VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 9
March 5, 2020
Classes behind bars open doors By STORMIE SANCHEZ Staff Reporter
At 5 a.m., eight men in matching white outfits file into a sparsely equipped classroom. On the wall there is an old green chalkboard. In the middle of the square of tables is a malfunctioning projector. The equipment is old, but it works. The men are inmates at the Clements Unit Prison in Amarillo. They will spend the next six hours studying and working on car engines. They are the first students in the diesel mechanics classes that Amarillo College began offering at the institution in January. The inmates, who pay for the classes, say they are eager to gain employable skills for when they are released. “I want to make sure I don’t come back to this place. I’ve been here since 1986. I want a legal way to make a living,” said William Curry, a student in the class. According to a national research, people who have access to an education in prison are 43% less likely to end back up in prison than those who do not. “This gives us an opportunity to do things the legal way,” Curry said. “This is knowledge we can always use.” Paul Montgomery, the instructor for the course, said that when it comes to anything technical, more people are retiring than entering the fields, leaving a demand for skilled laborers. “As far as skills go, they are going to be super employable. We go over a lot of real-world scenarios,” Montgomery said. The students share stories and go over homework while they wait in line for coffee. It feels like an ordinary morning in an ordinary shop class. “The students pay for classes just like AC. Each class is 9-18 days and worth three credit hours,” Montgomery said. Linda Muñoz, the dean of technical education, said these education classes are offered to inmates who are eligible for parole in two years or less, and will lead to associate of applied science (AAS) programs once these inmates are released. “Eventually we would all love to see that there are full AAS program there. Right now, we’re just starting with this one program and building other programs,” she said. Many of the inmates in the diesel class have spent the majority of their lives in prison. For most, education never seemed like an option. “I never saw college as something that would happen in my life. I’ve been here for 30 years,” said Keith Swindall, a diesel mechanics student at the prison. “I’ve hurt a lot of loved ones in my past. This gives me a chance to make up for some of that, especially my parents and my kids.”
Continued on page 5
Students react to closing Estimated Palace Losses
By LAUREN EBBEN and JESSIKA FULTON Staff Reporters
Palace Coffee is seeking an early end to its contract with Amarillo College, and students say they have mixed emotions. Kitawny Molina, a nursing major, said the coffee shop is a popular study spot. “It kind of makes me wonder where all the people that go there to study will go,” Molina said. Other students agreed, saying they use Palace as a place to hang out and study. “I usually meet my friends there, so I’ll be sad to see it leave. Hopefully it’ll be the same atmosphere so I can still chill with my friends in between classes,” Christian Clay, a civil engineering major, said. According to Mark White, the executive vice president and general counsel, the main struggle for Palace is its location and accessibility.
2018
2019
2020
On track to lose
-$40,000
-$29,000
-$29,000 *As reported by Mark White, executive vice president and general counsel
Illustration by DANIAR ONOZ
“Because this coffee shop is located in the center of our campus, we are getting very little neighborhood and/or other city traffic to the coffee shop. Parking is a barrier,” he said. The coffee shop has also had low traffic from faculty on campus, according to Russell
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Lowery-Hart, the AC president. “The faculty were the ones that requested the coffee shop and they’re the ones that aren’t using it, so we’ve got to figure out how to engage them,” said Lowery-Hart. In January, the shop even changed its hours due to lack of business in late afternoons. www.acranger.com
Some students said they were not bothered by the shop closing. Kylie Jennings, a mortuary science major, said she has visited the shop from time to time, but the closing is not that big of a deal. “It honestly doesn’t affect me a lot. It does concern me for the people who use the space,
but AC is such a great school, so I’m sure they have many other places for students to go,” Jennings said. No decisions have been made on what will replace the coffee shop, but several students said they have ideas. “Maybe it could be an extension to The Burrow where we could have more activities for students. Maybe a pool table or air hockey would be cool,” Molina said. Other students said they are hoping for a similar cafe. “AC is always trying to expand so maybe a new AC coffee shop is in the near future,” Jennings said. Johnny Mize, the vice chair of the board of regents, said he’d like to see the college find a solution. “We spent a lot of money on making that space,” Mize said. “We want this to be a good venture for both of us.” The coffee shop will remain on campus until at least May of this year.
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Opinion
2 | The Ranger March 5, 2020
What would you like to see replace Palace?
"I think they should add a little area to where it’s like chick-fil-a, but inside, like a food court," AARON ROMERO
Secondary Education Illustration by DANIAR ONOZ | The Ranger
Replacement should meet needs
“Another cafe because that is what people are use to, but preferably one that isn’t as expensive. Also a place that has better food options since some people don’t get a chance to leave for lunch in cars, so they sometimes are late to class if they go off campus,”
EDITORIAL
WHISPER KING Fine Art
“Probably a different coffee shop, something like a cafe, especially one involving food or drinks because some people only have 20 minutes to get lunch before class," LAUREN TANNER English
Showing interest in saving OPINION By KAYLEE HANNAH Staff Reporter
Although starting a bank deposit account can be scary to some people, I think it is a necessity to begin a savings account in today’s society. Savings accounts help in situations that are financially demanding and are easy to set up at any bank that you go to. One of the reasons that I think savings accounts are important is because interest builds over a certain amount of time while the money is in the account. Interest is basically free money that your bank gives you for keeping an account with them. At the bank that I use the annual yield for a savings account is 0.8 percent, which is typically about $1, but interest rates
are different for every bank. In my opinion free money is always a good thing, no matter how much you get. I am always willing to get some free cash. It is even better when I get the money through my bank account because I don’t have to keep up with it or constantly worry about where the money is. Another useful asset that savings accounts provide is money for emergencies. Emergencies happen out of nowhere so it's always good to have extra money that can be accessed when they occur. Savings accounts help with this by allowing the money in the account to be taken out when needed because the account is typically linked to a checking account. This allows the owner to transfer funds quickly and withdraw any amount of money that is needed at any time. It is good to get money that you don’t have to work for and to have money stored away in case of an emergency. I believe that having a savings account is crucial, especially because of how easy it is to set up and use.
Recently Amarillo College officials announced the Palace Coffee location on the Washington Street Campus is planning to end its contract early and leave the college. With the loss of this on-campus source of caffeine students and faculty alike are wondering: what happens now? The space that currently houses Palace Coffee has experienced several renovations over the years to fit the needs of students and faculty; first becoming a cafeteria, then a vending machine and lounge area and then, most recently, a coffee shop. There are some people bemoaning the loss of the coffee shop, but even before the decision was made to cut ties, lack of business at the AC location and declining funds made it pretty clear that the
shop no longer served the college’s needs. Palace truly did take a risk coming to AC, paying $1000 a month on top of 5% of its earnings to the college to stay. They supplied their own employees and other necessities to the location with no aid from AC. Sadly, no one on either side of this deal anticipated the lack of customers. AC did spend money renovating that space for Palace, but the shop was hit the hardest. No business will be able to survive on a college campus if it can’t break even. The general consensus among students now is that AC needs more food options on campus that aren’t vending machines and Chick-fil-A. The problem is, what restaurant is willing to take a loss? In choosing Palace, AC attempted to meet students' needs without expending any funds, but past experience
with food services on campus shows that these services lose money. In order to truly serve students, the college should be willing to take some percentage of loss in institutional funds. What food options would students even like? Have students given enough input? Perhaps more students would support the food service if they could help select it. Certainly cost, convenience and a variety of healthy choices are high on most student’s lists. In any case, it is essential for the college to commit to providing some form of food on the Washington Street Campus and possibly on the other campuses. Even if it costs the college some money, it is a choice that will pay off. Having affordable food services on campus means students will do better in their classes. It really isn’t a bad investment and that’s more than food for thought.
Students should strive for selfless service OPINION By JOHNNY LAWHON Staff Reporter
Today there are many organizations that exist to help the less fortunate where individuals can serve others. These lead me to question what service is to me. Through my life experiences I came to believe in “selfless service.” I volunteer and expect nothing in return, not even self-promotion.
When I see people volunteer for personal gain it makes me sad. I am at my best when I’m being selfless. If I were to boast about how I’ve helped others, or use service experiences to further myself in personal goals, I would be behaving selfishly. Serving others is supposed to be humbling, where I take time out of my day to help people. Serving others can look like opening a door for someone, or doing hard, exhausting labor for someone who can’t do it them self. When I run for service positions, I choose to do it because I believe I can truly help, not to gain recognition. In these situations, it is important to be a good example and stand on
personal principles. Taking a stand and sticking to your principles is a great show of leadership in a crowd. Now that I’ve listed a few examples of what serving means to me, I challenge everyone to ask themselves what being of service means to you, and where in your life can you act selflessly? One act of kindness can make our dark world that much beter and lead others to do the same. When a person sees another person being kind, or have someone help them without expecting anything in return, it can make that person want to the pay that kindness forward. We live in a world where negative things happen every day, but one selfless act can change this, and this process can begin with you.
Get in touch with us Page Editors VOLUME 90 | SPECIAL EDITION
August 22, 2019
For a complete staff listing, please visit The Ranger online at www.acranger.com therangereditor@gmail.com Twitter @acranger Instagram @acranger Facebook @acrangerpaper
Editor-in-Chief Lauren Ebben Page Two Emily Reeves Page Three Caylee Hanna Page Four Shawn McCrea
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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.
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The Ranger | 3 March 5, 2020
COURTESY GRAPHIC
Local moviemakers to showcase work By LONDON BLACKBURN Staff Reporter
The Amarillo Filmmakers Collective (AFC) is preparing to host the second annual Amarillo Film Festival. The event will be held April 17, 18 and 19 at Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus. Last year was the first Amarillo Film Festival. “Last year the festival was branded more as a showcase. It was experimental and we learned a lot,” Blake Cartrite, AFF
committee event organizer, said. “The Festival’s own committee has grown nearly double since last year,” Cartrite said. This year the goal of AFF is to bring relevance to film in Amarillo, Cartrite added. “We’re trying to give everybody an equal opportunity to be able to submit content and not just make it about an entry fee,” Cartrite said. There is no entry fee and the submission categories include student showcase,
documentary feature film, narrative feature film, documentary short film, narrative short film and commercials. Anyone can submit a film. High school and college students should submit to the student showcase category. It’s a broader category compared to the others, Cartrite added. April 1, 2020 is the deadline to submit content, and April 8 is the notification date. “There are lots of creative artists in Amarillo. Many
people don’t know about them because they aren’t being promoted as heavily as other people,” CJ Scott, a mass media major and aspiring filmmaker, said. Scott has been interested in film since she was a child. “I like that it can draw you in and take you to a different world,” Scott said. “I feel like people should promote their film ideas if they want to start doing something. People love to be a part of film,” Scott added. Scott said she is embarking
on directing a movie herself this summer. Although she won’t be able to submit a piece to this year’s festival, she is hoping to participate next year. Scott said that being a student at AC has helped her tap into filmmaking resources. “AC creates more of a community, so I could get things done more easily,” Scott said. “Because I have these connections, it makes it just a bit easier to push out a film.” To enter the festival or get more information, go to https:// www.amafilmfest.com/.
Amarillo website. Those who win local awards move on to compete for district and state awards. AC’s 2019 spring edition of the “Current,” the college’s magazine, put together by students on the staff, won the prize. The staff of the magazine at the time included editor Mackenzie Farmer and assistant editors Blass Guerrero and Lauren Ebben. Farmer and Guerrero have since graduated from
AC and moved on to Texas Tech University and West Texas A&M University respectively. “It was something that we spent a lot of energy and hours working on, so to see it come to life and then win this award is really awesome and exciting,” Farmer said. According to an AC news release about the win, Farmer attempted to convey her “love for the art of minimalism and simplicity” in the design of her
magazine and inspire the audience to do great things with their talents instead of being overwhelmed by life. “One of my favorite things about the spring 2019 issue was its simplicity. It had muted colors and was really clean,” said Maddisun Fowler, student media coordinator at AC. This spring’s edition of “The Current” is now headed by Shawn McCrea, a general studies major. “I’m taking a wide turn
on this,” McCrea said. “They did minimalism, I want to do grunge.” Fowler said she is looking forward to this semester’s magazine. “I am extremely excited for this upcoming issue in terms of story content. We have some of the best story ideas that we’ve had in a really long time and I’m excited to see everything come together,” she said. The spring edition will be on newsstands in May.
AC Current magazine wins gold
By EMILY REEVES Staff Reporter
Amarillo College won big and took home the gold Feb. 20 from the Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation’s 2020 Advertising Awards in the college magazine category. The ADDY awards are meant to recognize “creative excellence in advertising,” according to the AAF
News
4 | The Ranger March 5, 2020
Budgeting doesn’t make cents to students
It’s never too late to learn this important life skill By JESSIKA FULTON Staff Reporter
The “broke college student” stereotype is hard to get away from, unless students know how to properly budget their spending and savings. Debra Avara, an Amarillo College social sciences professor and author of a book series about budgeting called “Just the Basics Please!,” said budgeting is not only important, it is mandatory. “Many people find budgets too controlling – but it’s you controlling your money not your money controlling you. You need to know where your money is going, and with a budget, this is how you make sure your money is going where it needs to go, including emergency and regular savings and retirement,” Avara said. Avara said the reason why college students have the “broke college student”
stigma, is because they all actually are broke and struggle with living expenses. “So many of our students are on financial aid and work part-time or even fulltime jobs trying to make it. It’s expensive to be living on your own. I always tell my students, if they can stay living at home while they are in school, do it,” she said. Avara said on top of college expenses, transportation and rent, students tend to spend too much money on food. Whether it be eating out or going to the store, some struggle and tend to spend too much. “Meal plan. This is one of the easiest to do. Make your menu for the week and meal prep on Sundays. Now you don’t have to run randomly to the grocery store, or now short on time so you hit fast food because you don’t have anything for dinner. You buy what you need in the grocery store, and a couple
hours on Saturday or Sunday and you’re all set for the week. Just reheat and done. This also eliminates unnecessary purchases at the grocery store,” Avara said. Taylor Bingham, the AC career and employment services coordinator, said the best advice for students is to evaluate where their money is going by creating a budget. “If you have not made a budget yet, I would advise you to make a budget. Do you know where your money is going? If you do not, it will most surely not stay in your pocket or bank account. Budgeting and knowing where your money is going are the first steps to stretch your budget,” Bingham said. Bingham said the Career and Employment Services Center is currently in the process of creating a program to help students. “As of now, we are working with Student Life and the
Advocacy and Resource Center in order to provide financial literacy information for our students. It is still in the works, but we hope to have a self-service webpage that students can go to for assistance with their money management needs,” Bingham said. Some students say they struggle with money due to the fact that they are limited on time and can’t make enough money to save. “The problem students run into when it comes to money is that we have to keep up with school, work and sometimes school takes up more time than we have in a day. We just go with what we got and hope for the best,” Christopher Aday, a mechanics major, said. Other students say they believe if budgeting was taught in high school education or by parents, then students would understand how to save
money easier. “A lot of this is usually generational. So, if parents start teaching this, then their children will be better off when they grow up. But if parents don’t do it, then children are not better off because they don’t know better. But in the education system, it should be pushed for students to learn,” Abigail Schleis, a psychology major, said. Brady Cunningham, a cybersecurity networking major, said he had to make changes when he started college. “Before I started at AC, I was working 40-50 hours a week and now I work 25 because of my classes. The biggest thing I have had to change was my eating habits. I used to go out to eat every day at least once a day but now I have to choose between eating out and having enough money for gas. So, I now eat at home and make my own meals, which has saved me so much money,” he said.
Poverty Initiative offers more than financial help By EMILY REEVES Staff Reporter
Not all students at Amarillo College are lucky enough to wake up with food, clothing or even a home, but Amarillo College aims to change that and remove the barriers to success through the AC Poverty Initiative. Cara Crowley, the vice president of strategic initiatives, said the initiative revolves around AC’s theory of change. “If you address student poverty barriers in an accelerated learning environment supported by a deep culture of caring, students will complete,” Crowley said. The goal of the initiative is to better understand the needs of AC’s students and better meet them, she said. Amarillo College’s “No Excuses Poverty Initiative: A Strategy Guide,” put together by Crowley and others, provides an overview of the idea behind the initiative and the process behind forming it. The guide says that AC’s leaders reevaluated student data and asked students what barriers held them back from being successful with the hope of finding problems for the college to help students
overcome in order to achieve academic success. AC officials built the resources it offers to students around the biggest areas of conflict students listed in the survey. The Poverty Initiative has several services it offers in order to aid students both physically and mentally. “There are five key initiatives to address student poverty barriers — the Advocacy & Resource Center, Counseling Center, Legal Aid Clinic, Career and Employment Center and Emergency Aid,” Crowley said. “Information about these services is communicated to students through New Student Orientation, First Year Seminar and ongoing communication and referral by faculty, staff and fellow students,” she said. Services provided at the ARC are free to all students without evidence of financial need. Director of Social Services Jordan Herrera said the ARC currently serves about 30% of the student body and has been a part of Amarillo College since 2016. According to Herrera, only two services offered at AC require students to meet additional qualifications: scholarships
and emergency assistance. Students must have a 2.0 GPA and be currently enrolled in classes to receive aid from these programs. Despite the work AC has put into the Poverty Initiative, some students said they are not aware of the resources provided. “I haven’t heard of the Poverty Initiative,” said Cole Davis, a recently graduated AC student. Crowley said that faculty m e m b e r s are not required to tell students about the initiative, but, “Instructors are encouraged to inform students of the resources they have available to them,” Herrera said. More infor mation about the services provided for students through AC is available on the AC website under student resources.
Illustrations by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger
News
The Ranger | 5 March 5, 2020
Illustration by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger
Weather produces issues for food truck By JOHNNY LAWHON Staff Reporter
Recent cold weather has led to cancellations of the High Plains Food Bank produce truck on the Washington Street Campus, according to emails Amarillo College officials have sent out to students. “The rule of thumb, according to the Food Bank, is cancellation of scheduled giveaways occurs when the temperature dips below 40 degrees or if there is
snow on the ground or precipitation occurs at the time of distribution,” the email said. These cancellations occur to prevent people from having to wait outside in bad weather conditions, said Justin Young, the nutrition director of the HPFB and one of the people who runs the mobile harvest program. There also tends to be low attendance during these times as well, Young said. The produce truck is
ARC arches students toward success By JENNIFER FERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
The Advocacy and Resource Center at Amarillo College is a program that is dedicated to helping students overcome obstacles that could hinder them from being successful on their college journey. It is located on the Washington Street Campus inside the Ware Student Commons in Suite 108. “The ARC serves Amarillo College students by connecting them to campus and community resources that will assist them in eliminating any barriers that may be affecting their success at Amarillo College,” Jordan Herrera, the director of social services, said. The ARC provides a clothing closet, a food pantry, baby resources, scholarships and social services. Together with resources available in the community, these forms of assistance are available to students who are taking academic classes, continuing education, GED, AEL and ESL classes. In order to be considered for a scholarship or emergency aid funding, students must be enrolled in academic classes and maintain a 2.0 GPA. The ARC is institution supported. It is funded by
donations from AC staff, the community and The Amarillo College Foundation. Ashley Guinn, the social services coordinator, said that the ARC has received positive feedback regarding the services provided. She said that if the ARC is unable to assist, they try to find an alternative solution such as referring to resources in the community. The ARC holds an annual resource fair to bring awareness to the support services that are available to students. Officials said that this is their most cherished event because it allows for resources in the community and at the college to be centralized to better assist students and their families. The resource fair consists of booths set up with information for students to gain knowledge of what is available to them. It will be held Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. “I believe that Amarillo College listens to their students, is future focused and is always looking at ways to further educate the institution as a whole on ways we can improve. There is still work to be done and I believe we as an institution will always seek to better know our students and their needs,” Guinn, said. For more information regarding the ARC, contact Herrera at j0333462@actx.edu.
scheduled to come to the campus every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. The truck comes twice in the same day to give students who work a chance to get food as well in the evenings, Dr. Claudie Biggers, a biology professor, said. “The truck seems to be meeting a need,” she said. The produce truck has been visiting the Washington Street Campus since fall of 2019. To date, more than 30,000 pounds of vegetables have been given away.
For more than five years, AC officials had been searching for a way to provide students with a fresh produce, Biggers said. Different options were considered, but officials chose the mobile harvest program. “The number of produce recipients each week varies between 150 to 200 people at Amarillo College,” Young said. AC graduate Nathaniel Montoya said he appreciated the food truck because it
gave him “valuable food without having to travel off campus.” “I believe it helps students who might have been shy to go to the actual food bank. Also, for me personally I wasn’t much of a fruit eater, but after the food truck came, I started expanding my diet with healthier choices,” he said. The next scheduled visit for the produce truck will be March 10. The truck will be located near the pedestrian bridge on SW 24th Street.
Classes offered in prison Continued from page 1 Everything in the shop is locked away. Any time a student requires a tool, it must be checked out from a secure room. The serial number is logged, and if it isn’t accounted for by the end of class, the shop is put on lockdown. Despite feeling like a normal classroom, the reality that it is within the barbed wire fences of a prison is always lingering. Montgomery said that when he was hired, he was unaware the position was at the prison. When he found out, he was shaken; something that still causes his wife to worry. “She was a little freaked out too. She gets nervous if I don’t call by 12:15 or so. She starts to worry because it is prison.” After a few weeks, however, he said being at the prison has become normal. “You see all the prison shows and movies and there is a lot of violence. From a teaching standpoint, it’s not like that. They ultimately want to be here and care about their teacher,” Montgomery said. The students echoed that sentiment and said they respect their instructor. “He’s got a good attitude. That’s something we don’t get very often. Mr. Montgomery wants to help us,” said Allyn Doyle, a student in the class. “Mr. Montgomery told us from day one, he wants to see us succeed,” said Wayne Reibert, another one of the students. Outside of the classroom
is the auto shop where the students get handson experience working on vehicles. Despite some hiccups, the students maintain a positive attitude. “When we started this shop was a disaster. There were parts from one end to the other. We’re having to find what parts are missing. It’s slowing us down, but it’s a good thing. It’s teaching us to troubleshoot,” Reibert said. Montgomery said it has been difficult getting everything the students require into the prison. “We weren’t prepared. Getting all the equipment I need and getting all the teaching materials in here - there is a lot of red tape.” Ultimately, however, he said he enjoys his job. “It’s rewarding seeing them blossom, seeing the light bulb turn on when they learn something. I hope to see them in the field when they get out.” Chris Taylor, the youngest student in the class, said he wants to learn as many skills as he can while he is in prison. “We’re supposed to rehabilitate ourselves, but if we don’t have any classes, how are we supposed to learn to be better members of society?” Taylor said. “We’re here because we want to be, not because we have to be. We’re willing to pay for it, and it makes for a better learning environment. We’re all eager to learn.” Taylor said prison is a system that is designed to make people feel like animals
or numbers. “You don’t ever hear anything good coming out of a prison. They focus on the negative, not on the positive,” Taylor said. But Taylor said the AC class is different. “Here we are able to feel like humans again.” Swindall said being able to take college classes is restoring his hope. “This is building my confidence, making me believe in myself and giving people a reason to believe in me.” Joe Sauceda, whose classmates nicknamed “Antisocial” due to his preference for learning things on his own, said it’s difficult to get people to come to the prison, which could lead AC faculty members to turn down teaching opportunities at the prison. “We are still human. We still have dreams and feelings,” Sauceda said. “We still want to be a part of society and we are trying.” Swindall said that deciding to pursue a degree has been life changing. “You’re never too old to look at yourself. You have to look at the past so you don’t repeat it,” he said. “You have to learn to believe in yourself.” Once the lab starts, the students are busy working on their motors, and can no longer talk, but Swindall ends the interview on a positive note. “Thank you to everyone who has opened this door to give us this opportunity; otherwise we would be stuck in the same rut,” he said. “This is a way out.”
News
6 | The Ranger March 5, 2020
JOHNNY LAWHON I The Ranger
Maranda Gozalez, a criminal justice major, and Roman Barrientez, a civil engineering major, use the underground to study.
Students study underground By AUGUSTINE GALVAN-VEGA Staff Reporter The Underground is Amarillo College’s newest computer lab. Located in the basement of the Ware Building on the Washington Street Campus. The lab is available to all Amarillo College students
across the AC campuses. Since opening in October of the fall 2019 semester, the Underground has had a steady number of students using it. “During finals week it was cram packed with people. You couldn’t find a seat here,” Charles Diaz, a student staff member in The Underground, said.
The Underground offers private cubicles, white boards and big screen monitors that connect to students’ laptops. It has rows of computers and printers along with microwaves and lunch tables so students can take a break to eat. Nursing majors Gabe Garcia, Carolina Esparza, Evelyn Phommanaxay and
Jenny Perdue, said that they are reoccurring visitors of The Underground. They tend to use it three to four times per week, even though they take their classes on the West Campus. The students said their main complaint about The Underground is the hours that it stays open. “I wish they were open 24
hours so we have more time to study,” Garcia said. They also said they wished the sign in process were more convenient. “I wish we could just scan our student card, rather than have to sign in on the computer,” Esparza said. The Underground is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
AC professor honored By LAUREN EBBEN Staff Reporter Mary Jane Johnson, professional opera singer and music professor at Amarillo College, will be honored in an awards ceremony hosted by the Amarillo Women’s Network on March 10. Johnson will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, considered the highest honor of the AWN. The AWN is an organization dedicated to providing networking opportunities and connecting women and businesses in the community, according to Katrina Atkins, past president and current chair for Career and Lifetime Achievement Awards. The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to a woman in the region who has achieved milestones in a profession or career over a period of 15 years or more, according to Atkins. A news release from the AWN described Johnson as “the celebrated soprano who has graced stages from Milan’s Teatro alla Scala to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.”
Denese Skinner, AC vice president of student affairs, is a keynote speaker for the awards ceremony. “This organization creates important opportunities for women to get together and encourage each other in their professional connections,” she said. “It creates a venue for those connections to happen.” Additionally, the AWN will also give out the Career Achievement Award, which honors women “who have achieved a major career advancement or recognition in their profession within the preceding calendar year,” according to the AWN website. The 2019 recipients of this award are Amarillo businesswomen Cindi Bulla, Marci Rae and Cathy Schick. “We’d love the community to come out and help support these women and these achievements,” Atkins said. The award ceremony is open to the public, though those who plan on attending are encouraged to RSVP to Atkins at 806-290-4045.. It will be held at 6 p.m. in Amarillo National Bank’s Skyline Room, 16th floor.
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Feature
8 | The Ranger March 5, 2020
“I am trave ling to Pola nd with th presidentia e l scholars, w hile there w will be visit e ing several historic an cultural sit d es in and the salt cluding Auschwitz mines. I w ill be celebrati ng my birth also day overseas alo ng with my while fellow classmates. ” Brady Cun ningham, Cyber Secu rity major
“I’m going to Berlin, German y with Travel Club for spring brea k. I’m most excited for the museu ms and seeing the differences in cu lture.” Chloe Pumphrey, Chemistry
“My plans over the spring break are unknown at the moment but overall I will be working and relaxing with my family and friends.” Ciarra Thurman, Sonography major
a pickle “My partner and I are going to St. festival in Mansfield to celebrate go to Patrick’s Day. We’re also going to tourist Martin House Brewery and play a, then around the Dallas -Ft. Worth are when hopefully get some relaxation in we both have the time.” ce major
Nix Peavey, Environmental Scien
is “My plans for spring break on, to take a road trip to Dent Texas to visit my significant in other. I have not seen them nnot over three months and I ca .” wait to be with them again jor Lauren Tanner, English ma