Sept. 19, 2022

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MONDAY

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022 high 74°, low 62°

t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k |

dailyorange.com

N • COVID-19 update

C • ‘For the vibes’

S • Hometown hero

COVID-19 cases are continuing to rise on campus. SU students can acquire COVID-19 tests at various locations and those living on campus have access to university isolation housing.

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Skytop Field was electric as Doechii, Yung Gravy, Flo Milli and T-Pain lit up the stage at Juice Jam 2022.

Courtney Jackson shifted from running back to wide receiver in high school, using local coaching to take his game to the next level.

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Quiet expansion Community members hope for more communication as SU demolishes homes east of campus

SU demolished a home located at 813 Comstock Ave. nearly three years after clearing nine lots on the 700 block of Ostrom Avenue. danny amron asst. news editor

By Danny Amron asst. news editor

S

yracuse University completed the demolition of a home located at 813 Comstock Ave. in August. Three years ago, SU demolished nine buildings on the 700 block of Ostrom Avenue.

The demolitions along the eastern edge of the university’s campus were a “wake-up” call to the Southeast University Hill and Westcott communities, said Samuel Gruber, the co-president of the Westcott Neighborhood Association.

“Clearly, the university has been looking at Comstock for

a long time,” Gruber said.

However, a university spokesperson confirmed that there are currently no specific plans for the properties.

The university acquired 813 Comstock Ave., located directly across from the Women’s Building, in Nov. 2020.

The property is the only lot owned by SU on the 800 block of Comstock Avenue. Neighboring the lot are two properties, 807 Comstock Ave. and 809 Comstock Ave., which currently stand as cleared lots.

“In the 1990s, they tore down a lot of … homes, more to develop (the Center for Science and Technology),” Gruber see demolition page 4

city

SCSD community debate impact of increased security

By Jana Seal asst. news editor Though they usually aren’t in his classroom, Joe Bennett, a Syracuse City School District teacher and candidate for the Onondaga County legislature, said he’s seen the way sentries and Student Resource Officers have policed students and observed the guards around the building.

“It seems like they’re usually not engaging as much unless somebody calls them but I think once you call them you, you risk criminalization,” Bennett said.

“It’s better to call a social worker

or somebody who can try to understand the issue instead of instantly criminalizing our students.”

In its 2022-23 District Safety Plan, SCSD proposed an increase in sentries in schools. Following a period of public comment that ended in late August, the district added 40 sentries.

Sentries are responsible for “all facets of safety and security” within a school building, according to the plan’s emergency management component. Sentries are not police officers but uniformed security guards that the District Department of Public Safety employs, the plan writes. Sentries

also screen students and their bags using a metal detector.

Precious Walker, a parent of a fifth grader in the district and the moderator of a Facebook group for SCSD parents, said she and other parents are trying to figure out how the plan is going to help.

Walker added that no effort can stop everything, and pointed to transportation to school as an area where added security could be more useful.

“If you add more (sentries), well, can we add more bus aides?

To like, kind of stop it at that layer?” Walker said.

Marsha Weissman, the author

of “Prelude to Prison: Student Perspectives on School Suspension” and a parent in the district, said though the district has made improvements in recent years, using resources to increase police presence isn’t moving in the right direction.

Though the district gets some say who gets placed in schools as a sentry, she said, sentries ultimately report to the police and are not school employees.

“What’s disappointing is that the scarce resources are being directed to personnel that still help play a more law enforcement type role, even if they’re not official police, rather than getting mental health

counselors and social workers,” Weissman said.

In her research, Weissman – who is also an adjunct sociology professor in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University – said increasing law enforcement measures and policing in schools is connected with higher rates of suspension in students. In SCSD and nationally, she said, suspensions for subjective behaviors are more common than suspensions for violent crimes.

“Kids get suspended for things like being disruptive in class, ... pushing and shoving. You don’t want those see sentries page 4

2 september 19, 2022

about

INSIDE

The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.

NEWS t h e i n de p e n de n t s t u de n t n e w s pa p e r of s y r a c u s e , n e w yor k Editor@dailyorange.com News@dailyorange.com Opinion@dailyorange.com Culture@dailyorange.com Sports@dailyorange.com Digital@dailyorange.com Design@dailyorange.com BUSINESS 315-443-2315

The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students.

The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and financially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations.

This fall, the paper will be published Monday and Thursday when SU classes are in session. Special inserts are published on Thursdays before home football and basketball games. The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break.

To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible.

“It’s just kind of hard to believe that they would spend over $400,000 for a house to demolish it and then have no plans for what to do with it.”

Michael Stanton, president of the Southeast University Neighborhood Association Page 1

CULTURE “We don’t just write these books because we want our story out there. All of our books are the maps that lead the youth and the teens to that road.”

George M. Johnson, author Page 5

OPINION “I hope that the city of Karachi stays safe and takes initiative in assisting the rest of the country in getting the help they deserve.” Malaika Nehal, vice president of SU’s South Asian Student Association Page 9

SPORTS “He knows how much his mom loved watching him play football. And you saw it click, because he knew now I’m doing this for my mom and my family.” David Williams, high school coach of Courtney Jackson Page 12

how to join us If you are a Syracuse University or SUNY-ESF student interested in contributing to The D.O. on either its advertising or editorial teams, please email editor@dailyorange.com.

COMING UP

corrections policy

Noteworthy events this week.

The D.O. strives to be as accurate in our reporting as possible. Please email editor@dailyorange.com to report a correction.

WHAT: ICI Typer Meetups: Book Club WHEN: Sept. 19, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

WHERE: Virtual

letter to the editor policy The D.O. prides itself as an outlet for community discussion. To learn more about our submission guidelines, please email opinion@dailyorange. com with your full name and affiliation within the Syracuse community. Please note letters should not include any personal information pertaining to other people unless it is relevant to the topic at hand. All letters will be edited for style and grammar.

The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2022 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2022 The Daily Orange Corporation

WHAT: Chemistry Colloquium: Dr. Grace Han WHEN: Sept. 20, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

WHERE: Center for Science and Technology WHAT: Pet Therapy WHEN: Sept. 21, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m WHERE: Barnes Center at The Arch 103

NEWS

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

september 19, 2022 3

coronavirus

student association

How to protect yourself as COVID cases rise SA,

Barnes expand STI testing

By Sydney Rothstein contributing writer

Syracuse University is currently tracking 104 cases of COVID-19 on its campus, all of which have been self-reported by students and members of the university’s staff. meghan hendricks photo editor

By Kyle Chouinard news editor

Syracuse University currently has 104 self-reported active cases of COVID-19 on its campus as of Sept.

17, a university spokesperson said.

As cases continue to rise, here’s how to stay safe despite looser campus safety guidelines.

The current state of COVID-19

Onondaga County and New York state continuously publish daily data regarding the virus. On Sept.

17, the county reported 26 cases per 100,000 people and a positivity rate of 10.2%. The county’s average over the last seven days is only slightly different, with a positivity rate of 10.1% and 25.8 cases per 100,000 people.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the county is at a “medium” COVID-19 Community Level as of Sept. 18.

Under the level, the CDC recommends people who are at a high risk of getting “very sick” – including those who are 50 years or older, immunocompromised people and those with underlying health conditions – wear a high quality mask or respirator when indoors in public.

Omicron BA.5 is the dominant COVID-19 variant in New York state. The variant does not seem to be more dangerous than previous variants, according to Yale New Haven Health.

Staying Safe

Students with COVID-19 symptoms can get tested at the Barnes Center at the Arch. The university is providing at-home testing kits, available at the Schine Student Center, Goldstein Student Center, the Barnes Center, Dineen Hall, the Life Sciences Complex and the Mount, for anyone who is asymptomatic.

The tests cost a dollar and students can purchase them using credit or debit cards as well as cash.

SU is still working to obtain the new coronavirus vaccine, which targets specific variants, said Sarah Scalese, SU’s senior associate vice president for communications.

What do you do if you’re exposed to COVID-19?

SU is following the CDC’s guidelines for both COVID-19 exposure and isolation.

According to the CDC, after exposure, people should take proper precautions for 10 days, starting

the first full day after exposure. The day a person is exposed to COVID19 is their “Day 0.” During those 10 days, the CDC recommends wearing a “high quality” mask or respirator around others and reducing travel as much as possible. The CDC also recommends taking extra precautions when around people at a higher risk of severe illness.

On the sixth day after exposure, the CDC recommends people test themselves for COVID-19. If the person tests negative, they should continue to take precautions until the 10th day. If the person tests positive, the CDC recommends that they begin to isolate.

What do you do if you test positive for COVID-19?

The university encourages students who test positive using an at-home COVID-19 testing kit or through an outside source to report it to the Barnes Center.

If a student who lives in university housing tests positive, they can utilize SU’s isolation housing at Skyhall I and on South Campus, Scalese said. As of Sept. 17, the university has 20 students in isolation.

Students living off-campus need to find their own isolation housing if necessary, Scalese said. Whether a

person is isolating off-campus or in university housing, the CDC’s recommendations do not change.

If a person tests positive for COVID-19 while feeling symptoms of the virus, their “day zero” of isolation is when they first start feeling their symptoms, according to the CDC. If a person is asymptomatic, their “day zero” begins when they test positive.

The CDC recommends isolating for at least five days. During the period, people isolating should wear a high-quality mask, stay home as much as possible, use their own bathroom, take steps to improve their residence’s ventilation and monitor their own symptoms.

Patients can end their isolation if they test negative on the fifth day and haven’t had a fever for 24 hours, according to the CDC. Students living on campus should still use grab-and-go food options for the six to ten days after quarantine, Scalese said.

If symptoms are not improving on the fifth day of isolation, the CDC recommends leaving isolation only when symptoms start to improve and a person has been fever-free for 24 hours without medication. kschouin@syr.edu @Kyle_Chouinard

on campus

Breaking down $1.6 billion county exec. budget

By Kyle Chouinard

structed, and what it will entail this year.

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced his budget proposal to the Onondaga County Legislature for the 2023 fiscal year on Thursday.

“I view the budget as a statement of values and priorities,” McMahon said. “The 2023 budget prioritizes tax relief for our citizens, funding our base operation, public safety, revitalizing our infrastructure and our neighborhoods.”

Here’s how the budget is con-

The process

news editor

The county has only just started implementing the $1.6 billion executive budget, said Brian Ohl, an adjunct professor within Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Ohl said the budget process is divided into four phases: executive preparation and review, legislative review and approval, budget implementation and the final audit. As a part of the executive preparation,

McMahon and his team research, compile and eventually create the now released executive budget.

But the legislature has the power to veto McMahon’s financial proposals.

“If the legislature decides to change the spending amount … then the executive has to come back and approve or disapprove (the change),” Ohl said. “If the executive does not approve those changes, the legislature can do a two-thirds majority override.”

The county legislature will have its first of five budget meet-

ings Monday to discuss and review McMahon’s proposal followed by three meetings this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and a public hearing on Oct. 6.

Breaking down the budget

McMahon’s proposal cuts the county’s tax rate down 11% from last year, when it was $4.79 per $1,000 in value.

“If approved, this tax cut would be among the largest in the history of Onondaga County,” McMahon said. “This equals over $100 in sav see budget page 4

The Syracuse University Student Association and the Barnes Center at the Arch partnered this semester to expand the Get Yourself Tested Initiative and make testing more accessible.

Before the program, testing availability was limited to specific days and times during the week, SA president David Bruen said. After coming to the mutual conclusion that a change was necessary, the SA and the Barnes Center collaborated to make testing appointments available at any time throughout the semester.

“The feedback that we got from students was that having pre-provided time slots was not always the most successful option,” Bruen said.

Under the new initiative, a student can get tested for an STI at no cost and at any time throughout the week. The new process doesn’t create a bill on a student’s bursar account.

Bruen said he believes the change has been successful thus far and that students have positively perceived the new policy.

“I think it’s a much better improvement on an already existing program that serves students so well,” Bruen said. “It’s even more sort of private because you can just schedule a time – you’re not going to run into people – and go to this appointment.”

SA Vice President Adia Santos said in a statement that STI testing is a topic that can be uncomfortable for students to discuss, and that making the registration process accessible to students via their patient portals allows them the privacy they deserve.

Santos emphasized STI testing that is accessible, affordable, private and comfortable should be prioritized at SU and every college campus.

“Sexual health shouldn’t be exclusive to those who can afford it,” Santos said.

Bruen said SA is currently working to promote the initiative on their website to raise awareness about the service. Bruen also said promoting STI testing on campus has become less complicated since the expansion of appointment accessibility.

Following the change, the SA is using a multifaceted promotion strategy including regular post updates on its social media accounts and information regarding testing in campus-wide emails, Bruen said.

Students can learn more information and access free STI testing via their student patient portal on MySlice, or by visiting the Barnes Center Health and Wellness website.

“I believe it’s an important resource on campus because someone can easily have an STI without knowing,” Santos wrote, “and having the ability to check (in without) an extended waiting period … should be afforded to anyone.” srrothst@syr.edu

dailyorange.com news@dailyorange.com

4 september 19, 2022

from page 1

demolition said. “I moved here just about that time, and there was a lot of public outcry about that expansion to the east.”

Gruber recalled SU leadership promising the community at the time that there would be no further eastward expansion of the campus, but as leadership has changed significantly since that time, the relationship between the two has also changed.

The demolition of 813 Comstock Ave. highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding SU’s plans for properties it owns to the east of campus, said Andy Leahy, a member of the Southeast University Neighborhood Association (SEUNA). He added that the lack of transparency could indicate that the university wanted to avoid any potential protest from community members.

“In the early stages, they were asked, ‘What’s your plan for the property?’ It’s a nice old house … and they said they didn’t have any plans. And then it’s demolished, and the average person didn’t see it happen until it was all over,” Leahy said. “If they were upfront about it, I think they would have had some opposition.”

SEUNA President Michael Stanton shared similar sentiments, noting that he personally contacted the university several times about its plans for the property, both when SU acquired 813 Comstock Ave. and when it demolished the home.

“It’s just kind of hard to believe that they would spend over $400,000 for a house to demolish it and then have no plans for what to do with it,” Stanton said.

He added that because the property is currently designated for single-family homes, he’s not sure what the university would do with it, but he suspects that other vacant lots on the block could be the target of future university acquisitions.

The university would have to get approval from the Zoning Office and the Syracuse Planning Commission to change the designation of the lots, said Jake Dishaw, the director of code enforcement for the city of Syracuse, in an email to The Daily Orange.

Gruber said the university’s incremental expansion of campus will reduce the amount of pushback SU will receive from community members when compared to taking on larger construction plans in a shorter period of time.

“If you do little things here and there and from page 1

sentries things to happen, but the response doesn’t have to be law enforcement intervention and or school suspension,” she said.

Weissman continued that kids who get suspended are much more likely to drop out of school, which makes them statistically more likely to end up in the criminal justice system later in life.

During an SCSD ‘Community Conversation’ on Aug. 31, a series of events providing a platform for community input, SCSD Interim Superintendent Anthony Davis said sentries are intended to ensure students’ safety, not to monitor them, in response to concerns that students will be overpoliced.

Even when figures like sentries or police are “well-behaved” or don’t overpolice students with respect to trivial matters, Weissman said, their presence introduces another side of the issue for students.

Weissman said she found that most students didn’t view the sentries in their schools as helping figures after conducting interviews about students’ experience with schools becoming more like prisons for her book. from page 3

budget ings on a home assessed for $200,000 dollars.”

The executive budget also includes funding for the county’s offices and programs, ranging from veterans services to the county sheriff’s department. McMahon’s proposal would increase funding appropriations for 30 of the county’s programs and offices.

make things seem inevitable. People’s memories are short and this is a transient community,” he said. “You can do a lot over a long period and SU can play the long game ... It can be hard to confront that.”

David Haas, the owner of the Syracuse History Instagram and TikTok accounts, believes that there needs to be more of a conversation between the university and the community about plans for campus expansion.

“That’s why a couple of times in the past couple of years that I have posted about it to just engage others and say ‘This is going on, let’s talk about it. Let’s ask questions.’” Haas said.

Haas added that some people are indifferent to the university’s recent acquisitions and demolitions as they argue that SU has the right to do as it wishes with its properties.

“I mean by the law, yeah, they can,” Haas said. “They can take down the whole town if they want to buy us all up. I get that.”

Recently, community members expressed concern that SU didn’t obtain a permit to demolish the home located at 813 Comstock Ave., as one was not publicly available via a city database. But Dishaw confirmed that new software to display demolition permits is currently in a pilot phase, which led to the confusion. An SU spokesperson provided a copy of the permit to The D.O. Haas also expressed concerns about the demolition of homes with regard to “keeping the fabric of the neighborhood intact.”

“Some of the buildings that they might have put up in the past aren’t the prettiest things to look at at times,” Haas said. “They have an architectural school that they could lean on, you know, are there ways to incorporate these buildings into their plans? I just think they’re doing things willy-nilly in regards to these houses that are in and around the campus.”

As a part of SU’s 2017 Campus Framework Plan, the university outlined potential expansion opportunities for residence halls and dining centers beyond the current campus boundaries.

Included in the diagrams are mock-ups of two new residence halls on the 700 block of Ostrom Avenue labeled “Campus Building Opportunities” as well as outlines indicating housing and dining development areas along the 800 block of Comstock Avenue.

A university spokesperson said SU recently began an effort to “refresh” the Campus

Framework Plan to ensure that the physical campus aligns with the university’s strategic goals.

Residents also expressed concerns about the economic impacts of the university acquiring more properties throughout the city and how it will impact the city’s tax revenue – which SU’s non-profit status exempts it from paying – as well as how increased student housing will affect local property owners.

As the university expands its housing, Gruber said, owners of student rentals in the areas surrounding the university will likely look to sell their properties as their tenant base shrinks. Gruber believes this could either increase the amount of owner-occupancy

homes in the area or lead to further university expansion.

“We just don’t know,” Gruber said of the university’s plans. “Nobody has said.”

Haas understands the university’s desire to expand its campus, but he wants to ensure that the process is done without destroying the character of the neighborhood.

“I do have the understanding of why you might want to have the students closer to the campus,” Haas said. “Obviously, having them more together in a community and being able to walk to places easier … , that sounds great.

But let’s go about it the right way.”

“While there certainly were some kids who reported having developed a good relationship with the law enforcement folks in their school, for the most part, they did not,” she said. “Kids aren’t stupid, and they know the role and function of police.”

Walker said the way students perceive sentries in their schools as well as some of their insecurity starts with the entire community’s relationship with police.

“The community is going to have to trust them first, before you put them in the schools because if mama and daddy are afraid or don’t like them, that’s definitely gonna trickle down to that child,” Walker said.

Weissman also said students’ impressions of sentries resembling of+ficers in their schools stem from a larger community’s dynamics. For students from communities that have experienced police abuse, she said, seeing “betterbehaved” sentries that look like police at school isn’t enough to reconstruct their perceptions.

Kids who grew up in cities and overpoliced communities, Walker said, also have more emotional and mental health needs. Resources for counseling and therapy need to balance the increased police presence, she added.

Walker said though the district is trying to keep students as safe as possible while deescalating trauma, it has its hands tied.

Bennett, who is a member of The Syracuse Police Abolition and Radical Revisioning Coalition, said despite a few new hires, the district needs a lot more social workers and people who understand trauma. Bennett said if they’re not already, the sentries need to be trained on trauma.

According to the emergency management plan, sentries are trained to respond to physical altercations with approved de-escalation and physical restraint tactics, trained in CPR and the use of AEDs and have completed FEMA Emergency Management Institute training.

The district, Bennett said, promotes dealing with issues in a “restorative” way in its code of conduct. To Bennett, SCSD’s approach is counterintuitive.

“Restorative to me means you’re trying to discover root causes of issues and trying to repair harm,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a chance to repair harm and discover and solve root causes if you’re just bringing in a sentry or bringing in a … student resource officer.”

SCSD’s code of conduct refers to restorative

justice as an intervention that “addresses specific issues and behaviors which warrant the assignment of a consequence.”

Despite some specific emotional needs, Walker said, students in urban districts like SCSD are no different from kids in suburbs, but the district’s issues are often amplified compared to suburban schools.

Weissman also said that, contrary to the district’s negative portrayal, its students are accomplished and doing essential work within the community.

Walker said students need to be part of the conversation when it comes to implementing measures that ultimately affect them as much as security increases.

“They’re the ones who are going to be most affected by it. Get their opinion. It’s not like they’re oblivious … they are a lot brighter and smarter than we give them credit for. So even if it’s a second grader, they maybe can’t put it in words like a middle schooler. But they can (do it) on their level,” Walker said. “They can explain how this makes them feel.” jlseal@syr.edu @JanaLoSeal

The county’s department of social services, the county legislature and Onondaga Community College will all have a smaller appropriation compared to the 2022 adopted budget. OCC had the largest decrease, dropping over 3% from $64.5 million in the 2022 adopted budget to $62.6 million this year.

But many of the county’s offices and programs are seeing large increases to their

appropriations within the proposed budget.

Under the current version of the budget, Onondaga County’s transportation department would receive 25% more funding than last year. Children and Family Services, one of the most expensive programs covered in the 2022 budget, would move from an appropriation of $112 million to $134 million.

Even with the massive increases in appro-

priations, McMahon said his proposal is balanced for the fifth year in a row.

“It has been well reported that numerous economic headwinds and high inflation are affecting our country,” McMahon said. “This economic uncertainty means that we must be even more deliberative in our budgeting.”

megan thompson digital design director

ddamron@syr.edu @dannyamron_

kschouin@syr.edu @Kyle_Chouinard

C

dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

CULTURE

september 19, 2022 5

beyond the hill

Food unites local Italians

Snapshots with strangers

By Kate Kelley

asst. copy editor

photo illustration by meghan hendricks photo editor

People offered quippy anecdotes and poignant life moments on National Sit With a Stranger Day

By Sophia Moore asst. digital editor

L

ast Friday marked National Sit With a Stranger Day, a holiday created in 2020 to encourage people to make new connections with others, even if they’ve never met. The following vignettes are stories from people who spent their Saturday on Syracuse University’s campus. From volunteers to a new fiancé, SU was chock full of strangers to sit with, learn from and talk to this weekend. And, through these conversations with The Daily Orange, may be a little less than strangers now.

The Tailgaters

Under an orange tent stationed next to Carnegie Library, Tim Teeter and Bob Sullivan got ready for Saturday’s football game. The pair have been tailgating games for over a decade, joined by their wives, Debbie and Lisa, and other friends. A cooler of breakfast sandwiches — with the choice of sausage, egg and cheese and ham, egg and cheese — as well as Teeter’s famous chicken dip rounded out the early morning tailgate spread.

The Teeters and Sullivans hold season tickets for SU football. They make the drive to home games from Utica with their SU-themed cups and orange paraphernalia always in tow.

Throughout their time as tailgaters, the Teeters, Sullivans and their

friends have experimented with different dishes from grilled goods to brisket and low country boils. Their game day menu is always different, Bob said.

For the Teeters and Sullivans, the atmosphere of the Dome and energy of the crowd are the best part of SU games. Though Bob and Tim didn’t graduate from SU, their love for local college football is enough to keep bringing them back season after season.

“I think I’ve had season tickets for 12 years now,” Bob said. “We tailgate together for the season tickets, so we’ll be together. And then some other friends will come and join us, so we might have 15 or 20 here.”

The Cook

While the tailgaters enjoyed their home cooked goodies, Fred Flagg was parked in front of Link Hall preparing to cook hot dogs and hamburgers for the pre-game crowd. Flagg is a cook, but also does assorted odd jobs, specifically at the Limp Lizard Barbecue food truck. Four hours before the game, Flagg cleaned and prepped the flat grill and cooking space. He said he arrives early to prepare for the inevitable rush of fans about an hour before the game starts.

Flagg was preparing Limp Lizard’s walking tacos, one of the truck’s specialties. The dish includes taco meat, lettuce, tomato and cheese all tossed inside a bag of Doritos. In the four

hours between the truck’s arrival and the beginning of the game, Flagg said he expected to stock up on any supplies and ready the space for customers.

Though he’s worked at Limp Lizard for only a year, Flagg has been in the restaurant industry for over 40. He said the biggest difference between working in a food truck and working in a restaurant is that people ordering from the truck don’t have time to wait. Flagg said staying focused and knowing what he’s doing make him successful while on the job.

“I’m almost 60 now, I’ve been doing this since I was 17. So you learn something in that time,” Flagg said. “It’s fun. As long as you know what you’re doing, you stay focused, get some people out and keep them happy.”

The Volunteer

Anyone passing by the Dome Saturday could hear the delicate, persistent sound of the Salvation Army’s bells. Kiana Williams, who works for the organization through the Booth House teen shelter, said the Salvation Army was volunteering at SU as part of a food drive for food insecurity in central New York.

In the six years that Williams has been with the organization, she said that SU has been generous to the Salvation Army’s causes. Williams herself is in the process of becoming a social work student at Falk College, see conversation page 8

banned book week 2022

Banned Book Week sheds light on censorship

By Anthony Bailey, Sophie Szydlik the daily orange

George M. Johnson wasn’t shocked when they found out their book “All Boys Aren’t Blue” was already being banned across the country, a mere five months after its initial publication in 2020.

“By the time we got to January (of 2021), I had 21 states (ban the book),” Johnson said in an interview with VICE. “We were now

reaching a real crucial point of changing the direction of education in this country, who has a right to tell stories in this country, in a very dangerous way.”

“All Boys Aren’t Blue” is not a unique case. Discussions are sparking across the country regarding the banning of books that some consider dangerous for readers, often due to subject matter being categorized as sexually explicit or involving LGBTQ+ identities, race

or religion. Sept. 18–24 marks the commemoration of Banned Book Week across the country, and calls awareness to the conversation of free speech, censorship and exposure to controversial topics.

Banned Book Week has been acknowledged since 1982 after activists around the country noticed an uptick in efforts to restrict access to books, according to Banned Book Week’s official website. Since then, authors, schol-

ars and activists from both sides of political arguments have used the week to bring awareness to the controversial nature of book banning.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in book banning around the country, according to the Washington Post. A rise in activist groups and politicized movements against books have snowballed the issue into major conflict that has made its way to

see books page 8

Bob Knapp, who has been coming to the Festa Italiana for the last ten years, gathered with his family around a folding table in downtown Syracuse this weekend.

Atop the red and white checkered tablecloth were chicken riggies and Utica greens for Knapp and pasta for his kids.

“It’s a great place to come with my family. I used to come with my parents as a kid and now I’m bringing my two kids. It’s nice to have it come full circle,” Knapp said. “I see all my family and friends and people that I don’t normally see all right here.”

From Friday to Sunday, the streets in front of City Hall were closed to traffic and replaced by Syracuse’s 24th annual Festa Italiana. The Italian community spent the three-day event celebrating their culture with authentic food, live music, an outdoor mass, a meatball eating contest and a bocce tournament.

The streets were packed with people greeting each other with hugs, handshakes and kisses.

Knapp said the feeling of community connection is what keeps him coming back year after year.

Like many community-oriented events, Festa Italiana suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But this year, for Syracuse resident Larry Govendo, the event felt like a return to the vibrant, lively atmosphere of past Festa Italianas.

For Govendo, the festival is a highly anticipated event that marks the end of summer and is one of the last times all of his friends are together for the year.

“The way I think of it is, I see my friends for the last time before winter hits,” he said. “We come from an Italian American family so I see all my Italian friends down here and then winter hits and (I) don’t see them again for six months.”

The central piece of the Festa Italiana for many people was sharing a meal with friends and family. Each of the 12 food vendors had long lines, many wrapping around the tents. As people waited, they talked to the people next to them — some strangers, some old friends. Popular vendors included local restaurants like Vito’s Ristorante, Pascarella’s Bakery & Catering and Avicolli’s Italian Restaurant.

Even with full bellies, festival attendees hit the dance floor.

On Friday night the Prime Time Horns played a 2 1/2-hour setlist of classic tunes and modern hits.

The band brought the audience to their feet as people of all ages danced to the music.

As the food vendors packed up see festival page 8

6 september 19, 2022

It’s a ‘Good Life’ Story by Ofentse Mokoka asst. copy editor

Photos by Meghan Hendricks photo editor

Sophia Herrera and Nyobi Boddie arrived at Juice Jam excited to see Doechii, one of their favorite artists, take the stage. But the rapper quickly surpassed their expectations when she invited them on stage to perform “Spookie Coochie.”

“Let my friends up here, let my friends up here,” Doechii said to security.

Doechii, along with co-headliners T-Pain and Flo Milli, and Yung Gravy, lit up the stage Sunday at Skytop Field for this year’s Juice Jam. Hosted by University Union, Juice Jam also featured food and merchandise vendors, inflatable games and photo opportunities.

Before Doechii started her set, DJ SaySay warmed up the audience with crowd-pleasers “Soldier Boy” and “Moment 4 Life,” and even congratulated the SU football team on defeating Purdue in football the day prior, which was met by cheers from the crowd.

At the beginning of her set, Doechii floated on stage in a blue patchwork dress, University Union bandana in tow. The artist enthralled her audience as she maintained a casual, conversational style throughout her performance.

“Who wears a size 9?” she yelled into the audience when her platform heels began hurting her feet.

The crowd waved their hands in the air, cheered Doechii’s name and sang along to her popular track, “Yucky Blucky Fruitcake.” And when Doechii gave the audience a taste of her new, unreleased song, she was instantly met with energy and support from the crowd.

Yung Gravy started his set off strong with one of his hit songs, “Gravy Train.” Like DJ SaySay, Yung Gravy made a point to note Syracuse’s recent football win. He further excited the crowd when he swapped his blue and white sweatshirt to bring out a Syracuse basketball jersey.

Following in Doechii’s footsteps, Yung Gravy performed his unreleased song, “C’est la vie.”

Toward the end of his set, the crowd started chanting “Sheri” in reference to Yung Gravy’s alleged relationship with Sheri Easterling, mother of TikTok star Addison Rae. “Yeah I f*ck with Sheri,” Gravy said with a laugh.

The artist used the joke as a lead into his song, “1 Thot, 2 Thot, Green Thot, Blue Thot,” and the crowd approved immensely. Gravy ended his set with one of his other viral songs, “Betty (Get Money).”

Unlike the first two acts, Flo Milli opted for a simpler set, taking to the empty stage with colorful images from her previous album and EP covers displayed on the screen behind her.

Despite a light drizzle, the crowd matched her immense charisma. Flo Milli made frequent use of the pit, even leaving the stage to dance with audience members, which later included Doechii herself.

She ended her set with her viral song, “In the Party,” as the crowd waved their hands and loudly sang along to the rhythm.

Just as people began to consider turning in for the day because of the clouds and rain, T-Pain appeared on stage. The performer revitalized the crowd with his top hits, like “Black and Yellow” and “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper),” which included mashups and his feature tracks.

T-Pain performed against various digital visuals like caution tape with black and yellow written all over them and videos of pyrotechnics. His set drew to a close when he performed “Good Life,” his GRAMMY winning collaboration with Kanye West, which was a full-circle moment for the audience.

From watching their favorite artists perform to battling their friends on one of the inflatable games, UU’s Juice Jam gave SU students a day to remember.

“I’m really into events like this,” said civil engineering freshman Candace Tabb. “Just for the vibes.” ofentse.moipone.mokoka@gmail.com

1.The crowd erupted in hoots and hollers as Yung Gravy changed from his blue and white button down into a Syracuse jersey. Students sang along to his music and put their arms up to dance along.

2. The painted Juice Jam logo is a fan favorite spot for taking photos. A group of students took a break from the concert to take their turn in front of the background.

3.Sophia Herrera and Nyobi Boddie sing with Doechii during the opening set of University Union’s 2022 Juice Jam. The two students brought energy to the audience as they spit out lyrics to Doechii’s song “Spookie Coochie.”

4. When thinking about what to wear to Juice Jam, students take inspiration from outfits often worn to popular music festivals. One student sported butterfly wings as a cape and floated through the crowd.

5.Skytop Field was filled with the cheers from the audience as artists took the stage. Openers Doechii and Yung Gravy played popular hits and unreleased music to get the crowd excited for the acts that followed.

september 19, 2022 7

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dailyorange.com culture@dailyorange.com

events tracker

C

Close out the summer this week with these 9 events

By Rachel Raposas culture editor

Find peace through art

Support mental health awareness and get in touch with your creativity at Chalk the Walk on the Shaw Quadrangle. From Sunday to Saturday, the community is welcome to decorate the walkways along the Quad with uplifting messages and art to encourage wellness and reduce the stigma around mental illness.

Are you smarter than your roommate?

Test your smarts at the semimonthly Barnes Center Quiz Show. Learn more about SU and the city either at the Esports gaming room or on the Esports Twitch channel from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

from page 5

conversations and said she was glad the organization and school have maintained a partnership for donations, especially since the pandemic has impacted poverty rates locally, she said.

“So many people are struggling, especially after COVID. A lot more families have been pushed into poverty, so it’s more needed now than ever,” Williams said. “We get donation calls from Syracuse alum or former Syracuse students all the time … so I’m actually expecting this to be a really good turnout for our shelter.”

Even though Williams was working on the Quad for Salvation Army, she also said she, as a lifelong Syracuse resident, was excited to see if SU will continue their momentum throughout the football season. Between the work as a

Learn the stories of the Haudenosaunee

Join storyteller Perry Ground for an evening of Haudenosaunee legends. Through Ground’s vivid, animated images, each story will come to life and relay beliefs, customs and history of the Haudenosaunee people. The event will occur on Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Gifford Auditorium at Huntington Beard Crouse Hall.

Discover multicultural opportunities and communities

It’s Banned Book Week

The College of Arts and Sciences is hosting a Banned Book Read-Out in honor of Banned Book Week. Listen to passages from books that have been banned across the country, and collect stickers, bookmarks and banned book lists. You also have the chance to win T-shirts and banned books. The read-out will take place on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the first floor of Bird Library.

Hosted by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, CultureFest will highlight the various organizations committed to the multicultural experience at SU. You can learn about different groups on campus, participate in giveaways and enjoy free food. The event is on Thursday from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Free plants!

volunteer and as a fan, Williams said she was expecting a good donation yield for the Salvation Army, and for the football team to go 3-0.

the rest of the games this season, though they jokingly hoped for more games that start later in the day. The family often goes to the locker room to see Jackson after the game.

“We hang out with (Courtney) a little bit, you know, give him our well wishes and then we jump back on the road,” Derrick said.

“Right now, this is all about having fun.”

The Football Family

The Jackson family drove up to Syracuse from Pittsburgh at 4 a.m. for the game. Derrick Jackson, whose son, Courtney, is a wide receiver for SU’s football team, has attended almost all of Courtney’s games this season.

For the Purdue game, Courtney’s siblings Chan, Bray and Blake tagged along.

Despite feeling tired from the drive, the family said they were excited to watch the game, and to catch up and wish Courtney well afterwards. Derrick said the family would have to leave soon after the game to drive back to Pittsburgh — Blake and Bray, who also play football, had a game the next day.

The Jacksons are planning on coming to

Join the Residence Hall Association in front of Shaw Hall on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to paint pots for plants that you can take home with you.

Karaoke night

Wind down after a long week by singing with

The Proposal

Elsewhere on campus, a white wedding altar decorated in faux flowers and tulle flanked the Kissing Bench outside of the Hall of Languages. A red carpet led up to the bench, where Donato Fraioli was preparing to propose to his girlfriend.

Fraioli has been with his girlfriend since they met seven years ago when they were both SU students. The couple kissed on the bench during their time at the school, and Fraioli,

friends at Orange After Dark’s karaoke night.

Head to Schine Underground on Friday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. to jam out.

Savor the end of summer

Tap into the last of summer at the Late Summer Night’s Dream Artisan Fair. The festival will feature local vendors, food, live music,“fairy dancing” and a raffle to support the local food pantry. The event will be on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Brewerton Center of the Arts.

Celebrate Westcott

Head to Westcott for its 30th annual Cultural Fair to celebrate the diversity and originality of the neighborhood. Enjoy over 120 vendors, live music, performances, food, creative work and a parade. The event starts at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday. rachel@dailyorange.com @rachel_raposas

who has a video of their kiss, planned his proposal idea around that.

“I’ve got actually a little video of us kissing on this bench seven years ago,” Fraioli said.

“She’s gonna see it on an iPad, I’m gonna have a random person bring it over to her, and then hopefully she’ll just, you know, walk up.”

With help from his brother, Fraioli was able to surprise his girlfriend, first with the video and then by leading her to the decorated Kissing Bench to recreate the moment. After seven years together, Fraioli said that Saturday was finally “the day” to propose. The weather and timing worked out perfectly, he said, When the time came for Fraioli to pop the question, Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” wafted over the scene. She said yes.

sophia@dailyorange.com @sophiaamooree

from page 5

books the ballot box and school board meetings.

Historically, banning books occurs on a local scale, according to the New York Times. Usually, individual libraries and schools decide what books they want to keep and which ones they do not want the public to have access to. With the increase of these pro-censorship groups, more libraries and school districts are feeling pressured to take books that are deemed problematic off of the shelves.

Authors are feeling this pressure in their writing process, too, as they toe the line of using their narrative voice, and fearing the repercussions it may create. Shaun David Hutchinson, author of “We Are the Ants,” said he was surprised by how quickly — and easily — his work was repressed in an interview with VICE. “Usually if a book is challenged, it stays on the shelves,” Hutchinson said. “(There are) forms that have to be filled out and procedures you have to follow. But books were being pulled off the shelf immediately.”

In the past few years, a trend in state legislation of taking the initiative to restrict content is worrying activist groups, like PEN America, who keep up with First Amendment violations and restrictions.

“They are not just a challenge in an individual school system or library, but legislation being introduced in statehouses that would affect the availability of books all over the state in every school and library,” said Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America, on PBS NewsHour.

According to PEN America’s data, 26 states from page 5

festival their stands for the night, the music continued to fill the square. The Prime Time Horns

Books are banned for a variety of reasons, most frequently for content relating to sexuality, race, religion and sexually explicit content.

FRANCIS TANG senior staff writer

have at least one documented banned book.

In New York, there have been 12 attempts to ban books from across the state. Many of the books have been banned for their depictions of sexual assault and racism, which has also ignited the conversation along party lines.

Though book banning is perceived as a politicized issue, there are attempts by both political parties to censor books from classrooms and libraries. John Sargent, a former chief executive of Macmillan Publishing, said activists from both the left and right have attempted to ban books.

“It’s happening on both sides,” Sargent said in a New York Times interview. “It’s just a

different mechanism. On the right, it’s going through institutions and school boards, and on the left, it’s using social media as a tool of activism. It’s aggressively protesting to increase the pain threshold, until there’s censorship going the other way.”

Johnson echoed this sentiment, and said they believe that book banning should not be a divisive political issue, but a conversation in representation, specifically the inclusion of under and misrepresented communities, like the LBGTQ+ community and people of color.

They urged the public to take caution and consider the impact the censorship of these texts could have on young people who don’t

see themselves in the books they read.

“We don’t just write these books because we want our story out there. All of our books are the maps that lead the youth and the teens to that road,” Johnson said in an interview with VICE. “When you take that map away from them, they wander aimlessly in this world until they are able to find that map or unfortunately until the world consumes them.”

This week, the Daily Orange will be publishing a series of stories about Banned Book Week and the response from the community.

serenaded the crowd as people left the festival.

Alexandra DiStefano used to come to the Festa Italiana every year growing up but came back this year for the first time since the pandemic. This year, she brought her

friend, Alexandra Samuels, who had never been to the festival before to introduce her to its lively culture.

“It’s great to celebrate being Italian and being around our food and everything like

that, and it is nice to have something fun to do, especially coming out of COVID,” DiStefano said.

culture@dailyorange.com

katekelley03@gmail.com @kkelley99

dailyorange.com opinion@dailyorange.com

september 19, 2022 9

OPINION

personal essay

SU students need to pay attention to the Syracuse community

By Jean Aiello columnist

A

lthough I am not from the Syracuse community, as a Syracuse University student, I think it’s important to acknowledge and talk about the educational segregation in Syracuse city schools. Being from New York City, I was able to experience education in a diverse community. SU is made up of an array of diverse backgrounds, and we should pay attention to the larger Syracuse area. This city is now our community too.

Local Syracuse schools in the community are ranked as the 13th most segregated schools in the nation. A study conducted by The Century Foundation analyzes “School Segregation in Cities Across America Mapped.”

The data highlights the segregation between White and Black students across the country in public and private schools in the country.

The Century Foundation’s map shows that Syracuse is in the dark blue zone, meaning it has high segregation in schools. “Syracuse is like many other cities in the northeast that have maintained segregation by housing, by ethnicity as we see the growth of suburbs that have become whiter and more distant from the city,” said George Theoharis, Professor of Educational Leadership at Syracuse University to CNY Central. The disparities between low-income neighborhoods and wealthier neighborhoods amplifies the segregations in these schools.

In Syracuse, the I-81 Highway is a physical barrier separating poverty level and lowincome families from wealthier neighborhoods in the Syracuse area. The highway was built in 1959 and was constructed directly through a working class Black neighborhood.

“It displaced long-time residents and ensured that poverty, pollution and a lack of resources would hurt the community that lived in the highway’s shadow that still persists today,” according to an article from the New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Civil Rights Act ended discrimination nearly 50 years ago. While the governing body of Syracuse is not deliberately discriminating against Black communities living in low-income areas, the division resulting from the I-81 highway and the city’s lack of attention on the issue has caused segregation in schools even now.

The city announced a plan to replace the highway with a street level roadway last year, but it’s upsetting that the issue has just recently been talked about and confirmed for change. It seems that this prevalent segregation in Syracuse has been accepted by our nation.

While Mayor Ben Walsh is taking action on the housing issue, no one has publicized Syracuse’s segregation in schools and neighborhoods. The issue has been replaced with talk of new housing options in the same low-income areas. While access to more affordable housing options are beneficial, better education options for those unable to relocate to wealthier neighborhoods should be another main concern.

SU, which proudly sits next to the I-81 highway, prides itself on seeking a more inclusive and diverse environment on its campus.

Freshman year, SU students are required to take a First Year Seminar course which teaches them about marginalized communities, intersectionality and other important knowledge they should understand to create a welcoming environment on campus.

At SU, 53% of enrolled students are White, 9% are Hispanic or Latino, 7% are Black or Afri-

morgan sample presentation director

can-American, 6% are Asian and less than 1% of students are Native American, according to Data USA. With over half of the students at SU being white, how can we truly understand what it means to be a diverse and inclusive community?

Whereas 8 minutes away, at The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Syracuse has a predominantly Black student population. At the Dr. King School, three out of 121 Black students scored proficient in understanding the reading and writing concepts of the NY State English Language Arts test. “For more than a decade, New York State labeled Dr. King School: failing,” writes CNY Central. For more than 10 years, the result of systemic segregation in Syracuse has been ignored. The operation of a segregated school system and academic issues have been pushed aside as if they are not important to Syracuse. It is affecting hundreds of children and families around the community.

Equity in education should have been enforced decades ago, giving young children

equal opportunities and possibilities for any future they aspire to have. We cannot expect students to learn on their own at such a young age if they aren’t given the proper education and resources no matter their family’s income.

Equity in education is crucial. Syracuse is a clear example of how equity in education is not valued.

I-81 was built over 60 years ago as did the segregation that has persisted due to its construction.

SU is one of the main reasons people know about the city of Syracuse. However, the university needs to realize it is a part of the larger community. Having this large of an audience, SU should be aware and provide to its surrounding communities along with the student body. We cannot act as though we are in our own bubble on campus making it okay to disregard the struggles of locals around us.

Jean Aiello is a Sophomore magazine, news and digital journalism major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at jdaiello@syr.edu.

personal essay

Pakistan is facing one of its worst natural disasters yet

By Malaika Nehal guest columnist

M

y name is Malaika Nehal and I am a junior at Syracuse University. I was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, but both my parents are from Pakistan.

My ties to the motherland are still strong, even if I’m many miles away. I’m proud of my country but lately Pakistan has been suffering.

Over the past two months, my country has endured terrible natural disasters, starting with deadly flooding, which led to the demolishment of villages, hospitals and towns. The start of June usually indicates the start of the monsoon season—caused by a direction change in the wind that occurs during a seasonal transition—but this year has been one of the worst. United Nations Secretary General António Guterres called it “a monsoon on steroids.”

The flooding in Pakistan has caught the attention of national news networks and organizations. This historic rain pour has almost flooded 15% of the country. Due to the floods,

Pakistan has become a very dangerous place for people to live in. Power lines have dropped or hang very close to the grounds, schools and children’s playgrounds have sunk and farms have been swept away along with the livestock.

Diseases such as malaria and water residing diseases (like e.coli and cholera) have also skyrocketed in the past two months. Moreover, the climate in Pakistan, especially Karachi, has been getting warmer recently, which is also life threatening. Diseases that originate from animal waste and water are starting to rapidly kill the people of Pakistan. Flies are always circling the surface of water, carrying life threatening diseases, and with the little resources the country currently possesses there is limited access to medicine.

We usually visit family in Karachi once or twice a year, but this summer I wasn’t able to.

In the coming months, I will hopefully visit Pakistan, given that the aid provided helps revive the country. My father is currently in Pakistan to see the devastating results first hand and will hopefully return safely in the coming week. He says that conditions in Kara-

chi are not ideal, but other parts of the country have been hit so heavily that it is starting to hinder children from attending school.

Since September 2nd, 33 million Pakistanis have been affected by flooding. People in the extreme north and south of Pakistan have been affected and are either seeking higher ground or fleeing the country. Threats such as landslides and mudslides are the biggest issues because of how destructive these natural phenomenons are. Landslides trap citizens living in villages and in between valleys for days, and torrential rain eventually kills them.

Others have had to relocate with no warning or preparation.

The area that seems to be getting hit hardest in these rainfalls is the province of Sindh. This is because on average Sindh is receiving about 800% more rain than usual and they were not equipped to handle problems like these.

The most concerning part of these devastating events is that small villages and even larger towns still have not received aid from the government, instead they are receiving aid from countries such as the United Arab Emirates. The

UN agency has released approximately 184,000 relief sites across Pakistan. Citizens in distress are still awaiting aid, such as paramedics to find their loved ones lost in the floods. When these terrible floods started back in June, the country declared a state of emergency, hoping it would alert their need of extra aid and resources from the government. However, since the death toll surpassed 1,000 back in mid August, the government still has yet to find the resources to help relieve the country.

I hope that the city of Karachi stays safe and takes initiative in assisting the rest of the country in getting the help they deserve. Furthermore, a lot of organizations in the United States, and even Upstate New York, have started fundraising for Pakistanis who have been affected by the floods. These funds go straight to villages and towns who are in the most need of life-saving resources. So, if you find yourself with free time please explore fundraising campaigns, such as the World Food Program to help flood relief for my country.

Malaika Nehal, Class of 2024, Vice President of South Asian Student Association

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10 september 19, 2022

from page 12

jackson Initially, Jackson began rotating between cornerback and special teams. He was the backup receiver, behind recent NFL draft pick Jaquan Brisker.

Brisker couldn’t play in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state semifinal game, placing Jackson in the starting role. He made roughly 10 catches and scored two touchdowns in the Gators’ threepoint loss.“He kind of went off,” Holl said. “It was like ‘Hey, here’s what the future looks like for me going forward.’”

After that season, Williams gave Jackson more individualized training. Since Jackson already had the speed of a running back and could break past defensive backs with ease, a big part of their training dealt with nonball related drills. Williams incorporated a lot of footwork exercises, helping Jackson master the route tree rather than focusing on straightforward throw and catch repetitions.

Jackson returned the opening kickoff of his junior season for a touchdown, embarking on a from page 12

woodford communication and organization as qualities that have allowed her to do a “tremendous job” in her new role.

Woodford considers “making the best out of every pass” to set her teammates up for scoring opportunities to be the most important job of the position. She sharpened her skills at 12 years old by imitating volleyball technique videos on YouTube, modeling herself after Penn State’s Micha Hancock and Wisconsin’s Lauren Carlini — two of the country’s top setters at the time.

“I would watch (each video) and be like, ‘Okay, let’s go practice this exact thing,” Woodford said. “Then in the winter, when we couldn’t use the court in the backyard, I would go in the basement with my dad and practice from page 12

next day The change finally came into fruition on the Orange’s ensuing drive. They were 1-for-6 on third down attempts, facing a 3rd-and-6 late in the third quarter. Shrader glanced to his left prior to the snap and noticed the deep coverage Reese Taylor played on Isaiah Jones, launching the ball right as Jones cut inside.

The throw wasn’t on the mark, requiring Jones to lunge back. But it served its purpose, moving the chains for SU. Shrader hit Jones a few plays later when the Orange kept a bunch formation on the right side, leaving Jones on an island with Jamari Brown. Shrader sent the ball high and near the front pylon, letting Jones utilize his height advantage on Brown.

Simplicity was the narrative for Shrader throughout the rest of the game. Besides his game-winning, falling-back heave to Gadsden, Shrader kept visiting his first read instead of resorting to his running ability.

Jackson sprinted into the flat with six minutes left, wide open after Syracuse’s two other receivers ran hitches and took Purdue’s defensive backs out of range. Shrader took a short drop, hitting Jackson for 12 yards.

A minute later, the Orange did the same thing, having two Syracuse receivers clear space for Tucker to run a wheel route. Tucker easily got ahead of linebacker Kydran Jenkins, and Shrader lofted it deep.

The ball didn’t have enough on it, but you can’t always be perfect. Head coach Dino Babers compared Shrader to a pitcher- he didn’t have his best stuff, but he was able to get the batter “out” when it mattered.

The game was won when…

Syracuse’s matchup against Purdue had an ending similar to last year’s 41-36 win over Virginia Tech. The game came down to Shrader, needing him to make a pinpoint pass while a defensive lineman came at him. Like his pass to Damien Alford against

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record-breaking final two seasons at Gateway.

The Gators went 26-3 during that span. Jackson finished his junior year with 96 receptions for 1,916 yards and 24 touchdowns (a Pennsylvania state-best), leading Gateway to a PIAA Class 5A West regional championship.

“I always felt better with the ball in my hands,” Jackson said. “So when I started getting recruited that’s what I wanted to do in college.”

But Jackson weighed 135 pounds at the start of his senior season. Derrick never wanted to involve Jackson in weight training until he built a serious interest for football.

Derrick arranged a personal training session for his son on a November Sunday morning during his freshman year at Gateway. Jackson enjoyed it, but Derrick wanted to be fully convinced that the wide receiver was ready to take his strength training seriously.

“If you ever want to come back, you have to come to me and ask me to take you because I’m not going to force you to (train),” Derrick said on the car ride home from the gym. “If this is what you want to do, every Sunday morning, knock on my door and we’ll go to the gym.”

And that sparked a weekly tradition the

father-son duo kept for the remainder of his high school career.

Williams noticed the differences in the weight room. He stressed how big of a component lifting is at the Division-I level, telling Jackson that all he’d be doing is “lifting, running and eating.”

Jackson also had a major advantage when it came to transitioning into Syracuse’s offensive system. Holl was very good friends with former SU coaches Justin Lustig and Reno Ferri, and the group would always share details about play selection and overall systems. While the offense seemed “perfect” for Jackson’s style, even scoring a touchdown in his first SU spring game, Jackson didn’t immediately make an impact.

“There were a lot of nights, a lot of days, conversations on the phone where he was down on himself, he wasn’t sure where he stood,” Derrick said.

Jackson let his dad know anytime he made a reception or ran a “great route,” Derrick said.

He showed Derrick his training clips during their routine FaceTime calls. Now, Jackson doesn’t need to make those weekly calls as he’s

just two yards shy of 100 receiving yards so far this season.

One tradition that remains the same is in Jori’s honor. Jackson prays before every game, but Derrick has made sure to continue a family tradition that began when his son was in high school. Derrick sends Jackson a text with some encouraging words two hours before each game, always ending the message with something Jori would always say.

“It really drove him to work that much harder, because he knows how much his mom loved watching him play football,” Williams said. “And you saw it click, because he knew now I’m doing this for my mom and my family.”

Before Syracuse’s season-opener against Lousiville, Derrick ended his message with this phrase: “You deserve the world and today you go out and take it. I love you son. Go have fun. Be good or be good at it.”

“I’ll always put that saying in there, just as a way that he can still be close to her,” Derrick said.

defensive moves and diving on the carpet.”

William pointed to footwork, technique and scoring around the ball as key focuses for Woodford throughout her development.

Woodford’s vertical is another key factor to her game, her father said. At 5-foot-8, she’s one of the shortest players on the court. But she had the highest vertical of anyone in the Northern Lights club, William said, which helped her close the height gap. Her height comes with benefits too, such as retrieving low balls and getting passes up, she said.

After sitting out last season with a medical redshirt, Woodford spent the majority of this offseason focused on getting healthy, Ganesharatnam said. It wasn’t her first time battling through an injury. At 15 years old, a stress fracture in her foot almost sidelined her from competing in

national tournaments, William said.

But after rehabbing, Woodford returned for the tournaments, albeit in a limited capacity, William said. Rather than playing setter, she only played in the back row to avoid aggravating the injury.

“Nothing really fazes her too much,” William said about her high school injury.

“Obviously, (upon) hearing the diagnosis, she was in tears. But generally, she doesn’t get flustered too easily and at some point (her mindset) is just, ‘Okay, I got to get back to work.’”

When it came time to getting known by colleges, she wanted to make herself as noticeable as possible. During the recruitment process, Woodford’s parents filmed all her matches so that she could create recruiting videos for coaches. She sent out “massive amounts of emails” and called coaches just to

get her name out there, she said.

Syracuse emerged as an option for Woodford late in the recruitment process, both Woodford and William said. She committed within two and half months of SU’s first communication with her, pointing out the engineering program as an attraction to the school.

Syracuse’s coaching staff wanted Woodford to graduate high school a year early since it had an opening at the setter position. Woodford said she never planned on graduating high school early, but it “felt like just the right choice” for her.

“I hate the feeling of having regrets,” Woodford said. “You never know — you can always surprise yourself. (Whether) with going for a ball you don’t think you can get or trying to make a play, sometimes it just works out.”

the Hokies, Shrader leaned back and delivered a high, tight spiral in front of the top left pylon, which Gadsden caught easily following his 25-yard post-corner route

performance — in which he finished with six receptions, two touchdowns and 112 receiving yards — has him destined to be a new favorite for Shrader.

Quote of the night: Dino Babers “This is a spiritual type of feeling right here. To win a game like that, to have the scoreboard go back-and-forth from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, the highs and lows …. Luckily it finally came to an end and everything was intact, and Syracuse is 3-0.”

Last year, Syracuse lost three straight games by three points. With three points in the first half and Charlie Jones ready to embark on a tear against Syracuse’s secondary, SU had its back pinned to the wall against Purdue. But both units resurrected in the second half, proving that the Orange’s 2022 group could prevail when it was close.

Number to know: 7 Babers doesn’t like rollercoasters. He’s ridden three now, including Saturday’s matchup. Overall, there were a total of seven lead changes in the game. This was the most since eight in Syracuse’s Camping World Bowl win in 2018. And the closest other rollercoaster came in last year’s 41-36 win over Virginia Tech, when there were six.

Three final points Left on an island Syracuse has become synonymous with producing some of the best defensive backs in college football during Babers’ tenure. Andre Cisco, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Trill Williams have all graduated from the program in the past few years. Garrett Williams has been next in line, and the Orange added Duce Chestnut last year.

Babers said that Syracuse’s corners come to the school for a reason. They expect to be left on an island, leaving them alone with their athletic ability against some “amazing wideouts.” On Saturday, Charlie Jones provided the toughest test for Williams, who guarded him for most of the game.

Jones won twice in the second half, scoring on a 55-yard pass before torching Williams for a 51-yard grab to place Purdue in the red zone. But again, like throughout most of Syracuse’s win, Williams came up big at the end. He kept up with Jones as he sprinted to the back of the end zone, letting Jones only get a few fingertips on the ball before it smacked the ground.

threw a wide-open Garrett Shrader on the toss reverse throwback.

But Purdue’s mistakes gave Syracuse an advantage. The Boilermakers kicked off from its own 10-yard line after taking the lead, giving Jackson a 40-yard head start compared to what he was used to. Jackson took the ball to midfield, setting up Shrader for the game-clinching throw.

Game ball: Oronde Gadsden II Gadsden made some “Michael Jackson” moves down the sideline for his first score, Babers said. But the receiver was constantly open in this thriller, freezing Purdue’s defensive backs with his routes. Babers added he was excited that Gadsden got his feet down on most of his receptions, threading the left corner of the end zone for his game-winning grab.

Gadsden only had two receptions for 24 yards last season, but he sprung into Syracuse’s starting rotation this season with a touchdown against Louisville. Saturday’s

Sloppy mistakes The Orange almost lost momentum when Shrader’s first touchdown toss to Gadsden was intercepted, but a penalty saved the play. Tucker almost turned over the ball after catching a short toss from Shrader in the third quarter, but he jumped on the ball just in time.

The Orange tried some trickery in the first half, running a flea flicker in the second quarter. But Tucker almost misfired the ball back to Shrader, and it was picked off by Taylor near midfield before being called back. Earlier, LeQuint Allen over-

cirinoalex19@gmail.com @alexcirino19

spgoldst@syr.edu @SpencerG_24

Third down Syracuse converted 3-of-13 third downs against Purdue, struggling to get the necessary yardage to continue drives. On the other side, the Boilermakers finished 10-of-17, repeatedly chewing the clock with long drives.

SU especially struggled against Purdue on third-and-shorts, mainly because of Purdue’s unique play calls. Quarterback Aidan O’Connell signaled for a motion before a play in Purdue’s first drive, faking the handoff to shift the Orange’s focus to the right side. Tight end Payne Durham quickly ran out to his left, turning his right shoulder to face O’Connell, who delivered the ball to him after a few shuffles.

The Orange didn’t convert on a third down until midway through the third quarter, when Tucker ran down the middle on a 3rd-and-2. But in more close matchups going forward against ACC opponents, Syracuse needs to find a way to move the chains.

Next up: Virginia Virginia has struggled offensively in its opening three games of the season, following a 34-point performance against Richmond with a 3-point outing versus Illinois.

The Cavaliers have the second-worst offense in the conference, struggling without Beck and Anae, who are now at SU. Brennan Armstrong has been somewhat of a highlight for the squad with 284 passing yards in its most recent win over Old Dominion. anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu

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september 19, 2022 11

SPORTS

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football

Next day: Shrader does enough

By Anish Vasudevan sports editor

Following his mother’s death, Courtney Jackson has become a starting wide receiver at SU through a relationship with his high school coach

By Alex Cirino senior staff writer

D

avid Williams rushed to Courtney Jackson’s house after hearing that Jackson’s mom, Jori, had gone into cardiac arrest.

Jackson, who just received the lifechanging phone call from his dad Derrick, was in the midst of a sub-six hour drive back to Monroeville, Penn, just weeks away from 2020’s training camp. Williams met him at the house, reassuring Jackson that he could always reach out to him.

Jackson has been accustomed to Williams’ offer for a long time. The wide receiver remains in constant communication with the people from his hometown who molded him into SU’s top receiving option on the depth chart. Whether it be studying tape or getting a confidence boost in early years at Syracuse, Jackson continues to lean on those closest to him, including during his transition from running back to receiver Jackson sends Williams his practice clips from training camp and during the season to see how he can improve his route running. Williams, a former wide receiver at Michigan State University, could always point out the small details of his game, such as adjusting his stem and his hips in and out of his break.

At Gateway (Penn.) High School, Williams was Jackson’s first specialized receiving coach. He started playing the position during his sophomore year since the Gators’ head coach, Don Holl, wasn’t sure where to play him. While Jackson had primarily played running back for most of his career, the Gators already had an established starter. see jackson page 10

COURTNEY JACKSON scored a Pennsylvania-best 24 touchdowns in his junior season at Gateway. hunter runk contributing photographer

volleyball

Setter Lauren Woodford key in SU offense

By Spencer Goldstein asst. digital editor

In order to practice with her Northern Lights Junior Volleyball team, then-13-year-old Lauren Woodford had a 75-mile round trip. She rode the bus from near her house to downtown Minneapolis, met her father, William Woodford, at the bus stop and

then drove with him to Burnsville, Minnesota.

When practice ended — sometimes after 10 p.m. — they drove all the way home. The travel created “really long days” for the family, William said, but it helped Woodford build independence at a young age.

“Doing things like riding a metro bus when she was 13 years old…

most kids would freak out at even the thought of doing that,” William said jokingly.

Woodford has a history of taking on extra responsibilities for volleyball, especially when it came to getting noticed by recruiters or recovering from injury. Woodford, now a senior with Syracuse, has stepped into an increased role for the team. This season, Woodford

has become the Orange’s primary setter, leading the team with 215 assists through 10 matches while splitting time with sophomore Riley Hoffman.

Syracuse head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam compared the setter to being a point guard for basketball and a quarterback for football, pointing to Woodford’s

see woodford page 10

Garrett Shrader launched into a 360 degree turn after receiving the snap from under center.

On the 4th-and-1, his first read wasn’t there — a pass in the flat to Sean Tucker. His second read wasn’t there either.

Shrader scanned the field while the Orange’s offensive line each took on one defender, noticing Oronde Gadsden II wide open on the left side. The third option confused Purdue’s defense after motions prior to the snap. Shrader missed Gadsden on the “same exact play” earlier in the second half. The throw was late and intercepted, though a penalty gave Syracuse the ball back. This time, Gadsden grabbed Shrader’s soft pass before pausing momentarily near the 20-yard line. He thought about going out of bounds, but Damien Alford cleared a path for him to tip-toe down the left sideline into the end zone. Gadsden’s first touchdown of the night gave the Orange their third lead of the game, paving the way for the last-second score from Gadsden eight minutes later. Shrader was impatient throughout the first half, taking off almost every time he didn’t see an option open when the Orange tried to spread the ball out. But changes to the offense allowed Syracuse to score 29 points in the second half and clinch its 3-0 start, even if the air raid wasn’t exceptional.

“I ran the ball more than I thought I would,” Shrader said.

“I wasn’t throwing the ball really well … just wasn’t ready to play.

We got our stuff working later and it was able to work out. ” Shrader said he wanted to throw on every play if he could, and Robert Anae and Jason Beck’s revamped offense have allowed him to air it out. But he faced Louisville, who allowed 27.3 points per game last season, and UConn, who had no chance talent-wise versus the Orange’s offense. Purdue’s defense was Shrader’s first real challenge, and he wasn’t prepared early on.

The halftime adjustments were immediately apparent on Syracuse’s first drive of the second half. Instead of running the ball, the Orange placed three receivers to the right of Shrader, having Tucker run a dump-off route to the left side for another option.

Shrader received the snap, continuing to look for an open receiver before looking back at Tucker. None appeared due to Purdue’s man coverage. On a 3rdand-20 moments later, Shrader’s pass to Courtney Jackson in the middle of the field was tipped.

see next day page 10