Customs may differ but Christmas remains a global celebration
By Huma Sheikh
Published: Friday, December 23rd, 2011
For Moses Ikiugu, who is a professor in the department of occupational therapy at the University of South Dakota, Christmas is a celebration that rekindles memories of his country Kenya – elaborate mass at church on Christmas Eve, a huge extended family get- together, and a wide variety of foods. “The midnight mass ends around six in the morning. The Creshe is quite Africanized also; a thatched house built around the manger.
“We have a special goat for Christmas. This goat is domesticated for about a year before it’s killed on Christmas Eve for a big traditional meal for Christmas. We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with our extended families – aunts and uncles, cousins and grandparents besides parents and siblings Because this is a massive get-together, the main dish of goat meat goes along with other foods like chicken, beef, potatoes, vegetables, chapattis (flat bread) and rice.” New clothes are worn for Christmas. People go to church in coat suits and wear new shoes. Everything that you are wearing has to be new. Parents buy clothes for their children to wear on Christmas.”
Christmas is, says Wycklyffe Mogondo, also from Kenya, “a very religious festival for us. We celebrate Christmas with fervor and devotion. The ‘Way of the Cross’ is the custom in my part of the country in Matunda that prepares us for Christmas. The priest, a few days before Christmas, would choose a spot some miles from the church and people and members of the church would gather there. The priest would then carry the cross and walk to the church with others following him in a procession. This follows the rosary broken into different parts for worship at the church.”
Roberto Gomez from Venezuela says Christmas is much louder in his country. “We celebrate Christmas in extended families and do a lot of partying, fireworks, and eating. The traditional Christmas food menu is extensive – bread stuffed Turkey, ‘Empanadas’ –corn meal meat pie (the pie has a half-circle shape, and it’s usually stuffed with ground beef), Ham, ‘Hallacas’ – meat wrapped in corn dough and steamed in a banana leaf, and sweet rice made with cloves, cinnamon, and Nutmeg.”
But good food doesn’t come easy. “We have ‘Novena’ – nine days of worship – that culminates into Christmas. We pray together for nine successive days to thank God for the special graces and to obtain God’s special favor.”
For Amimul Ehsan, a Bangladeshi student at USD, Christmas reminds him of Bengali New year (Pohela Boishaka) celebrated on April 14. “We do a lot of fireworks and make traditional food such as ‘Panta Ilish’ – Hilsha fish with rice. Cooked rice is soaked in water overnight and then eaten with Hilshaw fish the following day. On this day, people wear clothes of red and green which represent the colors of the Bangladesh flag.
Another USD student, Tridib from India, says Christmas evokes ‘Diwali’ feelings for him – ‘Deepavali’ or ‘Diwali’ is the festival of lights and is one of the most important Hindu religious festivals. “We celebrate ‘Deepavali’ in families and decorate our homes with ‘diyas’ – small clay lamps. ‘Diyas’ are placed in varied shapes inside the house, and they are usually in rows outside the house. Sweets are also shared with friends and families on Diwali.”
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
YALC changes lives of illiterate adults
YALC changes lives of illiterate adults
Higher level grade requirements discourage adults to be part of literacy programs but at the Yankton Area Literacy Council (YALC), adults who cannot read beyond a third-grade level are welcome.
“Yankton adults don’t need a driver’s license to get in the program,” said Ms. Bev Calvert, YALC program coordinator. “We understand they can’t get a driver’s license without reading and writing skills.”
This is one of the major successes of YALC. Ninety three percent of adults in Yankton County are trained in reading, writing and speaking English as a second language. In Clay County, 6 percent of adult learners are American while in Bon Homme, the percentage of Americans stands at eight. All other adults are ESL learners. In a 2003 assessment, more than 550 Clay County adults lacked basic literacy skills.
Students work individually with a tutor for a minimum of two hours per week. None of the students are charged. Tutors are volunteers. Students and tutors set up times and locations to meet at the Yankton office.
“Students start at a lower level and do assignments. Their progress is assessed for about a half-hour by their tutors each time they meet,” said Calvert. “We have been blessed in Yankton. We have some wonderful teachers in Yankton.”
YALC is planning on coming to Vermillion.
“We are trying to set up for readings in Vermillion if we find a small location and funding will be best to go along with it. We buy books for students and each book costs about $25-30,” she said.
Community programs are held in malls and libraries to encourage kids to read so that they force their parents to read.
YALC also holds literacy programs in Yankton County and surrounding areas to inform people about their literacy activities. In September, a week-long ‘Adult Education and Family Literacy Week’ was held in Yankton to remind people that YALC helps students of any educational background to improve their literacy throughout the year. The second annual “Scrabble Tournament Spellebrate for a Good Cause” Scrabble tournament is set for Jan. 29, 2012, to raise funds for and awareness about the program.
Brochures are also issued to get the message out about the YALC. People who wish to volunteer or know someone in need of literacy services complete the form at the end of the brochure and send it back to the YALC. The brochures are available at the Yankton library and YALC office.
YALC is a volunteer-based organized founded in 1987. It organizes literacy programs in Yankton, Bon Homme, Charles Mix and Clay counties. Its work is funded by United Way and Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton and by community fundraisers.
Higher level grade requirements discourage adults to be part of literacy programs but at the Yankton Area Literacy Council (YALC), adults who cannot read beyond a third-grade level are welcome.
“Yankton adults don’t need a driver’s license to get in the program,” said Ms. Bev Calvert, YALC program coordinator. “We understand they can’t get a driver’s license without reading and writing skills.”
This is one of the major successes of YALC. Ninety three percent of adults in Yankton County are trained in reading, writing and speaking English as a second language. In Clay County, 6 percent of adult learners are American while in Bon Homme, the percentage of Americans stands at eight. All other adults are ESL learners. In a 2003 assessment, more than 550 Clay County adults lacked basic literacy skills.
Students work individually with a tutor for a minimum of two hours per week. None of the students are charged. Tutors are volunteers. Students and tutors set up times and locations to meet at the Yankton office.
“Students start at a lower level and do assignments. Their progress is assessed for about a half-hour by their tutors each time they meet,” said Calvert. “We have been blessed in Yankton. We have some wonderful teachers in Yankton.”
YALC is planning on coming to Vermillion.
“We are trying to set up for readings in Vermillion if we find a small location and funding will be best to go along with it. We buy books for students and each book costs about $25-30,” she said.
Community programs are held in malls and libraries to encourage kids to read so that they force their parents to read.
YALC also holds literacy programs in Yankton County and surrounding areas to inform people about their literacy activities. In September, a week-long ‘Adult Education and Family Literacy Week’ was held in Yankton to remind people that YALC helps students of any educational background to improve their literacy throughout the year. The second annual “Scrabble Tournament Spellebrate for a Good Cause” Scrabble tournament is set for Jan. 29, 2012, to raise funds for and awareness about the program.
Brochures are also issued to get the message out about the YALC. People who wish to volunteer or know someone in need of literacy services complete the form at the end of the brochure and send it back to the YALC. The brochures are available at the Yankton library and YALC office.
YALC is a volunteer-based organized founded in 1987. It organizes literacy programs in Yankton, Bon Homme, Charles Mix and Clay counties. Its work is funded by United Way and Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton and by community fundraisers.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Vermillion Plaintalk - Jolley, Austin become PBIS schools
Vermillion Plaintalk - Jolley, Austin become PBIS schools
Huma Sheikh
Vermillion’s two public elementary schools – Jolley Elementary and Austin Elementary – have become Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) pilot schools as they implement the behavior management program to teach kids what behavior is expected for each student in each possible school setting.
At Jolley School, students on the first day of school last month went through Expectation Stations which briefed about school wide expectations. These expectations were a list of broad, positively stated behaviors that were desired of all students and faculty.
“We had, for example, each grade come to the lunch area to have the students watch our teachers go through the lunch line while discussing the expected behaviors and the proper procedures for going through the lunch line. We had the students attend stations for the lunch room, the playground, in the hallways, in the bathrooms and while in lines for morning and recess time,” said Principal Mark Upward.
“PBIS is a positive behavior management system to create a safer and more effective school. This system provides clear school wide expectations for our students and teachers so we can all work as a team for a common goal which is to have less behavioral issues and more learning time, “said Cindy Weis, who is the program coach at Jolley.
Austin Elementary School Principal, Kim Johnson said the school staff participated in professional development for positive behavior interventions three years ago. They had organized a School Climate Committee and studied the basis PBIS framework. The committee began developing a school discipline plan based on that framework.
“Becoming a pilot PBIS school through the Department of Education was a perfect extension of our philosophy, but also incorporated training, support and accountability,” she said.
Both at Austin and Jolley, the entire teaching staff had been involved in implementing the program to assure that the skills necessary to meet the PBIS expectations were worked on and evaluated frequently.
“Our PBIS team attended two workshops over the summer to train on the PBIS system. After the workshop, we trained the rest of the staff on PBIS. PBIS is a school wide system so every staff member, from the school lunch aides to the Principal, are involved in implementing this program,” said Upward.
At Austin, the PBIS Team had gone through the training and then devoted their back-to-school in-service to training the entire teaching staff.
“We also held a 'Welcome-Back-to-School Brunch' for our support staff (educational aides, playground and lunch supervisors) to show appreciation for their important role as well as build consistency and support for the PBIS philosophy,” said Johnson.
The schools also assess students’ progress toward reaching the behavior expectations in a number of ways. At Austin, progress is measured through data (i.e. office referrals) as well as through classroom and school-wide feedback of student behavior. The progress of students at Jolley is assessed daily and weekly by counting the number of students who get a Tanager Buck in each classroom.
Huma Sheikh
Vermillion’s two public elementary schools – Jolley Elementary and Austin Elementary – have become Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) pilot schools as they implement the behavior management program to teach kids what behavior is expected for each student in each possible school setting.
At Jolley School, students on the first day of school last month went through Expectation Stations which briefed about school wide expectations. These expectations were a list of broad, positively stated behaviors that were desired of all students and faculty.
“We had, for example, each grade come to the lunch area to have the students watch our teachers go through the lunch line while discussing the expected behaviors and the proper procedures for going through the lunch line. We had the students attend stations for the lunch room, the playground, in the hallways, in the bathrooms and while in lines for morning and recess time,” said Principal Mark Upward.
“PBIS is a positive behavior management system to create a safer and more effective school. This system provides clear school wide expectations for our students and teachers so we can all work as a team for a common goal which is to have less behavioral issues and more learning time, “said Cindy Weis, who is the program coach at Jolley.
Austin Elementary School Principal, Kim Johnson said the school staff participated in professional development for positive behavior interventions three years ago. They had organized a School Climate Committee and studied the basis PBIS framework. The committee began developing a school discipline plan based on that framework.
“Becoming a pilot PBIS school through the Department of Education was a perfect extension of our philosophy, but also incorporated training, support and accountability,” she said.
Both at Austin and Jolley, the entire teaching staff had been involved in implementing the program to assure that the skills necessary to meet the PBIS expectations were worked on and evaluated frequently.
“Our PBIS team attended two workshops over the summer to train on the PBIS system. After the workshop, we trained the rest of the staff on PBIS. PBIS is a school wide system so every staff member, from the school lunch aides to the Principal, are involved in implementing this program,” said Upward.
At Austin, the PBIS Team had gone through the training and then devoted their back-to-school in-service to training the entire teaching staff.
“We also held a 'Welcome-Back-to-School Brunch' for our support staff (educational aides, playground and lunch supervisors) to show appreciation for their important role as well as build consistency and support for the PBIS philosophy,” said Johnson.
The schools also assess students’ progress toward reaching the behavior expectations in a number of ways. At Austin, progress is measured through data (i.e. office referrals) as well as through classroom and school-wide feedback of student behavior. The progress of students at Jolley is assessed daily and weekly by counting the number of students who get a Tanager Buck in each classroom.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Kids get cardio workout at skipping rope event
When kids were jumping ropes to Kriss Kross’s “Jump” song at a jump rope event Friday afternoon at the Clay County Fair, they weren’t just doing it for fun. They were getting a good cardio work out.
The “Join in Jump Rope” event was sponsored by Sanford Health and was part of the Clay County Fair that began Wednesday and ended Saturday. “The kids who took part in the event had a great time. They learned that jumping rope does get your heart pumping,” said Mary C. Merrigan, director of public relations, Sanford Vermillion.
“The jump song was also longer than most kids are probably used to jumping rope, giving them a good cardio work out,” she said.
Sixty-six jumpers ages 3–14 participated in the event, setting a new Clay County record for kids jumping rope at the same time. Last year, which was also the first year for “Join in Jump Rope,” the event had set a record with 38 jumpers ages 7-17. The participants each received a free jump rope from Sanford.
“We had 66 kids who jumped rope on Friday afternoon from different age groups. They all wanted to have some fun exercise and break last year’s record jumping at once,” said Carol Lavin, the organizer of the event.
“Exercise is important for kids and doing it together in a large group can be even more fun! My son and daughter participated and they brought friends to join in. Kids who participated also got to keep their jump ropes, hoping they would continue the healthy exercise at home as well. ” said Carol, who is also a Sanford Wellness Nurse.
In the past, Sanford provided health screenings or set up an information booth at the fair. In 2010, they organized the first “Join in Jump Rope” event at the fair to involve youth in skipping sport whose health benefits include improved cardio fitness, muscle strength and flexibility.
Carol’s daughter, Maddie Lavin, 11, who participated in the event, said she had fun jumping rope.”I really didn’t realize how much time I spent skipping rope because I was really enjoying it,” she said. ”Jumping rope gets you up and going and it’s good for your health.”
The “Join in Jump Rope” event was sponsored by Sanford Health and was part of the Clay County Fair that began Wednesday and ended Saturday. “The kids who took part in the event had a great time. They learned that jumping rope does get your heart pumping,” said Mary C. Merrigan, director of public relations, Sanford Vermillion.
“The jump song was also longer than most kids are probably used to jumping rope, giving them a good cardio work out,” she said.
Sixty-six jumpers ages 3–14 participated in the event, setting a new Clay County record for kids jumping rope at the same time. Last year, which was also the first year for “Join in Jump Rope,” the event had set a record with 38 jumpers ages 7-17. The participants each received a free jump rope from Sanford.
“We had 66 kids who jumped rope on Friday afternoon from different age groups. They all wanted to have some fun exercise and break last year’s record jumping at once,” said Carol Lavin, the organizer of the event.
“Exercise is important for kids and doing it together in a large group can be even more fun! My son and daughter participated and they brought friends to join in. Kids who participated also got to keep their jump ropes, hoping they would continue the healthy exercise at home as well. ” said Carol, who is also a Sanford Wellness Nurse.
In the past, Sanford provided health screenings or set up an information booth at the fair. In 2010, they organized the first “Join in Jump Rope” event at the fair to involve youth in skipping sport whose health benefits include improved cardio fitness, muscle strength and flexibility.
Carol’s daughter, Maddie Lavin, 11, who participated in the event, said she had fun jumping rope.”I really didn’t realize how much time I spent skipping rope because I was really enjoying it,” she said. ”Jumping rope gets you up and going and it’s good for your health.”
Friday, August 5, 2011
Vermillion Plaintalk - Turnout is strong at July 20 blood drive
Vermillion Plaintalk - Turnout is strong at July 20 blood drive
Extreme heat didn’t deter 53 people from donating the gift of life.
The third annual All American Community Blood Drive was held July 20 at Sanford Vermillion Medical Center. The drive was a joint donor program by Sanford Vermillion Center and Community Blood Bank.
Each pint of blood donated that day has the potential to save three lives, meaning that July 20's drive could possibly have a positive impact on as many as 159 individuals, said Ken Versteeg, executive director, Community Blood Bank. “This was the third annual event at the Sanford Hospital and each year it gets better.”
A patient needing 180 units of blood over the July 4th weekend placed a heavy burden on the blood supply. “Besides, some additional traumas coming to our emergency rooms also challenged the blood supply that put blood usage up by nearly 20 percent,” said Versteeg. This drive was crucial to keeping the blood supply at an adequate level.
In addition to this, community drives are extremely important throughout the summer months when attendance is much lower at colleges and schools. During the fall and winter, “we have blood donation drives going on at the colleges and schools,” said Versteeg.
Sixty-three people attempted to donate blood but only 53 were able to donate. Others were excluded from donating because they were either running a temperature or had travelled out of the country earlier in the year.
Community Blood Bank serves 29 hospitals in South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. It has donor rooms in two Sioux Falls hospitals where people donate blood Monday through Friday. Besides, Community Blood Bank drives also take place at the WalMart and Jones' Food Center.
Joan Reed, a donor from Sanford Vermillion Medical Center, said, “I have been donating for several years now and continue to do so because it gives me a sense of pride to know I am helping someone or impacting someone else’s life by doing so.
“Growing up my dad gave gallons of blood and was always on call with the blood bank because he had one of the rarer types of blood. Dad always told us they didn’t want to waste his blood and so they would call him and have him donate only when they were in need of his type. It was not uncommon that he would get a call and a short time later, he would be on the road to deliver,” she said. “Finding out that I also have one of the rarer types of blood and being told at one point they didn’t want me to do a 'double red' because they wanted my blood to send over to Afghanistan further inspired me to keep on giving. I have to admit, the first time giving I was a little nervous, but once I did it and realized how easy the process is, I donate as often as possible now.”
Nancy Ellison, laboratory manager, Sanford Vermillion, said, “We are always happy to work with the Community Blood Bank to promote blood drives hosted in Vermillion. On average, we use two to four units of blood products each week in Vermillion. Community Blood Bank is the sole supplier of blood products to Sanford Medical Center Vermillion.”
Mary C. Merrigan, director of public relations, Sanford Vermillion, said, “We want to thank all the community members who came out for the blood drive. We were especially pleased to have such a great turn out on a day of such extreme heat.”
Extreme heat didn’t deter 53 people from donating the gift of life.
The third annual All American Community Blood Drive was held July 20 at Sanford Vermillion Medical Center. The drive was a joint donor program by Sanford Vermillion Center and Community Blood Bank.
Each pint of blood donated that day has the potential to save three lives, meaning that July 20's drive could possibly have a positive impact on as many as 159 individuals, said Ken Versteeg, executive director, Community Blood Bank. “This was the third annual event at the Sanford Hospital and each year it gets better.”
A patient needing 180 units of blood over the July 4th weekend placed a heavy burden on the blood supply. “Besides, some additional traumas coming to our emergency rooms also challenged the blood supply that put blood usage up by nearly 20 percent,” said Versteeg. This drive was crucial to keeping the blood supply at an adequate level.
In addition to this, community drives are extremely important throughout the summer months when attendance is much lower at colleges and schools. During the fall and winter, “we have blood donation drives going on at the colleges and schools,” said Versteeg.
Sixty-three people attempted to donate blood but only 53 were able to donate. Others were excluded from donating because they were either running a temperature or had travelled out of the country earlier in the year.
Community Blood Bank serves 29 hospitals in South Dakota, southwest Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. It has donor rooms in two Sioux Falls hospitals where people donate blood Monday through Friday. Besides, Community Blood Bank drives also take place at the WalMart and Jones' Food Center.
Joan Reed, a donor from Sanford Vermillion Medical Center, said, “I have been donating for several years now and continue to do so because it gives me a sense of pride to know I am helping someone or impacting someone else’s life by doing so.
“Growing up my dad gave gallons of blood and was always on call with the blood bank because he had one of the rarer types of blood. Dad always told us they didn’t want to waste his blood and so they would call him and have him donate only when they were in need of his type. It was not uncommon that he would get a call and a short time later, he would be on the road to deliver,” she said. “Finding out that I also have one of the rarer types of blood and being told at one point they didn’t want me to do a 'double red' because they wanted my blood to send over to Afghanistan further inspired me to keep on giving. I have to admit, the first time giving I was a little nervous, but once I did it and realized how easy the process is, I donate as often as possible now.”
Nancy Ellison, laboratory manager, Sanford Vermillion, said, “We are always happy to work with the Community Blood Bank to promote blood drives hosted in Vermillion. On average, we use two to four units of blood products each week in Vermillion. Community Blood Bank is the sole supplier of blood products to Sanford Medical Center Vermillion.”
Mary C. Merrigan, director of public relations, Sanford Vermillion, said, “We want to thank all the community members who came out for the blood drive. We were especially pleased to have such a great turn out on a day of such extreme heat.”
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Vermillion Plaintalk - Kids receive hands-on experiences at science camp
Vermillion Plaintalk - Kids receive hands-on experiences at science camp
Like previous years, the 10th Lawrence Brothers Science Camp this year became a place for kids to do hands-on science.
Thirty middle school kids entering seventh, eighth and ninth grades participated in the 10th Lawrence Brothers Science Camp held at the University of South Dakota. The week-long camp started Sunday, July 10 and ended Friday, July 15, and was focused on the theme “Light and Vision.” Students got hands-on experience in a variety of activities like building a robot and programming it to seek out a light source and doing experiments with ultraviolet beads, investigating bird’s eyes and watching birds, and studying the effects of polarizing light.
“The purpose of the camp is to engage kids in fun science activities. The camp stimulates interest in science for kids by giving them opportunities to experiment with science. The camp also gives them a chance to see what the college is like,” said Sally Stoll, camp coordinator and Vermillion seventh grade science teacher.
Fifteen male students and 15 female students participated in the camp. The students came from 18 different schools from Chicago, IL, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
“The camp has grown, and kids are coming from all over the place. We offer scholarships and each year we have a lot of students coming for free,” said Stoll. The camp is supported by a grant from Battelle to the University of South Dakota Foundation for $15,000 each for five years. That five year period ends in 2011. Other sources of funding for future years are being sought.
In addition to Stoll, six undergraduate honors students acted as counselors for the camp. They were Kevin Cwach, Renita Goetz, Ashley Lynch, Steffani Donahoe, Tyler Bloch and Nahuel Telleria. SD BRIN Information Specialist Mark Maxon was in charge of photography and taught kids how cameras work.
Kevin Cwach, 22, who has been the camp counselor for four years, said “I am here to spread my science knowledge and share it with the children. That’s the reason I keep coming back every year. It’s a lot of fun.”
Dr Barb Goodman, director and principal investigator of SD BRIN/INBRE said, “The camp is in honor of E.O and John Lawrence, USD alums, who contributed to science by winning a Nobel Prize in Physics (E.O.) and being the “Father of Nuclear-Medicine (John).”
Kiana Cabrera, 12, from Jane Adams (Joliet, IL) school said, “I never used to like science. But it’s really fun. I really liked building robots. We also learned why older people lose their vision. Before coming to the camp, I couldn’t have imagined that the older people lose their vision because their eyeballs get stiffer. I also liked going to the Wellness Center.”
Hannah Doohen, 14, who was at the camp for the third time this year said, “It’s my last year. It is fun and I hope that USD does it again next year for more kids because it’s a really good opportunity and a great learning experience.”
Seventh grader Jack Padmore, 12, from East Middle School, Sioux City, IA, said, “It’s great to have kids know about science. The camp also gives us an opportunity to meet new people. Some students have roommates and its fun being around them and learn from one another.”
Another East Middle School student from Sioux City, Liam Parry, 11 said, “All the instructions help us learn about science. It’s fun. We also went to movies and the Wellness Center.”
The kids were housed in the residence halls at the USD and were provided daily meals.
Like previous years, the 10th Lawrence Brothers Science Camp this year became a place for kids to do hands-on science.
Thirty middle school kids entering seventh, eighth and ninth grades participated in the 10th Lawrence Brothers Science Camp held at the University of South Dakota. The week-long camp started Sunday, July 10 and ended Friday, July 15, and was focused on the theme “Light and Vision.” Students got hands-on experience in a variety of activities like building a robot and programming it to seek out a light source and doing experiments with ultraviolet beads, investigating bird’s eyes and watching birds, and studying the effects of polarizing light.
“The purpose of the camp is to engage kids in fun science activities. The camp stimulates interest in science for kids by giving them opportunities to experiment with science. The camp also gives them a chance to see what the college is like,” said Sally Stoll, camp coordinator and Vermillion seventh grade science teacher.
Fifteen male students and 15 female students participated in the camp. The students came from 18 different schools from Chicago, IL, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.
“The camp has grown, and kids are coming from all over the place. We offer scholarships and each year we have a lot of students coming for free,” said Stoll. The camp is supported by a grant from Battelle to the University of South Dakota Foundation for $15,000 each for five years. That five year period ends in 2011. Other sources of funding for future years are being sought.
In addition to Stoll, six undergraduate honors students acted as counselors for the camp. They were Kevin Cwach, Renita Goetz, Ashley Lynch, Steffani Donahoe, Tyler Bloch and Nahuel Telleria. SD BRIN Information Specialist Mark Maxon was in charge of photography and taught kids how cameras work.
Kevin Cwach, 22, who has been the camp counselor for four years, said “I am here to spread my science knowledge and share it with the children. That’s the reason I keep coming back every year. It’s a lot of fun.”
Dr Barb Goodman, director and principal investigator of SD BRIN/INBRE said, “The camp is in honor of E.O and John Lawrence, USD alums, who contributed to science by winning a Nobel Prize in Physics (E.O.) and being the “Father of Nuclear-Medicine (John).”
Kiana Cabrera, 12, from Jane Adams (Joliet, IL) school said, “I never used to like science. But it’s really fun. I really liked building robots. We also learned why older people lose their vision. Before coming to the camp, I couldn’t have imagined that the older people lose their vision because their eyeballs get stiffer. I also liked going to the Wellness Center.”
Hannah Doohen, 14, who was at the camp for the third time this year said, “It’s my last year. It is fun and I hope that USD does it again next year for more kids because it’s a really good opportunity and a great learning experience.”
Seventh grader Jack Padmore, 12, from East Middle School, Sioux City, IA, said, “It’s great to have kids know about science. The camp also gives us an opportunity to meet new people. Some students have roommates and its fun being around them and learn from one another.”
Another East Middle School student from Sioux City, Liam Parry, 11 said, “All the instructions help us learn about science. It’s fun. We also went to movies and the Wellness Center.”
The kids were housed in the residence halls at the USD and were provided daily meals.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
It Was Not Just Any Other Loss. But It Reminded Me Of You Dad
Your subconscious foretells tragedy! Dad’s last song “Kam yaar sapidt Khaab, wadan aase kune zoun” and Sajid Iqbal’s last post on Facebook “Daayaem aabaad raheygee duniyaa...hum na hongey koi humsa hoga” say so.
It was not just any other loss but a loss caused by tragedy. And it reminded me of you dad. It renewed the pain that took years to heal. It tore apart my heart and would have destroyed me if no changes had happened over the years to cure my wounds. I cried out loud, hoping to get some relief, but the pain got much worse as memories of the past played out.
Sajid Iqbal’s—a promising lawyer and senior IAS officer Iqbal Khanday’s son, death in a road accident gave me the pain I felt on your death dad. Both you and Sajid left home happy and never came back. Both were victims of tragedy. Sajid died at the young age of 27 when he was returning home from a wedding. Prominent Kashmiri Ghazal singer and Radio Kashmir senior Program Executive Ghulam Nabi Sheikh was murdered when he was travelling on a train to Delhi on the night of July 13-14, 2003.
Should we even count you as dead dad since we never saw your dead body?
I had never met Sajid, never spoken to him and never befriended him on Facebook. I wouldn’t ever have imagined that the tragedy of his loss would make this connection. It took me back to those painful memories, particularly when we heard about dad’s murder. It was word of mouth by Punjab police, and a picture of his blood-covered body. In the picture his face was severed and he was barely identifiable. We never were given his body which the Punjab Police claimed had in only a few hours been cremated.
Time is the great healer! All these years brought about changes that helped divert my and the family’s attention from those dreadful memories. The changes were mesmerizing for every passing moment took us farther away from painful memories. But Sajid’s tragedy drew us back to those memories because agony causes instantaneous change. Change to overcome trauma on the contrary happens over the years.
I was curious to see Sajid’s last post on Facebook. I had a reason! Two days before dad’s murder, he sang a song that spoke of pain, death and sorrows: “Kam yaar sapidt Khaab, wadan aase kune zoun.” I wondered if Sajid was feeling the same or had some death related vision before the tragedy happened. I could access Sajid’s Facebook wall page because no privacy settings let me see it. Scrolling down many tributes that had poured in from his friends only a few hours after the tragedy, I finally found his last wall post: “Daayaem aabaad raheygee duniyaa...hum na hongey koi humsa hoga.” (The world would continue to prosper. If I am not there someone else like me will be there).
I was right. Sajid’s last wall post, just like dad’s last song, spoke of death. Even when our conscious mind is unaware, our subconscious does foretell tragedy.
It was not just any other loss but a loss caused by tragedy. And it reminded me of you dad. It renewed the pain that took years to heal. It tore apart my heart and would have destroyed me if no changes had happened over the years to cure my wounds. I cried out loud, hoping to get some relief, but the pain got much worse as memories of the past played out.
Sajid Iqbal’s—a promising lawyer and senior IAS officer Iqbal Khanday’s son, death in a road accident gave me the pain I felt on your death dad. Both you and Sajid left home happy and never came back. Both were victims of tragedy. Sajid died at the young age of 27 when he was returning home from a wedding. Prominent Kashmiri Ghazal singer and Radio Kashmir senior Program Executive Ghulam Nabi Sheikh was murdered when he was travelling on a train to Delhi on the night of July 13-14, 2003.
Should we even count you as dead dad since we never saw your dead body?
I had never met Sajid, never spoken to him and never befriended him on Facebook. I wouldn’t ever have imagined that the tragedy of his loss would make this connection. It took me back to those painful memories, particularly when we heard about dad’s murder. It was word of mouth by Punjab police, and a picture of his blood-covered body. In the picture his face was severed and he was barely identifiable. We never were given his body which the Punjab Police claimed had in only a few hours been cremated.
Time is the great healer! All these years brought about changes that helped divert my and the family’s attention from those dreadful memories. The changes were mesmerizing for every passing moment took us farther away from painful memories. But Sajid’s tragedy drew us back to those memories because agony causes instantaneous change. Change to overcome trauma on the contrary happens over the years.
I was curious to see Sajid’s last post on Facebook. I had a reason! Two days before dad’s murder, he sang a song that spoke of pain, death and sorrows: “Kam yaar sapidt Khaab, wadan aase kune zoun.” I wondered if Sajid was feeling the same or had some death related vision before the tragedy happened. I could access Sajid’s Facebook wall page because no privacy settings let me see it. Scrolling down many tributes that had poured in from his friends only a few hours after the tragedy, I finally found his last wall post: “Daayaem aabaad raheygee duniyaa...hum na hongey koi humsa hoga.” (The world would continue to prosper. If I am not there someone else like me will be there).
I was right. Sajid’s last wall post, just like dad’s last song, spoke of death. Even when our conscious mind is unaware, our subconscious does foretell tragedy.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Local citizens pitch in to help battle flood
http://www.plaintalk.net/cms/news/story-249117.html
By Huma Sheikh
Published: Friday, June 17th, 2011
On June 2, people from Vermillion pitched in and filled sandbags to help people in battle flooding in Dakota Dunes and Yankton. The large group of volunteers included people involved with the Clay County 4-H Youth Organization, University of South Dakota employees, and other residents of Vermillion that gathered in an empty lot near the Clay County Courthouse.
Julie Fallan, senior secretary at USD’s dental hygiene department, who was representing the Clay County 4-H Youth Organization, was unhappy that it came down to this.
“If thought was put to what was happening months ago, we would not have come down to this,’’ she said. She was concerned about the people whose houses were affected.
“I and my family are not affected by flooding. But it’s the people whose houses are affected that we are worried about,” Fallan said.
Tom Sorensen, assistant dean at the USD School of Law, said many people from the Vermillion community are helping flood victims.
“These sandbags are 40 pounds each. It takes about 1,000 pounds to load a half-ton pick-up truck. We are also grateful to USD President James W. Abbott for allowing the use of university equipment,” said Sorensen.
Hundreds of USD employees and students have come together so far to help with flood control efforts. The university is allowing its employees to volunteer up to four hours per shift to help with sandbagging and other tasks with no loss of pay or leave.
Todd Mechling, CMJ Faculty at the USD, said, “I did something … I did what I could do. I brought my son. When all these things happen, you have got to help.”
He also said he would appreciate people coming to help from all walks of life. “There is some silver lining when a disaster happens. People are here to help,” he said.
By Huma Sheikh
Published: Friday, June 17th, 2011
On June 2, people from Vermillion pitched in and filled sandbags to help people in battle flooding in Dakota Dunes and Yankton. The large group of volunteers included people involved with the Clay County 4-H Youth Organization, University of South Dakota employees, and other residents of Vermillion that gathered in an empty lot near the Clay County Courthouse.
Julie Fallan, senior secretary at USD’s dental hygiene department, who was representing the Clay County 4-H Youth Organization, was unhappy that it came down to this.
“If thought was put to what was happening months ago, we would not have come down to this,’’ she said. She was concerned about the people whose houses were affected.
“I and my family are not affected by flooding. But it’s the people whose houses are affected that we are worried about,” Fallan said.
Tom Sorensen, assistant dean at the USD School of Law, said many people from the Vermillion community are helping flood victims.
“These sandbags are 40 pounds each. It takes about 1,000 pounds to load a half-ton pick-up truck. We are also grateful to USD President James W. Abbott for allowing the use of university equipment,” said Sorensen.
Hundreds of USD employees and students have come together so far to help with flood control efforts. The university is allowing its employees to volunteer up to four hours per shift to help with sandbagging and other tasks with no loss of pay or leave.
Todd Mechling, CMJ Faculty at the USD, said, “I did something … I did what I could do. I brought my son. When all these things happen, you have got to help.”
He also said he would appreciate people coming to help from all walks of life. “There is some silver lining when a disaster happens. People are here to help,” he said.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Young Kashmiri designer makes waves in fashion world
http://kashmirspeaks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36:young-kashmiri-designer-makes-waves-in-fashion-world-&catid=11:carving&Itemid=26
I wrote this one in 2007. Wow, time just flies.
New Delhi: He travels the fastest who travels alone. And up-and-coming designer from Nigeen area of Srinagar Zubair Kirmani is no exception to the axiom. Zubair may have embarked on the journey all alone but today he is a name to reckon with in the fashion industry in a short span of time and his creations are nothing but his metier. It is a triumph of sorts. Only few would dispute his aptitude and genius with apparel. But he refuses to sit on his laurels and bends over backwards to leave his imprints in the razzle-dazzle world of fashion for which he deserves unalloyed encomia, if nothing more.
Today, he calls it a mirror image of his inner-self that has taken an artistic form. It is an expression designer Zubair Kirmani coined to describe his first-ever dynamic label BOUNIPUN driven by his past experiences in his hometown Kashmir, as he forayed into the fashion industry to put on view the collection at the India’s biggest fashion savvy event-- the Wills lifestyle India Fashion Week (WLIFW). Born and brought up in Kashmir, Zubair Kirmani’s BOUNIPUN—in other words Chinar leaf- reflected the kaleidoscopic times in the state from worse to normal and at the same time the rising hope among its people through the inimitable apparel. “Having spent a large slice of my life watching the changing shades of Chinar leaves in the Valley, I just have brought my inside out in the form of BOUNIPUN and the collection has brought alive my inner feelings,” says the designer. The prominent shades of blacks, grey and whites revealing gloom, stability and hope in his BOUNIPUN collection symbolised both his passion and emotional bond to his hometown and his aesthetic sense, which is devoid of the erstwhile traditional Kashmiri outfit embroidered pheran (gown) and scarf coupled with jewellery. Zubair’s experimentation with Kashmiri tradition in the form of BOUNIPUN is contemporary. Zubair debuted BOUNIPUN in the 2006 WLIFW when he was part of Hi-5 category a group of five new designers. But, the existence of the label actually goes back to the time when Zubair was a student of Class 12th.
“One fine day while drawing the leaves on my t-shirt, I thought of writing the name BOUNIPUN. I somehow compiled the name. Now, I have also registered it under several Acts to build a brand,” he says. BOUNIPUN sent buyers and audience into a feeding frenzy when models showcasing his light embroidered and less embellishments exhibited with scintillating silhouettes strutted the catwalk. Going down the memory lane, this reporter was overwhelmed when she saw an array of buyers belonging to different countries had flooded this new designer’s hothouse atmosphere of stall despite the outlets of fashion luminaries such as Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani and Rajesh Pratap Singh, among others. The label delivers subtle collections experimenting with textiles. Zubair has created a niche for himself with his signature surface ornamentation that makes his creations resourceful, discreet and elegant.
BOUNIPUN speaks volumes of Zubair’s forte as a talented fashion designer, especially because he had done training in fashion from not a very famed institute as NIFT. But BSc from a little-known institute in Bangalore. “When I was in class 6th, I started reading magazines, which carried photos displaying all kinds of razzmatazz. Then I used to make leaves and draw paintings on T-shirts. Gradually, I picked up a bit and became serious as I got into class12th; I began approaching tailors to know more about fashion,” recalls Zubair amid peals of laughter. “In fact, whenever I asked anyone about fashion in Kashmir, they criticized me. For any Kashmiri, fashion was something like wearing bikinis or shorts only,” says Zubair. “Fashion is beautiful provided ideas are intrinsically woven and systematically implemented into the collection; fashion is how you live. If you wear good things you will love it,” he believes.
BOUNIPUN primarily focused together on both contemporary minimalism and classic heritage from its roots. The brand rediscovered importance of crafted detailing in his avant-garde collection. The brand’s metier lies in sophisticated women’s western line and men’s fashion formals. “I do minimal changes in my new collection rather than making rash changes every season. All my apparel on the fashion shows since 2006 hardly have any major changes, except for some addition or subtraction in geometrical motives, recreation of detailing,” he affirms. Zubair, who belongs to Nigeen area in Srinagar, also has to his credit a mixed qualification background, though he left the degrees halfway in an attempt to devote more time to his most favored beat of fashion.
“My parents wanted me to secure a BSc degree in Electronics. I studied Electronics for a year in Kashmir. Unable to concentrate, I left for Bangalore to pursue Engineering. It continued for a year until I met with an accident,” he reveals. The designer adds: “It was a blessing in disguise for me because while I was recuperating, I told my parents I am not going to follow it and successfully managed to convince them. I got a chance to learn and develop professional skills in fashion when I finally started working with some choreographers. It was when I was doing the course in fashion in Bangalore.”
Zubair proudly says, “Fashion gave me a chance to bring out my creative instincts, which both science and engineering failed to do. And I am lucky because I began my career with Quintessential (Boun) Chinar, which has always inspired me and triggered a lot of poetic imagination in me.”
To a poser about his role model, Zubair says, “When I started, I was inspired by Rohit Bal, and Tarun Tahiliani . However, designers don't generally have any mentors as they always look forward to coming up with something new. Similarly, I developed my creation, which is unique in its existence. I do make mistakes and make strenuous efforts to improve upon it with each trial.”
When asked about his collections he has come up with so far, Zubair says, “The focus was mainly on interplay with subtle sensuality given by the effect of surface transparency. They were created by the use of natural fabrics crafted with motifs inspired by Kashmiri tradition, the purity of white remains undisputed with use of unadulterated natural hues.”
Zubair now wishes to develop his own signature in Kashmir and setting up some units in the Valley.
“Kashmir has a lot of potential in handicrafts and handloom products such as shawls and others. I want to ease the techniques in embroidery in the Valley, revive Kashmiri shawls and modernize embroidery to give them a new contemporary look. I will start with garments and my units in the Valley will be in coordination with my Delhi office,” he suggests.
I wrote this one in 2007. Wow, time just flies.
New Delhi: He travels the fastest who travels alone. And up-and-coming designer from Nigeen area of Srinagar Zubair Kirmani is no exception to the axiom. Zubair may have embarked on the journey all alone but today he is a name to reckon with in the fashion industry in a short span of time and his creations are nothing but his metier. It is a triumph of sorts. Only few would dispute his aptitude and genius with apparel. But he refuses to sit on his laurels and bends over backwards to leave his imprints in the razzle-dazzle world of fashion for which he deserves unalloyed encomia, if nothing more.
Today, he calls it a mirror image of his inner-self that has taken an artistic form. It is an expression designer Zubair Kirmani coined to describe his first-ever dynamic label BOUNIPUN driven by his past experiences in his hometown Kashmir, as he forayed into the fashion industry to put on view the collection at the India’s biggest fashion savvy event-- the Wills lifestyle India Fashion Week (WLIFW). Born and brought up in Kashmir, Zubair Kirmani’s BOUNIPUN—in other words Chinar leaf- reflected the kaleidoscopic times in the state from worse to normal and at the same time the rising hope among its people through the inimitable apparel. “Having spent a large slice of my life watching the changing shades of Chinar leaves in the Valley, I just have brought my inside out in the form of BOUNIPUN and the collection has brought alive my inner feelings,” says the designer. The prominent shades of blacks, grey and whites revealing gloom, stability and hope in his BOUNIPUN collection symbolised both his passion and emotional bond to his hometown and his aesthetic sense, which is devoid of the erstwhile traditional Kashmiri outfit embroidered pheran (gown) and scarf coupled with jewellery. Zubair’s experimentation with Kashmiri tradition in the form of BOUNIPUN is contemporary. Zubair debuted BOUNIPUN in the 2006 WLIFW when he was part of Hi-5 category a group of five new designers. But, the existence of the label actually goes back to the time when Zubair was a student of Class 12th.
“One fine day while drawing the leaves on my t-shirt, I thought of writing the name BOUNIPUN. I somehow compiled the name. Now, I have also registered it under several Acts to build a brand,” he says. BOUNIPUN sent buyers and audience into a feeding frenzy when models showcasing his light embroidered and less embellishments exhibited with scintillating silhouettes strutted the catwalk. Going down the memory lane, this reporter was overwhelmed when she saw an array of buyers belonging to different countries had flooded this new designer’s hothouse atmosphere of stall despite the outlets of fashion luminaries such as Rohit Bal, Tarun Tahiliani and Rajesh Pratap Singh, among others. The label delivers subtle collections experimenting with textiles. Zubair has created a niche for himself with his signature surface ornamentation that makes his creations resourceful, discreet and elegant.
BOUNIPUN speaks volumes of Zubair’s forte as a talented fashion designer, especially because he had done training in fashion from not a very famed institute as NIFT. But BSc from a little-known institute in Bangalore. “When I was in class 6th, I started reading magazines, which carried photos displaying all kinds of razzmatazz. Then I used to make leaves and draw paintings on T-shirts. Gradually, I picked up a bit and became serious as I got into class12th; I began approaching tailors to know more about fashion,” recalls Zubair amid peals of laughter. “In fact, whenever I asked anyone about fashion in Kashmir, they criticized me. For any Kashmiri, fashion was something like wearing bikinis or shorts only,” says Zubair. “Fashion is beautiful provided ideas are intrinsically woven and systematically implemented into the collection; fashion is how you live. If you wear good things you will love it,” he believes.
BOUNIPUN primarily focused together on both contemporary minimalism and classic heritage from its roots. The brand rediscovered importance of crafted detailing in his avant-garde collection. The brand’s metier lies in sophisticated women’s western line and men’s fashion formals. “I do minimal changes in my new collection rather than making rash changes every season. All my apparel on the fashion shows since 2006 hardly have any major changes, except for some addition or subtraction in geometrical motives, recreation of detailing,” he affirms. Zubair, who belongs to Nigeen area in Srinagar, also has to his credit a mixed qualification background, though he left the degrees halfway in an attempt to devote more time to his most favored beat of fashion.
“My parents wanted me to secure a BSc degree in Electronics. I studied Electronics for a year in Kashmir. Unable to concentrate, I left for Bangalore to pursue Engineering. It continued for a year until I met with an accident,” he reveals. The designer adds: “It was a blessing in disguise for me because while I was recuperating, I told my parents I am not going to follow it and successfully managed to convince them. I got a chance to learn and develop professional skills in fashion when I finally started working with some choreographers. It was when I was doing the course in fashion in Bangalore.”
Zubair proudly says, “Fashion gave me a chance to bring out my creative instincts, which both science and engineering failed to do. And I am lucky because I began my career with Quintessential (Boun) Chinar, which has always inspired me and triggered a lot of poetic imagination in me.”
To a poser about his role model, Zubair says, “When I started, I was inspired by Rohit Bal, and Tarun Tahiliani . However, designers don't generally have any mentors as they always look forward to coming up with something new. Similarly, I developed my creation, which is unique in its existence. I do make mistakes and make strenuous efforts to improve upon it with each trial.”
When asked about his collections he has come up with so far, Zubair says, “The focus was mainly on interplay with subtle sensuality given by the effect of surface transparency. They were created by the use of natural fabrics crafted with motifs inspired by Kashmiri tradition, the purity of white remains undisputed with use of unadulterated natural hues.”
Zubair now wishes to develop his own signature in Kashmir and setting up some units in the Valley.
“Kashmir has a lot of potential in handicrafts and handloom products such as shawls and others. I want to ease the techniques in embroidery in the Valley, revive Kashmiri shawls and modernize embroidery to give them a new contemporary look. I will start with garments and my units in the Valley will be in coordination with my Delhi office,” he suggests.
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