Year 46 Issue 1

Page 1

September 11 2014

rusader

Never forget 09.11.01

www.crusadernews.com

Year 46, No. 1

Presorted Standard US Postage PAID Liberal, KS Permit NO.114

Liberal, Kansas

Hispanic Heritage Month showcases college cultures Efren Rivero Jose Medrano Crusader staff

Crusader photo/Efren Rivero

Chandler Kirkhart, the new coordinator of admissions and marketing, multitasks at work showing a few of his many hobbies.

Kirkhart brings character to admissions Efren Rivero Mariana Peña Crusader staff New to the faculty this year is Chandler Kirkhart. Kirkhart is the new coordinator of admissions and marketing. He attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, where he got his Masters degree in business. This is Kirkhart’s first year working at Seward. “I was on vacation with my family and we were looking on coming back this way for family support and my wife [wanted] to open a running company in this area to do fun little 5k, 10k events since there wasn’t anything in this area. Having both of us gained our Masters’ degree in business; I wanted to use my major. I was told about this position by Celeste and Deb… and I jumped on it. It is exactly as I was hoping to find and so it just kind of fell in my lap. I am still trying to get

around to learning the ropes but it has been fun so far,” Kirkhart said. Celeste Donovan, Dean of Student Services, said “He is fresh out of college so I think he can relate to students just entering college. He is from this area, he is from Turpin, so he comes from a little farm community [and] can identify with a lot of the smaller communities around here and really sell why a student should choose to come to Seward County Community College.” Kirkhart lived in Minneola, Kansas, until he was six and then moved to Turpin, Oklahoma, where he lived until he left to college. In college, Kirkhart ran Track and Field where he was named AllAmerican Track Athlete. He also placed 4th in Nationals in the 4x100 relay in 2012. Kirkhart is recently married and will celebrate his one-year anniversary on 14th of September. He also has a brother who is

23 years old and attends Oklahoma Panhandle State University. He also has a younger sister who is 17 years old and attends Turpin High School. Kirkhart said, “They are both pretty artsy. He is an Art Major [in OPSU]; he does photo shoots for weddings and graduations. My sister is also really artsy but she is really good at sports and she is just concentrating on that right now.” During his free time, Kirkhart enjoys a variety of things. “I love music, all types of music I’m pretty eclectic in that regard. I write and sing country music, first and foremost. That’s been my passion for about the last 7 years. Other than that I love to travel. I have driven the entire length of interstate 40 from ocean to ocean. My wife and I are hoping to hit all the states pretty early in our relationship,” Kirkhart said. Currently, Kirkhart is not in

a band but will continue to pursue his musical goals. Kirkhart said, “I am still writing and singing country music, I don’t ever plan on quitting that. I plan on starting a band and I want to start doing live shows around the area on the weekends on my free time.” He already has experience doing live shows for medium to big size crowds. Kirkhart, along with his band, opened for Gloriana at the first annual Rib-Fest in Wichita, Kansas, at the Intrust Bank Arena. Kirkhart said, “That was a few years ago, I think it was my senior year. We were asked by the radio station that was putting it on two weeks before the show. We were pretty nervous but we were pretty excited about it. I got all of my band members together, they thought I was joking, but we had a great time practicing and performing for it.” nContinued on page 4

As part of the National Heritage Month Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, Seward County Community College/Area Technical School will sponsor events from lollipop hunts and jalapeño eating contests to a movie about the civil rights activist and labor organizer Cesar Chavez, and even a fiesta and a mariachi band. With a large percentage of the student body at SCCC/ATS coming from Hispanic backgrounds, the national event seemed a good fit to college organizers. “National Hispanic Heritage Month is not just a school wide thinking, it’s a national month, and we wanted our campus to take part in it,” said Celeste Donovan, dean of student services. The month showcases the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Crusader photo/Tania Valenzuela

With rain threatening the Green and White Challenge Friday at the Seward tennis courts, these tennis players huddled with teammates. From bottom left, Kellyn Peters, Stephanie Sanchez, Jackie Arnold, Vicky Tela and Edgar Polanco, and in back from left Ramsey Mason and Christian Kurz. After an awards presentation and around an hour of tennis, rain canceled matches featuring the Saints and the Lady Saints tennis teams. See Page 7 and facebook.com/CrusaderNews for more photos.

Crusader photo/Tania Valenzuela

The paint striper will be used in the coming days to finish lines needed in the parking lot.

Drivers tired of parking lot confusion Crusader staff report While parking at SCCC/ATS may be free, lately it seems that parking is a free-for-all due to the problems with the parking lot lanes. In some spaces, the lanes are not wide enough for a car to fit. In other areas, there are no lines at all, leaving students to park at random. This has left students complaining about tight spaces to park and worrying about having their cars door-dinged. It all started with improvements done to the parking lot in the summer. The college hired a company to re-surface the parking lot and the majority of the streets on campus. After the rock had settled in, the same company swept up the rock. To finish the job, SCCC personnel started painting the

parking lanes. “We ran into difficulties,” said Dennis Sander, dean of finance and operations. “The first thing that happened is that the [machine] had a cable break. So we started and then stopped and that was delayed.” After the cable got repaired, work started again and was completed to a certain point. Shortly after the painted process began again, the pump malfunctioned and the painting had to stop, leaving the outer areas in the parking lot without any lanes. In regard to the lanes not being even, Sander said it is not for certain what happened. “I can’t exactly tell you what happened,” Sander said. “I think it’s partially due to that machine… Not certain what happened there, obviously. Best guess is operator error, I

Student Life will also be involved in the activities planned for Seward, and Wade Lyon, director of Student Life and Leadership, will organize some of the events, including what is being called the Sweet Celebration Search. One thousand lollipops wrapped with a Hispanic Heritage Month logo will be hidden all over campus. “Students will go around finding these lollipops that will have a logo printed on them,” Donovan said. “The person who collects the most wrappers will win a cash prize.” Those who find the lollipops can eat them, and then take the wrapper to Lyon in his office at SU118 in the student union. Awards will be given to those collecting the most wrappers, $100 for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place. Competitions for money heat up with a jalapeño eating contest at 12:30 p.m. Prizes for winners are also $100 for first; $50, second; and $25, third. nContinued on page 4

mean as far as being consistent because some lanes are wider than others.” As of Tuesday, the machine had been fixed and painting had started again in an attempt to finish the parking lanes. Roger Scheib, director of facilities, said, “We will be striping more within a week.” Scheib did say rainy weather, which is predicted for Friday, could cause conflicts with the project. While parts of the painting will be completed soon, a major project could be in the works, according to Sander. “What we will probably do next spring, when we get the opportunity again, we will probably go back through it and re-paint it and try to straighten it out,” Sander said. “But we need to get an idea where it needs to be adjusted.”


NEWS

2 CRUSADER

Thursday, September 11, 2014

CRUSADER

News Briefs

CrusaderNews.com

Free Liberal Air Fair Coming Sept. 13 The Liberal Air Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal. Admittance is free. The Air Fair will have activities such as tandem skydiving, Young Eagle airplane rides and helicopter rides. Some of the special performers will be Matt Younkin, The Immortals, which include Darnell’s Shockwave Jet Truck, Skip Stewart’s Pitts “Prometheus” and Melissa Pemberton’s Edge540. — By Mariana Peña

PHONE:

620.417.1459

FAX:

620.417.1169 KCM ALL-KANSAS  AWARD2014, 2013, 2001 ACP BEST OF SHOW PLACED NATIONALLY2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2001, 2000 ACP PACEMAKER FINALIST Newspaper: 2011, 2003-2004 Online: 2008, 2004, 2002 ACP ONLINE PACEMAKER AWARD2004, 2002

Seward hits top 10 percent in Aspen Institute Crusader photo/Vicky Tela

Freshman Thanhhai Tran goes through the process of getting his student ID from Matthew Pannkuk, director of library, during Welcome Week. New students needing IDs should take a printed course schedule to the library on the first Friday of the month between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. A student already in the system may turn in a printed schedule and paperwork, then pick up the photo ID the next day in the library.

Library extends services Vicky Tela Crusader staff

EDITORMakiah Adams DESIGN EDITORMaria Lara

SPORTS EDITORDiana Chavira NEW MEDIADallas Kelling

REPORTERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Kelci Bedingfield Grant Glaze Xochitl Gonzalez Jose Medrano Kim Nguyen Mariana Peña Christie Proctor Efren Rivero Sachie Shiba Vicky Tela Daisy Torres Tania Valenzuela

Facebook.com/ CrusaderNews Issuu.com/ CrusaderNews Twitter @CrusaderNews

KCM

KANSAS COLLEGIATE

MEDIA

The official student newspaper of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School is published bimonthly and as special editions by journalism students during the regular college year, except on school holidays and during examination periods. One copy of each issue is distributed free to each student, faculty and staff member, with subsequent copies available for purchase in the Crusader office at 50 cents each. Letters to the editor will be considered for publication if they are signed and the authenticity of the writer’s signature is verified. The staff reserves the right to edit for length. Opinions voiced in letters and editorials are not necessarily those of Seward County Community College/Area Technical School or the Crusader. Advertising is accepted. Rates are $5 per column inch or $5.25 pci for color ads. Insert rates are $50 per thousand. The Crusader staff reserves the right to refuse advertising. Mail to: Crusader, Box 1137, Liberal, KS 67905, or email editors@crusadernews.com.

The library on the Seward campus is not only a space to study but also to have fun. Students who have their IDs are able to check out movies, TV series, books and magazines. Students may also spend hours doing assignments, reading for pleasure or just bringing their laptops to take advantage of free Wi-Fi. “I usually come two times a week to do homework and read extra material that teachers send to me,” said Stephany Rodriguez, criminal justice student. In addition, some teachers use the library to give special classes when they need to use the com-

puters or the TV. Others who are more committed donate books and magazines. That is the case of William Bryan, chemistry instructor, who donates a chemistry magazine every month and gives extra bibliography from the library to his students. People can search library material on the college website: http://sccc.edu/academics/library. Moreover, the library is part of the Interlibrary Loan. This means that if you are looking for a book the library does not have, the staff searches for it in the Online Computer Library Center catalog database, and they bring it to readers from another library. Matthew Pannkuk is the direc-

Check it out

26,000 books 500

DVDs 132 magazines

at the SCCC library

• Use free Wi-Fi and computers. • Make printouts for free and photocopies 10 cents per page. • Play table games in a special section of the library. • Read comic books and graphic novels. • Check out DVDs of TV series like “Game of Thrones”, “The Good Wife”, and “Breaking Bad.” • Select movies for all tastes: drama, comedy, romance and action. urs ry ho Libra d spring): : y n (fall a y-Thursda a d o Mon 45 a.m. t 7. m. 10 p.

tor of the library. Pannkuk was born in Iowa and lived in several places like Minnesota, Colorado and Wisconsin. He got his library science degree at the University of Kentucky and started to work at SCCC on July 6, 2009. In his fifth year in charge of the library, Pannkuk has noticed changes and improvements at the college. “SCCC has grown a lot. However, the sense of family has not been lost among all the people — that is part of this college,” Pannkuk said. Margaret Thompson, Emery Swagerty and Phill Lee are the library technicians. The library staff may be contacted at (620) 417-1160 or library@sccc.edu.

games 32

newspapers 22

: Friday . to .m a 5 4 . 7 .m. 4.45 p Closed : y a . d Satur y: 1-9 p.m Sunda

s/ tration la er illus Crusad lez, Vicky Te onza G l it h c Xo

On the Internet:

SCCC homepage: sccc.edu/academics/library Facebook: www.facebook.com/scccatslibrary Twitter: twitter.com/scccatslibrary Blog: www.scccatslibrary.blogspot.com Youtube: http://youtube.com/scccatslibrary

The Aspen award finalists were released this week, according to Seward President Dr. Duane Dunn. “Unfortunately SCCC/ATS did not make the 10 finalists for the award recognition,” Dunn said. “However, we were among the 45 or so colleges that were called for consideration as a finalist, and even being selected as one of the top 10 percent of all two-year colleges in the nation is something in which I hope you are all proud.” Dunn said he hopes to continue to improve service to students, and realize increased student achievement, and continue to be considered among these very best colleges in the nation. Information released regarding the finalist colleges with the short list for the $1million 2015 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence includes two colleges that are finalists for the third consecutive time and two colleges that made the list for the second time in a row. In addition, three states — Florida, Texas and Washington — each have two schools in the running for the award. The colleges are: Brazosport College, Texas; El Paso Community College, Texas; Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College, New York; Indian River State College, Florida; Kennedy-King College, Illinois; Lake Area Technical Institute, South Dakota; Olympic College, Washington; Renton Technical College, Washington; Santa Fe College, Florida; West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Kentucky. — By Kim Nguyen

Lori Geis Scholarship A choir scholarship concert performed by alumni students this summer raised $7,600 for the Lori Geis Scholarship fund. The Lori Geis Scholarship is music scholarship for SCCC students who take choir classes. This scholarship is established in honor of Lori Geis who was a former vocal music instructor. In her 13 year- career at SCCC, she dedicated efforts to teaching music and shared her love for choir and show choir with many students, according to Amy Bridenstine, who was a close friend and former student of Geis. Geis died in March 2013 after a battle with cancer. After her death, the Lori Geis Scholarship was set up by her adopted “grandmother,” Barbara Hanson, Geis’s friends, former students and her co-workers. — By Sachie Shiba

Tech School joins national Manufacturing Day Seward County Community College/Area Technical School is joining a nationwide event for Manufacturing Day 2014 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 3 with guest speakers from various industries from as far away as Wisconsin. Not only in Liberal, but across the county, companies and schools will open to the public to celebrate manufacturing and enhance the perception of manufacturing in today’s market. The contribution to the creation of wealth in America as well as opportunities in manufacturing will be emphasized. Both the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Board of Regents are promoting the event to call attention to the need for skilled workers in Kansas manufacturing. Additional information may be found at www.mfgday.com or by contacting machine tools instructor Butch Garst at butch.garst@sccc.edu or 620417-1681. —Contributed to Crusader

The Chamber of Commerce Duck Festival The annual duck race will take place at Blue Bonnet on Saturday September 27. There will be many other activities to go along with this event. Tickets are $10 each or $50 for six. The first eight ducks to cross the finish line will receive cash prizes, the first place winner being awarded $5000. The owner of the “hard luck duck” will receive $500. —Contributed to Crusader

Security Report

Margaret Thompson

Emery Swagerty

Phill Lee

Library Technician

Library Technician

Library Technician

For all SCCC Up-to-date coverage on News, Sports, & Events

• Look in the Leader & Times • Look us up at www.leaderandtimes.com • Download our Leader & Times App

LEADER&TIMES 16 S. Kansas • Liberal

Your daily news & views for 126 years

Aug. 12 — Battery, assault and possession of alcohol investigation. Administrative action taken. Also referred to law enforcement, charges filed, warrant pending. Aug. 22 — Stalking complaint. Suspect identified through investigation. Administrative action taken with suspect.

No further occurrences reported. Sept. 8 — As of this date, possession of alcohol incidents at Student Living Center resulting in fines and community service. Possession of marijuana resulting in eviction from SLC. n Security report is provided by the college security department.

Rocky roads give you a ding? Give Carroll Auto Glass a ring! For windshield repair or replacement,

call Carroll Auto Glass at 0994 620-624•Local •Qualified • Experienced •Guaranteed Come by 2240 N. Kansas in Liberal, or call for mobile service.


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Saturday, Sept. 20 6 p.m. Seward County Event Center, Liberal Fairgrounds. Tickets must be bought in advance.

NEWS

CRUSADER 3

20th Annual Scholarship Auction

‘Fun and Games’ theme hopes for win-win on scholarships Kim Nguyen Crusader staff “Fun and Games” is the theme for the 20th annual party auction on Saturday, Sept. 20. This annual party auction will take place at Seward County Event Center, Liberal Fairgrounds. The tickets will be $30 and must be purchased in advance. “Proceeds from this event help fund students’ scholarships and instructional programs,” said Tammy Doll, director of development.

Tickets can be purchased online at alumni.sccc.edu/events; or on campus in the development office, humanities division office or at the information desk. Tickets include admission, dinner, dessert bar and beverages. A 50/50 drawing or lucky drawing will give another game opportunity for guests to donate funds. The festivities will begin with a silent auction at 6 p.m. Dinner will be served from 6-7:30 p.m., Billy’s Mexican Grill & Q will cater the meal and will feature a

buffet of pulled pork, donated by Seaboard Foods, and brisket, donated by National Beef Packing. Great Western Dining Services will cater the dessert bar and chocolate fountain. Following the dinner will be a live auction at 8 p.m. Items to be auctioned will be vacations, jewelry, and patio furniture. One unique auction item is the right to have the opportunity having the circle drive named after the highest bidder. Another prize package will be an airplane ride for four people

Tech school to try on policy for uniforms

College parking lot scene of bicycle rodeo

Tania Valenzuela Crusader staff The question of whether or not the technical school students will be wearing uniforms has been answered. Larry McLemore, division chair of Industrial Technology Division, confirmed that the Seward County Technical School is in fact working on uniforms for students. These will not be like usual uniforms. McLemore believes that since jobs and skilled labor require uniforms, having the students wear uniforms that relate to their field of study will build unity between students and the professional programs. “This is a way to help engage students in the real picture,” McLemore said. For the time being, this is only a pilot project. The school is going to provide

Crusader photo/Sachie Shiba

A Boy Scout helps Eric Duque, 4, get ready to run a bicycle safety course at a Cub Scout recruiting event for first through fifth graders set up in the south parking lot on campus Saturday. The Boy Scout bicycle education and safety event also included demonstrations with Seward County sheriff’s officers, the Liberal Fire Department, the Liberal Police Department and K-9 Unit. LPD bike officer Corp. Sean Schooley, far left, also took part in the event.

Dr. Dale Gibson, president of Seward County Community Junior College from 1969 to 1974, died Saturday, Aug. 9, following a brief illness. He was 81. During Gibson’s years at SCCJC, he oversaw the building of the first campus. In a yearbook letter to the first graduating class, Gibson had this to say, “Those of you that were willing to gamble on the future of a newly created institution with no traditions nor previous prestige, have made a landmark with the successful completion this first year of operation and a milestone in the building of a new institution that is destined to play a special role in the development of a greater Southwest Kansas.” Other yearbook comments say that “to Dr. Gibson a student is the most important person to

enter his office.” Gibson was part of the early days of the college, starting as dean of students under President Dr. James Miller, then following him as president from 1969 to 1974. According to Paul Boles, a then member of the board of trustees, “Dale was excellent as president.” Boles said Dr. Gibson was well liked and faculty enjoyed working with him. From SCCJC Gibson moved on to Oklahoma City Community College from 1974 to 1982, then on to East Central College in Union, Mo., from 1990 to his retirement in 1999. Gibson was a community college graduate and later earned a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Tulsa. He started his education career as a teacher and coach at Leav-

enworth High School. Gibson also held journalism and English teaching positions as well as director of guidance counseling in schools in Oklahoma and Kansas. He also worked in Amman, Jordan, where he helped reorganize the community college system as a UN education consultant. He is survived by his wife, Sally Gibson of Washington, Mo.; three sons, Scott Gibson and wife Linda of Mustang, Okla.; Mark Gibson and wife Kelly of McKinney, Texas, and Lynn Gibson of Irving, Texas; two daughters, Paige Rivard and husband Matt of Omaha, Neb., and Sondra May and husband Mitch of Aurora, Colo., and 12 grandchildren. A memorial was Saturday, Aug. 16, at Peace Lutheran Church in Washington, Mo.

Tania Valenzuela Crusader staff

dustrial Technology, along with the rest of the technical school are working on starting an SCCC industrial and division club in hopes that this club will have more value to the students. “Clubs should teach us how to work in a human system,” McLemore said. With more discussions happening this week on how to advance the industrial and division club, the club is still a mystery. “I want this club to change lives of the student body,” McLemore said.

Trumpeteer photo

Dr. Dale Gibson, pictured here in a 1970 yearbook overseeing construction of the early campus, died Aug. 9. Gibson was president of SCCJC from 1969-1974.

Courtesy photo/Ilysia

An acoustic act, ilyaimy, on tour through the midwest will appear at SCCC/ATS at 7 p.m. Oct. 16. Admission is free for this act, described as a “bone-rattling acoustic act.”

SCCC/ ATS

Cosmetology 1801 N. Kansas Ave.

$3 Eyebrow Wax $5 OFF Color Services $5 OFF Perms 20% OFF Retail Items Appointments (620) 417-1361

The Community Bank offers Internet Banking 2320 N. Kansas in Liberal.

a few uniforms that students can purchase if they choose to. If the pilot project has successful results, uniforms will required by programs of study. So for now, the school has been taking requests from students. They can then begin the Shown here is process of the basic design finding of new tech good qual- school uniforms. ity and Different proreasonably grams will have priced uni- different colors forms that of shirts. will appeal to the students.

SkillsUSA future in question, new tech club in discussion Despite some confusion, the SkillsUSA club at the Seward County Technical School has not necessarily been cut. Skills USA is still in the records but is not currently active. The reason being is that this club had a limited participation and had appeal to only a few students. To make up for the lack of interest in SkillsUSA, Larry McLemore, division chair of In-

Former college president dies Daisy Torres Crusader staff

to Amarillo, donated by Lyddon Aero. The silent auction includes a great amount of items, homemade food, a Saints neon light, and sunglasses. Auction items may be viewed online at sccc.edu/go/auction. The Saints cheer and dance squad will provide child care for ages 3-11. Child care reservations must be made in advance. Call 620-391-2069 or email shelby.louderback@sccc.edu to reserve a spot for a fee of $5 per child.

Hours Monday-Wednesday Thursday Friday

8am-4pm 1pm-9pm 8am-4pm


LIFESTYLES

4 CRUSADER

Online tools fuel the growth of student education beyond classroom walls

Kirkhart: Continued from page 1

Crusader photo/Efren Rivero

Chandler Kirkhart’s passion is composing music. Kirkhart has played at large venues including the Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

“I would love to still be in it with them, but some just got out of med school, some are in Malaysia, and one is in Nashville doing pretty good for himself,” he said. Kirkhart also enjoys activities other than music. Some interesting facts about him is that he can do a Rubiks cube in under a minute. More Kirkhart trivia: “I can say the alphabet backwards in the Greek alphabet faster than you can say the regular alphabet forward.” Currently, Kirkhart is working on projects to get more students to consider enrolling in SCCC. Donovan said, “We are looking at how can we expand our social media to engage more students and try to use it more effectively for recruitment. We are also updating all of our brochures so that they have a nice, crisp marketing look to them. But I’m sure that the longer he is here, he can bring more ideas as to what are some other things that we can improve… so that we can show confidence to the faculty that look to us to help recruit students for their programs.” As Kirkhart continues to follow his passion for writing and singing country music, he will also be working to make SCCC more appealing to future students.

Jose Medrano Editor emeritus medrano@crusadernews.com

College homework can be overwhelming for even well prepared college freshmen. Endless all nighters, unfinished projects, tests, pop quizzes and group projects are just part of the curriculum for most college student’s experience. As technology progresses and as college courses modernize, it is becoming easier to find study guides, private tutors, solutions manuals and course based materials: with some of those progressing into full online services. With sites like Chegg, StudyBlue, Course Hero, Koofers and SparkNotes, the line between a study tool and cheating can become muddled for students and instructors. During my time in college, I’ve used sites and apps like StudyBlue and Evernote to make flashcards, share notes and collaborate with classmates. Sites that provide course material online for students are going to be an issue for some but for now

they are here to stay. It is easy to see both sides to this dilemma. There are students who will use these sites as crutches to cheat or as means to go through college without any true merit. Chegg and Course Hero offer online services that help students work problems step by step and work with an online tutor if they need to on course work. Obviously for the lazy and shallow, these sites are an easy way to make it through college courses for just a few dollars a month. But these sites are amazing resources for students who want to understand homework problems, master what they are learning, who don’t have time to meet with an instructor or who just simply need help. The student handbook at Seward is clear on what constitutes cheating, stating several clear examples. Plagiarism, unmarked citation, sharing exam work, providing or receiving aid on a take home test without permission from the instructor or receiving help on a assignment that in a manner that would be considered unethical by a reasonable person. This places students at the forefront and makes them accountable for their own actions.

Instructors also have to understand that students are living in the information area. Yet if a person cheated his or her way through school and knowingly received a degree, is that degree truly worth the equivalent of a degree a student earned through non-erroneous methods? These sites are no different than buying a solutions manual that is usually published and sold by the same companies that make our textbooks. Any student that has taken a truly difficult science or math course can confirm that occasionally a solutions guide or help is needed to finish problems that would otherwise be finished in the wee hours of the night. There are students who take 15 credit hours each semester, work 40 hours a week, have clubs and family to deal with and at the end of the day still have to complete a set of homework problems that are due at midnight. I could probably never read “Ulysses” without going onto SparkNotes to understand what I just read. I’m not defending cheaters — far from it, but I am in favor of student using whatever resource is available to better their educational experience.

Hispanic Heritage Month:

their meals. If students prefer to watch a movie, there will be a movie night in 214 E/W on Sept 24 at 5 p.m. based on the biography of Cesar Chavez. All month long there will also be displays in the Student Union and in the library featuring famous Hispanic Authors. The final event will be Fiesta Fun in the Student Living Center. There will be chips and salsa, mock margaritas, and snow cones to end the month long celebration of the Hispanic heritage. All students are welcome to participate in all the events. For photos of the events throughout the month check out our page at facebook.com/crusadernews.

Continued from page 1

Crusader file photo

The recycling center located near the air museum closed earlier this year due to significant building damage and was torn down. The City of Liberal announced recently that plans for a new center are in the works, but no details have been released at this time.

Recycling center closes due to building damage Christie Proctor Crusader staff Liberal’s recycling center had been running since the mid ’80s. A minimal crew and Frank Holman, solid waste sanitation superintendent, maintained free drop off. On Aug. 14, the City of Liberal announced that the recycling center had to close due to significant building damage. It was quickly torn down, and now all that remains is the concrete foundation. No information has been released by the City as to the reopening, rebuilding, relocation or restoration of the center.

“We do plan on having a recycling center,” Holman said. “All I can tell you is that we are working on another location and until we work that out we are temporarily closed.” “When the Liberal center was open, I was recycling white paper and newspapers for the library and the math/science division,” Jared Haas, biology instructor, said, “but with the center closed, I am not currently collecting those items.” SCCC biology instructor Don Hayes has taken responsibility for the recycling program at the college this semester. The club he advises, Pathways does the majority of the work involved in

the college’s recycling program. Previously, several student clubs such as SIFE and Phi Theta Kapa had split the responsibility of transporting the college’s recycling to the center. In fact, the college no longer collects paper items. The Pathways club only recycles what is profitable, i.e. plastic, glass and cans. “Recycling centers pay by the pound.” Hayes said. “Sometime at the end of this year or early next year we should have enough recyclables to make our virgin journey.” The trip will have to be meticulously planned because the nearest recycling centers willing to accept the college’s recycling

are in Wichita, Amarillo, Texas, or Pueblo, Colo. The recyclables are currently stored at the Tech School in a trailer, and will be transported by semi-truck to the center. “Students who are trying to get their CDLs need hours on the road, and we need someone to take our recyclables. It’s a win-win,” Hayes said. Hayes encourages students to step up and help out. “Anybody who wants to get involved with the green recycling program can join Pathways. Come see me, or call me anytime.” Students who have an interest in recycling or joining Pathways can stop by Hayes’ office, A178, or email him at donald.hayes@sccc.edu.

All contestants will need to pre-register if they want to participate. The first student that eats all of the 20 jalapeños, or the student that eats the most jalapeños in one minute will be declared the winner. To help cool down burning taste buds fried ice cream will also be served during the jalapeño eating contest located in the entry area west of the student union. The Hispanic heritage will also be incorporated by having departments cover Hispanic based themes in their classes and lectures. The cafeteria will also try to join the activities by including Hispanic heritage in

Hispanic Heritage Month Events Hispanic Heritage Month Lunch in the Cafeteria Sept. 15 Cafeteria

Heritage Month Displays Sept. 15 - Oct. 14 Hispanic Authors: Library PR displays: Student Union

Fiesta Fun in the SLC

Movie Night

Oct. 14 Student Living Center

Sept. 24 5 p.m. Room 214 E/W

Jalapeño Eating Contest Oct. 1 12:30 p.m.

Fried Ice Cream Friday

Sweet Celebration Search Sept. 15 - Oct. 14 Entire Campus The students who collect the most lollipop wrappers will win cash prizes

Oct. 1 12:30 p.m.

Your home loan professionals Now g servin ! i h es smoot

L ib e r a l 20 E Tuck er Roa d

624 2045

OPEN n oon t o 10pm O P E N F r id a y s

'

%

"

'

#!

' '

“Coldest Beer in Town”

&

$ '

!! # " ' # "

Sa turda y s

u n t il 1 1 p m


OPINION

Thursday, September 11, 2014

5 CRUSADER

Immigrants knock on education’s door In the coming months, the Crusader will be conducting a forum for discussion regarding immigration issues. An increase of diversity is evident not only amongs our campus but in the community as well. With such a diverse public, it’s only fitting to talk about an important but shadowed topic that we, as a whole, can contribute to. Immigration has been among one the most disputed topics that is not spoken of so openly, even on Seward County Community College’s campus.

As a staff, we will surface different perspectives, myths, stereotypes and general slangs of immigration throughout the series, in discussion through the fall semester of 2014. Although, if need be, the editorial theme can continue into the spring semester, all depending on the constructive feedback that is given to the staff. A great contribution will be essential for this section to reach its highest potential. Our intentions are not to cause any quarrels between any particular groups, but to clear

the waters. In order to be understood we must first understand and put ourselves in each other’s shoes, and be willing to listen, or in this case, read each other’s personal experiences and know each other’s stories. To know that in some cases its not all its cracked up to be. To learn not be so black and white but rather all shades of gray. Our goal is for our readers to obtain new information, and profitable insight on immigra-

tion, in the hopes that a new mindset will start setting in, if need be. Help us help you by coming together to bring awareness into our student body. We understand that this topic is not to be taken lightly and with all precaution we submit to different opinions and will be welcome to your voice. Help us be a voice to the voiceless.

Barriers can block relocation success Maria Lara Design editor lara@crusadernews.com

Major reasons that immigrants choose to relocate to the United States include an increase on their economic status, better job opportunities that are accompanied with extra money, and lastly but most commonly known, chasing that unattainable dream. “Immigrants come running away from the situation that is going on in their own countries. It can be the economy, which is very poor, the opportunities to study there are few, and it’s very difficult to get an education at a moderate cost,” Sonia Hernandez, SCCC/ATS STEM education specialist said. Other barriers that immigrants may be running away from is violence. For example, in Mexico, violence has skyrocketed over the years. Tagging along with violence is trafficking of drugs. Who wouldn’t want to flee from all of that? Especially for the sake of family protection and well being. Immigrants pursue a stabilized environment where they can live in peace. Although America is not excluded from all of that. Violence, smuggling of drugs, dysfunctional environments are found anywhere. I can personally testify that in Mexico, shootings happen on a daily basis, and those situations have become the norm of any city in that country. Shootings are so common, they often aren’t even covered by the media. Whereas in America, local towns take ownership of events that happen within their boundaries, and action follows from local authorities. It’s easy to understand which environment is better suited for those who want to excel. To add to the list of factors, a reunion between loved ones is usually what encourages immigrants to make a move, literally. “Twenty to thirty years back, it was custom that the head of the family, the father, would migrate to the states first and send their earnings back to their families. Then as the years pass by, the families grow tired of being apart and so the husband sends for his wife and kids to be brought in, illegally,” Hernandez said. Immigrants chase a dream, a dream of a better future for not only themselves, but for their future generations to come. They come with the hopes to learn another language, to pursue self improvement, to be able to work and study at the same time, to simply advance in every aspect of their lives. A misleading concept or idea that is often ignored is that many

immigrants come to America to primarily work, then send money to their families, but all with the intention of returning back to their home country. Obviously, more times than not immigrants have chosen to stay longer than intended. Many simply want to get a good heads up on savings and with a country offering those chances, the risks are taken. Above all, education is the top reason why many decide to come. But one obstacle that arises is probably everyone’s fear, immigrant or not. One thing that stands out is, “the fear of being identified, of seeking services and that someone will tell on them [immigrants] and turn them in,” said Travis Combs, SCCC/ATS Director of Adult Basic Education. According to Hernandez, in the state of Kansas, public schools do not refuse the entry to anyone wanting to enroll in their facilities. Immigrants can further their education and be admitted. The benefits of being a resident, not necessarily being a citizen, is eligibility to apply for government financial aid. But that does not mean that all obstacles are gone. Many students get financial help, and it’s still not enough. They have to study and work to help maintain their families. Whereas if a person were to be undocumented, they would not have that possibility of getting minimum financial help. Here in Seward County, help is offered to those who struggle with obtaining that education due to the different factors listed above. Possibly to those who just struggle with the language. At the Colvin Adult Learning Center, service is given to anyone and everyone. From the time span of 2003-2013, this facility has obtained a percentage rate of 71.93 percent of participants who achieve their citizenship skills through the Colvin Center. “To get your GED through the Colvin Center, you must present a valid form of identification, but we can not ask for legal documentation,” Combs said. “There have been many cases here in Seward where students have excelled, despite the circumstances that students have been placed in. This college does not focus on whether you’re legal or not, this college accepts any student wanting to further their education, not caring about their race, their background, etc. Here, all students are treated equally and are provided the same amount of education,” Hernandez said. The percentage of students who excel in education, being an immigrant, is low. “But there are cases of excellence nonetheless,” Hernandez said.

Travis Combs Director of Adult Basic Education Frances Brown Development Instructor/Director of Academic Achievement Center Sonia Hernandez STEM Education Specialist Photo Illustration/ Maria Lara

Seward County staff members Travis Combs, Sonia Hernandez, and Frances Brown all come together to help bring awareness to immigration issues. From the time span of 203-2013, the Colvin Adult Learning Center has obtained a percentage of 71.93 percent of participants who achieve their citizenship skills.

“I’m from Maungdaw, Burma and I came to America four years ago wanting to start new. Right now I am in ESL to learn the english language and next year I will be done with the class and applying for the citizenship. I have no family here, my mother lives back at home but we do stay in contact. I do plan on staying here in America.” —Khaing Hla

“I was having my first baby when I decided I wanted to provide her with a better life than I had myself. I wanted her to be born here, in America. I understand that these laws are to protect this country but one bad apple can’t ruin all the other apples trying to do things the right way.” —Maritza Morales Leo

35% 29% No degree

High school

“I was a refugee and I wanted to seek a better future. I wanted to make up for the life that I had before and also to learn the english language. I came in 2011 by myself as an immigrant to America in search of that and a good job. Immigrants have the right to come just as everyone else.” —Mohamod Hassah Ali

Educational attainment in Seward County

24% Some college

64.6%

High school degree or higher

7% 4% Bachelor’s

Post-grad

On an average for the state of Kansas alone, rates for a 25 year old or older who earn their high school diploma are 89.8%. Narrowing it down to Seward County, 64.6% attain it, leaving the remaining percentage of 35.4 to no degree. Overall in Kansas, 10.2% of people do not have any sort of degree. For the United States, the average is 14.1%, putting Seward County with a surplus of 21.3% extra of people with no degrees.

(census.gov)


SPORTS

6 CRUSADER

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Lady Saints close in on another win Diana Chavira Sports Editor It’s safe to say that the Lady Saints volleyball team has been displaying superlative teamwork in every set they play. The team had their first home game against the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors, and took the match in a sweep of three sets. From the beginning of their match, the Lady Saints took the lead and stayed in the lead for the first two sets of the game. Thayna Silva put the team in the lead with consistant kills, and quick defense made sure that the team kept their lead throughout the first set, as well as the second. As the team moved into their third set of the game, the gap between the Saints’ and Conquistadors’ began to shrink. The Lady

Saints stayed in the lead, but not for too long. The score tied at 5 then the Conquistadors stole the lead four points later. The lead went back and forth between teams, and the Conquistadors were once again able to tie the score. When the score got up in the twenties, the pressure running through the Lady Saints became very apparent, as they would score and then make an error that would almost give up their lead. At a score of 23-21, the Lady Saints lost their lead to the Conquistadors, but were able to tie the score at 23 with a kill and an error on Conquistadors’ behalf. The Lady Saints weren’t willing to lose so easily. Another error at the net from the Conquistadors and a block from Alex Wood gave Seward the win they were looking for.

Crusader photo/Diana Chavira

The Lady Saints celebrate a score during their first home match against Dodge City Conquistadors. So far this season, the team stands at a 9-4.

T

hayna returns stronger than ever

Grant Glaze Crusader staff

Crusader photo/Diana Chavira

Thayna Silva, ready for the ball to return, never failed to call for the ball or communicate with her team.

! !

When Thayna Silva tore her ACL in preseason last year, she shared that it was, “the worst thing that could’ve happened,” Silva said. In fact she was ready to quit volleyball altogether. The injury and subsequent surgery was a low point in Silva’s athletic career. Silva didn’t quit though, and she describes this year as amazing. Her perspective has changed this year on the court. She is so excited to play she can barely contain it. Sitting out has definitely drawn her closer to the game she loves. As the season began, Silva admitted it was scary as well. She stated that in her mind her knee wasn’t ready at the start of the season, but now she knows she’s good. While the injury might of been the worst thing to happen to Silva, her return may be the best thing that has happened to the Lady Saints. Her coach, Bert Luallen, calls Silva, “the kind of player teammates can count on.” Counting on Silva is something that the Lady Saints have definitely done to this point in the season. Silva was KJCCC Division I volleyball Player of the Week

just 3 weeks ago. During that week, Silva averaged 4.00 kills a set and 3.27 digs a set. Overall this season, Silva has averaged 3.71 kills per set with 141 total, and she has 125 digs with 3.29 per set. Silva also has 157.5 points this season so far for the Lady Saints. The points and kills are both team highs. Silva is happy that she is on the court again, and her team is as well. Teammate Sheree Ryan said, “Thayna means a lot to the team, not only is she a good teammate, but also she is very talkative on the court, and we really like that about her.” Coach Luallen raves about her efforts. “Not only is she a great hitter, but she is very tenacious on defense. She plays 110 percent the whole time, and this being her third year she is in a leadership role naturally,” said Luallen. Injuries are a part of the game, but successful returns back to the game are rare. Many don’t even make it back. Many go home and quit, but luckily for the Lady Saint Thayna Silva wasn’t that player. She has fought back, and now she is giving everything she has to the game that she has played since she was eleven years old. “I can’t live without it.”

Lady Saints Stats Hitting % .162 Blocks

4.0

Aces

3

Digs

57

Most Kills: Silva 141 Gasparini 104 Sharratt 63

Sca cantlin’s ntlin’s

Come see our showroom at 211 S. Washington in Liberal for furniture and carpeting ideas!

For weekly featured products, visit Scantlin’sFurniture.com online. facebook.com/ScantlinsFurniture

"

"

(620)624-3859

S

First National Bank Liberal/Hugoton

y 5 Full Service Locations y 10 ATM Locations y Online/Mobile Banking y Instant Issue Debit Cards Main Bank ϭϳϬϬ EŽƌƚŚ >ŝŶĐŽůŶ ʹ >ŝďĞƌĂů DĞŵďĞƌ & /

ϲϮϬ-ϲϮϰ-ϭϵϳϭ y ǁǁǁ͘ĨŶďůŝďĞƌĂů͘ĐŽŵ


SPORTS

Thursday, September 11, 2014

CRUSADER 7

Saints optimistic for spring season Efren Rivero Crusader staff

Crusader photo/Maria Lara

Brandon Rix runs to home plate during the Saints scrimmage against Clarendon College. Rix, an infielder for the Saints, earned the NJCAA Superior Academic Award last year. Date Sat. 9- 13 Sun. 9-14 Fri. 9-19 Sat. 9-20

Event Albuquerque Tournament Albuquerque Tournament KJCCC All-Star Weekend KJCCC All-Star Weekend

Location Albuquerque, N.M. Albuquerque, N.M. Wichita Wichita

The Saints baseball team continued their fall scrimmages with games against Colorado Lightning and Clarendon College this past weekend. Galen McSpadden, head baseball coach, said, “I liked what I saw this weekend. As long as I can see progress, and that was on the mound, and that was defensively, and that was at the plate, so that’s encouraging.” Now three weeks into the fall season, players have had the chance to get settled in to play. McSpadden said, “First of all, the guys are settled in. Some of them hadn’t been playing for three weeks. A lot of freshmen get nervous, so usually it’s pretty interesting the first weeks. After that, we started settling down. So first of all, the emotional rollercoaster is not there. They evened out a little bit. The second thing is consistency. I feel that defensively we played better. Thought that our approach on the mound was definitely better and I thought we swung the bats better. With the repetition they have had now for three weeks, and getting a little more comfortable with the environment, it helps a

“ I think the biggest thing is that we have a lot of team chemistry right now, a lot of comradery.” — Brent Williams great deal.” Among returning players this year is Brent Williams. Williams ended his first season at Seward with plenty of highlights. He currently holds the NJCAA Division I Single Season Doubles Record, with 37 doubles. Williams was also named to the first team NJCAA All-American, first team All-Region VI, first teams All-Jayhawk West, and Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year. Williams too liked how the team played against Colorado Lightning and Clarendon College. “They are a lot better than some of the results from scrimmages we had last year,” Williams said. “Our team is definitely clicking a lot better, so scrimmages are going well. I

think the biggest thing is that we have a lot of team chemistry right now, a lot of comradery. Everyone is… joining each other and pulling in the same direction.” “If you put a win/loss record [for the scrimmages this fall], we are over .500 so far, so we are pretty pleased,” McSpadden said. “The game is a very humbling game. There are a lot of things you can’t control; the bounce of a ball, the wind… but as long as we keep coming out here everyday competing and trying to get better. It’s all mindset when you get out here and I really like their mindset. I enjoy this group already and I think that there is a lot of potential.” To help improve, the Saints baseball team faces a full schedule.

“The game is to where the more you play, the better you get,” McSpadden said. “I think the Major League baseball proves that. They have 162 games at a major league level and 144 games at a minor league level. That tells you right there that for people to develop, for people to learn how to hit a ball, which is the hardest thing maybe that there is to do, they need a lot of bats, a lot of ground balls, and you need to throw a lot of strikes. So it’s a game of repetition and that’s what you need.” That is precisely what players get. The team plays as much as they are allowed for fall scrimmages plus the games they are scheduled in for the regular season. Throughout the course of the year, the team looks at roughly 100 games. With this fall season underway, players are looking forward to what’s to come. “We are excited for the season and ready to win a National Championship,” Williams said. The Saints will have their next game Saturday, Aug. 13, and Sunday, Aug. 14, for the Albuquerque Tournament in Albuquerque, N.M.

Kowalchuk checks in as coach for Razorbacks Grant Glaze Crusader staff Christian Kowalchuk has a few baseball firsts. Two are the first and only Saskatchewan baseball player to play in a NCAA Division 1 baseball College World Series(2009), and also, first and only Canadian to date to coach baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks of the Southeastern Conference, one of the premier conferences in all the nation. Kowalchuk is currently a full time assistant at the University of Arkansas. Kowalchuk played his first two collegiate seasons at Seward County. At Seward, Kowalchuk won five national athletic awards as the Saints ace. Kowalchuk also played on the first ever NJCAA Division 1 USA men’s national team and was on the Athletic Directors Honor Roll every semester at Seward. Kowalchuk decided to take his talents to Fayetteville, Ark., and pitched two seasons for the Razorbacks. In his two seasons at Arkansas, Kowalchuk played in 29 games, posting a 2.84 ERA over his two seasons there. In his first year there he was able to play on the big stage of Omaha, Neb., in the College World Series. Also at Arkansas, Kowalchuk received his degree in economics, a master’s degree in education, master’s degree in sports management, and an award for

Outstanding Master’s Student, achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. Kowalchuk spent the spring 2012 as a student coach at Seward County where he says he learned a lot from head coach Galen McSpadden and assistant coach Mike Davidson. “Both coaches really helped

Kowalchuk me draw the line between friend and coach.” Kowalchuk believes that his time at Seward prepared him for coaching at Arkansas because while Seward’s coaches take care of the players they also draw the line. “They really care about doing the little things right ,and teaching players responsibility. That prepared me to go into Arkansas and know how to treat the play-

er/coach relationship.” After Seward in 2012, Kowalchuk went back to Arkansas for the 2013 and 2014 seasons to be a student coach. Those two years gave him a lot of confidence for this up coming year. “Since I’ve been here for two years as a player and two years as a coach, I don’t think there will be any problems that I won’t be prepared for. Really I’m just excited to have a bigger impact on the team this season.” Now in 2014, Kowalchuk becomes the fourth assistant in line behind the manager. Kowalchuk says this season he will be mostly focusing on helping out with the pitchers, but he will also help in offensive and defensive areas. This season he will be able to be much more involved with the team and thats something he is happy about. He also is excited to gain more this year saying, “I feel like I will gain even more experience and more in depth view of coaching and have more of an impact on the team.” Kowalchuk is thinking one day at a time, and he doesn’t have any plans for the next few years. He knows that if a better opportunity comes up, he will leave Arkansas. As he puts it, “Gotta take it one day at a time because ,so many things are happening everyday as a coach, so I believe that by taking it one day at a time everything will happen at the right time.”

Crusader photo/Tania Valenzuela

Paula Lopez along with Ronzai Saurombe get ready to receive the ball and defend their side of the court.

Tennis makes it rain awards A rainy Friday afternoon put the damper on an awards ceremony Coach Jerry Thor had planned for Saints and Lady Saints tennis. With just a handful in attendance and clouds threatening, Thor recognized players, including ITA Rookie of the Year Ronzai Saurombe; Paula Coyos, KJCCC All-Academic and ITA All-American; Paula Lopez, ITA All-American and ITA Rookie of the Year; and Tare Mariga, Paul Arslanian and Jackie Arnold for KJCCC All-Academic awards. Team members began playing in the green and white scrimmage but rain soon had the courts too wet to continue play.

Crusader photo/Tania Valenzuela

Vitinho Galvao reaches out to swing the ball to the other side of the court to stay in the game during the green and white scrimmage.

For the month of September, “like” the

Gregory J. Bird

and Al will donate $1 to for every “like” up to

A L S H A N K I N S UR A N C E 620-624-2559 • alshank.com • 24 W. 2nd St., Liberal

LISTEN TO “THE SPORTS GUYS” !

!

Home to Liberal High School & SCCC Sports T DARN “IT’S THE BES EVER.” W O SPORTS SH

#" !

"$ % "

!! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

) "" "#$$!%&'&! $+ '+ ) % $ !' '$ + %(#)*+,!-$,.!/012(!34((.5&$! ! *+ $ +' +, . 65$!-$,.!7)08$!.(!3.9*:! ! ,* & !" # & ;(4$!('!<65$!3=$18$#<!

( & ,&+"$ ( % ?=$1!.&))!@ABB=4! "$$ $ / C!D&))02$!7)0E0! " ) $ F&G$#0)!H3!IC@BJ!

" #

-+ +' ')+! "// ,+ <K$L.!.(!K(#.5!7&EE0!;9.<!

#

" "!

>0##:!?9.,!>0))! )). ,+* $$ MINBO!INIPQQQI!

>0#04$)!/0885&0.(! ) % $ !" +' ! !


t e k c u B

d n o y e B the

8 CRUSADER

INFOPAGE

nd i h e b ory t s e h T hic p o r t o Amy Lateral is Scleros

The beginning.....

Many people assume that the Ice Bucket Challenge was started as a fundraiser for ALS from the beginning. However, this is not true. The Ice Bucket Challenge actually began in order to raise funds for any charity that the nominee chose to donate to. Chris Kennedy, a professional golfer, is the one credited for directing the Ice Bucket Challenge towards supporting ALS. Accepting the challenge, he picked ALS as his charity of choice. He donated $100 to ALS along with completing the challenge in honor of a family member who has this rare disease. One of the people Kennedy challenged was his cousin Jeanette Senerchia whose husband has ALS, and whom Kennedy had in mind when picking a charity. The Senerchias, living in a small town in New York, were able to witness the Ice Bucket Challenge spread like wildfire throughout challenges done by familiar faces. Senerchia had mutual friends with Pat Quinn who also has the disease and posted a video of appreciation of the support that went viral along with the Ice. Quinn was diagnosed with ALS in March 2013. His network then connected with a former baseball captain of the Boston college baseball team, Pete Frates. Frates was actually diagnosed with ALS a year before Quinn was. Having a huge network of supporters of the disease, numbers then shot through the roof and it was hard to keep track of all of the videos and donations being made. Some of the famous people who have taken part in the Ice Bucket Challenge are: •Lady Gaga •Jennifer Lopez •Justin Timberlake •Bill Gates •George W. Bush •Jimmy Fallon •Taylor Swift •Oprah Winfrey

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Courtesy photo/ lougehrig.com

During his farewell speech in 1939, Lou Gehrig was overcome with emotion as he addressed thousands of fans.

The end of the 2,130 game streak Diana Chavira Sports editor

The disease .... Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and has gained a lot of support and raised an immense amount of awareness within the last couple of months. Most people didn’t have a clue what ALS was until recently. ALS is a disease that affects nerve cells in a person’s brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons are the neurons affected. The “a” in the word amyotrophic stands for no or negative, “myo” stands for muscle and “trophic” stands for nourishment. Lateral represents the areas in the spine where nerve cells are located and sclerosis represents the scarring and hardening that happens during degeneration.

Symptoms of ALS begin with muscle twitching, weakness in the upper body and slurring of speech. Gradually the symptoms get worse and may lead to complete paralyzation in the later stages and then on to eventually lead to death. The deaths are usually due to pneumonia because of breathing problems. “We take breathing for granted, something that for them is a huge huge effort,” said Veda King, SCCC/ATS director of nursing. The range of age in which ALS occurs most is between 40 and 70 years old, the average age being 55 years old. Although this disease usually takes place in the 40-70 range, there are still

people in their 20s or 30s who get it, sometimes even younger than that. Twenty percent more men than women are affected with this disease. Fifty percent of those diagnosed with ALS live around three years after being diagnosed. Every year in the U.S., 5,600 people are diagnosed with ALS, and an estimated 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time. No cure has been found for this disease. An FDA approved drug called Riluzole does not cure ALS but slows down the progression of the aggressive disease. Riluzole “helps protect the nerves to help the patient live a little longer,” King said. —By Makiah Adams

Reymundo Juarez, yell leader at Seward County Community College, completes the Ice Bucket Challenge in front of the Saints baseball field Tuesday morning.

The most commonly known name for ALS is Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Gehrig, a Hall of Fame baseball player for the New York Yankees, is one of the best known faces of ALS. Born July 19, 1903, to German immigrant parents, Gehrig came from a modest home and was the only child out of four to survive. The Gehrigs often struggled to make ends meet, but they wanted their son to have a good education. Gehrig attended Columbia University in 1921 on a football scholarship and pursued a degree in engineering. Before his freshman year began, Gehrig was asked to play professional summer baseball, and was later signed to play for the Yankees in 1923. He officially played for them in 1925, at first base. Gehrig didn’t leave the playing field for 13 years, during which he became known as the “Iron Horse,” a name he received because of his incredible persistence on the field. Once his persistence diminished, team and family members could tell there was something wrong. Gehrig, after a 2,130 game streak, took himself off the roster. Soon after, Gehrig was diagnosed with ALS, and on July 4, 1939, Lou Gehrig gave his farewell speech. His baseball days were over. Fighting back tears, he nonetheless called himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” He was selected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame that following December; his 184 RBIs during his 1931 season, to this day, still stands as the “highest single season total in American League history.” — Information source: lougehrig.com

The money... During the month of August, the ALS foundation raised more than $100 million dollars in donations from ice bucket challenges. Due to the popularity of the challenge, the ALS foundation’s exponential growth is meeting rates of much larger organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and the United States UNICEF Fund.

Courtesy photo/ thisisourstory.net

Physicist Stephen Hawking experiences weightlessness for the first time at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 26, 2007.

ALS doesn’t stop the brilliance of Hawking

$2.8 million between July 29 and August 29, 2013

$100.9 million between July 29 and August 29, 2014

ALS Foundation

$263.6 million FYE 2013

Susan G. Komen

$592 million FYE 2013

US UNICEF

Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is one of the first people who comes to mind when the disease ALS is mentioned. Hawking is one of the most impressive intellectual voices of our times, yet he has fought ALS for the majority of his life. For 51 years, Hawking has lived with this rare disease that other patients may survive only three to five years after diagnosis. While going to college at the University of Cambridge, Hawking first learned he was a victim of ALS at the age of 21. He began to notice a problem when he would fall occasionally, or even slur his speech. After his diagnosis, he began

drowning himself in his work, realizing time is precious, and he wanted to do all he could. Although Hawking has added amazing contributions to the science world, his most famous work is that of his research on the black holes. In 1985, he lost his voice for good right after a tracheotomy. A speaking program was created for him to use in which he can direct the program with a cheek muscle that is attached to a sensor. Hawking married Jane Wilde in 1965 and had three children. He left his wife in 1990 and was married to his nurse until 2006. — By Makiah Adams


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.