The Equinox 5.3.18

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Vol. 70, Issue #28 Thursday, May 3, 2018

THE EQUINOX

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The student voice of Keene State College

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GREEN LIFE: STAFF COLUMN

Dining contract up for grabs Green

Bikes: A Look In the Workshop KATHERINE GLOSSER

Equinox Staff

BENAJIL RAI

/ MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Sodexo Inc. is currently under contract to provide food services to Keene State College, but the contract is soon to expire at the end of this academic year.

Contract with Sodexo Inc. to expire this academic year RACHEL VITELLO

Equinox Staff The omelette line, stir fry station, breakfast smoothies and themed dinners are just a few of the things many Keene State College students have made a part of their daily lives from the Zorn Dining Commons. Change may be coming to KSC dining, however. The college’ contract with Sodexo Inc. is over at the end of this academic year.

Dining companies have until mid-May to submit their proposals to KSC to be the new food service provider for the school.

The typical food service provider contract lasts for a period of ten years. General Manager of Dining Services Josef Quirinale said, “Proposals will be submitted to the University System [of New Hampshire].

There is a committee made up of KSC staff members and students that will review the proposals, visit other campuses where each company provides the food service and based on those site visits, a presentation of

the proposal and the plan each company presents in their proposal for providing the service... the committee will be able to make a final decision.”

One of the members of this committee is Director of Campus Life Jennifer Ferrell.

Ferrell said, “There is a very long list of information outlined in the request for proposals that includes programs for both Keene State and Plymouth State. They will outline information about operations, types of foods provided, cost for program, staffing and ideas for the future of dining on our campuses.”

The final decision for a new dining company is due by the end of May. Sodexo is one of the companies that will be submitting their proposal, so it is possible the college will be working with the same company.

Quirinale said, “The college, and in this case, the University System [of New Hampshire], publishes a[a Request for Proposal].

Any interested food service company is welcome to provide a proposal to run the food service. In this case, Sodexo is one of the companies that will be submitting a proposal.”

Switching food service providers is a decision that concerns KSC staff and students alike.

Non-traditional KSC student Crystal Pringle, who has personal relationships with many Zorn Dining Commons staff and has interviewed each of the prospective bidders, said she is worried about how switching providers will effect the dining commons’ workers.

She said, “Sodexo has a lower than average score as far as employee satisfaction...

They do have an average consumer rating comparatively. With that said, I think with some managerial changes, even possible retraining, Sodexo would be the best option for Keene State.”

Pringle said that she was impressed

with a couple of the bidders’ presentations, including the companies Chartwell and Aramark, but was not satisfied with what other companies discussed.

One company proposed speaking with management to downsize the staff and moving employees to different stations within the Zorn Dining Commons to “find their niche.” “I think changing employers is enough stress without having to learn new jobs, and they would run stringent background checks on everyone again and probably lose people through that process,” Pringle said.

KSC will make its decision by the end of May. No matter who is chosen, however, Ferrell said, “We are looking at and for all of those firms who are interested in providing a high quality dining experience for students and our campuses.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com

New history major being offered fall semester JESSICA RICARD

Equinox Staff Keene State College students have been given yet another opportunity to take their career to the next level.

As of fall 2018, students will have the opportunity to enroll in the new Master’s of Arts in History and Archives, and, while it may be most appealing to history majors, anybody can enroll.

Professor of History and Philosophy Dr. Andrew Wilson said the idea for the program came about when history faculty members were exploring graduate program possibilities. While many history faculty were in the process of updating and restructuring

their programs, they surveyed students and received feedback that they enjoy a handson approach to history, such as working with documents, artifacts and archives.

And even better, he said there is quite the job market for archivists. “There’s growing opportunities for real employment in archives, so we thought, well, this is something we can then credibly and realistically do, so let’s do it, and that was the beginning,” Wilson said.

For those interested still enrolled at KSC, they can get a head start on the graduate program in their senior year. Those who apply in their junior year can take two graduate courses that count toward both their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in their senior year,

Wilson said. KSC students would spend one academic year, including summer, beyond graduation finishing the master’s program.

Professor of History Dr. Matthew Crocker said it is a real opportunity for students to come out of KSC in five years with a Bachelor and Master of Arts. “Most graduate programs are at least two years, so it’s a real opportunity. It’s a pretty cool program and we’re excited to do it,” Crocker said.

For those who apply after graduation, Wilson said finishing the program would take about three semesters, plus a summer semester to complete.

Wilson said there is currently one American studies major piloting the program and

Index

Top Headlines

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

A4: Saying goodbye to our seniors A8: Taking a bow B1: Carnival comes to KSC B8: Finishing Strong

Opinions ................4-5 World News...............5 A&E............ ...........6-8 Sports.....................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press

five or six other KSC students who have expressed interest or intend on applying.

In terms of the program’s coursework, three classes combine a historical topic with an archival component, and then two classes are strictly dedicated to archival training.

These serve as the base work to be able to sit for the certified archivist exam administered by the Academy of Certified Archivists.

After taking these courses, students can pursue an internship option or archival research project option.

While the Master of Arts in History and Archives can lead students to jobs in historical societies, libraries, museums, archives SEE HISTORY A2

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Bikes have been around for a long time. According to a student report from the University of Florida, bicycles have been around for 200 years. Today, people are still enjoying them. Keene State College is no stranger to using bikes.

Around 2000, the Green Bikes Program was established. The program takes used bicycles, fixes them up, paints them green and sends them out to be rented at the Mason Library. Many students utilize these rentable bikes. However, many do not know where exactly they come from. Students who want to donate or get their own bike fixed for cheap, Bike Program & Sustainability Office Assistant Marcus McCarroll is the person to go to.

McCarroll has been fixing and providing the bikes in a workshop that’s located in the basement of Keddy House since 2005. McCarroll had a biking history before he worked with green bikes; he did a cross country trip from Ithaca, New York to California and biked from California to South Carolina.

McCarroll said the workshop has the best kept secret. The KSC Green Bikes workshop was once a pediatric unit.

One of the basement rooms that was once an x-ray room is now a room that stores bikes to be used later.

Inside the workshop, there are around 300 bikes. 60 of these bikes are currently being used to get rented. Some of the bikes are antiques, some aren’t.

All the bikes have a purpose. Even the ones that cannot be used to ride have a purpose. The junk bicycles get stripped down and some of the parts are used to fix other bikes. McCarroll calls them “frankenbikes.”

McCarroll said he receives bikes often. Every bike that is donated he checks out and/or tweaks. His work on an individual bike takes anywhere from a half hour to several days. The services he provides aren’t just exclusive to KSC students, if a local asks nicely they can also utilize his services. His workshop is even active in the summer.

McCarroll mostly fixes and creates the green bikes on his own. However, he has a few workers that help him out.

The most workers he’s had was four but currently he has two. He hopes to have more student workers to help him out.

However, because the workshop is not well known, and because of the hours, it is difficult for him to find students willing to work. “Nobody knows about it. If they don’t find out about it when they are a freshman they probably never will,” McCarroll said.

One of the people who works at the workshop is KSC Eco Rep Nicolas Garber. Garber said he enjoys working there and finds the services McCarroll provides to be useful. “It’s good to know that if you ever have bike problems, or even if your bike’s okay and you want to check something out, if you want to rent a bike or want somewhere to go or something to do, this is the place to go,” Garber said, “It’s easy to donate your time. It’s a fun job and it’s a perfect place for you to get your bike fixed at a really cheap price. I personally would rather go to a sustainable shop where I can reuse old parts that are still in very good SEE BIKES, A3

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

Administrative Executive Editor: Sebastien Mehegan | smehegan@kscequinox.com Managing Executive Editor | cperry@kscequinox.com

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News / A2

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Contributing to the human record

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA/ PHOTO EDITOR

Professor of Anthropology retiring to complete research VINCENT MOORE

News editor Keene State College Professor of Anthropology Rosemary Gianno will be retiring at the conclusion of the 2018 spring semester.

Gianno received her Bachelor of Arts at Queen’s College, City University of New York, and her Master’s and doctorate at Yale University before choosing to work at Keene State College.

“One of the things that really got me interested in anthropology was learning about where we came from, origins of people. I think knowing about yourself has to do with knowing other people. That’s one of the big things, I think, about anthropology, the more I teach about other cultures, the more we learn about our culture,” Gianno said.

During a research project in Malaysia, Gianno lived with the Orang Asli, the original people of Malaysia, to study the resins that were historically traded throughout Southeast Asia. “The Orang Asli are less than one percent of Malaysia but they’re the original people of

Malaysia,” Gianno said.

Gianno said globalization and modernization are decimating the Orang Asli’s culture and way of life, much like is happening to Native American tribes in the United States.

“If you’re going to write biographies of Americans that you think are important, a whole book on one person, then don’t you think there should be documentation of a whole culture in Malaysia? They’re just as important as people in America, and they’re all part of the human record. I think that’s one of the valuable things about anthropology is providing this record,” Gianno said.

Gianno said she created the Orang Asli archive so their culture and identify would be preserved. She said, “Having this archive, establishing the archive, is basically a statement. We cherish the Orang Asli, we cherish their culture. We think it’s important enough to actually have an institution dedicated to their cultures, and it’s outside of Malaysia. So this is a political statement of social justice of the validity of these cultures.”

Gianno said that the reason why she’s retiring now

is to dedicate more time to her research. “At this point in my life, I feel like I know a lot about a lot of things and I have a lot to share with people. On the other hand, I also have a lot of field notes I haven’t written up,” Gianno said.

“I have a lot of research. There’s a lot of data that I’ve collected, and I spend so much time teaching that I never get around to working with this stuff. Given all that, by retiring now, I can teach one class instead of three classes so I can balance my life a little bit better than what I was doing before.”

An event to honor the occasion of Gianno’s retirement was held on April 27 in Mason Library, where Orang Asli artifacts were put out on display for attendees to examine. In attendance were Gianno’s colleagues, friends and both current and former students.

During the event several of Gianno’s colleagues and former students spoke of their appreciation and experiences with Gianno.

Senior women’s and gender studies major with a double minor in anthropology and holocaust and genocide studies JP Colasacco said he attended the

event because he had Gianno as his advisor for two years and she acted as a mentor to him and helped him figure out what he wanted to do before graduation.

Senior sociology major with a double minor in anthropology and women’s and gender studies Briannah Bellot said she had Gianno as a professor, and what she learned from Gianno’s class will help her career in sociology.

“Sociology, as my major, relates a lot to anthropology. So I’m interested in more social justice type of work, so I think that what I’ve learned in my anthropology class in regard to understanding how people work and [understanding] different cultures I think will be useful in my career. Those types of skills are gonna be helpful.”

To kick off her retirement, Gianno said she plans on traveling to Malaysia over the summer to collect more data and visit some of the people she has known since 1980.

Vincent Moore can be contacted at vmoore@kscequinox.com

HISTORY cont. from A1

and corporations, there is also a lot of opportunity for those in film studies as well.

“It’s really open to anybody because you don’t need a history background necessarily in order to work as an archivist or how to learn to practice as an archivist, but you need some historical foundation to go forward with that,” he said. “In order to be able to contextualize the documents and artifacts, then you need to have some historical background to be able to understand the time period that these artifacts were produced, what was happening and things like that.”

While the main area of employment with such a degree is with archives, Wilson said the array of opportunities is quite broad. “The real money is working as an archivist for a corporation, if that’s your goal,” he said.

He described the program as “intellectually and emotionally exciting” because it allows students to be the first to look at certain “unfiltered” documents, which is a rare opportunity.

Sophomore American studies and management major Brianna Kichler said having the option will benefit students. “The way it’s going to work is students can start taking masters classes their senior year, so that will trim a year of graduate school off and then the students who participate in doing the masters program their senior year will only have to stay an extra year to get a masters degree, which is awesome... It’ll be great to have that experience,” Kichler said.

Junior secondary education and history major Peter Powers said he agreed.

He said, “I think it will help students save money on getting their masters, as well as help them have a smooth transition into a masters program. It utilizes the pretty underused archives on campus.”

Wilson referred to the purpose of archives, which is “to create a memory,” and that’s just what this program will allow students to do.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

“

“The real money is working as an archivist for a corporation, if that’s your goal,” Professor of History and Philosophy Dr. Andrew Wilson

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA/ PHOTO EDITOR

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News / A3

Thursday, May 3, 2018

28th Annual Leadership Awards Banquet

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

On Friday, April 27, the 28th Annual Leadership Awards banquet was held in the Mabel Brown Room where KSC students and faculty were presented with awards including outstanding leadership, outstanding Greek-Letter organization, outstanding advisor and many others.

COLLEGE SENATE

BIKES Cont. from A1

condition instead of going to buy a new one. That way, I’m helping my environment and helping our Keene State students just to continue to use those bikes.”

Mason Library Access Services Manager Jeff Kazin is one of the people who coordinates with McCarroll. Kazin said McCarroll is enthusiastic when it comes to his bike work. “The program is very important to him and he really values the work, and he knows that students seem to value it very much ‘cause they use so many bikes, and there’s always that enthusiasm every time he comes in,” Kazin said.

McCarroll said he doesn’t use the old bike parts for just repairing bikes, he also uses them to create art and windchimes. He said he hopes to continue using them for artistic purposes.

He also stressed the importance of recycling bikes and bike parts insteading of throwing them away.

“When you throw something away, it doesn’t really go away. There is no such thing as away. Away is an illusion. You’re not going to get an award at the end of the day for throwing away everything you get an award because you save stuff.” said McCarroll.

McCarroll is looking for more student workers and to expand the green bikes program. McCarroll also hopes to eventually get a bigger fleet. Eventually he hopes to make the biking services Keene-wide.

JESSICA RICARD

Equinox Staff The 475th meeting of the College Senate met briefly for the last time this semester on Wednesday, April 25, at 4 p.m. in the Mountain View Room of the L.P. Young Student Center.

During the courtesy period, Interim President of Keene State College Dr. Melinda Treadwell took the floor and shared that KSC is outperforming other University

System of New Hampshire institutions.

The Senate Executive Committee shared minor updates to the program review guidelines, and the Academic Policy Committee did not have anything to report.

The Academic Standards Committee proposed approval for the progression standards for the marketing minor and for the human resources minor. Both were unanimously approved by the College Senate.

The Senate Curriculum Committee proposed revisions to the Bachelor of Science in Management, marketing minor and human resources management minor be approved. All three were unanimously approved by the College Senate.

There was no new business.

INTERESTED IN WRITING FOR THE NEWS SECTION? CONTACT:

NEWS EDITOR VINCENT MOORE (603) 443-3877

Katherine Glosser can be contacted at kglosser@kscequinox.com ANGELIQIE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4 Thursday, May 3 2018

EDITORIAL

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Saying goodbye to our seniors

Society for Collegiate Journalists awards for Keene State

COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Reflecting on the journey from freshman to senior A lot can happen in four years, but sometimes people take that time for granted. Some people sit there while their life passes by. It makes us, The Equinox, happy to be able to say we have not seen this at Keene State College. So many students have a drive to make something of themselves and do better for others. It’s not something found easily, but it is common in the graduating class.

At this point, seniors know who they are and what they want. Comparing their senior self to their freshman self; seeing their journey into who they have become as a person and as a student. The senior class is grown up and ready for the real world, but it didn’t start that way four years ago.

Every class goes through the same process; making friends, going to classes, getting an internship and finally graduating.

Everyone remembers their first day of their first year. Students arrived at school in confusion, not knowing anyone or what their classes demanded of them. Some of us were a nervous wreck while trying to make friends. We were scared we’d walk into the wrong classroom on the first week of school or drop a plate in the Zorn Dining Commons, making everyone else clap. Maybe sophomore year, you got to live in Butler, a Pondside or the Owls nests with some of your best friends, learning

THE EQUINOX

to share a space with others. Maybe you got into a club the first couple years here at KSC and it helped build character and all the virtues needed for a successful life. Whatever your experience was, it was memorable.

We’ve had countless opportunities that we could’ve only dreamed of four years ago. Our education gave us real skills and experience. Thanks to the Integrative Thinking and Writing class from freshman year we’ve learned that procrastination isn’t an option anymore. From going to all the KSC Owls games we know that spirit is important. These past four years we have learned the importance of giving support to our peers and friends through events like walk a mile in her shoes, fire up the night, and relay for life. We have learned to share; share our opinions and ideas, using our education to better the Keene community in every possible way we can.

We will never forget those crazy nights that we don’t dare speak about. We finished homework early so we could hit Lab n’ Lager and Scores because everyone was there. As sad as it is to say goodbye, these senior experiences are unforgettable.

The senior events like Pub Crawl, Red and White Night, and the senior trip to Mohegan Sun made students’ last year here one to remember.

To contact The Equinox, email smehegan@kscequinox.com or cperry@kscequinox.com

Sebastien Mehegan Administrative Executive Editor Caroline Perry Managing Executive Editor News Editor

Photo Editor

Opinions Editor

Multimedia Director

Student Life Editor

Art Director

A&E Editor

Ads Manager

Sports Editor

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Vincent Moore Kiana Wright Colby Dudal

Erin McNemar Ashley Arnold Kalila Brooks

Angelique Inchierca Benajil Rai

The friendships and relationships that are made in college are incredibly real. There is no need to worry about some of our good friends leaving and us or never seeing them again because they aren’t going anywhere. Even though we might not be able to walk out of our room and say “Hey!” to our roommate or best friends, those who grew close to us will keep in touch. We have gotten through 32 finals, multiple allnighters, late night Dominos cravings, and crappy roommates.

It is a bittersweet ending.

We can thank our professors that pushed us, friends that were there for us, and classes that challenged us, because that’s what got us to this point.

Throughout their college career students never knew what would come next. Whether it was a random Saturday night, a presentation, or even back to the first day of freshman year.

We didn’t know what to expect, but it turns out we wouldn’t want to have it any other way. So, how could we know exactly what we’re doing after graduation -- and why should we? Yeah sure it would be nice to know what is going to happen, but as KSC students we’re prepared to face anything that gets thrown at us.

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 a name and phone number for verification.

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MISSION: 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.

The Equinox won second place in Overall excellence for its beautiful design. The use of photos, graphics and cleverly placed type, making the design colorful, engaging and unique.

WKNH won first place in overall excellence for it’s radio news show compiled by the JNPR Radio Journalism class. WKNH won for its great use of interviews. SCJ’s notes said, “You let the subject tell the story as much as possible rather than you just talking. Great use of natural sound as well. Great flow of show too. Good work!”

The Equinox won second place for best front page for the issue with the headline Moving forward published Sept. 21 2017.

The Equinox won first place for it’s sports front page with the top headline Stacking up the wins published on Sept. 21 2017.

The Equinox won first place in feature page for its page with the headline Star of the sea.

The Equinox won second place in feature page for its page with the headline Music video.

Tyler Reilly won first place in photo essay for his Lacrosse Essay.

Time Smith won second place in photo essay for his dance essay.

Luke Stergiou won third place in photo essay for his rugby essay.

Olivia Belanger and Crae Messer won honerable mention in news story for their budget article.

Matthew Bilodeau won second place in column or commentary for his article titled “New crime/ comedy has ‘nothing to be gained or remembered.’”

Sammi Smither won honerable mention in features not including sports for her article titled “long lost friends find each other and themselves.”

Jessica Ricard won honorable mention for her Time Capsule section.

Angelique Inchierca won first place in feature photography for her photo featured in The Equinox’s artilce titled “La Compagnie Herve Koubi.”

Samantha Moore won first place in Graphic illustrations for her unity graphic.

Gerald Alfieri won second place in graphic illustration for his selfie graphic

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Opinions / A5

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Riding college’s emotional roller coaster KIANA WRIGHT

opinionS Editor The ups and downs of college can really take a toll on a student’s emotions. You can’t have those “on top of the world” moments without those “this is hell” moments. It happens, especially in college, and it’s okay.

These are the times you mess up, forget things last minute, or don’t understand something. But knowing why you messed up, learning to be on top of it and asking “why?” is legitimately why we’re here. Finding success is not a straight shot to the finish line, instead it’s a roller coaster.

It starts very early, as early as getting accepted, and getting that letter in the mail that you and your family stare at for five minutes before opening. You’re accepted, and for that you’re overjoyed! What a day. Little do you know what you’re in for.

Coming in as a first-year is probably the most amazing thing that has ever happened to you so far in your life. All the butterflies in your stomach are screaming, “Please, let’s go home, this is so freaking scary,” but you move past the urge to throw up everywhere, and sit your butt in orientation.

Orientation is so important; it’s where I found my first best friend and also someone I still look up to.

If you’re as lucky as I was, orientation will give you that first step. So, as of right now you’re kind of a mess, freaking out but also just so overwhelmed with excitement and curiosity.

Meeting new people left and right makes you feel more at home, but could these people actually mean as much as my friends back at home?

Well, only time can tell.

I was so focused my first semester at Keene State College on making those friendships and I found a group of people I really care about. The first semester is usually a blur, I bet most students can agree. I would go to bed at six in the morning to wake up two hours later for my 8 a.m.. Your mom’s telling you to get involved and do the best you can, and yeah you’re trying… trying to just get by. But then, once the second semester hits, you’re like “oh crap I’m actually here for school” and “thank god my first semester classes were easy.” That’s when the happiness overload starts to dim a little, for good reasons.

Once the school work kicks in, you shift your emotions to the importance of doing well.

To me, it was a slap in the face because I finally realized I’m here for me, and no matter how much my mom nags me, that paper isn’t going to write itself. Getting a project that you worked hard on back with “A” on it is so rewarding. Understanding that you can do it is a big sigh of relief.

But it wasn’t easy. Getting to the “A”

is a piece of cake for some but difficult for most. You miss out on things that your friends are doing, you are tired all the time because you get no sleep, and you’re on edge Monday through Friday. Before your morning classes, you’re cranky and sitting there with one eye open. As the day goes on, you’re running around like a crazy person. Juggling school work, a job, club or even just your parents worst-timing texts is the definition of stress.

Your hair is falling out, makeup isn’t an option anymore and you’ve bitten all your nails into stubs; tell tale signs that finals are creeping up. Finals mean a review of everything you have learned throughout the semester, aka, learning four month’s work in a week. We all do it, but cramming and procrastination means 4 a.m. breakdowns and wanting to quit school. But, as strong students, we wipe those tears and move on. Hopefully, learning from the past so, at some point, you won’t be in that position.

Finals are over, thank god, but you have to move out now. You know what that means; more tears.

Leaving for the summer is always a miracle in itself but it is really saddening. Leaving the place and the people who have such an impact on your life definitely pulls at your emotions.

That dorm room, apartment or house that you created so many memories in was home to your closest friends and was filled with their never ending laughter. But now it’s empty, and silent. It’s so upsetting, but if there’s one thing that you learn from college, it’s that change is necessary and it will happen. So, don’t get too worried because something good will come out of it.

After blinking twice the four years have flown by. You’re getting your cap, gown, year book and life as a whole together. Your senior year is the final loop in the roller coaster. As the year comes to a wrap, you reflect on your college experience.

Graduation day is here and you’re worried, proud, shocked feeling like this is the last of many; last time you’ll see some of your friends, last time you’ll walk across Appian Way, last time you’ll have that much fun.

But the thing is, that’s not true. College is not the best time of your life, and I think seniors need to realize that.

Yes, the transition into the real world will be a little bumpy at the beginning, but it can be just as remarkable. For the past four years, you have worked toward this moment; you’re ready. Be confident.

It’s your job to step off the ride, stop worrying and start inspiring.

Kiana Wright can be contacted at kwright@kscequinox.com

LUKE SWEENEY / EQUINOX STAFF

Finals: It’s a wrap E. Coli outbreak tied to GMO / pesticide use LINDSAY GIBBONS

Equinox Staff The final weeks of the semester are often the most harrowing for college students. With finals looming, students are often seen pulling all-nighters, double-fisting caffeinated drinks and studying until the bitter end to raise grades or keep them where they are. Finals week certainly is one of the most stressful times of the year. Although everyone responds to stress and stressors differently, it does have a physical, emotional and psychological impact on everyone.

According to a study from Georgetown University, students preparing for finals often report feeling increasingly disorganized, difficulty sleeping, frustration or irritability, stomach problems, frequently skipping meals and difficulty making decisions, just to name a few. According to a national survey, 30 percent of college students reported that stress had affected their academic performance. It’s not uncommon for students to get less than four hours of sleep a night.

When we get stressed out, we find it hard to focus on long-term goals. Instead, we tend to lean more toward short-term rewards with pleasurable outcomes. According to an article from Campus Clarity, this is why, during finals week, it’s so hard to resist eating that pint of ice cream or to say no when a friend asks you to go out. Stress also makes us less likely to connect bad conse-

quences to our decisions. Therefore, some students will go out the night before a final, because they feel good socializing, only to forget that they will be horribly hungover for their final the next day.So, while finals week is undoubtedly a lot of pressure, it’s important to buckle down and get through the next week. Stress also saps our willpower, so it’s especially important to get assignments done early, because we are relying on fewer cognitive resources than normal.

While everyone agrees that doing well on finals is important, counselors at Brigham Young University say that it’s important to stay balanced. “Obviously, doing well in school should be at a top priority, especially during such a stressful period such as exam times. But it’s also critical to learn to relax your mind and unwind,” said Utah Valley University behavioral science graduate Paige Clegg.

A few common tips for dealing with stress during finals week include exercise, getting a good night’s sleep, eating healthy, creating a game plan and incorporating study breaks. Getting encouragement, whether it be from a parent, friend or professor, can also help keep students motivated during this stressful time.

Keep pushing! You’re almost there!

Lindsay Gibbons can be contacted at lgibbons@kscequinox.com

IZZY MANZO

Equinox Staff 98 people in 22 states have been affected by an E. coli outbreak stemming from romaine lettuce, and that number is expected to rise. According to the Washington Post, farms in Yuma, Arizona are being investigated as the source, but lettuce contaminated with the strain was already distributed to retailers and restaurants. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is advising customers to eat lettuce only if they know it’s not from the Yuma area, but it’s often hard for customers to know where grocery store produce comes from because labels aren’t specific.

The Washington Post also said investigators don’t know if the lettuce became contaminated during the growing, harvesting, packaging or distribution stage. Even when something such as a bag of lettuce says it’s a product of the USA, that’s a lot of ground to cover. It’s ultimately up to the company to say where specifically the lettuce was grown.

Anyone who knows me knows that I go nuts for Keene State College’s Local Day, not only because the food is insanely good, but because I’ve come to appreciate knowing exactly where my food is coming from. I never gave it much thought before, but food supply relies mainly on trust--we have to trust a host of farmers, chefs, grocery stores and, more often than not, corporations that might’ve been involved along the way.

We have to buy food under the assumption that everyone who handled it before us has safety as their top priority. T, and the current E. coli outbreak is proof that trust was broken somewhere. Companies have to make a profit somehow, meaning that sometimes the best care isn’t taken. Restaurants are beginning to step up their game in light of the outbreak, tell-

BRANDON MOULTON

ing customers where they get their lettuce from to assure them that it wasn’t grown in Yuma.

McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Chick-Fil-A have all stated that their lettuce comes from California, and Chipotle temporarily stopped serving romaine lettuce.Time Magazine said farms such as the EG Richter Family Farm in Puyallup, Washington are also doing their best to assure buyers that their produce is safe. The Richters told Time they use conventional fertilizers over manure (since E. coli is spread mainly through feces, according to the CDC) and irrigate with well water to keep crops safe.

These are all good first steps, but I feel like more can be done to prevent future outbreaks from happening. Shopping local is ideal, since

/ EQUINOX STAFF

it cuts out a few steps that food supply usually takes, and, since it’s not a big company trying to turn a profit, more care usually goes into the crops that are being sold.

However, sometimes it’s just more convenient to shop at a grocery store, and, depending on the kind of produce you want, it might be your only option. Companies need to start saying where specifically their food is being grown so they can rebuild the trust between them and consumers. It’s incredibly important to know where food you’re eating is coming from instead of just “the USA.” Izzy Manzo can be contacted at imanzo@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Actors and directors in Play-a-Palooza ERIN MCNEMAR

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Editor For students in the Keene State College directing class, ten minutes is all it takes to tell a story.

On Thursday, April 26, and Friday, April 27, an audience gathered in the Wright Theatre for “Play-a-Palooza.”

The performance consisted of seven ten-minute plays, which showcased the work of both student directors and actors.

Senior Patrick Byrne attended the event to support his roommate, Michael Lamare. “[My roommate] directed one of them, and he starred in one of the plays,” Byrne said.

Overall, Byrne said he enjoyed the performance.

“I thought they were really good, actually. I thought it was a lot of fun. I was impressed, and I thought all the students were pretty good actors.”

Each director had the opportunity to select any ten-minute play. Senior Lamare chose to direct the show’s fourth play, “Escape!” by Tennessee Williams. “I’m a big Tennessee Williams fan, and so I have a book of short plays by him and I found the one I directed in there,” Lamare said.

Although he had never directed a show before, Lamare said he liked the experience. “It was pretty cool. I worked pretty closely with the actors for like four hours a week for the last four weeks or so. It was really fun,” Lamare said.

Since it was Lamere’s first time directing, the experience of seeing his work on stage was relatively new to him. Lamare said, “It was pretty cool to see everything come together. At first I felt like it was all just rough, like broad strokes, and then, slowly, it all came together. When it all came together, it was really cool.”

Lamare also starred in the Senior Capstone performance with Sydney Miele, “The Property is Condemned” by Tennessee Williams.

Junior Erika Kucks performed in the first play, “Covers” by Sandra Perman, and the final one, “When Lydia Hinkley Gives a Bird the Bird” by James Still. In each performance, Kucks played what she described as “controversial characters.”

In the first play, she portrayed a pregnant teenager, while in the final performance, she portrayed a lesbian in the 1850s.

ALYSSA BOERENKO / EQUINOX STAFF Kucks said, “It’s controversial matters I feel On Thursday, April 26, and Friday, April 27, KSC students performed in Play-a-Palooza. The show highlighted the work of both student actors and directors. that we portrayed in these plays, but it’s “It was all self-directing, self-acted and pulled them all together and created ‘PlayKucks said she was grateful to see “both whole for everybody, but I’m really glad that stuff that needs to be portrayed.”

Although Kucks didn’t direct any of the I’ve been working on it this whole semester. A-Palooza,’” Kucks said. “I’ve been work- sides of directing and acting, which was we did it.” plays, she said the class focused more on the At the beginning, we were just doing these ing very hard for this whole semester, so really interesting.”

Although the process was difficult at Erin McNemar can be contacted at concept of hands on learning rather than short skit scenes and stuff like that. Then I’m really excited that it came out the way we all did these ten-minute plays and we it came out, and I’m glad that people came.” times, Kucks said, “It was a challenge as a emcnemar@kscequinox.com just directing.

Student composers present original pieces Instructing music The power of student teaching EMMA MEHEGAN

Equinox stAff

COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

On Thursday, April 26, student composers showed off their original works in the Spring 2018 Student Composers recital.

Music majors highlight their work in composition NICHOLAS SO

Equinox stAff On the night of Thursday, April 26, a recital took place where six students represented themselves on stage. These students, Geoffrey Edwards, Alex Wilderman, Corinne Colgrove, Nick Blitchington, Tyler Martin and Derrick Hegeman, performed at the Keene State College music department’s Student Composers Recital.

The recital ran for approximately one hour and displayed eight compositions by the six composers. Each composition was written by one of the six students, and performed by either other students, or faculty.

The night began with Edwards’ piece, “Cycled.” Edwards spoke briefly about his piece and described it as a “time of chaos in his life.”

The tension ran from the saxophone, to the piano, then to the cello and then cycle back.

The next piece was “Forward. Stop. Reverse,” written by Wilderman. Wilderman described this piece as a project in which he wanted to take a melody and play it in reverse.

Next was Colgrove and her piece “Arabian Dances.” Colgrove snapped the audience back into reality with her playful tunes that hopped between the saxophone, cello and piano.

The next piece, “Challenging Times,” was by Blitchington. This piece featured one sole snare

drum. The snare drum is known to be a loud and rattling instrument. However, this piece utilized the snare drum through unique rhythmic patterns and changes of tempo.

Following the snare drum solo was Martin and his piece “Whalesong.” Martin said he created his piece with the idea of having two contrasting melodies that harmonize when played together. Martin made this idea work as the saxophone and cello played their two melodies while the piano held the group together.

The third to last piece was another written

by Edwards, and this one took more of a classical perspective. His piece, “Piano Sonata in C SEE COMPOSERS, A7

“Becoming a teacher means having practical, hands-on experience before you graduate” according to the Keene State College website.

A major part of the experience the website describes is student teaching, which, according to Dr. Erin Zaffini, is the most important experience the college can provide.

“You learn more from it than anything else, and it is the key to success in the field,” she said.

Student teaching is an especially important part of the music education program, according to Emma Nelson, a senior music education major. “From student teaching, like especially music student teaching, I’ve learned that talent isn’t something that you’re born with. Music skills are something that any person at any age can learn and acquire, and it can teach them to be a full bodied person and student,” she said.

But for every subject, student teaching is crucial.

“You just learn so much during student teaching that you need that flexibility where another teacher can say, ‘hey, but maybe try this instead,’ and you’re like ‘oh my gosh, why didn’t I think of that?’”

Nelson said.

“So it really sticks with you ‘cause, when you’re allowed to make those mistakes, you look back and you’re like, ‘this is why I don’t do this now’ in the future. So it’s really helpful to be a learning individual still, ‘cause you’re constantly learning when you’re teaching, but you need that environment where it’s safe to make a mistake,” she said.

Others approaching the completion of their semester of student teaching agree.

Matthew McGinnis, another senior music education major said, “Previous to student teaching, we’re not there every day—but soon as student teaching comes, you’re it, you’re on all the time and that’s so important to really get that true experience of what it feels like,” he said.

He added, “I think that we go through these programs and learn so much over four years and it’s really nice to give it a practice shot before it’s all you. Because our cooperating teachers really do throw us out there and we might fall flat on our face, but that’s okay because they’re there to help us get back on our feet, and it’s nice to have that support before it’s just you.”

Providing more than support, the cooperating teachers and professors provide real-life pressure and high expectations. McGinnis said, “I think that I was pushed a lot by my professors and that really prepared me really well so if anyone is ever feeling too pushed or anything like that just know that it’s because your professors just want you to succeed.”

The experience of student teaching is invaluable, Zaffini said, “Regardless of whether you go into music education or just education, put all the effort you can into student teaching and strive for growth. Continue to put the hours in, and ask your professors for advice because this is the time to receive feedback.”

Emma Mehegan can be conacted at emehegan@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

KSC getting jazzed up Rachel’s Reviews

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Kodachrome RACHEL BLUMBERG

Equinox Staff ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

On Saturday, April 28, Siobhan Cooper performed with the Jazz Combos at the Keene State College Redfern Arts Center.

Jazz combos performs at the Redfern ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Photo Editor Keene State College’s music department housed the Jazz Combos’ performance on Saturday, April 28, 2018.

The performance contained three different combos, which are essentially mini ensembles, with a wide variety of different jazz styles. Jazz Ensemble Director Steve Cady said the style can be labeled as “fusion music,” which is the combination of different genres.

“This is an accurate representation of the kind of playing that should go on in your average jazz combo,” Cady said, “whether that’s for a jam session or for a club, cocktail hour, something like that… We are covering different subgenres of jazz.”

Cady said he arranged some pieces for the event, as did other students in the ensemble.

“More importantly, one of the tunes in the first set was arranged by one of the students, Cora Dykens… and the last combo, there was a tune — an original composition — by the bass player Adam Jeffrey,” Cady said.

KSC senior music performance major and percussionist Eric Dill said he likes how students can bring in their own arrangements and compositions to have the group perform.

Dill said each ensemble has one-hour rehearsals on Fridays. He said the students use a book that teaches jazz harmonics and basic fundamentals to help with their end-of-the-semester performances.

He added that the combos are mainly student run, giving students the responsibility of choosing, practicing and altering songs to their style and jazz preferences.

“We are doing some renditions of jazz standards… They are in a different style. So [if] “My Foolish Heart” is done in a swing but we would probably do it as a Latin tune instead, we’ll change up the groove and the feel,” Dill said.

He added that the combos would change time

COMPOSERS Cont. from A6

Major,” was an original piece inspired by great Romantic era composers. He had been working on this piece since the fall of 2017.

The second to last piece was “Mutatio,” another original composition by Wilderman. In this piece, Wilderman played with the rhythmic patterns to create another hypnotic feel. Wilderman conducted the vibraphone and two marimba players as he showed off another piece.

The last piece was Hegeman’s “4HitCombo” in collaboration with the YouTube gaming group known as 4HitCombo. This performance was not live but rather was a video displaying gaming clips and music created through an 8-bit synthesizer.

The KSC composer program has only just started to expand. Music Professor, Department Head and Composition Program Head Heather Gilligan said the composition program has only been accredited for the last three years.

Even though the composition program is relatively new to KSC, students are still writing their own music.

Audience member Siobhan Cooper said she “had a blast” and the show was “incredible.” When asked if she would recommend others watch the recital, she said, “Most definitely...”

signatures on the pieces and change the whole movement of songs to accommodate a new and personal style.

From these combos, Cady said the students gain skills in communication and musical improv. “A lot of what we try to do,” Cady said, “is to get the students to work on the interpersonal, musical conversations that help, kind of, direct traffic.” He added that jazz performances have an improvised aspect with not always having a determined number of soloists, or when a piece begins or ends.

Dill said he hopes the event showed the audience that the jazz program is still prominent at KSC. “Hopefully it shows that a lot of students are still involved with the Jazz Combos and it shows how [the combos are] still strong,” he said.

KSC first-year music education major Madison Shimko said she came to see her friends perform, and enjoy the music. She added that the night was full of high energy from the performers and she said the audience could tell how hard the students in the combos had worked.

Shimko said she enjoyed the event, and recognized some pieces like “Blue Skies” and “Mii Channel Theme.” She added that “Mii Channel Theme,” arranged by Dykens, had originated as a joke passed around the department all semester, and Shimko said she was pleasantly surprised to hear it performed and said the piece brought a fun aspect of jazz to the audience.

Although Shimko enjoyed the performance as a whole, she said some of the performance left her confused. During the performance the microphone seemed to cut out for KSC vocalists Hannah Love and Siobhan Cooper during some of their solos. “I really didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “I didn’t know if the mics were off or if it was just because there was so much sound going on. I thought [the event] was great either way.”

Cady said the occurrence was most likely due to not having someone working at the sound board to adjust the microphone when

needed since all sound was leveled correctly for most pieces.

As a whole, Cady said the performance was unaffected by the microphone mishap and he was still amazed at their final performances even though this semester has been challenging for all the students and faculty.

As spring 2018 has been Cady’s first semester as Jazz Ensemble Director, he said the term has been a challenge for both the students and himself. Since the death of the former KSC Jazz Ensemble Director Scott Mullet, Cady said the whole department has been hit emotionally.

“For me, it was good to spend time with [the students] together and work on playing music. We helped each other out I think,” he said. Cady told the audience he wanted to acknowledge Mullet and said he was grateful for the opportunity to be this semester’s Jazz Ensemble Director.

Dill said he has been in the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos since his first year at the college. He said, “[The Jazz Ensemble has changed] quite dramatically, especially since the passing of our professor in the past… this is the first semester we have done it without Scott. That’s the most change because he lead us… and had the Jazz Combos for I think 10 years.”

Dill said the teaching style has changed for the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combos and said Cady is more down-to-earth and can connect easily to the other students. “It’s really nice how he can just communicate easier with us because he is also still actively gigging.” He added he does not know if Cady will be continuing with the Jazz Combos for next semester, but he thinks the future concerts will have positive outcomes.

Despite the challenges given to them, Cady said the students are committed to their work here at KSC, and he has loved working with the combos and would love to work with them again in future semesters.

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

Interested in Art, Music, or TV/Film?

Write for Arts & Entertainment

This month, Netflix put out a load of new original films and TV shows, one of which immediately caught my eye. “Kodachrome” is a father-son road movie that anyone with a passion can appreciate. The film is based off of an article A.G. Sulzberger wrote in 2010 and stars Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, and Elizabeth Olsen.

A world-famous photographer dad, Ben, has just gotten word that he has three months to live. He has been shooting on Kodak film all his life and has made it his last living goal to get his old rolls of film developed at the only lab that processes Kodachrome, a lab that is located in Parsons, Kansas and is also days away from closing up forever. The son, Matt, works for a record label, but is also a week away from getting fired because he hasn’t been signing any new acts. Matt is confronted by Zooey, Ben’s nurse, who tells him that Ben also wants to take this trip with him. As a way to make him say yes, she promises him a meeting with an up and coming rock band who has a show on the way to Kansas. The three set out on the trip from there.

Director Mark Raso’s “Kodachrome” is entertaining, but anything but unique. Although the screenplay was seemingly unique at first glance, it used the idea of Kodachrome as a destination, rather than an issue that could have helped in making the film stand out among

the rest of the road movie genre. I found myself comparing the storyline to things I’d already seen, lessening my interest in the film overall because I was constantly thinking of where I’d seen these actions before.

The film was saved, for me, through the actors within the film, as well as the stunning cinematography. Elizabeth Olsen’s character was perfect for her, as she played the young, playful nurse who not only acted as the merger between the father-son conflict, but was the character that brought out the realness of both. I’d say the film lacked in the writing, yet was pieced together by the acting and the character development, rather than the overall plot.

When picking to watch “Kodachrome,” I thought I would be getting a film concerning much more about Kodak and the underlying historical context that the film is based on. Unfortunately, I was disappointed to find the lack of film references in the writing and more of a father-son bond. If the film was named something completely different, maybe the experience would have been more easily enjoyable. Although, the character relationships and the stunning visuals, actually shot on 35mm film, still made it something that I would recommend if you’re looking for a touching father-son journey on the road.

Rachel Blumberg can be contacted at rblumberg@kscequinox.com

Poems by Isabel broken does not have to be permanent. when a bone breaks, a callus forms around the break, remodeling and hardening; turning a point of weakness whole, stronger than it once was. see shattering as an opportunity for something new. make yourself harder, tougher. try to see the world through rose tinted glasses, half full even when your cup seems to always be nearly empty. lay in the sun ten minutes longer and wake up five minutes earlier. kiss those you love just to feel a new energy melt into yours and try to be fearless. life is too short to languish on a broken heart. let yourself become broken, and begin to love yourself until fragmented pieces come into place, making you whole again.

Arts & Entertainment Editor Erin McNemar (908)328-9752

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.

Nicholas So can be contacted at nso@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Taking a bow Music seniors look toward graduation ERIN MCNEMAR

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Editor Musician Tina Weymouth once said,“If you have this passion for music, you don’t stop doing it - it chooses you and doesn’t release you.”

While many people consider the art to be a hobby, graduating students in the music department consider it to be so much more. Seniors Callie Carmosino, Joe Conti and Micayla Mahoney all began playing their designated instruments in elementary school. From there, they all continued through middle school, high school and are now finishing college with that same passion.

Carmosino, who focuses her talent on the bassone, explained her decision to continue with music in college. “I’ve been doing music for over half my life, which is kind of weird to think about, but it has always been a huge part of my life. It was just the most important thing to me to continue making music and just learning about it as much as possible,” Carmosino said.

Over the course of their four years, Carmosino, Conti and Mahoney all expressed the positive impact the music department has had on them. Whether it was through shaping them as a person or a musician, the three credited the department for their success. Conti, who identifies his main instrument as the trumpet, expressed his gratitude. “The Keene State music department has given me the opportunity to go through changes in my life I never thought I would encounter,” Conti said. “I have made amazing friends, experienced unforgettable memories, was pushed and challenged to think beyond what was right in front of me and learned how to be a professional in my field, and I think, because of that, I can say I am the way I am. I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for my colleagues, faculty and everyone involved in making the music department as great as it is.”

During their interviews, both Carmosino and Mahoney said the music department helped give them confidence by pushing them out of their comfort zone. Mahoney said, “They really push you to do a lot. I’ve been in almost all the ensembles they offer, and that may seem like a lot but I think that it was a great experience. I just think, as a whole, it has shaped me in every single way. I’m definitely more confident, more flexible, more willing to do things that I’m not comfortable with.”

As the three students look toward the end of their four years at Keene State College, they reflected on what aspects of the college they will miss the most.

Unanimously, all three said they were going to miss the music department faculty.

“All of the faculty are so great and they just want everyone to succeed as best they can. I don’t even have half of them for professors and classes but 99 percent of them know my name and will be like, ‘Hey, how’s it going? What’s going on? What concert are you playing in this week?’ It’s really awesome. I don’t think I’ll ever forget how amazing they were in my time here, and I’ll take it with me,” Carmosino said.

Also adding her input, Mahoney said, “[The faculty] are great and they are really willing to help you and do whatever it is that you need, as long as you’re willing to go out of your way to get it.”

With the semester winding down, all three seniors described the thought of leaving as “bittersweet.”

“I’m sad to leave, but I’m excited about what’s coming up. Keene State has been a really amazing place for me. All the opportunities I’ve had, and all the friends that I have made, and all the colleagues that I’ve been able to play with over the last four years have just been incomparable,” Conti said.

Next year, Carmonsino will be attending graduate school at the University of Missouri. “It’s pretty cool that I learned enough here that I could get accepted into a program so far away,” Carmoniso said.

Likewise, Conti will also be attending graduate school in the fall at Appalachian State University.

“This school has changed my life, and I’ll always be grateful and thankful,” Conti said.

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY PUJA THAPA

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CARNIVAL COMES TO KSC

Thursday, May 3, 2018

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Semester’s end brings fun and celebration ASHLEY ARNOLD

SportS Editor The Keene State College campus was flooded with the laughter and excitement of students, faculty and community members as the final weekend of the semester was celebrated. On Thursday, April 26, the annual end-of-the-year carnival took over Appian Way from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m..

There were three rides available for students: the Scrambler, the Twister and the Ferris Wheel. Other activities were presented to attendees, such as roller skating, palm & psychic readings, frisbee spin painting, mechanical bull riding and a photobooth. All activities and food were available to KSC students, faculty and Keene community members free-of-charge.

Junior criminal justice and psychology major Michael Chipman said the food at this year’s carnival was better than the last.

“My favorite part was the food. The macaroni was bomb. Way better than last year’s food by far,” he said. He added that the event could have been better with the addition of bumper cars.

Similarly, sophomore chemistry major Nicholas Moungsa said the food was outstanding.

“My favorite part of the carnival was definitely the free food. The food is finally good around Keene,” he said. Moungsa added that the lines were too long to go on rides, but he enjoyed the other activities that were set up along Appian Way. “I didn’t go on any rides yet because the lines were way too long, but I did ride the bull, which was awesome,” he said.

The rides at the event were the highlight of the carnival for junior architecture major Eric Jorgens.

“I liked the spinny-ride,” he said. “I also liked roller skating. It was pretty groovy,” Jorgens continued by saying his least favorite part was waiting in the lines.

KSC sophomore and sustainable product and design innovation major Molly O’Connor said this year’s carnival felt less crowded. “Everything’s more spread out, which is better. There were a lot more things to do, too. Like the frisbee spin paint, that was so cool,” she said.

According to Student Body President and KSC senior Kenadee Cadieux gold, purple and green decor was used to represent the theme of this year’s carnival, which was Mardi Gras.

Cadieux said the food provided at the carnival reiterated the event’s theme. Traditional Louisiana foods like jambalaya, chicken po’boys, bourbon beignets and king cupcakes were served to the public.

During previous carnival events, Cadieux said only three rides were available for attendees and students would complain about the long lines at the rides.

“That’s why we moved towards incorporating more things. The roller skating rink holds about 50 people. So that’ll cut down on lines, and just offering other things so people can do more. Especially for students who don’t like rides, so it’s good to offer things other than that,” she said.

The carnival has been a tradition at KSC for as long as Cadieux can remember. She said the carnival is an event Student Government plans to continue in the future.

“There’s been some other traditions that Student Government specifically has lost over the years, but this is one that we want to hold onto and continue to ramp up and show the students that Student Government cares and that we want to give them opportunities to enjoy,” she said.

Cadieux said the event is used to appreciate the student body and to give students a chance to celebrate their final week of classes.

“Classes are ending, and [the car-nival is] just one more destressor before starting to take finals.

It’s one more opportunity to bring the Keene State College community and that outside community 2018 together to just celebrate,” she said.

“Especially for graduating seniors. It’s definitely the big last thing until graduation and our goal is to make it as enjoyable as possible for everyone”.

Class of 2018 Representative and Student Assembly Treasurer Casey Matthews said the event costs between $28,000-$35,000. The Student Government is given a budget from the school every year. Matthews said that money went toward funding for the carnival.

Matthews added that this event is unique because it gives the student body, faculty and the Keene community an opportunity to celebrate collectively.

“This is one of the only events I feel that everyone attends. It’s outside. It’s easy to go to. It’s free.

There’s so much to offer, I think it’s just all about bringing the people together,” she said.

Students can enjoy next year’s carnival the last weekend of the spring 2019 semester.

Ashley Arnold can be contacted at aarnold@kscequinox.com COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

On Thursday, April 26, KSC students attended the annual Spring Carnival which included rides, food and much more. The event is put on each year to celebrate the end of another academic year.

Seniors approved to decorate caps COLBY DUDAL

StudEnt LifE Editor On Monday, April 23, it was revealed on the Keene State College Commencement Facebook page that KSC seniors will be allowed to decorate their graduation caps for this year’s commencement ceremony.

Student Assembly Treasurer Casey Matthews said, last year, the senior class was told that they could not decorate their caps for commencement because of potential profanity and inappropriate words that students could put on their caps.

Matthews added that this upset last year’s graduating class. The members of Student Government were instructed to speak with KSC President Dr. Melinda Treadwell and submit a proposal that would allow seniors to decorate their caps.

Matthews said the proposal was accepted and, “... people are happy about the decision. Decorating caps is a great way to express themselves and their time at KSC.”

Matthews added that a part of the process required to allow caps to be decorated included writing a letter to Treadwell outlining the history of decorating caps at KSC and her hope of this year’s class being able to appropriately express themselves.

“There is a lot of diversity in terms of participation on campus,” said Matthews. She said sashes are another way for students to express themselves and their accomplishments at KSC, but, since some people can’t afford a sash, caps are an easy way for students to express themselves and their participation at KSC. Matthews said there was some confusion at the beginning because Student Government had been told

by KSC Coordinator of College Ceremonies and Events Rebecca Dixon that it would be fine if students decorated their caps, without realizing Treadwell had suggested to Student Government that they should do a proposal.

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Seniors’ picnic to say goodbye COLBY DUDAL

Student Life editor On Saturday, April 28, Keene State College seniors received their yearbook, ate food and spent time together before their graduation on Saturday, May 5.

Executive Editor for Kronicle, the organization on campus that produces the yearbooks, Olivia Fischetti said the yearbooks are a good way for seniors to come together as a community and look back at the past four years that they have spent together. “This year we tried to include as many senior class events as possible since they are the ones who are getting the yearbook... it includes events like Senior Pub Crawl, Red and White Night and 100 Nights,” Fischetti said.

Fischetti said the yearbooks and free and typically about half of the senior class chooses to get one. “A lot of people don’t know that there are yearbooks and I wish more knew about it because it is a great keepsake,” Fischetti said.

According to Fischetti the yearbook process begins at the beginning of the academic year when the executive board decides what events they want to put in the yearbook. Fischetti said, along with the yearbook, there is also a supplement which is sent to students’ houses during the summer which has photographs from events that took place beyond the month of February.

Several KSC seniors attended the picnic including criminal justice major Megan Stewart. “It is really sentimental and a lot of people look forward to getting the yearbook,” Stewart said. Stewart said her biggest accomplishment was making it to graduation and will miss the people she has met during her time at KSC. Some students are looking forward to what is ahead in terms of jobs. Elementary education and sociology major Holly Lafoe said she is glad that she already has found a

job before graduation. “My biggest accomplishment was earning a position as a classroom teacher in Wilton, NH before I graduated,” Lafoe said.

Other students going into an education career after college said they feel accomplished such as physical education major Addison Cook. “Graduating and becoming a certified teacher has been a great accomplishment for me,” Cook said.

Psychology major Alyson Lear said her biggest accomplishment took place outside of the classroom.

“I was on the advisory board for Mentors in Violence Prevention...it is important to make a community difference and being apart of the group helped me to do that,” Lear said.

Health science major Colton Salisbury said he will be missing a lot of aspects of KSC. “I will miss how close everyone and everything is to each other...there will also a lot of events,” said Salisbury, who added that the thing he is most proud of during his time in college was finishing a capstone on reducing obesity rates of adolescents.

Sustainable product and design innovation major Larry Wilson said he will miss the community that the school brings and that the yearbook is a good way to look back at the past four years and spend time with friends while doing it.

Jenna Barton said her biggest accomplishment is bigger than just one single thing. “It is great to see all my accomplishments pay off. It has made me realize that I can accomplish anything that I set my mind to,” Barton said. Barton added she will be attending graduate school next year at Nova Southeastern University and will miss the campus and connections she has made throughout the past four years.

For more information on graduating seniors, see B3

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Colby Dudal can be contacted at The senior class received yearbooks, ate food and spent time with friends on Saturday, April 28, on Oya Hill. The yearbooks are made by the cdudal@kscequinox.com student organization Kronicle.

Continuing education in the summer This summer will bring 30 different major summer courses with multiple benefits to the students.

Assistant Director of Continuing Education Steve Kessler said students get more individual attention and they can focus more on their courses in the summer.

Students can perform more effectively in summer when there is less to do on campus.

Kessler said, “there are fewer things going on, fewer distractions for students in the summer. So, it is a good time to concentrate on one or two or three courses.”

The summer classes will start on May 14 and run through the end of July. Students can take various courses which last about six weeks.

Kessler said there are 200 sections. While two thirds of those are online or blended courses, the others are traditional or lecture based.

He said, “We will register people throughout the summer. So, usually about 20% of Keene State’s population take some summer classes.”

He added, “Right now, about 600 students have registered so far. And the prediction is about 800.”

Students can take classes from every discipline. Kessler said, “Almost all the majors are representative. A lot of ISP courses and lower level, which is always important for students.”

He added, “We also do independent studies and a lot of internships happen in the summer.”

Summer can benefit students in various ways. Kessler said, “student use summer classes in different ways. Some need to catch up, some student trying to get ahead.”

He added, “A student who has a definite plan in mind who takes summer classes every semester could graduate in three years instead of four. Some students have high credit majors and so they can take care of summer and maybe light up their load little bit for the following spring.”

KSC junior Carley Treshinsky is taking the class Intro to Statistics this summer.

She said, “Between being an exercise science major with a biology minor and trying to fit in all of my prerequisite classes for

graduate school, having the summer to get those classes done helps a lot.”

Treshinsky said, “Taking summer classes benefits me because they allow me to stay on track with all of my classes and not have to fit so many in during the fall and spring semesters.”

She added, “If I could not take summer classes, I probably would have to stay longer than four years.”

Kessler said, “Some students will use summer sessions to hopefully improve their GPA, retake courses they didn’t do well in the spring. Sometimes students are not able to get the course they want in the spring or fall because too many people enrolled, and they can do that in summer. “ Kessler said over one hundred professors are willing to offer summer classes, providing students varieties of courses, including some season based and experiential courses like ecological agriculture.

Kessler said, “There is one course called ecological agriculture. So, they will be here on campus growing vegetables. That doesn’t happen in the spring.”

KSC Geography Professor Dr. Sasha Davis is teaching two online courses this summer, which will run from May 28 to July 6.

Davis said, “The first class is ISGEOG 100, which is Introduction to Geography. This course covers general world geography and examines subjects like natural earth processes (climate, ecology and geology) and also human processes like world politics and the global economy.”

He added, “This course is designed to give students “IS” credits for their ISP program, and introduce them to global issues and to help students understand our world better.”

The second course he is teaching in this summer is called “Apocalypse, Science and Society;” ISGEOG 399.

Davis said, “This 300-level IS course can be useful for students who need to fulfill their 300-level ISP requirement.

This course is really fun to teach, and it focuses on natural and human-caused disasters and the way societies fear and prepare for them. We look at different kinds of ‘world-ending’ scenarios such

as super volcanoes, asteroid strikes, nuclear war and climate change. The class uses lectures and readings, but also, we watch films and analyze those to understand better both the science of the processes that create disasters, as well as the contemporary cultural narratives we have about catastrophes.”

Summer classes also benefit students financially.

Kessler said, “It is also, specially for outof-state students, it is a money saver. Tuition for out-of-state students in summer is only about $50 per credit... That’s the difference in several hundred dollars per credits between fall or spring.”

He added that in-state students can also save money because the fees are reduced by 33 percent in summer.

Summer courses can be multi-beneficial to the students which can give them many other opportunities.

Kessler said, “Sometimes students will take summer classes, so that they can study abroad in the following spring

and use that time for semester away instead, which I think is everybody should do that.”

Treshinsky said, “I do recommend them [for people] who have a lot of classes to fit in and want to get their degree in four years without worrying about having to stay longer.”

Benajil Rai can be contacted at brai@kscequinox.com

JOEY SULLIVAN / EQUINOX STAFF

BENAJIL RAI

MuLtiMedia director

Student Body President announced COLBY DUDAL

Student Life editor On Monday, April 23, new Keene State College Student Government officers for the 2018-2019 academic year were elected.

The officers included current Vice President Sarah Dugas, who will be the new Student Body President, as well as Sydney Olson, who will be the Student Body Vice President, beginning in the fall. Several other in-house positions were filled as well.

Dugas said her main duty as the Student Body President will be to facilitate Student Government as a whole and give verbal reports to their secretary. Dugas said she looks forward to spending the summer learning what previous Student Body Presidents have done in the past.

Dugas said she has a goal in mind in terms of what she wants as Student Body President. “I want transparency between what faculty and staff are doing and what is being reported back to us,” Dugas said.

Dugas said her main personal goal in the position will be to make sure students are as happy with what is happening on campus as she is. “KSC has been a place where I fit in and it has become a home to me,” Dugas said. She added that she is looking forward to seeing what the future of KSC has, and what she does in her new position.

Dugas said this will be her fourth year in Student Government.

“I joined Student Government my first year of college, and it brought me out of my shell. I wanted this position because I want to be a leader, and I love and care about this school,” Dugas said.

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Breaking barriers with a signed language ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Photo Editor With sign language classes at Keene Community Education and a new club here on campus, a silent community has piqued the interest of many Keene State College students.

KSC junior Tristram Patoine is treasurer of the Owl Sign Language club on campus said he and his friend are currently learning American Sign Language because he said he believes learning the signed language will allow him to connect to the hearing impaired community.

“I have a neighbor, her name is Cindy Hascal. She’s been deaf her entire life and I have known her a few years,” Patoine said.

Until now, Patoine said his only form of communication has been through Hascal’s husband, who acts as her interpreter.

Community is formed through communication. This can sometimes be hard if there is a language barrier. For the hearing impaired this is usually alleviated by a translator which is often a faculty or staff member.

KSC Director of Disability Services Jane Warner said there are no students on campus who identify as being completelydeaf but there are multiple students who are hard of hearing.

“Right now we have six students who have identified as hearing impaired on campus,” she said.

She added that with the lack of completely deaf students on campus, comes the absence of licensed interpreters at KSC. If a student were to apply to KSC as being completely-deaf, they would have several options. Warner said the college would hire an interpreter or offer a real-life captioning system (CART) for their classes on campus.

But for partial hearing loss, many of the hearing impaired students here on campus utilize the FM system offered by the college. “[Some students with hearing loss use]

what’s called an FM system… The faculty member wears the mic and the student puts [items] called boots on their hearing aids. It will amplify the lecture so that the student will hear [better],” Warner said.

Although there are no completely-deaf students enrolled at KSC, students like Patoine with personal connections to a deaf community member or who want to erase the barrier between the hearing and hearing impaired have many ways of learning sign language.

Warner said students can look to surrounding schools for possible transferrable credits or ask the Continuing Education Department for outside partnerships offering courses in American Sign Language.

Keene Community Education Language instructor Don Powers has been completelydeaf his whole life. After retirement, Powers moved to the city of Keene from Brattleboro, Vermont, and has now been teaching sign language for seven years.

“I right-now teach A-S-L 1 at K-E-E-N-E high-school,” he signed.

Powers signed he believes teaching beginners is easier than advanced courses because students are new to the language and culture and can be taught new information instead of changing knowledge they already have.

“You must know Deaf culture first,” he signed. “Deaf” (with a capital “D”) is used for those involved in the hearing impaired culture or community, “deaf” (with a lowercase “d”) individuals are not in the community To Powers, ASL is more than just a way of communicating. It’s a way into a new world.

Powers signed he was raised in one of the largest Deaf communities in New England and noticed there are significantly fewer available sources for hearing impaired residents in the city of Keene.

“I can think two [programs for the hearing impaired],” he signed, “One: interpreters in K-E-E-N-E hospital. Full program,

they are good. Two: maybe V-I-R-T-U-A-L R-E-A-L-I-T-Y … V-R to help with job. That’s it. No programs-deaf, not here. Not a lot of deaf here.”

VR is defined by Dictionary.com as “a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by movement of the body.”

VR has many uses for the hearing impaired. Common use would be the ability to access video interpreters for conference calls and other video calls.

Warner said one way KSC is reaching out to the Deaf community is during commencement ceremonies, “We have a remote captioning person… on the big screen for graduation they’ll type out the text of the speech going on so people can read that closed captioning,” she said.

Throughout his seven years of teaching, Powers signed there are many reasons why the hearing community has a hard time understanding signed language.

“98 percent [of the world is] hearing,” Powers signed, “That’s a lot.”

With such a large uneven ratio between the two communities, he signed, the hearing and the hearing impaired live in two different worlds, causing many people to not know the similarities between English and signed language. Powers signed, “It’s easier for you to interpret and learn if you understand [the similarities].” Powers signed students need to learn the basics first, beginning with fingerspelling.

“You must teach people fingerspelling,” he signed. He added that fingerspelling is important for spelling your name, where you live and certain words that don’t have image signs for them.

After helping them build a basic vocabulary, Powers signed he can show people how to use the language.

Both Patoine and Powers said they were surprised that KSC does not offer any

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE OWL SIGN LANGUAGE CLUB

The Owl Sign Language club teaches sign language to students who have an interest in learning more about it.

courses in sign language because of the practical uses it has all around us.

Warner said, “There used to be [a class] through Continuing Ed… the problem is it’s really hard to find interpreters that want to teach.”

Warner said until KSC can find a suitable instructor, and has sufficient student interest, courses will be unavailable directly within the college.

For now, Patoine said he is happy to have something at the college to bridge the gap between both communities.

Seniors of KSC

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE YEAR AT KSC? COMPILED BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA /

PHOTO EDITOR

“Definitely this year. I just feel like everybody joined together between the past four years, we all became closer. We all get along so good; we have a really good class.”

- Patrick

“This year for sure. Everybody is kind of getting out of here, everybody is moving onto bigger things in life. It’s a good way to go out.”

- Anuj

year I met 9 of my best friends that I still have today. I had really great roommates, I had a lot of fun all the time in the building.”

- Adam

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

T H I S W E E K

“I would say my senior year. For me it was an all-encompassing year for me.

I was able to get involved with everything I wanted to without… too many conflicts and I was able to round-off everything I needed to finish.”

- Amanda

“Freshman

“I hope [the O.S.L. Club] will teach me how to communicate with [my neighbor], because I feel like it will be an easier way to bond with her if I can speak her language,” Patoine said.

Patoine added that he hopes school programs will pair with the sign language club in efforts to make the campus more “deaf friendly.”

“I would [say my] senior year.

I’m wrapping up all my classes for my major and… I’ve gotten to know my professors really well.

I’ve been able to see how much I’ve grown over the past few years and it’s kind of like a victory lap.”

- Hannah

A T K S C

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, May 3, 2018

Senior pub crawl

Student finds her voice in fiction writing LUCAS THORS

Equinox Staff

COLTON MCCRACKEN / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

On Sunday, April 29, Keene State College seniors participated in Pub Crawl. For the event, members of the senior class broke into teams and went to six bars that are in the city of Keene. The event lasted from noon until 7:00 p.m.

Sophomore Clara Dunn left her home in Dundee, Scotland and became a Keene State College Owl in order to expand her writing career and explore an American college’s literary horizons.

Dunn has already published two novels and is looking to publish another one.

Her first novel, which she published in high school, is titled “The All England Club.” It is what Dunn calls a “tennis/romance novel.” According to Dunn, the book is about a male tennis player who falls in love with a ball girl at Wimbledon.

Dunn said her second novel, called “Jake Huntley,” deals more with crime and sexual violence. “I posted it to Facebook and one chapter in particular got a lot of criticism.”

Because of the book’s more graphic content, Dunn said that the police liaison at her school even asked her to “pop a little 16-and-up warning on there.”

Dunn said that she enjoys developing her characters’ emotional and physical relationships with each other.

Although Dunn already has seven drafts of her current novel that she is writing, she said she still wants to change it.

“I always read my work and want to improve it every time.”

In addition to exploring publishing opportunities, Dunn said she found many classes at KSC that she wouldn’t be able to take at colleges in Dundee.

Dunn said classes such as Fiction Workshop with Brinda Charry and Literary Analysis with Emily Robins-Sharpe have given her “a nice change,” as far as curriculum and course load are concerned.

“I love my professors here so much,” Dunn said. “They really want to help you do well.”

Dunn has also faced some tribulations that come with attending a foreign school very far away from home.

“I really am still trying to get the measure of how American students acclimate to the varying course loads,” Dunn said.

Dunn added she sometimes gets homesick.

“I really miss my friends, and the food that is available there and not in America,” said Dunn.

“I want some haggis but you can’t find it here.”

In the future, Dunn said she hopes to be able

to make a living off of writing, but she doesn’t want it to be the only thing in her life.

“I’m not doing it just for the money,” Dunn said. “The fun is definitely still there and isn’t going anywhere.”

Director of the Global Education Office Skye Stephenson works with students who come to KSC from other countries.

Stephenson said that Dunn has “made a huge emergence in Keene.”

With a new culture, Stephenson said there are a lot of great creative influences and opportunities for broadening one’s education. “Students want to come here and see what it was like,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson added there are many differences between American schools and Scottish schools.

“In Scotland and most of Europe, there is no attendance list or weighted grades,” Stephenson said. “It’s either pass or fail.”

Similar to Dunn’s comment on adjusting to the course load, Stephenson said students from Europe aren’t used to short and sporadic assignments, but rather more long term assignments.

“Adjusting to a school system that is very different from what they are familiar with can be difficult for some students,” Stephenson said.

However, Stephenson said, Dunn is adjusting well and making herself a part of the community.

Associate Director of the Global Education Office Steven Spiegel has worked closely with Dunn since she came to KSC. “I helped her fill out her immigration papers and get her United States student visa,” Spiegel said. “Every student that comes here from another country has to file for a student visa and get approved.”

Along with the pressures of adjusting to a new academic system, Spiegel said Dunn and other exchange students have to acclimate to a whole new culture and way of life.

“Academics around the world are very different, no matter where you go,” said Spiegel.

Despite these challenges, Spiegel said Dunn “definitely stands out in the community” as a student and a writer.

Lucas Thors can be contacted at lthors@kscequinox.com

Good Luck Class of 2018!

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WORLD NEWS

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‘Infinity War’ opens with record $250M JAKE COYLE

AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) — A whole lot of superheroes added up to a whole lot of ticket sales. The superhero smorgasbord “Avengers: Infinity Wars” opened with predictable shock-and-awe, earning $250 million in box office over the weekend and edging past “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to set the highest opening weekend of all-time.

“Infinity War,” which brings together some two dozen superheroes in the 10-year culmination of Marvel Studio’s “cinematic universe,” also set a new global opening record with $630 million even though it’s yet to open in China, the world’s second-largest movie market.

It opens there May 11.

According to the Walt Disney Co.’s estimates Sunday, “Infinity War” overwhelmed the previous global best (“The Fate of the Furious” with $541.9 million) but narrowly topped “The Force Awakens” in North America. The “Star Wars” reboot debuted with $248 million in 2015, which would translate to about $260 million accounting for inflation.

But both intergalactic behemoths belong to Disney, which now owns nine of the top 10 opening weekends ever — six belonging to Marvel releases. That includes “Black Panther,” which has grossed $1.3 billion since opening in February and still managed to rank fifth at this weekend’s box office, thanks partially to Marvel fans self-programming a double-feature.

The track record for Marvel, along with the hyper, extravagant effort put into the long-planned “Infinity

War,” made the record-setting weekend something of a fait accompli. After ten years, 18 prior films and some $15 billion in box office, the weekend was an assured and long-awaited coronation for Kevin Feige’s Marvel, the most dominant force in a Hollywood with precious few sure things.

“To have now the biggest movie of domestic history as one of the Marvel cinematic universe films seems like a fitting tribute to the Marvel Studios team which has had just an astounding, unmatched run in the last decade,” said Dave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney.

By any measure, the 2-hour-and-40 minute-long “Infinity War” is one of the largest films ever assembled.

With a production budget reportedly almost $300 million, Joe and Anthony Russo’s film brings together the stars of Marvel’s superhero stable, including Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther, Chris Evans’ Captain America, Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk, and many more.

It was shot over 18 months back-to-back with a sequel due out next summer. Marvel spent years laying the groundwork for the big showdown, teasing its villain (Josh Brolin’s Thanos) since 2014. The result earned positive reviews (84 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and an A CinemaScore from audiences. All but one of Marvel’s 19 cinematic universe releases has scored an A CinemaScore.

As if to further stamp its pronounced enormity, “Infinity War” was also the first film shot entirely with IMAX cameras. (Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” was mostly shot on IMAX.) IMAX screenings accounted for

Skiing thrives as spring arrives

a record $41 million of the weekend’s global ticket sales.

Greg Foster, head of entertainment for IMAX Corp, said the success of Marvel stands apart from Hollywood’s other mega franchises.

“This isn’t something that their parents saw. This isn’t an old franchise that their parents saw when they were 20,” said Foster. “This is theirs. The Marvel universe is the group of characters that this generation owns.”

No new wide releases dared to compete with “Infinity War,” which played at 4,474 theaters in North America. In a very distant second place was John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place” with $10.7 million in its fourth week.

With $148.2 million in total ticket sales, the Paramount Pictures thriller had topped the box office three of the last four weekends.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore, credited Marvel with the potent lead-up to “Infinity Wars” with “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” ‘’Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” ‘’Thor: Ragnarok” and “Black Panther” — all successful and well-reviewed entries.

“This brought the world together this weekend,” said Dergarabedian. “That’s what these movies do: They remind us why we love going to the movie theater. A movie like this shows the singular and unique experience of going into a movie theater.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore.

Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Avengers: Infinity War,” $250 million ($380 mil-

Exchange Viking Ship

OBERT BUKATY

AssociAted Press BARTLETT, N.H. (AP) — Standing at a scenic vista, Tyler Ray looks out at 2,661-foot Bartlett Mountain and envisions a network of ski trials winding through the dense forest below.

Ray, who heads the Granite Backcountry Alliance, is working with federal and local land trusts to improve, construct and expand backcountry skiing in the mountains of northern New Hampshire and western Maine. The group recently received approval from the White Mountain National Forest Service to develop and maintain ski trails on sections of Bartlett Mountain and Baldface Mountain.

“We’ll be skiing right off the summit, which is pretty exciting,” Ray said.

Backcountry skiing has a long history in the White Mountain National Forest. Mount Washington is considered the epicenter of backcountry skiing in the Northeast. Skiers have been flocking to the mountain’s Tuckerman Ravine for nearly 100 years, attracted by its steep, consequential terrain, more commonly found out West or in Europe.

“What we have here is historic,” Ray said. “It is really exciting because we are going full circle with the concept of what we now call backcountry skiing, which is an ironic term in many ways because we are doing something that was happening way before chairlifts and everything else. So we are really going full circle and bringing it back to the fore.”

The sector of the sport is booming, with skiers complaining they don’t have enough trails to keep up with demand. On a spring weekend, as many as 2,000 skiers may hike up into the ravine. The new trails should help.

Greg Maino, spokesman for Vermont’s Catamount Trail Association, which helps manage more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) of winter trails, including the Brandon Gap and Dutch Hill in the Green Mountain National Forest, which are used for backcountry skiing, agreed the activity has been growing in popularity in recent years as the specialized ski equipment needed to climb mountains without chairlifts has gotten less expensive.

“It definitely opens the doors; you can go so many more places. Anywhere you want, anywhere there’s snow, I think it opens up a lot of opportunities,” Maino said.

Andrew Drummond, owner of Ski The Whites, a backcountry ski shop in Jackson, New Hampshire, said he wishes more people would take advantage of the sport.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in a new zone or a familiar zone. .

The weather’s nice, you’re with your friends, and it’s your personal playground,” Drummond said. “If everyone was outside more doing more of this stuff, everyone would be in a better mind frame, be better people.”

Last summer, Granite Backcountry worked with the town of Randolph to open up about 75 acres (30 hectares) of glades on Crescent Ridge. Dozens of volunteers showed up to work with professional foresters to clear brush while opening up several ski lines through a hardwood grove.

Unlike a traditional ski resort, these trails will leave no broad scars on the mountains. There are no chairlifts to take skiers to the summit, which means skiers must attach climbing skins to the base of their skis to prevent them from slipping down the mountainside.

“There is unbelievable satisfaction that is involved when you hike up a mountain or skin a mountain,” Ray said. “What I like to say is you may only get one run in a day but you are going to remember every single turn and that’s a really special thing.”

lion international).

2. “A Quiet Place,” $10.7 million ($6.6 million international).

3. “I Feel Pretty,” $8.1 million ($1.4 million international).

4. “Rampage,” $7.1 million ($16.2 million international).

5. “Black Panther,” $4.4 million.

6. “Super Troopers 2,” $3.6 million.

7. “Truth or Dare,” $3.2 million ($2.8 million international).

8. “Blockers,” $2.9 million ($1.6 million international).

9. “Ready Player One,” $2.4 million ($8.6 million international).

10. “Traffik,” $1.6 million. ___ Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore: 1. “Avengers: Infinity War,” $380 million.

2. “Us and Them,” $88.8 million.

3. “Rampage,” $16.2 million.

4. “A or B,” $15.2 million.

5. “Ready Player One,” $8.6 million.

6. “A Quiet Place,” $6.6 million.

7. “Peter Rabbit,” $5.3 million.

8. “Taxi 5,” $3.8 million.

9. “Genghis Khan,” $3.4 million.

10. “The Trough,” $2.9 million. ___ Follow Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ jakecoyleAP

America’s air isn’t getting cleaner as fast as it used to SETH BORENSTEIN

AP science Writer

MIKE SPRINGER /GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES VIA AP

In this Friday, April 27, 2018 photo, Stuart Boyd of Beverly, Mass., examines the bow stem of the Polaris, a 37-foot reproduction of a traditional Viking boat, at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum in Essex, Mass. Boyd commissioned the boat from a custom builder of Nordic boats in Anacortes, Wash. The design is modeled on a 1,000-year-old boat on display in Denmark.

DENVER (AP) — For decades America’s air was getting cleaner as levels of a key smog ingredient steadily dropped. That changed about seven years ago when pollution reductions leveled off, a new study found.

This means when tighter federal air quality standards go into effect later this year, many more cities may find themselves on the dirty air list.

There are several reasons for the flattening of nitrogen oxide levels including hard-to-reduce industrial and truck pollution, said study co-author Helen Worden, a scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado.

The study, in Monday’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, used satellite and ground measurements to track nitrogen oxides, a major ingredient in smog. Levels fell 7 percent from 2005 to 2009, but only dropped 1.7 percent from 2011 to 2015.

“We can’t say anymore it’s going down,” Worden said.

The results also show the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s computer models overestimate how clean the air really is, said University of North Carolina’s Jason West, who wasn’t part of the study.

Smog is created when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds cook in sunlight. Those chemicals come from cars, trucks, power and industrial plants.

In 2015, the EPA proposed new air quality standards limiting smog levels to 70 parts per billion, down from the current 75 parts per billion. Those rules are slated to go into effect this fall, but that has been delayed once already. More than 170 counties in the United States are already exceeding the older clean air standard for smog, according to the EPA. Worden and colleagues tried to figure out what was happening, ruling out the flow of the smog ingredient from China since levels in that country went down since it tightened its air quality rules.

While the 2008 recession may have played a role in the slowdown, Worden said there were other bigger factors at play.

The biggest and easiest pollution reductions have already been achieved, leaving smaller, more difficult cuts, Worden said.

University of Maryland air scientist Ross Salawitch said exposure to elevated ozone can lead to coughing and difficulty breathing, and make respiratory diseases such as asthma worse.

For Worden, who lived in Los Angeles in the early 2000s when it was smoggier than it is now, she would bicycle to work and check ozone levels daily.

If smog levels were high, “it would really make my lungs burn,” she said. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears . His work can be found here . ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Thursday, May 3, 2018

Random The KSC Lacrosse sinks USM Athletic Theory Terms Behind Owls win big over Huskies Sports RECAP

CAROLINE PERRY

Managing ExEcutivE Editor

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Thoughts on NASCAR SEBASTIAN MEHEGAN

adMiniStrating ExEcutivE Editor I can pander to those who enjoy sports. My methods are generally to say one generic thing everyone knows. So, for example, for football, “That Tom Brady. Am I right?” But one sport I will never understand no matter how many times it has been explained is Nascar.

I think the most memorable part of any Nascar match would be that ever-exciting left turn. Often, people talk about Nascar as being a thrill of adrenaline, and explain it with the power of the car; even in the top of the stadium you can feel the cars shake the ground as they pass by. My experience with races include alcoholic beverages being spilled on me and almost getting into fights with multiple people I can confidently say were not in their most lucid state.

In terms of the sport itself, I would say it is impressive. The speed the cars reach along with the swift actions of the pit team. But then, to watch that and the cars going around a track for upwards of 300 laps sounds like more of a chore for me I will never understand the interest in drinking under the hot sun over a baking field of asphalt when I could be anywhere else.

Historically speaking, it is interesting to observe the origins of such a practice as watching people ride around in circles in a stadium. Such sport dates back thousands of years; back to Rome and the time of the chariot racers.

Upon looking through research done on the origins of these races, I came across an interesting observation made by Pliny the Younger, a Roman writer and statesman, in the first century CE. He said, “I am the more astonished that so many thousands of grown men should be possessed again and again with a childish passion to look at galloping horses, and men standing upright in their chariots. If, indeed, they were attracted by the swiftness of the horses or the skill of the men, one could account for this enthusiasm. But in fact it is a bit of cloth they favour, a bit of cloth that captivates them. And if during the running the racers were to exchange colours, their partisans would change sides, and instantly forsake the very drivers and horses whom they were just before recognizing from afar, and clamorously saluting by name.”

(Translated by William Melmoth, H. A. Harris, Sport in Greece and Rome.)

It is interesting that such observations were made at a time when it was such a widespread event involving priests and kings and emperors and the common folk, and yet still the sport exists and is prominent in today’s society.

Sebastian Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

On Saturday, April 28, the Keene State College women’s lacrosse team took a 18-13 victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies.

The Owls also honored their four seniors, Taylor Farland, Cora Telles, Tori Weinstock and Tara Kilderry. KSC held the victory in both halves of the game, ending the first half with a 10-6 lead.

The Owls picked up eight more goals in the second half of the game, ensuring their victory by five goals. This win earned them the third seed in the the upcoming Little East Conference (LEC) tournament. The first half started with junior Chelsea

Lewis scoring two goals, and first-year Ali Daisy finding the back of the net also. The score went to 3-0, sophomore Tess Masci soon making in 4-0 for the Owls. Sophomore Erica Chareth added to the tally, changing the scoreboard to 5-0, while Masci quickly made it 6-0.

The Huskies caught up with some quick shots, however. Whilr the first half closed out with a 10-6 lead for the Owls, the second half was a back and forth game between the Owls and the Huskies. Ultimately, the Owls broke away, taking away the 18-13 win.

My favorite terms from my favorite sports

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

CAROLINE PERRY

Managing ExEcutivE Editor PRIYA CHETRI / EQUINOX STAFF

BRIEF

Softball celebrates its seniors CAROLINE PERRY

Managing ExEcutivE Editor The Keene State College softball team honored their three seniors before a 7-3 and then a 10-4 overall win against Rhode Island College (RIC) during a doubleheader on April 21.

The softball team played at home for the first time all season, all the while celebrating Senior Day. The KSC softball team combined for 17 runs and 24 hits as the Owls swept a conference doubleheader from RIC. The three seniors were Brittany DaMota, Shae Crosby and Olivia Indorf.

This game also marked the latest in a season that KSC had their first home games since 2007, when the Owls did not play at the Owl Athletic Complex until April 24. KSC has now swept RIC in each of the last five seasons.

Before the first game, KSC honored Kristin Boduch (a KSC junior), DaMota, Crosby and Indorf for their contributions to the program.

In both games, The Owls found an early lead, which ultimately helped them keep up their overall momentum during both games.

The Owls overall took away a double victory while celebrating their seniors, which made for a successful evening. In the first game KSC scored early and continued to make

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY THE KSC ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Seniors (from right to left) Brittany DaMota, Shae Crosby, Olivia Indorf and junior Kristin Boduch stand with coach Carrah Hennessey.

runs. Junior Molly St. Germain pitched all seven innings and helped the Owls earned the win.

The KSC softball team got multiple-hit efforts from four different players in the beginning of the game, with junior Kristin Boduch going three-for-five with a double, RBI and three runs scored. First-year Cassie Woods doubled twice and drove in two. Indorf and DaMota each went two-forfour, with Indorf adding two RBIs to her stats. KSC

had the bats going right away in the bottom of the first, as Boduch led off with a single and Crosby followed with a double to the right center field gap.

The Owls continued to make plays, but in the fifth inning had a five-run response, which sealed their victory.

In the second game, the Owls once again came out strong, earning an early lead. Sophomore JoEllen Racicot and Indorf each went two-for-two while

driving in two runs. St. Germain also had a multiple-hit effort and scored twice. Lauren Rousseau, Alexis Blanchette and Woods each drove in a run.

The Owls were ahead in the first inning again, earning two runs early.

Boduch worked a leadoff walk and advanced to third on two groundouts before scoring on Indorf's infield single.

Rousseau then followed with a double to left that scored Indorf for a 2-0 lead.

RIC made a few runs, but the Owls followed that up with a run in the bottom half of that inning and two in both the fourth and fifth innings to pull away runs.

The Owls continued to find success on the field, leading them to their second victory of the day.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

BRIEF

Keene State Athletics receives a grant CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor The Keene State College Department of Athletics and Recreation has been awarded a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant.

KSC will also soon launch a national search to fill the position of Assistant to the Athletic Director and Student-Athlete Development Coordinator.

This grant is meant to provide funding to members committed to enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in athletics administration.

Onthe KSC athletics page, KSC Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Kristene Kelley expressed her excitement and honor that KSC

was seen fit to be chosen as one of the recipients for the Division III Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant.

She added that the KSC athletics department, as well as the entire college, is focused on creating a community that intentionally engages diversity.

The position, Assistant to the Athletic Director and Student-Athlete Development Coordinator, is meant to serve a dual purpose within the department.

The position primarily focuses on assisting with special projects, and working with the student-athletes on personal, professional and leadership development.

KSC also received a grant in 2003, which was used for an assistant sports information director position. The successful candidate will be mentored by both Kelly and Director of Aca-

demic and Career Advising Pat Halloran. Kelly is completing her second year as the Director of Athletics and Recreation and is the principal investigator of the grant.

The NCAA Division III Women's and Ethnic Minorities Internship Grant funds full-time, entry-level athletics administrative positions for two academic years.

This grant is designed to provide financial assistance to the division's member schools and conferences that are committed to enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in entry-level, intercollegiate athletics administrative positions, as found on the KSC athletics page.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

If you’re reading this, our last edition of the spring 2018 semester newspaper is in your hands, meaning this will be the last athletic terms column that you will have the honor of reading.

With so many sports and phrases, it’s hard to cover everything. However, to end the year right, I want to cover at least one term from a few of my favorite sports.

So, why not start with my all time favorite sport, soccer? I’ve played soccer since I was in first grade, so my love and knowledge of soccer terms is quite high. Some phrases that are especially funny to me are head and transfer fee.

Head means to play the ball with your forehead, whether the intention is to pass, shoot or clear.

A transfer fee is when a player who is under contract to a club is traded to another team. The new club has to purchase the contract, usually paying a huge amount of money for it. This is the transfer fee, it goes to the selling club, not to the player.

My next favorite sport to watch, but definitely not play, is hockey. I can’t skate to save my life, so I’m better on the sideline. Two terms from hockey people may not know are apple and bar down. Apple is another way of referring to an assist.

Bar down is when a shot hits the crossbar and goes down into the net for a goal.

Next up is fencing, yes, strange, but strangely interesting to me. The rules always trick me, which is probably why I find it so interesting. Two terms to know in the world of fencing are bout and feint.

A bout is a match that is only between two fencers. A feint is a false attack that is designed to force an opponent into a reaction, which opens the way into a genuine attack.

Fencing is one of those sports that I’ll always wish I tried.

Lacrosse is another sport I would’ve liked to try out if I hadn’t played spring soccer. Lacrosse is like hockey — exciting and rough — which is great to watch! Two terms from lacrosse are ride and crosse.

Ride is when a team tries to prevent the opposing team from clearing the ball. Crosse is just a another fancy word for lacrosse stick, which assists in throwing, catching and carrying the ball.

And finally, some terms from skiing, which has just recently become a favorite of mine.

Some fun terms found in the skiing world are apres-ski, balaclava and a dump. Apres-ski means that the day is over, time for some drinks and swapping war stories from the slopes.

Balaclava is a fancy way of saying a facemask, which helps protect your face from wind and snow.

Dump is a great way of saying there was a snowfall, providing fresh powder.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

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Four-time winning streak HOWARD LITTLE-SIMPSON

Equinox Staff Keene State College’s men’s lacrosse team is in the middle of its season, and the team it still flying high after winning four straight Little East Conference titles. Since the first title in 2014, the team has racked up some quite impressive numbers. Some of these numbers included going 50-20 and winning 36 LEC games in four years. The team outscored their opponents 1152-739, which is a difference of 5.9 goals per game. Opposing teams did not have much luck against them in the LEC championships either as the team outscored their opponents 85-39 in the four championship games, which is a difference of 11.5 goals per game.

At end of the 2018 regular season, the team surged into the playoffs looking for a fifth straight title after a decisive win against the University of Southern Maine with seed implications.

Head Coach Mark Theriault has been a coach for the Owls for nineteen seasons. Theriault has racked up 158 wins and eight LEC titles since 2005. When asked how Theriault keeps winning with players coming in and out, he said, “Recruiting is a big part, as well getting players who have experience.”

At the beginning of each season, there are expectations for what is about to come, and Theriault said he tells his players, “We have to stay humble, and there are going to be high expectations.” Addition-

Summer Activities Laura Romaniello / Art Director

Warm Weather Fun CAROLINE PERRY

Managing ExEcutivE Editor

ETHAN PLATT/ EQUINOX STAFF

ally, Theriault said, he tells them, “Last year has no effect on this year.”

Some coaches will go with their experienced upperclassman, but Theriault is a little different. Theriault said, “We play whoever can produce and I’m class-blind.”

Senior midfielder Hunter Arnold was unable to meet for an interview, but has been one of the biggest parts of this winning stretch.

Arnold has been playing for the Owls since the 2014-15 season, and

was part of the last three LEC titles.

Arnold has played in 67 games for the Owls and has started 26 of those with 246 points that include 164 goals and 82 assists. Arnold is also an all conference player and a senior captain.

First-year midfielder Matthew Lemke is a new addition to the team who has not only played in, but started all fourteen games. Other than defenseman Weston Coogan, Lemke is the only first-year to play

in every game this season. Lemke earned this playing time because of his skills in the face-off circle.

Lemke came to KSC with some knowledge of the Owl’s success.

Lemke said “I came here because I knew the school was good and they were one of the only teams that can compete with the NESCAC [New England Small College Athletic Conference].” Lemke added, “I was aware of the previous title, but not aware that they had won four

straight titles.” When asked about Arnold, Lemke said, “He is a great leader, and you know he’s always got your back.”

The Owls are surging into the 2018 LEC playoffs as they look to capture a fifth straight title when they take on the winner of UMass Boston and Plymouth State University.

Howard Little-Simpson can be contacted at hlittlesimpson@kscequinox.com

Senior athletes build on their past JULIA EICHMAN

Equinox Staff It's that time of year again, cap and gown season!

Keene State College’s Class of 2018 graduating seniors will be walking the stage on Saturday, May 5th. Although for some students this is not just the end of their college careers, but might also be the last of some athletic careers.

Now coming towards the end of spring sports, there are a few games left for the Owls. The seniors reflect back on their times here at KSC as student athletes.

Softball player Brittany DaMota said being a senior this year, playing sports overall has allowed her to, “Develop the skills and roles of a leader” and “learned the importance and effect she has on her teammates” when holding that higher position.

Over the past four years, students have grown, learned, and experienced new things during their time at Keene State College.

DaMota said being a student athlete, “I feel as though it has shaped me into the person I am today. It has taught me how to work hard for what you want, to never give to up, and strive for success.”

Practice makes things perfect, but this is not always the case. Human beings including athletes can make errors.

The past four years here, DaMota said,“I have also learned that it’s okay to make mistakes sometimes, and you have to learn from them to better your future.

DaMota continued, that KSC has also

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA /

taught her “ how to stay mentally tough” in complicated situations.

For the future, student athletes will walk away with experiences, relationships, and useful life skills both on and off the field.

"Being an athlete has been instrumental

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to my successes in life because it has allowed me to develop important qualities. I have learned how to work well with others in order to succeed and the importance of forming relationships with others to be successful,” DaMota said.

Fellow teammate Shae Crosby is also on the softball team with DaMota and said playing softball her whole life, it has led her to some great lifelong friendships.

“Playing softball also allows me to network with people and therefore give me references, and new opportunities. In college, softball has given me all these things, but the friendships were especially important because it's really how I found my way at Keene,” Crosby said.

In life there will always be curveballs, whether you are prepared or not.

Crosby said that in softball there is “more failure than success” and they had to learn to “overcome adversities” and “learn to deal with challenges” especially unexpected ones.

Unfortunately some good things must come to an end, but this allows for endless new beginnings. Appreciating things while you have them is important when it comes to being able to play sports Crosby said...

“You really have to appreciate playing while you have the chance. It is such a big part of your life and then all of a sudden, it's just done. I think that taking advantage of the great moments in your life is a really important idea to keep in mind, and I will even share this with my students in my future classroom.”

No other sources were able to respond in the time frame of print.

Julia Eichman can be contacted at jeichman@kscequinox.com

Farewell

KSC athletics

Ashley Arnold ashley.arnold@ksc.keene.edu ASHLEY ARNOLD /

SPORTS EDITOR

After the snow melts and the grass begins to grow again, New England begins to inch closer and closer to summer, which is personally my favorite time of the year.

With warmer weather, you can do anything; like skateboarding, tennis, badminton, golf, soccer, baseball, softball, rugby, hiking, volleyball, go fishing, yodle, literally almost anything but winter orientated things.

The possibilities are endless with warm weather. For instance, you can travel more, go ziplining, wander outside more and lay out on the grass.

When summer hits, you get to do the best activity of all, not go to school.

But on top of that, you can spend days at the lake, where you can water ski, tube and chill on the dock.

The ride up to the lake is also an all time favorite.

The windows are down and the warm air filters throughout the entire car, all while the music is blasting and the sun shines through the sunroof..

It’s a great feeling.

Hanging out with friends while roasting hotdogs and creating s’mores is about my favorite thing ever, mostly because I like food.

Other days, you can venture to the city and walk around, checking out different stores and just enjoying Church Street.

Most nights you can watch the sunset and wake up early the next morning to see the sun rise. Another all time favorite is beach sunsets and sunrises.

My favorite memory is sitting in the sand at Virginia Beach and watching fireworks go off over the ocean.

The color and light made the water shimmer, while the sound of the waves crashing and cool night air made that moment pretty perfect.

Enjoying walks along the beach with the daylight fading is something that I will never grow out of.

In Vermont, you can travel to a brook and float on a tube under the sun. The water is cold but the sun makes it better.

There are always huge rocks in the brook, which is great because you can sit on the warm rocks, which is relaxing.

If you get bored with floating, which my friends and I usually do, you can head to a local soccer field or outside court to shoot around.

Sports can and always do bring people together, whether it’s a game or just casually passing a soccer ball back and forth.

Other simple activities that can make your summer that much more fun is hiking.

Hiking is always fun for me. Getting up early to catch the sunrise and hiking down the mountain as the sun sets is a beatiful thing to see in Vermont.

Spending time in nature, such as the forests and mountains is the most relaxing thing. You’re surrounded by a calm silence that just wraps around everything. The air is clean, the sun is warm, and nature draws out the best in people.

Summer holds endless possibilities to make amazing memories, so take advantage of that.

Summer is a time to be free and to take advantage of what the weather has to offer you.

Being active and going on adventures change a boring day into a memorable one.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

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Finishing Strong Arnold reaches his 150th career goal CAROLINE PERRY

Managing executive editor

for sure,” Coogan said. Coogan added, “Every player wants to be the best, and when guys see a player like Hunter who has had success over such a long period of time, it definitely motivates guys to go hard in practice and games so they can reach success like that too.”

The first-year added that Arnold is very much a leader for the Owls.

“Hunter is the anchor of our team, and does a good job of leading us in all situations. He keeps the team focused, and keeps the boys out of trouble and in the classroom,” Coogan added.

Coogan added, “For me, I’m more of a defensive player, so my goals and Hunter’s are different, but seeing him do such amazing things and reach such high goals definitely motivates me to try and reach whatever goals I set myself.”

Coogan said the teams end-of-theseason goal is much like Arnold’s overall goal.

Coogan said, “For our last couple games of the year I think we are looking to win the rest of our games, dominate the LEC Playoffs and head into the NCAA Tournament on a hot streak.”

Unfortunately Arnold’s teammates or coach did not respond or comment on the subject.

Arnold said he is thankful for the time he spent at KSC and for his team-

mates who helped make his lacrosse journey that much better.

“My teammates are the best dudes in the world. I love all of them from top to bottom. They’ve always had my back, whether it is on the field or off. I couldn’t have done it without my boys,” Arnold said.

Arnold added that the adversity his team has faced together has brought them closer.

“There’s definitely always adversity that we’ve faced as a team, including guys being hurt or dealing with terrible weather in the early weeks of the season, and, you know, things that happen in life that you have to deal with,” Arnold said.

Arnold added that finishing his final collegiate season as an Owl was an honor and very humbling.

“I had the best team and teammates. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

This final season was great,” Arnold said.

With the lacrosse season over, Arnold said he was grateful to be a part of the KSC men’s lacrosse team, and that accomplishing his 150th career goal was a great way to finish off his final season.

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

In the midst of a game against the Owls’ rival school, Plymouth State University, Keene State College senior Hunter Arnold found the back of the net, scoring his 150th career goal in KSC men’s lacrosse.

Arnold described his accomplishment, which occurred in the Owls’ fourth-to-last game, as something amazing. “Reaching a mark like that in my last season was really special,” Arnold said. Arnold has been a part of the men’s lacrosse team all four years he has been at KSC. However, reaching the 150th goal milestone was not a goal Arnold had in mind to reach. “It hasn’t really been a huge goal to reach 150 goals, but it’s definitely something I’m proud of accomplishing,” Arnold said.

Lacrosse has especially been a sort of escape, Arnold said.

The senior said lacrosse has helped him experience different opportunities and meet new people.

“Lacrosse has always been there for me since a young age. It’s given me amazing experiences with a lot of awesome people, too many to count. But it’s definitely been something I can do to

clear my mind and just be free and comfortable,” Arnold said.

Reaching his 150th career goal has also helped boost Arnold’s confidence when stepping onto the field.

“It’s helped me grow because it’s given me the confidence to know that I can go out there and put the ball in the net if I need to, because I’ve been in almost every situation the game could offer,” Arnold said.

However, despite his accomplishment, the senior said being able to be friends with his teammates is the best aspect of both the game, and his time spent at KSC. “My favorite aspect has to be being with my best friends every day. The camaraderie and working towards a goal as a unit and accomplishing it is always a great feeling. Especially when you've been outside grinding every day for months, Arnold said.

The senior added that his friends help him overcome adversities on and off the field.

Arnold’s teammate, first-year Weston Coogan, said Arnold achieved something amazing.

“For Hunter to reach 150 goals is an awesome achievement that not many players have done before him at Keene.

It shows that his hard work paid off

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

KSC athlete breaks 15-year-old record ADRIANA SANCHEZ

Social Media director

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

As Michael Jordan once said, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you,” and Melissa Wydra didn’t let them stop her.

Keene State College track and field athlete Wydra broke a 15-yearold hammer record at the Springfield College Invitational on April 21.

Wydra said if she had been asked at the beginning of this year if she thought this could happen, she would have said no.

“At the beginning of the season I had some doubts, and as the season progressed I also had some doubts. Could I actually do this? Was it something achievable? And my coach was like, ‘of course Melissa, you can do it,’ so that’s what pushed me,” Wydra said.

Back in September, she had Tommy John surgery due to an injury back in April, 2016. Tommy John surgery is surgical operation in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body, often from the forearm, hamstring or foot of the patient.

Wydra said it has been a big mental obstacle she has had to overcome. She said she had gone to more than one doctor to see what recommendations they offered. At first, she said, she had tried physical therapy, but in the end it didn’t work out.

She added that her surgeon didn’t think she would be where she is now, post-surgery.

Not only has she been practicing hammer for only three and a half weeks outside, but this is not her main event.

Wydra’s main event is jave-

lin. In indoor, there’s a similar event, called weight throw. Wydra said she saw herself improving from the previous years and her coaches approached her with the idea.

Wydra said she feels accomplished and was very emotional when she broke the record. “It’s really amazing to set a goal for myself and see it actually come to life,” she said.

Wydra said it was her last throw of the day, and at first, she was feeling nervous since her warmups weren’t that great. But when it came time to throw she kept telling herself she could do this.

“Either it got really quiet or I made it seem it got quiet but I looked at my teammates and told them today is the day I break the record. I took a deep breath and went numb,” Wydra said.

She said she started to cry immediately, and her teammates started to cheer for her and they cried, too. Then, Wydra said, she turned to her coach.

“We looked at each other and I immediately started to cry, then he hugged me and then he said how proud he was of me, ‘congratulations, you deserve this,’“ Wydra said.

As an athlete, you want to impress your coach, make your coach aware of how much it means to you to be a part of that team, it was amazing,” she said.

Wydra said her coach and her teammates have helped her when it comes to calming her nerves down.

In contrast, Wyrda said, when her family is there, it makes her nervous because she wants to impress them, although she knows she doesn’t have to.

She added that, after breaking the record, she immediately dropped everything and called her parents, who congratulated and cried with her.

During practices, when it comes to javelin and shot-put, she said she doesn’t have to take mental breaks.

But when it comes to hammer, she said, she has too. “I get frustrated when my throws are off so I have to take a step back,” she said.

Wydra’s friend Dominique Pascoal, who throws javelin has been there for Wydra since the beginning. Wydra said Pascoal has been there since her surgery, throughout her recovery and is still with

her now. From day one, Wydra said, her friend had no doubt that Wydra could break the record. “She was the first one I wanted to tell, she was throwing for another event at the same time so when I told her she started crying and we just hugged for a while,” Wydra said.

Pascoal said she is always there for Wydra when she needs advice. “If she’s nervous, I tell her to clear her mind of anything besides what she is about to do in the moment. Have fun, grip it and rip it,” Pascoal said. She added, “I tell her she knows what she is capable of, now she has to show everyone else.”

Pascoal said Wydra is a resilient, motivated and passionate person.

Wydra said she wants to further her throw in hopes of hitting 50 meters by the end of the season.

The Little East Conference games are on April 28, and she said she is excited for some tough competition. “[Rhode Island College has] really good hammer throwers, so it’s nice to have some good competition that’s pushing me to perform at the top of my game,” Wydra said.

Head Coach Tom Pickering did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Adriana Sanchez can be contacted at asanchez@kscequinox.com

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I looked at my teammates and told them today is the day I break the record. I took a deep breath and went numb.

Melissa Wydra KSC Senior

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