Clemson students named finalists in competition to design pediatric clinics for Africa

CLEMSON — Four Clemson University architecture students were selected as finalists in an international competition to design new pediatric clinics for East Africa. Their work was showcased in May at a fundraiser in Seattle hosted by Humanity for Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthcare for children in developing countries.

Hunter McKenzie, Todd Davis, Sonal Patel and Blake Hoffman — all seniors majoring in architecture — participated in the project as part of their fourth-year design studio classes taught by architecture professors Harry Harritos, Jane Hurt and Annemarie Jacques.

“'Design For The Children' was an open, international design competition inviting architects and designers to create a pediatric clinic model that is both sustainable as well as culturally responsive in its use of local materials and methods of construction,” said Jacques. Possible sites for the new clinics include Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

“These four students are among more than 300 designers from 30 countries who entered the competition,” Jacques said. “It is significant that our students were recognized for their individual entries while the rest of the submittals were from teams of two-to-seven people.”

Anyone could enter, including registered architects and architectural firms. Clemson architectural students submitted about 20 individual designs.

“Most of the entries in the competition were from teams of architects from firms all over the world,” said Jacques, who accompanied the four students to Seattle for the awards ceremony. “Our students' work looked great and deserved to be amongst the 50. Their concepts, design development and presentations were of equal caliber to the rest.”

The competition was judged by a 10-member international jury of architects, educators, medical and public administrators, and others dedicated to improving health care and education in developing countries. The first-place winner was a team of architects and engineers from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. The second- and third-place winners were professional architectural firms from Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, respectively. The showcase exhibit will travel nationally as a fundraiser for Save the Children.

“I’m impressed with these students for wanting to do something completely outside the range of what they know and are familiar with. They wanted to test the ways they can use their talent to help others,” Jacques said.

World Class BBQ Competition Adds Sizzle To Historic 50th Coca-Cola 600 Week

CONCORD, N.C. (May 19, 2009) - In yet another Fans First initiative, Lowe's
Motor Speedway will bring a world class barbeque competition to race fans
during Coca-Cola 600 Week.

Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, the invitation-only
Prilosec OTCR BBQ Shootout Series will feature 14 professional teams,
honorary judges, cooking demonstrations, food sampling and total posted
awards of $15,000, with $2,500 going to the Grand Champion. Competitors will
sell varieties of barbecued chicken, pork and beef sandwiches, ribs, brisket
and sauces with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Speedway Children's
Charities and the NASCAR Foundation.

"This is an innovative new competition that includes award-winning
pit masters and barbecue teams from around the country," said Marcus Smith,
president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway. "They'll compete for
the prestige and prize money of an event championship, but the real winners
will be the fans that get to taste all the food fresh off the grills this
weekend."

Competitors will sell their products starting Thursday on Windstream
Pole Night near the speedway's main entrance off Highway 29. Judging will
take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the Prilosec OTCR display located in
the souvenir area on Bruton Smith Boulevard. Awards will be handed out at
1:45 p.m. on Sunday preceding the Coca-Cola 600.

SPEED Channel will film the competition for national television
broadcast at a later date.

Lotta Bull BBQ from Marietta, Okla., Wood Chicks BBQ from
Chesapeake, Va., Texas Rib Rangers from Denton, Texas, and home-state
favorite Tarheel Smokers from Hertford, N.C., are among the award-winning
competitors.

Tickets are still on sale for Thursday's Windstream Pole Night,
Saturday's CARQUEST Auto Parts 300 and Sunday's historic 50th running of the
Coca-Cola 600. Fans can purchase tickets at the gates on event days or by
calling the Lowe's Motor Speedway ticket services department at
1-800-455-FANS.

Shriners Announce BBQ Cooking Competition

Smoke on the Beach, Hilton Head, will host its Inaugural BBQ Cooking Competition on March 20th and 21st, 2009. This event will be showcased on the beautiful grounds of Coastal Discovery Museum at Honey Horn Campus. The site is located at the intersection of Highway 278 and Gumtree Rd. off the Cross Island Parkway entrance ramp. The physical address location is 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head.

OMAR Shriners decided, after seeing the need to grow more interest in Omar’s Southern Coastal Region which includes the Hilton Head area, to bring the fine cuisine of pork to the island. Honey Horn charges a $5.00 fee per vehicle to park. During this event the public can purchase tickets at the gates for our anything goes contest that will be held on Friday night starting at 6pm.

Each ticket allows the public to taste anything from Chicken, Beef, fish, etc. On Saturday starting at 11am until 3pm the public can purchase a wristband for only $10.00, which allows you to taste all of the best of the best BBQ around. During Friday night the entertainment will be provided by the Shane Clark Experience Band. Also a DJ will provide music at all other times. During Saturday the Coastal Corvette car club will display and show there beautiful cars. Beverages will be available to purchase during this event. Please be a part of Omar Shriners first cook off in Hilton Head, so you too can say, “Look how much Smoke on the Beach at Hilton Head has grown over the years and I am a part of it.”

One Hundred Dollars Fiction Contest

The Piccolo Fiction Open is a literary competition in its ninth year of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival. This year the theme is One Hundred Dollars.

The word limit is 1300. Please submit four copies of your original, unpublished work with a postmark no later than Jan. 9, 2009. Include one separate cover page with your contact information and title of the story. At the top of your story, please include your phone number only. A $10 submission fee is required; please make checks payable to the City of Charleston.

$200 will be awarded for the top story, followed by a $150 and a $50 prize, as well as runners-up. One story (or more) will be chosen to appear in Dark Sky Magazine. There are no residency restrictions, though writers who would like to read their work in Charleston during the festival are encouraged to submit.

Submit Application Materials to:
ATTN: PFO 2009
City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs
180 Meeting Street, Suite 200
Charleston, SC 29401
(843) 724-7305

Being an American Essay Competition

CONTEST GOAL: To explore the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the civic values that unite us as Americans.

ESSAY QUESTION: “What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American? Trace the enduring importance of this value throughout the American story by discussing: a Founding document that reflects this value; a figure from American history who embodies this value; and ways you can personally put this value into practice.”

STUDENTS ELIGIBLE: Students in grades 9-12 who are U.S. citizens or legal residents and are either attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, being home-schooled, or participating in a GED or correspondence school program but are no older than 19 years of age.

ESSAY LENGTH: No more than 750 words.

JUDGING CRITERIA: Adherence to Essay Guidelines, Originality, Organization, Writing Style, Depth of Analysis

Deadline Dec. 1. Winners will be announced Spring 2009. Cash prizes up to $5,000 for students and their teachers.

View full contest details here.

Collegiate fishing match turns 35

The Coastal Carolina Invitational will be observing its 35th year as this nation’s oldest intercollegiate fishing match and seminar. On Oct. 31, student anglers will be fishing for king mackerel and black sea bass on the New Inlet Princess out of Captain Dick’s Marina in Murrells Inlet. In the past Captain Jack Orr has had to run up to 35 miles off the beach to find the kings, but in some years the kings have been in as close as 12 miles.

Participating schools for 2008 will include Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University and the University of South Carolina. Retired Coastal Professor Richard Moore will be judging the competition as he has done every year since 1974. Professor Donald Millus will be organizing and directing the Invitational for the 35th time, assisted by Professor Erin Burge of Coastal’s Department of Marine Science, Dr. Joey Sanders of Conway and Captain Ryan Powers, a Coastal alumnus. Patricia Millus will provide the catered lunch, traditionally hero sandwiches.

Coastal Carolina University is the defending champion, having dethroned the University of South Carolina by a score of 100-96 in last year’s match. The public is invited to the weigh-in at Captain Dick’s Marina at 4 p.m. on Halloween.

For more information, call Don Millus, professor of English at Coastal Carolina University and founder of the tournament, at 843-349-2431.