Vol. 39 Issue 5

Vol. 39 Issue #5

The

February 7, 2014

Knightly News

p. 6-7 Knightly News Reviews Spirit Week

p. 8-9 Valentine’s Day

p. 12 Year-Round Pace Swimmers

Snowpocalypse Strikes Atlanta Once Again Web/Tech Editor Class of 2015

Jan. 28, the entire Southeast felt the brunt of a powerful winter storm that covered the landscape with 2-3 inches of snow and the roads with a sheet of ice. Pace students experienced a variety of effects from the unexpected polar blast, ranging from snow days to commute times that stretched for hours and, in some cases, overnight.

Flurries began by mid-morning, around 11 o’clock, and continued to increase in severity. As snow showers quickly blanketed Pace, students enjoyed snowball fights, making snow angels and catching flakes on their tongues.

Many of the sophomores frolicked in the school after the early dismissal, and screams and shouts of students getting snow shoved down their jackets filled the campus.

But the flakes soon turned to slush and froze into solid sheets of slippery ice. Pace’s decision to release students in advance of the worst weather came too late at 1 p.m., and although some students who live relatively close

Photo: Lacey O’Sullivan

Dean Papastrat

to Pace sped home without much trouble, others found themselves stuck in horrible traffic for hours in the double digits or stranded.

Immediately after school closed, people left in swarms to get supplies for the sub-freezing temperatures. “You would think there was a zombie apocalypse going on with all the traffic and ransacking of grocery stores,” said senior Charlie Burruss. Yet, the scene in Atlanta very much resembled “The Walking Dead.”

On many roads, cars were abandoned, lanes ceased to exist and drivers failed to follow any rules.

Chaos ensued as people struggled to get home, and conditions only worsened as temperatures dropped and the partially melted snow turned to ice.

“At first, I was optimistic about the Snowpocalypse, but the weather conditions became so hazardous that I had to abandon my car and belongings at the highway exit and walk home,” said sophomore Andrew Wu, “It was disconcerting to see the various cars, buses and trucks in lines nearly a mile long, struggling up and down slopes.

I didn’t clamber into my house until midnight.” Andrew was not alone in his lengthy quest

Junior Lacey and sophomore Bailey O’Sullivan made the most of their days off by enjoying the snow. to get home. The next morning, roadways were still jammed with cars and trucks whose drivers and passengers still struggled to get to their destinations 20-plus hours later.

Some Pace students were not able to make it home before night fell. Senior Phillip Werner and sophomore Sarah Werner drove for nine hours before pulling over and walking to a hotel, where they spent the night on the floor of the hotel

lobby. “Although the situation was pretty horrible, I guess it could be worse. At least we were safe and fed, and that was more than some people,” said Sarah.

Sophomore Matthew Plisko said, “Home Sweet Home!” after an 18-hour drive and a nap in a Kroger parking lot. These stories became commonplace during this complete shutdown of the city that resulted from a mere two inches of snowfall.

In the aftermath of the

Snowpocalypse, freshman Jibril Sadiq said, “Georgia was definitely not prepared for these weather conditions this year, even after we had a similar experience three years ago.

As weather changes over time, we need to be more prepared.”

Jibril’s attitude was echoed by many all over Atlanta, as many public school students did not reach their homes at all, and were trapped in buses or gyms

Continued on page 2

Journey to Germany: Global Ed Trip Continues To Amaze Photo: Tim Hornor

Josh Sloan

Staff Writer Class of 2014 You may have recently heard a select number of Pace students utter the words “danke” and “entshuldigung” in the hallways.

The words are German, and they’ve become a habit to say instead of “please” and “excuse me” for the nine students who returned from the Jan. 11-20 Global Education trip to Germany.

The trip, led by Mr. Hornor and Mr. Smith, included juniors Alyssa Calloway and Alexandra Garton and seniors Charlie Burruss, Harrison Halberg, Jaclyn Lund, Alexandra McCorkle, Michael O’Brien, Sarah Sukin and me. “Germany was an interesting trip because it was filled with so much information ranging from art history to WWII. I’m still trying to process it all,” said Michael.

Harrison praised the chaperones, saying, “Mr. Smith did a

The group toured the extravagant Sanssouci, a palace built by Frederick the Great in Potsdam, Germany. great job of managing the financials for the trip and making sure we kept up with our schoolwork, and Mr. Hornor was a better guide for the historical sites than anyone they could’ve possibly provided for us.”

According to Mr. Hornor, the trip was a great success. “The group we took was a great mix of kids and interests,” he said, “My hope is that students gained an introduction to Germany and German history that they will remember, and perhaps they will

return to Germany sometime in the future.”

The trip began in Munich, where we explored the famous Marianplatz and saw an interesting opera about the Greek myth of Callisto in the extraordinary Opera House. We took a walking tour of the city and ate at a fancy German restaurant, the Spatenhaus.

The next two days consisted of side trips to Neuschwanstein and Dachau. Neuschwanstein is an elaborate unfinished castle

high in the German Alps that the famous Disney Castle was modeled after. Following the trip to Neuschwanstein, everyone ate at the massive, world-famous beer hall, the Hofbrauhaus.

The next day, we took a somber trip to Dachau, the first concentration camp built by the Nazi regime in Germany. Charlie said that the most memorable part for him was the trip to Dachau. “I had heard and read about it, but it’s almost like I couldn’t believe it until I saw it,”

he said.

After leaving the notorious camp, we toured the Alte Pinakothek, an art museum that is often claimed to be one of the best in the world, and then boarded an overnight train to Berlin.

In Berlin, we visited the Cold War site Checkpoint Charlie and the astonishing Pergamon Museum that houses the Ishtar Gate, Hammurabi’s Code, a Roman Market and the Pergamon Altar.

We also saw the recently rebuilt New Synagogue, the Holocaust memorial, the Jewish Museum and the massive Ca De Ve department store. Beyond Dachau, Charlie’s favorite trip experience was going to the world-famous Berlin Philharmonic in their stunning performance hall. “I am a huge music nerd -- it blew my mind,” he said.

The group took their final side trip the following day to visit Potsdam. Potsdam houses the Schloss Sanssouci, the enlightened Frederick the Great’s massive castle that was built to

Continued on page 2

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Pace News

February 7, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 2

Teachers' Views Mixed on Spirit Week Staff Writer Class of 2014

When the first week of January rolls around, Pace Academy faculty members are filled with both excitement and dread.

Spirit Week, or "the Week of Spirit" according to Mr. Kates, is a favorite time of year for the student body when each class comes together to accomplish something incredible without the help of adults. "I love Spirit Week because I always become much closer with my classmates," said junior Katie Nelson.

However, not all members of the Pace community share this affinity for Spirit Week. Not surprisingly, Ms. Smith is not a fan. "I do not like Spirit Week.

As the pressure on students and teachers to meet the requirements of the AP curriculum increases, spending an entire week on Spirit Week is a severe detriment to the education of all of our students," she said.

Ms. Smith is not alone, as other faculty members agree that a week with lighter homework loads and less vigorous classes proves to be straining as AP exams rapidly approach. "I am opposed to the frequent destruction of school property that

happens with the decorating. I particularly hate it when it has to be maintenance crew that cleans everything up. I also don't like when the dancing gets too vulgar," said Ms. Stevens. Although a supporter of Spirit Week, Mr. Whyte said, "I don't like the waste of materials involved. I think we could tone Spirit Week down some; maybe the budget could be a little bit smaller."

"Spirit Week now has a different meaning than it originally did," said Mr. Carson, who has been a teacher at Pace since 1979, "Spirit Week's original function was to get students fired up to go to the basketball games and to support Pace athletics. When Spirit Week first started in the '80s, each skit had to have a direct relationship to the upcoming basketball games.

Furthermore, all of the winter sports teams were recognized during the pep rally. Clearly Spirit Week has evolved into a different event with a different meaning, if there is a meaning besides having fun and being creative."

Varsity girls basketball coach Ms. Tate wishes to return to this celebration of Pace Knights, rather than spirit for a Disney movie. "I am not against Spirit Week, I am against how we do Spirit Week. I think Spirit Week should not just be about grade

Photo: Lee Wilson

Elizabeth Roos

Faculty and Castle staff play an important role as judges of the afternoon skits and class banners. camaraderie and bonding, but more about school spirit as a whole," she said. Mr. Whyte agreed, saying, "I wish that the themes were more oriented towards school spirit in some way -- like if the theme was the history of Pace, that would be great!"

At the same time, many teachers at Pace love Spirit Week. "Spirit Week is a great way to bring the community together. It is a lot of fun; I love seeing how creative the students are. It's a good way to start the semester and ease back into school life after break," said Ms. Barbakow.

CFO Explains Pace Budget Photo: John Morrison

Mrs. Held has worked in the Pace business office since 1997, serving as CFO since 2006.

John Morrison Staff Writer Class of 2014

Located in a remote corner of the Castle, Pace Academy’s business office is out of sight and out of mind for most students. So, too, is Pace’s operating budget.

Despite the fact that Pace is funded by the families of its students rather than by tax revenue, the specifics of how this funding is allocated remains a mystery to many members of the community.

Some details of the budget remain confidential, but Chief Financial Officer Jean Held pro-

vided The Knightly News with an overview of how Pace spends its money.

The operating budget is composed almost entirely of money coming from tuition and the annual fund, with a small amount of income from summer programs, athletics and facilities rent. In terms of how this money is spent, “70% of everything we bring in is for salaries and benefits for people that work at Pace Academy,” said Mrs. Held, “The rest of it goes to other programs.” These other programs include teacher budgets, facilities maintenance, global education, athletics and other specialty programs.

Teacher budgets are appropri-

ated based on individual needs.

“We base our academic budgets on what we need to keep our programs up-to-date. We want to keep the programs up to Pace standards,” said Mrs. Held.

Other programs sustain themselves outside of the operating budget. Despite the fact that they generate sales of their own, Pace’s campus store and snack bar do not generate a profit for the school. Instead, they cover their own costs while providing a benefit to students. “They’re not a loss. They break even.

Occasionally they make a little bit, but we look at them as a service to Pace Academy,” said Mrs. Held, “Think about a Nike sweatshirt. When you really get down to it, those cost us so much because we don’t buy them in quantity.”

Perhaps most overlooked is the importance of organizations such as the Parents’ Club, Arts Alliance and Booster Club, along with the Annual Fund campaign, to Pace’s operating budget. These groups’ contributions allow Pace Academy to balance its budget without raising tuition or cutting important programs. “We could not operate on tuition alone. We rely on gifts from our parent organizations, and we also rely on annual fund gifts from donors,” said Mrs. Held, “We have to appreciate the gifts to the annual fund, and also the hard work of those parent organizations, because they really do support our programs in a lot of ways.”

Since Spirit Week is a tradition unique to Pace, many have found it nearly impossible to explain to students at other schools. "People at other schools just don't get it. They don't understand why I devote so much time and energy to Spirit Week, but I love every second and think that the final production is amazing," said senior Riley Muse. But, reflecting upon her first year at Pace last year, Ms. Barbakow said, "I was much more overwhelmed by the senior class's entrance on the first day of school than Spirit Week. That was insane, in a fun way."

Spirit Week has a number of

supporters in the English department. "My personal favorite part of Spirit Week is the dancing.

Choreographed dancing with 80 kids on the floor of the gym is thrilling. I think that it has gotten even better since I've been here," said Mrs. Durlin.

According to Mr. Player, "Spirit Week is honestly the best thing Pace Academy does.

It is Pace Academy at our best in my opinion. It is equal parts fun and educational. It teaches lessons that cannot be taught in the classroom, mainly through long-term projects, conflict resolution, and my personal favorite, which is disposable work."

Snowpocalypse - Continued from p. 1 at their school. Parents across the state were furious, struggling to understand why school districts didn’t cancel school earlier.

While senior Shabrea Duffy was upset by the danger the schools placed students in, she also made a positive observation about the Pace community: “I think we should do a better job in pre-planning for bad weather like this. Contemplating school with predicted bad weather, like snow, is not a smart gamble.

However, it does make me feel good to know that the Pace community truly cared about its students safety. Many teachers, including those that don’t even teach me, as well as numerous students, constantly checked on me as I traveled home.”

For all of the trouble with the winter weather, some found great happiness in the frozen landscape. Many kids enjoyed sledding, snowball fights and making snowmen. Juniors Caroline Denny, Maria Grenader and Rebecca Husk all enjoyed different aspects of the Snowpocalypse.

“I am loving it,” Rebecca said, “There is nothing more wonderfully peaceful than reading a favorite book and drinking hot tea with snow falling outside.” Maria wanted it “to last forever.”

Caroline took an even more positive view of the unexpected storm, saying, “Snowpocalypse is the best thing ever, because all the snow comes at once!”

Germany Trip - Continued from p. 1 rival Versailles in Paris. “I really loved seeing the Schloss Sanssouci and other castles because their designs, inside and outside, were breathtaking and amazing,” said Kelly. Back in Berlin for the final day of the trip, the group went to the Altes/Neue Museum to see the Bust of Nefertiti, and then viewed the Topography of Terror exhibit, which detailed the horrors within the German army and police forces during and before WWII. We also saw Hitler’s Bunker and his place of death.

Students deemed the trip a massive success. “Germany was everything I hoped it would be and then some,” said Charlie, “Trips like this reveal that there is truly nothing like seeing and

experiencing things first hand; just seeing something in a textbook does not paint the whole picture.” Alyssa agreed, saying, “Going to Germany and seeing the various sights is simply nothing you could’ve ever gotten out of a textbook. Experiencing German culture firsthand is an amazing experience.”

The group invites anyone interested in the trip to ask them about it. “The trip is really incredible because in one day you might see something from ancient Egypt, Hellenistic Greece and the 20th century all within walking distance of each other in beautiful cities. It was an awesome adventure and experience,” said Alexandra.

Pace News

Vol. 39 Issue #5

The Knightly News - Page 3

Five Minutes with Alexandra and Josh Hayley Silverstein

Photo: Alexandra McCorkle

Co-Editor In Chief Class of 2014

Knightly News: So, you have been together for a long time.

Josh Sloan: Nine months.

KN: How was your first date?

JS: Our first date was way before we officially started dating.

Alexandra McCorkle: It was horrible! We went to a movie at 4 o’clock.

JS: It was a really bad movie, too. When we got back, it was broad daylight and there was nothing to do, so I just dropped her off. She didn’t talk to me for a week after that!

AM: He didn’t even walk me up.

KN: That’s not gentlemanly.

JS: It was cold out! We’ve had less horrible dates since. (laughs) KN: What were your first impressions?

AM: I would never have guessed that we would be dating.

JS: Yeah, I don’t think I would have either.

KN: So, no love at first sight?

JS: I thought she was a classic Southern girl.

AM: What does that even mean?

JS: I don’t know, like “Gone with the Wind” or something.

AM: I thought Josh was a jerk.

I don’t know why, though. (laughs) He wore really big shoes and talked about snowboarding

Seniors Josh and Alexandra think that talking and sometimes arguing is the key to a successful relationship. a lot.

AM: Yeah, he takes his mom KN: And you ski, so there won’t with him when he buys presents. be any spring break trips to Deer JS: I pick everything. I just bring Valley, I’m guessing. my mom because it’s awkward AM: I hate snowboarders. when I’m in a jewelry store by KN: Best presents you have myself and I don’t know what I received from each other? am doing. My mom is there so I AM: He got me a bracelet from don’t look like an idiot.

Italy that is made of blown glass. KN: Do you try to dress Josh, or JS: And a bag! I got her a bag! do you think he has a good sense KN: Does he have good taste? of style?

AM: Well [looking at what he is currently wearing] . . .I definitely dress him. (laughs) JS: In Germany, I walked out with sweatpants on and she sent me back. Everyone was shocked when I went back in to get changed. She was the only one that was offended by my sweatpants.

AM: I also hate sweatshirts.

JS: She called me out in school one time for wearing a sweatshirt, so now I wear button downs... It’s only because she cares. (laughs) KN: Going back to the Germany trip, how was it? Did the cold ruin the romance?

AM: It was good, but we had a rough first couple of days. We bickered a lot.

KN: What did you bicker about?

JS: Everything! Anything that you could call someone out on.

AM: We did get past it, though, and we had a really good time.

JS: Yeah, in the end! (laughs) AM: The teachers made fun of us a lot by calling us snuggle bunnies and other stupid things.

KN: So, what is your favorite thing about the other person?

JS: She has a large variety of facial expressions. She does this awkward smile, sometimes to herself, and all these other random facial expressions. She has this judgement face too, so you can tell when she is judging you.

AM: Whenever he mocks me, I make these really awkward and ugly faces.

KN: What’s your favorite thing about Josh?

Josh: [points to eyes] AM: Well, he has really pretty eyes. He is a really good friend.

JS: Friendzoned in an interview about our relationship.

AM: You are my best friend, though.

KN: Are there any pet peeves you have that the other person does?

AM: Whenever we’re arguing, he throws up his hands and it drives me crazy.

JS: I literally slowly back away when we’re arguing, and she gets really frustrated.

KN: Josh, are you forced to go to all of the musicals, or do you go of your own free will?

JS: I’m not forced to. She actually told me that I didn’t have to go. We were both happy that I eventually went to them.

AM: It was fun to have a fan.

KN: Alexandra, you’re a big yoga fan. Are there any plans to do partner yoga?

AM: I definitely plan on us doing partner yoga.

JS: Hopefully, it stays as a theoretical plan. I am not that flexible.

AM: Saying you are not flexible enough to do yoga is like saying you are too dirty to shower.

Wylie Heiner

Opinion Editor Class of 2014

A wrestling coach, a lower school teacher and three spirited children are the first things that come to mind when thinking of the Sommerville family. Mr. and Mrs. Sommerville are the “it” couple at school, beating out other faculty pairs such as the Coales, the Halls and the Cunninghams this year. What makes their pairing so ideal? Is it their passion-filled relationship? Their everlasting love for one another? Or maybe their

Photo: Mark Sommerville The Sommervilles were married in 1993.

proximity in the work environment? No, it is actually none of those. It was one delicious bowl of stir-fry that had Mr. “Coach” Sommerville head-over-heels for Ms. Karen.

Twenty-two years ago a man on the hunt for a wife, and a woman working her way up the corporate ladder, who were just friends, decided to take their relationship to the next level after Mr. Sommerville had an “upper room experience” with the big man himself. It was not Mr. Sommerville who asked Mrs. Sommerville on their first date; Mrs. Sommerville decided it was time to make the first move.

Inviting him back to her new apartment, she cooked him what she thought was a delicious bowl of stir-fry and rice (a trendy meal back then). With high hopes of impressing her man, she failed in every way. It turned out that Coach hates stir-fry, but that didn’t stop him from confessing his love for her after the meal.

He told Mrs. Sommerville, “When I give my heart, I give 100% of it.” Mrs. Sommerville was speechless.

It was in July 1993, in the very church that they met, where the Sommervilles professed their devotion to one another in a wedding ceremony attended by the Pace wrestling team and the Cunninghams, among many other Pace faculty members and hundreds of other guests.

Two years later Symone

was born, shortly followed by Sydney, then Mark. Now two decades later, the Sommervilles have become a fixture within the Pace community. One can hardly imagine coming to school without being warmly greeted

by Coach or having a conversation with Mrs. Sommerville.

Though they rarely get to see each other at school, they still manage to enjoy some time together, making a point to have lunch dates in the cafeteria on the days that stir-fry is served.

They do not get to carpool together, and only briefly pass each other every few days, but both agree that this is the perfect balance.

When asked what they love about one another, Mr. Sommerville said that he “loves her spirit, how willing she is to help others, to pray for them and give of herself.” He looks at her as he confesses how lucky he is “to call her a wife and a friend.”

Mrs. Sommerville loves it when her husband gets her flowers, lights candles and runs a bubble bath for her after a long day.

Although Mr. Sommerville says that his ideal date night is going to a Pace basketball game, Mrs. Sommerville disagrees. But after having interviewed both of them, it was blatantly clear how after 22 years, they still have the same amount of love and passion that they shared over that first bowl of stir-fry.

Photo: John Morrison

Sommervilles Named Pace Faculty ‘It’ Couple Senior Elle Stang works on her self-portrait.

Pace Hosts Duo of Art Exhibitions John Morrison Staff Writer Class of 2014

Despite the snow, the annual Brush with Fame painting competition and exhibition opened at Pace Academy on Jan. 31.

The show was created four years ago by Donice Bloodworth, an upper school visual arts teacher.

“I founded it because there’re not a lot of competitions that are strictly painting, and because we focus on painting a lot here,” said Mr. Bloodworth, “It was more just an outlet for painters in high school to have another option to show their work.”

The competition typically features ten schools, each of which is allowed five individual entries. This year, students from Pace Academy, Holy Innocents’, Lassiter, Lovett, Walton, Woodward and the Atlanta International School are show-

casing their artwork. Paintings are displayed in the lobby of the Fine Arts Center Jan. 31-Feb. 9, and there will be a reception to announce the winners of the competition on Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.

Seniors Elle Stang and Sarah Sukin, juniors Rachel Much and Carolyn Propst and sophomore Hope Lennox are featured in the competition, and the five Pace artists were hard at work over the past few weeks preparing their pieces.

“My piece is called Trapped in a Bubble. It is acrylic with an iridescent medium on canvas,” said Sarah, “The first iridescent medium I used turned out not to be transparent, despite the label, so I washed it off with a sponge, which gave it the bubble effect.”

Soon after Brush with Fame comes down, an show celebrating Pace’s visual arts faculty will begin. The art faculty exhibition, on display Feb. 12-28, will also be in the Fine Arts Center.

Lifestyle

February 7, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 4

Edge of the Earth Rocks Out to Different Beat Photo: Jones Kolbinsky

Edge of the Earth isn’t just a band; it’s a group of best friends jamming out to the music they love.

David Martos

Sports Editor Class of 2014

Pace Academy is home to three members of Edge of the Earth, an emerging metal band in the Atlanta area. Seniors Jacob St. Amand (guitar and vocals), Charlie Burruss (gui-

tar) and Tommy Burruss (bass) started the band with Jones Kolbinsky (lead vocals), who left Pace after middle school and Darrien Woodson (drums), who they met off Craigslist. “At first we got together because we all liked to hang out and we had the ability to play, so why not?” said Jacob.

Most of the band has been playing together since middle

school, under a different name and with former member, senior Jake Pokalsky. Playing a style of metal they describe as “melodic thrash metal,” they have been heavily influenced by other metal bands like Death, Slayer and Dream Theater.

The experience of being in a band and creating new music has been very meaningful to every member of the group. “Writing

original music is extremely rewarding. When you think about it, we’ve brought something into fruition that has never existed, and would never exist if the five of us didn’t get together,” said Charlie. The band has also loved the chance to play live in front of an audience. “Nothing beats the feeling of playing the music you love onstage,” said Jacob.

The group has been making huge strides this past year in getting their name out to the public.

Instead of just playing at school concerts and other Pace events, the band has had the opportunity to play at some legitimate music venues in Atlanta, such as Swayze’s and the Masquerade.

The concert they played at the Masquerade was their favorite.

The band is planning on touring and writing more songs during the year, but they know that they will inevitably have to go their separate ways this fall when they all go to college. That being said, they have all said they still enjoy playing together, and when they have the chance to do so, they will.

I saw the band perform at Swayze’s for the first time a month ago and came away very impressed. Many people, myself included, do not like metal music, but each member of the band is extremely gifted and has a mastery of their respective instrument. A lot of people believe that metal music is just random screaming with loud guitar in the background, but Edge of the Earth focuses on their technique and the way they sound, and their effort shows from how well they sounded live.

The group also has a great stage presence that got the entire audience on their feet and head banging. I am not the only person who liked the band. Other Pace students who’ve seen them live have loved them. “The band sounded really great together, like butter on toast,” said senior Sam Downey. Senior Cory Bush also came away impressed, saying, “I went to their concert at Swayze’s, and it was my first ever metal concert, but I had a blast.”

Photo: Google, Inc.

The 86th Academy Awards Sure to Surprise Sam Rubenstein News Editor Class of 2014

Roll out the red carpet, folks, because Academy Award nominations are out and many are waiting with anticipation to see which ones will be deemed the best of the year. This year has some big names and there will surely be some big surprises.

Martin Scorsese has returned to the Oscars, after a very good showing in 2011 with his movie adaptation of “Hugo,” the story of a boy living in a Parisian train station. His new film, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, a party boy millionaire.

The film left viewers speechless, with its hard partying, drug use and raunchy discourse, including a record-setting “Fword” count. The film has been nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, along with a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Jonah Hill.

This is Scorsese’s eighth Best Director nomination.

Another flick that received massive praise is the momentous yet disturbing drama, “12 Years a Slave,” the story of a free black man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film does not hesitate to depict some very heavy and graphic scenes, helping it garner Best Picture and Best Director (Steve McQueen) nominations, along with Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor and Actress nominations, for Chiwetel

Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o, respectively.

Topping the list with ten total nominations is “American Hustle,” loosely based on the true story of an FBI operation in the 1970s called Abscam.

The film was particularly noted for its acting. Academy favorite Jennifer Lawrence received her third nomination in four years, this time for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film earned a rare combination of acting nominations in all four acting categories. This is only the second film to receive this accolade since the early ‘80s, the first being “Silver Linings Playbook,” which was also directed by David O. Russell and also starred Lawrence and Bradley Cooper.

Also with ten nominations is “Gravity,” the sci-fi thriller which stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as astronauts whose mission in space goes horribly wrong. Along with its nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress, the film was particularly noted for its visual and sound effects, garnering nominations in both categories.

Several other films which were not huge blockbuster hits have still made waves, racking up nominations. “Dallas Buyers Club” is the story of a real-life Texas AIDS patient Ron Woodruff, played by Matthew McConaughey. Along with the acting nominations for McConaughey and for Jared Leto as Best Supporting Actor, the film received a surprise Best Picture nomination, in addition to its spot in the Best Original Screen-

play category.

“Her,” the semi-futuristic drama featuring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson as his artificial intelligence operating system, is another indie film receiving tons of praise and a Best Picture nomination. It may be the weirdest plot line of any of the Oscar nominees, except one other. “Nebraska,” shot in all black and white, stars Bruce Dern as an elderly man with dementia who believes he has won a million dollars in a magazine sweepstakes. Despite the odd background story, the film has been nominated for six academy awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and a Best Director nomination for Alexander Payne.

This year’s awards include several notable accolades and records. Film producer Megan Ellison, daughter of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison (third richest person in the U.S.), has received two Best Picture nominations for “American Hustle” and “Her,” making her only the third person to do so in a single year.

Composer John Williams just received his 49th nomination, which is second only to Walt Disney’s record of 59 nominations. Both Woody Allen and Meryl Streep received nominations, breaking their already impressive personal records (Allen with 24 nominations, Streep with 18). With three nominations this year, “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” brings in the 36th nomination for the Middle Earth franchise, the most for any movie franchise.

The award show will air March 2 on ABC and will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

The home of the future is rooted in connectivity and the Internet.

Tech Trends for 2014 Dean Papastrat Web/Tech Editor Class of 2015

As technology progresses faster and faster, new releases may seem to happen at supersonic speeds that force the entire industry into new regions previously untapped by digital networks. However, all of these so-called “new arenas” actually merge together to form larger patterns. In 2013, the touchscreen tablet dominated the hardware world for computing, while massive cloud platforms dominated the software world.

In 2014, this focus will shift as more and more Americans begin to focus on using specialized apps and exploring new ways of remaining connected during everyday life.

The world of mobile computing will primarily focus on finding new places to insert technology into every aspect of life.

Traditional accessories such, as watches, pens and glasses will face stiff competition from products like the Samsung Gear, Google Glass, or any of the new smart pens that instantly convert writing into a digital document.

With these new smart devices will come a complex digital ecosystem for each tech giant, a network designed to give con-

sumers instant access to anything, anywhere, at any time.

Though mobile computers inspired a revolution by instantly connecting people to their peers, the even larger change will occur once homes start joining the network. Many companies such as Comcast, Charter, AT&T and Time Warner are attempting to make homes “smart” by connecting them to the Internet and enabling people to control them from any location. Right now, consumers can already adjust thermostats, turn lights on or off, control outlets and play music.

In the future, these connected homes will learn a family’s daily schedule and automatically adjust the settings of the home for maximum efficiency.

In terms of software, the rise of smaller networks such as Snapchat will continue to gain popularity. Specialized apps that focus on particular aspects of video, image, text and audio messaging, rather than trying to do everything at once, will go head-to-head against the major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

However, these same tech giants may develop new solutions to try and steal back users, so people should be aware of the constantly changing technology environment and try to see how technology can best aid them.

Lifestyle

Vol. 39 Issue #5

The Knightly News - Page 5

Photo: Wylie Heiner

Roth’s ‘Divergent’ Captivates Readers Elizabeth Roos Staff Writer Class of 2014

Hallie wishes everyone a Valentine’s Day full of roses and rappers.

Three Looks With Hallie Wylie Heiner

Opinion Editor Class of 2014

This month, “Three Looks” focuses on senior Hallie Bedol, a talented young lady whose spotlight is long overdue. Hallie has been using her eye for style

to dress herself for years now, developing one of the most original and confident styles at Pace Academy.

Hallie enjoys shopping at Madewell, Goodwill, the Dollar Store, Big and Tall and Dress Barn. She finds inspiration in 2 Chainz and Angela Merkel - two of the more diverse exemplars

of style, without a doubt. Hallie offers advice to young ladies aspiring to reach her level of style, saying, “Cleavage and midriff are the way to go; if it covers your butt then it shouldn’t be in the closet. Get a hoody in every color (they go with everything) and in the words of 2 Chainz… ‘pile on the gold.’”

General Muir Adds Modern Twist to New York-Style Deli Josh Blank Staff Writer Class of 2015

sandwich a 9.5/10, making it one of the best sandwiches I have ever had, and the best Reuben by far.

The cucumber salad was decent, and I would give it a 7/10, while the fries were surprisingly tasty for a deli, receiving a 8.5/10. In addition to the cucumber salad and fries on the lunch menu, one can choose from potato salad, coleslaw, pasta salad and mixed greens.

The restaurant offers a plethora of beers and other alcoholic beverages for those over 21, along with assorted coffees, teas and the usual choices from a soda fountain. During my visit, the restaurant was offering a special drink containing vanilla, cranberry and a carbonated soda similar to Sprite. This drink was divine and very refreshing, a great complement to my meal.

Overall, the restaurant’s authenticity with both food and decor made the General Muir seem like a real New York-style deli.

Photo: Elizabeth Roos

Located in a newly developed area near Emory University, The General Muir restaurant provides a delicious option for hungry customers at Emory Point off Clifton Rd. Two of the owners, Ben and Jennifer Johnson, also own the West Egg Cafe in West Midtown. They decided upon the name General Muir because Mrs. Johnson’s mother and grandparents, Holocaust survivors, were transported on the refugee ship by the same name to New York in 1949.

The General Muir is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is a modern take on the traditional Jewish deli. This deli serves delicious options for each meal, allowing customers to try many traditional deli foods.

When you first walk in, the staff

pleasantly greats you and welcomes you to the restaurant. The decor of the restaurant trends towards a modern theme with a lot of lighting, huge windows and tile floors. The restaurant offers seating indoors and outdoors.

The menu offers plenty of selections, mainly items typically found in a New York-style deli. For breakfast, one will see the traditional bagel served with lox, capers and onions, along with an assortment of breakfast items like french toast and omelets. For lunch, authentic deli offerings abound, with items like roast beef sandwiches, pastrami sandwiches and Reubens.

I had the Reuben for lunch served with a cucumber salad and fries. A Reuben is a delicious hot sandwich containing corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, gruyere cheese and buttered rye bread. The sandwich was fantastic and I would highly recommend it to any sandwich lovers. I give the

2014 TV Shows Hold Promise Aaron Wasserman Online Editor Class of 2014

It is no secret that Pace students love their TV shows. Conversations about Walter White’s meth enterprise, the latest gruesome killing on “The Walking Dead” and the destruction of Westeros are commonplace at the Academy. While many popular shows will continue into

2014, there is an exciting new crop of shows that show a lot of promise to become fan favorites.

1. “Halt and Catch Fire”: “Halt and Catch Fire” is one of AMC’s new dramas that they hope will fill the gap left in the post-Walter White era of “Breaking Bad.” “’Halt and Catch Fire’ captures the rise of the PC era in the early 1980s, during which an unlikely trio — a visionary, an engineer and a prodigy — take personal and professional risks

When I first began reading “Divergent” by Veronica Roth, I was initially skeptical at the prospect of reading yet another “Hunger Games” wanna-be series. However, “Divergent” proved to be much more than that. The novel, set in a futuristic dystopian version of Chicago, focuses on the life of Beatrice Prior, a relatable 16-year-old girl trying to figure out her place in the world. The citizens in her society know nothing of what lies beyond the city walls, though they consider it dangerous.

Within the city, the people are divided into five factions based on moral imperatives: the Candor value honesty, the Erudite value knowledge, the Amity value kindness, the Abegnation value selflessness and the Dauntless value bravery. Each faction serves a different function in society. For example, members of the Abegnation serve as government leaders, because they are too selfless to suffer from megalomania. This structure makes for a civilization that is seemingly harmonious.

Beatrice Prior (who later changes her name to Tris), is born into Abegnation, yet never feels as though she belongs.

When each citizen in this society reaches the age of 16, they must decide to which faction they want to devote the rest of their life. An aptitude test is given to aid in this life-changing decision. Beatrice’s aptitude test results come back inconclusive -- meaning that she could be a part of more than one faction.

This condition is called being

divergent. It is very rare and proves to be dangerous for Beatrice, therefore she vows to keep it a secret even from her family.

When the “choosing ceremony” finally arrives, Beatrice surprisingly chooses to transfer to Dauntless, the faction that serves as the city’s guards and soldiers.

The rest of the novel follows Tris through her extremely intense initiation training where she undertakes a series of challenges that test her both physically and psychologically.

Throughout the training, she makes friends as well as enemies with fellow transfers and Dauntless-born 16-year-olds. As Tris discovers her true self, she also discovers that her society is not harmonious, but deeply rooted in corruption.

I highly recommend this book. I found myself on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading. Roth did a great job of fully developing the characters.

I was emotionally invested in all the characters, but especially Tris, throughout the novel.

When I finished reading I felt as though I knew each one on a personal level. If I were to sum up this book in two words, I would use the words “fun” and “exciting.” A truly captivating read, it was the kind of book that I simply could not put down. I am beyond excited to read the next book in the trilogy, “Insurgent.” Clearly, I was not alone in my love of this novel, as a “Divergent” movie starring Shailene Woodley (Golden Globe nominee for “The Descendants”), Theo James and Kate Winslet will be released in theaters on March 21. I highly recommend reading the book before the movie comes out, for we all know the book is always better.

in the race to build a computer that will change the world as they know it. While charting the changing culture of Texas’s Silicon Prairie, tensions build within the group as they attempt to navigate the thin line between visionary and fraud, genius and delusion,” said AMC’s website.

The show is set to air in June and looks to become AMC’s next big hit.

2. “Turn”: Also airing on AMC, “Turn” is billed as a

Senior Kelly Brown and junior Anna Hoffman are fans of the series. “character driven spy thriller” that is set against the backdrop of the American Revolution. “’Turn’ tells the tale of Abe Woodhull, a farmer living behind enemy lines in British-occupied Long Island, who bands together with a group of childhood friends to form The Culper Ring, an unlikely team of secret agents who would help George Washington turn the tide of the war in favor of the Rebels,” said AMC’s website. “Turn” will premiere on Sunday, April 6, which will be a convenient time for all those juniors studying for the APUSH exam in May.

3. “True Detective”: While it seems like there is a new crime show on TV every week, HBO’s miniseries drama “True Detective” may shatter the cookie cutter mold that so many crime shows seem to follow. Starring A-list actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, “True Detective” follows the duo as they reopen one of their past gruesome murder cases in Louisiana in 1995. The show debuted on Sunday, Jan. 12 to an impressive 2.3 million viewers, which is the largest premiere audience for HBO since “Boardwalk Empire” debuted in 2010.

Spirit Week

February 7, 2014

Julia Beck

Features Editor Class of 2015

The Knightly News - Page 6

Dean Papastrat Web/Tech Editor Class of 2015

Freshmen

Since it was their first Spirit Week, no one had high expectations for the freshmen. Despite choosing the theme “Madagascar,” the freshmen unfortunately did not get too wild with their decorations. With single digit temperatures and high winds, they struggled with the elements, with most of their decorations around the quad falling apart during the first day. Their blowup animals and palm trees were a nice touch, though. Their banner was surprisingly well made for a freshman class, proving they’ll be strong in this category for years to come. The dance almost would have been painful

to watch, but they were so cute, and their main characters were so into it that it made up for the problems, like lack of unison in the big group numbers. Even the judges laughed through it, appreciating the effort. The penguins were my personal favorite. The group costumes were creative, but more effort needed to be put into the main characters’ costumes, which were seriously lacking, especially the giraffe costume. Although overall the freshmen didn’t have a totally successful Spirit Week, it is a sharp learning curve, and they will no doubt be real contenders in future years.

Sophomores

Per usual, the seniors decorations were amazing, incorporating all parts of their theme, “Looney Tunes.” The Inman center was beautiful, the walls covered with very impressive banners; the most popular were the walls that incorporated the seniors’ previous themes, with “Looney Tunes” characters dressed up as characters from the other movies. The trailers were also outstandingly decorated, each hallway with surprising amounts of detail considering the wide area being covered.

The only criticism was the unusual amount of carrots found throughout campus. The seniors’ morning video was split into lots of individual scenes for pairs of characters, and each was funny individually, but the video as a whole was a little too random to really make people fall out of their chairs. The morning dance though, was one of the best I’ve ever seen; it was definitely spectacular and a great start to their last Spirit Week friday.

Seniors

The seniors’ banner is always impressive, especially because of its size, so the unveiling of it was definitely exciting. The finished product was simplistic, but stunning per usual for their grade. I also loved the clever usage of their previous banners as a cover to hide this years banner. Their skit was very cute and incorporated their theme perfectly. Personally, my favorite parts were the Wylie Coyote and

The school usually has pretty high expectations for sophomore decorations, but unfortunately this year’s class did not deliver with their theme “Lilo and Stitch.” While cute, it seemed like the decorations committee simply raided the Party City Hawaiian section and threw it all over the tables and walls in Inman, with hardly anything handmade to show off their artistry. This was a major disappointment after their impressive Mystery Machine decoration last year. The sophomore banner wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t

outstanding. It was merely normal, nothing to get too excited about, portraying the characters accurately enough. Their dance, on the other hand, went far above and beyond anyone’s expectations for them, really capturing their theme. The best part was that the whole grade seemed to be having a genuinely good time. Surprisingly enough, I would go so far as to say their dance was the best of the four.

The Hawaiian costumes were really cute, and the alien costumes were at least a solid attempt if not perfect.

Roadrunner bits and the dance with Granny. The costumes were amazingly well done, each with a surprising amount of detail, even though the fur taped to Jared Datoc’s stomach was a little weird. All in all, the seniors definitely ended their last Spirit Week with a bang and left a strong legacy as well as a high standard to meet for future classes.

Photos: Fred Assaf, Laura Inman and Lee Wilson

Vol. 39 Issue #5

Juniors When hearing that the junior class theme would be “The Great Gatsby,” the first word that came to many people’s minds was “glitter.” The decorations were impressive given the challenging theme, but not necessarily outstanding. Cleverly incorporating both the movie and the novel with quotes and even literal pages from the book, even the English teachers were excited about the decorations. The E trailer was decorated better than the A trailer, though, by incorporating more interesting parts

of the movie than the A trailer, which was simply one big Gatsby party. Juniors are veterans in most aspects of Spirit Week but new to the morning dance and video. Their morning dance performance was well-executed, but the attempt at crowd participation obviously failed and was, essentially, awkward, leaving the crowd generally underwhelmed.

Their video, however, had an exceptional mix of plot line and humor, and it was definitely a surprise when Mark Grenader actually fell into the fountain.

Spirit Week

Their banner shocked everyone with how beautiful and well done it was. Their banner is definitely one to remember, as well as one to beat in years to come.

The skit was well done and obviously well rehearsed for the majority. However some of the juniors standing in front clearly didn’t know the dance as well as others, which seemed an easily avoidable mistake. Their costumes were great, even though half the girls just wore PDC dresses, and really portrayed the Gatsby party we all imagined.

The Knightly News - Page 7

Valentine’s Day

February 7, 2014

The Knightly News - Page 8

How Well Do These Pace Couples Really Know Each Other?

Co-Editor In Chief Class of 2014

Seniors Kandace Thompson and Carter Draughon KN: When did you first start dating?

CD: Uh… wait. March 1, 2013.

KT: March 1, 2013.

KN: How’d he ask you out?

CD: I just asked her. I was hanging out with her and asked her if she wanted to, uh, go out.

KT: We were in my living room watching a movie and we were talking about it. I was just like, “OK!” and he said, “OK, what?”

And then he asked me out. It was a good moment.

KN: What was the first date?

CD: Oh no... Hanging out at her house.

KT: Yeah, hanging out at my house.

KN: What would y’all’s ideal date be?

KT: I really want to go skydiving.

CD: “…”

KN: What is Carter’s favorite movie?

KT: He does not have a favorite movie.

CD: “Anchorman,” probably.

KN: What is Kandace’s favorite movie?

CD: Oh didn’t we go over this?

I thought it was “Harry Potter,” but Kandace cheated and told me it’s “How To Train Your Dragon.”

KT: “How To Train Your Dragon.”

KN: What is Carter’s favorite TV show?

KT: “Blue Mountain State” and “The League.”

CD: “Blue Mountain State.”

KN: What about Kandace’s favorite TV Show?

CD: “The Office.”

KT: Either “The Office” or “Friends.”

KN: What is Carter’s favorite food?

KT: I don’t know… maybe wings. He likes wings.

CD: I think I’d say Mexican food.

KN: What’s Kandace’s favorite food?

CD: Kandace’s favorite food is pasta.

KT: Ice Cream.

KN: What is Carter’s favorite color?

KT: Carolina blue.

CD: Blue.

KN: What’s Kandace’s favorite color?

CD: Blue.

KT: Blue.

KN: What does Carter like to do in his free time?

KT: Hmm… video games or play

Munchkin Ball.

CD: Hang out with my friends…

Oh, and hang out with Kandace, of course.

KN: Good save, Carter.

KN: What does Kandace like to do in her free time?

CD: Um, watch TV. KT: Um, just hang out, chill, watch a good movie.

KN: What is Carter’s most embarrassing moment?

KT: I don’t think he has one.

CD: Don’t have one.

KN: What’s Kandace’s most embarrassing moment?

CD: I have no idea.

KT: He won’t get this one but it was when I was pantsed in front of Publix when I was in second grade in front of all my sister’s guy friends. It was so embarrassing.

KN: OK, well, that’s all. Thanks, guys.

CD: I killed that quiz. Let’s go!

KT: No you didn’t.

Seniors Mackenzie Kelly andJeremy Paul

Photo: Kandace Thompson

KN: When did you first start dating?

MK: That’s kind of tricky. We were together in April but we didn’t make it official until July.

JP: Why was that?

MK: Because I went away for seven weeks and I didn’t want to have a relationship while I was in Europe.

JP: What was the other minor reason? Do you not remember it?

MK: Oh, yeah. He wanted to start a relationship on an odd day and I hate odd numbers. So I had to wait until we came back on an even day.

KN: Well, Jeremy, is there an exact date for all of this?

JP: April 21 unofficially, July 18 officially.

KN: How did Jeremy ask?

MK: Actually, he didn’t. I made a bet with him that he couldn’t remember my number, but I didn’t yet know he was a math genius and he remembered it and he sent me a text saying, “I win.”

After that we made a “bubble bet.” So, if I blew the bigger bubble he had to kiss me. I won

Carter and Kandace visited UGA to see Kandace’s sister.

Photo: Mackenzie Kelly

Wilson Alexander

Mackenzie and Jeremy have one of the longest relationships at Pace; they have been dating for over a year. and he and to kiss me and that was at my house the first time we really hung out.

JP: It was rigged.

KN: What’s Jeremy’s ideal date?

MK: Probably sitting there watching or playing video games and quoting movies.

JP: What? Whoa, it has nothing to do with video games. The quoting movies, sure.

KN: What about Mackenzie’s ideal date?

JP: The light show at the Botanical Gardens.

MK: He already took me on it, the Botanical Gardens.

KN: What’s Jeremy’s favorite movie?

MK: I’m gonna use what he just wrote a college essay about: “Zombieland.”

JP: Not really anything specific.

KN: What’s Mackenzie’s favorite movie?

JP: “The Breakfast Club.”

MK: Hands down, “The Breakfast Club.”

KN: What’s Jeremy’s current favorite TV show?

MK: Well, he watched “Teen Wolf” last night so I’m going with that.

JP: “Psych.”

KN: What’s Mackenzie’s favorite TV show?

JP: What’s it called… I can’t remember what it’s called. Some red wedding thing. I just can’t

think of the name. Some dungeons and dragons thing.

MK: Jeremy, it’s called “Game of Thrones,” not “Dungeons and Dragons.”

KN: What’s Jeremy’s favorite food?

MK: Big Al’s chocolate cake.

JP: Bacon cheeseburger.

KN: What about Mackenzie’s?

JP: This chicken breast stuffed with cheese. I forgot the name of the cheese. Some, like, herb and stuffed cheese thing.

MK: Stuffed chicken breast at Ruth’s Chris.

KN: What’s Jeremy’s favorite color?

MK: Blue.

JP: Blue.

KN: What’s Mackenzie’s favorite color?

MK: Blue.

JP: Blue.

KN: What does Jeremy like to do in his free time?

MK: Mostly just hang out with friends. He hangs out with his best friend Dylan all the time.

KN: So he doesn’t hang out with you that much?

MK: Well, no, he does. I tag along. Third wheel.

JP: Just chill.

KN: What about Mackenzie, what does she like to do?

JP: She likes photography.

MK: Watching TV or just hanging out.

Most Eligible Bachelorette: Jules Zappone Staff Writer Class of 2014

Hailing from the heart of Italy, the desirable senior Jules Zappone has spent the past four years taking names and breaking hearts. Her flirtatious and outgoing personality has given Jules the edge for being picked as this year’s Most Eligible Bachelorette. KN sat down with Jules for a few minutes to discuss her love life. She described her perfect date as “going to dinner at the zoo. There is nothing like

watching the sunset next to the elephant exhibit. Then we would end the night with a dinner of Phineus and Ferb mac and cheese by the monkey cages,” she said. The boys will surely go bananas for that idea.

As for restaurants, Jules said that her favorite restaurant for a date is Houston’s. Jules has very specific qualifications in mind for her ideal guy: “I want my man to be anywhere between 5’10” and 6’2”. He must be exactly 175 pounds and ambidextrous; I like a man who can use both hands. I’m not gonna say that he has to have a six-pack, but it would be a good

addition.” But these were not the only specifications. “I like a guy that can make me laugh; that’s very important to me. I would like him to dress well, not that he cares about his clothes a lot, but that he doesn’t look like a slob all of the time,” she said. As an athlete, Jules expects her man to be sporty as well. “I don’t care what sport, but he has to play at least one every year,” she said.

When discussing her best qualities, she said, “Everybody tells me I have really good dimples. I am also great at winking.”

Humbleness is one of her many attributes, as she refused to say anything more about herself.

Photo: Max Greenberg

Max Greenberg

A number of suitors are looking for Jules’ affection.

Valentine’s Day

Vol. 39 Issue #5

The Knightly News - Page 9

Most Eligible Bachelor: Elijah Sheft Staff Writer Class of 2015

As Valentine’s Day approaches, ladies everywhere will be scrambling to find the perfect date to rescue them from a lonely night with only their favorite sweets to keep them company.

Fortunately for the girls at Pace Academy, the most eligible bachelor in all of Buckhead is on the prowl.

Creative and a charmer, junior Elijah Sheft may be the most interesting man in the world. Starting “Sleeveless Saturdays,” a new thing that’s catching on “where you let the guns out,” according to Elijah,

is only one of his many impressive achievements. In his free time, he enjoys singing opera, reading poetry and beating his brother up. A self-proclaimed animal lover, Elijah loves when his dogs sleep on either side of his face, and he thinks that every girl should know he once openmouthed kissed a horse. “The fox is my spirit animal. Most people ask me, ‘Elijah, how do you do it?’ and that’s how they came up with the song, ‘What Does the Fox Say?’ It’s really a metaphor about me and what I say and do on a daily basis.”

A perfectionist and always one to be modest, Elijah said, “I’m smart, I can run and I can do magic. OK, docile, and I’m agreeable to a fault.”

Photo: Grace Francour

Grace Francour

If you are outgoing and have a soft spot for animals, then Elijah may be the perfect guy for you. “I’m more of a spontaneous human being. I like to live in the moment,” said Elijah. Family is important to Elijah: “I prefer a big heart and someone who looks kind of like my mom, but acts like my dad.” A determined young man, his strategy with the ladies is to “Try. Try again.

Then move to men.” His current plans for Valentine’s Day include trying to third wheel with his favorite couple if Mr. Whyte isn’t available, but you could be the lucky lady to change his mind.

His advice for the bachelorettes vying for his attention is: “To try in life is simply not enough. Success is the only measure.”

Don’t let Elijah be alone this Valentine’s Day; look for him here at the most romantic spot on campus.

Photo: Evelyn Hobbs

Teachers Spill About Embarrassing Dates Grace Francour Staff Writer Class of 2015

Seniors Aaron Simon and Evelyn Hobbs look forward to spending Valentine’s Day together.

Students Have Mixed Views of Valentine’s Day Josh Sloan

Staff Writer Class of 2014

mom’s friend’s daughter. “She stole the keys to my father’s BMW and drove us there,” he said, “She made me get on the dance floor before everyone else, so at first we were the only ones dancing. She did some horrible, horrible dance moves to a terrible singer called Lionel Richie.

She ate everyone else’s steak at the dinner, and overall it was an embarrassing evening.”

Mrs. Wilhelmsen related an embarrassing experience that involved her identical twin sister’s boyfriend. During college, her sister came to visit her at Bowdoin. While she was visiting, her sister’s boyfriend showed up unexpectedly to see her.

“He and I had never met,” she said, “When he showed up at my dorm room and I opened the door, he gave me a huge bear hug and started to give me a kiss before I pushed him away and said, ‘Get off me and who are you?’ It took us a couple of minutes to sort through the details and then make appropriate introductions. Awkward,” said Mrs. Wilhelmsen.

Photo: Flickr.com

Some Pace students are beginning to prepare for a rapidly approaching February holiday that many believe has little meaning, Valentine’s Day. The day celebrates love and commemorates a martyr, St. Valentine. The long history of the holiday includes many stories as to how the holiday originated, but the theme is the same for all of them. This celebration of love on Feb. 14 is now often regarded as a holiday without purpose, an opinion that is shared within the walls of Pace.

“On Valentine’s Day I’m doing what I do every day, but I’m going to be wearing some rocking jeans which I don’t do sometimes,” said senior Hunter Cesinger, “Valentine’s Day isn’t a holiday, it’s invented by capitalist overlords to keep us distracted from a lot of other problems.” “On Valentine’s Day you can probably find me playing basketball,” said sophomore Jordan Harris, “I only like the day because it gives me an excuse to go out and buy chocolate to eat.” “I’m not even doing

anything,” said freshman Will Movsovitz, “I think we have a debate tournament then.”

Most Pace students do not have big plans for the holiday, but many will still commerorate the special day. Some expect to spend the day by themselves, like freshman Brian Sloan: “I plan on buying myself a big box of chocolates, but I’ll label it as a gift from someone else to me.

Then I’m going to stuff my face while staring in the mirror and listening to a Valentine’s Day marathon on TV in the background.”

Others are still searching for a counterpart to spend their day with. “I’m going to see a movie with Callie,” said senior Jules Zappone. “I really want to third wheel with a couple and see how it goes,” said junior Maria Grenader. “I can’t wait to hang out with my mom,” said junior Harris Quiner.

Other Pace students plan on doing something special, but either aren’t sure or can’t decide what to do yet. “I’m doing something,” said senior Pate Hardison, “but I don’t know what.” If you’re looking for senior Caroline Draughon on Valentine’s Day, she said, “I’ll be posted up at Willy’s with some cheese dip to spare.”

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many people are anticipating romantic dates, while others cringe at the memory of past dates gone wrong. While it may have been a while for some married faculty since they’ve been on an awkward date, the worst ones still linger in their memories.

“When I was in college I had a date with a football player,” said Señora Agront-Hobbs, “We went to a restaurant and we were sitting very close to the entrance of the bathroom. I told him I was going to use the bathroom, and when I got there, I went straight in and didn’t even look at the sign.”

She unknowingly entered the men’s bathroom, and claims that her date was aware of her mistake but didn’t stop her. “When I was in the bathroom I looked down and saw a man’s shoes, so I got on top of the toilet,” she

said, “I took my shoes off and I stayed there very quietly because I didn’t want the guy to know I was in the bathroom. I waited and waited and waited, and trust me, it wasn’t a pretty thing. It took forever.”

When the man left the bathroom, she was finally able to leave as well. “When I came outside, my date was standing there laughing so hard,” said Señora Agront-Hobbs, “He said to me, ‘Is there something you need to tell me?’ He was trying to be funny. I said, ‘Yeah! I just need to tell you that this date is over and we are not going out again.’”

She left at that point, without eating her dinner. “The next day, he apparently told the whole football team because when I went to practice, we went to the weight room, and all the guys said, ‘I heard what happened to you last night.’ He called me over and over again, but I said ‘no, I will never go out with you again.’”

Mr. Matanes related a story about how he was pressured into going to the prom with his

Luckily, no teacher reported having a date similar to the characters played by Steve Carrell and Tina Fey in their 2010 comedy “Date Night.”

Opinion

February 7, 2014

Aaron Wasserman Online Editor Class of 2014

$23,250. Sounds like a lot of money, right? Well, apparently at the Academy, it isn’t quite enough to cover book costs for its students. Instead, Pace students are forced each year to go onto the dreaded MBS Direct website to order books, which easily cost upwards of $200.

Many schools in the area, including Westminster and Woodward, provide books as part of tuition, so it is not a radical idea to expect Pace to supply books for its students.

I’m a reasonable person, though. I realize that during a year of building a $32 million new Upper School, it is unlikely that Pace would spring to buy books for the entire student body. Instead, Pace should have everyone pay a one-time fee for books and then keep all of the books for the following year.

This way, Pace would redistribute all of the books instead of having everyone try to sell them back through MBS Direct, which would students a lot of

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 Photo: Aaron Wasserrman

High Tuition Should Include Book Costs

The Knightly News - Page 10

The image of the first week after winter break burned into the minds of Pace students does not resemble the typical boring return to school; Spirit Week festivities bring competition and excitement to what would ordinarily be one of the dreariest times of the year.

While these activities may encourage grade collaboration, they also cause fierce rivalries between the grades. At the core, Spirit Week seems to not actu-

News Editor: Sam Rubenstein

Junior Scott Eisenberg can hardly control his frustration over the high cost of buying books. money and time.

Granted, paperback novels and workbooks would still have to be bought each year. However, these books usually are much less expensive than the larger hardback textbooks. This new process would eliminate the middle man and save an enormous amount of money for Pace families, all without Pace having to spend a single cent on books.

While this new book sharing program would certainly save time and frustration for all par-

ties involved, the real future of books at Pace should be e-books.

At some point soon, Pace should supply iPads for every student with all the needed books easily accessed through the device. iPads were introduced for use in AP Art History and have been a great success. Imagine the day when Pace students no longer have 40-pound backpacks full of APUSH and Calculus books, but rather a single notebook and an iPad to carry around to each class.

ally encourage school “spirit” but rather acts as a distraction from the beginning of the long second semester.

The best example of this conflict between grades tearing the Academy apart, especially this year, appears during the selection of music for skits by each grade. The upperclassmen have priority with song selections, resulting in the seniors believing that they have complete control over all the other grades.

This provokes anger and fury among the other grades, who work as hard as the seniors to put together their dances.

Forcing the other grades to re-choreograph dances unneces-

sarily not only causes the seniors to appear greedy and malicious, but also puts the other grades in a precarious position.

Teaching new dances to members of a grade has never been an easy task, and changing songs just makes it even worse.

Though the dance seems to cause the most issues, there are a variety of smaller conflicts that encourage rudeness and avarice.

For example, certain members of various grades refused to exchange measurements with each other since “each class is for itself.” From a school known for its strong sense of community, this small act breaks the essence of Pace at the core.

Features Editor: Julia Beck Sports Editor: David Martos

Online Editor: Aaron Wasserman Staff Writers: Josh Blank Grace Francour Max Greenberg Joe Loughran John Morrison Elizabeth Roos Josh Sloan Faculty Adviser: Ms. Lee Wilson Assistant 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: Lee Wilson

Web/Tech Editor Class of 2015

Tech Editor: Dean Papastrat

Opinion Editor: Wylie Heiner

Spirit Week Fails To Engender Schoolwide Spirit Dean Papastrat

Co-Editors in Chief: Wilson Alexander Hayley Silverstein

The seniors have a strong bond in their grade, but that’s harder to find in the other grades.

In addition, the actions of the leaders of each grade prove to cause conflict within the classes.

Students do not want leaders to talk down to them as if they are children; they want to be respected. The lack of respect

from leadership, fierce competition and surplus of drama can result in social distress and, ultimately, a lackluster Spirit Week that brings more hatred than fun to the Academy.

Photo:Phil Handler

Photo:Phil Handler

Photo:Phil Handler

Photo: Lee Wilson

Spirirt Week may or may not tear the school apart, but it certainly brings together each grade for at least one week as they work together to create their dances, as seen above.

Sports

Vol. 39 Issue #5

The Knightly News - Page 11

Winter Olympics Highlight Global Tension News Editor Class of 2014

Top athletes have been preparing their entire lives for today, as the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia kick off with the Opening Ceremony.

The games will allow participants and their respective countries to come together, forgetting about their differences as they focus on the sporting events.

Across the globe, spectators will cheer on their athletes as they speed down the mountain, watch in amazement as they twirl on the ice, and remain confused over the point of curling (an interesting combination of ice skating, shuffleboard and domestic sanitation). Despite the underlying goal of the games to unify citizens of the world, problems persist.

The usual safety concerns that accompany the games have been heightened given the instability in the region. Only six years ago, during the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, it was Russia making headlines for their tank invasion of neighboring Georgia in order to reclaim the territory known as South

Photo: Reuters

Sam Rubenstein

Ossetia. Sochi is only miles from the Georgian border. Additionally, the Russian province of Chechnya is very close to the host city. The violent province was in the news recently following the events of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, devised by two Chechen-Islamic extremists.

Despite assurances by the IOC that the games will be safe, there have been recent suicide bombings in the region, and Russian forces have even encountered militants while sweeping the region for security threats, resulting in several deaths.

Additionally, the Russians have gone way over budget, making the 2014 Olympic games the most expensive in history at about $51 billion. Much of this excess is attributed to corruption, along with the construction of a rail line between Sochi and Krasnaya Polyana, the winter resort that will host the snow and downhill sports.

This rail alone cost a whopping $9 million, making it more expensive than the Vancouver games in their entirety. However, it was this massive spending that helped Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin convince the IOC to bring the games to Russia in the first place.

One of the hottest issues

Security forces are on high alert in and around Sochi in the lead-up to the Olympic Games. surrounding the games has been Russia’s condemnation of LGBT rights. This has raised concerns about the safety of LGBT athletes at the games. These athletes are put at extreme risk if they are to openly display their sexual orientation, and could face fines or criminal charges.

Homosexual athletes have

been put in a tough place, with many people pressuring them to boycott the Olympics, even though they have worked their entire lives to get there. Openly gay American figure skater Johnny Weir has supported gay athletes in their participation: “I would have competed there because my whole life has been

about going to the Olympics.

Being gay isn’t something that I chose, being gay is something I was born into,” he said in a Jan. 16 Reuters article. Weir, who is married to a Russian, Victor Voronov, will join NBC in the broadcast booth for the games in Sochi.

‘Friday Night Tykes’ Shines Spotlight on Intimidating Coaches, Obsessive Parents Josh Blank Staff Writer Class of 2015

Recently, controversy has surrounded the NFL and Pee Wee football involving player safety. Injuries to the head, primarily concussions, have led to concern among parents about their children playing the sport.

Amid this controversy, Esquire TV Network released a new show, “Friday Night Tykes,” on Jan. 14.

The show follows five teams of eight to nine-year-old football players in San Antonio, Texas.

The show is sure to receive criticism, especially with the recent concern for safety.

The ten-episode series will feature each team’s turbulent season involving insanely tough

coaches and obsessive parents.

Viewers will see kids pushed to their physical and mental limits.

This extreme physical exertion leads to many tears for these young players. Menacing coaches freely spout phrases like “rip their heads off,” “make them cry” and “I don’t care if you are crying or in terrible pain, you need to keep working.”

Five teams are spotlighted in the show: the San Antonio

Photo: Friday Night Tykes Extreme physical play and exertion has lead to many concerns about player safety.

Outlaws, Jr. Broncos, Judson Jr. Rockets, San Antonio Predators and the Northeast Colts. Each team is led by coaching staffs coming from a variety of backgrounds. From a former marine to ex-cons who want to help out the community, “Friday Night Tykes” has it all.

According to the Esquire Network, the San Antonio Outlaws, “the bad boys of the league,” finished 2012 with a 9-2

record, coming in second place.

They won the championship in 2011.

The Jr. Broncos, a team that finished with a 2-6 record last year, is looking to rebound with a strong performance this year.

Next, the Judson Jr. Rockets are poised for a championship run after last season’s third place finish with a 6-2 record. Judson, Texas is known to be a powerhouse football town with parents who love to win and often cause drama within the program.

The San Antonio Predators seem to be on the rise after last year, squeaking into the playoffs with a 3-5 record and finishing in eighth place. Finally, the favorites for the championship, the Northeast Colts are ready to continue their dominance over Texas youth football after last season’s 11-1 record and first place finish. The Colts have been known to have the loudest and most obnoxious fans in all of TYFA. According to a USA Today Sports article, USA Football spokesman Steve Alic said, “Youth coaches by nature are role models, and the language and the scenes in Esquire Network’s ‘Friday Night Tykes’ are in sharp contrast to USA Football’s core beliefs and what is taking place on the majority of youth football fields across the country.”

February 7, 2014

Sports

The Knightly News - Page 12

Senior Wrestlers Leave Mark Aaron Wasserman Online Editor Class of 2014

Photo: Grace Ferry Grace Ferry, Madison Graham, Gwynnie LaMastra and Brenner Appel lead a stong Pace girls team.

Swimming Year-Round Leads to Domination in Pool Four Pace girls who swim at Dynamo Swim Club in Atlanta have devoted their lives to swimming, only receiving two weeks off per year.

Joe Loughran Staff Writer Class of 2016

sphere, where we can all encourage each other to do well,” said Brenner.

The swimmers also find time throughout their busy schedules to make room for Pace swimming, where they dominate in both individual events and relays, qualifying for state and breaking records in almost every event. They are required to come to at least one practice a week, but when meets start they can just attend those. As Grace Ferry notes, there’s a certain element that makes Pace swimming special. “I’m really excited for the state meet because not only do I get to be with my school team, I also get to compete against and hang out with my Dynamo friends from other schools,” said Grace.

Although they wouldn’t trade their Dynamo experience, there is one aspect of their training that they agree is the worst: the three-hour morning practices before school starts.

Photo: Aaron Waserman

You might see them walking into school in the morning, hair wet, having already been up for three hours. You might see them leaving right after school, heading for yet another fourhour practice. You might not see them at all during the schoolyear holiday breaks, as they are mostly in the pool for their marathon practices. They are the Dynamo girls, those who devote most, if not all, of their free time to practice swimming.

While they are on the Pace swim team, they do most of their practicing at the Dynamo Swim Club, an organization that specializes in teaching kids of all levels how to be better swimmers. The Pace girls who practice with Dynamo, senior Gwynnie Lamastra and sophomores Brenner Appel, Grace Ferry and

Madison Graham, normally train for around 21 hours a week at Dynamo, or almost a full day of swimming and about 45.5 days over the course of a calendar year. That is way more than the 10 hours a typical Pace swimmer swims per week, and then only from late October to February.

The Dynamo swimmers will also travel all over the country for various invitational events, such as their trip to Minnesota for a swim meet about two months ago. “We travel a few times in the winter and have three or four travel meets over the summer,” said Gwynnie.

The program is truly year-round, as the swimmers have to swim during almost every break. “We swim over breaks, especially over winter break, and we get one break for about two weeks before school starts where we don’t have to swim.” said Gwynnie. The girls love it, though.

“Even though swimming’s more of an individual sport, Dynamo makes it more of a team atmo-

The wrestling team fought an uphill battle all season long.

Filling only eight of fourteen weight classes, the Knights were forced to forfeit at least six matches against teams with a full roster. Despite this seemingly insurmountable obstacle, the wrestling team produced some very impressive performances throughout the season.

The eight-member team is one of the smallest that Pace has fielded in recent memory. Even so, all the wrestlers performed at a very high level this season.

The team is led by their three senior captains: Michael Sloman, Keith Tremege and Phillip Werner. All three have earned at least 25 wins this season and over 80 wins in their careers, respectively. “It will be tough to not have them around next year,” said assistant coach Gus Whyte.

Due to being outnumbered in nearly every match, the group has struggled to win matches as a team, but they have achieved outstanding invidual success.

According to Coach Whyte, the team often wins more individual matches than their opponents, but due to mandatory forfeits, the team ends up losing the meet.

With more than 250 wins as a group, the senior wrestlers have certainly left their mark on the Pace wrestling program.

After spending four tough years in such a demanding sport, some among the group have mixed feelings about their careers winding down.

“I’m a little relieved that I won’t be so dead tired when I come home anymore, but also a little sad that this sport, which has shaped a good part of my life and character, is coming to an end, said senior Phillip Werner, “Still, all good things must come to an end, and I am happy to have had the opportunity to compete with some of the most disciplined and determined people I will ever know.”

Phillip’s impact on Pace wrestling continues to grow, as he became the first Pace wrestler to win the 16-team Titan Cup Tournament Jan. 24-25 after pinning three out of his four opponents and handily defeating the fourth.

Despite adversity, the wrestling team had a succesful season.

Growing Athletics Budget Allows for New Equipment Wilson Alexander Co-Editor In Chief Class of 2014

Much commotion was caused earlier this year by the football and basketball teams’ brand new uniforms and other apparel the players were seen sporting. An uproar resulted as envious peers expressed their displeasure that their teams weren’t receiving new gear as well. Envy is understandable, but what many students fail to realize is that there’s a carefully planned budget for athletics managed by Athletic Director Kris Palmerton. Yet, it seems that some teams have received new gear more often than others. So, where does the money come from?

Costs and needs change from year to year. Every October, Mr. Palmerton meets with each head coach individually to determine their annual budget. He then meets with Jean Held, Pace’s

chief financial officer, and after her sign-off, the budget is approved by Headmaster Fred Assaf before being presented to the Board of Directors, which has the final say. “Every team has a budget, and I work with the coaches to set a realistic budget that covers referees, equipment costs, officials’ food, game day operations people, and, in football’s case, the EMS crew,” said Mr. Palmerton, “All that comes out of the athletics budget. The athletics budget is comprised of every sport, coaches’ payroll, all of that.” Every aspect of a sport is covered by these budgets, from insurance to sideline Gatorade. Referees alone can cost upwards of $18,000 for a single season. Teams have different needs, and some teams, like basketball and football, have larger budgets due to the sheer amount of necessities for the programs to run smoothly.

In the overall athletics budget, there is a uniform replacement

clause that covers the essential equipment for teams. Usually, jerseys are replaced every four years, but lately uniforms have torn easily and not lasted the full four years. That’s why football had three new jerseys in the last four years and soccer is receiving uniforms after only three years of use. Basketball, however, is a totally different story. It was their “turn” for new uniforms, but they also received a generous donation from an anonymous Pace donor.

This allowed them to have the four pairs of shoes, two Nike jerseys, vests, duffel bag and full sweats. Baseball also received a donation.

However, much of what any athlete receives from playing a sport, the non-essentials like compression shirts or shorts, is paid for by parents, not the team’s budget. Items that are billed to the parents are kept by the players after the season ends.

“We try to provide the basics like swimming parkas or cross coun-

try wind suits, and those are recycled over the years,” said Mr. Palmerton.

“The uniform replacement clause is designed to replace a team’s uniform every four years. Lately, however, uniforms haven’t lasted the necessary time.”

Not every item required by sports teams is paid for by their respective budgets. Many of the items are paid for by the Booster Club, which has expanded since Mr. Palmerton started it several years ago. Two years ago, the Booster Club voted to help with uniform replacement. “Quite frankly, we have 89 teams between Middle School and high school, so there were times that the Middle School was getting leftovers that really weren’t that good and looked tattered, and that’s not a good thing,” said Mr. Palmerton, “We want them

to look as good, so that’s what started that. So, the Booster Club is paying for new girls soccer uniforms. They also bought permanent wrestling warm-ups two years ago.”

This increased financial support can be credited to increased Booster Club membership that has been aided by a new convenient way to sign up for membership. The homepage of the Pace Portal, on the Pace website, now provides a link to Booster Club registration. This increase in revenue, $89,000 from memberships alone this year, helps buy more capital items beyond the lane ropes and soccer goals. For example, every bit of the Boyd gym renovation (except for the floor), along with the weight room renovation, was financed by the Booster Club and, to a lesser extent, by the Parents Club. Without the 25-50 thousand dollars of donations, these renovations would not have been possible.