The Missouri Southern Speech and Debate Squad competed April 14-20 in the NFA National Championships at Western Illinois University. There were 87 nationally qualified debaters from 74 schools representing 28 states.

On April 18, Wes Carrillo, junior political science major, and Eric Crinnian, freshman undecided major, qualified for elimination double octo-finals (round of 32).

Carrillo and Crinnian both lost in the round of 16. Carrillo also won an individual speaker award of fifth place in the nation in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

The team placed sixth nationally in the overall debate sweepstakes. The team’s finish will help build on next year’s debate squad as four members return in the fall semester. The Southern forensic season is now over.

The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a National Day of Prayer Breakfast from 6:30-7:30 a.m. May 6 in the Ozark Christian College multi-purpose building. Local elected officials will be in attendance as the chamber honors, prays and supports their efforts as well as the president and other national leaders.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. The breakfast is complimentary, but those interested must RSVP by April 29. For information contact the the chamber at 624-1996 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Rod Smith, Missouri Southern alumnus and pro-football star, will return for a four-man scramble golf tournament on April 30 at Briarbook Golf & Country Club.

Playing slots are $150 per player, however, all Southern faculty/staff will receive a $50 discount. If interested please fill out the registration form available in PDF format at www.mssu.edu/accents/accents2004/accentsmssugolf.pdf and fax it to 625-9397.

The tournament is sponsored by TNT Sports and the Northpark Mall. Smith will sign autographs from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at TNT Sports.

For information contact Kevin Greim at 625-3075 or Robert Corn at 625-9330.

The Native American Student Association, the Student Ecolonomics Association, with proceeds from the Campus Activities Board and Student Senate, will be sponsoring a public forum on Picher to celebrate Earth Day.

The event will start at 6:30 p.m. and will last until 9 p.m. Monday at the University Java coffee shop on the first floor of the Spiva Library. The evening will begin with a concert by Kafara, in front of the flag pole at 6:30 p.m. After the concert, the forum will start in the coffee shop.

Three speakers will discuss lead and health, how the lead got to Picher and the future of Picher.

Free coffee and cookies will be provided.

Missouri Southern’s Earth Day celebration will be from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday on the oval. There will be more than 20 booths that cover areas like recycling, health and fitness, and on-campus organizations. There will also be a swap table, Native American dancers, Native American wood carvers and a dunk tank.

The dunk tank will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The instructors that are willing to be dunked are Dr. Michael Kennedy, assistant professor of environmental health; Michael Fletcher, assistant professor of biology; Dr. Michael Garoutte, associate professor of chemistry; Dr. Tom Simpson, associate professor of political science; and Dr. Nii Abrahams, assistant professor of economics. There will also be other instructors in the dunk tank.

Those instructors participating will be wearing T-shirts advertising their time in the dunk tank. The dunk tank is sponsored by the Student Ecolonomics Association.

The SEA and the Native American Students Association are sponsors, with proceeds from the CAB and Senate.

The International Club is selling T-shirts for $10.

Shirts can be picked up from Dr. John Lewis, associate professor of business; Linda Perkins, secretary of the communications department; or Trish Udell, adjunct instructor with the Institute of International Studies.