One if by land, two if by sea. Swim on over to page 16 for the rundown on these seniors’ exploits on land and in the water!
Hawks soar high...in airplanes? Check out page 5 for the aerial fly-by!
A rock anthem defined a unique family: gridiron gladiator recalls how a walkout song shaped his career. The self-told tale is on page 8!
THE HAWK
1
The Student Newspaper of Charlotte Latin School
Vol. 45 No. 1 9502 Providence Road Charlotte, NC 28277 May 2025
Zebras, monkeys and camels, oh my! See page 18 for a tour through a carefully curated (and muchloved) family zoo!
Darn seniors, where ya been? See page 22 for pics of everywhere you’ve thrived this year!
EYE
Letters
May 2025
THE SENIOR EDITION 2025 By Anish Thota
I t ’s a L o u d Wo r l d :
We’re online! clshawkeye.press Follow us on Instagram! @clsjournalism
StuCo president reminds class of 2025 of the power of spending more time listening During class, a teacher asks their students a question. After five seconds, the instructor has not been presented with the raising of a hand. Another five seconds pass and none of the students submit to the provision of an answer. The teacher then climbs on top of their desk and faces the class clock with their back towards the students. After five minutes (almost a lifetime when factoring in the sheer awkwardness of the situation), one student finally asks the teacher why they have assumed such an abnormal position. This story didn’t originate from some fever dream or a creative writer’s desk. It happened at Charlotte Latin School, repeated throughout four periods filled with us— the class of 2025—in our sophomore year.
While we have “come out of our shell” in our senior year, it’s no secret that our class is known for being quiet. Another undisputed fact about our class is that we are an academic powerhouse. During the presentation of National Merit Scholarship awards during the first semester of our senior year, the memory of Mr. Wall celebrating our high test scores and diverse intellect remains etched in our memory. Accomplishing so much in an academic context, we have both nurtured our futures and paved the way for successive classes to succeed, proving the potential value of a hard work ethic prevalent among our class. While we’ve let our academic successes do the talking, the prospect of graduation has brought me a few questions regarding
the desirability of silence. First, in a world with many bent on being the loudest in the room, how can relative silence be a positive trait outside the classroom? Second, if the vocal majority can overwhelm those without the motivation to use their voices, what is the point of coming up with constructive ideas without the ears to hear them? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, when is it the right time to raise our voices, and in what manner should we do so? Thus, our expedition into the worthiness of silence commences. First, how can silence be a positive attribute in a loud world? President Theodore Roosevelt may have an answer. His foreign policy ideology declared the
importance of speaking softly and carrying a mighty metaphorical stick, being any skill we have nurtured, ranging from athletic ability to compassion to intellectual prowess. Under this interpretation, silence doesn’t have to be a lack of verbal input. Perhaps it can be a lack of ego, or a sense of humility and understanding that while we strive to improve, life is nothing more than a battle within ourselves. So, to answer the original question, the tool of silence is most beneficial when paired with humility. Next, what is the importance of silence if nobody hears our ideas? The previous interpretation of silence repels this argument since it isn’t a question of the projection of ideas. Regardless, this argument doesn’t hold any ground. One doesn’t need to overpower a group discussion with the asset of interpersonal connections. In fact, throughout my three years in the Student Council, I have found that rather than overpowering others in discussions, using peoples’ specialties
Members of the 2023-2024 CLS Debate Team at the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by Anish Thota)
Seniors David Tian, Anish Thota and Adam Stone celebrate convocation in the fall of 2024. (Photo by Anish Thota)
Seniors Anish Thota and Adam Stone and juniors John Puyleart, Richard Shan and Collin Kanofsky at an escape room enjoying a school break. (Photo by Anish Thota)
to complete tasks yields greater efficiency. Finally, when is the right time to raise our voices? How do we determine when the time is right for us to explain to oppressors that what they are doing is wrong? The answer lies in conviction through sustained reinforcement of values. In other words,
it may be useful to have a set agenda of “lines” that mustn’t be crossed in any scenario. Thus, who you are will not fade amid social tensions. Silence can be used in this case to meditate on desired values. Ultimately, while this reflection has served as a defense of silence, I still believe that benefits
can only be achieved when silence is used in moderation. This is my charge to you: Balance being accommodating of others in spaces while protecting those who are being trodded on. In a socially, politically, and economically volatile time like this, it is these characteristics that Latin graduates can assume to create more stable places of debate. In spaces outside of Charlotte Latin School, it is necessary to project the ideal of “Honor Above All,” that which you have all kept so dearly throughout your time here. I am confident that, with a keen interest in listening to our fellow person, we can enlighten the world. Anish Thota served as student body president. He will attend Oxford College at Emory University. (Photo by St John Photography)
Letters.........................1-2, 24 Profiles............................3-21 Class Picture................12-13 School Spirit................22-23