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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.
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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.
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