Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism

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2014 Archive - page 3

Oklahoma Writing Project sends teachers back to school

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by Lauren Szmutko Despite popular belief, teachers still go to school to learn. The National Writing Project focuses on teachers teaching teachers. “It has definitely improved my teaching style and writing ability of my first grade students,” said Charlotte Fiekor, a Putnam City elementary teacher. Fiekor attended a 2014 summer workshop by the Oklahoma Writing Project  on The University of Oklahoma campus. It’s one of two National Writing Project sites in Oklahoma. The other is the OSU Writing Project at Oklahoma State University. Established by Jim Gray in 1974, the National Writing Project has more than 200 sites. A university’s…

Live each day

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by Jordan Evans Artist Ryan Harris learned this lesson early when his cousin committed suicide. This event continues to be a major influence on his screen-printing. “It’s a really tough sort of gray area when I create something because it’s coming from such a dark place, but it’s trying to be good,” Harris said. “And that can be well received by people that get it.” Harris’ first expressions of art were through poetry and photography during his adolescent years. His uncle was a professional artist and was one of his first role models. Harris entered OU as an international business…

Kiowa member ‘Wondo’ competes in World Cup

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  by Chase Bryer  Soccer and this year’s FIFA World Cup have some new fans – the Kiowa Tribe. Chris Wondolowski, a 31-year-old forward on the U.S. Men’s National Team, has inspired his people by becoming the first enrolled member of the Kiowa Tribe to compete in the World Cup. He also has sparked an interest in the game of soccer for Kiowas everywhere. “No one ever even thought of watching soccer. Now that he’s playing, … everyone’s watching soccer,” said Steve Quetone, Kiowa Nation Sports Club director. “Just the idea of knowing that we have a Kiowa that’s succeeded…

Some local teen workers can’t catch a break

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by Richelle Hallows As 17-year-old Sheila Seat handed a customer a snow cone, she thought about how she had been standing for at least five hours and wanted to sit. A Norman High School student, Seat spends 25 hours a week working at Eskimo Sno without ever being able to take a break. “We receive no breaks ever,” she said. “It really pisses me off that we don’t get breaks. If we even sit down, we’ll get fired.” Eskimo Sno’s owner sees it differently, noting that usually “only one person is working the shift, so if they had a break…

Micah Roberts

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by Destiny Washington At 16, Micah Roberts is doing more activities than many teenagers his age. A day usually consists of waking up for early morning band practice, going to school, yearbook club, and then after-school band or showchoir practice in his hometown of Lawton, Okla. “I enjoy being involved and meeting new people,” Roberts said. He has been playing the French horn for five years. “I used to play the trumpet, but I hated it,” he said. Roberts is the first chair in the MacArthur High School Band. “I love music,” he said. “All the friendships I’ve made have…

Walking across parking lots in the dark

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by Maria Chaves Two and a half months ago, I started my first job at a sushi place 10 minutes from my home. As an introvert, I tried to find my place in the fast-paced environment. I was one of three women who worked there. One was an assistant manager. The other was a cashier. We didn’t always work together. Most shifts, I found myself working with men. It wasn’t a problem. They were courteous and extremely helpful, not to mention highly entertaining. At the end of the day, I would leave work at 9:30 p.m., with a bag of…

OU alums screen their work at film festival

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by Camila Gonzalez Making movies isn’t easy, especially when a filmmaker doesn’t have a big budget or A-list actors. But University of Oklahoma alumni at the 2014 deadCENTER Film Festival in Oklahoma City proved these aren’t needed to make great films. Dylan Cox liked playing basketball in front of a crowd, so it made sense for him to become an actor. His first acting job was in a lottery commercial during his time at OU. At first, he had “no aspirations” to be a director and producer. But he loved working with a good team to get a project done.…

Bringing an end to animal shelter killing

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by Dyneisha Kornegay Every day, thousands of adoptable animals are euthanized in shelters throughout the U.S. Historically, animals have been euthanized when they are healthy and adoptable. Given patience and time, these animals would eventually be adopted. Luckily, some animals get to live in no-kill shelters. Though not able to happen within the snap of our fingers, more no-kill shelters can be possible. Francis Battista has become a key thought leader in the no-kill movement. His animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, is the largest no-kill shelter for companion animals in the U.S. An article on Forbes.com states, “Best Friends Animal…

‘Locavores’ flock to Norman Farm Market

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by Jordan Evans When Bucky Gibson worked in the Wal-Mart loading docks, he noticed that food crates sat for days until the produce wasn’t fresh. He began to realize consumers had better options than buying food from chain supermarkets. Now the owner of a two-acre farm, Gibson controls not only how fast the products make it to consumers but also how the fruit and vegetables are grown. He runs the farm with the help of his mother, who has grown produce for years. Together, they are able to provide fresher, more natural food, which he sells at area farmers markets.…

’13 Storms left animals homeless

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  by Caitlyn Minton On a 10-acre plot with plenty of grass, sunshine and a small pond to drink from, Amy the donkey is living well a year after she was caught in the May 2013 tornado outbreak in Oklahoma. The storms left not only humans but also pets and livestock homeless. Thousands of cattle, at least 300 horses, nearly 25 goats and one llama died from the tornados or their injuries, said Zoe Midyett, owner and operator of Red Dirt Tack and Feed of Edmond. About 45 horses, donkeys and mules found their way to Equine Medical Associates (EMA)…

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