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Vol. 95, No. 37
IN THIS ISSUE CAMPUS Double duty
Freshmen participating in Sing Song as Freshman Ushers will be able to perform onstage this year, as well as their ushering duties, page 9B
Child’s play
Children from the community make their debut on the stage by participating in Sing Song as clowns, page 9B
OPTIMIST FRIDAY
2 sections, 20 pages
February 16, 2007
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www.acuoptimist.com
1,200+ dedicate efforts to show n Students offer differing opinion on why or why they didn’t participate in Sing Song this year, varying from time commitments and new friendships. By TODD PIERSALL
FEATURES
Hot and smokin’
Harold Christian took over his father’s barbecue business 25 years ago, putting Harold’s Barbecue and its sauce on the map, page 5A
‘Shifting into high gear’ The host and hostesses of Sing Song 2007 differ in style, costume and voice. See scenes from the performances, page 4-5A
ARTS Book pulls ahead of film Despite a powerful tale of true forgiveness, Michael Landon Jr.’s ‘The Last Sin Eater’ fares better as Francine Rivers’ original book than on the silver screen, page 7B
SPORTS
Arts Editor
Students join Sing Song for a variety of reasons. Whether it is for the competition, fellowship or for the thrill of being in a large-scale production, around a thousand students are involved each year. Mauri Westbrook, Sing Song business manager, said she estimates approximately 1,200 students participate in the various aspects of Sing Song. This means around 36 percent of the student body is involved with Sing Song. Westbrook said these numbers of student involvement have been See
Abilene expects economic boost n Despite Lectureship’s move to the fall, Abilene hotels and restaurants still expect many customers to boost spring sales by nearly 50 percent. By MICHELLE JIMENEZ Copy Editor
Sing Song weekend usually boasts a large economic increase for Abilene, but with Lectureship moved to the fall semester, a slight reduction in commerce has befallen the city. Nancy Liles, executive director of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau, said numbers are a little different this year as compared to last year’s Sing Song weekend. See
Finding his way
Camille Vandendriessche arrived from France last year to be a journalist and a track and field star, page 1B
On a streak
The women’s basketball team beat Eastern New Mexico, 83-73, Wednesday. The team plays West Texas A&M on Saturday at McMurry University because of Sing Song, page 1B
SPECIAL ISSUE Publishing schedule
The Optimist will publish Monday and Feb. 23 next week instead of Wednesday. Check online Saturday night for Sing Song results.
STATS page 8A
ECONOMY page 8A
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
The women of Sigma Theta Chi perform their act as McDonald’s french fries during dress rehearsal Wednesday night in Moody Coliseum. If this club and the men of Gamma Sigma Phi win this year, it will mark six years in a row for both social clubs.
Siggies, GSP attempt No. 6 n The men and women of Gamma Sigma Phi and Sigma Theta Chi will attempt a six-year sweep of Sing Song. By JEREMY POND Staff Writer
Beginning with Sing Song 2002, the men of Gamma Sigma Phi and the women of Sigma Theta Chi have managed to capture five consecutive Sing Song victories. This year, these groups have been preparing as hard as ever as they make a run at No. 6. Jennifer Rasco, sophomore elementary education major from Abilene, will direct the Siggies this weekend for Sing Song 2007. The theme for this year’s program is “Shift into High Gear,” and Rasco said the Siggies are trying to keep their focus off of whether they win or lose. “If our goal is to win, to lose would
be to fail,” Rasco said. “We’re just here to have fun and do our best.” Both groups have been preparing their club performances since students returned from Christmas break. Sing Song rules allow for each group to practice eight hours a week, and very few of those hours have gone unused. Preston Rampy, senior psychology major from Austin and director of GSP’s act, said his group has felt a little extra pressure. “I think a lot of it, though, is pressure that we put on ourselves,” Rampy said. “We just want to go out and put on the absolute best show that we can.” As they have prepared, Rampy said GSP has looked to beat past shows. See
SIX page 8A
Hosts, hostesses journey continues onstage n Five hosts and hostesses reminisce about their journeys to the Sing Song stage and what they need to do to perform their best beginning Friday night. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor
Before performances “Shift into High Gear,” Shalesia Rhodes is already talking about reuniting her fellow hosts and hostesses
at a cookout. “I pray that Sing Song is not the end of our bond,” said Shalesia, junior music education major from Longview. This year’s group is undoubtedly close-knit — while some are jittery with nerves, others anticipating the thrill of the performance and others fretting over dance moves, they all share one common emotion: love for one another.
Luke Baty, junior music major from Orchard Park, N.Y., and Sing Song host, said he expected his role to be a learning experience, and to reward him musically; he did not expect to bond with the five other hosts and hostesses. “I expected us to come in here, do our thing, and not really form relationships with one another,” Luke said. “But it’s the exact
Ceremony kicks off Center’s new campus locale n The Center for Conflict Resolution helps resolve conflicts between churches, families and ACU faculty, staff and students. By MALLORY EDENS Page 2 Editor
The ground breaking for the Diane and John Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at the southeast corner of Judge Ely Boulevard and East North 16th Street. The Center for Conflict Resolution helps resolve conflicts be-
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
tween businesses and its customers, within churches, in families and on campus with faculty, staff, students, friends and roommates. It has existed since 2000 after some interest in conflict resolution arose on the campus in the 1990s. “Jerry and Patsy Strader gave the money to start the Center,” said Dr. Joe Cope, executive director of the Center for Conflict Resolution. “At that time, we borrowed one See
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
The men of Gamma Sigma Phi perform as firemen during their dress rehearsal.
CENTER page 8A
opposite. I feel as close to these people as people I’ve known a long time.” The others, Evan Black, senior integrated marketing communication major from Denison; Jeremiah Gibson, senior youth and family ministry major from Garland; and Randy Royse, junior music major from Bedford, agreed that the group has See
HOSTS page 8A
AT&T gives $1 million to Welcome Center n Gift to university helps construction process begin sooner. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief
EMILY sMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jim Epperson, president of AT&T Texas, presented the university, with a $1 million check for the Bob & Shirley Welcome Center on Thursday afternoon.
Abilene Christian University
Senator Troy Fraser (RHorseshoe Bay) and Jim Epperson, president of AT&T Texas, flew to Abilene Thursday afternoon to deliver a $1 million check to Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, for the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center. Fraser contacted Epperson about helping get the Welcome Center started several months ago, Epperson said at a press conference. “When Senator Fraser called me about the Welcome Center, he asked ‘When you hear about a Welcome Center, you just think about Bob and Shirley Hunter, don’t
you?’” Epperson said. Epperson agreed and became a partner with ACU to support the technological side of the construction. Money said the university still needs $4.5 million to begin building the Center located near the pond along Judge Ely Boulevard. He said he expected to have it raised by summer so the 16-18 month construction could begin in 2007 still. Epperson said, “I’m glad we could play a small role in creating this Center and in making a lasting tribute to memorable people in Abilene: the Hunters.”
E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
Serving the ACU community since 1912
Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date: Credited Chapels remaining:
Wednesday, March 29, 2006 Friday, February 16, 2007
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Calendar & Events Friday
Spring Preview Weekend for prospective students.
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Saturday
Spring Preview Weekend for prospective students.
4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The baseball team plays East Central at the Crutcher Scott Field.
1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The baseball team plays East Central at the Crutcher Scott Field.
8 p.m. ACU Theatre performs ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ in Culp Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
2 p.m. Groundbreaking for the Diane and John Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution at the southeast corner of Judge Ely Boulevard and E. North 16th Street.
8 p.m. Sing Song in Moody Coliseum.
2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sing Song in Moody Coliseum.
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Monday
President’s Day
4 p.m. Donald Hall, the 14th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the U.S. Library of Congress, answers questions at HardinSimmons in the JB Multipurpose Room.
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Volunteer Opportunities
Tuesday
7 p.m. The women’s basketball team plays Texas Women’s in Moody Coliseum.
8 p.m. Donald Hall poetry reading in the Hardin-Simmons JB Multipurpose Room.
7 p.m. The men’s basketball team plays West Texas A&M at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena. 8 p.m. ACU Theatre performs ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ in Culp Theatre. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. 9 p.m. The women’s basketball team plays West Texas A&M at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena.
About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities. Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor at mxe06a@acu.edu.
To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style. Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.
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Big A Club of City Light Community Ministries has an urgent need for volunteers to ride buses and vans with elementaryage children and to help with Bible studies. This takes place on Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. Meals on Wheels needs volunteers immediately to deliver meals to seniors and adults with disabilities. This usually takes about an hour, and students can have one day of chapel per week excused for this service. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information. McKenzee Cheng, an international student, would like a female volunteer to help her pronounce vocabulary for her sociology class on Monday and/or Tuesday afternoons. If interested, contact McKenzee at (325) 669-7800 or at yxc06a@acu.edu. Volunteers are needed on March 1 from 9:30 a.m. until noon to assist senior adults walk up and down stairs at the Civic Center and escort them to lunch while they attend a conference. Contact the Volunteer Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout for more information.
Big Brothers, Big Sisters is looking for young women willing to volunteer time and energy in a program called Y-teens. Yteens will give young women from Abilene High School the opportunity to mentor girls from Franklin Middle School. Through activities and service projects, this program will empower young girls with knowledge about life skills and build self-confidence while creating an atmosphere for learning and emotional growth. Help is needed every Thursday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Franklin Middle School and Lincoln Middle School. For more information, contact Erin McMullen or MC Jennings at (325) 677-7839. Day Nursery of Abilene needs volunteers to set up for their annual Mexican dinner, prepare and serve food and clean up. The dinner will be held on March 24 at the Abilene High School cafeteria. Help is requested from noon to 10 p.m. For more information, contact Pat Peck at (325) 670-0002. Fannin Elementary needs volunteers until the end of February to tutor fourth grade students in reading, writing and math in order to prepare the students for TAKS testing. Call to set up an appointment. For more information, contact Rosalinda Walker at (325) 677-8085.
Announcements The ground breaking of the Diane and John Duncum Center for Conflict Resolution is Saturday at 2 p.m. at the southeast corner of Judge Ely Boulevard and E. N. 16th Street. All faculty and students are invited to this event. The ceremony should last approximately 30 minutes, and there will be a tent on site. Because of limited parking space around the ground breaking site, shuttle buses will run from the Teague Circle in
front of the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building to the ground breaking site. The shuttle buses will depart from Teague Circle at 1:40 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. and will return to the campus immediately following the ceremony. The Alumni Day Luncheon honoring Dr. James Womack, class of 1963, upon his selection by the ACU Alumni Advisory Board as the 2006 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year is Sunday at 12:15 p.m. at the Teague Special Events Center. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased through the ACU Alumni Relations office at 809 EN 16th St. ATTENTION ALL MAJORS! Study while traveling this summer. Programs are offered in Australia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Jamaica and more. Scholarships
are available. The deadline to sign up is Feb. 28. See Ed Timmerman for more info or e-mail him at timmermanj@acu.edu. Looking for an adventure this summer? Come intern with Dry Bones in Denver. Dry Bones is a ministry that works with homeless youth living on the streets of downtown Denver. The ministry needs four city interns and one mountain intern who will facilitate youth groups backpacking in the mountains and working in the city. Visit the Web site or contact Rebekah Duke at rebekah@drybonesdenver. org for more information. For those planning to graduate in May, the deadline to submit the application for graduation to the Graduate School is March 1. The application is available in the
Graduate School Office, Room 204, in the Hardin Administration Building or online. Come to the Chapel Prayer Room on Tuesdays in the Chapel on the Hill and Thursdays at the Quiet Place in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building. Chapel credit is given. For more information, contact James Rhea at jcr04a@acu. edu or e-mail SLC@acu.edu. What do Tupac Shakur, Lauryn Hill, and Kanye West have to do with Jesus? Come find out at the weekly “Jesus and the Hip-Hop Prophets” Bible study on Thursday evenings at 8:30 p.m. in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, Room 128. For more information, contact Matt Worthington at mrw03b@acu.edu or e-mail slc@acu.edu.
Friday, February 16, 2007
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SING SONG
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SING SONG
Friday, February 16, 2007
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‘Shifting’ to hit the high notes Six juniors and seniors prepare for a night of fame during Sing Song’s 51st show, which premieres Friday
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Shalesia Rhodes Junior music education major from Longview
EMILY SMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jeremiah Gibson Senior youth and family ministry major from Garland
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Shaylee Busch
Luke Baty
Senior interior design major from Cedar Park
Junior music major from Orchard Park, N.Y.
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Luke Baty, Randy Royse, Shalesia Rhodes, Jeremiah Gibson, Shaylee Busch and Evan Black perform “Everything Changes” during the final act of Sing Song on Wednesday night at dress rehearsal in Moody Coliseum.
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Randy Royse
Evan Black
Junior music major from Bedford
Senior integrated marketing communication major from Denison
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Sing Song hostesses, Randy Royse, Shalesia Rhodes and Shaylee Busch perform “Proud Mary.” brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Randy Royse and Luke Baty perform “This Joint is Jumpin” during the dress rehearsal Wednesday.
February 16, 2007
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ABILENE’S PIT STOP
With its friendly service and familiar favorites, Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q has been an Abilene favorite for more than 50 years. Story by Takisha Knight Design by Kelsi Peace
LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Harold has been spending time in the barbecue pit since he was 11 years old. Harold inherited the business, formerly known as Toby’s, from his father in 1972 and has been barbecuing ever since.
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ewcomers often miss it. They look for a large building and a neatly packed parking lot. Few people expect to see the random arrangement of cars on broken cement and shell gravel in front of the little corner building, but the mesquite-savored air and long, chattering line protruding from the screen door often gives the restaurant away. About 40 people stand in line inside the tiny, square building. Shouts from Harold and customers greeting each other by name can barely overpower the lively chatter. A tall, solid man in his early 60s, Harold cordially calls out from in front of the pit, “Hey, how you doin,’ Miss Hazel?” “Oh, fine. Just flyin’ and buyin,’” the senior lady cordially responds. “You always are.” They share a soft chuckle. An eclectic assortment of oil-stained mechanics, gentlemen in boots and white Stetsons, college students and senior citizens wait with a patience and ease that is unheard of in most restaurants. “Everybody wants to come here now that it closes earlier,” a gray-haired woman smiled sweetly from behind her glasses as she held to a wooden post for support. “If you’re not here by three, you’re done! You don’t get nothing — no thing — we say.” Hazel Forkerway, a retired teacher from the Abilene Independent School District, has eaten at Harold’s since she moved to Abilene from Austin about 38 years ago, even though, she confesses, she is not a barbecue fan. “I come for the hush puppies and the cobbler,” she said, winking. A group of HSU students form their own circle in the line. Since their freshman year,
they’ve come to get their barbecue baskets, hot-water corn bread and ribs for Friday lunch. It was their youth minister, a former AbilenIan, who gave them the gospel of Harold’s at their youth group in Allen. “He said it’s the best place in Abilene to find barbecue,” Sarah Hargood said. “He was right.” The sophomore elementary education major said she and her friends, also from HSU, join the Abilene community in making Harold’s part of their tradition. Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q has been called “a landmark” restaurant in Abilene for more than 50 years. The walls of the barbecue house are lined with history. Autographed pictures from visiting celebrities, local high school and college football team trophies and pictures, news articles documenting local moments of glory and portraits of Harold’s family make a humble museum of the restaurant. “I pretty much run the operation the way my father taught me,” Harold muses, staring off in the direction where his father’s portrait hangs upon the wall. Harold Don Christian, 61, has worked with his father in the barbecue business since he was 10 years old. He ran the business on his own for the first time when he was 11 years old. He made a few changes over the years, however, adding his famous hot-water corn bread, turnip greens and cobblers as side items to his dad’s basic menu. Harold’s has come a long way since it first began as Toby’s in 1956, however. “When we purchased this place we had sawdust floors, three tables, and we had five booths. The only thing we had to keep our food [in] was an old Coke box.” Now the restaurant seats about 75 and has new side dishes including fruit cobblers, coleslaw, potato salad, turnip greens and
LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Harold’s proudly displays autographs from visiting celebrities, local football team trophies and family photos on the wall.
hot-water corn bread. “Being black and going into business in 1956 was tough,” Harold said. “In fact, as far as I know, we were the first place in Abilene to integrate.” Harold said that black Americans didn’t even live on the side of town where the restaurant had opened. Even so, Harold’s father, Hal Christian, refused to implement segregation. “We never had a minute’s struggle because my father told them, ‘Eat together, or we won’t have no business,’” Harold said. “We’re not going to open up the back door for blacks and the front door for whites, and from day one, everybody ate together. No complaints.” Harold said his father would say, “Regardless of who you are, if you give people respect, they will give you respect. If you work hard, then you will profit from it. People treat you like you act, and being a likeable person makes a difference.” In that respect, little has changed about Harold’s. In his jovial manner, Harold explained, “The thing about owning a restaurant like Harold’s is that it’s a mom and pop’s business; it’s sort of a family operation.” He calls his homey method of business “the personal touch.” “Here, I can talk to my customers; at Burger King, you’re just a number.” Running a family business has its trade-offs, however. The profit for small business restaurants is low, even in successful restaurants like Harold’s. There is no retirement plan and insurance is left up to the employee. “It’s not a cake walk,” Harold said. “I can’t get up every morning and go golf and go fishing because if I do, I’ll starve to death,” he said. “I’ve learned that having your own business isn’t necessarily the way to go. A lot of people think that
LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
When Harold’s opened as Toby’s in 1956, it had only three tables and five booths. Today, the restaurant seats about 75 people.
I can do what I want to, work like I want to. But you’re still working for people whether you own your business or not. When I get up in the morning, I’m working for you and all of my customers to serve y’all, give y’all good food, economical prices and treat you right. If you’re working on a job for somebody else, the same ethic applies.” Harold said he is aware of the rumors about Harold’s closing its doors. “I made the statement that I was going to have to get someone to manage my business or run my business,” he said. “If I couldn’t get anyone to step in and manage it full time and if I couldn’t sell it, then I would have to close the doors. When I made that statement, people took it and ran with it saying: ‘Did you hear that Harold’s is closing?’” Harold said the public can rest assured that closing is not an imminent danger. As of now, there is no time table in motion toward new ownership or closing. “I’d like to keep the tradition going on if at all possible,” he said. “But then at the same time, I don’t want to be working until I’m 85 years old.” Harold said he never imagined that he would take over the barbecue business from his father. As a young man, he worked as a mechanic at the Caterpillar Company. He took the restaurant over in 1972 when his father took ill with a brain tumor. The restaurant was his parent’s only source of income. Harold began barbecuing and never looked back. “My business has been good to me,” Harold said. “I love my business. I love what I do, and I love my customers. When I come out and fuss with customers, cut-up and holler at them, it’s because I enjoy that. I do this because I like that.”
E-mail Knight at: tnk03a@acu.edu
LACI ADKINS STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Customers go to Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q for everything from the barbecue to the hush puppies and fruit cobbler.
Friday February 16, 2007
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FROM THE FRONT
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Friday, February 16, 2007
Stats: Some join, others avoid shows Continued from page 1
consistent for several years. Joshua Gorenflo, junior Christian ministry major from Tyler, is involved in the junior class act this year. “I wanted to do Sing Song because of the fellowship and friends,” Gorenflo said. “Plus, we are the Spartan cheer-
leaders, and that is just hilarious.” Several students said they believe Sing Song is just a great way to become connected. “I think that students want to participate in Sing Song because it is something that really brings the whole campus together,” said Jenny Robinson, junior interdisciplinary major from
Economy: Lectureship affects crowds, income Continued from page 1
Liles, who tracks out-oftown visitors, said Abilene has an expected total of 1,000 visitors for this year’s Sing Song weekend — 2,500 less than last year. There also is an estimated $67,200 cut in Abilene’s economic impact for this weekend. Regardless, the decrease hasn’t stopped local businesses from experiencing an influx of customers. Holiday Inn Express, located on East I-20, booked all available rooms for Sing Song by last July. Richard Lee, general manager of Holiday Inn Express, said people start making reservations for major ACU events six months to a year in advance. “We’ve been turning away
people since August of last year,” Lee said. Andy Banker, general manager of Comfort Suites, said there is a 10 percent increase in reservations for this weekend. Although situated across town on Danville Drive, Banker said Comfort Suites is fully reserved on Friday and Saturday. Local restaurants also experience a boost in customers during Sing Song. Harold’s Pit Bar-B-Q is expecting a 50 percent increase, said Vrucilla Christian, co-owner of Harold’s. “Every year we have a lot of people come in,” Christian said. “In the cold, rain or whatever, we have people tryin’ to come in.”
E-mail Jimenez at: mmj04b@acu.edu
Overland Park, Kan. “It is an amazing feeling to be a part of something so huge and so much bigger than one person; when it’s over, you realize how much it has changed you.” Still, most of the student body doesn’t participate in Sing Song because of a lack of time or disinterest in the production.
Daniel Oppong, sophomore integrated marketing communication major from Richardson, said time keeps him away from Sing Song. “I am already doing about a thousand things, and that would add another thing,” Oppong said.
E-mail Piersall at: tdp04a@acu.edu
Six: Two social clubs focus on fun aspects Continued from page 1
“That’s really our main goal this year. We want to best our performance last year,” he said. “It wasn’t until Wednesday night that we even knew what the other groups were doing, so we focused on trying to beat ourselves.” Both GSP and the Siggies want nothing more than to have fun performing in this year’s program. Rasco and Rampy both said the best shot their groups have of winning in their respective categories is to go out and be excited about performing. “You work so much
that if you’re not having a good time, you’re not going to put on a good show,” Rampy said. Besides having a good time, the Siggies have also looked at Sing Song as a way to further build community in their social club. “It’s all been about the process for us,” Rasco said. “We’re just focusing on the relationship aspect and becoming better as a club. Praising God with our gifts is really our main goal.”
E-mail Pond at: jlp04b@acu.edu
Conflict: Founders envisioned center Continued from page 1
faculty office in the College of Business Administration building.” John Duncum got his graduate certificate in conflict resolution from ACU, and he and his son Mike, both of whom have been in the real estate business, were appointed to teach conflict resolution in Cleveland. At that time, Cope said they “caught the dream.” “The Duncums were very involved with what we were doing,” Cope said. “We asked for a little help for furniture, and Diane proposed that it should really have its own center. Our primary funding came from their family and their business.” With Mrs. Duncum’s
push for a more sufficient location and the Duncum’s financial backing, the Center for Conflict Resolution moved to 809 N. Judge Ely Blvd., where it has been located since 2005. Last August, the Board gave the final approval for the new Duncum Center. The new building will house four mediation rooms, a big conference room that also serves as a classroom and offices for staff and faculty. Mrs. Duncum has taken care of the look of the building by buying all its decorations and furnishings. “This will be an incredibly beautiful building with a warm feeling; it is important to have the right environment in mediation,” Cope said. “The university has been very generous in
helping us get this location; we could not have a better one. The Duncums wanted people to always have a view of the university from the Center.” There are also other strengths Cope hopes the new location will bring to the Center. “For one, I hope it brings a stronger message of our presence and more visibility to the community,” he said. “Also, we can use the Center for more communication in the community through mediation available to people outside the Center.” This connection has inspired a growing graduate program in conflict resolution at ACU, which has seen 125 students complete a graduate certificate. The Center is an affiliate of the Conflict Resolution Department in the College of Arts and Sciences, which is currently working to move classes online. This means that the Duncum Cen-
ter will have more rooms available for the use of the public instead of having them used as classroom facilities. Speakers appearing at the ground breaking include Dr. Royce Money, president of ACU; John Duncum and Cope. Dr. Jerry Strader, member of the Senior Board of Trustees, who also helped inspire the original Center for Conflict Resolution, will say the closing prayer. “The very nature of the ACU community is one of reconciliation,” Cope said. “I want to thank those who paved the way for where we are and also offer a word of thanks for the people who have taken the graduate courses and been involved in the department in the last six years helping us design courses. They are a tremendous resource.” -Krista Meyer contributed to this story. E-mail Edens at: mxe06a@acu.edu
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Shalesia Rhodes, junior music education major from Longview; and Evan Black, junior integrated marketing communication major from Denison, perform a duet Wednesday at dress rehearsal.
Hosts: Performers prepare for stage Continued from page 1
clicked well. Hostess Shaylee Busch, senior interior design major from Cedar Park, was not available for comment. Preparing for their roles as hosts and hostesses, which includes a solo act, duet, men’s number, women’s number and four group acts, has become almost a part-time job in past weeks. Jeremiah estimated practices have been about 20 hours a week recently; Randy said even some Saturdays were spent practicing. Each member of the group comes to Sing Song with different experiences and dreams. Jeremiah tried out for host for the third time this year knowing, he said, he would regret not trying out one more time. “This has been a dream of mine since I got here — since I saw Sing Song for the first time,” Jeremiah said. Shalesia has never seen a Sing Song performance and had never heard of the production until a friend told her about tryouts the day before. “Something just told me to go to Kendall’s office and see if I could sign up for a time,” Shalesia said. For Evan, becoming a Sing Song host became a goal his senior year of high school when he saw the show during Preview Weekend. Evan worked backstage last year and participated in class acts in previous years. He has played the violin since fifth grade, sang in his high school choir and had parts in a few musicals. “They really push us to try to stretch our voices and grow and break old habits,” Evan said. “Since I’m not a music major, I’ve had plenty of random little bad habits that I’ve picked up. It’s hard to break.” Luke has spent most of his life on stage, in shows, musicals and choirs. He watched Sing Song from the jazz band section his freshman year and decided he
wanted to be a host. Randy, too, has spent a lot of time on stage. She said she tried out to give back the talent she was blessed with. She sang in the freshman act and was a penguin with Sigma Theta Chi her sophomore year. Now in the final week before the show, the hosts and hostesses are tweaking their performances and encouraging each other, using methods like humor (from Shalesia) and optimism (from Jeremiah). They rehearsed onstage for the first time Sunday. “For about a half hour, we just kind of walked around on the stage and gawked at everything,” Jeremiah said. While Jeremiah works to overcome nerves and take on a “rebellious” attitude for his solo, Shalesia prepares to dance in heels. She’s not nervous. Randy is but mostly about staying healthy despite her sick roommates. Evan anticipates the a cappella number with SHADES and worries about dancing and making mistakes into the microphone. And Luke focuses on not focusing too much — he doesn’t want to over analyze. Kendall Massey, Sing Song director, is making sure the group looks to God and is well taken care of. “Unless you’ve done Sing Song before, you’ve never really done anything like this,” he said. All the hosts and hostesses agree that they can’t wait for the show to open, to hear the crowd and feel their hard work pay off. “When you perform something in front of a live audience,” Luke said, “everything just seems brand new because instead of performing for the same eight people every night at rehearsal, you have all the emotions of 4,000 people weighing down on you and focusing on you. You can have so many different responses now.” E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu
SPORTSFRIDAY
Page 1B
SCOREBOARD Standings Scoreboard as of Wednesday
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Team
Div. 7-2 7-2 6-2 4-5 3-5 3-6 1-8
MSU WTAM Tarleton ENMU TAMK-U Angelo St. ACU
Overall 18-4 15-8 17-7 10-13 16-17 8-15 10-13
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Team
WTAM Tarleton ACU Angelo St. TX Woman’s MSU TAMK-U ENMU
Overall 22-3 14-7 15-10 13-10 11-13 11-12 8-15 12-11
Wildcats prepare to cross over with ECU n The Wildcat baseball team beat Incarnate Word on Tuesday and now face nationally-ranked East Central this weekend in a fourgame LSC crossover series. By DANIEL JOHNSON SPORTS EDITOR
After a solid outing by pitcher Ben Maynard and a slew of big run innings helped the Wildcats’ downed nationally ranked Incarnate Word 10-1 on Tuesday. The ACU baseball team is looking to ride its recent momentum into this weekend. “We need to play like we did on Tuesday,” said head coach Britt Bonneau.
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
ENMU ACU Angelo St. TAMK-U WTAM Tarleton
Overall 7-1 6-2 3-3 2-2 1-2 2-6
SOFTBALL
Div. 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 TX Woman’s 0-0 WTAM 0-0 Angelo St. Tarleton ENMU TX Woman’s ACU
Overall 13-1 3-1 8-4 5-3 5-4 3-7 1-5
Scores Tuesday BASEBALL ACU 10, Incarnate Word 1
Baseball ACU, which is 6-2 and ranked at No. 18 in the nation, will take on regional and undefeated conference rival East Central in a four-game Lone Star Conference crossover series at Crutcher Scott Field on Friday and Saturday. “We just got to play well at home,” Bonneau said. And the key to doing just that will be scoring runs when the Wildcats need them the most. “We need to get the big hit when we need it,” said shortstop Willy Uechi. So far ACU has gotten the hits it needed at home.
ACU is undefeated after sweeping Henderson State in a three-game series on Feb. 34 and beating formally ranked St. Mary’s 8-0 on Feb. 6. Bonneau said victory would come for his team scores when they need it the most. “The bottom line is we have to get runs across the plate,” Bonneau said. ACU has outscored its opponents 61-27, and a majority of those runs have come in the first four innings. But Uechi said scoring early doesn’t guarantee a win. “Once we get the lead, we need to keep going at them and See
BASEBALL page 4B
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
After stealing second, second baseman J.J. Pacheco slides into third on an error during the Wildcats win against Henderson State on Feb. 4.
A Jack of all Tracks
BASEBALL
Team
Team
Div. 11-0 6-4 6-5 5-6 5-6 4-7 3-7 3-8
Friday, February 16, 2007
T
he 6’8” Frenchman stands in the middle of the dance floor in Oplin. Slender with short blond hair, he stands amazed at what to him looks like a scene out of a Western movie. For Camille Vandendriessche, the ACU campus is not the Texas he anticipated. The taste of Texas country in Oplin, the “old gentleman with a hat and boots,” was closer to
Camille Vandendriessche holds a javelin and shot put, just two of the events he participates in as a decathlete. In his first season at ACU, many believe he can contribute to the Wildcats’ success this year.
what he expected. Abilene and ACU were not his original plan. Vandendriessche of Belgium descent on both grandparents’ sides wound up in Texas by luck.
Wednesday
See
CAMILLE page 5B
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ACU 83, Incarnate Word 73
MEN’S BASKETBALL Incarnate Word 89, ACU 76
Upcoming
Story by Jared Fields Photo by Rachel Lau
Friday BASEBALL ACU vs. East Central, 4 p.m., (DH)
SOFTBALL ACU at NFCA Leadoff Classic, Phoenix
MEN’S TENNIS ACU at Colorado StatePueblo, Pueblo, Colo. noon. ACU at Metro State, Colorado Springs, Colo. 7 p.m.
Saturday BASEBALL ACU vs. East Central, 1 p.m. (DH)
SOFTBALL ACU at NFCA Leadoff Classic, Phoenix, Ariz.
MEN’S TENNIS ACU at University of Denver, Colorado Springs, Colo. 4:30 p.m.
TRACK & FIELD ACU at Oklahoma Indoor Invitational, Norman, Okla.
MEN’S BASKETBALL ACU vs. West Texas A&M at McMurry University Kimbrell Arena, 7 p.m.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ACU vs. West Texas A&M at McMurry University Kimbrell Areana 9 p.m.
n Home games listed in italics
INTRAMURAL ROUND-UP INTRAMURAL BASKETBALL See intramural bulletin board for basketball schedule.
Oklahoma meet last chance to qualify for some n The men’s and women’s track teams are going to Oklahoma this weekend looking to qualify more individuals for the national indoor meet in three weeks. By JARED FIELDS MANAGING EDITOR
Mark Paige isn’t going to Oklahoma this weekend for the Oklahoma Indoor Invitational. He isn’t qualified individually for the indoor national meet yet, but a slightly sprained hamstring will keep him in Abilene to train and prepare to qualify the next
Track & Field weekend — his last chance before nationals. “It was mutual,” Paige said. “There’s no reason to go and not get it when I can stay to train and get it.” The freshman sprinter will run in the 4x400-meter relay if the team makes it. Hood is taking a new relay team to Oklahoma to solidify his team for nationals. Paige and Johnny Jacob will run at nationals, but Hood is looking for two of the four going to Oklahoma to fill in
the other spots. Hood said Paige’s time in the 200 meters is within a tenth of a second from the provisional qualifying time. Head coach Don Hood would like to see Paige, and many others who are expecting to qualify, do so. “On the guys side we could add eight or nine this weekend,” Hood said. “This is the last week for some to qualify.” Hood said the men’s long jumpers and sprinters need to make times and marks they are capable of to get a
qualifying spot. The list of men still looking to qualify includes three long jumpers, three possible pole vaulters and Marvin Bien-Aime, the 200-meter champion in 2005. Hood said there aren’t as many who may qualify for the women as the men but could still possibly add five to the qualifying list. There are a number of pole vaulters who could qualify, along with high-jumper Jessica Hunt and Mary Mwangi in the mile. “[Jessica Hunt] didn’t
qualify until the very last week last year,” Hood said, not worried about Hunt’s performance so far. “And Mary is very capable in the mile.” For those going to Oklahoma, Hood just wants them to perform as well as they can. “I’m not asking them to do anything above and beyond what they can do,” Hood said. “Just what they are capable of.”
E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
Women third in division, play Buffs next n The Wildcats defeated Eastern New Mexico to remain third in the division and play and the top team in the LSC South, West Texas A&M, on Saturday. By MICHAEL FREEMAN ONLINE EDITOR
The Wildcats downed Eastern New Mexico, 83-73, Wednesday night in Portales, N.M., to improve to 15-10 for the season and 65 in the conference. With the win, ACU currently holds the third spot in the South Division of the Lone Star Conference. Out of the eight teams in the division, only the four with the best records will be able to advance
Women’s Basketball to the playoffs. ACU will look to stay within the top four this Saturday when the Wildcats play the No. 1 team in the division: West Texas A&M. “They’re tough to beat,” said head coach Shawna Lavender of West Texas A&M. “But I think if we’re patient, we play our game and we don’t let them outwork us, I think we have a chance with them.” West Texas A&M has been the most dominant team in the conference this season. The Lady Buffs have an overall record of 21-3 with an undefeated 10-0 conference record. Also, West Texas A&M
owns the conference rankings by being first in scoring defense, field goal percentage, 3-point field goal percentage, assists, steals and turnover margin. The Lady Buffs average nearly 74 points per game while holding its opponents to 56. The Buffs’ 18-point average scoring margin also is the best in the Lone Star Conference. On top of all of that, West Texas A&M is entering Saturday’s game against ACU on an eight-game winning streak. “They’re kind of coasting through the conference right now,” Lavender said. “So hopefully, we can catch them on an off night. Hopefully, we’re playing well at
that point. If we play well, I think we’ve got a good shot at them.” The Wildcats will go up against West Texas A&M after beating Eastern New Mexico on the road Wednesday. ACU center Audrey Maxwell put up 18 points and 19 rebounds — her ninth double-double of the season — to lead the Wildcats to an 8373 win against Eastern New Mexico. Spurred by Maxwell’s offensive performance, the Wildcats shot 54.5 percent (18 of 33) from the floor during the first half. ACU went into halftime leading Eastern New Mexico See
WILDCATS page 4B
BRIAN SCHMIDT SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Forward Audrey Maxwell drives against Tarleton State on Saturday. Maxwell has nine double-doubles this season including one against Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday.
Page 2B
Friday February 16, 2007
SPORTS NEWS
Sixth-straight loss slims playoff chances n The men’s basketball team will take on West Texas A&M at McMurry University on Saturday. ACU is 1-7 in conference after losing to Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday. By DANIEL JOHNSON Sports Editor
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
ACU forward Igor Vrzina goes to the basket against a Tarleton State defender Saturday. Vrzina scored a team high 18 points in the Wildcats 89-76 loss to Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday.
The men’s basketball team has lost 10 of its last 11 games, including an 89-76 loss to Eastern New Mexico on Wednesday. But head coach Jason Copeland isn’t ready to write off the season just yet. “You can start counting the days or can make the days count,” Copeland said. ACU’s days in conference play are limited, as they have three games remaining on the schedule. ACU would need to win those last three games, and other teams would have to lose to give the last-place Wildcats a chance at making the postseason for the first time since the 1997-98 season. “You don’t ever want to think that you don’t have a chance,” said guard Riley Lambert. “If you think that, you don’t have any desire to play the game.” But Copeland said despite the slim possibility of a postseason appearance, he is just focused on playing West Texas A&M on Saturday. “We can’t worry about that,” Copeland said. “We just got to get ready to play Saturday against a good West Texas team.” West Texas is likely to make the postseason with its 7-2 conference record and tied with Midwestern for first in the Lone Star Conference South Division. The Buffs beat the Wildcats 78-69 the first time the two met this season. Lambert said the key to
Men’s basketball victory against West Texas is playing hard all 40 minutes of the game. “We just need to play a complete game,” Lambert said. “We really haven’t played a complete game all year.” ACU is coming off of its second loss this season to Eastern New Mexico. The Javelinas carried the momentum in both halves, as the Wildcats couldn’t recover from the 20-12 Javelina run in the first half. “We dug us a little hole, and that hole continued to grow throughout the game,” Lambert said. Copeland attributed the loss to the more than 50 points in the paint the Wildcats allowed. “We gave them too many easy looks inside,” Copeland said. Forward Igor Vrzina led the Wildcats in scoring with 18 as three other Wildcats scored in the double digits against Eastern: guards Philip Brooks (17), Cortnie Ross (13) and Elmo Williams (10). Regardless of the trouble ACU has encountered at the back end of its season, Copeland said he has seen progress from his team since last year. “We’re still trying to build a program, so we’re just trying to continue to get better,” Copeland said. So far, 10-13 ACU already has two more overall wins than last year’s team but has only won one conference match-up; last season ACU won four. “We’re trying to make every day count that we have left,” Copeland said. E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
Women’s softball heads to Phoenix for game n The 5-4 ACU softball team is in Phoenix for its last preseason tournament on the road. ACU will have one more tournament at home Feb. 23-24. By RACHEL DAVIS Sports Writer
This weekend, the Wildcats will travel to Phoenix to compete in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The team is ranked No. 19 in NCAA Division II, has a record of 5-4 and a preseason No. 5 ranking in the Lone Star South conference division. The tournament begins with the women playing Grand Canyon University and Cal State-Stanislaus University on Thursday and Bryant University on Friday. “After those games, we don’t know who we’ll play,” said head coach Chantiel Wilson. “It depends on how we perform in the first three games.” Saturday, ACU will be in bracket play to determine what place they will get. After its last tournament, the team has some improvements to make to its offense. “We want to improve See
PHOENIX page 4B
ACU tennis teams breeze through Hawaii-Hilo opponents n The men’s and women’s tennis teams both defeated Hawaii-Hilo on Tuesday. The men will play three matches in Colorado this weekend while the women have a break. By MICHAEL FREEMAN Online Editor
The Wildcat tennis teams cruised over the Hawaii-Hilo teams Tuesday in the Teague Special Events Center. The ACU men beat HawaiiHilo with an easy 9-0 victory. The Wildcat men, ranked No.
Tennis 22 in Division II tennis, improved their record to 8-2 on the season with the win. The men did not drop a set Tuesday against the Vulcans of Hawaii-Hilo, who are ranked No. 36 nationally, as they recorded their second-straight match sweep. The Wildcats beat Hardin-Simmons 9-0 on Saturday. The ACU women routed the Hawaii-Hilo women, who are ranked No. 11 in nation, 8-1. For ACU, Tuesday’s win was
the second straight victory over a team ranked in the top 20. ACU defeated Hawaii-Pacific, No. 18 nationally, on Saturday. The Wildcats are ranked No. 5 in Division II tennis, and the win on Tuesday gives them an overall record of 5-2. Tuesday’s matches marked the third straight week of play for ACU. “They love playing,” said head coach Hutton Jones of the Wildcat teams. “I just kind of wanted to get a lot of matches in. We’re going to be more
comfortable in more situations because we’ve faced some differing opponents.” The Wildcat men returned to action Thursday against Seward City Junior College in Spearman. Seward City is ranked in the top 10 nationally among junior colleges. On Friday, the ACU men are headed up to Colorado to take on three teams. First, the Wildcats will play Colorado State-Pueblo in Pueblo, Colo., on Friday at noon. Then at 7 p.m., ACU will
compete against Metro State in Colorado Springs, Colo. “In the past, they have been real respectable D-II programs,” said Jones of Colorado State-Pueblo and Metro State. “We need to play D-II matches other than our conference schools.” On Saturday, ACU will stay in Colorado Springs to take on the University of Denver, a Division I school. Denver is ranked No. 55 in the nation. “To be in the top 75, you have to be pretty doggone
good,” Jones said. “I kind of think we’re going to get a mix. We’re going to play a team that is better than us that is going to stretch us, and then we play a couple of teams … where I do expect us to be the dominant team.” The ACU women will not play again until the Stephen F. Austin Invitational on Feb. 23.
E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu
Wilson signs first recruiting class n The newly founded ACU women’s soccer team signed seven players from across country on Feb. 7. The players should arrive in August to prepare for the 2007 season. By CHRIS HANSEN Student Reporter
Beginning next fall, ACU’s first women’s soccer team will compete against other Lone Star Conference teams as part of NCAA Division II play. Practices are set to start after spring break, for players who are already at ACU, and in late summer for the entire team. The new team, which will be composed of around 25 players, will be able to play home games on campus after the renovation of the intramural field, located
Soccer between the Wells Softball Field and Edwards Hall. Head women’s soccer coach Casey Wilson said the field will be a full-size soccer field with a new scoreboard, freshly graded ground and new grass. Of the 25 players, Wilson several are current ACU students, including Jordan Reese, junior education major from Abilene. Reese played varsity soccer at Abilene High School and has played club soccer for the past couple years.
Reese said she came to ACU under the impression that they would have a soccer team by her freshman or sophomore year. Wilson said he started to get the team organized when he was hired in December of 2005. “This year is kind of a one-year-long tryout,” Wilson said. “At the end of this spring semester, we will evaluate the players we have versus the players coming in, and that is how we will form the team.” A new team means a lot of new players. Wilson was able to sign 10 players and add two transfers to the team for next fall. Wilson said seven of the players signed will be freshmen next year, but they come in with a lot of club soccer experience. According to NCAA rules the team was prohibited from practicing as a team until Thursday. Wilson is now able to choose a 45 day window in which he can have up to 24 practices. However, Wilson has the option of when to use the window during the semester. “It’s a little bit frustrating to not be able to work out at all and then be thrust into it,” Reese said. “Hopefully it will be worth while.” Wilson said by delaying the practice window, the team will be able to attend a 7-on-7 tournament at Har-
Soccer signees Head coach Casey Wilson signed seven players that will help make up the first ACU women’s soccer team in Fall 2007. The soccer season will begin in August. n Courtney Wilson, Odessa n Jordan Reese, Abilene n Lyndsey Womack, Longview n Lauren Hale, Cisco Junior College n Bree Craig, Arlington n Stefani Lazcano, The Colony n Ashley Simon, Lockhart din-Simmons University on April 21. Having the practices after spring break allows the team to practice in better weather and gives the team time to get into playing shape, Wilson said. The incoming recruits won’t be able to practice with the team until Aug. 6. At that time, Wilson and the players will have just 19 days as a full team to get prepared to face well established conference foes such as Central Oklahoma and West Texas A&M.
E-mail Hansen at: optimist@acu.edu
Friday, February 16, 2007
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Page 3B
Page 4B
Friday, February 16, 2007
SPORTS JUMPS
Fan support places ACU at No. 6 Wildcats: Women n With the best football season ACU has seen in 30 years, fans made the top 10 list average fan attendance for home games in the NCAA Division II. By MORGAN WILLIAMS Student Reporter
ACU placed sixth in NCAA Division II for average attendance at home games for the 2006 football season. Between five home games, ACU had an average of 9,001 fans in attendance. Valley State had the nation-high average of 13,682 fans at home games. “Considering this was the best season we’ve had in 30
years, averaging 30 points a game has a lot to do with it,” said Lance Fleming, media and sports relations director at ACU. “Going 8-2 in the regular season makes a difference compared to years in the past,” Fleming said. The 2006 ACU football team made it to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in the football program’s history. The 2007 football team will consist of 35 new athletes, including 25 high school seniors and 10 transfer students who all signed on National Signing Day. “We hope to continue to bring out big crowds,” Flem-
Baseball: Maynard ties wins record Continued from page 1B not be satisfied,” Uechi said. One of the most consistent bats and base runners so far for ACU is second baseman J.J. Pacheco. Pacheco leads the team and LSC in runs scored, hits, doubles, stolen bases and total bases. As a compliment to a need for consistent hitting, Maynard said that the Wildcat starting pitchers needed to put ACU in a position to win. “It’s up to the pitchers to keep the runs down because we know our hitters are going to score,” Maynard said. Incarnate Word’s hitters couldn’t score against Maynard Tuesday as he threw six full innings and only allowed one run and six hits in the win. The win was Maynard’s 25th in his
ACU career, tying 196669 pitcher Bill Gilbreth on the school’s all-time list. But beyond the personal milestone, Maynard is more concerned with getting his job done on the mound and helping his team win. “Just plugging along,” Maynard said. “I’m just going by what coach wants me to do.” Bonneau said the starting pitchers for Friday’s games would most likely be returning starters Chris Wiman and Brian Kennedy. On Saturday Trey Watten will start on the mound in one game and Bonneau is unsure of who will start in the final game of the series but it might be Maynard.
E-mail Johnson at: djj04a@acu.edu
ing said. “We have lots of guys coming back from the 2006 team and have a chance to be just as good or better as last year’s team.” “I think the crowd has a lot to do with how well the players play,” said Alexandra McMurray, junior communications major from Abilene. McMurray has been attending ACU football games all of her life. “When the crowd starts to lose interest, it’s always fun to watch the players bring the crowd back into the game,” she said.
FOOTBALL BY NUMBERS n ACU placed No. 6 in the nation for average attendance at home football games for NCAA Division II n Between five home games, ACU had an average of 9,001 fans in attendance. n The 2007 football team will bring new faces to the field and hopefully more fans, too. Thirty-five new athletes will join the team, including 25 high school seniors who have signed with the team and 10 transfer students. n This was ACU’s best football season in the past 30 years.
to take on WTAMU Continued from page 1B leading Eastern New Mexico 48-37, but the Zias of Eastern New Mexico mounted a second half comeback. With 1:07 left in the game, ACU’s lead had been cut to 75-71. The Wildcats held on thanks to big scoring performances from Maxwell and four other ACU players. Guard Alex Guiton finished the game with 14 points, forwards Kristee Davidson
and Lacey Blau chalked up 13 points each and forward Jody Meyer had 10 points. Because of Sing Song being held in Moody Coliseum, ACU will play West Texas A&M at 9 p.m. Saturday at McMurry University’s Kimbrell Arena. Coach Lavender encouraged all ACU students to head over to McMurry after Sing Song to support the Wildcats.
E-mail Freeman at: mxf04b@acu.edu
E-mail Williams at: optimist@acu.edu
Phoenix: Team to finish preseason Continued from page 2B with more consistent hitting, and we want to try to score every inning,” Wilson said. Since the start of the season, the offense has not been consistent during games. The team has had trouble getting runs on the board at the beginning of games — out of the nine games played, only one game has seen a score during the first inning — and Daughtery typically doesn’t score until the third or fourth inning. Three players have a batting average at or above .500, but most are below .300 at the plate. The team batting average is .279, the sixth-highest average in the LSC South division. Wilson said she wasn’t concerned with any particular opponents this weekend.
“We just want to focus on us and how we are playing,” she said. And the team does seem to be working on its focus. Chessie Brehm, Tayler Wilson and Genevie Ramirez all currently have a batting average of .500 or more. Jenna Daugherty has batted in nine RBIs and pitcher Ashley Bailey has a teamlow ERA of 2.13. The team’s average ERA is 2.73, putting ACU at second in the division in pitching just behind Angelo State. Last weekend, the women played in the CBS Insurance Classic against three different teams and finished in third place. The Wildcats play its last preseason tournament at home next weekend before beginning the actual season on March 2 against Texas Women’s University. “We’re looking forward to being at home,” Wilson said. brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER E-mail Davis at: optimist@acu.edu
Second baseman Tayler Wilson singles down the third base line Feb. 9 against St. Mary’s. ACU traveled to Phoenix for the NFCA Leadoff Classic this weekend.
Friday February 16, 2007
Page 5B
SPORTS JUMPS
Camille: Decathlete finds place, adjusts in Abilene Continued from page 1 From the Paris suburb of Antony, 20 minutes from downtown, Camille came to the states to pursue track and field and academics. His father, Laurent is an engineer on planes. Florence, his mother, is a middle school teacher. Camille’s only sibling, Hubert is in his first year of college in France. “At first my mother was not very happy with me because I would be gone for a long time,” Camille said. “But she understood what I wanted to do; she is really supportive. “I know it’s not easy for them, but for me, once I leave a place and get in another, I feel very comfortable.” E-mail, phone and instant messaging make the distance easier to bear, he says. Camille spent 42 hours a week in class during high school. France has no school on Wednesday so the decathlete spent his Wednesdays acquiring what makes him so well-rounded. In the morning he swam, then took music lessons and singing. Camille speaks English, German and Spanish, along with his native
Decathlon Events Day 1 n 100-meter sprint n Long jump n Shot put n High jump n 400-meter sprint Day 2 n 110-meter hurdles n Discus throw n Pole vault n Javelin throw n 1500-meter run
French language. In 2004, Camille planned to leave France for the United States to study journalism and pursue track and field. To do both in France would be too difficult. “It is more difficult to get a degree, and you’re more under pressure,” Camille said. “If you don’t pass two classes you have to start college over.” The University of North Carolina recruited Camille, who trained for three years with 110-meter hurdle world champion Ladji Doucoure, and that’s where he intended to go in January 2006. But 10 days before he planned to leave France for North Carolina, he learned he was not admitted to school. He graduated from college in France where he could study journalism and also train as an athlete in January 2006, but UNC didn’t recognize much of his schooling, and he was unable to attend. Without a school to attend, Camille still moved to North Carolina. The drop from a Division I to a Division II school meant nothing to his parents. What bothered them was when North Carolina rejected him and he had to find an apartment, coach, friends and a way to make a living. Camille did have a job. Before leaving France he called L’Equipe, a daily sports newspaper in France, and asked for a job. He would be traveling to the meets anyway, and the paper could use some features on stars like Marion Jones and Justin Gaitlin who trained nearby in North Carolina. So Camille became a correspondent for the second most-read newspaper in France. “I brought my laptop to the stadium, and I run and jump and throw, and then I wrote for the newspaper,” Camille said. “I don’t think I will do it again. I want to focus on track.”
In North Carolina, Camille became acquainted with the coaches and people. He worked out at Duke University, and spent time with people from UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina State and North Carolina Central. He competed in meets as an unattached athlete and won the decathlon at the Wake Forest meet with 7,124 points. Because he couldn’t compete in Division I, Camille began researching and asking around about Division II schools with a good track program — Abilene Christian was his answer. “I was looking for a school with a good track program and a journalism school and not too far from big cities with track and field traditions,” Camille said. Abilene may not seem close to cities, but Baylor is home to many Olympic athletes and not too far away. The journalism program also matched what he wanted in the academic side of college. He wants to learn to write in English to have the options of one day writing for an English or French newspaper. After the track and field season ended in June, Camille returned to France where he was selected to join the national French team of athletes 23 years old or younger and competed against teams from Germany, Switzerland and Russia. When Camille came to ACU in August, he was ready to finally begin his collegiate career. Even though he lived in the states during the spring in North Carolina, Camille had to adapt to another different culture in Abilene. “I’ve never seen anybody angry here. They respect each other,” Camille said. “[People] are happy to see me, and I’m the only French student on campus, so they are wondering what it is like in France.” His first impression of
rachel lau STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Camille works out in the Powell Fitness Center with free-weights after practice Wednesday. Camille has adjusted to the training at ACU. In France, strength training was not a high priority among athletes.
Chapel was good, but when he found out attendance was mandatory, he tried to get exemptions. “I had a good feeling about Chapel when I first went, but when I heard I had to go to Chapel everyday before coming, I was like…” his eyes enlarged as he looked like the task was too much to ask. Camille grew up Catholic, going to what he said was a “boring church.” His first church in Abilene, other than a Catholic one, was the Morning Star Church. “Here the first church I went to was free popcorn and drinks,” Camille said. He recalled the big screens above the stage and the people on stage singing and dancing, something else he had never seen before. Aside from the social change, the physical aspect of training with a national contending track program has been a challenge to Camille. In France, he lifted weights just twice a week. Even then it was only two or three exercises. Lifting weights four times a week, in many variations, is new to him.
“I am doing things here that I have never done before.” Besides training in a new way, Camille has four coaches he works with training to be a decathlete. For the pole vault, he trains with pole vaulting coach Cory Aguilar. Sprints and hurdles are coached by Abe Brown, and Jerrod Cook coaches throwing events. His fourth coach is head coach Don Hood. “It’s helping a lot because it’s a lot harder,” Camille said of his training. “In North Carolina I was by myself and I did my own plan, and it was almost the same plan as I did in France.” With the track and field season not far away, Camille and the coaches are optimistic about his potential. Hood said he sees Camille develop more strength each week. “A lot of the foreign athletes want to come here so badly that they pursue it,” said head track coach Don D. Hood of Camille’s interest in the program. “His attitude coming over was just, ‘I’m happy to be here.’” Camille said his goal is to win the Division II national championship, and Hood doesn’t think it’s too unrealistic.
“After watching him compete, I am convinced,” Hood said. “He’s a definite threat to win nationals. I think he’s going to be the favorite going in, him and Campy.” Campy Pounds is the Wildcats other decathlete, who has provisionally qualified for the indoor national meet in the long jump with a distance of 23-5.50. “He’s a beast,” Pounds said. But Camille’s not the only one. Last weekend at the Texas Tech Open, Pounds scored just three points behind Camille in the heptathlon, an event Division II doesn’t hold a championship for at the indoor meet. “Campy will be my most challenging opponent for the decathlete title,” Camille said. “I’m very glad to have him as a training partner.” Just a few weeks into the indoor season, no limits exist for the Frenchman. Coach Hood agrees. “After watching him compete, I am convinced,” Hood said.
E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
Page 6B
The issue:
The new HPV vaccine Gov. Rick Perry recently passed has been a source of controversy as some believe Perry is making a hasty decision with wide-spread consequences.
Our view:
Because the vaccine will prevent women from contracting HPV as well as cervical cancer, the new mandate will ultimately benefit females.
The solution:
Read about the HPV vaccine issue in order to formulate your own opinion.
February 16, 2007
Benefits outweigh cost of new HPV vaccine The American Cancer Society estimated that in 2007, more than 3,600 women out of the more than 11,000 reported new cases will die from cervical cancer. Now a new vaccine is on the market that can prevent against four types of HPV that cause 70 percent of the total cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts. This vaccine is a huge breakthrough for cancer research and prevention. But when Gov. Rick Perry mandated that by 2008 all sixth-grade girls receive the vaccine, not everyone applauded him for taking governmental steps to prevent a type of cancer that kills women. Instead, some saw Perry’s decision as a way for the government to replace parental rights, saying he is substituting parents’ decisions with
governHPV at some point According to the CDC, sexually active people ment’s. in their lives. While have a 50 percent chance of getting HPV at However some forms of HPV some point in their lives. large or go away naturally, small of an others do not. HPV intrusion can be passed on a vaccine interferes with par- ceiving a three-shot series of to a partner without anyone enting, a step to prevent can- vaccines as an excuse to have knowing. Even if one partner cer and save lives should not pre-marital sex is misguided. enters a marriage without havbe criticized. The vaccine does As adults, whether sexually ing sex, the chance for it to be have an opt-out if parents active or not, we may think in passed on is still there. choose, so using the govern- those terms a sixth-grader will Others against Perry say he ment control defense is shaky not make that connection. A is rushing into this decision if an opt-out is available. parent can say it is to prevent without a sufficient amount Others who disagree with some forms of cancer and the of research to show long-term Perry cite more religious rea- child will understand. effects. While the vaccine sons for not wanting the vacParents who may want to has not shown if there will cine, saying it promotes pro- opt out, choosing to do so out be need for a later booster miscuity in young girls. of hope their daughter will not shot, it has shown to be effecBut does giving a sixth- get HPV through pre-marital tive. Research has only been grade girl a vaccine to pre- sex, can never be sure of that. able to follow women for five vent cancer and some STDs The chance of anyone getting years, but shows they are still send that message? Here’s HPV is quite high if they are protected. According to the where the parenting some sexually active in any way. Ac- Centers for CDC and Prevenfeel is being taken away can cording to the Center for Dis- tion, of the 11,000 women be put to use. ease Control and Prevention, who were tested worldwide, The notion that a sixth- sexually active people have a no serious side effects were grade girl will interpret re- 50 percent chance of getting shown.
Eliminate guns, decrease violence Cookies, toilet papers, iPods er-News. and guns — we can get whatevWhen I heard this news, it er we want at a store like Wal- reminded me that gun crimes Mart. If you step into a pawn are happening not only in shop, they metropolitan cities but also in sell various a small city like Abilene. kinds of used According to the Bureau items, includ- of Justice Statistics, there ing guns. Gun were 6,316 gun-related homagazines are micides committed by peosold just like ple between 14 and 24 years fashion maga- old, which is more than 70 zines. What is percent of total homicides Different up with this among these ages in 2004. Voice society? Why In my opinion, a gun is one of Atsumi don’t some the most useless things in this Shibata people care world. It doesn’t create anything about mur- good. It only creates anger, haderous instruments sitting tred and sadness. It is nothing where everyone can see, and but a violent instrument. Each everyone can reach. year more people get guns It surprises and scares me — more violent instruments are to see guns sold at local stores spread in a society. like a pawn shop or Wal-Mart. I It seems almost impossible know in most cases people buy to get rid of guns from this guns for hunting or protect- society. It has become a viing themselves. But I wonder cious cycle. The more dangerif they ever think the very gun ous the society becomes, the they are selling can more people seek kill someone. ways to protect I had never seen themselves and In my opinion, their loved ones. a gun before I came a gun is one of Guns for guns. But to the U.S. In my the most useless is it really good for country, Japan, unthings in the less you are either us? For our family, a police officer or loved ones or fuworld. gangster, you don’t ture generations? have a chance to see Even if you get a or touch a gun. gun in the name of I am not saying self-defense, a gun that Japan is the most peaceful is still a weapon — a murderous and well-controlled country be- instrument. cause it is not. It is full of fearful I’ve heard news a while ago crimes. At least on this issue, that a young boy found a gun however, Japan has a better gun under his dad’s pillow and accontrol than many other coun- cidentally shot his little brother. tries, including the U.S. Things like this can happen. A A gun was the last thing I gun might protect you, but I expected to see or possibly get think we should think about killed with in Japan, but it is other ways to protect ourselves. the scariest thing for me here It is difficult and scary to — it is real here. stand up against this violent Less than a week after school society without an equally powbegan, I heard sad news of a 4- erful weapon to protect ouryear-old girl who was shot in selves, but someone has to do the face while sleeping with her it. It might take long to change mother. It was Jan. 21 when the this society, but things won’t get girl was found dead after neigh- better without challenging. At bors heard a drive-by shooting least, I am one of those who are at 2 a.m. The shooters, who against guns and seeking anothwere 17, 19 and 20, fired 23 er way to protect my people. bullets at her home in the 800 block of Mulberry Street, and three men were later arrested and charged with murder, acE-mail Shibata at: cording to the Abilene Reportaxs03d@acu.edu or optimist@acu.edu
Alex York
No threat in Black History Month Letter to the Editor A letter to the editor in response to the 2007 Black History Month.
I’m intrigued by the threat that Black History Month presents for some. Every year we have celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month and Global Awareness Month, but no ongoing debate occurs about
why we are celebrating these months. I’m certainly not advocating we start doing that, but I am curious as to why we project our fears when it comes to Black History Month. For African Americans in the United States, Black History Month embodies the spirit of Carter G. Woodson’s statement: “We have a wonderful history behind us…and it is going to inspire us to greater achievements.” For us, celebrating history is being proud of God’s
choice of whom he made us to be. Some at ACU may not understand the reasons for celebrating the achievements of African Americans in America, but that does not afford us license to dishonor the things others hold dear. If it is important to our brothers and sisters, it should be important to all of us. The Bible says that when one of our brothers or sisters suffers, we should all suffer and when one is honored,
E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu
we should all rejoice. Rather than complaining, why not investigate why your brothers and sisters are rejoicing. You may just learn something good and important to your own life and growth.
LaShae Grottis director of Student Services and Multicultural Enrichment lashae.grottis@acu.edu
First listen before speaking out Letter to the Editor A letter to the editor in response to Dylan Wan’s letter in the Feb. 14 issue of the Optimist.
I was baffled upon reading Wann’s letter concerning the Essence of Ebony Chapel presentation on Friday. My difficulty lay in the fact that he claimed the presentation, a comparison of Dr. King and Malcolm X, was an attack on him and all other “Caucasian, middle-class American’s].” It puzzled me that he could
attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy. Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published. Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699
E-mail the Optimist at: optimist@acu.edu
Lebensgefahr
think a piece ending with a song about how people with differing viewpoints should come together and support each other because “we’re all a part of God’s body” could be such an attack. I personally thought the message was quite clear: those with opposing opinions ought not to tear each other down or try to hurt each other but rather should recognize they need each other “to survive.” In fact, I think the presentation was making a lot of the same points Wann made about loving one another in Christ without regard for our differences. If Wann attended
the production on Friday or Saturday night, he must have understood that it proposed to portray the many varying influences that have shaped African Americans in the United States over the years. Of course the production brought up slavery, racism and oppression. These have been extremely significant factors in the history of both African Americans and of the United States. I did not feel these subjects were broached lightly or with an intent to shame or hurt anyone. They were brought up because of their importance and impact,
Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration. Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university. The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal
If the HPV vaccine were for AIDS instead, many would be waiting in line who are now opposing Perry. In a press statement, Perry defended himself by making similar points. “Providing the HPV vaccine doesn’t promote sexual promiscuity anymore than providing the Hepatitis B vaccine promotes drug use. If the medical community developed a vaccine for lung cancer, would the same critics oppose it, claiming it would encourage smoking?” Perry said. The numbers and implications may be different from AIDS to HPV, but the moral dilemmas are not. Despite what critics say, is not an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure? This vaccine is the ounce of prevention.
so simply denying one’s personal responsibility for them does not change the fact they occurred or they have greatly affected who we are as a country. I do not have a problem with the expression of options. However, I do think that if one is going to criticize another’s ideas, they should at least pay them the courtesy of listening to what they have to say.
Sara Martinez senior Spanish major from Victoria sem02g@acu.edu
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February 16, 2006
Page 7B
‘Last Sin Eater’ doesn’t offer much meat n The adaptation of Francine Rivers’ novel ‘The last Sin Eater’ offers a great story and scenery but ultimately lacks in about everything else. By TODD PIERSALL Arts Editor
Imagine eating the sin off someone you loved in order to save them from eternal damnation. This is the ritual of sin eating. An ancient Celtic religious practice, sin eating required a selected individual to “eat” the sins off of the deceased and sickly. The sin, which is represented by food and drink, would then be transferred onto the “sin eater” and would therefore be absolved. Settlers from Wales brought the “sin eating” tradition to America and continued the funeral rituals until the early 1900s. The Last Sin Eater is an adaptation of Francine Rivers’ novel about a girl whose immense guilt drives her to search for someone to absolve her from her sin. The movie, directed by Michael Landon Jr., has a relatively unknown cast with the exception of Louis Fletcher who won Best Actress for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It is interesting to note that Sin Eater is being distributed by FoxFaith, a company that re-
quires all of its movies to have “overt Christian content.” The Last Sin Eater takes place during the 1850s in a Welsh settlement near the Appalachian Mountains. Cadi Forbes, a young girl, is tormented by the guilt she feels over her sister’s death. During her sister’s ritualistic funeral, Cadi sees the sin eater and becomes convinced he is the only one who could release her burdens. Her search for redemption leads to the discovery of the settlement’s dark past. What is intriguing about The Last Sin Eater is the compelling story of true forgiveness. We can thank Francine Rivers for that. Because sin eating rituals existed in America, as late as 1900s, the story becomes even more powerful. The movie does a good job portraying the weight that comes with taking another’s burden. Watching the sin eater devour the food and drink off the dead looks painful and almost grotesque. However, if deciding whether or not to see the movie or read the book, I would recommend the latter. The compelling story wasn’t enough to make the film high quality. The acting was far from spectacular and scenes in the middle of the movie tended to drag. The cin-
ematography was noteworthy only because the setting was located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. The movie didn’t call for many special effects, but when they did, they were laughable. One scene showed Cadi balancing on a fallen tree that stood over a narrow gorge. The scene was so obviously computer generated that smudges outlining Cadi could be seen. Sadly, there were several more computer-generated scenes involving the same fallen tree. Also, the hooded garb the sin eater wears is too strangely similar to a Lord of the Rings ‘Ring Wraith.’ Similar still were scenes shot with the sin eater himself. They almost looked like scenes from M. Night Shamalayn’s The Village, with the monster whisking quickly in and out of frame. Both of which seemed humorous. Overall, The Last Sin Eater came up lacking. There were too many mistakes to salvage the film. The acting, along with the poor and awkward script, left the film wandering. Even Louise Fletcher seemed to not fit her role. Still, there were a few powerful scenes, but none merit choosing the movie over the book.
E-mail Piersall at: tdp04a@acu.edu
Box Office Stats Newly released movies and gross rates for Feb. 9-11. Total gross in parenthesis. n Norbit: $34,195,434 ($34,195,434) n Hannibal Rising: $13,051,650 ($13,051,650) n Because I Said So: $9,221,130 ($25,805,720) n The Messengers: $7,218,187 ($24,742,205)
Coming Soon Movies opening Feb. 16: n Breach, starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Philippine, Laura Linney, Dennis Haysbert and Aaron Abrams. A true story based upon a U.S. security breach. A young FBI agent discovers his partner has been selling secrets to the Soviet Union. (THRILLER) n Bridge to Terabithia, starring AnnaSophia Robb, Josh Hutcherson, Zooey Deschanel. Two friends create a magical kingdom of Terabithia that can only be accessed by a rope. There they rule a kingdom filled with strange creatures. (FANTASY)
courtesy of MOVIEWEB.COM
‘The Last Sin Eater,’ an overtly Christian movie, follows the journey of a young girl who is determined to rid herself of the guilt she feels within. A sin eater is the last chance for the young girl. The movie stars Golden Globe nominee, Henry Thomas and Best Actress winner, Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest).
n Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage, Wes Bentley, Eva Mendes. Based off a Marvel comic, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul after a fatal crash. After Blackheart, son of the devil, violates the deal, Blaze becomes a powerful force, neither dead nor alive. (COMIC/ACTION)
SING SONG NEWS
Page 8B
Friday, February 16, 2007
Sophomore director to lead Siggies act n Members of Sigma Theta Chi, a women’s social club, elected a sophomore director as they attempt to achieve their sixth Sing Song victory in a row. By HILLARY CRAWFORD Student Reporter
Sigma Theta Chi elected Jennifer Rasco, sophomore elementary education major from Abilene, to direct them in this year’s Sing Song event as McDonald’s French Fries. This is a memorable year for the women of Sigma Theta Chi as they attempt to go for their sixth victory in a row with Rasco as sophomore director, who was nominated by her club members. After the nominations were submitted in October, Rasco and others who accepted the nominations, prepared a two-minute speech to present to their fellow club members. From this point, the women not in the running for director voted on who they thought could lead the group of women in this year’s Sing Song performance best. Although there is not an actual rule that states a sophomore cannot be elected as Sing Song director of this specific social club, in the past the duties usually went to an upperclassman. Rasco began writing this year’s show during Christmas break. She was
anxious to get her fellow club members back in Abilene to begin work on the show. Some of Rasco’s main responsibilities were scheduling and running the practices, getting the scenes together and teaching the lyrics and individualized parts to the girls. “I am excited for the opportunity that God has given me to lead this incredible group of girls and grow as a leader, as well as musically,” Rasco said. One of Rasco’s fellow Siggies, Kaylie Huddleston, sophomore speech pathology major from College Station, had many positive things to say about her. “She’s done a great job in every way. There’s nothing about her that would make someone say, ‘hey she’s a sophomore director,’” Huddleston said.
Sigma theta chi past winning acts n 2002: Little Mermaids n 2003: Bridesmaids n 2004: Field of Dreams n 2005: The Hills are Alive n 2006: The Penguins
E-mail Crawford at: optimist@acu.edu
brian schmidt SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Members of the children’s act dress up as clowns and perform “Be a Clown” at the Sing Song dress rehearsal in Moody on Wednesday.
Children’s act to bring little clowns n Thirty one children have spent three weeks preparing to be a clown on the Sing Song stage. Their performance will be in the first act before the intermission. By ATSUMI SHIBATA Page Designer
As students and faculty put in time and energy in preparation for Sing Song, there are young performers getting ready to be clowns on the stage. The children’s act is composed of 31 children between 6 and 13 years old from the Abilene community. They will perform a song called “Be a Clown,” and each of the children will put on a wig, costume and face
paint to be a clown. Lauryn Lewis, junior English education and integrated marketing major from Houston and a director of children’s act, said it will be an enjoyable time for everyone. “They work really hard,” Lewis said. The children’s act was originally planned to have about 20 children, but the number of performers exceeded the plan, said Caddie Coupe, senior communication sciences and disorders major from Nevada City, Calif., and upstage co-chair of Sing Song. Children have done one-hourlong practices twice a week for about three weeks, and
they also joined rehearsals in Moody this week. Many of these children’s parents are faculty and staff at the university, and Lisa Flores, manager of accounts payable, is one of those parents. Her 6-year-old daughter, Cianna, is excited about her first Sing Song performance, Flores said. Cianna first didn’t want to be in Sing Song, Flores said, but after the first practice, she was glad that her parents put her in the show. Cianna was worried and asked Flores about how many people will be watching, but Flores said Cianna still doesn’t know she will be performing in
front of 4,000 people. Among those 4,000, Cianna will have about 16 family members in the audience just to watch her performance, Flores said. Flores’ two older children, one of whom now attends ACU, have participated in Sing Song more than five years ago, and she said she thinks it has been a great experience for her kids. “It’s an opportunity to do something they’ve never done,” Flores said. The children’s act will be in the first act right before the first intermission. E-mail Shibata at: axs03d@acu.edu
SING SONG NEWS
Friday, February 16, 2007
Page 9B
SHADES continues stepping tradition in Sing Song n For the third year, SHADES will step with the hosts and hostesses in its a capella act. Women’s captain Sara Eligado said they will add loose movement this year. By MALLORY EDENS Page 2 Editor
SHADES will be performing a step routine in Sing Song this year as the counter rhythm for the hosts’ and hostesses’ act. This will be the third year SHADES has an act in the show, and women’s captain Sara Eligado, junior nursing major from San Jose, Calif., said the group is glad to have the opportunity to be part of it and is trying to bring something new to their act this year. “We have always had a feeling that we were the outside group because we are not actually a social club or a standard activity at ACU,” Eligado said. “I think it’s now a tradition for SHADES to be stepping alongside the hosts and hostesses. I think that with our involvement in Sing Song, we feel more
connected. In the past couple of years, it’s been more formal. This year we are adding more loose movement.” The act this year involves more interaction between the men and women in the group than most other SHADES performances. “My favorite part is that this is the first major show this semester, and I like that the girls and guys can do it together,” Eligado said. “We normally do it separately in our annual show with only a few snippets that are guys and girls. I like that we have incorporated some of the guys’ moves in the girls’ part. We are exchanging moves.” The men’s captain Jonathan Holloway, senior biology major from Abilene, said one of the best parts of the SHADES act is the diversity of the group. “You would be hard pressed to find another that is so diverse with the same small size,” Holloway said. “We meld together to create a step that is in sync with each other despite
how diverse we are. We present a unique perspective to the spectacular event of Sing Song. I just really hope people appreciate where we are coming from. The novelty of it is that you can’t go anywhere else and find a combination of hymnal music and step music, especially in the way we do it here at ACU. We present it as a ministry to people.” The SHADES routine is more than just entertainment — it is a type of praise. “SHADES and the hosts and hostesses are praising God in a way people normally don’t see praise,” Eligado said. “We are trying to put out there that with all our different talents God has given us, we are able to worship.” Group members wish for their praise to reach out to the audience. “We are hoping we can connect with at least one person,” Holloway said. “Hopefully, it will reach out and touch someone, and hopefully God will use
us to reach out and bring someone to him. We are representing something much greater than ourselves. It’s always really cool to know that someone really connected to [our act.]” Group members see this outreach as what SHADES is really about. “We are a step group but also a community service group,” Holloway said. “We take opportunities to step at schools or other activities where we can reach out to the community.” Through its efforts to reach out, SHADES is becoming more prevalent in the community and more widely recognized, and group members are thankful for that. “[Sing Song has] been good for SHADES because at times we have felt kind of disconnected, and it’s been good for us to work with other groups because they [have realized] that it would be good to work together,” Holloway said. “It’s been a huge step that has come from all the fellow-
ship and working towards the common goal of producing a common successful show. We were pretty separate at ACU, and now we are asked to be more involved.” Eligado said she also believes Sing Song has allowed SHADES to be more readily involved. “I think at first nobody really knew what SHADES was, and as the years have gone by more and more people have started to recognize us,” she said. “They always want to know when our next show is, and the fact that people are more interested in who we are and what we do is my favorite part of being in it. I quote Kendall Massey on this, people don’t ask him if SHADES will be in Sing Song but what they are going to do in Sing Song. We plan to stay with that tradition.” In preparation for its upcoming show, Eligado said the group had some complications but are working hard to make the show a success. They have
been practicing every day since Saturday, which is an increase from the regular practices that take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “We had a rough patch at the beginning of the semester, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to work out, but it has,” she said. “Through the little rough patches that we have to conquer or sort out, we are stronger. Through our struggles, we know that we can be that much better at what we do and who we are as individuals. We see SHADES as a family. We want to make it known that we are a group that doesn’t just step for fun. We work hard, and it’s a way that we give back. I think it’s going to go really well. While practicing on stage with the hosts and hostesses for the first time, it all came together on the second try. That’s something that was never happened before. It’s getting better.”
E-mail Edens at: mxe06a@acu.edu
Ushers’ act involves audience Hispanos Unidos not performing n Freshman Ushers practice two days a week, learning their jobs and practicing their choreography. This year, they will interact with the audience more. By MALLORY EDENS Page 2 Editor
Freshman Ushers will take on a larger role in Sing Song this year as they participate in both an on-stage act that interacts with the audience as well as ushering duties and other tasks. “We are the face of Sing Song,” said Hilary Standish, freshman graphic design and advertising major from Austin. “We are the ones the people in the audience will see first. We do the extra odd jobs the tech crew would normally do, like run the concession stands and show people to their seats. We are also in the show after intermission. We are dancing to John Mayer’s song, ‘Route 66’ from Cars because it goes with the Sing Song theme from this year.” The 2007 Sing Song theme is “Shift into High Gear,” and many Freshman Ushers say that’s exactly what they are doing in their preparations. They meet every Monday and Thursday to learn how to do the ushering jobs as well as learn the dance and get comfortable with the choreography. Standish said one of the hardest things about being involved in Sing Song is the time commitment. “It’s hard going to all the rehearsals from 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.,” Standish said. “We are so busy with college life and practice that I even forgot to go once.” But many say although being an usher requires an
increased amount of involvement, it is still fun. “It’s very time consuming,” said Preston Woolfolk, freshman management major from San Antonio. “We put in a lot more work than people realize. We are there to show the crowd that we are there to have fun. We get to do whatever we want. We can act like idiots and that’s our job. They don’t expect it to be perfect.” To make their act more fun, the ushers have installed a time in their act to involve the crowd in the show. “We get to interact with the audience and take pictures with them during the middle of the dance,” Standish said. “Then we come back and do the rest of the routine.” Amanda Sampson, freshman communications major from Austin and choreographer of the freshman ushers act, said the act is going to be great. “The people are so much fun and they are so enthusiastic and willing to be goofy,” Sampson said. “The practices have been fun. People are excited to be involved. It’s going to be fantastic; I’m excited. I am super proud of everyone in ushers. It’s awesome that they have put their hearts into it.” One reason people became ushers was to just be involved, especially if they were not chosen to be in the highly selective freshman act, which accepted only 120 out of the more than 300 students who tried out. “I couldn’t get into Sing Song,” Woolfolk said “I can’t sing, and I can’t really dance. So this way, it gives you the opportunity to get involved and have fun. Everyone wants to be a part of it, and this way every-
one can be involved as long as you are willing to commit.” Megan Holland, freshman psychology major from Houston, said involvement in Sing Song is one of the initial reasons she was attracted to ACU. “I have been to Sing Song one other time, and it made me want to come to ACU and be in Sing Song. [The ushers act] has always been a fun thing in the middle. The audience is like, ‘That’s cool; they are making it a fun time.’ It looks like it’s going to be really fun — just as I remembered it. Every act sounds fun or hilarious.” This atmosphere is something that draws in large crowds to every show, making it a big deal in many students’ eyes. “If you aren’t in it and all your friends are, you have nothing to do that weekend,” Standish said. “You either leave or are in it. It’s like the Super Bowl at ACU. It’s my first Sing Song. I’m excited to see the freshman act because it’s going to be hilarious. The production staff is amazing. I can’t wait to see the final product.” Many freshman ushers share this enthusiasm, including Woolfolk, who expects all the ushers’ efforts will come together nicely. “Everyone had the dance down last practice,” Woolfolk said. “Last Thursday, we had ‘Tacky Tuesday,’ and everyone got to come and dance and have fun. We got to leave early because everyone had it down. I think the act is going to go great. I hope everyone has fun.”
E-mail Edens at: mxe06a@acu.edu
n Hispanos Unidos will help with the concession stand at Friday night’s Sing Song. The organization will not participate in an act this year. By MALLORY EDENS Page 2 Editor
Hispanos Unidos will not be participating in an act during Sing Song this year. Rather, they will be helping with the concession stand during the Friday night show. Noel Cothren, Hispanos Unidos’s public relations officer and senior art major from Albuquerque, N.M., said there is no real reason why they are not in the show — that’s just how it worked out. “Kendall Massey sets up
the shows. The way he set up the show, they didn’t have an extra spot, and we didn’t push for a spot,” Cothren said. “We are happy to help out backstage.” Cothren said it is also related to other factors within the group. “It all depends on who is leading our organization and the other events we are doing,” she said. “We have been pretty busy this year.” Group members see advantages to the role they have taken on backstage. “One of the best things about working backstage is that we get free tickets, and we get to build community in our organization,” Co-
thren said. “Our goal is to build a community and unity amongst Hispanic students at ACU and to further awareness in our community as a result of our Hispanic students.” Those interested in getting involved in activities with Hispanos Unidos in the future and helping further their goals of community, can join the group on Thursdays for small-group Chapel. “We are open to everyone, not just Hispanics,” Cothren said. “Everyone is welcome to join us at our small group Chapel in the [Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building, Room] 129.” E-mail Edens at: mxe06a@acu.edu
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Friday, February 16, 2007
SING SONG NEWS
Friday, February 16, 2007
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New online voting system to count audience’s voices n New scoring system will allow the audience to enter their ticket numbers and vote for their favorite acts online after Friday and Saturday afternoon’s shows. By JARED FIELDS Managing Editor
Fans can have a say in this year’s Sing Song judging when they vote after Friday night’s and Saturday afternoon’s show.
Audience members can go online after the show or to computers set up around the concourse to vote for their favorites in the men’s, women’s and class acts. “They’re involved in getting to choose the winners instead of just the judges,” said Emily Wren, sophomore exercise science major from Arlington and Ko Jo Kai member.
The audience vote will count for about 28 percent of the overall vote. There are 1,400 total points available with 400 of them going toward the audience vote. The acts can earn up to 200 points for the two shows where the audience can vote. The audience vote counts for more than any category other than vocals. Points for the acts, based
on the audience vote, will be calculated by taking the percentage of votes received and multiplied by 200. If an act receives 25 percent of the vote in its category, they will get 50 points for that show. “After the Friday and Saturday afternoon show, they can take their ticket number and vote online,” Mauri Westbrook, director of Student Activities and Organizations, said.
Those attending the show will get an announcement sheet with information on how to vote online. Judges at the three shows will distribute the rest of the 1,000 points. Friday’s show will have originality and vocals, along with the audience favorite, judged. Originality is worth 200 points and vocals, which is judged at all three shows,
is worth 150 points at each show — 450 total. Saturday afternoon’s show has the acts’ costumes judged for a worth of 150 points. The Saturday evening show will have entertainment judged by four entertainment judges for a total of 200 points.
E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu
Staff assists behind the show ACU police to control traffic jam n About 40 student production staff members were chosen last April, and they have dedicated their energy and time to support the show. By LAUREN SUTTON Opinion Editor
Approximately 1,200 people perform in Sing Song each year, and year after year students dress up, dance and sing new renditions to classic tunes as ACU’s most-loved tradition lives on. But behind the over-sized costumes, colorful props and the multitude of Sing Song faces, a different but indispensable group of students dressed in black work diligently in the shadows of the stage. About 40 members of the student production staff work long hours to make this year’s show a success. “They put the show together,” said Kendall Massey, director of student productions and Sing Song director. “There
is very little that happens that isn’t student run. It has always been and will always be a student production.” Massey chose the production staff last April, and they have been preparing for this weekend for the past year. Massey said the many individuals in the production staff work seven days a week. “When December hits, stuff really starts rolling,” he said. Responsibilities of the production staff include making props and costumes, being in charge of lights and sound, building the stage and supervising the many Sing Song performers. “There would be no Sing Song if there were no production staff,” said Courtnee Hembree, junior broadcast journalism major from Abilene. “We have worked non-stop last weekend and this week.” Hembree, co-chair and the downstage manager, said when she left Moody
early Wednesday morning she had been on campus 24 hours straight. “The production staff is so under appreciated, but everyone is so committed,” Hembree said. “No matter how busy anyone is, they always help everyone out.” Massey said qualities he looks for in his production staff are people who are organized, dedicated and hard workers. “I always have a lot of hope for the people on production staff,” Massey said. “I hope that they are able to gain a realization of what their strengths are. I’m hoping they look back on this as a wonderful situation. They will learn a lot about themselves, and they grow closer to each other.”
E-mail Sutton at: les03c@acu.edu
Seniors to go on last Sing Song stage n More than 30 seniors will stand on their final Sing Song stage with their memories, friends and confidence to win the competition. By MALLORY SCHLABACH Editor in Chief
More than 30 seniors will perform in Sing Song for their final time this weekend during the “Shift Into High Gear” themed event with the senior class. Some have split time between club acts and class acts, others have participated in the class act each year — relishing memories shared with classmates. “I’m really going to miss it next year,” said Jared Brockington, senior biology pre-med major from Friendswood. “I think every year I’ve been in the class act, I’ve met new people. Even though you perform with the same class each year, it seems there are always people that join that you never even knew were your age. Some people showed up for practice that I thought were juniors and seniors. It was neat to be able to connect with them.” Brockington said the senior class act is fun because it’s not taken as seriously as club acts.
“It’s so fun each year,” he said. “I think that’s why I’ve done it all four years.” For Evan Woods, Sing Song has been a chance to integrate his love of music with his classmates. Woods, senior music education major from Fleming, Ohio, has been either director or “the music man” for the past four years for his class acts. “My freshman and sophomore year, I was the music guy for everything,” Woods said. “I helped write lyrics and arranged the music.” He said for his junior year, the class decided on “Noah’s Ark” for the theme, and he stepped up and became director. “I’ve been able to build friendship though Sing Song that I might not have otherwise,” he said. “I met my roommate for the past two years through Sing Song, and if you ask the people involved, Sing Song is a blessing to many people; it really is.” This year the seniors involved in the class act will perform as baristas at Starbucks who realize they are addicted to coffee and need to go to Coffee Addicts Anonymous. Woods said the lyrics, mu-
sic, costumes and choreography are solid this year. Brockington agreed. “We might be a little smaller than we had hoped to be, and we only have five guys, but I think we have a strong act,” he said. “This is definitely our strongest act as a class. It’s the most creative and the funniest one we’ve done before. “I think we actually have a good chance of winning this year. The competition seems fairly even this time, and there isn’t one class that really sticks out as the winner,” he said. Tiffany Polnisch, secondary education major from Baytown, joined the class act this year because she wanted to join in on the tradition of Sing Song. “Sing Song is a good tradition to get involved with at ACU,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed being a part of the class act because there is more involvement between the members — with both guys and girls — and it’s not as serious. Our act is funny, and it’s nice to be able to represent our class.”
E-mail Schlabach at: mes02e@acu.edu
n The ACU police department will help manage traffic congestion during Sing Song. Jimmy Ellison, chief of police, gave advice on parking and safety issues. By ATSUMI SHIBATA Page Designer
The ACU Police Department and student support staff will take care of anticipated traffic congestion during Sing Song. Jimmy Ellison, chief of the ACU Police Department, said he will bring in as many officers as possible to settle traffic congestion during Sing Song. Ellison said the police department set a major plan to help the show and system run better. Police officers and student support staff will be stationed at various spots on campus and will direct drivers to available parking spots. They will also maintain patrols around campus to prevent crimes. There will be one-way traffic, and parking lots will be closed as soon as it gets full. Ellison said the police department understands it is an exciting event and wants everyone to have a great time, but it requires some control. Police officers will manage every parking lot, Ellison said, and there are a few things Ellison wants people
to understand. First, all good parking spots will be taken if arriving late. Ellison said there will probably be enough parking spaces for all visitors, but some require more walking. Each of the three performances will gather about 3,000 to 4,000 people, and Ellison said he thinks Saturday night will be the biggest problem because, in addition to Sing Song, 500 to 600 guests are attending another event taking place: the Presidential Circle Dinner. The Presidential Circle Dinner will be held at Teague Special Events Center, and the parking lot there will be closed for those attending PCD. He said he wants people to expect congestion and arrive early to get a good parking spot. Second, following the direction of the police officers will help organize congestion better. Third, all parking lots require some spaces for emergency vehicles. People might find some spaces in closed parking lots, but officers need to keep enough spaces for emergency vehicles to go through in cases of accidents. Ellison and Glenda Knight, director of university events and meeting management, said they don’t recall any
major accidents occurring during Sing Song in recent years, but they both advise people to be careful. Health services will be provided by on-campus medical staff during Sing Song, and keeping spaces for emergency vehicles is important as well. Also, students might be directed to a special parking spot, which is not usually allowed, but Ellison said he wants them to understand exceptions are made only during Sing Song. However, Ellison emphasized that restricted areas like the handicap and fire lane areas are prohibited as usual, and people will be fined and receive a citation if they park in those restricted areas. Ellison said he wants to ask people to be patient. If everyone follows the direction of police officers, traffic congestion will be controlled better and cleared quickly, Ellison said. Knight said traffic is handled well by ACU police officers every year. She said Sing Song and other major events on campus would not succeed without ACU police officers. “They are very helpful,” Knight said. “They do a great job.” E-mail Shibata at: axs03d@acu.edu
CAMPUS NEWS/SING SONG NEWS
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Friday, February 16, 2007
Absent Congress members halt SA resolutions, action n SA executive president said attendance at SA meetings usually decreases in the spring semester but is not a concern as long as two-thirds of Congress is present. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor
Valentine’s Day and Sing Song stress took their toll on Students’ Association Congress
on Wednesday, when only 27 members attended the meeting — exactly enough to make the quorum, but not enough to pass anything since two-thirds of Congress (36 members) must vote on important issues. The meeting was adjourned after announcements. When the 2007 spring budget was submitted to Congress,
39 members attended the meeting. On Feb. 7, 35 members attended to appoint new members and approve resignations. SA executive president Maher Saab challenged Congress members to “fulfill the position with integrity” by attending meetings and fulfilling office hour requirements. Members can miss up to four meetings
and scheduled office hours before they will be impeached. Saab said attendance typically decreases in the spring as students look forward to the summer. To counter the trend, Saab said communication through e-mails and announcements will increase. “We should have 40 people every night,” he said.
Saab said most members are “solid and faithful,” including representatives who are studying abroad this semester. Hallie Roberts, chief developmental officer, said elected representatives who are abroad keep in touch and up-to-date and vote with absentee ballots. Beginning Wednesday and continuing next week, stu-
dents can send postcards to the Texas House of Representatives, asking representatives to vote in favor of making textbooks tax free for the first two weeks. SA is supporting the project, and postcards will be available in the ticket window. E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu
High school students preview university Campus Store extends n Freshman ambassadors will host students attending Preview Weekend. Students are encouraged to see Sing Song and participate in activities. By SHARON RAPELJE Staff Writer
Preview Weekend will garner 188 high school students and transfers on Thursday and Friday. The students are encouraged to go to Sing Song and other activities set up for them. One event is the “Body and Soul” showcase for students interested in a pre-med or pre-dentistry major. The showcase, which was also held last semester, creates unique
experiments for the students to do. Last fall students dissected sharks, and this year, students will work on a turtle heart in a DNA lab. Terri Aldriedge, coordinator for “Body and Soul,” said the turtle shell will be opened up, and the heart will be extracted. The heart will be hooked up to a heart machine to monitor its rhythms. Fifteen to 20 current prehealth students will help the high school group with experiments and accompany them to the luncheon. Speakers for the luncheon will be doctors from the Abilene community who allow ACU’s pre-health students to shadow them at their jobs.
Allison Stoll, guest services coordinator, said the 33 students that signed up for the showcase will be given an idea of what it is like to be a premed student. After the day’s activities, a team of freshman ambassadors will be hosting the students in their rooms and residence halls. Abby Holland, freshman missions major from Houston, will host two girls. She said by staying in the residence halls the guests will have a better idea of what college is going to be like. Holland plans on bringing them to her Sing Song practice, introducing them to her
friends and take them out to dinner. The reason Holland decided to be an ambassador is because of her positive Preview Weekend experience. She said her hosts contributed to her decision to come to ACU. “I really love ACU, so I kind of wanted to make the same impact on somebody else,” she said. This is not the first time Holland has hosted students; she also did it last semester. She said the students she hosted seemed optimistic about attending ACU when they graduate from high school. E-mail Rapelje at: optimist@acu.edu
Sing Song ‘Shifts’ to crowd, entertainment focus n Tom Craig, new managing director of Sing Song, estimated 70 percent of ticket sales have been made online. Tickets can be purchased through E-tix this year. By KELSI PEACE Features Editor
Kendall Massey, director of student productions and Sing Song director, announced the 2007 Sing Song theme, “Everything Changes,” a few weeks after the 50th show ended. A year later, a lot has changed — including the theme. This weekend the show will
“Shift into High Gear,” but will keep the focus on the future and changes that have occurred over the course of the production’s life. “To me, it’s funny that the original theme was ‘Everything Changes’ because everything has changed,” Massey said. This year’s production is all about the audience. Those who attend the Friday evening and Saturday afternoon productions can vote for their favorite acts online, and Massey said their votes will carry enough weight to make a difference.
Tom Craig, new managing director of Sing Song, said the decision was made in response to audience members’ requests to have some input. “Sometimes technical merit and entertainment value do not go hand in hand,” Craig said. “It kind of levels the playing field.” Entertainment, along with vocals, will also factor into the judges’ decision this year. Massey said more video backdrops have been incorporated this year, increasing from three backdrops to 10.
From the management side, Craig took advantage of technology and sent direct e-mails to alumni to invite them to the production. For the first time, tickets can be purchased online through E-tix. Craig estimated that 70 percent of tickets have been purchased online. Sing Song changes every year because it was created by students and directed by them, Massey said. “It’s as different as the scenes that are on stage,” he said. E-mail Peace at: knp04a@acu.edu
hours, offer discounts n The Campus Store will stay open until 7:30 p.m. on Saturday to accommodate Sing Song attendees for the first time. Discounts will also be offered. By NATHAN STRAUS Staff Writer
The Campus Store will stay open later than usual on Saturday, so those arriving just before the final Sing Song show can still shop. The store will also offer a selection of discounted ACU merchandise, and the opening hours have moved to late in the morning. Scott Harsh, assistant store director, said Saturday’s hours will be from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. to accommodate latecomers. “We realized people weren’t coming in at 8 in the morning,” Harsh said. Last year’s store hours were from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harsh said he didn’t know how much additional traffic the store would see on Saturday, but he did say the most likely time for the biggest traffic increase is from noon to 2 p.m. Shannon Wallis, assistant to the director of retail and purchasing, said normal Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
and this will be the first year the store will extend hours. “We’re expecting a crowd like in the first week of school,” Wallis said. Discounts on ACU merchandise will also be brought back like previous years. “We have ads in the Sing Song program, so people can get a discount on ACU Alumni merchandise,” Wallis said. The rate is 15 percent off any insignia merchandise in the store — that is, any products with the ACU letters on them. Harsh said the store will see some new items on Saturday to coincide with Sing Song. Shirts with pink and green background colors and “ACU” on the chest will be on sale along with camouflage T-shirts with the insignia. “Hopefully we’ll have a lot of high school kids come in this weekend,” Harsh said. “Buying an ACU shirt may help solidify their choice.” The store will also get a new book this weekend titled “Grandpa Says,” which is written by Robert Hall, an ACU board member. Harsh said the book debuts on Friday. Friday hours will not change. E-mail Straus at: nrs02a@acu.edu