Junior Quintavious McReed is one of many Clarke Central High School students who face upheaval because of the demolition of the Jack R. Wells Housing Community. McReed shared his story with the ODYSSEY. “I was involved with the Jack R. Wells Community Center, helping out with the kids by mentoring and tutoring. Those kids are loving at heart, they just need someone they can look up to,” McReed said. Photo by ODYSSEY staff
By QUINTAVIOUS MCREED with HENRY SCOTT
Opinion is divided over the demolition of the Jack R. Wells Housing Community, commonly known as Pauldoe, off of Hawthorne Avenue.
Opinion in Athens is divided over the gentrification about to do away with the Jack R. Wells Housing Community, commonly known as Pauldoe, off of Hawthorne Avenue. The Athens Housing Authority is finally moving forward with its plan to tear down the public housing neighborhood and, in its place, raise a larger, mixed-income housing development.
Several Clarke Central High School students are affected by the displacement caused by the plan, junior Quintavious McReed is among them.
“Q”, as his friends call him, shares his story.
“Oh, God, I do not want to move here. Mom, is there anywhere else we can go, please?”
“No, we’re just gonna have to make do with this.”
“In less than a month, though, that all changed. I grew a strong bond with those people. Every day we hung out with each other, played ball and lived life. It was more than a bond like friends. We were all like brothers.
— Quintavious McReed, former Pauldoe resident
Looking back, I was shocked to have fit in so well. Everything I had heard about Pauldoe, compared to my experience, was a whole different story.
When I first came to Pauldoe, I was very quiet and stayed to myself. I would only go outside when I was playing with my little brother.
In less than a month, though, that all changed. I grew a strong bond with those people. Every day we hung out with each other, played ball and lived life. It was more than a bond like friends. We were all like brothers.
One day, my mom told me that there had been a meeting with everyone in Pauldoe where we were told they were going to get ready to move us out.
When we first were told to look for a new place, my mom was talking about going to Atlanta or moving up to Ohio, but I begged her and begged her to stay here and find someplace nearby so I could stay at Clarke Central.
She did it, and I know it was tough for her. She got up every morning and would be filling out applications for different places around Athens. She worked hard to do it.
“When we first were told to look for a new place, my mom was talking about going to Atlanta or moving up to Ohio, but I begged her and begged her to stay here and find someplace nearby so I could stay at Clarke Central.
— Quintavious McReed, former Pauldoe resident
It felt great to know that we’d stay in Athens. Most of the people that I became friends with in Pauldoe are people that I’ll still be able to graduate with next year.
So, my mom started driving around and came across where we’re staying now, River’s Edge. It was quiet, it was peaceful. We just fell in love with it the first day we saw it.
So we filled out the paperwork and passed our inspection.
My mom got up that Saturday morning, got a U-Haul and we started packing everything in.
The very last thing was putting my bookbag on the truck and my mom locking the door. And it was just like, “I can’t believe this, this is the last time I’m gonna be in Pauldoe.”
“I was involved with the Jack R. Wells Community Center, helping out with the kids by mentoring and tutoring. Those kids are loving at heart they just need someone they can look up to, a positive role model, and I just I wanted to be that because I know I had to be a positive role model to them and my brother, as well.”
— Quintavious McReed, former Pauldoe resident
I shook everybody up, gave everybody a hug, and I was just like, “I’ma miss, y’all.”
It was sad, just driving off and seeing everybody waving “bye”.
I was thinking about a lot of stuff, being away from my friends, people I was used to seeing every morning on the bus to school, but I knew that this move was going to have a positive effect on me and my family.
I feel like it was a new start for all of us, getting away from that feeling of being in such a “bad neighborhood”.
Hopefully, I learn from my experience of being there, what I had to go through.
Now I just have to keep a better, positive attitude in life. And move forward.
There are things I am going to miss besides the friendships in Pauldoe
I was involved with the Jack R. Wells Community Center, helping out with the kids by mentoring and tutoring. Those kids are loving at heart they just need someone they can look up to, a positive role model, and I just I wanted to be that because I know I had to be a positive role model to them and my brother, as well.
The thought comes through my head mostly every day: that was a big experience to be living in Pauldoe and being around everybody. But I think I can always keep it in my mind, in my heart.
Now I just got to keep a positive outlook on life and continue on to my last year here at Clarke Central and graduation, having all my family and friends there in the stadium, cheering me on as I walk up and get my diploma.
