Vol. 44, Issue #7
The
May 17, 2019
Knightly News
p. 3 Five Minutes with Charlie and Genna
p. 11 Boys, Girls Tennis State Champs!
p. 15 Senior Predictions
Class of 2019 Says Goodbye Mary Childs Hall Staff Writer Class of 2021
Photo: Omar López-Thismón
After years of tireless work in academics, athletics and the arts, the senior class of 2019 has finally completed their time at Pace Academy and is ready to move onward. The seniors, who have spent their high school years preparing for graduation, will now go off to entirely new environments, leaving behind Pace, their teachers, coaches and peers. However, no matter where the students go, they will take with them their memories and the skills and knowledge that they gained from their Pace experience. In the graduating class, there are 31 students who have been around for the long haul, having started at Pace as pre-firsters. These students, known as “lifers,” have spent 13 years – over half of their lives – with the same people. “It has been crazy knowing people for so long, but watching everyone grow up together has been really cool,” said senior Blair Myers, who heads to Winston Salem this fall to attend Wake Forest University. “Pace
Seniors sport their college gear on May 1, College T-Shirt Day. has definitely changed over the years.” The seniors will be traveling across the country to 23 different states and the District of Columbia. The state of North Carolina is the destination for 12 Pace seniors, with six students planning to attend Wake Forest University. Texas is also a hot spot, attracting nine total students including five students
headed to Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Another five students will attend the University of Virginia next year. Of the 119 seniors, only 14 have elected to study in-state, with students headed to four schools: Emory University, Georgia Tech, Mercer University and the University of Georgia. Although no seniors are headed to international destina-
tions, five students are traveling across the country to California, with three – Calla Kaminsky, Will Funston and Hannah White – going to the University of Southern California. Region champ in the 400 meters Justice Jackson will head to Pepperdine University to continue her track career. The hard work that each student put into all four years of high school, along
with the excellent education and unconditional support that the teachers provided, have helped make this senior class an exceptional group. For example, senior Charlie Hirsch is headed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, having received the Morehead-Cain scholarship, which awards students for
Continued on Page 4
Mr. Assaf Shines Behind Lens of His Camera Will Zook
Sports Editor Class of 2019
Photo: Fred Assaf
As the late, great Benjamin Franklin once declared: “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes and Fred Assaf taking pictures at Pace events.” If there is any important event that has something to do with Pace Academy, Mr. Assaf is sure to be there, snapping pics to commemorate it. A recent sit-down interview with the head of school allowed for a deep dive into how this came to be one of his favorite pastimes. Mr. Assaf claims to have developed an interest in photography when taking photos of his own kids during recreational league sports at NYO and Buckhead Baseball. “Mrs. [Martha] Assaf was actually the photographer first,” he said.
Mr. Assaf served as unofficial photographer, among other roles, on a Pace trip to Antarctica with ICGL scholar Robert Swan in Spring 2017. “Eventually I started borrowing her equipment and it just grew from there.” Since then, he has covered some massive events, ranging from the first-ever Pace football game 13 years ago to annual
occasions such as the freshman Phlotilla and prom. According to Mr. Assaf, the key to a successful picture lies not within the camera itself, but instead within the interchangeable lenses that allow for various shutter speeds
and exposures. When asked about his favorite events to photograph, Mr. Assaf paused for a moment to think before finally responding. “The lower school pep rally is pretty fun, but I’ve learned to love volleyball. I never took a lot of volleyball [pictures] until our team got really good over the last few years.” However, as he has become a more experienced photographer, Mr. Assaf appreciates a challenge every once in a while. Photography is not always as easy as pointing the camera and snapping a shot, as Mr. Assaf has come to learn. “The most challenging thing to photograph is football at night because it’s dark and the lighting is uneven… and it moves very fast so you need a fast lens,” he says. His high-powered lenses even got the football team into some hot water a few years back. During a regular season
game against White County four or five years ago, Mr. Assaf showed a referee that a call that had been made on the field was incorrect, and he had a photo to prove it. Georgia high school football has a rule that prohibits the use of photographic or video evidence to persuade the referees, and therefore Pace was given a 15-yard penalty. “Coach Slade was not too happy that we got a penalty,” Mr. Assaf said. A model of consistency, Mr. Assaf works hard to ensure the highest quality pictures for all to enjoy. Be on the lookout for his work, as his photos regularly appear in The Knightly News due to their high resolution and clarity. For anyone interested in checking out Mr. Assaf’s photos, head to https://fredassaf.dphoto. com to rewind all the big events of this past school year and more.
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