OPINION f> fwv %' ' THE CmMcLE r?c%^M Ernest H. Pitt PublisherlCo-Founder ndurisi egemonye Co-Founder elaine Pitt Business Manager Fannie Henderson Advertising Manager jeri Young Managing Editor steven Paul Moore Production Manager What we'll miss about the This year's welcome to CIAA fans is a bittersweet one. While we're happy to see you once again, we're sad because we know it's the last time we'll be seeing you for a while as you take off for Raleigh. Here's a partial list of what The Chronicle staff will miss most when the CIAA makes its big move. ? Seeing legendary black college coaches like Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines, John B. McClendon and Leroy Walker huddled together to rem inisce about the good old days of blade college sports. ? The parties. For one week, the city is alive. Visitors are welcome and everyone is looking to have a good time. ? Mr. CIAA: For years, he's been an institution at the CIAA and Win ston-Salem has grown to think of him as kind of a native son. Just like everyone else in the crowd, we look forward to seeing what he'll have on and what colors will be hot for summer. ? The fans. There's no such thing as a stranger during CIAA week. We'll really miss people asking us which restaurants are open past 10 p.m. ? Tomahawk slam dunks and shots dapped down before they even have a prayer. We'd like to hear what you'll miss When the CIAA Tournament makes the move to Raleigh. Fax us at (336) 723-9173 or call (336) 723-8428. School Redisricting Wars The battle over school redistricting ttttned ugly at last week's Guilford County Board of Education meetipgTfxirmer redisricting committee member Ervin Brisbon and memben ?of the N.C. Racial Justice Network interrupted the board meeting's WMMht sessjba with demands that board members discuss SoutheastiBBMhoro patents' concerns. Parents oppose the Guilford CM^Mg$K)Oil4flj|pet attendance policy, which displaces neigNbM|HH|iddCPnti]e reserving seats for magnet students Magnet schod^^MKamBfitttrricula to attract diverse students from other oORNI^^fer BMflfajP magnets aim to increase school integration, magfl^^^HBhMHKlR located in bladk At last week's school boandKlHRflpr^C^jFfi^hesentatives cited research showing that a magnet schdsKtast allocate 20 to 40 percent of - its seats to students outside of the atjgdOance zone to create diversity. Southeast Greensboro parents dHMBy codblftred that integration has been a one-way street. BlacledMlR have jbr years borne the bur den of long-distance busing. ? GCS representatives were A4p^HMBMttfl^Bcwhen while stu dents were bused long distanceajh^^^^Rjk^^^HPl busing of white students next year to High Will rffltflc the first time in the six-year histofytflBMHgto^^HPd County school ? district that whites have been In^^HlhSfica^^poce to a majority Brisbon didn't want to hear abOV^Hbols iWHtgft Point, anyway. So much for fostering community in (hrMttY third latest school district. Southeast Greensboro parents ?Bb proposed new school construc tion and an Afrocentric curricuhllflt JjlffHii I. feriribon demanded, "We i want to know if we're going to h#tM)B??choOifpto white people have ' -SSi? j yP ' i. , Brisbon's network proposes eloMhting thlRS'WccessfuI magnets in Southeast Greensboro, so black AftilSts can-attend school close to home. A statewide study shows that inequity increases after resegregation. Resegregated schools suffer a drop in volunteerism and PTA fund raising when affluent white students opt out. This further bankrupts inner city-schools. To address the achievement gap, school systems try to compensate for students' disadvantages with federally-funded programs such as Title I and interventions such as tutoring. But the need far exceeds available resources. The students in Southeast Greensboro might be better served if their advocates asked for smaller classes, more teachers, more parent volun teers, more textbooks, more computers, and, last but not least, a bond referendum. ? - u > the m. BUG^P' ' I' CI A A sponsors create opportunities for fans Micah Fuller Guest Columnist What's the true value of CIAA sponsors? Imagine the 1999 CIAA Tourna ment with no sponsors. There would be no scholarships, no television coverage, no promotions, no Harlem Globetrotters to entertain the crowds on Super Saturday, no Uni verSoul Circus to remind us of the Beat treasures that an all African American Circus can bring. No High School Day, no free trips to the CIAA for students, no on campus slam dunk and three point contests, no Battle of the Bands on Friday night. No chance for someone to win a million dollars. No local pro grams, no student internships. Simply put, sponsors are the life blood of the CIAA and the CIAA Tournament. Sponsors can and do make things happen. Sponsors bring opportunities for all of the above mentioned promotions and televi sion. Most CIAA fans may remem ber that Coca Cola has been a spon sor for 32 years now, and provides many opportunities for television coverage, promotions, and scholar ships. But there are plenty more spon sors who are making things happen for the CIAA. No other historically black ath letic conference in America has the corporate support that the CIAA enjoys Sponsors Use the CIAA to connect with African American con sumers, build brand loyalty, support student scholarships and show cus tomer appreciation. CIAA sponsors recognize the value of the CIAA consumer. So who are these sponsors, and what do they do for the CIAA, its fans and the CIAA consumers? Just read and you'll be amazed at what each of these corporations do for the CIAA, its schools, its students and alumni. ? AT &B- A first time sponsor of the CIAA Television network. AT & T will present a check to the CIAA on Friday night. ? Burger King - Burger King is in its 6th year of sponsoring the CIAA telecasts, and promotes their' involvement in hundreds of Purger King stores with their annual "Mil lion Dollar Shot" promotion held at the men's finals. ? Budweiser - You won't see the lizards here, but you will find plenty of cold beverages at the CIAA. Bud weiser is in its sixth year of sponsor ing the CIAA television network, and has hosted the vendor pavilion in past years, ? Coca Cola - The grand daddy of CIAA sponsors for 32 years, Coca Cola has supported the CIAA. It is one of the longest running spon sorships in all of sports. In 1998, Coca Cola made a 5 year $2 million commitment to the CIAA. Coke has a high profile at the tournament. At this year's tournament Coca Cola is sponsoring the annual High School Day, the Harlem Globetrotter appearances - which are free and will be held at the Men's Finals, the student slam dunk contest, the "Arrive In Style" promotion where fans won trips to the CIAA, televi sion sponsorship and of course scholarship donations to the CIAA member schools. ? Colgate-Palmolive Co. - A sec ond year sponsor, could earn "CIAA newcomer of th? year" award. Colgate has stepped up to the plate with a variety of initiatives and sponsorships including the largest ever Slam dunk and 3 point on-cani pus promotions in the history of HBCU's. Sixteen CIAA students and their guests are here this week to compete in the Mennen Speedstick Slam Dunk Challenge and the Men nen Speedstick 3-Point Shootout. Colgate also sponsors of the "Arrive In Style" promotion. Mennen is also sponsoring the JCSU band perfor mance on Friday night. Here's a hint: stop by the Colgate booth in the vendor pavilion. Colgate also supports the CIAA television net work. ? ? Food Lion - Food Lion came on board in 1993 with a television sponsorship. Now, Food Lion is the newest CIAA Official Conference sponsor. Food Lion's initiatives include CIAA scholarships, televi sion sponsorship, title sponsor of the women's 25th anniversary tour nament, and the "Arrive In Style"-, promotion in over 700 Food Lion stores. ' ~ ? General Motors - GM has been the largest sponsor of the . CIAA Television Network since 1995. General Motors and their dealers are committed sponsoring the CIAA long term. ? NationsBank - NationsBank, now BankAmerica has been with the CIAA since the early 1990s and is how the "Official Bank of the CIAA." As a conference sponsdr, NationsBank gives generously to the CIAA scholarship fund, television network and many other programs. ? Reebok - Ever notice the CIAA players shoes? Reebok is an official conference sponsor agam, providing shoes, athletic gear, televi sion sponsorship and conferende scholarships to the CIAA. Reebok is in its sixth year of sponsoring tit , CIAA. ? US Army - The US Arnw recruiters can be seen all over CIAA campuses and at the CIAA Tourna ment. A television sponsor siijKje 1993, the US Army provides marjy opportunities for CIAA students and alumni to earn up to $50,000 for college or the reserves. ? State Farm Insurance - A ? CIAA television sponsor since 1994, State Farm annually brings agents, ' many of whom are CIAA graduates to the CIAA Tournament. > i So while you're in Winston Salem this week, enjoy the best;jn Black College basketball, alumni gatherings, parties and certainly the best collection of sponsors ever assembled. Sponsors support you and ydiiir schools -* and most importantly ! this very tournament that you ate attending. Let them know how you feel. Remember, they have lots