February 1 by The A&T Register

TODAY’S WEATHER

THE A&T

Free

VoLUMe LXXXV no. 15

SERVING THE AGGIE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 80 YEARS

Museum reflects on its anniversary KELCIE C. MCCRAE Editor-in-Chief

Today marks not only the anniversary of four young men who sparked change throughout the country, but it also marks the anniversary of a museum that strives to serve as an educational beacon to the people. The International Civil Rights Center & Museum opened its doors two years ago today, and since the first visitors toured this former department store in downtown Greensboro, they have edu-

ncatregister.coM

68° Low: 47° High:

partLY cLoUdY

FeBrUarY 1, 2012

WednesdaY

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH CAROLINA A&T

Keeping the Tradition

cated over 65,000 patrons. “I’m proud of what we’ve done,” said Lolita Watkins, curatorial program associate. “We started out initially with a goal of making sure we had programs that were of interest to those of our community in terms of youth, adults, and life-long learners, and I think we’ve done a good job of encompassing these communities.” Sparked out of the heels of the sit-in movement, this museum provides an in-depth  See MUSEUM on Page 2

File photo

SEVERAL N.C. distinguished guests cut the ribbon for the museum on February 1, 2010.

Ringing in the dollars for Feb. 1 breakfast LATISHA FREEMAN Contributor

The A&T Four have been celebrated every year since Feb. 1, 1960 and this year marks the 52nd Sit-In Anniversary. The festivities planned are completely paid for with student money. The February One celebration observes courageous actions contributed by Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr., Joseph McNeil, the late David L. Richmond. These 1960 freshmen are known for protesting after being refused service at the segregated lunch counter of the F. W. Woolworth’s store in downtown Greensboro. Along with the Division of Student Affairs, the student government association will be hosting a Sit-In Breakfast Celebration that will feature the A&T Four and guest speaker, Darryl C. Towns, Commissioner and CEO of NYS Homes and Community Renewal. Expenses for the A&T Four and guest speaker is $10,591.58; the bulk of the February One expenditure. “We have a very lean budget this year because most speakers require between $7,500 to $25,000 per event,” said dean of students Judy Rashid. Students are encouraged to attend all events that are surrounded by the February One Celebration. Approximately 200 students from different student organizations will be participating in the celebration such as the N.C. A&T Army and Air Force ROTC, the university choir, the gospel choir, and members of the SGA. Both choirs will be paid $300. “I attend the February One Celebration because the program is designed to bring students together,” said Kourtney Lowe, a sophomore animal science major. It reminds us that Aggies are exceptional

and are destined to succeed. The presence of the A&T Four brings an astonishing atmosphere to the university.” Other student organizations that attend the festivities yearly include the council of presidents, the national PanHellenic council as well as resident hall administration, community supporters, alumni and university administration. Seven to eight tables will be reserved for general students. Students who do attend the breakfast will not be required to pay for anything. The food will be provided by Sodexo, which comes to a total of $2,206.58. There will also be an invitation only reception held for the A&T Four that will provide food. After food, the third most expensive aspect of the February One Celebration is printing. The save the date posters and cards come to a total of $740 and the 500 program booklets come to an amount of $750, a grand total of $1,490. This year will also be the first time the university offers two $1,500 scholarships to high school students if they are accepted into A&T. One scholarship is based off an essay award and the other is an art poster award. In whole the February Once expenses are mainly directed to travel for the guests, food, printing, decorations and possible scholarships for prospective students. All expenses come to a grand total of $20,254.86. This amount is what is expected for the annual celebration. “We are celebrating the lives of students and designed this year’s celebration to empower students”, said Rashid. “The university is dedicated to encourage students and demonstrate by the A&T Four that anything is possible.” -lmfreem1@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

PHOTO BY KENNETH L. HAWKINS, JR. • the A&t ReGiSteR

THE NEW A&T FOUR Michael Griﬀen, Mitchell Brown, Christian Robinson, and Brandon Brockington embody much of the original A&t Four.

52 years later, Aggies hold onto the the A&t Four legacy SYLVIA OBELL

Manging Editor

Every year on Feb. 1, N.C. A&T pays homage to its past. Through a series of events, those four brave freshmen who risked it all to stand up, or in this case sit down, in the face of injustice are honored. The A&T Four are arguably the school’s most celebrated alumni and the legacy of starting the sit-in movement is the universities crown jewel. Feb. 1, 1960 was 52 years ago. Since then, thousands of Aggies have enrolled and graduated, yet none have done anything notable enough to garner a larger celebration. Some would argue that A&T rests on its past too much. So on this Feb. 1, lets take a look into the present and highlight four A&T men who are continuing in the legacy that the A&T Four set forth: Mitchell Brown, Michael Griffen, Christian Robinson, and Branden Brockington. Each of these young men are determined to change the world in some way or another, but before they conquer planet Earth they’ve started right here in Aggieland. There’s Griffen, an economics major from High Point, who currently serves as the SGA chief of staff. His resume runs a mile long, chock full of everything from Managing Leadership For Tomorrow to honor societies and scholars, to conducting research on disproportioned minority contacts in Guilford County. A&T can thank its alumni for bringing him here, “I had a lot of people who advocated for me to come

File photo

WHILE the original four were sitting in jail, more Aggies went back to protest at Woolworth’s on Feb. 2.

to A&T. They knew I would do well here,” he said. “I knew a lot of alums that were heavy hitters and I knew it would allow me to become a part of the legacy of the university.” Mitchell Brown also knew he would find his way into the legacy of the university. “A&T wasn’t my first choice; I’m not going to lie. I wanted to be a Morehouse man. But when I was 11, I sat my parents down and told them I would work hard in school to make sure they didn’t have to pay a dime for my college education. A&T offered me the most money.” Brown was part of the first class of Dowdy Scholars at A&T that granted

him a full four year scholarship. It’s safe to say A&T made a good investment because Brown has been active from year one. He’s been apart of SGA for four years — two years of senate, last year as SGA parliamentarian, and currently he serves as vice-president of internal affairs. “I knew I would make SGA my four year internship in politics early on, because that is truly what it is,” he said. Brown is also a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Faternity, Inc., an on campus provost scholars program, and Common Cause at A&T, to name a few. “I was meant to come here to help people. Not in a sympathetic way,

but just to be a legacy of excellence on this campus - a model of success.” SGA President Christian Robinson is no different when it comes to having an outstanding amount of accolades under his belt. He too has been on SGA for all four years of his college career. He’s been an OSL, a Thurgood Marshall campus ambassador, and much more. He is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Interestingly enough A&T not his first choice but and was in actuality his last. “My brother went here and so did some family, so they made me apply. A&T ended up giving me the most money. I visited it during my Spring break, loved it and decided to come,” he said. Branden Brockington is a slightly different type of revolutionary. The Baltimore native took a year off after high school because he felt it was his responsibility to stay and protect his family. “When my mom got married the next year I felt it was ok for me to leave. A&T was actually the only school I applied to that year. I had come for a college tour and felt something, I later learned it was Aggie Pride.” Brockington’s campus affiliations is not extensive, in fact it begins and ends at Couture Word, but that has not made his impact on campus any less impressive. “Unlike the other guys I’m not really apart of a lot of organizations. I’ve just performed for them all versus being in them. They all have me do it because of my voice and I’m honored by that,” he said. He has performed  See A&T FOUR on Page 2

theYARD 2

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

A&T FOUR From page 1

MUSEUM From page 1

countless times at a wide variety of events and each time he wins the crowd over. “Freshman year I would just freestyle at parties and Brian Fingers kind of unofficially recruited me to Couture after hearing me. I went to a spoken word performance to check it out and I was blown away. During my audition for Couture I rocked the whole room and I loved the feeling it gave me. It was a passion I never knew I had until this moment.” All four of these young men admire and respect what the A&T four did 52 years ago. What stands out most to Brown is how they overcame their fears to fight for something that was bigger than them. “I’ve heard it from their own mouths how scared they were, but they still stood up for what they believed in,” he said. “I recently heard an acronym for fear: False Evidence that Appears Real. People were telling them they couldn’t do it but they saw that as false evidence and went ahead and did it.” Griffen sees Feb 1. as a reminder that even as a student, you can take the first step to changing problems in society. Robinson feels that A&T is lucky not only to stand on the shoulders of giants but that some of those giants are still alive for students to get wisdom from. Brockington is able to see a little bit of himself in each of them, “Richmond was known for his civic involvement and that’s something I find very important. McCain was kind of a workhorse, as am I. McNair was from out of state like me, and Blair was spiritual like me.” Although they respect the history of Feb. 1 they all can agree with the stigma that A&T sort of rides the coattails of the A&T Four versus continuing to make history today. “What have we really done in the past 10 years that is as significant? That’s not what they [the A&T four] stood for,” said Robinson.

look into the civil rights era —particularly the movement in Greensboro. This museum houses historical exhibits and numerous artifacts including the famous counter where the A&T four sat as well as documents that portray the dismantling of segregation in the south. According to Watkins, the museum not only serves as a historical reference, but also as an institution of learning. Throughout the year, the museum holds numerous panels, events, as well as the Saturday Children’s Story Hour in which they recruit local familiar faces to have story time with a group of children such as former mayor Yvonne Johnson. On Feb. 11, Tabelech Shipp, founder and director of MYGEMS Science Center will read Ron’s Big Mission by Corinne Naden and Don Tate. This is the story of a famous black astronaut who called N.C. A&T home — Ronald McNair. “We try to incorporate books that would tell the journey of civil rights in which they can easily identify with,” said Watkins. “We’ve had people from all walks of life come and role model and share with the young people their own stories and personal experiences.” With an abundance of service learning opportunities that the museum gives back, they also take time to reflect on the efforts of four men. As a way to celebrate this year’s anniversary of The A&T Four, the museum is hosting a conversation with Dudley High School teachers tonight at 7 p.m.. This discussion will be a reflection from teacher’s who were actively teaching from 1940 to 1970. Also a display of the his-

file photo

members of The A&T Four celebrate the 50th anniversary of the sit-in by leading the historic march re-enactment on February 1, 2010.

“We’re honestly not speaking up when it comes [to] activism and that scares me. We have to move from Feb. 1 to Feb. 2,” agrees Brown. “I don’t know if its because we haven’t found our issue yet that makes us want to rally around it, but there’s plenty to choose from.” Like what you may ask? All four of them believe continuing and maintaining the work of those before us is our generations main mission. Financial literacy and continuous university budget cuts were also added to the list. Despite their disappointment in the lack of significant activism on campus they do recall certain moments at A&T that have made them proud such as Join Me at the Polls and A&T’s role in the election of President Obama. “In 2008, Greensboro had the highest youth vote turnout in the nation. A&T had [thousands of ] people vote on this campus. Whatever that charm - that magic that was surrounded President Obama’s election we need to get that back,” said Brown. “A&T has done a lot of marches, but to me it’s about attribu-

tion, how much of an impact the action performed actually had,” said Griffen. “Ignite Greensboro has really done a great job with that through services such as going neighborhoods and exchanging their light bulbs for energy efficient florescent compact light bulbs. Doing that actually saved people on their electric bill.” If one thing was clear after these interviews, it was that these four young men are definitely setting themselves up to make major impacts on the world; A&T was just the first step them. So what’s next for seniors Griffen, Brown, and Robinson? Griffen already has a job waiting for him at Google. He is also starting a non-profit organization geared toward closing the achievement gap for African-American students. “We’ll start when they are in elementary school and through mentorship and programs we’ll help them transition to high school, college, and even into the professional world,” explained Griffen. Then there’s Brown, who wants to make his mark through law and politics. “I eventually want to run for office, I’d start of local and maybe go

into a state office,” he said. He is also considering Teach For America after a recent trip to New Orleans. Robinson plans on continuing to develop as a leader. “Law school is in the future for me and I’m taking the proper steps to be there,” he said. The current SGA president wants to be remembered at A&T as a servant leader. One who stood up for truth and always tried to do what was right. Don’t think because Brockington is only a junior that he is just letting time pass; he recently started his own organization called “The Grand Trilogy.” It’s made up of spoken word artists, musicians, and actors. They perform showcases and short skits. “I always make sure there is a message, something to be learned. It’s not just a bunch of cute words. Our work caters to human nature and global awareness.” -smobell@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @YngBlkandFancy

tory of Dudley High School will be available starting today. Not only were students at A&T involved with the civil rights movement, but also their younger peers at nearby Dudley High School. “We joined the sit-in movements too,” said exhibit organizer Brenda DaltonJames of the National Dudley Alumni Association and ’67 graduate of A&T. “We were the ones that carried on the movement when the A&T students went on spring break, and we picked it up and carried it on until they came back. We were there during the summer too.” Although only two years old, the museum has seen its fair share of challenges. In the first year of operation, six full-time employees no longer are employed with the museum including Amelia Parker, the museum’s executive director. Curator and program director Bamidele Demerson replaced her last April. “Naturally when you have a change in staff you have to make sure you have people in place to continue the mission of the museum,” said Watkins. “You look forward and move forward, and that’s what we’ve done here at the museum.” Despite challenge, this museum continues to grow and become more known throughout the world. “This is a place where people should feel comfortable to come to learn about issues that affect people in terms of Civil Rights,” said Watkins. “I hope that our children, students, and adults look at themselves as life long learners and come to a place that’s historic because of what four young men did on February 1, 1960.” -kcmccrae@ncat.edu and follow her on Twitter @Kelcie_McCrae

theYARD

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Epps gets cleared of alleged sexual assault ERIK VEAL

Online Editor

The University Police Department is continuing its investigation into an alleged attempted sexual assault that occurred in Aggie Suites F dormitory early Saturday morning. UPD ﬁrst identiﬁed student Zachery Epps as the suspect in Aggie Alerts. Epps was later cleared by UPD, according to a later Aggie Alert message. “I cannot comment much right now due to this being an

ongoing investigation,” Chief Glenn Newell said. “We have interviewed the victim several times, witnesses and various people and we are still gathering information and reviewing footage from the cameras from the resident hall.” Aggie Alert is the university’s emergency notiﬁcation systems were it distributes text messages to mobile devices to individuals who are registered within the system. Newell wanted to make sure students understood that they did not mean to falsify Epps

name and an apology wasn’t issued due to them following protocol. “There wasn’t an apology that needed to be said, you have to understand that Mr. Epps was identiﬁed by the victim so there wasn’t an mistake by the university or the police department, the university followed protocol,” said Newell. “The young lady identiﬁed the individual so that was the reason why protocol was followed however, we as the police department had the responsible to retract the information which is why we sent

Aggies march together to promote nonviolence

NOMA VILANE Contributor

PHOTO BY KENNETH L. HAWKINS, JR.• THE A&T REGISTER

THE MU PSI CHAPTER OF OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. marched Wednesday, January 25, 2012 in honor of their fallen brother Dennis Hayle.

Incorporated and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated were all in attendance. The walk was followed by a ceremony which included a presentation of Hayle’s life and accomplishments. Speaker Ofﬁcer Henson of the Greensboro Police Department who is an alumnus of A&T spread the message of the im-

sophomore supply chain management from Charlotte. Newell said that the safety of the university is a high priority for them and they have hired additional help to secure all corners of campus. “Situations like this is not an usual thing on college campuses,” said Newell. He said that the university has assigned officers to residence halls and heightened their security. He said there are more officers than they have ever had on campus that includes additional officers to work in dorms, all female dorms having 24 hour

security, ofﬁcers who just patrol around campus on foot and a checkpoint for individuals driving to enter campus. Newell repeats that this investigation is ongoing and any other information that develops later on, the university will get announcements on the issue. If you have any information relating to the case, contact UPD at 336-334-7675. After several attempts to contact Epps, he was unavailable for comment. -jeveal@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

McNair’s memory celebrated

DASHAWN FLEMING Last Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the death of A&T student Dennis Hayle who was shot and killed at a nearby student housing complex. Also known as self- proclaimed “Mr. Long Island,” Hayle was a political science major from Hempstead, New York. “Dennis used to smile,” said Shelton Morgan. Known for his radiant smile, Hayle was well known among the student body. On Feb. 23, 2008, Hayle became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. Since Hayle’s death, the Mu Psi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi holds an annual memorial service here on campus. This year, one of the organizers of the event was Mario Love who said that by having this yearly memorial, “what happened to Dennis can be prevented by becoming aware of your surroundings.” The memorial program began shortly after noon with a remembrance walk from the Omega plot to the New General Academic Classroom Building. Many Greek-letter organizations such Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated; Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated; Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,

out an email and alert and forward the university community that he was not responsible for the crime.” Newell wants the university to know that just like any other investigation, this will take time but once a suspect has been identiﬁed and in custody, the university will make an announcement for the students and faculty. “While Aggie Alert is a good tool to have to alert the A&T community of possible danger and criminal activity, UPD must be sure of what is sent out to students,” said Neque Willis, a

portance of always being aware of your surroundings. The program also featured a segment on ways to prevent campus violence. The investigation of Hayle’s death remains unsolved by the Greensboro Police Department. -drflem@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

On Feb. 17, 1998, the Greensboro City Council passed a resolution to honor Ronald McNair’s memory every year on Jan. 28. Last Saturday, there was a commemorative breakfast in Stallings Ballroom. The program was sponsored by the Tau Omega Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and took place from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The keynote speaker for the breakfast was George C. Fraser, chairman and CEO of FraserNet, Inc. Fraser, a motivational speaker who has had leadership positions with Proctor and Gamble, the United Way and Ford Motor Company, spoke on the state of African Americans. He focuses on success principals, networking, ﬁnding purpose and passion in life and strengthening black America. He spoke on how our true heroes are not entertainers, but people like Ronald McNair. McNair was born Oct. 21, 1950, in Lake City, S.C.. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from N.C. A&T in 1971, where he graduated

magna cum laude. He received a Ph.D. in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976. McNair performed some of the earliest development with CO2 lasers and became known as a laser expert while working for the Hughes Research Laboratory. In 1978, he was selected as an astronaut candidate by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). After a year of training, he became qualified as a mission specialist on space shuttles. McNair’s first mission happened on the Challenger on February 3, 1984, making him the second African American to travel into space. While in space, one of his duties included launching the communications satellite while orbiting the earth. By the mid-1980s, shuttle launches had become a regular event. NASA and President Reagan wanted there to be a trip that would bring excitement to the nation. They decided that the 1986 Challenger flight would be the first to carry a citizen, a teacher named Christa McAuliffe. On Jan. 28 1986 the Challenger exploded after launch from the Kennedy Space Cen-

ter in Florida. All who were aboard the Challenger died. The explosion was caused by a fuel leakage due to the O-rings exposure to cold air. Ronald McNair’s wife, Cheryl, gave closing remarks before everyone marched from Memorial Student Union to McNair Hall following the breakfast. When everyone reached McNair, a wreath was laid on the Ronald McNair Hall Lawn in tribute. Senior Biology major Eboni Smith said, “The program is one that is necessary to preserve the memory of Ronald McNair. Fraser did an excellent job of inspiring people to want more. Not just for themselves, but for African Americans as a whole.” Fraser believes that we can enact change on the world, much in the same way that McNair did. “The responsibility for change lies with us,” Fraser said. “I believe everything begins with words and that will eventually lead to action and change.” Fraser’s father once said to him, “What you do speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you say.” -nlvilane@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Do you like to write? Do you like to talk? Then do it online at www.ncatregister.com

Get On Track!

inFOCUS

Summer is more than a vacation... Get on track by: Jump starting your degree Pacing your Fall /Spring course load Hurdling over deficiencies Reaching the finish line with Early Graduation

Explore Discover Become

2012 Summer Schedule 2 week Pre-Session 5/21 - 6/1/2012 1st Session 5/21 - 6/26/2012 Dual Session 5/21 - 8/3/2012 Intersession 6/28 - 7/12/2012 2nd Session 6/28 - 8/3/2012

Plot your course. Register Now! North Carolina A&T State University 1020 E. Wendover Ave, Greensboro, NC 27405

Contact: Office of University Outreach - Summer Sessions & Certificates 336-334-7607 or 1-888-323-6237 Website: www.ncat.edu/~summer - Email: osso@ncat.edu

PHOTO BY KENNETH L. HAWKINS, JR• THE A&T REGISTER

DARREN BRAND, A&T alum, host the men basketball game half-time dance-oﬀ with kids, students and adults from the crowd.

THE A&T

EDITOR IN CHIEF: Kelcie C. McCrae MANAGING EDITOR: Sylvia Obell OPINIONS EDITOR:Trumaine McCaskill SPORTS EDITOR: Karmen Robinson SCENE EDITOR: Ashley Vaughn NCATREGISTER.COM EDITOR: Jonathan Veal COPY EDITOR: Chuck Johnson COPY EDITOR: Justine Riddick PHOTO EDITOR: Kenneth L. Hawkins, Jr. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS: Tracy Durandis

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Taylor Wilson REPORTERS: Cheri Farrior, Dashawn Fleming, Kalyn Hoyle, Necole Jackson,Megan Jordan, U’Leasa Joseph, Jenell McMillion, Helesee Scott, Alexis White ADVERTISING& BUSINESS MANAGER: Courtney jackson BUSINESS STAFF: Kevin Best, Jonique Lynch, Jackie Maxwell, Victorri Taylor, Jeff Watts CONTENT DIRECTOR: Anjan Basu FACULTY ADVISER: Emily Harris

THE A&T REGISTER is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters by students at North Carolina A&T State University. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Register’s newsroom (subject to availability). All subscription requests should be directed to the Business department. THE A&T REGISTER has a weekly circulation of 5,000 copies on-campus and in the community and is a member of The Associated Press, The Associated Collegiate Press and the Black College Wire.

theBIZ 4

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Bakery offers coffee, treats

Oil spill reveals delicate Gulf coast RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI Associated Press

TIVOLI, Texas — For decades, farmers and fishermen along the Gulf of Mexico watched as their sensitive ecosystem’s waters slowly got dirtier and islands eroded, all while the country largely ignored the

destruction. It took BP PLC’s well blowing out in the Gulf — and the resulting environmental catastrophe when millions of gallons of oil spewed into the ocean and washed ashore — for the nation to turn its attention to the slow, methodical ruin of an ecosystem vital to the U.S. economy.

AMEERA VINES Contributer

A new coffee shop for everyone to enjoy is open and it is called The Sweet Shop. This coffee shop offers 120 varieties of pound cake along with other sweet treats. The Sweet Shop offers a calming atmosphere with a 1940’s feel. The original lemon pound cake recipe has been passed down since 1945. Brandon Lee Tankard, son of the owner, Margret Elaine Designs and an employee at The Sweet Shop were well versed in the history of the pound cake recipe and how the shop got started. “The recipe came from my grandmother. She used to bake a lemon pound cake and take it to church every Sunday,” said Tankard. “My mother has been baking pound cakes for years,” said Tankard. “She grew up around it, I grew up around it…I guess she just started to experiment with different flavors and that’s when we decided to get this spot and see what we could do with it.” Along with the tradition of making the cakes from scratch, kosher desserts are also offered. There are also many kinds of entertainment available for the public to enjoy. The Sweet Shop offers book readings, local artist displays, live music, dancing and more. Karaoke Night is offered Fridays at 7 p.m. along with live music Saturday nights. A poetry stage is also available and spoken word artists are welcome to come. “We wanted to create opportunities for other people, to create a safe place for artists to come in and be themselves and showcase their talent,” Tankard said. “It is really fun for us to get to know some of the talent that is out there.” The Sweet Shop offers three zones for people to enjoy by accommodating different moods. The first zone is the black and white floor area that people initially see when they enter the shop. The gallery/ longue area is the second zone and the patio is the third zone. Catering is also a service provided by the Sweet Shop. To accommodate their customers The Sweet Shop also has new store hours. “People would come in and say you guys should open up earlier … I’m on my way to work at 7 and 8 o’clock in the morning; I need my coffee before work,” said Tankard. Tuesdays through Thursdays hold its regular store hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday operate on weekend hours while it is closed on Sundays and only open by appointment on Mondays. The Sweet Shop is located on 631 Elm St. — theatregister@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

WE’RE EVERYWHERE YOU WANT TO BE, KIND OF LIKE VISA, BUT

BETTER. NCATREGISTER. COM

MCT Campus

Tim morris checks his net in what he called a good fishing spot before is now more “wish fishing.”

Last month, more than a year and a half after the spill began, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a three-year, $50 million initiative designed to improve water quality along the coast. “I’m not going to say that it’s the silver lining,” Will Blackwell, a district conservationist with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Services, said of the oil spill. Blackwell is one of many regional officials who have long worked with farmers and ranchers to fence cattle, reseed native grasses and take on other seemingly inane projects that go a long way toward preventing pollution and coastal erosion. “I’m going to say that it will help get recognition down here that we have this vital ecosystem that needs to be taken care of,” he said. “This will keep it at the forefront.” NRCS administrators struggled for years to divide a few million dollars among farmers and ranchers in the five Gulf states. Now, they are getting an eleven-fold increase in funding, money that will allow them to build on low-profile programs that already have had modest success in cleaning crucial waterways by working with farmers and ranchers to improve land use practices. The nation’s focus turned sharply to the Gulf when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blew up in April 2010. Images of oil-coated birds and wetlands were splashed across newspapers and cable news networks. Coastal wetlands that are habitat to all sorts of wildlife were soiled and oyster beds were wiped out, underscoring the Gulf’s ecological and economic importance. The project is called the Gulf of Mexico Initiative, the first concrete step from a year’s worth of meetings, studies and talking by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, a committee formed by President Barack Obama in the spill’s wake. Sometimes, the money is spent on simple projects, such as building fences and installing troughs to keep cattle away from rivers and creeks that

Send your Valentine a sweet message for only $5 in The A&T Register.

flow into the Gulf. The minerals in cow manure can pollute those upstream waters and then flow into the ocean. Those minerals can deplete oxygen in the Gulf, creating “dead zones” where wildlife can’t thrive. Other times, the program pays for expensive farming equipment that turns soil more effectively and creates straighter rows. That helps keep fertilizers on the farm — where it helps crops — and out of the Gulf, where the nutrients choke oxygen from the water. This equipment also decreases erosion, which has eaten up hundreds of miles of Gulf Coast habitat in the past century. Until now, most counties in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Texas got right around $100,000 apiece to spend annually on these programs. The demand was far greater in many areas, but money was hard to come by, Blackwell said, highlighting the popularity of the program in Refugio County, Texas — the rural area of Southeast Texas he oversees. The influx of money has many farmers and ranchers — especially those who have reaped the program’s benefits in the past — eager for more opportunities to improve the environment they rely upon for their livelihood. Now, they are hurriedly filling out applications and waiting for officials to rank the paperwork — those considered to have the greatest possible impact are the most likely to be approved. “Fifty million dollars sounds like a lot. But when you consider — Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida and Texas, it’s not going to be enough,” said Glen Wiggins, a Florida farmer applying for help buying new farming equipment. “But it’ll help.” Dallas Ford, owner of the 171-acre Smoky Creek Ranch in Tivoli, Texas, first worked with the NRCS to build fences and strategically located troughs. The fences keep cattle in separate fields and allow him to rotate the cows between the fields, a practice that helps keep grass longer and better able to recover

when it rains. The troughs ensure the cattle remain in the area and keep away from Stony Creek — a bountiful tributary of the Gulf’s Hynes Bay. Ford estimates he has between $15,000 and $20,000 worth of additional work to do on his ranch — all of which will ultimately improve water quality in Stony Creek — but he will be able to do it only if he can get another contract with NRCS, which would cover about half the costs. The cash infusion reminded him of a mentor who once said you could cook anything with time and temperature. In this project, Ford said, time is plentiful — the temperature is money and manpower. “We might be able to cook something a little faster,” Ford said. “Now, maybe I can get you a nice steak.” About 685 miles away, Wiggins has been buying new tilling equipment to use on his 800acre peanut and cotton farm that straddles the Alabama-Florida line. The high-tech farming equipment helps him better turn the soil and plant straighter rows, which ultimately prevent erosion and keep nutrients in the soil rather than allowing them to flow downstream and into the Gulf. Wiggins’ land sits on three watersheds — Canoe Creek and Pine Barren Creek that are part of Sandy Hollow Creek, and Little Pine Barren Creek. With the work he’s already done, Wiggins estimates he has reduced erosion by at least 50 percent. Now, he wants to further reduce it, mostly through the use of new equipment that will decrease conventional, and more destructive, tillage of his land. “I’d like to get it down to zero, but if I could get it to 10 percent conventional tillage, I would be tickled to death,” Wiggins said. He estimated the new equipment will cost about $70,000. The only way he can make that purchase is with NRCS’ help — and now it may be within reach. “The oil spill has been a powerful force to get people’s attention,” Wiggins said.

VISIT us at GCB A328

Thursday Feb. 2, 11:00am-4:00pm or Monday Feb. 6, 1:00pm-4:00pm or contact us at ATREGISTER@YAHOO.COM

Hey Aggies! Monday-Wednesday: 2 LARGE 1-topping pizzas $14 Every day special: LARGE pizza Any way you want it $10! Every day deals: $7.99 1 LARGE 1 topping OR 1 MEDIUM 2 topping

(336) 954-7575

theWORD

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Teachers just don’t care about us As much as university officials want to believe they are hiring educators who care about the education and future of students, let’s be honest, some of these teachers just do not care. For many educators, teaching is a last resort. Either that, or something to do to receive a paycheck after retiring. Do they really care to educate students to become successful? Before I go any further let me say that I realize not all educators are nonchalant about whether their students actually grasp concepts or not. But at the end of the day, these other particular uncaring individuals that call themselves “educators” are out there, and they are easy to spot. Granted, it is not just college professors, it is evident in high and middle school teachers too. I just do not understand how a teacher can consistently allow and be satisfied with students passing their class by just doing minimum work and not learning anything. Some professors do not even have office hours; they have office minutes! It seems as though some of them are not willing to help students who have taken the time to come to

a teacher’s ofﬁce and want to understand the material. How do teachers expect us to care to learn if they act like they KARMEN don’t care ROBINSON about us? I’ve actually had a high school teacher and college professor assign a crossword puzzle for homework just to give us grades. What purpose does that serve? They might as well have given us a coloring book and had us color every night. The interesting part is that people seriously wonder why students are graduating from high school at a third grade reading level and forced to take remedial classes in college. Well, this is why. Out-of-state tuition is beyond excessive. Around $20,000 per year to attend A&T, which is interesting in itself with all the budget cuts and layoffs, yet tuition is constantly rising, but I digress. My parents are certainly not paying the university a ridicu-

Politics as usual Teach for America KELCIE MCCRAE

Editor-In-Chief

Troy Simon is beyond exceptional. In the fall, this 18-year-old high school student in New Orleans will be attending Bard College in New York on a full academic scholarship, and it is largely due to teachers from Teach for America. Simon is a well-poised and articulate young man. He has that southern street twang, but despite that it is evident that he is very intelligent with much promise. It is almost hard to believe that only a few years ago not only was he a thief, but also could not read. Last weekend I traveled to Cajun country with 40 other colleagues from various universities on a trip sponsored by Teach for America with the hopes to gain insight on this organization. This national teach corps seeks recent college grads willing to commit two years to teach and affect change in under-resourced urban and rural public schools such as those in New Orleans. Topping the list as one of the worst performing school systems in the United States, New Orleans is a city that needs much hope. Prior to Katrina, failing schools, undereducated people, and lackadaisical teachers were the norm in many of these schools. It was because of circumstances like these that Simon went all the way to the 5th grade and could barely recite his ABCs, let alone read. Simon explained that he would come up with any excuse to get out of reading aloud in class, and due to teachers too overwhelmed with the social problems some of these students had, he got away with it. Scholastic achievement amongst students in New Or-

leans —especially in the poor black neighborhoods was few and far between. Kira Jones, executive director for TFA in the Greater New Orleans told us the story of Bridget Green who was the valedictorian of her high school class. Instead of delivering her speech, or even attending the ceremony for that matter she had a bigger issue on hand. She flunked the math portion of her exit exam five times, and still had the best of the worst grades in her school. It is in stories like these where Teach for America is a necessary program within our society. Education in many parts of the country is not up to par for whatever reason, and it is with teachers like these that can help lower the achievement gap. Sci Academy is a fairly new charter school in the lower 9th ward in New Orleans. Like many schools in this area, it is nothing more than a block of trailers because schools are still being rebuilt post hurricane Katrina. Despite its shaky appearance, the school was a sight for sore eyes. Teachers and students alike were actually engaged in one another. As a group of us quietly observed an award ceremony, we saw numerous students, or scholars as the administrators and teachers like to call them, anxiously awaiting to share what they learned that day with one another. There is never an easy fix to a problem that has been around for decades at a time; however, through strives from programs like this, the solution is attainable. Teach for America is not for everyone. Despite that, its purpose to solely give young people a chance in life is nothing short of amazing. -kcmcrrae@ncat.edu And follow her on Twitter @Kelcie_McCrae

lous amount of money for me to receive a degree that is really not worth anything because I did not learn what I needed to learn to make it in the world. In this case, I am hardly getting what I’m paying for. Because we already attend an HBCU, we are already looked down upon. We make it worse by ﬁlling classrooms with teachers that do not care whether or not we fail or pass. And teachers certainly are not doing anybody any favors by passing them when they deserve to fail; by doing that they are ultimately setting students up for failure. A&T’s graduation rate is not as high as it should be. You cannot seriously think that it is entirely the students’ fault. Although I’m speaking negatively about educators, some of them have really been great. Some students admire the teachers who give them a lot of work and make them work hard to earn their grade. Even though we complain about the large amount of work some teachers give us, at least we can see they care about us learning the material and being prepared for the world. But as I mentioned before,

a lot of teachers chose their profession as a last result. And honestly, I’m a little tired of hearing teachers complain about their job. If it is really that miserable, then quit. The biggest reason I didn’t want to be a teacher was because all I heard my teachers do was complain about teaching. Students want and pay to receive a higher education, and rest assured, we don’t care to hear about our teachers’ problems and how they hate teaching and how the school doesn’t pay them enough; we have our own issues to deal with. In President Obama’s State of the Union address, he emphasized the importance of education. “Teachers matter,” he said. “In return, grant schools ﬂexibility: to teach with creativity and passion…and to replace the ones that just aren’t helping kids learn.” We admire the teachers who at least attempt to relate to us creatively. As far as I’m concerned, if some teachers aren’t going to help us learn, we need to get rid of them and they need to go play chess or something. -klrobin2@ncat.edu And follow her on Twitter @KayRob_

Letter to the Editor

On Jan. 12, Elon Law School held a program to salute the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Congressman and A&T alumnus Jesse Jackson, Jr. served as the guest speaker. He began by paying homage to his predecessors. He then highlighted the legacy of Dr. King by admiring his ability to see the greater picture of where America was and where America must go in order to survive. Representative Jackson chose Dr. King’s speech, “Remaining Awake through the Great Revolution,” as a foundation for his lecture. Congressman Jackson went on to explain how America is currently “sleeping through a revolution”- the ﬁght against poverty, unemployment and the right to education. Giving America more time is crucial to the lasting survival of America. So my question to you: How will you give A&T more time? As freshmen, we are taught the meaning of our ever-famous motto, AGGIE PRIDE - Achieving Great Goals In Everything; Producing Renowned Individuals Dedicated to Excellence. Our prestigious university has played a vital role in the struggle for civil rights for years! Today, we celebrate the 52nd Sit-In commemorating the four freshmen who risked their lives for all of America. Another example is the A&T/Dudley Protests of

1969 in which A&T students took a stand against then N.C. Governor Robert Scott when he ordered 600 National Guard troops on campus during the protests of a Dudley student. What are we doing to continue the rich legacy and tradition of our university? Let’s not sleep through this revolution of increasing college tuition and presidential races that feature candidates who do not care about our future! With low retention rates and low academic performance, we are adding to their arguments regarding A&T’s future. We have all heard the rumors of A&T and UNCG combined (which is not correct) and many are wondering how we can stop this from happening. The solution is simple: You MUST take responsibility for yourself. Success is achieved through hard work, consistency, and faith. Rise to the top of your academics while giving back to your university. You MUST own up and take responsibility. The time is now. Aggies, we MUST do better. A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows followers the way; a true AGGIE is always a leader! As Spike Lee so eloquently put it, “we must WAKE UP!” Sincerely,

SGA President Christian Robinson

As a black man, how did you feel about Red Tails?

the fact that it is a good thing you and I didn’t work out.

Guy #1- I think it was an amazing movie. It truly represented the strength of black men and I think it was a great history lesson for young black men who have forgotten that black men are capable of doing more than just rapping and selling drugs. We are soldiers, ﬁghters, and lovers as well. This movie truly helped show all of those features. I think we need more movies like this one and hopefully Hollywood will see that now.

Guy #3- I try to calm her down and show her that acting crazy does nothing but push me and her apart. I think many girls blame guys for the break up. Even if the break up is not completely his fault, experience has told me the only way to deal with a crazy ex is by showing her you understand her argument, but this doesn’t mean the two of you need to get back together. This normally works out for me. If not that, then there’s nothing wrong with just blocking your number/Facebook/ Twitter.

Guy #2- I think the movie was just okay. I think the acting could have been a little better and it could have been a little more historically accurate, but overall I give it a B. I think some people want to hype up the movie because of the story behind how difficult it was to make it but in reality the movie was not all that special in my opinion. But then again I can see how some people can get caught up in the hype. Guy #3- I know it is only January, but I think it will stand a strong case for movie of the year. The actors, except Ne-Yo, did very well and I think it was great that it came out right before black history month. I think black men and women will start seeing more of our faces on the big screen now because of this movie. That alone says a lot! How do you deal with crazy ex-girlfriends? Guy #1- Well luckily I have been able to avoid crazy exgirlfriends. However, I do know plenty of friends who have drama with their past loves. I think they deal with it by honestly accepting the fact that many of them put themselves in that situation. Most guys know if a girl is crazy or not within the first 10 days of them messing around. So he knows that when they stop talking, she’s going to go crazy. So most guys just prepare themselves for the storm because they know they can’t avoid it. Guy #2- A lot of girls at this age are highly immature. Even the seniors who think they got it all together are immature because they are still insecure. So if a girl gets cut off, regardless if she was ever technically your “girlfriend” or not, she’s going to show signs of craziness. Thus, I deal with a crazy ex by ignoring them. Acting crazy does nothing more than confirm

For the election coming up later this year, what advice would you give your President? Guy #1- I would tell President Obama to keep doing what he has been doing because regardless of what the media might say, he still holds the support of the minority community. I think the media is trying to scare Americans into voting but in reality everyone knows that Obama is a far better leader than all of the Republican candidates put together. I think his campaign knows this too but they have to be politically correct so I’m sure nobody will say anything until after the election. Guy #2- Make sure to keep showing people the good he has done. I believe President Obama has done some great things but people want instant success. However, if he can show them that CHANGE takes time, then people would be willing to give him a second chance. Many of the American people do not pay attention to political process so they are uneducated to the change we have made over these last four years. Thus, the Obama campaign needs to focus on the road we have walked opposed to the road still ahead. Guy #3- I think President Obama will be ﬁne. He doesn’t need any advice. He is a brilliant man who knows what it takes to win an election. However, I think I would tell him to always be honest and true to the people who helped put him in ofﬁce. The minority community played a big role in his election, yet we are constantly on the slide. I think if Obama will go down as a great president, he needs to show his black side and help his brothers and sisters who are struggling. He will be free to be honest next term so there’s no more excuses.

Defining moment for one of the NFL’s ELIte A’NAE JOHNSON Contributor

Montana, Marino, Brady, Rodgers...Manning, all names of Elite QBs, but which Manning am I referring to? Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts or his younger brother, Eli Manning of the New York Giants? Both brothers are record-breaking quarterbacks that have mastered their skills at the position. But one brother is undoubtedly elite, while the other is just a tad short of being deemed “elite”. The word “elite” is a noun that can be deﬁned as a group of individuals that are considered the best or “the cream of the crop”. Having good stats is just one component to being an elite quarterback. An elite quarterback wins games, has impressive stats, is clutch and most importantly, is consistent. Eli Manning possesses most of these qualities yet he is still not considered to be amongst the

elite. This does not mean he cannot be. He’s most deﬁnitely on his path to joining his brother and being an elite QB. My opinion, Eli started on his journey to becoming elite when he helped his team defeat the undefeated New England Patriots in Superbowl 42. In that game, Manning showcased his abilities to lead his team to victory, especially one of the Superbowl’s most memorable passes to Plaxico Burress, which resulted in a TD with 35 seconds left in the game. Proving that Eli is not only able to lead his team to the promise land, but he is also clutch when it counts. His talents in that game helped him win MVP, adding another accomplishment that the future elite QB would have. Good statistics are not the only thing you need to be a successful quarterback but they do provide factual evidence behind being elite. An elite quarterback

does not just have the most yards and touchdowns but they have impressive completion percentages, QB ratings, and good yards per attempt. Eli Manning’s stats brings that factual evidence with a career completion percentage of 58.4% (close to his brother Peyton who has 64.9%), 7.03 yards per attempt and a QB rating of 82.1 for his career. Manning’s stats for the 2011 season were also impressive gaining 4,933 yards, 29 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 61%. With stats like this, it’s no wonder Eli is on his road to becoming elite. Throughout this season Eli, also proved his consistency as a quarterback. This season Manning went into every game and showed his talents. There was not a game this season where, he pulled a Tony “Oh-No” choking and costing his team the game. This season the Giants entered the playoffs being the number

1 team in the NFC East then breezed their way through the playoffs and winning the NFC after defeating the San Francisco 49ers. Now Eli must go up against the infamous Tom Brady, who also has impressive career stats (39,979 yards, 63.8% completion percentage, 300 TDs). As you can see his stats are close, and if Tom Brady is considered elite and Eli beats him then he deserves the title of being elite as well. Eli will complete his resume with impressive stats, consistency and the ability to be clutch with multiple Superbowl rings, and potentially an additional MVP award. But he cannot be elite until he gets this second ring and remains consistent. So is Eli elite? A question that shall be answered on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis for Superbowl XLVI. -theatregister@gmail.com And follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

Editor’s note:The opinions expressed on The Word are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the staff of The A&T Register. All house editorials are written and revised with input from the editorial board, staff, and are approved by the editor. All submissions must be sent to theatregister@gmail.com to be considered for submission and should be no longer than 250 words. Submissions must be received by the Sunday prior to publication at 5 p.m. to be considered. The A&T Register reserves the right to edit all submission content for clarity and grammar. Submissions become the property of The A&T Register and will not be returned.

theSCORE 6

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, February 1, 2012

AGGIES RUNDOWN MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

MEAC

OVR.

8-1 6-2 6-2 6-3 5-3 4-3 4-4 4-4 4-5 3-5 2-7 1-6 0-8

16-7 11-10 9-13 11-11 10-13 7-11 10-11 6-16 8-14 5-14 5-17 4-16 4-17

Norfolk Savannah State Bethune-Cookman Coppin State North Carolina A&T Delaware State North Carolina Central Florida A&M Hampton Morgan State Howard Maryland Eastern Shore South Carolina State THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday vs. Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla. 4 p.m. Monday vs. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. 7:30 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: Saturday vs.S.C. State Corbett Sports Center 4 p.m.

woMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

MEAC

OVR.

8-0 8-1 7-2 7-2 4-3 4-4 3-5 3-5 2-4 3-6 2-6 1-6 0-8

15-5 16-4 15-7 12-10 7-12 9-12 8-11 6-14 6-15 8-12 8-12 4-16 2-19

Florida A&M Hampton Howard Coppin State Maryland Eastern Shore North Carolina A&T South Carolina State Bethune-Cookman Morgan State Norfolk State Savannah State Delaware State North Carolina Central THIS WEEK’S GAME: Saturday vs. Bethune-Cookman Daytona Beach, Fla. 2 p.m. Monday vs. Florida A&M Tallahassee, Fla. 5:30 p.m. NEXT WEEK’S GAMES: Saturday vs.S.C. State Corbett Sports Center 2 p.m.

Lady Aggies win first conference match arianna riddle & Brianna mcfadgen Contributors

The N.C. A&T women’s tennis team (1-0, 1-3) won its first conference match as they dominated the Savannah State Tigers. The Aggies played two consecutive matches that started with a loss to the Wofford Terriers on Saturday afternoon. That game marked the last of three matches the Aggies would play before they entered conference play. Although they were defeated, they remained focused for Sunday’s match in Georgia. A&T started off strong and played hard but it wasn’t enough to beat the Terriers. All the doubles teams lost 8-1.They were overpowered. Wofford had an advantage in stamina and won the doubles competition. A pre-singles pep talk geared the Aggies up for the Singles. The games became heated and the girls tried to redeem themselves after the doubles defeat, but in the end over hitting and the and hitting balls into the net helped in their defeat. “You could tell they were more seasoned than us,” said sophomore and first time player April Burrage. “They had more techniques. They knew what to do and when to do it.” The Aggies lost to Wofford overall 7-0. “I should win tomorrow. The team we are playing tomorrow should be more on our level,” said sophomore Victorea Austin following

her match against Wofford’s Emily Przystawski. Wofford’s head coach, Katie Hangstefer, was pleased with the Aggies’ energy. “I remember A&T from last year and the team seems spunkier this year,” said Hanstefer as she commended the Aggies on their effort. Wofford has only recently been added into the competition in the 2010-2011 season. The Aggies have had a total of three matches so far first playing Elon (0-7) and then Appalachian State (0-7). In previous seasons, both Elon and Appalachian state have been fierce competition. Senior Azeib Nigatu ended with final controversial scores of (1-6, 2-6). During the match there were a few miscommunications as to whether the ball went in or out and what exactly the score was. Assistant Coach Garry Robinson was optimistic about the match and how the girls played. “The girls have been battle tested and when you play precompetition you want them to be tough.” Head coach James Dunwoody agreed. “It’s always been my coaching strategy to have my players play against tougher opponents than we’;; see in the conference. That way, they’ll be ready.” He’s been A&T’s women’s tennis coach for the last seven seasons. A&T junior Cayla Cross said simply “the conference girls are not as good”. Robinson agreed and said at the end of the match he stated that his team “did very well” and that he is confident about the season. After the loss, the Aggies headed straight to Savannah

Photo by KEnneth L. Hawkins Jr. • Photo editor

Azeib Nigatu hits the ball during a doubles match with teammate Cayla Cross on Saturday, January 28, 2012.

State for Sunday’s match. A&T redeemed themselves by defeating Savannah State overall 6-2. “It was great to win our first conference match,” said Burrage. The match against Savannah State was the sophomore’s first attempt at conference play. “I’m even more pumped to play in our conference and represent A&T.” Along with Burrage, Austin,

and Cross, Kimberly Stallings also won her singles match. Freshman Kenya Colbert lost her singles match in third set tie breaker. “Shes’s a young one,” said Dunwoody. “She’s still trying to find her way, and she’s trying to figure out what she needs to do to win.” “Winning breeds happiness,” Dunwoody continued to say. “But I’d be a lot happier if we

build on this win.” At the beginning of the season Dunwoody said he wanted his team to win at least 10 out of the 20 scheduled games. The Aggies are slowly edging their way towards their goal. -anriddle@aggies.ncat.edu and bmmcfadg@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister

hotlist

thescene

The A&T Register | ncatregister.com | Wednesday, Febuary 1, 2012

And the winner is... ashley vaughn Scene Editor

The award season has officially begun. For those who do not know what this means, it is time to pay a little more attention to your television. Historical moments happen at these award shows. Who will dare forget Halle Berry making history when she became the first African American woman to win an Oscar for ‘Best Actress,’ for her performance in “Monster’s Ball”? Another moment in history was made when Denzel Washington became the second African American male to win ‘Best Actor in a film.’ The award season is when we see various award shows reward the talent we see in the movie theatres. The big name actors and movies we would most likely pay to see again are recognized. No matter if the actors are established names and faces that we have learned to re-

spect, or they are new faces we are forced to remember, this is the season where the hard work pays off. The Golden Globes started the award season off two weeks ago with their program. A Golden Globe nomination is a resume builder for an actor’s or actress’ career. There are various categories formed with each different award show. The categories could range from Best Foreign Language Film, to the big award of Best Movie The big shows that make the award season so great and exciting are the illustrious Golden Globes, The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, and the biggest of the award shows are the Oscars. The Golden Globes presented the category of ‘Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama,’ the nominees included Glenn Close (“Albert Nose”), Viola Davis (“The Help”), Rooney Mara (“The

Best Actress:

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), Meryl Streep (“Iron Lady”) and Tilda Swinton (“We Need to Talk About Kevin”). Meryl Streep took home that award. For the award of ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama’ the nominees were Leonardo DiCaprio (“J. Edgar”), Michael Fassenbender (“Shame”), Ryan Gosling (“The Ideas of March”), Brad Pitt (“Moneyball”) and the winner George Clooney for his role in “The Descendants,” which also won ‘Best Motion Picture.’ If you tuned in last week for the SAG awards then you witnessed the surprises and upsets of the night. Viola Davis beat her competition in the ‘Outstanding performance by a female actor in a leading role’ category. She won over Glenn Close, Meryl Streep, Tilda Swinton and Michelle Williams who portrayed Mariyln Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn.” The big surprise of the night was when Jean DuJardin won

for his role in a silent film “The Artist.” He beat the big names George Clooney, DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. The big announcement of the night was the winner of the ‘Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.’ “The Help” won that category and also stole the night with numerous wins in other categories. All of the nominees and winners listed throughout the award season are guaranteed to be mentioned again; this is not the last we will be seeing these talented actors. Even though the award season seems to be a repeat of the same names and movies, just like the SAG awards proved, there will always be winners one would not expect, for each program is ran by different critics. For example the SAG awards have approximately 100,000 members who decide the winners of each category. The Golden Globes have the Hollywood

Golden Globes

Meryl Streep

Best Film: The Descendants

Foreign Press decide their winners, and The Oscars have The Academy choose who they feel deserves the trophy designed as a gold man. Each award show has its pros and cons. One thing that makes the SAG awards a little more unique is the fact that they do not have a set host. Many tune in to see the latest fashions from all the nominees. The red carpets prior to the shows are always decorated with the best dressed and the sad worst dressed. This is the most entertaining part for many because you see the actors prior to the nerves. Just like basketball has its All-Star game and football has its Pro-Bowl, movies have their award season. Look forward to watching The Oscars Sunday, February 26th and 7pm. -anvaughn@ncat.edu and follow us on Twitter at @TheATRegister

Feb. 1st to 7th The A&T Register’s guide to what’s going this week in arts and entertainment.

on screen Chronicle Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

Best Actor: George Clooney

presS PLAY

Wale feat Rick Ross and Fabolous “Albert Pujols”

This song was left off of Wale’s “Ambition” album, but there is no clear reason why. This single is filled with three talented rappers on top of a hot beat. This is a song that anyone could play in their car, even on repeat. This is a guaranteed hit for somewhat newcomer Wale.

presS Pause

Jay-Z and Kanye West “Ni*gas In Paris”

Photo provided by associated press

Meryl Streep on the red carpet.

george clooney on the Golden Globes red carpet.

Screen Actors Guild Award

This song was the hottest song when it first was released, but it’s time to press pause on the air play of this song. The radios still play this song like it came out yesterday. It is a great song, but we do not have to hear it every five minutes.

Best Film: The Help Best Actress: Viola Davis

Best Actor: Jean DuJuardin

on campus Valentine’s day expo is a seminar being presented by WNAA 90.1 Street Team. In this seminar people can go to Stallings Ballroom, Tuesday February 7th at 6pm to get professional advice on dating and relationships, as well as professional beauty tips. During the program there will be appearances by Verge Modeling Troupe and special guest entertainers. There will be dating games and prizes. Tickets are available in the Ticket Office: students $3 and general admission $5.

Photo provided associated press

Viola Davis shows off her SAG awards.

Questions

Photo provided by associated press

Jean Dujuardin accepts his award on stage of the SAG awards.

1.Did you get your black suit out the dry cleaners for rush this weekend? 2. Are we going to get in trouble for saying “rush”? 3.You know we meant to say “interest meeting” right? 4.What’s the difference? 5. How many times have you walked by the Office of Greek Life hoping the spring intake list would miraculously change? 6.How many of you are planning a late night trip to the Union now? 7. Have you ever participated in the act of “flier snatching?” 8. Is it really that serious? 9. Is anybody really excited for probates this year? 10. What’s more important to you this weekend: who’s having a line or who’s having a Super Bowl party? 11. Did you bet your flex dollars or Aggie Bucks on the game? 12. Giants or Patriots? 13. Manning or Brady? 14. Why is your team and favorite QB not in the Super Bowl? 15. Are any A&T alum playing? 16. Have any A&T football players played in the Super Bowl before? 17. Why are you laughing? 18. Did you know we’re being serious? 19. Don’t you wish the Blue & Gold Marching Machine was doing half-time instead of Madonna? 20. You know this is all Janet’s fault right?

Feb 14th is around the corner!

Make sure your event is the one everyone is talking about the next day. Advertise with the A&T Register for our special Valentines edition. We offer campus discounts to students organizations. Email us at A&TRegister@yahoo.com