12.12.12 "BEST DAY EVER!"

By: Georgia Trevor

So once again, I’ve gotten the awesome-est chance to experience another year where all of the numbers are the same. Since I won’t get to see a day like this happen until another million kajillion years from now, I have documented my day basically summed up. The significance for this date differs from person to person. For me, it was truly a memorable day that I got the joy of documenting on video. Hope you can catch my sarcasm throughout my whole video! Enjoy J

Let Me Introduce Our Pres...2012!

By: Georgia Trevor

November 6, 2012. The day all of America has been waiting for finally arrived. Who won???
President Barack Obama won yet another term to fix what the previous President (not saying any names, *cough* Bush) has caused.
President Obama's reelection campaign took Ohio and thus the election shortly after 8:13 p.m., NBC News reported.

Being a first time voter and seeing that my vote made a difference in my COUNTY (since MO decided to be majority Romney), I felt part of something huge and it feels good to know my vote counted towards something as huge as this!

I for one am not surprised by his win but at the time I was sweating bullets because the numbers were not in my favor on the news channels.
Many rejoiced while others didn't take the loss quite well.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

I'm a sore winner at times.
To be cordial, Romney gave Barack great competition and together I'm sure they can negotiate some ideas for how OBAMA can better America and have us see his vision for a better Us as one.
YES WE CAN...CHANGE...Obama's our Man!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHAT???

By: Georgia Trevor

Bullying ENDS NOW

By Georgia Trevor

Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior that is intentional, hurtful, physical, psychological, and/or threatening and persistent. There is an imbalance of strength; power and dominance. The problem occurs when this is a continuous situation that doesn’t stop as generations evolve. Bullying hurts and worst instance, it kills.

   Did you know that Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University?

   According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying 

   25% of teachers see nothing wrong with bullying or putdowns and consequently intervene in only 4% of bullying incidents.

   Children and adolescents who bully thrive on controlling or dominating others.  They have often been the victims of physical abuse or bullying themselves.

I’m sure many have heard about the Canadian teenager, Amanda Todd who sadly was bullied so much, it’s reported that she committed suicide. Mind you, before her death, she had tried consuming bleach. She was rushed to the hospital to get it pumped out of her body. When she recovered, nasty remarks on her facebook page about how she should try harder to kill herself or try the same action again because she clearly hadn’t done it right were all over her wall.

I guess my real question is, when will this cycle stop? Why can’t bullying go away as fast as seasonal fashion? Bullying hurts. It leaves scars, whether visibly seen, or not. That doesn’t stop the pain from being any less. Whether it’s physical, verbal, cyber, whatever! It’s hateful and it gets its point across. Being bullied is a silent cry because no one sees it sometimes but those tears are as real as the pain inflicted because of it.

I once was a victim of bullying some odd years ago. It was hurtful, discouraging and it left me feeling alone because no one could relate or cared to understand that I couldn’t just tell the people off. They always came back. From my situation, those very bullies either apologized later on as the years passed and I became my own person WITH A VOICE, or they are actually good buds of mine. Ironic. Though the wounds healed, I still have this strong hate for bullying. It’s always done to those who are different or just can’t stand up for themselves. It’s so unfair!

But what’s happening now is, it’s getting the attention that’s necessary. There’s hotlines, sites and even well-known celebrities speaking on how bullying needs to stop! Positive things like that really have an impact on youth.

“It gets better. It seems hard, you know, I think being different is always gonna be a tough climb. There's always gonna be people that are scared of it. But at the end of the day you give those bullies, those people, that are so ignorant, if you give them the power to affect you, you're letting them win. And they don't deserve that. What you're doing by being yourself is you're keeping it real, and you're being really brave.” -Adam Lambert

Whoever said bullying was cool must not have been!

Sites for encouragement:

www.pacer.org/bullying

www.dig4kids.org/Bully-Prevention

www.lighthouse-services.com/

www.cyberbullyhotline.com

Don’t Be About It, TWEET About It

By: Georgia Trevor

I'd rather," deadpans Philippa Grogan, 16, "give up, like, a kidney than my phone. How did you manage before? Carrier pigeons? Letters? Going round each others' houses on BIKES?" This is an excerpt from the Guardian News online which caught my attention. What the girl said was basically how many teens these days think and strongly feel. Our phones are our lives. Technology has made us anti social in many ways.

Walking Avila University’s campus is pretty much as follows: Students walking, earphones in, phones out either changing the song or on some sort of social network, whether it be Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. This is my generation. This is what happens when technology upgrades and we become a product of being raised by technology.

 This somewhat interests me.

 Did you know that it starts as young as age twelve that kids own a phone? When I was twelve, I was fighting my big brother to get off of the computer so I can PAINT ON OUR COMPUTER SCREEN THINGY MAJIG!

 “I have a phone, Ipod and this house computer might as well be mine. I’m the only one who knows how to work it forreal. I have Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I have a lot to say and all of my friends have one,” Serina Trevor, 8^th grader stated to me, as if it were a no-brainer question I asked.

 According to Guardian News, more than 80% of phone-owning teens also use them to take pictures (and 64% to share those pictures with others). Sixty percent listen to music on them, 46% play games, 32% swap videos and 23% access social networking sites!

 According to Jonathan McKee, author, and president of The Source for Youth Ministry kids declared that teens are now soaking in 10 hours and 45 minutes per day of media in a mere 7 hours and 38 minutes. (This requires multitasking. In other words, they are listening to iTunes while browsing the web, all while the TV is on in the background.)

 Me, myself, I wake up and check my phone as if it were the daily news. I check my texts first, go to Twitter, then Instagram then Facebook. I’m sure to have a couple notifications I NEED to check. This is life. I rather text you than call you or talk to you in person. I usually have nothing to say in person if you’re just a social media “friend.” If you aren’t my parents, family members, best friend or a special someone, there is NO reason for you to call me. This is just how I feel. So to sum it up, media is ruling many other teens’ lives and I’m not ashamed to say mine as well.

 We are the technology generation.

 “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” -Carl Sagan

 Technology has made us anti social in many ways.

Our Generation Got It Wrong

 By: Georgia Trevor

"Our generation really does seem to have priorities messed up. It's sad because it's a way of life now for us, sadly," Longview student, Kara Fatseas stated about how she thinks our generation is today.

Alexis Lampkin states "I'm in no place to talk but I see the big picture and I realize things that mattereed then, is irrelevant now because we belieieve it's our "right". Like it wasn't fought for back then."

So I’m sittin here thinking, man are we messed up. You see, I happen to live in a world that’s corrupt; just my luck. What I mean to say is that things are twisted in today’s day and age. For further understanding, let me try to elaborate. Let me set the scene:

A girl gets pregnant, in her early teens. She was the whole package; with a mouth so mean, a body like no other and a swagger so unseen. So it’s only right that she got all the looks, mind on the irrelevant instead of on the books. Until she meets this guy that tells her blissful lies. But she can’t see as far as the eye. So with the guy, she furthers their relation. She’s convinced that she’s in love; she’s never felt this type of sensation. Couple months later, she’s feeling uneasy. Her body’s feeling different and her stomach’s feeling queasy. You see, that very same guy, that caught baby girl’s eye, took something of hers you can’t just go out and buy. So now she’s pregnant with a baby that ole dude is saying maybe to. “How could it be mine when I strapped up, boo? You trynna set me up, I ain’t no foo!” He’s saying everything she’d never expected him to. “What do you mean you don’t know if it’s by you? You trynna leave me on my own?!? Remember it took two!” So now a single mother out there on her own. Friends abandoned her and her parents disowned, with no one but herself, she’s out there all alone. Sadly, this is pretty normal for us today; a tragedy. But it’s the truth when you wanna be “grown” and end up losing your youth casually.

My Generation Got It Wrong.

A young kid, no older than one six, got a couple things in his bag and I ain’t talkin about tricks. Instead of making it on time to class, first block, he’s outside of the school, slingin rocks. Eyes roaming round while he’s grippin on his glock. Mama never cared and Daddy was never there. Teacher gave him false hopes, dealing with the cards he was dealt; unfair. Street smart; can’t learn what he knows from sittin at no desk and in no seat. Money is what he’s after, the root of all evil; greed. He’s got to live, and a nigga’s gotta eat. Sadly, this is reality, money over everything; a young brotha’s mentality. This is how you get respect. They believe these fallacies! When in all actuality, you go and live by the streets; you die by em, a casualty.

My Generation Got It Wrong.

Since when was it cool to cut up in school. When did being a man consist of carrying round a tool? Why are girls so thirsty for attention? Feeling psyched up for a measly little twitter mention? Clothes, close to none. Hitting up clubs, getting the wrong type of publicity is their idea of fun? Bad bitch is what they aim for. They don’t see that they’ve reached the status of a whore. Then when they want love the same dudes that left them feelin used got the real ladies cuffed. When are we gonna break this chain? All of this ignorance is enough to drive a person insane. We’ve taken stupidity to a whole new level. Damaging the minds of angels and shaking hands with the devil. Disguised to believe things in this world are possible; land of the free. Feeble minded people not caring to see, this world was never for us but those in the past fought for what we now have; we owe those that made history. Instead you smoke weed and drinking Amsterdam. Broadcasting it, uploading pictures on Instagram.  Fresh outfits and pictures of your money you got stashed have made their way to becoming your facebook stat. Stupid dude, the government controls everything! Or did you not know. Or were you living by this stupid motto they call Y.O.L.O!?

My Generation Got It Wrong.

Now I’m not trynna preach like I’m looking down on those who live like this. Make no mistake, I made sure to look at myself, I’m no hypocrite. I just happen to observe my environment. I’m not trying to be too old before I can enjoy my retirement. I know where I came from and where I plan to go. I’m writing this in hopes that you can walk with me the same road. I know I still have ways ahead but I can’t turn back to this world that’s dead. I don’t want to be another statistic. I’m trynna express the urgency in this 911 emergency situation. It’s logistics. My generation is broken, who’s trying to join me to fix it?

My Generation Got It Wrong.

"You guys are our future. Sadly, that scares me. Terribly." -Linda Trevor

Things Are All Right When Different Worlds Unite

By: Georgia Trevor

Unity-The state of being one; a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

Thursday afternoon, Avila University held an event called International Day where international students from different parts of the world came together in a way like none other. They all pitched in and cooked lunch for everyone to try and enjoy. What better way to get to your heart than getting to your stomach first? It was a huge success, of course! Everyone came out to sample foods from around the world made from students with different cultures. Having witnessed this grand event, you could guess how thrilled I was to write about it.

“It’s a good thing, that way races can unite and sample a part of a different culture. It’s fun, the food is sooo good and everyone’s having a great time coming together! Ms. Ollie Thibeaux wasn’t the first proclaiming this about the event and surely wasn’t the last!

 “We like the idea of cooking for you all. We cooked it and everyone is eating,” China native student, Jiaqi G. told me with great enthusiasm.

“I and my friend cooked. I really like this idea. It’s so fun and we can try many foods from many cultures as well as the fun in cooking the dishes! Vietnam native student, Anh Nguyen stated.

“We think it’s great to show people what a Kansas City tradition is by serving some Jack Stacks Barbeque Beans. It’s a great way to introduce cultures and for international students to cook for us as well,” said Nurse Carol Frevert and Ms. Debbie. USA.

All the excitement was whirling in Avila’s Cafeteria and everyone was welcome! Students, Faculty and Commuters joined together to share laughter, smiles, fun and food. What better kind of party could it have been?!? We had China, Vietnam, U.S.A., Japan, Taiwan, and Saudi Arabia in the house representin’. From mariachi performers to flags from all over the world to cultured music, Avila was how you’d say CRACKIN!

“It’s interesting how there’s different cultures and people that usually clash together, coming together eating and having a good ole’ fashioned get together,” student, Jordan T.A. Stephens boomed.

Remember Like It Was Yesterday…

By: Georgia Trevor 

Close your eyes and picture this:

A little girl in class with friends doing what normal third grade students do; work, joking etc. Suddenly, the teacher gets called from her room to talk with another teacher. Worry and confusion etched on the little girl’s face because she’s only hearing bits and pieces of the conversation; ear hustler. Teacher comes in and announces in a way the kids could all understand, that something big has happened, yadda, yadda… New York City… blah blah… Planes Crashed… Building. When all was said and done, that’s all the little girl heard before her heart started to race. Next thing she knew, she was en route home to be with her family who were worried and concerned. You see, this little girl had family all over and her most favorite aunt happened to live right near Manhattan. No one heard from this aunt nor knew anything of her whereabouts. This news was threatening to ruin everything she had come to love. That little girl was me.

Open your eyes.

Everyone can recall if not everything, something that they remember about September 11, 2001.

Smoke filled streets, yelling, searching, noises, cries, tear streaked faces, firemen, policemen, loved ones, shattered buildings; shattered hearts. All of this is what took place and sadly, will forever replay its dreadful memories inside everyone’s heads who hearts jerked when it happened.

The world stopped and came together to reach out to those in need.

“I was in class when it happened; Bronx, New York, about seventh or eighth grade. A teacher came to privately speak with my teacher outside the classroom. I could see that the teacher was crying. We [students] began to worry that maybe someone died in her family. The school announced to us that something had happened in Manhattan and we were to be dismissed early. All I saw was teachers around crying while we [students] looked on, confused and not understanding what was truly going on,” student, Reginald Addy recalled. “When I got home, I looked outside my window and could see the smoke and dust.”

“I was in Haiti in high school when it happened. Teacher was talking then all of a sudden another teacher came into the classroom and turned on the news for us all to see how the event of things happened. I saw the World Trade Center and the news line read something about an attack. Everyone began panicking because we all knew or had someone that lived in New York. School was let out early for us to reflect on this day,” Mr. Jacobs Anonymous recalls. “It’s a huge reminder of how efficient it is to have cover ups and be on your toes!”

Clearly this wasn’t just something you could or even would want to ignore. It hit close to home all over the world.

“I just wanted it to all be a bad nightmare. My sister could have been in harm’s way. She was right there and I was here. Helpless. My heart goes out to all who were affected,” Linda Trevor, recalled.

Many are left empty and many others are stuck with the memories that invade their minds. One thing is for sure, we all can remember it like it was yesterday…

What was it that you remember about 9/11? Go ahead and comment below so you too can share your story.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Guess Who?

By: Georgia Trevor

As many know, the AU Kickoff for Avila University was held August 30^th. Many vendors came and helped make it yet another success as previous years. Many organizations as well appeared to be present on this beautiful eventful day. You name it; they were most likely there to get their names out to those who didn’t know about them. All the groups were dandy and all but there was one particular group who didn’t make an appearance. Puzzling. Who was that group? Why were many possibly disappointed? Why was Avila University student, Georgia Trevor an unhappy camper? Well, Avila’s student literary magazine, Sound And Fury was not in attendance. *insert sad face* What’s the Sound & Fury all about, one might ask if they’re absolutely positively Ray Charles to Awesomeness? Well, the Sound & Fury is a magazine that publishes poetry, short stories, short plays, and essays. The magazine is edited by students under the supervision of Avila’s Artist in Residence, Professor Stanley Banks. A brief interview via email with Professor Banks told everything one needs to know if they want to be part of this staff.

 Q: Please state your name and your title pertaining to the group.

 A: I  am  the  Advisor  for  Sound  And  Fury  which  is  Avila's  student  literary  magazine.

       Q: Where does your organization hold its meetings?

 A: We  hold  our  meetings  in  various  places  on  and  off  campus. 

       Q: How long has your organization been running?

 A: Avila has had a literary magazine since the 1990’s.

      Q: Are there any special qualities that one needs to join?

A: If  a  student  is  interested  in  joining  the  Editorial  Staff,  they  must  enjoy  and  appreciate  Creative  Writing.

      Q: When are your issues published and out to the public?

A:  Sound  And  Fury  is  usually  available  to  the  Avila  University  campus  and  the  public  in  April  of  every  year.  The  deadline  for  submitting  Poetry,  Short  Stories,  Essays,  and  Short  Plays  is  by  February  15th  in  the  Spring  Semester. Finally, students can submit their Creative Writing to Sound&fury@avila.edu.

      Q: If you could sum up your staff in the organization in one word, what would that word be & why?

A: The students who help put together Sound and Fury are very committed. 

      Q: Last Question. Million Dollar Question. Why wasn’t your organization at the AU Kickoff trying to get their name out to those who weren’t aware of your organization?

      A: Simple answer to your question; we couldn't get anyone to be at our booth.

     Well there you have it! The guessing game is over and spirits are a little bit up given that the Million Dollar question was answered. If you want to know more that possibly wasn’t answered, check out the site and or hit Mr. Banks up and you too can be part of this Frawesome organization.

      **Frawesome- Freakin Awesome. J **

Professor Stanley Banks

AU Peeps Get LICENSED

Georgia “G. Trev” Trevor

What an eventful and busy day for Avila University August 30^th!

Not only was the weather beautiful but the happiness was spread across campus.
The amount of activities and organizations that attended was a great turn out!
Almost bigger than Catalina Wine Mixer!
There were organizations informing students on what they’re about and trying to recruit those interested, food and many outside vendors.
Vendors including a balloon artist, music, caricature artists and air brush tattooists- Just to list a few of the many vendors.
It ALMOST made one forget about the sun beating down, showing close to no mercy!
What stole the show?
What made many forget about the sun beating down?
The license plate makers.

"I got my license plate! Who wouldn't get one, girrrl? They're fun, flashy enough and free! The 3 f's every cool college student like myself would want." -Sohomore, Alexis Lampkin

The line never died down, there were pages and pages of names and sayings that people wanted on their very own plate.

"I had team meetings, so I couldn't get one. I'm pretty sure the line was long because they're pretty damn long everytime they come." -Junior, Kadeem Hobson

Who wouldn’t want a plate with your choice of the state and what it says!?!
It got so popular that there was a cutoff list that a load of people were not able to get theirs made due to its demand against the time allotted to stay for what the university paid for.
Talk about stealing the show and leaving with a bang!

"I think they're cool keepsakes from the school my daughter goes to. But I had her wait in in the heat and got mine hand delivered to my home of residence. *grins mischieveously* -Deidra Wroght, Avila Student's Parent.
Let’s hope they make another appearance some time this year.
Eventually, everything died down and students and faculty returned to their lives and busy schedules.
An awesome way to kick off the year for Avila University!