FOUR CAMPUSES. ONE VOICE
216.987.4231 cccvoiceoh@gmail.com
FERUARY 17, 2014 • ISSUE NO. 6, VOL 16
WWW.CCCVOICE.COM
THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER GRADES
LET’S GET PHYSICAL!
Think of these three steps as your own personal game codes to get better grades.
PAGE 3
BREAKING NEWS
STABBING VICTIM ID'D AS TRI-C STUDENT
Police have not charged anyone from Oct. 6 fight.
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Remember what your favorite class was in school? Admit it. You said “Phys Ed.” It seems like those days are long gone.
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Dancers Splash Talent at Motown in Motion Tri-C Students Joined Professional Troupe for Two Songs
Cuyahoga Community College Student Newspaper Established 1963.
* February Student Life Programs 2/19/14 Thinkfast Game Show • Black History Month Edition Metro Cafeteria, Noon-1pm Interactive audience response game show with $200 cash prize for the winner! 2/20/14 Behind the Headlines: Missing Persons Metro Theatre, Noon-1:30pm The Missing Persons program will examine the ways that communication & information-sharing related to such cases have evolved. Panelists will discuss challenges to communication with the media, law enforcement & the public and how those entities are working together to overcome them. Are you interested in planning and volunteering at Studio Life events? If so, contact Melissa Swafford at melissa.swafford@tri-c. edu to learn about volunteer opportunities.
Dancers who attend Tri-C dance classes practice on stage where they would perform a couple dance sets with the professional group Eisenhower Dance Company on Feb. 1. Photo by Roadell Hickman. MARC PRINCE
Metro Associate Editor Dazzling lights, well-choreographed dancers and the jam of Motown music warmed the souls of spectators on a frigid night at a Tri-C Diversity Series presentation “Motown in Motion,” Feb. 1. Presented by the Eisenhower Dance Company and featuring special guest dancers, the melody of blues, jazz, and the sweet sound of Motown were given retrospect as the accompaniment to dancers at the Eastern Campus Performing Arts Center. Completely choreographed by multiple award-winning choreographer and dance company namesake, Laurie Eisenhower, the 10-piece group brought their eclectic dancing
styles to the inspired delight of a near capacity audience. The program was broken down into two similar, but less concentrated sections. Opening the production was a show highlight from one of the seasoned dance troupe’s national tour entitled “Threads.” It gave the audience more of an early 1900s and times gone by throughout the Southwestern gold rush feeling. were given retrospect as the accompaniment to dancers. Following a brief intermission that gave patrons the opportunity to stroll through the Eastern Campus Student Art Gallery, featuring the work of Tri-C students and alumni, the modest collection took brief attention from the center stage while the dancers prepared for their second act backstage. The art collection included an eclectic mix of modern and early 20th
century-inspired pieces. After the break, the audience returned to an expansive dance tribute to the music that played as the soundtrack to not only the introduction of Rhythm & Blues to the mainstream, but just as more so as the soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement. One could argue that it was a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of Black History Month. The featured Motown presentation highlighted the group’s superb dance interpretations sewed into the rhythms of such Motor City alums as Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and Michael Jackson. There were a few performers within the company itself who truly stood out, but it was the addition of Tri-C students and local community dance volunteers that seriously stole the show.
We put in the rehearsal hours just like the pros.” “We put in the rehearsal hours just like the pros,” said Sharon Beasley, one of the more than a dozen volunteer dancers who are enrolled in a dance class at Tri-C. The collaboration came in two instances throughout the program, highlighted by the section where dancers exhibited their talents up close and personally with the audience. Keeping in mind that February is Black History Month, Eisenhower Dance Company’s very well produced celebration reminds us all that in order to grow and move forward, you must always stay in motion.
MLK Celebration Explores Generational Perceptions of ‘I Have a Dream’ CSU and Tri-C Unite to Spark Conversation About ‘Dreams’ BRONSON PESHLAKAI
Metro Editor-In-Chief From left, Joe Johnson, Shakyra Diaz (moderator), and Julian Earls hold a forum talking about intergenerational perceptions of Martin Luther King’s legacy at a celebration breakfast held at CSU’s Wolstein Center Jan. 21. Photo by Bronson Peshlakai.
CLEVELAND – A community celebration breakfast sponsored by Tri-C and Cleveland State University brought students, faculty and
civic leaders together to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at CSU Wolstein Center Jan. 21. Single digit temperatures did not stop participants from arriving to enjoy a buffet, and for select Tri-C and CSU students the chance to see a video highlighting CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
Walking in a Winter Horror-Fest Tri-C Students Brave the Winter Vortex
Pardon Our Dust, Neighborhood Upgrade in Progress CMHA in Process of Beautifying Housing Next to Metro ROBYN DISMON
Metro Staff Reporter
Snow starts to accumulate in a parking lot at the Western Campus. The extreme weather conditions caused Tri-C to close its doors three times since the term started. Photo by Jeremy Hopkins NATALIE GASPER
West Staff Writer Everyone in Cleveland knows the age-old adage “Don’t like the weather? Wait 15 minutes” is so very true around here. But no one was expecting the delightful bout of below freezing temperatures that passed through about a month ago, or the triple-storm system to kick start the month of February. This has been one of the harshest winters to date, here and across the nation. Tri-C, not well-known for snow days, but was forced to shut its doors on three separate occasions since the New Year due to the extreme and unsafe conditions. If you think it was bad here, imagine the faces of Atlanta residents when they gazed at the skies and saw snow beginning to fall. Mere inches descended there, but that was all it took to close highways, schools, and local businesses and stranding some people in their cars overnight. All of these unusually frigid conditions were caused by something scientists refer to as a polar vortex. A polar vortex is a large relentless cyclone that is centered near one of Earth’s poles. It sits in the mid-upper troposphere and stratosphere which is where most of our weather forms. Spanning no more than about 600 miles, the cold, lowpressure air rotates counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere, an effect of the Coriolis Effect. The most common locations for the vortex centers in the north are Baffin Island and northeast Siberia. As a general rule, polar vortexes are weaker in the summer and stronger in the winter, but its strength often depends on events that occur months, or hundreds of miles away. Often, these are in the tropics in the summer. An increase
in volcanic eruptions can affect the intensity of a vortex for as long as a two year duration. It is easy to think of the two centers like spinning bicycle spokes. The center that sits over Baffin Island followed its yearly pattern, but this time with amped up force, caused it to reach further south and create colder temperatures and winter storms where January normally sees warm and sun. This is not the first time that the effects of a polar vortex have been this noticeable. Some of our older students may remember the winter of 1985 when temperatures dropped to as low as -60 F, providing a wind chill in the eastern US of -18 F in Cleveland, and 7 F near Jacksonville, Fla. Lucky for everyone, it is unlikely that another set of below-freezing temperatures will make themselves known again this year. This doesn’t mean that we are out of the clear all together, as early February brought more snow accumulation, dangerous driving conditions, and icy winds. According to the National Weather Service, greater Cleveland has not seen temperatures like this since Jan. 20, 1994 – on that day temperatures fell to a record low of -20 F below zero. Armed with the knowledge that the worst is probably behind us, enjoy some of the things that winter has to offer like sledding, skating, or snowball fights. It’s only a matter of time before we start complaining about the heat and humidity. Until then, take extra time driving to class, and watch your step in the parking lots and sidewalks. Drifting snow and loose salt can be just as dangerous as ice and the bitter cold. Metro Staff Reporter J.C. Robinson contributed to this report.
Editor’s Note – This is part one of a two-part series highlighting the demolition and the construction of new CMHA housing in the Campus District, right next to the Tri-C Metro Campus. In our next issue, The Voice talks with key people involved with the planning and development of the new area. There is a great deal of activity taking place on the intersection of East 30th Street and Community College Avenue directly adjacent to the Tri-C Metro Campus. The slow and steady demolition of the two-story row houses, owned and operated by the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority, actually began in the early fall of 2013. A member of the security team on site said the grounds were leveled and cleared, and that work
would begin on new public housing for income eligible applicants soon. This would not be the first successful renovation of public housing in the greater Cleveland area, but it is especially exciting because of its close proximity to Metro’s downtown campus. The Cedar-Central Neighborhood is undergoing an initiative which plans to focus on affordable housing, safety, employment opportunities and education. CMHA is one of the partners working to create a safe, affordable and sustainable community with which residents can feel proud to call home and share with their families and friends. Thus far, families who were residents have been successfully re-located to other locations, some being offered vouchers, so that the demolition project could begin, a spokesperson for
the housing authority said. Teams of innovative engineers, architects and city planners have all made significant contributions to the initial design of the final product, which they hope to include a purposeful use of greenspace, which may lead to positive economic opportunities for the residents within. From an historical perspective, CMHA was the first organization of its kind to provide low income public housing. Its director was Ernest J. Bohn. The passing of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 was largely responsible for enabling the Cleveland Metropolitan Housing Authority to implement, construct and ultimately manage what is now known as federally subsidized housing units. These initial units were located at East 30th Street and Cedar Avenue intersection.
Church Bombing Survivor To Tell Her Story at Metro, Eastern Campuses
Photo by nydailynews.coms STAFF REPORTS
Four girls died in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that rocked Birmingham, Ala., and reverberated across the nation in 1963. A fifth girl in the group – Sarah Collins Rudolph – survived. She’ll tell her riveting story later this month at Tri-C during a pair of Black History Month events. The programs “The Diary of a Sole Survivor” will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Metro Campus Theatre, and at noon Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Eastern Campus Auditorium. The events are free and open to the public.
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Bronson Peshlakai Marc Prince Steve Thomas Robyn Dismon Lauren Mangan Rachel Paul Sharan Paul J.C. Robinson Amber Brumfield Melissa Swafford
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR LAYOUT EDITOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER STAFF REPORTER STAFF REPORTER ADVISOR
Jeremy Hopkins Marchanna Bentley Tommy Carosielli Steve Thomas Nicole Plonski Robert Fenbers Natalie Gasper Mark Rodriquez
THE VOICE // PAGE 3
OPINION:
Cuyahoga Community College
POLICE BLOTTER
Campus Police & Security Services Daily Crime Log for 1/10/14 to 2/4/14 Date
Incident#
Time
Offense
Location
Disposition
02/04/14
14-030-010
1:00 PM
Off. Against Public Peace - Harassment
ELA - Near Lot B2 Entrance
Under Investigation
02/03/14
14-010-027
2:42 PM
Damage To College Property - Graffiti
MHCS 228 - Men's Restroom
Open
01/31/14
14-010-025
2:48 PM
Arrest - Active Warrant
ESS 2nd Floor
Closed
01/31/14
14-030-009
1:00 PM
Petty Theft - Cell Phone
MSS Financial Aid
Open
01/30/14
14-030-008
2:58 PM
Petty Theft - My Tri-C Card
ESS Bookstore
Closed
01/30/14
14-010-024
12:53 PM
Fraud
Metro Business Office
Under Investigation
01/29/14
14-010-022
5:17 PM
Petty Theft - Textbook
MHCS 218
Closed
01/27/14
14-010-021
2:01 PM
Arrest - Active Warrant
MLA Wi-Fi Area
Arrest Made
01/24/14
14-010-019
12:10 PM
Menacing
Metro Campus
Under Investigation
01/23/14
14-020-014
3:14 PM
Petty Theft - License Plate
Lot-A
Open
01/22/14
14-020-011
3:46 PM
Petty Theft - Financial Aid Check
Campus Police
Under Investigation
01/22/14
14-010-016
3:03 PM
Grand Theft Motor Vehicle
Lot 11
Closed
01/22/14
14-010-015
2:47 PM
Fraud
MHCS 126
Under Investigation
01/21/14
14-020-008
2:23 PM
Vandalism
WTA
Closed
01/16/14
14-030-003
3:30 PM
Petty Theft - My Tri-C Card & Funds
CCC
Closed
01/16/14
14-020-005
1:16 PM
Petty Theft - Camera & Wallet
C-Pod Restroom
Closed
01/10/14
14-020-003
5:25 PM
Fraud
Bookstore
Closed
Three Simple Steps to Better Grades
Organization, Control, Attendance Key to Success
Photo courtesy of sxc.hu SHARAN PAUL
Metro Staff Reporter
College grading systems work just like a video game. The player (student) has to meet each challenge (classes), and gain enough points to advance to the next level (term/ year). It takes time to learn a new game (lesson), but through determination and practice it becomes easier. And even the most adept gamers use shortcuts and codes to win at times. Think of these three steps as your own personal game codes to get better grades. #1 ORGANIZATION I get better grades than people who are exponentially smarter than I am because I am organized. I use a loose-leaf CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
Rock Off Pairs Talent with Tri-C’s Recording Program
Just three buildings away from South East Harley Davidson.
Gives Bands Experience on World Class Stage
WWW.SEGEARSANDCHEERS.COM
Rock Off winners Backstage Politics perform during round one of the competition. Photo by Lauren Mangan. LAUREN MANGAN
Metro Staff Writer The annual battle of the bands competition brought students together with music industry veterans to help them gain exposure and experience at a legendary concert venue, the House of Blues. Tri-C is the Rock Off ’s title sponsor and awards young musicians the opportunity to learn from professionals and the ability record their own music in the state-of-the-art facilities at the Recording Arts Center on the Metro Campus. David Kennedy, head of Tri-C’s Recording Arts and Technologies program, has been a judge of the Rock Off for the past eight years. He stressed the importance and value of the event. “This may be the start of a music career for some participants. They get to play on a stage where their heroes and legends played, The House of Blues. This is the start of their artistic and professional network and they are starting a new music community with each other. They get feedback from the judges on how to get better at what they love. The finalists get to record in a world class facility. The winning band gets an appearance on TV, and to open for a major national act at House of Blues or another Live Nation venue,” Kennedy said. He seemed very pleased with the level of talent, dedication, and enthusiasm shown by all. “This year was the most fun and
had some of the best singing, writing and playing ever. The bands and their supportive friends and families made this a very exciting event,” he said. This year’s winner was the band Backstage Politics. Their unique reggae style set them apart from the rest of the bands. After coming in first place, the band enjoyed recording with the people from Tri-C. “It was our first time in an actual recording studio as Backstage Politics, and we enjoyed experimenting with various sounds and styles,” the band said. “The studio technicians were really helpful and we think their advice improved our music quite a bit.” When asked to talk about the style and culture of reggae music, the members of Backstage Politics were very passionate. “The School of Rock has offered us insight into a wide variety of musical tastes. Reggae seemed unique and interesting to us, so we decided to pursue it as a band. Many of our fans also came to know reggae through the School of Rock.” The band also felt that the Rock Off was a great opportunity to grow in their musicianship. “We really get along well as a group and work together well onstage, and our songwriting is much better when done together. Before the Rock Off, we played our instruments independently. This experience was, for several of us, our first real band experience, and has been quite amazing.”
Three Simple Steps to Better Grades Continued from Page 3
notebook, with tab dividers to keep all class materials in one place. Add the syllabus for each class, under the corresponding tab, and it will not get lost in the shuffle. The most essential part of organization is a Master Schedule of Assignments. Use the table function in any word processing program, and set up a form once, that can be re-used each semester. My master schedule has a column for Date Due, Class, Assignment, Date Completed, and how the assignment was submitted (Email, Blackboard, in class/hard copy). I also make sure to leave blank rows on the Master Schedule to allow last minute assignments, or group meetings that are not included on the syllabus. A master schedule is a one-stop shop for organization, reminding you of what is due for every class you have, without sifting through each nine-page syllabus. In using a master schedule, placed in the front of my notebook, I have documented dates of when and how I turned in work. This method of organization can provide documented
evidence that assignments were turned in. On two occasions this term, professors had not received my work and by being precise with when and how it was submitted, both assignments were located and graded – without penalty. #2 Control-- It is critical to control what you can in college. While you cannot control the testing process, you can get higher grades by controlling classwork and assignments. Students can potentially lose a full letter grade if work is continually turned in late, or not at all. Some professors will accept late assignments with a penalty. And those penalties, as they accrue over a semester, can make a difference between passing and failing. Homework, research and writing assignments are individual projects that you control. Use an outline and write with correct punctuation and grammar. Make sure your paper follows the instructions you were given. If the rubric does not ask for your opinion, do not give it. Use a title page, reference page, and double-space, unless otherwise CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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Fabulous Food and Drink! Pizzas, Burgers, Steaks, Salads and More!
Friday Night Ladies Night! 1/2 price specialty drinks DJ & Karaoke ( ladies get free cheesecake with purchase of beverage)
Coming Tuesdays in May "Bike Night"
Present your college ID (any day) for a 10% food discount
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Trivia Night No Brain, No Gain Win Prizes! Check our website for the day
Salad Bar!
Everday from 11:00am to 3:00pm Coming Thursdays the end of April "Car Show Nights"
* February Student Life Programs 2/21/14 Diversity Series: Ceremonies in Dark Old Men Karamu House, 7pm 2355 E. 89th St, Cleveland http://karamuhouse.org/ Ceremonies in Dark Old Men is the poignant story of a family in 1950s Harlem. In timeless prose, Lonnie Elder explores the discontent of a generation that has grown old before its time and determination of the next generation to avoid such a fate. In the play, Russell B. Parker is prodigal father & failed barber who exists on memories & "ceremonies" for survival. 2/27/14 FAFSA Feista MLA Lobby, 11am-1pm Don't wait, complete your FAFSA today! Success Specialists will be on hand to assist students in completing their 2014-2015 Free Application for Federal Student Aid. All those completing an application will be entered to win prizes. Are you interested in planning & volunteering at Studio Life events? If so, contact Melissa Swafford at melissa.swafford@ tri-c.edu to learn about volunteer opportunities.
TECHTALK: Pocket-sized Solutions to Help the Tri-C Student Tackle College
Pages for iOS. Photo courtesy of http://images.intomobile.com MARCHANNA BENTLEY West Associate Editor
In an age where technological advances are being made in the fields of everything from e-books to surgery, college students are incorporating new technologies in their own careers to make life a little easier. Take for instance Anki. This app is a virtual flashcard system where professors and other students can create decks of information relating to a specific class for study. Users upload decks to the site to be shared with others. You can sync these to devices such as your Android or iPhone with the option to embed video, audio and photos. This makes learning a language or studying for that calculus test more interactive. Anki
is available as a free app. The iPad Mini seems to be another popular choice. Downloading electronic versions of college textbooks eliminates the hassle of going back and forth to and from locker to classroom. It also comes with a note-taking app. Apple’s Pages, a word processing app can also be downloaded. Worried about accidently losing all that data? With a Dropbox account, storing and sharing text files and documents offers a secure vault that can be accessed from mobile devices and computers. Another free app as of Feb. 1, Microsoft 365 Office is being made free for currently enrolled Tri-C students enrolled in college credits. The software that has a retail value of $79.99 is free to use on up to five devices.
Stabbing Victim Identified as a Tri-C Student
Tri-C student Anthony Martemus, 28, died from a stab wound to his chest after an altercation with a 21-year-old woman Feb. 6. Martemus was seen working out at the Tri-C Metro Recreation and Wellness Center regularly and was a full-time student studying construction engineering technology. This photo was on his Facebook page. BRONSON PESHAKAI Metro Editor-In-Chief
The identity of a 28-yearold man fatally stabbed Feb. 6 has been released by the medical examiner’s office and The Voice newspaper has linked him to being a full-time Tri-C student. Anthony Martemus enrolled at Tri-C Metro last fall and was carrying a full-time course load this semester studying construction engineering technology, a Tri-C spokesman confirmed. Police responded to the 600 block of East 123rd Street on a domestic fight call at 10:59 p.m. and found the victim inside a residence with a stab wound to
The manner in which the victim received the wound is under investigation.” the chest. Martemus was transported to MetroHealth Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 11:40 p.m., a spokesperson for Cleveland Police said in a press release. A 21-year-old woman was arrested on the scene and has yet to be identified or her relation to Martemus. The release stated a CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
MLK Celebration Explores Generational Perceptions of ‘I Have a Dream’ Continued from Page 1
At left, Tri-C Eastern Campus student government member Heather O’Conner shares her thoughts on the forum with members of her table at the King celebration breakfast Jan. 21. Photo by Bronson Peshlakai
Watch exclusive video reports about local, national and breaking news on your mobile device at www.cccvoice.com. Your source for Tri-C News!
them answering the question of the hour – “What is Your Dream?” About 30 students from both institutions were interviewed and shown in a professionally produced video that inquired what his or her dream were. They also answered how the legacy of King had inspired them to acquire, or work toward that dream. “Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy,” King said famously in his historic speech, and it was a quote Matthew Scott modeled his response after. “Making real the promise of democracy… to me, I am actually a big part of that here at Tri-C’s Eastern Campus because I joined
student government,” Scott said in the video. “I went to school and in my first year I didn’t like some things going on and maybe wanted to see some things better, so I decided if nobody else is going to get it done, why don’t I do it; so I joined student government. “What that means to me is being a part of the process that you’re involved in and having a say in the decisions that are being made that will affect your life,” Scott said. The presidents of both schools spoke momentarily on this year’s collaboration and the need for students to continue demonstrating their commitment to education and civil engagement.
“It’s very important because it is not only indeed imperative to the future of this nation, but it also serves as a foundation for the generations that will follow them,” said Alex Johnson, Tri-C district president. In the spirit of civic engagement and conversation, the program featured a panel of representatives to speak about the perceptions of King then, and now. It was a very dynamic forum that reinforced a notion that racism and oppression are still seen in today’s culture, but in a different perception divided by generation and age. “We had the opportunity to bring in the intergenerational piece and we wanted wto just spark a
conversation in regards to what are folk’s dreams and how are things nowadays, especially after the MLK speech,” said Joe Johnson, a participant in an intergenerational conversation about “dreams.” Johnson, an educator, mentor and community activist in Florida, represented the generations of youth and promise in the conversation, and Julian Earls, executive-in-residence at CSU represented the elders. This event marked the 23rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration Breakfast at CSU. Planners of the event mentioned that next year’s celebration is likely to happen at a Tri-C campus.
Let’s Get Physical! P.E. Classes Struggling to Stay Afloat
Players on the Tri-C men’s basketball team are conditioning using physical education facilities at the Metro Campus in this file photo taken Sept. 18, 2013. Enrollment numbers in P.E. classes have been seeing a downward trend recently. Photo by Bronson Peshlakai ROBERT FENBERS
West Staff Reporter
In an age where communication and technology classes are on the rise, one class seems to be falling behind. Remember what your favorite class was in school? Admit it. You said “Phys Ed.” It seems like those days are long gone. Phys Ed classes have been declining over the years, more specifically, at the Tri-C Western Campus. It has become a familiar scene for students to log onto their MyTri-C Space looking to sign up for P.E. classes and see “canceled” across the registration screen. This has left educators like Christine Phillips asking why? “I am puzzled,” says Phillips, a 23-year veteran and faculty coordinator for the P. E. Department and, for the last half-decade, a full-time professor. She has seen the decline in enrollment over the years. “It has been a disconcerting downward trend in participation,” she said. One factor may be the sheer number of classes available to take. There were 46 eligible classes at the beginning of registration for the 2014 spring semester at the Western Campus. As registration came to a close, 46 percent of those classes were in danger of being canceled.
Multiple offerings for the same courses contributed to this danger. This caused low enrollment numbers in each offering of the various classes. The solution was to cancel one course and hopefully the other would fill up, Phillips explained. That is exactly what happened. On the other hand, the Metro Campus saw a rise in P.E. classes enrollment, but that statistic is deceiving as they only had 10 classes available. Another reason for the decline may be competition. Phillips ensured the classrooms and school gym is a great learning environment filled with dedicated instructors to help improve your fitness and health. Yet some students choose to use a local gym rather than the school’s facilities. Western Campus student Jodi Lonitro has done just that. She said she has not taken a P.E. class and does not plan on taking one in the future. “Why would you want to go to a class when you can go to the gym?” Lonitro asked. It seems like this ideal is becoming popular and may be a contributing factor to the drop in attendance of P.E. classes at Western. Phillips said it’s all about being held accountable. “Students sign up for P.E. classes because it fits into their day. Students want good instruction on Pilates, Zumba and how
to actually work out and develop your own program.” A seemingly forgotten aspect of the decline has been the older community residents. Many senior citizens end up not being able to take classes because they’re canceled due to low enrollment. Per the Program 60 program, any senior citizen over the age of 60 can register for P. E. classes after the class begins. Phillips has seen many seniors sign up, but not enough younger students. The future of P.E classes is in question. “My ideal future for P.E is that it be made mandatory again,” Phillips said. This would obviously improve attendance and help people become healthier. As of right now, P.E. classes are not mandatory at Tri-C, unlike four-year colleges where it is likely required. “A while ago, years ago, it was taken off the books as being mandatory; I think that did our students a huge disservice. Students don’t do optional,” she said.
“
Students sign up for P.E. classes because it fits into their day. Students want good instruction on Pilates, Zumba and how to actually workout and develop your own program.
Tri-C Goes Behind the Headlines – ‘Missing Persons’ Forum to Discuss News Coverage and Stigma of Missing People
National and local TV journalists squeezed in on Seymour Avenue down the street from where police investigators were getting a first look at Ariel Castro’s residence, the convicted kidnapper of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight. Photo by Bronson Peshlakai MARC PRINCE Metro Associate Editor
The social stigma and how local news organizations cover missing persons will be the topic of discussion at a forum to be held at the Tri-C Metro Campus Theater Feb. 20 at noon. “Behind the Headlines,” a collaboration between Tri-C Student Life, the Press Club of Cleveland, and The Voice Newspaper, that will bring several different perspectives on missing person cases while discussing changes and challenges on how information is shared through the traditional media and social media.
Last year, the city of Cleveland was rocked by the discovery of three young women being held captive for more than a decade, and a couple years earlier, the discovery of missing women found dead in the home of Anthony Sowell on Imperial Avenue. Now, it wasn’t so much the crime that tugged at our heart strings, but the fact that it happened “just down the street”…and that “it could’ve been anyone’s child.” Tri-C Metro Student Life Coordinator, Melissa Swafford described the program as “the first in a planned series of programs set in order to provide a more in-depth exploration of newsworthy topics from many
different perspectives.” In this Behind the Headlines inaugural program, WKYC-TV managing editor and anchor, Russ Mitchell, will serve as host and moderator of the event which is already creating buzz among the younger students around the campus. Mitchell, along with panel members Valerie Brown, Tri-C sociology professor; Det. Jennifer Ciaccia, Cleveland police; author James Renner; and Timothy McGinty, Cuyahoga County prosecutor; will provide information on how to work side-by-side to overcome this terrifying and often heartbreaking tragedy of our society.
“Missing persons is a very complicated issue and it’s changed over the years,” said Jack Hagan, Tri-C student media coordinator and veteran Plain Dealer reporter. “In the Seymour Avenue kidnappings the light really shone on missing persons, and we thought it would be interesting to engage the public in a discussion about it.” The Behind the Headlines programs are completely free and the “Missing Persons” program is open to the public on Thursday, Feb. 20, from Noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Metro Campus Theatre. Further information about this or future Behind the Headlines events, contact Melissa Swafford at 216-987-3092.
Stabbing Victim Continued from Page 5 preliminary investigation revealed the arrested female and Martemus were involved in an altercation when he suffered a stab wound to the chest. “The manner in which the victim received the wound is under investigation,” the release said. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the official cause of death is still pending. Martemus was seen regularly working out at the Metro Recreation and Wellness Center. Family and friends have been expressing their disbelief and offering support to one another on Facebook posts. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact homicide investigators at 216623-5464, Anonymous information can be given through Crimestoppers. The Voice will continue to receive updates surrounding new details related to this homicide and will post the latest information online at CCCVOICE.com.
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Tri-C Teams Foreshadow Cinderella Storyline for Tournament Two More Home Games Left in Season, Show Your Support TOMMY CAROSIELLI & BRONSON PESHLAKAI
West Sports Reporter & Metro Editor-in-Chief It’s that time of year again! While you start to pencil in your picks for “March Madness” brackets, your hometown basketball teams here at Tri-Care making their own tournament push. After a slow start to their season, the men’s team is starting to right the ship, as they picked up back-toback conference wins against Sinclair and Columbus State. The team improves to 6-15 overall with a 3-4 conference mark. The team has worked hard and aims to continue this recent trend of success.
They look to carry this momentum into the conference tournament. A strong characteristic the men’s team has that should help propel them toward a championship is their 3-point percentage which is ranked 8th nationally at 42.2 percent. Edison Community College comes in second in the conference with 38.6 percent, which is ranked 20th in the nation in Division II, although their standings are 0-13 (0-7). The Challengers carry a good defensive rebound as well, ranking third in the conference, 24th in the nation. The women’s team has struggled as well, but they look to create momentum going into their conference tournament as well.
Though the record, 3-13 (1-6), may not speak to success, the women’s team has played in several close games and hanging tough against these higher ranked teams can create the energy and drive this team needs to have success in the conference tournament. The women’s team’s claim to fame is having one of the least numbers of turnovers per game. Ranked fourth nationally in Div II, the Lady Challengers have an average 7.8 turnovers in all its games this season. Come out and support your Challengers as they try to make their own “Cinderella Story” in the conference and national tournaments this season. There are only two more home games left in the conference season.
FREE ADMISSION, this Wednesday, Feb. 19, when the Challengers play the Lakeland Lakers, and a make-up game with the Owens Express, on Wednesday, Feb. 26 – both games at the Tri-C Eastern
grade very quickly. Using a model of the Psychology class I am taking this semester, I found that I directly control 50 percent of my grade through attendance and assignment points. Each written assignment, worth 100 points each, includes 10 points for punctuation and grammar, which Spellcheck and Grammar check automatically take care of, in most instances. Correct format of the
paper is worth 5 points, as well as, 20 points for including all required information. That is a whopping 35 percent of my grade for simply following directions. Every class I attend adds another 10 points to my final grade, for a possible 100 points over the semester. It may seem too much to go to an early class after a late night of revelry, but at 10 points per class, can you afford to be absent?
Campus – women play at 5:30, and men play at 7:30 p.m. The final two games of the conference season are Saturday games: Feb. 22 at Sinclair (Dayton), and March 1 at Columbus State (Columbus).
Photo by Amber Brumfield
Three Simple Steps to Better Grades Continued from Page 6
directed. These are part of the grade for every paper, and a few points in your favor can bump a “C” to a “B”. Small things, like neatness and organization, are often overlooked by students, but can easily add up to quite a few points off. I had a class where I received very low grades on the Midterm and Final, but still got an “A” for the class; simply by controlling how and when I completed my assignments.
#3 Attendance-- It is simple. Show up for classes. Teachers give valuable hints as to what is on the next test during class. Some teachers will provide a written study guide for tests, but if you are not in class that day, you will not get one. Professors are more willing to work with you when you make the effort to attend. Every class has an attendance requirement that can add or deduct points from your
An avid Call of Duty gamer once told me, that in order to score the most points, players must be methodical in organizing their strategy, controlling the mission, and being present at prearranged game times. Organization, control, and attendance are three simple ways to get better grades. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to use this plan, but I’d imagine that even their theoretical grades would benefit in using these three simple steps.