April 17 issue 2 of the spectator

The

SPECTATOR Western Nebraska Community College

April 17, 2014

Volume 61, Issue 2

ENTERTAINMENT: ‘Lying in State’ ready to hit the stage, pg. 3 SPORTS: Jocelyn Stubbs Cancer Awareness Day set for April 26, pg. 5 BACKPAGE: Kappa induction ceremonies, pg. 8

Student SPOTLIGHT:

Motorsports Club to host car show on May 10

Week of the Young Child

Carrie Peterson

Carrie Peterson is from Lyman, Neb. A graduate of Millard South High School in Omaha, Peterson is a nontradiƟonal student at WNCC. She juggles having a family with going to college.

Among her favorite acƟviƟes is geƫng to meet new people.

Q: What degree are you trying to get?

A: Anthropology. More specifically, biological anthropology.

Q: What activities are you in?

A: I am the president of a national society; I’m also in the YES program, student ambassador, SI leader for intermediate algebra, and PTK. Q: What is your favorite class and why?

A: Geography. I’ve always loved geography.

Q: Why did you come back to college?

A: Because I think learning is life long, and I also want to make a difference. I also love to learn.

Q: What do you like about WNCC? A: I like that it is so diverse; it’s not clicky. There are a variety of people and you get different ways of looking at things.

Q: What are some of the challenges coming back to college?

A: Time management because I have a family to take care of — trying to make sure my family is not lacking anything while trying to get my homework done.

Q: What are your hopes for the future?

A: I want to get a bachelor’s degree; I would also like to get my master’s.

Q: The hardest class you’ve had?

A: English Comp II. Q: What do you think has changed from when you were in school?

A: The people are more accepting of other people. They have more of an open mind than people used to.

Q: What do you like to do for fun?

A: Go to Deadwood, shop in Denver, and go to museums.

Q: Where would you like to travel to?

A: Ireland because Ireland is cool.

Also, going to the Mausoleum would be cool as well.

Q: How would you describe yourself?

A: Happy, fun, cheerful. I would describe myself as Olaf from “Frozen.”

Q: If you could be any object, what would it be?

A: A red or yellow bouncy ball with a smiley face.

Q: Favorite Disney movie and why?

A: “Lady and The Tramp” because it shows that you should not judge a dog by its looks.

Q: Who inspires you and why?

A: My Grandma because she taught me girls count. They can be whatever they want to be.

BY LENZIE COLE Spectator Staff Writer

— Spectator Photo

WNCC student Darcy Frizell shows a youngster many different musical instruments during the Week of the Young Child day at Monument Mall on April 5.

The WNCC Motorsports Club will host its 11th annual car show and open house on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Attendance is free to the public and takes place in the parking lot of the Applied Technologies Building at the Scottsbluff campus, just north of the main building.

Vehicle registration for those planning to show their car or motorcycle begins at 9 a.m. and costs $15. This price includes a lunch for two and a dash plaque.

Previous events have drawn up to 70 street rods, imports, street machines, motorcycles, and even bicycles.

“If it has wheels, bring it down,” said Corey Batt, an auto body instructor for WNCC and a Motorsports Club organizer.

“We’ll take it!”

Attendees will be treated to a lunch for only $4 and can participate in family games and other activities.

Previous events have had remote control car races with a track, paintball marksmanship, and “slow bicycle races” in which participants attempt to come in last without their feet touching the ground.

Keeping it flowing Bryan Lindenberger, who’s had nearly 400 articles published in magazines, using his professional skills now as WNCC’s new webmaster and digital marketing specialist

BY AARON HENRY Spectator Reporter

There is a new face in the Harms Advanced Technology Center on WNCC’s campus.

Bryan Lindenberger is the new webmaster and digital marketing specialist at WNCC. He began his duties March 24.

Lindenberger has quite a resume under his belt. From 2008 to present alone, he has worked in writing, research, coordinating, and management jobs and has used many different technologies along the way.

He has also worked in web and content development and has written many articles.

Lindenberger recently moved here from Las Cruces, N.M. “I actually moved here just for this job,”

— Photo by Aaron Henry/Spectator

WNCC’s Bryan Lindenberger, who has had nearly 400 articles published, works on a project in WNCC’s marketing department.

Lindenberger said. “My position in New Mexico was grant funded and the grants expired.”

Lindenberger’s job here requires a lot of writing, and he also does some interviewing for the college. He also maintains the college’s website.

“It’s fun for me because I grew up writ-

ing fiction and really getting into technology,” Lindenberger said. “I get to implement both of those traits here.”

Lindenberger also wrote for professional magazines for about 10 straight years.

“I write stuff all over the map,” Lindenberger See LINDENBERGER, Page 2

Still sharing his knowledge Longtime computer instructor, who now teaches part-time, enjoys helping students excel

BY BARBARA WOODWARD Spectator Staff Writer

When popular WNCC computer instructor Bob Kraft retired three years ago, many current and former students lamented the loss.

“Too bad you couldn’t have taken computer classes from Mr. Kraft,” a student said.

“He was very patient and explained things in a way you could understand.”

Kraft taught at WNCC full-time for 11 years. Before that, he taught there part-time for seven years while also staying busy with his own computer desktop

— Photo by Aaron Henry/Spectator

Bob Kraft publishing business.

As it turns out, Kraft really isn’t gone from WNCC. He is just no longer a fulltime instructor. He still teaches a variety of classes through Business and Individual

Training, offered by the Business division at the Harms Center.

A graduate of Torrington High School, Eastern Wyoming College, and Chadron State, Kraft returned to the area to teach for 18 years at Gering Junior High School.

Starting his teaching career in pre-algebra, when personal computers came out in the mid-80’s, Kraft found he had a high interest in learning to use them and then to teach others how to use them.

One summer he went out of state for a two-week basic computer programming course. Kraft said for several days he was sure it would never sink in, but by the end, he had learned it.

That fall, along with pre-algebra, he began teaching basic computer programming to his junior high students. Enjoying it so much, the following summer he went back for another two-week course.

Kraft moved into teaching computer See KRAFT, Page 2

News

TOP CAT Students

Male Top Cat Michael DeHaven Scottsbluff What do you like to do during your free time?

Play video games. I occasionally hang out with people.

How much do you study?

Two to four hours a day, on average.

How do you keep yourself motivated?

I have to keep high grades for my scholarship.

What is your favorite class?

Probably my ethics. It’s a pretty fun class.

April 17, 2014 — Page 2

Busy, busy, busy Kouba is not only a part of the music program, but she is a tutor and an RA

BY LENZIE COLE Staff Reporter

Rebecca Kouba is a Western Nebraska Community College student who doesn’t let her free time go to waste. Actually, she doesn’t have much, if any, free time.

She stays busy, and she likes it that way.

For example, in February, Kouba organized a blood drive at WNCC that was a huge success. Giving blood is something she does as often as she can. She started to give blood as often as she could because when she was in high school she couldn’t, either because she was too young to give blood, was sick, or had just gotten a tattoo.

Kouba, who graduated from Chadron High School, said giving blood feels like the right thing to do.

February’s blood drive is just one thing that Kouba is involved in at WNCC. Kouba, a sophomore, is involved in the math lab and music department, plus she is

— Photo by Lenzie Cole

Rebecca Kouba is one busy person at WNCC and that is something she loves.

She’s involved in music and is an RA and a tutor. an RA [Resident Assistant] in the dorms. In the music department, she participates in show choir and special ensembles.

While free time is something not on Kouba’s calendar, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She said if she had extra time, she would use it to play video games and study.

Though she doesn’t do them often, she does like to play video games and watch movies. She plays a lot of different video games, including Kingdom of Hearts and Dungeon and Dragons.

She also likes games that are based off of movies like Lord of the Rings, and also the Lego video games. She likes a lot of the fantasy games as well.

What really drew Kouba to WNCC is that she said WNCC is a community where one gets to know everyone.

For example, Kouba said when you are walking to class, you can see 10 people you may know and you could stop and chat with them. WNCC is a nice, little community that people can be a part of, she added.

One characteristic of Kouba is her liveliness. She loves to unwind by just hanging out, cruising around, and listening to music.

She hopes to start exercising more, too.

Specifically, she would like to run more often.

Kouba said she loves people and is willing to help out anyway she can. She said one of her goals is to always be considerate to others.

“I would say just be more considerate in everyday life,” she said. “From driving to talking to someone, it is the things that we take for granted, and maybe we can be more considerate to other people.”

After graduating from WNCC, Kouba would like to continue her education at Midland University in Fremont, where she hopes to be in the music program.

What is your major?

Philosophy.

How many credits are you taking?

13

Packin’ them in

Do you like your classes?

Yeah, pretty much. They’re not too bad.

Students fill up the men’s locker room during the mock tornado drill that was held the last week of March.

Many rooms in the designated shelter areas of the college were filled to the max with students.

The drill was held to prepare students for the possible severe weather this spring.

Why do you like your classes?

There’s none that I find totally boring.

Female Top Cat Crystal Coe-Jacob Scottsbluff What do you like to do during your free time?

Homework How much time do you put into studying?

Seven to 10 hours a week.

How do you keep yourself motivated to do well?

I keep telling myself why I started.

What is your favorite class?

Math What is your major?

Physiology How many credits are you taking?

Ten or twelve.

Why do you keep your grades up?

I have no specific reason. It just happens.

Do you like your classes?

No. I am coming back after fifteen years of not being in school, so that makes it harder.

Copy by Aaron Henry

— Spectator Photo

Lindenberger: Keeping it flowing Continued from Page 1 said. “Religious articles, articles for children, business articles, and real estate columns, and I have written for magazines in Romania, Poland and East Germany.”

“Under Soviet control, Romania couldn’t print anything Western, so I was one of the first American’s to print over there,” Linderberger said.

He did share some of the frustrations he encountered being solely a freelance writer.

“I’ve published somewhere around 400 articles in the few magazines there were,” Lindenberger said. “The frustrating thing

for a new writer who is publishing works is that you might wait six months before finding out it was rejected. The trick is to keep it flowing.”

He added, “There were times that I had about 30 stories out there at a time.”

Lindenberger ended up writing grants and marketing stories, and he approached them all the same. He tried to tell a unique story in each instance.

He is not doing any creative writing right now; however, he is keeping notes of things he would like to write about in the future.

“The only thing I’ve really been writing

recently are press releases, and that has been fun to get used to again,” Lindenberger said.

“Once I get settled into this job, I will get back to creative writing.

“I’ve noticed that tourism is the third-biggest source of revenue in this area, and I would like to participate in the advertising.”

Away from work, Lindenberger said he stays busy doing various activities such as hiking, cooking, and reading.

“I also was the first one to post pictures to landmarks here on Google maps even though I am new here,” he added.

Kraft: Instructor enjoys helping students Continued from Page 1 applications when his school bought software for personal users.

When he left Gering Junior High, Kraft said he had gotten some very good local job offers but wanted to teach at WNCC so he held out for that.

In the summer of 1999, he took a twoweek CISCO networking training course.

“It felt more like boot camp than a class,” Kraft said. “I had no idea what I was doing.”

Not long after that, networking became his favorite topic to teach.

The next year, when a computer instructor retired, WNCC asked Kraft to teach computers full-time. For a few years he taught computer networking. Under his tutelage the college became a regional CIS-

CO networking academy, where teachers from surrounding high schools attended during summer breaks.

In 2007, in addition to teaching classes on the Scottsbluff campus, Kraft was traveling to Cabela’s in Sidney to teach Access database. When traveling became a health issue for him, he said he decided it was probably time to retire.

In his new retirement phase, while still being on the scene part-time at WNCC, Kraft stays busy professionally consulting with individuals on how to use computers, sometimes going to peoples’ homes. “I guess you could say that I make house calls,” he joked.

Many people who contact him for help are the elderly, Kraft said. “You’d be surprised how many older people want to

come into the new age of technology, a lot of times just to be able to communicate with their kids.”

He is also doing computer consulting for Panhandle Area Development District.

Kraft said being retired has had many advantages. For instance, it has left him more time to spend with his 22-year-old son, David, who has Down Syndrome.

He missed a lot of time with David when he taught night computer classes at the Scottsbluff campus and traveled, Kraft said. “Now I can transport him to work and the various other activities that he enjoys.”

While he said he misses teaching at WNCC full-time, Kraft emphasized that retirement has been a lot of fun and has given him the freedom to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it.

Spectator Classifieds The City of Scottsbluff has begun taking applications for all seasonal positions including lifeguards, Recreation aides, laborers, ball field maintenance, and cemetery maintenance. Applications will be available at City Hall.

Call 632-0059 to inquire about Lifeguard/Recreation Aide positions, and 632-0058 to inquire about laborer and maintenance positions. ________________ If you have a classified announcement, please email it to spectator@wncc.net and it will be run here for free.

News

April 17, 2014 — Page 3

Your Voice One question, Many answers

What was the most memorable joke that was played on you or that you played on someone else?

Somebody made me believe that they were pregnant, but they weren’t.

— Dani Vesper

Someone called me and asked me to come and bail them out of jail. I found out that they were not in jail.

— CrisƟna Cantu When my fellow seniors turned on me and squirted me with water guns during our senior prank.

— Jessica BarreƩ My brothers had me go and ask an employee at Advance Auto Parts if they had blinker fluid.

— Crysta; Coe-Jacobs I was pregnant with my 2-yearold daughter at the Ɵme my husband was in South Dakota working with my dad, and he called me and told me that he would not be home for a couple of days.

In the middle of the night some person began knocking on my door and they would not stop.

I thought that I had locked the door, but I did not, and the person burst through the door and grabbed me. I slapped the person before I realized it was my husband.

— Sarah Reagen My brother was in the pool with my parents, and I told him about my nightmare, and then my brother told us that he was going to bed aŌer I told him about my dream. A couple of minutes later I saw something pop up, and I screamed, and my parents yelled at me for screaming.

When I told my parents that I saw something, my mom went to check it out and my brother jumped out and everyone screamed. In the end, karma got him back because that night my brother got biƩen by a mosquito and got sick for a while.

— Kira Winters

Conducted by Lenzie Cole

— Courtesy Photo

Actors and actresses rehearse a scene for the upcoming play “Lying in State,” which will be performed the last week in April and the first weekend in May. Pictured are Beth Bell (left), Micah Yowell (center) and Roger Holsinger.

‘Lying in State’ comes alive WNCC play getting ready to drop curtain the last weekend in April

BY AARON HENRY Spectator Staff Writer

In the past, a theater was typically used as a way to forget about the troubles of everyday life.

Fortunately for WNCC students, the college is putting on a play in April and the beginning of May that could possibly serve this purpose.

The play is called, “Lying in State.” It is a political farce that is full of jokes and pokes fun at politics.

“It’s just a really funny play about silly people in government,” director Lisa Betz said.

The play is centered on the death of a state senator and takes place in the funeral

parlor.

“The state senator dies, and he is being touted as a hero who died defending his home from invaders,” Betz said.

Along the way, the audience meets the senator’s girlfriend, his ex-wife, and the governor.

“Somehow the body gets misplaced and the crazy lady next door from the senator causes a lot of problems for the group,” Betz said.

Betz had many reasons for picking this particular play “I’ve acted in this play, and a farce is one of my favorite genres,” Betz said. “I also think our community will enjoy having an evening of laughter.”

She added, “This should be fun for everyone.”

There are two students at WNCC in the play: Elizabeth Bell and Micah Yowell.

Amanda Shepard from WNCC is also participating as a stage manager.

Roger Holsinger, Sherri Carlson, By-

rone Thompson, Bill Baldwin, and Shannon Griffitts from the community are also acting in the play. The set was created by Justin Lame, who has done sets for Theater West for several years.

“The play itself will be treated as a fundraiser for the Gering High School auditorium,” Betz said. “My share is going to that because it is costly and needed.”

She added, “I hope people will give more if they can.”

There will be four showings of the play at WNCC. The first performance, April 25, will be free for college students as well as WNCC staff. Other showings are April 26, May 2, and May 3 at 7:30 p.m. each day.

There will also be a performance on May 4 at a time to be announced.

The play will be at the little theater at WNCC. There is a $5 fee per person except for the first day, which is pay-as-much-asyou-can.

Still confused about health care?

CAPWN can help you understand Obamacare

BY BARBARA WOODWARD Spectator Staff Writer

The March 31 deadline for the 2014 open enrollment period for signing up for mandatory health insurance through the Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obama Care,” has come and gone.

People will not be able to buy health insurance from the companies listed on the Marketplace until the next open enrollment period starting Nov. 15, 2014. That insurance will become effective Jan. 1, 2015.

The good news, however, is that people who have had a change in life events, often referred to as “qualifying events,” like getting married, having children, or losing a job that results in loss of health coverage, will still be able to sign up for health insurance through the Marketplace throughout the year.

CAPWN, a Scottsbluff-based non-profit organization that received federal grant money to hire and train individuals to help people register for affordable health insurance based on their personal situations, can continue to help.

CAPWN representatives, called Certified Application Counselors and Navigators, can not only continue to help people with qualifying events sign up for health insurance for the remainder of 2014, they can also continue to explain the law to people throughout the year so they will be pre-

Commentary pared for the next open enrollment period.

While the ACA does impose an individual mandate that everyone have health insurance starting in 2014, there are several exceptions to the rule. An important one to students is if buying health insurance would “pose a severe economic hardship” to the person.

One might ask, “How many college students aren’t suffering under severe economic hardships?”

The federal health insurance program, called the Marketplace, operates through an online site containing private health insurance providers’ programs for plans that meet the government’s standards.

Each state has its own site and therefore its own health care providers. On Nebraska’s site there are currently three insurance companies: Cooportunity; Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Coventry Health.

On the site, each company’s offerings for the 22 plans are explained in detail. Individuals are supposed to shop and compare their different services, benefits, and prices and more. This is where CAPWN can be a big help.

CAPWN representatives help people figure out what is considered “affordable,” and tell them if they have to buy health insurance at all. If so, the representatives also tell them if they qualify for savings in the

form of a “cost-sharing reduction” and/or a “premium tax credit.”

Regarding help for students, “There still is a lot of misinformation regarding Marketplace health plans,” Navigator Program Manager Chante Truscott said.

Truscott said that the focus for this year is to tell young people, single or married, whose parents will be claiming them on their 2014 taxes that they can remain on their parents’ health insurance and not have to get their own.

CAPWN representatives have done an excellent job explaining to people who can apply together for health insurance on the same application and who would qualify for the tax subsidies and credits, Truscott added.

There is no count of exactly how many local students have been assisted or have signed up for insurance through the Marketplace, though, because everything on the application is confidential.

While the final numbers haven’t been compiled yet, between the start of open enrollment on Oct. 1, 2013, and when it closed March 31, 2014, representatives assisted nearly 3,700 local people and enrolled 850 in the Marketplace or Medicaid, Morgan Weitzel, a CAPWN certified application counselor said.

For helpful, professional assistance, call 308-635-3089 or go online at www.CAPWN.org.

Entertainment

April 17, 2014 — Page 4

Spiderman movie is amazing Movie Review M

My dog Buddy is my best friend W

ith a quick call of “Buddy!” he’s right up to the front door, with his tail wagging away.

This is one of the best reasons to come home for me. To see my dog and possibly one of my best friends sitting there waiting for me to walk through the door.

To give a bit of background on Buddy, he’s honestly one of those dogs that is just too cute for his own good. He’s a cocker spaniel and terrier mix so he’s not too little.

He’s also extremely young, being only a year old and full of energy.

There are times Aaron when I’ll go outside with Henry him to play Columnist and he’ll just run circles around my house.

He’s also sitting next to me, in a chair at my kitchen table, as I type this.

That’s right, my dog knows how to sit in chairs.

Not just my kitchen table’s chair, either. He’s got sitting in the front seat of my car down to a science.

This guy just absolutely adores me and will literally follow me everywhere he can.

On one last note, he’s also taught me a lot about life.

You see, before my mom and I adopted Buddy, we had another dog (who incidentally and by no fault of ours was also named Buddy).

He was a great dog and had a good, long life.

We mourned for a while and then decided to adopt this Buddy, who was only 7 months old at the time.

One of the biggest things that he’s taught me is that he’s always going to be there.

Being a young dog, he does a lot of things that I don’t approve of, mostly because he’s learning.

He has to learn what I expect from him, and I have to learn how to convey that to him.

In the end, though, no matter how mad I get at him, he always comes back and wants to play or hang out somehow.

He’s also taught me the importance of slowing down and enjoying life.

That’s how dogs live, after all, one moment at a time and through it all, all they want is to be with their owner and have fun. My Buddy has fun all right.

I think he’s picked up that I like to play fetch with him. The first time we played fetch with a ball — the first time I met him —I was overjoyed. I had always wanted to play fetch with my dog. This was an awesome feeling.

On any given day, I can walk into my house and my dog, Buddy, is sitting there waiting for me.

That means the world to me.

any people say that icons are born and not made. Personally, I disagree.

I say that Spider-Man is an icon in his own right. In fact, the web-slinging, wall-crawling, and friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has always been one of my favorite super heroes.

When “The Amazing Spider-Man” hit theaters, it was a no brainer for me to go see it. It did not even come close to disappointing.

The movie itself took a step in the same direction as the original comic book series.

Peter is left at his aunt and uncle’s house after being left there by his parents.

His parents mysteriously disappear while investigating a burglary of his father’s study and are never heard from again.

Peter, as we all know, stays at his aunt and uncle’s house and eventually attends high school. Flash Thompson, who bullies Peter, is present in this movie along with Parker’s first love in the com-

Throughout the course of all this, Peter has dinner with Gwen Stacy’s family and has a tense conversation with her father, who is George Stacy of the police department. Peter ends up sharing his identity as Spider-Man with Gwen and their relationship sort of begins.

Curt Conners is in the middle of testing his serum and tests it on himself.

Through this he becomes the Lizard.

The whole plot becomes centered on Spider-Man tracking down the Lizard and trying to stop him. Spider-Man is the only one who can really stop Lizard because of his powers.

I won’t talk about the ending, for fear of spoiling it for you.

The next movie in the series, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” will come out in May. The movie will feature several villains that many fans of Spider-Man will know.

Electro, Rhino and a possible Green Goblin look like they might be in the movie. There are also hints of Doctor Octopus as well.

By Aaron Henry

ics, Gwen Stacy.

During the course of the story, Peter discovers that Dr. Curt Connors worked with his father at Oscorp. He finds out that Curt Connors, who is missing an arm, is trying to regrow limbs through genetically altering a human to have similar traits as a lizard.

Peter gets bitten by a radioactive spider on the tour and finds out that he is starting to get spider-like attributes. He once again creates his costume and the persona of Spider-Man after his uncle Ben is killed by a robber.

Peter also creates web-shooters that were present in the original comic book series as well as his custom web-fluid.

Peter begins tracking down criminals that match the killer’s description and starts to build a reputation for himself as a super hero.

Meatloaf doesn’t always have to be the same Meatloaf can be made with other ingredients, including cheese

M

Food Column

By Lenzie Cole

eatloaf is a dish that seems to be made about the same way every time. A lot of us know the basics of making meatloaf: seasonings, eggs, beef, and some sort of liquid seasoning like ketchup or mustard or even barbecue sauce.

Unfortunately, when we cook, we often forget that we can try adding different ingredients to see if they work. A simple thought like, “I wonder if this would taste good together.” Recently, I went to the fridge to get ingredients to make meatloaf, and I saw something that made me stop and think about how it would taste if I added that ingredient to the meatloaf.

I used 2 pounds of beef, two eggs, barbecue sauce, mustard, Ketchup, and different seasonings. Ready to know the surprise ingredient? Well, the surprise is

cheese in the middle of the meatloaf. You can use whatever type of cheese you like and also as much as you want.

Meatloaf doesn’t have to be made the same way every time. By trying something new, it could turn out to be something that you and your family will love. It serves about four people. You can add more beef if you want, but two eggs will be about right; it should coat the hamburger.

When you are mixing everything together and you’re not sure if you have enough seasoning, it’s OK to guess. Don’t forget to add crackers, about half a bag.

After all the ingredients have been mixed together, bake it at 425 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Encore performance

— Spectator Photo

ABOVE: Brittney Mitchell (left) and Victoria Seibert perform a selection from the Opera “Lakme” during the WNCC sophomore graduation and transfer recital April 13. (ABOVE RIGHT and BELOW RIGHT: Brayden Ryan performs a selection from Don “Giovanni,” while Rebecca Kouba sings a piece from “Martha” during the sophomore and transfer recital.

What do you think?

Kendra Fancher

Kevin Osan

Tom Tylee

Laurin Rivera

Favorite type of weather

Warm and sunny

Cool and breezy Oceanside, California

Rainy

Sunny and kinda cloudy but hot

Favorite toy when you were a kid

Doll

Soccer ball

He-Man Action Figures

Basketball

Favorite holiday

Thanksgiving

Christmas

Christmas

Christmas

Favorite vacation

7 Bar Ranch in Wyoming

A month in Europe learning about medieval history

Disneyland

Mexico

by Lenzie Cole

Contact the newspaper at:

theSpectator the Spectator Western Nebraska Community College

The Spectator WNCC 1601 E. 27th street Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361 Phone: (308) 635-6058 Email: spectator@wncc.edu

2014 Staff Members Lenzie Cole, Reporter Aaron Henry, Reporter John Tmmins, Reporter Barbara Woodward, Reporter Mark Rein, Production Jeff Fielder, Adviser

Letter to the Editor Policy The Spectator accepts letters to the editor as well as story ideas. If you have a story idea, sent a note to spectator@wncc.edu.

Letters are limited to 500 words and must have a contact listed, along with phone and email.

Sports MVC

Most Valuable Cougars

Male

Justin Smith

April 17, 2014 Page 5

Former Cougar undergoing cancer treatments for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Softball team to hold benefit game for Stubbs on April 26 against Garden City C.C. SPECTATOR STAFF REPORT

Justin Smith came to WNCC from Valentine, Neb., and is majoring in athletic training..  How is baseball doing?: Baseball is doing well at the moment. We continue to compete and try our hardest.  Why baseball in college?: I decided to play baseball because it has been my favorite sport since I first started playing it, and I wasn’t ready to give it up.  What is the best part of playing baseball?: It is something I love to do and I get to do it every day.  What other high school sports and activities were you inolved in?: I played football, wrestled, and competed in track.  Best memories at WNCC?: Getting to know the game of baseball more and meeting new people from all over the world.

Female Lindsay Guymon

Cancer can strike fear into anyone.

That was the case for former Western Nebraska Community College softball player Jocelyn Stubbs, who was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Nodular-Sclerosis.

Stubbs, who played for the Cougars in 2011 and 2012, is currently undergoing 12 treatments of Chemo after being diagnosed just before Christmas.

“I was really scared at first because I never thought something like this would happen to me,” Stubbs said. “I was always relatively healthy growing up, and I was active in sports all my life. When my doctor first told me there is a possibility that I have cancer, I was in shock. When he showed me my CT of how big my tumor in my chest was, I was speechless. I couldn’t believe that I could have a tumor that big growing inside me and not know it.

“My doctor told me that Hodgkin’s Lymphoma patients are categorized in two groups: type A are the ones who experience symptoms (night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, etc.), and type B are those who don’t experience any symptoms. I was type B. I had no symptoms whatsoever.”

Stubbs is on a treatment plan of six chemo cycles in which two treatments make one cycle. She has completed four cycles of ABVD chemo (equal to eight treatments).

After hearing about Stubbs’ cancer, WNCC softball coach Maria Winn-Ratliff decided to organize an awareness for cancer benefit for Stubbs.

“I don’t think sometimes we realize how close to home it [cancer] can hit,” Winn-Ratliff said. “I know a lot of college kids believe they are invincible, but cancer can happen to anyone. I know it has made me realize to be more aware of my actions and behaviors.”

Bidding on autographed jerseys begin April 18 and runs until 10 a.m.

Saturday, April 26, on Facebook at Jocelyn Stubbs Cancer Awareness Day page

— Spectator File Photo

Jocelyn Stubbs holds the Region IX trophy in 2012. Stubbs, who is undergoing chemo, was named the Freshman of the Year in 2011.

The Cougars will have the Jocelyn Stubbs Cancer Awareness Day during their game on Saturday, April 26, against Garden City Community College. The doubleheader will begin at noon. Winn-Ratliff said it will be a special day.

“Both teams will be wearing uniforms that will represent the color of Jocelyn’s cancer, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma,” she said. “We will be auctioning off our jerseys that were worn in the game, and they will be autographed by that player. Jocelyn will be present at the game, and all proceeds from the auction, concessions, and gate will be given to Jocelyn and her family.”

This will be the second benefit for Stubbs. Her Cougar teammate Bree Bitton held a benefit in Utah that raised more than $1,000.

See STUBBS, Page 6

One-on-One with Shelby McGraw

McGraw having a banner sophomore season

BY LENZIE COLE Spectator Staff Writer

Shelby McGraw, from Pueblo, Colo., is a sophomore at WNCC. She is a pitcher and outfield on the Cougar softball team.

McGraw was named the OC Sports NJCAA Pitcher of the Week earlier this month.

Lindsay Guymon came to WNCC to play softball from Stansbury High in Utah. She is an outfielder for a Cougar team that is ranked No. 20 in the nation.  How is softball doing?: Softball is going very well. We are doing good, and I love being around all my teammates. They are the best!  Why softball?: I’ve been playing since I was 6. I just fell in love with the game.  What is the best part of playing softball?: The best part is the teammates. We are always together laughing and having a good time.  What other high school sports and activities were you involved in?: In high school I played volleyball and I tried out for the tennis team my senior year and played, but softball was my main sport.  Best memories at WNCC? The best memories here have been with my teammates on the bus, watching Friday Night Lights, eating sack lunches, and always laughing.

Q: What do you like about softball?

A: I love being part of a team. It is an escape for me — from school and home stuff.

Q: What is the best thing that has happened during a game?

A: We were playing Otero, and we had three back-to-back home runs.

Q: When did you get into sports?

A: When I was about 8 years old.

WNCC sophomore Shelby McGraw delivers a pitch during a game against Lamar Community College recently. The Cougars will play in the regional tournament in May.

Q: Favorite softball memory?

A: Sophomore year in high school, we went to state and won the semifinals. I hit a home run to tie the game and the next girl hit a home run to win the game.

like to continue to play softball when I transfer.

Q: What do you take away from softball and put into your life?

A: Being a good person and learning respect that my amazing coaches have taught us to have.

Q: Why is psychology your favorite class?

A: It’s really interesting to see why people act, how they think, and how it ties into everything.

Q: What degree are you going after?

A: Physical therapy.

Q: Do you plan to transfer to a different college?

A: Yes, but I do not know where yet. I would

Q: Your favorite class?

A: Psychology

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

A: I like spending time with my friends, spending time outdoors, and snowboarding.

Q: How do you think the softball team

will do the rest of this season?

A: I think we will do great. We have a great group of girls, and our goal for this season is to get to nationals. I think that we will.

Q: If you could have anything in the world, what would you have?

A: Unlimited Rockies tickets.

Q: What do you love to do during the summer?

A: I love camping, watching summer sports, and traveling when I can.

Q: Where would you like to travel to?

A: Greece. I have always wanted to go to Greece.

Sports It’s time for me to take a hike This is the first time I have ever been in a sports section of any paper that I have written for. I am not really much of a sports person, so it is not much of a surprise to me that I have eluded being in a sports section for so long.

It seems I have done enough eluding, though.

When most people think of sports, Aaron they usualHenry ly think of Columnist sports like football, basketball, golf, or baseball. I would like to bring up another sort of physical activity here.

I am talking about hiking.

Hiking is an activity that I am honestly considering taking up.

Now that it is getting warmer I have found myself walking to different places if it is not too far away.

I have found that the times I walked I got very relaxed and it was an enjoyable way of traveling.

No music and no steering wheel in front of me. Just the sound of my feet falling onto the pavement.

I mostly think of hiking sort of like I do walking. The only real difference I can see is that hiking sometimes has inclines involved in the routine. However, the inclines have not deterred me from thinking of the idea of hiking during the summer months. I have even found solid reasons why it would be a good idea for me to take up hiking.

For instance, I could really use some sun and relaxation.

Between work, classes and the school newspaper, I have been rather busy. It is really hard to get away from all of that to just relax sometimes.

Based on my observations, I think hiking could be just the thing that I could do to get away. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I need sun.

If you know me, then you would know that is true because I have such a light complexion. It takes work to get the complexion that I have.

That work includes spending a lot of time in front of a desk typing stories, working diligently on homework, and playing a lot of video games. All in that order most days.

For the most part, my schedule has not allowed me time to get any sort of tan. Even a mild one from the light sun of spring would be nice, but that would require that I have time to be outside.

The days of summer should allow me to entertain that notion.

April 17, 2014 Page 6

Catching the Cougars in action

— Spectator Photo

LEFT: Mason Cratty (22) makes a diving catch in a game against Lamar recently, while (ABOVE) Luis Sotomayor (2) goes to catch a fly ball during the same game. The Cougars are withing two games of snaring one of the Region IX tournament spots that will kick off in May. Only the top four teams qualify for the tournament, and the Cougars are within two games of third place. They have lots of conference home games left, too.

STUBBS: Former Cougar undergoing cancer treatment Continued from Page 5 Stubbs is excited to come back to Scottsbluff for the event.

“I am so blessed to have so much support,” she said. “Bree Bitton is one of my best friends, and she put on a fundraiser for me in February. She had a huge raffle and offered a workout class for people to participate in. It meant a lot to me that she put all that together. It means a lot that Coach Winn would do a game for me as well. It helps me to know that I have people out there who really care for me. I’m very excited to come out to the game and support the Cougars on April 26.”

Stubbs’ cancer came as a total surprise.

“We discovered I had cancer completely by accident,” she said. “In November, I went in to the clinic for a chronic cough that would not go away. After some X-rays of my chest, a huge softball-size mass was discovered. I then had a series of CT and PET scans that revealed that I had three tumors growing inside me — one on each side of my neck and one that surrounded my heart.

I had two biopsy surgeries to confirm my diagnoses of Lymphoma and one surgery to place my power port in my chest.”

Stubbs said the tumor in her chest measured 9.5x5.5 centimeters before she started treatments.

“At the halfway mark of my chemo, I had another CT which showed my tumor shrunk down to 4.5x2.5 centimeters,” she said. “So, I am responding very well. My last treatment is scheduled for May 22. As long as everything goes as planned, I should be done on May 22.”

Stubbs said it hasn’t been easy going through chemo treatments. However, she tries to maintain a positive attitude.

“My hair continually falls out every day, and I think any girl would struggle with losing her hair. I’m no exception,” she said.

“I used to have very long, healthy hair, and now I’m almost bald. Some days it’s hard to look in the mirror and accept that this is my reality. It kind of seems silly that something so simple could mean so much, but I know it will grow back. Being bald isn’t a forever thing. It’s just a ‘for now’ thing. So for now, I wear a lot of hats.”

Stubbs the cancer awareness day in

These are the special shirts the Cougar softball team will wear on Saturday, April 26, when they face Garden City Community College. These shirts will be auctioned off as well. Garden City will wear special T-shirts as well for the awareness day.

Scottsbluff later this month really does make more people become aware of cancer.

“I think it’s important that people are aware of things like Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

This is a disease that hits people completely at random,” she said. “There is no rhyme or reason to why people get this. That is why going to your doctor for yearly check-ups are so important. I never went to the doctor before I was diagnosed, but now I see how important it really is.”

Stubbs had an outstanding softball career at WNCC, leading the team to two Region IX titles and two national tournament appearances. She was a two-time firstteam all-region catcher and was named the Freshman of the Year in 2011. She finished her two-year career hitting .340. She ranks 11th on the school’s all-time chart in career doubles with 27, is fourth in home runs with 23, and is seventh in runs batted in with 106. She scored 91 runs.

Stubbs is excited to return to the field where she has so many fond memories playing on.

“I am so excited to see everyone when I come out,” Stubbs said. “Some of my old teammates have told me they are going to be there, and I can’t wait to see them. I haven’t seen most of them in years, so it will be

a great little reunion.

“It will also be fun to watch a game, too, and experiencing a game from the bleachers will be interesting. I love Volunteer Field. I have so many wonderful and crazy memories from my two years of being a Cougar, so I’m excited to just come and be a part of it all again even if it is only for a day.”

Winn-Ratliff said it will be a special day as her players are forever a part of Cougar softball.

“I think it is very special for us to do something like this,” she said. “We want to recognize Joc and let her know we are fighting with her and know she can win this battle. As I tell them, once a Cougar always a Cougar.”

There are plenty of ways to help Stubbs, who works in Utah and helps take care of her younger sister, who is a high school senior.

The online autographed jersey auction will be available on the Jocelyn Stubbs Cancer Awareness Day Facebook page beginning April 18. It will run through 10 a.m. the day of the game. A person can bid on the uniforms on that Facebook page, Also, anyone who wants to contribute to the benefit may contact Winn-Ratliff at winnm@ wncc.edu.

Incoming Cougars for 2014-15 Season Andrea Hancock, Riverton, Utah (Bonneville High) Shaela Heath, Windsor, Colo. (Windsor High) Kay Ernest, Lodgepole, Neb. (Leyton High) Christin Bobian, Aurora, Colo. (Cherokee Trails High) Courtney Medina, Ft. Collins, Colo. (Fossill RIdge High) Men’s Soccer Cole Brothwell, Torrington, Wyo. (Torrington High) Jade Morton, Henderson, Colo. (Prairie View High) Austin Settles, North Platte, Neb. (North Platte High) Laramie Rewerts, Broomfield, Colo. (Legacy High) Shaylee Rickard, Lingle, Wyo. (Lingle-Ft. Laramie High) Jorge Rivera, Santurce, Puerto Rici RaeLe Riley, Torrington, Wyo. (Torrington High) Trey Winters, Wichita, Kan. (Wichita SE High Alli Sawyer, Cedar City, Utah (Canyon View High) Blake Wills, Scottsbluff, Neb. (Scottsbluff High) Desirae Visser, Thornton, Colo. (Mountain Range High)

Volleyball

Women’s Soccer

Hiking or even taking a walk is a good way to get in exercise. Here students and faculty take part in a National Walk at Lunch Day a year ago. This year’s event is slated for April 28 at noon.

Marissa Colgrove, Casper, Wyo. (Kelly Walsh High) Chelsey Keefer , Sandy, Utah (Summit Academy) Kennedy Lawes, Fruit Heights, Utah (Daivs High) Claira Nice, Gillette, Wyo. (Campbell County High) Raeanne Sanchez, Northglenn, Colo. The Academy High) Hannah Wilke, North Platte, Neb. (North Platte High)

Softball Brittany Corrales, Greeley, Colo. (Greeley West) Whitney Fields, Grantsville, Utah (Grantsville High)

Baseball Isaac Block, Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central High) Bradley Brown, Aurora, Colo. (Chaparral High) John Estabrook, Gillette, Wyo. (Campbell County High) Jayden Holman, Alliance, Neb. (Alliance High) Brian Kelley, Henderson, Colo. (Brighton High) Beau Lofink, Scottsbluff, Neb. (Scottsbluff High) Brian Lopez, Cheyenne, Wyo. (East High) Austin Michaud, Olathe, Kan. (Olathe East High) Oscar Perez, Gurabo, Puerto Rico Lukas Popp, Leawood, Kan. (Blue Valley High)

Sports

April 17, 2014 Page 7

Women’s soccer team competes in spring games

— Photos by the women’s soccer team

Members of the women’s soccer team competed in a mini spring tournament on April 12. Here are some pictures taken by the team both on and off the field. From top left: Sydnee Edwards controls the ball; Jordan Seidel makes a move on the field; Brooke Satur is all tuckered out as she sleeps on the way home; Corrie McDonald controls the ball; Nadia Rodriquez brings the ball up the field in a game against Sheridan College; Brianna Baumann sticks her tongue out while Jordan Seidel sleeps on the way home; Dani Copsey is out cold after playing a hard day of soccer; and Nadia Rodriquez and Megan Patrick sit atop a rock during a rest stop.

Cougar Sports Notes Softball team to hold camp on April 22 and April 24 The Western Nebraska Community College softball team will be holding a spring softball camp on April 22 and 24 at Volunteer Field in Scottsbluff. The camp will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. each night. The camp is for youngsters from kindergarten through 8th grade. The cost of the camp is $35 if pre-registered by April 18 and $40 the day of the camp.

The camp will teach the fundamentals of softball from hitting, fielding, and pitching in a fun atmosphere. The camp will be conducted by head coach Maria Winn-Ratliff, assistant coach Katie Groves, and current Cougar players.

Camp registration forms can be downloaded at the WNCC website wncc.edu and then Cougar Athletics.

For more information on the camp, contact Winn-Ratliff at (308) 635-6189 or at winnm@ wncc.net.

Western Nebraska Community College baseball will hold two camps this spring in Alliance and Scottsbluff.

Camp one will be held Monday and Tuesday, May 5 and 6, in Alliance at the Hal Murray softball complex. The cost of the camp is $30 per camper. The camp will run from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The camp is open for youngsters 7-14 years old.

for players ages 7 through 14. This camp will include instruction in the fundamentals of the game along with competitive games.

The camp will be conducted

by WNCC head coach Mike Jones, his assistants, as well as former and current Cougar players.

Camp registration forms can be downloaded at the WNCC website wncc.edu and then Cougar Athletics.

For more information on the baseball camp, contact Jones at (308) 631.3410 or at jonesm@ wncc.net.

Baseball team to have two spring baseball camps

Men’s basketball holding two camps in May

Camp two will be held Monday-Thursday, June 2-5, at the 23 Club Fields in Scottsbluff. The camp is $50 per camper and includes a T-shirt. The camp runs from 9 a.m. – noon and is open

The Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team will hold some mini basketball games the first part of May. The first game will run May 2 and 3 for youngsters in kindergar-

ten through 6th grade. The second camp will be held May 9 and 10 for individuals in the 7th and 12th grades. The cost of the camp is $50 a participant. If two from a family attend, the cost is $75 and if three or more from the same family attend the cost is $100.

The camp will run from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, and two sessions on Saturday from 10 a.m. – noon and 2-4 p.m.

The camp will be instructed by men’s head coach Russ Beck, assistant coach Louis Truscott, and camp technicians and Cougar basketball players Youssoupha Kane and DouDou Gueye.

Camp registrations can be picked up at the WNCC athletic office or downloaded on the WNCC athletic website located at wncc.edu and then Cougar Athletics. For more information on the camp, contact Russ Beck at 635-6780 or beckr@wncc.net.

Cougar golf classic set for Saturday, June 7 The annual WNCC Cougar Golf Classic is set for Saturday, June 7, at the Monument Shadows Golf Course in Gering.

The golf classic is a four-person scramble and costs $75 per person. Action tees off at 8 a.m. with lunch and an awards presentation to follow.

This year there will be two divisions for a first place, a men’s and women’s winner. There will also be hole prizes.

To register, a golf registration form can be picked up at the WNCC athletic office or downloaded off the WNCC athletic website at wncc.edu and then Cougar Athletics.

For more information on the golf classic, contact athletic director Ryan Burgner at 635-6798 or at burgnerr@wncc.edu.

Up-All-Night Intramural tournaments

The Residence Hall Council organized a 12hour Up-All-Night Intramural tournament that features volleyball, basketball, glow-in-thedark volleyball, badminton, whiffle ball, dodge ball, four square and other tournaments that students could participate in. The event started at 8 p.m. Friday, April 11, and went non-stop until early in the morning. Besides intramural games, the Gaming Club had XBox and other gaming devices set up.

— Spectator Photos

Backpage WNCC vocal department features specialized singing groups

BY LENZIE COLE Spectator Staff Writer

Many of us love to sing and/or listen to people sing. Many of us participated in choir in high school — perhaps even in college.

At Western Nebraska Community College, there are two harmony groups: Just Bluffin’ and Quintessence. Just Bluffin‘ is an all-male group, and Quintessence is an all-female group. There are five people in each group. They have to audition to become a part of the group.

To be selected to one of these groups, one needs to be a full-time member of the school’s concert choir. The music department holds auditions for these two groups in the fall. Participants also have to sight read for the audition.

“It’s very highly selected, so it’s tough to get in to it, but it’s a wonderful experience,” said the choir instructor Rita Stinner, who selects the members from the auditions.

In addition to performing at school concerts, the groups perform at special events in the community. One of the places they have performed at is the Stork Recovery Thanksgiving Dinner at the hospital. In the near future, they are going to perform at Well Life in Scottsbluff, and they are also going to perform at the Regional West Medical Center Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.

Each group has one person on a vocal part, and this person typically has a great ear for music and a sense of tuning. This person can sing by themselves without singing off key.

April 17, 2014 Page 8

Saving money doesn’t have to be difficult

BY AARON HENRY Spectator Staff Writer

Money doesn’t grow on trees. This is an old saying that is universal at this point.

College students know what it’s like to save money. Tuition, books, living expenses, and bills add up quickly.

Many students try to save money any way that they can.

Cutting costs on tuition and certain bills, of course, is out of the question.

However, there are ways that students can save money.

Books can be a huge dent in someone’s wallet. A typical college textbook can run anywhere from $100 to $400. With many students taking about four classes a semester, this can add up to quite an amount. There are ways to save even on books, though.

“My boyfriend had a lot of the same classes I did, so I just got a lot of my books from him,” said Alexius Reynoso, a WNCC student.

In addition, it’s possible to save money on books by buying them online. Personally, I found almost all of my books for under

$20 each online.

Books can also be used to make extra money. Many students sell a book that they’ve done with.

Students can also save money on food.

Collegescholarships.org has a lot of tips on saving money on food. Some of these tips

include eating Ramen Noodles, using the meal plan that you paid for, making your own coffee, and eating oatmeal.

One of the website’s last tips is rather amusing.

“Want free pizza? If you are a computer science major, hit up Google for free pizza.”

WNCC to host district music contest April 24 The NSAA 2014 District VI Music Contest will be held at the WNCC-Scottsbluff campus on Thursday, April 24.

Nearly 1,000 vocal and instrumental musicians, representing 13 area school systems, will compete for ratings throughout the day.

Participating schools include Banner County, Bayard, Bridgeport, Gering, Kimball, Leyton, Minatare, Mitchell, Morrill, Potter-Dix, Scottsbluff, Sidney, and Sioux County.

District contest will begin at 8 a.m. All

choruses will perform in the Assembly of God Church; Concert Bands and Orchestra in the WNCC Little Theatre; Show Choirs in the Harms Advanced Technology Center Bay Area; and Jazz Bands in the HATC PLEX. Solos and small ensembles will perform in various classrooms across the WNCC campus.

Thirteen judges representing Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff, Mitchell, Alliance, Kimball, and Chadron State College in Nebraska, plus Torrington and Lusk, Wyo., will adjudicate this annual

event.

Musicians compete for a rating based on a standard of musical excellence. A rating of (I) represents superior or outstanding work; (II) rating represents excellent work; (III) rating represents a good or average performance; (IV) indicates below average work; and a (V) rating indicates a poor performance.

Because of the district music contest, there will not be any day classes at the Scottsbluff, but evening classes will still meet.

Kappa Induction Ceremony

— Spectator Photos

ABOVE: The WNCC students that went through Phi Theta Kappa’s induction ceremonies recently pose for a group picture. BELOW: A few pictures of students going through the induction ceremonies.