Pitchfork, Issue 3, 2022-2023, December 16, 2023

Students arrive late, tardy policy arrives later

Zaria Byers

Assistant Editor

The attendance office printed out 176 tardy receipts after 7:45 a.m. on a November morning. This is just a glimpse of a typical morning in the attendance vestibule. If a student arrives less than a minute past the first period bell, it may result in them not getting to class for at least 10 or more minutes because of the length of the tardy line that sprawls out of the building onto the sidewalk in front of the school.

During the 2021-22 school year, a policy was implemented to limit the number of students tardy to first block. That old policy is still printed on the tardy receipt that students recieve this year when they are late to first block. None of the consequences are enforced: loss of parking pass, ineligiblity to attend prom, after school ban and activity pass revocation. A chief complaint of the old policy was consequences only impacted students who drove or who were involved in school activities.

The old policy also required teachers to give a detention slip to any student that arrived late to second, third or fourth block without a pass. This policy was not enforced by all teachers, and a chief complaint was that it created more work for the teachers of late students or it was not consistent and therefore unfair to students.

The policy was short-lived because leadership positions in the school changed and now there is no clear policy in place regarding tardies.

Continue to pg. 4 for “Tardies”

SENIORS LEAVE A LEGACY

Flag football team falls short of state championship goal

Alyssia Hamilton Editor-in-Chief

Four long months of dedication, hardwork, sweat, and teamwork ended with the team falling short of their goal, a return to fight for the state title. The girls beat North Gwinnett in the quarterfinal game with a score of 13-0, making it to the final four versus Blessed Trinity.

The semifinal game was held on Dec. 5 at the Atlanta Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Last season, the semifinal game was supposed to be held at the Mercedes Benz Home Depot field, but it was canceled because of last minute issues with the field. Tailgating took place the day before the game, and the field was torn up

and muddy, which resulted in the cancellation of the game.

“The Falcons offered to host this year after the bad publicity from the tailgating issues with the messed up field. It helps to make them look better as a company and bring good publicity to hosting after last year’s upset,” Coach Houstoulakis, head football coach said.

The indoor facility is 90,000 square feet but doesn’t have the capacity to hold a large students section. Marietta sold tickets for the game but there was a 150 ticket limit. These tickets were bought mostly from the families of the athletes and staff of Marietta. Cheers

from the crowd came from families members, as no student section was present.

“It felt okay because we had so many supporters in the crowd. They traveled far to show their support and show us they had our backs no matter the outcome,” Kennedi Young (11) said.

The girls played through the two twenty minute halves fighting to score and advance forward to the state championship. Despite a winning season, the final score was 0-19. After the game, the team huddled up as Coach H gave an encouraging speech after seeing the reactions of his athletes.

Continue to pg. 8 for “Flag Football”

Hoopcoming: new tradition crowns a new king

Sydney Hernandez Staff Writer

Hoopcoming was a slam dunk. All the students of Marietta High School came together Sept. 15 to bring a new tradition to the school and see who would become the King of Marietta High School and what class would be the winners of the spirit stick.

With a week of daily dress-ups, that included Twin Tuesday and Battle of the Band Thursday, students showed their school spirit all week and came to support the Marietta Varsity basketball players Friday for the first home game against Hiram.

Before the game, cheerleaders, student council members, and faculty decorated the gym in preparation for the music themed pep rally.

“It was a really great pep rally and one of my favorites so far. I thoroughly enjoyed the layup contest,” Ayden Brock (10) said.

Music blaring and students cheering were usual tradition along with the class

competitions. Students came dressed ready to be the best grade level. Juniors gained the ultimate victory at the end by garnering the most points for the competitions.

“It felt really good to know that what we planned to do at the pep rally won the junior class the spirit stick yet again,” Kennedy Fryson (11) said.

The hoopcoming court was a new tradition. Representatives were freshmen Danta Young and Alex Huff; sophomores, Kaleb Whitlow and Andrew Lewis; juniors Will Frederick and Jack Bourgeois. Jack was crowned Prince.

“The most meaningful part of the experience for me was feeling the support of my friend,” Bourgeois said.

Senior court was Todd LeCadre, Abel Arias-Valdes, Max Crowson, Eddie Guerrero, and Max Herman.

Eddie Guerrero was crowned the first Hoopcoming King of Marietta High.

Continue to pg. 5 for “Hoopcoming”

Cate Gruehn runs past Blessed Trinity’s defenders attempting to score a touchdown. Gruehn had 11 total touchdowns this season. Photo by Alyssia Hamilton

Eddie Guerrero is crowned the Hoopcoming King by his escort Marissa De La Cruz-Avila. Jack Bourgeois was crowned Prince. Photo by Amber Ryan

Editorial: Why can’t I focus?

Attention span is a problem that has become more frequently talked about as the world continues to constantly develop. Especially with the holidays being here and Christmas break being around the corner, it’s hard to focus on what’s happening now and not the future.

This time of year is supposed to be happy and stress free, but it’s the opposite. The end of the school semester brings loads of work and finals and the endless amount of stress that comes with it. I love this part of the year and dread it at the same time.

I’ve never understood why teachers think it’s a good idea to give finals right before a big break. Students’ attention span would be so much shorter during this time because they’re focused on doing all the festive holiday events or going on vacation during break. I believe that this is the reason that the Christmas spirit is gone for most students because teachers kill the fun of having a break.

I know my attention span gets shorter and shorter depending on the time of the year. I understand that I need to stay focused and on track during this time because these finals can determine my grade in the class, but it’s hard.

Elaina Gehlbach (9)

“I would say that social media distracts me, I feel like I’m always worried about what’s happening there.”

Esmeralda Riveria (11)

“During school, I would say my phone. I’m always on it looking at social media, which isn’t a good thing, but I try to have self-control during lessons.”

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I’m tired of the same routine and having to get up to go to classes that I don’t like, which makes school miserable. Luckily, I have classes that I love to go to that make my day better. My attention span is definitely better in classes I like because they grab my interest. I love my Pitchfork class because I love journalism and writing cool articles.

What distracts you the most?

Mac Shirley (10)

“Probably my phone. It’s just sitting, and has much more fun stuff to do than school work.”

Samariah Upchurch (12)

“I feel like social media distracts me a lot. Pinterest and TikTok especially, as I see something I like and end up spending more time on them.”

Followers will be chosen each issue to win a Zaxby’s gift card from @Zaxbys591SMP, This issue’s winner is John Gomes (10).

Pitchfork is published by journalism students at Marietta High. It is free to the student body, staff and community. The views and opinions expressed in the Pitchfork are not necessarily those of the administration and faculty. Letters to the editor should be brought to room J208 or emailed to the staff: pitchfork@marietta-city.k12.ga.us

Mission Statement: Pitchfork is a student written and produced newspaper aimed at educating, enlightening, and entertaining Marietta High’s students. All content is determined by the staff in an attempt to be relevant and give voice to the student body.

Being on the phone is the biggest distraction that causes attention span to be shorter. TikTok is my most used app on my phone and I can’t seem to stay off of it no matter how hard I try. I can honestly say that TikTok is the reason for its users attention span being shorter. The way they deceivingly make the videos only 30 seconds to one minute long and perfectly align them to things of my interest will have me on there for hours without even knowing it. As I typed this editorial, I stopped in the middle of a sentence to go on TikTok because I couldn’t think. I used to love watching long YouTube videos of people vlogging their life, and now if it does not hook me within the first couple minutes of the video it has lost my interest.

The only way of solving students’ attention span problem is to make learning interesting to them. If it’s a boring topic that we’re learning about then you’ve lost me. With the world constantly developing, I don’t see our attention spans becoming any better. Limiting screen time is a good way of staying focused because the end of the semester is a crucial time. Work hard in order to relax and never have to think about school over break.

Winter Horoscopes: Happy Holidays

Food For Your Folks

For this holiday season, we invite you in to cook up something for the whole family. From Roast Beef to Snow Treats, everyone has something unique for this festive season Just SCAN the QR code!

Managing Editor

Etinosa Ogbomo

Editors-in-Chief

Alyssia Hamilton

Wes Harrison

Assistant Editor Zaria Byers

Business Managers

Dylan Buehner

Ada Chesney Adviser

Andrea Lyons

Staff Writers

Adalyn Law

Addison Moreland

Aidan Allegro

Alex Kelly

Amber Ryan

Amelia Jenkins

Icy McFall

Kaia Kirkpatrick

Lauren Kelley

Lily Konigsmark

Mae Bullington

Quinn Mulkey

Sydney Hernandez

Sydney Martinez

Trinity Seals

Being on the phone is the biggest distraction that causes attention span to be shorter.

You better not pout, I’m telling you why

Addison Moreland Staff Writer

“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel. I just don’t understand Christmas I guess. I like getting presents, and sending Christmas cards, and decorating trees and all that, but I’m still not happy. I always end up feeling depressed.” said Charlie Brown in the classic holiday TV special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Charlie Brown certainly is not the only one who faces melancholy during the holiday season. As we mature, Christmas also becomes less exciting for students.

The season of Advent begins just a few weeks before Christmas and culminates in the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s a wonderful time of year, with gift-giving, family reunions, and all the brilliant lights and decorations for the community to see. I’m fully aware that for the vast majority, Christmas is about celebrating friends, family, reindeer, and Black Friday sales rather than remembering his advent. Nonetheless, it seems that an era when we were immersed in the holiday season is now archaic.

As someone who decorates their Christmas tree on Nov. 1, I’m preoccupied with the approaching holiday season all through fall and am virtually on the edge of my seat as the seasonal commercials commence to air. And watching them only brings back cheerful memories of past Christmases.

My brother and I would rush to the Christmas tree at the crack of dawn to find an inexhaustible pile of toys. Our eyes would widen with ecstasy and wonder as our drowsy parents, roused by our shouts and laughter, hauled themselves to the sofa to witness the scene.

We yearned for this season as children. Our parents teased us all year by saying, “You better be good or you’ll get coal in your stocking.” Christmas brings a respite from school, snow on the ground, delicious snacks, and new toys. But as I’ve matured, I’ve come to view my Christmas spirit as an evolved or changed sentiment. I now wait for my brother and parents to wake on Christmas morning prior to running to the tree to see what Santa brought me.

Christmas has been stereotyped and reinvented as a gift-giving celebration. The true significance has been suppressed and obscured. The season has evolved in the same manner that we have. The change of this holiday has been so drastic that the birth of Jesus has been overlooked and lost in the bustle of day to day life.

The behaviors and attitudes that surface at this time of year are so typical that no one considers them strange or callous and should be promptly addressed. When you look back on the holidays, I’m confident your most precious memories are of a loved one unwrapping a gift that you spent so long shopping for, wrapping, and keeping a surprise. That being said, we should all take time this holiday season to give back to the community and find the joy in giving, rather than recieving. Don’t be a Grinch in a world of Cindy Lou’s.

Can I ask you a question about school policy?

Wesley Harrison Editor-in-Chief

State capacity is defined as the ability of a government to make and implement policies. Governments with a low capacity are considered weak or failed states.

Policies are not effective if they are not properly enforced. This is a universal truth spanning from governments to families. It is also true at Marietta High School. If the school doesn’t start enforcing its policies, then it can be considered a failed state.

There is a significant lack of policy sharing and distribution within the school. For example, the vending machines are disabled during the third block, however, there are still lines spanning the width of the hallway waiting for the vending machine during the block.

The lack of effective policy implementation affects students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to instruct. When groups of students are late, teachers have to restart instruction from the beginning in order to effectively all their students.

However, overly harsh policymaking can cause the policy to be overall ignored. The tardy rules in the 2021-22 school year are an example of this, students would be given punishments for every class they were late to such as going to after-school or Saturday school tutoring. Teachers implemented this policy less because it took their class time to implement this change.

School policy is a scale that rolls between solving problems and causing them. Students cannot effectively learn when a large amount of policies

This leaves me with this question: how can policy be effectively implemented without causing greater harm to students or teachers?

I think there is a happy medium to be had. The hall passes are an example of this. Teachers write students a hall pass whenever they need to leave class, however, this is not possible for all teachers depending on how much students need to be outside of class. For example, Josh Dempsey has printed production passes that allow his students to go wherever they need to be on campus to film because film students can’t produce the best product when tied to the physical classroom.

The school’s insistence on enforcing the policy, while also allowing teachers to make their own changes to the system while adhering to it, allows the policy to function and keep more students out of the hallway during class time.

“The best public policy is made when you listen to the people who are going to be impacted,” said Elizabeth Dole, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

The school needs to listen to both the students and teachers about problems they experience with policies at the school. We are the ones that are impacted by the policies they set.

Policy is not a one size fits all situation. The school needs to implement more policies that teachers can change, within reason, in order to fit their needs.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know on Instagram @mhspitchfork or email pitchfork@ marietta-city.k12.ga.us.

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

Rudolph, Kwanzaa, Menorah, Christmas, Jack, Kringle, Frost, Yuletide, Hanukkah, Ornaments, Gifts, Solstice, Nativity, Santa, Scrooge, Kris, Elf

Continued from pg. 1

Administration has stated that a new tardy policy will be enforced, starting January 2023. The policy will change the set of consequences listed on current tardy receipts. Other details of this policy have yet to be announced, but they are expected to control the increasing number of tardies.

“The number of tardies is significant, not just the tardies to school, but also the ones to class. We are doing all that we can do to support our teachers’ concerns,” Mann said.

The lack of policy this semester has left many, namely staff, wondering why so many students are trickling into class after the bell with little to no consequence and if the longawaited policy will be effective.

School-issued transportation arrives at 7:15 a.m, and first block begins at 7:45 a.m. This gives bus riders about 30 minutes of leisure time before class. However, many of these students have to go outside to join the late car riders and get in line when they are late, which causes them to be later to class.

“If a student unloads at 7:15 a.m from the bus, there is really no reason why they should be late,” Dr. Brandon Mann said.

The bus port doesn’t seem to be the main source of the plentiful tardies though. There are plenty of driving students who arrive late at school with a meal or drink in hand after a pit stop. Students prioritizing their morning coffee over timeliness can easily keep them from making it in the front doors before the 7:45 a.m bell.

However, many students claim that their late arrival is no fault of their own. The large percentage of the population that do not or cannot legally drive but rely on someone else for transportation, really have no control over what time they get to school.

“My brother drives me to school and he takes a long time to get ready,” Cadence Williams (9), an often tardy student, said.

Others claim that even when they are on schedule, factors in the school zone traffic cause a delay.

“Traffic around the school causes me to be late. Half of the time, I’m here just waiting at the light,” Jaslyn Leiva (10) said.

Students claim some new policies, unrelated to tardies, are partly to blame for more tardies. Within the first month of school, a morning policy was introduced. It required all students to report to either the seminar room, cafeteria, or the gym until the 7:35 a.m. bell. This policy caused lots of controversy among students, with many saying it took away from their morning activities or social time. With the limitation on morning freedom, students are left with 10 minutes to take care of any school work or socializing.

Many come later to avoid going in the building prior to the 7:35 a.m. bell and get stuck in traffic that piles up after 7:30 a.m., which creates more tardies.

However, the tardy affair isn’t exclusive to the 7:45 a.m. bell. Students are racking up tardies between each class too.

Another policy was announced in October, which shut off vending machines during lunch in order to keep students from wasting their lunchtime, wandering the halls and distracting other classes that are in session. With this, students are left with only the five minute transition time to purchase a snack. This may explain the long lines seen at the vending machines past the bell, which, again, causes more tardies.

“I think it’s very unfortunate that the vending machines were turned off during lunch. Since then, the lines have gotten way too long. Instead of shutting them off, maybe the school could assign a supervisor to manage them,” Delilah Dagoulehi-Starr (11) said.

There is an older policy that requires students to stay in the classroom for the first and last 10 minutes of class, so the transition between classes is the time that many students use to take a restroom break.

It takes approximately the entire five minutes to walk from E hall to J hall alone, via any route, which leaves no spare time to make any stops.

Some teachers have taken the initiative of giving their students “brain breaks,” where they are allowed to use the restroom and go to the vending machines. However, not all teachers provide these.

Regardless of the reason, tardies have a burdening impact on teachers and students who are on time. With students trickling into class long after the bell, teachers have to pause instruction to let the students in, change their attendance, and repeat the lesson for those who were not there to hear it. It impacts the students in the classroom who are now subjected to a loss of class time due to their peers' interruptions. The late-arriving students are impacted as well, as they may have come in after an assignment has already begun, leaving them less understanding and time to complete it.

An additional tardy problem is students returning to class late after lunch. There is currently no system in place to record after-lunch tardies in third block. For these many reasons, teachers are awaiting a response to the amount of late arrivals.

“A tardy policy would absolutely make some change, as long as it is enforced by teachers and administration,” English teacher, Dr. Elizabeth Jamison said.

Students, on the other hand, want to see more leniency regarding tardiness.

"Its unfair to ban people things like games and school activities for being tardy. Parents and teachers should be contacted. Tardiness is a problem but not a major one," John Hamilton (9), a rarely tardy student, said.

The new year will bring a new policy.

The tardy line on this November morning wraps around the building as students wait in line to enter the vestibule until 7:52 a.m. 176 tardy reciepts is one of the largest amount given in a single day.

An amassed pile of 158 tardy reciepts pile up in a container from one teacher's first period classes this semester. One student in the class has 54 total tardies from only first period classes. Photos by Zaria Byers

CONGRATULATIONS!

MHS PTSA would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2022 MHS PTSA Teacher Grants

The goal of MHS PTSA is to make a positive impact on the students and staff of MHS. Supporting the MHS PTSA through purchasing a membership, buying spirit items and volunteering helps the MHS PTSA meet this goal.

Support of credit recovery incentive program with snacks and gift cards

2 Batteries for mobile light stands for live videos for Good

Supplies for the MHS Greenhouse (soil, seeds, garden tools,

Continued from pg.1

Students were excited for this pep rally because it began a new tradition.

It had similar, traditional components from Homecoming week with spirit days, a pep rally, and a game to end the week. However, hoopcoming had males for court recognition.

“I loved Hoopcoming. I felt like it gave the boys of the school a chance to be recognized,” Myla Derosena (10) said. Unlike Homecoming, there is no dance to follow the events of the week, so the pep rally was the highlight.

The students were dressed up to each class theme. Freshman rocked their cowboy boots and flannel shirts, sophomores wore their 90's hip-hop artists on their shirts, juniors were groovy in their disco themed clothes and finally, seniors wore rock band shirts for their theme.

The competitions between grade levels included basketball, class cheers, a dance off, and overall spirit. While everyone was supports the Blue Devils, each grade level will always fight to win the ongoing competition to see who is the best class.

Many different strategies were created before the pep rally to throw shade to the opposing grades. Juniors reading Pitchfork newspapers and freshman sleeping in the stands to ignore the other grades while they were performing.

“I thought that [the newspapers were] a very creative way of showing originality in their class and how they worked really hard to get the spirit stick,” Jackson Turner (9) said.

The seniors were not pleased with the result of the junior win, but the juniors have the spirit stick until next time.

“I am expecting all of the classes to have even more spirit due to the juniors having newspapers at the last one, and I also feel like the other grades are going to want to step it up and have even more props that are even better than the ones the juniors brought,” Tierra Smith (9) said.

Excitement filled the gym as students embraced old and new traditions.

“The most meaningful part was seeing everyone else happy and enjoying a good time with each other during the festivities," sophomore hoopcoming representative, Kaleb Whitlow (10) said.

Improvements to the Plein Air Patio. Sun umbrellas, umbrella stands, 4 Adirondack chairs

Juniors celebrate as Coach Rogers announces they win the spirit stick. Seconds later he was surrounded by the crowd grabbing for their prize.

Jaiden Mann shows off his dunking skills at the hoopcoming pep rally.

Seniors sing along to their rock-themed song. Photos by Amber Ryan

Mrs. Akiba Gilbert DLL

Mr. Josh Dempsey Film

Morning Marietta

Mr. Hunter Fisher Science

hoses etc.)

Mrs. Jill Hooley Visual Arts

This content is sponsored by MHS PTSA. Ad photos by Wesley Harrison.

ATTENTION SPAN:

8 seconds. That is how long one person, on average, can focus

Are you still here? That sentence above Attention span is “the length of time for which a

person subject.” According to a study by Microsoft Corporation, was 12 seconds. This shows a decrease of about 30 percent. the steps to learn more about attention span, its decrease,

Social Age and Brain Function

While social media plays a huge role in the lack of focus students have, as one starts to age, the decrease in attention span starts to occur naturally. The University of Toronto conducted an experiment which found that the areas of the brain that enable concentration do not get enough activity in older ages.

The brain is very complex and each part plays a crucial role in life whether known or not. A study led by the University of South Carolina found that the locus coeruleus is associated with loss of attention. This part of the brain is a small area of the brainstem and connects to many other parts. Its sole purpose is to keep brain activity focused during stressful and exciting periods of time. Also, it controls the release of norepinephrine. This hormone influences attention, memory, and alertness.

The USC study shows that in older ages, many are more susceptible to distractions during stressful or exciting situations. During the emotional arousal, the researchers concluded that the connection between the locus coeruleus and the frontoparietal network was weaker in the older participants then with the younger.

Many scientists believe that around thirty years old, the brain starts to contract and shrink. However, Harvard Health states that this in fact is not true. Scientists now view the brain as ever changing and developing, yet, some brain functions do decrease with age. The hippocampus is one area that does shrink and the myelin sheath, surrounds and protects nerve fibers, wears down over time. This can slow down how fast neurons communicate with one another which then affects your ability to encode new information and retrieve old information.

Scientifically, it is proven that during younger ages, attention span and focus should be at its maximum capacity. However, extraneous factors, such as social media, have disrupted this and therefore became the leading cause as to why this generation is easily distractible.

According to the University of Maine, social media trolled. It allows people to connect and make genuine vides entertainment and a way to pass time. However, to escape.

Due to social media’s rising levels of distractibility, been negatively impacted without realizing how much apps, such as TikTok and Instagram, have users accustomed easily get lost in the millions of videos; a five minute People have gained the mindset of social media new platform once bored with one. Thus this behavior concept of social media does not directly correlate use of it does. Students know that they can easily access causing them to not pay attention in class nor retain thing they need in their hand.

According to Rueters, American households have pandemic. When the world was shut down, the only through technology. The integration of technology, work as well, plays a significant impact on their functionality. on technology and social media.

Washington post mentions how 2/3 of American utes spent daily. Technology allows users to disconnect in more ways than thought.

Are you wanting to improve your attention

Congratulations, if you’ve made it this far, you officially have a longer attention span goldfish. It is possible to help improve your attention span and here are a few ways.

Actively Listen

Practice attentive listening.

Whether it’s chatting with a friend or listening to a podcast, focus on keeping the body still, not interrupting, and limit any distractions.

Ways to practice this include taking a walk and observing things around the world or focusing and counting breaths.

Use a

Choose a planner. Life can get overwhelming using a planner helps and organizing exactly to be done. It helps is important without remember every appointment assignment.

ARE YOU THERE?

Adalyn Law Staff Writer

focus compared to a goldfish whose attention span is 9 seconds.

Media Effects

media has 4.48 billion users captivated or even congenuine relationships while being miles apart. It proHowever, it also becomes a lifestyle that is hard for many distractibility, users’ attention span and level of focus have much of their time is actually being used. Certain accustomed to the short clips. Due to this, users can minute break can turn into an hour and a half. media being disposable. They are able to move on to a behavior carries on to everyday life. While the overall correlate with the decrease in attention span, the constant access needed information on the internet, therefore, retain taught information; they have just about everyhave an average of 25 connected devices thanks to the only form of communication and way to work was technology, not only in many’s everyday life, but school and functionality. This shows how dependent many are American teens use the app wth an average time of80 mindisconnect from their daily life and tasks, affecting them

takes approximately 8 seconds to read. person is able to concentrate on a particular activity or Corporation, looking back to 2000, the average attention span percent. If you read for this long, are you able to follow decrease, its impact, and how to improve yours? attention span than a ways.

It is easy to become distracted, that is no secret. Many teachers have noticed that they can only hold a student’s attention for five to ten minutes before they return to their phone.

While Dr. Morelock, IB and honors chemistry teacher, has only been teaching for seven years, he has noticed that if students are not given a way to stay active during a lesson, they will turn to their phones.

“When I first started my teaching career, I mainly did lecturing for the whole class and that’s hard to hold anybody’s attention. You have to try and pepper in a lot more activity, questions, or keep the class interactive,” Morelock said.

Dr. Morelock is not the only teacher who has noticed this, but Mrs. Lee, AP literature teacher and literacy coach, has as well.

“Attention span is weird. If you’re trying to hold a group of students attention for ten minutes where you are talking the entire time, it is not possible. I have noticed that I can get up to twenty minutes when I break [the lesson] up into smaller chunks where students are listening actively, but they also can turn and talk to each other, then come and talk back to me.”

While teachers are not able to eliminate the use of phones and distracted talk altogether, they have found ways to keep students focused for as long as possible. However, outside of class, many students have realized their root of procrastination comes from social media.

“I tend to use my phone when I don’t know how to do the assignment or if I’m working on an assignment and get bored. It’ll end up being thirty minutes or an hour and I tend to lose track of time,” Helena Nebue (12) said.

Taking a quick break can soon become longer than anticipated due to the never ending blackhole social media is. However, this is not the case for everyone.

“I don’t get distracted in class because I know that I have a deadline to meet. I know if I don’t pay attention in class I’m going to have to do it on my own time, so I’d rather work in class than get on my phone,” Bella Russell (10) said.

How long technology users are able to solely focus on one thing affects them in many ways. A decrease in attention span leads to difficulty completing tasks. It can also lead the users to not being able to maintain relationships as it may be hard to focus on the conversation at hand as well as interactions. Now, students start to lose interest in things they once loved and feel a lack of pleasure.

“Freshman year I did a lot of sports like softball, swim, and golf. After freshman year I quit softball and then last year I quit swim because I lost interest in them and I didn’t enjoy them as much anymore,” Katherine Sundvik (12) said.

Feeling a lack of pleasure in things is known as anhedonia. While not everyone is diagnosed with it, anhedonia is a symptom of major depressive disorder, as well as other mental health issues. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year, 44 percent of students reported that they felt sad or hopeless for two or more consecutive weeks. In 2017, this statistic was only 13 percent.

Planner Reduce Phone Use Cognitve Therapy

planner. overwhelming and helps remembering exactly what needs helps focus on what without the strain to appointment and

Reduce phone usage.

Take a few hours with a phone on silent or put it away to greatly increase time and attention. Without having the distraction of social media, the uninterrupted period of time can be used to be more productive.

Cognitive behavioral therapy.

in an effective way.

It is a more devoted option that requires therapy sessions, but it is proven to help people become aware of negative thinking, view challenging situations clearly and respond

Who run the world?

Girls. These three multi-sport athletes.

Alyssia Hamilton Editor-in-Chief

McKaela Walker

Walker is an unstoppable double sport senior athlete. She started playing softball at the age of seven, and being the youngest on the team, it forced her to up her game. Being on the field is like home for her, and she credits this feeling for her love of the game.

“You don’t think about how much all your problems go away; it’s very therapeutic. Softball can stress you out, but it releases more stress than anything,” Walker said.

For her 2022 high school season, she holds national and state rankings. She’s ranked ninth in the nation with 1,400 slugs. She then holds three state rankings for home runs, slugging percentage, and batters struck out. 19th with eight total home runs, 6th with 1,400 slugs, and 7th with 173 strikeouts.

“My worst sports performance is always playing fall ball. I’ve always played really bad in the fall, when summer ball comes I always shake back. Therefore, it teaches me to not let the bad bring me down and the bad does not outweigh all the good,” Walker (12) said.

Walker plays travel softball for East Cobb Bullets and after playing multiple games she became ranked seventh in the 2023 Extra Elite 100. She is committed to

"Flag Football" continued from pg. 1

Louisiana State University to continue her softball career. She hopes to break records in college, and she aspires to be working in the forensics area.

Cate Gruehn -

Best known as “Uno” for the number she wore to become a 2021 All-Defense and 2022 All-Offense player for the Division 3, Area 1 GHSA Flag Football. She’s a 5’6” wide receiver and defensive back that will not let anyone stop her grabbing the flag on defense or run the ball to the endzone for a touchdown. She started playing flag football in 2020, Marietta’s first year of establishing the sport, as her mom encouraged her to try it after being hesitant to start.

“Coach H has had the biggest impact on my flag career because I have learned everything from him. He pushes me to be the best I can be. He knows when I’m not going 100 percent and lets me know the adjustments I need to make," Gruhen said. "I’ve gained so much knowledge on the sport and will be forever grateful with the amount he shared with me to make sure I grow as an athlete.”

Gruhen leads the team with four national rankings. 9th for receiving yards with 691 yards. 20th with a total of 76 points. 23rd with 11 total touchdowns. 18th with a total of 4 tries made. She signed to Thomas University on a flag football scholarship. She looks up to her teammates at Thomas

“I will never walk with shame or regret because I’m always proud of you all no matter what the result is. You guys worked hard this season and accomplished a lot, so walk out of this building with your heads held high," Coach H said.

The seniors took the loss the hardest as this was their last year to accomplish their goal of winning a state title. The seniors steered the positive outcome of the season. The team ended the season with a final record of 14-3 and being ranked second in the D3 Area 1 Region.

“I’m incredibly disappointed for our seniors. They worked so hard and were very committed to accomplishing all their goals. It’s overlining that the journey is more important than the result. We have more wins than any program in the state, which shows how committed they are. I’m going to miss them dearly and I will always look back on this time,” Coach H said.

The constant success has led to big expectations for fans and the athletes. It’s only their third season of playing flag football so more wins are expected for the future. The seniors have made their mark on this team and paved the path for the underclassmen to accomplish the dream that they were not able to.

“This is a team I will never forget. It’s not just a team it’s family, I never would’ve thought I would make it three years with this team,” Rachely Castillo (12).

Seniors, Cate Gruehn, Claire Hennessey, McKaela Walker, and Akhaila Makenna have had great accomplishments adding to the long list for this team. Cate Gruehn is a wide receiver and defensive back holding three national rankings. McKaela Walker, a running

University as she knows that they have a lot of experience and can’t wait to learn from them.

Kristal McQueen-

Three time back-to-back State Champion and Powerade All-Metro runner. McQueen is a distance runner for the Blue Devils cross country and track team. Specializing in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m races. She claims she is not a good handler of sports with equipment, but being able to run influenced her to join the sport in eighth grade. Her determination and drive helps her to push through the pain of each race and keep moving forward through every race she is in. When she gets in her head and doubts herself, she remembers this quote, “She believed she could, so she did." This

calms her down because she knows that if she believes in herself and her abilities then she can achieve her goals. All athletes experience a performance that negatively impacts them.

“My worst sports performance was a race where I was late and very nervous. This resulted in me getting myself worked up as I was in my head. I learned that being calm and collected beforehand will only benefit me,” Kristal McQueen said.

After the setbacks, she continues to push forward every race each year. She committed to the University of West Georgia on a cross country scholarship.

“I hope to accomplish big things in college. I’ve committed to the University of West Georgia to run, and I’m hoping to continue my success through the years,”McQueen said.

back, wide receiver, and back-up quarterback, holding two national rankings. Claire Hennessey the quarterback holds two national rankings.

Team captain Akhaila Makenna, a linebacker and wide receiver, held five national rankings last year. During the Wheeler scrimmage game Makenna scored a touchdown and came down on her leg. She found out that she had a transverse fibula fracture and would have to sit out for the majority of the season. When she couldn’t use her right leg, she found ways to stay in shape with an injury. Her goal of helping her team win the state title stayed on her mind as she continued to work hard each day no matter the setback her injury gave her. After eight weeks of being on a boot, she was able to come back and play the first four rounds of playoffs. She only played on defense to not put so much stress on a newly healed injury.

“It showed me that things aren't always in my control, so I can either feel sorry for myself or work on what I can control. Coming back, I was very nervous of my capabilities and how I’d perform, but my amazing team and coaches never doubted me which allowed me to play to the best of my ability,” Akhaila Makenna (12) said.

8 out of the 30 athletes on this team have been members since the establishment of the sport in 2020. Those athletes are Akhaila Makenna, Cate Gruehn, McKaela Walker, Rachely Castillo, Caila Joseph, Harper Mangine, Elizabeth Olaribigbe, and Nakiyah Roberts-Dunn. They’ve kept the tradition alive as they welcomed new members and bonded from the supportive environment. The “1, 2, 3, family” chant is said after every practice and game because this team considers itself a family.

“The team made me feel welcomed, and the coaches and sport helped me feel more confident in myself. I hope it will stay the amazing program that I enjoyed for the past three years," Nakiyah Roberts-Dunn (12) said.

After winning the quarterfinal game against North Gwinnett,13-0, the team celebrates being the program with the most wins in the state.

Gabi O'Neill (11), Cailia Joseph (11), Sofia Eraydin (12), and Elizabeth Olaribigbe (12) cheer on their teammates as they score another touchdown during the quarterfinal game.

Photos by Alyssia Hamilton

McKaela Walker (12), Kristal McQueen (12), and Cate Gruehn (12) leave their footsteps for future girl athletes. Photos by Alyssia Hamilton

Music history at Marietta

Quinn Mulkey Staff Writer

Historia de musica en Marietta

Sydney Martinez Escritora Personal

Leonel Argueata-Tzun

Leonel Argueata-Tzun (12) is a student at Marietta High School who is known for his work on the Hispanic Heritage program that took place on Oct 11. Argueata organized and composed the song “ El Rey Quiche” for the orchestra to play with the help of the orchestra instructor, Mr. Hartman overseeing, having spent hours upon hours to make sure it was perfect and to make sure that people of different backgrounds would love it. What sparked your love for music or creativity in general? Do you plan on pursuing a career in the music field?

In general, I’ve always been exposed to music since the beginning of middle school at the Sixth Grade Academy. I wanted to learn something else and I switched to violin and I’ve been here ever since. It’s been a blessing and I’ve learned so much from what I can learn about my own personal talents as well as making friends here in the program.

Were there any mental roadblocks or challenges when writing the sheet music for the songs performed? If so, what kind of roadblocks did you have?

I knew that I had to play one song for each country because where I live there are mostly people from Mexico and Guatemala. I kind of had to deal with the blue devil sound at the same time and also with our repertoire we’re preparing for. The week after the program we had our fall concert as well. So I had to research what music, what people would know and fit with the help of Mr.Hartman. I have only worked with what I know from violin one and two.

Would you say that you are very close and tied with your culture? Did that have any effect?

Yeah. I knew that people here would like something like ranch or country style, kind of traditional. I played the national anthem of Mexico and Guatemala that mainly just presented two countries. Surprisingly I didn’t think it was gonna go that great.

Leonel Argueata-Tzun (12) es un estudiante de Marietta High School conocido por su trabajo en el programa de celebración del mes de la herencia hispana que fue mostrado el 11 de Octubre. Argueata organizó y compuso la canción "El Rey Quiche" con la supervisión del Sr.. Hartman, para que la orquesta de la escuela lo tocara. Haber tomado horas, Argueata se aseguró que la canción sería perfecta y aseguró que la gente de diferentes orígenes la podría amar.

¿Qué provocó tu amor por la música o tu creatividad en general? ¿Planeas perseguir una carrera en música?

En general, yo siempre he estado expuesto a la música desde el inicio de la secundaria en la academia de sexto grado. Yo quise aprender algo más, y cambié al violín y he estado aquí desde ese tiempo. Ha sido una bendición y he aprendido mucho de mis talentos personales y también he h echo amigos aquí en el programa.

¿Hubo obstáculos mentales o desafíos al escribir la partituras de las canciones interpretadas? ¿Qué tipos de desafíos has tenido?

Yo supe que tuve que tocar una canción de cada país porque donde vivo, hay gente de México y Guatemala. Yo tuve que lidiar con el sonido de 'Blue Devil' al mismo tiempo y con el repertorio que estábamos preparando. La semana después del programa, también tuvimos que hacer nuestro concierto de otoño. So tuve que buscar que música... que la gente va a reconocer y saber con la ayuda del Sr.. Hartman. Solo he trabajado con lo que se del violín uno y dos.

¿Te dirías que eres muy conectado con tu cultura? ¿Tuvo un efecto en tu producción?

Si. Supe que a la gente de aquí le gustaría algo como estilo rancho o algo como la música campestre o algo tradicional. Yo toque el himno nacional de México y Guatemala que principalmente representa a los dos países. Asombrosamente, no pensé que me iba ir tan bien como me fue.

Students in orchestra classes practice scales for an in-class assesment.

Photo by Wesley Harrison

Leonel Argueata- Tzun practices sheet music for the winter concert.

Photo by Alexandria Kelly

MHS student journalism and media programs want to include YOU. We want and need your stories. Look for collabs starting next semester featuring student profiles in The Pitchfork, on Good Morning Marietta, in The Olympian and on all social media.

If you know of a student, teacher, alum, or community member who should be featured, DM @mhspitchfork or email pitchfork@marietta-city.k12.ga.us

Winners of the 2022 Game Awards

Game of the Year: Elden Ring

Dylan Buehner Business Manager

Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok were the heavyweights in the 2022 Game Awards. Both games took home multiple awards for their studios, with Fromsoft (Elden Ring) winning four awards and Santa Monica Studios (Ragnarok) winning six. But ultimately, it was Elden Ring who took home the headline spot of Game of the Year.

Fromsoft is known for it’s hardcore, swordplay games. Darksouls I, II, and III are considered one of the hardest trilogies of games to come out in the 2010s. These games focus on slower, more punishing combat, where attacks take longer to play out, and moves must be planned to avoid a nice red "YOU DIED" screen.

Fromsoft thrives on making action-roleplaying games, where customization is at the forefront of gameplay, Allowing players to approach their games in new and unique ways. This design philosophy keeps players coming back for more, even if the difficulty gets too much at times. Even with their revolutionary gameplay being what they're most known for, Fromsoft’s art design has also been praised, with their grim, gothic environments mixing amazingly with their over-the-top boss designs that taunt the player.

Best Indie: Stray

Stray was one of six games nominated for Game of the Year, with many brushing it aside for that award. Ragnarok and Elden Ring were the sure winners, so Stray had to take a backseat to that fight. But while the top dogs fought, this sly cat went along and snagged the Best Indie Game and Debut Indie awards, solidifying it as a true gaming daring

BlueTwelve Studios (Stray) are a independent development group, breaking away from Ubisoft in 2015 to work on Stray. BlueTwelve was originally just two developers, with the team expanding to seven later in development. For seven years, this small team put months of work into Stray. It is their only project to date, and their dedication to it shows. Interestingly, The lead director stated that their inspiration for the setting of Stray was the Kowloon Walled City, a massively compact micro nation within China that boasted over 50,000 people in an area smaller than 7 acres.

The core of this game is that players are a cat that is wandering around the dense complex the designers created. All characters within this world are cats or robots, creating a relaxed environment compared too many other games.

Jumping, crawling, and climbing are core loops found within Stray, as exploration is the one and only gameplay goal. Throughout the journey, new environments will be uncovered, from dense apartments to overgrown industrial areas, all creating a cohesive art direction for the player to be emersed in.

Stray is a simple yet endearing game, that swooned the hearts of indie lovers everywhere, sweeping the independent categories throughout the night.

Best Action: Ragnarok

Overall, the studio has been pushing the envelope for decades, leading up to the release and awarding of Elden Ring.

Elden Ring is the spiritual successor to the Dark Souls game, Embracing everything that makes the Souls games amazing. The environments are darkly beautiful, mixing open pastures with gothic architecture, all the while allowing the player to explore this beauty without limitations.

The customization swings back harder, with advanced character creation and loadout creation allowing players to adventure in any way they want. This adventure isn’t easy either, as the gameplay stays just as brutal as its predecessors. Bosses are big, Attacks slow, and all the while your character is rolling around with giant swords and armor that barely protect him from the brutality of Fromsoft’s world.

In combination with their Game of the Year win, they also took home best Art Direction, Game Direction and Role-Playing Game, all for the reason mentioned previously. Elden Ring followed in the shadows of its forefathers, to become its own pillar in the gaming hall of fame.

While not taking home the crown of Game of the Year, God of War: Ragnarok, blew through many of the categories throughout the night. From Best Narrative to Best Innovation in Accessibility, Ragnarok showed up and took home awards nontheless.

Santa-Monica Studios (Ragnarok) is a custom-made development organization put together by Sony. They make the God of War games, putting all their effort into making each game the best it could be. Their last trip to the game awards can with God of War 2018, a groundbreaking game in terms of story telling, performaces and art direction.

It took home 8 awards during the 2018 game awards, reenforcing the development chops of Santa-Monica Studios. The design philosophy of this studio rests on groundbreaking cinematics and heartwrenching stories that push players to beat each area.

Santa-Monica pulled out all the stops when it came to Ragnarok’s art direction. They created a fully-realized world filled with fantastic locations and areas to progress through. Throughout a players time within Ragnarok, the music and sound design envelopes the world, providing great set dressing for the adventure. A key feature of all God of War games are their over-the-top boss battles, which Ragnarok puts on full display. Fighting norse gods is an indepth process, and this game fully brings it into the modern age.

Winning Best Narrative, Best Score and Music, Best Audio Design, Best Action/Adventure, Innovation in Accessibility and Best Performance. While not taking home the central prize, Santa-Monica received high for their game.

Best Fighting: Multiversus

A relatively short-lived game, Multiversus took the gaming scene by storm over the summer, providing a take on the fighting genre. It had an easy time taking the number one spot in the fighting genre, with its opponents not having the wider appeal that brought so many into the game. It hosts a vast list of characters from across multiple different mediums, from Batman to Lebron James, players had a rather easy choice with this category

Player-First Games (Multiversus) was a custom-made studio for the purpose of making Multiversus. Warner Brothers, the owner of many IPs within Multiversus, wanted to put their foot into the ring of the fighting-game craze that took over in late May. They were in mediocre company, as many nongame-focused companies tried (and failed) to make fighting games with their quirky characters. So with the money and ideas of the Warner Brothers, Player Games tried their best to make a cohesive experience for players, and it was commercially successful for them.

Beating up iconic pop-culture figures with your friends seemed to grab many over the summer. With the dauls, coop matches, and 4 man brawls, and multiverse gameplay allowed for fun to be had by all. Both casual and competitive players had a good time fighting it out online. What really sweetened the pot for this game, and what pushed it to the number one spot in this category, was that it was free. While other games in this category were more polished peices of media, Multiversus' free & easy to start model pushed it to the forefront of this category, and ultimately gave it the win.

Pitchfork Standout: Escape From Tarkov

Battle Royales (BRs) are a genre of online games in which players spawn into a set map and collect randomly generated loot. This loot comes in the form of weapons and healing supplies, which scale in power as the round progresses. The core feature of BRs is that once you die, all the loot you gather goes away, and you start from scratch. This formula allows for faster, more diverse gameplay, where each round plays out differently from the last.

Military Simulators (Mil-Sims) are another genre of online games in which groups of players reenact war-type events over the course of actual hours. Gameplay is much slower, with weapons being more intricate, healing more prolonged, and vehicles functioning truer to life in the most demanding way possible. Everything is much more complicated, and mistakes can cost players actual days of backtracking.

These two Genres merge into a fantastic indie game out of St. Petersburg called: Escape from Tarkov. Escape for Tarkov (EFT) is a self-proclaimed “hard-

core, realistic, online first-person, action RPG” branching off into its own unique genre. Most within the EFT community call this type of game an Extract-Shooter, based on the core gameplay loop. To start, players load into a round (what the game calls raids) on one of 8 maps. They spawn in a random location and must make their way across the map to an “Extraction Point” where they can load out of the raid. On their way to these extraction points, players can enter abandoned homes and shops to collect a wide variety of loot.

If a player extracts from a raid, all the items, weapons, and equipment they collected carries over to their “Stash”; an out-of-raid inventory for players. In other BRs, even if a player wins a round, they still lose all their gathered gear. Tarkov differs from that formula, allowing players who survive to continue using the gear they gathered in future raids. All items on a player -From backpack and ammo rigs that increase inventory space, to helmets and armor that protects from attacks- can be kept between raids. But once a player dies, all that loot is gone forever, creating a delicate balancing act between the quality of gear and the risk of losing it.

In Tarkov, there are two main types of run-ending foes: AI Enemies and Player Made Characters (PMCs). The AI

in Tarkov is diverse, with there being 4 different types of AI, each spawning in different amounts with varying types of gear. Scavs are your baseline, scavenger enemy, having very little in the way of loot. Raiders are more experienced scavs, having better loot & much better-attacking power. Rouges are just the US Military. And Boss Scav are special characters that don’t change between raids. All these fellas roam around their respective maps, doing their own thing, until players stumble across them, causing them to become aggressive. PMCs, on the other hand, are always violent, as gamers are the worst.

Combat with these foes is also unique, as damage occurs over multiple parts of a player's body. Falling from a high place will break a PMCs legs, causing their character to move at a snail's pace. Getting hit in the arm causes it to shatter, leading to decreased control over a character's arms. As mentioned previously, armor and helmets can block damage in certain areas, but a direct hit to the head or chest is a definite game over.

All these features make the game a formidable timesink for some and a rewarding slug-fest for others. But its hard nature draws in players like no other, and provides a unique experience compared to the mainstream option currently out.

Fast changing trends in social media

Mae Bullington Staff Writer

Trends come and go, but why? Trends pop up from TikTok and Instagram. There is one common denominator, and that is social media. Trends are associated with social media because it is on a constant rise. With billions of people having some social media, trends are made. Trend types range from dances, clothes, and even personalities. They usually become popular quickly but typically last only a short time.

One example of a trend is BeReal. BeReal is an app that goes off once a day at a random time. Users of the app show their friends what they’re doing through taking a picture from their front and back camera at the same time. BeReal is still favored by over 53 million people around the globe because it’s about “being real.” It came out in 2020 and started becoming popular in early 2022.

The app focuses on authenticity; it’s unfiltered and unedited, and it gives stats about your BeReal. You can see how late someone’s BeReal was and how many retakes they had. The app has widespread appeal because the creators don’t use ads to promote it; the employees rely on social media like TikTok and Instagram to boost their apps. In the beginning, there was talk about BeReal not lasting long, but the demand is still high.

A trend that faded away was VSCO. VSCO started as a way to edit your photos but transformed into another social media app. People started posting pic-

tures that matched a specific aesthetic. Users had the option to repost and favorite their friends’ images. It became so well-liked because there wasn’t a way to comment less use of comments to spread negativity and support others.

VSCO became a stereotype not long after it started becoming popular, VSCO girls were defined by their shared interests, brands, and sayings. Some common interests included hydro flasks, scrunchies, and puka shell necklaces. Although the app was intended to be positive, people viewed the stereotype as unfavorable.

The app VSCO came out in 2011 but started gaining popularity in 2019. During the 2019 period, VSCO had 40 million monthly users. 60 percent of these users were teenagers. Being a VSCO girl lost its desirability when Covid-19 started. People were out less, so they weren’t as active on VSCO. Other trends began rolling in.

While VSCO and BeReal were both well-liked trends, they were very different. Through the years, general interests have changed. In 2022 the trend is to “be real,” but in 2019, everyone wanted their pictures to fit a specific aesthetic.

VSCO and BeReal are very similar; they are both apps that wanted to change the way people use the media. BeReal wants things to be more authentic without the filters and edits. VSCO wanted things to be more positive, including the editing BeReal is trying to avoid.

Maggie Hyland (9)

“I would say my favorite trend was probably the VSCO girl stage. I got a lot of cute clothes out of it and it was kind of simple and normal.”

Emilio Eraydin (10)

“My favorite trend in the media has to be the ‘You Got Krissed.’ That’s been my absolute favorite. It honestly affected me, actually, because it made me really happy to see my queen Kris Jenner up and out there. So that’s my favorite trend in the media.”

Eleanor Rand Lines (11)

“I like the social media trend BeReal because it’s different from all the other social media. You don’t have to worry. It’s just once a day, so you just look at it once, and then you’re done. You can’t get caught up in what other people are doing. It’s a different type of social media, which I like.”

Joshua Beyene (12)

“My favorite trend is the TikTok dance, I Just Wanna Rock, and that’s my favorite trend because it got me and my friend, Grant, very close. We started dancing, a personal connection was built, it bonded and strengthened our relationship.”

Given or earned: Is social status overcoming talent?

Lily Konigsmark Staff Writer

It’s no secret that celebrities serve as role models for the average person and can be a major influence on everything people do in daily life. Some people’s decisions are influenced by celebrities, whether they like it or not, by just consuming entertainment in all of its forms. It is important to have entertainment in order to live a fulfilling life, otherwise it would dully consist of working, eating, sleeping, and repeating.

A huge part of entertainment is movies. Many of the role models that people call celebrities are actors and actresses in some fan favorite films. Among the best-selling movies at the box office like

Star Wars, Black Panther, Avatar, and Avengers: Endgame, there are favorite actors. However, actors eventually age out of particular roles, which means that one’s acting career will eventually come to an end.

With the end of a chapter to one actor’s career comes the beginning of someone else’s. This continually creates new opportunities for actors in the business to become loved like the former actors in popular roles.

New child actors start in commercials and move onto being side characters before acquiring main roles and then onto the movies with the big shots.

Oftentimes, instead of the actors working their way up from the bottom, no-experience celebrities are taking roles of

starting actors and current actors. The general group of “celebrities” is a broad title of all the famous people on the internet and entertainment industry.

There are many types of celebrities that branch off from the word celebs. Influencers are one of the main branches that separates the social media world of celebrities from the Hollywood star celebrities. Influencers usually stick to sponsorships with companies and entertain on the internet. They rule the social media world and truly control what regular people buy and do. They are popular and the more they post and advertise items, the more popular they become.

Actors are the stars on the big screens and in some of the favorite movies and TV shows. They can also do sponsorships

The beloved singer, Harry Styles, has started his acting career for the past few years. It was kind of odd for him to be in a movie for the first time after leaving the boy band, One Direction. Everyone saw him as the young boy who sang about pretty girls and having fun with friends. The most important part is that everyone saw him.

When he starred in a movie, he was the face of the movie. When someone brought up the movie, it was, ¨Oh the one Harry Styles is in?¨ This was a strategic move from the entertainment industry to have more publicity for their movie. Don’t Worry Darling is the best example of a celebrity with little to no connection to acting taking a lead role. Harry Styles was the face of the movie, he was the publicity of the movie, he was the main person bringing in the money. There is much controversy with his role in the movie.

and influence the public. It is seen as normal for a well-known actor to be put into an influencer type role. It is not normal though to see a non-actor to be put into an actor’s role in their daily life.

The discussion starts with when these worlds collide. Influencers, with no acting background are being brought into movies with no experience and take the spotlight. They take the fame from people who have dedicated their lives to acting and rob potential new actors’ roles because of their popularity among the world. The companies do not care for finding new artists and breaking through with an amazing actor because they only have two things in mind. Those two things are money and publicity for themselves. The more publicity means the more money.

Florence Pugh, the true lead of the movie and a seasoned actor, gets much less press than Styles, even though she has the most screen time and an illustrious career. The debate of whether Styles had earned the role or was handed the role due to his status in the social world is on the rise. Directors and leaders of the production of the movie could not care less though because people will still come to watch the movie and bring in more money.

Money is prioritized above anything; it is the main reason to produce a movie along with getting actors more presence and to become a familiar face in the industry. The movies create credibility for the individuals, yet the main motive comes down to how one can make the most money and get higher in the acting industry.

"Don't Worry Darling"

Dreaming of a Bright Christmas

Addison Moreland Staff Writer

As the holiday season approaches, everyone is eager to watch as our neighbors string brilliant lights from the trees and arrange elaborate displays in their front yards. Families come together on the harshest winter nights to drive by and marvel at their most beloved Christmas decorations. What was once a family tradition is now sanctioned throughout the community.

Former Governor, Roy Barnes, who resides in Marietta, has caught onto this paramount tradition and annually entertains the community with his and his wife, Marie Barnes, stunning holiday lights and arrangements. With various nativity scenes, trees, and other decorations, their house is decked out for the holidays and spreads Christmas cheer throughout the community.

But they don’t just deocrate for Christmas. The Barnes have continued to adorn their house for many major holidays nearly 14 years.

“The tradition of decorating at Christmas initially started because we thought the grandkids would like it when they were little,” Governor Barnes said.

Their granddaughter, Libby Barnes, a sophomore at Marietta High School, recounts her grandparents’ house being decorated from a very young age, and their growing decorations never went unnoticed. While her family was celebrating the holidays, she and her cousins would go outside and play with their numerous nativity scenes and also other yard displays.

“Their outside decorations don’t compare to the inside. They always have the most beautiful decorations on the inside of their house,” Libby Barnes (10) said. Nevertheless, their tradition of decorating didn’t start only to entertain their grandchildren, but more specifically, when Mrs. Barnes was growing up.

“Growing up, my mother would have small trees and until I got to where I could decorate, we didn’t buy many decorations or lights to put up. I convinced my mother to buy more decorations, and ever since then, I’ve loved decorating for the holidays,” Marie Barnes said.

Furthermore, Governor and Mrs. Barnes are avid collectors of Nativity scenes, with numerous displays in their yard. They have, however, lost a few Nativities amid their years of collecting. It wasn’t long ago at a Christmas party that two Baby Jesuses unknowingly left their property mysteriously the night of Christmas Eve. One was replaced by a friend who traveled to Israel and returned with a new baby Jesus to display, but unfortunately, the one gifted to them by their youngest daughter was hand carved from Africa and couldn’t be restored.

Even so, the two continue to charm the community with their alluring decorations and put smiles on children’s faces as they excitedly await the approaching season.

Visiting the Harwell’s house in Anderson Farm is yet another valued family tradition for those across the community. Inspired by the Lights of Joy in Kennesaw, which spans more than 60 miles and incorporates over 230 trees and over 80,000 communal lights, the Harwell’s are equally keen to make Christmas a consequential time for all.

The couple has always embraced the holiday season, but their displays were never as intricate before moving into their current home.

They enjoyed admiring Christmas lights when they were younger, but it is difficult to find quality light displays to look at.

With the intention of making Christmas a meaningful time for all, they go to great lengths to decorate their home so that spectators feel as if they have stumbled

into a Winter Wonderland.

Every year, the Harwells never cease to add more to their breathtaking displays in hopes of helping the community to remember that Christmas isn’t just about the presents received but also about remembering Jesus and the legacy that he left for the world at large.

“We do this for the community. It’s a labor of love and isn’t intended for us. We listen to their feedback, and we’ve had children come by to say thank you, we’ve had people leave letters in our mailbox to express their gratitude, and even a few police officers who enjoy watching the lights from our cul-de-sac. Those comments are incredibly heartwarming and mean a lot to us,” Mrs. Harwell said.

They spend numerous weekends decking their house with the utmost Christmas

spirit. Not too long ago, the Harwells spent the entirety of their holiday break building an additional storage unit to their home after discovering that they could no longer house all of their decorations.

“We love the Christmas season and hope to make it a meaningful time for all as they drive by our house.”

The Harwell’s are devoted to Marietta and faithful to the well-being of its community. And despite pursuing two fulltime jobs, they plan on maintaining this impressive tradition for bountiful years to come.

“We knew Santa had visited because he used the same wrapping paper throughout our childhood. We did the same for our daughters, and they plan to do the same for their kids,” Mr. Harwell said. Finally, the holiday season isn’t complete

without a jaunt to Marietta Square for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. None other than our beloved Santa visited children and adults to fulfill their Christmas wishes.

Marietta’s holiday festivities included an ugly Christmas sweater parade, school choral concerts, and a plethora of seasonal decorations. The finale featured Mayor Steve “Thunder” Tumlin counting down to the lighting of Glover Park’s Christmas tree while locals strolled around the square, wrote letters to Santa at letter-writing booths, and exchanged greetings with the jolly old man himself.

While the harsh winter weather kept many snuggled up in their homes, numerous families gathered in the square to wait for Santa.

Our local elementary schools decorated their school’s Christmas trees that were placed in the Marietta Square.

Governor Barnes and his family, who reside in Marietta, decorate their house on Whitlock Ave. every year with alluring lights, nativity scenes, and garland.

The Harwell’s house in Anderson Farm is a must-see Christmas light display in Marietta. They add a new display each Christmas, making their yard even more facinating and fun to see each year. Photos by Addison Moreland