Welcome to Kilgore College, Rangers! Important Dates: NOW - Pick up your KC ID/Ranger Card, Enrollment Validation Sticker and 2018-2019 Parking Permit - NOW August 27 - First Class Day August 30 - KC Kickoff in Lee Mall/ Miller Plaza at 11 a.m. August 31 - Campuses close early at 2:45 p.m. (Labor Day) September 3- No School (Labor Day) The Zone Tutoring Labs will open on the first class day on both the Kilgore and Longview campuses for the fall semester. We offer FREE tutoring and computer-use services to all KC students! We have peer tutors available for Math, Science, Reading, English, Social Studies, Speech and most core curriculum courses.
Jamie Maldonado/ Special to THE FLARE
Melanie Bonner, Testing Services, helps students during late registration on Tuesday morning.
Monday
Vol. 82, No. 1 Serving Kilgore College since 1936
August 27, 2018
Fire Academy graduates seven TIMOTHY SIRUS Staff Writer
O
n August 22, the Kilgore College Fire Academy graduated seven students from Academy #104 for completing its rigorous firefighter program. The academy held the ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in the Van Cliburn Auditorium at the Kilgore Campus, with many supportive parents, relatives and friends present. Before cadets were able to cross the stage that evening and receive certificates, they had to complete 12 weeks of on-site courses and numerous exams, along with a series of on-site training drills created to test and build their integrity as firefighters. The lead instructor of the KC Fire Academy, Michael Fennell, assumed the podium first to congratulate the cadets on their achievement and to discuss the importance of quality firefighter training at KC. “We had a very tiring, hot time these last 12 weeks. They’ve learned how to fight fire when it was 108 degrees,” Fennell said. “But they’ve made it. They’ve all worked, and they deserve what I hope is in their future.” Instructor Fennell, who retired from the Longview Fire Department following 30 years of service, works hard with all his cadet groups to ensure that classes run smoothly, trainings are coordinated and students remain encouraged to stay in his program. “This program would not be possible without part-time instructors, who are fulltime professional firefighters and take off vacation time,” he added. Fennell acknowledged the names and contributions of each part-time teacher before introducing Fire Academy Director Michael Simmons, who first mentioned the Fire Academy’s training partnership with Eastman Chemical Company. “Our course consists of over 470 course hours of work: time in the classroom, physical skills. It’s actually broken down into four classes taken one at a time,” Simmons said, emphasizing the thorough curriculum Academy #104 had to complete. Simmons also spoke about how instructors trained the ceremony’s graduates in industrial firefighting to accompany their current education in municipal firefighting. According to Fennell, he, Simmons and David Aktinson, the Fire Chief at Eastman, rendezvoused with Chris Osborne, one of the fire academy’s part-time teachers, earlier this year at Eastman to discuss training KC cadets in industrial fire control. Leaving the graduates with seasoned advice, guest speaker Andy Parker insisted that they never forget how to be students, elaborating that the history of their department would provide them with unforeseen opportunities.
Top: Cadets pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony of graduation from Fire Academy #104. Far left: Caitlin Deaguero presents lead instructor Michael Fennell with an appreciation gift from the class. Left: Reneé Golden leads the opening ceremony in her rendition of the national anthem. Photos by Grace Garcia / THE FLARE
Parker then capitalized on the importance of firefighters’ physical and mental health, stating that 30 U.S. firefighters died from cardiac arrest in 2017 and that 20 percent of firefighters develop PTSD at some point in their careers. Class President of Academy #104, Caitlin Deaguero, addressed the crowd. Deaguero is the second woman elected class president in the history of the KC Fire Academy.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in each of our careers and after months of training, we finally made it,” Deaguero said. “I’d like to thank everyone who’s made this possible for us.” When approached in the hall after the ceremony, another graduate, Brady Carroll, said, “I love helping people, and I don’t think I know of a better job where you can do that at than this.”
KC Board renews President’s contract; approves budget ADRIANA CISNEROS EMERSON Executive Editor KC Board met Monday, Aug. 13, and made a series of decisions that will impact employees, staff and students. KC President Brenda Kays’ contract was renewed for another five years on August 13. The Board, represented by nine members, voted unanimously for Dr. Kays to remain the president until 2023. Chris Craddock, Coordinator of Public and Sports Information, said the Board’s meeting started with Dr. Staci Martin, vice president of institutional planning, talking about the Quality Enhancement Plan that “is to be carried out mainly as an initiative to improve student writing and that is achieved
by providing support for both students and faculty.” Craddock also said one way they will be doing this by putting in a writing studio in the Kilgore campus and also in the Longview campus, among other strategies. Craddock said that Kays’ contract extension for another five years and having the Board’s support will have a positive impact on the institution by giving it stability. Another decision made unanimously by the Board was for the KC tax rate to remain the same for another fiscal year. The tax rates are to be kept the same as they have been since September 2015. However, because doing so will bring more tax revenue, two public hearings have been arranged at noon, August 24, and at 6 p.m., August 30 in the McLaurin Administration
Building. In other business, the Board approved a budget 3.6 percent larger than the previous years’ budget, now of $42.836.321 for fiscal year 2019. This decision lead to the approval of a 3 percent salary increase. “It’s been three years since the last salary or pay increase for faculty and staff, so it’s something that Kilgore College employees are really excited about,” said Chris Craddock. KC Board swore in two new board members over the summer: Janice Bagley will fill the unexpired term of Bob Heath (retired) for the South Zone, and Jon Rowe will fill the unexpired term of James Walker (deceased) for the North Zone.
GRADUATES
n Bradly Brown, Canton Tx n Brady Carroll, Kilgore Tx n Jacob Moorman, Lindale Tx n Trent Richardson, Lindale Tx n Dylan Henry, Normangee Tx n Blake Kirkpatrick, Pittsburg Tx n Caitlin Deaguero, White Oak Tx
Come enjoy our Party In The Plaza DESTINY BALDWIN Staff Writer KC Campus ministries is hosting their fourth annual back to school bash, Party in the Plaza. The event will take place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on August 28, in Mike Miller Plaza. The event welcomes all students and public for free. This year, Party in the Plaza will consist of free food and giveaways from various booths surrounding the plaza that are sponsored by departments at KC. Director of Baptist Student Ministry, Jaymi Blakenship, has said that over 50 booths have confirmed, along with a concert from award winning Christian Contemporary band “Rush of Fools.”
IF YOU GO What: Party in the Plaza When: 6-8 p.m. Aug. 28 Where: Mike Miller Plaza Who: Rush of Fools will perform, various clubs and organizations will have booths set up across the plaza and Lee Mall area.
Blakenship, along with the Christian Campus Center and The Wesley Foundation, believe that “our purpose for this event is to build a community. We want to provide a safe atmosphere for students to gather and be encouraged with opportunities in the community and on campus.”