KSU Digital Media Blog

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Live From Seacrest Studios by Ashley Corrao

Ryan Seacrest has accumulated a total of five "Seacrest Studios" to lift the spirits of patients in children's hospitals throughout the country.

Since the grand opening of the first studio in 2010 at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston, the Ryan Seacrest Foundation has been using radio programming along with production-quality video cameras to reach patients in their very own hospital room. All they need to do is turn on their televisions that are provided in each room of the hospital.

Not only can they get involved from their rooms, but they are also welcome to come down during air-time anytime from 2-6 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays where they are able to learn about radio, become a DJ for the day, perform for the rest of the hospital, record greetings and play games and interact with other patients and the studio interns.

"My favorite times are when the patients come down to hang out with us," said Wendy Threatt, coordinator at Seacrest Studios at Egleston. "It means they are feeling well enough and we always have the best times! We hope to help them forget why they're here, even just for a little bit."

Specials guests are always stopping by, as well to join in on the fun. The most popular celebrities over the years include Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ed Sheeran, Luke Bryan, Derek Hough, Kellie Pickler, American Idol finalists, Usher, Nickeloedon stars, Disney stars and the list goes on. Many guests even bring their own unique gifts for the patients throughout the hospital.

Patients outside CHOA at Egleston are also able to connect. Children's at Scottish Rite and Children's at Hughes Spalding have access to watch and listen to the show by tuning into channel 12 on their TV's. Along with the patients at Egleston, they can also call in to request a song, interact with guests, play games and give special shout-outs!

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation now has studios in Dallas, Philadelphia, Charlotte and Los Angeles with many more to come.

Construction to Better by Tabitha Hodge

The Student Recreation and Wellness Center at Kennesaw State University is currently undergoing reconstruction to accommodate the increasing number of students and enhance Kennesaw’s overall appearance. The construction began at the end of spring semester, 2013, and will continue until fall semester, 2014.

The finished product is going to be three times its current size and contain racquetball courts, an outdoor pool, a 25 meter leisure pool, a climbing and bouldering wall and other features. With there being something for everyone, the new center is intended to encourage more students to work out.

As of now, the recreation and wellness center, or gym, has proven to be an inconvenience to both students and employees. Since about half of the gym’s facilities had to be closed off, employees were left without a break room, forcing them to either eat in the lobby or at the student center, and the students were left without locker rooms, basketball courts, tennis courts, a downstairs bathroom and XP room. Fortunately, things like the wellness center and bike center were merely relocated to neighboring trailers rather than doing away with it completely until the new gym is complete. Guess this is the price we have to pay for better.

De' Shonda Gordon's photo essay

Joker, Stormtrooper, walking dead and others spotted in downtown Atlanta - Dragon Con is in town! This year marked the 27^th annual Dragon Con convention, a four-day event over the Labor Day weekend where some of the most creative people come out to play. According to the Dragon Con organization, this event focuses on science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music and more. In addition, Dragon Con offers workshops, exhibits, art shows and of course a parade in downtown Atlanta. I walked the streets of Atlanta and found some very interesting characters. I also met a woman from Tennessee and briefly spoke to her about her Dragon Con 2013 experience:

“Dragon Con is like Halloween in summer” she said. “My husband and I drove in on Tuesday and will be here until the end of the convention.”

I asked about the parade since I didn’t get there in time to see it. “We were able to watch the parade from our hotel balcony which was nice.” She added. Talk about the having the best seats.

The event didn’t happen without controversy. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dragon Con co-founder Edward Kramer is facing multiple child-molestation charges in Gwinnett County. Certain Dragon Con members threatened to boycott the event if he profited from it, but according to the article he no longer profits from Dragon Con conventions.

Not only is this a fun and exciting weekend, but also a boost to the Atlanta economy. The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau reported last year’s Dragon Con event as bringing in an estimated $40.7 million to the city of Atlanta. Dragon Con organizers predict at least 55,000 attendees this year (up from 52,000 last year). Each year the conference attendance grows so the city of Atlanta can probably expect even more participants and revenue in 2014.

References

DragonCon.org, cnn.com, ajc.com, fox5.com, Atlanta Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (www.atlanta.net)

Paymon Kashani Photo Assignment

Team Fox wins two-peat at the PayKash-moni’s Annual Field Day.

Team Fox consisted of players Jason Bang, Jared Alexander, Paymon Kashani, Shayan Bagheri, and David Carroll. Team Fox won both the five on five basketball and the five on five soccer tournaments.

Paymon Kashani organizes and hosts an annual field day each year to bring high school friends back together and to get active. The day consists of a basketball tournament, soccer tournament, ultimate Frisbee and two-hand-touch football.

Team Fox has won the past two consecutive years in both basketball and soccer. The tradition has been going on for four years.

The basketball tournament consisted of five teams of five players. Each team was charged $25 as an entrée fee for the basketball tournament. The first place prize was $100 and second place was $25.

The soccer tournament consisted of only two teams. The fee for soccer was $5 per player. All the winnings went to the winner of the match, team Fox.

Katie Clackum- Blue October Rocks in September

Katie Clackum Blue October Performing at Center Stage Theater 09/08/2013

     Atlanta, Georgia- Sunday September 08, 2013 Alternative Rock band Blue October hit Center Stage Theater in Downtown Atlanta. A week into their "Sway" tour they were set to headline Center Stage Theater following two opening acts. First to go on was Tori Vasquez, a soulful Blues Rock artist from Shallowford Texas. Vasquez certainly held my attention as she displayed soulful charisma with some rasp in her voice alongside a scat-kitten sound you would expect to hear in a 1920s jazz bar. Next was the band Courrier fresh out of Austin Texas who had a great Folk Pop-Rock sound that the crowd and I seemed to thoroughly enjoy. There is a wonderful depth to their poetic lyrics, and they deliver them with a vibrant toe-tapping Mumford & Sonsesque sound. With such great stage presence Courrier put on an exciting show. Center Stage is a wonderful venue on the small side creating an intimate atmosphere when the house gets packed. The Theater is located on West Peachtree Street in North Atlanta. While the venue and the crowd were small, the bands all brought big sound.
     Blue October is a band from Houston Texas embarking on the "Sway" tour to support their latest album, "Sway", released on August 20, 2013. Upon arrival from the look of the line, barely wrapping itself around the Center Stage building, I didn't foresee there being much of a turn out. Though the Center Stage floor was full by the time Blue October took the stage. The venue being on the small side, made the small crowd looks large as everyone took up almost all the space on the theater floor. For what Blue October lacks in following here in Atlanta the fans certainly make up for in their passion for the band’s music. I interviewed a fan, Lindsey C., while waiting in line who said "Blue October has been an inspiration to me since high school...their lyrics and the way Justin [Furstenfield] (lead vocals, guitar)incorporates his personal struggles into the music has helped me through a lot in the past..." The band was on point that night and put on quite a show with dramatic lighting effects and a heavy yet ambient sound. With almost every song they performed you really couldn't help but "Sway".
     Blue October is currently signed to the band's own label Up/Down Records. The band consists of Justin Furstenfield as the lead vocalist and guitarist, Jeremy Furstenfield on drums, Ryan Delahoussaye on violin, mandolin, and keys, Matt Noveskey on bass and finally C.B. Hudson on lead guitar. The band formed in Houston Texas in 1995. Sway is their 7th studio album and debuted at #13 on the Billboard top 200. The band has upcoming tour dates across North America as well as in Europe.