Digital Editor-in-Chief: Lea D’Angelo
Print Editor-in-Chief: Liza Larson
Managing Editor: Peter Atchley
Senior Copy Editor: Cooper Jones
Adviser: David Ragsdale
Staff Directory
Amelia Aldridge
Amelia Aldridge is a freshman at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and Journalism I student for the ODYESSY Media Group. With this being her first year at CCHS, Aldridge is excited to branch out and meet a new group of people.
Edie Ash is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga. and serves as a Broadcast Staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Ash hopes to grow as a leader and experiment with all types of journalism. During her time with the OMG, Ash has attended numerous journalism conferences hosted by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association, the Southern Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. In her freetime, Ash enjoys spending time with friends and watching reality TV.
Sasha Barkan is ODYSSEY Media Group’s News Editor and a Clarke Central High School junior. She hopes to convey meaningful stories and support her staffers' growth and development. In her free time, she enjoys reading, rock climbing and walking her dogs.
Valeria Blanco Pirela
Singer Brinson is a sophomore at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga. and is a Sports Staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Brinson hopes to be a voice for the athletes of Clarke Central High School. Brinson has attended journalistic conferences such as Georgia Scholastic Press Association and Southern Interscholastic Press Association, hoping to improve her journalistic skills. In her free time, Brinson enjoys writing and watching movies.
John Buckner
Charlie Crawford
Charlie Crawford is a sophomore at Clarke Central High School and is entering his second year with the ODYSSEY Media Group, working as a News Staffer. Crawford hopes to use ODYSSEY’s platform to grow as a student and to share the stories of the Athens community. During his free time, Crawford enjoys going for runs, watching shows and hanging out with friends.
Lea D’Angelo is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and the Digital Editor-in-Chief for the ODYSSEY Media Group.Through the program, D’Angelo hopes to expand the reach of ODYSSEY’s website and tell stories of her community. In her free time, she likes to read and hang out with her friends.
Violet Dockery is a sophomore at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and the Viewpoints Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group. This year, Dockery hopes to expand her leadership abilities and create a platform where she can share her opinions and the opinions of others. In her free time she enjoys reading, listening to music and spending time with friends.
Grady Dunston is a senior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and is a Journalism I Facilitator for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Dunston is also the 2026-27 Southern Interscholastic Press Association President. Dunston aims to teach incoming freshmen the basics of journalism as well as create a stronger community between students from all across the south.
Lucca Fleenor is a sophomore at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and serves as a News Staffer on the ODYSSEY Media Group.. Fleenor is looking forward to connecting with her peers, gaining experience, and learning journalistic skills. In her free time, she enjoys creating art, writing and reading.
Olive Forrester is a freshman and a Journalism I student for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. Forrester is thrilled to explore all aspects of journalism, and wants to excel. In her free time, she loves to play volleyball, bake and learn new hobbies.
Isabella Gresham is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and the Viewpoints Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Over the course of the year, Gresham hopes to grow in her leadership skills and improve her writing and design abilities. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to music and spending time with her friends.
Merren Hines is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia, and the Business Manager for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Hines is hopeful of connecting with her team members and the environment around her. She is excited about meeting new people and leaders to gain skills, socially and academically. Hines’ hobbies are dancing and being with friends.
Eloise Luken is a sophomore at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia, and a Variety Staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Over this next year, Luken hopes to grow in her leadership skills and bond with other members of the staff. In her free time, Luken enjoys taking dance classes and hanging out with friends and family.
Cesia Martinez serves as the Outreach and Alumni Coordinator for the ODYSSEY Media Group and is a senior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga.. Martinez hopes to challenge herself and connect with OMG alumni and keep them informed about the program. Martinez has attended conferences with the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. Martinez enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends and family, and drinking coffee.
Emlyn McKinney is a senior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga., and works as the ODYSSEY Media Group Senior Visuals Coordinator. McKinney hopes to connect with the members of their community and explore different opportunities to promote the OMG through design and branding. McKinney has attended Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA), Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) and National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) conferences, and has co-presented a session at SIPA. McKinney has been awarded regionally and nationally for their writing and leadership skills. In their spare time, McKinney enjoys reading and recreating designs from their favorite movies.
Mzée Pavlić is a senior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and is the ODYSSEY Media Group’s Broadcast Editor. Pavlić has attended the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and Southern Interscholastic Press Association conventions. Pavlić is excited to learn more about videography while also improving as a writer, storyteller and leader.
Maya Pringle is a freshman at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia and is a Journalism I student in the ODYSSEY Media Group. With this being Pringle’s first year at CCHS, she is excited to learn more about the ODYSSEY environment and grow as a student and person. In her free time she likes to play soccer, read, play board games with family, and travel.
David A. Ragsdale (UGA B.S.Ed. ’01, M.Ed. ’03, Ed.S. '09), CJE, has advised student publications since 2001 at Clarke Central H.S. in Athens, Ga., where his duties include advising the ODYSSEY Media Group and Iliad literary-art magazine. Additionally, he serves as Co-Department Chair of the English department at CCHS, coordinates student internships with the University of Georgia, serves as Gifted Coordinator and teaches English at the Title I school. He spends summers teaching at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program for the state's top gifted and talented students or on the faculty of journalism workshops across the Southeast.
Ragsdale received the Crystal Apple Award, an honor given to University of Georgia alumni in K-12 education who have made a significant impact on student, school or school district performance in 2007. Ragsdale was the GSPA Adviser of the Year in 2007 and 2020. He was named an ASNE Reynolds High School Journalism Fellow in 2014, an Elizabeth Dickey Distinguished Service Award recipient by the Southern Interscholastic Press Association in 2015, named a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Distinguished Adviser in 2019 and the Journalism Teacher of the Year in 2022. Ragsdale and his staff have twice been recognized for their commitment to Diversity by the Journalism Education Association (2020-21 and 2021-22). He received the Leslie Dennis Heart for Diversity Award from SIPA in 2024 and he’s been commended by the JEA Board of Directors for his work for the organization.
He served on UGA’s College of Education’s Alumni Board and on the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Advisory Board for several years, and currently serves on the National Council of Teachers of English’s REALM committee, as the Journalism Education Association’s State Director for Georgia, and as the Southern Interscholastic Press Association’s Executive Chair. Ragsdale will facilitate the JEA Outreach Academy at fall conventions.
Ragsdale advocates a stance of student inquiry in his work and seeks to provide a safe place for students to not only succeed but also to fail. He seeks to empower students to recognize the implicit and explicit import of their words and to engage them in masterful storytelling. His students have received top honors in critiques and competitions across the country.
Jack Rumfelt is a sophomore and sports staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. With this year being his second in the ODYSSEY, he hopes to improve his interviewing skills and inform our community about the world of sports through journalism.
Miriam Silk is a junior at Clarke Central High School and a Journalism I Facilitator for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Silk has attended the Georgia Scholastic Press Association convention and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association convention multiple times where she has gotten awards for her writing. She hopes to help mentor the younger journalists as they come into the ODYSSEY program. In her free time, Silk enjoys dancing, reading and spending time with friends and family.
Kye Streetman is a junior at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Ga. and is the Sports Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Through her work, Streetman hopes to connect with her community and grow in her journalistic and photography skills. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, playing tennis and spending time with her friends and family.
Sara Stuart is a sophomore and Viewpoints Staffer for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia. This year, she hopes to learn more about journalism and grow her confidence. In her free time, Stuart loves to read and spend time with her friends.
Iliana Tejada is a senior at Clarke Central High School, in Athens Ga. and serves as the Photography Editor for the ODYSSEY Media Group. Through her photography, Iliana hopes to tell stories, and to gain more confidence in her writing. Iliana has attended conferences with the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. She has been awarded for her photography by both GSPA and SIPA. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, and traveling.
Maypop Wren is a sophomore and a photographer for the ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School. Wren hopes to convey stories throughout her community with her photos, and hopes to grow as a student and a member of the ODYSSEY Media Group.