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Show StatesmanCampus News Teach for America helps students in poverty Briefs Campus & Community By BECKA TURNER staff writer Did you know that there are 13 million American children living in poverty? Teach For America is a program that aims to educate those living in poverty that have less opportunity than their middle to upper-class counterparts. Of the number of children living in poverty in the United States, only half of them will graduate from college and only one in 10 of those will further their education at a university or college, according to the Katrina Galverez, campus campaign coordinator for the Teach for America program. According to the Teach for America Web site, American society's greatest injustice is educational inequity. They say the reality is that where a child is born determines his/her educational opportunity and in turn closes doors to many other opportunities in life. Their mission statement proclaims, "Our vision is that one day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education." Teach for America is spread across 29 rural and urban areas and has about 6,200 different teachers T E A C H FOR A M E R I C A has more than 6,200 teachers nationwide helping schools in 29 rural and urban nationwide. Teachforamerica.org says that there areas. Teach for America has been ranked on Time Magazine's top 10 places to launch your career. PHOTO COURhave been more than 20,000 recently graduated TESY OF TEACH FOR AMERICA young adults who have participated in the prosaid. The program also offers a certification and a lives, but society as a whole." gram, affecting nearly 3 million students lives. representative is in contact and available constantChantear Song, senior in sociology, is another Teach for America has been working with USU ly for questions and help for teachers. Teach for America applicant. for nearly three years. "The biggest sacrifice is having to be more frugal "I'm really into leadership. I've participated in "Utah State is considered a low awareness with my money, it's not very high pay but it won't four different organizations and clubs. One of the school because Teach for America isn't really well always be that way and I will gain a lot," Song said. biggest things is that I want to be involved in the known here yet. It is a program that seeks out Teach for America was ranked on Time community, I really want to work with social injusexceptional students and is really a prestigious Magazines Top 10 Places to Launch Your Career tice. So, Teach for America gives me the chance to group drawing students from Harvard and Yale. list for the experience and prestige it gives the parwork with leadership and make a difference," she Now they are finding at Utah State there are a lot ticipant. said. "With Teach for America you will be exposed of talented and dedicated students who would to a lot of different and hard things." "I hope to gain problem solving skills in the realmake for great participants," Galverez said. world and leadership that I can take into whatever In order to qualify for Teach for America, a Galverez is an applicant hoping to teach for the career field that 1 go into," Song said. student must have obtained a bachelor's degree, program in Houston fall of 2009. "It's really a great opportunity and a great place be a citizen of the United States (or a permanent "I want to make a difference for these children. to start for people who want a career of substance," resident) and have a minimum 2.5 grade point I think of how much I value my college degree. I Galverez said. average. want to teach them that it doesn't matter where Teach for America has four application periods "It doesn't matter what you get your degree in. you come from, you are capable. Many of these throughout the year, the next one being Friday Anyone can do it that is willing to commit to the children have been told throughout their lives that Nov. 7. To apply and learn more about Teach for program for three years," Galverez said. they will never be able to achieve anything, and America, visit teachforamerica.org they are perfectly capable," Galverez said. "Teach The program provides ongoing training and area for America is teaching these children that every -beck.turner@aggiemaiiusu.edu orientation to help acclimate the teachers and help day. Not only will I be bettering these children's them cope with situations that they may face, Song Tree planted to remember professor A TREE H O N O R I N G U S U PROFESSOR Maria Isela Chiu was planted on Old Main Hill Wednesday. Chiu passed away over the summer after losing her fight with breast cancer. DEBRA HAWKINS photo By BECKA TURNER staff writer Maria Isela Chiu's life and career was honored on the warm, quiet afternoon of Sept. 24, with a treeplanting ceremony on the south side of Old Main Hill. A small gathering of faculty and students celebrated Chiu's life around a newly planted Magnolia. The tree-planting ceremony was one of two within recent weeks that have been in commemoration of Chiu, a Spanish instructor, and Renate S. Posthofen, a German professor. These two members of the department of languages, philosophy and speech communication passed away within weeks of each other during the summer. Bradford Hall, department head, said that they chose to plant trees to honor Chiu and Posthofen because they symbolize life and the living legacy that these faculty members have left behind. Posthofen was an accomplished scholar and was greatly loved by her students. She had published three books, as well as numerous articles. "It's hard because you are missing a colleague," said Maria Coredero, Spanish instructor. "It's just so sad." A tree was planted on the south side of the Family Life building on Sept. 17 to honor Posthofen. Chiu was recognized for her many talents, her sense of fashion humanitarian spirit and her devotion to her students. Chiu rendered a great service during her nearly 30 years at Utah State. "It wasn't enough," Kent Robson, philosopher and former department head said. "We all could have benefited and learned from her for many years to come." Those who worked closely with and were close to Chiu each took a turn speaking of their former colleague and friend. Each speaker would emerge from the shade and symbolically pour some soil over the roots of the tree after they had spoken about Chiu. "She was my professor. She came prepared in a way that we could relate to the author. She would try to apply her lessons to our lives, she was very considerate to her students," said Brian Rodebush, a grad student in second language teaching, of his former teacher. "She advised hundreds, maybe even thousands of students. She was enormously helpful to both students and faculty and it is a great loss to not have her here with us." Robsen said. In 2000 Chiu received national recognition as adviser of the year. Coredero spoke of her generous spirit which helped her to excel as an adviser and truly help her students. "One time a student came to Isela (Chiu) and was being advised. He was living out of his car and had no food and Isela bought him food. She didn't tell me about this, the student told me what she had done and he later told me it was something he would never forget," Coredero said. She understood the pain that she saw in the world, she said, which is why she made such an excellent adviser. Many of Chiu's colleagues talked about her sense of humor. "I learned two things from Isela. How to laugh at the world and how to laugh at myself," a faculty member said at the ceremony. Chiu was noted for her optimism and friendly disposition that got her through her trials. "It was really amazing how positive she was in spite of what was going on in her life. In spite of the cancer, she was able to bounce back from that adversity because of her attitude," Hall said. The Magnolia tree was chosen to represent this attitude because of its rich blossoms that faculty felt reflected her kind and uplifting spirit. The gathering became a tearful one as Monica Jimenez, Spanish professor, spoke of her close friend. Speak Up "(Chiu) was always so thoughtful of everybody, she was so loving, she was so accepting." Monica Jimenez, USU professor "To talk about my best friend is difficult. She was always thoughtful of everybody, she was so loving, she was so accepting," Jimenez said. "Her life was her teaching. Her department was her life. There's not a day that goes by that I'm not reminded of her." The Magnolia is planted on the south end of Old Main Hill, just west of the amphitheater. The university plans to make an entire grove of Magnolias to replace the crab apple trees that will be cut down in the near future. A plaque will be placed next to the original Magnolia to complete the memorial for Chiu. -beck. tunm@aggiemaiL usu. edu Students prepare kitsfor hurricane victims By CONNOR JONES staff writer USU students heeded the call for help by putting together hygiene kits for victims of the recent hurricanes Wednesday night. Students Together Ending Poverty, STEP, a student club that works to end hunger and poverty both locally and internationally, met to put together hygiene kits for recent hurricane victims iaTexas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Over the past two months Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike have ravaged through the Gulf Coast region of the United States. In the path of destruction, at least 200 people have died and hundreds of others have been left homeless, according to the National Hurricane Center. Katrina Barker, student director of STEP, said she saw these terrible events as an opportunity for USU students to help. Barker, junior majoring in choral music education, spoke with STEPs staff adviser and devised a plan. On Wednesday night that plan was put into action. Twenty students met at the Val R. Christensen Service Center in the TSC to make enough hygiene kits for about 16 families. Each kit included toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, a washcloth, combs and a couple bars of soap. Although they may not sound like much, to these families who have lost almost all of their possessions the kits will be a most welcome necessity, said Barker. The kits prepared by STEP will be given to LDS Humanitarian Services and then shipped to the areas most in need in the upcoming weeks. STEP has service events happening throughout the year open to anyone who is interested. "If you just want service hours or if you want to try to help and make a difference, we're really happy to have you come to any of our events," said Barker. -c.h.j@aggiemail.usu.edu Uses ofDNA being looked at in exhibit The multiple uses of DNA are in the spotlight at the next Saturday's at the Museum series at Utah State University sponsored by the Museum of Anthropology. "Keeping Children Safe through DNA Day" is the theme for the Saturday, Sept. 27, activities. Guests will learn how to help keep their children safe from a visiting police officer. They will also learn how DNA can connect us with people who lived long ago. "We hope that those who visit the museum will learn about how DNA helps uncover information about our past and how our own DNA can help us in the future," said museum worker Shannon Simonsen. Visitors can complete and take home DNA identification kits for their children. Newface for USU distance education Kevin Shanley has been named director of online and independent study programs for Regional Campuses and Distance Education at Utah State University. He will work to generate more degrees that are available through the online format so a USU education can be accessible to students anywhere. Robert Wagner, director of distance education at USU, is pleased to have Shanley join the distance education team. "He has a clear vision of how to develop successful online programs at Utah State University and is keenly aware of the needs of faculty members and students in an online environment," Wagner said. "Having developed and managed online programs in Washington and California, Kevin brings a unique perspective to the Distance Education office, which we will rely on to help take USU online programs beyond the borders of the state." Auditions for 'A Christmas Carol' Auditions for the Caine School of the Arts Department of Theatre's production of "Charles Dickens's Christmas Carol," adapted by Barbara Fields and directed by Department Head Colin Johnson, are scheduled Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Morgan Theatre in the Chase Fine Arts Center .approximately 1110 E. 610 North, Logan, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Community members are invited to audition. Children ages 9-14 will be auditioned at 9:30 a.m. and must be accompanied by a parent. Auditions for adults will begin at 10 a.m. and must be scheduled with the department of theatre arts. For information or to schedule an audition time, call LuAnn Baker, 797-3046, or e-mail luann.baker@ usu.edu. Roles are available for approximately 26 adults, 16 men and 9 women of all ages and up to six children, three boys and three girls ages 9-14. Cuttings are available in the theatre arts office, FAC 232, for audition readings. Auditioners may read from the cuttings, or prepare an audition of two contrasting monologues (no more than four minutes total). All auditioners should be prepared to sing "Silent Night" or another favorite Christmas carol. This may be sung a cappella or auditioners may bring an accompanist. All community members and non-theater majors who accept a role in the play must be available for day time performances at 10 a.m- and 12:30 p.m. Nov. 19, 20, 21 and 24 .Wednesday through Monday, as the production is part of Utah State Theatre's Children's Theatre program on those dates, when students from Cache and Box Elder counties are bused to the production. Evening performances for the general public are presented Monday, Dec. 1, through Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. [MCompiled from staff and media reports |