Eclipse 2017
Stu d e nt s e x p e r i e n c e d t h e r a re e v e nt
Think, Connect, Grow
Hut c h C C ’s a n nu a l He a lt h & We l l n e s s Fa i r
New Semester, New Faces S e v e r a l i n s t r u c t or s s t a r t t e a c h i n g at Hut c h C C
The Ball is Everything
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Meet the Staff The Dragon’s Tale is published three times a year by the Magazine Production class of Hutchinson Community College, 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS, 67501. When Compiled, The three issues serve as an overview of the activies and the people of HCC during the School year
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On the Cover: Sara Schlickau, Pretty Prairie, sings the national anthem at the volleyball game against Colby Community College on Oct. 18.
Allie Schweizer Nickerson
Dustin Curiel Hutchinson
Haydnn Neufeld Hutchinson
Jack Greenwood Valley Center
Jacob Bruch Hutchinson
Megan Ryan Inman
Sami Rios Hutchinson
Serena Williams Hutchinson
Shannon Leininger Newton 10/26/17 1:41 PM
Table of Contents on campus Gruesome Playground Injuries
4 Think, Connect, Grow 8 Parking 101 10
i n t h e c l a s s ro o m More Than a Class
14 Comparing Classrooms 16 New Semester, New Faces 18
in the community Eclipse
24 Sounds of the Fields 26 Little Boy Blue 28
on the f ield
32 The Ball Is Everything 36 Twilight Classic 40 Lady Dragons Soccer 42
Table of Contents
Hustle, Hit, Never Quit
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on campus Gruesome Playground Injuries HutchCC Theatre f inishes f irst production of the year
Think, Connect, Grow
Student Success Center hosts annual Health & Wellness Fair
Parking 101
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Student parking permits and regulations
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PHOTO  Allie Schweizer
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e m o s e u Gr d n u o r g y a l P s e i r Inju first s e h s i n i f eater Th C C h year e Hutc h t f o n o producti
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
STORY & DESIGN Allie Schweizer
Acting in any theatre production can be difficult, it takes concentration, learning numerous lines, actions, and timing. The Hutchinson Community College Theatre Department completed their first production of the year, Gruesome Playground Injuries, on Sept. 21-23. The play included many unique aspects, it consisted of only two characters and the audience was seated on the stage. Cast members Jack Greenwood, Valley Center, and Gabby Hernandez, Hutchinson, along with Deidre Ensz-Mattox, director of theatre, spent hours preparing for the live performances. It covered a lot of very deep, dark topics and was very emotionally intense. The complexity of only two characters being introduced on stage adds another element of the experience to the audience. “You don’t have to focus on other characters, it’s just them, you only see their lives, there’s other characters being brought in, but just the names that really helps them focus,” Hernandez said. “Like if we were to
have the mom and dad or Elaine, it would really take away from our characters.” With 70 chairs set up around three sides of the stage, it only left a small space for Greenwood and Hernandez to act out each scene, right in arms reach of the audience. The two actors were never allowed to break character, they never left the stage during the 90-minute production, changing between the 8 different scenes. This allowed the audience to experience different times throughout the two characters’ lives up close and personal.
“We’re only two people for the audience to focus on and therefore they become more attached to these two characters,” Greenwood said. “But they’re honed in on these two people and it really makes these stories come more alive I think.” Greenwood has been doing theatre since he was seven or eight years old and played Doug during this production. “It started with my dad showing me some of the movies and musicals from when he was a kid growing up, and I just fell in love right away, and I’ve done theater ever since,” Greenwood said. He has been involved in every show HutchCC has put on since his freshman year, but playing Doug has been his favorite part so far. He has also written and directed shows that have been performed at HutchCC and has choreographed dances as well. He is majoring in theater and his future plans are to transfer to Kansas State University next year and go immediately to get his master’s degree in theater. “Ideally, I would like to move to New York or Los Angeles and either be a successful actor or a successful playwright, but my backup is that I will teach theater at the college level,” Greenwood said. Kayleen was played by Hernandez who has been doing theater since she was a freshman in high school. A friend suggested she join the Drama A class and so she did.
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Doug, continues to hurt himself for the attention of others. He is more physically damaged during the play and is considered an externalizer. “He wants to feel that pain, to feel human and I understand that about him,” Greenwood said. The two main characters meet when they are 8 years old but don’t really start talking until they are 13. Their relationship quickly becomes unhealthy. The two meet during unfortunate circumstances several times after graduation but continually yell and show their anger toward each other. The audience quickly sees they have become very broken characters. “Kayleen and Doug’s relationship is beautiful but toxic,” Greenwood said. “There’s just a lot of topics in there that are out there in society but not everyone wants to talk about them,” Greenwood said. The play touches on dark topics, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, mental illnesses, self-harm, and various types of abuse. “It definitely talks about the issues,” Hernandez said. “Some shows will sugar coat it, but this one is straight up and it will tell you how it really is.” The actors emotionally struggled getting into character and performing these roles.
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1. Scene 6, age 33, “Blue Raspberry Dip,” Doug is visiting Kayleen in rehab, begging her not to push him away. The scene was both actors’ favorite to perform. 2. Scene 2, age 23, “Eye Blown Out,” Kayleen crosses her arms in frustration as she listens to Doug explain how he blew his eye out with fireworks. Doug screamed and cussed at Kayleen at the end of this scene, this is where the audience could see the unhealthiness of their relationship. 3. Scene 5, age 18, “Pink Eye,” Kayleen discusses with Doug about being raped, this is also the scene where cutting and self harm is addressed. “Pink Eye” was the hardest scene for Ensz-Mattox to direct, and for Hernandez and Greenwood to perform. 4. Scene 7, age 23, “Tooth and Nail,” Doug expresses his feeling about Kayleen’s father, cursing his name for the way he has treated Kayleen. Greenwood found this scene more difficult because it was very relatable and there was a lot of raw emotions that came from his character. Photos by Allie Schweizer
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She started out working on sets after school and that really started her into the technical side of theater. “As years went by I kind of got more into acting. I’ve been doing it since my freshman year of high school, it just kind of happened,” Hernandez said. She has been involved in numerous shows at HutchCC, including Gypsy and Hamlet. GPI has been her favorite non-musical show. She is majoring in theater and might transfer to KSU next year, although she is still undecided. She would love to continue theater, either acting or the technical side. During the play, each of the 8 scenes highlights a different time period, starting at age 8 and ending at 38. The actors play out main events throughout Doug and Kayleen’s life and how their struggles shaped their lives and friendships. Hernandez’s character is emotionally damaged, is someone who internally deals with her feelings but struggles with anxiety, depression, and relies on self-medicating and self-harm. “Kayleen is a very insecure, mean girl,” Hernandez said. “The only friend she really has is Doug. She is just a very broken girl.” A spontaneous, aggressive person who lives for the adrenaline rush of attempting dangerous acts, Greenwood’s character,
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Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
The two shared some of their challenges during a community talk back after the first live show. “The play contains material that I knew could trigger powerful emotional experiences and memories in audience members. I felt a responsibility to provide some kind of outlet for audience members who might need to talk about the show,” Ensz-Mattox said. The hardest scene to perform for Greenwood was the funeral scene. Doug had to come back to see Kayleen after a long period of time at college and he was faced with a lot of emotion about her father who had just passed away. “That’s a very relatable scene. I think sometimes we go back and we see people that we considered our best friends at one point in our life and there’s a lot of raw emotion that sometimes we don’t get to express before leaving,” Greenwood said. Another difficult scene for both actors was called the Pink Eye Scene. Greenwood said, “That was the scene where all the cutting is revealed and it was very emotionally draining. We had to trust each other a lot on that.” “Having Jack yell at me like that was really hard, because we are not like that,” Hernandez said. Both Greenwood and Hernandez said they struggled with separating from their on stage roles and dealing with all the emotions that their characters dealt with. “It’s still hard for me to come out of that character sometimes, like sometimes I can see myself doing something that Kayleen would do,” Hernandez said. “Doug followed me home,” Greenwood said. “The hardest part about playing Doug was emotions would sometimes not leave when rehearsal was over and there are some scenes where Doug gets extremely angry and aggressive and sometimes I could feel that coming home with me a little bit and it was scary at first but I’ve learned how to navigate through it.” Despite all the dark emotional topics there
is light in this play. Scene 6, “Blue Raspberry Dip,” was the actors’ favorite. “I think it was my favorite just because there’s just so many beautiful things said in there, but they’re very damaged things,” Greenwood said. “My favorite line of the show is there which is ‘are you gonna let me drift away again, because I don’t want to, but I’m worn out’ and I think that is just the most human line I say in that show, I love it, it’s so pretty.” The many issues addressed throughout the play connect with audience members in different ways, some more personal than others. “We all go through hell at some point in our lives and sometimes all we need is that one person to understand what it’s like to go through those difficult phases in our life,” Greenwood said. “I hope that the audience took away from it that no matter what dark thing they have to journey through, they’re not alone in that, there are other people out there that can help you, that understand you, that love you.” Hernandez said, “Don’t make excuses for yourself for mental health, don’t brush it off, realize that mental health is a serious issue we have.”
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1. Scene 4, age 28, “Tuesday,” Kayleen visits Doug in the hospital, who has slipped into a coma after getting struck by lighting on his roof. This scene was one of the more difficult ones for Hernandez because she had to preform it by herself. 2. Scene 2, age 23, “Eye Blown Out,” Kayleen walks away from Doug as he begs her to touch his eye. “You’ve always been able to mend my wounds,” Doug pleaded. “I’m not touching your disgusting eye socket,” yelled Kayleen. 3. Scene 1, age 8, “Face Split Open,” Doug rode his bike off the school roof playing Evil Knievel. This is where Doug and Kayleen first meet, in the school nurse’s office. 4. Scene 3, age 13, “Limbo,” Doug asks Kayleen to practice kissing, she refuses but he kisses her anyway. Doug and Kayleen are together again in the school nurse’s office during a dance. Photos by Allie Schweizer
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th in k connect grow HutchCC focuses on student’s mental and physical health through National Suicide Prevention Day and the annual Health & Wellness Fair STORY, DESIGN & PHOTOS
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Shannon Leininger It’s a time of change, from homemade meals to cafeteria; from a full-sized bed at home to a twin-sized bed in a dorm. These are a couple of the many exchanges that many undergo as their first semester arrives. Along with jobs and social lives, students face a whole new realm of stress when they take on the extra role as a college student. As the annual Hutchinson Community College Health and Wellness fair approached, Counselor Debby Graber and other administrators prepared and planned to make this educational event one that would cater to all students and the factors of life that may stress them out. “We really want something that will focus on positive changes or positive ways to cope with the stress of college,” Graber said.
477
flags representing the number of suicides in Kansas in
2015
A few weeks later on a rainy morning in the Parker Student Union on Sept. 27, professors, administrators, vendors and students came together for the Wellness Fair to do just that. Rebecca Heddin, Hesston, was one of the many students who enjoyed some of the perks that this event entailed. “One of the stress relievers that I really took away from the fair was the plants, I didn’t realize plants could help with stress,” Heddin said. In addition to the free plants, eyebrow waxing, self-defense presentations, healthy snacks, massages and giveaways, there was also stress detective tests. Carolyn Parson, academic advisor, stood at a booth with a number of ways for dealing with the stress that life brings, as well as online tests that detect one’s level of stress. One of Parson’s main tips for escaping some of life’s stress is to think of the things that students enjoyed
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Prince Lollar, Seattle, Wa., picks out a free plant during the Health & Wellness Fair on Sept. 27 in the Parker Student Union. The free plants for this event were donated by the horticulture department.
Paramedic student Cameron Howard, Wichita, performs a blood pressure examination on Marissa Morton, Hutchinson, at the annual Health and Wellness Fair on Sept. 27. The Paramdeic program was one of the many on-campus departments that took part in this event.
Health & Wellness Fair
doing as a child, such as coloring or making mud pies outside and incorporating those activities into adult lives. These high stress levels that the online test presented can also lead to more than just sleepless nights or a typical stress-induced breakout. Often times stress, anxiety or depression are some of the leading factors to suicide. “(Suicide victims) are typically under an enormous amount of stress and they don’t have anyone that they feel that they can talk to,” Parson said. As a solution to the feeling of isolation in college or in day to day life, Parson recommends creating connections with others. According to a Dragon’s Tale student survey, of the 160 responses, only 39.2% of students who said they have experienced anxiety or depression sought out help or guidance. Seth Ramirez, Hutchinson, touches on the topic of mental health and wellness agreeing with Parson emphasized the essentials of communication and connections. “Talking to people helps more than I can say. Just saying things out loud really does make a difference,” Ramirez said. On Sept. 9, HutchCC acknowledged the Kansas suicide victims of 2015 with the 477 purple flags placed on the front lawn outside of PSU in honor of National Suicide Prevention Day the following week. As part of this awareness, HutchCC offers the Health and Wellness Fair at the beginning of every school year for students to be introduced to the resources presented on and off campus that may be helpful when mental health gets in the way of day-to-day life. The stress of college continues beyond the beginning of the fall semester. With midterms, arranging their spring schedule and final exams quickly approaching, students are encouraged to seek the help provided around campus. Through creating social awareness and making connections with others, students can avoid the feeling of isolation and eliminate stress.
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Parking A student’s guide to parking correctly and avoiding fines STORY & DESIGN Samantha Rios
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Everyday a little red truck with Hutchinson Community College Security written on the side makes its way down the parking lots aisles of HCC’s campus. The driver of the red truck is Steve Dunmire, lead security officer. His duties include various things around campus, but on a daily basis he can be found making sure students are obeying the parking rules. Students parking on campus are required to have a parking permit. In preparation for each semester, students must have their up-to-date permit placed on their vehicle which can be picked up at the Parker Student Union information counter. The good thing about these parking permits at HutchCC is that they are free to students. Other colleges across the state charge a fee for parking permits. At Kansas State University, a parking
permit will cost an off-campus student $180. If students don’t have their permit on their vehicle, they will receive a warning ticket and then after that they will get a regular ticket. When parking on campus, certain rules need to be followed. The parking permit must go on the students back windshield. “The only exception would be if they drive a convertible or a jeep,” Dunmire said. When parking, drivers need to make sure they are within the lines and students are not allowed to pull through stalls because the parking permit needs to easily be visible when driving by. Dorm students are not allowed to park anywhere other than dorm parking until after five o’clock. If they are a male dorm student, they are supposed to park in the Office Technologies parking lot south of the
Steve Dunmire, lead security officer, writes up a parking fine. Hutchinson Community College banned students from parking in the Kansas Cosmosphere parking lot. Photo by Samantha Rios
Ade Wifco Building. Getting a parking permit is free, parking correctly and abiding by the rules won’t cost a student anything extra. If ticketed, students are responsible for paying the $10 fine. Parking in places like handicap stalls will cost more. If receiving multiple tickets, the $10 fee can add up quickly. In the past, Dunmire has dealt with a student who refused to pay and kept receiving tickets because they wouldn’t get a parking permit. Their student bill for parking tickets ended up being over $200. When parking tickets aren’t paid, students won’t be able to receive their transcript and could be sent to collections. There are many areas around campus for students to park. When following the rules, tickets can be avoided.
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Parking tickets in the fall 2017 semester
93.7% 15.6% 500+
of students registered their vehicles before the first day of school
students have received a parking ticket this semester
warning tickets were given out in the first two weeks of school
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Student Parking Permits Students with a white parking permit like the one pictured to the left have designated parking areas which are highlighted in orange in the map . The areas highlighted in red on the map are designated for dorm students who will have a red parking permit.
Page Topic
Students with a blue parking permit are dorm south students, usually freshman boys and they will park in the blue highlighted areas on the map.
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in the classroom More Than a Class
Media Production students put in ex tra time outside of the classroom
Comparing Classrooms
A look at the dif ferences between traditional classes and the online format
New Semester, New Faces
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Several instructors start teaching at HutchCC
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PHOTO  Haydnn Neufeld
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Students listen to Bobby Obermite in Video Production-Post production 1. This class is where students get a feel for editing films.
More than a Class Media production students put in extra time outside the class room
STORY, DESIGN, & PHOTOS Jacb Bruch
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
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t’s more than a class or an on-campus club. Students involved invest hours, days, and even weeks outside of classes working on their own personal projects. The Media Communication and Production program at Hutchinson Community College teaches how to produce, edit, and create films, but some students take in a step further. Some have been working with film since a very young age. Most of them got started in various ways and for different reasons. Alexis Cruz, Hutchinson, said she got started by messing around with gifs in middle school and making short movies out of them. Not a lot of high schools especially around the area have very strong audio/ video programs, so HutchCC draws a lot of video junkies.
Making projects outside of class takes a lot of hard work and dedication because producing even a short film can take many hours of writing, filming, and editing. McKenzey Bell, Hutchinson, said the times she spends making films each week varies depending on the amount of homework she has but she says she does spend most of her free time making films, either by writing, filming, or editing. The amount of films they work on in a semester varies as well, Cruz said in class they make a lot of very short films to turn in throughout the semester. Both Cruz and Bell said they came into the film program with a little film experience, but have learned a lot from being in the media department. McKenzey said, “The HCC media program has taught me so much in a year and I’m excited to see how much more I learn in my last year.”
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Student Films Cecilia Students Involved: Joey Ralph, St. John’s Newfoundland; Joey Thiel, Herington; Tyler Korb, Hutchinson; Alexis Cruz, Hutchinson; Zach Hudson, McPherson; Megan Tammen, Timkin Producer: Jordan Horsch, content designer As a meteor crashes towards earth, Cecilia is given visions of the future, and is faced with a challenge if she wants to save the human race.
Deep love Students Involved: McKenzey Bell and Alexis Cruz, Hutchinson A woman who has suffered through an abusive relationship with her boyfriend comes to the conclusion that all men must be the same.
Corned Beef Producer:Dustin Curiel, Hutchinson A satire on rural life by HutchCC sutudents. Film students Dustin Curiel, and Francisco Escamilla, hutchinson; use a rotating platform for production in he building 12 studio. Building 12 is where the media department shoots most of their films.
Student Films
Alexis Cruz, Hutchinson; edits a film she is working on. She said she spends much of her free time in Building 12 editing.
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Comparing Classrooms
Taking a closer look at online vs. traditional classroom set ting, discussed by student, instructor & staf f STORY & DESIGN Jack Greenwood
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
A typical day in the life of a student consists of waking up early, going to class, sitting in a lecture, raising their hand for comment, and doing assignments on paper. However, some students are taking advantage of the surrounding technology and enrolling in online courses at Hutchinson Community College. The conveniences of these courses include the ability to do all assignments and tasks outside of a classroom, at home, outside, or in the library. The online setting also benefits those that work, have children, or lack transportation. But despite this, when students were surveyed, 54.9% of them said the online course was harder than a traditional face-to-face course. Additionally, 48.9% of students surveyed said they didn’t learn as much online as in the classroom. So, what exactly are the pros and cons of these online courses? One online administrator, one instructor, and one student shared their viewpoints on the comparison between traditional face to face classes and the online format.
Terri McQueen, Math instructor What do you feel is the biggest difference between traditional classrooms and online courses? The interaction is very different. We miss that one on one connection. I feel like its important for the instructor to get to know their students but the online format makes it difficult to do so. How much time should a student spend studying for an online course? It should be the same, but I don’t feel that students do that. In a math class they should probably be doing more time because they don’t have the instructor right there to answer questions. S h o u l d t h e re b e m o re requirements to take an online course? I don’t think so because I think the online courses here at HCC do really well about outlining everything for the student as far as what will be required of them. It really is just up to the student to make sure they succeed. Do you believe certain courses are better online? Or vice versa? The lower level math classes I think should be a class taken in the classroom if possible. Its important to offer them online for those students that can’t be on campus or have a conflict, but I think if they can they should be taken with a physical instructor.
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Math instructor, Terri McQueen, instructs students in her Basic Algebra Class. Instructing students while connecting with them is a top priority for her. Photo by Jack Greenwood
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As the instructor, how effective do you feel in an online setting? I prefer the face to face courses. The online courses have videos that come with the book that we offer the students. So its hard to put your own touch on the instruction they receive. Additionally, in a face to face class I can see on the students faces when they aren’t getting the lesson and I can explain it in a new way that makes more sense to them. We don’t get that opportunity in the online class. Do you feel that some students abuse the privilege of online learning? Unfortunately yes. Students have the ability to use outside resources in the online setting but some of them rely on those instead of learning the material. In Basic Algebra, you’re not allowed to use a calculator. But unless the exam is proctored then we have no way of knowing if they are using one or not. Time is the only thing that restricts them on a test or assignment.
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Dylan Kramer, McPherson What do you feel is the biggest difference between traditional classes and online courses? There is no personal connection between the student and the teacher. There never seems to be encouragement to do well or succeed that you would get in the actual classroom. How much time do you commit to an online class every week? Is it more or less than a traditional class?
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Cramming last minute for an exam, Patricia Garcia, Hutchinson, uses an online powerpoint provided by her instructor. Photo by Jack Greenwood Dylan Kramer, McPherson, takes advantage of being able to study outside while working on his online courses. Photo by Jack Greenwood
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which I can understand. But it would take several days for me to get a reply to a question, and sometimes they wouldn’t be able to understand my question because I wasn’t there to explain myself. It sometimes affects your ability to complete assignments correctly. There’s a lack of communication. Should money be something to consider when deciding whether or not to take an online course? Personally I don’t think the online class are worth the money. I would rather pay the higher charge for an in-person class.
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Rhonda Corwin, Director of Online Learning Do you feel certain courses are better in the online format than in the traditional classroom format? or vice versa? Course content needs to be suited to the format that best supports its delivery whether that is online or in a traditional classroom. It can be a personal preference or learning style that motivates a student to take an online class or attend on campus. Why would you recommend a student take an online course? Convenience, transportation, work, or family obligations are reasons online courses can be appealing.
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Do you believe online learning could one day replace traditional classroom learning? Why or why not? There are all kinds of learners, and I would not want to speculate that online learning could replace traditional classrooms. How effective do you believe instructors are in the online format? All instructors must be effective in their methods of instruction, feedback to the students, cooperative learning, organization, and time on task. Why do you, as the director of online education, believe online learning is important for a student to explore? My goal as the director of online education is to expand the vision of HutchCC by “delivering accessible opportunities for learning, growth, and improved quality of life” as stated in the HutchCC Vision Statement.
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Online vs. Face-to-Face Classes
A lot less time, I did everything right before it was due. I just spent maybe 30 min a week on the online stuff. I would check the class and do the minimum of whatever needed to be done. Do you feel that there are certain courses that are better online? Or vice versa? I think math classes are better online because you have more resources ready to help right then and there, but it really depends on the person and their individual needs. Any lecture based class is better in person, I think people tend to learn better if there is a person explaining the material as opposed to reading it from a textbook. Would you recommend taking an online course? Why or why not? I think that it really depends on the persons work ethic. If you’re really organized and can manage your time, go for it. But if you’re like me and forget about things like that, then it might be a bad choice. Also if you struggle in a subject you should definitely take it in person with the teacher there in the classroom. Do you feel the instructors are as ef fective online? Why or why not? No they aren’t very effective. It seems that their in-person classes are their priority
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New Semester New Faces
Several instructors start teaching at HutchCC Brad Hallier, journalism instuctor, talks to his Newspaper Production class about the next issue of The Collegian. The newspaper produced weekly issues since the end of August. Photo by Haydnn Neufeld
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
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long with 1,060 first-time students walking the halls of Hutchinson Community College, new faculty members can also be found spreading knowledge in their area of expertise. Fourteen full-time and twenty six part-time instructors were introduced to HutchCC at the beginning of the fall semester. These instructors come from other higher education institutions or straight from the workforce.
Brad Hallier, Journalism Instructor Growing up in Mission, a suburb of Kansas City, Hallier started his journey in reporting the news toward the end of his high school career and hasn’t looked back since. He went to Allen County Community College and then onto the University of Kansas where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. Hallier has a wife, two daughters, and a son. He was previously the Hutchinson News sports editor before coming to HutchCC.
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Knowing your previous occupation was sports-news based, how is this different? What isn’t different? The hardest part of it all is letting my students do all of the work, and not being able to step in and do it for them. This year is especially tough due to the fact that I only have one sophomore, and the rest are all freshman with little to no news experience. My students are really starting to learn the ins and outs, but it has been difficult.
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Have you always been in the news occupation? Yes, for 17 years actually. I tried out photography my junior year of high school, and, I couldn’t take a still picture of a fruit basket using a tripod. I then tried writing, and the news aspect of it all and haven’t had the desire for anything else since.
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When you began your career as a sports writer, did you ever see yourself where you are now? N E V E R! Not until one chapter ended and this one opened up, of course. I do go back to when I was at KU and use the lessons I learned and helped teach to incorporate into my teaching now.
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Does your previous work come into play now? I try to rely more on the news work I did in general, rather than sports writing in specific. From college, to the NJCAA Championship last year, all the experience adds up and helps in some way.
What is your favorite story from all of your time at Hutch News? When Steve Eck was first hired, I spent the evening with him, and really got to know the non-coach Steve that not many get the opportunity to get to know. I got to focus more on him as a person in his everyday life, and he tells the best stories!
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What is the most memorable HutchCC sports story you’ve covered? It was awhile back, a terribly rainy, gloomy day. It was a Sunday afternoon [soccer] game, rivals HCC and Butler were going head to head for the championship. There were hundreds of fans, the passion and intensity was just incredible to experience. HCC ended up winning, 2-1, adding to the excitement.
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What do you prefer to do with your free time? Free time? What’s that!? When I’m not teaching, I enjoy watching my children play sports and participate in other activities. I also like to referee soccer games, ranging from elementary to high school-aged athletes. I enjoy watching my favorite teams: the KC Royals, KC Chiefs, KU Jayhawks, Sporting KC, and Liverpool.
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:When you’re not running the Collegian, what other journalism opportunities are you involved in?
When not doing Collegian stuff, I freelance for a few publications, including VYPE Kansas, KU Alumni and Kansas Pregame. I also dabble in a little radio with Ad Astra Radio.
New Instructors 2017 Fall Semester Full-Time
Julie Crenshaw Eric Dudley Miranda Engelken Jennifer Fisher Brad Hallier Johnnie Keller Kent McKinnis Terri McQueen Christopher Miertschin Ryan Pinkall Rebecca Rice Amanda Smith Dylan Walker Matthew Wilper
Part-time
Ruth Abate Prince Agbedanu Kristen Armstrong Kyle Campbell Lanny Crupper Kacie Frederickson Gwen Hammerschmidt Sara Harjo Cheri Horyna Wade Johnson William Jones Stephen Kresky Darryl Mannebach Susan Mciver Cody McReynolds Shaelee Mendenhall Mark Mock Brian Moler Melissa Newton Jennifer Pollard Nicholas Roberts Charles Ross Andrew Slater Rebecca Stiles Randy Waite Charles Wheeler
New Instructors
Q:
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Kent McKinnis, Agriculture Instructor Ag Instructor Kent McKinnis is a native of Hutchinson. McKinnis attended Stephen F. Austin State University, and then returned to Hutchinson after furthering his education. McKinnish has a wife of 22 years and two children. He has been a part of the Ag Advisory Board here at HCC for many years.
Q:
What made you want to teach? Why HutchCC? I taught a group of Boy Scouts for awhile, and I really enjoyed it. I’ve been a part of the Ag Advisory Board for awhile now, and I have always been impressed with the instructors and just the school in general. Has teaching been your only career? No, I was an Ag Extension Agent at Kansas State University, and I also worked with the First National Bank in the Farm Management Department.
Q:
Any advice for future teachers? Use your coworkers and all around you! Always listen to the more experienced instructors, they’re on your side.
Q:
When you’re not in the classroom, what do you enjoy doing? I like to fly-fish and I enjoy raising chickens.
Kent Mckinnis, agriculture instructor, talks to his soil production students about the corn they are harvesting at the South Campus. The school farm is located south of Yoder where students grow various crops. Photo by Haydnn Neufeld
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Q:
Q:
Why did you choose ag? I grew up on a farm and I have always enjoyed it. My post secondary education is in the field of ag.
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Psychology Instructor, Amanda Smith, does an experiment with her students that involves the five senses. The senses used include smell, touch, sight, taste, and sound. Photo by Haydnn Neufeld
Q:
What made you want to teach? Student-teacher interaction is something that I find rewarding and that really interests me. The prior influence of my instructors played into my decision as well.
Amanda Smith, Psychology Instructor Psychology Instructor Amanda Smith grew up in the small town of Windom. Smith attended The University of Kansas and Wichita State University, eventually earning her master’s degree. She is married to a firefighter and has two children. She has always been interested in the human thought process and what makes each one of us individually different.
Q:
Have you been teaching your whole life? No, I was a researcher for around 10 years, and also did some graphic design and usability research at WSU for companies like Microsoft and Dell.
Q:
Why did you choose psychology?
I have always been interested in it since high school. I came to HCC knowing this was what I wanted to study, and I was also a fine arts major, and luckily the type of psychology I went into was basically a marriage between psychology and design, so it worked out pretty well.
Q:
Any advice for those going into psychology? Keep an open mind. There are so many opportunities and different kinds of psychology to go into. It is a competitive field, but there’s a lot out there so definitely try and find your best fit.
Q:
What do you like to do with your free time? As a new teacher, free time is definitely limited. However, I do enjoy baking, gardening and hanging with family.
New Instructors
Q:
Why did you chose HutchCC? I had a great experience when I was here, and I also kept in contact with many of my instructors who acted as mentors for me. I want to be here to try and do that for my students.
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in the community Eclipse
A look at how students experienced the rare event
Sounds of the Fields
Students express themselves through music around town
Little Boy Blue
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Myth, Folklore, Legend...
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PHOTO  Allie Schweizer
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E S P I L C E
A local man peers through a telescope during the Kansas Cosmosphere Watch Party. The planet Venus was in view from the sky. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Many gather for a unique space experience
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
STORY & DESIGN Megan Ryan
Some traveled, some stayed still, and others went on during the 2017 Solar Eclipse. This happens every 18 months and this year it took place on Aug. 21. It is unique because it is in view from specific areas around the world. Seeing an eclipse in person is quite an experience. Nick Hemphill, a local photographer, took advantage of this, traveling to Ravenna, Neb. As he traveled across the state to get to his destination, he had one thing in mind, getting the perfect shot. Believing to have a 150-second window to take an immaculate picture of the eclipse during totality. “What helped me is my passion for astronomy and photography. Understanding how the sun will not decrease drastically in brightness to the degree that you can look directly at it is important. It’s also important to know what shots you want,” said Hemphill. Knowing how stressful the event might be, Hemphill also made sure to enjoy his time with his family. Taking his wife and fouryear-old daughter with him was important. “It was fascinating to see as we got closer to the path of totality how the traffic picked up. And once we were in the path, there were many cars parked and waiting. There were even many places where large groups gathered in fields. Rest stops were anything but rest stops during that time,” said Hemphill. “When totality hit, there were claps, cheers, and fireworks going over in the area. As a photographer, you don’t get just to sit back and enjoy it, but even with only 150 seconds to
view it, you can still shoot for 2 minutes and just enjoy 30 seconds. I think that’s important. Photos are nothing like seeing it in person, so no one should miss out on enjoying it without just looking through a lens.” While Hemphill traveled to Neb., Jackie McIntosh, Hutchinson, stayed closer to home. Having gone to Robinson, Kan., she was able to have a different experience altogether. “I appreciate space and viewing the eclipse was truly magical. It got dark and quiet. Animals started hiding, and I heard crickets chirping. There was a sunset in all directions, and it was almost spooky,” stated Mcintosh. Having this adventure, she took in a different point of view, wanting to remember the experience in full, she did not take pictures. “I didn’t take pictures because I wanted to enjoy the moment myself with just myself. When someone, later on, mentions it, I can think about it vividly and explain rather than
just pulling out my phone and saying here look,” said Mcintosh. Another student, Alix Miller, Hutchinson, went to class and was let out early to witness the eclipse for herself. She headed over to the Kansas Cosmosphere watch party to enjoy the excitement with others. “They had a bunch of news there and a bunch of food vendors, which was cool,” Miller said. The path of totality didn’t reach far enough south to reach Hutchinson, so it didn’t get very dark during the event. To Miller, this came as a surprise. She was still able to witness the eclipse and said, “it was a cool experience and something I’ll never forget.” Miller’s teacher, Jessica Niblack, Sociology Instructor, let her class out after they finished a quiz. Knowing that some teachers did not see the importance in allowing students this time to witness the eclipse, some students either skipped class or just missed seeing
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77.5%
Kansas Cosmosphere worker demonstrates what the eclipse might look like with a cookie. The view of the eclipse did not reach totality in Hutchinson. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Witnessed the eclipse
50.9%
Instructors let students out of class to view eclipse
10.6% Traveled somewhere to view eclipse
the eclipse in person. While some students like Miller did get out of class early, some instructors’ opinions did vary on this topic. Scott Brown, Fine Arts Instructor, took a personal day so he could witness the event. “Glad I did, it was a great experience,” Brown said. Other teachers such as Kimberly Parsons, fine art instructor, wish she did have a class because she would have used it within her lesson plan. “If the eclipse had been during class, rather than letting the students out of class during that time, we would have created viewing boxes, and we would have watched the eclipse together. It was an incredibly
historic moment and definitely relates to art,” said Parsons. Other teachers viewed it as the students’ decision to miss class such as Dr. Tom Percy, social science/history instructor. “This is college, not high school. Students can decide on their own if they want to watch the eclipse or come to class,” Percy said. While this was, in fact, an incredibly beautiful experience that some viewed for the first time on Aug. 21. Many took in different experiences from the eclipse, traveling great distances while others stayed close to home. Having different outlooks on the eclipse and varying opinions many were able to enjoy the event.
An example is drawn of what the eclipse would look like. Locals came to the Kansas cosmosphere on Aug. 21. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Poster advertising the eclipse. The eclipse was visible across the United States from Oregon to Georgia. Photo by Allie Schweizer
This viewing box allows view of the eclipse without directly looking into the sun. Viewers can not look into the eclipse because it could burn their cornea. Photo by Megan Ryan
Eclipse
total students surveyed 160
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Downtown Hutchinson is pictured during Third Thursday. Third Thursday is a monthly art and music event put on by local businesses and artists.
Sounds of the fields
Students express themselves through music around town
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
STORY, DESIGN & PHOTOS Dustin Curiel
As dusk falls over the town and people begin to retire to their homes for the evening, somewhere in the surrounding area, youth can be found gathering for a few short hours to celebrate their love for music. In this marriage of do-it-yourself culture and driven youth, the music scene is born. Hutchinson is almost notorious throughout the state for being a boring town with nothing happening, however if you walk into one of the local restaurants or bars you might be met with music. One of the frequents during live music events is Mitchell Probst, Hutchinson. Probst currently plays in two of Hutchinson’s local bands; Community Theatre and Yogi Bogi. As a student in the Hutchinson Community College music department, Probst plays in three of the colleges bands. While Probst has been playing with Community Theatre for three years, he still said that the on-campus bands he is a part of
are the most challenging and have helped him with both his performance and technique. School sanctioned concerts are far different than shows organized by community members. A challenge many bands find with their music is getting out and into their local scenes. Probst said it wasn’t very difficult for him to start playing shows in the community. He got started his freshman or sophomore year in high school and just started playing in local coffee shops. “I started working Concerts for the Cause through this guy named Jiggy, and started playing through friends”…”eventually down the line I started getting my own shows and setting them up,” Probst said. Concerts for the Cause, really helped bring more awareness to their band. Probst’s advice to people wanting to break into the scene was, “If you’re going to be super introverted try to get out and talk to people because they might be a connection later.”
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Hutchinson, said most shows are advertised through word of mouth and various social media platforms, mostly Facebook. Probst said flyers are sometimes used to advertise larger shows. Finding shows to go to in the area isn’t the easiest task, but bright musicians have been part of Hutchinson and the surrounding area for decades. With a little knowledge of events you’ll be on your way to these grass roots concerts in no time.
The newly -remodled Hutchinson Art Center is one of the establishments in town that wants to host more live music events. In the past, the Art Center hosted music that’s catered to older generations.
In response to a lack of venues in Hutchinson, youth host small concerts in basements and living rooms. These events are very grassroots and are often advertised through word-of-mouth.
Student Bands
However, he did state that getting shows in the area is a little difficult as there aren’t many dedicated venues in Hutchinson. Probst’s band, Yogi Bogi plays in town a few times a month, but Community Theatre usually performs out of town in order to have a bigger audience As with a lot of musicians in the area, Probst and his bands frequently make the 45-minute drive to Wichita to play. “Definitely try to branch out at least to Wichita, if you can play some Lawrence shows or Kansas City that’s great, but it also doesn’t hurt if you get shows here,” Probst said. “If you can get a show and you can play it, it works.” The Donut Whole is a coffee shop on Douglas Avenue in Wichita, here the shows can get pretty big drawing crowds that are much larger so each band gets more exposure. Bands from the surrounding area play at the Donut Hole frequently and if they can’t provide your show fix, theres other venues in Wichita that advertise their concerts on Facebook or other social media platforms. The exposure gained in other towns, however, doesn’t dwindle their care for the local music scene. One solution Probst suggested is establishing more outdoor venues. Downtown Hutchinson has been focusing on a revitalization effort in the last decade with a monthly art festival called Third Thursday. A lot of local musicians begin by playing at the event, including Yogi Bogi and Community Theatre. During Third Thursday musicians play at various places along Hutchinson’s main street. Avenue A park and DCI Park are both common areas to find musicians playing during the event. galleries like the Hutchinson Art Center and the old Studio 7 also serve as places live music gets played during the monthly event. While it seems Third Thursday is well known in the community, getting the word out about their shows at non-Third Thursday events has been a challenge both bands face. Community Theatre member Matt Reger,
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Myth, Folklore, Legend.... STORY, DESIGN & PHOTOS Serena Williams
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Of course, it isn’t the old nursery rhyme of a Shepard boy in the field, ready to blow his horn. The fateful story goes something like this – if you drive down 30th Avenue towards Buhler and take a left on Kent Road, you will then drive as far as possible. A red barn will be visible on the left side of the property and after passing, a bridge and a pond. It is said that a young boy drowned in the pond by the bridge. The date of the original story could not be found. Folklore has it that if you go there late at night or 3 a.m., it’s considered to be the witching/devil’s hour. Park your car, flash the vehicle lights three times, and then turn the engine off. Some say there is a short chant to say, other’s say it is not needed. Then sit and wait. Three people who have not met share their separate accounts. Kaylin Myers, Hutchinson, recounts her visit with friends to Kent Road. “We arrived about midnight, parked our car, flashed our lights then turned the car off. We waited for a while. Then, eventually we saw blue lights flashing in the distance. Later, we saw a car going across the road further in the distance. The car wasn’t going north and south but east and west,” Myers said. “We decided to go further up the road to
see if the car was there. There was no car and no road. We went back the next day and were walking up to the red barn, when the owner showed up. She was more than happy to tell us the story was true and the account of what happened.” Ellie Bredemeier, Hutchinson, has gone out multiple times to the site of Little Boy Blue. “The first experience, I saw blue orbs. The person I was driving with got freaked out and sped off. The second time, I saw more blue lights and something we thought jumped across the road. It scared us half to death in the moment but we realized it was a deer,” Bredemeier said. “I think it’s cool there is a ghost here, whether some believe it’s real or not.” Dion Miller, of Hutchinson recalls his time on Kent Road. “I was told to go out during the devil’s hour at 3a.m. I was told that you will hear a piano playing if you get close to the red barn. That a ghost car can also be seen. When you first arrive, you are supposed to flash your headlights, put the keys on the dash board and wait. The windows will then fog up and you will see kid handprints and blue orbs across the windshield,” Miller said. “I didn’t believe it until I went out there and experienced these things for myself. My friend kept saying that we needed to go, so we did. I was a little weirded out
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but not scared.” These accounts have been handed down for generations. Will they continue to keep their hold on the curious youth of Hutchinson? Would you experience this town tale and hand it down? Only time will tell how long Little Boy Blue’s story and mischief will continue to exist as a folklore of Hutchinson, Kansas.
Burial ground of a loved dog in Eastside Cemetery, South Cleveland Street, Hutchinson. Collar and favorite bone lay atop the tombstone.
Old graves from Eastside Cemetary. A dirt road on your way to see Little Boy Blue, in the background. Photo Illustration by Serena Williams
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Spooks of Hutchinson
The red barn. Some say piano music can be heard coming from it, when approaching.
29 11/7/17 9:11 AM
on the field Hustle, Hit, Never Quit Volleyball
The Ball is Everything Football
Twighlight Run Cross Country
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
Lady Dragon Soccer
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PHOTO  Allie Schweizer
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Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
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Setting Records STORY & DESIGN Serena Williams & Haydnn Neufeld
Page Hiebert is definitely a standout Dragon on the court. Hiebert was named NJCAA Player of the Week September 4th-10th, and is currently No.1 on the National scale with 1369 total attacks and 498 kills. Page Hiebert is nothing short of humble, and the perfect person for this recognition. In 2016 Hiebert was Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year, 1st Team All-Jayhawk West, and 1st Team All-Region VI and keeps moving forward. The Dragon’s currently have a 24-11 record and hope to keep adding on wins Oct. 28 against Seward. Page Hiebert #7, Goessel
Q: When did you start playing volleyball? A: M y sister started playing in elementary school. So, I would play in the corner of the gym during the games. I really can’t recall not playing.
Q: Did you always know that you wanted to go to school for volleyball? A: I knew in the 6th grade. I told my club volleyball coach, who later was my high school coach.
Q: Did you know that you wanted to choose Hutchinson Community College as your starting point? A: Actually, I wasn’t ready to pick a four-year college just yet, so I picked HCC.
#7 Page Hiebert, Goessel, thumbs up her team mate #14 Tatyanna Ndekwe, Cache, Okla. The two pair well on the court. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Q: What are your plans after this year? A: I’m looking at Division 1 schools but want to keep my options open. I wouldn’t mind staying here because I have a young niece that I want to stay close to. But, out-of-state isn’t out either.
Q: What is the degree that you are going for at Hutch? A: Physical education and coaching. My family has always been involved with sports. Sports are my life!
Q: Do the girls have a certain chant that they have for you and the team? A: Yes the girls have chants and cheers. It really keeps us pumped up!
Hiebert, goes for a hard, outside spike against Butler. The dragon’s came out on top for the win. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Volleyball
Q: What is your position? A: Outside hitter. I love hitting quick balls!
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1
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
2017 VOLLEYBALL RESULTS
34
Date Aug 25 Aug 26 Aug 30 Sept 1 Sept 6 Sept 8 Sept 9 Sept 13 Sept 16 Sept 18 Sept 20 Sept 22 Sept 23 Sept 25 Sept 27 Sept 29 Sept 30 Oct 4 Oct 9 Oct 11 Oct 13 Oct 14 Oct 16 Oct 18 Oct 20
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Opponent So. Mountain CC Eastern Arizona College Pima CC Garden City CC Cloud County CC Dodge City CC Snow College Salt Lake CC Northwest College College of So. Idaho Butler CC Colby CC Barton CC Pratt CC Frank Phillips College Indian Hills CC Odessa College Iowa Western CC Garden City CC Seward County CC Monroe College Tyler Junior College Blinn College Navarro College Cloud County CC Butler CC Barton CC Panola College Jefferson College Tyler Junior College Missouri State University Dodge City CC Colby CC Pratt CC
Result Record W 1-0 L 1-1 W 2-1 W 3-1 W 4-1 W 5-1 L 5-2 W 6-2 W 7-2 L 7-3 W 8-3 L 8-4 W 9-4 W 10-4 W 11-4 W 12-4 W 13-4 L 13-5 W 14-5 L 14-6 W 15-6 W 16-6 L 16-7 L 16-8 W 17-8 W 18-8 W 19-8 L 19-9 W 20-9 L 20-10 W 21-10 W 22-10 W 23-10 W 24-10
Head Coach, Patrick Hall
Q:
What is one thing that sticks out the most that Page brings to the table and how has it been working with Page the last two years? A: Page accepts complete responsibility for her failures, and doesn’t succumb to the debilitating fear that can accompany failure. She moves past obstacles fairly quickly and has a very forward-looking focus. I think the team as a whole has the confidence that Page will quickly rebound from an off night. Page has been a focused, diligent, and disciplined athlete. She’s taken an avid interest in technique and ways to improve her game. She’s been a delight to work with.
“We rely on our team to establish and maintain a positive team dynamic, rather than have that be coach driven.” -Head Coach Patrick Hall
Results as of Oct. 26, 2017 10/26/17 2:18 PM
2
3
4
1. Coach Hall huddles with his team. The Lady Dragons listen intently for direction. Photo by Allie Schweizer 2. #11 Leonie Wienkaemper, Westerkappein, Germany, lining up her set for a killer hit. She is studying Media Communications and Production. Photo by Haydnn Neufeld 3. Lexi Hogan, Garden City, dominates a block. The dragon’s defeated Butler twice this season. Photo by Allie Schweizer
Volleyball
4. Tatyana Ndekwe, Cache, Okla.; Nina Pelvic, Umaa Croatia; and Payton Gawith, El Dorado, celebrate a point. The lady dragon’s always celebrate after plays. Photo by Allie Schweizer
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the
B ll everyt is
After a player’s mother was faced with a life threatening condition, his teammates pitch in to help
1
STORY Allie Schweizer DESIGN Shannon Leininger
The Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons football team has a record of 6-2. The Blue Dragons held a five-game winning streak that was lost on Saturday, Oct. 21, against Butler. HutchCC is now currently ranked No. 16 overall and 3-1 in the Jayhawk Conference. HutchCC’s only loses are to Iowa Western, who is currently ranked No. 1, and to Butler. The Blue Dragons started the season not ranked at all and now they have been in the rankings for four consecutive weeks. The biggest struggle this season for the team has been coming out strong. The very first game of the season, the Blue Dragons were down against Coffeyville by 25 points. They ended up coming back and winning
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
2
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2017 Football Scoreboard Coffeyville CC
W 50-42
Iowa Western CC
L 27-21
Rezolution Prep
W
Garden City CC
W 31-28
Highland CC
W 13-10
Iowa Central CC
W 42-14
Ellsworth CC
W 25-13
Butler CC
L 38-10
Independence CC
9:00 p.m.
Fort Scott CC Dodge City CC
91-0
12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.
Results as of October 26, 2017
11/7/17 12:52 PM
3
ything 4
1. Rion Rhoades, head football coach, talks to the team after their win against Coffeyville. Rhoades has been coaching at HutchCC for 10 years. 2. Luke Niemeyer, St. George, kicks an extra point. Niemeyer’s extra point put the Dragons in the lead 43-42 against Coffeyville in the fourth quarter. 3. Jaylen Erwin, Charlotte, N.C., runs the ball upfield making a 57-yard touchdown. Erwin’s touchdown tied the Coffeyville game in the fourth quarter with 13:56 to go. 4. Dominic Taylor, Snellville, Ga., celebrates Erwin’s touchdown by lifting him in the air. Need a second sentence here. Photos by Allie Schweizer
Football
1
50-42. The Blue Dragons went down in the books that day after they made the biggest comeback in team history. “In game situations we need to just come out stronger. I believe we have a great team, I think we just need to come out harder and play to the best of our ability throughout the whole entire game, instead of certain parts,” Guy Victoria, Huber Heights, Ohio, said. This year’s team motto is “the ball is everything.” It means no matter what, no matter the situation, no matter what position they play, whether it’s offense, defense, kick off, special teams, they have to take care of the ball. They have to hold onto the ball when it’s in their possession and get the ball if it isn’t. Even though the ball is everything, there may be one thing more important, and that is family. After one of the player’s mother was faced with a life threatening condition, his teammates pitched in to purchase a plane ticket so he could go back home to visit her. “It was one of the coolest things that’s happened to me in coaching,” said Rion Rhoades, head football coach. Leyroy Watson, Snellville, Ga., is this year’s tight end for the Blue Dragons. He is a sophomore and had red-shirted his first year. Around three years ago Watson’s mother, Gloria, had woken up to find half her body paralyzed. It had been just a regular day, they didn’t know what was wrong, she had been completely healthy up to that point. Five months went by, and after making numerous trips to the hospital every other day they still did not know what going on. Feeling had begun to come back, however, Watson’s mother kept having episodes where she would be paralyzed and in tremendous pain. Gloria was then kept in the hospital for
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Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
around two weeks, and after constant testing they still had no lead as to what was wrong. After a couple of months they soon found out that she had broken a couple of bones in her neck, they did not know how, possibly due to stress. They went in and replaced it with a tectonic plate but now her biggest struggle would be with nerve damage. Due to the nerve damage she was left with extreme pain episodes, even losing her eyesight at times. During the football season, Watson’s mother had a big episode which took a turn for the worse, she was going through a lot of pain and faced a life threatening condition. All the stress started to get to Watson, it started breaking him down, affecting his school and performance. Watson then went to his position coach to talk. Offensive Line Coach Matt Clark told Watson that his mom wanted him to stay in school and finish, so Watson stayed here. “Especially me being a momma’s boy, I wanted to be there for her, but I couldn’t at the time because I didn’t have enough money to fly back,” Watson said. Coach Rhoades called Watson in during one of the private practices. Watson assumed he was in trouble because he had missed tutoring the day before. As Watson sat there, one of his good friends stood up and started to talk about family. As his teammate talked about what family meant for the team, Watson began to catch on and pick up some keywords that were being dropped. “They had all chipped in, the whole line, to buy me a plane ticket home for the weekend so I could go see her,” said Watson. Watson kept his plane ticket a secret from him family, only with the exclusion of his sister who picked him up from the airport. “Even though I told her, she still broke down crying when she saw me at the airport,” said Watson. When Watson arrived at his home, his mother had just been released from the hospital. She was lying in bed when he walked in.
“I look just like my dad and so she thought it was him and I was like, no mommy and she broke down and started crying, got choked up,” Watson said. “It was a good little heartwrenching moment, I had to drop a few tears myself. Everyone was happy I was home and spent time to check on her.” Watson’s mom has since made a full recovery. “Me and my mom, we have a great relationship, I call her almost every other day. I don’t know what I’d do without her,” Watson said. “She’s my role model, she’s team leader, my favorite cheerleader, my number one, she’s my dawg, she’s my boo.” Watson and his family were so thankful for the generosity of his teammates. “It was just a good bonding moment for us and it solidified that brotherhood that we have,” said Watson. “It’s a great feeling, it shows me that, I don’t mind going to war with my brother every day, I know he’s got my back so I got his.”
2
1. Otis Williams, Tampa, Fla., runs a 4-yard touchdown. Williams’ touchdown gave the Dragons a 50-42 lead with 4:30 remaining in the game against Coffeyville. 2. BJ Emmons, Morganton, N.C., runs a 4-yard touchdown. Emmons was a game leader with 77 rushing yards. Photos by Allie Schweizer
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Football
1
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Twilight Classic
Grant Clothier, Wichita, leads the pack during the men’s run. Clothier was the first Hutchinson Community College runner to cross the finish line and 11th overall with a time of 21:36.89. Photo by Allie Schweizer
C ro s s C o u n t r y B e g i n s T h e i r S e a s o n I n T h e D a r k
Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
STORY Jack Greenwood DESIGN Megan Ryan
The runners are warmed up, they begin to line up at the starting line, hearts pounding and minds focused. However,that familiar sun that normally beams down on them during a race is absent. Instead, the moon shines down on them from a stormy night sky. This event isn’t your typical cross-country meet, it’s the second annual Terry Masterson Twilight Classic night at Fun Valley, west of Hutchinson. This year Mother Nature wasn’t particularly kind to the twilight runners. Lightning strikes caused two delays at the beginning of the race. Additionally, technical issues plagued the results of the race, causing final results to be posted the following day. The race schedule consisted of a womens 3 mile race starting at 9 o’clock and a mens 4 mile race starting at 9:35. However most runners were still excited to participate in this unique tournament. “It’s an upbeat cross country meet that just gets all teams excited for the season. The only dislike is a few spots of the course has rough
footing,” Jeremy Stiebens, Hutchinson, said. “Although we ran better this year, I’d say last year was a better twilight meet because we didn’t deal with three bad weather delays and the time system was working properly. Other than that, I have no complaints we did well as a team.” In addition to being at night, the meet is also different than a traditional meet because the distance the runners ran was a onemile loop. “I liked it because it was at night and all the wind had died down and the temp had cooled down,” said runner Alec Perrone, Hutchinson. “I also like the one-mile loop because it was easy to gauge.” However, the difference in time of day could really affect the runner’s performance. While Perrone said he wouldn’t mind all of his races being at twilight, Stiebens felt a little different. “No probably not although this one is unique that it’s at night which, makes it a lot of fun.”
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2017 Cross Country Team Results Terrry Masterson Twilight Hutchinson - Fun Valley
Ollie Isom Invite El Dorado Women - 6th Men - 4th
Women - 3rd Men - 4th
Missouri Southern University Joplin, Mo.
Fort Hays State University Invitational: Victoria
Women - 18th Men - 9th
Women - 11th Men - 6th
OSU Cowboy Jamboree Stillwater, Okla.
Region VI Championship Garden City
Women - 18th Men - 5th
TBA
NJCAA Championships Fort Dodge, IA TBA Results as of Oct. 26, 2017
Runner Ashton Schlickau, Haven, keeps her focus on finishing the race strong while participating in the Twilight Classic. The event was the second annual cross country meet held at Fun Valley, west of Hutchinson. Runners from the men’s team navigate a difficult turn in the course while at Fun Valley. The meet was delayed by lightning three times during the evening event.
Cross Country
Maggie Lambert, Lindsborg, uses her remaining energy to keep in front of her competitors. Lambert began this season with the fifth-fastest time in her team’s history. Photos by Allie Schweizer
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Dragon’s Tale • Fall 2017
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DESIGN Jacob Bruch
Lady Dragons Soccer
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2017-2018 Soccer Results Date Opponent
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Score
Aug. 25
Northeast CC
W, 3-0
Aug. 27
Trinidad State JC
W, 6-0
Aug. 31
Rose State College
W, 1-0
Sept. 6
Hesston College
W, 4-0
Sept. 9
Barton CC
W, 6-0
Sept. 13
Pratt CC
W, 6-0
Sept. 16
Northwest Kansas TC
W, 2-1
Sept. 20
Dodge City CC
W, 8-0
Sept. 23
Garden City CC
W, 6-0
Sept. 30
Hesston College
W, 4-0
Oct. 4
Barton CC
Oct. 6
Pratt CC
T, 1-1 2OT W, 4-0
Oct. 11
Northwest Kansas TC
Oct. 14
Garden City CC
W, 14-0
Oct. 18
Dodge City CC
W, 8-0
Oct. 21
Cloud County CC
L, 3-2 2OT
Cloud County CC
L, 2-1
Oct. 23
L, 4-1
Results as of Oct. 26, 2017
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Brailey Moeder, Hutchinson; starts a counter attack aginst Garden City while Yadira Delgado, Goddard, supports her. Moeder was the lead scorer with four goals. Photo by Allie Schweizer
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Jasmine Blindt; Topeka, takes a shot against Barton. Two of the six assists were from Blindt. Photo by Allie Schweizer
3 Avery McCarter, Topeka; uses her body to go
for a ball aginst Dodge City. The Lady Dragons Lead At half time 2-0. Photo by Jacob Bruch
4 Jayde Miyamoto, Topeka; heads the ball in the game aginst Dodge city. The Dragons Won aginst Dodge City remaning undefeted. Photo by Jacob Bruch
5 Mikayla Vega, Valley Center; Sheena Nichole,
Inverness, Scotland; and Kaitlyn Saala, Towanda; elebrate Nichole’s goal against Trinidad State. Nicole struck a header for the game-winning goal, her 29th career goal. Photo by Allie Schweizer
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DragonLAN
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