PITCHFORK
THE
EST 1928
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta High School
Issue 2
mhspitchfork.com
December 1, 2023
XC GIRLS DOMINATE, FOUR TIME STATE CHAMPS
Sydney Hernandez Section Editor
Marking their fourth consecutive year of victory, the girls cross-country team won the 7A GHSA State Championship on Nov. 4, 2023. The girls ran the 5000meter course at Carrollton High and produced a full podium of champions. Mary Nesmith finished first place as the 7A girls State Champion with a time of 18:15.26. Three others placed in the top ten: Maddie Jones in third (18:27.53), Nora Hart in seventh (18:56.14), and Gabi Comsudes in tenth (19:16.94). Colette DePasquale placed 13th, Bella Russell 26th, and Brooklyn McVicker 51st. The team scored 32 points with an average time of 18:53. Walton High followed behind with 104 points. “It’s always an amazing feeling to win state, but winning by that many points demonstrated the hard work and dedication we put in as a team,” Gabi Comsudes (12) said. Nesmith, Jones, and Hart were also chosen to join the Atlanta All-Metro cross-country team. “I am really happy to be on the team this year. I was on it last year, so I wanted to repeat that. It’s a big honor and going to the banquet is fun and meeting a bunch of runners from other schools that are also on the team is as well,” Jones (11) said. For more than 20 years, Coach Jack Coleman has guided the girls and boys cross country teams.
Mary Nesmith and Maddie Jones lead the front pack of girls on the state course with Nora Hart just steps behind. Sophomore, Nesmith, claimed the individual victory of 7A state champ with the team’s 4-peat. Photo by Amelia Jenkins “I am always looking for competitive people who are excellent students and don’t get bored easily. The girls winning the fourth championship in a row in dominating fashion was a joy to watch,” Coach Coleman said. “You will be hard pressed to find a group of young ladies more committed to the team and each other.”
The boys team finished third overall in the state. The team finished with 164 points and an average time of 16:41. Their victory was led by Evan Grundmeyer with a time of 16:07.65. Parker Pitts finished 28th, Keenan Smith 31st, Evan Owens 46th, Lucas Fortenberry 50th, Grady Jenkins 77th, and
Enoch Phillips 126th. “I was very happy to see the boys maximize their abilities with the third place team finish and extend their trophy streak to five years at the state meet,” Coach Coleman said. Continue to pg. 8 for “XC”
One Act repeats region championship, fourth in state Alexandria Kelly Staff Writer
The Puffs collectively decide that they need to fight against the dark lord for Hogwarts. They chose to win no matter what, chanting “First or Nothing.”
A young orphan boy is visited by an owl and discovers that he is a wizard. But Advanced Theater tells a different story; the story of a young orphan boy, Wane Hopkins, who is visited by an owl and discovers that he is a wizard. The difference is... he is a Puff. The One Act play, ‘Puffs’ explores the widely-disliked Hufflepuff house. Puffs follows the timeline of the beloved Harry Potter films and books as told from the perspective of the background character .Unlike the Puffs, MHS Advanced Theater won first place as repeating region champs and fourth in the state. That can be explained by the help of the cast and tech crew.
“Tech is the unsung hero of the show,” Michelle Peck, assistant theater director, said. The show, according to Peck, was very tech heavy in many aspects. There were multiple costumes, which is rare for OneAct plays which typically would have one costume per character. “We had a lighting designer this year Ty [Cauthen] who absolutely knocked it out of the park. Usually we only have certain areas of the stage lit but he was able to like incorporate colors,” Peck said. Cauthen (12) was able to take advantage of the theatre space but he was also able to transfer it to the theatre where advanced theatre performed for the state competition. Continue to pg. 11 for “Puffs”
INSIDE
Photo by Alexandria Kelly
Speaker shutdown
Spreading gratitude
Movies of 2023
House Speaker McCarthy’s leave causes confusion in the government.
GMM and Pitchfork kickoff community and school focused collaborations.
Reviews of up-and-coming movies, favorite theaters and food.
page 10
page 12
page 6 & 7
Opinions
@mhspitchfork
page 2
Editorial: Securing my privacy While indulging in social media, I have witnessed misinformation and rumors spread like a wildfire. One post can ruin someone’s credibility, relationships, or their career. On a daily basis, celebrities have their words twisted by the public because of an interview gone awry. That interview transpires into social media gossip that has to be controlled by a management team. This pattern isn’t celebrity-exclusive. Regular social media users can ruin their own image by having poor judgment when posting. For this reason, following ethical behavior is vital, especially as a journalist. A journalist’s career is dependent on their code of ethics. This code of ethics is centered around credibility, objectivity, and integrity. This is because journalists don’t only represent themselves but the publication or news outlets for which they work. As a student journalist, I represent not only myself,but my publication and school. I only post things that are appropriate for anyone to see. This means that I don’t post a lot of political or controversial content. I also don’t announce my stance on such topics. When addressing certain topics, I thoroughly research articles, news clips, and interviews to gather all perspectives to
avoid bias. Choosing to display one side of a situation can cause the spread of misinformation and an uprise of conflict. When I come across something I may not like or agree with, I scroll away instead of expressing my opinion in the comment section. I also am very selective about the aspects of my personal life that are shared with my followers.
Take responsibility about what you have on your TV and about what you’re out there supporting. -Jada Smith When certain things are posted, assumptions or misconceptions can be made about a person. This is something I don’t want, especially when future employers or
admission officers can come across my account. They are not the only ones who want to keep eyes on my digital footprint. Identity thieves and criminals stalk the internet, waiting for any user to be reckless with their privacy. I avoid posting my current location, address, or school to keep myself safe. When consuming media, I tend to see many different comments and opinions that may influence my views. With this overload of information, I limit my screen-time on platforms like Tiktok and Instagram. The thousands of contradicting comments tend to become a negative space with room for conflict. In the same breath, social media is a wonderful way to share things about myself and learn things about other people or topics. I am able to explore and gather knowledge that I probably wouldn’t come across otherwise. I am also able to give people a positive sense of who I am when they come across my accounts. Any time I post, I keep an old rule in mind: Don’t share it unless you would show it to your grandmother. Social media should be a place for expression, not exploitation.
How do you secure your privacy on social media? Millie Brennaman (9)
“I only let my friends and family follow my socials.”
Devon Patel (10)
“I don’t send out personal information and I only send pictures to people I trust.”
Follow us @mhspitchfork
Joanne Pham (11)
“I have a private account.”
Jude Zekra (12)
“I don’t share my location or post anything to expose myself.”
Beau Dominguez (MHS Staff)
“I only post family photos.”
Aidan Allegro (Newspaper Staff)
“I make sure that I don’t share my personal information.”
Each issue, a follower will be chosen at random to win a Zaxby’s gift card from @Zaxbys591SMP. This issue’s winner is Maggie Hyland (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.
Managing Editor Sydney Martinez Editors-in-Chief Zaria Byers Wes Harrison Section Editors Sydney Hernandez Addison Moreland Design Editors Libby Barnes Quinn Mulkey
Business Managers Amber Ryan Amelia Jenkins Social Media Managers Kaia Kirkpatrick Lily Konigsmark Promotion Managers Trinity Seals Mae Bullington Adviser Andrea Lyons Staff
Aidan Allegro Polleen Coates Colette DePasquale Reagan Kelley
Alexandria Kelly Ady Grace Miller Harrison Pacin
Opinions
@mhspitchfork
page 3
Take us out of your business Polleen Coates Staff Writer They live big, bold, hanging with the most superb and rocking the most glamorous of designers. We cling to our TV’s to see who, and what, is new. Celebrities are the center of the social scene we know , and undoubtedly love. They make and break the drama that we grasp to and see on so many social platforms, such as Instagram, E! Entertainment Television, and People Magazine. Some celebrities choose to live their lives in private, away from the paparazzi and fans. Others choose to live unapologetically, without a care about who sees and knows. Celebrities are the basis of our entertainment, but please for the sake of all of us, take us out of the business. To me, celebrities are an interesting topic, but come with a very silver lining when it comes to talking about them or their lives. I understand wanting to live life in private, away from the cameras, the drama, and the fame. These requests should be respected by everyone, but in our day and age that is more than unlikely. Phones and cameras are everywhere, and it is easy to catch someone on a bad day, causing an uproar of comments throughout social media and many other platforms. Yet if you live life “unapologetically”, can one truly be upset about people in their business? I feel that the answer to this question is no, but yet we see so many celebrities do it. A prominent example of this is Khloe Kardashain, a media personality and a star of
the hit reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians’’. With a total of 1.9 million viewers, the show airs on Thursdays through Hulu and Disney+, looking into the “private” lives of the 5 sisters; Khloe, Kim, Kourtney, Kendall, and Kylie. All successful in different professions and business ventures, cameras follow the sisters through their daily lives, including private conversations with family, and intimate moments with their young children. More recent episodes of the show have shown Khloe with Thompson, reminiscing of their past and speaking on “the future” of their relationship. Thompson then proposed to Khloe in December of 2022, but was rejected by Khloe, with her saying “I need to make sure this is a totally different relationship”. From this point forward, more episodes continued to be aired, and continuously showed the two together, even showing Khloe supporting Tristan Thompson through a scandal he was having with Maralee Nichols to their millions of viewers. This caused for a splurge of rumors to come forward from fans that she and Thompson would be getting back together officially after their long on & off again relationship. Khloe took to Instagram, commenting under fan-page, and news posts that pushed the narrative of her and Thompson, calling the scandal “exhausting” and pleading for her fans to stop pushing the story line. Some may argue that Khloe put herself in such a predicament, others may say that it is just a circumstance of fame, but please understand, if you put your business out there, it is a given that it will be talked about, so please take us out of it.
Israel and Palestine’s conflict: Is there a solution? Sydney Martinez Managing Editor Social media. It’s definitely a method to get your news. I first became informed of this conflict from Instagram, a dreadful way to become aware of tragic events. Pictures of dead children, 45-second clips giving short facts on the war. Seeing your friends split between Israel and Palestine is a horrid thing to see. I had no idea how to approach this subject since the war was very raw, with few details out to the public. As a journalist, I had to do my research and investigate the matter further, finding facts dating back to the mid-20th century. Let’s get this straight. This is a war unlike any other Israel and Palestine have seen before. This conflict, in particular, is a war over ethnicity and religion. Hamas has made it clear that their goal is to get rid of the Israelis, and Israelis have retaliated, killing 10,000 in Gaza and imposing a dangerous evacuation order. After the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas, Israel felt it was necessary to attack back. I can concur with many and say that Israel’s reaction to the invasion is theoretically rational on paper, however, I cannot agree when it comes to supporting Israel through the war. Israel has instigated mass killings against the Palestinians, many of them being children, with a massive amount of bombings practically covering all of Gaza. Along with that, they have been taking land from Palestinians ever since their nation was established. I can’t support the Hamas organization either. They invaded Israel because of their deep-rooted hatred for Jewish people and their want to keep Israel out of their
territory. If they were to get their way, they would cause genocide against the Jewish people of Israel. Either way, all civilians of Israel and Palestine are losing the most in this conflict. I can not keep the United States out of the conversation. Biden told the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to refrain from invading Gaza, or to remain restrained if they were to invade. This is one other thing I am extremely conflicted about, whether the United States should be involved in the war or not. The United States has sent 14 billion dollars to support the arms in Israel, which is unnecessary considering Israel has an advanced arms industry of its own. This has caused citizens of the United States to hold protests outside of the Capital to stop supporting Israel, one thing I can stand with. Fortunately, the United States government has offered humanitarian aid to those who need it most: the Palestinians of Gaza. Still, our government is not putting enough pressure on both sides to end the war. I’m thankful a cease-fire has been called to free hostages from the Hamas, but this is no way to save the citizens of Gaza. “Why contniue to extend cease-fire and not call an end to the war?” you may ask. The Israelies believe the continuation of Hamas governing the Gaza Strip imposes a security threat. Is there a foreseeable end to this conflict? Here is my straight opinion: Things are messy in the Gaza Strip, and there is no way of peacefully resolving such issues. It’s difficult to know whose side to be on, and there is always the option to refrain from holding an opinion. I think regardless of the matter, keeping up with the facts is the most important way to be in the know and know who not to support whether it be one, both, or neither sides.
Finish falling into fun while winter, holiday season closes in Mae Bullington Marketing Manager
Fall is such a memorable season for many reasons. Part of this enjoyment comes from anticipating holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, but those have passed and the winter, holiday season is closing in. If you love the essence of fall, even the aroma is one to enjoy, making it an everyday favorite season for many people. It could be the leaves changing colors and falling on the sidewalk awaiting a crunch or the pumpkin spice lattes coming to local coffee shops. Going outside or lighting your favorite fall candle is an excellent way to enjoy the scents that come with fall. Nevertheless, the season is one to enjoy for the fun activities that are ready to be done. As the fall season is coming to an end, we asked MHS students about their favorite fall festivities. There was a tie for the most anticipated fall activity. Watching football topped the survey in a tie with baking fall treats. Watching a football game might be your favorite activity this season if you’re more into eating food than making it. With college, professional, and high school football, it is always a fun thing to do during the weekends. Supporting your favorite teams alongside people with your interests is an excellent way to bond with your family and make new friends. Watching football is a favorite activity for Marietta students. Staying inside during this fall season was what others wanted to do. Baking the most delicious recipes for you and your family to enjoy. Pumpkin bread and apple pie are easy desserts accompanying the fall season. If you want to follow fall recipes but you like cooking, there is always butternut squash soup or a pumpkin curry. The possibilities are endless. There are many ways to satisfy your taste buds with endless fall flavors. More indoor versus outdoor activities came up in the survey: Cozying up in a coffee shop or book store and hosting a bonfire came in as the next favorites. With the fall season comes pumpkin spice. This mix of the best fall flavors makes you want to cozy up in a coffee shop. Find your favorite latte and a good book to read while enjoying time alone in a calm environment. Some suitable genres to look into this season are murder mysteries and fantasy. One way you can get outdoors is by hosting a bonfire. If you have extra wood lying around our leaves all over your yard, having a controlled bonfire is a fun way to clean this all up. You can roast marshmallows, make s’mores, and tell entertaining stories in the cozy outdoor atmosphere around the people who mean the most to you. Rounding out the top five fall fun festivities was taking a hike, followed closely by picnics and photoshoots. Just down the road is the beautiful, scenic Kenessaw mountain. Free to go on a hike, and with all of the leaves changing colors and falling down, getting outside and going for a hike is the thing to do this season. If you want to stay near the
comfort of your home, you can pack your favorite snacks for an outdoor picnic. You can find a place in your yard or venture out and find a beautiful spot perfect for a picnic near Kennesaw Battlefield National Park. In nature, you can find a place to have a photoshoot revealing all of nature’s beauty. While the fall season is settling down, get outside and participate in the activities you have been waiting for all year. Enjoy the celebration of nature’s beauty, fall flavors, and the joy of spending time with the ones you love the most. Whether partaking in cooking recipes, watching football, hosting a bonfire, or cozying up in a coffee shop, remember to be thankful and appreciate what you have during this beautiful season. Remember there are a lot of opportunities for giving as well. Look for school and community drives that are already in full gear. Not only is this a season for being grateful, but it is also about cherishing the memories soon to be made. The warmth of a cozy blanket and being with loved ones will be a feeling always to be remembered and preserved. So grab your warm clothes and your loved ones and embrace the fun that awaits in the closing of fall into the winter, holiday season.
@mhspitchfork
News
page 4
Israel and Palestine: A brief history Harrison Pacin Staff Writer
The Middle East has been a hot topic for a long time now. Wars and conflicts across Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and other countries have been consistently going on since the twentieth century. Since Oct. 7th of this year, Israel and Palestine have been at war with each other when a terrorist group in Gaza, Hamas, invaded southern Israel and launched thousands of rockets into the country. Israel and Palestine have a very complicated history, and it heavily depends on who you ask whether one is in the right or wrong. Over 2,000 years ago, the Jewish people founded Israel (then known as Canaan) and established it as the holy land under King David, who conquered Jerusalem. Soon after, Christianity was born with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem. Last to come along was Islam. Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam, containing the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. With Jerusalaem being the center of three of the most prominent religions in the world, it was and is the source of conflict for millenia. Eventually, the Jews spread out across the world, mainly congregating in Europe, while many Muslims stayed put in the Middle East. As most people know, the Jews faced a lot of struggles in Europe throughout their time there, with the biggest of those events being the Holocaust, which killed around six million Jews. After the war, the Jews, who didn’t have a place to go, were given the land now known as Israel as their home in 1948. The problem here was that the Palestinians, who had
been residing there for the last few centuries, just had a majority of their land taken away and put under new jurisdiction. This obviously created a big issue between the two nations. Since the foundation of Israel in 1948, Arab countries from all over the Middle East and even north Africa have attacked the nation continuously due to their ties with Palestine. However, it’s not like Israel is innocent. The Israeli government has made it hard for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza to even have access to proper food, water, shelter, and electricity even before the war. Unemployment rates are also on average around 25 percent. Compare this to the 3.24 percent in Israel and the 3.9 percent in the U.S., and it can be seen just how bad the working and living conditions are in Palestine. Conditions like this led to the creation of the terrorist group Hamas in 1987, whose goal is to wipe out Israel and have Palestine have the land back as theirs. The ongoing war in Gaza is proving to be a deadly conflict where the only real losses are the innocent lives on both sides instead of the people inciting the violence. Over 10,000 people in Gaza have died from Israeli attacks since the war started in October, over 4,000 being children. Hospitals are being overrun, although they wouldn’t be able to work anyways with electricity and fuel being cut off by Israel. The Hamas attacks from Oct. 7 alone killed around 1,400 people, with their end goal being to remove all Jews and Israelis from Palestine, going as far as to kill innocent citizens in Israel. Whether in support of Israel or Palestine, it is important to know that this is a situation that cannot be resolved quicklyt, and may never reach a proper ending.
Sateria Wilson
What do you feel about how both Palestine and Israel or handling the war?
Geopolitical map of the Israel-Palestine area.
"I'm not sure who's in the right here. No matter what, both sides are calling for (cultural or literal) genocide. The land is considered holy to both sides of the war, so I understand not giving it up easily. I think both sides are morally wrong because they've both dragged civilians into this, whether it be intentional or not, and continue to push the narrative that eradication of the other country's citizens is the only solution. Some do say that one side is worse, but does that make the lives on the other sides more valuable then? If so, why? What makes one genocide justified while the other isn't okay?"
100 MHS students were asked who they agree with or side with the most during the Israel-Palestine War. Graphic by Sydney Martinez
New speaker, no government Reagan Kelley Staff Writer
On Oct. 3 Kevin McCarthy made history by becoming the first Speaker of the House to be voted out of the position. McCarthy was able to narrowly avoid a government shutdown by working with the minority party, the democrats, but this decision ultimately led to his ousting. While he successfully pushed back the government shutdown to Nov. 17, he could not regain the trust of his party or the democrats. He was voted out in a historical eight republican and 208 democrat vote. The eight republicans that voted to oust McCarthy were far right republicans, and all democrats in attendance voted to oust McCarthy. President Biden had requested a $106 billion spending bill from the house and it was not approved causing a possible government shutdown. “The biggest thing about a government shutdown is that people don’t get paid. Many people depend on the Government to get their salaries, and if the government shutsdown they cannot earn any income,” Mr. Brad Simmons, a government teacher, said. “There can be delays to social security checks and other benefits,” Mr. Joshua Gazaway, a government teacher, said. A government shutdown would have major effects on the country, many people would not have an income and the government can not carry out basic functions.
With the predicament of no Speaker, the House needed to quickly replace the Speaker and return to normal functions. When the House of Representatives is without a speaker they cannot function. “The Speaker controls everything in the House. They set the agenda of the house, they introduce bills to the house, and assign bills to committees,” Mr. Gazaway said.
"If people want to close the government, it only makes it weaker." -California Rep. Kevin McCarthy The Speaker introduces bills to the House, assigns bills to committees, and maintains order. If the House has no Speaker they can not do anything, especially work to avoid a government shutdown and introduce important new bills. With the pressure on, the republicans chose Ohio representative Jim Jordan as their Speaker nominee. The House went through three elections and Jordan lost all three. Jordan got close many times, but could not acquire the extra votes to put the
vote over majority. After losing three elections in one week the republicans decided to remove Jim Jordan as a nominee and return to the drawing board. This decision set the process back another three days. After many discussions the republicans introduced new nominee Mike Johnson, a representative from Louisiana. On Oct. 25 Johnson won the majority vote and gained speakership. Although Johnson was not the first choice to be Speaker, he was the only one able to win the majority vote and gain the Speaker's Gavel. In total, the House was without a Speaker for 21 days or three weeks, and during this time many bills could not be passed and no new bills could be introduced and sent to a committee. Now they have to work overtime to keep the government shutdown at bay and sort through piles of new bills. On Nov. 15, two days before the shutdown, Speaker Johnson, the House, and the Senate were able to pass a temporary funding bill that will push a possible government shutdown. This funding bill will keep the funding the same as it has been, until January of 2024. On Jan. 19 federal agencies will come together to discuss long term plans. If they can not agree, the government will face another threat of a shutdown. Although Congress was able to avoid a government shutdown in 2023, the fate of the government is still up in the air. The country is waiting to see if Johnson will break under the pressure of a government shutdown, or if he will become the second Speaker voted out of position.
Graphic by Quinn Mulkey
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School News
Confronting antisemitism in society, our community Aidan Allegro Staff Writer There is a problem in our community. Within less than one mile of the highschool, and ranging throughout the community, antisemitic pamphlets have been thrown on people’s doorsteps. Many may seem surprised but there have been other shows of outright antisemitism in our community. In June a group was seen outside of a synagogue in Marietta waving Nazi Flags. Just 15 to 30 miles away, flyers were handed out in Roswell in May and in Brookhaven as recently as October. This happened here in neighborhoods just across the street in late August. There has been an increasing rise in antisemitism demonstrations in Georgia. Members of the community reported the incident to police and have taken to social media to voice their opposition to the hateful opinions spread and give support to to the Jewish community. Antisemitism, a term coined in the late 19th century, refers to prejudice, discrimination, or hostility directed at Jewish people. This hatred has been carried out over thousands of years globally. Antisemitist beliefs have lead to horrific consequences such as pogroms, genocides, and the Holocaust. Despite significant progress to combating anti-Semitism, it remains a present and troubling issue in today’s world. Antisemitism’s roots stretch back over two millennia, with early instances recorded in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. However, its most profound historical origin is often attributed to religious differences. In the early Christian era, Jews were often perceived as the enemies of Christianity because they did not accept Jesus Christ. This religious divide created ground for anti-Semitic beliefs and stereotypes to take root. Currently there are still several manifestations of Antisemitism. Stereotypes and Conspiracy Theories: Jews have often been subjected to harmful stereotypes. Conspiracy theories that accuse Jews of orchestrating world events continue to circulate. Violence and Hate Crimes: Antisemitic violence remains a present concern in today’s world. Synagogue shootings, such
as the 2018 Pittsburgh shooting, physical assaults, and vandalism of Jewish property are all still present. Online Hate Speech: The rise of the internet has given anti-Semites a platform to voice their hateful ideologies with little to no backlash. Social media platforms and websites are full of antisemitic content, making it easier for hate to spread to a larger audience. Denial of Holocaust: Holocaust denial is another form of antisemitism, as it seeks to erase the historical facts and suffering endured by millions of Jews. The impact of antisemitism goes beyond its immediate victims and affects entire societies. When prejudice and hatred are allowed to thrive, it corrodes the foundations of tolerance, diversity, and democracy. It helps create an environment where other forms of discrimination and hatred can also take root. On an individual level, Jewish individuals who experience anti-Semitism may suffer from psychological and emotional distress. The constant fear of persecution and discrimination can lead to anxiety, depression, and a sense of isolation. There have also been several efforts to combat Antisemitism. Education: Promoting education about the Holocaust and the history of antiSemitism is crucial. Many countries have implemented educational programs to raise awareness about the consequences of hatred and intolerance. In the words of philosopher George Santayana “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.” Legislation: Enacting and enforcing hate crime laws that specifically address antisemitism can serve as a deterrent and provide legal recourse for victims. The Newest piece of legislation is the Biden-Harris Nation Strategy to Counter Antisemitism. This has over 100 actions that the government is going to carry out to root out anti jewish acts. Monitoring and Reporting: Organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (now the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) play vital roles in tracking and reporting on incidents of antisemitism.
Opinion: Jewish in America
page 5
Experiences with Antisemitism in Marietta
Harrison Pacin Staff Writer Throughout my life, being Jewish, I have always felt like an outsider. Growing up in a mainly Christian town, with a few synagogues, means that people will treat me differently when I don’t go to church every Sunday or conform to their values. And in some cases, this can lead to acts of hate. Antisemitism is a bigger problem by the day in the U.S. Whether it be hateful posters being hung up, swastikas being drawn in bathroom stalls, or degrading remarks being used against me. But it’s not just things that I personally see, it is the media as well. When people turn on the news, they’re bombarded with all sorts of opinions, and misinformation occasionally. But recently, it seems like I’m seeing a lot more news on antisemitism. For example, last year when Kanye West was actively encouraging Jewish hate, or the multiple synagogue shootings in the last decade, and physical attacks on Jews. My grandfather’s parents on my mom’s side of the family had to escape Poland when World War II started. My great-grandmother was placed in a work camp in Russia when they fled Poland, but she still made it out. Eventually, they came to France and had my grandfather and his brother, and then came to America. All of this just because one group of spiteful individuals made a decision to attack the Jews. While my great-grandmother made it, a decent amount of my family didn’t, and that’s now a family that I can never know. Entire generations of Jewish populations have been messed up because of the Holocaust. The fight to end antisemitism is strong with organizations like the ADL or the American Jewish Community raising both awareness and money to help their cause. And remember, if you see something, say something.
Ryan Dater Have you ever had any experiences with Anti-Semetism? People have thrown pennies and stuff at me, asked me what does my nose smell. Stuff like that, but nobody has like attacked me for being partly Jewish. What do you think is the best way for us to spread awareness about stopping anti Semitism? Honestly, it’s just, I wish everybody would just accept everyone for who
Marietta Bookkeeper Heather Pacin Have you ever had any experiences with Anti-Semetism? So I grew up in a very diverse community, similar to Marietta High School in South Florida. There were people from all over the country who were there so I didn’t have a lot of direct antisemitic instances happened to me. I’ve not experienced it firsthand. I’m very fortunate in that respect, I have encountered people who’d never met Jewish people before, and it’s odd to me that they, think they have to point that out. I don’t consider myself or other Jewish people to be that different from other people. Just, we don’t go to church. We go to temple. What do you think is the best way for us to spread awareness about stopping anti Semitism? I think just learning about history and what anti Semitism has caused in the past. I think talking about it, reading about it, watching movies and films and things, just educating people. I just think when pamphlets and things do get passed out, I think it’s great that the newspaper is bringing light to it and kind of, focusing so that it is in the spotlight and people will see.
Priscilla premiered Nov. 3 and the first showtime available was Nov. 10 at NCG theater. The movie is based on Priscillas memoir “Elvis and Me” she published in 1985. The movie is set to show more details into their courtship and marriage and the behind the scenes from concerts and being on television. The story is told from Priscilla’s point of view during their years of marriage, including all the arguments, isolation and intimacy shared between the two. Priscilla is the last living of the Presley family with Elvis passing away Aug. 16, 1977 and their beloved daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, passed away on Jan. 12, 2023. There has already been a huge hit with Elvis starring Austin Butler as a take on the Elvis story and its main point is his rise to fame and his hardships he faced with his manager Colonel Tom parks played by Tom Hanks. There is little to no feature on Priscilla or their at-home lifestyle in this film. The film was a success as it grossed around 289 million US dollars. Now there is a new version of the storyline following Priscilla and her experience from a regular 14-year old girl to a woman married to the King of Rock. The movie Priscilla stars Jacob Elordi and Cailee Spaeny as the beloved couple showing all the unseen factors of marriage. The story shows the highs and lows that ultimately led to the divorce between Elvis and Priscilla. The main goal of the movie was to contrast the belief that Elvis was an amazing man and that Priscilla was his faithful wife that loved to be on his side and in his shadows at all times. She reveals that she felt captive in their courtship and throughout the movie, there are many scenes that star her story rather than his very popular story about how awesome his life was. If you are into watching movies of the past and want to see a somewhat accurate backstory to Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship, then this is the movie for you. I personally love to see movies that are centered around a person’s story throughout their lives, and Priscilla adds to history as another perspective of being in this superstar lifestyle.
Lily Konigsmark Social Media Manager
Trinity Seals Marketing Manager
Libby Barnes Design Editor
The revival of the cinema is breaking through with plentiful blockbusters like Barbie, Oppenheimer, Avatar Way of Water, and more that are making the movie industry billions in revenue. Barbie is leading with 1.5 billion dollars in theaters. This generation has been dominated by online streaming services like Netflflix, Disney+, Prime video, and others. It was as though the cinema was waning, out with the old and in with the new way of watching movies in the comfort of one’s home. Watching a movie on the big screen is much more of an experience than to watch the movies weeks after premiere on a small screen laptop by yourself. As much as it is hated to talk about, after the events of the 2020 shutdown, everyone was forced to depend on their personal technology. This created a raft in the economy as box office sales plummeted 80 percent, losing revenue. Streaming services like Netflflix, Hulu, Disney + began to take the lead in providing movies and TV shows since nobody could go out to watch a movie. Filmmakers and actors were also constricted in their work as they had no opportunities to make a movie due to the virus and any movie premiered would fail in making any profit. This was a hardship for over a year but then box office gross increased 112.1% in 2021 bringing back the cinema. Even though the theaters are back, people now are reliant on their streaming services they pay for every month, and most people are homebodies. AMC, NCG and Studio Movie Grill participate in Discount Tuesdays where they will sell admission tickets for all movies for around half off all day Tuesday. A ticket for any movie is typically $11 at NCG, but on Tuesday a ticket is $6. Either method of movie watching is going to cost the viewer. In 2023 from 2021 the gross rate of the box office had increased about 132.3 percent. The box office had made a total of 21.3 billion dollars. Leading movies included Spider-Man; No Way Home at 572 million dollars, followed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Rings, and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The total box office earnings from 2022 were about 7.37 billion dollars with Top Gun; Maverick making the most money for 2022. Top Gun;Maverick made about 720 million dollars with following leads of Black Panther; Wakanda Forever, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Magic. This year 2023 with around 13 billion US dollars as of November. Barbie took the lead grossing around 640 million dollars, The SuperMario Bros Movie with 574 million US dollars, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The cinema is the place to be and who doesn’t love to go out and watch the newest films. Now imagine this. Plan to go and watch the new Hunger Games movie with all your friends on a Friday night. You put on your comfy pajama pants with a comfy sweatshirt and comfiest slippers and fuzzy socks. All of your friends meet up at NCG with money for popcorn, a favorite movie treat and a ticket for admission. As you all walk into the theater, you can feel the vibrations of sound coming from the silver screen and the rows of everyone else that wanted to see Hunger Games as well. While you and your friends watch the trailers, the lights start to darken and that nostalgic feeling arises. The cinema is back.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes made its debut to the theater this Nov. 17. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was based on the prequel book to the popular series The Hunger Games. The series focuses on a dystopian world, Panem, where the districts rebel against the capital and in return are punished by the creation of The Hunger Games. The games are a blood bath where two children from each district, one boy and one girl, are selected at random to be sent to the capital and are forced to compete to the death. As seen in the trilogy, victors are rewarded with a lavish lifestyle, however, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes shows the early stages of the games. The movie shows the lives of victors prior to becoming popular in the capital, and before tributes were treated as actual human beings. This prequel focuses on the antagonist of the Hunger Games series, President Snow, when he was a young adult. Readers and viewers witness him as a mentor and get to hear his perspective as a capital citizen, along with watching him grow into the dark character he becomes. All four previous Hunger Games movies had already been cinematic hits, and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes followed in their footsteps. The movie held dark aspects like the rest of the series however, it had more of a musical aspect with star cast member, Rachel Ziegler, who played Lucy Gray Baird. Lucy Gray, another tribute in the series, became a loveable character with her heartfelt songs and strong will. Gray had viewers rooting for her to win the games, and at the end of the story, the audience was cheering for her to gain freedom from Snow, and the games. If you are a lover of the original trilogy, this prequel is for you. It contains action, love, and a great plot, answering viewers’ questions about the series that follows it. It’s a movie that keeps you engaged and leaves you wanting to go back and see it again.
Five Nights at Freddy’s was adapted from the popular horror game and premiered in theaters on Oct. 27th. With a dark plot, gore, and jumpscares, this film lured in horror fans regardless if they had been interested in the original lore of the games. The story focuses on a troubled security guard, Mike Schmitt, who was played by popular actor, Josh Hutcherson, who works the night shifts at Freddy Fazzbear’s. Seemingly haunted, the animatronics that call the restaurant home come alive at night, being haunted by the children who died there. Along with trying to stay safe from the animatronics, Mike tries to solve the mysterious kidnapping of his brother. The film contains another half to the plot, Mike ends up bringing his younger sister, Abby, into work with him. Abby befriends the animatronics and reveals the truth of how the children’s spirits who control them were truly murdered. The truth saves both Mike and Abby and allows the animatronics to finally have their peace. This movie is action packed; A good horror story that includes an interesting mystery that keeps viewers guessing. While the film strays from the lore of the original games, it still engaged viewers, and created new fans of the game. It’s a great movie for teenagers, filled with popular actors, myster, and jumpscares. The movie is rated PG-13 being the perfect maturity for highschoolers. Luckily this film is good for those who scare easier than others, as the movie is not a true horror film. Five Nights at Freddy’s is currently showing at practically every cinema, so make sure to go give it a watch, if horror and action are your jam.
“Studio Movie Grill is my favroite because its more intimate and they actually sell full meals and good food there. Their seats are also very comfortable and recline unlike other theaters.” Caila Joseph (12)
“I would say American Multi-Cinema because its really big and I also love Nicole Kidman commercial before every movie. I love eating their very buttery popcorn.” Enoch Phillips (10)
“Neighborhood Cinema Group because you can get free refills on your sodas and slurpees. I live really close to NCG so its accessible when the new movies come out.” Tatiana Meyer (11)
“I love Goobers. They’re my favorite.” Aidan Russell (12)
“My favorite candies are Extreme Airheads.” Kaleb Whitlow (11)
“I recommend Fun Dip. It’s great.” James Addis (12)
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page 8
Marietta Football throughout the stages TJ Carthers, 4th Marietta Youth Football
A.L. Burruss Elementary fourth grader TJ Carthers plays in Marietta’s youth football league. The Marietta defending champions defeated Lassiter’s youth team to win the Youth Football Superbowl in third grade and fourth grade. The championship was won with a commanding 22-0 victory. The victory was more than simply a result of the score; it was evidence of the perseverance, commitment, and teamwork that these young players were taught from an early age. “My favorite part of playing football is playing with friends and running the football,” Cathers said. More than just a score, the fourth grade championship win becomes a chapter in the life story of these young football players, a journey that started in kindergarten and will undoubtedly continue with every touchdown and tackle.
Cole Baumgarter, 10th Marietta High Football
Troy University junior, Kimani Vidal started his football journey at MHS. He kicked off the 2023 season by rushing 248 yards and set the Troy single game rushing yard record in their game against Stephen F. Austin. In week six of the current 2023 season, Vidal rushed for 245 yards and three touchdowns in Troy’s game against Arkansas State. Because of this, he was awarded the Sun Belt offensive player of the week. “I would say discipline is a skill I learned in high school that I currently use now. How I learned how to use that time in high school allowed me to best utilize that time in college now,” Vidal said.
Azeez Ojulari, MHS alum New York Giants NFL
Photo courtesy of Kimani Vidal
Continued from XC on pg. 1 Across the state, in all regions, this cross-country team is considered to be among the best. A competitor’s mom at the state meet described the girls as the “Marietta machines.” To reach their achievements, these athletes put in hours of training year round. Practices include distance running and workouts to improve speed and flexibility. They analyze the previous week’s race to see what could be done better. The athletes have to compete as individuals and as a team. Only seven athletes ran at state and there were alternates. Senior cross-country runner Gabi Comsudes looks forward to practicing a lot and thinks their close-knit team chemistry has contributed to their fourth consecutive
Business Manager
In the Georgia high school football scene, Carson Snipes, a strong sophomore on the varsity MHS football team, has led the team as quarterback. Snipes has enjoyed his time so far playing at Marietta and says he looks forward to the next two years to come as a Blue Devil. “[Football] teaches you how to go through adversity and how to persevere through hard times,” Snipes said. Snipes is thankful for the sport that has served as both a teacher and a passion as he continues to grow as a player. Carson’s goal is to play collegiate football, but he knows his time on the high school field will always be remembered as a special time.
Photo courtesy of MHS football
Photo courtesy of JoEve Carthers
Kimani Vidal, MHS alum Troy University Football
Amber Ryan
state championship victory. “Practice is way better than people would initially think. We honestly just talk about everything under the sun for 5-12 miles. I think it is so cool to be a part of a group that isn’t rushing to get out of practice at five. Most days, we stick around for an extra 20 minutes just hanging out and talking to our coaches,” Comsudes (12) said. The cross country’s team triumph was dedicated to a special teammate, Liv Teverino. Teverino’s life was taken to soon from Marietta in late September following a car accident after she left cross country practice. The community grieved the loss of their friend and teammate. When the teams raced in the state championship, her teammates honored Teverino by wearing shirts that had a pink love Liv graphic on the sleeve, pink ribbons with messages like running for Liv, and Grundmeyer had
Along with having a record-setting high school and college student-athlete career, Azeez Ojulari has made a smooth transition to the NFL as a linebacker for the New York Giants. Ojulari’s journey from Marietta to the University of Georgia to the NFL’s second round displays his remarkable skills and determination. He was named to the 2020 second-team All-SEC; he then signed in 2021, a fouryear contract with the Giants. He set a rookie record with eight sacks. Ojulari, came back to his hometown to offer a free football clinic in 2022 for Marietta kids- TJ Carthers included for a full-circle moment. Azeez’s brother, BJ, played at LSU and now plays for the Arizona Cardinals. The two teamed up and hosted the 2023 clinic. For more profiles, check out mhspitchfork.com. Photo courtesy of Savannah Hernandez
“Dig in 4 Liv” written on his hand in marker with a cross. Coaches and runners alike acknowledge the impact the loss of Liv had in uniting them even more closely. Their memories of Teverino increased the significance of this victory and the emotional connection they have to the win. “One of my biggest motivations going into the state race, was to race for our teammate Liv. The year before, we both had the potential to race at state but sadly, we didn’t get to. We were alternates that year and we swore to each other we would both be on varsity and run at state the following year, which was this year” Russell (11) said. “I was running this race for her too because she never got to race it. This win was for all of us, but most importantly her because she would’ve been in that race, racing with us,”
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Weight and see: Students in weightlifting Sydney Martinez Managing Editor
Weightlifting is more than a game of lifting heavy metal plates, it’s a method of maintaining health and gaining power over the body. Recently, weightlifting has recently become popular amongst teens and young adults with the help of social media and gym influencers. This cultural shift has brought the attention of teens, particularly towards valuing strength and a well-toned physique. The internet has given people full access to information about fitness and weightlifting, allowing them to find full workout routines and training programs that might not be all-around beneficial. Access to information often leads to greater access to misinformation when not wellinformed in the area. Marietta High School has its own weightlifting class with proper gym equipment, offered to all students so they can learn the benefits and disadvantages of this activity through in class experience. Coach Brian Grundmeyer, the weight-
lifting coach here at Marietta High School, works closely with teenagers through their sports, guiding student-athletes yearround. “I teach kids how to lift weights. I put kids on individualized programs. So everything we do here is based on their strengths," Coach Grundmeyer said. "I put kids on programs to improve their strength, improve their mobility, make them better athletes, and try to keep them injury-free. After school, we have sport-specific workouts. At different times of the year, I have different sports train in my room.” Many students have seen improvement throughout the class, with Coach Grundmeyer’s guidance. Will Frederick (12), a student-athlete, has seen an increase in his squat strength. “I take this class to improve in areas in which the sport won't help me improve in. In my freshman year, I started with a 185 bench, now I’m at 315.” Frederick said.
Maggie Carter (12) carries out a 135 lb deadlift. Carter is the only female pole-vaulter for Marietta High School. Photo by Sydney Martinez
Brian Grundmeyer
Celeste Martin
What are the benefits and disadvantages of weightlifting?
“There are probably more benefits than disadvantages, but benefits are making you healthier in general, make you more athletic, less injury prone. Disadvantages of it can be if it’s done improperly it can be dangerous, and I need to be careful with them because if they’re working out outside of school and here, some of them get to where they’re overtraining and it’s too much on them, it gets unhealthy for the body.”
What are the benefits and disadvantages of weightlifting?
lifting heavier.”
“Some of the benefits of weightlifting are to get stronger and get better for the rest of your life. This class can really help you become stronger and overall become better at your sports. Learning how to use the weights has helped me improve how much I lift, I’ve gone from lifting light to now
What do you hope students get out of your weight training class?
What have you learned in weight training class?
"I hope that students are able to maximize what they get out of weight training right now in high school as a student, and I also want them to enjoy what they're trying to maximize out lifelong, outside of my classroom."
“I’ve learned to proper way to lift weights, squat weights, and proper form for other exercises. I’ve learned how to become a better athlete through this class.”
Evan Grundmeyer
What are the benefits and disadvantages of weightlifting?
Will Frederick
What are the benefits and disadvantages of weightlifting?
“For me personally, I like weightlifting because it makes me a more mobile athlete and just a healthier person overall and less prone to injury. If done correctly, weightlifting is something extremely beneficial. And for someone who likes to stay healthy, weightlifting is a good thing, but if you lift too heavy or too hard it can cause you to hurt yourself, so it can be dangerous.”
“[Weightlifting] helps you feel good, become a better athlete, and just be more confident as you go about your day. But sometimes, after heavy benching or having a heavy squat day, when I go to class, my brain doesn’t function as well because I’m super tired. My handwriting is a little sloppy because my arms are just tired.”
What have you learned in weight training class?
What have you learned in weight training class?
“I’ve learned a lot of techniques. I’ve learned when going light is good, when going heavy is good, and I’ve learned a lot of good stretches and mobile exercises that can help me out.”
“I’ve learned discipline and I’ve learned to trust the process and trust the grind and to always keep working because there’s always a better result to achieve.”
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School News
page 10
On the Menu: Culinary Food Truck Wars Colette DePasquale Staff Writer
The newest addition to the lunch menu: monthly food trucks from Marietta High School’s culinary pathway. In October, students in the culinary pathway came together in groups to create restaurants with their cuisine of choice and serve it to the students at Marietta. This was the third annual food truck wars, but the first time it occurred during school and was open to students. Students can expect the food trucks to return about twice every month with new surprises and flavors that add differentiation to their normal everyday lunch. For students in the culinary pathway, the purpose of the food trucks goes far beyond flavor. “I think it’s necessary and important so it shows them everything that we’ve been working on throughout the pathway, by actually showcasing it and performing and behaving like real chefs business wise,” Ameerah Watson, the culinary teacher and leader of the food
truck wars, said. The food trucks are a hands-on experience that teaches the dedicated students of the pathway more than cooking from a recipe. “Number one, it makes it beyond a grade. Now they’re showing off to their peers and their teachers and even some of their parents showed up for the food truck wars,” Watson said. Beyond the skills that students are developing from cooking for their peers, they are learning what it’s like to run a business and be a chef in the real world. “At the end result they have to do tallies to see how much money that they made that particular day and how to correct it and do better the next service,” Watson said. This allows students to learn more about being a chef, as it factors in the business and economics portion of the job. From business management skills, to teamwork, to hard work in the kitchen, the culinary students are learning much more than their cuisine of choice.
Bella Russell (11) and Mackenzie Jones (12) working at their food truck, Caffe Dei Diavoli. Photos by Wesley Harrisson
Caffe Dei Diavoli
Blue’s Jerk
Logos for Caffe Dei Diavoli and Blue’s Jerk food trucks. Graphics by Libby Barnes One popular food truck for the students was Caffe Dei Diavoli, placing 4th in the competition. “The food trucks were very good. They had lots of flavors. They were all good, I really liked Caffe Dei Diavoli, Italian. The chicken parm was so good,” Maggie White (11) said. This food truck focused on Italian food and served spaghetti and chicken parmesan. The members of the food truck enjoyed their cuisine and learned a lot about the pathway from their experience. “I’ve learned that the cooking business is very competitive and you have to compete with other businesses around you like the other food trucks,” Bella Russell (11), a member of the Caffe Dei Diavoli food truck, said. “What went well is we got a lot of people advertising. I learned that I work well with a team and that my team members work well with me because we all have a system. I’m the advertising guy and they all do the cooking,” Sean MacPherson (12), a member of the Caffe Dei Diavoli food truck, said. This Caffe has more coming for their customers in future food truck wars, and is eager to continue with their Italian cuisine.
The food truck involved that was voted most popular was Blue’s Jerk: a Mexican Jamaican fusion that served jerk chicken tacos. The inspiration for their cuisine was from their own identities and interests. “I’m Puerto Rican and other members in my group are Jamaican and we just felt like combining those flavors would be really nice,” Isaiah Tripp (12), a member of the Blue’s Jerk food truck, said. In the process of winning and being the most popular food truck, they also learned crucial details of having a business and truly succeeding with it. “I learned that culinary is more than just cooking. It’s about the fellowship experience and working together in the kitchen. Also publicity is a big thing especially working with food trucks, like getting your name or your food out there is a really big thing,” Tripp said. This food truck is the current MHS favorite, as they had the most votes from students who tried the food trucks.After taking the win in the last food truck wars, the Blue’s Jerk food truck looks to continue their unique Mexican and Jamaican cuisine that was a clear crowd favorite.
Come one, come all to the Math Carnival MHS recently hosted a math carnival for students in the Advanced Mathematical Decision Making class, with the purpose of allowing them to better understand their unit. This provided a hands-on and creative experience for students as it allowed them to take the content they have learned outside of the classroom. The goal was for the students involved to better understand the difference between theoretical probability and experimental probability by creating a game, deciding on the theoretical probability of every person winning a prize, and then comparing that with the actual results of their game after the carnival. It also taught them about how to effectively run a business and the challenges that may come with that. “It’s a real world situation in all honesty. It’s the basis of a business, what you expect to pay out versus what you pull in, which in the end is your profit,” Brittany Maddox, math teacher and leader of the math carnival, said. Students involved had positive feedback about their learning throughout this experience. “We deal with fake money and it’s kind of like we ran a real fair. We also learned about how much money we had to spend on prizes,” Joanne Pham (11) said. The business aspect expanded their learning beyond their math unit and into the real world. “It’s helpful because it’s teaching us how to budget stuff and
profit,” Lailah Hope (12) said. These skills are important and students had a good chance to practice them at the math carnival. They had to deal with “customers” at their fair and work with them, which is a crucial part of having a business. Students involved also had to deal with money and budgets for their rewards, which gives realistic practice for what it would be like to own a real business. Students that attended the carnival also enjoyed it, as it added differentiation to their normal school day and was a fun experience with rewards involved. “I’m enjoying it because there’s a lot of games to play and you get to win candy. I’m learning about probability and how effective things are,” Sofia Hawkins (11) said. The rewards kept students motivated and provided the results to the students working in the carnival. “After all my hard work and perseverance I’ve won a big prize. Even though my probability of making the shot was low, I still made it, and got the big starburst as my prize,” Mary Nesmith (10) said. Overall, the carnival was successful for all people involved. Students that created their own game were able to improve their mathematical knowledge and better understand their current probability unit. Other students that attended the carnival were able to participate in a hands-on activity during school, learn more about probability, and earn fun incentives.
Cole Davis (12) participating in a ring toss game at the math carnival.
Grettel Cortes (12) and Zakia Jerin (12) help students play their floating ducks game for the math carnvial. Photos by Sydney Martinez
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page 11
Celebrity Scoop: Insight on Will and Jada Smith
Sydney Hernandez Section Editor
Will Smith is a world-renowned celebrity. He is an American film producer, rapper, and actor. Among his many honors are four Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a BAFTA Award. He has appeared in many hit shows and movies throughout the years, including the hit show in 1990 called “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and the 2019 live-action film, “Aladdin”. Jada Pinkett Smith is an American actress and talk show host. She has received a Daytime Emmy Award for her talk show, “Red Table Talk”. In this show, they address contemporary social and cultural concerns from a crossgenerational standpoint. For more than 20 years, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith have been partners. The pair first met in the early 1990s, became a couple in 1995, and married in Baltimore, Maryland, in December of that same year. Will and Jada Smith welcomed their son Jaden Smith in July 1998 and their daughter Willow Smith in October 2000, after getting married. With his ex-wife Sheree Zampino, Will also has a son called Trey Smith, who Jada has lovingly referred to as her "bonus son." Over the years, Will and Jada have solidified their status as a Hollywood power couple, but they have also been quite open about the highs and lows of their partnership.
Continued from pg. 1 Seniors Tiah Carthers, Emilio Eraydin and Margaret Black all won "All Star Cast" awards at state competition. There were also many accolades at 3-7A Region compeition: Carthers and Eraydin won All Star Cast, Black won Best Supporting Actor in a Female Role. Heinlen won Best Lighting. Best Costumes went to Dhyarra Clarke, Ava Bussey, and Annie Glover. Due to CDC requirements in 2020, senior Tiah Carthers’ first show was performed not in front of an audience but in front of a camera. “I think the growth of the department is actually shocking, from my freshman year when we filmed our musical instead of having an audience to having one of the biggest audiences we’ve ever had for a one act this year. I think, for lack of a better term, it’s so sick to see people still care about us and our art and actually want to see what we do and see us succeed,” Tiah Carthers (12) said. This One Act play wasn't only special because of the production itself but also because of the sentimental value. The class of 2024 consists of seniors who were students of the Mrs. Smith from sixth grade. She was the director at MMS and returned to MHS to continue directing. “It has been an honor and a pleasure to teach so many of these students from sixth grade to ninth grade through twelfth grade. I will miss them dearly. It is very unique to be able to see the amount of growth that they have been able to do as artists in that amount of time," Smith said. "I often say that my job as a director is just to mold the talent that already there so they have the talent within them and it is just my Job to guide that talent and am always so impressed with these seniors who I have taught since sixth grade it is bittersweet because I am proud of them and I am excited for what their future has in store but I will miss them dearly.”
Jada provided further details about her marriage to Will in a new interview with 'PEOPLE' Entertainment that was released in October 2023. She said that the couple had been separated for six years prior to the 2022 Oscars, where Will memorably slapped Chris Rock on stage due him making a joke about Jada having alopecia. For starters, Will clarified in 2018 that they chose other terminology to characterize their relationship and avoided using the term "married." “We refer to ourselves as life partners, where you get into that space where you realize you are literally with somebody for the rest of your life,” Smith said. “There’s no deal breakers. There’s nothing she could do — ever. Nothing would break our relationship.” Before the reveal of their separation, Will and Jada suffered many other relationship struggles. When Jada Pinkett Smith went to the Red Table in 2020, she disclosed that she had dated R&B artist August Alsina when she was "temporarily" divorced from her husband. Though Will and Jada made a commitment to be transparent a few years ago, reflection reveals that many questions remained unaddressed. Pinkett Smith refers to this affair as an “entanglement”. Later, August Alsinsa shared a song called, “Entanglements” sharing his perspective on his relationship with Pinkett Smith. Amongst all of the drama, Jada acknowledges her breakup with Will in a clip from her new NBC News prime-time
show with Hoda Kotb. Her and Will have "completely separate lives" and carry on with their lives as divorced people would. Throughout the years, celebrity gossip has become widely accessible to the public. Gossip is enjoyable to fans because it gives the insight of their favorite celebrities' personal lives Through the internet, magazines, newspapers, and even just daily conversation, one can learn a celebrity's day-to-day lifestyle. Tabloid news spreads quickly, making it so easy to access all kinds of information. Ever since the dawn of time, people have looked up to their favorite stars. Worshipping someone who is wellknown for their accomplishments, talent, or plain similarity is not a novel concept. But as more celebrities emerge, the media becomes more chaotic. Paparazzi—the unexpected photographer in the spotlight is altering the reputation of being an A-list celebrity. These people behind the camera control how the public views celebrities, from chasing down and taking uncomfortable photos to speculating about hotly contested private events. Paparazzi altered the way that the public sees celebrities, by catching them in their off-guard moments. A less glamorous and practiced version of them is portrayed. Jada and Will Smith are just one example of this and there are many other cases in which celebrities' personal lives are revealed as public information.
Meet the characters Quotes from the One Act play, Puffs
Tiah Carthers (12)
Emilio Eraydin (11)
Savvy Dixon (12)
“I think there’s a puff in all of us. Maybe it’s the part of you that momentarily forgets how old you are, or maybe it’s the part that plays fair even when life is anything but." -The Narrator
“We won't die for Harry. We die for each other.” -Wayne Hopkins
“My socks don’t match, I struggle with reading, and I was secretly a member of the frog choir so I’m a Puff!” -Meghan Jones
John Norton (9)
“Sounds like you guys could use a protractor!” -Oliver Rivers
“At first I felt the responsibility was more of a burden. Don't get me wrong, I was very honored and thankful for this role. But I was also scared. I felt like everyone was judging me and it made me very anxious. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from doing this as long as I have it’s that emotions off stage bleed on stage,” Emilio Eraydin (11) said. “I would be lying if I said it was all sunshines and rainbows. From when we first cast the show in August up until the competition in October a lot has happened. I know three months doesn’t seem like much of a gap for big changes but it’s been a lot. I personally have been dealing with a very strenuous physical condition while dealing with this role and it’s been really hard to not let it show in my acting. I’ve worked so much to push through it and not let it affect me on stage. So when we won that trophy I saw it as physical proof that all that fighting was worth it.”
Rosie Schroter (11)
"Oh, excuse me!" -Harry Potter
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Features
Pitchfork @ 95
page 12
Pitchfork turned 95 this year. The first edition came out with “You Name It” at the top in 1928. Students were given the opportunity to name the paper. Pitchfork was the name of choice, marking the start of student voice and a journalism tradition at Marietta High still going strong in 2023. 1928
2023
Interested in journalism at MHS?
J1 earns superior for literary magazine
• Intro to Journalism (ItoJ) is a one semester class that teaches students journalism basics: Law, ethics, writing, photography, and design. • Journalism 1 (J1) is a full year class teaching journalism basics while creating products for Pitchfork’s social media and website. The class also produces the annual literary magazine Persephone. • Pitchfork is a full year course that teaches real-life, workplace skills while publishing six print issues, and managing social media and the new website.
The MHS literary magazine, Persephone, earned a superior rating from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association in November. After more than nearly two decades, this rebirth of the literary magazine was created by the the J1 class. The effort was led by Editor-in-Chief of the magazine and Managing Editor of Pitchfork, Sydney Martinez. This year’s creation of the magazine will begin in January in the J1 class, and submissions will be accepted from any MHS students starting today, Dec. 1. Submissions include artwork, writing, photography.
Want more info? Scan the QR Code.
Check out the lit mag: issuu.com/mhspitchfork
#ATTITUDEOFGRATITUDE To go along with Good Morning Marietta’s daily attitude of gratitute series, Pitchfork and GMM collaborated to spread awareness of the benefits of gratitude. See more from the event at bluedevilnews.com Pitchfork and GMM will continue to create service collaborations, and we would like to share your individual, club or community endeavors as well. Reach out and share with us!
Pitchfork thanks our generous supporters of student journalism
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