thebattalion ● friday,
april 23, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
Megan Ryan — THE BATTALION
Professors Alain Lawo-Sukam and Eduardo Espina challenge players to dream big: high school graduation, college, medical school, law school, graduate school.
Changing a mentality, a life Volunteer your time Team BCS is looking for volunteers to help coach, motivate and inspire the children in the BryanCollege Station area. If you’re interested, contact Eduardo Espina at eduardo espina2003@ yahoo.com
Two A&M professors give up free time to coach soccer, inspire dreams and teach life lessons David Harris The Battalion “It’s not just a duty or a hobby,” said Eduardo Espina, professor of Hispanic studies. “It’s a moral obligation.” Imagine being a college professor; spending countless hours — upward of 40 per week — of your days grading papers, doing research and teaching young, interested minds. After an 8 or nine-hour day, they’re not
exactly feeling active or engaging. Still, two men muster up the strength, three nights a week and weekends, to coach, teach and mentor multiple 10- and 11-yearolds — most without a sense of direction — as they chase a dream of one day playing professional soccer. Such is the case for Espina and fellow professor Alain Lawo-Sukam, associate professor of Africana Studies. The two men are in charge of Team BCS, a soccer club meant for success on the field and to keep children
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b! Courtesy photo
One Army’s ‘Gladiators’ event allows college students to act like children again while raising money for Still Creek Ranch.
One Army event raises funds for children’s home Bree Alexander Special to The Battalion One Army, a Texas A&M men’s service and leadership organization, will have the third annual Gladiators event Saturday to benefit Still Creek Ranch, a Christian home and school for abandoned and abused children. “We are serving our campus and community and promoting unity in Aggieland by bringing an array of Texas A&M students together to interact with new people and create new relationships with us and fellow Aggies,” said Jay Williams, junior marketing major and One Army philanthropy chairman. Event activities will include multiple field day events such as relays, dizzy bat racing and tire flip along with other events typical of the classic 1980’s TV show “American Gladiators” like inflatable joust, bungee run, gauntlet and an obstacle course, Williams said. “At its core, Gladiators is a chance
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to cut loose and be a kid again. There is a sort of elementary school field day feel to it, which is great,” said Marcus Klibert, junior marketing major and One Army service chair. “In the years past, participants have really enjoyed the fact that they didn’t have to be college students with a schedule, and a job, and all sorts of other commitments for a few hours.” The founders and staff of Still Creek Ranch house 26 children ranging between ages 8 and 18. “Still Creek Boys and Girls Ranch is a solely donation-based orphanage that houses children who live, go to school, and are raised at the fully functional ranch outside of Bryan,” Williams said. All proceeds of the event go to Still Creek Ranch. “Last year we were able to raise over $13,000 for them and are on track to raise even more this year. Being involved with Still Creek and See One Army on page 6
Duck Jam returns The fifth annual Duck Jam will kick off the two-day festival today at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.
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Freedom from hate Defending the First Amendment is important, but Westboro Baptist Church crosses a line. Free speech has some restrictions.
off the streets, away from gang violence and in the classroom. Gang violence has been an issue in the pockets of Bryan since the early 1990s. It was most prevalent in 1993 when gang membership was in the hundreds and 50 drive-by shootings occurred within a 12-month span. The violence tempered off with multitudes of arrests but now, there are two major gangs with almost 80 active members. See Soccer on page 3
How to help Save Our Streets Ministries began in 1993 in an effort to combat the gang tension in Bryan-College Station. There are more than 300 volunteers and 75 churches helping. To volunteer, go to http://www. saveourstreets ministries.org/
Ring Dance tradition continues despite move Laura A. Sanchez The Battalion This year marks the 75th annual Ring Dance at Texas A&M, and for the first time, Ring Dance will be at the College Station Hilton Hotel and Conference Center instead of the Memorial Student Center. The class of 2010 will have the opportunity to attend Ring Dance and partake in another one of A&M’s traditions Saturday. “It is a time-honored tradition and one that we do not want to let die just because we cannot use the MSC as in years past,” said head director Tara Romero. “While we all loved
the MSC, this move is not going to change anything about Ring Dance — except of course the location.” Ring Dance will be relocated to the Hilton for the next three years until the renovations to the MSC are complete. “From what we have heard, the reaction to the Ring Dance not being in the MSC is pretty much the same as the reaction to everything else being moved out of the MSC, something that is different, but something we all have to work around,” Romero said. Planning for Ring Dance this year began a year ago with head
If you go Ring Dance tickets are $50 until midnight Friday at the MSC Box Office and on the Ring Dance website, at http:// classcouncils. tamu.edu. Ticket includes entry into Ring Dance, food, a gift and a raffle ticket.
See Ring Dance on page 6
Soap box derby encourages creativity, engineering Nancy Barrera The Battalion Many children dream about becoming a race car driver, but as maturity comes into play, many begin to realize that not all dreams can be fulfilled. However, students will have an opportunity to carry out racing dreams as Engineers Without Borders sponsors their first Soap Box Derby on Saturday. Students and community members are eligible to participate. Ben & Jerry’s, Fish Camp groups and the Society of Petroleum Engineers are some of the competitors. Participants are encouraged to form teams and build unique cars
— bathtubs, shoes and tacos are some of styles. For individuals or teams that don’t want their own car, cars already built for anyone to use on the day of the event will be available. Students who design cars cannot include glass or pointy metal objects. “All cars will be inspected the day before the event to ensure that each car has passed a safety inspection conducted by our organization,” said publicity manager and freshman chemical engineering major Richard Palacios. “Nevertheless, for safety measures, University police as well as EMS will be available in See Soap box on page 6
If you go The derby is from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the John B. Connally Building. Classic rock station 99.5 The Fox is playing the music and the yell leaders will lead yell practice at 2:45 p.m. Visit http://ewb. tamu.edu/ soapboxderby for more information.
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