Food Connection

By: Aimee Adams

Food not only connects us with other people, it links us to traditions—our own and those of others we come to appreciate through the flavors and aromas of the cuisine they share.

Avila University hosted their annual Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration, in the Marion Dining Hall on September 20, 2012. International students prepared their native foods and shared them with the Avila Community. 

Abdullah Alabdali, an Avila Alumni from Saudi Arabia participated in the Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration. He prepared his favorite local dish, Mande- chicken served with smoky rice. Alabdali was proud to share his culture with the students and staff. “My country has better food, sorry,” Alabdali joked. The United States has become a home to Alabdali, but the food remains foreign to him. “I think the food you grow up with is the food you enjoy most because it brings a feeling of comfort,” says Alabdali. Although Saudi Arabian food remains Alabdali’s favorite, BBQ and mashed potatoes is one of his guilty pleasures- lucky for him, Kansas City is known for its BBQ.

Anna Roberts, a freshman at Avila University mingled with her friends, as she sampled multiple dishes from the international students. “My favorite dish was the rice, but it’s not something I would eat daily,” said Roberts. Like Alabdali, Roberts was open to trying the foods of other cultures, but the foods from her childhood will always remain her favorite.

Food is more than a calorie or nutrient, it is a feeling of home; an expression of one’s culture. When it is shared with others, a connection is made between two backgrounds. The Ethnic Food and Culture Celebration, united the Avila Community to places throughout the world with a taste of others traditions. 

A Tragedy Out of Mind's Reach

By: Aimee Adams

(Josh Grimes, Keiana Moyer, Beringia Zen)

            On September 11, 2001 Nineteen Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four U.S. commercial jetliners, intentionally crashing two of the planes into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Center and a third into the Pentagon. America lost nearly 3,000 lives to terrorist attacks that day; a hard statistic to swallow. Watching people plunge into death’s arms on National television is a surreal experience. When a tragedy of this depth occurs what emotions are brought to the surface? The feeling one gets when being jolted awake in the midst of sleep- What is happening? Where am I? -Confusion.

                Josh Grimes, a senior at Avila University used the words shocked and astonished to describe how he felt during the 9/11 attacks. Eleven years ago Grimes was a seventh grader at Monticello Trails Middle School. His teachers were instructed to go about the school day in an ordinary manner, but Grime’s History teacher refused to disregard the chaos. Grimes sat alongside his classmates and watched one of history’s biggest calamities that class period. “I didn’t know what it was, but it seemed important so I went home and watched it the rest of the day” said Grimes. The news stories consumed most of America that day.

                Keiana Moyer, a junior at Avila University said “The thing that sticks out most to me about 9/11 is the vivid images I watched on TV. It was on every channel for the longest time.” Moyer was a fourth grader at Open Door Christian School in 2001. On the day of the attacks the school nurse walked into Moyer’s classroom and whispered into the teacher’s ear. Moyer noticed the look of distraught on the nurse’s face and immediately knew something was wrong. The teacher proceeded to tell the class that someone had crashed a plane into the World Trade Center. Moyer’s classmates made snide remarks towards the hijackers; Moyer raised her hand and asked, “Why is everyone so mad at them? They didn’t mean to crash the plane.” Once Moyer’s teacher explained the act was purposeful and the hijackers had wrong intentions, Moyer was, in her words “mind blown.”

                Like Grimes and Moyer, America’s youth couldn’t begin to understand such a barbaric act. Yet the intentions of this crime were out of mind’s reach for even the Adults of America. Beringia Zen, a Religious Studies teacher at Avila University was potty training her two-year-old daughter (Darby Zen) when word struck that a plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Zen’s first instinct was the same as Moyer’s, the crash was an accident. Zen called her husband to relay the news. As she was making the call, news struck that the South Tower had been hit. Zen realized this was not an accident at all. When asked what emotions Zen felt after the realization that the events of 9/11 were an attack Zen said, “I don’t think I can articulate it.” Confusion flooded the minds of Americans across the U.S.

                Eleven Years ago today, Emotions ran high; America was bombarded with a whirlwind of heartache. The plethora of emotions consuming the individuals of this nation united Americans everywhere. Zen’s final words were, “It’s the first time in my life I felt patriotic.” America turned pain, anger, and fear, into unity. Through patriotism, America found their way out of confusion.

Avila University Playground

By: Aimee Adams

 (Avila Students bringing fun to the SOF with a hula hoop.)

     Adrian Rivera lounges in the shade to keep cool in the blazing heat; while Joan Kessler passes the time with a little physical activity. Hula hooping, mostly considered to be a childhood pastime is made cool again by Avila students. Rivera and Kessler talk about the newest student led organization, Hula Hoop Club. The club isn’t a set in stone agreement, more of an open party for whoever wants to join. A small group of students gets together a few times a month to learn new moves, socialize, and have a good time.  Heather Cartwright, the head honcho of the group wants to take things to the next level by incorporating LED and fire hoops into choreographed routines (maybe something to look forward to in the future.) Until then, hula hooping is a great way to relax and get a good laugh in before class!

Lack Of Experience- Avila Mock Trial

By: Aimee Adams 

(Left: Timothy Aderman, Right: Jennipher Cromley [previous Mock Trial members])

     Sadly, there will be a lack of Avila students in the court room this year. Avila Mock Trial, a student organization developed to provide students with the opportunity to actively participate in the trail process has been annulled. Despite the petitions of team members, Mock Trial was cancelled due to the loss of their previous advisor, Andrea Olitsky. Olitsky’s absence placed the weight of keeping an active program, on the students’ shoulders. Jennipher Cromley, a third year pre-law student was an involved Mock Trial member for two years. According to Cromley, keeping the program alive was out of reach for the students. A combination of packed schedules and lack of resources would make finding attorney’s to teach the curriculum, funding bus rides, and the many other tasks it would take to complete a tournament, impossible. When Cromley was asked if she enjoyed Mock Trial, her response was, “Yes, I enjoyed it very much.” Despite the short response, Cromley’s words were full of authenticity. For many students like Cromley, Mock Trial was an opportunity to take their smarts and skills from the classroom to the courtroom. The life-like situations set up for Mock Trial competitions was unlike any plain-Jane classroom curriculum. The students were provided with a court case and would go to a fake trial where they acted as attorneys and witnesses. These life-like cases provided students with insight to the way things work outside of the classroom. The withdrawal of Mock Trial has affected students as well as the University. Timothy Aderman, a fourth year political science/pre-law student, participated in Mock Trial during the 2011-2012 school year. Aderman stated, “With one of the largest memberships ever, an exceedingly high GPA average among members, and the marketable benefits of having a Mock Trial team on campus, the decision to eliminate this program was, for me, truly a heartfelt disappointment.  I felt that this was not just a hit on Mock Trial but detrimental to the promotion of all academics at Avila University.  It is my opinion that any institution of higher learning ought to, for the sake of its student body, prioritize academics before all else.  The elimination of an academic team was to me, counterintuitive.” An education is complete with experience. Mock Trial was more than an organization, it was an experience.