The Alestle Vol. 74 No. 27 by The Alestle

T H E

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY BY REDUCING YOUR FOODPRINT page 6

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ALESTLE

WOMEN’S SOCCER HEADS TO NCAA TOURNAMENT page 8

vol. 74 no. 27

The Student Voice Since 1960

Parks and recreation grants planned for Madison County BRANDON WELLS reporter

Theater and Dance Instructor Roger Speidel began 3D-printing pieces for this R2D2 in the Scene Shop as a project to combat his pandemic-induced boredom. He soon bought his own 3D printer to finish the project at home, but brought it back on campus to inspire his THEA 150 students while they work on their final projects. I Alex Aultman / The Alestle

Madison County is planning to distribute $1.1 million worth of grants to 32 municipalities for parks and recreation if approved. HOME and Economic Development Coordinator James Arnold said the Park Enhancement Program grants for parks and recreation can be used for various things as long as they follow eligibility guidelines. “They can use it for a number of eligible items throughout all of their parks, or they can focus on one park — ball diamonds, walking trails, concession stands, whatever you can think of,” Arnold said. Arnold said the recipients of the grants were able to apply in December for aid that was due by March, but projects can start immediately after approval. “From there, the parks can go out and spend money and ask for reimbursement from us, or they go out to bid and start construction projects and have us pay the vendors directly,” Arnold said. Eric Foster, a board member representing District 21 and the Grants Committee Chairman, said the Grants Committee has already voted on the requests. “Everything was approved at the last meeting [by the Grants Committee]. It goes to the board this Wednesday see PARKS on page 2

Board of Education introduces Forensic Debate team makes first culturally-responsive teaching standards appearance at national competition ant.

PAULA BROOKS reporter

“It’s a way to ensure that every student has a high quality education experience and they have access to appropriate The Illinois State Board of Education education,” Hernandez said. has introduced new culturally responsive According to Hernandez, students teaching and leading strategies and stan- were given the right to quality education dards to help teachers enrich all students’ from the learning experiencDeclaraes. tion of Cultural reIndepensponsiveness in the dence. case of these stan“ The dards is to teach and general lead with culture in welfare mind, being open clause in to different cultures the Decthat aren’t your laration own. of IndeThese stanpendence dards are for teachis the idea er preparation so that evthey can better uneryone is derstand cultural reentitled to sponsiveness when a free and it comes to the JOSHUA KAUFMANN appropriExecutive Director of Teach Plus Illinois classroom, creating ate public an environment educathat is less Eurocention,” Hernandez said. “We can’t say that tric and more open to all cultures. children of color are receiving that because Jennifer Kirmes, executive director of the education they’re receiving is very Euteaching and leading at the Illinois State rocentric and white supremacist.” Board of Education, said these standards Joshua Kaufmann, the senior execuhave been worked on for a long time. tive director of Teach Plus Illinois said the “This project has actually been on- standards provide a mirror and window going since 2018,” Kirmes said. “At that type strategy. They can look at themselves time, Illinois was asked along with I think but also see experiences of other people as eight other states to be part of something well. called the [Diverse and Learner-Ready “You take people’s identities and backTeachers Initiative].” grounds into account as you are designing Jennifer Hernandez, assistant profes- or delivering your instructions … all edusor in the Department of Teaching and see TEACHING on page 2 Learning said these standards are import-

“They should be able to see some of their own experiences with what they are doing, but education should also provide windows for people to get a chance to understand the world beyond their previous lived experiences.

@thealestle

thing,” Moulton said. “We essentially just send in the videos and throughout the week [and] judges will critique it.” Hannah Sheahan, a freshman accountThis year is the first time the SIUE ing major from Troy, Illinois, and the treaspeech and debate has gone to two national surer of the team said the experience was competitions. mostly the same, with a few differences. This milestone for the team was “Overall, it hasn’t changed much,” supposed to take place last year, but the Sheahan said. “There were a few elements COVID-19 pandemic stopped it. that we lost … you still got the general gist According to Nick Niemerg, the adviof what it was like.” sor for the speech and debate team, Illinois Moulton said a change that she nois one of the ticed was the most competsocial aspect of itive states for speech and despeech and debate. bate. “One big “ T h i s aspect that’s year has been kind of not a lot of firsts,” been as obviNiemerg said. ous is the social “We competed aspect,” Moulin two national ton said. “[For] tournaments, ALLY MOULTON a lot of people one being the Speech and debate team captain that’s a really national speech big part of speech and debate.” championship [and] one being the forensics Moulton also said tournaments this association national tournament.” year were easier to attend due to the online Ally Moulton, a senior english second- aspect of the event. They could compete in ary education student from Chatham, Illi- tournaments from the safety of their own nois, and captain of the debate team, said homes. to prepare they must practice their pieces, “We have been competing in New like interviews they have to present and vo- York and up in the Northwest,” Moulton cal pieces they have to memorize, a lot and said. “For most of our tournaments I’m just sometimes they work as a team. in my apartment.” “I have pretty much been running all Sheahan also said it made tournaments my pieces nonstop,” Moulton said. “I will more affordable because they didn’t have to make sure my teammates and I are all really travel. excited and we’ll practice as a group some“Tournaments can cost a lot of montimes.” ey, especially when there’s travel costs inMoulton said this year the tournaments volved,” Sheahan said. were online, which made it different to parNiemerg said the team is always lookticipate in the tournaments and nationals. ing to recruit new members. To learn more “Some are even asynchronous which about the team, visit their page on GetInmeans we don’t even see the judge or any- volved. PAULA BROOKS reporter

“We have been competing in New York and up in the Northwest. For most of our tournaments I’m just in my apartment.

The Alestle

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BY THE NUMBERS

COVID-19 at SIUE

New confirmed positive cases (from

tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):

April 9 - April 15: 2 students, 2 faculty/staff April 2 - April 8: 0 students, 0 faculty/staff 14-day new positive tests: 2 students, 2 faculty/ staff All prior weeks positive tests (Aug. 1 - April 1): 346 students, 88 faculty/staff Total positive cases: 372 students, 97 faculty/staff

Tests conducted by SIUE

April 9 - April 15: 364 April 2 - April 8: 448 14-day new tests conducted: 812 All prior weeks tests conducted (Aug. 21 - April 1): 11,773 Total tests conducted: 12,957

Positive cases identified by SIUE testing:

April 9 - April 15: 0 April 2 - April 8: 0 14-day new positive cases: 0 All prior weeks positive cases (Aug. 21 - April 1): 379 Total: 385

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

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Madison County confirmed cases by day 04.10.21 April 10

Source: Madison County Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard, as of April 18

Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus (as of April 18): 97 percent Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s COVID-19 website, as of April 18

COVID-19’S impact on Madison County

All of Illinois’ regions remain under Tier 4 mitigations, which went into effect Feb. 4. These mitigations include the following: - All gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed with this limit subject to change based on latest data & guidance - Travel should follow IDPH and CDC approved guidance - All health care providers are open - P-12 schools, higher education, all summer programs and child care open with IDPH approved safety guidance Source: dph.illinois.gov. - All outdoor recreation allowed | Summer Bradley / The Alestle

PARKS I COVER

[April 21],” Foster said. Foster said Madison County residents are able to see the benefits of these funds in all of their communities. “There’s not one park in the surrounding community that will not see where improvements were made — for example, if they play pickleball, Granite City put in six beautiful pickleball courts,” Foster said. According to Jamie Goggin, board member representing District 24, the official PEP grants proposal states that Glen Carbon requested $51,860 to improve both Miner Park and the Ray Schon Memorial Park. Edwardsville requested $106,524 to pay for the Plummer Family Park. Other amounts include the largest given to the Granite City Park District at $120,736 for park improvements and athletic fields, and Alton Parks and Recreation at $110,924 for several parks to be improved. Collinsville Parks and Recreation requested $89,604 for Woodland Park. Godfrey requested $71,868 for Glazebrook Sports Park. Tri-Township Park District requested $64,596 for various park improvements. The 25 other municipalities, park districts and townships requested amounts from around $15,000 to $50,000 for park related projects. Goggin said all projects are expected to be finished by next year, but larger projects may need more time. Goggin said the decision to establish the PEP grants was made in 2000 by Madison and St. Clair Counties to try and help communities improve their parks. “Several years ago, the voters approved a measure to set aside one-tenth of one-percent sales tax for parks,” Goggin said. Goggin said the amount given is decided on an annual basis and is based on population. “This year is $4 per resident, but the minimum [amount given] would be $15,000,” Goggin said. “They come up with a project to spend what the amount of their maximum reward would be.” Goggin said one of his favorite parts of these grants is that people can see where the money is going. “The idea of the grant is that this money is used to create something physical that people can see and touch in a park — it’s something for the people to enjoy,” Goggin said.

Officer assisted Edwardsville PD with crowd control on a domestic battery.

04.11.21 Officer assisted Glen Carbon PD with searching a female subject with possible positive results. Glen Carbon PD is handling the incident. Officer took a report of an SIUE wooden sign being damaged. Officer responded to a report of a possible tarp in the woods. Officer advised a tarp was not located.

04.14.21 SIUE PD received call about a possible erratic driver. Officer advised the campus was checked and was unable to locate the vehicle. Officer responded to a report of a suspicious odor of cannabis. Officer advised there was a faint smell of cannabis, but unable to locate the source.

04.16.21 Officer assisted Edwardsville PD with trying to locate a subject and/or her vehicle. SIUE officer did not make contact with subject or locate her vehicle.

04.17.21 Officers checked the area for a subject that possibly needed help. Officer advised the area with checked with negative results in locating anyone that needed help. Officers responded to a report of a male subject driving a vehicle in a parking lot that was taking pictures of other vehicles. Officer made contact with the driver. No crimes were committed and male subject left the area.

04.18.21 Officer took a report of credit cards and cash being stolen from a vehicle while it was parked at The Gardens. Victim advised the credit cards were used. Officer responded to a report of an RA advising there was a suspicious noise coming from a room. Officer made contact with the resident and the resident advised she had a stun gun. Officer advised resident that she was not able to have a stun gun in her dorm room per the university policy. TEACHING I COVER

-cation should provide students mirrors and windows,” Kaufmann said. “They should be able to see some of their own experiences with what they are doing, but education should also provide windows for people to get a chance to understand the world beyond their previous lived experiences.” Kirmes said the adoption of these standards is not the end of their work. She said the Board of Education will continue working closely with the program to improve students’ schooling experiences. “The state board is really happy that we’ve gotten to this place and we have adopted standards for the state,” Kirmes said. “We also recognize that this is in no way the end of the journey.”

opinion

NEXT WEEK: APPROPRIATION IN FASHION AND MAKEUP

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The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville. The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters. For more information, call 618-650-3528. For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Student group projects are indispensable for education SAFIYA MUSA SIUE student

As a student in Media Studies at SIUE, I feel compelled to respond to the recent op-ed “Teachers: thoughtless group projects need to stop.” In the strange and alienating age of COVID-19, we need group projects more than ever. Group projects facilitate cognitive development, provide social interactions, build teamwork and foster a sense of responsibility and accountability to students. Group projects enhance speed and efficiency to accomplish tasks and improve communication skills. Cognitive development The essence of education is to improve cognitive ability. Participating in group projects builds students’ mental capabilities to engage in critical thinking by coming up with ideas for an assigned task. Students broaden their intellectual capacity through sharing of ideas and experience.

Social Interaction Social interactions influence every aspect of the students’ lives. Students can get to know and have empathy for different cultures and beliefs. According to a 2018 study in the Annual Review of Psychology, social relationships are adaptive and crucial for survival. And, a 2020 study from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted social interactions, causing anxiety, depression, substance abuse, mental disorder and many other health issues. Therefore, engaging in group projects, especially post-pandemic, can help students re-establish communal relationships. The complaint that the group project enables free riders is not enough reason to stop doing group projects, considering its contribution to the wellness of students. And a good teacher can address students who loaf while other students work.

Enhance speed and efficiency It is fascinating to see the outcome of a collaborative effort. In group projects, members share responsibilities to meet deadlines to achieve targeted goals on the assigned task. Although delays may occur in reaching consensus due to personal responsibility and opinion, that should not affect deadlines. True, members in a group may end up receiving equal grades, as stated in your original staff editorial. Nevertheless, dedicated students can always prove themselves, and more importantly they continue to enjoy the knowledge they have gained. Communication skills The group project is one of the best ways to build communication skills. Learning to communicate better has helped me as a media student — and in the workplace. My experience in the media industry developed my ability to speak, inform, educate, enlighten

and contribute positively to the development of society. Group projects help students to build confidence; students meet, discuss and share ideas. Sense of responsibility and accountability Students feel more engaged when assigned to work in a group. I was able to interview some SIUE students and SIU students on their opinions on both group and individual projects, and the responses overwhelmingly support keeping group projects as one option. Teamwork spirit In a group project, each student has something to offer. In this environment, they learn to handle disputes, make connections and learn how to agree or disagree with others. The most effective teachers step back to allow students the freedom to cooperate and organize themselves towards a particular task. In conclusion, the group project remains indispensable, and teachers should keep the ball rolling.

dual culture. Listening to music from different cultures helps you experience that expression. For example, it’s no secret that groups like BTS, a Korean boy band, have attracted a lot of attention from Western audiences. For many, this has allowed them to expand their musical horizons beyond what they would typically listen to and find a new enjoyable experience. Listening to one genre of music repeatedly can be boring; listening to different music can spice things up. You may like country music or hip-hop, but usually listen to primarily that individual genre with the occasional song outside of it. This can be said for all genres and it can limit your experiences. A good artist can completely transform a genre from something you don’t enjoy to an enjoyable experience. A good example of this is my own experience with country music.

For my entire life, I typically didn’t enjoy country music, yet when I listened to artists like Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard I enjoyed it. I might just like these two artists, but Cash’s music particularly is a good example of a diversified genre. When Cash was still alive, his music was a mix of country, rock, blues and folk. He managed to draw in people from different audiences by making his music enjoyable for more than just country fans. To me and many of my friends, music can be a much more enjoyable experience regardless of the genre if you listen to it with people you enjoy being around. Instead of being alone, it can be better as a social experience. Example of this are road trip songs you’d sing along to with your family and friends. If this is enjoyable, it often doesn’t matter what genre you listen to when you do it.

I remember growing up on a mix of pop, hip-hop and rock primarily because of my parents listening to it in the car. I discovered artists like the Black Eyed Peas and KISS from an early age and this expanded my taste for music and later in life opened more doors to different genres that were mixed from my original three. I listen to so many different artists from different genres and I believe it has helped me grow my appreciation for music as a whole. Artists such as Unlike Pluto that specialize in the electronic genre have so many different song styles that give an electronic twist to rock, rap, hip-hop and dance music. I find myself jamming out to them frequently, even if I don’t usually listen to electronic music. Music is about enjoyment. Go enjoy yourself and try different genres of music, you won’t regret it.

Creating a varied music taste is a gift to your mind

BRANDON WELLS reporter

Music is one of the wonders of humanity. Listening to different music genres can be a unique experience and allow you to embrace different cultures. Let’s face it, most people have a favorite genre of music they listen to frequently. Whether it’s pop, hip-hop, rap, rock or country music, we all have tastes. This also includes music from different cultures. Music typically varies from country to country and is usually most popular where it was made. For example, an artist such as Ariana Grande is more popular in Western countries. On the other hand a musical group like World Order is more popular in Japan, where it originated. Music from different countries and cultures have an important role in expressing each indivi-

URCA Associates 2020-2021

Zebediah Campbell

Nathaniel Shelly

Department: Anthropology Mentor: Dr. Julie Zimmermann

Kylea Perkins

Macey Brown

Department: Art & Design Mentor: Megan Robb

Kelsi Mann

Department: Art & Design Mentor: Aimee Howard-Clinger

Department: Biological Sciences Mentor: Dr. Barbara McCracken

Sophia Melzer

Alexis Reinders

Department: Chemistry Mentor: Dr. Sarah Luesse

Department: Chemistry Mentor: Dr. Kevin Tucker

Molly Walker

Haley Brashears

Joseph Walwer

Department: Chemistry Mentor: Dr. Edward Navarre

Department: Environmental Sciences Mentor: Dr. Kyong-Sup Yoon

Department: Economics & Finance Mentor: Dr. Ariel Belasen

Jordyn Nimmer

Alyssa Moore

Caleb Powell

Department: Applied Health Mentor: Dr. Brianne Guilford

Department: Psychology Mentors: Dr. Eunyoe Ro Shelly Goebl-Parker

Department: Psychology Mentor: Dr. Catherine Daus

2021 SEnior recognition Presented by the Provost & Vice chancellor for student affairs

2021 Senior Assignment Showcase Winners College of Arts & Sciences Chemistry

Theater & Dance Danielle Faller Jamie Grawitch

Philosophy

Nicholas DeGroot Christian Dunaway Andrea Frerker

Chase McQueen Zaria Whitlock

Political Science

Criminal Justice Studies

Alexandrea Troeckler

Megan Byland Catherine Throm

Sociology

International Studies

Tylor Dove Letiste Harper Madelyn Jenkins Zaria Whitlock

Grace Garner Ekindra Rasaili Gabrielle Wimes

Biological Sciences Jana Wollesen

School of Business

School of

Education, Health & Human Behavior Psychology

Computer Management & Information Systems

Madelyn Jenkins

School of Nursing

Edgar Arguelles Kevin Kerkemeyer Christopher McLaughlin Collin Meyer Drake Reents Michael Robinson Matthew Roskowski Paige Rouleau Kyle Williamson Adam Woszczynski

Nursing

Kindra Finney Lisa Schroeder

2021 URCA Assistant Showcase College of Arts & Sciences Biological Sciences Jana Wollesen Alison Blanton Sierra Cheney Kaitlin Goodbrake Bryn Guthrie Kahlan Merriman Laura Sorbel

Chemistry

Nicholas DeGroot Jacob Milbrandt Clark Sasek

Historical Studies

Lydia Fulton Venice Faye Guevarra Ridwan Oyebamiji

International Studies Ashley Brown

Mass Communications Erin Gheen

Social Work Asia Locke Taylin Ritter Linzi Sweetin

Sociology

Tylor Dove James Beverly Makala Dickens Julia Goren Corbin Johannpeter Seth Walker

School of Business Economics & Finance

Samuel Childerson Chase Miller

School of

Education, Health & Human Behavior Psychology Madelyn Jenkins Samuel Baker Mikayla Blankenship Alexis Camp Emma Cardelli Michelle Duong Jayde Grams Samuel Gubbins Alexandra Hardy Bayli Ironwing Maddie Jenkins Baylee Kiel Shane Rhoades Jonathan Sanchez Michael Schneider Emma Shoaf Alexandra Vogen

Applied Health

Sheyenne Daughrity Sheyenne Daughrity Elizabeth Hackmann Elizabeth Hackmann Abigail Machens Sai Medavaka Dana Smith

School of Engineering Construction Paityn Jansen

Mechatronics & Robotics Engineering Ethan Blomberg

NEXT WEEK: GATEWAY TO THE WEST? MORE LIKE GATEWAY TO T-RAVS page 6

lifestyles

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.22.21

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Little changes can greatly reduce your foodprint DANA MCLENNAN copy editor

Earth Day celebrations are still on hold in many communities due to the pandemic, but luckily, The Alestle found ways to celebrate the Earth day-to-day by adopting new habits. Reducing food waste and upcycling containers for planting are just two ways students can lessen their carbon and food footprints. According to EarthDay.org, a foodprint measures the environmental impacts of growing, storing, transporting and producing food. In the United States, about 40 percent of food goes to waste annually. The Environmental Protection Agency reported in 2018 that an individual produces 4.9 pounds of waste daily. E v e r y household, large and small, can decrease waste by changing their food habits, both in eating and purchasing. Consider purchasing dry goods in bulk and buying fruits and vegetables from a local farmer’s market weekly so food doesn’t go to waste. Litterless.com provides a list of Illinois grocers by location who offer bulk foods. Another way to help reduce the human impact is to plant a garden or container garden for small apartments and dorms. Container gardening is easy and fun.

Some farmer’s markets and most stores carry seeds. According to an article by Marie Iannotti for The Spruce, herbs, cherry tomatoes, a variety of salad greens and strawberries are some good options for apartments. Find an area that provides a good source of sunlight, such as a windowsill, balcony or a small table in front of a window. Herbs and some salad greens do not require as much sunlight and can be grown on kitchen counters. Next, find the right containers. Seedlings can be started in a variety of ways that allow for other household items to be reused or repurposed. Reuse egg cartons to create a seedling box and don’t throw out eggshells because they can be reused as well. Rebecca Shinners for Country Living said eggs are a good source of calcium for plants, and once the seed sprouts, the eggshell can be transplanted into the ground or into a larger pot for indoor gardening. Shinners said stale ice cream cones and citrus rinds can also be used as potting options. The peels of lemons and oranges are prepped by poking holes into the bottom for drainage. Fill them with soil, add seeds and then either directly plant into the ground or into a larger container. The rinds will decompose, adding nutrients to the soil. According to Shinners, other items that can be reused that will compost into the soil and make great seedling starters a r e c a r d board egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, brown packing paper and newspapers. Newspapers can be fashioned into individual planters or used in composting. Shinners also said other items that

can be reused before being tossed in the garbage are old ice trays, K-cups, milk jugs and any size soda bottle and make great alternatives to purchasing seed starter trays. Not all containers can be used for planting because plastics can seep harmful chemicals into the soil over time. According to The Concordia Greenhouse, scratched and worn down plastic containers or those that have been exposed to long periods of sunlight should not be used. Plastic containers that are safe for seedling starters are food grade buckets, plastic totes and yogurt containers. To identify which plastic items can be reused before being tossed out, check out the object’s recycling code, generally found on the bottom of an item. Codes 1, 2, 4 and 5 — which include clear plastic bottles, cloudy milk jugs, food storage bags, baby bottles and yogurt containers — are considered safe to be reused. Codes 3, 6 and 7 which include vinyl, polystyrene (common in take out containers) or polycarbonates are considered unsafe to be reused, according to The Concordia Greenhouse website. Inside gardening doesn’t have to be expensive when reusing these common household items. Spruce up long-term gardens made out of old soda bottles and glass jars by painti n g the outsides or decorating them. According to sustainability blogger Merilin Vrachovska’s website Almost Zero Waste, use food scraps, coffee grounds and tea

bags in your soil but not meat, dairy or oily foods because they won’t break down in the compost. Vrachovska gives step-bystep advice for composting methods in apartments. For a tutorial on how to make a self-watering seed windowsill garden out of soda bottles, visit Seattle Sundries. F o r more information on how to help the environment and reduce individual foodprints locally and globally, visit EarthD a y. o r g or earthday365. Graphics by Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle

REVIEW: ‘Why Did You Kill Me?’ is a perfect blend of gang drama and true crime GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor

Netflix’s latest true crime documentary “Why Did You Kill Me?” is a very interesting change of pace from the typical murder documentary. It’s set apart by a strong emphasis on the politics of gangs in the area, and how the family of the victim may not be without blame either. The documentary offers a look into the murder investigation of the 2006 death of 24-year-old Crystal Theobald in Riverdale, California. While the police continue their investigation, Crystal’s mother, Belinda, and her cousin Grace try to help with the investigation through MySpace. Grace created an account with a picture of Crystal, with a different name, Angel. When interacting as Angel, Grace tried to channel Crystal’s personality.

With the help of MySpace, Grace and Belinda connected with as many self-identified members of the gang 5150 as they could, since Crystal was shot in an area where the 5150 had committed many shootings before. I enjoy true crime documentaries such as this, but I don’t watch them too often, as I feel like they can be played out at times. They usually consist of someone doing something awful, and then the family of the victim or the police department have to do something unorthodox to try and pin them down. However, “Why Did You Kill Me?” does a good job of painting a full picture. No one is truly morally correct in the story. Crystal’s family wants closure for the murder, but they still have problems that get in the way of justice at some points. There are many twists and turns in the documentary, and

although I’d like to keep some secret, one of the most shocking moments is when Belinda decided to take matters into her own hands and planned to kill members of the 5150, almost blindly. On the fake MySpace account, she began posting about a big party in the summer and invited all the gang members. Belinda was going to tell them to go out into the hills, and then she would try to shoot them all down. Luckily, the detective who was working on the case found out about this and managed to stop Belinda from going through with it. One of the strangest parts of the documentary was coded racist remarks scattered early on when discussing suspects for the murder. There is a long discussion of what the interviewees refer to as “Black and Latino gangs,” and the white detective assigned to the case even refers to the city as a zoo at one point—

“[My database of gang members] sort of tells me who’s who in the zoo”. When creating the MySpace account to attempt to find the murderer, Grace, who is white, makes a point of saying the account said “[I like to] drink cervezas”, instead of just “beers,” in order to attract “Latino” 5150 members. Even if the murderer was a member of the 5150, it would not be right to use these phrases. Unlike some other murder documentaries, this one doesn’t romanticize the killing at all. The murder is gritty and unclean, and it wasn’t committed by a complex serial killer who has a system. It was a random, awful event. Although the family of the victim is usually painted as perfect in documentaries, this film does a good job of avoiding that. Many of Theobald’s family served prison time and had substance addictions. Additionally, Belinda’s

desire was to kill members of the 5150 randomly, and her initial desire was to give the man who was arrested the death penalty. One of the biggest takeaways from the documentary is how dangerous life in a gang can be. There are several testimonials from former 5150 members who discussed how the gangs target high school students in order to get them involved. In fact, one of the former members said the gang mostly consisted of 17 to 18-year-olds. My favorite part of the documentary, by far, was the ending, where Crystal’s family members talk about the last time they’d had dreams about her, and all of them are very emotional. The documentary closes with Belinda pulling tarot cards to see what the future holds, and accurately predicting it. “Why Did You Kill Me?” is available for streaming on Netflix.

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BFA students showcase art in-person for first time since pandemic GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor

With the end of the semester nearing, many students are working on the final big projects in their courses. This is a particularly special moment for the Fine Arts Department, where some students are currently preparing to hold their first in-person exhibition of pieces in awhile. One upcoming exhibition is titled “Breaking Ground.” It will run in person from April 22 to April 29. Kenzie Holzinger, a senior art and design student from Highland, Illinois, said she is happy to watch others appreciate the exhibition. “To me, it is very exciting that it’s in person. It’s great to have your work seen physically, instead of on a screen,” Holzinger said. “It means a lot that I’m able to have my work hung up, and to be done with it, instead of being so worried.” Senior art and design major Allena Brazier, of East St. Louis, Illinois, said the exhibition is missing in-person artist talks. Artist talks are when the creator of a piece discusses it themself. Although people can go into the gallery, Brazier said the artist talks will be held over Zoom. “I’m treating this as a regular exhibition, because I put care into my work regardless. I think it’d be more pressure if it was even more in person. Usually, it’s a couple hundred people in the gallery, but they still obviously can’t do that,” Brazier said. “I am excited for [the artist talks]. It’s different, because you have to be concise. Listening on a computer is different than talking to the artist face-to-face.” The topics of the pieces var-

ied across the artists, like with senior art and design major Kayla Gillispie from Belleville, Illinois. Gillispie said her pieces focused on the evolution of Black female hairstyles over time. “Since I’m a graphic designer, I’ll have my posters and one GIF at the end. It all looks at Black women’s hair over time, and how that has changed,” Gillispie said. “I’m using Black advertisements, and looking at how the looks of hair have changed. I’m really looking at hair culture and identity, and how they have influenced each other.” Brazier said she looked at race and history with her pieces as well. “I did some of these pieces before, but I redid them for this, and relooked over how I wanted to present them. For example, I built a table in honor of the students in all the sit-ins in the 1960s,” Brazier said. “I built it around 2019, and I built it again for another exhibition. Then this year, I built it again. Each time, it was somewhat different and better. It was an accumulation, but it was me reintroducing it.” According to senior art and design major Matt Meyer from Naperville, Illinois, his sculptures are also politically-charged, but they contain other meanings as well. “All my work has two different sides to it. One side is moments you take for granted, like, if you take your friends out for a night. It’s something you’d always do, but you haven’t been able to do it for a year now,” Meyer said. “There’s also political aspects, looking at how America isn’t the best for everyone.” Meyer said he was especially excited about the QR codes he included with some of his sculptures, which can be used to help

Right: Holzinger’s piece “More is Less” can be seen in the “Breaking Ground” exhibition. / photo courtesy of Kenzie Holzinger. Bottom: Meyer’s “Bundle Up” blends painted yarn and rusted steel. Meyer said he is fascinated by street art, which usually is smaller than other works. / photo courtesy of Matt Meyer.

educate people. “With [the QR codes], you don’t know where you’ll be taken, and they can show you something you may not expect,” Meyer said. “The political pieces have the QR codes [on them]… I’ve always liked street art, where you can just put sculptures out, and if someone goes out and sees a piece, they can learn something from it.” Holzinger said her pieces, which are drawings with some

paints mixed in, focus on the destruction of the natural world. “I’m really interested, or I have been interested for a long time, in the relationship between humanity and nature,” Holzinger said. “This sort of points to a direct relationship between us and some of the problems nature is having.” Since this is the senior exhibition, most of the artists will be leaving SIUE this semester. According to Holzinger, that makes

this exhibition a bit more bittersweet. “I’m currently planning on taking some time off. This is actually my second degree. I got my first bachelors at Thomas Edison State University,” Holzinger said. “I’ve gotten my BFA to maybe go into grad school later and get a masters, but that’s the loose plan. I’ll be taking a quick break.” To view the virtual exhibition, check the Art and Design Department’s website.

Sociology sees return of magical Harry Potter-themed class JOHN MCGOWAN reporter

With the summer semester comes the return of SOC 317 — Sociology of Harry Potter, an elective course that challenges students to view the world of Harry Potter from a sociological perspective. The class has two main focuses: looking at various institutions and societal structures within the world of the Harry Potter books and movies, and looking at the culture and community the series has created in our society. Sociology Professor

Florence Maätita, the instructor of the class since its inception in 2013, said the books are a conduit for examining real life issues. “‘Muggle’ is now in the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s become this global phenomenon … How does that kind of influence happen? Also, we’re looking at key sociological issues like social institutions, prejudice and discrimination, and we’re using the books and the movies as a way to illustrate what these points really are,” Maätita said. According to Maätita, students should leave the class with a better understanding of how to view things through a sociological lens. She said Harry Potter is a fun way to develop that skill. “If they can apply this lens to understanding other things that are meaningful in their lives, other experiences, other kinds of relationships, then I think that’s a success for me. I use this class as

a way to get students to practice that,” Maätita said.

While the core fundamentals of the class remain the same, some of it has changed due to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling’s recent statements on gender and sex, which many have deemed to be transphobic. Maätita said this has shifted Rowling’s role within the class discussion. “Folks in the trans community and also allies are not necessarily turning away from the books, but turning away from her. So, I think it’s an interesting moment that we’re seeing … What happens when someone like J.K. Rowling says something that stands in the face of their own reality? How do you reconcile the two?” Maätita said. Maätita also said students don’t have to be Harry Potter fans to take the class. “The first time I taught the class back in 2013, I tried to make it as accessible to folks as possible … Not everyone has read the book, not everyone has seen the movies,” Maätita said. Students agree that the class

was fun and helpful to their sociology education. Senior sociology major Deangelo Franklin, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, said the class was what got him interested in Harry Potter. “It was indeed an eye opener. I didn’t know what to expect going into the class. I had not read Harry Potter, but the class enlightened me a lot and it also sparked my interest in Harry Potter … I would recommend the class to anybody,” Franklin said. Senior sociology major Stephanie Lagona, of Edwardsville, said the class made her better at looking at the world with a sociological perspective. “It gave me a much bet-

ter ability to look through a sociological lens at not only fictional worlds and how they relate to our world, but to actually be able to look deeper at our own world and see how even in writing and even in art, what we do is reflective of what we live,” Lagona said. Students can learn more about the class on the SIUE website. Graphics by Summer Bradley / The Alestle

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thursday, 04.22.21

SIUE Standings MEN’S SOCCER

OVERALL MAC

Bowling Green Western Michigan West Virginia Akron Northern Illinois SIUE

7-4-1 7-3-1 6-3-1 4-4-2 5-8-1 5-5

5-2-1 5-3-1 4-3-1 3-4-1 4-6 2-5

WOMEN’S SOCCER

OVERALL OVC

Women’s soccer wins OVC title, heads to NCAA tournament Senior outside back Emma Ehrsam dribbles the ball during a game against UT Martin toward the beginning of women’s soccer’s season. The team faced UT Martin again during the first round of the OVC Championship tournament and advanced to win the conference title. | Khoi Pham / The Alestle NICOLE BOYD copy editor

The Cougars are set to compete in the first round of the NCAA tournament after winning the Ohio Valley Conference championship against SEMO. SIUE faced UT Martin April 15 in the semi finals for the OVC tournament. MacKenzie Litzsinger, redshirt sophomore forward, scored the first goal within two minutes of the game. With an assist from sophomore forward Maria Haro, sophomore forward midfielder Lily Schnieders scored the second goal. The Cougars won 2-0 and advanced to the championship match against SEMO. Neither SIUE nor SEMO scored in the first half of the game, but SEMO brought the score to 1-0 in the second half. Haro tied the score with an unassisted goal 17 minutes later, and the game went into overtime. Three minutes into overtime, junior defender/midfielder Kayla Klipsch scored a penalty kick, bringing the Cougars their first

cult for the other team to get clear OVC title since 2016. Head Coach Derek Burton possession and play in a way that said the team played with excep- they would prefer to play,” Burton said. “We did a good job of tional passion. “[There was] a lot of hard forcing them to play the way that work and an extreme level of we wanted to play.” Senior outside back Emma competitiveness from everyone, whether they got in or didn’t get Ehrsam said she is excited about in. It was just an all-around great the team’s win, especially because their season team efwas pushed fort,” Burback from ton said. “It just feels like the fall. Burton everything we’ve been “Our also said the team’s been team met working for has finally working their key very, very objectives, come together, and I hard for the which were couldn’t be more proud past year to match the Redof my team, and I’m just b e c a u s e our season hawks’ inso glad to be a part of it. got pushed tensity and from the fall win the ASHLIN WEST … so we’ve 50/50 balls. been push“ When senior midfielder ing really we’re doing well and hard and successful in games and winning got the result that we wanted. It games, those are always the keys feels great,” Ehrsam said. Senior midfielder Ashlin to our game, with the way that we play. I think over the field, we did West said Saturday’s game was a a good job of making it very diffi- big win for the team.

week in review

“It just feels like everything we’ve been working for has finally come together, and I couldn’t be more proud of my team and I’m just so glad to be a part of it,” West said. Ehrsam said in preparation for the NCAA tournament, it will be important for the team to remember how hard they’ve worked. “I think [it will be] keeping a positive attitude and remembering that we’ve worked hard enough to get to this point and we deserve to be here,” Ehrsam said. West said she is both excited and nervous about the upcoming match, although she knows the team will work hard no matter what. “Coming in as a freshman, it was my dream to go to a NCAA tournament, win the OVC conference, so I’m just so proud of my teammates,” West said. “I’m literally just ecstatic right now.” SIUE will play April 28 against the University of Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Murray State SIUE UT Martin SEMO Belmont Tennessee Tech Jacksonville State Eastern Kentucky Austin Peay Eastern Illinois Morehead State

9-2 8-2-2 6-4-1 7-4-1 5-4-1 4-5-1 4-5-1 4-5-1 2-7-1 2-7-1 2-8

9-1 6-2-2 6-3-1 6-3-1 5-4-1 4-5-1 4-5-1 4-5-1 2-7-1 2-7-1 2-8

SOFTBALL

OVERALL OVC

Eastern Kentucky SEMO Austin Peay Jacksonville State Murray State UT Martin Eastern Illinois Tennessee Tech SIUE Belmont Tennessee State Morehead State

27-11 21-14 23-9 17-20 17-24 22-12 19-15 18-21 9-21 11-19 8-27 10-22

18-5 16-5 18-7 15-10 14-11 11-9 11-10 12-12 9-14 7-15 4-21 2-18

BASEBALL

OVERALL OVC

Morehead State SEMO SIUE Murray State Jacksonville State Belmont Austin Peay Eastern Illinois UT Martin Tennessee Tech Eastern Kentucky

18-14 18-15 18-14 18-16 18-17 16-17 12-22 18-17 12-19 12-17 13-22

8-4 11-7 8-7 8-7 8-7 9-9 9-9 8-10 5-7 6-9 7-11

WOMEN’S TENNIS

OVERALL OVC

SEMO Austin Peay Jacksonville State Murray State SIUE Belmont UT Martin Eastern Illinois Tennessee State

14-4 10-3 9-9 8-9 10-7 5-9 2-14 4-13 0-0

7-0 5-2 4-3 4-3 3-4 2-5 2-5 1-6 0-0

MEN’S SOCCER

TRACK & FIELD

TENNIS

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

The men’s soccer season was cut a game short due to an excessive number of injuries on the team. SIUE was scheduled to compete in its final regular-season game on Sunday against West Virginia. However, the game was canceled due to SIUE falling under the Mid-American Conference’s minimum participant threshold of 15 available student-athletes. The team ended the season with an overall record of 5-5 and a conference record of 2-5.

The men’s and women’s track and field teams both competed at the Gibson Invite, hosted by Indiana State University, on Friday and Saturday. At the meet, COVID senior distance runner Aly Goff broke SIUE’s all-time record for the 5,000-meter with a time of 17:05.22. Goff also set a personal record for the 1,500-meter for the fourth meet in a row. Junior sprinter Brandon Bretz took first in the 400-meter with a time of 47.83, which places him at No. 4 on SIUE’s all-time list.

SIUE took a 5-2 loss against SEMO on Friday. Freshman Jordan Schifano and redshirt junior Callaghan Adams both picked up singles wins. On the doubles court, redshirt sophomore Vanessa Reinicke and redshirt freshman Caitlyn Sporing were the only team to claim victory. The team came back with a 6-1 win against UT Martin the next day to end their regular season. During this match, Adams earned her 50th career singles win. All three doubles teams also picked up wins.

SIUE Baseball took their on-the-road series against Western Michigan with two wins and a single loss. The team began the series strong on Friday, picking up a decisive 13-4 victory. Moving into Saturday’s doubleheader, SIUE claimed the opener with a 6-2 win. The Cougars were less successful during the second game of the day and fell to the Broncos 10-2. Redshirt senior infielder Raul Elguezabal was one of the team’s top hitters during the series, picking up a home run and a triple.

The softball team also competed on the road this weekend, facing Tennessee Tech. The Cougars dropped the series, taking two losses and picking up one win. In the first game of the series, Tennessee Tech won 3-2 in nine innings. SIUE then battled back for a 10-8 victory during the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. The series ended on Sunday with the Cougars taking a 3-1 loss. SIUE collected 19 hits on Saturday, compared to just 14 for Tennessee Tech.