The Oracle MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 117
Inside this Issue
L I F ESTYLE
Montage
S PORTS USF women’s basketball nearly wins Paradise Jam Tournament. BACK
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Creating harmony Rivalry game ends in in the community first home shutout
USF alumnus’ program brings music to at-risk kids in Tampa.
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Students perform to showcase Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern cultures. Page 4
The Index
News.................................................................1 Lifestyle......................................................4 Opinion.......................................................6
By Wesley Higgins N E W S
E D I T O R
Five years ago, the music students of Clair-Mel Elementary School played on the woodblocks and xylophones, the only instruments the school could afford. The parents, who struggled to make ends meet in an area with poverty 21 percent higher than the national average, were unlikely to buy real instruments either. But on Nov. 22, students who
went to Clair-Mel and other underfunded schools filled the halls of the Straz Center for the Performing Arts with music played from trumpets, flutes and clarinets. Music teacher Lori Valdez said her now-former students didn’t only get the chance to play advanced composition on the stage through ambition alone, but with a little help from friends. Instruments of Change, founded in 2009 by USF alumnus Glen Schubert, has partnered with schools to bring musical instruments and instruction to nearly 800 kids in the Tampa area in the last year. Targeting fifth graders in
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Coach Willie Taggart said the Bulls are moving in the right direction even though the team was shut out by UCF in Friday’s 16-0 loss. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
Instruments of Change, founded by a USF alumnus, partners with local elementary schools to bring musical equipment and instruction to students who would not otherwise receive it. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
E D I T O R
The Bulls once ruled the USFUCF rivalry, winning four straight games against the Knights from 2005-08. But in front of the Bulls’ largest crowd of the year at Raymond James Stadium — an announced 36,963 fans — the team displayed how drastically times have changed in a historic loss Friday. The 16-0 loss marked the firstever home shutout in program history for USF (4-8, 3-5) and ended the season for the bowlineligible Bulls.
“It was very frustrating,” coach Willie Taggart said. “Our guys move the ball down there and didn’t get any points. It was frustrating for everyone. You punch it in there and get some points; it’s a different ballgame. If you don’t capitalize against a team like Central Florida, it’s going to be difficult to beat them.” USF had first downs at the UCF 1, 14, 27 and 33-yard lines throughout the game, but was unable to score any points due to poor execution on offense. The Bulls found a new way to keep themselves out of the end zone each time they were on UCF’s side of the field. Penalties,
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Professor creates way to teach reading with computer games By Russell Nay C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Though reading books used to be a pastime for students, reading for fun has taken a backseat to playing video games and checking Facebook. Glenn Smith, an associate professor in the USF College of Education, said he recognized this problem and created a hybrid medium that combines the interactivity of the Web with the comprehensiveness of reading. “Technology changes the whole model of education in an extreme way,” he said. “There’s a big movement for small groups in the classroom, and there’s a whole movement for computer games to be a part of the educational process.” Smith was the lead developer for iMapBooks. The product started as a Web-based collection of interactive books about military history in an e-reader format, and tells a story or teaches a concept through the combined use of text and simple computer games. “I was trying to visualize the dynamic changes in battlefields and was having a hard time getting my head around it, even with maps in the book,” Smith said. “I
had the idea to create an interac- because many students lose their information read using iMapBooks, tive map book, and that’s where enthusiasm for reading during compared to reading standard textmiddle school and because current books. the name comes from.” The studies also took into Neither the text nor the game reading methods may not be chalaspects of the technology possess lenging students in a way condu- account which of the two methods students enjoyed using more. a more prominent presence than cive to learning new concepts. The research found fifth graders Contrasting traditional eduthe other, he said, making iIMapcation methods with computer retained spatial information from Books an entirely new medium. Smith said he hopes this prod- games, Smith said children who stories and sixth graders in the uct will assist struggling readers play computer games are constant- Netherlands had better attitudes in improving comprehension skills ly challenged in a way that they regarding reading using iMapBooks. and provide educators with an view as enjoyable. Chinese college students alternative method of education. “Failing on a test is not a fun also learned more English vocabulary words and enjoyed “You read some numexperience, but losing at a it more than memorizing a list ber of pages of text, and of words or multiple-choice then you come to a game, based on something in the game is inevitable and just a test questions. “(English) vocabulary is a text pages that you just part of the learning process.” huge challenge for Chinese read,” he said. “You can’t students because English has win the game without Glenn Smith reading certain aspects of more words than any other USF College of Education professor the text, and you can’t read language,” Smith said. “These “Failing on a test is not a fun poor guys and gals are sitting there on unless you win the game … the games and the text tell the story experience, but losing at a game trying to memorize words and is inevitable and just a part of then do multiple choice to test together.” With the website, educators can the learning process,” he said. “So them. They’re not liking it.” also assign students specific books we’re trying to use the computer Currently, iMapBooks is a to read, view the progress their stu- games as a challenge for kids to … National Science Foundation dents make and add new stories to re-read and dig out information.” (NSF) project, and Smith and his Smith created a research team research team are working with the site by uploading selected text of three USF professors to conduct the School District of Hillsborough and corresponding games. Smith said this technology research in China, the Netherlands County to develop an elective high would actually benefit students and the U.S. school marine science course that These studies focused on how would teach students about climore than traditional education methods currently do, primarily students retained different types of mate change.
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A three-year NSF grant will fund the creation of a science fiction novel to serve as the course’s narrative, the production of the games and the support for testing. While iMapBooks may not find its way into every school across the nation, Smith said he’s confident that digitally interactive education methods have already begun to make an impact on traditional education. Smith also said digital interactivity might be the future of education, given its advantages and the learning style it encourages. However, he said not every aspect of digital interactivity is positive, and it possesses its own challenges as an education method. The true future of education and teaching may be a hybrid method that lies somewhere between traditional education and complete digital learning. “There’s a myriad of things that digital technology does to change education … but it’s not totally a positive … what you’re going to see is that the old technology will continue, but other (new technologies) will coexist with it,” Smith said. “So absolutely digital technology is the way of the future; it’s already here in the present.”
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MUSIC
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impoverished areas, Schubert said the band program uses music to help children at risk of getting left behind in school. “They’ll get the education benefit. It will expand their education capacity just by learning to play an instrument,” he said. “They’ll earn more money, raise more stable families and give more back to the community.” Schubert said he was inspired by a Harvard study that related learning music with higher motivation, improved memory and better grades. But standardized testing can only measure the surface level of the benefits playing music has in school. “Playing with others allows them to feel like they belong in school,” Schubert said. “There’s a reason and place in which they excel ... it feeds into their self esteem.” One father, Schubert said, described his son as “the worst kid in school” until he started playing with the classroom band. “The kid got in fights all the time and was continually in the principal’s office,” he said. “Then he connected with a stand-up bass and went from a D student to an A or B student with a fullride scholarship.” Schubert said other parents called the program an alternative to therapy that they couldn’t afford for their children. “One talked about how he gets really, really angry,” he said. “When he gets angry, he picks up the trumpet and plays ... the anger just fades away and he can focus and do homework.” Another child got his grades up because he loved playing jazz, Schubert said, and a good GPA is needed to get into the middle school jazz program. By the time the children, who start the program in fifth grade, get into the middle school, Schubert said they already have the head start and momentum
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to succeed. “They can play better than everyone around them,” he said. “They’re immediately in a position of knowing more than people around them, helping people around them and getting the recognition from the band director.” Yet, Schubert said he even hopes the lessons taught by the band program goes beyond school. While Instruments of Change usually rents instruments to keep costs down, there is an opportunity for kids to earn instruments that will be theirs to keep. The caveat is that the children must prove they can keep playing for a year before they earn an instrument, which Schubert said instills values of hard work and accountability. “It’s an education in keeping your word and seeing that commitment through,” he said. “We’re asking children who are 10 years old to commit more than a year of their life to earn their instruments.” Receiving an instrument may be one of the first things they’ve ever earned, Schubert said, and a large ceremony is held as a grand example of hard work paying off. “It’s so easy for people to think it’s a free instrument, but we’re not an entitlement program,” he said. “It was not free, these kids put in hours and hours of time and energy to earn these instruments.” Not every child sticks with it, Schubert said, but the program tries to convince the kids to stick out learning the first three notes before giving up. Though three notes may seem like an easy starting place, Schubert said the concept isn’t a quick vision, but a long-term investment in the community. Funding for public education can’t cover all the costs associated with the arts, especially orchestral instruments that cost hundreds of dollars, so Schubert said the program is one way to help support future generations.
“If you go speak to administrators about not cutting arts programs, the question is what else can we cut?” he said. “Do we cut buses so kids can’t get the school? Do we cut school lunches so kids have to go home and eat? Do we cut teacher salaries when they’re already struggling?” Much of the funding for Instruments of Change currently relies on corporate sponsors, such as Braille Works, Pinch-aPenny and Westshore Pizza. After three years of networking, Schubert said he’s now also reaching out to the Tampa community that mostly doesn’t know the program exists. “If we got one dollar from everyone in Tampa Bay, we could fund these programs for years,” he said. “If we got one dollar from everyone in the U.S., we could change millions of lives with $300 million.” After the second annual benefit concert at the Straz, where the kids in the music program opened up for country singer Caroline Kole, Schubert said he’s enthusiastic about the growing generosity from both corporations and community volunteers. Instruments of Change recently expanded to create a drumline in St. Petersburg and piano lessons for the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa Bay. Schubert also said elementary schools from around the area have contacted him with interest in the program. Though it’s too early to tell the life-long impact the program will have, Valdez said high school students continue to play and come back to Clair-Mel Elementary School to encourage the new kids in the band. One high school student donated an old clarinet passed down by his family, Valdez said, because he believed it could make a difference. “It’s touching to see them play a real instrument,” she said. “The excitement in their faces and how proud they are is hard to put into words.”
Instruments of Change held a benefit concert at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts last Month, featuring country singer Caroline Kole. PHOTOS SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
Lifestyle
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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‘THIS Bridge’ connects students through theater By Courtney Combs L I F E S T Y L E
E D I T O R
For generations, theater has been used as a mirror through which nature could see its every flaw. Now, four USF students are using that reflective medium to cross cultural barriers and, ultimately, build a bridge. THIS Bridge: Devised Theatre showcase will present the work of four students who have taken a journey this semester to gain a richer understanding of Arab, Muslim and Middle Eastern cultures through the “Building Bridges” program at USF. “I want (students) to maybe consider something from a new point of view, or be surprised by something they see, or learn, or hear or even an experience that they have in the process, and then ask questions about it and enter the dialogue,” said Andrea Assaf, a USF artistin-residence and the artistic director for Art2Action, Inc. The performance is part of a series on Arab, Middle Eastern and Muslim artists, which is part of a national initiative called Building Bridges, a campuscommunity engagement program. “I hope that through an artistic program like this – a cultural program – it’s a way to open doors for people to engage in topics or conversations that might otherwise be difficult to enter or to get your head around or are challenging to explore, and that art will hopefully help people do that in a meaningful way that’s sometimes fun and
sometimes moving and can get us to a better place in terms of promoting global understanding,” Assaf said. This Wednesday and Friday at 8 p.m., four students will perform a series of monologues and short scenes during the showcase in TAR 120. The event is free and open to the public but seating is limited and those interested in attending are encouraged to come early. “A lot of those monologues address religion more directly and Islam and young women’s perspectives and reasons for being Muslim or wearing the hijab,” Assaf said. “I think some of those monologues are surprising, too, and the audience will find some interesting things to talk about and some interesting things to ask and hopefully that will lead to a good dialogue.” Chantelle Howerton, a senior majoring in theater performance, is one of the students who will be performing some of her own work during the showcase. “Definitely what I want audiences to take away from it is that not all Muslims are violent,” Howerton said. “The extremists I would compare to the bible beaters of our country, they take everything out of context whereas true Christians are loving. It’s the same thing with Muslims, they are tolerant of everyone and they accept them for who they are.” The show is the final product of the Building Bridges Devised Theatre class, a special course offered as a part of the “Building Bridges” program. Over the course of the semester, four students
Taylor Cooper, Margaret Tixier, Chantelle Howerton and DeAndra Bolden will perform “THIS Bridge: Devised Theatre Showcase,” which opens Wednesday at 8 p.m. in TAR 120 SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
researched Muslim, Arab and Middle Eastern cultures and their representation in the media, interviewed Muslim and Arab students at USF, and worked with multiple guest artists. “The class was built around exploring the themes of the ‘Building Bridges’ program and ‘THIS Bridge’ in particular, which includes themes around culture identity and religion, gender and U.S. policy particularly in the Middle East,” Assaf said. “So they’ve done research on that and they’ve learned various approaches to creating theater from a research-based process.” USF is one of six college campuses in the U.S. participating in this program in partnership with Art2Action. Assaf, who is Lebanese American, approached the university after receiving funds to
support the program. “When this opportunity came along, I was like, ‘Yes, this is the kind of work I want to be doing and I can’t believe somebody’s willing to support it’ and I approached the university, starting with the School of Theatre and Dance, and said, ‘Hey what do you think, would you be interested in collaborating, do you want to go for it?’ And they said yes,” Assaf said. “I was very excited by how open and willing USF has been across campus, across academic departments and student associations and everybody. The enthusiasm behind this project has been really amazing.” THIS Bridge: Devised Theatre Showcase is the final performance of the semester for the series, but not the last chance for students to participate in the conversation. “Building
Bridges” is a two-year program and will continue through fall 2015. “We’ve got a lot more programming to share and we’re hoping people will not only come to one event but begin to follow the whole project and take this journey with us,” Assaf said. Assaf also said she believes the program is more pertinent now than ever before. “We’re living in a moment where this is one of the key issues of our time and as educators, but also as students who are going to be the future leaders and the people making these decisions,” Assaf said. “This is a really important moment to ask questions and break down assumptions and challenges ourselves to understand each other and the world we live in better and not to make the mistakes of the past again in the future.”
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BULLS
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a botched fake-field goal play and the team’s inability to consistently get first downs all helped hold the Bulls scoreless. “As bad as I wanted to get in the end zone, it definitely hurts going out my last game with no points – but sometimes it happens,” senior receiver Andre Davis said. “UCF came out and played a great game. They played great on defense.” USF converted only five of its 15 third downs and was limited to five rushing yards. But while the Knights’ defense was able to hold the Bulls in check for the majority of the game, they still had multiple opportunities to score. The most promising of these opportunities came after junior tight end Sean Price caught a 27-yard pass from junior quarterback Steven Bench to set up a first and goal at the UCF 1-yard line. After the Bulls ran for no gain on first down, Bench was sacked for a loss of seven yards and sophomore fullback Kennard Swanson incurred a personal
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foul for unnecessary roughness, which pushed the Bulls back 15 more yards. “It was just a selfish penalty, a penalty that a guy just can’t make,” Taggart said. “No matter what someone says to you, you can’t do it.” The Bulls were unable to gain any yards after the penalty, which essentially ended any attempt of a comeback, as they trailed 16-0 with five minutes remaining in the game. Davis said penalties such as Swanson’s are what hindered the team from competing against UCF (8-3, 6-1). “We had a lot of chances, but we killed ourselves with penalties once again,” Davis said. “Crazy penalties, personal fouls. We just can’t do that.” With Taggart’s second season at the helm officially concluded, he said he still believes the program is moving in the right direction, despite the outcome against the Knights. “I think our program is moving up,” Taggart said. “We stopped the bleeding when we got here. You look where we’re at and I don’t think anyone can say this football team didn’t improve from last year.”
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Opinion
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Ferguson police show what’s wrong with police militarization Tensions are running high in the city of Ferguson, Missouri and it looks like Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has no intention of stopping the rioting a looting dividing the city. After months of deliberation, it was revealed Nov. 24 that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will not face indictment for the shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown that occurred four months ago. On Nov. 17, Nixon declared a state of emergency and added gasoline to the fire of an outrage that was already brewing prior to the court’s decision. Anyone who has seen the news or social media in the past several months has seen the effects of police militarization in Ferguson: a suburban community ravaged by officers assuming the demeanor of soldiers in an occupied territory, armed with 5.56 mm assault rifles, tear gas and military-grade riot gear. A beneficiary of the Department of Defense’s 1033 program, which incentivizes police militarization, Ferguson’s
police department is a recipient of surplus military equipment that goes beyond traditional weaponry, according to USA Today. Why do the Ferguson Police Department and other police departments throughout the U.S. insist on militarizing police when it only serves to escalate community violence in sensitive areas? Examined closely, this hostile policy can be broken down to two key factors: the myth of militarization’s effectiveness in alleviating high-tension situations and the continued denial of the systematic abuse of black community members on behalf of impulsive authority figures. As authority figures, police have the ability to lessen tensions in an angry community or incite a riot. In the case of Ferguson, authorities are choosing the latter, more oppressive approach that neglects the context of systematic abuse that led to the protests in the first place. Whether looting is present among the peaceful protesters is irrelevant in this case. When militarized authorities target the community they are meant to protect, they become a reactionary force for violence rather than
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a community force for good. In Ferguson, distrust of masked, militant authorities comes from the perception among the black community that these forces are the perpetrators of violence in their communities, and this mistrust is justified. These militarized forces are viewed as an expansion of these violent tactics that resulted in the loss of lives, a systematic injustice that is only a small part of the history of police abuse against minorities. Ferguson and the rest of the U.S. are facing an epidemic wherein authorities deny the existence of systematic racism and take a hostile approach toward communities fighting this injustice. Before one attempts to blame protesters for their anger, bear in mind that black teenagers were 20 times more likely than white males of the same age to be killed at the hands of the police between 2010 and 2012, according to ProPublica.org. In Ferguson, we lost Michael Brown. In Cleveland, we lost Tamir Rice. Across the country, resistance will follow.
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What you said After Friday’s rivalry game against UCF, multimedia editor Adam Mathieu asked students what their favorite college football rivalries are.
“Texas – Oklahoma. I’ve been to that game and it’s crazy. They make a weekend out of it and just have a lot of fun with it.” — Steve Hueg, a senior majoring in psychology
“The Florida – Florida State rivalry is great. The atmosphere at the game and the size of the stadium is huge, so there are a lot of fans there.” — Arnie Osorio, a senior majoring in political science “I like the UF – FSU rivalry, the game yesterday was great. Also I like it more when I don’t have a team I am rooting for more than the other.”
Brian Davenport is a junior majoring in mass communications.
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— Evan Zapf, a senior majoring in industrial engineering
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“Alabama and Auburn had a lot of action and touchdowns, it was real close and fun to watch.” — Micky Mijatovic, a sophomore majoring in health science
Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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HELP WANTED Bookkeeper/Accounting Assistant/ Tax preparer for CPA firm. The ideal candidate would have some bookkeeping experience and some basic tax return preparation experience. We would prefer an accounting or business major. This position could easily grow into a full-time job. Please send your resume to Email:alan@ageercpa.com
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Math tutor needed for grades K-12. Starts at $8.50/hr. Email resume, name of last completed math class, and schedule to newtampa@mathnasium.com (813) 644-7282
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Part-time : clubhouse welcome desk position. Check-in members/answer phones. Morning, evening/weekend shifts, 4-10 hrs per week. 30 min. from USF Tampa Campus. SW Pasco.Send resume to frank.oliveto1@verizon.net
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Sports
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
The Rundown
No. 1 Alabama defeated No. 15 Auburn 55-44 in the highest scoring Iron Bowl in history. Auburn defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson was fired Sunday. The Crimson Tide will play Mizzou for the SEC Championship on Saturday at 4 p.m.
Weekend scores Volleyball
Cincinnati 2
USF
3
Men’s Basketball
Jacksonville
USF
65 79
Women’s Basketball
USF
57 Kentucky 61
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Bulls’ ball control leads to fifth win By Tiana Aument
USF (5-1) seemed to have overcome its struggles with turnovers in just a matter of games. In the first three games, the men’s basketball team turned the ball over 60 times. They have reduced that to just 28 over the past three games. The pinnacle of their struggle took place at the University of Alabama-Birmingham on Nov. 20. The Bulls won the game in overtime, but not without allowing 24 turnovers. “We’ve talked about making smarter decisions,” coach Orlando Antigua said after the 79-65 win against Jacksonville (2-5) on Saturday. “We’re focusing more to try to take care of the ball, so that we have more opportunities.” USF allowed only eight turnovers against Jacksonville and made just as many blocks and steals. Freshman center Ruben Guerrero, who missed the first four games with a groin injury, led the Bulls with four blocks in 19 minutes. Though the Bulls have improved their turnover numbers, senior guard Corey Allen Jr. said the team still needs to work on rebounding. The Dolphins out-rebounded the Bulls 42 to 37. Allen scored a career-high 29
points on 11-of-17 shooting with four 3-pointers and assists. “The past few days, he’s been shooting lights out in practice,” Antigua said. “I didn’t expect anything less. It doesn’t surprise me.” Allen credited his career-best game to confidence. “Every time I shoot the ball, I try to shoot with confidence,” Allen said. “I guess you could say I was feeling it.” Redshirt freshman forward Bo Zeigler, who rebounded the ball a team-high eight times, characterized Allen’s energy as “aggressive 24/7.” “He just gives off that aura that we’re here and we’re going to compete the whole 40 minutes,” Zeigler said. “That just gives us extra energy throughout the game.” USF trailed by one point at halftime, but came back in the second half. The Bulls went on a 12-0 run, putting themselves up 61-48 with 10:13 left. Defensively, they held the Dolphins to 21 percent on 7-of33 shooting in the half. Antigua said he was most impressed with “how we took care of the ball, how we continued to fight (and) how we righted the ship and got back to who we wanted to be in the second half.” USF plays at Alabama on Tuesday at 9 p.m. for the first of a two-game road trip.
Corey Allen Jr. had a career-high 29 points to help lead the Bulls to a win over Jacksonville on Saturday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
Women’s Basketball
Bulls nearly upset No. 9 Kentucky at Paradise Jam By Zach Lowie
Conference update
C O R R E S P O N D E N T
With Memphis’ 41-10 victory over UConn on Saturday, the Tigers clinched at least a share of the conference title. Cincinnati and UCF both won over the weekend, keeping them both in contention for a share of the conference title. UCF will play East Carolina this week and Cincinnati will face Houston.
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Men’s Basketball
C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Outside USF
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Courtney Williams. ORACLE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
The soft sand and warm beaches of the U.S. Virgin Islands were kind to USF (5-2), and the women’s basketball team was able to beat both Oklahoma (5-2) and Illinois (6-2) in the Paradise Jam Basketball Tournament. However, the team fell short against No. 9 Kentucky on Saturday. USF faced its toughest test of the tournament when it played Kentucky (6-1) for the tournament championship. The Bulls held a 21-12 lead after the first 10 minutes, but had
their lead cut to three by halftime. USF held on for the better part of the second half, but Kentucky began to target the Bulls down low in the paint. The Wildcats took command with 6:25 left, thanks to a strong defensive effort on the perimeter. USF fell short in shooting with seven straight shots missing the mark, and Kentucky took advantage to get a four-point lead. With 33 seconds left, the Wildcats made a layup and the Bulls couldn’t get their shot on the other end to go down. Kentucky escaped with a 61-57 win over USF. Junior guard Courtney
Williams had 23 points and five rebounds in a game where she was the only USF player to score double-digits. The team had six total assists, which tied their lowest effort of the season. Junior forward Shavontae Naylor led the team in rebounding with six off the bench. Even with the loss, the Bulls head back to Tampa having nearly pulled off the tournament sweep. Two wins against previously undefeated teams in Oklahoma and Illinois will help the Bulls’ RPI and postseason hopes. The Bulls return home to take on Stetson in the Sun Dome on Wednesday at 7 p.m.