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(04/24/24 2:00pm)
A hug can communicate warmth and love without saying a word. For LGBTQ+ individuals rejected by family members, a hug from Free Mom Hugs staff resembles affection they may not receive from those of their own household.
(04/12/24 2:00pm)
Stepping inside any elementary school classroom during independent reading time, it’s not uncommon to look out amidst a sea of wandering eyes flickering from line to line, discovering what happens when you give a mouse a cookie and how hungry a caterpillar can be.
(04/14/24 2:00pm)
“The ship is sinking,” second-year teacher Zachary Houser said. Houser is referring to a ‘ship’ full of veteran educators who are falling behind in today's world of rapidly evolving education practices and standards. This can be solved, as these teachers are preparing to retire, yet, they have no one to replace them. This issue is growing larger.According to a 2022 study released by the National Opinion Research Center, less than one in five Americans would encourage a young person to become a K-12 teacher.Participants based their responses on issues like lack of pay and stressful work environments. The study parallels the actual lack of young educators currently in the workforce. Muncie Community Schools (MCS) recognizes this and has begun to implement steps and programs to allow college graduates to find their footing in teaching — fast. Director of Elementary Education at MCS Heidi White acknowledged the stigma surrounding young teachers, while also highlighting their benefits. “There is value in a veteran teacher for sure, but there's also value [in] having somebody come in with a fresh perspective,” she said.In her current role, White oversees the curriculum for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and MCS’ preschool programs. Additionally, she said her role also comes with an overall focus on school improvement. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in its 2023 Education at a Glance report, it reported within OECD countries, 18 percent of teachers at pre-primary levels are under the age of 30. The report also stated that in 45 percent of countries with available data, teachers aged 50 and older are at least double those under 30. This statistic can prove costly when teachers have to retire, as recently, educators are more frequently leaving the profession.According to the National Education Association, 86 percent of its members noted they saw more educators leave the profession since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is something that can be fixed by young teachers. White acknowledged this and said in her 18 years at MCS, she’s seen the importance of young educators firsthand. “I do feel like, a lot of times, people [who] are coming in younger have a renewed sense of hope for our kids, which is what we need,” White said. “That's not to say veteran teachers don't, but … [young teachers] come in, and they are ready and feel empowered and take ownership of [the] kids in our community.”First-grade teacher Savannah Oliphant at East Washington Academy is one such young educator. In her second year at MCS, Oliphant said she has taken on a lot of responsibility with her co-teacher. Last year, she helped create a new curriculum which is now being implemented in her current classroom, something she feels she “nailed.”Living in Muncie until she was about eight, Oliphant attended the school she now teaches at when it was open as Washington-Carver Elementary School. Additionally, she attended Ball State University for her last two years of earning her undergraduate degree.She said this lived experience with MCS has bettered her as a teacher. “I know what it's like to be in a lower socioeconomic school district and status … I know what these kids go through,” she said. “I always have the same structure, I always have the same routine because [students] don't get that anywhere else.”
(04/08/24 2:00pm)
The Cup’s patrons might take their beverage into the seating area to the tune of an indie-alternative song and like Jessica Wolfe, a 2023 graduate of Ball State University, they might notice new additions to the walls since their last visit.
(04/10/24 2:00pm)
The roll of dice. The fwip of cards. Jokes, taunts and laughs exchanged alongside strategies and plans. Bonds are formed and made stronger simply by playing games.
(04/01/24 2:00pm)
Fred Timberlake often spends his days in downtown Muncie listening to the sound of trains driving past, or listening to the sound of water running down by the White River.
(04/02/24 2:00pm)
Editors note: This story has been updated to correct information on where the salon was originally located.
(03/17/24 2:00pm)
The smell of freshly ground coffee.
(03/13/24 1:25pm)
Muncie Community Schools (MCS) Director of Public Education and CEO Lee Ann Kwiatkowski will be retiring at the end of the year. She will be succeeded by Charles (Chuck) Reynolds, a Muncie Southside graduate and longtime district administrator, according to a statement from MCS Chief Communications Officer Andy Klotz.
(02/15/24 3:00pm)
Muncie’s National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Branch #3063, is continuing to move forward on a path that celebrates diversity.
(02/20/24 3:00pm)
In 1965, thousands of people participated in a march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery. Among those who took on the 54-mile protest was Beatrice “Bea” Moten-Foster.
(03/04/24 1:00pm)
Stephen P. Hargrave has strived his whole life not to be limited by how he chooses to identify.
(02/10/24 3:00pm)
Sasha Donati was going to leave Muncie a year ago. She was not feeling herself. She was in a dark place, and she did not feel like Muncie understood her.
(02/02/24 3:00pm)
The Muncie Children’s Museum (MCM) is prepared to unveil two new additions that aim to teach children about Muncie’s local train stations and rivers set to open Feb. 1. A water table designed to teach about rivers is still under construction.
(02/05/24 3:00pm)
Kat’s Crystals and Curiosities is a place full of hidden gems, from crystals and bones to local artists who have their work displayed for sale.
(01/30/24 3:00pm)
The smell of baking surrounds the small kitchen in Susan Danner’s home, encasing it in warmth.
(01/19/24 3:00pm)
Muncie Parks Department is investing to improve three local parks: Gilbert, McCulloch and Cowing, with ADA compliance [Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990] at the forefront of the design of each play structure.
(12/07/23 3:00pm)
With Fall Commencement comes a great deal of ceremony: cap and gown, “Pomp and Circumstance” and the speeches of proud faculty and peers. It’s a thoroughly fancy affair – a dignified send-off to four long years of hard work and memories.
(12/05/23 3:00pm)
White and Rymer’s Bushido Karate instructors train numerous students who need not just instruction on how to defend themselves but help navigating their own life. Chief instructor and owner Richard Rymer mentions many students start training at the dojo due to harassment surrounding Muncie Community Schools he describes as an epidemic.
(10/25/23 2:00pm)
Bodies rush around a set stage, placing props at the top of the show. Giggles reverberate through the black box theatre as busy hands braid hair and place finishing touches on costumes.