KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011 / NEWS
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Alternative Breakdown An in-depth look at several of the 13 Alternative Spring Break projects
A group of 98 KU students won't be taking much of a break next week. Instead, they will be participating in the Alternative Breaks program. Alternative Breaks is a nationwide program that provides students with an opportunity to participate in community building activities across the country. Programs are offered each year during the winter, summer and spring breaks. This year, student volunteers will be split into 13 groups. These groups will then travel to various parts of the country to volunteer with a variety of community service groups for about five days. The graphic below gives a sampling of what some of these students will be doing during their week off from classes.
Johnson's Backyard Garden
Seven students will be heading to Austin, Texas for five days to volunteer labor for Johnson's Backyard Garden (JBG). JBG participates in community supported agriculture that helps to provide fresh produce for the surrounding community. JBG operates on a lending system in which community members pay a subscription fee up front and then receive weekly or bi-weekly shipments of the produce that is being harvested during that season.
Other environmental projects
Three Springs Farm (Carlisle, Ky.)
Zion National Park (Virgin, Utah)
Peter Paul Development Center
Students working with the Peter Paul Development Center in Richmond, Va., will be participating in an afterschool program for students between the ages of eight and 18. The Peter Paul Development Center provides a safe location for students to study and get any academic help that they need. Peter Paul also offers programs for seniors and local families. The organization provides family counselling, community events and a community food bank.
Other educational projects
The Guidance Center (Detroit)
Teach for America (Chicago)
Music Therapy Center of Houston (Houston)
Mid-South Center for Peace and Justice
A group of seven students will be spending their Spring Break in Memphis, Tenn., working with Mid-South Center for Peace and Justice. These students will be working on the GrowMemphis project. The Mid-South Center sponsored the GrowMemphis Project, which promotes urban and community gardening as well as education on sustainability. GrowMemphis also provides a source of food for some of the impoverished parts of the city.
- LGBT Resource Center for the 7 Rivers Region (La Cross, Wis.)
Other activism projects
AIDS Foundation Houston
Members from KU's Alternative Breaks program have been traveling to Houston to volunteer with the AIDS Foundation Houston since Alternative Breaks was brought to KU more than 15 years ago. Founded in 1982, this foundation was the first organization in Texas to be dedicated solely to the prevention of HIV and AIDS. The Foundation works with government and religious organizations to help spread awareness.
Other health projects
■ United Cerebral Palsy (Dallas)
■ Autism Society of Colorado (Lakewood, Colo.)
■ South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (Spartanburg, S. C.)
Graphic by Garrett Griffin KRANSW
—Photos courtesy jborganic.com, petpauldeventer.org, and midsouthpeace.org, and Becca Sheldon-Sherman
Graphic by Garrett Griffin/KANSAN
Ugandan student prepares to lead clan
INTERNATIONAL
BY KELSEY RICHARDSON krichardson@kansan.com
Mugabi Byenkya, a freshman from Uganda, will assume the role of clan leader when he returns home after graduation. He has attended schools in six different countries and participates in many student organizations at KU.
Mugabi Byenkya, a freshman from Uganda, participates in campus activities to help prepare for the leadership of his family's clan in Uganda. By
Contributed Photo
Byenkya
enkya became leader of the Bagombe clan in Western Uganda at the age of 13 after his father passed away and he will return to the clan after graduation.
"When he passed away he left me as clan leader," Byenkya said. "But I was 13 at the time, so I couldn't technically assume the role. I can't assume the role until I get out of school and start working."
Byenkya has lived and attended schools in six different countries His diverse education enabled Byenkya to adjust to the various educational systems around the world. Byenkya has also been exposed to a variety of cultures.
"Moving around teaches you about the similarities between different cultures," Byenkya said. "So it's a lot easier for me to live somewhere new and fit in than for someone who has stayed in the same place their entire life and is used to a certain way of life."
At his high school in Kampala, Uganda, Byenkya wrote and edited for the school newspaper, coached the basketball team and
Byenkya received a full-tuition scholarship from the University and is earning degrees in Environmental Studies and International Studies. He said he hopes to work for an international organization that focuses on preserving the environment.
participated in student council.
Byenkya is the secretary for the International Student Association, a member of the African Student
Association, and he is on the cultural arts committee for Student Union Activities. Hir involvement in these campus groups further aids Byenkya in building his leadership skills, which will carry over to his future role as the Bagombe clan leader.
"I'm a conservationist." Byenkya said.
"As leader of the clan you have to settle any disputes that occur within the clan." Byenkya said.
Issues that Byenkya will have to take care of include family disputes, land disputes and any other
conflicts that may arise within the clan. As clan leader he will also have to organize, set up and attend clan meetings. His main role will be to make sure that everyone in the family is all right.
Edited by Danielle Packer
"My uncles and aunts are taking care of it for me right now," Byenkya said, "But once I get out of school I will have to take over."
Student Senate Notebook
BY ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON
Full Student Senate meets every other Wednesday and met last night for the first time since Feb. 23. Senate meets in the Kansas room of the Kansas Union and all legislation heard must first past through committees, which were held last Wednesday.
Ritter said two free self-defense classes will be available for all students.
SELF-DEFENSE COURSE
Student body vice president Megan Ritter, a junior from Overland Park, confirmed the establishment of a one-hour self-defense course at the Ambler Student Recreation Center.
BIG 12 ON THE HILL
Senate development director Alex Earles, a senior from Salina, said the meetings went well and while the representatives were not necessarily agreeing, they were receptive.
Earles said a day was spent in meetings with committee members regarding the future of Pale grants. The only type of grants that appear to be cut, Earles said, is summer grants.
Five student Senators went to Capitol Hill last week to meet with representatives and committee members to discuss funding for higher education.
"That's good news," Earles said. "I guess."
'GAYPRIL'
With much support and applause from the non-senate members in attendance, Senate passed the bill to fund Queers and Allies Pride Month. Formerly, the event was known as Pride Week and for 20 years lasted for the duration of a week.
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For the 21st Anniversary of Pride Celebration, the entire month of April-dubbed 'Gaypril' will be dedicated to educational events and programs around the University.
Senate approved legislation allocating $5,550 to fund Andrea Gibson,a queer poet and activist; and Mia Mingus,a queer physically disabled woman.
SENATOR CODE OF ETHICS
A bill to amend Student Senate Rules and Regulations to include a Senator Code of Ethics was referred back to the Student Executive staff to clarify the language.
Ritter said Stud Ex hopes the clarity will allow the code of ethics to appear as an appendix in the back of the rules and regulations like a contract for new senators to sign.
The bill's sponsor, student senator Aaron Harris, a senior from Wyandotte and a photographer for The University Daily Kansan, said he is disappointed the bill is going back to Stud Ex when he was unaware of any clarity issues.
underscored the tions's concerns. The travel warning extends to U.S. citizeng already in the country and urges them to consider leaving. The authorized departure offers voluntary evacuation to family members and dependents of U.S. personnel in Tokyo, Yokohama
INTERNATIONAL
President Barack Obama placed a telephone call to Prime Minister Naoto Kan to discuss Japan's efforts to recover from last week's devastating earthquake and tsunami, and the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Dai-chi plant. Obama promised Kan that the U.S. would offer constant support for its close friend and ally.
WASHINGTON The United States on Wednesday authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of Japan, taking a tougher stand on the deepening nuclear crisis and warning U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to any part of the country as unpredictable weather and wind conditions risked spreading radioactive contamination.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
But a hastily organized teleconference with officials from the State and Energy Departments assisted the administra-
US advises Americans to evacuate Japan
Senior State Department official Patrick Kennedy said chartered planes will be brought in to help private American citizens wishing to leave. People face less risk in southern Japan, but changing weather and wind conditions could raise radiation levels elsewhere in the coming days, he said.
The decision to begin evacuations mirrors moves by countries such as Australia and Germany, who also advised their citizens to consider leaving Tokyo and other earthquake-affected areas. Tokyo, which is about 170 miles from the stricken nuclear complex, has reported slightly elevated radiation levels, though Japanese officials have said the increase was too small to threaten the 39 million people in and around the capital.
JAY CARNEY White House spokesman
and Nagoya and affects some 600 people.
"This is what we would do if the incident were happening in the Unites States."
Earlier Wednesday, the Obama administration urged the evacuation of Americans from a 50-mile radius of the stricken nuclear plant, raising questions about U.S. confidence in Tokyo's risk assessments. Japan's government was urging people within 20 miles to stay indoors if they could not evacuate.
White House spokesman Jay Carney sought to minimize any rift between the two allies, saying U.S. officials were making their recommendations based on their independent analysis of the data coming out of the region following Friday's massive earthquake and tsunami.
"I will not from here judge the Japanese evaluation of the data," Carney told reporters. "This is what we would do if this incident were happening in the United States."
Conditions at the nuclear plant continued to deteriorate, with surging radiation forcing Japan
to order workers to temporarily withdraw. Obama met at the White House with Gregory Jaczko, chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who recommended the wider evacuation zone.
During testimony on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Jaczko said anyorfe who gets close to the plant could face potentially lethal doses of radiation.
"We believe radiation levels are extremely high" he said.
The Pentagon said U.S. troops working on relief missions can within 50 miles to the plant with approval. Spokesman Col. David Lapan said the U.S. would review requests from the Japanese for assistance that would require troops to move within that radius, though no approval for such movement had been given since the stricter guidelines were enacted.
The Pentagon said troops are receiving anti-radiation pills before missions to areas where radiation exposure is likely.
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