C
The
Volume 49 Issue 6 March 8 2018- April 25 2018
ommunicator Spokane Falls Community College
Darren Pitcher resigned amid sexual harassment allegations News: Page 3 ARTS: BIGFOOT AT THE BING FEATURES: CRAFTY PIZZA OPINION: STUDY HABITS SPORTS:ROCK WALL PHOTO CREDIT: GWEN ASH
2
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Contents
MISSION STATEMENT
As a newsroom we aim to cover stories, events and achievements close to campus which affect students, staff and our community as a whole.
Editors signing off
sfcc.aiden.swank@gmail.com
NEWS
3 Darrin Pitcher / Nancy Fair-Szofran 4 White Fragility and Racism 5 Cafeteria Remodel/ Cheap Travel
ARTS
Chandler Pedersen - EDITOR-IN-CHIEF To think it is my last quarter is crazy to me. I have been on this paper for five quarters now and have written a lot for the school. I have been Editor in Chief for two quarters now and it has been quite a journey. I look forward to passing my role as EIC on to the next person, and I wish them luck. This Chandler Donovan Pedersen signing off for the very last time on The Communicator. Aiden Swank - MANAGING EDITOR I just began my journey with The Communicator this quarter, but the time I had was well spent. I got the opportunity to learn about being a managing editor my first quarter back in college. It is a bittersweet feeling to start and leave so soon, but I appreciate my time getting to know new people, write and edit great content, and work on an excellent staff. This is Aiden Swank signing off for the last time on The Communicator.
Staff members may be contacted at: sfcc.firstname.lastname@gmail.com
Editor: Aiden Swank
Editor in Chief may be contacted at: communicator.eic@gmail.com
6 Bigfoot Bing 7 Bigfoot Bing continued
FEATURES
8 9 10
Craft Pizza Photos with your Phone History of St. Patrick's Day
11
Study Habits / Darren Pitcher
OPINION SPORTS
12
Rock Climbing at SFCC
Visit our website at communicatoronline.org
Follow us on Twitter at: @SFCCcomm
Find us on Facebook at: TheFallsCommunicator
Follow us on Instagram at: @TheFalls_Communicator
OUR STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chandler Pedersen
MANAGING EDITOR Aiden Swank
NEWS EDITOR
Magdalena Clough Chandler Pedersen
Aiden Swank
Andrew Mark Mariano
Zack Da Silva
Madison Pearson
FEATURES EDITOR Joseph Pumphrey
OPINION EDITOR Cheyanne Ross
ARTS EDITOR Hannah Ortiz Magdalena Clough
Joseph Pumphrey
Cheyanne Ross
Hannah Ortiz
Juan Lopez
SPORTS EDITOR Juan Lopez
PHOTO EDITOR Zack DaSilva
WEB EDITOR
Andrew Mark Mariano Jasmine D'Amico
Makenna Lillis
Dominique Arce
Riley McKenna
Jason Nix
ADVISER
Jason Nix WANT TO JOIN THE COMMUNICATOR STAFF? Any SFCC student is welcome to join our staff by enrolling in College Newspaper Production I (JOURN 101). No previous experience is required.
communicatoronline.org
News
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Editor: Chandler Pedersen sfcc.chandler.pedersen@gmail.com
3
Darren Pitcher resigns amid sexual harassment allegations
Nancy Fair-Szofran steps in and fills in the role as Acting President Gwen Ash
Chandler Pedersen Magdalena Clough The Communicator On Feb. 26th, Darren Pitcher, who was the Acting President for SFCC, resigned from his position. Amid an investigation of sexual harassment allegations, Pitcher stated he needs to take care of family and health and resigned immediately. Nancy Fair-Szofran has stepped up as the new Acting President while chairing the board to choose a new President.
| The Communicator
“He wanted to take care of himself and family,” said Greg Stevens, Chief Administration Officer. “He submitted that Monday, February 26, and that is all we know from this point of view.” There was an investigation for the sexual harassment allegations against Darren Pitcher, who was the Title IX Coordinator. “The investigation is ongoing and in progress,” said Stevens. “Witnesses were talked to, but he [Darren Pitcher] wasn’t here to talk to.” According to Carolyn Casey,
Nancy Fair-Szofran new acting president The Provost is now in the big chair at SFCC Chandler Pedersen Magdalena Clough The Communicator
With the resignation of Darren Pitcher, who was the Acting President here at SFCC, a new Acting President has been chosen, Nancy Fair-Szofran. Fair-Szofran was appointed into the Acting President position by Chancellor Christine Johnson after the resignation of Darren Pitcher. With this new position comes the stress of learning a new position and also trying keep the school moving forward. “Right now, I feel like I am kind of drinking from a fire hose because, the devil’s in the details,” said Fair-Szofran.
Public Information Officer of CCS, there will be a “mandatory all administrative meeting with training scheduled a few months ago with Scott Lewis as the Title IX Coordinator.” With the new Acting President in the office, the campus is moving forward and taking steps to ensure an event like this doesn’t happen again. “Well, we have processes and administrative procedures, and if something happens again we will follow those procedures,” said Fair-Szofran. “On March 16, there is an all administrators meeting, and we will be meeting with a Title IX consultant to cover the laws. So
“All the wonderful things that are happening we need to make sure that they are in support and keep happening. That’s what I am trying to do, is bring a steady hand, and keep making progress, and not make any drastic changes.” Fair-Szofran has held positions in many states, even serving as Chief Technology Officer for the State Board of Education in Idaho under Governor Dirk Kempthorne. “I have been in higher education a long time,” said Fair-Szofran. “I have had jobs in Missouri, Montana and Michigan, and my masters is in library and information science. I got my doctorate in education, while I was in Idaho, and realized that I really missed being on a college campus. I went to Mount Hood Community College as the Vice President of research and planning from there I came to Spokane when Chancellor Johnson came and asked me to be her Provost.” Her position as Provost is an expanded position, similar to a Chief Administrative Officer, but she also deals with student www.communicatoronline.org
it’s a matter of ongoing education. It’s hard to talk about these kinds of things, and it’s awkward, but sometimes we have to talk about these things. We need to tell people that it’s okay to talk about it if it is awkward.” Fair-Szofran spoke about keeping the schools main goals and plans in action, and not making any drastic changes during the search for a president. “We are going to continue all the good stuff that has been happening at SFCC,” said Fair-Szofran. “That is what drives what work we do here.”
services. “As the Provost I worked closely with both of the presidents and both of the vice presidents at the college on issues Nancy Fair-Szofran related to academics and student services,” said Fair-Szofran. “So from the district perspective, I had a pretty good idea of what was going on.” Fair-Szofran has taken up the position of chairing the screening committee which will help choose the new president of SFCC. Fair-Szofran is not in the hiring pool for the presidential position herself. When the new president is chosen, she will return to the position of Provost.
4
News
The Communicator 03.08.2018
According to Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, white people find discussing race stressful. SFCC has been having that discussion for three years now, including a presentation on Mar. 7. “White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress,” said Robin DiAngelo, in her journal article White Fragility. “This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress, leading to what I refer to as White Fragility. White Fragility is a state in which
Editor: Chandler Pedersen sfcc.chandler.pedersen@gmail.com
The first time that Richardson presented it was at another community college on the West side of Spokane. She usually lays out what DiAngelo’s views are about and forewarns people that the presentation may trigger reactions, both positive and negative. Richardson says that this is part of the process of “unmasking” the areas of privilege and having difficult conversations about identity, merit and race. One reaction that people get from the presentation is walking away, which DiAngelo mentions as a defensive move. Richardson says that people are welcome to walk away from the discomfort of DiAngelo’s theory but historically marginalized members of society can’t leave their circumstances. “Some people will decide to get up and leave the space and that’s a privilege in itself because as a minoritized member often times I hear things of how people perceive us as a minority, I don’t get to leave the space,” said Richardson. “I don’t get to get up because I disagree, and walk away.” In her presentation, Richardson also invites white people to not be ambassadors of their race but to be a part of a bigger conversation on race and privilege. One way that she says they can do this is for them to be advocates when racism comes up in conversation even when members of historically marginalized members aren’t present.
Controversial Conversation: White Fragility and Racism
even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves.” Director of Student Diversity and Equity, Claudine Richardson, has been giving a presentation on White Fragility for about three years at SFCC. She runs the Multicultural Office for Students Actively Involved in Community (MOSAIC) which includes the LGBTQ+ Student Center.
Magdalena Clough & Andrew Mark Mariano The Communicator
“If we don’t acknowledge those things, a conversation on race is useless. White privilege is bestowed on us without choice.” -Meiche Mittelstadt
She said that she is also in charge of student concerns and that she is there to serve all students, not just students of color or those from marginalized populations. “When you look at White Fragility, (DiAngelo) is talking about uniqueness in terms of history of the United States and part of what’s happening is that she’s not looking at proving White Fragility exists or that White privilege exists, she says instead let’s unmask where those areas of privilege exist among dominant culture members,” said Director of Student Diversity and Equity, Claudine Richardson.
Elizabeth Troute
| The Communicator
www.communicatoronline.org
“White privilege is something we need to acknowledge,” said Meiche Mittelstadt, an instructor of Social Sciences at SFCC. “We also need to acknowledge that racism is reality.” Mittelstadt says that Millennials are much more open to discussing race than older generations which helps the conversation about racism in America.
Editor: Aiden Swank sfcc.aiden.swank@gmail.com
Traveling on a student budget
No one should ever have to break the bank to have a good time. Madison Pearson
The Communicator For most students, spring break is seen as a time to relax and celebrate after spending Winter Quarter hard at work; however, not everyone has the money to go all out. The most obvious way to ensure not overdrawing the bank account this spring break is by taking a ‘stay-cation’. There are plenty of things to do right here in Spokane that can double as great spring break activities. Spokane has an ample amount of hiking trails, camping spots, art galleries and restaurants that are waiting to be discovered. Make it a true vacation by turning off that cell phone and being a tourist in Spokane for the week.
News
Gas might not be cheap, but it’s cheaper than airfare. Travel with friends who can pitch in for gas, making it less costly. If planned carefully, it’s easy to stop at fun, interesting spots on the way to the destination. (And they’re usually free!) With places to stop like The Gorge, Ellensburg, and The Wild Horse Monument on the way, most students make their way West to visit Seattle during spring break. “My go to spring break destination is usually Seattle,” said Tori Price, SFCC student. “We’re lucky to live within driving distance of such a tourist heavy city.” No matter the destination, lodging is always tough to find for a good price. There are multiple alternatives to pricey hotel rooms. Airbnbs are one of the most popular lodging options currently available. According to the airbnb website, Airbnb is “... an online marketplace and hospitality service for people to lease or rent shortterm lodging.” Various people can rent out rooms, or their entire houses, for specific dates during the year for people to stay at for a discounted rate. Users can search for lodging using a variety of filters including
New cafeteria remodel McKenna Lillis
student, Eli Hill. “If there was a set line as well that would be nice, since every time I go The Communicator in there I’m confused. Maybe a little more Rumor is out that the SFCC’s cafeteria organized interior will be good for sales and located in the Student Union building will be for lack of confusion.” given a new face lift. There is no confirmation whether or not “The funding is still in limbo,” said SFCC’s students of Spokane Falls will be affected former acting president, Darren Pitcher. “I had by this construction financially. Washingthought it was part of the capital budget that ton state’s government usually grants money was approved last month but it wasn’t. It is towards projects like these, but because the part of the supplemental budget being debatfunding is in limbo, this construction needs a ed at the legislature right now. The funds (if back-up financing source. approved) will allow us to complete a face lift “Funding for the project is based on the at best and update the equipment and furnishState appropriated capital budget for 17-19 ings.” biennium minor works projects, said Clinton SFCC has had multiple new projects Brown, Director of Capital Construction. underway, and each of the new buildings will “The funds were originally slated to be availhave a modern touch and go the eco-friendly able July, 2017. The 2018 Supplemental budroute. And although there is no set design, get, which will be voted on before the end of those additions are what SFCC students and the current legislative session, does not include faculty can expect with the new cafeteria. funding for this project. The project is un“It would be much better if the interior likely to move forward without an alternative was a little roomier,” said second year SFCC funding source that has not been identified at www.communicatoronline.org
The Communicator 03.08.2018
5
lodging type, dates, location, and price. Airbnbs tend to run cheaper than most traditional hotel rooms, making them ideal lodging for anyone traveling on a dime. Many college campuses have study abroad offices, and SFCC is no exception. Many students will stress over missing important coursework while on vacation, but studying abroad eliminates any of that anxiety. According to the Study Abroad Office on campus, SFCC currently offers study abroad trips to Spain and London. (With a program for study abroad in Australia pending.) Studying abroad is a great way to travel for less, gain a broader world view, and experience new culture all at the same time. The programs require students to be enrolled in specific classes that will help them grasp and fully understand the culture of their chosen destination. The program’s fees cover almost everything you need, minus airfare and passport fees. Saving a few extra dollars here and there never hurt anybody.
this time.” The idea to reconstruct SFCC’s cafeteria Minor works program projects are vetted through the facilities and grounds committee which is made up of representatives from faculty, staff, and students. Although this construction is being contemplated, there is no official design or date of this rebuild. An estimated time would be soon after the summer of 2019 sense the capital budget was passed in January 2018.
Interior Design Dept
| The Communicator
6
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Revelers Club’s fairytale night at the Bing
Arts
The Communicator “At the Falls, when we were first doing this production, I was a little self-conscious of course because there’s people looking at me performing in a silk bathrobe,” said Athena Lauzo, who played Nastya in The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls. “(At the Bing) it’s quadruple the amount of people and quadruple the amount of scary but it’s such an honor performing here, especially in the featured play at KCACTF.” Revelers Club, SFCC’s drama club, won the top spot for Region 7 at the 50th Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival or KCACTF. They performed an abstract play following a Russian-American girl who goes back to Russia, which won out of 1,300 productions that were submitted. This award was a first for CCS and Revelers Club, they performed it at the Bing in front of other colleges and talent scouts. Spokane happened to host the festival this year. Students worked together in many ways to make all this
sfcc.hannah.ortiz@gmail.com
Jane
A behind-the-scenes look at the drama club’s debut as the featured performance at the 50th KCACTF Festival. Andrew Mark Mariano
Editor: Hannah Ortiz
| The Communicator
Zack Da Silva | The Communicator Bree Castillo, playing Annie, (left) and Isaiah James Wellington playing the bear (right) during the production at the Bing.
all possible. “It took us banding together to figure out how much we needed budget wise to be able to even go (to the festival) and then we had to figure out transportation and feeding our actors and workers when we were at the Bing,” said Danny Healy, president of Revelers Club and the play’s stage manager. “We also had to figure out everything schedule-wise with our jobs and school.” Healy is graduating this Spring and says although he’s had a passion for acting since he was little, he has a talent for stage managing and behind-the-scenes work. “I’m the one backstage making sure people are in places to go on stage when they’re supposed to,” said Healy. “I’m also the one who calls the lighting cues and the sound cues like when the phone goes off or the club music. We also had to figure out how to incorporate mics into our performance at the Bing.” www.communicatoronline.org
Editor: Hannah Ortiz sfcc.hannah.ortiz@gmail.com
The festival ran from Feb. 19 to Feb. 23 with various workshops, audition opportunities and performances. It was held at Gonzaga University, the Double Tree Inn, the Spokane Convention Center, the INB and at the Bing Crosby Theatre. Healy helped organize the badges and registrations on the first day. His director, Ashley DeMoville, worked with ASG, SFCC’s clubs, staff and faculty members to secure funding for
Arts
the event. The Black Student Union alone donated $1,000 to offset the costs of production. They were all thanked in a newsletter and in the play’s programme. “I really feel like we’re a part of a big family,” said DeMoville. “It’s overwhelming to see so much support.” Another member of Revelers Club is freshman Ezra Way who did the music composition for the play. “For this play I created my
own music with help from the Director,” said Way. “I took certain scenes and transitions in the show and figured a beat to a drum that would help enthrall the scene into where we want the audience to feel because music itself is a feeling. You feel the emotion with music.” Danny Healy invites other students to audition for the theatre program at SFCC saying that it helps in everyday life. “It’s a good opportunity to get out of your shell and your comfort zone,” said Healy. “It will help you with public speaking and to be able to communicate with other people and understand the human condition better for other job opportunities like public relations or other jobs where you have to communicate with other people. It’s not just for theatre people.”
The Communicator 03.08.2018
7
Zack Da Silva | The Communicator
Baba Yaga/Yaroslava, top left photo, was played by Ashely DeMoville. Uper right photo taken during a backstage interview with Athena Lauzon who played Nastya in the production. Bottom left photo taken of the Bing stage where the preformance took place.
Above photo taken during the preformace. Kiara White, left., playing Katya, and right, Isaiah James Wellington playing one of the Men.
www.communicatoronline.org
8
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Neapolitan Nuance
Features
Editor: Joseph Pumphrey sfcc.joe.pumphrey@gmail.com
Modern twist on the classic recipe Zack Da Silva The Communicator
Pizza has been around for a long time. According to the True Neapolitan Pizza Association, Antica Pizzeria Port’Alba, established in 1738, is the oldest pizzeria in Naples--the city where neapolitan pizzas originated. Neapolitan style pizzas have made their way to Spokane with local pizzerias adding their own modern twist. The Flying Goat in North Spokane, for instance, keeps the char style baking as close to a neapolitan pizza as possible, but tops the pies with nontraditional ingredients. “We stay as fresh and local as possible,” said Adam Shove, Chef de Cuisine at The Flying Goat. “We would never call ourselves a neapolitan (pizzeria) because we don’t use traditional ingredients, but as far as the overall texture and bake of the pie, we’re pretty close to that.” Pizzas at The Flying Goat come with garnishes such as pulled pork, pears, and even eggs. Housemade sauces come in all colors with everything from yellow curry to green pesto, honey apple barbeque or heavy cream. “My favorite is the Lacrosse,” said Shove. “It kind of has everything for you. Its sweet, its got some spice to it. It has pepper preserves, housemade sausage, fresh mozzarella, and olive oil. It fits what we’re trying to do here. We don’t want to load you down with cheap cheeses and meats.” The Flying Goat offers $9 charcuterie boards and $2 off drafts every Monday. Military discounts are also available for service members. Fire Artisan Pizza in Downtown Spokane has their own take on craft pizza. “To be a craft pizza place in Spokane
Zack Da Silva | The Communicator Adam Shove is the Chef de Cuisine at The Flying Goat in Spokane, where he is in charge of making the craft pizzas.
you always have to be doing something different,” said Steven Roat, Head Chef at Fire Artisan Pizza. “We’re trying to broaden our horizons and do what other places aren’t.” Aside from their oven fired pizzas made with fresh and local ingredients, Fire Artisan Pizza also has a seafood bar. “Artisan pizza, crudo--which is an Italian style of preparing raw food--and sushi is something you don’t really see anywhere else in Spokane,” said Roat. “We had a sushi chef that’s been doing it for years come up from the San Francisco bay area and its been going pretty well.” Fire Artisan Pizza offers a ten percent discount to college students with valid school ID. The Iron Goat, also in Downtown Spokane, offers thin crust pizzas, housebrewed drafts and live music every Friday and Saturday evening. “Our pizzas are modeled after a neapolitan style crust,” said Travis Tveit, Head Chef at Iron Goat Brewing. “It’s a really thin crust that cooks very quickly, maybe a five minute fire in our brick oven.” There are no televisions at Iron Goat Brewing. Instead, customers enjoy live entertainment and the company of those around them. “We have a singer-songwriter with an acoustic guitar play a little two or three piece when its like this but when the weather gets nicer we have bigger live www.communicatoronline.org
music events outside,” said Tveit. “I like having that be the focal point of people that come in here. It’s either that or you’re talking to the person that you’re sitting with.” Iron Goat Brewing hosts a trivia night every Thursday and has a collection of board games available any day of the week.
Locations: The Flying Goat - 3318 W Northwest Blvd - Open 11am-10pm Sun-Thu 11am to 11pm Fri - Sat Fire Artisan Pizza - 816 W Sprague Ave - Open 11am-9pm Mon-Thu 11am-10pm Fri 12pm-10pm Sat 12pm-9pm Sun Iron Goat Brewing - 1302 W 2nd Ave - Open 11am-11pm all week
Editor: Joseph Pumphrey sfcc.joe.pumphrey@gmail.com
Features
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Zack Da Silva
9
| The Communicator
Brian Park (holding phone) takes a photo of Anna Richardson and Mason Georgeadis on a cell phone. Note that he is holding the phone vertically, which is not the best way.
Pocket Pictures
It can give you amazing pictures and sometimes you can pigeon hole your ideas. But sometimes you can end up with really cool 5 Ways to take better photos with a pictures without even trying.” 2) Use the rule of thirds cellphone The rule of thirds is what our eyes are naturally drawn to first before looking at Riley McKenna the rest of the photo. Using the rule of The Communicator thirds is really important when trying to take a photograph with professional and e use our smartphones to take thoughtful composition. It is all about posiphotographs almost every day tioning the most important subjects in your but there are many ways to photograph off center to create balance, so take more professional looking photos. that the subject isn’t always dead center in Here are five ways to take better photoall of your photos. Many people don’t realgraphs. ize they are shooting all their photos with 1) Hold the phone horizontally everything dead center. In the rule of thirds For a lot of people it is almost natural the photo is split up into a grid of three by to hold your phone vertically while taking three squares with the main subjects posia photo. Sometimes we don’t even think tioned where the grids meet so that the subabout it because that is how we usually hold our cellphones. Holding your camera ject is not in the middle of the photo “Use the rule of thirds to create more phone horizontally gives you a more ardepth and dimension to your photos,” said tistic look, a better wide shot, and a more natural looking photograph. The photos will Chandler Baird, a photographer from Spoalso look better when viewed on a comput- kane Eats. 3) Make sure nothing is sticking out er screen. These days we are used to lookfrom behind a person/subject ing at things in a widescreen aspect ratio. It is important when taking photographs “What a lot of people don’t think of and to always make sure that something like it’s a hard concept, is you don’t always have to be looking straight into your screen a weird tree branch isn’t sticking out from behind your friends head. Random objects viewfinder,” said Collin Masteller, a local sticking out behind your subject can really photographer. “You can get some amazing pictures if you just look at your subject and ruin a great photograph and is not aesthetically pleasing. then just move your phone around with4) Use better lighting and be aware of out looking through it in different angles.
W
www.communicatoronline.org
the lighting Lighting is very important when it comes to taking photographs. You don’t want it to be too dark or too bright of course, but it is surprising how much light really affects your photos. When you really take the time to look around at how the light falls on things it can be really amazing. It can be very easy to go through life and not pay attention to how the light affects the way we see things. “Even if it’s the sun, or the lights inside, or the reflection off of a building, you just have to know what the light is doing to make better photos,” said Matt Shumate, a photography instructor. “So just paying attention to what the light is doing you are already ten steps ahead of everybody who just picks up a phone and takes a picture. Paying attention to the light makes a big difference.” 5) Find a steady support Taking a selfie photo isn’t always going to be the best, most stable photo. You will have better photographs if you make sure your smartphone is steady, holding with both hands or finding a flat stable surface to place the camera phone on. Even holding your breath for a split second while taking a photo can help. There is so much art you can capture and so much you can do with your cell phone. Don’t ever let the equipment you are using, like a cellphone to be a deterrent to creating art.
10
The Communicator 03.08.2018
History of St. Patrick’s Day
Features
Editor: Joseph Pumphrey sfcc.joe.pumphrey@gmail.com
Looking back at the origins of the Irish celebration. Cheyanne Ross
The Communicator Many People have heard of St. Patrick’s day, and many have even celebrated it. But what is it and who is St. Patrick? Saint Patrick was one of Christianity’s most widely known figures, and though he has a holiday named after him, his life remains a mystery to most. According to www.history.com, at the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by Irish raiders and transported to Ireland. After 6 years in captivity, he believed he heard the voice of God in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland. Patrick walked nearly 200 miles and escaped to Britain where he became a Priest. Years later, he returned to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christians. This is commonly referred to, “driving out all the snakes of Ireland.” A myth amongst people today is that St. Patrick literally drove out the snakes from Ireland. The common misconception being that, the snakes were actually the non believers of Christ. To make Christianity mesh in the Irish community, St. Patrick combined the sun; a powerful symbol for the Irish, and the cross. Known today as the Celtic Cross. He also celebrated Christian holidays with bonfires, for the Irish had honored their Gods with fire. The festivities of St. Patrick’s Day are the way the Irish celebrated. The holiday falls on the season of lent. (A prohibition time against the consumption of meats.) The people would dance, drink, feast, and take to the streets waving the Irish flag in floods of green. The color green was originally associated with the Catholics of Ireland and has always been the designated color of the Irish flag, but was fully adopted by The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in their parades. But the actual first parade was in the United States in 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the American army marched through New York City on March 17th, 1762, waving Irish flags, and pinning shamrocks on their clothes.
Madison Pearson | The Communicator Spokane has a direct connection to Ireland through their sister city, Limerick. There is a monument plaque outside O’Doherty’s Irish Grille commemorating the connection between the two cities.
These parades became tradition. Over the next 35 years, Irish groups such as, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and the Hibernian Society would hold annual parades. www. history.com says, “In 1848, several Irish Aid societies unified their parades. Today, it’s the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the U.S. today.” One last mystery to many, is the shamrock. Many think it symbolizes, “The luck of the Irish,” but it was actually what St. Patrick used to describe the Holy Trinity, A.K.A., The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. The three leaves of the native Irish clover symbolize this. So St. Patrick’s Day in all actuality is a commemoration to the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, not just a day to wear green and join a pub crawl. Activities are available for families and minors in downtown Spokane. March 17th, 12pm-3pm there will be the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade hosted by, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick. Visit http://downtownspokane.org/event/ st-patrick s-day-parade/ for more information. The Irish Drinking Team is a local group of men and women that put on an annual St. Paddy’s Day pub crawl starting at 7am and lasting all day. Simply buy a jersey at theirishdrinkingteam.com and that gets you in.
St Patrick’s Day Activities St. Paddy’s Day Parade, Downtown Spokane, March 17th, 12pm-3pm. 13th Annual Irish Drinking Team Pub Crawl. March 17th. Irish Watering Holes O’Doherty’s Irish Grille Jack and Dan’s Lucky’s Bar Conley’s Place Restaurant
Madison Pearson | The Communicator The two cities established their ties on Mar. 4 1990 www.communicatoronline.org
Opinion
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Editor: Cheyanne Ross sfcc.cheyanne.ross@gmail.com
11
Student response to sexual harassment allegations Madison Pearson The Communicator
Zack Da Silva | The Communicator
Kira Twiggs and Remadi Maple study in the library on campus.
Study skills and habits for students Dominique Arce
The Communicator “I study more than I used to because I’m paying for it, so it matters more to me,” said SCC student Tyler Lobos. Being a college student and having time to study can be extremely hard, as students in community college range from all ages and are either working a job, taking care of their family, or other time consuming activities. Most people would define studying as sitting down at a desk with your textbook in complete silence for hours. However, everyone’s study habits differ from one another, so what works for one person could be the opposite for another. SFCC student Max Miller described how his studying style differed between his classes. “It depends on the material in the class that’s going to be on the test,” he said. “Other ones are more essay-based, like my film class. Studying isn’t quite necessary, you just need to know the content of the film.” The environment you study in can have an effect on your studying habits. Distractions like noise from a TV playing or having friends over can disrupt your learning. Some students are more aural learn-
ers, meaning they prefer to be around noise, or solitary learners, when one works alone. “I make sure I’m in a quiet setting, with background music playing, and make sure I don’t have any distractions,” said Lobos. “I have to really set aside a space and a lot of time to do it or else I won’t.” Studying traditionally in a desk works for some, but for SCC student Tristine Pitts, she feels indifferent. “I hate doing my homework at my desk,” said Pitts. “My zone is a well lit room, very quiet music, and focused, sitting in a chair or on the sofa.” Reviewing notes ahead of time and refreshing yourself on the content you learned in class can help. Studying in groups can work too, as you can go over missed notes or get a better understanding. “With classmates before a quiz or test, we go over certain aspects and compare notes,” said Miller. “We hear each other’s opinions on things. It’s more of a quick thing like, ‘We have five minutes before the test, let’s talk about what we think’. That way we can have that information.” Procrastination is the worst enemy of all when it comes to studying.
www.communicatoronline.org
It feels like an earthquake. Years of silence and then suddenly, commotion out of nowhere. The ground moving, shaking, and changing right beneath our feet. Recently, we’ve watched beloved icons and stars fall from grace as the #MeToo movement sparked a domino effect in Hollywood and in our political sphere; however, not often do we highlight sexual harassment happening close to home or in the workplace. Workplace rules and regulations have come a long way in a short amount of time but, the unsolicited ‘over-intimate’ comments and ‘off-color- sexual jokes are, unfortunately, commonplace. It seems that they’ve become acceptable when in fact, their crude and inappropriate. I’m no self proclaimed ‘social justice warrior’ but, I do believe that everyone, no matter their gender, should be free from objectification in their workplace and every other area of their life. As 2017 came to a close, we saw more andmore people all across the country open up about their experiences with sexual harassment, encouraged to speak out, no longer silenced by their fear. Who wouldn’t be scared to come forward? As a woman, I sometimes feel as if I am nothing more than the pieces of myself that make up my physical appearance. Yet, those pieces of myself are the only things I am judged for. I feel dehumanized. After an earthquake comes more silence. The quiet builds up slowly until the ground moves once again. Silence does nothing for us, the quiet is painful and unnerving. Change starts with a movement, and I can feel the ground shaking.
12
Sports
The Communicator 03.08.2018
Climbing around SFCC SFCC incudes a climbing wall with the new gym. Aiden Swank & Juan Lopez The Communicator
A brand new athletic feature, course and events are being added to the SFCC gym with its opening in fall of 2018. With the many new and expansive features, one stands out for a different type of athlete. Included in the gym will be a multi-person climbing wall. The rock wall will allow for upwards of three routes to be climbed at one time. Moreover, with the new construction classes and clubs will be offered to those specifically focused on a beginner level, but all, experienced or not, will be welcome to sign up and join. The class aims to expand rock climbing experience and knowledge to students.
“We plan on having classes, and possibly a rock climbing wall club,” said Ken Burrus, Dean of Physical Education. “We are looking at examples from EWU, and other colleges regarding open access times. We want the facility to be well used in a safe manner.” The main focus of the rock climbing wall will be for beginner level usage, but will still remain open for all experience levels. At any level, the student will be able to experience a high level of physical activity. Rock climbing offers a lot of health benefits. For example, it combines cardio and strength in one workout, tones muscles,
increases flexibility, reduces stress, and burns a lot of calories in an hourly workout, according to www.healthfitnessrevolution. com . Some students are already looking forward to the new addition to the campus. “I have been rock climbing for three years,” said David Shepard, SFCC student. “I mainly climb outside now, there is a lot around Spokane that many people miss out on. I will be interested to see what the school offers for the off season.” Many students experience the outdoor activities that Spokane has to offer. During the harsher months of winter it can make physical activity easier if there is an option indoors. Rock climbing offers a solution to this problem, but Shepard has a mild skepticism as to what can be done. “Given the limited space, and I am assuming they are just
IT’S WORTH IT. DEGREE COMPLETION PROGRAMS
Want to really make a difference? Whitworth’s NEW Bachelor of Arts in Human Services degree will equip you to serve in a variety of occupations, including social action, community development, advocacy, social services and leadership. And with hybrid-online courses and three areas of concentration to choose from, you can tailor your degree to fit both your personal interests and your professional goals. Enroll now. whitworth.edu/evening
www.communicatoronline.org
Editor: Juan Lopez sfcc.juan.lopez@gmail.com
doing a bouldering wall, something that will be really important is interesting angles,” he said. “If you just have a vertical wall, which is common in a school gym climbing wall, then the angles can get boring really fast.” The courses that will be available for rock climbing have not been fully announced, but we know it is aimed towards people that have little to zero experience. “I would be interested to see a safety class, roping class, and obviously a strength training course,” said Shepard. “In the end, we need to see the wall ‘set’ interestingly enough to create difficult movements for people, so they can constantly experience new things and be challenged throughout the course.” The gym will officially open for students in Fall of 2018 with the rock wall fully constructed inside.