ODYSSEY Media Group Vol. 15, Issue 2

Volume 15 Issue 2 Dec. 2017 $3.00

Graphic by Suncana Pavlic

COVER STORY <<

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VIEWPOINTS

13 GUNNING FOR LAWS

BY JURNEE LOUDER

Viewpoints staffer Sam Mattern-Parkes argues that laws restricting minors’ access to guns should be strengthened.

BY SAM MATTERN-PARKES

NEWS PROGRAM PROGRESS 18ThePARENT Clarke Central High School Bilingual Parent

With recent incidents involving teenagers and the use of handguns, the issue of gun accessibilty for minors has come under the spotlight.

Program, made to support parents who struggle with English, held their first meeting.

BY ANA ALDRIDGE

FEATURES

20 MONUMENT MADNESS

Some activists want to move a monument for Confederate soldiers out of Downtown Athens.

BY ELENA GILBERTSON HALL

REVIEWS

24 WILLOW PART TWO

Seventeen-year-old Willow Smith releases her second studio album, her best work yet.

Right: Clarke Central High School senior Jarvis Clark shows a tattoo on his forearm that commemorates his cousin. Since the tragic loss of his cousin Tremell Barnett this summer, Clark feels that something is missing in his life. “(When I found out), I was stuck. I still am to this day,” Clark said. “Every time I go walk to his house I be waitin’ on him to come out the bedroom and say, ‘Wassup?’”

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Photo by Emma Ramsay

BY ZOE PETERSON

Photo by Zoe Peterson

VARIETY home-grown eating 26Athens restaurant Mama’s Boy opens a second location to accomadate the expanding business.

BY CONNOR McCAGE

SPORTS protesting power 36Clarke Central High School students and faculty discuss student protests during sporting events.

BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON Cover by Suncana Pavlic Table of Contents by Elena Gilbertson Hall

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Left: FAMILIAR FACES: Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculim Assistance Program for Students teacher Stacey Scott (right) sits with assistant varsity volleyball coach Lisa Hill (left). Scott enjoys the culture and environment of CCHS. “There’s always a familiar face, like people aren’t ignored here which I appreciate. You kinda in everybody’s business but in a good way,” Scott said. “I love that about Clarke Central and that’s been something that’s continued no matter the leadership or teachers or kids.”

>> VIEWPOINTS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. Co-Editor-in-

ANEESA

conine-nakano

C

onfederate monuments have been erected since the end of the Civil War, and were planned even before then. However the majority of monuments, according to Southern Poverty Law Center, were commissioned between 1900 and 1920. Another spike occurred between 1950 and 1960.

These years are telling.

The racial tensions amid Jim Crow Laws and the Civil Rights Movement are indicative of a darker intention for these monuments: promoting white supremacy.

The statues served in those times, and to this day, as a reminder of the hegemonic powers ruling the South.

Even more telling is that the effort to build these memorials was led, in large part, by the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The UDC, established in 1894, was formed to promote “The Lost Cause.”

According to the Encyclopedia Virginia, “The Lost Cause is an interpretation of the American Civil War that seeks to present the war, from the perspective of Confederates, in the best possible terms.”

The UDC created review committees of textbooks, flagging books that were “unjust to the South,” pushed to memorialize Confederate heros in public spaces and fundraised for these monuments.

But what is most disturbing, is that they formed the Children of the Confederacy to continue the

Chief Aneesa Conine-Nakano explores the history and context of confederate monuments.

promotion of these ideals. Southern children were taught to recite “truths” of the war, write pro-slavery essays and carry the legacy to future generations.

These facts cannot be ignored.

Following the three deaths in Charlottesville, Virginia on Aug. 12 following the planned removal of a Robert E. Lee statue, President Donald J. Trump tweeted, “Sad to see the history and culture of our

As existing structures, the monuments should be relocated to museums or cemeteries. History is learned in class. It is learned through reading. Moving the monuments will not change those mediums.

It will not erase what happened in the Civil War or Confederate leaders’ involvement. There is a better way to remember these people rather than studying a small inscription at the bottom of a hulking statue.

Putting these statues and monuments to museums would actually enlighten people’s understanding of who they are and what they did. It will address their contributions and what they stood for, without blindly glorifying them.

The Civil War was a dark time in our history, and it should not be forgotten.

However, it is naive to believe that these statues were built purely for the purpose of education. They were built to remind people that white supremacy was and is still alive in the South.

That should not be memorialized.

These statues were built to push an alternative and racist version of history. To allow that to continue is a disservice to everyone who continues to be discriminated as a result. great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.”

If the culture of our country is white supremacy, then the statues are absolutely not beautiful.

The notion that removing statues will be “erasing history” is ridiculous. There is a huge difference between recognizing history and glorifying it.

These statues were built to push an alternative and racist version of history. To allow that to continue is a disservice to everyone who continues to be discriminated as a result.

Below: MONUMENT MADNESS: Confederate monuments, such as the one erected on Broad St. in Downtown Athens, are indicative of America’s dark history with white supremacy. Co-Editor-in-Chief Aneesa Conine-Nakano believes the best solution is to move the monuments into museums and cemeteries in order to end the false narrative of the civil war.

Cartoon by Suncana Pavlic

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VIEWPOINTS <<

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s means of detaining people is often inhumane and irresponsible.

LUCIA

bermudez

A

ccording to ice.gov, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency “enforces federal laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration to promote homeland security and public safety.”

In general terms, it is tasked with enforcing immigration policies, investigating the illegal movement of people and goods, and preventing terrorism. This includes the arrest, detainment and deportation of underdocumented people.

when she woke up, still resting in bed recovering from her surgery.

To track down, intimidate and detain a young girl not only when she is without her parents but also as she is receiving medical care is appalling. It is understood one of ICE agents’ jobs is to ensure public safety, but is Rosa Maria seriously a public threat?

No, she is not a legal citizen, but having been brought here at three months old, is she to be held responsible for actions that were not her own?

Inappropriate detainment of minors is not the only problem with ICE agents’ conduct. Actress Diane Guerrero spoke out about her family’s experience in 2014. Guerrero, only 14 years old at the time, experienced every child’s worst nightmare: she returned home from school one day to find her house empty, both her parents gone.

She detailed the immense fear and panic that set it once she realized what happened. Guerrero relied on neighbors and family friends for assistance in handling her and her brother’s life after their parents detainment and deportation.

Guerrero was never contacted by government authorities, never provided official aid in any way and was never even checked on. ICE agents simply took away her parents without both-

However, the agency itself isn’t the major problem. What is problematic is the way in which ICE agents oftentimes carry out their job, specifically detainments.

ICE is necessary.

Countries must have a means of regulating immigration, and ICE is a part of America’s legal system.

Those who work for ICE and detain underdocumented people are not inherently bad -- they are simply doing their job.

ICE does have flaws though, such as the fact it’s linked with terrorism, which further stigmatizes underdocumented people. However, the agency itself isn’t the main problem. What is problematic is the way in which ICE agents oftentimes carry out their job, specifically detainments.

There are instances of children returning home to empty houses, people being brutalized and abused by ICE enforcement, parents having their child torn out of their arms, and most recently, the tracking down and harassment of a young girl with a disability.

On Oct. 24, 10-year-old Rosa Maria Hernandez was traveling to Driscoll Children’s Hospital -- accompanied by her cousin Aurora -- to receive a gall bladder surgery. According to American Civil Liberties Union, around 2 a.m., Customs and Border Protection stopped her medical transport vehicle at a checkpoint and asked to see everyone’s “papers.”

After some probing questions, they allowed Rosa Maria and her cousin to go to the hospital, but were told Rosa Maria would be detained and processed for deportation post-surgery.

They trailed the vehicle for 80 miles. Once at the hospital, armed male agents followed Rosa Maria every where, stayed in the room while nurses checked her weight and vital signs and stood outside the open door while Rosa Maria waited to be taken into the operating room. They arrested her DECEMBER 2017

ering to check up on the child they left behind.

This is incredibly terrifying, irresponsible and dangerous situation to place a minor in. Had Guerrero not had supportive friends or neighbors, she would’ve been left to fend entirely for herself at age 14.

Horror stories like these are not uncommon, and they are not isolated incidents. ICE deportations and detainments affect the Georgia and Athens community significantly, and the unjust and often cruel means of detainment are nothing short of inhumane.

Pinewoods Estates, a mobile home community in Athens, was raided by ICE in 2015, leaving many families broken, in fear and in need of assistance.

Ordeals such as Rosa Maria’s and Diane Guerrero’s are occurring in our own community, happening to our own families, affecting our own peers. To undergo an ordeal like detainment is traumatic, but to treat people as less than human is intolerable. * For more on ICE, visit our website: http://bit. ly/2B5n76z

Below: ICED OUT: The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s purpose is to enforce laws governing border control, customs, trade and immigration. However, ICE agents’ means of detainment are often inhumane, and result in devastating effects for families.

Cartoon by Suncana Pavlic

odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE

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Odyssey

The ODYSSEY is a student-produced newsmagazine, published with the intent to inform, entertain and give voice to the Clarke Central High School community, as well as to educate student journalists. Established in 2003, the ODYSSEY is published multiple times a year, and each issue is an open public forum for student expression under the guidance of a faculty adviser.

Student journalists are provided with opportunities to investigate, inform, interpret and to evaluate: all traditionally accepted functions of the press in America. Published opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone other than the staff.

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

Advertising must conform to the guidelines set forth for editorials. Publication of advertisements does not indicate an endorsement by CCHS or the ODYSSEY staff.

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

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

I

t’s been over a year since the President Donald Trump was elected into office.

His administration has been one of the most divisive presidential administrations in United States history, with an approval rating of only 37 percent of the population.

Considering the controversy surrounding Trump’s attempts to repeal Obamacare, revoke the protections allotted by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and limit the number of Muslim immigrants who can enter the United States, it’s not hard to see why so many Americans are split in their opinions.

This contributes to an increasingly divisive political climate in the United States, and it spills over into our families.

According to a poll by Rasmussen Reports, 40 percent of Americans say that the 2016 presidential election hurt a close relationship of theirs.

It is no surprise that Americans may be more hesitant than ever to discuss politics at the dinner table with their families, particularly as the holiday season brings families together.

Political discussions can cause screaming matches, provoke hurt feelings and make interactions intense when any controversial topics come into question.

However, steering clear of these political discussions for the sake of avoiding awkwardness does nothing to help.

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Lucia Bermudez and Aneesa Conine-Nakano Managing Editor: Delia Adamson Senior Copy Editor: Jordan Rhym Senior Visuals Editor: Suncana Pavlic Viewpoints Editor: Valeria Garcia-Pozo News Editor: Jurnee Louder Variety Editor: Connor McCage Sports Editor: Hannah Gale

Oftentimes, changing their opinions can seem like a lost cause.

Junior Copy Editor: Ana Aldridge Business Manager: Gabriel Mantione-Holmes

Oftentimes, changing their opinions can seem like a lost cause.

But, we should try to understand them.

If not, family members will keep their angry objections festering inside of them whenever they hear something they disagree with, no matter what side they are on.

Instead of creating positive memories, there will only be resentment between family members.

For Clarke Central High School students, attempting to have calm, rational political discussions with family may be easier said than done, but they can take the first steps.

If they encourage their families to fully consider each other’s opinions and refrain from shouting when they hear something they disagree with, it will make their discussions much more tolerant, and tolerable.

This way, the dreaded awkward family dinners will be less tense and better for everyone.

Broadcast Editor: Kelly Fulford Director of Audience Engagement: Olivia Ripps Staff Members: Mackenzie Caudill Caedmon Churchwell Owen Churchwell Emma Crane Edmund Davis Karla Dougan Bria Echols Luis Garcia Elena Gilbertson-Hall Kri Hair Madeleine Ingle Sam Mattern-Parkes Zoe Peterson Emma Ramsay Lily Bruce-Ritchie Alexander Robinson Dalace Thomas Katie Grace Upchurch Everett Vereen

Below: NOT CARING TO SHARE: A family sits glaring at each other over a holiday meal. This holiday season, families should engage in difficult political conversations to avoid this hostility.

Cartoon by Paulina Hafer.

Students pictured in advertisements are not given monetary compensation. All advertising rates are available upon request from any ODYSSEY staff member.

Our Take

Adviser: David A. Ragsdale ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S. Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia 30605 Phone: (706) 357-5200 Ext. 17370

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DECEMBER 2017

VIEWPOINTS <<

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MEETING MEANS

Our August/September issue featured a Q&A with Clarke County School District Superintendent Demond Means that gave insight to his personal life, his foundation in education, and his plans now that he is in the CCSD.

>> VIEWPOINTS

>> FEATURES

TAKE IT BACK // Valeria Garcia-Pozo

MEETING MEANS // Lucia Bermudez and

Remediating for tests does not get students ready for the real world. I am currently a tenth grader.

In ninth grade, I struggled with math more than others. I failed quizzes sometimes, so we got the chance to remediate for these quizzes. At the time, I loved it. I thought test and quiz remediations were the best things ever. It wasn’t until I moved on to tenth grade and realized that test remediation was not helping me at all. If I failed a quiz and remediated for it, do I really understand the work I’m doing, or am I doing it to bring up my grade? Test remediation is a crutch that we depend on.

I think it is nice to know more about the people in my school. This article is pretty good, because it shows that the superintendent is not all that strict.

It shows personality. I enjoyed the part “Getting Personal,” because it shows where he’s from, and what his interests are. I feel like some high schoolers think that adults in this school are plain and boring, but if they read this, it’ll show them that they aren’t all that plain.

-- Eva Fierro-Boza, freshman

Mackenzie Caudill

-- Imani Sykes, sophomore

GROWING WITH GORHAM // Elena Gilb-

ertson Hall

When Ms. Gorham first came to the school, she didn’t get the warmest welcome from the students.

There were rumors floating around, and people didn’t try to get to know her. I spoke with Ms. Gorham, and she was very open and welcoming.

The article on Ms. Gorham was very informational, and it gives the students an opportunity to see her from a different perspective. I believe that she would have had a warmer reception to Clarke Central if she had done personal introductions with each grade.

--Zipporah Daniel, senior

Corrections/Omissions September 2017 On page 5, the artwork is by Kri Hair.

On page 6, there should be a period after “world”.

On page 17, the poll was conducted by Elena Gilbertson Hall, Luis Garcia and Mackenzie Caudill.

On page 23, it should be spelled “Skarsgård”.

On page 25, Tiffany Sierra is a junior, not a sophomore.

On page 29, the photo is Fair Use of www.Vibe.com.

On pages 34-35, the photo was taken by Zoe Peterson.

On page 39, the photo was taken by Zoe Peterson.

Contact

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

DECEMBER 2017

“E

veryone should understand the topic of self-love and to realize there are people who do not look like size 0 models 24/7.

“

>> NEWS

>> VARIETY

-- Sophomore Lalita Imes on freshman Naomi Hendershot’s “Fresh Voice” column on the role the media plays on young women’s body image.

NOT ‘LUV’ING IT // Everett Vereen Instead of not giving Lil Uzi credit for his great success, you should be talking about how he is one of the young upcoming rappers that is changing the whole rap game. Lil Uzi is starting a different style that is helping him make a lot of money. With Pharrell Williams featuring in “Neon Guts,” this probably helped Lil Uzi take notes and learn what he needs to change to be one of the greatest rappers of all time, like Pharrell Williams.

-- Justin Layne, sophomore

>> SPORTS SURRENDERING SPORTMANSHIP // Hannah Gale

Trash talking is not bad in sports because it can motivate people to do better, but there is a line that people should not pass. Trash talking shouldn’t be to a point where it hurts someone. It should be more of a friendly type of communication saying that, “You can do this better,” instead of, “You’re absolutely terrible at this.”

-- Maxwell Wells, junior

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

odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE

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Question

ANAHI DELGADO

Cartoon by Zoe Peterson

Fresh Voice

of the month

if you could change one thing about clarke central, what would it be?

“The lunch, ‘cause it doesn’t have really good choices to pick out. People would want to come to school more knowing that they’re gonna have Chick-Fil-A or Zaxby’s.”

-- ASHLEY MENDOZA, sophomore “The attitude of the whole environment. I remember my sophomore year, there was just a full-blown brawl outside of the new gym.”

Above: TRANSLATING TRIALS: Freshman Anahi Delgado is depicted above at a conference with her mother and a counselor, who struggled to understand their translator over the phone. Delgado feels translation services in the Clarke County School District can be improved upon.

Better translation services are necessary and needed within the Clarke County Schol DIstrict community.

I

grew up with Spanish as my first language. Without anyone older to teach me how to speak English, I taught myself.

In kindergarten, I listened to my classmates ask questions and then I asked the same ones. I had a few friends who helped me figure out the basics, and by the time I was around 8, I finally felt like I had a grasp on the English language.

That’s when I started translating.

My parents were born in different parts of Mexico. My mom came to the United States around the age of 19 and my stepdad came around the age of 20.

For as long as I can remember, they have needed someone to translate for them.

I have translated for my parents in doctor’s offices, parent-teacher conferences, restaurants and text messages -- it’s a frequent occurrence in my life. My ability to translate has made life a bit easier for them. Though I am glad to help my parents in this way, it is important there are services in place in our community to alleviate some of this burden from the backs of children.

According to the Clarke County School District website, interpretation services are offered for 92 percent of non-English languages spoken by CCSD families. Even though the district claims that interpretation services are offered, finding an avilable interpreter can often be difficult.

When my parents do receive translation services, interpreters often aren’t as fluent as my parents need them to be.

Once, when visiting a school counselor with my mom, communication was made difficult because a translator was only available over the phone. Though it is positive that translation services are available over the phone, my family’s experience was not great. The phone call with the translator was hard to hear and the translations were incorrect, making it confusing for everyone.

Despite certain flaws, my family has greatly benefited from translation services. These services allow my family and myself to have conversations with others and takes some of the weight off of me.

We are not the only family who relies on these services. Our diverse CCSD community needs more translation services. Having availability, fluency and language acquisition in translators is essential and will make for a more welcome and comfortable school environment. Those who may struggle with the English language have the right to be informed and feel comfortable within the school community, making translation services a necessity that the school district cannot afford to overlook.

8 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

-- TRE SCOTT, senior “We should not have tests, because the tests (are) the only thing that bring my grade down really fast.”

-- PAW TA, junior

“I think it’s okay the way it is, ‘cause like, I like the teachers. The learning here is fun and you learn a lot.”

-- JAMOND DERRICOTTE, freshman “Lunch in the middle of fourth period. I find that it’s really hard to get students back and back on task once their lunch is over.”

-- ERICA CASCIO foreign language department teacher DECEMBER 2017

VIEWPOINTS <<

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

DELIA ADAMSON

BOILING POINT Prepare your children for the path, not the path for your children.

I TATTED UP Tattoos are an outlet for students to show significant aspects of their personal lives and stories.

GUNNING FOR CONTROL Gun control is a measure in dire need of improvement, especially in regards to children.

KEN BACK AGAIN Senior Kendarius Watson is rejoining the basketball team for the 2017-18 season a year after his motor vehicle accident.

LOST IN TRANSLATION Translation services must better reflect the needs of the members of our community.

MORE MAMA’S BOY Mama’s Boy opened their second location just four miles from Clarke Central High School.

CAEDMON 300 WORD Sports staff writer Caedmon Churchwell reflects on his life as a Georgia Bulldawgs fan. Sick ‘em!

DECEMBER 2017

IMMIGRATION CONTROL The Immigration Control Enforcement in the United States is taking the wrong approach in their arrests of undocumented immigrants.

Below: HOVERING OVER: Parents who hover over their children, also known as “helicopter parents,” do not allow their children to fully experience independence.

Cartoon by Zoe Peterson.

STRANGER THINGS Season two of the hit Netflix series offers fans another set of action-packed episodes they’re sure to want to binge-watch.

MOVING MONUMENTS Confederate monuments belong somewhere other than in prominent places in Athens.

ndependence has always been the guiding principle my parents used to raise me throughout my life.

I was allowed to ride my bike home from elementary school in the fifth grade, I could walk to local coffee shops to study when I was 12 years old and as long as I texted my parents to let them know where I was, I could do just about anything with my friends.

However, not many of my friends are as lucky as I am.

I have heard many horror stories of “helicopter parents” who don’t allow their children to do anything, because as parents, they live in the fear of the unknown. But is that a reason to keep children from experiencing the “real world”?

The answer is no.

Members of the Athens-Clarke County community brag about how accessible our town is and glorify our recreation centers, parks and other public spaces.

Yet, children are denied the right to access them without a parent by their side.

In the many independent activities that I have embarked upon around Athens, I had the opportunity to fail.

Yes, there were plenty of times I missed curfew or forgot to send the “I am here” text. In return, I learned from my mistakes and became a better, more responsible daughter and a more mature, resilient human being.

I believe that is the problem with my generation, we haven’t been taught to embrace failure, because we have not been given the opportunity to experience it.

Going to college is one of the most independent experiences a person can have. As a young adult away from home without the constant protection of parents and guardians, a college student is expected to be able to function on their own.

Yet, according to a September 2015 article in Psychology Today, “Young people, 18 years and older, going to college are still unable or unwilling to take responsibility for themselves, still feeling that if a problem arises they need an adult to solve it.”

But why do we need adults to solve our problems for us? Is our generation really that incapable of resolving conflict or addressing problems maturely?

It is time to take that leap and time for parents to allow their children to do so. Parents who constantly limit their children and control their every move are only contributing to my generation’s Cartoon

by Zoe Peterson. already great fragility.

It is time to prepare for the path and see where it leads.

PROTESTING IN SPORTS The recent controversy over athletes kneeling during games has brought into question the rights of student athletes to protest.

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Photo courtesy of Jorge Garcia-Granados

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Featured: LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER: Viewpoints Editor Valeria Garcia-Pozo bakes cookies with her mother, Charo Pozo-Hurtado, in 2005. Garcia-Pozo cherishes the memories she has with her mother, who had a long-lasting impact on her life.

Photos courtesy of Valeria Garcia-Pozo

LEARNING TO HEAL. Viewpoints Editor Valeria Garcia-Pozo reflects on the death of her mother and the effect it had on her.

VALERIA

F

GARCIA-POZO

or the majority of my life, my mother could do no wrong in my eyes. She was the perfect example of what a woman should be like -- she was kind to everyone she met, she was compassionate, and she was hilarious.

Whenever I had a question, my mother had an answer. Her sage words of advice seemed to magically hold true in every situation. I lived by her warnings: “Cuando no escuchas a mamá, malas cosas pasan.”

She was fiercely protective, interested and caring -- always involved, always majorly present in my life.

My mother died when I was 15 years old.

She’d been diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 10. For five years, she was able to lead a pretty normal lifestyle, filling all the roles that any other mother would lead.

And suddenly, I lost her.

My mother made everything feel normal.

She established a sense of stability for our entire household.

Her death came unexpectedly, without warning. I found myself in a hospital on a Sunday, and the next day, she had passed away.

I didn’t want anything to change. I wanted to do my homework and go about my schoolwork like normal, but I couldn’t focus.

Instead, I took a mental health day. I left assignments incomplete. These little changes were terrifying.

They meant things were different. They meant there was a reason for things to be incomplete, for things to be unstable, abnormal. I hated this.

She’d always kept going. I thought I could surely do the same.

Members of our church began to offer my family rides. A different person from my parents’ office made us a hot meal every day for months. My classmates gave me their sincerest condolences.

I had never needed this before.

I will never forget the kindness I have been shown. I will always appreciate it to the ends of the earth. It was an outpouring of love for my mother that overflowed onto us.

But, my family was such an independent, functional unit that the idea we needed help from anybody terrified me. Were we always going to be that way?

Would we ever be normal or okay?

Little by little, my family began to get our lives back together again.

We cleaned my mother’s clothes out of my parents’ closet and did away with her tables, her notebooks, her planners with scheduled activities she never got to complete.

My father started going to therapy. He began to write poetry again. He reconnected with old friends.

I began to turn to other people for answers when I needed advice. I allowed family friends, my father and my teachers to collectively fill the role that was missing from my life without my mother, all doing so in their own ways.

My 14-year-old brother, Daniel, became closer to me, and closer to my father.

He came out of his shell.

I became sensitive to certain things that had never affected me before. If I found out one of my friends had a parent in the hospital, I felt that I owed them the comfort, solace and reassurance that I received from others the night my mother passed away.

It also helped me understand the fear of pity and shame that comes with the response to a personal tragedy. Accepting help from others, emotional or otherwise, is more difficult than I realized.

Now, every time I offer my emotional support to someone, I know a part of them fears seeming vulnerable or incapable.

But, I also know it is possible to heal.

DECEMBER 2017

The idea we needed help from anybody terrified me.

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HEAD TO HEAD

Varsity softball players Hannah Gale and Dalace Thomas, a Clarke Central High School cheerleader, debate the issue of protesting at sporting events, and whether students should take part.

N

umerous athletes in the National Football League and the Major Baseball League are following in the footsteps of Colin Kaepernick, a former NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, by kneeling or displaying some other form of protest during “The Star Spangled Banner.”

As a result, young athletes, particularly at the high-school level, have begun to take interest in the

BY DALACE THOMAS protests as well.

Viewpoints staffer Kneeling during the national anthem is meant to bring attention to the issues in America regarding racial discrimination.

But for student athletes, what is supposed to be a very meaningful and effective method of protest is starting to look like a trend.

Kneeling is more than just a fad.

They participate in these protests without fully understanding the reasons behind it, simply trying to join the fad.

When they are unsure of the reasons behind their actions, they put themselves at risk for consequences they never intended to face.

According to the New York Times article “High schools threaten to punish students who kneel during anthem,” at Parkway High School in Louisiana, students who refuse to stand during the national anthem will face loss of playing time and/or a place on the team.

At Clarke Central High School, head football coach David Perno has discussed protests with his student athletes.

“I wouldn’t let it happen. We have discussed it, and we have discussed it openly. If they want to do something, we’ll figure out something at a different venue at a different forum,” Perno said.

When a someone chooses to kneel or participate in a form of protest, they become a part of something bigger than just making a statement.

Students must be aware of the consequences of putting themselves in a political light. Kneeling is more than just a fad.

Right: TAKING A KNEE: A football player kneels during the national anthem while his teammate joins him, not entirely sure why he is kneeling. Cartoon by Audrey Kennedy

DECEMBER 2017

D

uring week three of the National Football League season, players on the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions teams chose to kneel rather than stand during the national anthem.

As a team, the Pittsburgh Steelers chose to stay in the locker room during the national anthem before

BY HANNAH GALE their game against the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24.

Sports Editor The protests have brought about controversy and increased political tension within the sports community.

According to a New York Times article guest-written by San Francisco 49er safety Eric Reid, football quarterback free agent Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality by sitting on the bench during the national anthem in multiple pre-season games but did not try to convince other players to join him or disrupt the singing of the anthem.

President Donald Trump commented on the kneeling of NFL teams on Sept. 24 via Twitter, saying “NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast. Fire or suspend!”

No wonder people are kneeling.

It’s ironic how the leader of our free world is saying that these athletes who are protesting should be fired or suspended even though the first amendment in the Constitution of the United States of America allows the right to protest.

Just because one doesn’t stand for the national anthem does not mean they do not stand for America. It means they do not stand for the racism in American history and the current racial inequality and police brutality in American society.

The Star-Spangled Banner, in its third verse explicitly mentions slavery, reflecting how normal the practice was.

According to “The unexpected connection between slavery, NFL protests and the national anthem” by AJ Willingham, “some interpretations of these lyrics contend (writer of the Star-Spangled Banner Francis Scott) Key was, in fact, taking pleasure in the deaths of freed black slaves who had fought with the British against the United States.”

No wonder people are kneeling during the national anthem.

Just like the Confederate statues that are still standing in Downtown Athens, showcasing the racism in American history, “The Star-Spangled Banner” is reminding the oppressed of their oppressor. odysseynewsmagazine.net | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE

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>> VIEWPOINTS

MADDIE

INGLE

I

n a crowded math classroom at Clarke Central High School, one will find students dozing off and disinterested. Many students struggle in silence, too nervous to ask questions or too unconcerned to care.

Math is my best subject, but it doesn’t come so easily for everyone.

Instead of asking for help, many other students simply give up on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes.

Due to these classes’ rigor, college students across Georgia struggled to maintain their 3.0 GPA, which grants them the HOPE scholarship. As a result, students were discouraged from taking STEM classes.

To combat this issue, Bill 801 was passed last spring, which allows for a 0.5 HOPE GPA boost to be added to a student’s grade in an approved STEM course if the student ended the class with an average of a D, C or B that semester.

Some may think that providing incentives for taking STEM classes inherently diminishes the value of non-STEM related courses.

The intention behind this legislation is not to degrade the importance of humanities classes, but to provide aid to students in STEM because these classes encourage innovation. No matter what career path one may follow, an innovative and creative mindset is a powerful tool to have.

STEM-ING AN INNOVATIVE YOUTH. Encouraging students to study STEM and placing academic emphasis on STEM classes is a step in the right direction.

STEM courses teach students how to question assumptions and wonder why things are the way that they are. They force them to ask tough questions -- how something can be improved and what can be changed.

college students with an opportunity to take challenging STEM courses without fear of losing their scholarship, all while encouraging and supporting an innovative youth.

The next step is to provide this same educational aid to high school students taking Advanced Placement STEM college courses.

Why are college students offered more support than high school students within the same courses?

Without a doubt, Bill 801 is a step in the right direction. However, the preparation of a more innovative youth should not stop there. The encouragement of STEM should be relentless until all students’ needs are met.

In order to fill the positions of STEM-related jobs, our government needs to continue to take measures to ensure that students feel comfortable, confident and supported in STEM classes.

There are endless problems that the next generation will be faced with, and a STEM education better prepares students to solve them.

A STEM education serves as a reminder that there is always room for improvement and that with creativity and resources, anything is possible.

Not only do STEM classes provide students with an enriched education that can be put to use in any career, but they prepare students for the jobs that will be most available to them.

That being said, if one happens to choose a career in a STEM field, there is an 8.9 percent job increase projected in STEM fields in comparison to 6.4 percent in non-STEM fields by 2024.

Despite what the future may bring, there will always be illnesses to cure, environmental issues to solve, and the earth will always be slowly and surely moving closer to the sun.

There are endless problems that the next generation will be faced with, and a STEM education better prepares students to solve them.

By passing this bill, our government is providing

12 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

Below: STAIRWAY TO SUCCESS: STEM-related careers often have promising paths that provide employees with comfortable salaries.

Cartoon by Paulina Hafer.

DECEMBER 2017

SAM

uring the Clarke Central High School vs.

Cedar Shoals High School varsity football game held at CCHS on Sept. 22, a 13-year-old student was arrested for possessing a gun. According to an article on Online Athens published Sept.

25, it was the second time in four years an incident like this has taken place.

In a November poll of 541 CCHS students, 12 percent said they had seen a student with a gun at school.

It isn’t hard to understand why children and teens shouldn’t have access to guns.

“Research says that the frontal lobe doesn’t really, fully form until the age of 25. The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that’s really involved in planning and thinking ahead and kind of self-monitoring and those types of things,” School Psychologist Marcia Page said. “One thing I think is really hard for teenagers and adolescents is to see the long-term consequences of their actions.”

The fact that guns are floating around the school is just one part of a greater problem.

The issue of accessibility and lack of security comes back to guns in homes. A 2004 study by the U.S. Secret Service and Department of Education states most school shooters use guns they acquired at home or a family member’s home.

from home, compared to CAP laws that do, such as in Massachusetts, where storing a gun unlocked is a felony.

The difference in effectiveness is obvious.

From 2014 to 2016, just one child under 12 was accidentally shot in Massachusetts. In Georgia, at least 10 children in the same age range were accidentally shot just in 2015 and 2016 alone.

According to a 2016 study “Child Access Prevention Laws, Youth Gun Carrying, and School Shootings”, “CAP laws are associated with a 13 percent decrease in the rate of past month gun carrying (at school) and an 18 percent decrease in the rate at which students reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property.”

Georgia needs stronger CAP laws, making it illegal to leave a gun unlocked and loaded, and holding owners responsible when their guns end up killing children who have easy access to them. It will make it harder for teens to take guns from home. It will help prevent tragedies and make schools safer.

This is a very mild gun law -- it doesn’t restrict buying guns, it doesn’t register them or keep track of them, and it doesn’t affect where someone can carry them.

All it would do is require gun owners store guns responsibly.

That shouldn’t be too much to ask.

Cartoon by Suncana Pavlic

D

MATTERN-PARKES

LOCKED AND UNLOADED. Laws that prevent children and teens acquiring guns from home are necessary.

Children and teens are not prepared to handle an object designed to kill.

Forty-three percent of homeowners with both guns and children in their residence kept at least one gun unlocked, rather than in a gun safe or secure container according to a 2000 study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Children and teens are not prepared to handle an object designed to kill. Yet, many know where to acquire one easily, or live in homes where discovering one is possible.

Lawmakers need to address this at the source.

Some state legislatures have already tried with laws that target minors acquiring guns at home, known as Child Access Prevention (CAP) laws.

Many states have CAP laws, but they each vary in strength and level of effectiveness. Georgia’s are some of the weakest, with no penalty for negligently storing a gun.

Georgia’s law doesn’t really do anything to prevent children or teens from finding or taking guns

Above: NEAR DEATH: A baby reaches for a gun that is on a table in his home, posing an obvious threat to his safety. Without the proper laws to protect children from guns, they are likely to hurt themselves and each other.

The fact that guns are floating around the school is just one part of a greater problem. The real issue is that teens and childrens can access guns easily.

>> NEWS

Cartoon by Suncana Pavlic

kids with guns With what some may consider to be lax gun laws in the state of Georgia, the issue of gun accessibility for minors arises.

14 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

O

n April 20, 1999, the nation turned its eye to the fact that kids under the age of 18 can, and do, access guns.

The Columbine High School massacre, the 13th deadliest mass shooting since 1949, changed the American political landscape around gun control discussions.

Eighteen years later, these discussions show no sign of slowing down or being resolved -- and not just on the national level.

BY JURNEE LOUDER News Editor

Guns keep the community under fire In July, the Athens community learned of the death of a former Clarke Central High School student, 16-year-old Tremell Barnett. According to authorities, Tremell was listening to music in the car with a gun and accidentally fired it.

“It happened out of nowhere, like out of the blue. I got a call he got shot in the head. I was just waking up ‘cause I had gone to practice that morning and I woke up and got a call around 3:21 (a.m.),” senior Jarvis Clark, Barnett’s cousin, said.

DECEMBER 2017

NEWS <<

CCSD takes aim Under the administration of former Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Philip Lanoue, “zero tolerance” became the defining statement on CCSD’s weapons policy. According to the 2017-2018 CCSD Student Code of Conduct, which upholds this policy, “A student who is determined to have possessed a firearm or dangerous weapon at school or (a) school-sponsored function shall be expelled from school for a period of not less than one calendar year.”

“That’s kind of like a ‘no tolerance policy’. If

DECEMBER 2017

Limiting access to guns proves to be a long shot In the state of Georgia, according to O.C.G.A. § 16-11-101.1, those under the age of 18 are not legally allowed to own or purchase a gun under general circumstances. But, these laws can be circumvented.

Under O.C.G.A. § 16-11-132, minors can possess handguns when attending a hunter education course or a firearms safety course, practicing the use or a firearm or target shooting, engaging in organized competition, engaging in hunting or fishing, traveling to and from any of the activities above and with the permission of a parent or legal guardian at their residence.

In the same November poll of 541 students, 53 percent said they knew someone under the age of 18 who possessed a gun or could easily access one. How minors access firearms can be a more complicated question.

Chambers feels that the stolen weapons market is a significant driver in gun accessibility for minors.

“In Clarke County, we have a upswing of home break-ins and vehicle break-ins. So, a lot of people not thinking, traveling on the road, may stop in Athens to go to a service station or Downtown and they have their weapon underneath the seat,” Chambers said. “They continue on down the road without realizing that weapon is no longer there.

We’ve had a couple of those. Once the weapon is circulated in the community, it’s all about commod-

Graphic by Jurnee Louder and Suncana Pavlic

“My heart just dropped through my phone. I sat there for a minute, and I had went to the hospital and it was true.”

Athens-Clarke County School Resource Officer Jamal Chambers sympathizes with Tremell’s loved ones, but feels his death was representative of a bigger issue.

“That one student who wound up losing his life, playing with a handgun, is being squeezed by society saying it’s a cool thing to do because everybody’s doing it on Facebook, Kik, all social media aspects,” Chambers said. “Not learning proper gun safety led to him losing his life. Proper gun safety would’ve told him he shouldn’t have had the weapon in the first place, but the society that he’s in says it’s a cool thing to have.”

A few months later at the Cedar Shoals High School vs. CCHS football game on Sept. 22 at CCHS, a 13-year-old student was found with a gun and taken into custody.

“There’s still an investigation. What we do know is that some students saw some business that they knew wasn’t right. They alerted an administrator,” Chambers said. “The administrator alerted the campus and other students on campus started noticing some business and they brought it to light. That’s how we got ahead of that situation.”

While this incident does not fall under CCHS’ disciplinary purview since the minor was not a CCHS student, it does bring up the same issue -minors’ access to guns and the consequences.

there’s a gun, then there’s automatically a referral to a CCSD disciplinary hearing with recommendation for expulsion,” CCHS Principal Marie Yuran said.

Clayton State University Lecturer LaKeisha Gantt, a former CCSD Behavior Specialist and CCSD parent, believes that discussions around discipline have to involve zero tolerance, but thinks that the policy has issues that could prohibit its effectiveness.

“Zero tolerance often missed the mark.

So, there is a lot of talk in the literature about the role zero tolerance in disproportionate discipline practices. So, with certain groups having the harsher consequences,” Gantt said.

“What I found in my role with Clarke County is that (the problem with) zero tolerance, is more so the application of zero tolerance. It doesn’t appear to be consistent across populations. I think that is truly where some of the attention has to be. That’s where some of the problem is.”

Whether because of zero tolerance or because of other elements, ACC Police Department team leader Terry Reid says the number of gun incidents at CCHS has remained relatively low.

“We’ve had some weapons issues. Had one student bring a gun, and that’s the first one in 15 years. That was last school term,” Reid said.

A November poll of 541 CCHS students also offers a different perspective from Reid’s account.

When asked if they had personally seen a student bring a gun to school, 12 percent of polled students said they had.

Although Yuran believes in the vigilance of the CCHS security team, in response to these numbers, she feels security has its limits.

“Anybody can bring anything, any day of the week technically to anywhere we are in this world, whether it’s on campus, whether it’s in the grocery store,” Yuran said. “Unfortunately, we can’t control what people bring in here. We can only respond to information that we are made aware of.”

When he was in middle school, sophomore Brett Carter* brought a gun to school, but school officials were alerted.

“I was trying to act tough, and I brought a gun and showed everybody in the bathroom. I got caught. They sent me to (Ombudsman Educational Services),” Carter said. “One of my friends had (the gun) and I got it. He (had) an older brother that has a lot of guns, so I guess he got it from his older brother.”

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>> NEWS Graphics by Jurnee Louder and Suncana Pavlic

ity and how much it would take to purchase that weapon or what do you have to trade to get that weapon.”

According to Reid, Southern culture also makes guns easily accessible to minors and increases the chance of them taking or using the firearm, especially when they feel scared or threatened.

“I would imagine that high a percent of the people in the building are aware they can go someplace -- cousin, grandma, or home -- and say, ‘There’s a gun there,’ because this is the South. I mean, we’ve always had weapons in our homes. But we never thought the teenagers were going to start removing them, carrying them on their person just for intimidation,” Reid said. “It’s causing a lot of young lives to be taken because they don’t know how to handle that, or they’re pretending to the wrong person, who was well-qualified at defending themselves.”

The attraction to guns defined Chambers says kids might be attracted to guns because of how having one is perceived by peers.

“With a lot of youth, it’s cool to have weapons because society has somewhat pictured it as a great thing to do. ‘This guy is a serious person because he has this weapon. He’s gonna take it to that next level,’” Chambers said. “So, we’re dealing with something that’s driven by society, itself.”

Social media platforms can exacerbate this. Chambers says many teens pictured with weapons online were reported by others.

“We’ve had various investigations involving youth brought to our attention by other youth and also community leadership about (youth displaying weapons online),” Chambers said. “Social media kinda inflames (the issue) a little bit because it’s that one-up mentality. He’s got a knife. I’ve got a gun.”

Senior Diego Jones* agrees that social media plays a part in teen gun culture. However, Jones believes that kids who flaunt weapons online do not actually have plans to use them.

“Some kids are just gonna want to get one and show it off. Ones that have it usually don’t show it off. Ones that are using it are not going to show it off,” Jones said. “The kids that are flexing aren’t going to use it.”

Reasons that minors have guns are varied. While working at Gaines Elementary School, Student Support Technician Jennifer Hollman spoke with a young student whose father gave him a handgun.

“We were talking about safety, and one of the eight year olds there said he had a gun that his dad gave to him. He’s fired the gun. His dad gave it to him for protection,” Hollman said. “I tried to explain to him that it was very dangerous and that he could be sleeping in the house and his dad comes in and he doesn’t know his dad is in there and he could shoot his dad. He said he was just doing what his dad told him.”

In her work, Gantt has not spoken with many students who brought weapons (not including guns) to school, but in those few instances, Gantt noticed a behavioral pattern.

“A lot of the students that I met with, I wasn’t meeting with them because they brought a weapon on campus. But, reflecting on the very, very few that ever got suspended or expelled for that, it was not a gun.

In those cases, often times the student (who brought a weapon) felt unsafe. Not saying that’s all the time, but that is certainly an element there,” Gantt said. “I really think we have to look at why students bring weapons. We can’t just assume that everyone that brings a weapon is an aggressor.”

In her experience, CCHS Associate Principal Amanda Gorham has seen students with weapons who brought them accidentally or for protection.

“It could be something in the neighborhood. Fear of specific things and specific people. A lot of weapons that I’ve confiscated over the years (are from students who) forget that the knife they went hunting with this weekend is in the bookbag. So, somehow it falls out and somebody notices it and reports it and then we have to deal with it accordingly,”

16 | ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE | odysseynewsmagazine.net

DECEMBER 2017

NEWS << Gorham said. “It’s been very rare that someone has brought a weapon to school to attack somebody at school.”

As an avid hunter, senior Ben Gillespie got his first gun when he was 10 years old from his great-grandfather once he passed away. Throughout the years, Gillespie was gifted several other guns by his father. As an owner, Gillespie believes that he and his family take proper safety precautions.

“We always keep them on safety and unloaded in a closet at home.

I’m careful with it when I use it,” Gillespie said. “Most people (at CCHS) probably don’t own guns and I don’t think anyone with a gun would bring it.”

Up against the gun — and the courts Senior Ikechukwu Obi-Okoye feels that if he saw a student with a gun, he would take action.

“I probably would tell them not to bring it and if they kept on bringing it, I probably would (report it). ( Whether) it was a stranger or a friend, I probably would do the same thing,” Obi-Okoye said. “Some kids report it and some might not depending on their character.”

Unlike Obi-Okoye, Chambers says many students might feel nervous and subsequently pressured out of reporting other teens. “(Kids sometimes think) ‘I know what he’s doing is wrong because my parents taught me that, but if I do that, then I’m no longer cool with my friends. Now, they can’t trust me and if they can’t trust me, then they’re not going to want to hang around me.’ That’s the influence they’re dealing with,” Chambers said. “Even though they know it’s the right thing to do and it may save somebody’s life or stop somebody from being injured, the near fact that I gotta come back into that clique and admit what I did, even though it was the right thing, it was the wrong thing in their eyes.”

Yuran hopes that through communication between the student body, the community and the school, safety will continue to be a primary goal. “(Safety) is what we work towards every day to ensure. I would hope people would feel safe in knowing that if somebody had something here that they weren’t supposed to have -- a weapon of some kind -- that they would be report it and that they would feel safe enough to report it,” Yuran said. “If it ever gets to a point to where people don’t feel like adults in the building (are trustworthy), then we’ve got something else that we need to work on in our culture.”

The ACC Police Department offers resources for youth to learn more about firearms, firearm safety and preventative measures. “( We have) a summer camp (where we stress gun safety), but also, we do a program called Ignorance of the Law where I address the possession of stolen weapons or any weapon if you’re underage and any aspect of the law,” Chambers said. “I also teach that at the Boys and Girls Club where I encourage you not to have a weapon, what would happen if you had that weapon and without the proper training, what could happen with that weapon. Now, this is (America) and you have the right to bear arms, but with that right comes responsibility.”

If prevention fails and a minor is caught with a gun, officials in the juvenile court system will consider the minor’s circumstances and work on a rehabilitative program.

“In the juvenile side of (the criminal system), they have layers. Part of those layers is counseling and evaluation to try and understand why you did what you did and how we can correct it,” Chambers said. “Before you come out of the juvenile system, hopefully you hit one of those layers and redirect that behavior. If not, then we will be dealing with the criminal side of it. That’s pretty much the last thing we want to do.”

DECEMBER 2017

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>> NEWS Left: FRIENDLY FACES: Clarke Central High School senior Shahrzad Roshan (left), family engagement specialist Wesley Mellina (middle) and English department co-chair Ian Altman (right) lead the first Bilingual Parent Program meeting, which took place on Oct. 24. Roshan, who came up with the idea for the program, hopes it will benefit the CCHS community. “I just want this to be a place where people can find friends,” Roshan said. “My mom (and I) both really struggled with finding friends (when we moved here in 2015), and I just thought that this would help other people know that they’re not alone.”

Bilingual beginnings

Photo by Ana Aldridge

The Clarke Central High School Bilingual Parent Program, which held its first meeting on Oct. 24, aims to help members of the CCHS community learn and gain comfort speaking English.

T

he first Bilingual Parent Program meeting was held on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. In attendance were seven Clarke Central High School parents, three students and two staff members. Heading the meeting were senior Shahrzad Roshan and English department co-chair Ian Altman.

Roshan originally came up with the idea for the program, and is working with Altman and family engagement specialist Wesley Mellina to make her idea a reality.

According to flyers distributed by Roshan, the program is intended to be “a discussion-based English meeting for bilingual parents and students,” and is open to individuals with any level of ability in speaking English.

“I mean, I’ve done so much work with immigrant students, helping immigrant students attain access to college, but I’ve also felt for a long time that immigrant students’ parents are often marginalized in this school space, and as I tried to make clear in the meeting to those parents, this, as a public school, belongs to them. In a very literal way, this is their school,” Altman said. “So they should feel welcome here and feel confident enough to talk to anyone that works here.”

CCHS parent Jorge Somilleda*, who was in attendance, hopes that the meetings will help him with his everyday use of English.

“Well, this first meeting was for us to agree on how we’re gonna start the classes, and I hope it’ll help me a lot because I lack writing, reading and speaking skills,” Somilleda said. “(I need help speaking) in my everyday life, all day at work, hospitals, school (and) talking with my kids because they laugh when I say something in English, so I have to go to classes where they’re going to help me instead of laughing.”

Senior and Bilingual Parent Program translator Anapaula Saucedo attended the event as well, and helped translate it for Somilleda, who is a native Spanish speaker.

“I heard about (the meeting) from (Roshan) and she (asked) me if I could come and help out and I was like ‘Sure, no problem.’ I came in here and (Somilleda) was the only guy here and I asked if he knew English and he was like ‘No,’ so I helped him,” Saucedo said. “Knowing the struggle my parents went

through and knowing I could help out another parent (is what) brought me here because I know how much my parents struggled learning English.”

Somilleda feels that efforts such as these are necessary to bring the CCHS community together as a whole.

“I think it happens to all of us that because we can’t communicate in the language, we can’t collaborate with the school and participate with our kids,” Somilleda said. “It’s because of the language that we can’t talk openly and it excludes and disconnects us from the school.”

Based on parent feedback, future meetings will include more grammatical help with English than originally intended for the program.

“I’m gonna follow the parent’s suggestions. I wasn’t expecting them to ask for actual school-teachery grammar lessons, but if that’s what they want, I can do that,” Altman said. “So, we’ll do some of that, and then we’ll have them bring in any topic they wish to discuss, be it how to communicate effectively with a doctor, how to communicate effectively with other teachers, any normal concrete life situation where they may lack confidence communicating.”

Mellina, Altman and Roshan continue working to increase attendance in future meetings.

“We put it in the announcements, we also have family engagement newsletters, we use the remind app if parents have signed up for that,” Mellina said.

“We (also) reached out to district translator (Alex Borges) and he’s taken flyers and he says he has parents who come to register their students who are interested in events like this, so he’s gonna try to like talk to those parents and also just spread the flyers out into the community.”

The group plans to meet every other Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Room 229. “(The first meeting) was small, but I thought it was very positive. I thought the reception was enthusiastic and I’m definitely looking forward to helping the program grow, to bringing in more and more parents because I think there are a lot that could use something like this,” Altman said. *Somilleda was interviewed in Spanish and his quotes were translated by the author, who is bilingual.

DECEMBER 2017

BY ANA ALDRIDGE Junior Copy Editor

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Getting to know Cascio

NEWS <<

Clarke Central High School’s new foreign language department teacher, Erica Cascio, speaks to News Staffer Luis Garcia on her time at CCHS and how her life experiences have contributed to her variety of positions.

INTERVIEW BY LUIS GARCIA

PHOTO BY ZOE PETERSON

News staffer

Visuals staffer

How long have you been teaching?

Since August. (I was a substitute) before that though.

How did you come to teach at Clarke Central High School?

It just felt like a great organization, and I was subbing for the french teacher (former foreign language department teacher Kelli Bivins) and then I heard that she was leaving so I knew that her job was gonna be available, and as soon as it posted on School Spring, I hurried up and sent all my information and then I interviewed for it and I was lucky enough to get it.

How did you learn French?

I started as a student in the seventh grade in New York. I actually was failing French I until about December, when it finally clicked for me. I just didn’t get it. I didn’t understand, because I really didn’t understand how English worked. So I guess

How did you get into coaching cross country?

in seventh grade is when you’re learning all that stuff about grammar and how your own English works, and then it all just sort of came together for me, somewhere in the middle of that first semester.

I continued on with it all through middle and high school, and then when I went to college I switched to Spanish. But it all came out French. Eventually after my first trip to Paris, when I realized that I still had the words I just needed to be in the environment, I went back to school and changed my major and majored in French and English.

So, I have an adult daughter who was a cross country runner, and I was an active cross country parent. That team was at my house all the time.

We did all kinds of functions and fundraisers for them. I really enjoyed that experience with her and her coaches. I’m a marathon runner, injured right now, but I feel like it’s getting better, so I should be getting back in the saddle by early next year.

I’m a marathon runner and I just love the sport of distance running. I understand it. It’s a mental game and I just wanted to be a part of it.

How has your time been at CCHS? It’s actually been great. I love the spirit of the students, but all in all, I really like the school. I like the way it’s organized. I like the way the administration works. I’ve been coaching with (Head cross country coach Alex Holmes) in cross country and I really have had a good experience with the athletics department. I’ve been conducting the yoga classes for the Yoga Club and I think that those kids are really great and that they come out before school to stretch out and get prepared. I really have enjoyed my time here. Even on the worst days, it’s fun, and I feel like this is worth doing, and I feel like it’s worth doing here.

Do you have any major goals or expectations for your first year at CCHS?

Photo by Zoe Peterson

I’m really trying to learn how to be a teacher, so that’s why when I say I have a lot of students who are really spirited, I’m really trying to figure out the best ways to connect with the young people and make them interested, and not just in French.

I mean, I love the language and the culture, but there’s a bigger story here.

A lot of our students are Spanish speakers as their first language, so (French) is a third language for them, and we have conversations on a regular basis about why that is. Like, what happens in the 15th and 16th and 17th centuries, when Europeans began exploring the seas and going to other lands, and, were the people who they found on these land masses mute, were they devoid of culture? What happened to those people and their language and their culture, and how does language and culture go together? This is really the conversation I want to be having with these kids and the language is just a framework for that, as far as I’m concerned. It’s a much bigger discussion.

Left: VOULOIR APPRENDRE: Clarke Central High School foreign language department teacher Erica Cascio sits at her desk on Oct. 23.

Cascio started teaching at CCHS in August and looks forward to getting to know her students. “I’m really trying to figure out the best ways to connect with the young people and make them interested, and not just in French. I mean, I love the language and the culture, but there’s a bigger story here,” Cascio said.

Layout by Everett Vereen

DECEMBER 2017

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>> FEATURES Featured: A monument to the Confederate statues of Athens-Clarke-County stands in the middle of Broad Street. The monument was erected in 1872 by the Athens Ladies Memorial Association. “At the time, the males couldn’t go around doing things like that because they had just lost a war and had some restrictions,” Johnson said.

“It was basically an army of women going around trying to change the narrative around what succession was about and make their way of life look more moral than it actually was.”

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DECEMBER 2017

FEATURES <<

confronting history A monument to Confederate soldiers has stood in Downtown Athens for over a century, but local activists are now working to move the monument out of the city center.

I

n the bustling heart of Downtown Athens, directly across from the University of Georgia’s Arch, an overlooked obelisk stands for the fallen Confederate soldiers of Clarke County.

A local debate regarding Athens’ Confederate monument was sparked in response to violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia in August regarding a monument of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. According to The New York Times, “A white nationalist rally in Charlottesville brought renewed attention to dozens of Confederate monuments around the country. Many government officials have called to remove statues, markers and other monuments that celebrate controversial Civil War era figures from public grounds. There are likely hundreds of such monuments in the United States.”

In a city and region where remnants of the Confederacy, including buildings and streets named after Confederate leaders, are common, local activists have decided to focus their efforts on moving the “Soldier’s Monument” on Broad Street.

The monument, erected in 1872 by the Athens Ladies’ Memorial Association, is one of the oldest monuments to the Confederacy in Georgia.

“These heroes, ours in the unity of blood, ours in the unity of patriotism, struggled for the rights of states as held by the fathers of the republic,” the inscription on the monument reads, “Last and holiest office of human fidelity possible to brave men attesting their sincerity, proving their honor and sealing their integrity.”

Organizations such as the ALMA worked to rewrite the narrative surrounding the Civil War, forming the “Lost Cause” storyline to suggest that

BY ELENA GILBERTSON-HALL News staffer

“These were not erected solely to commemorate the dead. They were erected as an act of defiance and as a means of perpetuating White supremacy.”

-- AKELA REASON, University of Georgia Associate Professor of history

southern soldiers were not fighting for the right to own slaves.

According to the UGA Associate Professor of history Akela Reason, some monuments erected to commemorate the Confederacy were intended to do more than remember the fallen.

“There is a reasonable desire to commemorate the dead, but I think that to continue to support these monuments is to turn a blind eye to history,” Reason said. “These were not erected solely to commemorate the dead. They were erected as an act of defiance and as a means of perpetuating White supremacy.”

The Athens monument is a highly controversial topic, with some members of the community arguing for the removal of the monument and others maintaining that the monument should stay in place.

“I despise (Confederate monuments), as someone who knows they were not created to include me. They were created specifically to exclude me and to ostracize my people -- Black people,” Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) publicist

“They were created specifically to exclude me and to ostracize my people -- Black people. It is a monument making a statement about how I don’t have an equal right to exist.”

-- RICHARD BANTON, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) publicist

DECEMBER 2017

Richard Banton said. “It is a monument making a statement about how I don’t have an equal right to exist.”

Co-founder of the AADM Knowa Johnson feels that although many residents consider Athens a ‘liberal bubble’, that is not evident when driving into town on Broad Street.

“It doesn’t feel good to pay taxes in a city and to be a patron of a city that allows (a Confederate monument) to be on public property,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t make a statement of inclusivity or diversity or that we even want to be inclusive. There (could be) something there that represents the city and where we’re trying to go.”

However, not all members of the community view Confederate monuments as offensive or exclusive symbols.

“I see monuments to the Confederacy the same as monuments to the Union. It’s just commemorating people that fought for their side of the war,” Clarke Central High School junior Patrick Madrid said. “I don’t think it’s like, ‘Here’s a statue that supports slavery’, I just think it’s more, ‘Here’s a statue of an American who fought for what he believed in.’ Whether morally that’s justified or not is a different argument.”

However, monuments such as this one are often seen as important historical objects and some argue that moving it would disregard its significance. “(The monument) pays a reverence to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They sacrificed for their communities. These guys defended Athens, they loved Athens,” Lieutenant Commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans T.R.R. Cobb Camp Curt Collier said. “(Moving the monument) is erasing history. I don’t want any monuments torn down.”

Lynae Sowinski, an attendant at an AADM meeting regarding the monument, believes that the

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>> FEATURES monument only represents a certain part of history.

“I don’t think (the monument) is representing true history in the first place.

History was written by a very specific, White male population and they are leaving out narratives that need to be included,” Sowinski said. “The very act of (the monument) being there is erasing history.”

Georgia native Peggy Galis has several ancestors who were slaveholding Confederate soldiers, but Galis believes that their lives can be commemorated without being glorified.

“There’s no question that the South fought for slavery, and that’s something we should be ashamed of. And I am ashamed of it. And certainly my family (were slaveholders),” Galis said. “But they can be in cemeteries and I visit my family in the cemetery. They don’t need to be held up to the community-at-large as heroes.”

This issue was divisive among political candidates in the race for Georgia State House of Representatives district 117. Losing candidate for district 117 Houston Gaines vocally supported the Georgia law limiting the relocation of Confederate monuments.

“I would support maintaining that statute (protecting Confederate monuments). I’m someone who is for adding to our history and not taking away from it,” Gaines said in a debate.

The AADM has contacted the ACC mayor and commission to urge the issue to be put on the mayor and commission meeting agenda for public input and ultimately for the monument to be moved.

“Our attorney is researching this issue. Georgia law prohibits the removal or defacing of monuments on public land,” Mayor Nancy Denson said after declining to put the issue on the agenda. “Further complicating the question is ownership of the actual monument. It sits on (Department of Transportation) right of way, state of Georgia ownership. At this time, there are no options for the Commission to debate.”

Georgia law section 50-30-1 states that no publicly-owned monument on the public property of the state in honor of the military service of any past or present military personnel shall be relocated, removed, concealed, obscured or altered as long as the appropriate measures for the preservation, protection and interpretation of such monuments or memorials shall not be prohibited.

“It doesn’t feel good to pay taxes in a city and to be a patron of a city that allows (a Confederate monument) to be on public property.”

-- KNOWA JOHNSON, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement (AADM) Co-Founder

Some activists hope to get the monument moved to Oconee Hill Cemetery, a cemetery which houses a number of Confederate graves.

“We’re not honoring something they accomplished. We’re honoring that they fought and died so it should be a tombstone, basically. You honor someone who died on a tombstone, and you don’t honor people who lose wars, people that divided a country,” Johnson said. “Those are not usual things to honor people for but the Confederacy found a way to do it.”

One option that has been discussed is to not only move the Confederate monument, but also replace it with one that is more inclusive.

“I see monuments to the Confederacy the same as monuments to the Union, it’s just commemorating people that fought for their side of the war.”

-- PATRICK MADRID, Clarke Central High School junior

“We should move this monument and put a monument that more accurately reflects the historical reality that would actually serve the community by telling the full story of the Civil War instead of just this one-sided glorification of the rebels,” Edwards said. “We don’t commemorate the Holocaust by preserving statues of Adolf Hitler.”

As the community continues the dialogue around this issue, the mayor and commission are awaiting legal advice before taking action.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of the commission is in favor of moving it. It’s the question of the legality and what argument the county attorney presents as to what the state law is,” ACC Commissioner Melissa Link said. “There is stuff going on behind the scenes to find out what the legal and appropriate steps to take are.”

Whatever the solution, Link believes the community must engage in a civil discussion to avoid a situation similar to the violent Charlottesville protests.

“The last thing anyone wants is to see is this (monument) come down violently in a riot,” Link said. “If we can have a peaceful, logical discussion about the fate of this object we can show the rest of the world how to do it. We can’t just ignore it. Bad things happen when you ignore stuff like that.”

The law provides an opportunity for local governments that deem it necessary to relocate monuments “for the preservation, protection, and interpretation of such monuments” to do so. Many community activists suggest that this argument could be reasonably applied to the Broad Street monument. “(The monument) had to be completely reconstructed two or three years ago and rebuilt. To adequately preserve the monument for future generations, people argue, and I argue, that a more appropriate place for it to be would be Oconee Hill Cemetery,” local attorney Russell Edwards said. “If we really want to preserve this monument and have it last a long time, we need to remove it from this corridor that is so heavily trafficked.”

The monument was first unveiled on College Avenue before being moved to its current location in the traffic median on Broad Street.

“This monument was already moved several times in its history, so I think there’s a perception that it’s always been there, but it hasn’t. It could very easily be moved somewhere else,” Reason said.

Opposite top left: MOVING THE MONUMENT: Co-founder of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement Knowa Johnson stands in front of Athens’ most prominent Confederate monument. The AADM has been working to move the monument since violent events in Charlottesville, Virginia regarding a Confederate statue. “We wanted to do it different here in Athens, we felt like we could sit down with people who had different opinions and come up with a solution that we could all agree on and understand,” Johnson said. Opposite top right: LOOPHOLE IN THE LAW: Some local Athens activists are attempting to move the Confederate monument on Broad Street. Georgia law prohibits the movement of monuments to the Confederacy except for safety and preservation purposes. “The fact that (the monument) has been cracked before and the city has had to come in and repair it, that’s probability that it can happen again,” co-founder of the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement Knowa Johnson said. Opposite bottom left: NAMES OF THE FALLEN: The obelisk on Broad Street recognizes the soldiers of Athens-Clarke-County that died on the behalf of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Some members of the community believe the monument represents the cause of slavery. “This monument promotes a one-sided view of history that commemorates the sacrifice of southern soldiers in a noble light, when in reality these soldiers fought to preserve the institution of slavery and we should try to come correct with our history so we can move forward and recognize the south was wrong,” local attorney Russell Edwards said. Opposite bottom right: HOLDING ON TO HISTORY: The community has engaged in dialogue regarding Athens’ Confederate monument. Some members of the community believe the monument is an important memorialization of history. “It pays a reverence to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They sacrificed for their communities and the same goes for all the wars since then,” Lieutenant Commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans T.R.R. Cobb Camp Collier said. All photos by Zoe Peterson

DECEMBER 2017

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The last thing anyone wants is to see is this (monument) come down violently in a riot.â&#x20AC;?

-- MELISSA LINK, Athens Clarke County Commisioner

>> VARIETY

Cultural Buzz foodie

bad mom’s christmas

dune

The app “Foodie”, also known as the “Delicious Camera”, offers more than 40 filters that have been customized for taking pictures of food. According to the app developer, “(“Foodie” offers) amazing photo editing features that transform simple food photos into one-of-a-kind masterpieces.”

“Foodie” also provides users with based auto blurring effect and a built in timer to change the amount of light and camera shot angle.

However, the app has been known to crash sporadically, which seems to be a common problem among users.

Despite this, “Foodie” has proven itself to be a very useful and unique app that gives users a variety of options to choose from to capture the perfect picture.

Action-comedy “A Bad Moms Christmas,” released on Nov. 3, provides an entertaining start to the season of holiday movies.

The movie, a sequel to “Bad Moms”, follows the original mom-squad of Amy (Mia Kunis), Kiki (Kristen Bell) and Carla (Kathryn Hahn) as they attempt to “take Christmas back,” a plan that is made difficult when their mothers come to visit.

The plot is enjoyable -- each mom bringing unique personality and drama to the storyline -- but it is cheesy.

Even with the addition of three new moms, the movie is undeniably a sequel. Its humor is fun, though not quite as funny or charming as it was in the original. However, “Bad Moms Christmas” is still a fun way to get a couple good laughs and feel the holiday spirit.

Ever since the release of “Flappy Bird”, mobile developers have traded the infinite runner model of games like “Temple Run” for simplistic one-button games. The most recent of these is “Dune” -- a generic game as bad as the boredom it aims to fight.

The object of “Dune” is to rack up a higher score by holding a singular button on the screen that controls your balls’ momentum. The game’s visual aesthetic is somewhat interesting but not enough to stand out. There is only one background and setting, which gets stale after a while.

“Dune” offers nothing beyond the gameplay which itself is bland and not fun. There are no hidden unlockables or anything that could keep the player interested. Ultimately, the game is substanceless and lacks enough content to really be worth playing in the sea of other apps.

-- Emma Ramsay, Variety staffer

-- Ana Aldridge, Junior Copy Editor

O

-- Connor McCage, Variety Editor

willow’s return

n her 17th birthday, Oct. 31, Willow Smith released her second studio album titled “The 1st.” The 11-track record is raw, introspective, and dives deep into Smith’s emotional side. She sings about a variety of topics, including gender equality and the ins and outs of love, proving she is wise beyond her years.

After listening to the album from beginning to end, one would be shocked to remember that the alternative queen on “The 1st” is the same Willow Smith who made 2010 pop-hip-hop hit, “Whip My Hair.” She has grown significantly since then, but has also grown from just two years ago when she released her debut album “Ardipithecus.” The project featured her biggest hit, “Wait a Minute!” and other respectable songs.

Although “Ardipithecus” was solid, “The 1st” is Smith’s most personal album yet. Her strong, soulful voice mixed with her unapologetically honest lyrics allow listeners to fully connect with what she is singing.

On “Human Leech,” Smith channels her anger into a passionate song about a lover’s tendency to attach onto their partner and “suck the life right out” of them. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Smith admitted that “Human Leech” was directed towards herself and her own actions, showcasing her high level of self-reflection.

This common theme of maturity is consistent throughout the album, as she takes a sociopolitical stance in the acoustic “Romance,” her first single off “The 1st.” Smith sings, “I’m imagining a different history / Where man and women stay equal / In the eyes of society / Where we don’t condemn different people / For exercising their freedom” and continues to mention rape culture and violence in our society later in the song.

Each of the tracks on “The 1st” are noticeably well-written, lyrically and musically, highlighting the time and effort Smith put into creating her newest album. She has set the bar high for herself yet again, but there is no question that the 17-year-old will continue to outdo herself as she grows.

BY ZOE PETERSON Visuals staffer

Photos used under Fair Use guidelines. Photo illustrations by Connor McCage

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DECEMBER 2017

VARIETY <<

Cultural Buzz lore

Zombie Frappucino

turtles all the way down

“Lore”, a new TV show free on Amazon Prime, premiered on Oct 13, and is based on a podcast released in 2015 by Aaron Mahnke.

Both the podcast and the TV show are about true events in history where folklore has shaped fear in people.

“Lore” also explains the origin of many common folklore stories in an intresting and scary way.

These explanations could range from demons possessing a person’s body to changelings.

It is a well-done show that gives a lot of background on the topics and has a good mix of reinacting the past and pictures relating to the topic.

This is a good TV show for people who like to know about history and do not mind a bit of gore and horror.

As the name suggests, Starbuck’s limited-edition Zombie Frappuccino evokes thoughts of pestilence and death. Starbucks has made a serious mistake putting this drink on the menu.

Someone who tries to drink the Zombie Frappucino without prior knowledge is in for an unpleasant experience. The drink follows a formula of a green caramel apple creme base, a dark purple mocha drizzle and a pink whipped cream topping.

It would be reasonable to believe those who decided to call the flavor caramel apple had never eaten a caramel apple in their lives.

The Zombie Frappucino is not worth the $5.10 Starbucks asks for, and while the primary visual appeal is positive and appropriate, the taste is vile.

If you feel the need to use something to purge fall flavors from your system, go ahead.

Author John Green has released his first book since “The Fault In Our Stars.” “Turtles All the Way Down,” was released on Oct. 10 and is about 16-year-old Aza Holmes, a young girl with obsessive-compulsive disorder who gets wrapped up in a mystery involving a missing millionaire.

The book deviates from Green’s typical young adult novels, which usually feature manic pixie dream girls and romanticize mental, and even physical, illness.

Throughout the book, Aza navigates school, family and relationships, all while dealing with her constant thought spirals.

Not only does “Turtles All the Way Down” accurately depict mental illness, which is consistently misrepresented in the media, but it shows Green’s growth as an author.

-- Anna Demarco, staffer

-- Eli Clarke, staffer

-- Katie Grace Upchurch, Design Editor

even stranger things

P

rior to its release on Oct. 27, the second season of the Netflix original science fiction horror-thriller “Stranger Things”, written and directed by brother duo Matt and Ross Duffer, had millions of viewers booking their Halloween weekends for a nine-episode binge watch.

Last year, the first season swept a nation of viewers off their feet and into a mirroring dimension called “the upside down.” According to The Atlantic, season one averaged approximately 14 million adult viewers between the ages 18–49 in the United States alone only 35 days after its release.

The first season revolves around a party of three hysterically dorky middle schoolers as they attempt to rescue their fourth party member, Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) from the terrors of “the upside down”.

The premise of their plans revolve around their supernatural friend Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). The season ended in a dramatic fashion and, furthermore, caused high anticipation and expectation for its sequel.

Season two didn’t disappoint.“Stranger Things 2” continues unraveling the science fiction horror mysteries behind the once deemed innocent town of Hawkins, Indiana during the 1980s and does so in the same dramatic fashion as season one.

Similar to the first season, the second season combines its intimate scenes with its unpredictability to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats.

However, season two takes multiple alternative approaches, as they incorporate hysterically unusual duos like Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve Harrington ( Joe Kerry) as they embark on a hunt to catch a “Demo-dog.” In the season’s scarier moments, the show balances the audience’s freight with comic relief and heart warming moments.

For viewers looking for an intense, well-done thriller, “Stranger Things 2” is a must watch show, but viewers should be cautious, as it is contains sexual, violent and explicit scenes.

All in all, “Stranger Things 2” went above and beyond its high expectations, finding new ways to keep its audience hidden under their covers, laughing and crying all in a matter of minutes.

BY OWEN CHURCHWELL Broadcast staffer

DECEMBER 2017

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Growing out After 11 years of growing and changing, the management and staff of local Athens restaurant, Mama’s Boy, has opened a second location just four miles from Clarke Central High School.

A

s customers walk into the blue and white building located at 197 Oak Street, and are welcomed by the establishment’s bustling crowds and home-made biscuits, they might not see how much Mama’s Boy has grown in the past 11 years.

Back in 2006, co-owner Cooper Hudson was driving through the North Oconee Greenway area when she saw a for-sale sign on a site that once housed a laundromat. Within an hour, Hudson and her two soon-to-be business partners Alicia Seagars and Mitchell Jarrett were meeting to brainstorm what would eventually become Mama’s Boy. “Now knowing what I know about commercial property, we were really lucky that we got it right the first time,” Hudson said. “Within a couple weeks, we had made the menu.”

Mama’s Boy was the creation of Hudson, Segars and Jarrett, who met while working in other local restaurants, such as the Last Resort Grill, where they gained experience in roles ranging from dishwasher to wait staff to management -- both front of house and kitchen.

All the pieces began to fall into place. The group had a concept and a building, but still needed a name for the restaurant.

“The name comes from my dad who passed away a year before we opened Mama’s Boy,” Segars said.

“His wife used to call him a ‘mama’s boy’ because his mom used to take care of everything for him.”

As the restaurant has grown and become more

BY CONNOR McCAGE Variety Editor

VARIETY << engrained in the Athens community, there have been numerous changes made to its daily operations. Mama’s Boy initially served three courses, but management would later cut dinner from the menu around 2010. Jarrett also left the staff around that time and Segars and Hudson increased their focus on brunch and catering.

“The biggest growth is in catering. When I first started working, catering wasn’t anything near where it is now,” Hudson said. “One year we did 120 weddings. Most years, we only do 90100.”

The catering business grew so big that it outgrew the Oak Street location and was moved to a satellite location called “Goodie Two Shoes” off of East Broad Street in Downtown Athens in 2012.

“The place we moved (catering) to was sort of a Band-Aid,” Segars said. “Moving to Goodie Two Shoes was a forced decision.”

Goodie Two Shoes served its purpose and allowed the Mama’s Boy team to cater more weddings, banquets and University of Georgia home games. Word about their success made national news when they filmed an ESPN segment with Todd Blackledge -- a moment Hudson, a South Carolina native, felt legitimized years of hard work.

“That was definitely a turning point. That spot was aired during the (UGA vs.) South Carolina game. I was catering a wedding and my phone just started blowing up,” Hudson said. “A lot of people (from back home) didn’t even know we had a restaraunt. People watch those football games.”

While Goodie Two Shoes offered an expanded kitchen space for catering, the Downtown location

brought its own set of logistical challenges.

“We have had a lot of problems with loading catering feeling kind of dangerous, with loading in and out of (Goodie Two Shoes),” Segars said. “We had problems with parking tickets and loading off the curb.”

As the catering side of the business continued to grow, the owners knew that Goodie Two Shoes was only a temporary solution to their problems.

This led to the decision to close that site and open a brand new location.

“We were looking for property before we moved to Goodie Two Shoes. That was the best of what we saw at the time, so we (had) been looking for four or five years,” Segars said.

As their search ranged around town, an ideal property was recommended to Hudson and Seagars by realtor Chris Blackman and the interior was designed by Hudson and Seagars. The co-owners made sure to capture the aesthetic of the original Mama’s Boy in the new location.

“It has a similar look. We used the same wallpaper and floor,” Hudson said. “It’s got the white walls on the inside and the blue wallpaper.”

In preparation for the opening, executive chef Colin Mays began to grow the size of the staff.

“I will be executive chef for both locations. I have known that this move was going to come ever since I took this position two years ago,” Mays said.

“I have been looking bigger picture and trying to build a big management team.”

The new location, called Mama’s Boy at the Falls, is located on 8851 Macon Highway just over the falls at the Clarke-Oconee County line, and

was opened on Oct. 13. The new location replaced Goodie Two Shoes and functions as the source of all of the restaurant’s catering with the added opportunity for on-site events.

“It’s been nice to have the space for catering, and have the people that weren’t able to get in,” Hudson said. “Weekends have been pretty intense, but I guess that’s to be expected.”

For Mays, no matter which location customers come to, creating a relationship is a guiding principle.

“I feel like Mama’s Boy has become a continuation of many people’s weekend,” Mays said. “Some people get into more things than others, but no matter what you got into the last night, you wake up the next morning and come to Mama’s Boy.” According to Hudson, since its opening, more than 7,550 people have visited Mama’s Boy at the Falls. Many frequent diners of the original Mama’s Boy, such as Clarke Central High School sophomore Braden DeLamater, have visited the new site.

“It has the same feel as the original Mama’s Boy, (and) no matter where you are sitting, you can sit and look over the falls,” DeLamater said.

Whether through catering or a sit-down meal, the staff hopes to offer a caring and memorable experience.

“Those relationships we build with people don’t come from one person. It’s not a line. It is a web of every worker that works here,” Segars said. “Deep down, everyone is a mama’s boy at heart and wants to be doted on and taken care of and treated like you’re special.”

Photos by Zoe Peterson.

Opposite: NEW BEGINNINGS: Co-owner Cooper Hudson (left) and head chef Colin Mays stand outside Mama’s Boy at the Falls. The second Mama’s Boy Location was opened on Oct. 13 at the Macon Highway shopping center just over the Clarke-Oconee Line. “The new location will be the same Mama’s Boy menu with some new additions and all our catering will come out of that location,” Mays said. Right: GOOD EATIN’: A group of four eat the signature Mama’s Boy biscuits and eggs at lunch time. Ever since removing dinner from their menu, Mama’s Boy has focused heavily on breakfast and lunch food.

“Whenever my friends come into town and ask where to eat, I always tell them Mama’s Boy,” Clarke Central High School sophomore Braden Delamater said.

DECEMBER 2017

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I N K F

or Clarke Central High School students, tattoos have diverse meanings. For some, tattoos can represent their aspirations in life. Others may choose to get tattoos in honor of those close to them.

This summer, senior Jarvis Clark lost his cousin Tremell “Mello” Barnett, and every day since he has worn “Long Live Mello” on his arm.

“He was my first cousin. We were very close.

We always had dreams to make it out of Athens so that’s what I’m trying to do, just do it for him,” Clark said.

For others, tattoos can serve as reminders of mindsets they wish to follow in their daily lives. Every time senior Kemontray Brown looks down on his arm, he recites the words “trust, respect, honesty and loyalty.”

“I’m somebody that people trust,” Brown said. “I respect people because I want the same for me. I don’t like to lie, I don’t like to be lied to. I just like to be honest. I’m loyal to people I raised up and people I’m friends with.”

Some get tattoos to be fashionable or to

PHOTOS AND STORY BY ZOE PETERSON AND EMMA RAMSAY Visuals staffer and Variety staffer

express their personal aesthetic. Senior Anthony Partida shows his individuality through clothing and tattoos. In particular, the script inked on Partida’s side speaks to his mentality: “The devil whispered in my ear, ‘You’re not strong enough to withstand the storm.’ Today, I whispered in the devil’s ear, ‘I am the storm.’”

No matter the meaning behind students’ tattoos, there seems to be a negative bias surrounding those who decide to get them. Senior Sydney Gregg has witnessed this firsthand through her parents who are tattooed head to toe.

“There is this stigma that comes with tattoo artists and people with tattoos: that they do a lot of drugs and they’re bad people,” Gregg said. “My parents are the most amazing people in my life, and I wish other people would see that.”

Though there are many reasons one could choose to get a tattoo, each person has a unique motivation behind their individual tattoos. The one thing they all have in common: their tattoos speak for them without having to say a single word.

VARIETY <<

DECEMBER 2017

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“My parents are always there for me no matter what, even after they found out my sexuality.

They’ve always been there and I know from my heart that they’re always gonna be there no matter what.”

-- ANTHONY PARTIDA, CCHS senior

VARIETY <<

“(Tremell) always told me, ‘Stay on the field. Don’t ever get back into the streets.’ So that’s why I try to keep my head on straight and do the right thing.”

-- JARVIS CLARK, CCHS senior

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“I have two (tattoos) on my biceps that say ‘Fear God,’ and that means a lot to me because that’s the only thing I fear in this world. He could take you out any day, any time.”

-- JONATHAN SEWELL, CCHS junior

VARIETY <<

“My fourth (tattoo) is of my mother’s name.

Growing up, it was kinda hard, but my momma always had me. She didn’t ever put us in foster care even though she could have. She stayed strong for all of us.”

-- KEMONTRAY BROWN, CCHS senior

“There are a lot of reasons people get tattoos and it’s cool to see them come into (my parents’ tattoo shop, Walk the Line,) and explain why they want the tattoos.

It’s beautiful to see everyone’s own story on their body.”

-- SYDNEY GREGG, CCHS senior DECEMBER 2017

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F

BY HANNAH GALE rom the age of seven, basSports Editor ketball has been a major part of his life. Starting at the Boys and Girls Club where he discovered a love for the sport, and going on to play in middle and high school, he built a strong connection with his teammates. He aspired to pursue basketball as a career.

But in 30 seconds, that all changed.

Instead of running on the court with his teammates, his junior year was spent relearning how to walk.

Instead of going out to eat, celebrating wins with his family and teammates, he was relearning how to eat.

He thought he would never make it back onto the court with his teammates senior year.

On Jan. 15, Clarke Central High School senior varsity basketball player Kendarius Watson was in a motor bike accident that left him with a 10 percent chance of ever walking again.

When he first starting rehabilitation, he faced difficulties with skills that used to come naturally to him. He couldn’t pick up a ball, he couldn’t dribble, he couldn’t even shoot.

Ten months later, he is training harder than ever. Three hours a day, six days a week, he lifts weights, goes to the gym, plays basketball and attends physical therapy.

“I’m able to dribble, shoot, maneuver, do everything. I’m still not as quick as I used to be though,” Ken said.

He is defying all expectations and will stop at nothing to step on that court with his teammates again for his senior season.

“I feel like anything is possible if you just put your mind to it and your heart to it,” Ken said.

Layout by Hannah Gale anad Photo by Zoe Peterson

>> SPORTS

DECEMBER 2017

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v

SPORTS <<

Defying Expectations

Still recovering from a motor-vehicle accident, Clarke Central High School varsity basketball player Kendarius Watson, a senior, rejoins his team for the 2017-18 basketball season.

Photo by Zoe Peterson

Featured: BALL IS LIFE: Clarke Central High School senior varsity basketball player Kendarius Watson poses in the Crawford Arena during basketball practice. Watson was in a motor-vehicle accident his junior year, and is looking forward to playing basketball again for his senior year. “I feel like this year, it’s gon’ be a big impact on our region cause we’re coming hard just by Coach Mac,” Watson said.

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Addressing the

National protests during sporting events have sparked debate and controversy at the national, state and local level about the ethics of athletes protesting during games.

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heir names are synonymous with protest.

Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Sandy Koufax, Muhammad Ali and other professional athletes challenged the status quo by using their athletic platforms as a means of expressing dissent. In doing so, they set a precedent that endured long after the 1960s and ’70s, one that has recently recaptured the national spotlight.

Athletic protests have recently ignited debates concerning the American flag and national anthem after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the anthem on Sept. 1, 2016 to protest police brutality.

President Donald Trump later criticized the National Football League during a campaign rally for Alabama Senator Luther Strange over a year later on Sept. 22, 2017 in Huntsville.

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a

BY ALEXANDER ROBINSON Sports staffer

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b**** off the field right now. Out. He’s fired,’” Trump said.

This national debate has raised questions concerning the utility of athletic protests. Dr. Joey Gawrysiak, Assistant Professor of Sports Management at Shenandoah University, and a 2012 graduate of the University of Georgia, believes that athletic protests effectively bring attention to racial issues.

“It brings about the awareness, which is what a protest should do,” Gawrysiak said. “It started against police brutality towards African-Americans. That’s why Kaepernick started this whole thing. When he did it, other people started doing it. They voiced their opinion.”

Although Gawrysiak believes national protesters have gained immense attention, he feels they might not be successful in initiating immediate change.

“What they’re protesting doesn’t have a simple solution or a simple change,” Gawrysiak said. “It’s an ideological change and a shift

DECEMBER 2017

Anthem SPORTS <<

in a dominant way of thinking, which is never easy or quick to change. It takes a long long time for progress to change these types of things.”

2012 CCHS alumnus and current NFL free agent Marquez Williams, a former Jacksonville Jaguars fullback, sees both sides of the argument as both a football player and a concerned citizen.

“I haven’t (protested), but I know that some teammates have,” Williams said. “Others have in the NFL, and I don’t blame them. I try to be open-minded, so I understand how some people could be upset about as to how it can disrespect the country or the people who fight for the country, but at the same time those same people fight for you to exercise your opinions and your rights.”

Although Williams respects both arguments, he believes that players are entitled to protest as a freedom of expression.

“Some people view it as being disrespectful, while others see it as people exercising their rights,” Williams said. “If we’re all going to stand under that

DECEMBER 2017

flag and call America a great country, then we should be able to exercise those same things that the country and the flag are supposed to represent.”

The same debate was raised on a local level after the Cedar Shoals High School cheerleading team knelt during the national anthem. The team has done so six times since Oct. 5. CSHS head cheerleading coach LaKisha Bolton, who supported her team in their decision to kneel, feels all students should be able to express themselves in such ways.

“We spend a lot of time in education teaching kids what their freedoms are, what their rights are, how civil disobedience is a good thing,” Bolton said. “We can’t teach that and then say, ‘Oh you can’t do this because...’ We have to allow kids to make the conscious decision to protest.”

Bolton compares freedom of speech to freedom of religion, and believes the concepts should be treated equally.

“I look at kneeling for whatever purpose you have as the same thing

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Americans’ opinions on protesting during the national anthem

as separating church and state,” Bolton said. “If a kid belongs to a certain religious group that did not pledge allegiance to the flag, there would not be any backlash to that because that’s their religion. Your social purpose should be treated the same.”

Senior CSHS cheerleader Brianna Aguilar participated in all of her team’s protests, and says they collectively knelt to protest police brutality.

“We were trying to help send a message,” Aguilar said.

“Police brutality is not right. It’s been going on for years. The flag is supposed to stand for freedom and equality, but among people of my color, it doesn’t seem that way. (Kneeling is) not about disrespecting the people who fight for (our country).”

Aguilar believes others should accept that athletic protests are not meant to disrespect veterans or the U.S. military.

43 percent: Right thing to do

“I think it brings about the awareness, which is what a protest should do. A protest should bring about conversation and increase people’s awareness of whatever situation is being protested.”

49 percent: Wrong thing to do

86 percent of Democrats say that President Trump did the wrong thing by criticizing protesting players.

-- DR. JOEY GAWRYSIAK, Assistant Professor of Sports Management at Shenandoah University

“My father is in the military and my mother’s a police officer,” Aguilar said. “I know for a fact that I’m not being disrespectful. I asked for my mom’s opinion. None of us are disrespectful children. We don’t do things just to seek bad attention. I don’t want to be looked at in that light.”

Clarke Central High School Principal Marie Yuran believes all student athletes have the right to protest, as they are not legally committed to do otherwise.

“On a high school level, it’s very different than someone who is a professional athlete,” Yuran said. “They’re not being paid to participate in those sports. They’re not under contract or anything. There’s a long-standing law that allows students to protest.”

CCHS Athletic Director Jon Ward says CCHS has a uniform policy concerning athletic protests.

“The same rights that are afforded to students in the classroom are passed on to whatever extracurricular activities they might be participating in, in this case athletics,” Ward said.

“Just as a teacher cannot make a student stand for the pledge

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26 percent of Republians say that President Trump did the wrong thing by criticizing protesting players.

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Six in ten Americans say that President Trump did the wrong thing by criticizing the protesting players

52 percent Of Americans under the age of 45 say that protesting during the national anthem is the right thing to do

59 percent Of Americans over the age of 45 say that protesting during the national anthem is the wrong thing to do

24 percent Of Americans say they plan to boycott the NFL’s games, broadcasts and products as a result of the protests.

49 percent Of Americans say that the NFL should require players to stand during the national anthem. * Statistics compiled by Katie Grace Upchurch from CNN.com Layout by Katie Grace Upchurch

DECEMBER 2017

or the national anthem in a classroom, a coach cannot make an athlete do something like that in an athletic setting.”

Despite the athletic department’s policy, CCHS head football coach David Perno would handle an athletic protest differently.

“I wouldn’t let it happen,” Perno said. “I’m not against protests, I’m just against them (protesting) in a team setting that’s about uniting people and bringing them together for a cause.

That’s kind of contradictory. You can spin it any way you want, but that’s against our country.”

“I’m not against protests, I’m just against them (protesting) in a team setting that’s about uniting people and bringing them together for a cause. That’s kind of contradictory.

You can spin it any way you want, but that’s against our country.”

-- DAVID PERNO, Clarke Central High School head football coach

CCHS senior varsity punter Zander Dale believes all athletes have the right to protest, but thinks that they should not interfere with the games or the fans.

“Sports is a way for a lot of people to get away from the rest of the issues and sort of focus on one thing, have a place to go out and do what they like to do,” Dale said. “You don’t want to bring that in too much because it could take that fun away from other people and ruin the game.”

CCHS sophomore varsity wide receiver and tight end Chris Johnson believes the whole controversy is overblown, especially when compared to other forms of protest.

“If people nowadays, specifically Neo-Nazis, can do their protests, athletes should be able to do the same,” Johnson said.

“We’re just explaining and expressing how we feel about certain situations. It’s not violent and it’s not hurting anybody.”

Senior CCHS varsity football linebacker Adorian Williams believes no school or athletic official could stop him from kneeling, but chooses to express his concern in a different way on the field.

“People have the freedom to protest,” Williams said. “It’s their right to take a knee during the national anthem, but I personally don’t take a knee out of respect for the military and the army.

They’re risking their lives for us. I don’t put my hand over my heart, though, because our nation is in fact hurt. There is a need for change.”

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Hoop dreams After playing together for six years, Clarke Central High School seniors Aaliyah Hall, Jayla Barnett and Isis Hutchens will play in their final season as Lady Gladiators.

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he ball slams the floor as a loud screech escapes from under the basketball shoes sliding across the shiny hardwood court. The loud buzzer goes off, declaring the Georgia Jazz 2012 sixth grade girls travelball team U.S. Amateur Basketball National Champions.

Clarke Central High School seniors Aaliyah Hall, Jayla Barnett and Isis Hutchens were on that team.

After what will be seven years of friendship, the girls are playing in their last season as CCHS Lady Gladiators.

Through those seven years, they have been split up as each attended different middle schools and

BY CAEDMON CHURCHWELL Sports Writer

played on a different teams.

Though they were competitors on the court, that didn’t break the bond that existed between them.

Each girl brings a unique quality to the court.

Hall breaths life into the Lady Gladiators offense.

She has the flick of the wrist that makes heads turn and nets snap when the ball hits bottom.

Barnett has the hand quickness that can swipe a ball faster than one can dribble. She will make any offensive player pay.

The balance between the two lies in Hutchens.

She has potential on both sides of the ball. Hutchens is in between being a great player offensively and a great player defensively.

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The three have a large role to play in their final season as Lady Gladiators, each one of them hoping to be a leader for their team.

“We are just trying to make sure we each have a great senior year and that we do lead and lead the team in a great way and make sure we are stepping up and speaking up and showing good examples of a how a leader is supposed to be on the court and off the court,” Hutchens said.

When the ball hits the floor for the last time and the last game of the season is played, the girls will part ways, but the friendship they made on the court is a friendship that will last a lifetime.

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Layout by Hannah Gale anad Photos by Zoe Peterson

“We are just trying to make sure we each have a great senior year and that we do lead and lead the team in a great way and make sure we are stepping up and speaking up and showing good examples of a how a leader is supposed to be on the court and off the court.”

-- ISIS HUTCHENS, Clarke Central High School senior

Opposite: BALLIN AT CENTRAL: Clarke Central High School senior varsity basketball players Aaliyah Hall, Jayla Barnett and Isis Hutchens (left to right) sit in the New Gym during practice on Nov. 30. Hall, Barnett and Hutchens have been playing together since 2012. “We have been playing with each other since sixth grade.

We played for this girls and boys program in Athens called Georgia Jazz and that’s when I met them,” Hutchens said. Above: ATTACK: Clarke Central High School senior varsity basketball player Jayla Barnett poses for a photo during practice in the New Gym. Barnett is a key defensive player for the Lady Gladiator basketball team. “Aaliyah is a very great offensive player and I am a very great defensive player, and playing with her motivates me to get better in the stuff that she is good in and vice versa,” Barnett said. Top right: BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL: CCHS senior varsity basketball player Isis Hutchens poses for a photo during practice in the New Gym. Hutchens is an all-around athlete for the Lady Gladiator basketball team. “I have always been reminded of how much potential I have as far as skill wise and I just haven’t put it to use yet,” Hutchens said. “I haven’t contributed. I have just been on the team, and this year I am planning to go big because this is my last year.” Bottom right: ON OFFENSE: CCHS senior varsity basketball player Aaliyah Hall poses for a photo during practice in the New Gym. Hall is a key offensive player for the Lady Gladiator basketball team. “I really want to go out with a bang, I really want to go to the state championship so that’s what I want to leave with, but I know they want to leave with a bang, so that’s our goal, win a state championship,” Hall said.

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RETURNING TO HER ROOTS Clarke Central High School alumna Stacey Scott, Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher and head varsity volleyball coach, aims to give back to the school that gave her so much.

Layout by Hannah Gale Photo courtesy of Stacey Scott

Above: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher Stacey Scott (forth from left) stands with the 2002 CCHS varsity volleyball team after winning the Region 8-AAAA tournament. Scott was a four-year varsity volleyball player under previous CCHS volleyball coach Ashlee Wegmann (second from the left). “I was really active when I was a student here,” Scott said. “I wanted to be involved in as much as possible so I played three sports: volleyball, basketball and track.”

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S

Photo by Zoe Peterson

tanding at 5-foot-10 inches, Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher Stacey Scott has been a prominent figure in the Clarke County School District community since 1991.

Scott is a product of the CCSD. She attended Whitehead Road Elementary School, was one of the first to attend Burney Harris Lyons Middle School in 1996-97 and went on to attend high school at CCHS. “(CCHS is) like my comfort spot. A lot of my teachers aren’t here anymore and that makes me sad, but I enjoy kinda getting to know the newbies that come through and rubbing shoulders with folks who work hard,” Scott said.

Her mother, Classic City High School math department teacher Georgia Scott, started working for the CCSD as a teacher when they moved to Athens in the early 1990s.

“I am so glad that she had the opportunity to attend Clarke Central High School. She was exposed to the best teachers in the world and the diversity of the student body was so enriching for her and has helped her to develop the great human relations skills,” Georgia said.

BY HANNAH GALE Sports Editor

“I really do enjoy learning and I love what it’s done to my life and what it could do for these young women’s lives.”

-- STACEY SCOTT, CCHS head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher

While at CCHS, Stacey was a three-sport athlete.

She was a member of the varsity volleyball team, the varsity track team and the varsity basketball team.

“I was really active when I was a student here.

I wanted to be involved in as much as possible. I was in a lot of clubs. Latin Club, the Spanish Club, (Student Government Association), (Distributive Education Clubs of America), Beta Club -- you name it I was in it. I wanted to be a part of whatever was going on,” Scott said. “The lights were on, I was here. I was all about Central, and I had fun.”

Her senior year of high school, Scott was elected to the Homecoming Court and eventually won Homecoming Queen, becoming Ms. CCHS in 2003.

“It’s funny. Yes, I was Ms. CCHS, yes I won Homecoming Queen and I laugh about it now DECEMBER 2017

Above: SITTING TALL: Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher Stacey Scott poses for a photo in the New Gym. Scott was raised in Athens, Georgia and attended Whitehead Road Elementary School, Burney Harris Lyons Middle School and CCHS. “Stacey loved high school. She has always loved school in general. She loves learning and has always been a hard worker,” Stacey’s mother, Georgia Scott, said. “She really loves being a Gladiator.”

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>> SPORTS Photo courtesy of Stacey Scott

Above: GO GLADS: Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher Stacey Scott (first on right) stands with the 2017-18 CCHS varsity volleyball team.

This was Scott’s first year as head coach after nine years of coaching at CCHS. “I really would like state to be a norm for our volleyball team. I mean it’s hard and it does take some sacrifice and commitment, but we can do this and it is a lot easier when we do it together,” Scott said.

“When she took it over from me, I think it was just natural, I mean there was no question for me.”

-- ASHLEE WEGMANN, Former CCHS head varsity volleyball coach and CAPS Department Head

‘cause I was such a tomboy,” Scott said. “I was not on the Homecoming Court freshman, sophomore or junior year, none of that. For whatever reason I was the queen my senior year. I was not a girly girl at all, but I was super social, like I wanted to talk to everyone.”

After graduating from CCHS in 2003, Scott left her roots in Athens and began attending East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina and majored in athletic training. Scott graduated in 2008 and found her way back home to Athens to become a Health Occupations teacher at CCHS. “I wish the students here at Central were a little prideful. We come from so many different backgrounds but we took ownership of that,” Scott said. “We just took ownership of the rumors and the stereotypes and said that this is our building and these are our people and we stuck up for each other and I would love to see that happen.”

As a former teacher and parent at CCHS, Georgia

has seen how it has evolved over time.

“Things have changed so much at Clarke Central since she was a student there. The physical building has been renovated and there are so many new members of the faculty and staff. Stacey has truly been able to witness a high school being transformed,” Georgia said.

Not long after her return to CCHS, Scott found her way back to the volleyball court in 2009 when

she became the head JV volleyball coach and the assistant volleyball varsity coach, working with her former coach, Ashlee Wegmann.

“We balanced each other out nicely because she was a lot nicer than I was and so we played good cop, bad cop well and so I think she knew that about me. She knew kind of where I would lose it, where I would get upset and she would kind of step in,” Wegmann said. “She did a really good job of balancing when she needed to be tough and when she needed to love somebody, because I was just tough.”

Learning from Wegmann’s style, Scott works to bring positivity to her team now.

“Coach Scott is very understanding and encouraging. She really believes in our team, even when we don’t believe in ourselves,” CCHS varsity volleyball player Leah Orlando, a senior, said. “She knows what to say when we get down on ourselves.”

Nine years later from the start of the her coach-

“You name it, I was in it. I wanted to be a part of whatever was going on. The lights were on, I was here.”

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-- STACEY SCOTT, CCHS head varsity volleyball coach and CAPS teacher

DECEMBER 2017

SPORTS << ing career, Scott is now the head coach of the CCHS varsity volleyball team.

“She’s a great role model to kids. She loves her job. She loves the kids at that school. She’s completely, 100 percent invested in Clarke Central and so those things are important, and they brought a lot to that position,” Wegmann said. “When she took it over from me, I think it was just a natural. I mean, there was no question for me.”

Scott’s dedication to CCHS and her team proved that she was meant to be head coach.

“She loves coaching and to have the opportunity to be the head coach of the high school volleyball team that she played on,” Georgia said. “As I watched her team during this season’s first home match, I was just as nervous and excited for her and the team as when I watched her play. She is a proud Gladiator and only wants to see her school excel in both academics and athletics.”

According to her team, Scott has qualities that set her apart from other coaches.

“She always has a positive attitude, which is dif-

“She did a really good job of balancing when she needed to be tough and when she needed to love somebody, because I was just tough.”

-- -- ASHLEE WEGMANN, Former CCHS head varsity volleyball coach and CAPS Department Head

ferent from other coaches,” CCHS varsity volleyball player Tavaria Smith, a junior, said. “She’s always encouraging. She never brings the team down with words like other coaches do. I think that kept us motivated as a team to work hard.”

Looking to the future, Scott wants the state tournament to become a standard for the CCHS volleyball program.

“I really would like state to be a norm for our

“She is a proud Gladiator and only wants to see her school excel in both academics and athletics.”

-- GEORGIA SCOTT, Classic City High School math teacher and Stacey Scott’s mother

volleyball team. I mean it’s hard, and it does take some sacrifice and commitment, but we can do this and it is a lot easier when we do it together,” Scott said.

Scott cares deeply about CCHS, but she is also interested in expanding her volleyball and coaching career.

“I would actually like to pursue collegiate coaching. I think it’s another level of learning. Honestly, it’s not really the prestige or the fame that comes with collegiate sports, like I’m going to the next level,” Scott said. “For me it’s just being able to learn more angles of the game. I really do enjoy learning and I love what it’s done to my life and what it could do for these young women’s lives.”

Once a student and player, now a teacher and coach, Scott has experienced CCHS from a unique perspective.

“Central is just so special to me, like I’ve had a lot of great experiences here. I’ve had just great people to love on me and believe in me and invest in me,” Scott said.

Photo by Zoe Peterson

Below: LEARNING FOR LIFE: Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach and Curriculum Assistance Program for Students (CAPS) teacher Stacey Scott sits with sophomore Demetrion Lester during physics on Nov. 29. Scott has been teaching at CCHS since 2008. “I enjoy kinda getting to know the newbies that come through and rubbing shoulders with folks who just work hard, they work really hard and I’m proud to rub shoulders with them. It’s a special place, it’s like sweet tea. It’s just awesome,” Scott said.

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DIE HARD DAWG Clarke Central High School junior and Sports staffer Caedmon Churchwell shares his love for the University of Georgia football team.

Above: SATURDAYS IN ATHENS: Clarke Central High School junior Caedmon Churchwell sits in Sanford Stadium just after the University of Georgia’s football team defeated the University of South Carolina football team on Nov. 4. Churchwell has been a UGA football fan for as long as he can remember and aims to watch every game possible.

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he sidewalks are packed, tents are everywhere, scalpers sell game day tickets, tailgaters set up for the game and a chorus of alumni scream “Go Dawgs” in the middle of the street.

For all 16 years of my life, I have been a University of Georgia football fan: good or bad, win or loss, they have always been the one team in my heart.

BY CAEDMON CHURCHWELL Sports staffer

Saturdays in Athens are what drive my love for UGA.

Being a Georgia fan has run in my blood for a long time. My grandfather was a raised as a fan himself, and has only missed two home games since he was 9 years old.

Being the man he is, my grandad has taken me to many Georgia football games throughout my life. UGA’s Sanford Stadium is almost like my second home, and home is where the heart is.

My love for Georgia is mainly for the football team, because like many of us in the south, college football is more than a game: it’s a tradition.

Sure, I will watch the basketball team in the SEC tournament every year, but my focus is always on our football team.

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Being a Georgia fan has run in my blood.

The electrifying crowd, the endless tailgates, the blackouts and the pride of Georgia football is nearly impossible not to fall in love with living in Athens.

Saturdays in Athens are what drive my love for UGA. Through college and the rest of my life, no matter what happens, where I go to school, where I live, I will never be a fan of any team other than the than the Georgia Bulldogs.

DECEMBER 2017

and Gale Photoand Illustration Hannah Gale Layout Layout

by Hannah Photo bybyby Owen Churchwell

Star Players0 COMPILED BY HANNAH GALE

PHOTOS BY ZOE PETERSON

LAYOUT BY KATIE GRACE UPCHURCH

Sports Editor

Visuals staffer

Design Editor

ODYSSEY Star Players

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IN L T S E WR

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

ME’SHAI COLEMAN Grade: 11 Years of experience: 11 GPA: 3.4 Game day ritual: “I weigh myself to make sure I’m on weight and I always eat after I weigh in to gain energy before my match.”

ME’SHAI COLEMAN

Favorite game memory: “When I saw the twins (2017 Clarke Central High School alumni Calvin and Melvin Nimley) win state last year.”

Role Model: Olympic wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs

LUCY YEOMANS

What Coaches Have to Say: “He’s one of the guys in the next two years who could be someone that has the opportunity to wrestle in college.”

— Timothy Stoudenmire, head wrestling coach

Grade: 10 Years of experience: 8 GPA: 4.14 Game day ritual: “I just relax and cheer for my teammates until it’s time for me to swim.”

Favorite game memory: “When we did our relay (at the state meet) because it was exciting that we had even made it, then we each swam well and together beat our best time for the relay.”

ODYSSEY Star Players

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MIN M I W S

Role Model: Jesus Christ What Coaches Have to Say: “Lucy has great work ethic both in and out of the pool. She dropped serious time in her events last year because she worked her tail off at practice.”

— Emily Hulse, head swimming and diving coach DECEMBER 2017

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