Volume 18, Issue 1, Dec. 2020 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine by ODYSSEY Media Group

ODYSSEY

Volume 18 Issue 1 Dec 2020 $5.00

ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL LATINDA DEAN'S PATH TO EDUCATION

NAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;KIA RUCKER DISHES OUT THE ASSISTS

AFTER SHUTTING DOWN IN THE SPRING MANY LOCAL ATHENS BUISNESSES ARE INNOVATING TO MAINTAIN CUSTOMERS.

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VIEWPOINTS 13

FRESH VOICE The BLM movement, which spiked momentum in the summer of 2020, inspires Journalism 1 student Laniya Jones to take part in the change. BY LANYIA JONES

NEWS DEAN’S PATH 20 CCHS Assistant Principal Latinda Dean’s passion for helping students succeed has motivated her 15-year career. BY NATALIE SCHLIEKELMAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS Athens local buisness owners share their struggles with the pandemic and how they’re dealing with it.

Features

ZOOM POLITICS 23 The consequences of the pandemic has created educational hardships for Clarke Central High School students and teachers. BY OWEN DONNELLY AND ELIZA INGLE

REVIEWS BRIGHT AND SHINY 32 Released on Nov. 13, Elton John’s newest album “Jewel Box” is a delightful collection of songs, some of which were previously unreleased songs from the last five decades. BY ANTONIO STARKS

Featured: SHRIMP AND GRITS: Co-owner of The Plate Sale Shyretha Sheats prepares a bowl of grits in the kitchen of Hendershots. The Sheats began the Plate Sale as something small. “We started a pop up, which was The Plate Sale, a few years ago, and that pop up has evolved into a bigger project,” Shyretha said. Photo by Emma Scott

VARIETY

LOCAL BUSINESSES 30 The economic consequences of the pandemic has created financial hardship for local Athens businesses owners. BY CHLOE SEARS

SPORTS HELPING THROUGH SPORTS 34 Hardworking CCHS varsity girls basketball point guard Na’kia Rucker supports her team both on and off the court. BY SALAI DIEKUMPUNA

Featured: GET READY: Clarke Central High School varsity girls basketball point guard Na’kia Rucker, a senior, practices handchecking. Rucker has played basketball all throughout high school and has been a leader, a helper to others and herself. “I have helped others in many different ways so it has given me new tactics to help myself.” Na’kia said. Photo by Luna Reichert

Cover illustration by Lilli Sams Cover design by Naomi Hendershot

December 2020

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PLANS OF RECONSTRUCTION Preparations have been made at Clarke Middle School to undergo renovations and a possible rebuild. BY GRETCHEN HINGER

ENGAGEMENT ONLINE CCHS teachers and students have found the lack of faceto-face interaction in an online environment challenging, yet promising. BY MICAH SHANNON

SOPA, MAFALDA AND ME ODYSSEY Media Group Variety Editor Emma Scott shares her appreciation for sopa and the comic ”Mafalda” in a podcast. BY EMMA SCOTT

ROME, GEORGIA ON MY MIND ODYSSEY Media Group Illustrator Lillian Sams refects on her vists to Rome, Georgia to see her family. BY LILLIAN SAMS

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Odyssey

The ODYSSEY is a student-run 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.

Co-Editors-in-Chief: Naomi Hendershot Owen Donnelly

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.

News Editor: Natalie Schliekelman

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.

Print Managing Editor: Elena Webber Lead Copy Editor: Audrey Enghauser Digital Manging Editor: Ireland McCage Viewpoints Editor: Maya Cornish

Variety Editor: Emma Scott Sports Editor: Isabella Baker-Johnson Business Manager: Issac Ramirez Photography Editor: Luna Reichert Broadcast Editor: Krista Shumaker Designer: Audrey Kennedy Beat Editor: Gretchen Hinger Illustrator: Lillian Sams Social Media Coordinator: Grace Lang Staff Members: Gunnar Churchwell Lukas Cornish Jaydon Dennis Salai Diekumpuna Lucas Donnelly Houston Heyward Eliza Ingle Essie Mitchell Kalliope Samaltanos Chloe Sears Micah Shannon Antonio Starks Dalila Tejada Frances Thrasher Carolina Turner Natasha Williams Nicolas Willman Adviser: David A. Ragsdale ODYSSEY NEWSMAGAZINE Clarke Central High School 350 S. Milledge Avenue Athens, Georgia 30605

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR REDRESS FOR LINNENTOWN

Our May digital issue featured a story on the displacement of Athens Linnentown community members and how former residents are now seeking redress.

>> SPORTS MICHAEL’S MISSION // Andrew Robinson I enjoyed reading Michael’s story because it did a great job of showing who Michael truly is and how he affects the people around him. Articles like these are a must-have because they can be life-changing. Reading articles about people who look like you can be very encouraging. His positive demeanor and desire to make people happy are what struck me the most. They’re traits everyone should strive for.

>> VARIETY HOME OF THE HIP-HOP // Natalie Ripps To improve this article, I would have interviewed more artists from their point of view with the life of hip-hop. This article is important because in some songs it teaches you a lesson on what not to do when you’re older. Some of the female rappers have taught a lot of kids on what is wrong and how to become a rapper. I liked how the author added the way the rappers talk, walk, and dress. I hope that one day people will come together and spread the love of hip-hop more.

-- Norma Monroy, freshman

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>> VIEWPOINTS

his article really shows how the University can affect Athens and its people.

“

-- Da'oud De Lane, sophomore

-- Clarke Central High School senior Cassius Tunis on the story “Redress for Linnentown” by Lead Copy Editor Audrey Enghauser

LETTER TO MY SISTER // Imani Sykes I have a twin sister of my own, and reading the article made me think about my own family relationships. It’s nice to hear that these two girls will continue to stay close, even if they are not in the same classes or pursuing the same activities. I liked when the author said that she would always be there for her sister if she needed someone to talk to. There should be more articles like this because this article is very sweet and heartwarming and it can show siblings that they can always be together no matter what.

--Treasure Goings, freshman

Corrections/Omissions May 2020 How HoPe Helps, the second of two “has’s” is meant to be “has'," There should be a quotation mark after the apostrophe after available, an apostrophe should be between “that” and the quotation mark for Robledo’s first quote Michael’s Mission, “GA” should be “Georgia.”. “Requires” should be “require," there should be a comma between schedule and but, a should be omitted between and and positive Boiling Point: What we should learn from COVID-19, “spanish flu” should be “Spanish Flu” Letter to my sister, “pre-k” should be “pre-K”

Contact ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

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

December 2020

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Ambitions to reform nationwide systematic issues pose unrealistic goals. Those who seek social reform should start making a difference in their own communities.

s a student journalist, I live and breathe the idea of serving my community through my reporting and writing. Through my work, I am exposed to and informed of the many social injustices that face the Athens-Clarke County community, such as racial disparities, inequity of income and educational privilege. NAOMI HENDERSHOT It was amidst the Clarke County Board of EduCo-Editor-in-Chief cation controversy of the 2019-20 school year that the deeply rooted systematic racial issues that affect our school district were truly revealed to me in their entirety. Because of this, I developed ambitions to seek drastic systematic reform of those standing institutions, yet ambitions of that nature never seemed to make lasting impacts. During this time, I covered one particular BOE meeting in the fall of 2019. The meeting held palpable tensions from those in attendance because this was the meeting that would determine the fate of former Clarke County School District Superintendent Dr. Demond Means, and potentially begin to resolve the long-standing conflict over how to address the racial achievement gap in the district. Following my journalistic responsibilities, I scanned the crowd in search of a potential interviewee. As I walked along the aisles of chairs, CCSD community member Ms. Ruby Worthy, wife of district six BOE member Charles Worthy, caught my attention with her evident eagerness to speak on the issue of that night.

We discussed her thoughts on the meeting, her experiences, and what she witnessed as an older-generation Black woman in Athens. Despite what one would consider constant disappointments of racial injustices continuing in our hometown, she continued to have hope. Before I concluded the interview and stopped my voice memo, she placed her hand on my wrist and left me with her final thoughts, saying, “If change is going to happen anywhere, it’s going to be here.” Her words shook me. It was then I was confronted with a profound revelation, that change begins in our communities, the places we call home. One cannot change the course of long-standing unjust institutions in one motion. It happens piece by piece, in counties, towns, and city communities that make up our nation. Athens-Clarke County, just as many other communities across the nation, is faced with adversity that 2020 had presented. While new challenges have been brought to the table, in retrospect, the pandemic has done nothing but intensified the pre-existing issues, like food insecurity, homelessness and the academic achievement gap. We can’t effectively progress unless we take a step back and simplify initiatives in the communities in which we reside. From things like, voting in local elections and volunteer work to bigger things such as starting non-profit organizations that focus on helping impoverished communities, all contribute to the greater purpose of reforming unjust institutions. As I’ve gone through the motions of this year, I think back to the words Ms. Worthy imparted to me. I’m reminded that change comes with time and that change happens when we recognize the potential for it in the places we call home, because, “If the change is going to happen anywhere, it’s going to be here.” O

We can’t effectively progress unless we take a step back and simplify initiatives in the communities in which we reside.

n any-

Above: CHANGE ACROSS THE NATION: An illustrated of Co-Editor-in-Chief Naomi Hendershot stands in front of a U.S. map holding up a sign for change. Hendershot was deeply impacted by an interview she conducted during her coverage of a 2019 Board of Education controversy. Illustration by Frances Thrasher

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Viewpoints

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Since the coronavirus hit the U.S. in March, many universities have decided to make standardized test submissions optional, which should be a decision extended beyond the end of the pandemic.

ue to the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges are going test-optional for the 2021 graduating class, meaning that students do not have to submit SAT or ACT scores to these colleges. This initiative is long overdue and should be replicated by colleges and universities across the U.S. due to flaws in the testing system. OWEN DONNELLY Schools like the University of Georgia, Co-Editor-in-Chief Georgia State University and a plethora of others have decided to waive the requirement for submitting standardized test scores such as the ACT or SAT, and instead are relying on other information about student success such as GPA and extracurricular activities to determine a student’s admissions status. The most significant reason for omitting the requirement of standardized testing is that it’s not the most effective way to forecast student success in college. A 2020 study by the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research found that high school GPA is five times stronger at predicting college graduation than standardized tests, which can have little to no correlation with success in college. Intelligence can be measured in different ways such as creativity, memory, logical reasoning, leadership and social-emotional intelligence. Standardized tests only evaluate memory and speed. Success in college depends on a variety of factors beyond these skills. Mental health, work ethic and social skills can all impact postsecondary success. The SAT and ACT testing system also presents socioeconomic disparities. Proponents of these

tests praise the SAT and ACT for their apparent inclusivity, arguing that they reduce bias because of their disconnected nature, but that’s far from the truth. The tests may reduce bias by hiding a test taker’s identity, but are undeniably partial to students that can afford test tutoring services, which can cost troves of money. Five Points Prep in Athens costs upwards of $40 an hour. Furthermore, these tests, which are supposed to measure college readiness, are only offered in English. This means that a non-native English speaking student that is exceptional at math and science would be severely hindered in those sections, solely for not speaking English fluently, a notoriously difficult language to learn. This is disadvantageous for the universities themselves. There are students that would be happy, productive members of their campuses that are being excluded only for not fluently speaking English due to these standardized tests. The U.S. could benefit from their diverse perspectives and the subsequently increased competition that a larger student pool brings. These tests are unfair and ineffective. Students are more than a number, and performance on an exam should not determine one’s place of schooling. More schools should follow suit of institutions like the University of Chicago, George Washington University and Agnes Scott college and eliminate the required submission of standardized test scores. O

The tests may reduce bias by hiding a test taker’s identity, but are undeniably partial to students that can afford test tutoring services, which can cost troves of money.

Above: TAKING OUT THE TRASH: An illustration of Co-Editor-in-Chief Owen Donnelly holds two bags of trash representing the U.S. college readiness tests. Donnelly belives that college readiness standardized tests are unsuitable to include in the college admissions process. Illustration by Lillian Sams

Viewpoints

December 2020

OUR TAKE Upon the switch to digital learning, the Clarke Central High School community has lost many elements of school spirit that used to define its memorable environment.

ith the onset of online learning this them (because for) me, nobody really told me,” constantly affected by public safety guidelines. For past spring, Clarke Central High Glenn said. “When I started (making that daily many impressionable young adults finding their School students have lost a vital part announcement), listening at the end of (each) and identity, passions and friends in high school, switchof their high school experience -- the unique atmoevery day, I found that there was a lot of students ing to virtual learning has felt like putting their life sphere of our school community. on pause. Whether it was in the cafeteria, the It is harder to develop relationships Black Box Theatre, the Media Center with peers and teachers from one’s or the Billy Henderson Stadium, the own bedroom, and without the conPerhaps when it is safe for CCHS atmosphere of CCHS is kind, passionstant bond to an in-person communistudents and faculty to meet again, we ty, it is easy to feel disconnected and ate and positive. Between the many niche communities our school offers, will have a stronger appreciation for lonely. Freshmen haven’t been able to the constant is love. experience the CCHS environment, the integral aspects of our school com- and seniors may not have the chance Students, faculty and staff of different races, sexualities, cultures to enjoy that before graduation. munity. and socioeconomic backgrounds Perhaps when it is safe for CCHS connect over a shared passion for our students and faculty to meet again, community and the opportunities we will have a stronger appreciation that CCHS gives us. for the integral aspects of our school Prior to COVID-19, our teachers community and the bonds that form welcomed us into their red and gold classrooms (that) nobody was telling (them) they love them.” within it. From time apart, we will recognize the imwith excitement and support. Throughout the Now, as we all face the cold reality of class meetpact that we have on each other in our classrooms day, students flooded the halls with friendly waves ings, teachers, administrators and students alike and on the field, and Ms. Glenn’s heartfelt words and fun conversations with friends. Before the last must force school spirit upon themselves to attempt will carry a deeper significance. bell, CCHS secretary, Ms. Linda Glenn brought us to make up for our loss of the CCHS environment. closer together with her words of love, and we left We are separated by miles and whittle down to Tell somebody you love them. O the building with adoration for our school and the pixels or a black square. people within it. Not only are students distant from the school, “It is very important to tell somebody you love but friendships and relationships with teachers are

Above:SPIRIT SPILLING OUT: An illustration shows an artist, skater, soccer player, baseball player, tennis player, JROTC student and football player at Clarke Central High School. With students learning remotely, many defining factors of CCHS school spirit have changed. Illustration by Lillian Sams.

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Viewpoints

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

LANIYA JONES

FRESH VOICE Journalism I student Laniya Jones expresses her efforts to support the Black Lives Matter movement.

ZOOM GLOOM As Zoom calls drone on and classwork piles up, students face physical and mental health risks due to the online learning environment. LACKING SPIRIT Once flourishing with passion and community, the CCHS comunity now struggles to maintain a sense of school spirit.

COLLEGIATE CONTRIBUTIONS University of Georgia students’ failure to follow CDC guidelines is prominent in Athens bars and restaurants, contributing to a changed high school experience for many students. SWAP OUT THE STANDARDS Standardized testing is an unfit measurement of student intelligence and should not be required for college admissions.

DEAN’S DETERMINATION A love for helping students achieve their best is the biggest motivator for the journey to becoming an educator. SPORTS STAY SAFE CCHS sports teams are ensuring COVID-19 safeguards at practices and games in order to safely continue their seasons.

ACTIVISM IN ATHENS Local activist Imani Scott-Blackwell shares her experience with activism in Social Justice movements in Athens.

rowing up I’ve always heard the phrase “Black Lives Matter,” and over time I saw how my involvement mattered. Black Lives Matter is a strong movement that began in 2013 after the death of Trayvon Martin, according to BLM offical website. The movement’s mission is to “eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes" according to Howard University Library of Law. The BLM movement brought to light how Black people’s lives are equally important and how we shouldn’t be looked over simply because of the color of our skin. Being a young Black woman, I feel the generational pain of my community. The BLM movement always felt empowering to me because it was my way to fight against racial disparities in our society. I knew that protesting was the best way of getting my voice heard.

It reminded me that there are still good people in this world. On July 31, my friends and I decided to organize a small, peaceful protest in front of the Athens-Clarke County Library. Before the protest, I was nervous about the outcomes of the protest being very negative. However, over the course of the protest, we started getting a little more comfortable. While a few passer byers discourage us, we received great support from the community. This was a huge eye-opening moment for me. It reminded me that there are still good people in this world. Afterwards, I was hungry for more. I wanted to do more to help my community and to get more voices heard. True, it was small, but at the end of the day it’s about the efforts made. Having the BLM movement provides hope for a better future, and I strongly feel that I should support it. The BLM movement means so much to me because it reminds me that my voice is crucial. O

LETTERS TO ELDERS CCHS Red Cross Club members write letters to Athens elderly and those in retirement homes to stay connected in a distanced world.

Above: PROTEST: An illustration shows student activists stand on a street as part of the Black Lives Matter protest. Journalism I student Laniya Jones was inpsired to protest by the Black Lives Matter Movement. Illustration by Frances Thrasher

Viewpoints

December 2020

THE CORNISH CRITIQUE Viewpoints Editor Maya Cornish takes on a satirical view of how University of Georgia students have been adhering to COVID-19 regulations in Athens.

his is exactly how I envisioned my senior year. I don’t need to wear pants to class anymore because it’s all online. I get to experience life BY MAYA CORNISH through a 9-by-7 inch Viewpoints Editor computer screen, all thanks to the selfless efforts of the University of Georgia students’ need to continue the spread of COVID-19. Wearing masks and following the six-feet social distancing guideline is totally pointless. It’s not like a mask makes the wearer 80% safer, according to a 2020 study by clinical scientist Dr. Derek Chu.

Who said I wanted to be like a typical high school senior and spend time with my friends or participate in my extracurriculars?

It’s not like I cared about seeing my friends’ smiling faces as we made our way through our last year in high school. But, UGA is a very good school, so of course their students know better than an educated doctor. Who said I wanted to be like a typical high school senior and spend time with my friends, participate in my extracurriculars, and not worry about accidentally transmitting the virus to my immunocompromised grandmother who has cancer, all because college students can’t wear a simple piece of fabric on their face? According to former President Donald Trump, who is widely known for his reliance on scientific sources, the end of the pandemic is right around the corner. So, it doesn’t matter if I do get COVID-19 and become another number for the minimum 400,000 deaths in the U.S. It’s not like I cared about seeing my friends’ smiling faces as we made our way through our last year in high school, dancing the night away at the long-awaited prom and hearing our names called out when it is our turn to cross the stage at graduation. But what do I know? I’m only a high schooler, so

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Above: MASK MODELS: An illustration of five models wearing different types of masks is shown. University of Georgia students seem to be unaware of the variety of masks they can wear as they continue to ignore the guideline. Illustration by Frances Thrasher

it’s not like I actually have a life of my own. UGA students do, so they are clearly obligated to go out to bars and party at fraternities. In addition, UGA is a world-renowned school in many ways, such as having a top business school as well as the highest number of university COVID-19 cases in Georgia at 4,960, according to "The Red and Black", as of Dec. 16. At least I have something to write about for college and scholarship essays, how I was a part of the generation who “Zoomed” their way through school without actually learning anything. I could write about how no one wore masks and followed CDC

guidelines, so I never went back to school to finish my highly-anticipated senior year. So to the temporary Athens community members, please continue not wearing masks in public. Sneeze and cough on everything in sight. Don’t wash your hands when coming home. Please, do continue to go to multiple large events with little space for social distancing. My fellow Clarke County School District students and I would really, really appreciate it. O

Viewpoints

HEAD-TO-HEAD Viewpoints staffers Nicolas Willman and Essie Mitchell debate whether or not Clarke County School District high school students should return to in-person instruction.

larke County School District High Schools should not return to in-person instruction until the CCSD administration proposes a better plan for protecting students and staff from the COVID-19 virus. CCSD officials have discussed reopening high schools in 2021, just as cases for seasonal viruses like influenza and the common cold are expected to rise. BY NICOLAS WILLMAN According to the Center for Diease Control Viewpoints staffer director Robert Redfield, the vaccince won't be wildely availble to all Americans till the mid year of 2021, making it unsafe to have 1,800 Clarke Central High School students in the building for the rest of the 202021 school year. The CDC and Prevention’s data from high schools that have returned to in-person instruction in the United States and Europe show that the virus is transmitted about twice as much among adolescents than any other age group.

The virus is transmitted about twice as much among adolescents than any other age group. Also according to the CDC, COVID-19 has had a larger impact on low-income families and communities of color across the U.S.. Furthermore, a study by the American Medical Association found the COVID-19 infection rate was nearly eight times higher in counties where poverty and racial diversity were higher. There is a 77% minority enrollment at CCHS and the poverty rate in Athens Clarke-County is the eighth highest in Georgia and double the state rate of 13%. If CCHS returns in-person, health risks for students would be even more prevalent. True, the quality of digital learning is undoubtedly inferior to in-person learning as students have less class time and limited teacher engagement opportunities, but a solution should not deepen the public health danger to the school community and increase the risk of more people dying. Improving the quality and accessibility of digital by expanding opportunities for one-on-one tutoring and working with internet providers to ensure students have reliable access to Wi-Fi. O Featured: COVID-19 EDUCATION: An illustration shows viewpoints staffers (left to right) Nicolas Williman and Essie Mitchel with differing perspectives about whether to return to in-person instruction. While in-person instruction can be more beneficial than online learning, the concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic should be in high consideration. Illustration by Lillian Sams

Viewpoints

BY ESSIE MITCHELL Viewpoints staffer

he Clarke County School District should move high schools to in-person instruction due to the inadequate learning environment of online school that negatively impacts students’ mental and physical health. There are many factors that contribute to an unproductive learning environment for high school students at, home such as prolonged work periods on screens contributing to poor mental and physical health and lack of

When it is safe to return, students should be given the option to return to school to ensure the health of CCSD high school students. motivation all impact students negatively. According to a landmark study from National Institutes of Health of 10,000 children, those that were on screens for more than two hours a day scored lower on thinking and language tests than those who spent less time on screens. Additionally, online learning inflicts a physical toll on students learning in an online environment due to slouching and having their faces stuck to the computer screen all day. According to Rally Health, students and adults alike can develop “computer vision syndrome,” symptoms including dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches, after spending lengths of time staring at a computer screen as well as neck and shoulder pain from poor posture. Lastly, CCHS Assistant Principal Summer Smith has noticed that many students have difficulty keeping up with the increased workload from home. “I think that there are people who would have been okay, had we been face to face, that are struggling because they just need that extra support,” Smith said. “The two assignments (per week), it just builds up, and if you start to get behind, you almost feel like, ‘I’m never gonna be able to do all this.'" It is understandable that there is the fear of students and staff getting sick and contagious once they return to in-person school, which could lead to higher numbers of COVID-19. However, when it is safe to do so, students should be given the option to return to school to ensure the health of CCSD high school students. O

December 2020

BOILING POINT Academic culture is based on individual excellence, which kills the core values of education.

uantifying students with benchmarks such as class rank and GPA is the ultimate downfall of our education system. BY ELENA WEBBER Managing Editor This approach reduces a student’s value to a number and compares them to their peers, which inevitably puts students in a vicious cycle of degrading themselves. This inhibits them from pursuing their passions. Intense pressure to get good grades and have the highest class rank is detrimental to a student’s education. These goals discourage genuine interest in curriculum and instead promotes a disingenuous motive to memorize content to get ahead on the ranking scale. GPA is an arbitrary system that supposedly calculates a student’s academic worth but has little to do with the student’s actual measure of knowledge and intelligence. Ultimately, GPA is only a measure of how competent a student is at navigating and beating the system. It also compromises the content of teachings given to students and is sometimes so strong that it kills the core academic component of school altogether. According to the Educational Testing Service and Ad Council Campaign to Discourage Academic Cheating, cheating among high school students has risen dramatically during the past 50 years.

“73% of all test takers, including prospective graduate students and teachers, agree that most students do cheat at some point. 86% of high school students agreed (as well).” Instead of being educated students are being trained. Students should not study out of fear of a bad grade or a low GPA, but out of passion and earnesty. The current focus on grades makes

the way high schools calculate class rank and GPA, but there is an inherent flaw with how students are ranked. Schools apply different weights to classes of varying difficulty perception, but this is subjective. Why rank students when only the top students benefit and the majority of other students are disadvantaged?

Teachers should teach students how to learn and study effectively, think critically and how to innovate, not how to memorize information and pass tests. students scared of failing, when failing is the only way to truly learn. Teachers should teach students how to learn and study effectively, think critically and how to innovate, not how to memorize information and pass tests. College and university admission officers recognize the differences in student populations at different high schools and the differences in

These problems are central to the education system, making them difficult to change. We, as students, need strong leadership from educators that are willing to challenge this antiquated view. This calls for a shift in mindset about what learning and teaching means, but it’s necessary for the sake of future generations and students’ well being. In addition to this, doing away with the ranking system altogether may allow students to have the freedom and relief of taking classes they are interested in which will enhance the student’s learning abilities as well as their happiness. Above all, an emphasis on passion for learning and celebrating differences in learning styles in contrast to being punished based on one’s inability to memorize content for an exam is crucial. O

Above: NOT GOOD ENOUGH: A cartoon of five students with their grade point average and other academic achievements displayed above their heads is shown. Ranking students through GPA is detrimental to students’ mental health, self-esteem, and compromises the academic content of teachings. Illustration by Lilli Sams

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Viewpoints

GUEST WRITER Senior Tomás Dougan reflects on two important events in his life and how they’ve shaped his thoughts on compassion.

awoke -- fully clothed, lights on, and with my textbook still next to me on the bed. A brief affair with sleep BY TOMÁS DOUGAN left my eyes feeling heavy. I had to know how much of the night I lost in case I could salvage some effort to continue studying. But it was around 2:30 a.m., and at last, I resigned to grab a bottle of water from the kitchen instead. There was a faint glow coming from the bottom of the stairs. It was my dad. I remember being especially curious at what he was working on that night, because unlike usual, his laptop was cast aside on the couch, leaving lecture slides untended. “What are you doing up this late?” I asked him, quickly losing interest in my water bottle. But when I got closer I was able to figure it out for myself. Next to him were chemistry formulas and equations: he had been recording pages of them for my sister, who since her car accident in 2016 couldn’t reliably write them for class. “Nothing really, just copying down some notes,” he said. On the lamp desk to his left I saw her pill box; he must’ve also finished refilling them for the week. He had grants to write and research to work on, yet somehow, so late at night, he was still writing chemistry notes for my sister. That year I worked as a host at a local diner. One night, the dinner rush had picked up more than usual, and all of the sudden I found myself with a massive waitlist.

Whether from school or work, when I feel absorbed by my own grief, I recognize how important it is not to let it affect my connection to others My head quickly grew clouded by thoughts on which tables to bus, which guests to seat and what time the wait was, all while new parties of six or eight kept on flooding in. “Hey, Tomás, we have a problem.” In the middle of it all, I was called over. A pipe had burst, and it was spewing hot water all over the bar and kitchen. I felt dread sweep over me, but as that familiar

heaviness sank in, my thoughts returned to my father. Giving me rides, taking my sister to therapy, cooking dinner every night, he always managed to surpass the weight of his own troubles and help us. So, using his example, I picked myself up and ignored the bearing weight. Then on, at any spare moment, I was running up and down Washington Street, rife with its bars and restaurants, asking any businesses if they could loan us some duct tape. I managed to tape up the pipe until we could get a permanent fix, but regardless, just the decision to take action had changed me somewhat. Whether from school or work, when I feel absorbed by my own grief, I recognize how important it is not to let it affect my connection to others. I have many aspirations in life, but above all, I hope I achieve that will of character -- to show compassion when I may need it myself, and to be more like my father. O

Giving me rides, taking my sister to therapy, cooking dinner every night, he always managed to surpass the weight of his own troubles and help us. Above: COMPASSION: A portrait of Clarke Central High School senior Tomás Dougan’s father, Scott Dougan. Tomás shares his story of being deeply inspired by his father through subtle acts of selflessness Illustration by Tomás Dougan

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December 2020

DEa

Above: HELPING TEACHERS: Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean stands in front of the ceremonial entrance at CCHS. Dean enjoys her job as Assistant Principal because she can help more students. “When I’m observing teachers and coaching them and we’re working through lesson plans, and we’re talking about all things as far as an instructional leader is concerned, I’m able to touch even more students than I previously was,” Dean said. Photo by Luna Reichert

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an’s Direction During her 15-year career, CCHS Assistant Principal Latinda Dean has gone from English teacher to instructional coach to administrator, driven by a passion for helping students.

hether Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean is discussing behavioral issues with a student, observing teachers in classes or monitoring students transitioning between periods, the interactions with students has always been her favorite part of working in education. Dean’s journey began once she graduated from the University of Georgia in 2005 with an English degree, initially interested in journalism. “I didn’t exactly decide (to go into education originally). I went to school at UGA, and upon graduating, I was unemployed. Someone told my mother about an English teacher position that was available in the next county, and I was able to secure the job,” Dean said. “I thought that it was something that I would do for maybe a year, but each year went by and I realized, this is really what I’m supposed to be doing.” Once Dean realized that education was what she wanted to do, she Story and layout by NATALIE SCHLIEKELMAN News Editor

“As a person because she is so caring and thinking of others all the time, I can see her transferring those interpersonal skills that she has to making sure her students receive a good education.” -- ineaky Biggins-Daniels, Dean’s cousin

decided to complete the Teacher Alternative Preparation Program, took the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators for educational leadership and received an educational specialist degree. “Having those two (certifications) are what (eventually) allowed me to pivot and go after positions that were outside of the classroom, such as the instructional coach position and my current administrative position,” Dean said. Even before Dean became a teacher, Ineakey Biggins-Daniels, Dean’s cousin, had always seen Dean as compassionate and dedicated, making education a natural fit for her. “As a person, because she is so caring and thinking of others all the time, I can see her transferring those interpersonal skills that she has to making sure her students receive a good education. Making sure that they are heard, making sure that what they feel matters,” Biggins-Daniels said. Dean worked as an instructional coach at Central High School in Macon, Georgia and English Department Chair at Albany High School in Albany, Georgia. “I have high expectations for my students at all times. I still do, that

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December 2020

Above: LOOKING OUT FOR STUDENTS: Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean leans again the Ceremonial Entrance at CCHS. Dean takes on many responsibilities as Assistant Princpal such as ensure students keep up attendance. “If students are struggling with attendance, I'm working with people like our school social workers to figure out what's going on going on. I'm trying to contact the parents to see if we can get that improved,” Dean said. Photo by Luna Reichert

Below: WORKING HARD: Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Dean works at her desk in her office at CCHS. Dean enjoys her job as CCHS assistant principal, and has learned a lot from it. “One thing I will say is that you, you learn that you have to be very organized and aware of time management, because you do have so many things on your plate, and so many hats to wear,” Dean said. “And so it’s not a position where you can procrastinate and wait to do things.” Photo by Luna Reichert

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will never change. But students also knew that I really cared about them as individuals and as human beings,” Dean said. “Being genuine, and having a very caring and positive attitude towards students, in addition to being someone who is well-versed in your content area -- I think it takes both, I don’t think one works without the other.” Albany High School alumna Alaina Lewis formed a strong bond with Dean as a student, and along with some of her classmates, has continued to keep in touch. “With me and the people who went to high school with me, I’ve seen people still communicate with her and people still check in and let her know how they’re doing. While she was my teacher, I would stay after class, or I would come to school to talk to her,” Lewis said. “We developed a further teacher-student relationship. As I (continued) through high school, I still would go back and visit her and talk to her whenever I was free.” Soon after her transition into this new field, Biggins-Daniels saw the fulfillment it brought her. “Once she took the teaching job she really saw that it was a need, that she had a passion for it. So I was happy for her in that regard, and I really think that the education field speaks to her and she speaks to education,” Biggins-Daniels said. When Dean interacts with students, she is able to fulfill one of her core tenets, which is a motivation to help and support others. “One of the most important things for me as a person is to help other people, and in teaching, you’re helping students to learn, helping students to grow,” Dean said. “If you’re really fortunate, you helped to spark their interest in something and help them to begin to think about what they want to do with their life. It has allowed me to fulfill that part of myself that always needs to help somebody. In education, that is the work.” After spending time working with students on a smaller scale, Dean sought leadership positions and began her role as an administrator for the 2019-20 school year. “Before being an administrator and an instructional coach, I was a classroom

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teacher for many years, and I had a direct connection because I saw students day in and day out,” Dean said. “As an administrator, similar situation. Now I’m able to touch even more students than I previously was, because I’m impacting instruction from the top down.” For Dean, the motivation to help students in an administrative capacity stems from the gratification of seeing their successes. “I have had a couple students tell me, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I would not have graduated, I would have dropped out.’ When it’s graduation time and I see them with their caps and gown on, a lot of times I actually cry, because I realize that that is a huge milestone for them, and I’m just glad that I could be even a little part of it. I still will always get random messages saying, ‘Thank you for helping me’ or, ‘Thank you for supporting me,’” Dean said. Lewis views Dean’s desire to take an administrative position as a product of Dean’s passion for supporting her students. “I’ve been happy to see her go from being a teacher to now being an administrator,” Lewis said. “I feel like her love and caring for students is very present. I’ve definitely had teachers where I’m just going to class and that’s all they’re doing with me, but that (was) not the case with her.” In addition to helping students, Dean’s new position as an administrator allows her to also build relationships with teachers. “(I can support teachers) when I’m observing (them) and coaching them and we’re working through lesson plans, and we’re talking about all things as far as an instructional leader is concerned.” When CCHS English department teacher Jennifer Tesler sought out Dean for help, she was always eager

Below: FAMILY SUPPORT: Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean poses for a picture with her cousin, Ineakey Biggins-Daniel at Dean's graduation from Troy University. Dean and Biggins-Daniel have a close relationship, and Biggins-Daniel helped influence Dean to go into teaching. “I entered the TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) program and after I did she and I talked about it, and later she decided to do it as well,” Biggins said. “Once she decided to do it, I really think it was good for her. It very much so fit her profile.” Photo courtesy of Latinda Dean

Since working with Dean, CCHS Assistant Principal Reginald Thomas has always seen her passion for students and education. “She’s passionate about her work, she’s passionate about equity and equality for all of our students, and she’s passionate about making sure that instruction is going on in the classroom,” Thomas said. “Students are a top priority for her, and when she feels like students aren’t getting what they need academically, or that instruction is not up to par, I think that bothers her more than some other things. That’s what it should be about, pushing the teachers to make sure that they are providing relevant instruction and rigorous instruction.” Looking back over her career, Dean can see the many lessons she learned from her students that she hopes to continue to apply as CCHS Assistant Principal her career continues. “Because I’m an educator, I think I’m a patient person. Because you have to have patience. You have to have a positive attitude. You have to be resilient,” Dean said. “You have to be a very compassionate and caring person because our students do not come from the same background, and some of our students come from some really difficult situations, and they have experienced things as teenagers that I’ve not experienced as an adult.” O

“One of the most important things for me as a person is to help other people, and in teaching you’re helping students to learn, helping students to grow.” --lATINDA DEAN to offer aid. “I’ve reached out to her multiple times to ask for her opinions on some of the lessons that we’re creating (for Multicultural Literature), and she has given suggestions on curriculum. Ms. Dean has offered ideas for specific texts that we could use and she’s really been supportive,” Tesler said. “When the pandemic first started in the spring, she would always check in on us over Zoom, just to make sure that teachers were doing alright.”

Above: ASPIRING LEADER: (Right) Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean stands next to (left Bibb County School District Superintendent Curist Jones) to accept a certificate for the Aspiring Leaders Program. As an educator, Dean has found that it’s important to be respectful when working with students. “You are helping students in some shape, form or fashion,” Dean said. “I also will say, because I’m an educator, I think I’m a patient person. Because you have to have patience. You have to have a positive attitude. You have to be resilient. You have to be a very compassionate and caring person." Photo courtesy of Latinda Dean

Top right: STUDENT-TEACHER BOND: Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Latinda Dean poses for a picture with former student, Alaina Lewis, at her graduation in 2017. Dean taught Lewis as an English teacher in her freshman year, and they formed a close bond throughout Lewis’ high school career. “While she was my teacher, I would stay after cwlass, or I would come to school to talk to her. We developed a further teacher-student relationship. And then as I (progressed) through high school, I still would go back and visit her and talk to her whenever I was free.” Photo courtesy of Latinda Dean

Features

December 2020

Above: ACTIVISM IN ATHENS: Athens activist Imani Scott-Blackwell stands on the University of Georgia campus on Nov. 24, 2020. Scott-Blackwell has participated in activism within the Athens community since she attended UGA. “The revolution and change really does start at home and in our own lives,” Scott-Blackwell said. “So it can be as easy as making those subtle changes in the way that we engage in our own community before even getting involved in any organization or trying to start anything, or anything else like that.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser

Q&A: athens activitist Imani Scott-blackwell Local activist Imani Scott-Blackwell shares her experience and goals regarding activism in the Athens community with Lead Copy Editor Audrey Enghauser. BY AUDREY ENGHAUSER Lead Copy Editor

How did you start getting involved in activism in Athens? I started getting involved actually because -- well, (it’s) a long story, honestly. But the short version would be I got kicked out of high school when I was a senior, and fortunately, still got into (the University of Georgia), but was having a really rough time adjusting for a number of reasons, like dealing with depression and anxiety. But also, (I) hadn't been in school for over a year and was then trying

to adjust to college, which was a lot. That's around the same time that the documentary 13th had come out, and some other social issue documentaries. I was binge-watching those in my depression and anxiety-induced insomnia states. I was mainly living off of documentaries, basically, instead of actually going to my classes. One day, I stumbled upon an (Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement) meeting

where they were talking about the school-to-prison pipeline and that was when it really resonated for me with my own experience being kicked out of school. That was pretty much the beginning, I've been doing work in Athens ever since.

How has becoming involved in activism changed you? In a lot of ways, honestly, it definitely brought me out of a very dark period of my life. And helped me to really clarify the things that I was personally responsible for, and then also being able to separate the things that have systemic causes. Realizing this

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-- oh wow, not all of this is on me -- as they would have allowed me to believe, as if it was just as simple as being kicked out of school for breaking a rule, but not rather than all of the ways that school discipline factors into our society’s obsession with

punishment and incarceration. So being able to finally see those pathways really laid out clearly and the way that really without both luck and privilege that I was able to avoid actually ending up in prison.

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What issues are you involved in and what are your main goals for the community?

I would say my main goals, or what I consider to be like my purpose, is being able to facilitate pathways for youth leadership. That’s always been something that’s very important to me, as well as focusing specifically on reforming our education system. And the ways that leads into both addressing and finding the school to prison pipeline, and ultimately leading to a vision of abolition (the current prison system) altogether and actually investing in communi-

ty safety that empowers communities to be a part of their own safety rather than sort of just offloading that responsibility to an entity like the police that then is trying to respond to homelessness, and the fact that we don’t have affordable housing or healthcare, and that drug issues are thing and people are dealing with those illnesses without having access to healthcare. I am 100% confident that that doesn’t make sense to me as a model. So, I’m committed to

being able to facilitate a process where community members can start reimagining these processes for themselves and deciding, what do we want? What do we see the police doing that we believe has to be some sort of external party, and then also what are things that we can start to build into our own expectations for what it means to be in a community -- to live in community?

what has your involvement been in pushing for that in Athens, as well as that of others in the community? Yeah, so (AADM) has been leading the charge around a civilian police accountability board. That’s something that I pitched to (AADM co-founder Mokah Jasmine Johnson) maybe three or four years ago after stumbling across some research about similar boards in other cities. So that’s one critical component is building in police accountability while we are trying to build alternative systems. I feel like that’s an important step sort of in the in between time. Now, this project through (co-founding) the People’s Budget Initiative, I’m working to bring the First Peoples’ assembly to Athens, which

is essentially a vehicle where community members can get together and discuss either if there’s a problem in the community, or they want to brainstorm solutions for a project. So in this case, the first one will be on Nov. 16 (with) the goal being to bring community members and Athens together to start seeing what we already have access to and planning our own project proposals from there. So the way I see it, we make up the government, we make up the (University of Georgia) system, we make up the community. So as far as what makes the community

run, we are the experts. Community members are the ones that actually go to their jobs every day to make (these systems) function. So as far as being able to take that experience to provide feedback and participate in a process where we imagine ways to provide solutions to some of the issues that we’re seeing in the community and can work on together, that is like something I think is really important. And right now we don’t have a container for those sorts of conversations to take place, so that is what I’m working to bring.

What do you feel is the future of social justice activism in Athens? Honestly, I would say now, or at least as far as I’m concerned, one thing that I think is really important is an emphasis on training and development. So

that’s one thing that I hope to see be the focus of the future of social justice, is a little bit more emphasis on actual training and professional devel-

opment. People get professional development for any other field, it’s also important for this one. O

Left: HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE: Local Athens activist Imani Scott-Blackwell stands on the University of Georgia campus on Nov. 24. Scott-Blackwell is passionate about a people’s budget system in Athens to allow community members to have more input in the city’s budget. “If community members are given more control over how our dollars are spent, you'll definitely see changes in the budget. Because right now, the policing, and jail and courts budget is disproportionately represented in the overall budget,” Scott-Blackwell said. “I imagine if people have the opportunity to speak more directly to what they need, we can actually meet their needs on the front end and prevent and reduce crime, rather than only relying on policing, which is inherently a reactionary and responsive framework.” Photo by Audrey Enghauser

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December 2020

the

digital divide

Above: STUCK IN SILENCE: A teacher begs for a response in an online class while students remain silent with their cameras disabled. This has been the reality for many Clarke Central High School teachers with online learning, such as English department teacher Lindsay Coleman Taylor. “I am a teacher who thrives off of the feedback that I get from kids. I feel as though I am a better teacher for them when I know that they are receiving certain information positively, or that they need more because of the way that they interact with me,” Coleman Taylor said. “I'm not getting a lot of that feedback, I'm getting a lot of black screens with names on them, and that's very difficult to keep smiling and being like, ‘Good morning!’ to someone who literally has never spoken. You don't know what they look like, you don't know what they sound like, so it's very difficult to make those one on one connections.” Illustration by Lillian Sams

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BY ELIZA INGLE News Staffer

BY OWEN DONNELLY Co-Editor-in-Chief

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LILLIAN SAMS Illustrator

Remote learning has revealed challenges for the CCHS student body, making it difficult for students to get the quality of instruction they need.

igh school students in the Clarke County School District have participated exclusively in remote learning since March 2020. Students have been expected to show up to four 60-minute class sessions via Zoom every weekday except Fridays. Along with a new learning environment, virtual classroom expectations have been implemented to better ensure classroom participation. One of these expectations was that students would attend class with cameras enabled. “Initially, the directive (was that students) should have cameras on. We need to be able to see that they are present,” Clarke Central High School math department teacher Eric McCullough said. As the year unfolded teachers and administrators discovered that many students were unable or unwilling to turn their cameras on for various reasons. “Then as time rolled on, people brought up concerns of the environment that some of the kids live in. So (now) if they want to turn it on, great, encourage it, but if they don't, don't press them about it,” McCullough said. Some teachers are concerned about the engagement of students who have their cameras turned off in class. “I have no idea what’s going on behind (my students’) screens. If you’re not showing your camera, you could have walked away, and I don’t really know if you’re there or not until I do a check-in,” McCullough said. “Knowing what’s going on with (my students) and knowing if they’re OK is a challenge.” For CCHS senior Viki Lee, sharing your face and environment is a personal matter, and is influenced by other students’ participation in the class. “It gets more daunting (to turn my camera on) because I have self-esteem issues -- I don't like it when people judge how I look. I think this goes for most people. It's always easier to get people to (enable) their cameras if somebody already has started that trend,” Lee said. Discomforts such as Lee’s illuminate other issues remote learning poses on students’ mental health, and the CCSD administration recognizes this. “I know (COVID-19) is real. I know the side effects. I know how they linger. My husband and I had a close family member die, they worked in law enforcement, and they were exposed in a hospital,” CCSD Superintendent Xernona Thomas said. “It's real, it hurts, I get it. I also get that students becoming depressed is real, students attempting suicide because they can't connect with friends is real. Students only sitting on a computer all day is real.” Within the school building, CCHS administrators, such as Assistant Principal Summer Smith, recognize the hard-

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December 2020

Left: SCARED TO ENABLE: A student worries over enabling their video in class. Some students have expressed discomfort or anxiety with doing so. Illustration by Lillian Sams

ships for students living through the pandemic and its relation to their education. “Student mental health is a challenge right now, just outside of school, just living through this pandemic, and what it's done to (students) and (their) social life and how that affects you emotionally,” Smith said. “Then when you're in a bad place emotionally, it's hard to show up for Zoom and do some math.” To aid with student mental health, the CCHS administration hired mental health counselor Claudia Ravenell to address student emotional support for the 2020-21 school year. “We decided to bring on another counselor, which was a very wise idea I think because that counselor only addresses kids who are in crisis,” CCHS Principal Dr. Swade Huff said. “That allows other counselors to support kids with their academic pursuits outside of graduating from Clarke Central.” As counselors work to ensure students graduate, other staff members are focused on helping families through daily challenges. “I definitely try to meet the families where they are. As a staff, we have to be on Zooms all day long. I'm exhausted. I know teachers are exhausted. So I get it. I do,” CCHS social worker Bianca Culver said. “Things come up -- I've been on Zooms where babies are crying, people are yelling, all types of stuff.” Despite these challenges, CCHS English department teacher Jennifer Tesler has seen some of her students benefit from the structure of online school. “I think that as much as we need to be together socially, some people do well in an environment like

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this,” Tesler said. “I have seen quite a bit of productive, good work. It might be because so many kids had that (extended summer) to think about things.” For students like those Tesler has noticed, online school has proven itself as an opportunity to boost grades with a new grading policy that doesn’t allow penalization of late work. CCHS senior Tyrese Harris questions the effectiveness of this change. “This is like the first time I've had an A in English Language Arts. So yeah, I'm liking virtual for sure,” Harris said. “It's like an easy thing to do. (But) I feel like I'm not really learning. It's way easier, which is a bad thing because I need to be learning.”

“Student mental health is a challenge right now, just outside of school, just living through this pandemic, and what it’s done to you guys and your social life and, and how that affects you emotionally.” -- summer smith

CCHS Assistant Principal

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Even with new grading policies, not all students have the tools or means to act out a full education remotely. McCullough has seen issues with technology and Wi-Fi connection among students and has had to work to ensure they received the necessary attention. “It’s the same five or six kids that I teach that are constantly logging in and out, and it's just because their connection is going out,” McCullough said. “(I try to be) really understanding (about them having) a bad internet connection, as long as they’re trying to be active and can get the assignment done in a reasonable amount of time.”

“We’ve ordered hotspots for students. However, they’re back-ordered nationwide, and we can’t do more than that." --Dr. Linda boza CCHS Associate Princpal

In order to combat this, district administration has made efforts to provide supplemental tools to students in order to ensure a meaningful learning environment. However, such resources are not always readily available.

“We’ve ordered hotspots for students. However, they’re back-ordered nationwide, and we can’t do more than that. I know there was talk about (providing Wi-Fi) to all of Athens, and that would be a miracle because we wouldn’t have this problem,” CCHS Assistant Principal Boza Dr. Linda Boza said. “We have students who have Wi-Fi, but it’s spotty. We have teachers with spotty internet just because of where they live. I’ve been in classes where the teacher just freezes.” When pre-K through eighth-grade classes returned to in-person learning on Nov. 9, 2020, food drop-offs via school bus stopped, meaning families had to travel to receive the meals they normally would have otherwise received at school. “The parents actually just have to go to certain schools that have the food. I know that has been a barrier for some families. Just last week we had a family reach out and say, ‘I don't have transportation, and the closest (school) to me is like two miles away, and that's just not efficient,’” Culver said. With the return to in-person learning in question for high schools, Thomas says her administration continues to brainstorm ways to make a physical return possible. “There is a team working right now on how we can try to modify what we're offering for high school. You have to be creative when we can't use old solutions for new problems,” Thomas said. “So maybe you do half of your day virtually and half of your day face to face, maybe you do a staggered schedule, half of your high schoolers come before the AM and the other half come for the PM. Those are all just maybe’s, but that's where we are now is really pushing ourselves to be creative in how we

“I definitely try to meet the families where they are. As a staff, we have to be on Zooms all day long. I’m exhausted. I know teachers are exhausted. So I get it. I do.” -- Bianca Culver CCHS Social Worker approach it.” Despite school-wide frustrations over the virtual learning space, Tesler sees this era of online learning as an opportunity to reimagine the way that students learn. “I think this is the perfect time to think outside of the box, to analyze and examine the way that we have traditionally always done school and think about how it could be done differently,” Tesler said. “I don't know if we are doing that or if we're just trying to get it done with the same structure in a virtual space, instead of thinking about how it could look virtually in a different way.””O

Left: ALONE IN ISOLATION: A teenager sits in his room and plays video games while his Zoom class runs in the background. This is the new reality for many students at Clarke Central High School, such as senior Sean Armour. “Online school isn’t that hard. A lot of the time I’ll just put zoom on in the background and just play video games or do whatever. It’s kind of like just having nothing to do all day,” Armour said. Illustration by Lillian Sams

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December 2020

Happy Holidays from: The red cross club

Below: HELPING OTHERS: A letter from Clarke Central High School Red Cross Club Community Outreach Co-Director Katie Sue Martin-Williams, a senior, to an elderly community member is shown in front of a Christmas tree. According to Martin-Williams there are always opportunities for people to become a pen pal. “There are so many different homes around Athens and (the) Clarke County School District. You can just look (them) up and call them and they’ll be happy to give you the names of people. And it doesn’t have to be a personal message. You can always write a letter to somebody without knowing their name just to say a little ‘Hi’ (and) draw something for them, too.” Photos courtesy of Katie Sue Martin-Williams

The CCHS Red Cross Club has begun a pen pal program with members of retirement homes and the elderly in the Athens community.

he Clarke Central High School Red Cross Club has started a pen pal program that will facilitate letter writing to elderly members of the Athens community throughout the 2020-21 school year. “(The letters are) going to senior citizens and retirement homes, and our goal is to (have) each of our members write one person at least once a week,” CCHS Red Cross Club Community Outreach co-director Katie Sue Martin-Williams, a senior, said. “We are going to be writing to Iris Place, Talmage Terrace

BY IRELAND McCAGE Digital Managing Editor

“My grandfather used to live at Iris Place, (so) I know that a lot of times elders get lonely (since) there’s less people to visit them. During COVID, I was thinking, who’s checking up on them? ” --Katie sue Martin-Williams, Red Cross Club Community Outreach co-director

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and also (the) Athens Community Council on Aging. (The program is) going to go on as long as possible.” Martin-Williams was originally inspired to implement this program by her grandfather, who has been isolated from family due to COVID-19 precautions. “My grandfather used to live at Iris Place, (so) I know that a lot of times elders get lonely (since) there’s less people to visit them. During COVID, I was thinking, who's checking up on them,” Martin-Williams said. “Nobody can come into their houses anymore. They're basically on more of a lockdown than us, so I thought it'd be a nice thing to reach out to them. CCHS Red Cross Club President Evelyn Moser, a senior, wants the letters to feel like a conversation, even if it is via mail. “(I want our members to) just start up a conversation. You can talk about your favorite foods, (or) what sport you play,” Moser said. “You ask them questions--How's their family? What are they doing for the holidays? Just things like that, (making) small talk.” One aim Moser has for this project is to encourage CCHS students to increase their outreach. “Clarke Central (students), in the past, has not really been known for connecting with their

“And I think that this (program) is a way to show that Clarke Central does care, and we want to help in any way we can.” -- Evelyn Moser, Red Cross Club President community,” Moser said. “And I think that this (program) is a way to show that Clarke Central does care, and we want to help in any way we can.” Martin-Williams' hope for the project is that the elderly have a way to connect with their community while still staying safe. “I just want people in the community to have someone to talk to because teenagers rely so heavily on social media and texting and a lot of people don't know how to (do that),” Martin-Williams said. “Maybe they're estranged (from) their family (or) their family can't come see them. I just think it's really nice for them to be able to be in contact with the community.”O

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December 2020

By EMMA SCOTT Variety Editor

The female list-maker archetype has become more complex on TV but society continues to define successful women by a singular characteristic.

emale characters are often portrayed in film and television as multifaceted, but reality falls behind in understanding women seriously as complex characters. Paris Geller, a side character from the early 2000s series “Gilmore Girls”, was depicted as someone who lacked social awareness because she was an obsessive high-achiever. When “Parks and Recreation” premiered in 2009, the show put the list-making side character front and center as Leslie Knope, a career woman devoted to organization. Though her binders served as a source of hilarity, Knope evolved as a nuanced character with deep friendships and a strong romantic relationship, making her more socially developed than Geller. In 2014, “Jane the Virgin” brought telenovelas to an American audience with a determined female lead with clear values and goals. Jane, the organized high-achiever, was the romantic lead juggling responsibilities with family, work and school. The viewer sees that her list-making is crucial to her success, but not her entire identity. This year, we have seen driven female leads whose hyper-organization is just a small part of their story. “Never Have I Ever” and “Unpregnant” main character high achievers who are exploring other aspects of their identities rather than their established intelligence. These recent protagonists indicated that one part of a character cannot be extrapolated to define all of who they are, but the real world is a slower learner. For example, news media has chosen to focus on one aspect of recent high-achieving women

in politics instead of accepting that they are just as complex as the characters we have begun to see in film and television. From the time her official White House portrait went up in 2009, in which she wore a sleeveless dress, Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s arms were a topic of discussion that overshadowed her political initiatives. Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s voice has been called unpleasantly shrill, in contrast to the lower, more “authoritative” voices of the men she has debated. The traditions of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s religious community have been extrapolated to assume what her own policies would be. More recently, Jill Biden’s doctorate in education was disparaged by a "Wall Street Journal" writer because she does not practice medicine. While film and television are making progress in representing accomplished women, the loudest voices in society are still unable to see these women’s minds behind unrelated personal traits. This is problematic because young women see that successful women are held to reductive standards, and being taken seriously as a complex character is in the realm of fiction. Reducing women, in fiction or real life, to one characteristic is sexist and lazy. Audiences who have enjoyed watching film and television tell the stories of more complex women should insist that real women not be seen as two-dimensional caricatures of success. O

This is problematic because young women see that successful women are held to reductive standards in real life.

Left: MORE THAN LIST-MAKERS: (Top to bottom) Paris Geller, Leslie Knope, Jane Villanueva, Devi Vishwakumar and Veronica Clarke are all characters from film and television who fall under the high-achieving, list-maker archetype. Film and television have evolved to portray organized female characters in a more generous and complex light, but the real world lags behind. Illistrations by Emma Scott

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CULTURAL BUZZ Peloton App

Sugar Cookie Kisses

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From challenges to achievements, the Peloton app has a variety of fun ways to keep users motivated to exercise while theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stuck at home. Instructors keep their classes upbeat and exciting so everyone has the energy to get through a tough workout.

Â&#x2020;8Â´Â´bÂ´ |8Ă&#x2021;b 8 Ă&#x2C6; Yb Âą8Â&#x152;tb Â?n Y noOĂ Â&#x2020;ÂźĂ&#x160; 8Â&#x152;Y Â&#x2030;Ă Â´ OV making the experience inclusive for anyone who wants a good home workout in place of the gym. No equipment is necessary unless members choose to buy it, and the app includes every class on the bike and treadmill, as well as exclusive app-only outdoor running classes. Navigation is simple and easy with clear labelling and organization, and users will become addicted to completing monthly challenges and exercising with friends. Peloton is not just a workout app, it is a community.

Anyone who has ever wondered what a scented candle tastes like should look no further. Hersheyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s released its 2020 holiday candy line, Â&#x152;OÂ&#x2020;Ă Y Â&#x152;t Â´Ă t8Âą OÂ?Â?Â&#x2026; b~q8Ă&#x2021;Â?ÂąbY bÂąÂ´|bĂ&#x160;ÂŽÂ´ Â´Â´bÂ´V Â&#x152; OÂźÂ?FbÂąÂĄ ,|b OÂ?Â&#x152; O8Â&#x2020; ÂźÂąb8Âź YbobÂ´ 8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; Â&#x2020;8Ă&#x2C6;Â´ Â?n O|Â?OÂ?Â&#x2020;8Âźb by attempting to mimic vanilla cookies sprinkled with red and green sugar. ,|b Â?Âą t Â&#x152;8Â&#x2020; bÂąÂ´|bĂ&#x160;ÂŽÂ´ Â´Â´bÂ´ Â&#x2020;8OÂ&#x2026; 8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; Â?n Âź|b Â´ tÂ&#x152;8ture components of a real sugar cookie -- the texture, Â´|8Â&#x153;bV 8Â&#x152;Y q8Ă&#x2021;Â?ÂąÂĄ bÂąÂ´|bĂ&#x160;ÂŽÂ´ t8Â&#x2030;FÂ&#x2020;bY Â?Â&#x152; Âź|b F Â´OĂ Âź color and sprinkles fooling the eye, but it was a miss because the treat is neither chocolate nor cookie. Those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a bag of these should consider displaying them in a bowl instead of consuming them. The decorative foil is festive and can serve as do-it-yourself holiday decor, a considerable improvement on their original purpose. -- Emma Scott, 9DULHW\ (GLWRU

Singer-songwriter Ariana Grande once again treats her listeners to a whirlwind of collected emotion through her most recent studio album ÂŤ(Â?Â´ Âź Â?Â&#x152;Â´VÂŹ ÂąbÂ&#x2020;b8Â´bY Â?Â&#x152; OÂźÂĄ Â˝Ă&#x17D;V Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17D;ÂĄ ,|b 8Â&#x2020;FĂ Â&#x2030; consists of 14 tracks that cover a variety of topics such as love, intimacy, grief and healing. In this album, there are several times listeners are taken out of the traditional pop and contemporary R&B scene that Grande has to offer, in order to display a more soul-stirring vulnerability. Although the sounds of this album differ from most of her past work, fans will appreciate the intimate side of Grande. The album can be streamed on all major platforms, including YouTube and SoundCloud.

-- Chloe Sears, 9DULHW\ 6WDIIHU

BY ANTONIO STARKS 9DULHW\ 6WDIIHU

-- Kalliope Samaltanos, Viewpoints Staffer

Jewel Box

Â?Â&#x153; OÂ?Â&#x152; Â&#x2020;ÂźÂ?Â&#x152; Â?|Â&#x152; ÂąbÂ&#x2020;b8Â´bY | Â´ Â&#x152;bĂ&#x2C6; 8Â&#x2020;FĂ Â&#x2030;V ÂŤ bĂ&#x2C6;bÂ&#x2020; Â?Ă&#x2030;ÂŹ Â?Â&#x152; Â?Ă&#x2021; Ă&#x2021; Â&#x2014;Â˝V Ă&#x2C6;| O| Â´ Â?Ă&#x2021;bÂąqÂ?Ă&#x2C6; Â&#x152;t Ă&#x2C6; Âź| Âą8Âą Âź bÂ´ nÂąÂ?Â&#x2030; Â&#x2014;Â?Â¸p ÂźÂ? Â&#x2014;Â?ÂˇÂ&#x2014;V Â&#x2020;bÂ´Â´Â´er-known B-sides, and deep cuts curated by John himself totalingg at 148 tracks. These songs trace all throughout Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career, from his earlyy

days to now. Âź nb8ÂźĂ ÂąbÂ´ Â´Â?Â&#x152;tÂ´ Â&#x2020; Â&#x2026;b ÂŤ+|Â?Â?Âź Â?Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x152; Âź|b Â?Â?Â&#x152; Â&#x17E;Â&#x2014;Â?gpÂ&#x;VÂŹ 8 OÂ&#x2020;8Â´Â´ O F8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;8Y oÂ&#x2020;Â&#x2020;bY Ă&#x2C6; Âź| Â?|Â&#x152;ÂŽÂ´ Â´ tnature piano playing a blend of various string instruments and his entrancing voice. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Â´Â?Â&#x152;t ÂŤĂ?Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; ,|8Âź ÂŽÂ&#x2030; Ă?Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Â?Ă&#x2C6;bY Â&#x17E; ÂŽÂ&#x2030; ,|8Â&#x152;Â&#x2026;nĂ Â&#x2020;Â&#x; Â&#x17E;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x17D;sÂ&#x;ÂŹ |8Â´ 8 Â´Â&#x2020;Â?Ă&#x2C6; 8Â&#x152;Y Â&#x2030;bÂ&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Â?Ă&#x2C6; ÂźĂ Â&#x152;b Âź|8Âź FĂ Â&#x2020;YÂ´ up to a wondrous chorus that makes the listener want to sing with him. The tracks featured give a vintage vibe with synth pianos, keyboards and a classic '80s ÂąbĂ&#x2021;bÂąF bO|Â? Â?Â&#x152; Â?|Â&#x152;ÂŽÂ´ Ă&#x2021;Â? ObÂĄ Ă? Â&#x152;bĂ&#x2021;bÂą FbnÂ?Âąb ÂąbÂ&#x2020;b8Â´bY Â´Â?Â&#x152;tV ÂŤ,|b Â?ÂąÂź|ÂŹ bÂ&#x152;O8Â&#x153;Â´Ă Â&#x2020;8ÂźbÂ´ Âź| Â´ essence with itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eerie, ethereal tone and gated drum reverb. *bOÂ?ÂąYÂ´ Â&#x2020; Â&#x2026;b ÂŤ Ă&#x160; )Ă OÂ&#x2026;Â´8Â&#x152;YÂŹ |8Ă&#x2021;b 8 Â´Â?Â&#x2020;bÂ&#x2030;Â&#x152; 8Â&#x152;Y OÂ?Â&#x2030;Â&#x153;Â&#x2020; O8ÂźbY Âź Â&#x2030;FÂąb Ă&#x2C6; Âź| Â´Â&#x2026; Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;nĂ Â&#x2020; Â&#x153; 8Â&#x152;Â? qÂ?Ă Âą Â´|bÂ´V Ă&#x2C6;| Â&#x2020;b Â?Âź|bÂąÂ´ Â&#x2020; Â&#x2026;b ÂŤ 8Ă&#x2021;b bÂąOĂ&#x160; Â&#x152; ,|b Âą Â&#x2030; Â&#x152;8Â&#x2020; Â&#x17E;ÂąbÂ&#x2030;8Â´ÂźbÂąbY Â&#x152; Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x17D;Â&#x2014;ÂˇÂ&#x;ÂŹ 8Âąb Â&#x2030;Â?Âąb steady and slower with a forceful and powerful rock presence. As with most things, the album isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perfect. Its lengthiness can be boring at times and it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a very cohesive theme since the tracks were made at different times. It does have ve some repetitiveness and the piano can be very tiring. This album is recommended for diehard Elton John fans. For newer listeners, it might be best st to Â&#x2020; Â´ÂźbÂ&#x152; ÂźÂ? Âź O8Â´Ă 8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Ă&#x160; 8Â&#x152;Y O| Â&#x153; 8Âź Âź Â&#x153; bOb FĂ&#x160; Â&#x153; bOb Â?Ă&#x2021;bÂą 8 Â&#x153;bÂą Â?Y Â?n Âź Â&#x2030;bÂĄ ÂŤ bĂ&#x2C6;bÂ&#x2020; Â?Ă&#x2030;ÂŹ Â´ 8 Ă&#x2C6;bÂ&#x2020;Â&#x2020;~YbÂ´bÂąĂ&#x2021;bY bÂ´bÂąĂ&#x2021;bY addition to a playlist with royal regality. O

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Above: DREAM TEAM: 0LFKDHO DQG 6K\UHWKD 6KHDWV VWDQG WRJHWKHU DW WKH +HQGHUVKRWpV RUGHULQJ window. The husbandand-wife duo are FR RZQHUV RI 7KH 3ODWH 6DOH D SRS XS UHVWDXUDQW q7DNH DQ LQJUHGLHQW WKDW \RX PD\ QRW VHH XVHG QRZDGD\V EXW WR XV LW LV important because these LQJUHGLHQWV GR VRPHWKLQJ PRUH WKDQ MXVW IHHGLQJ MXVW HDWLQJ ,W ZDV D ZD\ WKDW RXU JUDQGPRWKHUV and those before them IHG WKHLU IDPLOLHV ,W ZDV VRPHWKLQJ WKDW WKH\ PD\ KDYH SUHVHUYHG WR PDNH VXUH WKH\ KDG IRRG RQ WKH WDEOHV ZKHQ WKHUH ZDVQpW DQ\ IRRG DURXQG r 6K\UHWKD VDLG 3KRWR E\ Emma Scott

The Plate Sale Tale

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted co-owners of The Plate Sale, Michael and Shyretha Sheats, to commit to their once casual pop-up restaurant full-time. 6WRU\ DQG OD\RXW E\ EMMA SCOTT Variety Editor

o-owners of The Plate Sale, Shyretha and Clarke Central High School 2002 alumnus Michael Sheats, are a husband-and-wife duo who turned their pop-up side business into a full-time restaurant to support themselves once COVID-19 hit. Since then, The Plate Sale has grown into an Athens favorite. In 2017, The Plate Sale began as a pop-up that took over the kitchens of restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina, Atlanta and Athens for a short residency. The Sheatses took the idea of a plate sale, a southern community event in which a plate of food is sold at one set price, and elevated it. Now offering to-go meals out of the kitchen at Hendershotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, a coffee shop, bar and live music venue on Prince Avenue, The Plate Sale serves southern-inspired meals using traditional methods of cooking. The Sheatses always dreamed of owning a restaurant of their own. The global pandemic forced them ÂźÂ? oÂ&#x152;Y 8 OÂ?Â&#x152;Â´Âź8Â&#x152;Âź Â&#x2020;Â?O8Âź Â?Â&#x152; 8Â&#x152;Y Â&#x152;OÂ?Â&#x2030;bV FÂą Â&#x152;t Â&#x152;t them closer to their goal. ÂŤ Â&#x152;Ob Âź|b Â&#x153;8Â&#x152;YbÂ&#x2030; O |8Â&#x153;Â&#x153;bÂ&#x152;bYV Ă&#x2C6;b Ă&#x2C6;bÂąb Â&#x2020;8 Y Â?nn from our jobs. That's when we (had) to do something full time on our own to be able to make it,â&#x20AC;? +|Ă&#x160;ÂąbÂź|8 Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤÂ&#x17E;,|b Â&#x153;8Â&#x152;YbÂ&#x2030; OÂ&#x; Â´ Â&#x2026; Â&#x152;Y Â?n Â&#x2020; Â&#x2026;b Â?Â&#x152;b of those blessings in disguise (for our business). It's forced us to take (The Plate Sale) on and do things that we've just been talking about. I don't know if

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we would have moved as fast as we are without it happening.â&#x20AC;?

Ă b ÂźÂ? Âź|b Â´8nbÂźĂ&#x160; 8Â&#x152;Y oÂ&#x152;8Â&#x152;O 8Â&#x2020; ÂąbÂ´ÂźÂą OÂź Â?Â&#x152;Â´ Â?n the pandemic, the Sheatses are currently the only staff members working the The Plate Sale. ÂŤ3bÂŽÂąb Âź|b Y Â´|Ă&#x2C6;8Â´|bÂąV F8ÂąÂźbÂ&#x152;YbÂąV OÂ?Â?Â&#x2026;V O|bnV email response, print menus, forms (and) social media. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just us. We have had a staff in the past but since the pandemic, it just doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make sense,â&#x20AC;? Michael said. The Plate Sale locally sources most of its ingredients from within a 20-mile radius. To Michael, this concept is very meaningful.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;,I \RX GLQH ZLWK XV WKHUH OO EH GHĆ&#x201A;QLWHO\ D ORW RI VWRU\WHOOLQJ DURXQG %ODFN FXOWXUH IDPLO\ WUDGLWLRQV ZD\V RI OLYLQJ DQG VXVWDLQDELOLW\.â&#x20AC;? --SHYREATHA SHEATS,

FR RZQHU RI 7KH 3ODWH 6DOH

ÂŤ ÂźÂ°Â´ 8Â&#x2020;Ă&#x2C6;8Ă&#x160;Â´ FbbÂ&#x152; Â?Ă Âą 8Â&#x153;Â&#x153;ÂąÂ?8O| Â?n Fb Â&#x152;t Â´Ă Â´Âź8 Â&#x152;able, before the farm-to-table movement. People lived like this every single day, like people farmed on their lands -- it was a way of survival. It's not just like, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We're gonna go out to eat at this great new farm-to-table restaurant opening tonight.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This is real life,â&#x20AC;? Michael said. The Sheatsesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mission is to preserve traditions of Black culture through sustainably-farmed food. Michael graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta and brings a culinary school sensibility to ancestral cooking methods while sharing personal anecdotes with their customers. ÂŤ n Ă&#x160;Â?Ă Y Â&#x152;b Ă&#x2C6; Âź| Ă Â´V Âź|bÂąbÂ°Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020; Fb YboÂ&#x152; ÂźbÂ&#x2020;Ă&#x160; 8 lot of storytelling around Black culture, family traditions, ways of living (and) sustainability. ( We want to showcase) practices that we have seen that may become extinct at some point, or that may become not as relevant in the way we live now,â&#x20AC;? Shyretha said. According to Michael, these plate sales have been around for far longer than he has. In the communities where the Sheatses grew up, Michael in Athens and Shyretha in Carrollton, Georgia, plate sales were popular and served as community gatherings. ÂŤ3b Ă&#x2C6;8Â&#x152;ÂźbY ÂźÂ? OÂąb8Âźb Â´Â?Â&#x2030;bÂź| Â&#x152;t Âź|8Âź Ă&#x2C6;8Â´ n8Â&#x2030; Â&#x2020;iar and something that we connected to. (It) even tÂ?bÂ´ YbbÂ&#x153;bÂąV bĂ&#x2021;bÂ&#x152; FbnÂ?Âąb Ă Â´VÂŹ O|8bÂ&#x2020; Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ Â?Â´Âź

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people after they left the South after slavery wanted to (start a new life.) They might have settled in North Carolina and needed to get to Chicago, and they knew how to cook, so they may have held a plate sale to make some money so they could get up to Chicago. That's kind of where we get the inspiration from.” Hendershot’s Bartender Reed Helman works closely with the Sheatses and has gotten to know them since they have been operating out of Hendershot’s, since March. Helman is impressed by the Sheatses’ attitude under the pressure of the food service industry. “I (admire the Sheatses’) ability to be resilient, especially in a time of crisis. They just have the right mindset of if there's a bad day, they don't let it get to them. They know a good day is bound to happen tomorrow,” Helman said. “Food is a pretty hard industry, and they just don't let it get to them.” Helman believes that The Plate Sale’s popularity is due to the Sheatses’ ability to create new dishes and flavors every day. “The menu is never really the same. I feel like that is intriguing to people because they have a wide range of (new dishes) that they're trying to do and they all turn out (delicious),” Helman said. Michael takes inspiration from self-published and professional cookbooks that he has collected. He combines Southern homestyle dishes and bygone cooking methods with sophisticated ingredients to create something that is both reminiscent of the past and cutting edge. “I use (vintage cookbooks from thrift stores and relatives) as inspiration, but I do it a little bit different. We looked at a lot of old recipes and some of the old ways of cooking like cooking over fire before we had conventional stoves with gas and (electricity). All those cooking ways are kind of coming back now,” Michael said. Shyretha expected their qualifications and talents to be enough to get a larger customer base, but the pandemic has presented problems. CCHS 2014 alumnus Matthew Ward, a Hendershot’s regular, says that The Plate Sale enhances Hendershot’s atmosphere. “Now with (The Plate Sale) serving delicious food in meal portions, Hendershot's has restaurant capacity and complete accommodation for any type of customer,” Ward said. Since The Plate Sale began pop-ups in 2017, the business has adapted from a casual way to showcase their unique flavor to being the Sheatses’ sole source of income with a goal of establishing a brick and mortar restaurant. “We knew that (The Plate Sale) would pay tribute to traditional plate sales and fish fries and things like that we would see when we were younger, but we didn't know that it would evolve into this business concept that we see ourselves running forever,” Shyretha said. O

“We wanted to create something that was familiar and something that we connected to. (It) even goes deeper, even before us.”

--MICHAEL SHEATS,

co-owner of The Plate Sale

Top Left: CHEFS BEST: The Plate Sale co-owner Michael Sheats cooks collard greens in the kitchen of Hendershot’s. Michael believes that some simple dishes have lost their specialty due to convience.“Talk about a simple bowl of collard greens, somebody may have made them a certain way (but) in a world of convenience now some of those things aren’t as important anymore and sometimes people can’t relate or they don’t care,” Michael said. Photo by Emma Scott Left: ORDERING WINDOW: The Plate Sale co-Owner Shyretha Sheats opens up the garage window functioning as the ordering window at Hendershot’s on Prince Avenue. The Plate Sale started small and have grown to potential something larger. “We started a pop up, which was The Plate Sale a few years ago, and that pop up has evolved into a bigger project,” Shyretha said. Photo by Emma Scott

Variety

December 2020

Above: CLOSED: Home.made, a local restaurant on Baxter Street, is closed until owner Mimi Maumus finds a safe way to operate without risking her customers’ health. Maumus has said that until the Food and Drug Administration or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention give her bona fide guidelines for how to safely open her restaurant, home.made will remain closed. “Trying to have a dining room experience where we’re out asking people to put their masks back up when they’re not actively eating or drinking (or) when they’re having conversations, that sort of thing, I would feel comfortable with that. But I think that because it’s not mandated and because people have such different opinions about it, it would be impossible for us to enforce,” Maumus said. Photo by Luna Reichert

Athens Businesses and COVID-19 S

ince COVID-19 began impacting the U.S. in March with a temporary shutdown in the spring, Athens business owners have persevered in their struggle to retain enough customers and income to continue operating, combating challenges with tools, such as curbside pickups and social media promotion. Viva Argentine Cuisine co-owner and operator Gabriela Lindsey immediately closed her restaurant in March when COVID-19 cases were first reported in Athens, and reopened again after about six weeks with limited staff. “It’s been tough (since the pandemic hit Athens). I think we were one of the first restaurants to close,” Lindsey said. “We were on an upward motion (before the pandemic hit). We had just gotten a really great article in a national magazine, “Southern Living”, and “Athens Magazine” was gonna write upon us. So it was tough to be on the upward motion and then everything closes down." During the shut down of her local arts and crafts store, Treehouse Kid and Craft founder Kristen Bach brainstormed ways to maintain business without the

By CHLOE SEARS Variety Staffer

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a financial crisis for many local Athens business owners, but many are finding ways to solve problems and keep their storefronts open.

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usual face-to-face interactions of the community it relies on. “We opened our doors back up (in September). We were closed for six months, which greatly impacted our business because we were only doing curbside pick-up and online orders,” Bach said. After a pause in operation, Bach remains hopeful that business will eventually return to normal. “I think we’ll have some residual economic disaster for sure, but I feel really grateful that I’m in an industry that isn’t a restaurant right now, where I could only function at a 25% capacity. It’s hard for me to feel bad for myself or (the business) when we have the capabilities that we do,” Bach said. When the effort to stay open began to cost more than the income being generated, home.made, a southern food restaurant, owner Mimi Maumus made the decision to close her restaurant. Due to the easy transmission of COVID-19 in restaurants, Maumus believed pausing operation was a safer option for everyone. “The business, the overhead and the infrastructure that we have is there for restaurant catering

and packaged foods. When catering was no longer an option, and dining-in wasn’t an option, the amount of income we were able to generate wasn’t enough,” Maumus said. Until there are clear, detailed health guidelines to help restaurant owners resume business safely inside, Maumus plans to keep home.made closed. “(The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) didn’t have any guidelines (for reopening), but that it was up to the business owner to determine what protective barrier would guard against the spread of COVID-19,” Maumus said. “I want to run a business that’s there to take care of people, not expose them to something that could be life-threatening for them or for anyone else.” In contrast to the struggles for restaurants, for non-restaurant businesses such as Nabo Realty, a real estate company, the pandemic has not interfered with success. “A lot of people didn’t put their plans (on hold),” Nabo Realty co-Founder, Chief Financial Officer Rachel Allen and Director of Marketing said. “If (a)

“We opened our doors back up (in September). We were closed for six months, which greatly impacted our business because we were only doing curbside pick-up and online orders.” -- KRISTEN BACH, Treehouse Kid and Craft founder

Above: Viva Argentine Cuisine has a sign posted on the inside window of the restaurant. The sign depicts the regulations the restaurant inputted since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020. “We started out just reaching to the staff and seeing if the staff wanted to reopen, we weren't set up for online ordering at all. So that's also something that we had to figure out,” Viva Argentine Cuisine co-owner and operator Gabriela Lindsey said. “We have that in place now. So it started out back really slow and pretty deliberate and just trying to make sure that we're doing everything as safely as possible.”

Alow: NEW NORMAL: The outside of Viva Argentine on Prince Avenu in the Bottle Works building. Viva Argentine Cuisine was one of the first restaurants to close when the pademic began, and has since reopened cautiously. “I think we were one of the first restaurants to close,” Viva Argentine Cuisine Owner Gabriela Lindsey said. “We were closed for something like six weeks, and then we’ve reopened, but (with) really limited staff (and) really limited hours.” Photo by Naomi Hendershot

Variety

December 2020

home was already not working ideally, a lot of people were feeling that and going ahead to make the move to a bigger house, or a house that has the kind of yard or location they want.” Unable to conduct face-to-face interactions, Nabo moved the realty business to an online platform and plans to continue communicating in this way.

“I think people know that it's important to keep shopping here, even though they can't come in the store,” co-owner of Revival Yarns Cara Cannon said. “(Our co-owner) Lindsay did a lot of work on (the website) -- really quickly got the website up and the online sales. We wouldn’t have survived without that,” Cannon said.

“Everything’s so unpredictable right now, it’s hard to know when (business will return to normal). It’s hard to know when we’ll feel comfortable going back to normal. ” -- CARA CANNON, co-owner of Revival Yarn “Luckily, (real estate is) an industry we mostly do outside of the confines of a physical office space, and clients have been great about being safe and flexible with viewing houses (and) touring homes,” Allen said. “We’ve done FaceTime tours and that kind of thing, creating video tours and then maintaining precautions when touring a home.” Revival Yarns also moved business online to avoid a decline in sales without in-person interactions.

Due to Revival Yarn's decline in income created a need for loans and grants to keep the store afloat. “At the very beginning of the pandemic, we got a loan from the Athens Downtown Development Authority, (another) small loan that was also really helpful, and then we just got another one,” Cannon said. “The Joint Development Authority of Athens-Clarke County and

Above: OPEN DOOR: Treehouse Kid and Craft is a local children’s toy store. The store has come up with many ways to keep its community involved during the shutdown of the pandemic, including curbside pick-up, virtual summer camps and care packages. “We were closed for six months, which greatly impacted our business just because we were only doing curbside pick-up and online orders,” Treehouse Kid and Craft founder Kristen Bach said. “Also, we had a full summer that was packed with summer campers and we couldn’t do camps, so we did all virtual camps, but you know, a lot of summer campers opted out.” Photo by Chloe Sears

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““When you spend money on business owned in your town, you’re keeping those dollars in that town and those dollars circulated benefit us all.” Winterville did small business loans, too, so we were able to get that grant. Those have helped us hang in there.” Canopy Studio, an aerial dance studio that offers child and adult classes, has also received grants and government-issued funding during the pandemic that has helped the company stay afloat. “We did get a (Paycheck Protection Program) loan, and we fully expect to have that rolled into the grant so that it’s forgiven, but that only covered us at the beginning of the pandemic. That money’s gone. For right now, we’re holding on by our fingernails and hoping everyone’s working hard (to make a vaccine),” Canopy Studio Outreach and Children’s Programming Coordinator Ann Woodruff said. Loans and grants aside, as the fight against COVID-19 continues, Canopy Studio is struggling to maintain enough business to keep from pulling more money out of its savings. “Despite having classes and shows, and doing our very best here, we’re losing money every single month,” Woodruff said. “We’re being careful, but it’s still hard each month, knowing that we’re going to

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have to pull out of savings yet again.” The overall economic impact of COVID-19 on local Athens businesses has been difficult, but many companies have endured that with positive consequences to pair with the destruction. “Financially, (the pandemic) has been devastating, but I think in other ways we have really benefited. Idea wise we’ve come up with new strategies and organizations, and we’ve thought of some different ways to connect with our community and kind of put ourselves out there,” Bach said. Despite the economic struggles, business owners remain hopeful that one day a COVID-19 vaccine will help their companies return to normal. “Everything’s so unpredictable right now, it’s hard to know when (business will return to normal). It’s hard to know when we’ll feel comfortable going back to normal. I think the vaccine is the most promising thing, and the hope that that’s out before too long, and people get it,” Cannon said. In addition to the $1.6 million of federal funds distributed by the Athens-Clarke County government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,

-- KELLY GIRTZ, Mayor of Athens and Economic Security Act, community support of Athens businesses will help keep the local economy afloat as it continues to be impacted by COVID-19. “When you order from Amazon or multinational companies, that’s helping somebody but it’s not helping to the extent of when you order a pound of coffee from Jittery Joe’s or when you order a book through (Avid Bookshop),” Athens Clarke-County Mayor Kelly Girtz said. “When you spend money on business owned in your town, you’re keeping those dollars in that town and those dollars circulated benefit us all.” O Above: GOING ONLINE: Nabo Realty is a real estate company with a focus on the Athens Regional Area. The company mostly operates outside of an office space and was relatively unaffected by the COVID-19. “(Business) seems to have stayed pretty steady and pretty strong, so we’ve been very grateful for that. And as far as the local office, we’re very grateful to have all of our agents who work at Nabo and the staff that we employ have been able to safely work at home until more recently, when people have been coming into the office and maintaining safety measures there,” Chief Financial Officer and Director of Marketing Rachel Allen said. Photo by Chloe Sears

December 2020

A helping hand

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&&+6 YDUVLW\ JLUOV EDVNHWEDOO SRLQW JXDUG 1DpNLD 5XFNHU D VHQLRU LV NQRZQ IRU KHU ZRUN ethic and her willingness to help others.

larke Central High School varsity girls basketball point guard Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia Rucker, a senior, puts her best effort into everything she does and is best known for work ethic and leading by example. With drive and an instinct for leadership, Na'kia nĂ Â&#x2020;oÂ&#x2020;Â´ |bÂą Â&#x153;8Â´Â´ Â?Â&#x152; Â?n |bÂ&#x2020;Â&#x153; Â&#x152;t Â?Âź|bÂąÂ´ Âź|ÂąÂ?Ă t| encouraging her teammates. ÂŤÂ&#x17E; bÂ&#x2020;Â&#x153; Â&#x152;t Â&#x153;bÂ?Â&#x153;Â&#x2020;b |8Â´Â&#x; FbbÂ&#x152; 8 Â&#x153;8Â´Â´ Â?Â&#x152; bĂ&#x2021;bÂą Â´ Â&#x152;Ob I can remember. I help others in basketball by pushing them to go hard and by picking them up when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re down on themselves due to a bad game or practice,â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia said. Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia has been playing basketball since seventh grade at Clarke Middle School where she decided to join a team after growing an interest through scrimmaging. ÂŤ ÂŽĂ&#x2021;b 8Â&#x2020;Ă&#x2C6;8Ă&#x160;Â´ Â&#x153;Â&#x2020;8Ă&#x160;bY Â&#x153; OÂ&#x2026; Ă Â&#x153; Â&#x17E;8Â&#x152; Â&#x152;nÂ?ÂąÂ&#x2030;8Â&#x2020; t8Â&#x2030;b of basketball) with my brothers and the boys at school, so I thought playing for a team would be different and fun,â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia said. For Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia, basketball is about having the disciÂ&#x153;Â&#x2020; Â&#x152;b ÂźÂ? Â&#x153;bÂąÂ´bĂ&#x2021;bÂąb Âź|ÂąÂ?Ă t| Âź|b Y noOĂ Â&#x2020;Âź bÂ´ Âź|8Âź 8Âą Â´b from playing a sport and listening and responding to coaches' instructions. ÂŤÂ&#x17E; 8Â´Â&#x2026;bÂźF8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Â&#x; Â&#x2030;b8Â&#x152;Â´ Fb Â&#x152;t Â?Â&#x152; Âź|b OÂ?Ă ÂąÂź Ă&#x2C6; Âź| Â&#x2030;Ă&#x160; teammates while we're all pushing ourselves and each other to be the best players we can be,â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ Âź 8Â&#x2020;Â´Â? Â&#x2030;b8Â&#x152;Â´ Âź8Â&#x2026; Â&#x152;t Ă&#x2C6;|8Âź Âź|b OÂ?8O| Â&#x152;t Â´Âź8nn tells us and putting it into action.â&#x20AC;? Varsity girls basketball head coach Carla Johnson recognizes Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia as a leader and admires her initiative to be a leader during practice and in games. ÂŤ+|bÂ°Â´ 8 Ă&#x2021;Â?O8Â&#x2020; Â&#x2020;b8YbÂą Â?Â&#x152; Âź|b OÂ?Ă ÂąÂźÂĄ +|b Âź8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2026;Â´ ÂźÂ? her teammates and helps them. She'll communicate with a teammate if they're in the wrong place, or (sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll) relay (on) information that we have given 8Â&#x152;Y Â´|b Âź8Â&#x2026;bÂ´ Â&#x152; Âź 8Âź Ă&#x2021;bVÂŹ Â?|Â&#x152;Â´Â?Â&#x152; Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤĂ?Âź Âź|b bÂ&#x152;Y of practice, (she) breaks stuff down for (the team). She took the lead, she made up a schedule for the girls, she let them know what the schedule is and what the expectations are. When coaches ask her to do something, she tries to do it with the best of her ability to perform it.â&#x20AC;? bÂą bÂ&#x152;bÂątĂ&#x160; 8Â&#x152;Y Â&#x152;ÂźbÂ&#x152;Â´ ÂźĂ&#x160; Â´ 8 obÂąOb OÂ?Â&#x2030;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x152;bÂ&#x152;Âź Â?n her identity that allows herself to grow on the court, which Johnson believes will help Na'kia exceed her expectations.

%\ 6$/$, ',(.80381$ Sports Staffer

ÂŤ3|bÂ&#x152; Â´|bÂ°Â´ Â&#x17E;YÂ? Â&#x152;tÂ&#x; Âź|b YÂą Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Â´ Â&#x17E;8Â&#x152;YÂ&#x; Âź|b 8OÂź Ă&#x2021; Âź bÂ´ we do, Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia really hustles (and) goes hard. She really does it with the intensity level that we can call gain level. (Her intensity level will) improve, (and if ) it builds a lot faster, it (will become) more game and competition-ready,â&#x20AC;? Johnson said. Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia uses the discipline sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learned from basketball not only on the court during games but also in the classroom. ÂŤ,|bÂąb 8Âąb 8 Â&#x2020;Â?Âź Â?n Âź Â&#x2030;bÂ´ Â&#x152; t8Â&#x2030;bÂ´ Ă&#x2C6;|bÂąb Ă&#x2C6;b have to be disciplined enough to close out a game, such as taking our time when passing the ball in,â&#x20AC;? 8ÂŽÂ&#x2026; 8 Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ3|bÂ&#x152; Âź OÂ?Â&#x2030;bÂ´ ÂźÂ? YÂ? Â&#x152;t Â&#x2030;Ă&#x160; Â´O|Â?Â?Â&#x2020; work, it allows me to have good time management. I set a certain amount of time to do an assignment and the discipline from basketball helps me to complete it in that time.â&#x20AC;? Science department teacher Claude Gonzalez teaches Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia as a model student.

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show her she cares. ÂŤ Â? Â&#x152;t ÂźÂ? |bÂą t8Â&#x2030;bÂ´ Â&#x2020;bÂźÂ´ |bÂą Â&#x2026;Â&#x152;Â?Ă&#x2C6; Âź|8Âź support her. It makes me feel good to be able to Â´Ă Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â?ÂąÂź |bÂąVÂŹ Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;8ÂąY Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ OÂ?Ă Â&#x2020;Y Â&#x201E;Ă Â´Âź tÂ? Â?Â&#x152; 8Â&#x152;Y on about my daughter -- I wanted and still want the world for her.â&#x20AC;? Instead of playing basketball in college, Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia plans to be involved around campus in other ways. ÂŤ(Â&#x2020;8Ă&#x160; Â&#x152;t Â´Â&#x153;Â?ÂąÂźÂ´ Â&#x152; | t| Â´O|Â?Â?Â&#x2020; Â´ Ă&#x2021;bÂąĂ&#x160; Âź Â&#x2030;b Ybmanding so I imagine that college is just as, if not Â&#x2030;Â?ÂąbV YbÂ&#x2030;8Â&#x152;Y Â&#x152;tVÂŹ 8ÂŽÂ&#x2026; 8 Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ Â&#x152; OÂ?Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;btbV |Â?Â&#x153;b

â&#x20AC;&#x153;When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (doing) the drills (and) the activities we do, Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia really hustles (and) goes hard. She really does it with the intensity level that we can call gain level.â&#x20AC;? --carla Johnson, Sports

ÂŤ+|b Ă&#x2C6;8Â´ Ă&#x2C6;|8Âź 8 Âźb8O|bÂą Ă&#x2C6;8Â&#x152;ÂźÂ´ 8Â&#x152;Y bĂ&#x2030;Â&#x153;bOÂźÂ´ nÂąÂ?Â&#x2030; their students. She was always on time, (and) was willing to do the hard stuff that you need to do to Âąb8Â&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Ă&#x160; Ă Â&#x152;YbÂąÂ´Âź8Â&#x152;Y Â´Â?Â&#x2030;bÂź| Â&#x152;tVÂŹ Â?Â&#x152;Ă?8Â&#x2020;bĂ? Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ,|8Âź type of thing, being a role model, is priceless in the classroom, so the other kids can look and say, 'that's what I have to do in order to get a decent grade.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia recognizes her mother, Tarka Dillard, as Âź|b Â&#x2030;Â?Â´Âź Â&#x152;qĂ bÂ&#x152;Âź 8Â&#x2020; Â&#x153;bÂąÂ´Â?Â&#x152; Â&#x152; |bÂą Â&#x2020; nbÂĄ +|b 8YÂ&#x2030; ÂąbÂ´ her efforts and hopes to return the love and support her mother has given her. ÂŤĂ?Â&#x2020;Âź|Â?Ă t| Â&#x17E;Â&#x2030;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2030;Â?Â&#x2030;Â&#x; |8Â´ 8 FĂ Â´Ă&#x160; Â´O|bYĂ Â&#x2020;bV Â´|b tries hard to attend (my) games. She also helps me to stay calm and relaxed when basketball and just life, in general, becomes overwhelming,â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ+|b Â´ Ă&#x2021;bÂąĂ&#x160; |8ÂąYĂ&#x2C6;Â?ÂąÂ&#x2026; Â&#x152;tV 8Â&#x152;Y Ă&#x2C6;8Â&#x152;Âź ÂźÂ? Â&#x2030;8Â&#x2026;b her proud.â&#x20AC;? Dillard wants the best for Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia and tries hard to

to focus more on classwork and get more involved in college organizations than I was able to in high school, (such as) community service, Greek life and student leadership.â&#x20AC;? Academically, Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia plans to continue her drive to help others through her major and career path. ÂŤ |8Ă&#x2021;bÂ&#x152;Â°Âź Â&#x152;8ÂąÂąÂ?Ă&#x2C6;bY YÂ?Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x152; Â´Â?Â&#x2030;bÂź| Â&#x152;t Â´Â&#x153;bO oO that I plan to study, but I know I want to go (into) the healthcare track so something like pre-med, exercise science or chemistry,â&#x20AC;? Naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kia said. No matter what Na'kia's future holds, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s determined to lend a hand to anyone she passes to nĂ Â&#x2020;oÂ&#x2020;Â&#x2020; |bÂą Â´bÂ&#x152;Â´b Â?n Â&#x153;Ă ÂąÂ&#x153;Â?Â´bÂĄ ÂŤ bÂ&#x2020;Â&#x153; Â&#x152;t Â?Âź|bÂąÂ´ Â´ Â´Â?Â&#x2030;bÂź| Â&#x152;t Âź|8Âź ÂŽÂ&#x2030; Â&#x153;8Â´Â´ Â?Â&#x152;8Âźb 8FÂ?Ă ÂźVÂŹ 8ÂŽÂ&#x2026; 8 Â´8 YÂĄ ÂŤ3|bÂź|bÂą ÂźÂ°Â´ 8 Â´Â&#x2030; Â&#x2020;b Â?Âą something like a passing test grade, seeing the product of my help is a feeling like no other.â&#x20AC;? O

&&+6 JLUOV YDUVLW\ KHDG EDVNHWEDOO FRDFK December 2020

Stopping the spread in sports

Contact tracing has become a significant method for tracking COVID-19 cases at Clarke Central High School.

ince the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Clarke Central High School sports teams have been COVID testing student athletes and adding regulations and guidelines for practices and games to prevent the spread of the virus. The Georgia High School Athletic Association implemented guidelines for Georgia High Schools to adhere to once fall sports seasons began. “GHSA provided the guidelines for how students would interact in sports. Our first sports brought back was football on both campuses,” Clarke County School District Communications Manager Beth Moore said. “So our athletic trainers and our athletic directors and coaches, got the guidelineBy CAROLINA TURNER Sports Staffer

from GHSA to work with students and parents and implemented our procedures at those schools, per GHSA guidelines.” According to CCHS nurse Ivette Rabb such guidelines are standard screening questions for athletes and coaches to answer prior attending practise or games. “(They are asked) standard questions to find out if they have been in contact with anyone who has COVID, or if they have symptoms of COVID,” Rabb said. “If there’s a positive response to any other questions or they have a fever, then they are eliminated from practice or playing in the game, and then coaches are supposed to refer those students to me, so I can contact trace.” Rabb believes COVID-19 testing is even more important for athletes because they have a higher

risk of contracting the virus due to being closer to other players, especially in contact sports. “So you can imagine a higher risk, or at least a higher risk for contracting COVID might be football. Or as a lower risk it might be tennis or because you can quickly distance in tennis or track. But it’s much harder to do that with football,” Rabb said. The CCHS varsity football team has been taking precautions to minimize the risk of COVID-19. According to CCHS football head coach David Perno, there have not been any cases among the team. “We have to wear a mask, whether it’s in the weight room or in film, or walk through, and then once we go to visit the field, they don’t have to wear masks at practice or games,” Perno said. “You just gotta be cautious. We’re not letting kids come in with any type of symptoms. Fortunately for us,

Below: COVID AND SPORTS: Clarke Central High School head varsity football coach David Perno walks along Death Valley during the CCHS vs. Cedar Shoals football game on Sept. 4, 2020. Perno belives the CCHS football program is taking the nessesary precautions to prevent spread amoung the team. "When we're done (with practice) yeah, they need to put the mask on and, take care of themselves away from here. When they're here with the (COVID-19) screening, I gotta think it's working because we take temperatures and nobody's bringing it in, and so far so good," Perno said. Photo by Luna Reichert

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Sports

Above: SAFE SWIMMING: Clarke Central High School swimming and diving coach Emily Hulse stands in the Gabrielsen Natatorium in front of the swimming lanes counting laps. CCHS senior Katie Sue Martin-Williams is disheartened by not having swim meets in-person due to COVID-19 restrictions. “I will say it's a bit sad, because we're obviously not going to be having meets. Instead of having meets for 200 people come in along with their families, we're doing something where every team goes to their pool, and then times themselves and records it to the meet." Martin-Williams said. Photo by Luna Reichert.

they’ve done a good job. No one has brought into our facility, so we haven’t had a lot of issues with having to deal with it.” Despite the new restrictions, Perno finds regulating football practice difficult. “During the game times, there’s not much you can do. As far as once activity starts outside, maybe you (can) try and social distance, but it’s just hard in football,” Perno said. Since the start of the swimming season in November, CCHS swim coach and foreign language department chair Emily Hulse has put many rules in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and make contact tracing easier. “Every swimmer is assigned to a specific lane so that we can contact trace much more easily if we need to,” Hulse said. “Other than in the water, swimmers are expected to keep six feet away from others all the while keeping their masks on. Swimmers are screened for fever before practice. They must also fill out ‘Dawg Check’ which is a UGA form online where they answer questions about possible symptoms and exposure to COVID-19, in addition to the Clarke Central Google Form for contact tracing. I have not yet had any coronavirus cases.” CCHS swim team member Katie Sue Martin-Williams, a senior, views the increased regulations on swim practice positively. “It hasn’t been that bad actually, in fact, the practices have actually been better, because we get more done,” Martin-Williams said. “We don’t have to worry as much about facets of the lane. We’re all in separate places, and we’re not having tons of people in one area.” CCHS wrestling coach Shane McCord says GHSA protocols have impacted wrestling competitions. “So as far as protocols for matches, we’re limited to two teams per wrestling match now,” McCord said. “So, how many

Sports

“You just gotta be cautious. We’re not letting kids come in with any type of symptoms. Fortunately for us, they’ve done a good job it.” --David Perno, CCHS varsity football head coach matches your gym can hold is how many teams can go. So most gyms can only hold three matches so they can only invite 16 (people). It has cut down on the number of events that we can do and some counties are placing restrictions on how many people can be there, period. The numbers are limited so you have to pick and choose wisely.” Despite the challenges of the pandemic, McCord remains hopeful about the future of wrestling at CCHS. “I think (wrestling is) going to be okay, especially once we get more knowledgeable about COVID, itself, and learning what exactly brings it on.” O

December 2020

Star P layers0 ODYSSEY Star Players

JV SW

ADDISYN HUFF

& DIVE

Grade: 9 GPA: 4.0 Years of experience: 7 Game day ritual: Just making sure I attend practice as much as possible and giving 100% while at practice. Favorite memory: I’d say this summer is definitely a memory I won’t forget. While it might not be my favorite, I will never forget quarantine, and the beginning of COVID-19. Role Model: Simone Manuel. She is the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic gold (medal) in swimming, and set a world record. She’s very talented and humble. What coaches say: “Addisyn works hard in practice and is improving her stroke technique in a tremendous way. She is doing so all the while maintaining straight A's.” --Emily Hulse, head swim and diving coach

ADDISYN HUFF

ALEXANDER SMITH Grade: 12 GPA: 3.3 Years of experience: 16 Game day ritual: I wake up, my parents are hyping me up getting ready for the day. They say just clear your mind and don’t overthink about anything. Just play and have fun. When I’m on the way to the school, I’m listening to my music, trying to clear out all distractions, and I’m staying to myself. Favorite memory: My JV season, that was my sophomore year, when we played against (Cedar Shoals High School), first half I was not doing that well that wasn’t performing, but then like Second Half Out the gate it was 15 points unanswered back to back to back straight threes. Role Model: I look up to my brother because he’s basically always been forcing upon me, “Always do better than what I do.” What coaches say: “Alex has the potential to be a key contributor this season. We are looking forward to helping him see this himself! He is a great young man that just needs to realize the greatness within!” -- Stefan Smith, head varsity basketball coach

Sports

ODYSSEY Star Players are selected based on their academic standing and commitment to teammates, their sports program and Clarke Central High School. Star Players are written for each issue by the Sports Staff based on interviews with players and coaches.

ODYSSEY Star Players

BALL

SKET ITY BA

VARS

ALEXANDER SMITH December 2020

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Volume 18, Issue 1, Dec. 2020 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine