9
onday, Novembe
>ec 9,1992
MOVII -■
Opinions
m TTERfrom a recent gradu-
^ about the problems of rac-
our society and TAKING
[)UTlooks at Christmas.
SSION
Sports
f/SKEIBALU
1
’e winning and the season
eat. One story focuses on our
vin over WCU, another is a
from the Asheville Citizen-
ilso take a look at the recent
\the head football coach.
^ Fourth Page
Vienna Choir Boys will be be
ing here in January, get a pre-
iso, SART and MHC will co-
? the premiere of SLAVERY
IS. Don’t forget to do the
WORD COMPANION, too!
RS HILL
Hilltop
The Student Source for News
Volume 66, Issue 7 • Mars Hill College, Mars Hill, NC 28754
AIDS Awareness Program Warns of Spreading Virus
by Freda Banther
staff writer
An AIDS Awareness Program as a
part of World AIDS Awareness Week
was presented in Belk Auditorium on
Monday nigfit, November,30,1992.
The program b^an with some very
important words from Nathan Shook, di
rector of the North Carolina AIDS
Awareness Coalition and a freshman at
Mars Hill College, about how quickly
Human Immune Defidency Virus
(HJ.V.) is spreading, the ways it is spread,
and how people can proted themselves
from the deaoly and incurable virus.
Two HJ.V. podtive panel members
were provided bytheWestem North Car
olina AIDS Project (WNCAP): Chris,
age 28, wfro is one of the case managers at
WNCAP and counsels others who are
HJ.V. positive, and Cindy, age 32, Mio
has chosen to speak out in an effort to
make others see the great need to
protect themselves from the virus.
(They choose not to release their full
names.)
Cindy, who now has full-blown Auto
Immune Defidency Syndrom^ told of
her painful daifr battle with this disease
which has made her bofy defenseless
against virtually every form of sickness.
All three speakers were deeply con
cerned about the h^e number of people
who are infected with HJ.V. and are un
knowingly spreading it to others. They
encouraged everyone to be tested for the
virus so as to easily prevent possible
spreading of it.
They also emphasized that the abbre
viation H.LV. stands for HUMAN im
mune defidency virus, pointing out that it
is rapidly spreading in all demographics
of our population, regardless of age, gen
der, race, or sexud preference.
Though the program was put together
quickly and therefore advertising gave
snort notice, the response exceeded Na
than Shook’s expectations. "Havir^ over
50 [students in attendance] was a big suc
cess," said Shook.
Shook also felt that an even bigger
success was that those in attendance ea
gerly took part m the progr^ when they
were encouraged to a^ Cmis, Cindy, and
himself questions and to voice their con
cerns about AIDS.
Students wanted to know both wiiat is
currently being done about the disease
and about how they can help people wlio
are suffering from it.
The North Carolina AIDS Coalition
and WNCAP promote and offer AIDS
education, as well as assistance to those
with the disease. Volunteering informa
tion can be obtained by calling WNCAP
at 1-800-346-3731.
Continued on page 2
Student regina lynn wins
NATIONAL LITERACY AWARD
by Kelly McElveen
assistant editor
President Bush presented Regina Lynn, a student at Mars
Hill College, with a National Uteracy Award at the Third
Annual National Literaw Honors on Nov. 22 in a special White
House ceremony that will air on ABC Dec26 at 9 p.m.
I
. %
f
But the story isn’t only in the honors Lynn has received; it’s
also in the struggle she h^ endured as she figjits against a cycle
and keeps her cMdren from falling into the same cycle.
Lynn, a straight A student from Mars Hill, had not always
ej^rienced scholastic success. As a third generation high
school dropout in the tenth grade, college was not at the top of
her priority list as she marri^ and had four children.
That was until she came home one day in 1988 to find a
pamphlet about a family literacy program in her door. The
program offered transportation, food, and child care for those
mterested in getting a GED. Lynn had ran out of excuses.
Mildred Shelton, Mars Hill Alumna, was to become Lynn’s
teacher and mentor as she pushed her to her limits.
"Each time I said J can’t do this’, Mildred said ‘Yes, you can’,"
Lynn said. "I credit her with saving my life."
After obtaining her GED, Lynn visited Mars Hill with Shel-
toa
"I thought that I dared not dream this big," Lynn said.
She not onfr dared to dream it, she achieved iL
Once in college, Lynn found time to study and take care of
her four childrea In the meantime, she quietly made it to the top
of her class, becoming a college marsh^ and a member of the
Alpha Chi National Honor Society.
But Lynn decided to not be so quiet about family literacy.
She has become a spokeswoman for the cause that brought her
to college and shares her experience with others.
"I learned that it was never to late to learn," she said.
"There is never any dumb or smart, just poten
tial ."
This is the message she carried to a family
literacy conference where she was the guest
speaker to a group of CEO’s of the top
Fortune 500 companies. Lynn told
them that everyone needs a second
chance in life and family liter
acy is one way it can be
achieved.
Through the family lit
eracy program, Lynn has
learned the im
pact she can have
on her children,
ages seven to
fifteen.