It’s no coincidence that Athens, Georgia is home to so many thriving artists. Iconic groups like R.E.M., The B-52s, and the Drive-By Truckers as well as less well-known (but equally loved) artists like Katie Pruitt and Daddy Upright all got their start as a part of the Athens music scene.

“The live scene [in Athens] is wonderful. It’s like, You can find everything from, like, big concerts to little niche bands… to basement shows,” says Atlanta-area local Madeline Willocks-Hodlick.

The support and enthusiasm of the community helps artists improve their craft. Collins grew up playing music in New York and moved to Athens as an adult. “Everything from the bands we performed with, the people that worked at the venues or went to the shows and even the climate in Georgia was a welcome change,” he says. “Being a part of the Athens music scene… and meeting all of the musicians along the way had a huge impact on my drumming and production skills.”

“I just love the culture around here around music, because the people who are in it are in it to make it better.” After the show where a total stranger helped her up, says Willocks-Hodlick, “I’ve kind of treasured the Athens music scene a little more ever since.”

By Addison Pendegraft
Johns Creek High School

Journalism, is a profession with the very rare quality of both being timeless, ever-changing and wholly necessary in society. This requires journalists to both remain true to the practice while still adapting. Many journalists, like Morgan Hardy, a second year masters student at the University of Georgia. Pursuing her degree in journalism and mass communication, has been evolving with the changes in a variety of ways.

“People my age are really trying to start a change of format in journalism,” said Hardy. “We’re not just talking heads, we’re people.”

Hardy has stated her concern with AI, stating that her biggest struggle has been dealing with its newfound prevalence in the journalism field. “I think AI can become very dangerous over time if we’re not watching it closely.” Hardy went on to explain how the job market right now is filled with job offerings to edit articles written by AI rather than actually writing anything, unfortunately.

But even as prevalent as this problem has become, Hardy advocated that journalism is more than just reporting a story, it’s also about the person writing it. Which is something that AI can’t replicate as “AI loses the emotion of a story.” 

In response to AI’s ascendancy, many journalists, Hardy included, have adapted their passion for journalism into different medium and styles. “You won’t known until you have tried,” said Hardy, who’s experimented with all forms of journalism from broadcasts and newspapers to documentaries. “So I tried multiple forms of journalism to see which one stuck.”

After much experimentation, Hardy said that she was taking the steps to work in digital media. “Because digital media is so big right now, especially with all of the changes with AI, I just want to be a part of that change and what’s going to happen next.”

This adaptation and willingness to transform, especially to combat the issue at hand as she’s doing, will enable Hardy to prevail in her career. Hardy reflects the unwavering resiliency of journalism as she’s adapted throughout her career. Through every new hurdle it comes across, journalism remains a timeless and indispensable part of life. So as Hardy and her career grows and evolves with the times, her portrayal of stories, no matter the format, will endure.

“Watching a lot of reporters my age making breakthroughs has been my inspiration,” said Hardy. “They’re changing the content of reporting. Not the facts, but reporting on it in a different way that’s more timely.”

By Bristol Hardman
Madison County High School

When it comes to student athletes injuries, there is a lot that goes into their recovery behind the scenes that fans don’t get to see. The athletes have to go through physical therapy and have to build strength back up in whatever part of their body got hurt. Lots of athletes can develop what is known as ” Depression”. Depression is a mood disorder that has persistent sadness, lack of energy, and loss of interest in an activity. This can lead to athletes giving up during physical therapy or during the practices to help them come back healthy, which could also result in it taking longer for the athlete to get back on to the field/ court.

“I felt like I let my team down,” said the Georgia Bulldogs running back, who has just finished his junior year at the University of Georgia (UGA) and has won 2 SEC championships. He is from Compton and South Central, California. He started football when he was 5, after his mom signed him up for a youth track club. After starting football, he went and scored three touchdowns in his first game.

After limping off the field at the Red and Black game. The running back suffered an ankle injury that resulted in him not being able to finish the scrimmage on head coach Kirby Smarts orders. “It prevented me from playing the sport I loved,” he said. He was asked how he kept his mental wellbeing high, “You have to keep your head up.” During the Georgia Bulldogs running back’s freshman year, he was on fire. The stats were high and the speed was even faster.

Baylee Beachler, a softball athlete at Robert Morris, agrees that her injury affected her mentally. “My injury affected me physically by making me feel out of place and without a purpose, it messed up my every day routines and took away my ability to do what I love.” In 2025, she was the first women in Pendleton County High School to sign with a Division 1 program. She is from Franklin, West Virginia. She suffers from a torn tendon in her shoulder. ” It affected my mental health by making me feel left out because I could never do anything with my team. It also made me feel worthless because my every day revolved around softball and I didn’t know what to do without it.”

In 2024, she was throwing in a game, when the injury occurred. It ended her 2024 season and she couldn’t throw until December. “It impacted my daily life by messing up my routines of going to the gym every day and working on softball every day, now I just have to sit around and go to therapy once a week. It pulled me away from most of my relationships because I was unable to go out and do things with my friends and family, I am working to get back to hanging out with all of them again now that I’m recovering.” She was a huge gym junkie and when she got injured she couldn’t work out. All she has now is physical therapy.

For injured athletes it’s a long road ahead. “It’s a long process. I get better everyday,” the running back explains. Before his injury, he took on a huge role to bring the Georgia Bulldogs 671 yards and nearly 1,000 rushing yards. The players and coaches would describe him as “a little ball of energy,” and that he has a team-first attitude.

Although the road is long , mindset is everything. Beachler agrees, “It was hard but I just changed my mindset to look at the road ahead and think about all the good things that come out of it and how I’ll be stronger next year.” Her coaches would describe her as a very hard worker and that she never gives up on what she sets her mind to.

Athletes have different ways in dealing with their injuries.”I have not participated in any of that other than physical therapy. I turned to God to help me with my struggles and he has helped me the most,” said Beachler. Both athletes have had very hard recovery journeys and have both explained they have to keep their head up and work hard to be able to recover. “Rehab daily,” said the running back when was asked about how he was dealing with his injury.

Everything changes when you get injured because you have to adapt to the situation and try and stay positive through it all, so you can get through it. “Routine was wake up, lift, go to classes, go to practice, sleep. That was my every day. After my injury it was no lift, some classes, lots of dr appointments, sitting at practice and watching, which was super hard for me to do,’ explained Beachler. Although injuries are very hard on athletes, it enables them to prevail.

Hey y’all, my name is Reese Johnson! Growing up, life has taught me many valuable lessons which have shaped the person I am today. The lesson I still carry today is to focus on the ones who clap so loud for me that I don’t notice the ones who do not. I can become easily discouraged by the ones who willingly choose to walk out on me, but I have learned the importance of the ones who choose to support me.

Throughout my life, I have faced family problems that taught me resilience and independence . While I would never wish for anybody to go through what I did, I am thankful for the person I became due to my circumstances. I learned the importance of the people who show up for me, even when they have their own struggles.

Through every failure and every success, the one thing that has carried me through is my faith in Jesus. My faith has brought me out of the darkest of time., I truly believe if it weren’t for Jesus I would not be here today. He gives me purpose and brings light to any situation. Through every trial, I am reminded to trust Him in the season that I am in, even if I don’t know the next step. He leads me to peace and teaches me the stillness of sitting in His presence. Whether it be a win or a loss, I choose to praise the Lord for where I am, because my worth is not in an outcome, it is in Him.

By Jeremiah McKinney
North Cobb High School

From launching a high school newspaper to helping produce an Emmy Award-winning documentary, Morgan Hardy has dedicated her journalism career to telling meaningful stories that make a difference. What began as an interest in morning show broadcasts during middle school grew into a passion that continued through high school and into college. Through internships, researching and in depth reporting, Morgan has worked to demonstrate that journalism has an impact on society. Now pursuing a masters degree in journalism and mass communications at the University of Georgia, she continues to build a career centered on uncovering stories that matter and sharing them with audiences through innovative digital media.

“It’s always been something I’ve always wanted to do,” said Hardy.

Long before producing digital content and gaining recognition for her work, Morgan was the kid that never wanted to miss the news. Breaking news especially caught her attention. “Every time breaking news was on I was like, oh my gosh turn everything off, we’re watching breaking news.”

She often found herself watching broadcasts with curiosity. While others focused on the events unfolding on the screen, Morgan became interested in the people behind the stories. She wanted to know who wrote the scripts, gathered all the information and delivered the news to audiences. “I would sit in my dad’s office and watch MSNBC and I’m like I want to be up there, I want to write their script.”

That early fascination with journalism eventually led her towards a career dedicated to story telling and informing communities.

Morgan’s interest in journalism soon became more than just watching the news. In middle school, she joined her school’s morning show broadcast, giving her a firsthand look at what it was like to help create content for an audience. That experience continued into high school where she spent four years on the journalism staff. During her first two years, she worked in broadcast journalism for the daily news announcements before expanding into other forms of storytelling.

As her skills and confidence grew, Morgan took on a larger role within her school’s journalism program. She helped launched the school’s newspaper and began producing digital content for its website, including video and audio stories. Through these opportunities, she discovered a passion for multimedia storytelling and connecting with audiences through different forms of media.

Morgan’s passion for storytelling continued at the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Throughout her undergraduate career, she gained valuable professional experience through internships and digital media projects. Working with organizations such as the Oglethorpe Echo and The Christian Index, she created content and analyzed audiences’ engagement and developed strategies to connect with readers across digital platforms. “If I have not gone to UGA, I don’t think I would be able to do something of this magnitude,” said Hardy. These experiences helped her strengthen the skills she had developed in the classroom while preparing her for a career in journalism.

One of the most meaningful experiences of Morgan’s career came during her work on the documentary “We Will Rise: The story of the Apalachee High School Shooting.” As a social media producer, she conducted research, interviewed sources and helped create content that shared the story of a community facing tragedy. “It was really tough to set my emotions aside knowing it’s going to hurt.”

Working alongside her team, Morgan helped tell a story that not only informed audiences, but also honored those affected by the event. The documentary later earned a student production Emmy award, marking a major milestone in her journalism journey.

Now entering her second year as a graduate student at the University of Georgia, Morgan continues to build on the passion that first began while watching breaking news as a child. Through internships, digital storytelling and award- winning projects, she has remained committed to informing communities and telling stories that matter. As she continues her journey in journalism, Morgan hopes to use her skills to make a lasting impact through meaningful and engaging storytelling. “You won’t know until you try.”

Hi, my name is Ty Garrett. I’m a rising sophomore in high school and planning to attend a four-year university. I was born in Asheville, North Carolina, and raised in Leicester, NC. I have moved two times in my lifetime. But I have stayed in the Asheville area for all of my life. I live with my mom and dad and my cat Jingles. My favorite things to do are going to the beach, bowling, golfing, and tanning.

Going to the beach has always been my favorite thing to do because I love swimming and the ocean. Another reason why I love the beach is tanning; I love getting tan and being outside. Golf is my favorite sport. I played golf in 7th and 8th grade; it was so fun because all of my friends played. Bowling is my second favorite sport; I love going to the bowling alley with my friends and family. Other sports that I played are basketball, soccer, and baseball.

I’m currently attending early college at AB Tech Community College. I have attended Christian schools my whole life until this past year. I made the switch to attend early college because I would have an associate’s degree when I graduate. I take education seriously because I want to succeed in my life. After receiving an associate’s degree, I plan on transferringring to a 4-year college, where I would get a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies.

I have a passion to pursue a career in journalism because I watch the news a lot, and my dream is to report on what is happening around town. Communication is important in journalism, and I love communicating with others. I love meeting new people and sharing stories with others. I’m excited to see what the rest of life brings.

Hello, my name is Grady Leatherwood, and I am a rising senior at Calhoun High School in Calhoun, Georgia. I have an immense passion for sports and writing, and I aspire to become a sports journalist in the future. Despite the many programs and opportunities my school offers, they do not offer a school newspaper or journalism class. As a result, I took matters into my own hands by starting a social media account to document Calhoun’s football team. During the games, I post live score updates keeping the community informed. Additionally, I create social media graphics for the account. I have run the account for two years now and have gained a decent following. As for official school activities, I have participated in my school’s marching band for four years as a trumpet player. This upcoming school year, I am ending my tenure with the band to pursue other opportunities, such as a potential internship with Calhoun’s local newspaper or starting a school newspaper. I am also a member of numerous clubs at my school including Future Farmers of America (FFA), Beta Club and National Honor Society. For the past two summers, I have worked for my school’s summer feeding program, making and providing meals to children in need in the community.

I have always loved reading and writing, but I didn’t realize my passion for journalism until around the seventh grade. I’ve always wanted to have a job working in sports and when I realized that I could make a career out of watching and writing about sports, I have made that my goal ever since. I love the prospect of telling the stories that makeup the framework of sports. Every team, athlete, coach and fanbase have a unique story to tell, and I want to uncover their narratives and share it. I want to be able to capture of all the emotions that sports elicit and encapsulate them into writing. While I have no “real” experience with journalism, I sometimes write in my free time for fun about the sports games I watch. My academic goal is to attend the University of Georgia and ultimately the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

My favorite thing to do is watch sports, especially with my father. Sports are such a key element of my life, as they have provided some of my best and worst memories and have strengthened the bond between my dad and me. My favorite teams are the Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks and Baltimore Ravens. Some of my earliest recollections are watching the Bulldogs play football on Saturdays and attending Braves games at Turner Field with my dad. My favorite sport to watch fluctuates and depends on the season. I enjoy traveling, especially to different sports venues. I have visited 13 states and Washington, D.C.. Every place I go, I like to take pictures to document my journeys. Additionally, I enjoy watching all different kinds of movies and television series, especially ones inspired by comic books. My favorite movie is “The Wolf of Wall Street” and my favorite television series is “Ted Lasso”. I like to go to the theater and watch new movies with friends and then write reviews on Letterboxd after. I spend the rest of my free time listening to music, reading, and hanging out with family.

Born to an immigrant family I was taught to to work hard and keep my head in the books. with little room for mistake. I went from gifted classes once a week to the #1 public school in Georgia, and since then academic accomplishments have not only been an expectation but a part of day to day life. Because of this my free time was filled with STEM clubs and technology camps instead of things I felt interesting.

June 8, 2026

Bonjour! I’m Uriana Powell, I am a current rising 9th grader in the state of Georgia and I have so many fun facts about myself, interests and Hobbies, it’d be impossible to list them all. Although if I had to choose a handful, I’d reveal that I actually received my Georgia medal and award of biliteracy in IB French, I have a deep interest for any Biology or Chemistry, and I love sports as I do track, swimming and diving, competitive gymnastics, sideline and competitive cheerleading, flag football and golf! Something I absolutely love is scrapbooking, I’ve been scrapbooking for almost six years now and I love decorating pages and adding my own photos. Speaking of photos, photography has also always held a place in my heart, I am an experienced and recognized Photographer and Videographer as a job, as I usually always have some type of camera on me. I early developed a love for music, I’ve played the violin for 4 years and the harp for 5 years. Even though I have the best built in biological friends in the world, I’m the youngest sibling of five…which immediately makes me the favorite!

I always enjoy having the opportunity to serve my community, I volunteer as a mentor for various programs at my church and am a part of the student council and serve in the youth ministry. My church, My school, My everything, is always so special to me so I always try my best to keep myself Included…Which leads me a while back when I decided to join my school news crew with one of my best friends. We were ecstatic to be able to try this out for the first time. Everyone could only apply for one role, so I applied for anchor.

I unfortunately did not make anchor and ended up in charge of the camera. Even though I started as the camera person, always the sidepiece, overlooked, and misjudged… I eventually managed to work my way up until I finished my 8th grade year as the producer, head anchor, planner, script writer, and the most long lasting members of my news crew as I created so many new traditions, and got so many new students and peers included in the news crew process all in three months. Now I’m continuing my journalism journey by attending this UGA journalism camp on a full scholarship- which I’m so grateful for. I’ve always wanted to attend UGA as a school since forever and so I’m so excited to be here.

I’ve always had an interest in journalism, I’ve written over four chapter books in the French language about various topics and people absolutely have loved them, I used to have a blog named “The 4 Consecutive Minutes” where I would talk about four recent important topics in exactly four minutes, I began this in 4th grade and lately took a break because it got really cringy. Yet, On another note I love writing, I write books, poems, stories, or almost any literary piece of work. I love all types of media and journalism and hope to keep working in the field.