École Polytechnique, Columbine, Dawson College, Virginia Tech and now Marinette High school share two things in common. They educate youth and they became hunting grounds for school shooters.

In each case, early warning signs were missed. In response to these tragedies, an Ontario-based school board decided to take action to head off the possibility that any of their schools join the list.

Lesleigh Pullman, a fourth-year psychology student, recently conducted research to assist the school board in the analysis of an assessment protocol – the Community Threat Assessment Protocol (CTAP).

The CTAP is designed to identify youth at risk for severe forms of violence and general delinquency. The protocol is unique because information is gathered collaboratively from school officials and community members like the police.

The goal of the protocol is to identify and provide at risk youth with an integrated intervention strategy that incorporates school and community-based services.

Implemented in 2008, the protocol provides school officials with a tool to identify and intervene with students at risk for engaging in delinquency and violence.

Under the direction of her forensic psychology professor, Shelley Brown, Pullman began sifting through the data in May 2010.

She found that 70 percent of the incidents – which can include verbal or physical threats of violence toward teachers or peers, took place on school property by youth with a history of criminal
behaviour. These incidents prompted the initial CTAP assessment.

“These assessments are an effective way to identify youth who may need extra support within the school system to ensure that they don’t reach the criminal justice system,” said Pullman.

Students who threaten or harm their peers, are usually suspended from the school for a cooling off period, and then once readmitted, required to check-in with school counselors. Additional interventions may also be implemented depending upon the unique needs of the youth.

“Check-in procedures vary depending on the student. It may be a simple meeting to ask students how they are  doing, if they are  having problems – to searching students’ backpacks and belongings, in cases where a weapon was brought to school in the past,” Pullman explains.

Successful implementation of CTAP will actually prevent researchers and school officials alike from confirming school shooters as they will have flagged escalating violence before it becomes lethal. Early intervention will ensure kids at risk never reach the point of pulling a trigger.

Pullman plans to pursue graduate studies, focusing on what causes rapists, child molesters and child pornography offenders to commit the crimes they do.

École Polytechnique, Columbine, Dawson College, Virginia Tech and now Marinette High school share two things in common. They educate youth and they became hunting grounds for school shooters.

In each case, early warning signs were missed. In response to these tragedies, an Ontario-based school board decided to take action to head off the possibility that any of their schools join the list.

Lesleigh Pullman, a fourth-year psychology student, recently conducted research to assist the school board in the analysis of an assessment protocol – the Community Threat Assessment Protocol (CTAP).

The CTAP is designed to identify youth at risk for severe forms of violence and general delinquency. The protocol is unique because information is gathered collaboratively from school officials and community members like the police.

The goal of the protocol is to identify and provide at risk youth with an integrated intervention strategy that incorporates school and community-based services.

Implemented in 2008, the protocol provides school officials with a tool to identify and intervene with students at risk for engaging in delinquency and violence.

Under the direction of her forensic psychology professor, Shelley Brown, Pullman began sifting through the data in May 2010.

She found that 70 percent of the incidents – which can include verbal or physical threats of violence toward teachers or peers, took place on school property by youth with a history of criminal
behaviour. These incidents prompted the initial CTAP assessment.

“These assessments are an effective way to identify youth who may need extra support within the school system to ensure that they don’t reach the criminal justice system,” said Pullman.

Students who threaten or harm their peers, are usually suspended from the school for a cooling off period, and then once readmitted, required to check-in with school counselors. Additional interventions may also be implemented depending upon the unique needs of the youth.

“Check-in procedures vary depending on the student. It may be a simple meeting to ask students how they are  doing, if they are  having problems – to searching students’ backpacks and belongings, in cases where a weapon was brought to school in the past,” Pullman explains.

Successful implementation of CTAP will actually prevent researchers and school officials alike from confirming school shooters as they will have flagged escalating violence before it becomes lethal. Early intervention will ensure kids at risk never reach the point of pulling a trigger.

Pullman plans to pursue graduate studies, focusing on what causes rapists, child molesters and child pornography offenders to commit the crimes they do.

The thought of discovering a human skull might elicit horror, fear or disgust. But for Elizabeth Upton it was a thrill. 

Of course, context is everything. Upton and two other FASS students spent their summer exhuming ancient remains at an archaeological dig in Spain.

Elizabeth Upton and Tabitha Williams, both fourth year anthropology students and Brittany Mann, a third-year anthropology student, all chose to focus their efforts on the ancient Roman city, Menorca’s necropolis.  The site is thought to date to 100 BC – 500 AD.

They joined an international team of students and archeologists at the on-going field school. The site comprised digs focusing on either the necropolis or city, or a combination of both. 

Students participating in the dig also selected their area of focus – either on human remains or materials and buildings.

Upton, Williams and Mann opted to dig up the dead.

“I loved the excavation of the tombs and the finer lab work which preceded it,” said Upton. “The most challenging was definitely the manual labour required to dig up the surface layer.”

Arduous physical labour was not the only challenge the students encountered. Affixing dates to and determining the origins of the skulls and bones they unearthed proved difficult due to the centuries-old work of thieves.

“The looting means that there are almost no grave goods, only a few beads and earrings, which make dating the site and the group of people living there very difficult,” said Williams.

Nevertheless, the students were able to see examples of the evolution of funerary practices. These included the discovery of multiple remains found in one grave, an indication that final resting places weren’t so final.

“It looked like when remains were first buried, they were laid out in fetal position or on their backs, however when a sufficient amount of time had passed, the remains were pushed to the sides of the grave, and new ones were placed in,” said Williams. 

The students made discoveries about themselves too.

“It was a major push in helping me make decisions about my future career goals,” said Upton, who plans to pursue museum studies.

Participating in a dig is an experience she recommends to any student currently casting around for ideas to fill their future summers.

The thought of discovering a human skull might elicit horror, fear or disgust. But for Elizabeth Upton it was a thrill. 

Of course, context is everything. Upton and two other FASS students spent their summer exhuming ancient remains at an archaeological dig in Spain.

Elizabeth Upton and Tabitha Williams, both fourth year anthropology students and Brittany Mann, a third-year anthropology student, all chose to focus their efforts on the ancient Roman city, Menorca’s necropolis.  The site is thought to date to 100 BC – 500 AD.

They joined an international team of students and archeologists at the on-going field school. The site comprised digs focusing on either the necropolis or city, or a combination of both. 

Students participating in the dig also selected their area of focus – either on human remains or materials and buildings.

Upton, Williams and Mann opted to dig up the dead.

“I loved the excavation of the tombs and the finer lab work which preceded it,” said Upton. “The most challenging was definitely the manual labour required to dig up the surface layer.”

Arduous physical labour was not the only challenge the students encountered. Affixing dates to and determining the origins of the skulls and bones they unearthed proved difficult due to the centuries-old work of thieves.

“The looting means that there are almost no grave goods, only a few beads and earrings, which make dating the site and the group of people living there very difficult,” said Williams.

Nevertheless, the students were able to see examples of the evolution of funerary practices. These included the discovery of multiple remains found in one grave, an indication that final resting places weren’t so final.

“It looked like when remains were first buried, they were laid out in fetal position or on their backs, however when a sufficient amount of time had passed, the remains were pushed to the sides of the grave, and new ones were placed in,” said Williams. 

The students made discoveries about themselves too.

“It was a major push in helping me make decisions about my future career goals,” said Upton, who plans to pursue museum studies.

Participating in a dig is an experience she recommends to any student currently casting around for ideas to fill their future summers.

Megan Malone

by Nicole Findlay

Megan Malone lives and breathes her love of Africa. Her enthusiasm for the continent is infectious enough to inspire her peers to spend a month last summer volunteering in orphanages in Ghana.

Malone, a fourth-year student in African Studies and Political Science, put up posters on the campuses of both Carleton and University of Ottawa to promote the opportunity. 

She also partnered with Volunteer Corps, a Ghana-based NGO, to facilitate the volunteer work.

The seven students who took up the challenge raised their own money to fund both the trip and projects on the ground in Ghana.

The students’ primary responsibility was to help the children, of whom there were 65 and ranged in age from just months old to their 20s, prepare for their daily classes. Malone and the other students also assisted with the preparation of meals and laundry.  

“We had the small schoolhouse repaired as well as the children’s beds and bought new mattresses for them,” said Malone. 

The month-long trip was Malone’s second spent volunteering in the country.

Upon her return, she returned to her job at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s Africa Bureau. She landed the plum position the year before as part of her African Studies Placement Course – a half-credit one-day a week volunteer placement offered through the African Studies program at Carleton.

 This fall she resumed the last year of her studies, and launched the Institute of African Studies Student Association in cooperation with another student majoring in African Studies.

While Malone isn’t sure if she will pursue graduate studies in the UK or US, of one thing she is certain, her ultimate destiny is Africa.

Megan Malone

by Nicole Findlay

Megan Malone lives and breathes her love of Africa. Her enthusiasm for the continent is infectious enough to inspire her peers to spend a month last summer volunteering in orphanages in Ghana.

Malone, a fourth-year student in African Studies and Political Science, put up posters on the campuses of both Carleton and University of Ottawa to promote the opportunity. 

She also partnered with Volunteer Corps, a Ghana-based NGO, to facilitate the volunteer work.

The seven students who took up the challenge raised their own money to fund both the trip and projects on the ground in Ghana.

The students’ primary responsibility was to help the children, of whom there were 65 and ranged in age from just months old to their 20s, prepare for their daily classes. Malone and the other students also assisted with the preparation of meals and laundry.  

“We had the small schoolhouse repaired as well as the children’s beds and bought new mattresses for them,” said Malone. 

The month-long trip was Malone’s second spent volunteering in the country.

Upon her return, she returned to her job at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s Africa Bureau. She landed the plum position the year before as part of her African Studies Placement Course – a half-credit one-day a week volunteer placement offered through the African Studies program at Carleton.

 This fall she resumed the last year of her studies, and launched the Institute of African Studies Student Association in cooperation with another student majoring in African Studies.

While Malone isn’t sure if she will pursue graduate studies in the UK or US, of one thing she is certain, her ultimate destiny is Africa.

Bronze nail found in Argilos, Greece, 2010

by Nicole Findlay

The clamour of the 5:30 a.m. alarm was the worst part of Jessica Haskell’s day. Rising before dawn, irritation would slowly give way to anticipation of what the day’s labour might uncover.

Haskell, a fourth-year anthropology major, was one of a team of 25 students who spent a month this summer excavating Argilos, a Greek colony. Located along the Northern Aegean, the site is segmented into three excavations – an acropolis, a road and a slope dotted by the ruins of houses.

“Our trench and area were attempting to find the Classical occupation level and understand the architecture at the highest altitude of the site,” said Haskell.

Bronze button found in Argilos, Greece 2010

On the acropolis, Haskall’s trench eventually gave way to reveal the remains of a road and walls.

“I enjoyed the anticipation that builds progressively from the beginning of the excavation, when the ground is initially covered in weeds and loose topsoil, to the uncovering of ancient material that you know hasn’t been touched or disturbed in two thousand years,” said Haskell.

It was this same enthusiasm that would transform the drudgery of hacking through sun-hardened layers of soil and tangled tree roots into an adventure into the past.

The summer yielded the thrill of discovering bronze coins, iron and bronze nails, sling bullets, a button and a decorated vase almost completely intact.

Earlier excavations had uncovered an olive press.

The vase was both a thrill and a loss for Haskall. Although she held the pieces, she might never see the whole.  The shards she discovred could be carted off to the museum for reassembly and restoration to its former glory.

Bronze nail found in Argilos, Greece, 2010

by Nicole Findlay

The clamour of the 5:30 a.m. alarm was the worst part of Jessica Haskell’s day. Rising before dawn, irritation would slowly give way to anticipation of what the day’s labour might uncover.

Haskell, a fourth-year anthropology major, was one of a team of 25 students who spent a month this summer excavating Argilos, a Greek colony. Located along the Northern Aegean, the site is segmented into three excavations – an acropolis, a road and a slope dotted by the ruins of houses.

“Our trench and area were attempting to find the Classical occupation level and understand the architecture at the highest altitude of the site,” said Haskell.

Bronze button found in Argilos, Greece 2010

On the acropolis, Haskall’s trench eventually gave way to reveal the remains of a road and walls.

“I enjoyed the anticipation that builds progressively from the beginning of the excavation, when the ground is initially covered in weeds and loose topsoil, to the uncovering of ancient material that you know hasn’t been touched or disturbed in two thousand years,” said Haskell.

It was this same enthusiasm that would transform the drudgery of hacking through sun-hardened layers of soil and tangled tree roots into an adventure into the past.

The summer yielded the thrill of discovering bronze coins, iron and bronze nails, sling bullets, a button and a decorated vase almost completely intact.

Earlier excavations had uncovered an olive press.

The vase was both a thrill and a loss for Haskall. Although she held the pieces, she might never see the whole.  The shards she discovred could be carted off to the museum for reassembly and restoration to its former glory.

James Wright, Alexis Luko and Andrew Burn are well on their way to ensuring Carleton music students have a refurbished piano to play.

The SSAC professors and music student raised approximately $6,000 and counting, at the Friday October 22, concert and fundraiser. 

This spring, the antique instrument will be sent to a specialist in Napanee for restoration and then returned back to campus where it will finally be heard after a long silence.

To view the CBC news coverage, advance to 3:15 of the news broadcast at CBC http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Ottawa/1317910092/ID=1622587459

James Wright, Alexis Luko and Andrew Burn are well on their way to ensuring Carleton music students have a refurbished piano to play.

The SSAC professors and music student raised approximately $6,000 and counting, at the Friday October 22, concert and fundraiser. 

This spring, the antique instrument will be sent to a specialist in Napanee for restoration and then returned back to campus where it will finally be heard after a long silence.

To view the CBC news coverage, advance to 3:15 of the news broadcast at CBC http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Local_News/Ottawa/1317910092/ID=1622587459