WNCC The Spectator -- Sept. 18, 2012

The

Sept. 18, 2012

Volume 59 - Issue 1

SPECTATOR ENTERTAINMENT: Albert Nobbs is a movie about lies and women, pg. 4

SPORTS: WNCC athletic trainer enjoys lending a helping hand, pg. 5 BACKPAGE: College officials hoping for another big turnout for Fall Frolic event, pg. 8

Time to celebrate

Living life to the fullest

Numerous events to be held Sept.

18-23 at WNCC

WNCC science instructor Olga Katkova, a cancer survivor, learns to appreciate the simple things in life

BY DANIELLE HEARN Spectator Reporter Itching to get out and celebrate the beginning of a new school year at Western Nebraska Community College?

Then be sure to check out the 2012 WNCC Alumni and Friends Homecoming Week, which begins Sept. 18 and runs through Sept. 23.

The event will kick off Sept.

18 with Community Bingo in the Harms Advanced Technology Center. The game is free for all ages, and the cost of the meal is $5.

On Sept. 19, the WNCC men’s and women’s soccer teams will play at the Landers Soccer Complex.

Bingo will continue Sept. 20 at the Sidney campus from 9:30-11 p.m. Also, at the Alliance Senior Service Center there will be bingo from 12:30-3 p.m.

There will also be an Art Gallery Opening at the Harms Advanced Technology Center from 5-7 p.m. It’s free for all ages, and there will be an open dessert bar. Come support the WNCC volleyball team that night as well at 7 p.m. at Cougar Palace.

There will be more activities on Friday, Sept. 21. The WNCC volleyball team will play again at home from noon to 4 p.m. Following the match will be the presentation of the Homecoming Court. At 5 p.m., there will be open tours of the Renovated Science Labs in the C-Pod on the Scottsbluff campus.

Later that day will be the infamous Alumni and Community Cookout from 5-7 p.m.; meals are $5 per person.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, events will begin at 8 a.m. with the Fall Frolic 5K run, 10K run, and 10K relay run. There will be a Kids Fun Run at 9:15 a.m.; this run is for kids

Continued on page 2

Student Homecoming Events Tuesday, Sept. 18 Cougar Decorating Contest Community Bingo at HATC Scavenger Hunt in Pioneer Hall Wednesday, Sept. 19 Tie Dye Shirts (Alliance & Sidney) Root Bear Floats (Sidney) Frisbee Golf Tournament (SB) Thursday, Sept. 20 Free Bingo (Alliance, Sidney) Cougar Volleyball vs. W. Wyo. Friday, Sept. 21 Cougar Volleyball Presentation of Homecoming court after volleyball match Alumni & Community Cookout (SB) Saturday, Sept. 22 Fall Frolic (SB) Pancake Feed (SB) Cougar Volleyball Sand Volleyball Tourney (SB) Homecoming Dance (The Pit, 8pm-12am) Homecoming Coronation (8:30 p.m.)

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BY ABNER PIZANO Spectator Reporter Olga Katkova is a science instructor at WNCC. She has been teaching at WNCC since the summer of 2005. She teaches introductory chemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and basic nutrition. She is originally from Moscow, Russia, and has earned three degrees: a Bachelor’s in marketing; a Master’s degree in chemistry from D. Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology;

and a Master’s degree in organic chemistry from Bowling Green State University. She is very passionate about teaching chemistry since it is part of every person -what we breathe, what we eat, and what we do.

Q: What is one of your favorite quotes?

OK: I have many favorite quotes, but the

following two are the most meaningful to me. “Yesterday is a history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it’s called the present.” I read this for the first time in the chemotherapy room. I never forget about this powerful approach to concentrate in the present. My second one is a quote that was shared to me by one of my friends when I was going through cancer. “I used to cry that I didn’t have shoes until I

Continued on page 3

Need a copy?

Be prepared to pay for it

BY JOHN BAHR Spectator Reporter In September of 2011, Western Nebraska Community College decided to go green to limit the amount of paper usage. To curb excessive paper waste, the college decided to start charging students 10 cents for every copy at the Sidney campus library. Soon after that, college officials began charging students on the Scottsbluff campus, too.

According to Curtis Brundy, WNCC library director, WNCC started using software called PaperCut, which helps reduce print cost and environmental impact. PaperCut estimates that print quotas and charging saves up to 30 to 50 percent paper consumption versus non-charging.

Currently, both the Sidney and Scottsbluff libraries are using the pay-to-print copies. Alliance is soon to follow. In Brundy’s opinion, the change will cut down on a lot of unnecessary copying. He welcomes any student’s comments at green.printing@ wncc.edu.

There are mixed reactions from students. Some don’t agree with the decision.

“I think it stinks that they started charging, and it makes it difficult for many students to print stuff for class,” said LuCinda Wheelock, a student on the Sidney campus.

“Right after they started this, one of the students that was in one of my classes was saying that she did not have access to a printer, and she used the college computers to do a lot of her homework. Several times she

Continued on page 8

Photo illustration by Melanie Rowson

Send this message: Don’t text while driving

BY JOHN BAHR Spectator Reporter

U

sing cell phones to make calls and to text can be a lot of fun for college students.

Just don’t do it while you’re driving.

According to Distractions.gov, in 2010 a staggering 3,092 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver, and an estimated 416,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents with distracted drivers.

It’s actually easier than many think to get into a wreck while operating a vehicle and a cell phone at the same time.

The distractions.gov report states “that a driver reading a text message while going 55 miles an hour is distracted

for 4.6 seconds, which is equivalent to the length of a football field.”

A number of states recognize the dangers of texting while driving. Many have put together an aggressive advertising campaign to make people aware of the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. Some states have also started passing laws making texting while driving illegal.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, 39 states have banned text messaging while driving. Nebraska is one of them. It is a secondary law, meaning drivers have to be ticketed for another offense. Fines range from $200 for the first offense, $300 for a second offense, and $500 for any subsequent offenses.

The punishment also includes taking

Continued on page 2

Seasons of Change College officials excited about summer improvement projects at WNCC

BY JOY ANITEYE Spectator Reporter Returning students have probably noticed a number of renovations across the campus of Western Nebraska Community College.

One of the biggest renovation projects this summer was constructing a more efficient design of the parking lot. The new configuration provides better use of space and increases the safety for students. Forty stalls were added to the parking lot, and

6,000 square feet of concrete and asphalt were reduced. The cost of the parking lot project, including the engineering, the design, and the construction, cost $468,000.

The college also completed the Science Lab Renovation Project on the Scottsbluff campus. The science laboratories, which were original with the construction of the main building in 1969, were completely renovated. The Active Learning Classroom was also added. The cost for the science lab project, including construction, furnishing, architect, and design was $1,423,000.

The architects responsible for the project were selected in a competition. Three architectural companies were interested in WNCC’s project. Each company submitted some details of its previous jobs as well as references. The key participants in the selection of the architects, the college’s faculty, chose the local firm Studio 120/ Baker & Associates of Scottsbluff. Studio 120 brought Jill Bard of WHR Architects, a nationally known science laboratory de-

Continued on page 2

News

Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 2

Top

Texting

CAT

Students Shawn Gasseling Alliance  Age: 20

 Major: French  Activities: RA, varsity vocalise  Favorite band/ singer: Celtic woman  Favorite movie: “Bridges of Madison County”  Favorite quote: “It’s better to be beautiful than good, but it is better to be good than ugly” by Oscar Wilde  Favorite TV show: “Adventure Time”  Favorite book: “Life of Di”  Who is your role model?: Rita Stinner because she is really good at her job, and she knows how to get work done and done well. Also, because she is one of the most caring and loving people I have ever met.  What’s the craziest or hardest thing you’ve ever done?: Extreme puddle jumping, or reading a book during a bath  What advice would you give to other people?: Be happy, read more, and eat cake.

— By Abner Pizano

Kelsey Empfield Scottsbluff  Age:19  Major: General Studies

Continued from page 1 three points away from a person’s driver’s license.

In 2009, Car and Driver magazine conducted a study comparing intoxicated driving to texting while driving. The test was set up on a closed course on an airport runway.

Organizers tested reaction times by mounting a red light on the windshield to simulate brake lights. Reaction times were measured at 35 mph and 70 mph.

Both test subjects’ reaction times were worse while they were texting and driving compared to someone who was driving at

the legal limit of .08 percent blood alcohol content. Ironically, more people look down on drinking and driving compared to texting while driving. However, both could have deadly consequences.

Texting while driving is especially concerning among younger drivers. They are already considered an at-risk group because of their driving inexperience. They are also the largest users of text messaging.

Combining the two is especially hazardous.

Pew Internet & American Life Project stated that “40% [of teens] say they have been in a car when the driver used a cell

Change Continued from page 1 signer from Houston, Texas, to the project.

She is a member of the education, science, and technology studio at WHR. In the past, Bard has worked with university teaching, research centers, and medical centers. She led the design of the project and the programming sessions with the faculty. After this was completed, the local architectural firm took over.

“One of the key points about the upgrading of the science labs is that science is an important program in a number of our offerings at WNCC,” said Bill Knapper, WNCC Vice President of Administrative Services. “Students in degree programs, transfer programs, and nursing benefit from the new upgraded science department.”

The new technologies and opportunities for flexible teaching styles will allow students to acquire a strong background in science for further studies.

One of the significant additions to the new science space is the Active Learning Classroom. The idea of this newly configured space is that students will be able to work in teams for science projects. Each group will have a roundtable, which allows for laptop connections, a white board, and a large TV screen. The new technology allows for several ways of projecting work on the large screens. Instructors can control the screens from the podium and show their information on all screens or on individual screens. Students can also independently show their own projects on their screens.

In the new construction of the laboratories, all utility services, including gas, electrics, and networking, are coming in over-

Photo by Joy Aniteye/Spectator

The newly remodeled C-1 pod features round tables and big-screen TVs as a more relaxed learning atmosphere compared to the lecture room setup. head rather than from under the concrete as seen in the previous construction. This new technology allows instructors to reconfigure the equipment of the lab to their preference and also allows them to make changes based on new teaching techniques. All labs also have large screens that can be moved down from the ceiling.

Between the new labs and the active learning classroom is the new puzzle lounge.

Bright colors, new floors and new furniture invite students to the new science lounge.

The remodeled space helps to make science education more fun, interesting and versa-

Continued from page 1

 Favorite Singers: Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Jason Aldean, Toby Mac

 Favorite TV Show: “Fashion Police”  Who is your role model?: “Martin Luther King Jr. and the Apostle Paul because they both dedicated their lives to doing what is morally and ethically right. Both were men of strong faith and without them, our world would be very different than it is today.”  What super power would you like to have?: “Oil secretion because that’s legit.”  What advice would you give someone?: “Invest in the eternal and stop living for this world.”  If you could have 3 wishes granted, what would they be?: “I’m a simple person, so I would want an ample supply of cheesecake, kitties, and country music.”

— By Abner Pizano

tile to students. The comfortable lounge offers space for students to work on projects outside of class, as all the tables provide connections for laptops. Whiteboards are also provided. The lounge is especially convenient for science study sessions and tutoring. The seating accommodation, a puzzle, can be taken apart in order for students to work in groups or individually.

The successful summer projects are just the beginning of WNCC’s future plans. Improvements will continue with the college’s Master Facility Plan and the assessment of other departments on campus.

Celebration

 Honors/ awards/activities involved with: WNCC President’s List for GPA (two semesters); WNCC Vice President of Student Services Award for Outstanding Student Leader; Scotts Bluff County Fair Pageant Miss Second Attendant; Student Government President; Circle K Co-President/Co-Founder; Phi Theta Kappa Historian; Student Ambassador; Student Representative on Western Community College Area Board of Governors; Student Representative on Celebrate WNCC Committee

 Favorite Quote: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12

phone in a way that put themselves or others in danger.”

Parents should educate their children about the dangers of texting while driving.

They should also set a good example by not texting and driving themselves.

Distracted drivers are easy to spot on roads and highways. Tom Genereux, a truck driver, frequently sees drivers on their cell phones.

“Ninety percent of the time when somebody is messing up while driving they are usually on their cell phones. They drive faster, slower and then faster again. They just shouldn’t do it,” he said.

Spectator Photo

Committing to completion Daniela Duarte signs the Phi Theta Kappa’s Commit to Complete banner during the Student Organization Fair held last month. Looking on is Kappa President Dani Vesper. The banner is displayed on the steps by the library.

theSpectator Western Nebraska Community College Contact the newspaper at: The Spectator WNCC 1601 E. 27th street Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361 Phone: (308) 635-6058 Email: spectator@wncc.edu

2012-13 Staff Members Katie Peterson, Reporter Alexandria Moree, Reporter Abner P.izano, Reporter Heidi Hancock, Reporter Danielle Hearn, Reporter Johnny Escamilla, Reporter Joy Aniteye, Reporter John Bahr, Reporter Kayla Romey, Layout Mark Rein, Production Jeff Fielder, Advisor

ages 12 and under.

At 9:30 a.m., the Fall Frolic Awards Ceremony will be held. Also, the Diaper Dash will take place at 10 a.m. for toddlers. To register for the race events, go to wnccfoundation. org.

From 8:30-11 a.m., there will be an all-you-can-eat pancake feed on the front lawn of the Scottsbluff campus.

The cost is $7 for adults and $4 for kids ages 10 and under. The WNCC volleyball team will play again that day at noon and 4 p.m. at Cougar Palace.

Also on Sept. 22, an Alumni and Community Coffee House will be held from 7-10 p.m. in the Cougar Den on the Scottsbluff campus. The Homecoming Dance, will be that night in The Pit on the Scottsbluff campus from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The celebration week will wrap up with the WNCC men’s soccer match at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Landers Soccer Complex.

Letter to the Editor Policy thespectator encourages reader input thespectator about the articles it publishes. Any reader may submit a letter to the editor.

All letters to the editor submissions must include the author’s name and hometown. Phone numbers must also be included for verification purposes.

Letters and columns may be edited for space limitations, style, grammar and libelous content. The letters must contain around 50 words and be typed. Letters can be sent or e-mailed to spectator@wncc.net.

The opinions in the thespectator spectator are those of the newspaper staff and do not reflect the opinion or scrutiny of WNCC, the administration, board of governors, staff or student government. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinions of the editorial board. Signed columns reflect the opinion of the author.

News

Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 3

Your

Olga

Voice

1 Question!

Many answers!

What clubs and activities do you plan to participate in this year?

“I’m not really sure.

I’ll have to see where the year takes me?”

— Brittany Johnson, Scottsbluff

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any time for clubs or activities this year due to my busy schedule with class and work.

I was pretty interested in the science club this year! Science geeks rock!

— Kaitlyn Steinwart, Scottsbluf

“Basketball” — Cody Johnson, Utah

“I’m planning to participate in the math club because that’s something I am so good at.”

— Rafael Bucheroni, Brazil

“Soccer.”

— Tyler Patrick, Scottsbluff

“This year I plan on participating in softball as well as our school’s student ambassadors program.”

— Kimberly Widick, Greeley, Colo.

— Opinion poll by Danielle Hearn

Continued from page 1 saw the man who doesn’t have feet.” This quote helped me to keep my perspectives right because when I was on crutches for three years, I understood that a person on a wheelchair would give anything to be in my shoes and be on crutches instead of the wheel chair, and another person that is paralyzed would give anything to be on the wheelchair and so on.

I understand that sometimes it is hard to be positive when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we need to remember that somebody somewhere is having it even worse.

Q: Who is your favorite author?

OK: My favorite author is Paulo Coelho. I read his book “The Alchemist” once a year to keep my perspectives in line.

Q: What is your favorite time of day, day of the week, and month of the year?

OK: One simple answer: My favorite time is today. Whatever it is today, I love it.

Q: What sound and/or smell do you love?

OK: My favorite sound is the sound of a fan. I have to sleep with the fan on. I sleep with the fan on because it eliminates any noises from outside. Even if I travel, I have to take a fan with me. This is how silly it is.

My favorite smell would probably be something like vanilla.

Q: If you knew the world were ending in 2012, what would you do differently?

OK: Spend time with my family and friends, and since I like to travel, I would sell my house and go traveling and make good memories out of it.

Q: If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

OK: The only superpower I want to have is healing. I would like to be able to heal other people.

Q: What would you name the autobiography of your life?

OK: The only thing that comes to my mind is “blessed.”

Q: What songs are included on the soundtrack to your life?

OK: There are two songs. The first one is “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus, and the second one is “Because You Love Me” by Celine Dion. This last song brings tears to my eyes -- happy tears, though.

For many people, this song is about someone they love, but to me this song is about God.

Q: Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad, but it turned out to be for the best?

OK: I know that for many people this would be a crazy answer, but it is cancer. For five years, I tried to save my leg. I was on crutches for three years. I was on chemotherapy for 13 months. I lost all my hair. I mean, I was just very sick, but since now it’s all over, I can

say it has been the best thing that happened to me because it made me an absolutely different person.

In the past I could be upset about many silly things, like my hair is not lying down the right way, or my boyfriend did not get me flowers. All these or other simple little things don’t bother me anymore. I’m just happy that I can get up in the morning, that I can see, hear, walk, feel, taste, touch – all of those senses that we take for granted. This has also made me a stronger person.

Q: What do you miss most about being a kid?

OK: I think what I missed the most about being a kid is just this: simplicity. The simplicity that you are just surprised about little, simple things. A kid is always surprised and happy about little things.

Q: How would you describe yourself in one word?

OK: My friends would know a better answer to that question.

MTV’s biggest night of the year It’s that time of year again.

MTV celebrated the 2012 Music Video Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles a little over a week ago. In the past, the spectacular show with music’s biggest stars has shown its viewers to expect the unexpected. Surprisingly, this year’s show seemed very calm: no speech interruptions, no extraordinary outfits, no exciting announcements on stage, and certainly no unexpected award winners.

And did anybody see Lady Gaga?

The show lacked what it has become popular for among its fans. Nonetheless, the show, hosted by comedian and actor Kevin Hart – the best host the VMA’s has seen in years – had its highlights.

The opening act of the show was no other than pop star Rihanna, who won the Video of the Year award for her song “We found love.” She took the stage with a new haircut, dressed in a long sheer, red outfit, performing her new song “Cockiness” together with A$AP. She continued the opening of the main show with “We found love,” featuring Calvin Harris, who was the live DJ for the night, and encouraged her fans in the audience to sing her song.

Kevin Hart has done several funny promos for the big show, making himself the center of some jokes. In his commercials he was supported by superstars like Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and Green Day. When the main show started, Hart was announced as the future president of the United States while the Democratic National Convention took place at the same time on another channel.

Hart, only 5-foot-2, entered the arena accompanied by a group of midgets posing as his bodyguards. His humorous opening monologue was filled with useless advice for celebrities who have found themselves in the tabloids recently. He advised MTV Jersey Shore’s reality TV star Snooki, known for her excessive use of tanning beds, not to paint her baby orange. He also encouraged everyone to leave actress Kristen Stewart, who has publicly been caught with having an affair with her movie director, alone and to move on. Hart received the most laughter for the hilarious reenactment of the feud between rapper Drake and singer Chris Brown, who were both present in the arena.

Commentary

By Joy Aniteye

The biggest winner of the day was One Direction, the boy group sensation from the UK. They won three of the eagerly anticipated Moonman trophies, for which one was the Best New Artist award.

One Direction had teenage girls in the arena and also likely at home on their sofas screaming when they performed their catchy song “One thing” for the first time on the MTV stage. Winners for ‘Best Female’ and ‘Best Male’ videos were

rappers Nicki Minaj and Drake.

This year’s award show was a night of song debuts. Green Day rocked the stage with its single “Let Yourself Go” and Pink with “Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” with acrobatics and a lineup of dancing red lips. The most outstanding musical performances were given

by Frank Ocean and Alicia Keys.

Frank Ocean sang “Thinking about You” in a simple manner – just him and a guitar, contrary to the usual over the top VMA performances. Alicia Keys presented her new single “Girl on Fire” with Nicki Minaj as a surprise. Alicia Keys gave her glamorous perfor-

mance on the piano a special touch by bringing in Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas, who showed off her skills on the MTV stage.

Taylor Swift, who has been on the VMA stage a couple of times, closed the 2012 award show. She premiered her song “We are never getting back together” in a casual pin-up style outfit. Swift has become known for writing songs about failed relationships with her celebrity exboyfriends like Nick Jonas and John Mayer. She left the crowd speculating while she ended her performance with a stage dive into the enthusiastic crowd.

Entertainment

Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 4

Journey through the sand of time Deep and personal, and the industry’s first purely spiritual game: Journey There’s a reason I write about video games. Actually, there’s many reasons -- about as many as there are ways video games can completely re-imagine themselves and give you an experience other mediums could only dream of giving you. If you’ve read my reviews before, you know the journey I take my readers on: to convince you that video games are brilliant, how a certain game demonstrates a whole new breed of brilliance, and how games in general are evolving into the greatest form of human expression ever produced.

I get it. That’s a bold claim to make. But if there’s any game that’s a daring example of the brilliance I speak of, it’s Journey. Journey is deep, personal, and the industry’s first purely spiritual game.

The focus of Journey’s studio, Thatgamecompany, has always been on what a game can make you feel and how deeply it can affect you with powerful stylized imagery and haunting orchestrated soundscapes to explore.

In Journey, you are a faceless, cloaked figure in the middle of a desert. You never know what you’re doing the whole game or what your purpose is. A single word is never spoken, and a single direction is nev-

Video Game Review

By Johnny Escamilla er given. But just over the first sanddune you see an unexplained bright light shining from a mountain-peak far in the distance—and you feel you’ve been given your purpose. You can run, or you can hold down a button to gracefully soar into the air— the longer your scarf, the higher you can soar, which grows longer with time.

That’s the entire game. But how did this game manage to give me one of the best gaming experiences of my life? I can’t describe what all you see before you reach the mountaintop, for what you see never exactly makes sense because all the

diverse environments are so surreal: swimming into the sky by singing to giant seaweed-like creatures made of tapestry swaying in a heavy water-like light that you walk into after entering a desert canyon ...that sort of thing.

But the feelings the game evokes in you speak clearly to your heart, and in the end you begin to realize what the journey was to you, or more importantly, what it meant to you. The journey you go through becomes a powerful symbol of life transformation; as your curiosity, temptation, drive, and eventually desire to grow leads you to the mountain-top, your journey becomes an enigma of what drives you in life -- the thing that drives any human to pursue the metaphorical “light on the mountain-top” till

death claims them. Purpose? Ultimacy? The game becomes a symbol of faith and spirit, of strife and struggle, of hope and fear and the scarf: a symbol of fostered wisdom and how it grants you greater ability to make it in life.

It even represents the intersecting of separate lives. For in a stroke of genius, you can encounter another lone player playing the game from somewhere in the world, but you can only communicate by pressing a button to sing a note. It clearly does this to symbolize the fact that while we’re all bound on the same journey, we’re on our own to understand it for ourselves. We could never fully understand someone else’s journey, but we can certainly journey together, which is where the genius of the game lies.

In this game’s strikingly beautiful but desolate and lonely world, these strangers are what come to make the game feel truly meaningful. Strangely in a very human way, players become very attached to the strangers they meet. In time, my companions and I started to understand each other in how we timed our notes with our actions: while slowly treading through a blizzard, staying close together would warm us and quicken our step; if we sang to each other while soaring, we could lift one-another even higher, etc.

Some people I met never got as far as I did—like those you lose in life. Others traveled long distances with me only to go their own way never to be seen again—like how different people come and go in our lives as well. However, others committed to staying with me till the very end. I even heard stories of players who made it to the mountain-top and would wait a very long time for their partners to hopefully reach it and meet them there. Powerful.

Journey is only a two-hour $15 downloadable PlayStation 3 game, but in all that time, you experience a lifetime’s worth of unforgettable moments and a whole new outlook on the significance of a single human’s life--your life. You’ll be saddened when your journey, like life, ends so suddenly, but you’ll be happy you finished it. And the mysteries it brings to light about human existence are even greater than the one it has waiting for you at the mountaintop.

Grade: A

Albert Nobbs is a movie about lies, women Oftentimes, we find character-actors like the wonderful Glenn Close portraying characters that are such a departure from what we consider “normal” that we wonder what in the world could have led them to assume such a persona.

But theatric personas or more in

1. Who is the inventor of the strobe light?

2. What was the first product to have a barcode?

3. What product do pearls melt in?

4. How many cows does it take to provide NFL with enough footballs to last the year?

5. What thing can young coconut juice be substituted for related to the human body?

6. What is the maximum times possible to fold a piece of paper in half?

7. What are the three most valuable brand names on earth?

8. What food takes more calories to eat than the calories that are in it?

9. How long was the shortest war in history?

10. What is the only fish that can blink with both eyes?

— By Katie Peterson

our case, the masks we all wear and what drives us to wear them are what the film “Albert Nobbs” explores. It’s directed by Rodrigo Garcia.

“Albert Nobbs” is as much a story about a man as it is a story about lies — lies that are made for the sake of protecting truths. Truths that bring no merit to the people they concern. In fact, truths that damn them. Truths that can curse a person for the entirety of their life.

The truth is ... Mr. Albert Nobbs is actually a woman who has lived disguised as a man her whole life. Set in 19th century Ireland, she lives in a time when it is very hard to be an orphaned young woman. A woman with dreams of independency without a male authority. A woman with dreams of running her own business. And a woman with dreams of taking a wife someday.

The truth is, Albert—the only name she’s known herself by—was not only damned to be a woman but damned to

Movie Review

By Johnny Escamilla be a lesbian. (Or are those things curses only by nature of how society treats them?)

Working as a waiter her whole life, the character of Nobbs is introduced to us as a waiter who’s worked at a hotel since she was a young girl — or to everyone else, as a young boy. As hard working and smart as any man, Nobbs is a woman who’s lived oblivious to the choices she’s made in life and lives comfortably in a man’s world. But as the story progresses, events for the first time in her life shake up her entire concept of what it means to be a lesbian in 19th century Ireland, when she doesn’t even know other people like her exist.

Women who have always had feelings for other women? Solely for other women? Feelings for the same sex? In-

deed, feelings that defined a portion of the human race for the entirety of its history and evolution. Feelings that apparently resonate so strongly in so many individuals that it becomes such an inseparable part of their identity when they don’t even know what to make of it. It is here where Nobbs first understands this part of herself, and it is here where the movie becomes a story of identity.

What “Albert Nobbs” succeeds in showing is the sincerity of these feelings. Displayed by Nobbs, we see the core nature of these feelings: pure and innocent, caring and ever genuine; and the naivety of her character shows us that people like herself will always exist and quest to be with those they love — whether it is a woman who wishes to be with a woman, or a man who wishes to be with a man. And they will continue to exist for as long as the human race exists — as they have even in a place like 19th century Ireland.

In time, as Nobb’s quest leads her to better understand her sexuality and what it means to yearn for the kind of love she dreams of, she comes to meet other women who live as men to freely be with the women they love — women who have sacrificed their womanhood to preserve their sexual identity. And through these people, Nobbs also comes to rediscover her own women-hood and what she has denied herself for so long, but also what it means to hide her womanhood for the sake finding love.

It is all these themes that Albert Nobbs weaves so masterfully in a package that like any great movie comes together like a spider weaving a beautiful web — individual strands — like an interconnected set of themes that spiral down to a center — a central idea to form a big picture to show what happens to any lie in the face of love and truth.

Grade: A

Upcoming Events September Events Tuesday, September 18 --3-7 p.m. Community BINGO (free to play, all ages, $5 meal) Harms Advanced Technology Center ---Time TBA Cougar cut-out decorating contest, Sidney campus Wednesday, September 19 --2 & 4 p..m. WNCC Men’s & Women’s Soccer Landers Soccer Complex ---2:30 p.m. Root Beer Floats, Sidney Campus Thursday, September 20 --9:30 - 11 a.m. Community BINGO (free to play, all ages WNCC Sidney Campus --12:30 - 3 p.m. Community BINGO (free to play, all ages) Alliance Senior Services Center --5-7 p.m. Art Gallery Opening (free, all ages, dessert bar) Harms Advanced Technology Center --7 p.m. WNCC Cougar Volleyball, Cougar Palaces Friday, September 21 --12 & 4 p.m. WNCC Cougar Volleyball Cougar Palace After 4 p.m. game Presentation of Homecoming Court, Cougar Palace --Tailgate Party @ Scottsbluff Campus --5-6 p.m. Tour Our Renovated Science Labs C-Pod, Scottsbluff Campus --5 - 7 p.m. Alumni & Community Cookout ($5 meal) Front Lawn, Scottsbluff Campus --7 p.m. Missoula Children’s Theater: “The Tortoise and the Hare” Saturday, September 22 --8 a.m. Fall Frolic (5K, 10K, 10K Relay) --9:15 a.m. Kids’ Fun Runs (12 & Under) --9:30 a.m. Fall Frolic Awards Ceremony --10 a.m. Diaper Dash (free for toddlers, no registration required) --8:30 - 11 a.m. Pancake Feed (all you can eat, $7 adults, $4 ages 10 & under) Front Lawn, Scottsbluff Campus --12 & 4 p.m. WNCC Cougar Volleyball Cougar Palace

--7 - 10 p.m. Alumni & Community Coffeehouse (Avid Dischord --78 p.m., Sultry Sounds 8-10 p.m.) Cougar Den, Scottsbluff Campus --8 p.m. - Midnight Homecoming Dance (8-10 p.m.) The Pit, Scottsbluff Campus Sunday, September 23 --2 p.m. WNCC Men’s Soccer Landers Soccer Complex Thursday, September 27 --7:30 pm “Half the Sky”, Midwest Theater Sunday, September 30th --7 a.m. Blake Fundraiser Walk @ YMCA Riverside Parkway Parking Lot, Cost $20 (includes: T-shirt, breakfast burrito)

October Events Friday, October 5 --Opening Ceremony Sidney Oktoberfest, Sidney Campus Saturday, October 6 --Oktoberfest Parade, Sidney Campus Friday, October 12 --PVC Monument Marathon Expo Saturday, October 13 --PVC Monument Marathon Full and Half Marathon Saturday, October 20 --Voc-Airt Flying Club Fly-In Pancake Breakfast Wednesday, October 24 --7:30 p.m. “As Goes Janesville”, Midwest Theater Friday, October 26 --11:30 am. Halloween Costume Party, Sidney Campus Let the Spectator share your upcoming events to the student body!

If you have upcoming events that you would like to post in the next Spectator issue, please contact: Kayla Romey @ softball_1_15@hotmail.com Please leave your Name, email, all event information.

Answers: 1.Dr. Harold Edgerton of Aurora, NE; 2. Wrigley’s gum; 3. Vinegar; 4. 3,000 cows; 5.

Blood Plasma; 6. 7 times; 7. Marboro, Coca Cola, Budweiser; 8.

Celery; 9. Zanzibar and England, Zanzibar surrrendered after 38 min; 10. Sharks

INSIDE:

WNCC volleyball player Kat Agson providing the power

Sports Over time, watching sports has become more enjoyable than watching paint dry Sports? No thank you! I would rather watch paint dry.”

That was my favorite response when my sports enthusiastic brother would ask me to watch a sporting event with him on TV. Playing sports in high school was never the top thing on my list, and for the most part, I didn’t even watch my high school play.

It’s a horrible thing for me to admit, but I never was really interested in that world.

Heidi After high school, I didn’t go Hancock straight to college.

I decided to see a little bit of the world. I spent four years living in England with my military spouse and had my beautiful daughter.

After my divorce in 2008, I decided that it was finally time for me to go back to school. Radiology was my mission, and I dared anyone to get in my way. I took on the mission with everything I could.

At this point, I had come full circle ten years later and ended up back in the Panhandle of Nebraska. I applied for the radiology program and crossed my fingers.

Upon receiving the letter telling me that I was not accepted, I decided it was time to make a change in my career path. On a trip to Colby, Kan., to watch a college softball tournament, I had an opportunity to watch the men’s baseball team play as well. The right fielder went down to scoop up a groundball.

His glove got caught on the grass, and by the laws of nature, something had to give. His wrist snapped back, and his hand touched the top of his arm. As he came off the field, you could tell his hand was broken and that he was in a lot of pain.

Now, I want you to understand I had all the sympathy in the world for him. But I looked over at my boyfriend and whispered, “Do you think they would let me see it?” It was at that point that I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be an athletic trainer.

So here is part of the story that I left out. I moved back to Nebraska for a guy! I know, that is so cliché, but it is the truth. Not long after I moved back, he took a job as a sports writer. And because of that, I have pretty much seen every local team within a 100-mile radius play at least some sport.

Yes, the girl who used to prefer watching paint dry has become a sports nut.

I have a shirt for almost every school I have watched compete. I do have a favorite team, but that is one secret I plan to keep.

I can truthfully say that I do not fully understand every sport I watch, but I am working on that. I still love every second of it. Sometimes I wonder if it actually has anything to do with the sport or just the investment I have made in the kids. Each athlete to me is special; I probably know them as well

Continued on page 7

Sept. 18, 2012

Lending a Helping Hand Doug Jones enjoys his job as WNCC’s full-time athletic trainer

BY HEIDI HANCOCK Spectator Sports Reporter Have you been into the WNCC athletic training office lately? Upon walking in, you are generally greeted with noise and chaos.

Doug Jones, the full-time athletic trainer for Cougar sports, is always a busy man.

After leaving the Panhandle many years ago to attend Creighton University, he has returned to the area.

When asked what brought him back to the valley, he said, “I really enjoy being back here. I make jokes sometimes about being in the middle of nowhere Nebraska, but I really do enjoy being back here.”

He added, “My family is here; this is where I was born and raised, and this is where I expect to be put in the ground.”

When Jones graduated from Mitchell high school, he did not set out to become an athletic trainer. When he left the valley, Jones started his journey into physical therapy. After sustaining an injury in college and spending many hours in the athletic training office, he made the tough choice to change his major.

“When I injured my shoulder, I went to see the athletic trainer for our team and ended up talking to him and doing some treatment,” Jones said. “He is one of the greatest guys I’ve met in a long time as far as athletic training. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, they get to watch sports all the time. I saw what they did, and I saw how much they were helping people. I saw that and thought, ‘They get to be around sports, and they are helping people. That is what I want to do.”

Going full-time as an athletic trainer was not a tough choice for Jones. He was ready to take it on head first. While he appreciated the increased pay and added benefits of full-time work, he pointed out that the main reason he went full-time was for the athletes.

“I really wanted to be here more for the athletes because I think that a lot of the athletes will benefit a lot more from having someone here more often and, hopefully,

Photo by Heidi Hancock/Spectator

Doug Jones applies ice to WNCC volleyball player Kat Agson after the Eastern Wyoming College match on Sept. 11. reduce the number of visits to the hospital and the number of injuries due to overuse.”

Being more available for the athletes was a big reason Jones took on the full-time position as athletic trainer, but also being able to teach was something that Jones couldn’t pass up. He now teaches six anatomy lab courses.

“I also was given the opportunity to teach, and I really like teaching,” he said.

“There are days that teaching gets frustrating with grading and all of that, but I love passing my knowledge onto other people.”

It has been a transition for the athletes to get used to the new schedule that Jones keeps during school hours, but overall, the biggest transition for Jones is getting accustomed to the teaching load. As the semester progresses, the athletes and Jones have de-

IN the HUDDLE: Ari Herrera

BY KATIE PETERSON Spectator Sports Reporter

Ari Herrera is in her second year on the Western Nebraska Community College women’s soccer team. The 5-foot-7 Herrera is from Grand Junction, Colo.

Q: What high school did you attend?

Ari: I went to Central High School, and that is in Grand Junction, Colo.

Q: Why did you choose WNCC? Did you have any other offers?

Ari: I chose WNCC because I was offered a soccer scholarship. I had an opportunity to go down to Phoenix, Ariz., to try out at another community college; however, there were no guarantees, so I just chose to come here.

Q: What school do you plan to attend after WNCC? Ari: I haven’t quite decided yet. Hopefully, I’ll be offered another scholarship to continue playing soccer, but I still plan on going to school regardless.

Q: What are you planning to major in?

Ari: I’m majoring in dietetics.

Q: What is your most challenging class this year?

Continued on page 6

Spectator

Ari Herrera moves toward the ball during a soccer match recently.

veloped a great system for each individual athlete’s training.

With all of the challenges thrown at Jones daily, he stresses that ‘the toughest challenge so far is always the unknown -- not knowing who is coming from year to year. Just when you get to know the athletes, they are gone.

That is true with any two-year school.”

Being part of WNCC has been a great experience for Jones, and he points out that “as an athletic trainer, you are supposed to remain neutral and not really cheer for one team or another.”

Regardless, Jones can’t help but feel a personal connection with the teams that he helps.

“I feel like I am a part of the teams,” he said. “They have always done a great job of making me feel that way.”

Men’s soccer top NW Kansas, hoping to turn corner in region The Western Nebraska Community College soccer team have had it’s share of struggles during the early part the season.

The Cougar men are currently 1-4 on the season after falling four times on the road.

The team’s only win was a 4-3 win over Northwest Kansas Technical College on Sept. 8 and still, the team didn’t play their best.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t happy with either half. We need to get a bit more disciplined and we need to take those position responsibilities and perform them better,” he said. “I talked to the guys after the game and we did produce more goals today and that was a positive, but there is a lot of things that still need to be fixed and we have one week to get that done. We are going to be really focused in practice this week to increase the speed of our play.”

The Cougars definitely cranked up the offense in the first half, scoring four goals and it didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard as Gonzales scored just four minutes into the game off an assist by Edwin Contreres.

Continued on page 7

Sports

Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 6

Agson supplying the power for volleyball team

BY HEIDI HANCOCK Spectator Sports Reporter

plan on majoring in -- if I go to a four-year [college] -- something to do with the body, sports related, even nutrition maybe.

Kat Agson transferred to WNCC from Bethune-Cookman University in Florida to play volleyball.

Agson hails from Houston, Texas, where she graduated from Westside High School in a class of more than 600 students. She is a rightside middle blocker for WNCC. Q: How were you recruited?

KA: I was at a club tournament in Orlando [Florida], and the coaches down there were scouting real late in June. She saw me play part of the game and got my information from my coach and was like, ‘I want her in my program now. I’m willing to offer her a full scholarship tonight.’ I talked to her on the phone, and I didn’t even go on a visit. I just signed; I just went there. It was kind of a shocker when I got there -- like niceness. I liked it there, but I ended up transferring here because their athletic program didn’t really care about the volleyball program; they were really more about football and baseball.

I wanted to go somewhere where I knew that it was a rich tradition,

MVC Most Valuable Cougar

Q: Did you play any other high school sports?

KA: Basketball, ran track, did hurdles, long jump, triple jump, played softball, and I was going to do lacrosse, but after I broke my nose in high school, I didn’t care too much for the physical sports anymore.

Photo by Heidi Hancock/Spectator

WNCC sophomore Kat Agson practices her jump serve during warmups of their match with EWC on Sept. 11. a winning tradition, and a lot of their players go on to play somewhere else. So, I found [WNCC].

I found Coach Melo.

Q: What is the most interesting thing you have seen here so far?

KA: I don’t know what they’re called, but they water the grass or the crops. (with center pivots).

I’ve never seen them before, but they’re very interesting.

Q: Who is your funniest team member?

KA: Morgan [Broussard]. There are a lot of them, but she’s so silly.

Just her laugh is funny. Whenever she laughs, I laugh, because I’m laughing at her laugh.

Continued on page 6

Q: I imagine that would be very difficult, especially with soccer taking up so much time. When did you start playing soccer? And why did you start?

Ari: I started to play soccer when I was 6 years old, and I’m not sure why. I just wanted to play. I remember having to beg my parents for a year in order for me to play, so I think they just got sick of me asking all the time, so they finally signed me up. I’ve been playing ever since.

Sport: Volleyball Major: Criminal Justice Hobbies/Interests: I like to play sand volleyball. I guess that is outside of volleyball.

My life is volleyball!

Favorite Subject: Psychology Favorite Snack: Popcorn

Comments: Youngblood, a returning starter at outside hitter, recorded 15 kills in a win against Eastern Wyoming College in the team’s home opener on Sept. 11. She has recorded many double-doubles during this young season.

She also ranks among the top five in the nation in kills per game.

— By Heidi Hancock

Q: Are you a cat or a dog person? Any family pets?

KA: Dog, definitely. My parents wouldn’t let me have pets, but we had a family pet at my grandparents’ house. His name was Blue. I want a dog, a pit bull.

Q: Do you have any siblings?

KA: I have an older brother that played football at the University of Houston, and he has played

Q: Who is your favorite instructor at WNCC? KA: Coach Harnish. He is my ‘Coaching Basketball’ teacher.

He is just chill, so chill. He is one of my favorites. Also Mr. [Kale] Bowman, my ‘Environment Science’ teacher.

Q: How do you get along with your roommates?

KA: I love them. My whole suite, we get along just fine. My roommate is Tasha [Meyer]. She lets me use her dorm parents, and we just get along and share everything.

We get along well; she is a fun girl.

Q: What is your toughest class at WNCC? KA: My English class, Comp II. I’m not really a reader, and we are going really in depth. It’s a lot of thinking, and you have to put a lot of thought into it.

Q: Favorite ice cream flavor?

KA: Vanilla, it has to be vanilla. I didn’t even start trying different flavored ice creams until last year, and I’m still just vanilla. I like it simple.

Q: Did you play any other sports?

If yes, why did you choose soccer?

Ari: I played volleyball, ran track and attempted basketball. But soccer was always my favorite, and I wasn’t half bad, either.

Q: What is your favorite part of the game?

Ari: Just being together with my team, working hard and coming out with a win. There is no greater feeling.

Q: Do you have any brothers and sisters? If so, tell me about them.

Ari: I have 2 brothers; one is older and one is younger. I love them both to death. We are all super close, and I don’t know what I would do with-

out them. They mean the absolute world to me.

Q: How do you feel your freshman year of college soccer went?

Ari: I think my freshman year of college went better than I thought.

I hadn’t played for a year, so when I came in, I was a little rusty. But with the help of my coach and the support of my teammates I was able to get back in my groove and was awarded the Cougar Award at the end of the year.

Q: How was college soccer different from high school soccer?

Ari: College is a lot different. I feel that there is more passion and drive in college, and we’re all here for the

same reason whereas in high school anyone can play and it isn’t as competitive.

Q: How is your sophomore year different from last year?

Ari: My sophomore year so far has been a little bit stressful. I feel like I have a lot more on my plate than last year.

Q: How do you think this team is different from last year’s team, besides the fact that there is a huge change in teammates?

Ari: I feel like we’re all very consistent. We have a lot of talent this year, and I feel like everyone has the same mindset and actually wants to win.

Scoreboard

Danika Youngblood

Favorite WNCC memory: My team! My favorite memory is the friendships I’ve made with my teammates last year and this year.

Q: What is your major at WNCC? KA: General studies because some of my classes from my last university didn’t transfer over too well. I

Q: Do you use music to pump you up before a game?

KA: A lot of hip hop. I listen to ‘Rich Kids’ and this rapper called ‘Future and Two Chains.’ Always a lot of hip hop. I keep my headphones in and focus on what I want to do before the game.

Q: What is your favorite sport to watch?

KA: Football. Right now I would have to say it’s in between the [Houston] Texans, of course because I’m from Houston, and the Dallas Cowboys -- I mean, it’s America’s Team. I like to watch the SEC teams. That is my favorite level to watch for college football.

Timeout Ari: I would probably have to say anatomy because there is a lot to remember, so I have to put a lot more time into that class.

Favorite Movie: Bridesmaids! I have seriously watched it like three times this week.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in athletics?

KA: At my last school, we were playing at South Carolina State and it was a packed house in a small gym and everyone was heckling us. They had the rosters and knew our names, so every time we would go back to serve, they [spectators] would yell our names. They would be like, ‘Hey, Kat!’ It was just the most energizing, most fun game I’ve ever played in.

Q: What is your favorite subject at WNCC? KA: Right now I’m taking ‘coaching basketball,’ and I feel like that’s the class that I relate the most to. It seems like everything comes easily to me. Everything that I can relate back to sports is a lot easier for me.

arena football for a lot of different teams.

Volleyball Volleyball Schedule @ Iowa Western Tourney 8/24 Eastern Arizona Won — 25-20, 25-11, 25-21 8/24 Iowa Western C.C. Lost — 14-25, 11-25, 21-25 8/25 Iowa Lakes C.C. Won — 25-15, 25-15, 27-25 8/25 Jefferson College Won — 25-15, 25-10, 25-22 8/28 @ Casper College Won —25-16, 25-23, 23-25, 25-12 @ Salt Lake C.C. Tourney 8/31 Southern Idaho Won — 25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 25-22 8/31 Salt Lake Community College Won — 25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 18-25, 15-11 9/1 North Idaho College Lost — 25-19, 19-25, 20-25, 16-25 9/1 Snow College Won — 25-23, 25-17, 26-24 @ CSI Tournament

9/7 College of Central Florida Won — 25-23, 25-21, 25-21 9/7 Barton Community College Won — 25-15, 25-17, 25-10 9/8 Laramie County C.C. Won — 25-19, 25-16, 25-15 9/8 Miami Dade College Won — 25-17, 21-25, 25-10, 25-25, 15-9 9/11 Eastern Wyoming College Won — 25-12, 25-10, 25-22 @ Pizza Hut Invite in Sterling 9/14 Hutchinson C.C. Won — 25-22, 25-15, 25-11 9/14 North Platte C.C. Won — 25-11, 25-23, 25-15 \9/15 Lamar Community College Won — 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 9/15 Salt Lake C.C. Won — 23-25, 29-27, 25-17, 25-12 9/20 Western Wyoming C.C. 9/21-22 Wyo-Braska Shootout 9/21 Sheridan College, noon 9/21 Laramie County, 4 p.m.

9/22 Air Force Prep, noon 9/22 Northwest College, 4 p.m.

9/25 McCook C.C., 7 p.m.

9/27 Otero J.C., 6 p.m.

9/28 Lamar C.C., 7 p.m.

9/29 Trinidad State J.C., 1 p.m.

10/2 @ Eastern Wyoming, 7 p.m.

10/8 @ Western Wyoming, 6 p.m.

10/11 @ Otero J.C., 6 p.m.

10/12 @ Lamar C.C., 7 p.m.

10/13 @ Trinidad State, 1 p.m.

10/16 @ McCook C.C., 7 p.m.

10/19 Northeastern J.C., 7 p.m.

10/20 Casper College. 7 p.m.

10/24 @ Northeastern J.C., 7 p.m.

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer Schedule

Women’s Soccer Schedule

9/1 @ Pratt C.C. Lost — 1-3 9/2 @ Barton Community College Lost — 0-6 9/8 Northwest Kansas Tech Won — 4-3 9/14 @ Northwest Wyoming Lost — 1-4 9/15 @ Western Wyoming Lost — 1-5 9/19 Laramie County CC, 2 p.m.

9/21 @ Northeastern Colorado, 3 pm 9/23 Lamar C.C., 2 p.m.

9/28 @ Otero J.C., 7 p.m.

9/29 @ Trinidad State, 4 p.m.

10/3 @ Laramie County, 1:30 p.m.

10/5 Northeastern Colorado, 3 p.m.

10/12 Western Wyoming, 3 p.m.

10/13 Northwest Wyoming, 2 p.m.

10/19 Trinidad State, 3 p.m.

10/20 Otero J.C., Noon

9/1 @ Pratt C.C. Won — 2-1 9/2 @ Barton Community College Lost — 0-4 9/8 Northwest Kansas Tech Won — 2-1 9/14 @ Northwest Wyoming Lost — 1-4 9/15 @ Western Wyoming Lost — 1-2, 2OT 9/19 Laramie County CC, 4 p.m.

9/28 @ Otero J.C., 4:30 p.m.

9/29 @ Trinidad State, 2 p.m.

10/3 @ Laramie County, 4 p.m.

10/12 Western Wyoming, 1 p.m.

10/13 Northwest Wyoming, noon 10/19 Trinidad State, 1 p.m.

10/20 Otero J.C., 2 p.m.

Sports

Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 7

Change Continued from Page 5 as their coaches and trainers do because I have watched them grow and have asked a million questions. Knowing them is almost as fun as watching the game.

Take my word for it, I have had a lot of time to observe. One of my teachers should be very

proud of me because I spend most of my life now observing athletes’ psyche. It’s just what I do.

So you might ask: How did someone who could care less about sports come to love it so much? That is a question I have asked myself about a million times, but I am glad I did. I have always loved science and learning

about how the body works, and athletic training is the perfect way to combine them. Throw in the relationships that I will get to build with the vast array of athletes, and I honestly could not think of a better career to get into!

into the back of the net.

Two minutes later, WNCC added another goal as Contreres, a freshman from Lexington, took an assist from Santos for the goal.

The second half was all Northwest as its offense kept pressuring the Cougars. The Mavericks cut the lead in half at the 24th minute as Rosales scored his second goal.

Northwest Kansas cut the lead to one in the 35th minute as Valdemor Neto scored on a penalty kick.

After that, neither team had a real good shot on goal as the Cougars hung on for the win.

Rasnic said the big thing his

men’s team has to work on is offensively. The Cougars managed just 10 shots, while Northwest had five shots. Northwest’s goalkeeper made six saves in net, while Joey Rasnic made five saves in net.

“We lost the midfield and I told the guys after the game that wasn’t acceptable in any match,” Coach Rasnic said. “We did not possess through the middle of the field very well. If we don’t get to a point where we don’t possess through the center, it will be a long season for these guys. But, not taking anything away from the guys, it was a good win. It was a 4-3 game and we came out with a W.”

Heidi Hancock is a sports reporter for the Spectator.

Soccer Continued from Page 5

Photo by Megan Patrick/For the Spectator

WNCC freshman Jonathan Ramirez Rodriguez slides toward the ball during the Cougar men’s soccer match against Northwest Kansas Technical College on Sept. 8. WNCC won, 4-3.

Northwest Kansas wasted little time in tying the contest as Juan Rosales scored seven minutes later to tie things at 1-1.

WNCC came right back and rattled in three goals to take a 4-1 halftime lead. The go-ahead goal came as Gonzales scored his second goal off an assist from Jacob Santos at the 20th minute. The score stayed that way for 20 minutes before Santos went one-onone with a defender and finally made a move that left him wide open from just outside the leftside box and the sophomore rocketed

Upcoming HATC Classes To register for any HATC classes, visit the Harms Center across the street from the main campus in Scottsbluff, or call the Harms Center at 308-635-6700 Professional Development Quickbooks Date: Nov. 8 or Dec. 6 Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $55 Excel 1 Date: Sept. 25-Oct. 9 Day: Tues. and Thurs.

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Instructor: Bob Craft Excel 1 Date: Oct. 17 & 24 Day: Wednesday Time: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Instructor: Bob Craft Excel II Date: Nov. 7 and Nov. 14 Day: Wednesday Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Instructor: Bob Craft Golden Oldies Beginning Computer Skills Date: Sept. 25-Nov. 13 Day: Tuesdays Time: 10 a.m. - 12 noon Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Instructor: Bob Craft

Drivers Education Online Date: Oct. 1 - Feb. 28 Location: Online Cost: $195 Note: Students must be 14 years old on or before Oct. 15 of current year.

Digital Camera 1 Date: Sept. 19 - Oct. 17 Day: Wednesday Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Digital Camera I Date: Oct. 24 - Nov. 28 Day: Wednesday Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 Bob Ross Painting Techniques Date: Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17 or Dec. 15 Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $70 Dream Interpretation Date: Oct. 4 Day: Wednesday Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $20 The Power of Your Mind Date: Nov. 6 Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $20

Introduction to Word Date: Oct. 16-30 Day: Tues. and Thurs.

Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $96.50 plus book Instructor: Bob Craft

Zumba Date: Oct. 1 - Nov. 19 Day: Mondays, Wednesdays Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $30

Basic Business Plan Class Date: Oct. 4 - Nov. 11 Day: Thursdays Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $115, includes all materals

Zumba Date: Nov. 26 - Dec. 19 Day: Mondays, Wednesdays Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $18

2012 Election Process Date: Sept. 18 - Nov. 13 Day: Tuesdays Time: 6-7:30 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $20

Constitution 101 Date: Sept. 17 - Nov. 19 Day: Mondays Time: 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $10

Beginning Acoustic Guitar Date: Sept. 19 - Oct. 24 Time: 7 - 8 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $30 Intermediate Acoustic Guitar Date: Nov. 7 - Dec. 19 Day: Wednesdays Time: 7-8 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $30 Cteating Beautiful Christmas Letters Date: Nov. 6 Time: 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Location: Mitchell High School Cost: $25 Date: Nov. 8 Time: 4;15 - 7:15 p.m.

Location: Mitchell High School Cost: $25 Rapid Spanish Date: OCt. 16, 18, 23, 25, and 26 Time: 5:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $119

Electronic Codes Update Electric Codes Update Course November Classes Date: Nov. 16, 5:30 - 9:30 p.m., and Nov. 17, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $80

Arts and Crafts Needle Felting Date: Oct. 24 Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $12 Reed Basketry Date: Sept. 11 & 13 Time: 6 - 9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $10 (plus $10 material fee tobe paid to the instructor) Glass Etching Date: Sept. 19 or Dec. 5 Time: 5 - 9 p.m.

Location: Terry Carpenter Center Cost: $22

Beginning Spinnint Date: Sept. 26 - Oct. 17 Day: Wednesdays Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $25 Rug Braiding, Felting, and Sewing Date: Oct. 5 & 12 Time: 6-8 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $20 Basket Weaving -- Pie Basket Date: Sept. 26 & 27 Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: Terry Carpenter Center Cost: $15, plus $15 for materials Stained Glass -- Picture Fram Date: Oct. 3 & 4 Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $10, plus $25 for materials Halloween Cake Pops Date: Oct. 30 Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: Terry Carpenter Center Cost: $15, plus $10 for materials Note: $15 for each adult, no class charge or material fee for children accompanied by an adult.

Stained Glass -- Christmas Ornaments Date: Nov. 14 & 15 Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: Terry Carpenter Center Cost: $15, plus $25 materials Date: Dec. 5 & 6 Time: 6-9 p.m.

Location: HATC Cost: $15, plus $25 for materials

Environmental Cleanup Training 80-hour Environmental Cleanup Technician Training Date: Sept. 24 - Oct. 5 Cost: $3,450 For more informationl, contact Jason Stratman at 308-635-6740. Class includes 40-hour hazardous waste operations, 4-hour confined space entry/resue, 4-hour first aid and cpr, and 32-hour excavation, trenching and earthmoving equipment.

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Sept. 18, 2012 — Page 8

The Smiling Coast of Gambia

BY ALEXANDRIA MOREE Spectator Reporter

“Some people think that we live in trees or that I have a pet elephant,” says Siaka Sanneh, slowly shaking his head. “I’ve never even seen an elephant!”

Hailing from New Yundum, a town of 30,000 in the Gambia, Siaka is used to hearing farfetched tales of his native country and continent.

“Some people think that Africa is a country and that we are all at war or starving. The majority of African nations live in peace.”

The fact is that Africa is a continent made up of 52 individual countries. Thanks to the United States media’s thirst for ratings, pictures of children soldiers and disease ridden communities are splashed across the front page and flash across living room television sets. By assuming that all of Africa is a war-ridden land, very few people, aside from the career traveler, even entertain the idea of an African getaway. However, in West Africa, along the coast, a small country is home to 1.7 million friendly hospitable Gambians.

The Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded on three sides by its neighboring country Senegal.

The fourth side is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. With a total of 4,007

square miles, the Gambia and her small but beautiful powdery sand coast line boast the title “The Smiling Coast.”

“It is because of the people,” states Siaka, who came to the United States on a student visa and is now working on getting his nursing degree at Western Nebraska Community College. “People are what make the Gambia such a wonderful country. People do not think in terms of ‘you’ and ‘I’; they think in terms of ‘us’ or ‘we’. It is very much about community.”

At a mere 200 miles long and only 30 miles wide, the most important feature the Gambia has is the mighty river flowing through the middle of the entire country and ending at the capital of the Gambia, Banjul, situated on St. Mary’s Island where the River Gambia meets the Atlantic Ocean. An urban sprawl with more than 350,000 inhabitants, the economic hub of this small nation is constantly buzzing with city life. Vein-like streets that snake through the city are flocked with motorcycles, bicycles, and small cars. While the average Gambian family will own a car, the majority of the population relies heavily on the public transportation system of vans and, for longer trips, busses.

The Banjul International Airport, more commonly known as Yundum International, is the

easiest way to begin a trip to the Gambia. The airport, which until 2011 was an augmented landing site for NASA space shuttles, contracts eight different airlines, not including charter options, in and out of the country.

A short ferry ride away from Banjul is the largest city in the Gambia, Serekunda, also situated at the mouth of the River Gambia. Due to its location on an island, the growth and expansion of the capitol, Banjul, is very limited, ergo, Serekunda is the fastest growing city. Open air markets, much more common than our neighborhood grocer, are crowded with vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables picked early that same morning and gallons of fresh unpasteurized milk

from both cows and goats. Spools of silk fabric are piled atop one another and quick exchanges end with a few yards of colorful cloth being stuffed into a bag to be made into a halftan or pair of pants by the local tailor.

Although more than 10 languages are spoken in this small country, English and French are the most common. The school system, very similar to that of the United States, teaches English from kindergarten through the senior year of high school, although many private schools also offer, or require, French as another language.

The smiling people of the Gambia, being very community driven, almost always eat together. Three meals a day,

the first being breakfast, is very light and always paired with hot tea. While breakfast tends to be a sole activity, lunch and dinner are eaten ‘family style’, one large plate or bowl of food set in the middle of the table. The meal begins after the Arabic word ‘Bismallah,’ which means ‘In the Name of Allah,’ is said. Note that more than 75 percent of the country is Muslim. As a tourist, the way to go when eating is to stop at one of the many food vendor carts catering to hurried businessmen to enjoy some traditional Gambian dishes. Also popular are small, bar-like restaurants that specialize in one or two particular dishes, almost always featuring rice, vegetables, and meat all topped with a spicy, flavorful sauce. Water is the beverage of choice in the Gambia.

While the tap water is safe, tourists are advised to get bottled water. After water, hot tea is the most common drink, following or accompanying most every meal. Mentioned earlier, the majority of the country is Muslim, so there is little alcohol consumed in the Gambia.

Siaka ends our thirty minute conversation with, “Anyone who goes to the Gambia would not want to leave.” A country of culture, beauty, and smiles, the Gambia might just be the perfect introduction to an African adventure.

King, Queen candidates announced Voting for this weekend’s Homecoming Dance King and Queen are taking place.

The homecoming king and queen candidates include: King — Challis Wright, Anthony Apodaca, Taylor Severyn, Brandon Karpen, Ryan Bender, Jason Palser, Blake Ross, and Mi-

chael Klein.

Queen —Danielle Hearn, Kali Johnson, Cynthia Valles, Kimberly Widick, Cathy Scherbarth, Kelsey Empfield, Conner Koesteman, Ashley Hill, Carli Rose, Emily Holcomb, Lindsey Shiels-Brophy, Anna Rinaldi, Keany Taranto, Gladys Orona, Danielle Fabricius.

College officials hoping for another big turnout for Fall Frolic event Races scheduled for Sept. 22 at WNCC

BY ABNER PIZANO Spectator Reporter The WNCC Foundation will host its annual WNCC Foundation Fall Frolic 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run/ Relay and Kids’ Fun Run Sept. 22 at Western Nebraska Community College.

The event, which is sponsored

by Valley Bank and Trust and Western States Bank, will begin at 8 a.m. People can register for the event at wnccfoundation.org, or they can stop by the WNCC Foundation’s office at the Harms Center Building.

According to Dayle L. Wallien, WNCC Foundation Executive Director, the event was designed for everyone to have a good time regardless of physical abilities.

“It does not matter if you can run or not. 5k races are always a good way to stay healthy and in shape for those who are already active and are a way to challenge themselves for those who not,” she said. “It’s something that almost anyone can do with minimal training.”

Wallien advised that those running a 5K race for the first time should clear it with their physicians. She also said participants should train properly before the day of the race.

On the day of the race, people will arrive on campus and pick up their packages, which include their bib number, timing chip, and a swag bag (a bag filled with goodies from sponsors and a T-shirt).

After pinning up their numbers, they will line up and run the race.

The award ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m. Awards will be given to the top three male and female racers

in each category: 10K male and female overall winners and 5K male and female overall winners. Also, race organizers will give out raffle prizes, and participants who registered by Sept. 14 will have an opportunity to win a flat-screen TV. In addition to the 5K and 10K races, there will be a 1K Fun Run for children ages 7 and under and a one-mile race for kids ages 8-12.

“This is a good way to introduce children to running as a sport and to encourage a healthy lifestyle,” Wallien said.

The Fall Frolic 5K/10K race is the only one in western Nebraska that has chip timing and is the only race in western Nebraska that is certified and is sanctioned by the USA Track and Field organization.

Also, it’s the only one that supports Western Nebraska Community College students.

“Last year we had 300 participants, and this year we are hoping to see 350. I think we can get there,” Wallien said.

The WNCC Foundation was founded in 1971 by a group of business people. Its main goal is to help students achieve their educational goals through programs and scholarships and by improving facilities. In fact, the foundation was involved with the building of the new science labs at WNCC. The WNCC Foundation has expanded into an organization that provides support for students, faculty, staff, programs, and capital projects on each of the college’s three campuses. Through the generous support of individuals, corporations, and other organizations, the foundation has grown from nothing more than a dream to over $2 million in net assets to date.

For more information about the races or the foundation, contact Wallien at 308-630-6550.

Spectator Photo

Learning about the Constitution Cathy Scherbarth shows off the U.S. Constitution that she picked up the Pit during Constitution Day on Sept.

17. The Constitution Day was sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa.

Change Continued from page 1 went to print off homework for class, and she could not find anyone that could print it off for her when she needed it. She got very frustrated. She was going to write to Scottsbluff about it, but I don’t know if she ever did as she graduated.

“Dallas [her husband] was telling me the biggest reason they started charging was because the nursing students were printing off like 50 sheets each at one time, and then throwing them in the recycle bin when they were done.

“I think it is the public they should charge because I have seen people come in and print a bunch of stuff off – even threw away as

many as 50 sheets because what they printed was not in color, and they did not know that before they printed. But for students that need to print stuff for class, I think it should be free since we pay for the classes anyway.

“What they should do is, for students that need copies, they should have to show their student IDs; that way they don’t get charged. And since the public does not have student IDs, they would have to pay. That would be my thoughts on it.”

Allison Sidebottom, a Scottsbluff nursing student, said, “I think my tuition should go toward the cost of making copies. Maybe they should stop making the col-

lege library open to the general public. That would probably help reduce the costs.”

Mark Keller, a Sidney student, said he could see both sides of the issue. He has seen some students wasting paper, but has also witnessed students trying to track administrators down for copies.

But he also thinks that the cost of tuition should cover the costs of making copies.

Still, there are other students who are rather indifferent to the pay-to-print change. Lisa Hanley, a business administration student, said she really didn’t know much about the pay-to-print policies; therefore, she said she really didn’t have any thoughts on it.