The greenish-blue, glistening water residing beneath the massive, concrete structure of North Atlanta is just one special feature Dubs enjoy day in and day out. On a hot, humid August day, this water looks undoubtedly exceptional to cool off in, but what if this sparkling water suddenly turned a murky dirt brown? If a filthy, yellow substance were to surface, it is safe to say that most would make a sharp 180 and head straight back to the safety of the “clean” tile floors of North Atlanta.

This mystery substance poses a considerable risk to the stunning views Warriors enjoy every day. Although students come to school prepared for a long day of learning, who doesn’t find themselves daydreaming and looking out of the window during a particularly lengthy session of math? The question is: without the usual sparkling water, what will students resort to for their school time daydreaming?

From floors one through eleven, the expansive views through North Atlanta’s wide windows are no disappointment. The towering trees, beautiful athletic fields, and most importantly, the water of North Atlanta’s tributary falls short of no expectations– that is, until recently. Warriors are dismayed by the eyesore just below their wandering eyes. Sophomore Emerson Crow said, “The water recently has been absolutely disgusting. I hope it gets better soon because, personally, I love looking out of the windows, but I’m not sure I want to look at that water.” 

With the freshman class of 2025 arriving at North Atlanta just a mere three months ago, many were excited for the overwhelming beauty North Atlanta’s surroundings had to offer. Freshman Olivia Massar said, “Coming from Sutton Middle School as an eighth-grader, I think I was most eager for the gorgeous nature right outside of my classroom.” 

Now as Massar is getting into the swing of high school life, she has noticed one major downfall to the close to perfect views she had devised in her head. One could have guessed: the murky, not so appealing water under NAHS was her only disappointment. “I feel like everyone makes up perfect scenarios in their head, and this is what I did with the views, especially the water, at NAHS. Now I know that even the prettiest of places have to have some downfalls,” she said.  

Looking out from North Atlanta’s massive windows, it is not surprising to find the green shells of Dub’s “second mascot”, the turtle, sunbathing on a brown log. However, the recent escalation of polluted water could mean the decline of these beloved animals. Ninth-grade biology teacher Ms. Gail Kimathi said, “Since the water has been so murky and dirty, I haven’t seen as much wildlife. For example, when I first came to teach at NAHS, there were a ton of turtles, but now I don’t see quite as many. It’s really sad.”

Although NAHS has much more to offer than just its spectacular views, most Warriors would agree the filthy water along with its yellow mystery substance needs to hit the road up Northside Parkway for good.