Falling Whistles for peace

They sit quietly on the counter, softly reflecting in the harsh overhead light. Placed amongst the other pastel accessories, they stand out because of their blunt and unique shape. A simple, unobtrusive addition to a store filled with busy colors and styles.

Several customers shoot a curious glance towards the small washed wood stand and then towards one of the several sales associates wearing one of them around their neck. But many also leave without asking about it. Until a woman, buying a pair of Toms Shoes for her son asks, “What’s with the whistles?”

The sales associate looks over at the stand with a smile and touches her own, standing out against her bright shirt. “They are Falling Whistles, and they’re a symbol of protest.”

It all started with one person. Sean Carasso visited the Democratic Republic of Congo as what was supposed to be a one-day stop while traveling through Africa with his friends from Invisible Children and TOMS Shoes. What he found there though, completely changed his life.

Right now, the DRC is experiencing the deadliest war since World War II. There are many reasons for this but one of the most prominent is because the DRC rests atop a rich supply of minerals such as Coltan, a key ingredient in the production of the cell phones so many of us in developed countries have. This gives the DRC great potential to expand and grow, but it also leaves it open to other countries interested in manipulation.

In Congo, Carasso and the group he was traveling with met five boys: Busco, Bahati, Serungendo, Claude, and Sadiki. These boys had been kidnapped by the rebel army; stolen from their families and homes and forced to fight as child soldiers. But they found the courage to escape, even knowing that if they were discovered the penalty was death. Only to be found, captured and abused by the National army. Because they had fought for the rebels, even unwillingly, they were considered enemies of he state. When the national army intercepted these children, all under the age of fifteen, they were starved, beaten and humiliated. Ribs pushed out against skin, visible through dirty and tattered clothing. But what was even more horrific than the injustices done against them was the story they told.

They spoke of young boys, too small to even use a gun, sent out onto the frontlines of war by the rebel army with nothing but a whistle hanging around their necks. They use the whistles in an attempt to scare away their enemies, but when that isn’t effective, the opposing national army shoots these small children, turning their bodies into human barricades.

“The sickness of everything that is occurring there, and what is happening to these children just horrifies me,” UCO student Hailey Barry said. “ When a close friend of mine told me the story, I knew I had to help in some way. The fact that I had never even heard about any of this before was appalling. I couldn’t believe it wasn’t more publicized.”

By the end of the day that they met the boys, Carasso’s group was able to get the UN and UNICEF to help the five children escape and send them home to their families. Five out of a million. But what about the other children, the ones who were stuck in the crossfire of two vicious armies with no hope and no foreseeable freedom in sight? That was the question Carasso brought back with him to America. The answer he found was in the symbol that brought so much pain to so many people; a whistle. It was in the whistle that he discovered “Their weapon could be our voice”.

So Falling Whistles was launched. A grass roots business in every way, they had volunteers that moved cross country on everything from bikes to their own feet, just trying to get their word out and spread the whistles. They moved slowly, but grabbed attention quickly, creating displays for the likes of Fred Segal department store, and Donna Karan New York. Until it moved its way into Oklahoma with Lucca Fashion Boutique stores, which is now the largest whistle distributor in the state.

“It was an easy decision to support a cause like this,” Lucca Inc. Owner Yaniv Segal said. “You can do your part to buy the product and spread the word, but it’s not enough! The small part we can play in the overall scheme of this cause is the least we can do. There are people in this world who are meant to be leaders, who follow a path that no one else is willing to take, and who fight for that, for the chance of a better future. By supporting the cause of these leaders, you are helping to create change.”

100% of the proceeds of each whistle sold go to rehabilitating war-affected children in the DRC. According to the website, through creative methods like art, dance, and sports, the children in the rehabilitation program with Falling Whistle’s partner organization in Congo are able to begin healing. They are then enrolled into school to get an education. They will receive job training as well as receiving human rights training so that they have the skills to become a productive member of society. These methods are designed to repair and heal the children who have escaped from one or both armies and are traumatized by the heinous acts they were forced to do.

“These whistles make a kind of clientele who’s not aware of certain political problems in other countries more aware of the things going on,” Lucca employee Andrea Gentis said. “Typically you never hear what’s going on in Africa through our media outlets, especially not in the news, and specifically what is happening to the children, even though it is one of the biggest problems right now.“

Referring to their supporters as “whistle blowers for peace” Falling Whistles does rely on the people who believe in their cause to spread the word. When asked, Barry Segal, and Gentis all consider themselves whistle blowers. The other thing they also agree on is that getting the word out is one of the most important things they can do.

One of the easiest ways for consumers to gain knowledge and get a feel for the organization is to visit their website at www.fallingwhistles.com where the user friendly layout easily guides the viewer through the different aspects of the war, the children, the story, and ways to purchase a whistle.

“Personally I wear my whistle every day,” Gentis said. “It is for me to represent that I believe in this cause, and anytime I’m asked, I get to share this with a person who is more than likely not aware of what’s going on. Then they get the idea and majority of the time they feel the need to at least look into the problem, or buy one of the whistles.”

John Lennon once said, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality”. That is exactly what Falling Whistles is trying to accomplish. By using something so visible, the word gets spread faster. And with each new person that hears the story and walks away with knowledge, the more the dream of ending the war and saving the children hurt by it becomes a reality.

The Spotlight Theater

The Spotlight Theater is a unique building overlooking the Arkansas River. Located on 1381 Riverside Drive in Tulsa, it is surrounded by beautiful plants, bushes and flowers. The plants around the building aren’t the only thing guests notice because the windows are eye catching and hard to ignore. There is a big, round window in the center that gives the old building a modern and futuristic touch. On each side of the building, there are four, small, rectangular windows that are supposed to represent piano keys. The theater is humble with no flashy lights or big signs on it. The outside white paint is laid back and neutral and contrasts with the green of plants around the building.
Stepping inside the lobby, a rush of blue fills the room. This is where all the guests mingle before the show. They can grab a soda or a bag of chips from the concession stand. They can reserve and buy tickets from the office. Guests can also go up the lobby’s grand staircase that will take them to the place where all the magic happens: the auditorium.
The auditorium is small with dimed lights. However, the stage in the middle of the auditorium is well lit. A red curtain is pulled down on the stage hiding what’s going on behind it. Backstage, you can hear the bustling noise of the crew and actors getting ready. The curtain rises and the legacy of great family entertainment continues for the Spotlight Theater.
It is a highly renowned theatre that has been recognized by the media and people of Tulsa. Its family oriented plays and historic building attracts many people from around the world. It has been ranked as Tulsa’s Best Children’s Theater two years in a row. Its recent showing of the children’s play, Alice in Wonderland, set a personal record for the theater for the most attendance. Larry Stockard, president of the theater, said, “The Theater has entertained nearly a quarter million people over the last 57 years. Not too many theatres could match that.”
Many theaters also don't have the longest running play in America but the Spotlight Theater does. The Drunkard has been performed every Saturday night since 1953. People should not be fooled by the title of the play. According to Stockard, it is a family friendly, melodrama representing the evils of alcohol. The eleven member cast of the play rotates each week creating a new experience because each person portrays a character differently. Jere Upcapher is the office and stage manager and has been involved with the theatre for 53 years. He comments: “Although the script is the same, seeing a different cast creates a different play and experience. Seeing the same cast is rare. You never know what will happen.”
Besides having the longest running play in America, the theater is different than others because the plays are more interactive with the audience. Instead of the audience just sitting and watching the show, they are encouraged to interact by the actors. On stage, the actors become involved with the audience. For example, during the Drunkard, the villain mischievously appears onto the stage for the first time and the audience boos and hisses at him. He acknowledges their presence and shoots them an evil look. Besides hissing at the villain, the audience will have an option at throwing a tomato him. They will begin selling these tomatoes in the lobby before the show. Of course, the tomatoes are fake and soft so the actors don't get hurt, or messy.
The small auditorium makes it easier for the audience to interact because they are closer to the stage and actors. There is only room for 50-60 guests for the Drunkard and 125-130 for the children’s plays Stephanie Porter, a student who volunteered at the theater and has performed in one of their children’s play, said “There is a small close knit feel because of the smaller auditorium. You are closer to the audience and the audience is more involved with the show. The stage crew is even more involved and not hidden like in other theatres. It is more involved in all aspects in the theater.”
The auditorium is small because it was originally built to be used for piano recitals. According to the theater’s website, the theater was built in the 1920’s for Patti Shriner, a famous pianist, who used it as a piano studio and her residence. It was known then as the Riverside Studio. She hired architect Bruce Goff to create the design of the building and it is one of the oldest and surviving buildings in the world that was designed by him. However, she lost it during the Great Depression after becoming bankrupt. It remained unoccupied until former New York City actor Richard Mansfield Dickinson bought the property in 1941. He used it as his residence and a drama studio. In 1952, Dickinson wrote the script for the Drunkard and it was performed by a group of actors called the Tulsa Spotlighters.
The Spotlight Theater shows no signs of slowing down. They are always recruiting volunteers to be actors and crew members. Stockard said, “We attract people who have always wanted to act but have not had the chance to. A lot of our actors had no previous experience but want to do it for fun. We are always recruiting volunteers. New people bring family and friends. It’s an incredible phenomenon.”
The vision for the theater's future is to add on to its current property, according to Stockard. They have a goal to raise enough money to build another building on the empty lot next to the current theater. This new building would provide a bigger theatre for shows and events. The theater would then be restored to its original state and could be turned into a museum.
Until then, it will continue to entertain in the original auditorium where audiences can boo, hiss, cheer, applaud, sing and have a good time during the show.

Skirvin Hotel

As the elegant classical-like music echoes from the piano, the lighting from the over-sized black chandeliers set an eerie mood; a mood that causes the hairs on the back of my neck to rise. Long, flowing, dark red drapes stretch from the second floor to the ground making the scene look like a picture from the 1920’s.
DING! The bell makes a sound as I press the illuminated number ‘2’ and nothing but a slight screech of metal can be heard. When I asked about the history of this landmark, the front desk associate said, “I’m not allowed to comment. I’m not even supposed to knowledge the fact that it’s haunted.”
Built in 1910, the Skirvin Hotel opened its doors to the Oklahoma City public. The hotel, now owned by the Hilton Corporation, has been a tourist hotspot for decades ever since it re-opened in February 2007. Not many guests are aware of the so-called ‘haunting’ due to the $46.4 million project to renovate the building that stood empty for nearly fifteen years.
The Skirvin Hotel was considered the finest hotel in the Southwest in the early 1900's. As legend has it, W.B. Skirvin, builder of the plush hotel, had an affair with one of the hotel maids. The maid conceived and in order to keep the scandal a secret, she was locked away in a room on the tenth floor of the hotel. She was depressed from being locked up for more than nine months, and even after her child was born, she was still not allowed to leave. After she couldn’t take the torment anymore, she threw herself, along with her child, out of the window to die.
Former Skirvin employees have nicknamed the woman “Effie” and allegedly her ghost still continues to haunt the floors and guests. “I haven’t stayed the night yet, but it does have a creepy feel here! The floors kind of creek when you walk on them,” said University of Arkansas student, Katie Burton, who was a Skirvin guest.
Trying to get information concerning “Effie” or any other kind of abnormal behavior that occurs at the hotel from the current employees was nearly impossible. It’s as if they’ve been trained to keep their mouths sealed so it doesn’t reflect bad business. Responses such as “no comment” and a shrug of the shoulders were common when trying to ask them what they knew about the hotel being haunted. However, two bellhops standing outside did offer some information under the circumstance that their real names were not revealed. Ben* and Brad* told a story about how they heard a lady's voice mumbling behind them as they walked down a hallway. “I’m not sure if it was really something, or just our imagination,” Ben said *.
According to about.com, the New York Knicks basketball team recently stayed at the Skirvin Hotel the night before they played the Oklahoma City Thunder. They gave reports to the New York Daily News that they were unable to sleep. “I definitely believe that there are ghosts in that hotel," center Eddy Curry said. Forward Jared Jefferies added, “The place is haunted. It’s scary.” The team also blamed their poor game performance on the hotel afterwards.
I began to roam the halls where the guests stay and the alleged floor where “Effie” and her child committed suicide. I did not hear a woman’s voice, a baby cry, or see a shadow like some websites have stated. However, it did feel unpleasant and I found myself looking over my shoulder quite often.
The Skirvin Hotel has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 1979. The legacy of “Effie” still lives on even through the massive renovation. I had a conversation with a guest that eventually led to the hotel and its “haunted” past. "It's definitely a fun place to be, and I don't believe the fact that it's allegedly haunted hurts business, that's the reason I picked to stay there in the first place, to see for myself." Gina Knowles from Houston said.
If only I had the time and money (dropping over $200 on a room for a night is a little bit out of the question on a college students’ budget) I would love to get a first-hand account myself as well. However, for now, “Effie” is still considered by some to be one of Oklahoma’s vanishing celebrities.





*indicates that names have been changed for protective purposes.

Center Coordinators Feature Story

Ask an OU Housing Center Coordinator (CC, for short) what their job entails and you will get a different answer every time.

Rodney Bates, the Center Coordinator for Adams Center described his job as, "The jack-of-all-trades position." He continued, "If you think about life.... you have to deal with your family... work.. social aspects.... relationships... money... your spiritual (life)... your health... Okay, throw a CC title on it and then that's what we do with students. It is hard to define it because we deal with everything."

The CCs do not have much help in trying to figure out how to deal with everything. It is mainly up to them to determine how to deal with the needs of each student.

"There is no handbook for life, we don't necessarily have a handbook for what we do, said Bates. "We have to be all things to everyone."

While the coordinators have many tasks that are not well outlined they do have the job of being the lead disciplinarians for the students. But this is the last thing the leaders of the centers want to be known for.

Rarely do they think of themselves as being rule enforcers; they all thought of the moments they have with the students as times to help them grow. They said when students receive an alcohol or drug citation, or when they have a specific citation three times, each person is brought into the office to be helped, not to be condemned.

"I think we all like to take those opportunities as teaching moments," Elisa Smith, the Cate Center Coordinator said.

Smith wants the students to think about what they have done and figure out how they could have done those things differently.

She explained further, "They are on their own for the first time, how can we help them transition through this?"

Bates described his relationship with the students as one of a mentor.

"When they're coming to talk with me it's to get advice. It's 'What do you recommend?' More of a mentor aspect," Bates said. "I understand that they see me as a professional and they may not feel as comfortable with (a casual relationship). I'll take the mentor relationship, or aspect of it."

The Walker Center Coordinator, Erin Simpson takes a similar route when it comes to her interaction with the students in Walker. She enjoys turning the discipline contacts she has to friendships in the end. Simpson enjoys seeing a student in the cafeteria that she had to previously discipline and letting them know that she has not judged them for whatever crime they committed. She wants to be known for more than just the disciplinary force in the dorms.

While talking with the Center Coordinators, they explained that when the citations were most heavily handed out was during times of great stress on the students.

"When it gets crunch time in terms of academics you always see a little bit of rise in citations in general. That is because kids are stressed out, staying up all night, then trying to relax in ways that bend the policies, break them sometimes." SImpson said.

However, Rodney Bates finds the issues he deals with in Adams to be at an even deeper level. He said the numbers point to him dealing with students with alcohol and drug citations. But those citations are not the main issue.

"Alcohol is the surface of the majority of what I meet about. But it's really that they make poor choices," Bates said. "Even though alcohol is the reason you're in the room (CCs office), the reason you're in this chair is because you made a poor decision to drink alcohol. So let's talk about your decision making."

Bates, along with the rest of the CCs are looking to adapt to the ever changing landscape of the average college student to help each of them make good decisions.

The coordinators do not only give talks to students for serious citations, they also lead groups of undergraduate students and graduate students to help make their job slightly less chaotic.

The CCs each have two resident directors (or RDs) assigned to them to help deal with citations in the dorms and to help organize events within the dorms. Each resident director has their daily jobs to deal with, all while dealing with being a graduate student at OU.

Both directors, as well as the coordinator helps lead resident advisors or RAs.

They explained that sometimes they make things up as they go, but the book never gets smaller and they have to have the drive to be everything to every student that needs their leadership for those teaching moments.

Legend's Restaurant

Looking at the upscale restaurant on Lindsey Street in Norman, Oklahoma, one would never have guessed that this business used to be a pizza delivery service in 1967.
Legend’s Restaurant, first named Lemuel B. Legend’s, is family-owned and operated by Joe and Rebecca Sparks. It was started on Norman’s South Navy Base as a pizza delivery service. To order pizza, one would simply dial LEGENDS on the phone.
Lemuel Legend became the restaurant's icon. He was an imaginary little man in a chef’s outfit delivering pizza from the seat of an antique Rolls Royce. Later in 1968, Lemuel B. Legend’s moved to a new location and added salads, steaks and sandwiches to the menu. And in 1972, the restaurant changed its name to Legend’s Restaurant and stopped serving pizza and started serving a more sophisticated menu. The restaurant also acquired the building next door to its new building in 1998 and named it Legend’s Times Two. Legend’s Times Two has become a banquet facility used for weddings, business meetings or any other gathering.
The restaurant’s goals “are to serve delicious, healthy, attractive food at a reasonable price, provide a positive working environment for our staff, and to be instrumental in the healthy, positive growth of our community,” said Joe Sparks, Owner and General Manager. Sparks thinks that the restaurant has become very successful in obtaining and preserving their goals.
“Legend's has become an important part of the history of Norman and extremely beneficial in volunteering and giving to the Norman community,” said Sparks. “Legends is important to the history of Norman because it provides the community with a upper-casual restaurant that is helpful for the community to grow. That is why we believe that Legend’s has become a vital part of the city of Norman,” said Sparks.
The restaurant participates in many fundraising events and donates food and catering services to events that help the community. “Joe and Rebecca Sparks give so much to the community, and shoulder the way Legend’s is involved in the community as well,” said Rick Steiner, dining room manager.
“The reason that we are involved in the community and give donations of food and time is because it is first important to live in a place and help nurture it and help it grow. It is like a house, you want your house to be structurally sound, welcoming and attractive. That’s what I want Norman to look like, and that’s why our restaurant is focused on helping the community. Second, volunteering and donating is good for promoting our business,” said Sparks.
Legend’s participates in Share Our Strength Taste of the Nation which combats hunger. It donates food to the Taste of Norman which invites the community to sample some of the town’s best restaurants and contributes to the music programs for both high schools in Norman. Sparks said he likes the event because it supports school programs. Sparks is the president of the school board in Norman.
Every year Legend’s Restaurant takes part in the annual Chocolate Festival in Norman, as well as contributes to the local arts scene. Sparks has received the Earl Sneed Business in the Arts Award for Legend's participation in the arts. The restaurant is involved with the Norman Firehouse Arts Center, as well as donates to the Sooner Theatre. Legend’s changes the artwork in the restaurant four times a year, and most of the pieces are for sale. When the artwork gets sold, all the money goes directly to the artist.
The restaurant has employed over 2,400 Oklahomans since its founding and many of them have been University of Oklahoma students. Legend’s prides itself on being a positive part of the community.
Jerry Andrews, who has been a Legend’s customer for the past ten years, says that Legend's is his favorite. “They give so much to the Norman community, and are helping to preserve a better future for the next generations to come,” said Andrews. “Joe Sparks is a good reason why Legend’s participates in so many events. He is even the president of the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as volunteers for The Junior League,” said Andrews. “I admire Legend's Restaurant for all the work they do in the community,” he added.
Regardless of the restaurant’s involvement in the community, Legend’s has a long history of serving up good food that keeps Norman’s residents and visitors returning to this legendary establishment.

Challenges in Writing Journalistically

The biggest challenge that I face in writing journalistically is making sure that my work is concise and to the point. In other words, I need to achieve brevity. Throughout my high school writing career, I was trained to elaborate and fluff my work to give it a sense of academic dignity. Teachers admired writing with a lot of detail because it proved that you could extend your ideas into smooth, flowing thoughts. Although elaborate writing is my strength, I need to work on delivering my thoughts in brief, but effective, statements.

challenges in journalistic writing vs. academic writing

The challenges that I am experiencing in journalistic writing all involve the concept of brevity or "simplifying my writing". I struggle with writing too many words, or over elaborating on the minor details of my topic . In academic writing, length seemed to be something that was praised and desired. It is quite the opposite, however, in journalistic writing. I am learning that the goal is to get your point across in the shortest amount of words possible. I am also learning that in academic writing, big and complicated words make your writing seem more "intelligent". In journalism, however, big words make the story difficult and unappealing to readers.