The Equinox 3.8.18

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

THE EQUINOX SAFETY PROGRAM EXPANDS WORD OF THE WEEK

PUPPET SHOW SEE A6

SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE WORD

PLETHORA IN ONE

OF OUR STORIES THIS WEEK!

SEE B2

The student voice of Keene State College

Vol. 70, Issue #21

Winner of a 2017 Pacemaker Award

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Collaboration with Granite State College for online master’s degree RACHEL VITELLO

Equinox Staff The Safety and Occupational Health Applied Science department at Keene State College has been busy.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, and Friday, Feb. 23, the department hosted a job fair in the Technology, Design and Safety (TDS) Center at KSC. The Student Section of the American Society of Safety Professionals also hosted a professional development conference those same days.

The department is also currently working with Granite State College on an online master’s degree program.

KSC is collaborating with Granite State College, the leading public provider for online degree programs in New Hampshire, according to their website, to create an online master’s degree for the safety program.

KSC Professor of Safety and Occupational Health Applied Science Dr. Wayne Hartz said, “Melinda [Treadwell] and the president of Granite State [College] said, ‘Hey, let’s partner up. We’ll bring the technical safety

program, you guys help us with how do we do this online.’

It’s the perfect synergy.”

According to both the Dean of Professional and Graduate Studies Dr. Karrie Kalich and Hartz, the safety program at KSC is a strong and successful program, but is limited geographically.

“Who’s going to want to drive on a Saturday morning more than a couple hours? Imagine if we put that online and students could work on it when they want to. It opens doors,” Hartz said.

As for who specifically is interested in this online program, Kalich said it is a combination.

“Right now, it’s a real mix of recent grads and established professionals, which creates a real rich classroom environment because your new grads are bringing their theoretical understanding of the field,” she said. “Then you compliment that with folks who have been in the field for a number of years and can bring a lot of rich, real world experiences into the classroom for students to consider and learn from,” Kalich said.

The online program is expected to officially be available by fall of 2018.

The safety job fair held Feb. 22 and 23 for safety

SEE SAFETY, A2

ILLUSTRARTION BY LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY DR. WAYNE HARTZ

KSC supports eating disorder awareness JESSICA RICARD

nEwS Editor It’s a monster, one that consumes and affects more than 30 million men and women throughout their lives.

Whether it’s stress or obsessiveness regarding food, weight, dieting, calories or body image, eating disorders can have detrimental effects on both physical and mental health.

In a current culture that tends to form complicated relationships with food, exercise and appearance, National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) week is designed to raise awareness and help those struggling find the support they need to pursue recovery.

NEDA week went from Feb. 26 to March 4.

Student organizations at Keene State College took part in promoting and celebrating NEDA week, spreading awareness and positive messages in various ways.

Tabling in bright purple in the L.P. Young Student Center throughout the week, Delta Phi Epsilon (DPhiE) spread positive messages about body image and body positivity.

While the sorority supports three philanthropies throughout the year, this week was about supporting and raising money for the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD).

Vice President of Programming for KSC’s chapter of DPhiE, junior Lauren McClure, said their table in the student center focused on a different aspect each day.

On Monday, sisters at the table encouraged students to sign a banner that said, “I support the cause to end eating disorders,” while also selling $1 chocolate bars to go toward ANAD. Table themes “Love Your Shape Tuesday,” “Who You Are Wednesday,” “Trash Your Insecurities Thursday” and “Self Love Friday” all focused on sending messages to students.

Tuesday, students walking by could pick up a paper cactus that said “Love Your Shape,” and Wednesday, people could “try confidence on,” by trying on a shortsleeved shirt with the word “confidence” on it.

Thursday, sisters tabling encouraged those who came to the table to “leave scales for the fish,” by writing an insecurity on a paper fish and throwing it away.

Friday, people who came by the table wrote things they loved about themselves on sticky notes.

“It’s not only about having body positivity this week.

It’s all about supporting people with eating disorders to help them find recovery and to help advocate for

them because oftentimes they don’t really know how to,” McClure said.

DPhiE sets a goal of fundraising $1,000 for each philanthropy during the year, and through different raffles, sales and fundraising efforts, they’ve already raised more than $700 for ANAD. “A lot of sisters do deal with body positivity issues, so [NEDA week] is all about supporting people with eating disorders and [having] a positive mind [and] positive bodies,” McClure said. “It’s just all about being true to who you are and trying to have a positive body image because that’s really important.”

For one Keene State College student, and sister of DPhiE, conquering an eating disorder has been a challenge since she was 15 years old.

A dancer growing up, KSC senior Becca Reeves stopped the sport during her junior year of high school and noticed she had started to gain weight.

After a 5-month period of dieting, she said it began to get out of hand, and her mom expressed concern with her health.

One trip to her primary doctor led to many more trips to others with specializations, from cardiologists to nutritionists to therapists, etc. Reeves said, “It definitely hit me all in one day that my life is going to change...”

However, finding a doctor, or a nutritionist in particular, that she worked well with when it came to food was challenging, she said, and additional struggles with anxiety and depression added another component to the recovery process.

Coming to college, Reeves found immense support in joining DPhiE, who’s philanthropy organization happened to be ANAD. “Knowing that we’re raising money for something that hits so close to home,” she said, was a huge component of why she joined.

The organization gave her an entire support system and the opportunity to connect with other individuals in the organization who have had similar experiences.

“I think it shows just how aware we are of what one another goes through and being there to support each other when it comes to body positivity,” she said.

In terms of how she conquers her eating disorder every day, Reeves said she’s so much more appreciative for the life she lives now.

“When I had my eating disorder, I had a really low heartbeat and I couldn’t move my fingers or my toes as

70%

18-30 YEAR-OLD WOMEN DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR BODIES

43% Men dissatisfied with their bodies

SEE NEDA, A2

Index

Top Headlines

Section B: Section A: News .....................1-3 Student Life............1-4

A4: Educators should not be armed A8: A night of talent B1: Keeping Keene clean B8: Soccer to co-author

Opinions ................4-5 Time Capsule.............5 A&E............ ...........6-8 Sports.....................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press

ICE CONFERENCE

INFOGRAPHIC BY LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THEBODYIMAGECENTER.COM

Follow Us

facebook.com/kscequinox @kscequinox

New grading system to take effect fall 2019 RACHEL VITELLO

Equinox Staff Have you ever been frustrated by receiving a grade such as an AB, when you know you deserve an A grade? Frustrate no more. Keene State College will be changing to a more standard plus and minus grading system starting in the fall of 2019.

The proposal for switching grading systems was brought forward by a student senator of the Academic Standards Committee (ASC), a subcommittee of the College Senate. According to Academic Scheduler at KSC and Chair of the ASC Brendan Denehy, the responsibility of the ASC “is to review any standards, which are those things that impact courses or programs. We’ll review any policies that are related to grading or continuation standards for students.”

The student senator who submitted the proposal, Susanne Udall, said she was inspired to try to change the grading system because, “Many of my friends mentioned how they felt lucky to get an AB when they really earned a high B, and cheated to get an AB when they really earned a low A, etc. In my opinion, no college should use a system that cheats students or offers them luck.

The grading system should simply reflect students earned grades,” Udall said. Udall also said that she believes KSC students have the right to have their grades reflected accurately.

History Professor at KSC Dr. Nicholas Germana said he thinks this will be a positive change for KSC students. “One of the most important things is that Keene State students will be on the exact same footing as Plymouth State and UNH students. We were the only school in the system that didn’t use a plus/minus system. It puts us on the same playing field as students everywhere else,” Germana said.

There are multiple perspectives on whether or not a plus and minus grading system will put students at an advantage or a disadvantage. Germana said, “It will effect some students in the sense that someone that has an 88 average from our current system benefits more than someone who has a 92 or 93 average, and that’s going to get switched now. Someone who has an 88 average will have the same grade-point-equivalent as a student at UNH, for example.”

Program Manager at KSC and Secretary of the College Senate Kim Schmidl-Gagne said, “It certainly benefits more students than it hurts in terms of grade point average. In terms of getting on the same page as other institutions, that benefits all students. It looks more like most other colleges.”

Denehy is on the opposing side of this grading system change. Denehy said, “I looked at the rationales that were given for it and it did not make sense to me. A lot of the rationales weren’t based on evidence, they were based on people saying, ‘Well I got an AB but I would’ve gotten an A-, the higher grade.’”

About four to five years ago, this idea of changing grading systems was actually first introduced, but it failed. Schmidl-Gagne said, “At that time, the student senators, interestingly enough, polled KSC students and the students were not interested in changing the grading system. So the Senate actually voted it down based on student recommendations… they liked what was in place.”

As for why the idea worked this time around, Schmidl-Gagne said, “The first time it kind of came through as a cold concept, there wasn’t a whole lot of research that had went into the decision-making. This time when they did it, they had a back story and figured out how it might work.

The first time was more like, ‘Let’s just do this.’”

Denehy said it will take a great deal of work to get this grading system to begin. “We have to go in and every course has to be ended because every course is attached to the [former] grading system.

One of the things that the Academic Standards Committee had to do this year was review every single course and program to make sure that there weren’t references to an AB or BC grade.”

Ultimately, how the grading system will work out and how it will affect students’ grades, Denehy said, is “the great unknown.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

Contact Us Newsroom: 358-2413 Executive Editor: 358-2414 Advertising/Business: 358-2401 Newsroom: Questions? Contact smehegan@kscequinox.com or asaurman@kscequinox.com

Administrative Executive Editor: Sebastien Mehegan | smehegan@kscequinox.com Managing Executive Editor: Alexandria Saurman | asaurman@kscequinox.com

Template 022308 JJP

Black Yellow Black Cyan Magenta

News / A2

Thursday, March 8, 2018

FAFSA facts:

STAFF COMMENTARY

GOP tax plan What if it wasn’t filed by KSC’s priority deadline? to fund student loans VINCENT MOORE

Equinox Staff

Students who submitted their 2018-2019 FAFSA before the March 1 priority deadline have a chance to earn all the financial aid Keene State College has to offer.

Interim Director of Financial Aid Susan Howard said students looking for a chance to receive all possible financial aid opportunities had to fill out the FAFSA form by the end of the business day on March 1 in order to give the Financial Aid Office enough time to be able to process it before the summer when bills are sent out.

“The priority part of this means we will award everybody first who met the deadline, and then after that, if we don’t have any institutional funds left after, we award everyone who met the deadline. Then, we’ll award federal aid only,” Howard said.

Students who miss the priority deadline still have a chance of receiving aid.

“Missing the deadline doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t get Keene State aid, but it means they might not get Keene State aid,” Howard said. “Once we award everyone who’s on time, if there’s money left, then we would move to the next group and it would be on a first-come-first-serve [basis].”

Those intending on receiving any kind of aid won’t be able to wait much longer past the priority deadline, however.

“April 1 would be the absolute last date that anybody could file and expect to possibly get some Federal Aid for this current year. So the window is Oct. 1 of 2017 to, say, April 1 of 2018 for this current year to get anything,” Howard said.

Katelyn O’Rourke, a junior and public health major with a minor in psychology, said that while the March 1 deadline gives students enough time to submit their FAFSAs, it would be helpful if the deadline was extended. “I think we can always use more time though, in my opinion, especially with being in college and struggling to get the money for it.”

Sophomore video production major Zachary DeGroot submitted his FAFSA form two weeks before the deadline and said that he found the form easy to fill out. “A lot of the stuff kind of just transferred over for me. I didn’t really have to change much information for renewing my FAFSA, so it seemed to be pretty easy.”

Howard said the financial aid deadline falling on the first of March is common in higher education. “I’ve been doing financial aid and higher ed for 40 years, and March 1 has always been the deadline at any place I’ve ever worked.

There’s a lot involved in putting a financial aid package together. Some people have very complicated financial situations or family situations and it takes us months to put pieces

together sometimes for families, so we want to give everybody enough time to gather everything that’s needed and for us to process.”

Less than two weeks before the deadline, the Financial Aid Office sent students an email reminding them that they were accepting submissions for the 2018-2019 FAFSA. Written in red letters, the email also said that the form was asking for 2016 income and tax data.

The reason why the form asks for tax information from two years back is convenience to both the college and the student, Howard said. “A couple years ago, Congress changed the way financial aid is processed, so it goes back two years rather than one year, and the intention is to benefit first-time applicants for financial aid who used to have to wait, sometimes, until April, May or June to find out if they were getting an award. This allows us to start in October, rather than January. It gives the schools a three-month head-start to work with families.”

One piece of advice Howard gave was for students to keep their tax and financial information together in one place when filing the FAFSA to make the process easier.

Vincent Moore can be contacted at vmoore@kscequinox.com

KSC students view the moon

ETHAN PLATT / SENIOR MULTIMEDIA STAFF

On Thursday, Feb. 22, students had the opportunity to view the moon and other stars through two high-powered telescopes on campus. The event was put on by Physics Professor Steven Harfenist. Harfenist had the telescope set up between the Science Center and the Media Arts Center. On the telescope there was an attatchment for students to hold their cell phones up to the viewfinder to take close-up images of the moon, as shown in the picture above.

SAFETY Cont. from A1

majors hosted about 45 employers.

Kalich said, “Bringing employers on campus to interview students for both summer practicums and internships, as well as primary employment, is an incredibly rich experience for students.”

Students were able to meet with employers from multiple companies and talk with them about the safety and occupational health field.

Kalich also said that the job fair benefits faculty.

“It also really helps to keep our program relevant. Our faculty members in safety stay well-connected to industry and are constantly learning about what’s happening in the field and then bringing those theories back to the classroom which helps bring the theory to life,” Kalich said.

The safety department had to actually turn away multiple employers who wanted to attend because of a lack of space.

There is already discussion about moving the job fair to a larger venue for next year.

“Because we did the job fair in the TDS Center, there were actually employers we had to turn away because we couldn’t accommo-

date any more tables,” Kalich said.

The professional development conference that took place Thursday, Feb. 22 and Friday, Feb. 23. was another opportunity for safety students to meet with people working in the field and gain more knowledge about that career path.

The conference started with a “kick-off breakfast” that was followed by the keynote speaker, Carl Hyland, who, according to Kalich, “delivered a really passionate and exciting message around what’s happening in the field.”

Students could then choose from a variety of topics delivered by industry partners to hear and learn more about it.

The conference was a major networking opportunity for many safety majors.

KSC safety major Connor Schleicher, who assisted in the planning and implementation of the conference, said, “Holding a studentrun professional development conference is important because it highlights the growth and success of the Keene State safety program...it allows both students and professionals to find inspiration and connections.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

NEDA Cont. from A1

much because they would always be cold, so I think each morning when I wake up, I’m just so thankful that I don’t have to put on mittens...because my fingers are cold, [and] I’m able to complete my workout because my heart can beat at a normal pace, so I think just reminding myself of those little things helps me through it every day.”

KSC’s student organization Active Minds participated in supporting NEDA week as well by hanging uplifting sticky notes on bathroom mirrors all over campus.

Senior and President of Active Minds Courtney Heck said Active Minds members have been trying to combat the negativity people have for themselves and their bodies.

The purpose, she said, is “to tell people they’re beautiful, worth it and more than the number on the scale.”

Eating disorders affect about 20 million women and 10 million men, but millions more will struggle with negative food and body image issues that will have a longlasting impact on their lives, according to ANAD and the National Eating Disorder Association.

To Heck, this week is impactful because

body image has been a personal struggle for her throughout her life.

“Body image is something I have struggled with a lot in my life and have known a lot of people to struggle with, so the fact that we have members of Active Minds who care to participate in this means a lot to me.

Also, when I see posts or hear of the sticky notes brightening someone’s day, it warms my heart,” Heck said.

As someone who conquers her eating disorder everyday, Reeves said she was asked last week if she thinks eating disorders are a lifelong recovery process. Her response?

“Definitely.”

Thoughts will always exists, she said, “where you’ll always think about, ‘This is what I’m putting into my body,’ or, ‘This is how much I need to exercise to work it off,’ so I think you’ll always have parts of thinking about that controlling your life.”

For additional support and resources, contact the NEDA helpline at 800-931-2237.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

TAYLOR BEAVEN

Equinox Staff College students across the country lucked out when the GOP decided not to defund federal student loans in their recent tax plan.

As many are aware, the government shut down a few weeks ago due to the Democratic party pushing for immigration reform and funding for Deferred Action for Children Arrivals (DACA), while the Republicans were getting greedy with Trump’s Wall, trying to defund Planned Parenthood, getting rid of DACA entirely and several other things.

One of the big pieces seldom discussed in the GOP’s original tax plan was a massive cut to the budget for federal student loans.

This would have reduced the available funds by nearly 50 percent and also made the student loan forgiveness program more strict.

The student loan forgiveness program currently allows complete forgiveness of student debt after 120 months (or 10 years) of consistent and uninterrupted payments from individuals working as public servants. Public servants classify as those working in the government at the state, local or federal level.

Some states, such as New York, have a student loan forgiveness plan available to most students after 20 years of consistent payments.

In New Hampshire’s case, there are two programs: one for students with loans from law school and another for students in a career of medicine and health services. Both of these services allow coverage of up to $75,000 in debt.

These programs have helped a lot of people, and the federal program that caters specifically to public service is one of the only things pushing younger generations towards local government, which is a good thing considering that many small towns have difficulty finding people who not only want to come to their town, but stay there and work. Having a loan-forgiveness program gives a form of incentive to work in smaller towns.

Had the GOP voted to repeal this act, there is a good chance we’d see a large drop in the number of local government employees over the next decade or so.

However, nobody should get their hopes up too high.

As mentioned previously, the Republicans are expected to bring the subject back up next year, but with more and more push for free college from liberals, I’d be surprised if they were able to get it passed. This would be especially surprising considering the Republicans are expected to lose control of the House this upcoming fall during the midterm elections when all 435 seats of the House of Representatives are up for grabs, and 34 of 100 in the Senate are being contested as well.

The actual effect this will have on student loans will be interesting, as the Trump Administration has already shown their inability to effectively cooperate with their own party.

So having a Democratic-controlled Congress ‒ assuming they win the midterm election majority for this argument ‒ will probably see just as much paralysis on the congressional side as we see now.

And on top of that, you can expect Trump to veto more legislation the Democrats try to pass, especially in reference to student loans as his proposed tax plan also cuts a lot of federal funding for student loan forgiveness.

Taylor Beaven can be contacted at tbeaven@kscequinox.com

@KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Black

News / A3

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Active shooter protocol MOLLY SPOONER

Equinox Staff

“

Keene State College is working on its training when it comes to the safety of the students and faculty.

Ralph Stuart has been the Environmental Safety Manager at KSC for the last three years. Stuart has been working on improving the school’s safety training when it comes it more than just science laboratory safety. “We used to just focus on Occupational Safety Councils of America (OSCA) regulatory compliance issues, but those issues apply to specific jobs.

They don’t apply to campus-wide safety issues, and so, since I took over that function, I have converted to address larger campuswide issues, emergency response in particular,” Stuart said. “We are not trying to make everyone an expert in active shooter response.

We are trying to help people be ready so that if something develops, they know how to be ready themselves and help other people around them.”

Even though there are no trainings for students who do not work in a science or work laboratory, Title IX Coordinator and Director of Campus Safety Jeff Maher said, “While active shooter programming is not currently mandated for students, incoming students receive general safety education during their orientation experience.”

KSC has a very strict policy when it comes to laws about guns on campus. Maher said, “Keene State College policy does not permit firearms on campus or within campus buildings, with the exception of those carried by sworn law enforcement personnel in performance of their duties.”

Maher encourages students to contact Campus Safety if they have concerns about their safety.

Stuart explained that there are flyers up all over campus, and what they do is outline the responses to four kinds of emergencies: fire, active shooter, medical emergency and hazardous material spills.

For an active shooter, the safety

procedure is to Run, Hide, Fight.

Stuart said, “There is a run, hide, fight video that was done by the Houston Police Department about how to respond to an active shooter situation. Since I have been here, we have had three campus lockdowns for people with guns in unknown situations on campus.

So about once a year, maybe, there is an active shooter situation.”

Some students, like sophomore Camila Castro, think it’s important to know the “protocol for the safety of everyone.”

“You can carry a gun around in New Hampshire, but you can’t do that in New York where I am from,” Castro said. “On top of what’s going on with all the school shootings, it’s just a scary thought of what could happen. You never know.”

KSC works closely with the Keene Police Department when it comes to the safety protocols that are put forth when it concerns an active shooter situation.

Maher said, “Keene State maintains a strong, collaborative relationship with the Keene Police Department.The primary goal in responding to any active shooter situation is ending the threat as quickly as possible, while simultaneously protecting our students and community members.

Our policies and protocols are designed with this goal in mind.”

Maher said, “The safety of our students and community members is of paramount importance here at Keene State College. It is truly embedded in the core educational mission of Keene State.”

KSC has many safety precautions that they put in place to help ensure maximum safety for everyone on campus.

Maher said, “Our comprehensive approach encourages bystander intervention when possible and other physical security measures, such as emergency blue lights, restricted card access and emergency notification systems to name but a few.”

Molly Spooner can be contacted at mspooner@kscequinox.com

We are not trying to make everyone an expert in active shooter response. We are trying to help people be ready so that if something develops, they know how to be ready themselves and help other people around them.”

Ralph Stuart KSC Environmental Safety Manager ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

GREEN LIFE: STAFF COLUMN

Drinking water quality explored

New Hampshire Representative Mindi Messmer identifies contamination KATHERINE GLOSSER

Equinox Staff The quality of drinking water has been a wellknown international concern.

People hear stories of contaminated drinking water on the news or through word-of-mouth, but in the end, people tend to forget about these concerns until it happens in their own backyard.

New Hampshire Representative Mindi Messmer has studied the cancer cluster in-depth that happened along the New Hampshire seacoast. Messmer said it wasn’t until her son brought the issue to her attention that she knew about it.

A cancer cluster is an area with a higher than average amount of cancer cases among the area’s residents.

Her son said peers of his were talking about other kids being diagnosed with cancer. Two days later, Messmer received a call from her friend, suggesting there could be an environmental link to that issue and asked to get her perspective as an environmental scientist. As someone who’s received a master’s degree from Georgetown University and took some classes that included epidemiology, Messmer has an in-depth knowledge of how to identify a cancer cluster.

She used that information to determine that what her son was witnessing was, in fact, just that.

In 2014, she reported the cancer cluster to the state, and two years later, the state confirmed it was an issue.

Messmer said, however, the state decided they were going to “sit back and see what happens.”

Seeing they were not going to take action, Messmer reported the ordeal to newspaper stations in the seacoast area. Not only did it spark public outrage, it also sparked a series of actions that would lead her to become a politician. Messmer became a part of Senator Maggie Hassan’s task force that would investigate the pollution issue.

After taking groundwater and water samples from wells nearby the Coakley Landfill, she found they contained perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), which are known to cause negative health effects in both rats and humans.

The entire time, she said she faced opposition from the people who ran the Coakley Landfill, as well as the state’s epidemiologist. Messmer said the landfill workers told her it would cost too much money to take care of the contamination issue, and the epidemiologist said the information on the health effects of PFCs were too “controversial.”

However, the epidemiologist later changed his views.

Since then, Messmer said her work led the state government to develop better guidelines for physicians.

While she faced many obstacles and opposition, she said she has no regrets. “While it was controversial and it was hard for me to do, and I suffered some backlash for it, it changed three important things, in my opinion,

so I wouldn’t take it back,” Messmer said.

On Monday, Feb. 26, Messmer came to Keene State College to speak about her experience with PFCs and other chemicals that are known contaminants in the state. Messmer said the minimum amount of PFCs that are allowed in New Hampshire drinking water is 70 parts per trillion. According to Messmer, you can see the health effects at just 50 parts per trillion. Messmer also said there is a limit to how much arsenic is allowed in drinking water in the state.

In her presentation, she said New Hampshire has the highest rate of breast cancer in the country and suggested it is tied to contamination in the drinking water.

One of the presentation attendees, Grassroots Organizer for Rights and Democracy Heather Stockwell, said she did not have knowledge that there was a limit on the amount of arsenic being allowed in the drinking water prior to the presentation. “I didn’t even realize until today that bladder cancer is really caused by arsenic, and that’s what my mom died of three years ago. I was kind of educated on that and obviously I still have a lot to learn.”

Stockwell said she met Messmer when she was first elected and followed her PFC study closely. For the past two years, Stockwell got involved politically in the state and organized some events.

Representative James McConnell, another presentation attendee, said he has been working with Messmer on environmental-related bills, including one that

lowers the limit of arsenic allowed in drinking water.

McConnell said he met Messmer a little over a year ago and that he agreed with her bills she had proposed.

McConnell said he decided he would team up with Messmer after learning of her background in science.

With his political experience and her knowledge of environmental science, they paired up on environmental-related legislature. “Mindi is quite terrific. She is very capable, she is a very hard worker, she’s really excellent to work with. I enjoy working with Mindi…

We work together on a lot of these issues,” McConnell said.

KSC senior Allen Chague, who also attended the presentation, has been working with Messmer since the beginning of 2017. Chague said he worked with her on a seminar project when he first met her.

Chague also worked with McConnell, who helped him get into the legislation side of the issue he and Messmer were working on.

Chague said the best thing someone can do to make a difference is to make an effort to be heard. “Mindi Messmer said it great; the best way to get anything done is to be heard, to be an activist, to bother people, make yourself known, make yourself heard,” Chague said. “That’s what I’m attempting to do at this point, and I never once in a million years thought that I’d be doing this.”

Katherine Glosser can be contacted at kglosser@kscequinox.com.

FACEBOOK.COM/KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

OPINIONS

Opinions / A4 Thursday, March 8, 2018

EDITORIAL

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Educators should not be armed The topic of gun control on campuses is a sensitive subject. The fact that this conversation even needs to take place is disturbing. But, it is an important subject to discuss. There is no easy way to come to an agreement on whether or not teachers should be armed because there are such differing opinions on this topic.

One thing to take into account is the training that should go into making sure whoever has a gun knows how and when to properly use it.

Although it may seem smart to give guns to teachers who have previous military experience, this could come with negative side effects. There is no clear way to tell if these teachers, or any teacher for that matter, could experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). As defined by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), PTSD is “a serious, potentially debilitating, condition that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed life-threatening events.” These events include not only war, but natural disasters, the death of a loved one, rape and assault.

Granting someone who has gone through a traumatic experience access to a gun might not be the safest alternative to solving this school shooting crisis.

Although if there will be firearms given to campus personnel, there should be serious background checks and mental screenings. Properly pinpointing what certain mental illnesses really are is crucial when it comes to avoiding further tragedies on campuses. Some students were surprised when they found out that Campus Safety Officers at Keene State College do not carry guns.

But, it might not be completely necessary for them to carry a firearm. KSC is located just a six minute drive away from the Keene Police Department

LETTER TO THE EDITOR I recently came across The Equinox article entitled, ‘God the Mother’ Trafficking Scare. I was shocked and appalled to the see the core of my faith—the existence of God the Mother—associated with an act as horrific as human trafficking. As a member and missionary of the World Mission Society Church of God, I’d like to clarify the misinformation that was written in that article and, hopefully, reverse some of the potential damage the article may have caused.

Before I delve into the issue at hand, I’d like for you to understand the World Mission Society Church of God—or simply, the Church of God—and its beliefs. The Church of God is a Christian non-denominational church that believes in God the Father and God the Mother based on the teachings of the Bible. This fact alone sets the Church of God apart from all other existing Christian churches. So when I have an opportunity to speak to people about my faith and the Church of God, the topic of God the Mother is one of the first topics that come up. And I can say that it is the same for much of our congregation.

Because the Church of God teaches about the love of God the Mother, in addition to God the Father, the church has established more than 7,700 locations in more than 175 countries in less than 55 years. The Church of God has been

THE EQUINOX

(KPD). In the case of an emergency, there is always an officer located on or two minutes away from campus. Because of the close proximity of the police department and police officers, arming teachers is not necessary.

If there were to be firearms allowed on campus, campus safety officers should be the only ones allowed to carry a weapon on them at any time.

And if they were granted access to guns, they should go through a rigorous training course to ensure that they know how to properly handle the gun. The idea of having a special unit, separate from campus safety and KPD, might sound like a better idea to some campus members. This group should be a highly skilled, trained, and willing group who actually wants to do their job to protect the campus.

If teachers were allowed to have guns in the classroom, it could be a distraction for students.

The thought of there being an accessible firearm in the room could make students feel more unsafe or anxious. Teachers and professors did not sign up to go into combat for their students. Granted, there are some teachers who risked their own lives for the safety of their students, it is not in their job description to wield a weapon. The justification used by people who are pro teachers having guns is the Second Amendment. They bring up that it is their Second Amendment right to own and carry guns. Be that as it may, amendment means make a change or addition. While it was legal at one point in our country’s history to own slaves, the people realized a change needed to take place and they amended that law. It was also illegal to drink alcohol, that law was amended as well. Maybe it is time to make an amendment to other laws that will benefit the safety of our country.

reported to be the fastest growing church in the world. Members include people of all races, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and, yes, all ages. As it turns out, the young adult members seem to have the most vibrant faith and are always excited to share the amazing truth about God the Mother with everyone, including other students on campus. Unfortunately, this expression of faith has recently been warped into a heinous and illegal criminal activity: human trafficking.

A malicious rumor started on social media saying the Church of God is a cult that engages in human trafficking. Numerous posts on Facebook and Twitter advised friends and followers to immediately report Church of God members to local authorities. There were instances where users even encouraged their audience to attack members with pepper spray, physically assault them, and even shoot them.

This rumor has spread like wildfire, with posts and tweets being liked, shared and retweeted over and over again. I support concerned citizens warning each other against harm and even potential harm, however, these posts and tweets were all false accusations that lacked merit, truth and evidence.

Of course, I realize the ones re-posting and re-tweeting the warnings of human trafficking think they are doing good. But because their information is false, they do

To contact the Equinox, e-mail smehegan@kscequinox.com or asaurman@kscequinox.com

Sebastien Mehegan Administrative Executive Editor Alexandria Saurman Managing Executive Editor News Editor

Jessica Ricard

Opinions Editor Chloe Giarraputo

Student Life Editor Colby Dudal

A&E Editor

Erin McNemar

Sports Editor Caroline Perry

Time Capsule Editor Abbygail Vasas

Copy Editors Abbygail Vasas Grace Pecci

Photo Editor

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

not realize the consequences of their actions. Innocent members of the Church of God have already experienced harassing phone calls day and night, and some have even received death threats. In this letter, I ask that all readers do their due diligence before sharing information that others may take as fact—and even act on it.

Similar situations took place in Kentucky and Mississippi. Even though our members who attend these universities have established legitimate, universityapproved Bible study clubs, local authorities were brought in to determine the veracity of the human trafficking allegations. Police investigators and news outlets confirmed there was no evidence of criminal activity; they thought it was unfortunate that an organization looking to expand its membership and conducting community outreach is being wrongfully accused of such a detestable and heinous crime.

As a result of these accusations, I’ve reached out to human trafficking experts and law enforcement agents to get their take on the situation. They expressed that these rumors actually hinder the cause, not help. While real human traffickers are using different techniques to get their victims, this rumor has created a false awareness that sends people in the wrong direction. It now links the religious beliefs of 2.7 million people to human trafficking.

And the title of The Equinox article I referenced continues to do just that.

What’s more, it’s only until after people who meet our members see headlines, articles and posts about so-called human trafficking that they describe their experience as negative. Although most of the interactions with our members are pleasant, when people hear such horrible news and reflect back, they rethink their experience and consider it suspicious. The church has been around for nearly 55 years, operating in the same manner, yet this is the first time we’ve had issues or incidences of this nature.

Finally, I’d like to provide concrete evidence that the World Mission Society Church of God does not conduct human trafficking. In 2016, the Church of God received the highest award for volunteerism from Queen Elizabeth II—the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. The church had to go through a rigorous nomination and selection process to receive this prestigious award. For three years, members of a three-layered panel, including the Queen herself, evaluated the church and its activities. The church received the title of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE), a title that cannot be grated to a criminal organization.

The Church of God has received awards and recognitions from numerous organizations and governments. In the United States, the Church of God has received

EQUINOX NEWSROOM

EDITORIAL POLICY

Faculty Advisor

The Equinox is a designated public forum. Student editors have full editorial control over the entire content of the paper.

All articles and opinion pieces are assigned, written and edited by students without censor by administrators, faculty or staff.

The Equinox is published Thursdays during the academic year with dates immediately preceding and following holidays omitted. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication. The Equinox reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Advertising is not accepted until it appears in the paper.

Letters to the editor must be written exclusively to The Equinox and are due by noon on the Friday prior to publishing. All letters must include name and phone number for verification.

The Equinox reserves the right to edit for style and length, and refuse any letters to the editor. For clarification and additional information on any above policies call 358-2414. The Equinox business office is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Rodger Martin, Journalism faculty (rmartin@kscequinox.com ) Julio Del Sesto, Journalism faculty (jdelsesto@keene.edu)

Ads Director: Elizabeth Buckley (203) 892-0506

Angelique Inchierca

Equinox Staff: Izzy Manzo, Zoeann Day, Lindsay Gibbons, Vincent Moore,

Multimedia Director

Katherine Glosser, Taylor Beaven, Molly Spooner, Rachel Vitello, Adriana Sanchez, Julia Eichman, Rachel Blumberg, Luke Sweeney, Brandon Moulton, Anna Heindl, Gerald Alfieri, Alyssa Boerenko, Ashley Arnold, Lyle Bellamy, Ethan Platt, Colton McCracken, Kyle McNamara

Benajil Rai

Art Director

Laura Romaniello

Ads Manager

Elizabeth Buckley

Business Manager Puja Thapa

Webmaster Masaki Carty

Social Media Director Abby Shepherd

the President’s Call to Service Award four times in the past decade, which include disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which left cities, homes and families devastated. These positive contributions have led to a partnership with the United Nations to collaborate and spark global efforts of volunteerism and global sustainability among the youth.

I could not allow libel based on false social media rumors to overshadow the great work of the Church of God. So, [The Equinox], I appreciate you taking the time to hear our side of the story. I’ve even directly contacted Facebook and Twitter users about their posts, and a number of people have removed them from their timeline. It is my hope that people learn from this experience, stop taking social media as fact, and try to understand the serious consequences that sharing false information has on people’s lives. Now I ask the readers to please dispel this potentially harmful rumor. Put yourself in our shoes, if this were happening to you, what would you do?

Sincerely, Victor Lozada For more information on the World Mission Society Church of God please visit: www.wmscog.com

Copyright © 2017: All rights reserved Reproduction of The Equinox in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Equinox is prohibited.

The Equinox is published each Thursday during the academic year by the editorial board of The Equinox, which is elected every spring by the members of the editorial board and acts as joint publisher of the paper.

The Equinox serves as the voice of the students of Keene State College and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, the staff and/or the administration.

One copy of The Equinox is available free each week. Anyone removing papers in bulk will be prosecuted on theft charges to the fullest extent of the law. Inserting items into printed copies of The Equinox is considered theft of services and will result in prosecution.

MISSION:

CONTACT:

The Equinox exists to promote the free flow of information, to protect the First Amendment, to stimulate high standards in the practice of journalism and to foster excellence among student journalists.

229 Main Street Keene, N.H. 03435 smehegan@kscequinox.com asaurman@kscequinox.com Circulation 1,200

FOLLOW US: Newsroom: 603-358-2413 Ads/Bus. Office: 603-358-2401 Executive Editor: 603-358-2414 Fax: 603-358-2407

facebook.com/kscequinox | @kscequinox

Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

Opinions / A5

Thursday, March 8, 2018

STAFF COMMENTARY

Giving teachers guns is unnecessary ZOEANN DAY

Equinox Staff Recently, debate has arisen in response to the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. regarding whether or not to arm teachers in the case of a crisis situation. President Trump has supported the thought, however there has been severe backlash by democrats and republicans alike.

In my opinion, giving teachers guns would be an extremely unsafe and risky situation, as well as a waste of government funding and tax dollars. However, I imagine it’s extremely unlikely that congress would vote on this legislation given it’s controversy.

After the Parkland shooting, there was a large outcry for gun control by the general public, and Trump has endorsed the idea of arming a small percentage of school teachers.

In a tweet, the president stated that his intentions are to give “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience.” He goes on to claim that 10-20 percent of teachers are “very gunadept.” According to a story done by Vox, however, this is untrue.

Only a small amount of teachers have a background in military training, meaning only a miniscule percent of teachers would end up `armed anyways. As a result of this, a student hoping to harm others would obviously know which educators are armed and which aren’t, and therefore would go to areas where an unarmed teacher would be.

In addition, although arming teachers may help in the event of a crisis, the risk of something going wrong on a daily basis is too big to weigh out the benefit of the possibility of assistance in the event of a school shooting.

It is far more likely that there would be an honest mistake or mishap in the classroom if teachers were required to carry firearms within the classroom.

This idea seems to have too many flaws to be worth spending millions of federal dollars arming and training school teachers just for there to be more negative effects than positive ones.

The way I see it, bringing more guns into the school system is not the best way to keep students safe; in fact, I believe it would have the opposite effect.

I personally wouldn’t feel any more or less safe if the professors here were armed, but there is a larger chance of something going wrong on an educator’s side, such as a mistake or a student accessing a teacher’s gun, than the chances of an armed teacher actually having the opportunity to assist in the event of a crisis situa-

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

tion. This seems to me like a waste of federal funding, and an overall flawed piece of legislation.

Although this is a bad idea in my opinion, I’m not particularly worried about these laws taking effect at the federal level. According to an article in the Washington Post, approximately 50 percent of Americans are against the idea of arming school teachers.

Because of this, members of congress would not be attracted to this piece of legislation because so many oppose it, and it may hurt their chances of re-election.

In addition, if something were to go wrong regarding an armed teacher, this law would be too traceable, and congress would be blamed.

Consequently, I don’t believe this idea will turn into

any direct action by the government. In my opinion, it’s more likely that congress will vote on increasing the firearm sale age or begin strengthening and reinforcing older gun laws.

Zoeann Day can be contacted at zday@kscequinox.com

STAFF COMMENTARY

STAFF COMMENTARY

Celebrating women

Make the most of spring break

IZZY MANZO

Equinox Staff Maybe I’m bias, but I love women. I also love International Women’s Day. “But what about International Men’s Day?” Someone faintly cries in the distance. “This is double standards at its finest!”

Breaking news: every day is International Men’s Day. In a perfect world, March 8 would just be another day because there wouldn’t be anything to celebrate.

Women would have total equality, so we wouldn’t have to dedicate a day towards women’s rights and in honor of women before us.

I don’t see any malicious intent in celebrating; while there are obviously outliers of the “men are trash” variety, feminism at its core is about equality. Women are undervalued in all aspects of life, and that’s not something I’m willing to argue about. White cisgender men have never faced discrimination and prejudice in their life, the least they owe other people is a day to celebrate their own gender’s achievements.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Press for Progress” according to their official website.

People are being encouraged to fight against gender parity in any way possible, including challenging stereotypes and celebrating and creating positive visibility of women.

International Women’s Day is so much more than just receiving “special treatment” for being a woman. It celebrates past achievements while highlighting the fact that women around the world still face disparities. Internationalwomensday.com says that the day is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.”

ILLUSTRATION BY GERALD ALFIERI / EQUINOX STAFF

How students can use their time off to their full advantage LINDSAY GIBBONS

earning less than a female. Our entire existences are devoted towards pleasing men; women have been told that our entire lives. We’ve been discouraged from changing our appearances because “you won’t get a boyfriend looking like that” or making decisions on our reproductive rights because not wanting children is insulting to your husband. True equality isn’t anyILLUSTRATION BY ANNA HEINDL / EQUINOX STAFF where near being S o achieved yet, commemorating the much progress has women of the past who worked so been made towards hard for our rights while acknowlgender equality, edging that work still needs to be but it’s foolish to done is essential. People equate this say that it’s been achieved. 42 per- day to something like Valentine’s cent of women have faced workplace Day, thinking that all we want is discrimination, according to Pew flowers and a pat on the head. InterResearch. The study touched on a national Women’s Day is so much wide variety of issues, such as being more than that; we want people to denied promotions or being treated realize that inequality still exists as though they aren’t competent. and actively work towards closing The most significant issue faced is that gap. pay inequality: 25 percent of women surveyed say they have earned less Izzy Manzo can be contacted at than a man who was doing the same imanzo@kscequinox.com job; five percent of men reported

Equinox Staff With midterms looming over the horizon, almost every student on campus has spent the last few weeks stressing out. Trying to fit in studying for tests, writing papers and attempting to get some sleep can be quite the feat. But lucky for us, spring break is right around the corner!

Spring break allows students to escape the classroom, throw their backpacks on the floor and destress before heading back to school for the rest of the semester. Some will use the break to escape the cold New England weather in search of someplace warmer.

Others will choose to head home and spend time with their families. Regardless of how students choose to spend their break, not having to worry about homework, tests or studying is relief enough.

Those who choose to go home for spring break can enjoy catching up on sleep, getting ahead on some schoolwork and reconnecting with family and friends back home. Those who go away with their friends come back with exciting new experiences shared with their best friends.

According to Michael Harris, an associate professor of higher education and director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, spring break has an enormous benefit on the well-being of college students, allowing them to come back to class well-rested and ready to take on the rest of the semester, such as enjoying life. “This is such a simple idea, but we so rarely do this with the grind of our daily routine,” Harris explained. “During

my week away, I spent more time in nature, reading, or just talking with my wife than I’ve done in years.

The ability to enjoy a slow-paced life was one of my favorite parts of getting away.”

Along with taking a deep breath and appreciating life, spring break also has many benefits to the physical and mental health of students. On break, there is rarely a good excuse to not get a good night’s sleep.

According to researchers at the University of Georgia, college students are routinely sleep deprived. The average college student needs between eight to ten hours of sleep a night, but hardly anyone gets that.

Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain, more illnesses, such as the common cold and flu, a lower GPA and decreased academic performance. Spring break allows students to catch up on much-needed sleep.

Break also has several mental health benefits. It is beyond exhausting to constantly be studying, writing a paper or answering emails. Break allows students to get away from work and give their minds a break.

Taking the time to enjoy a meal, read a book or watch a movie lets students recharge their batteries. The ability to slow down, rest and recover for a week is invaluable to many college students. It provides a welcome relief from the hustle of college life.

Overall, spring break leaves students happier and more prepared for the rest of their semester. It provides a wonderful opportunity for students to recharge and, prepare themselves for the upcoming projects, tests and late nights studying.

Lindsay Gibbons can be contacted at lgibbons@kscequinox.com

Template 022308 JJP

Black

A&E / A6

Thursday, March 8, 2018

STAFF COMMENTARY

Three minute Fiction Slam

Women in entertainment ERIN MCNEMAR

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Watch out world, because women are on the rise.

It’s not a secret that within the last several months, the public has seen a drastic rise in women empowerment in the entertainment industry. From the growth of the #MeToo and Times Up movements, women have been paving a path focused on inner strength.

In 2017, the entertainment industry blew up with multiple movies that featured a strong female lead.

Some of these films included The Shape of Water, The Post, Ladybird and Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, all of which were nominated for an Oscar for Best Motion Picture.

Back in January, during the Golden Globes, Oprah Winfrey delivered a speech that sparked a lot of emotions, especially in women.

During her speech, Winfrey recognized all the women who had endured abuse and are now speaking out, and telling the stories of their trama. Winfrey said, “I’m especially proud and inspired by all the women who have felt strong enough and empowered enough to speak up and share their personal stories. Each of us in this room are celebrated because of the stories that we tell, and this year we became the story.”

Not only did she recognize women who had a story to tell, but she continued her message to all women watching that night, both young and old, that society is reaching a new beginning. “I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say ‘Me too’ again,” Winfrey said.

However, this rise in women empowerment isn’t only reaching as far as the movie industry.

Ellen Pompeo, of Grey’s Anatomy, has been a long time advocate for equality in the workplace. In January, Pompeo did an interview with The Washington Post and discussed

her views on Hollywood. The article began with “Ellen Pompeo doesn’t hold back.” During the interview, Pompeo spoke in detail about her paycheck, and “fighting for what she deserved.”

For years, Pompeo claimed that, although she was the lead character on the show, she was paid less than former co-star Patrick Dempsey. At one point, Pompeo revealed she had asked for $5,000 more than Dempsey on the sheer principle that the show’s name is Grey’s Anatomy and she is Meredith Grey. Despite that fact, she was not given the pay rise. However, after Dempsey left the show in 2015, Pompeo said it was a “defining moment, deal wise.”

The actress elaborated, “They could always use him as leverage against me — ‘We don’t need you; we have Patrick.’”

Pompeo became a producer for the show, which she loves to share with her daughter. Pompeo explained, “Now my 8-year-old daughter gets to come here and see fierce females in charge,” Pompeo continued. “She’s growing up in an environment where she’s completely comfortable with power. I don’t know any other environment in Hollywood where I could provide that for her. Now I hope that changes… and soon.”

Recently, in an interview on Jimmy Kimmel, Pompeo revealed her Grey’s Anatomy salary to Kimmel as well as the population watching. Revealing that she makes $575,000 an episode, totaling over $20 million a year, Pompeo said she did it to encourage women to speak up. Pompeo expressed, “As women, you know, it’s not only about what’s done to us or what’s not given to us.

It’s what don’t we ask for.” Pompeo explained that oftentimes, women in Hollywood won’t even ask for a higher pay, but they will just complain that they are making less.

The times are changing, and the consumer population is seeing a rebirth in the feminist movement.

Whether you are breaking your silence or putting your foot down, the concept is the same. It’s time for women to advocate for one another, and make sure their voices are heard.

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

On Wednesday Feb. 28, Keene State College students competed in the Mountain View room in a Three Minute Poetry Slam competition. Students were asked to read an original fiction piece of writing in three minutes or less. The winner received $50 and the opportunity to compete in the state-wide finals later in March. The competition was open to anyone who was currently living, working or going to school in New Hampshire.

Get where you need to go in a warm, comfortable bus!

Stops at 7 on campus locations:

Keddy/Campus Safety Library Student Center Winchester Lot Butler Court Art Center Fiske Lot

Off campus stops:

Target Starbucks Dick’s Sporting Goods Walmart Market Basket & more!

MONDAY - FRIDAY

City Express runs 8:00am-5:00pm Campus/Community Shuttle runs 7:30am-7:30pm

KSC students and staff ride free with I.D. All City Express vehicles are ADA accessible and are equipped with easy to use bike racks. For more information or a complete schedule, visit cityexpress.org or call 352-8494. TTY use 711

Poems by Isabel he told me to grow my gardens full of roses because no one can resist a love like that. ilet vines sprout from my belly and buds emerge from my mouth for him - petals of pink and red for him. i think this week maybe he wanted sunflowers instead. i grow flowers for other people, place my roots and reach to the sun for other people, and somehow still wonder why they don’t see what i’ve grown for them. i got my hands and knees dirty in the soil, sang to the seedlings in hopes that they could care for them the way that i did. i leave bouquets on their front steps and knock till they answer the door. they stop answering and yet i still leave them what i grew for them. i leave these pieces of me in all the wrong places, always wondering why i continue to shine brighter for them than they do for me.

Isabel Tisdale is a sociology major who found her love of writing after a fourth grade poetry project. Since then, she spends her time writing poems and creative non-fiction as a way of self- expression.

Her inspirations include Rupi Kaur, Christopher Poindexter and Warsan Shire.

She uses her life experiences to write poetry, with a strong emphasis on the use of motifs, symbols and imagery.

YOUTUBE.COM/USER/THEKEENEEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Black Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

A&E / A7

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Tapping into feminism Rachel’s Reviews

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

The Cloverfield Paradox RACHEL BLUMBERG

Equinox Staff

PUJA THAPA / BUSINESS MANAGER

Students gathered in Centennial Hall on Thursday, March 1, to attend a lecture on how tap dance fits into elements of sexuality, race and gender.

Students learn how tap dance ties into feminism

KSC PUZZLES

On Thursday March 1, Keene State College students gathered in Centennial Hall to attend a lecture titled, Critical Race Feminism and Tap Dance.

Assistant Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Colby College, Sonja Thomas, has been tap dancing for over 30 years.

She came to the KSC to educate women’s and gender studies students, as well as others who attended the open lecture, about the class she teaches at Colby College. By incorporating tap dance, Thomas teaches her students about race, gender and sexuality.

When asked why she decided to pursue the study of women and gender, Thomas expressed that feminism has always been a topic that she has been passionate about. “I’ve always been a feminist, I think,” Thomas said. “I totally remember when I was in high school, when Hillary Clinton did her whole women’s rights are human’s rights speech, and I remember turning to my dad and saying, ‘She’s right!’”

Thomas explained that her class structure features a one hour period of learning about how the topics of race, gender and sexuality are featured in tap dance, followed by one hour of learning how to tap dance.

The idea of how feminism is related to tap

dance may seem unclear at first. In fact, Thomas was recommended to take tap dancing off her résumé. However, Thomas explained through the injustice given to certain profiles of dancers, and the over-sexualization of body, it has become impossible for her to think about her topic of study without associating it with tap dance.

Associate professor of women’s and gender studies, Patricia Pedroza Gonzalez explained her view as to why it’s important to include tap dance in the teaching of race, gender and sexuality. “Everyone has heard or knows what is tap dance, so connecting tap dance with history is a benefit.”

With the addition of incorporating a universal subject like dance, the element of tap dance encourages students to talk about a topic they might not be typically comfortable talking about. “I think, initially, [tap dance] was just an idea to get us into talking about race and gender,” Thomas continued. “Tap dance provides this lense to think about race and bodies in motion.”

Gonzalez shared Thomas’ view; it can be difficult to get students to open up when talking about subjects of race, gender and sexuality, especially in areas that mainly reflect a single demographic. “It’s difficult sometimes to discuss about these topics because it sometimes polarizes people, and polarizes ideas,” Gonzalez said.

Senior Maxine Gray attended the lecture for her Capstone in Women’s and Gender Studies class, and was impressed by Thomas’ lecture.

“I thought it was awesome. I really didn’t know what to expect coming into it because I never really thought about tap dancing before at all, and how it could relate to race and gender and sexuality.”

Gray’s insight after the lecture is what Gonzalez hoped students would get out of the lecture, and why she organized Thomas to come from Colby College to speak.

“I organized this lecture because the topic that she talked about are specific to what we study in the women’s and gender studies major and minor. Sometimes it’s like ‘okay so we discuss race,’ but it helps to discuss it in different frames because it changes the perspective,” Gonzalez said.

Gray also added her thoughts on the style of learning Thomas presents in her class. “I think it’s a really great learning experience, like learning about something and using your body.

Physically learning is such a powerful thing, and people really learn better when they learn through movement.”

Thomas will be releasing her new book titled, “Privileged Minorities” this summer.

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscquinox.com

Rachel Blumberg can be contacted at rblumberg@kscequinox.com

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION

ERIN MCNEMAR

artS & EntErtainmEnt Editor

The Cloverfield Paradox is supposed to be the latest addition to the Cloverfield franchise, yet after having seen it, I can now conclude that the term “Cloverfield” is really just another way of saying “elaborate monster movie” ‒ or so the initial plots want you to think. After looking further into each film in the trilogy and their seemingly individualized plot lines, I was able to find that there really is a deeper connection within all three, one that can only be found by immersing yourself into the overarching idea of “the parallel universe.”

Since 2008, the term “Cloverfield” has been used both to refer to the first-person point of view thriller that started it all, as well as the specific monster that plays a very modern King-Kong and attacks New York City unexpectedly within the film itself. The first film hit theatres and was automatically a success, based on its inventive way of storytelling through the direct perspective of four college students on a home recording device.

Eight years later, after the wide success of the first, came the unexpected second film of the series, 10 Cloverfield Lane, starring John Goodman (Argo, Flight) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim v. The World), where a girl gets kidnapped and held in a shelter with two men that claim the outside world has been tainted with a chemical virus. After watching the sequel in its entirety, fans were enraged that the producers could just slap the name Cloverfield on the film and expect the success of the first to be carried over onto a plot line that had nothing to do with the monster, nor the time period of the attack. And it wasn’t until two years later in 2018 that the questions were answered with the Netflix original, The Cloverfield Paradox.

The film acts as a prequel to the original Cloverfield, explaining what put the monster on Earth in the first place by introducing a galactic mess of international sci-

entists who are trying to solve the planet’s energy crisis before they go into apocalyptic war. The scientists run into a problem when one of the parts of the ship gets too energized and explodes, sending the ship into an alternate reality, a reality that could be seen as a parallel universe.

With the release of The Cloverfield Paradox having more similarities than the second, yet not enough to clearly state the resemblance between storylines, fans are still confused about the connection and the why the three movies were grouped together under the same name. In an interview with ComicBookMovie Magazine, producer of all three, JJ Abrams, responds to the recurring question by saying, “On the one hand you can say, ‘Well then anything anywhere could be a Cloverfield movie,’ but the intention has never been to take a movie and then slap Cloverfield on it. The idea was to say Cloverfield is a kind of umbrella, you know, under which all of sorts of genres and thrill rides can take place.’”

Taking Abrams’ perspective on the Cloverfield franchise allowed me to then look back at each film with more depth, rather than the initial plot I absorbed during my first watch through. After watching each film a second time, and with this thought of Cloverfield being an idea rather than a plot, it allowed me to see each film as its own reality, especially the relationship between the first and second. If the third is intended to be the prequel in the Cloverfield timeline, yet takes place in a parallel universe, then the first and second Cloverfield films could possibly take place within their own parallel universes. This idea of Cloverfield as a whole, rather than a specific thing makes the franchise more immersive and makes the term “Cloverfield” mean much more than what someone can figure out with just one look.

Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

ARTS

A&E, A8

Thursday, March 8, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

KSCEQUINOX.COM

A Night of Talent

COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

On Saturday, March 3, Keene State College students performed on the annual Saturday Night Jive talent show put on by the Student Activities Council. The show showcased the talent at KSC.

Students perform in the annual ‘Saturday Night Jive’ competition COLIN HOBBS

Equinox Staff We sometimes forget just how talented the people around us are. Thankfully, there are events like Saturday Night Jive to remind us of the serious skills that many of our fellow students possess.

On March 3, at 8 p.m. in the Mabel Brown Room, eight acts performed for over two hours, delivering a mostly musical show, MC’d by professional comedian Emily Galati. The musical acts included solos, duets, and trios. There was an amatuer comedy routine thrown into the mix and a magic performance to finish off the night. Additionally, first, second and third places

all received cash prices, $400, $250 and $150 respectively.

Those cash prizes were not the only expense in putting the event together.

According to the junior Sean Jablon, the first major undertaking was finding the master of ceremonies (MC), a task that often ends up being more difficult than many might expect, as the person has to be willing to fill the space between acts rather than star the show.

Luckily Galati was up for the task. After finding the MC, the next goal is finding the talent itself. Jablon said, “We had a lot of people audition this year which was a curse and a blessing, unfortunately we had to turn a couple people away.”

The show included Don’t Tell Cole, a group usually

known as The Beautiful Girls Club, but without their guitarist Cole, hence the name. According to bassist Derek Hall, the group has been together for a couple years, and they had been practicing for the talent show for the past couple weeks.

Another highlight was sophomore Dylan Chane, who won first place for his two self-written piano pieces.

When asked about the show, audience member Cam Hersey had praise for the show as a whole and said, “It was pretty good… I was surprised, a lot of good participants.”

Another area of praise from some audience members was the host, Gatali. “It was great, it was good. I liked how they had the comedian, It really filled the

gaps,” sophomore audience member Alicia Janulewicz said, despite Gatali being a professional comedian, who has appeared on shows such as Conan and Last Comic Standing, occasionally stopping part way into a joke to wonder out loud if she should continue.

This was especially true during the 15 minute intermission where Gatali told jokes about her views on subjects such as politics and dating, including a memorable joke about the perfect online dating profile.

Colin Hobbs can be contacted at chobbs@kscequinox.com

‘The Case of the Missing Adverb’ at KSC ALYSSA BOERENKO

Equinox Staff Keene State College Theater Professor, Celine Perron proved that puppet shows aren’t just for kids.

On Tuesday Feb. 27, people of all ages gathered at The Redfern Arts Center as the KSC Theater Program debuted its new puppet production titled, “The Adventures of Detective Sent-Out: The Case of The Missing Adverb.”

The Redfern Arts Center offered performances of the puppet show from Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, to Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 7:30 p.m., with an additional show time at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Performed in the Wright Theatre, the audience was allowed a closeup and intimate experience through the duration of the two-hour performance.

The Case of the Missing Adverb was written KSC theater department professor, Celine Perron, and directed by assistant professor Jeannie-Marie Brown.

The puppets used were all different animals. The plot begins when Detective Sent-Out, a dog, is confronted by his old girlfriend, a cat named Vera. Once confronted, Vera discovers her adverbs have begun to disappear from the lyrics of her jazz music. Reluctant to investigate the case, Detective Sent-Out is visited by a giraffe named Carmella.

The adverbs had begun to disappear

from her books that she has written. Detective Sent-Out finally agrees to investigate.

He and the rest of the cast, which includes three mice, a penguin, a hippopotamus, a toad and another cat, work to solve the case of the missing adverbs.

Perron’s first written show was described as “comical” and “interesting” by audience members.

Being both a mystery and a love story, Perron’s first performed script was unique and showcased her versatility as a writer.

Perron’s ability to incorporate comedic elements into the script also proved to be a success. Visiting student James Hufton said, “I enjoyed the show, and thought it was comical.” He added, “It was well-performed and as a member of such a small audience, I felt very engaged.”

The hand and shadow puppets were brought to life by KSC theater students, who were hidden behind a large puppet theater that was built into the Wright Theater’s stage.

The puppets were hand-made and displayed realistic elements. Visiting student Molly Morris said, “The show was all around very interesting, I was surprised at how well-crafted the puppets were.”

Perron was unavailable to comment on the production.

Alyssa Boerenko can be contacted at ALYSSA BOERENKO aboerenko@kscequinox.com Keene State College Theater Professor Celine Perron brought her puppet show to life in the Redfern Arts Center.

/ EQUINOX STAFF

Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

STUDENT LIFE SE

Student Life / B1 Thursday, March 8, 2018

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Keeping Keene clean

Citizens, students and grounds crew help keep the city clean COLBY DUDAL

Student Life editor The City of Keene and Keene State College have resources regarding trash and littering in Keene.

According to the National Conference of State Legislature, the New Hampshire law regarding littering is “Imprisonment up to one year and fine up to $2,000; or at courts discretion conviction may require time spent cleaning the area where littering occured.”

Unlike most New England states, New Hampshire does not have a law regarding required recycling. On campus, there are several workers who are a part of the KSC Grounds Crew that pick up trash on campus and try to make the campus look nice. Assistant Director of Physical Plant-Grounds Bud Winsor said the process starts every morning, when each of the workers have a portion of campus they walk through and clean. Windsor said he finds a lot of littering from beer cans, cigarettes, wrappers and more. “Some people throw their trash out the window... it is a matter of self respect for the place that you are living in,” Winsor said. Winsor said there is a littering and trash problem in the city of Keene.

Winsor said the crew is busy with litter from the wintertime and they become twice as busy once the snow melts and more trash is revealed.

Grounds crew worker Travis Ellsworth said it is important for students and staff to be able to walk to class and not have to see trash on the ground. “We could have the school looking beautiful but if there is one beer can laying on the ground than that is the first thing that will be noticed,” Ellsworth said.

Winsor said a major part of the grounds crew job is cleaning up trash that is thrown on the ground.

One organization on campus attempts to make the campus more recycle friendly by collecting all recyclable and compost materials on campus. President of Recycling on Campus Keene State (ROCKS) Matt Bacon said the program teaches students about the use of transfer stations. Transfer stations are places that collect most waste and landfill, it is then brought to be disposed in a healthy way. The nearest transfer station to campus is on Route 12 according to Bacon. Bacon said keeping the city clean is a matter of self respect as the city is not only a place of home for many, but also a place where many have businesses. One step forward ROCKS has made to involve more students in recycling is placing indoor recycle bins in every residence hall. “The new recycling restructure is to make it easier for students to be able to recycle,” said Bacon.

Grounds crew member Joe Britton said it is a tough job to face every day but it is important for our school and home to look clean. Britton said that during large events such as graduation or spring carnival they try to clean and be noticeable to students while the event is going on in hopes that they will be more mindful of what they are doing with their trash.

City of Keene Housing Inspector and member of code enforcement Joel Fedorowicz said that his job is to enforce housing and property standards in the city of Keene. Fedorowicz said that people in the city are good about cleaning up after themselves and not having waste that could be hazardous.

Fedorowicz said a lot of the code enforcement job is educating tenants and landlords about the importance of keeping the city clean and not having trash pile up. “A big aspect of keeping the city clean is respecting your neighbors. You could have a family with children next door to a multi-family apartment,” Fedorowicz said.

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Template 022308 JJP

BlackYellow Black Cyan Magenta

STUDENT LIFE / B2

Thursday, March 8, 2018

ICE conference

Sophomore Weekend at KSC

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

KSC sophomores held events to celebrate their class being halfway done with college.

The sophomore class held events all weekend ASHLEY ARNOLD

equinox Staff

PUJA THAPA / BUSINESS MANAGER

The Inspiring Conversations in Education event allowed students to converse with KSC alumni and professors in the education field.

Education majors attend a conference to speak with KSC alumni and professors COLBY DUDAL

Student Life editor Keene State College education majors got the chance to speak with KSC alumni and professors from within their major at the sixth annual Inspiring Conversations in Education (ICE) conference.

Coordinator for the New Teacher and Leader program Darrell Hucks said the conference was created when the education department wanted to expose students to potential careers and have the chance to ask former students questions about their experiences as teachers.

Hucks said the event included about 35 alumni and professors who had presentations.

“The event includes presenters speaking about early childhood education, elementary education and this year, mostly higher education,” Hucks said.

The event was put on by the Education Honor Society and club president Adriana Alicea said the event has helped her learn more about the education major. Alicea said she thinks it is an important event to attend as it allows students to speak with people who have recently graduated and talk about their first years of teaching.

Alicea said the biggest thing she’s gotten out

of the conference is learning about what she is capable of and how to be less overwhelmed as a teacher.

Hucks said the presentations cover a wide range of topics such as what it’s like to be a first-year teacher, how to deal with parents as a teacher and the difference between rural schools vs. urban schools.

Hucks said the reason students return to present at the conference is because the education department tries to form a close bond with the students in the major throughout their years of college and encourage students to present the years after graduation on their experiences.

Kyle Virgin graduated from KSC as an undergraduate in 2014 and received his graduate degree in education the following year.

Virgin said he now works in the Upward Bound program at KSC and presented at this year’s ICE conference. “The Upward Bound program works a lot with students with financial disadvantages and the presentation I’m giving is called Becoming an Advocate for Low Income Students,” Virgin said.

In addition to the presentations, Virgin said that the conference is a good way to network and he has seen the networking in effect both as a student and now as a faculty member.

Senior Savannah Robert said she was the coordinator of the event last year and while she is taking on a smaller role this year, she sees the event as important for the education majors. “In education, for someone who is just starting off as a teacher, they are expected to be teaching the same stuff as someone who’s had 30 years of experience,” Robert said. She said a lot of the speakers at the conference talk about the first years of teaching and what the job is truly like.

Vice President of The Education Honor Society Erin Broderick said she first attended the ICE conference her sophomore year and it opened her eyes to seeing what the education field is truly like. Broderick said the most important thing she’s learned at the conferences is that not everything in teaching works out. “You might have a grand plan lesson that you think students will love and will work out perfectly, then it doesn’t work out. It is ok to fail and those things happen, not because of being bad at teaching or being new, but because those things happen as a teacher,” Broderick said.

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

Before the sophomore class separates to live off campus, students had a night to collectively celebrate their half-way point until graduation. From March 1 through March 4, Sophomore Weekend took place in multiple places in the Lloyd P. Young Student Center with a plethora of different activities for attendees.

This was the first year the Sophomore Weekend event has happened on the Keene State College campus. The weekend-long event was predominantly for sophomores, but anyone was welcome to come and celebrate the class of 2020.

Sophomore Weekend began Thursday, March 1, with bingo in the Night Owl Café in the Student Center. On Friday, March 2, there was tie-dying on the student center’s lawn from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., students paid a $3 fee to bowl at Yankee Lanes in Keene. Giant Connect Four, giant Jenga, giant Yahtzee and a piano mat were set up on the Student Center lawn on Saturday, March 3 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.. At 7 p.m., a movie night was presented for students in the Mabel Brown Room.

According to the class of 2020’s advisor Cory Davis, the class of 2020’s executive board organized and sponsored the event. The executive board is made up of student government class officers and class representatives. The event was funded by annual funding to student government and a Pepsi Grant from the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Kemal Atkins, Davis said.

Davis got the idea from a friend who began the event at Boston College five years ago.

Aside from events senior year, there are a minimal amount of opportunities for underclassmen to bond together, Davis explained.

“The executive board plays a good role in bringing the classes together, especially when people tend to break off or go live off campus in their junior and senior year. It’s important to have those events that

gather them now as opposed to only trying to pull people together [senior year],” he said.

Sophomore class president Madison Olson said the activities for the event were agreed upon by the executive board because of their variety. “[We] decided on the events because we believe that they are all very different, so we can appeal to a large and diverse crowd of students,” she said.

Olsen continued and said the event is a way to praise the sophomore class and their accomplishments. “I would describe Sophomore Weekend as a way to celebrate the class of 2020’s halfway point to graduation. We feel that sophomores seem to be forgotten too much, but we would like to recognize them and all of their hard work,” she said. With the array of activities provided, the event strived to unite the sophomore class by making relationships with unfamiliar peers, Olsen added.

“Sophomore Weekend brings the class together because we are offering a variety of events so that everyone has something that they would enjoy… We hope that strangers will meet each other at the events and that friendships will be created,” she explained. Olsen said she hopes that the event will become a tradition for sophomore classes in the future.

Sophomore safety and communications major Taylor Lindquist attended the tie-dye event and said it allowed her to relax and meet new people. “With midterms coming up, I’m glad I was able to take a break from my studying and projects… I got to connect with some people in my grade I’ve never meet before. It was a really cool experience overall,” she said.

To suggest event ideas, students can contact their student government class officers or their class representatives.

Ashley Arnold can be contacted at aarnold@kscequinox.com

KSC3QUINOX Template 022308 JJP

BlackYellow Black Cyan Magenta

STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Educational Counselor organizes Study Nights LYLE BELLAMY

Equinox staff For one professor, the idea of a classic study hall with some added incentives could hold a place as a weekly event on a college campus. Most high schools have time set aside for students specifically to study, and after the idea was brought up by a student, Mark Schmidl-Gagne went ahead in planning the event.

Since the start of the KSC Study Nights four years ago,the number of students who attend the study nights on average is about fifteen, Schmidl-Gagne said. He claimed that while attendance fluctuates, there have been study nights that have had almost thirty students.

A wide variety of majors attend the study nights, as well as students from first-years to seniors. One firstyear named Trevor who is an elementary education major started attending the events three weeks ago, and since then has been coming to them consistently. While he said it’s nice to get done what homework he has, he said it is far too early for him to say whether the event has impacted his grade or not.

On the subject of the student’s grade performances, SchmidlGagne wasn’t able to say with certainty that the study nights impact students grades directly. While he says that he hopes it helps, it is a hard thing to check up on their performances before and after they attend the events.

Schmidl-Gagne said he has been impressed with the way the students form friendships within the group as well. They form into a community he said, where they help each other form study habits and work

together. The students at the study nights also mentioned the fact that they look forward to study nights to see the friends they’ve made there.

Schmidl Gagne said there seems to be a correlation with students who get to know those in the school and even faculty, and those students who do tend to stick around and get better grades.

Senior Alexandra Sholtes has been coming to the events all year and said she enjoys the uninterrupted focus time. She is a psychology major and has enjoyed the opportunity to bounce ideas around with others at the study sessions.

Justin Mahan is a journalism major who has also been attending this year. He said he has benefitted from the scheduled time set aside for him to do his homework.

Above all else, students say they enjoy the food as well. Professor Schmidl-Gagne brings in food for them to eat while studying as well.

There are even sometimes when others bring in homemade baked goods.

Additionally, there are breaks for trivia at 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. as a fun way to relax. While there may not be any exact or proven correlation to the KSC Study Nights and grade improvement, the event has been successful in people attending and studying.

KSC Study Nights are held once a week on either Monday or Tuesday, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the library.

Lyle Bellamy can be contacted at lbellamy@kscequinox.com

ETHAN PLATT / SENIOR MULTIMEDIA

KSC Study Nights take place each week alternating between Monday and Tuesday nights in the Mason Library for any KSC student to attend.

T H I S

Humans of KSC

What are your plans for spring break?

COMPILED BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

“

I haven’t gotten the ticket yet, but my mom lives in Arizona and I might go down to visit her.

- Macie

“

Just to go home and hangout with my friends there.

- Brandon

“

I’m going to visit my dad in Fort Lauderdale on the beach, and visit my sister. I don’t get to see her a lot because she is in college so I’m really excited!

W E E K A T

- Sophie

“

Probably work and see my friends - Harris

K S C

YOUTUBE.COM/USER/THEKEENEEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Roller skating in the Student Center

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

On Friday, March 2 in the Night Owl CafĂŠ, Late Night hosted a roller skating event. Events take place on the first Friday, second Saturday and third Thursday of every month. The event included several people with varying levels of experience with roller skating. The events that take place include not only roller skating, but also the usual soda and drinks that are available in the Night Owl CafĂŠ. Several students participated in the event on Friday night.

Are you following @KSCdining?

Follow us on Instagram Now!

@KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

TIME CAPSULE

A look back at the history of KSC and the world around us

Time Capsule / B5 Thursday, March 8, 2018

A trip to the USSR

1989: Religious broadcast KYLE MCNAMARA

Equinox staff

ABBYGAIL VASAS

Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor TIME CAPSULE 1989 — In 1989, a group of Keene State College students and professors went on a trip over spring break to the Soviet Union. They visited the cities of Moscow, Vladimir, Suzdal and Leningrad.

History professor specializing in Russian culture, Wilfred Bisson, who had been to Moscow once before in 1987 with a group of students from Keene High School, organized the trip. Bisson cited the massive changes happening in the Soviet Union under the rule of Mikhail Gorbachev as the reason why he wanted to take a group of college students to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Bisson said, “The first time, I thought, Jesus, what a depressing place. The second time, I saw the diversity.”

Another student who also went on the trip in his sophomore year, Derek Pedley, described the Soviet people as, “very friendly,” and that the way Americans viewed them was “totally wrong.”

The trip began with three nights in Moscow. While there, the group visited Red Square, the Kremlin, Lenin’s Tomb and the Moscow Circus. Another sophomore on the trip, Denise Borovy, said her favorite spot was Red Square, which is home to both St. Basil’s Cathedral and the Kremlin.

After Moscow, the group spent a short time visiting the smaller cities of Vladimir and Suzdal and then traveled 400 miles by train to the city of Leningrad. There, they visited the Hermitage Art Museum, St. Isaac’s Cathedral and the massive World War 2 cemetery.

The students were particularly shocked by the cemetery. They had been expecting to see a cemetery similar to the Arlington National Cemetery, with headstones as far as the eye could see.

Instead, they learned that the dead had been buried in mass graves, with one headstone for every 40,000 bodies.

The group visited several churches and cathedrals while in the Soviet Union. Bisson decided to feature them on the trip because of the “resurgence of religion” in the USSR, which was an officially atheist country. “Churches are being rehabilitated: rebuilding domes, replacing crosses,” Bisson said.

Although Bisson’s interest was mostly with the religious establishments, business and management professor Philip

PULLED FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Saint Basil’s Cathedral (shown above) is located in Red Square in Moscow.

J. Peters, who accompanied the group on the trip, was particularly fascinated by the USSR’s economy. “Their economy is much more open, but in many ways, they’re behind the times,” Peters said.

He noticed that the shops constantly had lines of people, but some more

However, that was not the only shortcoming the tour director identified in the USSR. They also had serious problems with drugs and AIDS, and fresh fruits, vegetables and coffee were hard to come by.

When it came to the food, Pedley said, “One word ‒ terrible.”

Although some aspects of the trip were rough, Steve McCarthy, who went on the trip in his sophomore year, said it changed his perspective of the USSR. McCarthy said he initially “thought [the USSR] was cold, dark and drab. Everyone walked around in a haze of oppression, like no one wanted to be there or live there.”

PULLED FROM KSC ARCHIVES However, throughout the course of than others. The particular contrast he the trip, he began to realize that the Rusnoticed was between the vodka shop sian people were not so different than and the confectioners shop; the vodka himself. He realized that they “work shop had more than twice as many and play games just like Americans.” patrons. The group’s Russian tour director admitted that the Soviet Union had a Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at huge problem with alcoholism.

1972: Faculty Raises ABBYGAIL VASAS

Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor KYLE MCNAMARA

Equinox staff

S

LLUSTRATION BY ABBYGAIL VASAS/TIME CAPSULE EDITOR

TIME CAPSULE 1972 — During the week of March 22, 1972, Keene State College’s President, Leo F. Redfern, made the decision to increase the total salary of KSC employees by 5.5 percent.

The salary increase ultimately resulted in $105,160 being added to the budget, but that sum was broken down into multiple categories. An article from The Equinox reported that 2.5 percent of the money was dedicated to a general salary increase for employees, 2 percent went to new positions, and 1 percent was used for promotions and merit raises.

President Redfern’s decision was met with both support and dissent from the college’s faculty, with many professors complaining about the raise not being enough. Based on the figures provided in The Equinox, the amount dedicated to the general salary increase totaled $2,629. If, for example, the college had 50 employees, they would each get a $52 raise.

Based on inflation, that’s equivalent to $304 in 2017.

Redfern defended his decision, saying that the new positions, which took 2 percent of the allocated money, were necessary for attracting prospective Keene State College applicants.

He also cited his displeasure with having only a few full-time professors.

Some department chairmen, such as H. Peter Ch’en of the history department and James L. Spangenberg of the home econom-

ics department, sympathized with Redfern’s decision. Both men recognized the president’s effort in simultaneously attempting to both help the faculty and provide a quality education.

An article of The Equinox, written about the salary increases, noted that around half of the school’s staff who voiced opinions on the subject felt that a 2.5 percent increase was not a realistic number given the accompanying

rise in cost of living, combined with the fact that they had not received raises the year prior.

In response, Redfern argued that the increase was not small when considering other neighboring colleges were closing, laying off professors, and cutting salaries.

When David P. Gregory, who was Keene State’s associate professor of biology at the time, warned that faculty members may begin leaving if their salaries were not increased; Redfern again alluded to the apparent necessity of adding new positions at the college to attract new students.

Miriam Goder, who was the assistant professor of music, inquired if any of the money allocated to merit raises would be used to correct alleged discrepancies between the salaries of the college’s male and female faculty members. President Redfern replied that money likely would go towards this cause, however it would first need to be proven that such discrepancies existed. He also added that “the existence of sex discrimination in salaries was mostly a matter of opinion.”

Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at avasas@kscequinox.com

Kyle McNamara can be contacted at kmcnamara@kscequinox.com

KSCEQUINOX.COM

TIME CAPSULE 1989 — During the week of March 22, 1989, the WKNH staff came under fire from a faculty member who had been offended by religious content aired on the radio station.

Keene State College’s instructor of Computer Science at the time, Arpad Toth, took offense to WKNH’s broadcasts which had included Christian rock music and an event called the “Bible Believers Blowout.” Toth even contacted the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union (NHCLU) to investigate his complaints.

The issue mainly arose over the funding of WKNH. Those opposed to their religious broadcasts argued that, since the station was owned by the board of trustees and operated out of a state-owned building, state funding was therefore being improperly used to fund the promotion of one religion, which Toth adamantly opposed.

Toth felt that this practice was wrong because, “That’s not how the Constitution was established.” Upset over state-funding, Toth argued that the state paid for the station’s building, heat, electricity, equipment and so on.

“There are certain rules about how money is spent,” Toth said.

In response, Brett Nolte, who had been chairman of the Student Assembly, argued that WKNH was legitimately funded by student fees distributed by the assembly.

“These monies are not deemed as state funds,” Nolte said. “They can be used at the discretion of the organization.”

However, Toth pointed out that the money provided by the Student Assembly only went to supporting one religion and also that students were not asked if they wanted their money to support a particular religion on campus.

Toth had allegedly first notified WKNH about his concerns about six months prior to involving the NHCLU. He and the station had discussed the possibility of him delivering a “free-thought hour” on science and evolution, as well as featuring material from the American Atheists, but was allegedly never contacted further.

Kerry Fosher, who had been the manager of WKNH, said,“There was some sort of tangle with getting it on the air.”

Fosher also reported that the Bible Believers Blowout show was cancelled when brought to a vote by WKNH staff. However, Fosher said the real issue weighing on the station was, “whether or not music can be considered as programing.”

Along with contacting the NHCLU, Toth also submitted paperwork to KSC’s President at the time, Judith Sturnick.

Any decision that would have taken the issue to court would have depended on the NHLCU’s investigation,Toth said. Also, the vice president for student affairs at the time Barbara Rich said, “The only comment I have is that I’m exploring it with legal counsel.”

A legal resolution of the issue was not published by The Equinox.

Kyle McNamara can be contacted at kmcnamara@kscequinox.com

Adopt-a-Highway Program ABBYGAIL VASAS

Copy Editor/timE CapsulE Editor TIME CAPSULE 1985 — On March 9, 1985, the first Adopt-aHighway sign was erected on Highway 69 in Texas. The program is officially called the Adopt a Highway Litter Removal Service of America (AAHLRSA) and encourages businesses and institutions to volunteer to pick up trash and keep America’s highways clean. The program teams up sponsors and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to keep roadways cleaner and safer.

History.com reported that the idea originally came from an engineer for the Texas DOT James Evans when he noticed trash blowing out of the bed of a pickup truck in Tyler, TX. Evans then started asking people in his community to volunteer to help pick up trash along the side of the highway, but very few people responded. One person who did respond to Evans’ idea was the Public Information officer of the Tyler District of the Texas DOT Billy Black.

He helped formulate Evans’ idea into what is now known as the Adopt-aHighway, complete with training and equipment for those who volunteered.

According to the program’s official website, 49 out of 50 states have some version of the Adopt-a-Highway program. Any group which chooses to sponsor a highway has their name appear on the sign, thus cultivating

PULLED FROM WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

name-recognition and associating their brand with a green-initiative.

Although the program makes the sponsors look good, it also lends a hand to the DOT in difficult times.

According to the Adopt-a-Highway website, “Facing budget cuts and safety issues, states are looking for alternative ways to keep roadways safe.”

Abbygail Vasas can be contacted at avasas@kscequinox.com

Template 022308 JJP

Cyan MagentaBLACK Yellow Black

Sports / B6

Daily Disc Slingin’

Thursday, March 8, 2018

BRIEF

Season opener postponed JULIA EICHMAN

Equinox Staff The Keene State College baseball 2018 season has just begun, and so far, spring showers have been putting a damper on game-time.

The Owl’s first scheduled game on Feb. 25 was postponed due to rain. The game was rescheduled for Feb. 27 away at Clark University, where The Owls grabbed their first season win with a final score of 8-3. KSC baseball was recently ranked fifth overall in the Little East Conference (LEC) preseason poll.

This week, the men were scheduled to play two games at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), however, the series was cancelled because of the poor weather and will not be made up.

The team was on the road again on Sunday, March 4, traveling to William Paterson

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SARAH SMITH

ETHAN PLATT

SEnior MultiMEdia Staff As the snow begins to melt and spring begins to edge closer and closer, frisbees can be seen flying around campus. These students aren’t your average frisbee enthusiasts; they are the Keene State Ultimate Disc team and the team takes throwing a plastic disc to a whole new level.

This team is made up of men and women who share a common love for warm, relaxed days in open fields. We play during the fall and the spring. During the off season, things begin to slow down, but that doesn’t mean it stops.

In fact, you can go into the gym on campus almost any given day and find a group of us working out, going for runs, and working on our throws. We even make our way out to Franklin Pierce University to scrimmage in their indoor facility about once a week, all in preparation for the spring season, which consists of many important tournaments.

Over spring break, you can find the most dedicated of us driving 16 hours in two fully-loaded vans to Myrtle Beach, SC to play in one of the largest collegiate level Ultimate tournaments, High Tide. There you can find hundreds of teams from all over the United States, from Keene State College to The University of North Carolina. There, we get to meet people and create friendships all through the love of one sport, Ultimate Frisbee. After that, the team will be working our hardest to make sure we’re prepared to play against the top teams in our division at Regionals. Our hope is to do really well at Regionals and maybe even make it to Sectionals, where the competition gets even tighter.

Coming to KSC as a first-year, I knew I wanted to play on the Ultimate Frisbee team. I started playing as a freshman in high school where I was captain of the team for four years. From there, I spent almost every day during the summers that followed playing pickup with people from all over New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Ultimate Frisbee is very special to me and anyone else who plays it for many reasons. I think one of the reasons that it shines so much is that anyone can play it. I’ve played against people who ranged from 8-years-old to their early 60s.

After graduating high school, I played for New Hampshire's “all star team.” We practiced two times a week and had games once a week.

We were selected to travel to Minnisota that summer to play in the largest tournament I’ve had the honor to be apart of. We played teams from N.Y., Wis., Calif. and many more. After that, it was time to move into college. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from playing against only college players. I mean, I’d been playing against all ages for around four years, it couldn’t have been that different I thought. Boy, was I wrong. Every week we had a tournament, sometimes close to us and sometimes hours away. I very quickly realized this was a whole new level of the sport I thought I knew and loved. But we all have stuck together through all the ups and downs and now we're back for the spring season and ready to roll.

Ethan Platt can be contacted at eplatt@kscequinox.com

University for a double header.

The first game started at 11 a.m. and the second started approximately at 1 p.m.. Both games had seven innings. The Owls lost the two non-conference games to the Pioneers with scores of 5-1 in the first, and 11-5 in the second.

As for the rest of the week, the rain is not going to be an issue. The Owls are heading off to Auburndale, Fla. for spring training on Friday, March 9. Most of the games will be played at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex, a multi-purpose sports complex in Auburndale.

Their first match-up will be a double header against Anderson University at 3:15 p.m..

KSC’s men’s baseball team will continue spring training through March 17 with their last game that morning.

Julia Eichman can be contacted at jeichman@kscequinox.com

PHOTO ILLUSTARTION BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

BRIEF

KSC men’s basketball ends the season ADRIANA SANCHEZ

Equinox Staff Even though the Keene’s State Men’s Basketball team did not get an automatic bid in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division (NCAA) III Tournament, they still have their heads up high.

Last year, New England had 17 teams at large bids out of 21 and this year New England only had four.

Junior Ty Nichols said, “We definitely were frustrated that we didn’t have a bid but we learned a lot this season and we’re going to take that into next season.”

He was surprised they didn’t receive a bid considering they had the same record as last year.

Before the season started, the team had to overcome obstacles.

Head coach Ryan Cassin said, “Before the season started I think we had some turnover of the roaster that wasn’t necessarily planned so I think that was the first challenge the entire team faced without knowing.”

He said the team handled it very well and the players created a great bond.

SOCCER Cont. from B8

After being aware of outside influences on each athlete, Foley encourages them when on the field and in practice.

“I talk to a lot of my players regardless of age about leadership and personal development. I think you have to be emotional strong before you are mentally or physically strong,” Foley said.

Foley added that some staff at Boston College started a leadership academy, where they discuss leading one another, impacting their culture and making a change in their community.

“I really love empowering girls and having them believe they can make a difference,” Foley said.

With that love comes a great coaching technique, which encourages her female athletes.

“A coach of female athletes has the influence to build self-esteem and confidence. Utilizing this opportunity can change a girl’s approach to how she will view herself and her abilities in so many areas of her life,” Foley added.

Foley’s former room-

“

His next goal is to become All American by the end of this year.

Nichols said the team now has to get We definitely were frustrated that we better, keep going to the gym during the didn’t have a bid... summer, get into summer leagues, and parTy Nichols ticipate in open gym.

KSC senior The team has big goals for next season according to Nichols.

When asked what the team’s goals are for The team this season had seven first-years, plishment this season. two sophomores, three juniors, and two This hopefully allows them to build on next season, Nichols said to win the championship and conference championship. After seniors. this success for next season said Cassin.

With five seniors who played many minNichols said, “The biggest obstacle was to that, to win the national championship.

The team starts preseason on Oct. 15. utes, many players had to step up. get the freshman used to playing at a college The team has spring conditioning starting Some might’ve took this and turned into a level rather than high school basketball.” at the end of March that happens every other negative experience but the men’s basketball The team had a record of 19 to nine. team did quite the opposite.

Cassin said at the end of the season, day four to five times a week.

“Often times you see a lot of growth Every season the teams faces bumps and people wouldn’t have even recognized the bruises and this season was no different. “freshman were freshman” by the way they form players their freshman year whether it’s skillswise, physical, or mental. So were “To rather look as it as a negative that guys played on the court. didn’t return we were able to twist it to a Cassin said, “We felt that we had some excited to see how they develop as students positive – we had lots of guys play and who chances to we didn’t capitalize on and and players from here on out,” Cassin said. knows if they would’ve had the same oppor- could’ve had a better season than we did.”

Adriana Sanchez can be contacted at tunity if those guys had not left,” said Cassin.

Ty Nichols and Dizel Wright were the only asanchez@kscequinox.com Being a young team is always a challenge. two returning starters they had this season.

Cassin believes the team adapting so well Nichols had a huge achievement this past with many new faces was the biggest accom- season, he reached 1500 points.

mate Janel Gerrior, who now goes by the name of Janel Stevenson, said that she wasn’t surprised to hear that Foley was writing a coaching book.

“She has been an inspiration to all female athletes for as long as I have known her. It is important she share her expertise with the world,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson added that Foley has incredible interpersonal skills as well and knows how to get the most out of her athletes.

Looking back at Foley’s journey, Stevenson said she knew that Foley was destined to be successful as a result of all the hard work and her intense, yet caring personality.

“Alison was an inspired leader by example. She is the hardest working person I know.

On the field, she always gave 100 percent in games and practice. Off the field, she was always giving 100 percent in her studies.

Everyone looked up to her,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson hopes to see the book accomplish a better understanding of female athletes and how to help them reach their potential.

“My twin sister Jul and

I played and roomed with Alison during our time at Keene State and we have nothing but wonderful memories. She is the best and I am so proud of all she has accomplished in her personal and professional career,” Stevenson said.

Foley’s other former roommate Jul Gerrior was unable to comment in time for publication.

Foley’s book was released in the beginning of March and includes all kinds of tips for parents, coaches and female athletes.

Foley said the most important thing for an athlete is to always keep trying, even when facing struggles or low points.

“Never give up. In times that you see yourself failing or not good enough, view it as a moment of challenge. Even if you didn't get the exact outcome you wanted if you faced the challenge and believed you could work through it, you have won,” Foley said.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

LEC

Cont. from B8 cake” and said that it proved to her that she has had a wonderful time swimming, and that her hard work paid off.

Walsh said her last season was a roller coaster and bittersweet the entire time.

“It really tested my emotions and love for the sport. It is so hard to cope with the fact that a sport you love is ending so fast, and that you know it’s coming the whole time,” Walsh said.

Walsh added that although there is a lot of pressure because everything is happening for the last time, that she is lucky enough to say she ended her season on great terms.

First-year Jessica Masotta finished her season on a high note as well, receiving LEC Rookie Diver of the Year.

Masotta proved to be a threat during the season, receiving LEC Rookie Diver of the Week three weeks in a row.

Masotta, a young diver and new addition to the KSC swim and dive team had a lot of adjusting to undergo, but quickly grasped diving

through each practice.

Masotta went into the rest of the season working on her form and performing exceptionally well on the diving board.

Masotta earned LEC Rookie of the Year and said that earning this award was a huge highlight of her season.

“Especially as a freshman, it feels really nice to accomplish such a big award,” Masotta said.

Masotta added that it was extremely nice to be able to train with such a supportive team, who made it all the more fun to be at practice.

“It feels really good to have all my hard work pay off and to finish strong,” Masotta said. With three years left for Masotta to improve, she has high hopes that she will accomplish even more in the years and seasons to come.

Walsh’s and Masotta’s teammates did not respond or comment.

With the season coming to end, winter KSC athletes finish out their seasons with accomplished goals and much earned success.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

Are you interested in writing for Sports or The Equinox?

Caroline Perry

(802) 522-4738 @KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta BLACK

Yellow Black

Sports / B7

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Ski & Behind the scenes of lacrosse Slopes Angelique Inchierca

Photo Editor

Sports fans and entertainment watchers have one major thing in common: enjoying the action they are seeing in the moment. For men’s and women’s lacrosse, people may cheer for their favorite players or make fun comments throughout the game but few get to experience what goes on behind the games themselves.

Keene State College men’s lacrosse head coach Mark Theriault said the spring season is just the half of it. In the fall, tryouts start, players are cut, teams are made, and training begins.

“The preseason, for me, is more about getting people to gel together more than just running,” Theriault said. “With men's lacrosse, we start early. We have already had two games already. We need to be skill ready and cognitive ready.”

While both the men’s and women’s lacrosse coaches said that running drills can be boring for students, players recognize the importance of these exercises.

“A big way of beating teams is being in better shape than them because you can run for the full game while they might get tired out,” KSC senior women’s lacrosse midfield player Taylor Farland said.

Both coaches of the women’s and men’s lacrosse team said they intertwine a lot of running with more fun drills to keep students ready for their next game but still enjoying the sport itself.

KSC women’s lacrosse coach Katie Clark said the preseason is also a time where first years and upper classmen can really get to know one another and learn how each teammate plays.

While in her tenth season, Clark said she has seen plenty of players come as first years and leave as seniors. While every graduated senior has left his or her impact on the team after their four years, both Theriault and Clark said that it is both exciting and frightening for large amounts of seniors to graduate and first years to start fresh.

Theriault said, “As the coach, it’s my job to recruit and kind of keep recruiting. Last year we were definitely senior heavy with 13 seniors. The kids here are adjusting and are stepping up to the challenges.

“There are a lot of new characters in starting positions which means there are a lot more teaching for me and my staff,” he said.

With new talent comes new perspectives, skill sets, and competitive abilities to add onto the teams. Some may find the annual adjustments difficult, but a good team can cause positive outcomes.

Clark said this year’s team seems to be different than before as the players are more connected and supportive to one another.

KSC senior men’s lacrosse midfield attack player Hunter Arnold said students are not separated by their grade levels like you may see in cinematic media.

“We like to support each other and be a family out there on and off the field,” he said, “we don't really do any of that freshmen-senior type stuff.”

Clark said the coaches try their best to make sure first years and upperclassmen are gelling together during the non-traditional season, so seeing these positive relationships form create strong bonds between the players and

coaches.

Farland said building these bonds are easier because lacrosse is a spring sport, meaning players have all of the fall semester to get to know one another and become a “family.”

Whether they are building skills and learning from season games or experiencing more emotional conference games, having the support from their teammates have made the players grow together in preparation for when both lacrosse teams go up against big national leagues like Tufts, Skidmore, Bates, and Hamilton.

Every win leading to the team’s end goal: winning LEC Championships.

As a personal goal for this season, Clark said, “I really want them to just be proud of we as coaches have put effort into the season as well as themselves.”

Some students, like Arnold, have already recognised the hard work done by

BRANDON MOULTON / EQUINOX STAFF

The Unavoidable Fall CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor

coaches.

“Our coaching staff is awesome,” he said, “They work day in and day out all the time to try and get us better and motivate us to be the best that we can.”

Coaches may put a lot of time training and working with student athletes, but none of it is wasted time as each coach impacts the team and the team impacts their coach.

Theriault said he has his own special reason for liking Division Three teams the best, and that is the people he gets to meet and build relationships that last longer than a student’s four years here at KSC. “I could be a chess coach or anything and as long as I’m giving the kids really positive lifelong experiences, then I feel I’m doing my job,” Theriault said.

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com PHOTO ILLUSTARTION BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Adversities in women’s basketball ADRIANA SANCHEZ

Equinox Staff Some say diversity makes people stronger and that’s exactly what the Keene State women’s basketball team is planning to do next season.

This past season the women’s team faced many injuries and sicknesses, but that didn’t stop them from giving their all.

Many players had to step up and that’s exactly what they did.

During their past season, they weren’t worried about their record. They focused on getting better.

Captain and senior Sandi Purcell was one of the players who suffered an injury that impacted the team.

Purcell first dislocated her shoulder during a scrimmage game against Springfield but came back to the court within a few days.

Purcell suffered a second injury right before winter break. She broke her ankle during a game against The University of Southern Maine.

Teammate and junior Emily McPadden, said, “That was a struggle, especially going into winter break knowing that we are not going to have our leading scorer come back for the rut of the conference games.”

Purcell said this meant her teammates had to step up to the plate and that’s exactly what they did.

McPadden said, “My role changed, I ended up going from a shooting guard to a forward.”

Women’s head coach Keith Boucher said this season was a bizarre one.

“We could never stay healthy. I never had a season like this before, I don’t want to have another one like this to be honest with you,”

he said.

McPadden and Purcell said they always tell their teammates when a person is down then it’s another’s persons opportunity.

The freshman had taken on the challenge considering the circumstances.

Boucher, said “On a positive note, a lot of

Purcell said, “We pulled the team aside and told them we need to finish strong now -- we can’t let that bother us right now, we have to keep pushing ourselves,” and that’s exactly what the team did.

McPadden said they started achieving their goals, winning games towards the end.

“Yes we got bounced in the first round but I do think teams towards the end of the season had to fear us. Sandi came back and we were playing very well,” she said.

Despite these injuries, Boucher said the team kept coming into practice to work hard.

“I think as difficult as this season was it was a great experience because of the fact that they all stayed together and they worked hard as a unit and that’s what team is,” Boucher said.

She added, “You don’t give in when things don’t go your way and when things aren’t going good for you then somebody else has to pick you up and when somebody else is down then it’s your job to pick them up,” Boucher said.

The team plans on coming in full swing next season.

For the first time ever the team will be practicing with the Track and Field assistant coach Nick Athanasopoulos.

“I think we are going to be a big threat and teams aren’t going to expect us to be as good as we’re going to be,” McPadden said about the upcoming season.

The team has spring conditioning which PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PUJA THAPA / BUSINESS MANAGER is mandatory. Players also join summer freshman got a lot of game experiences which leagues back where they’re from.

Their preseason starts the second week of normally wouldn’t have happened.”

First-year Jordyn Burke tore her anterior September. cruciate ligament (ACL).

Adriana Sanchez can be contacted at This usually happens when there’s sudden asanchez@kscequinox.com movement on the ligaments which causes tears.

Ahhh yes, falling.

Everyone thinks you just glide down the mountain with ease and grace, and for experienced skiers this is more than true.

An experienced skier can make any trick or trail look amazingly easy, but it’s not. As a beginner you’re going to fall, it’s just part of the process.

However, there are safer ways to fall in order to prevent injuries.

1. Falling Forward. Although it’s slightly more difficult to fall forward, especially when strapped into boots and skis, it still happens.

A lot of people’s first instinct is to immediately put your hands forward to brace your fall.

Never reach your palms out in front of you while falling forward.

Instead, try to use your forearms to break your fall.

Reaching your palms forward is probably the most common mistake in falling and it results in broken wrists and broken fingers. You want to absorb the impact with your entire forearm instead of landing on your wrists.

This will still hurt, but I think you’d rather have a bruise instead of a broken wrist.

2. Falling Backwards. Once again, DO NOT stick your arms backward to brace your fall.

Sticking your arms backwards can lead to a broken wrist or a dislocated arm.

Not only is this extremely painful, but any type of dislocation can have major long-term effects on your body and physical performance.

Trust me, I’ve dislocated my knee five times.

3. Bracing for impact when performing tricks.

Ok so I’m not a huge tricks person, however I know plenty of people who have gotten injured just because they don’t know how to “fall safely.”

When trying to save a trick with an awkward landing, sometimes it’s better to just fall.

A lot of the times people try to absorb awkward landings with only their knees, which can lead to a dislocated knee or ACL tear.

It may sound crazy, but sometimes just letting your body fall will be the best option because the more delicate parts of your body won’t sustain injuries.

Try to also tuck your arms in and land on your forearms.

It may look like you’re a mummy flying through the air but hopefully the overall damage won’t be as bad.

Plus, who really cares how it looks when you fall. The point is you’re falling and you’re going to want to do something about it.

So mummy style it is.

Falling is absolutely no fun at all.

I’ve fallen enough times skiing to tell anyone that.

If you’re a beginner don’t let those falls discourage you. I fell so many times learning that it felt like I was sledding rather than skiing.

Eventually you’re going to catch on and be able to ski with minimum falls.

So keep your head up!

If you’re an advanced skier then you don’t really have to worry, but still be careful when performing tricks because you never know.

Overall though, skiing is a pretty fun sport, even with the falls.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

@KSCEQUINOX Template 022308 JJP

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

SEASON OPENER POSTPONED: SEE B6

Sports / B8

Thursday, March 8, 2018

S ORTS

BEHIND THE SCENES OF LACROSSE: SEE B7

KSCEQUINOX.COM

soccer to co-author CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor

Behind every Keene State College alumni there is a story, and this definitely holds true for 1993 KSC alumni Alison Foley.

Foley said after graduating college she never thought coaching would be her longterm profession.

However, after going down to James Madison University (JMU) as a graduate assistant soccer coach with a degree in psychology, under the leadership of former Owls soccer coach Dave Lombardo, she fell in love

with coaching. “He had said, ‘This can actually be your full-time job.’

And I've never looked back since 1994,” Foley said.

Foley, who is now a women's soccer coach at Boston College and currently holds the record for the most wins of a female coach at the college, has now chosen to co-author a book called, “How to Coach Girls.”

Foley said she chose to write the book because, after looking at high school statistics relating to sports, she found it disturbing how many middle school girls were dropping out of teams and choosing not to play sports anymore.

Foley added that many of them reported that they were not having fun or were just not motivated to stick with sports. “This really urged me to to look a little closer at why this was happening and to see, with my experiences, that maybe I could help,” Foley said.

A vital component to any athlete’s

growth and perspective of a sport relates to the coaching staff significantly. With guidance, motivation, and encouragement, an athlete can reach their full potential and thrive.

Foley said she believes positivity is key. Foley hopes that each coach who reads the book will be able to find tips that will help create a positive team environment, solve some of the common issues that often develop on women’s teams, and eventually help each coach navigate through the adversities.

Foley’s advice and tips come from long-term experience and struggles that she has faced and overcome in her career.

Foley said she has seen girls at all different levels stress out, and a lot of that stress connected to parental involvement or pressure.

“I’ve recognized the importance of setting boundaries for parents,” Foley said. There is a chapter in the book Foley specifically dedicated to coaches setting a “Parent Code of Conduct,” which she thinks will be helpful and necessary. “Being aware that kids feel a lot more social pressure and helping them work through that is key as well,” Foley added.

SEE SOCCER, B6

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY ALISON FOLEY

KSC athletes receive major awards “ CAROLINE PERRY

It has been one of my favorite awards to win and it is such an honor.

Hope Walsh KSC Senior

SportS Editor

Finishing out the season, the Keene State College women’s swim and dive had a stroke of success. Senior Hope Walsh received Little East Conference (LEC) Swimmer of the Year for the third time in her swim career and first-year Jessica Masotta received LEC Rookie Diver of the Year for the first time in her diving career.

Senior Hope Walsh has received LEC Swimmer of the Year three years in a row.

Before achieving this award, Walsh worked her way up the ranks, conquering in her competitions since her first year. As a first-year, Walsh was the champion in the 800 meter free relay in New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association (NEISDA) Championship, broke KSC school records in the 800 meter free relay, as well as the 200 meter backstroke, placed second in the mile and third in the 200 and 500 meter freestyle at the NEISDA. She moved on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Invitational and placed third in the mile, fourth in the 200 meter backstroke and fifth in the 500 meter free relay.

Moving on to sophomore year, Walsh continued to perform well, receiving LEC Swimmer of the Year for the first

time, as well as breaking the school record in the 1,650 meter freestyle. Walsh was also named NEISDA champion in the 1,650 meter freestyle, NEISDA runner up in the 1,000 meter freestyle and 800 meter free relay, LEC champion in the 1,650 meter freestyle, 500 meter freestyle, and 200 meter backstroke. On top of that, Walsh broke the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth pool record in the 1,650 meter freestyle and placed third in the 500 meter free relay.

Going into her junior year, Walsh won LEC Swimmer of the Year for the second time, also receiving the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholar All-American Honorable Mention. Walsh went on to win the 500 meter free relay, the 1000 meter free relay, and the 1,650 meter free relay at the 2017 NEISDA championships. Walsh also placed first in the 200, 500, 1000 and 1650 meter freestyle back at the 2017 LEC Championships.

Walsh said she knew that one of her main goals was the claim LEC Swimmer of the Year for the third time. “It has been one of my favorite awards to win and it is such an honor. I was full of pure joy when I got the award,” Walsh said.

Walsh described the win as “the icing on the

SEE LEC, B6

KIANA WRIGHT / EQUINOX STAFF

Template 022308 JJP