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Vol. XXXV No. 6 THURSDAY, October 9, 2008
Glenn
beats up
on Atkins
in JV game
See Page Bl
Healing
music
program
launched
Students
have fun
learning
math 66o'
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Dell adopts Atkins
Photo courtesy of Dell
Aycock Principal Valerie Adkinson with Atkins leaders Brad Craddock and Freda
Smith at Dell headquarters on Tuesday.
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Dell Inc. celebrated the emer
gence of two new partnerships with
local schools
during a special
program at its
Winston-Salem
headquarters
Tuesday morn
i n g
The computer
giant has agreed
to collaborate
with Atkins
Academic and Oldham
Technology
High School in Winston-Salem and
the Aycock Spanish Immersion
Technical Middle School, a technolo
gy-focused magnet school in the
Guilford County system.
"When you look at the history and
See Dell on A6
Photo by Kevin Walkei
Sam Robbins fills out a voter registration form Saturday in Parkway Plaza Shopping Center.
Final Countdown to Start of Voting
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
The marathon campaign
season that has dominated
newscasts and clogged air
waves for the better part of
the past two years will soon
come to a culmination none
of us will likely forget on
November 4.
As that historic day
draws near, election officials
Everything you need to know
before heading to the polls
and local party leaders are
urging residents to take time
out to make sure they will be
ready.
In order to be eligible to
vote in the Nov. 4 election,
residents must be 18 years of
age and have lived at their
residence for more than 30
days, says Forsyth County
Board of Elections Director
Robert Coffman. He recom
mends that voters visit the
Board of Elections Web site,
www.fcvotes.com, to check
their registration status and
precinct location prior to the
registration deadline tomor
row (Oct. 10). Those who
have not voted in more than
four years will be listed as
inactive, but will still be
able to vote as usual,
Coffman says. However
those who have not voted in
more than eight years will
need to re-register.
See Voting on A4
In Sheep's Clothing
ftoto by Kevin Walker
Animals are nearly as plentiful as people at this week's
Dixie Classic Fair. This pair of sheep are among the
barnyard critters taking center stage. These two got
extra attention from fair-goers Sunday as one ate away
at the other's colorful garment.
Photo by Todd Luck
Teacher Sonya Wagstaff stands by as Judge Todd Burke
addresses her students.
Show
and Tell
Judge visits local school
to talk about the legal system
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Textbooks have their place, but they can't respond to ques
tions or serve as role models for the students who use them.
Sonya Wagstaff is well aware of that. So the Hanes Middle
School teacher regularly looks to men and women in the commu
nity to help her explain to students some of the myriad issues that
are probed in her social studies class. A couple of semesters ago.
Wagstaff's students heard from State Rep. Larry Womble, who
talked about the extensive travel he has done throughout Africa
over the decades. Last week, the class of sixth-seventh-and
eighth-graders heard from Superior Court Judge Todd Burke,
who explained some of the basics of the judicial system.
In a nutshell. Burke told the 16 students in the class that his
job as a judge is to ensure a fair outcome for all who come before
him.
wnen people come 10 coun, i realize inai everyone uucs nui
come there on the same level," said Burke. "It is my responsibil
ity, my duty, to make it a level playing field for everyone, so
everyone is treated the same."
In addition to his obvious expertise on legal matters, Wagstaff
also wanted Burke to speak to her class because his story is sure
ly one that can inspire her kids. A Morehouse Man who went on
to earn his law degree from N.C. Central University, Burke
became one of the youngest Superior Court judges in the nation
when he was first appointed to the bench by Gov. Jim Hunt in
1995. He has been re-elected twice since then.
Burke comes from a family of public servants. His mother is
Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke, whose three decades on the
City Council makes her the longest serving member to ever sit on
the board. His father is former educator Logan Burke, who once
served in the N.C. House of Representatives.
Burke said that going out into the community and speaking to
young people is one of the highlights of his job. He welcomes the
See Burke on A14
Group for gay students launched at WSSU
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
When Howard
McQuirter Jr.'s parents
found out he was gay, they
disowned him. Stripped of
his car, cell phone and finan*
cial support just two weeks
before "Starflilg his educa
tional journey at Winston
Salem State University,
McQuirter says he was
forced to make some serious
adjustments in his life.
r**It was hard; I didn't
really have anyone," said
McQuirter, 20, who is now a
junior at WSSU. "It was a
bit of a struggle emotional
ly."
Despite the hardships he
endured, McQuirter resolved
he would never again deny
Nuhmittrd rc?o?o
Members of the WSSU GSSA.
wh6 or what he was. He
says he's glad he doesn't
have to hide anymore.
"It's really a burden car
rying that secret," he com
mcnted. "1 had to make a
decision within myself that I
wasn't going to be scared of
(people's reactions) ... If I
was going to accept my sex
uality fully. I had to be ready
for whatever came my way."
Twenty-se ven^-y ear-old
Di'Tarrie Hooper, a mass
communications major, says
he's grown accustomed to
the persecution.
"You hear little ignorant
comments, people whisper
ing and saying stuff like, 'Is
that that faggot?'" he report
ed. "I've been called every
thing you can call a gay per
son, but I'm fine with it. I'd
rather be me and not be
accepted as much than to act
like somebody else and be
respected. You just get a
thicker skin and you grow
from everything that you've
been through."
When the world beats
them down, McQuirter and
See <;SSA on A4
In Memory of
Charlene
Russell Brown \
" Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better "
ntr 1 hm
laxw
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
822 Carl Russell Ave.
Cat Martin Luther King Or.)
Winston-Salem , NC 27101
(336) 722-3459
Fax (336) 631-8268
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