Cross Country Comeback Running through Covid-19
Cutting Through Covid Cosmetology program faces challenges during pandemic
Serving Up New Looks Cafeteria renovation
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DRAGON’S TALE STAFF Hannah Brummer
Regan LaRue
Editor Hutchinson Major: Education
Kingman Major: Visual Media Design - Graphic Design & Web Technology
Azia Colvin
Rocky Sanchez
Hutchinson Major: Fine Arts
Hutchinson Major: Psychology
Kyli Dimmitt
Nickerson Major: Visual Media Design - Graphic Design & Web Technology
Dylan Shah
Hutchinson Major: Business
Matthew Folkerts
Hutchinson Major: Visual Media Design - Graphic Design & Web Technology
Myranda Stika
Burdick Major: Education
Sydney Henke
Pratt Major: Visual Media Design - Graphic Design & Web Technology
Brogen Willich Salina Major: Business
The Dragon’s Tale is published four times a year by the Magazine Production class of Hutchinson Community College, 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS, 67501. When compiled, the four issues serve as an overview
Greysin Wirths
Wichita Major: Cosmetology
of the activities and the people of HutchCC during the school year.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
WELDING A FUTURE HutchCC offers a bright future • Matthew Folkerts
4 6
TRANSFER STUDENTS Step-by-step guide to transferring • Pablo Sanchez
CHANGING THE FACE OF MEDIA Working in a male-dominated field • Kyli Dimmitt
8 14
COVID ON CAMPUS How HutchCC handled a worldwide pandemic • Sydney Henke
SERVING UP NEW LOOKS Cafeteria Renovation • Hannah Brummer
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CUTTING THROUGH COVID Cosmetology instructors and students experience learning in a new way • Greysin Wirths
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PANDEMIC PLAYS Fall theatre production on campus • Regan LaRue
20 22
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CHANGING STUDENT HEALTH Prairie Star serves as HutchCC’s new healthcare center • Brogen Willich
9-11 HutchCC Fire Department honors lives lost • Regan LaRue
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BREAK THROUGH MARKETING Creating new pathways of marketing • Regan LaRue
MAKING MUSIC ON CAMPUS Musicians face changes and challenges with Covid-19 • Azia Colvin
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RUNNING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC Women’s Cross Country • Myranda Stika
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ADVERTISEMENTS
CROSS COUNTRY COMEBACK Men’s Cross Country • Dylan Shah
► Photo by Dylan Shah ► Jacob McElhanon, Midlothian, Texas, sprints a straight line to finish in sixth place at the 2020 Terry Masterson Twighlight Classic. McElhanon was a returning sophomore for the Blue Dragons.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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Welding A Future tation industries.” Instructors play an important role in students’ education and career paths. Welding instructors and advisors motivate and encourage students to do their best in classes and in life skills. “Greg is very positive and outgoing. He is always supporting, encouraging, and motivating,” said Mikayla Mallett, Valley Center. Having encouragement and positive instructors like Siepert can be a defining moment, especially when a student encounters an obstacle. “Greg is a very motivating person. He inspired me to go out there and be the best I can be,” said Mason Groves, a graduate of the program from Haven. The coronavirus affected many classes in the spring semester forcing many classes to suspend face-to-face classes. “ We started classes the Monday after spring break and at that time every student was assigned their own booth. The biggest adaptation is that we are starting to turn written homework online. The biggest struggle is that I can’t work with a student one-on-one from six feet away.” said Siepert. The program itself has evolved to cater to students’ abilities and their futures. “We’ve become a very comprehensive
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When taking the next step in education, every student wants to know there is a future that awaits them out in industry. Hutchinson Community College leads to a variety of career opportunities and the welding program is no exception. “Students can go into production environment, which has to do with the manufacture of all kinds of products,” said Greg Siepert, Welding Technology Professor/Coordinator. “Locally, they have Kuhn Krause, Superior Boiler, positions with maintenance, pipeline, piping manufacturers, aerospace, and transpor-
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program. We really try to give them an exposure to as much of the welding industry as we can,” Siepert said. “Instead of pigeonholing them into one thing, we try to show them various things and prep them in various types of welds.” Since the welding program has become such a comprehensive and hands-on program, there are many different welds that students will master. As a first year student, students will practice laying beds with electrodes, learning the correct way to strike those electrodes, and how to hold them in correct angles. Safety is also extremely important and therefore taught and enforced. There will be hardships and challenges in the program. “Most students will have specific areas where they excel in and some areas where they might have problems with. As far as the most difficult welds, welds that are based around pipes,” said Siepert. Students face challenges in any chosen career path. One of the obstacles for this program is the image that surrounds the career field. “There is a certain stigma that surrounds welding. I feel like that is one of the biggest challenges that a welder might face,” Siepert said. “Those who support us, support us a hundredfold. There is a lot of pride when it comes to welding.” With encouraging professors, the opportunities that present welding graduates are worth the challenges.
Dragon’s Tale • Welding
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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Finishing Up the Semester by Transferring Step-by-Step Guide on How to Transfer
Rocky Sanchez, Reporter & Designer To transfer or not to transfer, that is the question. Making the decision to attend a twoyear institution in a transfer program means students intend to continue their education with a bachelor’s degree in mind. “Most of the time, students come to enroll and are not necessarily aware of the importance of knowing where they want to transfer. All four-year institutions that they plan to transfer to, they each have their own requirements for their four-year degree,” said Miranda Engelken, Business Instructor, who advises accounting transfer students. Transfer advisors want to give students the best advice possible when deciding where their next step will be. It is essential to talk with them about where they want to go and if that school matches their interest. “Each four-year college has their own degree requirements on their web
▲ Photo by HutchCC Marketing ▲ Business Instructor Miranda Engelken is a business transfer advisor. Her office is located in Lockman Hall 100.
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page, and usually you can go to their web page and just type in transfer, and it will break down by community college you are transferring from as far as what you should take here that would transfer to their program there,” Engelken said. “We also have a lot of institutions that are starting to do dual advising. Wichita State University does a great job, K-State started their own resource site for transfer students, and Fort Hays has good transfer dialog.” The first step a student must take is contacting the transfer college to set up an appointment and work with a transfer advisor. Students who want to complete an Associate of Science or Associate of Art degree will benefit in the long run to have it completed before going to a four-year college. A degree in hand shows their progress and intention to complete the next step. Leading the advising team at Hutchinson Community College is Christopher Lau, Coordinator Advising, Career Development, and Counseling Services. “One of the top reasons [to attend HutchCC] is because of the affordability of community college and we see this even more pronounced with the pandemic because you’ll have students that otherwise would’ve gone to a university, but with those universities converting classes to online, the students think ‘I can take nearly the same course and pay less money to take it at the community college,’ Lau said. “That’s one of the top reasons students choose us as a stepping stone.” Another reason is the strength of being able to transfer to another
university, the State of Kansas has the Board of Regents that aligns general education courses so they are transferable between institutions. “Third reason would be how much smaller we are,” said Lau. “Let’s say you want that university experience, and you have to take general biology. Imagine what it would feel like to be non-pandemic in a lecture hall with 800 students and not feeling like you have a connection with the instructor or really anyone else in the class cause it’s just so big. Whereas you can take that same course here and know the instructor’s name, and they know your name.” A list of transfer areas can be found on the HutchCC website for students interested in what the college offers. “For example, if students want to get into [Kansas University] pharmaceutical program, HutchCC is the place to start,” Lau said. “We have almost a 100 percent acceptance rate of students taking pharmacy here and then transferring to KU.” When it comes to taking steps to transfer, it is essential to talk about this with an advisor. “Talk to your HutchCC advisor because we have dual advising relationships with many of the universities in Kansas. So for example, let’s say a student came to me and told me I want to go to Wichita State,’ Lau said.‘I would have the student go to Wichita State’s website, fill out a form, and they would request an advisor at Wichita State even now while you’re at HutchCC. If the student does not know which university they plan to transfer to, there is no pressure to select one. “Let the university court you.
Dragon’s Tale • Student Transfer
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Universities will recruit high achieving academic students. They will offer scholarships and sell their institution because they want the enrollment. Don’t rule out private schools simply because of cost too much because often they offer more in scholarships that will make the price the same or less than one of those large public universities,” said Lau. A good transcript is a necessity when planning to transfer, that record travels with the student and scholarships are available to transfer students based on the grades they received while at HutchCC. “Some programs there is a primary transfer it’s just you don’t have to go in that area, but it makes the most sense,” Lau said. “Let’s say a student came in here and said that they wanted to go into pharmacy, that’s going to be a transfer to KU. If a student said architecture, probably the first school they would look at is K-State, so some of those transfer relationships just make sense. When a student is just an open book and has no idea where they want to go, it helps that
advisor learn more about their interests, likes, and dislikes.” If there is still some uncertainty, universities from around the state come to campus throughout the semester to offer assistance in connecting students with the right area at their college. Karina Varela, Scott City, said she knew attending HutchCC would be cheaper rather than attending another college with higher fees. It would be easier to get her general studies out of the way. She originally planned to attend Fort Hays but she was more familiar with people here instead of going straight there. Her next step after HutchCC is K-State. “The connection with instructors, I knew I wasn’t going to get at the university, and I’ve noticed that I can talk to my instructors personally,” Varela said.“Classes are much smaller and nicer being able to know what’s going on in class is great.” Varela had the chance to talk with her K-State advisor since she was already being dual-advised. Being able
to talk with her advisor and figure out what classes she needs to take for her engineering program has been beneficial. “Talk to your advisor. That’s what your advisor is there for, they’re here to help you and are going to help you,” said Varela. Taking that next step in education is a decision every student has to make but the HutchCC resources can help make the question of to transfer or not to transfer a little easier.
5-Step Application Process 1.) Choose a college you like Consider location and cost 2.) Fulfill the reqirements Fill out forms & submit essay 3.) Let someone recommend you Request letters from instructors 4.) Check throughly Ensure everything’s in order 5.) Complete and submit Best to submit before deadline
◄ Photo by Rocky Sanchez ◄ Karina Varela, Scott City, is talking with Christopher Lau, Coordinator Advising, Career development, and Conseling Services, about what to expect when she gets ready to transfer to Kansas State University. Lau is found in the Student Success Center in the Student Union if students have questions about where to transfer.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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Changing the Face of Media Working in a Male Dominated Field Kyli Dimmitt, Reporter & Designer
“I have been discriminated against. You can just tell when it happens,” Alexis Cruz, Video Editing/Post Production instructor, said. Facing discrimination against being a woman in the media production field isn’t new to Cruz. Although she may have had her fair share of discrimination, that doesn’t stop her. It only inspires her to work harder and prove herself even further. Cruz shared some experiences she’s had with discrimination. When she was working on editing a film with a small group of three that included herself, her friend who was also a girl, and a man. Whenever her and her friend would give opinions and insight, the person they were making the film for would brush it off and would only listen to what the man in the group had to say. Another experience she’s faced is when she and one of her friends were wanting to be president and vice president of the college’s Audio/Visual club. The club was predominantly made up of males and the others in the group wanted this one guy to be the president. “I could just tell it was because we were women and they wouldn’t want girls to lead,” she said. This didn’t stop Cruz from thriving. She said that she just focused on her projects and worked hard to show people what she could do.
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In 2019, she’s worked with several non-profits including Oxford House, Stage 9, and Bright House alongside her former instructor and now co-worker, Bobby Obermite, Media Production Analyst/Trainer. Part of her success can be measured in online views. The film on Oxford House got around 50,000 views almost instantly. The Stage 9 project was a play covering a really difficult subject matter. Cruz produced, edited, and directed the project. She also directed and edited the piece with Bright House. These projects came out within 3 weeks of each other. ▼ Photo by Kyli Dimmitt ▼ Alexis Cruz, Video Editing/Post Production instructor, reviews the work of Landon Eilert, Beloit, and Joy Reiss, St. Albans, Maine. The project they produced was a commercial ad.
“I don’t know when she found the time to sleep,” Obermite said. “I have a hard time producing content matching her level with 10 more years experience. She’s quite the prodigy.” The two have also worked together on a massive project on the pandemic where they turned it into a live comedy show and streamed it. “She was intricate on the cinematography, she edited the vast majority of it. Without her, that project probably wouldn’t have happened and it certainly couldn’t have ended up to the quality that it did,” Obermite said. “She makes
Dragon’s Tale • The Face of Media
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▲ Photo by Kyli Dimmitt ▲ During her down time, Cruz works on a personal project. After shooting the footage for any project, she reviewed the content during the editing stage.
the team so much better. You know when she’s on set, there’s a better chance of success.” Obermite described Cruz as a “jack of all trades.” He said his first impression of Cruz was how ahead of the material in class she was based off of experience alone. “She scored through the roof. An ‘A’ grade is one thing, but we’re talking about having a 98-99 percent in the class,” he said. When Cruz was graduating, instead of walking, she picked up a camera and helped film the HutchCC ceremony. Within a week or two of graduation she was offered a part-time job as the content designer at the college and 14 months later became a full-time employee with benefits. This led to her teaching a Video Editing and Post Production class. She’s also worked on everything from magazine ads to directing, editing, shooting, and producing for non-profits organizations, documentaries and narratives. Cruz’s current project list includes a
music video which she said is her favorite thing to produce. Her skills have even been appreciated outside of the country. She’s currently editing a video for a company from Canada. No matter the obstacles Cruz has faced over the years, she continues to thrive in her field. “Most of all,” she said, “I want people to see my work and get inspired.”
▲ Photo by Bobby Obermite ▲ Shooting the live footage for a documentary, Cruz concentrates on Robert Bubp. She worked behind the scenes to create an artist in their space documentary with several other media students.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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College During Covid How HutchCC handled a worldwide pandemic
Sydney Henke, Reporter & Designer
H
aving a mask everywhere you go, social distancing, smaller gatherings, and much more. The coronavirus has changed a lot of things and the regulations have become a new normal for everyone. On March 12, Governor Laura Kelly declared a state of emergency in Kansas. Three days later, Hutchinson Community College students received an email that spring break would start a week early. On March 16, face-to-face classes were suspended and moved to
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remote instruction. This was due to Covid-19 and how uncertain this virus was, the world was in a panic and no one knew what calls to make. “The coronavirus pandemic was something truly novel for us. We have never had to shut down our campus for a pandemic, nor would we have ever dreamed of this scenario. So the sheer unexpected nature of this, coupled with the fact, that there is no playbook on how to handle this, we were building the plane while it was in the air,” Dana Hinshaw, Director of Residence Life
and Student Activities, said. HutchCC had big choices to make in order to protect their students and faculty. Students officially returned to campus on Aug. 12 for face-to-face classes at the beginning of the fall semester. A lot of changes were made including socially-distanced classrooms and required masks in all campus buildings. Rather than having finals before Christmas break they will be done after Thanksgiving, meaning the fall semester ends on Nov. 30. In a student survey, 47 percent of
Dragon’s Tale • College During Covid
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d ◄ Photo by Sydney Henke ◄ The blue X’s mark where students cannot sit due to social distancing guidlines in the Justice Theater classroom in Shears Technlogy Center. Dan Naccarato, Business Management/Entrepreneurship Prof..
A F students said Covid-19 changed their plans for the fall 2020 semester. “Covid-19 affected my fall semester by not having the opportunity to make as many friends,” Liz Florence, Council Grove, said. Student life has definitely changed. Students living on campus aren’t allowed to have anyone that is not a dorm student inside the building. This is upsetting to a lot of students. HutchCC is still trying to give their students the full college experience. The annual activities fair could not be
in person and instead a virtual activities fair was created for students to stay involved and find their squad. “There was no ‘playbook’ for this event,” HutchCC President Carter File said. In order to continue with in-person classes it is very important that students and faculty continue following all of the rules and guidelines. HutchCC is rewarding students for following the rules and guidelines rather than punishing those who don’t. “We actually instituted a program, where we check the camera system each morning during the week, from the night or weekend prior and give a free wash and dry in our laundry or a free Bogey’s shake coupon to four students each day that we catch with a mask on. We don’t want to be using a stick, we would rather use a carrot to encourage safe protocols for our students,” Hinshaw said. HutchCC expects the spring 2021 semester to be much like the fall semester. They hope to lighten restrictions and requirements and continue to be hopeful that they will have Blue Dragon athletics in the spring, fine art events and that the Dillon Lecture series will return. The HutchCC board of trustees approved a new spring calendar that removed spring break and moved graduation to Apr. 30. “I think that if fall 2020 has shown
us anything it has shown that with grit and determination of our faculty, staff, and students, and by working together we can make a difficult situation work,” said File. A new normal is not something HutchCC was looking to create in 2020 but even in the uncertain time they are continuing to provide students with the college experience.
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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◄ Photo by Sydney Henke ◄ Lylia Fernandez, Newton. Works on her homework at Rimmer Learning Resoruce Center. Computers in the library were spread out to follow social distancing guidlines.
Signs posted around campus to inform students an
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Dragon’s Tale • College During Covid
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face shield
what kind of masks do hutchcc students prefer wearing?
4%
surgical mask
cloth mask
neck gaiter
bandana
25%
66%
5%
0%
▼ Photo by Sydney Henke ▼ Liz Florence, Council Grove. Walks through campus following guidlines wearing her mask.
A Thank you from President File
ts and visitors
I want to thank the students and parents who put their trust in the HutchCC to deliver face-to-face classes and showed confidence that we would do so in a safe and appropriate manner. I also want to thank the students for being willing to wear a mask, socially distance, and otherwise be disrupted in the day to day college experience. Faculty deserve a great deal of thanks and appreciation for being here to deliver these classes face-to-face and for the outstanding work they did in Spring 2020 when everything changed. They worked together to help one another get classes ready for distributed delivery and they worked with students to make sure your learning experience was complete and comprehensive. The faculty deserve credit and thanks for their efforts. Staff has also done an outstanding job keeping the campus safe and open during these very challenging times. There was no “playbook” for this event. We had to adapt and improvise and HutchCC staff did this very effectively. I want to thank senior leadership staff for all of their support, ideas, and col-
laboration during this event. They did an outstanding job in extremely difficult circumstances. Finally, I want everyone - student, faculty, and staff -- to thank our Board of Trustees and the leadership they showed throughout this challenging time. They have always kept the well being and safety of our students as their guiding principle, but they also have done an outstanding job of keeping the best interests of Hutchinson Community College the organization in mind as they make difficult decisions. Carter File College President
Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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HutchCC students, staff and faculty sport a variety of masks on campus
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Dragon’s Tale • Face Masks
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Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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HutchCC eagerly waited for the newly renovated cafeteria to be completed. Hannah Brummer, Reporter & Designer
▲ Photo by Hannah Brummer ▲ Enjoying a pronto pup and a gourmet grilled cheese at the Food Truck Night are Cody Flax, Culver, and Jacob Younger, Hutchinson. Students also had outdoor games available to them. ▼ Photo by Hannah Brummer ▼ Progress to the new cafeteria continued prior to the Oct. 1 opening. The cafeteria had been under construction since Jan. 2019.
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Construction causes inconveniences, especially when it affects plans to eat every day. Renovations to the Parker Student Union cafeteria have been underway since January of 2019. On Oct. 1, students, staff and faculty sat in the new space eating their first meal. “We have renovated 12,000 square feet of the cafeteria and added around 4,500 square feet of commercial kitchen. We are also renovating another 12,000 square feet downstairs,” said Julie Blanton, Vice President of Finance and Operations. While the cafeteria was still being renovated, the students on the meal plan had to adjust to a temporary cafeteria location. “As of the beginning of the school year, the students are being fed out of the northeast end [of the] Sports Arena. There are tables set up where
students can stay and eat if they choose to,” said Dana Hinshaw, Director of Residence Life and Student Activities. “The cafeteria staff serves the food into styrofoam containers so students can take their food with them or sit and eat in the gym.” The unfinished cafeteria at the beginning of the school year brought up quite a few challenges for the students. “Itisalotfurtherawayfromthe dorms so there are students who drive there to get their food, especially for the evening meal. They also do not have as many choices of food as they u s u a l l y d o f o r t h e i r m e a l s ,” said Hinshaw. Students living in the dorms and college apartments get something new along with their meal plans called Dragon Dollars. The Dragon Dollars can be used at the new grab n’ go kiosk in the renovated cafeteria or at Papa Johns located just north of campus. Students on the meal plans will receive 150 Dragon Dollars each ▼ Photo by Hannah Brummer ▼ Waiting in line at Val’s Berry Bowls is a group of HutchCC students. There were six different food trucks for students to choose from.
Dragon’s Tale • Cafeteria Renovation
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semester. They are able to use all of them in one semester or they can save them and they will transfer over to the next semester. “Some of the additions to the cafeteria remodel consist of a traditional lunch line, fast food grill, salad bar, pizza and pasta station, deli bar, display cooking area, and a grab n’go kiosk,” said Jack Kipp, Great Western Dining Food Service Director. The estimated completion date of the cafeteria was originally scheduled for Aug. 1. Due to setbacks such as the 2019-2020 school year being cut short, the cafeteria was not able to be opened to the students and faculty until the first of October. “Our original estimate for the cost of the renovation was between 4.5 million to 5 million. It is probably going to be closer to 5.6 million dollars. HutchCC also received a grant of $350,000 from the Sunderland Foundation,” said Blanton. The Campus Activity Board hosted a food truck night the evening before the newly renovated cafeteria opened. This allowed the cafeteria staff to get everything moved in and ready to serve food the next day. “It was nice because the food was on campus and close and it was a bunch of really good local food,” Jacob Younger, Hutchinson, said about the food truck night. With the cafeteria officially up and running, students are enjoying every part of it. From the pizza station to the grab n’go kiosk, every new addition is being put to good use. “I really like the new look of it with all the different kinds of tables and booths. It looks very modern and put together. It feels homier overall with it not being so wide open like before,” said Shonsee Loewen, Montezuma. “I also
like that all the food is in one place now with all the different stations because before you had to choose and there were always really long lines downstairs and a lot of waiting time. So if you were in a hurry you wouldn’t have time. I like the workers’ new uniforms. They look a lot more professional. It’s just a lot more convenient and looks super nice.”
▲ Photo by Hannah Brummer ▲ Student Government Association President Zachary Shanline, Pratt, chooses his breakfast in the newly renovated cafeteria. Shanline was the first student to go through the line. ▼ Photo by Hannah Brummer ▼ Former HutchCC student and president, Dr. Ed Berger is the first person to go through the new cafeteria line. When Berger was a student in 1963, he was the third student to go through the line in the new cafeteria.
Dragon’s Tale • October 2020
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Cutting
▼ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▼ Students experience learning while social distancing. Classroom tables arespread apart and only one student is allowed at each table.
Through
COVID Instructors and students experience learning in a new way. Greysin Wirths, Reporter & Designer
▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲ Amanda Lamkin, Hutchinson, perfects her styling skills. She completed one of the five stamps required at the end of every month.
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COVID-19 has changed lives and forced a new normal, causing a stay-at-home order that shut down businesses and schools across Kansas. At Hutchinson Community College, the decision was made to move to remote learning on March 16. This left the cosmetology program to face new challenges. Cosmetology requires a very hands-on learning environment so it was almost impossible to learn efficiently through the online method. Many students were uncomfortable with the sudden switch. “We had two weeks of down time and only the unknown,” Nicole Ray, Hutchinson, said. From March 16 until June 1 cosmetology students had to learn virtually. Students were allowed back on campus at the start of June but freshmen and senior classes were to be kept separate into morning and afternoon classes. When not on campus they were at home studying through a hybrid method which combines in person classes and online instruction. In July, students were back full time on campus, but without clients until Sept. 1. “Packed everything up and took it home, had to do everything on our bib heads,” Emma Kaberline, McPherson, said about the sudden switch from in-person classes to online. Most students were not comfortable with the technology so they had to send in pictures of their bib heads through Facebook Messenger. “Students need hands-on learning so moving to online was stressful,” said Stevie Gulic, Cosmetology Trainer. Because of COVID-19, students have lost four months of interaction with real clients. ► Photo by Greysin Wirths ► Bib heads sit patiently waiting to get their hair styled again. The school assigns five bib heads per student cosmetology student.
Dragon’s Tale • Cosmetology
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Students now start their day at 9 a.m. with theory and book work, leading to the floor to work on what they just learned and practice on clients or their mannequin heads. They also complete “stamps” where students have to do five certain hairstyles on their bib heads to hand in at the end of the month when they do not have clients at their station. Students have lost the opportunity to get the full experience of communication without real clients. “With COVID restrictions, we have less clients” said Emma Kaberline, McPherson Other changes made because of COVID-19 include not being able to take tours to other salons or having mock interviews with salon owners which gives them professional connections for finding jobs after graduation. Another downfall is not being able to attend events such as Skills USA, where all the students across the United States competed against others in their field. “My only fear is that a client will not communicate if they have been exposed to Corona virus ending in the school shutting down again” said Bailee Stewart, Hutchinson. Interaction with clients also brings the uncertainty of being exposed to the coronavirus. “Students need the crazy and unpredictability on the floor from the clients,” said Alex Hass, Cosmetology Program Coordinator. Most students in cosmetology also have kids so going to study at the library is not an option for them. As well as students aren’t allowed to only do online but they are allowed to get 10 hours a week at home if they need. The instructors are doing their best to maintain a sense of normalcy by keeping positive spirits and wearing fun masks while teaching. Everyone is close like family. Due to COVID19, Hass has been kept from her distant family, so students took the time to surprise her with a baby shower celebrating the upcoming delivery of her third child. “It really meant a lot to me,” Hass said. Even with the necessary changes, the cosmetology program strives to keep their doors open so students can continue learning in the classroom setting.
▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲ Dacie Ellis, Hutchison, focuses on curling her bib head’s hair. Students were required to work on bib heads when they were not with a client.
▲ Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲ Alexis Faudoa, Hutchinson, rinses out a client’s hair while following COVID-19 prodicals of wearing a mask. Students and clients were both required to wear masks.
▲Photo by Greysin Wirths ▲ Waxing eyebrows, Emma Kaberline, McPherson, applies a post-deplitory lotion. Waxing is one of the services provided at the cosmetology school.
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PANDEMIC PLAYS
Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer
Change is difficult. While working around changes due to Covid19, the Hutchinson Community College theatre department had to come up with a way to continue the show. The first production of the year had a much different look. Due to the pandemic, Theatre Director Deidre Mattox and her students performed Pandemic Plays in a creative social distancing way. In order to adhere to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, students were located in different rooms throughout the Stringer Fine Arts Center. Each individual student was equipped with a laptop, video camera and props and performed in front of a green screen. Throughout the play, they acted out different scenarios within a Zoom video call which was broadcast live to audience members. These scenes all have to do with the experiences that many people faced during the pandemic quarantine.
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To conclude the play, the cast each performed their part of a poem and then all of them joined together, six feet apart and masked, to bow. Pandemic plays CAST: Tori Thurston Shelby Kemp Keely Schmidt Nick Hockett Shay Brown Hannah Hayden Andrew Voth Maisy Lowers Marissa Franz Emmalyn Gaeddert
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Changing Student Health Why students need to know about Prairie Star and the resources they provide. Brogen Willich, Reporter & Designer
Being away from home for the first time combined with being sick, especially in the middle of a pandemic, can cause students and parents additional stress. Health services have changed at Hutchinson Community College and students should know where to go and how to get help if they get sick or injured. Hutchinson Area Student Health Services (HASHS) is an organization that started about 30 years ago. It was started to provide free basic healthcare and check ups for college and high school students. The health center ▼ Photo by Brogen Willich ▼ Dana Hinshaw, Residence Life Director, leads a resident’s assistant meeting. Hinshaw played a big role in choosing the new student health center.
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that was once located north of the main campus parking lot has now been changed to Prairie Star due to cost. Healthcare is a hot topic in today’s world with the Covid-19 pandemic. It has affected everyone’s lives over the past seven months, and is still affecting the students at HutchCC. “I hope this will be better for our students because they have extended hours,” Dana Hinshaw, Residence Life Director, said about the student health center change. Prairie Star is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The facility offers more services and more equipment, like pediatric, dental, behavioral health, occupational medicine, vision and optical, lab, x-rays, mammograms and money-saving pharmacy programs. Prairie Star’s mission is to provide healthcare to anyone and everyone in Hutchinson. When it comes to the coronavirus, Hinshaw hopes we don’t get a lot of cases on campus because that could mean repercussions. She made it clear that they are trying to use the “carrot” approach rather than the “stick” approach to encourage students to wear masks and properly social distance. Hinshaw said that other colleges are taking a more strict route by punishing students with fines but she hopes that HutchCC doesn’t get to that point. “We don’t want everyone feeling like it’s a prison,” Hinshaw said. She said students are good about wearing masks from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but after 5 p.m. is a struggle for students in
the dorms. That’s why the residence life team always tells students to wear their masks. They know how hard it is to wear a mask at the dorms because that’s home to the students. “Every night we check cameras in the dorms and public areas and pick four students, two get a free wash and dry, and two get free Bogey’s shake coupons,” said Hinshaw. Antonio Cooper, Junction City, said, “I’ve seen a couple people not wearing a mask around but we’re doing pretty good.” Cooper said students are doing a good job wearing their masks. If students continue to wear masks, classes may be able to stay on campus. While on the other hand, if student’s do not follow the rules, campus may be shut down again. Being a student-athlete on the track team, Cooper said, “The coaches are strict, they send us messages and emails every single day, they do temp checks, and really just stay on us to wear our masks.” These extra steps in communication and staying on top of it are why we can continue to stay in school. Prairie Star is provided so that students can stay ahead of their medical situations, especially relevant with Covid-19. They are here for students to get the medical attention they need. If students continue to wear masks in their halls and around campus and follow social distancing guidelines, classes have a chance of staying in-person.
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◄ Photo by Brogen Willich ◄ Track athlete Antonio Cooper, Junction City, sports his mask while walking through the hallway of the dorms. Cooper is a freshman thrower who competes in shotput, discus, javelin, and hammer.
▼ Photo by Brogen Willich ▼ Serving as the new student health center, Prairie Star Health Center, is located at 2700 E. 30th Ave.
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Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer KJ Ryan, Photographer
The lives of Americans changed forever when the twin towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001. America will never forget that day and neither will firefighters for generations to come. On that day out of the 2,977 individuals that fell victim to the attack, 343 of them were firefighters. To pay respect to the firefighters who sadly lost their lives that day, the Hutchinson Community College Fire Science program commemorated the fallen firefighters with a ceremony. Four students layed a fireman’s uniform underneath the American flag at half mast. The ceremony will continue to be a tradition within the program as they pay tribute to those who lost their lives doing their job.
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Break Through Marketing
▼ Photo by Regan LaRue ▼ Gavin Tate, Business Development Director, cracks a joke in a meeting with the team at QueenBee. The fellowship and work environment in their office added to the team’s performance.
QueenBee Marketing strives to create the new pathways of marketing for their clients’ new needs. Regan LaRue, Reporter & Designer
Companies thrive when people hear about their business. There was a need in the Hutchinson community and a vision when QueenBee Marketing was started. The local company strives to create new pathways of marketing for their clients’ latest needs. QueenBee was first developed in 2015 with the goal set to create quality social media services. Gavin Tate, Business Development Director, said, “As we started doing things that were very unique and successful, other industries started to take note and wanted in on the same stuff.”
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This led to the creation of a team that could offer a wide range of services. QueenBee does it all, with the skills each team member brings to the table, including graphic design, web design, account representatives, and videography to only name a few. The unique set of skills within the team allows QueenBee to reach out to more clientele. The world changes more and more every day, so what a marketing team used to simply do for a company is now the bare minimum. In the past, a marketing team may just help a company make a slogan or hire a photographer to shoot a photo for a billboard, but with QueenBee there’s no need to hire outside parties. They can complete a company’s needs all within their office. Their office space is just as unique as the services they provide. The ordinary cubicle office is replaced with a wide open space shared by the whole team. There’s also a recording room for any of
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◄ Photo by Regan LaRue ◄ Theodore McFarland, Web and Graphic Designer, talks about the project he’s been working on. McFarland worked on numerous projects each day. ▼ Photo by Regan LaRue ▼ The team listens to Loribeth Reynolds, Operations Manager, as she talks about upcoming projects. It took a group effort for the team to prepare for projects.
their clients’ audio needs, a photography studio, and a large meeting room with hanging chairs to create a more cozy and friendly atmosphere. The space also includes fun areas such as a loft with games and a large kitchen with a bar. “I do love this office, it’s very open, it has a great atmosphere and we do have fun here,” Tate said. “Though I do have to remind people we have fun here because we do our jobs very well.” In order to provide a wide range of services, they have to have the talent to fill those spots. As QueenBee said, they’re all incredibly busy bees, coming into work each day their always met with a new surprise. Tate said, “I love coming in everyday knowing that we’re gonna see something really creative happen and different from the day before.” Everyday is a new day at QueenBee. Very few of the teammates have a day at
the office like the day before, their plans and activities change on a daily basis. Tate said, “I’m constantly on the go and I’m always meeting with a member on our team.” He continued “A lot of the team have pretty crazy days but for maybe a position as an account rep could maybe be more day to day.” Though the business is dedicated to providing a great atmosphere for their employees, they are also committed to taking care of their clients’ needs. The company has grown very fast within their five years. The hard work and dedication from it’s team to create a unique full-service agency has really pushed QueenBee to the next level. Tate said, “As our clients’ names grew we expanded and became a full service marketing agency.” QueenBee strives to continue to improve in the marketing field, they work hard and diligently to become the best of the best.
▲ Photo by Regan LaRue ▲ Tate works on current projects at his desk in the open office space. The office space allows for open communication between team members.
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Making Music on Campus HutchCC Musicians Face Changes and Challenges With COVID-19 Azia Colvin, Reporter & Designer
Imagine sitting in an auditorium where friends, families, and strangers are all sitting right next to each other. A hum of voices from different conversations can be heard until the lights dim and the chatter begins to diminish. The instruments begin to crescendo into a note to make sure they’re all tuned correctly, and the performers are ready to begin. For musicians, this was what they have been working for, a live audience who will hear sound. In March, many questioned if they would be able to perform live music at Hutchinson Community College again, and if so, what it would look like. There were many unknowns when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and since then, many changes and challenges have arisen. “It certainly is not easy right now to enforce new rules and enforce the safety of our students,” Chris Miertschin, Band and String Instructor, said. “But live music is an experience like no other, and we would do anything to be able to keep that experience.” Neal Allsup, Choir Instructor, has been conducting choir for 37 years, and this will be his 33rd year with HutchCC, but his first year experiencing the challenges that Covid-19 has presented. “This year has been a struggle with finding facilities that adhere to social distancing requirements, as there are not many rooms that can hold 60 people standing six feet apart,” Allsup said. “But we are very fortunate to have the Gallery Theatre to perform in.” In the theatre, the floor is marked with x’s to indicate where everyone should stand based on social distancing. Choir is also required to wear masks while singing, and they have to sanitize just about everything before and after classes, reducing the amount of time they are able to rehearse. “Masks create a lot of frustrations with performing, with glasses getting fogged up and difficulty communicating,” Shonsee Loewen, Montezuma, said. “In jazz choir, we base a lot
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▲ Photo by Azia Colvin ▲ Playing the trombone may have some new challenges, but Simon Steinert, McPherson, continues to play. Brass players now have to use bell covers and puppy pads underneath their spit valves.
of our communication on facial expressions and each other’s mouths, but now we don’t have that. While it is frustrating, we all are very glad to be back.” “I’ve definitely had to adapt my teaching and conducting style,” Allsup said. “One way that I’ve done so is including literature for us to sing that fits the situation at hand, such as dealing with all these unknowns and learning to enjoy the present because it could be gone in just a second, just like how it was back in March.” As for the band groups at HutchCC, they are facing a different set of challenges. “We had to purchase additional equipment and have masks with specific holes to put the instrument through,” Miertschin said. “We now have bell covers for any instrument with a bell such as the trombone or trumpet, which significantly reduces
What’s new
Masks with holes to place the instrument’s mouthpieces in.
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risks, and the flutes now have wind defenders which cover the mouth piece.” Despite all these challenges, HutchCC musicians are staying positive and are happy to at least be back rehearsing and working towards performing. “As a music major, performing is the most important part of developing my musicianship,” Loewen said. As of right now, the music department is planning on doing the regularly scheduled concerts, just with a few changes. There will be reduced seating so that families can sit together, but there must be two seats between different families or an empty row in between to adhere to social distancing. The music department is also planning on streaming concerts online and maybe even looking towards performing outdoors. If there is one thing musicians are learning this year, it is how to prevail in the face of serious challenges. “For us musicians, singing in masks is a wonderful opportunity for us to be overcomers,” Allsup said. “We are presented with this challenge that would seem almost impossible months ago, but we will still overcome and do what we love in the face of obstacles.” Miertschin said, “These changes may be pretty big challenges, but they are making us better as musicians and forcing us to be stronger players.”
Puppy pads for instruments with a spit valve to collect the spit.
Bell covers to stop any germs from escaping bell instruments.
▲ Photo by Azia Colvin ▲ The pep band continues through rehearsal even during the pandemic. Chris Miertschin, Band Instructor, eagerly began to instruct rehearsal in hopes of keeping live music performances alive. ▼ Photo by Azia Colvin ▼ Flute players now are required to use a special piece of equipment called wind defenders. Red Bridges, Hutchinson, practiced playing their flute just before rehearsal begam.
Air purifiers to keep the air fresh and clean in the band room.
X’s in the Gallery Theatre to socially distance singers.
Santizer used to wipe down everything after use.
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Running
through the
Pandemic
Cross Country runners continue fall season through pandemic. Myranda Stika, Reporter & Designer
Hutchinson Community College sports are a little different this fall. Cross country is the only sport allowed to compete for a national championship during the fall semester after restrictions were put on by the National Junior College Athletic Association due to Covid-19. Golf is also allowed to compete in their fall meets but won’t finish until spring. The women’s cross country team had their first race on Sept. 4 at Fun Valley Sports Complex. This night race was the only home event for the team this year. Returning as head coach is Justin Riggs who has been at HutchCC since the 2012 season. A new face on the course is Assistant Coach Hannah Heidebrect who was once a Blue Dragon athlete herself. Covid-19 has played a role in this year’s cross country season. Not only has the virus impacted each student but it’s also affected the faculty, staff and coaches across campus who have to make sure their students and athletes are healthy. “I am currently constantly anxious for everyone’s health,” Riggs said. “I think the most challenging thing this season will be keeping all the athletes healthy not just at HCC but at other schools in our conference. There
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are moments where we, as a team, find ourselves worrying if we are going to have the next meet we are supposed to be running,” Heidebrecht said. Many reactions came from the fall sports season changes. Returning runner Megan Miller, Buhler, said, “I was a little surprised. I was really grateful that we are still able to compete and do what we love and just make the most of it.” “We are fortunate to be able to compete this fall and [I am] grateful for the opportunity,” Riggs said. In her days as a HutchCC student, Heidebrecht ran cross country under the direction of Coach Riggs. “When I applied to be a high school math teacher at Hutch, I thought about asking Coach Justin Riggs if I could come to practices as a volunteer and help out,” Heidebrecht said. “Coach Riggs sought me out during my first week of teaching to bring me on the team. That was my sign I was to start coaching my first year of teach-
ing,” Heidebrect said. “I am forever thankful for that. I love working with people to help with improvement, encouragement, and for creating a safe environment.” Heidebrecht looks forward to this year coaching alongside Riggs. “I am most excited about learning how coaching works alongside a great group of athletes and Coach Justin Riggs. I have learned so much this first month already. I am also excited to see a family built among the team members and having a smashing season,” Heidebrecht said. The bond between coaches and athletes is also important. “Coach Justin Riggs and I switch off each week with who is working with the men and who is working with the ladies. I also try to run with the ladies as much as I can to help build relationships but also let them know I understand the pain they are going through,” Heidebrecht said. This season does require a few adaptations due to Covid-19 but for the most part is similar to years past.
► Photo by Myranda Stika ► Crossing the finish line with a time of 19.55, Sheila Too, Eldoret, Kenya, receives seventh place. Too is a sophomore runner at Hutchinson Community College.
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“Our training for our workouts is pretty much the same, workout wise and intensity wise. The only difference is getting temp checks before practice and wearing masks in the vans when we’re going somewhere,” Miller said. Miller has been running cross country since she was in seventh grade. “Last season was definitely an eye opener for me. It was my first year running at the college level,” Miller said, “You’re running against different people that you haven’t ran against but it is a lot of fun.” Mostly considered an individual sport, cross country is also a team sport. “It’s a mental sport, so you have to be strong mentally to push yourself farther in a race,” Miller said. “What I enjoy most is probably the team aspect of it,” Miller said. “Like for cross country, I like getting to meet new people and just becoming closer as a group through doing our workouts and being around each other.” Continued on page 32
▲ Photo by Myranda Stika ▲ Racing to the finish line is Izzy Wheeler, Belleville. HutchinsonCC earned third place at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic.
▼ Photo by Myranda Stika ▼ Making her way through the last lap is Noel Hidalgo, Hooker, Okla. The meet took place at Fun Valley Sports Complex in Hutchinson on Sept. 4.
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Cross Country
Comeback
Dylan Shah, Reporter & Designer
The Terry Masterson Invitational is a unique four-mile race with a bright setting under the lights. This one-mile loop around the Fun Valley Softball Complex is a path that consists of a mix of grass/dirt that winds down service roads and crossings that make the Masterson Twilight Classic one of the best early season college runs in the region. After a successful 2019 season, the Blue Dragons men’s team was looking to compete at the same or higher level like they had before. After the loss of sophomore runners, the stakes were high. Each and every runner has to perform their best and maintain peak physical health to reach thier goal. ▲ Photo by Dylan Shah ▲ Tegan Flanagan, Wichita, and Matthew Scharag, Hutchinson, stride forward straight out of the start line. Flanagan and Schaarg both beat their freshmen records at this years Twighlight Classic.
▲ Photo by Dylan Shah ▲ Tegan Flangan, Wichita, leads early in the race at
the
2020
Masterson
Classic.
The Blue Dragons ran hard and placed third overall as a team with four runners placing in the top 20. HutchCC’s very own Tegan Flanagan, Wichita, ran neck and neck with Cloud County’s Habtamu Geta for the race lead. The two swapped the lead through the first two miles of the four-mile course. Geta started to gain distance from Flanagan during the third mile and wounded up winning the men’s individual title outpacing Flanagan by 12.5 seconds. Flanagan outran his posted freshman time on the same course by 1 minute, 17 seconds with a time of 20:26.0. Flanagan recorded the third-fastest Masterson time by a Blue Dragon and the eighth-fastest time overall ever recorded at the Masterson Invitational. Flanagan wasn’t the only Blue Dragon with a big performance, Sophomore Jacob McElhanon, Midlothian, Texas, became the second Blue Dragon finisher placing sixth overall with a time of 22:03.4. Sophomore Matthew Schrag, Hutchinson, also had a strong 2020 season debut after finishing 13th while outpacing his freshman Masterson time by 48 seconds with a time of 22:16.9. The fourth Blue Dragon top 20 finisher with a great debut was freshman Cameron Delaney, Osborne, in 19th with a time of 22:39.6. Sophomore Andrew Holt, Lago Vista, Texas, just missed the top 20 with a 21st-place performance and a time of 22:46.8.
Flanagan finshed with a record time of 20:26.0.
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▼ Photo by Dylan Shah ▼ Aaron Geissinger, Abilene, races his first ever
▼ Photo by Dylan Shah ▼ Terry
Master-
son Twilight Classic. Geissinger finshed with a time of 23:37.7
Matthew Scharag, Hutchinson, runs towards a new personal record at the 2020 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic. Scharag finshed in thirteenth place.
RUNNInG THROUGH COVID-19 The global pandemic known as Covid-19 has completely changed the way the American society lives in today’s world. Athletics are just a part of the many changes being made but the Blue Dragons cross country team was able to have a somewhat normal season this year. The virus forced the Blue Dragons in a tougher than usual position. Head Coach Justin Riggs said, “The biggest difference this year from the recent years is that our depth being a lot smaller. With the inability of bringing in out-ofcountry recruits due to Covid, the stakes are higher than
usual. Each and every runner has to perform their best and maintain peak physical health to reach this season’s goal. Not only do the runners have to be their best, I myself have to make sure I’m creating the best running plan possible to make sure we’re getting the best out of each runner due to that lack of depth.” Even with many challenges to face this season, Riggs is confident in making it into the top three teams in their region.
Hutch CC IS RANKED 3Rd INTHIS YEARS NJCAA DIV. I MEN’S XC RANKINGS ▲ Photo by Dylan Shah ▲ Jacob McElhanon, Midlothian, Texas, crosses the finish line as the second Blue Dragon to finish. McElhanon finished in 6th place.
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Continued from page 29
Recruiting athletes has been difficult during the Covid-19 restrictions. Due to various reasons related to the virus, HutchCC lost seven runners. “I think something that is not talked about much is that the coaches work really hard each year to recruit and develop their teams and Covid has disrupted a lot of that previous work due to early graduations, transfers, or student-athletes who were simply uncomfortable coming to school amid
a pandemic,” Riggs said. “My main goal when recruiting is getting the recruit on-campus for a visit because we have such a great institution that really sells itself once they see it in person,” Riggs said. Both coaches have goals for their athletes to reach this season. “I hope the athletes learn how to balance school and athletics. I hope the athletes have felt a part of something bigger than they did in high school with
finding family in their peers, confiding in their coaches and teachers, as well as growing as an individual,” Heidebrect said. “Besides leaving a legacy, I hope each athlete leaves knowing they have come to do what they came for.” “I hope they find a sense of belonging and that they feel attached to something bigger than themselves,” Riggs said.“It’s trying to communicate the idea that we are all connected and rely on each other for success.”
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