Ah, Thanksgiving… I can’t believe it has already been here and passed. It snuck up on me, really. And with it, the thought that I wouldn’t be home to spend the day gorging myself on select delicacies prepared by aunts and unwilling uncles till I was fuller than the oven and fridge had been not two hours before, and until some random game of football whisked me off to the dreamland only a Thanksgiving dinner can take you to.

This was the first real moment of true, inescapable homesickness I have felt since I left 3 and a half months ago. I mean, there have been little instances when I felt a twinge of longing to be at home, sitting comfortably in my parents’ living room, watching some wildcat football and eating chili, but the moment would pass quicker than it just took to explain it. But yesterday, when I woke for class in the morning, something felt a little different. Like this chapter of my life was starting to close just as I really realized it was beginning.

The Dutch, obviously, do not celebrate Thanksgiving, however, around this time of the year, December 5^th to be exact, they celebrate a slightly tweaked version of Christmas which I was privy to recently.

The celebration of Sinterklaas is hundreds of years old, and based on numerous factors concerning Dutch History. It is similar to Christmas in that there is a Santa Claus figure, Saint Nicholas. But unlike our jolly “bowl full of jelly” Chris Kringle, Sinterklaas is actually quite skinny, and could probably pass as a Catholic Bishop with a flair for fashion and bright colors. His helpers, not elves, mind you, are normal sized people with black faces.

Imagine my confusion when, having no prior knowledge of this holiday, I biked to the grocery store about a week ago and saw white teenagers with black face paint on, giving candy out to children while some delusional dude who thought he was the Pope gave out gifts. The whole scene baffled me until I got home and asked one of my Dutch friends what in the hell was going on…

He explained the story of Sinterklaas, and my mind was appeased for a bit. I am all for weird holiday traditions whose meaning is not quite clear due to generations of change and adaptation, but this one, frankly, struck me as a little bit weird. I mean, a fake Pope, who lives in Spain, and travels with a posse of black people, and who, if a child is bad one year, puts said child in a bag, takes a switch and beats the tar out of him? Really? And besides all that, those pseudo-elves scared the hell out of me.

Even now, when I see them in the grocery store, tending to little child and spreading general cheer to all, even then, I am scared of them. I really don’t know what’s weirder, that “6 to 8” Caucasians can paint their faces black and imitate an African without a civil rights group getting upset, or that I am scared of them. I guess that is just another of the cultural differences between the two countries. I have to believe that if this holiday was celebrated in America, there would be some serious lawsuits involved.

But, alas, to each his own. Sinterklaas is a big deal here, and as such I am willing to ignore the oddity of it and just enjoy it. Besides, it isn’t as if America doesn’t have really weird celebrations and holiday traditions (see: “Black Friday”, or the overall concept of “Thanksgiving”). So I will attempt to enjoy myself and have a happy/merry Sinterklaas, and I hope you do the same.

P.S.- For more info on Sinterklaas, check out this video, it’s great and I think explains it better than I did. And it’s pretty hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCUHTDrca4s&feature=related

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The Emporia State men’s basketball team fell just short once again to the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos last Monday, this time losing by three points in regulation, 76-73.

The first two points of the contest were scored by senior guard Lamar Wilbern on an assist from senior guard/forward Jeremiah Box off of a recovered turnover. After a UCO field goal, senior guard Dustin Andrews answered with a three-point shot off an assist from junior forward Adam Holthaus.

The Hornets got into foul trouble early, as senior point guard Tim Niles had to take a seat because of two fouls in the first six minutes of play.

After a media timeout at 14:14, ESU shot right out of the gate with a Wilbern FG and subsequent UCO turnover. A pivotal trey by junior guard Jordan Stout forced the Bronchos to call a timeout with 13:18 left in the half. Stout would hit another three-pointer with less than 12:00 remaining, putting the Hornets up by five at 20-15.

Several defensive breakdowns on the Hornets’ part would lead the score to become tied at 22-22 with 9:44 left – timeout on the court led to a break in the action.

ESU scored the next five points, causing another UCO timeout with just under eight minutes to play in the opening half. Right out of the timeout, Box hit a three-pointer from the corner and then on the ensuing UCO possession, Niles forced a turnover which resulted in a breakaway layup. UCO led at halftime, 46-43.

Box started the second half with a nice slashing move to the basket for two. Andrews again answered with the first three-pointer for the Hornets in the half. The ensuing UCO possession saw an air ball, and then countered with a three-point shot from Niles.

A timeout on the floor at 14:19 would see the game tied at 52-52. The Bronchos would attack the Hornets on the low block for the most part of the second half, creating a minimal lead for UCO. Another floor timeout provided another pause in the game at 9:41 with Central Oklahoma leading by four, 64-60.

Wilbern would hit a jumper right out of the timeout. At 4:55 the Bronchos would extend their lead to 10, followed by a slashing move by Stout that cut the lead to eight, 74-66.

Following a timeout by UCO, Wilbern hit an unassisted three pointer to cut the Bronchos lead to five. After a missed field goal by Central Oklahoma, Holthaus would chip in two points with a layup, followed by a Wilbern layup that brought the score to 75-73 in favor of UCO.

“We went stagnant there for awhile, but it was one of those things where we had to fight through it,” Holthaus said. “There at the end we did what we needed to make it a close game, we just have to get it to where we can finish it off.”

Andrews would note the Hornets’ final run to cut down the Bronchos’ lead.

“We’re a great team – we’re going to make runs…we just need to worry about making stops on the defensive end,” Andrews said. “That was a great run. That’s what you want, and that’s what the game’s composed of, it’s a game of runs so we just have to keep feeding off that towards the end.”

Andrews would drive to the basket and make a layup, only to have the call reversed on a charging violation, which brought Andrews out of the game due to fouling out.

“It’s a tough call in that situation,” Andrews said. “You just have to go with whatever he calls. Unfortunately it didn’t go our way.”

Junior guard Matt Boswell would be forced to foul with 16.6 seconds left, causing a one-and-one at the free throw line. The first shot would rim out, giving the Hornets an opportunity to have the final possession of the game at 75-73, UCO lead. Moe would call timeout with 6.1 seconds left.

Niles would receive the inbounds, only to lose the ball on an errant dribble. UCO would recover the ball and be fouled with 1.2 seconds left – the first of two shots was made, and the second rimmed out and fell to no one as time expired.

Free throw shooting was suspect for the Hornets, as the team only shot 61.9 percent from the charity stripe. It was something Head Coach David Moe thought was a major factor that determined the final score.

“In both games we’ve missed key free throws,” Moe said. “Free throw shooting makes a difference – it wins and loses you games. You have to make free throws when two good teams are playing…I think they missed a free throw or two down the stretch to give us a chance and we didn’t capitalize on it.”

The Hornets’ offense was clicking in the first half until the Bronchos unleashed a zone defense that seemed to stifle ESU’s offensive attempts.

“I think neither one of us felt like we could guard the other man to man, and they came out and found an answer quicker than we did and got the lead and got things going…I think it (zone defense) definitely shook us up,” Moe said.

Wilbern had a double-double for the Hornets with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Two other Hornets were in double figures for scoring – Holthaus had 13 and Andrews had 12. Boswell led the team in assists with four.

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The Emporia State women’s basketball team defeated Evangel University 84-59 last Saturday during the final game of ESU’s annual Tip-Off Classic. ESU (3-0) remains undefeated in the regular season and is currently 16-0 in the history of the Tip-Off Classic.

At the beginning of the first half, ESU showed various defensive strategies such as a half court trap and full court press.

“We worked it,” Head Coach Brandon Schneider said. “Using a lot of trap is dangerous.”

A couple of three point shots were made to start the half by senior guards Cassondra Boston and Jamie Augustyn. The Hornets started a game with 10-2 lead.

Evangel forward Kara Blankenship, who scored 32 points in the game, proved to be a formidable opponent for the Hornets. The first half was practically a scoring showdown between Boston and Blankenship – Boston had 18 points and three assists while Blankenship scored 21 points in the first half.

“A lot of teams know we drive to the basket,” Boston said. “We got more open chances. That’s what we tried to do tonight. I drive to be more aggressively. I just tried to attack the hoop to get all the buckets.”

ESU led 47-33 to end the first half.

The main differences between Emporia State and Evangel were low-post players and bench depth. Junior center Negesti Taylor was dominant in the paint – she had a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and one block in the game. The Hornets pulled down 40 rebounds while Evangel only had 23.

Bench depth was another advantage of ESU. Schneider substituted many players at the same time to maintain an up-tempo game speed and save the strength of his players.

“I want to both teams (starters and bench players) to be pretty even,” Schneider said. “We have some scoring punches in both teams.”

The trump card of for the Hornets was senior guard Sophia Lenard, who came off the bench and scored 11 points – including six consecutive points – in the second half. Emporia State held a 27-point lead with 12:41 remaining in the second half.

“As a team, we are really fortunate to have bench players,” Lenard said. “Starters go out and play defense. Bench players go out and score, too. Bench or starter, it is not different to me. Just go out and play. Five minutes or two minutes, it doesn’t matter.”

The Hornets held several advantages against Evangel – Emporia State led Evangel 37-4 in bench points and 19-0 in fast break points. After game, Boston, who led the Hornets with 23 points on the day, was named tournament MVP. Taylor was selected as an All-Tournament team member.

“It’s an honor to me,” Boston said. “I am able to get this for my teammates. They passed to me a lot, so I can play more aggressive.”

Schneider was very satisfied with the team.

“We feel good about it,” Schneider said. “My goal is for the team to get better every day…when we get Brittney (Miller) back, we turn up more pressure. She is our best athletic player. She can contribute to the team with her rebounding and scoring.”

-JungHwan Seo/The Bulletin

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The Emporia State women’s basketball team defeated the Eastern New Mexico Zias 82-50  last Friday, the first day of ESU’s annual Tip-Off Classic. ESU (2-0), the MIAA Champs a season ago, is still undefeated during the regular season.

The Hornets started the game strong on both offense and defense. The team went on a 10-0 scoring run with inside baskets and a couple of three point shots. They did not allow any points to ENMU for the first 3:54.

A strong performance on the low block was key for ESU. The Hornets pulled down 16 offensive rebounds in the first half, and scored 13 points off of second chances. The team pushed hard for an up-tempo game with strong defensive rebounds and regular rotations of many players.

Junior forward Ashley Ferrell was dominant in the low post – coming off the bench Ferrell had a double-double with 11 points and ten rebounds.

“I played better coming off the bench,” Ferrell said. “I feel very comfortable. Rebounding and playing defense is my role.”

Head Coach Brandon Schneider was very satisfied with his forwards Ferrell and freshman Jocelyn Cummings.

“I think Ferrell is a lot more comfortable coming off the bench,” Schneider said. “Rebounding the ball and playing good defensively translates to good offense. I am happy for the bench players.”

The only problem for ESU was outside shooting. The Hornets tried 13 three point shots but made just three in the first half. Senior guard Cassondra Boston made just one three point shot while she tried five times. ESU led at the end of the first half, 38-21.

The Zias stepped up their play in the second half, going on an 11-5 run for first 6:12 to start the half. However, the comeback effort was thwarted by freshman guard Kelsey Newman and Cummings, who combined for 14 points in the second half.

“I feel pretty good,” Newman said. “Offensively, I just got some open chances.”

Schneider was impressed by the freshmen performances.

“That is encouraging,” Schneider said. “We talked over and over about this freshman class and how they are ready. We thought they would come in and play and contribute. They take advantage of their opportunities.”

The Hornets finished the game with a victory, 82-50, and earned their second win of the season. Even though the team won by 32 points, Schneider was not satisfied with all aspects of the Hornets’ performance – ESU shot only 27.3 percent from beyond the three point line and committed 13 turnovers.

“Right now the rhythm, timing and execution of shots this year is not very good,” Schneider said. “I think it will improve when the players can make better decision, what are good shots and bad shots.”

The Hornets have loads of confidence going towards the ultimate goal of another MIAA Championship.

“We were a really good team last year,” Boston said. “But we have never had the potential that we have this year. We are a really good team. We just want to put it together. We’ll try to figure it out as a team.”

-JungHwan Seo/The Bulletin

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Nov. 18

Officer provided jump start assistance for KS XBQ684 on Kellogg Circle.

Officer assisted KS XBR185 in 1200 Merchant.  Officer pushed the vehicle into a near by service station.

Officer assisted Emporia Police Dept with traffic light malfunction at 12th and Prairie.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS WMA343 in Sector 3.

Officer escorted female student from Beach Music Hall.  The student did not have a late pass.

Officer stopped KS 772BBV at 12^th and Sylvan.  Citation for speeding in 100 E 12^th.

Andre Gibson was taken into custody for Wants and Warrants through Osage Co., Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia and transported to Lyon Co. jail

Nov. 19

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS 247AOS in 1100 Merchant.

Officer provided assistance for KS WYK389 in Sector 3.

Officer stopped KS WXT801 at 12^th and Constitution. Verbal warning for a one- way violation in 1100 Constitution.

Officer provided jump start assistance for KS 446BBE at 1201 Triplett Dr.

Officer stopped KS 975AUD at 13th and Merchant.  Verbal warning for defective tail lights.  Citation for No Proof of Insurance.  Operator drove home with Emergency Flashers on.

Officer assisted Emporia Police Dept. with a Community Contact call at 105 W 12th.

Nov. 20

Parking Enforcement immobilized KS 007ANS in Lot 5.

Officer provided lock out assistance for MO WA8D7K in Sector 1.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS XCH543 at the Didde Catholic Center parking lot.

Officer provided jump start assistance for KS 535AGC at the Student Recreation Center parking lot.

Officer stopped KS QBP407 at Merchant and Highland. Verbal warning for driving with no headlights.

Subject requested to speak with an officer at ESU PD HQ.

Officer contacted subjects in Welch Stadium and advised of campus policy.

Officer stopped KS 253APF at 13th and Highland.  Citation for driving off of roadway in 1200 Market.

Officer stopped KS WTB290 in 1100 Exchange.  Citation issued for speeding and no proof of insurance at 100 E 12th.

Officer stopped KS AVOOZL at 1300 Merchant.  Citation issueding for speeding in 1800 Merchant.

Officer stopped KS 817BFS at 12th and Market. Verbal warning for a one-way violation at 1100 Market.

Officer stopped KS 4026 in 100 Merchant.   Verbal warning for driving without headlights in 1400 Merchant.

Officer assisted Emporia Police Dept with a fight call at 7th and Mechanic.

Officer contacted two subjects walking in the street at 12th and Market and advised to use the sidewalk.

Nov. 21

Officer stopped KS 007BBG in 1500 Center.  Verbal warning for defective tail light in 1300 Merchant.

Officer stopped KS WXV118 at 15th and Merchant. Verbal warning for speeding at 14th and Merchant.

Officer stopped  KS VVZ380 at 12th and Mechanic.  Verbal warning for a stop sign violation at 14th and Highland.

Officer provided escort for a female student from 15^th and Market to 1400 Highland.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS PGC454 in 1400 Highland.

Nov. 22

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS UBO762 at 736 E 12th.

Officer stopped KS 870BXY in 1400 Highland. Verbal warning for speeding in 1800 Highland.

Officer stopped KS 489BPW in 1200 Market.  Citation for a one-way violation at the same location.

Officer stopped KS 869BEF in 200 E 12th.  Verbal warning for speeding in 100 E 12th.

Officer checked KS 304BZM in Sector 7.  The dome light was on.  No other problem was found.

Officer checked KS 047BOH in Sector 7.  The window was open.  No other problem was found.

Nov. 23

Officer escorted a female student from Student Health Services to Flint Hills Mental Health.

Parking Enforcement immobilized KS 378ABO in Lot 3.

Officer returned  property found in the street to owner.

Officer provided jump start assistance for KS QSH213 in Lot 1.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS VWO 513 at 12th and Highland-Prairie Sage Apt. Complex.

Officer assisted KS XOJ905 in the Morse Hall Complex Loading Zone.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS 823BDG in Sector 5.

Officer provided lock out assistance for KS XSB664 at 6th and Industrial Rd.

Officer stopped KS XRV155 in 1500 Market.  Verbal warning for driving with no headlights at 15th and Market.

Officer checked on two males and one female acting suspiciously in the vicinity of 12th and Sylvan.  They were going through a garbage dumpster.  No other problem was found.

Officer stopped MO CD3W5N at 12^th and Market for disobeying a traffic signal at 12^th and Commercial. Sun Xiang was taken into custody for MIC and transported to Lyon Co. jail.

Officer escorted male subject from 12th and Market to 512 E 12th.

Officer escorted Sun Xiang from 425 Mechanic-Lyon Co. jail to 138 W 12^th.

Officer checked KS 399AXM on I-35 southbound east of Merchant.  Vehicle was unattended.  No other problem was found.

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The Emporia State men`s basketball team got their first win of the regular season against Bethany last Wednesday, 97-57. It was the team’s first win in White Auditorium this season. ESU (1-1) lost their first regular season away game against Central Oklahoma 116-114 in two overtimes last Monday.

The Hornets showed a sharp sting against Bethany with two consecutive three point shots made by senior guard Lamar Wilbern to start off the contest – the Hornets led the game at 8-3. BU would take the lead at 8-12 with a 9-0 scoring run during next four minutes. It was the last lead of the game for Bethany.

Senior point guard Tim Niles took back the lead for the Hornets by making a couple of three point shots. Emporia State appeared to have lots of confidence as they attacked the basket on their way to a 12-0 scoring run.

However, ESU lost their second best scorer in Wilbern because of a left ankle injury with 7:26 left in the first half. BU closed ESU’s lead to 24-22.

With Wilbern out, Niles served as the go-to guy for the Hornets. He scored seven points – a couple of free throws, one three point shot and a quick jump shot in a fast break – in just one minute of play. Niles also aided the team with an assist to senior guard Jeremiah Box, who capitalized with a trey. In addition, at the end of the first half Niles made a buzzer beater three point shot. It set the score in a favorable position for the Hornets at 50-31.

“That was a big shot for us,” Niles said. “I had to play more aggressive before shooting the ball. My teammates have a lot of confidence in shooting the ball. I just had to.”

The Hornets were not satisfied with the success of the first half. The team tried to attack the basket – Niles, Box and junior forward Adam Holthaus combined for 15 points in the first five minutes of the second half, which increased the Hornets lead to 65-43.

For Emporia State’s second unit, junior guard Matt Boswell showed great hustle plays – he got eight rebounds and three steals while scoring 15 points in the game.

“Definitely I tried to get the rebound a lot,” Boswell said.

Senior center Doug Moore was dominant in the inside with 11 points, seven boards and one block. Box celebrated his first win of this season with a one-handed dunk, which occurred at 9:21 left in the second half.

ESU showed good fire power with 11 three point shots made. The team set a school record with 18 three point shots made in the last game versus

“We shot 26 three point shots with pretty good percentage,” said Head Coach David Moe. “We attacked the basket and they attacked with three point shots, too. We attacked the basket with little guys.”

Niles, who scored 22 points in this game, is averaging 33.5 points per game on the season.

“Tim is terrific,” Moe said. “He certainly stepped up. He did a good job and has a lot of leadership as a senior. He is a big part of our offense.”

Boswell was pleased with the team’s performance.

“I thought we played really well,” Boswell said “We have back to back on Monday night – we will hopefully get the win.”

Up next, ESU will have a return match with Central Oklahoma on Monday at White Auditorium.

Moe`s only concern for next game is the condition of Wilbern.

“He sprained his ankle,” Moe said. “Hopefully he will be coming back as soon as possible, but he might not be able to play next game. Other guys have to step up to fill his gap.”

-JungHwan Seo/The Bulletin

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Group photo in front of Trevi fountain

Simply put, Rome has captured and captivated me more than any other place I have ever been to, seen a picture of, or ever dreamed of going to. As soon as our flight touched down and I first stepped out into the brilliant mosaic of scattered lights and darkness that was the Roman dusk, I knew this was a place I would like. What didn’t know was that this was a place I would fall in love with.

Rome is a city of firsts. Imagine the first breathe of Italian air. The first cappuccino you drink in the first authentic Italian café you see. The first encounter with a restaurant worker who insists that the other restaurants around are full of Pinocchios whose collective nose continues to grow with every sentence. But not him, oh no, not him.

Imagine the first glimpse of the awe-inspiring, beautiful, no-picture-could-ever-capture-its-true-nature Coliseum. Ditto for the Roman forum, the Pantheon, St. Peter’s Square, The Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, hanging opulently over the heads of mesmerized tourists within the immaculate Sistine Chapel, their necks permanently thrown back, mouths agape; Raphael’s School of Athens- similar effect. The first pizza, pasta, gelato, gypsy encounter (in that order), sidewalk purse salesmen (who magically disappeared whenever the policia appeared). Imagine all this in rapid succession like lighting off a string of firecrackers. Oh, and the most chic McDonald’s I’ve ever laid eyes on– never thought I’d be taking pictures of a McDonald’s when I left for Europe.

Inefficient stairs in Vatican City

In between all of the iconic, must-see attractions the city has to offer, though I have the strong suspicion that I didn’t even scratch the surface of what the city truly has to offer in terms of historically significant sites, after all of those, there are the stories unique to our trip and our trip alone. One involving a, in my opinion, too long for comfort conversation  at four in the morning with some Italian soldiers carrying what I was sure was enough firepower to gun down any suspicious character passing through, or else anyone who engaged in a too long for comfort conversation with them. Another involving a group of Navy Seals who not only proved the metaphorical implication of the phrase “loose lips sink ships”, but also may have proved the physical implications as well, after buying the entire bar 2-3 rounds each, and confirming conspiracy theories I never thought a member of the armed forces would believe. Yet another involving a native of Spain who kindly invited all of us to visit him in Sicily after my friend miraculously learned to speak Spanish without showing any prior knowledge of the language. These stories, I am certain will be the ones that last. And, when added together with the fact that we had these adventures while seeing some of the most famous historical and artistic landmarks on the Earth, made my Roman adventure not only one of the greatest weekends since I have been in Europe, but perhaps the greatest weekend of my life. That being said, I’m sure there were things about the city I didn’t particularly like, but, at this moment, they all seem to have escaped my memory.

Roman Forum

St. Peter's Square

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Angered by two staff editorials that appeared in The Bulletin, the administration has declared that they are in an “adversarial” relationship with the student newspaper, seeking the possibility of an increased role of the Student Media Board in editorial decisions and re-evaluating the role of The Bulletin’s adviser. Infographic By Kelsey Wright/The Bulletin

Angered by two staff editorials that appeared in The Bulletin, the administration has declared that they are in an “adversarial” relationship with the student newspaper, seeking the possibility of an increased role of the Student Media Board in editorial decisions and re-evaluating the role of The Bulletin’s adviser.

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The Chi Omega dance team competes in “So you think you can step?” hosted by the Black Student Union Saturday night in Albert Taylor Hall. Chi Omega’s win broke the two year reign of Sigma Sigma Sigma. Giri Nam/The Bulletin

The Chi Omega dance team competes in “So you think you can step?” hosted by the Black Student Union Saturday night in Albert Taylor Hall. Chi Omega’s win broke the two year reign of Sigma Sigma Sigma.

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The Emporia State women’s basketball team faced off against the Benedictine College Ravens last Tuesday and won the contest decidedly, 89-49. Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin

The Emporia State women’s basketball team faced off against the Benedictine College Ravens last Tuesday and won the contest decidedly, 89-49.

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The Chi Omega dance team competes in “So you think you can step?” hosted by the Black Student Union Saturday night in Albert Taylor Hall. Chi Omega’s win broke the two year reign of Sigma Sigma Sigma. Giri Nam/The Bulletin

Chi Omega broke Sigma Sigma Sigma’s two year reign as champions of the Black Student Union sponsored step show “So you think you can step?” on Saturday.

This was the fifth annual step show in which Emporia State’s sororities, including Alpha Sigma Alpha and Alpha Sigma Tau competed. While not a part of the competition, there were also routines by the ESU Stingers, Dynasty and the Interfraternity Council.

“Step is an activity mostly done by Greek organizations that allows for sororities to step or move in unison,” said LaToya Green, president of BSU. “It’s really a matter of pronunciation.”

Green said that step is an opportunity for Greeks to show pride for their organizations.

“When you do step as a Greek organization it’s about marking your territory and letting people know, ‘We’re here, we’re together, we’re unified and this is how we display it outwardly,’” Green said.

A member of Chi Omega, Laura Bosiljevac, freshman biology major, said that team collaboration earned the sorority its title.

“It was absolutely amazing (to find out we had won) because we had worked so hard and I was just really excited, especially for the seniors because they put a lot in, everybody did, but they really took charge and helped the newer members,” Bosiljevac said.

With practices sometimes three times a week and late into the night, Chi Omega perfected its routine, which appealed to the insanity within everyone as it was performed with stage props depicting a psych ward.

“We learned everything piece by piece and we didn’t learn it all the first time,” Bosiljevac said. “We learned set by set and when we got one down we started another then toward the end we learned the rest of the steps and began to put in them in order.”

An audience member whose daughter performed with both Chi Omega and the ESU Stingers thought that Chi Omega deserved its new title.

“The Chi Omega one was my favorite,” said Sheri Hays. “But I don’t think it’s just because I’m biased, I think it was really a great dance.”

Aside from providing entertainment, BSU also collected canned goods for the Salvation Army.

“From what I understand, the vast majority of the people who came to watch the show brought canned goods and the audience was about 450 to 500 people,” Green said.

Green said this was her favorite part of the event.

“I think that was a big part that doesn’t always get the publicity and the glam and glitz that it should because we go to school here, we live in this community for four to five years,” Green said. “Us collecting those cans is more than the incentive just to get a dollar off of your ticket, it’s a chance for us to say ‘Hey Emporia we appreciate you and this is what we want to do to allow families to have a good thanksgiving.’ It’s always good to support where ever it is that you are.”

Sarah Shaw/The Bulletin

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