ARKA
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1923
THE
GOLDEN! Basketball season begins.
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ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY // THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 • VOL. 94 NO. 09
I
RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH The Golden Suns and California Baptist are the only teams in DII volleyball to finish the regular season undefeated.
Golden Suns finish the regular season undefeated after win against Ouachita
(VOLLEYBALL -story on page 8)
EDITORIAL PA G E 2
VETERANS PA G E 3
F E AT U R E PA G E 5
MOVIE REVIEW PA G E 6
FOOTBALL PA G E 8
2 OpiniOn arkatechnews.com
KARLY WILLIAMS/THE ARKA TECH
More movements, less trends As a society, never have we been so able to share our thoughts and opinions with others. From the cavalcade of social media websites and apps that allow us to freely speak our mind with little to no immediate consequence, to a president that makes a controversial decision or speech seemingly every week that provides a topic for heated discussion. Such a combination has allowed for us, as a country, to discuss and debate some important topics that had previously been quietly tucked away or ignored. It has also shed some light on topics that many may have not been privy to, an example of this being the DACA ruling and just how many citizens are impacted by the policy. Unfortunately, the excess of hot topics and
immediate access to platforms that allow us to share our viewpoints has resulted in these serious matters becoming more of a trend than a topic of debate. While we enter these social media campaigns and debates with good intentions, the underlying desire to fit in, or conform, overrules any good intentions we may have. Our longing to present ourselves on social media as current and intelligent has superseded our actual dedication and involvement in movements and causes. Topic X will dominate all the news headlines, trending topics and social media posts for a week. People will be at the throats of one another behind their keyboards or touchscreens in hopes of “winning” the debate of topic X. The fervor at
which people debate will make it clear that topic X is a very important and serious topic that you need to have a stance on. According to our timelines and newsfeeds, topic X can and will change everything; our nation, our schools, our lives. Then, the president speaks at a rally in the middle of nowhere, which causes topic Y to appear. Topic Y could be the most important thing to happen to this nation and possibly this planet. Discussion of topic Y will consume all news headlines, trending topics and social media posts. If you do not have a well thought out stance regarding topic Y, you are already behind. Meanwhile, fewer people are discussing topic X, as they have all moved to topic Y. Topic X goes to
Editorial: ed·i·to·ri·al
[ed-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] noun: An article that represents the official viewpoint of a newspaper on a topic of public interest. the back burner before eventually falling into obscurity. This cycle continues with topic Y and so on. The problem here is that we allow ourselves to be distracted by what is new and trending. We have gotten into the routine of jumping haphazardly from issue to issue, leaving little to nothing resolved before we move onto the next social justice campaign. “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth,” former President John Kennedy said. “The enemy of growth,” in this case, is
the abundance of topics in which we leave behind in the dust for more present matters. These issues and the people affected by these issues, are left with nothing but a week’s worth of trending hashtags to show for the worldwide attention they experienced for a short period of time. To prove an issue truly is important, that we all need to be paying attention and have a voice, is to stick with that issue for more than a week. The Civil Rights Movement was not a flavor of the week topic that people began to talk about for the sake of conversation. It was passionately debated
and worked through for years until it finally got the recognition and results that it had worked so diligently for. While it is not inherently wrong to have a voice and opinion on every social issue that comes up, you cannot forget about preceding topics you once fought for. If you truly want to see change, find an issue and dig in. Do not let your desire for instant gratification and meaning get in the way of a greater movement. Be patient and stay focused. You will be more effective by having few, deep opinions on matters than several superficial ones.
Horror movies take escapism to the next level AMBER APPLEBY
Editor-in-chief
There’s something about sitting down with some buttery popcorn, which is nonnegotiable, and watching a movie. There’s really nothing like it. All movies provide a sense of escapism for people, but horror movies take the escapism to the next level. I didn’t always enjoy horror movies. When I was younger, my mother bribed me with a piece of cake to see a horror movie (“The Grudge” if you’re interested), and I was terrified. However, in high school, I developed a taste for the finer parts of horror films. Horror has become extremely prevalent within our society with television shows like “American Horror Story” and “The Walking Dead” and movies such as “It” and “The Conjuring” breaking records. People love horror. And, believe it or not, there is actually quite a bit of psychology behind the reason that people enjoy horror. According to Dr. Glenn Sparks, who is a professor and associate head of the School of Communications at Purdue University, one of the reasons that people love horror so much is
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how they feel after the credits roll. When you watch a horror film, your blood pressure rises along with your heart rate. Psychologically, you’re aroused, and this arousal lasts for a bit after the film. Which means, any feelings you experience, positive or negative, are intensified, according to Sparks. So since most of us go to the movies with friends, family or significant others, we have a positive experience, and are more likely to continue going back to horror films. This particular process is
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017
called the excitation transfer process. In layman’s terms, there is something incredibly cathartic about being scared to death. You get scared, and then it’s over. Your fear is tangible and finite. And you feel an intense sense of relief when it’s over. I know I do. Every time I watch a horror film, I’m tense all the way through the climax, but when the big baddie is finally dead, I unclench and relax, and get vaguely uncomfortable with the final kiss, which is a whole different type of opinion piece.
Dr. Jeffery Goldstein, who is a professor of social and organizational psychology at the University of Utrecht, was quoted in an interview with IGN as saying, “You choose your entertainment because you want it to affect you. That’s certainly true of people who go to entertainment products like horror films that have big effects. They want those effects…[Horror films] provide a just resolution in the end. The bad guy gets it.” Goldstein seems to have hit the nail on the head. Some people, according to Sparks, are more hypersensitive and thus are more likely to be unable to handle horror films. People who are more empathic are also less likely to enjoy horror films, according to an article on Concordia University at Saint Paul’s website. The reason for this is probably due to the fact that they relate too much to the characters, and thus feel more of their pain and fear than people who have less empathy. So, next time you’re feeling stressed or zombie-like, pop some popcorn, again, seriously, nonnegotiable, grab some cool people and tune in to some horror films. After the credits, talk about the movie with your friends to keep your psychological buzz going. I promise you’ll feel much more relieved afterward.
Feature 5 arkatechnews.com
TURKI ALKHALDI
MOHOMMAD ALSUROURI
FABIANA ALVES DO MONTE
EMILY AMOS
WILLIAM ANDERSON
KRISTIN ANDREWS
JILLIAN BALL
KAILA BOWEN
MOLLIE BREWER
GABRIELL CALABRESE
HAILEY CANADA
MELISSA CARMACK
MARANDA COFFEY
SAVANNAH DYE
KAELYN GREER
ALLISON HOLLOWAY
Arkansas Tech University
Who's Who 2017-2018
AMANDA CONDON
EMILY FREE
JAELYN HERREA
BLAKE HURLEY
ALYSSA KOOL
SETH MAYS
SETH MCCAMMON
BROOKE MILLER
COLLIN MOORE
MONIQUE MORRIS
MALIK OLIVER
ZACHARY PAQUET
AMBER QUAID
TY REASNOR
DANIEL RIVERA
MATTHEW SMITH
ANNA STARK
KATIE TRAN
LANTWAN TRAYLOR
WILLIAM WELCH
LAUREN KECK
WILLIAM REYES
CHANDLER TACKETT
ARIYANA WOODSON
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018
Feature 5 arkatechnews.com
Fabiana_ Alves do Monte_ PHOTOS BY RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Monte was a part of the Golden Suns basketball team for two years, winning two back-to-back Great American Conference titles.
Creating a safe space for students RICCI LOGAN
Sports Photographer
Fabiana Monte knows what it is like to be an international student on campus. The struggle of people trying to understand your culture, your background and where you come from. Monte was born in Pernambuco, Brazil. She grew up in São Paulo, Brazil in tough area. Monte’s mom, Maria Hozana Da Silva, wanted her and her brother to be involved in extracurricular activities so they would stay out of trouble. Her brother, Fellipe Monte, played basketball at a club called Olimpic de Treinamento e Presquila. Her brother’s coach saw her one day: “I was twelve years old. The coach saw how tall I was and wanted me to come play basketball at the club,” Monte said. At first she wasn’t that good but she always hustled, and had heart on the court. With a lot of time and practice, she would grow to be a great basketball player. She even attend a private school in Brazil to play basketball. Even though she had scholarship, it was a struggle to pay for her books. She walked thirty-minutes every day just to catch a bus to go to school. Her mother helped her while always stressing that education was important. When she realized that basketball was the love of her life, she had to make a decision—should she try to go pro or get an education with basketball? She decided she would get an education, and she started going to junior college in Kansas where she played basketball for two years. Her transition from Brazil to America was marked by culture shock. America was so different from what she had seen on television. Her freshman year was very challenging between being a student athlete and trying to learn the English language. “I took a special English class three times a week after basketball practice along with going to class,” Monte said. At end her of freshman year, she was one of the top forty junior college players in the country. She
also played in the junior college all-star game. After spending two years at the junior college, Monte found herself at Arkansas Tech in 2014 after being recruited by Julio Pacheco. Monte was a part of the Golden Suns basketball team for two years, winning two back-to-back Great American Conference titles. “The two years I played basketball at here I had a lot of fun and made lot of friends. I definitely made the right decision coming here,” Monte said. Monte would go on to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. After graduation from Arkansas Tech, she wanted to give back to student affairs because they helped her so much. She became a graduate assistant for the Diversity and Inclusion office at Arkansas Tech. The Diversity and Inclusion office is here to be the voice for underrepresented students on campus. For example, African American students, Hispanic students or LGBTQ+ students. “We want to make sure our students have a safe space on campus. We also want to educate students who have not encountered many minorities in their life,” Monte said. Monte helps assemble events on campus like Soul Food Sunday and Hispanic Heritage Month. These events help other students get an understanding on other cultures’ traditions. The events also help eliminate stereotypes about other cultures. Diversity and Inclusion wants to help bring students together from all walks of life. Monte said, “Being a part of Diversity and Inclusion does not mean we want to push people farther apart. We want bring people together by learning about one another.” Monte wants to create a loving environment for students at Tech. She knows what it’s like coming from hard circumstances to be successful. Monte will graduate with her master’s this May. She wants Arkansas Tech to continue to grow the community she came to know and love during her time here.
After graduation from Arkansas Tech, she wanted to give back to student affairs because they helped her so much.
“We want to make sure our students have a safe space on campus. We also want to educate students who have not encountered many minorities in their life.”
Monte shows off her sense of humor. Monte wants to create a loving environment for students at Tech. She knows what it’s like coming from hard circumstances to be successful.
THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 2018
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AMBER QUAID
Editor-in-chief
Fail. Fail miserably. From failure comes improvement and that is what college is all about, becoming a better you. Facing fears, meeting people, finding out there is more to the world than the town you came from. All of this stems from failure because failure forces you to move, to change. I am not saying go and fail everything because that will just make you miserable and lazy. I am saying try your best and if you fail, it’s okay. Remember to have fun. Fun in doing the best you can, in failing, in hanging out with your friends and in doing crazy stuff you never thought possible. Having fun means going outside your comfort zone but doing NO HARM to others or yourself. Keep yourw mental and physical health in check. Making one stronger will help make the other stronger. This comes from finding your balance and the only way to do that is to try and succeed or try and fail. Make your path, not your parents, not your friends, YOURS.
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LAKYNN NOBLETT
Staff writer
You’re a college student now. It’s time to spread your wings and learn how to fly but even as you find your wings, everyone needs a crash course. 1. Be organized.
Change for the better
2. Nothing is as simple as going to class. It’s honestly that simple. 3. Become one with your due dates. 4. Talk with your professors. Ask questions. Don’t go through the semester second guessing anything. 5. To not overwhelm yourself and become stressed, learn time management. Make time for yourself. 6. Remember to take a deep breath and soak everything in. Because you made it. You’re finally a college student.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
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Campus 5 arkatechnews.com
NOA
Sports GABBI CALABRESE
Staff writer
There is no “correct” college experience. You have to make your health—both mental and physical—and your academics a priority, so do not feel bad about saying “no” if something is too much for you to handle. You’re the one paying for college and working toward your future, so what other people have to say about your experiences is irrelevant. Do what makes you happy. College is your chance to become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
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MATTHEW EMERY
Managing Editor
Don’t get over consumed by a significant other. I get it, you’re in college and want to find “the one.” However, I have seen so many students meet someone and then dedicate almost all of their free time to that one person. When the relationship ends in failure, you will be left with nobody. College is a time to meet new people and make new friends. Relationships aren’t inherently an awful thing while in college, but don’t let your world revolve around one person. Join clubs, try new things, go to events that you never would have expected yourself to go to. Never stop seeking.
RICCI LOGAN
Sports photographer The community bathrooms here on campus can get rough, but with proper preparation it will be ok. My advice to incoming freshman that live in a dorm is buy shower shoes. Use Clorox disaffecting wipes to wipe the toilets down. Always flush the toilet, and wash your hands. Also if you live on campus keep up with your key and I.D. These things are really expensive to replace. To replace your dorm key is seventy-five dollars and to replace your I.D is twenty-five dollars. Enjoy the events on campus it helps you make memories that will last a lifetime. Get involved in clubs, Greek Life or the school newspaper.
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Although I am only a freshman myself, the advice I would have to give others is to work hard and do not procrastinate. These both have come in handy as I have completed these few weeks of college. Do not give only half of your effort - this is not high school. Use your independence wisely. Keep up with your syllabus and do not freak out because you think you have accidentally submitted a writing assignment in Blackboard when you have actually just saved it. College will keep you on your toes - or at least that is what I have learned so far. Keep up, but always remember to take a breath and relax.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2017
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Feature 5 arkatechnews.com
Cuà Rose
PHOTOS BY RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH
A rose by any other name would not be as sweet
RICCI LOGAN
Staff Writer
Cua’ Rose’s rise to stardom at Arkansas Tech University didn’t happen overnight. Rose started at McGehee, where he began playing football in the fifth grade. His mother didn’t want him to play football at first because she thought it was a dangerous game, but Rose showed a passion for the game growing up. He played multiple positions until his 10th grade year when he moved to Springdale. After he moved to Springdale, his mother told him that he broke her heart by moving away from her. “As a 15-year-old kid I felt hurt knowing I broke my mom’s heart. I didn’t know how to handle it,” Rose said. “At that point, I told myself I had to go college to be somebody so I could make her proud. It made me push myself hard to succeed for my family.” At Springdale, Rose played safety where his skills started to flourish. He finished his junior season with 100 tackles and 17 pass deflections. In his senior season, his team did not make the playoffs ,but he still managed to finish the season with 99 tackles and 15 pass deflections. After his senior season, Rose went to play at Pittsburg State University. At the time, Pittsburg State was ranked number two in the nation in Division II foot-
ball. After making it through preseason training camp, Rose left before the season started. His sister had her fifth heart surgery and doctors told her that she wouldn’t live past 21. “I wanted to be closer to my sister,” Rose said. “After she had her fifth surgery, it just pulled me closer and closer back home.” Rose then decided to attend Arkansas Tech University because it would keep him closer to his sister, who is now 24-years old. However, Rose began to question his future in football. “After high school, I had lost love for the game. I did not feel like the game of football was for me anymore. I started to ask myself was this the path that I was really supposed to take,” Rose said. Rose turned to his mother for advice about the situation. She told him not to give up and keep playing football. This talk motivated him to be committed to himself, and to his work on and off the field. As a freshman at Tech, he was named the Defensive MVP-Most Improved Player. He went on to start every game on defense, he finished the season as the team's leader in the secondary with five interceptions, and was second on the team with 76 tackles, 44 solos and 32 assists. With more success on the field, Rose had to tackle a bigger issue off the field.
“After high school I had lost love for the game. I did not feel like the game of football was for me anymore."
On December 12, 2015, while in his underclassmen years, Rose received a call while he was in the shower from his brother’s girlfriend. She told him his brother had been stabbed in the heart. “I immediately went to the hospital he was at,” Rose said. “On the way there, I was talking to God the whole way there. I just was wishing this wasn’t true. Questions were coming in my head from left to right. Losing my brother was the toughest thing I have ever been through.” He met his family at the hospital. Tears were flowing from all members, his brother was gone. He always told his brother that he “will make it one day” and to this day he still talks to him, moving forward to keep his promise. Rose uses his painful situations in life to motive himself and other people. Though he has had struggles and missteps, he still moves forward toward success, because he wants to be seen as sign of hope for others. Also having a younger brother looking up to him keeps Rose moving forward. Rose is currently in his junior year and has been named player of the week. He has worked hard to make it a season to remember. In his first two games, Rose forced four turnovers, three of which came against the Henderson State Reddies.
Rose also caught three interceptions that game. He tied a 95-year-old record for most interceptions in a game set. The Wonder Boys are currently 4-1, with six more games left. Rose is putting together a memorable season. Rose’s play style is unique. As a 5-foot, 9-inches tall safety, making him one of the smaller guys on the field, he gives 100 percent on each play. “People don’t expect me to go the extra mile. Defenders just expect me to tackle them,” Rose said. “I don’t just want to tackle them; I want to take the ball away. Every play I feel the ball is mine no matter what.” He mimics his style of play after his favorite player, Tyrann Mathieu, who is nicknamed the “Honey Badger.” Mathieu was given the nickname because of his tenacious ability to play tough football against much larger opponents and make big plays. With the Wonder Boys being rank No. 24 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll, Rose needs to keep channeling his inner honey badger. “This year we have a chance to do something that has never be done. We are pushing to get a ring. We feel like we are the best in the nation,” Rose said.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017
Feature 5 arkatechnews.com
Driven by passion, artist finds her way AMBER QUAID
Editor-in- chief
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” –Pablo Picasso Infectious laughter with a kind heart, an eye for design and a strong work ethic is what helped Skylar Cox complete over 250 graphic design projects over the last eight months for Arkansas Tech University. She attributes this to her mom. Growing up in Devils Den State Park, television was not an option; there just was no reception to be had. Her mother’s solution for no television—art. Since Skylar could remember, her and her four siblings would draw whatever item, animal or concept their mom would come up with for the day. “I remember this one time, we were told to draw toads, and mom told my brother his was good but didn’t tell me anything about mine. I cried,” Skylar said remembering a pivotal moment in her childhood. This stuck with Skylar as she grew up and continued to improve her fine art skills. Her older brother then started coming home with artwork he produced at Tech and Skylar thought, “I want to do that.” In May of 2016 Skylar graduated Tech with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. While at Tech, Skylar earned numerous awards and accolades for her graphic design talents. Such awards as winner of the ATU Women’s Week art contest, second place at the Eighth Annual Juried Student Competitive Exhibit and first place in the Vintage Violet Boutique T-shirt design contest. Through her undergrad college experience, she never planned on going to graduate school but graduate school had a plan for her. She was offered the opportunity to be the graduate assistant for graphic design in Campus Life. “I found there was an opportunity to grow as a professional at Tech. I applied for the position and was picked, so I applied for grad school and now here I am,” Skylar said of her GA position. Skylar accepted this opportunity because getting her masters debt-free was something she could not pass up. While Tech does pay for most of her schooling through her position she still has to work another job, Brick Oven, to make ends meet and guarantee a debt-free degree. “I love school and I know a lot of others who didn’t. I feel very blessed that way,” said Skylar. “I didn’t like high school but I liked school here [at Tech].” She will graduate this May with her Master of Liberal Arts in Communications degree. Though she is about to graduate, her schedule is still full of projects to be completed for this semester.
Skylar Cox shows off her goofy side with one of her two dogs. In the last seven months, Skylar has completed over 250 projects for various departments and RSOs at Tech. In her position, she works with an interactive PDF to help clients create what they need. She begins with a draft, after communicating with the client about what they are looking for, and after suggestions and alterations she creates the finish product; many of which are seen around campus. One such project she has worked on is the OnTrack Road Map for theLink. This is a 36-page guide that informs students what OnTrack is, what it does, how it benefits students and breaks down events into easy to understand categories to use for OnTrack. Skylar has also completed professional projects such as Ashby St. Outdoor Advertising where she created custom vinyl and digital billboard designs or for Sydney Elizabeth Designs where she created custom, themed and cohesive designs for skorts. Sydney Elizabeth Designs, with the skorts, was just picked up by the Pro Golfers Association store. “Skylar is such a talented artist,” said Sydney Harwood, owner of Sydney Elizabeth LLC. “She really took what was in my mind and made it come to life.” To earn her master’s degree Skylar is creating her own professional branding campaign. Here she will create her own logo and package designs for various products giving her a professional setup to step out on her own. Currently, she is not taking any graphic design requests, as her daily schedule is filled, but she is selling her fine artwork in her ETSY store (piecesbysky). Skylar’s focus for now is on graduation, her two dogs and her fiancé.
SUBMITTED
AMBER QUAID/THE ARKA TECH ABOVE: Skylar Cox shows one of the many projects she has worked on this past year. Concepts for these projects are drawn by hand and then a final product is created from that. BELOW: Examples of works produced by Skylar Cox during the last year for various departments within Campus Life.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018
6 EntErtainmEnt arkatechnews.com
La Plaza: food, service inconsistent
Not the worst but also not the best AMBER APPLEBY
Editor-in-chief
La Plaza is a fairly new Mexican restaurant in Russellville. It’s located on Arkansas Avenue, toward Dardanelle, right across from Old Post BBQ and that Subway. The building doesn’t look like much because it’s fairly small and puts you in the mind of just a little house. Inside, the walls are painted in various bright shades from green to fuchsia. They even have little potted (fake) succulents, which I love. I was seated quickly and began pursuing the menu. The first thing I ordered was cheese dip, mostly because I just really love cheese dip and it’s usually a good indication of how the rest of the meal will be at a Mexican restaurant. So, out came my chips and salsa. The waitress took my order and then she disappeared. I probably got my cheese dip five minutes
later, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but when you’re sitting there dying for cheese dip—it feels like six years. The salsa was sort of sweet. Normally, salsa has several different kinds of spices in it, usually with some onions and cilantro. This salsa was lacking in spices. It was mostly just sweet tomatoes. And I hate tomatoes. Although, I will say, when I really stirred the salsa, it was better. Not great, but better. It was the same with the cheese dip. It was sort of bland, until I stirred it. What I did really enjoy about the cheese dip was that I could really taste the poblano peppers they have diced up in there. It was really good. Again, after I had stirred it up. About 20 minutes later, my food finally got to the table. I ordered carnitas, which are pork tips which have been simmered in an array of spices until they are pot roast-like consis-
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AMBER APPLEBY/THE ARKA TECH Carnitas, pork tips simmered in an array of spices. served with rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole and sour cream. tency. The carnitas came with rice, beans, lettuce, guacamole and sour cream. I love carnitas. They’re one of my favorite things to get at Mexican restaurants, which is saying a lot because I don’t generally like pork at all. These carnitas were dry in places. In some places, they were absolutely the perfect consistency and it fell apart in my mouth. But, in others, it was tough and kind of hard.
The rice and beans were yummy. But they weren’t anything to write home about. The one thing that was absolutely spectacular was the guacamole. I love guacamole. It is hands down my favorite thing ever to eat. And this guacamole was wonderful. It was filled with spices, but not so much that it overpowers the avocado taste that I love. There was even a
bright pop of citrus that most guacamole is missing. It was delicious. The waitress was nice, but unobtrusive to the point of absence. I won’t say that this was the worst experience I have ever had at a Mexican restaurant because they would be an extreme exaggeration. I will say there are Mexican restaurants that I can have a more pleasant experience at in town.
Decent service, delicious food but a bit pricy AMBER QUAID
Editor-in- chief
Editor's Note: These food reviews were done at two seperate times, on two different days, to give the reader a better feel of the restaurant overall. La Plaza is almost too easy to miss. In fact, I almost drove right past it because I thought it was a house. However, the parking lot right next to it is big and offers in and out driveways, which were nice. The stairs at restaurants in Russellville seem to be odd and this one fit that bill. The first two steps are fine but watch the last two— they’re a doozy. Once I was able to safely make my way into the restaurant I found that the atmosphere was cozy with a hint of Spanish décor. The look was fun without being tacky. I was able to examine the restaurant effectively because the one person up front was busy helping a cus-
tomer check out and we had to wait for him to be seated. This one gentleman had to ring up customers, greet and seat customers and was also our waiter, so I’ll forgive his initial rude comment to “give him a moment,” in an irritated tone. Once I was seated, his tone changed a bit; it went more robotic and less irritated. He brought me my drink right away, unsweet tea, and I ordered a bowl of cheese dip to start off with (if you’ve read my other reviews this is how I test the standards of the restaurant). The salsa (served with chips) here was flavorful with spices and slightly chunky, I fell in love with it. The cheese dip was right on par with the salsa, yum, yum, yum. When I mixed the two, perfection. Needless to say I was humming the first five minutes I was there. Service was quick and spot on, though he did ask if everything “tasted well” a few too many times for
AMBER QUAID/THE ARKA TECH Carnitas, crispy pork on the outside and tender pork on the inside. my liking (he asked all eight times he came to the table and again when I went to pay). Though the carnitas (pork) I ordered for my main meal were delicious and needed no question to see the answer. I almost licked my plate when I was done. The carnitas were cooked perfectly. They were crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the in-
side with just enough fat to cook nicely. They also had a large portion size, which made the $9.89 price they asked for them more than reasonable. They were served with Spanish style rice (this was the weak part of the plate but it was edible), refried beans, corn tortillas and side garnishes of guacamole, sour cream, cilantro and lettuce. This meal was so large that I left
9
/10
complaining I ate too much but couldn’t stop because it was so good. Because of the quick service, the quaint atmosphere and the delicious food I would recommend this place for lunch and dinner. At $10 for the plate of food, $3 for the cheese dip and $2 for the tea, a good $15 lunch may be pricy but it would make two meals easy and the taste is worth every cent.
Clichéd, but readable AMBER APPLEBY
Editor-in-chief
I wanted to read this book because I saw a trailer for the movie of the same name that’s coming out later this year (in August). Mandy Moore is in the trailer, and I loved Mandy Moore, so I knew I would want to see the movie, which meant I had to read the book first. I was slightly disappointed, but unsurprised. “The Darkest Minds,” by Alexandra Bracken, follows the story of just turned 10-year-old Ruby Daly. Ruby, like almost everyone left in her generation, has special powers. She can read minds and, sometimes, erase memories. Ruby is what’s known as an Orange. All of the Oranges have some sort mind control power; the Blues can move things with their minds; the Reds can control fire; the Yellows can manipulate electricity; and the Greens are hyper intelligent. Once the government figures out that the children in the country have special powers, they put them in camps. Think like the Holocaust. In the camps, the kids are sorted based on their abilities. Oranges (this almost goes without saying) are considered the most dangerous. Ruby isn’t exactly sure what she is. She’s terrified of her ability, and what she can do. But, when she convinces the tester that she’s a Green, she begins to understand that her abilities might be more complicated than she thinks. Many kids are experimented on in these camps,
(BOOK page 7)
Don’t give up now, Jason Marz spreads inspiration in music JORDAN CLARK
Staff Writer
With finals on the horizon and summer soon after, we should all be reminded that it’s okay to take a break every once in a while. This week’s artist is one that shows that hard work pays off in the long run if you pursue what you enjoy. Jason Mraz was born in 1977 and grew up in Virginia for most of his childhood. Despite his parents divorcing, Mraz still lived a comfortable life as a child. His interest in music did not kick off until he reached high school with the help of musical theater. After graduating high school, Mraz went on to attend the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Mraz did drop out after a year and decided to pick up guitar and songwriting. He returned home eventually, but once more moved to another popular city—San Diego, California. He was drawn to the city’s history of singers and songwriters. He performed weekly at Java Joe’s, which previously hosted Jewel—a musician that Marz followed after. With his acoustics and a drummer named Noel “Toca” Rivera, who played a djembe, Mraz performed live shows of music and comedy.
WIKIPEDIA
His music soon reached outside of San Diego into the ears of Los Angeles’s record labels. Mraz signed onto Elektra Records in 2002 and set out to Virginia to write and record his debut album. This album was released in November of 2002 and named “Waiting on my Rocket to come.” The songs featured
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2018
on this album were a mix of his early influences of music styles, ranging from country, roots rock and coffeehouse folk. One of the songs, “Remedy (I Don’t Worry),” was co-written with the Matrix and went on to become a hit. His next album called “Tonight, Not Again” was released in 2004 after a per-
formance in the Eagles Ballroom on October 2003. This kept fans holding on to him until he released “Mr. A-Z.” However, his popularity reached a whole new high with his 2008 release: “We sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.” This album holds the most familiar song of Mraz’s songs—“I’m Yours.” Which became of one his most recognizable songs. This artist allowed himself to take a breather every once in a while, which is shown in his three year break between his third and fourth studio albums: “Live on Earth” in 2009 and “Love is a Four Letter Word” in 2012. Mraz returned in 2014 with the album “Yes!” The following year, Mraz was featured in Sara Bareilles’s “What’s Inside: Songs from ‘Waitress’” in the songs “Bad Idea” and “You Matter to Me” from her musical “Waitress.” Mraz decided to make a Broadway debut in 2017 with the musical for a ten-week run. Mraz’s music is nothing more than inspiring, sending words of comfort and support to listeners. This year, he is doing a tour, starting May 18 to September 15. With that said, don’t give up now college students and graduates, for you have the support here and now.
arKa THE
Feature 5
Mireya Reith's story:
arkatechnews.com
A daughter of Mexican immigrants AMBER QUAID
Editor-in- chief
Mireya Reith, co-founder and Executive Director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition, shared her experiences of growing up as a daughter of Mexican immigrants and those of becoming a woman in a position of leadership during the Hispanic Heritage Month speaker event. The event took place on Oct. 10 with almost a hundred people in attendance, including Arkansas Tech University’s president, Dr. Robin Bowen. “I didn’t have the opportunity to grow up with other individuals that looked like me, let alone have teachers or other leaders in the community to whom I could look [up to] and identify,” Reith said. One experience that Reith shared was a story about her interaction with a first grade teacher. The teacher took her Spanish accent to be a speech impediment and when the rest of the class was learning their alphabet and how to read, she was “sent out to a trailer in the back where I had to do speech therapy.” That whole year was not a good experience for Reith. An experience Reith recalled during this time was that “to reinforce my learning, my first grade teacher would hit me with a ruler every time I would pronounce a word incorrectly in class.” The students of her class saw how the teacher treated her and they soon followed the example and gave her the nickname “Mexican Monkey.” This nickname was attributed to the fact that the students and others saw Hispanic people as “less than human.” Children could not go to her house to play because rumors spread they
would “get a disease because my family was Mexican” and monkeys carry disease. Reith made it through first grade, saying there were many reasons to hate school and to hate this country growing up, but then second grade happened. It was in second grade that she had a teacher who refused to send her to the trailer and “only saw the same potential in me that she saw in every kid in the classroom.” This teacher offered her specialized tutoring during lunchtime and would come visit Reith and her sister at home. That year Reith made straight A’s and continued to do so until she graduated as the first Latina valedictorian of Fayetteville High School. “The great equalizer is education,” Reith said. Reith continues her story to how she was accepted to every college she applied to, in fact colleges fought over her. When she asked why they wanted her, the colleges replied, “You bring a diverse life lens to the table both as an Arkansan and a Mexican-American; our colleges would be better and our students would be better knowing your story and having you in our classrooms.” She is now the co-founder and Executive Director of the Arkansas United Community Coalition, a non-profit in Arkansas that helps the Hispanic community through 7 offices with a staff of fifteen. Reith has not only made her own way but is creating new paths for other Hispanics to follow. You can follow the Arkansas United Community Coalition on Facebook. This event was hosted by the Department of Diversity and Inclusion as part of the Hispanic Heritage month events.
PHOTOS BY AMBER QUAID/THE ARKA TECH Mireya Reith talks about having her accent treated as a speech impediment in first grade made school miserable and how interactions like these could have caused her to hate school and her country but then along came a second grade teacher that changed everything.
ABOVE: Mireya Reith talks to students and faculty about her struggles and victories as a MexicanAmerican. LEFT: Mireya Reith leading a DACA rally at the Arkansas State Capitol. BELOW: Not one to stand still, Reith was in constant motion while sharing her story.
“You bring a diverse life lens to the table both as an Arkansan and a Mexican-American; our colleges would be better and our students would be better knowing your story.” -Mireya Reith
SIMPLY CASUAL
GEORGE CLARK/THE ARKA TECH
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2017
8 SportS arkatechnews.com
Wonder Boys offense explodes
DANIEL TURNER
Staff Writer
The Wonder Boys’ offense totaled 41 runs in the three game conference series against East Central this past weekend, which is a school record for most runs scored in a threegame series at Tech Field. Tech’s offense all started on Friday night in the first game of the series. It started in the first inning when Salina, Kansas native Mark Vaughn hit an RBI single up the middle to score Britt Stroth, from Conway, to tie the game up at one. In the second inning, Kyle Gibbs, from Phoenix, Arizona, hit a solo homerun to give the Wonder Boys their first lead of the game at 2-1. Gibbs scored Cody Wescott, from Phoenix, Arizona, in the fourth to cut the Tigers lead to 6-3. In the fifth inning, Vaughn hit a sacrifice fly to score Shane Pollard, from Arnold, Missouri, to make the score 9-4, East Central leading. In the sixth inning, Overland Park, Kansas native Jake Harvey singled home Gibbs and, a couple hitters later. Pollard doubled home Korey Thompson, from Bryant, and Harvey to make the score 9-7, ECU still leading. In the seventh, Gibbs singled home Vaughn and then Wescott scored off a bases loaded walk drawn by Thompson. Still in the seventh, Stroth was hit by a pitch, which scored Gibbs to give Tech a 10-9 lead. Vaughn tied the game back up at 11 with a sacrifice fly scoring Riley Hickerson, from Cooter, Missouri. Then, in the bottom of the ninth, Thompson hit a walk-off single
to score Jason Hastings, from Bryant, to give the Wonder Boys a 12-11 game one victory. Nolan Withrow, from McKinney, Texas, picked up the victory, pitching an inning and a third of scoreless baseball, striking out three and gaving up no walks and no hits. On Saturday, the Wonder Boys continued their offensive momentum. The scoring got started in the first inning with Hickerson singling home Stroth to give Tech a 1-0 lead. In the third inning, Hickerson hit a threerun homerun, scoring Pollard and Stroth to make the score 4-2 Tech leading. Later in that inning, Dylan McDearmon, from Greenbrier, scored Wescott on an RBI groundout to make it 5-2 Wonder Boys. In the fifth inning, Vaughn stole home to extend the Tech lead to 7-5. Later in that inning, Thompson scored Wescott on a fielder’s choice to make the lead now 8-5 Tech. Then the next batter, Stroth, hit a three-run homerun, scoring Thompson and McDearmon to make it 11-5 Tech. In the seventh inning, Pollard hit into a double play, but scored Harvey to make it 12-5 Wonder Boys. In the eighth inning, Gibbs singled home Vaughn, then, a couple of hitters later, Harvey singled home Wescott to make it 14-5 Tech. The last run scored to make the run rule come into effect (which happens if a team is up 10 runs after 7 p.m.) was when Thompson hit into a fielder’s choice but scored Gibbs to give Tech the 15-5 run rule victory. Zack Kesterson, of New Hartford, New York, got his first victory of the year pitching
RYAN HARMON/THE ARKA TECH Mark Vaughn from Salina, Kansas, hit an RBI single up the middle to score in the first inning.
six innings, giving up five runs all earned seven hits, walking one and striking out five. In the night, it was much more of the same thing. The Tech scoring started in the second inning with singling home Gibbs to tie the game at one. Later in that inning, Stroth singled home Blake King, of Phoenix, Arizona, to give Tech a 2-1 lead. In the third, Thompson drew a bases loaded walk to score Vaughn to make the score 4-3 ECU. Then in the fourth, Vaughn singled home Stroth and Pollard to put Tech back up 5-4. Then just a hitter later, Wescott hit a sacrifice fly scoring Hickerson to extend the lead to 6-4. In the sixth, Hickerson hit his second three-run homerun of the day, scoring Pollard and Stroth to make the score 9-4. Two batters later, Wescott hit a solo homerun to extend the lead to 10-4. In the sixth inning,
Pollard hit a three-run homerun scoring Stroth and Harvey making the Wonder Boys lead 13-6. Then the forty-first run of the weekend and the fourteenth run of the game was capped off by a Wescott solo homerun, which was his second of the day and second of the game, which made the final score 14-6. Hayes Cox, of Fayetteville, picked up his fifth victory of the year. Cox pitched five innings giving up eight hits, four runs three of those being earned, walking two and striking out four. The Wonder Boys picked up their first conference sweep of the year, improving their record to 21-11 overall and 14-7 in GAC play, which is fourth best in the league. The Wonder Boys’ next game is a Tuesday night non-conference game against the top team in the GAC Southern Arkansas at Tech field at 6 p.m.
2018 GAC Men's Baseball Standings ArkansasMonticello
17-4
Southern Arkansas
16-5
Henderson State
15-6
Arkansas Tech
14-7
Oklahoma Baptist
13-8
Southwestern Oklahoma
13-8
Southeastern Oklahoma
10-11
Harding
9-12
Northwestern Oklahoma
7-14
Ouachita
6-15
Southern Nazarene
5-16
East Central
1-20
This week in sports Friday April 6, 2018 Baseball @ Southeastern Oklahoma 2 p.m.
Saturday April 7, 2018 Baseball @ Southeastern Oklahoma 1 p.m.
Friday April 6, 2018 Women’s Tennis vs Southeastern Oklahoma 2 p.m.
Saturday April 7, 2018 Baseball @ Southeastern Oklahom 4 p.m.
Monday April 9, 2018 Women’s Golf @ Central Region Spring Preview
Friday April 6, 2018 Softball vs Southeastern Oklahoma 3 p.m.
Saturday April 7, 2018 Softball vs Southeastern Oklahoma 12 p.m.
Tuesday April 10, 2018 Baseball vs Lyon 6 p.m.
Friday April 6, 2018 Softball vs Southeastern Oklahoma 5 p.m.
Saturday April 7, 2018 Softball vs Southeastern Oklahoma 2 p.m.
Tuesday April 10, 2018 Women’s Golf @ Central Region Spring Preview
Wonder Boys take Player of the week 4th at invitational • Peerada Piddon NOAH DELASHAW
Sports Writer
The Wonder Boys will go to Heber Springs next week on Monday, April 16, to play in the Natural State Classic. The Wonder Boys come off the weekend playing in the Argonaut Invitational placing fourth overall. The Wonder Boys shot for a combined 566 in the first two rounds. Shawn Tsai, from Taipei, Taiwan, shot a team-best 138 and tied for sixth. Ryan Spurlock, from Maumelle, led the team in the second
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round with a career-best 68 and a team-high six birdies in the first round. Luke Cornett, from Drasco, and Austin Gean, from Florence, Alabama, both shot for 71 in the first round. Putter Srinoon, from Bangkok, Thailand, finished with a 73.
THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2018
from Bangkluay, Thailand • Shot a team best 74 in the Barry Invitational and ties for 28th place. Piddon Helped the Golden Suns place tenth in the Invitational in Miami, Florida. Peerada
Piddon