SOUTHERNER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Lifestyle Associate Managing Editor
Aerin Jones is a junior and is excited to be a writer for her second year on the paper. Outside of school she enjoys club swimming, playing guitar and hanging out with friends.
Alannah Edwards is a senior and News Managing Editor for The Southerner. This is her fourth year working for the paper. While she is not writing, Alannah is playing soccer, participating in Mock Trial and is a part of the Midtown lacrosse team. She is excited to be working on The Southerner Staff!
Amauri is a sophomore and is in his first year writing for the Southerner. Amauri is a tenor drum player for the Midtown Marching Midknights and likes playing drums in his spare time.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Managing Editor
- Writer
Anna Rafferty is very excited to write for the Southerner this school year. She graduates in the class of 2023 and also participates in Extemporaneous Speaking on the Midtown Jesters.
Job Titles:
- Comment Associate Managing Editor
Audrey is a junior and this is her second year writing for the Southerner. She loves playing guitar and piano, acting in Midtown's theatre productions, taking dance classes and cooking and baking for friends and family. She is excited to be on staff this year.
Job Titles:
- News Associate Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- Editor in Chief
- Senior and a Sports Editor in Chief
Carolyn Harty is a senior and a sports editor in chief. This is her third year writing for The Southerner. When she's not writing, she enjoys playing soccer and hanging out with friends. She is excited to continue writing for The Southerner.
Connie Erdozain is a senior and this is her fourth year writing for the Southerner. When she isn't writing, Connie enjoys painting, playing the piano, reading and spending time with her friends.
Courtney English is a candidate for Atlanta City Council President. English is an Atlanta native. He began serving on the Board of Education at 24 and helped to increase the graduation rate at Atlanta schools.
Cynthia Briscoe Brown represents At-Large Seat 8 for the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education and is running for re-election this November. Since 2013, she has served in this position and uses her twenty-seven years of experience as an attorney to help students, teachers and families across the city. Brown's platform encourages a caring culture of equity, trust and collaboration to ensure that every student will graduate and be ready for college.
Job Titles:
- Co - Editor in Chief
- Online Lifestyle / a & E Section Editor
- Online Lifestyle Section Editor
Dana is a senior who loves using her voice to tell other people's stories as well as share her own views. She really enjoys writing for the Southerner and is a proud board member of the Grady Jesters Speech and Debate team. She also loves playing ultimate for the Grady Girls' Varsity team.
Doug Shipman is a candidate for Atlanta City Council President. Shipman was the Founding CEO at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for 8 years. He worked to open Howard Middle School and improve Freedom Park.
Job Titles:
- Social Media Managing Editor
Emma Young is a senior and this is her third year writing for the Southerner. When she's not writing, she is playing lacrosse or hanging out with friends.
Job Titles:
- Student Starts Vegan Skincare Business
Job Titles:
- Teacher Student Association
Greta Gustafson is a senior and this is her third year working on the Southerner. She is on the Midtown lacrosse team, and in her free time, you can find her hanging out with friends and family, relaxing outside, eating food and baking. She's excited to continue writing and learning more about the Midtown community this school year.
Job Titles:
- Social Media Managing Editor
Hannah Silver is a senior and this is her fourth year writing for the Southerner. When she's not spending her time writing, she is doing cheer, is beta club co-president, plays violin, is a company member at her dance studio, jewish student union co-president, and enjoys hanging out with her friends.
Jacki Labat is a candidate for the City Council Post 3 At-Large. The Atlanta native is a member of the L.E.A.D Advisory Council and was the First Lady of the City of Atlanta Department of Corrections. This is her first campaign for office.
Jamie is a senior, and this is her third year on the Southerner staff. Along with writing, she loves traveling, spending time with her friends and family and running cross country and track.
Esteves is the current Board Chair and an at-large representative. He graduated from the University of Miami and soon after his graduation, he began teaching at an underperforming school to help students reach success. He is focused on reaching equity in APS.
Jodi Merriday is a candidate for the City Council Post 3 At-Large. Merriday has over 30 years of experience working with public education, public service, and higher education institutions.
Washington has taught at Midtown for three and a half years despite coaching for eight and a half years.
Joshua Washington teaches PE and health, and has coached Midtown track for eight and a half years. Prior to teaching at Midtown, Washington was a Grady student.
"My favorite part of coaching is being a part of a team that I was a part of when I was a student here as well," Washington said.
Washington understands the importance of high school in developing students' maturity, and said the best part of being a teacher is being able to build relationships with students and getting to know them personally to support them through their journey.
Job Titles:
- Sports Associate Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- Lifestyle Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- Comment Managing Editor and Social Media Editor
- Senior and Comment Managing Editor and Social Media Editor
Katie Sigal is a senior and Comment Managing Editor and Social Media Editor for the Southerner. She is on the swim team and, in her free time, she likes spending time with friends, swimming, reading and listening to Taylor Swift. She is super excited to continue writing for the Southerner this year.
Lily is a senior and is excited to start her fourth and final year with the Southerner. Apart from her writing with the Southerner, Lily is a Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) student ambassador, representing both the Southerner and Georgia journalism as a whole. She is an active member of Latin club, is the captain of the Midtown ultimate frisbee team and plays for cATLanta, Georgia's under-20 club team. In her free time, you can find her hanging out with friends and family.
Little Rey's is family-friendly and conveniently located
Lizzie Lyman is a sophomore at Midtown and writes Lifestyle and A&E stories. She enjoys theater and art, and is excited for her first year on staff.
Job Titles:
- Lifestyle Associate Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- a & E Associate Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- Lifestyle Managing Editor
Molly Thompson is a Senior in her fourth year on the Southerner staff. She is a member of the cross country team and plays soccer. Apart from school, sports, and clubs, Molly loves spending time with her friends, reading, and hanging out with her pets.
Job Titles:
- Lifestyle Associate Managing Editor
Presley is a junior and this is his second year on the Southerner staff. He is part of the marching band and loves music and playing guitar.
Ralph Long is a candidate for the City Council Post 3 At-Large. Prior to this campaign, Long held office as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives District 61 from 2009 to 2013. In 2016, Long was a special election candidate for District 58 but was beat out by Park Cannon in a runoff.
Shalin is in his fourth year of the Journalism pathway and is in his third year on the Southerner staff, serving as the Editor in Chief over the News Section. Besides writing stories, Shalin is a member of the Speech and Debate team and plays for the tennis team. He is very excited to help lead the staff this year.
Job Titles:
- City Council
- President
- Lifestyle Managing Editor
Shay Bowman is a senior and this is her third year writing for the Southerner. When she's not writing, she's playing club and school soccer, practicing piano, or starting a new craft. She is excited to continue writing stories and meeting people in and around the Midtown community.
Sierra Pape is a senior and this is her fourth year on the Southerner staff. When she is not writing, you will find her running for the Midtown cross country team, working for Midtown Votes and political organizations outside of school, and singing in the school musicals. She is so grateful for the caliber of the journalism program at Midtown!
Job Titles:
- Multimedia Managing Editor
Job Titles:
- News Associate Managing Editor