The Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) has announced that by 2012, Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding will be cut for high school journalism classes. Photo Illustration by Kellen Jenkins & Jon Coffey.

The Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) has announced that by 2012, Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding will be cut for high school journalism classes, and VE-2 funding will be limited to Information Technology, Web and Digital Communications programs.

According to Laurie Folsom, a member of the KSPA’S ad hoc CTE action committee and Lawrence Free State adviser, CTE funding helps pay for the technology used to create high school journalism publications. Additionally, the KSDE said VE-2 funding supplements high-cost, low-enrollment vocational education programs that lead to occupational-specific programs. The emphasis is on technical skills needed for employment and related to a specific occupation.

“Design programs such as InDesign are expensive, as well as equipment like digital cameras; both of which are somewhat essential in teaching high school students about the field of journalism,” said Anna Altwies, a senior Secondary English and Journalism Education major.

In order to compensate, “individual high schools that depend on CTE funding will have to decide if they can afford to continue offering journalism courses. In this economy, high schools are already faced with a lot of financial decisions in terms of what to keep and what to cut. Hopefully, Kansas high schools will be able to find a way to keep journalism programs in our schools,” said 2010 journalism BSE graduate Mallory Raugewitz, former Editor-in-Chief of The Bulletin.

Although CTE funding is seen as an integral part to journalism programs, Altwies and others in the field do not believe that the programs will die altogether.

Jeff Browne, Executive Director of the Kansas Scholastic Press Association (KSPA), said, “The cuts are bad for smaller schools and districts. Most large districts will have difficulties (surviving) without the funding, but they will probably stay.”

Additionally, Browne said that students will have to “work behind the curve” in acquiring new software and other equipment.

According to Kathy Martin, District 6 representative, the KSDE’s decision to cut CTE funding and limit VE-2 funding for high school journalism results from the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

“Under this legislation, states are required to support and fund programs that lead to high-demand, high-skill and/or high-wage career. We have (also) focused on courses and programs that prepare Kansas students to be both career and college-ready by the time they finish high school,” Martin said.

A survey by Jim McCrossen, KSPA president, found that both parents and students agree that journalism and yearbook classes help develop the “10 unifying themes” of today’s college-ready learner.

“These classes use skills such as creativity, critical thinking and collaboration… while other courses offered in high school may teach these skills, it is argued that no one course does as much in all these areas as journalism,” Browne said.

The survey also listed innovation, flexibility, self-direction, leadership and accountability as skills gained in the journalism classroom.

“Journalism programs are excellent for developing many of the ‘real-world’ skills that high school is intended to help students develop. By participating in (these) programs, students develop highly functional communication skills, learn to work cooperatively to finish a product, practice meeting deadlines and explore and perfect their abilities in writing, art and many other areas,” Raugewitz said.

In response to the KSDE’s decision, the KSPA has put together an ad hoc committee that has been lobbying privately for flexibility in journalism CTE funding.

“We hope that there is some leeway (and that) the decision is not final,” said Browne.

Still, most in the field agree that the face of journalism is changing.

“I think it very important for traditional journalism to remain as much a part of society as possible. In a way, journalism is a foundation of our country,” said Altwies.

Browne adds that there is a misperception of newspaper loosing readers, but journalism as a whole is not.

“It is still a vital part of what our country is about,” Browne said.

Altwies advises current and future high school journalists to take a stand.

“My advice would be the same I would give to any person at any age who is willing to fight for something they have a passion for; don’t give up,” Altwies said. “If you truly love to do something, you will exhaust every option. I think there are plenty of teenagers out there who are interested enough to keep high school journalism programs alive.”

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HALO hosted a traditional dance performance Wednesday afternoon in front of the Sunken Gardens. Ashley Wells/ The Bulletin.

Where can you get piñatas full of candy and Hispanic sweet bread?

Emporia State’s chapter of the Hispanic American Leadership organization hosted activities all of this week in an effort to increase membership.

“We are the Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) and represent one of the minority groups on ESU campus,” said Manny Requenes,  sophomore pre-pharmacy major and president of HALO.

The week was organized to have HALO more visual to the ESU students.

“(HALO Week was established) to get more people involved in the organization,” said AraceliBaena-Pineda, senior biology major and secretary of HALO.

This week’s activities included a piñata decorating workshop held on Tuesday was a way to allow students converse with the leadership of HALO and to make colorful piñatas full of candy. Members also performed an authentic dance in the Sunken Gardens yesterday afternoon.

The Pan Dulce bake sale is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. tomorrow in Union Square from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The message conveyed by the members is one that includes the education of students and the community in the Hispanic culture. Claudia Gomez, senior biology major and community service and fundraising chair, said being Hispanic is not a requirement.

“(We’re) getting the word out there, for people to know that there are more cultures out there. You don’t have to be a Hispanic to be in the organization, so you blend all the cultures together and see how we are different and similar at the same time,” Gomez said.

HALO has plans to take part in the National Hispanic Culture month taking place from Sept. 12 to Oct. 13. They plan to bring various speakers to talk about their experiences as Latinos in adapting. They are also co-sponsoring events with the Department of Agriculture.

The organization has also taken part in the Multicultural Day sponsored by Admissions.

“The HALO members go through training provided by Admissions to go through the entire day and take groups of students to each activity,” said ConchaDikin, HALO’s adviser.

HALO is always looking for new members, Hispanic or not. Dues are $10 a semester, which pays to get into all the events, regional conferences and presentations. For membership through the year, HALO is requiring $15 for dues ending on Sept. 22.

HALO’s website said, “The vision of HALO is ADELANTE, which means, move forward.”

Liz Coffey/The Bulletin.

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But the events that took place before the show resembled a circus more than a carnival.

At about 5 p.m., just an hour before the doors were to open, the entire crew was informed that the show would not be able to take place in the building. Emporia Fire Captain Bill West informed the group that the furniture store was strictly to be used for the selling of merchandise and not for general assembly.

“709 and 711 Commercial are zoned for merchandising only and not for assembly, especially for a showing of this magnitude,” West said.

Although the show was to have four live bands playing there as well, West verified that the noise was not part of the complaint or problem.

“They let us know less than an hour before the show, even though it has been pretty well promoted for the last two months. It’s amazing that it came together the way it did,” Barbee said.

The show was moved to Beer:30’sbeer garden. Moving the 40 models, four live bands, the crew and materials delayed the show only an hour from the original starting time of 6 p.m. and the estimated 300 people that attended hardly noticed, packing the outdoor venue.

The Carnivale Couture was Barbee’s second showing of her work, with the inspiration coming from the HBO show,“Carnivale.”

As early as sixth grade, living in Austin, Tex., Barbee said she knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. It was at this age she started making her own clothes. Barbee and her husband Josh Barbee, a former ESU student, are the owners of Post-Abandoned Thrift Store, where Barbee finds most of the material to make the clothing.

“She would get scraps from anywhere she could find them, sometimes spending 14-15 hours a day working on the outfits,” Josh Barbee said.

Angelia Barbee said that she wanted to do the fashion show to give the people of Emporia something new to do.

“We wanted to do an event that could be entertaining, different and have a little something for everybody,”Barbee said.

Before the finale walk the models of the “Carnivale Couture” fashion show were given red balloons. The fashion show was hosted by Post Abandoned and Angelia Barbee on Aug. 28 at Beer 30. Erica Cassella/ The Bulletin

Senior art major Katie Donley has known Barbee for nine months and said that more time and publicity was spent on this show compared to the first show Barbee did in January.

“She is really trying to get her name out there. In this show, she focused more on an older, classic style rather than what is necessarily popular right now,” Donley said.

Barbee is not wasting anytime as she is aiming to have another show with her line in early January. The theme for that show, she says, is going to be inspired by the Mel Gibson hit “Mad Max.” Barbee’s work is for sale at her store, located at 504 Commercial Street.

Chris Hopkins/The Bulletin

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Kristin Chambers stands with one of the horses at her rescue in the fall of 2008. File Photo, Kellen Jenkins/The Bulletin.

Kristin Chambers, a former Emporia State student, faces charges of animal cruelty and neglect after the Coffey County Sheriff’s Department seized more than 80 horses, miniature horses and donkeys from her property on July 30.

A police report filed with the Coffey County Courthouse confirmed the seizure.

Karen Everhart, owner of Horse Calls LLC and director of Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue and Retirement, is in charge of overseeing the placement of the horses from the rescue. She said at the moment, the police have placed the horses are in an undisclosed location near Burlington.

“The shape (of the horses) is across the board, we have some very, very emaciated horses, we have a number of thin horses and then we have some that are marginally acceptable, we don’t have any fat horses there at all,” Everhart said.

Everhart said the majority of the animals appeared to have little to no wellness care, little sign of grooming, and she is unsure if they’ve had their vaccinations.

“We have very sketchy details, we don’t know a lot about them, we have no idea about their training or their wellness status, but they certainly are deserving of a loving home,” Everhart said.

On Sept. 18, 2008, Chambers was featured in an article in The Bulletin called “Local horse rescue: A thrifty solution.” The article chronicled how Michael Soyez, a local businessman, donated one-fourth of the profits of his business, Winding Road Thrift Store, to Chambers’ Winding Road Equine Rescue and Retirement.

“WRERR is a public charity that rehabilitates horses that have been abused or neglected. They save horses from slaughter and often work with law enforcement in animal cruelty cases,” the article stated.

Chambers had worked with volunteers to care for over 50 neglected and abused horses at her farm located outside Waverly.WRERR had received national media attention in 2009 when Chambers rescued Clever Allemont, a champion thoroughbred, from slaughter.

Chambers did not return calls for comment by press time.

Everhart said she’s trying to find homes for the animals before the court orders that they are put up for public sale. She said that it is not certain, but possible that they could have to go up for sale in two weeks. Anyone interested in adopting the seized animals can go to Horse Calls’ website, www.horsecalls.com.

Liz Coffey

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Freshman Pharmacy major Nicolas De La Torre buys a Coke from a Coca-Cola vending machine Wednesday afternoon on the ESU Campus. Alissa Miller/The Bulletin.

After Emporia State’s 10-year contract with Pepsi expired on June 30, the campus officially switched to Coca-Cola products. ESU started the new 10-year contract with Coca-Cola on July 1.

Raymond Hauke, vice president of Administration and Fiscal Affairs Department, said that Coca-Cola offered a better deal than Pepsi. Now, the university will receive a 10.5 percent cut of products sold, and the Coca-Cola Company also provides an amount based on the total cases and products consumed at the end of the year.

“So, how much money ESU can make depends on how much the products are considered and it really depends on how much product people drink,” Hauke said.

The contract with the Pepsi Company provided a flat amount of money plus $30,000 at the beginning of the year with a percentage. The campus had been a “Pepsi campus” for the past 12 years.

“We felt what Coca-Cola offer is better arrangement for the university,” Hauke said.

There will be 38 vending machines selling Coca-Cola products on campus, and Hauke believes that people will find that the arrangement and service of machines is better than before. The price of soft drinks went up from $1.25 for Pepsi products to $1.50 for Coke products.

Senior Rehabilitation Major Lauren Lowry said she felt Coke burns her throat, and it would be better if they had both Coke machines and Pepsi machines on campus.

“It never bothered me until it changed this year. I was upset that I found out last week that I can’t get Mountain Dew on campus and I get used to get Mountain Dew and do homework in the library,” Lowry said.

Hauke said that if Pepsi and Coke both had machines at the university, the school wouldn’t get any money.

“So at least the university and the students of the university get some money from the products that they are consuming,” Hauke said.

Hauke said Coca-Cola Company is local in Emporia, so it is an advantage because the company is able to refill the Coke machines more frequently than Pepsi.

“Over the last few years, since Pepsi served out of Wichita, it took longer to get products in the machines,” Hauke said.

Jeff McCullough, General Manager for Sodexo, food services contractor for the Memorial Union, said he has had good experience with the new vendor during the transition.

“Coke has been instrumental in helping us upgrade the concession program at the stadium, as well as supporting our recycling and sustainability efforts,” McCullough said.

Hauke said he thinks the new contract will work out well.

“I think the Coke Company enjoys doing business with us,” Hauke said.

Lauren Lau

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The MIAA has four more applicants that are being strongly considered, including The University of Central Oklahoma, Northeastern State University, The University of Nebraska at Kearny and Lindenwood University. These additions, if accepted, will bring the total conference teams up to 16.

According to Emporia State Athletic Director Ken Weiser, there are several reasons for expanding the conference.

“Division I schools look to increase revenue, (Division II) is looking to expand to decrease spending,” Weiser said.

Although not making big television contract deals as Division I schools are vying for, the MIAA universities benefit by having closer schools to compete against and cutting traveling costs saving teams traveling budgets.

As an added convenience, planning non-conference games can be difficult, and with a larger conference, there will be more conference games, which in turn will make scheduling easier.

The MIAA is also looking to prevent potential collapses, similar to what almost befell the Big 12 this summer. Having a larger conference creates a buffer. If a team decides to leave, then the conference can remain viable and competitive without reeling for more teams.

Increased conference size means increased competition for all sports. Oklahoma Central will enter as one of the most winning football teams in Division II, and Lincoln’s track team will bring their national successes to the MIAA. Many teams will also have seasons of facing entirely conference teams, football being one of those teams.

“We will play the schedule,” said Head Football Coach Garin Higgins. “We will treat every game the same as any other.”

Furthermore, the greater depth of competition will only serve to bring more popularity and attention to the MIAA and ideally bring more recruits to MIAA schools. The MIAA as a conference has had multiple national championship appearances in the last couple of years, including Emporia State’s Women’s Basketball DII National Champions.

“The toughest league in the country just got tougher,” says Assistant Athletic Director of Media Relations Don Weast. “(The MIAA) is the toughest top to bottom conference in the nation.”

Chris Dvorak/The Bulletin

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Ryan

A recent decision by the Kansas Department of Education would have William Allen White rolling in his grave.

The department plans on cutting the career and technology education funding, which helps subsidize the technical side of publications, including cameras and software, for journalism classes in 2012. The reason? The state has decided that journalism is no longer a viable career and does not prepare students for “high demand,” “high skill” and “high wage” jobs. Apparently those are the standards of success in Kansas.

So why should you care?

These high school journalism classes feed collegiate programs across the state, which in turn produce practicing journalists who help inform the electorate.

As someone who took journalism classes at a high school with a strong program, this course of events is especially troubling for me, as I’ve seen how the skills students learn in journalism courses often go beyond the classroom.

Mary Anne McCloud and Erica Rickard, my journalism teachers at Newton High School, taught courses that focused on critical thinking, interpersonal communications, writing and working with the latest design software, while encouraging students to create a product that examined the world around them.

White would be disturbed by KSDE’s move because he was a proponent of journalism education – even the J-School at the University of Kansas is named after him. White, who won two Pulitzer Prizes, knew the value of journalism ina democracy and stood up to the Ku Klux Klan in the pages of the Emporia Gazette during the racist ‘20s.

Journalism serves as a pillar of a democracy, a watchdog of the government that, at the local level, can connect our communities and at the state and national levels, give us perspective on our society.

Aren’t you tired of those pundits on the national networks? That’s not real journalism. But if we teach our youth the fundamentals of journalism and its importance in a society, we might be able to win back an honest media.

Thomas Jefferson said it best:

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

I’m starting to agree. Perhaps the Kansas Department of Education should focus its efforts on making better citizens, not just better employees.

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Wise

For Mike Wise, assistant director for the Recreational Services Department, improving intramural sports is the name of the game. Wise began noticing grievances about the intramural system in past years, and has since helped institute some changes.

“In the last few years we’ve been getting a lot of requests from the students. The majority of them were wanting something where they would play a wider variety of teams,” Wise said.

Furthermore, Wise recognized the need to develop competitive and non-competitive leagues.

“Before, we had to divide them up into resident hall teams, and fraternity teams and independent teams. This year we’ve restructured our divisions into competitive leagues and just-for-fun leagues,” Wise said.

The non-competitive leagues will be five-week leagues with no post-season tournament. Those involved in competitive league games will compete in a campus championship, the winning team receiving a t-shirt.

Scheduling concerns were also brought to Wise’ attention. In previous years teams would be scheduled to play any day of the week, whereas, beginning this year, leagues will either be held on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday freeing up the rest of the week for classes and work.

Intramural supervisor Trevor Steinbacher also recognized the benefits to the new scheduling system.

“The main problem was just all the scheduling conflicts,” said Steinbacher, a junior physical and health education major. “With the new (system) they can pick the two days they want to play on, so they’ll know in advance they’ll play on those two days.”

One final change is the adoption of online registry. As opposed to using paper forms, this year students are able to register online, and team captains have the ability to manage their teams online as well.

“In the past anyone that was added to a team would have to come in and fill out the appropriate paperwork to be eligible to play,” Wise said. “Now a team captain can manage all that information online.”

Becca Holman, a senior elementary education major and intramural supervisor, sees the positive things the new system will bring for everyone involved.

“Once people understand how to use it it’s going to be a lot easier for everybody,” Holman said. “For me personally, and Trevor, we wont have to manually put in all the information. I think this software is going to be really beneficial.”

To sign up for intramural sports, visit www.emporia.edu/recsport

Brandon Schneeberger

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Stanek

“The Last Exorcism” (PG-13) –

In the name of the father, the son and the HOLY SMOKES!

“The Last Exorcism,” directed by Daniel Stamm, is a horror film that questions the state of faith and has been crafted to look and feel like a documentary film, following the roots of past documentary horror films, such as “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity.” Like these two, the movie is capable of delivering unapologetic thrills that may or may not be as bone chilling as expected, but is a pretty enjoyable movie for the most part.

The setting takes place in Ivanwood, La., which is a rundown old place that looks forgotten. Strolling into town is Rev. Cotton Marcus (played by Patrick Fabian) with a documentary crew tagging along. Cotton is hired by two members of a highly religious family, Nell Sweetzer(played by Ashley Bell) and Louis Sweetzer(played by Louis Herthum), to perform an exorcism on Nell because they believe there is a demon inside of her.

Rev. Cotton states early in the film that he doesn’t truly believe in ghosts, leading to the fact that he is a hoax just trying to make money to support his family. But after entering the home of the Sweetzer family, Cotton doesn’t realize what kind of trouble he is going to face.

As said, the movie is shot in a documentary style, which makes the movie a little more convincing with its characters and believability. What also made the movie enjoyable is that the characters’ dialogue seemed unscripted, which I really enjoyed because it was like watching real people and not just actors reciting lines – not to mention Ashley Bell’s performance as the sweet and possessed Nell, which creeped me out a lot.

One of the few cons I found in the film is that there is music in the background. I don’t mean to be a stickler, but the movie’s thrills would’ve been much more thrilling if there was silence in the background, enhancing the tension of the scene.

The main flaw with the film is around the last 10 or 15 minutes of the movie. The story structure towards the end of it all is creative but falls apart completely by throwing in a ridiculous twist.

What I really liked about this movie is that it tries to actually scare the audience by not being an ultra-violent gore fest with nude teenagers running around acting dumb as rocks and getting their heads chopped off.

Despite the unnecessary ending of the movie, “The Last Exorcism” is one of the few better horror movies I’ve seen since “Drag Me to Hell.” I wouldn’t call this a great movie, but it provides enough fun and scares to bake a loaf of banana bread at home and make it a WORTHY RENTAL.

Steven Stanek

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Hemphill

This summer, I spent two months in Korea teaching English to college students. It was an experience I will never forget for more reasons than I have room to write. My students were excited about learning, and it made my job easier than I initially thought it was going to be.

But throughout the entire teaching process, I could not shake the thought that the reason it was so much easier for me as a teacher was not merely because the students simply wanted to learn the language, it was that they had a prior knowledge of the language that was essential to what I taught them.

The first day of class, I asked where they had learned English initially and the response that all my students gave me was that it was required of them from an early age to learn a second language.

From the time they are toddlers, Korean students begin the process of learning English at the same time that they are learning to master their native tongue. To me, this was not only inspiring, but also a difference in culture that stuck with me throughout the entire process.

What I thought then, and continue to think, is that America, being one of, if not the most powerful nation in the world, has somehow been convinced that learning another language is not beneficial or even necessary. This is a huge problem.

With the rapid globalization we are experiencing, having the ability to speak more than one language is an incredible asset. Language connects people. Being able to speak to person from a different culture in their native tongue will go a long way in terms of building a relationship with that person.

Korea is not the only example of this occurrence. When I studied in Europe, I found that not only did most of the Europeans I met know English as their second language, they were fluent or at least semi-fluent in a third language as well. It’s the norm in these countries.

America should be no different. For America to call itself the greatest country in the world, it needs to continue to be a place where cultures meet and blend, where people from any culture can find a home and feel like they belong. That is what this country was founded on. The Melting Pot must continue to be stirred for future generations of Americans to stand a chance.

It starts with the small things. Teaching other languages to young children is just one way that America can continue to carry on the spirit of multiculturalism that has somehow been lost along the way.

Elementary schools should implement foreign language curriculums nationwide. Learning another language should not be postponed until high school or college. It should not be considered going above and beyond what is required. Learning a foreign language from a young age should be the norm in this country.

The poet Ezra Pound once said, “The sum of human wisdom is not contained in any one language.”

Childhood is the beginning of the acquisition of knowledge. Why, then, is America trying to limit the amount of knowledge a child can learn from the very beginning?

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