The Appalachian, September 2024

Graphic by Rian Hughes

Batchelor | Business Manager business@theappalachianonline.com

The

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editor@appalachianonline.com.

Boonie comic by Yakira Gurganus

Art students voice frustration amid new semester

Madalyn Edwards | News Editor

Photography major Lauren Borer started off her senior year standing in a crowded dorm room in East Hall packed with 16 other students. Borer wasn’t visiting friends or meeting with an RA; she was straining to hear her professor’s voice in her alternative processes photography class.

“It’s getting absurd,” Borer said. For students in the Department of Art, classes will be spread out across multiple buildings on campus. Senior Director of Public Relations Anna Oakes said in an email that these buildings include East Hall, Katherine Harper Hall, the Edwin Duncan Octagon, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, Appalachian Hall and L.S. Dougherty Hall.

The Edwin Duncan Octagon, which is currently slated for demolition, and East Hall, which was previously set for demolition before being converted to office spaces and

later working space and classrooms for art students, are also included in the list of locations for art classes. Some classes that count as general education requirements for the program are online.

Borer said the limited space, limited communication and “quiet changes” from administration have taken away resources art students need to create, such as a darkroom and photography-related printing space. She said faculty have helped with creating makeshift working spaces for art students, such as using a dorm room to create a darkroom.

Another one of her first impressions of her fall semester class locations was the loud and distracting construction noise she could hear from Katherine Harper Hall, which is cited as needing a “complete renewal” according to App State’s 2025 Master Plan.

One week prior to the beginning

of the fall semester, Borer said class locations were changed to “to be announced” or to different locations than previously scheduled. Oakes said there are six buildings currently being used to house art classes, though Borer said she counted at least 13 buildings herself and other art students have art classes in.

All the while, Borer said the website updates were very “vague” and class changes were still in effect leading up to the start of the semester. She said the only previous mention of class locations came from a brief section of a podcast posted to the Department of Art update page during the spring semester.

“I find it disgraceful that the administration is just putting us from one construction zone to another with no heads up,” she said.

Another discovery Borer said she and her fellow art students came across over the summer was inaccurate

information about Wey Hall on the Bachelor of Fine Arts facilities page.

Borer said that throughout the summer, the page, which was last archived on July 27, advertised Wey Hall’s 24/7 open access to prospective students.

According to the site, all studio art classes were being held in Wey Hall. Borer said studio art classes have not been held in proper studio spaces, limiting creative access for students.

Borer said she and her fellow art students sent out an email on Aug. 12 detailing the outdated site information and within 12 hours, the information was updated to reflect the current status of Wey Hall.

“Wey Hall is currently undergoing renovations to provide a better and safer learning environment,” the page now reads.

Borer said the lack of communication about Wey Hall on the website negatively affects both current

and prospective students.

“The issue with that; not only is that Wey Hall is closed, and they knew that it would be closed for over a year at that point, however, they’re also advertising the facilities that won’t be there when Wey Hall is finished, for example, the darkroom,” Borer said.

Callum Conklin, a senior art and geology double major, said the lack of updates and communication has been disappointing and has impacted their education.

Conklin, who is enrolled in an advanced ceramics course this semester, said the working conditions for the class are inadequate and pose a challenge to creating art.

“We’re going to have to transport work to be able to fire it, which is incredibly difficult to do with ceramics because it’s very, very fragile before you fire it the first time,” Conklin said.

Borer said art students taking ceramics classes this fall were told by

Students gather on Sanford Mall to protest the unsafe classroom conditions of art students on March 28. After construction began on Wey Hall in early 2023, students worked in an active construction zone.

Photo by Ashton Woodruff

professors that the location for classes were not finalized, and because of that, the first week worth of ceramics classes would be canceled.

“It’s sad and it’s shocking to me that they’ve dropped the ball this far,” Conklin said.

Conklin said they considered taking one or two gap years before completing their senior year until App State had everything “figured out.”

Conklin said if there had been a stream of communication from administration over the summer, they would have felt better about the impacts related to Wey Hall’s renovations, even if they did not receive any answers. However, they said the communication has felt “one-sided,” as only students are communicating and voicing their concern.

“This is absolutely not what I’m paying for,” Conklin said.

Conklin said they feel they have

missed out on important learning opportunities they would have been able to use in their future career as a result of the relocation.

Specific updates related to classes and facilities for the upcoming fall and spring semesters are shared directly with art students, faculty and staff on the department’s art news page, Oakes said. She said regular status updates regarding Wey Hall are posted on the Wey Hall renovation project website. One of these updates regarding class locations, she said, was included in the April 22 construction update podcast.

Oakes said that during the week leading up to the start of classes, two status update emails were shared with students by the department about class locations.

She said these classes were scheduled according to “standard university deadlines” and during the month of August, the department

and College of Fine and Applied Arts began discussing a temporary relocation plan. The plan would be implemented if the required state inspections were not carried out prior to the beginning of the semester.

Borer and others are operating an independent club for art students and those impacted called the Art Student Advocacy Association, and encouraged students to reach out to join the club by emailing them at asaa.appstate@gmail.com.

“This is absolutely not what I’m paying for.”

- Callum Conklin, senior art & geology double major

One of the empty rooms in East Hall now being used as a classroom for art students on Aug. 29.

Art students working in an old dorm room in East Hall on Aug. 29. Classes will often split up into separate rooms due to their small size.

Photos by Landon Williams

A single walkway leading to the front entrance of East Hall on Aug. 29. Dating back to 1952, this is one of the oldest buildings on campus that still stands without major renovations.

Navigating college: ‘You’re not alone’

Mia Seligman | Enterprise Editor

Editor’s note: This article contains language surrounding mental health.

For many students, moving to college becomes a time of newfound freedom and exploration. However, for others it may be a time of challenges, such as a decline in mental health.

Before moving to App State for her freshman year, Landry Mazzarell, now-senior psychology major, created a call list of people she trusted whom she could call if she was struggling. The list included her parents, brother and friends from home.

“I knew I had anxiety and depression,” Mazzarell said. “I had been through therapy before.”

According to a 2023 report by the National Education Association, professors are seeing mental health issues rise among college students. The report found that students’ abilities to persevere in their studies are being affected by their mental health struggles.

More than 60% of college students meet the criteria for at least one mental health problem, the NEA writes. According to the Healthy Minds Study, this is a nearly 50% increase since 2013.

“A new national survey shows that rates of depression and anxiety among college students are at historic levels,” the NEA writes. “Even scarier, more college students than ever before said that they are thinking about suicide.”

During the first semester, Mazzarell devoted herself to making friends and working to enjoy her freshman year.

“My first year, I rushed and joined a sorority, did everything that normal freshmen did, really just immersing myself in the freshman experience,” Mazzarell said. “But I had anxiety and depression that really needed to be handled and I needed the extra help. I had to go home.”

She said a friend of hers who was in her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, was the one who made her see she needed the additional help.

Mazzarell went to HopeWay, a mental health treatment facility, in Charlotte during her first semester, where she finished her freshman classes online.

Chris Hogan, senior associate

director of the App State Counseling and Psychological Services Center, said college students often come into the center seeking resources for anxiety, stress, depression and relationship concerns.

“Relationship concerns are broad,” Hogan said. “It could be parents, family, significant others or roommates.”

consultations are usually completed within a couple of days after submission, and most are done over the phone.

Group counseling sessions are also offered through the Counseling Center, which Hogan champions as just as effective, if not more, than individual counseling.

on a holiday, students can call the Counseling Center,” Hogan said. “You’ll get our voicemail, and it will give you instructions on which number to press to be connected with the counselor on call.”

Additionally, the center also has a program that allows students to become mental health ambassadors.

During her first semester, Mazzarell Hogan said the center has seen an equal percentage of students spanning all years of college, with about 28% being freshmen.

“Our ‘understanding self and others’ groups are great because students can talk about anything they would talk about one-on-one,”

Hogan said. “It really depends on what the person is

dealing with and what some of their preferences might be.”

When facing the transition to college, students are moved out of a support system they have become accustomed to. Support systems can include friends, family, extracurricular activities and eating habits, he said.

“Sometimes, it just takes people by surprise because they realize, ‘I was used to playing my instrument and I didn’t realize how much of a stress relief that was and I don’t have that with me,’” Hogan said.

The Counseling Center offers both group and individual counseling and requires students to complete an initial consultation. Hogan said the

The center allows students to enter and request emergency services whenever they are needed, Hogan said.

“For emergencies during the daytime Monday through Friday from 8 to 5, when the Counseling Center is here, we encourage students just to walk in and let our receptionist know that it’s an emergency,” Hogan said. “We’ll have them meet with a counselor as soon as possible.”

The Counseling Center also allows students to call after hours, where they will be instructed on the next steps they need to take.

“So in the evening or middle of the night or on the weekend or

The training gives students a chance to learn and understand mental health and how it can show up in college students’ lives, as well as give presentations and host events.

“And they do a lot of great work,” Hogan said.

The Counseling Center aims to meet students wherever they may need support, as well as give them the resources they need to manage their mental well-being.

Similar to Mazzarell, junior advertising major Brittany Senior was both nervous and excited about the changes college would bring.

By her second week, she was filling out transfer applications. She found herself overwhelmed with classes and transitioning into college and wanted to step away.

“I started applying to bigger colleges,” Senior said. “I felt like I had more opportunity there.”

Senior found out she had been accepted into one of the universities she applied to and planned to move in for her sophomore year. However, she felt called to return to App State.

Freshmen across the country report feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stressed and depressed during the first year of college. These feelings and struggles stem from adjusting to the transition, meeting new people and entering new classes.

Senior said she started skipping meals and avoiding the dining hall if nobody was able to go with her.

“I had this kind of idea that when you walk in everyone’s staring at you,” she said. “Everyone’s picking out everything about you, which isn’t true at all.”

During Senior’s first year, she said she often didn’t feel she had a set group or community that she could lean on.

“That was really hard,” she said. “Transitioning into my freshman year without having a community of people that I could lean on when I was feeling all these things.”

In addition to App State’s Counseling Center, students have identified the need for support and help with mental health.

Geared toward providing support, App State is home to a chapter of the Active Minds club. The club is “dedicated to eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health,” the club’s Engage profile reads.

“Coming to freshman year is hard,” said club Social Media Chair Natalie Jester. “In Active Minds, I feel like it’s been really helpful to talk about these things and make friends and have a place to go. Active Minds wants to give them a safe place.”

Co-president Reese Cantrell describes Active Minds as a great place to come together with others to combat first-year loneliness.

The club hosts events and meetings to allow members to have open and honest conversations about mental health.

“We talk about social media a good amount in Active Minds,” Cantrell said. “Especially with freshman loneliness, it seems like everyone is making friends. Everyone is having a good time in college. But, that’s only part of the story.”

Active Minds meets every other Tuesday from 5-6 p.m. in room 100 of the Plemmons Student Union.

Both Mazzarell and Senior continued taking classes after their freshman year.

“I am in-person now,” Mazzarell said. “I took away from that experience that I need to slow it down. I ran into freshman year so fast. I had such high expectations.”

Mazzarell now serves as the wellness specialist in her sorority, as well as the president of App State’s chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness on campus.

Mazzarell chose her degree in psychology after her freshman year. She said she wants others to know her story.

“I want others to know they’re not alone.”

Graphics by Brianna Bryson

One year later: Update on the vendors of King Street

Madalyn Edwards | News Editor

Just over a year ago, visitors could find dozens of vendors lined along the sidewalks of King Street, showcasing a diversity of art pieces. Today, five spots dedicated to vending are available on King Street, which sometimes sit empty as visitors pass by.

Artist Kelly Mosenfelder is the owner of Barefoot and Brazen, her art business where she sells an assortment of handmade items, handmade jewelry and leather goods. Mosenfelder started vending on King Street approximately 2.5 years ago.

Mosenfelder said she set up her booth in front of the brick wall of King Street where Famous Toastery is located. She typically made anywhere from $300 to $500 per day selling her art.

In July of 2023, the Town of

Boone approved an ordinance originally proposed in June of the same year regulating street vendors. Under the ordinance, vendors are now required to purchase a permit and must be contained to one of five spaces in front of the post office.

According to chapter 111 in the Town of Boone Code of Ordinances, the regulation was implemented due to, but not limited to, “pedestrian safety and aesthetic issues.”

Mosenfelder said after the passage of the ordinance, she did not purchase a permit and stopped selling on King Street. She said she stopped visiting and spending money at local businesses in Boone because she no longer had a reason to visit the downtown area. She moved away and currently resides in West Virginia.

Mosenfelder said she believes other artists who used to sell on King Street have also been negatively

affected and no longer contribute to the economy downtown or vend in the regulated spaces.

“You might be lucky to see one person a day even down there,” Mosenfelder said. “People might have bought permits but they’re not using them because once they go and sit in front of the post office, they’re not making any money.”

Because of this, the lack of artists has taken away the cheery feeling people experience when they’re visiting downtown, Mosenfelder said.

“The vibrant art scene and the life that the art scene brought to the town no longer exists,” she said.

Additionally, Mosenfelder said the ordinance is impacting local art students who previously relied on vending on King Street and feels as if the opportunity has been stripped away from emerging artists.

Downtown Development Coordinator Lane Moody said in 2023, 14 vendors applied for

applications to vend downtown. This year, she said the number of applicants dropped to five, with two renewals from last year and 11 “active” vendor permits.

Moody said the Town of Boone is working with the Watauga Arts Council to provide additional programming opportunities for artists and visitors during the First Friday Art Crawl, held every first Friday of the month. She said this event is open to vendors without permits and does not limit vendors to the typical spots in front of the post office.

However, Mosenfelder said the Art Crawl doesn’t make up for the changes and does not provide an adequate space for artists.

“You can’t sell things when you’re not seen,” Mosenfelder said.

Moody said she observed a lack of vendors using the designated spaces but mentioned the timing of the year could have some influence with that, suggesting the start of the fall

semester might increase the number of artists vending.

“They’re not out there a lot,” she said.

As with any new ordinance, Moody said she knew the implementation of the ordinance would be a “learning curve.” She said as of right now, the town does not have any plans to alter the ordinance.

Moody said she has received a lot of feedback from vendors. During the proposal process, she believes many vendors knew there needed to be changes to prioritize safety. She said there had been some “close calls” with pedestrians, vendors and cars, which prompted the ordinance to address safety concerns.

‘Throw’ yourself into pottery: New studio offers community for clay

Ella Adams | Community Editor

Pottery pros and casual crafters alike have a new community to get fired up about. Located off of Highway 105, The Pottery Lot is a community pottery studio and retail gallery that offers a welcoming environment to get creative with clay.

“There’s not a ton of community studios to go do pottery, which is one of the reasons we wanted to open this one,” said owner and co-founder Emily Roberts as she walked around the rows of pottery wheels in the open, bright studio.

The studio’s building is over 100 years old and used to be a general store in Sherwood. In the 1990s, the building was cut into three pieces and moved down the mountain to its current location in Boone. Before Emily and Michael Roberts purchased the building, it had been a music shop.

“You can actually see where they cut the building into sections to move it,” said co-owner Michael Roberts as he pointed to a seam on the original hardwood floor.

The Pottery Lot’s retail gallery opened Labor Day weekend. The shelves are stocked with the High Country’s finest potters, including well-known local potters and student artists. The studio spaces will be opening mid-September.

The building is surrounded by green space and a clear mountain creek runs through the lawn, fish darting through the glistening water. A porch wraps around the building, providing plenty of outdoor space to make pottery or to relax in a rocking chair overlooking the creek.

After being empty since 2020, the property has a new life as The Pottery Lot, ready to carry on North Carolina’s rich pottery tradition as one of Boone’s only community pottery studios.

“I love the community around the studio,” Emily Roberts said. “Everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve always found somewhere to go do pottery.”

One of the few places to take pottery classes in the Boone area is community craft classes through App State called Craft Enrichment, but getting a spot in the class is difficult

and parking can be an issue, Emily Roberts said.

So Emily Roberts and her husband Michael set off to create a studio of their own and build their own pottery community.

Emily Roberts fell in love with pottery at the community studio in Montreat. She was inspired by the accessible classes and the strong community.

Montreat does, because it’s special,” Emily Roberts said. “You don’t see that anywhere else.”

The Pottery Lot will offer classes in handbuilding and the wheel, as well as one-on-one lessons with instructors and classes for kids. Classes will be taught by local potters, who can also sell and display their art in the studio’s retail gallery at the entrance.

The Pottery Lot will be project-based, focusing on making specific creations like mugs, colanders or hand-built pumpkins. The project-based classes will range from two to three hours, but as the studio grows they hope to add eight-week classes where community members can come on a regular, weekly basis.

opening a community studio includes having a space for children to create pottery as well. The couple introduced their daughter to pottery in Montreat last summer.

was nowhere for her to go or anything family friendly,” Emily Roberts said. “So really, we’re opening the space for the community and introducing the next generation to pottery.”

Bringing people into the clay community and fostering creativity is central to The Pottery Lot’s mission.

“It seems like when you’re in a studio, no matter if people are young, old, what kind of walks of life they live or background, that all kind of just falls out of place, and everybody just focuses on pottery and helping each other,” Emily Roberts said. “And I really like that community, so that’s what we want to do here.”

Photos by Ella Adams

Local ceramics stack the shelves at The Pottery Lot gallery opening on Aug. 31. Dozens of potters from across the High Country sell their works in the consignment gallery, providing plenty of options for clay-keen shoppers.

The Pottery Lot founders and owners Emily and Michael Roberts stand on the porch of their community studio and retail gallery on Aug. 22. The business has been in the works for over a year, with the gallery opening Labor Day weekend and the studio in mid-September.

Pottery wheels and upturned stools waiting to be used by the community at The Pottery Lot on Aug. 22. Starting midSeptember, the studio will offer various two-to-three-hour project-based classes taught by local potters.

The Pottery Lot building located off of Highway 105 on Aug. 22. The community studio and retail gallery maintains its mountain charm with screen doors and rocking chairs overlooking the ample green space.

Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year to commemorate the impact Hispanic peoples have had in the history and culture of the United States. By recognizing the contributions and advocacy of Hispanic Americans before us, today we are able to celebrate the diverse cultures in our nation that have been here for generations.

This month, The Appalachian has much to celebrate as we highlight personal achievements and ongoing contributions of Hispanic people in our community.

This special section is meant to highlight the Hispanic community that is very often overlooked and underrepresented, especially at a predominantly white institution and in the greater Appalachian region, which many people perceive to be culturally and ethnically homogenous.

Building up from last year, this is the second time our publication has created a Hispanic Heritage special section. In this section, we use the terms Latino/Latina, and although there are more genderneutral terms used by others, for the sake of consistency and the Spanish language, we will be using these terms. Any places where this term is not used was at the preference of the writer.

Last year, this section was also printed in Spanish, but we were unfortunately unable to do so this year due to funding. However, this

section is still available in Spanish online, which can be accessed through the QR code at the beginning of this issue or through our archives tab on our website.

Ever since the UNC System Board of Governors voted to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion offices, students searching for a multicultural center have been met with locked doors and blacked out windows. Despite this, many resources still exist on campus for Hispanic and Latino students who wish to celebrate and embrace their cultures. Some of those include the Latin Hispanic Alliance, and media outlets like App TV’s Buenos Días Boone and The Appalachian’s Spanish Translations desk, which has reached its one year anniversary with the release of this issue.

This year, the Hispanic representation on our editorial board is one of the highest The Appalachian has seen, if not the highest — something we are proud to share. Each of us writing this come from different ethnic backgrounds such as Mexico, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. We are paving the way for future Latino journalists around the country and are just a small representation of the many different Hispanic/Latino communities found at App State and in Boone. Outside of campus, the Latino and Hispanic community and cultures are all around. From events, art and music to restaurants and markets to themed nights at bars, the

evidence of pride and love is strong. Representation is key to both the collegiate and local community, to uplift and honor the heritage carried in every person. The collective efforts showcase the need to recognize and support the successes and accomplishments for years to come.

Whether you’re a reader or writer, a student or member of the community, we see you. We hope to be the representation you want to see, or be, in the media and in the community. We strive to reflect the communities in the region in our coverage not only for this month, but every month. If you ever have a story idea, would like to participate in translating our content or want to join our paper, stop by our newsroom in room 235 in Plemmons Student Union or contact outreach@ theappalachian.com.

Thank you, reader, for picking up this issue and flipping through the pages of our cultures. We hope you resonate or come to appreciate the accomplishments of the Latin/ Hispanic community of the High Country.

Jenna Guzman | Editor-in-Chief

Omar Alvarez Valencia | Translations Editor

Yelitza Perez-Gutierrez | Associate Translations Editor

Emily Escobedo Ramirez | Director of Audience Engagement

Dayanara Monroy-Luna | Associate Chief Copy Editor

Boone Hispanic community finds pockets of support amidst polarization

Meg Frantz | Associate A&C Editor

The first time Yolanda Adams experienced racism was when she moved to Boone from Florida 20 years ago.

While working at AppHealthCare in the early 2000s, Adams, who now works at Q’Pasa Appalachia and GEAR UP as a translator, said she had a patient who didn’t want her to help him check in because of her skin color. Whenever she answered his phone calls to the office, he would hang up, call back, and request a white employee to make his appointment. Coming from an ethnically diverse area in Florida, Adams said she was shocked, uncomfortable and unsure of

Rican, however, he still feels like he is a minority within a minority group.

“There’s a racial diversity within the ethnicity that is very complex,” Sibaja said. “So I think the one struggle I have is that people might just make a monolithic assumption and just say ‘Latin America’ or ‘Latinos’ without recognizing that diversity. And so that can lead to overgeneralizations, maybe stereotypes.”

Sibaja said he was the only Latino student at his college, the only Latino teacher in Davidson County Schools when he was hired and the only Latino employee in the central office when he worked for the Winston-

Salem/Forsyth County School System. He said he has always been the one who stands out. However, he does not see it as an impediment but as an advantage that helps him have “something unique to bring to the table.”

As the son of immigrant parents and a first-generation college student, Sibaja said he had no one to help him with his “firsts” of college, like moving into a dorm room or signing up for classes, and he hopes he can use his experiences to further support students in a similar situation.

Edgar Jaimes-Ramos is a senior construction management major and vice president of the Latin Hispanic Alliance. He said even though he builds safe spaces, such as his indoor soccer group that meets weekly for

and others to engage with various cultures, he feels the need to codeswitch when he is outside of those spaces.

“When I tell people I’m an engineer, right? When I tell people that I went to Nashville this summer and I have one of the highest-paid internships, they switch up on me,” Jaimes-Ramos said. “People will be like, ‘Oh, this kid has his stuff together.’”

Jaimes-Ramos said Boone is tailored toward white U.S. residents and though there is “a whole hallway of flags” in the Plemmons Student Union and ethnic restaurants spread out in the city of Boone, the accessibility of cultural diversity is lacking.

In his vice president position, he said he has witnessed App State’s institutional support grow spotty due to miscommunication between club leaders and university administration, particularly surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion repeals for UNC System institutions.

According to Forbes, diversity, equity and inclusion repeals aren’t only happening in the UNC System but also in states across the nation. Kamala Harris accepted the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 22. Though she has been called a “DEI hire” by Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee, the issues that affect her status as a child of immigrants and a woman of color are supported in her party platform, which focuses strongly on “strengthening democracy,” “protecting freedoms” and “fixing the immigration system.”

The Republican Party platform is focused on “defeating inflation,” “sealing the border” and “bringing back the American Dream.”

Kayla Ordaz-Magana, president of App State’s Latin Hispanic Alliance, said when Harris is brought up in

political discussion, it is almost never about her policies but about “her skin tone, or her hair, or why she does something, or why she speaks in the certain type of language that she does.”

Sibaja said rather than focus on the biographies of candidates, he focuses on the policies they advocate for.

“I want to know what they’re going to do in those areas,” Sibaja said. “There’s platitudes and then there’s action. Who has a record of standing up for the ideal of America where everybody has a shot?”

App State offers resources for Latino and Hispanic students and faculty, including APP Unidos, of which Sibaja is a founder. APP Unidos is a group for faculty and staff to connect with their Hispanic culture amongst the company of others. Another resource for students is federally funded Student Support Services.

Cathia Silver, director of Student Support Services, said that Student Support Services now has approximately eight programs under its jurisdiction that support App State college students, along with middle and high schoolers in various school systems nationwide. All students who participate in the programs have to meet requirements, including being a first-generation student and meeting certain federal income guidelines.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? To be the first in your family to pursue and then hopefully complete a college degree,” Silver said. “So I think that they each feel responsibility and are very proud of that because they know what it means to their family and to themselves.”

Silver said to be a role model is not to be from one minority group or another, or from one circumstance or another, but to be “a role model to the younger generation about what is possible.”

How a lacking of Hispanic education is bringing people closer to their roots

know any Mexican designers and also just the whole American education system not teaching history of other cultures, just not having that option,” Perez said. “So I was like, I’m gonna learn about myself.”

It all started with a junior capstone project in which Perez created a book titled “Mexico Lindo y Querido: I Long for a Place I Never Been too.” With this book, Perez retold Mexican history through her own knowledge and lens with visuals and text, noting the lack of it being taught in school, with sayings such as “I DON’T KNOW ANY MEXICAN HISTORY FROM THE 21ST CENTURY” and “ISN’T THAT A SAD THING?”

“So that was the jumping point of it,” Perez said. “I think that was the sort of like ‘I think I need to know my culture more.’”

Perez took the class Latin American Art and Visual Culture with Assistant Professor Lorraine Affourtit in the Department of Art. Perez described it as an entryway for learning more about their culture, and said she finally found people who look like her in textbooks.

“We’re taught about the American Revolution and stuff, but I’m like, that doesn’t reflect who I am,” Perez said.

Perez’s work has been featured in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts and said the feedback was “really great.”

Affourtit noted how there may not be many professors across different departments and colleges that have a focus in Latin American culture, meaning other students like Perez who wish to learn more may not always have someone in their department they can go to.

“For my department I’m kind of that person,” Affourtit said.

yet the topics of Latin American history weren’t taught to her in those classes either.

“There’s so much that I don’t know and I wish I did,” Stamm said. She said as an adult, she enjoys researching and reading articles about her culture.

Recently, Stamm took a 23andMe ancestry test and found that she had over 16% of Venezuelan indigenous blood, but is unable to find out from what indigenous groups. She said that although 23andMe tries to narrow it to a region, she is unfamiliar with the history behind them.

“Latin American history is just something that I don’t ever remember being taught in the 12 years of school,” Stamm said.

Stamm has two children, ages 6 and 3, and she recently pulled her eldest out of school to homeschool him. His homeschool curriculum has a focus on learning things from around the world, including literature, math, science and history. Each week, there will be a focus on a different country and culture, and Stamm said one of the countries she will be teaching her children about is Venezuela.

Coming into App State as a first-generation student, Karol Perez noticed things were different at a predominately white institution.

With her family not around, Perez experienced fewer Hispanic gatherings, spoke Spanish less and the food options were limited. She described it as “not being where I was.”

When confronted with the changes, she realized she was different from her peers in a cultural sense.

“I’m different from the rest of the people,” Perez said. However, it wasn’t just in the experiences. It was also in what was reflected, or not reflected, in education.

Many are familiar with key history lessons taught during K-12 such as the American Revolution, the World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement

and more. However, a 2023 study from Johns Hopkins University and UnidosUS revealed that in high school curricula, “87% of key topics in Latino history were either not covered in the evaluated books or mentioned in five or fewer sentences,” according to a release about the study.

This means that most who go through the K-12 system will not fully learn the history of the U.S.’s largest minority ethnic group, including those who are a part of it.

Perez was always taught by her parents that their Mexican culture was important. As a graphic design major, Perez started leaning into her culture as a designer when she realized it’s not something she saw often in her field and not something that was taught as much as other academic topics in K-12 education.

“In the graphic design field I don’t

Since being at App State, Affourtit said she’s noticed there aren’t many classes related to Latin American cultures as a whole, noting there are Spanish classes that touch on culture in terms of literature or film, but “only in the context of language study.”

“The cultural history and appreciation of Hispanic and Latinx and Latin American cultures I think is definitely really missing,” Affourtit said.

As an art history minor, Perez wanted to learn more about MexicanAmerican art and have the chance to share it with others. She is working on an independent study to make a book where she explores Chicano screen print posters from the Chicano Movements of the 1970s.

“People who look like me did this and I’m doing it the same,” Perez said.

As Perez bridges the gap between the lack of history and their culture through art, others have found different ways to close the gaps intergenerationally.

Hellem Stamm is the digital communications and student-intern coordinator for the Immigrant Justice Coalition and was born in Venezuela.

As someone who moved to North Carolina as a child, Stamm said she was not taught history related to other Latino cultures before college and doesn’t recall Latin American geography being taught either.

“It’s something that really boggles my mind but also just hurts my heart,” Stamm said. “I don’t know a lot of history of just Latin America in general but also like, I’m from Venezuela, like I’m from there, and I know very, very little.”

Although she is bilingual, Stamm took Spanish classes in K-12 to learn how to write better in the language,

Senior graphic design major Karol Perez sits with her piece “Hasta La Raíz” at East Hall on Aug. 30. Perez states their work is vital to her to stay close to the culture in which they come from.

Photo by Ela Peck

Courtesy of Karol Perez

Courtesy of Karol Perez

Lost in translation: Spanishspeaking residents lacking access, equity

Andrew Rice | Political Editor

Every day after school, 6-year-old Rubí Escobar would come home to her parents, younger brother Carlos and newborn sister Lucero. As she told her parents about her day, she would tell them what she learned, translating everything into Spanish so they could understand.

“All the pressure was on me as the oldest child who could speak English,” Escobar, now 24, said. “So I would translate everything I was told in school.”

Currently, two staff members offer services as Spanish interpreters and translators in Watauga County Schools. These interpreters and translators typically communicate between parents and teachers, but are also available to help students in crisis situations.

Yolanda Adams, a former translator for the school system, said she estimates translators are currently serving nearly 200 families.

“Each school should have their own interpreter in the ideal world,” Adams said. “There’s not a lot of money in education, but that is something I advocate a lot.”

Escobar lived in La Estancia, San Juan del Río, Mexico with her mom for the first year of her life while her dad worked in the United States. Eventually, the family immigrated to the U.S. and moved to North Carolina in 2001.

Escobar learned English through Ashe County Schools and quickly became fluent in both English and Spanish. Her fluency allowed her to be a translator for her parents who were still learning the language. She said it was difficult to translate what she was learning in school, especially when she did not understand what she had to explain.

“Some words I never heard of and in Spanish it can mean something completely different,” Escobar said. “So I’m like, ‘I don’t know what this is,’ especially at 6 when your vocabulary isn’t as large as you think it is.”

Adams said relying on children to translate can cause parents to miss out on important information regarding issues with discipline and report cards in school.

“When you do that you are basically taking the power away from the parent to be the parent,” Adams said.

Escobar struggled because she had to teach herself much of the material she learned without help from her parents.

“I remember coming home with my spelling words, and I would tell my mom I have to do this,” Escobar said. “My mom would try to help me, but she would get frustrated.”

As a community advocate, Adams said she wants to prevent situations where parents do not get the full picture of their child’s school experience. She said providing more interpreters will help bridge the language gap between parents and their children.

“Then, you give that power back to the parents because there is someone completely neutral interpreting for them,” Adams said.

As the 2024 election approaches, Adams and Escobar both said they want to see more candidates in local races reaching out to the Hispanic community.

“I think there’s a lot for them to learn from our culture, our needs, how they can advocate and help,” Adams said.

They said these conversations are important because they inform the community about issues that matter to them and where candidates stand on those issues.

“The more we know, the more empathy we feel for others, which would motivate more people to go vote,” Escobar said.

Chad Cole, a candidate for the Watauga County Board of Education, said he supports increasing the number of interpreters. He also supports hiring bilingual teachers and administrators to support students and

their families.

Cole said he believes these resources will help parents trust Watauga County Schools.

“Their child is not going to have to fend for themselves at school knowing that our school system is able to provide them with some help,” Cole said.

While he supports an increase in translators, Cole said he is unsure about the feasibility of increasing their presence in Watauga County Schools.

“Financially, can we do it? I don’t know,” Cole said. “I don’t think so but it would be something to absolutely do some research on.”

Marshall Ashcraft, a current member of the Board of Education, said funding for additional interpreter and translator positions is based on recommendations by school administrators.

“I don’t doubt that we would benefit from having some more resources in that area but there is just limited funds to do everything we’d like to do,” Ashcraft said.

Escobar works with High Country Community Health offering healthcare services to farm workers in the area.

She said translating and interpreting is an important part of her job in the healthcare industry because it can be intimidating for many patients.

“Just because somebody only speaks Spanish does not mean they’re not going to get cancer,” Escobar said. “So they should have somebody that speaks their language.”

Escobar said the experience interpreting for her family has given her a greater awareness for when others need help. Whether in her job or at the grocery store, she said she is always willing to help translate for families.

“What I try to do is actually for the kids,” Escobar said. “Knowing how my parents struggled, I know that even a stranger could make somebody’s day.”

Rubí Escobar a translator who works for Watauga County Schools poses for a portrait on King Street on Aug. 29.

Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

September 11, 2024

Sheriff’s deputies bridge gap, build trust with Hispanic community

Sam Deibler | Associate News Editor

As the High Country’s Hispanic population grows and flourishes, two Watauga County Sheriff’s deputies have worked to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the Latino community.

Deputies Derick Zamora and Tony Marroquin — cousins raised in Wilkes County — are fluent in Spanish and routinely work with Latino residents, many of whom do not speak English.

“There’s the fear that they can’t communicate that deters them from calling, or that police are always out to get Hispanics,” Zamora said. “I just always wanted to be a part of law enforcement because you can really help people out and bridge that gap.”

Zamora, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and Guatemala, joined the Watauga County Sheriff’s Department in 2022. Marroquin joined the department in May after taking a ride-along with Zamora in 2023.

To combat the language barrier many Latino residents face, Zamora and Marroquin answer Spanish-speaking callers dialing the Sheriff’s Department and regularly visit predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods near Boone, such as the mobile home parks near Brook Hollow Road and Rocky Branch Creek on Old U.S. Highway 421. Marroquin said he spends around 40% of his shifts assisting the Hispanic community and visits the neighborhoods weekly.

“Just about everyone I’ve had to help out is originally here to work,” Marroquin said. “The majority of the ones who can’t speak English that I translate for are typically immigrants.”

According to 2020 census data, about 7% of Watauga County’s population consists of Hispanic or Latino residents — a figure that has doubled since 2010 and quintupled since 2000. However, Zamora predicts the number could be even higher if

accounting for seasonal workers and immigrants lacking permanent legal status, who often struggle to obtain the necessary identification to work such as social security cards and driver’s licenses.

“When we do road checks, sometimes I have to pull the car over and if there’s immigrants who are in the vehicle, 9 times out of 10 they’re not gonna have a driver’s license due to that reason,” Marroquin said. “Sometimes the only form of identification they have is a passport from their home country.”

According to United We Dream, North Carolina is one of 34 states that does not allow people without permanent legal status to obtain a driver’s license, even if an individual has a social security card.

“They often feel like if they get pulled over, they’ll get deported or put in jail or get in trouble,” Zamora said. “When we get there, we’re going to say, ‘Hey, what do you need help with, what’s going on?’”

Marroquin said if he encounters those without necessary identification or documentation, he usually issues warnings.

“Unless there’s a felony involved, typically every traffic stop is up to the officer’s discretion,” Marroquin said. “My parents were in a similar position while I was growing up, and I know how hard it is, so if they’re being cooperative, and I know they’re here legitimately for work, I’ll just give them a warning and tell them to be careful.”

In North Carolina, one in nine workers are immigrants, according to the American Immigration Council in 2018.

Marroquin said language barriers can create altercations between Hispanic residents and neighbors, which he sometimes mediates.

Zamora said he met a Hispanic woman whose neighbor would “shout racist things to her and her children,”

but law enforcement was not able to intervene due to the absence of a communicated threat or trespassing.

“They come to misunderstandings a lot and have verbal arguments,” Marroquin said. “I’ve had to go down there before and try to explain to both neighbors what their reasoning is.”

Since he was hired, Zamora said he’s seen improvement in the relationship between law enforcement and the Hispanic community, bolstered by community events like Coffee with a Cop, an annual collaboration between Boone-based blog Q’Pasa Appalachia and local law enforcement during which Hispanic residents can voice concerns and interact with officers.

“Even if it’s just a little different, there has been some trust built there,” Zamora said. “We’re not here to hassle or harass them; we’re here to help.”

Deputy Tony Marroquin standing in front of the Watauga County Sheriff’s office on Aug. 30. Marroquin works alongside his cousin Deputy Derick Zamora to help Latino and Hispanic residents in the area.

Photo by Max Sanborn

Musical harmonies, captivating poetry: Hispanic Heritage Month through the arts

Abby Buckner | A&C Editor

Playing the violin was, at first, something Pedro Maia considered because of his grandfather, a selftaught musician from a small town of less than 4,000 people in Brazil.

Maia was born and raised in Brasília, Brazil, where he attended a “pretty rigid” conservatory of music and studied both the violin and baroque recorder. After graduation, it was not just music that called to him; the idea of playing music and traveling captured his attention. Driven by this dream, Maia made the move to the United States, despite not speaking any English.

After being briefly lost in an airport and navigating the language barrier, Maia found his place among a large and diverse international student community at the University of Southern Mississippi.

“We did everything together, whether it was grocery shopping, learning English or playing soccer, we became a family,” he said.

The violinist stayed in the U.S. and went on to earn his doctorate in violin performance from Florida State University.

“You know, after being here for so many years, it’s strange,” Maia said. “I was home for a long time, but I have also been here for a long time, so it feels like I have two homes, but none at the same time.”

Having performed across Asia, Europe, South America and North America, Maia brings a wealth of global experience into his new role as an assistant professor at App State. After arriving in Boone this semester, he’s already had people reach out expressing interest for collaborations and discussions on Brazilian rhythms.

“I want to help bring diversity into the classical world, there are so many composers that are put to the side because they are not part of classical repertoire,” Maia said.

For Anabella Carter, a junior

music performance major and the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra’s principal flutist, embracing jazz and improvisation is a cultural connection she’s eager to explore. Carter is Puerto Rican, and while she describes herself as a “classical girl” with a love for romantic era music, she’s determined to play more works composed by Hispanic and Latino artists.

Touching a tiny gold flute necklace gifted by her grandpa, Carter said her family and support system help give her strength.

“When I’m performing it’s never just me, it’s a whole group of people behind me,” Carter said. “It’s my parents, it’s my instructors, it’s my friends. It’s never just me up there.”

Music students may face busy schedules, dedicating countless hours a day to practicing their craft.

Acknowledging the toll this dedication can take on mental health, Carter launched an Instagram account to support fellow artists. For her, staying grounded in her passion for music is part of what keeps her focused and inspired.

“With music, to be able to leave this world and go somewhere else and bring people with you is everything, it’s the closest thing we have to magic,” Carter said.

To honor National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Hayes School of Music has hosted a free concert series since 2021 to celebrate the culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans.

The program features a medley of musical performances and poetry from the Department of English. This year, Melissa Lesbines, who oversees the multi-department collaboration, has expanded the event to include the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures for the first time.

“Our commitment has been to celebrate the rich musical arts of Spanish-speaking people through faculty performances and poetry readings,” Lesbines said. “Each

concert brings a great variety of styles to the concert stage for student and community enjoyment.”

Chair and professor in the Department of English Leonardo Flores said the program highlights some of the cultural contributions the Hispanic and Latino communities have made to the U.S.

“There’s been a historic connection of these cultures from the very beginning of this nation, a sort of interwoven kind of fabric,” Flores said. “Congress recognizes this and creates things like Black History Month, Women’s History Month and Hispanic History Month to draw attention to the many contributions these historically underrepresented groups have made in culture and society.”

During the concert, Flores will read in translation the poem “Río Grande de Loíza” by Julia de Burgos, a famous Puerto Rican poet, which speaks to the “complex relationship between Puerto Rico and the U.S.,” Flores said.

For thousands of years, poetry has played with rhythm and lyricism and intertwined with music to create a “dynamic, ongoing relationship,” according to the Poetry Foundation.

Taking center stage in September, App State’s artistic voices will unite, blending music and language to create a shared space for celebrating and learning about Hispanic and Latino cultures.

“With the collaboration, we all have our connections to Latin culture to these contributions. Instead of each of us doing it in our own spaces, we are coming together,” Flores said.

Maia said art connects us, something he explained with a story about performing with people without speaking the same language, saying, “Together you just play, and you smile.”

Assistant Professor Pedro Maia bows on his violin at the Broyhill Music Center on Aug. 29. Maia has played in many different places worldwide and plans to share his experiences with students at App State.

Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

Anabella Carter holds her flute on Dec. 19, 2023. Carter expressed that her passion for music is something that keeps her grounded. Courtesy of Anabella Carter

Latin Hispanic Alliance advisor guides current, future college students

Abigail Eggers | Reporter

Jonathan Ibarra, App State alumnus and senior assistant director of loans and scholarships at the Office of Financial Aid, is entering his second year as App State’s Latin Hispanic Alliance advisor. He said one of the reasons he came to App State was for the organization.

“I came to the open house and noticed during the tour a large group of Hispanic, Latine students,” Ibarra said. “That basically drew my attention to wanting to come here. When I was given the opportunity to serve as advisor, I was thrilled.”

Ibarra graduated in December 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He graduated with his master’s degree in May 2022.

He said he was part of the club as a student when it was called the Hispanic Student Association. Now as advisor, his job is to be a representative for the organization

and support the executive board and other members in any way that he can.

“Being someone that was just a former student, alumni and someone who works for the university, I can make sure that I have their needs met,” Ibarra said. “If there is a situation that arises, I can go in and be the advocate.”

Ibarra attends executive board meetings and general abiding meetings to make sure students know he is there to help out with any difficulties.

He said he also makes sure to attend different events the LHA hosts on campus to help out where he can. He said at events like their Latin Hispanic Heritage Festival and Taste of Latin America, he is able to work closely with students.

Ibarra said as a student and now as the advisor, his favorite event is the Latin Hispanic Heritage Festival.

“You feel like you’re at home because you are surrounded by those of similar backgrounds,” Ibarra said in regards to the festival.

Senior sociology major and LHA President Kayla Ordaz-Magana said the organization is constantly in communication with Ibarra about support they need.

“He advises us on literally anything we need. If we want to do an event, he will tell us, ‘Hey, maybe you’re going in the wrong direction,’ but he gives us the full creative liberty,” Ordaz-Magana said. “He pushes us to a better direction and gives us knowledge that we didn’t know as students.”

She said her favorite event to host with Ibarra was a workshop at Watauga High School that was entirely in Spanish and meant to educate students on financial aid and FAFSA. She said they were able to serve bread and hot chocolate.

Mia Acosta-Nicholson is a sophomore exercise science major and does internal community outreach for the LHA executive board.

“FAFSA was being weird, it was new, so it came out later, and then there was the crash,” AcostaNicholson said. “I learned so much during that FAFSA presentation. Give him his flowers, because before that presentation, I didn’t realize how difficult so many of my peers’ families had it registering for FAFSA without social security numbers.”

Senior construction management major and LHA Vice President Edgar Jaimes-Ramos was able to receive help from Ibarra with financial aid in his own life. Jaimes-Ramos said when he first filled out his FAFSA, he did not receive any financial aid. He said Ibarra encouraged him to try again, and when he did, he got back more money than he had originally spent on that semester.

“He got me a complete refund and walked me through every step of the way. Any question I had, whether it was 6 p.m. or 6 a.m., he would answer in a timely manner,” JaimesRamos said. “I can’t thank him enough for that.”

Ibarra said the LHA is also open to those who do not identify themselves as Latino or Hispanic. He said the organization wants people to have the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

“Whether that’s language, whether that’s the food, whether it’s seeing a live performance like dancing, you get a bit more of a sense of how other cultures are so different,” Ibarra said. “For those that identify as Latine or Hispanic, it’s just an opportunity for them to know that you’re not alone, that there are people like you.”

Jonathan Ibarra wears his name tag proudly outside Belk Library on Aug. 21. Ibarra is App State’s Latin Hispanic Alliance advisor. | Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

Editor’s note: This column was submitted in Spanish. We have decided to leave it written in Spanish per the writer’s preference.

Desde que llegué a la universidad me fascinó ver cómo los estudiantes reconfiguran nuestra institución de manera cotidiana y, a veces, desenfadada e irreverente. Recuerdo haber visto, por ejemplo, las esculturas situadas en esa placita al costado de Sanford Mall que representan, con gusto cuestionable, un grupito de estudiantes ensimismados ante su maestra que, brazo en alto y dedo extendido, parece estar abriendo sus decimonónicas conciencias a nuevas realidades. En alguna ocasión esa mano apareció sosteniendo una calabaza, su cabeza decorada con un gorro y su cuello cubierto con bufandas. Y —para seguir hablando de alteraciones de la conciencia— siempre me pareció divertida esa broma con la que nuestros estudiantes sencillamente convertían el “L.S. Doughterty Hall” en “L.S.D. Hall”. Ese edificio acoge al departamento en el que enseño. Su nombre, “Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures”, también ha sido transformado por nuestros estudiantes, aunque de un modo mucho más significativo. Hasta no

hace mucho se llamaba “Department of Foreign Languages”; pero la llegada a nuestras clases de estudiantes latinxs, nacidos y criados en Carolina del Norte hablando español, hizo imposible mantener esa denominación: no podíamos seguir diciendo que su lengua natal es “extranjera”. Y ese solo fue el comienzo, porque a medida que su número crecía también tuvimos que ir haciendo otros cambios en nuestras clases ¿Cómo enseñar clases de lengua, cine o literatura en español sin tener en cuenta que Estados Unidos se había convertido en una potencia cultural hispana? Así que lxs estudiantes latinxs también alteraron nuestro currículo y nos vimos obligados a ofrecer, por ejemplo, clases de español para “hablantes de herencia”, escritura creativa en español, literatura hispana de los Estados Unidos, y otros asuntos relacionados con la amplísima presencia latina en el país. Se me ocurre que pronto quizás los carteles en el campus y la información de nuestra página web también tengan en cuenta esta presencia y se ofrezca en español. Además, puede que hasta podamos referirnos a la universidad con otro nombre: Universidad Estatal de los Apalaches. Ese sí que sería un cambio alucinante.

My name is Edgar Jaimes-Ramos, and I am a senior in the construction management program. Appalachian State University wasn’t my first choice because it is a predominantly white institution. It can be hard as a graduating high school student to pick where you want to get your degree. I struggled to decide which school I would fit into and feel accepted. My advice, for someone who does not have any help or guidance, is that you are not alone. Everywhere you go, there will be people you develop relationships with and people that come and go in your life. I took the chance to come to App State and I don’t regret it one bit. I have made many friends who have different cultures and backgrounds. Only one organization stood out to me from this entire school. This organization is the Latin Hispanic Alliance Club.

LHA, formerly known as the Hispanic Student Association, is a club at App State that is dedicated to promoting awareness of Latin and Hispanic culture. As someone whose parents didn’t go to college, I didn’t know what to expect when I first arrived here. I felt like I had no one to turn to. I wanted to find people who understood me from a cultural background and were also driven to further their education. I found that with LHA. I have even dedicated myself to the role of vice president. I believe the university should help organizations like LHA to bring more diversity to the campus. This would not only help students on campus, but also the individuals who are deciding if Appalachian State is the right choice for them.

Photo by Taylor Ward

Edgar Jaimes-Ramos

Courtesy of Benito del Pliego

Benito del Pliego

How App State students are keeping the lights on

Sara Jones | Reporter

Students in college tend to have to find work to support themselves, and students at App State are no exception. However, Boone’s rich history and geography provide for a variety of job opportunities that are unique to the High Country.

Sydney Hudson, a junior double majoring in religious studies and Spanish, found a job any nature lover would find a dream. She works as a trip leader and wilderness emergency medical technician for the App State Outdoor Programs.

Her job involves leading groups through a variety of outdoor adventures which include caving, stand-up paddleboarding, backpacking and hiking. Another part of her job requires being able to manage medical emergencies in a wilderness setting as a WEMT.

Hudson found out about trip leading when she was looking for outdoor opportunities through App State University Recreation.

“I had previously taught some roll clinics for whitewater kayaking and was hoping to do something similar, but then I found this job and fell in love with it,” Hudson wrote.

Hudson wrote being able to watch the participants in the trips become very close with each other is her favorite part of her job.

“One of the most memorable experiences I had leading one of these trips was in early March out in Pisgah,” Hudson wrote. “The sun had set, and there was a large flat bald that looked over the mountains. We all laid flat on the rock and got to

watch so many shooting stars.”

She wrote she has been doing this job since her freshman year and has always been able to find time during the semester to do it.

“Balancing trips with school can be tricky, but it is do-able, it’s just about time-management and luckily we have a pretty flexible schedule,” Hudson wrote. “I lead trips on some weekends throughout the month, so I am still able to get studying in.”

Like Hudson, Pruett Norris, a 2024 App State graduate, also found a way to juggle his studies with an unconventional job. During his time at App State, he took on many odd jobs: one he spoke rather fondly of was his time acting as the Scarecrow at Autumn at Oz, a festival put on by the “Wizard of Oz” inspired theme park, Land of Oz in Beech Mountain.

The Autumn at Oz Festival is one of the largest Oz festivals in the world, according to their website. This annual September event is the only time the park is open to the public and, along with having arts and crafts, food vendors and memorabilia, it is also a completely immersive theatrical experience that allows you to meet the characters from the “Wizard of Oz” and watch them perform.

Norris said working as the Scarecrow was akin to working as a character at Disney World. He dressed up in full makeup and costume and essentially became the character.

He said a lot of the people who visit the Land of Oz are “Wizard of Oz” enthusiasts and have seen the

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movie multiple times. When they come to visit, they are typically also wearing costumes.

“It is so meaningful to them to see these characters. I’ve had people come up to me in tears; I’ve had people just beaming; I’ve had kids and old people and everybody in between come up and be very excited to meet the Scarecrow,” Norris said.

Being the Scarecrow meant learning scripts, doing choreography, performing scenes, taking pictures with guests and most importantly, engaging with the guests. Norris said he met hundreds of people a day, but tried to personalize each guest’s experience in the short amount of time he had with them.

“I really, really love hanging out with people who maybe you might not expect to come through and then it becomes more of a unique experience,” Norris said. “You get a lot of able-bodied folks who are popping through and it’s just very standard, you know they’ve seen the movie and they’re just excited and it’s a fun outing, but then you have folks where it is this concerted effort to get there.”

The willingness of those guests to brave the high elevation and exertion of the trip just to meet the characters was his favorite part of his job.

These jobs, from leading outdoor adventures to bringing beloved characters to life at festivals, highlight the traditions and fun life in the High Country. Whether it’s leading folks on a hiking trail or the yellow brick road, these jobs are offering more than just a paycheck; they’re providing unforgettable memories and experiences that enrich both the community and visitors alike.

From left, Pruett Norris and fellow cast mates walk the yellow brick road at the Autumn in Oz Festival in September of 2022. Norris’ job as the Scarecrow included engaging with the guests, learning choreography and performing scenes.

Courtesy of Pruett Norris

Junior Sydney Hudson explores Leroy’s Room with other trip staff in Bluff City, TN in February of 2024. Leroy’s Room is a smaller cavern located inside Worley’s Cave.

Courtesy of Sydney Hudson

Sydney Hudson and other trip staff explore Worley’s Cave in Bluff City, TN, in February 2024. Hudson is a junior at App State and works as a trip leader and wilderness emergency medical technician for the App State Outdoor Programs.

Courtesy of Sydney Hudson

OPINION: College students are capable of making sustainable choices

Allison Lehan | Associate Opinion Editor

In this increasingly environmentally-conscious society, if there is still a college student entirely unfamiliar with the climate crisis in 2024, then they’d better hope the rock they’ve been living under is catastrophe-proof.

Climate anxiety is a common phenomenon, especially among young people, but when the degrading monetary demands of college are coupled with near-offensive price tags attached to “green alternatives,” wondering why one should even bother with a sustainable lifestyle as a student isn’t a radical stance to take.

Despite these disparaging realities, environmentally responsible lifestyle practices in college are truthfully much more accessible than one might think. In many cases, they’re actually cheaper. There are several physical practices and mindset changes students can adopt to lead a more climate-conscious existence that don’t require diving head-first into a pool of inescapable debt for an electric car. The following are just a few.

Dissolving sustainability misconceptions

With climate crisis tensions increasing, discourse involving personal environmental impact is more popular than ever. Today’s internet is rife with declarations of climate change consciousness with trends like TikTok’s “underconsumption trend” taking center stage on the For You Page.

While sustainable practices are always worthy of internet coverage, there is an unsettling sense of financial exclusivity beginning to bloom within this online era of “environmental responsibility” that needs to be addressed.

How on earth is one supposed to juggle tuition payments, shopping carts full of dorm essentials and weekly grocery store trips while also worrying about whether an organic, biodegradable loofah is worth the extra $10?

These kinds of internal debates are

what perpetuate the misconception of sustainability being exclusively tied to financial status, and this applies to anyone living within tight economic constraints — not just college students.

When choosing to live a more sustainable lifestyle, it is important to first remember that sustainability is a loaded word that has become abused in the age of capitalist “greenwashing,” much like other common environmentalist terms.

Wealthy corporations are pivotal antagonists of the climate crisis, and giving into the weaponization of “green” marketing ploys only exacerbates the issue. In the spirit of realism, sustainability often simply means doing one’s best to help the planet with the resources available to them.

New things

While controlling the materials one uses for everyday necessities might not be feasible, reducing the amount of waste one produces is.

Overconsumption has become an outrageously harmful hallmark of Western society within the last century, and it is one of the primary reasons why a 2015 study found that 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the production and use of household goods.

Buying new things for one’s first year of college is an obvious requirement most incoming students experience, having never lived independently from their families before. After the first year of college, though, is it truly necessary to buy all new bedding, room decorations and school supplies simply because the old ones are no longer new and exciting?

An environmentally responsible student would think otherwise.

Buying new things occasionally will always be necessary to a certain extent. What isn’t necessary is the normalized impulse to replace things that don’t need to be replaced simply because they no longer fit into what is considered popular. The lofty demands of college dorm essentials lists are enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most financially comfortable families. It’s a lot less

pain-inducing when it’s only done once.

Old things

One of the cornerstone aspects of young adulthood is modernity. Society expects young people to be well-versed in the ebb and flow of the trend cycle and technological advancements.

In college it’s worse because in addition to understanding trend literacy, one is expected to be knowledgeable about the world around them.

The speed of current trend cycles has fueled overconsumption to a point where it has become a twisted, naturalized impulse in Western society to prioritize flagrant wastefulness over outdatedness.

People have become far too comfortable with replacing perfectly useful things, and in younger generations, this practice is amplified by the peer-fueled expectation to participate in trend culture. Too often, environmentally conscious young people have to face the dilemma of either perpetuating overconsumption or estranging themselves from the activities of their peers.

The best way to break the overconsumption cycle while still participating in trend culture is to thrift and upcycle. Not only do these practices keep objects out of landfills and reject fast fashion, but it’s a much more financially friendly consumption practice for an undergraduate student functioning within an already strained budget. Go to thrift stores, pick up a new skill and turn other people’s rejected consumption impulses into staples that can become sources of personal accomplishment. Dorms and outfits look better when they’re made out of things you take pride in.

Different things

The production and degradation of single-use plastics pollute the earth’s oceans, land and air routinely. Landfills where single-use plastics are sent account for more than 15% of global methane emissions.

Buy the real dishes. Trade paper towels for washcloths and plastic forks for cheap silverware. Even better, thrift

them. The reason single-use materials are such staples of the average dorm lifestyle is because they’re convenient. Paper plates, paper towels, plastic utensils and items of the like can be discarded without any afterthought. However, the consequences of using such materials take far longer to unfold than the 10 minutes it takes to wash the dishes.

While some sustainable materials are much more expensive than their harmful, plastic counterparts, others are complete financial no-brainers. Many coffee shops like App State’s own Crossroads and Wired Scholar have personal cup options where your favorite drinks can be made in a reusable container for a lower price.

Simple realistic swaps for single-use items in college life are everywhere. They might take a little extra work, but they are more sustainable and wallet-friendly in the long-run.

Personal responsibility mindset

The majority of today’s college students are some of the youngest of all living adults. Today’s students are the adults who will spend the most time witnessing and responding to the climate crisis as of right now. They are the ones that have the most opportunity to improve things, since in our global crisis domino effect, time has a positive relationship with problem multiplication.

College students today are the vessels through which older generations place their hope for the future. Whether this is fair is another issue — whether their hopes are fulfilled, though, is not. The choices we make today impact everyone, including future generations and people living elsewhere on the planet not responsible for the crisis in the first place. Knowing this is the key to not repeating the mistakes of past generations.

The response also inadvertently defines the ways in which others choose to react. Guilt is an intrinsic part of climate change literacy, but hopelessness is not. While natural, guilt is not an excuse to turn to ignorance out of fear. Choosing to do better costs nothing.

Constructing sustainable lifestyle habits while young and independent will create passageways for lifelong repetition. Being a part of the change transcends the financial limitations of college life. It transcends a great number of personal limitations, actually. Knowledge comes with inherent responsibility, and positive change is contagious. In the face of global degradation, passivity cannot be an option.

The response a person chooses when confronted with the knowledge of the climate crisis defines their ability to improve the problem.

Graphic by Chloe Pound

OPINION: Not researching your political candidate is irresponsible

El Shedrick | Opinion Writer

With the presidential election coming up, people are excited to vote for a candidate they support, especially those who are voting for the first time. However, voting is more complex than just heading to the location and filling out the ballot. It requires real time and effort, or at least it should.

Seeing popular ad campaigns or hearing positive comments from mutual friends is not enough knowledge to base such an important decision on. Voting without having all of the correct information is irresponsible and careless. Looking at Mark Robinson as an example, one can see the danger of only doing a surface-level look into a candidate.

Robinson is the lieutenant governor of North Carolina and is running for governor in November. When looking at his campaign website, he seems like a desirable candidate for many.

One of the quotes on the website reads, “We don’t need another politician who is trying to climb the political ladder. We deserve to be represented by someone who knows us, has lived like us, and will serve the people of this state.”

Looking at this quote, who wouldn’t want a candidate who represents them and aims to serve the people of North Carolina? On his website, some of the issues he says he is passionate about are growing the economy, improving the education system, increasing public safety and expanding veterans’ care.

These are all noble issues to be passionate about, but these are only four issues out of many. There are many things that Robinson has chosen not to include on his campaign website.

On Robinson’s Facebook page, he has made multiple problematic remarks and took stances not listed on his campaign website. In 2018, he called the Holocaust a bunch of “hogwash.”

However, if you look at one of his more recent posts, he discusses Holocaust Remembrance Day as a

time of reflection and commitment against antisemitism. No matter which stance Robinson believes, these two conflicting posts show immense hypocrisy on his behalf.

Additionally, Robinson continued to make discriminatory remarks during a sermon in a North Carolina church, saying, “There’s no reason anybody anywhere in America should be telling any child about transgenderism, homosexuality, any of that filth.”

These opinions Robinson holds are not easily located by skimming over his campaign site. It requires real work to learn the information about a candidate to make an informed

decision. The remarks above are terrible enough, but these barely touch on some of Robinson’s goals and beliefs.

In an advance copy of his upcoming book, he states his belief that science and history do not need to be taught until sixth grade. In addition to this, he said that he would work to eliminate the North Carolina State Board of Education. Robinson is someone who has had a range of different life experiences, but a background in education is not one of them.

Someone who has not had any experience as an educator shouldn’t be the voice on what should be taught

in schools. Even more importantly, this information about Robinson’s beliefs should not be hard to find.

Unfortunately, though, this is the reality of the situation today. Making informed decisions about political candidates is not easy. It takes time, effort and work. However, making responsible and intentional voting decisions is worth the effort.

Robinson serves as a great example because his campaign website barely covers all his beliefs, and the dangers of not being informed of some of his more controversial takes are clear. This concept applies to all candidates, even those with less controversial stances.

For many candidates on both sides, getting media publicity about their political platform can be difficult. The country as a whole overlooks certain candidates with brilliant ideas regularly. Simply put, it is not possible to cover every candidate and their political ideas, especially for candidates who do not have the money to spend on ad campaigns and media tours to get their platform out there.

This is why it is up to the average person to do the work. Spend the time and put in the effort. The satisfaction of voting for the right candidate will be worth it.

Graphics by Kaitlyn Close

Izzi Wood sparks new era for app state soccer

Adam Persico | Associate Sports Editor

Izzi Wood arrived in Boone during a hectic 2020 season. The COVID-19 pandemic and a visit from No. 12 Pitt to start the season derailed the beginning of the college soccer career that she dreamed of. Her next season at App State would prove to be even more difficult.

Wood, a graduate student forward, started playing soccer in her hometown of Hickory when she was 5 years old. She was obsessed with the sport from the second she stepped on the pitch.

“I always played for multiple teams, whether they were older or boys,” Wood said. “Anytime I could get on the field, I would play.”

Wood quickly wanted to improve

her game and was willing to do anything if it meant a step in the right direction. In middle school, she started playing club soccer for Charlotte Soccer Academy. This meant a 3.5 hour round trip for practices through high school, but she was up to the task.

“I loved it, I wouldn’t change anything,” Wood said. “It’s how I got to play college soccer.”

The decision paid off quickly and Wood was hearing from colleges by eighth grade. Multiple North Carolina schools reached out to her, but she already had a connection with one school in the state.

Growing up in proximity to Boone, she experienced the passion of App State fans by going to football games with her family. They also went on many hikes in the High Country’s beautifully diverse forests. The

decision was easy for Wood, and she verbally committed to App State in ninth grade.

Without the pressure of a college decision, she had a stellar high school career under coach Brian Jillings, who still comes to games in Boone to support Wood.

Her success all four years resulted in her being named to numerous regional and All-State teams. She was the top scorer in the North Carolina 3A division her senior year with 53 goals and 14 assists, making her the conference player of the year and putting her in the top 10 in the country.

She also won two state titles with Charlotte Soccer Academy and the Charlotte Golden Boot Award. After high school, she was beaming with confidence and prepared to

Forward Izzi Wood steals the ball away from Wofford defender Delaney Minor at the App State vs. Wofford game on Aug. 22. Wood played a total of 67 minutes and scored one goal.

Hayden Wittenborn

away from the beginning of the season. The whole team dealt with plenty of restrictions.

“It was hard,” Wood said. “We were getting COVID tested every practice and game. We couldn’t even travel in the same car as our teammates.”

The Mountaineers’ first two games of the year added to the rough welcome. They faced the Pittsburgh Panthers, a powerhouse at the time, and lost the games 4-0 and 7-1. Wood saw plenty of playing time during both games, but it was a change of pace from what she was used to. Wood eventually found her footing

Mountaineers as they finished 6-11-1, and Wood was hoping for a better 2021.

“I got through it and I got an extra year of eligibility,” she said.

Wood had an even tougher 2021. She did not play a single game her sophomore season as she tore her ACL before the season started. It required two surgeries, an ACL reconstruction and a cleanup, as well as extensive rehab.

“It was hard because it’s very mentally and physically draining,” Wood said. “You have one really good day of progress and the next you’re sore and back to square one.”

second year, something that has only strengthened her abilities on the pitch. Wood came back stronger than ever and finished first on the team in goals and points in 2022 with six goals and 12 points. She also made 18 starts in 19 matches, showcasing how hard she worked to get back to that point.

In 2023, Wood put her best season together. She started all 18 matches, scoring seven goals and 18 points. She

and 34 on target. This put her at 4.39 shots per game, good enough to break into the top 10 in the country. It also meant she reached 15 career goals, the ninth most in the program’s history.

At the end of the 2023 season, she was named to the Sun Belt All-Conference second team, the first time a Mountaineer has been recognized with that honor since 2018. The team’s winning percentage has increased every year that she’s been in Boone.

“I credit my teammates,” she said. “They set me up and make me look good. I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. The coaches put us in a game plan that’s going to help the team succeed. I’ve just been lucky enough to be on the end of it, but there’s so much work that people

don’t get credit for.”

Wood’s legacy is undoubtedly cemented, but she has two more things she wants to take care of.

“I want to win a Sun Belt Championship,” Wood said.

The Mountaineers have never claimed the Sun Belt Conference Championship, but with a player as dynamic as Wood, it is an attainable goal.

The last thing she wants to do is complete her original goal from when she came to App State.

“I want to leave App State better than I found it,” Wood said.

also led the Sun Belt with 79 shots

Forward Izzi Wood heads the ball while attempting to score a goal against the Wofford goalie at the Appalachian Soccer Stadium on Aug. 22. Wood had four shots on goal during the App State vs Wofford game. | Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

From left, forward Izzi Wood high-fives teammate Ellie Garrison after blocking Wofford from scoring at the App State vs. Wofford game on Aug. 22.

Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

Teammates high-five Izzi Wood as her name is announced during the starting lineup at the App State vs. Wofford game on Aug. 22. Wood is currently one of two graduate students who play for the App State women’s soccer team. | Photo by Hayden Wittenborn

In 2023, Johnson appeared in all 14 games with 10 starts as an outside linebacker totaling 43 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble.

Nate Johnson named to preseason all-sun belt team

| Associate Sports Editor

Nate Johnson came to Boone and impacted the football team immediately as a freshman. After receiving freshman All-American honors from a few publications last year, Johnson knows how special of a

Johnson grew up with four brothers and two sisters in Gaffney,

“We had each other,” said Johnson, a sophomore outside linebacker. “Our mom made sure we had everything we needed and everything we wanted, so it was fun.”

Johnson’s close relationship with his family directly led to him playing football and taking it to the next

“I played when I was younger but then I stopped playing for a little bit,” Johnson said. “I got back into it because my older brother was playing and I looked up to him a lot.”

He is still close with his brother, who is incredibly supportive of his success in his football journey.

When Johnson picked up football again in seventh grade, he played as a wide receiver. He was successful, but during the summer before 10th grade, his coaches suggested he transition to the defensive line.

“At first it was pretty

difficult,” Johnson said. “As a wide receiver, you’re physical, but not on every play. In the trenches, you’re physical every play. I would say that was probably the hardest part.”

He improved each game and practice, putting in the hours on the field and in the weight room to become the best player possible.

“I feel like the route running translates to pass rush,” Johnson said. “Things like the jab step and the karaoke step really helped me learn.”

Johnson saw plenty of success after the position change. He finished his senior year with 59 total tackles, 26 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

That season he received multiple honors, such as the 5A Upper State Defensive Player of the Year and an all-state selection from the South Carolina Football Coaches Association. He was also selected to the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and was the Spartanburg-Herald Journal Player of the Year.

It all came together for Johnson and he found himself ranked as a top 10 prospect in South Carolina.

Johnson received 10 offers to play college football. Of all the schools that reached out to him, he felt like App State was the right fit and the best team to offer him.

He got right to work when he arrived in Boone and saw his efforts culminate in an excellent freshman season, accumulating 43 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. His sack total tied him for first in the nation out of all true freshmen. He also had one forced fumble at the end of the Cure Bowl to secure the win for the Black and Gold.

Johnson was named to the 2023 Freshman All-American first team by the Football Writers Association of America and The Athletic, Freshman All-American second team by College Football News and a true freshman honoree from On3. This marked the first time a Mountaineer made a Freshman All-American team since Clayton Howell in 2018.

“I didn’t really expect it at all,” Johnson said. “But I’m honored. I

work hard.”

This season is all Johnson is focused on now. He had a productive training camp and has the country on notice after his previous season. He was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team. Additionally, he is on the watch lists for both the Lombardi Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. However, he is not concerned with personal accolades.

“We have to win the Sun Belt Championship,” Johnson said. “We’re very confident coming into this season. Our running game got a lot better so we’re gonna pick up on that.”

The key to the defense that will help aid the search for a Sun Belt title is the return of Johnson and seven other defensive players. Keeping a group that large together created what the team expects to be sublime chemistry.

“On defense, you really need to communicate before and after the snap, tell your teammates what you see,” said Johnson. “Overall you just need to do your job, trust that your teammate will do their job and we’ll be alright.”

With players like Johnson wearing the black and gold, fans will be feeling better than alright. He will continue to strive toward a Sun Belt Championship during his time in the High Country.

“Overall you just need to do your job, trust that your teammate will do their job and we’ll be alright.”

- Nate Johnson

Nate Johnson poses in his practice uniform at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Aug. 28.

Photo by Max Sanborn

September 11, 2024

yosef’s army: a guide to the student yosef club

Clay Durban | Sports Editor

Yosef is synonymous with App State Athletics. He’s there every fall Saturday in the High Country, riling up fans and amusing people with his antics.

His image goes a lot further than just cheering with Mountaineers fans. He also lends his name to the school’s Student Yosef Club, a club that contributes massively to improving the university’s athletics programs.

“The Student Yosef Club is part of the Mountaineer Athletic Fund, so it helps to fundraise for our different athletic programs on campus,” said Ryan Ray, the director of marketing for the Student Yosef Club and a student at App State.

According to the Mountaineer Athletic Fund website, each studentathlete costs $50,000, “when factoring all the expenses including scholarships, meals, lodging, nutrition, health, insurance, travel, aid and supplies.”

The fund was specifically created to help cover these expenses, and the Student Yosef Club’s mission reflects that of its parent organization.

The club accomplishes much of this mission through membership dues. There are two different dues options one can pay when joining the club: $50 if you’re just joining for a year or $150 if you’re joining for all four years.

Students can join the Student Yosef Club by going to the Mountaineers Athletic Fund website and finding the Student Yosef Club section. There they will find a link to join.

After paying these membership dues, one can get plenty of perks to take advantage of. These include first priority to claim student tickets, 15-minute early entry to football and basketball home games, 20% off at Alumni Hall, an exclusive T-shirt, an exclusive sticker and access to events throughout the year.

“This year we’ve had a movie night already and we’re planning some more things to do this semester and next,” said Grayson Comer, president of the Student Yosef Club. The purpose of these events isn’t

to make money for the fund, it’s a different reason altogether.

“We are really looking at new ways to bring more people in and make them feel like they’re getting value for what they’re a part of,” Ray said. “We’re working very heavily with athletics right now to try and see what opportunities are available to us this year.”

The club also goes beyond these functions and goals to help the athletic department in another way.

“A lot of people join and use it to get the guaranteed football tickets and early entry, but we need to support all athletes,” Comer said. “They work their butt off year in, year out and sometimes they only get their parents and some of their close friends to show up to those games. They deserve a crowd like football does. I know a lot of people on a lot of those other teams and they deserve that kind of recognition.”

The club doesn’t just offer opportunities to attend events or support and promote the school’s athletic programs, it also offers other opportunities if pursued correctly.

“I think the average App student should know that Student Yosef Club and being involved in athletics in general is a great opportunity to meet individuals you would not otherwise run into on campus,” Ray said.

Ray said App State has around 20,000 undergrads and most of them are overwhelmingly nice and are willing to help you with whatever you need, whatever that may be and that the Student Yosef Club provides a really great home for App State students.

Whether it is through their support of the App State Athletics or the comradery fostered within its ranks, the Student Yosef Club has helped accomplish it’s primary goal and strives to help make a further impact, either on athletics or on the

Fans cheer on the Mountaineers front row at the App State vs. ETSU game on Aug. 31. Members of the Student Yosef Club

early access to the football stadium on game days.

App State fans celebrate a third down against ECU on Sept. 16, 2023. Student Yosef Club members receive 20% off at Alumni Hall.

Photo by Landon Williams

get

Photo by Ava Anzalone

The Yosef statue overlooking the east side of campus on Aug. 26. The Yosef statue stands six feet and six inches high and serves as a reminder to all Mountaineers to be “yourself.”

Photo by Noah Williford

Yosef joins the crowd to cheer on the Mountaineers at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Sept. 2, 2023. Yosef has been a staple figure for the Student Yosef Club since it was founded 50 years ago to provide scholarships for App State student athletes.

Photo by Ava Colapietro

Graphic by Bobby Carter