Amanda Day, a single mother of three, struggles to raise her children Killian, 14, Zane, 12, and Aiyana 11 who are all on the Autism Spectrum. Physically, the Day children are considered normal but each of them has an array of sensory and developmental disorders that hinder them from interacting with the world around them. Though her children’s autism is trying on Amanda’s daily life, it is their love for one another, she says, that always keeps them moving forward.
By: Katie McLean
A nun is defined as a woman who is a member of a religious order, especially one bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are 21st century queer nuns. They live with modified vows of traditional nuns and raise awareness for LGBT organizations.
Jackson Cofer has completely separated himself from Tina Maria. Tina is a person of the past as Jackson now leads a new life in Lexington, KY with support from friends and family.
While struggling to reclaim his life, Terry Kessenger finds a way to reconnect with his son.
After a marriage each and 16 years apart, James and Barbara Taylor reconnected and shortly thereafter were exchanging vows. Now, the two have found contentment halfway through life and turned hobby into profession. Operating out of a shop beside their home in Bowling Green, Ky., the couple have worked and lived together in harmony for over 24 years.
– Danny Guy and Rae Emary, WKU
Who better to understand the ins and outs of a sport than a photographer who has not only covered it over the years but was a successful high school athlete.
WKU photojournalism Senior Ian Maule was a competitive wrestler in high school and has focused his cameras on the sport at the pinacle of the high school season, the state championships.
Photo by Ian Maule
Brighton head coach Sam Amine kisses Aaron Calderon after beating Detroit Catholic Central’s Alec Mooradian, winning the MHSAA Division 1 Individual Wrestling Finals at 152lbs. “He had the choice to go 145 but he told me he wanted to be the best. I said to be the best you got to beat the best,” says Armine on Calderon’s win over Mooradian, who was going for his 4th state championship, “I promised him this.”
Our Practicum course spent several weeks during the semester divided into two teams working on group-wide projects. Each team was required to select the project of their choice, plan their coverage and present their final presentation in an online environment. The two projects can be seen below.
VOICES OF OUR NEIGHBORS
ONE ROAD TO VICTORY
Adam Dobson was becoming part of growing trend seen in the gay and transgender population. He was trying everything from Xanax to hydrocodone, and even a horse tranquilizer called ketamine to find a high. According to www.americanprogress.org, up to 30% of the gay and transgender community abuse substances, compared to only 9% in the general population.
A couple of years ago Dobson began to perform in drag which, he says, helped him get his life on a more positive track. He now performs drag as Mallory in nightclubs throughout Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and his number one fan is his mom, Cathy.
Cathy attends almost every drag performance that she can. “He never disappoints me,” she says, “I’m always amazed by his performance.”
The love and support Cathy gives her son is significant. Not every gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender young adults’ parents are supportive, which experts believe may be a factor that leads many LGBT youth to depression or other risky behavior. A study done by the Official Journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2009 found that, “lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to use illegal drugs, and 3.4 times more likely to report having engaged in unprotected sexual intercourse compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection.”
“I’m going to live life the way I want to live it, and I refuse to let anyone bring me down,” Dobson said.
Brenda Smith, 56, used to think that when she reached a certain age, she and her husband Bruce would be celebrating their golden years together, with no one else in the house.
That thought changed about eight years ago, when the Smith household began to take care of Shylar, Bruce’s grandson and Brenda’s step-grandson.
According to AARP, more than 2.5 million grandparents in the United States are taking in their grandchildren and becoming responsible for them.
Brenda takes great pride in raising Shylar as her own son, but Shylar isn’t the only person in the household living under her care.
In Dec. 2011, her father Bill Wilcox was diagnosed with cancer and after being faced with the reality of going to a nursing home, Brenda made the decision to take him into her home and take care of him.
She experiences life’s joys and struggles as she splits her time between raising her 8-year-old grandson, and caring for her 84-year-old dad.
Twenty-five years ago the students who ran the newspaper at Western Kentucky University fought a battle of David and Goliath to preserve their independence and free speech that helped pave a path of self-governance for student publications across the country. The story is told through archival news footage and current interviews with those who were involved at that time.