The Student Newspaper of

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Volume 7, Issue 19 readmybeacon.com Monday, April 11, 2011

Warren lights up for cause

Buildings across the country shined blue lights for autism.
By Cash Lambert
Assistant News Editor
On April 1 and 2, many
Palm Beach Atlantic Univer-
sity students walked past the
Warren Library as it was lit up
with blue lights. Many won-
dered why, and few realized
the global impact of the blue
lights for that night.
Across the world, buildings
were lit up blue from the San
Francisco City Hall, to the
Empire State Building in New
York and the CN Tower in To-
ronto.
This Light It Up Blue cam-
paign, put on by Autism
Speaks, is a global initiative
to help raise awareness about
autism as it continues to grow
as a public heath crisis.
According to the Center for
Disease and Control, one in 70
boys is diagnosed with autism
along with one in 110 children
born in this generation. It is
The Warren Library at PBA lights up blue for the international Light it
see Autism, page 2 Up Blue campaign to bring awareness to autism.
cash lambert / assistant news editor

Global warming
could be cause
of unusual winter
By Kaitie Chassé
Staff Writer
Winter sport enthusiasts
were happy this winter as the
2010-11 season has shown
record snowfall in the North-
east, continuing into early
spring in some areas.
Northern New England ex-
perienced an April Fool’s Day
snowstorm, knocking out
power for more than 60,000
homes and businesses.
New Jersey, which usu-
ally doesn’t see more than 40
inches of snow, was forced to
shut down in a state of emer-
gency this past Christmas.
Some claim this is the worst
winter since the late 70s.
What could possibly be the
cause of this harsh winter on
the east coast?
According to Dr. Donald
Lovejoy, Palm Beach Atlan-
tic University professor of
oceanography and geology,
see Global warming, page 2

Two participants in the special needs adults ministry at Grace Fellowship play their instruments, with
smiles ear-to-ear. sara nicastro / contributing photographer

Heart and soul

Children and adults with special needs use music as a means
of expression in church ministries.
PBA founder honored
Dr. Jess Moody begins to read his prepared speech at the statue un-
By Michele Kappas tion and association in attempts to be veiling ceremony, but decides to forgo the speech and speak from the
heart, thanking the hearty crowd of friends, family and supporters.
Staff Writer heard.
Some of the attendees included longtime friends, many who flew in for
Voice of the unheard. Normally, the occasion, sculptor Zenos Frudakis, PBA’s first recruiter Bill Der-
MUSIC ryberry and first choral director O.D. Hall.
when this phrase is used, what comes “We try to celebrate each of them Christina cernik / photo editor
to mind are abused children, sex slaves, through our singing,” says Tina Knebel.

martyrs or aborted babies. All of these
voices tug at our hearts because we
know that they have a voice and are not
being heard. But what about thinking
outside the box for a minute? Do people
with cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy or
Down syndrome come to mind when
hearing this phrase? If not, why?
“Just because they cannot speak,
that doesn’t mean that they don’t have
something to say,” says Denise Briley,
veteran in special needs ministry.
Since many children and adults with
special needs cannot communicate as
many people do, they use music, affec-
inside...
Knebel is in charge of the special
needs adults ministry on Sunday morn-
ings at Grace Fellowship in West Palm
Beach. She is also the technical assis-
tant in the office of online learning at PBA’s Drowsy Chaperone
Palm Beach Atlantic University
musical opens.
page 8
The morning consists of music, Bible
story and light refreshments. Her face
lights up as she describes the class.
“One adult with cerebral palsy is in
his 70s. He can only utter sounds but Kayakers hook
sings like crazy,” Knebel says. Shelby
6-foot bull shark.
page 2
is another one of her adults who is
see Music ministry, page 2