Summer program opens teen’s eyes, mind

Emerald High senior meets students from around the world at Stanford University

September 5, 2006

By JOSEPH BUTLER
For The Index-Journal

Stanford University’s Web site promises unlimited rewards for students who attend the university’s High School Summer College program. Robert Woolston, 18, of Bradley, has put that promise to the test.
It all started when Woolston received a package in the mail from Stanford, inviting him to apply for the program.
Woolston went through the application process and was accepted.
Lisa Pritchett, marketing coordinator for the High School Summer College at Stanford, said Woolston was one of only 341 students accepted this year, and he was the only one from South Carolina.
Pritchett said the student application process for this program is very similar to a college application process. The students are required to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor, an essay, SAT test scores, a list of extracurricular activities and their high school transcript.
“All these materials are reviewed with an eye toward identifying students who are academically advanced and mature enough to live in the dorm setting for eight weeks.”Pritchett said.
And, according to Woolston, it was Stanford’s dorm setting that required the biggest adjustment. Not only was it the longest amount of time that he had been away from his family, but it was also the first time he had encountered such a diverse group of people, he said.
Woolston encountered people from all over the country and people from all over the world. Woolston said that his dorm, which consisted of 50 to 60 students, had two students from Hong Kong and one from India.
Woolston said at first he was nervous about adjusting to the diversity, especially when he learned that his roommate had a very different religious background than his own. His roommate, Saad Arain, of Chicago, was a Muslim, and Woolston is a Christian. But Woolston soon discovered that Arain had felt uneasy about rooming with him also, but for a different reason.
Arain, Woolston said, had a preconceived idea about what Southerners were like and didn’t want to room with one. But Woolston said it didn’t take long before they began to share with each other about their different life experiences and became good friends.
“We focused on things we had in common, like basketball,” Woolston said. “We played basketball together all the time.”
It wasn’t just the students who had lasting effects on Woolston. Woolston said he will always remember his economics professor, Robert Leeson.
“I will never forget this one quote he gave: ‘The most important thing is to have strong views, weakly held,’” Woolston said. “I will carry that with me the rest of my life.”
That is not all Woolston will carry with him. He earned eight credits from the program that he could transfer to another college when he graduates from high school, he said.
Woolston admits that he worked hard for his accomplishments, but he doesn’t take all the credit. He said he got his strong work ethic and enthusiasm from his father, Tim Woolston. “When I wrote my essay for the application, I wrote about my father,” he said. “He is my hero.”
Woolston also gave credit to his teachers at Emerald High School, where he is a senior. Woolston said that three teachers in particular -- Rebecca Love, Laura Lutz and Suzie Martin -- have been very influential. Woolston said that his experiences at Stanford and at Emerald are defining moments in his life, but he does not plan to attend Stanford when he graduates.
Woolston said when he was at Stanford he especially missed his brother, John Woolston, a sophomore at Emerald.
“He is my best friend,” Woolston said. “I plan to go to college somewhere in state. I want to be near my family.”

Irene Nancy Evans

ABBEVILLE — Irene Nancy Evans, 50, of 734 Carver Apts., died Monday, Sept. 4, 2006, at her home.
The family is at the home of her mother, 110 Meadow Drive.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary, Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at awmort@wctel.net.

L.R. “Leroy” Ramey

ABBEVILLE — L.R. “Leroy” Ramey, 74, of 350 Calhoun Hill Road, husband of Alberta Kennedy Ramey, died Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006, at his home.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Abbeville & White Mortuary, Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at awmort@wctel.net.

Rosalyn Storey

Rosalyn Ann Yarbrough Storey, 64, of 1548 Parkway, died Sunday, Sept. 3, 2006, at her residence.
Born in Saluda County and a daughter of Mattie Rinehart Yarbrough West and the late Ansel Yarbrough, she was a homemaker and a member of Callie Self Memorial Baptist Church.
Surviving are three daughters, Robin DeVore of Saluda, Angela Storey of Newberry and Kimberly Smith of Gaffney, a son, Terry Storey of Greenville, her mother and stepfather, Mattie Rinehart Yarbrough West and Alfred F. West of Batesburg, two sisters, Cheryl Y. McCord of Greenwood and Madeline Y. Jefferson of Chapel Hill, NC and six grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 PM, Tuesday evening at Ramey Funeral Home.
Funeral Services will be 3 PM, Wednesday, September 6, 2006 at Nazareth United Methodist Church with Rev. Joyce Murphy and Rev. Harvey Peurifoy officiating. Interment will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Nazareth United Methodist Church, 2943 Columbia Hwy., Leesville, SC 29070.

Favorite political trick is the laying on of guilt

September 5, 2006

Civility has become a victim of petty partisan politics. That, however, is just one facet of life where courtesy, respect and tolerance have taken a hit.
No matter which way you turn these days, character assassination has almost become a way of life. We see some of it around South Carolina. of course, but it’s everywhere. It impacts our core beliefs, whether in religion or anything else.
One of the favorite tricks often observed is the never-ending rhetoric designed to make people feel guilty or ashamed of what they believe.The reasoning is, of course, is that if a critic can get in the head of those of opposite beliefs, they will tend to fade into the background and not stand up for what they believe. In effect, when the critic tries to make opponents feel guilty and ashamed about what they believe, unfortunately, too often they are successful.
There is a way to resist such cunning, of course. Don’t back down. Let your principles speak for themselves. In fact, it might even be helpful to turn it around ..... try to make the critic feel guilty or ashamed for what he does not believe.
Chicanery works both ways, and in politics, it has a natural environment.