Mischief and melodies...what could be better? See page 4 to hear about the senior boys in chorus
Everyone loves a winner, and no one wins quite like the Mat Hawks! See page 8 for the pins to victory
THE HAWK
1 Vol. 43 No. 1 9502 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28277 May 2023
You always see who is in front of the camera but rarely who’s behind it! See p. 10 for a look behind the lens
The Student Newspaper of Charlotte Latin School
Hawks fly high! Hawks fly... airplanes? See p. 15 to read all about this senior’s adventures in aviation
Let’s go Hawks! Let’s go Hawks! See p. 22 to hear about what many fans call the best student section in Charlotte
EYE
Letters
May 2023
THE SENIOR EDITION 2023
Accepting Responsibility for O n e ’s O w n L i f e
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By Holt Daniels
StuCo president challenges seniors to create unique mosaics as part of their journeys in life From the youngest age, we’re told we hold the ability to become whatever we wish to be. As we age, as we explore, and as we learn, this mantra can become daunting. With the number of resources, opportunities, and paths before us, how could we possibly know what we want to become? I believe your character answers this question. As writer Joan Didion worded best, character is “the willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life.” Didion’s definition of character asserts that you hold an innate singular responsibility. When so often it’s easier to ask others what we should do (which proves useful at times), Didion wants us to acknowledge that the tools lie within ourselves to best determine what we become.
Holt Daniels, his fellow DEI leaders and club participants pose around a Drag Star quilt they made to celebrate the history and influence of drag. (Hugo Caraballo)
Holt Daniels and Mia Zottoli ‘23 smile while wearing their Halloween costumes in their first period history class. (Alexa Marcus ‘24)
I’m clearly no philosopher, expert, or sage. I’m merely an eighteen-year-old who reads many books in an attempt to make sense of the world ahead. I have this opportunity to write to our class, so I’ll tell you what I’ve come to believe from what I’ve learned thus far. How do you accept responsibility for your own life? I believe the journey begins with accepting yourself. Seek your truest, most passionate identity— the parts which form your
best self—and provide them an equal light of support and nurturing. It’s up to you, and singly you, to discover the meaningful and fruitful parts of yourself which, when embraced, make you feel like you’re glowing; relying on others to tell you what you can and can’t be could prevent you from discovering the spark inside of yourself. Through exploring your passions, interacting with communities, and intentionally putting your
resources to use, you are innately capable of finding and nourishing your identity. And thus, you’ll accept responsibility for your own life. Those I trust told me this: when you sense a drive inside of you and actively decide to nurture it to the greatest extent, you’ll naturally be fulfilled. The idea there’s some magic-like energy inside of me that I merely can recognize and follow to achieve my dreams seemed too good to be true. But
as I’ve taken their advice and intentionally put time into my passions, I’ve found myself feeling more grateful, content, and confident than ever before. It’s a lesson I’m still exploring but already treasure. Many of us have multiple drives: I desire to creatively express myself; I desire to be a leader for our community; I desire to learn. From my experiences, no drive is mutually exclusive. In reality, a mixture—no matter how polar—only grows your character. Venturing beyond Latin, if we’re confident in our character and following our drives, we’re then able to utilize what’s within ourselves to achieve our dreams. In the next decades, I predict the Class of 2023 will become educators, doctors, filmmakers, lawyers, artists, entrepreneurs, and much, much more. Equally as important, we’ll also be loving parents, dependable friends, active citizens, and people working to make our Earth a better place. Because we are humans
on Earth, remember that there’s still a greater purpose beyond ourselves. The journey of accepting responsibility for our own lives continues as we recognize the roles we play in the greater world around us. Whether we’re prepared or not, we’ll soon enter new territory vastly different from what we’ve known at Latin. I feel nervous thinking of it, but it’s a nervousness tinged with exhilaration. Within new terrain, we’ll consistently have opportunities to meet people vastly different from ourselves. If we desire to learn and grow, it’s important we greatly value these new connections. A mosaic is only beautiful when it’s made of diverse tiles which create a greater, vibrant image. Each person, diverse in identity and experience, each new perspective and voice you learn from, is an added tile to the mosaic of your character. Cont. on p. 2
Letters......................1-2, 24 Profiles.........................3-21 Class Picture..............12-13 School Spirit..............22-23