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Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. #[1]VOA - Top Stories [RSS] IFRAME: [2]https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-N8MP7P analytics Accessibility links * [3]Skip to main content * [4]Skip to main Navigation * [5]Skip to Search (Submit) Next (Submit) Close (Submit) Previous (Submit) Next please wait Link has been copied to clipboard [_] * [6]Home * [_] United States [7]U.S. News [8]All About America [9]Silicon Valley & Technology [10]Immigration * [_] World [11]Africa [12]The Americas [13]East Asia [14]Europe [15]Middle East [16]South & Central Asia * [17]Ukraine * [18]Press Freedom * [19]COVID-19 Pandemic * [20]China * [21]Iran * [22]Broadcast Programs Follow Us [23]Languages [_] Search ____________________ (Submit) [24]site logo site logo Search ____________________ (Submit) site logo site logo [25]Previous [26]Next [_] Breaking News Student Union October 11, 2023 * [27]Associated Press 25 Years After Murder, 'Laramie Project' Stages Reading in Wyoming FILE -- Students appear at a vigil against violence at Prexy's Pasture on the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie, Wyoming, Oct. 10, 1999, about a year after the death of Matthew Shepard, a gay student who was tied to a fence post, tortured, and left to die. FILE -- Students appear at a vigil against violence at Prexy's Pasture on the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie, Wyoming, Oct. 10, 1999, about a year after the death of Matthew Shepard, a gay student who was tied to a fence post, tortured, and left to die. [_] (Submit) (Submit) new york -- It has been 25 years since the body of Matthew Shepard was discovered in Laramie, Wyoming. The gay college student had been tied to a fence post, tortured, and left to die. The murder drew national attention to violence against gay people, and attracted the interest of theater director Moises Kaufman, who turned the horror into art with "The Laramie Project." This 25th anniversary has triggered deep sadness for Kaufman, founder and artistic director of the New York-based Tectonic Theater Project. He wonders about all the things Shepard could have become. "Every year around this time, it's painful to remember, but this one has hit particularly hard," Kaufman told Theh Associated Press. After Shepard's 1998 killing, Kaufman and members of Tectonic traveled to Laramie and wrote the play based on more than 200 interviews. "The Laramie Project" is a poignant mix of real news reports and actors portraying friends, family, police officers, killers and other Laramie residents. This week, Tectonic is marking the anniversary by gathering the original cast and creators, and some of the people represented in the piece for a staged reading and conversation as part of the 2023 Shepard Symposium at the University of Wyoming. "The Laramie Project," one of the most frequently performed plays in high schools, has been performed in more than 20 countries and translated into more than 13 languages. It is among the top 10 most licensed plays in America. "Precisely because it wasn't about Matthew Shepard, precisely because it was about the town of Laramie is why it continues to resonate," said Kaufman. "We were hoping that it wouldn't be relevant anymore. But it is every day more relevant. Hate crimes all over our nation are at much higher rates than they were when Matthew Shepard was killed." He pointed to an increase in anti-Asian incidents since the pandemic began, and assaults on transgender and gender-nonconforming people. In 2009, Kaufman was on hand as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed by then-President Barack Obama. The act expanded the 1969 federal hate-crime law to include crimes based on a victim's sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. "The Laramie Project" has consistently been the subject of pushback by some conservative school districts, and this year faces banishment from Florida stages due to what critics call the "Don't Say Gay" law. Elsewhere, theater creators across the nation say school censorship is getting worse, particularly around material with LGBTQ+ themes. Cardinal High School in Middlefield, Ohio, canceled a production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" due to content issues. Kaufman is also alarmed that the Lansing Board of Education in Kansas voted to remove the script of "The Laramie Project" from the school curriculum. "There has always been -- since the inception -- a couple of theaters every year where the board of the school says no. All right. But this last year was the first time that the book itself was banned from a classroom." Kaufman has always been cheered by the students who find a way to perform the play despite barriers, becoming what he calls artist-activists. "My belief is that the best art occurs at the intersection of the personal and the political," he said. [28]Read more * * * ____________________ (text) * * See all News Updates of the Day October 11, 2023 * [29]Associated Press ACT Test Scores for US Students Drop to New 30-Year Low FILE - An ACT assessment test is seen in Springfield, Ill., April 1, 2014. FILE - An ACT assessment test is seen in Springfield, Ill., April 1, 2014. [_] (Submit) (Submit) High school students' scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test. Scores have been falling for six consecutive years, but the trend accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in the class of 2023 whose scores were reported Wednesday were in their first year of high school when the virus reached the U.S. "The hard truth is that we are not doing enough to ensure that graduates are truly ready for postsecondary success in college and career," said Janet Godwin, chief executive officer for the nonprofit ACT. The average ACT composite score for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8. The average scores in reading, science and math all were below benchmarks the ACT says students must reach to have a high probability of success in first-year college courses. The average score in English was just above the benchmark but still declined compared to last year. Many universities have made standardized admissions tests optional amid criticism that they favor the wealthy and put low-income students at a disadvantage. Some including the University of California system do not consider ACT or SAT scores even if submitted. Godwin said the scores are still helpful for placing students in the right college courses and preparing academic advisors to better support students. "In terms of college readiness, even in a test-optional environment, these kinds of objective test scores about academic readiness are incredibly important," Godwin said. At Denise Cabrera's high school in Hawaii, all students are required to take the ACT as juniors. She said she would have taken it anyway to improve her chances of getting into college. "Honestly, I'm unsure why the test was ever required because colleges can look at different qualities of the students who are applying outside of just a one-time test score," said Denise, a 17-year-old senior at Waianae High School. She's looking at schools including the California Institute of Technology, which implemented a five-year moratorium on the standardized test score requirements during the pandemic. Denise said she knows the school is not considering scores but she doesn't want to limit her options elsewhere. About 1.4 million students in the U.S. took the ACT this year, an increase from last year. However, the numbers have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Godwin said she doesn't believe those numbers will ever fully recover, partly because of test-optional admission policies. Of students who were tested, only 21% met benchmarks for success in college-level classes in all subjects. Research from the nonprofit shows students who meet those benchmarks have a 50% chance of earning a B or better and nearly a 75% chance of earning a C or better in corresponding courses. [30]Read more * * * ____________________ (text) * * October 11, 2023 * [31]VOA News What International Students Need to Understand About US Views on Academic Integrity FILE - Students on the University of Nevada, Reno's walk past the Mackay School of Mines on the edge of the campus quad April 29, 2016 in Reno, Nevada FILE - Students on the University of Nevada, Reno's walk past the Mackay School of Mines on the edge of the campus quad April 29, 2016 in Reno, Nevada [_] (Submit) (Submit) Cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings about issues like plagiarism and copying the work of others, but the penalties can be severe: A mistake can lead to a failed assignment, a failed class or expulsion. U.S. News & World Report explains what international students [32]need to understand about academic integrity. (August 2023) [33]Read more * * * ____________________ (text) * * October 11, 2023 * [34]VOA News These Scholarships are Available for International Students FILE - Connecticut College digital scholarship librarian Lyndsay Bratton, left, and assistant professor in Gender and Women's studies Ariella Rotramel, right, use the visualization wall at the Charles E. Shain Library in New London, May 3, 2016. FILE - Connecticut College digital scholarship librarian Lyndsay Bratton, left, and assistant professor in Gender and Women's studies Ariella Rotramel, right, use the visualization wall at the Charles E. Shain Library in New London, May 3, 2016. [_] (Submit) (Submit) Leadership skills can help international undergraduate students land a scholarship in the United States. According to U.S. News and World Report, [35]a track record of teamwork and good writing skills will also help. [36]Read more * * * ____________________ (text) * * October 10, 2023 * [37]VOA News Business Student from India Thriving in NY FILE - The sun sets behind the New York skyline, Nov. 13, 2022, as seen from Calvary Cemetery. FILE - The sun sets behind the New York skyline, Nov. 13, 2022, as seen from Calvary Cemetery. [_] (Submit) (Submit) A sophomore business student from India says he's living his dream as a student at Fordham University in New York. At Fordham, Om Bhosale says, he's been able to combine two interests: entrepreneurship as part of his business administration major and global business as a minor. [38]Read an interview with him here. [39]Read more * * * ____________________ (text) * * [40]Load more Resources * Education Destination USA Town hall Education Destination USA Town hall EDUCATION USA [41] 5 Steps to Study in the US Whether you plan to pursue a short-term or full degree program in the United States, EducationUSA has the resources you need in 'Your Five Steps to U.S. Study'. * Graduating students from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University wave flags during a graduation ceremony in New York, Wednesday, May 17, 2017. Graduating students from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University wave flags during a graduation ceremony in New York, Wednesday, May 17, 2017. US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [42] Information for International Students and Professionals Going to another country to study or work is a serious decision that requires advanced planning. To help you, USNEI has compiled several sets of resources. * Peer advisor Brittney Parkinson, right, talks with student members of the engineering and computer science pathfinder group at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 26, 2005. The university is showing an increase in the recruitment and reten Peer advisor Brittney Parkinson, right, talks with student members of the engineering and computer science pathfinder group at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y., Friday, Aug. 26, 2005. The university is showing an increase in the recruitment and reten US HOMELAND SECURITY [43] Study in the States Study in the States offers free government resources that explain the rules and regulations governing the nonimmigrant student process in the United States. 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