Laptops have been disappearing all over campus. (Graphic by Jacob Gibbs/Collegiate)

Scholarships given during banquet
By Marcus J Reynolds
Collegiate Staff Writer

The Milo Brown scholarship was awarded to four students at the 27th annual Giants Awards Banquet.

The now deceased Milo Brown, owner of Brown Funeral services, started the scholarship 23 years ago.

This year’s 2008-2009 winners were Sabrina James, Daniel Shaw, E. Brysien Beer and Benjamin W. Logan.

As the recipients posed Saturday night with the customary oversized checks in hand, they beamed with pride as they witnessed all of their hard work recognized.

Sabrina James, youth services major, overcame drugs and the death of her mother ten years ago to drug addiction. Now ten years sober she gives back by mentoring young girls at the Abney Academy, in the Kids Hope program.

“Showing up for somebody else gives me satisfaction. I like to see the smile on the kids faces,” James said. The symbolic check only serves as a replica of the $1000 that will be added to the students accounts next year.

Daniel Shaw, third year occupational therapy student and peer academic coach said, “I like to see the growth in students taking responsibility for their growth in academic life. It’s exciting to help students reach their full potential through tutoring.”

Daniel’s inspiration and mentor is Dr. John Hair, former Dean for Davenport College and CNN correspondent.

“Hair taught me the importance of knowledge of myself and never to give up,” Shaw said.

The selected winners were judged by grade point average, difficulty of classes, letters of recognition and community involvement.

E. Brysien Beer, violin instrumentalist and vocal student, earned the right to hold the check because of his excellence in mathematics, linguistics, philosophy and set theory.

“I value education and knowledge…. reading the autobiography of brain surgeon Ben Carson inspired me to be determined to succeed at whatever I do,” Beer said.

Beer is the first chair violinist for GRCC’s Chamber Quartet, tenor in Shades of Blue and baritone in the concert choir.

As one of a group of board members who administer the Milo Brown scholarship award, David Selmon introduced the idea of using the model checks eight years ago from reading an article in Ebony Magazine.

“United Way used the concept while fundraising for the United Negro College Fund so we thought it would be a way for the kids to feel excited and spice up the program,” Selmon said.“The facsimile check and monies the students receive serves the purpose of inspiring and rewarding well rounded students.”

The checks are used as a model for the money that the students receive for their service to the community and academic studies.

Benjamin W. Logan, son of Judge Benjamin Logan, grinned as gripped the check, reflecting on the inspirations that brought him to this point.

“God is the center and my parents instilled in me certain morals and standards that help me to remember the less fortunate,” Logan said.

Logan gives back as lifetime member of the NAACP and works with the United Way.

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Panel disscusses solutions to violence
ByYirssi Bergman
Managing Editor

A panel of community members and an audience of GRCC students and staff gathered to discuss the violence that plagues our communities, and how to stop it.

The event, called “In Remembrance of: ANTI-Violence Community Panel,” was hosted by the Black Student Union (BSU).

The panel was moderated by Andrea “DJ SuperDre” Wallace, who said the ”purpose of the program is to examine drug involvement, and gang activity. Things that affect our community.”

Panel members included Aaron McDonald, nicknamed DJ Head Debiase, who at 28 said he has seen a lot of violence in his life.

“I’ve seen people shot, jumped… I’ve seen people get their throats slit.” McDonald said. “It’s time for a change, and it starts in the home.”

Another panelist was Robert Hill, from California. “A lot of people that are put in this situation don’t have any other outlet, don’t have anywhere to go but the streets,” Hill said.

LaTarro Traylor, the third panelist, grew up in the inner city, but excelled academically, and is now in Cooley Law School.

The fourth panelist was Elder Talib El-Amin who said that violence “is a mind set, we have to change our minds, and our hearts. I believe it can be done.”

The last panelist was Commissioner Elias Lumpkins. “If people of all colors, all shades, all ethnic backgrounds work together we can move the world,” Lumpkins said.

The first question presented to the panel tried to determine the reasons why young people are drawn to lifestyles that lead to violence.

Both El-Amin and Traylor expressed their belief that media is part of the reason. “TV is the greatest programming tool,” El-Amin said.

Traylor also said that it’s about parental control. “Kids these days don’t know better, and they don’t care, and it’s like ‘where are the parents?’,” Traylor said.

This sentiment was seconded by Commissioner Elias Lumpkins, when told that some people think that the efforts by the city to thwart the violence is not perceived as effective by some.

“There is a need for more parental community involvement needed,” Lumpkins said.

He added, “Education is key, not only what’s in the books, because not everything is in the books. If the educational system goes, you lose the workforce population.”

The discussion then turned to the possible solutions to the violence.

The strategies reached by the panel and the audience members would be taken by Lumpkins and also submitted to Mayor Heartwell, in hopes that some would be implemented.

McDonald said that people need to be pointed in the right direction.

On the other hand, El-Amin said, “we need to teach people to work on themselves. We need to teach self-responsibility, instead of selling poison. We need to develop entrepreneurial institutes, there aren’t jobs, so we have to be job creators.”

Many of the audience members spoke of community involvement. Some ideas talked about were that of doing a mentor group, or being part of programs like “Big Brother, Big Sister.”

One of the audience members, Secretary of Interdisciplinary studies Penni Wininger agreed with that.

“Parents often get blame for not being around for their kids when many are doing the best they can. Students can help the families,” Wininger said.

El-Amin said that it’s “up to you to be that beacon, be that example” and helping out in the community is one way that that can be done.

Audience member and GRCC student Chaz Rodriguez said that community involvement helped him from resorting to violence.

He said growing up he witnessed and was victim to a lot of violence, from almost being mugged, to being jumped. He said he remembers once, in third grade, when a kid pointed a gun at him, cocked it, and told him he had three seconds to run.

Rodriguez said that being part of Habitat for Humanity was one of the things that helped him stay away from the violence.

Jackie Ross, BSU secretary believes that “the panel came out with some good strategies to help start good things in the community.”

But although BSU advisor, Sara Hill, also said she was satisfied, she said she wished the strategies were more specific.

“A lot of people talk the talk, but when it comes to walking, where are they?” Sara said.

Commissioner Elias Lumpkins had a sign up sheet for volunteers interested in coming together and working on the strategies. Eight people were signed up, Hill said.

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Laptops stolen from Science Center
By Ryan Lenau
Collegiate Staff Writer

Police reports indicated the theft of ten GRCC owned laptops from the Calkins Science Center earlier this January.

“It’s more of a coincidence then anything else. Laptops are taken because they are easily pawned for money,” said Lieutenant Woolworth of the GRCC police.

Jason Tenney, a current GRCC student, commented that the situation reminds him “of the laptop theft that happened back in 2004. You know, the one where a bunch of student’s information was taken.”

The 2004 theft included computers that held vital student information such as names, addresses, and social security numbers.

When Woolworth was asked if any of the ten laptops held any important personal information he said, “I don’t believe so. If there had been any vital information, then we would have notified people.”

Police are trying to retrieve the stolen computers.

“The school has installed special G.P.S. tracking software onto the laptops,” Lieutenant Woolworth said. “When the computers are hooked up to the internet then we can track them down.”

If the information on the hard drive were wiped then the police would have little to go on to retrieve the laptops.

While the theft is a major concern to the GRCC police department, they do not believe that it is anything that students should be worried about. Police recommend that students should keep track of their things to avoid them being stolen.

“Students carrying laptops is not uncommon,” Woolworth said. “It is hard to notice when one has been taken.”

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See Collegiate February 11, 2009 Print Edition for these regional and national news stories.

Bank Executives will explain to the house
By Lisa Zagaroli
MCT Wire
Washington- The nation's largest banks battling an image of jet-setting executives with multimillion- dollar salaries will face tough scrutiny on Wenesday.

Elections in Isreal are too close to call
By Joel Greenburg
MCT Wire
Jerusalem- Israelis are votig Tuesday after an election race that has become too close to call and may not deliver a clear winner.

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