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JESSICA BERGFORS, DN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
ANDREW BERGER, DN
ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
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VOL. 104 ISSUE: 27
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Kate Farr, Editor-in-chief
Trinity Rea, Print Managing
Editor
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Editor
Katherine Hill, Co-News Editor
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Logan Connor, Associate Sports
Editor
Ella Howell, Lifestyles Editor, Copy Editor
Jayden Vaughn, Associate Opinion Editor
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Editor
Andrew Berger,Photo Editor
Isabella Kemper, Associate Photo Editor
Jessica Bergfors, Visual Editor
Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor
Julian Bonner, Associate Visual Editor
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CORRECTION
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In the March 20 issue, the Ball State Daily News made an error on page 4. Nevada Silsby-Inman is a second-year student, not a “aecond-year” student.
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Ball
State women’s
basketball season ends in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
March 21: Ball State women’s basketball head coach Brady Sallee entered the press conference room and gave his opening statement about the first-round loss in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament to Ole Miss.
Sallee said he would answer any question about the loss, but the Cardinals were more upset about the seniors who played their final game in a Ball State uniform. Senior Madelyn Bischoff said the 2024-25 season is something she will remember for the rest of her life. Even if the loss was sad, she said she was glad to be able to finish her collegiate career next to her best friends.
“We accomplished everything we wanted to, and I’m forever grateful for that,” Bischoff said.
Sallee said the whole group of seniors made a good program into a great one. They changed the program through their playing but also their loyalty. Sallee said there will not be too many stories like the one Ball State has with the transfer portal playing a large role in collegiate athletics.
Senior Ally Becki said the friendships she has created will ring true in group chats that will last forever. Becki said the four years flew by, and she found it hard to put into words.The Cardinals set many records en route to their NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament showing and marked off a few firsts for the program.
The Cardinals won the 2025 Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular season championship, the 2025 MAC Tournament and played in the program’s first NCAA Tournament since 2009. The group also played in multiple WNITs and the inaugural WBIT Tournament. The class of 2025 went 101-36 over their four years in a Ball State uniform.
Becki said it is hard to realize her collegiate career is over.
“It’s time for them to write their story,” Becki said about the future Cardinals.
Contact Elijah Poe via email at elijah.poe@bsu.edu or on X @ElijahPoe4.
Trump nominates HHS Inspector General pick
March 25: President Donald Trump has nominated Republican attorney Thomas March Bell to lead the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, according to the Associated Press (AP). Bell, previously accused of mishandling taxpayer funds in the past, has led investigations into abortion clinics. If confirmed, he will oversee waste, fraud and abuse audits for Medicare and Medicaid programs, raising concerns about his political influences in a role focused primarily on fraud prevention. According to AP, Bell referred requests for comment to the White House, which has not responded.
ANDREW BERGER, DN
“ONE -STOPSHOP”
“ONE -STOPSHOP”
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signs first bill into law, creating new online portal for farmers. 04
Campus Clark interview coming to Netflix
David Letterman, Ball State alumn and talk show host, confirmed via Instagram a release date for his latest episode of his “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction” Netflix series with WNBA star Caitlyn Clark. The episode, a sold-out conversation filmed at Emens Auditorium Dec. 2, 2024, will be released April 8.
Local
Rep. Victoria Spartz to host town hall
Indiana’s 5th District Rep. Victoria Spartz will hold a town hall meeting March 29 at Muncie City Hall, 300 N. High St. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Spartz, a Republican from Noblesville, Indiana, is in her third term representing Indiana’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Muncie.
State
Gov. Braun attends executive signing
President Donald Trump ordered the closure of the U.S. Education Department March 20. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun attended the executive order signing, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle. Via social media, Braun expressed support of Trump’s ”bold” action, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Now Indiana Governor Mike Braun speaks during an event in Fort Wayne, Ind. Oct. 19, 2024, while on the campaign trail. Braun said his first bill signed into law will help farmers “avoid red tape.” NATHAN GOTSCH, FORT WAYNE POLITICS, PHOTO COURTESY
Judge
Ben Thorp IPB News
grants injunction blocking Indiana from releasing abortion records.
A judge ruled on Monday against the release of abortion records, also known as terminated pregnancy reports or TPRs, kept by the Indiana Department of Health.
The court granted the preliminary injunction to two Indianapolis physicians, Caitlin Bernard and Caroline Rouse, who argued that the release of individual terminated pregnancy reports would violate patient privacy.
In granting the injunction, Marion County Superior Court Judge James Joven found that the physicians were reasonably likely to succeed at trial, noting that the TPRs had sensitive patient information, including diagnoses and treatments.
Attorneys for the state and the anti-abortion group Voices for Life have previously argued that abortion records reported to the state, which would have certain information redacted such as patient names, should be subject to public records requests.
Both the Indiana Health Commissioner and Voices for Life have argued that abortion records have been subjected to records requests “for decades” in Indiana.
But Judge Joven noted that since the passage of Indiana’s near-total abortion ban in 2023,
physicians have been required to include more sensitive information, like a patient’s diagnosis and the reason the physician performed the abortion — even as significantly fewer abortions are taking place in the state.
“The Court determines that the inclusion of diagnostic and treatment information on TPRs (Terminated Pregnancy Reports) following Indiana’s abortion ban nullifies any argument that the Department’s prior practice of releasing TPRs should carry persuasive weight,” Judge Jarven wrote.
The court had previously approved a temporary restraining order, which was set to expire on Monday. The preliminary injunction will remain in place until the court issues its final judgment on the case.
Quarterly aggregated data are still made public by the state department of health.
In a joint statement, Dr. Bernard and Dr. Rouse said that they were thrilled by the court’s decision, and that “privacy is an essential component of healthcare.”
Lawyers representing the state and Voices for Life did not immediately respond to WFYI’s request for comment.
Contact WFYI’s Health Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org.
As of June 24, 2024, Indiana is that have complete abortion bans with limited expectations, including:
OF 1OF 1 14 14 STATES STATES
• Rape
• Incest
• Health of the mother
• Lethal fetal anomalies
Source: U.S. News & World Report
Braun’s first bill signed into law aims to support Hoosier farmers.
Casey Smith Indiana Capital Chronicle
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed his first bill into law Tuesday, establishing a new online agricultural portal for Hoosier farmers.
House Bill 1149, authored by Rep. Kendall Culp, R-Rensselaer, creates an online hub coined by Braun as a “one-stop-shop” for farmers to communicate with state government and “get information they need to be successful.”
The governor additionally said the new law will help farmers “avoid red tape.”
“Hoosier farmers feed America and power our economy, and this bill makes their important job a little bit easier,” Braun told reporters at a Statehouse bill signing ceremony.
The Indiana State Department of Agriculture is tasked with creating and maintaining the new online portal. Its features will provide Hoosier farmers with centralized funding information, including
a searchable database of grants with deadlines and eligibility; regulatory checklists to help avoid violations when entering new markets; tools for tracking lost farmland; and communication channels to provide feedback on federal regulations and state-level agricultural services.
The bill was part of Braun’s “Freedom and Opportunity” agriculture agenda.
Six other measures were signed into law on Tuesday, including a bill to update Indiana’s “25foot rule” — first passed into law in 2023 — which allows law enforcement officers to move witnesses back 25 feet from an active crime scene.
In response to lawsuits filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and others, House Enrolled Act 1122 clarifies that officers can only invoke the rule if they have a “reasonable belief” that a person’s presence will interfere with their lawful duties.
Contact Indiana Capital Chronicle’s Casey Smith at csmith@indianacapitalchronicle.com.
Hoosier farmers feed America and power our economy, and this bill makes their important job a little bit easier.”
- MIKE BRAUN, Indiana governor
Indiana Governor Mike Braun smiles during a campaign event June 30, 2024. Braun told reporters at a Statehouse bill signing ceremony that the bill would make farmers’ lives easier. NATHAN GOTSCH, FORT WAYNE POLITICS, PHOTO COURTESY
“The work is worth it”
Code Red is headed to nationals after months of practice perfecting their routines.
Baseball
Ball State downs USI at home
Ball State baseball improved to 17-9 with a 5-4 win over the University of Southern Indiana. The Cardinals were aided by two solo home runs from senior Blake Bevis. The Cardinals will be on the road March 28-30 for a Mid-American Conference series against Akron. The first game will be played March 28 with the first pitch coming at 2 p.m.
Softball
(Top left) Ball State University’s Code Red cheers for Ball State women’s basketball during the MidAmerican Conference Championship (MAC) March 12 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland; (Top right) Code Red watches a game while waiting to perform Feb. 25 at Worthen Arena. Before the fall semester, the team practices once or twice a month during the summer; (Bottom right) Code Red performs atthe MAC women’s basketball game March 12 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. Code Red travels with all teams for their games. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Visual Editor
While most students are prepping for a tailgate and home football game on a Saturday in September, Madyson Lee, a freshman Code Red member, is awake at 6 a.m. getting ready to perform.
Lee clears out her schedule for game days. She gets full glam before meeting the rest of the team at Scheumann Stadium for warmup. She does a full face of makeup, including eye shadow, eyeliner, fake eyelashes and the signature red lipstick. She curls and teases her hair, is dressed in her uniform and eats breakfast all before the 9 a.m. call time.
On the field, the girls mentally prepare, stretch and run through routines. The team then participates in the “Cardinal Walk,” where the football team walks into Scheumann.
One of Lee’s favorite parts of game days is the
Code Red tailgate since family and friends can attend, bring food and hang out with the girls. The team then performs at Charlie Town until it’s time to prepare again for the game at 2 p.m., where they perform on the field, dance sideline routines and cheer the whole game.
Lee’s family is typically at the games, so once she’s done performing, they’ll go out to dinner together. Afterward, she’ll go back to her dorm and relax or work on homework.
When Lee isn’t at games or practice, she’s either working on academics or teaching dance at Cole Academy in Muncie. Lee is a biology pre-veterinary student with a minor in health humanities. On top of it all, she’s also a part of the Honors College.
“I remember my first football game; I was so insanely stressed. They’re such long days,” Lee said.
Code Red is the official dance team of Ball State. They perform at football games, men’s and women’s
home basketball games, and men’s and women’s home volleyball games. Code Red does various community appearances for Ball State and Muncie. They also compete in the National Dance Alliance and Collegiate Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Code Red has been the only team in the MidAmerican Conference — and Indiana as a whole — to make it to the Collegiate National finals. They will compete in the Division I Advanced hip-hop category in April.
Captain Ashley Read said hip-hop is one of the most competitive categories.
Lee said it can be hard when Code Red doesn’t get recognition, which she said is something dancers and cheerleaders have always had to overcome. The team makes it look “easy and effortless,” and that’s what they’re supposed to do, Lee said.
4See WORK, 06
Ball State softball traveled to Terre Haute, Indiana, to face the Sycamores. In the end, it was the visiting Cardinals who took the 5-3 victory. Senior left fielder Kara Gunter’s grand slam became the difference, as the Cardinals won their second-straight game. The win moves Ball State to 19-8, and its next series will be an away Mid-American Conference series against Bowling Green March 28-29.
Men’s Volleyball
Cardinals defeat Indiana State Cardinals host Quincy, McKendree
No. 14 men’s volleyball hosts two matches this weekend. Quincy University comes to Worthen Arena March 28 with the match beginning at 7 p.m. Then, McKendree University will make a stop in Muncie to face the Cardinals March 29 with the first serve coming at 5 p.m. The Cardinals are currently 16-8 and 8-3 in Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association play.
Jessica Bergfors
WORK
Continued from Page 05
Ba
State’s Code Red is a “sisterh d” on and o sidelines.
“I’d argue we train harder and more than half of the athletes across the world. We put so much dedication into what we do,” Lee said. “Dance is not only such a physical sport, but it is probably one of the hardest mental sports there [is].”
A dancer’s success is based on someone else’s opinion, which can be hard for others to understand, as the sport is so subjective, Lee said. She can’t remember the last time her body wasn’t sore.
Lee said the team doesn’t compete to be considered athletes. They do it because they love it and know that they’re making an impact.
“We always say, ‘The work is worth it.’ That’s one of the National slogans. It’s worth it to be [at nationals]. We’ve worked so hard,” Read said. This is Read’s fourth year on the team. She danced competitively in high school and knew she wanted to join Code Red when she arrived at Ball State. She said Code Red has historically been one of the best college dance teams in Indiana and has a strong legacy.
The captain is voted on by the team in the summer before the fall semester. Being captain is a catch-all position, Read said.
Code Red touches up and reapplies their makeup after practicing before a basketball game Feb. 25
Worthen Arena. The girls get ready at their homes before arriving to the stadium to practice and perform.
Ball State University’s Code Red practices before a Mens Basketball game Feb. 25 at Worthen Arena.
ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
See WORK, 06
Code Red freshman Jada Lee practices routines Feb. 17 at Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center. To prepare for the season, incoming Code Red seniors attend Pro Action Dance in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the summer. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Code Red freshman Grace Rerucha practices choreography Feb. 17 at Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
at
ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
(Top) Ball State University’s Code Red practices before the game Feb. 25 at Worthen Arena; (Bottom) Code Red practices and records their routines Feb. 17 at Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
Continued from Page 06
Between coordinating plans between the team and coaches, sending out game and practice agendas, teaching dances, filming routines and leading appearances, Read has her hands full.
As a member of the Chi Omega sorority and a coach of a high school dance team, Read said being Code Red’s captain has reinforced her time management and leadership skills.
“I remember being a freshman and really looking up to the senior captain … She was kind of everything I wanted to be,” Read said. “This opportunity has given me the chance to be a good role model for underclassmen.”
Code Red begins practicing in the summer. Unlike most Division I sports, they don’t have an off-season.
Before the fall semester, the team practices once or twice a month during the summer, along with virtual check-ins where athletes submit routines or skills they’re working on. This year, they had a choreography camp, and all athletes learned the various routine choreography prior to the first regular season practice in the fall.
Incoming seniors also attend Pro Action Dance in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the summer. At this convention, they learn routines and choreography that they bring back to Muncie.
The team practices three times a week for at least four hours, and each athlete is required to do two workouts outside of practice.
Lily Valadez, a sophomore member of Code Red, was a competitive gymnast throughout high school and danced when she was little. She always loved the performance and team aspect of gymnastics. Valadez said that leaving the team she competed with for 12 years was difficult, so she decided to take private dance lessons and try out for Code Red. “I don’t think people understand how much time it takes to not only learn the dance but also clean the dance,” Valadez said.
Valadez originally didn’t make the team but jumped in mid-season after another member stepped down due to injury and has been a part of the squad ever since. It was a learning curve for her since she didn’t have as much dance background as her teammates.
“There’s just so much that goes into the routines that you see at game day, and it’s only a minute long … but there’s a lot of prep that goes into that,” Valadez said.
Currently, Code Red’s practices are focused on nationals.
“[Nationals] is the one time that we are doing Code Red for Code Red. We get to be dancing for ourselves to represent our university. So, that’s a really good way I stay motivated because it’s a lot physically and emotionally,” Read said.
Head coach Kaitlyn Molin said that at practice, she is most focused on preparedness for the team and making sure they are putting their best foot forward at all times. With college dance, precision is key. Things as simple as whether a dancer’s arm is at a 90-degree angle compared to an obtuse angle all matter, Molin said.
Molin said muscle memory is also vital so that
There’s just so much that goes into the routines that you see at game day, and it’s only a minute long … but there’s a lot of prep that goes into that.”
- LILY VALADEZ, Sophomore Code Red member
their performance quality can come out. Not only is precision important, but Code Red has to captivate an audience.
Molin started dancing at three years old. In college, she was on Code Red for three seasons and was captain her last year. After college, she became an Indianapolis Colts cheerleader for five seasons and was a captain for three.
“We really pride ourselves on being a great gameday team,” Molin said. “Making sure that we’re executing at that type of level is what I look for when giving critiques.”
Read said the team tries to keep it consistent and upbeat, giving it “110 percent effort” every performance. She said she struggles with burnout, but her teammates are a big part of her support system.
The team is a sisterhood, and “Code Red for Life” is a special slogan that has been around for years, Read said.
“It’s remembering that we’re doing this because this is our family … I would do anything for my family, and I would do anything for my teammates,” she said.
From getting ice cream together, team sleepovers and going on vacation with each other, this team chooses to spend their time with one another consistently. Code Red has at least one or two team bonding events every month.
In February, they hosted their Galentine’s event, where the team exchanged Valentine’s Day gifts and decorated boxes and cards. They also currently have “Bachelor nights,” where they watch ABC’s “The Bachelor” together every week. Before every practice, the team practices team mindfulness, where they pray and do a different activity that boosts team morale.
“I would not be the person I am today without [my] teammates … They push me to be a better athlete, a better friend, a better daughter,” Lee said.
“We uplift each other in and outside of dance.”
Contact Jessica Bergfors via email at jessica. bergfors@bsu.edu.
Code Red senior Ashley Read performs during a Ball State men’s basketball game Feb. 25 at Worthen Arena. She danced competitively in high school and knew she wanted to join Code Red when she arrived at Ball State. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Ball State University’s Code Red performs during a mens basketball game Feb. 25 at Worthen Arena. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Code Red senior Jenna Wade performs at the basketball game Feb. 22 at Worthen Arena. ISABELLA KEMPER, DN
‘Out of MyandMind’ into the classroom
Author Sharon Draper’s “Out of My Mind” series creates a more inclusive curriculum for children everywhere. 410 classroom
Campus Campus
Master of Fine Arts candidates are presenting their thesis work until April 11 in The Ned and Gloria Griner Art Gallery. There will be a reception April 3 in the gallery on the first floor of the Art and Journalism Building, and the School of Art invites the public to attend. Work from three students will be on display, and they used two different mediums, ceramics and glass.
Annual Spectacular
University Singers is celebrating with their 61st Annual Spectacular at Emens Auditorium. General admission tickets start at $20 with discounts for those who qualify. Tickets are available for the April 4 performance at 7 p.m. and April 5 at 3 p.m. There is an additional children’s show April 4 at 10 a.m., and showings are expected to last about two hours.
Community Thesis exhibition
Beginning genealogy
The president of the Yorktown/Mount Pleasant Township Historical Alliance, Karen Good, is teaching four classes on tracing your genealogical roots and documenting the history of your family. Classes are on the first four Tuesdays of April from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Attendance is recommended for all four sessions and is intended for beginners. There is no charge, but reservations are required.
Southside Middle School special education teacher Tammy Greenwell (left) and student Timmy (right) smile while posing with the book “Out of My Mind” March 21. Greenwell reads the book to her class every year at Southside Middle School in Muncie. KAYLEE KERN, DN
Southside Middle School special education teacher
Greenwell asks Timmy what his favorite food is to show how he can communicate through his device March 21 at Southside Middle School in Muncie. Timmy answered that cheeseburgers are his favorite food.
KAYLEE
KERN, DN
Even though March is Disability Awareness Month, “Out of My Mind” allows for conversations about disability to happen year-round.
Katherine Hill Co-News Editor
In the mind of children’s book author Sharon Draper, reading was a skill that came easily. It was nurtured by her mother, who sat her on her lap and read aloud to Draper from the beginning of her developmental stages.
As she grew older, Draper took it upon herself to foster her love and appreciation for literature by making routine trips to her local library every Saturday.
“I read every single book on the children’s side of my library by the time I was 10,” Draper said. “The librarians would sneak me books from the grown-up side.”
Although it may seem like she fits in with the troupe of authors who were not stimulated enough by the books they saw on shelves, opting to write their own, writing had not always been in the cards for her.
“I knew I was going to be a reader. I didn’t know I was going to be a writer,” Draper said.
Her first book, “Tears of a Tiger” (1994), received 24 rejection letters from publishing companies. When a 25th envelope came across her desk, Draper said she almost threw it away unopened.
Tucked inside that 25th envelope was her first contract from Simon & Schuster.
The book deal launched her second act in life as a writer in her mid-40s, allowing her to travel to 49 U.S. states, speaking to teachers, students and likeminded readers far and wide.
“It was the best of times,” Draper said. Today, she is best known for her narrative, “Out of My Mind.”
The middle-grade novel sheds light on the disabled existence through its fictional main character, Melody Brooks, an 11-year-old girl born with cerebral palsy, the most common lifelong motor disability in childhood, affecting 1 in 345 children in the U.S., according to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation.
Since its publication in March 2010, it has consistently appeared on the New York Times Bestsellers list of middle grade paperback books and still holds profound relevance for young readers and educators across the nation.
Tammy Greenwell, an eighth-grade special education resource teacher at South Side Middle School, introduces her students to the book every November.
students seemed to like the book more. They enjoyed the movie as well, but a lot of them said it was different from the book.”
Draper has no qualms with the movie, only praise for those involved in translating fiction to film.
“I wrote the story, but once you sign the paper that says, ‘You can make [it into] a movie,’ I have no control over what [producers and screenwriters] do. They did a really good job,” she said.
Although Draper said her skill set does not lie within the movie and TV industries, she does have an accomplished background as an English teacher at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, earning the National Teacher of the Year award title in 1997, three years before her retirement.
she said her teaching instincts are far too ingrained in her to be forgotten, especially while visiting other classrooms.
“Because I was a teacher, it was easy for me to talk at schools because I knew how to handle kids,” Draper said.
Greenwell said she first began integrating “Out of My Mind” into her curriculum three years ago when one of her students at the time had cerebral palsy and, like Melody, used a device to communicate around the time that such text-tospeech aides were gaining traction in the Muncie Community School system.
“I wanted to read that book to bring [cerebral palsy] to the attention of all of the students in the class so they could be accepting of [their classmate],” she said.
By next fall, the student will be a senior at Muncie Central High School, while Greenwell’s current class of students will be freshmen.
This is the real world. There are people [who] are very different from you — and you need to understand, from their viewpoint, what life is like.”
- TAMMY GREENWELL, Eighth-grade special education resource teacher at South Side Middle School in Muncie
This past November was no different, but the book was also recently adapted into a Disney+ movie starring Phoebe-Rae Taylor as Melody and directed by Amber Sealey.
“As soon as we finished the book, we were able to watch the movie,” Greenwell said. “The
She taught students how to write for over 30 years, and eventually, Draper said it dawned on her that she was competent enough to do what she expected of students.
Still residing in Cincinnati, retirement has allowed her to focus full-time on her writing, but
“I told them what she looks like, and they’re excited to meet her,” she said.
At Southside Middle School, Greenwell works closely with the life skills department and their student, Timmy. Like Melody, Timmy is wheelchair-bound and remained non-verbal until receiving a communication device.
“My class had no clue we had students in this building [who] could not speak [and] had to use a device to speak for them,” she said.
When it comes time for Greenwell to teach “Out of My Mind,” Timmy regularly appears in her classroom. He interacts with her students, allowing them to gain familiarity, understanding and perspective — the core reasons Greenwell teaches the novel.
‘Straight from OUR FARM’
OUR FARM’
Owners of Prairie Hills Farm, Sylvester and Sabrina Friend, strive to provide the community with sustainable, local and fresh agricultural products.
Katherine Hill Co-News Editor
Along the dirt roads of Selma, Indiana, sits Prairie Hills Farm. Owners Sylvester and Sabrina Friend wave to passersby, offering organic produce, livestock or farm-fresh eggs to regular customers, neighboring farmers and those who find themselves lost in the area’s winding paths.
The young couple started their life on their farm in 2021 after the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic served as the catalyst they needed to “see the world differently.”
“We’d talked about having some land out in the country and homesteading for ourselves. Around COVID, the Lord called us to feed His people, so we took a leap of faith,” Sylvester said.
The first-generation farmers grew up in the city and suburbs, meaning their ambition prompted concern from those who raised and grew up with them in those bustling communities.
“They thought we were crazy,” Sylvester said, recounting the rapid-fire questions from family and friends that he said were nothing short of a psych evaluation: “Are you OK? Are you sure?”
After all, the couple had abandoned some “pretty lucrative” careers. Sylvester left behind his job at Amazon — the second-most profitable company globally in 2024, according to S&P’s Fortune 500 results — where he worked for almost a decade and served as a general manager in his last two years with the company. He said he was responsible for “about 2,400 associates and 30 managers.”
Between farming and managing, Sylvester said there isn’t one role that appeals to him over the other. Instead, he values the differences of each profession.
As a farmer, “The span of control has shrunk, but the depth that I get to go is a lot further,” he said.
Time also changed the narrative of conversations the couple has with their family and friends.
“They’re able to see what we’re building here,” Sabrina said, noting the only disconnect now is geographical.
Although she comes from Indianapolis, neither she nor Sylvester were familiar with Selma. Instead, they originally hoped to pursue farm living in Terre Haute or Crawfordsville, just an hour away from Sabrina’s family in Brownsburg, Ind.
Upon viewing a listing for farmland in Selma, the Friends eagerly visited the property “the very next day, first thing in the morning,” Sabrina said, and found themselves unable to leave.
After nearly four years on the property, the Friends have expanded from a homestead to a fullfledged farm.
Friends are referring to their biological children or baby goats when talking about their “kids.”
Locality and sustainability are two principles the couple said have always been important to them, acting as primary reasons for their farming initiative. Now, as the price of eggs hit a “record high” of $5.90 per dozen March 12 — a result of the nationwide avian flu epidemic — according to the Associated Press, the Friends are happy to see an influx of customers looking for alternatives to standard grocery stores.
“One of the biggest things that brings people to our farm is eggs, and of course, the costs at the grocery store compare[d] to finding something local. Then, [people] can tie it to also supporting a local business right in their community,” Sabrina said.
She clarified that since the farm is currently on the tail end of winter, they don’t have many eggs to offer, but in anticipation of warmer weather, Sabrina said she thinks this is going to be a big year for small-scale, locally owned farms.
I love our community. They have experience under their belts and they’re not holding it back from us, so it’s a tremendous blessing, the connection that the farm has allowed us to have.”
- SABRINA FRIEND, Co-owner of Prairie Hills Farm
“We quickly realized even the things we weren’t thinking of producing for ourselves originally — produce, livestock — we couldn’t find anywhere else local [executing it] the way we would want it done,” Sabrina said.
They presently share the land with a plethora of goats, chickens and herding dogs, and the animals — each with their own names — are tended to so regularly that one has trouble knowing whether the
As the Friends embrace spring’s growing season with new feeding facilities for chickens and fresh coats of paint on the farmstand, Sylvester hopes to sustain customer loyalty.
“I think people are trying to find things local in a time of ‘crisis,’ but it would be awesome if they came and supported more consistently when things weren’t ‘out of whack,’” he said.
The couple said support has gotten them to where they are today, emphasizing their appreciation for the “village” of surrounding farmers and “chicken ladies” they feel lucky to be a part of.
“I love our community. They have experience under their belts and they’re not holding it back from us, so it’s a tremendous blessing, the connection that the farm has allowed us to have,” Sabrina said.
Sylvester recalled a time recently when the farm was low on hay and a neighbor just around the corner spared the couple a half-hour drive into town, explaining that amid all the laboring duties of farm tending, one cannot let their pride get in the way of asking for help.
“Somebody in the community answers the call [for help] all the time, and we try to do the same,” he said, underscoring the hospitable nature of cultivation. “[Farming] is just learning and not being afraid to try.”
The Friends said the best way to order farmto-table is through their website, especially for those looking to purchase proteins, as the online platform helps directly monitor community engagement and inventory.
Starting in April, they said they will reopen their farmstand on site, which is expected to be chockfull of fresh greens, vegetables and raw honey that are “straight from our farm.” The farmstand will remain open through October from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday.
Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine. hill@bsu.edu.
Prairie Hills Farm owners, Sabrina and Sylvester Friend, pose for a photo March 13 on their farm in Selma, Ind., which they said they started in 2021 after the crux of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Friends said they love farm life and the “village” they’ve created of friends and neighbors along the way. KATHERINE HILL, DN
Daisy the goat sips from her water trough at Praire Hills Farm’s pastures March 13 in Selma, Ind. As the farm’s most playful goat, she gets thirsty often. KATHERINE HILL, DN
Protecting the legacy
It is our job to make sure the past and present protection for our national parks live on.
Elaine Ulsh is a third-year computer science and physics major and writes “The Occasional Observer” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.
I have always said that my favorite president is Theodore Roosevelt. This statement leads to many weird looks from those who only know him as a Republican president. But honestly, it has nothing to do with politics at all. I’m more interested in his work in helping to create spaces where our nation’s natural beauty can flourish, untouched: our national parks.
When I think about where I am the happiest, I imagine cliffs overlooking tall trees exploding with green leaves, free-flowing water filled with fish and the sky dotted with more stars than you can count. These sights cannot be found in cities and towns because the very existence of those things destroys beauty.
I have so many memories of my parents taking my brothers and me hiking or riding our bikes on a trail. When I got older, that translated to going to several state parks with my now-fiancé in our free time throughout high school. There was even a point when all I wanted to do was go to a park and work on my photography skills. I was and still am obsessed with Smokey Bear.
Though my time spent outdoors has been limited in my college years, I still make sure that nature and I spend quality time together whenever I get the chance.
I honestly believe that being outdoors is the key to being the purest self you can be. Without spending time in true nature, we begin to lose touch with what has made us human in the first place.
For a long time, I wanted to be a part of the forest rangers. I wanted to protect the outdoors from the grasp of humans. We have already destroyed so much of this planet, and thus, we must set aside land for nature to flourish.
It was for these reasons that Roosevelt took action.
He created the United States Forest Service and established “150 national forests, 51 federal bird
reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks and 18 national monuments,” according to the National Park Service (NPS). This was done through the 1906 American Antiquities Act, which was “the first law to provide general legal protection of cultural and national resources of historic or scientific interest on federal lands.”
Over his tenure, Roosevelt protected around 230 million acres of nature. Today, according to the National Park Foundation, there are currently 433 national park sites in the United States and its territories, up over 200 sites in the last hundred years.
These acts of conservation are not new. Not only do they create jobs, such as park rangers or conservation specialists, but they also allow us to connect with true, pure nature. If the land was deemed worthy so long ago, why is it not worthy of that same protection today?
These lands are just as sacred as they were 119 years ago, no matter what your personal beliefs are.
Our national parks are in danger.
The Associated Press estimated that more than 1,000 newly hired park service employees were let go Feb. 14 in relation to the Trump administration’s effort to cut federal spending.
To me, this is not a political issue. This is about protecting the world we were given. It’s about cherishing and not taking for granted something that cannot be rebuilt as simply as it is destroyed.
According to the Pew Research Center, 75 percent of Americans are particularly concerned about the environment, with only 20 percent saying they make an effort to live in ways that help protect the environment.
I am not saying that we do not need to take individual measures, such as recycling and limiting our waste production. However, we take for granted the work that people are paid to do to protect our environment, including park service employees.
Firing those who help to protect our most sacred, conserved areas is not something that should have even been considered. It is extremely unnecessary and harmful.
Without such workers, these parks would be forced into making tough decisions about things we, at present, take for granted. National parks are typically open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But without proper staffing, this is expected to no longer be the case.
It is worth mentioning that after the vicious backlash faced by the general public, it is estimated that around 50 of the 1,000 jobs were restored, which is about five percent. The NPS has also pledged to hire around 7,000 seasonal workers for the coming season, which is hundreds more than hired in a typical season. However, this still does not make up for the discrepancy from the newly fired workers.
So, the question that we should be asking ourselves is: Is this good enough?
Over time, people have created numerous conspiracy theories about the government overstepping or having more power than is spoken about publicly. But when it is right in front of our faces, no one seems to care at all.
And although those in the Department of Government Efficiency, such as Elon Musk, don’t have the actual power to fire people, it is ultimately his reports that are getting thousands fired in mere months.
Just because a man has gained power and deemed our park sites unnecessary to protect doesn’t mean he’s right. It is our duty as citizens to take action and protect nature in this country.
What will be destroyed due to the appointment of yet another money-hungry billionaire in our government? Our education system? The Department of Energy? Some things cannot and should not be about money. Protecting the little bit of nature our country has left is so important. It doesn’t have to be about protecting the environment. It can be about wanting to always have a place to enjoy outdoor activities like camping, fishing, hiking or even swimming.
place to enjoy outdoor activities like camping, fishing,
Roosevelt’s legacy in the creation of our national parks to
Roosevelt’s legacy in the creation of our national parks and the protection of our natural resources needs to live on. Although protecting the environment is important to me personally, my desire to preserve our national parks is purely selfish. And that’s OK. If it gets you to take action, then so be it.
The most important thing is taking action. We need to state park, or even a nature reserve. Watch for sneaky
The most important thing is taking action. We need to pay attention. Look into your local parks, your favorite state park, or even a nature reserve. Watch for sneaky legislation. See what’s going on. Be informed. Otherwise, our connection to nature could be swept from under our feet without us even noticing until it’s too late.
Contact Elaine Ulsh via email at elaine. ulsh@bsu.edu.
Columnist, “The Occasional Observer”
Elaine Ulsh
BOOK
Continued from Page 10
“This is the real world. There are people [who] are very different from you, and you need to understand, from their viewpoint, what life is like,” she said, reiterating the importance of the unit.
The success of “Out of My Mind” prompted Draper to turn Melody’s story into a series, with “Out of My Heart,” published September of 2021, and “Out of My Dreams,” published September of 2024, succeeding the critically acclaimed pilot book. Despite the success, Draper cannot pinpoint the spark that ignited the flame.
“I don’t know. People ask me that all the time, [but] stories are like gifts; they come delivered,” she said.
When visiting students and teachers, Draper strays from spoon-feeding knowledge.
“I don’t think an author’s purpose should be to try to teach younger generations. I want them to think,” she said.
Instead, the author is keen to remind audiences and curious young minds: “Everybody has a gift. You just have to figure out what your gift is,” she said.
After three books, she said she is “through with Melody,” and that, upon request from her dutiful readers, her next “challenge” is to write a story featuring a boy protagonist.
“The boys tell me I need to write a story about a boy because ‘all my stories are about girls,’ so I haven’t decided what the new book is going to be yet, [but] I’ll be working on it,” she said.
While fans eagerly await Draper’s upcoming project, the second and third installments of “Out of My Mind” are available for purchase at local bookstores or through Draper’s official website. For anticipatory readers looking to re-engulf themselves in Melody’s story, March is a good time to jump back in to celebrate Disability Awareness Month as it comes to a close.
Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine. hill@bsu.edu.
I’ll forever cherish my experience at the MAC Tournament as a freshman journalist.
Logan Connor Associate Sports Editor
Coming to Ball State was a decision I didn’t make lightly.
Entering my senior year of high school, the college decision process was honestly the most difficult and terrifying time of my life.
Even before that summer between junior and senior year, I had been thinking about what my future would look like. Was I ready to move into focusing on academics and putting my future first? Did I want to hold onto every last breath I had on a baseball field?
What would I say now if I could go back and tell that Logan one thing? Trust yourself. You know what is right for you, and trust your gut. I know now I made the right decision. The days of doubting, leaving baseball in high school and moving on to my future are behind me.
I chose Ball State from a list of schools for one major factor: the Ball State Daily News.
I had a handful of small, private, Division III schools looking at me for baseball. All were expensive, academically rigorous and had incredibly small-school baseball programs. Did I want to keep balancing athletics and the academics of college?
I had applied to a handful of other schools for academics. Indiana University Bloomington, the University of Cincinnati, Butler and even one out-of-state school, the University of Iowa, were among a few. One common theme between those institutions is reputable journalism programs.
But the one that always stuck was Ball State.
I applied for early action, just like every student wanting to come study at Ball State’s renowned School of Journalism and Strategic Communication. I quickly got a return email within a few weeks saying I had been accepted. Before I had even been on campus or come to Muncie, I made the deposit.
In that spot, in my high school journalism lab, I hit “accept offer.” I had barely even talked with the people close to me about it. Something came to me, and I knew this was where I should be.
I knew I wanted to be part of the Daily News and wanted to help the incredible team cover sports. I had heard from a student I went to high school with almost weekly about the things that were happening in the UML and the community.
Hearing from Elijah Poe about all of the opportunities and options here at Ball State had me sold. I received texts and Snapchat photos of the dorms, the campus and the academic buildings. The photos I saw of the UML had me genuinely astonished, and I had a feeling I would end up here.
Like I said, choosing Ball State came back to wanting to write for the Daily News. I heard of the opportunities here, and the biggest opportunity that I learned about was the travelling the staff did.
I heard of traveling to places like Tennessee and Georgia for football, Mid-American Conference (MAC) campuses for basketball, and many other high school gyms and fields. In my two-and-ahalf semesters in Muncie, I have visited some incredible places.
The most recent and incredible visit was to Cleveland.
A team of six members of the Daily News, including me, embarked on the annual trip to Cleveland to cover the MAC Basketball Tournament. We rode in two vehicles across Ohio, making a few pit stops before arriving in “The Land.”
Myself, Zach Carter, Derran Cobb, Poe, Andrew Berger and Titus Slaughter spent five days in Cleveland, and we had an incredible experience.
From hotel room laughs to dinners in different restaurants around the city, the experience was unforgettable. We not only got to cover a Division I (D1) conference tournament, but we also made memories that will last us a lifetime.
While covering the tournament, Poe and I were also able to report on the Ball State women’s program winning a MAC Tournament title just a week after watching them win the regular season title in Worthen Arena.
We were able to experience going on a work trip as college students to work on our craft in a realworld environment. That kind of experience isn’t something students at those other schools I applied to have.
Working for a publication like the Daily News isn’t an opportunity students have everywhere. One thing that I truly love about our publication is the fact that we’re open to everyone. It doesn’t matter what you’re studying, you can come be part of this incredible staff.
Other schools require their staffers to be in the journalism field of study, while other schools require them to try out for staff and go through application processes. But at the Daily News, our
arms are wide open, and I love that.
We left for Cleveland March 11, around nine in the morning. We stopped at the Neil Armstrong Museum in Ohio before driving another hour to Mansfield, Ohio. There, we stopped for lunch before making the final two hours to Cleveland.
Thanks to the donors and funding within the SJSC, we stayed at an incredible Hotel Indigo in downtown Cleveland. We were able to walk to Rocket Arena every day in under five minutes for work.
Thanks to all the support, we were able to stay in the heart of Cleveland and immerse ourselves in the city when we were not working.
As a freshman journalist, this experience was one I will never forget. I was able to cover DI athletics while also exploring a city I had never been to. I was able to see a Major League Baseball stadium, work in an NBA arena and feel like I was working as a reporter out of college.
To be able to gain that kind of work experience as a freshman is something not everyone gets.
From March 12 to 15, we covered three games, produced a ton of online content, watched basketball non-stop and made inside jokes that we are still laughing about.
The biggest takeaway from the trip was truly the work experience and content we produced, but even more importantly, the were the laughs and memories made.
I tell any high school senior on the fence about Ball State to think about the opportunity we have here, and I would tell them to read this column. Not every school allows freshmen, or any student, to travel like this and not have to worry about the financials.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Ball State, and thank you to the Daily News. I could not imagine myself anywhere else.
Contact Logan Connor via email at logan. connor@bsu.edu or via X @_loganconnor.
Southside Middle School student Timmy holds a copy of “Out of My Mind.” The book tells the fictional story of Melody, a girl with cerebral palsy. KAYLEE KERN, DN
The Ball State Daily News sports team takes a walk through downtown Cleveland March 15 while covering the Mid-American Conference Championship. ANDREW BERGER, DN
Crossword & Sudoku
DELAWARE COUNTY’S
