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Tuesday November February 6, 200721st
The Student Voice of the University of Central Oklahoma Since 1903
Blankenship crowned Miss UCO 2007
Cara Blankenship by Aaron Wright Staff Writer Cara Blankenship was crowned as Miss UCO 2007 on Feb. 2 in Mitchell Hall Theater. Blankenship, a speech pathology senior, has been compet-
ing in pageants since she was a little kid. Her platform is “Be A Buddy! Special Needs Awareness.” “I’m most excited about sharing information on my platform. Not many people know about Best Buddies,” said Blankenship. “It’s something I’ve been passionate about for a long time because of my nephew who has Down syndrome.” Blankenship is currently working on implementing the Best Buddy program at UCO. When she does, it will be the first in the state of Oklahoma. Best Buddies matches someone with a disability with a peer who doesn’t have one. The gift package for Blankenship included a $1,800 UCO tuition waiver; a $1,250 cash scholarship; a wardrobe allowance; a crown box; an
The colors of Japan weave through OKC
expense-paid trip to Tulsa to participate in Miss Oklahoma in June; training sessions with 180 Degrees Center for Health and Performance; and a VIP Spa Treatment from Changes Studios. An active member of the UCO community, Blankenship is serving in a practicum in student pathology. She has also been involved with Sigma Kappa, new student orientation, and Student Ambassadors during her time at UCO. Sixteen other contestants vied against Blankenship for the crown. The theme for this year’s pageant was “I’ll be the one.” After a performance of the National Anthem by UCO alumna and Miss UCO 1993 Heather Geery, all 17 contestants participated in an opening dance. Brad Porton, Oklahoman musician, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. The first phase of the competition was the on-stage question worth 5 percent. Miss UCO 2005 Keelee Bright asked each contestant a question about their platform and Miss UCO 2006 Jill Sallee asked questions revealing each contestant's personality.
The swimsuit competition, worth 15 percent, was next followed by the talent competition, worth 35 percent, and evening wear, worth 20 percent. Each contestant had previously attended an interview with the judging panel., worth 25 percent. Blankenship’s first award for the evening was the People’s Choice Award, an award voted on by the audience during intermission. She was also the recipient of the swimsuit Award and a $150 cash scholarship. She tied with her close friend Kayla Jenkins, dance senior, for the Talent Award and $150. “Kayla’s my best friend and I’m glad we won talent together,” Blankenship said. She said she and Jenkins practiced their dances together in the Wellness Center before the pageant. Rachelle Nicole Adams, was voted by her peers to receive the Congeniality Award. She also won the Director’s Award and $150. Taylor Scammahorn, public relations sophomore, earned the Ad Sales Award, along with $250. Annamarie Bomar was the fourth runner-up and winner of a $1,200 tuition waiver and a
“I’m most excited about sharing information on my platform Not many people know about Best Buddies,” -Cara Blankenship
$300 cash scholarship. The third runner-up was Michelle McCoy. She received a $1,200 tuition waiver and a $400 cash scholarship. Second runner-up Keondra Butler, marketing senior, was given the same tuition waiver and a $500 scholarship. The first runner-up, Jenkins, received the $1,200 tuition waiver and $700. Blankenship is a big proponent of scholarship pageants. She has paid most her schooling with scholarships received from pageants. “I’m going to graduate college debt-free,” she said. Aaron Wright can be reached at awright@thevistaonline.com.
by Vista photographer Alex Gambill
Cara Blankenship won Miss UCO Feb. 2. Her platform is "Be a Buddy" -Special Needs Awarness.
Tattoos leaving their mark on Oklahomans by Aaron Wright Staff Writer Oklahoma may be the last state to catch on to the tattoo trend, but Oklahomans are ahead of the game. After questioning 47 students about whether they were tattooed, 20 responded ‘yes’. That’s 42%. There’s even a Facebook group titled “I’m addicted to Tattoos.” “I like the art form,” said Jon Hocker, general business senior. “It’s a way to express yourself or to remind yourself of things.” Hocker’s tattoo is on his right bicep. It’s in Hebrew and means “to worship the Lord” or “to bow down to the Lord.” “I wanted it to remind me about what life is about and how my life should reflect my relationship with God,” said Hocker. Cindy Davis, general studies and mass communication senior, has three tattoos. She
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Naomi Sumi's, graphic design senior, works are displayed at the "Fresh" art exhibit at Untitled [Artspace] from now to March 3. by Steven Reckinger Copy Editor The art world maintains a diverse and competitive nature. To give an inspiring artist the opportunity to display his or her work to the public, it becomes a remarkable achievement. Naomi Sumi, UCO graphic design senior, received a chance to present her artwork in the “Fresh” art exhibit at Untitled [Artspace] in downtown Oklahoma City. Sumi’s work involves serigraphs, or screen-printing, a technique used for printing imagery with stencils on a silk screen. It originated as an industrial skill, but evolved as a fine art by graphic designers in the 1960s with pop artists Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann. Her pieces normally reflect traditional Japanese
patterns and images. “I only use about 10 colors in my work,” Sumi said. “I enjoy the clean surface and consistent colors of the serigraph.” Betsy Barnum, programs administrator of Untitled [Artspace], contacted Sumi after discovering her work at the Art House Salon & Gallery in Oklahoma City and asked if she would be interested in displaying her work at her gallery. “The consistent layering of color and the shapes in the patterns are what drew me to her work,” Barnum said. “Her work is very whimsical.” For the “Fresh” exhibit, Sumi created five new prints with six total on display. Alyson Atchison, UCO art professor who specializes in serigraphs, influenced Sumi
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Benjamin Tisserand gets a tattoo on his back Feb. 3 in the Mojo Tattoo.
Hot coffee for global warming by Nathan Winfrey Senior Staff Writer
The UCO College Republicans will pass out hot chocolate, coffee and hot apple cider at Global Warming Day Feb. 6 at Broncho Lake starting at 10 a.m. Travis Cleek, public relations director, said the organization hopes for cold weather to reinforce a political statement. “It is a parody event, but one that is timely…It is our hope that people will realize that sometimes it is just plain hot outside,” he said. “It is my hope that students will find it to be funny…it’s easy to say global warming is going to kill us when it is 100 degrees outside, but not so easy when it is a freezing 20 degrees.” Cleek said he hopes peosee Art, page 5 ple will quit listening to
by Vista photographer Laehyung Lee
“media hype” and investigate the issue for themselves. “It is harmful to create kneejerk reactions by passing intrusive legislation that might end up restricting people’s ability to drive somewhere, or heat their house,” he said. “If the College Republicans are doing the Global Warming Day simply to tell people to look into the topic for themselves, then I really don’t think there is too much a person can get mad about,” said Dane Olson, corporate communications senior with a minor in political science. “They’ve done events like this before and some say it is
ignorance, but it’s their choice. the quality of the air and keeping I personally don’t see any pollutants out of drinking water. harm in it, if anything a person “We also must be careful might become more educated.” to maintain the environments Cleek said he thinks global of endangered species and try warming is real, but that he also to keep an aesthetic environbelieves that it ment for ourselves,” Cleek said. is mostly not the In response to some of the fault of humans. negative press for their Animal “In the early Rights Barbecue last year, Cleek ‘70s, there was the said the College Republicans ‘global cooling’ continue to host parody events scare. The earth because comedy is one of several goes through ways to deal with serious issues. natural warm“The statement to be made ing and cool- here is that global warming ing periods, and does not need to be taken so humanity’s effect seriously,” Cleek said. “Even if on it is small if we are causing it, we do have not nil,” he said. time to sort out all the facts. He said that Hundreds of years, in fact.” even if humans aren’t responsible for global warming, steps should be taken toward solving other environ- Nathan Winfrey can be reached at mental problems, like improving nwinfrey@thevistaonline.com.
"The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren and to do good is my religion." - Thomas Paine
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