Joseph Knaggs is Creating His Own Waves by Belema Oriaku, ENG 336

                                          Joseph Knaggs is Creating His Own Waves
                                                     by Belema Oriaku, ENG 336

        Family orientated Joseph Knaggs opens up about his life. Knaggs is a 20-year-old sophomore at Frostburg State University. He plans to transfer to Salisbury next year to be closer to home. He is from Annapolis, Maryland and currently lives in Kent Island, near the Bay Bridge. Instead of waiting for Towson’s approval, he decided to take charge of his future to attend “The Burg.” He is now pursuing a career in Graphic Design, while minoring in Business administration.

Knaggs is a go-getter and a complex individual. He opens up about his family. His is close to his mother, siblings, and bit-bulls. He has an older sister and a younger brother. His father owns a guitar company called “Knaggs Guitars.” View the website at Knaggs Guitars. Joseph Knaggs is considering taking over his father company when he gets older. In the mean time he does not play the guitar but hopes to some day learn.

Even though he does not play any instruments, he is into music. His favorite genres are Hip-Hop and Rap. He enjoys listening to Wiz Khalifa as well as Drake, Future, Mac Miller and Travis Scott. He even got to meet Wiz Khalifa after a concert. He admits meeting Wiz was great, but not his greatest memory. He identifies one of his best moments was renting out a beach house in Bethany, Delaware. He explains, “it was like senior week, but better.”

It is not surprising that one of his greatest moments was at a beach house, because he loves the beach. The weather is one of the reasons he is ready to transfer from Frostburg. Summer time is his favorite season. He would love to move to Hawaii if it was not so far from his family. He enjoys surfing and body boarding so much he spent over $400 on a board.  He even hopes to live out his summer dreams by someday working for one of the greatest serf companies, Ripcurl. He enjoys their shops and magazines and would love to be a graphic designer for the company.

Not only does he like to design, he also enjoys sports, especially soccer. He opened up about is tragic soccer accident that led him to get surgery. When he was trying to get the ball another player kneed him in the jaw. His jaw was shattered. After the surgery he could not eat sold food for several weeks. The incident did not stop Knaggs from playing, but instead made his desire to play grow. When I asked him if the incident made him scared to play again he admitted, "No. It hurt though. I had to watch my team play when I was recovering. [It] made me want to play more." What did he learn from the whole incident? He admits, “it made me appreciate food.” That was not the only learning experience that he will forever remember.

He admits his father taught him a lot, but he also learned from personal experiences. One of his greatest learned lesson was when he got pulled over for speeding and ended up getting a $600 ticket. After meeting with the judge, he was lucky enough to walk away with only a $200 fine and one point on his license (instead of six). He now knows not to speed and is more cautious over all.

Latisha Lewis

Latisha Lewis: A Young Woman Intent on Change 

                                                            Mary Jordy

                                                            ENGL 360

 

 

            Latisha Lewis is a 20 year old sophomore originally from Baltimore City. Her major is English and her concentration is professional writing. She is a vivacious African American girl with a sweet personality and “fireball” attitude. When we discussed a future dream job, she commented that she would like to work in public relations or in a journalistic field. Her interest in this field is instigated in part by her high school education which she refers to as, “shitty-ass education.” She comments further on the lack of responsibility on the part of the teachers and the poor conditions of the schoolbooks, partly due to the large minority of the school. In her indignation, to her former years as a student, she has joined the social progress club on campus. They discuss the rising progressive moment to allow more students to enjoy a better education, better equality for minorities and the upheaval of the underdog. As a student bringing awareness to pressing issues experienced in the education world, she says if she could change the world, she would make racial inequality a thing of the past. As a woman in the education field, particularly an African American woman, she experiences a moment of nostalgia when asked to recall her days in the regional math and science club which she participated in 2010-2014. “We did a lot of things.” She says with a smile on her face. She also says it “helped her love education” and claims she starting “loving books in first grade.” She currently has a job at the Regional Math Center here in Frostburg at Sand springs and feels that the work she does there promotes better learning conditions particularly among minorities. Due to the strong feelings she has towards the “inconsistencies in the public school system” she would like to “break down this inferiority experienced by schools particularly in urban areas” and give minorities a better chance to succeed. Another club she would be interested in joining, is the English Honor Society which allows English students with a certain GPA, the chance to become distinguished members of their graduating class.

 

Website:

http://frostburg.edu/dept/engl/resources-for-students

 

Remember Us When You're Famous, Kayce Curry. By: Katie Epps, ENGL 336

Sophomore Kayce Curry, with her blonde hair and dark eyes, has the perfect look for a future reporter. She bubbles over with smiles and laughter and her personality is welcoming and warm. She picked a major that seems to suit her perfectly: mass communication. She dreams of being an ESPN reporter and, eventually, having her own “Ellen-style talk show.” Curry seems on track for her goals, seeing as she played softball until she was eighteen and regularly keeps up with her favorite sports, basketball and baseball. In addition, she could have a significant connection to the industry, as her uncle, as she casually mentioned, is the head chef for the New England Patriots. When I asked her, incredulously, how she could be so relaxed about that fact, she laughed and said “I was never really interested in football so I didn’t care about the Pats. I actually had free tickets from him, third row, and I didn’t go because I just didn’t care! Now I would kill for that!”

In addition to her passion for sports, Kayce also has an interest in pop culture, like movies and popular actors. Her favorite series is the Hunger Games, although she says “if Twilight is on or something, oh yeah, I’ll put it on in a heartbeat, no question.” When she was younger, she was so interested in pop culture that she dreamed of being an actor (after her dream of being a veterinarian was crushed when she figured out she would have to kill the animals). In her words, “I really like to be on screen.” As far as her talk show dreams go, she has been to see the View in New York City, skipping an exam to do so, and applied for an internship at the Maury Show, a fantastic opportunity.

A few other interesting facts about Kayce that I found out during our conversation: she has two tattoos, but is terrified of the needles used for shots; she once passed out in a doctor’s office after having three shots in the same appointment; she has two weiner dogs; and she loves Hello Kitty. 

Connor Williams Spaudling: He'll Bring out the Creativity in You

By Kadeem Parker
English 336

"The argument that that's not how God made you is ridiculous," he expresses with a sort of calm certainty in response to criticisms of those who identify with the LGBT community. He is also a backer of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders expressing in a unique way, “I feel the burn.” Connor William Spaulding certainly leans to the left, but, as passionate as he may be about politics, his aspirations are pulling him elsewhere. 

He hails from Bethesda, Maryland with an exceptional knowledge of his family’s lineage—he declares that his family’s origins can be traced all the way back to Scotland; he even throws in the fact that his paternal grandfather fled Italy during Mussolini’s fascist regime, but I digress. Spaulding’s dreams and goals points him in the direction of a career in education; he wishes to be a teacher. He loves English and writing so it would be a good fit for him; however, I got the feeling that Spaulding’s decision to go into education had little to do with his natural talents.

 He loves to incite and provoke people’s creative sides and that is why he wants to go into the profession of inspiring young minds. He seems boldly optimistic when he state, “everyone has the capacity for Creativity.” He is confident in his position, and just as interesting, if not more, he expresses confidence in the current state of the education system. As much as he believes some serious reformation needs to occur in the United States government, he seems content with the recently implemented common core standards within our nation’s education system especially when it comes to math. “Really,”I exclaimed. Still, with that calmness in his voice, he confirms. 

Spaulding believes that the common core system does a better job at teaching basic concepts especially pertaining to math. Interesting, I thought; we were just on the top of math. I asked if he was willing to bend the rules in order to inspire creativity in children. He said that the rules need to be altered for him to carry out his purpose. Spaulding is no stranger to being a nonconformist, he will do whatever he believes is necessary to provoke the creativity in you, and always, with that calm reassurance. 

And The Oscar Goes To... Aimee Conley

And The Oscar Goes To... Aimee Conley

Justice Sifford, ENGL 336

Aimee Conley, age 22, is a senior theatre major in the Theatrical Studies track here at Frostburg State University. She enjoys this track in her program because, “[She] get[s] to get a little taste of everything that goes on when putting a show together.” In theatre she feels that she has found her true passion. On the topic of theatre she says, “I love theatre. It’s probably the only thing that gives me something to wake up to.” In her choices as an actor and an artist she draws inspiration from the likes of Johnny Depp, Jennifer Aniston, Faith Prince, who played the original “Miss Adelaide” in Guys & Dolls on Broadway, and her uncle Jeff Conley.
          Conley’s uncle was the one who got her involved in theatre as a child. “I was seven [years old] I think, and I was in my Uncle Jeff’s production of Peter Pan. I was one of the lost boys… I was huge tomboy, so I wanted to be a lost boy. I had one line, and I said, ‘Hey look! It’s mermaids!’” That small role was enough to make a mark on her. Conley says that she plans one day making a career out of acting and performing. “There’s always those few people that keep you inspired and keep you wanting to do it,” she says.

It is clear that she holds her family members in very high regard. She describes her father as being her role model because he is understanding and caring for others despite his own personal beliefs, a quality Conley herself strives to replicate in her own life. “My dad and I have different viewpoints on a lot of things… but the thing I love about my dad is that he doesn’t let that stuff get in the way of making friends with new people or having a relationship with his daughter.”

Later, on the way to rehearsal for a production of Schoolhouse Rock: LIVE! In Moorefield, WV with her costar, Bryan Murtha, in the backseat, Conley discusses her favorite and least favorite roles that she has played, and how she chooses her roles. Her three favorite roles have been “Miss Adelaide” from Guys & Dolls, “Ilse” from Spring Awakening, and “Pickles” from The Great American Trailer Park Christmas. Her least favorite role was “Laurie Beth” in Happy Days The Musical. She says that she looks for relatable characters, who have songs within her vocal range, and who have interesting stories to tell.

A Star in the Making: Menu'Ette Silver

A Star in the Making: Menu’Ette Silver

By Mia Williams, ENGL 336

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UfLF8cuFdc

 

How many people can say they’ve hosted a television show, written their own movie, had multiple internships and is a writing tutor all by the age of 20? Well, for Menu’Ette Silver these are just some things to name a few. Born and raised in Baltimore MD, Ms. Silver plans to inspire, entertain and take over the world.

 

Attending Frostburg State University and enrolled as a junior, Menu’Ette understood early that “you determine how far you can go”. By focusing in on her dream of working in the broadcasting industry, Ms. Silver plans on showing off her production, writing and hosting skills to one day become a TV personality host. Majoring in Mass Communications with a minor in production she will be graduating in the spring of 2017. Excited for what the future holds, Menu’Ette plans on moving to Los Angeles California to pursue her career.

 

Busy is an action verb that describes Menu’Ette to say the least. It is at this university where Menu’Ette is involved in many organizations/clubs. She currently tutors at the writing center, hosts/produces the school television show: FSU-TV 3, has written for the schools newspaper-TheBottomline News and is a leader at Generation Investing God (GIG).

 

Her faith in God is something she is most proud of; through GIG she is able to spread and receive the word of God. Matthew 10:16 “ be as wise as snakes and as innocent as a dove” is a quote that really resonates with her mindset about how she wants to go forth applying this to her daily life. Believing that “everyone deserves love and respect” Menu’Ette strives to set a positive example while never failing to realize how blessed she is. A simple, “I woke up this morning” allows for Menu’Ette to give her praise unto God.

 

Although her campus life is filled with many activities, Menu’Ette has mastered her act of balancing and taking care of self first. In her free time, Ms. Silver enjoys shopping and hanging out with her “sisters”; her friends that are more like family. Given that she is an only child, Menu’Ette is extremely close to her family whom all help to encourage and motivate her into being “hungry for her dream”.

 

Senior Aaron Cook described Menu’Ette as “one of if not the most positive person” he has ever met. Her energetic, optimistic and free spirit is what makes her special. Menu’Ette has a natural ability to spread happiness to whoever comes her way. Excited about becoming legal on March 19, this Pisces’ will be one age closer towards her dream.