' • • Serving atthe Searcy Humane Society, sophomore Chad Mynatt and freshman Kala Stidham towel dry a dog with their energy group Aug. 19. Other service projects included washing cars, cleaning houses and visiting Harding Place. -Amber Bazargani Students sacrifice summer vacation for Impact A bout aweek before classes reswned for the fall semester, an eieccric buzz was felt on campus. It was a time when the campus ' once again sprang CO life, making it a stark contrast ro [he ghost (Own it became during the summer. It was a time when fresh men flooded the campus and the vete rans, sometimes fifth o r even sixth-year seniors, returned, inch ing closer (0 graduation. It was time fo r 5(Udem ImpacL t Student Impact was a time each year when new friendships were made and old friendships were rekindled. "This isYour Life" was the theme . of Student Impact 2006. Energy group leaders came back to campus Aug. 13, fo ur days before the freshmen arrived, for a dinner and kick-off meeting. Even though th is swdent-run activity only lasted for four days, the behind-the-scenes r work began months in advance. Senior BetsyGlover and juniorRyan Davenport were chosen as co-directors and began preparing in the middle of the spring semester 2006. "Swdent Impact is a huge undertaking by all participants, and I was thrilled to be a parr of the acdon this year," G lover said. Many students were equally thrilled to be a pan of Impact; more than 100 students came tOgether to help lead energy groups and 20 people participated as part of the Steering Committee, which planned all of the Impact events. Luke Watson, a junior scheduled to go to Harding Unive rsity in Greece during the fall semester, returned during his summer break to help out. "1mainly wanted to be the re for my sister, since it is her first year at Harding," Wacson said. c'It was also real1y nice to see my frien ds before I left the country for several months." Wa tson had much responsibility during Impact. In addi tion to serving on the Steering Committee, he was given the title "Techn ical Guru" as he created videos documenting the daily activities ofImpact. "Luke is incred ibly talented wi th video," G lover said. "He would film du ring the day in addition to his other responsibilities and then stay up almost all night editing to get the videos ready." Junior Jake Wood, another studen t who attended HUG during the fall, also returned to campus so he could co ntribute to Student Impact. Wood panicipated in Student Impact 2005 and wanted to help out this year. Like Watson, Wood also wanted to say a final good-bye to his friends before leaving for the fall semester. "1wasn't really on the Steering Commi ttee, SO I just showed up early to see if help was needed," Wood said. "I realized 1 wouldn't be able to tell everyone bye- bye before I left so Impact was the answer." G lover said she thought Student Impact was a success this year. "T he biggest evidence came directly from the incoming freshmen, who we were doing this for," G lover said. "T his year was extra special in that the Steeri ng Committee became very close. At the close of each night, we would get together and sing, and we tru ly loved spending rime together." O ther highlights from Student Impact 2006 were the devotionals on Friday and Saturday evening and t he messages brought by guest speaker Jonathan Storment. "The singing as a whole group was awesome, and Jonathan Storment absolutely hit the theme on the head," Glover said. .. Davenport said he felt personally gratified that. he had been able to introduce the freshmen to the spirit ofH arding. However, he said the ultimate goal of all those involved in Impact was not a feeling of accomplishment for themselves. "We were not rhere for our own personal gain, but to impact the freshmen,» Davenport said. "This was fo r them, not us.» -Jordan Dyniewski student impact 1,_,,--_ _
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