It's That Time of Year Again... Tornado Season

Though it is easy to welcome the warmer weather and longer days that spring brings along with it, there are certain aspects of spring that make some grow weary.  For anyone living within the central United States, with spring comes tornado season.  Tornado watches and warnings are so frequent throughout Tornado Alley at this time that people sometimes begin to disregard alerts, thinking it is simply yet another false-alarm.  For anyone that has been through a tornado, however, they know not to joke around with Mother Nature.

It is ironic that, in the midst of such destruction,
this rainbow on the day following the Andover tornados
manages to show off the beauty present in nature.
(Courtesy of Shonna Black)

Shonna Black, the mother of current AU freshman Olivia Black, knows first-hand about the dangers that tornadoes have to offer.  On April 26, 1991, Shonna was living in Andover, KS with her then-husband and young son, Harrison.  It was just another spring evening coming home to cook dinner after work until, at approximately 5:00 p.m., when her world literally got turned upside down.  An F5 tornado dropped down and tore through Andover, killing 24 people and leaving hundreds injured.  Thankfully, Shonna and her family, including her dog that she made it a priority to rescue, made it out safely.  Unfortunately, their home was not as lucky.  At the time, they were living in a duplex and, after the storm took its toll, the only thing remaining of their home was the retaining wall that separated their living quarters from the neighbors’.  The living room, both bedrooms, and garage were all gone.

A look at Shonna's house
after the tornado swept through.
(Courtesy of Shonna Black)

Thankfully, Shonna and her family were prepared.  In case of any potential storms, they had stored water and blankets in the crawl space under their home.  The small and narrow crawl space was there saving grace: they ended up laying low there while the storm obliterated their home above.  She reflects feeling a sense of stillness in the air during the tornado unlike anything she had ever felt before or after those moments.  Though the loss of their home and belongings was unfortunate, Shonna points out that they were “more concerned about being alive than any destruction that may occur. “  


She goes on to say more about the effects that the experience has left on her life:

Only the retaining wall was in tact
on Shonna's side of their duplex;
her and her family were forced
to move in with her parents.
(Courtesy of Shonna Black)

“I now have much respect for tornadoes and what God can do with wind.  After 20+ years, this time of the year (tornado season) still gets to me.  I get antsy when the weather starts to act up.  I  do not joke around with weather alerts; I’m not a storm chaser, I cooperate, go straight to the basement, and pray for our safety.”

In talking about tornado season, it would be unfit not to mention the upcoming 1 year anniversary since the Joplin tornado that occurred on May 22 of last year.  This EF 5 tornado claimed 161 lives, ranking as the seventh most deadly tornado recorded in United States history. 

Like Shonna, Max Mammele, a freshman theatre major at Avila, is a tornado survivor.  Max hails from Joplin and was in the heart of the storm last May.  As he was driving home from his high school graduation, Max got caught in the midst of the tornado.   He tried his best to speed home to safety, but there was torrential rain and the wind was simply too much.  In a frantic and dire situation, his best option was to park under an overpass to take cover.  Still in his graduation gown, Max crouched down with his hands over his head and waited.  He sat in his vehicle as a variety of debris including branches and tar continually crashed into and embedded itself in the body and windshield of his 1989 Jaguar.  As he explains, minutes felt like hours as he waited.  Finally, conditions lightened, and Max was lucky to be alive.  

Claiming 161 deaths, the tornado in Joplin, Missouri
was the 7th most deadly
tornado recorded in United States history.
(Courtesy of Business Insider)

Unfortunately, one of his classmates whom he had just graduated with had not been so lucky.  Will Norton, a Joplin senior, had been driving home from graduation in his H3 Hummer with his father when suddenly a gust of wind sucked him through the sunroof of his vehicle.  His father tried to hold him down, tearing his bicep and breaking bones within his arms in the process (he broke 15 bones throughout his body altogether), but his efforts came up short.  

Frankly, Max is very fortunate to have survived the frightening conditions that he did.  The experience is one that has made an impact on his life forever; he realizes now how quickly life can be stripped from us and strives to live each day to the fullest. 

The experiences of Shonna Black and Max Mammele are very humbling stories indeed.  Spawned from powerful thunderstorms, tornadoes can cause fatalities and devastate a neighborhood in seconds.  Next time tornado alerts flash across the television screen, think twice about blowing them off.

Beauty in Nature

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station,

 through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.  

~George Washington Carver

~ Spring Fling ~

Spring has rolled in and the closing weeks of school are finally upon us.  To usher in the end of the year, Avila University has been hosting a variety of events to send off its students. 

Students Curtis Churchman and Louis Lowe
 gather a crowd during their sumo wrestling match at the picnic

For the week of April 16 through the 22nd, the theme was ‘Spring Fling’.  There were activities for every day from Monday through Sunday.   On Tuesday evening, for example, there was a free cookout.  Not only were there burgers and brats from the grill, but there was an entire cooler full of ice cream bars, too!  A game of musical chairs was ongoing throughout the event, and winners received gift cards or free gifts such as footballs, frisbees, and the like.   Students stuck around for more than an hour after quitting time to play games with their new gifts in the quad.  Curtis Dunlap, an AU freshman, appreciated the cookout.  He brought up that, “With being on the budget of a college student, it’s always nice to get food for free and win free prizes.”  Another highlight of the week was at the student appreciation carnival and picnic on Thursday during lunch.  There were a myriad of things to do to keep entertained, from sign making and caricature artists to an inflatable obstacle course and sumo wrestling.  As Arianne Henry, an Avila sophomore, points out, “The carnival was a really great way to relax before finals start.” 

The cookout was so popular that the fresh
burgers and brats could hardly keep up
with the demand from students

Speaking of finals, in addition to ‘Spring Fling’ week, Avila is hosting a ‘Stress Relief’ week from Monday, April 30 through Saturday, April 5.  Some of the events include free massages, yoga, and late night meals for those late night study sessions that are sure to ensue. 

 These events would be nothing without the support of the various student organizations throughout campus that sponsor such activities.  Their time, support, and effort do not go unnoticed.  Student Life, GAP, and Campus Ministry were integral in putting on an abundance of activities throughout the school year, so it is no surprise that they were generous enough to sponsor this fun-filled week, too.  It is clear that students truly appreciate the various functions that occur throughout campus.  Ashley Latimer, a junior, reflects: “It’s always a nice surprise to walk out of class to an Avila Cookout. It is one of my favorite events here at Avila. Everyone comes out to enjoy the food and win great prizes.”

Escaping the City, Exploring the Country

Rebekah lives on a small farm in Trenton

where her father raises beef cattle.

      Though Avila is located in Kansas City, the most populated city in the state of Missouri, its students hail from a variety of backgrounds.  Trenton, MO, a small rural town approximately 95 miles from the Avila campus, is home to Rebekah Capeder, an AU freshman and member of the women's basketball team.  For Rebekah, and many other students, going home on the weekends is a refreshing way to escape the hustle and bustle of college life.

When she needs to escape, Rebekah hops on

 her 4-wheeler to roam the countryside. 

The creek is a popular destination;

 it always proves to be peaceful.  Rebekah enjoys a variety of hobbies, among which is skipping rocks.

Never wear anything you’re afraid of 

allowing to get dirty when going to the creek!

After enjoying the outdoors, it is a must to visit

 the water spout for a good thorough washing.

An old-fashioned rocking chair on the porch serves as

 the perfect location to unwind after a long day on the farm. 

Sun Sets on Another School Year at AU

 


The breathtaking sunset peaks through the quad of Avila University
one Sunday afternoon in the spring.
Its beauty signals the ending of the 2011-2012 school year here at AU. 

    



Extreme Makeover: Talon Newsroom Edition

The Dallavis Center is home to both the Thornhill Art Gallery and the classrooms where most Communication courses take place.  Among the rooms in Dallasvis is one dedicated specifically to the Talon News Magazine.  The Talon room is used as a newsroom for members to share ideas and work on stories.  Dr. Snorgrass, the faculty advisor for the Talon, decided the room needed some sprucing up, so he contacted a recent alumni, Mr. Toby Cashell, to take on the job.  The result was a graffiti wall that has Avila painted in the center and a variety of sketches surrounding it.  I sat down with Toby to learn a little more about him and his project. 

I sit down for an interview with Toby Cashell,
 the artist responsible for the new graffiti wall in the Talon Newsroom.

Q:  When did you graduate?

A:  I graduated in spring of 2010.

Q:  Where are you from?  What brought you to Avila?

A:  I grew up in Osceola, MO.  Football brought me to Avila originally.  I started off at receiver, but got moved to strong safety my last two years.

Q:  What was your major here at Avila University?

A:  I got a BFA (Bachelor in Fine Arts) with a concentration in Graphic Design.  I didn’t declare my major until the end of my sophomore year because I wanted to avoid being among the statistic of students who change majors at least once throughout their college careers.

Q:  Were you a member of the Talon?

A:  Yes, I did quite a bit of work helping to edit the paper.  I also wrote stories for a while when I had Dr. Snorgrass as a professor.

Q:  Did you have a position on the Talon, or did you just help out as needed?

A:  I worked more on an as-needed basis.  My main focus was to help out with the layout.  When I was in Snorgrass’ class, I not only wrote stories and poems, but did cartoons and illustrations from time to time, as well.

Q:  What are you doing for work these days?

A:  I recently got a job through my brother-in-law working in North Dakota in the oil fields.  The job is set to take two years, so that’s how long I am signed on for.  It’s not exactly my major, but it gives me a chance to learn something new, plus I still try to do some graphic design related stuff on the side.

Q:  How did your major and being a member of the Talon prepare you for your career?

A:  Obviously having a degree in graphic design doesn’t help out when it comes to welding in the oil fields.  Nonetheless, it gave me the preparedness to be able to handle myself in a professional situation.  It opened up doors for me and helped me to recognize opportunities. 

Q:  How did you get recruited for designing and completing the wall?

A:  Dr. Snorgrass saw an assignment I made for one of Professor Esquibel’s classes in which we created a commercial for a record store.  The piece I did for the assignment had a style similar to this, and that’s when he asked if I could create something to decorate this wall.  Of course, that was over a year and a half ago, but what can I say, you can’t rush perfection.

Q:  What was you inspiration for the art and color scheme of the wall?

A:  There are a lot of different ways to think about how the inspiration came about.  Music was an inspiration, in addition to all of the memories that came along with being at Avila for as long as I was.  Dr. Snorgrass showed me some photos of a general style he wanted me to use, and I took it from there.  Of course, the wall went through three major changes after I started painting, adding on an additional week or so to the estimated completion time.  This version only took two hours to complete.

Q:  Dr. Snorgrass mentioned you working on the project at 3 a.m., did you do it all in in one sitting, or did it take multiple days to complete?

A:  The first day I came into work on the wall, not everyone knew what I was doing, so when I came in with a bag of spray paint they were a little skeptical.  On top of that, there were a few times when I went to school here that I fumigated the halls because I was spray painting inside.  Because of that, I was told I couldn’t come in during the day or during class hours, but instead I had to do my work after hours.  I started coming in at 5 p.m. and working until I finished.  Dr. Snorgrass was understanding of how artists work and things change, but he eventually put a deadline on the project.  Everything came down to the last day and it required an all-nighter to finish, which I was used to from my college days, anyway.

Q:  How long ago did you complete the project?

A:  I finished it in late March.

A sketch of Mr. Cashell's artwork in the making.

Q:  Did you complete the project the first time around, or did you have to paint over it?

A:  It changed completely three different times.  The image on the wall started off as Dr. Snorgrass blowing a bubble, which spelled out Avila within it.  I scratched that concept because people continued to see it before it was finished, and I didn’t like the idea of that.  I wanted to surprise everybody.

Q:  How many hours did the project take in all?

A:  It took over a week to complete.  The last day required 10 hours of work to finish.

Q:  Do you do any graffiti nowadays?

A:   I used to in my younger, skater, graffiti days, but not so much anymore seeing as though it’s illegal and I try to avoid doing that sort of thing.  Though, after I finished this wall, I was tempted to post it somewhere around town.  It may still happen, we’ll see...

The artist Toby Cashell with a preliminary version of his artwork.

Q:  Did you teach yourself, or how did you come about learning how to do graffiti?

A:  When I was a freshman in high school, I had a buddy from Oregon move into town who was into tagging and graffiti.  He got me started, and then it took off from there.

Q:  Do you continue to be creative and find time for art still?

A:  Yes, I have my sketchbook and I am trying to improve my portfolio with drawings and whatnot.  I did work at a shop for about 6 months that creates t-shirts, so I still make designs for them from time to time.  One of the projects they do is to sponsor fighters, so I create t-shirts and posters for that.

Spring Combine is a Success

AU Women's Basketball hosted a combine on Saturday, March 31 in which it brought in current signees for next fall as well as  over 60 high school girls to compete and show their skills. MVPs, pictured, were chosen from each of the eight teams.  In addition, Marissa Preston, a Staley HS junior, won overall camp MVP and received a trophy for her efforts. 

Sic'em Bears!

The Perfect Season: 40-0

Baylor University fans support their Women's Basketball team after a Regional Final victory over Tennessee on Monday, March 26 in Des Moines, Iowa.  Baylor later went on to top Notre Dame by a 19 point margin to claim the 2012 NCAA National Championship title.