the
eporter PLUS:
Costumes Page 20
2016
Election Page 14
Horror Nights Page 18
Ampersand by Touchstone Page 34
Analogue
by WHAT Radio Page 31
1
Student Publications Board
Nick Saffan
Jason Cruz
Kitty Geoghan
Chairman
The Reporter
Creative director
Kait Forsythe Gabby Cassidy Alissa Pagano Member At Large
Tony Pizzo WHAT Radio
Touchstone
Secretary
Casey Deiter Samantha Zarek Technical Director
Hatter News
The Reporter Staff Alissa Pagano, Copy Editor Kait Forsythe, Features Editor Madison Akins, Sports Editor Shaylen Vitale, Opinions Editor Shaylen Vitale, Staff Writer Jordan Bennett, Staff Writer JB Pitts, Staff Writer Lynn Walsh, Staff Writer Morgan Eiland, Staff Writer Maeve Coughlin, Photographer Raisa Bailon, Photographer Maragarita Parris, Photographer Cat Keve, Photographer
Ashley Sullivan, Touchstone Selection Alissa Pagano, Touchstone Selection Eva Martinez, Touchstone Selection Daniel Crasnow, Touchstone Selection Jacob Mauser, Touchstone Selection Jamie Pietrasz, Touchstone Selection Kait Forsythe, Chief Layout Designer Amanda Pierce, Ampersand Designer Christina Pierce, Ampersand Designer Mitch Robey, Sports Designer Madison Akins, Sports Designer Sami Hartman, Style Designer Colette Cacciola, Analogue Designer Caitlyn Prestridge, Assistant Designer Cover Design by Valeria Servigna
The Autumn Issue
On the Cover Stetson Student Voters Page 14 Halloween Horror Nights Page 18 Stetson Style Presents Halloween Costumes Page 20
ON campuS
Around Town
Opinions
Kappa Pi: A Letter from the President Page 4 Tricia Downing Redefines Able Page 5 Final Campus Climate Survey Page 7 Rock The Vote! Page 12
The Water Festival Page 6 Trilogy Coffee Moves to New Location Page 8 The Devil’s Chair at Cassadaga Page 9
Hon Hall Controversy Page 24 American Language Learning Page 25 Trouble in Washington Page 26
OCTOBER SGA Monthly Page 10
POSITIVE NEWS: NPR Saves the Bees With Puns
November PSAFE Report Page 11
Sports
Page 9
Analogue Ampersand by WHAT Radio
by Touchstone
Page 31
Page 34
Q&A with Baylor Payne Page 28 Football Makes ESPN Top 10 Page 28 International Athlete Sunniva Helland-Hansen Page 29 Q&A With Daniela Godenzi Page 30
Kappa Pi’s charter class poses for a group photo. Photo Credit: Kevin Reynolds
Letter from the President: Kappa Pi Art Fraternity ReEstablishes Itself on Stetson Campus
interest in the art club’s success. By 1914, four additional chapters were established at Center College in Kentucky, Columbia University, Vanderbilt University, and Purdue. Today, Kappa Pi has over 70 active chapters, but has had over 360 chapters since it was founded. Kappa Pi became an international organization in 1963 by establishing a chapter in the Philippines. Chapters followed in Mexico and Germany. Kappa Pi recently changed their name to Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society to emphasize their Sarah Hargest global encouragement of academics and scholarship. Sarah is the President of Kappa Pi. The Hatter Art Club was formed at Stetson University in 1935 with Ms. appa Pi National Art Fraternity was originally founded in 1911 at Edith Harvey as director. In May 1946, the art club was chartered as the Alpha the University of Kentucky. It is Tau chapter of Kappa Pi National Art the oldest art fraternity among colleges and universities. The original purpose of Fraternity, but sadly disassembled in the late 1970s. In the later years of Kappa Kappa Pi was to promote an interest in art and to create a sincere love of beauty Pi’s charter years at Stetson, members planned and held a rave, the first event and appreciation of art. ever held in the Hollis Center. The original group of art students The Alpha Tau Chapter of Kappa Pi organized Kappa Pi as a sort of “study group” to discuss and critique their own re-chartered in September with 21 Charter members and 2 faculty advisors: works. After three years of support and Dan Gunderson (a faculty sponsor growth, nearby universities took
of Kappa Pi in the 1970s as well) and Katya Kudryavtseva. As art students at Stetson, we feel it is our responsibility to provide a haven for fellow artists while also furthering the best interest of art on campus and in our community. Kappa Pi fosters art students and professionals in their success, talent, creativity, and scholarship. We are bringing Kappa Pi back to Stetson to raise the artistic awareness and influence that we feel has been lost at Stetson. This year, we plan to create a strong foundation of goals, traditions, and community relationship. Kappa Pi will establish artistic experiences and events for students to broaden their understandings of art, strengthen Stetson’s artistic community as a whole, and form coalitions with local school district’s art departments to support and promote their students and art appreciation. Our members represent the diversity of art students at Stetson. Each member encompasses their own personalized style and artistic preference based on their own experiences, inspirations, and goals. Kappa Pi is very excited to bring a major positive impact on the Stetson community.
NEWS
K 4
Run Your Own Race: Keynote Speaker and Triathlete Tricia Downing Redefines Able JB Pitts
F
or Tricia Downing, a bike always meant freedom. Following her participation in the Tour de ‘Toona in 2000, where she rode 70-90 miles a day through the hills of Altoona, Pa., alongside 150 other women, Downing decided that she was going to be in the Olympics some day. But after a car hit her while training later that year and left her paralyzed from the chest down, Downing was forced to discover that there is more than one way to achieve a goal. Downing addressed the Stetson community on Oct. 4 as part of Disability Awareness Week. After introducing her condition, which causes her to use a wheelchair, she spoke about the four months she spent at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., following the collision. The hospital’s recreational therapist wanted to make sure Downing was still able to be an athlete after leaving, encouraging use of the hospital swimming pool, and introducing her to a three-wheeled, hand-powered bicycle: a “racing chair.” Downing said she was constantly told to “work hard, do a little more every day, stay patient, and don’t give up.” However, after completing only one stroke before sinking to the bottom of the pool, she gave up on the advice, and on her dreams of life in competition. After being discharged from the hospital and moving into a new, more maneuverable, home, Downing realized she suddenly had a new label - disabled. She said the label felt limiting, like it was keeping her from becoming who she really was. So she began to look at life in her wheelchair as a sport in itself. She returned to the hospital, where she learned to backstroke across the pool, and eventually
WS
decided she wanted to compete in a triathlon. Her first triathlon in Fort Collins, Colo., consisted of a 450 yard swim, a 12 mile bike ride, and a 3 mile run. She was the only competitor in a wheelchair. She lagged behind through the swim and biking portions, and again began to feel that she was being defined by her disability. Left alone with her thoughts, Downing stopped comparing herself to others and focused only on “running her own race” to the finish line. She said something amazing happened then - she saw another runner in front of her. She began to push harder, and after passing that runner and six others, she crossed the finish line. No longer worried about what she could not do, she felt that the athlete inside her was shining through once again. Downing began setting her sights even higher, focusing on the 2006 Hawaiian Ironman World Championship. The competition consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. No female paraplegic had ever completed an Ironman triathlon. She was the only one attempting to qualify at the Half Ironman event in Lubbock, Texas, which she would need to finish in eight and a half hours to be able to compete in Hawaii. Her final time was eight hours, 29 minutes, and 46 seconds. Downing did not finish at the Hawaiian Ironman but qualified again in 2010 and has completed two Ironman races since. In addition, she was on the U.S. Rowing Team at the 2011 World Championships and competed with Team USA in the 10 meter air pistol event at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, reaching the finish line she set for herself back in 2000.
Downing said that while physical disabilities are becoming more accepted, with many veterans coming back with injuries from overseas, our society still has room to be more inclusive and understanding - particularly with people whose disabilities are not immediately visible. She talked about the need for media to show disabilities in a more positive light, and for people with disabilities to remember that they deserve the same as everyone else, to know what they are legally able to ask for, and to speak up. Looking ahead, Downing is now focused on the 2020 Paralympics, starting a nonprofit organization to advocate for women in wheelchairs, and writing a book. She emphasized that just as a runner cannot be defined by a single race, no one can be defined by a single moment. She encouraged the audience to think about what mottos they live their lives by, and offered her own: “always believe you can.” So let’s stop focusing on what we can’t do, and start thinking about all the things we can.
Keynote speaker Tricia Downing addresses the crowd during Disability Week. Photo Credit: JB Pitts
5
After Weathering Hurricane Matthew, DeLand Celebrates with The Water Festival JB Pitts
W
ater played quite the leading role during the week of Stetson’s 2016 fall break. After preparations and the subsequent damages caused by Hurricane Matthew led to the cancellation of a week’s worth of classes, Stetson’s new Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience collaborated with the City of DeLand and the Blue Spring Alliance to host the first annual Water Festival. Festival events, which followed the theme “Water in Art,” and ran from Saturday, Oct. 15, to Monday, Oct. 17, were meant to celebrate Floridians’ unique relationship with water and raise awareness about the health and importance of Florida’s freshwater springs, which supply drinking water to 90 percent of the state. The celebration kicked off on Saturday with The Water Festival 5K, spanning the 3.1 miles of a new Rails-to-Trails section of the Blue Spring Trail. Proceeds from the race benefited the River of Lakes Heritage Corridor, a scenic highway along the St. John’s River. In addition to festival events, the DeLand Utilities Department hosted tours of the Wiley M. Nash Water Reclamation Plant throughout the weekend, allowing citizens to see the processes involved in reclaiming water for irrigation and aquifer recharge. The namesake event occurred at Earl Brown Park on Sunday, Oct. 16, featuring live local music, giveaways from environmental sponsors, a splash zone for kids, food trucks and a selection of nationally renowned speakers who covered
6
A mural by DeLand artist Courtney Canova that was unveiled during The Water Festival. Photo Credit: JB Pitts
a variety of topics regarding our most precious resource. In addition to those speakers, the community was addressed by DeLand mayor Robert Apgar and Fla. state senator David Simmons, who is sponsoring the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act which will provide $50 million of funding for springs restoration. The first speaker to present inside the park’s Sanborn Center was Bill Belleville, an author and documentary filmmaker with the Discovery Channel. Following Belleville’s presentation on the relationship between nature and culture, Clay Henderson, an environmental policy professor at Stetson and the executive director of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, talked about the future of springs in Central Florida. Henderson spoke on Florida potentially facing a critical water shortage by 2030. Photographer John Moran, whose work focuses on Florida’s vanishing natural habitat, also spoke to the audience to address the perils facing Florida’s water supply. The day culminated in a discussion on water ethics from journalist Cynthia Barnett, an author and current finalist for the National Book Award. Barnett described how art has driven national conservation efforts since the nation’s first national park was established in 1872. Festivities closed on Monday with a free
water film festival at Athens Theatre. The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida, created by the Florida Wildlife Corridor, followed three friends on a 1000 mile, 70 day hike from the headwaters of the Everglades to Gulf Shores National Seashore. The documentary highlighted the diversity of Florida’s wildlife and the importance of protecting important habitats such as the longleaf pine forests. Only 3 percent of the original 90 million longleaf pine acres remain. There was a short intermission from Moran’s Springs Eternal Project, a short video titled “Swimming in Air” that followed a turtle’s journey within one of Florida’s springs. The night was capped off with the documentary In Marjorie’s Wake, a modern attempt to recreate author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’s 1920s journey down the St. John’s River. Just one week after facing Hurricane Matthew’s watery assault, kids could be found playing with bubbles and painting a sea life mural, food trucks lined seemingly every corner, and the sound of guitar filled the air - all to rejoice the miracle of water. Florida’s freshwater springs continue to face many threats, including reduced water flow and invasive species. The festival provoked the communities hope that they will be as resilient as we are.
Final Campus Climate Forum Lynn Walsh
T
he final open forum regarding Stetson’s recent Campus Climate Survey results took place on Wednesday, Oct. 19 in Sage 222. Administration and staff, professors, and students gathered around tables in the room, nibbling on free snacks as they waited. Promptly at 3 p.m., Dr. Resche Hines, Stetson’s Assistant Vice President of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, and the assistant director of the Campus Climate research, guided the open forum. He implored the gathered faculty and staff to “spearhead three to five tangible goals” which Stetson can implement during Spring 2017 in the hopes of improving Stetson’s community. The Campus Climate Survey, which was created and headed by Dr. Susan Rankin of Rankin and Associates Consulting, in conjunction with Stetson’s Diversity and Inclusive Excellence Task Force, found that 25 percent of the Stetson community reported experiencing exclusionary or hostile encounters, that a high number of faculty and staff reported considering leaving Stetson for financial reasons and that students who considered leaving the university did not feel like they are members of a “community.” These results specifically were discussed in the open forum; several faculty and staff members in attendance suggested improvements, aired grievances and explored problems they experienced in their various departments and positions that are related to these results. Laura Glander, administrative support for Stetson’s creative arts department, shared her experience witnessing “microaggressions between faculty and staff,” as well as observing fears among newer faculty of the monolithic “Old
Stetson” faculty members. Glander argued that “Old Stetson” faculty are resistant to new directions within their departments, and tout their older methods, which she strongly asserted are “not sustainable.” Administrative support for the history department, Mary Bernard, echoed the idea that fear exists between sectors. However, in her experience, faculty and staff were not frustrated with each other, but were fearful of administration. Many staff members with whom Bernard had spoken did not participate in the Campus Climate Survey because they did not trust the anonymity of its process; faculty and staff felt they would receive reprisals from administration for sharing their true thoughts. Bernard additionally identified that a general feeling of being “understaffed, overworked and overloaded” increases this tension.
different channels. Not only is there stereotypical stress between faculty and staff, but additional pressures exist between faculty and staff, and even among tenured faculty and newer faculty members. Overall, the direction of this final open forum coalesced around the idea of improving “relations between the different sectors” of faculty, staff, administration and students. Glander recommended clarifying the direction of, and incentivizing, staff jobs at Stetson, so that employees feel they have chances for promotions, which may lead to lower turnover rates in staff and higher personal satisfaction. To strengthen community among the different sectors, Bernard suggested creating spaces where faculty, staff, administration, and students can organically mingle and mix without requiring an event per se, which adds additional strain to peoples’ already busy
“25 percent of the Stetson community reported experiencing exclusionary or hostile encounters... A high number of faculty and staff reported considering leaving Stetson for financial reasons... Students who considered leaving the university did not feel like they are members of a ‘community.’” Dr. Melinda Hall, associate professor of philosophy at Stetson, felt that administration should be “more transparent and honest” about the means available to various departments. Hall explained that administration encourages faculty to not worry about money shortages, yet oftentimes cut funding or deny funding requests. Stetson’s campus climate problem is more complex than Hines had seen at past universities. While most universities have simpler tensions between faculty and administration, Hines explained that Stetson’s strains are found throughout
schedules. While a few tense moments boiled over, they sparked productive debates between faculty and staff over “feeling overworked,” and the afternoon’s event concluded on a hopeful note of progress. Hines concluded the forum by condensing points brought up by faculty and staff into three focuses: fostering community building across all sectors, incentivizing and clarifying faculty and staff positions to reduce turnover rates, and better recognizing the accomplishments of different sectors in order to foster respect across the faculty, staff and administrational borders.
7
Trilogy Coffee Moves To Even More Hipster Part of Deland Kait Forsythe
C
lay and Michelle Cass, owners of Trilogy Coffee Roasting Co. in DeLand, Fla, moved their operation to W Georgia Ave, the “trendy” district in town where farmer’s markets and art sales take place regularly. The relocation was a project that began in the summer and ended late October of this year. Trilogy’s grand opening was Oct 1.
Outdoor lounge area at Trilogy’s new location. Photo Credit: Kait Forsythe
8
Trilogy’s new coffee station. Photo Credit: Kait Forsythe
The Cass’ applied for several grants through the City of DeLand, and held a successful Kickstarter campaign, to help fundraise for the new place.
Trilogy sells artisanal coffee brewed from beans roasted in-house by the Cass coffee-masters themselves.
The Devil’s Chair at Cassadaga
The Devil’s Chair is a graveside bench in the Lake Helen Cemetery, which straddles the space between unincorporated Cassadaga and the city of Lake Helen. The large brick chair has been supposedly haunted for decades, and cloaked in legend. Supposedly, if you sit in it at midnight, the devil will commune with you.
a single funerary bench, but the Thatcher plot actually has three.
Due to its popularity, vandalism has frequented the Devil’s Chair and the Cassadaga police regularly patrol the Thatcher plot. Unless they have obtained special Shaylen Vitale permission from the county clerk, visitors are technically banned from the site, and wenty minutes southeast of campus The legend of the Devil’s Chair goes beyond stepping foot inside the graveyard after lies Volusia County’s own famed mere devilish communication; apparently, dusk is illegal. community of Cassadaga, dubbed the Psychic Capital of the World, and home the devil has a penchant for drinking, too. According to the Weird Florida website, A Stetson student who will remain anonyto the haunted Devil’s Chair. lore has it that if a full beer can is left on the mous visited the cemetery about a year ago The medium George P. Colby first estabchair overnight, it will be empty by morn- to see the Chair. lished the town of Cassadaga in 1894, as ing, still unopened. “The history and story behind the Devil’s a retreat for spiritualism – a belief system Chair - and the curiousness of visiting a based in clairvoyance and . The official At its beginnings, the Chair was simply town that is so-called ‘haunted’ - made me town slogan,“Where Mayberry meets the ordinary: a graveside bench built in the want to see it for myself,” he said. Twilight Zone,” is not wrong; most of the 1920s by a man by the name of Thatcher, town’s residents identify as mediums or next to his wife’s grave. Known as funerThe visitor recalled the atmosphere as psychics . Besides their single hotel and a surreal: “Gloomy, haunted vibe. It was very post office, Cassadaga also boasts a spiritu- ary benches, “furniture” sculpted into the shape of a chair was popular for mourner quiet and felt like something out of a movalist church and several new-age stores. and visitor use in the 20th century. Tradi- ie. But no, we did not communicate with tionally a large family plot would contain the Devil,” and he laughed.
T
P sitive News NPR is Saving the Bees - With Puns
Kitty Geoghan
Americans are planting “bee gardens,” full of plants that will attract honeybees The National Public Radio headquarters and encourage them to continue pollinating and thriving. NPR, however, in Washington, D.C. is no stranger has taken it a step further, deciding to environmental conscientiousness. instead to install two fully-functioning Located in the heart of our nation’s beehives on its green roof. Cared for by capital, the seven-story building independently contracted beekeepers, boasts what employees call the “green roof ” – a rooftop garden whose water the hives will aid in pollinating the drainage supplies the building’s septic surrounding five-mile area. system. But earlier this year, the green In the true spirit of the lively and hip NPR headquarters, employees have roof became home to an all-new given the hives two punny nicknames conservation effort. With honeybee populations decreasing based on their most well-known programs. “The Swarming Edition” at an alarming rate, more and more
and “All Stings Considered” are a part of NPR’s ongoing commitment to conservation efforts and environmental conscientiousness. And of course, a hive wouldn’t be a hive without honey. Freshly harvested raw honey will become available in the NPR gift shop early next year. While the bee crisis continues to be a cause for concern, there are plenty of well-intentioned humans out there doing all that they can to help.
9
JB Pitts Much has changed since you last heard from The Reporter in the Spring of 2016 - the Student Government Association has experienced an almost complete turnover, we are no longer a weekly publication, and Jason Cruz, last year’s SGA columnist, is now editor-in-chief. One constant amidst all of the remodeling, however, is that many students are unaware of SGA’s influence on Stetson’s campus. I certainly was, so I jumped at the opportunity to take over this column when Jason offered it to our staff. I will try to continue posting weekly updates online, with the physical form containing the highlights of the month. For this first issue, let’s get to what you’ve missed since the school year started. The long list of new Senators includes Jimmy Dean, Nathaniel Diamond, Kevin Sullivan and Markus-Daniel Jones from the Class of 2020, Breaunna Odume and Benjamin Griffiths from the Class of 2019, Carlie Egan, Veronica Faison, Jenna Cabral and Christine Ranneklev from the Class of 2018, and Patrick Adams, Jeffery Bauer, Frank DiMarco and Andrew Williams from the Class of 2017. Newly representing the School of Arts and Sciences are Patrick Sheridan, Brian Levine and Daniel Lange. Representing the School of Business are Alec Pellerin and Noah Katz. Shilpa Ravoory and Leia Schwartz will serve as the School of Music’s new senators. Commuters have placed their trust in Bek Luke and Naser Mubarak. Alyssa Smith, Gabriel Smith, Alexa Fortuna, Sean Peniston, Adriana Valter, Nick Price, Darrin Simone and Ashley Allensworth all won At-Large seats. The new members have already been involved in a few big discussions, beginning with the SGA budget expenditures made over the summer. These included the addition of Cafe DuPont to the DuPontBall Library and electrical wiring to the new organizational programming field, located on Pennsylvania Ave. just east of the Lambda Chi fraternity house and duly dubbed “Pennsylvania Landing.” The new field will allow club and intramural sports to utilize Rinker Field without the concern of possible damage caused
10
October No
to the turf by other organizations. The next decisive moment for SGA was to elect a President Pro Tempore, whose role is to run the Senate in the absence of Vice President Alyssa Morley, and an Electoral Chair, who is in charge of the campaign process. SGA members elected Abigail Hassett, the Policy and Finance Chair, to be the President Pro Tem over Lauren Spratt and Andrew Williams. Proponents mentioned her strong work as last year’s Electoral Chair and her presence in leadership meetings as reasons for supporting Hassett. Filling Hassett’s vacancy was a more difficult task. Normally, the Electoral Chair is filled by upper classmen with at least two semesters served, however, SGA voted to suspend these requirements due to a lack of members meeting them. This opened the door for first-year student Markus-Daniel Jones to take the position in a tight race over six other Senators. Jones displayed impartiality, an important aspect of the position, and strong public speaking skills in his pitch for the position. Now that Senate business has been squared away, much of the last two weeks have centered on a revamp of Stetson’s cultural credit system that has been proposed by the Committee of Diversity and Inclusion. Currently, students need 24 cultural credits, but under the proposal students would need eight cultural credits in three sections based on Stetson’s core values of personal growth, intellectual development, and global citizenship. Events based on personal growth would focus on self-awareness and reflection on personal identity, such as documentaries and the Big Questions series. Events based on intellectual development would focus on cognitive challenge and artistic immersion, such as music recitals and Uncouth Hour. Events based on global citizenship would focusing on finding a place within the local community, such as the SONAR Powwow. The primary concerns among other Senators have been about how to ensure that there will be enough events in each category, particularly for seniors who still haven’t acquired all of their cultural credits, and that it is too difficult and restricting for students. Veronica Faison, who proposed the resolution, has repeatedly defended
the amendment by pointing out that there are already a wide array of events and that by incentivizing students to get outside of their comfort zone and reflecting on new experiences, there’s a strong chance that they will find new things they enjoy and that Stetson would therefore produce better graduates. Currently, the amendment has been tabled for rewriting after an amendment was passed last week to change the requirement to four cultural credits in each category with 12 free-for-all. If the resolution were to pass, it would only become a recommendation to administration, as SGA doesn’t have the authority to change graduation requirements. There have also been a variety of updates from the experienced leaders of SGA. President Jeffrey Hahn has noted that, after being a point of contention for last year’s graduating class, commencement will again be held outside this year. Hahn has also relayed that the Board of Trustees will increase tuition and fees again next year (although it will be a 25% smaller increase than in previous years and more in line with the national average) and that there has been a delay in the transfer of Hatter Bucks from Papa John’s to Jimmy John’s, a change approved by SGA last year that is still being investigated by the Values Steering Committee due to concern over Founder and CEO Jimmy John Liautaud’s big-game hunting. Elsewhere, Chief of Staff James Russo has been adamantly pushing the new Green Bikes program, which allows students to rent bikes for free and can be found on the SGA website. The Committee of Diversity and Inclusion has made a successful push to get all single stall bathrooms on campus changed to gender neutral. Per the Committee of Policy and Finance, students will get to choose whether this year’s cap and gowns, which are made from partially recycled materials, will be green or black. Finally, the Committee of Campus Life, which is now in charge of the organization registration process, just accepted their first two new student organizations - Rotoract, a chapter of Rotary International founded by Elijah McCoy, and Hatterthon, founded by Honor Woodward.
SGAP
MonthlyR
r ovember
10/13 Criminal mischief was reported at Sage Hall. 10/19 A hit and run traffic accident was reported at Catalyst House 245. 10/19 A student reported an illness and injury at Chaudoin Hall. 10/21 A burglar alarm was sounded at Sampson Hall. 10/22 A case of intoxication was reported in Carson-Hollis Hall. 10/23 Alcohol was found with a person under 21 years of age in Chaudoin Hall. 10/23 At Stetson Cove building 2, a fire alarm was sounded. 10/23 An off-campus traffic incident resulting in injuries was reported. 10/27 Fire safety equipment was tampered with in Emily Hall. 10/27 Grand theft of more than $300 was reported at Smith Hall. 10/28 Criminal mischief was reported at the Delta Sigma Phi house. 10/29 A car was burglarized in the Smith Hall parking lot. 10/30 A suspicious incident was reported at the Wellness House.
APSafe 11/02 Illicit drug use was reported in UVA Maxcy Hall. 11/04 An incident of disrespecting a University Official was reported at the Phi Sigma Kappa house. 11/04 Fire safety equipment was tampered with in the Sigma Phi Epsilon house. 11/05 A case of intoxication was reported in Chaudoin Hall. 11/06 A traffic accident was reported at UVA Rinker Hall. No injuries were sustained. 11/07 Property damage and grand theft of over $300 were reported at Emily Hall. 11/08 A traffic accident was reported at the WORLD International Learning Center. No injuries were sustained. 11/10 Criminal mischief was reported at UVA Rinker Hall. 11/10 Online harassment via social media was reported. 11/11 Illicit drug use was reported at Palm Court. 11/12 Criminal mischief was reported at Gordis Hall. 11/13 Alcohol was found with a person under 21 years of age in UVA Rinker Hall. 11/15 A case of intoxication and alcohol with a person under 21 was reported at University Hall. 11/16 A case of trespassing was reported at the Welcome Center. 11/19 Harassment via text message was reported. 11/20 A traffic accident was reported at the Delta Sigma Phi house. No injuries were sustained. 11/21 Criminal mischief was reported at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house. 11/22 A case of trespassing was reported at University Hall. 11/23 Property damage was reported at Smith Hall. 11/25 A case of trespassing was reported at the Gillespie Museum. 11/26 Attempted theft of a motor vehicle was reported at Stetson Oaks. 11/27 Criminal mischief was reported at the Delta Sigma Phi house. 11/29 A motor vehicle break-in was reported at UVA Clubhouse. A car accessory was stolen.
yReport A forcible rape and an attempted suicide were also reported. These reports are confidential.
11
Rock the Vote! of this poll showed that the “Rock The Vote!” Concert Results majority of Stetson students prefer Hillary Clinton as their future president, with the Encourages Stetson Democratic nominee receiving 56 percent of the 189 votes compared to 22 percent Students to Make Their for Donald Trump, 12 for Gary Johnson, 7 for Jill Stein, and a lone write-in vote for Harambe that accounted for 0.5 percent in Voices Heard itself, according to Stetson Votes president Christina Borg. Students waiting in line had the opportunity to look at sample ballots ith two weeks to go until and read about the candidates running at election day, large groups of both the national and Florida state level. Stetson students could be seen Students registered to vote in Volusia gathering on the steps of the Carlton Union County also had the opportunity to sign Building, asking, “What’s going on?” Their up for rides to the polls on Nov. 8. inquisitiveness was driven by the sight of In addition to all of the excitement free pizza and t-shirts, and the sound of drummed up towards voting, there were music - all part of the “Rock The Vote!” also musical performances by Taylor concert put on by Stetson Votes. Hamilton, a Stetson student songwriter Stetson Votes is a student organization who played her own songs on the ukulele, dedicated to assisting students with the and Treble in Paradise, the campus democratic process. The organization women’s a capella group. facilitates voter registration, provides Between performances, Bill McCullough, absentee ballots and attempts to educate a local candidate for the U.S. House of voters. Representatives and a Stetson graduate, In order to get their pizza, students first addressed the crowd and answered were asked to participate in a presidential questions from students. straw poll. Absent from the poll was conservative independent candidate Evan McMullin, who is a dark horse candidate Treble in Paradise performs for tthe crowd. to win the state of Utah. However, Photo Credit: Maeve Coughlin McMullin is generating little attention elsewhere in the U.S.
JB Pitts
W
Stetson Votes represented both major parties with free swag for students. Photo Credit: Maeve Coughlin
12
Stetson Votes members help pass out free swag. Photo Credit: Maeve Coughlin
McCullough fielded a question on Florida’s controversial Amendment One, a deceptively worded solar energy policy amendment that was funded by the Florida energy monopoly. He noted that renewable energy is “already competitive” with fossil fuels if we “just get out of its way.” McCullough also took time to discuss the severe increase of student loan debt since his time at Stetson, and other changes since his time as an undergraduate. On October 11, an editor from The Stetson Reporter interviewed Bill McCullough about his campaign. Though he lost the election, McCullough’s policies and ideals struck a chord with many Stetson students.
Spotlight On Bill Mcullough: Stetson Alum, House Hopeful Kait Forsythe
Q. What are your connections to DeLand? BM: “To DeLand? Delightful DeLand? I actually remember the billboard. There was a billboard from here to Daytona that said ‘Delightful DeLand.’” McCullough came to DeLand in 1975 to study at Stetson for his undergraduate degree. He wasn’t the first McCullough to do so, either. BM: “My brother preceded me… and I had a sister that came here in the mid-80s as a student also. Three of the five of us went to Stetson.” “I live in DeLeon Springs. We had lived here a number of times. We came back in ‘85 – wanted to raise our child in a good setting such as DeLand, and then we had two more. So we had a total of three sons that we raised here.”
Q. What is your opinion on the current election cycle? BM: “There’s a lot of anger out there…” McCullough mentioned how President Obama tried to offer hope and, of course, the first thing he heard was the leader of the Senate saying ‘We will fight everything he tries to do.’ Meanwhile, the hope we’re trying to be given by Donald Trump is ‘Things are bad. Things are getting worse. I can change it and give you that hope.” BM: “But what came out today [in reference to the Trump tapes, which were exposed a few days prior] makes apparent that it’s not a bad idea to have a female president, because that will stop some of that objectification [present in American culture]. “Over the last forty years, we’re finally understanding that not only does “No” mean no but if you don’t say “Yes” that means no, too. A female president can take Q. Why do you want to run for this one step further and make it a little this position? safer. We are getting to the point where that BM: “I have spent years trying to attitude [of objectification] is, and should point out the misinformation that’s be, condemned.” been out there, across the board. “It’s interesting. One of the things that Q. OK, last question. What is something started my concern was when John McCain you would like Stetson students to know was smeared in the presidential campaign about your campaign platform? against George W. Bush, in South Carolina McCullough would like the students of where he was accused of fathering two Stetson to understand that his “desire is not black children. to be a professional politician,” but rather a “In reality, [the McCain’s] adopted them. “public servant.” But that smear cost him the South Carolina McCullough shared that his campaign paid primary and probably the nomination for someone to draft an Amendment to the U.S. presidency. Constitution and they termed it “Citizens “And it didn’t stop there. There were smears Only” in contrast to “Citizens United.” Their against Republicans and Democrats and piece of legislation would “basically make when Obama ran for president the first it a part of the Constitution that only U.S. time. And I began to hear people talking citizens should influence the election by about the sermons they heard – talking contributing money.” about Obama with misinformation in McCullough has not set up a PAC and has it, and I began see to that and began to not accepted any money for his campaign respond and try to point out where they from non-U.S. citizens. This is McCullough’s were misinformed. Politifact and things team’s effort to combat “Big Money” in like that. That’s when Politifact and fact politics. checkers came out, because there was BM: “One more thing: Go Hatters!” so much misinformation. That got me interested.”
“I have spent years trying to point out the misinformation that’s been out there, across the board.”
Bill McCullough answers student questions at Rock The Vote concert. Photo Credit: Maeve Coughlin
13
2016 Election: Stetson Speaks After Hillary Clinton became the first female Presidential nominee and Donald Trump emerged as the victor of an intense race to the Oval Office, The Reporter takes a look back at the opinions of student voters on both sides.
Sydney Sanchez was With Her
Students pose with signs from both major candidates. Photo Credit: Maeve Coughlin
Was Hillary Clinton more appealing to voters than Jill Stein based on politics and/or the backing of a major political party? To me, Jill Stein is just an unappealing candidate, plain and Kait Forsythe simple. Her policies have no actual planning behind them, and the moment she’s asked how she would put them into action, Senior psychology major and president of Students Educating and makes it obvious that she has no idea how our political system Advocating for Disabilities (SEAD), Sydney Sanchez shares her Proworks. I feel like she’s just using buzz words at this point. In my Hillary views with The Stetson Reporter. eyes, she’s incredibly power-hungry. At least Clinton is powerShe was hopeful for a Clinton win leading up to the election and we hungry with a plan. look back at the reasons why. This interview was conducted prior to election night. Any other comments? I find it incredibly interesting to see how As a woman, did you feel more connected to Hillary as a people refer to Clinton by her first candidate? name (I’ve done it often, even God, no. She’s a politician, first and foremost, and I take them all throughout this interview), but with a healthy dose of skepticism. In fact, I was at first turned off insist on calling Trump by his by Hillary, because she had so many female supporters saying that last. This occurred during her I, as a young woman, needed to vote for her, because she is also a last campaigns, as well. I don’t woman. It feels demeaning. know if it’s a conscious effort on her part, but I’m not Do you see this as historically significant and a progressive step sure why she would want forward for women? to remove herself from I feel that it is a historic moment, but not because she’s a woman. her husband’s last name, I think Hillary’s run highlights the struggles women have to considering he was viewed face to be seen as professionals in modern society, regardless of as an effective president. their skills or prior experience. Oftentimes, people point out her “hormones” as a sign of her being “unstable” or “unfit,” completely ignoring the fact that she’s 69! It’s my belief that because she’s female, she faces much more scrutiny than her opposition. Aren’t I allowed the right to look at a candidate for their policies, not Hillary supporters and feminists Alicia their gender? I want to make an informed decision based on who Rogers and Taylor Meillarec. best represents my views, not what chromosomes I have. Photo Credit: Alicia Sapirman
14
Stetson WomeN Hillary Clinton Lynn Walsh
H
can run for [office] one day if that is what you want and work hard towards it.”
&
legislation is lopsided.”
When questioned about Clinton’s apparent Interestingly, all the surveys shared flip-flopping on LGBTQ+ rights, the that they were not originally Clinton majority felt Clinton was allowed to change supporters. Cheslow described that she was her mind. Cheslow shared she did not originally a Bernie supporter, but “switched “condemn her for changing her views. to Hillary because of concern about Everyone learns,” and Rogers stated, “I Trump.” Lori Jones, a junior psychology don’t think there’s a problem with her and religious studies double major, wrote changing her mind. I think she’s just that she “did not start out as a huge fan of changing with the times.” Hillary Clinton. However, being able to Milenkovic, however, voiced suspicion Several female Stetson students came withstand the smears and attacks of Donald over Clinton’s changes, feeling that Clinton forward to share their impressions Trump, in my opinion, added feathers to was “not very definitive with her stuff ” of Clinton as both a woman and as a her cap. ” and “very shady and sneaky,” after both powerful political figure. Three students Benghazi and the FBI investigation into participated in a questionnaire with freeresponse answers, while two students were The two interviewees shared similar ideas Clinton’s emails. about Hillary Clinton’s significance. Both interviewed at Stetson’s coffee shop. also felt that Hillary Clinton was best All of the interviewed and surveyed able to speak toward women’s rights, and Stetson women students felt great concern Interestingly, several individuals compared over many of Trump’s views. Rogers Hillary’s historical significance for women specifically women’s reproductive rights. Rogers brought up how “[Clinton wanted] emphatically said, “I don’t think that to Obama’s monumental steps for black to focus on sexual assault on campus, Trump cares about LGBT or women’s Americans. Nicki Cheslow, a senior which I haven’t heard male candidates talk rights.” And Milenkovic shared her religious studies major, wrote, “It is concerns over Trump’s legitimacy. absolutely a step forward for women in about before.” Taylor Milenkovic, a senior psychology “I don’t think that Donald Trump is the U.S., just as much as Obama was for student, explained, “Women’s health: men capable of running the country. If he can’t the black community.” can’t relate to that, men can’t relate to what run a business how can he run a country?” During her interview, junior women go through.” psychology major Alicia Rogers shared, “I do think that [the The surveyed students also shared strong nomination of a woman as a thoughts about women’s rights, feeling that presidential candidate] will be Hillary Clinton—as a female candidate— a big stepping stone. Because of could understand these topics better than my age, it feels more personally significant than when Obama came Trump or other male politicians. Piercefield asked, “How could one deny in.” that a woman would understand issues that All three students also felt that relate directly to women more than a man Hillary Clinton has broken the glass ceiling in politics for women. might?” Echoing these sentiments, Jones Lauren Piercefield, a senior wrote, “The consequences [of women’s psychology major, shared, “The first reproductive rights] do not fall on both thing that comes to mind is that we can look at young girls, or if I have the male and female. So, when considering legislation, why do men vote? I think a daughter one day, and say you illary Clinton was in the unique position of being the first presidential candidate of a major political party who also happened to be a woman. Did that historic moment resonate as much as media outlets seemed to push it? What was the significance of Hillary to women voters?
15
Trump Supporters took him seriously, not literally Jason Cruz & Lynn Walsh
in” to potential newcomers, but does not think we need a physical wall. Sanfilippo was unsure that a wall is necessary, but wo weeks prior to the 2016 “securing the border” is his top priority. presidential election, we engaged He believes that “what defines a nation is in one of the most popular trends language, culture and borders,” and that in journalism this year: speaking with Donald Trump supporters. You remember America’s borders are dangerously porous. Trump’s incredibly unorthodox campaign, Hodges simply believes the wall will never its reliance on invective, the high amount of actually be built. support he receives from hate groups such Sanfilippo went on to describe his belief as the Ku Klux Klan, the numerous sexual in the potential danger immigrants pose to Americans. Echoing a controversial assault allegations against him and his metaphor employed by Donald Trump Jr., proposals for mass deportations, banning he said, “Here’s a bowl of Skittles, five of Muslims from the U.S. and a border wall. them are poisonous, do you want some? We met with some of the men at Stetson You don’t want to just ... take some Skittles, who, understanding all of this, hoped to because you don’t know exactly what is “make America great again” by voting for poisonous, and when you just have an open Trump. border that’s kind of what it is, all those Skittles come in. A bunch of them are great Joshua Sanfilippo, a senior music theory but … even if it’s just that a few of them major who initially supported Texas Sen. are poisonous, it’s a risk.” Ted Cruz for president, saw Trump as the best way to keep America safe. He arrived Both Calhoun and Sanfilippo believe that to his interview with a National Rifle Trump will help protect police officers Association hat and button. David Calhoun, a junior history major, also from violence; they each have personal connections to police and cited this issue supported Cruz’s candidacy. Trump was his “fourth or fifth” choice. Both men have as a major concern. Sanfilippo has family friends and an uncle who were members since come around to firmly back Trump. of the force, and Calhoun’s father and By contrast, Trump’s candidacy always intrigued Chris Hodges, a first year music brother-in-law are officers. His sister is major. Trump’s career struck Hodges as his currently in the academy. most positive aspect, despite Trump’s many Sanfilippo felt hurt by “the idea that a lot documented business failures. Hodges felt of people are disrespecting all the police.” Calhoun shared the sentiment, stating, that Trump offers solutions to America’s problems “beyond spending more money,” “When you see all this violence…my brother-in-law a few weeks ago was which is what he expected of Hillary caught in a fight. People just poured out Clinton. into the streets and started beating up against cops ... I really hope [Trump will] Regarding the border wall and mass deportations, both Calhoun and Sanfilippo be able to do something about violence against police, or anyone: black, white, expressed reservations. Calhoun believes Hispanic.” “it’s not the best idea to just kick While Sanfilippo admits corruption open the doors and say come on
T
16
exists among police, he stresses that “there are a lot of good police officers out there and [Trump] knows we should show respect toward them.” When pressed, Calhoun and Sanfilippo did both admit that Trump, in Sanfilippo’s words, “gets the point across, or tries to get the point across, but pushes it a little too far.” Calhoun emphasized throughout his interview his belief that much of “what [Trump] says is because he doesn’t think all the way through before he opens his mouth.” Sanfilippo described Trump by way of metaphor: “I think that the whole idea of judging a book by its cover, this book all people are not opening it but it’s bright red … it stands out a lot so sometimes it’s hard to … look at it when you don’t want to.”
Trump supporter David Calhoun explains his views. Photo Credit: Cat Keve
Joshua Sanfilippo shows his party loyalty. Photo Credit: Jason Cruz Trump has repeatedly claimed that the mainstream media is conspiring against him, and Calhoun similarly felt that “the media [was] not doing [Trump] any favors.” He described encountering this bias at the DuPont-Ball Library where he works. “CNN is playing near the front desk, and recently it’s the only thing on the news... their headlines about Trump are almost always in the negative.” However, Calhoun did not agree with Trump that there is a full-blown conspiracy. Sanfilippo has tried to work around perceived media bias. “I look at several sources...in today’s age every media [outlet] is biased, so you have to use several,” Sanfilippo said, before he claimed that a media conspiracy against Trump is entirely possible. He also criticized CNN, which he jokingly called “Clinton News Network,” claiming, “There was a person on there who said something against Hillary Clinton, and they cut off the feed while he was talking about it.”
brushed aside the topic, saying he’s “voting for the President and not a moral leader.” He also said the comments were irrelevant in the face of U.S. society becoming more “risque and less Christian” anyway. Sanfilippo feels Trump’s words were inappropriate, but that “if you pulled tape from what I said many years ago there’d be some things that I regret saying.” He believes that Trump’s apology video shows “he’s not that person anymore.” When asked if he worries that President Trump would spend time in his first term suing his accusers - as he vowed to do - Sanfilippo repeatedly stated that the allegations should go to court and the truth be revealed. Calhoun stated that the sexual assault allegations “didn’t impact [him] too much.” “I don’t know exactly how valid it is and the timing seems weird…but it doesn’t bug me too much, because I don’t think there’s solid evidence to prove that it happened,” he said.
One of the most shocking stories about Trump comes from a 2005 Access Hollywood video, in which he brags about sexually assaulting women. Hodges
Once again questioned in regards to the proposed ban on Muslims coming to America, none of our interviewees felt that Trump would seriously implement it.
Sanfilippo again invoked the poisonous Skittles metaphor and said that he would like to see Syrian refugees relocated to nearby Muslim-majority nations instead. As for the ban itself, he thinks it would be unworkable and served merely as election strategy for Trump. Calhoun said he does not believe Trump will “put FBI agents at mosques or anything,” and Hodges dismissed it as an impossible campaign promise as well. On this question, as elsewhere, the men waved away Trump’s frightening plans as fiction. In many other articles profiling Trump supporters, a similar notion arose. The conclusion held up that Trump knows what America needs but has trouble articulating the proper solutions; and in a presidential capacity he will not be the dangerous caricature he has been. We know now that enough American voters agreed with them to turn Trump from a realtor and reality TV host into the President-elect of the United States of America. Soon we will see whether or not he lives up to his promises. JB Pitts contributed reporting.
17
Universal Orlando’s 26th Halloween Horror Nights Puts the Boo in Boring Jordan Bennett
Going to Halloween Horror Nights is always on my annual list of things to do during the month of October. As they have in years past, Stetson offered students a reduced-price ticket for the event, so there was no reason not to go. With this being the 26th year that Orlando’s Universal Studios has hosted the event, there may have been some pressure to make this year’s Halloween Horror Nights bigger and better. This year there were nine different haunted houses including FX’s American Horror Story, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, AMC’s The Walking Dead, The Exorcist and Krampus. Because of the 40 minute or more wait time for each house, I was only able to make it into four houses before the park closed at 2 a.m.
18
The houses did not disappoint, at least. The one I found scariest was The Exorcist; the usual haunted house jump scares were unpredictable and thrilling. Pair this with the house’s demonic chanting, small spaces that nearly forced me on my hands and knees, and its putrid smells, and the horrific sensory details of the house were complete.
Even less popular houses, such as the Tomb of the Ancients, were surprisingly scary and caused just as many screams as the more soughtafter houses.
As a person who keeps up with each season of the show, it was amazing to see how they incorporated different scenes and characters into the house’s environment.
So while the haunted houses lived up to expectation, the scare zones, unfortunately, were pretty much dead.
The scare zones, which are themed areas of the park where guests can expect to be accosted by scare actors, were comprised of “Survive or Die Apocalypse,” “Lair of the Banshee,” The American Horror Story house, “Dead Man’s Wharf,” “Vamp ’55” and although not as terrifying as The “A Chance in Hell.” Exorcist, was thematically my favorite of the night. Unlike the haunted houses, the scare zones left much to be desired. The house included scenes from the Compared to previous years there “Murder House”, “Freak Show”, and seemed to be fewer scare actors, “Hotel” seasons, with a surprise visit meaning I could walk through from a pig-headed killer as featured in entire areas without being chased or the current season, Roanoke. frightened even once.
YouR Ad Here Advertise with the Stetson Reporter! Contact hatternetwork@gmail.com for more information. 19
STYLE
I
t’s all a bunch of hocus pocus this Halloween. With the basic trend of girls not wanting to be basic, here comes the wicked witch.
From Victoria’s Secret Angels to Donald Trump, there was no telling what you’d see this Halloween.
As we explored the best and worst of 2016’s costumes, there were a lot of new classics that may have fallen into the witch’s brew.
Is Quinn the New Cat?
T
he villains have taken over. Who wants to go out and buy cat ears anymore when you could just throw your hair up into pig tails amd be the bad guy for a night?
We welcome and encourage the basic girl to branch out from her normal halloween cat attire and embrace her inner Harley Quinn. This trend has made its box office debut. Pop-culture enthusiasts took a ride on the evil side this year. Photos by Elizabeth Croxen and Calina Welty.
22
Hatter Network designers Kitty Geoghan and Kait Forsythe showed off their deer makeup with friends this Halloween. Photos by Kitty Georghan, Kait Forsythe and Sarah Klass
W
here did Buggs Bunny go? This year, there was an over population of deer. Since Halloween costumes are difficult to come up with, Pinterest took over.
The deer make-up tutorial was done by a multitude of celebrity bloggers and Instagrammers, hammering home the trend. We’re saying goodbye to Thumper and hello to Bambi.
What's Up, Doc?
23
Dispute over the “Hon” in Hon Hall
Elizabeth Triece
But, in April 2016, a lawsuit was filed by Stetson University in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The lawsuit claimed that Stetson only received about $600,000 of the original $1.5 million pledged dollars. Stetson is now suing for the
Stetson’s Hon Hall at University Village Apartments is among the most coveted housing options on the DeLand campus. But, there is a growing question about whether or not it should continue with its given rest of the money. name. Before Johnson’s death, he stipulated Chauncey Paul Johnson, a Stetson in a handwritten note that upon donor and former trustee, named Hon his passing, the amount owed to Hall after his mother’s maiden name. Stetson was to be paid in full. The Johnson’s family had long-running representative of Johnson’s estate is connections with Stetson, dating back currently refusing to pay Stetson, an to 1905. One hundred years later, action both legally and morally wrong. Stetson president H. Douglas Lee contacted Johnson– then living in A person’s will is their last chance to California– with an offer: a donation have a say in what happens to their in exchange for the naming rights of earthly belongings, a final cry out to a new dorm that was being built on those that they cared campus. Johnson and Lee agreed upon a sum of $1.5 million dollars.
about on Earth. The representative of a person’s estate is there to assist in carrying out the wishes of the deceased, not to interject their own opinions or biases, or further their own monetary gain.
Opinion
24
Everyone works hard in life to reap what they sow through diligence, perseverance, and sacrifice. Paul Johnson was no different, and his estate, his assets, should be settled and distributed the way he saw fit. Johnson’s desires, his final will and testament, should be respected and considered irrevocable. Stetson should be paid the remaining money for Hon Hall, allowing a part of Paul Johnson’s legacy to remain and teach future students of his generosity. Elizabeth Triece is a Sophomore at Stetson, majoring in Finance.
Cayla Savoca
In Language Learning, America is Behind
This predisposes Americans to a In addition to potential financial monolingual lifestyle being left behind benefits, learning a foreign language by our worldly counterparts. has the power break certain cultural barriers and encourage social inclusion. The only two countries in Europe Greater linguistic understanding that do not implement early learning among future generations may be of a foreign language, Ireland and attainable if children are given these the U.K, are also predominantly opportunities. English-speaking. This aligns with the fabricated idea that the English Despite being one of the most diverse language holds global superiority. and globally connected countries on It is true. The majority of countries Egocentrism of this kind may begin to Earth, in multilingualism Americans in Europe and Asia require pupils wither if native English speakers are are still playing catch up. Psychologists to begin learning up to two foreign given the same language requirements and linguists have proven that early languages between the ages of 3 to 9 language development improves years. These children will continue to as others. attention spans and students’ hone their language skills throughout Take into account our global market, capacities for success in academic their academic careers. continuing to expand outward as settings. We should treat foreign In America, however, the majority of international partnerships form more language in schools with the necessity we show to history, math, literature second language learning occurs at frequently. and science. We should recognize it as age 14 and is only required for 3 years Preston Barrow, a student at Stetson a way to better understand our rapidly on average. A tiny slice of federal spending goes toward education, and former CEO of a small business, expanding world. and states vary wildly in how much was fortunate enough to attend an taxpayer money they are willing to elementary school in St. Louis that Cayla is a Freshman at Stetson and a taught Spanish. This educational Discovery major. devote to schools. privilege enabled him to be successful in the corporate world at a young age. More than 85 percent of American primary schools do not teach a second language, though research shows that the critical period for language acquisition is the early years, before age nine. Many Americans do not deem a second language of value, believing that the rest of the world is learning English.
nS
Got an Opinion? We want to hear it! Send editorial pieces to reporterstaff@gmail.com
25
A District of the people, by the people, for the people Jason Cruz
26
Somewhere between “they have consecrated this ground” and “shall not perish from the Earth,” I realized I was crying reading the Gettysburg Address. The very one in which Lincoln began to repurpose the Civil War into a battle to end American slavery. None of the words were new to me. But the sentences had never had such an impact on my heart. The difference between watching segments of the speech in Stephen Spielberg’s Lincoln and this instance was location: I now stood inside the Lincoln Memorial itself, one of the many colossal monuments to America’s past spread throughout Washington D.C. This late Oct. trip marked my first first to the American capital. The first residents I saw while driving towards the city from BaltimoreWashington International Airport wore ragged coats and splitting shoes, the telltale signs of poverty I see every week volunteering at DeLand’s Neighborhood Center. As we drew closer to one of the more lavish hotel lobbies I have ever seen, I began to spy buildings ingrained into the national consciousness through textbooks, entertainment, and 24-hour news cycles. “America’s immense contradictions, its best and worst attributes, exist side by side in Washington.”
I stood before the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, which holds artifacts used to bind and torture enslaved human beings, while the Washington Monument, celebrating one of the 12 presidents who owned slaves, stood regally nearby. The Capitol Dome shone above the city like a beacon of a bright world, but inside its chambers our most inhuman laws have been negotiated and approved. On the steps of grand buildings such as the Departments of Justice and the Treasury, marked with platitudes honoring our highest ideals, men and women huddled together in rags to fight the worsening cold. If any place in America should be free from the ills of poverty and crime, it should be the nation’s capital. Washington is more than the seat of our federal government. It serves to showcase America to the rest of the world. Washington’s citizens work amid and protect some of our most highly cherished artifacts. An incredible amount of global influence flows from its hallowed grounds and institutions. Millions of tourists visit the city to see American landmarks, culture, grandeur and power on full display.
Despite all of this, despite the fact that Washington should be our shining city upon a hill, in 2014 nearly 20 percent of the District’s residents earned less than the federal poverty level. At the time, that was a scant $23,850 to support a family of four (today the comparable amount is $24,300). Washington consistently has one of the highest crime rates in the country, with homicides increasing by 54 percent from 2014 to 2015. Homelessness is visible on every historic street, including right across from the White House. From its monuments to its hungry mouths, Washington exists as a reminder of how much we as a nation have accomplished and how much remains to be done. Wrongs stand which need to be righted. Injustices prevail where justice has failed to be made permanent. And lives which ought to be dignified remain overlooked, underserved and lost in the rancor of partisanship and ruthless calculations. I believe we can, and must, do better. Not only for those suffering in what should be a utopian hub of American life,
“I realized I was crying reading the Gettysburg Address.”
r but for those suffering across our nation and across the world. As with any major undertaking, we must first assure that our house and example are the best they can be. Lincoln’s second inaugural address adorns the wall opposite the Gettysburg speech. It is less famous, but makes a more specific promise regarding the hard work to which America needed to commit itself in 1865. Lincoln told the fractured nation that the war to end slavery was exacting a terrible cost, but he would accept if it should “continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword.” In his words lies a devotion to the greatest good, a willingness to sacrifice for national moral gain. This is the spirit we must take up again to save our fractious, ailing nation from collapsing, as a house divided against itself surely will.
27
Golf Player Baylor Payne Q/A with Morgan Eiland Baylor Payne is a sophomore on the golf team here at Stetson. He is from Martinsville, Ind. and is a finance major. Payne is playing a large role on the team this year, contributing his first career top ten finish at the Donald Ross Tournament. The Reporter: How long have you been playing golf? Payne: I’ve been playing golf competitively since I was about 9 years old, but I’ve had a golf club in my hand for as long as I could remember. R: What brought you to Stetson? P: It was always my dream to play Division 1 golf. Luckily, I met Stetson alum Tom Creavy through a family friend and he was able to contact Coach Watson. R: Throughout your journey at Stetson, would you say that you have improved? P: I’ve definitely improved since I got to Stetson. I didn’t really know a lot about the
entire game of golf but Coach Watson has helped me tremendously. He was able to teach me to harness all of my strength and power and be able to play more consistently time in and time out. He also helped me with the mental part of the game by calming me down so my head wouldn’t get in the way. R: You earned your first career top 10 finish at the Donald Ross Tournament in North Carolina. What was that feeling like for you? P: My first college top 10 was definitely one to remember. I was ecstatic and it just proves that I can do it, so I’m hoping to get many more while I’m here.
R: You finished the tournament with 10 birdies, 10 bogeys, and one double. Can you please describe what a double is? P: A double is just one more stroke than a bogey. I got a 6 on a par 4. R: How are you and your team preparing for your future events? P: We’re preparing more than we ever have and we’re playing better because of it. We’re working on our weaknesses and we’re strengthening our strengths.
SPOR Football Makes #3 on ESPN Top 10! Madison Akins
Not to take anything away from the general trend of success accumulating for Stetson’s football team recently, but their most recent victory against Campbell trumps them all. The last play of the game earned the #3 slot on ESPN’s Top 10!
The Campbell Camels scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie at 24-24, sending the game into overtime. With suspense building as the Camels attempt a field goal in the first drive of overtime, senior Donald Payne blocked the kick, allowing fellow senior Jeb Boudreaux to grab the ball and make way towards the end zone. At the 5 yard line, a player for Campbell began to tackle Boudreaux, but instead of allowing the play to end there, Boudreaux made a lateral pass back to Payne, who ran into the endzone for a touchdown. Afterwards, Boudreaux commented on his quick instincts. “I knew we had to score on that play or all the yards wouldn't matter because of the overtime rules, so I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure we scored. I saw Donald in the corner of my eye and when I felt the Campbell guy grab my leg, I didn’t really think twice about the lateral.”
28
Not only did the play earn national attention but it also, as an announcer said, “ruined Campbell’s Homecoming weekend.” Boudreaux appreciates his 15-minutes of fame, stating, “It took a couple days for it to really sink in, and it is pretty cool, but honestly none of the national attention felt as good as the recognition I got from my teammates. I love those guys and seeing them as happy as they were after that play was the best reward possible.” Payne, a defensive back, has been a steady threat on Stetson’s defense throughout his time at Stetson. After the game, Payne received Special Teams Player of the Week. While this was the first time the Pioneer Football League recognized his exemplary performance in blocking field goals, the League has previously distinguished Payne with seven other honors. In addition, Payne made 13 tackles, which makes him the 14th player in NCAA history to land 500 tackles in a career. Payne continues to be motivated to do more despite all his accolades. When asked to describe his mindset going into games, Payne explains, “When I step on the field, I have to believe that I am capable of executing every assignment my coach gives me.
I have to believe I am more prepared and more ready to beat the guy across from me every time I step on the field. That mindset helps keep me determined and motivated no matter what may happen throughout the game.” The honors do not stop there. Senior Davion Belk received Defensive Player of the Week from the PFL for his six key tackles in the game against Campbell, one of which forced a fumble that led to the Hatters first touchdown of the game. Overall, the win against Campbell really built some momentum for the team to take with them into their upcoming game at Drake University.
International Athlete: Sunniva Helland-Hansen Cat Keve
Sunniva Helland-Hansen is a freshman at Stetson University, majoring in business administration and preparing to play for our Women’s Beach Volleyball team. She hails from a small town in Norway called Bergen. Prior to Helland-Hansen’s volleyball career, she participated in various sports, each helping her realize her natural athletic abilities.
“I love that [Stetson] is a small, high quality community. The people are really nice and they are academically determined. I can tell they’ve worked hard.” This past Spring season, Stetson University’s Beach Volleyball team ranked 8th in the nation. This stood out to Helland-Hansen when applying to American universities.
Now that she is well into her first semester at Stetson, Helland-Hansen has finally allowed her body to acclimate to Florida’s warmer temperatures. According to Helland-Hansen, “In Norway, we play with compression socks and wool. I definitely like it better [at Stetson]. It’s how beach volleyball is supposed to be played.”
Five years ago she took up indoor volleyball, and she has been training on the court ever since. With her older brothers competing on the Norwegian national team, she noticed she “was going in the same direction.” Helland-Hansen was elected for the national team after playing for only one year. She was committed and enthusiastic for what lies ahead.“I’ve always been really competitive and it’s been natural for me to love what I do,” said Helland-Hansen.
Her former Norwegian teammate, Julie Varga, is currently a sophomore playing for Stetson’s Indoor and Beach programs. Varga spoke highly of the university’s opportunities, academics, community, coaches and team. Stetson seemed like the exact home Helland-Hansen wanted to commit to for the next four years, and she her expectations have been well exceeded. “I love that [Stetson] is a small, high quality community. The people are really nice and they are academically determined. I can tell they’ve worked hard to get here,” gushed Helland-Hansen. Beach volleyball, as opposed to indoor volleyball, is a significant adjustment for Helland-Hansen. This year is the first time in five years that Helland-Hansen will not be playing indoor volleyball to accompany her time in the sand. She appreciates the large team dynamic of indoor, but finds herself constantly adapting to the dynamic of just two players, herself and one other partner, to play a match.
Another unfamiliar concept for her is conditioning. Stetson’s team schedule requires rigorous cardio three days a week, consisting of repetitive sprinting and running. Helland-Hansen appreciates that these workouts are executed together, alongside her teammates. “I think it’s really good and very helpful to have [conditioning] incorporated in our schedule. It definitely keeps us in shape during the off-season,” Helland-Hansen said.
RTS This past Spring season, Stetson University’s Beach Volleyball team ranked 8th in the nation. This stood out to Helland-Hansen when applying to American universities. Her former Norwegian teammate, Julie Varga, is currently a sophomore playing for Stetson’s Indoor and Beach programs. Varga spoke highly of the university’s opportunities, academics, community, coaches and team. Stetson seemed like the exact home Helland-Hansen wanted to commit to for the next four years, and she her expectations have been well exceeded.
Helland-Hansen’s genuine love and desire for her sport, teammates and academics is inspiring. She exudes an organic passion for both beach volleyball and her new home, here at Stetson. Look for Helland-Hansen’s opening-debut come this spring when the Stetson Beach Volleyball team begins their season.
29
Q/A with Stetson Cross Country runner Daniella Godenzi Morgan Eiland Daniella Godenzi, a native of Peru, majors in international business and management at Stetson. This is her last season on the Cross Country team as she is a member of the 2017 Stetson graduating class. Reporter: What attracted you to Stetson University and the Cross Country Team? Godenzi: Stetson had my desired major and provided me with the opportunity to participate in something I am passionate about: running. I came to Hatter Saturday and met many great people who I am still good friends with now. I felt welcomed, and like I was in a very energetic place. Picturing myself being not only a student athlete, but a [Division 1] athlete, was so great. I also love being on a team and didn’t want to lose that since I have always played sports and been part of a team. R: How has the team changed or evolved in your four years here? G: Our program has gotten stronger year after year, and I believe that it’ll keep doing so. The intensity has kept increasing, as well as the discipline and commitment from everyone.
R: I saw that you and your teammate Laurie Scott both ran a personal-best time at the USF Invitational. Describe what you have to go through in training and on the day of the meet in order to keep breaking your record. G: My time on our past meet was actually not my all time [personal record]. I PR’ed my freshman year of college. The time on our past meet was my fastest one this season though. We all keep getting faster and improving, trying to get as best as we can for conference. In order to keep improving, we have to keep running as a priority. We have to stay strong mentally and physically. There are no days when we can slack, especially by being so close to our biggest race of the season, conference. Everyone works hard and encourages each other every day. During race days, we just have to push through the pain and try to be as close to the front of the race as possible. Being at the start line of a race is always nerve-wracking, but all of us know that our hard work will show and that the pain will only be around 20 minutes for the girls.
Fall Sports Records and Achievements • Football: 4-7 • Men’s Soccer: 4-10-2 • Women’s Soccer: 9-2-2 • Indoor Volleyball: 4-25 • Men’s Cross Country: Joe Breery broke the school’s 10K record with a time of 32:59.4 • Women’s Cross Country: Clarissa Consol set the school’s fastest 6K at 22:50.7
30
Also knowing that our times and places depend on how our team does as a whole encourages everyone to push even harder. We do this for ourselves and for one another. R: The team has the A-Sun championships coming soon. How do you expect the team to do? G: We had a chance to race on the conference course at the beginning season. Now we know how to race it and we know what to expect. That will definitely help a lot. I believe that we have a great chance of doing really well at conference. Our times have kept improving throughout the season, and all of us have the desire to beat as many teams as possible and to have better results than the previous years. I am excited to see how we do!
RESULTS SECTION Men’s Basketball (2-0)
Nov11 – W vs. Webber International Nov14 – W vs. FIU Nov18 - vs. the Citadel
Women’s Basketball (3-0)
Nov11 – W vs. Webber International Nov12 – W vs. Valparaiso Nov16 – W vs. Bethune-Cookman
*Results as of November 16th
W indicates a win | L indicates a loss
31
32
33
34
P PP r r or o od de d eo e o et o eV e t er t V ti e V ra e i et r t i a t et a t e
by Touchstone
35
Density, my friends, defines us It tells us sink or swim. Fly or die. As many a scientist will tell you density is the mass of us over the volume of us determining such things. As many an English major will tell you, density is the thickness of something, like a book, or a head. As many a mathematical mind will tell you, density is simply another problem to be worked, to find x or maybe why. As many a history buff will tell you, it is the strategies of the losers that most certainly sank instead of swam. As many a friend will tell you, it is the person who broke your heart or “gave you up� and will realize their mistake. As only I will tell you, density resides in said broken heart determined by your deeds that will drown you in darkness or raise your head above the water. That will kill you slowly, or maybe, just maybe, soar.
Density Cleo Koenig || Poetry
36
Eate
en Alive
Editor Piece
Gabby Cassidy || Photography
37
Basket-Stitch Gossip Editor Piece
Ashley Sullivan || Poetry under the fluorescent buzz in this Target my girl Reese shuffles through wallets and phone carriers looking for a replacement laddered depth for her proof of self to rest safely in says, “my bae and I got similar issssues,” and pops her S’s, if you could even do such a thing--inspects a tacky faux wallet with her proscenium eyes. all the pockets are leather, are small or deep or buttoned or stamped, a swamp of tassels and chains at my feet, Cellphone-ella none of them the right fit, and so the tide rises. I tuck my sharp incisor teeth and incessant need for attention in the rows between, digging between ferns and flaking gold zippers trying to leave how much he doesn’t want me trying to tuck my own crying child into the depth under the buzz of the hot white, in roots of the walking trees. when she throws up her hands in defeat I do the same and let the web of my hand drown out the noise.
38
Listen, love, do you know the saying “Make like a leaf?” Wait, that isn’t quite right, kind of like the way we think we love each other. With all Alissa Pagano || Poetry the lights left untrustingly on while we sleep. So my heart skitters away across the laminate; something vile you weren’t supposed to catch crawling out from between my ribs— what a freakshow— and you grimace in the other direction praying for a refund without the balls to ask for one. Settle for righteous anger, the desecration of the ticket stub. For a while you walk around with it hidden in the back of your wallet in tiny torn up pieces and sometimes dump it out on the kitchen table like a thousand piece puzzle you can’t don’t want to finish, but. So anyway it’s the time of year when the leaves start deserting the trees; I thought I’d make like a leaf, if you’d make like the tree I’m running away to the circus.
Editor Piece
A Series of Post-It Notes Left on the Fridge
39
Rainbow Snowcone: Circle Chapter 1: Angels Don’t Can’t Exist
Ashley Allensworth || Fiction
Jesse watches the news, enamored. Across the nation, there have been multiple reports about creatures made of stone, metal, and water attacking humans and civilization. It’s been going on for months. Originally, people believed it to be a hoax, an urban legend. People blamed the destruction on teenagers. It wasn’t until a video was caught from a shaky camera. A small yellow figure darted in and out of the area with a monster made of gravel that was destroying the surrounding buildings. It destroyed the creature before darting out of sight. This time, there is a Goliath made of trees ravaging a manufacturing district outside of Seattle, slowly making its way to the city. The news station films the footage live from a helicopter, zooming in on a small figure about 100 yards in front of the creature. The figure is impossibly tiny compared to the Goliath. “It appears we have a hero on the scene.” Behind it is a row of tanks from a nearby base. On every occasion, the American military tries to take down the creatures before the figure. On every occasion, their weapons fail and serve little more than as a distraction for the hero. The figure runs forward, slamming into the monster. A hole appears as the hero reemerges from the other side, wood splintering around its purple form. Jesse glances to his left, feeling the couch shift as his sister sits. “So,” she interrupts, “Which one is it today?” “Boy,” he responds, unemotive. This is the conversation he has with her every morning, which gender he feels like. Most of the time, he doesn’t respond; how can he tell her in a way that makes sense that he doesn’t always feel like any gender? “Mom said to get downstairs and she won’t drive you to school today.” Jesse sighs, not ready to face his tormentor. Abigail stands, waiting. “Give me ten minutes.” “Do you need any—” “No,” he says, kicking her out of the room. Reaching under his bed, he pulls out a nondescript box, taking the object in question out and removing his shirt. A flash of sunlight glints off the lone mirror in his room, drawing his gaze. In the mirror is a person he doesn’t know, a person he isn’t allowed to know. From the top of the mirror to Jesse’s neck is a bland face, the features indistinguishable. But from the neck down… Jesse looks away in shame. Small breasts but breasts all the same change his features from unintelligible to automatically female. It wasn’t that he doesn’t like his body, but that he’s never been comfortable in it, even when he feels like a girl. His mother and her close-minded views don’t help either. Jesse pulls the binder over his head, tugging himself in, flattening his chest. A slightly oversized blue shirt hangs off his shoulders while a pair of jeans hugs his hips. Running a brush through his hair, he pulls it into a ponytail and tucks his hair under a hat. Grabbing his school bag, Jesse leaves the safety of his room to face the controlling, unforgiving entity known as society. He creeps downstairs, shoulders hunched, a force of habit from his free will being restricted by his mother. “Jessica.” The voice is quiet; it has no need to be loud, no need to shout to assert dominance after years of quenching any form of rebellion and minor disagreements. Jesse raises his voice an octave, returning, “Yes, ma’am?” “Jessica.” Her voice becomes subtly terse, commanding Jesse move toward her. Jesse back pedals, barely lingering in the doorway. His mother glances him over once, scowling at his plain attire and hidden hair. She doesn’t voice her disapproval, just hands Jesse the bag with the muffin in it. “I love you.” “I love you, too,” Jesse responds automatically; he doesn’t feel anything for his mother anymore, aside from occasional twinges of fear. He hears Abigail walk out the front door and takes that as his cue to leave. One day, he’ll walk out the house and feel no obligation to return, no twisted sense of duty to hide himself in some absurd abusive relationship known as kinship. Today is not that day. There are several things that make Jesse hate public school, but for the most part, the benefits outweigh the poorer aspects.
40
Chiefly among what he dreads are substitutes. Given the poor quality of his school district, the substitutes his school hires all wear their liver spots proudly on their balding, sleeping heads, only paying attention for roll call. If he were lucky, he could initial next to his name and no one would know. The only flaw in his plan is Mrs. Luther. Mrs. Luther is a conservative, “Christian” woman, claiming herself “holier than thou” because her gaudy pearl necklace from her great-great-great-great-great-grandmother is rumored to have been crafted from the tears of the Virgin Mary. It stands out against her black skin and ebony pantsuit. Even more ostentatious is her hair, severely pulled back from her face, but poofing out in a dark curly halo that looks like it was the height of fashion in the 70s. Jesse has only met Mrs. Luther once, but that was enough to strike fear into his heart. Mrs. Luther was subbing for Jesse’s English teacher that day. Abigail warned Jesse about how strict Mrs. Luther was, even going so far as to say Mrs. Luther was worse than their mother. Abigail despised her. When Jesse met her, he did his best to stay below her radar. He hadn’t made it to class early enough to mark himself present and had to sit through her roll call without fidgeting when she called for Jessica Moncoeur. If anyone was paying attention, they would’ve noticed that there never has been a Jessica Moncoeur in their class. They would’ve also noticed that “Moancoewyour” sounded vaguely like Jesse’s last name. When Ms. Luther asked if she missed anyone, Jesse raised his hand, pointing out his name on the attendance list. Mrs. Luther proceeded to monologue to Jesse over how she called his name, calling him Jessica and other pronouns he didn’t feel as at the time, and ignoring his protests that “Jessica” was a typo. Ever since that day, Mrs. Luther takes it upon herself to “educate” Jesse, that “Jessica” was a “rebellious lost child who could change her ways in the eyes of the Lord.” Jesse has taken to skipping any class that has Mrs. Luther as a substitute. Today is no different. Mrs. Luther is subbing for Dr. Korinski, the biology teacher who would be paid far more at a better school. Jesse steps off the bus, but doesn’t walk into the school. Instead, he sits on a bench outside the gates, listening to the raucous shouts of students who don’t care. A strand of hair slips from his beanie. As he reaches to tuck it away, his vision slips for a split second, his pupils dilating to cover the majority of his irises before reverting to normal. Jesse clutches his head in pain before freezing; a scream rips through him, but it is not his own. It’s that of a little girl who is chasing after a runaway hat, about half a mile away. Jesse bolts to his feet, focused on where the girl will be. Shedding his backpack, he takes off, weaving between pedestrians who shout at him, swerving into traffic. Mercifully, the cars halt for his frantic sprinting. 8 minutes, he thinks, counting how long it would take him. As he runs, the sky darkens, an unprecedented storm rolling in. 6 minutes. Thunder rumbles in the distance. 3 minutes. Jesse’s hair crackles at that moment and he feels as much as the girl she is, that if she doesn’t make it in time, if she is late… 2 minutes. Jessica’s blood freezes as she hears the scream, but she doesn’t pause, instead choosing to move faster. When she reaches the corner, she is breathless, chest heaving, but she doesn’t allow herself air. She observes, finding the man towering over the girl, her hat in his left hand, a knife in his right. The girl is on the ground, blood seeping from a scrape on her knee. As black specks dot her vision, Jessica pulls out her phone and dials 911, setting it on the ground and letting the woman on the phone speak. Jessica says not a word, knowing that if she does, she loses the element of surprise, her voice too huffy. Another glance leaves her with no weapon, and her only other area of cover being the metal dumpster. Jessica’s mind flies to what she can use. Taking a breath, she scurries forward and rams her elbow into his lower back. That breath was a mistake. The man turned before she landed the blow, her elbow going into his side instead of his kidneys. While it still causes pain, it isn’t as much as she would’ve liked. The man only bends slightly, catching her arm as she tries to pull away. “Well,” he mutters, his grip tightening on her, “What do we have here?” He waves the knife in front of her face. “A little boy trying to be a hero?” Jessica can’t speak, frozen in fear. MOVE, her mind commands. Don’t speak, another part whispers. “You shouldn’t’ve come here. Now, I have to kill you too.” The man angles his body towards her, knife raised. Jessica shrinks back on instinct, trying to duck the blow. At the same time, she raises her knee in a jerk, jamming it into his sensitive area. The knife comes down across her face, leaving a jagged line from her chin to her cheekbone. The blow stings, but she doesn’t register it, running out of the man’s reach over to the little girl. Jessica helps her to her feet, ignoring the look of shock on the little girl’s face. Behind them, they hear the man groan as he stirs. “Around the corner is my phone,” she tells her. “Pick it up and tell the lady what’s happening. Tell her you’re lost and you need help.” Jessica looks back at the man, knowing she’s running out of time. Grabbing the girl’s hand, they go past the man. She gives the girl a small shove before turning back to the man. “So, you’re a girl.” His face is red, eyes watery, but she can see the vehemence in his eyes, all of it just for her. “We can’t have anyone interrupting us.” He switches his grip on the blade, swinging his arm back before chucking it at the little girl. “No!” Jessica screams, lunging into its path. The knife buries itself into her arm, protecting the girl. “Run!” she screams behind her. “Get as far away from here as you can!’ Jessica never takes her eyes off her attacker, nor does she relax after she hears the patter of
41
feet behind her, nor the sirens in the distance. Shaking, she pulls the knife from her arm, holding in her scream of pain. Widening her stance, she brandishes the blade in her left hand, trying to look menacing, but her entire demeanor is off. The man laughs, stepping forward. In return, she steps back. “Just give up already! I’m not going to hurt you.” LIES, her mind reminds her. Thunder rumbles once more, much closer now. The sky begins to open up, rain pittering. The air is too dry for the atmosphere to be damp. Glancing to the hairs on her arm to the man in front of her, Jessica cringes. With nary a warning, Jessica throws the knife away and dives off the sidewalk into the street. The man lunges after her, but he is stopped, the protons in his body ripped from him in a fiery blaze as they pass to the clouds in the sky. The rain finally pours, and Jessica allows it to wash her mind away. She lies curled on her side in the middle of the road, trying to keep from the pain when a car screeches and squeals, halting before it runs her over. A door slams open, followed by a loud gasp. Jessica can feel the person stand over her, confused. “What—how—I—are you—are you—” There is a gulp as the woman finishes her stuttered sentence. “Are you alive?” Jessica moans, opening her mouth to speak, but immediately tasting blood mixed with dirt. “What happened? No, wait! Don’t answer! I’m going to get you help!” She hears the zipper of a bag open, the clacking of long fingernails on a smartphone. “Hello? Yes, I need an ambulance. There’s a boy in the middle of the street. He’s bleeding everywhere. … 18th Avenue, in Biloxi.” The woman crouches down, kneeling next to Jessica’s head. “What’s your name?” “Jessica,” she spits, blood and water trying to trickle into her mouth. “Moncoeur.” “Jessica Moncoeur,” the woman repeats into the receiver, turning away as she answers more questions. Behind her, another car door opens, but with less panache compared to the woman. Jessica feels a wrinkled hand grab hers, rubbing the fingers. “I always wondered what would happen; would I die first, or would I send him away? He’s always too sentimental, the old fool.” She removes her hands from Jessica’s for but a moment, returning them shaking. Holding up Jessica’s left hand, she slips a ring onto Jessica’s middle finger, clasping her hand as the ring shrinks to fit snugly. She says, “Your life is going to be amazing. I can feel it.” “Mother!” the first woman exclaims. “What are you doing? Get back in the car; you’re going to get sick!” The older woman pats Jessica’s hand. “Forgive him when you first meet him, will you? He doesn’t like having to change.” Jessica shivers when the woman leaves, but it’s not from the cold. No, she shivers from a presence unknown to her, ancient, powerful, mourning. It distracts her from the sting of the rain and dirt in her wounds. It strengthens her, probing her mind for her insecurities and blanketing them. The presence turns on her endorphins, relaxing her. Doing so made her feel cradled. By the time the ambulance and the police arrive, the girl is unconscious.
To Be Continued.... 42
Submit to Us!
See your work featured in Ampersand! Now accepting pieces about travel for our February issue
do you like to
write? draw?
Send all inquiries to touchsto@stetson.edu
take photos?
Share it with us!
43
BACK PAGE AD HERE! Advertise with the Stetson Reporter! Contact: hatternetwork@gmail.com for more information.