Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

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chord cttiiihat local bands compete Five hundred students swarmed the field, flung themselves into an inflatable obstacle course and rocked out to l0 local bands at the annual OPUS Band Competition. The competition was held Sept. 18, and was the closing event to the Union Program Council Awareness week, co-sponsored by UPC and Afterhours. Bands competed for a grand prize and for the first time the competition was in Memorial Stadium. This was actually the 23rd annual competition, said Amanda Hogue, music committee co-chair and junior in hotel and restaurant management. We usually have it in Bosco Plaza, but I think it was a good change to have it in a more open space. The stage was set up on the south end of Memorial Stadium, the crowd gathered on the field and other attractions were set up to the left of the crowd. In addition to the obstacle course, free T-Shirts and free snacks like mini-corndogs were available. Karem Roman, freshman in kinesiology, said he came when he heard about the inflatable game but stayed when he heard the music. This band, CKiss and Tellj, is really good, he said. We stopped to check out how good they are, and they're actually really good. Despite being scheduled the same weekend as Aggiefest, an Aggieville music event, OPU S had more bands than past years. I think overall it was a pretty big success, Hogue said. We usually only have about six or seven bands, so more bands with less playing time kept the crowd more interested. The 10 bands were evaluated by three judges on qualities including crowd participation, originality, creativity and sound. Thomas Bell, assistant professor at Hale Library, Ben Hopper, instructor in the school of leadership studies, and Samantha Clemons, 2009 winner of K-State Idol and former student, were the judges. The S400 grand prize was awarded to Eventide, an instrumental group. Whatever their reason for attending, whether as band members, judges or spectators, the music was what tied the participants together. I like the different taste in music, especially the Indie and alternative. I think it's great that different bands come out here and compete, Derek Hoetmer, sophomore in landscape architecture, said. 'Tm just impressed with all the talent and that people can balance a band and a student life. I really wanted to see what my generation is able to do. I feel like it's a new generation of music. Clad in a Captain America unlsult, Dane Schmidt, drummertor Rughtslclll, belts into his microphone. Fllghtskill performed their ovvn genre, unlcore - a mix ot hard-core punk and the drummers unlsutts. tThe competltlonl vvent really Well, said Courtney Smith, Union Program Council music cofchalr and senior tn management. We had more bands than we usually do. llflsill BNIB! OPVS band competition lk 13

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competitors schedule 6:00-6:15 Four Man Mafia 6:25-6:40 Rapid Transit AC 6:50-7:05 Sorrow By Truth 7: 15-7:80 The Canvas 7:40-7: 55 A Perfect Fit 8: 05-8: 20 Eventide QFirst Place - S4005 8:80-8:45 The Low End 8: 55-9: 10 Righrskiii 9:20-9:85 Kiss and Tell CThird Place - S2005 9:45-10:00 McCoy CSecond Place - S8001

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70 90 90 14 Il student life 43 M 111 'I-I M 7 A EVN Q? U5 E ts E' QD E .SE Gi me 'Ds Ee Qu we gi is gf: sg A-'Z' Qc me 2 ge vm as Q .QE 82. S3 ISE Rm We E SUN 5: 5 O '16 s S 5 'S Q-4 2 my -ltd an Q lb 2 my x 3 B 'Q A -Q pole. und 1,000-po At the bottom of the pole were opossum, heron, turtle and bison tracks, acknowledging the interrelatedness of all beings on earth, Susan Allen, director of the office of student life, said. The other three sides had the same message, one written in English, one in Japanese and one in Dzongkha, the language of Bhutan. Each language was chosen carefully and represents something different, Allen said. CWej picked English so people would be able to read it, Allen said, Potawatomi because it's a local American Indian tribal language, Japanese because the peace pole project was started in Japan, and Bhutan - a Buddhist country that measures national progress in terms of gross national happiness? The Campaign for Nonviolence brought the peace pole to campus and dedicated it to the community on the UFM lawn Sept. 21 -the United Nation's International Day of Peace. Pat Embers, member of the Native American Student Association and Manhattan resident, performed a smudging ceremony, which involved fanning cindering sage with a turkey feather while surrounded by silence. I really enjoyed the ceremony - I thought it was beautiful, said Cammie Lehman, Allen's main student assistant and junior in Women's studies. It was perfect and exactly what I hoped for. The smudging is usually done in private, so I thought it was really special that the people who attended were able to experience that moment. It was really peaceful, and it turned out really well. The Peace Pole Project was started by Masahisa Goi in Japan in 1955. Goi dedicated his life to spread the message of peace across the World. We are facing an age where the politics of the world must be carried out by each individual who repeats the Words, tMay peace prevail on earth,' thus becoming a great force for realizing peace in the world, Goi said, according to the project's Web site. The peace pole was a spot where people could reflect on peace and see up-close a movement that was happening around the world. It symbolizes peace - not that we ever forget, Divya Neela, graduate student in electrical engineering, said. It was a great experience for me. I'd never seen a peace pole in person, I'd only heard about them. The peace pole was meant to symbolize nonviolence and be a tangible symbol of peace, Lehman said. I hope everyone gets a chance to look at the peace pole and reflect on how we can all act nonviolently in our everyday lives, Lehman said. Focus on being kind to each other in our relationships. I want it to be a reminder to people to do the best they can to act nonviolently in their everyday lives.