The Blade, Spring 2022 : simplebooklet.com

2Stories that cut deep.Editorial StaffEditor in Chief - Maya Packer ‘22Design Editor - Roman Holder ‘22Butterknife Editor - Elizabeth Yu ‘22Social Media Editors - Hannah Marte ‘23 & Francesca Henderson ‘23 AdvisorsMr. Pat CheneyMs. Yolanda ColemanMs. Arron DeporterStaffBrooklynn Barrow ‘22Sithini Chea ‘24Marcus Gray ‘22Neha Koganti ‘25Kai Moore ‘22Tito Oyewo ‘22ThaoMy Pham ‘22The BladeThe Blade is a student news publication of Woodward Academy.Spring 2022 IssueWoodward Academy1662 Rugby Ave. College Park, GA30337Senior cheerleaders participate in one of the academy’s longest traditions, the homecoming day parade. Brooke Blase ‘22, Molly Devinney ‘22 and Claire Asbell ‘22 were three of the seniors on the 2021-2022 varsity gameday cheer squad.

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3Editors’ NoteStories that cut deep.As the nal issue of our senior careers, I think it is tting that the theme of this issue spans across our entire lifetime and high school experience. This generation has been through so much in a short period of time. Growing up with technology and social media shaping our entire lives, we’ve had the entire world at our ngertips— the good, the bad, and the ugly. These stories are the stories of our lives. We hope you enjoy them.Roman Holder, Design EditorMaya Packer, Editor in ChiefThis is my rst and only year on the Blade. What an exciting way to end my high school career by telling stories that cut deep. Our issues generally have a theme but the design is not consistent throughout. In this issue, we have decided to take a consistent look with the design. The design in this issue is clean and sophisticated. The focus here is us, the Gen-Z students. With the minimalist design, the focus is solely on us and our stories. I hope you enjoy reading this as much I did creating it.

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3Generations: the building block of families, cultures, and communities. Without a new group of individuals inhabiting our society every few decades, humanity would cease to be the force it is today. Newer technological advances and social attitudes yield a change in the way people perceive their worlds and consequently, interact with each other. Woodward’s campus is home to many generations, spanning from the earliest of Gen Z to the tail-end of the Baby Boomers. A young representative of Gen Z is Riley Yasseri ‘25, who notices the changes between her generation and that of her parents’. Exploring her rst year in high school, she has picked up on several cultural norms related to being a teenager in 2022. Among the various ways her peers navigate the world, the technological norms stuck out the most to her. “Social media has really inuenced how we act as people,” Yasseri said. “Because of trends, there’s a collective way everyone acts.” Looking from the outside in, Yasseri has a few ideas about how older generations view the newest one. “They think we’re attached to our devices too much,” Yasseri said. “They don’t understand that we can gain a lot from being in touch with our devices.” These advantages, Yasseri explains, stem from the access that members of Gen Z possess. Growing up with phones and tablets, a plethora of information is at their ngertips at all times. “There’s a bunch of stuff that I have learned personally [from TikTok],” Yasseri said. “It got me motivated to get a job at 14 and it motivated me to do something with my money, like invest in stocks.” Meanwhile, Naijhee’ Pearson ‘22 nds a different trend in the cultural standards amongst her equals: a sense of spoiledness. While technology might not be to blame for the issue, it can certainly play a role. The convenience of hiding behind the glows of screens allows teenagers to use technology as a crutch. “I feel like Gen Z is pampered,” Pearson said. “Pretty much all the information is given to us at a young age. We have some kind of idea that we’re smarter than [everyone] because Friday Nights Lights are more than just a football game. Students come here not only to support their classmates on the eld, but to fellowship with one another and have a good time.

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4we’ve been exposed to so much.” For example, what would have been a trip to the library thirty years ago can now be a quick Google search on a nearby phone. Pearson recognizes that several things are much easier for teenagers today versus previous generations. “They had to work a little harder than we do,” Pearson said. “I feel like Gen Z is not ready for the pressure that life has.” Mr. Thomas Ehrensperger, who has taught science at Woodward’s Upper School for over 35 years, has watched student bodies evolve year after year–and with them, attitudes evolve as well. In fact, he reiterates how teenagers today are more expecting of assistance. “There was this [idea] where kids were able to create a little society in the room without the adults,” Ehrensperger said. “Now, I think kids are waiting for an adult to tell them what they’re supposed to do. I think that can cause a bit of difculty with achieving independence.” Ehrensperger stresses that conict resolution is among the most important things for today’s teenagers to grasp, especially with the increased reliance on phones and social media. “Spontaneous, unsupervised conict resolution among kids is a life skill,” Ehrensperger said. In addition to the abundance of access that today’s teenagers possess, Pearson observes a change in the social norms of Gen Z. Compared to her parent’s generation, people are far more accepting of new identities than they were years ago. “I feel like we’re more open-minded,” Pearson said. “We really don’t have a tolerance for bullying, and Gen Z is comfortable with guring out who they are.” With an ongoing rise of social media and new ideas at the forefront of every major trend, it is easier to accept things at face value. Whether it be online activism or breaking news, being exposed to different perspectives 24/7 allows teenagers to explore new points of view. “Older generations’ views mainly stemmed from their parents, who [probably] weren’t really open-minded,” Pearson said. “But some of them are not afraid to have a different mindset than their parents. People use technology to gure out who they are, which may be hard for some people because it conicts with what their parents believe.” This new age of acceptance is increasingly prevalent in today’s culture. The conversation on gender identity, for example, is a common and ongoing discussion in social settings, and even governments. According to a poll by the Pew Research Center in 2019, approximately one-in-ve people know a person who identies with a gender-neutral pronoun. However, a conversation about gender identity would have been taboo decades ago. It is easy to attribute the heightened awareness of the people around us to social media or technology. Teenagers today are undoubtedly different from those in past generations, as each group comes with their unique cultural attitudes. “Pretty much all the information is given to us at a young age. We have some kind of idea that we’re smarter than [everyone] because we’ve been exposed to so much.”- Naijhee’ Pearson ‘22As a member of the South Asian Afnity club, Maggie Nievera ‘24 shares her Asian culture and heritage with classmates during the Week of Understanding club fair.

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7 Barker emphasized her understanding of men bringing in most of the revenue for the sport since the game was made for them and their anatomy capabilities. Barker also stated that women put in the same effort as men and deserve more equal broadcasting. “I have spoken out against gender challenges publically and have received support and backlash, but speaking up is better than saying nothing at all,” said Barker. During her last AAU season, Barker made a public post that outlined the difference in gear that women received from an EYBL Nike Tournament and showed how the men received 3x the amount of gear. The post reached numbers and some of her male friends who received gear gave her some of their items. Though Nike did not respond to her post, an audience was reached and Barker began her spokesmanship of gender equality in sports. Roman Holder, the captain of the Varsity Track and Field team at Woodward, runs the 800m, and he has been running since he was in elementary school. “I felt like since I was a boy, I always had to play a sport,” said Holder. “It seemed like the masculine thing to do. And track seemed to be the easiest.” With track being a technical and individual sport, Holder said that he focuses on himself and his skill so that he can set a personal record every time he runs. “I honestly think I just felt the pressure to be in a sport,” said Holder. “All the boys [that] were around [me] were doing sports and it felt like the normal thing to do. ‘Normal’ always seemed right.”Throughout history, many sports were created by men, for men, and have since been highlighted for men. Not only are the games designed for a man’s capability, the streaming services that stream the games tend to highlight men’s accomplishments and regular games. Though there are few games that were made for women, for example gymnastics, women have taken the initiative to make the game playable for both. According to Britanica, basketball was originally created by James Naismith for men, and volleyball was created by William G. Morgan for men who believed that basketball was too vigorous. Though these sports were created for men, women have dominated them, but men’s games are usually highlighted more than women’s games. On the other hand, track and eld was created for men in Greece and slowly became coed in the 1900s with races categorized by gender and distance. Janiah Barker, a Monteverde Academy basketball player who is also ranked number 3 in the class of 2022 by ESPN, has been playing basketball since she was in the rst grade. “I started playing basketball because of my father; it was something that we bonded over with and I fell in love with it,” said Barker. Barker stated that though she does not have a particular role model, that she has a lot to prove which is why she goes hard. “Sports equality has always been a big thing,” said Barker. “I started off playing with boys at a young age, and at rst, they never wanted to play me because I was a girl.”Katia Fuson ‘22VolleyballRoman Holder ‘22Track & Field

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8A Year in War Eagle Athletics:- Varsity football has an undefeated season- Damari Altson ‘22 breaks school rushing yards record- Varisty football wins 3-AAAAA Region- Varsity volleyball wins 3-AAAAA Region- Boys and girls varsity cross country win 3-AAAAA Region- RJ Snyder ‘25 nishes 2nd at state in diving- Sydney Bowles ‘22 was named the 2021-22 Gatorade Georgia Girls Basketball Player of the Year- Varsity girls basketball wins state for the second year in a row- Varsity boys wrestling nishes 2nd at state with 3 athletes winning rst individually- Girls wrestling has their rst season with ve athletes posting double digit win seasons and four athletes capturing tournament titles.- Matthew Singleton ‘22, the number-one wrestler in the country in his weight class, wins four state titles and became the fourth to do so in WA history- Boys and Girl varsity soccer win 3-AAAAA Region Holder emphasized his personal drive to do better, individually, being his reason for combatting the stereotypes of boys always playing a sport. “Not everybody needs to be an athlete,” said Holder. “Especially not just because you’re a boy. Boys can be artists, nerds, and so much more. We should embrace boys’ dreams and aspirations as they develop.” Katia Fuson ‘22 has played volleyball since she was in seventh grade. Her role model is her sister, and she wants to follow in her footsteps. “I started playing because I’m tall and people told me I should try it, so I did,” said Fuson. Though Katia has not personally faced challenges within her sport, she has ideas on how to combat the sexualization of players by the fans because of their spandex uniforms. Basketball, track and volleyball are all very different sports, but all contain problems and stigma around gender roles that each is supposed to play. All problems can not be solved, but there can denitely be improvements on the current ways the sports are portrayed to fans around the world.

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10INTERNETRELATIONSHIPSExploring How People Make Personal Connections via the Internet by ThaoMy PhamA screen connects us to almost every other person in our world. With the rise of apps designed to meet people online rather than face-to-face also comes the concern of inappropriate messaging, identity theft, cyberbullying and sexual harassment. Although we may not know who they are in real life, online relationships comfort us through dark times, as on the surface a stranger who knows nothing about us may know us better than we know ourselves. Maddie Miller ‘24 expresses how she feels closer to her internet friends than her friends in real life. As she gets to know her online friends through social media apps like Instagram, Miller describes that she is comfortable around them since they are not speaking face-to-face. “I don’t have to see their faces,” said Miller. “Whenever I’m talking to [a] close friend, I always tend to focus on their reaction to what I’m saying.” In comparison, Rylan Holder ‘24 prefers meeting a friend face-to-face rather than online. When it comes to texting, Holder does not believe that emotions are properly represented through the screen. Additionally, he enjoys direct responses from his friends, which can only occur when meeting in person. “[I] don’t like it when people don’t respond quickly,” said Holder. “I enjoy having good conversations [with friends], but texting can [make it] harder.” Miller believes that other students share the comfortability of talking to an online friend despite not knowing them in person. Certain dating and social media apps have grown popular over the years, increasing the dangers of catshing and grooming. It is often difcult to deduce if you are genuinely talking to someone your age or a predator. A major problem with these apps is the large amount of underage teens using them. Almost all dating apps require users to be 18. Since it is easier to lie about your age online, those who are not careful can nd themselves in harmful situations if approached by the wrong people. Miller ensures that she is protected online by being mindful of what she posts, as nothing genuinely disappears once it is on the internet. “I denitely think twice before posting something,” said Miller. “My mom sees a bunch of my stuff too so she always tells me if it’s [unsafe] to post.” Used by a plethoras of inuencers and bloggers, social media apps are the central spot for outlets of creativity and often the birthplace of trends.

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11Food blogs have grown immensely popular among the younger generation, and senior Brooke Yamada ‘22 has developed a large following from posting her favorite eats around the country. “I just really liked food and [loved] taking pictures of it,” said Yamada. “Starting an account was basically just [a] decision [made on an] impulse.” Yamada enjoys being part of the foodie community that she didn’t even know existed. She emphasizes how unique and exciting it is to meet others that share her common interests in food. She is part of different social media group chats with other food bloggers meant to help engage each others’ posts through liking, commenting and sharing content. “[I meet] people from all over the United States but also people from England or Dubai,” said Yamada. “I [always let them know] that I would love to meet up with them and take [them] to places to explore if they [are ever] in my town.” Outside of her food blog, Yamada steers away from using online dating apps even though she is 18. As someone who is more introverted, Yamada does not express comfortability when it comes to meeting new people through certain apps outside of her specic niche of food bloggers. “I just don’t really trust people online,” said Yamada. “I just feel like they all want one thing, and it is the same thing, which bothers me. I am not really the type of person who would like [to] put myself out there like that.” Aside from making friends online, social media helps those who wish to maintain close relationships with their partners and friends despite how far apart they may be. Dylan Hsu ‘22 plans to keep in touch with his friends after graduating, and since everyone will be attending college in different areas, social media is the best way to remain connected. “We all live in close [proximity] of each other [to meet up] whenever we come back to Atlanta,” said Hsu. “I feel like [despite the distance] we would still be friends, and keeping in touch online [would help us] maintain closeness.” Like many students, Hsu enjoys talking with others and making new friends online just for fun. He mainly uses dating apps for entertainment and to meet people his age around the Atlanta area. Long distance relationships can be hard to keep up with especially during high school and college. “I don’t really trust people online.”- Brooke Yamada ‘22

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14The crowd is roaring. The energy is intense. It is round one of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) March Madness tournament. In his blue and orange uniform, he rushes down the court and dunks the ball. This is Walker Kesler ‘20. Kesler is a Woodward alum, a McDonald’s All American, Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year, a 2020 GHSA AAAA State Champion and currently is a center for the number two basketball team in the midwest division of the NCAA, Auburn University. How did he get here? At 7’1’’, Kesler’s journey denitely may have been aided by his height, but his story is one of many Woodward athletes. Including Kesler, over the past four years, 102 graduates from Woodward have signed and committed to college athletic programs. The Class of 2022 has 27 athletes who are signing, making it the most in Woodward history. Before an athlete can sign and commit, an athlete has to receive offers. For many athletes, getting the offer is an exciting moment. Freshman wide receiver, Josiah Abdullah ‘25 has received 21 offers from schools such as the University of Texas, the University of Kentucky and Georgia Tech. Josiah received his rst offer from Georgia Tech in the summer of 2021 at Tech’s wide receiver camp. “I was just doing a showing out,” Abdullah said. “After the camp, the receiver coach came up to me and we were just talking and out of nowhere he was like, ‘oh, yeah, you got an offer from the Georgia Institute of Technology, too.’” After the offer, Abdullah felt a crazy rush of emotions.“It was like an out of body experience,” Abdullah said. “I lost my mind.” CJ Heard ‘24 currently has 39 offers. His rst offer was from the University of Tennessee. Heard was ecstatic when he got the news back in December of 2020. “I was happy,” Heard said. “I called everybody in my contacts. I ran outside. I told my mom. It was exciting.” After receiving multiple offers, athletes then have to make a decision on where they want to go to school. Just like a regular college applicant with multiple acceptances, the process is extensive. Athletes weigh the pros and cons of the various institutions they can attend. Graduating athletes like Sarai Davis ‘22, a volleyball commit to Trinity College, took extra thought into the school of her choice. Along with committing to a division 2 school, Davis is graduating with honors. “I was looking to play volleyball, of course, at a good level, but academics also played a major role in my decision,” Davis said. “Academics is something I take seriously.” But even though Davis cares about her books, like many athletes, she also shared a care for the overall environment of the school.“I was looking to play volleyball, of course, at a good level, but academics also played a major role in my decision,”- Sarai Davis ‘22Walker Kesler ‘20Auburn University

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15 Trying to give herself two days of rest, Powell often “I had to also nd a school that I was going to be happy at if, God forbid, I had a career-ending injury,” Davis said. For wide receiver CJ Burton ‘22, a football commit to Tufts University, he thought beyond himself. “This is the best opportunity for my family,” Burton said. “I have to have perspective because of all the stuff that my family gave up to send me to this school and the sacrices they had to make to get me here.” Many athletes know what they are looking for, but others nd that even with a set mindset, the process is nerve-racking. Auburn University commit and running back, Damari Alston ‘22 received 53 offers before he settled on Auburn. “It was really stressful but at the same time it was probably the best time of my life,” Alston said. The journey to becoming college athletes is a thorough process that consists of high training and performance, constant support through peers and coaches, great outreach and being stars on and off the eld. To be great is not simple. For athletes, to be the best on the eld, track, or court, they take on countless hours of training and conditioning. School 100 meter hurdle record holder, Olivia Powell ‘23 won a national championship for the 100 meter hurdles this past summer and has two offers. Powell trains daily to perfect her craft as a hurdler. “I do a lot of training in and out of school,” Powell said. “I think that’s really what helps to be at the top.”“I have to have perspective because of all the stuff that my family gave up to send me to this school and the sacrices they had to make to get me here.”- CJ Burton ‘22has a work week full of training to prepare for races over the weekend. Her training consists of practices dedicated to hurdling, endurance building, speed and power. “I give up a lot of stuff that I really want to do so I can practice,” Powell said. “ I have a workout right now, ve or six days a week.” A key part of training to be the best is taking initiative to do more. MacKenzie Moring ‘22 plays three sports- soccer, basketball and track and eld. As a two-time state champion in basketball, a member of the 2021 state champion track and eld Josiah Abdullah ‘25

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16team and a multi-track and eld school record holder, Moring is a soccer commit to the University of Arizona. Moring does not play soccer for Woodward, but does club soccer over the summer and in the fall. Moring often puts in extra work by doing workouts by herself. “I push myself at practice, but individually, I really do work hard and try to perfect what I do,” Moring said. Moring often works out in her neighborhood and creates her workouts herself. “I run a lot,” Moring said. “I like to bike the Beltline. I can bike from there to Piedmont Park.” Burton also shares an intense workout schedule and works out by himself. He nds that working out by yourself is important. “I found most success training by myself and at home,” Burton said. “The more you train by yourself with nobody watching and the more condence you’ll have and you’ll perform even better than before.” A key part of the development of Woodward athletes is strength and conditioning coach, Coach Ty McCard. For 17 years, Coach McCard has been training Woodward athletes. “My philosophy is to train the whole body overall for strength and power,” Coach McCard said. “And I think that translates better overall and also ends up preventing injuries and overtraining.” Woodward strength and conditioning provides athletes with a strong basis that helps with movement, power, endurance and strength. Coach McCard’s programming provides athletes with athletic balance. “If you train the whole body, what it does is, you know, balancing out the body athletically and it usually ends up in what I would call injury prevention,” Coach McCard said. “You can’t eliminate injuries completely, but can we try to prevent them and give our athletes a more well rounded body.”CJ Heard ‘24 “I really do work hard and try to perfect what I do.”- MacKenzie Moring’22

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17 When it comes to developing skill and becoming an athlete, Coach McCard nds the athletes with the strong and determined mindsets go farther than most. Although sports may often look for natural traits such as height, athletes still can achieve great things with a great level of work. “You may not be gifted [but it] doesn’t mean you can’t be successful,” Coach McCard said. “We’ve had undersized kids go on to play or kids that may not be predisposed athletically, in their sport, go on to play but it’s usually because they’re at work.” While training and competing, athletes use a great deal of support from their teammates. Abdullah thrives off the energy of those around him and in training, games and meets, it is always a competition. “Nobody works harder than me,” Abdullah said. “I will never let anybody out work me. It doesn’t matter how tired I am.”Along with pushing himself, Abdullah pushes his teammates such as CJ Heard. “Josiah pushed me into running this year,” Heard said. “We’d race so it made me go faster and really work harder.” Having athletes that work hard and soar above and beyond creates environments of more hard-workers. Wrestler, Ben Valdes ‘22, is committing to Newberry College and spends his practices around nationally ranked wrestlers such as Matthew Singleton ‘22, Michael Killic ‘22 and Gunner Filipowciz ‘22. “My motivation is to prove to myself that I can always be better because I always see my friends who are top in the nation,” Valdes said. “I never want to be the drag.” Behind every athlete, there are great coaches. These coaches provide the foundation and support for these athletes to develop their skill and receive offers. Coach Ryan Davis is the Head Coach for the track and eld team and the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach for the football team. Along with developing athletes’ skills for Friday night lights and long Saturday meets, Coach Davis helps his athletes get offers. “When you talk about recruitment, it is a very thorough process that starts at the ninth grade,” Davis said. “You have to have somebody to advocate for you.” Coaches like Coach Davis and Coach Jeff Ragan, the wrestling head coach, are practically salesmen for their athletes. Using their connections, these coaches often reach out to colleges and universities to help get their athletes opportunities. “Realistically, you have to have something that the colleges want,” Davis said. “Unfortunately when it comes to the whole recruitment process, some have the opportunity to pick the schools they want to go to, but others the schools pick now.”“You may not be gifted [but it] doesn’t mean you can’t be successful.” - Coach Ty McCardSarai Davis ‘22Trinity College Depn King ‘22Rhodes College CJ Burton ‘22Tufts University

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18Baseball:Elgin BennettPlans to commitChandler PollardWashington State UniversitySwimming:Will BrevardCalifornia State University at BakerseldGolf:Aly FrancisAnderson UniversityLacrosse:Ford StrattonRhodes CollegeCLASS OF 2022 COMMITSFootball:Damari AltsonAuburn UniversityChristian HarrisonUniversity of TennesseeMaxwell Crow Dickinson UniversityDeon King Rhodes CollegeCJ Burton Tufts UniversityVolleyball:Morgan CobbFurman UniversitySarai DavisTrinity CollegeBasketball:Sydney BowlesTexas A&M UniversityAnna Layne WylderBob Jones UniversityWrestling:Matthew SingeltonNorth Carolina State UniversityMichael KillicArizona State UniversityBen ValdesNewberry CollegeGunner FilipowiczUnited States Military Academy West PointColby McBrideAppalachian State UniversityFencing:Colby HarleyColumbia UniversitySoccer:MacKenzie MoringUniversity of ArizonaPattie WhartonHampton UniversityCharlotte GanttVirginia Wesleyan UniversityEthan GillCollege of Holy CrossChristian CameronSavannah College of Art and DesignRoman StallingsHoward UniversityGrant HowardVirginia TechElgin Bennett ‘22Plans to commit

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20Careers Without CollegeExploring Different Job Opportunitiesby Brooklynn BarrowIn recent years, the ability to become successful and wealthy without a college degree is at an all time high. Many platforms such as YouTube and TikTok allow individuals to post content in exchange for money. ough there are restrictions such as vulgar language, follower count and types of content allowed, thousands of content creators have made a living o of these platforms. Like any other entrepreneurship, it is a 24-hour job that requires the recording of one’s every move. Some people identify this job as an invasion of privacy, but other people agree that they love sharing their adventures with other people. Other ways that people can make money without a degree is by starting their own business. Whether it be commercial products, wholesale, or personal services, these industries allow the average person to become a multimillionaire. My aunt, Evelyn Frazier, married in her early 20s and never went to college. Together, the couple opened their own construction business and began their work. My aunt and uncle grew their business in Elk Grove, California and became very wealthy. My uncle passed away in the early 2000s and my aunt continued the business on her own. She then got into real estate and began selling homes. To increase her knowledge, she attended a college for a short time and received an associates degree. Now, she sells million dollar homes, has a construction company and is on the board for a women’s empowerment group. Not only was my aunt able to become successful without a degree, but she was able to return to school later in her life and turned out ne. “School was never something I enjoyed doing,” said Frazier. “I knew that I was not ready to be in college right out of highschool because no single major interested me, and I did not have the funds at Kennedy Clemons ‘23ActressEvelyn FraizerConstruction company ownerKhalil Battle ‘20Social Media inuencer and hair care line owner

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21the time,” said Frazier. Being the mother of eight children in Sacramento, my grandmother did not have enough money to send her oldest, Frazier, to college. My aunt was le with no choice but to become successful without college. ough times were dierent 40 years ago, college is still deemed as a necessity in some households. Older generations have a harder time digesting the idea that you can become a millionaire by posting videos on social media. Not only is social media a nancial income, but it also opens opportunities for other businesses to start and immediately make income from one’s fanbase. One example of this is the Woodward Academy Alum Khalil Battle ‘21 who used his TikTok popularity to start his own hair care brand and business before he graduated high school. Another way to become successful without college is through stock trading. It is recommended that teens begin their stock accounts when they are 18, so that when it is time to retire, there is plenty of money to live the dream life. Stocks allow one to have growing money as they go through their lives. “I knew that I was not ready to be in college right out of highschool because no single major interested me, and I did not have the funds at the time,”- Evelyn Fraizer75%of Americans believe college is unaffordable.Stats on Business and College8% of CEOs did not complete college.CEOs without a college degree lasted 25% longer than CEOs with college degrees in roles.Stats from “How CEOs Without College Degrees Got to the Top” by the Harvard Business ReviewClemons on the set of “Respect”King Curls is one of the few Black-owned hair care lines for Black men.

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24for those involved. Whether it be via an early morning run or some extra lifting after practice, Robby DeHaven ‘25 is constantly nding ways to improve his athletic skills on the mat. Wrestling since the age of four, he nds that the sport is a positive outlet for his mental health. “My mental would not be where it is at all without wrestling,” DeHaven said. “It really teaches you how to deal with adversity.” A wrestler’s mentality, according to DeHaven, involves a level of condence and maturity. When competing, an attitude of determination is just as important as the physical strength aspect. “You want [your opponent] to walk away thinking that they don’t ever want to wrestle you again,” DeHaven said. Woodward’s wrestlers achieve numerous victories, but also encounter their fair share of defeats. DeHaven views losses as learning opportunities. “You’re going to lose a lot, and that’s not a bad thing as long as you learn from it and take it as a positive experience,” DeHaven said. “You can go out and get your butt kicked in front of hundreds of people and come off of that and still be proud.” While the wrestlers square up on the mat, their counterparts are hard at work logging their endeavors. Found on the sidelines of every tournament are the Wrestlerettes, who time and score the matches among other important responsibilities. These managers hold a special perspective on wrestling culture as they travel alongside the team and assist them. One of these managers is Sarah Beth Couch ‘23, who enjoys the sense of camaraderie she nds between the wrestlers and the Wrestlerettes. “It’s a crazy family, and I love it so much because these boys are like my brothers,” Couch said. “It’s good to have that family type of bond to help you navigate through high school.” A sense of family is the common mentality among the sport; DeHaven agrees that his relationship with fellow wrestlers is that of a brotherhood. “Everyone has your back,” DeHaven said. “It breaks the barriers between age, race and gender. I think the bond is different in wrestling, mainly because the training that you do together is so intense.” Rylan Holder ‘24 is a two time varsity letterman.

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25 Looking from the outside in, the Wrestlerettes have witnessed the wrestlers experience various triumphs—and tribulations, too. Couch observes that competing can present mental obstacles for the athletes. “I feel like it’s mentally challenging because you’re cutting down weight,” Couch said. “You have to say that you’re overweight, and that means you have to cut weight in the next ve hours to be able to wrestle and that could denitely take a mental toll on you.” The conversation around cutting weight has raised some controversy from onlookers of wrestling, especially in mainstream culture. To some, the idea of intentional and rapid weight loss perpetuates destructive body image standards. While technically not a part of the sport, cutting originated from wrestlers’ needs for a responsible advantage before a match. “You’re not eating or drinking anything, trying to stay as light as possible so you can get into the lightest weight class,” DeHaven said. “It’s pretty intense. It has really bad connotations because everyone thinks that it causes eating disorders, but it can actually be fairly healthy and safe if you do it right.” Wrestling is one of few sports that requires a large emphasis on weight and its classications. While some people view the focus on weight as strict and damaging, others believe that it is an effective way to categorize the players. “Weight classes are just a way to keep the sport fair,” DeHaven said. “It’s a way for people to wrestle other people around the same size.” Deon Williams ‘22 echoes the importance of separating athletes into different weight ranges. A heavyweight wrestler who started participating in the program his sophomore year, he understands how size makes a difference. “You don’t want somebody like me, a big guy, going against a smaller person,” Williams said. “You want to keep it the same.” Nonetheless, Couch sees an overarching upside that comes with the competitive nature of the sport. “You can start from anywhere,” Couch said. “We have a really fabulous coach (Jeff Ragan) who is able to build their condence on the mat and push Ben Valdes ‘22Newberry College Commit4x varsity letterman.Tristen Hill ‘22 won 1st in his weight class at the McCallie Invitational in December 2021.

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27the program,” Patel said. “When the program was starting, we all felt the need to prove ourselves because as a female in the sport, we have to try that much harder to make our place there. We can’t be mediocre, otherwise, nobody will take you seriously.” Despite the hurdles that female athletes face, Patel looks optimistically at the future culture of Woodward’s wrestling program. “It’s denitely a growing program, and it’s really nice to them to succeed in all aspects.” Head coach Jeff Ragan offers guidance for the Varsity boys wrestling team; meanwhile, Woodward’s rst all-female wrestling team practices under the direction of coach Pete Fritts. Over the span of a few years, the prized wrestling program at Woodward has evolved into a gender-inclusive opportunity for anyone interested in the sport. Aneri Patel ‘24, who has participated in the wrestling program for three years, placed third in Georgia: a historical milestone for the Woodward community. For Patel, participating in a historically male-dominated sport presents challenges of its own. “I really did not want to do poorly in eighth grade because that would set the precedent for be a contributor to the Georgia female wrestling community,” Patel said. “It’s very much a team sport, even as much as we compete individually. I don’t think there’s a whole lot of teams that are as close knit as we are.” Williams also recognizes that wrestling calls for competitiveness on the mat only. While he might face adversity when he competes, the sense of fellowship never dissipates. “On the mat, you’re going to be competitive, you’re going to beat the other [person],” Williams said. “But as soon as you get off, it’s nothing but love and respect.”This was the inaugral season for Naijheé Pearson ‘22 and the girls wrestling team.“It’s very much a team sport, even as much as we compete individually. ” - Aneri Patel ‘24

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28Quality Advice from One Eagle to Anotheran advice column by ThaoMy PhamWISDOMSenior CitizenHow to be Nicer to Yourself“I’ve been overthinking a lot of my decisions. I’ve often been told that self-compassion equals weakness, and sucking it up makes the problems fade away, but I tend to think about my mistakes and make myself feel guilty. Is there a way to treat myself with kindness and change the way I think about my decisions? Being too hard on yourself has its pros and cons, but it is important to remember that you are a human being who makes mistakes. Unfortunately, the reason behind our some-times irrational thoughts are our mindsets and the way we look at certain situations. Cognitive distortions revolve around how our minds convince us of things that we believe are true but are actually very inaccurate. The best method to get yourself out of a negative pattern is to acknowledge the thinking trap. For example, fortune-telling describes how we predict a future event and establish that it will turn out for the worst, treating it like a prophecy set in stone. Anoth-er would be black-and-white thinking where we tend to look at a situation on one end of an extreme and the opposite end. As a result, there is no middle ground, just success or failure. An example of this thinking would be not drinking enough water on one day and believing that you have ultimately failed at your goal of drinking enough water for a whole week. So even the smallest setback can be the biggest failure in our minds. Once you have broken out of a negative mindset, learn to treat yourself with more compassion. Treat yourself with a day out to be alone with your thoughts. If you have extra time at the end of an exhausting day, try meditating and reecting on what you’ve accomplished. Listen to a meditation tutorial on YouTube or just play some music as you enjoy some alone time. It’s important to recognize that no amount of self guilt you put on yourself can change what has happened in the past, and more importantly, you did not have the current knowledge that you do now.

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29How to Get Rid of Toxic FriendsAlthough my best friend and I have been close since we were little, I am starting to feel like they don’t want me around any-more. They’ve started hanging out with other people and only talking to me when their friends are unavailable. I’m not sure if they’re toxic, but I am starting to not be able to trust them any-more. What should I do in this situation? Should I keep being friends with them? If anyone is pushing you away and making you feel like you don’t belong, there is no point of being friends with them. A friend is someone who is there for you through any is-sues and troubles that may come around. When it comes to toxic relationships, it’s best to cut them off immediately to prevent further strain in your own life. I would recommend starting off by re-evaluating your relationship with that person and seeing how it has affected you. Next, you should talk to them if you are looking to rekindle your friendship or if you choose to leave them behind. I can understand that you might want to continue your friendship since you have been close for so long, but it is important to know how you feel. If this relationship is taking a toll on you, then it is best to put yourself rst. When it comes to distancing, it doesn’t mean that you should completely cut somebody off but limit contact and conversation. In the meantime, start focusing on what matters to you. If you are used to talking to that person every night, then do something else during that time to break out of that routine. This is also a common method used to recover from romantic breakups, but friendship breakups can be a lot harder to get over. Making new friends can help distract you from loneliness, but it is essential that you make time for yourself and think about what qualities you value in a friend before searching for new ones. How to Say NoI am a big people pleaser and nd it hard to say “no” when people ask me for things. I know for sure that I seem like a doormat, but it’s difcult for me to stop acting so friendly without being rude. What should I do to start standing up for myself and say “no”? Being friendly is harder than being mean. That’s a fact. However, it is easier to get tak-en advantage of if you appear to be too nice and caring towards those around you. Not to worry, there is a way to remain sincere-ly friendly without being treated like a pushover. The rst step to take is learning to respect yourself. In order to do so, al-ways put your opinion forward. A person who always has an opinion and expresses their true emotions is difcult to manipu-late. Keep in mind that just be-cause you’re respecting yourself does not mean you should value others’ opinions less. Respect is a two way street. Second, saying “no” does not mean that you are being rude. Saying “no” means setting your own boundaries that people cannot push down. In other words, saying “no” is considered self-respect. You have to trust yourself to know when to say “yes” versus “no.” Another step to take is surrounding yourself with people that you do not feel the need to please. Friends should respect you and your boundaries as a person and take your “no” the way that you would take theirs. Sometimes it’s all about the tone and wording of what you say that makes it friendly or rude. It makes a big difference, and others can tell how sincere you are when you say “no.” So if you really are worried about disappointing people with your “no”, don’t be because you are putting yourself and your limits rst.

The Blade, Spring 2022

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