Not everyone knows what they want to do when they grow up, but Elizabeth Davis has been molded for the stage since she was in the womb. Her mother was directing a show while she was pregnant with Elizabeth.
The actress says her family helped infuse her with the passion and affinity for all things “theater.” “But the transition from educational theatre to professional was a path I forged alone,” she said.
Davis attended Channing High School. A couple of plays she performed in were “Pygmalion” and “The Madwoman of Chaillot.” She received her bachelor of fine arts degree at Baylor University in theater performance and her master’s from Cleveland Play House/Case Western Reserve University...
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A view of the campus from a wheelchair
Stuck in the sliding glass doors.
Well, crap.
A million thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to maneuver the wheelchair through the now closed doors of Lynn Library on the Washington Street Campus. Embarrassment, frustration and an edge of humor sifted through my gut as I shoved the doors away from me with one arm and attempted to wheel myself through with the other – all the while keeping my legs limp as if I could not use them. Apparently the sensor was too high up and no longer recognized my presence.
Great.
On the other side of the door I faced a new obstacle: wheeling myself down the ramp slowly enough to maintain control of my chair...
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Sports build character. They help us interact with others and build leadership in some. They keep us in shape. Sports keep kids active and, most of the time, out of trouble, too.
Schools need athletics, and students do as well. Playing a sport while getting an education can release stress. It can provide escape from the world and give you something to focus on – something that is worth your time.
Most people would agree that a high school or college without sports wouldn’t be the same. In fact, some people might not even attend if there were no sports.
Some community colleges lack good sports programs because most students don’t attend for four years. It’s hard to build a good program when everyone leaves so quickly. But that’s not to say sports is not worth having.
Many high school students attend a community college before going to a four-year university. It saves on cost and prepares students who want to attend a university. For those students, time spent at a community college can be short-lived. But who is to say you shouldn’t stay active and play sports at the same time? Most students would. But when it comes time to leave and attend a university, how do you just leave?
Chris Rubio, a senior at Texas Tech University, knows what it feels like. After high school, Rubio attended North Central Texas Community College. It was there that he was able to get some basics out of the way, work and save up to attend Texas Tech. And with all that, he still found a way to continue to do what he loved: play hockey.
Rubio has played hockey since middle school. He played goalie for his high school team and was able to continue playing while attending NCTCC.
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STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERT. There is nothing sweet about the effects of stress on your body, however.
Stress does not discriminate by age or sex. It has no religious preference or ethnic barriers. The problem isn’t necessarily stress itself but how you handle it that can make a difference in your life.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise says there are two types of stress. Acute (short-term stress) is the body’s instant response to a situation that seems demanding or dangerous. Chronic (long-term stress) is caused by stressful situations that last over a long period of time.
Common symptoms of stress can include a fast heartbeat, a headache, a stiff neck and/or tight shoulders, back pain, fast breathing, sweating and sweaty palms. It even can consist of an upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea, according to WebMD.
Constant stress can weaken your immune system. Problems that already have arisen from stress can become worse. Stress can affect your skin by making acne and psoriasis more problematic. It even has been linked to low fertility and erectile problems.
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Students juggle full-time work, school
Enjoying a night out with friends, finding time for a pedicure, catching a good game, taking the kids to the park or going to the latest movie can be challenging events in the lives of some students.
College students who work full-time and take on a full-time school schedule may find it difficult to have a life outside the walls of the classroom or even their own homes.
While there are those who are content to put their social life on hold, others have found ways to juggle their responsibilities, enabling them to maintain a little extra time for fun.
“I write everything down that has to be done daily and check-mark the item as I go to ensure that everything gets done,” said Tracy Bounsing, a biology major. She makes Saturday her night to get out unless there’s an exam that week.
Single moms have additional obstacles to overcome when trying to cram everything in. Dinner, laundry, extracurricular taxiing and assisting their children with homework can add to the stress of finding time to focus on their own homework or have a social life.
Jessica Webber, an education major, described her social life as “non-existent.” As a single mom of four, Webber said a full-time job and full-time school can be pretty stressful, but she credits online classes for allowing her to get through it.
“I fit it all in when the kids go to bed, which means late nights and on the weekends,” she said. “I also happen to be highly organized.”
Family and friends can become a valuable part in allowing burdened students to get through this time in their lives.
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Students hit the track after school, work hours
Route 66 Motor Speedway is a 3/8-mile dirt track. People come from all over to join the fun whether they are spectators or racing themselves.
Owner Bill Worthen opened the track, located at 3601 E. Amarillo Blvd., in 1994. With the talk of the economy falling, it’s a wonder how people – especially college students – can afford to participate in such sports.
“As far as local racing, profit was up this year,” Worthen said. He said he believes the increase is partly due to the nice weather Amarillo has seen this season and the idea that people are staying closer to home and finding things to do rather than taking long vacations.
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Yes, AC used to have intercollegiate athletics
From the time when the Texas Panhandle was settled, sports have held central importance to the residents. In the book, “Pride of the Plains: 50 Years of the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame,” the Aug. 5, 1898, issue of “The Amarillo Weekly News” reports a “round up” of cowboys in Plainview. Participants competed against each other in “sack races, a roping contest, gander pulling and Broncho Busting.”
Although sports have changed and grown through the years, interest in sports has continued in the Panhandle up to the present day. Right in the middle of that sporting activity has been Amarillo College.
From the early days of the school, students who had played sports from the time they could walk wanted to continue playing at the collegiate level. Famous athletes, coaches and personalities got their start here...
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College students finally are getting a break, but it’s not in the classroom. Various companies and organizations are starting to participate in offering student discounts for their services. Student discounts are available for students in various categories. In Amarillo, there are several opportunities where being a student can pay off, and college students actually can save money.
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In every man’s life, there is a driving force. For some it can be the pursuit of a lifelong dream –for others the need to make a name for themselves in the world.
For many, it takes a woman to get them out of the stands and onto the track. Still others live in opposition, sheer defiance guiding their every step.
For a select few, a far greater passion guides them in their way of life. Those men have the ability to know what their life’s work will be.
Such is the case of Drew Griffin. At the age of 28, he left a dead-end job and with nothing more than his ideals, a bike and some hand-me-downs – and of course, his trusty car – he set out to make his own way in this world.
His life would be forever altered and improved by the experiences that were to follow.
While living in Houston, Griffin caught wind of the renewable resources program that was to begin in 2009 at Amarillo College.
Having always had a soft spot for the environment and a growing desire to help his fellow man, Griffin quickly made contact with the program’s director, Jack Stanley.
Stanley informed Drew that the program was set to begin that spring and that he was first on the list.
“I told him I’d be there tomorrow,” Griffin said.
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Local artists fuel shows with passion in Amarillo's dives
In a town such as Amarillo, entertainment options have limitations.
Depending on the season, you could cool off at the water park or attempt the rides at the amusement park. Several popular restaurant chains straddling I-40 appeal to passers-by, and downtown Amarillo offers good restaurants and nightclubs. But for an everyday Amarillo crowd, your options may not be so widespread.
Cue the local musician.
They are all over Amarillo, but only a select few play the local bars and hotspots around town. Live. Raw. Completely personified as a group of guys who for a few hours on a Saturday night bang out some great songs in triumphant unison. Playing classic rock covers or their own originals, all are heartfelt and passionate. The speakers ooze sounds of melodic pleasure, and vocal cords screech rhythmic lyricism.
The guys who make up the local band scene in Amarillo have many differences, but all share one similarity: chemistry. It’s in the air, it’s on the stage and it lingers on their faces for the few seconds between songs.
“The camaraderie was important,” said guitarist Cory Flamming. “If you have a stressful life, that routine release is definitely something to look forward to.”
Flamming, 30, though currently not in a band, has been playing the guitar for 15 years. His father gave him his first guitar, an Airline, when he was 5 years old. Instead of becoming a true talent then, Flamming basically “tore it up.” When he finally did pick the guitar up to officially hone his skills, he discovered his love for making music.
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