Ranger AMARILLO COLLEGE’S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1930
VOLUME 89 | ISSUE 1
September 6, 2018
AC grads more likely to obtain bachelor’s By STEVI BRESHEARS Editor-in-Chief
SALVADOR GUTIERREZ | The Ranger
Comanche Moon performs Saturday Sept. 1 during the Yellow City Sounds Music Festival sponsored by Panhandle PBS and FM90 in Memorial Park. Organizers say, at its peak, nearly 3,500 people attended the event.
Rain, rain, go away Headliner at music festival rained out, returns next day By RAFAEL FLORES Staff Reporter
R
ain couldn’t stop the music at the second annual Yellow City Sounds Music Festival, which kicked off Sept. 1 at Memorial Park in celebration of the 30-year anniversary of Panhandle PBS. The festival, put on by PPBS, FM90 and Amarillo College, was a free event featuring performances from some popular local bands, some of which were reuniting after many years. Food trucks and vendor booths were also present to round out the festivities. Headlining the event was a group that disbanded 17 years ago — The Groobies. The bands Fine & Dandy, Comanche Moon, Mount Ivy and Turbine Toolshed also performed. Krakt was scheduled to play but their set was rained out, and they could not return. About 3,500 people were in attendance at the peak of the daylong concert, according to PPBS Director of Operations Kyle Arrant. After storms abruptly ended the Saturday night performances, the Groobies returned the next day. Starting off the event was the Americana/ country group Fine & Dandy performing popular songs such as “Tight-Rope Walker,” and Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Looking.”
Next up was Comanche Moon. The group performed “Oil Field Blues” and “Colorado Bound” and announced that they have recently signed a distribution deal with Sony. After their performance, Mount Ivy played, followed by Turbine Toolshed, which would be the last band to appear due to to the heavy rainfall that canceled the rest of the evening and sent concert-goers scrambling to Carter Fitness Center for shelter from the storm. Despite the circumstances, the concert resumed at 1:30 p.m. the next day. The Groobees were able to deliver their first performance ever since their breakup back in the beginning of the 21st century. All six band members took to the stage to perform classics such as “You Came Along,” and “Wide Open Spaces.” Chip Chandler, Panhandle PBS producer, said he reached out to members of the band last year in November. “They were huge here when they first got to town and I never got to see them live,” Chandler said. Susan Gibson, lead singer of The Groobies, wrote the song “Wide Open Spaces,” which was later picked up by the Grammy Award winning country group, The Dixie Chicks. Despite their popularity, the band broke up in 2001. Continue reading on page 6.
Student life starts leadership training By SALVADOR GUTIERREZ Staff Reporter
The first session of the Student Leadership Institute (SLI) sponsored by the student life department and the honors and scholars program took place Aug. 31, 2018. The new series of workshops allows students to build and/or improve their leadership skills through interactive sessions. The mission of the SLI is to build students as leaders. “We want an opportunity for students to have a better way to actually connect and build those leadership skills,” Amber
Brookshire, student life director, said. The SLI is made up of 12 sessions, and students who attend at least nine sessions will receive a student leadership certificate. Amarillo College has hosted overnight leadership retreats in previous semesters, but a quest for more options for students led to the creation of the SLI. “We have these great leadership retreats but some people can’t give up two full days,” Jill Gibson, co-coordinator of honors and scholars, said. “We wanted to make leadership training available for more students more often.” Continued on page 4
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SALVADOR GUTIERREZ | The Ranger
During the training, SGA President Cecilia Almanza took initiative within her group. The students were asked to work together to define leadership. www.acranger.com
Students who obtain an associate degree are more likely to obtain their bachelor’s degree after transferring than students who start at West Texas A&M University straight out of high school, according to the WTAMU president. “It is work ethic and determination that drive this equation. Students that finish an associate degree and transfer to WT are twice as likely as native WT freshmen to graduate with a bachelor’s degree,” Dr. Walter Wendler said. For many students, AC and other community colleges serve as a steppingstone between high school and university. Karina Altamirano, a psychology major, graduated from AC in May and plans to attend Texas State University in the spring. “Attending a community college was a really nice transition out of high school,” she said. “I think that by doing so, students get a much more personal education as opposed to those who go straight to a university and perhaps get lost in the crowd. I liked that at AC, students are more than just a number.” Starting at a community college gives students a way to get a feel for college life in a smaller setting, as well as a smaller cost. According to the Community College Research Center, community college tuition in the United States is approximately $3,500 as opposed to $9,650 at four year universities. Locally, tuition at AC is around $3,000, while tuition at WTAMU is about $7,000. Students who plan to transfer should meet with an adviser to make sure that the classes they take will transfer where they need to. “Job one for the student is to make sure that courses taken at AC actually apply to their intended major at WT. Advisers at both institutions are very knowledgeable and available to help but students need to decide on what they want to do, and then, they should take full advantage of the help that is available,” Wendler said. The AC advising department tries to make tranferring as easy as possible for students. “We really try to create partnerships with our universities so that we can kind of make it a little easier for you to transfer without having those issues of credit hours,” said Director of Advising Ernesto Olmos.
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Opinion
2 | The Ranger September 6, 2018
Student Speak What’s on your mind?
Why did you come to Amarillo College and what are the benefits of going to a community college? “I came to AC to start off my college career like many others and the benefits of coming to a community college first rather than a university gives you a chance to branch out of your comfort zone, meet new people, learn how to network and it gets you prepared for a university,”
JIMMY NYE
Psychology
“You get done faster at community college, and you get a lot of help from all the professors that are here,”
DANNY MENDEZ Surgical Tech
“My dad came to AC, when he was in college and I heard it was a good school, so I decided to come here aswell"
MARCOS RUBIO Business Management
Life sucks, jobs suck, but at least die happy By SIR GAREN GRAYSON Staff Reporter
Imagine working a minimum wage job that you hate where you are expected to deal with terrible customers who degrade you for working said job, then try to get you fired for finally saying something back. The next day, your boss calls you into a meeting to discuss what you did, and they have the audacity to look you in the eyes and ask, “Do you like this job? Because I can have you replaced.” Now you have the choice of telling them your real answer, “Aye, this job only pays $270 a week. I get 30 minute breaks for lunch. You also cap my hours at 36 so I do not get full time benefits and you hardly work with my schedule. So f**k you and this job.” Or do you just suck it up and be an “adult”? Low-key, I do not understand that part of adulthood. You are raised being told not to let people bully you, but then are told that being bullied by your boss is a part of life. They force you to do extra duties outside of your originally stated job, but you
don’t get paid more. Hell, some even get you to do their work because they themselves have been slacking and then take all of the credit. But I digress. That is what we are in school to avoid -- slaving away at jobs that don’t appreciate or pay us well. My point is, working for someone else is part of the miserable portion of life. Even if you are doing something you started off loving, like clothing design, corporate bullsh*t bogs down your soul. You start resenting the sales department because they are jacking up the prices on merch that you help create. You start resenting the marketing department because they strip away everything that made your loved brand different just to be more mainstream. The working world for most is a terrible place, but what choice do you really have here? Either you are broke and sad or rich and sad. The choice is obvious; get that degree and network while you can because that is truly the most underrated part of college. Just remember — life sucks, and then you die.
KIMBERLY REID | The Ranger
Turn almost college into awesome college EDITORIAL
We’ve all seen the movies where a high school student graduates and prepares to head off to college. Their parents help them pack up all the necessities they’ve accumulated and then watch from the driveway as their child — their baby — sets off on their journey across the state, or even the country, to begin their post-secondary educational career. If you, like The Ranger staff, grew up watching these events unfold in movies and television shows, then you may have been disappointed to wake up on the first day of the fall semester only to find that not much has changed. There were no moving boxes to load up, your commute only took a few minutes, and your parents barely acknowledged the fact that you left the house. To top it all off, you weren’t immediately recruited into
The most important thing to do to find a place at AC is to get involved. On campus, there are a multitude of organizations and clubs, which means there’s got to be something for everyone. Campus events like fundraisers, Badger Connect and Fall Fest are great opportunities to see what all is available. It’s often stated that AC and community colleges in general aren’t “real colleges.” High school students frequently disregard community colleges when looking at their prospective schools, and it’s not uncommon for those that do stick around to feel embarrassed, or jealous of their universityattending counterparts. We, The Ranger Staff, believe that these feelings are unwarranted. Community colleges can be a great place to start, but they are what you make them. Choose wisely.
Take a stand and kneel By ELIJOH SANCHEZ Staff Reporter
I recently spoke with someone who told me, "Man, I’m pissed.” "Why?" I reluctantly asked. "Because of this stupid NFL anthem argument. If the players would just stand and respect the flag that represents our country, there wouldn't be an issue! Just shut up and play!" The vein protruding from the middle of his forehead hinted to me he was a tad bit passionate about the issue. He went on to tell me how all players should be required to stand during the anthem’s entirety or face maximum punishment. "The American flag is a symbol that should not be disrespected," he pointed out. Now, I’m no expert historian or scholar, but I wanted to understand just how much about the American flag and the national anthem my acquaintance actually understood, or if he was just spouting off nonsense. So I asked him if he knew that, according to the Smithsonian
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an award-winning a cappella group the moment you stepped foot on campus. What gives? The truth is, there are a lot of differences between university life and community college life. It doesn’t necessarily mean that either one of these institutions are better than the other, or that you’re missing out on something by not starting out at a university. There are plenty of benefits that come with attending a community college; sometimes, you just have to look a little harder. Amarillo College is a fantastic example of this. For one thing, there’s an incredible environment for student life at AC. Because it’s a community college, there are fewer students, which allows for a real sense of community. Not everyone knows everyone on campus, but it’s easy to find familiar faces at all the campus events (which there is no shortage of).
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website, Francis Scott Key, who wrote the national anthem, was a plantation owner who said that he believed blacks were inferior to the whites. My friend stayed quiet and stared at me in confusion. I reminded him not to forget that Jefferson Morley in his book “Snow-Storm in August” documents that Key said African-Americans were “a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.” Key, a slaveholding lawyer, wrote this same anthem that my acquaintance "expected" these black players to stand for, but my acquaintance, much like many Americans, didn’t understand the reasoning behind the protest. Segregation has always been real in America and throughout the early 1920s many African-Americans tried entering the world of sports but were almost always denied. When these men finally started experiencing success in the sports world, any time any of them (Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali,
Jim Brown, Colin Kaepernick, Lebron James. Not Tiger Woods look it up) spoke out against the social injustices happening across the country, they were almost always told to "shut up and play." Fast forward to now when there are still social injustices occurring across America and players are still being condemned for speaking out. People continue to argue that they don’t want "politics" associated with their game; however, the sports world has always been political. The U.S. flag is almost always draped across the field before any game. Did I mention we play the national anthem before every game but we want to keep politics out of it? Rather ironic, huh? My acquaintance ended our conversation about the anthem by pointing out that he comes from a family of German immigrants. I guess this justifies his opinion? Good thing his relatives were white immigrants. God forbid they would have been black or brown … maybe then he would understand the cause.
Student Media exists to serve you — the students. The Ranger is an open forum where you can learn and talk about the things that matter to you. The Ranger staff urges you to get involved by submitting ideas, photos, writing, videos and telling us what you want covered. A public critique and meeting is open to the campus community on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. in PH 214 or you can reach us via email at therangereditor@gmail.com. The Ranger is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association, Panhandle Press Association, Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and Texas Community College Journalism Association. For a complete staff listing, visit us at acranger.com. The Ranger is an independent student publication. Material published in The Ranger does not necessarily reflect the views of Amarillo College administrators or employees.
News
The Ranger | 3 September 6, 2018
Karen White makes math add up Students, colleagues say Mead Award winner focuses on success
By AUSTIN ASHBY Staff Reporter
At Amarillo College’s 2018 Spring Commencement Ceremony, Associate Professor in Math Karen White won the Mead Faculty Excellence Award. “It was a total shock,” White said about winning the award. “It was a huge honor and very humbling. I would of never dreamed I would of won it.” White’s devotion to her students and their success would be one of the things that is admired greatly by her peers. “Karen is someone who is a selfless leader who puts others needs before her own,” Edie Carter, Dean of Academic Success said. “She is a compassionate person and is passionate about math. She wants her students to be lifelong learners,” Carter said. According to Carter, White
SALVADOR GUTIERREZ | The Ranger
Karen White, Mead Faculty Excellence award recipient explains how math can be fun.
engages students in the classroom. “She is very innovative and creative and is always trying new things,” Carter said. “She would record a little snippet of three to five minutes and
send it on out to her students so they could hear and rehear.” The hallmark of any of Whites class is “Woo hoo! Math is fun,” as she not only teaches the topic but, teaches tips to be
successful overall. “It is very important to be resilient and to persevere,” White said. “Things are going to happen to us. Especially when it seems that we are striving to improve our lives that’s when things go against us,” White said. “I’ll just say this, have a back up plan, be prepared for something to happen and tell yourself I’m going to persevere through whatever happens,” White said. White’s positive attitude in the classroom has become a real strong point for her students and a testament to her teaching style as endorsed by everyone she meets. “She is a real treasure at Amarillo College,” Penelope Davies, math department chair, said “We all know that whoever she has as a student is going to be the lucky one and she will
take them as far as they wish to go,” Davies said. According to Davies, anytime White’s student’s transfer, they have the right foundation and are off on the right foot. “She often has students who say that math is not their favorite subject. Some of them would rather eat nails than take a math course,” Davies said. “By the time Mrs. White is through with them, they are ready to go to that transfer course and be successful,” she said. The change in mindset and the belief in the student that they can overcome any obstacle that comes from White not only exists in the classroom would extend outside it as well. “She makes the students believe they can do it and anytime we believe we can do something, often times we find ourselves doing just that,” Davies said.
Plan ahead for next step forward By TREVOR PYLE Staff Reporter
Transferring schools can be a grueling process, but it doesn’t have to be. Coming up with a plan before transferring can be a good way to stay sane and can save future headaches. There are several sure-fire ways to do this and do it well. Ernesto Olmos, director of advising, encourages students to get things done early. “Early, early, early,” he said. “The faster you gather your documentation and send it to your desired school, the easier it is for you and them to get you in the new system.” Getting transcripts, financial aid applications and other documentation under control
early can prepare students for anything and everything, Olmos said. “There are other things a student may worry about during a transfer process,” said Leanna Taylor, a former Amarillo College student who recently transferred to Texas State. According to Taylor, other concerns include housing and money. “You have to organize where you’re going to live and set aside funds to afford moving if it’s far away. I couldn’t have imagined the amount of money I’d spend moving. I saved and saved and still cut it close,” she said. Taylor recommends that students save money as soon as possible for emergencies such as moving and living costs. “As
soon as I got to San Marcos for school, it’s like all my money went to food.” She also pointed out that larger schools can have hidden costs that students don’t have to worry about at AC, such as parking permits. At AC, parking is free but a parking pass at Texas Tech ranges from $139 to $640. Christopher Briethaupt, a business administration major, plans to transfer to West Texas A&M University next semester. “Well I’m a little behind on my transferring process,” Briethaup said. “This will be my first transfer ever and I want it to go smoothly so I’m going to start now to have a good head start.”
Freshman Frustrations
First year students air complaints
By JANNY PHANNARAJ Staff Reporter
Courtesy photo
Nursing program sees success By J.D. TUCKER
Staff Reporter
Amarillo College’s associate degree nursing program is exceeding national success. The program recently achieved a 97 percent pass rating for students who took the NCLEX-RN exam, which is the exam students must take to become a registered nurse. The program’s pass rate is above the national average, and well above the 80 percent pass rate that the Texas Board
of Nursing requires to remain at “full approval,” said Debby Hall, the interim associate degree nursing program director. As the nursing field and the state nursing exams have become more rigorous, the program has adapted. “It’s hard and you really have to work, but it gets you ready,” Haley Campos, a nursing major, said. Students said knowing the programs exceeds national standards gives them confidence in the quality of their education.
“I am very excited,” Jacie Bullard, a nursing major, said. “I think this is a good program to be at.” Faculty members also said they are happy with the program’s success, but noted that there is still work to be done. Hall attributes a lot of the program’s success to the dedication and hard work of the students and faculty. “The college does a good job at helping students financially so they have more time to work on school,” she said.
The first few weeks of college can be tough for many freshmen. College expenses, an unfamiliar campus, new instructors and different expectations are just a few of the things that may require adjustment. Matthew Diaz, a general studies major said the only thing he’s having trouble with is keeping up with his work. “It’s a lot that I have to get used to,” he said. Diaz added how he struggles with homework and just getting himself to do it. One of the most talked about frustrations on campus is parking. Marcelo Contreras, an architecture major, said the struggle to find a parking spot has been the most irritating aspect of the semester. “The parking is really frustrating. I hate it,” he said. Buying the wrong sup-
plies for class has also proven to be inconvient. Adam Penn, an accounting major, bought the wrong calculator. “I bought a $90 Casio and I needed a TI84,” he said. Not all students have voiced concerns about thier first day experiences. “People complain on their first day of college, but my first day of college was the best. I loved it,” Anthony Cruz, an aerospace engineering major said. “Amarillo College is very welcoming. All the people are helpful,” Quincy Wilson, a mass media major said. He added his favorite part of AC so far is “The Burrow,” which is the student lounge area in the basement of the College Union Building. Wilson said he has a two-hour gap between his classes, so “The Burrow” is the place where he can relax while staying on campus.
News
4 | The Ranger September 6, 2018
Illustration by CLAIRE EKAS | The Ranger
Tutoring Center serves up buffet of opportunities
Natalie Buckthal Center offers in-person and online help By SAVANNAH LINDVAY Staff Reporter
When it comes to getting academic assistance, Amarillo College’s Natalie Buckthal Tutoring Center offers something for everyone. “It’s like a one-stop shop,” said Charlie Clark, a professional tutor at the Center. “It’s like a buffet. Who doesn’t like a buffet?” The Tutoring Center offers in-person and online tutoring for a range of different classes. Deanna Giasson, the peer tutoring director, oversees the Center. “It’s all about building up the student body that comes in,” Giasson said. Students can get online or in person tutoring from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 1
p.m. Fridays during the fall and spring semesters. Yessenia Diaz, a mathematics major, said she is glad to have both tutoring options. “I would say it’s a good thing because it branches out from different sources and everything and that’s always good to have.” The Center offers tutoring for a number of different courses including writing, speech, government, history, psychology, accounting, economics and a few others. “You don’t have to go to one tutor one day, you can just go to one tutor in general,” Diaz said. Both Giasson and Clark said that they want to gain more funding in order to grow the Center’s staff. They said they believe this would make them better able to assist students. “As long as we can continue to hire people who are knowledgeable in those subject matters, I think we will be fine. It’s just getting more staff in here and that’s all down
to the budget,” Clark said. Giasson said that once the word gets out about their services, she would like to see online tutoring expand beyond the current hours. She believes that this would be helpful to students with busy schedules, particularly parents who cannot find or afford a baby sitter. “I would like to make it more often. Maybe have a designated tutor that is just on call at certain times when the Center is not open,” Giasson said. Giasson added that she feels students might not take advantage of online tutoring because they are uncomfortable using a webcam to get the tutoring from their home. “Our online tutoring hasn’t really picked up yet,” she said. “Once they’re more comfortable with it, it will be a lot easier to just get tutoring when they need it.”
Students work to improve leadership skills Continued from page 1 Gibson led the first meeting and kept attendees engaged with group activities and multimedia content based on leadership and teamwork. “I hope students will learn the behaviors necessary to be a successful and effective leader,” Gibson said. “I also hope they make new friends, meet new people and find different ways to get involved at AC.” Brookshire and Jenna Welch, student life specialist, along with other AC faculty and staff, will assist with and lead future sessions. About 40 students from different clubs and organizations gathered around for the first session. “I think this is good for everybody,” said Jaxon Mizer, theater major and president of AC’s Delta Phi Omega chapter. “I think this
will very much help me get my members together.” Other students, such as secondary education major Lauren Tanner, said she believes these workshops will help them get better for the real world. “I’m expecting to learn how to put these tips into my daily life through classes and work,” Tanner said. The sessions will be held from noon to 2 p.m. every other Friday during the fall and spring semesters in the Badger Corner, on the second floor of the College Union Building. The next session will be held Sept. 14, and an overnight retreat will take place Nov. 2, at the Talon Point Retreat Center. For more information contact student life at 806-371-5259 or visit the student life office in the Burrow.
SALVADOR GUTIERREZ | The Ranger
News
The Ranger | 5 September 6, 2018
Fall back, move forward
Photo Illustration by CLAIRE EKAS | The Ranger
Jordan Gipson, a mass media major, started at WT after graduating high school but quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit and enrolled at AC. She will graduate this semester and transfer back to WT.
Students leave university, discover community college benefits By LAUREN EBBEN Staff Reporter
The route for many students at Amarillo College is taking basic classes, staying for a semester or two and then transferring on to a bigger university. However, there are some students who started out at university before transferring back to community college. These students typically return to a community college due to cost of university, an undecided major or simply because the university they chose wasn’t the right fit for them. Michaela Hunter, now a finance major at Texas Tech, went through this process. Like most, Hunter started college the fall after she graduated high school. She attended the University of Texas—Arlington as a mathematics major. As she continued on into the semester, however, she found several reasons to move back. “I realized I didn’t like what I was majoring
in. In fact, I had no clue what I wanted to major in or why I was even there. I was six hours from friends and family, completely isolated and alone in a big city, spending a lot of money and struggling in a long-distance relationship,” she said. So, after only one semester at UTA, she transferred to AC for the spring semester in 2018. Her major at the time she transferred was undecided since she was planning to transfer from AC to Texas Tech as an architecture major. But that soon changed after she started taking classes at AC. She quickly switched her major to finance with a concentration in real estate so she could enroll in Texas Tech’s college of business in the fall. “AC did help me decide what to do,” she said. “I had time to think things out and the staff helped tremendously. Everyone I encountered was very understanding, helpful and encouraging. Attending AC was a necessary step in planning my future.” Hunter isn’t the only student who went
from a university to a community college. Jordan Gipson, a mass media major, transferred from West Texas A&M University to AC. “I didn’t realize how much money WT was going to cost,” she said. “I just finished paying them off and I went there fall 2016.” Gipson and Hunter also admitted the stigma around community colleges is one of the reasons they didn’t consider AC as more of an option right out of high school. “Researching colleges, along with input from certain family members, made me feel as if AC wasn’t ‘good enough,’” Hunter said. “I felt like people would judge me for going to a two-year college,” Gipson said. Gipson and Hunter agreed that starting out at AC before transferring on to a university would have been better for them. “I wish that I would have started here first to save money,” Gipson said, noting she will transfer back to WT in the spring. “If I had a clear plan, it absolutely would have been better to go to AC from the start,” Hunter said.
Study shows tutoring leads to success By KYLER KUYKENDALL and RAFAEL FLORES Staff Reporter
Amarillo College students have many options to help improve their studying skills including textbooks, professors and the internet. But same students tend to miss out on the free tutoring centers that AC provides. A new study, conducted by Collin Witherspoon, AC’s executive director of decision analytics and institutional research, in the fall of 2017, found that there was a significant increase in student success due to tutoring. “For a numbers guy like Collin to say that there is statistical significance for students that come in versus students that don’t, it makes us feel like it’s all worthwhile,” Josh O’Brien, Writers’ Corner coordinator, said. Witherspoon’s research showed that the more time students spent in a tutoring center, the higher their probability of passing the class. “One thing I try to convey to students is that you don’t just spend ‘x’ number of hours in the Writers’ Corner and get an A. The student has to come
with a willingness to be a part of this process,” O’Brien said. Students who frequent the tutoring centers said they have also seen an improvement in their abilities. “I’m not great at writing essays, but the Writers’ Corner has really helped me focus on improving,” Alyssa Gutierrez, a biology major, said. “There is always room to learn more.” Some of the tutors are current AC students who also take advantage of tutoring services in other areas. “I actually came to the tutoring center when I was in a biology class, and it helped me greatly,” Angel Dominguez, a science tutor, said. Dominguez said tutoring should be a resource for every student. “Tutoring is there for those who may struggle, but it is also there for people who want to thrive,” he said. “We reinforce areas students already know, and teach them different ways to learn new material.” The centers are not only for getting help on big concepts, but also for smaller things like proofreading. “It’s useful to even have a second set of eyes just to look something over. There is always more to work on,” O’Brien said.
RAFAEL FLORES | The Ranger
Students receive tutoring and guidance in the Math Outreach Center, one of the many free tutoring centers available at AC.
He noted that the goal of the tutoring centers is not just to get students to pass, but rather to develop students’ skills for the long run. “We are not just aiming to fix a paper, but to help students develop these skills that are beneficial in their academic, professional and everyday life. Beyond success here at AC, these are skills that will be useful always,” said O’Brien.
“I like to tell students to think of a famous writer. Even they have an editor. They aren’t doing it by themselves.” In addition to help with writing, AC students can also find help with math classes on campus. The Amarillo College Math Outreach Center located in Durrett 104 on the Washington Street Campus offers a refuge for students who struggle with math. It is open
from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Satuday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. “The biggest takeaway I want for students is to learn how to learn,” said Zayrah Manquero, one of the tutors who is also a computer science major at West Texas A&M University. “Students have the misconception that you can just go to class and learn everything.”
News
6 | The Ranger September 6, 2018
Yellow City rocks the Panhandle Continued from page 1
COURTESY PHOTO
Teams aim for Austin By NICHOLAS BETANCOURT Staff Reporter
A flag football tournament facilitated by AC's Intramural Sports starts Sept. 6. The tournament engages ten teams and the winner will travel to Austin for the championship. This version of football involves pulling flags from the ball carrier's waist as opposed to tackling as in professional football. “You can sign up your team on IMleagues.com or use the IMleagues app on any smartphone,” Trent Oneal, intramurals coordinator, said.
The teams will play from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Thursday and the champions will move on to a seven-state competition. The tournament involves 10 teams of up to 12 students, male and female, competing in a six-week season. “We’re very excited to take the winning team to Austin for the championship,” Oneal said. “We’d really love for as many students and family members to come and cheer on each team and get involved,” Jalen Green, a member of one of the teams that will be competing, said. “Intramural flag football is a great way for new students to
get involved in extra curricular activities with the school and is also a great way to meet new people and start new friendships,” Ryan Thomas, a member of team E-LEMONAtors, said. After the Sept. 4 sign up deadline, teams can sign “free agents to fill open positions," Oneal said. With six teams already in the mix, the intramural leaders said they are hoping to find four more teams to get signed up by Sept. 4 to have a full tournament. For more information, visit the Student Life office located in the basement of the CUB .
Gibson and the group’s other singer Scott Melott struggled to explain why the group disbanded. “I was really young, and we had just a huge amount of success handed to us,” Gibson said. “For my part, I didn’t know if I always handled that well, and I probably wasn’t really fun to get along with sometimes because that inflated my ego a lot.” Gibson said she felt “pulled out from the group,” and concluded, “As a whole it felt like we started wanting different things.” Gibson explained that the group also had trouble finding good gigs despite earning a good income stream from the popular songs they had. Many of the gigs would only net $50 and would be 200 miles away. Their third record, “Buy One Get Eleven Free” generated a lot of success. “It was out of the gates quicker than any of
our records,” Melott said. That boosted their momentum briefly, but the other members had issues with scheduling, making it impossible for the group expand beyond Amarillo. Tensions led to the abrupt breakup. “It was a blast, then it was over,” Gibson said. Despite the rough patch, the former band mates still would maintain their friendships. “We never didn’t like each other,” Melott said. Now that friendship has brought the group back together. The band has two more reunions lined up — one at Gruene Hall Sept. 30 and one at Hoot’s in October. Overall, the Yellow City Sounds Music Festival had a good turnout of about the same number of people who attended last year, according to Chandler. In the future, he said he hopes to attract more tourists to attend. Chandler also said he is open to having a variety of genres playing at future festivals.
AC students take time to tag
New game featuring silly string takes over Intramurals By CARTER HALL and RAFAEL FLORES Staff Reporters
Recently a new event took over Amarillo College and it had students wearing arm bands, carrying pictures of assigned “targets” and lots of silly sting. It’s called “Gotcha” and it got students playing a campus-wide game of tag. “I wanted a game that could get everybody involved, something for people who normally might not enjoy sports, give them something they could participate in,” Trent Oneal, intramurals coordinator, said. The rules for Gotcha are
similar to the original tag in which a player would get “tagged” and then they would be “it.” In Gotcha, at the start of the game, a student was given a picture of another student and some silly string. When a student saw their “target” on campus, they were allowed to spray the silly string on them and the person who got sprayed eliminated from the game. The eliminated person gaves the person who tagged them their target and the game went on until there was a clear victor. Gotcha pays homage to a movie with the same concept. In the 1984 film directed by Jeff Kanew, college students used a paintball gun for their “hits,”
whereas AC students use silly string to acquire their targets. Prizes of two t-shirts and a $10 Sonic gift card were be given to the winner. Oneal said the benefits of the game extend beyond the prizes. He said the game motivated students to get involved in student life. “It’s definitely one of the most original ideas thought up in all the time I have been on this campus,” Jimmy Nye, a psychology major, said. Throughout the year, student life will offer other games and activities “I think games around campus are a great way to just have some fun and take the pressure of being a student,” Noah Henley, a biology major, said.
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Josh Ballard, a paralegal studies major, traveled to in Paris, France last year and plans to go to Greece this year.
Adventure abroad awaits By SAMUEL GAULDING Staff Reporter
Opportunities to go on adventures take time, money and planning. Usually, people have to wait until after graduation in order to get to the point where they can travel overseas, but that’s not the case for Amarillo College students. Instead of waiting years to travel, students can team up with AC to explore, learn and study abroad. This semester the destination is Greece. Josh Ballard, a paralegal studies major, traveled to Paris with the college last spring. Ballard said these trips are something students should never miss out on. “Students can expect to be enlightened about what they can learn from other countries and Students should make the most out of their college experiences," he said. The trip coordinator, Courtney Milleson, a speech instructor, said any student
in good standing with a 2.5 GPA can participate. “You sign up for the trip and you make payments or pay all at once as well as provide a passport,” she said. Students must be academically enrolled in one of the following spring courses: SPCH 1315 / 1321, PTHA 2409, ARTS 1303, MUSI 1307. “Saving up and focusing on your classes throughout this fall and upcoming spring semesters is the way to fantastic memories,” Milleson said. Dr. Diego Caetano, a music professor, will also serve as a faculty guide. “It’s a great experience AC offers since other colleges don’t offer trips abroad until students are far older, so it’s the opportunity of a lifetime,” Caetano said. The cost of the trip will be approximately $3,700 per traveler, but cost could be less depending on the number of student travelers enrolled. The trip will take place March 9 to 16. Anyone with questions should email Milleson at cgmilleson@actx.edu.
Travel to
Greece with AC
Join faculty members, Courtney Milleson, Stephanie Jung, Dr. Sue Grady and Dr. Diego Caetano, on an exciting trip to Greece, March 9-16, 2019. Explore the settings, structures, and cultures that remain of the ancient Greek civilizations. To learn more, visit the Spring Break 2019 Educational Travel page on Amarillo College’s website.
Culture
TOP
10
Songs to start the new semester right
We asked our staff what songs inspire them to keep going through the semester.
10 Queen - Radio Gaga
08
09
Abstract ft. Delaney - 22
Staff Reporter
Pop Evil - Be legendary Kim Ried - Page 8 editor
James Blake - Retrograde Katharina von Schlegel - Be still my soul The Score - Money run low Walk the moon - Press restart
This song motivates me because it’s a song about a chance to start fresh. Claire Ekas - Design Manager
03 02 01
Photos offer inspiration By CARLY STEWART
This song is about how you shouldn’t care what people think, you should do what makes you happy.
07 06 05 04
The Ranger | 7 September 6, 2018
Annie - The sun will come out tomorrow The Greatest Showman - A million dreams Panic at the disco! - High hopes
This song motivates me because no matter how hard your dreams seem, keep going even if it’s a big hill, it will be worth it at the top. Blass Guerrero - Photographer
Infographic by SALVADOR GUTIERREZ | The Ranger
The Southern Light Gallery in the Ware Student Commons on the Washington Street Campus currently features 10 portrait shots by Gary Goldberg. The gallery is free and open to the public and can be viewed on both walls beside the first-floor elevator. Rene West, a photography instructor, curates the gallery. “I do about six or seven shows a year, each with a theme. The one currently up is 10 portrait shots done by Gary Goldberg who photographed 50 singer/ songwriters from Texas, including Willie Nelson,” West said. The Southern Light Gallery is a photography-based gallery that exhibits works by local photographers as an opportunity to showcase their photographs. The gallery was founded in the fall of 1977 by AC photography instructor Robert Hirsh to exhibit the work of upcoming photographers. Hundreds of photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, have submitted and shown their work
Mac Miller makes music after miserable months
REVIEW
By CARTER HALL Staff Reporter
For many months, Mac Miller really could not catch a break. He had spent most of 2018 in a pit of darkness. He had been dealing with his break up, facing jail time and dealing with depression. But recently, amongst darkness and turmoil, came some light and success. Miller came out with his new album, “Swimming,” which covers most of these topics, among others. This album is an accumulation of his built-up frustrations and emotions throughout his cloudy days from this year. In the song “2009,” he mentions how me might have found happiness. “I don’t need to lie no more/Nowadays all I do is shine/Take a breath and ease my mind/And she don’t cry no more.” The break up with Grande may have broken his heart, but he manages to get over it and be happy now with her gone even though he was happier with her.
What people might find as a bit of a surprise is that Miller has a song on the album produced by another mega popular rapper by the name of J. Cole. Cole produced the song, “Hurt Feelings,” in which Miller covers the topic of his substance abuse problem. But he talks about getting over it with a mellow melody, which seems crazy considering the topic. This album seems as if it could be a bit of a downer, but Miller is talking about his success overcoming the bad part of his life. His dark days appear to be behind him. Miller addresses the turnaround in the song, “Jet Fuel.” He expresses his feelings and explains how hard he has worked on himself since he has been alone. Miller’s misery is over and his music is our reward. If you have not had the chance to listen to this album yet, do yourself a favor and grab those headphones, go to your music streaming service and vibe with Mac Miller on this journey.
in the Southern Light Gallery over the years. The gallery provides opportunity for aspiring or professional photographers to display their portfolios for staff, students and other aspiring photographers to see. “I like seeing other people’s work hanging because it’s different from my own,” Elizabeth Silva, a photography major, said. Silva said last fall a photographer whose work was displayed in the gallery came to campus to give a presentation. Silva helped set up for this event. “We expected maybe like 50 people to show up, but the entire Ware Commons had filled up with people,” she said. Photography students at AC are often shown the gallery early on in the course and are encouraged to submit their own photos online along with an artist statement related specifically to the submissions. There must be at least 10 images submitted. “I think the photos are well placed due to the common use of the elevators for either going to Library or the Success Center, which are two locations heavily visited by both students and employees,” Waiel Bagh, a mass media major, said.
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Time to Panic! over new album REVIEW By BLASS GUERRERO Staff Reporter
There is a good reason to panic if you have missed Panic! At the Disco’s latest album. This sixth release features inspirational lyrics and a lively and theatrical pop sound. Panic! at the Disco is a former emo band known for their hit song “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” released in 2005. The band began in 2004, with four members, currently, the band has only one band member, Brendon Urie, who creates all instrumentals, serves as the lead vocalist and helps write all the songs. The band doesn’t stick to the same genre, but branches out to electronic dance punk, emo pop, pop rock and even jazz. In late June, Panic! released
a new album, “Pray for the Wicked,” bringing a change of sound like every album the band has released since the beginning. The album includes 11 new songs, all unique and written by Urie. All the songs have a Broadway theme that Urie said was inspired by his recent performance in the musical “Kinky Boots.” “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” was the first single off the new album. The song has good rhythm and a great upbeat feeling, but takes a religious side from Urie’s past. “High Hopes,” the fourth song and the third single from the album, gives a great message about having big dreams and to work hard to achieve those. The lyrics include the inspirational line, “They say it’s all been done but they haven’t seen the best of me.” This song has the potential to help many
people struggling in school or in their personal lives and it can encourage people to keep working hard. “Roaring 20s” and “Old Fashioned” are two other songs from the album that take two completely different paths. “Roaring 20s” follows the broadway theme, while “Old Fashioned” starts with a hip-hop sound then takes a Latin American turn, with a saxophone present. Panic! At the Disco has come a long way since their old emo phase from 2004, bringing changes to every album, which is an approach that many artists say is not a smart move. Uire has grown stronger as a singer and this album shows just that. Although the other band members might have made a mistake in leaving, it might have been best thing to happen.
8 | The Ranger September 6, 2018
Feature
Let’s revisit
our semester so far
YCSMF
The first two weeks of the semester were packed with fun activities for students. The Yellow City Sounds Music Festival and The Glocade that concluded Welcome Week were just two of the events held at AC.
Kimberly Reid | The Ranger
GLOCADE
Janny Phannaraj & Kimberly Reid | The Ranger