January 26, 2023

Page 6

Erasing Russia

THURSDAY, JAN. 26, 2023
OU no longer offers Russian-related courses

Meet the spring 2023 Digital Director of ‘The Post’

Hello, I’m Anastasia Carter! I’m a junior studying journalism and I’ve spent the past semester serving as The Post’s assistant audience engagement editor. This semester, I’m excited to be The Post’s digital director.

After joining this publication in the Fall Semester of 2020, despite being at home, I was aware of the numerous opportunities it had to offer. I took advantage of writing for different sections, including Culture, News and The Beat. I joined the audience engagement team, created social media posts and learned about analytics while working as the assistant audience engagement editor. I worked with the web development team to create coded special projects. By joining The Post, I’ve been rewarded with a wide assortment of skills that will translate well into the professional field. This semester, I’m ecstatic to impart this knowledge to my fellow Posties and see how we can expand it further.

pect the introduction of “Post TV” from Director of Multimedia Cole Patterson. As usual, a photo edition will print in the spring to highlight our photo staff.

Although this publication continues to print once a week, not all of our content can go into one issue. Day after day, writers attend protests and events, designers create art, photographers go to games and editors check every last detail to produce content. Our website features pages for each section so you can find content customized to what you are looking for. Videos from our Youtube page and tweets from our Twitter account can also be found featured on our website.

story’s author. Youtube allows audiences to view interactive interviews conducted by our multimedia staff.

Most of those at The Post are studying journalism, so it’s important to practice other skills within this field. Broadening skill sets to include photography, illustrations, editing and social media knowledge are all things employers are looking for when hiring today. Putting together a media package that covers all of these bases is valuable. Most recently, staffer Sophia Young did this when she reported, photographed and coded her own project.

ANASTASIA CARTER DIGITAL DIRECTOR

This semester, the digital staff already have numerous things in the works at The Post. The audience engagement staff has introduced daily Instagram stories to our followers. This issue’s cover and project feature art from Art Director Trevor Brighton. The entire project is on our website, now coded by yours truly. Later this year, you can ex-

My goal this semester is to continue supporting our staff and produce digital content that enhances stories and encourages creators to push the limits. Roughly half of Americans say they prefer to get news on a digital platform, according to a Pew Research Center survey. These include news websites, search, social media or podcasts. Each of these platforms allows for a quicker way to access information, different formats of taking in knowledge and the ability to quickly interact with our content. Thanks to social media, readers can hop on Twitter and share their thoughts directly with the

Managing Editor | Kayla Bennett

Digital Director | Anastasia Carter

Equity Director | Alesha Davis

EDITORIAL

News Editors | Molly Wilson, Addie Hedges

Asst. News Editor | Maya Morita

Culture Editor | Katie Millard

Asst. Culture Editor | Alyssa Cruz

Sports Editor | Will Cunningham

Asst. Sports Editor | Ashley Beach

Opinion Editor | Tate Raub

Asst. Opinion Editor | Meg Diehl

The Beat Editor | Emma Dollenmayer

Asst. The Beat Editor | Grace Brezine

Projects Editor | Hannah Campbell

Investigative Editor | Alex Imwalle

Copy Chief | Aya Cathey

Slot Editors | Bekah Bostick, Katie Trott, Lauren Serge, Lydia Colvin

ART

Art Director | Trevor Brighton

Asst. Art Director | Lauren Adams

Director of Photography | Jesse Jarrold-Grapes

Photo Editor | Carrie Legg

DIGITAL

Audience Engagement Editor | Emma Erion

Asst. Audience Engagement Editor | Molly Burchard

Director of Multimedia | Cole Patterson

Asst. Director of Multimedia | Donovan Hunt

BUSINESS

Media

Sales | Grace Vannan, Gia Sammons

FRONT DESK HOURS

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday – Friday

Closed Saturday and Sunday Baker University Center, Room 325 1 Park Place Athens, OH 45701 (740) 593-4010

This semester, I’m looking forward to continuing increased collaboration across our different sections and providing new types of content to our audience. I hope you continue to find resourceful content by reading The Post, watching our Youtube and following us on social media.

Anastasia Carter is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University and the digital director of The Post. Want to chat more with her? Email Anastasia at ac732319@ohio.edu or tweet her at @acarter3602.

Send us your letters

Have you ever find something in The Post thought-provoking, questionable or even infuriating? Let us know! We are always interested in hearing about the way our readers respond to our content.

Letters should be fewer than 500 words. All letters must be signed by at least one individual; anonymous letters will not be accepted. The Post does not accept letters soliciting donations or news releases. Please include your year and major if you are a student. The Post reserves the right to reject submissions or edit submissions for clarity, vulgarity and Associated Press style.

The Post is an editorially independent media outlet run by Ohio University students. We distribute the paper free of charge in Athens, Ohio, when classes are in session. Editorial page material represents the opinions of the editors, columnists and letter writers. Opinions expressed are independent of Ohio University and our printer.

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Local schools still experiencing substitute shortages

Three local school districts—Athens City School District, Alexander Local School District and Meigs Local School District—have been experiencing a shortage of substitute teachers.

The school districts have been noticing the pattern for at least three years. Although COVID-19 impacted the number of substitutes entering classrooms, a shortage of those qualified to substitute was apparent before the virus spread.

“There’s been a sub shortage for probably the last three or four years. We were starting to recognize it prior to COVID, but COVID has made that situation much worse,” Will Hampton, the Alexander Local School District superintendent, said.

Alexander Local School District and Meigs Local School District have reduced their requirements for substitutes in order to hire more substitutes quicker and more frequently.

“Our current policy for sub-teaching staff has been reduced to a two-year associate degree or the equivalent with hours working towards a teaching degree,” Scot Gheen, the Meigs Local Schools superintendent, wrote in an email.

Meanwhile, the Alexander Local School District has lowered its substitute teacher requirements even further. Now, a potential substitute only needs a high school diploma, and an interview with the super-

intendent.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, or ODE, it is also still required that all substitutes undergo a background check.

The Alexander Local School District also has an agreement with Ohio University to pay student teachers a substitute’s hourly pay to help cover classrooms if no other substitutes are available, Hampton said.

“All of those little things add up. We still would love to have half a dozen or more people on our sub list, but for now, we’re making do the best we can. It’s getting a little better, but we’ve still got a lot of room to go,” Hampton said.

Athens City School District, or ACSD, is also struggling to hire substitutes and paraprofessionals to substitute in special education classrooms, or function as aids in regular classrooms.

The state requirements for a paraprofessional have made the hiring process for paraprofessional substitutes even more difficult for ACSD, Denise Bowles, the ACSD administrative assistant to the superintendent, said.

ACSD is also looking for its substitutes to be fully qualified because they are now more likely to be hired into full-time positions in the future.

“We’re now in the process where we

are requiring them to (be highly qualified) because, more than likely, they may end up in a full-time position with us,” Bowles said. “If they do, it’s nice having them highly qualified right away so it’s not something they’re struggling to get later.”

In general, the hiring process is the same for both paraprofessional substitutes and regular substitutes for ACSD, the only difference being the required paraprofessional license.

The current pay for substitutes at ACSD is $12 an hour, Bowles said.

With a license shortage in Meigs Local Schools, Scot Gheen said he is hopeful that the Ohio Department of Education, ODE, will make it easier for people to get certain licenses and certifications.

“My hope is legislation, ODE and the state board will be more creative moving forward for more creative and expansive licensure grade and subject areas and cer-

tification,” Gheen wrote in an email.

The Alexander Local School district has also raised its pay for substitute bus drivers in order to increase interest in all substitute positions within the district.

“We’ve just raised our sub bus driver pay, and we actually have a couple of candidates who’ve come in recently to apply, so that’s encouraging,” Hampton said. “But again, we’re competing with a variety of people, and the sub shortage is not isolated to just Southeast Ohio, it’s pretty widespread.”

To learn more about substitute positions at Athens City School District, Alexander Local School District and Meigs Local School District, visit each district’s website.

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OU awarded $50,000 to promote advanced air mobility

Ohio University is helping Appalachian Ohio prepare for a future where people, cargo and emergency medical services are transported by autonomous drone-like aircraft.

Advanced air mobility, or AAM, is an emerging form of transportation that can take many forms, from small drones delivering packages to an aircraft resembling an electric helicopter without the need for a pilot. The new technology costs less to maintain, is more accessible and quieter than traditional forms of aircraft.

OU’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission to promote the use of AAM, according to a university news release.

According to the release, the university will work in collaboration with FlyOhio, an initiative under the Ohio department of transportation’s DriveOhio, to look into AAM opportunities in the region.

AAM can be used for business, transportation, medical and logistical needs. Though AAM has a wide range of use, each aircraft

has two traits in common— they are all electrically powered and piloted remotely or fully autonomously.

FlyOhio has identified seven use cases for this kind of technology that OU and partners are exploring capabilities and demand for.

Those use cases include on-demand air taxi service, which is designed to transport people inside a city, regional air mobility to transport people between cities in a 50-75 mile radius, airport shuttles from city centers and suburban areas, emergency medical services and ambulance, corporate business aviation, cargo and freight delivery and tourism including cheaper and quieter air tours.

The purpose of the grant OU received is to anticipate what might be capable with AAM and what of those seven use cases the Appalachian region wants to prioritize, said Brent Lane, an executive in residence at OU’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service who focuses on economic development and is part of the team promoting AAM.

Lane said OU doesn’t know how the technology or the business behind it will shake out yet, so educating people in Southeast Ohio on AAM and gauging public opinion is very important at this stage.

“It is possible that it will remain sort of

a specialized form of aviation,” Lane said. “Maybe some package delivery, medical, maybe a little arial tourism stuff, or it could start to replace essentially the way these smaller aircraft are used in general, by companies, by individuals flying out of smaller airports. So it may actually displace a lot of existing aviation or it could become a simply an alternative to your car.”

Another way the teams are reaching out to communities is by working with students, Rich Granger, managing director of workforce at DriveOhio, said.

Granger said DriveOhio is working with students pre-k to PhD level to prepare the upcoming workforce. He said some ways DriveOhio is working with students is by helping find them internships, capstone projects, providing certificates and their vertiport challenge where college students compete to make an airport for AAM aircraft that will take off vertically.

Granger said OU students competed in the vertaport design challenge in 2021, and OU students will have another opportunity to compete in one later this spring.

Granger said whenever he mentions drones student’s ears perk up and there’s a lot of enthusiasm about the technology. He

has also been very impressed by their presentations.

“There have been a few students that we’ve heard pitch to us that I’m practically ready to offer them an internship on the spot,” Granger said. “They’re just so sharp and focused.”

Granger said AAM is already being used in Ohio. The example Granger gave was a pilot program, which lasted around a year, where Kroger delivered packages with drones from a company called Drone Express, a growing company based out of Dayton that used equipment from DriveOhio and FlyOhio in Springfield.

“In economic development, which I’ve done in my career, we’re almost always trying to overcome isolation and distance in rural economies and rural communities,” Lane said. “A lot of disadvantages come from distance and isolation … This is one of the instances of a transportation technology that will address isolation and distance and that makes it a remarkable opportunity.”

4 / JAN. 26, 2023
PHOTO PROVIDED BY DRIVEOHIO
@DONOVANHUNT9 DH322621@OHIO.EDU

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Same great vendors in a NEW space. Now located at the Athens Community Center. Parking Available at the Cmmunity center and the City Pool lot. If walking to the market, PLEASE use designated crosswalks to cross East State Street.

Locally grown, raised and prepared food and beverage items. Plants, dairy, baked goods,seeds, and meats. PLUS locally made artistic goods.

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Fridays Live, Ohio University’s sketch comedy show is in its 50th Season. Join the cast and musical guests in the studio or stream online youtube.com/FridaysLiveOU

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Women of Appalachia Project exhibit challenges ignorance, embraces identity

Jaws drop when Kari Gunter-Seymour proudly states she’s Appalachian during her writers’ workshops. But no matter what, Gunter-Seymour, Ohio’s Poet Laureate, wants people – especially women of all backgrounds – to find pride in their Appalachian identity and heritage.

“Some of those mouths that drop are young women who don’t want to admit they’re Appalachian because of the shame associated with it,” said Gunter-Seymour. “And what I am preaching is, don’t let them shame you. Be proud of who you are.”

Modern art, in all mediums, is capable of expressing how ignorance and a lack of interest in being educated remain a danger to historically marginalized groups of people. Around 15 years ago, Gunter-Seymour became “fed up” with submitting her photography and poetry to organizations outside of Athens and Appalachia and people not understanding the work or not giving it real attention.

“I would get back remarks: ‘Your work is crisp and clean and good, except that it seems

like it’s trying so hard to be ethnic,’” she said. “Or they would say something like, ‘We don’t understand why you sent us this photo of a woman wearing a pair of boots standing in the garden.’”

Others in Appalachia, Gunter-Seymour found, experienced similar situations when trying to find space for their work. The idea to create her own art show then came to Gunter-Seymour, and building a show is exactly what she did.

The Women of Appalachia Project, or WOAP, was created in 2009 and founded by Gunter-Seymour, who serves as the fine art organization’s executive director. According to the organization’s website, WOAP’s purpose is to “address discrimination directed at women from the Appalachian region by encouraging participation from women artists of diverse backgrounds.”

About a year before the COVID-19 pandemic, Gunter-Seymour realized how difficult it was to put together a traveling art show and produce her “Women Speak” anthology each year. At the time, Gunter-Seymour was also on the board of the Dairy Barn Arts Center and asked the rest of the board if they would consider taking on the fine arts portion of the WOAP.

Keri Wolfe, the exhibition director at the Dairy Barn, said the WOAP all-media juried exhibition has been at the center for two years now and is a biennial event, so it takes place every two years. For the 2023 exhibition, Wolfe said about 220 artists submitted work, and 67 were selected for the show.

For $7 for general admission and $5 for seniors and students and running from Jan. 13 to March 19, people can view all the artists’ work, which includes mediums such as photography, oil paintings, weavings and quilts, ceramics and sculptures and more, at the Dairy Barn located at 8000 Dairy Lane. The Dairy Barn is open from Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

“I was actually in the first Women of Appalachia art show that they did,” Wolfe said. “So being kind of the curator or exhibition director for this show has been really meaningful to me just because I am an Appalachian woman and I grew up in this area.”

People attending the exhibit are greeted by diverse art and, if first walking toward the right of the room, a painting by Mallory Stowe titled “Stole My Ma’s Lipstick.” The oil painting resembles a blonde girl wearing overalls with red lipstick generously applied on her lips.

“This painting came from how I felt, and still feel, to long for beauty and belonging,” Stowe said regarding the art in the description sitting next to the painting. “This feeling is set on a backdrop of the banality made important through imagination.”

Gunter-Seymour’s poetry and art are filled with pride for all Appalachians who have endured and overcome the effects of Big Coal, fracking, food insecurity and stereotypes that portray people in the region unfairly. Appalachian and non-Appalachian women often, the 2020 Ohio Poet of the Year said, are the “backbone” of many cultures and deserve the same opportunities.

“And I think that’s another reason why this project (is) so important to me: because I need to provide this service, because I was given so many gifts, not that I didn’t work hard, but doorways opened for me that don’t open for everybody and so I think that’s what the modern Appalachian woman is up against,” Seymour-Gunter said. “She’s always up against the past.”

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Q&A: Lyn Redington, new Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

friend of mine went to Ohio University and she worked here and she speaks about Ohio, I think, the way we want all of our students and all our alumni and all of our community members to talk about it. It was her home away from home, she learned, she grew, she made her friends. It was life changing for her, and so I certainly felt as though I knew about Ohio before just from my friend. Last summer, I had the opportunity to interview for this interim position and obviously wasn’t selected. While I am sad that the division and the university is going through this transition again, I’m really excited that I get to be a part of the Ohio community, that I get to work with the incredible staff and the students that I am beginning to meet. Honestly, Ohio University has been one of those aspirational universities for me to work at.

TP: How do you think your previous experience has prepared you for this new role?

there’s incredible opportunities for everybody to benefit from both. I really liked that. When I return in person next week, it’s really about how do I meet the students? How do I get involved in knowing what they’re involved in, what they are passionate about, how they want to influence their college experience? I’m excited about that. I’m excited to attend different events. I’ve heard about some fests, and I don’t really know what they are, but I’m really excited about them. I did go to a hockey game my first or second night that I was in Athens and that was fun, so I’m trying to learn some of the more appropriate chants.

TP: How can students contact you?

Provided by Ohio University

Ohio University recently hired Lyn Redington to serve as the new Interim Vice President for Student Affairs. Throughout her educational career, Redington has the opportunity to teach at community colleges and collegiate institutions, promoting student well-being and involvement.

The Post: For students who may not know what the Interim Vice President for Students Affairs does, how would you describe it?

Redington: Honestly, the title tells me my job. It has the word “students” in it, so my job is to support students and their success. To support their success in the classroom, as well as out of the classroom.

TP: Do you have any certain responsibilities?

Redington: Well, I am learning them, but

the areas that are wellbeing and recreation, auxiliary services, which includes Culinary Arts and Housing and Residence Life. We have the Dean of Students Office, and of course within that we have the Survivor Advocacy Program. We have student accountability and then there’s also the Center for Student Involvement (and) Sorority and Fraternity Life. We have Campus and Event Services and a variety of other areas of responsibility where we work with budget and we work with (the) human resources department so that we are ensuring that our staff are abiding by policies and budgets.

TP: What drew you to this position?

Redington: I have known about and heard about Ohio University for a long time. In fact, when I was a kid, for two years we lived in Ohio. We lived in Lancaster. I know that we passed through, so I can’t guarantee this, but I’m pretty sure that Ohio University was the first college campus I ever visited. Since that time, I moved away and have worked at a number of other places, but a

Redington: I have worked at a number of other institutions and every place I go, I consider myself a learner. I will always learn from where I’m at, from those that I work with, from those that I work for. Coming into this position, my job is not to change everything and not to say, “But this is how we did it elsewhere,” but perhaps that background, those experiences can help inform what we’re doing, or perhaps there might be some opportunities for improvement. I think that’s where I certainly have learned and gained a deeper understanding of higher education in general, and the Division of Student Affairs more specifically.

Also, I have taught at several different institutions. I taught at a community college and I’ve taught doctoral classes, and that’s where I think that the classroom belongs in the profession, but the profession also belongs in the classroom. I really see this incredible synergy between what academic affairs does and what student affairs does. There’s a quote that I really like: “We come to college, not alone to make a living, but to learn to live a life.” I think that is really what student affairs focuses on.

TP: What do you look forward to in this new position?

Redington: Ohio University is perhaps the most beautiful campus I think I’ve ever seen. It just looks so collegiate – and Athens, what a fun community. Just the fact that the university and the community are right across the street from one another, so

Redington: Absolutely by email. Tammy Babylon, she is the keeper of my world, my calendar, so she would be the best person to really go through to schedule appointments. I love being invited to things, I really do. It just makes me feel like I belong, and so if a student were to invite me to an event or a meeting or a program, if I could make it, I will make it. I don’t have to talk, I don’t have to do anything. I hope that if people have an idea who I am, or think they recognize me, stop me on campus and have them introduce themselves and we can chat. It’s never an interruption. We’re going to find time. I do like to be out and about, so whether I’m walking around or I might have office hours in the library or different places, I will do that. And I love to eat – I would love to do lunch or dinner with people.

TP: Is there anything else you’d like students to know?

Redington: I have worked in higher education for much of my life, and I think what I most appreciate about it is that as a lifelong learner, there’s just always something new to do and to learn and to participate in. I always think about students: take advantage of this because there’s so much now, and there will continue to be so much as alumni. Personally, I’m bringing my husband and my two dogs with me. I don’t know that my dogs would be able to make it to campus. They’re pugs, they’re a little on the lazy side, but my husband Mike and I will absolutely be out and about and they’re excited to become members of the community.

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Russia’s Erasure

OU no longer offers Russian-related courses

Editor’s Note: Post reporter Katie Millard had Steven Miner for History of Russia in Spring Semester 2021-22. Due to Miner’s status as the last professor who taught courses specializing in Russia at OU, Millard had no other source to obtain the information from.

Steven Miner sits at the desk in front of the board, students of varying ages and majors trickling past him. He turns off the PowerPoint and the image of Russian churches flicks to black. His steel eyes crease as he casually waves goodbye to the students who have spent the past 90 minutes clutching tightly to his every impassioned word. He wanted to stay in bed on this cold day – Miner, like many others, does not enjoy 9:30 mornings – but he slipped into his wool socks and sweater anyways. He only has so many days left.

For the first time in 75 years, Ohio University will not offer any Russian-related courses this semester.

Miner is a man in mourning. After nearly 30 years of dedicating his life to teaching Russian history, his intended 35-year career has been cut short. Two years prior, in May 2020, COVID-19 slashed the contracts of dozens of his colleagues, granting affected professors one year’s notice that their contracts would not be renewed. This decision included the only two Russian language professors employed by the university.

With their departure, the Russian language had been eliminated from OU. Now, so are all Russian-specific courses. Russia is dead in Athens, Ohio.

Before the pandemic, the Russian language was a beloved major at OU. In its final years of existence, 2019 and 2020, nearly 1% of all Russian language majors in the U.S. graduated with a degree from OU, according to Data USA. COVID-19 eliminated the program, part of a massive budget cut, laying off many professors in a largely protested economic decision. OU was not alone in professor layoffs and department trimming; according to a 2020 New York Times article, universities across the nation were forced to implement hiring freezes, lay off faculty and eliminate majors. Russian studies were simply part of the COVID-19 time of troubles at OU.

Miner said he does not think Russian studies’ untimely death is intentional but rather the unfortunate domino fall of economic decisions. He stumbled upon the unfortunate coincidence one day, confirming its absence with a deep dive into OU’s course catalog.

“At present, we have nobody who teaches Russian language, and nobody teaches Russian literature,” Miner said. “If you come here and you want to study Tolstoy or Dos-

toevsky, go someplace else.”

Miner loves Russia because it was once completely foreign to him. He was hired by OU in 1986: the same year as the Cold War’s Chernobyl Disaster. He embraced Russian history at a tricky time to do so, but he fell head first into the subject and wrote his life as a love letter to the country.

Miner said he’s sure other history professors will discuss Russia – it’s difficult not to. However, they cannot tell you a first-hand account of how the cold stones of a Russian Orthodox church feel beneath shoes or how Soviet food smelled: a mixture of bad fish, disinfectant and a refrigerator overdue for a cleaning.

15 years ago, Russian studies thrived at OU, and students immersed themselves in the country and culture. Karen Evans-Romaine, professor of Russian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former OU Russian professor, said she would take students to Moscow every other spring for a study abroad program.

Evans-Romaine said students studied literature, culture and language abroad, breaking each Wednesday for an excursion to a cultural site. They lived with host families and took an overnight trip to St. Petersburg when the weather grew warmer.

“It was really exciting to be able to show them Moscow at this really important time in their history, when it felt like Russia was changing,” she said. “It was just an amazing, truly life-changing opportunity for students.”

Those who did not study abroad could still participate in as much Russian culture as Evans-Romaine and her colleagues could find in Athens, Ohio. Students spent Tuesday evenings in Russian club meetings where conversations in Russian interjected between the sounds of coffee brewing and textbook pages turning in Athens coffee shops.

“We would talk about tea and Russia,” Evans-Romaine said.

She said there were other cultural immersions like cooking Russian dishes to enjoy together and Russian folk dancing in a local festival.

Russian classes were important for OU students outside of the program as well. Students could still get a Russian degree even if they were not Russian majors through the Russian Studies Certificate Program. It boasted a holistic curriculum of Russian literature and history courses. The certificate stated its opportunities after graduation included “a career in education, foreign service, journalism, national defense, nonprofit organizations or politics.”

Russian studies’ thriving services had been around for decades. According to OU’s compiled history of the modern languages department, OU began offering Russian language courses in the 1947-48 academic year. The 1964-66 Department of Modern Languages catalog said OU created five language houses, including a Russian House. Two Russian studies students at OU even went on to have political careers in Ohio: Sara Hendricker, eight-year mayor of Athens, and George V. Voinovich, former governor and senator.

The Office of Global Affairs and International Studies said the study abroad program to Moscow last occurred in the Spring of 2016. However, the Russian major and certificate programs continued until 2021, when the two-person department ended with the removal of Mila Shevchenko and Tetyana Dovbnya.

These professors were adored. Shevchenko has a 4.6 out of 5 on “Rate My Professor,” an online source reviewing professors and their courses. One student wrote of Shevchenko that she was “by far the best professor I’ve had in my college career,” adding she made the student passionate about the Russian language, history, culture and literature.

Cam Sico was among the final students to graduate from OU with a Russian language major, and he corroborated the online reviews of Shevchenko. He declared his major as a freshman with no previous Russian knowledge – a decision he ranks in his top five choices ever.

Sico joined the program in hopes of it helping in his future career, but he said his

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“I’m not an angry old guy, I’m quite a happy old guy, (but) I’ll tell you one thing that did make me angry.”
- Steven Miner, former OU Russian professor

classmates ranged from lifelong Russian speakers to novices like him. No matter their reasoning for studying Russia, Sico said they all adored the program.

“It’s just disappoint- ing,” Sico said. “I don’t understand how you could bet against Russia. We’re such a tight knit community. I called my professor’ Mama,’ as well as the other people in our class, because she was always there for us.”

- Cam Sico, OU Russian graduate

Upon Shevchenko’s release in 2021, she was employed by The Ohio State University, or OSU, just two weeks later – a testament, Sico said, to “Mama’s” skill. OSU is not unique for continuing this program. The University of Cincinnati, Miami University and Bowling Green State University all have Russian majors. In fact, of the 13 public schools in Ohio, only OU and Akron do not offer some Russian language, history or literature courses.

The professors did not go without protest. Students banded together under the Twitter account @OU_SaveOurProfs to combat professor layoffs, including Shevchenko and Dovbnya. According to a 2020-2021 review of the Linguistics Department, in three years, position eliminations and voluntary separations resulted in a 55% decrease of staff in the department.

OU also received a letter from various faculty around the world urging them to continue with the program. The letter had 723 signatures, but its efforts to persuade

the university about the importance of a Russian language program did not persevere.

OU administration released a prepared statement at the time addressing non-renewals. The statement was sent to staff and published online, signed by former OU President Duane Nellis and other senior administrators.

“Most of the institution’s operating costs are in personnel, which has necessitated difficult decisions that we recognize have a significant impact on our employees, their families, and the communities in which we serve,” the statement read.

The Russian language program was not the only department to lose faculty; 53 faculty contracts were non-renewed across the university, according to a previous Post report. However, it was the only program to lose all of its faculty, wiping it completely from OU’s curriculum.

Several administrators took either 10% or 15% salary reductions during this time. However, some received bonuses, such as the $100,000 bonus Deborah Shaffer, OU’s former senior vice president for finance and administration, accepted on July 15, 2020. According to The Post’s 2020 Salary Guide, she made $294,953 that year – $86,040 more than Shevchenko, Dovbyna and Miner made that year combined.

“It’s like the Soviet Union, there used to be a thing called the ‘nomenklatura,’” Miner said. “Once you were in it, you could lose your position, but you were never going to drop below a certain level. That’s what we have here. I don’t think they have a firm grasp of where all the money was going, and so people got fired that probably didn’t need to be fired. If there’s a game plan to all this, it’s not clear to the faculty members.”

The May 4, 2020, OU Faculty Senate minutes stated, “We are not eliminating programs or departments.” The 53 non-renewed contracts were announced Friday, May 15, just weeks later, resulting in the elimination of the Russian program.

According to the faculty handbook, any elimination of a program or department must be based on “educational consid-

erations,” including a lack of need for the program or lack of educational quality. Any eliminated program is to be considered first at the college level, then by the University Curriculum Council. A majority vote by the council sends the proposition to the Provost, then to the President, and finally, to the Board of Trustees.

The University Curriculum Council minutes from September 2020 detail the suspension of the Russian Studies Certificate, stating: “Because of recent instructional faculty non-renewals, the department will have no faculty in Russian (language) at all after spring of 2020-2021.”

The University Curriculum Council minutes from 2020 and 2021 do not detail the removal of the Russian major.

Lilly Pinkelman is a junior studying sustainable plant systems at The Ohio State University. Her life would have looked quite different if she’d been able to stick with her original post-high school plan. Pinkelman committed to studying at OU but transferred the summer before she was supposed to begin college in 2020 because the Russian language was no longer offered.

“My whole program was just completely gone,” Pinkelman said. “I’d said yes to everything and accepted my scholarships and had to go back and reject everything. I was bummed about the whole Russian thing. The program seemed really, really awesome, especially with the lady who was talking to me about it. She was adorable. I loved her.”

University spokespersons were initially contacted in early December regarding a sitdown interview, but chose to provide a written statement instead. University representatives were not able to complete a sit down interview by time of publication.

The statement from Daniel Pittman, interim senior director of communications for the university’s communications and marketing department, wrote the university is moving forward financially, particularly with an uptick in enrollment.

“Over the past seven years, demand for modern languages classes has dropped significantly, from 5,714 filled seats in 10 lan-

guages in 2015-16 to 2,685 filled seats across nine languages in 2021-22, nearly half of which are in Spanish,” Pittman wrote in an email. “In Spring 2020, a total of 18 OHIO students were participating in the Russian program in either a degree-granting, minor or certificate capacity.”

Pittman said the decision was not taken lightly but resulted from low enrollment. He did not comment on the university’s absence of any Russian-related courses following Miner’s retirement, nor was the absence addressed in any public statement from the university.

Both Miner and Evans-Romaine, however, felt the decision to remove all Russian studies was an unfortunate misstep rather than an attack on Russia.

“I’m absolutely positive that there was no ill will involved, that there was no conscious desire to get rid of Russian studies at Ohio,” Evans-Romaine said. “This (was a) budget decision, which just makes me so, so sad. Russian has always been so deeply connected to politics, to U.S. foreign relations, to our history, our national security interests, and it’s understandable that those wax and wane as do all foreign policy interests depending on what’s going on in the world. It’s so clear right now that shutting Russian programs is short sighted.”

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Joel Greenlee reflects on 26 seasons with Ohio

Coach Joel Greenlee spent the third week of January preparing for Ohio’s first home duals of the new year, making training plans the same way he always does. Greenlee’s big on consistency. He’s not superstitious, but he does like consistency.

“The best way to put it is I buy the same things every time, and if I go to Kroger, and they’re out (of something) for instance, I’ll scour town or whatever we’ve got to do,” Greenlee said.

His dedication to consistency has helped him over his 26 years with the Bobcats. He came to the program as an assistant in 199798, but was promoted to the interim head coach that same season due to head coach Harry Houska going on sick leave. The next year, he became the head coach.

Now, years of trophies, photos and memorabilia line the walls of Greenlee’s office. The centerpiece: a giant decal of the 2013 NCAA wrestling tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Greenlee, an Iowa native, chose the image after he moved into his new office in The Convo a few seasons ago to remind him and his wrestlers why they’re here.

“I saw this picture on the internet and I was like ‘you know what, we should put that on that wall,’” he said. “It wasn’t exactly what I

envisioned, but you still come in here and it’s kind of cool. Every time guys come into my office, they look at a picture of the NCAA Tournament. That’s one of our goals, is we want to make it to the NCAA Tournament. We want to be All-Americans. We want to be national champions and all those things. Every day you come in here and see it.”

Greenlee’s seen the NCAA Tournament a few times in his tenure. In his first season, the Bobcats finished ninth at the NCAA Tournament. They also won a Mid-American Conference regular season title with a perfect 5-0 conference season. Greenlee was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year that same year.

That first season was just a taste of what Greenlee could do with the Bobcats. Over his tenure, Greenlee has established the Bobcats as an elite MAC program. In 2014, he helped a program-best six individuals qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Greenlee coached two athletes to the NCAA Tournament, Sal Perrine and Jordan Slivka.

There’s been a lot of change since Greenlee started. The athletic department has been restructured, the MAC has made advances in wrestling and even Greenlee has changed his ways.

“I think the biggest thing that I’ve maybe figured out (or) learned over the years is to be

on a pretty even keel.”

Greenlee has a team of 35 wrestlers that rely on him. He recognizes that they are going to feed off of his energy daily. It’s not just about how he treats them on the mat, but off the mat, too.

“There’s a lot of highs and lows on a daily basis and some days, it feels a little bit like a punching bag,” Greenlee said.

Greenlee’s there for his team from relationship troubles to grades. He focuses on doing the right thing because his role as a coach is to shape the team. He builds true relationships with his athletes and focuses on elevating positivity.

Positivity is the one thing that has remained a constant for Greenlee throughout his career. His coaching style has evolved, but his ability to get rid of the negatives hasn’t. He wants to help his athletes understand that they’re not just wrestlers. Greenlee wants them to pursue their degrees and prepare for the future.

Greenlee is motivated by the effect he has on the athlete’s lives. He wants them to succeed on the mat and later in life.

“I want guys to come here and I want them to get a meaningful degree. I want them to work hard. I don’t want them to just say ‘Hey, I’m a wrestler.’ I’m going to do the best I can and I’ll think about getting a job later or think about a career later, those things,” Greenlee said.

Greenlee keeps track of his athletes later in their lives, too. He still sends Spartak Chino, who graduated in 2016, photos of Golden Tee 2K machines when he sees them because the two used to battle on the one in Greenlee’s office.

“I’m a Golden Tee guy,” Greenlee said. “I’m not a gamer, like holding a controller, I don’t even know if I could play. I’m not good at sitting around.”

However, on Friday and Sunday, Greenlee sat on the sidelines and watched his team with intent. Occasionally, he’d stand and shout with enthusiasm during a bout, but otherwise, he remained calm. He focused on each move and coached the Bobcats to their first victory of 2023.

After the meet, Greenlee’s spirits were high. He was happy about the victory, but it wasn’t all he wanted the team to do. He wanted them to do their best for their seven minutes on the mat. To him, if a wrestler has gone out and given his all, win or lose, that is the real victory.

Greenlee has had many wins over the years, and to him, one of the biggest is being at Ohio. He loves the small-town atmosphere of Athens that reminds him of his hometown in Iowa. Most of all, though, he loves coaching.

10 / JAN. 26, 2023 WRESTLING
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Coach Greenlee sits on the sideline as Ohio Wrestling takes on Northern Illinois on Friday, Jan. 20, 2022. (JUSTIN DELGADO | FOR THE POST)

Wilson drops career-high 31 in win over Western Michigan

For the second time in less than two weeks, Dwight Wilson III treated the fans at The Convo to a career night.

He set a new career-high with 27 points against Kent State on Jan. 13, then surpassed himself with a 31-point gem in Tuesday’s 88-76 win over Western Michigan.

“I’ve just been trusting in the work that I put in,” Wilson said. “Obviously, I had a longer offseason than most and I told myself ‘When I come back, I want to make more noise and be better than I was going into rehab.’”

Despite the fact that these two performances featured similar scoring outputs, shooting percentages and a lot of the same post moves that Wilson has used to devastating effect all season, they could not have had a more different impact on the games.

Against Kent State, Wilson scored 23 points in the first half, which allowed Ohio

to take a halftime lead against the best team in the Mid-American Conference. But Kent State limited Wilson in the second half, and Ohio was unable to hold on.

On Tuesday, however, the Bobcats were locked in a tight struggle with Western Michigan at the half and Wilson had 11 points. He then put up a monster 20-point second half to help Ohio pull away and move to 3-4 in MAC play.

Time and again down the stretch in the second half, when the Bobcats were unable to get a stop on the defensive end, they went to Wilson in the post, and he made the Broncos pay.

He tortured Western Michigan’s front line all night, as the three players who were sent his way, Titus Wright, Markeese Hastings and Owen Lobsinger, combined for 10 fouls over the course of the game, four of them coming on Wilson in the second half, three of those on made baskets.

ACCEPTING

“(Getting opponents in foul trouble) just makes me keep going,” Wilson said. “I know that once I get them in the air, and I get contact, it’s pretty much a foul every time. Once I see that they will call it, I just stick to it.”

Wilson made 13-of-16 field goals Tuesday night, but none were more indicative of his improvement and importance to this Ohio team than his last three.

He hit a turnaround jumper in the paint, a shot that wasn’t in his arsenal a few years ago, to tie his career high, then lost Wright with a beautiful spin move for points No. 28 and No. 29. Finally, to finish off his first career 30-point game, Wilson set a screen for Jaylin Hunter, who then found him diving to the basket for a two-handed dunk.

“Dwight Wilson was a man today,” Ohio coach Jeff Boals said. “Just a phenomenal individual performance. Our guys did a great job of getting him the basketball in

position to score, and he definitely delivered.”

Wilson has delivered all season for Ohio, from getting others involved with his passing out of the post, to clutch shots against Michigan and Youngstown State, to big scoring performances when Ohio needed them most.

Tuesday night was the latest excellent performance from Wilson, but if the Bobcats are going to separate themselves from the pile in the middle of the MAC standings, they are going to need it not to be the last.

Wilson is the most important player on Ohio’s roster, and he knows it.

“The better I play,” he said. “The better we are.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

Men’s Basketball: Get to know DeVon Baker

Senior DeVon Baker transferred to Ohio ahead of this season after graduating from Tulane and previously playing at UNC-Asheville. Baker has played in 20 games for Ohio, 10 of which he started.

Baker averages 6.8 points per game and has collected 16 steals so far this season. He has proven to be a strong option off the bench for the Bobcats since moving to his bench role.

The Post caught up with Baker to get to know him more outside of basketball.

The Post: My first question for you is, are you a coffee or a tea drinker?

Baker: I’d say tea.

TP: What’s your favorite kind of tea?

Baker: I love ginger tea. I put honey in it.

TP: Do you have any spots in Athens you like to go to for tea?

Baker: No, not really. I just get it from Kroger to be honest with you. (laughs)

TP: (laughs) So you just make it at home?

Baker: Yeah, I just make it at home.

TP: OK. You’re from Dayton, right?

Baker: Yes

TP: What’s your favorite place in Dayton?

Baker: For food or?

TP: It can be anything!

Baker: Hmm in the city of Dayton…

TP: It can be around there.

Baker: I like going to the mall. I like shopping so I like going to the mall or I’ll go to Cincinnati a lot. I go to the outlets and

stuff like that.

TP: What are three stores you hit up when you go shopping?

Baker: I’d say Nike, (Ralph Lauren) Polo and Adidas.

TP: You said Polo, what would you say your street style is, like if you’re going to class?

Baker: Going to class I just wear sweats to be honest with you. I have everything be Nike or everything be Adidas.

TP: OK, but if you’re going out to dinner or something, what do you put on?

Baker: I’m going to put on some jeans and maybe some stuff from Zara. I shop at Zara a lot. I’d put on some things like that. It just depends on the occasion and how we dress.

TP: Do you have a favorite outfit of yours you wear?

Baker: I switch it up a lot so I don’t really have a favorite. I would say I do like to dress up a lot. I like stepping out sometimes with jeans and stuff like that. Usually on the daily I just wear sweats and everything like that. But, I like dressing up, putting on jeans and stuff like that.

12 / JAN. 26, 2023
Number 22, Ohio senior DeVon Baker, shoots a basket during the game against Western Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (CARRIE LEGG | PHOTO EDITOR)
@ASHLEYBEACHY_ AB026319@OHIO.EDU MEN’S BASKETBALL

Tired of serious Oscar criticism?

I’m here to fix that.

EMMA ERION

For better or worse, Oscar season is officially upon us. This time of year brings out the inner film critic in every person in every corner of the internet. I couldn’t scroll through Twitter on Tuesday without coming across a photo of Paul Mescal (who earned his first Oscar nomination) tweeted from a Phoebe Bridgers stan account. In that same vein, what’s the fun in doing serious critique of this year’s nominees? The internet is already inundated with thousands of critics telling you which movie deserves it the most. I am here to provide an unhinged and unserious commentary on this year’s best picture nominees; take it all with a grain of salt.

1. All Quiet on The Western Front

This movie is definitely what your Dad or Grandpa would choose as the winner because everyone knows that Dads love anything to do with war, cars, guns or heists. I do love a good powerful war movie, but this won’t gain as much traction as Dunkirk, solely because it doesn’t have an appealing male popstar cast in a secondary role.

2. Avatar: The Way of Water No.

3.

The Banshees of Inisherin

I love the Irish. And I love Colin Farrell. When I first heard about this movie, I thought it was some sort of period piece horror film but I was pleasantly surprised when I learned it was about some buddies on a remote island in Ireland. What fun! We should have stacked this

cast with more Irish actors. Give me Paul Mescal! Give me Liam Neeson! I also think we need to add a “Best Animal” category to the Oscars based solely on Jenny the Donkey from this film.

4. Elvis

The length of this movie reminded me why we needed to bring back the art of the 90-minute film. Austin Butler is wonderful, though; I get a lot of good laughs out of his seemingly eternal Elvis accent. “Don’t Worry Darling” and this movie were both plagued by the fact that the off-screen drama was more fun and interesting than the actual movie.

5. Everything, Everywhere All at Once Yes.

6. The Fabelmans

I did not see this movie, but Stephen Spielberg’s life story told through a fictionalized family is very heartwarming, on concept alone. I also love Paul Dano and Michelle Williams, so this immediately gets a vote from me. Paul Dano should be in more things.

7. TAR

I thought this movie’s main character was a real person until I finished the movie and Googled her name and realized she was, in fact, not real if that tells you anything. My only serious commentary is that I actually think this film could sneak by and win it all. Cate Blanchett is

mother (not in this movie, though) and she could spill hot soup all over my lap and I would say thank you.

8. Top Gun: Maverick

I never saw this. I think that is commentary in and of itself. However, I feel like I saw a half of it based on all of the TikTok edits of that one scene of Miles Teller on the beach.

9. Triangle of Sadness

This is second runner-up for best movie title of the year right behind Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s “My Year of Dicks.” I am all for the whole “rich people are silly and goofy” thing that has been happening in Hollywood recently with shows like “The White Lotus.” I wish this movie also had Jennifer Coolidge in it.

10. Women Talking

This cast is so stacked it almost feels surreal. This is another one where I will make a serious comment. I genuinely hope this wins. Will it? Probably not, because it is the Academy. But a girl can dream!

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Top 10 movies of 2022, ranked

Awards season is upon us! While many award shows this year have already come and gone, there are still many events to look forward to in the coming months. In preparation for all that awaits us, here is a ranking of the top movies of 2022.

Some honorable mentions include “Don’t Worry Darling” and “The Whale.” Both films were highly anticipated but fell flat due to some controversy. Drama surrounding “Don’t Worry Darling,” accompanied by beautiful cinematography but a disappointing payoff ending, led to the film being essentially blacklisted from this season’s awards. Similarly, Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale” faced backlash due to the choice of not casting an obese actor for the leading role, whose struggles with the disease are the driving forces of the film.

10. “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Starting in 10th place, “Avatar: The Way of Water’’ is the long-anticipated sequel to the iconic 2009 film. While the setting and worldbuilding were absolutely stunning, the characters were less fleshed out than those of the original, causing the audience to be less invested. While the movie received good reviews overall, the decision to follow up the undisputed sensation of the original doomed the film’s perception from the beginning.

9. “Elvis”

General opinions on “Elvis” are remarkably polarized. While Austin Butler did a stellar job of embodying the king of rock ‘n’ roll and the cinematography alludes to a divine fever dream, these traits aren’t quite enough to save the movie. Baz Luhrmann knows how to make a vision come to life, but he could have used some help from an editor to make his latest film less gimmicky. A good biopic is one that tells the subject’s story through a specific lens instead of trying to cram 42 years of life into a movie with a reasonable run time.

8. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”

In the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s untimely passing, the throne of Wakanda was left empty. Thankfully, Letitia Wright, his onscreen sister, gracefully stepped into the role and contributed warmth, humor and power to an already great movie. Angela Bassett was awarded a Golden Globe for her supporting role, and it could not have been more deserved. While the question still remains as to whether or not a sequel was necessary, the company of “Black Panther: Wakanda

Forever” honored Boseman’s memory with a wonderful film.

7. “The Batman”

Yet another rendition of the classic DC superhero, “The Batman” is an absolutely shocking piece of noir cinema that no one saw coming. Robert Pattinson, whose credits range from the Twilight and Harry Potter series to more acclaimed films like “The Lighthouse” and “Tenet” defies all expectations and proved everyone wrong who said that no one could bring anything new to the Batman character. The atmosphere of the film brought Gotham to life in a gritty and eerie way that led to it being one of the most successful action films of the year.

6. “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”

While the ending of Rian Johnson’s latest film ended up being slightly predictable, “Glass Onion” was still everything a Knives Out mystery should be: side-splittingly funny and indescribably mind-boggling. The cast is full of popular stars that carry the story with ease and humor, including some unexpected cameos from people like Hugh Grant and Serena Williams. Overall, “Glass Onion” is an exciting glimpse into the future of the Knives Out series.

5. “Top Gun: Maverick”

“Top Gun” is a story of love, trust and adventure that dominated the box office in 1986. Then, over 30 years later, a sequel came out that did the exact same thing. “Top Gun: Maverick” pays tribute to the iconic moments of the first film, and then goes above and beyond what the original ever could have done. The actors operate real jet planes, which accentuates the larger-thanlife feel that leaves audience members absolutely soaring as they leave the theater.

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Everything we know about the

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ movie

This year provides video game lovers with a plethora of video game adaptations like “The Last of Us,” streaming now on HBO Max or “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” soon to be released in April. One movie, in particular, has been awaited by fans since it was announced in 2015.

“Five Nights At Freddy’s” is a beloved horror video game created by indie game developer Scott Cawthon. The first video game in its nine-game franchise was released in 2014 and garnered worldwide popularity as more games came out. With the game’s ongoing popularity increase came the plethora of merchandise, book series and other miscellaneous products for fans to hoard and love. Inevitably, the game’s widespread admiration would cause the franchise to make its way to the silver screen.

In the beginning, there were multiple production issues regarding who would produce and direct the movie adaptation. It wasn’t until 2022 that the production com-

pany Blumhouse announced it would pick up the project. Blumhouse has produced some of the most prolific horror movies of the past two decades, like Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” (2017) and James Wan’s “Insidious” (2010). With Blumhouse’s hands on the project, one could assume that the movie will not be afraid of going into the game’s horrific nature.

As far as directing goes, Emma Tammi will direct “Five Nights At Freddy’s.” Some of her past works include the horror western film “The Wind” (2018) and the fantasy horror movie “Blood Moon” (2021). Production-wise, series creator Scott Cawthon as well as Jason Blum, Blumhouse CEO and founder, will produce the film together with Russel Binder as executive producer. Tammi Cawthon and Seth Cudeback will provide the writing for the film.

Announced shortly after Tammi’s arrival to the project were the actors/actresses set to star in the film. Matthew Lillard, known for his roles in “Scream” (1996) and “Scooby-Doo” (2002), is set to play the franchise’s infamous antagonist, William Afton.

Josh Hutcherson has also signed on to act as the movie’s central protagonist, Mike Smith, who is a security guard in the original game. Hutcherson is known for playing Peeta Mellark in “The Hunger Games” movies, which is not traditionally horror, but it certainly has a thriller element to it. Other actors include Mary Stuart Masterson, whose role is unknown (other than she will play a villain), and Piper Rubio, who is set to play Abby, Mike’s younger sister.

The film’s overall story is set to follow the events of the first game, although not word for word. It’s merely an adaption of the original story, but it carries the game’s core elements. With that being said, the tagline for the movie reads as follows: “A troubled security guard begins working at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. While spending his first night on the job, he realizes the night shift at Freddy’s won’t be so easy to make it through.”

To help bring the story to life, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop has been signed on to help bring the animatronics of “Five Nights At Freddy’s” to life. As confirmed with Deadline, the famous award-winning practical ef-

fects shop has already begun working on the animatronics for the film. This fact is especially exciting when considering the magnificent yet horrifying creatures the shop has produced in films such as “The Dark Crystal” (1982) and “Labyrinth” (1986). They’re a wonderful addition to the team, and fans are extremely excited for the functionality and looks of the animatronics.

The film is set to start filming in New Orleans next month, making it less likely for the film to release this year. However, there may be a chance for the film to come out near the end of the year or early 2024. There is no confirmation of a release date yet, but one could speculate when it may drop. Nevertheless, the speculation and slow release of new information about the movie has fans hyped and waiting for more.

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Here’s what your favorite ‘Abbott Elementary’ character says about you

“Abbott Elementary” is a comedy mockumentary set in the heart of Philadelphia at a run-down elementary school that contains some of the fictional world’s most hilarious teachers. With creator Quinta Brunson as the focal point of the show, one of her co-workers is always cracking jokes, turning to the camera for support or simply just making fun of her.

With iconic characters such as Barbara Howard, played by Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Melissa Schemmenti, played by Lisa Ann Walter, there’s always someone to laugh at or relate to while watching the smash hit.

Here’s what your favorite “Abbott Elementary” character says about you:

Janine Teagues

You are always looking on the bright side! You never take no for an answer, nor do you put up with people’s negativity, and you work confidently even when challenges arise. While sometimes you get in over your head with the extracurriculars you place yourself

in, you always manage to find time and work hard. You always have a smile on your face, and you care about others more than yourself. Yet, this can backfire on you from time to time, and it’s good to take a break every now and then.

Barbara Howard

You are simply a rule-follower. You don’t like when people do things the easy way for their own benefit and instead like to do things the more traditional way. You may not be the most up-to-date with social media, as you enjoy being present at the moment with the people you love. You also have a big heart, always willing to share advice and be a person for someone to lean on. You’re funny without even realizing it, but sometimes your unfiltered humor can go against you if you let your jokes slip.

Gregory Eddie

You may be a picky eater, and honestly, it’s weird. You tend to rely on comfortability too much sometimes, usually looking for the easy way out of social events or new opportunities. While you may be more introverted, you

listen and pay attention to the people around you and find joy in the little things. You have a secret talent for gardening, and you have a strong connection to family and friends, even if they can be a little controlling. Overall, once people get to know you, you are unforgettable.

Ava Coleman

You are extremely extroverted, always looking for a good time. You have a contagious energy that many lack, and you are never afraid to voice your opinions. Sometimes, you don’t take the important moments in your life too seriously, which can make you look immature or selfish, but you always learn a lesson when people call you out on it. You prioritize self-care and relaxation and don’t like to overwork yourself. Some people may love you and some may hate you, but in the end, you don’t really care at all.

Melissa Schemmenti

Nobody should mess with you if you’re in a bad mood, period. You are a tough cookie on the outside, but secretly have a soft spot for people who are struggling. You love learning

and being around people who think like you. You are outspoken, loud and knowledgeable on the most random things such as fantasy football. Every once in a while, you can be a bit too abrasive, shutting out the people in your life who truly want to be in it. Yet, you always find a way to bring yourself back down to earth, eventually apologizing and moving on.

Jacob Hill

You may be a bit of a nerd, especially when it comes to podcasts, music and U.S. history, but you fully embrace it. You are quirky without even realizing it, and people tend to like you because you’re honest, kind and always looking for a friend. You try to work too hard to get people’s attention, which can be awkward, but they eventually see that you were only trying to win their friendship. You are an individualist, someone who simply can’t be replicated, and you may just be the underdog in life.

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