Life in Aggieland A student-designed Web site features things to do around town. lifestyles | 3
thebattalion ● tuesday,
september 15, 2009
● Serving
Texas A&M since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2009 Student Media
In good company Diabetes prevention program to be held Wednesday Roberto P. Treviño will present and discuss results from his trial, “The Bienestar/NEEMA Coordinated School-Based Diabetes Prevention Program” as part of The Center for the Study of Health Disparities 2009-2010 Transdisciplinary Roundtables. Treviño is a published author and the founder and medical director of the San Antonio Institute of Medicine. After the one-hour presentation, participants will have the opportunity for with Treviño and be able to purchase his book, “Forgotten Children: A True Story of how Politicians Endanger Children.” “We’re hoping a number of students and public from different disciplines come to learn about research regarding what we can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes among our youth,” said Center for the Study of Health Disparities assistant director Brandy M. Rollins. The presentation will be held from 12 -1 p.m. this Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Reynolds Medical Building Lecture Hall II. Students may RSVP at healthdisparities.hlkn. tamu.edu Christina Francisco, staff writer
Institute seminar Gabriela Santistevan and Vince Partida will host a brown-bag lunch seminar to share their experience as interns in Guatemala with the Borlaug Institute from 12-1 p.m. on Sept. 23 in Teague B006.
Borlaug Memorial service A memorial service for Norman Borlaug will be held Oct. 6 in Rudder Auditorium at 11 a.m.
File Photo
G.I. Jobs recognizes A&M as “Military friendly” Texas A&M University was added to the 2010 list of “Military Friendly Schools” by G.I. Jobs magazine. The list honors the top 15 percent of higher education institutions that are doing the most to incorporate American veterans as students. “This list is especially important now because the recently enacted post-9/11 G.I. Bill has given veterans virtually unlimited financial means to go to school,” said G.I. Jobs publisher Rich McCormack. “Veter-
more than 600 veteran students at A&M. The “Military Friendly Schools” list was brought together through G.I. Jobs research, polling more than 7,000 schools throughout the nation. Criteria for qualification in the list included school efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students and availability of academic accreditations.
thebatt.com Joaquin Villegas, staff writer
Green thumb Aggies Borlaug Institute helps send Junior Master Gardener program to Guatemalan orphanages Julie Rambin The Battalion Orphanages in Guatemala are using gardening to teach children life skills, thanks to the Junior Master Gardener program through Texas AgriLife Extension and the Borlaug Institute. “Our mission really is to grow kids and get them excited about learning,” said Junior Master Gardener program director Lisa Whittlesey. “We’ve had about 300 children who have gone through our Junior Master Gardener program through our partnership with the Borlaug Institute.” One mission in the project is to train youth to grow and sell better crops in poor rural areas, said
Sweet-tooth robbery in Huntsville Forget banks and jewelry boutiques; thieves in Huntsville decided to indulge their sweet-tooths by robbing ng Huntsville Huntsville’ss Donut Wheel restaurant. On Sept. 4, the burglars stole 2,400 pounds of powdered sugar from the restaurant’s storage shed by forced entry. Huntsville authorities rities said this was the third time the Donut Wheel has been struck since May. The first incident reported was a stolen air conditio conditioner. one n r. Investigators said thieves ves then covered the gap with plywood and used it as a point of entry for the following two burglaries, es, stealing shortening andd powdered sugar. Huntsville sville police detective Marvinn Hyvl said no other sweet shops hops are experiencing thefts. “This This is the only place around,” Hyvl yvl said. “I checked a couple other er counties, and no one else has been een hit.” So far no new evidence or information formation about the suspects has beenn introduced, but the Donut Wheel iss ready for any more attempted break-ins, Hyvl said. “They now have an alarm.” To report information about suspects involved in these thefts, call Walker County Crime Stopperss at 936-294-9494 or online.
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ans need a trusted friend to help them decide where to get education. The Military Friendly Schools list is that trusted friend.” Among the various resources available to veterans in Texas A&M, several scholarships are designated strictly for veterans. Many of them are offered through the Honored Service Scholarship program. The Veteran Services Office at A&M also provides support for veterans and their education with G.I. Bill benefits. There are
Veteran wisdom A 4-day series from April recounts stories of current and former A&M students who served in Iraq.
Borlaug Institute Latin America program coordinator Johanna Roman. “We thought about working with kids in orphanages out there so they can grow their own food, and we also wanted to teach them leadership skills,” Roman said. “The Junior Master Gardener program has all those activities, plus they’re fun for kids.” This summer, the program sent three undergraduate interns to Guatemala. “We actually lived at one of the orphanages for two and a half weeks,” said Borlaug Institute intern and junior sociology See Guatemala on page 6
Courtesy Photo
Borlaug Institute intern Gabriela Santisteran, senior animal science and agricultural economics major, holds a Guatamalan baby.
Lock it or lose it ■ As the semester begins, the Bryan Police Department reminds students to take simple measures to reduce the potential for vehicle burglaries Jane Lee The Battalion Fall semester marks a start for Aggie students including classes, friends and vehicle burglaries. Vehicle burglaries peak at the beginning of each semester, said Bryan Police Department public information officer Jason B. James. Calls for vehicle burglary are highest from August to September and December to January. “Students from other cities and small towns should especially be careful because of their unfamiliarity to the College Station and Bryan region,” James said. Students can take precautions to minimize the potential of vehicle burglary. “Students should understand that burglars will be less likely to raid a vehicle in an open, lighted area be-
cause of the fear of getting arrested,” said Texas Crime Prevention Association media relations coordinator Shawn Campbell. Parking in poorly lit areas such as the back of a building singles a vehicle out to be hidden away from people, making it a target for burglars. Removing valuables such as MP3 players, GPS systems, cell phones and textbooks from eyesight can help keep your property safe, James said. “Burglars steal schoolbooks and sell them back for quick cash,” he said. Turn off vehicles, and keep keys at hand to avoid an easy steal. “Once I left my car with the key in the ignition for five minutes, and when I came back my purse and schoolbag was gone,” said sophomore general studies major Alice Handler. See Crime on page 6
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