INTRODUCING NEXUS, EARTHWIND MORELAND: A magazine of culture From Knight moves to Patriot games see inside this issue see p. 10 Rookie Robotics S I N C E 1 9 4 7 The Real World Grady Squad Gears Up Black History play p. 15 for Nationals explores media images p. 12 THE OUTHERNER An upbeatS paper for a downtown school HENRY W. GRADY HIGH SCHOOL, ATLANTA VOLUME LVIII, NUMBER 6, March 14, 2005 CRIM REFORM TO SEND STUDENTS TO GRADY BY NICK STEPHENS he rezoning of Crim High School students is a touchy subject, and it’s Tsparked a wide range of opinions, ranging from support to concern about how the new students will affect the Grady campus to some Crim students’ reluctance to attend Grady in the first place. Crim administrators declined to comment on the proposed rezoning, and they emphatically stressed that the opinions of Crim students on this issue S N E did not represent those of the school or its H P E T administration. S K C At a public meeting at Crim High I School March 3, Joyce McCloud, director N of School Reform Team 5, explained the Q & A: Ms. Valerie Thomas, facilites director, fields decision to close Crim as a comprehensive questions at a public meeting about Crim’s future. high school. The board decided to close the school because of its declining enrollment The closing of Crim will add an and in order to fulfill requirements of estimated 256 new students to Grady for K Atlanta Public School’s new BuildSmart the 2005-2006 school year. This estimate A T I R master facilities plan. Crim will reopen as includes rising ninth graders from Coan I T Z an alternative “open campus” school. Middle School. The influx of students will The students who attended Crim can raise Grady’s population to a projected WHAT THE DECK? Protestors rally outside Grady’s auditorium Feb. 3 before a sixth-district town hall meeting in the choose to either attend the new alternative 1,220 students, according to Ms. Naomi Grady Theater (see page 7). The meeting, hosted by Councilwoman Anne Fauver and attended by Mayor Shirley school, or they will be redistricted to Grady Franklin, included discussion on the controversial proposed six-story parking deck at Piedmont Park (see page 9). or Southside High School. See SHIFT page 7 Virus on Grady network requires computer re-imaging Mock trial BY WILLIAM VANDERKLOOT throughout APS. It crashed shut down the entire network t’s another black box on campus computers and made grade entries for about 24 hours while the Iand it’s created a whole new completely disappear. “I’ll enter virus was removed,” said Ms. team takes kind of drama. the grades, and then they won’t Sabrina Leftwich, an APS “I have to close the black box stay there.” Ms. Young said. Network Operations employee. before it freezes the computer.” The culprit: either a newer Senior Felix Geisendörfer and stand for win Z Ms. Young said, as she attempted generation of the “Sasser“ sophomore Robinson Levin, who T I BY DAVID SUITTS R to apply her own solution of computer virus or an Internet attempted to fix several teachers’ I T A n the witness stand, she’s Teagan combating a malicious program, a worm called “Korgo.” computers, speculate that the K OTyson-Shields, runway model computer virus that ran rampant “The virus affected the entire ANTI-VIRUS: APS I.T. Wendell McLoyd and cover girl. Everywhere else, she’s among computers at Grady and APS system and we had to See SCHOOLWIDE page 6 swaps a hard drive to for re-imaging. senior Caroline McGlamry. Talk about split personalities. Her 11 teammates on the Grady New symphony hall opening in 2008 mock trial team EWS RIEFS change as well— MOCK TRIAL WINS B BY JANE ZAMARRIPA The design includes two open into intricate landscaped N they turn into STATE TITLE rchitect Santiago Calatrava has structures, a performance hall and plazas with latticed steel “leaves,” attorneys and get the full story at education center, with a total price which arc over the top of the main http://gradyhighschool. Grady students take Areceived global attention for witnesses trying org/southerner.html the bridges and buildings that he tag of $300 million. Each building structure. to win a fictitious science fair by storm has designed around the world in features curving spans of The redesign process began after legal case. This glass and white steel Sophomore Lena Brodsky won cities such as New York, Zurich, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra year, the case is a civil suit against a which first place in the Regional Science and Sevilla. On Feb. 9, leaders conducted a study of the fashion tycoon accused of hiring a Fair Feb. 11. With biology teacher and curious citizens from around acoustics of the old hall in hit man to murder another model. Diane Gilchrist-Young, Brodsky the state gathered to celebrate the 1990. The study found that the On the afternoon of Feb. 19, the will attend the Intel International unveiling of the Spanish-born acoustics were not sufficient 100-plus hours the team had spent Science Fair in Phoenix. Sophomore architect’s newest design for to support the Grammy- preparing all came down to a single John Helsel placed second. Atlanta. Award-winning orchestra. two-hour round, where Grady and “It’s stunning,” said Mr. Stephens, who has the Paideia School squared off, Seniors win MLK Atlanta Symphony performed with the ASO each school’s plaintiff’s side going Chorus member and chorus in venues around against the other side’s defense in scholarship to Emory Grady teacher Scott the world, is excited about separate rooms. Seniors Saji Girvan and Tye Tavaras Stephens, who attended the experience that the The judge, doubling as one were awarded full rides to Emory in the unveiling of the new acoustics will of the three evaluators who February in the form of the Martin design for Calatrava’s A REAL HALL RAISER: Santiago Calitrava’s radical design for the Luther King Jr. Scholarship. Symphony Center. new symphony hall has turned heads throughout the nation. See CALATRAVA page 6 See MOCK TRIAL page 16 2 c o m m e n t March 15, 2005 THE SOUTHERNER EDITORIAL BOARD ELLY BOOKMAN NOLAN DOUGHERTY CLARA GREEN STEVEN JOHNSON LAURA JONES If you want to protest, know minutes, but perhaps we could be allowed flexibility THE SOUTHERNER THI LAM to do other things that would be more useful with our DAVID SUITTS what you are protesting about time such as catching up on any missing work, doing homework or studying. Dear editor, I feel it is a personal decision to decide when and The sum of summer where to read, and the school environment is not the I want to say that I am proud of everyone who most comfortable place in which to relax and read. I Next year, Grady and the rest of Atlanta Public Schools will start school participated in the walk-out. (“Walking the Walk: don’t think that it is the schools obligation to make on Aug. 15 instead of Aug. 9. It’s part of a nationwide trend led by the students take a stand,” Feb. 8). It was powerful and students want to read. Students will enjoy reading tourism industry and tourism-funded parent groups like the National important. I do, however, want to caution those that when they want to, not when the school wants them Coalition for the Traditional School Year to extend the summers. got caught up in the moment. Make sure that you to. Starting school a week later isn’t a problem. But start past Aug. 15, and know what you are protesting. Britain Baker end-of-semester exams will be pushed back past the three-week winter I am anti-Bush, but I support those fighting the war, break. Also, holidays during the school year, like Thanksgiving, will have and it makes me angry when I see someone getting Class of 2007 to be shortened in order to schedule the required 160 days of school. angry about something they don’t understand just The tourism industry’s interest in extending the summers is simple: to get out of class. It is important to be intelligent money. The later school starts, the more summer vacations families take, about how we express our views if we want to be taken which translates into more money for the tourism industry. seriously. But parents’ reasons are hardly better. One argument is that longer summers allow kids to get a job, travel abroad, or do another enriching Luke Pattison summer activity. But two months is more than enough time for all these Class of 2007 activities and a three-month break creates a whole new set of problems— studies show that the longer kids are out of school, the more they forget. The main thrust of most parents’ and students’ arguments seems to Suburban assault vehicles not depend simply on nostalgia. “Once upon a time, children looked forward to summer as the delightful break from adult direction,” read an editorial all they are cracked up to be by a parent advocating longer summer vacations. Dear editor, Nostalgia shouldn’t rule over practicality. There is no reason to lessen school breaks during the year that allow students to recharge their batteries Sean Corley, what are you thinking? (“Utility vs. or possibly lower exam scores and increase student stress by pushing exams Efficiency,” Feb. 8). Your fun-to-drive SUV behemoth past the holidays.