ISU FRESHMAN WINS
TRIP TO SYDNEY OLYMPICS 

By HEATHER WALTERS
Public Affairs Student Intern

Jenny Bays of Dale, Indiana, never thought she would be attending the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. 

She is not an athlete, a coach or even a reporter. In fact, Bays has not even graduated from college yet. She is a freshman at Indiana State University, majoring in elementary education. However, thanks to WFIE Channel 14 television station in Evansville, none of that matters. 

Bays entered a drawing on the WFIE Web site after hearing about the contest on television last spring. After winning a couple of preliminary drawings, she thought that was the end of it. But she was placed in the final round, and the rest is history.

Much to her surprise, WFIE representatives showed up at her house one day and announced that she had won the contest for an all-expenses paid trip for two people to attend the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

"It was just like the ad for Publishers Clearinghouse!" Bays exclaimed.

In Sydney, she will work as a news correspondent for WFIE, attending the opening ceremony, basketball, swimming, volleyball, soccer, equestrian and gymnastics events. Her mother, Janet Clark Bays, an ISU alumna, will be accompanying her. 

"I am looking forward to seeing all the teams from different countries marching in at the opening ceremony," Bays said. "It will be especially thrilling to see all the U.S. athletes in person."

As an elementary education major, she sees this approaching experience as something new and exciting. In preparation for the trip, Bays has already made her first visit to the television station, and she returned there Sept. 11 for last- minute instructions.

"It was interesting to see the behind-the-scenes workings and to meet the news anchors and all the other staff," Bays said.  

On Sept. 12, she departed from Louisville, Ky., to head for Sydney. 

While in “The Land Down Under,” Bays is responsible for calling the station each evening and reporting on the day’s events. She will also be keeping a diary of her trip and taking photos, both of which will later be posted on the WFIE Web site (http://www.14wfie.com).  In addition, she will be filing stories with two Spencer County newspapers.

Of the sports she’ll be covering, basketball and soccer are the ones she’s most interested in seeing, even though volleyball is the only sport she’s played.

"We’re staying in the same hotel as the basketball teams, so I’m hoping to meet some of the players," she said. "And soccer is so interesting – some of my friends are so jealous that I may actually get close to the (U.S.) players who have become so famous."

 As a freshman, this Heritage Hills High School graduate has mixed feelings about missing two weeks of classes during her first semester at Indiana State.

"I am very nervous, but all of my teachers have been more than helpful," Bays said. "I will have a laptop computer with me so that I can keep in touch with each of them."

"We’re completely supportive and understanding of this venture," said Rebecca Libler, interim dean of the School of Education. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

While in Australia, Bays said that she would be studying the people, land and languages of all the tourists and local residents. She hopes to incorporate this trip into a learning experience for her classes when she returns.

Although she will still be doing homework, Bays is looking forward to her upcoming "vacation." Aside from work, she also gets to participate in extra-curricular activities, such as snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef.

September 13, 2000