The Blaze - March 2013

The

A Publication of The Chronicle for Centralia College Since 2012 • www.centraliablaze.com

Prepare for Farm-Fresh Produce on campus

By Emmalee Baker The Blaze

“This is a legacy program that we’re trying to set up. Hopefully this continues for many, many years into the future, and helps create job opportunity for some of these kids coming out the other side, and maybe create some scholarship funds,” said Windsor.

Not only can future students in the TEEN Program be eligible to get scholarships, but there are many other educational benefits for the students.

The TEEN students will be exposed to art, science, nutrition, marketing and entrepreneurship opportunities. According to Jewell, the plan is to incorporate as many relevant studies as possible.

“My goal is that we are taking our garden project, which is at four years now, which in the beginning was about sustainability, it was about being able

“It was about being able to see the goal from garden to table... And now we’re going to be able to go the step of entrepreneurship.”

-Kristy Jewell, TEEN Program in on a trailer and will stay on the trailer so that the booth can be moved to various locations around campus. The booth will be approximately 10 feet by 12 feet.

By mid-March, the farmers market will be set up on campus, ready to sell its products. If you aren’t going to be on campus this spring, don’t worry.

The TEEN Program is hoping to continue with the farmers market for years to come. The variety offered in the market will likely increase over the years. This year, the booth will be selling plant starts, and there is a potential of selling salad greens.

to see the goal from garden to table. So that was kind of where our goal was initially,” said Jewell. “And now we’re going to be able to go to the step of entrepreneurship, so actually learning the business aspect of the garden.”

Blue Earth Farms received grant money from the Community Foundation of South Puget Sound. This funding is used for buying materials for the booth, t-shirts for the students, and gardening supplies for the plants that will be sold at the booth. Proceeds from the farm will fund gardening supplies as well. According to both Windsor and Jewell, extra funds will hopefully be used as scholarship money for future TEEN students.

For more information on Blue Earth Farms or to contact Kari Windsor, visit www.thebarnonjackson.com. ...

CONNECTION

This May, Centralia College is getting something completely new, something most community colleges don’t have: a campus farmers market. The TEEN Program is partnering with Blue Earth Farms to provide this market for the college.

Blue Earth Farms, on Jackson Highway south of Chehalis, focuses on educating the community about nutrition, farming and energy consumption.

Kari Windsor owns the farm and is working closely with the students from the TEEN Program.

The TEEN (Teens Entering Education Now) Program is for high school parents to gain parenting and vocational skills while attending school. Currently, there are 41 students in this program that will be helping with the farmers market.

Kristy Jewell, the manager of the TEEN Program, is focused on getting her students

ready for their futures, giving them opportunities to do so by coordinating activities such as the farmers market and bringing in guest speakers to talk about potential career paths for students.

A market booth design, compliments of Blue Earth Farms, will be chosen by the students. Once the design is chosen, the booth will be built at the farm in Chehalis by the students with the help of Blue Earth Farms.

The market’s logo will be designed by Kari Windsor with input from the TEEN students.

All the students involved in the TEEN Program will be given a t-shirt with the selected logo on it. This logo will also be displayed on top of the booth with a large sign created by the welding students on campus.

So far, the booth does not have a set destination on campus. According to Windsor, the market booth will be brought

CAMPUS

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20 ch r a M 13

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Emmalee Baker is a Blaze staff reporter and Centralia College student studying English.

B Photo by The Chronicle

Courtesy Image

Kari Windsor of Blue Earth Farms works in her greenhouse on Oct. 14, 2012.

Windsor is involved with the farmers market put on by the TEEN Program at Centralia College.

One of three proposed logos for the new farmer’s market project that the TEEN Program is currently working on with Kari Windsor of Blue Earth Farms.

Fun with Robotics Club

Online at centraliablaze. com

PLAYER PROFILE: JAKE CONOVER

By Elliott Townsend / The Blaze

Kari Windsor showcases potential logos for the farmers market to TEEN program students during their meeting on Monday, March 25. The farmers market slogan is “Eat. Learn. Earn. Thrive.”

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Centralia 360 736-1683 Chehalis 360 748-3744 Rochester 360 273-0457 www.thorbeckes.com

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Blaze 2 • The Blaze, Centralia, Wash., March 2013

BEAT on the STREET “What are you going to do for St. Patrick’s Day?”

“I’m doing a half marathon in Tacoma and I’m wearing green tights and a green tutu.”

Chenoa Dixon, 18, Rochester, Nursing

CAMPUS NEWS

Your Look at Centralia College Life

Comedy Night Proves Entertaining for All

Emmalee Baker The Blaze

“Alright! Give him a hand, ladies and gentleman. Coming up here and talking to you for 36 seconds. It’s not easy,” said Shaun Latham, a comedian from Comedy Central, as well as a self-proclaimed Johnny Depp look-a-like, about one of the students who had just been on stage.

On that note, comedy night began, Thursday, Feb. 21, in Corbet Theater. The featured performers of the night were Latham, Dillon Garcia and KVon. The first performer on stage was Latham, who was charismatic and energetic. After amusing commentary on modern society’s dependence on smartphones and their inability to do the one thing needed of them (stay charged), Latham explained that he was called back into active duty in November. Active duty, for him, was playing Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Dillon Garcia, also from Comedy Central, was the second one to take the stage.

Garcia kicked off his act, as K-Von would later do, with some excellent improvisational hounding of a patient Kuwaiti

exchange student unfortunate enough to find himself in the front row. The bright part of this act was Dillon’s hilarious impersonation of the Kuwaiti student, saying in a fictional letter back home that he “already had one wife” in reference to the student’s girlfriend, who sat next to him. According to the exchange student, he had been in the country about two hours before he met his soonto-be girlfriend.

Garcia then launched into a rant about relationships: “I hate that term, ‘chubby chasers.’ It doesn’t make sense. If you think about it, if you’re a chubby chaser that means you’re chasing fat people. You also need to understand that fat people aren’t going anywhere. Maybe you’re a chubby finder!”

K-von, from MTV’s “Disaster Date,” was the third and final performance of the night.

K-von stressed the importance of confidence, in both what you say and how you walk. Kvon proceeded to teach the audience the valuable lesson of how to appear gay. “Turn your wrists out,” he said, “And look for bumblebees.”

All the comedians stuck around after the show to talk to the students if anyone wanted to hear more.

See more performances by the featured comedians on YouTube and at shaunlatham.com, k-voncomedy.com, and comedycentral.com/ comedians/dillon-garcia.

By Elliot Townsend / The Blaze

Shaun Latham, a comedian from Comedy Central, entertains an audience of students on Thursday, Feb. 21.

“I’m going to Tacoma to support my girlfriend in a half marathon.”

Marco Bautista, 17, Winlock, Pre-dental Hygienist

“Hang out with my friends.”

Sicili Dipola, 20, Centralia, Psychology

Celebrating the Chinese New Year followed by Shadow Lam, another of Centralia’s internaThe Blaze tional students. Jolliff and Lam On Thursday, Feb. 7, more spoke about Chinese New Year than a few students dropped traditions. Jolliff explained the by the NSC foyer for free food, significance of spring couplets, exotic music and a really great which people hang on their story. SAAT hosted a Chinese doors on red paper during ChiNew Year party, and the event nese New Year, hence the sigwas an instant hit. nificance of the color red.

Though it might be said Chinese New Year is a very that the event got off to a rocky superstitious time. Families do start when the food was late not sweep the floors of their and attendees spent the first 15 homes within the first five days minutes sitting in quiet confu- of Chinese New Year, for fear sion, once it got going it proved of sweeping good luck out the to be worth the wait. door. Likewise, foul language While awaiting the arrival and talk of death are forbidden. of the food, Christine Wynder, “Every family has its own Centralia Coltraditions,” Lam lege’s Chinese inexplained during 请年快乐! structor, taught her presentation. If the group a vaQíng nían kuài lè!

Centralia is lucky, riety of Chinese (Cheeng nee-en kwai luh) the Chinese New phrases including Year celebration Happy New Year! “hello,” “goodmay become a trabye,” and “happy dition here too!

New Year.”

The event concluded with Once students had learned a music and a time for socializabit of the language, it was time tion. Students enjoyed Chinese to learn the history. Vincent candies that were left on tables, Lau, one of Centralia’s many as well as lessons on calligraphy international students, present- and the surprisingly difficult ed the first of three speakers. skill of eating with chopsticks.

Lau explained the origins of “I was really hoping for the Chinese New Year, speak- more interaction between [loing about the mythical mon- cal] students and international ster, Nian, who comes year af- students,” said SAAT representer year. Each year, as the story tative for Cultural Issues and goes, people would scare away Diversity Katie Iverson. “The Nian in many ways, including whole point was to educate stufireworks, loud music, and the dents about the Chinese New color red, all of which are still Year,” Iverson said after the often present in modern Chi- event was over. nese New Year celebrations.

The outcome, in attendee’s Wade Jolliff was up next, opinions, seemed to be success.

By Courtney Simmons

By Elliot Townsend / The Blaze

International students share their experience during a Lyceum lecture in February.

CC Hosts 40 International Students in 2012-13

By Emmalee Baker The Blaze

The international students on campus aren’t just average students. According to Rebecca Holderman, the advisor of International Student Programs, these students are mini ambassadors from their countries.

Each international student has their own story worth telling.

Currently, there are 40 international students attending Centralia College. A dozen countries, not including the U.S., are represented on campus. During a Lyceum in January, six of these students talked about the chaos happening in their home countries, and what it was like to get the opportunity to study at Centralia College.

Even though their lives were difficult in their home Counties, the steps it took to become a student at CC may have been equally difficult.

As a foreign student, an English proficiency test is required in order to take college

level courses, along with the COMPASS test that every student must take. Sometimes, the paperwork required takes months to process, as in the case of Venezuelan students on campus. International students pay much more for tuition, nearly three times as much for 15 credits, than a resident of Washington State.

International students have several options when it comes to where they live while attending Centralia College. The first option is to stay in the international student housing on campus. The other option is to stay with a host family off campus, but within the general vicinity of campus. Staying with a host family is a great way for students to be immediately integrated into life in America.

For most international students, integrating themselves into American society is difficult. The language and cultural barriers are hard to overcome.

These students have to build new relationships with other students, while working their way through college courses.

International students are limited to taking jobs available on campus. Getting involved in clubs is another option for these students.

“Unfortunately, it’s hard for our students to kind of take that risk to get out there and attend a club meeting, but we do what we can to encourage them to meet American students through our Conversation Partner program, campus events, and more,” said Holderman.

Americans can also learn a lot from the international students; the cultural diversity they bring to campus can be both enriching and eye-opening.

“The world is at your doorstep. Just open the door, basically,” said Laju Nankani, the Director of International Student Programs.

Both Holderman and Nankani urge all students to get involved with international students, whether it’s as a host family, a conversation partner, or just as a friend.

Centralia College Foundation Night

at the Olympic

Club

Thursday, March 21, 2013 • 5 PM to close Join your friends in support of the Centralia College Foundation on March 21.

Fifty percent of all* proceeds go to foundation scholarships which benefit deserving students at Centralia College.

Everyone is invited!

At McMenamins you can enjoy: • an evening with friends • an outstanding movie • fine food

• non-alcoholic beverages • local micro brews and wine • available games

• a stay in one of the hotel rooms • knowing that you are helping students achieve their educational goals

A Neighborhood Place for Family & Friends

BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER

112 N TOWER AVE • 360-736-5164

www.mcmenamins.com

* except gift certificates and retail

CENTRALIA COLLEGE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY INSTITUTION. CH491184cz.db

ARE YOU A TRUSTEE SCHOLAR? Saint Martin’s University is committed to supporting inspired, dedicated and passionate students as they pursue their educational goals.

The Trustee Scholarship is the premier Saint Martin’s transfer scholarship: • $24,000 over 2 years • Applicants must have submitted all required materials for fall admission to the Office of Admissions by May 15, 2013 • Applicants must have an associate’s degree with a 3.5+ cumulative GPA Saint Martin’s University also awards scholarships to members of Phi Theta Kappa and the All-Washington Academic Team.

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“I will be making pizza at work.”

Anna Clifford, 19, Yelm, Elementary Education

Contact us at editor@centraliablaze.com

For more information, contact Josefina Pilon, your Centralia representative, at jpilon@stmartin.edu or by phone at 360-438-4593. www.stmartin.edu

Contact us at editor@centraliablaze.com

By Hallie Simons

CAMPUS VOICES

Blaze 3 • The Blaze, Centralia, Wash., March 2013 Your Voice, Your Views

Proposed Solution May be part of the problem

The Blaze

At the club fair toward the beginning of Winter Quarter, there was a table from student government that was handing out postcards for students to sign and send to our representatives in state governBy Hallie Simons ment, urging Blaze them not to Editor-in-Chief cut funding for community and technical colleges.

Their argument was legitimate: “If state funding is cut, tuition will go up.”

The cards carry this message: “Don’t Cut the Solution: In order to build an economically competitive Washington, we need educated people — and a higher education system is not enough. The Community and Technical College system is the most affordable way for many

people to get the education and skills they need in order to support their families and compete for high-demand jobs. HOWEVER — years of increases in tuition and budget cuts to our colleges threaten access, affordability, and education quality!”

I think that a lot of students were easily swayed into signing these cards with this statement, and the aforementioned oneliner. I almost was.

Almost.

I was always raised to question the legitimacy and reason behind anything I sign, especially when it comes to petitions, and that instinct took over. I took the postcard home to consider signing it further.

You see, I am much like many of you: I don’t want tuition to go up, and I can’t really afford that. I’m already on a partial scholarship, and those dollars aren’t easy to get.

If tuition goes up, that money is only going to be more thinly stretched.

The postcard’s statement is, I believe, very true. Education is one of the only ways to bet-

ter ourselves and thus society. I want it to be as accessible as any of you do. There’s a good point to their argument, and it’s one that I could easily see myself getting behind, especially because of its relevance to myself and the people around me.

So why the reservation?

It’s no secret that state and federal government is in terrible debt, with no simple fix in sight. Regardless of where you stand in the political spectrum, I think we all know that cuts are going to have to be made to a whole heap of programs. The source of dissension is in what programs to cut funding to.

Do we cut welfare? Medicare? Social Security? What are the biggest costs to society?

These are the questions people are asking now, and everybody and their mother has a “solution.”

In the end though, I think we all know that something somewhere is going to cost us personally in order to “fix” this crisis. And, justifiably so, nobody wants it to happen to the things when they have a vested interest.

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But what it comes down to is the fact that someone has to pay for it eventually. The debt has to go away somehow, and I’d prefer not to obliterate it with nukes or crisis.

If we students have to pay a little (or a lot) more now to help alleviate the debt crisis, isn’t that better for everyone, including us, in the long run?

As a country, a state, and a student body, we are only as strong as our weakest link.

Right now, there are several weak links, but they can be fixed. Though higher tuition may seem a ridiculous (if not impossible) price to pay, it is one major thing that we as a generation can do to impact the future of our nation in a positive way.

I look at this as almost a civic duty that we are not forced to undertake, but rather that we should choose to undertake.

This isn’t to say that other areas shouldn’t take cuts, because they should. I would be in favor of a universal cutback in spending, honestly. We as Americans need to stop taking government assistance for

granted, because as much as we like to imagine otherwise, public funds have a very tangible limit.

There are people out there who would be content to let everyone else take the cuts and not suffer with them. They can leave right about now, because the future of this nation will depend on Americans pulling together to help one another, not acting selfishly upon greedy tendencies. We can no longer think in terms of “I, Me, Mine,” but rather we must think “We, Us, Them.” It is time to take responsibility for this nation, because if we don’t, nobody will.

We are the future of this nation: What sort of message does selfish advocating send about us? And more importantly, what does it say about our collective future? ...

Hallie Simons is the Editorin-Chief of The Blaze. She can be reached at editor@centraliablaze. com.

Got Skills?

The Blaze is always accepting submissions from Centralia College students for the opinion page, photos of events, or even comics. Think you’ve got what it takes to write for The Blaze? Email Editor-in-Chief Hallie Simons at editor@ centraliablaze.com, or call The Blaze World Headquarters at (360) 807-8250.

B THE BLAZE STAFF Editor-in-Chief: Hallie Simons Web/Print Design: Dakota Rakestraw Photographers: Elliott Townsend Sean Wills Sports: Janice Knutz Comic Artist: Ely Tilley

By Ely Tilley / The Blaze

New Campus, New Friends

By Dakota Rakestraw The Blaze

Dakota Rakestraw is the Web and Print Designer for The Blaze.

• • • •

Espresso • Smoothies • Free Wi-Fi Baked Goods • Live Music Comfortable Atmosphere Great Place To Study

GET IN THE LOOP

Open Mic Night Every Thursday @ 8 p.m.

120 S Tower. Centralia 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. Monday - Friday 8 A.M. - 11 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday

Follow us on Facebook,“Centralia Blaze”and on Twitter,“ @CentraliaBlaze.”

BEAT on the STREET What is a good study tip for finals?

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to love the workforce and the collaborative effort that goes into a newspaper.

It takes a special group of people to create a newspaper.

This die-hard group of people breathe life into the very air around each of them. They welcome all with open arms but not too open because they’ll drop their various reporting notes. They preach from their soapboxes the unsung morals of proper punctuation, nicelylotioned hands, and being aware in today’s world. Their quirky personalities form a patchwork quilt strong enough to endure the public eye, yet soft enough to comfort each other in times of great distress. These people have opened my mind and made my transition from being a fearful high schooler into a bold college student smooth and painless through the power of their kind gestures and highly sarcastic jokes.

At the end of each visit to the newsroom, I can’t help but glance over my shoulder for a brief moment and survey the room. I think to myself, “Wow, I’m so lucky I get to work here.

It sure beats cleaning RV roofs,” but, in all honesty, if I had to clean roofs everyday, I’d rather do it with the news crew. ...

Contact us at: (360) 807-8250 editor@ centraliablaze.com

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It’s not easy to live out of a suitcase; clothing is consistently wrinkled, one forgets the meaning of variety, and finding room to have packed entertainment is simply out of the question.

Yet people live this way on a daily basis. By Dakota Rakestraw Some because Blaze Web & they are home- Print Designer less and some because they are starting a brand new life. Not to disappoint but this is not going to be about my being homeless.

Seven months ago, I packed up my favorite clothes and all the books that would fit under the 50-pound airplane weight limit and left Nashville, Tennesse for a rainy life here in the Pacific Northwest. I abandoned who I was before and sought to become a better me. Instead of living life as a shy guy, I took every opportunity that came my way, from job prospects at a pet store to cleaning the roofs of RVs. Making friends was a bleak prospect. With nothing in common with anyone around me, I lived in this isolated circle, pushing people away with my faint Southern accent. Then, college started. I met people my age and we all had the same thing in common: homework. It was over one of those study breaks at a local coffee shop where French

homework was not getting done that I made my first best friend here and landed the opportunity of a lifetime. This casual coffee outing morphed into a full blown interview for a reporting gig on a startup college newspaper.

My friend became my editor, and I learned quickly that being a reporter was not for me.

At one point, I even tried to officially resign from this internship, but my editor and her boss obviously did not believe me.

They were not convinced that my heart was no longer in the paper and decided that I should approach it from a new angle. In that instant, I transformed from a reporter to a webmaster. I used my love of the web to launch me into an aspect of the paper that appealed to me and came easily to me.

The Blaze has now become everything to me. Through The Blaze, I’ve learned what it was like to work in the real world.

Dealing with the multiple headed monster that is HR and learning to understand what in the heck reporters are talking about has readied me for that moment when I leave the academic world and permanently enter the world of scary phone calls and angry customers. I’ve learned first hand how the skills we are taught in school are completely useless unless you can apply them in the workforce. I’ve learned that deadlines can be scary for the inner procrastinator in all of us and that people simply don’t know how to respond politely in emails. Most importantly, however, is that I’ve learned

Reporters: Emmalee Baker Courtney Simmons Edward Riley

“Get a good night’s sleep.”

-Abigail Brooks, 18, A.A., Littlerock

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“Study before the last minute.”

-Ashley Renshaw, 19, Early Childhood Education, Centralia

Centralia College Student News on the Web

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Blaze 4 • The Blaze, Centralia, Wash., March 2013

TRAILBLAZER SPORTS

Your Look at Centralia College Athletics

Contact us at staff@centraliablaze.com

By The Numbers

Pertinent statistics in the Centralia College world of sports

NWAACC Championship Basketball Centralia Results

Elliott Townsend / For The Blaze

Jake Conover pitches during a Centralia College baseball practice on Feb. 27. Conover, at 25, is restarting his baseball career and hopes to make an impact with the Trailblazers.

Top Rebounder

After a Break, Conover gets his career Back on Track

Kristen Schoenherr (7)

By Janice Knutz

Saturday’s Games Blazer Women Centralia 59 , Peninsula 49 Top Scorer Italia Mengarelli (16)

The Blaze

Blazer Men Whatcom 77, Centralia 51 Top Scorer Van Lockett (10) Jordan Dam (10) Top Rebounder Mozeek Waggener (9)

Sunday’s Games Blazer Women Lane 66, Centralia 60 Top Scorer Top Rebounder Rani Wiegand (6) Blazer Men Centralia 62, Lane 59 Top Scorer Van Lockett (20)

Where Are They Now?

Top Rebounder Mozeek Waggener (7)

Monday’s Games Blazer Women Bellevue 64, Centralia 48 Top Scorer Kristen Schoenherr (18) Top Reounder Kristen Schoenherr (11) Blazer Men Centralia 70, Peninsula 62 Top Scorer Van Lockett (24) Top Rebounder Miles Waggener (10) (Note: Trailblazer men faced Pierce at 10 a.m.

Tuesday morning in the NWAACC Championships’ seventh/eighth place game)

Want More Blaze Sports Coverage?

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Fisher Goes from CC to Champion Vikings

By Janice Knutz For The Blaze

With the height of 6 feet, 7 inches, Damien Fisher was blessed with good genes. The basketball skills that go with those genes, however, were his own doing.

Fisher graduated from Fife High School in 2009.

From there, he traveled 55 miles to attend Centralia College and play basketball. DurDamien Fisher ing his time Former CC in Centralia Player he was the leading Trailblazer scorer for the 2010-2011 season, when he successfully scored 351 points in 22 games as a power forward. He led the Trailblazers in scoring (16 points a game), field goal percentage (53 percent), offensive rebounds (66) and defensive rebounds (109).

His skilled performance

over the season caught the eye of many other college coaches. After attending open gyms at a handful of other schools, Fisher made the commitment to attend Western Washington University after graduating from CC. “I love it here. It’s a new change from playing in NWAACCs,” Fisher said.

With limited playing time at Western, Fisher is averaging three points over seven minutes a game. He has 15 offensive and 26 defensive rebounds for the season. The Vikings are 26-1 for the 20122013 season. The Vikings are the no. 1 seed at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at Lacey this week. Western is the defending NCAA Div. II national champion, and Fisher helped the team to the championship last season.

Fisher was recently named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s All-Academic basketball all-star team with a 3.83 GPA. Fisher’s goal is to attend graduate school and major in sports science.

Upcoming Blazer Athletics

Baseball 3/9-10 home, vs. Bellevue 1 p.m.

3/16 at Western Oregon 1 p.m.

3/17 at Olympic noon 3/24 at Shoreline 1 p.m.

3/26 home, vs. Clackamas 1 p.m.

Softball 3/16 at Lower Columbia 3/22-24 at West Inter-Region Tournament

1 p.m.

TBA

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Apply now for spring quarter!

It’s where you want to be!

Open registration begins March 6.

Classes start April 1.

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self. To prove to people I can do it and do it good,” Conover said.

It comes as no surprise that Conover’s dream since he was four years old has been to make it into the big leagues.

Professional scouts have shown interest in Conover and he hopes to be drafted within the next few years.

Pitching isn’t Conover’s only area of skill. He is also a great student, and if the baseball career doesn’t work out, he wants to teach physical education back in his hometown of Vancouver.

The Trailblazers, with good weather, are expected to start off the 2013 season at 1 p.m. this Friday at Ed Wheeler Field against Bellevue.

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Italia Mengarelli (25)

For many college baseball players the road ends after four years, but Jake Conover’s story keeps going. At the age of 25, Conover has decided to return back to college and play baseball.

Conover’s story starts in Vancouver, Wash., where he graduated from Heritage High School in 2006. Two weeks after graduation, he packed his things and left for San Diego to play college baseball at San Diego City College. After six months, Conover moved back home to take care of his sick mother. His mother was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease, which is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects muscle coordination. After three years of traveling to col-

leges across the United States he was called back to take care of his ailing mother.

In his free time at home, Conover aspired to be a MMA fighter while also playing on a summer league baseball team in Vancouver. In the summer of 2012, Conover was convinced by Centralia College baseball coach Rick Skinner to attend school once again to pursue his baseball dreams at the ripe old age of 25.

Skinner had been hearing rumors about a pitcher from Vancouver and had to see it for himself. Conover was called up to throw a bullpen pitching practice and Skinner liked what he saw. Skinner saw potential in Conover and recruited him to pitch for the Blazers.

“I need to get it together and make something of my-