Athens-Clarke County Education Rates Below State Levels

By Elissa Ewald

See how Athens-Clarke County compares to overall state education statistics.


**Graduation/dropout rate data and test score data were obtained from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement 2004-2005 Annual Report Card

HIV/AIDS an “Epidemic” Among African Americans

An AIDS Athens volunteer explains the HIV
testing process to a student at an event hosted
by the UGA Black Affairs Council on October 1, 2009

Justine Sher, an AIDS Athens case manager, sorts
through HIV rapid testing paperwork at an event
hosted by the UGA Black Affairs Council on October 1, 2009.

By Jon-Michael Sullivan

African Americans become infected with and die from HIV/AIDS more than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. In the South, 58 percent of new AIDS cases reported in 2006 were African American, according to the Southern AIDS Coalition.

Ciarra Coleman, 21, from Milledgeville, Ga., decided, on a whim, to take an HIV test after her doctor recommended it. She made the appointment for a prescription for birth control.

“The doctor asked if I wanted to get tested while I was there, and I said, ‘yea sure,’” Coleman said.

Coleman’s test results were positive.

Since her test in June 2008, Coleman has become involved with AIDS Athens, an AIDS support organization (ASO) that serves 10 counties in Northeast Georgia, including Clarke County. Coleman works to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and influence others to get tested.

Coleman said overcoming preconceived notions about persons with HIV can be difficult.

“People just assume you were doing something bad,” Coleman said, “when you were really just having sex like anyone else.”

In 2004, HIV/AIDS was the leading cause of death for African-American women ages 25-44, and 66 percent of women in the U.S. diagnosed with AIDS were African American.

At the forefront of the problem is a lack of communication between sexual partners.

“There are a lot of men who don’t disclose their status,” said Justine Sher, case manager for AIDS Athens. “It may be a power issue or a situation where they don’t want to negotiate condom use.”

For African-American women living with HIV/AIDS, the most common method of transmission was high-risk heterosexual contact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because there is a higher concentration of the virus in semen compared to vaginal fluid women are putting themselves at a greater risk by not using contraceptives.

“Behavioral changes, like condom use, are necessary,” Coleman said. “And those are the hardest to change in any culture.”

In 2008, 75 percent of AID Atlanta’s client population was African American. Additionally, 69 percent of clients were males who report sex with another male as the mode of HIV transmission.

“The same shame that’s associated with HIV in our community is the same shame that’s associated with being gay,” said Patrick Kelly, community relations manager of National AIDS Education & Services for Minorities, Inc.

Colloquially known as “the down low,” some African-American men have sex with women while secretly having sex with men. These men do not identify as gay or bisexual, most often to avoid social stigma. Unprotected anal sex increases the chance of spreading HIV/AIDS to unsuspecting women.

“Whatever you want to call it, being in the closet has been around for years,” said Kelly. “It’s nothing new. Taking ownership of the disease in our community is something that needs to be done.”

For those who are sexually active, Coleman said it is important that you are tested for HIV/AIDS. AIDS Athens reported over 500 tests administered last year.

Tests that are most commonly used to detect HIV infection require a blood or saliva sample. Typically the results are not available for a few days; however, some tests, such as rapid HIV testing, can give results as quickly as 20 minutes.

Anonymous rapid HIV testing and counseling is offered by appointment at the University Health Center for $35. HIV testing is also available at AIDS Athens, which is located at 112 Park Ave., and other ASOs throughout Georgia.

Edited by Stone Irvin

Students develop skills independently, carry them into future careers

After Nivek Anderson's middle school orchestra teacher told her she had to switch from bass to cello, she told herself she'd inevitably go back to playing bass. Now, with several on-campus gigs and upcoming weddings, she plays regularly.

By AUTUMN ECKENBRECHT

Since high school, two University of Georgia students have been doing what they love — and getting paid for it.

Nivek Anderson said she remembers her first gig as a cellist. Her high school math teacher wanted her to form a quintet to play at her wedding.

Chelsea Darling’s experience began in the newsroom at Pope High School. As entertainment editor for The Greyhound Tracks, she discovered her love for design.

For Anderson, a child and family development major from College Park, sometimes freelancing means finishing homework first and staying up until 3 a.m. to practice for a wedding.

Balancing schoolwork and freelance design is not much different for Darling, a graphic design major from Marietta.

“Everybody, I think, works best when they’re highly caffeinated,” Darling said. “Usually with a job you have to fit it into your class schedule, but if you have a freelance job you can be working at 3 in the morning and fit it in whenever. Then you get a little extra money on the side.”

Darling, who also works part-time in Athens as a design intern at The Adsmith, said networking has been essential for finding paid jobs on the side such as designing resumes, brochures, websites and logos.

Now, she said, commissions are coming to her.

“I don’t really go out to try and find anybody; it just happens,” she said. “It’s always really exciting when somebody comes to you and wants your work. Any artist feels that way about having their work commissioned, and it’s a great learning experience.”

As a cellist, Anderson said she’s also experienced the business side of freelancing.

“You have to be creative,” Anderson said. “I have to be an artist, but at the same time I have to know how to market myself.”

After her first wedding performance in high school, Anderson played over 20 events in a two-year span. When she came to college she already had experience drafting contracts for her services, but her involvement in the music business certificate program at the University has given her additional practice.

Despite difficulties like a late wedding, a bride who backed out and a bride who got sick, Anderson said she enjoys sitting down with couples to discuss what they envision for their weddings.

“It’s great because they’re excited, and I’m excited,” Anderson said. “I like to be able to know that I can make their wedding even better with my music. That’s my purpose—the event itself is already great, so I just want the music to make it perfect.”

Elana Munroe, cafe manager at Big City Bread Cafe in Athens, said she sees how freelancing benefits both the client and the student. Each month a different artist hangs work in the cafe with no commission charge.

“We definitely understand where they’re coming from,” Munroe said. “Local businesses and local artists—everybody’s struggling to stay afloat and we just want to help everybody out so they can be as successful as they can.”

The cafe is a family-owned business with many employees who are also artists, and Munroe said everyone at the cafe values supporting the community.

“We like to keep the art community alive in Athens,” Munroe said. “It’s a really good city for that so we try to encourage that and help people out as much as we can.”

Mark Johnson, a photojournalism lecturer at the University, said he also considers himself to be a “conduit for students looking to shoot more [photographs].” Johnson said he gets several e-mails a week from people offering students opportunities to photograph things—without paying them.

“I filter a lot of stuff out,” he said.
Johnson began freelancing in college and said he has seen his skills from freelancing carry into his current career.

“Freelancing opened up a whole world of people I would have never met otherwise,” Johnson said. “It’s another way to get experience, build contacts and hopefully develop a good business sense. It’s not about the writing or design part—business has to work, and you’ll spend 50 percent of the time or more on business, not on the creative side.”
Johnson’s advice is simple.

“Know the numbers,” he said. “Don’t do stuff for free.”

As Anderson and Darling finish their last two semesters of college, they are expanding their repertoires.

Anderson is practicing so she can sing and play at the same time and Darling is branching out in web design.

“I just hope that I can continue at the same basic level, just being a designer, just focusing on the work and making a physical product that people want,” Darling said. “That’s what drives me.”

Edited by CAREY O’NEIL

Clarke County: Bored of Education

By Elissa Ewald

In his time working in the food industry, David Ragsdale experienced a lack of basic literacy and mathematic skills from his fellow employees—cashiers unable to pronounce product names and add up correct amounts of change for customers were common occurrences.

Now a Clarke Central High School Language Arts teacher, Ragsdale, 33, knows one thing for sure.

“Basic literacy,” Ragsdale said. “You can’t survive in this world without it.”

The education system, however, in Athens-Clarke County is struggling compared to other counties in the state.

In 2005, the dropout rate in Clarke County schools reached 8.1 percent, three percent higher than that of the whole state of Georgia. The graduation rate in the county was at 60.5 percent, nearly ten percent lower than the state as a whole.

Katt Gaines, 15, a freshman at Clarke Central, can see the effects of the high dropout rate at her school on a daily basis.

“I’m only a freshman, and a lot of the kids in my classes don’t show up to class, and if they do, have no idea what is going on,” Gaines said. “You can tell a lot of them are counting down the days until they can leave. They don’t really see the point in wasting their time with school.”

Ragsdale can see this attitude in the students in his classroom, as well.

“I tell them, ‘Look around. Where are the people you went to 9th grade, 10th grade with?’” Ragsdale said, “but most of them can tell you why it is easier for them to sell drugs than get a real job.”

In order to convince his students to attend more classes, Ragsdale makes calls home and discusses absences with other teachers in the building when one of his students has gone missing.

“Parents are our biggest assets,” Ragsdale said, “We are beginning to meet in the local housing communities to discuss how we can help them help their kids.”

Ragsdale still strives to show his students that the issues in the books they are reading in his language arts class are applicable to their lives.
Members of the community, like Lewis Shropshire, former president of Motel Enterprises, have also decided to get involved with the education system in Athens.

“From the business standpoint, I know that you can not succeed in the business world without a basic high school education,” Shropshire said, echoing Ragsdale’s concerns for the students of Clarke County.

In order to improve the state of Athens education, Shropshire became a member of Partners for a Prosperous Athens, choosing to focus his efforts and knowledge as a businessman into mending the way Clarke County thought of learning. The committee he is a member of has focused its efforts on extensive discussion and exploration of alternative education methods, and opened their first school in August, J.J. Harris Elementary School, which they are hoping to turn into a charter school.

“We try to focus on kids in pre-K, first, and second grade, before their habits are formed,” Shropshire said, explaining why his committee has chosen to focus on elementary aged kids in Clarke County.

Efforts to improve education in elementary schools cannot be seen by Gaines, who is already in the school system.

“You never know who just might never come back the next day,” Gaines said.

For teachers like Ragsdale, this can be discouraging.

“It’s so crazy,” Ragsdale said. “I just hope to God that people still want to learn. Life would be really boring if there was not anything to learn.”

Edited by Robert Carnes

Athens' public housing enhances community

by Elissa Ewald

Five-year-old Broad Acres resident Brinashna Johnson successfully crosses the monkey bars for the first time at the community's playground.

Rick Parker always tries to end his public housing lecture with the same H. L. Mencken quote: “There is a well-known solution to every human problem—neat, plausible, and wrong.”

Parker said that “when it comes to complex social issues like poverty,” this belief definitely applies.

Parker is the executive director of Athens Housing Authority which oversees all 1,255 public housing units in Athens.

The term “public housing” often has a negative connotation.

Senior criminal justice major Julie Close from Locust Grove, Ga., said “dirty” is the first thing she thinks of when she hears the term “public housing.”

“The public housing here is just so unkempt,” Close said.

Parker strives to eliminate stereotypes such as this about the housing programs, residents, and communities he oversees.

“What we run, own and administer is a deep subsidy program,” Parker said, “Rent is based on their income, not based on the value of the unit.”

Residents are charged a rent payment equaling 30 percent of their monthly income, the average percentage an individual is supposed to pay on their housing and utilities each month. Set up by the federal government, this system clearly outlines that if a person’s income increases, then so does their rent payment.

The Athens Housing Authority mission is to “provide secure, affordable, quality housing and resources which encourage and sustain independence” for some of the nearly 11,000 households living in poverty in Athens-Clarke county. The 28.3 percent poverty rate classifies Athens as a “housing-stress” county.

“This means that the cost of housing exceeds a large percentage of the population’s income,” Parker said. “[The residents], for a whole host of complex societal reasons, are having a hard time making it.”

Although the system used to determine rent was federally designed, Athens Housing Authority is not a government operation, but rather an independent agency.

“There are no local dollars involved at all except the residents’ rent,” Parker said.

Public housing may not use local dollars, but it definitely is a local presence, even to students.

“Close to about half of our total units are within close proximity to campus,” Parker said. “The city grew up around the housing authority.”

The project housing areas’ proximity to campus is often shocking to students.

“I was really surprised to see the government housing so close to campus,” first-year biology student Ashley Williams from Marietta, Ga., said. “But I think it's beneficial to students because it opens their eyes to the state of poverty, even in Georgia. It provides a great opportunity for outreach and education.”

Parker encourages student involvement in the housing projects, bragging specifically about organizations such as the Wesley Foundation, where students mentor kids from a local project community.

“[Students are] all part of the fabric of community,” Parker said, “and caring about what happens in the community is just enlightened self-interest.”

Rayshondra Borders, a resident at Broad Acres housing project, said she feels as though the student body is a part of her community.

“I love it when [students] come by to play with the kids,” Borders said, laughing. “It gives me a break. It would be better to see more big brother and sister programs.”

Still, with a student body of over 35,000, Parker acknowledges that only a small percentage of that population has gotten involved in public housing programs.

“Let’s be honest. People love to hate the poor. We all want to think that we make it entirely on our own,” Parker said. This, he supposes, is why not everyone feels the need to be involved with volunteer and development programs in the housing communities.

“It scares us to death that there—but by the grace of God and a couple of paychecks—be I. It’s just easier to blame the person.”

Parker believes the people he serves are worth his time, and the student body’s.

“The vast majority of the people I serve are some of the finest people you’ll ever meet in you life,” Parker said. “Some of those folks are my heroes. Are some of them real pains? Yes. But I have neighbors like that. There’s more binding us together than driving us apart.”

Edited by Antionette Rollins

Unemployment affects Athens’s residents and students

By ANTIONETTE ROLLINS

Unemployment in Athens, Ga. is something that affects locals and students alike. Many people are forced to adjust their career goals to cope with the current economic situation.
Dr. Douglas Bachtel, housing and consumer economics professor at the University of Georgia, said that the effect of the current economy has been especially severe in Athens.

“The recession has had a more significant impact in Athens because of the city’s relatively high unemployment rate,” Bachtel said.

Estimates for the Bureau of Labor and Statistics show that Athens Clarke-County has had a steady increase in the unemployment rate since 1999, while national rates have slightly fluctuated through the years. As of July 2009, the unemployment rate in Athens was approximately 7.7 percent.

Athens locals aren’t the only ones affected by unemployment.

“Unemployment also takes its toll on University of Georgia students who are working their way through school,” Bachtel said. “Firms will let students go.” Without reliable income, students have a hard time funding their education.
Other students whose parents are suffering from unemployment have a more difficult time paying school tuition.

Many students are worried about finding employment after graduation. This number includes Jasmaine Williams, a senior majoring in biology and Spanish from Stockbridge, Ga.

“I would work for a couple of years if the economy was better,” Williams said. Instead, she plans to attend graduate school after she receives her bachelor’s degree in May. Despite these plans, she is still anxious about the future.

“It’s scary to think about going through a five year program and not getting a job with a Ph.D.,” she said.

Attending graduate school is an option that many Athens’ students choose instead of pursuing a career with present unemployment rates.

“I’m not really concerned about unemployment because I’m not worried about a career at this point in time,” said Samantha Gabai, a senior from Sandy Springs, Ga. Like Williams, she plans to attend graduate school next fall.

Even with constant reminders about the rising rate of unemployment, there are still opportunities.

“Be persistent,” said Lori Chafin, the unit supervisor for the Georgia Department of Labor Athens Career Center. “Don’t give into those around you saying ‘the economy is bad, you’re never going to find a job, because that’s simply not true.”

For those actively seeking employment, the Athens Career Center can be of great assistance. Chafin advised job seekers to use the Center’s available resources.

“There are so many resources here like internet, fax machines and resume critique workshops,” Chafin said. “The main focus is helping job seekers to increase their marketing skills, to be creative in their approach to job seeking and tap into all of the resources that are available to secure employment.”

Athens area job seekers who would like help finding employment can visit the Georgia Department of Labor at www.dol.state.ga.us.

Edited by Robert Carnes

Good will measured in meters

This meter, one of four in downtown Athens, encourages donations that will go toward helping the city's homeless

By Robert Carnes

"A donation here will provide help for the homeless. Please do not give cash to panhandlers.”

Four signs bearing these words hang from four parking-meter type devices in downtown Athens. Distinguished from the nearly 750 downtown parking meters by their newly painted red heads, these meters collectively generate nearly $700 in donations annually.

All revenue collected in the meters is given to the Northeast Georgia Homeless Coalition, a group of organizations united to combat the effects of homelessness. They spend the money on bus passes for the homeless, since receiving help or finding employment can be especially difficult without reliable transportation.

“The meters act as another option to people who would rather not give money directly to people on the street,” said Ed Moore, the chair of the Homeless Coalition. “They never produce much money, but what there is goes to meet a specific need.”

All four of the meters are located on College Avenue between Broad and Clayton streets. Installed by the Athens Downtown Development Authority about 10 years ago, these meters do more than just gather money. They spread a message.

“We’re always grateful to get the money, but it is more important to educate people about the presence of organizations that help the homeless,” said Katherine Lookofsky, director of the Athens Downtown Development Authority. “The biggest thing is getting their names out there and knowing that there is an alternative to just handing cash to panhandlers.”

By giving downtown patrons this alternative, the meters promote a more organized way to donate.

“Money given directly to individual panhandlers could be abused,” Lookofsky said. “Instead, we provide an alternative to give to organizations that can spend the money more effectively.”

However, not everyone shares the opinion that these meters have a positive impact on the homeless.

“I don’t know anyone who has seen a cent of that money,” said Michael, a local schoolteacher who plays guitar on a downtown street corner to earn extra money. Although not homeless himself, he has dealt with many homeless people though his experiences downtown.

“You’re better off buying them some bananas or a burger, or something that they can actually use,” said Michael. “I just don’t think they give back enough to the people who really need it.”

Michael has needs of his own and a family to look after. “Now we can eat tonight,” he said, looking at the cash gathered in the open guitar case at his feet. “The economy’s tough and we’ve all got to get by any way we can.”

As a student at the University of Georgia, Jordon Robinson, a senior from Alpharetta, Ga. agrees.

“Every little bit helps, but you can’t get rid of poverty altogether,” she said. “I would almost rather give money directly to a person in need because you can look them in the eye and see the gratitude.”

On each donation meter is a card with the addresses of several other local Homeless Coalition organizations that provide food, shelter, clothing, employment opportunities, and medical attention.

One such organization is the Homeless Day Service Center where Moore also works as a case manager. Located at 375 S. Peter St., the center provides the homeless with access to showers, washers and driers, telephones and other resources. Case managers work one-on-one to give counsel and special attention to those in need.

Edited by Alison Loughman

Local baby store finds success despite economic downturn.

By Austin Pratt

Competing against giants like Wal-Mart and Target may seem like a daunting task, but a baby store in a small shopping plaza has found its niche.

Rattles and Rhymes, located at 112 Athens West Parkway, has grown into one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia. The store was opened by Maxine Guerrera in 2002 after she saw the need for a baby store in Athens, according to store manager Christi Morris. Guerrera was unavailable for comment on this story.

Morris said the store has tripled in size since it opened and is considered one of the largest baby stores in Northeast Georgia both physically and financially.

“Our customers were asking for products we didn’t carry when we first opened,” Morris said. “So, being the only real baby store in Athens, it made sense for us to bring in more products and expand the store size.”

Like many businesses in the current economic situation, Rattles and Rhymes has earned less this year than it has in previous years. However, according to Morris, business has been affected only slightly.

“A baby is one thing you can’t postpone,” Morris said. “If you’re having a baby you will need to buy the products to take care of it and prepare for it. So, our customers are prepared for the economy.”

Morris believes that Rattles and Rhymes still finds success during the downturn in the economy because of the relationship they have with customers and the knowledge they possess concerning the store’s products.

“Most big retail stores have employees selling products that are just regular 9-5 type workers,” Morris said. “The difference with our employees is that we are very comfortable with our product and what it has to offer. We want a relationship with our customers because we really do care.”

Christopher Hanks, entrepreneurship director at the Terry College of Business, believes that the key to a successful business is the ability to adapt to new situations and not make excuses during tougher times.

“You want to play the cards you’re dealt,” Hanks said. “To have success, there should at least be one thing the business offers that is compelling, provocative, and that makes it unique. You never want to be a ‘me too’ business.”

Hanks refers to a quote by Jack Welch, former CEO and Chairman of General Electric, when it comes to running a business, “if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.”
With a large product selection, employees with knowledge about the items they carry, and a strong desire to build a relationship with their customers, Rattles and Rhymes has found a competitive advantage.

It also helps that Rattles and Rhymes is the only real baby store in Athens.

Maura Snow, mother of two, has been coming to Rattles and Rhymes since she became pregnant with her first child three years ago. She said that she really loved the look of the store and was fully prepared for her baby after shopping there.

“I come here because they have almost everything I need,” Snow said. “This store is basically a one stop shop for me.”

Julie Fitzgibbons, mother of one, has recommended Rattles and Rhymes to many of her friends after having great experiences as a customer in the store.

“The employees there really do their best to take care of you,” Fitzgibbons said. “The focus was always on me, my satisfaction, and anything they could do to make that time in my life as easy as possible.”

Edited by William Moore