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  • Massive Art Installation Depicts Story Of American Nonviolence

    Massive Art Installation Depicts Story Of American Nonviolence

    By Audrey Lutz

    Ms. Switzer and her History of Nonviolence class made an outstanding art installation depicting a visual timeline of nonviolent movements in American history. The project is the culmination of many years of preparation, research, and development. 

    After involving Ms. Story, an upper school art teacher, they decided to make a timeline following events through history. We were standing in front of the artwork when we spoke and she said,  “If I were to go back 20 years when I first started teaching about non-violence I would not have known half of what is up here.”

    Each student made individual tiles that show non-violent activists and researched them to gain a better understanding of who they are and how they affected history. I was able to speak with Leah Cox about her involvement with this project. “I was a student in the class, so I helped with brainstorming and making the background,” she said. “If you look at the board, on the far right, there is a collage of non-violent organizations and above it there are doves. I made both of those.” 

    Ms. Switzer said that the installation is a way “of visualizing all of the interconnected complexity of non-violence in American history.” Everything is connected one way or another, and this installment shows all of the historical branches. 

    As we started the interview Ms. Switzer implied that “Non-violence isn’t just about creating peace and justice, it’s creating conditions where violence is less likely.” This art is meant to show that peace is possible and that people are willing to risk their lives to stand up and say, they want a better society. 

    There are 14 different non-violent movements that are represented on the board, but the art piece starts with the Indigenous people in the United States. “What my students discovered is that from a very early point, Indigenous people in the United States had non-violent peacemaking kinds of cultural technologies, and a lot of the non-violence that evolved came from seeing the way the Indigenous people resolve conflict,” said Ms. Switzer. 

    The Indigenous people are the true roots of America and the first people to teach non-violence. “Many people think that the Indigenous people were just bows and arrows, but they had such a complex life,” said Ms. Switzer. 

    Next, we move on to the Quakers and Anabaptists. “The historic peace churches (the Quakers and Anabaptists) came to the United States to escape persecution.” The Quakers and Anabaptists lit the fire for the anti-slavery movement. “They believed that there is a god and somehow that god is present in all people, so then anytime you’re unjust or violent to another person, you’re being unjust and violent to god. So that sort of theological premise motivated them to confront slavery first.”

    Everything is connected in history and this board is illustrating that. “So we have this early women’s movement that starts, and those same women became the leaders of the suffrage movement.” Ms. Switzer then shows me how the branches connect everything together. 

    As we keep moving down the boards we are introduced to the pre-civil rights which of course leads us to the all mighty civil-rights movement. They tried to include as much as they could, but the board can only hold so much. The board includes the majority of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. 

    Finally, we come to the final board with the Black Lives Matter movement “as the most recent manifestation,” with its focus on anti-racism. “We have anti-racism, kind of having these moments of surging and then receding and then surging over time, but always there.” 

    People have always been fighting against racism in history. “A takeaway that one of my students realized is that since the 1600s, there have been people, white people standing against racism, all the way to the current time. And since 1730-1740 every year someone has been born in America who has fought against racism.”

    At the end of the final board, there are many pieces of art. “We have this collage of doves and it sort of represents the future for hope and peace,” Ms. Switzer said. There is a collage of different activists, and then finally  a mirror “because we wanted people to get to the end of the installation and say, well what can I do to make a more peaceful future?” 

    Under the mirror, it says “The Future of Nonviolence is You.”

    This project was a semester-long idea, yet the idea mainly came to fruition right around thanksgiving. As Ms. Switzer usually has a much bigger class she doesn’t do big projects like this one. This year she only had 9 students in her History of Nonviolence class, so Ms. Switzer asked them if they wanted to do something more creative than they normally couldn’t do with a greater number of students. “We talked to Ms. Story and we started brainstorming options. My students wanted to work together so we developed this idea, which was much more complicated than we were expecting and I didn’t know if we were going to finish.”

    They started making it right after fall break and only had until exams to finish. “Towards the end of the last 2 weeks of class, this project was all we did. The students came before school, after school, and during lunch. They spent so much time on this and it’s incredible.” Leah Cox, a student who worked on this project, said that “There were times when we would have to come during our free periods, and we would work together and collaborate throughout the whole process.”

    As the artwork started to finish they brought in Ms. Story again to take a look. “Once Ms. Story saw the project coming together she said that we needed to get this in front of other audiences.” Then came talk of where this outstanding project could go. They are considering the  Hartfield Jackson airport, which has a section where they display student work; the Center for Civil and Human Rights; and even the history center of Atlanta. “Right now the chief of the marketing department – Janie Beck- is working on finding out if this could be a traveling exhibition.”

    Ms. Switzer is so proud of this piece and it has only made her think of what she could do in the future. “I’ve been trying for years to know how to organize this incredibly complex history and the more I taught the more I realized that it’s not just the history of non-violence but the histories of non-violence, and I’ve always struggled to make sense of it all visually. And the fact that they were able to create a way of visualizing it is amazing, not only to me but to them and future students.”

    This project was huge, not only for Lovett but for the future of Ms. Switzer’s class. This artwork alone holds so many important people, dates, and moments in history that are not talked about in the history books. 

    The students had to work so incredibly hard to get this project completed and it brought them closer together. “I think that this bonded my class,” she said. “We would see one another so much during the day that our close proximity to each other almost forced us to get closer.”

    This artwork will be displayed in the art gallery hall until the end of February. After that, no one is truly sure where it will end up but, hopefully, wherever it goes it will inspire people. “We’re trying to create a better world,” Leah said.

  • Senior Athletes Face Final Seasons

    Senior Athletes Face Final Seasons

    By Lyla Nelson

    Senior year is often thought by many to be a school year filled with endless celebrations. While this is very true, it is also a year filled with many goodbyes. Whether it is bidding farewell to friends, teachers, or in the case of many – club sports – this chapter of life is exciting and bittersweet at the same time. 

    I myself have been playing club soccer and swimming outside of school for nearly my whole life. About a month ago, I played my final soccer game in Tampa, Florida, and last week, just before the state swim meet, I attended my last swim practice. 

    Even though I feel like my time has come to an end with these sports, closing the chapter on such a significant part of my life will always be bittersweet. 

    I have spoken with a few other seniors, who have also dedicated much of their lives over the years to club soccer and just recently played their last game. While these seniors are not putting up their cleats for good, like me, as they will be playing in college, Mary Camp and Ridley (Auburn) and Mary Parrish (Washington & Lee University) still found it bittersweet playing a final club game. 

    The first club player I spoke with was Mary Camp who reflected on her journey with a mix of sadness and optimism.

    While she said that she is sad, as she has spent her whole life playing soccer, she still has her final high school season and of course her future at Auburn ahead of her. Additionally, she finds comfort in knowing that she will keep the friends she has made from club soccer over the years and train with them every now and then when her schedule allows for it. 

    Ridley Newton, Mary Camp’s sister, spoke about how she is very sad that club soccer is over because it has been such a big part of her life and has shaped who she is today in many ways. 

    Through traveling to out-of-town tournaments, Ridley has bonded with girls on her team and formed relationships that will last a lifetime. Even though she knows that she will never play with her club teammates again, it is not goodbye forever, as she will be facing off against many of them in the SEC in the near future. 

    Both Ridley and Mary Camp hope to end their senior years on high notes by winning state again and “lifting the trophy with the other nine seniors who have been a part of the journey the last four years.” 

    The other senior I spoke with was Mary Parrish Green, who will also be continuing her soccer journey in the fall at Washington & Lee University. She is sad about her club soccer journey coming to an end because even though she will stay in touch with them and practice together at times, she will miss her teammates dearly. 

    Even so, her club soccer journey is not quite over yet, since she will be playing in college at the Alston Parker Watt Field and she still has one more high school season coming up here in the spring. 

    For high school season in particular, she is looking forward to playing with all her friends because she just “loves the team and the environment so much.” 

    One athlete who will not be continuing her sport in college is lacrosse player, Jane Mullin.

    Jane has played Storm lacrosse nearly her whole life, and she told me that playing her last club game was a bit bittersweet since it will be hard to stay in touch with her teammates, who all live pretty far away from her. However, she added that “school lacrosse is much more fun,” so she is really looking forward to her last season. In particular, she can’t wait for the home games and to spend senior night with the other seniors, who she has become so close with over the last four years.

    When I asked her if she’ll miss playing lacrosse next year, she said “not really- I think that playing a sport in college kind of takes the fun out of it.” 

    Hill Maudlin will be lacing up his cleats for his final soccer games this spring. Like the other club sports players, he has been playing his sport nearly his whole life. 

    While he can’t wait for the upcoming high school season, he will not be playing club soccer in college at Auburn, because it is a big commitment. “It would be fun to try some different intramural sports,” he said.

    But his time on the soccer field is not quite up yet, for Hill is looking forward to playing with his “best friends” on the Varsity boys soccer team this spring, and “under the lights” will be nice instead of early Saturday mornings,” he added.

    As these seniors, including myself, begin their final high school season and prepare to step into the next chapter of their lives, whether or not they will be playing their sport in college, they will carry with them the countless memories, friendships, and lessons that club sports have given them along the way. 

    While this may be the end of one journey, it is only the beginning of another. And even if we’ll be hanging up our cleats and sticks, we can always toss a frisbee on the campus quad and later play in the company kickball game, or pickleball league 

    And for the golfers among us, they’ll be able to play until they’re ninety.

  • “Fine, I’ll do it.” Two Sophomores Bedgrudgingly Take On Mascot Duties

    “Fine, I’ll do it.” Two Sophomores Bedgrudgingly Take On Mascot Duties

    By Maiya Tomlin

    If you have been keeping up to date with the OnLion, you might have stumbled upon Bridget Valls’s article about Winterfest. While the article mentions the senior faculty basketball game, it overlooks the best part of the game.

    The best part was not seeing the teachers get dunked on, although it was a close second. The best part was the eminent presence of the mascots. 

    First of all, those were not actual lions in uniforms walking around on their hind legs. 

    It was me and my friend Caroline Nelson (10) dressed in lion costumes. And let me tell you here, the experience was anything but joyous, I’d call it traumatic even. A few days later, after recovering from our experience, I found Caroline in English, and we began the retelling of our horror story.

    “I would not wish that on my worst enemy,” Caroline said. 

    Let us walk you through our experience so you can understand that being the Lovett mascot is only a task for the brave (no Cowardly Lions need apply), which is evidently neither Caroline nor me. 

    We got ourselves into the situation in the first place because of sophomore SGA. All four positions of president, VP, secretary, and special events coordinator are filled by our friends. The secretary, Cate Turner, approached me and a few friends at the cafe tables in the plaza a day before the game and made me an “offer” I probably should have refused: “Is anyone interested in being the mascot during the basketball game for a $25 cafe gift card?”

    The table went silent. Cate has been one of my best friends since Kindergarten, and she and the SGA had been working their tails off organizing this game for weeks. I felt like I owed her one and should walk around with an actual tail. Plus, at the time, I was craving a cafe California club on naan bread (which costs a whopping $8).

    After a quick calculation in my head processing that the $25 gift card could buy me 3 days’ worth of Califonia clubs, I responded, “Fine, I’ll do it.” Pro tip: Never make a decision when you’re hungry. 

    Since the rest of the table was much more intelligent than me, they all said, “Oh, heck no.” I brought it upon myself to recruit another victim to participate with me because, after all, there are two lion suits to be filled. Cate and I went into the high school to scout out more victims. Cate silenced the crowd of our friends and proposed the idea. After receiving a few giggles, Caroline responded, “I guess I’ll do it.”

     “I mean, they offered up a free cafe gift card. I had to jump by that. The cafe is not cheap,” Caroline said. “Which we never got by the way.” Caroline and I decided we’d take that up with SGA after English class.

    We were retelling our story in front of Tess Horner (10), who let out a giggle at what Caroline said. To which Caroline remarked: “It’s actually not funny.”

    The day of the game, Savannah Jones (10), the sophomore special events coordinator, brought us across from the girls’ locker room and unlocked the door to a room I didn’t even know existed. “It was some sort of athletic closet with like basketballs and such,” Caroline explained. 

    Savannah led us to a black trash bag on the ground. She lifted it up and dumped out both the lion and lioness costumes. We decided that Caroline would be the lion because she’s taller than me. At that moment, I thought I had lucked out.

    We put on the costumes, and I could see absolutely nothing. Caroline could actually see through the lion head, so in actuality, she lucked out. However, I did see a clear view of the ground pointing diagonally outward. 

    We entered the gym after the game had already started. (I had Caroline and Savannah lead us towards Wallace because, in case you forgot, I couldn’t see anything.)

    We walked through the doors, and instantly, Mrs. K, our English teacher, knew it was us. I realized it was probably pretty obvious, given the onesie barely covered my ankles and shoes. I’m not sure how she knew it was Caroline in the other suit, though. 

    “It was really hot in there,” Caroline recalled. “We had to step out multiple times,” she added. I can vouch for that. We felt like we were dying. After saying ‘hey’ to the lower schoolers on the opposite side of the gym, we had to step out and take a breather. 

    Outside of the gym, we took off our lion heads and saw Savannah’s mom, Mrs. Jones, who works in the athletic office. She was holding two ice-cold blue Powerades, and I began to see the light. Cate also came out of the gym to find us and tell us to “be more entertaining.” Caroline and I were offended, given that it felt like we were burning alive for the first half of the game. 

    Caroline and I decided to plan some tricks we could do to obey Cate’s wish. “You can’t do the worm in it. I’ve tried. It doesn’t work,” Caroline told me. I witnessed her attempt, and I can vouch that she almost pulled it off. 

    We suited back up and entered back into the trenches (Wallace Gym).“Yeah, we weren’t doing a good job, even though we did what she asked. We just got beat down by SGA the whole time,” Caroline recalled.

    Safe to say that during the second half, we were much more entertaining. Our friends on Varsity Winter cheer had finished their halftime performance, and we hung out near them. All of our friends were asking, “Who’s in there?” Good thing they didn’t share the same sleuthing instincts as Mrs. K.

    Caroline and I threw the basketball around and high-fived everyone in an attempt to be ‘more entertaining.’ “It was traumatic when the lower schoolers tried to take off our heads,” Caroline said.

    After the game was over, we were thankfully led back to the closet. However, the door was locked. Caroline and I were so done at that point; we just plopped ourselves onto the ground, took off the lion heads, and prayed someone would find the key. (Hopefully, no lower school students saw us with the heads off and became permanently scarred and disillusioned.)

    Thankfully, after 15 minutes and being spotted by everyone in passing (which we did not even care about at that point), we were let back into the room. “I am NEVER doing that again. Are you kidding me?” Caroline said, and I certainly agreed with her.

    Tess asked Caroline and me in English, after we most likely blew off some steam, if we would ever consider doing it again. “I didn’t get what I was promised. I did not receive my incentive, so, no,” Caroline said.

    After reading this two-page-long rant, I hope you understand the moral of the story.

    1. Never do a favor for your friends on SGA.
    2. Mrs. Jones is our guardian angel.
    3. I have had to pay for all of the California Clubs I’ve eaten since the game.

  • Emb(ARK)ing On The Vestry Retreat

    Emb(ARK)ing On The Vestry Retreat

    By Anna Mefford

    This past weekend Lovett students journeyed out to Camp High Harbor at Lake Alatoona for the annual Vestry retreat. “Easily one of my favorite weekends of the whole year,” senior Abby Odegard said. 

    Around 150 Lovett students gathered at 8 a.m. on Saturday to head to Lake Allatoona. They took a 30-minute ride to the camp and, once they got there, dispersed into cabins. 

    “I was very surprised by how nice and big these cabins were,” said freshman Paige McMillan. 

    After plenty of top-versus-bottom bunk arguments, students gathered at the Church to split into groups. The Vestry Wardens carefully chose the groups, which was not an easy task. As a warden myself, I can testify that we spent about two months arranging the groups so that everyone had a friend but was also with plenty of people they did not know from other grades.

    One of the main goals of the retreat is to meet new people from different grades and form new bonds you never thought you would have made. 

    The groups then dispersed and played about 2 hours worth of awkward icebreakers to get to know each other. 

    “Icebreakers are one of my favorite parts about the retreat because while it’s awkward at first it’s the most important part of really getting to know your group,” senior Lydia Wilson said. 

    After many rounds of “Chubby Bunny,” and “Human Knot,” the groups all gathered together to announce their team names and eat some delicious lunch with their groups.

    “Gotta make sure you fuel up before the big game of volleyball,” senior Thomas Harris said. 

    Arguably, the most renowned part of the retreat is the volleyball tournament. Five groups go to the courts and play four intense games of volleyball (one team refs), with Mr. Kennerson and Ms. Howard keeping score.

    While the 5 groups play volleyball all the other groups disperse and do activities and talk about the theme of the retreat. This year Rev Brown chose “Call to Service” as the theme of the retreat. 

    So, groups gathered together and talked about biblical stories such as the conversion of Paul, Noah building an Ark, and Moses and the burning bush. During their talk, the groups were challenged to build their own version of an ark with just cardboard scissors and duct tape. 

    “Special shoutout to Scarlett Rouland who told us about buoyancy and the need to have an air pocket under the ark,” said Charlie Sheets. 

    After lots and lots and lots of duct tape, groups took their ark to the cafeteria to see how well their boat could hold up as many pebbles as possible. 

    Rev Brown explained how the point of the ark activity was to teach the students that God does not always call the equipped, but he equips the called. 

    “I really liked the activity as it was engaging but also had a very good spiritual connection to it as we could experience what it was like to have to adjust to certain circumstances to achieve what was being asked of us,” said junior Mason Bosworth.

    The groups then rotated around each of the activities and all gathered at the end to watch the volleyball tournament championship. But before the games began, seniors Corrine Dunlap and Southerland Newton led everyone in the singing of the national anthem, “a classic tradition,” said senior Francie Loven.

    Finally, after a very intense game, Group 4 (named “the holy hitters”) came out with a dub and earned bragging rights for the rest of the trip (which they did not pass up). 

    “I was very proud of my group and our win,” said junior Knox Amos.

    To end the round of games, discussions, and ark building the groups gathered together in prayer, led by senior Hill Mauldin, and then went to dinner. The menu for the night was pasta, grilled chicken, and salad, and was “the best vestry dinner I’ve had out of all my years on the retreat,” said senior Calder Shurling. 

    To end the night everyone gathered in the chapel to watch the entertainment and the famous senior skits. The entertainment this year was the Kenn Scott magic show where he showed us many card tricks and how to solve a Rubix cube in under 3 seconds with one hand and eyes closed. After Mr. Scott was done leaving everyone in awe and extremely confused, senior wardens Francie Loven and Reeves Malone took the stage for the senior skits.

    “The skits are my favorite part of the retreat and I was so excited to plan them this year,” Reeves said. 

    Some of the skits included sibling trivia, couple trivia, bachelor, and the bachelorette. Special shoutout to Senior Thomas Harris who took on the role of “Waldo,” a nature-loving unemployed, very caring man who was looking for a girl to go to the botanical gardens with. 

    “I’ve never laughed harder in my life than I did when watching Thomas do the Waldo skit,” said Junior Hollis Fann. 

    After the skits and abundant laughter, all the students ventured out to the campfire to make s’mores. Shortly after, everyone sat down and listened as each senior gave a short speech with advice to all the younger grades. 

    “It’s never too late to make a change and if you don’t make a change it becomes a choice,” advised senior Sally Berry. 

    The campfire brought tears to many as it was the end of their last Vestry retreat. 

    “I always would listen to the seniors and never really take in what they had to say because I always thought I had so much time but standing there really made me realize how fast time has gone by,” said senior Francie Loven.

    Then, after the fire, the students went back to their cabins and rested up from a long day’s worth of activities. They then were woken up at 8 am the next morning to eat breakfast and venture back to the Lovett school.

    When the Vestry Wardens met with Rev Brown after the retreat, he said he thought it was a huge success. He was relieved since it was his first year leading it. But even before we left for the retreat, he was tipping his hat to the student leaders. “I would like to give a shoutout to the wardens for all their help,” he said to everyone before we loaded onto the buses, “and I encourage all to sign up for next year’s retreat.” 

  • Some Sweet Slopes At Sugar Mountain

    Some Sweet Slopes At Sugar Mountain

    By Tanisha Naik

    A few weekends ago, Mr. Crowley took 13 students on the annual Lovett Ski Trip to Sugar Mountain in North Carolina. 

    Mr. Crowley, who has been skiing for 30 years and snowboarding for 20 years, has led the Lovett Ski Trip for a long time now. Lovett has not always gone to North Carolina. In previous years,  they would go west and even once to West Virginia and ski at Snowshoe. However, due to logistics, Sugar Mountain is just an easier destination.

    Obviously, planning a school trip is difficult. One of the biggest challenges Mr. Crowley faced this year was getting a core group of students to take the ski trip because there were a ton of cancellations. 

    Students left from Lovett on Friday and arrived in North Carolina in the evening where they checked into their hotel and got their Ski equipment. The next day they spent the whole day skiing, taking a break at the top of the mountain to each lunch. The day after that they skied for a bit more when it was finally time to head back to Lovett. 

    This is a perfect trip to accommodate all levels of skiers from advanced to even beginners.  Luckily for this trip, Sugar Mountain had group lessons that skiers could participate in. This was a good way for both the beginners to learn how to ski and for more experienced skiers to get back on the slopes. 

    Junior Ava Boren wanted to go on a trip with her friends since she and her friends “couldn’t do spring break together, and thought it would be a fun way to spend a weekend,” she said. Junior Megan Frisch decided to go on this trip because her friends were also going and she has been skiing since she was 7, so “I was excited to get another chance to ski during the year,” Megan said. 

    Ava’s favorite part was skiing with friends, and “also getting ready together in the morning, hanging out in the hotel and talking at night,” she said. 

    Senior Sarah Turner took photos of Megan and her friends jumping over “this one bump, and she got some cool shots,” she said 

    Megan enjoyed those early morning hours when the mountain was empty. ”We would take the summit chairlift to the top and race down the hill on groomed runs while listening to good music,” she said. 

    Overall, both agreed that the trip was a perfect getaway filled with skiing, laughter, and memorable moments 

    “I loved the black diamond run from the top too,” Megan said. 

  • Stepping Up And Making Plays

    Stepping Up And Making Plays

    By Mackenna Stewart

    With the Lion boys basketball team going into state,  I thought it was only right to check in with some of the guys to get a pulse on the team’s performance this year. 

    I spoke to seniors Casani Bartlett and Ryan Cain, and junior Jack Reese. In our five minutes together, they answered my most pressing questions. I must admit the interview was quite chaotic as they were all excited to discuss the season, but these were my 4 main takeaways. 

    #1: What’s been the highlight of the season? 

    Immediately as I asked this question the three spoke almost in unison. “I would say King Cam’s buzzer-beater,” said Jack Reese followed by comments of agreement from both Ryan and Casani. 

    According to Ryan, “On December 21st in Wallace gym,” the team was knee-deep into a competitive match against Dacula during the Hoop ATL classic. Sophomore Cameron Cannon, better known as King Cam by his teammates, was able to steal the win with a timely buzzer-beater shot. 

    The Lions walked away with a 60-59 W. As Maxpreps states, the shot not only won the game but also elevated the team’s 9-4 record in the season at the time. Many of us were able to witness this buzzer-beater shot on the Lovett Athletics page. When I saw it, I truly believed I was watching an Instagram reels highlight of LeBron James. 

    #2: What is the team’s main goal/ focus for the remainder of the year? 

    “Winning,” said Ryan Cain confidently. It is moments such as Cam’s buzzer-beater that really push the team to forge ahead and persevere through the competition. “The more you win, the more you play,” Ryan said. 

    The team is looking forward to catching more Ws on the court and also looking forward to playing high-level basketball as they spar against the competition. The team understands the importance of playing clutch basketball and never letting their guard down. If they win, the level of competition increases, and so does their level of play. 

    With this mission in mind, Casani hopes to enter the playoffs as one of the top two teams in the region. He feels like it will send a message to the competition that the Lions act on their motto: “We Compete.” 

    #3: Which game was the turning point in the season? 

    While competition and winning are always the main focus, Casani acknowledges that sometimes there are turning points in the season that are less than likely. “Turning down was the second time we lost to Holy Innocents,” Casani said. 

    On the opposite side Ryan feels like a positive turning point occurred against Pace because “we were close the whole game and realized we could play with anybody.” Although the Lions were not able to pull out a win, Jack Reese believes it was a perfect example of what it means to “Compete.” The Lions were only down by three points in the third quarter against a rival team which proved the team’s resilience and willingness to fight against the odds. 

    The three guys also believe that the team needs to be able to play well beyond the first half.  “If the game stopped at halftime we would definitely win,” Ryan said jokingly before he began to think of ways the team may combat this struggle. 

    Another challenge is that standout player Jack Reese is potentially out for the season, which puts a lot of stress on the team to work even harder to make up for this loss of essential talent. Jack hopes to “see different guys step up and make plays,” as he cheers from the sidelines. 

    Ryan and Casani feel this pressure and have reiterated to their teammates that everyone will have to carry a little more weight as far as individual performance goes. One of the most important things about being on a team is ensuring that individual performance translates into team success, and the Lions have been able to execute this well. Wins against Carver (68-43) and Hapeville (72-46) are proof of what happens when teamwork is in full effect. 

    \#4: What role do you see yourself playing in the team’s success for the rest of the season? 

    While Casani aims to be the next LeBron and Jack aims to be the best ‘assistant’/ student coach, Ryan feels as if his role is a little more detailed. His goal is to make “an impact in the game whether it’s scoring or defense. Just doing what needs to be done to win.” 

    While the Lion’s basketball season isn’t over yet and there is still so much for the team to prove, I am confident in the team’s ability to withstand and conquer the competition. Strong senior leaders such as Ryan and Casani, and now consistent support from Jack even in the midst of his injury, will be a recipe for success. 

    #5: And how about that Athens Academy game?!

    The Lion’s standout performance in their first round of state against Athens Academy was an outstanding representation of what it means to compete as a Lovett Lion. The Lions tipped off the first quarter with a fast-paced energy. Whether it was an explosive block by Daniel Gadsen, a mid-range shot from Cam that resulted in 2 free throws, or a strong pass from Casani Bartlett and Daniel Gadsen that resulted in Cam hitting a flawless corner three, the athleticism was at its peak. 

    And the second quarter only exceeded the standards of the first. Following Landyn’s steal he threw a spot-on pass to Casani that led to an easy layup. The Lions did an amazing job using their athleticism to control the pace of the game and force errors from the other team. For example, Daniel’s Instagram reels worthy dunk and swing on the rim became a reliable shot and play for the team. As soon as the team lost control over the ball the Lions were there to capitalize off of their errors. 

    Unfortunately, the Lions’ season came to an end in the second-round game against Holy Innocence. 

  • Need Some Book Recs For Break?

    Need Some Book Recs For Break?

    By Jacob Ying

    Are you wondering what can I do during Spring Break while I’m not on the slopes or at the beach? Well, you’re in luck. One great thing to do during your free time is read a book. 

    But, it can be really hard to select a book. There are so many options to choose from, and you can easily give up picking a new read. Librarian Mrs. Northrup says, “It’s very important to pick something you are interested in,” and if you want more personalized help selecting a book, she or Mr. Bowden would be happy to assist. “We always recommend stopping by the library and letting us help you find something new to read!” she said. 

    Of course, that sometimes means going back to the books we loved when we were younger. ”For those feeling nostalgic, I encourage them to go back and read some of the new titles in their favorite series,” she said. For example, she recommended new books in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Spy School series, Hot Mess and Spy School Goes Wild, respectively. Hot Mess follows Greg Heffley’s adventures on summer vacation, while in Spy School Goes Wild, Ben Ripley is stranded in the wilderness with nemesis Murray Hill and forced to confront a new enemy. 

    There’s one genre that Mrs. Northrup very highly recommends: “I think always a good choice is mystery books,” she said. What are some of her recommendations? The Grandest Games, the newest entry into the Inheritance Games series, and Death at Morning House, a mystery about an old mansion with dark secrets. 

    Series are a great way to enjoy some characters for longer and at greater depth. In this department, Mrs. Northrup recommends the Graceling Realm, Scythe, and the aforementioned Inheritance Games series. Graceling Realm centers around people with special powers, called “Gracelings,” identifiable through heterochromia. Scythe explores a post-apocalyptic world where humans have beaten the ultimate enemy, Death, with their ingenuity. And the Inheritance Games follows a young girl who works to get a recently inherited fortune from a deceased billionaire. 

    She also recommends The Women, which follows a nurse during the Vietnam War; Ready Player One, which involves a gamer who competes to inherit the billion-dollar game company;  and The Crossover, which looks at twin basketball stars and their lives. 

    Hopefully, you won’t be bored on break now!

  • Jewelry Offers Opportunities For Self-Expression

    Jewelry Offers Opportunities For Self-Expression

    By Eliza Pieschel

    Since summer, my taste in jewelry has shifted from gold to silver. I generally wore gold because, for one, I thought it was much more summery, and two, all my friends wore gold, so at that point, what’s a girl to do?

    However, once fall/winter rolled around silver jewelry randomly appealed to me. And now, I wear almost all silver jewelry. I began to become curious about the jewelry other people were wearing as well. At a school with a uniform, something like jewelry is a great way to express oneself.

    I started to pay attention to how much jewelry my friends were wearing, what kind of pieces they were (rings, necklaces, earrings, etc), what metal they were, and what kind of gemstones they had.

    I first talked to sophomore Julia Threlkheld who also usually wears all silver. We started by counting what she was wearing at the time. She told me, “I generally wear the same pieces but I’ll switch out a piercing or two some days.” Julia has three piercings on each ear. A double piercing and then a helix piercing. At the time she was wearing a ring, a necklace, three earrings on each ear, and no bracelets. All of the pieces were silver.

    Her necklace stood out to me. She told me that it’s amber from the Baltic Sea. “My brother is in Germany and he got it for me at a Christmas market,” she said with a smile. “I haven’t taken it off since.”

    The funny thing about jewelry is that it is more than just a pretty accessory. Some pieces, like Julia’s necklace, have sentimental value or a funny story behind them. Julia and I started talking about the meaning of other people’s jewelry as well and I asked her what the jewelry someone is wearing says about them. 

    “I think it says a lot about a person,” she said. “Like it’s obvious when someone’s a little edgier…when they wear edgier pieces. Like the vibes of a person are usually expressed in their jewelry I think.” 

    She added something I agreed with which was that jewelry goes with the stages of life people are in. “I was a completely different person in, like, seventh grade, and I wore completely different jewelry,” she said. “So I do think it kinda shows where someone at or who they are as a person at the time in a way.”

    The day before I had noticed that sometimes she mixes silver and gold jewelry, especially in her earrings. While generally, most people lean one way or the other, some people mix. I always hear people talking about what color jewelry looks good on certain people based on their “undertones” or hair color.

    I asked Julia what her opinion on mixing metals was. She told me, “I think it shows more variety and the people that can pull it off make it look really good. Overall I think it’s cool and cute because it’s different and fun.”

    Keep in mind that Julia does mix jewelry now and then because sometimes she wears gold studs with other silver earrings. Sophomore Elizabeth Dellinger also mixes her jewelry, but for her, she mixes bracelets rather than earrings. “I only have one piercing, so I couldn’t mix earrings if I wanted to, but I would love to get another piercing,” she said.

    She was wearing 11 bracelets, about four of which were silver, and the rest gold. “I usually wear gold but I like how silver adds a little sparkle sometimes,” she said. She loves mixing jewelry.  “It’s fun, and it adds more to our outfit to tie in jewelry with, like, whatever color scheme your outfit is,” she said.

    On the other hand, sophomore Paige Duffard only wears gold jewelry. She has four piercings in each ear, but earrings are the only pieces of jewelry she wears. I asked her why gold instead of silver, and she told me, “I would wear silver, but I would have to be pale, and it would have to be winter because otherwise, I think it looks bad.”

    Elizabeth and Paige both agreed that jewelry reveals a lot about a person. They both said that certain pieces have certain “vibes” that say a lot about who a person is, even if you’ve never met or talked to them before. 

    So while part of mixing jewelry is what looks good or what goes with an outfit, it is also a strong way of expressing yourself to strangers and friends alike. Whether you wear gold, silver, or both, or switch it up, the individuality of different people’s tastes in jewelry is what makes it interesting. 

    Especially with a uniform, wearing jewelry can make you feel more put-together and expressive. So have fun with jewelry! Wear the necklaces you like, the rings, the bracelets, and the earrings you like because while it’s fun to dress up, it also can tell people about you as a person.

  • Casting For Pods: “Dumber Blonde” (Recommended By Mary Skiles Muir)

    Casting For Pods: “Dumber Blonde” (Recommended By Mary Skiles Muir)

    By Alexis Dalton

    I am in the car A LOT. Going from home to practice, then school, then practice, then home again racks up a lot of miles and time in the car. After a while, music gets old. Somehow, my 30+ playlists have gotten boring. So I turned to podcasts. My personal favorite is Anything Goes by Emma Chamberlain, but now I’ve listened to a majority of her episodes, and am looking for something fresh.

    As I was sitting in an alcove with some friends, I expressed my dilemma. They all had a few podcast suggestions, and I got the idea for this column. 

    So hello there, and welcome to a new column called Pursuing Podcasts where I ask a random member of the Lovett community what their favorite podcast is, and I give it a listen. First up was senior Mary Skiles Muir whose current favorite podcast is Dumber Blonde by Kennedy Eurich. I gave it a listen, and here’s what I think.

    A quick disclaimer: this podcast is for mature audiences. Kennedy, or Ken for short, talks about some mature and emotional topics and uses some explicit language. 

    With that being said, the first thing I thought when listening was “This feels like I’m on FaceTime with a best friend.” This podcast is not extremely structured, so listening feels like a casual conversation as opposed to an organized discussion. I personally love this type of podcast because I feel very connected to the speaker.

    Ken definitely talks fast, and this fast pace might not be for everyone. But if you can get used to the pace, it’s not difficult to follow along (and as a fellow fast-talker myself, I feel at home).

    Topics vary from episode to episode, ranging from her anxiety and medication journey, to the roots of having trust issues, to breakups, to prepping for a trip with a makeup brand.

    There are “solo” episodes, in which Ken will answer questions asked by followers on her Instagram or talk about the events in her personal life. She gets very, very personal. She name-drops and spares very few details, but honestly, it’s brave. Not many creators will talk about drama with other influencers, but Ken is not scared to. 

    Ken also is very real about her emotions. From my first impression of her, I feel like she prioritizes expressing her authentic emotions and struggles so that her listeners know that things they are going through happen to a lot of people, and they shouldn’t feel alone. There is full transparency between her and her listeners, which is rare. 

    Ken also brings guests onto her podcasts, such as other influencers/creators and some of her best friends. In these episodes, they discuss similar topics like upcoming trips, memories from their hometown, and more. Again, it feels as though you are on a call with them and a part of the conversation. 

    Overall, Dumber Blonde by Kennedy Eurich is an engaging, personal podcast that presents raw and real conversations about life, relationships, and the struggles many of us face. Though the mature content and fast-paced dialogue might not be for everyone, for listeners who enjoy a candid and unfiltered perspective, it’s definitely worth checking out. 

  • These Two Sophomores Picked Up Tennis Rackets Last Fall, And Joined The JV Team This Year

    These Two Sophomores Picked Up Tennis Rackets Last Fall, And Joined The JV Team This Year

    By Maiya Tomlin

    Sometimes, stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to exciting new opportunities. For sophomores Cameron Kauffman and Zarin Sapra, that meant picking up tennis. With not a lot of prior experience, they decided to give the sport a try last fall and challenged themselves to try out for Lovett’s tennis team this past January.

    After 3 laborious days of tryouts, both were “pleasantly surprised” when they made Lovett’s JV team. I asked Zarin why she decided to try out. She said she wants to get better at tennis, especially because “it’s kind of a lifelong sport. Like I feel like you can play it when you’re older.” She also “wanted to be more active in the spring and have something to do.” 

    The Lovett Girls JV tennis team has 13 girls this year, which is above the average of 8-10, and their coach is Lynn King, who is the middle school band teacher if you’ve seen her around.

    Before tryouts, Zarin told me she prepared by hitting with a drill group a few times a week. As for Cameron, she has been doing private lessons with a coach at least once a week. They told me they hit together a lot. 

    The Lovett Girl’s JV team has had 2 weeks of practice every other day since tryouts. During these days of practices, Zarin told me, “The coaches have already taught me a lot, things I wouldn’t have known if I did regular drills.” 

    Cameron has enjoyed partnering up with other players. “Over the past few practices, I discovered I lowkey love playing doubles,” she said. 

    The team’s first match was scheduled for Tuesday, February 11th, however, it was canceled due to rain. “I’m feeling a little nervous because I’ve never played a match before,” Cameron said. Zarin agreed. She’s excited to play a match,” especially if I’m playing doubles.” As you might expect, Cameron agreed. 

    Over their few weeks of practice, I asked them what their favorite part has been so far. Cameron told me that the team dynamic is really fun and that they’ve already created a group chat. “The most fun part though has been making new friends. I really like the freshmen, especially Lauren Dean and Lily Bosworth,” Cameron said. 

    Zarin has enjoyed the social and physical aspects of being on the team, “having fun while hanging out with your friends but also getting better and being active at the same time.” She added, “When I get to hit with like Lane (Rodts), Cameron, and Kennedy (Crane) like you’re talking and hitting a ball, but you’re still getting better.” 

    Speaking of sophomore Lane Rodts, she came to Lovett this fall from Holy Innocents, where she used to play tennis. Technically, trying out for a tennis team was not a new experience for her, however trying out for the Lovett tennis team was. 

    I asked Lane how this year is different from playing at Holy Innocents. “HIES didn’t have a media day, so that was fun to get to do,” she said. She also told me that tryouts at HIES are similar to Lovett’s. Zarin told me during tryouts they “played short games against other people, and played doubles matches to show that they could do both.”

    Lane also told me that “trying out for Lovett tennis is a great opportunity to make new friends.” She told me she walked into tryouts with 2 people from her grade (which were Zarin and Cameron) but she’s gotten to know freshmen and even a few eighth graders over the last couple of weeks. 

    “I usually play doubles,” Lane told me. She has never competitively played singles. “I don’t necessarily prefer one over the other, I just have never truly played singles before.”

    Lane also played softball at Holy Innocents and was on the Lovett Varsity team last fall, which she told me was fun but added “Tennis has always been my main sport.” She described it as having a different kind of team environment. 

    Zarin unfortunately missed Friday’s match due to her ski trip to Aspen (which I’m jealous of), but I decided to have a post-game interview with Cameron and Lane after their first match,  

    against Wesleyan. “It was super fun,” Lane said, “especially because everyone played well, and we ended up winning!” Cameron enjoyed “getting to bond with the other girls,” she told me. 

    With their first win under their belts, the Lovett Girls JV tennis team is off to a great start. Take Zarin, Cameron, and Lane’s advice, step out of your comfort zone, and try a new activity. Perhaps you’ll make some unexpected friendships. 

  • Five Minutes With Swimmer Vane Stedman

    Five Minutes With Swimmer Vane Stedman

    By Maxine Smith

    The boys swimming team had a good run this season, though Vane Stedman, a junior, explained that they did face a few challenges this season. “We lost a lot of seniors last year, so we weren’t going to be as strong,” said Vane. They still persevered though. “We won most of our relays and a lot of individual events. It was a good season overall,” said Vane. 

    He was pleased with their accomplishments at state. “We had a relay for each of the three relays, which was good,” he said. “Our 4×100 freestyle and 200 medley both made the A final, which I didn’t expect.”

    However, compared to the previous year, the results didn’t quite measure up. “Last year, we did a lot better. That’s just because we had a lot of seniors,” Vane admitted. The leadership dynamic was also different this season. “We had one senior guy, so the team atmosphere was a bit different because there wasn’t as much leadership as last year,” he said.

    Vane Stedman has swam for his whole life and has been a Lovett fish since the seventh grade. “My mom was a big swimmer so all the Stedman kids were just thrown into swimming,” he said. 

    Over the years, swimming has become more than just a sport for Vane, it has become a source of relief. “I enjoy it,” he said. “It eases my mind after a long day of school.”

    As for Vane’s future with swimming, that is undecided. Currently, Vane is conflicted about whether he wants to swim in college. “It’s 50-50. I might not, just because it’s a really big time commitment, and I don’t think I’d want to go to the schools that I would need to go to for swimming,” he said. 

    Throughout Vane’s time swimming one coach has stood out as a major inspiration, Coach Jesse from Dynamo, a competitive swim club he has been a part of since childhood. 

    “I love it there,” Vane said, expressing deep appreciation for the mentorship he has received. Vane explained that his Dynamo coach has supported him through his swimming journey and coached him to improve.

    But, overall the main reason Vane has continued to swim is because of the friends he’s made and the community he has formed throughout his journey. “The community is really why I’m passionate about swim,” he said.