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Show AggieLife Page 6 Monday, Nov. 1, 2010 Organization asking for shoes to help African people Aggies for Africa bring awareness to USU students the political and social injustices of Africa. Ben Williams, public relations director for the service center, said Aggies for Africa has been selling Tshirts every year to make money for charities. These charities are different every year as designated by the director of the organization. Williams said the organization works as a third party with larger charities in African relief. Since they are small they can join with larger charities and help substantially. Aggies for Africa has upcoming events to inform students about a few By RONALD WALLACE staff writer Throughout the past two weeks, students may have seen individuals walking with 10 bare toes and two bare feet. Many of these students donated their shoes to an organization on campus called Aggies for Africa. Mathias Fuelling, director of the club, said last year, Aggies for Africa received more than a 1,000 pairs of shoes. He said two years ago, they received more than 1,500 pairs of shoes. A donor who asked to remain anonymous said the reason she donated was because she feels it is important that we help those in need and this is one of the best ways we can do it. "I want to give to others in need," she said. "Usually we have a little extra something that we can be giving to those who need it. And when we do have that extra something, we should give it." Fuelling said all the shoes Aggies for Africa collects will go to Green Eyes in Africa, an organization who also aims to help the people in Africa. Fuelling said after reaching Green Eyes in Africa they will be shipped to an orphanage in Cameroon for children who need them. Aggies for Africa formed a several years ago. According to their website, the club was created by student Danielle Babbel with the intention of spreading awareness of African affairs. When it affiliated with the service center it had the chance to become bigger. Aggies for Africa fundraises and sponsors events to make students more aware of events and issues in Africa and help individuals with the problems there. They help educate on of the struggles in Africa. On Nov. 16 they are having a documentary speaker from Invisible Children to speak about children who are victims of war crimes. In February they will co-host a hunger banquet with STEP (Students Together Ending Poverty). Fuelling said their goal in the near future is to start a refugee education program at Utah State University. Interested students can contact Fuelling at 208-431-2725 or e-mail him at mathias.fuelling@aggiemail. usu.edu . – ronald.wallace@aggiemail.usu.edu AGMS 1011 AFRICA Crisis hits the poor Aggies FOR Africa High vulnerability MI Medium vulnerability Low vulnerability Excluded (Medium or high income, or insufficient data) The global financial crisis is expected to have a major impact on low-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Vulnerable countries St. — Lucia Sudan Dem. Rep. of Congo Nigeria Angola Real GDP growth 2009, current loss (Spring projection in percent, six worst hit) • Crisis increases financing needs of low-income countries by at least $25 billion in 2009 Source: International Monetary Fund -8.6 -7.3 -6.7 -5.4 -5 -5 Angola Dem. Rep. of Congo Sudan St. Lucia Armenia Nigeria JUNIOR MATHIAS FUELLING, director for Aggies for Africa, shows his support for the cause with an Aggies for Africa T-shirt. ALISON OSTLER photo Introducing: c4,7 ROMANC jialleNd 6'dieetim, yedd c IDIAS is currently working on the project HEAT. The screenshot above shows the 3D game-like environment which players have the opportunity to learn and practice response skills in a real-time environment. The HEAT engine was first used as a training module for emergency response teams, such as firefighters. photo courtesy IDIAS IDIAS: Creating USU application continued from page 4 930 N. Main Logan, Ut. 435.753.9755 jerricksfinejewelry. corn 477. 47fle • emergency response teams, such as firefighters. Shelton, explained that, when using the system, an instructor or facilitator can create different scenarios, which are then used to train students or trainees. One of the unique aspects of HEAT is its assessment function, Shelton said, because it gives immediate feedback to players as to whether or not they have made the right decision for the given scenario. This feedback can be sent to the facilitator to be graded or used for instruction. Another distinct function of the HEAT program is its patent-pending regeneration feature. Once a situation has been handled, successfully or not, the facilitator can play back the scenario with all feedback and all communication between the players. At any point in the playback, the facilitator can start the team from that moment and give them another chance to make corrections in their decisions. Scoresby, who is writing his dissertation on the HEAT program, said the regeneration feature is one of the most useful parts of the engine. "This way you can have an unlimited number of situational training without the risk of danger or cost of rebuilding things," he said. Within the HEAT engine, the institute has developed the Forensic Investigation Training (FIT) project, which allows a team to enter a space after the first responders and learn how to diagnose damage and assess the causes of emergencies. IDIAS is also working with Hill Air Force Base on a suicide prevention training module, which will be used to train those on the base on how to handle a situation in which a person is at risk of hurting themselves. Shelton said that aside from making new things, the team is seeing if the things they're making "can help people learn better." IDIAS is also building the official USU application, which will tentatively be released in the spring of 2011. The team is working with USU Public Relations to create an individualized application for iPhone and Android phone users. Shelton said other schools often use the same outside contractor, making all their applications similar. Because they are contracting a team on campus, the USU application will be unique to the university and gives money back to the student employees. The application will be free, Shelton said, and widgets and funding are coming from many different areas of campus, from departments and colleges to athletics and ASUSU. All needed information will be in one place and easy to access, Shelton said. – k.vandyke@aggiemaiLusu.edu |