Celebrating 100 Years
THEVIsTA The Student Voice Since 1903
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2003
Campus tour opens doors for students by Rick Russick Staff Writer Attempting to experience a day of college life, developmentally disabled high school students toured Central's campus Nov. 11. As part of the Oklahoma "Tech-Now" project, 50 students from the Oklahoma City area met professors, sat in classes, met college students and were presented with college information. Dr. Donna Kearns, professor of Education and Special Services, assisted the students on the campus tour. "I put together a scavenger hunt for the students. By giving them small assignments, the students were instructed to visit various areas of campus," she said. "By doing this, the students learned what it's like to live in a dorm and even register for classes. Basically, they would become a college student for a day," she said. Funded by the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council, the Tech-Now project gives students with disabilities the opportunity to access the latest technology and explore
the job market. Kearns said that although for some students, the process may take a long time, the project is designed to help students succeed, "For some students the process may take one year and for others, four years. It really
"Many disabled people have hidden talents that many of us can only dream of." — Dr. Donna Keams
doesn't matter. By using technology, students build technology," Kearns said that in a past assignment, the students were instructed to build and design their own cereal box. The students were given a brief outline of tasks they would need to accomplish. She said that by gathering their own materials and sketching out their design ideas, the students had to scan photographs or images onto a flop-
py disk and then transfer them to the layout design of the box. Each cereal box contained useful information and facts about the career the student was interested in. Cereal inside the box might be shaped like different objects used in the career or the name might revolve around the job. Examples listed inside the Tech-Now handbook include names like "Frosted Shuttles" for an astronaut and "StockO's" for a stockbroker. Kearns said that the TechNow program is an excellent hands-on experience for disabled students and that they should be given a chance like everyone else. "I think people with either emotional or mental disabilities have abilities as well," she said. Kearns said many students at Central are disabled in one way or another. Some students even have athletic scholarships to other schools. "Just because [students] are disabled, doesn't mean they can't learn," she said. "Many disabled people have hidden talents that many of us can only dream of."
Photo by Gavin Elliott
Stephanie Major of Yukon High School and Laticia Williams, special education junior, review potential majors Nov. 11 in the Nigh University Center.
Music Theatre to open 'She Loves Me'
Photo by Gavin Elliott
Jay Kiottinger (Georg) and Regan Schreier rehearse their lines for the musical 'She Loves Me' Nova 7 in Mitchell Hall.
The University of Central Oklahoma School of Music will present the popular musical "She Loves Me" at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13 through 15 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in UCO's Mitchell Hall Theater. The music for "She Loves Me" was written by the legendary team Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, who also are responsible for the Broadway hit "Fiddler on the Roof." The story is based on the classic movie "The Shop Around the Corner," and was the inspiration for the popular 1998 film "You've Got Mail" starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. In the production, "Georg" and "Amalia" work together at a perfumery in 1930's Budapest. They cannot stand each other at work, as they are constantly bickering. The bright spot in each of their lives is the romance each is having with an anonymous admirer via the mail. However, neither knows they are actually writing each other. "The show has an ageless human sincerity about it, and it is captivating by nature. You can't help but fall in love
student Writer Chesley Stiggers was crowned Miss Black and Gold 2003 November 9th in Central's Constitution Hall. Along with the title of Miss Black and Gold, Stiggers competed with four other contestants to receive $500 in scholarship money. "I knew I had tough competition and I was very surprised when they announced me the winner," she said. The pageant began with the contestants dancing to "Queen of the Night," by Whitney Houston. Stiggers, along with contestants, Tamarah Moore, Tanischa Williams, Candy Davis, and Shekemah Wallace modeled swimsuit and evening gowns, competed in the talent portion and answered questions onstage. Stiggers performed a monologue "Thank you," which she said showed her gratitude toward the
Lord and all that he has done for her, kept her through and blessed her with. She said that practice was a time commitment and that she felt that she committed her time and was devoted to being at every practice. Other awards were given at the pageant as well. Stiggers, also received the People's Choice Award, chosen by the audience during competition. Moore was runner up and received a trophy for selling the most ads. Miss Sisterhood was Wallace and Stiggers. Stiggers was also honored with the Miss Talent Award. Stiggers, a junior corporate communications major, said she is thankful and feels blessed to receive the title of Miss Black and Gold. She was sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha, which she said has done a lot for the African-American community.
For a staff review of "She Loves Me," see page 3.
Sisters to recall childhood horrors during Holocaust
Stiggers crowned as Miss Black and Gold by Charisma Pitre
with these characters," said Greg White, producer and director of the musical. The show includes many memorable songs, including "Vanilla Ice Cream." This tune closes the first act, with Amalia professing her love when her secret admirer brings her vanilla ice cream to cheer her up. At intermission, the audience can enjoy a treat of vanilla ice cream in the Mitchell Hall lobby, courtesy of Blue Bell Ice Cream. The show stars Michael Dalke as Georg, Jessica Chesbro and Lindsie Van Winkle as Amalia, Jay Krottinger as Kodaly, Natalie Fisher and Stephanie Long as Ilona, Matt Meyerdirk as Maraczek, Jeff Johnson and Michael Renya as Sipos, and James Grigsby and Thomas Owens as Arpad. For ticket information, call the Mitchell Hall Theater box office at (405) 974-3375.
by Bree Chambless Student Writer
Photo by Justin Avera
Details, details... Dana Weddle, theater major and art minor, puts the final touches on her sculpture in the Art Building Nov. 12.
Two Holocaust survivors will speak of their experiences of living in Nazi Germany at 7 p.m. on Nov. 13, in the Constitution Hall of Nigh University Center. "This is a compelling story about the evil side of men, but at the same time it is about the good side of humanity," said Dr. Jeff Plaks, history professor and Holocaust expert. Ruth Steinfeld and Lea Weams were born in the early 1930s in western Germany. The Jewish sisters will tell their memories of Kristallnacht, or "The Night of Broken Glass," which occurred on the nights of Nov. 9 and 10, 1938. On these evenings Nazis targeted Jews across Germany and Austria, and Nazi soldiers stormed into the sisters' home,
wrecked the furniture and took away their father. In the 1940s, the Nazis confiscated the family's property, put them on a train and sent them to Gurs Concentration Camp in Southern France. The sisters will recall the unbearable conditions they were forced to endure while being held in Gurs until the Children's Aid Society arranged for their escape. This is the third year Central has held a program recognizing the anniversary of Kristallnacht and the second visit by the sisters. This free event is sponsored by Phi Alpha Theta and is free and open to all students and faculty as well as the entire Edmond community. Plaks said he especially wants to bring awareness of the Holocaust to high school students through these visits.