Issue 5 Volume 54

thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college

January 29, 2020

Taylor Robertson

www.thegrcurrent.com

issue 5 volume 54

2 January 29, 2020

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thecurrent

Connor O’Boyle | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Supportive Day Care Program Cut From the College Budget By: Hanna Yuzyuk Staff Writer

Having a child while going to school can be likened to that of drowning under an ocean of stress and then being handed a child to care for.

The day in the life of a parent is already filled with a myriad of emotional and financial responsibilities. Kids need to be shown constant affection, but they are also a crippling financial investment.

Attempting to find the time and money to take college classes while undergoing this process of parenthood cannot be done alone.

“Sometimes, I struggle a lot. I have to miss class because I cannot find somebody who will take care of my kids when I am in my classes,” said Kelsy Reyes, a mother at home and a student at Green River.

She also said that she spends $800 to $900 per month for the caregiver of her kids. Reyes recognizes that free or at least a cheaper day care option at the college would be very helpful for her and her family. She also would be able to see her kids between classes since it is on the same campus.

According to the Green River website, 25 percent of Green River College students are parents. Many of them face the same problems that Kelsey deals with every day.

Not many students know that GRC had a daycare program for students with children. This Program was unfortunately closed in 2016. The building was once a beautiful place not far away from campus, where parents could visit their children in between going to classes. It is now abandoned with no childish laughter to fill its once colorful halls.

Phillip Denman, Senior Director of college relations, left no comment as to why the program was shut down. While this once very helpful system is not currently available, Green River College still provides other ways to support parents financially.

One popular method is the Childcare Scholarships for Parents. This program supports the participation of low-income parents in postsecondary education by offering them scholarships every quarter to help them pay for daycare.

CSFS offers include financial assistance to cover child care with a qualified provider; parenting workshops throughout the quarter; and access and referrals to community resources and agencies.

This Program does have a limit on the number of participants. It is also required to be enrolled in at least 6 credits, have eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant, a 2.0 GPA, and

Green River College 12401 SE 320th St., Mailstop: SU Auburn, WA 98092-3699 NEWSROOM DIRECT LINE 253-288-3457 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dakota Farnsworth thecurrent.EditorinChief@ mail.greenriver.edu 253-508-2555 ext. 2375

Hanna Yuzyuk | The Current

Exterior of what used to be the day care center for students with children.

Unfortunately, this scholarship be enrolled in the 1 credit parent only covers 25 students, less than education course taught by ECE Faculty. LaBasha Alexander, the di- 1 percent of the parents that are enrolled at the college. This still rector of the program, had a lot to begs the question: why does Green share when regarding this process.

“We understand that the number River lack a daycare in or around campus? The building that once of participants in the Program is housed student’s children still limited. We are still working to stands and many students are provide possible help for students enrolled in the Program of Early who have kids,” said Alexander.

Childhood Development.

She agreed that to have daycare With all the stress, hardship, and on campus would be helpful not financial troubles that students just for students with kids, but for with children have to go through, the staff with kids. She is a mom re-establishing this program could herself, so she can empathize with act as a beacon of hope for parents parents who also have to take on at Green River College. college responsibilities.

Free On-Campus Counseling Helps Students With Emotional Stress By: Jase Wanlass Staff Writer

Sometimes it strikes out of the blue, smacking its victims like a freight train. Often there are causes for it and many times there are not.

However, one thing about depression, anxiety, and stress is that they can be very debilitating. This is especially true for new college students who are often burning the candle at both ends.

Perry Dettling, a former Green river college student from Utah, knows firsthand how depression and anxiety feel. In fact, his symptoms were so intense that they began to affect every facet of his life: relationships, school, work, and even family.

“I was battling anxiety and depression along with some additional things that were holding me back,” Dettling said. Dettling also shared that his condition made even the simple tasks of daily life seem impossible to complete.

According to counselors at the Green River Counseling Services, it is normal to feel down every once and a while, and it can be healthy to feel sorrow and stress periodically. However, counselors say if these symptoms are chronically affecting students’ daily lives, they may need some extra help. Despite efforts to get the word out, many Green River students are unaware of the free

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MANAGING EDITOR ONLINE MANAGER Taylor Robertson thecurrent.SocialMediaManager@ mail.greenriver.edu CAMPUS EDITOR Connor O’Boyle thecurrent.Campus@ mail.greenriver.edu A&E EDITOR Amy Carpenter thecurrent.AE@mail.greenriver.edu OPINION EDITOR Maddie Farnsworth thecurrent.Opinion@mail. greenriver.edu SPORTS EDITOR Efrain Pardo thecurrent.Sports@mail.greenriver. edu PHOTOGRAPHER Rakesh Kommanagunta mkommanagumta2@mail. greenriver.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga thecurrent.PageLayout@mail. greenriver.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elsa Finkbeiner efinkbeiner@mail.greenriver.edu

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Counselor offers emotional advice to student and provides further insight for how she can get support from loved ones. services available to them at the Counseling Services, located temporarily in room 111 at the Zgolinski Center on campus.

Counseling Services provides short-term mental health counseling self-care education to Green River students. Counseling Services are provided by licensed psychologists, social workers, and professional mental health therapists.

“Having a counseling center here at Green River is extremely beneficial to students,” said Matthew Cullen, one of the counselors at the Green River College center. “Because we work on a college campus, we have a better understanding of the demands and expectations placed on individuals in their roles as students, the policies that can impact their academic success, and

what resources are available on campus and in the community to help them meet their needs.”

Counselors say it is difficult for people who have not battled with depression and anxiety in their lives to sympathize or even understand when others are feeling this way.

The staff at the Counseling Services is eager to help students who feel that they do not have an outlet or someone to talk to.

“The counseling services at Green River really helped me realize that I needed more help than I thought,” said Dettling. “They really care about you and are willing to do the most they can to help you.”

According to Dettling, students suffering the way he did should not be ashamed or embarrassed about their condition. Instead, he says

that they should reach out to loved ones and let them help carry the weight of their emotional burden.

“Our mental health is a part of our overall health as an individual and can be treated as such. If we break our arm, no one tells us to deal with it on our own. We know we need to go see a professional that has been trained to address the health issue,” Cullen said. “It’s the same with mental health and counselors. We are trained to help people address their mental health concerns and connect them with appropriate resources as needed.”

All the information for the Counseling Services can be found on the Green River College website, by calling 253-833-9111, or by contacting their offices directly located in the Zgolinski Center.

STAFF WRITERS:

Alini Daniel, Areli Torres, Hanna Yuzyuk, Jackie Nguyen, Jase Wanlass, Josh Jazmati, Madi Trepus, Mustafe Abdulahi, Nick Cresia, Riley Cottingham

Corrections

If you find a factual error or simply a name spelled If you find a factual error incorrectly, orplease simply contact a name us spelled at: incorrectly, - editor@thegrcurrent.com please contact us at: - 253-288-3457 - editor@thegrcurrent.com - or find us OEB 17 - 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 - or find us in SA218

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Connor O’Boyle| Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

3 January 29, 2019

Dialysis Patients Get Through College With the Help of Their Community

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

By: Melinda Enlow Student Writer

Students already have a lot of responsibilities to deal with academically, but many of them may also have life-threatening diseases to cope through while going to college.

This is especially true for two Green River College students who are dialysis patients and who shared what it is like to manage dialysis and get an education at the same time.

Jeff, who declined to release his last name because of privacy concerns, is frequently

found sitting in his chair next to his dialysis machine reading “Automotive Technology Principles, Diagnosis, & Service”, a book required for the automotive program.

He returned to school in order to earn an automotive technician certificate, which is a program that lasts two years. He has always loved working on cars and now he wanted to finally make a career out of it. This summer he plans to finally complete the program.

Jeff, 50, has End-Stage Renal Disease, known as ESRD and he has been on dialysis for 9 years. ESRD is a condition in which the kidneys can no longer perform their function and a person must go on dialysis in order to stay alive and healthy.

Dialysis is the process of removing excess fluids and toxins from the blood and tissues of an ESRD patient. Each treatment is usually four hours long and done three times a week.

The combination of dialysis with its side effects which include fatigue, nausea and headaches is exhausting for the patient. This coupled with the work it takes to be a successful student, is a full time job and a half.

It takes determination to attend college while on dialysis. Jeff spends 36 hours a week in class, plus another twelve on dialysis. Another struggle for Jeff is to be away from his family for the extended hours on his dialysis days, but he feels fortunate that the Fresenius Dialysis Clinic has worked with his school schedule to help him.

Jeff’s advice for any dialysis patient considering college is “If you are motivated and can manage your time well then it is a good idea.

School has put me on track for something I

have always wanted to accomplish.”

“Having an upbeat attitude has made it easier for me to deal with this disease,” said Jeff. “I do get tired of hearing others in my class complain when the instructor assigns a chapter to read; one can conquer a lot of problems by having a good attitude.”

Another student, Natasha, who also declined to release her last name due to privacy concerns, was attending Green River when she found out she had ESRD. She had to take a break from school to get her “feet back on the ground. I had to rearrange my life so school would fit back into it,” she said.

Without compromising her dialysis treatments and still being able to accomplish her educational goals Natasha found that online classes worked the best for her. They enabled her to care for her daughter, who is now 17.

“Everything takes sacrifice to get to the end result,” Natasha said.

She also shared that she appreciates her family’s support and how they all work together to accomplish their goals. She is determined to improve the quality of her life and become self-sufficient. Her goal is to work with young juveniles as a social worker.

Her list of hardships is long. After receiving a kidney transplant, she developed cancer in that kidney and lost it, but Natasha continues dialysis while working on her masters degree in psychology online. Although the dialysis clinic is a difficult environment to concentrate, it is where Natasha finds the most time to study.

Natasha’s advice for any patient considering attending college is, “Don’t let your

sickness define you. Push through and don’t give up.” Her biggest piece of advice for any student is, “Don’t procrastinate! Especially if you are sick,” she said.

An online article titled “Managing College and Kidney Disease” in the National Kidney Foundation offers this advice for students: “Time management really is a college student’s best skill and ESRD students who are on dialysis will need to master it. Because the dialysis process can take as much as 12 to 16 hours a week for some patients, a student will need to work their class and study schedule around it. But the time does not need to be wasted. Those dialysis hours can be spent reading, studying, taking notes, and listening to required recordings.”

Fortunately, there are many resources available for dialysis patients to receive needed financial to help them towards school and cost-of-living expenses. Online resources include Carolyn Wilson Dialysis Patient Scholarship, the Kidney Center and the National Kidney Foundation.

Additionally, there are local resources at the dialysis clinic and at GRC. Dialysis patients can contact the social worker at their dialysis clinic. At GRC, Jamie Hatleberg is the director of disability support services, 253833-9111 extension 2631.

Jeff and Natasha are only two of the many who function in society while undergoing arduous treatment for their respective health conditions. This must prove that, no matter how sick or healthy a student may be, it is still their attitude that guides them on a path to academic success.

Students Work Hard To Pay off Tuition College Food Prices Rip off Students

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Cashier at a restaurant accepts a credit card.

By: Riley Cottingham Staff Writer

As the cost of Green River College averages over five thousand a year, students seek out jobs that take away precious time for school work and other activities.

Despite the difficulty of maintaining jobs at school, there are a variety of viable options students can choose from to keep work from taking over their school life. One of the main problems with working and going to school is that the schedules can conflict.

Depending on the professor, this can significantly impact the final grade, even if the student is still able to keep up with their assignments. Balancing work with school would be nearly impossible if it were not for employers who accept flexible schedules.

Green River student Maxwell Frack is a Cashier at both Winco Foods in Federal way as well as the student store on campus. He set up availability times with his employer in order to keep his schedules from conflicting.

“I set my availability in a way that takes in time from home to school and school to work on the hours of work won’t break my school

hours… and my employers have to adhere to those hours,” said Frack.

His work hours are rarely consistent. For students looking for a job, it is important to note that negotiating work hours with employers creates a balance between work and school. Some students avoid balancing work and school altogether, opting to take up jobs over schooling during the summer.

Green River student Brenned Ricciardi worked as a Dogsitter in the summer of 2019.

“It was flexible and [I was] not having to pay taxes through income. I work with people [instead],” said Ricciardi.

Getting jobs while at Green River College has become more necessary throughout the last decade. According to CommunityCollegeReview.com, a significant price surge from 2010 to 2016 raised the cost of college tuition 30 percent and the cost of out of state college 20 percent -- adjusted for inflation.

The cost of tuition for Green River has risen significantly to the point that getting a job is almosy always a necessity. If a student decided to live on campus and stick to student loans, they could easily stack tens of thousands in debt. Having a job can put off some students, even if they can manage it.

Going to school while having a job may not be ideal, but students will find that the sooner they start saving, the sooner they will pay off their loans. If getting a job is too inconvenient for the student, applying for scholarships is another viable option.

There are high hopes for students at Green River, and there are plenty of ways to gain finance, as students also find the time to sharpen their minds.

By: Mustafe Abdulahi Staff Writer Despite the rising costs of college tuition, student stores still overprice food products, leaving students without transportation with a dip in their budget.

Prices of goods at college convenience stores tend to cost more than those found off-campus. This begs the question: are colleges exploiting students by establishing such high prices? According to a study done

by Harvard University, up to half of the nation’s college students might struggle with food insecurity, meaning that they often do not have access to food.

This problem transcends geography, as well as community colleges, universities, private and public, elite and non-elite. Researchers still cannot measure the full consequences of such rampant food insecurity, but they have linked it to lower graduation rates.

Not every student has access to transportation, leaving them with little choice but to fork out more money on food, drinks, and other items in their on-campus food stores, especially when faced with time constraints.

For example, Anthony Hill, a second-year student at Green River College, explained that the prices of the student store should not be as over prised considering the significant rise in tuition as of late.

“I feel like everything in the student store is extremely overpriced, to the point where I’ve considered risking my parking spot to go to the 7-Eleven down the street to go get a bigger Gatorade bottle for like a dollar less,” Hill said.

Meanwhile, other students do not have that luxury to drive down to the 7-Eleven. Take freshman Oni Everett for example. He said that the prices were especially steep when you do not have a car to leave campus.

“It’s especially difficult because I can’t really leave campus if I’m hungry. I’m pretty much stuck here to pay for things knowing in the back of my mind that I’m getting ripped off. but out of convenience, you know, I just kind of had to accept it,” Everett said.

While prices in on-campus food stores tend to be overblown, students can look for alternative solutions to cut down their expenses.

Even if students do not have access to transportation, there some ways to save some while living on campus. One way to save on expenses is to schedule time out of the weekends to take a bus or ride with a friend to a grocery store with affordable prices where they can shop for the week.

Another way is to get basic ingredients and prepare meals in order to save time and money that would otherwise be spent on overpriced campus goods.

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

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January 29, 2020

Campus Crime Blotter Campus Safety responded to the following incidents from January 6 to January 18 among others. All information is from Campus Safety incident reports.

1/6/20 9:13 a.m.

Trades Building Fire Alarm

Fire Alarm/Disorderly Conduct. A fire alarm was set off in Trades by an unknown person possibly vaping in the men’s restroom.

1/6/20 10:27 a.m.

Parking Lot 12.

Hit and Run.

Hit & Run. Student reported that he witnessed a vehicle side swipe a Chevy Silverado and drive away.

1/6/20 10:00 a.m.

Parking Lot 12.

Hit and Run.

Hit & Run. Student reported that he witnessed a vehicle side swipe a Chevy Silverado and drive away.

1/7/20 12:50 a.m.

Gator Grill.

Burglary.

Burglary. A student reported burglary of a MacBook at Campus Corner Apartments.

1/7/20 2:35 p.m.

Parking Lot 1 Hit and Run

Hit & Run. Student reported her vehicle was involved in a hit & run in Parking Lot 1.

Occurred in Parking Lot 1.

1/8/20 8:58 a.m.

Metro Bus Stop.

Disorderly Conduct.

Disorderly Conduct/Trespass. A non-student was trespassed by APD after she was reported for acting disorderly on the city bus around students.

1/9/20 10:21 a.m.

Student Union.

Theft.

Theft. A staff member reported a roll of paper missing from Student Union. Occurred in Student Union.

1/9/20 3:19 p.m.

Pacific Race Way. Hit and Run.

Hit & Run. A student was involved in a hit & run while parked at Pacific Raceway.

1/10/19 8:00 a.m.

Off Campus Harassment

Harassment. A student reported being harassed through social media by an unknown male accusing him of sexual assault.

Occurred Off Campus.

1/10/19 11:48 a.m.

Campus Corner.

Harassment.

Harassment. Campus Safety received a report of two people verbally harassing students and a staff member.

1/15/19 12:00 p.m.

Salish Hall.

Disturbance.

Disturbance/Verbal Altercation. A staff member reported a verbal altercation in Salish Hall 352 involving three students.

1/18/19 8:07 p.m.

Campus Corner.

Underage Drinking.

Liquor Law Violation/ Drug Law Violation. Seven (7) underage students were reported having a party where alcohol and marijuana found in Campus Corner Apartments.

Connor O’Boyle | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Procrastination Makes Students Give Up By: Maya Blonquist Student Writer

Stress can lead people into a state of bargaining their time with the television, the cell phone, and even that dish that needs just a little more elbow grease.

This process is defined as procrastination, where an individual will put off a task or action until a later time. Procrastination is a common theme for college students who find numerous excuses not to do their work.

Students try to rationalize the fact that they are avoiding their work by making excuses or ignoring the matter altogether. According to a 2007 study on verywellmind.com, 80 to 95 percent of college students said that they procrastinate regularly.

Most students like to have time to themselves after a long school day. They get home and throw their backpack onto the ground, descend into the kitchen and grab something to eat, and turn on a television show and relax. There may be a moment where the need to get an assignment finished may pass through their minds, but it is usually shaken off by a Netflix binge or some other activity. After a few more hours, they realize that there is only half an hour to turn in their assignment and find themselves rushing out the laptop to get it in just before the deadline.

This is a story told by many, if not every student at Green River College. And in some cases, students can tend to do their best work under the adrenaline surge of waiting until the very last minute.

“I procrastinate a lot,” said Ella Vaughn, a Running Start student at Green River College.

“I am a pro procrastinator. I know I feel less stressed when I don’t procrastinate, but I still always end up procrastinating.”

She also said that she has other responsibilities to take care of, including babysitting and taking some personal time for herself after a long day at school and a few hours with bratty children. But what are the other rationalizations students make to justify their procrastination habits?

Treena Schweikart, a second-year Running Start student, said that she has “plenty of time” to complete her work. Her philosophy is that if it does not have an immediate deadline, she will accomplish the task closer to when it is due, rather than getting ahead.

She is not alone in professing this doctrine of college student work scheduling. Running Start student Mckenna Cottam expressed how procrastination also plays a rather significant role in her life.

“I also procrastinate during school by doing other things that are important such as cleaning my room or other tasks instead of doing my homework that has a deadline,” Cottam said. This demonstrates that some students procrastinate by completing menial tasks in order avoid more pressing matters.

There are a variety of reasons as to why students procrastinate school work and Kendra Cherry, author of “The Everything Psychology Book” said it best: “Most students mistakenly assume that they need to be in the right frame of mind to work on a project.”

The truth is that no matter where our minds may be, with enough motivation, we are capable of a lot more than we think.

Connor O’Boyle | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

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5 January 29, 2020

Group Projects Allow Students to Thrive in a Working Environment By: Hanna Yuzyuk Student Writer

It is a nearly impossible task for the introverted student to find an in-person class that doesn’t require at least some group work.

After years of school experience, college students should be aware that their grades are partially dependent upon their classmates and their attitude toward the education process. Thus, Group work can either be a great way to make friends and reinforce skills in any given subject, or an unfortunately awkward nightmare.

When asked about their opinions on group work, most students all said more or less the same thing: it depends on the students and the professor. Some simply preferred to work alone rather than in a group.

“One time, I had a conflict with the person in my group, and I talked to my professor and did work by myself,” said running start student Pearl Khang Khangam.

Khangam also said that there is almost always a problem with each student’s contributions to the group project. She is sure that it would be better for students to come to college more prepared for how to work in small groups.

Two questions are significant in the group working process: why is it vital to include those assignments

in the education process of every class, and how to work in the group successfully with protection for every group member.

“Our job as professors [is] to prepare students for a future life, and in the future life, the majority of jobs you will have are based on interpersonal communication. The skills we develop in college students will be some elements of the workspace,” said communications professor Lisa Voso.

As students in search of some sort of career, we should all know that group work does not end when we get our degrees. Professor Voso recognizes that working together can be difficult for a lot of students, but getting over this hurdle early on in life will act as the most valuable gift to have upon entering the career of their choosing.

Voso also shared some tips for those who struggle to work as a team. It helps people to know at least a piece of brief information about each other and to make some basic guidelines for working in the group. “It helps to engage who in the group is contributing and who is not,” Voso said.

A considerable portion of science classes is based on group assignments. Students are put into groups for presentations, laboratories, and other activities, in order to reinforce their understanding of complex topics. Being successful

A group of students working together in class, which will help them prepare for their upcoming project. work is organized in different classin this kind of group takes equal Chong also said that the biggest rooms and work settings. participation from everyone in it, problem with group work is that Group working is an essential and almost all of the work must be some students are more responpart, not just of a student’s acadone in person. sible than others. She also agreed demic career, but of one’s future “Group working in science classes that it would be beneficial to take workplace interactions. Learning is significant because research is al- a support class, which can teach how to work together can someways group working. Nobody wants students how to work in a group, times be illogical, confusing, and to do research alone; you always but there are several problems with frustrating, but it is the essence of want to have a research group,” said it. It is an additional course that how the world’s most confounding Dr. Erica Chong, PhD, a chemistry will not count towards a degree professor at the college. and may not account for how group problems can be solved.

after school, which helped him get home at a more convenient time.

Another student, Taelor Fry, started riding the Pacific Raceways shuttle for the first time this quarter because she could not afford the $100 quarter parking pass like she did her first quarter at Green River.

Although Fry has not been with the shuttle service for long, she only had good things to say about it.

“The drivers have always been very sweet and always say good morning and tell you to have a nice day. I have never had an issue with the shuttle service, other than the wait,” Fry said.

A few students had mentioned being worried about the snow in Auburn earlier this month disturbing the shuttle service route. With there being snow the second week of January, only one school day has been canceled, and the shuttle service has run smoothly ever since.

The only real complaint about the shuttle is that it tends to run late, leaving some students to be late to class or stuck in the cold. Yet, students had a lot of nice things to say about the drivers, who would spark up little conversations and small talk to make the rides go by a little bit quicker.

It is remarkable that even some of the shyest Green River students had formed bonds with the shuttle drivers. Miller said that he had

The shuttle bus akes students from Green River College to extra parking at Pacific Raceways and vice versa. established small friendships with the drivers, having used the Park and Go service since his first quarter at the college.

Both Miller and Fry live 30 minutes outside of Auburn and work part-time jobs, so even though Pacific Raceways is not much farther from the Green River campus, it still helps them save gas and money. The Pacific Raceway shuttle service has more benefits than negatives and has helped lots of students who are not able to find a parking spot on campus or willing Rakesh Kommanaguta | The Current to pay $100 a quarter for a guaranA student getting on the shuttle bus that will take him to the Pacific Raceways. teed parking spot.

Flickr.com

The Park And Go Shuttle Service Gets Students To School at Their Convenience By: Madi Trepus Student Writer

For students who hate to wake up at the crack of dawn to get parking at the main campus, Green River offers The Park and Go as a means of transportation.

The Park and Go service is a place where students can park their car at the Pacific Raceways and every 10 minutes or so a shuttle comes and picks up everyone who needs the ride to the campus. This program has opened up more parking options for Green River College students and it acts as a great way to make friends and create ease into the day-to-day.

There is always campus security at Pacific Raceways, who help students park and make it easier for students to leave without being held-up. However, it is not entirely certain when the shuttle arrives.

“The drivers were always super nice, but it was sort of inconvenient because it was easy to be late to class having to wait for the shuttle to come,” said Ethan Miller, a Green River College student.

One thing Miller did not love about the shuttle was that it tended to move rather slowly when picking students up, making it harder to make it to class or home on time.

Luckily, Miller found a friend who was willing to drive him to his car

Green River College

a&e Upcoming 2020 Movies: Sequels and Remakes

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Amy Carpenter | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com

January 29, 2020

By: Nick Creasia Staff Writer

When going out to see 2019’s movies, the trailers shown an amazing lineup scheduled to hit theaters in 2020.

Several of 2020’s upcoming movies are sequels from many beloved franchises. One of the more anticipated movies is “007: No Time to Die” featuring Daniel Craig, in which he will be playing the well-known character of James Bond. This will be Daniel’s fifth and final film in the 007 saga, having previously starred in “Casino Royale”, “Quantum of Solace”, “Skyfall”, and “Spectre”.

In “No Time to Die”, James Bond has left active service. He is approached by Felix Leiter, his friend as well as CIA officer, who enlists his help in the search for a missing scientist. When it becomes apparent that the scientist was abducted, Bond must confront a danger the likes of which the world has never witnessed before.

Nick Anderson, Videographer at the Green River’s KGRG, has a very positive reflection in regards to Daniel Craig and the 007 series.

“I’ve always thought Daniel played a very tough and sophisticated James Bond in the series,” Anderson said. “Compared to the previous Bonds, looking at Pierce Brosnan or Timothy Dalton, Daniel just knocks them out of the park by a mile.”

“No Time to Die” is set be released in theaters April 10.

Chris Leir, another Green River Student, is excited about another highly anticipated movie that will hit the theaters June 26. “Top Gun: Maverick” is a sequel to the cult-classic “Top Gun” which was released in theaters way back in 1986. ”Top Gun is one of those movies where even if you haven’t seen it, you can still possibly recognize some of the characters and quotes from the film due to how iconic it is and how many people make reference to it,” Leir said. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all for

the original film to get some new attention prior to this anticipated release.”

Tom Cruise plays the lead role as Lt. Pete Mitchell, more commonly known in the movie as Maverick. Maverick is a test-pilot who manages to dodge the advancements of ranking up in the Navy.

He finds himself training a detachment of “Top Gun” graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever witnessed before.

Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw, played by Miles Teller, nicknamed Rooster.

He is the son of Maverick’s late best friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, also called “Goose”, from the original film “Top Gun”.

Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from who will be chosen to fly.

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Leir also mentioned a couple of other movies he is looking forward to this year ”I’m actually excited for the release of Mulan and Wonder Woman 1984. Birds of Prey should also have a lot of anticipation for viewers,” Leir said.

“Mulan” is the live-action Disney remake from the animated version released back in 1998. The new film will debut March 27.

“Wonder Woman 1984” will be released in theaters June 4 starring Gal Gadot as Wonderwoman, another new addition to the DC Comics series.

“Birds of Prey” will also be a sequel to a popular DC Comic movie, “Suicide Squad”, starring Margot Robbie once more as Harley Quinn. The movie is scheduled to be released in theaters February 7.

2020 clearly shows many impressive remakes and sequels that are coming to our screens this year.

Pixabay

Shoe Painting Allows Students to be Creative with Different Mediums

Flickr A pair of vibrantly painted shoes.

By: Areli Torres Staff Writer Recently a new trend has popped up in which you can paint your shoes, creating a masterpiece on your feet.

Shoes have always been used as a statement piece. They’ve been viewed as something that can make or break your outfit. There are many different ways with many different mediums to take a pair of white shoes and make them unique to you. Most people take it upon themselves to do their own shoe painting, while others commission an artist to do it for them. Some people do not feel that they are artistically talented enough to paint their own shoes.

Zach Angeles is a full-time artist who lives on the Island of Oahu.

Angeles does a variety of different types of art from illustrations, 3D fabrication, mural painting, and fashion design. His favorite subject for his work is beautiful flowers.

“Painting your shoes is a great form of expression on a medium that provides a great way to apply subtle marketing for the artist,” Angeles said.” So much like any other form of apparel, the expression of the artist can be felt.”

Although Angeles has yet to try the trend himself he has thought

about it before and would love to jump on the bandwagon.

Charlotte Lu originally stumbled upon the trend on Instagram before it blew up on Tik Tok. Seeing the final product of the artwork inspired her to try the trend herself. Now Lu does comissions for her own shoe paintings. Lu’s commisions average between $5080 a pair, not including the actual price of the shoes.

“Compared to a person who does this professionally it’s really not that much seeing as how a professional may charge $100-200 for a pair” Lu said.

Lu doesn’t see herself pursuing this activity professionally long term, for her it’s more of a hobby and a side job.

Anyone can wear these beautiful shoes and use the shoes to express themselves, whether or not they have created the artwork themselves. The point of the painted shoes is creativity, and it allows artists to find another creative outlet to have fun with, whether it’s professional or a hobby.

Flickr The same pair of painted shoes with creative designs and multiple colors.

a&e Lisa Miller Uses Ceramics to Lift People’s Spirits Amy Carpenter | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com

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thecurrent

January 29, 2020

Lisa Miller

By: Amy Carpenter A&E Editor Green River College’s Lisa Miller is an artist who loves to create art out of life’s everyday beauty.

Miller enjoys playing with many different styles of art, having done ceramics, drawing, oil painting, photography, and watercolor

Lisa Miller

through Green River’s art classes. She loves to create her art about her family and her goal is that her work will be able to to lift her viewers’ spirits.

“My favorite pieces and projects are the ones directly inspired by some of my favorite people, sculptures that celebrate my children and siblings, a drawing of my mom, and a watercolor of my husband,” Miller said.

Growing up Miller’s biggest inspiration was her mother. She and her siblings grew up in a house filled with creativity. The art that she watched her mother create has helped to inspire her to create her own.

“My mother was always making something beautiful out of the ordinary,” Miller said.

“We grew up with very little in the way of funds, she told me often that not having money was just a chance to be creative.”

She also had a high school art teacher who helped inspire her to create beautiful art. He always found a way to use whatever resources he had in order to make sure that his students had a beneficial experience.

“Mr. Gerdes made sure that we, kids growing up “out in the sticks” got to try almost every medium,” Miller said.

Miller is very glad to have found similar support from her teachers here at Green River College. Taking one of Green River’s art classes is an experience she has enjoyed and would recommend, as it has helped give her soul room to breathe.

Having grown up with inspiring art teachers her whole life Miller now wants to become an art teacher at a Jr high or high school. Her dream is to create a classroom like the one her teachers have created for her, to inspire the next generation of artists.

“The teachers and the techs in every department are themselves amazing artists and share their magical gifts with us,” Miller said.

The support of her family has given her the support she needs here at Green River.

She loves to do daily art challenges with her daughter where they draw or paint something different each day.

Many members of her family came to see her work at the Sin Titulo Exhibit in the Holman Library. She also loves to give the gifts of her art often in the form of a coffee mug she made. The creativity she sees in her family inspires her every day.

Despite creating amazing artwork Miller says that she doubts herself every single time she starts a new project.

“Art takes patience and practice and failing and starting again, but the whole process is beautiful and I’m learning more about finding joy in the process, not just the finished piece,” Miller said.

The experiences Miller has had with her family and her art teachers will help her as she goes into her future to become an amazing art teacher in her own right.

Lisa Miller

Lisa Miller

8 January 29, 2020

thecurrent

submission

Amy Carpenter | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com

Helios

by William Baliton

Tremors took hold of bones with a grip like the roots of a tree to the earth. In overwhelmingly noisy silence, desperate, frantic breaths reverberated; a song in the dark. Deep blue walls imploded like a blooming flower in reverse without moving even an inch. With nails clinging so tightly to goose bumped flesh that spots of read began to stream down pale arms, sobs began to punctuate the chorus of fearful breathing and excruciating silence. She sat, with narrow, near perfect mirrors streaked down her cheeks; reflecting the cold light of a phone screen laying face up.

Rocking back and forth in a vain effort to deny the reality before her burning eyes, she struggled against her body to scream which could only utter a faint whisper.

“Why?” she spoke wearily through her sobs.

Words that tried to spill out spun in her head like a top along a flawless surface. Attempting to release them, she spoke again, but her thoughts were lost somewhere before her lips.

“Why him?”

In the wreck of thoughts, bitter reminiscence crept through shadows on the walls and soon the only thing playing in her head was the last time she saw him.

Along a frozen shore, atop a snow-capped boardwalk overlooking an endless horizon of white, their breaths danced like phantoms, disappearing into the flurry of light snowflakes and faint mist. Somewhere beneath the impenetrable pale, light began to take hold of the horizon as he broke the silence.

“So, are you seeing anyone?” his voice retaining a light tone.

“No, what about you?” she replied timidly.

“I’m not seeing anyone either. I just don’t think I’m in the right place for it.”

“What do you mean you aren’t in the right place?”

“There’s so much going on at work and I still haven’t finished moving my things into the new place. Not to mention I still have to deal with the bills and payments… it’s a mess.”

She let out a strained sigh before continuing, “You remember when things were easier?”

“Like when?” he asked raising an eyebrow.

Slowly, the girl walked up to the nearly frozen wooden railing dividing their perch from the frozen sea below and leaned gently against it. Taking a long look up at the sky slowly growing brighter; her face painted with deep bags.

“When we were still kids and we’d run along the boardwalk chasing seagulls.”

“And you’d fall on your face and start crying?” The boy teased.

“No, no, you were the one who fell on their face. I remember because that old Russian lady called the ambulance for you.” The girl argued.

“Oh whatever, but you were always the crybaby.”

The girl rolled her eyes before sticking her tongue out at the boy. A moment of tense silence fell between them before the girl spoke up again.

“Do you think we could ever go back to those days?” she asked, her voice heavy and her eyes turned down toward the frost.

“Well…” the boy spoke with uncertainty.

“Well what?” The girl asked with an unexplainable hope in her words as she turned to look at the boy.

“I think that if we just keep going, if we keep being brave and holding onto what mattered to us then I think we’ll be okay.”

“How do you do that?” the girl asked, turning back toward the sea.

“Do what?” the boy replied as he joined the girl along the wooden railing.

“Be so hopeful? All I can see is misery between you and me.”

The boy let out a long sigh as he looked up at the ever-brightening sky. Clasping his gloved hands together, he mustered a response.

“That’s why we didn’t last.”

Thoughts between them began to thicken their minds as a bitter silence followed the boy’s words. Both stood still, shocked by the truth they both were too afraid to admit. The tension swelled until the boy spoke again, “All you could see was the grey and the dark and I never wanted to acknowledge what you saw.”

The girl looked over at him, trying to find the right words to say as he continued to speak, “I was naïve, yes, but you never wanted to enjoy the little things. You were always so hard on yourself and everyone and I know I shouldn’t justify myself like this, but it was hard being happy with you when all you wanted to do was look at everything that was wrong.”

“Because that’s what everything is!” The girl replied with anger in her voice.

“No, it’s not. There’s more to life than just looking at the things that make us angry or sad and I hope, deeply, that you can learn to appreciate the small glimpses of goodness.” The boy spoke with slight frustration before walking off.

Just then, the snow ceased, the wind picked up and radiant light pierced through the thick clouds. The snow began to glimmer like pale starlight as the crunch of the boy’s footsteps echoed and faded as he walked further.

“At least I’m willing to face my problems and not run away like a coward!” the girl yelled at the boy as the light above slowly vanished and the faint mist engulfed him.

The memory played like a cruel joke repeatedly in the girl’s head. A faint voice could be heard emanating from the glowing phone on her bed.

“Hey, are you there?” it spoke with concern.

Through the sobs the girl picked up the phone and replied with a broken voice, “I’m still here.”

“I’m so sorry. I just…I knew he’d want you to know.” The voice spoke over the phone.

“I know. How did it happen?” the girl asked, fighting to keep her tears down.

“He passed in his sleep. We still don’t know how.”

“Did he suffer?” the girl asked losing control of her emotions.

“I don’t think he did, the doctors say it was peaceful. Are you going to be okay?”

Swallowing her tears, the girl felt a warm feeling touch her back. Through her dampened eyes, she turned to see the sun peering through her curtains. The horizon was a clear gold, the sky blue and the distant mountains clothed in a deep green.

She could feel the tears returning, but taking a deep breath to calm herself, she bought herself enough time to speak.

“I’ll be ok. I’ll be ok.”

studentsubmissions Students may submit short stories, graphics, photos, drawings, poems, etc.

Not guaranteed to be published.

Must be sent to the editor@thegrcurrent.com We encourage students to submit whatever they wish and to use this as a creative space.

Deadlines: [February 7th, February 21st, March 6th]

Madison Farnsworth| Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

opinion

thecurrent

9 January 29, 2020

How Divorce Affects College Students’ Academic Lives By: Candice Copple Student Writer

I was eight years old coming home from Disney On Ice feeling like Happy, one of the seven dwarves, when I walked into an ice cold living room with my parents waiting to break life-changing news to me. They were getting a divorce.

It was a huge shock, and my world at that moment, I felt like it was falling apart.

Bickering parents, tension filling up every corner of the house, and being too young to know how to handle anything made it nearly impossible for me to keep my head up and stay motivated for the first couple of months.

I am one of around 30 percent of college students who come from broken homes.

Some 40 to 50 percent of marriages in the United States end up in divorce. Out of those couples, about 40 percent of them have children. Divorce does not only affect the spouses involved, but it ripples down to everyone around them.

Being so young was a huge advantage to me because I was able to not let the divorce impact my academics. I mean, how hard is the second grade curriculum, anyways?

Rather, the emotional issues I went through made an impact on me for years.

It did as well for Green River student Cayce Johnston, whose parents got divorced when she was 14. “After my parents’ divorce, my grades did drop a lot because I just didn’t care and didn’t feel like I had to put in the effort to get good grades anymore.” said Johnston, an 18 year old Tahoma High School “There was just too much going on at home to be able to focus on school at the moment.”

This is an ongoing trend throughout students who are affected by their parent’s divorce.

“Children and adolescents in intact married families are more likely to care about doing well in school, to do schoolwork without being forced, and to do more than to ‘just get by” continued Johnston.

According to Effects of Divorce, Marripedia, Divorce does not

always have the same impact on students. To some people, like Green River student Carter Warm, divorce was a good change.

“My parent’s divorce honestly didn’t affect me that much” said Warm, 18. “They split when I was 15 and I was okay with it because I knew they were better off apart.”

Eventually most kids see their parents’ divorce in a better light.

Personally, I can see my parents are happier and thriving, something they wouldn’t have been able to do if they stayed together.

Although there are the few cases where divorce has a minor impact on the children, studies have shown that it can also negatively affect adolescents through their whole school career even up until college.

Only 32 percent of children from broken homes are likely to go to college, and students from divorced families are 26 percent more likely to drop out of high school.

“It was really hard to gain my motivation back,” said Johnston. “It took me a while to realize the divorce shouldn’t stop me from doing well in school. It took me a while

but eventually after my sophomore year I got my GPA back up and started to do well in school again.”

Divorce will always be a hurdle in life that many people will have to suffer through. However, the chances are that if parents do get divorced, it was to improve the

lives of families. Divorce can help strengthen family relationships in the long run.

So while it may be difficult at first, there are many ways to cope through it and accept it as a necessary life change. Sometimes things like that need to happen.

Pixabay

“Free the Nipple” Movement Frees Women From Sexualzation

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

By: Alini Daniel Staff Writer

While scrolling social media you see many women feeling comfortable in their own skin, now what that means for them may be different for you.

From influencers to celebrities, even people close to you may be supporting a cause without you knowing. The debate that started to intensify in 2015 has always created controversy throughout history.

The members of the Outdoor Coed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society (OCTPFAS) are part of a movement called Free the Nipple who see themselves as proponents of gender equality. The movement’s searches had surpassed things like equal pay and gender equality.

Free the Nipple is a movement which fights for women to be allowed to go topless in public, Lina Esco, a filmmaker who began the Free the Nipple movement,

explains that “according to statute 245.01 per the Appeals Court of The State/City of New York, it is completely legal for a woman or a man to opt not to wear a shirt (or bra) in public.”

She helpfully points out: “a woman going bare-breasted will draw more stares than a man doing the same.” If it is completely legal, then why is it so controversial?

In the film Esco made about freeing the nipple, her character says that the fear levels associated with the act of women being topless in public is “right up there with being buried alive.”

As Esco writes for the Huffington Post, going topless is “an act of self-confrontation which I believed to be essential, both for my personal evolution, and by way of understanding viscerally, the taboo-tyrannized dynamic I was trying to change”.

This is the main point that Free the Nipple is trying to get across – it is a little nipple and we do not need to be so frightened of something so small on our body. “The nipple is the first thing we see when we’re born,” Esco told American news site RYOT. Women’s bodies have been endlessly hypersexualized, and the female breast, more specifically the nipple, has continuously been an example of this blatant objectification of women.

The term “bra-burning feminist” was used to describe women who protested in front of the Miss America pageant by throwing what

they referred to as “instruments of female torture,” such as bras, lipstick and high heels into trash barrels they labeled “Freedom Trash Cans”.

The objectification of a woman’s body has led to something as simple as a nipple to become an image of sex and obscenity however, this should not be the case. The female nipple is not a symbol of obscenity but a symbol of life.

The primary function of female breasts is to produce milk in order to nourish an infant. Their sexualization has led countless media sites to impose regulations regarding photographs containing a woman’s nipple.

Some will remove these photos for inappropriate content — some going as far as restricting users’ images within their list of rules.

It is an uncalled for over-sexualization which has been hardwired into society that has led to women’s nipples being viewed as borderline pornographic and men’s nipples being viewed as an everyday norm.

Melanie Soriano, a mother to a 3-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy, has had her fair share of dirty looks as she believes in openly breastfeeding, “getting stared at is uncomfortable and you get judged pretty harshly even by mothers, it kind of sucks but I’m not afraid to just whip it out if it means feeding my kids,” Soriano said.

Savannah Lindquist, a student at Kentwood high school, actively engages in freeing the nipple. She had a strong opinion on this while

being interviewed, “it’s not fair you can practically see a guy’s nipple through their shirt and no one tells them to cover it.”

This law is just another obstacle in place to control a woman’s body

and sexuality. If all states lifted a ban on female breasts, it is highly unlikely one would constantly see women walking around topless.

But women should be able to free the nipple if they want to.

Flickr

A shirtless woman at a Pride Parade with “Free the Nipple” written on her back.

Photo by pxhere

opinion

thecurrent

10 January 29, 2020

Madison Farnsworth| Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

The War Threat Looms Over Young American Psyches By: Madison Farnsworth Opinion Editor

Editorial

Because of President Trump’s actions the threat of war is upon us, the Americans.

What our leader did was immoral and illegal. The US government declared the air strike against Iran necessary in order to stop an “imminent attack” on US soil, while the Iranian government declared it to be an act of “state terrorism.”

The aftermath of it all is now taking place. One of the crises that happened was a Ukrainian airplane being struck down on January 8th 2020. The Iranian government admitted that they shot the plane down three days later. Originally thought to be a terrorist aircraft flying over the country, it turned out to be a regular passenger flight. All 176 people on board were killed.

An effect of the aftermath is the threat of another World War. The threat has its toll on Gen Z, especially. We [Gen Z] took one look at this and said it is time for memes.

All across social media, such as Tik Tok and Instagram, memes and jokes

about WWIII are being shared. That is apparently how the young generation copes with the stress of the probability of being sent to the front lines.

What makes the threat of a potential war worse, is that it could end up being a nuclear war. Even though Iran is not allowed to have any nuclear weapons, does not mean that they might not try to get some. The U.S. does have a stockpile of nuclear weapons, that is known for absolute sure.

Because of all these things going down, it is no wonder why young Americans cannot help but make jokes about the situation at hand. There are too many stakes and the best we can do at the moment is to distract ourselves with meme culture.

Older generations are not too happy that we are making jokes about such a serious issue and they have a right to be, seeing as how some of them served in Vietnam or Korea. However we are still just children. Some of us are barely reaching our twenties. The world is scary and threatening. It is all fun and games until we actually have to come face to face the consequences of our country’s heinous actions.

Going to war would change the very fabric of our society. It would bring hardship on almost everyone in this country. Many young people would be forced to leave their homes and face the terrors of war. War with Iran or any other country is something that should be avoided at all costs. Luckily war with Iran does not seem as imminent as it did in the beginning of the month.

The drone strike on Iran that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was an act of war that lead to the significant harm of U.S. soldiers posted in the U.S. embassy, despite president Trump’s consistent profession that it was not.

After Iran’s retaliation, the President said that “Iran will be held fully responsible for lives lost, or damage incurred, at any of our facilities.”

While it may be true that Iran launched the attack themselves, I believe that Trump should be held somewhat responsible after killing a significant political figure of Iran.

This is not only a giant mess for the U.S., but also for Iran. Both parties are responsible and need to be held accountable for their actions against one another.

America should not send young and scared Americans into battle all because the president made a tragic mistake. It is not fair to the youth, who just want to live a nice life, to be sent to foreign land just to raid and kill civilians.

I realize that when it comes to going to war with another country, the only people that get a say in the matter are people who have the upper hand in the situation. So the only ones who can prevent the war are the American government or the Iranian government. However both are also the provokers as well.

Maybe if world leaders can get it together and feel as if they need to not attack each other, then maybe, just maybe, the world will not end with bombs exploding everywhere.

We humans need to learn compassion, even when war threats are breathing down our necks.

In the end all that matters is to avoid going to war with Iran at all costs. It is just what needs to be done, or else generation after generation will suffer the consequences for years to come.

Editorials reflect the opinions of the entire editing staff of The Current.

The Starting Gate Restaurant Provides a Cozy Atmosphere for Dining

Chrys Behnsch | The Current

The interior of the Starting Gate Restaurant, located in Auburn.

Atmosphere: 3/5 By: Taylor Robertson The atmosphere was similar to Managing Editor that of a traditional American dinThe Starting Gate is a diner. There was nothing fancy about er-esque restaurant located in the decor, but the cozy feeling Auburn. It has the feel of smallof the restaurant made up for it. town America with its rustic The restaurant is seemingly in the atmosphere. An old-fashioned middle of nowhere and most custype of place with both the food tomers were likely locals or people and the décor. traveling through Washington who Service: 4/5 decided to stop for a meal. It wasn’t The Starting Gate is a relatively extremely small, but it was very small restaurant with a traditional modest and had a few small tables.

American menu. There were only Up at the front counter, there’s a two very kind and helpful servers. bar-like table you’d likely see in a The customers were scarce and the 50’s movie. The walls were decoratstaff was surprised to see a large ed with artwork that’d be found in group walk in, most likely because an older person’s house. the time was in the middle of lunch Quantity vs. Quality: 4/5 and dinner rush, or because they Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desdon’t get a lot of people coming sert could be ordered at any time. in at any time. A friendly waitress The food options were vast, ranging seated customers, handed out from seafood to freshly baked croismenus, and got drinks started. It sants. Other food options included was a very quick eating experience, burgers, steaks, omelets, finger as they were able to serve seven foods, and pie. The prices were low people in about 15 minutes. The compared to the amount of food waitress checked on customers and served. Entrees were anywhere refilled water throughout the meal. from $8-12 and came with a side.

The food itself was of good quality and came out very quickly. The tuna melt was delicious and came with a large side of well-seasoned cripsy fries.

Distance from Campus: 3/5 The Starting Gate is easily found on Google and is about 2 miles from campus and an 8 minute drive. At first the restaurant will look like someone’s house in the middle of nowhere, but upon further inspection, it was discovered that that’s probably just the vibe they were going for. If an international student who’s new to America would like to try some staple American food, this is a great option. Since the prices are low and the food tastes good, the distance is definitely worth it.

Overall: 3.5/5 In all, the Starting Gate experience was not anything to tell home about, but it most likely isn’t meant to be. The experience can more accurately be summed up as quick.

The waitress mentioned it was a place where many people traveling through Washington stop and eat at. This makes sense as it is a great place to make a quick stop to get a cheap, good quality meal. It’s also a great stop for any college student who is away from home and in need of some regular comfort food.

They’re also on the lookout to hire a dishwasher if any student is in need of a job near campus.

Chrys Behnsch | The Current

A plate with a reuben sandwich, potato salad, and a single pickle spear.

Efrain Pardo | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

sports

thecurrent

11 January 29, 2020

Former Gator Takes on a New Basketball Challenge at CWU

CWU Facebook Kevin Baker showing his skills on the court.

By: Josh Jazmati Staff Writer For many of us, when the winter season comes it means the official start of college basketball season. For Kevin Baker, this basketball season sparks a new challenge with the Wildcats at Central Washington University.

After playing the small and power forward positions for Kentlake High School and later for Green River College, Baker takes a new challenge playing for the Division II basketball team Wildcats from Central Washington University (CWU). The journey, however, has not been a smoothly paved road and it has been full of highs and lows.

In his first year at Green River College, Baker was ruled ineligible and forced to sit out after transferring from Peninsula Community College in Port Angeles. Unfortunately, the Gators also struggled during the season without him but Baker remained optimistic.

“At Green River, I had to sit out a year and, in that year, watching them struggle was really hard for me but it motivated me to help turn the program around the following year, which I was able to do,” Baker said.

During his second year as a Gator, Baker made the most of his playing time on the court. He was able to lead the Gators to a playoff appearance and win MVP for the Western Region of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC). Those accolades helped earn him a spot to play in Division II basketball for CWU and Baker’s hard work and dedication paid off.

“It was a surreal feeling to help lead this team and take them the deepest they have been into the playoffs in the last 15 years. A lot of people look at student-athletes and think they are handed everything but don’t understand the work we really put in,” Baker said. As for what Baker’s normal day is like “6 a.m. practices... school for four hours a day, study hall, weights and then individual skill work all within a single day is a lot to take in. It takes a toll on you both physically and mentally but that is the price we are willing

to pay, regardless of what people think when it comes to us being rewarded with scholarship money,” Baker said.

Baker’s start in the 2019-2020 season did not go as expected. Unfortunately, he was out because of an injury and unable to play for the start of the season with the CWU Wildcats. Since Baker has been back to play for CWU this season, he has averaged 12 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in only 12 games.

“He got that mentality of just being a dog.

And that was the big thing that changed for him and once that happened and he started performing the way he did last year I knew it was only a matter of time. I think we’ve

only seen the beginning,” says Coach Drake who currently trains the men’s basketball at Green River and was Baker’s coach during his time in Green River College and high school.

When asked what he expects to see from Baker as he moves forward with basketball “Kevin doesn’t like to see where he isn’t successful. So he is gonna find a way to figure it so look forward to some big thanks coming forward,” Drake said.

Baker is eligible to play for two more seasons for the Wildcats so be sure to follow our former Gator in his adventures this season and how he takes on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference as a Wildcat.

CWU Facebook

Every player like Kevin Baker (right) is important to the development of the CWU basketball team.

New Friendships Arise From GRC Outdoor Recreational Sports By: Jackie Nguyen Staff Writer Green River College provides a wide variety of sports and clubs options to fit a variety of people.

For some students, the outdoor 6v6 soccer league is a choice to be more involved with the student body and participate in an enjoyable activity. During the winter quarter, two student athletes, Kean Gani and Abdinafa Abukakar, play in a team at the Starfire Sports outdoor 6v6 league.

Their team plays against other 6v6 soccer leagues around the area including the multiple teams Green River College has signed up. Even though their backgrounds are very different they are both grateful to be in this team because it brought them together.

Gani is a Running Start student that will graduate from Lindbergh Senior High School in the spring of 2020, this is also his second quarter at Green River College. Gani plans to get his AA in the spring quarter and his certificate in Criminal Justice by spring quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, Abukakar graduated from the Canadian International School at Egypt and moved to the USA to study at Green River College and is planning to get his AA in business in spring quarter of 2021.

There are many reasons why some people just play for fun in their spare time. Usually it is because they either want to get some

Through this connection and the similar exercise, make connections, or just to extend interest for playing outdoor 6v6 soccer, these their athletic journey. Athletes have a variety two students created a bond of teamwork of reasons why they continue to practice that would have never happened if it was not sports even when it involves such a time for the recreational soccer team. Through the commitment in school. experience of playing, Gani states that “the Gani’s dream is to play professional soccer relationships that I made helps me grow on and his biggest inspiration is Cristiano and off the field and even though it’s only Ronaldo. And for his sports career he plans my second quarter at Green River College I to keep playing though Green River, which have great memories and friends through will help him make the connection he needs my time here.” Abukakar is grateful for the to further his path of playing professional opportunity to play ball. “I wish to play in at the Green River the Olympics one day,” “Playing through my process College’s outdoor 6v6 Gani said. of getting to a higher level and soccer league. “It was Meanwhile, Abukakar is only playing for fun, connecting with coaches will be a great way of making friends with similar “I would rather focus beneficial,” interests and making on school but playing - Jackie Nguyen new connections with soccer was a big part the student body and of his life so I want to staff,” Abukakar said. continue to develop this talent, so I can keep Even though it is Abukakar’s first quarter healthy and have a way to connect with the at Green River College after moving from student body,” Abukakar said.

Egypt, he thinks that there are plenty of Both athletes have been playing for over 10 resources to have more connections at the years, which means that they have devoted campus through activities and sports. As to this sport for more than half their lives. It for experiences with Green River College’s is understandable why they are so interest in the outdoor 6v6 soccer league. Gani has been outdoor 6v6 soccer league, “Really fantastic,” Abukakar said. About experiences on playing for 13 years in multiple clubs and the team is “playing through my process of Abukakar has been playing for 12 years. Last getting to a higher level and connecting with week was their first time playing together coaches will be beneficial,” Gani said. and they won 9-6 against another Green These two students found a common River College recreational soccer team.

interest in the Green River College’s outdoor 6v6 soccer league and now they are good teammates as well as better friends. During practice Gani and Abukakar like to have fun as they know that they are both playing soccer as a pastime and not for competition.

Recreational sports are a place to make connections and learn new.

Only with time we will know what the future holds for Gani and Abukakar in this sport and what could a Green River College recreational soccer team awaits for these athletes in the future.

Jackie Nguyen

Playing on a team tends to enforce social bonds.