Countenance Magazine Spring 2019

#HIM TOO PAGE 24

ALSO INSIDE: THE GRID THE LAST SHOW TRIPLE MAJOR: ONE BUSY STUDENT CUTTING THE CORD THE COACH

CO N T E N T S

:: COUNTENANCE :::::::::::::::: 4 The Grid

Cheaper than an apartment, a close walk to campus, and the neighbors are separated by more than a shared wall. The Grid neighborhood in Greenville is home to students and property owners alike. But the increased freedom also comes with responsibilities. Story by Angel DeJesus and Kate Lund. Photos

by Thomas Weybrecht.

10 Triple Threat

ECU senior Jon Cockerham starts his day early and ends it late.

He’s one of those students who makes campus organizations thrive. Story by Rowan Zeidan. Photos by Kaitlynn Carr.

»» p. 4

14 The Last Show

Many high school teachers form unforgettable bonds with their students, especially when they lead extracurricular activities such as band. When they move on, they leave a hole that’s hard to fill.

Story by Samantha Boyette.

18 The Coach »» p. 14

»» p. 14

Tyreek Dupree had high hopes for basketball, but a health issue cut short those dreams. At 20, he found a different path back into the game. Story and photos by Ben Oke-Bello.

24 #HimToo

Dance, and the occasional identity transformation, have been Tyreel Simpson’s way of surviving the horror of childhood sexual assault. Story and photos by Danyel Beaver.

28 Cutting the Cord

Cutting the Cord: Older generations are now following the example of their grown kids and are abandoning their cable and satellite television contracts in favor of digital streaming. Story by Dylan Johnson.

»» p. 18

2 Countenance Spring 2019

Countenance (Vol. 3, Issue 1) is a general longform feature magazine produced by students in the School of Communication at East Carolina University. The articles were written by students in the Fall 2018 Feature Writing and Indepth Reporting – Capstone classes taught by Cindy Elmore and Brian Massey. The magazine was designed by students in the Spring 2019 Desktop Publishing class, taught by Barbara Bullington. Funding for the magazine was provided by the ECU School of Communication and the College of Fine Arts and Communication. Questions or feedback can be addressed to Cindy Elmore at Elmorec@ecu.edu or 252-328-5306. »» p. 24

Countenance design team: Blessing Aghimien, Leah Andrews, Hannah Bailey, Kaitlyn Carr, Chase Carroll, Sunny Collins, Miranda Dellipizzi, Morgan Evans, Kaitlyn Graden, Erika Johnson, Morgan Murray, Benjamin Oke-Bello, Carter Stephenson, Michael Taylor, Kayla Watford, Sierra Williams, Olin Wynn »» p. 28 Front cover photo: ECU photo by Rhett Butler

»» p. 10

Spring 2019 Countenance 3

T H E

G R I D 4  Countenance Spring 2019

The livin’ is (mostly) easy in this student enclave.

"The Grid neighborhood extends from the northern boundary of ECU’s campus up to the banks of the Tar River and has a reputation so legendary, it’s almost comparable to the Wild West."

by Angel DeJesus and Kate Lund photography by Thomas Weybrecht

Drone photo taken from above Fourth and Lewis streets. Overlooks Fourth and Fifth street westward toward Uptown Greenville.

Spring 2019 Countenance 5

W

e’ve all heard stories about the popular Greenville neighborhood known as “The Grid.”

Project X-inspired house parties, stray cats, scummy landlords and home conditions that scream, “I need a makeover!”

6 Countenance Spring 2019

We know all about leaky roofs and questionable plumbing, but no matter how many horror stories circulate about The Grid, many ECU students, non-student renters and owner-occupants continue to call the area home.

The Grid neighborhood extends from the northern boundary of ECU’s campus up to the banks of the Tar River and has a reputation so legendary, it’s almost comparable to the Wild West.

The area’s checkered history may steer away some students, but the unique lifestyle of The Grid includes benefits for many others, like senior Sam Curren. He says living on the Grid is ideal for his schedule.

“How far is here from campus, like a block? I mean my girlfriend lives at the Bellamy (a 10-minute drive from campus) and has to catch a bus here and says if she misses the bus, she just misses her class…And I’m three blocks away from downtown, my drunk ass can stumble (home),” Curren says.

The immediate appeal of The Grid’s proximity to campus and Greenville’s uptown district is a selling point for students, non-student renters and homeowners alike.

Bob Thompson, a retired ECU political science professor, and his wife Marie Pokorny, a retired ECU nursing professor, live in the house they own just down the block from campus.

There is both increased freedom, but also a need to know about rights and responsibilities in off campus areas, such as The Grid.

“If you’re living in the Grid, you ha ve a lot of different expectations, like w hen you’re supposed to have your trash out, no inside furniture outside, those ty pes of things that students need to know but most of the time they don’t.”

“I used to work in (the) Spillman (building). It was 127 steps from my front door to that building,” Thompson says.

“He said he married me for parking,” Pokorny adds, laughing.

For many of its student residents, The Grid also provides more freedom than apartments and other living options. Savannah Farrington is an ECU student and first-year Grid resident who says she prefers living in The Grid after her experience in an apartment at The Landing.

In The Grid, “You’re with all your friends and you don’t have to really mind other people,” she says. “I feel like we don’t make a lot of noise, but in my apartment everything annoyed my neighbors. Even just waking up early in the morning and walking to the refrigerator. They would leave notes on our door and stuff. That was a little weird.”

With this increased freedom comes a new set of responsibilities. Brandy Daniels, assistant director of housing operations for off-campus living, says that students should be aware of these responsibilities before deciding to live in a Grid house.

That includes city housing codes to which renters and owners must adhere.

“If you’re living in the Grid, you have a lot of different expectations, like when you’re supposed to have your trash out, no

Intersection of Jarvis and Third, in a parking lot across from Christy’s Europub and Jarvis Street Bottle Shop.

inside furniture outside, those types of things that students need to know but most of the time they don’t,” Daniels says.

Carlton Dawson, a supervisor for the City of Greenville Code Enforcement division, says his department seeks to work with Grid residents in a peaceful and voluntary manner. Code enforcement encourages awareness of neighborhood expectations and city ordinances.

“There is a district called the ECU district and ECU helps pay for that one code enforcement position, which encompasses the Grid and other areas near the university…Our job is to preserve property values as a whole, and when we see a property that’s either being torn up by students or neglected by the property owner, to make repairs or keep the tenants in line, that’s when we come in,” Dawson says.

“We start trying to work with folks in a voluntary manner,” he says. “But we’ll quickly step it up as necessary, with citations and that sort of thing.”

Dawson says his office focuses on preventive work in the community and being visible to students with a friendly, proactive approach.

“Being in a university area, that’s something we have to deal with. You’re going to have parties, but if you’re going to have a designated driver, you’ve got to have a designated cleanup person,” Dawson says.

Beth Thompson is an ECU biology professor and Grid owner-occupant who agrees with the efforts to improve the Grid lifestyle. She even has a few suggestions.

Spring 2019 Countenance 7

“I think there’s lots of things that could be done to make the neighborhood better; the lack of sidewalks is abysmal,” she says. “I’ve lived and worked in lots of university communities (such as University of Wisconsin-Madison and Rice University), and the area near campus is often some of the most desirable places for both students and professionals, and I would like to see this neighborhood become that.”

Thompson and her husband currently serve on the Neighborhood Association board and want to improve the presentation of the neighborhood, but she also says they love the atmosphere and have had only minor issues with students as neighbors. In fact, Thompson says she doesn’t mind the students and believes that negligent landlords are mostly to blame for the neighborhood’s image.

“I’d really like to see a mix of owner-occupants and rentals, so it really saddens me to see houses go to rentals with landlords who don’t keep up their properties, which is not necessarily a reflection of the students. I think students are being taken advantage of pretty badly in this neighborhood,” says Thompson.

“The worst that happened to us was we had some guy come knock on our door at like 3 in the morning and he was like, ‘Are you gonna let me in?’ and my husband was like, ‘You

don’t live here.’ He got up and he walked down the street. I think he was just a block over,” Thompson says.

For students, the appeal of life in The Grid is not only the location, but the fact that it is generally cheaper than many apartment complexes and other alternatives in Greenville.

According to Daniels, most houses in The Grid are $300 to $500 per month with an additional $75 to $100 split among the roommates for utilities.

Though prices maybe be affordable for some, many students living in The Grid have found that problems with landlords are fairly common. Issues like appliances in need of repair, mold inside homes and disputes with absentee landlords who are nearly impossible to get in touch with have plagued many Grid renters.

Curren, the ECU senior, had his own unfortunate experience with an absentee landlord. “I had mold in the house I lived in for two years [on South Harding Street], and we had black mold in every room of the house for two years, no matter how hard people scrubbed, and that was fun.” Curren said he tried to get a hold of his landlord but the issue was never fixed.

Seamus Fox is another student who says that communication with landlords can be troublesome, especially during

A major appeal of The Grid is its proximity to the East Carolina University campus — allowing many students who live in the area the freedrom of not having to rely on bus travel, driving long distances or owning a car. However, some lament the lack of sidewalks.

8 Countenance Spring 2019

financial disputes when landlords may owe students money.

“We didn’t even get security deposits back. We’re still waiting on that,” says Fox. Some of the landlords who own and rent out property in the Grid do not live close enough to manage their own properties, so students may need assistance tracking them down.

Dawson says Code Enforcement has its own way of dealing with absentee landlords if city ordinances are being violated.

“If we were starting a code case and our first point of contact was the property manager,” he says, “we would send the property owner a certified letter, stating the facts of the code case and we would copy the manager. That gets things done a lot quicker.”

If a situation between a student and a Grid landlord reaches a level that might require further legal action such as small claims court, Daniels says ECU students could turn to the university for help.

“Every student who pays student fee dollars has free access to legal advice through an attorney in Greenville, Jeffrey Blick," says Daniels. “So sometimes (our office is) kind of turning students toward their resources that they don’t know about.”

Blick has worked with ECU since 2014 and gives stu-

dents free legal advice when dealing with issues related to off-campus housing. He does not personally handle cases for students, but he listens to them and advises them about their options.

He says that the most important thing any renter can do is to thoroughly read the lease, because ultimately this is what binds spoken word and practice.

“You gotta remember that a lease is a written contract written up by an attorney or somebody who has done this quite a bit and every time there is a loophole they fix it,” Blick says. “What you want to do is come to some sort of resolution. You don’t want to go to court, you don’t want them to try and evict you or come after you for the money.

So normally what I tell kids (is) just realize it’s a contract, it’s 'he said, she said'.”

According to Daniels, Dawson and Blick, proper research and careful planning can help renters continue to enjoy their stay in the Grid, whether it’s for a semester, four years or a lifetime.

The Thompsons are in The Grid for the long haul. Asked if he ever would want to relocate, Bob Thompson looks at his wife Marie, and says, “As long as we can walk up the steps, we’ll be here.” n

Students who rent in any area, including The Grid, are advised that the most important thing they can do is thoroughly read a lease agreement before signing it. Every ECU student who pays student fee dollars has free acess to legal advice through an attorney in Greenville.

it y s r e v i n u of s t s i o l s u n i p d m e ca rk r o a w e r n d o n f a a e s r e d a c e a e v l i h l “I’ve nities, and t st desirable p d I would commuome of the moofessionals, an e that.” often s udents and pr orhood becom both stsee this neighb like to

Spring 2019 Countenance 9

10  Countenance Spring 2019

by Rowan Zeidan

photography by Kaitlyn Carr These over-involved students keep organizations running and are the lifeline of an active college community, gathering the attention of other students to join.

I

t’s 4 p.m. on a rainy Wednesday afternoon on

East Carolina University’s main campus. Stu-

since his move to Greenville from his hometown

of Raleigh in 2015. He first got involved with the

dents are leaving their mid-afternoon classes,

LGBTQ+ resource office his freshman year but want-

day. Cockerham stands in the Starbucks at Dowdy

“I didn’t want to be seen as just gay; I wanted to be

while senior Jon Cockerham continues his 9-to-7

Student Center, alone, awaiting a grande “Pink

Drink.”

He picks up his Starbucks drink and sits across

from the counter, slurping it and looking at the rain trickle down the glass building, watching the day

ed to branch out in his student activities.

more involved with ECU, and all of my involvement has helped me break out of my shell and become

more articulate,” he says.

Cockerham is a communication, political science

and French triple major, and holds a 3.2 cumulative

turn into night.

GPA. The French major is a recent addition. The two

hour break in between class and his late afternoon

France strengthened his French skills and passion to

walks in.

he will graduate a semester late. He intends to

He’s a frequent visitor at Starbucks during his one-

activities, testing out a new beverage every time he “I’ve never ordered this drink before. I’m ex-

cited…oh wait, these strawberries aren’t

actually real strawberries. That’s upsetting,” Cockerham says, after taking his first sip, picking away the freeze-dried strawberries.

Cockerham is well-in-

volved on ECU’s

campus and has been

summers he spent studying abroad in La Rochelle,

earn a major in the language, even though it means spend his last semester abroad in Tours, France, af-

ter receiving both the Thomas W. Rivers scholarship,

and Paschal and Perry scholarship for study abroad students.

Getting things done

The 21-year-old can be found anywhere on cam-

pus, from helping classmates to assisting his own

professors. For three hours of the week during the

fall semester, he assisted a French III course and for

another three hours, he sat in on a French literature Spring 2019Countenance 11 Countenance 11 Spring 2019

course he was not signed up for, just to better his accent. “I

got caught up one day in the literature course because there

was a guest speaker and the professor then showed a movie for two hours, but, hey, I got engagement credit hours for

French Club,” he says.

When Cockerham is not involved with the French depart-

ment, he is the lone student worker for Student Activities

and Organizations six hours per week; and each Wednes-

day for two hours, he is the director of equity and cultural affairs for the Student Government Association. On top of that, he is the president of a new fraternity on campus, Pi

Lambda Phi, which takes up most of his free time outside of school, from going to the intramural games to supporting

his fraternity at off-campus events. Aside from an 18 cred-

it-hour semester most students might dread, Cockerham’s schedule is normal for him, though it comes at a cost.

“Oh, I don’t get any sleep at all,” he says.

Cockerham and many other college students choose to

major in several degree programs because they are unable

to narrow down what they want to study. While more than

1,000 ECU students had a double major as of Fall 2018, triple

Cockerham leads the weekly meetings with other

majors like Cockerham are still rare. He was one of just

committee members. He is in charge of creating events

course load of school work comes an overachieving involve-

bating Prejudice,” is quite familiar to Cockerham since it

24 triple majors at ECU last fall. For some, along with the ment with extracurricular activities outside of class, yet

for the association, and this month’s event topic, “Comis the motto of his fraternity, and coincidentally, SGA is

Cockerham wishes he hadn’t become one of those students.

teaming up with Pi Lambda Phi for a related event.

relations and French degree, I wouldn’t have even bothered

Starbucks to the Rivers building, Cockerham passes

“If I knew that I could do international affairs with a public

majoring in political science, but now I’m too far into my

degree to drop it,” he says.

Students like Cockerham are often the reason campus

organizations accomplish anything. These over-involved students keep organizations running and are the lifeline

of an active college community, gathering the attention of other students to join.

As he focuses on picking away the dismal looking straw-

berries in his drink, Cockerham’s iPhone lights up with

notifications, one after the other within seconds. He swipes

away the pop-up banners as if they were specks of dust,

As he takes his weekly five-minute stroll from the

by familiar faces, one after the other, after the other...all

speaking to him—from fraternity brothers asking if he

will be at their game, to his homecoming court partner, Rebecca Parada, who won homecoming queen. All of them know the busy senior.

In the fall, Cockerham was nominated by his frater-

nity brothers to be a representative on the homecoming

court. Later on, Cockerham was voted by ECU students as one of the top five kings of homecoming, but he did not win the crown.

and moves on to his laptop, staring at the urgent emails

Planning to fight prejudice

seconds roll by.

side of the building, and breathes in wafts of the aroma

he needs to respond to before 5 p.m., typing away as the Soon he gets up from Dowdy and walks to the Rivers

building for a Student Government Association meeting.

12 Countenance Spring 2019

He rambles into Rivers, passes through the culinary

coming from the kitchen that hospitality students use

for cooking practice. He steps up to the second floor and

walks into the room where his committee members are to meet.

An empty Chick-fil-A bag sits in the back of the class-

room. Carolina Panthers socks turned inside-out are

laying underneath a professor’s computer desk, and oddly

enough, a fuchsia colored dog bone toy is to the right of the

desktop.

Cockerham sits down at a desk in the center of the room,

away from the previous professor’s miscellany. He puts

on his official name-tag for this certain meeting which

reads “Jon Cockerham, Director of Equity and Intercultural Outreach.”“It’s supposed to say intercultural affairs, not

outreach, but I’m not going to complain,” he says.

It’s 5:17 p.m. and the last three SGA members arrive.

Cockerham commences the meeting with a protocol opening that bores the committee, signaling groans around the

room. He asks one member to take notes, and, as she takes out her laptop, Cockerham describes the upcoming busy

It’s almost 6 p.m. and Cockerham enters the conference

room where the grand SGA student assembly takes place.

The room fills with chatter from the 52 members present.

Every member is dressed professionally and Cockerham

feels that he is underdressed wearing an SGA button-up,

khakis and brown loafers. Cockerham picks up his official name card and sits in the front row, patiently waiting for

the meeting to start so that, for once, he is not the leader, but the listener.

The time on the overhead projector rolls to 6 p.m. and the

SGA speaker bangs the gavel on the desk, causing the room

to go silent. The speaker of the assembly does a roll count,

and announces “Cockerham,” which elicits a booming

“here” from Cockerham that surpasses every other “here” in the meeting. This week’s assembly is to approve the

minutes and nominate new representatives. No one in the meeting is paying as much attention as Cockerham, who

sits eagerly waiting to have the events he has organized ap-

week at the end of November.

proved for the end of November. Cockerham gets called up

important dates and what activity will happen on each day.

about prejudice.

on each of the 30 square boxes for the month of November.

from the gavel, Cockerham gets up to mingle with the

As the meeting continues, Cockerham mentions the

He pulls up a calendar on his laptop and blue tabs pop up

to the front and tells everyone about the upcoming events The meeting adjourns at 6:23 p.m. with another pound

He scans through his booked calendar to notify the mem-

other members and quickly goes to his next task. At 7 p.m.,

all stare back at him blankly, instantly forgetting what will

potential members to become part of the brotherhood.

write down everything Cockerham says.

A little time to relax

bers about the dates and asks if anyone has questions. They

happen on each day. The student note taker struggles to

“Can you just send dates in the group chat?” another asks.

Cockerham realizes that none of them are paying atten-

tion. So they start joking around, getting off topic, talking

about everything from French to how Cockerham is on the

“Greenville 25 Under 25” list.

“I’m number 19, if numbers even mean anything, so…”

he says, gloatingly.

Cockerham and the committee crew leave the classroom

full of laughter and head to their next destination, the SGA board meeting. The members decide to take the elevator

he is needed at his fraternity house to proctor a test for

It’s after 9 p.m. and Cockerham finally gets to his apart-

ment after a busy 12-hour day. He takes a breather and sits

down to do his homework and eat dinner. He finally has

time to himself to relax. He goes to bed at midnight, knowing that he will not get the healthy eight-hour rest that he

desperately needs. But, whenever a sleepy-eyed Cocker-

ham is seen around campus from the French department to

the SGA office to the fraternity, he and his many titles are

always there to help. n

and Cockerham decides to go alone down the stairs. He

pulls out a little royal blue bottle the size of a pill, opens it up and rubs it on his hand, then smells his hand and

lets out a sigh. “I’ve been an essential oil kind of guy. It’s soothing. This one is lemon scented, or citron in French,”

he says.

Spring 2019 Countenance 13

The Final

Performance

Following a popular high school band director on the last day with his students

by Samantha Boyette

F

ollowed by a daily morning groan, the red alarm clock that sits on his nightstand alerts Ryan Spell that it is

time to begin his day. He extends his arm out as far as his body will let him, gently tapping the square stop button on top. With a long, heavy sigh, he pulls the fluffy, grey bedspread off and gets ready for his day.

At 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 10, Spell, a 40-year-old band director

at North Johnston High School, brews his dark blend coffee and prepares for his 30-minute drive to the school. Pulling the door handle, he gets in the car robotically, placing his black coffee cup in first, followed by sitting in the little

Honda driver seat, buckling up for the ride while finishing 14 Countenance Spring 2019

his routine by starting the car. Before pulling out of the

driveway, he says that music is the only way to survive this trip twice a day, five days a week. Soon, classical, rock and fun classic tunes fill the car, as well as Spell's boisterous voice singing lyrics as loud as he can.

At moments he is excited, singing upbeat tunes and sip-

ping coffee between each solo moment. Other times, he sits quietly, his face still, as if having multiple thoughts racing into each other inside of his head.

“Today is so important to me,” he says with a more

solemn tone. “I have to cherish it because it is my last day with all of my kids.”

North Johnston High School band students performing

Walking into North Johnston’s band

room, students leap toward the door to tell Spell "hello" as fist bumps are exchanged. A loud roar of noise is

uniforms, each holding a hard hat

adorned with a bleached white, upright feathered plume.

A sense of sadness fills the room,

overcome by laughter that fills the

a weight laying heavily over ev-

‘memes’ found the night before or silly

continue to stay positive, making it a

room, conversations consisting of new jokes made before arriving.

Today, a Saturday, they are each

clothed in bright red marching band

erybody’s mood. But the students

great morning no matter what the day holds.

For the five seniors, the entire

30-person team, the three staff members and Spell, today is a cold and

dreary final marching band compe-

tition. In 41 days, they will leave this

empty band room and walk into their

winter break, knowing that when they

come back for their classes in 2019, the room will remain empty. In January,

there will be no band director, staff or band program waiting for them.

Spell walks into his office in the Spring 2019 Countenance 15

“Being a teacher can be easy.

Anyone can stand up here and teach a kid what to do. But being personable, being kind, and showing that you care about each and every one of them, that’s what’s hard.”

Ryan Spell with student Haleigh Mooring. photo courtesy of Samantha Boyette

far-left corner of the room. Behind the antique brown door

Getting ready, one last time

brown boxes stacked along the wall, waiting to be trans-

of the room sits a girl waiting to board the bus. Olivia

reading “Ryan Spell: Band Director” on a plaque lie 10 ported to another place.

He sits down in his office chair, sipping the last few drops

of his cold coffee, and enjoys his final moment of rest before a long and tiring day. He talks sporadically, hopping from

conversation to conversation while waving his hands from side to side as if to further explain what he is saying.

Spell is not leaving because he wants to, but because

Fiddling with a chipped drumstick in the far right corner Padgett, a 17-year-old senior who is both a percussionist and color guard member, has been in the program for

four years. Today is the last time she will perform with

her newfound friends and favorite band director. “Spell is always there for us,” she says, “I go to him when I have a hard day—he’s just that kind of guy.”

Feet shuffle left and right in a hurry to get dressed.

administrators have assigned him to another school.

Girls sit in the middle of the floor, frantically fixing each

ried for our kids,” says 47-year-old band parent Kristy

feet, previously guiding them in the process of applying

“Since he’s leaving suddenly, all of us parents are wor-

Padgett. Slumped over in a small red school chair, she

stares at the white iPhone sitting in her hands. She is still

taken aback about Spell leaving the program and says that

he really helped her daughter both with being in band and outside of the band. “Spell is truly a great role model for

both the kids and the parents. It’s a shame to see him go."

16 Countenance Spring 2019

other’s hair into tight ballerina buns. Mirrors lie at their layers of makeup on their faces.

The boys prop themselves onto carts on the edge of the

room, joking with one another about doing their makeup and hair, slyly flirting with the girls.

With five minutes left until they are to board the bus,

Spell claps his hands vigorously as if he were trying to round up a herd of animals.

Quickly gathering the kids on to the white and blue

With the start of the drum major’s whistle, the string

school activity bus, he checks to make sure no one has for-

of melodies, pitches and musical notes create a show. Ten

out papers to make sure he is right on time. While looking

by loud cheers from the parents and viewers in the

gotten anything. He waits patiently, fiddling with his worn at each student, he laughs awkwardly under his breath, hesitating to even say anything afterward.

“Being a teacher can be easy. Anyone can stand up here

and teach a kid what to do. But being personable, being

kind, and showing that you care about each and every one of them, that’s what’s hard,” says Spell.

The final performance

minutes fly by and the performance is finished, followed

stands. Spell stands by the rusted entrance gate with wet eyes and a single tear streak running down his cheek. “I told myself I wouldn’t cry,” he says while laughing in embarrassment.

He leans over and hugs Glenn, who is also emotional

from the final performance. “I’m gonna miss you man,” says Glenn, patting Spell’s back.

No matter the overall score for the performance or the

Arriving onto West Johnston High School’s campus are

placement they get out of the competition, Spell says it

parking lot. The sound of musical notes fill the air as hun-

30 kids rush to the activity bus. Jumping, laughing and

buses and kids in uniforms around every corner of the

dreds of kids tune their instruments to the coldness. Stepping off of the bus and into the auditorium of the small, blue and white vintage high school, Spell checks his 30

students into the competition. Immediately, the loud, play-

is a big day for everyone. And at the end of the night, all ready to go back home after a long day, they have accomplished the serious act and now are back to being their carefree selves.

Spell drives the activity bus home, filling the air with

ful kids turn into a serious professional team of soldiers.

conversations of different memories from the past four

other systematically and forming into a line as quietly as

kids to stay in the band room before leaving.

They grab their equipment fluidly, walking around each

possible. They are trained to be tuned into their surround-

years. Slowly arriving back at North Johnston, he tells the

ings once they step off the bus, showing everyone else that

Saying goodbye

go home at the end of the day.

office and reaches into one of the brown boxes, pulling

they are there for no other reason than to do their job and

Three hours pass and they form into a single line near a

rusted brown gate to enter the faded grey-toned football field. Ready to perform, equipment in hand, and nerves racing with cheers from the crowd in the distance, Spell

yells at the kids to make a circle around him. They huddle

like a group of football players, reaching their hands inside toward the middle. “Make this one count!” Spell yells with great enthusiasm. “I love each and every one of you!”

They all scream and holler and raise their hands, reach

Sitting there confused, they see that he walks into his

out individual bags of candy. He throws the bags around, handing out chocolates, chewy snacks and more. The

kids are in awe of the parting gifts but are left saddened by it being his final act of kindness. “Right now is the

last time we will be in this room together and today was the last time you will perform with these same people,

so thank you for an amazing season,” says Spell, holding back more tears.

As if they were attending a wake, each student stands

to grasp their equipment and steel themselves to take the

with pride, giving an individual hug followed by a

field, Spell and his staff member, Jaylan Glenn, the 23-year-

join the goodbyes.

field for their final performance. As the students fill the

old percussion director, look at each other and smile. Spell

“thank you” for Spell’s work and friendship. Parents also After everyone is gone and the room is silent, Spell

loves teaching. No matter the complications, Spell is still

drearily walks toward the door, turning off the lights and

students. Although it is his last show with North Johnston’s

empty black coffee mug and the fourth-place trophy that

a band director who spends night and day with these

band program, he knows he should enjoy the moment, because at the end of the day no one can take away the special bond he has created with these kids.

making sure no belongings are left behind. He holds his was earned out of nine bands that day.

With a slight grin, he turns to lock the band door be-

hind him and continues to his 30-minute drive home. n Spring 2019 Countenance 17

by Ben Oke-Bello

Having to give t being able to keep Noup playing ying basketball at the pla basketball at level didn't keep legiate colthe collegiate dedicated athlete from this level didn't ring his love of the shakeep this e. gam dedicated athlete from sharing his love of the game.

Gotta practice what you preach,” Tyreek Dupree repeated over and over, almost as if it was a

mantra. “You can’t tell people to work hard in the gym or the classroom, and not be able to relate to what they’re going through.”

Sweat splashed to the floor, each drop alternat-

ing with the two basketballs 20-year-old Dupree simultaneously pounded into the ground. Each 18 Countenance Spring 2019

photo courtesy of Tyreek Dupree

photo by Ben Oke-Bello

Coach Dupree stands and the Pitt Community College bench is jubilant after making a big-time play against Guilford Tech.

He took a deep breath after

plopping the last ball in the

“You can’t tell people to work hard in the gym or the classroom, and not be able to relate to what they’re going through.”

cage, stepping out to the court, where he would officially be

“Coach Dupree” in only a few hours as the PCC (Pitt Com-

munity College) Men’s Basket-

bounce of the balls echoed in the gym as Pitt Community

ball team held its first official practice of the season.

of the last stragglers from the free play period in the main

loudly into a rhythmic beat. Clad in a slightly baggy yellow

College Head Coach Darrick Mullins ushered out some gymnasium.

“C’mon now,” Mullins said, while giving fist bumps

to some of the students who thank him on their way out.

“The gym is closed. Don’t y’all have classes to go to?”

Dupree paused his dribbling routine that seemed as if it

As if on cue, the now-closed gym doors were drummed

sweater, almost swallowing his tattered skinny jeans, which were neatly cuffed at the tongues of his red velvet-colored

Air Jordans, Dupree’s best friend, Tamik Smallwood, another PCC student, stepped in.

belonged in a Harlem Globetrotter game to pick up a bas-

We’re Gonna Make It

in, narrowly avoiding stepping on one of the soccer balls,

2A state basketball championship while playing together at

ketball that was rolled to the equipment closet. He walked Frisbees and basketballs oozing out of the designated cage.

The two had been best friends for years, winning the 2016

Farmville Central High School. It only felt right to Small-

Spring 2019 Countenance 19

photo by Ben Oke-Bello

Dupree watches over the practice from the right side, offering suggestions while playing the role of referee during a scrimmage.

wood that he would enroll at PCC after receiving the news that his friend would be transferring in as a student, as well as an assistant coach.

Over the years, Smallwood and Dupree had a routine

that was frequent during the summer, which consisted of Dupree performing an array of moves and shots that he

had taken note of after watching player highlights of NBA star Kyrie Irving. Sometimes Dupree set up cones, chairs, trash cans or any object that could simulate a defender in order to gain the confidence needed to try the moves in

Dupree nodded and wiped some of the sweat from his

face as his royal blue T-shirt appeared to be almost black

from afar, damp with plenty of perspiration. His grey joggers were nearly one with his legs, covered in dark sweat

spots. He sat on the bottom step of the stairs to the weight room and unlaced his all-white Kevin Durant sneakers.

He then reached into his backpack, draped in the letters, “W.G.M.I.,” and changed his soaked T-shirt with a fresh white one, which also sported “W.G.M.I.”

“We’re Gonna Make It,” Smallwood explained, as

games. All that time he put into the game was not in vain,

Dupree caught his breath and chugged down water.

lege in Banner Elk, North Carolina, where he committed

accomplished.”

as Dupree was offered a scholarship to Lees-McRae Colto play following his senior season in 2016.

Dupree has since kept up the routine as a way to stay

in shape, and to experience firsthand what types of drills he would put his trainees and players on the PCC roster through.

“Yo bro,” Smallwood said as he caught one of Dupree’s

shots out of the net. “It’s almost three now.”

20 Countenance Spring 2019

“With hard work, whatever you put your mind to can be It was not long ago that Dupree thought he would not

be around the game of basketball again. In the weeks

leading up to his high school graduation, Dupree was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor.

“Classic case of wrong place, wrong time,” Dupree

recalled. “Hanging with the wrong people, making the

wrong choices.” After being released and moving in with

“With hard work, whatever you put your mind to can be accomplished.” his grandparents, Dupree developed a sharpened focus.

“I saw how fast everything could be taken away,” he added, shaking his head.

Targeting his studies and the rare opportunity to play

collegiate sports, Dupree was determined to devote a

heightened amount of effort into both, spending so much time in the gym and study hall that the days began to mesh together.

“Man, it’s already been a long day, bro,” Dupree said,

sighing, as he walked to the door of his car. “Been on

campus since my 8 o’clock class until I was finally done for the day at 12:50. Got right in the gym after that.”

After only one year of collegiate

High school seniors Jahzeer Baker and Jahmois

Barnhill frequently would contact Dupree about training opportunities, and this day was no different, with

Dupree cracking a smile as the notification “Hurry Up” appeared on his phone screen from Jahzeer.

The car doors slammed shut, limiting the jokes and

reminiscences of the years Dupree and Smallwood have spent together to everyone who was along for the ride.

They were heading to “The Dungeon,” where Dupree’s transformation into “Coach Dupree” began in summer 2017.

He trained plenty of high school and collegiate athletes at that very gym nestled so far into

the woods of Greenville that the building

basketball under his belt, Dupree

itself was beginning to look like a tree.

received the news from doctors that

Dupree granted the gym the Dungeon

he had a heart murmur that would

moniker because of its outward appear-

affect his ability to perform at a

ance and the connotation to the gruel-

high level on the basketball court. In

the following weeks, Dupree was no

longer able to play for Lees-McRae and

was eventually released. It was recommend-

ing work that the players inside would

undergo. The gym was owned by the

church up the road, but Dupree maintained

much of the upkeep with money given to him

ed that he limit his activity for a while, but during

from the numerous players he prepared for game time.

without at least one person working on a jump shot.

gym’s speakers, Jahzeer and Jahmois were put through

along with his buddies to watch them play five-on-five,

self through earlier that day.

the summer, one is hard pressed to find a basketball court Dupree’s sanctuary was the gym, and as he tagged

he could not help but notice small nuances in the game

Right after Dupree hooked his phone into one of the

different types of drills, similar to what Dupree put himThe two had played travel ball in the summer with

such as the movement of the players, and what moves

Team ENC, a team Dupree had taken over as head

note of what he viewed, whether he was watching the

in high-profile tournaments in front of some of the most

would work, and which would not. Dupree began to take younger kids in the neighborhood hoop or professionals in the NBA. He would rebound for his friends and

eventually began ushering assistance to players from the sidelines and posting clips of the games onto his social

media pages. He began to grow a following online, and requests for training from “Coach Dupree” came more frequently.

coach. Dupree immediately registered the team to play

recognizable college coaches in the country, such as Roy Williams from the University of North Carolina, and

even Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke. In one tourna-

ment alone, three of the players Dupree regularly trained were able to pick up multiple scholarship offers from

Murray State, East Carolina and South Carolina State, among others.

Spring 2019 Countenance 21

As the workout neared an end, Dupree continued to spew

words of encouragement no matter how many shots the two

buzzer went off.

The first home game of PCC’s 2018–19 basketball season

players missed, or how many times the ball was fumbled.

was in a week’s time. The freshmen were recently intro-

lowered the volume on the music and motioned to huddle

sophomores aspired to go out with a bang and reach the

As Jahzeer ripped the net on his final free throw, Dupree

the two athletes together.

“Wait,” Jahzeer interrupted, grabbing the ball and launch-

ing it high into the air, waiting a second to watch it bounce

and charging after it. He clutched it in mid-air and powered it through the rim, letting out a scream. “W.G.M.I., man!”

He high-fived Dupree, Smallwood and his workout partner,

duced to a collegiate workload and competition, and the National Junior College Athletic Association Division Two Championship Game. All of the 16 players were recruited

to perform well as a unit, and some of the players wanted to play well enough to receive an opportunity to transfer to play at a four-year institution.

One player, Khalif Harper, graduated from Ayden-Grif-

Jahmois.

ton High School in 2015 with accolades stemming from

wanted to hire him for training, Dupree changed his social

a little while, I didn't know what I would do,” Harper

As Dupree’s following grew, and more and more players

media handles to “W.G.M.I Reek.” With the slogan, “We’re Gonna Make It,” Tyreek Dupree wanted to stress the im-

portance of hard work when it came to reaching goals and

multiple sports, but grades were holding him back. “For said. Mullins was able to see Harper play in-person, as Ayden-Grifton was not far down the road from Pitt.

“He was very athletic,” Mullins, the head coach, said.

stressing positivity even when times seemed bleak.

He offered Harper an opportunity to play at PCC, where

A nonstop thing

continue to Elizabeth City State University.

Smallwood interrupted the chit-chat to pass Dupree his

Harper was able to boost his grade point average and

Harper remembers much of the time he spent around

phone, which had adamantly been ringing, signifying it

Dupree as the assistant coach began to lift his brand off

into his car and head to the official Pitt Community College

Dupree in an effort to sharpen his ball handling skills.

was 6 p.m. Dupree had to cut his spiel short to load his gear practice slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s a nonstop thing,” Dupree said, then shook his head

and paused. “Basketball, basketball, basketball. It’s all day long.” Even so, as he eased into his parking spot right in front of the gym at Pitt, he muttered, “I love it.”

The gym that was nearly silent earlier that morning erupt-

ed with noise all around as Dupree opened the door. Some of the guys who were shooting or stuffing themselves into

the ground. Harper spent many sessions training with

“Man, ‘Reek’ has been working so hard, and he’s really trying to help the people in the area,” Harper said.

One example of this happened following Team ENC’s

successful summer run. Dupree felt as if there was more

he could do to highlight many of the top Pitt County area high school basketball players and drum up excitement for the high school basketball season.

On May 6, 2018, the “WGMI Battle of the 252” was

their practice uniforms paused to give dap to Dupree, one of

played. Dupree organized the charity basketball game,

Dupree walked into the locker room and returned with a

to highlight 26 of the top high school basketball players

their newest assistant coaches, who proudly beamed.

PCC Basketball shirt and whistle he tooted a couple of times to let the players know practice was to begin. The three

assistant coaches gathered in the center of the court as head coach Mullins jogged out of his office and clapped as the

22 Countenance Spring 2019

which was played at his alma mater, Farmville Central, in the Pitt County area. He invited scouts and college

coaches to the event, one of whom was Mullins, who was interested in the man behind the event.

From that day on, Mullins and Dupree kept in contact,

and the head coach took Dupree

with him to a coaching conference where Dupree met his idol, Uni-

“It’s a nonstop thing.

Basketball, basketball, basketball. It’s all day long.” Even so, as he eased into his parking spot right in front of the gym at Pitt, he muttered, “I love it.”

versity of Pittsburgh Head Coach Jeff Capel. Capel was intrigued at how passionately Dupree spoke about the

game at his age. Dupree said that Capel, who had attend-

ed high school in nearby Fayetteville, stuck with him and further pushed his passion to get into coaching sports.

Mullins eventually offered Dupree the position of stu-

dent-assistant coach for PCC Men’s Basketball, including

helping to handle recruiting, which Dupree loves because he gets to travel and see many of the best players around the state.

“I’m so blessed to have this opportunity. I thank Coach

Mullins almost every day,” Dupree said, beaming. “He took me in under his wing and I’m learning so much from him and all of the other coaches.”

Dupree persistently seeks Mullins’ advice, often taking

notes about all of the basketball content he consumes. He

then tests it out firsthand, producing drills for the players.

Mullins, for his part, acknowledges Dupree’s hard

work. “He’s in the gym every day working on his craft,” Mullins said.

All business

As the constant chatter of the players practicing hard

on the court continued to climb in decibel levels, Coach Dupree seemed to be in a daze. Maybe he was thinking

about the homework he had to finish before falling asleep to basketball highlights on YouTube. Maybe he was

attempting to look stoic, and appear older than 20, since

there may be a player or two on the PCC team who is his elder. Maybe it was a look of relief, since his busy day in this gym was finally coming to an end.

The toothy grin Dupree had carried with him all day

formed into a tight, blank look, as he rolled the whistle

around in his mouth and instructed some of the first drills of the practice. He is all business on the court, and after

all, there was plenty of business to handle the next day.n

photo courtesy of Tyreek Dupree

Spring 2019 Countenance 23

It has been a long road for Simpson and his mother, but, these days, their relationship, his love for dance and his faith are helping him reach new heights.

#HimToo The electric school bell at Wintergreen Primary rings, cuing Tyreel Simpson and his fellow kindergarteners to form a single file line by the tan wooden classroom door. His tiny feet shuffle down the white brick hallways toward the cafeteria as he builds the courage to spend the next 20 minutes sharing a snack with his blonde, blue-eyed crush, Zachary. The class gets into formation and heads back to their room, eager for recess, which always follows lunch.

Simpson knows exactly what he will be playing.

24  Countenance Spring 2019

“I always tried to play wife and date him

because I’ve always just naturally been attracted to boys.”

From having crushes on boys in kindergar-

ten to playing house with them during recess, being gay for Simpson was always natural.

“Everybody kind of already knew,” Simpson recalled, and when he was in elementary

school, people frequently thought he was a girl.

“He’s a pretty boy. I mean, I’m cute. He

looks like me,” Yuwanda Matthewson, Simpson’s mother, said jokingly. “So I just have to accept people seeing that he’s a girl.”

Now 19, spunky and petite, Simpson stands

at just 5 feet tall with the pride of a giant.

With his soft feminine features and his tightly

curled hair always perfectly in place, he looks more like Matthewson’s twin brother than

her son. One would never know Simpson was once bullied about his weight when they see

his well-defined muscles and envious, subtle curves that he usually flaunts with a selfmade crop top.

On occasion, Simpson takes on a different

form, like a night out with his friends at East Carolina University. “Kennedy,” he calls

her, fits perfectly into a tight black dress, her childlike feet slipping into pumps with a

heel so skinny any girl would cringe at the

thought of walking in them. Simpson’s chocolate brown eyes hide behind thick liner and a set of fake eyelashes. Pair all of that with a voluminous, wavy black wig and Simp-

son transforms into the confident and sassy

“Kennedy Simpson,” a spitting image of his mother. Simpson and his mom share many

characteristics, not just their looks. “I see a lot

by Danyel Beaver

of myself in him,” Matthewson said. “He’s stubborn, he’s very stubborn.”

Simpson dancing, during the spring dance performance ECU photo by: Rhett Butler

A childhood nightmare Matthewson pointed out she was hard on Spring 2019 Countenance 25

her son when he was a child but just wanted what was best for him and wanted him to be the best he could be. Being

a single parent, Matthewson said she had to put on a hard

gan when he was 5 and continued on and off until partly through middle school.

“My Hawaiian swim shorts and a cute tight tank top,”

outer shell even when times were difficult, another charac-

Simpson said, recalling what he was wearing the first time

be why he didn’t tell me about what happened to him,”

one summer day at a cousin’s house while she ran errands.

teristic Simpson adopted from his mom. “I think that may Matthewson said of the events that drastically affected Simpson’s childhood.

When Simpson was in elementa-

ry and middle school, his mother

attended Pitt Community College.

Matthewson was sitting in one of

her psychology courses when police arrived, asked her to step outside and if she knew Tyreel Simpson.

“Yeah, that’s my son,” she responded. She immediately left class to

meet with her child and the police at the Tedi Bear Children’s Advo-

cacy Center. It was there that police

It was Simpson’s own relative who attacked him and then a couple years later, another relative chose to do the same.

“Everything happens for a reason and I realized [God] won’t put me through anything that I can’t bear.”

— Tyreel Simpson

explained what Matthewson’s child

had been enduring for several years from several different people.

He’d been raped.

“Growing up in my town you didn’t even hear about

rape, and I didn’t even know what to call it,” Simpson

stated. The series of rapes that happened to Simpson be-

26 Countenance Spring 2019

he was sexually assaulted. His mother had dropped him off

When a third person began at-

tacking him, Simpson said he finally had enough and began to fight

back. Simpson remembers his rapist chasing him through the woods,

but he finally caught Simpson. “I

pushed him, he punched me and I

don’t remember anything after that.

I woke up and knew something was wrong.” Simpson woke up in the

woods with a pain in his stomach.

Describing the graphic scene, he

said he rushed home because it felt

like he needed to use the bathroom, but when he sat down, all he saw was the toilet water turn red with blood.

Still not wanting his mom to know, Simpson repressed

his feelings until one day, at school, he finally told his

teacher. From there, Simpson’s process for justice began.

Two of his attackers were convicted and sent to jail. The

other was convicted and sent to a juvenile detention center.

cheered in high school, but dance was always his escape.

tionship with his mother changing. The two briefly grew

dance performance and has remained open about his past

Throughout the court battles, Simpson noticed his rela-

distant and never spoke to one another about what hap-

pened until recently. Before opening up about the incidents,

As a student at East Carolina University, Simpson studies

experience with several of his close friends and classmates.

“I will never forget working with him in a senior chore-

both Simpson and his mother struggled internally with

ography piece,” King Alston, a fellow dance student and

“It's like a living nightmare. I go through it every day.

about vulnerability and growth. In the piece, the dancers

their grief.

Every time I see him, I see that 4-year-old, that 6-year-old,

I see that child and I can’t,” Matthewson said hesitating, a tear rolling down her face. She looked at her son and said simply, “I can’t save him.”

Simpson knew his mother blamed herself and knew she

was suffering from the events he had endured. “She’s never

friend of Simpson’s, recalled. The two were cast in a piece told fractions of stories about how they became who they

are today. “Those rehearsals were the first times I’ve really been able to get to know (Simpson),” Alston said. After

learning what Simpson endured as a child, Alston had one word to describe him: “Courageous.”

Through dance, Simpson said he wants to be able to

showed much emotion in front of me and she would go to

share his experience to help others but also to move

Simpson said.

dancer.

her room and close the door, but I could hear her crying,”

Matthewson blamed herself then and she blames herself

forward and make something of himself as a professional “I am extremely proud of his success because he’s living

to this day. “I try to figure out what did I do wrong to the

his dream and I get to see him live his dream,” his mother

ma, Simpson and his mother were able to seek counseling

At the end of the day, Simpson and his mother credit

point that I could have stopped it,” she said. After the trauand therapy to help them move forward.

A way to cope While in therapy, Simpson discovered a way to cope and a way for him to escape his trauma through dance. Simpson

said.

his passion for dance, their counseling and their faith for getting them through difficult times.

“Everything happens for a reason and I realized [God]

won’t put me through anything that I can’t bear,” Simpson said. “You keep your faith in God,” Matthewson added, “and he’ll see you through.”n

LEFT Simpson with his mom in their house.

CENTER AND RIGHT: Simpson studying dance performance at ECU. photos by: Danyel Beaver

Spring 2019 Countenance 27

by Dylan Johnson

28  Countenance Spring 28 Countenance Spring 2019 2019

O

Justin Bowennisa arainy junior business marketing student Sunday afternoon, while Northat East Carolina University.

Bowen’s parents paideffects for satelCarolina still recovers from the lite television from DirecTV, but Bowen has not for of Hurricane Florence, Greenvillepaid native cable or satellite since living his own, makingdown him a Rodney Harrison tosses his remote “cord-never” – someone who has never paid for cable onto his couch with disgust. The living room TV had or satellite television.

FOX on, but not Sunday NFL football as Harris wanted.

Instead, a message on the screen urged viewers not to call as technicians were working on restoring service already.

“They already jacked up my price $80 after the deal (that DirecTV offers to new customers) wore off,” Harris said. “Now I have this. They are either going to lower my price or I’m getting rid of it.”

The issues Harris has with his satellite TV subscription are shared by many around the country, a part of a revolution that has been in motion for close to 10 years.

People in the United States, in a trend called cord-cutting, are ditching cable and satellite TV for paid streaming services.

According to the Deloitte 2018 Digital Media Trends survey, 55 percent of U.S. households now subscribe to paid streaming video services – the first time U.S. streaming has passed the 50 percent threshold. Since 2009, “The percentage of U.S. households subscribing to a paid streaming video service (rose) from just 10 percent to 55 percent in 2017,” the survey report concluded.

“As the process of finding alternative paths to content gets easier and easier, people are acting on the frustrations they have with traditional providers and leaving,” said lead author Stephen Beck in a survey on the topic

by New York Consulting Firm cg42.

The Deloitte survey pointed out a concern for those cable and satellite TV companies is that the trend initially was driven by younger people, aged 14-34, but is trickling into older groups now.

Harris, a 38-year-old physical education teacher at Wintergreen Primary, is starting to lean closer to the

trends those younger Harris Justindisplayed Bowen isby a junior business generations. marketing student feels that he paysUniversity. too much for his pay-TV subscription. at East Carolina Bowen’s parents paid for “I’m atelevision big sportsfrom guy, DirecTV, and live sporting events are satellite but Bowen has not about thecable onlyor thing that since keepsliving me paying it,”makHarris paid for satellite on hisfor own, said.

“Even then, streaming apps, like and paid CBS ing him a “cord-never” – someone whoESPN+ has never Sports, catch up there too so it might not for cableare orstarting satelliteto television. last much longer.”

According to Deloitte, about 70 percent of those under age 38 stream movies compared to 60 percent of people aged 39 to 53. The trend is similar for streaming TV shows. Some 66 to 69 percent of people under 38 stream them; the share drops to 55 percent of people older than that for ages 39 to 53.

Outside of sports, Harris and his wife say they are more likely to use streaming services to binge-watch the shows they love, citing HBO’s “Game of Thrones” as their favorite.

Justin Bowen is a junior business marketing student at East Carolina University. Bowen’s parents paid for satellite television from DirecTV, but Bowen has not paid for cable or satellite since living on his own, making him a “cord-never” – someone who has never paid for cable or satellite television.

“At this point, it’s also a big cultural thing. There’s the whole “Netflix and chill” thing with this generation now and as we grow up predominantly using this, it’s just going to keep growing,” Bowen said.

The United States Census Bureau reports that 55 percent of the 126 million households in the United States now stream an average of three services. Bowen is a shining example of that, subscribing to Netflix, Hulu and HBO Now. According to the Golden Globes website, at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards, the streaming video services that rank one, two and three in the number of subscribers, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, combined to win five of 11 awards in the best television category.

“The original content is just too good to miss,” Bowen said. “It’s no longer where all of the can’t-miss shows evSpring 2019 Countenance 29 Spring 2019 Countenance 29

•55 percent of the 126 million households in the United States now stream an average of three services.

— U.S. Census Bureau

eryone is talking about comes on cable television – it’s now places like Netflix and Hulu.”

An example of the state of the trend can be found not just among individual college-aged students, but also at the institutions themselves. Some universities have stopped providing cable TV services to their dorm residents, and ECU is among them.

Aaron Lucier, director of operations and facilities for ECU Campus Living, says that ECU provides cable TV for lounges and public areas, but the university no longer provides it in rooms, unless paid for at an extra cost by the student.

“Usage of cable by students had declined over the last few years. We observed a number of rooms with their cable not connected or used. We also asked students about cable use

30 Countenance Spring 2019 30 Countenance Spring 2019

and heard from many that they preferred to stream their shows,” Lucier said.

Lucier said ECU has seen “an increased demand” from students for more Internet bandwidth and better WiFi service. Students can now use some smart TV’s and streaming devices on the campus network, and ECU Campus Living is taking its savings from cable and using it to improve the bandwidth and WiFi. Trey Styons, 28, works for Nationwide Insurance in Greenville and is a basketball referee during the season.

Styons is not of the generation who grew up used to choosing streaming services over cable and satellite TV. Styons used to subscribe to Suddenlink TV but dropped the subscription when he moved from a home near campus and in with his fiancée. Styons says once he moved in with her, they both analyzed their finances.

Styons says they both realized that they were paying a lot for Suddenlink and didn’t want it nearly as much as services such as HBO Go and Amazon Prime Video.

They figured out that they would save money if they just paid for streaming subscriptions.

According to the Deloitte study, cable and satellite TV penetration fell from 75 percent to 63 percent in 2017.

Among respondents who said they no longer have a pay TV subscription, 27 percent said they “cut the cord” within the last year.

Twenty-one percent of consumers without pay TV say they don’t watch enough television to justify the expense. Another 19 percent say they simply cannot afford it.

“I’m not just a college student who doesn’t have enough money to splurge on something like having hundreds of channels,” Styons said. “I have a full-time job and I still thought it was ridiculous what I was giving up for that each month.”

The trend even includes television professionals themselves. Chris Watson is the brand/operations manager

•At the 2018 Golden Globe Awards the streaming video services that rank one, two and three in the number of subscribers, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon, combined to win five of 11 awards in the best television category.

—Golden Globes website at WITN, the local TV affiliate for NBC. Watson does not have a cable or satellite subscription, saying that three years ago he “got tired of paying cable rates.” Instead, Watson relies on his Roku TV with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video subscriptions and a $40 antenna for local channels.

Watson pointed out that in the 17-county Eastern North Carolina market, TV with an antenna has increased from 9 percent to over 20 percent from 2007 to 2018.

After switching to antenna-only, Watson found he watches less television, “but the television you watch is television you actually want to watch. Things are more appealing, you can focus on what you want to see and you kind of have appointment-like television. It’s like watching a movie kind of – you can watch it whenever you want."

Watson said he went from spending $130 a month on cable and Internet combined to half of that. Watson still has high-speed Internet, as all cord-cutters have to be able to stream their shows and movies. Now with just high-speed Internet and his streaming subscriptions, Watson says he saves about $40 a month compared to when he had cable.

Watson likened the choice between the two as a ‘to each their own’ scenario.“It’s all about how you want to take your entertainment in and your TV, what’s best for the individual,” Watson said. “Some people are all about, ‘I want my cable channels and I want to flip, flip, flip’ and until the cable companies offer more of an ‘a la carte’ type service, which is I get to choose my 12 channels I want, you’re going to continue to have that.”

Not that all is lost for cable and satellite TV companies, however, as older generations are still subscribing.

Denice Wyatt, a 55-year-old nurse at Physicians East, still subscribes to Suddenlink TV, bundling it with her Suddenlink Internet connection.

According to Deloitte, the majority of people still subscribed to cable or satellite TV have it because it’s bundled with the Internet.

Wyatt says she has a routine that she is used to. “I have to have the box and remote and TV guide and all of that. I just have to,” Wyatt says.

In the last year, a second-quarter study by MoffettNathanson, a Media and Communications research group, revealed that for the moment the cord-cutting trend has slowed down. Companies like Amazon are slowly getting into streaming, and Apple has yet to enter into the streaming world.

Watson said that cable companies will always find a way to keep competing, adding that soon broadcast television will begin to broadcast in ATS 3.0. This format is similar to 4k quality streaming, meaning the consumer will have better quality video, and the audio will be enhanced as well.

Packages are another way they will compete, Watson says, with cable TV being bundled with Internet, home phone or home security being examples.

There will also always be people who are not concerned with original content on streaming services or learning how to mess with new technology. “The majority of the public and how they consume things now is changing rapidly,” Watson said. “There’s a large portion of people who are over a certain age and they just don’t care. (What they have now is) easy, they don’t have to mess with these new-fangled televisions. They’re not gonna sit there with their tablet, and there's an audience for that.”

Back in Greenville, after his frustrating encounter with DirecTV, Harris takes out his phone, logs on to the CBS Sports app and streams a football game from his phone to the TV instead. Harris says he thinks before long he may get rid of the satellite TV provider. Harris feels ignored and underserved on this day, but he’s actually with thousands of others in the trend.n

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