Team TRiO Gives Back Event!

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I normally would talk about some revelation I've recently had or a truth that came to light, but truthfully I don't have anything. Instead I would like to use my dominate powers of typing a S.A.C articles and having the students of Upwards Bound read 5 lines then quit. So i have devised a clever scheme to keep you all interested, if I haven't already lost you. In every paragraph I'm going to leave a random word somewhere and the words will, at the end, reveal some ancient wisdom to you.

Since I joined Upward Bound 3 years ago I have noticed something different about the people. Maybe it is the close proximity we share for 5 weeks in the summer or maybe its the good nature of some *ahem Trevor Luke* that is infectious to others. JOEL. I personally think it is a mixture of both with some other factors important to harmony. Some of these would be tolerance, kindness, respect, helpfulness, and friendliness.Without these Upward Bound wouldn't be the same.

Now I'm sure we all realize the differences between school and Upward Bound, but for the sake of this article's length I will name them. The people aren't very judging. They are accepting of most everything. I find this to be a noble quality in everyone because it is the most commonly forgotten quality. SCROGGIE How many people have been talked about behind their back or been made fun of? A dark topic, I know, but think, to your knowledge has this happened at Upward Bound? I don't believe it has.

Upward Bound is kind of like a safe haven for people, none are judged and everyone accepts each other. Friendships like these are ones that last forever. I mean, most everyone has gotten a hug from Katrina, and if not, you are really good at hide and go seek, but just that simple hug or hugs from anyone when the Saturday session is over, is nice. IS I'm not trying to force anyone to give or accept hugs, all I'm saying is the thought is touching. It says to me, "I missed you and I'm so glad we get to see each other again." I know this may be a bit soppy for some of you, Jared, but even the smallest head bob can say the same thing.


I think of the people at Upward Bound, my friends, (I consider all of you my friends, yes even you Kim) and it makes me want summer session to come soon. I cannot wait to spend time with you all. In the summer, the students show who they really are and we all have fun. Returners, remember when the Bridgees staged an assualt on us upon our return? I'm not sure they found all those nerf darts. I can't speak for what happened the last night in the girls wing, but I know we had fun in the boy's wing.  TALL All of my memories from Upward Bound are fond and I wonder what I would have been like if I had not been in Upward Bound. The point is I would not trade those memories for anything and I hope to see you all this summer and at the rest of the Saturday sessions. Also even though Christian Martinez is now in UBMS we CAN still associate with him and have fun. Best wishes!
  -Ethan Calfee, Junior SAC Member

I Won't Be Bacon For Anybody!

                I’m sure that title caught your eye (otherwise you wouldn't be reading the words you are reading at this very point in time...I kind of just went Inception on you right there). So anyway, now that I have your undivided attention let me drop a little bit of advice on you.

                First things first, where did I come up with that title? Well, if you didn’t know, this year my school’s Drama Club is performing Charlotte’s Web and I got the role of Wilbur. For those of you that don’t know, Wilbur is a pig that is born the runt of his litter. Because he is small and weak, Mr. Arable (the farmer) thinks the best thing to do is kill Wilbur, but Mr. Arable’s daughter Fern thinks otherwise. She convinces her dad to let Wilbur live, and after some time Wilbur is shipped to a neighboring farm that belongs to the Zuckermans, where he meets the intelligent and loving Charlotte, a gray spider.

                Right off the bat, Charlotte cares for Wilbur. When the other farm animals tell Wilbur and Charlotte that he’s being fattened up so he can be turned into bacon, Wilbur attempts to escape and screams “I WON’T BE BACON FOR ANYBODY!” Of course Wilbur doesn’t escape, but his line stuck with me. In less literal terms, Wilbur means he won’t become what others want him to become. I believe this is an important lesson in life, because we are each born original, but sometimes the people in our lives try to change us into something different (and not for the better).

                So my small piece of advice to you is to stay true to yourself. The only type of change you should allow is change that will make you a better person. I know it’s tough, but it will pay off in the end.

                Also, long story short, Charlotte helps save Wilbur’s life, which is a great example of the type of people you should surround yourself with. Charlotte saves Wilbur’s life, and Wilbur saves Charlotte’s children. True friends will help each other no matter what and will do what is best for their friends. So, do not only be friends with those who will do anything for you and keep you on the straight and narrow, also be the friend that will do the same.

-Korbin Jones, Senior SAC Member

It's Like Harry Potter All Over Again!

            As many of you know, the Twilight Saga has ended. The final movie, Breaking Dawn part 2,came out, and being the “diehard twihard” I am, I do not think I’m going tomake it. The Twilight Saga has been a part of my life for almost 5 years, and Ihaven’t a clue what I am going to do to fill the void. Although most of youwill be celebrating the end of an era by throwing a party, sipping some tea,and shouting good riddance, I’m sure at least one other person is having thesame I-almost-died-when-Harry-Potter-ended-I’m-never-going-to-survive-thisthoughts I am, so I went around and compiled a list of things to do instead offangirlling over the vampire revolution known as The Twilight Saga.

           TOP SEVEN WAYS TO GET OVER TWILIGHT

7. Learn a new language. Like Edward, you, too, can becomefluent in Portuguese.

6. Pick up a new hobby. It doesn’t matter what you decide todo, just try something new. Whether it be playing baseball to fit in betterwhen the Cullens adopt you, or sitting around crying and eating ice cream.Actually, scratch the last one. If you’re in the TwiFamily, you’ve probably sataround and eaten your fair share of ice cream—I know I have.

5. If you’re going to miss Twilight because you have an oddobsession with vampires and all things supernatural, you’re not alone. Havinglived in the realm of crazy vampire chick for 157 years roughly (I stoppedcounting after 100), I know where you’re coming from, and I suggest reading theHouse of Night series by P. C. and Kristen Cast.

4. If you really identify with awkward teenagers full ofangst, Perks of Being a Wallflower is perfect for you. A movie starring LoganLerman, Emma Watson, and some other guy just came out and though I have yet tosee it, it looks wonderful (mostly because of Emma Watson).

3. If you’re like me, you most likely hate yourself, like totorture your heart by reading stories about love triangles, and pine overfictional characters on a daily basis. If this is true, I highly suggest readingThe Vampire Diaries, or watching the television series. The Vampire Diaries,written by L. J. Smith, often gets bad reviews from Twilight fans. I have noidea why. Honestly, I love it. It’s not quite up to Queen Stephenie’sstandards, but it’s good nevertheless. I should, however, warn you beforehand,the series is nothing like the books.

2. So say you just really like going to see movies the nightthey come out and maybe dressing up like a character from it. You’ve probablybought yourself a pair of gold contacts or maybe red if you’re rogue, and now,you have no clue what to do with all of your superior costume making skills. Ifthis is the case, The Hunger Games will mend your broken heart. Just grab a bowand arrow, and braid your hair. Bam! You’re Katniss. However, if you happen tobe a guy and your hair isn’t quite long enough to braid, grab a loaf of breadand embrace your inner Peeta.

1. Instead of spending your time GPS tracking RobertPattinson’s phone, staring at your posters of Taylor Lautner, and trying tofigure out exactly how to become Kristen Stewart, do something productive likestudying or cleaning(You’re welcome, Mom.).

-Kim Sternberg, Junior SAC Member

Dancing

            Hey guys! I literally could not think of ANYTHING to write for my first SAC article so I asked my brother Corey and he said I could write about something I enjoy. As a lot of you know I really like to dance (and I am pretty good at it) so I decided to write about dance.  

            Dance by definition is to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps to the accompaniment of music. But to some people like me it's a lot more.

            A lot of people think of dancing as ballet or ballroom dancing. Not that those kind of dances aren't good but they do get a little old after a while. Personally if I was watching a dance I would want it to be fast and entertaining.

            I am on the dance team at my school (with another soon to be UB member Heather Parsons) and we always do dances to good songs and that are fun to watch during the halftime at our home basketball games. 

          There are all different kinds of routines that we do. We do kick routines (which aren't as fun for us), pom, jazz, or hip hop. My personal favorite would probably either hip hop or pom because they move fast and are really fun to perform. 

           I've been on the dance team for 2 years now and I love it so much. I love the feeling of performing in front of a crowd. I love being able to express myself and be myself when I dance and I think it would be awesome to maybe go to college for dance and relate dance in my career someday. 

          So during basketball season, if Rock Port ever plays your team, come and watch us dance! 

-Taylor Paulo, Sophomore SAC member

Understudy for Hire

           Well I figured I would be writing this article about some general thing like, “Make sure to take your ACT” or maybe something about school. But instead I think I will write about something else. As you all know, Kori Hoffmann is no longer Academic Coordinator of UB now of which he has a position with Student Affairs. Personally, I think that job suit him well as he will now be able to scare students straight. Now this is all kind of disappointing to me, not because I am not happy that he got a new job, but now I am not an understudy to anyone. That’s how it was, I was Kori’s understudy. What exactly did I do? Well I would take care of his office, take out the trash, and even occasionally bring him a drink or two at lunch. I was his personal assistant for whatever we needed.

It all started as I was in my first year of the Upward Bound program. I really didn't know anyone. So I thought I would take up opportunity to suck up, err uh, and get to know central staff. As scary as Kori seemed, I got to know him as well as Phil and Brenda (at the time). I would get things for Kori as he asked and it just seemed to stick, and I was deemed understudy. Of course, living in Maryville I could stop by the UB office whenever I wanted, so when I came up the steps and through the office, Kori was always the first one to see me, as he has the prime office that could spot me from fifty feet away. He didn't seem as excited to see me. I also remember Kori coining the term “Ricka-bow-bow-chica-bow-wow” but don’t quote me on spelling. Oh yeah and he always told me that he will go on trip this year, too. Oh well I guess that won’t happen. All in all, Kori is always someone you can turn to, he is full of helpful advice. But don’t miss him too much, he’s not too far away, second floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union. Go visit him, I know I will! 

- Tanner Rickabaugh, Senior SAC Member

Dubstep

Hey guys this is my first S.A.C article so bear with me. If there is one type of music I love it is Dubstep!! I have always loved Dubstep ever since I was introduced to it by another fellow UB student named Hayden Rainey.

One thing I have come to realize is that not everyone feels the same about Dubstep as I do, with its bass drops, lack of words, and computerized sounds. However, I also feel like if you give it a chance you can find a Dubstep song that you enjoy.

Well anyway a point that I want to get across is, believe it or not, that you can relate Dubstep to life!! Yes, it is possible but you are going to have to bear with me like I said before.

O.k. to start I am going to explain a little about how a Dubstep song is put together. First, it starts out relatively normal (for a Dubstep song). Then, out of nowhere it drops off and stops. You almost feel like the song is over, and just when you think all hope is lost the song starts back up into something way more fantastic than ever before. “How does this relate to life?” you may ask, well let me tell you. Suppose you’re walking down the road of life and everything is going pretty good when, BAM! You hit something and it stops you. This thing, this obstacle is blocking your way. You power through this tragedy and get to the other side, your spirits lift and now you feel better than ever before. Life is awesome!

So, my point is that you’re going to have those bad times, and you honestly feel like you should just give up. However, if you just power through, you “just keep swimming”, you never, ever, ever give up. I promise you, it will get better. Then if you get through it, the other side will be way more fantastic than you could have ever hoped.

“Keep calm and Dubstep on.”

-Lucas Raymond, Sophomore SAC Member