Bible behind bars
A season of adversity
61 percent of prison workers who are related to rehab programs say participation compared to past three years has increased. Jessica Santiago founded Passion for Prison INC to minister to inmates in local prisons.
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Faced with many obstacles, including the death of Gary Carter, the women’s softball team has stayed close to each other and God, hoping for the best for the remainder of the season.
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The Student Newspaper of Palm Beach Atlantic University www.readmybeacon.com
Volume 8, Issue 19
Surviving the Holocaust By Cash W. Lambert News Editor
L
ife changed instantly for Yvonne Fersen on the day her father had to kill her dog in their efforts to escape the approaching German army. The year was 1941. The place was Paris, France. If their escape failed, the Fersens would be among the 4.5 million Jews, according to the Jewish Virtual Library, who would be thrown into concentration camps across Europe. “I was 12 years old and sitting inside our car as my parents were packing it,” said Yvonne, who will celebrate her 83rd birthday in May. She continued, “my father, Maurice, had to take our dog, a big dog, around the back of the house and shoot him, because we couldn’t take him with us and everyone was leaving town. From that day on, nothing was normal. The last image that I saw of a normal life was my wonderful dog lying dead in a pool of blood.” Seventy-one years later, Yvonne resides in Palm Beach, a city where one in five people are Jewish. She still cannot grasp the enormity of the genocide that took place before the Nazis were defeated in 1945. By that year, two out of every three European Jews had been killed, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Nicknamed “The Hidden Children,” Yvonne and her generation will be celebrated and will tell their stories of survival during the annual National Holocaust Day on April 19. Continued on Page 5
Monday, April 16, 2012
NEWS
Page 2 • April 16, 2012
versity
www.readmybeacon.com Chris Hernandez
Managing Editor Chris.thebeacon@pba.edu
John Sizemore
Executive Editor John_Sizemore@pba.edu
Duane Meeks Publisher
Editorial Staff Cash W. Lambert
News Editor Cashwlambert@gmail.com
Kayla Viaud
Features Editor Kayla_Viaud@pba.edu
Joshua Reid
Sports Editor joshuareid1221@gmail.com
Christina Cernik Photo Editor christinacernik@gmail.com
Charlotte Rakestraw
Art Director Meghan Gilmore wynne.charlotte@gmail.com Meghan_Gilmore@pba.edu
Jenny Hendriksen
Web Editor John Sizemore jlhendriksen@gmail.com John_Sizemore@pba.edu
Weekly Staff Duane Meeks
Saudia Ali Becca Stripe Gina Cipolla No part of the Beacon may be reproduced without Tyann Mullen permission. The opinions expressed in the Beacon are not necessarily those of the Palm Beach Atlantic Faith University Warren administration, staff or faculty. Victoria Vartan Meghan Gilmore Greg Halmos Molly Black Submissions: If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, a news tip, corrections, or contribute to the Beacon, email the managing editor: readmybeacon@gmail.com 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 4/2: See an error we did not catch? Help hold us accountable by emailing the editor of the section. Our goal is to bring you the cleanest copy possible.
V
erse of the week:
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. -Romans 12: 12 NIV
Classified Ad: Part time Work for the summer wanted: Earn $1000. Need blood donors for clinical cancer study, ages 20 35. Contact Chris at chrisberan@gmail.com Cover photo by Christina Cernik
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World Leaders Conference to bring traffic and security changes By Victoria Vartan Staff Writer
open the Borbe parking lot as well as many spaces regularly used by employees at the Chapel By They Lake.” The World Leaders Conference is said to bring close to 400 attendees to our school and along with those guests comes the security. Other than regular With guests like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and mega church campus security officers, the West Palm Beach Police Office will be helping to pastor Bill Hybels attending the World Leaders Conference on April 18 and 19 guide cars along the streets and help secure the school. at Palm Beach Atlantic University, students and faculty should expect changes With the conference being held in the DeSantis in security and parking around campus. Family the Senior’s Day Chapel will be The World Leaders Conference will be “The event organizers have asked that moved Chapel, to the Rubin Arena in the Greene Complex held in the DeSantis Family Chapel, but attendees minimize the vehicles on the for Sports and Recreation. Also, lunch will be held the conference check-in’s will occur in the chapel on Wednesday and Thursday in the Lassiter Rotunda inside the Warren Library campus as much as possible.” - Wheeler after Mahoney Gym. on Tuesday afternoon. “All of the Campus Safety Officers will be A conference bookstore is going to be working during this event,” said Wheeler. “Campus held at a tent on the Pembroke Green. Safety Officers will be working twelve hour shifts for these two days which will Also, the parking lot at 310 Okeechobee Boulevard is going to be reserved allow us to concentrate services to the event venues, while not compromising for all conference guests. Many of the guests will be arriving with hotel the safe learning and living environment our students and staff expect each shuttles or public transportation. Also, Pembroke Place will be closed at the day.” Olive end, but students will still be able to access the Dixie Garage from the Many PBA students will be volunteering during this event. Some of the Dixie Highway. volunteer duties will be placed inside the sessions while the other volunteers “We are anticipating an increase of vehicles on campus during these days will have their responsibility of volunteering outside the chapel. One volunteer, and have begun addressing means to diminish the difficulty in parking,” said Erika Kolenz, will be volunteering to through the Impact Leadership Team Terry Wheeler, director of campus safety. “The event organizers have asked (ILT) program. “I chose to volunteer because I want to see and hear leadership that attendees minimize the vehicles on the campus as much as possible.” firsthand,” said Kolenz. “I think that the safety is a big deal but I am not too Wheeler also said, “We have obtained staff, faculty, and PBA employee parking worried about it because I know that we will be well protected.” from our neighbors at the Christian Science Church which will allow us to
Many believe politicians talk too much faith Politicians are speaking too much about their faith, according to a poll by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. By Kayla Viaud Features Editor Almost four-in-ten Americans, 38 percent, now say there has been too much expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders, while 30 percent say there has not been enough. “People are tired of politicians using religion as a way of gaining votes,” said Palm Beach Atlantic University professor of history and political science Jack Calhoun. Religion has become a significant factor in the GOP primary with issues like birth control and gay marriage on the agenda. “I think this study shows how important religion is for people, ” said PBA campus Pastor Bernie Cueto. The view on whether politicians should be vocal about their faith differs between political parties. Forty-six percent of Democrats believe there has been too much “expression of religious faith and prayer from political leaders,” while 24 percent of Republicans polled disagree. “A politician’s faith is important to me,” said PBA sophomore Victoria Collins. “Whoever says religion isn’t important is lying. No one would vote for an atheist president.” “I believe it is tricky for Christian politicians,” said PBA freshman Shenise Howard. “They are called to spread the Gospel even if they are not the most popular, I would respect a political figure that has some type of faith.” “Character to me is a more important indicator than religion or domination,” Cueto said. “Some Christians make a mistake to look at the next president to sort of be their pastor and that’s not his job,” said Cueto. “We have pastors in local churches and they have to meet specific qualifications to lead and commander in chief has other qualifications.”
Within the GOP, there was a divide between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum supporters. 55 percent of Santorum’s supporters say there is too little expression of religious faith and prayer by political leaders. Just one in four, 24 percent, of Romney’s backers agree. “I think this is because Santorum has been more vocal about his Catholic faith,” said pre-law major Channing Lewis. Santorum recently suspended his presidential campaign leaving Mitt Romney as the likely GOP presidential candidate. Mitt Romney’s faith has come into question because he is a Mormon. “For a long time this was a disqualifier for Romney because he was Mormon,” said Calhoun. “I think the poll is saying that doesn’t matter as much anymore.” “I would hate for people to simply vote for someone because of what church they attend,” Cueto said in reference to the primary and upcoming election. “Churches should stay out of politics,” Lewis added.
By Charlotte Rakestraw for the Beacon
Rubio opens new office, discusses election Florida Senator Marco Rubio opened a new office in Palm Beach Gardens, his first in Palm Beach County.
said. “I think Mitt Romney is going to be the next president of the United States.” This happened days before Rick Santorum suspended his bid for candidacy. “So I believe it’s time now to concede, that Mitt Romney has won the Republican nomination, that he is going to be Republican nominee, and that if By Heisy Padilla we all get behind him he will be the next president of the United States replacing Contributing Writer Barack Obama,” Rubio said. The senator also talked about Stand Your Ground law, which he supported Dozens of supporters crowded the halls of PGA Commons on April 4 where in 2005. Senator Marco Rubio opened a new office to serve constituents from Palm The law is at the center of a national controversy since the Feb. 26 shooting Beach, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Martin, and Indian in Sanford Fla. Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was River counties. shot and killed by a volunteer named George Zimmerman. “The primary is over...I think Rubio encouraged the public to visit the eighth Zimmerman said he shot in self defense, but he has been office he’s opened in the state and to refer people Mitt Romney is going to be the charged with second degree murder. to the new office. “Here’s what I do know about the Stand Your Ground He firmly denied rumors about running for vice next President of the United law: It’s a self-defense law. I don’t know what happened president. “I’m not going to be the vice president” States” - Rubio in this case, but Stand Your Ground does not allow you Rubio said, “but I do endorse Mitt Romney who I to chase somebody and shoot them. I’m not saying that’s think is going to be a great president.” what happened in this case, but if it happened in this case Referring to the other GOP candidates, Rubio said, “the folks running against or any other case, Stand Your Ground doesn’t apply,” Mitt Romney have admitted that they cannot win the primary, that the only way Rubio said he is “troubled by the fact that people are rushing to judgment on they can win is a floor fight at the convention, which I think would set us back in the law and on the case before all the facts are out there.” terms of our goal of replacing Barack Obama.” The senators new office is located at 4580 PGA boulevard, suite 201 in Palm “Everyone may not agree to with who won, but the primary is over,” Rubio Beach Gardens. Visit readmybeacon.com to see a video segment on the opening.
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
NEWS
April 16, 2012 • Page 3
Photo courtesy of Jessica Santiago for the Beacon
Speaking truth: Jessica Santiago talks with inmates. Seventy-eight percent of chaplains consider support from religious groups critical after inmates are released from prison, according to a Pew Research study.
Taking Bibles from church to behind bars A recent study revealed that 73 percent of prison chaplains consider access to religion related programs to be critical to the rehabilitation of inmates. By Saudia Ali Staff Writer Christianity is now being seen as therapeutic for prison inmates. There are 140 prison facilities within the state of Florida, housing 100,000 inmates, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. Each facility offers a chaplaincy service, which is accountable for looking after the spiritual and religious requirements of prisoners and staff. According to the Pew Research Center Forum on Religion and Public Life, participation in religionrelated prison programs directly correlates with the quality of the program. As the quality increases, so does the participation. The corrections department website reports that the state facilities average more than 2,100 religious events or services each week, with more than 31,000 inmates attending these events per week. The prisons typically have about 42 percent of the inmates taking part in a chaplaincy event per month, with involvement fluctuating from institution to institution. Jessica Santiago, the founder and president of Passion for Prison Incorporated, has worked with prison ministries for 12 years. Passion for Prison, located in Tampa, Florida, travels to various prisons seeking to spread the word of the Bible. Recently she visited a prison in Tampa and preached to a room of over 8200 inmates. “I was influenced to start getting involved in prison ministries when I was arrested,” said Santiago. “It made me realize that good people make wrong decisions.” Santiago got out with four years’ probation, but kept getting in trouble with the law until a close friend “introduced me to the Lord,” she said. “It took me two years to truly understand and have relationship with Jesus Christ.” In the meantime, Santiago saw various friends and relatives get involved in crime. “Everybody was in trouble with the law,” she said. “I wanted to help, to help people see how the Lord could save them.” Through Passion for Prison, “we have made a huge impact on
the lives on many of the inmates,” said Santiago. She recalled the case of a girl arrested at 19 years old and sentenced to life in prison. “She later surrendered to God, and I was able to pick her up from the prison gate when she was released,” said Santiago. “She served over 35 years and was released before her 54th birthday.” Santiago recalled another inmate, whom she knew as “Buckshot,” and who “was as tough as they come; he was tattooed all over including his eyelids.” Buckshot at first tried to intimidate the chaplaincy volunteers. “I simply said I was there to tell him my experience with the Lord and for him to take it however he wanted,” said Santiago. Two years later, Buckshot wrote her to say he had “accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.” “I went back to visit him and I saw that he was a changed man,” said Santiago. “The inmates were no longer afraid of him. He used to be white supremacy and now he had all these different races
coming up to him for Bible study.” Santiago said that she recently received a wedding invitation from a woman she spoke with in prison. “She used to be a prostitute and now she visits strip clubs to tell the girls about Jesus and His message,” said Santiago. Palm Beach Atlantic University Campus Pastor Bernie Cueto took part in prison ministries for five years, starting at age 19. “I was initially influenced by my youth group leader in church,” Cueto said. “He preached on Jesus’ words that we have to visit prisons and give hope to the people, which was when I thought, ‘I should do that.’” Cueto worked with a ministry called Prison Fellowship International. “When I first began, I was incredibly nervous,” he said. “I didn’t know what crimes these men had committed or why they were there.” Cueto said that there were never any security officers in the rooms he spoke in. “I soon realized the reason why
there were no officers,” he said. “I remember one day I was preaching to this group of guys, when one man started to get out of hand,” said Cueto. “They next thing I knew some of the guys, witnessing this in the room with me, got up and created a shield around me. They were trying to protect me from this out of control individual. I will never forget that day. Some people wondered why we were wasting our time with those people, but the Bible was clear in telling us we were doing the right thing. ” Cueto said that all the inmates came from diverse backgrounds and situations. “They were all from dark oppressed places and I just wanted to energize and encourage the inmates,” he said. “Everyone has gifts and a calling. This was one of the places where God encouraged me and showed me my gifts.” Cueto said that his most memorable experience occurred on his worst day. “I was struggling with issues that were weighing me down,” he explained. “One of the inmates, Clarence, actually took notice and came to me wanting to know what the matter was. He took time to find out what was wrong and he even encouraged me to keep my head up. The whole time I was thinking ‘Man you’re in prison for a double homicide; where’s is all this coming from,’” said Cueto. “Clarence expressed to me that we serve a God who gives grace to the guilty. Clarence felt like a free man in prison. He felt as though God was confirming and affirming his call on life.” During his time in the prison ministry, Cueto “would often mention forgiveness—forgiving themselves, which is really difficult to do,” he said. “I also stressed the point that God made them and God does not make junk.” Cueto no longer works with prison ministries, but encourages PBA students to do so. “You would be shocked to know that most of the prisoners know the Bible better than PBA students,” he said. “From my experience doing prison ministries, I took away three main lessons,” said Cueto. “One was that God’s grace reached beyond my expectations. He aids individuals that I believed to be too far gone. “Second was we are all about three decisions away from ending up in prison ourselves,” said Cueto. “The inmates I encountered were not different from us. They are good people who lost their tempers or went through alcohol struggles. They just made bad decisions; they are not monsters. “The third and final lesson was about myself,” said Cueto. “God can use a willing heart. God does not always call on the gifted: he gifts the called.”
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
Page 4• April 16, 2012
FEAT
Pinterest prompts popularity for female students By Faith Warren Staff Writer Pinterest: the latest craze in social media has the ability to transform everyday people into master chiefs, fashion stylists, interior decorators and wedding planners with a simple touch of a button. “Just by browsing Pinterest for ten minutes I got more ideas for my wedding than I would have spending a whole day shopping,” said Franki Jo Lacaria, a senior at Palm Beach Atlantic University. This new visually stimulating site allows people to share photos simply of what they love. With a mission to connect people through “things” they find interesting, the creators of Pinterest believe a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common thread between two strangers. “I love seeing others on Pinterest share the same crazy and unique hobbies as myself,” said Alycia Britton. “Pinterest inspires people to be adventurous and creative.” Serving as a digital dream collage, Pinterest is a way users can express themselves through pinning pictures of their decorating desires, craft concepts, rich recipes, fashion fantasies, wedding
wishes and traveling targets. “Pinterest has opened my eyes,” said Allison DeJong. “I have made a healthy tilapia dinner, breakfast cups with bacon, eggs, and toast and a chalkboard frame with Bible verses and quotes. I absolutely love Pinterest.” Many gravitate toward the chic site as it allows viewers to bookmark things they find intriguing on the Internet, collect images that incite them, and organize their posts into an online library. “Pinterest is very addicting,” said DeJong. “It is visually stimulating viewing clothes, gifts, do-ityourselfs and home decorations. It is a relaxation to browse Pinterest.” In December 2009, founder Ben Silbermann joined forces with Paul Sciarra in producing the peculiar Pinterest. Silbermann believes that he can learn a great deal about people by looking at what they collect. As a result, Pinterest was created to be a virtual continuation of their collections. Although Pinterest was not an overnight success, its popularity popped, making it one of the fastest-growing websites in history. With more than 11 million monthly viewers, the growth of Pinterest exploded faster than the successful Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. “Pinterest is unlike any other social media site,” said Lacaria. “It allows you to escape real-
ity while giving you the opportunity to browse things you never knew you even wanted.” The rise of Pinterest excites businesses as it allows brands and consumers to interact in a visually appealing way. In addition, the dynamic site partnered with Facebook and Twitter connecting millions of people on a daily basis. Those who are unfamiliar with the online bulletin board wonder why so many devote countless hours “pinning.” Eighty percent of those pinners are middle-aged women who spend more time on Pinterest than Facebook, Google, and Twitter combined. According to research, women flock to Facebook for entertainment but turn to Pinterest when it comes to making purchasing decisions and brand suggestions. “Pinterest allows women to express their feminine creativity by giving each other new ideas, advice and product recommendations,” said Lacaria. “Women feel more comfortable trusting other women in their social circle.” From continent to continent, Pinterest has captivated and connected the hearts of a diversity of women. As women have no problem scrapbooking their thoughts and feelings, men find it less amusing to spend their evenings pinning their pleasures.
“I believe the nature of Pinterest and what it is all about just simply does not appeal to the majority of men,” said graduate student Daniel Drabik. “While there is a lot of variability in masculinity and some men, like myself, may enjoy Pinterest, it is atypical for men to enjoy looking at beautiful landscaping, scenery, and the like.” Drabik believes that the womanly stigma attached to Pinterest is a reason men run from the social media site. Apparently he is not the only male who felt the feminine touch to be a threat, as the new site, Manteresting is said to be the clone of Pinterest. Marketing solely to men, the site encourages males to get inspired by content, share manly interests with the community, and view what other men are posting. Males may not understand it, females may spend countless hours on it, and businesses may benefit from marketing on it. Whether one decides to participate or not, Pinterest has proven to be one of the most interesting social networking sites.
Graphic by Charlotte Rakestraw for the Beacon
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TURES
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April 16, 2012 • Page 5
Campbell penned memoir
(Continued from page 1) Describing the massive flight of Jews from Paris, Yvonne said they moved quickly to the southern part of France where they took shelter in Toulouse, the fourth largest city in France. “Everyone looked terrible,” she said. “No one had washed or rested for quite a long time. Some walked, some used bicycles, even wheelbarrows.” Even though they had a car, Yvonne’s family had to abandon it when it ran out of gasoline. The Germans had overtaken France’s resources, including its oil, to fuel the tanks of Nazi vehicles. Children were the least likely to survive the rigors of concentration camps—1.5 million children are said to have died in gas chambers soon after arriving in the camps, according to several holocaust memorial documentations. For that reason, their parents sought to avoid capture by the dreaded Gestapo, the German secret police, by sending Yvonne and her younger sister Renee to a Catholic convent, which housed orphans. The Fersen family, Yvonne’s maiden name, was separated and it wasn’t known if they would see each other again. “Our names were changed at the convent,’ she said. “Our parents were gone; our lifestyle was completely different.” Day after day Yvonne and Renee were baptized into a different belief system, immersing themselves in the Catholic ways of mass, vespers, and confession. The head of the convent two years later allowed Yvonne and her sister to take a train ride back home to secretly reunite with their parents for a few days, with their parents who fled back to Toulouse. Sleeping upstairs the next night, Yvonne recalled being awoken the wailing voice of her grandmother. After running downstairs to calm her, Yvonne learned that her parents had just been arrested by the Gestapo, and were being held in town. Grabbing clothes, she ran into town where she saw her parents inside a locked gate on a truck surrounded by a terrified, screaming crowd. Walking closer, she saw her mother motioning her to stay back. “I didn’t know what to do,” Campbell said. “And then I heard the motor of the truck start, and the truck was gone. They were gone.”
Digging his own grave Yvonne later learned that her father had been taken to Drancy, a concentration camp in Paris
Photo by Christina Cernik for the Beacon
Her Legacy: “Its nice to write books about the holocaust,” Yvonne Campbell said, “ but a book is on a shelf and if no one picks it up, it sits there unread and forgotten.” that held Jews until they were sent to other death camps. He was later sent to the Auschwitz death camp, a symbol of unimaginable terror during the Nazi Holocaust. The death toll by the end of the war is estimated to be around 1.5 million solely at Auschwitz, according to a holocaust and genocide study taken by the University of Minnesota. Jews and other ethnic groups such as gypsies and those from Poland were transported by a crowded cattle car into the camps, where each person would be selected to live or die. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, those who seemed fit for labor would be tattooed on their wrists and sent to the barracks. Anyone who was unfit to work would immediately be sent to the gas chambers, including the elderly and pregnant. Yvonne told of Maurice’s life in the barracks, where most men died of exposure or starvation. He was assigned to a group of prisoners who dug trenches that would later serve as their graves. She recalled her father’s story of a German guard who flicked a cigarette butt into the trench Maurice was digging. A smoker himself, he quickly grabbed the cigarette and inhaled once. Looking up at the German guard, he said, “Now you will shoot me.” “You’re not worth the bullet,” the guard sneered. “You’ll be dying anyway.” But that was not to be, at least not at Auschwitz. Months later as he walked out of his barracks one morning, he looked up at the watchtower, which was normally occupied by an armed guard. It, however, stood empty. Suddenly the gates of the camp swung open and a Jeep driven by an American soldier smashed inside and screeched to a halt in front Maurice. Just moments before, he had faced certain death. Now he faced life. Wiping away tears, Yvonne said, “This is the moment when my father said that he had met his Messiah.”
Dragged on the death march
Photo courtesy of Yvonne Campbell or the Beacon
The End of Normal: A young Yvonne Campbell poses with her sister Renee and their family dog . Her dad had to shoot the family dog to escape the approaching German army.
Annette, who had been separated from her husband and children, was also sent to Auschwitz. The women’s heads were shaved and they were given prison garb. Not only did Annette perform slave labor, but she was also among those who were forced to undergo guinea pig- like experimentation by Josef Mengele, the infamous Nazi doctor who was nicknamed the “Angel of Death,” according to the United States Holocaust Museum. As allied forces began liberating concentration camps throughout France, the Nazis moved their prisoners by forcing them to walk hundreds of miles to neighboring camps. Facing a harsh winter climate and given little food, hundreds of the prisoners died on the way either from sickness or exhaustion or being executed if they dropped be-
hind. Yvonne said her mother would walk side by side with other women in groups of three, helping the middle person to walk. When her camp was later liberated by allied forces and she was asked to board a truck that would take her to a rehabilitation center in Sweden, Annette was reluctant to do so. “My mother said that she didn’t want to go at first,” said Yvonne, “because the last time she got on a truck she was sent to a concentration camp.” After eventually changing her mind, however, she was shipped to Sweden.
The Family Reunion With their mother hundreds of miles away and lost in the vastness of war-ravaged Europe, Yvonne and Renee knew no other life outside the Catholic convent with its studies and hard work. Morning prayers were more often discussed than was news concerning the Allied and Axis powers. In fact, it wasn’t until her father came for her and her sister that Yvonne would for the first time learn of the Nazi genocide. She vividly recalls the morning she and her sister were both called into the office of the head master who told them that their father was there to pick them up. At last they were to be going home. Recalling that reunion, Yvonne said, “That’s when I saw a dark figure out of the corner of my eye. It was not a man; it was a skeleton with eyes bulging and no hair. I was certain it was not my father.” Then the shadowy skeleton spoke. “Yvonne, Renee,” it called. Maurice then collapsed sobbing. On the train ride back to their empty house in Toulouse, “nothing was said,” Yvonne remembers. “There are moments in life that are so enormously strange, that you completely withdraw and you don’t know what to ask or say.” With no word of their mother’s fate, their father told them not to expect her to have survived the holocaust. Then another miracle occurred. “We had a radio,” Yvonne said. “And would hear announcements for displaced people trying to reach their families. One night, we heard my mother’s name, and thought it was a coincidence. The following night, we heard her name again. She was alive and in Sweden. She traveled back to Paris, where Maurice met her. “I can still see myself standing there, with my family again,” said Yvonne. “We had all changed, and gone on a terrible journey separately. We just tried to find a balance again after that.”
Immigrating to Freedom Years later, Yvonne met her uncle, who came from America to see the family. He told of its
prosperity and freedom, where no one was harassed by the police or asked for documentation on a regular basis. On the Queen Mary, her uncle befriended a man named James Schultz, who had made the transatlantic route from England to New York. After meeting, Yvonne gave Schultz a tour of Paris. Three months later they were married, and headed for America. After many days at sea on the Queen Mary, Yvonne recalls the moment she saw passengers running to one side of the boat. Out of curiosity, she followed them to the deck and found out why. Her eyes were suddenly filled with the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline. “I finally understood why people kiss the ground when they get to America,” she said.
Keeping History Alive Fast forwarding through 60 years, a second husband, two children, three grandchildren, a language, last name and a geographic change, Yvonne Campbell was living in Palm Beach. She moved to Florida because her second husband wanted to play golf after retirement. When he later was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, “for seven years I took care of him,” said Yvonne. “I never wanted to be separated from him.” After his death five years ago, she turned her focus on writing a memoir and teaching at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. Her memoir titled “My First Violin,” chronicles her journey through the holocaust. Yvonne drew the title from a moment, more than 70 years before, when Maurice called her “his first violin. He told me that I was his concert master, because everyone in the orchestra must tune to the violin first. He felt that I had the ability to rise above hardships and find solutions.” Yvonne shared her contagious philosophy that had helped her through countless trials and tribulations. “If you have the capacity of never giving up, you have the capacity to overcome hardship,” she said. “You just can’t give up.” As National Holocaust Remembrance day approaches, Yvonne emphasized its importance. “I’m a bit afraid that some of this history may disappear in time,” she said. “To us, ‘the hidden children,’ it means a lot because we are the last generation who can say we’ve been there. It needs to be remembered.” But what concerns Yvonne is culture’s habit of allowing the past to fade and be relegated to a textbook. “Its nice to write books about the holocaust,” she said, “ but a book is on a shelf and if no one picks it up, it sits there unread and forgotten.”
FEATURES
Page 6 • April 16, 2012
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
Letter to the Editor
Response to “Talking the talk” By Ruth McCollum
I
read with interest a recent article by Anthony Verdesca, Jr. about the importance of learning the language of the country one intends to visit on a missions trip. I agree with his premise that it is important to communicate with the residents, but a two-year program in grammar should not be necessary for such a trip. A “crash course” in survival Spanish, Creole or whatever language is necessary would be much more productive. Certainly, it is necessary to explain about God and Christianity and a knowledge of basic greetings and inquiries about families would establish a rapport. This should suffice for a brief visit. Having agreed that some knowledge of the country’s language is necessary, let’s look at the other side of the coin. Verdesca implies that students should learn Spanish because of the presence of so many Hispanics in West Palm Beach. If the immigrants intend to reside here permanently, should they attempt to learn English? I am a retired teacher and have taught ESOL, Spanish and French. When Cubans and Haitians arrived twenty years ago, the ESOL classes were overflowing. I had an average enrollment of forty-five to fifty students. Today the immigrants seem to expect all store employees to speak Spanish. There is no longer a motivation to learn English. It is wonderful to experience the culinary tastes of other cultures, but, beyond that, it should not be a requirement to speak Spanish in order to gain employment. Haitians do not expect this accommodation. Perhaps Mr. Verdesca could volunteer to teach a short course in Spanish. That would be not only a great introduction to other languages for the students but an opportunity for Anthony to give of himself for the love of God.
By Gina Cipolla for the Beacon
The look for less: Back on the Rack, a new consignment shop on South Olive across for Paris Cafe, held its Grand Opening on March 10.
Consignment shop opens on Olive By Becca Stripe Staff Writer
W
hen shopping for clothes, it can sometimes be difficult or frustrating to find nice clothing at good prices, especially in such a wealthy and luxurious location as West Palm Beach. “That’s what consignment and thrift stores are all about: reasonable prices but good quality. It’s perfect for a college budget,” said Caitlin Arnett, an employee of Back on the Rack, a new consignment shop just a few blocks down from campus on South Olive Ave., directly across the street from Paris Cafe. Back on the Rack is a women’s consignment store, which means people bring their clothing to sell, then, after the clothing is sold, a portion of the profit goes to the store and a portion goes back to the original owners. After working at a consignment shop on Palm Beach Island called Testa’s, Nicole Reed, the owner of Back on the Rack, decided to open up
her own consignment store, along with her good friend and co-worker Arnett. On March 10, the store held a grand opening and has seen a sufficient turnout since. “We’ve gotten a lot of business and a good response,” said Arnett. “Everybody’s so excited that there’s a place for women to go shopping that’s not CityPlace or a mall.” The store doesn’t have a specific target customer. Instead, it offers clothes of all sizes for women for as young as their teens and as old as their 60s. “The prices are really fair, and we’ve got a lot of quality stuff,” said Arnett. “It’s really good for college students, especially since we’re right down the street from PBA.” Arnett hopes that the close location of the new consignment store will help to bring in students from PBA to shop there. “I think once all of the girls find out that there’s a place here for them that’s within college budget,” said
Arnett. “Reasonable prices, but good quality.” At Back on the Rack, the tags marked on each of the items has a date on which the item was left. If it has been 30 days past the date on the tag, then the item is 25 percent off. If the item is 30 days past that date, then it’s 50 percent off. With each purchase, customers are given the chance to pick out one ring as a free gift and a thank you for shopping there. Reed and Arnett would like to expand the consignment store to offer men’s clothing as well, but that won’t be any time soon. The two are pleased with it just being a women’s consignment store. Until the store is expanded to both women’s and men’s clothing, Reed and Arnett plan to continue keeping just the two of them working there. Once they expand in the future, it will be a good opportunity for PBA students to apply to work there. “I think once she expands she will,” said Arnett. “So far she’s hav-
ing fun running her own store. She’s really excited to be here herself. She’ll start hiring once she gets everything’s settled.”
If you mention you saw this story in the Beacon, you can receive two free rings from Back on the Rack.
Candola contest attracts students The Italian-themed event Redbull Candola, took place this past Saturday April 14, on the New River in Fort Lauderdale, which is known as the “Venice of America.” Inspired by the swiftness and speed of Italy’s well know gondola journeys, Redbull created the Candola event. Due to press Teams of three raced their hand made boats 1/3 mile down the river from Huizenga Plaza to Esplanade Park. “This is my first Redbull event but definitely not my last,” says Ben Schaeffler. “The Redbull staff is very organized and great to work with.” Schaeffler, along with classmates Amani Beliveau and Spencer Smith, comprised Team Huck Finners. “The story about how we got our name is interesting,” said Schaeffler. “I have a pair of ridiculously short cut off jean shorts and needed an excuse to wear them. I figured a Huck Photo courtesy of O’Donnell Agency In the can: Last year’s Candola event drew large crowds. All rafts are man made using Finn themed raft would be easy to build, and I could wear my awesome shorts.” Red Bull cans and environmentally safe materials. Redbull Candola standards required the crew to maneuver their craft, fully functioning, from one point to the other. The By Gina Cipolla team that did so in the least amount of time takes first place. Staff Writer The ships cannot be more than one hundred pounds and should be assembled with or inspired by Redbull cans. Products eams of Palm Beach Atlantic University students worked such as Styrofoam and environmentally safe materials are all fair tirelessly on their craft, leaving countless crushed Redbull cans in their wake, determined to take home the top prize: a game in the boat construction process. Daniel Judge holds position of captain for team “Gnarnia” mountain of free Redbull and a great story to tell.
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which also consists of Paul Graves and Josh Hilleman. “There’s a lot Redbull wants done before race day, but I have an awesome team so they’ve helped with the building, skits, and finding sponsors.” says Judge. “It’s a lot of work for the captains, but it’s a fun time with a good crew.” In addition to building their ships, the teams must also present a skit before their adoring fans. The skits must include Redbull references and depict a story that is both original and well put together. The details of the PBA teams skits were not revealed before the competition; however Team Huck Finners alluded to scenes of tribal dancing and daisy dukes. The other teams also chose unique names, using their creativity to help them stand out from the crowd. PBA students Scott Hampson, Mike Noble and Jeff Ard make up “Team Dances with Moose.” However, creativity alone won’t bring in the victory for these eager contestants. They must be prepared to row for their lives being that these ships must move entirely on manpower, no motors allowed. Because this is only the second Redbull Candola to ever take place, the event continues to grow and improve. The boys highly recommend future events to PBA students.
Page 7 • April 16, 2012
SPORTS
readmybeacon.com • The Beacon
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown for the Beacon
A season filled with adversity Growing closer together as a team: Palm Beach Atlantic University’s softball team has been affected by the loss of Gary Carter as well, and has leaned on each other and stayed strong for their coach moving forward
Despite a season filled with obstacles, softball still eyes NCCAA berth By Joshua Reid Sports Editor
Each team has to battle through some type of adversity to achieve its highest potential each season, and the 2012 softball season hasn’t been any different for the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic University. Starting off the season with a 13-6 record, the Sailfish looked prime to not only reach the NCCAA regional tournament, but also compete for their second national championship in the last four years. “Our main goal this year as a team was to make it to NCAA Regionals,” said senior infielder Mari Stokes, who was part of the 2009 NCCAA championship team as a freshman. “In order to go there it was very important to beat the Sunshine State Conference teams,” Stokes said. “Since we lost to many of those teams, we will not be going and our new goal is to keep our record above 500 so we can make it to NCCAA Regionals.” The Sailfish have had more than their fair shares of tough times, most recently suffering the loss of PBA baseball coach and Major League Baseball hall-of-fame catcher Gary Carter. Carter passed away on Feb. 16 after a nearly nine-month battle with
brain cancer. Softball head coach Kimmy Bloemers is the daughter of Carter, and succeeded as a catcher herself while playing at Florida State University from 1998 to 2002.
coach,” Bloemers said. “We talked about baseball and softball all the time. “I loved coaching at the same university as him; it was an honor and blessing,” Bloemers said. “Every one
Bloemers is currently in her sixth season as softball coach. She has taken a program that won just eight games the year before her arrival to four consecutive 27+ win seasons. She also led the team to its first ever NCCAA national championship and the program’s first ever NCAA regional tournament birth in 2010. Bloemers said Carter’s presence at PBA impacted the softball team as much as the baseball team. “Before my dad was sick, he would come to my games, give advice to the girls and was one of our biggest fans,” Bloemers said. “Dad always loved coming to my games whether as a player or as a
of my girls attended my dad’s memorial service and have supported my family through this entire journey” “My girls got wristbands made to wear every game that say ‘THE KID 8.’ I was touched and it brought tears to my eyes,” Bloemers said. “My girls all wear the blue Team Carter bracelets too all the time. They have prayed with me and loved my dad and family every step of the way.” In addition, the team also wears sweatbands and hangs his old jersey in the dugout. The team also reads Carter’s favorite Bible verse (Isaiah 40:31) before every game. “Many schools have had a moment of silence for him before our games start,” Stokes said. “I know it has been such a hard time for coach
and her family so it’s so nice to see people show their respect to the Carter family at this time.” The team had a tournament in Alabama the weekend Carter passed away and after they heard the news. “When we went back to our rooms, we found the microwave sitting at :08,” Stokes said. “His presence is always felt and he is always remembered every time we take and leave the field.” “We’ve been trying to stay strong for Coach and perform well on the field for her,” sophomore first baseman Camille Benito said. “That definitely made us respect Coach a lot more and see how great a strong woman of God she is, despite everything she and her family have been going through.” “She was able to stay strong and was able to make it to all of our practices and games, and that shows a great example of what we as players want to be like,” Benito said. “We want to be an encouragement to her on the field by finishing the remainder of our season on a positive note.” The Sailfish have also been in a slump, recently ending a seven-game losing streak that featured three shutouts. “The toughest test for our team has been bouncing back from games we could have won,” Stokes said. “We lost many games by one or two runs that could have easily been a win for us. “I hope the remainder of this sea-
soccer head coach and Deitrick previously working part-time in athletics with game management. Kryger will remain in his role as head women’s soccer coach while overseeing the campus recreation department which will include Deitrick’s position as well as Andre Lewis who will now transition to the position of coordinator for facilities, fitness and special events. Kryger led his program to new heights in 2010 as they made an appearance in the NCCAA National
Championship match, only to be named the National Runner-Up. Originally from St. Catherine’s Ontario, Canada, Kryger holds a bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State University where he was a former soccer standout as a goalkeeper for the NCAA Division I, Vikings. He also earned a master’s degree in exercise science from Campbell University where he served as an assistant coach from 2003-05. Kryger brings over 10 years of experience in facilities and sports
management including the development of sports leagues, facility maintenance, tournament scheduling and special event coordination. He will also now oversee the management of all PBA athletic sports camps. Deitrick originally hails from Perry, Ohio where he competed as a multi-sport athlete before settling on baseball as he attended Malone College. He would go on to complete his undergraduate degree at the Univer-
“My girls got wristbands made to wear every game that say ‘THE KID’. I was touched and it brought tears to my eyes. They have prayed with me and loved my dad and family every step of the way.” -Kimmy Bloemers about how the softball team has helped her with the passing of Gary Carter
son can be a growing experience for those who are returning next year and before going to the postseason,” Stokes said. “I hope we can get some more wins to improve our record and finish on a good note.” “We’ve seen how we’ve been struggling, and we’ve been supporting each other by helping out through slumps and errors, and not letting losses against top teams get the best of us,” Benito said. “We’ve tried to keep our head up and remain confident for the following games despite the close losses and recent losing streaks.” “It’s brought us closer as a team, as we see what we need to work on to get better mentally, as well as physically.” Going into the weekend, the team’s record was 24-21. The Sailfish had a home game against Florida Southern College on April 12. They close the final week of the season with three home games against Lynn University (April 18), Rollins College (April 21) and Northwood University (April 25), which will be the team’s senior day. “I hope the remainder of this season can be a growing experience for those who are returning next year and before going to postseason,” Stokes said. “What we’ve been through has impacted us all year, but the girls are continuing to work hard every day” Bloemers said. “We want to close the year by winning the rest of our games and have fun doing it.”
sity of Akron before obtaining his master’s degree at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. No stranger to Campus Recreation, Deitrick served as an intramurals coordinator at Lake Erie College before moving on to a graduate assistant position in athletic communications at Nova Southeastern while completing his graduate degree.
Kryger, Deitrick hired to new positions By Michael Brown Contributing Writer Palm Beach Atlantic University Director of Athletics Carolyn Stone has announced the hiring of James Kryger as the University’s new director of campus recreation while naming Chris Deitrick to the position of Coordinator for intramurals, club sports and special events. Both men are very familiar with Palm Beach Atlantic with Kryger serving as the institution’s women’s
SPORTS
Page 8 • April 16, 2012
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Men’s LAX prepares for FGCU Game is the biggest of the year with postseason spot at stake By Becca Stripe Staff Writer There is always something special when playing a rival. It is even more special when a team beats its rival for the first time in the program’s history, after years of seeing the opponent dominate the division both teams are currently in. That’s exactly what the men’s lacrosse team of Palm Beach Atlantic University did on March 24, when it competed against its biggest rival, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Ga. “It was a great feeling, accomplishing something that has never been done in the history of the program, not to mention taking down the number-eight-ranked team in the nation for the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA),”freshman midfielder Kyle Whitmire said. The team came out with a strong victory of 21-14 against a school that has never in history been beaten by PBA. “Winning the game against SCAD was epic,” senior defenseman Justin Shockley said. “In our division, SCAD is the Goliath, and for us to go in and crush them the way that
by Christina Cernik for the Beacon
Slaying Goliath: Senior captain Bobby Hantske (above) and the Sailfish recently defeated Georgia Southern and its top rival SCAD. The Sailfish could advance to the postseason as the number one seed in the SELC tournament in Atlanta with a win against FGCU.
we did will be a moment that I will never forget.” “That SCAD game was the best game for Palm Beach Atlantic ever to play since I’ve been coaching the team,” head coach Chris Southard said, who’s now in his ninth season as head coach. “From the beginning to end it was the best game we’ve ever played. That was a big win for our program.” “We went into their house, and didn’t just beat them; we owned them in every aspect of the game,” Shockely said.
The game against SCAD helped bring alive the team’s motto of family. “It was the most unity that I’ve ever seen in our team,” Shockley said. “There was no ‘me’ mentality. Every man did what he was called to do on the team.” “I’m honored that I got the opportunity to share that moment with the guys on my team.” “We have some huge goals for the remainder of the season, but we realize we can never over look tomorrow,” Shockley said.
On April 14, the Sailfish (9-4) hosted another monumental game against a division rival, this one against Florida Gulf Coast University (9-2) with a winner-gets-in postseason birth on the line. With a win over FGCU, PBA would clinch the Southesatern Lacrosse Conference (SELC) South Division and the number-one seed in the SELC Conference Tournament in Atlanta. In 2011, Palm Beach Atlantic hosted FGCU, winning 13-10. Midfielder Bobby Hantske led all Sailfish in scoring in that game with six points (four goals, two assists), while attackman Joe Ciringione finished with five (two goals, three assists), as did Dave Schultz (four goals, one assist). “We are so pumped for this game,” Shockley said. We’re confident, but not cocky.” “FGCU is a good team,” Shockley said. “They play hard, and they play physical. In practice we’ve been imitating this, getting our offense ready and we’re looking good.” “They have a good defense that presses out and slides fast,” Shockley said. “This will be a hard, rough hitting game. We have a lot on the line in this game, and we believe that together, we’re going to crush FGCU.” Going into the weekend, the Sailfish had never lost to the Eagles, as they were 3-0 all-time against their division foes. “Last year they played together for
Sailfish weekly report
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown for the Beacon
Fish go unbeaten in week of play By Joshua Reid Sports Editor After a week where Sailfish sports struggled in their outings, tennis, baseball, and softball and went undefeated in the week of play for the week of April 9. On April 9, the women’s tennis team traveled to Georgia for matches against the University of West Georiga and Fort Valley State University. The Sailfish concluded their double-header with a 9-0 win over UWG while posting a 7-0 victory against FVSU. Juniors Natalia Trotter and Vic-
Sailfish Sports Schedule
April 16 to April 22
the first time and so now they’ve got a whole year under their belts, and it shows,” Southard said. “I think that they have better friendships with each other out on the field, they have good relationships with one another, and that the leadership on the team is solid.” “We have four great attack men this year, all long time veterans of the game,” Whitmire said. “Our depth at the midfield line is deeper with an arsenal of more experienced players than ever before and our defense, although relatively new to the sport of lacrosse, are shutting down nationally ranked teams across the board, and our goalie is an expert at the game.” “Last year’s season was a time of building in expectation for this year’s team to be great,” Whitmire said. “I would go so far as to say this year’s team is the best lacrosse team in the history of the sailfish program.” “Our team is crazy,” Shockley said. “We have the most diverse group of guys that I’ve ever seen, yet somehow we manage to unite and get things done.” “We had some huge goals for the remainder of the season,” Shockley said. Whether or not the Sailfish attainted their goals remained to be seen, as the game against FGCU occured after the Beacon went to press. To see the results of the game, go to pbalacrosse.com.
toria Baca swept their opponent in number two doubles in the match against UWG and lost just one in their match against FVSU The two wins brought the team’s record to 16-5 to close the regular season. With the regular season now over, the team is preparing for the NCAA Regional Tournament, which begins on April 29 and ends May 1. On April 10 the Sailfish baseball program blew out Barry University 13-5 to improve to 16-14 on the season. The team managed a total of 17 hits in the game while taking advan-
tage of five Barry University errors. Junior Matt Perkowski got things going with the first of three RBI singles in the second inning by the Sailfish to ultimately take control of the game and not look back. PBA then prepared for a weekend matchup in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when they battled Nova Southeastern University beginning on Friday, April 13. The team had a second game against Nova Southeaster on April 14. To see the results of the games and everything Sailfish sports, go to pbasailfish.com
Out of the park: Junior Matt Perkowski started things off in the April 10 against Barry by getting the first of four RBI singles in the second inning as the Fish won, 13-5.
Photo courtesy of Michael Brown for the Beacon
Out of the park: Junior Matt Perkowski started things off in the April 10 against Barry by getting the first of four RBI singles in the second inning as the Fish won, 13-5.
Baseball
Baseball
Softball
Men’s Lacrosse
4/17, 3 p.m. @ Lynn University 4/20, 6 p.m. @ University of Tampa
4/21, 1 p.m. @ University of Tampa (DH)
4/18, 6 p.m., Home Lynn University
4/19, 7 p.m., Home University of Miami 4/22, 2 p.m. @ Eckerd College