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Check out more news w a s h b u r n r e v i e w . org A3 News • Wednesday, April 11, 2012 Washburn students volunteer in a BIG way Washburn students take volunteering to the next level on April 14 at WSGA’s new an- nual volunteer project, the BIG Event. Three hundred students have registered to spend several hours of their Saturday to help at more than 20 sites including YMCA, American Red Cross, Topeka Zoo and many others. Shelbie Konkel, a soph- omore history and political science double major, got the idea for the BIG Event after she and fellow students visited a student government conference at Texas A&M. The event is a joint coopera- tion with the Bonner Leader- ship Program. “Our hope is to make this a long-term, annual event and for WSGA to include other on-campus departments and organiza- tions,” said Konkel. One particular project will include students clean- ing and painting a school gym white so that students can paint their handprints on it. Another project will also help youth at The Villages, a group home. Konkel acknowledged that the projects couldn’t be carried out without sponsors’ support. “We really couldn’t be doing this without the help of sponsors like Lowe’s, Target, Planet Sub and Frito Lay,” said Konkel. Students are optimistic their efforts will be benefi- cial. “I think I will have a positive impact, and that I will be helping a lot people,” said Abbie Boyda, a sophomore ra- diology major. Boyda, is a member of Delta Gamma, will volunteer with members of the sorority at a food packing plant. Konkel added that sorori- ties and fraternities volunteer- ing would also receive extra points for Greek Week. In ad- dition, some organizations will participate because volunteer hours are a requirement for re- ceiving funding from WSGA. “In the past, there wasn’t much opportunity. It’s great for students to have a chance for volunteering and when you give Washburn students a chance to help, they usually don’t turn it down,” said Konkel. Registration for the event is closed, but if students are still interested in volunteering, they should email shelbie.kon- [email protected] in order to do so. Graphic by Katie Child , Washburn Review Summer Workman WASHBURN REVIEW Summer Workman is a senior English major. Reach her at summer.workman@washburn. edu. The Church of the Latter Day Saints dedicate new temple On April 4, Washburn Uni- versity hosted its annual spring “Nall Speak Off.” For public speaking stu- dents, the event is designed to showcase the student’s voices in front of a panel of judges in the hopes of winning a $500 scholarship sponsored by Rob- ert Nall, a 1990 graduate of the communication department at Washburn University. Anyone who has ever taken part of one of the public speak- ing courses offered at Washburn University knows that taking part in the “Nall Speak Off” is both a challenging and valuable experience regarding talents in public speaking. Many stu- dents who are part of the public speaking course have a slight fear of public speaking. That’s why instructors of the public speaking course would all like their students to participate; not only does the scholarship competition offer a chance for the students to over- come their fear, but it also gives them a chance to watch others perform in a learning environ- ment. This year, as the spring “Nall Speak Off” commenced, 16 young students prepared and performed their speeches in front of four preliminary judges in two separate rooms of mor- gan. Then, as the judges make cuts for the final round, all con- testants moved into Henderson room 100. The final round consisted of six students who were chosen by the preliminary judges, those students being: Sarah Barnett, Angelique Flinn, Shuyue Chen, Gabrielle Ruiz, Pan Wang and Vanessa Baker. As anxious as ever, all competitors patiently awaited their performance or- der, and then the competition began. First, Vanessa Baker spoke to the judges panel about in- ternet addiction in her speech, entitled “8 Hours a Day.” Next, Shuyue Chen gave a colorful presentation to the audience and judges about “Color Psycholo- gy.” Third, Gabrielle Ruiz gave an emotionally fueled speech over “Sex Trafficking.” Then, Pan Wang informed the judge’s panel and audience members with the history of “Fortune Cookies.” Angelique Flinn then presented her speech over the “Oxfam American Leadership,” and how it has affected her life personally. Last but not least, Sarah Barnett gave her speech over the “Difference between Medical Doctors and Doctors of Osteopathic medicine.” After patiently waiting for the judge’s results, the final rankings were announced as each contestant came forwards and shook Robert Nall’s hand as they received their award. Speak Off: Sarah Barnett accepts her first place award from Robet Nall, sponsor of the “Nall Speak Off.” Sixteen students competed for scholarships in the speak off on April 4. “The Nall Speak Off” is designed to challenge students and give them valuable public speaking opportunities. This year’s winning speech by Barnett covered the topic of the “difference between medical doctors and doctors of osteopathic medicine.” Jordan Loomis WASHBURN REVIEW Photo by Andrew Escandon, Washburn Review Students showcase verbal skills in the annual ‘speak off’ Dollar Sign: Construction workers place the new $15,000 electronic sign in front the Memorial Union on Monday. In Feburary, the Washburn Student Government Association passed a bill that included the pro- posal to purchase and install the sign. WSGA decided that it was a better investment to purchase a new sign instead of constantly fixing the old one. The previous sign had problems with bulbs burning out. Photo by Ryan Burge Washburn Review 1. Sarah Barnett 2. Angelique Flinn 3. Schuyue Chen 4. Gabrielle Ruiz 5. Pan Wang 6. Vanessa Baker. Speak Off winners Mormons in the Midwest now have a new place of wor- ship, as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints an- nounced the completion and opening of their new temple in Kansas City, Mo. The public is being invited to come see the new astound- ing temple for the open house, which runs from April 7 to April 28, excluding Sundays. The open house was extended another week to accommodate the large numbers of people eager to see the new tem- ple. Its con- struc- tion was first an- nounced in 2008, and construction for the temple began in May 2010. After its recent completion, it became the second Latter-day Saints Temple in Missouri. The other temple in Missouri is in St. Louis, built in 1997, but the closest one, besides the new temple in Kansas City, is lo- cated in Omaha, Neb. This makes the Kansas City temple one of 137 Church of Latter-day Saint temples in the whole world. While the outside of the temple is astonishing in structure, with spires reach- ing over 100 feet, the inside is beautifully ornate, as well. “It is a significant element of our faith,” said Boyd Chap- pell, Washburn School of Law student, “and having a temple so close in Kansas City will al- low students to go to the temple without the burden of a lengthy trip to Omaha.” Over 70,000 people have already made reservations to see the temple, both from the general public and Latter-day Saints. The open house tours are free, and reservations can be made at the temple’s web- site: kansascitymormontemple. org. The tours will consist of a 12-minute video presentation before a 30 minute tour of the in- side of the tem- ple, start- ing in the meet- inghouse near the grounds. “The temples are used to do sacred ritu- als and ordinances that they can’t do in meetinghouses,” said Justin Ellgen, who gradu- ated from Brigham Young Uni- versity in 2009, majoring in agriculture. “It’s nice to have some place close to do that.” Meetinghouses are used for Sunday worship services and other social activities, with thousands of different meet- inghouses all over the world. Temples are used for sacred practices and are not made to hold big groups of people, but more so for families who want to strengthen their relationships to God. Ellgen, who will be help- ing with tours of the temple on Friday, April 13, said that he is looking forward to showing people around, through each room and explaining its pur- pose, and that he has enjoyed learning more about the tem- ple. “I think it will be good for LDS Washburn students,” said Ellgen. “It will enhance their faith and commitment, and it’s always good to experience and participate.” The temple will be formal- ly dedicated on May 6, which means that a special ceremony will be held in which a special prayer is said to desig- nate the struc- ture for the work of God and to bless the temple and the grounds. Dedication ceremonies like this are held every time a new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building is constructed. A cel- ebration for the dedication will be held the evening prior. “The temple open house gives everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, the oppor- tunity to see inside a Mormon temple and learn first-hand what takes place inside the temple,” said Chappell. Tanner Ballengee WASHBURN REVIEW Tanner Ballengee is a senior English major. Reach him at tanner.ballengee@washburn. edu Graphic by Katie Child , Washburn Review Jordan Loomis is a freshman double major in mass media and art. She can be reached at [email protected].
