The Vista Feb. 27, 2017

“Inside Old North” on 8

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VISTA

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Driving Mr. Price Volume 114, Issue 7

“The Student Voice Since 1903”

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017

Peter Agnitsch @PeteyPete33 Sports Editor

University of Central Oklahoma wrestling manager James Price observes a UCO wrestling tournament against Fort Hays State University from the sidelines on Sunday, February 5. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista)

Minutes before the duel begins, the packed crowd at Hamilton Field House patiently waits for the UCO wrestling team to come out. As the lights go down and the music begins, the audience turns their heads in excitement to the tunnel as they anticipate the stampede of Bronchos rushing the mat.

The music drops and 28-year-old manager James Price leads the team into battle.

“It feels good,” Price said.

Price became one of UCO’s managers nearly a decade ago. He started managing teams back in high school at Edmond North, where he was a manager for both the wrestling and baseball teams. After high school, some Edmond North wrestlers became UCO wrestlers and decided to have Price come along with them as a manager.

Former head coach David James welcomed Price with open arms.

“Coach James was thrilled to have him,” Margo Price, James’ mother, said.

See “Mr. Price” on 15

Clara Luper Room the First of Its Kind at UCO Kateleigh Mills @kateleighsuz Editor-in-Chief

Joyce Henderson speaks during the opening ceremony of the Clara Luper Room in the Nigh University Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2017. Henderson was a high school student of Clara Luper at Dunjee High School. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

The Nigh University Center held a grand opening for the Clara Luper Room (312) at 2 p.m. last Friday, the first conference room in the building to be named after an African-American.

The ceremony began with Keyanna Irby, the Black Student Association’s president welcoming the crowd and introducing UCO President Don Betz who delivered a welcome speech.

“We are honored as an institution… we are honored to represent and reinforce the message that Clara Luper lived, that she personified. We must be involved,” Dr. Betz said.

Following President Betz’s speech, Irby introduced Dr. Myron Pope, the vice president of Student Affairs, who she credits with being

instrumental in guiding the Black Student Association with the Clara Luper project.

“She (Clara Luper) has left quite a legacy and upon her shoulders we stand… this institution is by far the most diverse institution in the state of Oklahoma,” Dr. Pope said. “It’s no surprise that we are committed to doing this and having this event.”

Clara Luper, was born in Okfuskee County in Oklahoma, was a leader during the American Civil Rights Movement, known primarily for her role in the 1958 Oklahoma City sit-in movement.

Luper was also a well-known teacher who taught at multiple schools across the state, such as Northwest Classen High School, Dunjee High School and John Marshall High School.

Following Dr. Pope was Joyce Henderson, a student of Clara Luper.

Henderson spoke about some of her fondest memories of the Oklahoma native.

See “Clara Luper” on 6

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The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

CONTENTS

Mai Pham, Junior, and her son, Mason Vang, talk to Laura Beth, Sophomore, about the American Democracy Project student organization on Thursday, February 23.. The American Democracy Project focuses on civic engagement and helping the community, and once a month will create and deliver care packages to local homeless individuals.

(Ryan Naeve/ The Vista)

CONTENTS Exoplanet........................................................3

Review..........................................................11

Around Campus..........................................4-5

Sports Feature...............................................12

UCOSA/Clara Luper......................................6

Bucking Broncho.........................................13

Inside Old North............................................8

UCO Baseball...............................................14

Spring Break..................................................9

UCO Pom/Mr. Price.....................................15

STAFF NAME AND POSITION

Kateleigh Mills Megan Prather Peter Agnitsch Siali Siaosi Cara Johnson M i r a n d a Va n M e t e r Elizabeth Spence Victor Quezada Jessica Phillips A . Suave Francisco Ryan Naeve Te d d y B u r c h

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Sports Editor Online Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r Re p o r t e r S p o r t s Re p o r t e r Photographer Advisor

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Email your questions to:

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The Vista is published as a newspaper and public forum by UCO students, weekly during the academic year, at the University of Central Oklahoma. The issue price is free for the first copy and $1 for each additional copy obtained.

EDITORIALS Opinion columns, editorial cartoons, reviews and commentaries represent the views of the writer or artist and not necessarily the views of The Vista Editorial Board, the Department of Mass Communication, UCO or the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges. The Vista is not an official medium of expression for the Regents or UCO. LETTERS The Vista encourages letters to the editor. Letters should address issues and ideas, not personalities. Letters must be typed, double-spaced, and must include the author’s printed name, major, classification and phone number. Phone numbers are included for contacting purposes only. Letters are subject to editing for libel, clarity and space, or to eliminate statements of questionable taste. The Vista reserves the right not to publish submitted letters.

Address letters to: Editor, The Vista, 100 N. University Dr., Edmond, OK 73034-5209, or deliver in person to the editor in the Communications Building, Room 131.

Letters can be emailed to thevista1903@gmail.com.

EXOPLANET

Feb. 27, 2017

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New Exoplanet, TRAPPIST-1, Discovered

This illustration provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows an artist's conception of what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data about their diameters, masses and distances from the host star. The planets circle tightly around a dim dwarf star called Trappist-1, barely the size of Jupiter. Three are in the so-called habitable zone, where liquid water and, possibly life, might exist. The others are right on the doorstep. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)

Emily Smith @eaasmith

Contributing Writer

Seven Earth-sized planets have been discovered by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope earlier this week, setting a new record for the largest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system.

The seven planets orbit an ultra-cool dwarf star and are located in the Aquarius constellation. Since they are outside of our solar system, they are scientifically known as exoplanets. While all seven exoplanets are believed to contain liquid water, there are three that are considered in the habitable-zone and are most likely to be able to sustain life.

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington said, “This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life. Answering the question ‘are we alone?’ is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal.”

The system is called the TRAPPIST-1, named for The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile. The exoplanet system is relatively close to us, only about 40 light-years (253 trillion miles) from Earth, making it possible for the planets to be studied in detail.

Scientist believe this could be a crucial step in discovering if we are alone in the universe or not.

Astronomer Amaury H. M. J. Triaud at the University of Cambridge England said: “I think that we have made a crucial step toward finding if there is life out there. Here, if life managed to thrive and releases gases similar to that we have on Earth, then we will know.”

In May of 2016, researchers using TRAPPIST discovered three planets in the system. Then, assisted by several ground-based telescopes, Spitzer confirmed two of these planets and discovered five additional ones.

The new results were published on Wednesday, Feb. 22, in the journal

Nature and were announced in Washington at NASA’s Headquarters in a news briefing.

Using the data provided by Spitzer, the team measured the sizes of the exoplanets to estimate the masses of six, allowing for the estimation of their densities.

The exoplanets are likely to be rock-based and further observations will help determine if they are rich in water or have liquid water on their surface. The seventh exoplanet has yet to be estimated and is believed to be icy, though further observations are needed for confirmation.

The principal investigator and lead author, Micheal Gillon, of the TRAPPIST exoplanet survey at the University of Liege in Belgium said,

"The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star. It is also the best target yet for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable, Earth-size worlds."

If you would like additional information on NASA’s finding, you can visit: https://www.nasa.gov/ For more information about Spitzer, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/ spitzer For more information on the TRAPPIST-1 system, visit: https:// exoplanets.nasa.gov/trappist1 For more information on exoplanets, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/ exoplanets

This image provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech shows an artist's conception of what the surface of the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1f may look like, based on available data about its diameter, mass and distances from the host star. The planets circle tightly around a dim dwarf star called Trappist-1, barely the size of Jupiter. Three are in the so-called habitable zone, where liquid water and, possibly life, might exist. The others are right on the doorstep. (NASA/JPL-Caltech via AP)

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The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

AROUND CAMPUS

AROUND THE CAMPUS

Monday, Feb. 27, 2017 Non-Traditional Student Support Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 415, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for students who are having issues balancing school, work and family.

UCOSA Congress Meetings: At 1

p.m. in the Will Rogers Room on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center, UCOSA Congress members will have their weekly congress meeting.

Got Stress Workshop: The Center for

Counseling and Well-Being will hold a class on learning how to manage stress and college life in NUC Room 402 from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Life Skills Around Eating: At 3:30

p.m. in Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will be holding a free and confidential support group for those who suffer from eating disorders and symptoms that suggest eating disorders.

BSA Meeting: At 5:30 p.m. in the Will

Rogers Room, located on the fourth floor of the Nigh University Center, members from the Black Student Association will meet to discuss upcoming events that either need to be planned or executed.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 MindStrength: At noon, in the Wellness

Center Room 104, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a workshop for students faculty and staff to work on lessening anxiety, improving sleep, balancing emotions and improving the ability to stay calm in tough situations. More information can be found on OrgSync.com.

SMART Recovery: At noon in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy.

SPBe a Hero: At noon in the Nigh University Center’s Cherokee Room, members from the Student Programming Board will have a leadership lunch. More information can be found on OrgSync.com.

Anger Tamers: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

ACM General Meeting: At 1:45 p.m. in the Math and Computer Science Building’s Room 126, the Association for Computing Machinery at UCO will have their general meeting.

SWE Monthly Meeting: At 3 p.m. in

Howell Hall, the Society of Women Engineers will have a meeting to discuss regional and national conferences as well as events.

Connections: At 4 p.m. in the Common’s Room 1116, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being is offering a workshop to help build skills for students to get involved on campus.

Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation Nights: From 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Wellness

Center, the Department of Wellness and Sport will offer various disability recreation opportunities on campus for all students, faculty and staff on various Tuesdays. All Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation nights are free for students with a valid UCO ID. For Feb. 28, the sport will be wheelchair basketball. Additional information can be found by contacting Heather Kohl at hkohl@uco.edu.

Menstruation Celebration: At 6 p.m.

UCO Health Peer Leaders, Women’s Outreach Center and the American Association of University Women are teaming up to address the stigma around periods through health education and advocacy. For more information visit the OrgSync page for the UCO Peer Health Leaders. The location for the event can be found by contacting the UCO Peer Health Leaders at 405-974-2320.

Your Eating Disorder Questions Answered: At 6 p.m. in the Wellness Cen-

ter’s Room 127 a panel of experts will discuss questions about eating disorders. The audience will be able to text in their questions to the panel anonymously to provide a confidential atmosphere for participants. More information can be found on the Center for Counseling and Well-Being’s OrgSync page.

S.I.S.T.A Circles: At 7 p.m. in Nigh University Center’s Room 202, the Black Student Association will have their ‘Sisters Inspiring Sisters Through Achievement’ discussion in fellowship circles. The circles will also be a time to talk about topics that are relevant while also creating a safe space to come up with solutions.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017 Seeking Strength: At 1 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms.

The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care.

BGLTQ+ Support: From 2 p.m. in the

NUC Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a support group for individuals thinking about coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or for people who have recently come out and are seeking support. These groups are free and confidential.

Thursday, March 2, 2017 Black Girl Magic: At 11 a.m. in the

Nigh University Center’s Ballroom A, the American Association of University Women, Black Student Association, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Women’s Outreach Center have teamed up to focus on Black women at UCO. At the event they will address the ‘barriers and disadvantages black women face’ and how they have overcome these challenges. The event will also include a special brunch and ceremony to acknowledge their achievements, contributions and leadership. For additional information contact Chrissy Kyles at woc@uco.edu.

AROUND CAMPUS OrgSync 101: At 1 p.m. in the Adminis-

tration Building’s Room 101A, members from the Student Organizations Office will offer a training session on OrgSync for officers, advisors or members of organizations across campus.

Seeking Strength: At 2 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will hold a free and confidential group for those dealing with trauma or substance abuse symptoms.

The groups work on skills such as how to set boundaries in relationships, understanding triggers and learning how to self-care.

Central Improv Weekly Meeting: At 3 p.m. in the Nigh University Center, Central Improv will have their weekly meeting to practice and improve their improv skills. The meetings are open to the UCO community.

Stress Paws: From 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the

Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have therapy dogs to help students relieve stress every Thursday.

SMART Recovery: At 5:30 p.m. at the

International House, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will have a SMART Recovery meeting for those in recovery to learn skills to stay balanced and motivated in staying healthy.

Feb. 27, 2017 Contemporary Ceramics of North and South: At 5:30 p.m. in the Melton

Gallery, artists that have spent 15 years documenting and collecting indigenous pottery from Ecuador will present an exhibition. The exhibition is intended to create a dialog between the traditional art of Ecuador and the contemporary American ceramics. For more information contact the event host Charleen Weidell at cweidell@uco.edu. This event is STLR-tagged by the tenets Global & Cultural Competency; Research, Creative & Scholarly Activities.

Open Mic Night: At 6 p.m. in the Nigh

University Center, Campus Activities will host an Open Mic Night for people wanting to showcase talents such as singing, slam poetry, dancing or stand-up comedy. For more information visit OrgSync.com.

Friday, March 3, 2017 Anger Tamers: From 9 a.m. in the Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will give confidential and free support for those who struggle with controlling anger.

Grief Group: Beginning at 11 a.m. in the

Nigh University Center’s Room 402, the Center for Counseling and Well-Being will offer a grief group to individuals who are experiencing grief.

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Lunch and Learn-Etiquette and Networking: At noon in the Nigh Univer-

sity Center’s Room 202, the Student Organizations Office is hosting a monthly Lunch and Learn event discussing several topics on how to become a better leader. People wishing to attend the event need to reserve their spot by RSVPing for the event. More information can be found on OrgSync.com.

Information gathered for ‘Around the Campus’ can be found on UCO’s OrgSync page, uco.edu, blasts.uco.edu, Campus Activities and from other organizations across campus.

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The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

UCOSA/CLARA LUPER

UCOSA Legislation Aims For Parking Solutions and More Kateleigh Mills @kateleighsuz Editor-in-Chief

Lost parking spaces due to construction lead to a resolution passed during the fifth meeting of the UCO Student Congress last Monday, along with five other pieces of legislation, including guns on campus.

The parking resolution, CR16203, authored by UCOSA President Cash Dietz on Feb. 17 resulted from a conversation with the director of Transportation and Parking Services, Josh Stone.

The resolution opens up by asking the UCO TPS “seriously to consider options presented by the UCOSA which benefits students, faculty, and staff in regards to parking.”

This resolution came after changes to Lot 13, which is now the site for the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) building that is under construction next to the Nigh University Center. This lot was previously a faculty lot that opened to multi-permit drivers in the afternoon.

A press release by Josh Stone released to the UCO community last May said that TPS was leaning towards changing lot 14 “from commuter parking to faculty/staff parking.” Lot 14 is located east of the STEM building.

“For a long time students have complained about parking,” Cash Dietz said. “They (TPS) didn’t really consult us like ‘hey, we have this going on and we want to try and reach something that the students and

Clara Luper Kateleigh Mills @kateleighsuz Editor-in-Chief

(Continued from cover) “To many of us, we consider her our saint,” Henderson said. “To know her was to love her… she demanded the best of all of us.”

Henderson spoke of Luper’s tireless work ethic and the constant encouragement she gave to her students.

“We all can ask ourselves, ‘if it had not been for Clara Luper in our lives, where would we be today? If it had not been for Clara Luper, where would this city, this state, this nation, the world be today?’” Henderson said.

Members of the crowd were then asked to clap their hands if they were involved in the 1958 sit-in

faculty can agree on.’”

The resolution presented three options for parking for TPS to consider.

Option one was to change both lot 12 (currently commuter parking) and lot 14 (currently faculty and staff, which changes to multi-permit after 4 p.m.) to strictly multi-permit parking. Lot 12 is located north of the Edmond Fire Station next to Baumann Avenue.

Option two was to allocate spaces in lot 10 (the visitor’s lot) to faculty and staff and change lot 14 to commuter parking and 12 to multi-permit parking.

Option three was to change lot 14 to commuter parking and lot 12 to faculty and staff parking.

“I met with Josh last Friday (Feb. 17) and those were the three options I presented to him in detail,” Dietz said. “He was really open to listening and seemed like he wants to help the students.”

Section three of the resolution also stated that UCOSA “wishes to be more involved in future conversation with parking that affect students.”

“It (the resolution) isn’t meant to be hostile,” Dietz said. “the biggest piece from it, is saying ‘if you can’t change anything about the parking situation now, at least in the future when you make these decisions that affect us, can you at least talk to us first?’”

Dietz also said that TPS did come to talk to UCOSA at the beginning of the semester about changes they were making and also said that the UCOSA was encouraged to ask questions, however, Dietz said that

he also felt like the UCOSA’s voice wasn’t heard.

Other legislation passed included congressional bills, CB16-200 and CB16-201, authored by Caleb Power, parliamentarian and Accountability, Reform and Transparency committee chair. Power is also the interim chair for the UCOSA Election Commission.

CB16-200 was a bill that changed the words “Office of the President” to “Executive Cabinet” in the UCOSA laws since most members called the Office of the President the Executive Cabinet already, according to Power.

The bill is working on picking a time for the slates that are running for UCOSA President and Vice-President to have their cabinet picks. This is to make the process of cabinet confirmation by UCOSA Congress before the summer and fall semesters smoother.

“In the past, the new UCOSA

president won’t pick a cabinet pick until the end or middle of summer or right before school ends and Congress won’t have time to confirm it,” Power said.

Power said that this can lead to cabinet picks performing their duty without being confirmed. The decision of the time cabinet picks should be selected is currently in progress.

CB16-201 eliminated the Graduate Affairs Committee and combined the issues it dealt with the Academic Affairs Committee for efficiency.

The guns on campus resolution, CR16-205, authored by Congress Speaker Caleb Shaw maintained the same stance that UCOSA has projected the past couple of years; that the UCO student body “opposes any modification to state law that would effectively allow guns on campus.”

The legislation can be accessed on UCOSA’s OrgSync page under the “files” tab.

movement, if they were one of her students, if they met her and if they loved her.

Following Henderson’s speech, Irby introduced Clara Luper’s eldest daughter, Marilyn Luper Hildreth who spoke of her stories about her mother and her impact on the community.

She also detailed her memories of Oklahoma when it was deeply segregated between blacks and whites.

Hildreth said that her grandmother, grandfather and her uncle would all say ‘thank you’ for having the event.

One of the stories Hildreth shared was about traveling with her mother and others from the town of Spencer, when Luper was asked to present the play, “Brother President,” a story about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to the NAACP in New York City. The town of Spencer raised money for children to accompany Luper to New York, Hildreth said.

“Momma was a history teacher, so

she wanted to use this opportunity to teach us a history lesson,” Hildreth said. “She plotted it out… She said ‘I’m going to take them through the northern route and bring them back through the South.’”

Hildreth said that for the first time in their lives, they didn’t have to use a colored restroom. She added that when they came back through the South they were reminded about the bigotry and hatred that was deeply ingrained in society.

“We were taught that a little bit of freedom was a dangerous thing,” Hildreth said.

After Hildreth, Irby introduced Jordan Broiles, the Clara Luper Room’s student project coordinator and former BSA President who worked along with Elsa Ruiz, a senator from the UCO Student Association towards completing the project.

UCOSA Student Congress passed a $25,000 financial resolution, CFR16103, that would go towards the con-

struction of the room in November 2016.

UCOSA parliamentarian, Caleb Power, said it was the first time he saw a financial resolution that pulled money out of the Permanent Reserve Fund pass unanimously on the floor of UCOSA Congress.

Broiles began his speech by repeating, “We made it” to a crowd of cheers and clapping. He thanked President Betz, Ruiz, UCOSA, MeShawn Conley, the director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Nigh University Center for donating $5,000 to the project and many others.

“Students, this is for us,” Broiles said. “The change that you want to see will start within you.”

Broiles said that he hopes that other projects like the Clara Luper Room will start to become a regular occurrence across the state, whether it’s in higher education institutions or elementary schools.

Legislation passed at the 5th Meeting of the UCOSA Congress CB16-200: Changed “Office of the President” to “Executive Cabinet: in UCOSA laws.

CB16-201: Eliminated the Graduate Affairs Committee and combined it with the Academic Affairs Committee.

CR16-202: Appointed Cheney Alvarado to the congressional seat representing the Graduate College.

CR16-203: UCOSA asks Transportation and Parking Services to include them in future decisions with parking for students.

CFR16-204: Allocated funds for the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) of $1,585 for flights and hotel costs.

CR16-205: UCOSA maintained stance that they oppose any state law changes regarding guns on campus.

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The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

INSIDE OLD NORTH

Inside Old North: Over 15 Years Later Cara Johnson @cara_johnson_ Photo Editor

Old North officially reopened its doors to the public on Feb. 23, 2017, after being closed for over 15 years due to renovations.

Originally completed in 1898, Old North, known then as the Territorial Normal School, locked its doors in 2001 due to problems within the structure that wouldn’t allow for occupants to stay inside during reconstruction.

Phases of construction on Old North occurred in 2002 on the roof, 2007 on stabilizing the building, 2013 on the Central Gateway in front of Old North, the Chickasaw

Nation Amphitheater to the southeast in 2016, and the interior design and reconstruction also done in 2016.

The new building is now host to UCO’s Psychology Department, classrooms and study spaces, an art gallery, the Presidents Suites, offices of the Vice President of Public Affairs, and the offices of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Right: Conference rooms are found throughout Old North. The building, which has been closed for renovation since 2001, officially reopened to the public on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2016.

(Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

An attendee of the reopening of Old North examines the walls that still brandish chalkboards from the original walls of the building. The building reopened at the beginning of the semester for classes, but the grand reopening wasn’t held until Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

An antique clock sits in the hallway just outside of the entrance into Old North’s Clock Tower in Edmond, Okla. The building, which has been closed for over 15 years, was officially reopened on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

An old beam from the original structure of Old North sits on display in the hallway of the third floor of the completed building. The Grand Reopening for Old North was hosted on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017. (Cara Johnson/ The Vista).

SPRING BREAK

Feb. 27, 2017

The Vista

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Spring Break Options Abound for UCO Students Erika Williams

@williams_erika_ Contributing Writer

Spring break is just around the corner and UCO students likely are looking forward to having a little free time. If you are staying in Oklahoma for the break, here are some suggestions on how to make this spring break the most memorable yet.

Spring is the time of year when warm weather returns, so why not get out and enjoy the sun? Oklahoma has several exciting hiking spots that you can enjoy with friends or by yourself.

“I’m most excited about hiking in the Wichita Mountains. I’ve been there before, but it’s always a fun experience,” sophomore Sophie Vara said.

The Wichita Mountains are a beautiful mountain range located in southwestern Oklahoma. Here you can enjoy hiking and camping. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some impressive wildlife.

Another popular Oklahoma hiking spot is the Arbuckle Mountains. The view from these mountains is breathtaking and after a long hike, you can

Among other options, Oklahoma offers various opportunities for hiking thorughout the state. (Provided/ Pixabay.com).

reward yourself with a pie from the famous Arbuckle Fried Pie Stand.

If you’re still looking for places to explore the outdoors, check out Red Rock Canyon or Martin Nature Park.

Lake Arcadia is a fun spring and summertime spot that offers hiking, camping, fishing and bicycling for a low fee.

“I love the lake,” UCO student Morgan Denson said. “Even though the water will probably be too cold to swim in, it is still really fun and relaxing.”

There is nothing more fun for animal lovers on a nice day than visiting the Oklahoma City Zoo. The OKC

Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tickets for adults are $8.

Those looking for an inside activity can also find several affordable attractions nearby.

Pops is a unique restaurant with locations in Arcadia and Nichols Hills.

They have food, milkshakes and a variety of unique bottled soft drinks.

Visit the Oklahoma City Museum of Art to see amazing sculptures and paintings. The museum offers $10 admission to college students with a valid ID and is open Tuesday- Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

“I’m excited to see the two new exhibits, The Unsettled Lens and After the Floating World. I love all the culture art brings and it’s exciting to have an art museum in the area,” Kylie Neel said.

During spring break, the museum will be showing several different exhibitions including: The Unsettled Lens, After the Floating World: The Enduring Art of Japanese Woodblock Prints, The Complete WPA Collection: 75th Anniversary and The Modernist Spectrum: Color and Abstraction. The museum will also be showing different films over the break and offers drop-in yoga on Saturdays.

If you love animals, but would rather spend the day in an air-conditioned building, visit the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks.

See a variety of marine life, feed the otters and don’t forget the visit the new sea turtle exhibit! The aquarium is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and admission for adults is $15.95.

In short, Oklahoma has several exciting places and activities to ensure UCO students have a fun and safe spring break.

Feb. 27, 2017

REVIEW

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Theater Students Give Shakespeare a Modern Twist

Senior Casey Longacre strangles Alumni Jole Schrimsher during UCO’s performance of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Mitchell Hall Theatre in Edmond, Okla. on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

Colby Holder

@colbyholder13 Contributing Writer

The students in the theater department put on a modern version of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” last

weekend and it went off without a hitch.

The pastoral comedy begins in the court of a duke with two sisters, Rosalind and Celia.

Jimmy

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Rosalind falls hard for a young man named Orlando, but before she can explore this new love, she is banished from the court. Celia is distraught at the news and makes the decision to leave with Rosalind and flee to the forest of Ardenne in disguise to find adventure and romance.

Rosalind then pretends to be a man named Ganymede, and Celia dresses as a common shepherdess and calls herself Aliena.

Once the girls arrive in the forest, they run into a lovesick shepherd, Silvius, pining for a maiden named Phoebe, who happens to fall for Ganymede, the strapping young lad that is actually a woman.

Rosalind, as Ganymede, then runs into Orlando, who believes Gany-

mede is actually man and confides in him about his feelings for Rosalind.

Ganymede claims to be an expert on lovesickness and can cure Orlando if he agrees to pretend that Ganymede is Rosalind and sweep him off his feet. Orlando agrees.

While it becomes a tangle of who you think should end up with who, it is kept light-hearted with comedic relief. As the story goes on, those still looking for their true love end up finding the one they were meant to be with and reveal their true selves to find happiness.

The students lived up to expectation, keeping the audience engaged with their perfect portrayals of these characters.

12

The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

SPORTS FEATURE

Morgan Heard’s Record-Breaking Career Austin Moseley @Austin_Moseley Sports Writer

MIAA Player of the Year, second-team All-American, first-team All-Central, Central Region Player of the Year — these are just a few of the many accolades Morgan Heard has earned throughout her two-year career at the University of Central Oklahoma. Softball is in Heard’s blood and is a sport she has played since she was five years old.

“I’ve played my whole life,” Heard said. “That’s what I do every day, day in and day out.”

The junior short stop has seen success in all stages of her softball career. She was a four-year starter at Carl Albert High School, where she batted a .417 for her career and led the team to three class 5A state titles.

During her high school years Heard was also an Oklahoman Big All-City selection and an All-State pick as a senior.

Heard started her career for UCO in 2015 and upon her enrollment, was immediately put into the starting lineup and took over at shortstop.

As a freshman, Heard led the team in RBI with 54 while batting .349 along the way. Her 54 RBI placed her eighth on UCO’s single-season list.

With Heard leading the team at the plate her freshman year, she managed to show off her defensive skills too, racking up a team-high

UCO junior Morgan Heard, 4, prepares to throw the ball during a game on April 28, 2016. (Provided/ UCO Photo Services).

144 assists - 50 more anyone else on the team.

Entering her sophomore season, Heard was ready to show her freshman year explosion wasn’t a fluke.

Heard followed up her freshman year with a record-breaking sophomore outing. She broke school records for hits (94) and doubles (23) while batting .463 at the plate.

Heard’s .463 batting average was

eleventh best in the country.

If that wasn’t enough, Heard was also ranked third in the country in runs (72), ninth nationally in doubles (23) and led the team in assists (126) and stolen bases (16).

Heard was someone her team could lean on when they needed it most. With runners in scoring position, Heard hit .547.

Her sophomore campaign earned

her MIAA Player of the Year, CCA Region Player of the Year and second-team All-American honors.

While she was breaking school records and leading the Bronchos to the playoffs, Heard was also focusing on her schoolwork. “It’s really important to me because my main goal here is obviously to get an education,” Heard said.

Heard was named a 2015 MIAA Scholar-Athlete which is an award given to players who achieve a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Coming into her junior year, Heard holds UCO records for career batting average (.407) and ranks in the top eight in doubles, runs and runs batted in. Throughout all of her success on and off the field, Heard has one goal this year.

“As a team, we want to win the championship,” Heard said.

With the Bronchos currently ranked thirteenth in the country, Heard and her team hope to make that championship goal come true.

Junior Morgan Heard, 4, bats during a Fall 2016 softball game for the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos. Heard has been named, among other things, MIAA Player of the Year, All-American, and All-Central. (Provided/ UCO Photo Services).

BUCKING BRONCHO

Feb. 27, 2017

The Vista

13

The Bucking Broncho: Black Cheerleaders Finally Get Recognition A. Suave Francisco @SuaveFrancisco_ Sports Reporter

Believe it or not, it took until February 2017 for a historically black college cheerleading team to place first at the CheerSport Nationals.

It was Savannah State University’s 12-woman, one-man squad that accomplished this great honor. This is something that personally came as a surprise, because of African-American’s storied history in athletics, however, cheerleading culture reminded me why this is a first.

We didn’t know we were making history we were just having fun , working hard and making memories.

Blacks have dominated multiple sports over the years: basketball, football, track and field, baseball and various others, but somehow cheerleading still remains a sport where blacks are isolated. At the average, predominately-white school, you’ll still find many black athletes, especially on basketball teams, but somehow the cheerleading squads feature few to none. This stems from an age-old mindset that black girls

2017 marks the first year a black college cheerleading team took first at CheerSport Nationals. Savannah State University placed first this year, making their mark at the competition.. (Provided/ Pixabay.com).

particularly can’t be as “pretty” or “glamorous” as a white girl. We are allowed to play other sports and do physically strenuous activities that don’t necessarily display beauty, but when it comes to cheerleading, modeling and various types of pageantry,

THANK YOU You generously gave more than $19.1 million in a challenging economic environment. Your contributions will impact the lives of more than 800,000 central Oklahomans.

it’s harder to find African-American women, unless it’s an event put on by a black school or organization.

This is something I’ve noticed at high schools a lot, but especially at large universities in the south. The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University’s cheerleading squads have historically shied away from having black cheerleaders on campus, although there are thousands of black female students that cheered in high school and dozens who tryout yearly and it’s no coincidence

if you ask me. There are beautiful women of all races that can cheer equally well and it’s honestly perplexing that I have to type this article in 2017.

This has been a problem that hasn’t been talked about much because of topics that are supposedly more “important” than this one. Nevertheless, Savannah State’s cheerleaders brought the topic back up by making history at the perfect time and place: Black History Month in Atlanta, Georgia.

UCO Home Games Friday, March 3, 2017: UCO Baseball vs. Fort Hays State Saturday, March 4, 2017: UCO Baseball vs. Fort Hays State Sunday, March 5, 2017: UCO Baseball vs. Fort Hays State

StandUnitedOKC.com

14

The Vista

Feb. 27, 2017

UCO BASEBALL

Bronchos Make Comeback to Beat Bulldogs

Infield/ Outfield junior Jake Dyer, 4, runs to first base after batting during the Feb. 2, 2017 game against Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Edmond, Okla. The Bronchos won the game 12-11. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

Nathan Baldwin @nbaldwin05 Sports Writer

The 6-1 Bronchos took on Southwestern Oklahoma State University last Wednesday in a game with plenty of scoring as UCO battled back from behind to get the victory, 12-11.

“We didn’t come out ready to roll,”

UCO’s head coach John Martin said.

“We were just feeling it out.”

The Bronchos fell behind early in the top of the first inning when SWOSU’s Rafael Otero hit a two-run home run to go ahead 2-0.

Then in the second inning, the Bulldogs added two more runs to the lead with two outs. SWOSU then hit back-to-back RBI singles, bringing

the UCO deficit to 4-0.

That’s when the Bronchos began their first comeback of the game with no outs and two runners on base.

Second baseman Kyle Miskovsky went deep for a three-run home run, bringing SWOSU’s lead to one run.

The fourth inning was a little rough for UCO’s pitchers. After replacing both the starter and first reliever, pitcher Greg Hyde came in and got the Bronchos out of a one-out, bases-loaded situation. Keeping the score at 5-3.

“We gave way too many free passes today,” Martin said. “We got to be better in that area.”

UCO started the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back solo home runs from Caleb Peters and a second from Miskovsky, tying the game with five runs each.

In the fifth inning, SWOSU regained the lead with a two-out, two-run home run by Garrett Gaunt.

Rafael Otero hit his second home run in the sixth, putting the Bulldogs up 9-5.

With the heart of their lineup due up, the Bronchos Korey Floyd hit a two RBI single, followed by Jon Kamies’ RBI triple. The returning All-American cut the deficit back to one.

“You got to play all nine innings,” Martin said. “We didn’t just pack it in and quit.”

In the bottom of the eighth inning, UCO received a couple of runs, but were still down 11-8. Floyd came through again, bringing in his third and fourth RBI of the game and taking it to the ninth and final inning with the Bronchos down only one run.

After UCO was able to tie the game at 11 with one out, SWOSU’s pitching staff failed to throw strikes.

In a classic baseball scenario, Kamies walked up to the plate with the bases loaded and two out. He worked the count from no balls and two strikes to a full count.

In the final pitch of the game, Kamies earned the walk, bringing in the winning run on a walk-off walk.

Controversial or not, the Bronchos have now won four straight games.

The Bronchos have three batters batting over .300 for the season.

Jake Dyer leads the team with a .483 average, Kamies follows up batting a .480, and Floyd comes in behind at .370.

UCO played a three-game series last weekend against Southwest Baptist University. For the latest updates, visit www.ucentralmedia.com

The University of Central Oklahoma baseball team takes a minute to rest during the UCO vs South Western Oklahoma Baseball Game at the Wendell Simmons Field on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017. The Bronchos won the game 12-11. (Elizabeth Roberts/ The Vista).

Feb. 27, 2017

UCO POM/MR.PRICE

The Vista

15

UCO Pom Places Second At Nationals Caitlyn Strider

@catestrider Contributing Writer

Last month the University of Central Oklahoma Pom squad made their way to the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida for a national dance competition.

They competed against 15 schools in the open division and won second place in pom, behind Orange Coast College, who has previously won the division multiple times.

The girls put in countless hours preparing for the competition, sometimes training more than once in a day, all the while keeping up with their school work, jobs and cheering on the rest of the universities athletic teams.

Although placing second is quite an accomplishment, it was a little bittersweet for the squad.

“We got second by .6 points and if you could only imagine how that feels. It’s almost sad, but awesome knowing how close we were to becoming National Champions. But I was really happy with the outcome and I couldn’t ask for a better team,” sophomore dancer Kortnei Bruza said.

Nevertheless, the squad did better than the last year at nationals, when they took fourth place.

Over the years, the squad has had tremendous success under coach Lil Doescher, who has coached

Mr. Price Peter Agnitsch @PeteyPete33 Sports Editor

(Continued from cover) The only problem he faced as manager was getting rides home from practice and the duels. Price cannot drive a car because he has autism. He was diagnosed when he was two and a half years old.

Since he started as a wrestling manager, UCO wrestlers have had a tradition of giving one person the responsibility of taking him home.

“I wanted one that I could trust,” Margot Price said.

Colby and Conner Robinson were the first UCO wrestlers to give Price rides home. After they graduated, they passed the torch to former national champion and three time All-American, Chris Watson.

“For our program ,James is a very special person to us,” Watson said.

Watson drove Price home for the four years was on the team.

“He is more apart of the family than we are,” Watson said.

During Watson’s senior season, he had to decide who was going to be Price’s next driver. He chose Caleb Hawes, who is currently a sophomore.

the Broncho Pom squad for the last 7 years and has an extensive dance background, dancing and choreographing all over the world.

“I was not surprised at how well the team performed. These girls worked so hard and put in so much work. They were prepared. This team went

“I was not surprised at how well the team performed. These girls worked so hard and put in so much work. They were prepared.” through a lot of trials leading up to nationals and came out better and better through everything.

As far as placement goes, you never really know how you will do because you never know what the

“He is a kind-hearted person and puts others first,” Watson said.

Price was already familiar with Hawes’ wrestling history before he ever stepped foot on a UCO mat.

Hawes has been driving Price home for two years now after practices and duels. “He’s a blast to be around. Everyday he is looking to make other people happy,” Hawes said.

Before meeting Price, Hawes had never been around someone with autism. “That dude takes care of himself probably better than I take care of myself,” Hawes said.

Over the past two years, Hawes and Price have grown even closer.

“I kind of look at it more like brothers.” Hawes said.

Their relationship has possibly even changed some of Hawes’ future plans. “I’ve contemplated going into teaching special needs.” Hawes said.

Off the mat, Price is busy with many other activities including choir, participating in several recreational sports and working at Sonic and Joe’s Pizza.

“He kind of makes you realize there’s a lot more to living then just what you are in right now.” Hawes said. “He probably helps me more than I help him.”

Price’s managerial duties include helping the mat maids fold laundry and energizing the team during

competitors will bring. Every team works hard and has their eye on that title,” Doescher said.

This isn’t the end of the road for this squad as the team will have another chance at the national title in the years to come and have many of the same girls. This year’s squad is rather young, with only two seniors.

“It was so exciting to get to experience college nationals! I always watched and admired all of the teams when I was in high school and to get to see it in person was so cool,” Jenae Michaud, who is new to the UCO Pom squad, said.

The UCO cheer and pom squads have won a combined 13 national titles since 2002 and have ranked among some of the best squads in the nation over the years.

“Every year is a new beginning, no matter the makeup of the team. We always have a lot of new girls, so we like to start fresh every year,” Doescher said. “Hopefully next year [we] will just continue to get better like we have done every year up until now.”

If you’re interested in seeing the performance, a video of UCO’s second place pom routine can be found at www.tv.varsity.com.

James Price watches Bronchos wrestle during a Spring 2017 match at Hamilton Fieldhouse in Edmond, Okla. (Ryan Naeve/ The Vista).

practice, but what Price lives for are the duals, where he sits beside the trainers and motivates the team. His

greatest contribution to team morale is his heart.