Vampires. Werewolves. Christ. Does Twilight present Christian themes in its latest installment Breaking Dawn Part 1?
Still Snapping
PBA Alumni discuss their current photography business endeavors.
Features 8
Features 4
The Student Newspaper of Palm Beach Atlantic University readmybeacon.com
Volume 8, Issue 10
PBA’s Oratorio Chorus prepares for performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ tonight. By Cash W. Lambert News Editor It was 1741; the streets of London bustled with noise as George Frideric Handel sat inside his room for 24 days
rapidly composing countless musical notes through hundreds of pages of manuscript. Fast-forward 270 years. A.J. Titus, a Palm Beach Atlantic University sophomore, while hunched over, scribbles notes in between music lines in his score of Handel’s “Messiah.” He is preparing for PBA’s Oratorio Chorus rendition of Messiah, which will take place tonight at 7:30 in the DeSantis Chapel. Titus and 134 other singers, joined by 16 orchestra
members, will fill the chapel with some of the most powerful and most loved music the world has known. “It’s a difficult piece of music,” said Titus. “We’ve been working on it all semester.” “All the text is taken from scripture,” said Dr. Geoffrey Holland, conductor of the Oratorio Chorus. He explained that Handel wrote the music to Messiah, while an Englishman named Charles Jennens compiled the text using the King
Monday, December 5, 2011
James Bible. “To quote Jennens,” said Holland, “‘the subject excels all other subjects.’” “Focus on the text and how Handel sets the music to it,” said Holland. “Let that wash over you.” Many listeners will recognize the chorus “For unto us a child is born,” taken from Isaiah 4:6. From Revelation 19:6 comes the most famous part of Messiah, the Hallelujah Chorus. By longstanding tradition,
audiences stand to their feet when the chorus begins, and remain standing through its familiar strains. The oratorio concludes with “Worthy is the lamb that was slain,” a favorite chorus for Holland. “I think it’s especially uplifting and especially satisfying and powerful when you get to the last chorus and finish the final amen, because the music broadens
See Messiah, page 3
2 news / opinion
The Beacon Monday, December 5, 2011
Register for Fla. primary
www.readmybeacon.com
Chris Hernandez M ANAGING E DITOR
Chris_hernandez@pba.edu
Cash W. Lambert N E WS E DITOR Cash_Lambert2@pba.edu
Charlotte Rakestraw F E ATUR E S E DITOR Charlotte_Rakestraw@pba.edu
Joshua Reid S PORTS E DITOR
Josh_Reid@pba.edu
Christina Cernik P HOTO E DITOR Christina_Cernik@pba.edu
Rocky DeCell G RAPHIC A RTS E DITOR Rocky_DeCell@pba.edu
Jenny Hendriksen W E B E DITOR Jenny_Hendriksen@pba.edu
By Chris Hernandez for the Beacon
John Sizemore E XE CUTIV E E DITOR John_Sizemore@pba.edu
Duane Meeks P UBLISH
ER
No part of the Beacon may be reproduced without permission. The opinions expressed in the Beacon are not necessarily those of the Palm Beach Atlantic University administration, staff or faculty.
Corrections for 11/21: In “Holidays come early,” Greg Bromley’s name was misspelled.
See something that needs to be in next week’s Corrections? Contact the editor of the section.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas W
alking up and down Clematis Street, you may have noticed a few new sand sculptures. The sand sculptures represent 12 destinations in Florida from Tampa to West Palm. They were crafted by World Champion Sand Sculptor Mark Mason and Team Sandtastic. In addition to the sand sculptures, there have been many other Holiday events to hit West Palm Beach. From Dec. 3 to 11, Ann Norton Sculpture
Gardens is hosting “Festival of Trees,” an event featuring Christmas trees decorated by some of Palm Beach’s premier designers. This year’s tree inspirations were drawn from movies such as Gladiator and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Other events include a showing of Polar Express in the City Center on Dec. 9, a Holiday Horsefest at the Meyer Amphitheater on Dec. 11 and Jazz on the Palm Dec. 16.
As the 2012 presidential race heats up, Florida residents have less than a month to register for the Republican primary. With the primary on Jan. 31, Florida will be the fourth state to vote for candidates. For many students at Palm Beach Atlantic University and other colleges, 2012 marks their first opportunity to vote for president. Jan. 3 is the last day to register to vote in the primary. To register to vote, go online to the Florida Division of Elections website and fill out the voter registration form. A voter identification card will then be mailed to you two to three weeks after your application is processed. You may register with or without a party affiliation. The frontrunners for the Republican party are Michele Bachman (U.S. representative from Minnesota), Herman Cain (businessman and politician), Newt Gingrich (former speaker of the House), Rick Perry (current governor of Texas), Ron Paul (representative from Texas) and Mitt Romney (governor of Massachusetts).
Opinion
What a Kardashian Wedding Could Buy A wasteful wedding Wedding cost: $27.9 million
What could have been
+$2 million to Nature Conservancy
2 million trees could be planted in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil
+$1 million to Save the Whales
40,000 endangered whales could be adopted
+$500,000 to Soul4Soles
provide 500,000 pairs of shoes to children
+$9 million to Clairity Water
serve 450,000 kids safe drinking water
+$5 million to Heifer International
provide 1,000 families in need of nourishment
By Rocky DeCell for the Beacon
Kardashian / Humphries wedding expenses could have helped out charities and points to larger truth about wasteful habits.
By Saudia Ali Staff Writer On Aug. 20 2011, Kim Kardashian found marital bliss marrying Kris Humphries. Only 72 days later, the couple found themselves divorced with a wasted wedding of $10 million under their belts. A shocking number of Americans are extremely wasteful with money; spending on items they do not even need. So, why are so many Americans squandering money away when they could be aiding someone in desperate need? “We definitely need to be more aware of global needs, but international nonprofit organizations can be wasteful as well. We need to do our homework,” said Dr. Gerald Wright, chair of Palm Beach Atlantic University’s department of cross-cultural studies. This is an extremely valid point; you cannot just assume you are doing the right thing by giving money to any charity. You must make sure the organizations you are donating to are legitimate, that they are actually giving the money to people in need and not to themselves. As Wright said, “We also struggle as Americans with the idea that we can solve every problem if we just throw enough
money at it, but sometimes the best solutions are non-monetary. Even so, eliminating wasteful spending and thinking more about the needs of others should be at the forefront of our thinking as Christians.” It just isn’t justified that celebrities waste their money on frivolous items. You can do so much more. So many families out there are struggling to make it by in life, while these celebs are out buying their 100th pair of shoes. Fortunately, there are a few celebs that do choose to invest their money wisely in a good charity. On some occasions, these celebs start their own charity. If more and more celebrities would just help sustain a well-intentioned charity, that would be an incredible accomplishment. It is vital to watch out for the phony organizations that are a sham. They will swindle your money away for their own desires not the needs of the people who really require the money. If you want to do the right thing you must first discover a charity that is trustworthy. As for celebs, those legitimate organizations that help the less fortunate are right at their fingertips. There is no excuse for them to be wasting away their money on items that they do not even need.
The Beacon
Monday, December 5, 2011
The camel strikes back? FBC will not use live animals in this years production of ‘Project Christmas.’ By Brianna Dungan Staff Writer Christmas songs, nativity scenes and camels falling on people? That’s right, once again it is time for First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach’s annual Christmas production, Project Christmas. FBC will be holding a free viewing of this year’s Project Christmas to all Palm Beach Atlantic University students on Thursday, Dec. 8. Along with this free perfor-
mance, the show will be open to the public on Dec. 9, 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. Tickets for this year’s production are 13 dollars. Many viewers had attended First Baptist Church’s production in the past, and they got what they expected; music, dancing and animals. Last year, however, audiences got a surprise from Lulu Belle, one of the camels in the production, when she fell on unsuspecting students as she was walking down the church aisle. This incident was not quite the surprise ending viewers were anticipating. Bev Bonner, director of assimilation at FBC, said that after the camel incident, ticket sales soared and the church became a YouTube
phenomenon. Bonner later remarked, “The camel was our biggest promo stunt ever. It was awesome.” The people of FBC are curious with what this year’s unplanned promo stunt could be and if it could ever compete with last year’s fiasco. Christian Ramos, worship leader at FBC, said that this year will be more of a concert and worship experience. Project Christmas will last for one hour and 15 minutes in contrast to previous years, when it ran for three hours. The Christmas concert will consist of an 85 person choir. Along with the choir, there will be a 25 person orchestra to bring viewers their favorite Christmas songs. Even though they will be per-
forming Christmas favorites, Ramos explained there will be “carols, but we’ll amp it up a little.” What really makes this year special is that all the money brought in from this year’s production is getting donated to Highland Elementary School. Highland Elementary is a public school in Lake Worth in need of school supplies and resources. Unfortunately, this year there will be no camels or other live animals in the production. Ramos said this was not due to the camel incident, but was a “general decision to change, because times have changed.”
news 3
Messiah
From page 1 at the end and it just takes on this majestical brilliance and beauty and breadth of expression that is just wonderful,” said Holland. “It’s very powerful.” Joining the PBA Oratorio Chorus will be high school students from His People’s Choir of Kings Academy. The soloists are professional singers: Moon-Sook Park, soprano, who has over 200 performances as a soloist; Sonia Santiago, mezzo-soprano, who serves as the director of vocal arts at the Kings Academy; Byron Grohman, tenor, who has performed with the Palm Beach Opera and S. Mark Aliapoulios, baritone, who has participated with the Boston Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Scholars challenged to do better work at ETS conference By Michele Kappas Staff Writer For most ministry majors, excitement filled their minds two weeks ago when their professors told them that they were going to California for the week due to conferences for different societies. One of the societies that PBA professors attended this year was the Evangelical Theological Society in San Francisco from Nov.16 to 18. “The ETS annual meeting is the academic highpoint of my year,” says Professor Paul Copan. “I always come away encouraged and new writing projects and collaborations typically emerge from these gatherings.” This was the 63rd annual conference for the ETS. The theme for this year was “no other name.” The ETS is committed to the inerrancy and inspiration of scripture, along with the Gospel of Christ. During this conference, attendees have the opportunity to attend plenary sessions where speakers talk off of this theme. “Everything new in theology is presented there,” says Professor Vic Copan, who also attended this year. In addition to plenary sessions, there are small group sessions on issues such as Old Testament, New Testament and systematic theology. In these groups, various scholars, professors, pastors and even students can present papers to the group and share research. Paul Copan presented a paper on servitude in the Old Testament and has been attending ETS since 1993. “I heard a review on Jesus’ research that was very helpful,” says Vic Copan. “Jesus research has been very skeptical in the past, and lately it seems to be moving away from skepticism and trusting the New Testa-
ment Gospel accounts, which is very exciting to see.” In order for a student’s paper to be eligible for reading at the conference, the student must be a member of the society and enrolled in a doctoral program. The papers that relate to the theme of the conference have priority in presentation over ones that do not connect to the theme directly. The conference is open to all members in the ETS, affiliated society members and nonmembers as well. Last year, since it was in New Orleans, a couple of students from PBA were able to attend along with graduates. Professor Preben Vang also attended the ETS this year and found the experience beneficial. “There is a clear shift in evangelical theology among scholars to do better work,” says Vang. He believes that this conference is helpful because it allows you to keep up in your field and the latest research done in your area. “Every publisher in your field is there, and it’s a good time to connect with scholars on a private level,” he said. Paul Copan agrees. “While these are meetings attending primarily by evangelicals, those from the Catholic and Orthodox point of view have presented or engaged in panel discussions. So if one has a particular interest in philosophy or theology or biblical studies, it’s a great place to rub shoulders with scholars who have a high view of biblical authority.” The Evangelical Theology Society meets for its annual meeting next year in Milwaukee, Nov. 14 to 16. Professors from PBA encourage as many people who can go to do so. “I think it’s a very significant thing for anyone who wants to do future studies,” says Vic Copan. “It’s a good opportunity.”
Courtesy of Ruth Pelletier for the Beacon
Mueseum fighting back: The Maritime Mueseum on Peanut Island is fighting for its right to provide food to tourists.
County stalls Maritime dining By Michele Kappas Staff Writer The Palm Beach Maritime Museum is attempting to get approval to put in a restaurant on Peanut Island, but it hasn’t been the smoothest of processes. The island-based museum is located on the Intracoastal Waterway. “We want to add a restaurant in order to build and maintain relationships,” said Antony Miller, the manager for the museum. Many museums have businesses with cafés, bookstores and gift shops, but Palm Beach County officials oppose the restaurant plan here, citing zoning laws that restrict commercial activity on the island. Right now there is no food available for tourists on any part of the island. Miller used to sell hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and water, but now, he said, the county will not even allow vendors. “I’ll have 100 kids and no food for them or their families,” said Miller. “Were just trying to run a museum, and the county acts like were trying to build a Hooters.” Miller believes that the addition of a restaurant would result in more of a family oriented atmosphere. He doesn’t understand why the county isn’t in favor of it because of the tourists and tour
ships the Maritime Museum brings in for the island. According to Miller, a charter written for Palm Beach port before its opening in 1903 gives the museum freedom to do as it wishes without the county’s permission. Miller is the 45-year lease holder for the museum. He insists that the lease with the Port of Palm Beach, which owns Peanut Island, states that the museum has a right to this restaurant because it is a museum. A restaurant would provide future jobs for students at Palm Beach Atlantic University, said Miller. “We have a strong connection with PBA.” PBA student Jon Mode is assisting Miller in the appeal process for the restaurant. “The museum needs something like this, and for PBA students it would just make going to PBA that much better,” said Mode. “This could get students to experience the beautiful island that is there.” “Available food attracts more people to learn about history,” said Mode. On the other side of the argument, as the Palm Beach Post reports on the controversy, some readers offered comments via the newspaper’s website. “Don’t commercialize Peanut Island,” was the theme of several comments.
4 features
The Beacon
Monday, December 5, 2011
Review
The Twilight Phenomenon By Becca Stripe Staff Writer Now that another Twilight film has been released, the controversy has started again on whether or not it’s something Christians should go to see. I have read all four books and seen the first four movies about the blood-sucking romance. Just because there may be some debatable parts throughout the whole story doesn’t mean it’s not fit to be read or seen. There are some Christian themes that run through the four books: love, sacrifice, unexpected pregnancy, and facing temptation. There are several characters in the story that hold to the Christian faith, including Edward’s father Carlisle who was once a pastor and continues to keep his faith and fight the lifestyle of a vampire by choosing to be a doctor and saving instead of slaying people. In the movie Bella unexpectedly gets pregnant. Even though Bella’s life is severely at risk throughout her pregnancy, she still chooses to keep the baby and sacrifice her own life for the child. And lastly, Edward shows a solid resolve to keep his relationship with Bella from getting too physical. Although Bella is very willing to just hand over her virginity, Edward explains to her that he doesn’t approve of premarital sex. He encourages and stresses to her the importance and specialness of this act of waiting until they’re married, which is what they do. The intense chemistry between the two characters sets an example for Christian teens that just because the desire is there, it does not mean you have to act on it. There are definitely some great redeeming qualities in the Twilight saga. I think that Christians have to make the careful and cautious decision on whether to check out this fantasy romance. As Christians, we need to be extremely mindful of what we put in our minds and hearts. Some Christians have read and seen a lot of books on witchcraft, sex, violence and more without it ever even denting their faith. However, a lot of other Christians are more vulnerable, and the smallest mention of something tempting can lure them away. You have to know where you are in your walk with the Lord and what you can handle in order to choose wisely. The books are not inherently Christian, but there are some Christian themes and values that flow through them. Discussion, prayer and strong consideration should be given prior to making a decision on the subject.
By Charlotte Rakestraw
The Beacon
Monday, December 5, 2011 $58 - $98
By Chris Hernandez Managing Editor Coats, scarves and boots flood the streets of places like New York and Boston during the winter fashion season. The warm winter weather in West Palm Beach, on the other hand, doesn’t permit these typical winter fashion trends. “Since the weather doesn’t exactly get very cold here, you have to break down winter trends and make them work into your everyday wardrobe,” Katherine Lande, fashion editor at Palm Beach Illustrated, says. “A few examples would be to wear printed tights with dresses on chillier days and nights, booties with everything from jeans to skirts and dresses, and a great black blazer can get paired up with anything.” Scarves and knitted fabrics are also a way to be on trend without getting overheated. Another fun way to be on trend is to incorporate accessories. “My all time favorite accessory is nail polish. I probably switch my nail color at least twice a week. It’s the most affordable and easiest way to switch up your look,” Lande says. “I normally bounce between shades of gray, various metallics and a classic black. Lately I have been playing with blues, violets and rich greens.” Investing in a handbag, according to Lande, is great since it is something you would use every day of the year. When it comes to college fashion, Lande believes comfortablity is key. “I would say colored jeans and layers are a definite go-to for everyday. The loafer style shoe is also making a huge statement this season. This classic style flat has been updated with bold fabrics and prints like leopard for an edgier and younger look.” Though college fashion should be comfortable, Lande suggests going bold this season. “Digital prints and pastel shades are two major trends you will start to see, both of which are perfect for our market, “ she says. “I love the idea of someone young dressing to express their personality, its really the time to play and experiment with fashion.”
features 5
Sequin Newport
Gold Pendant Necklace www.sequin-nyc.com
$40
Missoni for Target Printed Blouse - Black /White Zig Zag www.target.com
$170
“I would say colored jeans and layers are a definite go-to for everyday.” Lande on jeans
J Brand
Skinny Jeans www.jbrandjeans.com
Winter trends
Katherine Lande, fashion editor at Palm Beach Illustrated, dropped by “the Beacon” office with these winter trends she found in her closet. To see our interview with Lande, visit www.readmybeacon.com.
$48 - $128
Anthropologie
Scarf www.anthropologie.com
“I carry a scarf with me at all times. That extra layer helps add an instant winter element to my outfit. ” Lande on scarves $275
J. Crew
Darby calf hair loafers www.jcrew.com
$9.50 - $14
Sephora by OPI Nail Polish www.sephora.com
“Most affordable way to switch up your look.” Lande on nail polish
Giving Christmas away Through organizations like World Vision and Operation Christmas Child, PBA students use the Christmas season to give more to the less fortunate. By Olivia Baldassari Staff Writer With Christmas less than a month away, it is time for the season of giving. But for most college students, it is hard to shop for gifts because of the little money they have to spend on presents for family and friends. There are a select few, though, that go above and beyond to give to others, particularly to those who live halfway across the world. One of these few is Alicia Stamm, a junior, who, for almost two years now, has been sponsoring a 12 year-old Indonesian boy named Tegar. The sponsorship comes through World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization that works in almost 100 countries to fight against
poverty and prejudice. “It was something I always wanted to do and I love children,” said Stamm. “At the time I didn’t have a job and couldn’t afford it, but my bank account never went to $0.” During the holidays, World Vision asks its sponsors pay an extra $20, on top of the $38 sponsors to pay each month, to give their child a Christmas present. Twenty Dollars can go a long way for child in a third world country. It can provide school supplies and backpacks, a blanket, chickens, fresh water, and Bibles. Stamm went above that amount and paid $40 to provide another child a present. “Here, we all want the new iPod, or the new iPhone, but all the children
want is a blanket,” Stamm said. are shopping for when picking “If they get a blanket for Christ- out items.” mas, they won’t care if they get When in college, students anything else.” have a pretty tight budget, which Another student here, fresh- means they don’t have much extra man Brianna Dungan, has in the spending money and when given past participated in the chance, most Operation Christmas wouldn’t spend that “Here, we all extra $20 on a child Child, which is an organization that pro- want the new in poverty instead vides kids with shoe- iPod, or the new of buying a new pair boxes full of needed iPhone, but all of jeans they absoitems. These items the children want lutely “need.” can be anything is Stamm has never a blanket,” from toothbrushes, regretted her deciStamm said. soap, toys, and pension of sponsoring cils and paper. These Tegar. “We should shoeboxes are shipped around spend money on the things we the world to third world countries care about,” she said. Being an in need. art education major, Stamm “It’s so amazing to see how knows that money does not grow little things we take for granted on trees, but that does not stop in America are the things that put her from wanting to do some big smiles on children’s faces in other changes in the world. “Everyone countries,” Dungan said. “It is so says that they want to make a difmuch fun picturing the kid you ference in world, but some don’t
know where to start,” Stamm said. “It is a lot easier to make a difference in the world than most think. Start by sponsoring a child.”
6 sports
The Beacon Monday, December 5, 2011
Surfers hope for PBA club By Cash W. Lambert News Editor Even though surfing is well known at Palm Beach Atlantic, it is an off-campus activity and not organized. Some surfers have been trying to change that. “So many colleges are land locked,” said junior Ethan Parker. “We’re not and we have great waves; why not use the ocean? Surf clubs exist throughout the long stretch of East Coast colleges and across the country to West Coast schools. At a select number of colleges, its a university-funded sport. “Surfing has transformed,” said senior Andrew Beach. “It’s become so completive and athletic.” “There’s so much unknown about the surfing community,” said PBA sophomore Cory Hibbard, when asked if surfing should be taken seriously as a club. “Many surfers are very driven individuals with a lot of passion for what they do.” Beach discussed activities that the club could enact to benefit the community and PBA. “Beach clean ups are definitely an option,” he said. Workship credits could also be available through cleanups to club members, and the club could partake in social events, such as giving surf lessons,
opening the club to more students. “Clubs are how people connect,” said Beach. “It builds relationships; there’s so many good things that can come out of it.” With surfing comes the dangers of sharks and shallow rocks, something Hibbard touched on. “It’d be safer for sure to have a group to surf with,” he said. With PBA having a Christian emphasis, Parker acknowledged a Christian aspect that could be inserted into the club. “We could definitely do devotionals before we surf,” he said. “And we could have worship, just in the water. It can be a very spiritual thing, being in awe of God’s creation. You can really connect with God just by being out in the ocean.” Awareness is the first step that Beach, Parker, and Hibbard mentioned for the club to get up and running. Clayton Kolb, director for Campus Connections, described how to get the club started. “All clubs are student led,” he said, “but need a PBA faculty staff advisor,” he said. When asked about the difficulty of getting a surfing club approved, he said, “As long as there is student participation and good vision, and a purpose, it would work.”
By Cash W. Lambert for the Beacon
Surfs up? Students such as Andrew Beach (above) are planning for a possible surf club at PBA
Wrestling club to start in spring By Joshua Reid Sports Editor A new wrestling club has arrived at Palm Beach Atlantic University. The club sport will start in spring, and members on the team will compete against members from other schools such as the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. “I’m really glad PBA approved of this,” said Mike Cruz, the president of the wrestling club. “When I first came to PBA I wanted to start a wrestling club.” “I decided to join wrestling at PBA because I did it all four years in high school and my old college,” said transfer student Michael Murray. “After a while here I started to miss it. Getting back into wrestling will help get me back in shape and it’s something to do at PBA, as well as getting to meet new people.” “I used to wrestle all my life,” said sophomore David
Leonard. “It’s nice I can get back into it at PBA. I’ve missed it a lot.” PBA wrestling will be an actual sport that’s also funded by the NCAA. The team will compete in the NCWA (National Collegiate Wrestling Association). While there is no cost to join the club, Cruz says that there is a $30 dollar fee for uniforms. In preparation for the spring sport, the team will have practice on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. for two and a half hours. There will also be “wrestleoffs”, where members will feel free to do “whatever,” according to Cruz. “When two people want to do wrestle-offs, the entire team watches them,” said Cruz. “It’s like an actual match. No one talks and no one coaches. We will just watch the two guys have at it. They will be available at any time whenever two members want to have one.” Each match will be a result of round robin tourna-
ment play where each member will face another member of each opposing team in the same weight class. There are 13 different weight classes, including 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 146, 152, 160, 170, 182, 196, 220, and 266 lbs. Each member will wrestle an opponent in his same weight class. “In wrestling, people realize they can’t stay the same weight,” said Cruz. “That’s why there’s so many weight classes.” At the meeting, Cruz said more than 20 people had signed up, but more people are still allowed to join if they want. A website will be coming soon as well, which will include the team’s roster, schedule, victories, and so forth. “Currently, I’m using Facebook until PBA creates a website for me. It will be called sailfishwrestling.com,” said Cruz. “If anyone has any questions or wants to join, they can email me at michael_cruz@pba.edu.”
PBA hosts one day tennis tournament By Jessica Wharton Staff Writer On Nov. 19 the Palm Beach Atlantic University men’s and women’s tennis team hosted one of the 52 One Day Campus Showdown events occurring nation wide. The event was open to high school juniors, collegiate players, and adults, which was sponsored by the United States Tennis Association’s Player Development Program. Held at Gaines Park in West Palm Beach, the tournament consisted of a men’s and women’s singles draw as well as a men’s
Sailfish Sports Dec. 5-16
and women’s doubles draw. It helped create bonding time for current players as well as juniors to look into collegiate tennis. “I think is a great opportunity to scout out more talent, recruit new players, and build team morale by spending a day at the court together,” said Liddy Robinson, a member of the women’s tennis team. Unlike most tennis tournaments which are strictly competition, the One Day Campus Showdown is, according to the USTA website, designed to “get more American junior players on college campuses—giving them a taste of college life and a chance to
compete against college players.” The day consisted of compass format draws of a single set played to 6, with a tie breaker to 7 being played at a score of 5-5. With only six courts at Gaines Park, participants watched matches, snacked on fruit, and enjoyed the cook out provided by head tennis coach Chi Ly. Junior Johnny Kalis of the PBA men’s tennis team said, “I thought it was really nice that we could all play against each other in a friendly, yet competitive setting and then be able to eat together and cheer for our teammates between matches.” The USTA, in collaboration with coaches
and colleges around the country, focuses on community outreach and advocacy in helping to build ties between college programs and the local tennis community. Assistant coach Austin Longacre said, “I think it’s a great way to give back to the Palm Beach community and also let them know about PBA and our tennis program.” While PBA tennis team members took home the gold after the tournament, Longacre thought it was “great that recruits can come and play with us; that we are so willing to humble ourselves as a team and give them the opportunity to see what college tennis is all about.”
Monday 12/5
Wednesday 12/7
Wednesday 12/7
Friday 12/16
Women’s Basketball 5:30 p.m. @ Lynn University
Women’s Basketball 6 p.m. Home vs. Barry University
Men’s Basketball 7:30 p.m. Home vs. Barry University
Women’s Basketball 7 p.m. Home vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
sports 7
The Beacon Monday, December 5, 2011
The road to nationals
Photo Courtesy of Michael Brown
The volleyball team after winning its second straight NCCAA South Regional championship
By Joshua Reid Sports Editor This past week Palm Beach Atlantic University’s men’s soccer and volleyball have been competing in Nationals. Tournament play was still going on as the Beacon went to press on Thursday night. To see final results, go to pbasailfish.com. On Nov. 30 soccer’s quest at a second consecutive national title came to an end in a 0-1 loss to Geneva College. Volleyball’s quest was still in reach, as on Dec. 1 it swept Southern Wesleyan University and Dallas Baptist University. It continued play on Dec. 2 against Asbury University and Trinity Christian College. “I was very positive about us coming this far,” said volleyball player Mariela Quesada. “I could tell we were going to be very good because we had very good players all around.” The road to Nationals was not an easy one for the Lady Sailfish as, despite its 25-3 regular season record,they had to go through a lot of adversity, such as injuries and creating a chemistry between a team primarily made of freshmen and seniors.
“Most challenging was blending five seniors with eight freshmen and overcoming injuries to starters Allie Warren (out for 19 matches) and Lane Robinson (out for 2 weeks),” said volleyball head coach Bob White. The team also had rough stretches against a few perennial powerhouses. “The most challenging games this year were against the Division II schools like Tampa, Barry, Nova, and FT,” said Quesada. “The final game in regionals was also challenging because of all the pressure we had to win in order to come to nationals.” Last season, the Lady Sailfish had a similar season and made a run in nationals before losing in the final four. White feels this team was stronger and was
Freshman Becca Accevedo
Photo Courtesy of Michael Brown
The men’s soccer team after winning its sixth consecutive NCCAA South Regional title
better prepared than before, primarily because of White’s unique combination of rotating seniors and freshmen. “The five seniors have been great role models and mentors and the freshmen have stepped up to play significant roles in backrow defense, serve receive and serving and setting,” said White.
White also feels the team’s success have come through Christ. “Our theme as champions for Christ had given us a special blend of playing our best,” said White. “Realizing our talents and opportunity to represent PBA have came from Him.” Junior Lewis Thomspson
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It wasn’t until after graduating from Palm Beach Atlantic University that Jessica Lorren Cornett decided to pursue photography. Eventually Jessica realized that she wanted to go forth and start her own business. Seventy weddings later, it is safe to say that Jessica knows a thing or two about wedding photography. Brides are among her favorite subjects. “There is something so graceful, feminine and sweet about a girl on her wedding day and I find myself endlessly inspired when I get alone time with each of my brides,” she says. It is evident in these photos that Jessica truly knows how to capture the beauty
Monday December 5, 2011 and elegance of a bride. Like many photographers it took a lot of hard work and patience to cultivate her style and begin her dream of creating a business. Jessica’s advice: “When I got started I knew nothing. I just took pictures and priced myself based on what I thought my clients wanted. It worked out for a little while but once I finally refined my craft and found my niche, my work was so much more consistent and my business really began to grow. “So if I had it all to do over, I would begin by assisting other photographers of all kinds until I had a good idea of who I was as an artist and what it actually takes to run a business. Managing a business is a much larger portion of being a photographer than many realize. A lot of talented photographers drop the ball when it comes to running their businesses and they end up needing other jobs as a result. So to sum it up, determine who you are as an artist and get as much field experience in the business of photography as you possibly can before setting off on your own.”
With a creative family, it seemed natural for Hannah Mayo to became interested in photography as a teenager. Hannah knew that she wanted to pursue photography professionally, but at first was unsure what road she was going to take “I knew before I graduated that I wanted to do photography professionally, but at that point I was still unsure of the direction it would take,” she says. “I shot everything I possibly could, and soaked up every bit of information I could find.” She started a business and a family, and her business gradually grew after countless hours and lots of hard work. One reason why Hannah loves photography is because she is able to capture people’s emotion and tell their stories through her photographs.
Hannah’s advice: “Learn as much as you possibly can; it is so important to have a solid technical foundation. Also, take some business courses - this is one thing I really wish I’d done while at PBA. Any business, marketing, and entrepreneurship knowledge you can gain will be so, so valuable. “Take any opportunity you can to learn from people in the industry. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask if they could use an assistant, or even if they’ll let you take them for coffee and ask questions. I’ve made some amazing contacts and true friends just through emailing people whose work I admire. Workshops taught by well-known photographers are also an excellent way to learn and meet people. “Most important: shoot a lot, and lots of different things. Have your camera with you as often as possible. Make your friends and family pose for you. Shooting is the only way to find and refine your unique voice and style, and to figure out what you like and what works for you. In both your art and your business, make everything you do one hundred percent yours - look within yourself rather than at what everyone else is doing.”
Shea Christine worked at a five star hotel on Palm Beach for several years. After finding her love for photography at Palm Beach Atlantic University she finally decided to take the plunge during her junior year at PBA, where she created Shea Christine Photography. “My dream became a reality a year and a half ago when I started my business,” Shea explains. She likes shooting many things, but she truly loves shooting engagements and weddings. Her career has just begun and it is clear to see that she has talent. Shea’s advice: “Practice, practice, practice and definitely don’t give up!”
It was in high school, after my dad gave me his old film camera, that I began to learn the fundamentals of photography. Throughout the years I have considered photography as one of my true passions in life, but it wasn’t until recently that I decided that photography is something I want to do professionally. I am not sure what road I will take, and the journey ahead seems daunting, but I am determined to become a professional photographer. I found my love for photography years ago and haven’t put my camera down since, but it wasn’t un-
til I began working for The Beacon newspaper as the photo editor, that I really realized that I could pursue my dream of becoming a professional photographer. I am still unsure of what route or niche I will take, but I love shooting and every aspect of the creative process. Recently I have been infatuated with taking pictures at sunrise, like the one above. I have a lot to learn and I am aware that there are many steps ahead that need to be taken to pursue my dream. After acquiring advice from others, working for “the Beacon” and starting my own website, I have learned to put my insecurities aside and pursue my passion. My advice: I encourage everyone at PBA to seek the one thing in life they love doing the most. Stories by Christina Cernik