The SMCC Beacon 10-7-2014

The

OCTOBER 7, 2014

F O R

VOLUME 12 ¤ ISSUE 3

T H E

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Ins ide Other World

Pages 2-3

A Refugee Again: Iraq from the Inside

Arts & Features Pages 4-5

A Walk Among the Tombstones

Op & Ed Pages 6-7

Abortion vs. Murder

Campus News

S T U D E N T S ,

For the Welfare of This College: A Call to Action!

Make your Voices Heard in the Student Senate

IN

any thriving community, collaboration of the many takes place. Citizens who care will come together and make decisions towards the betterment of their society. When the community is too large for everyone to join in on the decision making, they often choose/elect someone to represent their opinions for them.

The participation of the citizen does not end there however; they must continuously keep informed of the choices that are being

Pages 8-10

Vote, Vote,

Vote!!

Sports

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a say in what is talked about in these made on their behalf. The Citizens senate meetings. To be a thriving must also ensure that their collective of student citizens, we too representative is communicating take the needs of the “Democracy is based upon should advantage general public. our right They do so by the conviction that there are of to make consistently connecting extraordinary possibilities in decisions!

For with their some of you representatives ordinary people.” this is your and voicing their semesdesires.

— Harry Emerson Fosdick first ter, and

SMCC may for others, maybe you still aren’t all be a commuter school, but we are also that aware of what the Student Senate a “community” college. Therefor we should operate no differently than any does. This is understandable due to the fact that the Student Senate isn’t yet as other community. We already have a big a presence on campus as it should senate in place, the Student Senate, be. So please, take a second and learn and we also have speakers in the a little about the Student Senate, it is senate to repredescribed below by CeSIL. sent us. In fact, Student Senate is the student govsome of us put ernment of Southern Maine Commuthese people in their senate nity College.

It is the mission of the Student seats. Just like Senate to provide responsive and efthe rest of socifective leadership for the student body, ety in the free world, we to promote the general welfare and the engagement of students in the life of have the college and the community, and to preserve a representative form of government. Student Senate is open to all students, advocates for the rights and concerns of students and supports and promotes the free exchange of ideas.

The Student Senate is involved in the following: • Making decisions and implementing ideas regarding college policy and student life.

• Managing a large portion of the money collected from the Student Activity Fee which are used to fund student organizations and student activities.

• Overseeing clubs and other student organizations.

• Planing and running activities for the student body.

• Advocating for the student body students regarding issues that are of concern to them.

PHOTOS BY KENNETH REDDINGER

Pages 11-12 A Great Day for Walter Payton

The Mid-Coast Campus Notebook

A JIM WHITTEN RIDING THE MECHANICAL BULL

few weeks ago the Midcoast Campus held it’s aptly named “Welcome (Back) Barbecue”. I say that the event was appropriately titled because there were of course the familiar faces of semesters passed, as well as an encouraging number of new and interested faces joining the Midcoast Campus festivities. There was the traditional draw of any college event: food; but additionally, at the center of the excitement, laughter,

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and interaction, was a mechanical bull.

As if good food and conversation was not enough, the mechanical bull provided an interesting and unexpected ice-breaker for new students looking to get involved. Once the initial nervousness and reluctance of the crowd had passed, it seemed that the majority of students in attendance tried the thrashing machine at least once; and to the surprise of both students and staff alike, even the Dean of the Midcoast Campus, Mr. Jim Whitten had a turn on the aggressive centerpiece.

In the midst of all the comings and goings, there was a prominent feature to the event: fun. It was most certainly an excellent way to break the tension and anticipation of a new semester, a ¤

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new college career, and new peers. The event demonstrated to new students, and solidified to returning ones, that the Midcoast Campus, small as it may be, has a very real, very large potential for fun, interaction, and achievement.

It was refreshing from my perspective (a returning second-year student) to see, even with all of the changes and growth experienced here in Brunswick, that there was still a communal feeling of fun. After all, school is not simply about attending classes and receiving grades, it is about far more. College for me, and many other students here on the Midcoast Campus has become about community, about contributing something fun, vibrant, and successful

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This is only my second semester here at SMCC and it is already evident to me that the Student Senate is sadly one of the most underutilized resources on campus. Please don’t take this valuable asset for granted; own it! It is our right and great calling as students to speak our opinion of what we want to see done for the student body. Our college entreats you to share your ideas, concerns, and solutions for this school. Do it for you, but what’s more, do it for the benefit of our community.

By Erik Squire

Your representative wholeheartedly Please contact us, your Student Body Government. You can reach me, your Student Body Rep, at: eriktsquire@.smccme. edu, or for more information regarding the Student Senate, contact Student Senate Advisor, Shane Long, by visiting him at the CeSIL office or by E-mail: slong@smccme.edu.-CeSIL

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Page 2 ¤ October 7, 2014

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That’s Awkward

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, I have 130,000 miles on my truck. I drive everywhere!

Going to school or to a friend’s house, I always have my truck. My truck is comfortable to me. So comfortable in fact, that it is the only place besides the shower where I can sing and dance obnoxiously and not be judged. Whether it’s Taylor Swift or Katy Perry, I’m going to be obnoxiously singing and dancing.

Pulling up for a stoplight I always feel like no one can see me, but in reality, everyone can see me, which can be an awkward situation. It’s absolutely

so weird when you are totally into the song and just dancing your heart out, having your own little party at a stop light and with one glance you unexpectedly…make eye contact with someone! It is at this point in which you automatically have one of three choices.

One, you could just stop all movement, just stop everything, act natural and watch the light. Now with this option, the person who saw you will automatically know they caught you acting like an idiot and you will be completely embarrassed.

A Refugee Again Iraq from the Inside

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he Beacon has featured many stories of student summer expeditions, and all of them have seemed to be trips of joyous fun, exciting adventures, and sometimes, of educational benefit. However, some of us weren’t so fortunate.

One such student is Ahmed Abbas, a refugee from Iraq who came to the United States five years ago with his immediate family in search of a better life. Last summer, he returned to his birthplace and discovered that a lot had changed since he left half a decade ago.

On May 13th 2014, Ahmed and his family travelled to Iraq and safely arrived there. Upon exiting the airport, they embarked on a half an hour journey to their relatives’ place in Karbala. What was expected to be a 30 minutes journey dragged on as they were held up at checkpoints, all ten of them, along the way.

Everyone was required to exit the vehicle while Iraqi soldiers did a thorough search of the transport and scrutinized their passports at every one of those checkpoints.

“There are some places in Iraq that you see people that look like soldiers at checkpoints but they’re not soldiers. They are terrorists. In those places, the, soldiers were killed and the terrorists took their clothes, vehicles, and weapons, and act like government soldiers… You won’t know until you die,” Ahmed whispered to me, as we sat across each other in the library during our interview. His

Art Director Graphic Design Photo Editor Illustrators

Tammy Huisingh Alex Brooks, Jennifer Lague Jennifer Lague, Lauren Michelle Alex Brooks

Section Editors

Erik Squire (Campus News) Maisarah Miskoon (The Other World) Garrick Hoffman (Op & Ed) Patrick Doyle (Arts & Features) Sam Coombs (Sports)

Contributing Writers

Alexander Bessey, Tayler Chretien Kelli Dolan, Lawrence Durant Rachel Flowers, Rebekah Marin Lauren Michelle, Nicholas Miller Ian Ziller

Photographers

Jack Haskell, Lauren Michelle Kenneth Reddinger

Jennifer Lague, Tammy Huisingh Chuck Ott

Web Masters in Training Adviser

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Option two is you could act as if you didn’t see them but slow your obnoxious self down and just causally sway as if you were just moving along with the beat. This option will leave the stranger to believe you are all completely normal and just having a good day.

Last option, which is definitely the best of them all: you could make it obvious that you did make eye contact with this person - and yes they did indeed see you dancing like a seizing sloth - but... you don’t care! You could just keep dancing and sing-

ing and directly aim the song to that person as if you’re singing to them.

Now, keep in mind if you do choose the last option, your results may vary.

This random stranger that caught you dancing will either laugh at you, and continue to look at the light, or they will start dancing and singing with you, which can indeed be funny. But if you’re not expecting that reaction from the stranger you can definitely find yourself thinking, “Wow That’s Awkward....”

By Rachel Flowers

eyes were wide as he emphasized the last sentence.

As the interview wore on, he relaxed a little and grew animated as we talked about his cousins and how much he appreciated the cool and dry Maine weather as opposed to the horridly humid and sweltering heat Iraqis endure. But his voice dipped again as he described the conditions his cousins were affected by like inconsistent electricity supply and work was scarce. According to Ahmed, his cousins who worked in construction, were working twelve hours a day and getting paid for less than USD$15 per day.

He alluded that worsening conditions in Iraq was largely due on the war ISIL (Islamic State of Levant) had unleashed in Syria and Iraq. The people were subjected to curfews and poverty was rampant. Policemen were not strong enforcers of the law and nobody felt safe to go out at night, fearing arrest or worse, getting killed.

“I did not and was not allowed to go to a lot of places that I had planned to go to, like Baghdad and Babylon… In Baghdad, where the U.S. embassy is, is closed now! None of the employees are allowed to leave… U.S. had sent troops to guard the compound,” he explained when I probed further about his extended family and their plans to seek refuge. Many Iraqi citizens faced the fate of holding it out, surviving one day at a time in Iraq as the war on terrorism continues.

It was not the summer vacation Ahmed had envisioned for himself and his family as he constantly fears for his life for two and a half months in a nightmare of a holiday that was shortened unexpectedly.

“We took a trip to Basra from Karbala, which was in Southern Iraq, to visit my other cousins. But when we wanted to return to Karbala, we were not allowed to due to the fighting that had broken out between the government soldiers and rebel groups… We were thinking that if the fighting in Karbala worsened, we would go to Kuwait from Basra, and then from Kuwait, back home to the States. But due to the worsening conditions, the border between Iraq and Kuwait was closed... We were terrified. But as soon as Karbala was “open” we quickly collect our bags, and changed our flights as soon as we could and two days later, we flew back home.”

Due to the escalation of fighting within Iraq, his family came back half a month earlier than planned, empty-handed yet safe and undeniably grateful to be able to continue with their lives in the United States. He could only hope and pray for the lives of his extended family back in Iraq as the whole world watches.

By Maisarah Miskoon

Find us online!

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My Euro-trip Prague – The City of A Hundred Spires

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ere it is, my third edition, revealing to you, my journeys through Europe. In the first two issues of the Beacon, I wrote of my sojourn in Spain and gallivanting in Germany. This edition is dedicated to the incredible Prague.

The trip to Prague started out a little rough, because the rideshare that I took got into a car accident halfway

there. After finding another rideshare at 12 in the morning, I was on my way again. We arrived in Prague at 5am, and I found my way to the youth hostel I had reserved the day before.

I slept for a few hours, intermittent with young women waking me up as they came in the dorm from parting all night. I was too excited to care if I was sleep deprived though, and so my amazing adventure began: sightseeing in Prague.

Prague is probably the most beautiful metropolitan I have ever been to.

The entire city is mind-blowingly historical, picturesque, and magnificently laid out with the Vltava River running through it. It is home to Prague Castle, Petrin Tower (similar to the Eiffel Tower), Charles Bridge, Prague astronomical clock, and of course the largest nightclub in Eastern Europe.

I decided to make my way up to Prague Castle first, it was on a mountainside. On my way, I stopped to have a cappuccino at the most phenomenal café in the world. From my seat outside the café I could see almost all of Prague below.

As I sat there pleasuring my eyes and indulging my taste buds, my ears were also elated by folk music being played by street musicians. When I finally did make it to the castle, I was very impressed with the intricacy of the architecture. It was quite incredible, and I wasn’t the only one who thought so, considering that every other person seemed to be taking their weeding photos there.

While in the area, I thought I’d check out the Petrin tower on the other side of the mountain. I made my way up the 300 odd steps to be rewarded with a breathtaking view. There Prague

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Has NO Place in Our Community Shining the Light on Domestic Violence:

Bridgton, Brunswick, and Portland Communities Supporting the Glowing Purple Project October is recognized nationally as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Family Crisis Services is partnering with local businesses for the Glowing Purple Project, a campaign to bring attention to domestic violence.

On Tuesday, October 21st, Family Crisis Services is holding the 3rd Annual Color ME Purple event throughout Cumberland County. Wear purple on the 21st and take a stand against domestic violence.

If you are being hurt by someone you love, or know someone who is, reach out for help.

Contact a trained advocate at:

1-866-834-4357 (24-hour hotline)

Contact your local outreach office in: Bridgton: 647-850 Brunswick: 721-0199 Portland: 874-8512

Family Crisis Services website: www.familycrisis.org

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sat below, the sun reflecting off of her river, and her buildings like artwork on a canvas.

Once down the mountain, I ran to see the John Lennon wall, a wall covered with ever changing graffiti artwork, inspired by Lennon. I then strolled over the famous Charles Bridge admiring its remarkableness. Just to the side of the bridge was Prague’s largest nightclub, and I decided to stop in and see the Ice Pub, which was a bar made entirely of (you guessed it) ice.

Towards the evening I made my way into the city center, with no particular plans, only to explore. In the very center, there were many street performers, and very talented ones at

that. I enjoyed a couple shows, including one crazy guy in a kilt performing obscene, yet oddly entertaining, acts.

That night, I met some other people from Australia in my hostel dorm.

We went out to a club and enjoyed the night out. As we made our way back to the hostel at 4am, we discovered a little playground along the way; for some reason we thought it’d be a good idea to ride the miniature carousel there. With that, I ended my adventure in Prague, peddling a children’s carousel around, with four other adults.

By Erik Squire

Choosing AntiVirus Software

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hoosing the right antivirus software can be a confusing and daunting issue, one that can make you want to “shelve” the idea until later. What can lead one to put off free or purchased software? The vast choices of products out there for software and what they actually do.

The choice of software always comes down to two questions. The first is whether one can afford the software, and secondly, if one wants to purchase the software. However waiting to install an antivirus program can have dire consequences. Those consequences could range from a system that is totally annihilated, to a system that has merely an annoying “prankster’s package.” Regardless, to wait can cause a user a great deal of grief, so it is best never to put off.

There are many antivirus programs for purchase to choose from.

There will always be the well, known and established McAfee Anti-Virus.

Then there are the other three major products of Kaspersky, Bit-Defender, and Norton. These “purchase products,” while very effective in protection from viruses and malware are a burden on a college student’s budget.

There is a vast field of free antivirus products out there and this field of free products, provides an acceptable level of protection from potential threats that exist.

The field of free antivirus products that provide an acceptable level of protection are Avira, avast!, AVG, and Bit-Defender (Free Version). These free antivirus software programs can potentially provide an acceptable level of protection to the college student. According to “PC Magazine” and their “The Best Antivirus 2014-04 Lab Results Chart,” it is Bit-Defender (Free Version) that has the potential to adequately protect the user from viruses and malware.

Bit-Defender (Free Version) is the best free product that the user can have for protection from viruses and malware. Bit-Defender (Free Version) is the antivirus software that I use on my computers.

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I have used other free antivirus software programs in the past, but they have never proven as reliable as Bit-Defender (Free Version). My experience with other free software has always proven to be cumbersome and awkward. I have also used name brand software that has had their own issues. Those issues were errors, false-positives, and not so “user friendly” interfaces. In this instance it is the simplicity of Bit-Defender (Free Version), and that is very beneficial for antivirus protection. This affective software has the reliability of the major brands, is free, and without the fancy bells and whistles.

I use Bit-Defender (Free Version), because of several factors. I use this software because of its discreet and low-profile performance as a program. Another factor that has me recommending Bit-Defender is its reliability to run in the background as an antivirus, that doesn’t require me to tell it what to do. However if I chose to set-up when this program runs, it is always as an option. Also I use Bit-Defender (Free Version), because of its simplicity. Because I use this antivirus software, I can say in my opinion that, this is the best free antivirus software as an option for protection.

A long term ambition I have after attaining my degree in Computer Technology is to work in web development. I enjoy all aspects of web development and problem solving that is involved with it. I especially enjoy the creativity and design layout that are critical to web development.

An online version of this article can be found at: http://www.ledurant.net/ article.html

By Lawrence Durant

CMPT235 Senior Seminar Computer Technology

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rts &Features

Under The Banner of Heaven: An Overview

Krakauer earned himself a Jonreputation in the wake of his success

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with his adventure-themed nonfiction novels Into The Wild and Into Thin Air, both published in the late ‘90s. In 2003, however, he decided to take a different route for his novel Under The Banner of Heaven, a book exploring Mormonism and its fundamentalist spawn.

The story traces the very short Mormon history, from the foundations of Mormonism, through its turbulence in the late 19th century, and all the way to the early 21st century. Juxtaposed to the whole story of the FLDS church (Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints) is the story of the Lafferty brothers, Dan and Ron, who after receiving a revelation from God went on to murder their younger brother Allen’s 24-year old wife and their infant daughter.

To offer a brief history, Mormonism began under the labors of Joseph Smith, the son a zealot mother. He initially practiced in necromancy and scrying in his late teens. Eventually, led by an angel named Moroni, he unearthed gold plates from a hill in Manchester, New York, where he lived. The plates purportedly contained scripture, which he transcribed into English with the help of his young wife Emma, who Joseph essentially forced into marriage, believing doing so was part of a divine prophecy. He achieved this by placing the plates in a hat, submerging his face into it, and tediously transmitting every word to Emma, who served as his scribe. Long story made short, these transcriptions were meticulously organized and eventually published into the renown Book of Mormon. A week after its publication, on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith officially established the Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The rest is history.

Many Mormons throughout history have condemned its fundamentalist doppelganger.

Mormon Fundamentalists embrace absolute adherence to their prophets, the virtue that God’s word vanquishes that of the laws of man - which include federal and state laws as well as the Constitution - and perhaps most importantly, polygamy, which is considered the quintessential divine tenet.

Also at the heart of Mormon Fundamentalism is the principle of procreation. Those who embrace this seek to have as many children as possible. Because of this, many Mormons have children in numbers ranging anywhere from ten to somewhere in the hundreds. You might ask how one financially sustains this many children. However, many of the Mormons, despite harboring fervent reproach for the government, nonetheless receive considerable government assistance for sustaining these lifestyles. They dub this “bleeding the beast.”

This type of fundamentalism, at a relationship level, is also incredibly bizarre and incestuous. Family members marry other family members in the name of polygamy, and many parents feel perfectly content with their 13-year-old daughters marrying men in their fifties or older. Girls have also been raped, abducted, and conditioned to be obedient and docile, their existences entirely resting not on individualism but on slavery to their husbands. Because these girls are indoctrinated at such a young age, rarely do they bat an eye at the reality around them, instead blindly submitting to the demands of their parents and prophets.

Some - if not most or all - Mormons in these communities are resolutely banished from reading any

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literature except for that of Mormonism. Massacres have been waged, such as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, in which Mormon Fundamentalists orchestrated and participated in the brutish, remorseless slaughter of 150 blameless men, women, and children.

The more vindictive Mormons, recognizing ostensible misdeeds committed

by Gentiles (or non-believers) as well as anyone who obstructs or opposes God’s purpose, seek “blood atonement” - the spilling of a sinner’s blood to atone for their sins. The Lafferty brothers fall into this category.

As if this isn’t enough, Mormon history consists of intense racism and homosexual bigotry. They essentially believed (and perhaps continue to) that blacks and homosexuals were utterly vile, inhuman creatures who serve as emissaries for Satan. In the 1970s, impassioned upheaval arose from the fundamentalists when the prophet at the time sought to allow

I

truthfully didn’t enjoy my job working the dinner shifts at a nameless restaurant when I was sixteen years old. My entire sleep cycle for the school year was ruined by those late nights, getting let out of work at 2am, then sleeping all day. On the bright side though, every Sunday night from 10pm until the wee hours of the morning, the local rock station would play a barrage of the greatest underground metal bands in the world, the show was “Metal Church.”

Why is this relevant? Because one night listening to the show, a band called Alestorm was featured. A pirate themed metal band of swashbucklers from Scotland who found that all they needed to be happy was some wenches, some rum, and some good metal music. I was instantly hooked, and have been a fan ever since.

Since then, a new album of theirs has arrived on the market, titled “Sunset On The Golden Age.” A marvelous rendition of mastered tracks that truly give me the sensation of freedom and serendipity, which is all the pirates truly wanted. It shows that music can be more than music; it can be an adventure, a spirit lifting full soul, and a

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mind and body engagement that leaves you with a sense of wonder.

The tracks orchestrate many instruments that many metal bands would not adopt, such as accordions, violins, flutes, and other instruments all recorded live to give the band an original feel that makes them stand out as true legends.

My favorite track off of the album “Drink” is as brutal as it is inspiring.

That is, if by inspiring, you mean wanting to pick up a pint and have a good time in a mosh pit. There are a few other tracks that stand out, including a Tao Cruz cover of “I’ve Got A Hangover.” Personally I prefer this version to the original. They’ve found a way to make a pop song that metal heads in general would likely despise into a hilarious head banging sensation.

I would definitely recommend this album to my friends, mostly because if you’re riding in the car with me, you’ll wind up listening to it one way or another. To all who pick it up, merry travels to you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Learning Commons

Workshops are in the Writing Center, located in the Campus Center, Learning Commons, 2nd Floor.

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By Garrick Hoffman

Alestorm Sunset on the Golden Age

October 6 - 9, 12:30 - 1:00

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blacks into the Church.

Traveling through the book, one might find themselves disgusted, infuriated, and entertained. Disgusted by the egregious treatment and objectivity of women (especially very young women) and infuriated by what fundamentalist Mormon zeal has perpetuated (and likely continues to). But some humor can be found in a number of things: the preposterousness that is rife in Mormonism, and Krakauer’s undisguised cynicism of both its origins as well as some of its members’ questionable beliefs.

DeLoy Bateman, a former Mormon Fundamentalist who apostatized himself from the Church, is quoted near the end of the book: “I think people within the religion...are much happier, on the whole, than people outside. But some things in life are more important than being happy. Like being free to think for yourself.”

For more information, visit:

smccme.libguides.com/writingcenter

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rts &Features

Liam Neeson Takes It to the Tombstones in His Newest Thriller

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’ve always thought that a picture says a thousand words, and a photo tells it’s own story, but some photographs can’t only speak for themselves. As a project for my photography class last year, I took a photo of two of my really close friends. Thinking nothing of it as more than a photograph I really liked, it wasn’t until months later that I believed there could be so much more to it.

I saw it in a new light, a new perspective, and what I found there was a poem. This poem is the result of a photograph of two wonderful people who search for more beyond the confines of everyday life

By Kelli Dolan

Discord and Din. Songs that evoke memories are always the sweetest, or most tragic sounding songs.

The first chord plays, the first lyric is sung and instantly a thousand feelings rush your veins.

Your heart matches the beat, and you want to be back in that place listening to this song…

Or you skip the song because everything is too surreal to relive this one moment that changed Everything you ever knew about music, about yourself, and about what you want a moment to be.

You let the melody elate or crush you, let it overcome you in an epiphany of euphoria or poignancy.

Either you choose to sing along with the joy written in imprinted smiles across your face, Or you remain silent, let the music do the talking for the things you are too afraid to remember.

Music can heal the soul. Or music can tear you into pieces that fall away as the last note falls into silence.

fter only googling the title of the film and reading the short synopsis I decided that going to see “A Walk Among the Tombstones” would add a little excitement to my Saturday night. I realized a little excitement was an understatement after watching a shootout and a woman crying out of what I could only peg to be fear and pain. Liam Neeson stars as former cop, and now private detective, Matt Scudder in this thriller.

I know what you’re thinking, it sounds an awful lot like another “Taken” film, but it was so much more than that. In this film Scudder is hired by a drug dealer to go after the men who killed his wife. The story developed into a complex network of the abductions of women that all had connections to drug dealers.

As Scudder begins to search for the men responsible for killing these women I couldn’t help but put myself in the shoes of those women.

The killers stalked women like prey until they were sure they could get away without being seen and for all but one victim, that was the beginning of the end of their lives.

Watching the women on screen struggle as they were mentally and physically abused was incredibly

heart wrenching and terrifying. Countless times I found myself gripping at my sides averting my eyes when certain scenes became a little too gruesome for my weak stomach to handle.

If you’re beginning to feel a little uneasy just reading this, hold on, it gets better I promise.

While attempting to track down more information about the killers Scudder finds himself befriending a young boy by the name of T.J. who he, somewhat reluctantly, takes under his wing.

As a young African American boy living on the streets he has a lot to learn from Scudder, and even more to fear, when he experiences a few close calls. Scudder and TJ’s relationship develops into a heartwarming father-son style relationship while Scudder is careful to keep TJ just distant enough to stay out of harms way.

Of course as in most of his movies, Neeson becomes the hero of the story, saving a drug dealer’s daughter from the killer’s before it’s too late and bestowing upon them the consequences they deserve. I’m not sure if it was Neeson’s role or the typical good guy/bad guy dynamics including tense phone calls and money drop-off’s that made this film predictable. But there was definitely something causing the element of surprise to diminish when characters found pieces of their loved one’s bodies scattered in ponds and trunks of cars. However overall it was an effectively gut wrenching, seat grabbing, heart racing-filled two hours of my life that left me practically speechless at the end.

By Rebekah Marin

Liberal Arts Major with a concentration in English

Stars on the Horizon She has her sights on the stars, The universe reflected in her irises, she dreams of bigger places, more possibilities, and endless hope.

It dances through her soul as strong and incandescent as the northern lights, emanating with the inspiration to escape the bonds that tie her to this world, to escape the throes of the future unknown.

She blinks but once, the stars still remain, and thus she relents, releasing herself to the expanse of the never-ending, she has her sights on the stars.

She has her eyes on the horizon, the sunset imprinted in her irises, she dreams of long distances, more opportunities and endless euphoria.

It sings in her heart louder and more resilient than the songbirds melody, surging with the desire to set free the emotion that roots her in unforgiving monotony, to set free the potential that will transform her.

She closes her eyes, yet the colors still remain, with that she succumbs, seduced by the timeless line that never stops, always just out of reach,

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GETTING IN THE WAY OF SUCCESS? Join the Anxiety Management Group in Howe Hall, hosted by the Counseling and Disability Services. These meetings are geared for students who may need help managing anxiety in order to achieve success.

Learn to balance your academic needs with any problems, or concerns that are standing in the way as to success. Try out new anxiety-management ideas each week and discuss how it went with the group the following week. Participants are required to discuss their experiences with the group and do work outside the group.

The group will meet through October 14

Every Tuesday from 3pm - 4pm To sign up, or for more information, contact: Penny Remick SMCC’s Counseling & Disability Services Coordinator counseling@smccME.edu or 741-5629

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A Pro-Life Crusade

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very Friday in Portland, a band of pro-life - or anti-abortion, if you choose that description - individuals gather to protest and to offer “sidewalk counseling” to incoming patients at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, located on Congress Street.

They protest the women’s choices in addition to the clinic’s practices.

In November 2013, a buffer zone was created at the height of complaints from the clinic and its patients that the protesters were being aggressive and harassing. In July of this year, however, the buffer zone was repealed in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling, which stated that the buffer zone was ultimately a violation of the First Amendment. This ruling re-enabled the protesters to have more freedom to carry on with their missions.

Anti-abortion arguments vary, but they weigh heavily on the basis that abortion is “murder.” Some protesters, encouraging the women to have their baby, remind the women that they could hold their baby and celebrate birthdays in the future. Ironically, one of the protesters admitted to having four abortions in her lifetime.

Some of the protesters brandish signs with dramatic pictures and messages, the latter of which declaring that “Christ died for your sins. You do not have to murder your baby.” Or, “You will never forget the day you murdered your baby.”

The Portland Police have not made any arrests or issued any summonses, but they have issued warnings. One warning was issued when one protester obstructed the entrance for an incoming patient. Another warning was issued when the hollers and shouts of the protesters were heard from inside

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the Planned Parenthood building, which is deemed a violation of Maine Civil Rights. It’s also been reported that protesters once went as far as noting a woman’s license plate information and subsequently calling the woman to harass her about her choice.

The protesters in question are on a pro-life crusade, sometimes quietly standing on the sidewalks, sometimes leveling merciless verbal attacks on women at a time when the women are enduring a throe of vulnerability and anguish. The nature of what these protesters do is not really dissimilar to the Westboro Baptist Church - they’re knowingly picketing at a location where human somberness lay. We can ask: are they offering counseling, or are they offering propaganda? Aren’t they really just offering their own self-interested rhetoric and ideologies, using biblical fodder as their ammunition to prevent the death of an unborn child and to proselytize women?

Further, is what the protesters doing fair? The women receiving an abortion surely consider every possibility before they come to their difficult decision, and what if they themselves aren’t religious like their pro-life counterparts so often - or perhaps invariably - are? Can’t we assume the women have calculated their decision with great depth prior to receiving the operation? Finally, what if the women in question don’t subscribe to the sanctity of human life? As George Carlin once implored, “Why is it that when it’s us it’s an abortion, but when it’s a chicken, it’s an omelette?”

What the protesters might not consider, too, is how they would react if someone protested in front of their respective churches, brandishing signs that proclaim, “Priests have molested children under the steeple!” Or, “Men,

If you’re an illustrator, keep reading. If you’re not, keep reading anyway.

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llustrators play a prominent role for The Beacon and other newspapers, and always have. From N.C. Wyeth to Norman Rockwell, newspaper illustrators in both the past and present have created noteworthy reputations for themselves. In fact, The Beacon has a superb history that boasts a multitude of skilled artists, and you could be a part of that history. If you delight in drawing, painting, or even graffiti (we won’t tell on you), consider contributing to your student newspaper. This could be in the form of column-related drawings, in which you would draw something that pertains to a writer’s article; it could be in the form of political cartoons; it could even be in the form of advertisement drawings. But the boundaries don’t end there; in contributing to The Beacon, you still have an artist’s freedom. Shoot an email to the address listed on the front page for inquiries!

Our newspaper is still working on speakers for its Beacon Speaks series. We have invited Beacon founder Benjamin Hilton to speak before the

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college, serving as the first guest to open the series if this event materializes. We’ll keep you updated on this one. There are a few other names being thrown around, all of which would be enough to spark some interest throughout the campus; maybe even more so than last semester’s Snoop Dogg news story.

And in speaking of guests on campus, The Beacon just conducted an interview with gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, the Independent in this year’s race, on Friday, the third of this month. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to subject you to a cliffhanger on this one. The full interview will be featured in the October 23 issue.

The Beacon meets every Tuesday night at 6:15 P.M. in the Captain’s House. It is open to everybody, even those who don’t seek to make any solidified commitments right away. Feel free to pop in if you’d like to find out what we’re all about!

By Garrick Hoffman

Op & Ed Section Editor

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women, and children have been murdered under God’s command!” Or perhaps, “Wars have been waged in the name of God!” What if someone stood in front of a church and halted every church-goer in their tracks to preach secularity? Would they feel harassed, impeded on, offended? And the Supreme Court’s decision empowers anyone to do so, but how often is this really seen?

Let’s keep in mind why the women reach the decision to terminate their unborn child. The women come from a plurality of backgrounds, with a plurality of affairs occurring. Some are students, some are very young, some are working low-income jobs, some are trying to build a fine credit score so they can afford commodities in their futures such as a house or car, and some are already waist-deep in debt. Some are working towards a prosperous life in which they can actually afford to raise a child.

There are even cases in which women are raped and impregnated as a result, which anyone with any sense of humanity would argue is grounds for abortion if the woman so chose. But out there in the world are people who bear similar ideals to, say, Rick Santorum, a Republican who ran for the 2012 presidential election. In an interview in 2012, Santorum admonished women in these situations to nevertheless give birth, saying it’s “not a matter of religious values,” then later saying, “accept...the gift of human life... accept what God has given to you.”

Given their respective circumstances, isn’t it fair to say that many of these women may not be in any position to be taking care of another human life besides their own, even with government assistance? How would women in such circumstances be affected if they chose to give birth? And women who

undergo the abortion procedure aren’t “anti-life,” as the protesters may or may not describe them. In fact, many of these women who receive abortions go on to give birth to children later in their lives.

It’s simply that these women often conceive a child at a time in which they are no place to bear or raise one.

Perhaps these protesters should consider a different approach. If they want to see change, if they want to see women abstain from terminating their child, they should consider why the women choose not to have children at the time. Instead of inappropriately and aggressively harassing women who are already in the midst of emotional wreckage, the protesters should consider allocating their energy elsewhere. They could instead be crusading for social amelioration such as, say, increasing the minimum wage, or for more accessible and improved healthcare for all - especially since tremendous scores of pregnant women with no access to healthcare miscarry due to malnutrition and poor health. If more people had the means for a prosperous, healthy life, perhaps some women would be more inclined to keep their children instead of walking through the doors of Planned Parenthood. And the protesters would then be less inclined to inhabit the Congress Street sidewalks.

Sure, some sexually active people are reckless and don’t take the correct preventive measures to eschew pregnancy. But ultimately, this matter comes down to choice, a choice that belongs to a woman who has the right to go about living her own life for the betterment of herself. It is her body, it is her choice.

Who has the right to infringe upon that?

By Garrick Hoffman

Pro-Active Advice ad•vice /ed’vis/

guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action.

Dear Rachel,

I went shopping with my boyfriend and I saw these boots I really wanted. Quick to say I was going to buy them, but my boyfriend started to say how I shouldn’t buy them because they were too expensive, and I will only wear them once. I really wanted these boots, but was definitely not in the mood to argue with him. So while he was shopping for himself I quickly grabbed the boots and proceeded to check out.

This is definitely hanging on my conscience. What should I do?

Dear Reader,

I believe that honesty is the best policy when it comes to relationships. Go tell him that you bought the boots because they meant a lot to you. In the end he will find out that you bought them and will start an argument. That being said you should show him that you value his opinion and wear the boots a few times. If you

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really liked the boots and were going to buy them for yourself then I believe you should have been able to buy the boots if that was what you really wanted, but the way you handled it was not the best way.

You should have told your boyfriend that you really liked them and were going to buy them for yourself versus waiting for him to leave to buy them. Promise him that you will wear them more than once.

When situations like this arise it may seem like your partner is being a jerk but there may be more to it than that. They may be trying to make you aware that you may buy shoes and only wear them once, but they don’t want to just come out and say it bluntly to avoid hurting your feelings. Next time take a second and think, “Is he right? Am I buying these on impulse?” If not, express your opinion to them and buy the shoes if it makes you happy.

By Rachel Flowers

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Is the US Still a Democracy?

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he United States is in a serious crisis, but it is not what you think it is. The crisis that the U.S. faces is a threat to our democracy. The question is whether the U.S. is a democracy or not. That has to be considered, and some would say that we are an oligarchy—a government run by the elite. The reason why the U.S. could be considered to be an oligarchy is that most government policy is made by the elite, that is, the rich and the powerful.

There are some who think that the U.S. is no longer a democracy, but an oligarchy. For example, a research study done by Princeton University professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University professor Benjamin Page concluded that we are not a democracy. The reason why is that most of the laws passed by Congress in recent decades have benefited the wealthy, and have been the ones the people with money have wanted to have passed.

The question of whether we are a democracy or an oligarchy is a tricky one. Is the U.S. still a democracy if the rich and powerful are the ones who overwhelmingly have the most political power? Because if that is the case, then laws that affect the majority of the people do not get passed because the wealthy do not want them to get passed. And the average person who is not a billionaire cannot influence the law-making process as much as someone who is wealthy can.

What can be done about the situation? The U.S. Senate voted to

debate amending the U.S. Constitution to overturn “Citizens United”, the Supreme Court ruling that allows for unlimited amounts of money in elections. The best way to solve this problem is to pass this amendment so that corporations and wealthy citizens will not have unlimited power to influence the laws that Congress makes. I do not think that we will really ever be at a place where wealth does not have some influence, but we can at the very least limit the extent of the power that wealth has over our elected officials.

By Ian Ziller

Out of the Darkness and…a Step Toward a Brighter Future uicide is something that many of us have some emotional reaction or connection to. A great many of us know someone who has taken their own life, someone who has attempted suicide, or someone who has spent time thinking about suicide. The consequences of such actions may seem self-evident, to me included; but upon attending a recent event aimed at the prevention and awareness of suicide, my eyes were opened to the subject in a particularly meaningful way.

Out of the Darkness is an organization with the goal of both preventing and raising awareness in regards to suicide. This past week, there was a suicide prevention walk in Bath to raise funds in donation to this noble cause. Prior to attending the Out of the Darkness walk, I thought I knew a great deal about suicide and it’s farreaching effects, but after participating in the walk I have realized a greater importance to protecting and educating one another regarding this particularly emotional topic. Suicide leaves tremendous holes in families and communities alike, indiscriminately presenting itself across all walks of life.

When I signed up for the walk as a member of the Midcoast Campus team I wasn’t sure what to expect, having never participated in such an event before, despite my long-time interest in the cause. When I arrived at the event, teams were assembling, raffle tickets were being sold, and volunteer t-shirts were being distributed. As more and more participants arrived I was

humbled by not only the large attendance, but by the way in which people

questions, but there is one answer that I learned the power of this past week: PHOTO COURTESY OF MIDCOAST CAMPUS

the answer to the call for help.

Lending our ears, our attention, and our efforts to the cause of suicide prevention and awareness can and will help the people and families struggling with the terrible sense of loss associated with it. As I found out, a walk to raise awareness, or a similar event, can make all the difference in showing others the importance, weight, and obligation we all have to prevent the loss of our family members, friends, and fellow human beings. Ending the existence of suicide is by no means something any of us can do alone, but with cooperation, dedication, and unity, we can work toward a future without the self-inflicted loss of those we love.

By Alexander Bessey

interacted: mingling and shared their sorrowful but sincere connections to suicide. There were t-shirts commemorating family and friends lost to suicide, memorial bracelets being sold for donations, and a great many people invested in preventing even one more loss.

All too often the suffering of others goes unknown and as a result unaddressed. I learned through my observation that the questions surrounding suicide often go unanswered. There is a tremendous amount of loss that occurs even after the initial loss of a loved one to suicide. Families and friends of suicide victims are forced to go on with so many unanswered

Voter Registration Comes To SMCC

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ecause of the organizational efforts of Saman Baghestani, pictured below with an unidentified SMCC student, all SMCC community members had the opportunity to cast their ballots on November 4th. For further details please read “Registering Voters, Enabling Voices” on page 8.

Take the first step!

Learning Commons Tip of the Week

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Baby steps, trial and error, practice. It’s not always glamorous, but it works! Take a step to improving your writing with Targeted Writing Workshops, brought to you by the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee and some of your favorite English instructors.

No reservations are necessary. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome!

All sessions are held in the Writing Center: Campus Center 2nd Floor, Learning Commons

Targeted Writing Workshops Blending Writing

Blending Source Materials withYour OwnWriting October 8, 12:30pm - 1:00pm Kate Woodbury

Formatting Research Citations and Quotations October 23, 11:00am - 11:30am Robert Vettese

Weekly Hours:

Mon-Thu: 8:00am-8:00pm Fri: 8:00am-5:00pm Sat: 12:00pm-4:00pm Sun: 4:00pm-8:00pm

Contact us at:

Learning@smccme.edu Tutoring: 741-5535 Library: 741-5521

PHOTO BY KENNETH REDDINGER

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Incredible Students and Excellent Teachers

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ey there SMCC, hope you’re all doing well with your studies and that you haven’t skipped too many classes. Anyway, thought you might like to hear about some students who probably never skip their classes (unless they’re going to national conventions to win awards), and they are SMCC’s Honors Society, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). I recently had the interesting experience selling bagels for them at their weekly Thurs morning bagel and coffee sale, in the Campus Center. It was a touching occasion, there was laughing, crying, and selling of bagels for a buck.

Okay, so maybe not the crying part, but there was a pregnant girl who gleefully had her friend feel her baby kick, and that was touching.

Anyhow, Alpha Chi Nu (ACN) is SMCC’s chapter of PTK (the international honors society for all twoyear colleges), and they’re open to all students with a 3.5 GPA or above, who have completed at least 12 credit hours.

They are required to do two service learning projects that better the college, and/or the greater community. Last year, you may have remembered them starting up the Captain’s Cupboard SMCC’s own student-run food pantry for individuals and/or their families.

This year, the officer team decided to divest the entire Maine Community College System (the governing body for all 7 of Maine’s community colleges) away from environmentally damaging investments, and instead invest with socially responsible policies. As ACN President, Jason Glynn, says, “Nearly every college in the MCCS is working on a sustainable energy initiative, we believe it’s time that they put their money where their mouth is.”

PTK’s officer team has been gathering signatures around our South Portland campus for a couple weeks now, and collected enough to pass a resolution in the Student Senate requesting that the President and Board of Trustees address the aforementioned issue. The next step will be a campus-wide referendum, allowing all students to vote on supporting this endeavor. The vote is anticipated to be online for a week - tentatively set for the first week of November. This is a big project, and its impact will affect all 7,000 of SMCC students, and thousands of other students around the state. Jason Glynn would also like students to get involved and says that: We are still gathering signatures to strengthen our voice, and our petition has now been sent out to all other community colleges in Maine. Since this is a large project, we are seeking your support - whether that is helping to spread the word, coordinate the referendum process, doing some research, or just your signature, we would appreciate any and all help in this endeavor. Climate change, exacerbated by the careless burning of fossil fuels, is scientifically proven and undeniably real, and now is the time to act.

Here at SMCC, we don’t only

have outstanding students; we also have some terrific teachers. Take for example, Marry Jo O’Connor, Education Program Coordinator. She teaches some of SMCC’s Education courses, and is also advisor to all students with a Liberal Studies Focus in Education.

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Before Mary Jo came to SMCC, she taught for 9 years and was the superintendent at the Portland Public School. Seven years later she began her career at SMCC, and it has been quite

eventful. When she first started here, there was one Education class that had been offered, this was due to lack of enrollment. Then, the President at the time asked her to write up curriculum for Intro to American Ed. However, she also felt very strongly that there should be a literacy component if they were going to offer a balanced preservice experience. And so she got the okay to write up a curriculum for Foundations of Literacy as well, not just for elementary teachers, but also for K-12.

Finally, two years ago she asked if she could write a curriculum for an Exceptionalities class, which is Special Education and working with the developmentally disabled. According to Mary Jo, every teacher in the U.S.

Registering Voters; Enabling Voices An interview with Saman Baghestani

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hy does registering youth voters matter? Maine has one of the lowest voter turnouts and registration numbers in the entire country for the youth bracket, 18-29. When students register to vote, that sends a signal to congress and our elected officials that our voice is loud. The louder our voice becomes, the more attention our concerns will get. Also, voting is important for the simple reason that it is our primary means to participate in democracy.

What was the turnout for SMCC’s voter registration drive? The turnout was better than expected! Most faculty and staff were already registered, and despite the thick wool blanket of apathy

Infinite Diversity “Infinite diversity in Infinite combinations...symbolize the elements that create truth and beauty.” ~Commander Spock

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hey say a picture is worth a thousand words; because behind every photograph there is a story. As I walked by a group of men of different ages and various ethnical backgrounds I was taken back by the beauty this picture created. It captured something unique something beautiful that has taken our world decades to accom-

has to take that class, so she thought, “why not take it here.” With that, SMCC now offers: Intro to American Education, Intro to Teaching, Teaching the Exceptional Learner, and Foundations of Literacy. Might I add, as one student to another, it is highly recommended that you take a class from her, as she is an incredible teacher. Oh, and if you do decide to take SMCC’s Education courses, you will be exceedingly qualified to become an Education Technician, even more so than someone with a four year degree and no Education classes.

If you’d like to get involved with PTK’s mission, please feel free to E-mail them at: mphithetakappa@smccme.edu, or check out their Facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/alpha.chi.nu

covering the eyes of so many students, we hit our goal of 100 registrations. We officially registered 142 students!

Is there a plan to host another one before Election Day? Perhaps. Depending on the amount of volunteer support I’m able to round up between now and the third week of October, we might have another big push around the week of Election Day. Let this be a call for volunteers: those interested in participating in this kind of activity, email samanbaghestani@smccme.edu.

Who was responsible for setting up SMCC’s voter registration drive? I led the entire effort at SMCC. I began by writing a plan, then making a survey of potential partners to work with. I began by reaching out to Shane Long, who proved, as he always does, to be a huge help. He brought in facilities to

help setup a nice space on the lawn in front of Howe Hall. He also made sure our tables would be ready to go, and he provided large signage and other things like pens and tape - the small but very crucial items without which success would not have happened. From there, Sodexo got involved by baking 200 cookies and individually wrapping them, topped off with a sticker saying “I registered to vote”. Thank you Jannifer and Sodexo for this awesome support! Finally, thank you to all the volunteers who helped person the table: Sineah McGrady, Emily Mockler, Emily Baker, Jason Glynn, Dierdree Glassford, Benjamin Bussierre, and the PTK Honors Society for holding their meeting at the registration table.

plish. Although, we as a society have come a long way there are still many individuals and cultures that judge a population by the color of our skin, the car we drive, or the makeup of one’s appearance. Throughout time we have separated ourselves through religion, culture, and economic status. To me this was a moment I wanted to capture and I was given the opportunity to do so.

My initial assumption was that they were all studying for a class; yet one should never assume. After I

snapped a few shots; we spoke about what it was they were studying and how they came together. Two of the men were students and two were not.

They had met through one another and found a common area of interest.

They were studying in a sense, but it was not for a class it was for the joy of learning. They were discussing the bible and I have to admit I was taken back for a moment, speechless. We talked for some time, we laughed we smiled and as I walked away I realized I gained an unexpected gift: a moment of clarity. When we take a chance, a risk we are more often than not rewarded for our courage; this is what fuels our fire giving us the momentum to do it all again.

As I stated earlier; I turned around for more than just a photograph I turned around for a story, or at least a piece of one. I thank all of these men: Glenn Petruzzi, Liam Rottkov, Ramen Scott, and Stepfan Jones for sharing with me a moment of their lives, for me this is priceless.

PHOTO BY LAUREN MICHELLE

By Erik Squire

By Lauren Michelle

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A Look into SMCC’s Early Childhood Education Showcasing One of our Remarkable Programs

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he Early Childhood Education Department began in 1992 when Terry Petnov, along with Maggie Fergard, started the Children’s Center.

The model they used for the program is based on the principals of National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

There’s a combination of children that the childcare center serves, some of them are children of SMCC students, some are children of the facility and staff, but about half or more are from the community. They have a very diverse population, they’re licensed, and they serve about 21 children per day.

The Beacon staff checked, and the childcare center is not free for faculty or students. As Terry Petnov points out “childcare is a costly venture, and people who work in childcare need to be paid a worthy wage. Students can use their financial aid, but it is not free to anyone, including myself,” she said with a laugh, “I have my own son here.”

The program was, and still is, intended as a combined program, so the

Children’s Center which is a childcare center, doubles as a lab school (a laboratory setting for the academic program). Some of the students do their practical work with children there, and some simply use it as an observation tool. This is possible due to the fact that the Children’s Center has quite the sophisticated observation booth.

That’s just one element. One of the definitions of a lab school is that it must be utilized as a training ground for an interdisciplinary approach. For example, they have Nursing students that use the facility to learn about children, as well as, Fire Science students, Diet Tech students, Horticulture students, and numbers of other students from various programs on campus.

They are the only program in the state that has a Children’s Center as an actually part of the college. Other community colleges’ programs may collaborate with different entities in the community, but SMCC’s is the only one where the teachers for the Children’s Center are also part of our staff and part of our community.

Because of this, Terry Petnov believes that the kind of network that exists between the coursework and the quality of the teaching staff makes for a better learning experience for students.

As Professor Petnov confidently states: They (Students) learn what’s called best practice, which isn’t perfect, it just means that we work towards a set of standards that meets a higher quality than most programs in America. We’re an accredited program by NAEYC, any childcare facility can be licensed but they don’t necessarily offer the same level of education, curriculum, guidance, technique, or any number of things that we offer.

SMCC students who complete the program have many options available afterward. Form the program they can go directly into the field and become an infant, toddler, preschool, or beforeschool/afterschool teacher. However, if they want to go on to be a pre-K or

kindergarten teacher then they must first complete their bachelor’s degree.

Along that line, SMCC works in collaboration with University ME at Farmington that benefits the graduates from our Early Childhood Education Program. Once students apply to Farmington and upon acceptance, Farmington will drive their full time faculty down here and offer their Early Childhood courses so that students can get a bachelor’s degree without moving to Western Maine.

Special thanks to Terry Petnov, Head of the Education Department, for answering the Beacon’s inquiries.

By Erik Squire

Staff Interviews

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hane Long is the Director of Residence Life and Student Involvement. He is in charge of overseeing the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CeSIL), Student Organizations/Clubs, and Student Activities.

He also oversees the Housing and Residence Life on campus. One of the things he’s worked on this semester

includes Sexual Health and Awareness Week, which has already been a highlight of this year. Not to mention, he just started the first session of the semester long leadership training called Emerging Leaders Program.

Here is a brief history about Shane: He is from Woodland Maine.

He received his bachelor’s degree studying Psychology at University of Maine Farmington. He then earned his master’s degree at Northeastern University in Boston Massachusetts studying College Student Development. In his last year of college at Farmington, he realized he wanted to work at a college. It turned out that Shane was lucky enough to be looking for a job right when Southern Maine Technical College was transitioning to become Southern Maine Community College. He was excited about being part of what the College was doing then, just as he continues to be excited about what the college is doing now.

Shane considers one of the perks about his job to be that he enjoys his time with both faculty and students and loves working with fun people.

He shared about his great excitement with the leadership development opportunities that they’re offering.

For example, before the fall semester started they held a very successful Student Leader Boot Camp to help our student leaders prepare for the upcoming year.

Shane loves SMCC and has been working here for 11 years.

By Tayler Chretien southern maine community college

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THE LEARNING COMMONS

ONLINE 24/7

The Man Behind CeSil: Shane Long

Did you know you can use the Learning Commons without even coming to the Learning Commons? If you’re off-campus or working after hours, you can access reliable, high-quality resources through our website.

To get started, access us via the MyLearning icon on MyMaineGuide or access our pages directly:

smccME.libguides.com/library

■■ Search the catalog for physical books ■■ Browse and read eBooks with eBrary ■■ Watch videos on everything from cooking to poetry with Films on Demand ■■ Download scholarly research articles from databases like ProQuest and EBSCO

smccME.libguides.com/tutoring

■■ Access SmarThinking online tutoring for on-the-spot help ■■ View the drop-in tutoring schedule to plan your visit ■■ Locate department tutoring options near your classes

smccME.libguides.com/writingcenter

■■ Submit a paper for review and writing tutoring via SmarThinking ■■ View schedules and guidelines to plan an in-person visit ■■ Navigate to videos and tutorials on grammar and the writing process

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SMCC Peer Tutor Training Program CRLA Certified

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has much to boast about: our exceptionally beautiful campus, our erudite faculty, and our many busy clubs that are constantly seeing work getting done, just to name a few. But in May of this year, our college was granted even more incentive to boast: our SMCC Peer Tutor Training Program became officially certified by the venerable College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).

The CRLA is an organization for professionals active in the fields of reading, learning assistance, developmental education, tutoring, and mentoring at the college/adult level. It

has certified 1160 tutoring programs at colleges such as Boston College, Northeastern, UMO, UNE, and USM. The CRLA has not only certified programs in the U.S., but in six other countries, as well.

SMCC is the only community college in Maine with a peer tutor training program that has been CRLAapproved.

As of yet, eleven SMCC peer tutors have completed the CRLA training program, with eight peer tutors currently participating in the program.

In order to become a CRLAapproved tutor, one must complete

A Big “Hello” from Alpha Chi Nu!

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are Alpha Chi Nu, SMCC’s chapter of the international honors society; Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). Some of you should know us by now due to our bagel sales near the A.S.K. kiosk on Thursday mornings, and the Captain’s Cupboard, the oncampus food pantry that we opened last year, but if you don’t, here’s a little introduction.

We’re basically normal, hardworking people, who have managed to earn a 3.5 cumulative GPA (or above) after doing 12 credit hours. Once that criterion was met, we were all extended invitations to join PTK, for which we forked out $80, for a lifetime membership.

Joining PTK has opened all sorts of doors for me as a member including numerous exclusive scholarship opportunities for here at SMCC or transfers, and the use of CollegeFish and Competitive Edge websites, online college searching and professional development resources sponsored

by PTK. As an Officer and the V.P. of Fellowship, I am now involved in the Honors in Action project, a servicelearning project designed at bettering our college and community. I am also one of the Volunteer Coordinators for the Captain’s Cupboard – which was PTK’s College Project for last year – as well as a volunteer.

Our Honors in Action program will be focused on socially respon-

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sible investing for this year. Some of you might see us or will be seeing us going around collecting signatures for a petition for the Senate. Our goal is to encourage the Maine Community College System (MCCS)– the system that oversees all seven Maine Community colleges – to replace their fossil fuel investments with equally competitive alternative stocks, such as renewable or environmentally friendly energy sources. Just last Tuesday, we had a meeting with David Daigler, the CFO of the MCCS.

We’re trying to reach out to you, SMCC, to make this project of ours a success and raise awareness on responsible investing. We believe it is time for the Maine Community College System to bring their investment policy in line with their sustainability policy, in order to make this place a better world to live in, and we’d love your help on this.

To find out more about us or our Honors in Action project, please feel free to email us at: mphithetakappa@ smccme.edu.

Or stop by one of my informal meetings every Monday from 12:001:00 pm at Ross Tech, Room 104 to ask questions and/or learn how to navigate all of the resources that PTK. org has to offer! I hope to see you there!

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LEARNING COMMONS

ten hours of in-person workshops that cover topics such as the role of a tutor, the fostering of independence, and communication skills. Following this is an evaluation of tutors by the Assistant Director of the Academic Achievement Center (AAC), by one’s self, and by one’s peers.

Throughout the 2013-14 academic year, SMCC peer tutors facilitated a staggering 10,000 tutor interactions.

Mid-Coast Campus (Continued from Page 1)

to the otherwise tense and time-consuming efforts of our studies.

My experience, and hopefully the experience had by many other students in attendance, was one of excitement and anticipation for what the rest of the 2014-2015 academic year has in store. It was an interesting, lighthearted, and welcomed beginning to yet another year of making PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MIDCOAST CAMPUS

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By Garrick Hoffman friends, working hard, and simply getting involved. The “Welcome (Back) Barbecue” served as an introduction to many and a fun time to all. As we all know, college can be an intimidating and stressful place, there is quite a lot to accomplish, and seemingly never enough time; however, it is events like the “Welcome (Back) Barbecue” that remind us just how similar our goals really are.

Somewhere, crammed into the studying and seriousness of academics, there has to be a helping of relaxation and leisure. Here at the Midcoast Campus, we have a staff and student body that is committed to both working hard and playing hard, as proven by this truly enjoyable beginning to the semester here in Brunswick. Let’s face it, how many students get to watch their Dean ride a mechanical bull? Here’s to an enjoyable, productive, fun, and interactive semester on the Midcoast Campus. We are here, and we are growing. Come join us in some fun!

By Alexander Bessey

By Maisarah Miskoon

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If you are interested in becoming a tutor yourself, consider joining the SMCC Peer Tutoring team, composed of highly trained and certified peer tutors. The next cycle of training begins in January 2015. For more information, visit: www.crla.net http://smccme.libguides.com/tutoring

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Today in Sports History: October 7th 1984 Walter Payton Breaks All-time Rushing Record

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n October 7th the Chicago Bears were facing the New Orleans Saints in a contest that was bound for history making. Walter Payton was the running back and he only needed 66 yards to break the great Jim Brown’s record of most rushing yards in an NFL career. Walter Payton was a player who was always about the team over himself. He wanted to do anything he could to help prevail his team.

During the game against the Saints, it was pretty evident that he was going to break the record and Bears management really wanted to have a small ceremony for him.

Walter Payton didn’t want anything ceremony that would make the game halt for even the briefest moment. He thought the momentum of the team was far more important than his breaking of the record. To him breaking Jim Brown’s record meant that he did his job to the best of his abilities, while helping the team.

Walter Payton broke the record on the first play of the second half, after catching a toss to the outside gaining four yards and breaking the record. He was greeted with some handshakes, and hugs from his teammates, and they held the game ball aside for Pay-

ton. If this record was broken in 2014, the flash and frill would be way more than in 1984, but the way the situation went down really reflected the character of Walter Payton.

Walter Payton was a pioneer for the sport and reinvented the position of running back. Payton was a hardnosed player who used and developed moves like the stutter-step and stiffarm. He could always squeeze out a couple extra yards on a run that most could not by using his speed and strength. To this day, 30 years after breaking this record, he still remains as high as second on the all-time career rushing list, only behind Emmitt Smith. At the end of Payton’s career, he held the all-time leading rushing record, most rushing touchdowns, carries yards from scrimmage and all-purpose yards. Although some of those records have been broken it still shows the kind of player he was. He also holds the record for most touchdowns thrown (8), by a non-quarterback.

October 7th was a great day for Walter Payton, the Chicago

Bears and his legacy as a player. He will forever go down as one of the best players to ever play the game and someone who changed the way the game is played. Walter Payton died from cancer in 1999 at the age of 45, and since then the NFL Man of the Year award has been renamed the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in his honor of his humanitarianism.

He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and widely respected within the NFL.

By Sam Coombs

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yan Flaherty, the Baltimore Orioles utility infielder is currently making his second appearance in the MLB playoffs at the age of 28. Flaherty, a graduate of Deering High School in Portland, Maine and former Vanderbilt standout hopes to add another line to his impressive resume this season, and that is a World Series championship.

This would be a huge accomplishment for a player from Maine, where the high school season shortened and not known for producing powerhouse baseball prospects.

A World Series appearance would not be Flaherty’s first time in a championship on the national level. Flaherty in 2004 led his team Nova Seafood to win the American Legion National Championship, which was the first

team from Maine to ever accomplish this. Since 2005, Flaherty is one of five players from Maine to play in the majors, the list includes: Mark Rogers, Ryan Reid, Charlie Furbush, and Matt Kinney. Flaherty is the only one of this group to play in the playoffs.

When Flaherty was growing up he had a great teacher to show him the fundamentals of the game, his father Ed Flaherty, who is the head baseball coach at University of Southern Maine.

Ed coaches one of the most respected programs in division 3 baseball and is a very disciplined and knowledgeable coach. Ryan has similar traits. Ryan

TUTORING Looking for a place to study where support is available if you need it? Get help with:

ACCOUNTING PHYSIOLOGY MATH PHYSICS AND MORE! Drop-in tutoring located at the CAMPUS CENTER LEARNING COMMONS, 2ND FLOOR. Fall semester schedule at: smccme.libguides.com/ drop-in-tutoring

Ryan Flaherty is the Maine Man in MLB Playoffs Hometown: Portland, Maine

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may not be a 30 home run hitter but he is very sharp defensively for the Orioles and has played six total positions in the field for Baltimore.

Ryan Flaherty is the face of baseball right now for the state of Maine and is a good influence on baseball in this community where kids can see that they do have a chance at their dreams if they want to work hard. For the Orioles this season, in 102 games Flaherty batted .221 with 7 homeruns, 34 RBI’s, and 1 stolen base. He was used at the many different positions this season due to injury and need. He has a broad well-rounded set

of skills that allows him to play many different positions.

Even though the Baltimore Orioles play in the same division as the Red Sox, I am sure many in Maine will be rooting for the Orioles to go as far as possible cheering on our native Ryan Flaherty. The Baltimore Orioles are looking to capture their first World Series since 1984 when the great Cal Ripken Jr. played for them. They beat out both the Red Sox and Yankees this season to take the AL East crown and hope to keep moving all the way to the World Series. The MLB fans in the state of Maine will be keep their eyes glued to the Baltimore Orioles potentially for the first time ever as a new champion will be crowned in Major League Baseball and potentially Mainer Ryan Flaherty of Portland, Maine.

By Sam Coombs

The SMCC SeaWolves posing right before their Championship Game

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SMCC Baseball Still Rolling

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he SMCC baseball team enters the NECA postseason with a 10-4 record, which places the Seawolves atop the conference with the most wins. Throughout the fall season the team has mixed well and produced on the field. They hope to bring this momentum with them into the playoffs and into the spring season while keeping the same group of players together which often proves challenging at a two year college.

Offensively, the Seawolves were led by Alex Brown who batted a conference best .439 with three home runs, 13 RBI’s, and tallying 18 total hits during the regular season. He provided the team with offensive power coming through when they needed him to.

On the mound, SMCC had a variety of pitching options profiting from the diversityt as opponents had a difficult time dealing with all of the Seawolves strong pitching. Dylan Morrow and Nate Boyle were the catalysts most of the season as both had sub two ERA’s and maintaining perfect records all season. Morrow finished the season with a 1.12 ERA, team leading 26 strikeouts while allowing only two earned runs. Boyle finished the season with a 0.64 ERA and was on a roll all season providing his team with great starts, great relief appear-

ances, and was probably the Seawolves most reliable option. These two pitchers were the ones that pitched this summer for the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide, and it seems that they took something away from that league and progressed as pitchers.

SMCC is coming off a strong stretch to end the season and are on fire offensively outscoring their opponents 5314 in their last five games and look to keep that up as the postseason approaches. The Seawolves have stayed disciplined, focused and sharp as a team this fall, which has showed in their play on the field and the way they carry themselves off the field. Coach Lemieux is always preaching to his team about character and being the big men on campus. This team has defiantly been that and maybe even the big men in the conference and most feared opponent.

Their lineup one through nine is tough and they hope to continue to strike fear into their opponents in the playoffs and as they approach the spring season where there record will carry over. It will be interesting to see what the playoffs and spring season will bring and to see if SMCC baseball can keep rolling.

By Sam Coombs

Sliding into home base.

SMCC Women Soccer Rolls Over CMCC

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he SMCC Women’s soccer team played exceptionally well on Wednesday, October 1st against their rivals of CMCC. The women’s soccer team has struggled offensively throughout the season but you wouldn’t think so if you watched this game. They were successful on all levels and exploded for 8 goals beating the Mustangs of CMCC 8-0 in an YSCC conference battle.

Through the Seawolves first eight games of the season they only managed to score six goals, remaining competitive in the games because of strong play from goalie Aime Worcester, and with strong defensive play.

To see the Seawolves play as well as they did in this one was a breath of fresh-air. The Seawolves scored five goals in the first half and in a span of four minutes scoring four goals.

SMCC continually attacked the offensive zone, keeping the ball in their opponent’s defensive zone for the majority of the game. SMCC finished with 31 total shots, placing 24 shots on goal for the game. With that many shots on net it was only a matter of time until goal after goal was let in which is what happened to CMCC goaltender Jasmine Hatch who finished the game with 14 saves.

Danielle McCusker and Katy Cyr who both had hat tricks for the Seawolves led SMCC offensively. Taylor Clapp and Michaela Pratt also scored to help lead the offensive charge that the team had on this day.

SMCC women’s soccer hopes to build on this win and take away great things. This was by far the best performance of the season, as it showed that this team has great offensive capability, it was just a matter of finding it. The Seawolves have three games remaining against CMCC, St. Joes of Vermont and Unity. Two of these three teams they have already beaten so they have potential to end the season on an exclamation point.

EVENTS

UPCOMING

By Sam Coombs

Baseball

9-23-14; Home vs Bridgton Academy at 4:00 p.m.

9-26-14; Home vs UNH - club at 4:30 p.m.

10-4-14; NECA Postseason TBA

Softball

9-26-14; Home vs UNH - club at 4:30 p.m.

10-4-14; NECA Postseason TBA

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SMCC Baseball Still Rolling

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he SMCC SeaWolves team enters the NECA postseason with a 10-4 record, which places the Seawolves atop the conference with the most wins.

Throughout the fall season the team has mixed well and produced on the field.

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Page 13 ¤ October 7, 2014

They hope to bring this momentum with them into the playoffs and into the spring season while keeping the same group of players together which often proves challenging at a two year college.

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Maine Day

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September 24th Sodexo hosted Maine Day in the SMCC Dining Hall. A variety of culinary delights that are known for their Maine flavor were offered to the dining hall visitors. Brandy and Gary (pictured to the left), and Betsy (pictured below), all Sodexo employees took great pride in preparing and serving dishes such as: local fingerling potatoes with local goat cheese, caramelized onion pizza, New England shrimp pesto pizza, Maine sweet corn and lobster risotto and the highly celebrated blue berry pie.

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Cullinary Arts is Foodilicious!

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ast Friday, October 3rd, the Culinary Arts Department hosted one of their many and highly welcomed bake sales, which are organized by Chef Meg Broderick and her baking students. Erica Jackson (pictured bottom row), managed the sale of cakes and breads.

The Culinary Arts Department also hosted their well-known and highly respected Friday lunch buffets. Culinary Art Department Chair, Chjef Boardman (pictured center right), and Pamela Almodovar pictured with Beacon photog-

Page 15 ¤ October 7, 2014

rapher Kenneth Reddinger’s mother Debra (middle row left), made sure all of the dining guest enjoyed a meal that was, and will continue to keep the SMCC culinary Art Department luncheons on the map of afforable and wondrous dining experiences.

Art Installation on Campus

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here’s a new art installation in the front yard of the Captain’s house on the South Portland Campus.

“Dwelling Place: Sukkah” is an art installation and traditional Jewish cultural object by award winning Maine sculptor, Asherah Cinnamon.

Dwelling Place was created in 2011 with a grant from the Linda and Joel Abromson Foundation. Southern Maine Hillel is thrilled this year to be installing the Sukkah on the Southern Maine Community College campus, at the Captain’s House (126 McKernan Drive) in South Portland.

Students, faculty and staff are invited to assist in the installation and take down, and to participate in a celebratory Shabbat meal inside the structure.

Installation: Sunday, October 5th, 12pm - 6pm.

PHOTO BY LAUREN MICHELLE

Take-down: Sunday, October 26th, 12pm - 5pm.

These events are co-sponsored by SMCC, the Southern Maine Hillel, and the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine. Please contact Rebecca Wohl-Pollack at so.me.hillel@gmail.com with any questions or transportation needs. southern maine community college

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