The Puyallup Post | Volume 23 | Issue 7 | May 2018|

THE FINAL FOUR The four finalists in the Puyallup campus president search visited campus in April.

See page 10 for the story.

Dr. Thomas Broxson

Dr. Elizabeth Pluhta

Dr. Darrell Cain

Dr. Rudy Besikof

Puyallup Rep. Melanie Stambaugh, Shaw Road closes Pierce alum, not seeking re-election until December Sydnee Smith Reporter Republican state Rep. Melanie Stambaugh of Puyallup announced on Feb. 17 at a town hall meeting at Pierce College Puyallup that she will not be seeking re-election.

She notes Melanie this decision Stambaugh came only a few days prior to the town hall meeting.

Stambaugh was elected in 2014, at age 24. This made her the youngest woman since 1934 to be elected to the state House in Washington.

She was the only legislator not seeking re-election to

announce that decision somewhere other than the house floor.

“Yes, I serve with these members but they’re not the ones I’m here to work for, it’s my community. It was the most beautiful opportunity I had, it is with great appreciation I’ve had the opportunity to serve. It is really the community that has given me this opportunity and I believe that they deserve to know first,” Stambaugh said in an interview with The Post reporter in April.

This decision came after a long period of reflection. Stambaugh had to think about where she wanted her life to go, if she wanted to build a life in politics or the private sector. After her older sister got pregnant with

her first child and became unable to focus on their family business, Stambaugh decided to retire from politics and focus on the business with her mother.

“Government is a really great thing for people to serve, but I also believe our founders did not intend government to be a career,” Stambaugh said. “I think we all benefit from a steady rotation of elected individuals because it’s that diverse perspective that you get to have new fresh ideas coming into legislature every few years is a really good thing.”

Stambaugh’s family business, run by her mother, her sister and herself, is called, “You Impression,” which helps with coaching, consulting and Continued on page 3

Quintessa Waud Online/Social Media Manager A portion of Puyallup’s Shaw Road is scheduled for closure from April to December 2018 for construction.

The section of the road between 23rd Avenue Southeast and Manorwood Drive will be closed to add a turn lane.

The project will also involve the addition of a sidewalk and a mixed-use trail by the road.

It is anticipated that the $9.4 million project will help ease traffic congestion, as vehicles will not be slowed down by traffic in front of them making turns on the road.

The project was originally set to begin in 2017, but was pushed back to avoid having to

stop construction for winter weather.

The city estimates that about 16,000 vehicles use Shaw Road daily. Among these vehicles are many Pierce College students who will have to find new ways of getting to class.

The City of Puyallup website offers a detour map.

“We’re expecting people to find a different way than the way they normally travel,” says Brenda Fritsvold, Puyallup’s public affairs officer. “It’s going to be particular to each person.”

Students who approach the college from the north using Shaw Road to 39th Street will most likely use the detour route of 23rd Street to Wildwood Continued on page 4

NEWS

Cellphones in the classroom: Swipe left or right?

Eleise Ashley Reporter Cell phone use in classrooms has become a social norm during the last several years. This has raised the question whether or not they should be allowed in the classroom for academic purposes, or if a cell phone policy should be in place to help regulate its usage.

Five hundred students were surveyed in a 2017 study conducted by independent research firm Survata, asking about digital device use in the classroom. The results showed t hat 94 percent of the students wished to use their phones in their classrooms for academic purposes and 74 percent felt that their digital devices helped them learn better.

However, it remains unclear what professors think about this issue and if it can be applied to real world classrooms.

Philosophy professor Katrina Winzeler believes that the technology can be beneficial if used the right way. “Just yesterday in my class, a lot of people didn’t have the print out of the reading that we were doing and they were able to get on to their phones and access Canvas and access the document and read it,� Winzeler said. “So yeah, I do think there could be a use for cell phones. Just like there is a use for laptops in the classroom.�

Winzeler believes that its not the technology that is “good or bad� but the way it’s used. However, she admits to having doubts about the idea

“When I ask the students to not use (cell phones), I realize that is not enough.�

—Nathalie Tomaszewski

of regulating cell phone use in the classroom, being a big believer in freedom o f speech. “Do we need to be controlling this from the top down?

Do we need to have a rule or policy or should we just do it in an informal way and expect more from people?� Winzeler said. “Instead of saying, ‘Oh here is a rule you have to follow,’ ingrain it into them that this is totally disrespectful and do you want to be a disrespectful person?�

Many professors deal with this same struggle. French professor Nathalie Tomaszewski has also struggled with her students using their cell phones in class. “When I ask the students not to use (cellphones), I realized that was not enough,�

Tomaszewski said. “They would hide it on their laps. So I try to remind the students to not use their devices, including laptops, and putting them in their backpacks unless I ask them to bring them out.�

Tomaszeski believes that cellphone use for academic purposes is acceptable in her language classes when permission is given and does not conflict with the lesson. It is

The Puyallup Post is produced by students attending Pierce College Puyallup.

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Pierce professor Katrina Winzeler thinks cell phone use in class can be beneficial for learning but says students should know that using phones when they should be listening is disrespectful. Sydnee Smith photo.

acceptable at specific moments but she does not approve of students using their phones as a means of translating words or phrases. Instead, she expects her students to come to her if they do not understand something.

When it comes to the idea of a cell phone policy, Tomaszeski believes it is a good idea for a policy to be in place and would offer a set of rules that would apply to everyone and inform the professors what the rules were.

Survataâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survey shows student â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desires for cell phone use to be more embraced in the classroom rather than fought.

However, many students use

their cell phones in ways that can be disruptive to others.

Winzeler said that it is not the technology that is to blame but those who abuse it. At the same time, Tomaszeski brings up a problem that is becoming a real issueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;cell phones being used despite being told to put them away.

Many professors have found ways to tackle this issue without a policy by enforcing their own rule. Some lower grades, others make the student buy the class donuts and some simply ask the student to leave the classroom.

This is an age where pulling out cell phones in a classroom is no longer taboo. Instead, it

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has become a social norm. The issue lays not with cell phones but with the students who abuse it, showing that this technology can be a great asset to the classroom depending on the subject matter.

However, with no way to regulate how students would use their phones for academic purposes, cell phone use as a campus wide tool for the class is an idea that offers too many complications to be a worthwhile pursuit as of now.

Instead, its use should be relegated to moments when permission is given. Otherwise, a policy of some sort, formal or informal, should be in place as a means of enforcing this.

Daniel Pollock

Quintessa Waud

Dana Montevideo

Nyadeng Mal

Sydnee Smith

Seca Eaton

James McCraw

Steven Gonzalez

Damien Bamford

Newspaper racks are located throughout the Puyallup campus.

Cecilia Brown

Eleise Ashley

Some images and information printed in this newspaper may be from Internet sources and are used under the fair use doctrine, which allows limited use of copyrighted material without requiring permission from the rights holders for such uses as commentary, criticism, news reporting and scholarship.

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FEATURES

“Age is not an indicator of what you can and cannot accomplish.”

STAMBAUGH

Continued from page 1

more. Her mother and older sister started the business in 2012. It was always a dream of theirs and Stambaugh joined the team after graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in business.

“When someone comes in we really help the entire person and thats why we are You Impression,” Stambaugh said.

“It's all about the impression you make that's customized to each person and thats why we love what we do.”

Stambaugh says she has always had a passion for working with others long before taking office or her running business. She credits her mother for teaching her sister and herself those skills.

Born and raised in Puyallup, Stambaugh went to Emerald Ridge High School. There she was a daffodil princess and on the board of communities and schools of Puyallup as a student. She was also an active member of her school band and lettered in community service.

Throughout junior high and high school Stambaugh continued to learn about politics. When in junior high she paged in Olympia, spending a week learning about how the government worked at the state level.

“I remember leaving that week being like, ‘one day I want to be back here,’” Stambaugh said. “I knew it wasn’t as a staff position, I knew it was in an elected capacity. I didn’t know what that took at the time, but I put it in the dream box.”

After graduating from college, Stambaugh interviewed for an internship at independent think tank, The Washington Policy Center. She was the nonprofit’s first intern who wasn’t a political science major. As a business major, Stambaugh noted she approached things in a different and new way for them.

After leaving that internship Stambaugh knew she wanted to continue in politics.

“What I learned from that internship was you have these gears, and when you turn one gear in policy you inherently have to turn the other gears because they’re connected. A lot of times we only focus on this first gear, we don’t focus on the gears that will also turn because of a certain policy,” Stambaugh said. “It’s that relationship between policies that I find most fascinating.”

When her internship was over she

—Melanie Stambaugh

After Melanie Stambaugh finishes her term, she will not seek reelection, and will instead focus on her confidence coaching business. Maddie Ashcraft photo.

“I’m here for people, not politics.”

—Melanie Stambaugh

Recalling how her tuition from her first to her last year at college grew more than 60 percent, Stambaugh realized she was the only who has experienced that on the board.

As a Pierce alumna, Stambaugh credits the school and the Running Start program for giving her confidence as a young person.

Due to her experience as a student, Stambaugh stood heavily behind Running Start bills. She also stood behind bills promoting better advising for higher education students.

“Data shows that if you’re able to intervene earlier for students that are struggling in class, the exponential return is that you have them graduating on time, getting their credits. It’s really

found herself meeting with local politicians. They spoke about her working 10 or 15 years down the line. With an election coming up she thought about the possibility of running earlier in life.

However, she had difficulty deciding if it was a good time to jump into politics because it would be a big adjustment. But after meeting with her mentors, everyone thought it was the right time.

Stambaugh became the youngest member on the board of higher education, higher education is one of the things she is most passionate about. As the youngest member she states she was able to bring a different perspective.

Diversity in who sit in the legislature is important to her.

shown to be valuable,” Stambaugh said.

“Increasing advising systems for all students, but being able to catch that bucket of Running Start students.”

Stambaugh did Running Start her senior year and over the summer.

Because classes are so flexible, she says it gave her time to pack in all the activities she wanted to do. She continued to take six classes at ERHS, as well as a seventh hour for jazz band and still get all her graduation credits completed.

Instead of trading out classes Stambaugh added Pierce classes so she could do more of what she enjoyed. She finds that being able to take college classes while also being in high school gave her a shift in what she thought she could do as a young person.

“Age is not an indicator of what you can and cannot accomplish, I think in many ways we structure our system to say when you're this age you can do this,” Stambaugh said. “By being able to take college classes while I was still attending high school, it kind of helped me play with that idea.”

Stambaugh spoke on how people underestimated her at first, which she now sees as a good thing. She was able to prove people wrong and show her skills. She believes young people are capable of changing the world to make it they way they want it. At Pierce, Stambaugh worked on those skills and now will take any opportunity she has to give some of that back.

She added she will still stay involved due to all her knowledge in local politics. Stambaugh still cares about education and said she will still lobby for higher education.

Stambaugh hopes she passed the torch to other young girls to be able to accomplish their goals.

Stambaugh believes people are only as strong as the legacy they leave behind and she hopes she was able to inspire other young people. Stambaugh views herself as standing for all young people while in office, while others expected her to fall she was able to dream big.

“When I entered the legislature I said I’m here for people, not politics,” Stambaugh said.

Downtown Brew gives locals more coffee options Maddie Ashcraft Photographer In the South Hill region, a new coffee shop with true “good” coffee is hard to find. But Downtown Brew, open since January 2018, may have done it. Across the street from Anthem Coffee in Puyallup, Downtown Brew is a multifaceted business, a coffee shop and brewery, with pastries and sandwiches alongside the drinks.

Owners Shannon and Cindy Kuzmer opened the shop as part their retirement, but they’re not stopping anytime soon.

The women share an enjoyment for the store, their first experience with the food industry. While Shannon owns Wash the Dog next door, both owners hope to expand.

“Oh, we plan on expanding,” owner Cindy Kuzmer, a Pierce graduate, said.

“The name works with other towns, Downtown Brew Puyallup, Downtown Brew Tacoma.”

Shannon Kuzmer added that she would like to have other locations around the U.S., such as Hawaii or Arizona.

The shop is fashioned as a blend between 1950s retro and hipster chic.

While swing and jazz music fill the air and massive vintage bottle caps adorn the walls, earthy tones, wood and metal paneling are also present.

The tone of the shop is quiet, like a neighborhood restaurant from days gone by. There is an instant connection, the baristas seem like old friends.

For a quiet study day, or a friendly conversation, Downtown Brew is perfect. But this is not the place for the fast-paced, vibrant coffee shop culture that many millennials crave.

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The atmosphere seems a little nostalgic and feels like ‘small-town America.’

For a small, independent coffee shop, hope for a truly satisfying drink normally remains just a dream. But for Downtown Brew, it’s a reality.

The owners use a blend from Madrona Coffee, based in Tacoma but fairly unknown. It offers a unique spin on many flavors expected in the typical coffee drink.

The Americano, often difficult as a crowd-pleaser, is a favorite at the shop.

The drink is deeply flavorful, casting savory, nutty tones, rather than fruity.

Multilayered, it provides a sense of calming satisfaction.

One of the favorite drinks on the menu is an in-house specialty, called the Downtown Warmer. While fashioned like a latte, it is more reminiscent of a steamer, laced

with caramel and marshmallow.

While quite sweet, it is temptingly addictive, winning over even black coffee drinkers. Flavor and depth are not just a part of this coffee shop, it’s everything.

Downtown Brew is all one could desire in a small-town coffee shop. It holds a friendly atmosphere, flavorful coffee, and a feeling of days gone by. But for the person seeking an energy boosting, bustling atmosphere, it’s not the place to be. The fast-paced consumer should buy the coffee, but drink it elsewhere.

But for owners Shannon and Cindy, while Downtown Brew is a learning curve.

Coming from roles with companies such as UPS and The Boeing Co., the women admit this is their first time in the coffee industry. But they wouldn’t have it any other way.

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NEWS

Puyallup’s STEM building earns No. 1 ranking priority by state community colleges Sydnee Smith Reporter Alan Man, an engineering professor at Pierce College Puyallup, hopes the new STEM building will help improve his courses and ability to teach.

“There is no lab component to (my classes), but for a lot of engineering it's hard to understand what's going on without doing it with your hands or seeing it,” Man said. “A lot of comments I get for the class is, ‘Oh I wish there were more hands on stuff.’ I show YouTube videos, but its not the same.”

The Puyallup campus currently has limited lab space and materials.

Man says the college can’t offer as many classes as demanded due to the lack of available space.

He says without lab space students might have to stay in school longer to

2019.

“Of all the facilities we have for educational purposes, our STEM labs are really the weakest facilities we have in terms of being able to provide the kind of education that we should be providing our students,” Halladay said.

The building is planned to have 70,000-square-feet and will be the largest building on campus. It will be located in the field across from the College Center.

Halladay says student resources will move to the bottom floor of the Brouillet Library Science Building, where science lab classes currently meet.

What resources will go in that space is still undecided, but there is talk of more counseling or advising resources, as well as more tutoring and writing resources.

take the courses or transfer early and have to pay higher tuition somewhere else.

Every two years, the 34 community colleges in Washington set a list of priorities for capital funding for constructing new buildings. The list is then sent off to legislature for approval.

For the 2019-2021 cycle, the Puyallup campus’ STEM building was ranked as most important for the community college system. The legislature approves a building in two steps: design, then construction.

Choi Halladay, district vice president of administrative services, noted the Puyallup campus will have funding for the STEM building by the 2021 2023 funding cycle, if all goes according to plan. College officials will learn if the design process is funded in April

Man hopes the college will provide more equipment and resources for classes with the extra space from the STEM building. He wants students to have a space they can come in and work on projects with other STEM students and use newer technology, such as 3D printers. Man would like it to be a space for STEM students to thrive with each other and the new possibilities.

Halladay said the Fort Steilacoom campus STEM building improved the quality of education.

“Students who took the same class in the old facilities vs. the new facilities got better grades. We know that the faculty in the new facility are much happier with their ability to teach and new lab experiences that they just weren't able to before,” Halladay said.

Pierce hires new district director of security Eleise Ashley Reporter April 16 marked the first day of work for the new District Director of Security at Pierce College Puyallup Jeffrey Schneider, a former captain of the detective division at the Yakima Police Department.

Schneider was initially drawn to the field of law enforcement as a senior in high school.

Being able to help people and have a career that matters seemed Jeffrey Schneider appealing to him.

“You legitimately do make a difference in people’s lives and a lot of career paths can’t necessarily say that,” Schneider said.

As the new district director of security, Schneider has many plans to ensure the safety of the students and the staff at Pierce.

“Obviously the main objective of the department is to keep the students and the staff safe so that we can have a first

CLOSURE

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Park Drive to 39th.

While many Pierce students are aware that the road will be closing soon, some will rely on technology as a means to find alternative routes.

“I’m not sure what I’m going to do, I’ll probably just put it into Google Maps and see other routes,” said Luke Caplan, a Pierce student who takes Shaw Road daily.

Another frequent Shaw Road commuter, Taryn Pinkham says, “I’m going to try a few different ways in my GPS and see what gets me there the quickest.”

For those who live near Shaw Road, Puyallup’s website contains a local access map to help residents find routes to their homes.

The city is encouraging residents and frequent Shaw Road travelers to sign up for the construction alerts provided on M A Y

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“You legitimately do make a difference in people’s lives and a lot of career paths can’t necessarily say that.”

class learning environment here. You can’t study as well or be as effective as a student if you are worried about whether your car is going to get stolen or your windows are getting smashed out,” Schneider said.

Pierce reported four car thefts from April 2016 to December 2017. Schneider confirms that Campus Security is actively working on improving this issue by installing new security cameras in the parking lot. He hopes to get the new system up relatively soon.

Schneider also intends to give the staff more training. With the help of his contacts at University of Washington, he is working on getting Pierce security officers into the 40 hour campus security officer training UW provides.

He says the program can offer a little more in depth training that can be done locally. There is a huge variety of experience that Pierce’s campus security officers have and Schneider wants to get everybody up to a higher level of training.

Schneider was born and raised in Los

—Jeffrey Schneider, Pierce College district director of security

Angeles, Calif. He and his family later moved to a small town outside Spokane during his freshman year at high school.

It was during his high school years that he considered what career he wanted; architecture or law enforcement. In the end, he decided on law enforcement, because he didn’t want to spend his years in an office or cubicle.

“I worked at Yakima Police Department for 30-some years,” Schneider said. “I just left there, retired as a Captain in charge of the detective division.

Pretty much did every job you can do at the police department.”

He later went into detail, saying he started as a patrol officer and worked his way up the ranks from undercover street crime, community services, sergeant, to detective and captain.

Golden Corral to replace Old Country Buffet at the South Hill Mall in the fall

the website in order to stay informed.

“We know it’s going to be a significant impact to many people, but we hope that the end result will be more than worth it, we expect it to be, and we hope that everyone agrees,” Fritsvold said.

A road closure sign on Shaw Road. Teresa Josten photo.

Schneider says when he leaves he wants Pierce to be a better place to work for the security officers and enhance the security and safety for students and staff. He says the campus is a pretty safe place already but wants the feeling of safety to be prevalent.

With past university work experience and being the father of two university students, Schneider says it has helped him understand the perspective of college students and the frustrations that can come with it including a sense that things are out of control.

“Sometimes to the students it appears that no one really cares. You know, it's the process and you are just a wheel in the cog,” Schneider said. “I can understand and sympathize with the students.”

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Cecilia Brown Reporter Golden Corral restaurant will take the place of Old Country Buffet at the South Hill Mall, and is expected to open in the fall.

Many noticed the closing of the Old Country Buffet, a restaurant that had been located at the South Hill Mall since 1990.

This came as several buffets began shutting down in May 2016 after Buffets LLC, the legal corporation that owns the restaurants, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Originally set to open in spring/summer 2018, Joe Corsell, vice president of leasing for the Cafaro Co., says that it

takes time to draw plans and they have had trouble approving building permits.

He is hopeful, however, saying that he is working with the construction company to open the restaurant as quickly as possible. The space and size of the restaurant will stay unchanged, but the layout will change.

The idea of adding a Golden Corral was first proposed by mall-goers and it was suggested to Corsell to meet with representatives of the Golden Corral Corp. soon after Old Country Buffet closed to discuss possible business inquires.

The company’s goals are to increase the number of people who come to the mall.

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CAMPUS LIFE

SHOUTOUT

Eleise Ashley and Sydnee Smith

What are your favorite study strategies?

Bristin Green: “Find a quiet place.”

Janelle Thirtyachre: “I like to record myself reading my notes.”

Thomas Williams: “While I am looking through stuff, I listen to music.”

Taryn Pinkham: “I really like to teach others. So I will teach my family members and friends. It ingrains the material.”

Rebekah Edgbert: “Do the homework and go over the study guide night before.”

Alex Whitfield: “I read things over and over again. I am dyslexic, so repetitive reading helps me.”

Four effective study strategies, according to a Pierce College tutor Eleise Ashley Reporter The beginning of the quarter can be the hardest.

New classes can be the stuff of nightmares without the right study techniques. E veryone has seen those “top ten study techniques” that sounds great in theory, but are hard to implement for one reason or another.

With the help of Shea Engle, a tutor at Pierce College Puyallup, here are three study tips that he suggests to any students who want to improve their grades.

1. Read the text before class.

This is studying 101. However, many forget the impact this can make on their ability to understand the classroom material. Engle says that students often rely too much on the professor’s first explanation.

“I oftentimes find that the first time you hear new information it doesn’t really set in for learning. It sets in for prepping your mind. So I like to read the textbook before coming to class,” Engle said. “So that when I hear the information from the professor it makes sense. But if I hear the information from the professor for the first time, it doesn’t really make sense.”

“A lot of it is coming prepared and ready to learn.

(Learning) is a very active and hands-on experience.”

—Shea Engle, Pierce tutor

Luke Caplan: “Probably reading out loud.”

Savanna Flom: “Repetition with a friend.”

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2. Sign up for tutoring.

This is one of those pieces of advice that one can’t help but shrug off the minute it is offered.

Between classes, personal responsibilities, work, and doing homework, the time to commit to tutoring may not be there.

Nevertheless, it remains helpful. The tutoring center is the perfect place to go to for help on material that is not understood, but it offers quite a bit more than just that.

In fact, Engle tells students that the tutoring center can be a great place to learn study skills that will

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make gathering information a lot easier.

Not only are the tutors able to explain those complicated math problems, but they may be able to help improve note-taking skills as well.

3. Prepare for the next quarter.

Preparing for the next quarter can not only help students in their current classes, but also set them up for success in their next classes.

Engle used the example of a student taking a math class.

“If you know you are going to be taking Precalculus 2 next quarter and you are taking Precalculus 1 this quarter and you think, ‘Precalculus 1 isn’t so difficult,’ well take tutoring with Precalculus 1 so that when you take Precalculus 2,” Engle said.

“You will have all the study skills ready and have good habits and a really solid foundation on precalculus 1 and that will help prepare you for success in the future.”

4. Make a list of things that need explaining.

When studying, books are scattered and frustration is bubbling over, students can have difficulty pinpointing exactly what they don’t understand.

That is half the battle.

Engle suggests making a list of the things that could use a bit more explaining or that don’t make sense at all.

Once a list has been made, students should ask for help from a friend, a tutor or professor. This will make it easier to organize what concepts they need to continue to work on and what is understood.

Learning requires a good attitude and an active plan. Engle warns that sitting through a tutor session as if it were a lecture is not enough.

“A lot of it is coming prepared and ready to learn,” Engle said. “It is a very active and hands-on experience.”

The same can be said for the classes themselves.

Learning in the classroom will require an active plan and the right attitude from students. If a student comes prepared with the right attitude, the professor will be sure to notice.

If not, at least the homework is done.

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From coordination to organization: Marisa Nielson becomes new VP of clubs Cecilia Brown and Steven Gonzalez Reporters Marisa Nielson, formerly a coordinator of clubs in the Office of Student Life, has been appointed as vice president of clubs and organizations following former Vice President Quynh Huynh’s graduation.

Huynh graduated with an associate degree after winter quarter and following graduation, she returned home to Vietnam.

ASPCP President Garrett Bown worked with the student council to make a decision out of three candidates, he says the choice was difficult to make. “(Nielson has) qualities that stood out,” Bown said. “She has a lot of potential to be a good leader, a lot of drive to do good.”

Bown describes Nielson’s successes with Spring Welcome Days in mind. Welcome Day events are put on by OSL to encourage student engagement around campus.

The OSL splits into teams that are assigned to cover certain aspects of Welcome Days. Nielson was head of the entertainment committee, and Bown says this is the hardest committee to lead with the largest budget, in fact, the budget was as a record high Marisa Nielson this year.

Bown said Nielson ran the events smoothly, was great at communicating with businesses and that many students were pleased with the job she had done.

Having been a club coordinator, Nielson is most interested in the connections and bonds that clubs can form. Nielson stated that empathy is a key element that she strives to harness in her position.

The OSL gathers club presidents or representatives at the start of each quarter for Clubs 101.

An event that ensures the OSL and the clubs are on the same page before the quarter’s events begin to roll out.

About 50 percent of the clubs sent a representative to sit in on the meeting and speak with the OSL members.

This meeting provides the OSL with the chance to update the clubs on any changing policies or plans for the quarter.

On the representatives’ side, they get the chance to air any concerns they may have.

The chance for the clubs to provide feedback to the OSL was a new opportunity crafted by Nielsen herself.

“I think it’s valuable to have a feedback discussion because then we can get input on how (the club leaders) are feeling,” Nielsen said. “From our office we can say, ‘Oh yeah we’re doing pretty good,’ but then it’s good to hear what they’re saying and thinking. It’s a matter of different views.”

She has hopes students will start more clubs so that students will have others they can ask for help, but also to get out of the house and have fun with.

Nielson was skeptical of taking on the position, having enjoyed working directly with clubs and setting up events, but Bown was able to inspire her to take on the leadership role and put her worries to rest.

“I love (my job). If I could be here forever and ever and ever and make it a career, I totally would,” Nielson said.

Marisa Nielson (center) with clubs coordinators Angela Madrid (left) and Kyle Assuerd (right). Maddie Asccraft photo.

“I love (my job). If I could be here forever and ever and ever and make it a career, I totally would.”

—Marisa Nielson

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The Post reporters reflect on Students of Color Conference T

Dana Montevideo, Nyadeng Mal, Eleise Ashley, Steven Gonzalez Managing Editor and Reporters

Day One: This was the first year I was able to attend the Students of Color Conference and while I have seen more advertising for it this year, it remains a well-loved event by past attendees and virtually unknown by others. Here is how my experience went: The first day, everyone met at the AAH building. Everyone was packed and bustling around, preparing for the long trip ahead of us. People could be seen reaching out to friends and co-workers, a sense of camaraderie hung in the air that I found to be rather inspiring. After a half-hour of checking in and meeting with our assigned group, everyone boarded the charter bus. The drive up to the conference was breathtaking. The pass was like a snowy photograph, the hills blanketed with a thick layer of snow that had many of the students taking pictures.

Eleise

Dana: The afternoon started out with workshops based on gender. I attended the women’s identity group which consisted of a room full of hundreds of beautiful, strong and powerful women. Through this workshop I met some of the girls I ended up reconnecting with throughout the conference.

One of the most touching moments at SoCC was when the women’s identity group workshop came to a close. After a thoughtful discussion on body positivity, women-to-women support and healing from sexism, our emotions were running high. As some women in my group and I were exchanging numbers, I told one of them that she was really pretty. I didn’t think much of this simple compliment, but that changed when I saw her eyes start to tear up.

She repeatedly asked, “Me? What? Thank you! Thank you so much!”

I watched as more tears swelled in her eyes and I wrapped her up in a hug.

Women should build other women up and care for each other. In the patriarchy we are exposed to, we don’t always get that treatment from men.

Steven: I made my way to the “Men’s Identity” workshop; the speakers were Randy Corradine and Aaron Reader.

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men who attended it.

The concept of the ‘masculinity box’ was the centerpiece of what was brought forth in the workshop; the ‘masculinity box’ is the container that houses all of the negative stigmas associated with being a man on both a societal and cultural level.

The responses in the workshop were a mixed bag. The discussion was a constant push and pull with progress being in the center of the proverbial rope.

I knew one thing to be true once the conversation broke down to an “alpha male” competition—my gender had a long journey ahead.

Nyadeng: That afternoon we attended the racial identity workshops we signed up for. I attended the African identity workshop, the speaker was Adje Fame from Everett Community College.

She was energetic and beaming with life. The room was packed with people sitting on the floors and some having to listen from outside the door.

We eventually got the room organizers to transfer us to another room. The topic Fame wanted to talk about was the African vs. African-American.

We started off the session by roll call.

One by one, students proudly shouted out where from africa they were from, “ZAMBIA!” “KENYA!” “EGYPT!”

he conference opened with the blessing ritual by a Yakima Valley tribe woman. As she began blessing the conference, the majority of the room was seated. Midway through her blessing, like a slow clap, everyone slowly rose to their feet.

It was a chilling moment to witness and set the tone for the respect and love that was to be shared for the next three days.

The first keynote speaker was artist and activist Olmeca. Olmeca shared his story and the struggle of being a firstgeneration college student and how his family life affected his success. He also spoke of the fears that he had growing up such as his mother being deported for being undocumented.

He also talked about the similarities between black and brown

communities of color.

He expressed that most of the time individuals like to just focus on one set community, one they ethnically or culturally identify with.

By doing this we fail to realize that a lot of our struggles are very similar and there is power in numbers.

“My mother was afraid to go to the local grocery store because she knew that ICE was patrolling the block. There’s an African American boy who’s afraid to go to that same store in fear that he may not return home,” Olmeca said.

Throughout his speech he made it a point for us to understand that black and brown communities share a lot of commonalities and have a lot of the same worries and fears.

—Nyadeng

film was that in essence Africans owed African-Americans some type of an apology.

There's was disagreement in the room of course and without watching the whole film it was hard to come to a conclusion.

The film also highlighted that African-Americans and Africans share a lot of commonalities and are both resilient. Fame asked a very simple yet interesting yes or no question: “Have any of you ever invited an African-American to your home for Day Two’s keynote speaker was Aneelah Afzali. She is the dinner?” Less founder and director of AMEN, the American Muslim Empowerment than half of the Network. She shared with us how she made it through college and students raises became a lawyer, she shared with us how she travelled the world and was their hands. able to engage in extreme sports like skydiving and snowboarding. Through She all her work she felt a sense that she wasn't pursuing her calling. Afzali felt encouraged us that working within the Tacoma and Seattle community, fighting injustice to build relaagainst the muslim community was her calling. She believes that combating tionships with hate with love is the best solution. She demonstrated this when a mosque in African-Amerher community was vandalized and the members of the mosque invited icans because the man who vandalized the mosque to sit and have conversation. That they are some of conversation turned into a friendship and the man is now an advocator the only people for muslims and their rights to practice their religion in America. in the world who Fazali also said, “All lives don't matter until black lives matter,” their can’t trace expressing that we must all show up for one another regardancestry. less of what community we come from. She not only One of the subjects cared about injustice in her own community but in the documentary stated “SOUTH injustice everywhere. that marrying his African SUDAN!” Nyadeng wife was like a passport to And so on.

Africa for him and how there Many of the stuwas sadness in him because he dents expressed how proud they were of their councouldn't felt like he belonged nowhere. tries and how proud they were relate to their white counterparts She wanted us to know that this to be African. Most of the stuand didn't feel welcome by their is how many African-Americans dents were immigrants and so African-American counterparts. feel and that we have a luxury we shared the struggles of comFame then made us watch a few of getting on a plane and going minutes of a short film called ing to America and being part of to our home countries if we Bound: Africans vs. AfricanAmerican culture. wanted that experience.

Americans. The film highlighted Many shared the commonaliThe message was to build a how Africans had a part in the ty of a sense of not belonging. bridge and to share our culture slave trade. The message of the because sometimes that's the Students talked about how they

Day Two:

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Day Two

Steven: Day two was one of those mornings where I definitely recalled going to sleep, yet I’d woken up with the energy of someone who just pulled an all-nighter. I didn’t have too many options beyond drinking some tea and hoping the caffeine would keep me going.

Day two promised to be interesting because every session attended would be sessions of my own choice, so this is where the journey would start to get personal. After looking through all of the options in the second session, I settled on “Me, Myself and You.” Stella Haioulani was the speaker, and she had a lot of energy (one of us had to).

It wasn’t long before her energy levels began to spread throughout the room and everyone was enjoying themselves.

Haioulani preached resiliency and the methods we as people of color could use to obtain it. I tried to enter every room without any expectations. With this having been my first SoCC, I wanted to soak up as much knowledge as possible from the speakers.

What I didn’t count on however was the awkward air that encroached upon the room when a student raised their hand. The student in particular was eager to know Haioulani’s views on where the LGBT+ community fits in with her methods of personal resiliency.

Haioulani appeared to be unprepared for the question as she stammered, and eagerly welcomed another raised hand.

The student who raised her hand next spoke on how she felt bombarded daily by the LGBT+ community. She thought it shouldn’t have to be something she had to explain to her children.

It didn’t take more than a glance to see the disheartened look in the first student’s eyes, and I was genuinely saddened by the display. As Haioulani worked to redirect the conversation before anyone else could chime in, I thought on how that student’s experience at the SoCC was probably soured a bit.

Eleise: The third session that I attended was entitled “Reclaiming My Narrative, Redefining My Label, and Changing Impossible to I’m Possible.” This class made me break my “I will not cry during a session” rule that I had given myself.

In this session, the hosts had everyone stand up and get in parallel lines facing each other. We were asked to face the person in front of us and give our names, the college we were from, and a label or insult that someone gave us. Many ranged from “fat” to “terrorist,” showing the extent of pain that many had gone through.

One moment that stood out to me was when everyone was broken into groups of four or five. One young man talked about his experience as an Asian-American at school and the bullying that he suffered. He explained that everyday, a group of bullies would tease him and force him to hand over his lunch money.

This went on for weeks.

At the end of the session, everyone was given two pieces of paper: one green and one white. We were told to write on

dances, one room consisted of party hits and the other salsa dance music. Most people attended the party hits dance room but as the night progressed and the crowd grew dissatisfied Even though I didn’t get to bed till 3 with the DJ everyone migrated a.m., I was still up, ready and excited for to the Salsa dance room. It the last day of SoCC. After breakfast, we was good time and people headed to the last session of the conference, seemed to enjoy themselves personal development. This was the stage of more, overall a great way to the conference that is personal to you, and the end a friday night. sessions were mostly about self-love and selfdependence. However, I chose an interesting option. I decided to attend the salsa class: the power of connection. The instructor, Oriana Estrada, taught us basic salsa moves and a choreographed Dana: dance in one hour that we would perform at the closing Even though I didn’t get the ceremony. Although I am really not the greatest dancer, to bed till 3 a.m., I was still white especially when it comes to graceful, fluid moveup, ready and excited for the piece of paper a label ments, the session was a great way to top off my last day of SoCC. After breakor insult given to us; on experience. fast, we headed to the last session the green, we were told to Dana of the conference, personal developwrite a positive affirmation ment. This was the stage of the conferabout ourselves. After everyence that is personal to you, and the sesone did, we all gathered into a big sions were mostly about self-love and circle where each person stepped into the circle and held up the piece of paper self-dependence. However, I chose an istic that showed the insult or label that had interesting option. I decided to attend the one must be been given to us. At one point, a young salsa class: the power of connection. The when being a refugee. She showcased woman entered the circle. instructor, Oriana Estrada, taught us this by whenever “The Bug” would She was shaking from head to toe and basic salsa moves and a choreographed move locations, she would minimize the her voice was on the verge of tears as dance in one hour that we would perlength of the costume to what she could she said, “I am not your plaything.” And form at the closing ceremony. Although I carry on her back. When she was settled, tore the white piece of paper, quickly am really not the greatest dancer, espeshe would release it and it would engulf shaking with sobs. The pain from her cially when it comes to graceful, fluid and entwine everything around it. experience was very obvious, making me movements, the session was a great way feel a deep pain for her that left me in to top off my experience.

Eleise: tears. I didn’t know her story, nor what This was by far my favorite keynote had caused such pain, but it was very Steven: speaker. clear that the label was one that had a With the SoCC drawing to a close, I was hesitant to choose what the last sesnegative impact on her. sion I’d attend would be. Then I noticed one in particular that Steven: promised to make me a Jedi and “Go on wit’cho Bad Self: Selfmy choice became very easy. love and the BoPo Movement,” Okay, maybe I wasn’t going Anna Cortes’ workshop name I’m already looking forward to next year’s conto literally become a Jedi, was eye-catching if nothing ference, and I can only hope reading this article has but a “Reconciliation Jedi” else. Positive body image is a you thinking about it too. I challenge you all to put the sounded as if it might be subject that only seems to be SoCC of 2019 on your calendars. cool too. “Yoda, the Dark broached after something Whether you’re there to grow or you think you can Side, & Becoming a Recbad has happened to gain media attention. help someone else on their journey, we all owe it to onciliation Jedi” was “How many of you are society to recognize our roles in this movement. Divitaught by Pierce College often uncomfortable in your sive as it may have been at times, the ideals the of Fort Steilacoom’s very own skin?” “How many have SoCC wants to showcase are worth our attention. own Cameron Cox. More than that however, they’re been told they couldn’t wear The nerdiness in the worth our criticism. something because of their room was comforting, and all Steven of the soundtracks Cox body type?” “How many have played from the various been made to feel uncomfortable Star Wars movies kept for choosing to wear something they things light and fun. liked?” Questions like these were raised The entire workshop in Cortes’ workshop and I don’t recall revolved around often seeing a hand down. There were a one of Yoda’s most lot of positive messages and opinions So much famous quotes from brought forth in this session, and (more so that a part of importantly) a lot of students saw that the Star Wars series: me had been they weren’t alone in their body image “Fear leads to anger. able to record her issues.

Anger leads to hate. speech. Ali is an Hate leads to suffering.” artist of all sorts Dana: (including but not limEven when I was a kid I Dinner rolled around and we were ited to performance, public thought Yoda made a lot of presented with another keynote speaker, encounters, and political agitasense here, and clearly Cox agreed.

Anida Yoeu Ali, an artist originally from tion). During her speech she performed a He wanted to stress to the audience the Cambodia. Through her art she conveyed poem that talked about her experience as importance of forgiveness and what reconciliation could do to those involved in activism and what it was like to be a a young child where her father is “giving its action. refugee in Thailand through her most her a piggyback ride” while trying to After the session we all convened at iconic art piece, “The Bug”. It was escape enemy forces. The use of lanthe conference room again, and we were extremely interesting to hear Ali talk guage and emotion behind the poetry about her reasoning and the process treated to a traditional maori haka. The had me captivated and sitting on the behind her artistic characters. “The Bug” OSL’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion edge of my seat. was a 100 meter long costume that only Senator, Justin Malepe was happy to take had room for Ali to poke her head part in the dance; he explained to me that Nyadeng: through, creating the illusion that her the haka is a war dance that would rile Friday was a social night. After a long body was 100 meters long. At the end day of sessions, students had the the men up and prepare them for battle. was a set of bare legs of another body, opportunity to network and meet with Justin mentioned that the haka is also really big on paying respects to the land taking the illusion a step further. Ali’s students from all over the state. Students and ancestors. It was a blast to get the thoughts behind her masterpiece were to had the option of hanging out, salsa Continued on page 11 resemble how insignificant and minimaldancing or doing yoga. There were two

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Day Three

Final Thoughts:

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NEWS

Puyallup president finalists visit campus Daniel Pollock Editor-in-Chief Four finalists have been selected in the search for the next Puyallup campus president. They are:

n Rudolph Besikof, Ed.D., vice president of instructional services, Mt. San Jacinto College, Calif. n Thomas Broxson, Ed.D, dean of natural sciences, Pierce College District. n Darrell Cain, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Student Success, Ivy Tech Community College, Ind. n Elizabeth Pluhta, Ed.D., vice president of administrative services, South Seattle College, Wash.

Each candidate visited campus individually; the visits included an on-campus interview with the screening committee, open forums and receptions, a one-on-one interview with Chancellor Michele Johnson, lunch with Pierce’s executive team and a dinner with community members and the screening committee.

College employees were welcome to participate in the forums and receptions and give feedback on the candidates.

The candidates each took the first five minutes of the forum to introduce themselves and then gave a brief presentation

on changes they would like to see in Community College academia.

Broxson was the first to visit campus. His presentation was focused on increasing access to and completion of post-secondary education.

“We have to be about more than access, we have to be about completion,” Broxson said.

Broxson was the first in his family to attain a bachelor’s degree. Both his parents attended community colleges. Seeing how the colleges lifted his family out of poverty inspired him to work in the field.

Cain, a first-generation college student, visited campus on Apr. 23. He called for increased student engagement in his presentation, which he would accomplish through “intrusive” academic advising—advising that would look more like an ongoing conversation between the student and adviser—and encouraging students to be involved in the college community outside of class.

Besikof, who has also taught in France and Japan, says he works in community colleges because he appreciates their student focus.

“At the end of the day we’re all here because we care about students,” Besikof said regarding community colleges.

Pierce’s positive reputation

“I anticipate it’s going to be a hard decision; these are a good set of candidates.”

- Pierce College Chancellor Michele Johnson

drew Besikof to apply. Pluhta gave similar reasonings.

“I hope to continue to build on the good work that’s already happening there,” Pluhta said when asked what she hopes to bring to the Pierce community.

She added she also hopes lead the college to close the achievement gap and increase graduation rates.

“We are all here because we care about students and we care about student success,” Plutha said. “I know for me, one of the best parts of my day is when I get to directly connect with students.”

Johnson hopes to have the president chosen in the beginning of May. “I anticipate it’s going to be a hard decision; these are a good set of candidates,” Johnson said. “That’s a great place to be in right now, it’s going to be a harder place to be in when I have to make a decision.”

While the college received 33 applications, only 19 were considered as the others didn’t meet minimum education or administration requirements.

The screening committee chose to interview 10 of the candi-

dates via Skype, according to an email from the district Vice President for Administrative Services Choi Halladay.

Halladay chairs the screening committee, which also includes Pierce faculty, staff, administration, community members and students.

Justin Malepe, OSL Equity, Diversity and Inclusion senator, was one of the student representatives on the community.

“It’s been very insightful,” Malepe said of the experience.

“I’ve been honored to be part of the selection.”

Though the application pool was smaller than estimated, Johnson said she is pleased with the finalists.

“It’s not always quantity, it’s quality and we got some quality candidates and that’s what you want. You want people who clearly know what they’re getting into,” Johnson said. “I think the committee did a very good job at really clearly articulating very specifically what we wanted the people to do.”

Johnson said smaller applicant numbers may be due to the hierarchy of positions at Pierce, as the campus president reports

to a chancellor and not directly to the board of trustees. Johnson added the position is beneficial for first-time presidents. “(Pierce) is a very nice place to get your first presidency and get your feet wet,” Johnson said.

Johnson expressed a desire for the new president to continue the work Pierce is already doing.

“We want someone to bring us new insights and bring his or her strengths to the table and to change how we are as a team.”

The screening committee reviewed and edited the job description for campus president before the application opened.

“We spent a lot of time, probably two and a half hours, really wordsmithing and going through and getting everyone’s point of view,” Johnson said.

Johnson said changes specifically highlighted the president’s role in the Guided Pathways program.

“We’re really a close-knit team. We pride ourselves in having integrity, in being transparent. We like each other.

We’re going to have a new member. We need to make sure that person’s personality and skills and strengths are part of a team.”

The new president is tentatively scheduled to be in place

by July 1 of this year.

Recent violence rates increase in Pierce County Dana Montevideo, Sydnee Smith & Seca Eaton Managing Editor and Reporters Tacoma leads Pierce County in highest violent crime rates – 25 in 2018 – and it’s rising in neighboring cities like Lakewood, Fife and Federal Way. In 2016, Pierce County saw the largest net increase in residents moving in from other counties. Prices in the neighboring King County, skyrocketed, relocating residents from the area.

Residents flocked to Tacoma, Puyallup, Federal Way and Lakewood. Following the surge of fresh residents was an increase of homicide, violent crime and suicide in Pierce County. News stories frequently feature recent homicides and suicides.

“Are Pierce County sheriff’s deputies suffering from homicide fatigue?,” “Pierce County man kills 2 young children, wife and self, sheriff’s office says,” “Pierce County Sheriff’s Department accused of cover up, retaliation in connection with homicide case,” “Pierce County Homicide Suspect Shot, Apprehended in Thurston County.” These are just a few examples of headlines from Q13 Fox, Kiro 7 and other local news sites.

Captain Ryan Portmann of the Puyallup police department hasn’t specifically seen a rise in homicide; Puyallup typically only sees one or two homicides a year.

Cpt. Portmann says the County-wide increase is probably due to a combination of mental health issues, drug abuse and homelessness. However, there is no way to know for sure.

“Why the spike? I don’t know. Parents killing kids, kids killing parents. I don’t expect we will be having those challenges constantly through the year, but we’ll probably have a fairly high year in homicide,” Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor said to The News Tribune.

In addition to increased homicide rates, there has been a spike in suicide rates.

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county suicide death rate averaged higher than Washington state as whole from 2010 to 2014. Although there are many reasons as to why suicide occurs, unemployment and poverty are synced with high levels of suicidal thoughts.

“I think education plays a huge part in suicidal deaths,” Marianna, a first year student at Pierce College Puyallup, said. “School is super overwhelming not to mention the pressure we all face. Sadly, some students cannot handle it.”

College students ages 25 and older make less than 25 percent of residents with an increase of 35 percent in suicides.

Identifying suicidal behaviors will help prevent the risks of suicidal deaths. Including previous suicide attempts, personal losses, and lack of access to healthcare providers. Healthcare providers have an important role in identifying individuals who are suicidal, providing treatment and sources to those in need.

Individuals who are suicidal are twice as likely to visit their primary care providers regarding mental health.

Many individuals who die from suicide come in contact with their providers sometimes weeks before their death.

Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for Washington residents and second leading cause of death within the youth averaging from ages 15 to 24 statewide.

The National Healthy People goal by 2020 is to reduce the age-adjusted rate of suicide to 10 per 100 thousand.

However washington's age suicide rate may unlikely meet the goal if youth suicide continues. If anyone you may be battling suicidal thoughts please reachout to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255.

Mental health plays a role in the surge of homicide and suicides over the years as well. Jennifer Wright, a mental health faculty counselor at Pierce Puyallup, says most people don’t know what to do about mental health issues.

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“We see the person struggling is not taken seriously, is not supported, and is just kind of relying on society to help them out,” Wright said. “Depending on how they’re presented to the world, it might make people not want to have anything to do with them.”

Wright noted there aren’t enough resources in Pierce County to help the influx of people suffering with health issues. And lot of help centers are geared towards drug issues, which may not always be the main problem. A lot of centers also do not have enough room, so people who need help end up having to leave to make room for others in worse condition.

Those struggling with mental health issues and not having anyone to turn to may be lead to situations where crime is very prevalent. Those mental health struggles may cause someone to believe suicide is their answer.

“When someone is struggling with mental health and it is more the extreme cases and they don’t get help, they are going to find themselves in some situations that are just weird, just trying to be in survival mode. Just trying to get food or basic needs met,” Wright said. “They’re probably going to fall into a crowd that is just trying to survive and doing it in a way that is likely illegal.”

She went onto explain how inpatient care is very hard to come by because of the space problems, but also because centers like to do outpatient services with intensive therapy and medication. However, when someone doesn’t have a roof over their heads it is hard to show up to therapy or take the medication that's been prescribed.

With an influx of homelessness within the community homicide and suicide rates also increase; with Wright explaining housing has become less affordable, leading to homelessness, leading to survival mode.

While in survival mode people might be driven to commit crimes more often, including killing others or even oneself.

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Students have a right to their own languages Dana Montevideo and Nyadeng Mal Managing Editor and Reporter University of Washington Tacoma’s English professor and director of university writing, Asao Inoue, took the steps to write and hang an anti-Racist statement banner in the university’s writing center in October last year. However; Inoue did not stop his efforts against racism in writing there.

UWT professors have adopted a way of evaluating English assignments that avoid racism and bias in standardized curriculums. The standardized grading that is frequent in most higher education establishments base their rubrics around “outcomes”, while UWT strives to work toward “goals”. Outcomes, as Inoue explains, are an Asao Inoue evaluation of the end point, the destination. It is measured, predefined and inflexible. Goals, objectively, are broader. It is about direction, how they travel, how long it takes and the mode of transportation.

Inoue works to maintain a curriculum that does not evaluate predetermined standards and instead, marks progress along the way.

“Using a standard to grade writing in classrooms is racist,” Inoue said. “There’s no way around it.”

Inoue is not assuming that students should not be graded or tested, however; holding all students to the same English standard does not consider their racial background, socioeconomic standing or cultural identity.

These factors may alter how students learn and the vocabulary they have attained. This can be harmful to students and stunt their growth as active learners.

“We get our standards from some place. And when we do, it’s almost always the same place, and it creates sort of a white standard,” Inoue said. “Once you

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opportunity to see a haka inperson.

After the maori haka was the female’s dance: the ma’ulu’ulu.

Justin elaborated on this dance and told me that it’s a performance that shows the everyday chores the Samoan females would undergo. It’s usually a display of entertainment done before special events and is a form of entertainment for guests or visiting family members.

The SoCC was a perfect

“Using a standard to grade writing in classrooms is racist.

There’s no way around it.”

—Asao Inoue, UWT director of student writing

Keith Kirkwood started a community of practice where faculty and community members meet to discuss student writing, equitable assessments and how to work with multi-lingual students. Dana Montevideo photo.

“I want to make clear that the writing center is a place that has potential, diversity and that everyone should feel welcome with whatever expression or identity they have.”

—Keith Kirkwood, Pierce College Writing Center program director

have that, and you use that standard against everyone uniformly, then you get a racist mechanism.”

Professors following these standards are not at fault, Inoue says. He calls the systems bad.

Many educational institutions are categorized into power hierarchies. Historically, white administration has led educational institutions for decades and have placed certain standards that are attainable by the standards of white, wealthy individuals who

have grown up and understood the ways of white culture and the “right English”, Inoue explained.

However, Inoue says that if the “mainstream, white, middle class discourse” is the predisposition institutions adopt, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t use them to judge and evaluate students, if that is all they have.

Learning and growth comes with controversy and looking at one thing with different perspectives. With this, discussions and

opportunity for everyone to gather round and see the haka and ma’ulu’ulu performed, and some of us even had the chance to take part in the performances themselves. Such a situation is rare, as Justin explained that a tourist can’t just go to a samoan tribe and expect to take part in their honored tradition like that.

It’s a matter of respect and honor, and I felt privileged to have the chance to see it for myself.

too soon. Friendships had been made and revelations founded.

As I packed my bags and climbed back onto the charter bus to head home, I felt for the first time a sense of belonging that I didn’t quite feel before.

This experience made me realize that I was a part of a larger group, a college filled with amazing people that had stood by one another during this powerful experience.

Eleise: When the SoCC ended, everyone could be seen saying their goodbyes. The conference was over and for many it was

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Final Thoughts

Dana: I couldn’t be happier with the experience I had at SoCC.

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agreements can be made through understanding, says Inoue. When this doesn’t occur, it becomes a problem.

White students make up 53.7 percent of Pierce College Puyallup; African Americans make up 8.07 percent; 11.3 percent Asian and Pacific Islander; 3.36 percent Hispanic/Latino; 1.2 percent Alaskan/American Native; 9.73 percent multirace and 10.8 percent not recorded.

Pierce College is a predominantly white institution, therefore, there may not be these important conversations. When a primarily white institution assesses everybody by their standards of what is right and wrong in English and language, it is one social group exercising their power over others, Inoue says.

By saying students need to learn this language to be successful is ignoring power dynamics.

Inoue compares this with obeying laws that one doesn’t agree with and not doing anything to change it.

This has set the standard in academia which may force a particular group of people, people of color, to resort to code switching more often than those.

Everyone code switches but there’s been debate on whether it’s a benefit for students, or harmful to them.

“I think it’s absolutely a benefit to be aware of the linguistic codes that we face and the different audience that we communicate with,” Keith Kirkwood, writing center program director, said.

Some argue that there are students and people who are born into the system in which they don’t have to be mindful or conscious of their identity and because of that they navigate easier through educational institutions because the standard fits their identity.

Inoue says that code switching isn’t always good or bad, but it’s important to ask questions like who is code switching, if is it their choice to code switch, if they get a choice and what direction is the code switching moving.

“I suppose it can be difficult, but I think it is also empowering to be aware of the options and just to be aware it is something that we do naturally all the time,” Kirkwood said when explaining if some students have to focus on code switching more than others.

Kirkwood believes that when a person knows how to navigate through different spaces and unlocks the full potential of being able to use her or his linguistic codes it could help them be more successful academically and in other aspects of life.

“I think the only time it becomes a negative thing is when people aren’t self-aware of the choices they have and then they may use their linguistic choices inappropriately in different occasions,” Kirkwood said.

Kirkwood has made it a point to make the writing center more inviting to a wide range of people.

He acknowledges that the past year America has dealt with racial tension and wants students to know that the writing center is a welcoming space.

The writing center doesn’t have a banner but images that express unity and tolerance. The writing center currently has two popular Obey brand images with the words We the People to acknowledge all are welcome.

“I want to make clear that the writing center is a place that has potential, diversity and that everyone should feel welcome with whatever expression or identity they have,” Kirkwood said.

Although it was intimidating at first, I made a lot of new friends and learned how I can use my voice to make a change.

Being aware of inequalities is the first step to interrupting the silence. As a white person, I have some power that the system has given me that others don’t possess, and it is my job to use my voice to ignite activism.

of understanding of myself and how I fall into the community I am from. I met so many amazing students and built relationships I think will last a lifetime.

I encourage students from all backgrounds to attend the conference.

Nyadeng: The 2018 SoCC was my second time attending and it was amazing the second time around. I not only learned about students and their trials and tribulations but had a better

Eleise: I am happy I attended this experience. I have walked away with new friendships and a stronger sense of belonging that I did not have before. This is an event that is what you make of it. Come with an open mind and an open heart, and you will be surprised by the love that will come your way.

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REVIEWS

Honey Coffee + Kitchen revitalizes Tacoma’s dreary brunch scene Daniel Pollock Editor-in-Chief The menu at Honey Coffee + Kitchen includes the typical American brunch staples: beef heart, pig head, duck eggs, cured char, oxtail marmalade, oh, and hashbrowns.

Though unconventional, Honey’s Central-Europe-meetNorthwest-U.S. love story, err, menu is a welcome addition to Tacoma’s food scene, where bacon and pancakes are (were) the long-reigning pair.

Located on Fawcett Avenue and hosting a sweeping view of Downtown Tacoma, Honey is the first of two restaurants moving into the bottom floor of Alma Mater, a community building for local artists. The atmosphere is warm yet airy, featuring mid century minimalism and northwest quirk.

The ebelskivers—danish spherical pancakes—are a must-try. The exterior is crispy and the interior is almost custard-like and subtly sweetened.

They are served with elderflower whipped cream and stone fruit and almond compote; the depth of the compote and the lightness of the cream are a perfect complements to the ebelskivers.

The menu’s only weak spot are the hashbrowns, thick pads of seasoned shredded potato, like a thick latke. Paired with coffee-rubbed steak heart or pig-head scrapple, the potatoes seem a little too ordinary, nearing forgettable.

The coffee alone makes Honey worth a trip. The restaurant sources Portland-based Heart Coffee Roasters for their espresso offerings. The coffee menu includes the usual options: lattes, mochas, cold brews (including a nitro) and drip.

A macchiato from Honey is a multifaceted experience; acidic and sweet, light and dark, it’s conflicting and exciting. The acidic roast strangely almost tastes like yogurt, which

is surprisingly enjoyable.

Honey, which opened on March 15, is open daily from 7am to 4pm. Breakfast and coffee is served all day.

The portions are fair and meal prices are averaged at 12 dollars. But—perhaps to keep prices low—tables aren’t waited. Meals and coffee alike are ordered at a counter.

Honey seems to have captured the culture of its customers; its originality and rustic quirk matches the young tattooed and bearded customers.

Honey is a welcome addition to Tacoma’s food scene, which has been in long need of revitalization.

We give it: HHHHH

The Wonder Years grow up in new album Sydnee Smith Reporter The Wonder Years released their new album, Sister Cities on Apr. 6. It came just shy of three years since their last release.

As The Wonder Years’ previous albums have been about youth and coming of age, this album feels like they’re all grown up. This album focuses more on distance and insecurity, and less on underdog anthems they’re known for.

The record still blends poppunk with ballad-like lyrics, but with more maturity.

Heaven’s Gate (Sad & Sober) falls right in the middle of the album. The song plays as an homage to their past sound. Lyrics such as “And I

got caught in the irony of walking alone/ Down an entire block that's just funeral homes and the ground below” feel like a direct comparison to albums such as Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing. The song is perfectly placed in the album, it almost acts as a relief that they’re still the same band people fell in love with.

However, the album can feel a bit zagged at points. As the songs skip from familiar sounds that gained the band a fanbase to songs that are much more fresh to the band it can feel awkward. For instance, the jump from the first song, Raining in Kyoto, to the second song on the album, Pyramids of Salt. The transition feels

unusual for the band. As Raining in Kyoto plays as an honor to the frontman's grandfather.

As Pyramids of Salt starts the sound drops to this self-criticizing song, which doesn’t feel right after the previous song.

Pyramids of Salt does show the growth they’ve made as a band and as people though.

The song starts slow and works its way up to a more powerful ballad like song.

The song still holds the bands iconic tones of pain and longness, but in a way that feels like an adult’s life realization, not a teenages. With songs like this it is easy to tell the band is trying to grow up with the audience they started with.

The Wonder Years have

been making music for the past 13 years and the album feels right. The audience is growing up and so should the sound of the band.

The final song on the album, The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me solidifies the record as a whole. It delivers gut-wrenching lyrics and music reminiscent of their last record, No Closer to Heaven. With the final album lyrics as, “I learned to lean on the people who love me / When the sutures start to split / I trust in the current to pull you back in / I miss everyone at once / But most of all, I miss the ocean.” It shows the growth that comes with becoming an adult, learning to lean on those around you.

Instead of being angry at God

or the world the song shows learning to cope and find comfort in the things around you.

Sister Cities was a good move for the band at the point they are at. They are able to bring in the heavy topics poppunk is known for while also having fun songs that feel more uplifting in ways, such as Raining in Kyoto and Sister Cities, the song that shares a title with the album.

The album mixes similar tones and topics with more adult narratives. The approach to their hardships feels more current and less angsty, leading The Wonder Years discography to grow with their audience.

We give it: HHHHI

What to listen to this spring

Going Grey by The Front Bottoms - Going Grey stands as their fourth studio album.

Different from their old unprotected sound the album tries to lean more into the indie genre. The album follows more light and traditional music from the genre than their first two albums. Going Grey holds a light summer tone throughout the whole album making it a perfect listen for the winter to spring transition.

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Best Buds by Mom Jeans. Mom Jeans. mixes classic pop punk notes with those of indie rock to create something beautifully in the middle for their first full length album. The album works by using pop punk vocals and indie rock instrumentals. They also mix a humor into the naming of their songs. With songs such as, Edward 40hands and Scott Pilgrim V. My Gpa, Best Buds will be a new favorite to anyone who enjoys multiple subgenres of alternative music.

Don’t Smile at Me by Billie Eilish - Don’t Smile at Me falls somewhere between pop and indie. However, Eilish stays away from the generic “indie girl voice” in the record, making it lean more towards the electronic pop genre. This being Eilish’s first album, and being 16-years-old, it is shocking how mature Eilish sounds throughout the record. Perhaps partly due to the fact her older brother helps her write and produce all her music. By not sounding like generic top 40 hits this album could appeal to those who love different genres.

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I Don’t Think I Can Do This Anymore by Moose Blood - Their third studio album was released March 2018. The album brings Moose Blood’s classic pop punk vocals and instrumentals into full affect.

They step away from their old albums by creating longer titles, which are much more literal to the song. I Don’t Think I Can Do This Anymore rings true to who Moose Blood is and doesn’t disappoint any pop punk fans.

Good For You by Amine The Portland native released his first studio album in the summer of 2017. Good For You falls between hip hop and alternative hip hop, making it a good listen for people who tend to prefer alternative music. The album jumps from high energy songs to softer rap making it great for listening with a group of friends or even alone.

— Sydnee Smith T H E

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OPINION

End-of-quarter-evaluations: timing is everything Steven Gonzalez Reporter Professor evaluations are taken both in class and online through Canvas near the end of every quarter at Pierce College. They give students a way to air concerns about a professor’s teaching methods. However, the entire concept is diluted if students are more worried about personal schedules than a thorough response.

Pierce College student Grayson Safford had an interesting experience during his first quarter. His history professor seemed to forget that he wasn’t supposed to be in the room while the evaluations were taking place.

Safford’s professor was standing there for almost five minutes, wondering why no one was writing on the surveys. It wasn’t until the students all began to laugh him out of the classroom that it dawned on the professor that he was the one slowing the process.

Many students discuss the ambiguous evaluations and most don’t seem to know whether or not they’re effective. The administrative team in charge of the surveys know the measured efficacy of the surveys, but the results are confidential.

Going as far as to decline the release of surveys from 2008, the refusal to release them makes the proof of the end-of-quarter survey’s potency difficult to discern.

Craig Morrison, a Pierce College English professor, mentioned that, aside from exiting the room while the surveys are being taken, there aren’t any specific guidelines for the regulation of the survey.

Morrison stresses that there’s a specific date when they all have to be done, but there’s typically a three- to four-week period between when they’re available and when they are due.

Googling “end-of-quarter college surveys” shows that this is a regular practice for colleges.

Morrison, having attended and worked at several colleges, confirmed this.

“At University of Arizona, it was part of my training to talk about how to use the evaluations to improve the course work, and explain why we do them in the first place,” Morrison said. “Here at Pierce I think it’s more expect-

ed that people have already had some experience with the evaluation process, so there seems to be a little less guidance.”

Morrison assures that between the three colleges he’s been with that even the format of the survey doesn’t differ too much between campuses.

One of the myths Morrison was able to debunk regarding the evaluations was how instructors receive them. The myth was that professors get typed up versions of the original surveys from administration, so professors can’t determine who wrote which survey. Morrison chuckled at the concept of an angry professor tracking down a student via their

terns or repeating issues in his methods that come to light in the surveys affect his plans in the following quarter.

The concept of the red flags is important as the deans of each department also get to see the professors’ surveys. A repeating issue that comes up within one professor’s surveys shows the dean what’s worth investigating.

The idea of students having a say regarding the direction of their education is important to Morrison, and he hopes that students feel that they can truly express themselves through the evaluations.

Various students on campus were polled for their opinions on the matter. The majority were in agreement on their opinions of the surveys.

The students that were asked about the evaluations said that they would be far more likely to be thorough on them if they weren’t handed out at the end of class. Safford himself elaborated on this idea.

The biggest issue of the surveys, in Safford’s opinion, is that a lot of professors have the surveys passed out at the end of class. For students like Safford who occasionally have classes back to back (and aren’t always in the same building), there isn’t any time to be thorough on the surveys.

Some students didn’t feel completing evaluations affected the professors’ method of action for future classes either way. Considering most students don’t take multiple classes with the same professor, this is a shared opinion.

When it comes to online courses, the end-of-quarter evaluations are for more thorough in both their questions and their responses. Many professors provide extra credit as incentive for the students to take the optional evaluations.

Many students said that there was less pressure when they were free to type out their responses from the comforts of their homes.

Perhaps the efficacy of the surveys in general isn’t what should be evaluated, but whether or not they should simply be administered through students’ Canvas portals.

“Perhaps the efficacy of the surveys in general isn’t what should be evaluated, but whether or not they should simply be administered through students’ Canvas portals.” handwriting.

Morrison explained that he receives PDFs, so professors do see the actual handwriting. He does say that he’s never tried to match the handwriting as the idea simply never occurred to him.

While professors do eventually see the surveys that critique their individual performances, there’s a lot of red tape around looking at other professors’.

“The thing we’d have to take into account is FERPA regulations, which is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,” Morrison said. “I would not share the individual responses with other professors, but talking about them in general is useful.”

Students can rest, knowing that it is prohibited for a professor to share any surveys with outside sources, for such an action would lead to a professor’s termination at their college.

Morrison concluded by saying that while he doubts most students are thorough with their surveys, he finds purpose with their place in the system.

He’s gotten surveys that hail him as the best instructor ever, and he’s gotten ones that vilify him. Morrison notes that any pat-

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SHOUTOUT

Dana Montevideo and Seca Eaton

What’s the first thing you do when you get home from school?

Shawna Myatt: “Three out of five days of the week I’ll head straight to work. On the other days I’ll go straight to homework or my boyfriend’s.”

Lisa Sao: “Eat. I usually eat chicken and rice.”

Tai Titialii: “I kinda just put shorts or sweats on.”

Ruth Rios: “Probably go hug my dog, Abbie. But we call her beagle Picasso because she’s a bit of everything.”

Gillian McGinnis: “Go straight to my room and go on YouTube.”

Michael Isaksen: “Eat lunch, usually a taco salad that I put together myself.”

Luca Crouch: “I usually say hi to my cat when she greets me at the door.”

Hannah Ingram: “Eat. I like to make fried rice.”

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OPINION SYD SAYS Learning to love the struggle Sydnee Smith Reporter During the last year and a half, my emotion had hidden my logic and convinced me to put off all the classes I didn’t want to take. In my last quarter at Pierce, I now have to take required science and math classes.

As someone who wants to be an English teacher, science and math aren’t my thing. I have put them off for so long, I must now take them both at the same time. This illogical decision has led me to question everything I thought about school.

I am typically able to handle classes well and genuinely enjoy school, well, most of the time that is.

But with this tough quarter it seems I am enjoying my time less, thus having less motivation. I tend to spend a longer time on assignments now because I’m not strong in the subject, which takes time from other activities.

I have realized that in order to complete the rest of the quarter without losing my mind, I must learn to love the things I struggle with. I have tried to find ways to connect what I am learning in class to my everyday life. With my science class, nutrition, I have tried to bring the vocabulary into basic conversation.

I have also tried to be more conscious of what I put in my body and why that matters.

With my math class I have tried to think about why these things will matter to me in society and how they will relate to things I might do in the future.

There is always a point in education where a class or topic seems irrelevant, but I think that might distract us from learning. Whether we enjoy the class or not we still must be present and learn because that is our responsibility as students.

I have been trying to tell myself, it will be over before I know it, and at the end of the tunnel is my degree; after the struggle comes great reward. Trying to keep yourself motivated and going is key to turning your attitude around.

We all might lose that mentality sometimes but learn how to keep yourself going. Try taking a small break to watch a short tv show or scroll through social media. I recently started watching The Office.

I tell myself if I finish my assignments, I can watch an episode.

School can get really hard, but it's about learning how to coup and love the struggles that come with challenging courses.

Review: A Quiet Place Dana Montevideo Managing Editor A Quiet Place is so traditional it’s original. This gripping, intense and terrifying film is reminiscent of horror classics like The Birds, Signs and Jaws.

A Quiet Place may be advertised as a gripping, teeth chattering horror, but the movie proves to be much more.

Apart from the current horror that depends on gore, cheap gimmicks, gruesome screams and jump scares, A Quiet Place plays with family dynamic, tension and the juxtaposition of silence and sound to create a bone-chilling, sure-to-be classic.

A Quiet Place follows an isolated family of four whose only hope for survival is complete and utter silence. After the human race is essentially wiped out by terrifying, blind creatures with an exceptional sense of hearing, the family must communicate only through facial expression and sign language. The film is almost completely void of vocal dialogue which forces audience members to grip M A Y

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Hollywood misunderstands mental illness Cecilia Brown Reporter Hollywood has long had a fascination with portraying mental illness in movies, a fascination that has now stigmatized both patients and mental health professionals.

However, mental illness is much more than escapist fantasy or horror, it’s a topic that society has yet to understand due to its variation and complexity.

In late March 2018, Unsane, a movie directed by Steven Soderbergh, was released.

The film follows Sawyer Valentini, a victim of stalking, as she is unwillingly committed to a mental institution. During her stay, Sawyer is critical of the patients surrounding her, calling one a “f-ing mental patient” whom she is “too good to talk to.”

These statements are not only scripted for entertainment purposes, they parallel how society views mental illness.

To demonstrate student bias, professor Leon Khalsa-Maulen of Pierce College Puyallup asks his psychology students, “If you had just come back from four weeks at Western State (Hospital), would you want the students in this class to know where you’ve been, or would you keep it quiet?”

An overwhelming number of students admit that they would hide this information from their peers for fear of judgement.

Khalsa-Maulen blames this on the brain’s schema, a set of preconceived ideas shaped by personal experience that the brain uses to interpret new information.

This area of the mind is responsible for shaping opinions, and unique to the rest of the brain, the ideas stored in the schema are rarely altered.

Many people do not have direct experience with intense diagnoses and commonly their opinions are shaped by media representation.

Since the 1920s, mental illness has been a recurring villain in

many thriller films.

From a psychological standpoint, Khalsa-Maulen believes Hollywood is aiming to arouse the brain in as convenient a way as possible for profit.

He adds that the brain is naturally aroused by “danger, violence, and unpredictability,” causing Hollywood to need to manipulate audiences by including these elements.

Jennifer Wright, a faculty counselor at Pierce College, furthers this notion, saying that the fascination is to be blamed on how “unpredictable and extreme behaviors can be.”

In reality, the presentation of mental illness in Hollywood is based on poor misconceptions and a dark history in the treatment of these conditions. Wright explains that disorders vary drastically between cases.

“If I’m looking at one person with depression and another person with depression, it can manifest in two very different ways in those people,” Wright said.

Variety exists also in the diagnoses that we see most often in Hollywood: mood disorders, personality disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and amnesia. Someone may show slight symptoms of their diagnoses, some may show severe symptoms.

However, Hollywood does not show this side of the story. It is concerned with what sells and in the long run, this is harmful for those with mental illness.

Patients are made out to be monsters and mental health professionals are portrayed as overly critical, constantly crossing ethical workplace guidelines.

This is often intimidating to those who do identify as having a mental health concern, but also the professionals being wrongly portrayed.

Real mental health professionals, such as Wright, often worry about unfair misconceptions made

their seats with anxiety at every click, tap or breath.

The film’s catchphrase “if they hear you, they hunt you” is nothing short of the truth. The Abbott family have carefully created a sanctuary on a desolate farm in a forest outside NYC. The landscape is adorned with a high-tech surveillance system, sound-proof basements and a lighting system that turns red at the flip of a switch as a clever warning system.

It is apparent the family has been living in silence for many, many years.

Krasinski, who is also the director, has received many awards for his critically acclaimed comedic role in The Office as Jim Halpert.

However, after his debut of A Quiet Place, Krasinski is on the rise as a talented thriller director and drama actor.

Krasinski claims he is not much of a horror buff, and according to an interview for Variety, he had to watch many modern horrors like The Witch, The Babadook and Get Out, as well as classics like Jaws, Alien and Rosemary’s Baby and films by Alfred Hitchcock. He was intrigued and inspired by these film’s use of tension and terror. His hope for A Quiet Place was to have the feeling

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about health care providers and how they may affect who seeks treatment. She says that students are often surprised by the warmth of her office and that they probably imagine the stereotypical elderly male counselor, smoking a pipe and reclining in a leather chair, maybe surrounded by tall bookshelves.

She reassures those who wish to visit that counseling is not as scary as movies make it seem, it’s about therapeutic speaking, a place to talk to someone who’s unbiased and can offer advice.

She also notes the weakness associated with going to see a therapist. To her, admitting that there is a concern is a strength, it shows one striving to care for oneself, a natural and healthy behavior.

Unfortunately, many with illnesses go untreated because of the stigma surrounding treatment itself.

Those affected by mental illnesses not only have to juggle their diagnoses and treatment, but also the stigma surrounding those diagnoses.

“When I teach mental illness, the very first and most important lesson I teach people is compassion,” Khalsa Maulen said.

“Understanding that these are human beings in pain of some kind, and that what sets them apart is that they cannot count on the sympathy and support of their fellow citizens.”

Those with mental illness are not only the “crazy people” commonly imagined in asylums, they are everywhere, students, coworkers, friends and family.

As with physical illnesses, these people deserve to be treated with respect and welcomed with care.

These are people struggling internally and unfortunately society has yet to understand mental illnesses or the people that are affected by them, but this does not make them any less worthy of society’s love and attention, regardless of how Hollywood portrays them.

of “thrillers from 30 years ago.” Krasinski certainly succeeded in this aspect, as many horror movies today are gimmicky and rely on gore and jump scares to terrify the audience. A Quiet Place digs much deeper.

As much as A Quiet Place is a horror and fear-enthused thriller, director Krasinski uses themes like family dynamic and parenthood to grip the audience. With a carefully crafted cast and script, fear and suspense deepen with emotional attachment to the family. Krasinski said he never thought of the movie as a horror, and after finishing the first draft, he bonded most with the idea of the family.

“When I did my rewrite, I thought I could really make this a metaphor for parenthood — the idea of protecting your kids,” Krasinski said. “And how far would you go to protect them. After that, all the scary stuff came because you care so much about this family.”

Movie goers may find themselves rooting for family triumph as their relationships deepen throughout the film.

Much like the alien horror classic Signs by M. Night Shyamalan, A Quiet Place is an allegory for the struggles of parenthood and family connection when they find themselves in time of tension and pressure.

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LIFESTYLE THE WEEKENDER

For the wanderer, adventurer, and lets-dosomething-er in all of us.

6th Ave District

A tentative rendering of the hockey stadium.

Seattle seeks hockey stadium James McCraw Senior Reporter The Seattle Metropolitans professional hockey team became the first U.S.-based hockey team to take home the Stanley Cup in 1917.

More than 100 years later, the Oak View Group hopes to bring that professional hockey magic back to Seattle.

The group, based in California, states on its website that it has built its reputation on “being a positive disruption and leaving somewhere better and stronger than where they found it.”

In December 2017, the Memorandum of Understanding for the renovation was approved by the Seattle City Council for the $600 million renovation and was signed by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan.

Under the new plan, the renovated hockey arena could seat 17,000 fans.

In the hockey community, it has been an open secret that the NHL wanted a professional team in the Pacific Northwest, and after the stunning success of

bringing the 31st expansion team to Las Vegas at the start of the 2017-2018 season, the chances of bringing a team to Seattle in the near future seemed closer to reality.

Nothing is certain with business and even though the Oak View Group dropped a $10 million down payment to the NHL, the league still set the expansion fee at $650 million.

In comparison, when Las Vegas paid their fee to the NHL, it was only $500 million.

Plans for the team approval by the NHL took another step forward after the incredible amount of pre-ticket sales sold back in March.

The Oak View Group set a goal of 10,000 season ticket deposits, and according to The Seattle Times, that goal had been met within twelve minutes, and so many other people were in the Ticketmaster online reservation system, that many were forced to retry and enter the queue.

On April 11, Oak View Group announced that former

Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke, younger brother of Oak View Group member Tim Leiweke, would be the president and CEO of the Seattle Hockey Partners group.

Tim Leiweke has said he believes that Seattle is a great market for professional hockey.

"It really is a great fit,” Leiweke said. “I always thought this could be a great hockey market and it proved it. So far, so good. Now it's on us because I think people are going to show up opening day ready to believe, and what are we going to put out there? Does it all connect?''

In its first year of being in the NHL, the Las Vegas Golden Knights made it to the second round of the playoffs, and sold out their home games almost every night of the season.

Leiweke also said in his introductory press conference, “Our commitment will be to win in everything we do, but ultimately bring a Stanley Cup, yes, back to Seattle. It happened once, it can happen again.”

Pierce Transit offers free Lyft rides to local residents Seca Eaton Reporter Pierce Transit will be teaming up with Lyft to offer free rides around Pierce County starting April 23. Pierce Transit was awarded a $205,000 federal grant from the Mobility on Demand Program. The program is a part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act aiming to improve transportation efficiency.

Pierce Transit will use the funds to create a program with Lyft that helps people travel to and from transit services. Taxpayers may also benefit from the program due to the parking expansions around Pierce

County that can cost 100,000 dollars per space.

Lyft driver Jasmine Thomas said the free rides won’t affect her paycheck.

“The free rides passengers take don’t really affect my paycheck, I think it’s nice of Pierce Transit to give discounted rides around the county. Hopefully people take advantage of this while it’s still hot, there’s a lot of busy areas that might benefit from it,” Thomas said.

She has been driving for Lyft for almost two years. She says discounted rides are neither rare nor common and is actually excited for Lyft riders

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to experience it.

Although rides are free, zones are limited, which includes South Hill Mall, Puyallup, Pierce College, Parkland, Tacoma Dome Station and 72nd Street transit center. Discount codes will be available within the Lyft apps.

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Maddie Ashcraft Photographer Sixth Avenue in Tacoma is known to be shamelessly sketchy; those who visit beware. However, on a weekend adventure to this downtown metropolis, I saw a new perspective of Tacoma, found a little oasis tucked in its streets and gained a greater appreciation of my Washingtonian identity.

Sixth Ave brought me a previously unknown niche, a perfect weekend outing for the adventure-seeking hipster with dreams of indie vibes in my own neighborhood.

Amidst the quietly falling rain and colorful graffiti art, I stopped in at Bluebeard Coffee Roasters. Home to all things millennial, Bluebeard offered a pleasant, comfortable atmosphere, perfect for friends having a day out, or for typing up a term paper. I sat on the leather couches amidst college students and ambient music, drinking a fruity and flavorful Americano.

The atmosphere felt relaxed, yet energizing. As I looked outside to the yarncovered bicycle stands, I felt abnormally trendy. For a coffee shop, it can be difficult to blend an uncommon and welcoming atmosphere, but Bluebeard pulls it off smoothly.

I took a final sip of coffee and headed down 6th Avenue for another taste of this eclectic neighborhood. The next stop was The Nearsighted Narwhal, a small shop dedicated to all things weird, but somehow pleasantly interesting. Abstract, distorted art covered the walls and little mementos to celebrate our city sat on the shelves. Hanging nearby was a t-shirt that read “Keep Tacoma Feared.”

A combination of city pride and odd hobbies, The Nearsighted Narwhal was the perfect place for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

I headed next door to Stargazer Comics, a shop filled with comics through the decades and throwback vibes.

Nostalgia instantly flooded my senses. There is a little bit of everything, from popular and current paperbacks, to Lego sets and favorite board games.

I felt excited and energized by the floor-to-ceiling shelves of comics, store swag and board game playing corner.

This little store is a gamer’s happy place.

Looking for yet another business to continue my Indie vibes, I walked down the street to High Voltage Records.

Filled with vinyl from nearly every decade and genre, the mere abundance of it all made me an instant record fan. Having selections from favorite artists of the past, and current celebrated pop stars, this music stop was well worth the visit.

As feel-good electronic music filled the air, I walked through the rows, reading album titles from Elvis, the Beatles and even the soundtracks of every Star Wars movie. The atmosphere was quiet, a place to rekindle my love for all things music, a little world away from the outside. Pierce Student Camden Kostitzky described High Voltage as, “Like a library almost, except louder.”

Filled with hipster inspiration and feel-good sentimentality, I made my way to the last stop, a little-known joint called Spanky Burgers and Brew. Spanky just came into business in November of 2016, and has stayed out of the way since. Stepping in, I was greeted with clean-cut retro decor, a welcoming atmosphere.

With every menu item under $10, this stop is the perfect fix for any college student. Spanky’s classic burger and fries totally surprised me – it was incredible. The burger was juicy and bursting with flavor, the fries cooked to perfection, and the milkshake on the side felt like a perfect piece of childhood. Comfortable for a small group of friends, Spanky made me feel oddly at home.

Finishing my meal, I walked back onto Sixth Avenue, ready to complete my adventure.

In just a couple of hours, I had visited a plethora of hipster shops, consumed some top-notch coffee and food and saw the weirdly beautiful atmosphere this neighborhood had to offer. In a way, this experience made me proud of my city and its eclectic charm.

Whether you’re looking for some Indie inspiration or a little escape from your normal routine, Sixth Avenue is the next place for your weekend adventure.

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