0
north Carolina school of science and mathematics
V0I.XIX
1219 broad street, durham nc 27705
febuary 2000
NCSSM rings in new NcssMHoidsNinth
® Annual Powwow
cellphone policy
mary.guy
april pridgen
NCSSM students can
now have cell phones. So, how
do the students at NCSSM feel
about this?
having their own personal
phones on campus; phone lines
won’t be as busy, so parents can
call in much more easily; and
students who are off campus
Will cell
phones re
ally change
their lives
that much?
Members of
the NCSSM
community
seem to ex
press a posi
tive attitude
toward the
benefits of
students be
ing allowed
to have cell
phones on
campus.
“ I
totally agree
with having
cell phones
and think it’s
important to
move in that
direction. 1 think it’s important
for the school to keep pace with
the rest of the world,” said De
partment Head of Information
Technology Services Eileen
McSherry
Warren Basket, Assis
tant Director of Student Life,
said that having cell phones will
affect the community very little
in terms of everyday life. Stu
dents will have the benefit of
Cellular phones are allowed on campus for safty and convenience.
will be able to reach the school
more easily.
“ The decision prob
ably won’t affect me directly, but
the hall phone will be more avail
able. Also, it might be easier to
get in touch with people on cam
pus,” said Junior Nicole Martin.
Both students and
adults on campus feel that hav
ing cell phones will make it
easier for students to contact
their parents, friends, and even
lab partners whenever they need
them. Also, now it should be
much easier for parents to reach
their children at school. Many
students un
derstand all
too well the
tensions that
may some
times be asso
ciated with
twenty people
sharing one
phone.
'T
think it will
rid me of a
great source
of irritation
found in the
various nega
tive aspects
associated
^ with using the
^ hall phone.
S. Being able to
5 make phone
calls when I
need to, hav
ing the secu
rity of a phone with me off
campus, and many other thinkgs
make me really respect the de
cision to allow us to have cell
phone,” said Junior Samantha
Tedford.
Now that the adminis
tration has decided to allow cell
phones on campus, the impor
tant issue is whether or not stu-
-Phones P2^
For the past nine
years, NCSSM has been host
to an exciting day full of
Native American arts, crafts,
singing, and dancing. From
the delicious smell of the fry
bread and sounds of the
pounding drums to the
marvelous displays of
handmade Native American
arts and crafts, the NCSSM
powwow engulfs each visitor
into its splendor.
“The tradition of the
powwow began when
members of the Native
American Club on campus
expressed an interest in
publicizing the school among
the Indian communities of
North Carolina,” said NCSSM
art teacher and powwow
coordinator Joe Liles.
Over the years, the
NCSSM powwow has
obtained a superior reputa
tion.
“Participants tell me
that they are greeted with a
friendliness by our students
and staff that is very mean
ingful to them. They tell me
that there is a spirit of
harmony that pervades our
powwow that keeps them
corning back,” said Liles.
Emphasizing intertribal
dancing, rather than tourna
ments of singing and dancing
ability, this powwow “puts
emphasis on having a good
time,” said Liles.
“Our powwow’s
popularity among Indian
people is in part because it is
one of the first cultural
gatherings of the new year.
The powwow circuit usually
closes down in November.
After almost three months of
no powwows, Indian people
are ready to get out there,
shake their bells, and dust off
their shawls,” said Liles.
Student volunteers
are always a crucial part in
the workings of this momen
tous event.
“Ifit were not for
the forty volunteers that
come together annually to
work on this event, it would
never happen. Every year,
when the powwow is over, I
feel that I have witnessed
another miracle. 1 love to see
miracles,” said Liles.
“The powwow
gives me a chance to learn
about my Cherokee heritage.
1 enjoy meeting the other
Native Americans who come
and getting to dance in the
honor dance for Akwe:kon,”
said NCSSM senior and
powwow volunteer Cathy-
Middleton.
The ninth annual
Powwow was held on
February 19,2000 in the PEC.
Profits from this year’s
powwow are put into running
this event “for one more
year,” said Liles. The
powwow began at one
o'clock, with a Grand Entry
of all the participants. “This
is a great sight to see as all
the dancers file into the
Dance Arena,” said Liles.
After all of the dancers had
filed into the arena, there was
-Powwow P3~
The wonders of tutoring:
NCSSM
helps
out in
Wall-
town
theresa anasti
Starting Monday, Febru
ary 7, delayed a couple of days
because of the weather,
Walltown Neighborhood Min
istries officially started their
afterschool program for children
living in the area. The minis
tries concentrate on the needs
on children from ages 6-16, and
have received tutors from
NCSSM and Duke to help the
children enrolled in the program.
The program started as a result
of a meeting of six pastors from
four Walltown churches (St.
James, St. John, Northside Bap
tist and Mt. Olive AME Zion)
and two other churches close
by (Blacknail Presbyterian and
Watts Street Baptist).
While the majority of stu
dents at NCSSM see Walltown
as a place to avoid, consisting
of drugs, muggings and other
assorted crimes, the Walltown
Neighborhood Ministries is
hoping to stop this fear by help
ing future generations of the
town in their schoolwork and
controlling their behavior. The
churches set strict guidelines for
students, yet provides them
with help and kindness. The
children must work on home
work (or else something will be
provided for them), clean up af
ter themselves, stay in the
church, and follow directions.
Tutors come Monday-Wednes
day from 3:30-5:30 and help the
students with various subjects.
In addition to tutoring, there are
activities which often involve
educational games or working
on the computer.
The first day of tutoring,
most of the children in the pro
gram were extremely coopera
tive with their tutors. They were
eager for the older children to
help them in their studies and
to teach them a few things about
life. A couple of the children
even made Valentines for their
tutors after knowing them for
about an hour. Many of these
children lack role models in their
lives; tutoring can provide a
fun, educational way to help
these children, and to give tu
tors additional compassion.
“I really enjoy tutoring.
the kids are lots of fun to talk
with and I like the feeling of
knowing that I am helping the
Durham community in a posi
tive way,” said Junior April
Pridgen.
This statement airs a com
mon feeling of the way tutors
feel about the children. At the
first meeting to see if NCSSM
students were interested in tu
toring, about 30 people at
tended, and there were others
interested who were unable to
come to the meeting. As the
bond between students and tu
tors continues to grow, the
Walltown Ministries hopes to
get even more teenagers and
young adults interested in help
ing these children.