Author: marintorres22

AthFest brings community to the Classic City

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photo creds: Lydia hunt

by Marin Torres
Oconee High School

Along the streets of downtown Athens, Georgia from June 21-23, crowds mingle on the streets checking out the street vendors, whilst the smell of festival food wafts throughout. Locals and visitors make small talk as bands get ready for their next song. 

“While I’m watching a live band, I could be supporting a local barbecue smoker and eating a rib while supporting local artists, I don’t know,” said Gracie Waters, a local of Athens.

Athens is often a place not recognizable without a map. However, despite the town’s humble appearance, Athens has been home to many bands known worldwide including R.E.M, Widespread Panic and the B-52’s. These are all bands that have origins within the Athens community. 

There is no better way to celebrate and honor the vibrant art culture in Athens than a three-day festival dedicated to celebrating the local artists, bands and businesses. The AthFest Music & Arts Festival is held in the middle of June, signifying the halfway of summer. 

This festival includes an artist market made up of over 70 booths with work from local and non-local artists, sponsor booths, retail vendors, along with food trucks. KidFest is included in AthFest as well which allows for a family-friendly environment.

Arguably, the main attraction at AthFest, however, are the music performances. There are three outdoor stages, with artists performing on all three. At KidFest, the Full Moon School of Music is performing on Friday night. Gracie Waters is one of the performers who will be singing. 

“[AthFest] encourages people to look at different kinds of music and stuff and also be able to see the different bands who are local in Athens,” Waters said. “I think it’s gonna be a fun experience to be on stage, and I’ve worked hard for it.”

In addition to the main outdoor stages, AthFest also holds a ClubCrawl, hosted by some of Athens’ most iconic venues. 40 Watt Club, The Georgia Theatre, Hendershots, Cine and the Foundry, are only some of the venues helping to host ClubCrawl. There will be 94 bands being hosted from Friday to Sunday just through ClubCrawl. In all, AthFest will host around 156 bands, both local and not. 

Some past artists who have played at AthFest include, John Mayer, Jennifer Nettles, and Kishi Bashi. 

AthFest is made possible by the many local sponsors that help this festival take place. One of the sponsors of AthFest, is TheRed & Black, a local student run newspaper in Athens. 

“The Red & Black is a fellow nonprofit organization here in Athens, and we adopt a culture of philanthropy, both in our own organization as well as in our community, because we would hope to have the same support from our community as well,” said Charlotte Norsworthy Varnum, executive director of the Red and Black newspaper.

“AthFest is such a pivotal event in Athens, we have covered it for as long as it’s been around, and we really just see it as an opportunity to showcase our support for AthFest educates and the cause and the mission that it serves,” Varnum said. “To get the idea being that if we all support one another, we will all thrive and make our community better.”

Not only is AthFest a way for the community to get together, AthFest also raises money for AthFest Educates.

photo creds: Lydia Hunt

AthFest Educates is a non-profit organization committed to sustaining and advancing music and arts education for K-12 youth in Athens Clarke County. The proceeds from both AthFest and the AthHalf Half Marathon fund the organization’s annual grant-making efforts. The mission of AthFest educates is to provide high-quality music and arts education for local youth and the Athens community through direct support of school and community-based programs and events, including an annual music and arts festival. 

As of 2024, AthFest has issued over $620,000 in grants throughout Athens, and the Clarke County School District. This includes all of the elementary schools, middle schools and high schools. 

The Red & Black sponsor AthFest for the very purpose that it raises money for AthFest educates. 

“We are training the future of the free press,” said Varnum. “And so the idea of education in general is incredibly important. We also kind of culturally believe that knowledge is power, right? We provide free, reliable news to our community. And so the overall idea is a mission, alignment for us, music and arts education is just as important as the education that we provide to our community that makes people more civically engaged and able to make decisions and live their lives.” 

As the music dies down, and the festivities come to a close on Sunday night, AthFest’s impact does not disappear. Throughout the next year, the money raised will continue to have an impact on students in the Clarke County School district through grants and special projects.

“AthFest is so unique compared to any other music festival that I’ve ever gone to, and I love the idea that it’s all the local conjunctions of what makes Athens culture so unique together in one event,” Varnum said. “It’s just a great thing to pay witness to.”

Libraries necessary for free-flow of information

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by Marin Torres
Oconee High School

Every weekend my mom would make an effort to take my brothers and I to the library. I can only imagine what this looked like to other people. My mom would often bring a laundry basket filled to the brim with books, followed by three kids, all carrying books. The library played an integral role in my childhood and the childhood of many others.

In the current political climate, there have been efforts to defund government funding for libraries through budget cuts. According to PBS, the Missouri House voted to cut all funding for libraries in its version of the state’s annual budget. If this budget were to be passed, it would eliminate an estimated $4.5 million in funding for public libraries in Missouri. The state senate, however, rejected this budget and restored the library funds in the Missouri budget.

Although the budget for defunding the Missouri Library did not pass, the effort to defund public libraries still runs rampant. Lawmakers in Texas, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana have all made the effort to try and defund their local libraries, whether that be through legislation, budget cuts, or lack of resources. 

Public libraries serve the public with unlimited books for both reading and research. Providing books free of charge can not only continually help underserved people, but can even foster a children’s love of reading. Libraries provide education and information to everyone, regardless of socio-economic status.

I had grown up at the library and I am a firm believer that the local library is what caused me to love reading. 

Ella Murrow, a resident of Watkinsville, Ga, recalls the library being one of the highlights of their childhood. “I remember loving the library and all the different kinds of activities they would hold,” they said, “when choosing books, it was like a choose your own adventure type of situation. There were endless opportunities of what books I could choose and what I wanted to read”

Accessible internet connection further continues to be a vital reason why libraries play an important role within communities. High speed internet access free of charge at libraries benefits students without access to the internet, families who do not have fast internet, and often, in rural areas, this can be the only source of internet for some people. This day in age, it is vital to have some sort of connection to the internet, and public libraries fill in this gap. 

According to a survey conducted by the Gates Foundation, nearly one-third of Americans age 14 or older–roughly 77 million people–used a public library computer or wireless network to access the Internet in the past year. Moreover, overall, 44 percent of people living below the federal poverty line used computers and the Internet at their public libraries.

Ensuring that people have access to the internet within the community is crucial in making sure that people have the equal opportunity to succeed. Public libraries across the country provide the essential need for the internet especially within rural and underserved areas.

In addition to access to internet connection, libraries often hold community events which supply educational resources on the use of the internet. Technology-related services, projects, and programs are also available at libraries. 

At libraries, there is often a sense of community that cannot be replicated. Many local libraries serve as a community center, with free, or low, cost in-person clubs and events the community can attend. This could include children storytime, to family game nights. Students can study at libraries which provide quiet, safe study environments. 

According to UNESCO, 250 million children are failing to acquire basic literacy skills. Not having basic literacy skills as a kid, will only continue to harm them as they grow older. Not acquiring basic literacy skills can be due to many factors, but one of the underlying factors is poverty. 

For less fortunate families who do not have the resources for their children, libraries hold a tremendous role in ensuring that kids are experiencing the important use of how to read and write. Through having storytimes open for the public, as well crafts related to books, helps foster a love of literature for kids. 

Many memories of mine are at the library looking through the endless shelves of books. I am forever grateful that my parents made an effort to take my brothers and I to the local library. The library is one of the most important institutions in our country. Not only does the library provide people with accessible internet and tools to help them succeed with their career and livelihood, the library provides endless opportunities to children within the community.

Say It Ain’t So Joe

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In Chicago, the summer of 1976, on Aug. 30th the world was introduced to Joe Dennis. Little did anyone know, he would go out and try to discover everyone’s story as a journalist, all while adorned in his iconic fedora. 

“[Journalism] made me motivated to change the world. And it’s made me motivated to uncover stories like that and to shine a spotlight on things that need to be addressed,” Dennis said. 

Born and raised in the Southside of Chicago, Dennis was brought up in a way familiar to many Filipinos: a Catholic household. He attended Catholic school through 12th grade and once school was over, he decided “the first thing I couldn’t wait to do was not go to church, because I was so tired of it.”

 However, since meeting his wife, he became closer to his faith once he found a church that reaffirmed his beliefs.

“My Christian belief at the core of Christianity is Jesus and being a Christ centered person. Just treating everyone with love and respect and not judging,” Dennis said. 

Along with his religious beliefs, Dennis has grown to become a man of many passions. His love of Kesha, the White Socks, and his utter hatred of the Mcdonalds on Prince, as well AT&T, are what make Dennis unlike any other. Among his many passions is one that he holds close to his heart. His love of journalism. Dennis was introduced to the world of journalism through an odd pairing, volleyball and pizza. Through this unique connection, Dennis dove head first into the world of journalism as a student at North Central College.

“I looked at college as a time to kind of reinvent myself, and I wanted to be a big fish in a little pond, as opposed to a small fish in a big pond,” said Dennis.

Being a big fish in a little pond was exactly what Dennis accomplished at his first job in Monroe, Georgia at the Walton Tribune. Dabbling in many forms of media, Dennis settled on becoming a host for the radio show “The Big Rock Show.” He was the disc jockey for this show for 10 years.  

“I became a professional disc jockey, I emulated that energy that they had to their shows like it, you know, just very high energy, and I use that now, even still to this day, because I’m the public address announcer for the Georgia hockey team. I still get to have some of that energy that I love communicating when I do that.”

Eventually, Dennis left the journalism world to become a dad. He now resides in Athens, Georgia, where he lives with his wife Carla, and his three sons. Currently, he is an associate professor of mass communications at Piedmont University. Dennis shares his passions and love for journalism with many young students through the UGA summer programs at Grady college. He continues to share valuable advice to students looking to follow in the career of journalism.

“If you’re like a news journalist or a community journalist, you will develop empathy,” Dennis continued, “It’s undeniable, because you are put in situations and you see things that you wouldn’t, never, likely, never normally see.”

Despite not being a journalist, Dennis still looks back on his time being a journalist as a happy time.

“I love journalism and I love getting to meet people and hear their stories, and, yeah, I would definitely do it over again.”

Marin Torres Biography

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My friends and I when we pranked our teacher at a GUNA conference

Hello! My name is Marin Torres and I was born in Houston, on Aug. 7th, 2009. My parents moved my brother and I to Athens, Ga was I was 2 and I’ve lived ever since. I am currently a rising sophomore at Oconee County High School. I swim and I also play tennis. In the fall and winter, my afternoons are spent at the pool, at swim practice. During the spring and summer, my afternoons are spent on the tennis court.

I love to read and listen to music. One of my favorite authors is Mitch Albom, whose books I always love. However, Jane Austen and George Orwell come in close second. I would like to think that I have pretty good music taste, although I pretty much listen to anything, from Chappell Roan to the Lumineers to Hall and Oates. Along with reading and music, I love watching TV. My go-to’s are “Gilmore Girls,” “Gossip Girl” and “the OC.” Sitcoms, I will admit, are my guilty pleasures, such as “Modern Family,” “Abbott Elementary” and “Kim’s Convenience,” My other hobbies include playing the piano, collecting records and paint by numbers. I have two younger brothers, one is 13 and the other is 12. I also have a dog named Obi (after Star Wars) who is turning 2 in July.

I love to travel, and my favorite place that I’ve been is either Barcelona or Alaska. In school, I am part of Model Un, Georgia Civics, debate club, and HOSA. My favorite subject is either science, government or history. I despise math and it is my least favorite subject. In the future, I don’t see myself having a career with anything to do with math. I swim for the school swim team, as well as play tennis for the school. I don’t have a lot of experience in journalism, which I would like to change. However, I took journalism as an elective last year for a semester and enjoyed it. I am not opposed to becoming a journalist, but for a future career, I am considering either law or medicine.

The best dog ever, duh

Native American Mascots

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The speakers of the stadium blare the disheartening sound of a “tomahawk chop” as football players burst through the breakaway banners with a picture of a “chief” on it. 

My friends and I stare awkwardly at each other, not knowing whether to partake in the cheering or not. We look around us, and no one in the crowd has bat an eye to the situation unfolding around us. People are moving their arms as if they are chopping, they are cheering for our “Warriors.” At this point, my friends and I are extremely uncomfortable. Maybe this is just harmless fun, maybe my friends and I are all just too sensitive? 

According to a study conducted by Michigan University, 65 percent of Native Americans find sports fans chanting the tomahawk chop offensive. Another poll conducted by Washington State showed that up to 75 percent of Native Americans oppose symbols of Indigenous people in sports, with the number shooting higher among younger age groups.

“These mascots are teaching stereotypical, misleading and too often, insulting images of American Indian,” said former APA (American Psychological Association) President, Ronald Levant. 

There are many instances where high schools, sports teams and even professional sports teams use these offensive images of Native Americans as their mascots. Although some people might not find this insensitive, some people find it to be straight up uncomfortable. Just like my friends and I. 

Not only are these portrayals offensive to Native Americans, they continue to produce harmful stereotypical images about Native Americans. These stereotypes undermine the ability to portray the actual images of their culture and traditions. Stereotypes undermine culture for all minority and ethnic groups, this instance is just an example.

Moreover, there are no beneficial effects from having these harmful mascots. In fact, it’s the opposite.

“We are left with harm. Depression, suicide ideation and lowered self-esteem,” said Stephanie Fryberg, PHD, of University of Arizona. 

Young Native Americans are especially impacted because they are constantly reminded of the limited ways in which society views them. As a result, it causes young Native Americans to only view themselves in a certain way. 

Prejudice mascots are only a small example of the many stereotypes that Native Americans face. However, it adds fuel to the fire of racism targeted towards the Native American community that has already been trampled on.

say it ain’t so joe shmoe

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CHICAGO – Joe Dennis was born Aug. 30, 1976, but little did anyone know, he would go and try to discover everyone’s story, all while wearing a fedora. 

“One thing about my life, that I’m happy and I’m older now,” said Dr. Joe Dennis, associate professor of mass communications at Piedmont University, in an interview with 16 rowdy students. “I look back and I’ve done everything I have ever wanted to do.” 

In Athens, GA, Joe Dennis lives with his wife and three kids: Jaydon, Jackson,and Matthew. Although he lives in Athens now, Joe was born in Chicago. He grew up on the Southside  and went to school at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. At this small college in Illinois, his journey in journalism had started due to an odd pairing — a crush and pepperoni pizza. Who knew being a volleyball reporter at a small school would result in his long career in journalism. 

Joe’s first journalism job was at the Walton Tribune in Monroe, GA. He worked many jobs in the field of media, including hosting a radio show, “The Big Rock Show.” For 10 years, Joe worked as a radio host, where he had “the most fun he has ever had at a job,” he said. 

Nevertheless, Joe had to move on. 

Joe currently is the associate professor of mass communications at Piedmont College. “I really enjoy getting to teach students,” Joe said. 

Inspiration for Joe comes from many sources, but everyday people are his main source.  “The most inspiration [comes] from the everyday people I encountered,” Joe said. Joe has met several historical figures, but he still strongly believes the fact that everyday people are the most inspirational people for writing. He is fascinated by the unique stories that he comes across throughout life. 

“I have been married to the love of my life for almost 23 years, three kids, and I’m happy” Joe says. He hopes to continue to tell people’s stories and continue to “[recycle] every interaction I make” in conversations. “I’m really happy how things have turned out and I’ve gotten to do everything I have wanted to do in life, so I’m really blessed with that,” Joe said.

Marin Torres

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Marin. The meaning of my name is “of the sea.” Although it seems as if I should embody my name, I actually dislike the ocean. The ocean is full of unknown and uncertainty which is not the most appealing to me. Ironically, I spend the majority of my afternoons in winter, in water, at the pool swimming for my swim team at my highschool, Oconee County High School. I live in Athens, Georgia, however, I was born in Houston, Texas on August 7th, 2009. When I was 2, my family moved to Athens, Georgia, and I have been here ever since. I am 13 and am going to be a freshman in Highschool.

I have almost no experience in journalism, but I enjoy reading the news and reading good articles. NPR, The New York Times, and The Atlantic, are my go-to’s for something to read. One of my favorite things to do is read, but I am not as fond of writing. I enjoy it, but not as much as reading. I think I want to have a career in law, which contains as a lot of reading and writing. I am not opposed to having a career in journalism, so I think this camp will be helpful in figuring out if I want to have a career in journalism or not.

I do 2 sports, swimming and tennis, almost polar opposites. Swimming is my fall/winter sport, and tennis is my spring/summer sport. Reading is also one of my other hobbies. My favorite books include, “Little Women,” “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn,” and “Native Son.” In addition to those hobbies, I like to collect records, play piano, and cook. I also have the best dog in the whole world, named after the “Star Wars” character, Obi. My favorite TV show has to be a tie between Gilmore Girls, and Modern Family. I can also understand and speak Mandarin, and I am trying to learn how to speak Tagalog.

Sadly, I do not embody the meaning of my name, but I believe that there is much more to the meaning Marin, than “of the sea”.