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.
Each Wednesday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you the best images of the past week taken by our very own students. To submit, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video in the last week (Monday to Monday). Send your top 5 choices to wkunppa@gmail.com and our officers will pick the best of the bunch to showcase.
Madilynn Walker, 15, of Texarkana, Texas feeds seagulls at Orange Beach, Alabama while on a family vacation during her spring break.
Morgan Walker
Mississippi Rebels guard Marshall Henderson, #22, cuts down the net after the semifinals of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mississippi won 64-52.
Josh Lindsey
Spring breakers fight on the beach in Panama City Beach, Fla. on Thursday March 14, 2012. During the spring break season of 2012, the average male reported drinking 18 drinks per day and the average female reported 10 drinks per day. About half drank until they got sick or passed out at least once, according to the Journal of American College Health.
Jabin Botsford
The Chicago River is dyed green for Saint Patrick’s Day on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
Abbey Oldham
During a wedding at The River Club in downtown Jacksonville, Fl., Bailey West enjoys a drink before the wedding party begins.
Josh Mauser
After celebrating Mass, monks move through the hallway connecting the Archabbey Church to the monastery at Saint Meinrad Archebbey in Saint Meinrad, Ind. The community of monks begins its day with prayer at 5:30 in the morning followed by breakfast and silent, spiritual reading before Mass at 7:30.
Sam Oldenburg
Justin Ford poses for a portrait at the University of North Florida. Ford in an art photography hobbyist that works with large format film cameras.
Josh Mauser
Junior guard Brandon Harris of Western Kentucky University screams in frustration after a foul was called on, senior guard Jamal Crook, which prevented a fast break opportunity during their victory of Florida International in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship.
Ian Maule
A taxi passes over the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City Monday, March 11, 2013.
Sam Oldenburg
Manual senior cheerleader Jalyn Eckerle hugs junior guard Erika Hawkins after their semifinal loss to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the KHSAA Sweet Sixteen state tournament.
Ian Maule
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
Each Wednesday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you the best images of the past week taken by our very own students. To submit, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video in the last week (Monday to Monday). Send your top 5 choices to wkunppa@gmail.com and our officers will pick the best of the bunch to showcase.
Alyssa Pointer
Alyssa Pointer
Landon Lovett, a sister of the AOPi sorority at Western Kentucky University passed away after being hit by a drunk driver on Memorial Day. Her sisters and friends at Western Kentucky University came together on November 28 to send lanterns to the sky with written prayers and memories of Landon written on them.
Sammy Jo Hester
Victoria Frascino models a mustache ring purchased from 25 de Marco in Sao Paulo, Brazil for $15. The shirt ($20) and pants ($24) are from Forever 21 and the shoes ($170) are from Arezzo.
Kreable Young
Liberian refugee Shirley Bargblor takes a break from bagging leaves with her granddaughter’s Kwametee, 3, and Kwamena, 5, to speak on the phone with a friend. Shirley and her husband Eurodger live with four of their six children as well as two grandchildren in a four bedroom apartment; property of the Public Housing Authority in Bowling Green, Ky. Through different funds and charities, the Bargblor’s pay nothing to rent the apartment. “It is a gift from God,” Shirley said. Both Shirley and Eurodger attend WKU part-time and are on track to receive their business degrees.
Luke Franke
Each Wednesday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you the best images of the past week taken by our very own students. To submit, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video in the last week (Monday to Monday). Send your top 5 choices to wkunppa@gmail.com and our officers will pick the best of the bunch to showcase.
Twinkle
“It’s not that we are better than the universe, we are part of the universe. We are in the universe and the universe is in us.”
― Neil deGrasse Tyson
On a clear night, outside the city limits, looking up at the night sky, an endless speckle of lights that resemble diamonds, glisten as we watch. “Twinkle” is a video portrait series that takes the tune we grew up singing and shows the curiosity of children as we were before.
**video/time-lapse/production by Justin Philalack
Adam Wolffbrandt
Bria Granville
Ian Maule
Alix Mattingly
Colin Perschbacher
Adam Wolffbrandt
Each Wednesday, WKU’s Student Chapter of NPPA brings you the best images of the past week taken by our very own students. To submit, you must currently be a WKU Photojournalism student and have taken the images or produced the video in the last week (Monday to Monday). Send your top 5 choices to wkunppa@gmail.com and our officers will pick the best of the bunch to
Jabin Bostford
Adaira, 7, left and Elvin Menjivar, 6, tackle and try to regain control of the football from Byran Villatoro, 6, right, during a game of football during a warm afternoon in Bowling Green, Kentucky on November 11, 2012.
Justin Philalack
Alyssa Pointer
Danny Guy
Mike Rivera
The Western Kentucky University men’s swim team shows their support for the WKU Lady Hilltoppers Volleyball team on Senior Night on November 9, 2012 at E.A Diddle Arena. The Lady Toppers won in three sets.
Brandon Carter
Adel Valle, 10, left, and Memo Garcia, middle, both of Bowling Green, paint the fence of The Light of the World Church Sunday, Nov. 13, 2012, in preparation for the church’s opening in two weeks. The church, located at the corner of West 12th Avenue and Clay Street, has been under construction for over a year.
Austin Anthony
After hours of sorting, editing, re-editing and then sorting again the WKU photo faculty is excited to announce the two finalists we have selected to represent WKU in the first round of the Hearst Photo competition. Congratulations to Jabin Botsford and to Adam Wolffbrandt for putting together an excellent selection of 8 images that represent a body of work over one year. One hour before the shooting deadline, Jabin nabbed an awesome picture of Regina Webb and her husband watching the election returns and Adam shot a great picture on Sunday, just two days before the shooting deadline that really looked into the face of how a mother and son feel about one-another. Be sure to check out their images below and offer them luck as we send the images off to be judged for the first of two rounds for the national photojournalism competition.
JABIN E. BOTSFORD’S PORTFOLIO ENTRY
Western Kentucky University senior guard Kahlil McDonald celebrates with his teammates after winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Summit Arena against the University of North Texas on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 in Hot Springs, Ark. McDonald scored 14 points to help WKU win the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament, 74-70 to advance to the NCAA for the 22nd time and first time since 2009. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
Regina Webb of Bowling Green, Ky. Republican candidate for 20th district state representative, sits with her husband Brent Webb while witnessing the results of the local election Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, at her home surrounded by family and friends in Bowling Green, Ky. Webb lost to incumbent State Rep. Jody Richards. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
Football players gather around Western Kentucky University senior Casey Tinius moments after he kicked a game-winning field goal Saturday November 5, 2011 in the Toppers’ 10-9 victory over Florida International at L.T. Smith stadium in Bowling Green, Ky. Tinius hadn’t made a field goal since WKU’s season opener against The University of Kentucky. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
Rayford Kytle, 65, from Washington, D.C., has been living with HIV for more than 30 years and is attending the XIX (19th) International AIDS Conference to “find out what the latest developments are in AIDS prevention, research and care are and how I can help with the epidemic,” at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. Kytle has depression, a side effect of an early type of anti-HIV medicine as well as something called facial wasting, and requires injections once every 18 months so his face doesn’t look “like a walking skull.” The injections cost $1,500 each. Kytle is lucky enough to have private insurance that covers it, but other men in his support group are not so lucky. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
From left Western Kentucky University Hilltopper freshman forward Vinny Zollo, University of South Alabama Jaguar freshman guard Mychal Ammons, Western Kentucky University Hilltopper freshman forward George Fant, and University of South Alabama Jaguar sophomore forward Augustne Rubit jump to attempt and rebound the ball Saturday February 4, 2012 at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers won 75-66. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
Fans erupt during a race leading up to 138th Kentucky Oaks horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Friday, May 5, 2012. Fans from all sources wagered $39.9 million on the day of the Oaks, a 6.5-percent increase from the previous year and $226.9 million was wagered from all sources on the Kentucky Derby weekend. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
Members of the National Clergy Council in D.C. Rev. Rob Schenck, left, Rev. Alan Church, in back middle, and Pastor Gary Dull pray in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. on Thursday June 28, 2012. People gather in front of the Supreme Court after the ruling on the health care plan was announced upholding most of it. Schenck holds a copy of the bench decision. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
One of Tim “WILD THANG” Lepard’s monkey and dog rodeo teams, also known as “Team Ghost Riders,” perform at the Bowie Baysox vs the Reading Phillies game at Prince George’s Stadium in Bowie, MD on Sunday June 24, 2012. The novelty of the performance is that the monkey’s ride the dogs voluntarily to herd goats. JABIN E. BOTSFORD
ADAM WOLFFBRANDT’S PORTFOLIO ENTRY
Tara Bauman (left), 8, Ashley Bartlett, and her daughter, Teagan Rathjen, 8, cry together while “Amazing Grace” is sung during a memorial service for victims of Wednesday’s bus crash at the Blue Hill United Methodist Church held on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 in Blue Hill, Neb. The crash involved a school bus and semitrailer. Two students from Blue Hill Community Schools and drivers of both vehicles were killed. Five other students were injured. Tara and Teagan were classmates of Allie Thallman, who was injured in the accident. Allie’s sister, Caroline, was one of the four who died. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Doane quarterback Reid Rando (19) gets tackled by Morningside defensive lineman Andrew Broocks (95) near the 10 yard line at the end of the fourth quarter on Saturday, Oct. 06, 2012 at Doane College in Crete, Neb. Broocks prevented the Doane Tigers from getting a touchdown, but the Tigers managed a three point field goal with one minute left to go in the game. The Morningside Mustangs won 28-3. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Heather Berry rejects an apology kiss from her fiance Mark Duke after a small argument. She said they frequently fight because Mark is just a big kid. “He does have his good qualities,” she said. “He would do anything to make you smile.” Heather recently completed the Reach Higher Welfare to Work program through the Housing Authority of Bowling Green, which provides job experience and training to mothers in public housing in an attempt to better her life. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Carter Seim, 8, glares at his opponent, Olivia Nyberg, 10, moments before they race down Commercial Street for the “Extreme Almost Illegal Soapbox Derby” during the annual Swedish Festival on Sunday, June 17, 2012 in Stromsburg, Neb. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Brandi Fox cries in the arms of her father, Michael Rivers as firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire in her home on July 20, 2012. Fox, who was six months pregnant at the time, tried to put out the fire herself until the smoke and heat forced her out. “They said I made it out seconds before it was too late,” Fox said. Two cats and four dogs were trapped in the trailer when she escaped. Fox remained in the hospital for 24 hours from smoke inhalation, but firefighters said her efforts likely saved most of her home from extensive damage. The Fox family was able to repair the damage with the help of mostly anonymous donations, but the three Fox children lost all their belongings. “They’re still getting over the issues of losing everything,” Fox said. Firefighters were able to save all the animals from the fire. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Edith Wentworth drinks a cup of coffee as wildfires spread near her home through 117 square miles (74,880 acres) of the Niobrara River Valley on July 23, 2012 in northern Nebraska. Edith put sprinklers on her roof to prevent hot embers from burning her home. She previously lost her home to a tornado and took precautions to protect her house from the fires. “It’s just so dry out there,” she said. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
After receiving an allergy shot, Brian calms down, chews on his cloth, and gives his mother, Dee Shaffer a hug on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 at their home in Ashland, Neb. Brian is allergic to 97 different things, so Dee must take several precautions to prevent reactions. The two have been living off Dee’s retirement fund for over a year after the state stopped paying her to care for Brian. After her retirement money runs out, Dee said they would be forced to the streets. “That would kill him,” she said, crying. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT
Local children pull as hard as they can for a game of tug-o-war in front of grain bins near a field in Morse Bluff, Neb. on Aug. 11, 2012. Residents of the 135 person village and their neighbors celebrated their quasquicentennial (Q125) by various events and games throughout several days. ADAM WOLFFBRANDT