The Appalachian March 2, 2022

The Appalachian

March 2, 2022

High Country guitar hero Retired professor restores bluegrass strings and culture Pg. 5

Campus announces new meal plan Pg. 3

Boone’s best photo spots Pg. 9

Basketball standouts ‘take the stairs’ Pg. 13-14

Samuel Cooke

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News

March 2, 2022

crossword EMILY BROYLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

editor@theappalachianonline.com

EDITORIAL ANSLEY PUCKETT

DAN DAVIDSON

GABRIELLE TROUTMAN

ELLA ADAMS

ETHAN HUNT

AUBREY SMITH

MANAGING EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

OPINION EDITOR A&C EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA XANAYRA MARIN-LOPEZ

MIA MENDEZ

VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

MAX CORREA

EFRAIN ARIAS-MEDINA JR.

PHOTO EDITOR

GRAPHICS EDITOR

BUSINESS JESSICA KIMES BUSINESS MANAGER

business@theappalachianonline.com MAKENZIE HAMRICK ASSISTANT BUSINESS MANAGER

Across 1. Not nearby 5. Hurt 10. Cloth belt 14. Artist Salvador ____ 15. ____ Witherspoon of “Walk the Line” 16. Carry around 17. Part of DJ 18. Stop 19. Famous canal 20. Sailboat 22. Paraphrased 24. Contaminates 27. Pile up 28. Grazing ground 31. Pub beverage 32. High-minded one 34. Skin abrasion 38. Brewed drink 39. Pierces 41. Respectful title 42. Shrewd 45. More selfish 48. Brother’s sib 49. In ____ (late with payment) 50. Warning signal 53. Soup bean

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55. Careful study 57. Viola’s kin 61. Past due 62. Beginning 65. Squad 66. Wallet fillers 67. Proverb 68. Roof overhang 69. Monster’s loch 70. Synthetic fabric 71. Reach Down 1. Tallies 2. Flunk 3. Likewise 4. Cottage cheese’s kin 5. Rainbow shape 6. Third letter 7. Valentine symbol 8. Snaky letters 9. Poor grades 10. Cooking container 11. Major artery 12. Pigs’ digs 13. Obeys 21. Actor ____ Newman 23. Bath powder

25. Showy flowers 26. Robin’s residence 28. Mideast bread 29. Summer coolers 30. Throne 31. Declare 33. Children’s game 35. Largest continent 36. Wharf 37. Makes a mistake 40. Muffin type 43. Futile 44. Very little 46. Guitarist ____ Clapton 47. Removes 50. Beauty parlor 51. Foolish 52. Appraises 53. Actress ____ Evans 54. Student’s assignment 56. Skyrocket 58. Bound 59. Volcanic outpouring 60. Warning sign 63. Conceit 64. Hamilton bill

MEG POWELL

MARKETING DIRECTOR

ALLISON BENNETT DYCHE ADVISER

adviser@theappalachianonline.com The Appalachian is the award-winning, independent student-run news organization at Appalachian State University, published since 1934. The student staff maintains all editorial discretion, and there is no prior review by university faculty, staff or administrators. The Appalachian strives for accuracy in newsgathering and reporting. If you think we have made an error, email editor@theappalachianonline.com.

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News

March 2, 2022

Brown/Barreto win SGA presidential election Ethan Hunt | News Editor

Hollie Moore | Senior Reporter

Quson Brown and Alejandro Barreto were elected SGA president and vice president for the 2022-23 academic year Feb. 19.

Brown/Barreto received 560 votes, 11% more than any other campaign, wrote Hunter Clark, the Brown/Barreto campaign manager, in an email.

The Connor Ranes and Ben Negin campaign endorsed Brown/Barreto Feb. 18, leaving the Evan Martino and Christian Martin campaign as the last competitor.

Because none of the three campaigns received more than 50% of the vote, the two remaining campaigns were supposed to compete in a runoff election Feb. 21-24.

However, the Martino/Martin campaign wrote in an Instagram post Feb. 19 they would not continue the race in a runoff election, conceding their run.

“We are eternally grateful to our team for their support and hard work over the course of this campaign season,” Martino/Martin wrote in the post. “Our platform and vision is miles ahead of what others were able to propose, and we certainly hope that the incoming administration will pull on our platform.”

Brown said he was “thrilled” at the outcome.

“I’m happy that we didn’t have to take it to another two weeks of a runoff, which I don’t want to say would be a waste of everyone’s time, but generally, I’m thrilled and relaxed that this was the outcome,” Brown

said.

Brown/Barreto said their goals for the coming year included: lowering parking and dining hall prices, getting more students involved in policy decisions, increasing the student-employee minimum wage and creating a foundation for next year’s SGA administration.

Brown said many of their policies will include interaction with university administration.

“It’s no secret that the administration right now is viewed as this dark draconian system that’s in a labyrinth of lies, smoked filled rooms and espionage traps, but we just sent them an email,” Brown said.

Brown said they haven’t had much communication with the Martino/Martin campaign or the Ranes/ Negin campaign since winning the election.

“They put up a great race. I mean, honestly, top-notch, stellar individuals. If either one of them would have won the election, I genuinely know that the students would have come first,” Brown said.

Brown said “we’ll see” if either of his competitors ends up in his cabinet, which will be confirmed in April.

Brown said he wants to continue the accomplishments of the Gardin + Evans administration.

“SGA was in a toxic environment when Bailey (Gardin) got into office, and once he got into office the dynamic

Alejandro Barreto, left, and Quson Brown pose for a portrait Feb. 22, 2022.

Max Correa changed. It was noticeable. No overreach, no scandals,” Brown said. “Is there something we want to build from off his legacy? Yes, it’s continuing his legacy.”

The Brown/Barreto administration will officially take office April 30, Brown said.

“We have a great community here, and I just want it to be more connected,” Barreto said.

Campus changes to swipe-based meal plan policy for next academic year Andrew Rice | Reporter

Starting fall semester, App State will transition to a swipe-based meal plan policy for certain campus dining locations.

The new swipe plan policy will apply to Rivers Street Cafe in Roess Dining Hall and Park Place at the Pond in Trivette Dining Hall. The new system, “dining dollars,” will be used in locations such as Sanford Commons, coffee shops, convenience markets, food trucks and vending machines around campus.

An update from Campus Dining said the All Access meal plan allows students to choose plans “based on their lifestyle.” Dining dollars will remain on a declining balance system that can be refilled at any time.

In the update, university dining also said,“You’ll find plenty of choices among our meal plan options that best fit your lifestyle, budget and schedule.”

The new meal plan system change will bring a larger variety in meal plan package prices, which the university will use to estimate the cost of tuition more accurately.

“One benefit of the new meal plan system is that dining costs will be more accurately reflected in the estimated cost of attendance, which is an important metric used to determine financial aid and need-based scholarship support,” said John Eckman, Vice Chancellor of Campus Services.

The new policy will divide the different kinds of plans between All Access plans and Block 50 plans. All Access plans will allow students between 14 and an unlimited number of visits to dining locations weekly and will range from $1,382 per semester to $2,680 per semester in price. Block 50 plans will allow between 50 to 150 visits per semester and will range from $638 per semester to $1,575 per semester.

First-year students will be required to purchase either the All Access 7 or the Weekly 14 plan. All Access 7 will provide students with unlimited visits to Rivers Street Cafe and Park Place at the Pond seven days a week, as well as provide students with $250 dining dollars per week for $2,680 per semester.

“The cost of the current declining meal plan covers an average of 68% of meals on campus,” Eckman said. “The All Access 7 plan, which offers unlimited visits seven days a week, will be the plan option that is used to help determine the cost of attendance.”

The price of these plans; however, appears daunting to some students and campus dining staff.

“My first reaction when I looked through the plan was ‘Wow, this is expensive,’” said Elana Melvin, campus dining assistant and junior biology major.

“The system we have now seems to work really well,” said Julia White, freshman cellular biology major. “I love being able to choose from a variety of amounts that I get to spend on campus.”

The Weekly 14 plan will provide students with 14 visits per week and $450 dining dollars per semester for a total of $2,314 per semester. Swipes will be reloaded each week but will not roll over from the fall to spring semester if they

go unused, and there will be no time limit between swipes.

“I know a lot of students have struggled with dividing their meal plan amount and making sure they have enough money,” Melvin said. “I really hope this new plan will help students going forward.”

To better equip campus dining locations for an expected increase in business, campus dining will undergo renovations over the summer.

According to Eckman, new equipment is being ordered to assist in a no-contact, quick entrance, as well as customer self-service lines.

Hours will be extended at certain locations in the 2022-23 academic year to accommodate an expected increase in customer visits to dining locations. Likewise, staffing is also expected to increase for the upcoming academic year, Eckman said.

Students living in residence halls will choose their meal plan option when they complete their housing contract.

Students living off campus may use the Meal Plan Change Request Form to choose a meal plan. Dining dollars can be added to student accounts at any time and in any amount through the AppCard office.

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News

March 2, 2022

Faculty salary debate continues Emily Milano | Reporter

Kaleigh Grommon | Reporter

Recent raises have some professors questioning their salary while others disagree on where their salaries come from.

Chancellor Sheri Everts announced a 2.5% across the board salary increase Jan. 28 for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The raise was effective Jan. 1.

A letter sent to faculty Feb. 8, stated there will be a merit increase based on teaching, research and service. In addition to merit increases, a 2.5% legislative increase is expected in the Feb. 28 paycheck, effective Feb. 21, wrote Kathryn Montalbano, communication professor.

“I’ve never gotten merit increases,” Montalbano said.

“I’ve only been here since 2020 and have worked two years at other institutions and have never received increases like this. So, I was very pleased.”

Others, such as history professor Jeffrey Bortz say professor salaries are too low. Bortz criticized the App State’s salary practices in a recent opinion article in The Charlotte Observer “Most of our full professors do not earn twice the Domino’s wage, even those with years of award-winning teaching and published research,” Bortz wrote. “In fact, most of my colleagues earn significantly less. These low salaries come on the heels of a decade-long faculty salary collapse at ASU.” Due to inflation rates increasing, professor salaries have dropped 4.5% in real wages, Bortz wrote in his article.

Inflation rates reached 7% in December, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In January, App State provided a 2.5% state-mandated annual pay raise.

“In the History Department where I work, five fulltime faculty earn less — some substantially less — than a full-time pizza delivery person earning $47,480. Most of our full professors do not earn twice the Domino’s wage,” Bortz wrote.

The lowest salary in the Department of History was earned by a lecturer who makes $32,125 annually, according to the UNC Salary Information Database.

The starting wage for Domino’s workers is $16-$32 an hour including tips. Therefore, a full-time Domino’s employee makes approximately $33,280-$47,480 a year, according to Domino’s Indeed page.

Bortz expressed concerns about possible consequences because of the decrease in wages for faculty. He said the issue was connected to the quality of education at App State, as well as overall morale among faculty members.

“Most people who teach enjoy teaching and work at it the best they can, but when they feel that they’re not

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being fairly compensated, or they feel that real compensation is declining, it’s very demoralizing,” Bortz said.

“I don’t see how it could not impact everything.”

Bortz said Everts’ appointment as chancellor is a possible cause for the decrease in real wages among faculty since 2014.

Faculty across the board have lost $21,112 in annual purchasing power since 2009. Associate professors have lost $33,540 while full professors have lost $38,241, according to Appalachian’s Center for Econom-

ic Research and Policy Analysis.

The faculty senate voted no confidence in the chancellor Aug. 17, 2020. The vote was two to one in favor of no confidence, according to faculty senate reports. The lack of faith in Everts was largely related to the decline in faculty salaries but also concerns that the chancellor has failed to prioritize education, advocate for university employees and involve faculty in important decision-making, according to the reports.

In an analysis of 10-year tenure track faculty salary trends by the

Timothy J. Smith, an anthropology professor, sits for a portrait in Belk Library Feb. 23, 2022.

Molly Fennessy

Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, the average App State faculty member salary increased $7,337 between 2014 and 2018.

Anna Oakes, App State media relations specialist, wrote in an email that Everts has prioritized faculty and staff salaries since she was instated as chancellor.

The Spring 2022 Faculty and Staff Meeting Feb. 4 addressed the new budget and raises.

“This budget reflects months upon months of advocacy for App State from members of the UNC System Board of Governors, our Board of Trustees, my leadership team and me. It also reflects their support and respect for your work, which we routinely showcase,” Everts said in her remarks from the Faculty and Staff Meeting.

Everts has been a “consistent advocate” for faculty and staff salary increases, Oakes wrote.

Timothy Smith, anthropology professor and former department chair, said faculty are not going to be paid as much as institutions with a higher student population or with larger research facilities because more money must be allocated to larger institutions based on student body and research.

“The salaries at App State are better than they were 10 years ago. I understand that there are limitations and restrictions placed upon the chancellor that, in itself, is based upon limitations and restrictions placed upon the UNC System office by the budget that we are given by the state,” Smith said.

However, Bortz said the administration should focus their energy on redistributing funds in a way that prioritizes faculty salaries.

“The core function of the university is the faculty.

The faculty is the university. The university is the teaching, and the research and the faculty are doing that,” Bortz said. “So, the entire budget process should be oriented to that. It should be to maximize teaching and research and minimize all the rest.”

Smith said there is a set of criteria used to determine the funding allocated to universities within the UNC System, as well as the salary increases granted to faculty members.

The North Carolina State government provides each university in the state a set amount of money based on factors such as student enrollment, undergraduate research and overall academic performance.

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

News Former professor keeps High Country music, instruments alive March 2, 2022

Mike McKee speaks with a repair client in his basement workshop Feb. 21, 2022.

Samuel Cooke

George Richards | Reporter For the past 15 years, a retired App State professor has kept one of Boone’s jamming communities alive by repairing instruments from his basement workshop.

Mike McKee, an economics professor, doubles as a luthier. He repairs string instruments for Boone residents.

“That’s enough for a nice bridge for a Martin, but I’d want to put that on something from the ’40s or ’50s,” McKee said as he inspected a chocolatey-brown block of Brazilian rosewood.

“It’d have to be a nice guitar.”

Apart from the bench sander he uses to remove material from the instruments he works on, McKee does the majority of the repairs in his shop by hand.

“If I was willing to use a band saw, I could go a lot faster, but band saws scare me,” McKee said. “You can lose a finger.”

Before he left Calgary in his native Canada, he took a two-week course on how to do fret work on stringed instruments in July 2007. When McKee moved to Boone later that year to teach economics at App State, he only planned to do small jobs as a hobby. But since his retirement in 2017, he has taken on much more.

“There’s not a lot of people that fix instruments around here,” McKee said. “There aren’t very many that charge as little as I do.”

He tries to repair instruments that come

into his home within a couple of weeks. McKee said he knows people do not like to be away from their instruments too long.

Music has always been a big part of McKee’s life. He said when he was 20, he left the Canadian Army after two years and bought himself a guitar.

While McKee spends most of his time repairing instruments, he said he still views it as something to keep him from watching TV all day.

“I don’t want it to be a job,” McKee said.

Trevor McKenzie, director of Appalachian Studies, has known McKee since 2007. McKenzie said McKee helped many people in the area with instrument repairs, both big and small.

McKee gave McKenzie a guitar, something he has done for a number of people.

“I mean that was a pretty emotional moment for me, you know, because he gave me a guitar, a really nice guitar,” McKenzie said.

McKee’s second floor office in his home is similar to his shop — economics books from his over 35 years in academia fill the bookshelves, but in front of an old bulky TV, there are seven or eight black guitar cases.

“One of my favorite things, honestly, is to go to his house and taste test all his instruments,” said Brandon Holder, McKee’s friend of 11 years.

McKee said he is a collector of instruments.

His collection contains instruments he has McKees’ for three years and became so well atbought and fixed up over the years and those he tended that Jane McKee began cooking meals has built himself. on Monday to have everything ready in time for Outside his shop, McKee is just as much Wednesday. a part of Boone’s bluegrass and old-time music It was not long before the jam had to find scene as he is the regional luthier community. a new home.

Just after moving to the area, he began inThanks to Mike McKee’s connections to viting people to jam at his home. The meetings the owners, the jam moved to a “dive bar” called would be between McKee and three or four Murphy’s which became Ransom in 2017. The others whom he had met at the Appalachian move attracted more and more people, some Heritage Council, a student-led group trying traveling two hours to come and watch or play to preserve Appalachian culture. McKee’s wife, along.

Jane McKee, began by providing cheese and When the bars in Boone finally recrackers for the group and then began cooking opened after closing during the COVID-19 panfor the guests. demic, Mike McKee and some of the regulars at Before long the weekly jams became somethe jam moved over to Appalachian Mountain thing bigger. McKenzie, a regular, said they often Brewery on Monday nights. played until 2 a.m.

Mike McKee still picks along to John Prine “It was like having Thanksgiving dinner classics and more traditional fiddle tunes, swapand a jam every week, and, I mean, it was really ping from song to song on his trusty Martin, a special,” McKenzie said. mandolin he built himself or one of his many Jane McKee began having to provide more other instruments. than just cheese and crackers.

Jane McKee said that since she has known “It was wonderful to see all these people. It him “he has always had a guitar.” Music was was work of course,” Jane McKee said. “They McKee’s release and his time to relax, away were all friends, and we still keep in touch with from the working toward his degree, masters and a lot of them.”

Ph.D. While walking across the university campus Because McKee’s dad was in the Canadian in fall 2010, Mike McKee met a student carrying Air Force, he would move around a lot as a child. an instrument case and asked what he played.

As part of his academic life, McKee taught in The student told McKee he played mandolin three different countries and six different states, and a week later he began coming to the McKbut thanks to the musical community in Boone, ees’ for the weekly get-together. he said he is going to stay put from now on.

Brandon Johnson, an English graduate stu“It’s what keeps me here,” Mike McKee dent came to “everything at the house. He came said. to all the jams,” Jane McKee said.

After Johnson graduated, Jane McKee said Johnson’s mother attributed her son’s graduation to Mike McKee. “He graduated, and his mother came up to Mike and said ‘You know that if it wasn’t for you, he wouldn’t be here at all,’” Jane McKee said.

The jam McKee tests out a guitar after he made repairs and adjustments to it in continued at the his workshop Feb. 21, 2022.

Samuel Cooke

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News

March 2, 2022

Professor research inspires PBS documentary Will Hofmann | Reporter A professor’s research has inspired a PBS documentary retelling the story of three influential African American ambassadors during the 20th century.

The documentary, “The American Diplomat,” was developed by Flowstate Films, a Virginia-based independent production company.

The ambassadors — Edward Dudley, Terence Todman and Carl Rowan — were the subject of Michael Krenn’s 1999 book, “Black Diplomacy,” the documentary’s inspiration.

The documentary focuses on the ambassadors’ efforts abroad and at home, covering their diplomatic efforts along with their ambitions to de-

segregate the State Department. In the documentary, Krenn tells the story of when Todman successfully petitioned for a buy-out of half of a segregated restaurant near the State Department.

“Terence Todman was a force to be reckoned with. He said, ‘That’s fine for other people, but I’m not putting up with it.’ And, eventually, the State Department went over and leased half of the restaurant and put a wall up,” Krenn said. “One half was the integrated State Department restaurant, and the other side was the segregated Virginia restaurant. It was all Terence Todman.”

Krenn, a history professor, began his research focusing on Central

Flowstate Films interviews Michael Krenn in 2016 for “The American Diplomat,” the documentary his book inspired.

Courtesy of Flowstate Films

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American politics in the early 1990s but turned to researching race and American foreign relations after the “serendipitous discovery” of a memo buried in boxes during research for his second book.

“I was at the Truman Library, and I plucked this memo out from 1949, and it was entitled ‘Outstanding Negroes and Appropriate Countries to Which They Might be Sent as Ambassadors,’” Krenn said. “I’d always been interested in race and U.S. Foreign Policy, but I had never thought about that aspect of African Americans and their involvement in foreign policy.”

After making a research note on the subject, Krenn pivoted his research from Central American politics to African Americans and foreign policy, interviewing Ambassador Todman and Ambassador Dudley — the latter of which was the first African American ambassador. Krenn was one of the last people to interview Ambassador Dudley before his death in 2005.

After the publication of the book, Krenn said he “hadn’t really thought about” his research on the ambassadors until he received a call from documentary director Leola Calzolai-Stewart in 2014.

“She wrote me in 2014, and, you know, that’s 15 years after the book had been published. I had just thought, ‘Well, then, I gave it my best shot,’” Krenn said. “So I said that if you want to use some of the information in the book, I mean, that’s the documentary; it’s not based on the book. But it’s not just that. She said it really inspired her to start digging into this story.”

Calzolai-Stewart came across “Black Diplomacy” after her husband, a member of the foreign service, gave it to her in 2014. Calzolai-Stewart said the book was not only a starting point for her investigation into the subject but also reflected deeper personal experiences.

“My husband is a diplomat, and we’ve been a foreign service family for about 20 years. So just being a Black

From left to right, Christopher Richardson, former foreign service officer; Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, ambassador and Department of State Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer; Michael Krenn and Lisa Krenn pose for a picture Feb. 17, 2022.

Courtesy of Michael Krenn foreign service family was key to my interest in the topic because it reflects our experience,” Calzolai-Stewart said. “And then reading Dr. Krenn’s work provided a jumping-off point for me; deeper into the history of not only these diplomats but also of the time period.”

The stories of these ambassadors motivated Calzolai-Stewart to develop a documentary with her partners at Flowstate Films.

“It just seemed like a rich history and a story that hadn’t really been told on film before,” Calzolai-Stewart said. “So I had brought the idea to my partners at Flowstate, and we thought, ‘Yeah, let’s try to tell a story here.’”

Development of the documentary started in 2014, and over the next

several years, Flowstate looked for funding from various sources. They eventually received production and development grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and additional funding from Black Public Media and Firelight Media. During this time, Krenn was interviewed once in 2016 and in a follow-up interview in 2021.

“Obviously, the book was an inspiration, but I would say Dr. Krenn himself was an inspiration as well,” Calzolai-Stewart said. “He’s obviously beyond well-informed about the topic.

He was a key adviser on the film as part of our National Endowment for the Humanities grant.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

News

March 2, 2022

Wellness and Prevention Center combines gaming, mental health Maddie Lipe | Reporter

Kayla Slade | Reporter

The Wellness and Prevention Center is using video games to help address mental health on campus and offer students a place of community.

The Wellness and Prevention Center combines streaming games on Twitch with mental health discussions and gives students a space to hear and discuss mental health-related topics.

The discussions are hosted through the university’s Discord channel.

Once students join the channel, they can access the Wellness and Prevention Center’s live Twitch streams, which allows them to join discussions and video games with their peers.

Elisabeth Cavallaro, assistant director and coordinator for student mental wellness, said she thought of the Twitch streams as a way “to meet students in the middle.” Cavallaro wanted to use the students’ interests to create a community for open discussions about mental health.

“People are finding community in gaming, and a lot of times, people are talking about how they need to be supported and the things going on in their lives,” Cavallaro said.

The Wellness and Prevention Center wanted a relaxing space where students feel welcome. Cavallaro thought about places where students feel the most comfortable and examined social media. She noted how students flocked to curated online communities.

“We know that’s where a lot of students get their entertainment,” Cavallaro said. “One of our missions of wellness is to meet students where they’re at.”

The idea began before the pandemic when Cavallaro and the director of wellness, Alex Howard, brainstormed how to bring wellness discussions to students in an appealing way.

Cavallaro took inspiration from popular activities college students enjoy. Gaming soon came onto her radar.

The Wellness and Prevention

Center noticed people forming communities through gaming and discussing mental health in those spaces. Cavallaro and Howard wanted to replicate those natural conversations with students using university resources. The original idea was to play video games and talk about wellness, Cavallaro said.

When the university transitioned online, all in-person activities were suspended. Digital interaction became the university’s source of contact between staff and students. Through her research and discussions, Cavallaro decided on Twitch streaming.

With streaming, a community could still be encouraged and promoted while gathering a larger group of people who felt uncomfortable attending in-person events, Cavallaro said.

However, Cavallaro and Wellness and Prevention Center employees noticed their equipment couldn’t provide the professional quality needed to stream.

The university applied for a grant opportunity from the American College Health Foundation. The ACHF focuses on innovative mental health and wellbeing projects. Upon acceptance, the university purchased the equipment necessary to produce a professional stream.

“We are able to create what is essentially our gaming studio with a green screen, a camera and a microphone,” Cavallaro said.

Cavallaro said the Twitch streams are COVID-19 and

introvert-friendly. Students uncomfortable with in-person events can participate from the safety of their room. Inclusivity is the Wellness and Prevention Center’s goal. The streams give extroverted students a chance to open up and speak; while those more reserved can still find comfort in a supportive community.

Users can use a screen name while chatting or viewing the stream, providing anonymity to the audience. Cavallaro said the streams are a great way for anyone looking to engage in mental wellbeing and become active in a like-minded community.

Viewers have the option to join the chat or observe.

All discussions within the chat are moderated by Peer Education Coaches from WE COACH, a program providing peer-to-peer guidance by undergraduate students to ensure a safe, nurturing and productive environment, according to the university’s WE COACH website.

“We really want to try to create a supportive community on Twitch where people feel they can keep coming back and having these conversations,” Cavallaro said. “We want them to feel like they’re being heard and being listened to.”

The Wellness and Prevention Center held the first stream Jan. 24 where peer wellness coach Brielle Kaluzny played Crash Team Racing with participants and discussed tips for starting the semester off strong and reducing stress.

Kaluzny, who has been a part of WE COACH for

It’s just a safe space where if they

need anything addressed or have any

questions, it can be answered by some wonderful mental health individuals

Graphic by fE rain Arias-MedinaJr.

seven months, said she thought the concept of online gaming during COVID-19 would get people the help they required while connecting with students.

“It’s a really great way to have a sense of support, especially coming from another peer who has been through the same circumstances,” Kaluzny said. “That close proximity in age can make the students feel comforted like they’re talking to a friend more so than having a nervous reaction to a professional they’ve never met.”

Kaluzny wants students to feel at ease while engaging in the Twitch streams.

“It’s just a safe space where if they need anything addressed or have any questions, it can be answered by some wonderful mental health individuals,” Kaluzny said.

“Video games and their effects on mental health can be complex,” said psychology professor Mary Ballard, whose research interests include video games.

“There are more positive outcomes if people use the games to connect socially with others in a way that garners them social support and positive social interactions,” Ballard said.

Kevin Ha, a sophomore marketing major, said he plays video games on a regular basis. “The program sounds like an amazing idea by App since opening up to people on the internet, especially through gaming, is easier than in real life,” Ha said.

Students can join the next Twitch stream, “The Bentendo Show,” March 14, according to the Wellness and Prevention Center’s Twitch stream schedule.

The Wellness and Prevention center hosts Twitch streams every other Monday from 7-9 p.m. Students can find stream archives on the Wellness and Prevention Center’s website under Additional Resources — Twitch Streams. New streams are archived for up to 14 days on Twitch.

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A&C O

March 2, 2022

STUDENT RECYCLES FABRIC INTO NEW CLOTHING DESIGNS

ne student makes the old new again by recycling fashion materials into his own designs.

Andre Edwards, a sophomore apparel major, started his brand, “Andre Archive,” in December. Edwards recycles fabrics from thrift stores and incorporates them into his designs.

He said he loves expressing himself through fashion and style.

“I love telling a story with my outfits,” Edwards said.

Edwards utilizes and reworks different used fabrics through his brand.

“I would describe it as me taking things that are already in thrift stores or already a thing and making it art,” Edwards said.

“I try to avoid buying new fabric.”

Edwards makes use of threads like blankets or curtains and repurposes them into items of clothing or accessories.

“Obviously, not every piece of fabric can be used, but with something like the curtain, I have some leftover,” Edwards said.

“So it’s like, okay, I’m gonna make a bucket hat. Because then I can use it like that and decrease the amount of fabric that’s being tossed.”

Edwards’ mom taught him to sew in November 2020 before he officially started participating in apparel-oriented courses.

He’s since incorporated different sewing techniques taught in his classes to improve his original designs.

“I definitely learned a lot of different things in class that I translated to the brand and am still translating to the brand,” Edwards said.

However, shortly after he started drafting designs, he got COVID-19.

“When I found out I had COVID, and it was around Christmas, I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ But then I thought, ‘Wait, let me turn this around. Let me be the one on top here,’” Edwards said.

Edwards had just begun drafting shorts for his brand when he got COVID-19 and focused completely on the line during his quarantine. He used the time to come up with his business model. He created his first line of shorts during this time and completed 14 pairs by his first drop.

“I was able to grind, do all of this, focus, figure out the sizing, and then finally, I was able to do advertising and marketing, which was really fun,” Edwards said.

Production for the first line of shorts was completed by December and officially launched in the new year.

Despite the negative circumstances, Edwards was grateful for the progress he made during quarantine and attributes his first drop to the productivity that took place during that time.

“It was a nice restart,” Edwards said. “It happened for a reason, and I’m grateful.”

Edwards’ productivity paired well with inspired advertising for a successful first drop. His first pair of shorts sold almost immediately after posting.

“I think it sold literally within the first ten minutes, and I was advertising and marketing like hell leading up to it,” Edwards said. “Because it was the very first thing, I wanted to leave a lasting first impression.”

Lil Nas X’s marketing for his debut album, “Montero,” influenced Edwards when dropping his own line.

“I love the marketing I did for the brand. I took inspiration from Lil Nas X, how he marketed his album with the pregnancy thing, and then from different people or brands that I’ve seen over time,” Edwards said.

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

8

Brionna Dollara | Reporter

(Top) Andre Edwards works on a piece Feb. 24, 2022. Not only does Edwards offer custom commissions along with selling his stock, but he also offers alteration services. (Bottom) Edwards works on his projects Feb. 9, 2022, in the Apparel and Design Studio, a space for majors located in the basement of the Reich College of Education.

Evan Bates

A&C

March 2, 2022

King Street Downtown Boone is always lively with people, music, art and photo opportunities. There are various walls and backgrounds you can stand in front of and pose how you’d like. The white wall where High Life Smoke Shop sits is perfect for a clean, minimalistic feed. Whatever you wear or however you pose in front of it is sure to stand out.

Beside the smoke shop is Antiques on Howard. For pictures, the antique store offers a full

display case for shots from the outside. Inside, immerse yourself in walls of picture frames, vintage posters and everything you need for an offguard photo of you taking it all in.

After the crosswalk is a glass square wall on the outside of Footsloggers. With brick surrounding it, it’s perfect for a darkened shot.

Tip: Treat yourself to a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store, and now you’ve got a prop for your photos.

Town of Boone

Column:

Boone’s most Instagrammable spots

Everyone’s visited the Blue Ridge Parkway for some group pictures with friends. But even when you’re alone, the parkway offers miles of locations for pictures. The views in front of Moses Cone Manor are unbeatable.

Pull together your best outfit on your next grocery run. The walls and shelves in grocery stores offer great backgrounds such as the ice cream or candy aisle.

Tip: Ingles on 105 looks like a grocery store straight out of the ’80s with its fluorescent lighting and retro vibe.

Beside the baseball field at the Watauga Parks and Recreation Center, there’s plenty of grass for a picnic and a photoshoot duo. Bring your food, blanket and your phone, and make sure the sun is out for a fun Boone afternoon.

You can pack multiple outfits in a bag and hit different locations for a batch of pictures to spread throughout the weeks. Get your Pinterest board ready with ideas for poses, grab a friend and feel like an influencer on your next Instagram outing.

Xanayra Marin-Lopez | Visual Managing Editor The beauty of the High Country usually points to mountains, waterfalls and never-ending places to explore. But for Generation Z, not every photo needs to be aesthetically pleasing. Sometimes, the locations for Instagram photos aren’t found on our Pinterest boards.

If you’re looking for the perfect spot for outfit pictures, birthday posts or group photos with your friends, here are some tried and true locations for your next #instaworthy post.

Campus You won’t need to go far to get a good #ootd picture. Campus has multiple spots for a quick shot in between classes or on the weekends.

If no one is out practicing, try the tennis court on Rivers Street. You can sit with your back against the net or stand in front of the gates. Be sure to avoid wearing the color green so you don’t get washed out by the colors of the court.

Everyone’s seen the classic sunset parking deck picture, but there’s other spots in the deck many don’t use for photos. The Library Parking Deck has a set of green stairs on the top floor good for a moody, Tumblr rebloggable-worthy vibe.

Speaking of stairs, Appalachian Hall’s set of silver stairs with their spiral designs are anoth-

er place to sit in your photo. You can pose with your feet against the opposite wall you’re sitting against. You can also sit on one set of steps with your feet planted two steps down and put your knees together. Place your chin in your hand and smize into the camera for a sulky post.

Any of the elevators on campus, including the ones in residence halls and the parking decks, are an option for a quick picture. Hopefully, you’ll be able to snap your photo without riders staring at you. It’s worth a shot.

There’s an endless amount of options for an artsy background at the graffiti tunnel.

Tip: Blur your photo by shaking your phone ever so slightly forward to backward. Add the flash feature for a somber nighttime photo.

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A&C

March 2, 2022

TRUE CRIME CLUB TAKES A STAB AT MURDERS AND MYSTERIES Torri Marshall | Reporter When two roommates realized their shared love for true crime but didn’t have an outlet to express their interest, they decided to create a club on campus where they could involve others in heated debates and theorizing discussions.

Club president Haley Yost and vice president and criminal justice major Olivia Coutinho said they figured there must be other students as interested in true crime as they are, and the club began from there.

“She basically moved in, and then we kept talking about true crime,” said Yost, a senior psychology major.

Their hunch that more students might be interested in true crime was correct. The club, established in late October, has grown to 20-25 active members and 33 members total, Yost said.

Club member Macey Gaines said she found out about the club from her roommate who heard about it on Facebook. Gaines, a junior criminal justice major, said she felt compelled to become more involved with student life and meet new people.

“I think my favorite part is the discussion we have,” Gaines wrote in an email. “It is cool to see people’s different opinions on cases and to just talk with people that think the same things as you.”

The club meetings are structured to allow members to learn

Graphic by Lilly Sanders

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about specific crime cases and discuss it with the club as a whole. Yost and Coutinho said they begin the weekly meetings by presenting a slideshow highlighting the current crime case being discussed for that week, which are picked via voting the week before by the club as a whole.

In the slideshow, there are facts about the crime, evidence that has been found, potential suspects or any other relevant information. After the presentation, Yost and Coutinho explain their theories or thoughts, then open the discussion to the rest of the club members.

The club covers serial killers, cults, missing persons cases and individual solved or unsolved cases. While a different case is covered every week, club members share a common interest — learning about infamous or underground cases and getting to debate with other students.

“Being a part of this club has made me feel more connected. Every week, Wednesday is the day I look forward to because I can be with people who relate to me in a setting I feel comfortable in,” Gaines said. “I feel a connection to the club and the people I have met through it, and that makes me really happy.”

While most members are majoring in criminal justice and psychology, Yost said all majors are welcome.

“Anyone who wants to join, reach out. I know true crime isn’t for everyone, but if it’s for you, we would love to add even more people to our group,” Gaines said.

The True Crime Club meets Wednesdays from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Plemmons Student Union in Tater Hill Room 155.

“Our club is hoppin’. It’s jumpin’. It’s fun,” Yost said.

A&C

March 2, 2022

LOVE, HOPE AND LIFE THROUGH THE EYES OF FEMALE WRITERS Ansley Puckett | Managing Editor

◊ The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu

“The Tale of Genji” is considered by many to be the world’s first novel, and it was written by a woman. Murasaki Shikibu was a Japanese poet, novelist and maid of honor in the Heian Imperial court. Her 11th-century story shows what life was like in the court life of medieval Japan, and it follows the life of the emperor’s son as he navigates love, family and politics.

◊ Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Zora Neale Hurston was an American writer, anthropologist and filmmaker who wrote about racism and the struggles Black people faced in the early 1900’s South. In “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” Hurston writes about Janie Crawford, her experiences as a Black woman, her three marriages and her quest to find herself.

◊ Persuasion by Jane Austen

Better known for her famous book “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen has become a household name in today’s classrooms, despite dying in obscurity. However, it’s her 1817 book “Persuasion” that most closely resembles her life. The heroine, Anne Elliot, is past the age of her prime, and after being persuaded to call off her engagement to the man she loved, she is living with her decision. That is until she gets a second chance when he comes back into her life years later.

THE BOOKSTOP Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

W

omen have been making their mark on art since the beginning of time, despite the challenges and restrictions placed on them, and literature is no exception. In honor of Women’s History Month, celebrate books crafted by women telling diverse, emotional and earnest stories of heartbreak, joy and pain. Here are eight books by female authors that have shaped and continue to shape literature.

◊ Letter to My Daughter by Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou never had a daughter, but she dedicated “Letter to My Daughter” to the women and “daughters” she saw all around her.

This book by the iconic poet and civil rights activist is filled with guidance, wisdom, poetry and essays that describe Angelou’s life and her path to living with meaning.

◊ Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Many may know Margaret Atwood for her book-turned TV show, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” but her book “Alias Grace” also touches on the struggles of womanhood. Set in 1843, Grace Marks has killed her employer and his housekeeper and mistress. While the public is shocked by what she’s done, Grace just wants to remember what happened. A mental health expert is sent to help her unlock those memories, but as she gets closer to them, she discovers she might have missed more than she thought.

◊ Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

As the first science fiction novel written by a Black woman, “Kindred” is an important piece of Black American literature. Octavia E. Butler would wake up each morning at 2 a.m. to write before going to work, and her books explored Black injustice, women’s rights and climate change, among other themes. In “Kindred,” Butler writes about Dana, a Black woman who is being transported in time to antebellum Maryland, where she sees the same young man each time and realizes she’s been tasked with a unique challenge.

◊ Loose Woman by Sandra Cisneros

Award-winning author Sandra Cisneros is a Mexican American writer who worked as a teacher and counselor to high school dropouts in the schools where she taught creative writing. She published “Loose Woman” in 1995, and the poetry collection celebrates the “female aspects of love.”

◊ The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Often praising the literary trail that guided her, Cherie Dimaline is an award-winning author and a registered and claimed member of the Métis Nation of Ontario. In 2017, TIME Magazine called her book “The Marrow Thieves” one of the “best young adult books of all time.” In her book, the Indigenous people of North America are hunted for their bone marrow in a post-apocalyptic world. However, the main character, Frenchie, and his group soon discover that someone in their group holds the key to defeating the “marrow thieves.”

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A&C Oscar Review: The wicked circus of Nightmare Alley March 2, 2022

Jonathan Long | Contibutor

It is once again Oscar season.

Along with it comes much discussion and speculation, mostly regarding the “best” film of the year but often shedding a light on some of the hidden gems. Among the expansive list of best picture nominees lies an intricately woven web of drama and deception, otherwise known as “Nightmare Alley.”

Released in December and directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film focuses on Stanton Carlisle, a skilled con man with some mysteriously well-kept secrets. Carlisle is joined by an ensemble of interesting characters, including a scheming psychiatrist, Dr. Lilith Ritter, and a veteran mental magician, Pete. “Nightmare Alley” also uses the talent of some remarkable actors, with Bradley Cooper as Carlisle, Willem Dafoe as Clem Hoatley, David Strathairn as Pete and Cate Blanchett as Dr. Ritter. Despite not appearing on screen until around halfway through, Dr. Ritter proves to be an equally skilled opponent for Carlisle. Until this point, the audience is left to wonder where Carlisle is heading and whether those he meets along the way will inspire or corrupt him.

From the first five minutes of “Nightmare Alley,” it becomes clear the story heads down a dangerous path.

The awareness of the film’s true nature sticks with viewers throughout, setting the stage for interesting moral conundrums that seemingly only intensify. Because of this, the film feels like watching a slow motion car wreck over the course of two hours. Although it may be tempting to look away, the film’s distinctly wicked characters with a flair for trickery add up to an Oscar-worthy wonder that is set on redefining the noir genre for a modern audience.

Set in the 1940s, “Nightmare Alley” embodies the world during the period. For the first half of the movie, the audience is plunged into the lives of deceitful circus workers. While this section serves as the slightly more tame chapter of the film, it’s a crucial stepping stone for Carlisle as he works to restart his life with equally peculiar acquaintances. Among his fellow performers are

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Dafoe’s Clem Hoatley and Collette’s Zeena, both of which set a low bar regarding the film’s moral compass. As “Nightmare Alley” progresses, so does Carlisle as he graduates from circus acts to becoming a professional mentalist, dealing with much more esteemed, yet dangerous, clientele.

From the world of the circus to

REVIEW

the grittiness of a New York-esque city, del Toro makes a clear distinction between pure drama and noir. These settings act as a fuel for the film, motivating the movement of the story from one encampment to the next. Often drawing on tactics from some of the most renowned noir films, such as “The Harder They Fall” from 1956, “Nightmare

Alley” takes audiences back in the true fashion of a period piece. Every design aspect – from costumes to grimy set details, to the hazy atmosphere, to abundant cigarette smoking – contributes to the original, classical style of a noir film.

Being a drama at heart, there are plentiful amounts of intriguing di-

Guillermo del Toro

NIGHTMARE ALLEY BEST PICTURE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN BEST COSTUME DESIGN Graphic by Efrain Arias-Medina Jr.

alogue throughout the film. Characters who are seemingly nothing alike come into contact and eventually reveal each other’s true cynicism in ways that are both heinous and grand. At other times, the movie reveals the nature of the characters early on, leaving the audience glued to their seats as they await inevitable self-destruction. This film is a slow burn, being careful to only provide information necessary for the moment. Eventually, though, as these moments build on one another and escape paths dwindle, “Nightmare Alley” suffocates its audience through the characters. As Carlisle climbs and the plot intensifies, viewers are forced to spectate as the film’s grip only tightens, leading to a release that is unavoidable yet justified.

One key reason this intensity works is because of the stakes at hand.

Although infrequent, this movie includes some unsettling violence. Similar to 2019’s “Joker,” this film is careful not to overload the audience with violence.

When implemented; however, it is unforgettable. “Nightmare Alley” uses uncertainty to its advantage as it clarifies its morally ambiguous stance, serving as a brief reminder for viewers of where this film lies.

Being a Best Picture nominee, “Nightmare Alley” is quite remarkable, though it won’t adhere to everyone’s taste. It is slow yet methodical in its approach, keeping viewers invested with the dialogue above all else. Those who gravitate toward classical noir films will be more inclined to see “Nightmare Alley,” though, it is enjoyable without this specific movie tendency. While it may not be praised for spectacle, there is no denying “Nightmare Alley” thrives as a noir film. Carried by a star-studded cast and director, this tale is all about self-absorption, told for today’s audience. Having managed to effectively sell its world to its audience and tell a story as chilling as it is impressive, “Nightmare Alley” makes a convincing argument for why it deserves Best Picture and why noir films never died. “Nightmare Alley” gets an 8.4/10.

Sports

March 2, 2022

Four year career manifests into breakout season for basketball player

... I believe what helped me was just sticking to what I do the best and just being myself ...

“We try to share the ball to make the game easier because it takes everyone to go out and win tough games,” Delph said.

Delph has been acknowledged by coaches and teammates for the work ethic he has shown in his four years as a Mountaineer. Head coach Dustin Kerns has high praise for Delph’s work over the three years he has coached the Mountaineers.

“He’s a hard worker, and it means a lot to him,” Kerns said. “He’s consistently gotten better on the court, and he’s the type of guy that we want representing our program.”

Named the Sun Belt player of the week Jan. 18, Delph averaged 20.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and three assists that week. Delph said the longer he played with App State, the more he realized the ups and downs of college basketball can be beneficial.

“Everything in college basketball is not always going to go how you want, and it is not always bad. I believe what helped me was just sticking to what I do the best and just being myself,” Delph said.

When his time as a Mountaineer comes to an end, Delph has no plans to say goodbye to the game of basketball.

“After my time here at App, I plan on continuing my basketball career,” Delph said.

Senior guard Delph dribbles around Georgia Southern defender Cam Bryant Feb. 10, 2022. App State went on to win 65-61.

Hiatt Ellis James Parker | Reporter

Of all the highly skilled players on the App State men’s basketball roster, one player has been an outlier this season.

Senior guard Adrian Delph had arguably the best game of his career earlier this season, scoring 39 points against Delaware in a 75-68 loss in the Gulf Coast Showcase. He scored efficiently as he shot 76.5% from the field and 63.6% from three.

Not only was this a career game for Delph, but this has also been the best season of his career. He averages 17.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 39% from three. This level of play has led the Mountaineers to second place in the Sun Belt with a 12-6 conference record. But his teammates say this breakout season is no surprise.

“I’ve been playing with Delph for four years now, and his game has been the same. I’ve seen him do way more than you guys could even imagine, so what he’s doing this year doesn’t surprise me at all,” super senior guard Justin Forrest

said.

Delph started his career with the Mountaineers in the 2018-19 season and averaged 7.1 points and 19 minutes per game. As his playing time increased with each year, his scoring and overall output increased too. He now averages 35 minutes per game. Delph credits his performance this season to controlling the pace of the game.

“I’ve seen a lot of basketball these past four years, and I’ve really learned how to slow the game down in my mind and play with confidence,” Delph said.

Delph also credits the selfishness of his teammates for their success this season.

“We feed off of each other’s energy, and there’s a level of unselfishness we have where no one cares who is scoring the ball the most,” Delph said.

The box score shows this as the Mountaineers have a 1.24 assist-to-turnover ratio this season.

Senior guard Delph advances down the court during the 67-66 loss to Charlotte Nov. 18, 2021.

Hiatt Ellis

13

Sports

March 2, 2022

“Mr. Versatile” Donovan Gregory shines Zach Smith | Reporter Anyone who’s attended an App State men’s basketball game this year has noticed number 11. The 6 foot 5 recreation management major has played the game since he was three years old, and the forward has become an instrumental part of the App State men’s basketball team.

Donovan Gregory’s family and coaches have led him to continued success on the court. His parents, who also played basketball, gave him unwavering support. Gregory noted his coaches and family members motivated him, partially by telling him “stuff that I might not always want to hear.”

Gregory named Byron Dinkins, Gregory’s coach for three years of his high school career at Northside Christian Academy and Carmel Christian High School, as someone who was influential in his progress as a player. Dinkins is now director of Player Development at Charlotte.

“Just my freshman year, he’s just always had confidence in me and told me how good I could be,” Gregory said. “He was like a mentor to me.”

Coming out of high school, Gregory held scholarship offers from five schools, including App State, while also listed as a three-star recruit.

Schools like Charlotte and future Sun Belt Conference competitor Old Dominion were among the offers.

Gregory listed a few reasons for choosing App State over other schools.

“It was just close to home, you know. College, you usually want to go somewhere where you can trust the coaching staff,” Gregory said. “I just felt like I could trust the coaches here, and it ended up working out in my favor.”

Head coach Dustin Kerns prides himself on player development. He pointed out that not only has Gregory improved each of his three seasons on the court, he’s shown great character off the court as well.

“Donovan has gotten better

14

each season. Another great kid from a great family,” Kerns said. “So when you have high character people in your program, good things are going to happen to them. They’re going to get better because they want to be coached. They buy into what you’re doing.”

Gregory played a key role in the 2020-21 season for the Mountaineers, leading the team in rebounds for the season. Those rebounds played a key role last March, when App State won four games in four consecutive days to clinch their first-ever Sun Belt Championship, as well as their first NCAA tournament berth since 2000.

Gregory earned a career-high 14 rebounds in the conference semifinal game against Coastal Carolina and later grabbed 10 rebounds, tied for third most in his career, in the championship game against Georgia State. Gregory credited the team and their underdog mentality for the unlikely run to the conference title.

“We came into the tournament as a six seed, so we were already the underdog in pretty much every game.

But the hardest thing to do is win the first game, so after that, I think that just gave us confidence to keep moving on,” Gregory said. “We were playing really good basketball, and we were just so together as a team. That’s what helped us win all those games.”

With the tournament win, App State punched its ticket to the school’s first NCAA tournament in over two decades. For Gregory, the realization of the accomplishment didn’t come into play until the Mountaineers’ first, and eventually only, game of the tournament against Norfolk State.

“I don’t even think it really hit me until you get there and then, boom, you’re playing, and it’s like ‘Woah, I’m really here,’” Gregory said. “You just gotta embrace moments like those, make the best of them because it’s something you’ll remember forever.”

You just gotta embrace moments like those, make the best of them because it’s something you’ll remember forever.”

Junior forward Donovan Gregory sets up to take a free throw in the 72-57 win over Little Rock Jan. 29, 2022.

Hiatt Ellis

Sports

March 2, 2022

Athlete finds success on track and in classroom Drew Bailey | Reporter Some college students may struggle keeping up with their class work, but one track athlete has been able to thrive in both academics and athletics.

Graduate student Peighton Simmons has earned All-Academic honors while also winning three track conference championships.

“She is the type of student-athlete we recruit all the time to be here on the mountain. She has higher standards for herself to be successful, and it shows that she is ready for the real world,” said head track coach Damion McLean.

“Once she’s done here, she will also make an impact wherever she goes.”

Simmons comes from an athletic family. Her father was a basketball player at Lenoir-Rhyne University and her sister was a sprinter at NC State. Simmons excelled in triple jump events as far back as high school. During her high school career, she won two AAU Junior Olympics National triple jump championships and five 2A state triple jump championships. She was able to match these by being a co-salutatorian and becoming president of her school’s National Honor Society.

“I take extreme pride in my academics. I am actually one of those students who will cry literal tears if I don’t do well on an assignment,” Simmons said.

Simmons’ resume led to her competing for UNC-Chapel Hill from 201718. During her Tar Heel career, she finished seventh at the 2018 ACC Outdoor Championships, 12th in the 2018 ACC Indoor championships and first at the UCS Invitational competing in the triple jump. Following her sophomore season, Simmons transferred to App State where she became a prominent part of its track program.

“I was at a really low point in my life prior to coming here. To my relief,

Appalachian State has allowed me to thrive academically, athletically and socially,” Simmons said. “Since being here, I’ve been blessed to make amazing grades, win conference championships, make amazing friends and teammates and join on-campus organizations. Being a student at App has been the light at the end of the tunnel for me.”

Simmons hit the ground running as a Mountaineer.

She placed first in the triple jump at the Appalachian Open with a 12.77-meter jump, the fourth-best mark in program history. She also helped the 4x300-meter relay team set the school record in the event with a blazing 2:41.58. At the 2020 Sun Belt Indoor Championships, she finished third in the long jump and 4x400-meter relay team event, earning her All-Sun Belt honors in both events. This helped reassure Simmons that being a Mountaineer track athlete was right for her.

“Coming to Appalachian State was similar to being a freshman all over again; new school, new people and teammates, new training regimens, new coaches and even a change in elevation,” Simmons said. “I didn’t know how any of this would affect my performance. Having such an impact right off the bat solidified for me that being on the mountain was one of the best decisions I could have made.”

Graduate track and field athlete Peighton Simmons competes at the Sun Belt Conference Championship Feb. 21, 2022, setting a new personal record and earning her a second consecutive title in the triple jump.

Courtesy of App State Atheltics

Going into the 2021 season, Simmons tried to build on her momentum. But after an ankle injury, she was unsure if she would have the same success.

“Many don’t know, but I was battling ankle injuries during both indoor and outdoor seasons,” Simmons said.

“I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to compete at either conference championships, let alone win them both.”

Simmons’ worries were put to rest when she became the first woman since 2010 to win both an indoor

It’s been a pleasure to see the highs and lows each time she’s competing with her teammates ... She makes them better, and they make her better as well.

- Damion McLean, head track coach

and outdoor conference championship at the 2021 Sun Belt Outdoor Championships. She won the triple jump with a leap of 12.83 meters to extend her mark as the fourth-best triple jump in program history. At the 2021 Sun Belt Indoor Championships, she won the triple jump again with a 12.67-meter jump.

“Being able to do that was like ‘Okay, if you can do that while hurting, imagine the possibilities when you’re healthy again,’” Simmons said.

As Simmons hoped, when she became healthy, she reached the expectations she set for herself. On the first meet of this season at the App State Invite, Simmons took off for 13.11 meters in the triple jump. This was the farthest attempt in the Holmes Convocation Center and second farthest attempt in program history. Simmons also won the long jump after propelling herself 6.06 meters, her personal record by a foot. Simmons recorded half of the team’s first place finishes at the meet. She was named the Sun Belt Women’s Field Athlete of the Week for her performance.

“It feels great to win, but if I don’t hit the mark that I have set for myself, then I’m still not truly satisfied with the performance,” Simmons said. “Being able to set the Holmes Center record and be named the Sun Belt Women’s Field Athlete of the Week was truly rewarding this go around because to earn those accolades meant I accomplished my goal: a personal record. I PR’d by a foot, and that was the most rewarding of it all.”

Read more online at www.theappalachianonline.com

15

Sports

March 2, 2022

Vice president of the equestrian team, Grace Waugh, rides at the team’s new barn, Yonahlossee Stables Feb. 6, 2022.

Ansley Puckett

Equestrian team trots home after 12 years Ansley Puckett | Managing Editor

For the past 12 years, one club team has traveled an hour from Boone to three different places to practice.

Now, the App State equestrian team will be in the same place for the first time since 2009 and only 10 minutes from campus at Yonahlossee Stables at Pine Hill.

“We’re all going to be in one place, and we’re all going to be able to practice together, and frankly, I am stoked,” said Grace Waugh, vice president of the equestrian team.

The team, made up of three smaller teams, has Western riders, who do reigning, looping and pleasure riding, and English riders, who are split into a Dressage team and a Hunt Seat team. Hunt Seat riders work on form, being able to jump; equitation, which is walk, trot, canter; and working to connect with a horse in a short amount of time.

The Dressage team works on 20-meter circles, 15 and 10-meter circles, which are equitation patterns, and riders walk, trot, canter and do more advanced moves like lateral movement.

Carmen Shore, the equestrian team treasurer and facility change coordinator, said the team began practicing at three different barns to meet the needs of each discipline.

The team has three coaches for Western, Hunt Seat and Dres-

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sage. The Dressage team currently practices in Taylorsville, the Hunt Seat team practiced in Newton for the fall semester, and the Western team practiced in Morganton for the fall semester.

This semester, the Hunt Seat team is moving early to Yonahlossee Stables because of timing issues at their previous barn. The team started practicing in Boone Feb. 14.

The Western team also had resource and timing issues in Morganton, and Western riding will be limited this semester until the team moves to Yonahlossee Stables in the fall. Next year, when the Dressage and Western team move to their new barn in Boone, they will all train at the same place.

“We’ll all be at the barn at the same time. We’ll be able to see each other in passing, and we can have social gatherings out there, so I really think that it’ll help us become a more cohesive team rather than three separate disciplines,” said Waugh, a sustainable technology major.

Shore began working on moving the team to one barn when she joined the executive board in March 2021. In September, the rest of the board joined her in searching for a new home barn.

Shore visited barns in Boone, talking with different places until she found a place interested in a partnership. The team is aiming to

For a lot of people, I guess riding is therapy. With everything going on from classes and work schedules and drama and social life, for me personally, riding is very therapeutic.

Sports

March 2, 2022 finish moving the Western and Dressage team by August, giving them time to set up.

“I’m just looking forward to being able to host all of our current disciples in that one space and it being less than 10 minutes from campus,” Shore said.

“I think the connectivity between the three teams has always been an issue.

We’ve always kinda felt like we were operating as three separate entities.”

Shore said the move saves team members around 23 hours and three minutes of travel time per person. Yonahlossee Stables said they wanted to work with the team to help them grow and support university athletics.

“I think we’re all just looking forward to having the team in the barn, seeing them grow as a team, using the knowledge and the facility that we have to help them grow,” said Nikki Barnes, managing director and head instructor of Yonahlossee Stables.

Ryan Carroll, president of the equestrian team and an English rider, started riding horses when she was eight years old. When she came to App State, she knew she wanted to ride with the team and joined despite the commute.

“One of the things I love being on the team is that I don’t feel alone,” said Carroll, a senior criminal justice major. “There are people who love to ride horses as well, and they just love being around the team itself, and we can all talk about it.”

The team welcomes anyone interested in riding horses, whether

they’ve ridden for years or have never been on a horse.

“We are very accepting of everyone and anyone that comes,” Carroll said.

Split into a competing team and a noncompeting team, riders buy packages that set up how many times a week they practice. Carroll said the most common is the 10-lesson package, where riders can practice once a week. If riders want to ride more than once a week, they set it up through the coach.

“For a lot of people, I guess riding is therapy. With everything going on from classes and work schedules and drama and social life, for me personally, riding is very therapeutic,” Carroll said. “I think riding definitely gets rid of all the stress in your body.”

Riders set up lessons through the barn and can set practice to fit their class schedule. Competing riders also participate in practice rides before competitions, where they can work on improving skills they’re concerned about.

The Dressage team competes through the Intercollegiate Dressage Association, and the Hunt Seat team and the Western team compete through the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association.

Although the team practices in three different places, they unite each week for their team meetings in Plemmons Student Union.

“We get a bad rep sometimes cause we’re called horse girls, and

Riders meet the horses in the barn as Nikki Barnes, managing director and head instructor of Yonahlossee Stables, introduces the animals, Feb. 6, 2022.

Taylor Ward

Taylor Ward we’re supposed to be crazy, and we have to act like ‘Oh, we’re not crazy, I promise,’” Carroll said. “It’s kinda like you’re with people who understand what’s going on and understand the lingo and just overall being able to be together and understand each other.”

However, Haley Rogers, the former club sports representative and Hunt Seat team captain, said she thinks the distance has contributed to a lack of knowledge about the team on campus.

“I think a lot has to do with the time commitment that we have right now,” Rogers said. “Like, driving an hour to the barn, I think once that changes, then we’ll grow a lot more, and a lot more people will know about it because we’ll be located in Boone.”

Rogers, a sophomore nutrition and foods major, believes having the team close to campus will help with recruiting and retaining.

“We’re hoping that the team will grow a lot from the change too, given that it will be 10 minutes off of campus instead of an hour,” Rogers said. “More people have time for that.”

Shore said the team is also looking at creating a fourth group of recreational riders who can ride for fun without choosing a discipline and competing, adding to the options the team provides.

“Change is definitely difficult for anyone, and this is a massive change, so there’s gonna be some growing pains for sure, but I think that in the end, it is going to be a good move for the future of the team to be here,” Waugh said.

Ansley Puckett (Top) Vice president of the equestrian team, Grace Waugh, saddles a horse as the team prepares to ride Feb. 6, 2022.

(Bottom) Students prepare a horse for riding during the equestrian team’s open house Feb. 6, 2022.

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Opinion

March 2, 2022

THROUGH ELLA’S EYES

Hormone testing in

sports is invasive and unnecessary Ella Adams | Opinion Editor It’s no mystery sports are competitive. Athletes go to extreme lengths to be the best competitors they can be, sometimes even taking performance-enhancing drugs. Obviously, it’s not fair to take performance-enhancing drugs, and testing for doping is a no-brainer. Athletes are held to high standards to ensure their sport is fair, but have regulators gone too far? Alongside traditional doping tests, some female athletes may be required to have their sex confirmed. Yes, you read that right.

Sports regulators examine and conduct tests upon female athletes to ensure they are “female enough” for competition. The process is called sex verification. “Verifying” the sex of female athletes is an outlandish invasion of privacy, unnecessary for competition and wildly discriminatory.

Sex verification includes blood testing to monitor hormones, particularly testosterone, in women athletes, both cisgender and transgender. The process also includes physical examinations and genetic chromosomal testing to prove they are biologically female. The Interna-

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tional Olympic Committee required sex verification on all female athletes until 1998. Now, the IOC and the International Amateur Athletic Federation only conduct sex verification when the athletes are “deemed suspicious.”

The dehumanizing and invasive practice was developed in the 1950s to test for hyperandrogenism, a condition where an individual, usually a female, has higher than average androgens or male sex hormones.

Many people who identify as intersex have hyperandrogenism. In theory, sex verification is ridiculous, but in practice, it is downright appalling.

In 2014, accomplished Indian runner Dutee Chand was sent to Delhi for what she believed to be a doping test. To her surprise, her competitors and their coaches reported her to the Athletics Federation of India, a branch of the IAAF, because “her physique seemed suspiciously masculine” and “her stride was too impressive for someone who was only five feet tall.” Chand was subjected to a blood test to measure her natural testosterone levels, a chromosomal test and an MRI, but that isn’t the

most shocking part of the ordeal. Per the IAAF rules, Chand was forced to have a gynecological exam where doctors measured and probed her breasts and genitalia, which were then scored “on an illustrated fivegrade scale.” Because of her naturally high testosterone levels, Chand was completely banned from competition. Chand’s appalling treatment is sadly not an isolated event. In 2019, South African runner Caster Semenya was barred from competing in the Olympics because of her naturally occurring above-average testosterone levels.

Many athletes subjected to sex verification, including Chand and Semenya, did not know they had hyperandrogenism before the process. What should be private medical information about their bodies was discussed in boardrooms and publicized. According to Human Rights Watch, sex verification of any kind constitutes violence and harassment in the workplace per the International Labour Organization. Because competition is a professional athlete’s livelihood, they must comply with the intrusive regulations.

Banning female athletes from competing in sports because of naturally occurring hormone levels is absurd and deeply rooted in sexism.

As women became more prominent in competitive athletics in the 1950s, sports regulators began to question if successful female athletes were really women. The discrimination of intersex and hyperandrogenous people only applies to female-identifying athletes. Male competitors do not face the same scrutiny. The narrative that intersex or hyperangrogenous women have some superhuman advantage over “average” individuals is laughable.

All women have testosterone in their bodies, but amounts vary from individual to individual. So, why is the natural variation of hormone levels viewed as an unfair advantage? A runner wouldn’t be banned for having naturally long legs. A sharpshooter wouldn’t be banned for having naturally good eyesight.

A swimmer wouldn’t be banned for having naturally large lungs. Yet, female-identifying athletes are banned for a natural attribute they were born with.

Luckily, college athletics has a higher standard of decency. In 2011,

the NCAA stated, “there is a great deal of natural variation in physical size and ability among non-transgender women and men” and “sex verification tests have been misused to humiliate and unfairly exclude women with intersex conditions.”

Although the NCAA is opposed to sex verification, the association still monitors and regulates the testosterone levels in transgender women. Of course, there is room for improvement in the NCAA policy, but it is still far more inclusive than the IOC and IAAF. App State, an NCAA Division I university, adheres to the organization’s rules.

Hormone testing and sex verification is an outdated, disturbing practice that has no place in sports.

It is impossible to force people into the neat categories of “male” and “female” when, biologically, two distinct sexes do not exist. Dehumanizing and regulating women’s bodies in the assumption that women are not capable of competitive sports is insulting and not the answer to fair competition.

At Regeneration College Ministry, we believe the Grace of God compels us to Love one another, and that Love

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Come join us at Thunder Hill Hall at 6:00 pm on Wednesdays or contact Bri McClendon for more information! (mcclendonbh@appstate)

Opinion

March 2, 2022

Performative activism is worst when it comes from people in power Veronica | Opinion Writer For some, adding the hashtags #BLM, #StopAsianHate or #SaveThePlanet to social media bios has become a form of activism. The digital markers advertise a morality, which is sometimes not fully their own. Performative activists make little to no effort in understanding the movement they “support,” and the lie shows from behind the scenes of social media. The problem is known as hashtag activism and it varies from friends to celebrities, companies and politicians.

On an individual level, bandwagoning to “support” a social justice movement on social media mostly serves to benefit your perceived character.

However, when celebrities, companies and politicians exploit a movement to inflate their image, they benefit financially. Performative activism takes away from the efforts of actual activists and is especially damaging when those with influence do it.

While social media has certainly contributed to a speedy rise in the phenomenon, performative activism doesn’t only take on the form of spiritless hashtag usage.

Reading and reposting words of activists and educators is essential to spreading the message of a movement. From the influencers reposting about activism, many are reposting and appearing socially conscious to their followers. When people don’t research a subject beyond a pastel-colored, 10-slide social media post, they lack a very basic understanding of the issue or movement. By not checking other sources nor looking into the author’s background in the subject, they are capable of spreading false

information. Some overly ambitious influencers will try to take the reins from real activists and give their two cents on an issue they have no experience with. Influencers can encourage a middle ground and downplay the harms of the oppressors. Performative activism comes easily to people who are not suffering and are observers of injustice, but it is insulting to the efforts of those facing injustices and the work of those fighting against them.

Big companies are less likely to resort to rushed reposting because they have a marketing team behind them. Rather, their method deceives a percent of their audience who are looking for a statement in the moment, but will forget about any promises in a year or so. In June 2020, at the height of the George Floyd protests against police brutality, Anthropologie posted a promise on their social media to stand behind Black and Brown communities and to involve more people of color in their workforce.

A quick look at Urban Outfitters Inc., Anthropologie’s owner company, senior leadership and board of directors list shows an overwhelmingly white leadership team. Not only that, the company has a history of stealing designs from minority-operated businesses. While Urban Outfitters Inc. has donated thousands of dollars in support of Black Lives Matter, money can only do so much when those in positions of power stop being complicit in diminishing the voices of marginalized communities.

Over everything, performative activism is most damaging when

politicians abuse the “trending injustices.” While it’s easy to go after politicians who are deliberately trying to argue against progress, it’s just as easy to overlook reformative actions that serve as band-aids to keep the public happy and don’t address systematic change. For instance, as many Black activists have pointed out, Juneteenth becoming a national holiday looks superficial when you consider how many schools are exempt from teaching the history, when lynching isn’t considered a federal hate crime and when Black Americans still face violence at the hands of police who continue to face insufficient consequences.

Members of marginalized communities are absolutely welcome to celebrate these victories because it can indicate a step in the right direction, but no one should stop questioning the extent of the justice that superficial policies allow.

Authentic allyship is likened to saying “sorry.”

Apologizing is usually enough to express a regretful position, but making moves against the action you regret is the truest marker of your sorrow. It is one thing to express solidarity by using hashtags • #BLM, #Feminist,

#StopAsianHate, etc. in your TikTok bio, but it is more intentional to tangibly support these movements. The most accessible action is educating yourself and educating others by taking in and sharing the words of those suffering from injustice. This isn’t a call for you to rapidly repost @IMPACT or @CHNGE posts. Rather, correct a racist friend if you’re in the position to. Question promises made by companies at the height of a social media movement. Follow your politicians, and see if they fulfill the demands of activists.

People love going after young

people “ending racism” by adding #BLM to their bios but are not as quick to hold those in positions of power to their word, nor looking to see how they are undoing the efforts of activists. Activism isn’t just denouncing injustice but making the effort to behave, reflect and change in the ways activists ask you to.

In order to protect the author’s privacy, only her first name is used.

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