fashion likes and dislikes are because of the wide spectrum of clothing styles they have there.

Next up are accessories. Accessories are the key to a successful outfit. Every out revolves around simple accessories (its a proven fact. Basics are basics until you add accessories. Adding anything from simple jewelry, a dope leather jacket, or some funky shoes. These items can still be considered basic but they can play a big part in dressing an outfit up or down and making it your own. Personally, I have to have my rings and my chains and a cool pair of unsymmetrical earrings and I feel like its instantly me.

Combining all of these components will give you the perfect outfit. Fashion is definitely a thing of trial and error but just wear what makes you feel beautiful and what you feel expresses you best.

51

TheBest And Worst Of S Many times I will enter the school cafeteria starving and realize that I had forgotten to pack my lunch, so I lumber over to one of the four lunch lines surrounded by 200 children waiting for the same thing: school lunch. People will exit the line with various lunches, usually nachos or pizza when they have it, or even Chicken and Waffles, and based off of which items I see the most I ?ll decide what I 'll eat for lunch that day. I ?m obviously a novice school lunch eater, but I know there is a better way to make a decision. I created a public survey for the students of Alpharetta High School to find what were the best options and combos, as well as some lunch pet peeves. Over 100 students responded (105 in total).

The favorite food is the Chicken and Rice Bowl with 29 responses, 2nd was chicken and nuggets with 17 responses, 3rd is Philly Cheese steak with 10 responses.

52

School CafeteriaFood The least favorite food is the Veggie Lasagna with a lead of 42.5 percent of participants. Chicken Nuggets, the Philly Cheese Steak, and the Chicken and Rice Bowl were all second place.

Surprisingly this is the Pizzeria because though it usually has the longest line, it?s food was not the most popular.

Now this was very unsurprising. The cookie is one of the best food items the cafeteria has to offer, and obviously the staff knows this- they were giving them away for free September 20th.

53

While the healthy options aren?t widely varied- it?s usually cooked or raw vegetable/ fruit- there?s still enough to have an opinion on. The most popular option is the Apple or Banana option, the fruit cup is a second favorite and the cucumber, carrot, and tomato combo became a cool third.

The results here are quite interesting. Majority of students eat their vegetable option, around 76% if they decide to and 41.5 percent of that 70 percent eat their healthy option every time.

54

Senior Year IsAn Illusion.

By Lucinda Warnke

Senior year was a week away, and already there was a groupchat brimming with notifications regarding tailgates, college info sessions, and car painting in the school parking lot. I sat on my porch, scrolling through the myrad of of letting me go in debt messages, feeling a for the next twenty years. certain disconnect from Not to mention, the the excitement. stress of taking multiple

Perhaps if it was 1950, I ?d AP classes in order to impress said colleges. So be soaking in the same euphoria as everyone else. much for a simple senior year.

I n an era where a high school diploma was the I n today?s America, key to success, I would be stress and anxiety, reveling in my final especially in months of childhood, my hyper-competitive future peering over the schools like Alpharetta, is horizon. The only barrier on the rise. According to between me and being a recent poll conducted free to make my own by the American choices and build a family Psychological or career would be the Association, high school nine month span between students report a higher August and May. average stress level I nstead, it?s 2019, and the during the school year only thing waiting for me than most adults do at is the dystopian process ofany time during the year.

Much of this stress can summarizing my life experiences on a single be attributed to the crushing pressure to get document, begging colleges for the privelege into a respected college or university, which has55

been increasing as college degrees have become more and more vital to a middle-class wage.

peers who didn?t. With so much pressure waiting for us college-bound seniors after high school, we owe it to ourselves to ask, ?is this really what we?ve been waiting for??

Senior year may have once been a time for teenagers bordering on young adults to look back at their final years Even after getting into of a carefree adolescence, but in a college, there is little escape from the strain world where teenagers to succeed. I n modern no longer have the times, good grades are privilege of nonchalance, it?s lost its simply not enough to enter the workforce out original splendor. of college, as many I t?s been four weeks professional jobs now since that day on the ask for experience. This porch, and the requires many students excitement of to give up their ?seniorszn? hasn?t hit summers in order to yet. I don?t think it ever take on an internship. A will. No matter how study conducted by many cars are painted Mount Holyoke College or free football tickets recently determined are offered, it won?t college students that erase the fact that have pursued multiple senior year is merely a internships were far gateway into the next more likely to have a job inevitably fruitless in the six months after chase for satisfaction. graduation than their

What is science to you? A bunch of boring concepts and theories discovered by old people centuries ago?

Science, the study of behaviors both

Lab-yrinth KyleWong

seen and unseen in our world, is all around us. How your car moves, what stars are made of and why your heart beats are questions that can all be answered by science. However, not all experiments require millions of dollars in funding, teams of researchers, and

Paper Rockets

decades of experimentation to be informative. Here are three quick

Anyone can make a paper airplane with just a

experiments you can do with materials

sheet of paper. However, with a sheet of paper you can

at home that will teach you more about

make something that flies higher and farther than any

the world we live in.

paper airplane could. Recommended by Mrs. Adegbaju, one of our AP physics teachers and advisor of Science Olympiad, you can make a home-made paper rocket. The materials you?ll need are: -

Construction paper

-

Tape

-

A straw

-

Scissors First, wrap construction paper around the straw,

making a cylinder and tape the paper to maintain its shape. Next, take out the straw and create a nose by pinching and taping the tip of your rocket base to block off all holes. Finally, cut two small triangles and tape it to the end of your rocket. After assembling your rocket together, place it onto the straw and blow through the straw to launch it.

Blowing into the straw, air is pushed into the rocket and trying to exit. As more force is pushed into the rocket, pressure gets released, flying the rocket. However, air isn?t the only contributing factor to the rocket?s power and speed. Each attachment, including the wings, the nose, and even the body can be customized to change the rocket?s velocity. Adding more wings or creating a pointier nose may speed up the rocket. Like an airplane, every customization will change how the

56

rocket flies.

Make I t Rain

First, you?ll need to poor two inches of hot water into the

The water cycle: water jar, then cover it with a ceramic pours down and floats back into plate. Afterwards, place ice cubes the sky, but have you ever on top of the plate. You?ll notice wondered how it works? The water rising and falling like ran. second experiment gives you the As sun shines on earth?s power to control the weather, surface, water pockets heat up specifically recreating rain in a with solar radiation. The heated small jar. The materials you?ll water changes into a gas, need are: becoming lighter and evaporates.

- A translucent mason jar As gas rises, the cold atmosphere cools and condenses the water

- Hot water

back into a liquid state. Finally,

- A ceramic plate

the liquid state precipitates or

- I ce cubes

rains, returning to Earth?s surface. sugar solution into another glass cup for 10 minutes. Finally, slowly sink the popsicle stick into the flavored-sugar solution and hold its position with a clipper. Crystals will form, and it will be ready for you to eat after a couple days.

Sugar and water mixes, combining to be more soluble. When the sugar solution boils, it?s increasing its solubility which means the sugar and water mixes more than usual in room temperature: supersaturation. However, as we remove the boiling water solution from

Crystal Candy

solution by mixing one cup of

the stove, the sugar mix cools down and

water to three cups of sugar in a

returns to its regular room temperature solubility, meaning sugar will start separating

After trying out the first

pot. Next, dip the Popsicle stick

two experiments, it?s time for a

into water and coat it with

snack: crystal candy. To begin,

sugar. Leave the sugar-coated

you?ll need are some sugar,

Popsicle stick aside to dry. After

water, popsicle sticks, a clipper,

mixing the sugar and water, boil

flavoring,

cups,

the sugar solution with flavoring

for the sugar and water to return to normal

spoons, a pot, and a stove. First,

and remove it from the stove to

solubility, the crystals attach to the Popsicle

you?ll need to make a sugar

cool. Pour the boiled-flavored 57

stick which is ready to eat.

measuring

from the water. However, the cooled-down sugar molecules prefer to create crystals and attach

to sugar

molecules that

already

preexists which is why we coated the Popsicle stick with sugar beforehand. After some time

NewFashion Trendsof Fall 2019 By: Jennifer Light Fashion trends are always quick to change. I n the famous words of Heidi Klum, ?I n fashion, one day you?re in, and the next you?re out.? With the unbelievable speed at which trends appear and vanish, it can seem impossible to keep up with current styles. I f you?re struggling to stay afloat amidst the chaos of the ever-changing fashion world, here?s a quick run-down of what?s in and what?s out of style for the fall season of 2019.

# 1: Fl ar e Jean s Gone are the days of trying to squeeze into the tightest pair of skinny jeans you can find. This fall, the standard for jeans are loosening up. I nstead of going for that pair of skinny jeans (or god forbid, jeggings), try out a pair of flare jeans. These jeans are much more comfortable and in fashion. I f you want to double down on trendiness, try a pair that?s also high waisted. High waisted jeans can create the illusion of longer legs and is a trend that is far from disappearing.

Nappy. ?Women's in White Long-sleeved Top and Blue Flared Jeans.? Pexels, 15 May 2019, pexels.com/ photo/ women-s-in-white-long-sleeved-top-and-blue-flared-jeans-1092216/ 58

# 2: Pl at f or m San d al s There?s a good chance that you?ve noticed the boom in popularity of these shoes in the last few months. This trend is so big that shopping for a pair of sandals without at least a 1-inch platform is becoming quite a challenge in most shoe stores. Platform sandals are very versatile shoes; they can be dressed up or simply worn with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. On top of that, these shoes add a blocky touch, reminiscent of the late 60s and 70s, when platform shoes were all the rage. I f you do decide to jump on this trend, just be careful.

Although these shoes are incredibly cute, high platforms are notorious for being difficult to walk in.

Vamvouras, Apostolos. Pexels, 25 April, 2019, unsplash.com/ photos/ tTyqt4OoNek # 3: Bu ck et H at s To fully understand this strange trend that has somehow made its way to the top of the fashion world, we have to have a quick history lesson. The bucket hat first came about in I reland in the early 1900s as a way to protect farmers and fishermen from the rain. I t was revitalized in the 1950s-70s to protect American troops from the sun during the Vietnam war. I t wasn?t until the 1960s that the bucket hat became a fashionable item instead of simply a functional one. Bucket hats were also extremely popular in the 1980s, largely worn by rappers and musicians of the decade. With our generation?s current obsession with decades fashion, it?s no wonder that this item has been revived into the modern world. Unfortunately, as fashionable as bucket hats are, they violate the dress code here at Alpharetta High School. But even though these hats can?t be worn in school, I would still recommend hopping on this trend and adding a bucket hat to your closet.

Nguyen, Joen. ?Photo of Man in White T-shirt and Bucket Hat Posing While Looking Away.? / . 22 June, 2019, Pexels, pexels.com/ photo/ photo-of-man-in-white-t-shirt-and-bucket-hat-posing-while-looking-away-2537658/ 59

RisingStar Kondwani Kamanga Ronald Acuña Jr. is a rising

fellow young star, Cody

regular season would be great

star in Major League Baseball

Bellinger and reigning MVP,

for Acuña, but the playoffs are

and is performing at a historic

Christian Yelich also having

even more important. The

level. He is the 40th player ever

career years. Acuña is not the

Braves have not won a World

to record 30 home runs and 30

clear front-runner, but he still

Series since 1995 and have not

bases stolen and with the season

Ronald Acuña Jr.

appeared in one since 1999.

coming to an end,

This is not the

he fell only 3 stolen

longest World

bases short of a

Series drought, but

40-40 season

2 decades is still a

because of injury .

long time to not win

(mlb.com) The

a World Series or

40-40 club is far

even appear in one.

more exclusive

Acuña has a chance

than the 30-30 club

to not only have a

since it only has 4 members: Jose Canseco, Barry

Charles Rex Arbogast: Albies, Acuna hit homers to lead Braves past Cubs 3-2

spectacular regular season by joining the 40-40

Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and

has a chance to win MVP

club, but also a great playoff run

Alfonso Soriano. The latest

because of how close he came to

by taking the Braves to the

player to join the 40-40 club

the historic benchmark and

World Series for the first time

was Alfonso Soriano in 2006.

because he kept the Braves at

since 1999. The pressure is truly

Despite having an amazing

the top of the standings.

on for Acuña as he is now seen

season, Acuña is still not the

Winning the regular season

as a star player and will be given

favorite to win MVP due to his

MVP and having a historic

the expectations of a star player.

60

Index Aghedo, Casey, 10

Warnke, Lucinda, 55

Alamoudi, Dana, 18

Wong, Kyle, 56

Anderson, Allen, 22

Zeman, I sabelle, 42

Banke, Alexa, 6 Bizzarro, Cassandra, 31 Brown, Zuri, 51 Chougle, Hamza, 34 Clement, Gracie, 11 Hamilton, Carmen, 4 Kamanga, Kondwani, 60 Lawrence, Sara, 7 Lewis, Njeri, 16 Light, Jennifer, 58 Little, Richard, 32 Mckenzie, Olivia, 52 Medina, Tyler, 34 Metcalf, Ally, 18 Nwuke, Kalada, 36 Pai, Durva, 35 Pettenon, Ava, 46 Philip, Bella, 20 Powell, Sabrina, 14 Rodriguez, Katelyn, 44 Squires, Sabrina, 12 Stuart, Savannah, 8 Tabb, Kaytlin, 28 Vinjamara, Siri, 48

61