Nothing But Worship

Matt McCoy, 23, is a recent graduate of the University of Cincinnati. Over the past four years McCoy has been the lead worship pastor at the Tri-County Vineyard Community Church in Springdale.

A San Diego, California native, he moved here right after high school because of the job opening at the Vineyard. “When I first came to Vineyard I was 18,” he said. “I graduated [from high school] on June 1st, I had no idea where I was going. I moved to Cincinnati within 15 days of graduating because I had a full time job at the Vineyard.”

McCoy says he has grown by leaps and bounds while working at Vineyard.

“Looking back… they’ve taught me how to work as a team,” he said. “Work with an organization, manage a team, and my song writing craft has grown, its been stretched a lot.”

With the growth of his song writing skills has came the opportunity to have his music out to the entire world. Vineyard’s record label, Vineyard Music, included a few songs of his on numerous releases.

“In one situation, a song I wrote was recorded by someone,” he said. “They had a girl sing my part, [which] I thought was really cool. Having someone else do my stuff and seeing how other people interpret my music.”

“For my music it’s been awesome having it crafted and recorded. I’ll be tweaking music up to the last minute while recording. I just want my music to come off polished and the way I wanted.”

McCoy’s song, “It’s Your Kindness,” was released on Vineyard Music’s compilation CD, Fascinated. But this isn’t the latest release from Matt because in March he released, Raise the Flag Again, with his band, currently going by his name. This is the first studio-recorded release for the band as it was recorded in Nashville, TN in 2007. He is proud of the CD because it is all his original music and it’s also outside of the box. “There are a few songs that aren’t what’s really in the trend right now,” he said.

Currently McCoy and his band are still unsigned. The release of Raise the Flag Again was done independently.

“No record deals, we’re still independent. I’m open to whatever God has for me and the band,” he said. “Whatever happens I want it to be a God inspired thing. I don’t want to force any doors open or anything. If God told me to quit music next week and do something else I would totally do it. I just want to be able to do whatever God wants me to.

“What’s cool is we can do it without a record deal. It would be nice but we don’t need it. [It] would help us get our music out to more people. Because that’s more and more lives that can be touched through my music.”

Yet even with the release of the CD, McCoy knows it’s not for him but for others, and most of all, God.

“The thing is with the nature of the music [we’re] playing, it’s not really about people knowing our music or becoming famous,” he said. “I feel like God has given me these songs that he wants us to use. We’re going out there to praise God and glorify Him.”

With his recent graduation from UC, McCoy hopes that he can now finally start to travel like he has always dreamed of.

“I’m hoping to travel a lot more and lead worship with people all over the world. My dream is to be able to lead worship with all kinds of people… All different church backgrounds, religions, and languages and just sing these songs for God.”

He hopes he won’t be classified with the rest of the Christian music out there right now.

“I don’t want to be another Chris Tomlin or David Crowder,” he proclaimed. “I’m at that stage in my life where I just want to be my own person.

For more information on Matt McCoy and where you can see him next, check out www.mattmccoymusic.com.

(Photo Courtesy of Matt McCoy)

Change...

According to dictionary.com change means, "to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone."

Over the past 13 or 14 months or so a lot of things in my life and the world around me have changed. Some have been small, some have been had no real impact on my life and some have just been overwhelmingly exciting.

To start with something small that has really had no effect on my life, just kind of caught me off guard. Rolling Stone recently changed the format of their magazine.

(Old RS on the left, new RS on the right)

It's childish but I really enjoyed the old style of the magazine, I liked the over-sized format that stirred away from the regular tradition. I started reading RS about 5 years ago and I've always been intrigued by their writing style and the efforts to get out stories that aren't all about "rock-n-roll." I haven't claimed their strong liberal views for mine nor have a agreed with every article I've read in there, but I have agreed with their bluntness to get their point across. But I'm just not feeling the new format of the magazine; let's stick with tradition, please?

12 months ago in Sept. 2007, I changed my major at the University of Cincinnati. I switched from early childhood education to journalism. I had no idea what I was really getting myself into but I knew that I wanted to write.

Here is some back-story, in high school I thought about possibly becoming screenplay writing, but nixed that idea because there were no schools around this area with field that I knew of. So I went with ECE because I thought that I could work with children, boy could I have been more wrong. I did a little student teaching and I just couldn't handle watching children for eight hours a day, five days a week. Don't get me wrong; I'm happy that there are people out there who are willing to do the job. I give them all my respect because education is so important and I thank every last teacher for at least doing the job. Our country couldn't exist without you!

(Ralph Kemphaus, one of the best teachers ever!)

But back to journalism, I changed majors and over the course of a year I've swooped out my 2.2 GPA for a 3.5 GPA that I'm much more proud to claim. I've been able to get back into writing, which I've always thought was something I was good at. I've taken classes with awesome teachers such as Kathy Wilson, who has written some of the most creative columns my eyes have ever seen. I've made a few new friends that I'm glad to welcome into my life. Rick Pandorf has been one of those people who will read my work, tell me whether it sucks or not and then tell me how to correct it. Without him I seriously would just be going to classes and heading home, instead of sitting around I actually having someone to talk to in-between classes and someone I can try and coordinate schedules with so I can have someone to keep me company for a change. Yet most of all journalism has given me the chance to actually do two things that I love. Currently this quarter I'm enrolled in a photojournalism class and photography is truly where my heart lies. Without photos life would be so blayne. And I'm just happy I can finally putting my cameras to real use and make my writing actually meaningful (at times).

On my 21st birthday I attended my last official service at Montgomery Community Church (MCC). Later that night I went to my second Core group meeting for Rivers Crossing Community Church (RC3) and everything changed that night. I finally felt like I was part of something that was worth my time.

Now I owe a lot to MCC. Will Basil, pretty much my best friend, started letting me go with him on Christmas Eve, 2003, and I've only missed about five services in the past five years, definitely a feat all in itself. But at MCC, I met a lot of amazing people, just to name a few: Sara Durham, Tyler Chandler, Matt Smith, Jeremiah Griswold and most of all Paul "PT" Taylor. I was baptized by PT, where we got a standing ovation!, and it was one of the best days of my life. I'm so happy to be a follower of Jesus Christ and none of this would have even happened if it weren’t for the invite from Basil all those years ago.

(My mentor Paul Taylor)

But I stopped going to MCC because PT has been a mentor to me and has been leading me for years now into become my own leader for Christ. I also left MCC because the last time I stepped in the side doors I received no "Hello," no "How are you?" and no warm welcome. The atmosphere felt so stuck up and unwelcoming; it was not a place that I wanted to continue to go to church.

RC3 has been different. I've been able to step up and have my say on a few things: I've been able to take part in the services (even if it is eating 7.5 donuts); I've been able to play photographer during important services; I was able to help baptize my mom; I'm able to help get the church running on Sunday morning.

Most importantly I've made a ton of new friends that now make up my new inner circle. Jos and Ginger Hall have probably been the two most awesome people I've met in the past year. Jos has been there to help set me straight, give me the advice I need to hear and introduce me to just the right people. Spencer Hewes rings a bell as someone else from Rivers Crossing that has had a big impact on my life. Spencer is so mature for his age and has been able to speak the Word of God to me when I'm hesitant to listen. A few others that pop into my mind are Travis Soles, Seth Kidwell, Tyler Trampler, April Beck, Grace de Guia and Brandon Gilliam. Brandon and Jos as a team are a riot, they are two of the funniest and funnest people to be around sometimes and I just absorb every chance I can get to hang out with the both of them.

(Jos and Ginger Hall, Megan and Brandon Gilliam)

To quote Fall Out Boy's song "What a Catch, Donnie", "I've got troubled thoughts and the self-esteem to match / What a catch / And all I can think of is the way / I'm the one who charmed the one / who gave up on you."

The first and last parts go perfectly with my personal life. A lot of the main people I talk to know that I'm not always thinking right, there is always one screw not tightened on tight enough. But the last part is the most important, because I give up on a lot of people. Over the past year my main group of friends has changed quiet a few times. I've only had a handful of friends that I've kept close this past year, or even since high school. I just don't tend to keep a large group of friends, I try to keep it at a minimum because of the lack of trust I have at times. It's just always been that way, but this past year I've noticed it more. I guess it's the fact Basil is the one of the only person I know I can count on hanging out with, a lot of other people leave this gray area as to whether or not they are going to be willing to hang out or not.

(Myself, Sara Durham and Will Basil)

But one of the bigger changes in my life will come to later today when I go to vote for the next President of the United States. This year I feel like my vote is going to count for something, that my vote might actually going to mean something, that I'm going to finally have my voice heard. This nation needs to be revamped, it needs to have a breathe of fresh air breathed into it, and we all need to have a different change of pace after eight years of George W. Bush. I acknowledge that I voted for W in 2004; at the time I felt it was the best decision for me, and I still stand by that. I don't agree with 75 percent of the things has done since then, but John Kerry would not have done much better, I guarantee it.

This year I'm going to the polls to vote for the candidate that I feel best suits my views. I don't agree 100 percent with either candidate, nor I necessarily like either of their running mates. But for the issues that I find important such as education, energy and the war on terror, I side with Barack Obama. I know a lot of people do not agree with him, but the thoughts that he is a terrorist or a Muslim are far from true and quiet ignorant. Obama has big plans for education, from preschool to college and in-between with K-12. Our children are the future of our country and making sure that they are educated should be one of out top priorities. The teachers of this nation need more respect then they receive, they need a pay increase and then need the attention from the parents so they can do their job properly.

New forms of energy need to be developed. Yes I think oil is important and we need to do some drilling but we don't need to chant "Drill, baby, drill," like they did at the Republican National Convention. We need to learn how to use water, our waste and wind to our advantage. Landfills are being stacked higher and higher each year with expansion growing by the numbers. Some people have figured out how to run cars off of waste, we just need to learn how to do enough of it to run our automobiles within the next decade, otherwise people are going to lose their houses to our used cell phones and iPods.

To quote John McCain, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, Bomb, bomb, Iran." That's not going to help us, even if you were joking McCain. It was a tasteless joke that you should be ashamed of. To claim that you’re a Christian and all you think about is going over to another country and blowing up the place is unacceptable and definitely not the way Jesus would have acted. I feel that we do need to take the chance to talk to some of these other world leaders and get inside of their minds. We need to hear them out and figure out what they are wanting. I don't think we need to go into these meetings alone, but they need to be done. This war needs to see the light at the end of the tunnel, not the light at the end of a barrel. We're spending more money in Iran and Iraq then we are on special scholarships for college students. Where should our priorities be? On an endless war or right here at home? I think the choice is easy.

With Obama I think he will be able to carry out most of his goals within the next four years if he gets elected. It's time to change the way America is run. Whoever the next president is, they will start to decide the future of my children. And even though I don't have a girlfriend or a family, I need to start planning ahead. Why not start now?

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." -Andy Warhol.

Education for the Future

(Krista Hawkey, Special Education; Danny Greene, Early Childhood Education; Joe Ciani, Middle Childhood Education)

With the Presidential election only mere days away, many students wonder what their future might hold and whether their field of choice will still be out there. For those planning on becoming a teacher, their main concern is what each candidate plans are for the educational system for the United States.

The campaign of John McCain and Sarah Palin has set up a list of things they hope to have accomplished during their term if they are elected into the White House. One of McCain’s main focus’ is taking funds from Title II, under the Educational Act, wants to take funding and provide teachers willing to transfer to a more challenging school distract with a bonus.

Krista Hawkey, 21, fourth-year special education major, says that the bonus’ are needed. “I think it’s a good plan since there are a lot of schools in our area that need the help and support,” she said. “I know that Cincinnati Public is one of the districts desperate for help.”

The Barack Obama and Joe Biden ticket have devised a plan that will help those students who plan on attending college for teachers. The pair will create the Teacher Service scholarships that will cover four years worth of undergraduate education. With the scholarship the students who receive it must complete four years in a high-need location or field.

Danny Greene, 22, fourth-year early childhood education major, says he sort of agrees with Obama’s plan. “I like that Obama is giving the scholarship to those people who want to go school for teachers,” he said. “But I don’t like the fact that he is making people go to certain schools.

For Sarah Palin, special education has been an issue that has hit close to home. On Oct. 24, Palin announced that she would give $45 billion, over the next five years, to fully fund the Disabilities Education Act. She also listed off a three part agenda that will help clearly define the course she wants to take with special education. Palin wants to put the power back into the parents hands by giving them more choices, she wants to have IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and refocus and reform the education system itself.

Joe Ciani, 22, fourth-year middle childhood education major, has his doubts about the McCain/Palin plan. “That’s a good thing because a child with special-needs needs the funding,” he said. “But McCain has already vetoed one of the bills for special education. So who knows who to believe?”

Through Ciani believes that McCain/Palin can’t follow through with their promise, Obama/Biden have little mention of special education in their education plan. “I definitely don’t feel good about Obama having nothing to do with special education,” Hawkey. “Because something needs to be done with special education right now. I am happy that Sarah Palin is attempting to put that into effect if she elected.”

Barack Obama has called for a change of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. He plans, if elected, to move away from the standardized testing that has been used for NCLB because he believes that teachers “should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles.” Obama wants the teacher to be able to follow a child’s progress more clearly by working with the child individually, instead of through a group.

"In reality it is hard for there literally to be no child left behind,” Ciani said “I know that if Obama gets elected NCLB is going to be revamped. One test isn’t going to give a good sample of the testing. We’ve all messed up one time or another on a test because we weren’t feeling good, weren’t in the mood for a test or just couldn’t focus. So I don’t think that the standardized testing is really helping any of the students.”

In only a few days the citizens of the United States will decide the next president. Only time will tell if either campaign will be able to follow up on their educational plans.

“Of course education is important,” Greene said. “Because we are teaching our children to be the future leaders of this country.”

For more information on the McCain/Palin education plan visit: http://tinyurl.com/2q9uaz. For Obama/Biden visit: http://tinyurl.com/ywbgqc.

Key Points of John McCain/Sarah Palin's Education Plan

1. Centers for Excellence in Head Start: Develop a head start program that is government funded that will help get children on the right path heading into Kindergarten. The hope is that schools will create a curriculum that will go hand and hand with the new program.
   
2. Provide Health Care for Children in Low-Income Families: Government funding will help insure that children in low-income families can receive the proper health care, with consent of the parent. The hope is that children will receive the health care through local clinics and college hospitals so that they will be as healthy as possible.
3. Reestablish Title II Funding: 60 percent of funding will go towards bonus' for teachers willing to relocate to a more challenging educational setting. 35 percent will go to principals and teachers so they can focus funding towards specific school needs. The final 5 percent will go towards recruiting the top 25 percent of the graduating classes.
   
4. Special Education Funding: Over the course of five years a total of $45 billion will go towards ensuring that the Disabilities Education Act is fully funded. A three part agenda will be set up as follows: More choices for parents when choosing schools, full funding for IDEA and efforts to reform and refocus the special education program.

Key Points of Barack Obama/Joe Biden's Education Plan

1. Reforming No Child Left Behind: The focus will be taken off of passing standardized testing through filling in the bubbles and switched to a more student focused, individual, agenda that will make sure the student is prepared for college.
   
2. Reducing Dropout Rate: To reduce dropout rates they will help ensure that schools can set up a personal education plan for students wanting to dropout. The plan will focus on what the student wants to do, so that they stay.
   
3. Tax Credits for College: Offer a $4,000 tax credit to college students willing to work 100 hours of community service.
   
4. Working for Teachers: Obama/Biden will set up a plan to recruit, prepare, retain and reward teachers for simply doing their jobs. They will develop scholarships for those going into education field that will require work in return and they will also create a voluntary assessment program to help ensure that teachers are prepared for the classroom. They will also encourage more experienced teachers pairing with new recruits to share knowledge. An reward those veterans mentoring new teachers with a salary increase or bonus.
   

My life line is back....

I'm just going to post a few pictures now and do some text later on... I'm a little upset with some of the quality because my camera kept taking them at 3 MP and not 8 MP like my camera really is...

A New Way of Interpretation

The University of Cincinnati has a new bachelor degree to add to its already extraordinary selection of majors offered. Interpretation and deaf studies (IDS) is the latest edition to the large variety of programs provided by the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services.

Jean Koverman, assistant academic director of sign language interpreting and deaf studies, is a certified interpreter for the deaf who is helping to build this new program.

“We have two different programs running at the same time,” Koverman explained. “One is an online degree BA program for working interpreters and (the second) is an on-campus interpreting BA.”

Currently IDS is working in cooperation with Cincinnati State to provide the best education for their new students.

“Cincinnati State has a fantastic program,” Koverman said. “It seemed a natural progression to offer those wishing to further their education in sign language interpreting be afforded the opportunity to take classes in this field.”

Derek Vore is one of the first students to be enrolled in the IDS program. Formerly a Spanish major, he decided to switch because of his lack of interest in the culture.

“I was glad that they now have the interpreting program because I really like sign language,” Vore said. “If they didn’t start it I would have most likely dropped out of school.”

Vore has already experienced first hand the type of work he will be doing after graduation.

“When I was in Psychosocial Aspects of Deafness, I got to take a class where there were three interpreters in the classroom,” he explained. “There were two for the teacher and one for the students. So I got to experience the culture and the work I’d be doing first hand, while still learning about it.”

It’s not uncommon for an IDS class to be taught by a deaf instructor. A deaf teacher teaches even some of the beginner sign language classes. Despite the difficulties of having a deaf teacher, Vore says, “I could not have asked for a more knowledgeable and experienced professors.”

“I like that it’s new and that we are in a joint consultation with Cincinnati State,” he said. “We are having teacher’s from both schools teaching us and giving us the best experience we possibly could have.”

Vore has learned enough during beginner and intermediate sign language courses that Koverman and her colleagues believe that he is ready to help out the younger students. He is the only hearing person working at the American Sign Language lab.

“I enjoy tutoring baby signers,” Vore said. “It’s also a learning experience working with three other deaf students. So I’m learning a lot more vocabulary, as well as, their culture.”
Koverman says the best part of the new program has been the enthusiasm of the students.

In the next few years she hopes the new course is, “busting at the seams,” Koverman explained. “We are hopeful that by offering these courses, students will discover an interest in sign language and the Deaf community, as well as, expanding out course offerings and available degrees.”

There are three different programs being offered under the special education banner. Two BA degrees: one online while the other is on-campus, which require at least 91 credit hours in the specific field. There is also a deaf studies certificate that is a total of 30 credit hours.

For more information you can contact 513-556-6161 or email through SLIdeaf@uc.edu

(Photo: Derek Vore, far left, shows new signers the proper way the sign is performed.)

Rocking The Youth Vote

The University of Cincinnati campus was crowded with volunteers urging students to register to vote in the upcoming election, Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Various groups were stationed around campus asking the usual, “Are you registered to vote?” and “At your current address?” questions. Some stopped to hear what they had to say, while, others replied with a simple, “yes” and continued moving onto their original destination. Each organization had their own personal views on the upcoming election while others simply just wanted the youngest population eligible to vote to register.

Kathleen Cogan, 26, is currently working in partnership with a student run organization called It’s Your Call. It’s Your Call is a completely nonpartisan organization who are working with students to give other young adults the chance to have their voices heard.

“I think that students have a big say,” Cogan said. “Over the past three elections a lot of students have turned up in huge numbers. We just want to make sure people are registered so they can vote.”

Other local campaigns such Moveon.org are in support of Barack Obama. Kevin L., 23, 4th year history major, is a registered voter working with moveon.org.

“I’m working for moveon.org which is in support of Obama, but not paid for by his party,” Kevin L. said. “We are just trying to get the youth to register to vote so they can have their voice heard.”

A nationwide organization that has been in the frontlines of the youth movement is MTV’s Rock The Vote campaign. Rock The Vote was founded in 1992 in “response to a wave of attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression.” With the backing of the mainstream media, the campaign has been a huge success. Stars such as Sean “Diddy” Combs and Snoop Dogg have gone out to help encourage young adults register to vote and have their voice heard.

Celebrities aren’t the only people in charge of the Rock The Vote. A number of adults have taken to the Internet to vent their feelings on the issues pertaining to society today. Blogs have become a personal extension to have your opinions heard. Through the Rock The Vote website, they have set up blogs for young adults to post their thoughts on the campaign trail.

Nick Brown is one of the bloggers telling his story on blog.rockthevote.com.

“The ‘youth vote’ gets disparaged pretty regularly, and it’s true that we haven’t turned out as much as we maybe should have in the past,” he wrote in his blog. “But you have to remember that the campaigns themselves wouldn’t exist without the fiendishly devoted young people who act as their shock troops. For every apathetic kid who claims that his vote just doesn’t matter, there is a half-crazed activist fighting against the injustices of the world. “

Cogan also agrees that the youth have a strong input. “We know that students want to volunteer,” she said. “It’s all peer to peer based. Right now we are trying to get as many volunteers as possible today to help with registering people this last week before deadline.”

This year the Rock The Vote campaign is looking to sign up two million new voters. As of Oct. 2 they have 1,870,988 new young adults registered for this year’s election.

Voter registration concludes on Oct. 6 nationwide.

(Image: An It's Your Call volunteer urges a UC student to register to vote.)