Beginning a new year can be somewhat frustrating and frightening all at the same time-new school, new place, new people, and even a new roommate, which is something that most of us are not used to. The new year means that once again you are back on the bottom of the totem pole as a freshman-it’s like doing the process in high school, then coming to college and repeating it. Thankfully, student engagement created the launch orientation weekend to help freshmen with their first days at King University. As a Launch Leader, we prepare all spring semester and arrive a week early in the fall to organize the fun activities for the weekend. The weekend starts with move-in, when freshmen figure out who their roommate is and where they are located. That is one of the hardest parts as a launch leader, because the whole morning is spent lug-ging freshmen stuff up stairs.

The fun really starts after that with the first small group meetings where you get to know your Launch Lead-ers and the freshmen in the First Year Seminar class. The Opening Program was where the freshmen small groups participated in three challenges that tested their strength, speed, and flexibility, (a.k.a. arm wrestling), running around putting on as many clothes as possible, and limbo. This was the first opportunity to earn points towards the Launch Cup. The Launch Cup was new this year. Each small group had the opportunity to earn points at each event during Launch weekend. The events were worth different point values. The winning teams received points for first, second, and third place. Each event had individual prizes. The Launch Cup was the ultimate prize with the winning group receiving food during one of their Freshmen Seminar

classes, t-shirts, an iPad mini raffled between the members, and their names on the first ever Launch Cup. Saturday Night Surprise is one of the bigger events, because the freshmen are unaware of what to expect until they arrive. This year was a carnival held at Anderson Park with dancing, tie-dye t-shirts, corn hole, a blowup obstacle course, and food. Sunday morning began with Bible Studies and worship service. Pool Day was another chance to earn points; opportunities included the volleyball tournament and quarter find. Casino Night was a great finish to the day. Monday was the last day of the Launch weekend. It started on a semi-sour note. The Freshmen Class was required to take the writing sample. After lunch, the fun picked back up with the Amazing Race. Unfortunately, the race was a little long and none of the groups ended up finishing, but points were still awarded to the group that completed the most challenges. There was also time allotted during the day for lip sync practice. The night ended with the Monday Night Madness Lip Sync and ice cream. The lip sync competition was probably the biggest event of the weekend. The event posted the most points of the weekend. The winning group displayed a unique glow stick routine to “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor. The Launch Leaders also do a lip sync every year. This year they did the Evolution of Dance. Ice cream was the final treat of the night outside the Student Center, and it was a great place to gather with our new friends. Overall, the Launch weekend was a great way to help freshmen get to know each other while having some fun. The Launch Leaders Lip Sync performance can be seen at the following website http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvTUOdQKM_o.

Launch into the New Yearby Tiffany Brand

The Student Voice of King since 1932

Oct

. 2013Kay-see-an

The Value of Educationby Candace Whitner Do you remember what you were doing on Sep-tember 8th this year? Perhaps you spent the day working on homework that you forgot about or went out to eat with your family. In either case, this particular Sunday passed by uneventfully and classes began all too soon again the next day. However, did you know that September 8th is Interna-tional Literacy Day? International Literacy Day was established in 1965 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). It is meant to promote interna-tional education and, according to UNESCO, is meant to remind the world that “literacy is a human right and the foundation of all learning.” The UNESCO website page on this particular day explains its belief that “a good quality basic education equips pupils with literacy skills for life and further learning; literate parents are more likely to send their children to school; literate people are better able to access continuing educational opportunities; and literate societies are better geared to meet pressing development.”So, what did you do on International Literacy Day? Did you do something to promote international education on that day or education within your own community? You

do not need to be an education major to promote learning around the world. Of course, we greatly value our educa-tion majors and applaud their hard work, but why does this need to keep you from doing something about the state of education within our own country and around the world?Perhaps it is time that we think of more than just our own education and look at how we intend to use our areas of study to better the world around us, not just after college, but even in school this very minute. There are all kinds of volunteer opportunities in our local community and throughout the world. Why not participate in a Reading Day in one of the local elementary schools or volunteer to read at the Bristol Public Library? If you want to focus on the international community, then why not donate to a non-profit organization promoting education? Or work with groups like Safe World Nexus to educate communities on safe water? It might be a good idea to work with a group like ELIC (English Language Institute of China) to work abroad as an English teacher. There are so many ways to better the world through education and literacy. Why wait until after college? You are perfectly capable of making a difference today too. So remember International Literacy Day and find ways to help people, both locally and internationally, to receive educa-tion in all areas of life.

Appa-Latch-An Literature Weekby Tammy Denton There are a couple of different ways you can pronounce Appalachia, the two most common are Appa-Lay-Shuh or Appa-Latch-A. The latter indicates that you are more than likely a native of Appalachia, the for-mer, you’re either a proper native or you’re just passing through. The Buechner Institute celebrated Appalachian Emphasis Week September 9-13, with three Appalachian artists, Emily Satterwhite, Ron Rash, and Barbara Bates Smith. First was Emily Satterwhite, a professor of Appalachian Studies and author of the book Dear Appala-chia: Readers, Identity, and Popular Fiction Since 1878. She set the stage for the rest of the week. Ron Rash read some excerpts from some of his books, including Serena, a movie that is set to become a major motion picture soon. Barbara Bates Smith took the torch and took off where Ron Rash left off, dramatizing his story The Lincolnites, a short story within Burning Bright. Through these experiences with Appalachian artists, stu-dents were able to get a good feel for the upcoming Rhythm and Roots Festival, and provided a sneak peek into King’s new Appalachian Culture Studies program. This Buechner trio not only struck our hearts and minds with there powerful words and performances, they also paved the way for students at King to determine their own ideals about Appalachia, whether they have lived her their entire lives or just moved here and are on the outside looking in. If you go to Rhythm and Roots, don’t expect to hear Appa-Lay-Shuh very often. It’s Appa-Latch-A around these parts.

Educatio

n

It is safe to say that in 1922 when F. Scott Fitzger-ald announced that he was going to write “something new—something extraordinary and beautiful and simple and intricately patterned,” that it wasn’t projected to have boomed to be Fitzgerald’s finest work as an author, but it was. The Great Gatsby, arguably Fitzgerald’s greatest novel and what he is best known for, is a stunning portrait of the Jazz Age in all of its overindulgence where Nick Carraway finds himself living beside a self-made, mysterious Jay Gatsby surrounded by obsession, ambition, wild parties, and greed, secretly waiting for his beloved old flame Daisy Buchanan to come to him. At the dawn of the summer of 2013, The Great Gatsby hit movie theaters across the nation with many star actors playing roles in the film, notably Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. We see this coming from a mile away-gripes and criticisms that this new film adaption to the classic Ameri-can novel will never do it justice and will only mar F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece. No matter how much this is debated, one thing is for certain: it is nearly impossible for directors and screenwriters to duplicate a book or novel into a film without having to make “creative” changes and adjustments here and there. It is however admirable and respectful to remain true to the original piece, though it is a hard and daunting challenge to take a story from one medium to a completely different interpretation of enter-tainment. In Luhrmann’s movie adaption of The Great Gatsby, there are some significant changes, and one differ-ence makes itself known almost as immediately as the film begins to unfold: the fact that Nick Carraway is in a sanitar-ium and is actually “writing” the book you are reading. In the text, Fitzgerald simply indicates Nick as a transcriber to the story, an outsider looking in. In the film, Nick himself is writing from a sanitarium, where he has checked himself in following the summer with Gatsby and has been diagnosed as a “morbid alcoholic.” It is never specifically said in the novel, but I find this change creative and non-derisive, especially with one of the movie’s final images being Nick adding “The Great” to the title of his finished “Gatsby” manuscript with a flourish. But the book leaves its reader

only with the titillating conclusive image of, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” Jay Gatsby makes a grand entrance in both the book and the film, and it’s quite difficult if not impossible to have Nick unknowingly interacting with Gatsby when he is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Racism and anti-Semitism are removed from the film-and faithfulness to the text would have been down-right anti-Semitic. Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton) was also notoriously racist in Fitzgerald’s novel. It is probably one change that audiences applaud Luhrmann for making. Lastly, if you haven’t read the book or seen the film, a spoiler is coming up. Gatsby died in belief that he had won and gotten the girl, his beloved Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). In both the book and the movie, Gatsby is still killed at the hand of George Wilson (Jason Clarke) and he is lonely and pitiful, and the pool is still involved. The one big difference is a phone’s presence in the movie. In both, Gatsby is waiting for a call from Daisy and decides to go for a swim, since he hasn’t even been in his pool all summer. The book has him climbing into a float, his butler waiting for the call “until long after there was any one to give it to if it came,” and his chauffeur hearing the shots, the movie takes a more flashy approach. Alternatively, Gatsby takes a dive into the water and steps out as the phone rings. The shot is fired by Wilson the very moment and Gatsby dies thinking that Daisy had called to say she was leaving Tom and running away with him. However, au-diences are fully aware that it was only Nick on the phone. Despite similarities and differences in both books and movies, the greatest literary works still get panned during their releases, including Fitzgerald’s great Ameri-can novel. The film is a creative interpretation of the book; and though it might not have been what the author himself would have written for a screen adaption, The Great Gatsby still remains as a tragic love story and masterful literary piece with crystal clear prose elegantly plotted to show future generations a glimpse at this whirling, overflowing period of the Roaring Twenties and rich, believable charac-ters with stories such as this one.

The Great Comparison between Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” and Fitzgerald’s Classic Novel

by Rachel Burrus

Review

The Crisis Center Bristol, Virginia is the focus subject for this article this month. Located at 100 Oakview Avenue, t the Crisis Center helps those in need of information what rights they have in cases such as sexual assault and their crisis line helps with suicide prevention. However they don’t stop there, they also raise money for the Center, assist with giving out information on getting a free GED, adult learning infor-mation, continuing education programs, find ways for adults to get back into college, and much, much more. Della McGuire and Emily Ann Thompson sat down with me to give me additional information on their services, needs, and the fun that they have to make time for to lighten up situations that can be very stressful and draining. For example the recent Food City Race Night which occurred on August 22, 2013 at the Bristol Motor Speedway, which was held in an atmosphere filled with the adrenaline rush, that Race Week seems to send to the locals as well as the visitor. When that many people are in one place and hav-ing a good time, they seem to be more generous in donating for great causes as The Crisis Center and others. Ms. McGuire and Ms. Thompson explained that it was a good turn out for the race although the crowd may have seemed a bit thinner, that didn’t change the spirit in which the volunteers came out and really plugged away how the Crisis Center helps others. I asked what were some of the needs that the center had and was told they could any or all of the following;

• Computers that can be refurbished• Someone to help with I.T. Issues• Volunteers (there are plenty of ways to volunteer. If the crisis line is not your cup of tea, then check out the other opportuni-ties such as Grant Writing, event volunteers, office volunteers, Public Relations...) • *The day I was there they could have really used someone with an I.T. Background to come in and update their comput-ers, server, and Wikimedia.*• They are in need of interns as well. Here at King there comes a time when most if not all of us have to do an intern-ship, so The Crisis Center is a great place to lend a hand and earn credits as well as experience that all looks good on a resume. • Ms. McGuire suggested that anyone who is or knows of Rural Health Care Providers who would like to help out, that would be awesome as well.• They could use donations for holiday gift items (see bottom for list)• Hotline training•The Adopt A Senior from the Just Checking program is something sweet to do for an elderly person who just likes the comfort of hearing someone who cares.

Around 1:00 pm on September 16, 2013, ABC News published the true story of a homeless man in Bos-ton who recovered and handed over to police a backpack containing $2,400 dollars in cash and $39,500 dollars in travelers’ checks. The man stumbled upon the backpack outside a TJ Maxx, and flagged down police in order to turn it in. An employee of a nearby Best Buy later called the police reporting that he had a man there who claimed to have misplaced his backpack which contained “a large sum of money”. After the officers carefully scrutinized the man’s identity and followed thorough security procedures, the owner of the backpack was found, who was a visitor from China. Inspection of the backpack’s contents proved nothing was missing, not a cent. Take a moment to let this story sink in. Turn it over in your brain a little. Revel in its inability to be processed by that fickle imaginary machine we call logic. Now allow me to introduce you to the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAKF). A non-profit organization, this foundation is actively “inspiring people to practice kindness and pass it on to others” around the world. Future teachers, listen up! The RAKF’s webpage provides fun and useful tips

that would be simple to incorporate into your classroom as well as great opportunities for character-building! There are lesson plans, classroom materials, and even project ideas specifically created for classrooms. Do your students need some inspiration? They can access plenty of first-hand stories from their peers all over the world participating in the RAKF cause. Once they take part in a random act of kindness, they too can write their experience and share it with the world. There is even a “Kindness Idea” which is updated daily, so you could challenge your students to com-plete the daily kindness idea. Teachers can even take a course through the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, which helps benefit their schools. The class that is currently taking place runs from September 21st through December 10th and earns the teacher 30 hours and two continuing education credits. The Dalai Lama said it best when he stated: If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.Works Cited:“Boston Homeless Man Turns in Lost Backpack Stuffed With $42K.” Yahoo. ABC News, 16 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.“The Dalai Lama.” Wildmind Buddhist Meditation. Wildmind, 16 May 2007. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.“Welcome | Random Acts of Kindness.” Random Acts of Kindness. Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.

Random Acts of Kindnessby Amanda Huffaker

Inspirin

gCom

munity

The Crisis Center in Bristol by April Knight

One of the great things about the college experience is the opportunity to participate in student organi-zations and clubs. No matter what a person’s hobbies may be, they can find a place somewhere on campus to meet people with similar interests and gain a sense of belonging. Freshmen are especially encouraged to find activities to participate in. Not only do these clubs allow them to meet students in other years, but it often gives previews of majors or areas of study they might be interested in. At the same time, they may find that they want to take a chance and try something new. With so many clubs and groups available, one could find themselves in four or five clubs in a single semester! King University has such a wide variety of activities and groups to choose from, ranging from the arts to athletics. Freshmen and upperclassmen can join performing arts groups such as Symphonic Choir, Jazz/Gospel Choir, KCCTG (King University Trousdale Theatre Guild), and the King University Players (KUP). Some of the academic clubs include the Forensic Science Club, the King Security and Intelligence Studies Group (KSI), Philosophy Club (Phi Sigma Tau), and STEA:KE (Education Club). There is even a new opportunity for students this year. SFAK, the Society of Future Accountants at King, though present at King at the past, has petitioned SGA to have their club brought back. This new addition to the roster of activities is meant for accounting and finance majors, though they have events that can benefit students of all majors. Tiffany Brand, a Senior Accounting and Math double major, has worked hard to bring back SFAK this semester. When asked to describe the club and its new goals, she said this: “Since this is the year that we’re re-chartering SFAK, we really have the opportunity to do with it as we see fit and make some great changes for both its future and the future of the students participating. We want it to be a place where students can have study sessions, gain professional contacts and improve one’s resume for future job offers.” As stated on their board at the Student Organization Fair on September 11, SFAK seeks to facilitate communication between the professors, community, administration and students and aid in their transformation to young professionals. Brand further explained that, “We want students to also have aid in preparing for the GMAT and CPA exams. We also want to take at least one trip to observe a chapter meeting of the TSCPA (Ten-nessee Society of Certified Public Accountants) in Johnson City. If we can make more than one trip, then that would be great!” In addition to the activities for finance and accounting majors, their club would like to spon-sor various events that will enrich the educational and social experiences of students of all majors King, such as financial talks and seminars. If you were unable to attend the Student Organization Fair and have not found a club to join yet, then look at the list on sga.king.edu, find one that interests you and find out more about it! College is the time to get out there and try new things! Plus, these clubs are always happy to take in new members at any point in the se-mester. In fact, Alpha Phi Omega (King’s chapter of the national co-ed service fraternity/organization) is having their informational meetings on October 1 & 2 in the Maclellan TV Lounge at 8:00pm. They will even have free food provided! So get out there and challenge yourself to find a place to meet new people and experience the many opportunities that King has to offer!

Student Organizations and Clubsby Candace Whitner

Activities

by Tyson JonesGood day, readers. My name is Tyson Jones

(Ty) and today I’m privileged to be able to sit down and talk with Twister the Lion (Tw). Many of us have seen Twister on campus, at games, and other events. However, we’ve never been able to really get a glimpse as to the thoughts of our beloved mascot and that’s what brings us here today.

Ty: First off, welcome back to King, Twister. We’re happy to have you back with us. So, before we get too into this, why don’t you tell me about your summer vacation?

Tw: Thanks, Ty. My summer vacation was pretty awesome. I hung out with some friends, ate some food, and attended my very first Mascot Camp alongside the cheerleaders who went to Camp at UTK.

Ty: I honestly didn’t know Mascot Camp was a real thing. What was that like? What did you do?

Tw: Well, people don’t always realize that being a mascot is a lot tougher than it looks. There’s a lot we do and there’s a lot we can learn to make our jobs easier. I learned about ways I can take care of my costume, how mascotting can be a full-fledged career, and made a lot of friends. While we were there, the mascots even put on a little performance for the cheerleaders-partially an exercise in working with our body language and partially just goofing around.

Ty: Speaking of which, there have been a few new changes in the cheerleading section of things re-cently, including a new coach. How are you handling these changes?

Tw: Like most people, I just try and roll with the punches. Over the summer, I got to meet coach Debbie Neilson, and she’s one of the nicest ladies I’ve had the chance to meet and I look forward to working

with her this year. Likewise, we’ve gotten some new cheerleaders on the squad this year. I’m always excited to see new faces. Names...that’s different story.

Ty: Well, it sounds like you’re enjoying your-self a lot. With all of this new stuff happening, and the start of the sports season, what do you see yourself doing in the future here at King?

Tw: Well, right now there’s some stuff in the works. I’ll be out making appearances in the coming weeks at various places, but I don’t want to let any-thing slip beforehand. Just keep your eyes peeled and expect to see a lot more of me this year.

Ty: Will do, Twister and thank you for the op-portunity to have this interview with you. Best of luck to you and the entire cheer squad this year. Before we close this though, I know you’ve been connecting with students this summer via Twitter correct?

Tw: Thanks, and don’t mention it. As for the Twitter thing, you’re correct. If anyone’s interested in seeing pictures, semi-funny tweets, or even just talkin’ to ol’ Twister, they’re more than welcome to follow me at @King_Twister.

Ty: Excellent. Well, that about wraps it up for us, but we’d be happy to have you back with us any time.

Tw: Always happy to come out and do some-thing new. Had a lot of fun here, and I’d be happy to stop in another time.

-This Interview was conducted with both my-self and Twister in the same room.

Ath

letic

s

by Tiffany BrandOur campus is full of student athletes. With over 80% of our campus designated as student athletes,

you would be hard pressed to find a student that does not play a sport. With that many athletes and little time to practice because of classes and other activities, many have resorted to morning practices. Teams wake up early to have practice at 6 AM. For some, this is a week long process known as hell week. For others, this could last for a month or all year. In that case, it’s safe to say you’re living in hell.

During softball my freshman and sophomore year, I participated in hell week. We had 6 AM runs and workouts, running stairs, hills, sprints, suicides, and loops was a major part of hell week. Getting up early to run and workout was definitely not the highlight of my day. Going to class all sweaty and gross was also a little depressing. The workouts made my body and mind slower. I usually didn’t wake up until half way through the day. I learned less in that week than in any other that year. I learned quickly that sleep was a luxury. The work-

outs were difficult, but they did help ready my body for future practices during the year.

Most of the sports on campus participate in some form of workouts, drills, or practices that are strenuous and more difficult than daily prac-tice. Wrestling, perhaps, is one of the sports that has a hell year. Their workouts are complex all school year. They push themselves hard in extreme workouts that test the body in every way possible. As one of their workouts, they run from the Bristol Motor Speedway to campus. That may not seem like a lot, but the run is long and tiring.

To some, hell week means the opportunity to show their coaches

how hard they are willing to work, but to most it’s a disheartening part of their day. Hell week is usually at the beginning of the sport’s season and sometimes the first practice together that includes the new freshmen. The re-mainder of the season depends on how the team works together. So it is important that the team works hard and encourages each other during hell week, because that is probably the hardest time they will have together. If the team can make it through the torture, then the season should be a piece of cake. This helps the coaches gauge where the team is at and how hard they need to work.

Ath

letic

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Launch into the New Yearby Tiffany Brand

Freshman Athlete Spotlight: Swinging for The Fences by Tyson Jones It’s the early part of a new year and with the athletic season right around the corner, this piece looks to introduce you to some of the new student athletes wearing KU colors! Our inaugural article starts off highlighting two members of the boys’ baseball team and we hope that after reading about them, you’ll take the opportunity to get to know these young men personally and see the student behind the athlete. First, coming to King from Gate City, Virginia is pitcher Cory Allen Franklin, son of Rhonda and “Buddy” Al-len. Cory’s choice to come to King University was a decision fueled by the beauty of the campus, the highly skilled coach-ing staff, and of course the strength of the academics offered at King. Undecided as far as his major goes, Cory still has plenty of time to figure out where he wants his life to go. Ironically enough, the KU rookie is well-traveled to say the least. Citing Ireland as his favorite place to travel, young Al-len has been all over the place-from Georgia to Kentucky, to both North and South Carolina, and many spots in between. Here is to hoping the lessons he’s learned while traveling serve him well as he looks to broaden his horizons at King. “Not all those who wander are lost.” -JRR Tolkien After a bit of prodding about his hobbies outside of baseball, it dawned on me that there was more to the thirteen-year ballplayer. Something of a bookworm, including being a fan of The Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter, he names John Steinbeck as the greatest author of all time and express-es joy in the works of Dan Brown. One of the most impressive things I discovered about one of KUs’ new student athletes was that Cory is actually a pretty talented musician. Having taught himself how to play the guitar for the past three years, Cory surprised me with his skill (I even suggested he could perform at the upcoming Unplugged event). I was even treated to a couple of songs he knew such as “Sweet Virginia” & “Wagon Wheel.” Find him on Twitter (@CoryFranklin) and maybe you can start a band of some sort? To say there is more to a student athlete than meets the eye would be the rule rather than an exception and Cory is a perfect example of that. Articulate, talented, and athletic are three words that I believe could sum up Cory. He told me that he hopes to make a difference on the team this year. The time I’ve gotten to know Cory has me believing that all he needs to make his goal a reality is a chance and likewise, the time I’ve gotten to know Cory has me believing he’s more than capable of getting said chance.

OCTOBERDaniel MartinA high energy show with a fusion of in-teractive magic, exhilarating escapes, and sarcastic improv. One event you don’t want to miss!8 p.m.TV Lounge

15

Corn MazeCome and enjoy a night at a corn maze with SLACK!Off-campus

25

Bellacino’s & a MovieA favorite event every year. Come en-joy an all you can eat pizza buffet at Bellacino’s (Exit 7) and receive a FREE movie pass!Off-campus

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NOVEMBERVideo Game NightRecreate a music video from your favor-ite artist AND compete in several dif-ferent games from Halo to Dance Dance Revolution on multiple large screens.5 - 11 p.m. in the Dining Hall

5

Michael Dean EsterA comedian who focuses on campus life.8 p.m. in the TV Lounge

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Kil’n TimeA yearly favorite of students. Paint your own pottery from coffee mugs, bowls, and more!Off campus

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Spotlig

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