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Spelman Spotlight, Atlanta, GA
March 4, 1993
LOCAL NEWS
Georgians Practice Weather Safety
By LaNae Dora
Local News Editor
During the week of Feb. 22-26,
Georgians participated in the Severe
Weather Awareness Week that was
proclaimed by Governor Zell Miller in
collaboration with the National Weather
Service.
The purpose of the week was to
"educate Georgians about weather-
safety preparedness and to enhance
their ability to respond to severe
weather events," according to
meteorologist Carlos Garza. These
"events" include floods, tornadoes,
lightning and thunderstorms.
Tornadoes were responsible for
killing six people in 1992, bringing the
total up to 39 since 1973. For this
reason, tornado safety and preparedness
was the focus of the week.
Learning
the Fun Way
By Maleka Ingram
" He who influences the thought of
his time influences the thought of all
the times that follow,"
On the weekend of February 20-21,
I had the privilege of attending a two-
day experimental learning workshop in
Covington, Georgia. The workshop
was sponsored by Project Adventure,
Inc.
Project Adventure’s mission is "to
be the leading organization in helping
others use Adventure education as a
catalyst for personal/professional
change and growth."
This particular workshop was set up
to get more minorities interested in the
field. Along with myself there were
three other Spelman students, a few
students from the University of Georgia
in Athens, and three male counselors of
Project Awareness.
All activities for the workshop were
designed to promote group effort.
Some of the activities included playing
games, problem solving, and ropes
courses.
The most exciting and fulfilling of
all the activities for me was the
challenge ropes course called the two-
line bridge. The objective of this
challenge was to climb up a height of
35 feet and walk across a cable
extended from one tree to another.
This challenge was designed to achieve
self-confidence, to overcome fear of
heights, to follow instructions and to be
supportive of others.
Although the workshop lasted only
two days, the lessons learned are ones
that take most people too long to
ascertain. If interested in attending a
workshop contact the following: Project
Adventure P.O. Box 2447, Covington,
GA 30209. The telephone number is
(404) 784-9310.
Feb. 22 was officially declared
Family Emergency Preparedness Day.
On this day, parents were asked to
discuss and rehearse emergency
weather practices in their homes.
The Emergency Management
personnel and National Weather
Service conducted a statewide tornado
drill on Feb. 26, in order to test the
public’s capabilities to respond during
a warning. Various schools, businesses
and other collected groups participated
in the drill.
As part of the drill, a practice
tornado warning was issued by the
Atlanta National Weather Service
Forecast Office at 9:15 a.m. At 9:40
a.m., a two-hour watch went into
effect.
Gary McConnell, director of the
Georgia Emergency Management
Agency, asked that during the week
emergency procedures and equipment
at both local and state levels be
checked by local emergency
management staff, emergency medical
service personnel, police officers,
rescue and fire personnel, school
authorities, and business personnel.
In addition, safety measures and
severe weather events were published
in the news media throughout the week.
Garza reported that flash floods had
been the most frequent cause of death
in Georgia than any other weather event.
Since 1973, 64 people have died in flash
floods.
Lightning has also posed a threat in
this state, taking 42 lives in the same
time period.
The average number of tornadoes
Georgia each year is 20.
* Tornadoes can occur at anytime of
the day, but are; most 'frequent 1 ih
Georgia; during the afternoon and
evening hours.
* Tornadoes come in all sizes,
shapes, forms, and colors. Tornadoes
can be as small as a few fee! across
or the width can be as wide as
one or two miles,
* Nearly 3 out of every 10 tornadoes
arc strong, with wintf speeds
between 110 and 200 m.p.h. and a
path length with averages 26 miles.
The Emory University School of Law presents
The Randolph W. Thrower Symposium
Desegregation Law:
The Changing Vision of Equality in Education
Friday, March 5
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tull Auditorium
Emory University School of Law
Speakers Include:
Reverend C.T. Vivian, Director, Center for Democratic Renewal
Gary Orfield, Harvard University School of Education
Theodore Shaw, University of Michigan School of Law
Chris Hanson, ACLU of New York
Kevin Brown, Indiana University School of Law
Judge William Hill, Fulton County Superior Court
Lucretia Payton-Stewart, Georgia State University
Audience Participation is Welcome
For More Information Please Call 727-6830
Environmental Studies Comes to CAU
By Kenja McCray
Did you know that the Historically
Black Colleges and Universities
Environmental Consortium
Headquarters is located at Clark
Atlanta University?
This is good news for all you
sisters who are interested in
environmental issues.
The Consortium Headquarters has
a budget of $500,000 and provides
scholarships for graduate and
undergraduate students wishing to
work in environmental fields.
Fellowships are also offered for
faculty members at participating
institutions. In addition to Clark-
Atlanta, the consortium includes
North Carolina A&T, Florida
International, Shaw, Winston-Salem
State, Savannah State, and Florida
A&M universities.
If you are interested in finding out
more information, check Haven-
Warren room 300 at Clark Atlanta.
The Consortium manager is August
Curley. The director of education and
training is Richard Bright, a visiting
professor from the Environmental
Protection Agency in Washington,
D.C.
Bright designed the Consortium
program and said he plans to
implement it at other HBCUs across
the country. Bright received a grant
from the U.S. Department of Energy
for $125,000 per university, per year
for the consortium. Interested
students may want to explore the
possibility of forming a branch of the
Consortium here at Spelman.
In addition to getting college
students involved in environmental
issues, Bright is organizing an
environmental program for students in
grades K-12. Bright is training
teachers in environmental education
so they will be able to reach more
"minority" students as well as the
parents of such students.
Environmental racism is a major
problem. He is working to alert
people of the importance of knowing
tne most recent issues concerning men
own environments.
Bright has also organized an
environmental justice group, which is
committed to cautioning residents in
E.P.A. zone four (which includes the
Atlanta area) of environmental hazards.
The group is planning a forum to
inform the residents surrounding White
Park of a Combined Sewer Overflow
which is washing raw sewage right
into the park. They need your help.
Here are numerous opportunities to
become involved in helping the
environment. Environmentalism is not
just about saving the rain forest, it also
hits close to home. For more
information contact Kenja McCray at
523-8281.