THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014
PAGE 3
+
Jayhawks Dream aims to educate juveniles
DEREK SKILLETT
@derekskillett
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
@derekskillett
Founders of Jayhawks Dream, from left: Jolene Gilkey, Jaime Hay, Alex Kinkead, Grace Jones and Courtney Huffman.
A new student organization has sprung up at the University of Kansas. Jayhawks Dream, founded by six University students, aims to help educate youth living within state juvenile correctional facilities.
The founders of the organization said they decided to create it after they took an alternative break service trip to Ohio to see the Department of Youth Services.
"We met the Director for Social Change at the Ohio State University, who runs a program called Buckeye Reach. She works on literacy development with college students," said Alex Kinkead, a junior from Omaha, Neb., and president of Jayhawks Dream. "We're focusing on different aspects of literacy. Taking the ideas we saw from Ohio and adding a Jayhawk twist."
Jaime Hay, a sophomore from Lenexa, and vice president of development, elaborated on what Jayhawks Dream does.
"We'll be going into facilities and working with incarcerated youth and building relationships with them and being mentors to show them what it's like to be in college, and be a role model for them, as well as teaching them basic literacy skills." Hay said.
Some of the founders soon realized the experience was more personal than they thought.
"It's not just us going in to help them," said Courtney Huffman, a junior from Lawrence, and vice president of external affairs for Jayhawks Dream. "We all gained a huge new perspective. We're hoping
to gain just as much from it as who we'll be working with."
"Jayhawks Dream" is more than just a clever name. Grace Jones, a senior from Chicago and vice president of membership, said the name was partly inspired by Buckeye Reach. The Dream part of the name stands for "Developing Relationships through Education and Mentorship."
"We're focusing on different aspects of literacy. Taking the ideas we saw from Ohio and adding a Jayhawk twist."
ALEX KINKEAD
President of Jayhawks Dream
Jolene Gilkey, a senior from Wichita and vice president of internal affairs, helped explain why the youth in juvenile correctional institutions need the help of college students.
"Due to the environment
that some of these juveniles grew up in, they don't have the same opportunities as us," Gilkey said. "They go to school where they don't have the same opportunities as other students, so they aren't doing as well. They're not being taught the importance of education or the difference between right and wrong."
Gilkey said it was important for students to be role models for the incarcerated youth, so they can go to school and succeed.
Kinlead said he hopes this organization lives on well after he graduates, and that younger freshmen and sophomores will join the program.
The sixth founding member, Drew Carlburg, a senior from Fredonia, was not present at the interview.
"This connection is going to be great for KU," he said.
Edited by Lyndsey Havens
City reacts to response from unauthorized tweet
DALTON KINGERY
@daltonkingnews
The City of Lawrence Twitter account, @lawrenceks, is responding to a message tweeted at 9:15 p.m. on Sept. 6.
The tweet has sparked controversy among the account's followers, with Twitter users responding negatively after reading it as victim-blaming.
"#KU_Football lwomen reminder to trust your instincts and avoid being a victim @ lawrencefire and @RAINN" read the tweet.
"The tweet was unauthorized," said Megan Gilliland, the communications manager for the City of Lawrence. "It wasn't tweeted from our office, and we're looking into the matter."
Gilliland said the passwords to the account are being
changed and the office would be looking into the security of its online accounts.
Sara Anderson, a senior from Lindsborg, said it was inappropriate because it placed blame on women, who are the largest demographic of sexual assault survivors.
"It wasn't tweeted from our office, and we're looking into the matter."
MEGAN GILLILAND Communications manager for City of Lawrence
"The tweet also completely ignores the men and gender queer survivors of sexual assault," Anderson said. "The tweet also fails to address the
larger issue — we tell women to trust their instincts, yet we don't tell the perpetrators of these crimes to stop sexually assaulting people."
On Monday morning, the City of Lawrence Twitter account began responding to users who had responded to the original tweet. The tweet has since been deleted.
"The City of Lawrence did not authorize this tweet and it was not made by an employee. We are looking into the matter," the response tweet read.
The message was repeated to all users who had responded to the original tweet.
Check Kansan.com daily for comprehensive coverage of sexual assault-related issues.
-Edited by Alex Lamb
University student hit by car near Allen Fieldhouse now at KU Hospital
A student who was struck by a vehicle Saturday afternoon in front of Allen Fieldhouse has been identified as Joshua Wepking, a senior from Lansing. He is in serious condition, said Captain Anguiano of the KU Public Safety Office.
AMELIA ARVESEN/KANSAN
Officers inspect the vehicle that hit a student Saturday afternoon.
Wepking was airlifted to the KU Medical Center after Public Safety Officers arrived at the scene, and then was transferred to KU Hospital.
Sgt. John Dietz of the Public Safety Office said University police were dispatched at 2:47 p.m. to the 1500 block of Irving Hill Road, where the accident occurred.
Wepking was alert and conscious as he was airlifted to KU Medical Center, Dietz said.
After the accident, Wepking seemed to be in good spirits as he reached out to his followers on Twitter.
"Man, I feel like I just got hit by a car. #nailedit," said Wepking in a
tweet on Sunday morning.
KU Medical Center confirmed that Wepking is at the hospital, but could not disclose his exact condition at this time.
According to Dietz, the case is still under investigation.
still under investigation:
Check Kansan.com for updates
— Alicia Garza