Gardner-Webb University
THE PILOT
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December 9, 1997
Issue #8
The Official Campus Newspaper
Boiling Springs, NC
Festival of Lights not just another annual tradition
by Nic Floyd
staff writer
Two thousand luminaries line the
sidewalks, the president's Christmas tree
is lit and the joyous sound of Christmas
music fills the campus.
This is the Festival of Lights, an annual
Gardner-Webb tradition started by
President Christopher White nearly 12
years ago.
The tradition started from a small idea.
White said.
"We had very few traditions, and
institutions of higher learning often have
wonderful traditions. So when I came
here 111/2 years ago, I looked around
and did not see the kind of traditions that
I thought the school needed to have. As a
church-related school, the concept of
celebrating Christmas with the commun
ity seemed to be a good thing to do.
"With the intent to give both thanks to
the commimity for its support and also to
set a tradition that is a part of our school
is how the Festival of Lights came to
be," he explained.
But the Festival of Lights is more than
a school tradition. It is the celebration of
the spirit and a connection to Jesus.
"The Festival of Lights is the official
ushering of the Christmas season on our
campus," said Tracy Jessup, director of
campus ministries.
"Usually it is the first Thursday after
Advent. So this is the appropriate time
for us to began the celebration of ttie first
coming of Christ," he said.
"Christ came into a troubled world and
brought joy and peace; and in the same
sense, during the Christmas season, if we
will allow Christ to come into our lives,
no matter how troubled, we can have that
same sense of joy and peace," Jessup
added.
According to scripture, Jesus is the
light of the world. With that idea in
mind, the luminaries lighting the side
walks guide people to the different
events "on campus just as Jesus' teachings
guide people to the truth.
Putting together an annual event as
large as the Festival of Lights calls for a
joint effort.
Students from all classes, SGA mem
bers, Physical Plant workers. Campus
Ministries, Student Activities and the
President's Office all took part in making
the Festival of Lights successful.
Students and Physical Plant filled sand
bags for the luminaries. SGA, Student
Activities and Mark Dixon, campus
decorator, decorated the campus.
See "Lights" on page 8
AMANDA WlXlAMSi^urr
President White lights the tree during the Festival of Lights last Thursday night
Kinesiology students go for it all in T\ibbs' bowl games
KAUBN BW>WBR4tifr
Mark Sterious and Rachel Cash discms a Jeopardy answer during Tubbs' exam review.
by Karen Brower, editor, and
Cariton Hurt, contributing writer
Dr. Jeff Tubbs has an original attitude
about exams ~ make them as much fun
as football bowl games.
Students in Tubbs' Kinesiology (PHED
335) class have been competing against
one another all semester for chances to
win their bowl games.
During the regular "season," Tubbs
gave his students points for each test or
quiz and posted the class' 10 highest
ranked students after each one.
This practice, Tubbs said, gives his
students incentive to score in the top 10
because they get recognized for it during
the next class period.
Kinesiology students competed over
the course of the semester, and when it
came time for the playoffs, Tubbs paired
them off to play bowl games for the final
exam.
"If you want to get in a good bowl, you
have to worit hard and get in the top 10,"
said Robert Moore, who will face Alexis
Helland in the Aloto Bowl.
But before the bowl games came media
day, when students discussed their
expectations for the bowl games.
On media day, Tubbs awarded Most
Valuable Player (MVP) awards for total
test points, extra credit and attendance.
Amy Smith received the MVP award for
points and shared the MVP award for
extra credit with Holly Flournoy.
Doug Bain, Wes Gentry and John Le-
wallen each received an MVP award for
perfect attendance. Tubbs says the atten
dance award gives students "incentive to
stay with us all semester."
"People come to class because Dr.
Tubbs makes things fim," said Mary
Swofford. Swofford will face Lewis
Nantz in the Fiesta Bowl.
See "Tubbs" on page 2
In this issue
Opinions
and Editorials
page 4
Fall
Awards
pages 6-7
Christmas
IVaditions
pageB