SMCC Beacon 10/13/2015

Southern Maine Community College Issue 1, #14, October 13 2015 By the Students, for the Students

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Campus News Illumination

Other World Tech Talk

Op & Ed #standwithPP

Arts & Features First Friday

Sports Still Kicking

Pages 2-3 &10

Pages 4-5

Pages 6-7

Pages 8-9

Pages 11-12

Midcoast Campus Celebrates Opening of L.L. Bean Learning Commons

By Megan Prevost Biotechnology Major

W

ith one simple cut of a red ribbon, the LL Bean Learning Commons on the Midcoast campus was officially opened. The redesigned and brand new space, where the Brunswick Naval Air Station hospital once was, should cultivate, nurture, and modernize the way students learn and study on the Midcoast campus.

The L.L. Bean Learning Commons and Science Center will provide students with not only tutoring and study rooms but also a library, advising offices, a cafe and high-grade classrooms. L.L. Bean contributed some where in the neighborhood of 2 million dollars to make this building possible, putting money towards improving technology and education in 2010, as well as donating money towards the landscaping of the project. There are currently 565 students enrolled at the Midcoast campus and every single one of them will benefit from this new center.

The new space will provide a better learning environment for the students there. Students will have access to the new tutoring center where they can get help with their homework. Whether it is writing papers for English or labs for a science class, help can be found in all corners of the learning commons.

The classrooms that branch off of the central lounge feature high-grade technology, such as a smart board,

From left to right , MCCS interim President Langhauser, Jeffrey Gorman and Jennifer Wilson, children of the late Leon Gorman; L.L.Bean Chairman Shawn Gorman; President and CEO Chris McCormick; Lisa Gorman, wife of the late Leon Gorman; and SMCC President Ron Cantor. Photograph by Cynthia Tibbets

which is essentially a large interactive computer that consumes an entire wall.

Other technologies such as mannequins that simulate medical situations for the EMT students to use enhance the learning environment. Observation rooms where instructors can watch EMT student work through medical emergency scenarios are also encorporated into the layout. These improvements will have a great impact on the students in these programs, allowing them to have more involvement in a hands-on learning environment.

Computer labs and study rooms provide a quiet environment where students can focus on their work in peace and quiet. A small café, run by Sodexo,

offers premade sandwiches, fruit, quick snacks, coffee and tea all of which will energize the tired student. Not only does the learning commons provide the entire campus a central meeting and gathering place and it also gives the campus an overall better appearance. A portion of the funds that LL Bean donated for the learning commons was set aside for landscaping. Two rows of trees, and two trellaces sit on each side of the main entrance improving the look of the front of the building and beautifying the Midcoast.

Plants and bushes adorn the islands in the parking lot in front of the building.

(Continued on Page 3)

SMCC Acquires New Composter for Horticulture, Culinary Arts Programs THE ROCKET IS HERE AND IT’S ALL “FIRED UP”

By Garrick Hoffman Liberal Arts Major

T

his past summer saw the arrival of a new friend of Southern Maine Community College, and it came in the form of stainless steel.

The Rocket, designed and manufactured by UK environmental consultant company Tidy Planet, is a composter that processes food waste and turns it into compost. The composter

now sits comfortably behind the Culinary Arts building and will not only be used to discard food waste into for the Culinary Arts program, but will be used for the Horticulture program when compost is produced.

Spearheading the project to acquire The Rocket was Dave Palm, an instructor in the Horticulture department. Mr. Palm was kind enough to answer questions for The Beacon, for the curious mind, and of course for the average green thumb.

What is The Rocket, and what does it (Continued on Page 10)

Photograph by Garrick Hoffman

Student speaker Katherine Norcott Photograph by Cynthia Tibbets

SMCC’S Rainbow League Embraces LGBTQ Students, Illuminates Issues

By Paul L. Young

S

MCC’s ongoing struggle to understand and engage a growing multicultural student population has led to the formation of the Rainbow League, the school’s most recent official student organization. Its stated mission is “to provide a meeting of students wishing to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all within the SMCC community, regardless of identity or expression.”

The Rainbow League formally emerged last semester from the longsimmering frustrations of a core group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) Human Services students and their allies who believed the department was not doing enough to educate students about the importance of LGBTQ cultures and issues on campus and in American life.

The response of the Human Services department began one year ago. With Assistant Professor Kathryn Stannard, department chair Tom Richardson assembled an advisory group of faculty, students and alumni to identify LGBTQ

Southern Maine Community College Produced by the students, for the students

EXECUTIVE STAFF Garrick Hoffman Executive Editor Aiden Bothwell Art Director Samuel Carlson Social Media Manager Craig Stanley Illustration Editor

SECTION EDITORS

Megan Prevost Campus News

Ashley Berry Op & Ed Dierdree Glassford Arts & Features

Illaria Dana Other World CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Olivia Lilli Bean Tegan Bradley Paula Limba Corey Ramsey Hali Sarah Parsons Christopher Wilkes Paul L. Young Ian Ziller

information and concerns. The group would recommend training for department faculty “to help them become more knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues – especially gender issues where I think there is a lot of ignorance,” Richardson wrote in his initial outreach.

Advisors would also recommend curriculum changes “to better educate our students about how to work effectively with LGBTQ clients and coworkers.”

Richardson and Stannard also instigated a ‘You Are Welcome Here’ poster campaign modeled on other academic institutions’ successful outreach to LGBTQ communities. This summer, for the first time, SMCC was represented in Portland’s annual Gay Pride Parade to raucous approval from paradewatchers.

“This population was not getting the attention it needs, especially in light of current social events,” said Sarah Goldberg, a founding Rainbow League member.

“There’s been a lot more light shed on LGBT youth suicide and mental health.

If you’re not taught about this, there’s no way you’re going to know about it.”

Driven by a small, dedicated group of LGBT students, the Rainbow League achieved official status as a student organization in May, at the last Spring term meeting of the Student Senate. Human Services instructors Kathryn Stannard and Emily Russell serve as its faculty advisors. Although the group believes all issues affecting LGBT communities are important, those affecting transgender – or ‘trans’ or ‘genderqueer’ – students have been priorities to date: improving students’ understanding of the nuances of transgender communities and their terminology and addressing the issue of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus.

Meaghan Martin, another founding member, noted the organization’s educational focus. “Because the Rainbow League was originally formed to serve the Human Services department, our original

SPECIAL THANKS TO Kenneth Reddinger Photographer Alexander Balzano Videographer Jennifer Lague Media Consultant Chuck Ott Editorial Advisor Rachel Guthrie Publications Advisor

TO JOIN THE BEACON STAFF CONTACT CHUCK OTT AT cott@smccme.edu

goal was to be a part of that education by providing the department with accurate information and resources, and suggestions for how to appropriately integrate that information into the existing curriculum.

We also wanted to make SMCC more visibly welcoming to students who are LGBTQ-identified so they might feel more comfortable here.”

One student in particular has been at the center of the Rainbow League’s efforts since its inception. Ivan Murray, a 21-year-old, transgender man in transition, originally was frustrated with how little LGBT communities were covered in Human Services coursework.

“It’s important to make instructors more aware of LGBT students’ preferences for pronouns and forms of address,” Murray said, “but from the first meeting we knew we wanted to do more than that.

We wanted to reach out to the campus. We wanted to form an advocacy group. One of the first issues we talked about was gender-oriented bathrooms.”

Murray explained that “a lot of genderqueer people are uncomfortable with gendered bathrooms. Genderqueer don’t identify as man or woman.” In current LGBTQ parlance, this preference is also called ‘nonbinary’ or ‘agender,’ as opposed to ‘bigender’ (self-identifying as either sex) or ‘gender fluid.’ ‘Cisgender,’ whose prefix means ‘on the side of,’ refers to those who identify as the sex they were born.

These terms convey a rapidly shifting landscape of gender that may generate fear, anxiety and deeper mental health issues for transgender men and women. According to Murray, the person may experience gender dysphoria , which he described as “the anxiety and depression you feel when people don’t recognize you as the person you chose to be.” The person may also experience body dysphoria, in which “you don’t feel your body is adequate to the role you’ve taken on,” Murray said.

“This population was not getting the attention it needs, especially in light of current social events”

“A significant percentage of the trans population doesn’t feel the need for hormones and surgery or can’t afford them,” Murray said. “They don’t experience body dysphoria. A double standard exists. Trans persons are expected to adhere to gender stereotypes.”

For persons in transition, it is critical that they be allowed to make desired gender changes at their own pace, Murray said. “Transition doesn’t include anyone else; it’s all up to them. They shouldn’t have to wait for the approval of others.

Unless your situation demands it, do it at your own pace. Transitioning isn’t a race. It doesn’t have to be big things like hormones and surgery. There are little things you can do.

“My biggest daily challenge is deciding whether to put on my binder [a tight sheath suppressing the breasts]. If I don’t, people will be able to see the shape of my breasts. So it comes down to, do I want to feel comfortable today or do I want to feel like more of a man today?”

Murray said he has not seen any overt prejudice around gender issues at SMCC. Rather, he said SMCC benignly neglects its LGBT community. “People say, ‘I don’t see why it’s a big deal.’ That’s because they’re not educated about it and not talking about it.”

Tabatha Copeland is a Rainbow League member and a Human Services peer support counselor. “One of my biggest problems is that students aren’t taking it seriously and no one is asking them to take it seriously,” she said. (In the interest of full disclosure, this writer also serves as a Human Services peer support counselor.)

Murray observed that “more LGBT people are becoming visible in media and the world. More LGBT people feel safe coming out now.” At SMCC, he said, “We’re making a safe space for people to be themselves.

“Maine is pretty safe, but if I came out in Texas it might be different. If people are willing to risk their lives, to risk being raped, that shows you how important this is. People think we choose to be this way.

I didn’t choose to be a boy. I didn’t choose to face these dangers. I don’t want to live in hiding.”

Interested in Transferring?

Transfer Fair at SMCC October 15th, Campus Center 10:30-1:00.

Stop by the Campus Center to learn more about the 25 Colleges and Universities participating in this year’s Transfer Fair Representatives from the University of Maine System and other Maine schools, as well as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire schools are attending, will you?

THE FUTURE IS NOW, SO ACT NOW. For more information please contact the Sharon Bannon in the Career and Transfer Office at sbannon@smccme.edu

2 THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

Student Interviews: Ahmed Abbass HIS JOURNEY FROM IRAQ TO SMCC

By Paula Limba Nursing Major

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n Friday, October 2, Ahmed Abbass and I sat down in the Captain’s House to videotape the first interview in a series of five-minute interviews with international students.

Ahmed, who is from Iraq, was born in Baghdad. When he was two his family moved to KirKuk, where they lived for 5 years. His family then moved to Karbala where they lived until 2005 when they moved to Syria because of the war.

In 2008 Ahmed and his family finally made it to the United States with the help of the United Nations. Ahmed graduated from Portland High School in 2011 “as the oldest student in his class,” with dreams of becoming a doctor. As English is not Ahmed first language, he had to learn it as an ESL student at Portland High School, which was necessary for him to improve his language skills in order to enroll and graduate from SMCC.

Last May, Ahmed saw his hard work pay off. He remains enrolled at SMCC taking biology classes. As one of Ahmed’s dreams is being a doctor, he also has other dreams: being married and having

a family. As education remains important to him, Ahmed would like to see his future children be enrolled here at SMCC, “where they would get what they want to become perfect in any subject.” That is one of his wishes for his future generation.

The half an hour I had with Ahmed was amazing and fun. We joked and laughed to the point where I thought my ribs had cracked. It was a good experience to get to know his story and share with the SMCC community. For those who want to watch the videotaped interview with Ahmed, please look for it on the Beacon WordPress and Facebook web sites.

Photograph By Alexander Balzano

Mid-Coast Campus Celebrates Opening of New Learning Commons (Continued from Page 1) The donation that made this all possible was made in part in 2010 by L.L. Bean to support equipment and technology needs on the Midcoast campus. In addition from receiving donations from L.L. Bean, this project also received donations from the late Leon Gorman, who was formerly the President and Chairman of L.L. Bean, and his wife Lisa, who helped create the Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges. This couple has provided significant support to all of the state’s community colleges.

Chris McCormick, L.L. Bean’s president and CEO, explained that they couldn’t be happier about the honor. “Leon Gorman strongly believed in the potential of this institution and that investing in Maine’s community colleges is the best investment we can make in Maine’s future.” McCormick was previously a Maine Community College System Trustee, showing how many people at L.L. Bean support the community college system.

An additional donation of $125,000 was made recently again, approved by the L.L. Bean Board of Directors in memory of Leon. This donation went both to Preble Street and the Foundation for Maine’s Community Colleges. These donations were made with the intent of helping Maine’s citizens in need, helping them get a college education when they otherwise might not have been able to.

SMCC’s President Ron Cantor stated

how grateful the college is to L.L. Bean for their continuous support to provide affordable higher education at SMCC and other Maine Community Colleges.

“This student-centered building represents a transformational step forward for our students that will help Mainers reach their dreams and succeed,” Cantor stated, expressing his gratitude towards L.L. Bean for making all of this possible.

At the ceremony, Katherine Norcott, a student at the Midcoast campus, expressed her happiness for the new campus hub.

“With access to several top-of-theline computers and designated rooms for tutoring, along with large tables and couches for study groups to congregate at; with a place to grab a healthy snack and a coffee when we need to recharge, is something that not only our generation will benefit from but the future SMCC

We need volunteers to assist adults with vision loss in recreational activities at our newly established Rehabilitation Center.

Volunteers will lead evening card or board games at the State and Grant Street residencies, and can assist, lead or drive for weekend community outings. Training in visual impairment and mobility is provided before starting. Volunteer commitment can be at almost any level over a three-month term, such as an afternoon in a weekend or an occasional night.

students.” She then went on to offer her - on behalf of the student body - personal thanks for the donations that made the building possible. “We the students of SMCC can personally thank you for this generous and monumental donation that made this building, this learning center our future - a possibility.”

L.L. Bean chairman Shawn Gorman said, “It is clear that everyone is proud of what this building represents. You can’t believe how pleased I am to see the L.L. Bean name on this building. There’s no better investment than in your community and your children.”

The donations that made this building possible weren’t seen only as a contribution to a mere building but contributions to the future generations of Maine. SMCC provides affordable, quality education to students in Maine, and

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because of the repeated donations from L.L. Bean, this continues to be possible.

The L.L. Bean Learning Commons and Science Center will help students in their success and put them on track to graduate on time with the degree they want. The center provides students with an easy way to be successful and fosters a sense of community at the same time.

Furthermore, this building greatly improves the status of the Midcoast Campus, bringing it forward into the world of technology and giving it a selling point that will possibly even make students choose to attend there instead of other community colleges. It will impact each and every student that attends the Midcoast campus, and it will continue to do so each and every year thanks to the gracious donations from L.L. Bean and Leon and his wife.

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For more information, speak with Dr. A. Jan Berlin, Medical Director of the Low Vision Clinic at Iris Network or Diane Richard: 207.774.6273 | drichard@theiris.org.

BAKE SALE OCTOBER 14, 10-3, CAMPUS CENTER A winner of the New England Golden Gloves Tournament, Veteran Jason Quirk graduated from the Fire Science Program in May 2014. Jason turned pro last November and is currently at 4 wins and 0 losses! While working at Portland Fire Department he continues his studies in SMCC’s Paramedicine Program.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN!

THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

3

You Said…What?

By Tegan Bradley Liberal Studies Major

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orelei is a first year SMCC student, a country girl at heart working to one day become a veterinarian.

She’s five feet short, constantly emitting positivity and a friendly smile. Last week she was hiking up the stairs to the second floor of Hague Hall. Upon opening the door she was greeted by a friend seated at a round table. Lorelei takes a seat on the black sectional couch next to him.

They exchange greetings and casual conversation. On the opposite end of the sectional couch sat a complete stranger.

In a brief moment of silence, as Lorelei became more comfortable in her seat, the stranger spoke.

“Girl, you need to leave. Cause I don’t like you.” Immediately she was taken off guard. Her mental reaction to his demand was, F off. However her eternal niceness dictated her fight or flight responses, and not looking for a conflict she left quickly without a word, finding a new location around the corner. A few minutes later her

friend came to her, explaining the guy had gone and inviting her to come back and sit with him.

Now, as mentioned before, Lorelei had never had any interaction with that lovely gentleman before and is at a loss as to why he was so hostile to her. This brief scene highlights the societal problem that plagues us all. The idea that what we do doesn’t affect others, or the only time we affect others is when we do something over the top and blatantly obvious.

But it’s more than that. The simplest actions can hold great weight in the minds

of others. The one rude thing you say to someone will cling to them the rest of the day, probably even longer. It will be filed away in the back of their brain for them to recall upon sometime in the future. It’s easy for us to be mean to those we don’t know, because they don’t matter to us.

We will most likely never see them again.

But you don’t know what unseen war they are fighting in. You shouldn’t be mean to strangers because you don’t know the pains that already possess them.

Humans are capable of the greatest kindness, so let’s start showing some.

Resistance as the Path to Understanding AN INTERVIEW WITH TERESA SWINBOURNE

By Illaria Dana Education Major

B

eing a student is largely about relationships. There are internal relationships we have with the information we receive. There are external relationships with professors and with peers. Navigating these relationships requires mindfulness - the awareness of where one is in a specific moment and how the moment relates to the world in a larger context.

One trend in schools in the United States is negativity about mathematics.

Students cannot always articulate why they feel this way. A lot of students express their belief that math is irrelevant. The formulas they are drilled with are so

specific that they could never relate to situations in the world outside of class.

Then, students learn that mathematics is a performance-based subject. Their ability to think and thoughts are limited to the lectures they endure and the tests they are required to take.

Is this necessary? Is mindfulness needed in mathematics? Can math professors create a culture of learning in their classrooms, and what would this culture look like and enable students to do?

A conversation with Teresa Swinbourne, mathematics professor at SMCC, offers answers to these questions and possibilities of what math can mean to students in school and in the world at large.

ID: I wanted to start by saying a bit about why I am working for the paper. I’m taking Drawing II now, and I definitely feel the conditioning to be really good at

4 THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

whatever I’m doing.

TS: Fixed Mindset.

ID: And I’m aware of that - my resistance, so it’s easier for me to change. One of my goals is to talk about mindfulness, to be an agent of positive change, to put it out there, so if people want it, it’s there. You say you hear so many students say they don’t like math, so it seems relevant to discuss.

TS: The quote. The quote about how many students come to community college and end up in remedial math after all of their schooling. Do you remember that quote? I’m trying to find the quote about community college students and how X amount start and don’t finish. [Flips through a copy of Jo Boaler’s What’s Math Got to do with It?] [It’s] about these college kids and their frustration.

So, “Approximately 50 percent of students in the United States attend two year colleges. About 70 percent of those students are placed into remedial math courses repeating the math they took in high school. Only one in ten of the students pass the course. The rest leave or fail, and for about 15 million students in the United States, math ends their college career.” And so this is really my history, here, of teaching the Math 050.

I was hired to teach Math 140 in 2004, and I did that in the beginning and saw that many of my students had taken Math 050. I was interested. I asked them on the first day, “Tell me your math history.”

I wanted to know where they had been before they were in front of me, so that I could really help them. I don’t have the

numbers in front of me anymore, but there was a percentage of students that had taken the 050. So much of the 140 is a repeat of 050. I couldn’t understand why they were struggling so much.

They were struggling with being a student. Not only with thinking mathematically, but they couldn’t let themselves see something that was new in the way that you did with your art class. Just to be with it and have the endurance to sort it out. I realized it would be helpful because I always thought that if I were going to work, I wanted to make a difference, to make the world a better place - that was the whole reason I started teaching math. Why not help these people see, “I can do this thing I thought I couldn’t do.”

So, I began to focus on 050. I said, “Come into my class, and I will help you make sense of this.” I wanted students to know that everything they got in my class, they could transfer to their other classes. It was a procedural knowledge base of how to be a student. The way that I gave it was through math instruction.

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For an uncut version of this interview, visit the Beacon WordPress page at thesmccbeacon.wordpress.com

A Writer’s Expression: Moving Inward and Outward Please go to the Beacon WordPress site to read the interview in its entirety.

F

or artists, there is no choice but to create.

The explosion of energy must be tempered by craft. The tools to transform the raw materials of art into a work that can be digested by readers, viewers, and listeners are gained through experience.

This process is deeply personal and one that every artist must navigate.

There lies the contradiction: artists, like anyone, do not live in isolation; their work is personal and private, and at times public.

But work is made in a world of people and returns to a world of people.

Loved ones lost are immortalized.

Grief is processed, taking on many stages.

Love, like other changing things, takes shape. Objects become what they aren’t but, maybe, what they were intended to be.

Local poet Catie Hannigan sat to talk about making art and watching her life take shape.

This is a portion of our discussion. Please go to the Beacon WordPress site to read the interview in its entirety.

ID: You were an editor of the literary magazine for USM in 2013. What was your favorite part about being an editor?

CH: There were five of us, and the most fun that we had was at our meetings.

It wasn’t a voting system. It was a discussion every time. It felt like we were deciphering what was important and artistic, what needed to be heard. Sometimes we were convincing each other [of what was important]. It was a process of growing.

ID: Do you think that it gave you a good perspective as a submitting artist to

Tech Talk THE BEST FREE TOOLS FOR A SAFE COMPUTING EXPERIENCE

By Corey Ramsey

I

f you’re like me at some point you bought a new personal computer and that computer came with an antivirus program. However, that antivirus program, unlike a lot of other software that probably came bundled with your new PC, was only a subscription. Usually the subscription is good for anywhere from 6 months to 1 year or even 3 or 4 years in some cases. The caveat is it eventually runs out. If you’re like me you probably found yourself receiving pop-ups from the soon to be or already expired antivirus program and wondered if you needed to renew your subscription or if you could just let it slide.

These antivirus programs have a great way of scaring you into buying a new subscription when yours has expired. They often signal you with an exclamation point surrounded by a red or yellow triangle joined by a popup that says things like, “Your computer is at risk” or “You are not protected,” or various other forms of propaganda designed to scare you. The thing is these are reputable manufacturers of antivirus software like Symantec, MacAfee or Kaspersky. While these are all good programs, if you’re like me you probably don’t need them.

What I mean by that is that there are alternatives to these costly subscription based antivirus programs that are free and just as good. Programs like AVG and Avast have been around for years and are used by a lot of people. These programs are free although they do offer upgraded versions for a fee. Often these upgrades are still cheaper than the ones that came with your PC, but again you don’t really need them.

If you have a PC that is run by a Microsoft operating system such as Windows 8.1 or 10 then you already have free security software included with

your PC called Windows Defender. (In Windows 7 this was Microsoft Security Essentials.)Windows Defender is not an enterprise class security suite, but we are not talking about the enterprise level. It is a suitable antivirus scanner that comes as part of your operating system and when used properly can provide good protection from viruses and malware.

Malware, spyware, Trojans; these are all terms used to describe malicious software that usually finds its way into a PC unbeknownst to the user. If you’re like me, at one time or another you clicked on some enticing web-link that promised a prize of some sort like a free iPhone or a $500 gift card to the Home Depot. This is where that malware starts to get into your PC. All it takes is one wrong click on one bad link for your PC to become infected.

Most of the time users are unaware, but the truth is a lot of legitimate websites will install malware on your PC just for visiting them. Sometimes they even ask for your permission in those “agree to the terms” check boxes (which no one ever reads).

In my opinion you can have a very pleasant and safe computing experience with just a little house cleaning as I like to call it. Once a week run a malware scan with Malwarebytes which is probably the best free tool on the market. I use this tool on a business level all of the time with great results. There are reviews at places like PCmag.com that let you compare free antivirus programs. Choose the program that is right for you and schedule it to scan your PC once a week at 3:00AM when you are not using it. (Remember to leave it on though!) If you do these things then clicking on those enticing links won’t hurt as much in the long run.

Corey Ramsey is a member of the Information Technology Senior Seminar course and is currently employed as an IT Support Engineer. This article can be read online at http://www.corey-ramsey.com/ Free-Tools/

have experience on the editorial side of submissions?

CH: Yes, it’s funny to me now. It seems so obvious, but there really were great pieces that we just couldn’t take. They are looking at a lot of submissions, and they might not always be the most receptive at that moment in time. It made me feel more forgiving about my own rejections.

ID: Do you want to talk about the work you’re doing now? Like your chapbook?

CH: I have a chapbook. It’s called What Once was There is the Most Beautiful Thing. It’s printed by New Michigan Press, housed in the University of Arizona. They have an online facet called Diagram, which holds an annual chapbook competition.

I wasn’t chosen as the winner, but I was chosen as a finalist. Our chapbooks are being printed as a set and individually.

ID: What is a chapbook?

CH: A chapbook is usually a small book of poetry. Chapbooks are produced by the writers themselves to be given away to get their work out there. It’s become an art form too- making really beautiful books.

Small presses, like New Michigan Press, have taken a liking to them. They’re easy to print and distribute. My chapbook is poetry, but it’s unique in that all the poems that I wrote, I wrote using a very small stamp. It’s similar to a void stamp.

ID: It’s interesting that you were making poems using something called a “void stamp.”

CH: Yes. The etymology of void… there’s a lot going on there. The underlying idea - it started with the word ‘shul’. I read it first in Rebecca Solnit’s A Field Guide to

Library Research Workshops

By Illaria Dana Education Major

Getting Lost. It’s a Tibetan word. It means the impression of what once was there. A path is a shul - it’s an impression of feet.

That’s the original idea - to write poems that were the impressions. I was tired of using so much language to explain something.

ID: What about your mentors?

CH: I think it’s important for mentors to give their students permission to just go for whatever it is they’re interested in, even if the teachers have no idea where their students are going. That permission can be enough.

ID: What access do you have of photography? Do you find inspiration from the Internet?

CH: Instagram led to was getting a film camera, a 35mm, and taking hundreds and hundreds of photos. That led to buying photography books, telling my mentor I wanted to write about photography. It may be the topic of my graduate thesis.

It’s hard to make a black or white statement about what the Internet should or should not do. I felt my heart beat faster when I took a photo that I really loved.

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Catie Hannigan attends the Vermont College of Fine Arts and is working towards her Masters of Fine Arts in Writing. Her chapbook, What Once was There is the most Beautiful Thing, is available from New Michigan Press.

You can see her installation at Sacred and Profane at Battery Steele on Peaks Island, on October 24th.

Save time!

Save effort!

Save your sanity!

Don’t waste time with sloppy research or second-rate sources! Stop by a Library Research workshop to see the resources and get the skills that will improve your research papers and projects.

All sessions are held in Tech 102 and last one hour.

Thursday October 15, at 4:30pm Tuesday October 20, at 3:00pm Wednesday October 21, at 12:30pm Monday October 26, at 2:00pm

THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

5

Gun Violence is not Going Away; We Need to Take Control

By Ashley Berry

O

nce again we are faced with a devastating school shooting. A gunman went on a rampage at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon on date. During the attack, nine people tragically lost their lives while others were grievously wounded. The gunman, whose name will not be mentioned, set off on his rampage through the college armed with six guns, a flak jacket, and enough ammunition to spread terror and destruction.

As the victims and families begin to both recover and heal, we learn again how devastating mass shootings can be in our communities, yet even in the face of danger, heroic people can prevail. J.J. Vicari, a student who was present at the school during the time of the shooting, texted his girlfriend, “I want to tell you I love you,” and “I’m scared.” He recalls that a female classmate ran into the hallway to investigate the noise. She ran back into the classroom to warn them to close the door, but she was already wounded. While she struggled for her life, her classmates attempted to keep her alive. Another student and military veteran Chris Mintz risked his own life by trying to block a door of a classroom, which in turn saved the lives of his classmates.

Mintz was shot multiple times and his legs were also broken, but he remains in stable condition.

This is just the latest in a horrible string of shootings. The victims of these senseless crimes are not people who are putting themselves in violent situations. They’re shopping, going to school or watching a movie. These are normal activities that should not result in fear. It is asinine that after all the tragedy lawmakers are still unwilling to concede with gun control legislation.

A common argument offered by progun enthusiasts is that people who commit these horrendous acts obtained the guns by illegal means. In the instance of the UCC shooting, this is not the case. An agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives said that the gunman owned 14 guns in total and that, “all 14 [guns] have been traced to a federal firearms dealer,” said Ms. Nunez, the assistant special agent in charge of the Seattle field office, who confirmed all guns used in the shooting were purchased legally.

In this case, gun control laws could have saved the lives of the students who were only trying to better themselves through education. SMCC is a college very similar to UCC, and as horrible as it is to think about, this violence could very easily find its way to our school. We must take

p

a stand against this destruction. Without an intervention these mass shootings will continue, and more people will senselessly lose their lives.

Australian comedian Jim Jefferies summed up the whole argument perfectly: “I understand that Australia and America are two vastly different cultures with two vastly different people. In Australia, we had the biggest massacre on Earth and the Australian government went, ‘That’s it, no more guns!’ And we all went, ‘Yeah,

right then, that seems fair enough.’ Now in America, you have the Sandy Hook Massacre where tiny little children died and your government went, “Maybe we’ll get rid of big guns.” And fifty percent of you said, “F*** you, don’t take my guns!”

The Beacon would like to send our condolences to the victims, families and students of Umpqua Community College.

We hope that some good comes from this terrible violence. There is no reason for these heinous acts of violence to continue.

The F-Word IGNORE THE STIGMA Megan Prevost Biotechnology Major

T

he phrase, “I’m not a feminist” doesn’t make any sense. What this says is that someone does not believe in the feminist movement, or what feminists are trying to accomplish. Some movements include allowing women to be paid the same as men, stopping the abuse and sexualization of women, and stopping the discrimination against women with children (especially in the workplace). Feminism is not meant to take away the rights of men, and feminists don’t want to be paid more than men or be treated like they’re some higher power. All they want are the same rights.

To say that you’re not a feminist is to say that you don’t believe in these rights, that you don’t think women should be paid a fair wage or treated like equals. And it’s unfair. Many people believe that feminism is elitist, that women just want to be better than men. And maybe this is true for some feminists, but the idea of the group as a whole is to bring women up to the same level as men and to treat them equally like human beings.

Feminists are also often called feminazis, another unfair stigma to their name. Most importantly, those who say “I’m not a feminist” probably don’t know what feminism actually is; they just don’t like it because of what it’s stigmatized to be.

There’s also an argument out there where some people believe that the entire feminist movement should be changed, that it should be called the equalist or humanist movement. (If you’re not a feminist, you’re probably not a humanist either.) The word female shouldn’t even be in the word at all.

But it should because it’s about women. It’s

not about bringing men and women to the same level; it’s about bringing women up to the same standard as men. This is why the root word is female, because it’s about empowering women and teaching everyone that females shouldn’t be shut down just because of the stigma.

Being a feminist is additive: giving more rights to females until they’re at the same level of rights as males. It has nothing to do with taking away the rights from the males. Believe it or not, feminists are all about equality, making the world a better place, holding hands and singing kumbaya.

But their first and foremost goal is making the world better for themselves. And yes, this does sound slightly selfish, but if you look at the facts, it couldn’t possibly be selfish.

In the United States, women are sexualized more than they should be, the catcall is still a daily problem, and walking down the street at night - or sometimes even during the day - can be a daunting task. Rape culture is very much alive and a good percentage of guys think that if she’s drunk, it’s not rape. Advertisements on television and in magazines feature half-naked girls holding drinks or standing near cars. Feminists as a population are not only trying to achieve more rights for themselves but to educate people so they can be treated as actual human beings. It’s too often you hear - on television or even in real life - someone talking about how a girl is hot so she can’t possibly be smart. These are things feminists are trying to abolish. So next time you say “I’m not a feminist,” think about what you’re actually saying. Do you want men and women to be equal without taking away any rights from men?

Ignore the stigma, you’re probably a feminist.

THE POWER OF IDEA CLUB NEEDS YOU!!

Ever had a big idea that you wanted the world to know about? Join us to help plan and produce the first ever TEDxSMCCMaine. TEDx is an independently organized event that creates a TED-like experience for the local community.

TEDxSMCCMaine will bring together students, alum, faculty, community members, and national figures to share ideas that matter to you! Local and self-organized are hallmarks of TEDx so we need your help! For more information, go to our Facebook page: The Power of Idea At SMCC. Next meeting: Tuesday, 9/29, 12-1pm in the CSEC Group Room.

Contact Katharine Lualdi FMI, klualdi@ smccme.edu

6 THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

THE POWER OF IDEA AT SMCC

Inside the Planned Parenthood Rally

By Ashley Berry Political Science Major

A

round noon last Tuesday, September 29th, Monument Square in downtown Portland quickly flooded with enthusiastic supporters of Planned Parenthood. The attendees stood together, chanted and shared stories on how Planned Parenthood had changed their lives.

The rally drew a pink-clad crowd of about 350 people that were, for the most part, there to support the health organization that has recently come under scrutiny. The organization has been slated to lose funding because of a mostly Republican-backed bill that, strangely enough, was also designed to avoid a government shutdown.

The rally featured speakers that included patients of Planned Parenthood, volunteers, State Representatives, and even a Unitarian Universalist minister.

Many of these speakers had personal experiences with Planned Parenthood and talked about their experiences in times of need. One woman spoke of how she had turned to Planned Parenthood when she was young and found herself pregnant. Later on in life she became a volunteer and a member of their board of directors.

Another woman spoke about how at a young age, and without health insurance she became violently sick with an ectopic

pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancies can be fatal if not caught soon enough. She turned to Planned Parenthood and they were able to save her life.

Another speaker who is a prominent member of the Maine Legislature, Sara Gideon, is a State Representative from

Freeport. She also serves as the Assistant Democratic House Leader. During her speech she said, “A person’s health is not for sale, it’s not for trade and it’s certainly not available for blackmail.”

Gideon touched on a point that is often missed in the Planned Parenthood debate.

The arguments surrounding Planned Parenthood are most often focused on abortion. This argument is incredibly

uninformed to the point that it may actually be erroneous.

Of all the services that Planned Parenthood offers, abortion comprises only 3% of services performed. The other 97% are services, including lifesaving tests and screenings that detect cancer and sexually

have insurance? You can turn to Planned Parenthood to prevent those disastrous, unintended pregnancies.

Whatever the problem, Planned Parenthood has got your back - no judgment, just loving care at a time when people need it most. One of the last speakers at the rally was Senator Cathy Breen who said, “When I needed help Planned Parenthood was there. If it weren’t for Planned Parenthood I don’t know if that bachelor’s degree or master’s degree or election to Senate would have ever happened. I will fight for Planned Parenthood and I will stand with them on the streets and on the floor. I will always stand with Planned Parenthood.” This quote embodies the effect that Planned Parenthood has on people’s lives.

Before decisions based on assumptions are made about funding this invaluable health organization, remember that they have saved lives.

They have made it possible for people to continue their Photo By Ashley Berry education and become transmitted diseases. Planned Parenthood productive citizens in society. Those also offers pap smears, a pretty essential people who benefited so much from procedure for women, and free condoms Planned Parenthood have returned to help - which is a big service on its own, as them in their fight to continue helping they’re incredibly expensive, especially millions of people. The feeling of support for someone on a budget. Have you ever at this rally was emotionally overwhelming had an accidental condom break during because at that moment, in the middle of sex? Planned Parenthood has got your Monument Square, we stood in solidarity back with emergency contraception kits. to help the organization that has helped us Need long term birth control but don’t countless times.

The Child Protective Dilemma

By Hali Sarah Parsons Horticulture Major

T

he severity built into the State of Maine’s Child Protective Unit does not serve justice to its hardworking citizens. We should implement suggestions to raise value using the true equality statute abided by the United States of America.

Children are being returned to “sober” addicts with no permanency factor proven neurologically that they will remain stable enough to maintain their sobriety.

Children are taken from loving parents who protect them from the slightest swear and harmful chemical when enough

outside factors make a case appear with “possible” threats. In some cases, “potential” threats never have a clear picture of what eliminating them looks like for the department, and good parents are misled to termination of their parental rights. Cases like these are not helpful for our children; they are creating mental health issues, not a better world.

In many cases, children who are victims of various abuses are not found by Protective Services in time or ever.

Now comes the time to marshal new laws and abolish the outdated constitutions of the 1900s. Each century we change dramatically. Legalities need to shift

to reflect in supporting our growth and expansion.

Pregnant women and their families should go through training and assessment for preventing child abuse. New organizations should develop to support this process and active ones expanded.

No matter what a family’s strengths and weaknesses are, completing all the programs and regulations that parents work through when founded threats are real or alleged should be mandated.

Clear mental health guidelines should be established and parents evaluated.

If serious addictions and physical abuse are concerning, closer, extended

supervision, services and family time should be afforded. Twenty-four-seven care is recommended.

The largest impact that predicts our future is our children and the model for our children is family life. Separation is not the answer to improve our children’s lives. Showing children the work parents do to learn about themselves and grow to be better while still loving their children with consistent care is vital to their development.

The biggest family is our country.

Let’s change our world today.

area they brought law, justice, culture and science to the region and helped them develop with the building of roads and aqueducts that helped bring clean water to people. Also, the Romans were very tolerant of other people and were more than willing to let them carry out their religious beliefs so long as they paid their taxes and supported the government.

Then we have to ask ourselves, What if the Romans never controlled Western

Europe? How would life be different today? First, what if Europe had been in the dark ages all this time? Would it be very similar perhaps to third world nations today, or maybe even worse?

Another argument would be the peace of Rome, which was a time when there was a period of great peace and prosperity brought about by the conquests of the empire by preventing war with the use of force.

Empires: Good or Bad?

By Ian Ziller History Major

I

n the modern Western world we have been brought up to believe that the idea of having an empire or dictatorship is bad and tyrannical, but what if that is not the case?

Let’s wait for a minute and think about it and go back to the dawn of

western civilization: The Roman Empire, which lasted for around 1000 years and has been said to be the blocks of what Western civilization is based on. Roman culture is the basis for Western culture; however, it was also an empire. So yes, it was a dictatorship with the rule of an emperor who held power through the use of military force. But we have to go back and think for a second of what Rome brought.

When the Romans conquered an

THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

7

Seeing The Unseen AN ASTEP PHOTO SERIES

By Olivia Lilli Bean

Words from the artist: Balance to me is when dark and light touch to create something perfect, whether it be the tiniest grain of sand or the quill of a feather.

WORKSHOPS IN STUDYING HERE

WISH are walk-in workshops on college study and success skills. These are free to all SMCC Students.

Come to a variety of workshops and receive help with: • TIME MANAGEMENT • PROCRASTINATION • EFFECTIVE READING • NOTE TAKING • TEST TAKING • STUDY SKILLS All workshops are held in the Library’s study area (formerly The Writing Center ) located in the CAMPUS CENTER in the South Portland SMCC Campus Learning Commons, 2nd Floor

HOURS: 12:30-1:00

October 13 - 15 TEST TAKING STUDY SKILLS For more information: MY SMCC<My Maine Guide<My Learning<Tutoring Can’t make it to an in-person workshop? WISH video tutorials are on BLACKBOARD in “WISH-My Study Skills Class”

Ryan Seymour, 9, performs his hula hoop and violin act for crowds at the First Friday Artwalk

Photograph By Ken Reddinger

Artist Highlights of First Friday THE PEOPLE WHO BREATHE LIFE INTO THE CITY OF ART Tegan Bradley Liberal Studies

W

alk down Congress Street on the first of any Friday of the month and you will be greeted by droves of people crowding down the narrow city sidewalks to support amazing local artists. And yet, people rarely take this opportunity to connect with the vibrant characters the art walk attracts.

One such character is Ryan Seymour, a nine year old violin paying hula hoopist.

“He loves to perform,” commented his mother as she stood beside her talented son.

They come out on the streets of Portland together as an outlet for the creative passion Ryan hopes will one day become a part of his career. He mentioned that he wanted to be a performer, and to help him gain more skills, Ryan attends circus camp. The earnings he gets from his side performances go to help support the cost of the circus camp. So next time you’re out and about on First Friday, you might just have the

8 THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

opportunity to help support this budding artist.

Another artist, Aaron Canfijn, is fairly new to displaying his paintings in public, mainly due to how personal they are because, in fact, Aaron paints his dreams.

This may seem boring to some considering that many artists adapt components of their dreams into their work. But ask yourself, have you ever heard of someone having a boring dream? No. If you answered yes to that, good for you. But every dream is unique, as is every story behind it.

Aaron went on to explain some elements represented in his paintings, the most prominent one being the clash of cultures: East meets West. His multicultural heritage has a deep impact on his daily life, causing it to seep past his conscious self into his unconscious thoughts. Many Eastern images and symbols are shown at odds with Western norms, such as yin and yang presented next to a KFC menu item, the Double Down. This particular painting had a well-balanced combination of beauty and comedy.

Another recurring theme is a white

rabbit. Aaron made no mention of Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice in Wonderland, but it does seem both have a connection of the white rabbit’s duality in the dream world: how it can guide you through its bizarre twist and turns, but in itself leaving you with unanswered questions.

Aaron also mentioned that all of the paintings are unfinished, because the dreams never get a chance to end. “I just like dreams,” he said. “They’re not finished, because they’ll always keep speaking to you.” And a lot of the time he feels dreams are better left a mystery, because putting something so fluid and interpretable into concrete can cause problems in a person’s life.

Both of these artists were amazingly fun to get to know. And every artist that attends First Friday should have the opportunity to share their stories. So get out there! Go have fun, buy things that will mean something to you forever, from artists who will never cease to be spectacular.

Support them and get to know them.

There’s an inspiring story waiting to be told behind every work of art.

Shippin’ off to Boston!

FANEUIL HALL, FIRE AND ICE DON’T DISAPPOINT

By Dierdree Glassford

W

hether you are heading down with a class trip, or just adventuring for the weekend, Boston is a city that is near and dear to many hearts.

As a Massachusetts native, my childhood was filled with so many different aspects of the world, with friends from every part of the world that made up the local neighborhood. One day we would be hanging out in Puerto Rico, eating Sofrito and black beans, kisses and hugs a plenty.

The next we would find ourselves in Vietnam, eating fresh steamed dumplings, rice noodles, and mangos. Every day was an adventure, and whenever I am missing my childhood, I know right where to head back to - my home away from home, Boston.

Now, if you are there for a day of activity, planning on heading to the

Poetic License CRANKED

By Dierdree Glassford It’s twisting the reality of fact and turning it into fiction It’s clutching at the seams of time, unraveling the pattern, ferociously awaiting its next victim It’s destroying dreams, pulling them apart piece by piece, with disregard to manners and etiquette It’s lethal, a parasite leeching off its host, licking its lips awaiting its next meal It’s seething, rushing after you, creating withdrawals, crisis, breaking away the earth you stand on It’s never going to let go of its hold, your fear and desperate cries, it muffles in its clawed hands, as it brings you down, deeper and deeper, till there is nothing recognizable about who you once were It’s unrelenting, and near impossible to beat, your heart is withering, your mind is weak It’s the end, to all those childhood wishes, each one burns to ash, as you take in one more hit.

NEW WORLD

By Megan Prevost Darkness surrounds those in danger No will to move forward No hand to help you up Confusion only staggers upwards, while you are dragged down They say it’s a place of hope Yet I feel nothing but broke

aquarium or the Museum of Fine Arts or the Science Museum, you are bound to gain a hefty appetite, rushing to catch the T just in time for that game at the Garden. For a quick meal, and for plenty of options, this Boston native would recommend grabbing lunch at the historical Faneuil Hall.

Originally a marketplace and meeting hall where the Declaration of Independence was first read, and located on the Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall stands today as one of the BEST places in Boston to grab a bite to eat and get in a bit of shopping while you are at it. From Greek to Italy, Thailand to classic New England, they have everything you could ask for and more.

This Bostonian has a classic favorite that she never seems to veer from. Every time I

go, since I was a kid, I get the classic New England clam chowda bread bowl. It is messy in all the best ways, and it fills me up and gets me fueled up for the rest of the day.

Usually, when visiting Boston, we start off at the beginning of the day and go until around 6pm or so. By then we are so exhausted we just want to get back to our own beds. Dinner is a grab-and-go affair, so as far as dinner places in Boston I was formerly ill informed. Not anymore! After a brutal day of paintballing, where we went all day and I was ready to die in a puddle of exhaustion, I joined one of my closest friends and her bachelorette party, dolled ourselves up, and headed to the hip and exciting Fire and Ice restaurant.

Whenever I am missing my childhood, I know right where to head back to - my home away from home, Boston.

Whether celebrating the last days as a single lady, or a birthday (there were many of those that night), or even just a night out with a loved one, Fire and Ice is an eclectic and vibrant place to eat. A culinary dream, any person interested in creating with food will die and go to heaven when they see what is available at the buffet of items in front of them. An all-you-can eat buffet, Fire and Ice has a round hibachi grill and a team of skilled and entertaining chefs, ready to cook up whatever you put in your bowl! Prep areas surround the restaurant, with many different options to choose from, including sauces, that you pick and choose. Just stand by your bowl around the grill, wait your turn, and enjoy as the chefs wow and cook up your culinary delights!

A must hit for all ages! Located on 205 Berkley Street in Boston, with plenty of parking right across the street, I will definitely be returning soon!

THE

ON THE

By Christopher Wilkes Communications & New Media Major TAKE A BREAK FROM STUDYING AND GO HAVE SOME FUN! CHECK OUT THESE LISTINGS OF UPCOMING PORTLAND GIGS.

Wednesday, October 14th at Blue | Irish Music Night | 7:30pm | Cost: Suggested Donation | portcityblue.com

Thursday, October 15th at Portland City Music Hall | Kung Fu with Mister F| 8pm | $12adv, $15 dos | portcitymusichall.com

Friday, October 16th at Portland House of Music | Battery Steele | 8pm | Cost: N/A | portlandhouseofmusic. com

Saturday, October 17th at Empire | Wild Adriatic with Let’s Be Leonard & The Box Tiger | 10pm | $8 | portlandempire.com

THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

9

The Rocket is Fired Up (Continued from Page 1)

Business Club The SMCC

do? What will it be used for?

The Rocket is an in-vessel composting system. This means that it is totally enclosed to help eliminate rodent and bird issues, as well as eliminate odors when it is operating properly. The Rocket will

ALL are welcome!

Meetings: Thursdays, 12:30pm to 1:15pm Place: 1st Floor Hague (Business Club Lounge)

10 THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

be used initially for food waste from the Culinary Arts program and McKernan Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many events. I am also planning to put compost collection buckets in many of the buildings on campus for SMCC staff and students to dispose of their food waste.

Eventually we hope to get the Dining Hall and Seawolves CafĂŠ looped into the process.

last year.

Did it take long to install?

The installation process was not long; however, the decision making process as to where it would be installed as well as the logistics of setting up the process for collecting the food waste has been a long, ongoing process.

Does it have a long life span?

Being constructed of stainless steel, it should last for many decades.

When will see its effects in action? How long does it take to produce compost?

We fired up The Rocket on Friday [September 25] with the initial process. This required 29 gallons of food waste (thank you Culinary Arts), 20 gallons of wood chips, and 20 gallons of active compost to introduce the microorganisms to kickstart the compost process. We should have compost coming out in 14 days. Initially we may have to return this to the composter as it may not be completely processed the first time. It normally requires 4-6 weeks for the composter to get a healthy thermophilic microorganism population established. Once this stage is complete, the compost Photograph By Garrick Hoffman will need to sit for 3 weeks to reestablish the mesophilic The compost will be used on many of the (ambient temperature) microorganisms. landscaped beds around the Horticulture Will it be effective in the winter?

Building, the Spring Point Arboretum,

It being a thermophilic process, the campus, and once we get it going at full internal temperatures will reach 150 capacity, the Community Gardens behind degrees so it is just as effective in the Culinary Arts. winter.

How does it work?

How will The Rocket benefit SMCC,

The Rocket is a thermophilic - or an the students, the future, and the active - composting system. It is a 14-day environment? (In other words, why do process to get fully processed compost. A we now have it?) thermophilic compost system is an aerated

One of the main benefits is reducing system that uses aerobic (in presence of our carbon footprint and practicing oxygen) microorganisms to convert the sustainability by keeping the food waste food waste down to an unrecognizable on campus and repurposing the by-product material (compost). These aerobic of it to beautify campus. The other benefit microorganisms are why a thermophilic is to reduce operating costs as we will composting process does not have the no longer be paying to have the waste offensive odors of an anaerobic process. removed from campus.

Anaerobic microorganisms release odorous [Other benefits include] better quality sulfur and ammonia compounds. plants in the landscape and less weeds to How did the idea for it come about? distract from the landscape. Students in our

Cheryl Rich, the Horticulture program will benefit as we will incorporate Department Chair, and I had been why composting is important, [and it will] discussing the possibility of getting a help them understand the process. My composting system on campus for a few hope is that all students will begin to see years. We use compost for topdressing the results of composting and develop a our gardens in front of the Horticulture deeper appreciation for making and using building to help reduce weeds and to compost in their gardens and landscapes. improve our soil quality. We have been --buying it from an outside source and we Mr. Palm will be holding a number of felt that we would generate enough food educational meetings on The Rocket over waste as well as leaves and yard waste to the next few weeks. He says that if anyone supply a good share of what we require. is interested in having a compost collection

Also, while talking to Geoffrey bucket(s) in their building to let him know Boardman, Department Chair of Culinary so he can determine how many buckets you Arts, he mentioned that part of the need. For more information contact The Accreditation process for their program Beacon at mbeacon@smccme.edu was sustainable practices which involved composting their food waste. I felt it was time to move forward, so we put the composter on for a Perkins Grant purchase

Gone But Not Forgotten 3 SPORTS LEGENDS DEPART WITH NO ONE TO TAKE THEIR PLACE

By The Beacon Sports Staff

S

eptember has been a cruel month considering who from the sporting world has departed this orbiting arena of sports. Within a span of 9 days the worlds of basketball and baseball saw two of their greats depart, and whose personalities and prowess on the court or field will never be replaced.

On September 13th Moses Malone passed away quietly in his sleep at the age of 60. Moses’s professional basketball career started when the Utah Stars of the old ABA drafted the future All-Star and MVP center out of high school at the prime age of 19. It did not take long for Moses to make his presence felt under the boards and throughout the league.

For 21 years Moses battled it out with the best centers in the ABA and NBA. Depending upon how you spin the statistics, Moses Malone either ranks 5th (counting NBA rebounds only) or 3rd (if ABA rebounds are included) as the all time leading rebounder. The “Chairman of the Board,” as Moses was known as, does own the record for most offensive rebounds at 7,382.

Moses’s only NBA championship came in 1983 when the 76ers swept the Lakers.

Prior to the playoffs Moses uttered one of the most memorable predictions in his southern drawl, “fo-fo-fo.”

The 76ers would lose one game in route to the NBA title to the Milwaukie Bucks in the Eastern Finals while sweeping the Knicks in the first round and of course sending the dreaded Lakers back to Los Angeles with out anything to hang their hat on.

Moses played for 8 different teams in the both the ABA and NBA over his 20year career, playing against and with such centers as: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Robert Parrish, Bill Cartwright, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwan.

While Moses Malone was a prolific journeyman of sorts who was short with words, Yogi Berra could be viewed as a prolific hitter who played for one team from the beginning of his professional career to

his retirement and was graced with flare for speaking Yogi-isms.

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” is one of the countless Yogiisms that will surely pass the test of time.

Then there are these mind twisting quips: “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there,” and “If I didn’t make it in baseball, I won’t have made it workin’. I didn’t like to work.”

Baseball might not have been work for Yogi Berra considering the cast of characters he played with. While Yogi was a character himself, a character that was feared at the plate because of his uncanny ability to hit pitches outside of the strike zone, he caught one of the games more colorful pitchers in Lefty Gomez.

Still Kicking

(Continued from Page 12)

Seawolves’ veteran pitcher Nate Boyle ended up the winning pitcher in both games, winning the first game as a relief pitcher who entered as relief in the 11th inning, and as the starting pitcher in game two.

SMCC pitchers: Brandon Wambolt, Ben Johnson and Amos Herrin pitched the first ten innings giving up five runs, while Cosmos Romano led the offense going 4-6 with a double and three RBIs. Joe Apon and Shawn Murphy went 3-5 and 3-6 respectfully, both hitting doubles, as Shawn’s double drove in two runs.

In game two, The Seawolve offensive was driven by Cam Bochu who smacked a two run homer in the first inning setting the stage for a 3-4 plate appearance. Sean Adams and Edgar Montan both collected two hits and an RBI, while Montan also scored a run. Kyle Parmley pitched the seventh inning throwing a scoreless inning securing the win and a sweep of the Lynx.

Both teams next traveled back to Concord, New Hampshire on October 3rd to participate in the YSCC Fall Tournament. The Lady Wolves would fall in their opening game to the College of St. Joe’s (VT) 1-9, while the baseball team won their first game against University of New Hampshire’s club team 3-1 while

One of this sports writer’s favorite stories about Yogi and Lefty takes place during a World Series. Yogi gives Lefty a sign and Lefty shrugs it off, another sign and again Lefty shrugs it off, a third sign that is shrugged off which forces Yogi to trot out to the mound.

Yogi asks Lefty, “I just gave you three perfectly good signs, what’s the problem with them?” Lefty responses, “Remember that trade we were talking about? The hunting dog for the gun, I think we need to rethink it.”

There’s no rethinking about Yogi Berra and Moses Malone, regardless of whether you love or hate the Yankees, whether you think the 76ers are an ill run franchise, these two athletes brought a certain grace to their sports that will pass the test of time.

losing the championship game 1-4 to St. Joe’s.

The Lady Wolves found themselves in a nine run hole before plating their only run in the fifth inning. Samantha Rioux’s base hit lead to the only run by the lady’s squad as she stole second base, and then grabbed third on a wild throw by the Saints. Aime Worcester collected the only Wolves RBI when she batted Rioux in.

The Lady Seawolves ended their fall season with a 2-7 record and will not play again until April 14th.

The Men Wolves entered the championship game against St. Joes on the heels of another Nate Boyle pitching gem.

Boyle pitched a complete game against The UNH club team allowing 4 hits and fanning six batters.

Offensively the Seawolves got on the board first, in the first when UNH misplayed a ground ball by Kyle Reichert scoring Edgar Montan. The Wildcats evened the score in the second with stayed equal until the fourth when the Seawolves took a 2-1 lead after Shawn Murphy was hit by a pitch, replaced by pich-runner Daniel Kane who stole second, moved to third on a fielder’s choice and finished his ¾ trip around the bases when he scored on a wild pitch.

SMCC would plate their third run in the sixth inning when pinch

runner Morales scored on a Joe Apon ground out sending the Seawolves to the championship game against St. Joe’s.

The SMCC squad found themselves in a two run hole after the Saints scored in the first and fourth. Seawolves pitcher Amos Herrin kept the Wolves in the game retiring the Saints batters in order in the second and third innings.

Cam Brochu’s scored in the sixth inning after tripling and touching home plate on a Kyle Reichert ground out which totaled the SMCC offensive output.

Seawolves catcher Caleb Chambers was recognized for his defensive play behind the plate over the course of both games.

Three days later the Men Wolves would close out their home season taking to the diamond against Bridgton Academy.

The Wolves plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the second and would eventually fall the Bridgton 1-2 after a shaky fifth inning in which Bridgton scored both of their runs.

The Men Seawolves finish their fall season in a double-header against Dean College on the 12th. With a split the Seawolves would secure a winning record for the fall season as they now stand at 6-5-1 overall.

Upcoming Events MEN’S SOCCER 10/14 St Joe’s 3pm 10/17 YSCC Play-in game @ NHTI

Women: Cepeg Champlain St. Lawerence 2:00 Men: Saint Thomas University 3:30 10/25

WOMEN’S SOCCER10/13 CMCC 4:30 10/17 YSCC Play-in game @ NHTI

10/24

BASKETBALL Can Am Tournament at Central Maine Community College

Women: UNB Saint John 10:00 Men: UNB Saint John 11:30

THE SMCC BEACON | October 13th | 2015

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Soccer Remains Alive and Kicking While… ...the Diamonds Become Quieter Beacon Sports Staff

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s the fall season extends into Indian summer, the action on the diamonds heads into the bottom of the ninth with the softball team taking to the diamond, finishing their season against St Joe’s on Oct 3rd. The Men Seawolves hang up the spikes on Oct 12th when they play Dean College.

On the pitch the Women and Men teams have remained solidly above the 500 winning percentage level with the Men Wolves achieving a 6-5-1 record overall, while the Lady Wolves sport a near perfect record at 7-1-1.

This past Saturday the soccer teams took to the pitch against Unity College and walked off of the field winning both games, 3-2 for the ladies and 3-0 for the men’s games.

In the Lady’s game Sarah Clough scored twice for the Seawolves as her first goal came with little more than a minute into the game. She would find the back of the net again with less than 9 minutes left in the game. The two goals for Sarah doubled her total goals for the season from two to four.

Kym Hendrix rounded out the scoring for the Lady Wolves when she ruffled the netting at the 76:45 mark. Kym’s goal lifted her season total to 9. In goal Katie Rhodes faced 6 shots on goal saving two

as two found the back of the net for Unity.

Previous to playing Unity the Lady Seawolves took to the pitch to play University of Maine-Machias and after 110 minutes of play drew even with the Clippers.

The Clippers jumped ahead early in the game, netting the ball at the 1:04 mark, adding another goal 23 minutes later, which resulted in a 2-0 lead at the break.

The second half of play saw the Seawolves even the score when Kym Hendrix scored on two break aways.

Kym’s first goal came at the 46:58 mark and the second was recorded at the 83:50 mark.

Two overtime periods stayed even as fatigue and inclement weather took their toll one both teams.

The men’s squad held Unity College scoreless as SMCC goalie Drew Martin repelled all 5 shots that Unity placed on goal. The scoring for SMCC was spaced almost evenly throughout the first half as Steve Rwendeye gave the Wolves a 1-0 lead at the 10:30 mark.

Ten minutes and 29 seconds later Sean Jackson padded SMCC’s lead to 2-0 and a little less than 9 minutes later Bronson Kieltyke rounded out the men’s offensive efforts scoring the third goal for SMCC.

Ten days prior to the Unity match SMCC traveled to Machias to play the Clippers. After 52 minutes of play the

y h t l a e H y a St d e m r & info Kolin Wyman and Adam Finik try to control the ball in the closing minutes of the second half

Thursday, October 15th

Wolves held a 2-0 lead as Sean Jackson scored at the 23:16 mark on a penalty kick and again at the 52:20 mark. Fifteen minutes later the bottom started to fall out for the Wolves.

Everett Senetar opened up the Clipper’s comeback when the ball rippled the netting at the 67:03 mark. Within the span of the next seven minutes Jairo Ulises-Castill scored twice to give the Clipper’s an impressive come from behind victory.

This past Wednesday the Men Seawolves held Central Maine Community College scoreless as they managed a hard fought 1-0 win. Again it was a penalty kick that helped to secure a Seawolve victory as Brandon Ford scorched the kick into the upper left hand corner of the net. In goal Drew Martin turned away six shots on goal keeping the Mustangs off of the board.

In Sunday’s action the Lady Wolves walked away with a 4-0 win over University of Maine-Presque Isle. Kym Hendrix opened the scoring for the Wolves when she scored at the 44:18 mark. Five minutes into the second half Sarah Clough padded the Seawolves lead when she got into the scorers book at the 49:09.

Thirty minutes later it was Zarah Giustra scoring her eighth and ninth goals of the season.

On the men’s pitch, the University Maine Presque Isle blanked the Seawolves 0-3, as the Seawolves were never able to sneak past the Owl’s defense.

The Seawolves soccer seasons are far from over as the women play Central Maine Community College on the 13th and the men play St Joe’s on the 14th.

YSCC post season play starts for both teams, as they will play a play-in game for the Final Four on the 24th.

The Lady Seawolves softball team ended their fall season with an overall record of 2-7 with their wins coming against CMCC. On September 27th the Lady Seawolves traveled to New Hampshire Technical Institute to play the Lady Lynx in a double header.

The Lady Seawolves struggled at the plate collecting a handful of hits throughout both games, which kept them from mounting any offensive threat. In the first game Erica Brochu and Jennifer Genthner were the only Wolves to get on base with a hit. The Lady Lynx scored once in the first, twice in the second and five times in the fourth plating 8 runs and shortening the seven inning game to 5.

In game two, the Lady Wolves faced YSCC Tournament MVP, Tori LeMay who fanned 12 of the 18 Lady Wolves she faced. The Lady Wolves would collect more hits in game two however they would fall 0-10 in another five inning game as the NHTI batters made life for All-American Tori Lemay easier.

While the Lady Wolves were struggling against the Lynx, The Men Wolves were battling it out and grabbing two, one run wins over the Men Lynx.

Zyrah Giustra breaks free from UMPI defenders and scores her first of two goals