The Bison Newspaper - Vol. 98, No. 08

University announces merge of arts and humanities, sciences colleges

BEN LANE sports editor EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Harding University announced that starting in the 2023-2024 school year, the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Sciences will be merged to create the College of Arts and Sciences. University Provost Marty Spears announced the merger to faculty from the colleges during a meeting on Nov. 16, and to other faculty and staff via email the next day.

Spears said the administration has discussed the merger since the end of Dr. Bruce McClarty’s presidency, but it was not until this year, as the University is attempting to streamline and be as efficient as possible, that the time was right.

“It was very strategic going into our centennial year to put back together into one college … there’s a lot of synergy there that you can really tap into by having all of those programs together because they’re so strongly connected just through the traditional liberal arts approach,” Spears said.

The decision also stems from lower enrollment rates in both colleges, Assistant Vice President of Finance Tim Jones said.

“Those are two areas, sciences and arts and humanities, that have disproportionately had lower enrollment the past six years or so, compared to [other areas],” Jones said.

Spears also announced that Dr. Dana Steil will become dean of the new College of Arts and Sciences. Steil is currently the associate provost for academic affairs and an associate professor of computer science.

Steil said the merger will better organize the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Sciences, which will result in more efficient communication between the two colleges. The change may also decrease scheduling conflicts for students attempting to enroll in different colleges on campus because chairs within the College of Arts and Sciences will meet periodically to discuss curriculum.

Steil also said that because Harding has a “culture of niceness,” faculty do not speak up in full-faculty meetings when curriculum is being voted on, which is an issue the merger may mitigate.

“I see this as a really big serious responsibility that I’m very happy to do, but I take it very

seriously,” Steil said. “It’s not something I can do alone.”

Another part of the rationale for the merger, Spears said, is that Harding will financially benefit from decreasing the amount of deans at the school. Harding will have one less dean and one less dean’s assistant, and Steil said his position as associate provost for academic affairs will not be filled after he leaves.

In the Nov. 17 email sent to faculty, Spears wrote that Dr. Warren Casey, dean of arts and humanities, will retire after the school year, and Dr. Zane Gastineau, dean of sciences, is considering other leadership roles within the college. Both deans will complete the remainder of the academic year as deans. Casey declined to comment to The Bison, and Gastineau did not respond to request for comment.

Established as the College of Arts and Sciences in 1924, the college split into the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Sciences in 2000. Historically they have been the largest colleges by department, with seven departments in arts and humanities and eight in sciences.

Spears said that for faculty and staff, the merger should not make much of an impact.

“I think it will create some new opportunities,” Spears said. “I think we’ll see some curricular changes, but we announced the combination of the colleges so this could be a season of time where we think about how this is going to impact us. There’s going to be a real diligent effort not to have a negative impact … on the different cultures … in the individual colleges.”

Also announced to go into effect for the 2023-2024 school year is the elimination of the University College. According to Spears, the same services provided through the University College will shift to the Center for Student Success, which will be led by Dr. Kevin Kehl, current University College dean. The interdisciplinary studies major will be moving from the University College to the College of Arts and Sciences, as will the Honors College.

“I’m excited about this change,” Spears said. “And even though there’s a lot of things that lead into making a big change like this, it is something that is very strategic that we’ve been thinking about for a while.”

ASI hosts bestselling author Bob Goff

EMILY STINNETT student writer

The Harding University American Studies Institute (ASI) concluded its distinguished lecture series for the semester on Tuesday, Nov. 29, with Bob Goff, who spoke on the idea of being “undistracted in business and life” in Benson Auditorium.

Goff is well known for his New York Times bestselling books, “Love Does” and “Everybody Always.” He is also an attorney, the honorary consul of Uganda and the founder of the nonprofit “Love Does.” Goff’s humor and joyful spirit set the tone for the lecture as he connected scripture to storytelling.

Goff said people knowing what they want and deciding why they want it keeps them from being distracted. He said it’s not selfish for people to know what they want, but it is strategic because they are focused.

“I want to have terrific doctrine and terrific theology, and loving people the way Jesus loved people is terrific theology,” Goff said. “That’s what I want.’’

Goff repeatedly compared the aroma of Christ to smelling cookies in the oven, that one’s influence on people is love. He said he could sense this in the people at Harding when he arrived.

“I want people to be near you and sense there’s something about you, there’s a depth, there’s a sincerity, there’s a vulnerability, there’s an awareness of what’s going on,” Goff said.

“And that comes from not being distracted.”

Goff discussed the importance of taking a genuine interest in others. When he was a teenager, he sent a letter to a leader in the U.S. about his parents. This leader took a genuine interest in Goff and replied to his letter, changing Goff’s life. He asked the audience what would happen if they took a genuine interest in others.

“This idea of love just to not have an agenda, when love has an agenda it isn’t love anymore, it’s a program,” Goff said. “Faith ain’t a program. Faith is showing up, knowing what you want, taking an interest in other people and doing something about it.”

A friend and neighbor of Goff’s was dying of cancer and was too weak to attend their neighborhood’s New Year’s Day parade. So they changed the parade route to pass through her front yard for the neighbors to walk through and wave goodbye.

“This is what it feels like to love your neighbor,” Goff said, referencing Mark 12.

On Tuesday afternoon, Goff spoke in a classroom session for students. ASI leaders held a reception and dinner following the session.

Goff spoke in chapel the following morning about immense patience mentioned in 1 Timothy. He shared many more stories about his travels to foreign countries, his

experiences working with prisoners and memories with his wife and family.

Senior Ella Horton, a member of the ASI officer council, has been a part of ASI since her freshman year. She was particularly excited to welcome Goff to campus and listen to him speak.

“I think that he is interesting to a lot of audiences and has a lot of wisdom to share that’s very applicable to everyone, not just a certain demographic,” Horton said.

Dr. Ross Cochran, professor of Bible, had read two of Goff’s books and had heard him speak before. He said it was great for ASI to invite Goff as ASI focuses on intersecting faith and civic life.

“I think [Goff] loves in creative ways,” Cochran said. “I think we get stuck in our well worn ways of loving. Sometimes the best response, the one that lands the best, has an element of surprise.”

The American Studies Institute hosts author Bob Goff as a guest speaker in Benson Auditorium on Nov. 29. Goff spoke on the idea of being “undistracted in business and life.”

Photo by MACY COX

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Harding community celebrates campus lighting ceremony

College of Bible expands opportunities for leadership and ministry majors

The College of Bible and Ministry made many changes to the leadership and ministry major in fall 2022, including new leadership.

After Dr. Andrew Baker was appointed as the president of the National Christian Schools Association, associate professor of Bible and Ministry Mac Sandlin assumed the role as director of the program.

In addition, the program will officially be renamed to theological studies in fall 2023. The new name is meant to better reflect the courses offered, which expanded on what was established under the name Leadership and Ministry.

Leadership and ministry is only offered as a second major, but within the major

multiple tracks are offered. Students have the opportunity to study ministry and service, scripture and interpretation, philosophy and ethics, Christian doctrine, or an individualized custom track. Sandlin said students within the program will leave feeling prepared for kingdom service in whatever field they are primarily pursuing.

“It’s a sort of identity formation that the students think of themselves as someone who has been tried for more robust forms of discipleship,” Sandlin said. “They see themselves as better equipped to follow Christ in the particular settings which they find themselves in.”

The program also plans to hold more events for students within the major to connect with each other such as devotionals, discussion groups and service projects.

Meagan Justus, event coordinator and office manager for the College of Bible and Ministry and Church Connections, worked closely with Sandlin as they implemented changes to the program. Both served as points of contact for potential and existing leadership and ministry majors.

“One of the things I think is really important is that the students know each other and feel like they’re part of a community,” Justus said. “And we also hope they know us, so they feel more mentored.”

Justus also emphasized the importance of making the students feel heard and offering opportunities that suited their interests. Senior Ann Marie Diamond said having clear points of contact like Justus made the students feel more excited about the changes.

“Mac and Meagan have already made such an effort through the transition to be an active part of guiding the students through it,” Diamond said. “Their willingness to have conversations about the changes that are happening has been very helpful and encouraging.”

Sandlin said he hoped these changes would cause growth in the major, not necessarily for the sake of the major, but rather to positively affect the kingdom.

“More and more students come to Harding with less and less church background, so a lot of people are discovering faith while they’re here,” Sandlin said. “We want to say for those who see this as something they desire, or those who find themselves called by God to do more with their faith than they expected: This major is a way of getting that done.”

WATKINS KELLY guest writer

Students, faculty, staff and community members all gather on the Front Lawn for the annual Christmas lighting ceremony on Nov. 28. This was Dr. Mike Williams’ first year to kick off the countdown as University president.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Students in the music group Mostly Brass perform Christmas tunes after the ceremony.

Seniors Johnny Galloway and Ann Marie Diamond meet with associate Bible and Ministry professor Mac Sandlin and Meagan Justus, event coordinator and office manager for the College of Bible and Ministry and Church Connections, at Midnight Oil on Nov. 15. Sandlin took over as director of the Leadership and Ministry major program this fall.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Williams talks with Director of Physical Resources Danny DeRamus outside the Dr. David B. Burks American Heritage Building.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

A group of students takes photographs on the Front Lawn following the ceremony.

Photo by MACY COX Buff the Bison poses in a Santa suit in front of the Christmas lights on campus.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Photo by MADISON MEYER

T he way we do government in America is broken — and has been for a long time. The two-party system, which George Washington warned against in his farewell address, has failed us and the problem goes much deeper than any one politician. If you’re reading this article hoping for a flashy takedown of Joe Biden, Donald Trump or any other political figure, you’re going to be disappointed. The problem with American politics is not the people involved with it — it is the system we use, which is completely broken. In fact, this system encourages half of our elected officials to quite literally sabotage the country.

To understand what I mean by this, we must first understand what perfect politics — or a perfect government — would look like. I’ve created this working definition, which I think most people would at least somewhat agree with. In a perfect world, our government would consist of intelligent leaders who we elect to make decisions and laws to fix problems within our country. If the U.S. Senate sees that unemployment is high, they should try to work together to come up with a solution. If the House of Representatives sees that healthcare is unaffordable for most Americans, they should try to find a way to change that. These politicians, in an ideal world, would try to fix the problems we face as a nation. There’s one problem with this. Americans tend to blame the president — and the

American politics is broken

president’s political party — for everything that goes wrong in our country and give them credit for things that go right. So if the country is doing well in an election year, people will probably vote for the president’s party. If things are going poorly, people will likely vote against the president’s party. We’ve seen this recently — with gas prices high and inflation rising, many American voters have been blaming Biden, and Republicans picked up seats in the House as a result. Please note: I am not making any kind of statement on whether or not Biden is to blame for these things — I am simply stating that regardless of whether he is or not, people are blaming him — and Democrats.

So let’s go back to that definition of “perfect politics,” where elected officials work together to make the country the best it can be. If you’re a Republican senator, you could work with Biden and Democrats to try and lower gas prices. There’s one problem — it might actually work, and then

people would see the lowered gas prices and give Biden the credit. This may lead to Democrats doing well in the next election, which may lead to you losing your job. What’s the alternative? If you’re the party opposite the president, it’s making America worse. Why would an elected official want to do that? Because most voters will see the pitiful state the country is in and do what Americans tend to do — blame the president. Then they might vote against his party, which could lead to a very successful election for you and your party. So this is the government we have in America — one where a politician who tries to fix problems might lose his or her job, and one who actively tries to ruin the country might win their party in the next election. It’s why instead of “finding solutions” and “working together,” politicians talk about “stopping the president’s agenda.” They know that if the president is in a different political party, a ruined America means votes for them. It’s a sobering realization — our political system encourages half the politicians in office to make things worse for us. However, it’s one we need to accept because the sooner we can change this system, the better off we’ll be.

THWEATT is a guest writer for The Bison. He may be contacted at cthweatt@harding.edu.

What’s your opinion?

To have an opinion published in The Bison, contact the Opinions editor, Malachi Brown, at mbrown33@harding.edu.

“Nope” review

Aidan McGuire

A t the end of each year, we can’t help but look back on the films we’ve seen. For me, Jordan Peele’s science-fiction horror neo-western “Nope” stands out above the rest. Spoilers ahead.

The film primarily follows OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) Haywood’s hunt for proof of the giant flying saucer stalking the outskirts of Hollywood. The siblings learn the UFO is actually an organism feeding on the local population. They name it Jean Jacket after a horse their father couldn’t tame.

Our captor is the untamed television screen, and we worship it in our living room.

Their neighbor Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun), is a child star from the fictional sit-com “Gordy’s Home.” The show ended tragically when the titular chimp beat his TV parents to death and maimed an actress beyond recognition. Jupe considers his chance of the massacre to be attributed to his personal connection with Gordy. When we see his memory of the incident, a shoe miraculously stands upright in the living room. The meaning behind this confused me, but online theories I read considered the shoe to be an example of “a bad miracle,”

a prominent theme throughout the film. Although I wouldn’t dismiss that idea entirely, now I think the shoe is a profound moment of characterization for Jupe.

As an adult, Jupe shows the Haywoods a hidden room dedicated to the Gordy incident. His TV sister’s shoe is positioned upright in a display case. Jupe didn’t arrange the shoe how he remembered it; he remembers it as it appears in the case. His childhood trauma caused severe psychological damage, so he approaches his memories through the phony display version of the events. The siblings ask for details, he tells them to watch the Saturday Night Live skit about the attack. Jupe copes by hiding inside the wholesome sit-com reality where Gordy is his friend.

Horror monsters represent ideas that terrify us. The Xenomorph in “Alien” (1979), for example, articulates the fear of our creations (like the artificial intelligence aboard the spaceship) becoming the agents of our demise. So, what kinds of terror does “Nope” associate with Jean Jacket?

The saucer design obviously draws from classics like “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (1951), but Peele wanted Jean Jacket’s final form to evoke the sci-fi anime “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” The show is heavily influenced by Freudian psychology and the Judeo-Christian canon. The etymology of the title literally means “a new retelling of the gospel.” Each episode, teenage mech pilots defend earth from “angels,” entities Jean Jacket clearly resembles. His influences

suggest Peele is reinterpreting historical narratives, too.

The saucer explains decades of UFO conspiracies, but the biblical ties imply more. Since Jean Jacket isn’t explicitly alien, it may be native to earth, predating history. Its angelic design and cloud camouflage could suggest humanity projected religious ideas onto a predator. Maybe something else was with the Israelites in the wilderness.

Along with existential religious questions, Jean Jacket embodies the violence of the entertainment industry. Nahum 3:6 appears at the beginning of “Nope,” which implies Hollywood is modern-day Nineveh. The saucer’s appetite for horses reflects Hollywood’s historically poor treatment of them. Classic westerns infamously forced horses to be tripped or run off of cliffs. While filming “Ben Hur” (1959), 100 were shot dead.

Jupe’s attempt to commodify Jean Jacket bears an eerie resemblance to our nationwide spectacle addiction. Our captor is the untamed television screen, and we worship it in our living room. Jupe assumes the saucer sees something special in him, but what he mistakes for an eyeball is a gaping mouth. It isn’t a “viewer,” like he says, but a predator. We call ourselves consumers, but we might actually be the main course.

Striving for foolishness

At least twice a year, my mother brings up my ACT test scores and my math class grades, lamenting that I didn’t become an engineer or something that pays better than writing and ministry. I was very good at math and science throughout my entire primary and secondary schooling, creating hypotheses and using data to come to conclusions. This served me very well academically, and people usually knew that when I said something, I had the evidence to back it up.

As I entered high school, I began to see facts or common senses in discordance with my beliefs, and as common sense demands, when the facts don’t support your conclusions, you change conclusions. I looked at how many events my parents showed up to and how many times my friends asked me to hang out and came to the conclusion that I was not as loved as I wanted to be. I saw my excitement for upcoming movies, or my pride when I won awards, and decided that I was not as happy as I ought to be. Luckily, I grew out of this, but I didn’t realize what was happening until very recently.

I realized how foolish it is to approach eternity with a yardstick.

I spent most of my Thanksgiving reading books, articles and dissertations on a kind of character called the Holy Fool who shows up in a lot of Christian existentialist novels. The paper I was writing talks about how the Holy Fool does not need to rationalize everything out. They are not foolish because they are bad decision makers or they are more ignorant than other people, but because they are humble enough to recognize that they cannot answer every question. Once you have found a way to measure joy by an applause-meter, or love by a dinky machine at an amusement park, they are no longer joy or love.

Humans cannot possibly define “joy” or “love” with words any more than we can describe God, and anyone who says otherwise, by trying to be more intelligent, becomes more foolish. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so how many words is an experience? I cannot describe the love my mother has for me, but I experience her kiss on my forehead every time I finish the trip home for breaks. Nor can I describe the love my father has for me, but I can see the look on his face as he watches me doing the things I enjoy. Once I realized how foolish it is to approach eternity with a yardstick, love and joy and God no longer seemed so small. I stopped scouring the data for signs of joy and suddenly found it everywhere.

Weights and measures have their merit. I have abounding gratitude for people in engineering or chemistry who work with precise numbers, but in some fields, they have serious limitations. The Holy Fool teaches us that love is not meant to be measured but experienced. To not have all the facts but to experience it anyway; that sounds a lot like faith to me.

staff guest contributors

Emma Jones editor-in-chief Sara Hook features/layout editor Sophie Rossitto news editor

Ben Lane sports editor Malachi Brown opinions editor Maggie Samples lifestyle editor

Gabriel Huff head copy editor Cianna Jay asst. copy editor Emma Weber editorial assisstant

Madison Meyer head photographer Balazs Balassa asst. photographer Macy Cox asst. photographer

Gracie Cornett cartoonist Bonnie Spann business manager Cooper Turman graphic designer

Wagner Valdez asst. graphic designer Stacy Roibal beat reporter

Emily Stinnett historian

April Fatula faculty adviser Michael Claxton narrative columnist

Emily Stinnett Carter Thweatt

Mitch Friesenborg Watkins Kelly

Kalista Roades

Aidan McGuire

Ben Evans

Guest Writer

Carter Thweatt

MALACHI BROWN is the opinions editor for The Bison. He may be contacted at mbrown33@harding.edu.

CARTER

– Malachi Brown, opinions editor

Guest Writer

AIDAN MCGUIRE is a guest writer for The Bison. He can be contacted at amcguire1@harding.edu.

Opinions Editor Malachi Brown

Graphic by Cooper Turman

– Carter Thweatt, junior

This system encourages half of our elected officials to... sabotage the country.

– Aidan McGuire, junior

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Ten Thousand Words

“I and Love and You”

This time of year is, in my opinion, the best for listening to my favorite album by my favorite band: “I And Love And You” by The Avett Brothers. This album covers several themes, from moving to a new place to teenage romance to adult friendships, but there are three songs on the album that have really been speaking to me during this season of my life — that season being, of course, my senior year. Being home for Thanksgiving break and having all my family members ask what I’ll be doing after graduation really made it sink in. In May, I will be leaving and will not have the consistent routine of school that I’ve depended on for so long. And that’s scary.

The third track on “I And Love And You” is “Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise,” which I think is a good metaphor in itself for senior year. I am doubting many things about life right now: Am I in the right major, do I have all my credit hours, where will I work after graduation, etc. But I have so much to look forward to after next May; the road is truly full of promise. As the narrator sings, “There was a dream and one day I could see it. Like a bird in a cage, I broke in and demanded that somebody free it.” I’m not quite sure what that dream will be after graduation, but I hope that I can achieve it when the time comes.

In the sixth track, “Ten Thousand Words,” the narrator confesses how badly he overthinks and gets caught up in his own head about things, to the point where he feels he has an expert opinion on overthinking. But he says, “Ain’t it like most people? I’m no different. We love to talk on things we don’t know about.” It’s human nature to want to be viewed as someone who is knowledgeable, so we often give our opinion on everything, regardless of how much we actually know. Ironic to make this point in an opinion column where I’m free to write about whatever I feel like each week, and that my column is named after this very song. (I liked the irony, though I try to stick to talking on things I do know about.) As a senior, I sometimes feel entitled to give my opinion on everything because I am older and thus wiser, but it is just as important for me to be the one listening and learning from others and appreciating what I can still learn from people while I am still here.

The 13th and last song on the album is titled “Incomplete And Insecure,” in which the narrator feels as if he has done everything in his life halfway but realizes that maybe he needs to change. He starts by saying, “I haven’t finished a thing since I started my life. I don’t feel much like starting now” but later in the song says, “But watching you makes me think that that is wrong.” Much like the “head full of doubt” sentiment from earlier, I sometimes feel as if I’ve done things halfway or not well enough, and I’m insecure as I’m facing the end of my college career. But going into my last semester makes me want to finish strong and put my all into my last few months of school — here’s to hoping you join me in doing so in the spring.

EMMA JONES is editor-inchief for The Bison. She can be contacted at ejones19@harding.edu.

Kalista Roades

Guest Writer

Once Halloween is over, everybody starts getting into a lot of arguments that don’t get anywhere. Every year, we have these arguments, and no changes their mind. Let me give some examples, but don’t come for me. “Die Hard” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” are not Christmas movies, and Christmas music and trees and twinkle lights are appropriate starting on Nov. 1. All that being said, I’m still here to make my case and keep the arguments going anyway, because at this point, is it really Christmas unless you’ve argued about how soon you can play Christmas music?

Kalista Roades, freshman

I always start my Christmas season in early November. The exact date varies based on my homework load, but usually by the first week I’ve listened to Christmas music at least once. By the third week, I’ll have my tree up in my room, and I’ll be doing homework by twinkle lights. Come December, I have at least one or two Christmas movie nights a week, and

The case for Christmas in November

Christmas music is on for every drive. This is also when the ugly Christmas sweaters come back from hibernation.

I know lots of people like to argue that this diminishes Thanksgiving, but let’s be honest — Thanksgiving is a holiday with a dubious history that now just consists of a two-hour parade and a meal of usually only OK food (unless you have a chef in the family). It’s not a good enough holiday to get all of November. Besides, twinkle lights on roofs are just festive — they don’t necessarily scream Christmas, especially if they’re the classic white lights. Yes, some of the Christmas songs get old after a while (looking at you, Mariah Carey), but you can always purposefully space out when you listen to them so they don’t get tiresome too quickly. And there’s maybe one Thanksgiving movie worth watching (Charlie Brown, of course), but there are countless Christmas movies — we need more than just December to watch them all.

Now this isn’t to say that I’m against the folks that wait for Christmas celebrations until after Thanksgiving. I won’t go blaring Christmas music in the dorm, and I won’t wear an ugly Christmas sweater until December. If I have to, I’ll have my Christmas season in private and in secret, but I hope that’s not the case. One of the benefits of starting Christmastime this early is that I can celebrate with my Harding friends before going home for break. Theoretically

Breakfast at Trixie’s

Something wasn’t right. I tossed and fidgeted, trying to get comfortable, but it felt like I was lying on a pencil. I was just about to get up, turn on the lamp and sweep out the bed. That’s when I found it. Not five minutes before, when she tucked me in, my grandmother had secretly clipped a clothespin onto my pajamas. I pulled it off and smiled. At 8 years old, it was my dream to be a magician, and I envied her crafty sleight-of-hand.

In 17 years of writing for The Bison, I can’t believe I’ve never written about Trixie. Coincidentally, between the ages of 5 and 22, I spent 17 summers with her. She lived in Nashville, Tennessee, and my parents lived in Atlanta, and how well I remember the drive up through the Tennessee mountains, anticipating what we would do this year and rushing to her kitchen to unscrew the Mason jar where she kept the marshmallows.

So many memories. Trixie drove an old, green tank of a car, sometimes on missions of mercy and sometimes on adventures. She had friends in nursing homes, and as a young boy I got used to being around older people, as she went to visit them, taking them homemade yeast rolls and strawberry jam, and chatting the hours away in pure kindness. We picked up Mrs. Davis every week for church, and Trixie taught me to open the car door and help her in. Mrs. Davis always called me “Sir Walter Raleigh.”

On the way home, we had a routine. I would beg to stop at the convenience store for a Slushy, and Trixie would say “no.” But as we approached the Starvin’ Marvin, the car would seem to develop a mind of its own. “It’s turning, and I can’t stop it,” she would frantically say, pretending to have

no control over the Buick. Every time we pulled into the parking lot, I believed it was the car that did it, not her. I vowed to get a car like that someday.

It seemed that Trixie never stopped cooking. Her house had a tiny kitchen — she would have been amazed at today’s enormous kitchens with their islands and pot fillers and whatnot. From that little room issued the most incredible things. Fried chicken to die for. Milkshakes made with eggs. Biscuits baked with lard. (She kept a 20-gallon drum of it in the pantry.) Cakes every week. Fried pies covered with a sauce so good I still get giddy thinking about it. Eggs, bacon, fried apples and pancakes for breakfast. She even heated the maple syrup.

Mother claimed she was spoiling me and that when I came home after every summer, it would take weeks to undo all the damage. Trixie has been gone for 27 years, and I haven’t yet undone all the effects of her pampering. She was old school and needed people to spoil. Her 13 grandchildren were happy to oblige.

But she took care of everyone. She baked cakes for the mail carrier. And the lady who fixed her hair. And the garbage man. One time I was in her kitchen and saw her empty an aluminum can. Then she stuffed the can with a paper towel, wrapped it in a bag, put rubber bands around it and

there’s some time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I plan on studying for finals for most of that time.

I just don’t think there’s anything wrong with starting Christmas early. For me, it’s a season of joy, giving and hope, and can’t we all use a little more of that as we finish out the semester? At the end of the day, if twinkle lights and feel-good movies make you happy, I say you should be able to have that whenever you want.

KALISTA ROADES is a guest writer for The Bison. She may be contacted at kroades@harding.edu.

threw it in the trash. When I asked why she did that, she said, “Those cans have sharp edges, and I don’t want the garbage man to cut himself.”

Of course, it was unusual to see her throw anything away. Having raised five children during the Great Depression, she had her generation’s tendency to hang on to things. My mother once volunteered to help her clean out a storage room. They sorted stuff into boxes, including a full carton for Goodwill. Bit by bit, Trixie took items out of the donation box to keep. When it was all over, we gave away exactly three books. When she passed away in 1995 at age 85, we found things that made us smile. She had old dresses folded with a note that said, “I can wear these if I get down to a size 9 — if they’re still in style.” When I gave her a large-print Bible, she wrote in it, “Michael gave me this in 1992. Didn’t need large print until 1994.”

I have all the photo albums she made for me and stacks of her letters. When I was in college, we wrote to each other every week. I have a picture of the last time we played cards.

Every year in early December, she hosted her large family for a Christmas breakfast. In her honor, we’ve continued the tradition for three decades. It’s next weekend. Everyone should be blessed with a grandmother who is your teacher, your biggest fan and your partner in crime. I certainly was, and nothing was better than breakfast at Trixie’s. Pass the syrup.

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BYLINE POLICY: The Bison provides an opportunity for class writers to contribute work under the byline “guest writers.” Due to this arrangement, staff writers may rewrite a portion of the guest writers’ stories as they deem necessary, while still identifying the work as the guest writers’ own.

MICHAEL CLAXTON is a guest writer for The Bison. He can be contacted at mclaxto1@harding.edu.

Harding University student

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Editor-in-Chief Emma Jones

Narrative Columnist Michael Claxton

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There are countless Christmas movies — we need more than just December to watch them all.

Illustration by Gracie Cornett

Graphic by Cooper Turman

Graphic by Wagner Valdez

Volleyball finishes record-breaking season at NCAA tournament

said. “However, striving for these honors was never my intention, but rather to play for my teammates and to see the success in the team as a whole.”

The Lady Bison volleyball team finished their 2022 season on Nov. 18 as season and tournament champions in the Great American Conference (GAC), with an overall win record of 30-2 and an undefeated conference record of 19-0.

The team also set a new school record with a 28-game win streak. The previous record was 17 games, which had been set by both the 2002 and 2005 teams.

Head coach Meredith Fear said breaking the previous win streak record was something she thought was possible but not probable.

“I think what this team did really well was strike a balance of being confident, without being arrogant,” Fear said. “Knowing that we had the ability to win … but we never made assumptions, we knew we’d have to work for it. And they definitely worked for it and earned it.”

Individual members of the team earned a significant amount of awards throughout the season as well, including 10 GAC player of the week recognitions for five different players and a number of conference recognitions. The most significant, however, was senior middle blocker Kelli McKinnon, who not only won the most individual awards, but was the first player in GAC history to be awarded GAC Player of the Year, GAC Elite Scholar and GAC All-Tournament MVP in the same season, according to Fear.

“I am very honored to have received all the awards I did this season,” McKinnon

This year’s team was an experienced one, with nine seniors on the roster. Fear said that of the nine, seven will be returning next year as they have an extra year of eligibility after the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19, but she didn’t want to put pressure on the team to perform to the same level next season.

“We’re going to work hard to just stay in the moment and not put undue expectations on ourselves,” Fear said. “Do I think we have the potential to have another really great season? Absolutely, but I’m not putting pressure for that to happen.”

The team’s season ended during their first game of the NCAA tournament, when they lost to host team Wayne State. Harding was ranked 24th overall going into the tournament, while Wayne State was ranked second.

Senior setter Sarah Morehead said the team went into the GAC tournament feeling “really good, both physically and mentally,” but some struggled with new and old injuries when going into the NCAA tournament less than a week after.

“While we didn’t come out on top at regionals, I am so proud of the heart and grit each girl on our team contributed to making our season so special,” Morehead said.

Basketball teams travel to Puerto Rico

For fifth year guard Ramiro Santiago, who was born in Argentina, the game offered him a chance to take a more active role than usual.

The Harding men’s and women’s basketball teams don’t usually have to travel very far for their games. This past month, however, that changed in a big way.

On the weekend of Nov.12, the men’s team went to Puerto Rico to play two local teams there. Over Thanksgiving break, the women’s team did the same, playing two games in the capital city of San Juan. The teams weren’t exactly sure what sort of competition level to expect, but senior Davis Morgan said the Puerto Rican teams gave them a run for their money.

“They weren’t as tall as other teams we’ve played, but they were very skilled,” Morgan said. “We had to respect their ability to make shots, just like we do with every team we play.”

The men’s team won both games they played by double digits — the closest margin was 13. The women had a bit of an easier time — they won both games by 30-point margins, even holding Puerto Rico-Mayaguez to 20 points. Freshman Ella Grace Thompson said this didn’t make the games any less enjoyable.

“Both teams were really scrappy and aggressive, and it was a lot of fun to compete in the Roberto Clemente Coliseum,” Thompson said. “It was a really cool environment.”

“I had to translate for coach [Jeff] Morgan a couple of times so that he could talk to the refs,” Santiago said. “That was pretty funny.”

Santiago added that while the trip did help the team gain confidence on the court, it helped them in other ways, as well. Davis Morgan had similar thoughts.

“It wasn’t just the games,” Morgan said. “It was the bus rides, the time in the airport, the many trips to get ice cream, the relaxing by the pool. We had so much fun just being with each other.”

Santiago shared a similar perspective about the trip.

“We had a really good time and a lot of laughs, and that helped our team bonding,” Santiago said. “The trip also helped in a basketball way, because winning the two games helped our confidence as a team.”

For Thompson, the trip was an opportunity to play ball, but also to visit a new place. She said that was an unforgettable experience.

“I’ll remember most visiting Old San Juan,” Thompson said. “There was tons of shopping and sightseeing. … It was a really pretty day to walk around and enjoy that part of San Juan.”

CARTER THWEATT student writer

EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Junior Skyler McKinnon sets up to block Drury Panther Salma Lewis’ spike attempt Sept. 27 against Drury University in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Harding won the match 3-1.

Senior Ally Stoner prepares to high five senior Kinley Schnell Oct. 6 in the Rhodes-Reaves Field House. Harding swept Northwestern Oklahoma University 3-0.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Graphic

Candidates compete for Searcy mayor as runoff election approaches

GABRIEL HUFF head copy editor

Early voting is in motion for Searcy mayor as incumbent Kyle Osborne goes head-to-head with businessman Mat Faulkner in the city’s Dec. 6 runoff election after neither candidate garnered enough votes to win on Nov. 8.

As next Tuesday looms closer, both candidates have emphasized their goals of advancing the city’s industry.

“I’m excited to help build an innovative ecosystem that embraces the entrepreneurial spirit to attract jobs and industry to Searcy,” Faulkner said in a Nov. 25 article from The Daily Citizen. “This is a multifaceted approach to develop a qualified workforce so employers can fill the hundreds of jobs currently available, while also empowering and supporting entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses here.”

Faulkner also said he has worked with many nonprofits, schools, businesses and organizations over the past 20 years to help Searcy make progress, adding that serving as the city’s mayor is an avenue to transition from a part-time volunteer to a full-time focus.

Osborne said he and the city have several projects underway to benefit Searcy’s economy, including the 20-Year Strategic Plan.

“It involves the community,” Osborne said to The Bison. “There’s surveys being conducted in the community as to ‘What would you like to see in your community?’ I’d really like to see that come to fruition and then us be able to deliver on those requests.”

Osborne spoke about his desire to continue progress in the city, as well.

“We’ve done a fantastic job in my opinion, and our economical development, like I said, is doing wonders,” Osborne said. “If you look around Searcy, you see the growth everywhere. There’s construction going on everywhere you look, and I want to keep that going not just for the city, but for Harding. When the city grows, Harding grows.”

During the Nov. 8 election, Faulkner received 2,625 votes (41.72%) while 1,589 votes (26.99%) went toward Osborne. The other two mayoral candidates, Searcy Police Department Sgt. Jason McGlawn and Searcy High School English teacher April Butler, received 1,171 (18.61%) and 798 votes (12.68%), respectively.

Lori Klein, assistant professor of political science, said runoffs and special elections usually have low-voter turnouts despite their importance for cities, so she encourages people to make the effort to vote.

“Local things like city and county and school boards have a lot more impact on people’s lives, direct impact on people’s lives, than the big stuff that you see on the news all the time.” Klein said.

While people did not see Searcy’s mayoral election turn up final results on Nov. 8, other elections and ballot issues came to a resolution.

Democratic candidate Chris Jones and Libertarian candidate Ricky Harrington, received 32.2% and 1.8%, respectively. Four statewide ballot measures were also proposed to Arkansas voters: Issue 1 to revise rules for calling special legislative sessions; Issue 2 to revise rules for ballot initiatives and constitution amendments; Issue 3 to add religious freedom amendments to the state constitution; and Issue 4 to legalize marijuana All measures were defeated. The marijuana legalization initiative, which was opposed by 56% of voters, received the most attention. Early voting for the mayoral election will end on Dec. 5. On election day, citizens can vote from 7:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

In another city election, City Attorney incumbent Buck Gibson, who had served at his appointment for nearly 20 years, lost his position to attorney Will Moore, who garnered about 66% of the votes.

In statewide matters, the battle for Arkansas governor saw Republican candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders emerge as the winner with 63% of the votes. Her opponents,

Searcy celebrates the Christmas season

STACY ROIBAL beat reporter EMMA JONES editor-in-chief

Members of the Searcy community have been coming together to put on this year’s Holiday of Lights to celebrate the Christmas season. Light displays have been set up in public spaces around town, and all sorts of festivities and events are taking place throughout the month of December.

The season was kicked off with a lighting ceremony at Berryhill Park Nov. 22. The Harding lighting ceremony is also included as part of the event, as well as light displays at Spring Park, Berry Hill Park, Yancey Park, the Black House and Smyrna Church, according to the official Holiday of Lights website.

Lots of Christmas events have been planned throughout the month of December to continue the celebrations. An ice skating rink opened in Spring Park on Dec. 1 that will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday through the rest of the month from 5 - 10 p.m. for $5 a person. Holiday pop-up shops featuring local vendors will also be happening throughout December, with one happening today at VanHook Art from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Today also marks the start of Searcy First Assembly of God’s annual drive-thru Living Nativity, which will be held Dec. 2-4, 7 and 9-11. Times can be found on the Holiday of Lights website.

“The Christmas story comes alive as we transform the outside of the church to reflect the hustle and bustle of Bethlehem as it would have appeared in biblical times,” a Facebook post from the Searcy First Assembly of God said.

One of the largest events happening this month is the annual Jolly Jubilee, which is being held this Saturday in Downtown Searcy. The main event will be the second annual world championship chocolate gravy cook-off.

“For $5, you get to sample every entry

and vote for your favorite,” Kristi Thurmon, committee chair for Searcy Holiday of Lights, said. “There are also tons of events for kids, and my favorite part is when Santa goes on the balcony of the White County Courthouse to read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.’ It’s a magical moment.”

The Jolly Jubilee will also feature a craft fair, petting zoo, parade and more.

Senior Jaxon Nash, who has been interning with Main Street Searcy this semester, said Holiday of Lights has its own board of volunteers, with whom Main Street Searcy works with in order to plan holiday events like these.

“I believe that bringing the community together for events and holidays is crucial in building up the strength of one’s communal spirit,” Nash said. “Searcy is full of families and good people. If we can plan events like these and get those people together, there is a unique feeling and sense of pride that comes from seeing so many happy faces in one place.”

Christmas events happening on campus

Christmas lights decorate BerryHill Park on Nov. 29. Lights are on display around Downtown Searcy as a part of the annual Holiday of LIghts; other festive celebrations include the Holiday Pop-up Shop, skating at Spring Park and Searcy’s Jolly Jubilee.

– Lori Klein, asst. professor of political science

Local things like city and county and school boards have a lot more impact on people’s lives ... than the big stuff that you see on the news all the time.

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Photos by Macy Cox

Graphic courtesy of Searcy Holiday of Lights

Graphic by COOPER TURMAN

Students learn stage fighting during Stunt Saturdays

MITCH FRIESENBORG student writer

An aspiring film-maker is introducing fellow students to fight choreography. Senior Daniel Wolfe, alongside fellow film major freshman Will Muckleroy and sophomore theater major Mason Smith, are hosting lessons on Saturdays in the Reynolds building.

“Stunt Saturday is a little thing I came up with to hit three birds with one stone,” Wolfe said. “I wanted to practice my stunt career in the most simple way I knew how, which is just getting together with friends, grabbing some fake swords and swinging them at each other for a couple hours.”

Wolfe said he isn’t necessarily an expert. He only has a basic understanding of fight choreography from taking taekwondo and dabbling in stage combat during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after he graduates, Wolfe wants to go into Action Design, where his job would be directing and filming stunts. With Stunt Saturday, Wolfe can gather real-world experience in his field before he steps onto a film set.

“I realized this could be an opportunity for people to just come in and have fun with it on a Saturday afternoon, and also for the film department as a whole,” Wolfe said. “Since we’re growing, this provides an opportunity for film students to come in and not only be a part of the stunting side of it but also shoot it, to record it and learn how to move with the action and how to set up a scene. All those ideas came together, and we went, ‘OK, let’s do it on Saturdays at noon.’”

BEN EVANS student writer

Smith works closely with Wolfe and has high hopes for the event.

“My plan is just to do it as often as possible and just have fun with it,” Smith said.

What started as a pastime between friends can become a significant boon for film and theatre majors, teaching interested students important skills they can apply to their careers after college. Currently Harding does not have a pathway in either major to reach a career in fight choreography.

“I would love to get both departments involved as heavily as I can,” Smith said. “I feel like it’s a great way to overlap the two departments.”

Dr. Charles Bane, film major adviser and associate professor of communication, also spoke about how Stunt Saturday can help Harding film and theatre.

“It’s just another avenue for people that are interested in that,” Bane said. “Develop another skill and maybe put that out into the workforce. … If we actually had a path for students to get [fight choreography] while on campus, that would be great.”

Stunt Saturday is open to everyone, and you don’t need experience in stage combat to participate. Each meeting starts at noon in room C207 on the second floor in the Reynolds building. The next meeting will

“I just want this to be an opportunity for everyone to come in and get to pretend,” Wolfe said. “Let your imaginations fly. I mean, we got to pretend as kids, so why not get to do it as college students?”

Harbin houses emotional support rat

Room 102 of Harbin Hall is home to a very special resident. Freshman Jack Thompson lives in 102, but it’s his roommate that everyone wants to see. When he goes to the tailgates, everyone gathers around to see him. When standing outside for a fire drill, everyone wants to make sure he’s OK. Thompson has even answered knocks on the door in the middle of the night to find guests waiting outside to meet him. Thompson’s roommate, Edmond, may be the most famous resident currently living in Harbin Hall, because Edmond is an emotional support rat.

After the passing of his family dog, Thompson wanted to own a new pet.

“I was looking into snakes,” Thompson said “And then I was like, ‘How much does it cost to feed a snake?’ Because you have to buy them rats, right? Then I started Googling rats, and I was like, ‘These guys are pretty cool.’ The day I went to look at them in the pet store, there was only one, and I felt so bad for him that I bought him.”

Thompson bought Edmond last November for $10. When he was nine months old, Edmond moved with Thompson from Beaumont, Texas, to Harding University.

If Edmond isn’t in room 102, one can probably find him on Thompson’s shoulder. Whenever he wears hoodies, Edmond likes to sleep inside his hood and scamper back and forth along his arms. Edmond loves people, and he loves his owner. Any time Thompson calls him —“Eddie!”— Edmond scurries out from wherever he is hiding, hoping to get a treat. He loves sleeping, and he can often be found lying in one of the tiny hammocks in his cage.

According to Bridget Smith, director of the office of Disability Services and

Educational Access, to get an emotional support animal (ESA) approved, students are required to provide details about how their disability or diagnosis impacts them in an on-campus residential setting and how their ESA addresses related barriers. Also required is a letter from the student’s licensed mental health provider that explains how the diagnosis impacts them in a residential setting, along with recommendations for accommodations that include the need for an ESA.

“We have an extensive ESA guideline policy which outlines the various expectations of the owner and animal,” Smith said. “Not all animals that individuals with a disability rely on meet the definition of a service animal for purposes of ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act].”

Smith encouraged students to use the website adata.org for further information regarding ESAs.

Like any support animal, Edmond has a job, and he is constantly on duty. His job is to de-stress Thompson. Whenever he has problems or concerns, he talks out loud to Edmond.

“It’s hard to keep yourself in bed all day if you have to keep another thing living,” Thompson said. I“If I enter into some sort of episode, it’s good to have something that [I] have a responsibility for. It helps to keep me focused and moving.”

He often finds himself answering the door to strangers or being approached by people who want to meet Edmond, witnessing the same reactions almost every time, Thompson said. Initially, people are shocked to see him or even scream.

“Eddie will just be leaning on the cage, sniffing the air and listening,” Thompson’s longtime friend, freshman Michael Bliss, said. “He doesn’t give any feedback like a human … but just having someone there … really helps Jack.”

Edmond’s fame has spread beyond the Harbin first floor. After all, telling someone that there is “a rat in Harbin Hall” never fails to warrant a reaction.

“Pretty much any time someone hears I have one, they want to see him,” Thompson said.

“Every time they freak out … and then they’re like, ‘Can I touch him?’” Thompson said. And then he crawls on their arm and they’re fine. … Either that or they won’t go near him at all.”

While he may be a small creature, Edmond is loved by his owner and brings joy to many who meet him or are brave enough to let him scurry along their shoulders.

Thompson finds that feeding Edmond, filling his water and cleaning his cage help him stay motivated.

Freshman Jack Thompson poses with his emotional support rat, Edmond, in his dorm room in Harbin Hall. Thompson bought Edmond last November.

– Jack Thompson, freshman

It’s hard to keep yourself in bed all day if you have to keep another thing living.

Photo by BALAZS BALASSSA

Photos by MADISON MEYER

Students perform combat stunts in Reynolds C207 on Nov. 11. Stunt Saturday was organized for students to practice choreographing and filming action scenes.

Students, faculty host weekly chapels across campus

While most Harding students gather in Benson Auditorium for chapel each weekday, other students and faculty members may spend the hour reading poetry together, holding small group discussions and sharing prayer requests.

Different groups and departments have hosted weekly 9 a.m. chapels throughout the semester to worship, learn and pray in smaller settings than in the Benson.

The Honors College held its first breakout chapel on Thursday, Dec. 1, in the Honors House. Senior Honors Student Association (HSA) secretary Drew Fowler said his group started discussing the idea of breakout chapels in August. He said junior HSA president Isaac Raymond and some of the honors faculty members wanted to create these chapels in

order to offer deep, thoughtful discussions in addition to a typical worship period.

“The theme is ‘God at work,’” Raymond wrote in an email to honors students on Nov. 28.

Fowler said this theme is about learning to see God through academic research and studies. He said students can suggest ideas and speakers whom they would like to hear in the chapels.

“It’s run by students pretty much, so it can be whatever we make it,” Fowler said.

The College of Bible and Ministry has held its own chapel called “Tabernacle” every Thursday in McInteer 150. Senior Daniel Risser, who is on a planning committee for Tabernacle, said that in past years, the event was open to senior Bible majors. However, this year the department allowed all Bible majors to come.

Risser said the theme of Tabernacle this

semester is prayer. He said that in one of his favorite Thursday chapels, senior Grant Fitzhugh spoke about the connection between prayer and discipleship, as well as his practice of going on prayer walks. The following week during Tabernacle, participants went on their own prayer walk around campus.

“It’s just really neat to see all the Bible majors, all the professors come together and support each other and be part of something as a group,” Risser said. “And it helps to have a theme and to just be growing in that one area specifically.”

The English Department has also hosted its own chapel every Thursday this fall. Dr. Jon Singleton, department chair, said each chapel features singing, literature and scripture readings, periods of prayer and meditation, and small group discussions.

The English chapels are open to all Harding students, Singleton said. The group recently

moved their meetings from the Front Lawn to American Studies 200 because of the cold weather.

Singleton said that in the past, the department held a couple of chapels each semester, but this year they decided to meet each week. Singleton said he felt that English students and professors had not gotten many opportunities to meet as a group since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many students were feeling disconnected. In addition to chapel in the Benson, Singleton said the English Department chapels have offered a way for students and faculty to form closer connections.

“We worship together as a group, but also there’s always time for one-on-one kind of relationship building,” Singleton said. “It’s been so good.”

International students celebrate Thanksgiving

SARA HOOK features/layout editor

While most students at Harding head home to their families over Thanksgiving break, many international students don’t have that option. Because the campus dorms close, most international students have to look for a place to stay. Sophomore Ana Gabriela Melo said the first option is to ask roommates, friends or club members, and it usually ends up being a good experience.

“ We always have to figure out where we’re going to go, or what are we going to do for each break,” Melo said. “Even though

it’s stressful at the beginning, it’s actually like an opportunity to [see] new places, to meet new people.”

Melo, who is from Panama, spent Thanksgiving in Maryland with a friend’s family. During the break they saw the White House and went ice skating, which she had never done before. Melo said she enjoyed those new experiences, which changed her perspective of how beautiful and different cities in the United States are.

Junior Marilena Frerot said there is a benefit in seeing other traditions and viewing them with an open mindset.

“It can be hard sometimes if you didn’t

experience another culture to see the value in the difference,” Frerot said. “It creates a greater understanding [of] the people who are not in their home country.”

Thanksgiving hasn’t always looked the same for senior Hannah Mohie, as with many international students, and she said it can be difficult to adapt to a different culture. This year she spent Thanksgiving with her family, who recently moved to Atlanta from Nigeria, but in previous years she stayed with different friends during the break.

“It was challenging for me, not in terms of finding where to stay but just not really having a home since I came here in 2019,”

Mohie said. “People around here are really kind and supportive, but throughout my time here there have been several moments that I felt very alone and just very far away from my family.”

Hosting an international student is always a rewarding experience for both parties, Melo said, and it also fills a need many students have.

“Just take the opportunity,” Melo said. “We’re going to share our traditions. You’re going to share your traditions, and honestly, we also really need it.”

SOPHIE ROSSITTO news editor

Bible majors and faculty gather for Tabernacle in McInteer 150 on Nov. 17. Breakout chapels have provided more personal settings for worship for different groups on campus.

Freshman Lidia Morales at the Golden Gate Bridge. Morales is an international student from Nicaragua.

Sophomores Gabriela Melo and Yesenia Callejas ice skating over Thanksgiving break in Maryland. Melo is an international student from Panama, and Callejas is from El Salvador.

The McNaughton family hosted freshmen Pablo Cordova, Esteban Muñoz and Mauricio Aquino, and friends Claudia and Jairo Membreño over break. Many international students must find people to stay with over the holidays.

Freshmen Mario Mejia, Chase Damian and Gerardo Murcia at the St. Louis Arch. Mejia and Murcia spent Thanksgiving break with Damian and her family.

Photo by MADISON MEYER

Photo provided by Mario Mejia

Photo provided by Lidia Morales

Photo provided by Naomi McNaughton

Photo provided by Gabriela Melo