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(10/08/10 3:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Libbie Holmes, a horseback rider with spina bifida, started participating in the People & Animals Learning Services, Inc. program in 2006. “The first time she started riding she was so terrified,” Jennifer Lung, head riding instructor said. “She had such a death grip on the horse.”But now she rides Cody, the PALS horse with the most attitude. “Now, she bosses Cody around,” Lung said. This Saturday, Libbie, along with 41 other PALS riders, will have a chance to show off what they have learned at the 10th Annual Fun Show. PALS is the only therapeutic riding center in Monroe County and surrounding counties that is accredited as a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association Premier Accredited Center. PALS provides high therapeutic animal assisted activities such as therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy, animal care and pet encounter therapy to children and adults with physical, learning, cognitive and emotional disabilities.“The people who participate in PALS benefit in many different ways,” Fern Bonchek, PALS executive director, said. “Riders have an increased self-esteem, balance and coordination. Some riders have even spoken their first words while riding one of the horses.”For the Fun Show, the riders will demonstrate a trail/obstacle course, English equitation and dressage. The instructors place their riders into different classes based on their abilities. The riders all receive trophies and ribbons based on their participation, but they also receive advice and critiquing from the celebrity judges, which include IU Provost Karen Hanson and former IU soccer coach Jerry Yeagley and his wife Marilyn Yeagley.“The event is basically a celebration for riders,” Boncheck said. “It is a wonderful opportunity to see a lot of the riders in action. Many of the riders have limited abilities to participate in activities such and this, but they can show what they have learned and receive awards for it.”And the PALS riders are eager to ride.“The riders work hard to prepare for the show,” Lung said. “Right at the beginning of the fall session everyone starts asking about when the Fun Show is. Most of the riders have been practicing for at least three weeks.”The riders also make sure to dress up a little for the event — usually donning a white-button up shirt and some riding boots, Lung said.“They are so excited,” Boncheck said. “They look forward to it. At the end of each Fun Show they ask me when the next Fun Show is. They are just out of control about it. They have such a great time.”
(09/14/10 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Jarrod Polston, an IU freshman, was an All-American boy. He played football and baseball, was nearly a straight-A student and planned on being a biochemist. Jarrod Polston, who was pronounced dead at Ball State University on Saturday, was affectionately known as “J” by his friends. J had a close-knit group of friends who identified themselves as brothers.J and Patrick Mennel, a freshman at the University of Kentucky, said he and J played football together since 2nd grade and had been best friends ever since. This summer they were nearlyinseparable before they went off to college. At the end of their senior year, Mennel went to J’s house to reminisce about their high school years. As they were watching a senior year video, there was a moment where it zoomed in on the “brothers’” faces as they were holding each other. J turned to Mennel and said, “I’ll love you forever man, you know that.”“J most definitely was warm-hearted,” Mennel said. “He would do anything for anyone. He was my boy.” Greg Harrison, a freshman at Ball State University, said he knew J for about four years but did not become close with him until their sophomore year of high school. One night three years ago Harrison gave J a call at 3 a.m. because his car wasn’t starting. “Even if you were not so close to him, he would help you no matter what,” Harrison said. Though J had an active social life, it never got in the way of his academics. “Everything came easy to him,” Carl Polston, J’s father, said. “He had a 3.999 GPA. His study habits were not what they should be, but there was not a whole lot I could say. He was a good student.”His school smarts got him recognized as a young child by his elementary school teachers.On two occasions he was asked to move up one to two grade levels, but he declined both offers because he wanted to be with his friends. J also learned sports naturally. He enjoyed playing football and baseball the most. Carl Polston said that J never complained. In fact, J once played in a baseball tournament with a broken foot.He had a personality and smile that made strangers take notice instantly, Carl Polston said. “He made such a great lasting impression,” Carl Polston said. “He could warm you up with one little smile.” Although J rarely received punishment from his father, Carl Polston had trouble reprimanding J even when he needed to. “Being his father, all he had to give me was one little smile and I couldn’t do it,” Carl Polston said. J was a role model to his 17-year-old and 6-year-old sisters and his 8-year-old brother, his father said. “They worshipped the ground he walked on,” Carl Polston said. His friends and father said he was the type of person who everyone gravitated to because of his honesty and willingness to help others.“If you ever met him you would never forget him,” Carl Polston said.
(09/06/10 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>You can take the man out of Bloomington, but you can’t take the Bloomington out of the man.At least this is true for John Fernandez, the Bloomington mayor from 1996 to 2003, who now lives in Washington, D.C. and works for the Obama administration.Working as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. Fernandez said his job is not that different from working as mayor of Bloomington.“At the end of the day, both try to achieve the same goal to enhance quality of life,” he said. Fernandez, however, said he misses Bloomington. Although, he was born in Canton, Ohio and grew up in Kokomo, he lived in Bloomington for many years — first as an IU student and then as a politician. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree in law from IU. In 1987, he was elected to the Bloomington City Council and served as its president in 1991. “Bloomington in terms of size and university research is fairly innovative and has interesting issues compared to a similar size city,” Fernandez said. “Local and state government is less partisan. We still have an election where people run and roll up their sleeves, but the mayor can identify a problem and implement a solution, and then we can see a result in a short time period compared to Washington. D.C., where it is unbelievably partisan to the point where you can’t get anything done.”Bloomington’s current mayor, Mark Kruzan, said one major obstacle Fernandez faced was the closure of one of Bloomington’s largest employers, the company RCA/Thomson. Abruptly, hundreds of people became unemployed, and a 200-acre hole was left in the middle of the city.Indiana State Senator Vi Simpson said Fernandez was innovative when he dealt with the closing of the plant. Simpson said Fernandez rerouted traffic and renovated the property. She said Fernandez wanted to invest the money made from the new jobs and put it toward making community roads more attractive for businesses. “The property was not usable, and any new jobs there were going to capture tax revenue for a specific time,” Simpson said. “The concept was to split it up and make it more useful for what the businesses of the future needed.” Today, the site, situated past Patterson Drive, has multiple small and medium-sized businesses — and it continues to create jobs. James McNamara, Fernandez’s deputy mayor, said one of his most notable successes was the redesign and renovation of Miller-Showers Park on College Avenue.“It was innovative, complex and extremely high profile,” McNamara said of the project in an e-mail. “It involved creative financing and just about every city department. And it had a lot of opposition and many critics. But he knew it was the right thing to do and made it happen.” “At one point, there was $80 million of construction and investment going on in the city, simultaneously,” Kruzan said in an e-mail. Fernandez said many experiences he had as mayor contributed to his success in his current position.“It helps me bring practical experience and deeper appreciation facing people around the country,” Fernandez said. “Unless you’ve been in a room with 1,200 people, it’s hard to really appreciate the magnitude of some of the issues. It’s not macroeconomic — it’s personal.” But Fernandez said he hasn’t always been so aware of what his goals are. He took two years off from school after his senior year of high school.“I wasn’t ready after high school,” Fernandez said. “I came to Bloomington, candidly, not particularly focused on public environmental affairs.” Charles Bonser, now dean emeritus of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, pulled Fernandez aside during his junior year and provided him with guidance. When Fernandez attended IU he was a frequent visitor of the Bluebird Nightclub and Nick’s English Hut. He is a self-described independent, who was an IU Student Association member (chairman of the off-campus student union), but his main gig, he said, was his rock ’n’ roll band. “It was fun, but it impacted my GPA,” Fernandez said. Unknowingly, he said his DNA drove him into the political arena. He said his family believed democracy mattered, and they were engaged in civic and political issues. “I learned that our government only works if people participate in it,” Fernandez said. “Don’t complain unless you roll up your sleeves and do something about it.”
(08/08/10 11:43pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Cynthia Ashworth came to Bloomington from Colorado to receive a doctoral degree in medieval studies at IU. She taught entry-level English courses and had dreams of going back out West to teach once she completed her doctorate. She woke up one morning to discover that she could not get out of bed to go to her choir rehearsal.Sixteen years later, she is confined to a recliner at her home on Bloomington’s south side. Ashworth suffers from multiple sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disease that often attacks the central nervous system, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Symptoms can range from numbness in the limbs to paralysis or loss of vision.“It’s a hard life to live,” Ashworth said. “Someone has to help me with everything. I can’t do basic things like walking, grooming or dialing the phone.”Ashworth has two aides who work 25-hour shifts.“It pretty much dictates everything we do,” said Tom Roeger, Ashworth’s husband of 13 years. “Cynthia can’t be left alone anymore, so if Cynthia’s aides aren’t here, then I have to be here.”There is no cure for the approximately 2.1 million people MS affects.FDA-approved treatments and medicines are available, but Ashworth chooses an alternative.“I never took (FDA-approved drugs),” Ashworth said. “I was warned to avoid these drugs like the plague.”She has tried several diets, including one low in saturated fat. Ashworth said she thinks the diets have been somewhat effective: Her hands do not shake as much, and she sleeps better and has more energy.Ashworth also takes several vitamins and a few non-narcotic painkillers.With so many questions and no solutions, Ashworth has decided to travel to Mexico for a controversial surgery. The operation is an endovascular surgical procedure for chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency, a reported abnormality in blood drainage from the brain and spinal cord, which is now being linked to the nervous system damage found in MS patients.Though still undergoing research in the United States, the surgery is in practice in other countries, including Mexico. Ashworth will have the operation at Mexico’s Sanoviv Medical Institute and receive a procedural consultation in October.“If I can’t get it done here, Mexico doesn’t seem so far away,” Ashworth said. “There is nothing available in the standard medical community, nothing at all. I’m willing to do it if that’s what it takes.”Dr. Paolo Zamboni from the University of Ferrara in Italy discovered that a surgical procedure similar to an angioplasty — which involves inserting a tiny balloon or stent into blocked veins to improve the flow of blood — might ameliorate the effects of MS.Zamboni’s research suggests that MS is a vascular condition and not an autoimmune disease.David Mattson, a neurologist and program director of the Neuroimmunology/MD program at the IU School of Medicine who does not treat Ashworth, said there is not enough medical evidence that CCSVI — said to be caused by too much iron deposition in the brain — is a common problem among MS patients. Sixty percent of MS patients have this problem, he said — but, he stressed, this is not 100 percent.According to the National MS Society, because of the procedure, one person died of a hemorrhage in the brain while taking a blood thinner, while another patient had a stent that dislodged and moved to the heart, which required emergency open-heart surgery for its removal.But the risk of the surgery is worth the results for Ashworth.“I have no quality of life — almost none,” Ashworth said. “It doesn’t really scare me to have it done. I’m willing to go to another country where I don’t know what their medical protocols are. I don’t think it’s a dangerous thing to have done. I think it’s very promising. I’m frustrated and mad that I can’t have it done here.”More research needs to be done, Mattson said. Such studies are being conducted at the University at Buffalo Medical Center in Buffalo, N.Y., and the Center for Vascular Awareness in Albany, N.Y.“People are desperate,” Mattson said. “We don’t know if venous drainage could cause further damage. ... MS comes in relapses and remission, so we don’t really know if this actually works. People are getting false hope.”The prospect of the surgery consumes Ashworth’s life, as well as the lives of those who live with her. She and her aides spend most of their time researching CCSVI and the procedure. They also send letters to politicians, asking to make the surgery available in the United States.“Dealing with this disease is a major part of my life — not just the complications about daily life, but the time for trying to improve it,” Ashworth said.Ashworth tries to remain positive about her life, especially with her upcoming consultation.She has tried to connect with local residents who have MS but felt like the MS support group in Bloomington could do nothing positive for her.“People there were very negative and would get together and talk about how awful it is,” Ashworth said. “Why do I need to sit with people and talk about how bad it is? I don’t need that, because I live with it.”Ashworth attempts to focus on what she can do. She is a writer but is unable to type on a keyboard or use a pen. She said she “can’t do the physical part of the writing, but I can go to the mental part of it.”She is currently writing a murder mystery that takes place during the medieval times. She dictates the fictional novel to her aides, who transcribe the story.Her positive outlook and ability to focus on what she can do keeps her motivated and busy.“Considering all that she goes through, I never see her get angry or impatient or mean,” said Deborah Riley, one of Ashworth’s aides. “I would be the angriest, most impatient person all the time. But she is always sweet, loving and gentle. I’m the salty one around here.”Ashworth contends that life with MS is a difficult one to lead, and depression cannot always be stopped from setting in.Bursting into tears, she said, “There is no point in being angry, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ever.”
(08/02/10 12:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With country music in the background, dedicated volunteers and soap suds all around, Bloomington High School South turned into the world’s busiest school car wash.The goal behind this fundraiser was anything but ordinary. All extracurricular organizations at BHSS — from athletics to student council — came together for a common goal: to help finish raising the $750,000 for the “All for All” campaign put on by the Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools. The car wash raised a total of $33,778.With the help of the car wash and large donations, at press time, the “All for All” campaign was close to its Aug. 1 deadline goal with about 87 percent of its goal raised — $651,749 total.Throughout July, the Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools has been organizing a slew of events, including a golf tournament and a 5K run. The money raised for the campaign will be split among all 23 Monroe County schools and will go toward the teachers’ extracurricular stipends. If the FMCCS had not raised any money, teachers would be volunteering their time and services without any compensation.“It’s drop-dead time,” FMCCS executive director Tina Peterson said. “It’s the last chance to give donations, and people have been giving a donation a minute. ... It’s the nature of people to wait until the last moment. It’s been phenomenal to see everything culminating during these last couple of days.”And while bettering the community was the main goal of the car wash, BHSS wanted to beat the Guinness World Record of having the most cars washed by a school in one day.That goal was unofficially accomplished: a world-record total of 1,207 cars were cleaned during the 10-hour car wash.The drivers who came to the car wash were not giving away change. Many of the drivers handed over checks in the hundreds to the fund.The car wash was a student- and parent-run machine. Four organizations were on different sides of the BHSS parking lot, alternating organizations every hour between the more than 40 organizations involved.“State funding has gone way down,” BHSS principal Mark Fletcher said, “and this community has shown that they are not willing to accept and be a part of it.”And many supporters said that although they wish the fundraising wasn’t necessary, the collaboration has made the Monroe County community stronger.“North, South and the elementary schools never have to work together, and this forced us to do that,” said Kelly King, chair of marketing for the campaign and an MCCSC parent. “Sometimes it takes a crisis to bring everyone together. It may not be a hurricane or oil spill, but it has affected us.”But the struggle is not over yet. The next hurdle to overcome is persuading residents to vote “yes” for the referendum on November’s ballot. “This is just a Band-Aid before the referendum,” said Jeff Thomas, assistant girls’ soccer coach for BHSS. But before the referendum, the community was filled with concern that extracurricular activities would be no more.Extracurricular activities are essential for students’ growth because not all lessons can be taught in the classroom, Thomas said.“When playing soccer, the girls have to work with other people,” he said. “When in the classroom, students don’t have to work with people they don’t want to associate with.”And every member of the BHSS girls’ soccer team was at the car wash, Thomas said.“We are used to pitching in,” he said with a smile. Many of the students who rallied around the cause do not participate in just one extracurricular activity.BHSS junior Jessica Carpenter is a member of both the BHSS newspaper, The Optimist, and the cheerleading squad. She said the extracurricular activities she participates in are a big part of her identity.“I enjoy Optimist the most,” Carpenter said. “I wouldn’t want to go to school without it.”Kaili Frye, a BHSS sophomore who cheers and is a member of student council, said she was concerned about the budget cuts.“I was worried,” Frye said. “Since coaches and teachers were getting their pay cut, I was worried they weren’t going to want to do it anymore.” Students were not immune to the changes of the end of the school year. With reduction-in-force policies in place and teachers being laid off, Frye said, she was left saddened.“A lot of teachers were cut,” Frye said. “It was hard since I had gotten closer to them.” Chloe Strauss, a senior at BHSN, drove her car to the car wash to help support her school.“Without extracurricular activities, it would be horrible,” Strauss said. “I do the musical, and if we didn’t have it, I would be so disappointed.”The people working in the administrative office have not gotten much sleep.“It has consumed everyone who works in the office,” Peterson said. “There have been hundreds of people working on this campaign. It’s been rewarding to see a community pull together on something that is so important to the kids.”Tamar Shachaf, FMCCS technology coordinator and a sophomore at IU, attended BHSN and was involved in many extracurricular activities, including a year as class president. Shachaf did not realize she would spend 40 hours a week in the office at the start of the summer, but she said that even though it’s been a lot of work, she loves doing it.“I’ve gone through the system,” Shachaf said. “I’m glad I get to do my part to help.”
(07/29/10 12:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ashlie Webster is a local celebrity — and local royalty. Webster competed against 32 other girls and came out victorious, winning the title of 2010 Monroe County Fair Queen last Saturday. Since then, locals cannot help but gape at the girl wearing the crown and sash.But Webster was a resident of Bloomington before the glamour. The 18-year-old, who recently graduated from Bloomington High School South, will be studying elementary education in the fall at Ivy Tech Community College. The IDS spoke with Webster to find out what it’s like to be Monroe County royalty.IDS: What made you want to participate in the Miss Monroe County Queen competition?Webster: The fair has always been a big part of my family and my life. I’ve been involved in the 4-H Swine Club for four years, and I was a part of Beef Club for one year. I just love being out here, and I really wanted to have the chance to represent Monroe County.IDS: As Fair Queen, what are your responsibilities?Webster: I have to appear at every event and pass out ribbons. I have to greet everyone. I have to make sure everything is going smoothly, and I have to make sure there is someone at each event to represent the Court.IDS: What has been your favorite part of the fair?Webster: I enjoyed passing out ribbons at the Swine Show because I’m a part of the Swine Show, and it was really cool to do that. I love little kids. My church has a pre-school, and I work with 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds.IDS: What are some of the perks of the job?Webster: Just having little girls look up to you and being their role model is a huge perk. Being able to drive the car, the VW Bug Convertible, is nice. Getting free cinnamon rolls is a huge plus, and so is getting into every event and getting into the pits.IDS: Do you mind the hot and humid weather?Webster: Not at all. This is pretty good weather compared to how it could be.
(07/22/10 12:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>One foot forward, and Eric Beba’s mind goes back in time.With each step 29-year-old Beba takes on his approximately 1,.000-mile journey from Savannah, Ga., to Chicago, he recalls his earlier years living in Burkina Faso.When Beba was 7 years old, his father died while fighting in the Burkina Faso military. After his father’s death, Beba’s life became even more difficult. Living within the walls of a three-bedroom house in the village of Bobo-Dioulasso were more than 15 family members from his mother’s side. Though Beba said his family was better off than many others, they were still poor.Still, Beba admitted he was lucky: He had two meals a day, simple holiday celebrations, a pair of shoes and clothes to wear.“I was really poor,” Beba said, “but I was happy. But it was not an easy life.”It is not his strength or stamina that keeps him walking.It is Africa.“It is my heart bringing me there, not my feet,” Beba said.With only 200 miles left after a stop in Bloomington until Tuesday, Beba has averaged about 35 miles a day since June 7, trudging from 5 a.m. to midnight — making it evident that heat and a bad ankle have yet to slow Beba down.Mental strengthWith nothing more than a backpack, walking sticks, water, an iPod playing K’naan’s song “Waving Flag,” his favorite meal (the Whopper) and a piece of cloth reading “Peace and Hope in Africa” pinned to his backpack shoulder straps, Beba is making his way to the Windy City.The journey might not always be easy — he has been exposed to threats of gunshot and bears — but to Beba it is well worth it.Once a gun was pointed toward Beba because of a misunderstanding. What Beba thought was a 24-hour store was actually a house, and the owner thought Beba was attempting to break in.And while in Tennessee, Beba had to walk through mountains, and when a local told him bears were around, he became frightened for his safety as he made his way through late at night.A walk that turned into a mountain climb was no simple physical task: His right ankle was weaker during the earlier parts of the walk. It was walking sticks that carried him for some of the time.“It is more mental than physical,” Beba said. “Mentally, I just forget about how bad it is.”Even though Beba had these unpleasant experiences, he said they were isolated incidents. As soon as Beba takes a step into a new town, he instantly becomes an anomaly and creates a stir. He said that he has received screams, horn blows and has had his photo taken with admirers.But it is not the fleeting fame that Beba appreciates most. It is the kindness of strangers. Beba said that he has been offered places to sleep — hotels and churches — as well as food and water. Through his journey, Beba has learned of church mission trips to Africa and Haiti.And it is this altruism that continuously inspires Beba to help the people of Africa.“A person will not work hard if they don’t see close results,” Beba said. “My example is — if a guy is walking on a highway and he does not see anything, he will start walking slow. But if he sees a sign he will speed up. Or lights. Or a roof. I have to show my African people that hope is so close, but you just need to get there. I just need to show them the way.”Needs of his peopleBeba said he wants the people of Africa — specifically those of Burkina Faso — to change their mind-set, realize their full potential and have more hope.“The people of Africa have several handicaps,” Beba said. “We are slaves of our own mind. We think the government should change the country, and we think that our individual efforts are not going to be much.”About four years ago, 70 percent of people in Burkina Faso remained uneducated, Beba said, and more than money and prayers are needed — priorities must change.Beba was fortunate. He set foot on American soil Dec. 28, 2004. Before coming to the U.S., he traveled to Ghana to practice and study English. He came to the U.S. thanks to his mother. The Burkina Faso government gave his family compensation money for his father’s death, and his mother put nearly all of the money toward his education.But Beba did not always do all he could to receive an education. While in Burkina Faso, he was expelled from school. He went away to boarding school, but when he came back to town, he wanted to catch up with his friends and party. School was not his No. 1 priority, and even his mother gave up on him, he said.“I took school for granted,” Beba said. “Once I got to America, then everything has changed. I have a different perspective now. I’ve met some people that have really inspired me. And I realized, ‘Wow, this is your last shot.’ I want to go all the way to the top as high as I possibly can.”Now education is one of Beba’s main focuses for Burkina Faso. He and his mother are to set up a school in their village of Bobo-Dioulasso in October free of charge. Public schools in Burkina Faso cost $20, a price many residents can’t afford, Beba said. He also said a school building is not even needed. A teacher paid $20 to $50, some shade and children yearning for knowledge are the only necessities to make this school a success, Beba said.He hopes to start an organization, which he calls “an African Peace Corps,” that would encourage people to volunteer in their own country. He said that through his organization, jobs will be created, children will be taught and hospitals will be built.“We need people to love their country,” Beba said. “We will do a lot of things for Africa, for America and for world peace. ... The plan covers a lot, but yes, I can.”With so many goals and ideas, Beba will need some help to make this all possible, including support from his family and friends in America and Africa. But the person he wants to help him the most is none other than Oprah Winfrey.“She has enough money to help out,” Beba said. “And she does a great job. She is really influential, and I love her.”And with his passion, he hopes that he is destined to reach Chicago, get Oprah’s attention and help his people.Only dedicationBut before doing all that, Beba made a stop in Bloomington to stay with his friends, Teresa Lynch and Nicholas Matthews.Lynch was Beba’s neighbor at Armstrong Atlantic State University, where Beba is getting his master’s in information technology. When she found out about Beba’s long trek, she told him he must stop to rest at her apartment in Bloomington.“He is so passionate and very sincere,” Lynch said. “He has such a positive attitude.”“It’s infectious,” Matthews said.Beba had talked about walking from Savannah to Chicago for a year before posting it on Facebook.But once he posted it, Lynch knew he would go through with it — which concerned her.“I knew he was dedicated and would do it,” Lynch said, “but I was worried he wouldn’t physically be able to make it. But with only 200 miles left, it is clear he will.”Though Lynch and Matthews are supportive of his efforts, many people, including some of his own family members, do not have faith that he can accomplish all of his goals.“The people in my village did not even believe in me,” Beba said. “They were already laughing at me when I set out to walk to Chicago, but I believe that now they have changed their minds.”But his optimistic attitude keeps him walking and makes people notice him, Lynch said. “Whenever he talks, it is so uplifting and sincere that you can’t help but be interested,” Lynch said. “He is the first person I have listened to speak for six to seven hours.”Even though people from Africa to America might doubt him, Beba’s mission can’t be stopped.“I am not playing,” Beba said. “In 2010, the mission will be the biggest thing in the world. We will not fail. What I will do will be even crazier.”
(07/11/10 11:42pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Community School Corporation’s teachers union gathered for an impromptu meeting at 8 a.m., just before its 8:30 a.m. Teacher Appreciation breakfast.“In five minutes we found out we were losing everything,” said Steve Philbeck, Bloomington High School North ethnic studies teacher and Spell Bowl supervisor. “We had a half-hour to digest everything.”The meeting was planned to discuss the MCCSC budget cuts. Teachers were given two choices: save the jobs of most of the district’s librarians or preserve extracurricular stipends for about 400 positions.“I could have been blown over, I was so shocked,” said Kathleen Mills, Bloomington High School South newspaper adviser and English teacher. “I don’t like how the union handled it. We had 30 minutes to discuss what was in our contract and vote.”If the teachers did not relinquish the stipends they received for extracurricular activities, all but one librarian from each MCCSC school would be gone, Philbeck said. And MCCSC administrators wanted to be able to afford media specialists in the hope of improving literacy rates, Thrasher said.After the half-hour had passed, the teachers were served their Teacher Appreciation breakfast.“I may have lost my $3,200, but I got some pitchin’ omelets,” said Ryan Gunterman, Bloomington High School North English and journalism teacher and newspaper and yearbook supervisor.“And all the coffee and orange juice you can drink,” Philbeck added. “You felt appreciated, didn’t you?”More work, less pay“The last month and a half was not fun,” Philbeck said.By the end of the year, more than 100 teachers received reduction-in-force notices, which meant teachers who did not have seniority were temporarily out of work.Teachers were afraid of facing reduction-in-force or being laid off. Mills said overall she felt as if she had job security because she had greater seniority than others, but some days she felt unsure about her position.MCCSC Comptroller Tim Thrasher said 43 staff members accepted retirement incentives as well, which made the process easier.Gunterman and Philbeck said they saw a teacher who was told she was laid off during their lunch break and then had to face her class.Aside from not being paid for extracurricular activities, teachers are no longer receiving yearly pay raises except for automatic 2 percent raises for teachers in the district fewer than 16 years. Philbeck said their salaries are already below the cost of living.The average salary for teachers at Bloomington High School South is $51,226, while the average salary of teachers at Bloomington High School North is $49,188, according to the Indiana Department of Education.With a smaller staff, the MCCSC has to compensate for its losses. While the teachers’ salaries are decreasing, their responsibilities are increasing.In Bloomington High School North, the student-to-teacher ratio will go from 27-to-1 to 32-to-1. Philbeck teaches many required classes, and some of them will go over the 32-to-1 ratio. In fact, Philbeck said he has already been promised that his average class size will be 40. Several years ago, Gunterman recalls he had 40 to 45 students in one of his classes, and students were sitting on the floor.With more students, Philbeck might have to change the tests and assignments he gives out to his classes. Scantrons, which he said are not a valid form of education to him, might be necessary with large classes.Philbeck said with larger class sizes, some students will get lost and the teachers will not be able to give some the individual attention students need and deserve.No thanks, no stipendAbout 400 MCCSC faculty members will be affected by the extracurricular budget cuts.Philbeck has only received monetary reimbursement for the Spell Bowl, but he has also helped with the speech team, African-American and Latino student organizations, Brain Game and “Philbeck’s Phriday Phlicks,” where he serves snacks and watches movies with his students.He said he used to justify all that he does with the $1,500 stipend he received for being Spell Bowl supervisor — actions he can no longer execute.“We were grossly underpaid anyway,” Philbeck said. “By eliminating our stipend, no matter how small, my employers are showing me that your time is not a big deal. We bust our butts and we don’t even get a thank-you, but at least we used to get the stipend.”But the teachers are put in a difficult situation. If they do the extra work, they work for free. But if teachers no longer supervise, they will disappoint the people they care about most: their students.“If we say we aren’t doing it, then we are bad and greedy teachers, but if we still do, then we are called chumps,” Philbeck said. “The teachers can’t win. ... If I was wealthy I would do it for free, but we can’t feed our kids on good intentions.”Philbeck’s students were already concerned about not going to State competitions for the Spell Bowl. When asked if there will still be Spell Bowl, Philbeck responded by saying, “I just don’t know.”But most likely, Philbeck said, teachers will continue their work without any compensation.“We are almost all going to do what we do,” Philbeck said. “The kids expect us to go to the Spell Bowl. How can I look at them seriously and tell them we are not going to be going to Spell Bowl next year?”Mills was paid a stipend of $1,800 a year for the extra time she puts into the newspaper. But although that money has disappeared, she said she can’t imagine not doing it.With all of the work she puts into the newspaper, she said she could be spending more time with her young children.Mission (im)possible As for the referendum that will go on November’s ballot, Philbeck, Gunterman and Mills are wary that it will not pass.Philbeck said he is worried Bloomington residents will not support the referendum if it is on the ballot because residents will have to pay higher taxes — even though the tax raise will be minuscule.According to the MCCSC Referendum Information website, a property tax increase of less than $100 per year for the average Monroe County household would be necessary to raise the $7.5 million revenue goal.However, only about 20 percent of the Monroe County population has a child in the MCCSC, which means much of the population might not necessarily care about the MCCSC financial situation, Gunterman said.But if the referendum does not pass, Bloomington could lose its competitive edge in more than just sports.“If we keep making cuts, then Bloomington can possibly become a less attractive place,” Thrasher said. “If we pass the referendum, then we could have smaller class sizes. The viability and attractiveness can have an impact on the community.”‘A high price to pay’MCCSC currently has 10,700 students — including part-time kindergarten students — in the district, Thrasher said. However, MCCSC has lost 350 students during the past two years because of about 150 students attending a new charter school, students moving and overall demographic changes and economic difficulties, Thrasher said.Indiana government policies have also affected MCCSC’s financial situation.Ninety-four percent of the school district’s general fund is sponsored by state sources and is no longer supported by local property taxes. However, Thrasher said property taxes are more reliable sources of revenue. This year, MCCSC lost $3 million in revenue, and Thrasher said he is concerned similar budget cuts will occur in 2011. Gov. Mitch Daniels made the decision to cut state education funding by $300 million in December as a response to state tax revenues.But MCCSC will not be dealing with the budget cuts alone. The Foundation of Monroe County Community Schools has a goal to raise $750,000 by Aug. 1 so the MCCSC teachers can keep their extracurricular stipends. The foundation has raised more than $140,000 so far by reaching out to parents as well as the whole community, said Tina Peterson, the foundation’s executive director.On Saturday, the foundation put on a phone-a-thon to ask alumni for support. Other events, including an ice cream social and a golf tournament, are planned for this month to help raise money.“It changed the urgency of our mission,” Peterson said.In 2009, MCCSC ranked 240 out of 293 public school corporations in funding per pupil, placing MCCSC in the bottom 20 percent in funding for Indiana school systems with regard to the general fund.Thrasher said general state funding allots $5,825 for each pupil. He also said that because the MCCSC tax rate is low, the school corporation suffers from a lack of state funding — a fact the MCCSC will use to gain momentum for the referendum.“This works in our favor,” Thrasher said. “I hope people can say, ‘Well, I can pay more because I want my community to have more.’”Thrasher said the whole situation has been draining on him and the entire community.“We have a number of excellent teachers who were in danger of losing their jobs,” Thrasher said. “The referendum has the potential to impact the lives of the students in school right now.”If the referendum does not pass, the opportunities available at MCCSC schools will become more and more scarce.“It is a high price to pay if the referendum does not pass,” Thrasher said.
(06/17/10 12:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If Bloomington smells good enough to eat, that’s because it is. The 28th annual Taste of Bloomington will take place from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday at the Showers Common at the Corner of Seventh and Morton streets. Admission is $6 and free for children 12 and under. Food items at each of the vendors can cost between $1 and $3. Along with food, the event will also feature live music and children’s activities. Thirty-five restaurants are participating in this year’s Taste — some old, some new. Seven restaurants — including Rumba Cafe, Monroe County Pizza and SOBON — are participating in the event for the first time this year. But some restaurants such as Kilroy’s on Kirkwood, King Gyros and Trojan Horse are Taste veterans, said Talisha Coppock, Executive Director of Downtown Bloomington Inc.Chris Marshall, one of the kitchen managers at Trojan Horse, said the Taste gets a restaurant’s name out to the public. “It is a lot of fun,” Marshall said. “You get to enjoy other food as well as the community.” Trojan Hourse will be serving its gyros, hummus and baklava. “We’ve got the best gyros,” Marshall said. “We’ve got damn good food.”Each year, there is a 10 percent increase in attendance, Coppock said. Last year, around 9,000 people attended, he said. The vendors must be equipped for the weather and large crowd. FARMbloomington has participated in the event twice, and each year ran out of food, manager James Lewis said. “We are coming better prepared this year,” he said. FARMbloomington will be serving many items, including its mango iced tea.“For a hot day, we are serving items that are on the chill side,” Lewis said.
(06/10/10 4:13pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU does a lot to keep its students safe, but students must do their part as well. The residence halls at IU have many safety features. After 12 a.m. the entrances to the residence halls are locked, and students can only enter the building with a key card. Some people wish to enter the building during late hours but don’t have a key card with them. Students might want to be helpful, but they should not allow those late-comers in, said Bill Shipton, director of student residential programs and services and judicial officer for the campus judicial system. The key-card system is very high-tech. Swiping a key-card can determine when a student has entered the residence hall or room. “This may seem Big Brother-ish,” Shipton said, “but it really helps to keep track of missing students.” Cameras in and around the residence halls serve the same purpose, Shipton said. Resident assistants and police officers go on rounds to ensure that students are being safe late at night and during the early mornings. Many students think rounds are meant to get them in trouble, but it is really to benefit them, Shipton said. Students, however, will get in trouble if they are found participating in illicit activities.The campus is well lit around the residence halls and parking lot, Shipton said. However, if a student is having a bad experience while walking around campus —during the day time or at night — he can get the IU Police Department to come his way without even calling them. Emergency stations around campus contact the IUPD and flash a blue light when a student pushes the button, Shipton said.
(06/09/10 11:23pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hoosier Hills Food Bank depends on its volunteers to distribute food to the hungry, and the volunteers do not go unrecognized. Hoosier Hills Food Bank honored its standout volunteers and partners Tuesday night at the fourth annual Hunger Recognition Awards Ceremony.The event honored Bloomington Hospital, Mother’s Cupboard, Stranger’s Hill Organics, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., volunteer T.J. Deckard and the Soup Bowl Organizing Committee. HHFB is an organization that provides food to other agencies so they can distribute it to people in need. “Collaborating with other agencies is the hallmark of what we do,” HHFB Executive Director Julio Alonso said. In 2009, the organization distributed more than 3 million pounds of food. And each agency and individual involved — the organization boasts 1,700 volunteers — helps HHFB fulfill its job. Lugar was honored for developing the “Hoosiers Fighting Hunger” statewide food drive, in which Kroger, Walmart and Marsh worked together to help collect about 12,000 pounds of food for the food banks of Indiana.Unable to attend the ceremony, Lugar had Mark Doud, a representative from his Indianapolis office, read a letter addressed to Alonso, honorees and guests. In his letter, Lugar thanked HHFB for the honor and praised the organization for all it has accomplished. Lugar also said he will remain committed to fighting hunger.“Please know that I will continue to play an active role in supporting legislation that makes feeding hungry people a priority,” he wrote. “As the Senate prepares to consider legislation that include a variety of tax extensions, I am working with my colleagues to include an extension of the Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive that would allow farmers and small business owners to receive a tax deduction for donating food products to food banks, pantries and homeless shelters.”The Soup Bowl Benefit also helps HHFB meet its goal. The annual event at the Bloomington Monroe County Convention Center gets artisans to donate soup bowls and restaurants to donate a variety of soups, and people purchase tickets to enjoy the pottery, soup, music and entertainment. The event raised more than $80,000 in its 16th year, which directly benefits the agency.HHFB has many community partners, including Stranger’s Hill Organics. At first, Stranger’s Hill Organics had HHFB participate in gleaning, in which volunteers select produce that could not be given to stores — for reasons such as bruising — but is still good enough to eat. Jessica Williams, garden and gleaning programs coordinator for HHFB, said the owners of the land were happy to see the produce they couldn’t sell go to a good cause. Although seconds are great, Williams said, the owners of Stranger’s Hill Organics offered HHFB half an acre of unused land to grow its own produce. The farm owners will be increasing the amount of land reserved for HHFB so the organization can continue to grow its own food. In 2009, the garden’s first year, it yielded 5,600 pounds of organic vegetables.Many organizations assist each other within Monroe County, including the food pantry and food bank Mother’s Cupboard in Brown County. “Partner agencies link to everything we do,” HHFB Assistant Director Dan Taylor said. “Mother’s Cupboard is not a big place, but they do big things.”Mother’s Cupboard provides one free meal every day aside from Thanksgiving Day, and it would not be able to do so without HHFB, its main food source, said Mother’s Cupboard Director Jan Metz. As Metz and Shirley Travelstead, a member of the Mother’s Cupboard board of directors, accepted the awards, Travelstead began to cry.“I count it a blessing to be a volunteer here,” Travelstead said. “People can come in hungry and receive food, and we do it with no questions asked.”
(05/27/10 12:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Brooke Dorsett was crowned 2010 500 Festival Queen on Saturday, May 22, instead of crying, she had to hold in her laughter. She was in a state of shock.“I didn’t intend for my name to be called,” Dorsett said. Mario Andretti, 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner, placed the crown on her head. Dorsett, standing at 5 feet, 7 inches, is taller than Andretti, and she accidently said, “I guess I have to bend down.” Her bangs also got in the way during her crowning. Andretti tried to fix them, but only disarranged them further. Dorsett said she is no pageant queen. “There is no talent competition,” Dorsett said, “and there is no swimsuit portion. If there was, I wouldn’t be doing this.” She became a part of the 500 Festival Princess Program to network and make contacts with people who can have an influence on her career, Dorsett said. The princesses are ambassadors for the 500 Festival and Indianapolis 500. Dorsett was involved in sports, including softball and basketball, throughout her childhood. Many people who knew her were surprised she would be involved in the 500 Festival Princess Program, but her family knew she liked its competitive edge.“My family has been going nuts,” Dorsett said. “Since I have been in sports my whole life, they have the motto that you either win or lose. You play good or you play bad. And they do enjoy the VIP access.” The 500 Festival Princess Program receives about 250 applications, Dorsett said. The pool decreases to 66 participants and of those, 33 Festival Princesses are selected. Dorsett is the 2010 500 Festival Queen, while Lauren Mummert, a doctorate student in dental surgery at the IU School of Dentistry, and Katie Fox, a senior at the University of St. Francis majoring in computer graphics design, are the 2010 Princess Court members.“It is called ‘the most prestigious sorority,’ since only 33 girls are selected,” Dorsett said. Many girls apply for the program ahead of time, but not Dorsett. Participants are able to apply for the program a year in advance, and many women turn their applications six months before the due date. Dorsett turned in her application the day before it was due.“I kept debating about applying because I didn’t know if I had the time for it,” Dorsett said. “But I knew I would be so mad at myself if I didn’t. ... It all worked out, and it was so worth it.” This is the first time Dorsett applied for the program. It is rare for someone to become Festival Queen the first time she participates in the program. The past two Festival Queens were crowned the third time they participated in the 500 Festival Princess Program, Dorsett said.Last week, however, Dorsett was not receiving royal treatment — she was taking her board exams to complete her associate degree from the IU School of Dentistry, where she majored in dental hygiene and public health. “The past few weeks, I have just been studying,” Dorsett said. “Everything has just been a whirlwind.” Now that she has received a $2500 educational scholarship, Dorsett said she is considering going back to school to get her bachelor’s in dental hygiene. The week before the crowning, Dorsett had to take a clinical exam, performing on a patient who fit specific requirements, and her patient canceled the night before her exam, said Aja Janet Huerkamp, Dorsett’s Princess partner. Huerkamp acted as Dorsett’s mentor throughout the program because she once was a 500 Festival Princess herself. “That would have sent me over the edge,” Huerkamp said. “She went with it. She said, ‘It will work out, and it will be fine.’ She has a constant ability to work and smile through it.”Her traits are exactly what a 500 Festival Queen’s should be, Huerkamp said. “The Princesses and the Queen are supposed to be bright about everything,” Huerkamp said. “Her extra-bubbly personality makes her special.”
(05/23/10 11:54pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Becca Lanter will be remembered for her compassionate heart, her smile and her fun-loving personality.A memorial in honor of Lanter took place Sunday at the Student Recreational Services Center, where Lanter worked.Susie Mahoney, assistant director of informal sports and equipment operations, helped organize the event with assistance from Lanter’s best friend, Dylan Hollenberg, and roommates Cheyanne Milner and Alyssa Kettler. “She was close with a lot of student employees,” Mahoney said. “She was fun and energetic and had a hallmark personality. She connected with a lot of people.”For the memorial, her friends helped compile a slideshow of pictures showing Lanter making funny faces and posing with her friends. Friends, co-workers and family had a chance to share their memories of Lanter, and many told humorous anecdotes. It was clear her workplace had become another home. “She was a member of our Sports Rec family,” said one of Lanter’s bosses, Emily Ward. Whitney King had similar shifts with Lanter and used the “radio in ways you are not supposed to.” King said she would frequently have to calm down rowdy men who were getting into fights and would page Lanter for backup.“Becca would come there, and I would ask her the game plan,” King said. “And she would say, ‘We’re both very small and very pretty, but we dominate this gym, and we are the ones that should be in charge.’ She’s amazing.” J’Koi Hailstock, one of her co-workers, said that he was always astounded by how much Lanter could talk and how she always listened to — and truly cared about — her customers. “Becca was always serving the participants,” Halistock said. “If someone was having a bad day, she would listen to all of their problems. I couldn’t tell her to stop talking to the participants because she was not talking about her life — they were talking to her about their life.” Lanter went above and beyond her day-to-day required tasks. She became friends with the people she served. “Becca would see us when we were half-beat to hell and she would always say hi,” IU swim team member Titus Knight said. “Seeing Becca’s smiling face would pick us all up. ... As a team, we will miss her.” Hollenberg wrote and read a personal document he had written for Lanter titled “Becca Lanter — Hurts So Good.” “So what is it about this girl that was so special?” he wrote. “Was it her booming laugh? The laugh that could turn every head in the room from the way her gasps echoed? Or was it the way she could make the people she was with extremely uncomfortable by ACTUALLY doing the things everyone was thinking but was afraid to do?” Paul Young, one of Lanter’s best friends at IU, sang a song he wrote for the memorial while playing his guitar. “But I’m not ready to give up my favorite girl,” he sang. “Who’s gonna be there when I need a smile? Who’s gonna push me to go that extra mile?” During the memorial, a video excerpt was shown of Lanter performing “A Story of Reality-x3,” a poem she performed at an Open Mic Night at BuffaLouie’s. While Lanter performed, she had attitude one might not expect from a small-town girl. Her roommates and Emma Markley, Lanter’s best friend since they were 10, read her eleven-page poem at the memorial. “They think I am so sweet, so nice, have a car, apartment, a pretty good life. Just a small-town girl who always does right. Who’s naive and has never seen the struggle of life? Yeah right!” During her spoken-word performance, Lanter shared her personal thoughts, stories and struggles. “Prove everyone wrong, who expected me to fall. I graduated fourth in my class, it wasn’t easy — I busted my ass. ... I feel I am the lucky, yes lucky! I haven’t been deprived, because now put me through ANYTHING and I’ll survive. My struggles are not my weaknesses — they are my strength. My hard times I will forever thank.” From personal anecdotes of her friends and family, Lanter seemed to stay true to the belief that nothing was as bad as it seemed.While attempting to camp out for a Dave Matthews Band concert, Lanter kept a positive attitude though she and her friends had to walk for miles carrying many materials. While her friends complained, Lanter kept everything more upbeat by telling them how much fun they would have.“Whenever we spent any time together, it was awesome,” Markley said. “It couldn’t be any better. That’s what she would have said.” Although the camping trip and walk was difficult, Markley and Lanter’s good friend Sarah Smith would do it all over again, tenfold, to get their friend back. “I would carry a house now if I had to,” Markley said.
(05/13/10 12:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington police are investigating the second armed robbery in two months that occurred at the CVS Pharmacy located at 2701 E. 3rd St.Officers were dispatched to the store at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday after receiving a report that the store and pharmacy had just been robbed. The CVS employees said three suspects entered the store. Two stopped to confront the employees near the cash registers, and one suspect went directly to the pharmacy. The pharmacist was confronted by one suspect who was holding what was described as a dark-colored semi-automatic handgun.The pharmacist was ordered to retrieve various drugs including OxyContin and Percocet, and he placed them in a bag. Two employees at the front of the store were led at gunpoint to the store’s safe, where an undisclosed amount of money was removed. Money was also taken from an employee’s wallet. The weapon used by the suspect was described as an Uzi-style firearm. “I’m purely speculating,” said Captain Joe Qualter of the Bloomington Police Department. “I assume they want money or drugs, or they want the money they could get from selling the drugs.” Once the drugs and money were obtained by the suspects, all employees were ordered to the ground and instructed not to get up. “I’m sure they were frightened,” Qualter said. “Most people don’t get stared down by the barrel of a weapon.”The suspects then fled the store and the last witness observed them running northeast toward Barnes and Noble Bookstore.No injuries occurred during the robbery. As to why this CVS is vulnerable to armed robberies, Qualter said, it might have to do with the store being open 24 hours. Qualter said it is easier to commit such crimes during the late and early hours when traffic in the store isn’t as heavy. The armed robbery that occurred at around 2:30 a.m. on March 17 and the current armed robbery show “no indication that the two events are connected,” Qualter said. All of the suspects were described as black men in their late teens or early 20s. The first suspect was described as having dreadlocks or braids, wearing black pants and a black-and-white striped hooded sweatshirt and holding a black handgun. The second suspect was described as having a large Afro, wearing a light blue button-up shirt with gray or light tan pants and using a handgun.The third suspect was described as having dreadlocks or a hair weave, wearing black pants and a dark blue hooded sweatshirt with white lettering. He was seen holding an Uzi-style firearm.All of the suspects appeared to be wearing white vinyl or latex gloves.According to the City of Bloomington Police Department’s new release, a man who walked into the store just prior to the incident, looked around and then left, is considered a “person of interest.” Anyone with information should contact the Bloomington Police Department at 339-4477.“We are following on the leads we received, but that being said, we encourage people to continue calling if they have any information,” Qualter said.
(05/10/10 12:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Melissa Ann Cook and Crystal Sullivan are ga-ga for Lady Gaga and Middle Way House.The Lady Gagas, a cover band that sings the artist’s hits, performed Saturday at The Bishop. All of the proceeds from the event went to the Middle Way House, an organization that assists women who have been victims of domestic abuse. “We wanted to choose an organization that benefits the women in our community,” Cook, a member of the Lady Gagas, said. “And what could be a better charity than Middle Way House?” The duo did not inform Middle Way House about their event.“We didn’t want them to feel like they had to get involved,” Cook said. Cook said Gaga represents a strong female persona and that is why she admires her.“She is fabulous,” Cook said. “She is absolutely in control of her own business and not a pop princess.”She also admires Gaga’s confidence because “she does not care what people think.”Many people in the crowd came out to support the duo and the cause and wanted a chance to impersonate the pop star.Ashley Bayer and Emily Jimmerson dressed up for the event — which took time, preparation and creativity. Bayer wore a red dress with cut-up tutus on her shoulders and made a mask of mini mirrors, while Jimmerson wanted to channel the “punk Lady Gaga” and glued studs to her black dress. “I think it is a really good cause,” Bayer said. “Lady Gaga represents a lot of women. She is a feminist symbol. ... It is an event for women, by women.” Cook said being Gaga is no easy task. During their performance of “Paparazzi,” Sullivan rehashed Gaga’s Video Music Awards performance by getting fake blood on her white dress and face. However, the “blood” got into her eye, and she had to make a quick exit from the stage and change the sequence of numbers they were performing. Sullivan joked about the situation, saying “I think I got some blood in my water” while taking a sip. The duo stayed true to Gaga by going through various costume changes.Sullivan first wore an outfit covered in stuffed animals and Beanie Babies, while Cook wore knee-high boots, fishnet tights and a long-haired wig. During the performance, Sullivan changed into a sequined, sparkly dress and then into a white dress. Cook then changed into a black romper with a gold belt around her waist, complete with heels and fishnets and a new short ’do. She also wore a full-piece transparent lingerie-esque outfit with x’s strategically placed, along with a sequined silver miniskirt. The duo also had a dance sequence with “disco sticks” for their performance of the song “LoveGame” and sequenced fist-pumps and awkward dance steps, portraying Gaga in their performance of “Telephone.” “The dancing part was hard because we are not trained in singing and dancing,” Cook said. Another obstacle was that Sullivan was in a bad bike wreck a month ago and couldn’t practice for a week. The duo practiced every week for two to three months. The event opened with the Bloomington Burlesque Brigade. Burlesque is a flirtatious and comedic art form that often features a strip tease. Cook said she is a burlesque dancer-in-training and that she enjoys burlesque because it is “glamorous, beautiful and over-the-top.” “I love any opportunity to be in my underwear,” Cook said.
(04/13/10 12:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gym rats, workaholics, couch potatoes, and over-achievers — label them how you will, we all know a few.Motivation is a matter of rewards and punishments, says professor Preston Garraghty, who teaches a class called the Psychology of Motivation. People seek to maximize pleasure and minimize pain, he says.“If a student comes into my office and says ‘I studied for five hours and still did poorly on the exam,’ in their eyes they were punished,” he says. “Their effort later on may go down.”Garraghty calls on the most basic biological motivations. If a person is hungry, they will eat. Similarly, if a person wants a degree from IU, they must recognize the goal and how they will reach it. Whether or not they stay on track depends on how much they value the goal.“I think kids get their aspirations largely from their parents, a little from their peers, and some from their teachers,” he says. “Ultimately, if parents don’t instill in their children a value of education, they’re not going to value it.”Garraghty stresses that there is no clear explanation for an individual’s motivation. Yet one thing is for sure, something drives us all.Jen PetersonKeeping busy is second nature for junior Jen Peterson.On top of a full course load, she has managed to work between 40 and 50 hours a week. She works between 15 and 25 hours a week at Pitaya on Kirkwood Avenue.She took a break from her waitressing job at Puccini’s La Dolce Vita, where she worked about 20 hours a week, and replaced it with the iUnity campaign.With all of these obligations, she still finds time to be an active member of Alpha Gamma Delta.Peterson does not have to work to have money. Her parents support her financially, but she says she wants “to be able to prove to my family that I know the value of a dollar.” When she was jobless for one month during the summer, her parents told her not to worry about finding a new one. But Peterson says she needed to do something. And that’s when she decided one job would not suffice and decided to work two.With all her earnings, Peterson jokes that she puts it into the Kilroy’s fund. She says she likes being able to do something without asking her parents for help. “It’s nice to know that if I needed to support myself, I could,” Peterson says. “It gives me more freedom and I am able to claim independence.”Brian BollingerMany students cringe at the thought of math equations and graphs, but junior Brian Bollinger jumps at the opportunity to play with numbers.Bollinger saw an opportunity to create a new organization, the Kelley Portfolio Management Club, at the Kelley School of Business.Members invest real money into the stock market. At meetings, members pitch their ideas in groups in hopes of carrying them out, but they don’t always work.Bollinger worked on a start-up Web-based company, but after working hundreds of unpaid hours this summer, the Web site fell through. This taste of failure spurred him forward.“If you are just going to give up after doing something wrong the first time, then there really is no hope for you,” he says. “It’s learning through those mistakes in order to excel to the next level.”Kyle SwinfordJunior Kyle Swinford is not on an athletic team. He is not training for a weight-lifting competition or a marathon. In fact, he has trouble thinking of short-term goals that push him to exercise regularly. He’s more of a long-term guy, just hoping to look good and stay healthy.That’s why he spends 12-13 hours a week pumping iron and working up a sweat at the gym.“When you strip everything away — all your distractions, school, family — all you really have is yourself, your body,” Swinford says. “The longer you take care of your body, the longer you’ll live.”For Swinford, it’s a simple matter of prioritizing. Working out comes before school and sleep in his mind.“I simply derive my motivation from doing the right thing,” he says. “To stay in shape. To eat right. To help my fellow man. I want to look back on my life and be proud of the things I did and the things I accomplished.”Sam SpaiserYou won’t see junior Sam Spaiser chowing on Pizza X at 3 a.m.He is on a low-fat raw vegan diet. Spaiser eats about 3,000 calories a day, which consist of sweet fruits and leafy greens.Spaiser says he chose this lifestyle because he wanted to be at his optimal health.“I didn’t want to survive,” he says, “I wanted to thrive.”He also exercises at least one hour a day by doing gymnastics or training in the park when the weather is nice.He tries to do some sort of physical activity before he eats because he says humans should work for their food.“When chimpanzees want to eat, they go get it.”Spaiser says that eating this way is easy to do. Sometimes he’ll eat 30 bananas in a day.But typically Spaiser varies his diet. He says there are about 150 fruits out there and he says he has “never eaten so many different types of foods” prior to this diet.Spaiser is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. His degree is called “An Evolutionary Perspective on Human Diet” through the Individualized Major Program. He is researching anatomical reasons for why certain foods are better for humans than others.This past summer he lived on a self-sustainable community in Hawaii and interned on a farm.“When you get rid of all of the distractions, you can enjoy and see things you might look past,” he says. “It’s like no strings attached. Everyone deserved to live care-free for at least a month.”Spaiser’s grocery receipt10 heads of organic lettuce30 lbs. bananas38 lbs. red navel orangesTypical meal 1:1 to 2 lbs. dates (preferably moist barhis from the Date People)2 cucumbers (sliced, with a date placed on each slice)Typical meal 2:15 to 20 oranges or tangelos (juiced)4 to 5 oranges or tangelos (juiced) blended with a few leafs of romaine lettuceromaine lettuce chopped into a bowl with a dressing of 1 to 2 juiced oranges or tangelos blended with 3 ounces avocado
(04/09/10 5:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junior Emily Nicholls painted her toenails with gold glitter nail polish and marked her feet with “1 DAY SHOE LESS” and the TOMS Shoes logo on the back of her ankles.Nicholls is one of the founders of the TOMS Shoes Club at IU and was promoting TOMS Shoes’ global event, “One Day Without Shoes.” TOMS Shoes is a company that donates one pair of shoes to children in developing countries for every pair of shoes sold. Many IU students participated throughout the day, and a campus walk took place at 6 p.m. that brought together approximately 50 barefoot students to walk as a group.Although Nicholls and her friend, sophomore Alaina Klene, went barefoot with style, they were helping to raise awareness that going barefoot is no glamorous feat.Klene, treasurer of TOMS Shoes Club at IU, went on a mission trip to Nicaragua. While she was there she said she realized the value of a pair of shoes.While Klene was in Nicaragua, she gave out clothes and shoes and said the children were thankful and happy to be receiving a simple pair of shoes.“A pair of shoes makes a difference in a child’s life,” Klene said. “The sad thing is, though, that a child’s foot does not stop growing.”As Nicholls and Klene went on a walk around campus, they shared tips for walking barefoot and swapped stories.Klene suggested that when walking in rocky areas such as the Arboretum, one should walk on the balls of his or her feet, while Nicholls said walking on the sides of her feet made it less painful.Nicholls said she had to walk slower than normal because she was constantly looking down every time she took her next step.Nicholls and Klene, on their approximately 50-minute walk around campus, had to overcome many obstacles: mud, pebbles, gravel, wood chips, litter, rocks and worms.As Nicholls was strolling around campus, she wiped a worm off her foot but just shrugged it off.“It’s OK, this morning in class my feet were full of worms,” Nicholls said. “I peeled three worms off my feet. I’m used to it.” She said her morning walk around the Arboretum was much worse because it was her first time walking barefoot and the weather was even cooler.“Hard tile never felt so good,” Nicholls said.During the campus walk, the large group of barefoot participants caused looks of utter horror and inquisition.A student across the street from the barefooted crowd yelled, “Why are you walking barefoot?”“It’s to raise awareness about kids growing up without shoes,” said Erica Schori, senior and founder of TOMS Shoes Club at IU.In developing countries, many children grow up barefoot, which puts them at a high risk for soil-transmitted diseases and cuts and sores.During the campus walk, participants did not hesitate to look down to the ground because they were not in a hurry to get anywhere, but graduate student Amy Carol Wolff said children in developing nations do not have that privilege.“As I was walking I thought about how if these kids need to go get food for their families they don’t have time to worry about what they are walking on,” Wolff said.Although the walk was relaxed and participants were chatting, everyone was committed to the cause. Schori said the event was an “eye opener.”But Nicholls said even though she walked barefoot all day, it was not comparable to people who must live barefoot from day to day.“I will never really understand what it is like to have to live barefoot,” Nicholls said. “I won’t ever know what it’s like to walk in storms and not be able to go back to my place in order to get warm and put on a pair of shoes.”
(04/07/10 3:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although we rarely associate words with genders outright in English, the subliminal associations can still have an impact.In languages like French and Spanish, when there is even just one man within a group of people, the pronoun that refers to the group is plural masculine. “That’s pure sexism,” said Richard Janda, a lecturer in linguistics.Phrases with sexist connotations We’ve all heard these phrases: “that’s so gay” and “stop being a pussy.”“That’s so gay” associates sexuality with stupidity, while “stop being a pussy” associates having female genitalia with being a wimp. Jen Maher, a senior lecturer in gender studies, said when a man is called “pussy,” he is feminized. The meaning behind the saying is that if the masculine body is to be penetrated, it is feminized.“That is the insult to other guys,” she said. The ultimate meaning of “gay” has changed over time. It went from meaning “happy” to meaning “homosexual.” The older generations can no longer say phrases such as “gay time” or “gay fellow” without people being confused by their meaning and drawing unwanted attention, Janda said. The negative connotation of the word will not change until “gay” is associated with something positive, such as intelligence, Jada said. “It’s a strange concept of linguistics,” Jada said. “If you want to kill the meaning of a word, use it all the time.” Culture affects language Remember when Ben Stiller’s character in “Meet the Parents” constantly gets criticized and laughed at by his in-laws because he is a male nurse?Why do we refer to Stiller’s character and others as “male nurses”? Nurses are stereotypically women, so we have to clarify that a nurse is a man or we assume that a woman is occupying that position. Can we change this? The answer is yes, but slowly.“In order to change things, you have to change the prototype,” Jada said. “It’s a two-way street. You can’t change language without changing the culture. Culture alters the way we look at language.” Does gender identification in language determine our interpretations of the objects?A recent study shows that people who are fluent in English but are native speakers of languages such as French, Spanish, Russian and German refer to objects as feminine or masculine depending on their native language. For example, “moon” is feminine in Spanish and Russian but masculine in German. Therefore, native speakers of Spanish would refer to the moon as a “she” and native German speakers would refer to it as “he.” And when asked to describe an object, different speakers used masculine or feminine characteristics depending on what gender the object is in their native language.For instance, if the word for “sun” is masculine, one might describe it as “powerful” and “threatening.” But if the word for “sun” is feminine, one might focus on its warming and nourishing qualities. Source: Sex, Syntax, and Semantics by Lera Boroditsky, Lauren A. Schmidt, and Webb Phillips.
(03/11/10 5:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nearly 100 years ago, 10 brave men chartered the now historically black fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi on IU’s campus.Originally named Kappa Alpha Nu, the fraternity was founded in January 1911. It is the only national fraternity — white, black or otherwise — founded at IU. It is also one of the first historically black fraternities to form on a predominantly white campus.Members of the national chapter came to visit IU this February to begin planning Founders’ Day, the centennial celebration of its founding at IU next January. As many as 800 Kappa alumni are expected to attend. “The founders of Kappa Alpha Psi paved the way for all students that came after them,” said Eric Love, director of the office of diversity education and one of the chapter’s advisers. “They didn’t initiate change just for Kappa Alpha Psi members. They initiated change on the IU campus and the community for all students of color.”The fraternity brothers took a tour of places on the IU campus that are significant to their fraternity’s history. They call this the Kappa Trail and hope to mark each location’s historical importance.“We are at home,” said Richard Snow, executive director of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. “This is where we were born.”Their first stop was what used to be the Alpha chapter’s home on the IU campus.Although the Kappa members have lived in various houses throughout the years, the IU Foundation and police station building on 17th Street and Jordan Avenue was the first house IU officially recognized. It was Herman B Wells’ wish that the Kappa house connect with fraternity row, not isolated from the rest of campus. Members lived in the house from 1962 to 1995. In 1996, the Kappas moved out due to low membership, expensive repairs and lack of funds.Several generations of Kappa Alpha Psi brothers stood in awe of their former home, many taking pictures.One of the group’s other stops was the Jordan River, where Elder Watson Diggs and the other founders swam because they were not allowed in the public pools.For many Kappa Alpha Psi members, experiencing IU for the first time was highly emotional. Kevin Johnson, national convention meeting planner, had never visited IU before.“To be able to be standing on hallowed ground where my founders were and to see where members lived for over 30 years is very emotional,” Johnson said. “I’ve seen pictures, but to be able to see it for yourself gives me a deeper appreciation for what the founders did.”According to “The Story of Kappa Alpha Psi,” a chronicle of the fraternity’s history, by William L. Crump, in 1910 only a handful of black students were enrolled at IU. Their existence was almost completely ignored by white students, and they could go weeks without seeing each other on campus.Blacks were denied use of entertainment and recreational facilities, could not participate in contact sports and were only allowed to show their athleticism in track and field. After the fraternity was chartered, the struggle had just begun. During the early 1900s, the Kappas were denied a place to meet, and IU refused to recognize them as a chapter after they were chartered.The main goal of the fraternity was to push black students to strive for perfection, although the administration expected virtually nothing from its black students.A support system during the early yearsThe founding members of Kappa Alpha Psi could do little more than attend class. And little progress was made when George Taliaferro, an All-American football player at IU and the first African-American drafted by the NFL, became a member of Kappa in 1948.Taliaferro, now 83, met three of the men that founded Kappa Alpha Psi during his time as a student at IU, including Ezra Alexander and Byran K. Armstrong. The members told Taliaferro about their experiences at IU, and he said “I was living the same thing.”With no social activities to get involved in at IU, Taliaferro said he spent his time with fellow black students, which made it seem like a natural choice to join the fraternity.During Taliaferro’s time at IU there were about 100 black students. The rivalries between the various fraternities were never too intense because black students only had each other to depend on. “We were nice to each other because we didn’t have anyone else to be nice to,” Taliaferro said.Kappa Alpha Psi provided a shield for the brothers.“The older big brothers helped us adjust and they forewarned us ‘don’t go here, don’t go there, don’t stay out late and don’t be on campus alone,’” Taliaferro said. “Survival techniques were all in place.”Black students were not allowed to eat in the restaurants, live in the dormitories, swim in the pool or go to the movies, Taliaferro said. There was one table in the commons where African-Americans were allowed to eat — but no more than eight people could sit there.Taliaferro was in pursuit of knowledge and he did not allow racism to get in the way.“That’s why I stayed here,” Taliaferro said. “And that’s why I took all the crap I had to take — because I was filling my head with information.”He and his fellow Kappas pursued academic achievement and would frequently study together.“Kappa Alpha Psi provided a social intellectual environment, community involvement and at the end to the beginning, overall achievement,” Taliaferro said. “It inspired you to be the very best that you can be, and you have a brotherhood in support of you.” A shelter from the stormThe campus climate was different in 1965. Although the campus was not institutionally segregated, it was still not welcoming to black students. Edwin Marshall, vice president for diversity, equity and multicultural affairs, said it was not rare for a black student to hear racial epithets out of a car window or have someone make a remark on their way to class. “A lot of African-American males looked at it as a shelter from the storm,” Marshall said. “It provided that place that one could go both physically and mentally that could be supportive.” Some fraternities were not as congenial with Kappa Alpha Psi, but no outward racism within the fraternity system took place, Marshall said. Vincent Isom, director of the Thomas I. Atkins Living-Learning Center and Kappa Alpha Psi member since 1987, said sometimes living on fraternity row was an “on the outside looking in” experience.The Kappas used to host events at the house such as “Christmas with the Kappas.” They had parties, educational programs and networking opportunities that “kept people to and from the house,” Isom said.Isom said because it was the Alpha chapter’s house, it was the “home away from home” not only for those members, but for brothers of all chapters. The brothers formed study groups as a means to strive for one of Kappa Alpha Psi’s main principles, academic excellence, Isom said. “You had your brothers to motivate you,” Isom said. Changing times, reassessing purposes Although the times have changed, current members of the Kappa Alpha Psi’s Alpha chapter joined for reasons not too different from Marshall and Isom.As a resident of Kokomo, sophomore Aaron Barnes could relate to the history of the fraternity.“The fact that it was founded on a majority campus almost 100 years ago spoke volumes to me,” Barnes said.IU can still be an isolating place for black students. Sophomore Burnell Grimes Jr. said being a member of Kappa is beneficial because he knows his brothers will be willing to help him with his schoolwork.“Sometimes you are the only African-American student in a class,” Grimes Jr. said. “And you may not feel comfortable going to a Caucasian counterpart for help, but you may feel comfortable going to an African-American who has been in the class or is taking it right now.”Love said he has seen a vast improvement in the men of the Alpha chapter: their GPA average has gone up, their presence has increased on campus and their reputation has improved.He said the Alpha chapter should be the epitome of Kappa Alpha Psi as the fraternity approaches its centennial.Kappa Alpha Psi is a part of both the National Pan-Hellenic Council and has recently been reacquainted with the Interfraternity Council.Taliaferro was invited to a Kappa luncheon at IU, and he was impressed with the brothers he met. “I let them know that I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of your conversations, what you are talking about, the way you appear and the way you carry yourselves,” Taliaferro said. “The young men that I see here today, I am proud to say I am your brother.”
(03/09/10 2:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>From writing lyrics and notes to playing the piano and drums, Jordan Pike does it all. And instead of focusing on one thing in college, he wants to keep doing it all.Pike is a senior majoring in song writing through the Individualized Major Program. His song writing major is encompasses various aspects of music. Currently, Pike takes song writing courses online through the Berklee School of Music. At IU, he has taken orchestral composition courses, vocal lessons, piano lessons, music theory courses and rock history courses to graduate with his IMP degree.Pike said he has thoroughly enjoyed his rock history courses, such as Rock Music in the ’70s and ’80s, because they have given him a long list of songs he needs to listen to.“Seeing how things progressed from the blues until now is vital for me, anyway,” Pike said. “I can’t really overstate how learning the history and progression of popular music has affected me.”Pike started at IU as a music education major but said he had to force himself to work hard at it. He decided to become a song writing major because music production was the “most rewarding thing I’d been doing, so I went with it.”Pike said he wants to be prepared for anything the music industry throws his way. Musicians of today need to branch out in order to be financially successful, Pike said, and in the future he might work on creating jingles and orchestral music. Currently, he is writing music for a string quartet.For his senior project, Pike will create and produce his album, titled “Codex.” For it, he has written all the lyrics and instrumental parts, plays all the instruments and will develop the cover concept.The song writing major is able to play all brass instruments, base, drums, piano and keyboard.Andrew Hollinden, senior lecturer in the Jacobs School of Music and Pike’s sponsor through IMP, said Pike is working on the most imperative aspect of music: song writing and part writing. Hollinden said an example band is The Beatles, whose song writing and guitar writing explain why their music is so timeless.“He is starting at the heart of the matter,” Hollinden said. “It’s a square a lot of musicians will overlook. I know I did.”Pike’s album will consist of pop-rock sounds, but not the kind you are used to hearing on top-40 radio stations.“What I want to get away from is the super-produced pop that is on the market now,” Pike said. “I want to go back to more organic, good playing and good arranging.”Some of the songs on his album have taken him five or six years to write while others take 20 minutes.“I tend to take a long time on something until I’m satisfied,” Pike said.He said his goal is to have all the pre-production elements of his album done by summer and to do the entire recording during it. He said he hopes to create a truly marketable album.Hollinden said he is impressed with the demos Pike has sent him, as well as with Pike’s ambition and independence.“He told me about his desire for song writing, and he seemed like he was going to do it come hell or high water,” Hollinden said. “He’s an independent person, hasn’t really called upon me to do anything. For what he is going into, I think that’s a good sign.”