2019-2020 Yearbook

Ace to King established a community for student magicians to practice their craft. Ace to King (A2K) sought to end the stigma on performing magic while cultivating a community of confident storytellers. Sophomore Patrick Kelly, president of A2K, founded the club during his first year at Harding. Kelly practiced magic for over six years and saw the need for a club where individuals expressed themselves in unique ways. "Our focus is to leave you with a story or memory," Kelly said. "We want to change the perspective from being trickery to a dramatic art form." Junior Jenni Hankins, a hypnotist in A2K, said when people thought about magic, they tended to associate it with deception and witchcraft, which were not Christian ideals. Hankins said she loved how A2K's goal was to break that linkage and provide another outlet for creativity. "I love that we are bringing the fellowship of being a Christian into magic," junior Jacob Ralls, A2K's vice president, said. Each meeting taught history and theory of magic with time at the end for members to perform new skills and receive feedback. Hankins said she enjoyed the communal aspect of the club and the opportunity to practice old tricks and learn new ones. Each member of the club had their specific magical niche. Kelly's was coin magic, Ralls' was card magic and Hankins' was hypnotism. Even though they all had their individual specialties, Hankins said A2K offered them the environment to learn from others and to grow in their own abilities. Ralls said the best thing about magic was the way it entertained people. Hankins said people wanted to hear stories that sent them on a journey, and magicians had the ability to be the guide for that story. A2K was dedicated to creating an experience in which students could have fun and then tell other people about it. "I love the illusion and the way that magicians get to weave a story around a trick," Hankins said. Hankins said anyone could tell a story, which made A2K a club for everyone. Kelly said he wanted to create a club that was ingrained in Harding's history and continued to meet regularly and perform after he graduated. story by Kylie Jones Sophomores Deborah Samuelson and Patrick Kelly; junior Brendon O'Keefe; freshmen Seth Elliott and Joey Dyer; and juniors Rebecca Black, Jacob Ralls and Kevin Koel display their magic skills in Cone Hall's kitchen Sept. 22, 2019. According to Ralls, the best part about magic was the entertainment it brought people. I photo by Stanley Morales organizations 27 3

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