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Program gets more thar Phone Fr By AMY BARCOMB Staff Writer Children in Richland District 1 no longer have to come home to an empty house after school. The Department of Educational Psychology offers an alternative through its Phone Friends project The Phone Friends Project is for children in kin dergarten through second grade who live in Richland District 1. The children can call and talk to a volunteer from the College of Education Monday through Friday afternoons from 2:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Susan Zace, the graduate assistant for the project, said they have taken over 200 calls since the project began in February. Zace said Phone Friends is a needed project that provides a good service for children. Chris McMichen, a choral-music education sophomore who volunteers with the Phone Friends Project, said the children call to talk about almost anything, from their favorite subjects in school to problems with their homework to their favorite ride at Canowinds. "Most don't really need anything, they just want somebody to talk to," he said. Sometimes the child's parents are home, and the child calls just to have someone to talk to, said Nicole Frederic, an early childhood education sophomore. McMichen said he likes helping out as a Phone Drama deft By LORI W. TONEY Staff Writer Breaking Down the Barriers, an original drama abc South Carolina, will be presented today at 7:30 p.m. al The program emphasizes both past accomplishment struggles. It also focuses on some current racial issues swimming pool and Buffalo Room incidents in which services. An additional part of the performance will what it means to be black or white at USC. "We may not be where we want to be, but thank G we used to be," said Charles L. White Jr., a Lay Cam] United Methodist Church at USC's division of the ] Lutherans and Methodists. The students and staff of USC's and Columbia Col pus ministries are the creators of the production, spon Association of African American Students, the NA FORD ( One way to (Mercury). B with the Fo: Here's all1 % rrrPP Vipf.wPP' 5A TT V/V/. beginning living exp< necc When it cor w ESH i 200 calls iends keep ar Friend because he remembers when he was young and had to come home to an empty house. "It makes your feel good because you feel like you're helping someone," he said. Frederic said she can't imagine what it's like to come home to an empty house. "My mom was always home. Phone Friends gives these kids some sort of reinforcement, even if it's lj| just asking them, 'How was your day,"' she said. Frederic said volunteering as a Phone Friend gives her a chance to talk to cnuaren ana ieei luces sne s doing something. "I thought it would be good because it's in my major, and it gives me experience with kids," she said. "It gives me a chance to see what goes on in their minds." The volunteers usually answer around five calls an afternoon. The calls usually last about five to 10 minutes. Zace said they have been getting fewer calls since the weather got warmer. p( Zace said the program can always use more volunteers. Volunteers must complete four hours of train- c ing before they can become a Phone Friend. Right now there are 12 Phone Friends, and each volunteers one afternoon a week. "Phone Friends gives those who want to work with children a chance to get experience ahead of time," Zace said. Any education majors who are interested in becoming a Phone Friend can call Dr. Bob Bowman of T"\ar*nrfmnnt Af DrlimofiAn of *Y71 -.^TJOft UK/ i^vjxuuuviu urn Miuwauvni ui / i / i m/. eats prejudice Student Organization, the Presbyterian ! dent Union and the Student Christian Fel >ut race relations in "The program is proof of our ministry t Rutledge Chapel. White said. "And it is a celebration of th s as well as present mhhhbmhhmm such as the Saluda ..... blacks were denied We may not be where wc be a discussion of God we're not where we usee - - I \A/hiln Ir C ocl we're not wnere v/uanoo i_. mmo vi., i dus Minister for the Partnership Among ideals, being the campus' primary Chr Liege's PALM cam- dents," he said, sored in part by the Ideas for the production initially cam ACP, the Catholic The cast was first assembled this past :redit and bei keys to y01 c i rfrv4- nn /-v i"A nn r>< ' get t) L'cXL ICU Ull U1JLC luau IU O 'ord Credit and Ben Satcher ca rd/Mercury College Graduate I from Ford Moto you have to do to qualify: gradi a October 1, 1989 and Decemtx within 120 days of vehicle pur< snses as well as a car payment ;ssary, if you have one, it must aes to getting the keys to succe ith the Ford/Mercury College ( FORD CREDIT GE BEN SA1 MOT Highway 378 & US #1 Lexington, SC 2! ea kids talking Eric Glenn/The Gamecock *^W*P sychology junior Amy Estingoy, a volunteer with the Phone Friends Program, 0^tji?^0r< :hats with a child who was lonely after school. (\ j * ^ ^ ^ jpJ/ 11 by breaking barriers Student Center, the Baptist Stu- responsible for creatively writing all of the music and drama. The script lowship. is largely based on personal experiences and reveals many personal 's increase in racial exclusivity," feelings. Student Christian Fellowship's 'There has been a strong educational thrust with the project, because it has taught a great deal about South Carolina race relations," White said. . . . "It is not a historical document, but through songs and music, it traces i want tO be, but thank the role of the United Methodist Church, including the 1972 merger of i to be." the black and white church conferences and the founding of the AME . . church," he said. 5ALM Lay Campus Minister "It's very important to realize that ours is the most learned generation, dealing seriously with the issues of race at a very crucial time," he said. "And it's a safe environment to do that here on campus because we have istian organization for black stu- an atmosphere of having to deal with the situation. The seeds are being planted for future use out there in the community." e from White's personal ministry. ; semester, and the group itself is See PLAY page 6 vl SATCHER HAVE THE JR SUCCESS 1 \ /r A - ~ 4-4~!~~* 4-1 1^^,^ 4- >-v ~ 17* jess is getting tne isjjys tu ct new ruiu n get qualified college graduates going 5urchase Program and $500 cash back r Company. rate with a Bachelor's or advanced de3r 31, 1991; have verifiable employment :hase; have a salary sufficient to cover . Although a prior credit history is not . be satisfactory to Ford Credit. iss, you'll find you're on the right track Graduate Purchase Program. :TS YOll fiOINf? V -w* rCHKR n ^ ORS IB fZ?) 2>? BBS "^BB^ >072 > PQ Box 888 803-359-4114 [^^ lfllMMaM| ^S? r^?