NEXUS Hen

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Volume 8, Issue 2

Feature. Nexus goes beyond the blackboard to help you discover what the disciplinarians of Grady High do outside the campus and classroom. From yearbook clippings to headshots, we uncover the secret lives of our diverse teachers, starting on page 16.

Photo. Atlanta sparkled with a dazzling display of the brilliant lights at the Botanical Gardens exhibit, “Garden Lights, Holiday Nights” starting on page 4.

Audio. Accompanying the usual fare of upcoming converts and album releases, Luke Webster defends his undying love of Christmas carols on page 12.

Visual. For those few Knights in attendance, the fall talent show, covered on page 9, featured an eclectic mix of gifted performers from curtain call to close.

Cuisine. Covering the latest addition to the trendy eateries of Virginia Highland, McKenzie Taylor reviews Atlanta’s “haute” new restaurant, HD1, on page 24.

Rostrum. The Grady French Club, Les Gourmets, takes part in the National French Week celebration at Grady. Lotin Tandongfor covers the festivities on page 29.

Menagerie. With the return of the holidays, a childhood favorite, The Pink Pig, has also returned. Read more on the Children’s Healthcare fundraiser on page 31.

Couture. Bad hair day? Tamara Mason teaches us how to spice up the average braid with this new day-to-day look on page 26. It only takes 5 minutes!

Arena. You think Grady teacher Susan Mercer loves literature? Wait until you read about her Ultimate obsession on page 14.

The Secret Lives of Teachers. Ever wonder what your teachers do on their Friday nights? Their first career aspirations? Which crowd they sat with in the lunchroom in high school? During the workday, your instructors may seem average (or below average), but what if there was more? Who’s to say these seemingly ordinary adults don’t lead extraordinary lives, like the Clark Kents and Hannah Montanas of Atlanta Public Schools? This issue, Nexus has decided to delve into the details that make the Grady faculty tick with teacher profiles and more to give you a new perspective on our magnificent magistrates. You might be surprised to find that there is more to your classroom conductors than a Master’s degree.

Nexus 2011 Staff: Danielle Aldred, Michael Baer, Eboni Booker, Austin Burch, Amelia Christopher, Jack Douglas, Victoria Dragstedt, Chris Drayton, Grayson Garrett, Maragh Girvan, Jakara Griffin, Frederick Harris Jr., Claire Hasson, Jordan Holiman, Devina Jones-Vargas, Nycole Key, April King, Sam Lowe, Valentina Makrides, Courtney Marshall, Tamara Mason, Sanjida Mowla, James Moy, Abby Orlansky, Austin Planer, Thomas Ruder, Nara Smith, Diamond Stewart, Laura Streib, Kate Taber, Lotin Tandongfor, McKenzie Taylor, Lily Trapkin, Ruben Velez, Luke Webster, and Talore Williams.Managing Editor: Maragh GirvanAdviser: Dave WinterDesign Editor: Sam LowePrinter: Florida Sun PressAdvertising: Nexus is a nonprofit organization that relies on advertising and on the generous support of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to generate revenue to cover printing and maintenance cost. Nexus is read by approximately 2,000 people and is a great way to publicize your business. If you would like to advertise with and/or distribute Nexus, please contact us at nexusghs@gmail.comSubmissions: Nexus accepts and welcome submissions of stories and photos. Submissions should be submitted to Mr. Winter in room E106, or to any Nexus staffer. They can also be e-mailed to us at nexusghs@gmail.com.

Nexus is a bimonthly publication of: Henry W. Grady High School 929 Charles Allen Drive NEAtlanta, GA 30309

Reflected in a glassy lilypad pond, color-shifting globes pulse and dance along to the beat of various Christmas

classics on the main lawn of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on Nov. 20 as part of Garden Lights, Holiday Nights. The entire complex has been strewn with shimmering strings of multicolored lights for the holidays, giving the grounds a mystical likeness to some fantastic landscape from Avatar.

Continue to pages 6-7 for Amelia Christopher’s pictures and coverage of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens light show.

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Botanical gardens spangled with a million points of light

In the darkest and coldest time of the year, we search for light. All across the world people celebrate light in the darkest nights of the winter, and this year Atlanta is no exception as the Botanical Gardens marks the start of Atlanta’s latest holiday tradition. The Botanical Gardens unveiled its newest creation on Nov. 19, an exhibit called Garden Lights, Holiday Nights. The project has been under discussion for years now, and with its unveiling, it has become clear that the wait was worth it.

Engineers and designers worked diligently to create a spectacular light event with nearly a million lights sparkling throughout the gardens. And unlike many other light shows, the Botanical Gardens can brag about their

energy conservation; they’re using energy efficient LED lights that use 80 percent less electricity and can last for five years or more.

This must-see event features a star-lit forest and trees woven with lights. On the main lawn, many vibrantly colored globes spectacularly change colors to the beat of the holiday music. It’s not your typical holiday display but rather a new and modern way of approaching holiday lights. The garden isn’t just about Christmas or Hanukkah; it’s about winter holidays in general. There is no giant Santa, there are no reindeer; instead, there is Santa Manta, a giant illuminated praying mantis who could be praying to whichever god you worship. The Santa Manta and

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Botanical gardens spangled with a million points of light

the rest of the spectacular display represent a new type of holiday display, one that caters to all ages, genders, religions and is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Sophomore Ryan Switzer described the event as very pretty, smaller than he expected but also costly at $19 for nonmembers.

“I really liked the greenhouse with the green laser lights shining on the leaves,” Switzer said.

Senior Lily Zintak also enjoyed the event and said it was not what he expected based on what she saw driving by the entrance.

“The setting was great because I’ve grown up in the Botanical Gardens, and it was so fun seeing it lit up and

it really put me in the holiday spirit,” Zintak said. She also pointed out that even though the event was pricey, she was more than happy to support the cause because the Conservancy really needed it.

“My favorite part was the 3-D glasses,” Zintak said. “It turned all the lights into snowflakes; it was amazing!”

Overall the event seemed to please. So far it has brought in hundreds of visitors and can’t fail to thrill and relax you during the bustling holiday season.

“They should hold the event next year for sure-- it could turn into an interesting holiday tradition for families.” Zintak said.

—Amelia Christopher

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From commercial attractions to individual home decorations, our city shines brightly during the holidays. Businesses and home owners celebrate the holiday season all across Atlanta with light displays in their yards and storefronts for everyone to view. ‘Tis the season for Atlantans to make their homes or businesses sparkle and glow in a fire-hazardous frenzy.

Holiday yard awards are given to the best-dressed homes in Avondale Estates. One house featured bushes covered in tiny LED strobe lights, and surrounded by snowmen and light-up candy 1canes. Sweet and simple decorations adorn houses throughout Candler and Inman Park while Mr. and Mrs. Claus glow on the steps of various porches throughout Ansley Park.

Downtown is home to the best light shows. The field between the Georgia Aquarium and The World of Coke is beautifully covered in red and white trees. Spectators have to circle it a few times in order to get the full effect. Right next door, Centennial Olympic Park is filled with light-up ribbons, wreaths and holly.

Several homes throughout the city are coordinated with music broadcast short range on FM frequencies. The yards, brightly colored in flashing lights, are synchronized to the beat of Christmas music. These wild decorations are very close to Grady located on Monroe, or on Logan Circle, off of Briarwood.

Let it glow, let it glow, let it...

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Holiday Lights boldly flash to an FM radio at 1032 Monroe Drive.

Displayed above and right, the World of Coke and the Georgia Aquarium share a field of brightred and white dressed trees.

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When seniors Daniel Gilstrap and Iman Kialeuka walked onto the Grady Theater stage to exchange corny jokes and introduce the first act, there were discernible gaps in the applause. Looking out into the audience, one would have seen the same number of empty chairs as filled ones. The 2011 Fall Talent Show on Nov. 17, while showcasing many of Grady’s most talented students, was notably less attended than past talent shows.

Senior Tené Lewis, who filmed the event for GNN, was surprised to see so many vacant seats and was disappointed with the turnout.

“I don’t think they promoted it enough,” Lewis said. “I had people come up to me like, ‘When is the talent show?’ And I had to tell them it had already passed.”

While the rainfall that evening might have put a damper on the event’s attendance, perhaps another reason for the weak turnout was the increase in ticket price. While in past years the cost of admission ranged from $5 to $7, this year the price was a flat fee of $10. Senior Camille Harris paid the $10 but wondered why the price had gone up.

“I think that is a little expensive for a show put on by students,” Harris said. “If the school wants more students to attend, I think a lower, more reasonable price should be used. We’re just teenagers. We don’t have that much money to throw around.”

Gilstrap had a different opinion of the price. As a member of the chorus and

the host of Grady’s last three talent shows, he understood the rationale for the increase.

“The chorus needs money,” Gilstrap said. “I know a lot of people who thought it was a lot of money and felt the tickets should have been cheaper. I’ve paid $40 for a concert that was just one performance. To get to see as many as they did for $10, I understand. Plus, it just prepares you for the fact that all the good things in life cost money.”

Despite the low turnout, the performers put on a great show. Two of the most memorable performances of the night featured sophomore Ryan Bolton. During the first act, Bolton, senior Charles George and the Soulful Singers sang the gospel song “World’s Greatest,” prompting most of the audience to sing along with them.

“I really enjoyed Charles and Ryan’s act,” Gilstrap said. “It was like the other singing acts, but I feel like it had just a little more going for it. Something about it gave it the ‘wow’ factor.”

Bolton came back out during the second act to sing a powerful version of Chris Brown’s “Crawl.”

“I really felt something during his performance,” Harris said. “It was very memorable and [Bolton] is extremely talented. I wanted to sing along, but I didn’t know the words.”

Bolton, who has been singing and performing in talent shows since elementary school, loved his second performance.

“My favorite moment was looking

out into the crowd, seeing the smiles on people’s faces and knowing that [I was] doing something that touched another person,” Bolton said.

Soon after Bolton’s performance, the stage was electrified by a surprise performance by the Knight Train Drum Line. Rather than playing their traditional drums, the drummers pounded on the chairs instead, sounding and looking like a home-grown version of “STOMP” on Broadway.

“That was by far the most unique act I have seen while hosting,” Gilstrap said, “and I hope we get more diverse acts [like that] in the future.”

“It was a talent that not everyone can do,” Lewis said.

Other memorable performers of the evening included junior Olatunde Richardson, who performed a rendition of OneRepublic’s “Apologize” that had girls in the audience waving their phones in the air like lighters. A barefoot senior Lily Zintak and the Grady Chamber Singers performing Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” led into a surprising choreographed step team moment.

Despite the small audience, the Fall Talent Show impressed all in attendance with the level of finesse on the parts of the performers.

“I’m happy with any amount of people who came out,” Gilstrap said. “I even like small crowds. They really liked the show, so I felt good about it.”

Stellar show, poor showing

—Maragh Girvan

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The Grady Chamber Singers clap and stomp to the beat of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”

AP artist comes full circleAt a quiet table in the back of the room sits Margaret

McDonald, pencil in hand, focused intently on the piece spread out before her. As her classmates chatter on around her, her hand moves smoothly across the paper, creating a labyrinth of detailed lines, woven together into something that will soon become a masterpiece.

McDonald is a girl of many talents, but for McDonald art isn’t just a talent; it’s a passion. As a senior AP artist in Mr. Brandhorst’s class, McDonald has continued to develop her individuality as an artist. Students in AP art are encouraged to explore different types of art and to hone their talent into a certain area, which then becomes the theme of their portfolio.

“I really like line drawing, and for my concentration, I’ve been experimenting a lot with circles,” McDonald said. “I love the simplicity and the chaos of the shape.” Many of McDonald’s pieces are centered around circles with detailed patterns and intricate lines woven together inside of them, although her portfolio contains a variety of both abstract art and figures.

McDonald gets her inspiration from many different places, especially the Internet, her friends, and things she finds lying around the house. She finds great inspiration from her fellow AP artists.

“It’s the opposite of other classes in school, where you have to produce 100 percent of your material,” McDonald said. “In Brandhorst’s class, we steal ideas from each other and build off what we see.”

Despite this collaborative environment, McDonald’s art has its own distinct character, evident from the intricacy and depth of her designs and her talent in making lines come to life. Her eccentric personality and unique perspective influences her creations, a trait admired by her friends.

“She has a different point of view; it’s very dark,” McDonald’s friend Max Kocsisszucs said. “I love her stormy disposition!”

Close friend Caitlin Wade is also a supporter of McDonald’s art and enjoys watching her draw.

“I’ve seen Margaret lay spread out on the floor for four hours straight, and end up with something mind-bending.”

-Claire Hasson

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McDonald’s colorful personality comes to

life in her surreal pieces.

McDonald’s AP Art portfolio is made up of a variety of mediums and intricate patterns.

McDonald concentrates on the detailed line drawings of her latest piece.

Breaking Dawn bites, but in a good wayWalking into Atlantic Station on

the night of Nov. 18, my eyes fell immediately upon the life-size cardboard cutout of Edward, Jacob and Bella. People swarmed around to get a picture with the look-alikes as I made my way to the theater. Going into the movie, I expected exactly what I got: an almost exact replica of the book with a never-changing, dull facial expression on Kristen Stewart’s face, melodramatic emotions from Robert Pattinson, and awful acting from the always handsome Taylor Lautner.

The opening of the movie excited me beyond what I’m willing to admit. Without even knowing it, I was hugging my knees against my chest with excitement. The wedding between Bella and Edward was picture perfect, fulfilling every dream I‘d had about the magical moment.

Once Bella and Edward left for the honeymoon, every detail was magnified since the book had made it the perfect way to begin a marriage . Each scene of the honeymoon was excellent. That is, until Bella realized she was pregnant. The scene dripped with excess drama, adding a bit of comic relief right before things started going downhill.

After Bella and Edward got home from their almost perfect honeymoon, things got a little weird. Bella had to drink blood to fulfill her little half human-half vampire’s thirst. This made more than one person in the theater gag or watch in disgust. The next 20 minutes of the film bored me and had me anticipating the ending that I had a feeling would be fantastic. The ending of the film confirmed my prediction.

With Bella’s stomach the size of a small planet and tensions rising within the Cullen house, the end was rearing up quickly. Shortly after Bella announced the name of her future child, my stomach flipped with the graphic image of her spine breaking and the baby emerging. After the baby was out, Bella’s eyes grew lifeless and it was time to make the transition from human to vampire. (If you read

the book you already know why this had to happen. If you didn’t, trust

me. It was necessary.) So many emotions were thrown into

one minute of movie that it brought tears to my eyes.

The movie ended with Bella’s eyes fluttering open to reveal the blood red irises (think transition lenses) that she would be sporting for the next few months of being

a newborn vamp. Overall, the movie met

my expectations. Some scenes were a little iffy and

the lull in the middle of the movie was a bit hard to get through,

but the ending made it all worth it.

The wedding

between Bella and Edward was picture perfect, fulfilling every

dream I had about the magical

moment.

—Lily Trapkin

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Above: Bella Cullen née Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) share an intimate moment in the streets of Brazil on their honeymoon. Right: Bella is doted on before the wedding ceremony by Edward’s sisters Alice (Ashley Greene) and Rosalie (Nikki Reed). Below: The newly-wed couple discovers that Bella is having a half-human half-vampire baby.

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audio

Dubstep is sort of a parody of techno music, a cruel take on an old genre likely only created for malicious intent. One would think this topic should be presented in opposing viewpoints format, with two students arguing for and against the Dubstep genre. One would be wrong. There’s nothing to argue; the genre is extremely flawed and has greatly deviated from its original path, which was basically just techno. Dubstep originated around 1998 and was apparently not as awful as it is today. Whether or not you believe this is up to you, but Dubstep vintage 2011 is miserable failure.

It’s hard to believe this is even a serious music genre, although I suppose its popularity is understandable. It makes for good background music at a rave. A rave happens when a bunch of people try to see how many speakers they can fit in one room, and then see how many people they can cram in there who will tolerate paying for busted eardrums and a bruised body. One would think people would have better things on which to spend their money. I’m sorry One, but you’re wrong yet again. These things are usually packed full of people, most likely because they can be a haven for illegal substances and underage sex. People in attendance also get to feel good about themselves because regardless of whether or not they are consuming in any illegal substances, as long as they’re seen there, they just expect people to think better of them, because apparently that’s a favorable thing. Dubstep has only recently grown to mainstream popularity, and due to its poor quality, it will likely fade soon. —Sam Lowe

Swept away by the holidays

— Luke Webster

Everyone knows that special day of the year, the day you turn on the radio in your car and hear the oh-so-familiar “Jingle Bell Rock” or the smooth voice of Bing Crosby sweetly singing “White Christmas.” If you are not mentally prepared for the holiday season, there is nothing like some holiday classics to get you in the spirit.

Holiday music is its own distinct genre. It is a style of music associated with joyful wintertime activities such as throwing snowballs, drinking eggnog, stuffing stockings or sitting around a fire with ones you love. This style of music brings me delight because I associate it with childhood memories of the joy of Christmas morning and the holiday season in general; after all, it is “the most wonderful time of the year.”

Many feel that holiday music is a burden, something that gets repetitive and old very quickly. I

disagree. The sounds of holiday music bring joy to me when I hear them, whether that be in July or mid-December.

I am, however, not a fan of modern artists, such

as Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift, attempting holiday songs. Their poor take on the holiday classics, infused with electronic instrumentation and supposedly infectious pop hooks, saps the magic from the timeless songs. The genre of holiday music needs to be left to the professionals, such as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and bar singers everywhere.

I may be slightly biased in my opinions, however, for I am a sucker for anything traditionally related to the holiday season because it is my favorite time of year. I am the kind of person who watches bad made-for-TV Christmas movies, starts listening to holiday music at least a month

in advance and gets excited by department stores putting

up holiday decorations in October. I therefore

would understand someone not

having the same e n t h u s i a s t i c

opinions about the holidays, especially when it comes to holiday music. It is all about personal taste, and although I am a big supporter of it, I understand

it’s not everybody’s “most wonderful

time of the year.”

Illustration by Larson Collier

Dubstep in the dumpster

ShowsDrivin’ N’ Cryin’ Dec. 23, the TabernacleSTS9 Dec. 27-31, the TabernacleB. B. KingDec. 30, Fox TheatreNorth Mississippi AllstarsDec. 30, Variety PlayhouseZac Brown BandDec. 31, Phillips ArenaCakeDec. 31, Fox TheatreG. Love and Special SauceJan. 20, Variety PlayhouseRed Hot Chili PeppersJan. 30, Gwinnett Arena

ReleasesDec. 20 —Young Jeezy, The Motivation 103: Hustlerz AmbitionDec. 29—Wiz Khalifa, O. N. I. F. C.Jan. 10—Smashing Pumpkins, OceaniaJan. 30—Kid Cudi, WZRDFeb. 7—Dr. Dog, Be the VoidFeb. 20—Band of Skulls, Sweet SourFeb. 14 —B. O. B., EPICFeb. 14—Nicki Minaj, Pink Friday: Roman ReloadedMarch 26—Leona Lewis, Glass Heart

Grady’s holiday playlists

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Olivia Simonton, senior “Jingle Bell Rock”Bobby Helms “Silent Night”Traditional“What You Want For Christmas?”DJ Genius“Wonderful Christmas Time”Paul McCartney “Frosty the Snowman”Traditional

Mallory Hazell, sophomore

“This Christmas”Mariah Carey Feat. Lil Bow Wow“Santa Baby”Madonna“We Three Kings”Traditional“Last Christmas”WHAM!“Oh Holy Night”Celine Dion

Sam Holder, junior

“Let It Snow”Frank Sinatra“Winter Wonderland”Dean Martin“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”Traditional “Baby It’s Cold Out-side”Frank Loesser“The Chanukah Song”Adam Sandler

Charles Eaddy, senior

“Jingle Bells”Bobby Helms “White Christmas”Bing Crosby“The Christmas Song”Nat King Cole“12 Days of Christmas”Traditional“Here Comes Santa Claus”Gene Autry

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“If you get the winning point, and the D [defensive stop in ultimate Frisbee lingo] that precedes it, I’ll give you my furry cheetah-print hat!” The coach shouted to her players.

This is no ordinary hat. It is a 5 Brand ultimate hat made with a cheetah-print fleece-fabric and is owned by none other than Susie Mercer, head coach of the Grady Gauntlet, the school’s ultimate Frisbee team. Mercer, or “Meh Mer”, as her players affectionately call her, adores this hat. In order to push the Gauntlet to victory, however, she was willing to give this rare item away.

The game was the 2011 Georgia Ultimate State Championship, and the next point would d e t e r m i n e whether the Grady Gauntlet walked away with its first state championship or ended the game painfully as runner-up to its opponent, the Lakeside Vikings. With the score knotted at 12, it was double game point, and both teams had their eyes on the ultimate prize. After a long day of tiring games and high emotions, the cheetah hat was just the motivation Gauntlet needed, the motivation to dig just a little deeper and go all out for just one more point.

Within moments of her offer, “my hat in exchange for a winning play,”

team captain Rashard Bird launched the Frisbee the length of the field, landing it perfectly in the hands of freshman receiver Sebbi Di’Francesco, who caught the disc in the end zone for a Grady victory.

As the Gauntlet players rushed the field in the jubilant euphoria of winning a state championship, Mercer, in awe and still in ownership of her crazy hat, watched the celebration, congratulated fellow coach Dylan Tunnell and smiled her first smile as a coach of a state-champion ultimate Frisbee team.

You would have to play quite a bit of excellent ultimate Frisbee

to top that moment, but after 15 years of

playing the game and six years coaching it, Mercer has quite a few memories that might.

M e r c e r began playing

competitive Frisbee since the fall of 1996

and has never looked back. “When I was first introduced to true,

competitive ultimate Frisbee,” Mercer recalled, “I was immediately in love.”

Since then, she has continued to play for highly competitive ultimate teams around the area including Alloy and Top Shelf, an all women’s team of skilled veterans. The game has become not only a sport but also a lifestyle to Mercer, and her dedication and loyalty to the teams she plays on is immense.

“I arrange my entire schedule around

ultimate.” Mercer said. “I make arrangements at work, I miss social engagements; ultimate comes first. I even tried to miss my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary so I could go to a tournament. I mean, they’d still be married the following weekend, right? Obviously, they didn’t go for it. ”

Starting in 2006, Mercer and a core group of enthused students launched a club ultimate Frisbee team at Grady. Though originally small in numbers, the team slowly began to build, bringing in new players and gaining cohesiveness and competitiveness. Gradually, Mercer has been able to translate much of her knowledge and love to many students around Grady and build a successful ultimate club.

In 2008, Mercer found a coaching partner in fellow ultimate player Dylan Tunnell. After gaining fame in the ultimate world as one of the finest players ever to come out of Atlanta (attending Paidea School), Tunnell, a member of the 2009 U.S. national team that won a gold medal at worlds, he arrived at Grady to coach with Mercer.

“Having Dylan there changed the team from a fringe group of interesting kids who liked to run around to a more focused, competitive group of athletes,” Mercer said.

But even with the sport’s growing popularity and the presence of Tunnel on the coaching staff, Mercer still feels the ultimate team at Grady has room to improve. One problem Mercer commonly sees is kids coming out for ultimate but not taking the sport seriously.

“I even tried to

miss my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary so I

could go to a tournament. I mean, they’d still be married the

following weekend, right?”- Ultimate Frisbee player

and coach Susie Mercer

Player,Coach

SuperiorUltimate

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“For people to just come to practice when they feel like it and run around without trying to improve their game, that makes me crazy.” Mercer said.

Grady ultimate also faced the challenge of not being taken seriously by other sports teams at the school.

“We had to overcome the perception that ultimate is not a ‘real’ sport,” Mercer fumes, “because we don’t tackle and because we believe in sportsmanship and calling your own fouls. These factors, plus the fact that the game was started by a bunch of hippies has caused ‘real’ coaches not to see us as a real sport. Even now, that attitude is translated from coaches to players.” Mercer said.

“Ultimate has changed a lot since its inception, however, and I don’t think anyone who watches a high level game could deny that it requires real athleticism.” Mercer said.

In recent years, the Grady community has warmed to the sport, and some Grady athletes have even converted from their original sports to join the ultimate team. Grady Gauntlet now has a core of strong players who have spent their high school years dedicated to the sport, and the influx of new students from Inman Middle School has provided the team with fresh talent every year since 2008 when Inman started its ultimate program. The Inman developmental team enabled the Gauntlet to win state last year and to contend at National High School Easterns, a national tournament featuring all the best teams on the East Coast.

Even with all the success of the 2011 team, Mercer still believes that the coming season will yield even more success.

“This is going to be a good year for

the team.,” she said. “We only lost one senior last year (Byrd), so our starting line will be sick.” Mercer even thinks that Grady may be able to challenge the private-school powerhouse that is Paidea School. After not having a chance to face the team last year, Mercer says she and the team are hungry for a win against Paidea, one of the top five teams in the country.

With the ultimate team and “lifestyle” growing at Grady, Mercer is confident that her favorite ultimate moment may not have even happened yet. And being the player and coach she is, a person with so much love for the pure athleticism of the game, a love she genuinely inspires in her students, everyone believes her. For Mercer and Grady ultimate, the sky is the limit, all they need to do is just keep grabbing those soaring Frisbees out of it.

The “panda-flage” outfit (left) is a cold Sunday tradition Mercer enjoys wear-ing. When Mercer opened the present from her mother in 2001, she knew it would be perfect for ultimate. Mercer and former Grady Gauntlet captain El-liot Erickson (below) smile for a picture at a North Carolina ultimate tourna-ment in 2010.

—Jack Douglas

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We all know our

teachers as simply our teachers, but is there more to them then just grading, lecturing, and

scolding?

As high school students, we are constantly asked what we want to do with our lives or what career we want to pursue. We respond to these questions with answers such as “a pediatrician,” “an engineer” or “a musician,” but do we ever wonder what careers our own teachers wanted to pursue when they were in our shoes? Surely being a teacher and handling more than 100 kids a day was not their dream job. So, what was?

For Nikolai Curtis it was biology. Whether it was working in a zoo, teaching or outdoor recreation, Curtis wanted to pursue a career that would fit his love for science. After earning a degree in biology from Maryville College in Tennessee, Curtis was immediately employed by the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. He worked there for six months and then traveled to Atlanta to work at Zoo Atlanta. There, he worked with visitors in the reptile house and spoke on its behalf in interviews with the media.

Even though Curtis enjoyed his job at the zoo, he felt his career was not progressing. His interests changed to teaching. He began as a student teacher for a summer school program for West Fulton Middle School, now B.E.S.T. Academy. He was then hired to teach at Grady and this year, 2011, marks his 10th year of teaching biology here.

Curtis’s goals were high but he was able to achieve them, unlike Gayla Blair who, as a high school student, aspired to be “the next Barbara Walters.” After attaining her degree in journalism from Tuskegee University, Blair began substituting in the Atlanta Public School district while finishing her second master’s degree at Clark Atlanta University. While in pursuit

of her first master’s degree, she interned at KYW-TV in Philadelphia. There, she worked in the sales department and sold advertising. The job was stressful and required long hours.

Blair felt she was most comfortable with substituting and decided to complete a teacher-training program and earn her teaching certificate. Blair was hired at Southside High School, now Maynard Jackson, and then relocated to Douglass. After seven years at Douglass, Blair was informed that Grady needed English teachers, and she made the decision to apply.

This year is Blair’s first full school year as an English teacher at Grady, and she plans to continue her career here.

One staff member, inspired by her 10th and 11th grade English teacher, set her goal: to become a high school English teacher herself. Carrie MacBrien attained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in English and education from Emory University. After college she worked many odd jobs, including waitressing at The American Roadhouse to bring in money while she searched for a stable job. MacBrien began her student teaching at Harper Archer and attained her teaching certificate. She started teaching English at Crim and then was offered the position of language arts department chair at Harper Archer. She relocated to George Washington Carver, where she worked for three years. The year before Carver split into small schools, MacBrien was hired at Grady. She taught ninth-grade journalism and English her first year, and then was promoted to the Communications Magnet program coordinator. Today, MacBrien is happy with her career as the communications academy leader, though she does miss teaching in a classroom setting.

Before they were teachers...

-Courtney Marshall

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We all know our

teachers as simply our teachers, but is there more to them then just grading, lecturing, and

scolding?

As high school students, we are constantly asked what we want to do with our lives or what career we want to pursue. We respond to these questions with answers such as “a pediatrician,” “an engineer” or “a musician,” but do we ever wonder what careers our own teachers wanted to pursue when they were in our shoes? Surely being a teacher and handling more than 100 kids a day was not their dream job. So, what was?

For Nikolai Curtis it was biology. Whether it was working in a zoo, teaching or outdoor recreation, Curtis wanted to pursue a career that would fit his love for science. After earning a degree in biology from Maryville College in Tennessee, Curtis was immediately employed by the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana. He worked there for six months and then traveled to Atlanta to work at Zoo Atlanta. There, he worked with visitors in the reptile house and spoke on its behalf in interviews with the media.

Even though Curtis enjoyed his job at the zoo, he felt his career was not progressing. His interests changed to teaching. He began as a student teacher for a summer school program for West Fulton Middle School, now B.E.S.T. Academy. He was then hired to teach at Grady and this year, 2011, marks his 10th year of teaching biology here.

Curtis’s goals were high but he was able to achieve them, unlike Gayla Blair who, as a high school student, aspired to be “the next Barbara Walters.” After attaining her degree in journalism from Tuskegee University, Blair began substituting in the Atlanta Public School district while finishing her second master’s degree at Clark Atlanta University. While in pursuit

of her first master’s degree, she interned at KYW-TV in Philadelphia. There, she worked in the sales department and sold advertising. The job was stressful and required long hours.

Blair felt she was most comfortable with substituting and decided to complete a teacher-training program and earn her teaching certificate. Blair was hired at Southside High School, now Maynard Jackson, and then relocated to Douglass. After seven years at Douglass, Blair was informed that Grady needed English teachers, and she made the decision to apply.

This year is Blair’s first full school year as an English teacher at Grady, and she plans to continue her career here.

One staff member, inspired by her 10th and 11th grade English teacher, set her goal: to become a high school English teacher herself. Carrie MacBrien attained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in English and education from Emory University. After college she worked many odd jobs, including waitressing at The American Roadhouse to bring in money while she searched for a stable job. MacBrien began her student teaching at Harper Archer and attained her teaching certificate. She started teaching English at Crim and then was offered the position of language arts department chair at Harper Archer. She relocated to George Washington Carver, where she worked for three years. The year before Carver split into small schools, MacBrien was hired at Grady. She taught ninth-grade journalism and English her first year, and then was promoted to the Communications Magnet program coordinator. Today, MacBrien is happy with her career as the communications academy leader, though she does miss teaching in a classroom setting.

Before they were teachers...

-Courtney Marshall

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Great Scott!

Mr. and Mrs. Allen spend time together traveling throughout Europe. Top right: They pose in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Bottom right: Mr. Allen

looks off courageously with the Colosseum in the background.18

Latin teacher brings Rome (the Italian one) to trailer,loves teaching at Grady almost as much as his belle

Take a walk into Instructional Suite 2, and you will take a trip into ancient Rome. Scott Allen arrived at Grady only a year ago, but in his short time, he has created a learning environment filled with Roman culture, singing and mythology, bringing the students into an 85-minute time machine.

The 31-year-old Scott Allen grew up in Stockbridge prior to moving to Cherokee County, just before his freshman year of high school. After graduating from the University of Georgia, Allen was unsure of what he wanted to do. Torn between becoming a social worker or becoming a teacher, Allen chose social work for six-plus years, achieving a degree and a career. His soon-to-be wife, Michelle Spann, happened to be volunteering at the child-welfare agency where he began working.

“I remember meeting her and thinking, ‘Man, she’s beautiful.’” Allen said. Unfortunately, she was dating another guy at the time. When Allen stopped working at the agency, he didn’t talk to her for a year or so. Little did he know an unintended encounter would provide him with a second opportunity.

“When I walked into my grad school program the very first day of school there she was; it was a total coincidence, and I was like ‘hmmm.’” Soon Allen and Spann were dating, and before he knew it, he had found the woman he wanted to marry. Before leaving for the airport for a two-week trip to Israel with his soon-to-be

fiancé, Allen’s parents and brother took the couple out to eat at a Flying Biscuit. As soon as Spann stepped out to the restroom, Allen informed his family that he had an engagement ring and that he was going to propose.

“My mother just started bursting into tears, you know it’s cause she was happy, and Michelle came back and was like ‘What’s wrong?’, and I was like “Oh, she’s just sad we’re going away for two weeks. She bought it.” Allen finally found time away from the group on their trip, and he proposed. He got the response he wanted.

While working at the welfare agency, he began thinking about becoming a teacher and also hoping to resume reading Latin. He got an opportunity to teach an introduction to social work class at Oglethorpe University, and teaching became the solution to bring all his ambitions together.

“I would come home and tell my wife, Michelle, ‘I can’t believe I get paid to do this, it’s ridiculous,’” Allen said. His career at Grady all started when the Latin teacher, Amy Leonard, asked him to come in for an interview, and Allen decided to give it a chance. He liked everything that all of the other teachers said about the school. He took the job and loved it from the start, in part by incorporating his goofy personality into his lessons.“I put a lot of long hours, but [my wife] has a lot of respect for what I do; she’s been really supportive.”

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“These expressions are used to increase students' motivation, enhance their comprehension of mathematical concepts and to bring a smile to their faces during periods when the absorption of another math process is just unbearable.” - Mr. John Rives

Rives leaves an impressionwith his clever expressions

A. Was a college cheerleading captain at Michigan State

B. Is fluent in ItalianC. Lives teenagers

A. Owns a house in Austin, TexasB. Dated Tigger, Winnie the Pooh character

C. Had dinner with the mayor of Juarez, Mexico

A. Knows the first 100 digits of PiB. Ski-raced throughout

high school careerC. Met Johnny Depp in Paris

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“You big Yo-Yo!”The Yo-Yo was a favor-ite toy of mine during the ‘60s during the holi-days. I always got a yo-yo as a gift; my favorite was the Duncan Butter-fly model. The expres-sion allows students to reflect on their behavior that does not conform to Grady policy.

“Big Red Truck!”Big Red Truck is a funny joke about people responding to questions in an obviously incorrect manner during a stressful situation, such as someone identifying a coin toss as heads when the face of the coin reflects tails.

“Are you on Planet Reebok?”Planet Reebok is a fantasy cartoon world created by Reebok to market “Shaq” basketball shoes. It reminds students they are detached from the concept being discussed during math class.

“You sad!”The expression “You sad!” was used in southern Louisiana by the Acadian students in order to make fun of someone making a mistake, particularly a careless error. This refrain was often directed at their teacher’s errors and followed by laughter by the students.

Securing a prom date using mathUsing mathematical concepts to secure a prom date is simply a poignant way of responding to students asking the perpetual question, “When will I ever use this in my life?” Obviously the knowledge of math concepts impresses all students. This makes the student possessing this comprehension of math concepts an even more attractive prospect for a prom date that you will remember for the rest of your life.

“You’re full of prunes!”“You are full of prunes” is an expression utilized to indicate the indi-vidual's response to a question is not credible.

Of course these explanations are simply obvi-ous to everyone, therefore “Big Red Truck!”

-Interview byKate Taber

Two Truths and A Lie

WHEN WERETHEYTell me about your high school.I went to Bishop Gallagher, and it’s no longer a high school. It was a private Catholic school. A very small school, the entire school was 300, and my graduating class was 58 [people]. Comparing it to Grady, the biggest difference was all the teachers knew all of the students, and so if you changed your character a teacher would notice it right away. It could be a great thing or a bad thing if you were trying to get away with some-thing.

What group did you hang out with?I was probably the most popular kid in my school, but I didn’t hang out with the popular kids. I had older cousins, and my youngest cousin was nine years older than me. So I did

things with them in my high school years. ... I had a nice car, a job, and

I dressed nice; that’s what made me popular.

What extracurricular activities were you a part of? I played volleyball; I was cheerleader for one game; I ran track, National Honors Society, and a lot of stuff I can’t remember.

What do you find yourself saying to your students that your teachers said to you?I’m a different teacher than most teachers so I’ve never had those instances, because teachers weren’t

honest about most things. Teachers didn’t tell me things that I needed to know in my personal life.

Do you miss being 17?No, not at all. I actually wish I could be older than I am. I think you’re wiser when you’re older and a lot of the decisions you guys have to make now at 17, I would not want to make those again. I want to be settled and know where my life is headed.

If you could go back in time what would you tell your 17-year-old self? To appreciate your strength in math-ematics. I didn’t know I was a good math student. I was a good student. I turned in all my assignments on time. I never really appreciated math. Math was my favorite subject, but it wasn’t like I learned all these math problems [because] I need to know them, I never thought I would use math.

Finish this sentence. When I was 17…When I was 17, I was applying to Mich-igan State University and that was the only school I applied to and it was the only school that I wanted to go to.

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WERE 17. . .

Tell me about your high school.I grew up in a college town, and so most of the people I went to school with, their parents were college pro-fessors because most of their parents went to college during the hippie movement. So everybody was very progressive; everybody was very lib-eral. So when I say I’m from Alabama, everybody’s like, ‘uhhh.’ I’m not really. Any college town has a tendency to be much more liberal.

What group did you hang out with?I hung out with everybody. I sort of transcended all of the groups because I didn’t belong to any one group. … So it was one of those things where I just fit in everywhere. I think the key to it was everybody liked everybody. Ev-erybody had a place, and everybody fit in that place, and then the lines became blurred.

What extracurricular activities were you a part of? I did chorus, band for sixth, seventh

and eighth grade; we had a huge band. We were bigger than the foot-ball team. When the football team stank, you knew the band would be good. We had these monstrous shows. Flags, rifles, we had ev-erything. Everything else I did was theater.

Did you think you’d be a teacher?Never. I was born to be on stage; that’s all I cared to be. I guess that’s why I can get to kids and make kids listen: it’s because the theater back-ground you have to act the stories. I couldn’t teach math or science.

What do you find that your teacher said to you that stuck with you?I had one teacher, the only time in my entire educational career that I cheated. It was in 10th-grade lit, and we had a student teacher. The student teacher was in the front of the room and in the back corner was Ms. Brown, Edna Brown. I will never forget. She was really a good teacher, but the student teacher wasn’t doing that well. So I sat sideways in my seat and kind of kept cutting my eyes at the girl behind me’s paper, and when I looked

up at one point I locked eyes with Ms. Brown in the back of the room. She didn’t say a word; she played it so cool, but she stood at the door the next day as we walked into class. I walked into the door and she said, “Stop. I saw you cheating yesterday. You have a zero on your test, and this will never happen again.” I was like, “Yes mam.”

Do you miss being 17? If you could go back in time what would you tell 17 year-old self?No. It gets better. Everything to teen-agers is, ‘It’s horrible; this is the end of the world,’ and it’s all so dramatic and so hormonal, when the fact is it gets better. I wish I could tell that to my 20-year-old self.”

Finish this sentence. When I was 17…When I was 17, I thought I was going to be a star. I thought I was going to rule the world. I thought everybody was going to know who I was.

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Tell me about your high school.I went to Marietta High School, and it’s the only high school in the Mari-etta City Schools and it’s surrounded by the Cobb County Schools. What that meant is that there were seven or eight elementary schools that all feed into one middle school and one high school, so there were kids that I went to high school with that I had been going to school with since elemen-tary, and just about everybody in my high school I’d been going to school with since middle school.

What group did you hang out with?I actually had a really diverse group of friends. My school was diverse in the same way that Grady’s diverse. My closest friends by the time I got to the end of high school were liter-ally people I had known since I was in elementary school... There was this group of jocks, and we were athletic, but we weren’t jocks and then you have this group of cool kids with their expensive cars and designer clothes. We were friends with them, but we didn’t hang out with them either because we didn’t have the

same values, and then you have the advanced student groups who

were doing things like Math

Club and robotics team and things like that. So we started our own group that kind of stratified all of those.

What extracurricular activities were you a part of? I did student government, and I was president of Spanish Club and presi-dent of the junior class. I was the trea-surer of our senior class. I did cross country and track. I played soccer for my first year of high school, but then quit that in order to run full time, be-cause I had some talent for that.

Did you think you’d be a teacher?No, I didn’t know what I was going to be. I actually went through many phases through the course of my high school, junior high and even all the way through college consider-ing various things whether it was law school or business school. I never had a very clear conception of what I was

going to be until my junior year in college when I started to consider education as a career path. I think a lot of people are under the mistaken expression that you have to decide what your career is and get on this career path, and everything you do has to be on that path. I don’t think that you have to. It’s OK to play it by ear.

What do you find yourself saying to your students that your teachers said to you?I can’t always remember specific things that teachers have done, and a lot of people when I was coming along that were just good solid teach-ers that looked out for me nurtured and mentored me in very subtle ways and because of that I ultimately became the person that I am. I think having teacher after teacher year after year who were friendly, hard-working and caring people. That helped me become a friendly, hard-working and caring person.

Do you miss being 17?No, I don’t. I don’t think anybody who’s a well-balanced adult would miss being 17. I think there are other ages that I would miss, but 17 isn’t one of them. When you get a little bit

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Tell me about your town.It was very sheltered and very religious. You weren’t al-lowed to question, but it was safe. It was the kind of town where people make drama.

Tell me about your high school.It was a small school. There were 400 people, and my dad was the principal.

What group did you hang out with?There weren’t any cliques. Everyone was mixed.

Did you want to be a teacher?I didn’t think education was interesting at first, but I stud-ied English in college.

What extracurricular activi-ties were you a part of? I was a part of yearbook and the flag core.

What do you find yourself saying to your students that your teachers said to you?

Quit talking! I’m going to separate you. This is impor-tant.”

Do you miss being 17? I’m really glad I’m not 17 anymore because I get to choose my own life.

Finish this sentence. When I was 17…When I was 17, I was pretty shallow.

older, 21 to 23, that I really look back on and kind of say were great times. The time I’m in now is great times... My life is different now. I wouldn’t want to go back and relive any of it.

If you could go back in time what would you tell your 17-year-old self?I think that all the good and bad decisions will lead you to the place where you are in your life. I think that if you regret a decision, but you’re happy with where you are in life it’s inconsistent. You have to acknowledge the fact that the bad decisions you made did as much to bring you to the place in your life as the good decisions did. If I were to say some-thing to my 17-year-old self, it would be along the lines of be careful with the transition to college because I had a tough time my quar-

ter or two of college, just transitioning to hav-ing that much freedom. That put me on a bad path academically for the remainder of my collegiate career. I fell far below my potential as an undergraduate at Georgia Tech... I look back at my undergraduate grades and really think about what I missed out on as an under-graduate if I had applied myself as a student.

Finish this sentence. When I was 17…When I was 17 I didn’t realize how much growing I had left to do... I still feel like I’m growing a lot now, and I’m close to 40. There’s still a lot of growth and growing spiritually and intellectually and socially to be done after 17.

-Tamara Mason

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These dogs are nothing but ‘Haute’The sleek, wood-paneled storefront

creates a modern and almost mysterious effect. A wall-sized menu greets patrons along with dim, yellow, lights descending from a lattice structure hanging from the ceiling. Alternative, trendy music plays in the background and sets a laid-back tone. The elements combine to create a sophisticated yet friendly ambiance. Once customers finally decide what to order from the enticing menu, they approach the cashier, receive a number, and face another decision: where to sit. The restaurant features two seating options, high-top wooden tables with bar stools or picnic-esque tables with long benches on each side. The large windows at the front face North Highland Avenue, allowing patrons to people-watch while waiting for their gastronomic fare.

HD1, or Haute Doggery 1, is a new restaurant in Virginia-Highland that is centered around the all-American classic: the hot dog. This backyard favorite may seem simple, but the owners of HD1 take the hot dog to a whole new level. Richard Blais, one of the country’s most innovative chefs, is responsible for this creative take on the traditional frankfurter. Blais redeemed himself by winning BRAVO’s season 8 Top Chef All-Stars after earning notoriety as the infamous runner-up on BRAVO’s season 4 Top Chef: Chicago. He later appeared on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. This is not Blais’ first time showcasing his culinary ideas in Atlanta. Blais is the chef at the trendy Flip Burger Boutique where he transforms burgers at two Atlanta locations. Atlanta restaurateur, Barry Mills, started Flip Burger with Blais and now has partnered with him again to launch HD1.

The eclectic menu features “Bits & Pieces,” small appetizers starting at $3. The options include North African spiced boiled peanuts, waffle fries with a unique dipping sauce called maple-oy and shrimp fried in grits. Then

comes the “Stuff,” or entrees to the rest of us. Here adventurous diners will find the Eastbound & Down, which is a

house frank, topped with Carolina pulled pork, sweet mustard

slaw and mop sauce; and the Kenturkey, a turkey sausage topped with bacon, mornay (a cheese-based sauce), tomato-pimento marmalade and

Parmesan. Vegetarians can opt for the Garden Chili Dog,

which is a veggie frank topped with veggie chili, walnut mayo

and crispy shallot rings. If a hot dog isn’t enough, there are also “Plates,” such as the Irish Banger and Mash, which comes with onion gravy, red sauerkraut and crispy shallots. Finally, desserts, or “Soft Serve & Sweets,” entice the palate. Chocolate soft-serve ice cream with bacon caramel or apple walnut bread pudding offer the sweetest complement to the savory stuff. Also served are classic Southern soft drinks like Cheerwine, SunDrop and Nehi.

After driving by this strange establishment for the past few weeks during its construction, I finally got the chance to sample what HD1 had to offer. The restaurant is small yet doesn’t feel cramped, even during the dinner

rush. It took quite some time for me to choose among all the hot dogs and snacks, but I finally decided upon the Eastbound & Down and waffle fries with maple-oy as my side and chocolate-chip bread pudding for dessert. I was surprised when my food arrived on shiny individual silver plates. The hot dog was snug in a toasty, thick piece of brioche, a light, sweet yeast bread and smothered with pulled pork, mustard coleslaw and a vinegary barbecue sauce. It was the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and savory, since a classic heavy barbecue sauce wasn’t used. The fries closely resembled that of Chick-fil-A’s and were drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce. I almost forgot that I had ordered dessert when out came my bread pudding in a fancy little glass dish. It was a new take on the dull bread pudding you’d expect at a family reunion or at grandma’s house. It was warm and creamy with a swirl of chocolate throughout. After a few bites, however, it was too rich for me to finish. HD1 served me a meal to remember, but unfortunately I can’t speak for the whole menu. I plan on going back to HD1 in the near future as should anyone else willing to spend at least $10 for some interesting and inventive classics.

The Merquez (middle) offers a Middle Eastern spin on the classic American hot dog.

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“ The hot dog was snug in a toasty, thick

piece of brioche. ”

664 N. Highland Ave. NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30306

-Mckenzie Taylor

Dining in during the holidays“It’s the most wonderful time of the year, it’s the happiest season of all!” The writers of a classic hit, Eddie Pola and

George Wyle, couldn’t have been more accurate. The holidays are the most wonderful time of the year. For some, it’s about gifts, or decorating the tree that will only be up for a week or two, but for others it’s seen as an extension of Thanksgiving. Maybe not as extravagant but tummies are still growling for another holiday feast!

Cucumber & Cream Cheese Sandwich

(adapted from my grandmother’s recipe)

Ingredients:1 package of cream cheese1 loaf of bread2 cucumbers1 small package of dill Pinch of salt

Directions:1. Cut bread in half. 2. Spread a thick amount of cream cheese on the bread. 3. Cut the cucumber into thin slices. 4. Put three to four pieces of cucumber on top of the cream cheese.5. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on

the cucumber slices.6. Sprinkle dill around the cucumbers or on top.7. Repeat this process until you have run out of bread.

Chicken Soup(adapted from my mother’s recipe)

Directions:1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Toss in chopped onion. Let it simmer until soft. Put in the bell pepper slices, garlic, carrots, and celery. Let it simmer for about a minute.2. Add the seven cups of chicken broth. Bring heat down just a bit and let it sit for five minutes.

3. Meanwhile, remove the bone from the chicken and dice it up into squares.4. After, bring over chicken into the heated pot. Add the parsley and salt.5. Put in whole can of tomato paste. Stir and let it sit for fifteen minutes. 6. Serve in a bowl with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. -Victoria Dragstedt

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Ingredients: -1 ½ cup chicken diced-½ onion diced-1 bell pepper cut into squares-garlic diced

-½ can of tomato paste-4 sprigs of parsley chopped-2 sticks of carrots sliced-2 stalks of celery sliced-7 cups of Chicken broth

New Nexus subscriptions are only $20 for a full

year of four issues Subscription renewals are only $15. You can buy a combined Southerner and Nexus subscription for only $35. Support Grady’s journalist publications and buy your subscriptions today!

Please mail a letter with a check made out to “Grady Publications Booster Club” to the following address: Southerner/Nexus subscriptions, Grady High School, ATTN: Dave Winter/Kate Carter, 929 Charles Allen Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30309

26

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Fishing for a

ponytail

Take a piece of hair from the outer edge of the right bunch and pull it over the right and under the left side.

Take a piece of the same size from the outside of the left and pull it over the left and under the

right side.

Continue the pattern alternating between right and left until you’ve completed the braid.

Style Profiles:Mecca Cooper and Antoine Jones

Do you have a style icon?“Yes, [singing group] the Black Eyed Peas.”When do you feel the most stylish?“When I put on something that I know someone else won’t pull off until they see me with it. For example, after I wore my Ugg boots, that’s when everyone decided they wanted some.”What is an ideal outfit for you?“The weirdest outfit, like a white blazer, all black Trues, the boy kind of Gucci boots, black and silver Ray Bans, plain V-neck shirt, with all-white hair!”If you had to live in one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?“Christian Louboutin shoes, white Trues with gold trimming, white Ray-Bans, and a halfsleeve cream button shirt that has three buttons on it.”Where are your favorite places to shop?“H&M, True Religion, and Lenox

Mall.”

Who are your style icons?“Michael Jordan, Jim Jones and Tiana Taylor.”What are your favorite stores to shop at?“Tanger Outlet, the Polo Store, the Nike Store and the Adidas Store.”When do you feel most stylish?“When I have on sneakers, my Army pants, and a black Nike sweatshirt.”What is your favorite article of clothing?“I love Polo button-down shirts, but they have to be loud colors. I also love my pair of camouflage pants.”What is an ideal outfit for you?“My ideal outfit would have to be a pair of Jordans with some American Eagle jeans or Levi’s.”If you had to live in one outfit for the rest of your life, what would it be?“A Nike pullover, Nike pants, black and red Nike shoes, with red accessories.”

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Divide hair in half so that you have an even amount of hair in both hands.

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Move beyond the basic braid and learn how to create the trendy fishtail braid with these four simple steps.

Remember: The tighter you pull the strands of hair the tighter the braid will be.

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What is your style?“Really conservative and not too

flashy. I want people to appreciate the clothes in my line.”What is your goal for this year?“To finish the collection and make clothes that really fit the girls. I want to make quality clothes.”From where do you draw your inspiration?“Rihanna and Michael Kors.”What are you working on as of now?“Right now I’m practicing making pants, shirts, and jackets out of muslin.”Did you do any sewing prior to doing senior design?“I didn’t take any sewing classes before Grady but I took a sewing class at FIT in New York.”

Senior designers talk fashionThis year’s senior designers discuss their lines, inspiration, and future plans.

What is your goal for this year?“To have a giant senior show and get scholarship money for my designs.”From where do you draw your inspiration? “From designers and nature. My show is inspired by Alexander

McQueen and Oscar de la Renta.”What are you working on as of

now?“I’ve completed all of

my sketches and now I’m working on the construction of my garments and my masks.”What kind of style are you imagining for this line?“My show is romantic and girly but mysterious and dark.”

What is the style of your line?“My line is based off of the ‘50s. There will be silhouettes and it will be slightly revealing. It’s going to be well-made and classy.”

From where do you draw your inspiration?“Christian Dior’s spring/

summer 2012 line and icons like Marilyn Monroe and

Audrey Hepburn.”What kind of

style are you imagining for this line?“It’s going to be clean cut, but not too simple

because there will be a lot of cut-outs and g e o m e t r i c shapes.”

What is the most difficult item in your collection?“It would probably be this long backless dress. It’s mostly difficult because of the length and the height.”What is the design process like?“We are done with sketches. We are sort of looking at colors, and one [type of] fabric to bring the whole line together.Have you found any new places to draw inspiration?“I draw inspiration from red [mostly] for the gowns. I see a lot of great things on Tumblr.

Ayo HillVerity Lister

Sarah Nicholson Ninti Eddington

27-Interviews and photos by Valentina Makrides, Mckenzie Taylor, and Nycole Key

The holiday season is approaching, and that means we will be spending more time with our loved ones and less time doing schoolwork. It starts off with the Thanksgiving feast in November then we have Christmas and, of course, New Year’s. But we all know that Christmas takes over the whole season and outshines the other holidays. It’s hard to ignore the Christmas; it has become an unavoidable part of the American culture. Every time winter break rolls around, however, I can’t help but feel somewhat disengaged from everyone else’s conversations.

As a Muslim, I do not celebrate Christmas but another holiday called Eid, which is celebrated twice a year for two different purposes: once marking the end of Ramadan and the next to honor the fact that Abraham was willing to go to great lengths for Allah. When I was younger, it was hard to explain to people that I did not celebrate Christmas, mostly because there were not many Muslim kids in my elementary or middle schools. In kindergarten and throughout elementary school, everyone could see from my skin color that I was different. But not celebrating a day that for most children is the most important day of the year probably seemed unfathomable to them. I didn’t even fully understand what I was, so how could I explain it to my classmates? All I knew was that I believed in Allah and that I didn’t celebrate the same holidays as everyone else. I had a sense that the teachers didn’t really know what to say when we would make “holiday ornaments.” To me, it was just another craft project for a decoration and nothing more. Elementary school was more comforting, however, because the teachers had to make sure no one felt left out.

It was only a few years ago, when I was about 15, that I understood why we couldn’t celebrate Christmas or at least

have a small tree and buy a few presents for each other, maybe even decorate

the house a little. I definitely did not want to question my parents because I knew my parents were more religious than the other adults in my family, including my aunts and uncles, and they would not

want to hear of celebrating or acknowledging a Christian holiday in their home. It

wasn’t really until middle school that I started feeling left out for not celebrating Christmas.

Everyone talked about visiting their families over the holidays, trimming and lighting up their trees and saving up to buy their siblings something nice. I wanted to be a part of their conversations or at least know more about the holiday.

I didn’t mind that much, however, because Eid resembled Christmas in many ways. There is an amazing feeling on the morning of Eid, which I imagine people feel on Christmas morning as well. My sisters and I wake up as early as we can to

help my mom prepare an array of food for all the guests that are coming. On Eid, instead of staying home, we go from house to house visiting all of our family members and they do the same. Also, since the majority of our neighborhood is Muslim, most of our neighbors come over as well. Instead of exchanging gifts, all the adults in my family give the children money, which we look forward to every year. In many ways, Eid is much like Christmas, even if it’s not marketed as well.

My parents did everything they could to make sure we

felt normal. Every year during winter, my dad spent hours hanging up lights outside. We put them up during Eid and left them up until New Year’s. The holiday season is my favorite time of the year, hands down. I don’t know how anybody could hate this time of year. The glowing and bright decorations are just one of the many things that draw me in. The music is so cheerful and catchy even if I have been hearing it for years. The weather is so cold that I’m forced to drink warm hot chocolate or eat comfort food all day. The No. 1 thing I look forward to every year, however, is the Christmas specials on TV, especially ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas. The feeling of Christmas and the way that the whole country is focused on the same thing draws me in; how could someone stay out of all the hoopla? That is winter break for me: taking a break from school, spending more time with family and catching up on my favorite shows.

It seems to me that Christmas has become an essential part of our culture in America. We are surrounded by everything Christmas each December, so it is hard not to want to be a part of it. I would love having a huge Christmas tree take over my living room, to have stockings mask the mantel, to sip eggnog and to wake up at 6 a.m. to open presents but instead, all the kids in my family and I have our own “holiday exchange” just like Secret Santa on any day that we all have off. As much as I would like to celebrate Christmas, taking part in something I don’t believe in would be unfaithful. So I’ll settle for being a supportive observer of Christians and leave the celebrating to my Christian friends.

It’s still the most wonderful time of the year

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— Sanjida Mowla

Above: Wrapped gifts from a holiday exchange party in which Mowla was a participant. Below: Mowla poses for a photo dressed in clothes traditional for the Eid season.

Every year, different schools participate in National French Week. Taking place from Nov. 8-14, the week-long observance demonstrates French Culture in their everyday life.

Even though French Week has been going on for years, this is the first time that the Grady High School, French Club, “Les Gourmets” has participated. The French Club members and their sponsor, Thérèse Monyé brainstormed during the club’s weekly meetings about the activities that were going to take place and when they would occur. Some suggestions also came from the American Association of Teachers of French.

After getting the news about their participation in National French Week, the French Club a members grew eager for the festivities to begin.

“I was extremely ecstatic.” said Senior Iesha Brooks, member of Les Gourmets.” “I was pumped up about being part of the French culture.”

Monday Nov. 8 was food day. Since this was the first time National French week was observed at Grady, students had to take the initiative to perform roles for the first time. There were people outside advertising, serving the food, answering questions about what was going on and lending help wherever it was needed. This all took place in the Grady Auditorium lobby. Students served and ate croissants with Nutella spread, croissants with garlic cheese, French bread with brie cheese and Puff Puff. Puff Puff is an

African snack which looks and tastes almost like doughnut holes. The variety of foods represented various French-speaking countries.

After Election Day, the celebration resumed on Wednesday, which was music day. Preparations were made for the music to also take place in the lobby. The music collections were from movies and a couple of French songs from different French musicians across the world. The songs included “Vois sur ton Chemin” from the movie Les Choristes, “Alors on Danse” by Stromae, “Non je ne Regrette Rien” by Edith Piaf, derived from the movie La vie en Rose. Participants had to dance and sing at the same time.

Thursday of that week was arts and crafts day. There were different artifacts to be seen, such as the flags of the different French-speaking countries and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The festivities concluded on Friday with the French movie Les Choristes, which was shown in Mrs. Monyé’s room.

Since it was the first time National French Week took place at Grady, perhaps it’s no surprise that turnout

for the event was small. Monyé, however, was disappointed.

“I had high expectations about the attendance and everything,” Monyé said. “Even though it was very positive and good, with the first two days wonderful unlike the last two days, I would have liked to have more students talking about it. That is one thing that I would change.”

Monyé and a few Les Gourmets members thought one of the reasons for low participation was the lack of promotion, but others were not surprised participation fell after Monday.

“I expected people not to show up except for the food,” said Brianna Fairley, a senior and member of Les Gourmets.

Even with low participation and the short time Les Gourmets had to put everything together, many members said wouldn’t change it for anything. They consider themselves privileged to have been the first group at Grady to take part in such an occasion.

“For the first time, it was good. “ Monyé said. “Some teachers asked me about it.”

French Club members celebrate National French Week for the first time

Sophomore Peter Mastin, junior Retonjah Burdette, and Madame Monye snack on the first day of French National Week.

— Lotin Tandongfor29

French-style beverages for students to sip.

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The beginning of the holiday season can be a time of sensory overload for the public, bombarded by images of a jolly and generous bearded man in red and endless playlists of Christmas music. Each year families are greeted with revamped and remixed sights and sounds, but when it comes to the smell of the holidays, one aroma remains timeless.

Nothing quite announces the arrival of Christmas time like the scent of freshly cut evergreen trees wafting through crisp winter air. But for Tina and Hal Hollcroft, the smell of the holiday season isn’t strictly seasonal.

The Hollcrofts have been farming Christmas trees since 1988, when they bought 80 acres of land in Laurel Springs, N.C. According to the company website, eight years after they acquired the land, originally named Hal’s Hill, they harvested their first crop of trees. Later renamed Barefoot Mountain, their plot of land would produce trees for families throughout Atlanta for the next 15 years, selling from locations such as the athletic field of Inman Middle School.

The Virginia Highland neighborhood is more than a sales venue for Tina and Hal Hollcroft, however. The couple used to live in the neighborhood and have sold from the Inman athletic field since their first crop 15 years ago.

“It’s a wonderful neighborhood,” Tina Hollcroft said, “a neighborly neighborhood.”

Since they began selling trees, the Hollcrofts have found ways to give back to the community. Not only do the tree sales serve as a fundraiser for the Inman PTA, but the company also largely employs Grady students.

“The nicest memory is the kids that come work here,” Hollcroft said. “They go on to college; some are married now; some have kids now.”

Hollcroft recounted how she was once approached by a married couple who informed her that they both came to Barefoot Mountain Farms before they had met. “They both lived in the neighborhood,” she recalled. “They met and married, and now they have a little baby.”

After 15 years at the Inman location, she and her husband have seen a generation pass. “Just seeing them grow up,” Hollcroft said, “that’s the nicest experience.”

Hollcroft stated that they are busiest on the two weekends following Thanksgiving. Sophomore Tucker Lancaster worked occasionally at the Barefoot Mountain Farms location at Inman in the weeks right before Christmas in 2010, when he noticed that they needed help. He remembered the experience favorably.

“[The customers] are really nice,” he said. “Everyone’s in the Christmas spirit when they tip.”

Hollcroft noted that sales have remained fairly constant despite the unfavorable economy. She did say, however, that some people resort to artificial trees, for both economic and environmental reasons. The Barefoot Mountain Farms website acknowledges this tendency, countering that real trees are actually more favorable, because “the average family uses an artificial tree for only six to nine years before throwing it away, where it will remain in a landfill for centuries after disposal.”

While the economic downturn leads consumers to cut corners in other areas, Hollcroft feels that Barefoot Mountain’s customers have remained faithful to their Christmas tradition. “I think people still have a tradition of buying a live tree,” she said. “Those that have, will. Hopefully those that haven’t will convert.”

The scent of the season

-James Moy

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The Christmas

tree lot located in

the Virginia- Highland

area is getting

ready for the holiday season by setting up.

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Keeping the season on track

It is almost the holiday season and that only means one thing at the Macy’s in Lenox Square: The Pink Pig. Those who are familiar with the annual treat know a high school student should not be riding The Pink Pig because it was obviously made to entice children below the age of 8.

The bustling children’s ride first appeared in Atlanta in 1953 at the Rich’s store downtown. The original train flew from the ceiling of the toy department at Rich’s. From there the ride was put outside at Rich’s around the “Great Tree.” Since 2004 it has been moved to Lenox Square where many excited children brave long

lines in order to ride on the little pink train that resembles a pig, Priscilla or Percivel. The floor to ceiling tent where the train is located looks like a little girl’s room covered from head to toe in pink and sparkles with huge inflatable decorations.

Under the magical tent, the young tikes listen intently to the story of how the Pink Pig came to be while riding on the train that goes around the tent twice for one ride. After completing the journey riders receive a sticker that says, “ I rode the Pink Pig.” Many Atlanta children will request to ride the Pink Pig every year until they no longer fit on the little train seats.

A portion of the proceeds from all the Pink Pig ticket sales benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, which strives to enhance the lives of children through “excellence in patient care, research and education,” as indicated on the Pink Pig pamphlet given to riders. So maybe a teenager should find other ways to support the important work of Children’s Healthcare: volunteering or donating money. Or they can use it as an excuse to board and ride the Pig one more time. Whether it is through fun Atlanta traditions like the Pink Pig, or volunteering your time at homeless shelters the support is always much appreciated. -Valentina Makrides

Sky Zone bounces into popularity Imagine a very large room. Now

imagine that room, except with the floors and all the walls replaced with trampolines. Instantly better, right? This is the basic concept behind the Sky Zone franchise, which recently opened a new facility in Suwanee, 30 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The first Sky Zone center opened in 2004 in Las Vegas and enjoyed a tremendous rise in popularity. The newest (and closest) addition to the franchise opened over the Thanksgiving break, but did not see a large opening day crowd. This is most likely attributable to its Thanksgiving Day opening, as many people were probably too busy stuffing their faces with turkey to go jump on a trampoline.

Over the next few days, however, attendance was very high, possibly because people needed a way to burn off the estimated 4,000 calories they had ingested that Thursday. Their guilt was most likely lessened by the fact that in certain Sky Zone aerobics classes, or Skyrobics, it is possible to burn as many as 1,000 calories in a single hour. But there’s more to do than trampoline jumping jacks. Much, much more.

Other activities at Sky Zone include 3-D dodge ball and 3-D basketball, both of which are just dodge ball and basketball played on the trampolines, as well as an entirely new sport that involves jumping through large hoops hanging from the ceiling, but if fancy new sports aren’t your thing, you can

always have fun the old fashioned way by simply jumping to your heart’s content.

Although this reporter knows of only two Grady students who attended Sky Zone’s opening weekend, many students have expressed interest in what may be for many a childhood fantasy come to life. Sky Zone is a fantastic way to exercise and have an absurd amount of fun at the same time, a feat that is not at all common these days. Sky Zone is great fun for anyone and everyone, especially the whole family, so the next time you’re bored over a weekend or a long break, give Sky Zone a try, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

-Grayson Garrett

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The Rich’s Pink Pig ride shown above is from the original Rich’s store downtown where the ride swung from the toy store’s ceiling.

December 8, 2011The World of Coca-Cola glows in the night at Pemberton Place.Photo by Nara Smith