By Mari Pothier | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

Taking one game at a time and looking to the future is how head coach Bo Clark is keeping morale up among his players.

The men’s basketball team is currently on an 11 game losing streak with a 6-12 overall record.

“I think the big thing is to try to keep as much positive energy as we can,” Clark said.

By Emily Hoover | ehoover@flagler.edu
Photo by Robert Heinrich

Sometimes I think I’m really paranoid. Sometimes I get the fear when I walk into a grocery store, such a deep fear from within, that I want to run back to my car, as if someone is chasing me with a blunt object.

It’s not about the sensory overload I experience when my eyes finally adjust to all the artificial lights and I observe consumers scrambling through the aisles, looking for sales, just waiting for the exchange of currency for nutrients. It’s not about budgeting, since I now live with my boyfriend and our combined income makes good food easier to afford.

The fact is: I can’t buy bagels without staring intently at the back of the package, looking for chemicals and preservatives. I can always locate xantham gum and high fructose corn syrup—oftentimes a combination of both—especially in food marked “All Natural” and “No Preservatives.” So I find myself putting products back on the crammed shelves, hunting for something not just certifiably organic, but really organic.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

This fall, students may be filling more seats in campus events. But, it’s not because they want to, it’s because they will be required.

The co-curricular requirement is the latest proposal of the academic strategic plan to be evaluated and voted on by the faculty senate. In the last meeting, which occurred on Jan. 11, the senate voted for it to be considered in this year’s institution budget.

A committee still needs to be formed to work out details of this proposal, but, when passed, it will require incoming freshmen to attend a certain number of campus events in order to graduate.

By Josh Santos | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Winter break is a time for students to relax from the hectic school year — to visit their families and work. But I wasn’t able to accomplish any of these this break and especially not the work part.

Instead, I spent this past Christmas in a home that was rotting from the inside out, 300 hundred miles away from my family, all while searching for a job to support myself.

My first mistake was assuming it would be easy.

By Sarah Williamson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The St. Augustine Film Festival brought us to our “happy” place this past weekend with a film by Roko Belic. “Happy” is an award-winning documentary that brings its audience around the world, trying to figure out the answer to what makes us humans happy.

The idea for this feel good film came from director Tom Shadyac (“Bruce Almighty,” “Liar, Liar”). He became interested in the science of happiness after reading an article in The New York Times about Americans being unhappy, regardless of their wealth. While sitting in his mansion somewhere outside of L.A., he got in contact with Belic and told him his idea for a documentary.

What a great idea it turned out to be.

By {Amber James} | gargoyle@flagler.edu

About 2,000 people made a stand against abortion on Saturday, walking a mile through downtown for the March for Life St Augustine. But one woman marched in her own way.

Barbara Trost sat comfortably in her wheelchair, overlooking the countless children playing on the Mission de Nombre’s grounds and the crowd that had gathered to hear speakers talk about the pro-life movement. The 77-year old Christian faithfully held a sign in her lap that read, “Abortion kills 8,000 babies every year in Jacksonville.”

By Kylynn Pelkey | gargoyle@flagler.edu

I spent thanksgiving this year at an Alzheimer’s home. My Grandmother’s sister, Sandie, was transferred into the home about two months ago. The transition has been hard on her family.

Sometimes she doesn’t remember her son, Steven Jr., who pushed to put her in a home. Once, she didn’t remember her husband Steve.

“Why is that man in my room? Who is that man?” she asked the nurse.

By Amber James | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Rodderick Williams is a county sentenced inmate, in jail for violation of probation. But for five to six days a week, Williams gets to leave the jail and return to the free world, working at the Santa Maria restaurant downtown as a cook, preparing meals and prepping food, trying to turn his life around.

Williams has been part of the St Johns County work release program for the past five months.

By Tiffanie Reynolds | gargoyle@flagler.edu

On registration day, Heather Cribbs logged onto myflagler to find that the class she needed to take was no longer listed. It’s a scenario that has happened more than usual this semester, from seniors to freshmen finding more classes full or taken out all together.

“If you can’t get into it or your classes coincide, then you kinda have to choose your battle,” said Cribbs, a junior theater arts major.

Junior Johanna Falzone, a fine arts major, also had the same problem. The lack of class choice not only made it difficult to schedule her classes, but also made her feel under-appreciated as an upperclassman.

By Jeffrey Howard | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

Olivia Snipes, a senior setter for the Flagler College women’s volleyball team, said she doesn’t like to be the center of attention. Even if Snipes doesn’t want the spotlight on her, she has earned it from every student and faculty member at Flagler with her honors on and off the volleyball court.

Snipes is an Elementary Education major and is minoring in history. She is a member of Kappa Delta Pi, which is the education honors society. She is also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Alpha Chi, which are both national honors societies. She is president of the student athlete advisory committee, which is essentially the voice of the student athletes to help with things such as college administration. She is currently holding a 3.77 grade point average.

By Don Stewart | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Senior defensive specialist Laura Beth Lancaster transferred from Georgia Southern after her freshman year and has thrived for the Saints since then.

“The coaches, players and even the faculty at this school are all behind me and that’s a great feeling,” Lancaster said. “I have become close with not only the members of the volleyball program here but of many other sports teams as well. It’s hard to say goodbye, but I am grateful for all of the memories and opportunities I’ve had here.”

By Jeremy Petty | gargoyle@flagler.edu

The Flagler College men’s soccer team played its final game of the season Saturday night as they lost to Lynn University in the NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Tournament Quarterfinals. It was a close game with a lot of scoring chances being recorded by each team, but Lynn edged out Flagler in penalty kicks winning 4-2.

As rain began to fall about an hour before the match started, it was clear that neither team was affected by the slick conditions. The goalkeepers prepared for skipping balls during warm-ups, but the rain stopped just before kickoff which made shots on the ground less of a problem.

By Jeffrey Howard | gargoyle@flagler.edu
Photo by Dyann Busse

On Sunday the women’s volleyball team beat their rival Armstrong Atlantic in three straight sets after losing the first, securing another trip to this weekend’s NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.