Date: 2/8/00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Lou Honary, UNI associate professor and ABIL Director, (319) 352-5218
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa—Lou Honary, University of Northern Iowa professor and director of the Ag-Based Industrial Lubricants (ABIL) Research Program, was recently awarded the Commodity Promotion Award from the Bremer County Corn and Soybean Corporation.
“The award honors those individuals who get people to use more corn and soybeans,” said Marc Mueller, a representative of the Bremer County Corn and Soybean Corporation.
According to Mueller, Honary has spoken to organizations across the state and works to generate publicity for ABIL research.
“We've appreciated what he's done for the industry,” continued Mueller.
Established in 1991, the UNI-ABIL Research Program is nationally recognized as a leader in the development and commercialization of soybean-based industrial lubricants. The program brings together research and testing to identify soybean oil characteristics and match them to appropriate industrial use.
For more information, contact Honary at (319) 352-5218.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Roy Behrens, professor of art, (319) 273-2260
Vicki Grimes, UNI Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa—Roy Behrens, University of Northern Iowa professor of art, and five students will be featured on the Friday, Feb. 11 edition of Iowa Public Television's “Living in Iowa” at 8:30 p.m., focusing on Behrens' long-term research of the relationship between art and camouflage. The show will be repeated on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
“For about 25 years, I have researched and written about the historic involvement of artists, designers and architects in the development of military camouflage during World War I and II in the United States, England, France and other countries,” said Behrens.
In 1981, Behrens published one of the first books on the subject, titled Art and Camouflage: Concealment and Deception in Nature, Art and War. He has been consulted or interviewed by the Public Broadcasting Service program, “Nova”; BBC's “Equinox”; The Discovery Channel; the Imperial War Museum in London; NATO; and others. Behrens is also the editor of Ballast Quarterly Review.
“Living in Iowa” will also focus on how his research is related to his classroom teaching, the art that he makes and his personal life. The film crew made a visit to Behrens' farm in Dysart where they spoke to him, as well as his wife, artist Mary Snyder Behrens, about his research, art, writing and teaching. The show was also filmed at the UNI Library, in the Special Collections and University Archives area where he talked to director Gerald Peterson about the university's rare book collection.
During the segment, Behrens and five UNI graphic design students were filmed discussing issues relating to their field of study. The students participating in the discussion were: Ali Koppel, Cedar Falls; Jason Nugent, Boone; Jennifer Sandersfeld, Solon; Patricia Smith, Scarville; and Jessica Walters, Ossian.
Behrens believes one of the factors that stood out for the IPTV's choice of him to highlight on “Living in Iowa” was that two UNI seniors were selected last year as being among the “top 20 graphic design students” in the country by a national competition in New York.
For more information, contact Behrens at (319) 273-2260 or roy.behrens@uni.edu.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
David Smalley, UNI professor of voice, (319) 273-2527
Veronica Mitina, UNI School of Music graduate student, (319) 273-7825
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa—Veronica Mitina, a graduate student at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music, recently was a winner in the Iowa District Auditions of the Metropolitan Opera National Council, Upper Midwest Region. She also won the $1,000 Martha-Ellen Tye Career Development Award.
The Martha-Ellen Tye Career Development Award is given by the judges to one of the winners of the Iowa District Auditions. This award is used for professional development in the form of additional study, coaching, master classes or seminars.
Mitina, a soprano and student of David Smalley, UNI associate professor of voice, had a second place finish at the NATS Midwest Regional Student Auditions and a third place finish at the NATS Iowa Chapter Student Auditions. She is also a full-time graduate assistant at UNI and plans to go to the Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice Artists summer program at Simpson College, May-July.
For more information, contact Smalley at (319) 273-2527.
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The teenage years are ones of turmoil and angst. On top of raging hormones that can affect everything from temper to acne breakouts, teenagers are also struggling to define themselves and somehow find their own place in the world. A lot of the time, that just makes for a few difficult years and possibly some bad fashion decisions. Increasingly, however, it's causing serious problems.
Ken Jacobsen is a counselor at the University of Northern Iowa's counseling center. He sees, on average, 100 patients a year, many of whom are trying to cope with problems that began during the adolescent years; problems like insecurity, low self-esteem, depression, suicidal tendencies. He says it begins with society at large, and filters down to individual groups. American culture sets up a series of desirables which are unobtainable (the perfect figure, for instance), and then damns those who don't measure up. Teenagers do the same thing.
Young girls routinely starve themselves to achieve a certain look. Boys have become fussier about their hair and physical appearance than most girls typically become. Children steal, and even commit violent acts, to have the right tennis shoes. Nobody wants to be different, to be out. Everyone wants to be `in.'
“They have very high standards in many ways,” Jacobsen explains. “And in my experience, those standards are getting increasingly narrow. My younger patients, the ones right out of high school, tell me that even though there a lot of groups -- the dirt heads, grunges, preppies, jocks, goody two-shoes -- there is a distinct pecking order among them. Further, even if you do fit into one of the groups, you've got some pretty rigid expectations to live up to. If you are perceived to have wavered from some of those expectations, you may find yourself ostracized.”
And at an age when self has yet to be developed, that can be devastating, even deadly. “Look what happened at Columbine (Colo.) High School,” says Jacobsen.
Kids who do fit in obtain a popularity that borders on celebrity status. “We've taught them, in our culture, stardom is really where it's at. So our kids are sacrificing more to get that, to be close to it.” He points to his own teenage son, a high school swimmer, who had acne on his back. “We had no idea he was taking a razor blade to his back, to get rid of the acne. It was just that important to him.”
Jacobsen's wife teaches sixth grade, and has reported seeing children there, especially girls, setting up standards for fitting in. “The girls had started a pink elephant club,” says Jacobsen. “They'd give you a pink elephant if your clothes were cool that day. And they'd give out different colors if you weren't cool enough. So we know it starts pretty early.”
Jacobsen says parents can combat this kind of behavior, and thereby help children rely on their own values to determine what is `in' and what isn't.
“I suggest something a friend of mine calls FFF. That's Forced Family Fun. It means that, as a family we're going to sit down and do things -- a puzzle, go bowling, play board games. I know you think it's square, but we're doing it anyway. Because being part of a family is important, and it gives parents a chance to help build their child's confidence.”
Parents should allow their child to try all kinds of activities, too, including those the child probably won't perform very well. It teaches them to cope with disappointment and failure, so that when it happens again (perhaps when they don't `fit in'), the child is capable of working around it. He comes to realize that his value as a person is not compromised because he does not perform (or dress, or spend, etc.) at a certain level.
“The important thing is giving them support and encouragement when they seem to be getting the opposite from friends. Parents have to play that central role of sending clear messages so the child understands `I don't expect perfection. I love you.'' “
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(Part of the EducatioNet series from the University of Northern Iowa)
It's true. The apple does not fall far from the tree. As America's adult population continues to be increasingly overweight (33 percent of us, according to most studies), the children of this country are following form. Although exact numbers are difficult to pinpoint, studies now show that children today are more likely than ever to be overweight. Between the 1960s and today, there has been a 14 percent increase in the number of overweight/obese children.
Nancy Hamilton, a professor in the School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services at the University of Northern Iowa for 12 years, explains that this is a dangerous trend. “First of all, there is a distinct link between child obesity and adult obesity,” she says. “An obese child has a 70 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.”
Obesity in adults is linked to heart disease, heart problems, and certain cancers. It is also linked to structural problems, like weak knees. “If you're heavy, your body just can't move the way it was intended.”
Hamilton notes that obese children tend to have higher cholesterol rates and they obviously are less fit. “It's a cycle,” she says. “If you're less fit, you have higher cholesterol. If you have higher cholesterol, you tend to be less fit.”
And it's very likely that an obese child will have high blood pressure at an early age.
The problem, in Hamilton's view, is simple. “Our kids eat too much, and they eat too much of the wrong kinds of foods.” Fast food, which is convenient but tends to be very fatty and full of salt and/or sugar, has become a way of life in the household where two parents work.
The same goes for children's breakfast cereals and popular snacks -- all conveniently packaged, easy to use and often inexpensive -- but loaded with just about everything a child should avoid.
The problem is compounded by the fact that today's children are much more likely to be sedentary, says Hamilton. “The average child watches eight hours of television each day.” Add to that the time a child spends sitting at a computer, playing video games or talking on the telephone, and you've got the perfect recipe for an overweight kid.
But how to remedy the situation? Hamilton says it's best to start slow. Parents should begin by monitoring what the entire family eats. “You can't fix these problems by putting the child on a diet. I don't recommend anyone go on a diet. If you go on a diet, pretty soon you have to go off the diet. It's best to make a permanent change in your life, for long-term benefits.”
So cut down on high-fat meats. Hamilton says the average person only needs one small serving of meat each day. Next, increase the complex carbohydrates like whole grains. And decrease the sugars. Kids like to eat, Hamilton says, so it's a good idea to keep snacks -- healthy snacks -- around the house. She suggests crunchy edibles like carrots or rice cakes, which provide lots of texture but few calories.
“For so long, parents have told their children to clean their plates, to eat everything on the plate. I suggest they leave some. If not, the child tends to eat and eat, and the portion size gets out of control. They end up eating too much.”
Next, get the family off the couch. “Go walking or biking,” says Hamilton. “Or you can begin by doing something as simple as parking at the far end of the lot when you go to the mall. Anything to get the body moving.
“Parents should encourage their children to play outside, too,” says Hamilton. “The highest rate of obesity is in the Midwest because we stay indoors a high percentage of the time. Get the kids outside.” If you can't get them outside, due to weather, Hamilton says you can put your bicycle on rollers and have “races” indoors.
On a grander scale, parents can join the fight for daily physical education classes in their children's schools. Although in the past, most schools made daily phys ed mandatory, many have cut back to as little as once a week. It's a good idea, too, to check out the school cafeteria. “Most of what they serve kids is the kind of food they know kids will eat -- starchy, sugary and fatty. And those things contribute to obesity in our society.”
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(Part of the EducatioNet series from the University of Northern Iowa)
When Black History Month was established in 1979, the primary goal was to give African Americans an opportunity to showcase the positive impact they'd had on America's prosperity. Today, the goal remains but it has expanded, and it's a chance for youths of all ethnic backgrounds to celebrate the differences -- and similarities -- among races.
“The month is a time for all of us to take time to investigate, appreciate and share in the experience of Black Americans, that's true,” says Guy Sims, assistant director of student activities at the University of Northern Iowa. “But it's also a chance to remember that all kinds of people -- different races, religions, backgrounds -- have helped to shape this country,” In his position, Sims is responsible for helping college students incorporate diversity into the on-campus programming, and also for conducting specific awareness workshops and retreats on everything from understanding racial differences to communicating within a group.
He says it's more important today than ever that children be exposed to diversity. “Our world is increasingly shrinking,” he points out. “With all the technological advances in communications, the isolated community is very rapidly disappearing. It's extremely likely that children today will, eventually, find themselves working or going to school with or socializing with people from a different racial background than their own. In order to succeed in that environment, it's imperative that children today gain at least a basic working knowledge about the various cultures.”
Although schools across the nation make it a point to incorporate diversity into their various lesson plans, Sims suggests parents make diversity appreciation a part of their children's home lives. “If it's something they hear about and talk about at home, they learn not only to tolerate diversity, but to actually appreciate it.”
For instance, he says, parents can begin by simply opening a dialogue. “Take television; you can talk about the way minorities are portrayed or the fact that often they aren't portrayed at all. Question it and allow children to explore their own thoughts about what they see.”
Parents can also take advantage of programming at libraries, universities or museums. “Take your children to events that are centered around people from another race. Taking them, as opposed to sending them, sets an example. It tells the child that you too are interested and this is important. And being there gives them a chance to take note of the differences between their culture and another one, although they'll probably note more similarities.”
Another suggestion is to take note of the basic items around the house, and do some investigating to find who invented those items. “You can learn a lot that way,” says Sims. “For instance, most of us know Thomas Edison came up with the light bulb. But how many of us know that Lewis Lattimore, an African American man, invented the filament which makes the bulb burn longer? This month is just a great opportunity to expand our horizons.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Leonard Upham, UNI assistant professor of teaching and Price Lab School Music Chair, (319) 273-2407
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa— The band program at Price Laboratory School will host the second annual Cedar Valley Junior High/Middle School Band Festival Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the School, located at the corner of West 19th and Campus Streets.
Bands from PLS, and Holmes and Peet Junior High Schools in Cedar Falls, and Hoover Intermediate School jn Waterloo will perform for two adjudicators, Arden Greener of Elgin and Ev Blobaum of Strawberry Point. All performances will be in the School's Butzier Auditorium, beginning at 8:15 a.m. with the Northern University (PLS) Middle School Concert Band.
The remaining schedule will be:
Leonard Upham is the Northern University Middle School band director. Dwayne Johnson is band director at Holmes, Jim Gosnell is band director at Peet and Terry Kroese is band director at Hoover.
The performances are open to the public free of charge. There is a handicapped-accessible entrance on the north (19th Street) side of Price Lab School.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Leonard Upham, UNI assistant professor of teaching and Price Lab School music chair, (319) 273-2407
Vicki Grimes, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa— The Northern University Middle School band, orchestra and choir programs will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, in Butzier Auditorium of Price Laboratory School. It is open to the public free of charge.
The NUMS Sixth Grade Orchestra will be under the direction of Michael Fanelli. The NUMS Intermediate Band and the NUMS Concert Band will be conducted by Leonard Upham. Linda Sharp will direct both the NUMS Sixth Grade Choir and the NUMS Seventh/Eighth Grade Choir.
The school is located on the north end of the University of Northern Iowa campus at 19th and Campus Streets. There is a handicapped accessible entrance on the school's north side.
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