The Titan View - Northview High School

School Awards and 

Recognitions 

2005—2010 

Newsweek Magazine 

“Top 1,000 High School” 

2005—2010 

Atlanta Magazine 

“Best High School” 

2010 

Highest SAT Average 

Score in Metro Atlanta 

2010 

Regional Champions 

FIRST Robotics 

2009 Platinum Award 

2006, 2007 Gold Award 

2005 Silver Award 

Governor’s Office of 

Student Achievement 

2007 Siemens Award 

for Advanced Placement 

2006—2009 

Georgia Athletic 

Directors Association 

“Top 25” AAAAA 

Programs 

2009 Newspaper 

1st Place Scholastic Press 

Association, Gold Medal 

Columbia Scholastic Press 

2008 Yearbook 

Georgia Scholastic Press 

Association Award General 

Excellence 

2009 State Championship 

Boys’ Tennis and Lady 

Titan Volleyball 

2009 

Award for Excellence 

Thespian Conference 

2004 & 2005 

State AAAAA 

Governor’s Cup Recipient 

The Titan View 

THE TITAN VIEW IS A PUBLICATION OF NORTHVIEW HIGH SCHOOL AND THE NORTHVIEW PTSA VOLUME 9 ISSUE 1 

“Ever Upward and Onward” 

Students Unite to End 

Global Poverty at the 

Atlanta Partnership Walk 

One hundred fifty students from 

Northview joined 7,000 walkers 

at the 2010 Atlanta Partnership 

Run/Walk to End Global 

Poverty. This event was held at 

Centennial Olympic Park on 

October 24th. Northview 

student, Danish Bhimani, 

explained why they formed a 

team: ―The Partnership Walk is 

important to us because we have 

been taught in school that there are 

people out there who are not as 

fortunate as we. We wanted to make 

a difference, and we can - one step at 

a time.‖ 

Before the walk, the students solicited 

donations during football games and 

lunch periods, thereby gaining the 

support of the faculty and creating a 

school-wide fundraising event. 

Samiah Garcia spoke about why they 

believe it is important to support 

causes such as the Partnership Walk: 

―We might not be able to end global 

poverty, but at least our future 

generations will see that we came 

together, put in an effort and tried to 

end global poverty by participating in 

the Partnership Walk. If you don‘t try, 

you don‘t get anywhere. So we at 

Northview tried, and we succeeded.‖ 

Each year the Partnership Walk 

selects a theme based on one of its 

program areas – civil society, 

education, environment, health and 

rural development. This year, the 

2010 theme is ―Our Environment: 

One People, One Planet.” The them 

was chosen because it calls attention 

to the urgent need for environmental 

What’s Inside… 

From Principal’s Desk……............2 

PTSA Update …………...………….3-4 

Drama at Northview ....................5 

Sports Update…….........................5 

Orchestra Honor……………………...6 

Art Awards ……………………....…....8 

Women’s Lacrosse Help Out….….9 

Reflections Winners….…………....10 

Counselor’s Corner……………....…11 

French Teachers Honored …..….12 

Student Stories………………………..13 

It’s all Latin to Me…………………...15 

German Students Have Fun..16—17 

FALL 2010 

stewardship and strategies. This also 

builds sustainability and resilience to the 

mounting challenges of climate change, 

deforestation, resource depletion and 

diminishing biodiversity. Abhay Aluri 

highlighted the importance of supporting 

the 2010 Partnerships InAction theme. 

―People come and go but the 

environment stays. It will be here 

forever. We are doing this for future 

(Continued on Page 5)

The Titan View Volume 9, Issue 1 

 

Greetings Fellow Titans: 

As this publication goes to press, the 

Winter Holidays are looming. Half way 

between the summer past and summer 

future, I ponder whether to dwell on 

accomplishments or look to what lies 

ahead. In the months past, as a school 

we have laughed and cried over 

momentous events and devastating 

losses, yet we emerge stronger and 

better for having gone through them all. 

It has been a good year thus far with more headlines 

celebrating the accomplishments of our students in academics, arts, and 

athletics. Sitan Chen wowed us all with his mathematical accomplishments, 

our orchestra was invited yet again to perform at the prestigious Midwest 

Clinic, and the girls came so close to bringing home another volleyball 

state championship. Individual accomplishments or overall accolades, 

Northview continues to push the limits of what a First Class public 

high school looks like! 

Let me take this opportunity to highlight the accomplishments of a group of individuals who, 

without, Northview would not be what it is – our wonderful 110 Titan Teachers! It has been a 

rough couple of months with surpluses, furloughs, larger classes, and smaller budgets, yet 

their energy and dedication continue to thrive. I publically thank them for all that they do 

each and every day and hope that you, too, will take the opportunity to share a story that you 

have heard from your child about a particular lesson, or just say you appreciate their daily 

efforts. 

I also want to thank our wonderful PTSA for its continued support. This newsletter is but one 

small reflection of their contribution to the overall experience at Northview. Take the time to 

read through the various stories that they have 

This is the first of two issues of 

The Titan View for this academic 

year. You can access The Titan 

View on the Northview High 

School and Northview PTSA 

websites. The next issue of The 

Titan View will be available to 

Northview families in early June 

2011. 

collected—it truly is a team effort! If you have not 

yet joined that team, please take the time to fill out 

a membership form and drop off your check in the 

school office. The funds are used to highlight 

student performances, support teacher efforts, fund 

grants, and a myriad of enrichment activities. 

Enjoy the upcoming holiday season and, as always, 

if I can be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact 

me at spalla@fultonschools.org. 

Ever Upward and Onward – 

Pamela H. Spalla, Principal 

MISSION 

STATEMENT 

Our mission is to 

instill excellence in 

academics, arts 

and athletics. 

www.northviewhigh.com Page 2


 

 

Thank you to all our Northview families for being so 

supportive of our PTSA. We have a lot of great 

programming that is supported by your membership 

dues. This year‘s PTSA membership funds have 

already helped grant over $7,500 in mini-grants to 

teachers. 

Northview is very proud of our volunteers. We have 

well over 2,400 volunteer hours recorded so far. Please 

remember to send Becky Etter by email your volunteer 

hours at ettergr@bellsouth.net. Whether it was 10 

minutes or 2 hours, please report your hours to Becky 

and help us reach our goal for the Golden Apple Award. 

Our student directory should be delivered the second 

week in December. We will be announcing it by email 

blast. If you ordered one through our Champion or 

Titan membership levels and do not receive it, please 

contact Norma Mashburn at ncmash@bellsouth.net or 

Jeannie Morgan at jeanniemorgan@comcast.net. 

Hands On Northview was held on October 2, 2010. 

What an awesome turnout! One hundred thirty-one 

students participated— a new record. The Golden 

Shovel was given to Student Council with twenty-nine 

participants from all grades. The second highest 

number of participants went to the National Honor 

Society with twenty-five students; Key Club was third 

with eighteen students. The students weeded, picked 

up trash and spread pine straw by the front gate and 

Abbotts Bridge Road. Check it out!! A wonderful group 

called ―Moms in Touch‖ provided snacks. They sent 

freshly baked cookies and other items. 

Hospitality Committee - We have plenty of treats 

planned for our wonderful teachers. If you would like to 

donate a dish, dessert or salad, please contact Ellen Li 

at elleli@comcast.net or Karen Roughton at 

kmr1@bellsouth.net. 

A Heartfelt Thank-You to the PTSA from Frau 

Kemptner and her students for continuing to support 

the German Program with your generosity in the Mini- 

Grants program. Students and I have enjoyed books 

for the library, materials to paint tiles and, this year, a 

short novel for Levels 1 and 2. Vielen Dank! 

The PTSA Health & Safety Committee invited 

11Alive to Northview High School on October 

13th to present The Great Hang Up Pledge. 

To date, 1730 students have signed the pledge, 

promising not to text or talk on their cell phones 

while driving. The poster pledges are posted in 

the homerooms all year long as a reminder to 

the students. For questions, contact Janice 

Collins, Chair at janicecollinsatl@comcast.net. 

 

PTSA Awards 

2007 & 2008 

Georgia PTA 

Platinum Membership 

Visionary Pin 

Early Bird Certificate 

Pacesetter Certificate 

Golden Apple Award 

2009 

Georgia PTA 

Model PTA 

Visionary Pin 

Early Bird Certificate 

Golden Apple Award for Outstanding 

Voluntarism 



Project Graduation (PG) is a Northview High School PTSA sponsored program originally initiated by the 

Nation‘s Highway and Traffic Safety Administration to provide a safe alternative for graduation night 

activities. PG is our way of congratulating our graduates with a substance-free, yet entertaining all night 

―lock-in‖ celebration party. 

Who can attend? Northview seniors who have received their diploma and have registered for the 

event. 

When and where? The celebration will be at Dave and Busters (formerly Jillian‘s) at Discover Mills 

beginning at midnight after graduation and ending at 6:00 a.m. 

How do I register? Registration will begin in January. 

What’s included in my $75.00 registration fee? A night full of entertainment such as a DJ, 

bowling, a hypnotist, casino games, arcade games and prize drawings throughout the evening. 

Will there be food? Yes, lots of it! Food and beverages will be served throughout the entire event. 

Do we need your help? YES! PG is partially funded by donations and fundraising. You can help 

make Northview‘s PG 2011 a huge success by supporting our fundraising, donating monetarily or by 

contributing gift items. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun evening and also ensure that each 

student receives a gift or gift certificate. Last year‘s gifts included luggage, desk lamps, coffee 

makers, printers, alarm clocks, and iPod accessories. 

Who should you contact for information? If you have questions, please call or e-mail: Lissa 

Steioff (770) 265-5236 rsteioff@mindspring.com or Lauren Salter (770) 842-9540 

laurensalter@comcast.net 

Please support Project Graduation by encouraging all Northview seniors to attend! 

Our goal is 100% participation. 

Junior Day is set for January 21st! 

It is a special day to celebrate the Class of '12! 

Juniors: Come to school displaying your class 

spirit! Then come to the basketball games that 

night and get in free just by showing your ID! 

This year, you will receive a raffle ticket for every 

time your class year appears on your body! We 

will also have a prize for the MOST spirited 

display, so get creative! More about this event 

will be out in January! Go Class of 2012!!!! 

Parents of juniors: Please consider helping 

plan this annual event, please contact Andrea 

Edwards at 678 481-6517. 

Also please consider donating anything big or 

small for our raffle — gift cards, toys, food, 

anything! Thanks! 

 

 

Your PTSA 

membership helps 

provide classroom 

tools for your 

students through 

Mini-Grants! 

The Mini-Grant Committee is pleased to 

award Mini-Grants to the following: 

World Languages Department for 

French board games, German novels, 

Spanish videos, novels for 12 th and 9 th 

grades, online services for languages 

and a flip camera for Chinese; 

Technology Department for a Robotic 

Station and equipment for building a 

Hovercraft; 

Special Education Department for 

books and video camera text and 

images for science, math and language; 

Fine Arts for the purchase of play 

scripts and theatre texts; and 

School Newspaper Club for external 

hard drives and hard drive controller. 



The Northview Theatre Company produced two 

mainstage plays this fall, Mother Courage and Her 

Children and The Diary of Anne Frank. At the regional 

one act competition, Mother Courage took third place 

overall, best set, best ensemble, and individual awards 

for Courtney Campbell (All Star Cast), Scott Guenther 

(Best Supporting Actor), and Samta Savla (Best 

Supporting Actress). 

We look forward to our upcoming spring season: 

Theatre Sports 6 (January 29), our Advanced 

Production Blackbox Show (February 24-27), Into the 

Woods (March 17-20), and our Dessert Theatre show 

(April 28-30). 

~Elizabeth Lake, Ed.S 

Mallory Cain and 

Wray Manning 

(Partnership Continued from Page 1) 

Mallory Cain and 

Andrew Edwards 

generations. So that is why we feel that it is important to 

raise money for the environment.‖ 

Partnership Walk, now in its 16 th year, is an event held 

annually in major cities across the U.S. The Walk is an 

initiative of Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) to 

raise awareness and funds to alleviate global poverty and 

promote partnership between America and the 

developing world. 100% of funds raised at Partnership 

Walk go directly to the projects supported by the 

Foundation. The cost of organizing the Run/Walk is 

completely underwritten by AKF USA and in-kind 

contributors. No contributions are used for administrative 

costs. 

Since 1995, PartnershipsInAction events have attracted 

over 313,000 participants, raising $36 million.For more 

information please visit www.partnershipsinaction.org 

Mother Courage Cast and Crew Award Winners: 

Britanie Cruz, Scott Guenther, Courtney Campbell, 

Samta Savla, Kara Hagenstad, and Miranda 

Feneberger 

The Cast of The Diary of Anne Frank 

Pictured at Atlanta Partnership Walk: 

Melvin Everson, Georgia State Representative 

Nizar Gilani, Chairman Aga Khan Foundation USA - 

Southeast, 

Mike Bodker, Chairman of Metro Atlanta Mayors 

Association and Mayor of the City of Johns Creek 

Bill Bolling, CEO of the Atlanta Community Food 

Bank 

John Eaves, Chairman Fulton County 

Mirza Jahani, CEO Aga Khan Foundation USA 

Steve Labovitz, McKenna Long & Aldrige 



 

 

The Northview High School Chamber Orchestra, 

under the direction of Timothy J. Aucoin, has been 

selected to perform for The Midwest Clinic, an International 

Band and Orchestra Conference. The 

performance will take place in Chicago, Illinois on 

Friday, December 17, 2010. 

The Midwest Clinic, which began in 1946, exists to 

raise the standards of music education, to develop 

new teaching techniques, to assist in the dissemination 

of instrumental music educational information, 

to examine, analyze, and appraise literature 

dealing with music, and to hold clinics, lectures, 

and demonstrations for the betterment of music 

education. The conference is attended by more 

than 15,000 musicians and music educators each 

year and is the largest convention of its kind in the 

world. Upon receiving the news of the orchestra‘s 

invitation, Northview Principal Pam Spalla stated, 

Orchestra Director 

Timothy J. Aucoin 

―Like many, I view an invitation 

to perform at the Midwest 

Clinic to be an honor 

reserved for only the finest 

student ensembles and, 

thus, am thrilled to celebrate 

this memorable 

event with them.‖ 

The December performance 

will mark the Northview 

Chamber Orchestra‘s 

second appearance at the 

Midwest Clinic. The last 

performance was in 2004, 

in only the third year of the 

school‘s existence. This 

helped to bring national recognition 

to the fine quality of 

the program. Since that time, Northview High 

School has added two more orchestras and has 

only increased the depth of the fine performances 

throughout the year. 

In addition to its regularly scheduled concert performances, 

the orchestras have performed at regional 

festivals, Disney World and Universal Studios, 

school and community events, and were a 

featured performer at the Georgia Music Educators 

Association Conference in Savannah, Georgia in 

January of 2004 and again in 2008. The Northview 

Chamber Orchestra represented the State of Georgia 

in Austria and the Czech Republic for "Mozart: 

2006" - a 250th Celebration. In December of 2009, 

the orchestra was the featured performer for the 

opening session of the National School Board Association 

Conference in Chicago. The program 

includes four string orchestras, a symphonic orchestra, 

and a chamber ensemble component 

which provides music for events throughout the 

year. In addition, a Jazz Strings group was implemented 

to give students an opportunity to participate 

in an alternative styles setting. We also offer 

AP Music Theory to support the entire music program. 

Program selections for the upcoming Chicago performance 

include works by Peter Tchaikovsky, 

Felix Mendelssohn, Thad Jones, and Richard 

Myers - among others. Also, the orchestra will feature 

a new jazz composition for string orchestra by 

Tim Aucoin entitled, ―Stringin‘ At The Juke Joint.‖ 



 

Ice Titans are enjoying strong first half. The Northview Ice Hockey team has continued their 

excellent play which started during last year‘s playoff run. With one game left in the first half, 

Northview is tied for first place and has posted an undefeated record at home in front of their crazy 

fans. 

The real hallmark of this year‘s team is depth. ―We‘re much deeper defensively,‖ said head coach 

Steve Bajinski. ―I‘ve also been impressed with how talented our newcomers are this year.‖ 

There‘s no doubt that Northview has a number of strong players. Senior Captain Trevor Begley has 

been a force both on and off the ice. 

―Our fans have been absolutely awesome this year,‖ said Begley. ―I‘ve worked with seniors Matt Litt 

and Drew Dykes to raise awareness of our hockey team, and our fans have responded.‖ 

Northview has long been known for exceptional fan support, but this season they‘ve taken it to a new 

level. It has become routine to see Northview students jam their way into the rink, often clad in a 

theme for the night. And they‘ve certainly had a lot to cheer about. Juniors Christian Schurmann- 

Colichio and Zach Sabatini are the team‘s leading goal scorers, while defensemen Shay Stripling and 

Austin Bissonnette anchor the defense. 

But, it hasn‘t only been about offense, as Northview has placed a renewed emphasis on physical 

play. Senior Josh Morgan has quickly gained a reputation as one of the league‘s hardest hitters, and 

classmate Jordan Brickman has also been a force to be reckoned with. With excellent goaltending, 

the Titans are excited heading into the second half. 

 

Northview Titans Boys Basketball 

Varsity 2010 – 2011 

HOME Game Schedule 

Head Coach – Steve Bombard Asst. Coach – Gary McCoy 

Tuesday, Dec. 7 th MILTON 7:30 

Friday, Dec. 10 th WEST FORSYTH 7:30 

Tuesday, Dec. 14 th JOHNS CREEK 7:30 

Friday, Jan. 14 th CENTENNIAL 7:30 

Saturday, Jan. 15 th @ Johns Creek 5:30 

Tuesday, Jan. 18 th SOUTH GWINNETT 7:30 

Friday, Jan. 21 st ROSWELL 7:30 

Saturday, Jan, 29 th BLESSED TRINITY 5:30 

Tuesday, Feb. 1 st ALPHARETTA 7:30 

Friday, Feb. 4 th NORTH FORSYTH 7:30 



The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers 

celebrates the creative achievement of 

America‘s teens. The Scholastic Art 

Awards were founded in 1923 by The 

Alliance to offer recognition and 

scholarships for students for their artistic 

talents. Students who excel in the visual 

arts and creative writing participate to earn 

recognition; to get their work exhibited or 

published, and to earn scholarships. 

During the 2011 program year, more than 

50,000 students will be recognized in their 

local communities, and 1,300 students will 

receive National Awards. Students and teachers will be celebrated at 

regional ceremonies and the National Ceremony at Carnegie Hall. 

There are three levels of Region Awards. The highest level, Gold Key 

Award Winners, will advance to the New York City National Competition. 

Congratulations to the Scholastic Art Award 

Winners at Northview High School 

Gold Key: Davis Allen, Lindsay Hattrick, Sarah Healey, Patrick Kim, 

Maryyan Landlord, Sooyoung Lee, Angela Lin, ChaeYeon Park, and MeiHua Zang. 

Silver Key: Yash Joshi , Patrick Kim, Works Maryyann Landlord, Vivian Ma, Alice Young 

Honorable Mention: Arshiya Lal, Sooyoung Lee, Vivian Ma, Rachel Slater, MeiHua Zang 

Northview art students are making history at the High Museum of Art! For the first time, Fulton County 

high school Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate art students were invited to submit 

surreal artworks to coincide with the Dali exhibit currently at the High Museum of Art. 

The opening for the student exhibit is on Sunday, December 12 th at 2:00 P.M. 

Surreal art deals with dream imagery and 

abstract images taken from the artist‘s imagination. 

Objects in the artwork are usually 

very realistic, but juxtaposed in an unreal 

way within a setting. In the case of Dali‘s 

artwork, he often exaggerated the objects or 

altered their appearance; melting clocks, organic 

forms made of stone, parts of skeletons 

found on the seashore. 

Northview Students invited to attend pictured 

here: (back row) Lindsay Hattrick, Sarah 

Healy, Sabrina Chae, Tina Zang, Kelsey 

Hughes, Davis Allen (front row) Yash Joshi, 

Alice Young, Jaimie Shing, Maryann Landlord, 

Angela Lin (Not Pictured: Juna Park) 

Pictured left to right: Tina 

Zang, Alice Young, Sarah 

Healy, Carol Lee, Davis Allen, 

Stephanie Jeong, Vivian Ma, 

Yash Joshi, Lindsay Hattrick, 

Angela Lin, Patrick Kim, Maryyann 

Landlord, Rachel Slater 

Not Pictured: Arshiya Lal 



 

When Christina Roughton, Northview 

senior, decided to organize a group to 

work on a Habitat for Humanity house, she 

knew she could count on her lacrosse 

buddies to eagerly sign up. In early June, 

her project management skills kicked in as 

she worked with Habitat for a date and 

location, solicited volunteers, arranged 

food and drinks donations by a local 

restaurant, and organized transportation 

on the build date. 

The girls started on a very hot August day 

in Jonesboro with a concrete foundation 

and finished eight hours later with fully 

constructed interior and exterior walls and windows. ―It felt so good to 

know that we were making a home for someone,‖ said Christina. ―We 

wrote our names 

and ‗good luck‘ 

messages on the 

wall frames.‖ 

The Mock Trial Team is eager to 

build on their 2010 finish as 

Region Runner-Up. 

A standout on the team, Rohan 

Lall, was accepted to the 

prestigious UGA Law Academy 

this November. Rohan benefitted 

from lessons from both law 

professors and UGA 

students. Northview will compete 

next in the February regional 

competition. 

To commemorate 

the day, she 

designed a team tshirt 

with slogan, 

―Building a better 

tomorrow one 

‗stick‘ at a time.‖ 

Pictured left to right: Caroline Zahnow, Emma Crippen, Esha 

Singh, Meagan Gadreault, Anna Hoffman, Jillian Tumblin, Hannah 

Kopec, Christina Roughton (Project Lead), Sarah Terry 

Rohan Lall 

Christina Roughton holding 

the team shirt. 

Students at the Law Academy 





 

Northview Counseling 

Counselors are assigned to students by their last names. Counselor assignments for the 

2010/2011 school year are as follows: 

Samiah Garcia A-De GarciaS@fultonschools.org 

Jamie Brown Dh-Ka BrownJ3@fultonschools.org 

Renee Ferrerio Dept Chair Ke-Mc Ferrerio@fultonschools.org 

Allison Leja Me-Sc Leja@fultonschools.org 

Steve Creel Se-Z Creel@fultonschools.org 

Chad Davenport Graduation Coach DavenportC1@fultonschools.org 

New Counseling Webpage 

We are very excited to announce our new and improved counseling website located at http:// 

northviewhigh.com/counseling/ . We feel that this site is an excellent way to promote 

communication between parents-students-counselors. When you have a moment please take 

some time to review our page. 

Just to mention a few benefits of our site: 

*Updated (almost daily) information on scholarships and special programs 

* Access to test preparation for SAT, ACT, GHSGT, and EOCT 

* Current tutor lists including free school resources 

*NCAA Eligibility FAQ 

*Advisement information for 9 th , 10 th , 11 th and 12 th grade students 

*Postings of upcoming events such as Senior Financial Aid Night (Dec 2) and AP Night (Jan 27) 

*Guidance on Applying for Financial Aid 

Crisis Response- The Role of the Northview Counselor 

Northview counselors are not trained therapists but we do have a protocol regarding the 

reporting of a student with signs of depression or suicidal ideology. If a student is selfidentified 

or identifies another student as a danger to self or others, we will react in the 

following way: 

*We will make an immediate referral to the school social worker. By Georgia Law counselors 

are mandated reporters; 

*We will make immediate contact with a parent to ask you to come to the school; 

*We (social worker or counselor) will give you a list of resources to get help; 

*We ask that parents take their student for an evaluation and report results back to the 

school social worker. 

Please do not EVER hesitate to contact us for help!! We will do our best to support you, your 

student or anyone who might need someone to talk to. 

If a student or parent knows of a student who is depressed, making statements in which 

they are contemplating suicide, or not acting like themselves, please contact a counselor 

or school social worker with this information immediately! 

Dallas Campbell School Social Worker 

CampbellD@fultonschools.org 770-497-3828 ext 151 



 

On Thursday, November 18th, in the 

Northview auditorium, GaTech University's School of Modern 

Languages Department Chair, Dr. Phil McKnight, along with 

two GATech students, Haley and Colby, offered an information 

session to discuss the Modern Languages' Study Abroad and 

International Internship 

programs. These 

programs, in collaboration 

with the Colleges 

of Engineering and 

Computing, incorporate 

intensive applied 

language acquisition and 

cultural study. This 

program will prepare 

students for leadership 

positions in the global 

workforce in business, Haley, Ms. Spalla, Dr. McKnight, 

industry, and 

and Colby 

government. Summer 

immersion programs in China, Egypt, France, Germany, 

Mexico and Spain are intensive programs available for 

students. Modern Languages works with international 

companies and with the Georgia Tech Division of Professional 

Practice to establish internships and jobs abroad. An example 

of one of these internships is placement with BMW in Germany 

for a mechanical engineering student. The focus is on strong 

STEM students with world language skills. 

In early December, German students and those interested in 

engineering and technology, will shadow students in the 

German Department at GaTech, attending a German language 

class and engineering and/or technology classes. In the 

Spring, Dr. McKnight has invited all of Northview, interested 

students to participate in a Shadow Day, where Chinese, 

French, German and Spanish students, and those interested in 

perhaps Japanese, Korean, Russian, Arabic and more, can 

follow a student to experience life on campus and to learn 

about experiences in the study abroad programs. 

Down the road, look for a Summer Institute for German 

students and a Shadow Day for Ga. State and Saturday 

Seminar at Kennesaw State University. UGA and Mrs. 

Kemptner are formulating a visit to their German Department. 

Students interested in this presentation should sign up in the 

counseling office like they do for a college visit. Permission 

must be received from all teachers of the classes a student will 

miss (2 nd and 3 rd periods), and the student is responsible for all 

missed assignments. This presentation is open to serious 

students at all grade levels. 

 

 

 

Northview has an outstanding French 

program – and that‘s official! 

Catherine Francisse was named 

French Teacher of the Year for the 

State of Georgia by AATF, the national 

organization of French Teachers. She 

was recognized not only for her 

teaching skills but also for her activities 

outside the classroom, especially with 

French Club. A faculty member since 

the opening of the school, Ms. 

Francisse has developed a strong 

French club with activities ranging from 

movie nights to charity work with 

disadvantaged inner-city youngsters to 

Immersion Day. Immersion Day is a full 

day of fun, totally in French, involving 

collaboration with a high school in 

Gwinnett County and members of the 

French-speaking community in Atlanta. 

Her award was announced at the 

March conference of FLAG, the 

Foreign Language Association of 

Georgia. 

French teacher Valerie White also 

received a national award for her work 

as state director of Le Grand 

Concours, a national academic 

competition, and was named AATF 

Leader of the Year. Under her 

guidance, Georgia has moved from 

fourteenth to fifth place in the nation for 

overall participation in this competitive 

exam. 

Ms. Francisse and Ms. White, along 

with Principal Ms. Pam Spalla, were 

invited to an Honors Recognition 

ceremony before the State Board of 

Education in August. 

We always knew we had great French 

programs at Northview – now the State 

knows it too! 



Kennesaw State German Poetry Contest 

 

By Angel Spake, German 4Honors Student 

First Place went to Andy Wong in the AP Level and 3 rd Place to Natalie Fitzgibbons in Level 2 for 

their written poems in the Kennesaw State Poetry contest! This contest is a great opportunity for 

students to use their foreign language skills. It is also a fun way to show their creative and artistic 

abilities as writers. There are many students who enjoy writing poetry, so why not join German and 

write German poetry ? There are different topics every year, and this year was ―Who am I?‖ 

Students have the freedom to choose their own poetry style. Even though I didn‘t place in the 

contest, I had fun writing my German poem. I am not a poetry writer, but it was interesting to see 

how my poem turned out. It was way better than anything I could have done in English. 

A German Student’s Perspective on the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) 

By Andy Wong 

I don't even know where to begin when describing the most amazing six weeks of not just my 

summer, but probably my life. The time I spent at GHP (or the Governor's Honors Program) this 

past summer impacted me in countless ways. This story begins far before 690 kids went down to 

Valdosta State University to roast under the south Georgia sun, back in the fall of my sophomore 

year, when I first received a nomination for German. Nominees endure a competitive interview 

process at both county and state levels. Foreign language nominees must carry out their 

interviews, which included a writing assessment and a picture description activity, in the target 

language. Results were released at the end of March; it was a terrible two month wait. Following 

the news that I was to go to GHP to take part in the 2010 session was...of course, another two 

month wait. 

GHP is often mistakenly referred to as a "summer school." It's true, we had classes, but they were 

nothing like classes at school. Students spend four hours a day in their major, and two in a minor, 

which is picked upon arrival. As a German major, I spent those four hours a day in practically 

complete immersion, working on projects, researching, playing games, creating skits, etc., all while 

speaking the language. Opportunities to practice speaking are difficult to find in "normal school.‖ 

This was my first experience using German as a working spoken language, instead of just learning 

about it. We worked on two main projects during our stay, the World Languages Expo and Cabaret. 

Expo was an intended exercise in research. For time-troubled people like myself it turned into 

something resembling more of an exercise in procrastination. The idea was to research a topic of choice 

relating to the language or its associated culture and then give a presentation on it at Expo itself (think 

science fair). I chose to research about Germanic linguistics, in particular the First and Second 

Germanic Sound Shifts. Secondly, there was the Cabaret. In short, the foreign language majors 

collaborated to create a performance (and of course utilizing their language skills) for the whole student 

body. We sang, we danced, I got carried across stage (twice); I loved it all. 

The fun didn't stop at classes though. The most interesting things happened after the sun went down. 

Besides the scurrilous activities taking place in discrete locations around campus, there were student 

concerts and performances (of extremely high quality) taking place on a nearly nightly basis on top of 

the seminars. If none of the above tickled one's fancy, there was always West Lawn (literally, a wide 

expanse of grass) on which to chill out, and Patterson Lobby, which was well stocked with diversions of 

all sorts (even a ping-pong table!). 

One of the biggest aspects of GHP, for myself and many others, was the social atmosphere. There must 

be something about gathering a couple hundred "nerds" and making them live together for a couple 

weeks. By the end of it, I was closer to many GHP people than some of my friends I've known for much 

longer. It also put me in touch with many of the serious German students scattered around the area (I 

even met several non-German majors with whom to converse with auf Deutsch) which was inspiring. 

The actual six weeks themselves were far too short in my opinion. If only I could go back. 



Want to know which languages will be in demand in the 

future? Which language will help you get a job? Which language is spoken all 

over the world? The answers might surprise you! For some people, choosing a world 

language to study can be difficult, especially with all the great programs available at Northview. For 

others, it may seem obvious. But if you think that opting for Spanish is a no-brainer, think again. Here 

are SEVEN SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT THE FUTURE that you should consider before you make a 

choice. 

 

Worldwide: The Pentagon is predicting that in ten years‘ time, the second most used language in the 

world after English will be ….FRENCH (Not Spanish – French). French is used all over the world in 

areas as diverse as Africa, South-East Asia, Europe, The Middle East and Polynesia. And ten years‘ 

time is just when you will be graduating from university. 

National Security: The language most in demand by both the Defense Department and the Peace 

Corps is not Spanish but FRENCH. 

Technology: After English, FRENCH is the most widely-used language of the internet. 

Business: The USA‘s biggest trading partner is Canada, which has two official languages, English 

and FRENCH. Every day $2 billion of goods are traded between these two countries, the biggest twoway 

trade in the world. Georgia‘s two biggest trading partners are Quebec (French-speaking area of 

Canada) and The European Union. 

Jobs: More than 3,000 FRENCH companies have subsidiaries in the US, creating 700,000 jobs. 

Tourism: The Number One tourist destination in the world is FRANCE. 

English–French Relationship: The French conquered England in 1066 and ruled there for over two 

hundred years, one of the reasons that more than 50% of English vocabulary is related to French. 

Your knowledge of English will help you in French, and studying French will improve your English 

vocabulary enormously. Think of those SAT scores! 

But Spanish is easier than French, isn‘t it? WRONG AGAIN! So what are you waiting for? 

Visit Georgia Tech and Georgia State 

By Angel Spake 

German students can visit GaTech in December and Georgia State in January. 

It is very important to visit colleges as a Junior. The German students have the opportunity to visit 

colleges as a field trip. This is a great way for students to see if the college has good German classes. 

When students go to a college visit with a class, then they pay more attention. Learn what types of 

jobs are available for German speakers. It could also help students understand what they can 

accomplish in learning German. 

Why is German Important? German in the eleventh most widely spoken H the ability to speak 

German could open up so many job opportunities. There are lots of European countries that use 

German as the common language of understanding. There are many other languages that branch off 

from German, including English. When I was about five years old, I developed a dream of moving to 

Germany. Last summer I had a taste of what my future in Germany would be like. I knew would love it 

there, I felt like I belonged. The people are very welcoming and helpful. Germany is so beautiful. You 

have everything there, mountains, beaches, forests, and castles. If you really appreciate true beauty, 

then you need to learn German and visit Germany. The tourists who only speak English are really 

missing out. I was the first American to even step foot into this one building because I could speak the 

language, and they thought I was a local. Learning German could open up lots of doors that would 

have been closed to only English speakers. Learning German could add so much more adventure to 

life. Germany is truly beautiful, and it deserves a trip, so take a few years of German, and go live a 

dream. 



 

~ By Srija Nalabolu 

The Latin Club has 

been working hard since last 

summer, when a delegation 

of Georgia Latin students 

flew the long distance to 

Fargo, North Dakota to 

attend the National Junior 

Classical League convention. 

There, our delegation spent a 

week immersed in the 

classics, learning new things, 

making new friends, and 

challenging ourselves. 

Although the competition was 

tough, our students 

performed admirably. Facing 

students with four to eight 

more years of Latin, we 

managed to achieve awards 

in academics, arts and 

athletics. Our Certamen 

teams also excelled, placing 

among the top teams in the 

finals. 

The first great event of the 

semester was the Latin 

tailgate at the first home 

game. This was our chance to 

show the new Latin students 

our enthusiasm, and we went 

all out. During this fun event, 

nearly the entire Latin club 

showed up clothed in togas 

and marched proudly to the 

football game. We even 

brought our chariot, a bright, 

red contraption proudly 

constructed by the loving 

hands of our club members. 

Gathered together in the 

stadium like a crowd of 

Romans at a gladiator game, 

we shouted our cheers, in 

both Latin and English, at the 

tops of our lungs. That night 

of hamburgers, togas, and 

football was a memorable 

night for both our club and the 

school. 

The next event of the year was 

Fall Forum, which took place at 

the Galloway School. This was a 

chance for the new students to 

get a first taste of what the club 

was all about. There were 

workshops that taught 

everything from military strategy 

to mosaics. There were athletic 

games, the Olympica, in which 

students competed in egg races 

and tug of war, and tests of 

knowledge. There were also 

mental Pentathlon in which 

upper level students competed 

for a free trip to State 

Convention. As always, our Latin 

Club shone brightly; Jessica Lin, 

placed second and Alex Sumner 

and Shashank Adepu also 

placed in the top 20. One of our 

own students, Jen Zhong, was 

elected Hostess for the GJCL, a 

prestigious position. Now, three 

out of the nine state officers are 

from Northview High School. 

As November approached, the 

Certamen teams of our Latin 

club began to prepare for their 

first big competition, the annual 

Turkey Buzz Off which took 

place at Eastside High School. 

Certamen, the varsity sport of 

the Latin club, is a battle of wits 

and fast reflexes—three fourman 

teams sit on the edges of 

their chairs, waiting to slam their 

thumbs down on the buzzers. 

The teams—two for upper level, 

two for lower and an amazing six 

for novice—participated in the 

day-long event. All the weeks of 

long preparation and hard 

training paid off, and the 

Northview Certamen teams 

swept first in all levels, including 

both first and second place at 

Novice level. In individual 

sweepstakes, Northview 

students took first in each level, 

as well. 

There will be more Certamen 

tournaments throughout the year, 

and the Certamen teams are still 

honing their skills. The next 

Certamen tournament is the 

Marist Lupercalia set to take 

place in February. The Latin 

Club wishes our players best of 

luck with all of our hearts. 

Meanwhile, the entire Latin Club 

is already preparing for the great, 

culminating event in April of next 

year—State Convention. During 

this three-day event, all the Latin 

clubs in the state of Georgia will 

convene at Rock Eagle to 

celebrate the classics with 

competitions, workshops, and 

plenty of cheering. It is the time of 

year every Latin Club student has 

been waiting for. At State 

Convention, there is something 

for everyone. For the academic 

people, there will be several 

academic tests. For the creative, 

there are artistic competitions in 

everything from handmade dolls 

to posters. For the athletic, there 

is Olympica all three days. And 

for the Certamen players, there is 

the important Certamen 

tournament of the year—the state 

finals. But most importantly, there 

will be time to dress in a toga and 

fit right in with the Roman 

procession, to stretch out on the 

lawn at night and find the 

constellations in the sky, to forge 

new friendships that will last 

much longer than the three days 

of convention. 

Of course, all of our Latin Cub‘s 

achievements this year and in 

previous years could not have 

been possible without the 

constant support of our Latin Club 

sponsor and only Latin teacher— 

Mr. David. Many may know him 

(Continued on Page 17) 



 

 

International Night 

By Justian Meyer 

International Night has always been a large event for the German program. Each 

year, students come prepared with anything from sauerkraut to bratwurst to zimtsterne 

cookies to apfelstrüdel, all symbolic dishes of Germany. The German table is a popular hit 

each year and it often takes a group of four to five students to manage it all. Visitors come 

in to a full counter decorated with German flags, colors, and sweets from end to end and 

leave it void of all but crumbs at the bottom of each bowl. ―The German table is so busy 

each year that it‘s hard to keep up with the demand from participants. We come in thinking 

we have enough food, but we always manage to run out an hour before International Night 

ends,‖ says AP German student, Andy Wong. Some participants even share their German 

experiences with the student volunteers and discuss anything from having studies abroad 

in Germany to having German relatives. Overall, the German table at International Night 

provides a culturally stimulating experience for parent and student alike. 

Jenny Min, Cassandra Buru, Justian 

Meyer, Andy Wong 

Northview German Students and Club Volunteer 

at Boo at the Zoo in Atlanta 

On October 30 th , Northview students volunteered 

their time at the Atlanta Zoo. An event was held there in 

celebration of the upcoming Halloween and the managers 

needed help catering to the large group of visitors, mainly 

the children. Princesses and superheroes crowded the 

paths as German Club members spent anywhere from two 

to six hours of their weekend doing everything from handing 

out pieces of candy to organizing arts and crafts tables. 

It was an exciting event for every child who entered 

and some parents even came prepared with cameras to 

document their baby‘s first Halloween. As the afternoon 

wrapped up and everything was packed away, the students 

left satisfied knowing that they had made their way 

into the memories of at least one family that day. 

German Week 

By Andy Wong 

It‘s amazing what lengths people 

will go to for a bag of gummy 

bears. Quite a few of these bags 

were distributed during this 

year‘s German Week. Every 

morning, German club members 

would sneak around the building 

placing paper pretzels in 

(hopefully) unobvious places. As 

the day progressed, people who 

found the pretzels could turn 

them in at the table we set up at 

lunch. Also at the table were 

gummy bear coloring sheets that 

could be entered in a raffle and 

various other activities, such as 

trivia. Working at the table at 

lunch was…interesting. I would 

have people come up and harass 

me/persuade me otherwise to 

reveal the location of the pretzels. 

I found myself extremely 

involved in this event, from planning 

to making morning announcements 

to staffing the table 

on a daily basis. It was a week 

deprived of having a free lunch 

period, but I enjoyed it. 



 

Each year the Helen Chamber of Commerce hosts Northview German 

Students for the Octoberfest celebration. After a scavenger hunt of the town, a German 

meal is served in the Fest tent. A German band is reserved to teach the students German music, culture 

and dancing. Through their generosity, the Chamber has made the student meals a bargain serving 

bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, potato salad, bread, spaetzle and apple struedel! It is a fieldtrip 

everyone looks forward to! 

The Titan View is published two 

times a year for parents, students and 

staff of NHS by NHS PTSA. 

The next Titan View issue is scheduled 

for May, 2011. 

Submit articles (word doc) to: 

krsable@bellsouth.net 

Pictures of Helen Trip (from left) Harold 

Liu; Caleb, Katie, and Natalie doing the 

Chicken Dance; Issie, Hayden, Harold, 

Lloyd, David and Natalie in Helen; UGA 

German Student Teachers Antonela 

and Onyx, Stefan from Germany and 

Frau Kemptner, Frau Kemptner, Lloyd, 

and Mrs. Bernstein 

Principal Co-VP Communications 

Pam Spalla Jill Strothmann 

Stacey McNamara 

PTSA President Titan View Newsletter Editor 

Madelin Rivera Kathleen Sable 

(Latin Club Update Continued from Page 

15) 

as the eccentric teacher with 

the booming voice, who 

roams the hallways during 

lunch to keep kids away. As 

his students, we know how he 

fights to keep Latin both 

challenging and engaging, 

how he teaches and 

entertains, and how he 

pushes us all to achieve our 

highest potential. Mr. David 

has been indispensable in 

making our Latin Club what it 

is today, and we are sincerely 

grateful to him for his efforts.

The Titan View - Northview High School

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