Author: Alanna Paris

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Stories In Focus

December Grads // United In Gratitude

As the fall semester comes to a close, one of the more bittersweet events is arriving. December graduation is upon us, and this year Houghton College has a sizeable group graduating at this time. According to the Registrar’s office, forty-two students will be ending their Houghton career this December. Coming from a variety of disciplines, with the biggest being in the math and science field with ten graduates. This is followed by education and business/management who have seven graduates apiece, and over half of the students graduating are receiving a Bachelor’s of Science. December graduates will meet in the home of President Shirley Mullen on December 9th to celebrate their accomplishment and to have a small ceremony to commemorate the occasion.

There are a variety of reasons that December graduation makes sense for a number of students. For graduating communications and political science major Megan Fisher, she saw no reason not to graduate in December with requirements complete and the option to save thousands of dollars in funds. When looking back at her time at Houghton, Fisher said that “Houghton prepared me and any feeling of unpreparedness has to do with my own self-preparedness.” She also reflected on the genuine relationships she made here and that she felt a sense of satisfaction in living by the higher moral standard in living here. Fisher is excited to embark on her next journey after leaving Houghton, obtaining a job and living life even more independently. She will be back to walk in May.

However, some stories are more complex for December grads. Biochemistry major Mikey Hardy started in Houghton fall semester of 2011. He loved his first year at Houghton but had to leave due to financial difficulties. Hardy came back in Spring 2015 to accomplish his goal of finishing college, especially at the one he fell in love with three and a half years prior. He fell right back into life here at Houghton, and actually was remembered by his advisor, Dr. Torracca, who had taught him General Chemistry his first year at Houghton. Hardy, like Fisher, highlighted the great people and great faculty at Houghton, especially the one-on-one time he got here. Part of the reason Hardy was able to finish, despite his financial difficulties, was by becoming a resident assistant at Rothenbuhler Hall for two years, a huge blessing and great opportunity for him, and another highlight of his time here. He also, incredibly enough, was able to finish his degree in eight semesters, just like the traditional student. There is one thing that Hardy would like to mention about the life of a December graduate and it’s this: “December grads have to make an awkward choice to either get the ceremony done and come back to college or start life and come back to graduation.”

While these are only two of the many stories that December graduates have of their time here at Houghton, they exemplify the different paths students take and how each path ends accomplishing the same goal. Of the December graduates, many are united in expressing their gratitude in the exemplary faculty and staff here at Houghton and the lasting friendships they made. It’s a bittersweet time for those moving on and for those staying back, and it’s exciting to see what these new graduates will do moving forward.

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Campus News

Investigating The Norovirus

It was a regular Friday night. The campus was abuzz with warm cookie night and live animals. A long-anticipated saxophone artist series featuring the incomparable Otis Murphy was coming to the Houghton stage, and a huge weekend of prospective students and a David Crowder concert was on the horizon. Students were excited, or apprehensive, toward the active weekend that lay ahead. Little did they know that crowded lunch lines were the least of their worries.

“I felt so helpless,” said Joe Miner ‘18, a Resident Assistant in Rothenbuhler Hall. When describing the illness of a resident, Miner said, “He puked all night, and I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t know until the morning.  I could only give suggestions, and I also had to look out for myself.” This was the reality for those on the frontlines of campus during, what students are now whimsically referring to as the “Houghton Plague of 2017.”

It was not the first time that such a widespread illness had attacked Houghton’s student body.

A similar condition—characterized by intense vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, stomach pains, and occasional visions of terror—struck Shenawana particularly hard during the fall of 2015. However, this strain appeared to even more severe. “I stood up (after the Otis Murphy concert) and knew something was very, very wrong,” Derek Chase ‘19 recalled. Although Chase escaped to a friend’s house away from campus, his night went steadily downhill. “I did do quite a bit of travel,” Chase commented in an attempt at optimism. “Straight from the couch to the toilet.” He placed an estimation of his total mileage at the distance from Houghton to Belfast.

With 140 cases confirmed on campus between Friday and Saturday evenings, survivors lived in fear. In fact, campus looked more like an episode of “The Walking Dead” than a bustling liberal arts institution. Signs around campus begged people to wash their hands, and bottles of Germ-X replaced Bibles as wards against evil. “I fled like Israel fled Egypt,” Kylie Gibbs ‘18 said. “I prayed, I felt fear; in fact, I felt the sickness through fear.” Of course, these anecdotes about the magnitude of the situation only give half the story. Most students were wondering : what caused it?

Several rather eclectic theories immediately sprung up as to the plague’s cause. Libby Best ‘20 and Honus Wagner ‘20 wondered whether this was God’s wrath towards Reformation celebration, as no Catholics on campus fell ill. Other students lightheartedly suggested a feminist motive, since men’s residence halls were hit harder than women’s—although Miner argued that men are simply more dramatic about illness and were not necessarily more susceptible.

However, lab results received from the Allegany County Department of Health soon confirmed that 100% of all samples tested came back positive for norovirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus is passed when infected vomit or feces is accidentally transferred into the mouth. It is the leading cause of foodborne gastrointestinal illness in the United States, causing just over 90,000 emergency room visits each year.

While several students claimed to have become ill after eating undercooked meat, norovirus is most frequently caused when an infected person comes into contact with raw fruits or vegetables. The virus can also be passed on by eating or drinking substances already contaminated by the virus or coming into close contact with an infected person. While the virus is typically resistant to most industrial sanitizers, detergents, and safety protocols, its further spread can be limited through restriction of human contact.

In efforts to restrict the spread of the illness, dining hall staff who present norovirus symptoms have been asked to refrain from appearing at work for 72 hours. An email distributed from Metz Culinary Management to faculty on Monday, Nov. 13 also confirmed that Houghton’s General Manager of Dining Services, Matthew Babbage, had chosen to leave his position “to pursue other interests.” In the interim, Paul Krouse will serve as Metz’s General Manager on the Houghton campus.

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Campus Stories In Focus

To SAT, Or Not To SAT?

One year ago, Houghton College’s Admissions Office decided to change their policy on standardized test results. The college now allows a student to decide whether they want to waive their SAT or ACT scores during the admissions process, allowing students to instead submit the CLT (Classical Learning Test) for their test scores.

This shift allows students more options and an increased chance of admission to Houghton. It is especially helpful for students from diverse backgrounds, especially those who come from refugee households or underprivileged homes and may need to overcome greater obstacles to take the SAT. Students who choose to opt out of the SAT have their academic scholarships capped at a certain amount, but they are made aware of that before waiving and is an option for them.  

Based on last year’s admissions statistics, thirty-eight students applied test optional or waived their SAT scores. Out of those thirty-eight students, twenty-one were admitted. In the pool of admitted students, the average GPA was 3.2 and 76 percent had a GPA of 3.0 or higher. During the fall of 2017, 3.8 percent of all incoming students applied test optional; during the fall of 2018, 8.4% of students chose

The Admissions Office believes that number will grow even higher in the future, and that the consistently standards of academic quality testify to the new policy’s success.  Incoming students still boast high GPAs, but many are being admitted whose SAT scores may have inhibited them in the past.

This is especially true of the many refugee students at Houghton College Buffalo and Houghton College Utica. Under New York law, each of a college’s campuses must use the same admissions policy, which posed a struggle for the Buffalo and Utica campuses. Ryan Spear, Houghton’s Director of Admission, was concerned that even students with exemplary GPAs would not be able to overcome the obstacle of a standardized test in their second language.

“In many ways you can buy a better score [on the SATs],” Spear said. “If you’re a student with the ability to pay for SAT classes or a book and you have a guidance counselor helping you, you are going to do better than a student without those privileges.”

He also stressed that “Admissions is a holistic process, and allowing for expanded test options allows for that,” and noted that the Buffalo and Utica campuses are on board and Houghton College Buffalo had an eighty percent success rate with the program already.

Claire Brower ‘18, an international development major, said, “It really doesn’t affect anything once you get to college.” In many ways, Brower is exactly right. Spear also noted that in college, work ethic is often just as important as intelligence. Many successful students have a good work ethic, which a standardized test can never examine or quantify. A student should be allowed to work their way up in college, and sometimes getting a better option at the start can help that.” Carrie Smith ‘18, a psychology major, also succinctly summed up the support she has seen for the policy: “Tests shouldn’t define you.”

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Stories In Focus

What’s In A (Mascot’s) Name?

It all started on September 18th when the Houghton College Athletics page posted a challenge: to name the mascot, lovingly referred to as the “Highlander Lion” at the time. Students and alumni alike eagerly commented names they thought appropriate, and excitement shook the Houghton Bubble for a night. One particular alumnus, Class of 2017 Music Composition major Hunter Gregory, commented one name that has rung in the ears and resonated in the hearts of the larger Houghton community. That name was Wal-Mart Johannson.

The name picked up speed quickly thanks to a crowdsourcing method that boosted marketing for the college using a fun and unifying contest. Of course, the students were confident that if they played by the rules, sharing posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter including their chosen name, things would work democratically.  When Homecoming Week rolled around and the six finalists were named, one was missing. Where was Wal-Mart Johannson?

Immediate complaints arose from the clear dismissal of the Wal-Mart Johannson name, the unoriginal names given, specifically Willard and Luckey, and the complete bombshell that Houghton also has a fictional founder named Angus McMillan of which many students were unaware. Many students are calling this TacoShack 2.0 in reference to another controversial Houghton naming decision when a contest to rename Java 101 was dropped because the people democratically voted for TacoShack. This is slightly different- students knew far in advance the name would not stand as it did not appear in final voting.

In an interview conducted in February of 2015, the mascot allegedly said: “I don’t really have [a name] that translates in English. I’m hoping that the Houghton students, faculty, staff and alumni will help me come up with something that is fitting.”

An anonymous source said, “Wal-Mart [Johannson] is democracy. You ask the people what they want; they said what they wanted, but they didn’t get what they wanted.” Sophomore communications major Jared Hobson ‘20 is also disenchanted with the process. He compared it to Robert Kagan’s view of the ever-differing American and European political situation, saying, “We [Houghton] need to stop pretending that faculty and students see the world the same. The all-important question of the efficacy of power, the morality of power, and the desirability of power is what has students and faculty diverging in perspective.” With most of the faculty having nothing to do with the naming poll and likely having very little preference as to the outcome, it seems students do not know where to truly be mad, besides at the overall idea of  institution.

The passion for a mascot name is not simply some scattered opinions around campus. There are organized efforts in place, as well.  November 13th at 8 p.m. there will be a gathering at the Houghton Rock to paint it in pro Wal-Mart Johansson artwork.  At the Homecoming men’s soccer game, Spiritual Life Executive Officer and ShenBlock veteran Andrew Sherman ‘19 helped inform the crowd that the mascot’s name was truly Wal-Mart Johannson and led a chant of ‘Wal-Mart’ near the end of the game. Sherman said regarding the matter, “The community that has rallied around Wal-mart Johannson reminds me of the early church shortly after Pentecost, and eventually we will see the Roman empire (Archie) crumble under the paradigm-shifting good news of Wal-Mart [Johannson].” There is also a twitter hashtag #NotMyMascot in place and other pro Wal-Mart Johannson symbols around campus.

To say there is tension on campus over the matter would be inaccurate. The general opinion of those interviewed is that the mascot should be named Wal-Mart Johannson, but will ultimately be given the official name of Archie.  Megan Fisher ‘18, who is double majoring in political science and communications, loves the name. She said, “People just want to do this thing, and just let them do it. You can’t take everything seriously. Sure, it may look unprofessional, but it has personality.”

Of course, this does not take into account the incredible copyright infringement the name ‘Wal-Mart’ has and the connection to Houghton it lacks. Students still could implement the name in the greater Houghton society through complete denial that the other name exists.  Of course, it’s a silly argument by students with a dash of sarcastic humor and little rebellious edge. As Gregory sarcastically added, “I’ll do whatever I need to do.  I’ll even die for Wal-Mart [Johannson].”

 

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News

State // Considering Constitutional Convention

The constitution in New York State has been around since 1777, and a convention was first held to revise its content in 1938. The changes made during that convention won approval. However, the changes recommended in the second conventio, held in 1967, were not passed. A later convention, in 1997, was shot down altogether.

In the upcoming election, New York state voters will have the option to vote either for or against the holding of a fourth New York State Constitutional Convention. A “yes” vote cast in the November 7 election will register support for another election in 2018 regarding the convention; a ‘no’ vote will stop all voting on the subject of a convention until 2037. According to Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle, if the convention were to pass, the vote in 2018 would be a held to elect delegates to attend the convention.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the biggest opponents of the convention are those worried about their pensions, and most specifically those involved in labor unions recognized at the state level. According to the Buffalo News, labor unions are the referrendum’s biggest dissenters and are pushing against it with millions of dollars invested in people voting against the convention.

Several significant groups are supportive of the convention, including those concerned with finance laws that give preference to incumbent politicians, voters who advocate for term limits on New York politicians, gerrymandered districts, and even—one of the largest and most specially interested groups—those interested in legalizing marijuana. Most journalists and lawmakers are encouraging citizens who plan on voting to research the goals of the convention and to read over the current New York State Constitution.

In general, the convention offers the opportunity to make big changes with fewer political roadblocks.  According to The Village Voice, some of the potential changes could weaken the strong influence of the governor and grant New York City greater autonomy from the rest of the state: “These delegates would come together with unlimited abilities to propose amending the constitution in any and all ways they can agree upon. Any amendments approved by delegates would need to be ultimately approved by the voters.”

If the measure is approved, the delegate pool will be comprised of three people from each state senate district and fifteen general state representatives. These delegates would convene in April 2019 to discuss and revise the state constitution if the convention were to happen. All decisions made in the convention would then be taken to the voters in November 2019 in the statewide election. This ultimately leaves any final decisions in the voters’ hands.

 

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News

National // GOP Healthcare Bill Flops

For a second time, the GOP was yet again unable to overhaul Obamacare as the Graham-Cassidy Bill to reform health care failed to pass through the Senate.  

According to The Chicago Tribune the bill died before even going to a vote. Republican holdouts John McCain, Susan Collins, Rand Paul, and Ted Cruz, along with an uncertain Lisa Murkowski, who ultimately would not have voted to pass the bill, held a large responsibility for the bill’s failure. Republicans were unwilling to commit, for reasons ranging from the bill’s hastiness to its overall structure, while the Democratic Party remained united.  Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell informed the press that healthcare will be tabled for a later date and tax reform is the new focus of the GOP.  

Republican senators Lindsey Graham, Bill Cassidy, Dean Heller, Ron Johnson, and former senator Rick Santorum worked together to draft the bill.  According to Senator Cassidy’s press release, the bill would repeal Obamacare and replace it with block grants given to each state. Its intention was to give more freedom to states in determining their health care systems and to waive certain restrictions on corporations. The bill would also have given health insurance companies more freedom to raise premiums and deny coverage, mainly due to states’ through increased health care rights earned by states as well as block grants with equal amounts that, according to the senators, would be more equitable.

The bill battled a wide-ranging host of civilian protests as well, with consumer groups, doctors, hospitals, and insurance executives in frequent and vocal opposition. Some of the most frequently voiced concerns about the bill centered around its ability to eliminate protections for those with pre-existing conditions. Supporters, however, repeatedly emphasized the $1 trillion in savings, which they claimed would be a boost to the nation’s economy. From the beginning, the bill struggled as the GOP attempted to rush a vote in hopes of avoiding a filibuster from the Democrats.  With the bill’s failure and more Republican leaders refusing to vote on party lines, the pressure for a good, bipartisan solution is mounting.

The New York Times’ reports that the GOP may have lost again, but they have not given up.   Healthcare will be front and center of discussion starting in the new year and frustrations are rising due to campaign promises for Obamacare’s repeal. Representatives have decided to stop repealing and start looking at a third option that would have a higher chance of gaining bipartisan support, something that has seemed foreign to the United States government as of late.  With some Republican lawmakers starting to vote on principle instead of party and with mid term elections looming, there is hope for future agreement.

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Opinions

The Freedom to Abstain

Freedom of speech is a hot topic these days. With campuses across the country protesting conservative speakers, half of Facebook consistently misquoting George Orwell, and everyone’s loud uncle exclaiming there is no room for reason or discussion anymore, what exactly is the Christian response to this freedom of speech issue? Some claim it’s as simple as the Bill of Rights, which has freedom of speech outlined in it; you can say whatever you want. I, however, have a guidebook in my life that transcends the Bill of Rights and it’s called the Bible I am seeing a trend of people confusing the two. Hey, be a proud American, I don’t care if you’re a patriot, but remember that when you label yourself as Christian, that label comes first in your life. Which is why I’m here talking about this. I’m here to discuss how far we need to take our individual freedoms and what sort of dialogue or ideas we promote as Christians through our compliance in hate speech or through our fight for freedom of speech. I believe the Bible limits my speech, and calls on me to do more than refrain from swearing and gossip.  In James 1:26 it says to “rein in my speech” which tells me to shut my mouth, even when the constitution says I don’t have to.

I think the biggest issue is this: we are Christians, not politicians. Is your God the God of Isaac and Jacob or the God of democracy, capitalism, and individual rights? Let me be frank: if you care more about your individual rights than esteeming others and living an ethical lifestyle, than you are embracing your American identity over your Christian identity. Freedom of speech can go too far. How does it make you feel when a TV show or movie pokes fun at our religion? We certainly get angry and want that to end. We boycott the shows that attack us or even simply disagree with an aspect of Christianity, make social media campaigns to force Christmas on our coffee cups, and throw diversity out of our schools. However, if a person stands up against the good ol’ boy American belief, they are a snowflake who hasn’t learned economics, history, mathematics, etc. That’s name calling and that’s unacceptable for a Christian to be doing.

 

Also, let’s all reflect on how we disagree with our president or lawmakers we deem unfit. It’s one thing to say the president is wrong or a lawmaker is unethical. It’s another to say this congressman is an idiot, or this person’s belief is that of rednecks, simpletons, or any other ad hominem attack. The last thing society needs right now is more people using poor tactics such as unkind personal attacks to win arguments, especially coming from Christian spheres. Christ gives an example of building others up and promoting speech that is loving, dignifying and encouraging to others. Ephesians 4:29 cements this idea saying, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Christ loved and continues to love everyone, even someone who votes conservatively or someone who may think socialism a viable option. We as Christians should be supporting positive dialogue, thoughtful reasoning, and words that love others. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Retweeting someone calling another person an idiot, putting down a political party, or dehumanizing a people group is what someone does to show spite or prove they are better. This is not the humble, gracious reaction the Bible asks of us. You can argue that our constitution protects such speech, but you have a choice every day to either exercise that freedom or hold back. We as Christians should not be supporting hate speech or rude comments in the name of freedom. Only through Christ do we have freedom and sometimes, Christ really wishes we would all just shut our mouths.

Alanna is a senior majoring in Spanish and intercultural studies.

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Reviews Stories In Focus

In Review // Ten Songs Turn Ten

Life is moving fast, so fast we are forgetting how much time has elapsed. That’s why it’s always fun to look back and see just how long ago everything happened. One of the things that make us all scream at how old we are is the ever changing music scene. Remember Britney’s black hair? How about when Timbaland was relevant? These songs do and I bet you didn’t realize they are now ten years old.

  1. Umbrella by Rhianna

This song was a classic back in the day. This comes from Rhianna’s third studio album and what amounted to her breakout album. She already had some great singles from her two previous albums, but this was the one that cemented her staying power and began her transition from cute and poppy to something a little edgier.

  1. Crank That by Soulja Boy

This one hit wonder—and dance craze—was contagious back in the day. Every white frat boy and pompous bad boy thought he could “crank it.” However, we all knew that Soulja Boy was the only one who really knew what he was doing.

  1. Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston

This seemingly cute, but also somewhat dark song, has a poppy and bright tune to go with lyrics that had a darker edge. Of course, we all loved the music video that hearkened to a former era and the way Kingston serenaded us made us all feel a little warmer inside.

  1. Party Like a Rock Star by Shop Boyz

This song made everyone realize they enjoyed a little hip-hop in their lives. The chorus that was a slow yet steady anthem to “party like a rock star” was on everyone’s lips at parties and now that we’ve all forgotten about it, it’s time to remind you that yes, this was all over the radio just a decade ago.  

  1. Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

While 2007 clearly was inundated with mainstream pop, there were still good alternative options available. “Paralyzer” was the song on every rock playlist for every angsty teenager—but even the jocks enjoyed blasting it during their workout routine. The addictive hook and the gravelly vocals give it a fantastic sound that ages quite well.

  1. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne

Which tween girl wasn’t belting this song every Friday night with their best friends? Everyone who was obsessed with Hannah Montana and Jesse McCartney could indulge their edgy side with the punk-inspired Lavigne’s anthem. It even made us feel like we could relate, even though we clearly had zero experience. This was also probably the last time Avril Lavigne was relevant for something other than a pregnancy inquiry or death hoax.

  1. Stronger by Kanye West

Back when Kanye was making some great rap and was probably at the height of his game, he released the song “Stronger.” With its slick beats and fresh lyrical stylings, this was easily one of the best rap albums of the year. However, this seems like eons ago now that we have the unstable, confusing, and egotistical rapper or arguably personality, we know today. Today’s kids probably call him Kim K’s husband, but we all knew him as Kanye West.

  1. No One by Alicia Keys

This R&B ballad was incredible and still is. Keys’ vocals are amazing and we all caught the feels with this one. Even better is Keys’ continues to kill it and we all love seeing what she’ll do next.

  1. Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

This sweet and simple song made us all happy on a summer day. Caillat’s relaxing and happy vocals made everyone feel like quitting their jobs, kicking back, and moving to the beach—and who could blame them? This song was an instant feel-good favorite for all those easy listening folks and beyond.

  1. Icky Thump by The White Stripes

This song, coming from the last album Jack White did as part of “The White Stripes” was amazing from start to finish. With political overtones, fantastic guitar thanks to Mr. White and those Bob Dylan-esque vocals that mixed in with the pounding beat made every rocker swoon. We could not ask for anything more from Jack White and that’s why this wraps up the list.

 

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Campus News

National Grant Brings New Faculty

This year Houghton College welcomed a new addition to the athletics department, thanks to the Ethnic Minorities and Women’s Internship Grant.

The funding, part of NCAA Division III’s diversity grants, brought Kiara Cooper to work on campus for the next two years and gain experience in the field of athletic administration. According to the NCAA website, the grant was established to help enhance diversity among Division III athletics.

Cooper came to Houghton with a mission: to promote ethnic and gender diversity on a Division III college campus, which, like many of its kind, has historically welcomed mostly white, middle-class students. On the day-to-day level, Cooper will also serve as the assistant to the Athletic Director, Harold ‘Skip’ Lord, and as an assistant to the cross-country and track teams. She is not helping to coach these sports but to help in an administrative capacity, for which she feels she is more equipped and capable.

Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in art from Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia and a Master’s of Business from Belhaven University located in Jackson, Mississippi, Cooper was academically impressive and boasted a robust résumé of accomplishments. Cooper was also on the Dean’s List for all four years of her undergraduate studies and was an athletic marketing intern with an ultimate goal of becoming an athletic director at the collegiate level, an aspiration that impressed Lord.

She previously served as the site supervisor at Covenant College, a position she will now fill during Houghton events.  Cooper also had a history of site supervision for sporting events and business administration at other institutions. A basketball player herself since the age of 8, she also coached basketball at the collegiate level at her alma mater.  It was while holding the coaching position that she realized her calling was not for direct , but for sports administration. “Coaches have a certain passion,” she said, “but I just didn’t have that passion.”

Although she was excited to share her administrative gifts with the school, Cooper admitted that she initially felt some trepidation at the prospect of moving to Houghton. Growing up in Atlanta, she attended colleges that—while predominantly white—were located in diverse surroundings, and had never lived in an area with such sparse African-American and Latino populations. Cooper knew the subtle challenges of life as a black student at a white college ever since she was a student herself.

She remembered several nationwide events that brought racial tensions to the forefront, mentioning that these moments reminded her that she perceived the world differently from many others. “It’s not just minority ethnicity,” Cooper said. “It’s minority thought as well.” While she had never seen outright racism on her college campuses, she was also aware that much of the division is due to the absence of knowledge and experience that those who are not of color do not and cannot have.

Colleges that are predominantly white, she noted, tend to bring issues to the forefront that minority students have in the forefront of their lives.  Cooper did not want to become the forefront of African-American issues, but she would love to add to the discussion and potentially bring certain tough discussions to the table. Cooper knew some people may be offended, but she noted Christianity is offensive to some people.  They are offended by Christians’ audacious hope, something that her church talked about and has had her thinking. “I don’t know if I could be the bridge,” Cooper said, “but I would love to be at least a plank on that bridge.”

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News

Angelica Civil War Reenactment Weekend

Next weekend, September 22-24, the Allegheny Highlands Council Boy Scouts of America and the 136th New York Volunteer Infantry are working together to bring a Civil War reenactment in the Town Square and Main Street of nearby Angelica. The event’s press release explains the event aims to not only reenact battle scenes but to also give a taste of what life was like during the Civil War era. Angelica prides itself in being a town where history lives and intends to live out that particular motto through events like the upcoming reenactment.

The event will feature actors dressed in period garb, music sponsored by local radio station, WRAQ-LP 92.7 FM, a variety of food with a local flair, and on Saturday the Angelica Farmer’s Market will be open with it’s usual fare of fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, honey, crafts and other specialty items.

Saturday is the largest of the weekend with the most events and will bring a lively bustle to the town. According to the official schedule, it will include a living history time during the morning where one can tour camp set ups designed to mimic the Civil War encampment, as well as enjoying the unique Main Street Angelica offers. Adult actors will perform a battle reenactment and later in the day the Boy Scouts will perform a mock reenactment.

The two reenactments will occur mainly between the times of noon and five in the evening on Saturday for an exciting afternoon. Other events included in the reenactment weekend are an educational day on Friday for local schools to get a feel for the environment and culture of the Civil War.   Boy Scouts will have the opportunity in the evening to camp out themselves to get a feel for what it was like.  The event’s website explains its intention of engaging the youth of the community at all age levels.

On Sunday there will be a pancake breakfast at the Legion Hall on Main Street along with a church service in the style of the Civil War era at the Grange and a Catholic mass at Sacred Heart church building.  Following, there will be a parade at midday. To close out the weekend, there will be a final battle reenactment Sunday afternoon followed by the opportunity to casually walk through the camp sites and view the setup.  

If students are interested in learning more about this event, they can view further event details on the event’s Facebook page or by liking the 136th New York volunteer Infantry’s Facebook page. The volunteer infantry has also been advertising the event on their website and on posters around campus.  Many local shop owners and community are also involved and are distributing information to those who are interested.