Athens-Clarke County Library

BLURB BY MYKOLAS KUMPIS News Staffer

Ashort walk from Clarke Central High School stands a classic hang-out spot for people of all ages: the Athens-Clarke County Library. Located at 2025 Baxter St., the library has expanded its appeal to teens, making it an increasingly popular place for CCHS students to spend time after school, on the weekend or during the summer.

Teen Services Regional Coordinator Elizabeth Hood and the library staff have been working hard to support and accommodate teens.

“We try really hard to create a safe space for our teens. We have space that is specifically designed and reserved for teens to occupy, and we have dedicated staff for our teen patrons,” Hood said. “We're trying to create a place that is welcoming, (where) everyone can be themselves, everyone can be comfortable. It’s really a great way to get to know different teens that you see everyday at school.”

CCHS senior Rachel Rucker is confident that the library meets her needs and provides a comfortable, while sometimes underutilized, environment for teens.

“The library is a safe space for me because they accommodate things like period products, self check-out for when you don’t feel like interacting with people and overall just being really polite and willing to help with anything,” Rucker said. “It's a really great place to go and study. Sometimes college students are there when I’m (studying), so it motivates me to actually concentrate. The library’s an extremely undervalued resource that students should use more often."

BLURB BY MILES LAWRENCE Variety Staffer

Named for former Athens Mayor Julius Bishop, Bishop Park offers local kids, teenagers and adults endless opportunities to create memories and have a good time with both outdoor and indoor facilities.

The 33-acre park located at 705 Sunset Dr. includes multiple athletic fields and tennis courts, a playground, a swimming pool, basketball courts, walking trails, a picnic area and is home to the Athens-Clarke County Gymnastics Academy.

Clarke Central High School sophomore and varsity tennis player Harper White has played tennis for seven years and finds herself at Bishop Park about once a week because of the amenities that the park offers.

“Bishop can definitely be a safe space (for me). When the weather's nice it’s especially peaceful, but it’s really just the familiarity of it and the feeling you get when you’re there,” White said. “I’ve played (tennis) for so long that it’s really comforting, and it’s just really satisfying to hit a really good shot or have a good rally. Hobbies are just a great way of finding something you love and I think having hobbies and places to do them is great for people, teens especially.”

For White, Bishop Park has allowed her to explore the things that she enjoys.

“Bishop Park has given me a space to make a lot of great memories and a place to go when I want something to do, whether I’m bored or upset or whatever,” White said.

Above: ATHENS LIBRARY: A Clarke Central High School student reads at the Athens-Clarke County Library on April 1. CCHS senior Rachel Rucker believes that not enough students use the resources available at the library. “The library’s an extremely undervalued resource that students should use more often,” Rucker said. “It's a really great place to go and study. Sometimes college students are there when I’m (studying), so it motivates me to actually concentrate.” Photo by Mykolas Kumpis

Above: COMFORT IN CLIMBING: An Active Climbing client climbs on one of the routes that’s offered at the indoor gym on March 28. Clarke Central High School Class of 2021