The Appalachian 9/27/19

The Appalachian

Sept. 27, 2019

UNC WHO?

App State football beat the UNC Tar Heels 34-31 with a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter. This is its first win over a Power Five school since beating No. 5 Michigan in 2007.

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Setting a framework for the future

Middle school diaries: Exposed!

A football family: Darrynton Evans

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News

Sept. 27, 2019

Campus crime beyond the surface: a look at App State’s Clery Log Jackie Park | News Editor

Moss Brennan | Editor-in-Chief Prior to 1990, resources for students, parents and faculty about incidents involving campus police were practically untraceable. However, today anyone can see every incident reported to App State Police on its crime log.

In 1986, Jeanne Clery was a 19-year-old student at Lehigh University who was raped and murdered in her dorm. After learning more details about campus security, her parents fought to mandate university police departments to post and report campus crimes.

Her parents’ fight led to The Clery Act, which “requires all colleges and universities who receive federal funding to share information about crime on campus and their efforts to improve campus safety, as well as inform the public of crime in or around campus. This information is publicly

accessible through the university’s annual security report,” according to the App State Police website.

App State’s own Clery Log is accessible from App State Police’s website and contains every alleged crime reported to App State Police. The log must be updated two business days after an incident occurs with the date and time the crime was reported, and the date, time and place it occurred.

No information that can identify the victim is reported on the log.

If a report is deemed by the chief of police or their designee that there is an ongoing threat to campus, a safety alert is issued to the campus community. Criteria for safety alerts include if the perpetrator has not been apprehended, there is a risk to the physical safety of members of the campus community and if a crime represents a pattern that has occurred two or more times within a specific area.

Andy Stephenson, chief of police

and director of public safety, is familiar with the requirements of the log.

After a crime is reported to App State Police, like any other police department, an investigation takes place.

“Some of the crimes reported to us or some of the crimes witnessed by us are closed immediately by an arrest or a dean of students office referral, student conduct referral. Others are more lengthy,” Stephenson said. “A report could be from a third party who knows very little of the facts of the case. There’s all kinds of things that go with investigating a crime.”

Stephenson said a victim can decide not to press charges at anytime during an investigation, unless there is a threat to campus.

Stephenson said he wants App State students to “have faith” in his department, as he often hears rumors that alarming things are happening on campus, when in fact, they aren’t.

“If there was a situation that is

a threat to others on campus, we will make a notification. You will be informed. Don’t believe rumors that you hear,” Stephenson said.

While App State Police investigates the reported crimes, the Office of the Dean of Students also steps in to help.

Ellen Grulke, interim director of case management, said the Office of the Dean of Students helps students navigate problems ranging from physical and mental health to academic concerns and interpersonal violence.

The office also walks students through university processes like withdrawal.

Through App State Police, Grulke said her office is often called when a report is brought to the police during business hours.

“If the student gives them permission, they’re actually calling us in the moment to say, ‘Hey, are you available to meet with the student?’ and 99% of the time, we will have some-

body meeting with that student from our office,” Grulke said.

If a report is filed outside of business hours, students are referred to the after-hours counseling service.

Grulke said if something is reported directly to her office, they won’t go to the police unless the student asks or there is a safety concern.

“I think a lot of times students are like, ‘Well, are you going to call police?’ And no, we’re not going to do that unless they want us to,” Grulke said.

Stephenson said given his past experiences, he believes departments at App State do a great job of working together to get resources to people in the App State community who need them.

“Appalachian really does an incredible job of bringing all those pieces together and communicating and helping everyone who they learn is in need of assistance,” Stephenson said.

Hub for Autism and Neurodiversity hosts educational program Michael Lillywhite | Reporter

Hub for Autism and Neurodiversity, has worked with the Boone community for two years, ensuring families and individuals get the services, resources and advocacy to help them better understand autism and neurodiversity through “My Autism Journey: Various Perspectives.”

Mary Horine is the director of community outreach at the Institute for Health and Human Services, the host of the program.

“When a family receives an autism diagnosis, their world is rocked and will forever be changed. It’s not always straightforward as to the steps necessary to get help and guidance, and where they might find support,” Horine said. ‘’HANd is trying to be an organization to help provide that road

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map for families.”

Ray Hemachandra is a parent and advocate of children who have autism and the event’s keynote speaker. Hemachandra will present “Neurodiversity and Autism: Embracing Values of Acceptance, Inclusion, Ambition, and Love in Family, Schools, and Community.”

Rebecca Long, president of Autistic Students and Allies of the High Country, has autism and will speak at the event as a self-advocate.

“I think as a society we don’t often recognize autistic people as fully human beings … and our opinions have been undervalued,” Long said. “This has led to a whole host of negative outcomes: diminished expectations from autistic people, abusive

treatments and therapies, and a lack of opportunities.”

While most autism education events occur during Autism Awareness month in April, Rebekah Cummings, academic and life skills coordinator for the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program, said HANd believes “education and advocacy around the autism spectrum needs to occur throughout the year.”

Cummings is part of the HANd leadership team and will serve as one of seven App State faculty members providing educational breakout sessions at the conference.

The conference is Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Alliance Bible Fellowship.

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News After the game: Physical Plant works to clean tailgate spots

Sept. 27, 2019

Jackie Park | News Editor

With all of the preparation that goes into football game day tailgates — food, tables, cornhole and so on — an important element is often forgotten in Peacock Lot: trash.

Chris Erickson, assistant superintendent of landscape services, hasn’t forgotten about this step in the tailgating process after 11 years at App State.

“We’ve got the receptacles there; we’ve got them in place. They’re just not choosing to use them,” Erickson said. “I think they do a good job at first, and then as the day goes on, they’re not doing as good.”

Erickson and his team of 12 to 14 Physical Plant employees ensure that trash cans and recycling bins are readily available in prime tailgating spots before a home game.

On game days, Erickson said every lot has two, two-person teams handing out bags to fans, taking liners from trash and recycling bins and trying to keep the area clean. After people start heading into the game, Erickson said that’s when his team really starts cleaning, though it can be a challenge with everyone still parked.

“Trash gets everywhere. It gets under the vehicles; it gets in places you can’t get to, and they also leave trash.

If they’ve got a truck, they have beer cans in the back of the truck...so once they leave, they throw it all out on the ground,” Erickson said.

After tailgaters leave, Erickson said most lots are in good shape by the end of the day, though clean-up in Peacock Lot often continues into Sun-

day.

“We’ll come in Sunday morning with a sweeper that goes through, and it’ll sweep all the loose stuff that’s left.

If there’s broken glass we didn’t get the day before or it was under a car, it cleans that,” Erickson said.

Erickson said his team works closely with the University Sustainability office, both in and outside the stadium.

Jennifer Maxwell is the University Sustainability program manager.

She said when Recycle at the Rock began in 2008, trash pickup greatly improved, but not in Peacock Lot. “It’s never truly helped in that lot,” Maxwell said. “There’s containers, and we also put out recycling and trash containers everywhere and hand

out the bags.”

Maxwell and her team also hand out trash bags to tailgaters on game days, though she said trash can be found along waterways in Todd, about 12 miles from Boone, harming streams and wildlife along the way after game days.

App State’s Physical Plant also helps sort trash and different kinds of recycling at tailgates and in the stadium, but the lack of organization by tailgaters can make that task very difficult, Maxwell said.

“It becomes such a huge problem for our landscaping crews to clean up, so it doesn’t necessarily get sorted properly because they don’t have time,” Maxwell said.

Erickson said a majority of tail-

gaters do a great job and are very grateful for the work put in by Physical Plan employees, but both he and Maxwell wonder what a solution to this looks like.

“Hopefully somebody’s got an idea,” Erickson said. “If we can get some like-minded students that could spread that kind of idea of ownership and that this is their campus and to be proud of it.”

Maxwell said App State students and fans should have fun on game days, but also be accountable for themselves.

“We can put all these programs in place, but everyone has to participate, change their behavior and act responsible,” Maxwell said.

In photos: Boone community strikes against climate change

On Friday, students, professors, and High Country locals gathered in downtown Boone to protest and voice their concerns over climate change. The strike was part of a global event where people all around the world gathered in their town to let the world know how the feel about this pressing issue.

Courtesy of Jesse Barber

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News

Sept. 27, 2019

Jason Gardner leads the march to paperless performances Ansley Puckett | Reporter

Jason Gardner is the new director of the Marching Mountaineers and is now incorporating technology into the program and band’s practice routine.

John Park

Cell phones attached to instruments are not something usually seen during marching band practice, but for the Marching Mountaineers, this is now commonplace.

The marching band is undergoing new changes under the leadership of Jason Gardner, who replaced interim band director, Donald Peach, this fall. A major change Gardner is making to the program is incorporating technology.

Gardner said the technology will help “North Carolina’s Band of Distinction” work more efficiently in all aspects of the program, including its contribution to waste.

“We’ve gone to try to be a paperless band this year, so we introduced a new app on the phone for the students to use called the Ultimate Drill Book,” Gardner said.

The Ultimate Drill Book, or “The World’s Best Marching Band Tools” as the company has coined itself, is an app designed to help marching band students learn their places on the football field for performances.

“What it has done is allowed us to not have to print off anymore music for the students. We don’t have to print off drill charts, and we could easily go through 50,00060,000 sheets of paper a year, and now, we don’t have any of that,” Gardner said.

Band members can learn their marching patterns and see their sheet music

through the app, too.

“Students can actually see animation.

They can look themselves up on the field, and they get a whole lot more information than they would get just looking at a piece of paper,” Gardner said.

Drum major Andy Escamilla said the new technology also gives band members new responsibilities.

“One of the biggest things is Gardner’s pacing and accountability. He wants us to keep ourselves accountable and make sure that we’re learning our music. Looking at things ahead of time as opposed to years past, where the director has been more loose on that,” said Escamilla, a senior music education major.

Gardner and Escamilla said using technology to communicate is key to the band’s future success.

“I send out weekly announcements through an app called Remind101 so the students always know what the goal of each rehearsal is going to be. Then they come to rehearsal, and they are better prepared to be efficient,” Gardner said.

As a student leader in the marching band, Escamilla said the new technologies have already started to improve the program.

“It’s all a trickle-down effect. It starts at the top and then goes to the bottom,”

Escamilla said. “Communication has gone very well using the Remind and different GroupMe chats with leadership, or just certain sections of the band. I think it’s helped the efficiency; that way, everybody gets the information that they need.”

Drum major Sarah Gosnell said that Gardner’s changes and passion for the program has helped the band members grow.

“Because he is new, he is able to objectively look at things that we have grown accustomed to and challenge those norms,” said Gosnell, a junior music therapy major. “He is passionate about band and about helping the band succeed on and off the field.”

Gardner said he hopes these changes will benefit the spirit of the Marching Mountaineers, as well.

“My goals for this year are just to make sure that students play as well as possible, they march as well as possible and they have a wonderful time doing it,” Gardner said.

Although he will graduate in the spring, Escamilla said he is hopeful for the future of the band.

“I can only see this band going up. Already this year, I’ve seen massive improvements from years past, so from here on, I can only imagine it gets better,” Escamilla said.

App State fraternity no longer acknowledged by university Emily Broyles | Asscociate News Editor

The Omicron Alpha chapter Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity is no longer officially recognized at App State after numerous reports of breaking student conduct and assaulting women.

TKE was on organizational suspension since Jan. 2017 when it was decided the fraternity continued “a pattern of behavior that is incompatible with App State’s policies,” according to a press release from Copeley Johnson & Groninger PLLC. on Sept. 13.

Copeley Johnson & Groninger represented former App State stu-

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dents in a legal case against TKE. The alleged behavior included problematic social media posts involving the chapter, reports of police responding to calls at homes of chapter members, chapter members receiving referrals from student conduct and credible accusations of assault on women, according to the press release.

Jeff Cathey, director of student engagement and leadership, wrote in a letter to the chapter, which was founded at App State in 1973, that the organization will not be considered for renewal as an expansion

chapter before spring 2023.

“Regardless of specifics of individual concerns, these instances indicate a persisting pattern sufficient to convince me that Tau Kappa Epsilon does not currently have a culture that is compatible with our policy,” Cathey wrote.

During a formal hearing process, TKE was found responsible for failure to comply; violation of law; violation of university, national, and local policies, regulations and rules, according to the press release.

Because of these violations of the Organizational Code of Con-

duct, TKE’s original suspension was changed to removal on May 6. Leto Copeley, an attorney for a former App State student, said her client was affected by some of TKE’s behavior, but believes there may have been other behavior that led to the organization’s removal.

“Unfortunately, this fraternity decided its members could follow their own set of rules, regardless of the consequences. Not a single one of the events that caused TKE to lose its recognition would have occurred had TKE members taken the original suspension seriously,” Cope-

ley said.

Copeley said her clients are pleased App State took action on the case, protecting students from further unlawful behavior.

Copeley’s Durham law firm, Copeley Johnson & Groniger PLLC, represents survivors of sexual abuse.

Copeley serves as president of the National Crime Victim Bar Association, a program dedicated to “helping victims seek justice through the civil system,” according to its website.

Sept. 27, 2019

Hard hats and hammers

News

App Builds a Home lends a helping hand to local family Harley Nefe | Chief Copy Editor People carrying wooden beams and metal scaffolding were on the move.

The pounding of hammers and the scissoring of saws were constant. One worker broke at least three hammers at the construction site. These were the sights and sounds of a new beginning for one Watauga County family.

The Barker family — David and Amy Barker, and their children, Nathan and Kali, were chosen by Watauga County Habitat for Humanity to receive a new home. This past Saturday, they saw their future home take form during a kickoff build event called the Blitz Build.

Volunteers, alongside the Barker family, are building the house in the Habitat for Humanity GreenWood subdivision off of N.C. Highway 194 beside Green Valley School. It is up a gravel road and surrounded by trees. The Barker family’s home is the sixth home built in the subdivision and is located across the street from Hollis Park, which includes a neighborhood playground.

Their home is expected to be completed in December, weather permitting.

“We’re still in disbelief, overwhelmed,” Amy Barker said, while watching volunteers build. “It’s a lot to process; (we’re) so blessed.”

The Barker family submitted their Habitat for Humanity application in February.

Eligible habitat families “might be dealing with poorly built, unhealthy, damaged, or inadequate housing,” have an unaffordable rent or mortgage, or be living in a home inaccessible for people with disabilities, according to the Watauga County Habitat for Humanity website.

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization that partners with communities all over the world to help build and improve affordable homes. Watauga County Habitat for Humanity’s vision is “a world where

everyone has a decent place to live,” according to its website.

Watauga County Habitat for Humanity builds one house each year and receives help from App State’s Habitat for Humanity Club.

The club focuses on the broader picture and helps build multiple homes, said junior interior design major Kayla McDougle, who is the club’s president.

For the Barkers’ home, Watauga County Habitat for Humanity also partnered with the App State group App Builds a Home.

“I’m just glad that this is happening because we’ve been working on this for a long time,” said Alex Hooker, executive director for Watauga County Habitat for Humanity.

App Builds a Home hosted its first interest meeting Sept. 6, 2018.

The App Builds a Home project can allow for the budgeting of an additional house each year, due to fundraising and community outreach that finds volunteers. The Barkers’ home is the first house built with the help of App Builds a Home.

The total cost of the Barkers’ home is close to $120,000. Watauga Habitat for Humanity contributed about $60,000. In one year, App Builds a Home fund raised nearly $30,000 to contribute by hosting events, such as percentage nights at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, bowling events and donation tables in Plemmons Student Union.

Around $30,000 still needs to be raised to complete the house.

Alongside App Builds a Home, Watauga County’s Habitat for Humanity and App State’s Habitat for Humanity Club, a construction crew called the Habitat Road Trip Crazies helped make the Blitz Build happen.

The “crazies” are a group of volunteers who mainly hail from Lynchburg, Virginia. However, some members are from other parts of the United

States, like Ohio and New Jersey. They travel, meet up and help with various habitat builds.

At the Blitz Build, the crazies attempted to bring a humorous side to building, as they hung up signs reading things like “Reward — lost $50, if found, just keep it” and “Dry paint,” on tents around the site.

The crazies wore attire like tuxedo T-shirts or hard hats styled in numerous ways, including cowboy hats, some decorated with American flags or mohawks on the top. However, most of the crazies wore pink and green T-shirts that read, “Peace, Love and Hammers.”

Around 100 App State volunteers

and 50 crazies helped start the Barkers’ home Sept. 21-22 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Different groups and organizations helped out in ways other than building the house.

For example, First Baptist Church donated bagged lunches with sandwiches and chips.

App State’s Integrative Design Experience Laboratory, a curriculum class in the building sciences program, allowed students to receive course credit for helping plan and design the Barkers’ house.

Tasks for volunteers included setting up scaffolding, putting up the home’s walls and painting siding.

Nathan Barker, 7, who could be found wearing a white hard hat with his name in red marker on the front, and Kali Barker, 5, both contributed their share of pounding nails into wood studs under supervision.

When asked if they were excited about their new house, the children’s consistent response was, “yes!”

“I want to help other people once we’re in (our house),” Amy Barker said.

“I can’t believe so many people came out here to do this. I forget how many good people are out there. It’s not nothing; it’s something. If they just knew how much this means to us.”

The Barker family stands on site as their future home is built by volunteers. The family was chosen by Watauga County Habitat for Humanity to receive this new home as part of the Blitz Build.

Holland Bostrom

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News Dean of Libraries steps down after progression of ALS

Sept. 27, 2019

Cameron Stuart | Reporter

Dane Ward is stepping down as Dean of Libraries at App State after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease two years ago. The diagnosis has provided Ward with the opportunity to get involved in the ALS community.

Courtesy of App State

After two successful years, Dane Ward is leaving his position as dean of libraries at App State due to his Lou Gehrig’s disease diagnosis.

He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in October 2017, two months after starting his position as dean of libraries.

ALS is a neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells that causes progressive loss in brain function loss and muscle movement control, according to the ALS Association.

Ward said the first symptoms began in his left leg. He now has limited functions in his legs, arms and speech, and relies on eye-tracking technology that allows him to type and access computers.

“I have become increasingly aware of the endless potential for continued growth and action,” Ward said. “I may be limited with physical motion, but I am continuing to be very involved and growing into new areas of influence and communication.”

Ward said he got involved in the ALS community by writing articles and working with neurologists to evaluate alternative treatments. Ward has also worked to unite librarians and people suffering from ALS. He said he believes a cure for ALS is close, as it has grown in public awareness

due to more large-scale publicity from the ice bucket challenge and public figures’ diagnoses, such as Stephen Hawking.

Darrell Kruger, provost and executive vice chancellor, said libraries are a student-centric part of campus, and Ward has helped App State’s evolve.

“He’s a seasoned librarian, so he’s brought new thinking to the university,” Kruger said. “He’s a great and decent human being.”

Kruger said Ward had a profound impact on both himself and the university, sharing that he was enriched through his direction with Ward.

“He’s a quiet, thoughtful, deliberate leader when he’s leading in his challenges or when things are going well,” Kruger said.

Ward said he has enjoyed his tenure as dean.

“The university has a great reputation, as does this library, so it was just a wonderful move for us to have this opportunity,” Ward said.

Ward said the people are what he will miss the most about his job, including students, faculty, administrators and staff, but particularly the chancellor, provost and deans.

“In general, the support that I’ve had across the board, especially since my diagnosis, has been amazing,” Ward said. “The university and library have really gone out of their way to support me and help me to do the job, despite the disability.”

Kruger said he looks forward to his continued interaction with Ward, as Ward will continue his affiliation with the university, regardless of his exit as dean. “(ALS has) made it very difficult to continue. However, when a door closes, another opens,” Ward said. “I have had a great opportunity to talk about and research ALS for an audience I never anticipated working with.”

I may be limited with physical motion, but I am continuing to be very involved and growing into new areas of influence and communication.

University provides resources for the 43% of students impacted by food insecurity Josie Barnes | Reporter

Food insecurity affects about 43% of App State students, according to the Office of Sustainability’s Outreach Coordinator Rebecca Walton — a problem organizations like the Office of Sustainability and F.A.R.M. Cafe are working to correct.

History professor Jeffrey Bortz said he believes food insecurity is a serious problem that needs addressing, and solutions need to be implemented to help food-insecure students.

During the 2017-18 academic year, one of three students experienced food insecurity, according to a study by Bortz. He is currently work-

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ing on a second survey to determine if food insecurity is affecting more or fewer students. Its findings should be released at the end of the 2019-20 school year.

The Office of Sustainability created a food pantry in 2016 that was recently rebranded as a resource hub to help students get food, clothes, school supplies and reusables.

Walton said an estimated 10 to 20 students visit the food pantry every day.

The App State Food Resource Hub and Free Store is open to App State students and faculty members

in need of food or goods. The store offers food items, such as nonperishables, fresh bread and local seasonal fruits and vegetables, according to the University Sustainability website.

“We renamed the food pantry the Food Resource Hub because it’s more than just one food pantry,” said Steffey Guigou, a senior community and regional planning major and sustainability office ambassador. “We have a couple of different satellite food pantries all over campus and we put those in place after faculty members reached out to us talking about how some of their students are food insecure.”

Food resources are now available in the hubs at the basement of East Hall, the James Center in Reich College of Education, the Student Access Office in DD Dougherty and Garwood Hall.

Alice Gryder, office manager for the Office of Sustainability, said her office is hosting a fall film series, showing “Urban Roots” in October, a film about food insecurity in Detroit to help educate students on the growing problem and the significance of helping people who are food insecure.

Additionally, F.A.R.M. Cafe operates as a nonprofit, pay-what-you-

can community kitchen that builds a healthy and inclusive community, according to its website.

Kim Short, the front house manager, said their vision “is to eliminate hunger in the High Country.”

The founder of F.A.R.M Cafe Renee Boughman said working at the cafe is a “fulfilling job that makes me feel like I’m accomplishing more than just a paycheck.”

A&C

Sept. 27, 2019

Multicultural Student Development graduate assistant sustains inclusive environment Marlen Cardenas | Reporter

During his first 12 years at App State, Marco Fonseca-Rodriguez was an undergraduate student, a graduate student and an academic coordinator. Now, he is the new assistant director for Multicultural Student Development.

“I wanted to make a transition to work with students that are already here,” Fonseca-Rodriguez said. “I felt like it was time to make a professional change. I wanted a new challenge, and I was looking forward to having more interaction and more contact with the students that are here and seeing what their experience was like at Appalachian.”

Fonseca-Rodriguez graduated in 2011 with two bachelor’s degrees in international and comparative politics and French, and went on to get his master’s degree in geography.

PEOPLE OF

BOONE

In addition to classes, Fonseca-Rodriguez was president of the International Friendship Association, a men’s soccer club member, a resident assistant at the Living Learning Center, head lab manager at the tutoring center and a diversity scholar.

“I helped at a number of different events, welcoming prospective students and families, working with underrepresented populations and building a more inclusive environment for those who are already here or are looking to come here,” Fonseca-Rodriguez said.

Coordinator of MSD Kendall Rankin said Fonseca-Rodriguez can bridge the gap between Latinx students and MSD. “Having Marco onboard has given us the opportunity to make sure we are going beyond just being transactional with students of

the Latinx population. It is sending a message that we are being genuine about our interactions and what it is we are doing to make sure that we are supporting everyone,” Rankin said.

Sophomore electronic media and broadcasting major Brenda Valdez said she is optimistic about Fonseca-Rodriguez’s new position.

“The ideas that he has, especially about the representation for the Latinx and Asian population, is something that he knows is needed. It looks like he’s really going to do his best that this is possible,” Valdez said.

Valdez is the public relations chair for the Hispanic Student Association and said she has already noticed MSD is more involved with the multicultural clubs on campus.

“What I’m seeing right now

is that they are trying to reach out to us more,” Valdez said. “A lot still needs to be done, but I think they are doing a pretty good job, and it’s going to get better. I think (Fonseca-Rodriguez) is doing a really good job, and I hope that in my last three years here at App, I get to see him keep doing great things.”

Rankin said he hopes MSD continues to become more “inclusive and intentional” when working with students from diverse backgrounds.

MSD is for all students, not just students of color, Fonseca-Rodriguez said.

“We want to make sure that people know that our doors are always open to have dialogue about any sort of topic that they feel is necessary to address,” Fonseca-Rodriguez said. “To the rest

of the campus, who maybe don’t know how to navigate conversations about social justice, or racial tension, or religious differences, we are here.”

Fonseca-Rodriguez also wants to continue to help the university with diversification and make sure students feel the same safety and acceptance he felt as a student.

“I want to ensure that all of our students have a truly unique and transformative experience when they come to Appalachian — one that they feel supported in, safe in and challenged in so they can continue growing,” Fonseca-Rodriguez said. “I’m happy to be in this role; I’m happy that I was given this opportunity, and now, I want to make sure that I am able to be that resource for our students.”

Audree McClure she/her “In 2016, I went to my first music festival in Martinsville, Virginia. I was exposed to many new things that would’ve scared a normal 16-year-old, but I was fascinated. One of the things I picked up there was my love of flow art. I found myself at Rooster Walk that year, thanks to this artform. After the festival, I bought a hoop and started practicing. I’ve connected with other members of the flow arts world who have helped me realize just how wonderful it is to be free.

Flowing calms me. It’s my time where I can be alone with my music and my hoop. It empowers me and makes me feel stronger. I hoop for myself. To better myself and to relax myself. I’ve been hooping for almost four years, and I’ve never felt more confident. I’m excited to branch out and explore other props within the flow art community. Flowing has helped me in various aspects of my life, and I can’t wait to see what it will bring to me in the future.”

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A&C

Sept. 27, 2019

Club partners with local organizations to advocate for children’s rights Camryn Collier | Reporter An App State club is devoted to advocating for and educating the public on children’s rights in the High Country through service projects, ranging from diaper drives to Homecoming festivities.

Children in the High Country need financial help, and a bubble of unawareness on App State’s campus prevents students from seeing and acknowledging the needs around us, Children’s Advocacy Club President Seth Negus said.

“It’s not just all over the world. It’s here right outside of the door, right outside of campus, just a few steps,” Ne-

gus said.

CAC works with partnerships across Watauga County, including Western Youth Network, Parent to Parent, Who Needs a Change? of the High Country, and the social services and foster care system, senior health care management major and event coordinator Abbey Sronce said.

Negus, a senior public relations major, found his love for helping children after working in his high school theater department.

“I was in charge of all the younger kids, so all the younger kids that came

Sharing the shame:

open mic invites community cringe storytelling Georgia Privott | Reporter Everyone has a story that makes their nose crinkle and head shake with embarrassment. It’s a memory buried beneath years of shame and humiliation, hoping to never be uncovered.

Students revealed those hidden stories Sept. 20 at The Peel’s Mortified Open Mic night at 3rd Place. The Peel Literature and Arts Review started bringing cringe-willing people together three years ago, after Elena Sanchez, senior art and visual culture major, got the inspiration from an online series called “Mortified.”

“Mortified” is a podcast and YouTube series in which people tell their most embarrassing stories to strangers online. Sanchez said people come with their rendition of what “morti-

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fied” means to them.

“I like the creativity that can go along with even a structured event and event that is national because each (story) is different,” Sanchez said.

One by one, people slowly volunteered to tell their bathroom horror stories while traveling to foreign countries, failed middle school love confessions and date disasters. The audience laughed and winced together as people told each story.

I think it’s liberating for the person speaking, but also just hilarious,” said Ella Crookshanks, senior English major and host of the open mic.

Crookshanks said it’s fun to watch the audience's reactions because they range from laughing to cringing.

on to be Munchkins in the ‘Wizard of Oz,’ I would be keeping them entertained while they were off stage,” Negus said.

The enjoyment he found working with kids encouraged him to join CAC, a club centered around meeting the needs of children in Boone, Negus said.

“It’s one thing to like kids; it’s one thing to work with kids, but it’s another thing to actually see those problems and want to help the kids,” Negus said.

The club works with these organizations through fundraising, event volunteering, child care and organizing drives for necessities, like diapers and school supplies.

One of CAC’s most frequent events is the diaper drive for Who Needs A Change? of the High Country, Negus said.

Who Needs A Change? is a diaper bank that started after Meggan Knight, a former teacher in Watauga County, saw children in school wrapped in newspapers and month-old diapers, Negus said.

The club stands outside local grocery stores to collect diaper donations.

CAC volunteers ask for monetary donations or people can buy diapers and donate on the spot, Negus said.

“We try to really go out into the community and do some really good work. We don’t just go play with children,” Negus said. “We have a great need in the Boone community, and beyond that, we’re really trying to get people to pay attention, too, and become more involved.”

CAC has also organized the Festival of Trees with Western Youth Network, where the club decorates a Christmas tree based on a theme. The tree is sold and all proceeds go to WYN. “Growing up, I had a family that was so supportive of me and provided me with all the resources that I needed, and there are just so many kids that don’t have that family,” Sronce said.

“So, when I came here, seeing the need

The Child Advocacy Club is an organization centered around raising awareness for children’s rights in the High County. The organization works with local networks, social services and the foster care system to help fundraise and support the cause locally.

Courtesy of Children’s Advocacy Club

here burst my bubble of this world that I live in, and seeing the struggles really makes me think about what I would need if I was there and what would I want from my community.”

Recently, CAC has worked closely with Watauga County Social Services. Jessica Winebarger, a social worker in Watauga County, gave a presentation during a CAC meeting, explaining the needs of the foster care system in the High Country.

Winebarger said recent movement in the North Carolina General Assembly, including House Bill 918, has created stricter laws about foster care and parental drug abuse. Section 3 cites that if a juvenile or newborn is exposed to drugs that are not medically related, then it is considered non-secure custody, and the child is removed to another family member, according to the NCGA. With the surge of drug-addicted newborns in recent years due to the opioid epidemic, more newborns are entering the foster care system, especially if one of the relatives of another fit guardian can’t help the child.

Around 40 cases of opioid-addicted newborns have been reported in Watauga County since January, Winebarger said.

Changes in laws due to the opioid epidemic correlate to a strain on the foster system. Last year, the number of kids in the Watauga County foster system went from 35 to 76; most were newborns and toddlers. The organization has had a hard time maintaining enough money to cover the influx, Winebarger said.

CAC worked with local foster services Sept. 21-22 for the Foster/Adopt Conference. This helped prospective foster or adoptive parents complete the required 10 hours of continuing education to learn more about how to care and raise foster or adopted children.

CAC members helped with child care, snacks and general volunteering.

In the coming weeks, CAC is planning its first diaper drive of the 2019-20 academic year. The club will also host a fundraiser at Come Back Shack Nov. 3 to raise money for some of its partner organizations.

Sept. 27, 2019

Theater consulting group teaches on-stage consent to students and faculty Erin O’Neill | Reporter

Movie Review

The Goldfinch Graphic by Hannah Comeskey

Ebony Foster | Reporter Loss, duality, guilt, art, preservation and atonement. These themes make up “The Goldfinch,” a film centered around Theodore Decker, a 13-year-old boy who lost his mother in a tragic terrorist bombing at an art gallery. Decker is portrayed by two actors — Oakes Fegley and Ansel Elgort — because the film takes place in the past and present.

Fegley’s portrayal of Decker is earnest, and showcases a talent well beyond his years. One can’t help but get sucked into the film’s events by his emotional acting alone. Fegley brings a believable pain, seen through the eyes of a child, while also brilliantly exhibiting adult-like intelligence.

Though he performs alongside veteran actors like Nicole Kidman and Jeffrey Wright, young Decker’s trauma and search for a safe home while keeping a massive secret drives the story. This secret causes him to fracture mentally and emotionally, which is beautifully portrayed by Feg-

ley and Elgort.

Elgort gives one of the more vulnerable performances of his career when he plays adult Decker living, as what most would call, a successful adulthood, despite everything he went through. But, under the charming smile lies a man drowning under pressure from hiding past sins and having survivor’s guilt.

It isn’t until the film’s climax, when he reunites with his childhood friend Boris, played by Finn Wolfhard and Aneurin Barnard, that the truth finally comes to a head. Decker faces himself and his loss and sets things right, even when it takes him across the world.

The film’s themes, while somewhat apparent in the script, are also portrayed in the cinematography and set designs. Art is present not only in pieces complementing a background, but in set design and the occasional wardrobe choice. Most camera framing and movements make viewers feel

as if they are walking through a gallery of Decker’s tragic life story.

At times, certain editing choices give the impression of disjointed moments, resulting in a feeling of lost time. However, they could have reflected the effects of drugs Decker turns to in times of stress.

The film did not earn many positive reviews upon its release, which is understandable. The drama in the film’s first half has a “start and stop” feel that causes a slower plot pace.

Plus, there are scenes some viewers might find triggering, particularly scenes depicting a bombing, the abuse of minors and constant drug use.

If character-driven dramas are not your cup of tea, don’t bore yourself. However, if you don’t mind watching a character struggle like a bird trapped in a cage, then go ahead and treat yourself to “The Goldfinch.”

Theatrical Intimacy Education, a consulting group, came to App State for the first time to teach students and faculty about an up-and-coming practice in the theatrical community known as intimacy training, which emphasizes consent and setting boundaries on stage.

Among the 40 students who participated in the training on Sept. 7 was senior theatre arts major Maddie Coggin, who said the training “takes on those intimate stage moments and attempts to make them desexualized and attempts to make them comfortable and inclusive to everybody.”

Theatrical Intimacy Education was founded in 2017. According to its website, the goal of the training is to “empower artists with the tools to ethically, efficiently and effectively stage intimacy, nudity and sexual violence.”

Coggin said the training encourages actors to discuss how certain scenes make them feel, take breaks from a scene if needed and set boundaries on stage.

“They focus a lot on understanding consent and on any given day that you can have certain boundaries up,” Coggin said.

Coggin is the assistant director for the theater department’s upcoming show, “Peter and the Starcatcher” and said knowledge from the workshop will not only be applied to the upcoming show, but all future shows and some classes within the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Teresa Lee, professor of theatre arts and director of “Peter and the Starcatcher,” said intimacy training is “up-and-coming” in the world of theater.

“We really feel like we’re on the cutting edge with getting the co-founders of the consulting group here to do the intimacy education training with our faculty and our students,” Lee said.

Lee said the training allows actors and directors to do their best work, and the training “moves them beyond making assumptions” into an effective and efficient way of working.

“I have to believe that if people are more comfortable in the working environment from the start, then it can help remove some of that awkwardness that might have found its way into their performances or if there are any sort of hidden barriers or hesitancies, then we’ve approached it from an intentional, aware practice,” Lee said.

...if you aren’t feeling safe and comfortable, you’re not going to perform at your best...

Coggin said the tools they learned in training were applied in rehearsal the next day, and several people who didn’t attend the workshop were eager to learn about it. She said if given the opportunity, she thinks students would attend the workshop again.

Coggin and Lee said they received strong feedback about the training, and many are confident the workshop will produce positive results for actors and those working behind the scenes.

“I know in the past we’ve had shows where students felt like they were almost forced into doing something a certain way, and it was not what they wanted,” Coggins said.

“And if you aren’t feeling safe and comfortable, you’re not going to perform at your best. So, I think in the long run, it creates a better environment, which creates a better performance and a better process.”

9

Sports

Sept. 27, 2019

GAME DAY

Game 4 | Saturday, Sept. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Kidd Brewer Stadium | Boone, N.C.

Appalachian State (3-0, 0-0 Sun Belt)

VS

Coastal Carolina (3-1, 0-0 Sun Belt)

Game Notes:

After coming away victorious from each of the first three games, App State looks to remain undefeated as it takes on Sun Belt foe, Coastal Carolina. In week three, the Mountaineers took down UNC, which was their first Power Five win since the victory over No. 5 Michigan in 2007. App State will have to stave off a hangover after the emotional win as the Chanticleers are no tune-up game.The Chanticleers also have a Power Five win this year. They beat Kansas 12-7 on Sept 7. Coastal Carolina sits atop the Sun Belt East Division alongside App State with three wins apiece, meaning this game plays a pivotal role in who will participate in the postseason conference championship.

Sun Belt East Matchup:

Saturday’s matchup will be the first conference game of the season for both sides. Currently, both teams are tied for first in the east with three non-conference wins apiece. The two teams will battle to keep conference championship dreams alive and take sole possession of first in the east.

Undefeated: App State and Coastal Carolina have met five times in their programs’ histories. The Mountaineers won all five games. However, Coastal has opened its season with an impressive 3-1 record, winning by an average of nearly 18 points per game. This year’s Chanticleers will attempt to make history and finally take down App State.

Perfection: For the first time since joining college football’s premier Football Bowl Subdivision level, the Mountaineers have started their season 3-0. The last time App State won its first three games was in 2010. The Mountaineers will look to continue their success against the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina on Saturday.

PLAYER TO WATCH

POINTS PER GAME

44

#3 Darrynton Evans Jr. Running Back

OPP. POINTS PER GAME

26.3

YARDS PER GAME

429

OPP. YARDS PER GAME

429

POINTS PER GAME

35.8 OPP. POINTS PER GAME

Evans was voted preseason first-team all-Sun Belt running back by the ten Sun Belt teams’ coaches and certain media representatives.

Evans averages 137 rushing yards per game thus far in the season, while Coastal Carolina only gives up 106.8 rushing yards per game.

Evans has accumulated the third-most rushing touchdowns in the country through the first three games of the season with seven, while first and second in the nation stand at nine and eight across four games.

18

YARDS PER GAME

456.5

OPP. YARDS PER GAME

254.3

Sept. 27, 2019

Darrynton Evans From small town kid to star running back

Sports

Silas Albright | Sports Editor Darrynton Evans is a name all App State football fans have come to know and love since the running back’s 2016 arrival.

Evans scored three touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ 34-31 victory over UNC and was week two’s hero in the 56-41 victory over Charlotte, scoring four total touchdowns on 298 total yards.

“He provides a spark; he’s a great player and a great leader at the same time,” junior center Noah Hannon said. “I think that his hard work and everything he does off the field is what you see on the field. We’re happy to have him; he’s a big part of our offense.”

The redshirt junior hails from Oak Hill, Florida, a town of just over 2,000 residents situated about 100 miles south of Jacksonville.

“It’s a real small town,” Evans said. “You got one blinking light; you got a

Dollar General store and one gas station. That’s really it.”

For Evans, a lot of the town is family.

“I’m related to basically the whole city,” Evans said.

“Everywhere around where I stayed was family — cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents on both sides were in the small town. It’s a real close-knit city.”

Besides family, Oak Hill had another key component for Evans: football. Evans said he began playing organized football around age 7, but he was around the sport well before that.

“I used to always go to my older brother’s (practices),” Evans said. “He’s seven years older than me. I used to be out there running around the field getting in trouble when I really wasn’t supposed to be on the field.”

We know, more than likely, without athletics, we really wouldn’t get too much of a shot going to college and getting it paid for.

Even with so many important parts of his life in and around Oak Hill, Evans was prepared when it was time for him to leave to play college football nearly 600 miles away in the mountains of North Carolina.

“With me being the youngest of four, I (saw) everybody else go off to college, so I kind of already expected it when it was my turn,” Evans said.

Being the youngest gave Evans the chance to see many of his family members also go off and play football at the next level.

“Just seeing a lot of family members coming from my small town of Oak Hill go play college football, I knew at some point I could do it,” Evans said. “I really just looked up to them and followed everything they did.”

Some of the family members Evans mentioned were wide receiver Dallas Baker, a Super Bowl champion with the Steelers and current wide receivers coach at his alma mater Marshall University; safety D’Cota Dixon, a Wisconsin alum and current NFL rookie for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; and defensive lineman Darious Cummings, who played for Florida State and the University of Florida.

“We most definitely take pride in where we’re from,” Evans said. “We know, more than likely, without athletics, we really wouldn’t get too much of a shot going to college and getting it paid for.”

When it came time for Evans to make his college commitment decision, App State was where he decided he would grow his football family.

“The coaching staff made it seem like family, and

when I came up here, it was a good vibe,” Evans said. “I talked to the older players, and they kept it real with me and told me what to expect.”

As a true freshman, Evans served mostly as App State’s all-time leading rusher Marcus Cox’s backup, and in 2017, he redshirted due to injury. Last season, Evans began to make a name for himself.

Jalin Moore was the starting running back until he suffered a season-ending ankle injury at Arkansas State Oct. 9. Evans took over as the starter for the next eight games, going on to lead the Sun Belt with 1,187 rushing yards. He was named to the all-Sun Belt first team and was the Sun Belt Championship game MVP. Evans finished last season as No. 3 in the nation with six runs of at least 50 yards.

Now, Evans is the feature back for a 3-0 App State team that received 24 votes in the most recent Associated Press poll. He is one of the Mountaineers’ most exciting and important players. A naturally quiet person, Evans said he’s been working on becoming a better, more vocal leader for his teammates.

“Now, I’m really just trying to step outside of my quiet box,” Evans said. “I really don’t like to talk a lot, but I bring energy, and I lead. I try and lead, a lot more like a vocal leader than a lead-by-example kind of guy.”

Running backs coach Garrett Riley has noticed how much the other running backs and teammates respect Evans.

“I think one of the best things about Darrynton is that he’s a good teammate,” Riley said. “He’s a guy that guys respect, obviously, because of his production and what he does on the field, but he’s about as consistent as they make ‘em. He’s definitely setting a good example for the rest of our players, in our room especially, and I think they look at him that way.”

According to Hannon, Evans combines skills in a way that sets him apart from other running backs.

“I think he has very good vision: I think that’s what you look for in a really good running back,” Hannon said.

“Whether they’re fast or slow, if they have good vision, they can hit the holes and make big plays. You pair his vision with his speed and athletic ability and I think that’s what makes him a great back.”

Evans also excels at decision making, something he has shown on long kickoff returns and rushes time and time again. Evans holds the program record for most kickoffs returned for touchdowns with three.

“He’s a guy that knows when to pull the trigger; he knows when to be decisive and stick his toe on the ground and hit it,” Riley said. “Skillset wise, obviously, he’s very fast; he’s elusive; he’s stronger than people think; he can run through arm tackles. Obviously, that’s what we want in our room, for sure.”

11

Sports

Sept. 27, 2019

App State beats UNC in historic 34-31 victory in Chapel Hill Silas Albright | Sports Editor When the Mountaineers marched into the sea of Carolina blue in Kenan Stadium on Sept. 21, they knew they belonged there. From seats to pompoms to end zones and trim, the sea of blue was still pristine 90 minutes before kickoff; before the gates were opened and fans decked out in black and gold started to fill the seats.

As more fans came in, App State’s presence became more noticeable. By

kickoff, there were full fledged “APP” “STATE” chants behind the Mountaineer sideline. The scattered black and gold-wearing fans felt they belonged there, as well, cheering on their team like usual.

Business continued as the Mountaineers opened up a commanding 2710 lead in the second quarter that they would never relinquish. The game had the feel of just another game, but in reality, this one meant more.

“It’s an indescribable feeling,” ju-

nior wide receiver Thomas Hennigan said. “I can’t put into words right now how much this means to us as a football team, and then as a university, and then as a fanbase.”

It’s no secret that the first Power Five win since Michigan in 2007 and first win over UNC in school history meant a lot to the program. After coming up short against Tennessee in 2016, Wake Forest in 2017 and Penn State in 2018, the Mountaineers were finally able to check the box off

game day grades 34-31 Overall team grade: a+ After getting off to a fiery start it looked as if the Mountaineers might have let another game of this stature slip away, but they made the necessary plays to earn their first win against a Power Five school since 2007. App State showed that they can compete with the biggest schools and made a huge statement to future opponents.

To read the full grades go to www.theappalachianonline.com

Quarterbacks

Defensive line

Running backs

Secondary

B+ b

Wide receivers

a

c+

Linebackers

B+

b

c+

A-

Offensive line

Special Teams

for the first time since joining the Football Bowl Subdivison in 2014.

Just because the victory was a little sweeter than others doesn’t mean the Mountaineers treated the matchup any differently. App State has won bowls in four straight seasons and at least a share of the Sun Belt titles for the last three. UNC won five games over the past two seasons combined.

“It wasn’t going to be an upset,” head coach Eliah Drinkwitz said post game. “We belonged on that football field today, and we wanted to prove it.”

UNC started the game off with a bang, taking the opening kickoff 75 yards and then scoring a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to take an early 7-0 lead.

The Mountaineers got the ball back and drove to the UNC 4 yard line before junior quarterback Zac Thomas was sacked on third and goal. App State settled for a 31-yard field goal from junior kicker Chandler Staton, who split the uprights for three points.

After allowing that early touchdown, the Mountaineer defense took over in the first quarter. UNC went three-and-out on its next drive, and then had the next drive end in a stripsack fumble recovery for a 20-yard touchdown from junior defensive lineman Demetrius Taylor. App State led 13-7 after the first quarter.

“I felt like I was going to catch him the whole time,” Taylor said.

“Once he settled down and tried to set his feet and throw the ball, it was just over from there.”

In the second quarter, Taylor tipped a pass and held onto it for an interception and his second takeaway of the day. Taylor’s interception set the Mountaineer offense up at UNC’s 26yard line. The Mountaineers scored on a 5-yard rush from junior running back Darrynton Evans to take a 20-7 lead with 12:24 left in the second quarter.

UNC scored on a 25-yard field goal, and App State scored another touchdown before the Tar Heels drove 75-yards in just under three minutes to score a touchdown and make it 27-17 at halftime.

Both defenses were able to hold the other team scoreless until the Tar Heels marched 98 yards to cut the score to 27-24 with less than five minutes to go in the third.

Thomas responded with a 31-

yard pass to Hennigan, followed by a 43-yard connection with Malik Williams to get to the UNC three yard line. Evans punched in his third touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run and brought the Mountaineers back up two possessions, at 34-24 with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

“It gave everyone on our sideline that energy,” Drinkwitz said. “I knew if we could keep it a two-score game that we were going to win.”

In the fourth quarter, both defenses held strong and the only score came when freshman quarterback Sam Howell led his team up the field and scored the first rushing touchdown of his career to make it 34-31 with 3:01 left in the game.

The Mountaineers were able to run 2:31 off the clock before they were forced to give the ball back to the Tar Heels. UNC started at their own 20yard line with 30 seconds left to play and no timeouts. They made it to the 39-yard line of App State before the field goal unit came on for a 56-yard attempt. Senior linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither tipped the kick, and when it fell short, the Mountaineers secured the win.

Senior linebacker Jordan Fehr had a game-high 15 total tackles and fellow senior linebacker Davis-Gaither finished second on the team with eight total tackles. Davis-Gaither’s interception toward the end of the third quarter was the first of his career.

The Mountaineers out-tackled the Tar Heels 93-66 in the game, while holding UNC to 7-of-16 on third down conversions.

Thomas finished the game with 224 yards and an interception on 20of-29 passing. He also rushed for 57 yards on six carries.

Evans racked up 78 yards and all three of App State’s offensive touchdowns on 19 carries. Wide receiver Corey Sutton caught seven passes for 58 yards in his first game of the season.

Williams caught six passes for a career high 78 yards, and Hennigan caught six passes for 90 yards.

The Mountaineers will shift their focus to conference play next week when they host Coastal Carolina on Sept. 28. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. from Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Sept. 27, 2019

Sports

in photos: App State vs. UNC Chapel Hill

The Mountaineers defeated UNC Chapel Hill in a nail-biter on Saturday with a final score of 34-31. Senior linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither blocked a field goal attempt in the final seconds of the fourth quarter to hold onto their three-point lead. The victory over the Tar Heels marked the first time App State has won against a Power Five team since 2007 against Michigan.

Lynette Files

13

Sports

Sept. 27, 2019

Men’s soccer off to strong start

heading into conference play Franklin Bogle | Reporter

Sophomore forward Kelan Swales zooms past a defender from American. The men's soccer team is currently 5-2 for the season after Saturday's victory over UNC Greensboro.

Courtesy of App State Athletics

App State men’s soccer is off to a hot start early in the 2019 season. In seven games, the Mountaineers have gone 5-2, outscoring opponents 10-6.

“The guys made a commitment to come back early this summer. We returned a lot of guys, and everyone got on our board and is executing the way we want to,” head coach Jason O’Keefe said.

The early success is caused by many factors. Several newcomers have scored their first career goals, like true freshman attacker Nick Rogers, who has one goal on the season. Returning attackers from last season have also scored. In total, seven players have accounted

14

for the Mountaineers’ 10 total goals.

The chemistry and unselfishness has helped the Mountaineer goal scorers find the back of the net.

“The passing has been really good. We talked about it, and it doesn’t matter who scores the goals, as long as we get it done,” senior midfielder Alex McGrath said.

McGrath is one of the team’s captains and has two assists this year.

Another reason for the team’s success is redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jacob Madden. Madden has allowed an average of .86 goals a game, registering 26 saves on the year. He took over as starting goalkeeper after longtime Mountaineer

goalkeeper Jake Chasteen graduated after last season.

“We’ve told Jacob that he’s not replacing Jake, he’s creating his own legacy. He's come in and exceeded everything; he’s not only done what he needs to do, but he’s bailed us out with some spectacular saves,” O’Keefe said.

One of the main talking points since the beginning of the season has been defense.

“From the beginning, we’ve talked about defense as a team. It starts with those guys and midfield, and the back six, and they’ve just done their job to make my job easier,” Madden said.

The team also thrives under McGrath, along with several other key returners. Senior midfielder Austin Hill returns after a second team all-Sun Belt selection last year.

The team's leading goal scorer returns, as well. Camden Holbrook, a sophomore forward, scored six goals last season. Holbrook scored a goal in a 1-0 victory over American on Sept. 8.

“As a captain, I try to show up every day and bring my best because it's about the collective mentality. At the end of the day, it’s about how we play as a unit,” McGrath said.

The team has maintained a solid scoring attack, while playing team defense. With Madden playing well and the passing game at its best, App State look to compete for the Sun Belt crown this season.

Stats accurate prior to Wednesday, Sept.

25’s game vs. UNC Asheville.

My last

word Brooks Maynard | Columnist

This past week, the App State football team traveled to Chapel Hill to take on ACC opponent North Carolina in possibly its most anticipated matchup of the season. The Mountaineers fought hard during all four quarters and blocked a field goal in the closing seconds to win 34-31, their first Power Five victory since defeating No. 5 Michigan in similar fashion in 2007.

While a road win against a Power Five team would normally warrant a significant ranking boost, the Mountaineers only rose four slots in the Associated Press poll this week, from unofficial No. 36 to No. 32. Even with eight of the 21 teams between App State and the No. 15 slot losing games this week, the Mountaineers didn’t break the top 30.

It’s time for the disrespect App State football receives nationally to end. The Mountaineers are one of the few Group of Five teams consistently ranked in the top 50 in the country for the last four seasons, with a defense that’s spent significant time in the top 15.

They have competed with Power Five talent every season, coming within a touchdown in overtime of defeating Penn State on the road in 2018, and before that, losing by only one point to Wake Forest in a mistake-riddled game in 2017.

They’ve won three straight conference championships and are undefeated in bowl games.

With all this in mind, it’s truly a head scratcher why App State is unable to receive the respect it deserves. But, even without it, junior wide receiver Thomas Hennigan said the Mountaineers aren’t scared to go out and prove they’ve earned it time and time again.

“We’re definitely open to anyone that wants to play us,” Hennigan said after the UNC game.

Opinion

Sept. 27, 2019

Want to be heard?

Send letters-to-the-editor to editor@theappalachianonline.com

The

Tea

NCGA Republicans launch a desperate attack on democracy Tommy Mozier | Opinion Editor Each week, it seems I’m writing about something rotten within our state legislature or misuse of power by the ruling party. However, this week’s episode of rotten governance by the North Carolina General Assembly is emblematic of a much larger problem.

The new electoral maps drawn by the state legislature once again, unsurprisingly, favor Republicans. Although less biased than previous maps, Sam Wang, a gerrymandering expert from Princeton University, told The News & Observer the maps still contain “some partisanship.”

This is because politicians cannot draw their own voting districts without some bias.

The primary goal of a representative is to get re-elected, and they conduct themselves with that in mind. Partisanship aside, self-interest dictates that a legislative body cannot reasonably draw a map that affects their own job security.

The concept goes back to America’s founding. In “Federalist No. 10,” James Madison warned: “No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity.”

For this reason, outspoken Charlotte Democratic Sen. Jeff Jackson voted against the new maps. Although he told The News & Observer it was the fairest process resulting in the fairest maps North Carolina has seen in his lifetime, Jackson does not believe politicians should draw legislative maps on principle.

Instead, maps should be drawn by an independent commission of non-elected officials. Eight states already have them. The Brennan Center for Justice, a non-partisan law and public policy institute based in New York City, found non-partisan redistricting commissions are effective in limiting abuses of power and improving outcomes for voters, “but only if commissions are carefully designed and structured to promote independence and incentivize discussion and compromise.”

The NCGA floated this idea in February, introducing bipartisan House Bill 69 to create an 11-member nonpartisan redistricting commission. It did not last long. The bill was assigned to the Redistricting Committee Feb. 14 and disappeared, dying in the committee stage like the majority of bills.

Redistricting committees exist to check the partisan and personal bias of legislatures.

Although Madison warned against self-interest in theory, the NCGA has shown the damage it can do in practicality.

North Carolinians need people unconcerned with keeping their legislative jobs drawing districts. As much as politicians say they can put personal goals aside for a common cause, human nature suggests otherwise. It’s the reason the United States has checks and balances built into government. North Carolina needs to build one more check.

Purdue Pharma

must be held accountable

Keith Rudd | Opinion Writer

In 2010, after the BP oil spill that released 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, the company hired public relations firm Purple Strategies to help contain the fallout. For months, we saw ads on TV promising BP was going to fix its environmental damage, how it was taking ownership for the spill and ensuring the mistake would not happen again.

Now, Purdue Pharma has hired Purple Strategies, and its a deep history in damage control for companies, to help pick up the pieces after it filed for bankruptcy last week. The terms of the bankruptcy will help the company settle thousands of lawsuits, while ensuring the Sackler family, who own Purdue Pharma, see no personal loss.

The lawsuits were brought by state and local officials, including North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, for the pharmaceutical giant’s part in the ongoing opioid crisis.

Purdue Pharma is best known as the maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin, which was introduced in 1996. After its release, the company began an aggressive marketing campaign, reaching out directly to doctors and offering them trips to pain management seminars and opportunities for paid speaking events to get them to prescribe OxyContin to their patients.

OxyContin is an opioid painkiller, affecting the receptors in the brain. Like heroin, OxyContin blocks pain receptors and excites dopamine neurons, creating a feeling of euphoria. OxyContin and all other opioids have a very high potential for abuse, leading to an epidemic all over the country.

This is not Purdue Pharma’s first run-in with the law. In 2007, the company pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally marketing OxyContin by downplaying the risk of addiction, which result-

ed in a $635.6 million fine.

The Sackler family also has a history of differing responsibility and blaming the people who have become addicted to their medications. In February 2001, Richard Sackler, then president of Purdue Pharma, wrote in an email: “We have to hammer on the abusers in every way possible.

They are the culprits and the problem. They are reckless criminals,” according to a civil complaint.

Purdue Pharma has repeatedly tried to downplay its position in the epidemic, using misleading statistics to make its impact appear less severe. The company has argued that it only distributed 3.3% of all opioid painkillers between 2006 and 2012. When one looks at the amount and potency of the pills distributed, Purdue’s market contribution comes to 16%.

It’s not that Purdue Pharma is the only company producing addictive pills. We don’t give the same attention to Actavis, a maker of generic oxycodone, just OxyContin without the name, or to Shire Pharmaceuticals, who makes Adderall, another prescription with high abuse potential.

We need to demand those in power hold Purdue Pharma accountable, much like how North Carolina’s attorney general has sued the company and individual Sackler family members.

This is an issue that hits incredibly close to home for many. Watauga County alone received over 10 million painkillers between 2006 and 2012. My home county, Buncombe, received over 73 million. Appalachia is the ground zero for this epidemic, and we need to stand up for those who need it because, clearly, these pharmaceutical companies have no regard for the humans behind their profits.

15

Opinion

Sept. 27, 2019

America needs Beto O’Rourke’s fire on gun control Ricky Barker | Opinion Writer During the ABC News Democratic debate, former Texas Representative Beto O’Rourke expressed a divisive and controversial sentiment.

On Sept 12., the third Democratic presidential debate was filled with the front-runners in the upcoming 2020 race. However, the major highlight of the night was O’Rourke’s electrifying comments on gun control.

When moderator David Muir asked if he was proposing to take away assault weapons, O’Rourke energetically stated to a cheering crowd, “Hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.�

He continued by exclaiming, “We’re not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore.�

A surprisingly bold and clear statement from a presidential candidate about a controversial issue.

The mass shooting epidemic hit Texas, O’Rourke’s home state badly last month. On Aug. 3, a brutal mass shooting killed 22 people in El Paso. Later on that month, a shooter killed seven innocent victims in Odessa.

That is just the tip of the iceberg. A total of 116 victims have been killed in the 69 mass shootings in 2019

alone, according to FBI statistics. This pressing, tense issue is a huge situation demanding attention from the entire country. If any national concern needs immediate action, it’s this one. Innocent Americans are dying, and the government needs to step in with a strong stance. Both sides of the aisle should propose strong ideas to solve this crisis.

O’Rourke’s plan involves creating a national gun registry, which would allow the government to track guns and gun owners. It also calls for creating a nationwide gun licensing system. Finally, the plan includes a mandatory buyback of all assault weapons, in which the federal government would pay individuals for their firearms. This is a sound plan, but whether you agree with O’Rourke’s specific plan is almost besides the point.

The important thing is O’Rourke came out swinging.

He’s not standing on the sidelines, waiting for this problem to fix itself. It seems like many in Washington are just hoping their “thoughts and prayers� will cause this problem to suddenly go away. That, maybe, if they just wait long enough and blame popular culture, people will stop dying.

Wherever the solution comes from, we need one now.

There can’t be fence-sitters with an epidemic like this. The only wrong side is not taking a side on the issue at all. I hope to see every senator and representative in Congress offering solid plan, although for some this might be difficult, considering a large amount of them receive generous donations from the National Rifle Association.

While his plan may not be the best way to solve the gun crisis, his attitude toward the issue certainly is one of determination and resolve to fix the massive problem. It’s not common for candidates to draw the line like O’Rourke did, but with what the country is facing right now, it’s absolutely necessary.

Mass Shootings, Sept. 1-23, 2019* Sept. 1: Hartford, Connecticut. One killed, three injured Sept. 2: Chicago, Illonois. Four injured Sept. 2: Greensboro, North Carolina. Two killed, two injured Sept. 2: Elkmont, Alabama. Five killed Sept. 4: Marrero, Louisiana. Two killed, two wounded Sept. 4: Jacksonville, Florida. Four injured Sept. 7: Whiteville, North Carolina. Three killed, one injured Sept. 8: Alexandria, Louisiana. One killed, Three injured Sept. 8: Sumter, South Carolina. Two killed, two injured Sept. 10: Chicago, Illinois. Four injured Sept. 12: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Four killed, two injured Sept. 12: Albuquerque, New Mexico. One killed, three injured Sept. 14: Lagrange, Georgia. Four injured Sept. 14: Oakland, California. One killed, four injured Sept. 14: St. Louis, Missouri. One killed, three injured Sept. 16: Cheyenne, Wyoming. two killed, two injured Sept. 18: Wilmington, California. Two killed, Two injured Sept. 18: Chicago, Illinois. Three killed, one injured Sept. 19: Washington, D.C. One killed, ďŹ ve injured Sept. 20: New Orleans, Louisiana. One killed, ďŹ ve injured Sept. 21: Lancaster, South Carolina. Two killed, eight injured Sept. 21: Indianapolis, Indiana. Six injured Sept. 21: New Orleans, Louisiana. Four injured Sept. 22: Kansas City, Missouri. Five injured Sept. 23: Gary, Indiana. Two killed, two injured

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16

Mass Shootings, Sept. 1-23, 2019* Sept. 1: Hartford, Connecticut. One killed, three injured

Sept. 27, 2019

Between the sticks

Opinion

The most important position in soccer Caleb Garbuio | Opinion Writer Soccer is a team sport in which many individuals impact the game. Yet, championship caliber teams often come up short without a world-class shot stopper in goal.

As soccer games progress tactically and athletically, few positions dictate the tempo as much as the goalkeeper. While goalkeepers have a variety of roles on the pitch, their main responsibility is to keep the ball out of the net.

In the 2017-18 Champions League Final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, the Liverpool goalkeeper had two blunders, giving Real Madrid a 3-1 victory. This prompted Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to sign Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker for a record £65m. The next season, Becker won three Golden Gloves in the 2018-2019 Premier League, 2018-2019 Champions League and the 2019 Copa America. While the previous year’s roster remained the same, Klopp’s goalkeeper investment paid dividends as Liverpool won the 2018-2019 Champions League.

This is nothing new. In the 2000-2001 Champions League campaign, Bayern Munich legend and 2000-2001 Champions League keeper of the year Oliver Kahn, saved three penalties during Bayern’s penalty shootout in the final against FC Valencia, giving Bayern a victory. Kahn became the first goalkeeper to win the Golden Ball award, representing Germany during the 2002 World Cup. Despite Brazil’s Ronaldo scoring eight goals, Kahn won in the polls with 25%

of the vote, compared to Ronaldo’s 21%, because he helped a subpar Germany win.

There is a correlation between a world-class shot stopper and international success. The winner of the Golden Glove award, given to the best goalkeeper at the World Cup, has reached every World Cup semifinal, except in 1994, 1959 and 1938. Ten out of 21 recipients have also won the World Cup, and while these keepers played with solid defenses, they were individually responsible for saving their teams.

For example, captain Iker Casillas made 11 total saves during critical moments in Spain’s 2010 World Cup victory.

In Spain’s quarterfinal matchup against Paraguay, Casillas saved Oscar Cardozo’s penalty shot with the game tied 0-0.

Casillas also came in clutch during Spain’s semifinal against Germany, with a pair of saves. In the final against the Netherlands, Dutch striker Arjen Robben broke away from his defender finding himself alone with Casillas to beat. Picking the bottom left corner, Robben fired a shot and watched in dismay as it bounced off Casillas’ foot and out of bounds.

This is nothing new, as Casillas has come to Spain’s rescue on numerous occasions, earning him the nickname “San Iker.” Casillas saved a pair of penalties to defeat defending world champions Italy and former Golden Glove winner Gianluigi Buffon 4-2 in a penalty shootout during the 2008 European Championship. While Spain’s 2008-12 side is regard-

ed as the one of the greatest international teams of all time, its international success rested in Casillas’ hands.

However, excellent keepers also make an impact on subpar teams. Keylor Navas of Costa Rica led his side to the quarterfinals of the 2014 World Cup, making 21 saves and posting an impressive 91% save rating.

Navas posted three shutouts against two international giants Italy and the Netherlands, helping Costa Rica remain unbeaten. Despite not conceding during regulation against the Dutch, Costa Rica lost 4-3 on penalties, eliminating the team from the competition. Navas would go on to play for Real Madrid, where he would win 12 total trophies, including three consecutive Champions League titles.

Despite being a team sport, people often place enormous responsibilities on individual players, such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. However, these players rarely achieve any success at the club or international level without having a solid keeper guarding the posts. Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League success with Real Madrid and Manchester United is in no small part due to the world class shot stoppers on his squad.

Caleb Garbuio plays goalkeeper on the App State Men’s Soccer Team

17

Et Cetera

MOSS BRENNAN

Sept. 27, 2019

MULTIMEDIA

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App News

Sept. 27, 2019

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Friday, Sept. 27

Saturday, Sept. 28

Sunday, Sept. 29

Matthew Moore/Student Voice Recital 6-7 p.m.

Rosen Concert Hall

Football vs. Coastal Carolina 3:30-6:30 p.m.

Kidd Brewer Stadium

Field Hockey vs. La Salle 12-3 p.m.

Brendan & Erica M. Adcock Field

Volleyball vs. Georgia State University 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Holmes Convocation Center

First Year Showcase 7-9 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium

Volleyball vs. Georgia Southern 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Holmes Convocation Center

First Year Showcase 7-9 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium

Tuesday, Oct. 1 Volunteer With the Children’s Playhouse 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Children’s Playhouse 400 Tracy Circle Men’s Soccer vs. East Tennessee State 7-9 p.m.

Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex “Prelude to Mountaineer Music Tour 2019” Concert 8-9:30 p.m.

Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts

Monday, Sept. 30 “Alive Inside” Film Showing 7-9:30 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium

Emily Arbour/Student Voice Recital 4-5 p.m.

Rosen Concert Hall

Wednesday, Oct. 2

Thursday, Oct. 3

Volunteer With the Children’s Playhouse 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Children’s Playhouse 400 Tracy Circle

Volunteer With the Children’s Playhouse 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Children’s Playhouse 400 Tracy Circle

Humanities Council Symposium 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Plemmons Student Union Room 415

“Peter and the Starcatcher” by Rick Elice Play Performance 7-9 p.m.

Valborg Theatre

“Peter and the Starcatcher” by Rick Elice Play Performance 7-9 p.m.

Valborg Theatre

Late for class.

Quick food. 10% Off.

College students get 10% off until Sept. 30! Order subs and more ahead at publix.com/order, grab and go, and find everything you need right at Publix.

Only at Publix at Three Creeks. Discount until Sept. 30, 2019. This offer excludes prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco, gift cards, lottery tickets, postage stamps, money services, Publix delivery and curbside pickup (both Powered by Instacart), and any online purchases. Customer is responsible for all applicable taxes.

Please present one of the following at purchase: A valid, unexpired college or university ID card.