Vol. 40, Issue 2

Vol. 40, Issue #2

The

October 17, 2014

Knightly News

p. 2 Pace Juniors Go Global

p. 3 Five Minutes with Max Sharpe

p. 7 Students Need Schleep

Photo: Libby Sams

Third Time’s the Charm with ‘Into the Woods’ Libby Sams Staff Writer Class of 2017

When the first-day-of-school jitters finally settle down and new daily routines set in, actors and actresses of all grades begin their preparation for a spot in the spotlight in Pace Academy’s annual fall musical.This year’s musical, “Into the Woods,” puts a modern twist on the beloved “Grimms’ Fairy Tales” by intertwining the plots of choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests.

This humorous and heartfelt show follows the well-known tales of Cinderella, played by senior Caillin Cooke; Little Red Riding Hood, played by senior Annie Butler; Jack and the Beanstalk, played by freshman Cole McCorkle; and Rapunzel, played by junior Lexi Rubin.

These tales are tied together by an original story involving a baker (senior Cooper Drose) and his wife (junior Tori Dancu) and their wish to begin a family. The

Junior Ryan Duvall and senior Cailin Cooke rehearse their scene as the Prince and Cinderella. baker and his wife face multiple interactions with the witch (senior Rebecca Husk), who puts a curse on them. The beloved story balances both the jubilant and melancholy events, all explained

by the Narrator, played by senior Cooper Peery.

The cast for this fall’s production includes only 30 people due to the strictly-ensemble framework of the performance.

“The hardest part about being a director is casting a show and not being able to give roles to everybody or not being able to give the role that everybody wants to them,” said director and World Literature teacher Dr. Mengert, or “Doc.” Unlike last year’s jaw-dropping performance of “Peter Pan,” this show does not cast any middle school students, something that cast members jokingly argue to be a positive.

Along with being a witty and entertaining show, the storyline questions deeper issues, such as the idea of an ever after and how far one will break one’s moral code to make a wish come true.

This is also the only musical that Doc has directed three different times due to his affection for the show’s message and vocal difficulty.

Having started rehearsal the first week of school, the cast works hard about three hours a night in the FAC with Doc or in the chorus room with music director Ms. Wallace. “My favorite part of rehearsal is hanging out with my friends, like Willie, because in the musical she used

to be my wife,” said junior Harrison Ray, playing Cinderella’s father. “I’m excited for this show because of my tree,” said sophomore Willie Lieberman, recalling her staging while playing Cinderella’s mother.

Along with memorable rehearsals, cast members agree that what they will miss most after this production are the seniors. In addition to Annie, Caillin, Cooper and Rebecca, senior cast members include Sam Nail and Davis Miller. “I will miss everything about them,” said Doc. “I’ve worked with a lot of them from the start of sixth and seventh grade. I picked this musical for them. Not only will I miss their talents, but I will miss their personalities.”

Strongly supported by Doc, the parent volunteers, technical director Mr. Sargent and Ms. Wallace, this year’s production will be ready for curtain November 13-16 with student tickets going on sale for $10. “The steward [sophomore Mitchell Zwecker] may or may not kill someone in Act Two,” said Doc, aiming to tempt his prospective audience.

Depression, Anxiety Silently Overwhelm Students Co-Editor in Chief Class of 2015 In an age of increasingly competitive college acceptance rates, constant socializing and countless extracurriculars, Pace students face unrivaled mental and emotional burdens at both home and school, leading to unhealthy amounts of stress.

Furthermore, a recent survey of Upper School students shows that approximately 27% of the 80 respondents experienced some form of bullying before or during their high school years, which only adds to those existing pressures. Trapped in their own minds, students struggle to find healthy coping mechanisms, sometimes turning to self-destructive behaviors such as cutting, unhealthy approaches to food leading to eating disorders, or even going so far as to contemplate suicide.

During the Anti-Defamation League assembly last Spring, a broad spectrum of Pace upper school students shared their stories with the rest of the student body, ranging from bullying

to microaggressions to depression. This assembly uncovered a wide variety of emotional issues among students, spreading awareness about anxiety and depression. However, a crucial component of understanding remained untouched: overarching definitions of common emotional issues.

The Mayo Clinic, on its website, simplifies the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of depression as “having five or more of the traditional depression symptoms over a two-week period, most of the day, nearly every day, including a depressed mood.” These symptoms include a lack of interest in activities, insomnia, changes in weight, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide. While they don’t indicate depression individually, a combination of these symptoms lasting a minimum of two weeks typically represents an issue that needs attention, though it may manifest itself in many forms.

As one Pace student described depression, “I felt like my life was a movie… I was watching it but not living it.”

Despite the widespread notoriety

of the disease, the way depression overtakes students without prior notice makes it one of the trickiest diseases to diagnose.

Whereas the flu causes obvious symptoms, the unique selfcentered nature of depression prevents easy detection.

Another Pace student said that the slippery slope from feeling sad to being completely emotionless resembles “being sucked into a black hole and eventually going numb to the point where you do not feel anything, the world around you is silent and still. [You are] already dead, just trapped in a body.” An overwhelming sense of despair convinces many students to deny help, starting a vicious cycle that can eventually lead to suicide.

On top of emotional difficulties, the stressful environment at Pace can worsen the situation, just as a student said: “Make sure to do all your homework and be social and get good grades and do a million activities and take hard classes and apply for college and conform to society and be attractive and date people. Oh, and don’t forget to sleep.”

Continued on. p. 2

Illustration: Dean Papastrat

Dean Papastrat

Depression and anxiety change a person’s outlook on the world, to the point where they only see a shadow of their former selves.

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Pace News

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 2

Juniors Go Global to Italy, Spain, Peru Photo: Morgan Kelly

guage. “I’m excited to learn and

Sean Murtaugh become fluent in a new language Staff Writer Class of 2016

Pace lost many beloved upper school teachers at the end of last year, and now the school has temporarily lost three beloved juniors. Lauren Archer, Morgan Kelly and Stephanie Novellas are currently studying abroad, submerging themselves in new cultures and foreign languages.

Now living far from home, the girls have to abide by the customs of the countries where they are staying. “Here in the U.S. the legal drinking age is 21, but in Spain it is rude to decline a glass of wine at dinner, even if I’m only 17,” said Lauren, who is studying in Zaragoza, Spain.

Morgan is spending the year in Viterbo, Italy. She just started practicing her Italian over the summer, but now that she is overseas she has to fully submerse herself in the lan-

in such a short amount of time,” she said. “By Christmas I am supposed to start dreaming in Italian instead of English.”

Lauren and Stephanie have both taken Spanish at Pace since sixth grade, both possessing a good base for the language they will be speaking abroad. It should only take them two to three months to become fluent, so by the time Stephanie comes home for second semester she will be far ahead of her classmates.

Stephanie’s abroad experience is slightly different than Lauren and Morgan’s. She started off at the Alzar School in Idaho, white water kayaking and hiking around America to train for her semester in Chile.

In Chile she is beginning in Santiago and kayaking down the major rivers to the Patagonia region. While traveling down the rivers she will stop in many different cities to attend different schools. Instead of playing

Junior Morgan Kelly goes out in Viterbo, Italy. sports after school, Stephanie will rock climb, hike and backpack around the country. In each place that she stops she will have a different host family.

A big part of the living abroad experience is having a host family. Morgan and Lauren

Depression, Anxiety

Pace Fall Fair Continues Longstanding Tradition Staff Writer Class of 2017

It’s the fall of 1963, and the Pace Academy Parents Club is preparing for their first ever “Annual Harvest Dinner,” a small fundraiser to earn some money to improve the school.

Little did they know that they were about to start one of the longest-running traditions in Buckhead history. Since its inception almost 51 years ago, the Pace Academy Fall Fair has continued to surprise and delight thousands of students and nonstudents alike.

The Fall Fair offers a large variety of games and attractions, but over the years, members of the Pace community have come to enjoy a few choice attractions that have withstood the test of time and continue to be popular destinations for many. Favorites like the Wax Hands, Pace Academy Gem Mining, the MASH Tent, and of course, the sophomore-hosted Haunted House will all return for this year’s fair.

The 2014 Fall Fair is looking to be one of the biggest yet, with over 10,000 visitors estimated to attend, a record number. This year’s theme is “Legendary Fun,” a play on the medieval theme of Pace’s mascot, the Knight.

The addition of the new Upper School provides a wide selection of new possibilities for events and attractions. “The fair is an opportunity for Pace and the community to come together and utilize the campus,” said Jennifer Marks, Pace parent and Fall Fair co-chair. “With the construction complete, we are

Continued from p. 1

Photo: Caitlin Jones

Eno Reyes

The slide was a popular attraction at last year’s Fall Fair. celebrating the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School in addition to all things Pace Academy and fall.” The fair will utilize the new expanded courtyard, Boyd Gym and the Inman Center. According to Mrs. Marks, the fair will be filled with “unforgettable activities.”

This year, the Fall Fair crew is looking to provide entertainment and activities for all ages, not just the little kids. Medieval performers, a video gaming truck, and redesigned games are being emphasized for the younger guests, while the older guests can hang out with friends in the street market, participate in the carnival games, or help facilitate the various activities. In addition, the fair will offer tons of service hours to any generous students willing to help out.

The Fall Fair is no simple feat, in that it requires hundreds

both have an assigned family that they become a part of for nine months. The families reached out to the girls over the summer to introduce themselves.

“My family wrote me a birthday letter (in August) in all Spanish and I could only understand

about half of it,” said Lauren. “It was comforting to know that my family actually cares and that in time I will be able to read the same letter with ease.”

In Spain, Lauren has an older sister named Julia, 21, and an older brother named Patrick, 24. In the U.S. it isn’t the norm for college students to stay at home while going to school, but in Zaragoza it’s customary.

Morgan and Lauren also have the opportunity to independently travel across Europe to places like France, Spain, Portugal, and almost any European country that interests them. With all of these new experiences the girls will truly become global ambassadors for Pace.

If you want to keep up with Morgan on her trip abroad, you can visit her blog: www.theonewhereigotoitaly.blogspot.com.

She recently uploaded a video tour of Viterbo that shows her experiences so far.

of hours to both coordinate and execute an event that will bring in thousands of visitors. In the days before the Fall Fair, an assortment of companies arrive on campus with all of the infrastructure for the Fall Fair.

The fair is set up on a Friday immediately after school, and

by Saturday the maintenance crew and a few brave volunteers will have erected the fair. All of this is taken down by the same few people in time for school on Monday.

This year’s Fall Fair will take place Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Of course, free parking and shuttles will be available throughout the day at Church of the Apostles, with shuttles leaving every 10 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. Advanced ticket sales are available now on the Pace website.

These countless stresses cause a whopping 55% of students responding to the survey to report feeling depressed. With so many forces tugging on students’ bodies and minds, the prospect of trying to escape in even the most extreme manner no longer seems unordinary to one student: “I’ve had three anxiety attacks, stayed home from school at least five times because of exhaustion, and suicide seems very relaxing right about now. Not that I’d ever commit suicide... I don’t have time to be dead.”

Anxiety, while commonly coupled with depression (about 70% of students who reported feeling depressed also reported symptoms of anxiety), presents a different aspect of the ways students cope with challenges at school. Though many anxiety disorders exist, the Mayo Clinic defines general anxiety disorder as: “persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events - even ordinary, routine issues.” However, don’t confuse this anxiety with normal levels of stress, such as feeling an adrenaline rush right before a test. An anxiety disorder occurs when worrying about a task or life in general reaches a point at which it hinders your ability to focus and clearly solve problems.

In terms of Pace students, anxiety generally stems from a surplus of activities, as depicted by a student’s perspective on the overload: “I feel that the stress put on us from education, social settings, and figuring out what you are doing with your life are being pushed too far and they definitely [have] had a negative effect on my life.” As a result of those stresses, that particular student had “anxiety so bad, [she] couldn’t leave her house for two weeks.” While that represents a case of extreme anxiety, moderate anxiety also presents an issue, sometimes leading to major depression or toxic eating

disorders. One student voiced her past troubles about this evolution of anxiety in the survey, saying that “when I started high school, anxiety from all of the pressure I was putting on myself turned into depression.

Then depression turned into an eating disorder and I lost fifteen pounds.” Her struggles represent a larger trend, in which students don’t often receive the vital support needed to prevent the onset and advancement of mental health concerns. ...suicide seems very relaxing right about now. Not that I’d ever commit suicide...

“I don’t have time to be dead.

– Anonymous Student A vast number of survey respondents fear intervention by faculty or friends, concerned with judgment by peers or awkward situations at school.

However, of all the myths surrounding depression and anxiety, this one wins the prize for being the most sinister and false.

Students surveyed who reported issues collectively, said, “don’t be scared to tell your friends, family or a professional,” and they also wanted to “encourage others that if you are depressed, or hold in emotions, talk to someone.” True friends and all of the Pace faculty will go to great lengths to help you recover and take your life back from the dark clouds of depression and anxiety. In the words of many recovering students, “it really does get better.”

Advisory: If you or a friend is suffering from depression or anxiety, please let Mrs. Eden know. If you or a friend is self-harming or thinking about self-harming, please contact a teacher or another adult immediately.

Pace News

Vol. 40, Issue #2

The Knightly News - Page 3

Five Minutes with Max Sharpe Co-Editor in Chief Class of 2015

Knightly News: Hello! So, you’re new to Pace this year as a junior.

Where did you live before you came to Pace?

Max Sharpe: Before I lived in Georgia, I lived in Madrid, Spain.

KN: Wow! What was your favorite part about living there?

MS: The people are very nice.

Everyone is very sports centered, but that just makes them nicer. And, well, argumentative at times.

KN: How old were you when you went to Spain?

MS: I was 11. Before Spain I lived in Paris. I lived there for three years. We lived just down the street from the Eiffel Tower, so we could see it from our front door. Every night, at 8:00 pm, the Eiffel Tower would light up with the sparkles it did for the millennium, a tradition they decided to keep.

KN: That’s awesome. OK, so where were you born?

MS: I was born in Los Angeles.

I lived there a year and a half, and then I lived In Washington,

D.C. for six years before I moved to Paris.

KN: Why did your family move to Europe?

MS: There was always the idea we would move out of the U.S. because I had been in a bilingual system since I was two. So when my dad got the opportunity to head a branch of his company in Paris, he took it because it fit.

KN: Why did your family move to Atlanta?

MS: It’s getting close to the end of my school career, and I know I am going to an American university, and my brother already goes to Brown University in Rhode Island. We also just wanted to be back closer to family, because none of our family has ever moved outside the U.S. KN: So, what do you think about Atlanta so far?

MS: I’ve met wonderful people and wonderful friends at Pace.

KN: Do you think it was different being new to Pace from an international school versus one from the U.S? MS: Yes. The curriculum and way of teaching is completely different. Here, you are lectured more. I’m not saying one way is better than another, just that it’s different.

KN: What is your favorite class?

Photo: Julia Beck

Julia Beck

Junior Max Sharpe admires his new school from the gardens.

MS: That’s hard. Probably Stagecraft because I’ve never done anything like that before.

But if I had to go for academic classes, definitely a tie between math and English because I have wonderful teachers, Ms. Barbakow and Mr. Owens.

KN: Is there any activity you are excited to try at Pace?

MS: I’ve picked up Robotics, which is something I did at my last school. I’ve also decided to

Photo: Katie Nelson

Senior Katie Nelson stands outside Bee at the opening of her ACP exhibit.

Pace Participates in Atlanta Celebrates Photography Julia Beck

Co-Editor in Chief Class of 2015

African wildlife, and the natives of Africa along with the challenges they face. "I really wanted to showcase those three different aspects of the trip because it was about more than just some Pace kids going on a trip to Africa," said Katie. "We got talk to and learn from kids and the headmaster of their school, and we went to a village and learned about how their story is so different from ours, and even different from people 10 minutes down the road from them."

Mrs. Cooke, after seeing Katie's pictures from the trip and loving them, approached Katie in July offering to help her submit her pictures as an ACP exhibit. Katie's success with her exhibit shows how even an amateur photographer can create something worthwhile. Katie's exhibit opened on Sept. 30 and closes Nov. 1, and Pace's exhibit had its opening reception on Oct 2 and closes Oct. 31.

Inside the Darkroom With France Dorman Brian Sloan

Staff Writer Class of 2017

Wednesday, Sept. 24, 12:47 p.m: Outside, a brisk wind signals the brutal reality of the pending autumn. However, two souls seek comfort in the warmth of the FAC darkroom.

My curiosity drew me to this place, in order to learn more about the man, the myth, the legend: France Dorman. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Fla., Mr. Dorman was naturally called to the Atlantic Ocean where surfing dominated the first 20 years of his life.

The son of an artist, Mr. Dorman grew up around numerous art galleries and museums. His artistic aspirations led him to the University of South Florida, where he majored in ceramics and photography. He was attracted to Pace Academy, which was in desperate need of a photography program. I was able to sit down with this idol to ask him some crucial questions.

KN: Hello Mr. Dorman, it's always a pleasure. First off, as a man of good taste, what do you do on the weekends to kick back and relax?

FD: Well, I hike Kennesaw Mountain twice every weekend.

And I love, how should I say, to snuggle with my wife in front of an open fire.

KN: What is your response to Mark Knott's bold statement, "France Dorman is a potty boy

who eats his own boogers?"

FD: If he said that, heads will roll. Let's just say two of his kilns would fit inside of mine.

(Chuckles to himself) KN: Would you fend off a full pack of blood-thirsty hyenas in order to save your $41,000 Deerskin Hasselbad camera?

FD: The answer is unequivocally, yes. I don't even let my wife touch my cameras.

KN: I often hear that cameras are like fine women. With that in mind, how do you select a camera?

FD: Let's just say, only the best for the Franco. (Chuckles) KN: What is your philosophy of life?

FD: Material existence is a state of self-deception. We must all come to know ourselves spiritually.

KN: Lastly, do you believe in miracles, Mr. Dorman?

FD: I think things are not miraculous but instead divinely natural.

Photo: Brian Sloan

Every October for 14 years, Pace students have walked by a stunning photo gallery on their way to assembly, part of a citywide photography festival called Atlanta Celebrates Photography (ACP). This year's Pace exhibit is the "Teen Spirit Exhibition," a collection of photos taken by and with inpatient teenagers at Scottish Rite and Egleston Hospitals here in Atlanta.

The exhibit also has a written component, the teenagers' interpretations of their own self-portraits. Mr. Dorman hopes that it will open students' eyes to an issue that society tends to not want to dwell on, that even a teenager can be a patient in a hospital. "Photography is a lot about moving people to ac-

tion," said Mr. Dorman. "It is a powerful medium for change. A show like this brings our attention to something worthy of our contemplation, something people can become involved in or just be more aware of what's going on."

One of Mr. Dorman's favorite aspects of ACP is the lecture series where photographers speak about how they make a living with photography. "Many people were impressed by our lecturer last year, photojournalist Alison Wright," he said. Katie Nelson, a current senior, was among those impressed, and now has an ACP exhibit of her own at a shop named BEE. Katie's exhibit is called "A Glimpse (Mtazamo)," featuring photos she took on the Pace Global Education trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro last spring break. Her exhibit has three focuses: the climb to Kilimanjaro’s peak, the conservation of

do in greater depth Model UN, which is intriguing.

KN: Do you like Ms. Smith?

MS: She is.... interesting. She has a particular way of being, but yes, she is a nice person.

KN: What is the weirdest thing about Pace to you?

MS: The eight-day schedule. As boring as that may be the eightday schedule really threw me for a loop.

KN: What’s the coolest thing

about Pace?

MS: Bouncy chairs in the library! No, but actually, its amazing resources both academically and extra-curricularly. I don’t think any school I’ve been to has been so supportive of its students.

KN: That’s so sweet! If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

MS: I’ve always wanted to move to New Zealand. I would like to live in Australia because the people there are so laid back and easygoing, but I wouldn’t be thrilled about having 75% of the world’s most dangerous animals also living there with me.

So, I would pick New Zealand instead. It is, after all, used in quite a few movies that were awesome.

KN: (Laughs) Like “Lord of the Rings?”

MS: Yes, exactly what I was thinking.

KN: Do you have any advice for people who want to live in Europe?

MS: Definitely speak the language well. The language barrier is one of the things I had to overcome if I wanted to have any social life at all. And have fun, because the drinking age is under 16!

Mr. France Dorman

Pace News

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 4

Club Life Thrives Among Students Photo: Ryan Vihlen

Mark Handler Online Editor Class of 2016

A record 54 clubs took their place in the Inman Center at Club Fair on Sept. 17. Many new clubs such as the National Handball Association of the Academy (N.H.A.A.) and the Animal Service Club added a spark to Pace's club life. Club veterans such as Trivia Knight and Baking for Breast Cancer still thrive as they prove to be among the students' most beloved.

These clubs impact the community in extraordinary ways, and club leaders were asked to elaborate on this aspect during the club application process.

For example, Baking for Breast Cancer donates 100% of the proceeds of bake sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. This past year, club head and senior Dylan Steinfeld helped raise some $3,935 for the

Seniors Hannah Kelly and Lacey O'Sullivan promote the popular club Trivia Knight at Club Fair. cause. Those funds, plus money raised so far this year, bring the five-year total to $17,459.

The National Handball Association of the Academy, headed by sophomores Barrett Baker, Ben Siegel, Mark Sommerville

and Sammy Tanenblatt, brings a new sport to Pace. "The real question is what isn't the best part about our club," said Ben when asked what's special about the N.H.A.A., "Clearly, it is a top club." The sport (at Pace)

Photo: Elizabeth Kann

Junior Classical League Remains Classic at Pace Conor Pelletier Opinion Editor Class of 2016

JCL was represented at the Georgia Junior Classical League Convention last April at Rock Eagle.

Where at Pace Academy can you find the unique combination of Latin-crazy people, students regularly seeking a teacher's help, and freshmen with a quiz on Ancient Rome? You guessed it, the Junior Classical League, or JCL. It's likely the only place at Pace where the feasibility of an aqueduct running from the fourth floor is discussed while students also ask how the gods could possibly have so many kids.

The club is unique due to its craziness and success on both the state and national levels.

Staff Writer Class of 2017

Every Wednesday and Friday from 3:30 to 5 p.m., Pace students gather in the green room to learn about modern robotic technologies and have fun. Students build robots that perform simple tasks, and compete against other robots in massive competitions. “Robotics is a sport for the mind,” said senior Jonathan Spalten,leader of the Robotics Club.

Jonathan is the head of the engineering aspect of Robotics Club. He leads alongside juniors Rohan Malik and Andrew Wu. Rohan is in charge of programming the robot, and Andrew helps with organization and

outreach. Andrew is also making a banner for the club. Mrs. Korb is the teacher sponsor. She has responsibilities such as making sure the students have all the necessary materials, understand the guidelines and stay on task.

The Robotics Club is a lot like the team featured in the movie “Underwater Dreams.”

Pace’s club is given a mission, similar to the challenge given to the groups in the movie. However, Pace’s team specifically works with on-land robots, not underwater. This year, the competition is called “Cascade Effect.” The robot has to knock down a massive tower of wiffle balls of various sizes, and pick up the balls and drop them into moving tubes. Competitions also feature side challenges that give teams more points. This year, these challenges include scoring

balls into a higher goal, pushing full tubes up ramps, or finishing with tubes in the a specific parking zone. Pace’s first competition will be at Southern Poly-Technic University on Saturday, Dec 6.

Building has not started yet this year, but the team is well into the design stage. “Robotics Club is a way for students to come up with their own designs, something they do not get to do often in class,” said Mrs. Korb.

Designing is not easy, as it involves intense collaboration and planning. Coming up with the idea is the hardest part, but afer planning is finished, the building begins. Pace’s team is in the FTC, the first tech challenge league. That means they use Lego Mindstorm and TETRIX parts, which are metal pieces, to construct the robots. Most robots consist of a four-wheel drivetrain

Many students are not aware that there are competitions for Latin students every year. Pace's students have had immense success at the Georgia Junior Classical League Convention, a convention spanning three days taking place at Rock Eagle 4-H Center.

Pace had three students place in the top 50 of over 1,000 students participating in the convention, and Pace placed fifth overall out of over 70 schools. Pace's group of students spans grades 7th through 12th, and they compete in races, academic competitions and a Latin quiz bowl known as Certamen.

This year the outlook for the equites (knights in Latin) is brighter than ever, with senior Davis Miller and junior Andrew Wu leading the club. The teacher

sponsor for the club is Latin teacher Mrs. Kann. "Our goal is to appreciate the classics in all aspects of study," said Andrew.

"We even build our own chariot for races." Members often credit the club as the most unusual and enthusiastic at Pace. "Usually, JCL is the craziest club at Pace," said Davis.

As JCL members look forward to the year ahead, many opportunities to show off their Latin knowledge are not too far away. The annual Fall Forum is coming up on Oct. 25 at Northview High School, and the Georgia Junior Classical League Convention is in April. Pace's students are renowned for their success at both events, and they are ready to "carpe diem," or "seize the day."

Photo: Rohan Malik

Robotics up to Challenge Landon Goldstein

is based on seven basic rules.

Players are allowed three steps with the ball and three seconds with the ball, and it is illegal to complain to the referee, to name a few of them. While this club is purely fun-based, there are other

clubs that focus on service.

The Animal Service Club aims to visit shelters and rescue groups around Atlanta. Their plan is to visit during the shelters' adoption days and walk and otherwise take care of the dogs. The club plans to visit PetSmart frequently. "I thought it was important to start a club that helped animals that can't help themselves," said junior Frances Crisler. "We have lots of clubs that help other people, but [junior] Haley Epstein and I thought that helping pets would be new and have a positive impact on the community."

A polished veteran, Trivia Knight, is extremely popular with students and teachers.

"Trivia Knight is the best club ever because it's a great chance to hang out with your friends and learn at the same time," said senior Hannah Kelly. "We are the only club to have ever run a restaurant out of business by taking advantage of their free chips.

R.I.P. Twisted Taco."

Senior Jonathon Spalten and junior Andrew Wu work on the drive train of the robot. as the base. The necessities of the mission decide what goes on top of this. In total, building the robot takes around 7-10 hours, depending on the design complexity.

Last year, Robotics Club did

very well, placing seventh out of a multitude of teams. This year, the team expects to do well because they are confident about their design. The robotics team is still looking for new recruits, so it’s not too late to join.

Pace News

Vol. 40, Issue #2

The Knightly News - Page 5

Photo: Grace Francour

Pace Welcomes New Teachers - Part 2 Grace Francour

Features Editor Class of 2015

Dori Greenberg Staff Writer Class of 2016

Pace welcomed seven new teachers to the Arthur M. Blank Family Upper School this year, along with head girls basketball coach Brian Jones. This story is the second installment of two parts featuring new faculty and staff members. The first installment appeared in the September 19 issue of The Knightly News.

Dr. Christine Carter, the new AP US History teacher, came to Pace after having taught at Emory University and Georgia State University. "I've found the students [at Pace] to be much more engaged and overall more motivated and focused, so I’ve really enjoyed that," said Dr. Carter.

Not only is Dr. Carter a new faculty member, she is also a Pace mom. Her son Jeb is a freshman. "He’s a really good sport about having me around, and it's handy, so I’m happy about it," said Dr. Carter.

Pace is like a family for Dr. Carter. "I guess most importantly, I feel that I’m a part of a real community now, and I didn’t really feel that sense of community at Georgia State because it's so big," she said.

Pace welcomes Coach Brian Jones as the new head girls varsity basketball coach this year. Before coming to Pace he had coached at a high school in Atlanta, a middle school in Can-

(L-R) Grady Stevens, Christine Carter and Matt Marsico are three of seven new teachers who joined the upper school faculty this year.

Not pictured: Brian Jones, new head coach for the girls varsity basketball team. ton, and another middle school in Jackson, Miss. "The kids are the same, but there is a different level of commitment from public school kids," said Coach Jones. "Those kids don’t have a way to pay for college so they’re using sports as their way to get to college, whereas at Pace the kids can go to college without an athletic scholarship."

While looking to improve the Pace girls basketball program as a whole, he aims to start with the Middle School by having them run plays to prepare them for the high school level. “I am enjoying coaching the girls so far, but I'm also nervous for the girls," said Coach Jones. "I want them

to have a really good experience playing. We want to win, but I think that will take care of itself."

Joining the Pace community as both a history teacher and lacrosse coach, Mr. Grady Stevens is excited to spend his first year of teaching at Pace. "I chose Pace for the people," he said. "Interviewing with Mike Gannon and several of the upper school faculty made me want to begin the job as soon as the interview was over."

He studied at Johns Hopkins, where he worked as a volunteer lacrosse coach as well. His first impression of Pace was that "it was strongly centered around

the family and close interaction between faculty and students."

While starting a first job can be stressful, Mr. Stevens is eager to see what the year brings. "It didn't feel so much like a job as it did an adventure," he said.

An Atlanta native, Mr. Mathew Marsico (pronounced Mar-see-co) is not just another math teacher who enjoys running; he takes it to the next level, having completed two Ironman 70.3 races and placing in the top 5 percent of Ironman Augusta competitors. Mr. Marsico previously worked in Charlotte, N.C. at the Canon School, which is a similar-sized private school.

According to Mr. Marsico,

the biggest difference between Pace and the Canon School is in the students. "There is a stronger desire to succeed here," he said. Like most students and faculty, his first perception of Pace was that it is impressive.

"The buildings, the teachers, the administrators, the staff, the students... all were impressive, and I have felt a great sense of pride in knowing that this is the school that I get to call home," said Mr. Marsico. Father of two, he is also overjoyed knowing he will be able to "partner with this community in developing them into the type of students that I am getting to work with in the Upper School now."

New Payment System Causes Controversy Photo: Jordan Harris

Jordan Harris Staff Writer Class of 2016

When approached about the subject of the new payment changes at the Pace snack bar, senior Robert Farinella had one word to describe his feelings towards the change. “Bull—-!

It’s total bull—-,” said Robert, while he angrily stared down the snack bar in the Inman Center.

For many, it has been an unfortunate change to one of Pace’s most celebrated services. Last year, almost any upper school student could recount a moment when their hunger was satisfied with a purchased treat from the snack bar at the Academy. Students normally chowed down on items ranging from muffins and M&M’s to Powerade and pizza.

This year, however, new changes have been implemented by the Pace administration. All customers at the snack bar are required to use their Pace ID cards to pay for any items. Cash is no longer permitted up front.

Freshmen Xion Johnson and Caleb Holifield attempt to buy snacks with cash, but are turned away.

When this controversial topic comes up among most Pace students, they often ask one question: “What is the reason for this sudden rule change?”

“We felt that this would be easier for the students,” said Head of School Fred Assaf.

“Between me and the business office, the decision was ours. We felt it would make for a more efficient payment process by using

the ID cards.” From the business office’s perspective, Mr. Assaf explained that it would be a less difficult process than having to collect all of the cash payments and deposit them. “Financially speaking, the business office has had a difficult time with the previous payment method,” he said. “They [business office employees] would have to retain the cash, then assemble all of

the earnings. They would then have to go from Point A to Point B, depositing the cash into the bank account.” The new strategy makes it simpler for the administration. However, it was intended to be a benefit to both parties.

Yet, frustration looms through the Academy.

“It’s a hassle,” junior Mackenzie Greenbaum said. “It’s frustrating to have to put money in

my account, wait five business days, then pay with my ID card.

Sometimes, I want food instantly with the cash I have on hand.”

Many others have voiced their opinions as word spread about the new payment system.

Despite the recent changes, the snack bar’s operational future is still undecided. Rather than giving the cliché, incorrigible response that one would normally hear from an authoritative figure, Mr. Assaf responded to the disappointed and frustrated voices. “We are not married to this idea,” he said. “If it proves to be unpopular among faculty and students, we will try to find another solution. The whole idea was to make this easier on our community, not harder.” Mr. Assaf added that it might be an important topic for the student council to discuss.

We have seen the change, heard the voices of the community, and now the question is: Will the snack bar continue with its new payment system?

Or will it revert back to the more popular method? For now, only time will tell.

Pace News

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 6

What’s Hiding Behind Computer Screens?

Photo: Dori Greenberg

Dori Greenberg Staff Writer Class of 2016

Pace students are known to be very drawn to their electronics: phones, iPads, computers and anything else with a screen.

Many teachers allow the use of computers in class to take notes, and sometimes to work on essays or other work. Because we all sign the honor code, Pace students are known to be trustworthy and reliable young adults. However, a recent survey of students regarding use of computers in class indicates that some students may be getting a little sidetracked.

The majority of students responding to the survey, 40 out of 70, actually use their computers for schoolwork in class. But what do the other 30 use it for?

Some shop online, a few watch Netflix, a few Hudl users look to improve upon their past games,

Do these juniors utilize their laptops productively or just for fun? and many fantasy football players like to check the status of their picks.

Teachers do everything they can to protect their students.

Math teacher Mr. Newman has his students put their phones on a shelf when they come in his classroom. “I don’t want you to

have phones around or phones that go off and then have someone mistakenly say that you were checking your phone or you were checking answers on your phone and you weren’t. So just get that distraction away," said Mr. Newman. "The phones being put to the side also allows students to

use the restroom without anyone wondering if they are going to cheat. It's basically to protect you guys from any false statements being made, but also it's just to protect the integrity of the test itself."

Whereas many students at Pace use their computers in

class to take notes when teachers allow it, there are a handful of students with accommodations based on their academic challenges. "They are allowed to use a computer possibly for note taking and taking tests," said ARC Director Mr. Callahan.

"My computer and the computers I house here in the Academic Resource Center have no bells and whistles, they're just word processors."

There is always the question of trust when any student takes a test or exam, and there is even a level of trust required to let students take notes using electronics. "If they sign the honor code I believe that they’re trustworthy," said Mr. Callahan. "The use of technology in the classroom comes with a lot of responsibility and a lot of discipline. They definitely have to have the selfdiscipline to avoid going on the Internet and avoid checking their FirstClass email and just utilize it for what it's there for, taking notes."

Debate Dynasty Lives On, Strives for Wins Photo: Sean Murtaugh

Sean Murtaugh Staff Writer Class of 2016

Continuing one of the school's longest traditions, Pace debate is picking up right where it left off. Many members of the team trained in camps over the summer at many different universities and colleges in order to prepare for this year's season.

The varsity team consists of excellent, experienced debaters including several state champions. Seniors Clyde Shepherd and Tanner Lewis even won a national championship last year, and are readying to continue their success.

As one of the school's highest funded programs, the team is able to fly across the country to many different tournaments.

The team has already traveled to Dallas, Texas for the Greenhill

Sophomore Misha Andra-Thomas prepares for a tournament using a recycling bin as a makeshift podium.

Round Robin. "It is always a lot of fun to travel and see the country," said junior Reid Funston.

"Even if we are debating most of the time, the team makes some pretty great memories."

For those who do not know how a tournament works, every

high school debater throughout the nation researches the same issue and prepares speeches and evidence for each side of the given argument. That argument remains the same at every single tournament over the entire year.

"This year the team is debating

about exploration and development involving the oceans," said freshman Grayle Kendall. "We argue about whether or not the N.O.P.P. [National Oceanographic Partnership Program] should receive funding from the U.S. in order to understand more about

the ocean."

The debate team is filled with other great up-and-comers like Grayle. The majority of the team are underclassmen, and they show great promise for the future of the program. In a recent tournament at Emory University, freshmen Nate Reece and Chris McCaffrey placed second overall and Nate took home second speaker.

"The transition from middle school debate to upper school debate is definitely a challenge," said Chris. "The speech time is twice as long as it is in the middle school, which gives us more time to fill, more things to think about, and more things to debate.

When one debate takes an hour and a half you don't want to run out of points, so we prepare a ton of research." The freshmen agree that Coach Jordan is "fiery and encouraging" and pushes them to be better.

Students Work Hard, Play Hard in New Building Photo: Zack Kaminksky Juniors dominate the Commons, according to a recent poll.

Zack Kaminsky Staff Writer Class of 2016

New building, new spaces.

It seemed like in the old Upper School, most students spent their free periods in the Inman Center or library, and everyone knows about C6 and the appropriately named “Quad” from the trailers last year. But this year, where do most of the Upper School students spend their time during their frees?

In a recent poll, some interesting trends arose. Of the 172 respondents, 52% of students spend their free time in the Woodruff Library, 21% in the Commons, 17% in the ARC, and 10% in the Inman Center.

The survey, which contained an

option for “Other,” also garnered responses such as the FAC Computer Lab, the Gardens, and “the bathroom.” One adventurous freshman traverses up Pace Mountain to the upper fields each day, while three upperclassmen enjoy alone time in their cars.

The results get more interesting when split by class. The freshman class uses the majority of their time in the library, yet spend a disproportionate amount of time in the Inman Center compared to other grades. The sophomores also visit the library during most of their frees, coming in at 73%. The juniors only spend 37% of their time in the Library, compared to 43% in the Commons. “The Commons is like my second home,” said junior Philip Markwalter.

“Whenever I’m feeling down in the dumps, I come in here and play with my friends.” The seniors, unsurprisingly, take to the library over half the time, but also use the Senior Cellar for 30% of their free time.

Many faculty have complained about the conduct in the Commons, but Mrs. Culp, head of Student Affairs, does not always see the same problems. “I think the behavior in the Commons is very respectful 99.9% of the time,” she said. “The students seem to be really enjoying it and using the space wisely.”

Possibly the most surprising fact uncovered by the poll is the difference between genders.

According to the data, female students spend a whopping 68% of their free time in the library and less than 15% in both the

Commons and Inman Center.

In comparison, males are in the library only 32% of the time, while equally wasting 32% of their time in the Commons.

Many observations can be taken from the data. As a whole, students spend most of their time studying and doing schoolwork.

Also, each grade has a different place where they tend to hang out. It appears the freshmen use the Inman Center, the sophomores choose the library, the juniors have the Commons, and the seniors take advantage of the Senior Cellar. It can be concluded, as well, that the girls at Pace are more studious than the boys.

Is that accurate, though? Senior Austin Little agrees, but junior Philip Elliot does not. Despite what some debate, as the saying goes, numbers never lie.

Opinion

Vol. 40, Issue #2

Students Need Schleep

The Knightly News

966 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327 (404) 262-1345 Knightlynews@paceacademy.org Published by students at Pace Academy Member of Georgia Scholastic Press Association Co-Editors in Chief: Julia Beck Dean Papastrat Managing Editor: Josh Blank Features Editor: Grace Francour Opinion Editor: Conor Pelletier Sports Editor: Joe Loughran Online Editor: Mark Handler

Alexis Wilkins Staff Writer Class of 2017

Staff Writers: Andy Bainton Landon Goldstein Dori Greenberg Jordan Harris Christopher Howard Zack Kaminsky Sean Murtaugh Eno Reyes Libby Sams Brian Sloan Alexis Wilkins Jack Zook Faculty Adviser: Ms. Lee Wilson Tech Adviser: Mr. Matt Walker

The Knightly News Editorial Policy The Knightly News is the student-run newspaper of Pace Academy. For over 40 years it has reported the news that affects Pace, as well as the opinions of students.

The Knightly News is published by the students of Pace Academy, and approximately 500 copies are printed

by Florida Sun Printing.

The Knightly News welcomes letters to the editor

and guest opinions, which may be edited for spelling and grammar, as well as space constraints. Neither Knightly News-generated opinion pieces nor guest opinions are reflective of the official policy of Pace Academy.

Every effort is made to publish accurate facts, but if you recognize an error or omission, please email knightlynews@ paceacademy.org.

Photo: Alexis Wilkins Sophomore Jake Movsovitz catches up on sleep during his free.

Mark Handler Online Editor Class of 2016

The Knightly News - Page 7

Pace students feel pressured to seek out new activities both in and out of school. But in order to be successful in the classroom, we have to balance our extracurricular activities with excessive amounts of work.

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s website, teenagers need a solid 9 ¼ hours of sleep (8 ½ at least) for health and brain development. But in order to get the required amount of sleep, most students would have to fall asleep at 9 p.m. and wake up at 6 a.m. (And some Pace students have to wake up before 6 o’clock in order to make it to school on time.) How many Pace students actually slept for a solid nine hours last night? Not many, if any.

A typical Pace upper school student’s day usually consists of a seven-hour stretch at school, extracurricular activities or sports through the afternoon, and completing homework late into the night. Trying to balance these activities with social life and “self time” becomes a tough challenge for students.

Teenagers need time to relax and de-stress. Having no time to sit back and listen to music, take a bath, watch a movie or just do something that does not involve school becomes an issue, raising student stress level through the roof.

One concern for students is having to complete more than one substantial assignment for the same day. Getting home around 7 p.m. and having to shower, eat dinner and study for the next day stresses students out and makes them feel burdened with too much for one day.

Unfortunately, this leads to some students staying awake to study until 3 a.m. on some nights.

Three hours of sleep is not enough for a teenager to be fully

awake and energized the next day, which leads to not paying attention in class because they are overtired.

Some schools have moved their start times to later in the morning (8:30 or 9 a.m.). Moving the beginning of the school day to 9 a.m. could make a big difference in the amount of sleep students get. Studies show that this increased amount of sleep would improve both class learning and overall scores for students.

Another question for consideration is this: “Is all homework necessary?” Most teachers will argue that students need to practice what they have learned in class again at home. It is important to reinforce what you have learned in class; however, some classes could probably get most of the work given for home accomplished in class. Time could possibly be carved out of class for students to study vocab or work on exercises.

Some teachers are actually keenly aware of workload issues, giving students enough time to complete an assignment.

Chemistry teacher Mr. Sandoe gives his students about a week to work on an assignment.

Students sometimes struggle trying to complete their homework during their frees, but one problem is not knowing what the homework for that day is.

Some teachers wait to post their homework until the end of the day, making it impossible for students to complete it before

they go home.

Something that could help this situation would be for teachers to allow more time for students to complete a large homework assignment. Instead of making one assignment due the next day, based on that night’s work load for other classes and after school activities, students should be allowed extra time to work on it before it is due.

Some teachers are actually keenly aware of workload issues, giving students enough time to complete an assignment.

Chemistry teacher Mr. Sandoe gives his students about a week to work on an assignment. He does this because he knows that many students have certain days where they have no time to work into the night.

Students should also work to improve their situation. If they do not have enough time to complete an assignment one night (a game, show, long rehearsal, etc.) they need to tell the teacher in person beforehand to work something out. Also, students are told to turn off all electronics while they do homework and study. Some say this is impossible because they find their assignments on FirstClass, but if you are truly using your computer or phone for this reason, it should not be used for anything else.

Many teenagers actually use technology more than they think they do. A good balance is to turn your phone off while completing an assignment for one class, then taking a ten minute “phone break” before starting homework for the next class.

Pace students strive for academic excellence, but at the same time it is important for high schoolers to engage in activities beyond the classroom.

Students will always struggle trying to find a sufficient balance to achieve both academic and social success with sleep.

Both teachers and students are capable of helping to strike the right balance for student success.

Students Share Fall Fair Memories Photo: Mark Handler

(L-R) Junior Peyton Attridge, freshman Nate Reece, senior Kamran Sadiq and senior Anna Hoffman weigh in.

Lifestyle

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 8

Get the Lowdown on Music Midtown Photo: Natasha Goehring

Chris Howard Staff Writer Class of 2017

Music Midtown was a hit!

Filled with good music, good food, and, most of all, good friends, the annual Atlanta music festival was enjoyed by all. “I liked [the concert] a lot because the music was good and all of my tons of friends were with me,” said sophomore Rob Warren.

Roughly 100,000 people attended the concert in Piedmont Park, and a plethora of food stands and trucks were in place to feed the masses with hundreds of vendors ready to receive the concertgoers. “Music Midtown was the coolest, and I liked it a lot because the music was fun,” said sophomore Ben Adair.

Music Midtown is among the most anticipated Atlanta concerts. The sold-out festival had fantastic weather with a high of 84 degrees on both days. Despite its success, Music Midtown is no simple feat, as the construction

(L-R) Seniors Claire Snyder, Natasha Goehring, and Natalie Marcrum smile in front of the Honda Stage. of the festival takes weeks to complete. Due to the outstanding artists and reputation of the festival, tickets for both days were expensive, costing a whopping $150. Sophomores Max Irvine and Parker Payne avoided this cost by helping set up food

trucks on Friday, the first day of the festival, to acquire free tickets.

This year, the lineup was off the charts with Eminem, Jack White, Zac Brown Band and John Mayer as the headliners.

In addition, Bastille, Run DMC,

Lorde, VIC Mensa, B.O.B and many others performed. The atmosphere was intoxicating – literally. The overarching cloud of marijuana engulfed attendees as they passed through the gates.

Drunkards lay strewn across the park under the influence – of

pretty packed and requires a reservation later into the night or on weekends. The atmosphere can be described as serious and romantic, as the lights are set dim and there are plenty of candles lit throughout the restaurant.

Even when it’s packed, the noise levels are still low, as conversations are quiet. In addition to indoor seating, Sotto Sotto provides an outdoor patio for dining as well. The restaurant is perfect for dates or dinner with a small group of friends.

Waiters at the restaurant are very knowledgeable and attentive, showing great expertise regarding Italian cuisine and beverages such as wine. Sotto Sotto’s desire to serve true Italian food is seen with their fresh homemade pasta and bread that is prepared every day. The pasta’s freshness makes a huge difference in flavor and also makes the dish healthier, because the ingredients are all natural.

One downside to their fresh

dishes is that the portions are small. Each dish costs around 20 to 25 dollars, which matches the quality. However, the price doesn’t match the quantity.

While I was there, I tried the classic Caesar salad as an appetizer, the Strozzapreti alla Salsicci as my entree, and a chocolate soup for dessert. The salad was good. The lettuce was

fresh and crunchy, but the dressing didn’t have a lot of flavor.

The Strozzapreti, a handmade pasta served with a sausage ragu was fantastic, and one of the best pasta dishes I’ve ever tasted. The portion size was small, which was disappointing as I couldn’t get enough of this yummy Italian creation and wanted more.

For dessert, the chocolate

music. Friday began with Ron Pope and Mayor Hawthorne, and transitioned to Iggy Azalea, Run DMC and Lorde. To finish the night, Jack White and John Mayer performed, attracting thousands of visitors with a mix of their classics along with their new hits.

Besides the music, the festival offered other attractions, including a Ferris wheel, tons of food trucks and a market where one could buy different trinkets.

Saturday kicked off at 12:15 p.m. with about double the number of visitors as Friday.

Festival goers trickled in throughout the day, and the festival climaxed at 9:00 p.m. when the headliners’ performances began. Eminem began with music from his most recent album, The Marshall Mathers LP2, and changed halfway through the night to his most popular songs like “Monster,” “Rap God” and “’Till I Collapse.” Eminem closed his show with “Lose Yourself,” during which the crowd went bonkers with excitement.

Sotto Sotto Provides Authentic Experience Josh Blank

Managing Editor Class of 2015

Photo: Sotto Sotto

Located in the rapidly urbanizing Inman Park, Sotto Sotto is tucked away along North Highland Ave. next to sister restaurant Fritti. The restaurant serves authentic Italian cuisine featuring a variety of pastas and meat dishes. Started by Riccardo Ullio, this Italian spot has been named the best Italian restaurant in Atlanta by multiple magazines and newspapers, including the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Ullio’s vision with Sotto Sotto was to serve Italian delicacies that he enjoyed during his childhood back home in Italy.

This drive for delivering great food is one of the many reasons why Sotto Sotto has become so popular.

Since it’s only open for dinner, Sotto Sotto is generally

soup was unique and foreign to me. This dessert was comparable to a bowl of melted chocolate ice cream, but it was room temperature and had a thicker consistency. Sotto Sotto emphasizes delivering an authentic Italian dinner to its customers, and my experience at the restaurant lived up to their reputation.

Sotto Sotto’s Zuppa di Cioccolato delivers an authentic Italian treat.

‘The Maze Runner’ A-Maze-s Viewers Photo: Wes Ball

Director Wes Ball takes a selfie with cast members.

Sean Murtaugh Staff Writer Class of 2016

After watching a high-action trailer starring Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario and Will Foulter, I was intrigued to see “The Maze Runner,” which opened in theaters Sept. 19. Based on a best-selling novel by the same name written by James Dashner, the movie is about Thomas, a teenage boy, who wakes up in an elevator with no recollection of his past except his name. The elevator takes Thomas up to a

society consisting of other boys who are trapped in an enclosure called the “Glade,” which is at the center of a constantly changing, treacherous Maze. The society runs on three rules: everyone do their part, never hurt another “Glader,” and never go outside of the Glade. When Thomas shows up, everything starts to change.

If you enjoyed the actionpacked focus on teenagers fighting for their lives seen in “The Hunger Games,” then I would highly recommend “The Maze Runner.” From the first scene to the last, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what Thomas would do next. The movie has

an excellent plot and also superb special effects. The movie has horrifying, mechanical creatures called “Grievers” that threaten the Gladers’ safety. Even the ivycovered Maze, which appears to be about 200 feet tall, was an astonishing sight.

Most of the young actors did not disappoint in this exceptional debut film. For me, it was refreshing to see a great action movie without a big-name star.

“The Maze Runner” appeals to people who can handle more high-intensity situations than the average film. Personally, I loved the movie and would even see it again.

Lifestyle

Vol. 40, Issue #2

The Knightly News - Page 9

Halloween Movies Frighten to the Bone Features Editor Class of 2015

As Halloween gets nearer and anticipation grows for one of America's favorite holidays, Pace students will look for ways to spend the three-day weekend that begins with Halloween this year. One great way to properly enjoy the holiday known for its spookiness and excitement is to cozy up with some hot apple cider or a signature fall drink from Starbucks (pumpkin spice latte, ladies?) and watch a Halloween movie. Whether you're a bit of a wimp or "horror" is your middle name, there is a perfect Halloween movie out there for you.

Definitely not for those who still sleep with a nightlight, "The Descent" (rated R) will have even thrill-seekers screaming out loud. A perfect mixture

of horror and adventure, it tells the story of a group of explorers who get trapped in a cave with strange, bloodthirsty predators.

As they struggle to survive, viewers wonder what will end their lives first, the creatures or each other. Besides the plot, the lack of light and many surprises creates an underlying tension from the beginning. "The Descent" first appeared in theaters in 2005 and stars Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza and Alex Reid.

"Beetlejuice" (PG) is perfect for those who still cover their eyes during scary movie trailers.

Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Michael Keaton, "Beetlejuice" is the opposite of most ghost movies. A couple who died in a car crash reside peacefully as ghosts in their farmhouse until a new family moves in. Too nice to scare the family out themselves, the couple calls on another super-

natural friend for help. Overall, the effects, dating back to 1988, and comedic approach make the movie entertaining and gives it a small scary touch.

If you're in the mood for a good ole' throwback, "Hocus Pocus" (PG), a Disney classic, is sure to take watchers back to their Lower School years.

Although it came out in 1993, before most of the Pace community was even alive, it remains a nostalgic presence in many students' hearts. Many will recall the story of several teenagers stopping three witches up to no good on Halloween with the help of an immortal cat. Starring Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker, "Hocus Pocus" is perfect for a chill night.

For those looking for a classic thriller, “Halloween” (R) promises to deliver. An oldie but goodie, it first appeared in 1978 and stars Donald Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis. It will petrify

Photo: Sony Pictures

Grace Francour

The iconic ghost-fighting trio promises to entertain on a dull night. viewers, as it tells the story of a young man who was institutionalized for stabbing his sister when he was only six years old, only to escape years later bent on wreaking more havoc. This movie will be especially scary, as the escaped psychopath focuses on a group of high school students.

Last but definitely not least, “Ghostbusters” (PG) is

a favorite among those with a taste for humor. Making people laugh since 1984, “Ghostbusters” is also a memorable sci-fi and fantasy movie. It stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Sigourney Weaver and tells the story of three parapsychology professors who set up shop, promising to get rid of unwanted paranormal guests. “Who ya gonna call?”

Students Share Memories of Trick-or-Treating Managing Editor Class of 2015

Halloween and trick-ortreating, ancient traditions that date back more than 2,000 years, fill kids and teenagers alike with great joy and a tummy full of candy. Trick-or-treating has been going on for at least the past 100 years in the United States. However, historians believe that the holiday was celebrated in ancient Celtic festivals, Roman Catholic holidays, and in England. The Celts believed that during the festival of Samhain on Oct. 31, the dead would return to earth.

Villagers dressed up during

Samhain and wore costumes made of animal skins to help scare away demons. One thousand years later, the day began to evolve as impoverished people in England dressed up and asked the wealthy for gifts known as soul cakes.

The holiday became part of American lives in the mid 1800s when many Irish people fled their country during the potato famine to the United States, bringing traditions with them.

By the early 1900s, Americans began to fully adopt Halloween.

Trick-or-treating became popular with kids between the 1920s and 1940s.

According to the History Channel (History.com), Americans spend approximately six

billion dollars a year on Halloween. This crazy amount of money is spent on candy, decorations, costumes and party supplies Trick-or-treating calls to mind great memories for Pace students. “In my neighborhood, police come and block off the streets so it’s safe for kids,” said senior Anna Hoffman. “They drive on their motorcycles up and down the streets throwing candy.” Some students recalled memories of spending time with friends and dressing up together.

“My middle school soccer team won the championship, and then later that night we all went trickor-treating together,” said senior Cassady Greene.

A common thread of Hal-

loween memories stems from students receiving large amounts of candy or taking more than they were supposed to grab.

“One time I took the whole bowl of candy even though the sign said take two pieces,” said freshman Jonathan Rushton. Senior Hank Assaf and sophomore Kate Bethel also had similar experiences where they took more candy than the sign said to take.

Candy, the driver of trickor-treating, provides a yummy reward for students who dress up and trek across neighborhoods.

Students who were questioned largely agreed that Reese’s were the best candy to receive and devour. Even as high schoolers, many students still go trick-ortreating for the free candy.

Photo: Lee Wilson

Josh Blank

Senior Patrick Moore competed in the 2013 costume competition.

Three Looks with Lydia James, Fashion Icon Photo: Libby Sams Senior Lydia James shows off her cool, new threads.

Libby Sams Staff Writer Class of 2017

Spontaneous, visionary and exceptionally thrifty, senior Lydia James is featured this month as Pace Academy’s legendary, long-deserved fashion icon.

Dedicated to always putting her artistic abilities and efforts into each and every outfit, Lydia has had a strong, fashionable influence on the Academy through her high school career. “I like the way I dress and I dress for myself,” said Lydia, while sporting her unique ankle socks and platform, wooden wedges.

One can spot Lydia shopping at local thrift stores, Free People and occasionally Urban Outfitters. “I like the specific looks from different generations and right now I’m into anything that’s like, sorta weird seventies or nineties,” said Lydia. Lydia’s treasure trove of inspirations

track back to the West Anderson film “Moonrise Kingdom,” where she was influenced by the adorable outfit choice of main character Suzy Bishop. “I am also very inspired to always care about my outfits by [junior] Hope Lennox because she is literally always put together. It is ridiculous,” said Lydia. In addition, Lydia recognizes senior Melissa Moyers as her favorite fashion icon and role model.

Surprisingly, Lydia claims to only take a solid 15 minutes to put her clothing masterpieces together. How does she do it?

Starting with her “one article selection system,” Lydia selects one clothing item in the morning, a skirt for example, and from there, battles through her closet to accessorize and finalize in record timing. Usually sporting her neon rainbow choker necklace, Lydia scatters her own spark of color around the Pace community, keeping her influence on the Upper School fresh and trend-setting.

Lifestyle

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 10

Internet and Cloud Vulnerabilities Run Rampant Co-Editor in Chief Class of 2015

Forget the privacy invasions by the NSA and the bandwidth limitations by Internet Service Providers; the majority of Web servers students and faculty access on a regular basis faced two security breaches that placed users’ data in peril over the past year. While the general population might not consider the importance of these vulnerabilities, data leaks reveal passwords that could grant access to personal documents, bank accounts and even social security numbers. In turn, identity theft, unauthorized money transfers and data leaks can occur, completely ruining

people’s lives.

In April, one of these breaches known as “Heartbleed” allowed hackers to easily access users’ private data without a trace using a small glitch in the technology used to transfer sensitive information. The bug affected around 17.5% of secure websites, a third of which still remain vulnerable due to a lackluster effort by system administrators. Thankfully, programmers at Google reported it before the hacking community could exploit it, minimizing the impact.

Though considered one of the largest Internet breaches in recent history, a new vulnerability named “Shellshock” dwarfs it in size and scope, making Heartbleed look like child’s play.

The heart of the widespread

Photo: Dean Papastrat

Dean Papastrat

With everything moving towards “the cloud,” Internet security breaches become an increasingly dangerous threat.

Shellshock vulnerability resides in Bash, the command prompt (shell) and scripting language built into most UNIX devices. A hacker can run malicious code on many of these devices with

little effort, stealing data and creating “botnets.” Hackers then use these botnets, networks of infected computers, to target more devices and spread viruses throughout cyberspace. Unlike

Heartbleed, no agency or company caught Shellshock before hackers began compromising Web servers worldwide. Because of this unfortunate occurrence and a relatively long wait for official patches, most of the public remained exposed while developers rushed to create and distribute updates.

In this connected world, students and faculty need to continually read about the latest security vulnerabilities and remain vigilant in the face of ongoing cyber attacks to stay safe.

With a simple password change, installation of updates, a purchase of anti-virus software, and a healthy dose of common sense while browsing the Web, anyone can prevent the vast majority of these issues from inflicting permanent damage.

Apple Devices Usher in New Era of Technology Staff Writer Class of 2016

This September, Apple shocked the world once again with their newest innovations.

The iPhone 6 (starting at $199) and 6 Plus (starting at $299) have already proven to be very popular. According to 9to5Mac, Apple sold 10 million of the new devices in the first weekend of sales, setting a new record for an iPhone release. The excitement over the new phone primarily relates to the phone’s medley of new features and technologies, designed to humanize the experience of using a phone.

Apple’s release of iOS 8 was also a big hit, featuring new products including the “Health” app, which allows users to track their daily activities, such as how many flights of stairs they’ve climbed or how far they’ve walked over a

certain amount of time. Another feature, “Quicktype,” gives users shortcuts when typing a message or an email, allowing for more efficient messaging.

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the iPhone 6 is not what’s inside the phone, but rather the phone itself. The new screen is enormous with a 4.7-inch or a 5.5-inch display (depending on whether it’s an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus). It now has six rows for apps, and offers a much clearer and larger Retina HD display, allowing for crystal clear video watching.

Just like the iPhone 5s, the new iPhone has a fingerprint scanner for quick app purchasing and allowing users to skip having to type in their password to unlock their phone. The iPhone 6 also allows users to pay for things by simply scanning their finger prints. This applies to all online purchases and even select in-store purchases. “My favorite part [of the iPhone 6] is the beautiful screen,” said

junior Mick Assaf, who recently obtained the phone.

However, the new iPhone does have flaws. Since its release, it has been pegged as being “bendable” due to its incredibly sleek design. A test was conducted by MacRumors. com to judge the pliability of multiple smartphones, and while the new iPhones rated lower than some smartphones (for example, the iPhone 6 bent under 70 lbs of pressure whereas iPhone 5 bent under 130 lbs of pressure), it was not low enough to dissuade consumers from buying the new Apple product.

In addition to the new phone, Apple released the conceptual Apple watch, which will debut in early 2015. This watch will be very customizable, with three main varieties: a regular watch, a sport watch, or a more elegant watch. Each watch offers a plethora of classic options for watch bands, such as metal, leather or sporty (fluoroelastomer). The difference between

Photo: Apple

Andy Bainton

Apple’s first watch is making new strides in the art of technology. the three watches is primarily in the watch face. The sport watch face weighs less than the regular watch, while the Edition collection offers gold and rose gold designs, and is expected to be slightly more expensive.

What is more impressive than the customizable design is the amount of perfunctory capabilities it has. You can stay connected with your friends and family without even having to touch your phone. Emails, iMessages, and phone calls can all be sent and received from the new

watch. Additionally, Apple has changed the game of exercising technology. By offering the new Health app, the watch can track how long you’ve run, walked or sat in any given period of time, which allows you to track how many calories you’ve burned, and over time, how much progress you’ve made. It also has a number of traditional Apple apps, such as Maps, Calender, Passbook, Music, Clock, Stocks and Weather. In addition, it even allows you to control the camera on your iPhone.

Chick-fil-A the Obvious Choice for Pace Students Landon Goldstein Staff Writer Class of 2017

When upper school students and teachers were asked the

inevitable question, “Which restaurant do you prefer, Zaxby’s or Chick-fil-A?” the entire building went wild. Students got in fights, chairs were thrown, windows broken and teachers fired.

Actually, none of that happened, but the question was

Illustration: Landon Goldstein Out of 167 respondents to the poll, 127 voted for Chick-fil-A, and 40 voted for Zaxby’s.

a hard one for many people.

However, Chick-fil-A, which had 87 votes more than Zaxby’s out of 167 people responding, was the obvious choice for students.

Located in the West Paces Ferry Shopping Center, Chick-fil-A provides students with a quick and easy way to get hold of a delicious sandwich or perfect nuggets.

Chick-fil-A is also deeply rooted in the Pace Academy culture. Their biscuits are sold in Inman every Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and almost every morning sports practice ends with a biscuit and orange juice.

Pace even serves the chicken sandwiches at night during events such as the parent walkthrough, and at sporting events.

“I love Chick-fil-A because when I eat it, I’m reminded of the good old South,” said sophomore Ben Adair.

However, Chick-fil-A is no-

torious for closing on Sundays, which causes a rupture in Georgia’s daily routine. Also, many people, including Pace customers, are upset with the fact that Chick-fil-A’s president Dan T. Cathy openly opposes same-sex marriage.

Although Chick-fil-A can be controversial, its juicy chicken, scrumptious fries and perfect sauces make it the favorite at Pace. “Chick-fil-A, definitely,” said Mrs. Culp.

Zaxby’s, which only received 40 votes, is still a great place to eat some fantastic chicken. Zaxby’s, however, is very different from Chick-fil-A, with a whole new style and very different options.

All Chick-fil-A restaurants are basically the same, with red and white colors, a play area for kids and a drive through.

Zaxby’s restaurants, on the other hand, are all unique, each featur-

ing its own artwork and design.

These restaurants are designed to make one feel at home, or at an old Southern restaurant.

Also, Zaxby’s has different menu items and popular dishes.

At Chick-fil-A, nuggets and chicken breast sandwiches are the most popular orders, but at Zaxby’s, wings and tenders are the best on the menu. Zaxby’s meals come with crinkle cut fries, as opposed to Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries. “I like Chick-fil-A fries, but Zaxby’s has more to offer,” said senior Kevin Johnson.

Zaxby’s orders also come with a hefty slice of buttered Texas toast, grilled to perfection.

Each restaurant also has their own secret sauce, along with other delectable sauces.

Although Chick-fil-A won by a wide margin, Zaxby’s still remains a favorite restaurant in the hearts of many Pace students.

Sports

Vol. 40, Issue #2

The Knightly News - Page 11 Photo: Fred Assaf

Jack Douglass: XC Standout

middle school to stay fit for his

Joe Loughran main sport, basketball. However, Sports Editor Class of 2016

Football seniors from the Class of 2014 are all smiles after their win against Mount Vernon last year.

Pace Football Alums Play at Next Level Jack Zook

Staff Writer Class of 2016

Most Pace upper school students will remember the Senior Honors assembly at the end of last school year, when the amazing Class of 2014 athletes were recognized and sent off to the next step in their careers and lives. Pace said goodbye to three outstanding football athletes that day who are now freshmen in college. The Knightly News caught up with all of them to see how they are doing in their respective college football programs.

John Morrison (Pace #15) is enjoying his first semester at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Going from being the long-snapper at Pace Academy to now a redshirt freshman on the Alabama football team has not been as much of a tough

transition as one may think. “We do the same kind of drills, lifts, runs, and such, but the biggest difference is the intensity,” said John.” Also, the talent is insane.

Denzel [Franklin] and Kameron [Uter] were standout players at Pace, but at Alabama, every freshman has that kind of talent.” John has had fun outside of all the work and practice. “It was kind of shocking to run and lift with guys like Derrick Henry, Amari Cooper and Landon Collins,” he said. “It’s fun when those guys who you looked at as stars in high school just become teammates.”

John King (Pace #12) has had similar experiences as a college quarterback. If school wasn’t enough at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (located in Cambridge, Mass.), John is always having to stay on top of his football studies.

“The time commitment is a lot more demanding, and I’ve had to memorize a 150-page playbook,”

said John. “Also, the no huddle offense is a lot more complex.

It’s tough balancing schoolwork with football, but the coaches do put academics first.” After playing football for Pace, John is filling a similar role on the field at MIT, saying he has “mastered” the backup quarterback position. Even as a freshman, though, he has already seen the field multiple times.

Out west in Palo Alto, Calif., defensive-back Denzel Franklin (Pace #22) is also taking a redshirt year at Stanford University.

Denzel never believed the hype about himself and is continuing to get better this year. “I always felt like I had something to prove and I still have the same mind-set playing out there,” said Denzel. “The adjustment to college football was not that bad for me. “It’s just that you have to actually put your all into it and have a passion for the game, or you will never really learn the system and grow as a player.”

Senior Lauren Hadley Dominates Softball Diamond Andy Bainton

Staff Writer Class of 2016

Lauren Hadley is amazing at every sport she plays, but it just so happens that her favorite is softball. Lauren, a senior, has excelled during her Pace career

in softball, basketball, and track & field. She has been playing softball for 13 years and she has been at Pace since pre-first.

Despite her busy athletic schedule, she somehow finds a balance with academics. “It has been easier this year, but in the past its been pretty hard to balance [softball] with schoolwork,” said Lauren. She is Pace’s start-

Photo : Fred Assaf Senior Lauren Hadley goes through her warm-up routine.

ing shortstop, bats first in the batting order and plays a strong leadership role for the Knights.

Next year, Lauren up her game. She has been recruited to play at a D1 school in Pennsylvania, Bucknell University, but she did not accomplish this great feat without hard work.

Despite her year-round athletics for Pace, she also plays softball outside of Pace for the East Cobb Bullets. She plays for them during all seasons, and says it is tough when Pace sports and East Cobb softball schedules collide, but she is able to make it work most of the time. “The hardest is weekends because that’s when games usually conflict, but the coaches are understanding,” said Lauren.

When Lauren was asked what her future in softball was, she hesitated. She said that softball is a difficult sport to ‘go pro’ in, because other than the USA softball team, most competitive teams are in Japan. Despite this, the future is bright for this multitalented student athlete.

While a host of returning veterans including seniors Mark Grenader and Ted Hobbs, along with sophomores Max Irvine and Rob Warren, lead the boys cross country team, a new face has emerged among the pack, becoming a top runner on the team. Freshman Jack Douglass has been a tour de force on the team in his first year as a high schooler, amassing a plethora of top place finishes at the varsity level.

His most recent success was finishing fourth overall at the Mountain Invitational in Spartanburg, S.C., the best finish of any Pace runner, and winning the MileSplit AA Runner of the Week Award. “I was pretty surprised,” said Jack. “I never would’ve expected that.” Jack’s fastest time this year is a 16:33 5K, which is 5:30 a mile for over three miles.

Jack didn’t begin as a runner; in fact, he only began running in

Jack has developed a passion for the sport and embraced his role on the team as a featured runner. Jack also loves the way running provides a distraction from the normal hustle and bustle of everyday life at Pace.

“It’s kind of a good way to relax after school and get your mind off other things,” he said. “It’s a good break from school and a good break from homework.”

Jack also has a very pragmatic view of where his running prowess can take him. “It would be amazing if I could use cross country to get into a school that would normally be a stretch for me academically,” said Jack.

Coach Steve Cunningham is also impressed with Jack as a runner and a person. “He’s an extremely likeable young man,” he said. “He respects his older runners. Even though he’s our number one runner right now, you’d never know it by the way he acts. He’s going to end up being a low scorer for us for a long time, which helps us be very competitive with the rest of our teams in our region.”

PAPUBA’s Rich History Revealed early.” Soon after, the arrival of

Zack Kaminsky Mr. Day and the Fortier brothers Staff Writer Class of 2016

Early in the morning each Friday, the sound of basketballs bouncing on a hardwood floor can be heard on the Pace campus. Pace’s finest underground society, the Pace Academy Pickup Basketball Association, commonly referred to as PAPUBA, holds its weekly sessions in Boyd Gym before many students are even awake. Led by veterans Jonathan “J-Day” Day, Wes and Matt Fortier, Kevin Ballard and Jason Smith, PAPUBA has mastered the art of fundamental basketball and shared it with the rest of the school.

The mysterious history of PAPUBA is only really known by a select few. Legend has it that PAPUBA was founded in 1966, the year Boyd Gym was built, when then-headmaster Frank D. Kaley and Athletic Director Bob Chambers laced up their Chuck Taylors, put on their short shorts, and began their historic battles on the hardwood.

According to current PAPUBA commissioner Jason Smith, these stories are myths. “An English teacher used to be here named Mr. Plaehn, and he and I started it because we just wanted to play basketball,” said Mr. Smith.

“There were 10 or so people playing regularly for the first couple years, but then it dropped one year to just the two of us because nobody would get up

sparked higher attendance rates and revitalized the association.

Although faced with challenges and hardships, PAPUBA’s resiliency has kept it alive as possibly the best extracurricular activity at school. Even after the the rise of Thursday Morning Volleyball, PAPUBA managed to stay relevant. The spirit of PAPUBA is infectious, and at times games can get intense.

“Mr. Smith and I have been guarding each other for about 10 years, so it’s kind of like playing against your brother,” said Mr. Day. “Incidentally, that’s the other rivalry: Matt and Wes.” According to Mr. Day, the two try not to guard each other when possible. “It gets into this really big sibling rivalry and they get really mad at each other,” said Mr. Day. As part of the organization’s rich history, PAPUBA retains a couple of traditions. One is the weekly emails, which range from poetic pieces to trivia to a simple, “Yes, there is PAPUBA.” The other, as Commissioner Smith explained, is that he and Mr. Day always choose teams.

“We try to make it as even as possible, which means a Fortier guards a Fortier and I guard Mr. Day.” Whether students are looking for a break from work or just want to shoot hoops, PAPUBA is the place to be on Friday mornings. As always, 6:30 a.m. in Boyd Gym. All are welcome, even Elijah Holifield.

Sports

October 17, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 12

Jack Zook

Staff Writer Class of 2016

New freshman football player sensation Gunnor Faulk is a name that most people at Pace have come to know by now. After Gunnor started three games at quarterback for injured senior Kevin Johnson, The Knightly News went behind the scenes to learn more about Gunnor and what he likes to do off the field as well.

Gunnor comes to Pace after three years at Hiram Middle School. As starter for the Hiram Hornets, Gunnor put up good numbers and has already replicated these results in his three starts for the Knights, including four total touchdowns through

six games. He has enjoyed activities outside of football so far, including chorus. “It seems awkward, kind of, because people tend to look at me as an athlete, but I enjoy chorus.” said Gunnor. He also signed up for the ping pong club and is a regular member of Wednesday morning Young Life, a Christian youth club that does fun activities outside of school.

Gunnor has fit into the Pace community just as well as anyone who is new to the Academy.

He appreciates the values that Pace seeks to instill in students.

“I like how everyone, students and teachers, are kind and understanding,” said Gunnor. “Everyone here wants each person to be successful, whether it be in football, ping pong club, chorus, or anything else that people are involved in.”

Photo : Jack Zook Gunnor (R) talks with one of his favorite targets, junior Spencer Hemmingway.

Photo: Jack Zook

Freshman QB Gunnor Faulk Starts Season Strong Football players chow down on a hearty pregame meal before taking on Wesleyan.

Football Players Work Hard On, Off Field Dori Greenberg

Staff Writer Class of 2016

Many Pace students show up to games on Friday nights to watch their friends and classmates play on the field, but what they aren’t aware of is everything that goes on off the field: in the weight room, at practice, at team meals and in their general lives. Similar to many other sports, the football team itself is one of the most important parts of the game. Studies have proven that teams with group goals, and individuals who work well with the mass of the team, are more successful.

“We are a lot more of a team than last year,” said senior Trevor Cefalu. “People are more interested in the team aspect and the team goals rather than individual goals. Last year we had a lot of guys who were focused on themselves, but this year people understand that you have to sacrifice a little for the sake of the team.”

Different from many schools

where the varsity football team is only juniors and seniors, at Pace the team ranges from freshmen through seniors. “It is an interesting dynamic in that we have a lot of different people, a lot of different ages on the football team,” said junior Kyle Orr. “That makes it fun and we get to meet a lot of new people throughout the school. We have a good relationship, have fun, work hard, and we enjoy it.”

The season may start at the beginning of August, but these boys are putting in work over the entire summer, according to Coach Clement Rouviere. During the summer, in addition to time on the field, the boys have six workouts over the course of four days. “This year we had one of the strongest teams we’ve ever had on campus,” said Coach Clement.

Come August, the boys typically have daily practices, are in the weight room twice a week, have conditioning twice a week and then a game on Friday nights. The dedication really shows come 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

After a late game, the boys are back at school the next morning

ready for another workout.

Different from many other sports, the coaching staff of the football team includes 10 coaches, a trainer and team parents. The team mom, senior Jack Spencer’s mom, has the most time-consuming and underrated job of all. “I speak or email with Coach Slade almost every day during the season about meals, practices, social team bonding events, schedules and parent concerns,” said Mrs. Spencer.

Another major responsibility of the team mom is providing team meals before games, breakfast or a special treat the morning of a big game, as well as Chick-fil-A sandwiches and Powerade after the game.

“I guess you can say that I do mother the boys even if they don’t want me to… If they are discouraged I try to put a positive spin on it, if they get hurt I try to check on them, compliment them when they have a good game or try hard,” said Mrs. Spencer. “I probably drive them nuts, but I can’t help myself. I guess I was just born to be the mother of boys.”

Jack Zook

Staff Writer Class of 2016

Fantasy football is now in full swing as students and faculty alike compete to be the best pretend general manager in their respective leagues. People can hear potential roster moves and trade propositions around campus with participants always worrying about their upcoming match-ups. After months of

preparation from mock drafts and stat-checking, the season is finally here.

Many believe that the level of dedication and will to win have risen to new heights this year. “I wake up at 4:30 every Wednesday to get on the waiver wire and try to pick the weekend’s best breakthrough players,” said junior Owen Moncino. “So far my team has not necessarily shown success, but I’m staying optimistic.”

Those who aren’t involved in fantasy football believe it has a

Photo: Jack Zook

Pace Prepares for Another Fantasy Football Season Juniors Philip Markwalter and Peyton Attridge avidly follow the status of their fantasy football teams. positive effect on the Pace community. “Fantasy sports seem to be a much better outlet than gambling,” said junior Darby Cochran.

Some students were asked if they would rather have their fantasy team win, or their favorite

NFL team. “My fantasy football team,” said senior Elijah Sheft.

“Who has a better chance at winning a championship? I have to always give myself a chance for a W in fantasy.”

When asked the same question, Assistant Athletic Director

Mr. Whyte responded, “Fantasy is fun. I’ve been in the same league for 15 years now. But at the end of the day, the Buccaneers (who recently lost to the Atlanta Falcons 56-14) are more important. Fantasy football is just a game.”