A Literacy Event

Every year Pi Beta Phi hosts an event called C.A.R.. It is a literacy even that consists of different groups of girls selected in Pi Phi to go and read to different elementary schools in the community. The grades that are selected mainly stay in the second and third grade range and a various number of classes for the girls to go to are selected. Pi Beta Phi’s Vice President of Philanthropy arranges this function every year along with other events related to literacy. That chair for this year is a young lady by the name of Jessica Caldwell.

“It’s one of our biggest events of the year and this year was the best turn out in a long time. A lot of the kids connect with us and that helps them really understand how important literacy is in your life and how far it can take you when you get older” says Jessica Caldwell. After about a month the sessions come to an end and the following week there is a literacy carnival held at the Pi Phi house. This year it consisted of face painting, scrabble, a speed-read, food, and many other fun activities that the second and third graders enjoy.

A speed-read is when ten or so kids are timed at how fast they can read. When the timed session is over the words are counted and the winner receives a prize. One of the participant at this function, Melissa Blasingam commented, “There was the largest turn out of kids that came to the carnival in years and everyone looked like they were having a great time, even the parents. I really enjoyed participating this year and I definitely want to do it again next year”.

The more tools a child is given to work with in the early years of school helps them create a sturdy school habit that will last all of their school years. This program is just one of the tools the kids have to help create a fun academic environment and that is one of the main goals of this program.

News Story Idea for March 10

The effects Pi Beta Phi's literacy event C.A.R. has on the Oxford Elementary second and third graders.

Is That the Price of Gas?

Gasoline prices all around Oxford, Mississippi and the United States have been making a big change. The price of gasoline has steadily risen over the past couple of months and people are taking notice. Christopher Douglas, a mechanical engineering major at the University of Mississippi, expresses his opinion on this matter, “Yes the increase in gas prices suck, bit at least that increase is not showing in the price of food and other everyday needs”. The daily need and reliance on this car fueling liquid is almost impossible to resist and depend on everyday.

Another student of the University of Mississippi, Alison Kniepkamp projects her opinion by stating, “BP ruined people’s support with the off shore oil spill and it has caused the US to refer to foreign sources which is more expensive. Being a college student, I am already on a tight budget, and having to spend $50 on gas every two weeks cuts a big chuck out of that budget. While these prices have made my spending and driving places go way down, it would be nice to see the price because more stabilize”. Showing these two opinions demonstrates the local opinion on this matter and it also so creates great concern on if the gasoline prices increase is going to stop any time soon. “Last weekend I drove home and filled my gas tank up for $3.07 per gallon and today I filled back up for $3.29 per gallon”, Christopher Doulas stated on February 28. This illustrates how much of a drastic and sudden increase has been taken place at our gas pumps.

These two local opinions have giving some incite on person experience with this common issue. It also shows the effects of a twenty-cent increase of gas on anyone’s budget causes changes everyday living and spending. The specific cause of the increase is unknown and it is not clear how much further the price will increase. What the government and gas companies have up their sleeves also yet to be seen but will surely unravel with time.