Vol. 97, No. 4

ThePRAIRIE

April 22, 2015

Vol. 97 Iss. 26

“Dr. Browning stamped every student’s heart with passion. She loved us like her own kids.

We were her kids, and she pushed us harder to make us better people. I still carry her skills with me to this day.”

-Julia Greif

Students remember Dr. Leigh Browning, page 3

Photos courtesy of Rik Andersen, Dr. Trudy Hanson, Zivorad Filipovic, Julia Greif and Branden Paschel | Design by Alyssa Bonner

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Veterans Network hosts car show and cook-off

Recent alcohol sales show no negative correlation

Buffs Baseball defeats ASU Rams in series

Faculty Art Show concludes

Photos from International Week

2 NEWS NEWS

Buff News Briefs

Student Government hosts annual Memorial

Staff EDITOR Megan Moore ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alyssa Bonner ADVISER Dr. Butler Cain AD MANAGER Alyssa Bonner LAYOUT DESIGNERS Alyssa Bonner Megan Moore Russell Sanderson

Photographer Natalia Molina

The Prairie is a student-operated newspaper at West Texas A&M University. It functions to inform, educate and entertain readers accurately and responsibly. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty or staff. The Prairie verifies the legitimacy of the advertising appearing in The Prairie, but cannot be held liable for any advertising claim made in this publication. The Prairie has a circulation of 1,500 and is printed by the Amarillo Globe-News.

A

nthony R. Moralez, a West Texas A&M University student who passed away in July 2014, will be honored at the Student Memorial Service on Friday, April 24, at 2 p.m. Moralez was a senior Computer Information System major. The Student Government-sponsored event will take place in the Joseph A. Hill Chapel. Student Government awards scholarships at the annual event. This year’s recipients are Brandon Lewis, junior Computer Information System major and Dat Tuan Nguyen, senior Computer Information System major. Contributions can be made to the Student Memorial Scholarship Fund, WTAMU Box 60297, Canyon, Texas 79016.

2015 Rogers LEAD WT cohort named

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wenty-five West Texas A&M University students have been named to the 2015 Rogers LEAD WT cohort. Rogers LEAD WT is a leadership certificate program for juniors and seniors. The program aims to aid students in discovering their leadership potential through education, application and service. There were more than 40 applicants, and the selection was based on application and interview. The 2015 cohort will begin its twoyear leadership term this fall.

For a complete list of the new members, visit http://www. wtamu.edu/news/rogers-leadwt-names-2015-cohort.aspx.

School of Music teams up with local church

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he West Texas A&M University Choirs and Symphony Orchestra will collaborate with the Sanctuary Choir of First Baptist Church Amarillo, as well as a powerhouse quartet of soloists including members of the Metropolitan Opera. Sound of death and final judgment from Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem will echo in the sanctuary of FBC Amarillo in performances on Sunday and Monday, May 3 and 4, at 7 p.m.

Dr. Mark Bartley, associate professor of music, will lead the performers. Featured soloists are Emily Pulley, soprano; Elizabeth Bishop, mezzo-soprano; Brent Reilly Turner, tenor; and Brian Kuhnert, bass. Admisssion for the event is free, but tickets are required. For more information, contact FBC Amarillo at (806) 373-2891.

Suppport fund to honor Joan Urban

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he West Texas A&M University Blood Drive began Monday, April 20, and will continue through Wednesday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Students can donate in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center and the Bloodmobile on 26th Street outside the Cornette Library. The event is sponsored by the Residence Hall Association. Every eligible donor who participates will receive a free Be the Reason t-shirt and Donate Life wristband. The residence hall that brings in the most donors will win a pizza party.

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April 22, 2015

It’s A Buffs Life

April 22, 2015

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3 NEWS NEWS

Students remember Browning as leader, mentor Alyssa Bonner Associate Editor

H

eavy hearts filled the campus of West Texas A&M University on Monday as the news spread of a longtime professor’s passing.

Known to many of her students as DL, Dr. Leigh Browning was a WT alum and a faculty member since 1991.

After spending more than 20 years in the Mass Communication department teaching journalism and broadcasting classes, Browning moved to the College of Business to teach Business Communication and Marketing classes. She was also a Miller Professor of Entrepreneurship.

“It is with deep sadness that I have to inform you we have lost a beloved member of the WTAMU community,” President J. Patrick O’Brien said in an email to the University.

“[Browning] has been an integral part of the WT family for many years…She has shared her exuberant enthusiasm, her love for students and her expertise in media and marketing with generations of students.”

Browning’s students remember her for the influence she had on their lives not only in the classroom, but in their everyday lives. Many considered her a friend and a part of their family.

Students and WT alumni credit many of their successes to Browning because of her encouragement during their college years. Zivorad Filipovic, a December 2013 graduate and former student of Browning, said he would not be where he is today if it weren’t for Browning and her support.

“She was more than just a professor,” Filipovic, Marketing Manager at Amarillo Symphony, said in a Facebook post remembering Browning. “She pushed

me to do my best because she knew what I could accomplish.

I am blessed to have been able to call her my friend, professor and a part of my family. Serbian Christmas will never be the same.”

Several social media updates were posted Monday afternoon and evening in Browning’s honor. Her influence and legacy are evident in the posts, as many give thanks to her for being a mentor and for teaching lessons in the classroom and about life.

As the news continued to spread and hearts continued to grow heavy, students turned to each other on social media to remember just how special Browning was to them. Comments were left by former students naming Browning as one of their favorites.

“She was definitely an inspiration to persevere, overcome and always strive to be the best at what we do,” Chris Grepo,

a 2013 graduate, said on social media. “My heart aches at the loss of a mentor and leader that I learned so much from…

Another one of the greats has gone to be with God. You will be missed, Dr. Browning. It was a pleasure to learn from your brilliant mind.”

An asset to the success of the Mass Communication department and College of Business at WT, Browning is credited by many former students for instilling in them a sense of confidence in their own abilities. She

anyone and taught me to never give up,” Filipovic said. “She became a friend to me and a part of my family. She was one of my heroes. Because of Dr. Browning I know I can do anything.”

President O’Brien said she brought national acclaim to the University through her creativity, mentorship and teaching excellence. It is evident she will be missed by her students, colleagues and the WT family.

“She pushed me because she knew what I was capable of,” Filipovic said. “And she did

“Because of Dr. Browning I know I can do anything.”

-Zivorad Filipovic is remembered and honored for truly caring about the success and well-being of each of her students.

“She pushed me harder than

it because she cared about my success.”

Memorial services for Browning will be on Saturday, April 24, at 2 p.m. in Legacy Hall.

Veterans Network puts on cook-off and car show Mary Cage Reporter

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n April 18, the Smokers & Cruisers BBQ Cook-Off & Car Show was held at the First United Bank Center to benefit the West Texas A&M University Veterans Network. This event was highlighted by a car show that featured 46 vehicles, as well as an International Barbecue Cookers Association-sanctioned cookoff in which 17 cook teams competed against each other. For various admission fees, guests

were able to attend with proceeds going towards the WT Veterans Network.

The Veterans Network is dedicated to serving to approximately 600 WT students who are veterans or veterans’ dependents. The group offers many services to these individuals, including various academic programs, scholarships, peer counseling and group meetings.

“It’s kind of more of a community,” Laura Schulze, president of the Veterans Network, said. “We want that camaraderie between them because no

one else understands a veteran like another veteran.”

With help from other organizations, the group held Smokers & Cruisers to raise funds for the program. Attractions included not only the car show and barbecue cook-off, but also various vendors, veteran service groups, and a fire truck and ambulance display courtesy of the Canyon Fire Department.

In order to prove the best service for members of the Veterans Network, events like Smokers & Cruisers are necessary to raise funds for the program, as

well as to inform others about the organization.

“This event helps bring in more veteran students that don’t know we have a Veterans

Network or maybe want to get involved but didn’t really know much about the Veterans Network,” Kristen Randl, senior Health Sciences major, said.

Jessica Malacara/Eternal Flame Proceeds from the cook-off and car show will go towards student conferences and more.

4 NEWS NEWS

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April 22, 2015

Recent alcohol sales lack in negative ramification Kaley Green Reporter

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ast November, Canyon residents voted in favor of the legal sale of alcohol within city limits. The town had been dry for several years, but with a majority vote, that changed. Canyon voters actually voted in favor of not only the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, but also the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurants. Many restaurants and convenience stores in Canyon are now serving beer and wine, and some will likely begin to serve liquor in the coming months.

Although it is more difficult and expensive to obtain a license to sell mixed drinks than it is to sell beer and wine, both numbers are expected to increase this year. With the increasing availability of alcohol, there were some concerns.

Many citizens of the city of Canyon were opposed to the legal sale of alcohol for various reasons. Some religious groups protested for fear that it would somehow contribute to negativity. Some residents shared fears of increased crime rates.

Others were worried about how legal alcohol sales would affect the campus of West Texas A&M University, as well. But there have been few negative reports of incidents that involve alcohol.

“I don’t have any official statistics on alcohol crimes or anything like that,” Zach Nethery, Sergeant of the University Police Department, said. “However, I have not gotten the impression that it has caused an increase

of crime on campus. Without numbers, in my opinion, I don’t believe we have seen a spike in anything. I know there were some predictions when this was being passed that we would possibly be seeing more numbers on campus, but it doesn’t seem to have caused any problems.”

Even some students have expressed concern about the relative ease of getting alcohol with its increased availability.

“It’s a benefit for the local economy, but could be negative for students as it may provide further distraction from studies,” Alex Gonzalez, senior Corporate Communications major, said. “I don’t really see a

negative effect on campus. I just worry that a greater number of students will now partake in drinking more frequently as a result of the proximity of sales.”

“As far as anything detrimental, it’s not there,” Randy Criswell, Canyon city manager, said. “People are always afraid that they’re going to see horrible, massive increases in alcohol-related crime, domestic violence and other problems. We knew these things weren’t going to happen, but people always think that it will.”

It seems that the local economy might have actually improved dramatically as a result of alcohol sales in Canyon.

Kaley Green/The Prairie United Supermarkets is one local business that has begun to sell wine and beer products.

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5 NEWS NEWS

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Shack-a-thon, give a goat 2015

Natalia Molina Photographer

Holocaust event held last week David Duenes Reporter

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he students at West Texas A&M take great pride in continuing their education outside of the classroom. WT students are constantly feeding themselves knowledge.

Last week in the JBK, WT students and faculty were given the opportunity to take a journey through World War II during the “Holocaust Remembrance” interactive event.

The interactive event was set up in the JBK Commons. On one end of the tables that were set up were cards with a picture of a person who lived during the time of the Holocaust. The card also had a little bio about the person. After choosing a card, participants would then follow a timeline of what was happening at certain dates during WWII. At the end of the

table sat a couple of binders.

Once the binders were reached, an alphabetical list of names relative to the cards were listed and let the participant know whether the person they chose lived through the Holocaust or died.

“This is an annual event we hold to really expose the student body to unspoken history,” Lucell Hanson, Student Consultant for Student Engagement and Leadership, said. “You got to know your history to not repeat it. It is important to recognize issues nationally and internationally that affect the world to this day.”

Students passed by the

“You got to know your history to not repeat it.

-Lucell Hanson

event all day, either just passing by or stopping to learn more about it. Equestrian Industry and Business major Mikala Shushinsky was one of these students.

“I just walked by from the International Day event in Legacy Hall and just saw people on cards,” Shushinsky said.

Another student, Nursing major Tiffany Davis, said she has always been intrigued by WWII. “My sister and I always focused more on the battle side of WWII instead of the Holocaust,” Davis said. “I have learned more about the side of the war I haven’t paid attention to.”

Hanson hopes that some additions can be made in the future.

“While there are not speakers at the event this year, there is hope to have some next year,” Hanson said.

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theprairienews.com April 22, 2015

Buffs take weekend series against ASU Rams, 2-1 Russell Sanderson Reporter

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he West Texas A&M Buffaloes took this past weekend’s series against the Angelo State Rams, two games to one. It was almost a historic week for the Buffs, winning three straight games on a walk-off before finally falling short to the Rams in Saturday’s doubleheader nightcap. The Buffs, who were down most of the game, and at one point down 9-1 in the sixth inning, ended up having a rally in the bottom of the eighth, scoring six runs to make the score 9-7 before ultimately falling short.

The Buffs, who have gotten in a habit of splitting doubleheaders as of late, have fallen two games behind the Javelinas of Texas A&M Kingsville in the LSC standings after the Javelinas won both games of their doubleheader against Eastern New Mexico.

The Buffs went into the nightcap on Saturday with three straight walk-off wins. The first game of the Saturday doubleheader was one of those games that went the Buffs way late in the game. In the last inning of the game, the Buffs were down two runs to one with two outs, but the bases loaded. Pinch hitter Jace Reese came up to the plate and on an 0-2 count hit a single that scored two of the Buffs runners and gave the Buffs the win.

“It felt good to capitalize,” Reese said. “I’ve had a few moments like this in my career and you get used to it, and this time it paid off.”

The Buffs also won the first

game of the three game series on Friday in dramatic fashion as the Rams committed five errors that allowed the Buffs to stay in the game. The game went 11 innings before the Buffs scored on a fielder’s choice to win the game.

The fact that the Buffs have had so many tight, one run games that have often ended with a late game rally is not lost on them and head coach Matt Vanderburg. Vanderburg said it’s important that they’ve had

a lot of those games up to this point.

“We’ve played a lot of one run games, and we’re starting to win more of those as of late,” Vanderburg said. “That’s why I told our guys, especially when we were losing in some of those games early on, we’re learning from even these losses right now, and it’s benefited us the last couple of weeks and we’ve been able to figure out ways to win those games.”

The Buffs now go on to face

Tarleton State April 24-25 in Stephenville. Tarleton State (1719, 11-15 LSC) is a team that Vanderburg said is a tough pitching team, even if they have struggled as of late.

“They’re always known as a pitching team,” Vanderburg said. “This year they’ve struggle a little bit more on the mound, but they’re still going to be very well coached, they’re going to do everything right. They’re more of a small ball type team, so I imagine it’ll be a lot of one run games.”

The next few weeks will also be crucial for the Buffs as the first regional rankings will be released on April 22. The Buffs

region only takes six teams to the regional tournament, so the Buffs need to string wins together to stay in the hunt.

“Our first regional rankings come out this Wednesday,” Vanderburg said. “It’ll be interesting to see how they come out. I imagine we’ll be somewhere five through eight in the regional rankings. We got to win a lot of ball games the next couple of weeks. Every game is important and if we can win some, that’s what we’re shooting for, to hopefully get in a region tournament.”

The Buffs have two more series left before the conference tournament on May 7-9.

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Matthew Donaghy/Eternal Flame Junior pitcher Luke Wiechec winding up for a pitch.

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7 SPORTS SPORTS

April 22, 2015 theprairienews.com

WT Lady Buffs take on OCU Jessica Malacara Eternal Flame

Buffs Track and Field Briefs

Buffs move up to ninth in national rankings

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he Buffs track and field team moved to their highest national ranking ever in school history when they were ranked ninth in the nation in the rankings release on April 21.

The Buffs highest ranking ever before the latest ranking was on March 31 when the Buffs were ranked tenth in the nation. This ranking comes on the heels of

the Buffs competing in four meets between last Friday and Saturday. The Buffs broke five school records and set 19 new or improved provisional times and/or marks.

Lady Buffs move up to sixth in rankings.

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he Lady Buffs track and field team moved to sixth in the nation in the latest rankings released on April 21. The

Lady Buffs are the only team in the Lonestar Conference that are in the top ten, and they are also at the top of the South Central Region.

The Lady Buffs also have one athlete leading the nation in an event and that is Sharon Kwarula who leads the nation in 100m hurdles.

Mireia Guarner, Emma Love, and Kwarula all broke school records this past weekend also, powering the Lady Buffs rise to number six in the nation.

8 ARTS LEISURE ARTS& & LEISURE

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April 22, 2015

‘It Follows’ aims for 80s horror movie technique Dallas Harbour Reporter

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he recently released horror film, “It Follows” directed by David Mitchell and starring Maika Moore is already being talked about as one of the scariest movies of the year. The movie has a throwback approach, recreating and trying to rejuvenate the 80’s slasher horror genre. The film follows around a young woman named Jay (Maika Moore), who unfortunately inherits a demon/ ghostly/supernatural force through a sexual act and the only way to survive is to keep a distance from this force without letting it touch you. This super-

natural force has only one means of transportation; through a rekindled version of the infamous slow walk that killers in those classic slasher films like John Carpenter’s “Halloween” and Sean Cunningham’s “Friday the 13th” used.

“It Follows” isn’t a fast paced, adrenaline rush that scares its audience by horrific events, or dramatic encounters. It has a totally different approach, since the force can only walk at an extremely, dramatic, slow, fingernails to the chalkboard pace, the audience gets most of their intense horror feelings from nonstop anxiety which hits the highest possible decibel in your heart, and doesn’t go away for

multiple hours. The fact that the force can only walk and not run is a beautiful element brought to the story because it leaves the audience uncomfortable. It’s out there heading in the direction of this girl, giving everyone in the theater not a lot of time to get comfortable.

“I really had a good time with ‘It Follows’; I loved the score, I loved the cinematography- I loved the performances for the most part,” Chris Stuckmann, YouTube.com celebrity and movie critic, said.

The score and cinematography were two giant elements this movie succeeded in. The crew wanted to retool a 80’s slasher movie feel for the audi-

ence and they did a great job in creating that with a retro- electric score.

“It Follows” was not perfect, it had some plot holes. There was some aspects that weren’t explained thoroughly which needed to be explained better

because they were important for the plot to make sense. One of these plot holes was the parents of these high school kids just magically disappeared and the audience doesn’t know where they went. They just vanish from the story.

Courtesy of Mongrel Media Still of the movie “It Follows” with actress Maika Monroe.

Faculty members display works in campus show

David Duenes Reporter

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he Faculty Art show wrapped up on April 9.

This show allows the faculty members of the art department to put their talents on display on an annual basis for the entire campus to view.

Dr. Jessica Mallard, Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities, said that this gives faculty a chance to really just stretch their creative muscles. ”This event really shows the level of expertise and skills our faculty possess,” said Mallard. “They are not just teachers. They are artists, they create work and students need to see the cool things their faculty is doing.”

There are some students,

however, who do already seem to appreciate what the faculty is doing. Art student Anna Parsons said she visits the faculty art show every year.

“It’s interesting to see the

they are probably just as passionate about it now as they were back then,” Parsons said.

“With the art show, it’s like they have their own museum for a while. It lets them be appreci-

the students that their professors are still artists and that they are still producing.”

Revett said that writers for a newspaper and people in radio production are artists in their

own right.

“Make art. Find your own way. Creating art is the deciding factor. If you’re not creating art, then you are not an artist,” Revett said.

“They are not just teachers. They are artists.”

-Dr. Jessica Mallard faculty so involved,” Parsons said. “It’s kind of like seeing your mentors or your superheroes showcase their talents. It’s so surreal and you don’t expect to see all this creativity.”

Parsons said that we sometimes forget that the faculty has goals and dreams just like the students do.

“This is what they went to school for and we forget that

ated.”

Jon Revett, assistant professor of art, has been at West Texas A&M University for 15 years both as a student and as faculty.

He also was in charge of organizing the faculty art show.

“We set the example on how to be an artist,” Revett said.

“These faculty art shows are important to both students and faculty and it demonstrates to

Natalia Molina/The Prairie The art show featured works from professors Caruthers, Frish, Hargis, Holliday, McSwain, Melton, Revett and Williams.

April 22, 2015

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ARTS LEISURE 9 ARTS& & LEISURE

10 FEATURE FEATURE

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April 22, 2015

‘Grad’s Guide’ gives advice to graduating seniors

Megan Moore Editor

T

he hustle and bustle can be felt in the hallways all across campus as the final weeks of the semester are winding down to a finish. In a mere 24 days, the graduating class of 2015 will be walking across the stage at graduation commencement ceremonies to obtain degrees they have been working on over the past few years.

Students are wrapping up projects, working on papers and preparing for final exams that quickly approach. But in addition to this, senior students also have to make plans for life after graduation.

The Alumni Association at West Texas A&M University aimed to help students with this planning by hosting an event titled “A Grad’s Guide to Life” on April 20. Students were encouraged to register for the event beforehand since there was limited seating available.

“In the past, the Alumni As-

sociation hasn’t done a lot with current students and we are looking to change that,” Amber Bustos, Alumni Association intern, said in an interview with KWTS. “We kind of talked to some people who had already graduated and asked them ‘What’s some things you wish you had before you graduated?

What are some things you wish you knew?’ This is kind of the feedback they gave us.”

Senior students were provided with a free lunch and could attend several sessions with topics that included personal finance, retirement, insurance, home buying, social media skills and how to market yourself, leisure skills, dress code, travel.

“It was cool because I heard about it, and it was one of the first times I had really heard about something for people leaving college that wasn’t just specific to a job fair,” Lance Lomax, senior English major, said.

Sessions were hosted by WT alumni who are working in their chosen career fields or working

Megan Moore/The Prairie The Grad’s Guide to Life event was held at the Buffalo Courts Alumni Center.

through a graduate program.

Lomax has recently applied for graduate school at WT and awaits his admissions notices.

His plan is to enter into the graduate program right after completing his undergraduate studies so he doesn’t have to take a break from school.

“I found what I wanted to study when I became an English major and that was about half way through,” Lomax said.

“That’s when I started taking more of the classes I was interested in and doing the kind of work that I like.”

Lomax works while attending college and said that the hardest part of his undergraduate studies was balancing life, school, work and trying to get everything in sync.

“You have to figure out sooner what it is you care about, but not exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life,” Lomax said. “Try to find something that you want to make a priority so you don’t just put it off. It’s easier when you start working

and you think, ‘Oh, i’m making money, I can miss class or I can do this,’ so find what you’re interested in and really start pursuing it.”

In other instances, students don’t hope to pursue graduate studies and instead hope to go straight into the work force upon graduation. Robert Duenes, senior Electronic Media major, is still working out his plans, but intends to work as a DJ in cities such as Dallas and Austin.

“I don’t have a plan and that’s the scary part,” Duenes said.

“But I’m working on one. I’ve been in school for so long on and off that I really at one point

didn’t think I’d ever make it to this point, so I think to just be able to say that I accomplished my goal to graduate is probably the most satisfying.”

Duenes has been in college level courses on and off since his high school graduation in 2002.

“If I had my choice I would have never gone back to school.

I did it for my mom,” Duenes said. “She really wanted me to graduate.”

Duenes will be fulfilling his mom’s wishes in May alongside his older brother, David. The two brothers will be the first in their family to graduate from college.

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11 OPINION OPINION

‘#LikeAGirl’ shines light on feminism arguments

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eminism is something that many people shy away from as soon as they hear the word. Common misconceptions about the term will have you believe feminists hate men and think women are better.

They will also have you believe sexism is no longer an issue.

But the truth is, sexism is still a real issue, feminists don’t think women are better than men and feminists don’t hate men. In fact, some feminists are men.

A feminist is someone who advocates for women’s rights on the grounds of political, social and economic equality to men.

Feminism is about equality between men and women, something that is nonexistent in society. However, some may think feminism seeks to remove men from their positions of power.

But in reality, it’s about creating a power balance and affording females the same opportunities

as their male counterparts.

There is a lot to be said about the pay gap between women and men. Women are still earning considerably less than their male peers, many of which are equally or less qualified than the females in the same position.

Women are underrepresented in politics, media and business through a lack of females in leadership roles and higher positions in these fields.

Being a feminist means believing women and men should be treated equally. Feminists fight many forms of discrimination, most importantly sexism, which is something all human beings should stand against.

Women should not be discriminated against, to any extent, just for being female.

Everytown, an uber-activist group that advocates for stricter gun control, has recently been under scrutiny for an unneces-

sarily sexist tweet. On March 19, they published a tweet from their Twitter handle, @Everytown, that read, “You think your drunk college-age daughters are bad with their phones? Imagine them with guns.”

Advocating for gun safety is one thing, but a line is crossed when you must resort to extreme measures of sexism to relay your feelings of the increasing number of women who are buying and carrying firearms as a means of personal protection.

Instead of opening a productive conversation on open carry laws and gun safety, Everytown instead had to defend themselves against hate mail and charges of sexism.

One Twitter user responded to Everytown’s tweet, saying, “As the mother of a college student @Everytown this [is] incredibly offensive, ignorant, and stupid.

Who the [expletive deleted]

even thinks like this?”

Another Twitter user made a comment about Everytown’s ignorant assumption and tweeted a photo of herself at a gun range.

Assuming that females can’t shoot, as Everytown did in their tweet, contributes to the larger problem of gender inequality.

As females get older, self-esteem often seems to decline. From a very young age, females are told they can’t do certain things because they are female, or they are told they can’t do them as well as males.

During the Super Bowl, Always re-launched their “#LikeAGirl” ad showing how differently young women, boys and young girls perceive the phrase “like a girl.” Young girls had a stronger, more confident perception. They demonstrated what it means to do things like a girl with such poise and fierceness, and the young women

demonstrated it as if they were ashamed to be a female.

That’s what society does. Society often tells females that we aren’t good enough because we aren’t male, which is completely unfair and unrealistic. Everytown assuming females can’t handle a gun as good as males aids in the negative perception of females’ competence in certain situations and positions held by many men today.

This leads to the phrase “for a girl.” For example, “She’s strong for a girl.” “She’s fast for a girl.”

“She’s good with a gun for a girl.”

This phrase needs to be weeded out of our vocabulary. It has a negative impact and connotation, and it makes an appearance in females’ lives early on.

The idea that women are less than men needs to be defeated.

Everyone should take a stand for equality. We aren’t for women at The Prairie. We are for equality.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

- First Amendment, U.S. Constitution @The_Prairie

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12 PHOTOS PHOTOS

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March 4, 2015

International Week International week celebrates the different cultures represented by students at WT

Carlos Ojeda Jr. is an educator, motivator, communicator and great poet.

Courtesy of Alex Montoya