November 17, 2016

NOV.

17 2016

THE APPALACHIAN

GOODBYE MS. JOAN

PAGES 10-11

JUICE IT UP

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A SPACE FOR VETERANS

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DEJOURNETTE DOMINATES

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THE TEAM Carl Blankenship @carl_r_blank EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EDITORIAL MULTIMEDIA BUSINESS

Aleah Warner @aleahwarner MANAGING EDITOR Victoria Haynes @victoriahayness CHIEF COPY EDITOR Sammy Hanf @sammyhanf NEWS EDITOR

Jacob Oller @ollerifyouhearme BUSINESS MANAGER Jordan Boles @jorddb MARKETING DIRECTOR

Katie Murawski @murawskikm A&E EDITOR Jason Huber @_jasonhuber SPORTS EDITOR

Olivia Wilkes @theappalachian ADVISER

CRIME LOG CAMPUS NOV. 15

NOV. 12

12:01 p.m. | Possession of Marijuana Bowie Hall Cleared by arrest

4:07 p.m. | Possession of Marijuana Bowie Hall Cleared by arrest

NOV. 14

NOV. 12

6 p.m. | Larceny Anne Belk Hall Leads exhausted

11:54 p.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Justice Hall Cleared by arrest

5:30 p.m. | Larceny College Street Parking Deck Further investigation

NOV. 13 12:35 p.m. | Public Intoxication Outside of Summit Hall Student referral

Maleek Loyd @maleekstuff VIDEO EDITOR Sydney Spann @spannooo GRAPHICS EDITOR Braxton Coats @brxcoats22 WEB MANAGER

Lee Sanderlin @lee_sanderlin ENTERPRISE EDITOR

NOV. 13

Dallas Linger @dallingerphoto PHOTO EDITOR

NOV. 12 8:39 p.m. | Vandalism Bowie Hall Leads exhausted

NOV. 11 2:30 p.m. | DWI Rivers Street and Blowing Rock Road Cleared by arrest

NOV. 13

NOV. 7

1 a.m. | Drug Violations University Drive Cleared by arrest

7 p.m. | Vandalism Rivers Street near East Tunnel

SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

App News is a service of the Division of Student Development. Email wilkeso@appstate.edu for submissions with subject line: APP NEWS PAGE. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

WHAT TO DO LEADERSHIP COFFEE HOUR The Leadership Development foundation of Student Engagement and Leadership is sponsoring a Leadership Coffee Hour every Monday from 9-10 a.m. in the McCaskey Center in PSU 244. All are invited to the conversation. Coffee and tea will be provided. Please invite others to join us. Every week we select a new topic to discuss about leadership!

THANKSGIVING BASKET DRIVE Campus Activities and Hospitality House would like to provide your organization or office with the opportunity to sponsor a Thanksgiving basket to be delivered to a family in need this holiday season. With your help in App State’s campus-wide basket drive, we can reduce the amount of hungry families in our community. As we embark on the first year of our Thanksgiving basket drive, please help us reach our goal of 300 baskets this holiday season!

By providing a basket, you are committing to completely fill the basket with the items on the attached list. By dividing the list of items among your members or colleagues, you can easily provide an entire basket of food to bring joy to a family in need! Monetary donations should be directed to Nicolas Wright at wrightnt@appstate.edu The basket drop-off location is the McCaskey Center on the second floor of the Plemmons Student Union, suite 244. Drop off dates: Nov. 14 and Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

FREE LEGAL ADVICE The Student Legal Clinic, in suite 324 in Plemmons Student Union, offers confidential advice, information and referrals provided by a licensed attorney.

The attorney can meet with any currently en-

rolled Appalachian State student and can advise students on any issue that is not directly adverse to the university.

Make an appointment by calling (828) 2628284. More information at legalclinic.appstate. edu.

CELEBRATION OF STUDENT WRITING Please stop by between noon and 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17 in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union to join us for the sixth Annual Celebration of Student Writing! The Celebration of Student Writing is the Rhetoric & Composition Program’s annual showcase during which students from our first and second-year R_C courses share the exciting written and multimedia projects they’ve developed during the semester with a public audience. The R_C Program values writing as a dynamic and creative endeavor, and past celebrations have highlighted the strong texts students have produced through their composing processes, including social media and websites, illustrated stories, infographics, audio recordings, videos, multimodal presentations and other exciting multimedia and written compositions. For more information and to see a video of last year’s celebration, please visit our webpage: http://compositionprogram.appstate. edu/celeberation-student-writing Students dedicate themselves to producing engaging and effective texts in our courses, so please stop by and join us in celebrating their great work!

HUNGER GAMES The sixth Annual Hunger Games is coming on Nov. 18! For every 25 cans that your organization brings in for the canned food drive benefiting Hospitality House, you get one entry into the reaping to get someone from your orga-

nization to participate as tribute in the Hunger Games! The three organizations that bring in the most cans get an automatic second tribute in the games! Bring in cans to one of the collection boxes (in the ACT Office, or in front of the market in the Union or Trivette) between Oct. 26 and Nov. 17. And may the odds be ever in your favor...

WEEKLY LYRIC OPEN MICS A free and open event for all, Lyric hosts weekly open mics oriented around poetry and other word based art such as music, story-telling, etc. Join every Wednesday from 8:30-10:30 p.m. at 3rd Place.

THE PEEL RELEASE PARTY The Peel Literature and Arts Review will host a release party for their Fall 2016 online edition. Come out, as part of First Friday Art Crawl, and celebrate the work of student artists, writers, musicians and more at Boone Saloon.

The party will be Dec. 2 from 6-10 p.m.

DOCUMENTARY SCREENING: BEING YOU “Being You” is a documentary from Roadtrip Nation about three young people with learning and attention issues. One in five people in the United States have a learning or attention issue—brain-based difficulties like dyslexia, dyscalculia and ADHD that affect reading, writing, math, attention and organization. In the documentary, road trippers Noah, Nicole, and Stephanie explore what it means to be a student with learning and attention issues. They travel throughout the United States talking to diverse leaders who also have learning and attention issues. Their insightful conversations, shared experiences and life lessons are featured in “Being You.” The screening will take place Sunday,

Nov. 20 from 5-8 p.m. in Greenbriar Theater, Plemmons Student Union.

GLOBAL EXCHANGE Global Exchange is a FREE monthly event.

Located in Whitewater Cafe (near McAlister’s in the Plemmons Student Union), Global Exchange brings domestic and international students together to enjoy music, food, and dance from around the world.

Join us at 4 p.m. for international snacks, music, and conversation. Beginner’s dance lessons start at 4:15 pm. No experience necessary! Everyone is welcome Nov. 30!

SMALL TALKS PODCAST Saray welcomes Appalachian’s associate director for Student Engagement and Leadership Dustin Evatt, assistant professor in Leadership and Educational studies Brandy Bryson and program director for the Family and Marriage Therapy Nickolas Jordan to the studio for a discussion of relationships and sex. The group covers safer sex techniques, the importance of communication and shares resources to help you on your sexual health journey.

NOTE: The content of this podcast is created by wellness education experts for mature listeners who are serious about their health and well being. This episode acknowledges that college students engage in sex, and addresses matters of sexual health and safety. If you do not want to listen to that kind of content, you might prefer to skip listening to this episode.

Visit http://appalachianmagazine.org/podcasts/talk/id/669, iTunes, or your SoundCloud App to listen.

THURSDAY, NOV. 17

FRIDAY, NOV. 18

SATURDAY, NOV. 19

SUNDAY, NOV. 20

Celebration of Student Writing

Culture Crawl

Healing Arts Yoga

“Being You” Screening

12-3 p.m.

Grandfather Mountain Ballroom, PSU

5-7 p.m.

Grandfather Mountain Ballroom, PSU

10:15 a.m.

Mayer Gallery, TCVA free for students, $10 non-students

5 p.m.

Greenbriar Theatre free

“X-Men: Apocalypse” Screening

1975

7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium $1 advance, $2 door

7 p.m.

Holmes Convocation Center $25 students, $30 non-students

“X-Men: Apocalypse” Screening 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium $1 advance, $2 door

“X-Men: Apocalypse” Screening 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium $1 advance, $2 door

“Jurassic Park” Screening 7 p.m.

Greenbriar Theatre $1 door

MONDAY, NOV. 21

TUESDAY, NOV. 22

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23

Leadership Coffee Hour

Lyric Open Mic

9 a.m.

McCaskey Center, PSU

8:30 p.m.

3rd Place

Appalachian Hunger Banquet 6:30 p.m.

Parkway Ballroom, PSU

THURSDAY, NOV. 24

Nov. 17, 2016

APP STATE TAKES ON HEALTHY CAMPUS 2020 HALIE HAMILTON REPORTER

I

n October, Alex Howard,

the director of the Department of Wellness and Prevention Services announced that Appalachian State’s pledge for Healthy Campus 2020 has been accepted.

The Healthy Campus initiative is sponsored by the American College Health Association and requires institutions to pledge their commitment to strategically promote specific health behaviors across campus.

Appalachian’s Wellness and Prevention Services department is still only 15 months old and this is the first time the school has taken the pledge.

“By taking this pledge we are telling our students, our colleagues and our parent stakeholder that we are serious about the health and wellness of our students and we are committed to measuring our progress towards a healthier

and more well student body,” Howard said. “We will commit ourselves to this long progress of development and evaluation.”

Every year ACHA develops and implements a health and wellness questionnaire that colleges and universities can use to assess their campus.

Howard says students who participate are asked questions like “Has your academic performance been impacted by stress?” The information gathered through these questions is then used to set ten year goals to reduce any behaviors that are negative for health.

Healthy Campus is very similar to Healthy People. Healthy People is where public health professionals and experts from across the country sit down and study the prevalence across young adult and adult populations.

“We are looking at our entire cam-

pus: How do we create an environment where every student thrives and how do they achieve their optimal state of function?” Howard said.

The Wellness and Prevention Services uses this to benchmark and track the health progress of the student population on campus.

“We have very little data from this survey, next year we will implement it again in hopes of getting a much greater response rate and participation amongst our student body,” Howard said. “It is from that data we will be able to see if we are making progress or not towards these select areas.”

Students will be asked to complete the health and wellness assessments again this year, any data received will shape the programs and services provided by Wellness and Prevention Services.

“If students are anticipating services and programs that speak to their experience here at App, they need to participate,” Howard said. “The work we do is influenced by all of this, it is all driven by what we know about the students. Ultimately we will create an environment where all of our students are functioning at their peak capacity, but that is all dictated by what we know about our students.”

Howard said they have made an effort to have more services available for students regarding their sexual health.

“What I would like to see is that over the next four or five years, we see a decline in the number of students on our campus that report that they are sexually active and not using barrier methods,” Howard said. “The hope is that they are taking appropriate methods to prevent STIs.”

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE HALIE HAMILTON REPORTER

A new American Viticultural Area was just approved by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. It is called Appalachian High Country and spans through select counties in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

An AVA is a designated area that tells consumers where there grapes were grown, if a bottle of wine says Appalachian High Country on it, that means 85 percent of the grapes in that bottle come from the Appalachian High Country.

The Appalachian High Country AVA runs through Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Carter, Johnson and Grayson Counties.

Johnnie James, board member of

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High Country Wine Growers Association, said they decided to draw the AVA along areas that are above 2000 feet in elevation along the Appalachian Trail.

In order to make the Appalachian High Country an AVA, James had to document which wineries and grapes were local to the area along with climate information for the region.

In order to gather the data they needed to, they reached out to Appalachian State’s geology department and got a graduate student to gather the data.

James said it was a year long process to gather all the data they needed to submit.

“This started with a few growers who

came to the conclusion that in order to be sustainable, they have to be an AVA,” James said.

In the United States, there are 234 AVA’s, over 100 of which are in California.

“This AVA is a big deal and a very rare thing,” James said. “It is a positive thing for everyone in the community it has been proven that the wines bring visitors, draw more people than before, bed and breakfast get more people, people come and want to visit the wineries, there are more jobs and more economic opportunity.”

The AVA got support from all eight of the counties. They provided com-

pensation for the graduate student’s research.

On Oct. 27, the Appalachian High Country viticultural area was approved by the TTB. It’s exciting to be in the same echelon as Napa Valley and have the area’s vines be recognized, Wiseman said.

The AVA is important to wine drinkers because vines in different locations will taste different. James said different soils produce unique flavors of wine. “[It is] actually something everyone is excited about. [We have] been growing on our property for over 10 years, and are excited to be established in that sense,” Wiseman said.

Nov. 17, 2016

JUICE BOONE SYDNEY SPANN GRAPHICS EDITOR

Lindsey Starc is the lead juicer, owner and operator of Juice Boone. Juice Boone opened their doors April 2016 with Starc’s family, his wife and two children, who all are vegan. “When you are living the raw food lifestyle you almost need wholesale fruits and vegetables in order to live comfortably, so that was definitely a plus and bonus for us,” Starc said. “But then also it is part of our path to be facilitators of this type of holistic lifestyle and we felt that Boone was the perfect place to reciprocate that type of fundamental storefront.” Juice Boone has the saying “anything better than the day before is better.” They are helping change the collective conscientiousness into a spiritual, mental and physical combination of optimal health.

“There are only two dozen nutrients on the face of this planet and if you don’t consume those in the things you are eating, then you’re eating for no reason,” Starc said. “We facilitate this lifestyle with people of all different levels of this health journey; we don’t tell them to go vegan or change their lifestyle.” Phytonutrients are found in all of Starc’s juices and smoothies. They give fruits and vegetable their color as well as all of the nutrients that are found within. With only two dozen nutrients on the face of this planet, Juice Boone is helping provide all of the nutrition that we could ever want that has been given to us by Earth. Jacob Hawkins in shown below creating the Dragon Berry smoothie bowl that’s topped with super berry cereal (made in-house), goji berry and pumpkin seeds. The smoothie itself contains pitaya, banana, pineapple and nut milk.

Juice Boone is located at 244 Shadowline Drive and their hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Photo Credit: Maleek Loyd

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VETERANS DAY MARKS GRAND OPENING OF STUDENT VETERAN RESOURCE CENTER ANGELA MCLINTON REPORTER

Appalachian State’s yearly Veterans Day ceremony had a bit more to celebrate last Friday in the grand opening of the Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. Student Veteran Resource Center on the second floor of the student union.

“There are so many aspects to VA benefits that having a designated place to get help with questions cannot be understated,” Dan Pegram, president of the Student Veterans Association, said. “Also, it sends a strong message that the school supports us. We can often feel like we don’t have a place in college due to our unique experience, having families to tend to, and our age. So the center lets us know we do belong here.”

Before the center’s construction student veterans didn’t have a space of their own, which Pegram said made coordination more difficult.

Eric Gormly, coordinator of Student Veteran Services, said planning for the SVRC has been going on for more than three years.

“Some students just need some familiar faces to see, and they can get that here,” Gormly said. “Military members have that camaraderie instilled in them throughout their service, and it is something that can be found as soon as they walk in the door of the resource center.”

Gormly described the space as being one to accommodate studying, social engagement and relaxation among students with computers for students to use.

Gormly said the space will also be used to hold meetings and plan events and the Student Veteran Association is already planning tutoring and career development workshops. The center will also employ student veterans through the Veteran Association work-study program.

Nathalia Ruiz, a senior psychology major and student veteran, said veterans needs on campus have not received enough attention.

Gormly said Appalachian previously did not have anyone devoted exclusively to assisting student veterans.

“A lot of the big issues with us veteran students is readjusting to civilian life and this is a great way to have a gateway to have that,” Gormly said. “[Before the

Major General Edward M. Reeder Jr. speaks at the opening of the Student Veteran Resource Center.

Photo Credit: Emory Kumpe

SVRC] I would just talk to other student veterans. My transition wasn’t as bad as other people’s, so I think I was privileged in that sense.”

The commemoration falling on Veterans Day only makes the opening of the SVRC even more pertinent.

“What better way to honor those serving and that have served than the opening of the center?” Pegram said.

“To have a such a tangible display of respect and honor dedicated to veterans is extremely special.”

The SVRC will be open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Nov. 17, 2016

ALL ABOUT THE SIDES: A VEGAN THANKSGIVING

Kindly Kitchen’s has 100 percent vegan and 100 percent gluten free bowls. The unique restaurant is located at the corner of King Street and Depot Street and they sell a variety of bowls, salads and smoothies.

MAKAELAH WALTERS A&E REPORTER

T

he approach of

Thanksgiving has many college students anticipating a nice home cooked meal. Traditionally, this means the main attraction is turkey with all the trimmings. Not for vegans.

Caleb Crowell, owner of Kindly Kitchen, describes veganism as being different experience for many people.

Crowell and his wife, who opened the restaurant last December, have been vegans for nearly 10 years.

Crowell said veganism is a conscientious awareness “of the things that you use, whether that’s the food that you eat or the things that you buy.”

He said some vegans fully focus on animal awareness and animal rights.

“There are others that eat a certain way because it’s a healthy, low impact way to eat, so they abstain from dairy and other animal products like eggs,” Crowell said. “And in lieu we eat lots and lots of vegetables.”

Crowell said being a vegan is a good way for people to minimize the amount of bad that they generate.

He admits that choosing to do so during such a family and food oriented holiday has proven to be a challenge.

“It has always been a struggle,” Crowell said. “We go into family gatherings and we bring most of our own foods and we bring plenty enough to share.”

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Crowell said that one thing he doesn’t do is try to make fake versions of traditional dishes, because he thinks it creates a barrier.

“If you want turkey, just eat turkey,” he said.

Alyssa Yoho, a sophomore biology major, takes a different stance on faux holiday meat.

Yoho is the president of the App State Animal Welfare Club. She became a vegan last year when she began learning more about the cruelty of the meat and dairy industry, and the health benefits of taking on a vegan diet.

“I haven’t tried the whole tofu turkey that I imagine people are thinking of, but I have actually been really pleased with the Tofurky products that I’ve had in the past,” Yoho said.

This will be Yoho’s first thanksgiving as a vegan.

“As a vegan, I basically just cut out the turkey, but could eat all of the sides,” Yoho said. “This year, I am planning on making my own sides and dishes.”

Crowell said he likes to focus on making lots of vegetables and making them taste good.

Crowell said even though vegetables can be more challenging to cook, it is well worth the effort.

“You not only have to find really top quality product, but you have to not mess it up,” Crowell said. “The flavors

are really subtle. When you don’t cover them up and you keep them there, it definitely feels like a little bit more of an art than throwing an animal in the oven for five hours,” Crowell said.

Yoho said it’s a good thing she enjoys cooking because if not Thanksgiving would be much harder for her.

“I’d encourage anyone on the vegan path along with us to replace starches and rices and grains and bread with kale as your base,” Crowell said. “With kale you immediately feel lighter and cleaner and a little bit closer to the source of things.”

Crowell said there’s an immediate positive return when you close this gap between producers and consumers.

“Buying rice, you’re buying something that’s probably been through five or six different large manufacturers hands but with kale it goes from a grower and to you and that’s it,” Crowell said.

According to Crowell you can replace most of the heavy, gunky starches with kale.

“It’s all about the sides,” Kas Barr, a freshman elementary education major, said.

Barr, who has been a vegan for three years, considers herself somewhat of a veteran at vegan Thanksgiving.

“Vegan mac and cheese is my favorite, hands down,” Barr said. “You just substitute a ton of veggies and coconut

milk and voila! That’s your cheese. You can barely tell the difference.”

Yoho said the same is true for vegan renditions of Thanksgiving staples, like green bean casserole and pumpkin pie.

Yoho said it is a misconception that eating vegan means cutting certain dishes out entirely when in reality it just means replacing a few ingredients.

“There are so many vegan alternatives out there. I can’t eat the stuffings or the casseroles, but I can still have my mom’s cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes,” Yoho said. “I’m even going to bake a pie and leave it out for my family to show that I can still have stuff that seems fattening or unhealthy.”

Yoho said the key to a vegan thanksgiving is being willing to try out new things.

“I have a recipe saved for green bean casserole that I’m excited to try because it’s my favorite,” Yoho said.

The recipe has only 10 vegan ingredients and takes around 30 minutes to make.

Barr said a vegan Thanksgiving does not have to be a hassle.

“Thanksgiving is about being happy with people that you care about,” Barr said. “And if you can be healthy and conscious of what you’re putting into your body while you do that, then Thanksgiving can be even more special.”

Photo Credit: Halle Keighton

Nov. 17, 2016

BARING IT ALL FOR ART

Sophomore Seth Pray draws a nude model. A figure drawing session was held in Wey Hall on Nov. 11. Students could sign up and come in and draw a live nude model to practice their skills.

SYDNEY WOLFORD A&E REPORTER

A

dozen art students

were scattered in a semicircle around nude model Ali Moxley, a senior management major, in a dimly lit Wey Hall classroom. The students drew Moxley’s outline several times on drawing paper.

Nude modeling, or figure drawing modeling, is incorporated in a select few drawing classes offered on campus in order to give art students practice drawing a moving object.

Moxley became interested in figure drawing modeling when a friend told her about it. Moxley said that she generally likes to do anything that makes her feel uncomfortable, and wanted to start figure drawing modeling for that reason.

“It’s honestly really relaxing,” Moxley said. “When you’re doing the longer poses, it can almost be meditative.

Sometimes I’ll do breathing exercises.

It’s a nice time to sit, think and reflect about my day.”

Although Moxley finds modeling relaxing, she said that holding certain poses is still difficult.

Some classes require models to shift poses every 30 seconds, while other classes want the model to stay in one pose for upwards of two hours.

Shorter poses are easy to think of, Moxley said. But shorter poses can also be more complex because they require constant movement.

Longer poses require much more thought than shorter poses because the models have to consider if the pose will be painful to hold for a long period of time, Moxley said.

“I think if it’s interesting, you’re

Photo Credit: Monique Rivera

probably going to be uncomfortable by the end of it,” Moxley said.

Moxley originally didn’t think that being naked would be the most uncomfortable part about figure drawing modeling. Rather, she said she was concerned with being the center of attention.

Figure drawing models are typically in the center of drawing classes, with students dispersed in a circle or semicircle around them. Lights in the room are typically lowered in order to create shadows and highlights on the model.

Moxley said that sometimes professors will give her a prop, like a staff, that she has to use so students have to incorporate more elements into their drawings.

Although Moxley originally started modeling because she wanted to step out of her comfort zone, she said that it’s been a worthwhile experience thus far.

“You’re putting yourself in a position where you’re fully yourself and you’re vulnerable,” Moxley said. “I think that’s a very valuable human experience for people to have.”

Figure drawing model Hunter Hill, a senior studio art and art education major, said that nudity is nothing to be scared of. However, she did not have that mentality when she first started modeling.

Hill said that she had body image issues in the past, but nude modeling has increased her confidence.

“It’s made me really be in tune with my body,” Hill said. “It’s really relaxing, and it’s really cool to go back and see some of the drawings or paintings that people have made.”

Since Hill took classes in the art

department, she has been on the other side of figure drawing classes as the artist. Hill said she liked looking around the classroom at everyone’s drawings of her, because everyone interprets her differently.

Hill said that she likes how she is essentially another object that art students draw. She would be no different than a Coke bottle that they have to observe and draw.

“When you’re drawing something, you’re looking at how the lines and the light hit something instead of looking at it in a sexual way,” Hill said.

Hill said that she thinks people are afraid of nude modeling because they are fearful of people analyzing their body in a sexual context, but she said that is not reality. Art students look at the human body in terms of lines, contours and shapes.

As an artist, Hill said that figure drawing has sharpened her observation skills and made her less critical of her art. The point of figure drawing is observing and then going back to fix errors, and accepting that the drawings don’t have to be perfect.

Drawing figures has helped Hill figure out what poses are common and easy to hold, poses that were interesting to draw and poses that did not work at all.

Desiree Decena, a sophomore graphic design major, enjoys figure drawing because students are free to make suggestions to the model, and it’s “more realistic of a body” than if she practiced drawing figures from a computer.

Decena said that figure drawing has helped her in graphic design and honing

her own style.

“It opens up a part of my right brain,” Decena said. “It helps my hand flow more freely.”

Drawing instructor Nicholas Sorlien said that figure drawing is necessary for students to improve their drawing skills.

Students can practice drawing an object, like a bottle, that may or may not be an interesting drawing or painting, Sorlien said. The human body is more interesting because mannerisms and movement vary from person to person, which creates more space for interpretation, Sorlien said.

“I think there are lots of subtleties from a human form that you don’t get from a static object,” Sorlien said. “The movement forces you to make observations and work harder in capturing the essence of the object.”

Sorlien said that Ancient Greeks were such masters in drawing and painting because they incorporated figure drawing into art.

Even when the human form is not explicitly incorporated into a piece of art, it still influences artwork, Sorlien said.

For example, a sculptor featured in Turchin Arts Center is heavily influenced by ships and boats, Sorlien said.

Although the pieces are not human figures, they have “curves and organic folds” that are influenced by the human figure.

“I think the reason the human form is so often incorporated into art is because we’re trying to understand the human condition,” Sorlien said.

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Nov. 17, 2016

Joan Peters holds up photos of her grandchildren, one of which wishes to soon attend Appalachian State. After nine years of working at Appalachian State Food Services, Joan Peters retired to her kitchen to care for her husband of 40 years, Danny.

GOODBYE, MS. JOAN KATIE MURAWSKI A&E EDITOR

T

here are 1,692 full

and part time employees that work at Appalachian State University, according to the human resources website. Among them is a woman who is recognizable to students as App State’s grandma.

Joan Peters has worked in the markets and cafeterias at Appalachian State University for nine years as of Oct. 15, she said. Previously, Peters has worked at Mountain City Elementary School as a janitor and Chetola Resort as a housekeeper.

Peters said she likes working at App State better than at the elementary school because the younger children were mean.

“At ASU I have never had one kid be mean or rude to me and always treated me with respect,” Peters said.

She started working at the Appalachian Panhellenic Hall market and was originally only hired for 18 days. After that time Peters said Tim Pearson, support services supervisor then offered her a job working in Sanford Commons.

The job offer came at the right time because she lost her father earlier that year. She said it was really hard year for her because she was very close with her father. Peters is the youngest of six and has four children and 10 grandchildren.

Peters describes herself as a kid at heart, and attributes her love for kids as to why she will miss working at App State.

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Peters is known to most students as “Ms. Joan” and students are more than familiar with Peters’ soft southern drawl, her conversations at the smoking area outside of Trivette and the pet names she calls students, such as “my baby,” “shug” and “sweetheart.”

“I call everyone my baby because they feel like my baby,” Peters said.

“When I meet people [at App] they all just seem so sad and they need somebody to show them that they care.”

Peters said she had a student come through her line one time and she was crying. Peters asked if she was OK but the student said no.

“Then I asked if she was homesick because she just started school and she said ‘yes,’ and I said, ‘come here honey and let me give you a hug,’” Peters said.

“And if you need one tomorrow I am right here.”

Peters said she used to get in trouble because she was told by her superiors that she could get fired for calling students ‘sweetie’ or ‘baby’ and hugging them because it was considered inappropriate.

“I said, ‘I think they are old enough to know that I am not making advances,’” Peters said. “ I said, ‘The love that I have for these kids it comes from my heart which comes from a higher power than ASU and I am not changing for nobody.’ ‘If you’re gonna let me go, then

let me go because I like who I am.’”

Peters said after she said that to her bosses, she has not heard any other complaint since.

Peters recalled the time that the former assistant chancellor came through her line she thought he was one of the students.

“Knowing me I said, ‘hello my baby how are you today?’ I even hugged him.

Then at the first of the year we had our meeting and he was the speaker and I thought, ‘oh now I am really in trouble,’” Peters said. “I later apologized and said ‘I thought you were one of my kids.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry about it, what you are doing is great and don’t you ever stop.’”

Peters joked that it was a good thing she had small feet because she likes to wear them in her mouth most of the time.

Peters said that the summer before last, he came through the line again and said his daughter is about to start college this year so to be sure that she keeps doing what she is doing.

Although Peters had already decided to retire in December 2016 she had to leave about two months early because her husband, Danny, fell and broke his ribs. She said the doctors told him that he could not do anything and she did not want him to drive. He also has been diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma on his ear and the side of his head and he is now going through radiation therapy.

Peters had a lot of family members who are sick and said that she needed a break.

“Everything was just piling up on me and I couldn’t think,” Peters said. “I have never messed up on my register, but I was afraid that I would.”

Amber Lipsky, a junior biology major and Trivette dining hall regular, lived in Coltrane Hall her freshman year and has continued to live on-campus on the west side. She has known Peters ever since she began classes at App State.

“I moved here from Rhode Island and did not know anyone, so it was comforting to have a grandmotherly figure around,” Lipsky said.

Lipsky describes Peters as the sweetest lady ever and thinks of Peters every time she walks into Trivette.

During her freshman year, Lipsky said she used to hang out by the smoking area near the Trivette office and Peters would come there on her break for a smoke and would regularly socialize with people.

Peters recalled with a giggle a time where a student came through her line looking stoned. She asked him, “Honey, are you sleepy, sick or are you just fried out of your mind?”

When she went out on her smoke break later on, she said she saw the same student that came through her line. She said she did not think he realized that she was beside him.

Photo Credit: Katie Murawski

Nov. 17, 2016

“He said he was smoking pot with his grandma, and he was talking about how it looked big like a cigar, and I said, ‘like a blunt?’ and he said, ‘Ms. Joan you know what a blunt is?’ and I said ‘Well yeah,’” Peters said.

She said although she does not encourage smoking pot, she would rather students do that than drinking liquor. She thinks that if she looks like she is too “sanctified” people would not feel comfortable talking to her and she does not want people to think that about her.

“I want them to know that I am here.

God made me a human like everybody else,” Peters said. “And I can do wrong just like anybody else but I did finally grow up and I can give you good advice.

He did not put me here to judge anyone.”

Lipsky befriended Peters as a result of eating at Trivette. One day after noticing that Peters was absent from her usual cashier post in Park Place, Lipsky received a text message from Peters announcing that she was leaving. In the text message Peters asks Lipsky to let all her “beautiful babies” know that she will be praying for them and asks them to keep in touch with her.

“One day she disappeared, and of course I was like ‘where the hell is Ms.

Photo Credit: Katie Murawski

Joan,’” Lipsky said. “My heart dropped when I got those messages. She does not deserve this.”

Lipsky decided that the best way to get the word out was to post Peters’ message on the App State Classifieds Facebook page on Oct. 13. As of Nov. 15 the post has received 687 likes and 26 comments.

Lipsky said she has never had a post that was so popular, and she was “blown out of the water” at the number of responses. But then again, Lipsky said in a way she was not surprised because, “Everyone loves Ms. Joan as much as she loves them.”

Lipsky said she was happy Peters contacted her.

“She said she had no one else to contact and I didn’t know if she meant totally no one, like other cashiers or she knew they would not put out the word,” Lipsky said.

Lipsky said Peters wanted everyone to know that she loves and is thinking about them.

“Last time I saw her, maybe she knew she was leaving, she gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek and said ‘I love you baby, I love you so much,’” Lipsky said. “She was always the sweetest

person you could ever ask for, if you had a bad day, go see Ms. Joan. If you ever want to share something exciting, go see Miss Joan. She is the grandmother you could only dream of.”

Former and current students and members of the Boone community tagged their friends in the post, offered their sympathies, prayers and comments like, ‘Ms. Joan is the sweetest,’ ‘she is the best,’ she is amazing’ and ‘she is missed.’ Among the commenters is Brianna Brooks, senior psychology major and a student manager at Trivette.

Brooks said although her interactions with Peters were short, they were always warm and welcoming. Brooks recalled Peters in passing at work and remembers that she always had a “beautiful smile on her face.”

“She made a point to greet everyone at the registers and make them feel like more than just another student coming through,” Brooks said. “And I’ve tried to take that same initiative when I’m working a register by saying hi to everyone and asking them how they are.”

Brooks said Peters may not realize it, but she has left such a big impact on everyone she has come in contact with.

Brooks said she cannot thank Peters

enough for, “the joy she’s brought to my work place.”

Jon Young, Food Services supervisor said his experience working with Peters was always pleasant. He said everyone loves Peters, and described her as a “grandma figure” for students.

“For a while she was the only cashier we had, and she got the work done by herself,” Young said. “I’ve never had anything negative to say about her, it has always been positive.”

As of now, Peters does not have any plans for the future. She has decided to retire and take care of her family.

“I am going to stay home and enjoy [being with] my husband,” Peters said.

“We have been married for 40 years June 21, we raised kids together and then he got sick and I worked. So we just haven’t had a lot of time together.”

Peters said human resources has allowed her to take family and medical leave so she can keep her insurance until January. Peters said she hated leaving because she did not get to say goodbye to everyone, and wanted to remind students to “Smile a lot, laugh a lot, and remember god loves them and I do too,” Peters said. “And I am right here if they want to come to Mountain City, Tennessee to see me!”

11

Nov. 17, 2016

A STORY TO TELL

(Top) Librarian Jennifer Natale writing her story. She helped Hannah Pope put together the National Novel Writing Month event, where participants write a 50,000 word story by Nov. 30. (Bottom) Bri Armstrong, who is a graduate student at Appalachian State University, is writing about past relationships.

ELLIE WRIGHT A&E REPORTER

T

his November, a

portion of the Boone community came together to tell their stories. From an emerging tech specialist to a vet assistant, writers of all ranges have gathered for an international event called National Novel Writing Month.

According to the website, NaNoWriMo is a speed writing community with the common goal of producing a novel in a single month. Starting Nov. 1, writers of all ages and skill levels write 1,667 words a day to produce a 50,000 word novel 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 30. “Valuing enthusiasm, determination and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel, according to the website.

In 2015, they hosted, 431,626 participants, including 80,137 students and educators in the Young Writers Program.

They have also featured 926 volunteer municipal liaisons, who function as editors and hosts. Including App State’s Belk Library, 1,012 other libraries, bookstores and community centers provided places for the community to gather and write.

3rd Place also regularly hosts Come Write In events during November and throughout the school year featuring coffee, tea, and a quiet place to write among like-minded people.

Head of 3rd Place’s meetings, App State senior and anthropology major Evie Giaconia reiterates the universality of the NaNoWriMo community. She describes

12

the undertaking of NaNoWriMo as “a month of babbling, spilling rough drafts and ideas on the page,” Giaconia said.

“The point is not to write something good. It’s to keep writing.”

During her first year participating in NaNoWriMo, she and a friend “would be constantly bouncing ideas off each other, and frantically writing at the end of the night and then every once in awhile just yelling at each other,” Giaconia said.

For Giaconia, NaNoWriMo causes, “intense bursts of expression,” that she rarely reworks, though appreciates.

“Don’t think it’s something exclusive, I do want to be a writer, but I also want to be something else,” Giaconia said.

She finds that anthropology, and many other science, technology, engineering and math majors offer “profession(s) that will take me a lot of places and a offer lot of diverse experiences that will enrich my writing.” Writing and NaNoWriMo, “sparked a lot in my life, it feels like you’re part of something a little bit bigger than you, just trying to write what seems like the impossible,” Giaconia said.

“It can be done. You can do crazy things you never thought possible. You can pull magic out of nowhere,” veterinary assistant and NaNoWriMo veteran Sue White said. To her, the NaNoWriMo community has been pivotal in her private life too.

“It was how I met my husband. It’s how I marry my weird obsessions,” White said. She has worked in NaNoW-

riMo communities in both Hawaii, Boston and now Boone writing science fantasy. Though engaged in a STEM career, “I like doing something creative,” White said.

“Most of my characters have some sort of STEM background somewhere,” White said. “I recently wrote a fantasy novel where science is all science-based magic. You have to find your niche.”

White attended the, Come Write In event at Belk Library on Nov. 10 at 5:30 p.m. with multicolored hair and scrubs.

Beside her sat junior special education major Amanda Bowden encased in a throw blanket looking up cat videos between typing sessions. An older, bearded man, typed away in the corner. Another student brought his Nintendo to the session. Cups of coffee and cookies scattered the table. People typed and wrote silently, occasionally laughing or asking one another questions. From cat videos to what White deems as an “angry, angry song; one to four songs I put on repeat every NaNoWriMo,” the NaNoWriMo community in Boone gathers weekly with their own personal rituals. Though different, when everyone writes together, “There are people here cheering you on and offering a lot of support,” White said.

Matthias Kramer, one participant in last year’s NaNoWriMo and creative writing major, won the Marian Coe Scholarship last year for a short fictional story that began with a process much like NaNoWriMo. Originally on track to

become a professional opera singer, even attending John Hopkins University for a semester and a half, Kramer discovered reading and writing as an escape in what he described as a “dark and lonesome time.”

Now, he said he cannot stand to live in this world without his imagination, something he finds in writing.

Thousands of students cross campus every day at App State. Some wave and pause to chat, while others rush to their next destination. Some sit on the mall sipping coffee or napping, while others hang an eno or slack-line.

To Kramer, these are all stories waiting to be written, making NaNoWriMo an opportunity for those tales to be told. “Everyone has that story inside of them,” Kramer said. “Find the story you have to tell. You wake up in the morning and there’s this little thing inside of you niggling that you have to get out. You go about your day and go to class but there’s this thing that you have to say, have to tell and you haven’t found a way to do it.

That’s the key. That’s the secret. Find the thing you have talk about.”

He said from birth to death people are always writing stories. “That’s our life,” Kramer said. “All you have to do is take a step back and realize, wow, look at all the stories my life has been filled with. Writing is about preserving those stories.”

Photo Credit: Matt Sloyer

Nov. 17, 2016

NEW ERA FOR VOLLEYBALL NOAH GERRINGER SPORTS REPORTER

T

aking a commanding

2-0 lead against the Arkansas State Red Wolves in the 2015 Sun Belt Conference tournament championships game, the Appalachian State volleyball team dropped the following two sets to head into a fifth and final set.

Later falling to the Red Wolves and coming up short of their goal at becoming the Sun Belt Conference champions, the Mountaineers were just beginning a year of hard times in rebuilding.

This season, the Black and Gold, having lost their star players and relying on key freshman, followed a similar path, only not in the positive way they would have hoped.

The 2015 Mountaineers finished their season at 22-8 overall and 13-3 in the Sun Belt and finished nearly the exact opposite at 4-25 overall and 2-14 Sun Belt, including multiple long losing streaks this year.

One drastic change in between seasons is the loss of four incredibly valuable seniors who all made dents in the Appalachian record books.

Setter Paige Brown will undoubtedly go down as the best setter App State volleyball has seen, claiming the title of career assist leader notching a grand total of 4,478 career assists. Outside hitters Emily Corrigan and Jess Keller are also monumental losses to the program as Corrigan now sits at number two in all-time career kills at 1,399 and Keller at No. 10 with 1,210. The final senior is libero Meghan Mahoney who ended her career second all-time in career digs at 1,855.

Going beyond the issue of losing their four key seniors, the Mountaineers have been plagued by injuries this season. Seniors this year have battled through most of the adversity all throughout their careers.

“The amount of injuries we've been dealing with absolutely is a factor," head coach Matt Ginipro said. “But that's not the reason we’re losing.”

Early on this season, the Mountaineers lost their libero in Kati Stammen to her second concussion, the first of which came during her sophomore year. Outside hitter Sloan Evans previously went through shoulder surgery and fought through her pain throughout the season.

Ginipro jokingly described senior Olivia Reed as having a “90-year-old body” while she has fought through constant back and knee problems. Middle-blocker Ashton Gregory, who transferred from Furman after her sophomore year, tore her meniscus last spring and had to have surgery to repair it. In the summer, Gregory slipped and tore the same ligament again and had to have the same surgery within seven months of the first.

“It’s not in my control and really not in anybodys control,” Gregory said.

Gregory had to miss a little more than a quarter of the season because of her surgery.

Photo Credit: Halle Keighton

Senior middle blocker Ashton Gregory spikes the ball against South Alabama on Friday evening. It was senior night for the girls and the game resulted in a loss for Appalachian State with the score being 3-2.

Uncomparable to the Mountaineer squad from last season that led the conference in almost every category, the Mountaineers finished the season fifth in digs, sixth in assists, eighth in kills, ninth in hitting percentage and last in opponent hitting percentage, blocks and service aces out of the 12 team Sun Belt conference “We just don’t have a winning mentality,” Ginipro said.

That mentality Ginipro is talking about is in relation to the 13 five-set matches they put themselves in this year, all of which they lost. In his career as head coach at Appalachian State, that is the most five-set matches that a team of his has lost since his first year with the program in 2007 when they dropped seven.

“It’s not that it’s an overall mentality issue, it’s at the right time,” Evans said.

“We’re making errors at crucial moments and that’s what’s hurting us.”

Out of the 13 matches, the Mountaineers have led either 2-0 or 2-1 in nine of them before falling every time.

However, the team does not feel their record is truly representational of who they are. The fact of the matter is that although they resulted in losses, nearly half of all their games were five-set matches.

Ginipro sees nothing but promise for the spring and next season.

Adding four student-athletes who signed with Appalachian State this fall, Ginipro is ready to see the team bounce back. Emma Reilly, libero, Kara Spicer, middle blocker, Alexis Kohut, outside hitter, and Jenna Pitzer, middle hitter are all extremely valuable recruits for the program and show incredible promise

for the coming seasons.

“This is a great class for App State volleyball and we’re excited to get them in the gym in August,” Ginipro said in a press release. “All four will fill some holes that we had this year and work to help us get back on track towards a conference championship.”

Current freshman Emma Longley, who had a remarkable start to the season and led the team is multiple categories, is just as confident for the offseason.

“Were going to get a lot stronger and a lot faster and I think that’s going to carry over into the fall and next year,” Longley said.

As the Sun Belt Conference tournament begins, the Mountaineers will take a short break. When it is finally time to get back to business, Appalachian volleyball will be back and ready.

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CARRY THE FIGHT TO THE WARHAWKS After suffering their first loss in Sun Belt play at Troy, the Mountaineers look to get back on the right track against Louisiana Monroe. The Warhawks struggled mightily at the beginning of the season, losing four of their first five games. Lately, the Warhawks have been on the war path in the Sun Belt Conference, knocking off South Alabama and Georgia State in consecutive weeks. The Mountaineers are 2-0 all-time against the Warhawks, including a 59-14 beatdown in Monroe this past year. This Saturday’s contest will be the final home game played at Kidd Brewer Stadium for this year’s senior class. Since moving to the Sun Belt in 2014, the Apps have had an impressive 13-4 record at home.

SLOW DOWN THE SURGING WARHAWKS:

TAYLOR LAMB TAKEOVER:

BOUNCING BACK:

After scoring only 27 combined points in losses to New Mexico and Arkansas State, the Warhawks responded with 79 combined points in their two previous wins. The Apps come off a season-high of points allowed against a Sun Belt opponent, and they look to shut down a balanced Louisiana Monroe team who runs for just under 200 yards per game and passes for just over 200 yards per contest. The Warhawks have shown an ability to methodically move down the field, picking up 58 first downs in their past two games. The Mountaineers need to force the Warhawks into long third down situations, limiting the options of their balanced offense.

In the 59-14 win this past year at Monroe, Taylor Lamb had one of the best games of his career, throwing for three touchdowns while also adding one on the ground. Then a sophomore quarterback, Lamb threw for over 250 and also ran for over 100. Lamb and the App State passing offense struggled to get it going this past weekend at Troy, where Lamb only threw for 167 yards with no touchdowns. Lamb can get right back on track with emulating his numbers from this past season.

The Warhawks have given up 243.3 yards per game in the air, while also allowing 245.4 yards on the ground. Lamb and the Mountaineers have the potential to expose the Louisiana Monroe in more ways than one.

The Mountaineers have been impressive after a loss, not losing back-to-back games since a four game losing streak in 2014. Defeating opponents by an average of over 26 points per game in games after their previous four losses, the Warhawks better be prepared for a focused App State side. The Warhawks are 2-2 against teams coming off of a loss this season, and with the possibility of a bowl berth still alive, they will be ready to face a hungry App State team looking to extend their streak of wins after a loss to six straight.

BY TYLER HOTZ SPORTS REPORTER

PIGSKIN PICK EM’

JASON HUBER Sports Editor The Appalachian 29-15

APP STATE VS. UL MONROE #21 FLORIDA VS. #16 LSU #8 OKLAHOMA VS. #10 WEST VIRGINIA #3 LOUISVILLE VS. HOUSTON STANFORD VS. CALIFORNIA

CARL BLANKENSHIP Editor-in-chief The Appalachian 27-17

SHERI EVERTS Chancellor App State 26-18

GREG CALARCO Sports Director WASU 31-13

TRAVIS STANLEY Apps Sports Bar Host APP TV 28-12

GAME DAY GAME 11 | SATURDAY, NOV. 19 | 2:30 P.M. | KIDD BREWER STADIUM | ESPN3

UNIVERSITY OF 7-3, 5-1, SUN BELT

LOUISIANA MONROE

4-6, 3-3, SUN BELT PLAYER TO WATCH

2016 TOTAL POINTS PER GAME

27.0

26.0

#48 DEZMIN

REED

2016 RUSHING YARDS PER GAME

7.5 TACKLES FOR LOSS (THIRD ON THE TEAM)

215. 2 183. 5 2016 OPPONENT POINTS PER GAME

18.0

39.7

MAKE OR BREAK STAT

OPPONENT AVERAGE YARDS PER RUSH

3.6

5.6

6 25 TOTAL TACKLES

SACKS (TIED FOR THE TEAM LEAD)

Nov. 17, 2016

CREATING A LEGACY COLIN TATE SPORTS REPORTER

I

t was a

Thursday night, the lights were on and the Mountaineers were on the road at Georgia Southern for their biggest rivalry game of the year.

The Eagles jumped out to an early 10-point lead and midway through the second quarter, Appalachian State had yet to get anything going on offense. Then that changed.

Junior quarterback Taylor Lamb got the snap on first down near midfield and rolled out to his left feeling pressure. Lamb lofted a pass down the left sideline and as the ball floated through the air, the Mountaineer receiver fought for position with his defender. At the perfect moment, the receiver jumped over the Eagle defender, caught the ball over the defender’s helmet and dragged his left foot inbounds.

The announcers couldn’t believe it. The fans couldn’t believe it.

But the receiver could.

The receiver was junior Shaedon Meadors.

Leading to the first score of the day, that would lead to 34 unanswered points by the end of the game, with App State pulling off the 3410 victory.

Throughout the game, the Eagles challenged Meadors to beat oneon-one coverage, and he did so, catching three jump-balls over three different defenders.

Meadors finished the game with six receptions for 126 yards, his third straight game with over 100 yards receiving.

“Georgia Southern challenged him one-on-one and we took advantage of it,” Lamb said. “That’s where legends are made. Georgia Southern vs. App State. His [legacy] was obviously born last game in that rivalry.”

Overshadowed by former Mountaineer wide receivers, Malachi Jones and Simms McElfresh, who recently graduated and a nagging injury, Meadors has shown drastic improvement throughout the season.

“If you see it on film, the progression from the Tennessee game to now, his progression has just been amazing,” Lamb said. “On film, if he’s one-on-one, you like the matchup. He

16

Junior wide receiver Shaedon Meadors against Texas State. The Mountaineers won 35-10. always open. That’s a great feeling to have.”

Lamb and Meadors have worked together to build trust and confidence, and that has carried over into the season, especially in one-on-one scenarios.

“He trusts me that when he puts it in the air, I’ll go get it,” Meadors said. “I trust him that he’ll get it to me. I love one-on-one. It gives me a chance to beat the guy. Just me and him.”

Another factor that has led to Meadors’ growth is his increased coachability. Wide receivers coach Justin Watts said that Meadors has learned

to enjoy being coached.

“When he first got here, he maybe thought he did no wrong,” Watts said. “He’s learned that he’s got a lot to learn and if he’ll come with an open mind every day, he’s got a high ceiling.”

While Meadors appreciates the game, he also isn’t afraid to have fun, cracking jokes with his teammates and keeping the mood light.

“Why be so serious?” Meadors said.

“You gotta have fun with it. I could be at home. I could be studying or working. I get to play football. That’s free.

It’s not that bad.”

While off the field Meadors likes to keep things light, on the field he likes to win. Meadors won state championships in high school and has already added a bowl ring to his collection at App State, and has plans for more with his eyes on winning the Sun Belt this year and another bowl win.

As he continues to grow as a football player, Meadors looks up to Houston Texans’ wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, calling him a mentor.

Meadors got in contact with Hopkins when he played at Clemson, with Meadors’ godfather being offensive coordinator at the university.

Meadors said that they talk often and over time, they have built a bond.

After Meadors’ breakout game against Georgia Southern, the two receivers texted a bit about it, with Hopkins saying, “You're alright. Keep working.” Meadors said that he thinks Hopkins sends messages like that to continue to motivate him.

Whether it be texts from a mentor or advice from coaches, Meadors has used these words to grow and develop into the Mountaineer’s number one receiving threat.

Nine games into his junior season, Meadors has tallied 36 receptions, 561 yards and a touchdown.

“He loves the game atmosphere,” Watts said.

“Sometimes you have to push him in practice, but, once it becomes game time, he knows, ‘Hey coach, throw me the ball. I’ll make a play.’”

Meadors looks to get many more opportunities for one-on-one coverage throughout the rest of his career at App State. The Mountaineers are unapologetically a running football team, with stars like senior Marcus Cox and sophomore Jalin Moore in the backfield. This leads to the defense loading the box to stop the run, and it gives Meadors one-on-one matchups on the outside.

Meadors is confident he’ll often win those matchups.

“I never put myself as the underdog against anybody, no matter who I’m going against,” Meadors said. “I always pick myself to win.”

Photo Credit: Dallas Linger

Nov. 17, 2016

FROM WALK-ON TO STANDOUT

Denzel Dejournette wins by forfeit against Belmont Abbey last Friday at Varsity Gym

DENZEL DEJOURNETTE’S JOURNEY TO THE TOP JOHN ROBERTSON SPORTS REPORTER

F

rom being a walk-

on freshman to a senior All-American, Denzel Dejournette is in the midst of his final season as an App State wrestler.

Persistent and hardworking are simple attributes to describe Dejournette throughout his career as a Mountaineer, on and off the mat.

On the mat, Dejournette has been on a climb to the top since he arrived to Boone. After placing in a few tournaments his freshman season followed by a 15-17 record in the 2013-14 season, Dejournette emerged during his junior season.

Bringing home the SoCon championship, two tournament victories and SoCon wrestler of the month for November and a 33-6 record, Dejournette was named an All-American.

Senior App State student Matt Millaway roomed with Dejournette when they arrived as freshman. Millaway recalls the hard work that Dejournette put in during that first season.

“What a hard working guy,” Millaway said. “I remember him running

Photo Credit: Matt Sloyer

stairs outside our dorm room after long and grueling practices. Right then I knew what kind of guy he was. It’s hard to find a better all-around guy than Denzel.”

Dejournette is currently the No. 9 ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation according to the NCAA Division 1 rankings. Although he is nationally ranked, Dejournette tries not to put much thought into it and focus on wrestling like he knows he is capable of.

“Last year I put a lot of pressure on myself when I was ranked No. 6 in the national tournament,” Dejournette said.

“I started wrestling like I had something to protect. Coach finally told me to stop wrestling like you’re protecting something. At the end of the day it only matters what I think of myself and I want to be number one.”

Head coach John Mark Bentley has coached Dejournette since he arrived as a walk-on freshman, giving him the opportunity to get to know Denzel as an athlete and person.

“Denzel is an outstanding role model for our team and he always has been,” Bentley said. “It’s not only

about how hard he wrestles and how he competes but also how he brings the same intensity in approach to school and life.”

After years of experience with wrestling, Bentley acknowledges how unusual it is to have a person like Dejournette leading the squad.

“Very rarely do you get a guy like Denzel,” Bentley said. “It’s very fortunate for us because he is our best guy and he does all the right things off the mat. He leads by example and he does the extra work while always bringing intensity.”

His hard work to succeed on and off the mat rubs off on the team as well.

“A lot of guys look up to him and it helps when he’s doing the right things and living the right lifestyle,” Bentley said.

Dejournette admits that he wouldn’t be where he is today without all of the faith and work that Bentley has put into him throughout the past four years.

“Coach saw potential me in me even when I wasn’t the highest ranked guy, I mean I was a walk on,” Dejournette said. “He taught me that it’s not where

you come from, it's what you’re doing and what you’re moving towards and I really feel like he really believes in me.

It’s a very close relationship between me and him.”

Despite all of the success on the mat, Dejournette understands that wrestling is only one aspect of his life. One of his main priorities in life is just to be compassionate and feel empathy towards people in every situation.

“I try to understand that not every individual came from the same situation that I did,” Dejournette said. “I had the opportunity to grow up in a two-parent household with two loving parents that taught me right from wrong. I just try to let my positive attitude be contagious and spread love in a world full of hate.”

With one more year of graduate school after he graduates, Dejournette’s plans for the future are up in the air.

“I’m trying to see what opportunities I can give myself by working hard in the classroom and on the wrestling mat while being a good person,” Dejournette said. “Hopefully someone will see the hard work I’m putting in and say that’s a guy that I want to work for me.”

17

Nov. 17, 2016

MEN'S GOLF PREPS FOR SPRING

(Top) Senior Patrick Moriarty.

(Bottom) Sophomore Alex Burris.

IAN TAYLOR SPORTS REPORTER

W

ith fall semester

tournaments in the books, the Appalachian State men’s golf team is ready to gear up for the spring’s challenges that await them.

The Mountaineers had four tournaments in the fall, with a highlight second place finish coming at Mimosa Hills in Morganton, North Carolina.

While they were able to place in the top 10 in three of their four tournaments, Mimosa Hills would be the only time they finished in the top half of the groups attending.

Building on the four fall tournaments, sophomore Alex Burris attributed some of the slow start to inexperience.

“We played at least two freshmen this last tournament so they’ll get better just from experience,” Burris said.

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“It’s definitely harder. The courses are harder, the players are better and it’s a lot more golf.”

Of the 10-man roster, the golf team has three freshmen, meaning that they’ll look to get a few more tournaments in each before the end of the calendar year.

One member of the team looking to build on gaining experience is sophomore Thomas Hodges, who compares himself to the freshmen experience-wise.

“I’m a sophomore, and I got to start three tournaments this semester, and it’s a completely new experience because I only got one start last year,” Hodges said. “For me, I think I’m where the freshmen are, I just need to get more comfortable in the pressure situations.”

Head coach Bill Dicus was quick to point out that if the team is to succeed in the spring, they as a whole will need

to be more consistent.

“One thing I’ve taken from this fall is that we’ve had a little bit of a different leader each week, we’ve had someone else really shine,” Dicus said.

“If we can get those things lined up where everyone is having a good week at the same time, that’s when you start winning golf tournaments.”

Dicus singled out Burris, junior Chance Watson and senior Patrick Moriarty as guys who all had good tournaments, but added that one player-per-tournament wasn’t enough to start winning.

For the players this upcoming semester, it’ll be important to block out the bigger picture in order to do well on the smaller details, something Burris said was imperative to him and his game.

“I tend to focus just on the tournament I’m in, specifically the round I’m in and the shot I’m on,” Burris said.

“We play 10 or 11 tournaments a year, and if I try to focus on all of that at once, my mind’s just going to explode. I try to think about as little as possible.”

Hodges said the tournament can scare a player.

“You think about how hundreds of golf holes you play and that’s a hundred and some mistakes you can make,” Hodges said. “I try to focus on what I can do right here, right now so that I can be the best I can be.”

Looking to the spring tournaments, the Mountaineers will get to stay relatively close to home for most of the semester. They will only have to leave the Carolinas twice, heading down to Florida for two of the team’s six scheduled events.

No matter where they go or who they have to face, the Mountaineers know to take the whole season shot by shot.

Photo Credit: App State Athletics/Tim Cowie

Nov. 17, 2016

I

ORANGE IS THE NEW PRESIDENT

n the early hours of

Nov. 9, the world witnessed billionaire “outsider” Donald J. Trump cross the necessary 270 electoral votes to become the 45th President of the United States.

News of this sent shock waves; many expressed elation and pride, others were filled with fear, anger and grief. In the past week, millions across the country have taken to the streets to exercise their right to protest. I admire that these people are showing their displeasure, and I am glad we live in a country where that right is protected. It is, however, a shame that people want to contest his legitimacy and shout, “Not my president!”

As a libertarian, I was guaranteed a sad election day long before November. Neither former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton nor Trump presented me with a clear vision of fiscal responsibility or the protection of rights. But being disappointed in the results of the election does not warrant an assault on democracy.

As the dust settling from the campaign trail skirmishes, we are left to examine our orange-faced champion.

Many loathe “The Donald” as a person, and for good reasons.

As far as his policy positions go, it’s hard to disagree with what you do not

Grant Jeffrey is a junior history major from Charlotte, North Carolina. know. On the campaign trail, Trump emphasized his desire to erect a wall across our southern border on Mexico’s own dime, forbid Muslim immigration and repeal the Affordable Care Act. The Mexican Foreign Minister has already stated that her nation will not foot the bill.

Since its conception, Trump’s policy on Islam has simmered down from a total moratorium on Muslims into the buzzwords “extreme vetting,” for all individuals from hot zones.

The announcement of the increase in Obamacare premiums undoubtedly played a role in the presidential race and Trump’s vehement opposal to the law catered to many voters. After meeting with President Barack Obama this past week, Trump performed a 180 and announced that there are parts he

likes and wants to keep. In short, no one that voted for Trump had any real idea of what they were getting, they just despised Clinton.

What I fear is not our president-elect, but rather the inner circle he will give non-consequential power. One of Trump’s slogans on the campaign trail was “drain the swamp.” What good is draining the swamp if he is going to replace these current cabinet members with equally corrupt, scandal-ridden, aspiring authoritarians? Imagine a Rudi “Stop and Frisk” Giuliani or Chris “Bridgegate” Christie as Attorney General or Sarah “I can see Russia” Palin as Secretary of the Interior. Steve “Pravda” Bannon already operates the alt-right news organization Breitbart, and now that he will be a senior advisor it might as well be our nation’s forum for propaganda. Lastly, Newt “Moon Bases” Gingrich would have us at war with a bee hive before he is done being sworn in as Secretary of State. These individuals will be responsible for drafting the policies and operating the Trump machine, far more terrifying than the orange-faced man himself.

The “100-day action plan to Make America Great Again” outlines the goals of the Trump administration, but when has a politician ever kept all of their

campaign promises? His plan to implement term limits, undo executive orders, advocate for school choice and cut taxes for everybody appeal to myself, but the rest, unfortunately, appeals to his populist base. The tired rhetoric of increasing military spending, raising tariffs, pulling out of trade deals and mass deportations seem too shocking to even be on the table.

The best thing we can do is stay optimistic and united. Every election has a winner and loser, regardless of which side you were on, so it is imperative that we come together. We will have President Trump for the next four years so we need to find a way to make due with the hand we’ve been dealt.

I hope we can seize this opportunity to reign in executive powers ensuring no president, Democrat or Republican, can bypass the checks and balances given by the Constitution. Ideally, this campaign cycle will teach us to pay more attention to local races, midterm elections and even third party candidates too. If nothing else, the abysmal voter turnout numbers should indicate to everyone that your vote does count and can make a huge difference. Hopefully, in four years Americans will realize the significance of their civic responsibilities and truly make America great themselves.

EXCEPTIONAL EVENTS CALL FOR EXCEPTIONAL COVERAGE

In the wake of Donald J. Trump’s historic political upset, major outlets have been reflecting on coverage failures leading up the election.

A pollster ate an insect live on CNN, The New York Times publisher criticized the publication in a letter to readers, and their policy editor wrote a piece noting their lack of outreach to American voters in their coverage.

News organizations ran their election coverage like a sideshow. They leaned on polls, debates and rallies rather than the broader views of the public to inform their content over the past few months.

Endless stories about Trump’s outrageous statements and behavior during debates was not complemented with robust coverage of the people who would ultimately vote for him, and why.

To be fair, the nature of this election was unprecedented. The usual suspects for sources: politicians, experts, polls and events did not give a full picture of what was on display this cycle.

Carl Blankenship is a senior journalism major from Kernersville, North Carolina.

Sammy Hanf is a junior journalism major from Greensboro, North Carolina.

This is not to say there was an anti-Trump narrative in the media per se, just that there is a consensus on how to cover elections that didn’t apply to this one.

Trump supporters were also covered as a side show. The loud, jeering crowds at his rallies made for interesting coverage while we failed to see the reality of his looming wins in traditionally blue Rust Belt states.

Even The Appalachian fell down. In

our Behind the Ballot issue we primarily spoke to political science professors and students with liberal leanings. Admittedly, Trump supporters were difficult to find and often unwilling to speak to us, but we did not bend over backwards to find them. The completeness of our coverage suffered as a result and we lacked that additional public perspective.

We may never have another election like this. The old methods may come back in the next cycle and be fine. We

could look back on this as an anomalous failure where the media did not adapt to the extraordinary circumstances. However we can not assume things will return to normalcy and should learn to not be complacent in our coverage.

This is a time for renewed skepticism of your favorite media sources. If you feel misled this election season and found yourself in a state of shock at the result, consider everything you read. We do not need to distrust the media, we just need to hold them to a standard, standards of coverage that explore all angles and topics within major issues and do not converge commentary and reporting.

More than anything, we need to support media that looks at prevailing narratives with a critical eye and not conflate punditry with reporting. There is not usually a wake up call like election day that shows longstanding predictions are wrong. Elections are unique because the results show a reality that news organizations do not.

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