ODYSSEY Volume 21, Issue 2

ODYSSEY

34 TIME FOR ADAPTION

ESP FOR YOU AND ME

Extra Special People (ESP), Inc. is leaving lasting positive impacts on the Athens community through its dedication to providing opportunities for children and adults with special needs.

The CCSD was awarded the ASPIRE Grant from the American Association of Adapted Sports Program, jump starting the establishment of a new Adapted Sports Program.

9 SPLIT HOLIDAYS

Viewpoints Staffer Samaya Ellis reflects on her history with splitting holidays with both sides of her family and how that dynamic has changed over time.

BY SAMAYA ELLIS

features

14 HELPING HAND

6 -13 NEWS

BY ISABELLA WESTRICH

18 - 21

18 HIDDEN HEROES

CCHS special education department teacher and 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Brad Williford brings a smile and a positive attitude to everything he does.

Featured: DISAPPEARING: Clarke Central High School’s class of 2022-2023 celebrates their graduation at the Billy Henderson Stadium on May 26, 2023. According to statistics released by the Clarke County School District, CCHS’ overall graduation rates decreased from 82.1% in the 2021-22 school year to 81% in the 2022-23 school year. “When we came back from COVID for my sophomore year, I saw a few of my friends I knew in middle school, and I just saw them disappearing,” CCHS senior Matthew Zavaleta said. “That hurt me because knew who these people were.” Photo by Aza Khan

CCHS’ support staff work behind the scenes to keep students safe and the school running smoothly.

BY MERREN HINES AND WYATT MEYER

variety

22 - 33

22 HITS OR MISSES

14 -17 SPORTs 37

Variety Staffer Angel Tejada reviews winter holiday movies to judge which are hits and which are misses.

BY ANGEL TEJADA

34 - 43

CATCH IT WITH CADENCE

Sports Editor Cadence Schapker reflects on her time as a volleyball player and her time with the CCHS junior varsity and varsity teams.

BY CADENCE SCHAPKER

Featured: FRESH LOOK: Washington Square Studio co-owner Allie Miller styles a client’s hair on Nov. 7, 2023 at 253 W. Washington St. Since the opening of the shop, Miller and co-owner Shayne McBride have worked with apprentices to create a cohesive feel around the studio. “A year in, we decided to start doing apprentices, several of our stylists started with us doing apprenticeships,” Miller said. “(They’re) learning how to do hair from the ground up this way. Sitting down when we consult with people, not being scared to ask questions of your teammates, that is totally baked into how they do hair.”

Featured: IN PRACTICE: The Clarke Central High School wrestling

practices in the CCHS wrestling practice

on Nov. 8. CCHS wrestler Moon Uriostegui, a sophomore, was on the 202223 team and has seen many differences between the two seasons. “I can tell that people are really into it and they’re having fun. That’s always good because if you have a love for the sport (then) you stay,” Uriostegui said. “Last year we started with like 30 people on the team and then we ended up with like 10.” Photo by Aza Khan

team

room

Photo by Aza Khan

Odyssey

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL DR. CINDI LOWE TO RETIRE

THE BIG EVENT, PT. II

Associate Principal of Operations and Freshman Academy Administrator Dr. Cindi Lowe retired from her role at CCHS at the end of the semester on Dec. 8, ending her 30-plus year career in education.

BY WYATT MEYER

CCHS hosted The Big Event on Jan. 24 as a reward for students who displayed exemplary attendance in the first semester.

BY WYATT MEYER

CLASSIC CUISINE: Q&A WITH THE GRILL OWNER MIKE BRADSHAW

Mike Bradshaw, owner of The Grill, reflects on how the iconic eatery has lasted so long.

BY PETER ATCHLEY

BITTERSWEET GOODBYE

Social studies department teacher Karena LaRosa will retire after more than 16 years teaching at CCHS.

BY ANGEL JARA

The ODYSSEY is a studentproduced news publication, 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 four 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.

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

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

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

Editor-in-Chief:

Molly Harwell

Digital Editor-in-Chief: Anna Shaikun

Managing Editor: Maya Clement

Lead Copy Editor: Wyatt Meyer

Viewpoints Editor: Peter Atchley

News Editor: Isabella Westrich

Variety Editor: Janie Ripps

Sports Editor: Cadence Schapker

Photography Editor: Aza Khan

Beat Editor: Cooper Jones

Business Manager: Audrey St. Onge

Social Media

Coordinator:

Isabelle Duncan

Webmaster: Luke Shannon

Staff Members: Evan Cornish

Daniel Cruz

Jesse Dantzler

Samaya Ellis

Adah Hamman

Sam Harwell

Merren Hines

Abigail Holloway

Angel Jara

Ciyana Ramos

Liya Taylor

Angel Tejada

Ma’Kiyah Thrasher

Aliyah Wymbs

Adviser:

David A. Ragsdale, CJE

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

Clarke Central High School

350 S. Milledge Avenue

Athens, Georgia 30605 (706)-357-5200

EXT. 17370

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CENTRAL LEVELS UP

>> VIEWPOINTS

ACTUALLY ATCHLEY // Peter Atchley

I think that this article does a good job of bringing much needed attention to the publicized teenage standards, which most teenagers don’t fit in to. Modern day shows are constantly portraying unrealistic scenarios, which lead teenagers to believe that it’s the norm. One good thing the author, Peter Atchley, stated was for the media executives to put more thought into their characters and actors to know the effect they have in popular media. Another idea is to have more realistic shows, even reality TV shows, highlight more good than bad. I’ve never really thought about the effect of TV shows, so I’m glad to be enlightened by this article.

-- Cortni Veasley, CCHS sophomore

Corrections/Omissions Oct./Nov. 2023

Page 3, in the Table of Content, in the third caption, in the second sentence, “girls’” should be “girls”

Page 4, in the Online Table of Contents, under Looking forward, “CCHS’” should be “CCHS”

Page 5, in the footer, “zine” of “Contact Odyssey Magazine” should be italicized

Page 6, in Letter from the Editor, at the end of the first column, “cademic” should be “academic”

Page 6, in Letter from the Editor, in the last paragraph, “is” should be removed

Page 7, in Boiling point, the second mention of “Clarke Central High School” should be “CCHS”

Page 8, in Fresh Voice, in the caption, “said” should be “wrote”

Page 8, in Question of the Month, for Shania Glosson, a quotation mark after “her.” should be included

Page 10, in Actually Atchley, in the deck, the comma after “drugged out” should be omitted

Page 11, in My word vs. yours, under Sam Harwell, in the third paragraph “students” should be included after “gone”

Page 18, in It all starts with community, in the pull quote, the comma after “member” should be omitted

Page 19, in It all starts with community, in the first caption, “4th” should be “4”

Page 21, in Moving up, in the pull quote, a period should be inserted after “issues”

Page 23, in Judge Janie, in the caption, in the second sentence, “AP” should be “Advanced Placement”

Page 27, in Making Mother Lode, in the first caption, “90s” should be “‘90s”

Page 27, in Making Mother Lode, in the third caption, “70s” should be “‘70s”

Page 33, in Around the corner, in the first column, “Owner” should be “owner”

Page 43, in Central levels up, in the first quote, “Internet” should be “internet”

Page 44, in The diamond from the rough, the first mention of “CCHS” should be “Clarke Central High School”

Page 45, in The diamond from the rough, in the pull quote, “you” should be “(we)”

Our Oct./Nov. 2023 issue featured a story about the new Esports team at Clarke Central High School and the support it received from students, parents and faculty.

A

s a Black woman who has a career in coaching, I find it still discouraging to see a lack of minorities throughout the area of coaching. I was the first Black head coach at East Jackson High School in any sport within their school’s history. The author did an amazing job at analyzing each level of athletics, from high school to professional sports.

--Cherrelle Pass, CCHS physical education department teacher on “Tell Me, Wy” by Wyatt Meyer

Contact ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

NEWS

MOVING UP // Angel Jara

“Moving Up,” by Angel Jara prompts the reader to develop a greater appreciation for CCHS Assistant Principal (Barten) Nealy, and all he does to help students.The reflective nature of the article, detailing Assistant Principal Nealy’s past, including his high school experience and his journey as an educator, really prompts the reader to relate to him. This article shows students that even if school doesn’t feel like the right place for them, they can still succeed, using Nealy as a real-life example. Our Assistant Principal is definitely an inspiration.

--

Forest

Miller, CCHS senior

>> VARIETY

MAKING MOTHER LODE // Abigail Holloway

I think that the story, “Making Mother Lode” provides a very well-detailed background of how Mother Lode came to be. After reading this extensive narrative on the Mother Lode, I now appreciate the effort that (Mother Lode owner) Lindsay Short went through to make it such a welcoming place. I think the time and effort put in to make Mother Lode have such a beautiful selection of pieces for young teenagers to take inspiration from is astonishing.

-- Aiden Bair, CCHS freshman

>> FEATURES

CMS OWLS TAKE FLIGHT // Cadence Schapker

I absolutely love the way you write. Each sentence is short and concise, and gets straight to the point when it comes to information and doesn’t sugarcoat it with big words or make it too short to gather the context. My only issue is the quote on the first page of the article, it sorta makes it difficult to navigate, and in my opinion is sort of a weird placement. Either way, very good!

-- Aesa Benton, CCHS senior

Letters: Email 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 email us at business@odysseynewsmagazine.net.

Online: Message us on Instagram at @odysseynewsmag.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell shares the role that mentorship has played in her high school experience and the ways in which she hopes to pass it on to future generations.

BY MOLLY HARWELL Editor-in-Chief

“It’s an honor to be something for someone.”

Those words, which I heard for the first time during a press conference this summer, echo in my mind everytime I walk into Room 231 at Clarke Central High School.

This phrase, spoken by Valeria Garcia-Pozo, an ODYSSEY Media Group alumna, became my mantra, eloquently putting into words a sentiment that I had felt for years.

It all began when I joined ODYSSEY my freshman year of high school. I applied to be in the Journalism I class after hearing about it from a friend who thought I might be interested because of my love of writing.

In addition to my teacher, we had classroom facilitators who became like older siblings to me and my classmates.

But in the middle of my self-doubt, the Editor-in-Chief, a senior, took me under her wing. She invited me to grab coffee with her, she sat with me and taught me how to edit properly. She genuinely listened to me, and through her guidance, I began to feel like I belonged. She was something to me, and I desperately wanted to pass that along however I could.

Last year, I had the immense honor of becoming the Editor-in-Chief, one of only three juniors to do so in the entire 20-year history of the program.

I was so elated, so ready to do the work, but as the school year crept closer, I began to feel that familiar doubt once again.

However, as the year progressed and after many long chats with my adviser, I began to realize that there was no right way to be a mentor; you just have to be present and willing to help. I slowly stopped living in the past and started focusing on the future, my mindset beginning to shift. I could do this.

I am so honored that I can be something for so many because so many were something to me.

For the first time, I was being taught by my peers, who saw me and took interest in me, and it was because of these student leaders that I realized my passion for mentorship. They were something to me, and I knew that one day, I wanted to be something for someone, too.

My sophomore year, I joined the Production class, a group of 25 students dedicated to producing four magazines a year and a website, becoming a firstyear editor, and an overwhelming sense of imposter syndrome consumed me. As a shy barely 15-year-old, I couldn’t possibly fathom why I was chosen for the role or how I was supposed to now be a mentor for my staffers.

I started circulating around the classroom more, checking in with every person during the class period.

I asked younger staffers to help me edit a story so I could explain my process. By making an effort to make sure everyone was being heard, being seen, just like I had been, I felt myself becoming more confident in the process. I felt myself becoming something.

Now, as a senior and a repeat Editor-in-Chief, I finally feel like the mentor I knew I wanted to be, like my facilitators and the Editors-in-Chief before me. I’ve built such strong connections with my team by showing up for them and being someone they know they can rely on.

I am so honored that I can be something for so many because so many were something to me.

Above: MOVIN’ ON UP: An illustration depicts Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell throughout her four years of high school as she moves from a Journalism student up to the position of Editor-in-Chief, going from a mentee to a mentor. Harwell struggled with feeling like a true leader last year, but she eventually grew into her confidence. “As the year progressed and after many long chats with my adviser, I began to realize that there was no one way to be a mentor; you just have to be present and willing to help. I slowly stopped living in the past and started focusing on the future, my mindset beginning to shift. I could do this,” Harwell wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

TELL ME, WY

BY WYATT MEYER Lead Copy Editor

For as long as they’ve existed, sports have been reserved for a certain type of athlete. They’re on television – the able-bodied, neurotypical, big, strong, quick, agile, insertsuperlative-here force that wows the audience with spectacular plays.

That’s “the athlete.” The so-called best of the best, the poster child for American sports, the one kids dream about being as they fall asleep at night.

Unfortunately, that definition of an athlete is as sickeningly limited as it is exclusive.

“The athlete” isn’t in a wheelchair. “The athlete” doesn’t have a sensory impairment. “The athlete” doesn’t have cerebral palsy.

In 2019, the National Survey of Children’s Health identified one in four children ages 12 to 17 as having special healthcare needs, many of which restrict athletic opportunities. That means for every three children dreaming of being “the athlete” at night, there’s one who knows they can never fit the mold.

That has to change.

more to ensure that people with disabilities can access sports, too.

This isn’t as hard as it may seem. Organizations like the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs work to promote adapted sports, which alter traditional games so that athletes with physical and mental disabilities can play. These sports make a big step in increasing access and inclusivity to those unable to participate in traditional sports.

In fact, the AAASP is partnering with the Georgia Department of Education to bring adapted sports programs, including wheelchair basketball, football and handball, to Clarke County School District schools over 2023 and 2024.

No one deserves to have their right to play sports denied to them, so increasing access to adapted sports needs to be a priority.

By only promoting and accommodating traditional sports, communities and sports organizations are closing off athletic opportunities to more than a fourth of people. These organizations, both at a school and community level, must do

As part of this programming, Clarke Central High School will begin offering wheelchair handball later this year exclusively to those with physical disabilities and sensory impairments.

“There’s a lot of positive outcomes that come from participating in athletics, so we’re hopeful that providing these opportunities will just enhance the learning experience (in the CCSD),” Chris Aiken, CCHS Associate Athletic Director and CCSD adapted sports area coordinator, said. “(Adapted sports are) just another avenue to get kids involved in something they’re interested in.”

These efforts can’t just take place scholastically. Athens-Clarke County sponsors traditional sports leagues in everything from basketball to karate, which are largely accessible to those who wish to participate.

However, adapted sports community programs are few and far between in Athens. The local YMCA, located at 915 Hawthorne Ave., offers adapted swimming for children ages 5-12 with special needs, while Extra Special People, Inc., located at 189 VFW Drive in Watkinsville, provides additional adapted sports programming, but suffice to say, more programs are needed.

No one deserves to have their right to play sports denied to them, so increasing access to adapted sports needs to be a priority.

At the school level, more schools need to follow the CCSD’s example and set up adapted sports programming for disabled student-athletes. At the community level, community leaders and organizations must work to enable families to take advantage of their adapted sports opportunities.

Adapted sports programming needs to be expanded in both schools and the community so everyone has the opportunity to participate in athletics. O

These changes won’t affect the majority of people, but the impact on the few will be intangible. And maybe, with enough work, there will be a kid in a wheelchair redefining what “the athlete” is.

Left: CLOSED-OFF COURT: Two adapted sports athletes play wheelchair handball. More school districts must follow the Clarke County School District’s example and provide adapted sports programming for disabled student-athletes to accompany community-sponsored adapted sports opportunities. “By only promoting and accommodating traditional sports, communities and sports organizations are closing off athletic opportunities to more than a fourth of people,” Lead Copy Editor Wyatt Meyer wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

Jazlyn Gonzalez Albarran

FRESH VOICE

Journalism I student Jazlyn Gonzalez Albarran shares her dream of success and how she attributes that desire to her parents’ sacrifices.

Since I was a little kid, I have wanted to be someone in life. I wanted everyone to know my name, and that hasn’t changed.

This desire started a dream of being successful for my parents, because I always see the efforts they make, like waking up at 3 a.m. to go work for our family. They came from Mexico at a young age, leaving everything behind for their families’ future, and I always keep their sacrifices in my heart.

Hearing all the stories they tell me about their journey always made my heart break. I owe them for what they have done, and they don’t deserve for their efforts to be taken for granted.

I want to be the first in my family to go to college and earn a degree, so I always try to work hard to do so. Every opportunity I get to get closer to my dream, I always try to do my best as a way to repay my parents for everything they’ve done.

So in October of 2022, when I got nominated to compete for the REACH Georgia Scholarship, a mentoring program that provides students the support to be successful after high school, I was determined to win it. Though I had doubt, the only thing that ran through my mind was how my parents would react if I won it.

During the decision-making process, I thought, “Am I good enough for this?” A month passed and I thought, “I didn’t win it for sure.” But, then there was an announcement made by my principal at Burney Harris Lyons Middle School naming me the winner of the scholarship.

I wanted to cry, but one thing was for sure: I was excited to see my parent’s reaction. “I did it,” I remember thinking, because in my mind, I was closer to my dream. My younger self would have been so happy to hear about this, since for her, this was impossible.

I thought about how my promise to my parents was now a little closer to happening. After that, I started to believe more in the idea that my dreams can come true, even if they seem impossible.

Question of the month

What do the holidays mean to you?

"They are important to me because I get to spend time with my family and celebrate fun holiday tradition.”

-- ISABELLE LONDON, CCHS freshman

"I love the holidays because I get to spend time with family and it’s just fun vibe.”

-- ADAH NACKASHI, CCHS junior

“It is just a really great time to get together with family, and see people I don’t really get to see very often.”

-- WAYLON VAUGHN, CCHS sophomore

"I love the holidays. I feel like it is a great time for (CCHS) to all come together as a family.”

-- SEKOU SESAY, CCHS senior

“Family, love, peace and happiness. That’s what the holidays are about; to get to see the people I hadn’t seen in a while.

-- CHRISTOPHER HOOD, CCHS Security Officer

Above: ONE DREAM ACCOMPLISHED: The Gonzalez Albarran family signs the paperwork for the REACH Georgia Scholarship, a mentoring program that provides students the support to be successful after high school, at a Clarke County Board of Education meeting on Dec. 15, 2022. Journalism I student Jazlyn Gonzalez Albarran competed for the scholarship as a way of helping achieve her dream of repaying her parents for their efforts. “In my mind, I was closer to my dream. My younger self would have been so happy to hear about this since, for her, this was impossible,” GonzalezAlbarran wrote. Photo courtesy of the Clarke County School District Facebook page

THUMBS

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

HERE TO HELP

Viewpoints Staffer

Ma’Kiyah Thrasher believes volunteering during the holidays is a necessity, especially as Georgia weather reaches freezing temperatures.

HEROES

WITHOUT CAPES

Without the hard work of the behind the scenes support staff, CCHS would be unable to function properly.

EXTRA SPECIAL ESP

Watkinsville’s very own Extra Special People, Inc. has made lifelong impacts and relationships for people with special needs.

CUTS ABOVE THE REST

Washington Square

Studio, founded by two CCHS alumnae, has been changing the hair industry with its very own cuts, dyes, and styles.

SEPARATE CELEBRATIONS

Two sets of presents for every holiday might sound twice as fun, but for Viewpoints Staffer Samaya Ellis, this is far from the truth.

GRADUATION CRISIS

The CCSD’s 2022-23 graduation rate fell from 81.4% to 75.4%, causing concern in the district.

MERRY MISHAPS

Holiday media, whether it be movies or shows, are beloved by many, but while some bring the holiday cheer, others feel like the fruitcake of entertainment.

A VERY BITTER GOODBYE

Nothing’s worse than saying goodbye to a beloved team, but Sports Editor Cadence Schapker will continue to cherish her volleyball teammates on and off the court.

Samaya Ellis

SPLIT HOLIDAYS

Viewpoints Staffer Samaya Ellis reflects on splitting holidays with both sides of her family.

Iwas two years old when my parents split into separate homes, so the holidays have always been a complex and emotional experience for me.

Although, to outsiders, my experience may just seem like double gifts and twice the holiday fun, split holidays are bittersweet.

On one hand, I get to see both sides of my family for the holiday festivities when I normally live solely with my dad, but on the other, I constantly crave the unity of a family that once was whole.

As an individual who longs for routine and stability, the holidays are very mentally draining. The endless hour-long drives overstimulate me, while never knowing what’s coming next is exhausting – when I arrive at each house, I feel guilty for just wanting to rest.

Additionally, constantly seeing “traditional” family Christmas commercials and imagery when I was younger made me reflect on my own worth and place within my family. I always felt out of touch with my never-ending shifts of “home.”

I remember watching my 13-year-old sister, who grew up in a “traditional” family, celebrate Christmas with both our mom and her dad almost every year while I had separate holidays. This was confusing and often made me wonder why she got what I thought was “special treatment.”

Getting in the car to go to my dad’s house after holidays with my mom, I would imagine thousands of things I was missing. It wasn’t fair to me that my sister got to spend the entirety of Christmas with our mom, but I didn’t.

Now that I have grown up, however, my views have changed for the better.

As I began to understand why my family was split, my mindset shifted. It’s still hard to accept the harsh difference between my family and others, but I’ve learned to focus on what I have instead of what I’m missing.

Because of this, what was once an emotional journey is now my norm – the idea of celebrating Christmas with both of my parents together feels somewhat strange and unfamiliar.

Of course, I didn’t always feel that way, but over time, I’ve learned to appreciate the differences between my households and come to realize that what matters most is the love and connection I share with my family, even with the separation between us.

Above: DOUBLE TROUBLE: Viewpoints Staffer Samaya Ellis stands before a divided Christmas tree amongst her family. Growing up with split holidays left a lasting impact on Ellis and her thoughts about her family dynamics. “It’s still hard to accept the harsh difference between my family and others, but I’ve learned to focus on what I have instead of what I’m missing,” Ellis wrote. Illustration by Sam Harwell

ACTUALLY ATCHLEY

CCHS students must take advanatge of the benefits of having a mentor to give advice and share experience.

BY PETER ATCHLEY Viewpoints Editor

High school is a troubling time for a lot of people, due to assignments hitting like a wave, a lack of direction and rocky relationships in school and social life.

A possible solution to this issue: mentorship. Cambridge Dictionary defines a mentor as “a person who gives a younger or less experienced person help and advice over a period of time, especially at work or school.”

Mentorship is a helpful resource for high school students, especially since it offers leadership skills, maturity and support. By setting a good example and providing aid, mentors help students as they develop in their high school career.

As Clarke Central High School students reach post-high school life, guidance in the college application process or career selection from a mentor can be helpful.

“Whether it was a coach, someone in their neighborhood, someone in their church (or) a teacher, there are those additional adults outside of their family that provided that support,” Executive Director of the Clarke County Mentorship Program (CCMP) Allison Rosch said. “Mentoring can provide that social and emotional support in friendships and relationships.”

Another benefit of mentorship is the effect it has on students later in life. According to K-12 Dive, a provider of news and analytics on education, mentored students are 130% more likely than others to hold leadership positions when they grow up.

“Mentoring can provide that social and emotional support in friendships and relationships.”

When a mentor provides guidance about their mentee’s goals, they receive a more personalized level of feedback. It is very important that someone like a mentor can give a one-on-one lens and offer insight into every facet of a CCHS student’s life.

“I can think of students here who have the same mentor they had since elementary school. That is a deep relationship because they know the family like they have been in that person’s life for a long time and that’s a very cool thing when those students graduated,” CCHS 10-12 grade counselor and CCMP school liaison Heidi Nibbelink said.

Having a mentor is great, but another great option is to become a mentor for young people who could offer experience in one’s area of expertise.

“The best way to learn something is by being a teacher, so (mentorship) is super helpful in developing skills, but it’s also a great way to develop leadership skills which are useful in many aspects of life,” Clarke County School District School Psychologist Dr. Marcia Page said.

All one has to do to find a mentor is see Nibbelink, apply for a mentor and then build a strong mentor-to-mentee relationship. High school shouldn’t have to be a challenge students face alone. Engaging in a mentorship program, either as a mentor or a mentee, provides lasting benefits that CCHS students must take advantage of.

Above: MENTORS FOR THE WIN: A student is illustrated reaching for a goal being held up by their mentors. Mentors have always served their community aid youth and provided advice for them when they struggle. “Mentorship is a helpful resource for high school students, especially since it offers leadership skills, maturity, and support,” Viewpoints Editor Peter Atchley wrote. “By setting a good example and providing aid, mentors help students as they develop in their high school career.” Illustration by Sam Harwell

LENDING A HELPING HAND

Viewpoints Staffer Ma’Kiyah Thrasher shares her experience helping the homeless during the holiday season throughout her life.

BY MA’KIYAH THRASHER Viewpoints Staffer

As it gets cooler outside, most people are ready to spend their holidays with their families receiving gifts from loved ones while indoors with the fire going.

Even though spending time with family and participating in holiday traditions is exciting, this time of year is always a hard-hitting time for me.

Around the holidays each year, my church, Word of Life, and I always volunteer to support unhoused people in our community.

The people who attend my church volunteer at the Salvation Army, especially during the fall and winter season.

We provide food, blankets, and winter coats for unsheltered individuals.

Beginning in 2020, through my church, I chose one individual to support through the holidays when the weather becomes uninhabitable and compassion is needed.

When she received the basket, her smile brightened my day. Her appreciation let me know that something as small as peanut butter crackers could make a big difference in someone’s life.

Without my volunteering with my church to give and helping hand to the unsheltered, I would have never experienced what people meant when they said, “Don’t take life for granted.”

This opportunity opened my eyes to how important life is and how much smoother the world would run with everyone supporting one another.

Other than my church, there are other programs in the Athens area that give unsheltered people the help they need.

One program is the Salvation Army, which provides shelter and food to those in need.

Her appreciation let me know that something as small as peanut butter crackers could make a big difference in someone’s life.

I made a basket for an older lady I wanted to sponsor. On her wish list, something she wanted was peanut butter crackers, so I bought the crackers and blankets and wrote a letter to her letting her know that her kindness influenced me to take action in my community.

“We are a night shelter. We typically have people coming in at 6 p.m. We serve meals here in the Salvation Army cafeteria from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. every day, seven days a week,” Salvation Army Corps Officer Sheldon Greenland said. “(In the warming shelter), we provide a warm space and a bed with a blanket and pillow for (the less fortunate) to be able to stay out of the cold.”

Me, my church and our local communities take action to show love and support to the unsheltered so they can have a cheerful holiday.

It is important to me for everyone else to feel the same way I do during the holiday season, which keeps me in the community every year.

Above: SHARING THE LOVE: An illustration shows Viewpoints Staffer Ma’Kiyah Thrasher showing support to the less fortunate during the cold weather. Every year, Thrasher goes out into the community with her church and gives gifts to the less fortunate people when the temperature starts to drop. “Most people are ready for the holidays. They are ready to spend time with family and friends and to receive gifts,” Viewpoints Staffer Ma’Kiyah Thrasher said. Illustration by Sam Harwell

OUR TAKE

The CCSD’s declining graduation rate is nothing short of alarming, but before community members panic, they must recognize the complicated contributing factors.

After the Georgia Department of Education released its graduation data for the 2022-23 school year on Oct. 10, 2023, members of the Clarke County School District community certainly had reason to be concerned.

A districtwide four-year graduation rate of 75.4% is a precipitous fall from the district’s 81.4% rate in 2019, especially against the backdrop of Georgia’s overall four-year graduation rate increase from 82.0% to 84.4% in that same time.

The situation is markedly better at Clarke Central High School, which returned a 80.1% four-year graduation rate in 2023, while Classic City High School’s actually rose from 68.4% to 75% and Cedar Shoals High School’s rate dipped to 69.5% from 71.2%.

The data tells a damning story: while the state of Georgia excelled as a whole, CCSD schools saw regression across the board.

The district certainly recognized the sheer gravity of the situation, when, in just the second sentence of the Oct. 10, 2023 press release regarding the state’s release of the graduation rate data, they addressed the worrying decline, saying “CCSD fully realizes that there are improvements to be made.”

fewer students graduating as compared to 2019.

But with that being said, community members shouldn’t panic – at least not yet.

For one, the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced all CCSD schools onto a virtual platform, is still having a profound impact on the rate, as CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith revealed.

“Only seniors will remember (the 2020-21 high school year) where we were in, we were out, it was a hot mess. Then, the next year, their junior year, it was like a free-for-all. We came back, but people weren’t ready to be back in that mentality,” Smith said. “I would say that their senior year was the best year, but they were seniors, and so the damage had already been done.”

All that is to say that concern, even alarm, over the state of the CCSD’s graduation data is more than warranted.

All that is to say that concern, even alarm, over the state of the CCSD’s graduation data is more than warranted. Athens community members deserve the best education their schools can offer, so it’s disheartening to see nearly 50

Compounding the struggles of the pandemic was CCSD’s own internal changes, which certainly impacted the district’s strategy to increase graduation rates.

Three superintendents have led the district since 2019, when graduating seniors were freshmen, while Superintendent Dr. Robbie P. Hooker has barely had a full year at the helm since his October 2022 appointment.

Hooker and the CCSD have already announced their own plan to combat the CCSD’s waning graduation rates, namely 2024’s five-year Strategic Plan, which aims to “make significant progress in changing the trajectory of our district through yearly action plans,” according to Hooker.

Until Hooker and the CCSD have had proper time to begin implementing their program in the district, the CCSD community can’t truly know whether the district will make progress on the issue.

It might be hard to hear, but in the face of what might be best described as a graduation crisis, community members must take the falling data with a definite, if hard to swallow, grain of salt.

For now.

** As graduation rates are an ongoing issue in our school and local community, the ODYSSEY will continue to cover the issue.

Above: MISSING PEERS: Students look around at the empty seats at their graduation ceremony. In concerning contrast with the rest of Georgia, graduation rates in the Clarke County School District have declined since the COVID-19 pandemic. “It might be hard to hear, but in the face of what might be best described as a graduation crisis, community members need to take the falling data with a definite, if hard to swallow, grain of salt.” Illustration by Sam Harwell

Featured: GIVING EXAMPLES: Clarke Central High School special education department teacher Brad Williford aids a student in math department teacher Mallory Thomas’ geometry class in Room 106 on Jan. 30. Williford has worked at CCHS since the 2020-21 school year and has tried to make an impact during his time at the school. “I just try to be positive with students and help them try to find that success,” Williford said. “No one is unimportant and no day is unimportant. Every kid matters, every class matters.” Photo by Aza Khan

Helping hand

CCHS special education department teacher and 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Brad Williford brings a smile and a positive attitude to everything he does.

STORY BY ISABELLA WESTRICH News Editor LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

Although Clarke Central High School special education department teacher and 2023-24 Teacher of the Year Brad Williford doesn’t specialize in any specific school subject, he still has a specialty: helping students.

Williford started teaching in 2000 at Monroe Area High School in Walton County, Georgia, where he ultimately became an assistant principal. However, he moved to a special education teacher position at Clarke Middle School in the 2016-17 school year to take a more hands-on approach to education.

“I wanted to be where I felt like things were happening, and that’s why I wanted to become a special education teacher,” Williford said. “In a way, I feel like my career has gone full circle to where I’m back in the classroom. I love it in the classroom. It’s very enjoyable helping students, I feel like it’s a very worthwhile endeavor.”

“I just try to be friendly when things just go awry sometimes. I just try to take it in stride because I know there's gonna be another class period and I gotta be ready for that.”

-- Brad Williford, CCHS special education department teacher

After CMS, Williford moved to CCHS during the 2020-21 school year. In his time at CCHS, he’s co-taught a variety of classes, from Algebra I Support to Multicultural Literature, but no matter what he’s teaching, he always brings a smile and a positive attitude.

“I just try to be friendly when things just go awry sometimes. I just try to take it in stride because I know there's gonna be another class period and I gotta be ready for that,” Williford said.

As a co-teacher, Williford is placed in classes to offer extra support, whether it’s working one-on-one with students or helping them keep track of deadlines, so that the general education teacher he’s paired with can deliver content more effectively.

“I try to remove some hurdles or find a way (to) get kids engaged or get things done. Sometimes there might be other layers of challenges

was

the

“He works really, really hard, he cares about these kids so much and he builds such great relationships with them. He’s incredibly sarcastic, but they love it,” George said. “He’s built really strong relationships with a lot of these students, and even if they don’t really know him they’re like, ‘Oh, look at this goofy guy coming in.’ With his personality, with the way he is, he’s just so silly and sweet that all the kids just adore him.”

Above and below: HELPING HAND: Clarke Central High School special education department teacher Brad Williford works with two students in Geometry in Room 134 on Nov. 28, 2023. CCHS math department teacher Nicole George co-taught Algebra I Support with Williford during the 2022-23 school year, and

impressed by

way he built relationships with students.

Photo by Aza Khan

or issues or there might be something going on, and I meet the student where they’re at, and that’s fine, too. ‘Okay, this is where you’re at, how can we get you to the end?’” Williford said. “It’s just whatever it takes and it’s different for every kid and every class. Every situation is just trying to find something that works.”

CCHS math department teacher Nicole George co-taught Algebra I Support with Williford during the 2022-23 school year and was impressed by his dedication to his students.

“Even though math is not his strong subject, he jumped right in there with me and he was just trying to make sense of everything, and trying to make sure he could figure out a way to explain it to all the kids,” George said. “(He was) making sure the kids are always taken care of, (having) their questions

answered. He tended to have kids all around him, and he’s just helping them all with their DeltaMath, and things like that.”

CCHS sophomore Ny Patman was in George and Williford’s Algebra I Support class during her freshman year and appreciated Williford’s friendliness.

“Every time you see (Williford) in the hall he always has a smile on his face. No matter who you are, he will smile at you and wave at you,” Patman said. “Every time he came into class, he would do a little cringey joke, but it was funny. He still comes to my classes and checks up on me. He tries to help me as best as he can with my tests and things.”

Williford’s supportive role and connections with student has offered many the help they needed to achieve milestones. Since he worked at CMS as well as CCHS, he’s built continous relationships that lasted beyond one institution.

“(I was) able to have a relationship with students to know the challenges that they’ve dealt with. To see them blossom into a newer version of themselves, they’re now the manifestation of who they said they wanted to be,” Williford said. “Now, we’re having those real conversations about college and life after high school, whereas back in sixth grade it was just like, ‘Hey, how do we get through this class period? How do we make it one day at a time, one week at a time?’”

CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith believes that Williford has brought his helping hand to other aspects of the school, as well.

“He has always been super friendly, super helpful. I think that’s the best way to describe Mr. Williford, he is willing to do anything that anybody needs,” Smith said. “He can figure things out. He can get on the computer and look up some data and figure some stuff out and make a spreadsheet that makes everything easier. He is always an unsung, quiet person who just kind of makes everything work.”

“Every time you see (Williford) in the hall, he always has a smile on his face. No matter who you are, he will smile at you and wave at you.”

-- ny patman, CCHS sophomore

Because of his positive impact on CCHS, Williford was named the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year, a Clarke County School District honor awarded to one teacher from each school every school year. However, to Williford, the real prize is being able to make a positive difference in the CCHS community, which he hopes to continue doing.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time working here at CCHS. I love the students here, I love the school,” Williford said. “We have a lot of amazing things happening here at (CCHS), so I’m just happy to be part of it. My whole focus is to be a supportive cog in the big machine of (CCHS).”

I do is I come in there and I just try to jump in there

Left top: MAKING MEMORIES: Clarke Central High School special education department teacher Brad Williford works with a students in CCHS math department teacher Miles Thomas’s Geometry class in Room 134 on Nov. 28, 2023. CCHS sophomore Ny Patman was in Algebra I Support during the 2022-23 school year, a class that Williford co-taught with CCHS math department teacher Nicole George, and has many positive memories of Williford as a teacher. “I was playing this game and (Williford) popped up behind me and he said, ‘You’re good at playing games but you’re not good at doing math. I think you might want to put the phone down,’” Patman said. “I felt so embarrassed, but then I was laughing at the same time. And he said ‘I’m just joking with you. But seriously, you should put more effort into your math instead of putting more effort into your games.’ It was funny, and I felt like he was

106.

Dr. Summer Smith said. “He can figure things out, like he can get on the computer and

just makes everything work.”

Above: WATCH AND LEARN: Clarke Central High School special education department teacher Brad Williford demonstrates a problem on the whiteboard in Room 106 for CCHS math department teacher Mallory Thomas’ Geometry class on Jan. 30. Williford has co-taught with twelve different teachers during his time at CCHS, and enjoys observing their various classes. “I love seeing all the different teaching styles, how teachers decorate their classrooms, how they approach students, how they deal with the different concepts related to their content, all those different things. They’re all great teachers, but they’re all different as far as their own personality,” Williford said. “What

with them.” Photos by Aza Khan

actually trying to help me instead of trying to insult me.” Photos by Aza Khan

Above: SPREADSHEET WIZARD: Clarke Central High School special education department teacher Brad Williford makes a spreadsheet on Jan. 31 in Room

Throughout his time at Clarke Central High School, Williford has used his problem solving skills to help make the school run smoothly. “He is willing to do anything that anybody needs,” Associate Principal

look up some data and figure some stuff out and make a spreadsheet that makes everything easier. So, he just is always an unsung, quiet person who

Photo by Aza Khan

HIDDEN HEROES

CCHS’ support staff work behind the scenes to keep students safe, provide care and ensure the school runs smoothly.

STORY BY MERREN HINES News Staffer

STORY BY WYATT MEYER Lead Copy Editor LAYOUT BY MOLLY HARWELL Editor-in-Chief

From cafeteria workers to front desk secretaries to security personnel and custodians, it takes a village for Clarke Central High School to operate properly.

These members of the CCHS community – termed the support staff – work daily to plan events, keep students fed and clean the school environment – all things any school needs to function.

“The people who work in those departments have jobs where their sole responsibility and goal is to make sure that teachers can teach and students can learn. As long as those things are happening behind the scenes, you don’t notice them but that is what keeps Clarke Central running and makes it where we can all be here,” former CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Cindi Lowe said.

However, these support personnel often work thanklessly behind the scenes. More recognizable figures like CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff or CCHS Family Engagement Specialist Christian Barner fulfill high-level administrative

roles, but Head of Food and Nutrition Cherry Buckley spends much of her time running CCHS’ cafeteria behind its closed kitchen doors.

“She is the type of person that realizes she’s working for a school of young people and wants to do what she can to help the school run,” Lowe said. “I’ve never seen her to be anything but wanting to help cooperative coming up with ideas and (is) very solution oriented. She’s wonderful to work with (and) does an excellent job.”

When hungry students rush to the cafeteria for lunch, the nutritional specialists are ready to serve them. When students are getting checked out of school, the front desk secretaries receive them and send them on their way. When the last teachers have trickled out of the building in the evening, the custodial staff works on.

“When you see (the support staff) in the hallway, make sure you appreciate them because you may not notice what they’re doing, but it’s vital. It’s absolutely necessary for the building to run and everybody to be here and being able to do what they do,” Lowe said.

Above: SUPPORT STEPS: Clarke Central High School Front Desk Secretary Jennifer Hollman helps a student in the Main Office on Jan. 29. Former CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Cindi Lowe recognizes the hard work support staff do. “If the support staff were not able to do the job that they are tasked to do, the building would not run. There would not be a Clarke Central having classes every day,” Lowe said. Photo by Isabelle Duncan

TONIA JONES

Position: Graduation Coach

Why is your job important to the CCHS Community?

DANA SCHEFFEN

Position: Community School Organizer

Why is your job important to the CCHS Community?

“The Community School Organizer works to address the outof-school learning barriers. And asked students, parents, staff at the school, what those barriers are and what organizations and businesses we can work with to address those barriers. It’s important.”

What impact do you try to have on CCHS?

“The example I usually give is that if you’re hungry at home, you can work hard and work hard and work hard, but you can’t think straight. So addressing that barrier makes it easier for all students to have success.”

Who else helps with community organizing?

“They (community partners) just really want to support students. So they added on to their job. So I am reliable in following up with the organizations and businesses and letting them know specific supports requested for students.”

“As a graduation coach, I work with the students who are at risk (or) off track to graduate and my responsibility is to offer support to students to help get them back on track. If they find that Clarke Central is not the place to be successful, then I offer other educational options to them and to their families, whether it’s another high school, whether it’s online school, whether it’s (General Educational Development) or another educational option where they may be more successful.”

What impact do you try to have on CCHS?

“I want to make sure that I am offering something that is going to enhance what is going on in our school, and by that, I mean having students come here to graduate (and) having a sense of community (and) family. I just hope that by some way or another in my job, I’m able to help somebody feel like this is a place that they can come and be successful.”

What is your main goal as a graduation coach?

“For me, it’s to be able to offer (students) something to say ‘It’s okay. It doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish, so let’s get this done because the main goal is to get that high school diploma.’ (My goal is) to be able to fill someone up who’s cup is empty.”

Photo by Aza Khan

Photo by Daniel Cruz

JACKIE COYLE

Position: Nurse

Why is your job important to the CCHS Community?

JENNIFER HOLLMAN

Position: Front Desk Secretary

Why is your job important to the CCHS Community?

“My job is basically the face of Clarke Central. I’m the person that is greeting everyone that’s coming in through the front door. (I’m) the person (who) is answering the phone (and) making sure you give them the right information, giving them the right information that anyone who’s coming comes in whether it’s a delivery, a parent, district office, people, whoever it may be coming into the school.”

What impact do you try to have on CCHS?

“Positivity and (to) teach the kids positive things like common courtesy. Sometimes it’s all about taking a deep breath and step back and to kind of be courteous.”

Do you ever work with people other than students?

“Sometimes (I’m) swamped with parents coming in for some reasons, like (to) check out students all day and then sometimes it could even (be a) parent coming in, believe it or not. Sometimes parents have bad days or days and you have to come from behind the desk and give them a hug and let them know it’ll be okay.

“I’m the sole medical person that’s in this building, so (I’m) here to make sure that all the students, staff, everybody stays healthy. (I help students) be able to stay in class, if anybody has any chronic conditions and I work with the parents and help with that. (Or if) there’s any emergencies that come up.”

What impact do you try to have on CCHS?

“The biggest thing I think I try to do is (sometimes) we end up doing a lot of mental health kind of type stuff, people who have anxiety, depression, or just having a bad day. We get a lot of that throughout the day and just be there for those students helping guide them, helping them through it or getting them to the counselors, and working with the other support staff that there is around to give them what they need.”

What do you try to bring to your job?

“(What) I’m trying to figure out what do the teachers need? What can I do to help? How can I be there to help the staff and the students? (With) the students, it’s a little more obvious what their needs are quickly, that their immediate needs (are), how you can help support everybody else and work as a team, not just being here in my own little island.”

Photo by Isabelle Duncan

Photo by Aza Khan

HITS or misses

Variety Staffer Angel Tejada reviews winter holiday movies to see which are hits and which are misses.

STORY BY ANGEL TEJADA Variety Staffer

LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

"Klaus" (2019)

An interesting and original animated movie, “Klaus” is one of the most visually stunning and heartwarming holiday movies of the 21st century.

Released to Netflix on Nov. 8, 2019, and produced by The SPA Studios, the PG-rated movie follows postman Jesper Johansson (Jason Schwartzman), a lazy worker disenchanted with his life. To change Jesper’s spoiled ways, his father sends him to an isolated Nordic island to establish a postal service and rack up 6,000 Christmas letters to return home.

While he’s there, Jesper meets toymaker Klaus (J.K. Simmons), who ultimately changes Jesper’s perspective and actions.

The movie’s animation exceeds all expectations

"Holiday Heritage" (2022)

One of Hallmark’s recent holiday movies, “Holiday Heritage,” released on Dec. 16, 2022 and available on Peacock, did not have a solid plot direction and ultimately felt like a holiday movie cash grab.

During the movie, Ella (Lyndie Greenwood) tries to stop her mom Micah (Holly Robinson Peete) from moving out of Mary’s Town, Pennsylvania, to Chicago after the seventh day of Kwanzaa in order to repair the rift between her mom and grandma, Tess (Darlene Cooke).

The plot of the mom and grandma’s relationship was interesting, but competed with the subplot of Ella reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend Griffin

(Brooks Darnell) to poor effect. Yet, when both plots’ resolution occur, it’s not near the end of the movie and just seems shoved in to finish the plot in time.

Additionally, the acting was subpar throughout the film, especially in the more sentimental scenes where conveying strong emotions is crucial. The chemistry between most characters was awkward, making it seem like they had just met for the first time.

Overall, while the movie was an interesting concept, “Holiday Heritage” underdelivered in many aspects and failed to become an average holiday movie.

with many visually appealing shots and colors that bring each scene to life, especially elevating sentimental scenes.

The voice acting was powerful, too, with Simmons providing Klaus with vocal strength in the movie’s most heartwarming – or devastating –sequences.

The plot builds on Jesper’s character, slowly showing Klaus’s positive impact on Jesper’s life. As the movie goes on, the audience witnesses Jesper turn from his self-serving ways to care for the kids in the town.

Overall, for a standalone Christmas movie, “Klaus” delivered more than expected with its stunning visuals and storytelling that should put this movie on top of anyone’s holiday watch list.

"An American Tail" (1986)

An oldie but a goodie, “An American Tail,” released Nov. 21, 1986, is one of the most creative and adorable holiday movies with its incredible animation and lovable mice characters.

On the Mousekewitz family’s ship ride to New York after fleeing Russia on Hanukkah due to cats destroying their home, Fievel Mousekewitz (Phillip Glasser) gets thrown off due to a storm and is presumed dead by his family. The movie follows how Fievel survived by sailing in a glass bottle to shore on a quest to find his family in the big city.

Especially for a nearly 40-year-old movie, the movie’s animation style is very crisp and gives every scene a sense of life.

The plot and storytelling were drawn out and paced incredibly well with suspenseful scenes,

keeping viewers on their toes. The soundtrack was amazing, too, with the classic “There Are No Cats in America” matching the hope of the mice on their journey.

While the movie is suitable for kids with its G-rating, it does present a more serious historical comparison. The Mousekewitz family represents the thousands of Jewish people fleeing oppressive antisemitism in Europe, which is portrayed in the film by the cats’ attitude.

The movie is currently streaming on AppleTV and Amazon Prime for $3.99 and $4.29, respectively.

Overall, “An American Tail” creates a heartfelt, beautiful story, albeit one with a serious undertone, for a younger audience to learn about history and enjoy the holidays at once.

BOPS or flops

Variety StafferAliyahWymbs reviews winter holiday songs to see which are bops and which are flops.

STORY BY ALIYAH WYMBS Variety Staffer LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

"Mistletoe" (2011)

On Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” from his 2011 album “Under the Mistletoe” was released on all streaming platforms on Nov. 1, 2011.

An ongoing theme in Bieber’s songs are pop, love songs – and “Mistletoe” is no exception. Though this single is less upbeat than what Bieber usually produces, his vocals accompany an acoustic guitar while jingle bells ring faintly in the background.

Unlike many of his other tracks, “Mistletoe” would make listeners sway along to its simple beat rather than get up and dance to the techno studio sounds in songs like “Where Are U Now” and

"Winter wonderland" (2006)

Bing Crosby’s version of the classic holiday song “Winter Wonderland” was first released in 1962, remastered in 2006 and available for listeners to enjoy on all streaming platforms.

If listeners do not want to hear the usual pop holiday songs that usually consist of upbeat instrumentals, “Winter Wonderland” is a great alternative as it moves into the world of jazz with its high saxophone licks and rhythmic drums.

In the background, jingle bells ring, giving the song more of a holiday feel.

Crosby sings at a slow pace that meshes beautifully with his deep voice. Every few seconds,

background singers will join in, making Crosby’s lyrics harmonious.

The famous refrain “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” will make listeners take in their surroundings and think of all the iconic winter scenes such as falling snow, festive lights and chimney smoke.

With the combination of Crosby’s slow, deep vocals and the jazzy instrumentals, “Winter Wonderland” is a comforting song that will make lisenters feel as warm as if they were sitting in front of a fireplace.

“Beauty and a Beat.”

Family is a common theme in holiday music, but in “Mistletoe,” Bieber expresses how he missed out the holidays with them to spend them with a significant other instead.

In a one line refrain, Bieber sings “I’ma be under the mistletoe,” repeating the corny, but cute, line as a reference to the holiday tradition of kissing a significant other under the mistletoe.

All in all, “Mistletoe” is a short and sweet song to play if one is feeling the holiday spirit and love is in the air.

"Christmas wrapping" (1998)

"CThe intro to the song starts off with some jingle bells, but quickly goes into a very upbeat instrumental that turns obnoxious. The jingle bells transition into strange sound effects that would be more at home in a funky, techno soundtrack – not a Christmas song.

The vocals and instruments don’t compliment each other well, either. The group tried to sing and rap simultaneously, which resulted in them sounding out of breath.

One line that repeats multiple times is, “Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! But I think I’ll miss this

one this year.” This brings a negative outlook for the holidays, which goes against the whole point of a holiday song. During the holidays, some people partake in activities such as skiing, decorating or making a snowman, but “Christmas Wrapping” will make listeners think The Spice Girls don’t care about the holidays.

Instead, the singers reminisce on bygone lovers they met during the warmer months and on how they wish they could go back. Instead of focusing on the holidays and spending them with loved ones, they’re stuck on someone random.

Overall, “Christmas Wrapping” had the potential to be a nice holiday song, but wasn’t well executed and brought down the spirit.

O

hristmas Wrapping” by Spice Girls, released in 1998, is a cover of the song of the same name by The Waitresses released in 1981.

Rethinking hair

CCHS

alumnae Allie Miller and Shayne McBride, co-owners of Washington Square Studio, built a hair salon focused on inclusivity and client relationships.

BY ABIGAIL HOLLOWAY Variety Staffer

LAYOUT BY JANIE RIPPS Variety Editor

For some, hair is used as a source of selfexpression and a push for individuality.

When the need for one’s own style becomes more important, so does the need for safe and comforting hair salons.

Tired of the day-to-day of a traditional salon, Washington Square Studio co-owners and Clarke Central High School alumnae Shayne McBride and Allie Miller were ready for a change. Opening the salon nearly a decade ago gave the two the opportunity to build on a foundation of inclusivity and client satisfaction.

creation and collaboration was kind of lost. We had just done it long enough that we just got brave, and were like, ‘What if we tried something different?’”

On May 19, 2015, Miller and McBride opened Washington Square Studio, located at 253 W. Washington St. in Downtown Athens, starting small and working their way up to the salon they have today.

“We just got brave and were like, ‘What if we tried something different?’”

-- allie miller, Washington Square Studio Co-Owner

“We’ve worked in bigger salons where everybody’s in their little slot and everyone comes to their clients, and you don’t really talk to each other,” Miller, a CCHS Class of 2001 graduate, said. “There’s a competitive spirit between hairdressers, that joy of

“When we started, it was the two of us basically in an attic with two chairs and two shampoo bowls. But, we (had) a good idea that we were willing to work really hard on,” Miller said.

Almost nine years later, the pair felt it was time to expand. On Sept. 13, 2023, the hair salon made the transition to a larger space in the same building, located under the original space.

“We had (room for) two hairdressers with two apprentices (and) two front desk people, so we literally couldn’t all work in (the old) space at the same time,” Miller said. “When our landlord came along and was like, ‘Hey, guess

Above: COLLABORATION: Washington Square Studio, located at 253 W. Washington St., co-owners Allie Miller (left) and Shayne McBride (right) on Nov. 7, 2023. When decorating the shop, the pair put a lot of effort into decorating in a way that made the place stand out. “Just looking around (the salon), everything is bespoke, (it’s a) collaborative thing,” McBride said. “A lot of the art in here, it’s either found art or local art and it’s just one-of-a-kind things that you just can’t find everywhere.” Photo by Aza Khan

what? Iron Factory’s closing. Do you want the karaoke rooms?’ We were like, ‘Yes, we do.’”

Since beginning her career as a student, McBride, a CCHS Class of 1994 graduate, has felt it was important to emphasize how much a haircut can mean for a client.

“When I first started an apprenticeship, it was 70% personality, 30% hair. To a certain degree, I think that’s true,” McBride said. “It’s a very intimate thing to touch somebody’s hair, we all have a lot of hangups and baggage about hair.”

McBride strongly believes that the relationship between a stylist and their client is vital when working with their hair.

“This isn’t a restaurant. You can eat in any restaurant in town,” McBride said. “People tend to go to the same salon (or) same stylist, so it’s a much different type of business. You have one person you see, so it’s nice to have (a) good relationship.”

what I got out of it.”

Aside from developing strong client-to-customer relationships, one of Miller and McBride’s main goals is for every customer to feel welcomed and comfortable in their studio, especially young adults.

“(In high school), when you go into (a) salon, you feel like it’s too cool. I totally had that in high school, like ‘I am not cool enough to be in here,’’ Miller said. “We always talked about being cool without being too cool, (so) it’s still accessible. There’s enough different eclectic stuff in here that something can speak to you.”

“It’s a very intimate thing to touch somebody’s hair, we all have a lot of hangups and baggage about hair.”

-- shayne mcbride, Washington Square Studio Co-Owner

For Abby Deschenes, a client at Washington Square Studio, being comfortable with her stylists has given her haircuts that she feels confident about.

“I sat down in their chair and said, ‘(Washington Square Studio Stylist Caitlin Kiesinger), can you give me a haircut that makes me feel fun, makes me feel cool and hip?’” Deschenes said. “I told her I wanted her to have fun because that was going to be the best way for me to get a haircut that suited me. She’s cut my hair a few times before, so I trusted her. I’m very happy with

For Director of Education Brandi Deleshaw, another important part of the Washington Square Studio experience is working with teens, which gives her the chance to help them discover how they are most comfortable.

“I think that teens are figuring out who they are, who they want to be, what they want to look like and how they want to present themselves to the world,” Deleshaw said. “I really like helping them feel like the best version of themselves. For me, having autonomy over how I looked was really important at that age. I like to be able to help people in that area.”

So with every cut, spritz, chop or dry, Miller and McBride’s studio returns hair to its roots: individuality.

“Your hair is yours. If you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to be honest and share how you want to be seen,” Miller. “That’s what hair is, it’s a part of aesthetically how you want the world to see you.”

Featured: A NEW STYLE: Washington Square Studio, located at 253 W Washington St., co-owner Allie Miller styles a client’s hair on Nov. 7, 2023. As Miller and co-owner Shayne McBride worked to create a more welcoming environment with their salon, they saw this change outside of Athens as well. “There’s just a lot of people who are kind of fed up with a traditional idea of how a hair salon operates and how it treats people,” Miller said. “People are hungry for (a change) because people are sick of being told they have to spend all this time on their hair and they have to conform to these certain ideas of what pretty is.”

Photo by Aza Khan

Extra Special People (ESP), Inc

for you and me

is leaving lasting positive impacts on the

Athens community through its dedication to providing opportunities for children and

STORY AND LAYOUT BY JANIE RIPPS Variety Editor

Tucked away, sheltered behind tall trees off of the busy streets of Watkinsville, Georgia, sits a home. Filled with laughter, fun and opportunities, this home is a haven for children with special needs.

This home is changing the way society views people with special needs.

This home is Extra Special People, Inc..

After volunteering in 1986 at an Athens-Clarke County summer program called “Project Start” for kids with disabilities, ESP founder Martha Wyllie noticed a definitive lack of other summer camp opportunities for children with special needs. Unsettled, Wyllie took matters into her own hand and began ESP with only 21 participants.

adults with special needs.

in 2003 as an 18-year-old student at the University of Georgia, ESP was still only a summer camp with monthly activities during the school year. But, Whitaker had a dream of leaving a mark on the Athens community and ESP was the key.

“(At) the very end of the summer, she told 30 of us college students ‘ESP you and me. Take it where you can take it.’”

-- Laura Hope whitaker, ESP, INC CEO

“We had a once-a-month program and summer camp, so I (ran the music) to help run the club programs,” Whitaker said. “That summer, (I) worked on the leadership team to help run summer camp, and (Wyllie) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. (At) the very end of the summer, she told 30 of us college students, ‘ESP, you and me. Take it where you can take it.’”

When Wyllie died in October 2004, her dream was suddenly passed along to Whitaker and fellow volunteers. Taking on the highest position of Camp Director, the future of ESP rested in Whitaker’s hands.

When the current CEO Laura Hope Whitaker joined ESP almost 20 years later

“I didn’t know that I was taking over a nonprofit organization, I just knew that it was the next right for me to do,” Whitaker said. “I was given four

Above: CELEBRATE: Extra Special People, Inc. CEO Laura Hope Whitaker and an ESP, Inc. participant smile at the Watkinsville, Georgia Headquarters on Nov. 9. When Whitaker joined ESP, Inc. as a freshman at the University of Georgia, she found her passion for changing the Athens community for the better. “I’m proud of our community and proud of the way that our participants inspire others because it’s not just about our participants and their families, it’s about the community and the community needs ESP just as much as the participants and families need it,” Whitaker said. “It’s been a story of faith, resilience, grit, gratitude and immense pressure, giving and philanthropy. There’s so many different stories that have string together how ESP has grown.” Photo by Aza Khan

little sticky notes with the printer’s name on it and the police chief’s name on it. There was no software system that had donors’ names. There was no guidebook. I had to really lean into the faith that this was the right decision and it turned out to be a really beautiful thing.”

Working with four other board members, Whitaker began raising money and pushing for more outreach with the community. Through every obstacle, she built a culture of mentorship among the staff.

“We continued the six weeks of camp and one Saturday a month, then we started doing some more after-school programming. We started a swim team and just grew slowly from there,” Whitaker said. “It was 2008-09 (when) we started to think we probably need a bigger building because we had a waitlist 100 (participants) deep at that point. That’s when we started trying to grow and (make) it more of a name within the community.”

and employment program for adults with disabilities.

Through each program, ESP’s goal is to transform the lives of children and adults with special needs one experience at a time. Magen Ferland is one.

“Magen is 20. She has a very rare chromosomal deletion. She’s the only documented case in the world. She also has autism, sensory processing disorder, cerebral palsy, seizures and hearing and vision loss,” Beth Ferland, Magen’s mother, said. “She has had a lot of challenges in her life. She’s not allowed to go (to programs with ACC Leisure Services) because she’s a liability. The only place she can go is Extra Special People.”

“It’s giving her typical experiences. She could do yoga, cheer, dance, she gets to meet UGA football players and (go to) camp.”

-- Beth ferland, Magen Ferland’s mother

Today, ESP has touched the lives of more than 1000 families of children and adults with special needs with locations in three cities in Georgia as of 2020: Athens, Rome and Atlanta.

The organization offers three main programs to participants: Hooray Summer Camp, 360 and Java Joy. Hooray Summer Camp is an eight-week day and overnight camp in both Athens and Rome. 360 is a year-round program that offers afternoon activities such as music therapy, fitness, arts and crafts, as well family support and a summer camp in June and July. Java Joy is a coffee cart

Magen and her family have been a part of the ESP community since she was five years old. According to Beth, after Magen attended the second annual Big Hearts fundraiser, which featured a talent show, silent auction and gala, she fell in love with the program. Today, she is a participant in multiple ESP programs.

“She’ll have a one-on-one buddy (who is a) high school or college girl, about Magen’s age. They can get her into doing things like talking and gossiping,” Beth said. “Right now, she’s playing baseball through the Miracle League and then she’ll go to overnight camp, (Hooray Summer Camp).”

For all programs, ESP follows the buddy system. In every activity, participants are partnered with volunteers for weeks at a time to guide them and form a connection. Clarke Central High School sophomore Henry

Above: SEE ABILITY: A mural painted onto the Extra Special People, Inc. headquarters in Watkinsville, Georgia is shown on Nov. 9. ESP, Inc. has left lasting impacts on participants and community members and is actively changing the way society views people with special needs. “When you look at our program, the magic behind it (is) all these little tiny seeds and these little tiny moments that are inclusive of everyone,” ESP, Inc. CEO Laura Hope Whitaker said. “That changes people’s perspectives, and then changes their posture and their actions outside of this building, and that’s the most groundbreaking thing. It’s not just about what happens in this building.”

Photo by Aza Khan

Abbe volunteered at 360 summer camp in 2023 and experienced firsthand the benefits of having a 1:1 volunteer to participant ratio.

“Every volunteer/staff member gets assigned a buddy and you stick with them throughout the entire week (and) help them out if they need help. You’re there for them. You’re responsible for them,” Abbe said. “(This helps) give (campers) a place where they can feel like they belong and come first because I think, in a lot of senses, it could feel like that’s not the case. (This camp is) made just for them. It’s a good thing all around.”

ESP participant Andreka Martin, a CCHS senior, has been attending after-school programs with 360 for almost

four years. Martin has had the opportunity to learn how to cook in one of her on-site programs, as well as bond with volunteers and fellow participants.

“(I enjoy) hanging out with friends and meeting new people,” Martin said.

Beth has noticed the positive impact of the program’s support as well as the safe environment on Magen. She can see her daughter’s love for the activities and community grow every time she attends.

“It’s giving her typical experiences. She could do yoga, cheer, dance, she gets to meet UGA football players and (go to) camp,” Beth said. “She just loved it, the people she met and everything. She was

included, she wasn’t being judged and she could just be herself and they would deal with her behaviors so she doesn’t feel as stressed.”

However, the impact hasn’t only reached Magen. ESP has become a community and support system for Beth and her family throughout Magen’s life. The program offers monthly family dinners throughout the year and family counseling, as well as an ESPsibs program where siblings of ESP participants can share experiences and bond.

“It’s a lot raising a child with a disability. You have a wide variety in the special needs world, so you don’t know what is out there for support,” Beth said. “I have learned so much from others that have older children and then I try and pass that knowledge along. It’s kind of everybody supporting others.”

“(I enjoy) hanging out with friends and meeting new people.”

-- Andreka martin, CCHS senior and ESP participant

ESP has touched the lives of many families, children and adults with special needs, but this mission doesn’t end in Athens, Rome or Atlanta. According to Whitaker, plans for expansion and the continuation of these positive impacts are underway.

“We’re kind of patching and putting together the pieces that we’re learning from (the) Rome and Atlanta (expansion), and then we’re looking forward to future cities,” Whitaker said. “We have four or five cities that have identified as desiring to have an ESP in their location (and) we’re gonna start raising money in Savannah and growing to the Savannah area.”

What was once just Wyllie’s dream has spread throughout communities. Every expansion carries with it the hope of transforming the lives of children and adults with disabilities, being a support system for families, and challenging preconceived notions surrounding people with special needs. Filled with laughter, fun and opportunities, ESP plans to continue changing communities for the better and growing their home.

“ESP is providing this opportunity for kids of all abilities to experience what typical kids experience. They get to play sports, they get to go to summer camp, they get to make best friends, they get to have boyfriends, all of those fun things that (are) a rite of passage,” Whitaker said. “We are teaching (communities) how to engage (with) people who are different than them. We’re teaching them what it looks like to be equitable. We’re teaching them what it looks like to be inclusive. We’re teaching them what it looks like to help individuals feel that they belong. Because they do.”

Above: EXPERIENCING: Extra Special People, Inc. participant Magen Ferland plays baseball at the Miracle League Field at the ESP, Inc. Headquarters in Watkinsville, Georgia on Oct. 9, 2023. For Magen’s mom, Beth Ferland, ESP has positively impacted not only Magen but her entire family, as well as the Athens community. “It gives those with a disability a place to be included and it gives a family a support system,” Beth said. “It gives an opportunity for people in the community to volunteer and see that if you have special needs that you are also a person too and that there’s not much difference.” Photo courtesy of Beth Ferland

Top left: INFINITE POSSIBILITIES: The gate to the Playground of Possibilities, an inclusive playground at Extra Special People, Inc Headquarters in Watkinsville, Georgia, is shown on Nov. 9, 2023. The Playground of Possibilities was opened on June 6, 2022, and is one of the many ways ESP is actively changing the way communities view people with special needs. “We believe that our programs are not only changing the lives of people with disabilities and their families, but an entire community through volunteers that are coming through our summer staff, little kids who are playing on the playground in our backyard that learn about accessibility and learn how to interact with people with disabilities,” ESP, Inc CEO Laura Hope Whitaker said. Photo by Aza Khan

Bottom left: FUN FOR ALL: Extra Special People, Inc participants and volunteers participate in a 360 after school program activity on Nov. 9, 2023 at the ESP headquarters in Watkinsville, Georgia. Since its founding in 1986, ESP has offered transformative experiences to kids and adults with special needs. “Our mission is fulfilled in three ways,” ESP CEO Laura Hope Whitaker said. “We have our Hooray Summer Camp program, which is a day camp and overnight camp. We have our 360 program, which is every day, that’s our after school programs and our family support. Then we have Java Joy, which is our employment program for adults with disabilities.” Photo by Aza Khan

CULTURAL BUZZ

On Nov. 3 2023, German singer-songwriter Zoe Wees released her debut album “Therapy” across all major music streaming platforms.

Throughout the 59-minute track, Wees uses her unique voice and heartfelt lyrics to brilliantly portray emotions and experiences in a way that makes them real to listeners. The artist discusses themes like anxiety, depression, loneliness, loss and growing up without a father all within the 20-song album.

A standout song in the track, “Control,” which was originally released as a single in 2020, describes Wees’s experiences with anxiety and epilepsy in a way that encapsulated both with the lyric, “I don’t wanna lose control.” Other notable songs include “Lifeline,” “Nothing's Forever,” and “That’s How It Goes,” which was a collaboration with American singer-songwriter and rapper 6LACK.

While some of the songs are a bit similar to each other, they all convey powerful messages in a way that anyone can relate to.

-- Lea D'Angelo, Journalism I student

On Nov. 27 2023, Trader Joe’s released a pack of four different pretzels: Peanut Butter with Cookie Bits, Peppermint, Chocolate and Sprinkles and Coffee with Chocolate, all for $7.99.

The peanut butter pretzels had a nice crunch, and the creamy peanut butter created a nice saltysweet mix with the chocolate gems similar to a Reese’s Pieces candy.

With a good crunch and subtle peppermint flavor that cuts through the creamy yet dark flavor of the chocolate, the peppermint pretzels deliciously tasted like peppermint hot cocoa.

Although the chocolate and sprinkle pretzels had a good texture, they didn’t have the best pretzel-tofrosting ratio and lacked a real chocolate flavor.

The coffee and dark chocolate pretzel had a soft feel and a very sweet flavor mixed with a subtle coffee flavor, appealing to those who may not like coffee as much.

Even with some low-rated pretzel flavors, this annual release is a must-try for Trader Joe's customers.

-- Grady Dunston, Journalism I student

Military-based survival game “Last Train Home,” developed by THQ Nordic, was released on Nov. 28, 2023 on Steam pricing at $40, meaning it is accessible for PC players only.

The game is set in post-World War I Russia, amid the Russian Revolution. The player takes command of a group of Czechoslovakian soldiers who try to escape Russia by train. Players are in charge of managing the train so that it keeps running and moving their troops to ensure a safe passage.

One of the most immersing details was the use of Czech, Slovak and Russian audio, making players feel like they are truly inside the game.

While combat engages the player, managing the train may seem tedious due to its relatively slow speed. The game also does not include multiplayer options, and takes around 40 hours to complete, meaning that players will have to invest serious time in the game to finish it.

Players with lower-end computers may have to steer away, as unfortunately, the game may slow down or even crash laptops.

Despite technical issues, gamers wanting to experience the Russian Revolution should look no further than “Last Train Home.”

BY ABIGAIL HOLLOWAY Variety Staffer

“The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” "T

he Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” produced by Lionsgate and released to theaters on Nov. 17, 2023 with a rating of PG-13, served as the fifth movie in the “Hunger Games” franchise and a prequel to the original four movies.

Similar to the book of the same name by Suzanne Collins, the film follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) as he mentors Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute in the 10th annual Hunger Games. On a deeper level, the audience also witnessesw Snow's internal struggle as he battles between choosing love or power, constantly going back and forth between helping Lucy Gray and working for the Capitol, the authoritarian government that governs the districts.

In some cases, movie adaptations can stray far from the plot of the books they are based on. In the film however, though there were some differences, such as the the addition of a prologue in the first movie scene, the overall plot of the story stayed the same, allowing those who've read the book to enjoy the story in its new form.

Although many characters have complicated relationships with each other, such as Snow and Sejanus Plinth (Josh Rivera), the plot is still very easy to follow. This allowed viewers to immerse themselves in the film because they werent focused on trying to figure out they storyline.

Aside from the incredible acting from all characters, a large part of viewers immersion in the movie can also be credited to the technical aspects. The cinematography and lighting offered many interesting and well-lit scenes that took the movie to the next level. Keeping with the songbird theme from previous movies, throughout “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” Zegler sings James Newton Howard’s score beautifully, with the music acting as a perfect complement to the film.

Overall, “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” offers amazing acting in a great adaptation of its original book that will leave viewers wanting to immediately watch it again.

-- Andréas Dillies, Journalism I student

CULTURAL BUZZ

Released on most major music platforms on Nov. 24 2023, rapper Busta Rhymes's newest album “BLOCKBUSTA” leaves listeners disappointed and unsatisfied as it nowhere near compares to previous songs.

Many of the album’s 19 songs featured creative background music, some giving a tropical feel, yet the background music clashed with the lyrics itself. While a few songs had some potential, the endings were rushed and the beat remained boring and generic.

Although this album is not his best work, songs “IF YOU DON’T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW PT.2” and “LEGEND” both had meaning behind them and felt less forced.

Listeners are in for a surprise with each song, as the album is very inconsistent. None of the songs seem to follow a common theme, and yet, many still managed to feel repetitive. For the amount of anticipation this album received, “BLOCKBUSTA” was a mess, leaving listeners disappointed and an hour wasted.

-- Carolyn Griffeth, Journalism I

student

The animated film “Leo” was released to Netflix on Nov. 17, 2023. Directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel and David Wachtenheim, it is a feelgood but lackluster movie.

“Leo” follows a fifth-grade class starting their new school year. With the help of the class pets, Leonardo “Leo” the lizard and Squirtle the turtle, the students change preconceived notions about themselves by fixing their individual problems.

The film features an overdone semi-realistic expectation of the struggles kids face as they grow up. However, the immature dialogue and PG-rating prove the movie is made for younger audiences. Furthermore, the characters are difficult to connect with because they seem to be written to be unlikeable.

However, the great animation quality, musical dialogue and 2D and 3D visuals make up for that fact.

Overall, the film is a feel-good musical comedy and would work well for those younger and those who enjoy sweet, quick watches. But for older audiences, “Leo” is less than mediocre.

-- Isabella Gresham, Journalism I student

Romance author Lynn Painter released her third young adult novel, “Betting On You,” on Nov. 28, 2023. While the book has a good balance of emotion and humor, there was a lot of unnecessary drama that disrupted the pacing of the story.

Told in alternating points-of-view, Bailey is anxious and a rule-follower. Charlie hides behind humor and teases everyone he meets. When forced to work together, they unwillingly start to bond over having divorced parents.

The storyline of Bailey’s parent’s divorce in the novel elevates the plot with emotions that a lot of teenagers with separated parents can identify with. This is balanced with humor that adds lighthearted moments to the story.

The romance and emotion behind the story was good, but there was so much drama that it was hard to get through certain points. The characters’ personalities made them hard to like at times, but also helped make the story authentic.

Overall, “Betting On You” is a good read for anyone looking for a fun story with a strangersto-lovers plot and fake-dating featuring authentic characters.

-- Lea D'Angelo, Journalism I student

"All The Light We Cannot See"

BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

“All the Light We Cannot See,” released to Netflix on Nov. 2, 2023 and based on author Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer-prize winning novel of the same name, falls short of presenting the heartfelt and inspirational message it sought to portray.

The four-part series follows Marie-Laure LeBlanc (Aria Mia Loberti), a blind French girl, and Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann), a German radio technician, during World War II. Marie-Laure illegally broadcasts coded excerpts from “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” by Jules Verne on the radio in her attic from Nazi-infiltrated Saint-Marlo. Werner is tasked to locate Marie-Laure, but instead chooses to keep his findings secret from the Nazis, portraying himself as a good guy.

Directed by Shawn Levy and developed by Steven Knight, the film is visually outstanding. The use of light and darkness helps convey the overarching message of finding the light one cannot see, as the title suggests. Additionally, each scene conveys the atmosphere of wartime with period-appropriate setting and clothing, as well as the inclusion of emotion-provoking music.

The plot is difficult to follow at times due to the many storylines incorporated. For example, Marie-Laure tries to contact her missing father, Daniel LeBlanc (Mark Ruffalo), through the radio, while Werner simultaneously tries to reach Marie-Laure before Nazi jewelers looking for a diamond believed to be in Marie-Laure’s possession.

In addition, viewers are presented with flashbacks from Marie-Laure and Werner’s childhoods. Trying to understand the convoluted plot takes away from the film’s suspense and impact, only allowing viewers to skim the surface of each character and their meaning. The acting throughout the film is hit-or-miss, with some of the dialogue seeming exaggerated and unrealistic, while other lines convey the difficulties of wartime, leaving viewers emotionally underwhelmed. Loberti is visually impaired and Hofmann is German, like the characters they portray, but the French characters speak with a British accent and the German characters never actually speak German.

Overall, with romantic undertones and beautiful cinematography, “All the Light We Cannot See” had outstanding potential, but falls short in conveying the message of their stories.

Featured: STRUMMING AWAY: Clarke Central High School senior Jacari Winley plays guitar at the CCHS Winter Guitar Concert in E.B. Mell Auditorium on Dec. 5, 2023. CCHS senior Michael Tenner prepared with his band for over a month in order to perform Wham’s holiday hit, “Last Christmas” in full costume. “I had to go full Donald Fagen from Steely Dan with it. thought, if I’m playing the piano, then I want to have a presence for sure,” Tenner said. “(Fine arts department teacher Leslie Sokal-Berg) is really to thank for all of this because putting up with (Advanced Guitar Techniques 1) is not an easy task.” Photo by Aza Khan

IN FOCUS

Time for adaptation

The CCSD was awarded the ASPIRE Grant from the American Association of Adapted Sports Program, jump-starting the establishment of a new adapted sports program.

STORY BY CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor LAYOUT BY MAYA CLEMENT Managing Editor

Opportunities are expanding for Clarke County School District students as three districtwide, co-ed adapted sports teams are being established in the winter of 2023.

After receiving the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs ASPIRE grant for $30,500, CCSD can now provide wheelchair handball in the fall, wheelchair basketball in the winter and wheelchair football in the spring. The program is being led and coordinated by Clarke Central High School Associate Athletic Director Chris Aiken.

“Finding ($30,500) worth of funding to purchase all this equipment would have taken some time, but having the grant accelerates that process. On the front end, you get eight wheelchairs in the grant so that expense is taken care of for you, plus all the balls, equipment, basketball hoops, handballs (and)

footballs,” Aiken said.

All three sports are sanctioned by the Georgia High School Association for interscholastic competition through AAASP for students with physical disabilities in grades 6-12, so varsity players may letter on the adapted teams. However, in the program’s pilot year, CCSD teams will be limited to junior varsity teams.

“I don’t want to jump into the established varsity division yet. Those teams have been playing for 15-plus years, are probably very well-rounded and have already been practicing for multiple months. Our goal is not to just throw people out there,” Aiken said.

Though the adapted sports program will be a new addition to the district, adapted sports is not a new concept to the district.

Special Olympics, introduced to the district over 40 years ago, also serves

disabled athletes, offering 30-plus Olympic-style individual and team sports to students with intellectual disabilities. However, AAASP offers three GHSAsanctioned sports for students with physical disabilities. CCSD adapted physical education teacher and CCSD Special Olympics Local Coordinator Julie Evans elaborated on the differences between the focuses of the programs.

“To participate in adapted sports, you’ve got to be able to do offense, defense, know plays and do that kind of thing, whereas in Special Olympics, we’re looking more at (a) developmental model. We’re working on how you shoot a ball, how you do those kinds of things,”Evans said.

“It’s a hard program to get going. You have to train your coaches, you have to train (referees), you have to get the kids in chairs and get them practicing those kinds of things,” Evans said.

“(Students are) just going to get stronger by being athletes. They're going to get more physically fit by having a chance to participate in practices and skill building, strength and conditioning, all that sort of stuff that athletes do.”

-- Dr. Nicole KirK, University of Georgia assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology

Prior to the CCSD’s 2023 establishment of the adapted sports program, a regional adapted sports team known as the ReNEGAdes was open to students across Northeast Georgia in 2008. However, the team, which Evans coached for, disbanded in 2013.

More recently, Dr. Nicole Kirk, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Georgia, has introduced adapted sport opportunities through a wheelchair sports field day. The event was in collaboration with AAASP at UGA in the spring of 2023 for students across Northeast Georgia, offering wheelchair handball, basketball and football. Despite the success of the event, Kirk recalled difficulties with recruitment.

“We’re talking about a relatively small percentage of the population who are eligible to play to begin with, and then we’re also talking about a few coaches, staff members and support folks who have the content knowledge to actually teach and coach the skills. So if those people become unavailable, and then of

course funding issues, as well, the programs (are) more likely to fold than some typical sports are.”

Through Kirk’s research on topics related to disability sport, adapted physical activity and adapted physical education, they’ve uncovered the importance of physical activity for people with disabilities.

“(Students are) just going to get stronger by being athletes. They’re going to get more physically fit by having a chance to participate in practices and skill building, strength and conditioning, all that sort of stuff that athletes do,” Kirk said. “Then again, that feeling of accomplishment or that feeling of joy with playing a sport – athletes are gonna athlete and that’s true, regardless of your impairment status.”

However, despite these difficulties, Aiken looks forward to providing another engagement opportunity for CCSD students following the addition of new programs at CCHS.

“We’re offering Esports for the first time and we’re having 20 to 30 kids stay after school in the Media Center twice a week to play video games and you see the excitement it brings them. We’re looking to provide the same thing with all of our adapted sports teams (as) just another avenue to get kids involved in something they’re interested in. Hopefully, it’s a beneficial experience they look back on and have positive memories,” Aiken said.

“I'm happy. (It’s an) opportunity for people in wheelchairs to play a sport.”

Though the CCSD adapted sports team is open to 6-12 grade students district-wide, creating a wider player pool, Aiken faces familiar recruitment challenges.

“We can find students that meet the criteria, but talking to them directly and confirming that they’re interested in playing is a whole different thing,” Aiken said. “Just because you’re qualified to play doesn’t mean you like sports, you might not want to play.”

-- Makayla Motton, CCHS senior

Students like CCHS senior Makayla Motton have difficulty playing traditional sports and look forward to the adapted team.

“I’m happy,” Motton said. “(It’s an) opportunity for people in wheelchairs to play a sport.”

Conversely, as someone who’s seen adapted sports opportunities fade from CCSD, faculty like Evans look forward to a potentially long-lasting program.

“Longevity is what I want,” Evans said. “Something that’s going to be here for another 15-20 years, something that carries on. I want (CCSD) to have the same enthusiasm that they have for all the other sports.” O

Above: BALLIN’: CCHS senior Makayla Motton in the James Crawford Memorial Arena on Dec.12, 2023. Motton has been unable to play basketball due to her disability, however, with the addition of a Clarke County School District adapted sports program she would be able to play in practice with the team. “(CCHS is) just trying to find as many things as we can offer that are productive and give people positive experience of their time in high school and just find as many ways to get everyone involved in something that they’re interested in,” Chris Aiken, CCHS associate athletic director and CCSD adapted sports program coordinator said. Photo by Aza Khan

CATCH IT WITH CADENCE

Sports Editor

Cadence Schapker reflects on her time as a volleyball player with the

CCHS

junior varsity and varsity teams.

BY

CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor

Walking through the Competition Gym doors felt like a dream. Decorated in my Senior 2024 sash and flowers, escorted by my mom, I walked in a daze.

“This is my last year on the court,” I thought to myself, trying to reconnect with the moment, but none of it felt real.

I stood alongside my fellow seniors as Clarke Central High School head varsity volleyball coach Stacey Scott wished us luck in our future endeavors, wrestling with the fact that I would never have an experience comparable to playing volleyball.

It’s because of this sport that I know what hard work not only looks like, but feels like. The aches and pains of conditioning and practice will always be reminders that if I put in the work and the effort, I will reap the benefits.

it’s time I talk to my team one last time.

To my seniors, we made it. We made it through COVID-19 and early mornings in the weight room. We made it through every hard loss and every outstanding win. We’ve made it through every workout and janky shower, and I can’t imagine not going through it without any of you.

The humor, kindness and compassion that you three have shown me these past four years is immeasurable, and I want to thank you all for bringing me out of my shell as the years have gone on. I look forward to seeing where we all go.

To the juniors, I can’t wait to see how y’all transform the team next year. Teach those underclassmen as much as you can and remember to live in the moment because – believe me when I say – your last year really flies.

It’s because of this sport that I know what hard work not only looks like, but feels like.

It’s because of the team that I know the importance of comradery and putting my peers before myself to ensure we achieve our goals as a team, and not just as individual players.

And it’s because of my coach that I know how to constantly seek improvement and to always want more for both myself and the people around me.

But I realize that I can’t linger on what used to be for long because I’m looking forward to new chapters in my life. So, as I let this piece of me live in the past,

To the underclassmen, you guys are amazing. You have so much promise and potential, just stick with it, stick together and stay positive. You’ll make some memories on this team that you can’t find elsewhere.

To myself, I can’t believe I stuck with it for five years. I can’t believe that the eighth grader I used to be, who hated the idea of playing, grew into the person I am today: a person who can’t imagine her life without the sport, who committed to waking up at 6 a.m. every day and who met some of the most amazing people.

And lastly, to my team, play because you love it, and keep playing good volleyball.

Above:SENIOR NIGHT:An illustration depicts the 2023-24 Clarke Central High School varsity volleyball team senior class stands in the Competition Gym during Senior Night on Sept.22.Sports Editor Cadence Schapker (far right), thanked her senior class for the memories they made with her.“The humor, kindness and compassion that you three have shown me these past four years is immeasurable and I wanted to thank you all for bringing me out of my shell as the years have gone on,”Schapker said.Illustration by Sam Harwell

in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Nov. 8, 2023. The wrestling season started in early

the team. “I want to say right now (the wrestling team has) the most (athletes) I’ve seen. We had 35 people come to practice on the first day. Just to be able to generate that type of number, it feels pretty good,” McCord said. Photo by Aza Khan

beyond the mat

Sports Staffer Liya Taylor talked with CCHS head varsity and junior varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord about the 2023 wrestling season, which started in October.

STORY BY LIYA TAYLOR Sports Staffer

LAYOUT BY CADENCE SCHAPKER Sports Editor

Sports Staffer liya taylor:

What does wrestling practice look like?

Clarke Central High School head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord: Practices typically start off with a two-mile run. That's just a warm-up to get the sweat going and body going. (Then, we) come back inside (and) we go through drills. It's a very hard and intense practice. We try to make it as hard as possible, just because once they get into a match, the match should be the easy part of wrestling.

Above: SHOWING UP: Clarke Central High School head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord stands

October 2023 and McCord was shocked by how many students showed interest in

lt: What is something that you think wrestling capitalizes on?

SM: Responsibility. The reason I say that is because (in) wrestling, you're in a certain weight class and it is your job to maintain that weight all season long. We started in October (and) the season is not done until February. So if you weigh 106 (pounds) in October, you have to stay 106 (pounds) all the way to February. You got two major holidays in there, Thanksgiving and Christmas and you have to be like, ‘Nah, I can't eat that today.’ You have to. It's your responsibility to keep your weight under control.

lt: What are you hoping to do differently this season compared to last year?

SM: Do more research on my (part), as far as the opponents that we’re wrestling, what they like to do (and) what they don't like to do. Just being more focused in to the little things of wrestling. We have more coaches this year, so I can divide up some of those responsibilities more this year, (so) we really can get down to the little things.

lt: What do you see are some weaknesses that the team has?

SM: We're young, we're a young team. We got a lot of first-year guys and this region that we're in, it's a good region for wrestling. The teams that we go against are very tough in competition. Most of them have been wrestling together since they was five years old, so that is going to be tough just because we're so young.

lt: Being a younger team and having new players, how do you hope that you can get over that and still win?

SM: Just telling them that it only takes one movement. That is my philosophy, it only takes one move to beat somebody. Whatever your move may be, just wait for the opportunity time to use that move. It doesn't really matter how long you've been wrestling, it's just that you are dedicated to it and you can get the results you are looking for.

WARM UP:

“(Each season has) been up and down, but I feel like this is the most interested (students) I’ve had in wrestling since I’ve been the coach. The numbers have (grown) greatly since I first started (coaching),’’ McCord said.

Above:

Clarke Central High School wrestling team captain Washington Wilkinson (left), a junior, and CCHS wrestler Jamaya Richards (right), a sophomore, stretch to begin the team’s practice in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Oct. 31, 2023. The 2023 wrestling season started in October and CCHS head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord was pleased by participation numbers.

Photo by Aza Khan

Right: GETTING READY: Clarke Central High School wrestler Shu Mue (right), a junior, stands in ready position about to begin a scrimmage against a fellow teammate in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Oct. 31, 2023. The wrestling team often begins practice with what they call the “Kroger run,” a two-mile run to the Alps Road Kroger and back. “I see why (we run) because our matches are six minutes long and it takes a lot of conditioning. You get so tired (during matches), so it’s good to have endurance,” CCHS wrestler Moon Uriostegui, a sophomore, said. Photo by Aza Khan

CCHS head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord. “It’s exciting because (wrestling is) like a male-dominated sport, so it’s always exciting to see more girls. Hopefully, if they stay next year, we might have a girl’s team,” Uriostegui said. Photo by Aza Khan

DRILLS:

CCHS

Oct. 31, 2023. The team started practice with a warm-up, then went into drills, which CCHS wrestler Lila Sloan, a sophomore, believes drills are critical to success. ‘’We do hand fighting, which is basically you trying to gain control over (your partner) while still standing up. You’re fighting with your hands but not hitting each other,’’ Sloan said. “We have spin drills, (which) means there’s someone in the bottom position and you’re on top of them, spinning around them to practice getting points in (a) match.” Photo by Aza Khan

Right: NEW BEGINNINGS: Clarke Central High School wrestler Moon Uriostegui, a sophomore, puts CCHS wrestler Eh Wah, a junior, into a headlock during their scrimmage in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Oct. 31, 2023. The CCHS wrestling team had two females on the team last year, Uriostegui being one of them, and now the team has six, the most in CCHS history, according to

Below:

Clarke Central High School wrestlers Deonta Randolph (left), a sophomore, and Christopher Marte (right), a junior, go through wrestling drills in the

wrestling practice room on

on Oct. 31, 2023. The wrestling team had more coaches this season than in previous years, which allowed head varsity wrestling coach Shane McCord to invest more time into preparation. “I (hope to) do more research on my (part), as far as the opponents that we’re wrestling (this season). What they like to do (and) what they don’t like to do. Just be more focused into the little things of wrestling,’’ McCord said.

Left: SUPPORT: Two Clarke Central High School wrestlers scrimmage each other in the CCHS wrestling practice room on Oct. 31, 2023. Although wrestling matches are six minutes long and one person against another, according to CCHS wrestler Lila Sloan, a sophomore, they feel like a group effort. “You have your entire team behind you watching you on the mat with a bunch of other people around you, (like) your family (and) your friends,’’ Sloan said. ‘’You have that support system during your match, and it really makes you feel energized and excited to go.”

Above: TEACHING: Clarke Central High School wrestler Zaire Huff (left), a freshman, is guided by CCHS assistant varsity wrestling coach Jansten Brinkley (right) in the CCHS wrestling practice room

Photo by Aza Khan

Photo by Aza Khan

Star Players

Star Players

TRISTON THOMAS

Grade:10

GPA:4.0

Years of experience: 7

Game day ritual:I eat oatmeal every morning before games and I listen to music. I have a little playlist.

Favorite memory:Playing travel ball, we had a tournament in Florida. (We) didn’t win, but we played really well and we lost off of a buzzer beater in the championship.We played our best and although we lost, we lived up to what we were trying to get to all year playingwise and it was just a really cool, really fun experience.

Role Model:I will say,definitely my parents.They’re just very hardworking people. I will say my favorite player (is) Lebron James. What coaches say:“He’s a great teammate. He does everything you tell him to do, he’s coachable. He’s the type of young man that encourages others. He’s one of those type of people that I can appreciate on my team.”

-- Stefan Smith,CCHS head boys varsity basketball coach

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 written for each issue by the Sports Staff based on interviews with players and coaches.

KAIDEN BRADFORD

Grade:11

GPA:3.5

Years of experience:10

Game day ritual:I always get a good meal in so I don’t pass out during the game. I’ll get some shots up while listening to my hype playlist to get me in the right mindset.As a team, we then say the Lord’s Prayer, break it out and then it’s game time.

Favorite memory:My whole high school career,I’ve always wanted to beat Loganville (High School) and it was either softball or basketball. So once that clock finally struck zero,it was great seeing all my teammates happy.

Role Model:My role model is probably my dad. He pushes me to be the best even though sometimes we get into arguments. He’s always been there (and) he’s always motivated me to be the best I can be (by) putting (the) work in.

What coaches say:“She’s always brought defense and rebounding even from the guard spot over the last couple of years. (We’re) really looking for her to step up on the offensive side this year and also be more of a vocal leader.”

-- Carla Johnson,CCHS head girls varsity basketball coach

Photo byAza Khan

ODYSSEY Star Players BOYS VARSITY BASKETBALL

Photo by Daniel Cruz

ODYSSEY Star Players GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL

1. Building a community

You get to cheer with people even if you’ve never met them before or if you don’t know them. It’s just a good way to make friends and you become really close. Our away games (and) bus rides just create a really good community.

2. Put in the work

The girls on the team are working really hard to learn the cheers and execute properly. Even our captains work really hard to learn the cheers and teach us the cheers. They’re really good at helping us or any girls who don’t know a cheer or don’t know a dance. I think all of the girls are very hardworking and dedicated members of the cheer team.

3. Showing Discipline

To be a cheerleader, you definitely should practice on your own time and learn the cheers on your own time. Being at practice is vital ‘cause you learn a lot. A lot of things change, things switch, movements change, formation changes, (so) being at practice is definitely a very important part of cheering. I definitely wouldn’t suggest being on the cheer team if you don’t come to practice or you don’t like to stay after school. (Then), it’s important to go home and make sure you know the new movements or whatever has changed, so that way, (when it’s game day), you don’t look confused.

4. Jv vs. Varsity

(In junior varsity), we cheered four games (and) our season lasted from beginning of September to the end of September. With varsity, the schedule is a little bit more hectic (because we) have away games, games on the weekdays, more practices (and the) season goes longer. Also, the cheers are different and more complex. You have more to learn when you’re on varsity.

5. Risky Routine

(If) you’re a flier, base or back spot there’s obviously that risk (of falling). We haven’t had anybody fall or anything, but there’s always the risk that something could happen. But, all of our bases and back spots are really good at making sure no one else gets hurt.

5things to know about varsity basketball cheerleading

by Demi Thomas, as told to Evan Cornish

Featured: CHEERING YOU ON: Clarke Central High School varsity basketball cheerleader Demi Thomas, a junior, stands in front of the Gladiator Gallery Trophy Case in the Competition Gym on Nov. 10, 2023. Thomas cheered during the 2023-24 football season and felt it was a different environment to basketball cheer. “(In) basketball, I think a lot more people understand what’s going on in the sport,” Thomas said. “You have a lot more crowd engagement and engagement from the cheerleaders as well. We love to watch the football game, but sometimes we don’t know what’s going on.” Photo by Daniel Cruz