The Pioneer News Thursday, April 5, 2007 5 Luncheon Session Held for Former Foster Youth at Cal State East Bay By Anne Cunningham within the foster care and education FAFSA search,” said Bristow. Tempest Jones is another Renais- sance Scholar, had her daughter Blincoe. Staff Writer systems will allow me to be a friend These scholars have demonstrated sance Scholar who said the program when she was only 16. She said Blincoe will graduate next year, and mentor to these students,” said their self-reliance, determination, and has been a great help to her, but nobody ever told her that college and her kindergarten-aged daughter meet and greet luncheon was Bristow. commitment to succeed, despite their on-campus housing for her and her was an option. “I just needed to hear will be there to watch her role-model hosted Wednesday in the Biella A difficult circumstances. young son would help a lot. somebody tell me that I could do it. mother walk the big walk as she Room of the library at Cal State East Derrick Easterling is Charvett Blincoe, another Renais- I had never heard that before,” said completes her degree. Bay to bring former foster youth to- one student who beat gether for networking and to get to the odds. The fresh- know the new program coordinator of man is a former foster the Renaissance Scholars Program. I just needed youth whose high school Kevin Bristow, program coordi- counselor had told him it nator of the Renaissance Scholars to hear somebody would be virtually impos- Program, understands the problems sible for him to get into a and obstacles that former foster tell me that I could university like CSUEB. youth have getting into college and Overcoming drug ad- completing their degrees because he do it. I had never diction, he was first in- was once a foster youth himself. spired by the Indepen- “Over 4,000 people emancipate heard that before dent Living Skills Pro- out of the foster youth system in Cali- . gram in Alameda County. fornia each year,” said Bristow. “Only He went on a tour of the ten percent of these young adults CSUEB Hayward campus ever get to college, and of those that with other foster youth do, only one percent actually gradu- ”I will provide them a shoulder to lean on or cry on if they need it. and heard for the first time that he ate.” could enroll. Once a foster youth turns 18, they I can totally relate to what they are going through and will get them “I want to become a professional are basically on their own with very fighter, starting my own academy few resources to even support them- support and referral services when appropriate. My goal is to create a some day,” said Easterling. A spe- selves, much less think about higher cialist in Brazilian jujitsu, he hopes education. In fact, Bristow said that family atmosphere so they don’t feel they are going through this alone.” to someday earn his black belt and at least 36 percent of the country’s be able to teach others the discipline. homeless population is former foster Bristow said the California Youth Connection, an advocacy group for Currently studying kinesiology, he youth. is also thinking about adding some The Renaissance Scholars Pro- foster youth, has put forth legis- lature to waive tuition for former classes in entrepreneurship. gram is a bridge to college for former Living on campus with no car, he foster youth that provides them with foster youth in California to assist these young adults in future success said one way to help students would scholarships, housing assistance, be to improve transportation on the counseling and emergency funds. through the college experience. “Eighty-three people on the Hay- hill, adding more shuttle busses. He “My hope is that my experiences, also sees a need for housing for single Renaissance Students: Students who attended the meet and greet and luncheon in the Biella Room at Cal State East Bay today were (from left to right): both personal and professional, ward Hills campus have been identi- Derrick Easterling, Kevin Bristow (program coordinator), Donte Rodgers, Charvett Blincoe and Delmarche Elston. fied as former foster youth through a mothers to live with their children. Photo/ Anne Cunningham Christian Rock’s Just Like the Other Type—Only Different Registration Holds Are By J. D. Sarginson and speaker Louie Giglio. old trite ‘church-enese’ that you emerging Christian acts aren’t so Staff Writer Giglio, the leader of a large annual usually associate with Christian obviously Christian. New Wrinkle in WST Christian conference called “Passion” music.” Though there are many to choose s Chris Tomlin and his band that is aimed at college students, is Regardless of the perceived quality from, perhaps the best two examples By Neda Way and fulfill the requirement. A took the stage at the San Jose perhaps the greatest giveaway that of the lyrics, they are indisputably overt of this are Relient K and Switchfoot. Staff Writer “The registration holds are for State Event Center earlier this year, it this is not just another rock and roll in their intention, and in fact Tomlin Both have attained reasonable students,” Ekdahl said, “not for us.” would have been hard to differentiate show. himself has been quoted as saying that success in the secular music mar- nly 600 students took the Writ- The reason for the change is to en- his act from any other contemporary After all, how many ket while maintaining obvious and O ing Skills Test (WST) in the Fall courage students to get the require- rock group. rock concerts break for overt Christian themes and songs quarter, compared to 1,200 students ment out of the way early instead of All the pieces were there: electric 20 minutes so an other- (though of the two, only Relient K who registered to take the test dur- being on the verge of graduating only guitars, multimedia, dark room, stage wise un-involved party actually lists itself as a Christian ing the Winter quarter. to discover they may need an extra lighting. Even amps cranked up to can take the stage and I love Tomlin’s music band). In fact, both groups have There was a reason for the sud- quarter to fulfill the requirement. 11. deliver a message? toured with secular acts, have den jump: Also, last quarter, the Testing The difference is that when Tom- But God-talks aside, because of the lyrics. It’s received play on MTV, and feature “When I went to register for Office started advertising the WST lin steps up to the microphone, he the gap between popu- songs about non-religious topics classes, there was a hold placed on my and its workshop. Fliers were posted sings about God. lar Christian music and definitely not the same old (including girls). enrollment status,” said Brook Wilt, a around campus to increase aware- To a growing number of fans, the popular culture (in both And their concerts, like Tomlin’s Cal State East Bay junior. “This is how ness of the writing requirement, and difference doesn’t really matter. In quality and style) seems trite ‘church-enese’ that or countless other Christian acts I found out about the test.” notices ran on the lighted billboard at fact, it makes the music even more to be growing ever slim- bursting onto the scene, look nearly For many students, registration the top of the Carlos Bee Boulevard attractive. mer, and much of the you usually associate with identical to their mainstream coun- holds have been their introduction entrance. “It was louder than I expected, stigma attached to Chris- Christian music. terparts, right down to the multitude to the University Writing Skills Re- With these new measures in place, and I didn’t think there would be so tian music seems to be of guitar changes, the thematic stage quirement (UWSR), which is a writing the process will become easier for both much production value,” said Alicia fading. effects, and the pit area directly in requirement that must be met prior students and the university. Watkins, who attended the concert. To be sure, Tomlin is front of the stage jam-packed with to graduation. “Our job is to make sure you “The lights, the video—all of it was well beyond the popular Simpsons he thinks of himself more as a worship concert-goers. The university requires its stu- graduate as soon as possible,” said really well done.” joke that characterizes Christian leader than a musician or rock star. “I got almost all the way up to the dents to begin fulfilling the UWSR Ekdahl. “If we didn’t press you (to The San Jose show was just the music as simply pop music with all of But Christian music as an industry, stage, and it was a really powerful during their junior year. Students fulfill this requirement), we wouldn’t fourth stop on Tomlin’s “How Great the “babies” changed to “Jesus.” which collectively sold about 45 mil- experience,” said Cullenward. who fail to take action by the end be doing our job.” is Our God” tour, a concert that “I love Tomlin’s music because lion albums last year (up 3.4 percent “I’ve been to concerts before and of their first quarter have had holds The requirement does come with features music from Tomlin’s lat- of the lyrics,” said Sean Cullen- from 2005), is quickly broadening its connected with the music and with placed on their registration for the a fee, however: the WST costs $25 to est album “See the Morning.” Also ward, a Tomlin concert attendee influence and, in many cases, further fans, but I really felt like there was next quarter.