Issue 1 Volume 54

thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college

October 16, 2019

www.thegrcurrent.com

issue 1 volume 54

Breast Cancer Awareness Month pg. 5

Kaeydn Kashmir-Witaker

2 October 16, 2019

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thecurrent

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

Initiative to Decrease Taxes on Car Tabs Green River’s

Pexels.com

Many cars pass by any given street numerous times a day; they’re common.

By: Valentin Dreher Staff Writer

Tim Eyman, a conservative political activist and supporter of smaller state governments, is requesting voters to support his bill to lower taxes.

Eyman has written a bill that would ensure the decrease in the extended fees put on car tabs in order to lower taxes for residents of Washington State.

There is some controversy surrounding this specific initiative, and the debate is ongoing. One side argues that Sound Transit, a company for public transportation, has raised the prices of tabs illegally and for their own benefit.

This has not been proven, but some Sound Transit’s actions as of late have led Tim Eyman and his followers to believe this.

There have also been claims regarding the fact that Washington residents already pay a lot of taxes, and that lowering the overpriced car-tab fees will save taxpayer money. While Eyman and his supporters discuss this side of the debate, others feel that without these taxes, many city or statewide projects will be put on hold.

For instance, public transportation options such as The Light Rail are supposed to expand and reach new locations which relies on taxpayer funding. This will help those who do not have a car or enough money to travel long distances in order to get to school or work.

Public transportation is also a better way to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, which is important due to drastic climate changes.

Other projects such as buildings

and road construction would be more difficult to fund, both of which are important for the safety and economy of Washington.

“Although this doesn’t affect me very much because my parents do pay my car-tab fees, I wouldn’t want to put the safety and improvement of our community at stake just to save a little money,” said Madison Wachtler, a Running Start student attending Green River College.

Wachtler firmly disagrees with the challenges our residents might face in the result of Eyman’s bill being passed. She also mentioned that her parents agree with her outlook regarding the circumstances.

Emma Drofyak, a 16-year-old Running Start student studying at Green River College, also holds a strong opinion regarding the issue.

“I feel like people in the community already spend a lot of money on taxes every year,” Drofyak said. “In my opinion I don’t think it is fair for them to raise taxes on car tabs, especially since many people are already struggling to pay to survive.”

Since the dispute had been circulating for quite some time, even in previous years when Eyman had attempted to pass the same bill and was denied, people are still waiting for answers. In November, we will finally receive news of whether the bill will pass but until then we must spread awareness to everyone eligible to vote.

Students Discuss the Price to Park at Green River By: Candice Copple Student Writer

Green River College’s main Auburn campus sells guaranteed parking spots for students.

Since Spring quarter 2012, Green River has been selling guaranteed parking passes to students for $5 daily or $100 quarterly, according to the parking and transportation page on the Green River website.

The parking lot is located in the southwest corner of the main campus which is enforced by campus safety and has been a huge hit since becoming available.

According to Cashiering Supervisor Shanna Selvar, each quarter there are around 200-320 passes sold. When asked why the program began, Jesus Cortez, the Campus Safety Site Supervisor, responded that and “parking is atrocious from 7:30 a.m. to around 3 p.m. daily.”

Complaints about parking being scarce pushed the college to come up with a new program to help the students whose classes do fall in those busy times obtain parking.

Students bought their passes to avoid the tickets they would get from parking in staff or reserved spots when they could not find anywhere to park.

“I was tired of having to struggle to get a spot or be forced to park il-

legally and get a ticket,” said Goretti Hernandez, a Green River student.

Not having to worry about tickets are not the only benefit students get from having a pass.

“I love it, it makes parking a lot less stressful especially when I wake up late,” said Kendall Goin, a student at Green River.

Only a few complaints were mentioned about the guaranteed parking program. “I wish they were cheaper,” Hernandez said.

However, the high price tag is due to Green River is “trying to make it so it’s expensive enough where

not everyone would come get one but cheap enough so people would want one,” Selvar said.

This program mostly benefits students who have classes during busy hours and “for people who don’t want to look for general parking and just want to cruise right into a spot you paid for,” Cortez said.

However, if the price tag is too high for one’s taste, Selvar encourages students to take advantage of the shuttle service at Pacific Raceways. Or plan on getting to school early and wait for those hard to get spots on campus.

Shuttle Service Helps Students Find Parking By: Ester Bugaychuk Staff Writer

Pacific Raceways offers a free shuttle service to students from the raceways to the college.

With the reoccurring parking problem at Green River, the shuttle service operates between 7:30 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. according to the college’s website. This might be a good solution for any students who don’t want the time-consuming stress of circling around campus trying to find a parking spot.

“I saved so much stress and time using the shuttle because there is unlimited parking at the raceways,” said Nellie Usach, a Green River College student with an 8 a.m. class at the campus.

Vanessa Shornal, a student with an 11 a.m. class, shares the same sentiment. “This year is Green River’s first year accepting new four-year students, yet they did not build more parking,” Shornal said.

“It is my first year doing Running Start so I was stressed out about where I could find parking. Thankfully, I found out about Pacific Raceways parking.”

From the accounts of both these students there is a clear problem being shown. Yet these complaints about parking are not the first. For years there have been complaints about the lack of parking.

But while students are waiting for something to be done about the lack of parking, the Green River shuttle is a great option for students who worry about finding parking spots on campus.

thecurrent 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 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 Farsworth thecurrent.Opinion@mail. greenriver.edu SPORTS EDITOR Efrain Pardo thecurrent.Sports@mail.greenriver. edu PHOTOGRAPHER Rocky Duke mkommanagumta2@mail. greenriver.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga thecurrent.PageLayout@mail. greenriver.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elsa Finkbeiner efinkbeiner@mail.greenriver.edu STAFF WRITERS:

Abdi Sidali, Anuhea Borden, Chris Sundet, Connor Upton, Amelia Songras-Rosales, Gianna Aubin Pinti, Halley Swindle, Jessi ZamoranoSaucedo, Kylee McManus, Lance Simons, Macie Jean Walker, Marian Mohamed, Romeo Buckley, Tatiana Vila-Ferreri, Taylor Bailey, Valentin Dreher

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

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Global Trends Shrink International Enrollment at Green River By: Valentin Dreher Staff Writer Green River is facing its lowest international enrollment in eight years; the amount dropping by 12 percent.

Wendy Stewart, vice president of International Programs, regrets this trend. She believes that having international students on campus prepares both domestic and international students for a vast and globalized world.

“The lasting impact of what we can do here at Green River is to connect people across borders,” Stewart said. This quarter, only 1,249 international students continued their education at Green River, making up less than an eighth of the student population.

The college has seen far more international students in past years.

In Fall 2016, 1,749 international students were enrolled at Green River College. The downward trend in international registration started in early 2017.

Since then, Green River has seen

fewer students from all around the world. Stewart pointed out Green River is not alone with this issue.

“This is not uncommon. A lot of community colleges and universities across the US have seen a drop like this,” she said.

Stewart blames this development on global trends. The trade war between the USA and China has profoundly impacted Green River’s enrollment in recent quarters.

Today, there are over 40 percent fewer applications from China than there were three years ago.

“The U.S. slowed down the visa processing in China,” Stewart said.

Following that, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a warning to students that were thinking about studying in the U.S., and that there were visa issues.

Both of these, she continued, made Chinese students hesitant to come to the U.S. William Lau, a Chinese student that came to Green River this quarter, also had a multitude of concerns.

“Before I came here, I was anxious about possible discrimination

from people who do not like the Chinese,” said Lau. Stewart is also worried about the political climate in the U.S. She said that right now, the United States as a whole is not welcoming towards visa holders.

Stewart believes she can empathize with international parents’ concerns, sending their childern so far away from home.

“I have a daughter of my own who went off to college this year,” Stewart said. “We have a safe campus. Our Campus Safety staff is available 24/7. Students and their families should feel welcome [at Green River].”

Lau replied that he indeed feels appreciated at Green River. “I hope that I will never have to face discrimination here.”

Still, the rigid visa procedure and the political climate make students look elsewhere. In Canada or Europe, it is a lot easier to get a student visa.

Additionally, competition over international students currently tightens. “Today, universities in a

lot of countries are providing classes in English. That is a way to attract students from all over the world to their universities,” Stewart said.

Also, more and more colleges in the US are competing for international students.

“We were one of the first community colleges to recruit international students. And now, many colleges and universities are jumping in,” said Stewart.

The drop in international enrollment has also impacted the college’s financial situation.

International students pay significantly more in tuition to fund additional services such as International Advising.

Due to the decline in funding, the college did not replace five vacated positions in the International Programs department this year.

However, Stewart is optimistic that the college can adapt to the new global realities.

“We experienced downturns before, after 9/11 and the Asian economic crisis,’’ she said. “We bounced back after each of those

challenges. We’ll do it again by staying student-focused, responsive, and innovative.”

The International Programs Office has included measures like visa advocacy and enhanced digital marketing into their 2019 Operational Plan.

Rocky Duke | The Current

Two international students relaxing.

Incoming Students’ Fears of College Words of Wisdom From Upperclassmen By: Jessi Zamorano-Saucedo Staff Writer No matter what students may think, College is not high school part two.

College is a place that expects the best out of students regardless of what other responsibilities may overwhelm their lives.

The first few weeks of college can be a bit unnerving, as it can be a completely different environment from high school. A lot more is expected out of the student, no matter how many jobs, pets, or children they may be responsible for.

“My biggest fear is to not pass any of my classes and let down my family and not complete my goals for the year," said Anthony Perez, a senior in high school partaking in the Running Start program.

Perez is not alone in this feeling. It is also important to consider that there are a significant amount of international students who are traveling far from their home country to get their degree. Being thrust not only into a new academic environment, but also a into new country that speaks a language they may not know can make communicating significantly difficult. “[There are] lots of people [from] different culture backgrounds [at the college]”, said Nianchu Shen, an international student studying at Green River.

Shen believes that going to college as an international student is a completely different experience from local students.

Not only do they have to make sure they are keeping up with assignments like everyone else, they also have to learn how to interact within a different cultural setting and in some cases have to take on extra course work in order to properly learn the English language. Despite this steep learning curve for both international and local students, Green River is known for

its welcoming atmosphere, expansive forest trails, and obliging professors, all of which are here to help students succeed.

When coming to Green River College on the first day of the quarter, students fear that they may not be able to find their class on time, that they may collapse under stress, or struggle to choose their major. These fears are universal in any academic setting, and it is important to know that of the 8,153 enrolled at the school, every last one of them were just as afraid on their first day.

College may seem like an intimidating beast at first glance, but as the months go by, students realize that this may be the best time of their lives.

It may be difficult at some moments, but at others it proves to be a place where peers and professors learn how to grow together, all in order to help build a better world for the generations to come.

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

By: Halley Swindle Staff Writer

This quarter, upperclassmen offer their words of wisdom for new students of Green River College.

The first day of college is an important milestone in one’s life. It can be both exciting and stressful for those who have not yet experienced education outside of high school.

With that being said, Green River’s Upperclassmen have advice for those attending their first day of college.

“I’ve come to learn that college is really about persevering through adversity,” said Tyler Miller, a student-athlete on the baseball team. He is looking to receive his general associates here at Green River College. He would like to remind students to stay on top of their work because falling behind is very easy to do in school.

“I would highly recommend applying for TRIO (Student Support Services),” said Miller. Miller also added, “Embrace the grind of academics…set yourself up for success.”

TRIO is for first-generation college students, those with a documented disability and low-income students.

Caroline Amkhhavog, a Green River student of three years pursuing her Associate of Arts, discusses how to find confidence in an intensive academic setting.

“It’s easy to compare yourself to others, but you shouldn’t let their progression discourage you,” Amkhhavong said. “Everyone is different, and everyone moves at different paces in life.”

Although she offered great advice, she also admitted to being a bit nervous on her first day. She recommends that a way to get comfortable as a new student is to try and make friends in each class.

“This is helpful when you’re gone and you need notes,” Amkhhavong said. “It’s always nice to have a companion.”

To make college life more memorable, she says getting involved with school activities does the trick. During her free time, Amkhhavong plays volleyball and badminton.

Isaiah Stevens, a sophomore pursuing a pediatrics major, can relate to feeling nervous on the first day.

“It’s okay if you don’t know what you want to do just yet,” Stevens said. “This is the time to have fun and maybe you’ll find something you love to do.”

He recommends students utilize the library and its resources because “you can find anything in there.” For new students looking for a spot to hangout, Stevens recommends the cafeteria because “it almost always has stuff going on, so it’s fun to see what’s happening.”

He also encourages others to study at a pace where they do not have to cram everything in all in the night before.

Kellen Ringus, a sophomore at Green River pursuing a teaching degree, reminds students to never let the stress get to them.

“Just relax, don’t overthink things, focus on school, and get to know people,” Ringus said.

“It may be scary at first, but it’s only awkward if you make it awkward.”

Like most freshman, Ringus felt insecure as a new student and worried about getting to his classes on time. He strongly encourages students to talk to their advisors and teachers for help with their studies.

“Always ask questions,” said Ringus. “A man who asked a foolish question is a fool once, but a man who doesn’t ask a foolish question is a fool forever.”

Another spot on campus Ringus recommends is the art hall on the third floor of the Salish Hall Building because it is always nice and quiet. College may seem intimidating at first, but over time, students not only learn the content of their textbooks, but they find new friends, have fun experiences, and make memories along their journey.

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campus Breast Cancer Awareness

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October 16, 2019

Campus Crime Blotter

Campus Safety responded to the following incidents from October 2 to October 11, among others. All information is from Campus Safety incident reports.

10/2/19 9:30 a.m.

Student Union.

Theft.

A staff reported a theft by a student in Gator Grill in Sudent Union.

Occurred in Student Union.

10/3/19 12:03 p.m.

Science Center Suspicious.

A staff reported two (2) students into a classroom in Science Center while the class was on a break. Occurred in Science Center.

10/3/19 2:00 p.m.

120th Ave. SE. Theft.

A student reported a possible theft of his wallet at a non-campus location. Occurred on 120th Ave SE.

10/5/19 12:24 a.m.

124th Ave. SE Auto accident.

A non-student was involved in an accident by Campus Corner Appartments on 124th Ave SE.

10/9/19 2:40 p.m.

Parking lot 15.

Assault.

A student reported being assaulted by another student in parking lot 15. Occurred in parking lot 15.

10/9/19 3 p.m.

Parking lot 3 Hit and run.

A student reported his vehicle was hit by an unknown vehicle in parking lot 3.

10/10/19 9:15 a.m.

Parking lot 4.

Hit and run.

10/10/19 8:00 p.m.

SC Vandalism

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

By: Taylor Bailey Staff Writer

October is Breast Cancer awareness month—an annual event set on increasing awareness of the disease, and Green River College has some special offers in participation.

Breast cancer is caused by cancer cells forming in the tissues of the breast that then begin to spread to other areas of the body.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, this disease is usually caused by damage to a cell’s DNA. There are some known risk factors such as drinking alcohol, smoking, and having a family history of breast cancer. Thankfully, many people with these risk factors never develop the disease.

Contrary to common belief, females are not the only ones affected by the disease.

All people, whether male or female, are born with breast cells and tissue that are susceptible to disease. According to NBCF, a man’s breast cells and tissue can still develop cancer Male breast cancer is very rare; however, the mortality rate of men with breast cancer is higher than women, as men are less likely to get a checkup.

Green River College demonstrates breast cancer awareness by hosting an event this month. From 12-2 p.m. Oct. 22 in the

Student Union building, Student Life’s Gator Activities Board will host the Tuesday “Gator Gives” event during the Fall Club Fair.

Collin Veenstra, the manager of Green River’s Gator Activities Board, spoke on the activities participants can expect from this month’s event.

“For our giveaway this particular week, we will be offering students free pink cotton candy, awareness ribbons and information on self-screening and more,” said Veenstra. “[This is] in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”

The information on self-screening available at the event will provide how to get checked properly and includes steps on how the disease can be treated.

According to NFCB, an estimated 42,000 women and 500 men will die from breast cancer this year in the U.S. alone, and one in eight women will develop it in their lifetime.

Fortunately, there are over 3.5 million survivors of this disease in the United States.

The reason they survived this disease is because they were diagnosed early, either by a doctor or themselves, and because they were proactive and took the necessary steps to insure the best chances of survival.

Their success is a testament to the importance of breast cancer awareness, which is demonstrated by events such as the one held by Green River.

Complete Women Care

Two students reported witnessing a hit & run in parking lot 4.

Handling the Approaching Flu Season By: Kylee McManus Staff Writer

A staff member reported vandalism to paperwork and a white board in Science Center. Occurred in Science Center Room 240.

10/11/19 9:10 a.m.

Parking lot 13 Auto accident

Two students were involved in an auto accident in parking lot 13 Occurred in parking lot 13

10/10/19 3:30 p.m.

Parking lot 8 Auto accident

Two students were involved in an auto accident in parking lot 8.

10/11/19 4:20 p.m.

Campus Corner Theft

A student reported his bike stolen in Campus Corner apartments.

10/11/19 4:30 p.m.

Campus Corner theft

A student reported his bike stolen in Campus Corner apartments.

Occurred in Campus Corner Apartments.

As flu season enters peak activity, students should prepare to keep themselves healthy by getting a flu shot.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu is a virus that infects the respiratory tract. The flu is self-diagnosable and typically people will show symptoms such as a sore throat, fever, cough and nasal congestion. Many local pharmacies offer flu shots at different prices, sometimes even free, depending on whether or not the patient has insurance.

Amber Tran, a nurse at the University of California-San Francisco Medical Center, and KaraLynn LaValley, Dean of Nursing at Green River College, both recommend that all students get their flu shot.

LaValley recommends that students wash their hands, stay hydrated, get as much rest as possible and be sure to get their flu shot.

The CDC says that the flu is spread through droplets that come from the mouth and nose and can be spread directly by touching contaminated surfaces. Keeping up on good hygiene can also help prevent the flu.

Tran reccomends DayQuil and Emergen-C

to shorten the length of the flu, while LaValley prefers a more holistic approach, including vitamin C supplements, lots of water and plenty of rest.

LaValley shared that zinc supplements are also a great option to boost the immune system and help fight off any infection.

The misconception floating around that the flu shot causes flu-like symptoms is challenged by both Tran and LaValley.

“The [human] body is reacting to the vaccination and developing antibodies to fight infection,” Tran said.

LaValley shared that the flu becomes an inactive virus after the flu shot. The vaccine only targets certain strains of the virus, so the body may become infected if it encounters another form. The seasonal flu virus is curated to protect against the strains of viruses that will be the most common that year, according to the CDC. Green River College held its annual flu shot clinic in the Willow room on October 10, 2019. All staff and students were welcome to get vaccinated for free.

Taking the proper steps to prevent the flu and getting the flu shot can help students stay healthy throughout the upcoming flu season and school year.

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

Lara Gienger’s Art Ranges from Realistic to Fantastical

Lara Gienger

A photo of the traditional artist, Lara Gienger.

By: Anuhea Borden Staff Writer Green River’s Lara Gienger, 17, is an artist who specializes in traditional art.

Born in Washington State, Gienger has lived in Renton her whole life and now attends Auburn High School. She is going into her senior year as a full-time Running Start student. She is most interested in traditional art, using both graphite and ink.

“I find art fascinating as I can start with a completely blank page and fill it with anything I could imagine. I love being able to create anything,” said Gienger.

Although Gienger’s parents both work in completely different fields, they fully love and support her interests.

Gienger’s knowledge of art techniques started off small, as she says she began drawing on her own during her youth,

becoming an artist is the ultimate dream. however, that changed as she got older. She continued on to say that other people around In making strides toward this dream, she her had little interest in art. mentions one of her main inspirations is an artist named Amber B.—also known “I didn’t draw very often in elementary as Krooked Glasses. This artist’s focus is school since others sometimes saw them primarily comic book characters, which is as useless creations with no meaning or something Gienger purpose,” Gienger said. gravitates toward in This did not stop her work outside of Gienger for long, as she college courses. started getting back “I find art fascinating as I One thing Gienger into drawing once she can start with a completely is working on now is entered middle school. an art challenge called The most intriguing blank page, and fill it with Inktober, which is a part about Gienger’s art anything I could imagine,” popular display of ink is that she never took - Lara Gienger drawings during each any genuine art classes day of October, which until her enrollment in is shared through college. Gienger said the various social media students and staff here platforms. Inktober was originally brought made an art environment that was nothing about by an artist named Jake Parker, who but supportive of her work and ambitions.

“The drawing classes really helped develop new techniques and learn the basics of drawing such as composition, values, etcetera,” said Gienger.

She is currently taking Art 107 (Advanced Drawing). She states that in her two years of taking various drawing courses, Gienger feels like he has been able to develop a style she can call her own.

She also gave her opinion on working with a muted color scheme since her start: “Limited color narrows down the emotion, and strongly evokes the feelings of a drawing through the contrasts in dark and light.”

Gienger’s expressive self portrait was the final for her Art 105 class and perfectly portrayed her newfound ove of shading and working with darker tones.

“I like the contrast between the bright whites and strong darks” Gienger said.

Gienger is working towards her general AA, as her high school graduation is this upcoming June. Despite uncertainty of the Lara Gienger university she wants to attend, Gienger said

specializes in comic shorts and different kinds of animation. Gienger intends on completing every day of this fun challenge alongside artists that take part in it all around the world.

Gienger’s love for art shows that she does not have any regrets in starting her journey as an artist in her time at Green River.

She also gave some advice for new artists: “If you’re getting into art, don’t give up,” Gienger says. “Keep creating and try not to compare yourself to others. The only person you should try to outdo is yourself. I’d also say that sometimes you won’t really like what you’ve made one day, but that’s okay, because there’s always more drawings to make down the road. Be proud that you created something even if you don’t like it.”

By taking her first art classes at Green River, Gienger has gained valuable skills she will surely use in her future art career.

Lara Gienger

Reviving a New Joker: How the Villian Changed Throughout the Years By: Connor Upton Staff Writer

The Joker is one of the most iconic villains of all time, so it is no surprise that throughout the years the character would be adapted into many forms of film and television.

Created in 1940 by comic legends Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson, Joker was initially introduced in the first issue of the Batman comic series.

Seeing as Joker is currently headlining in his own movie, it would be fitting to take a look back throughout the years and see how this character has evolved in both film and television.

In 1966, the Batman television series debuted, featuring Adam West as Batman and Cesar Romero as Joker. What differentiates Romero’s Joker from the others is the tone of the character’s crimes.

Some of the heinous crimes he committed were loitering in a high school, attempting to get a basketball team disqualified from

a game, stealing the answer key for a pre-college exam, and much more. At one point in the show’s run, Joker and Batman have a surf off competition. The Joker remained a campy prankster in the public’s eyes until 1989, where Jack Nicholson played the famous clown prince of crime.

Nicholson’s interpretation was darker and tormented, but still had the comical side of the 1966 interpretation. At one point in the film, Joker pulls out a revolver with a 2-foot barrel to shoot down Batman’s plane.

Despite his comedic features, Joker in this film does kills a lot of people, with some estimates showing his kill count in the fifties.

It was around this time that Joker would start to be portrayed as a darker and more disturbed character, taking inspiration from the tone that the character had in the comic books during that time.

In 2008, the character of the Joker would be forever changed with Heath Ledger’s Academy Award winning performance. The Dark

Knight featured Ledger as Joker, with a performance of villainy and madness that was critically acclaimed. He was portrayed as an intelligent, scheming anarchist who wants to watch the world burn.

Ledger’s Joker left a lasting impact on the character’s legacy.

DC moved on from loitering in a high school to blowing up a hospital dressed as a nurse.

Jump to the year 2016, where Jared Leto takes up the mantle for a small roll in the film Suicide Squad. Leto’s take on the character was divisive among fans and critics alike, some praising him for a quirky take while others disliked it, calling it shallow and uninspired.

Three years later, Joker has a new face with Joaquin Phoenix, a mentally disturbed man who finds

himself lost in society. Throughout the course of the violent movie, Phoenix’s character slowly descends into madness, gripped by the trauma of his past and shunned by his peers in the city. The film dives deep into violent hysteria.

Joker made $96 million at the box office in its first weekend, showing that the character is still popular among moviegoers.

Taylor Robertson | The Current

Two incarnations of the Joker, played by Cesar Romero (1966) and Joaquin Phoenix (2019) dance next to each other.

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

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The Melodic Voices of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble Different By: Macie Jean Walker Staff Writer The Green River College Jazz Voices gives their members opportunity to rehearse, make friends, and perform with other advanced vocalists in a professional yet friendly setting.

The Green River Jazz Voices boasts 15 talented members.

Nico Benabid, one of the choir’s youngest members, described it as a close-knit group and said they are able to get close in a way that is more difficult to experience in a much larger choir.

“I think it’s similar for all performers; people naturally like attention from others,” Benabid said. “Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted people to notice me, and singing has done that for me. I want people to see that I’m good at something and I’ve done that through music.”

For 12 years, the group has been directed by Kelly Eisenhour, who despite teaching other courses finds this group to be especially important to her.

“The standards are really high,” Eisenhour said. “I write for them and I do some of the arranging, so it’s sort of my signature group. I get to be creative, and they’re excellent singers, so I get to work with them on a high level.”

The choir’s repertoire currently consists of five songs and instead of spending rehearsals picking up different pitches and rhythms for each singer, the vocalists are expected to learn their part individually in order to maximize productivity in class.

When having auditions for

the ensemble, Eisenhour is very particular about whom she allows in her class. Vocalists must be prepared to read sheet music, show musicality in performance and have an awareness of pitch and intonation. Eisenhour also assesses the singer’s tone and how they will blend with returning vocalists, as well as how quickly they can pick up highly complex rhythms, pitches and concepts.

While returning members still have to audition, “they have a leg up because they know what to expect,” said Eisenhour.

If students join the class that have never performed in a jazz ensemble before, it is much more difficult for them to anticipate the amount of practice and devotion that it takes to be a part of a college-level jazz choir. “[Jazz is] a very different style, and you direct it differently because it’s not as formal,” Eisenhour said.

“Once they’re on stage, I’m hardly directing them at all.”

In a performance, the director might count them in, but from there, it is up to the students to perform and put on the show that they have prepared. Eisenhour interacts more with the singers in a ballad or slow song, or if the piece is sung acapella. The style and culture of jazz permits the students to be more independent and musical together.

With only two weeks of rehearsal so far, the ensemble anticipates its first performance on Nov. 2. Cohosted by Green River Community College and Auburn Riverside High School, the festival will feature seven choirs in total from Auburn High School, Auburn Riverside

High School, Tahoma High School, Kentwood High School, as well as Green River College.

The choir tentatively plans on going to the Fullerton Jazz Festival in California this April. While this festival is non-competitive for college groups, there will be judges there that will work with each group individually. Eisenhour believes that her singers could benefit from the experience of working alongside professionals and experience the music industry in that setting.

Despite funding worries, Eisenhour is eager. “It’s a great festival because there’s college groups and high school groups, and even middle school vocal jazz groups, so you get to see a lot of different styles.” Eisenhour said.

She also explained that the sound one hears in a local setting has a very unique and distinct brand.

Vocal jazz in schools was born in the pacific northwest in the mid1970s. All across the country, there are different pockets of jazz that have their own sound and culture, and the festival at Fullerton College gives singers the opportunity to experience that.

If the group is unable to go to the Fullerton festival, then they will plan on returning to Reno this year instead. Last year, the choir came home with the first-place trophy and their own Sage Eisenhour received the Outstanding College Vocalist award.

“I think my group is even better this year, so I’d love to take them to Reno again,” Eisenhour said.

The Green River Jazz Voices is an inspirational ensemble full of hardworking singers. Eisenhour is very excited to see the group perform together, and expects amazing things from them.

By: Emilia Songras-Rosales Staff Writer

Kelly Eisenhour | Green River College

The members of Green River College Jazz Voices pose in front of a building.

Green River Students’ Favorite Streaming Services By: Emilia Songras-Rosales Staff Writer

After asking Green River students if they have a favorite video or music streaming service, it was easy to see there is a wide variety of preferences.

Netflix currently holds the title as the most popular streaming service, so it would make sense that so many students at Green River would use it as well. “My go to streaming service would definitely have to be Netflix,” said Allison Schacher, a student at Green River.

Other students who did not choose Netflix chose a mix of answers including some other video and music streaming services.

“I use Amazon as my main streaming service,” said Caleb Martin, a student at Green River.

For him, Amazon provides both a music and video streaming service, allowing access to both services on a single account. “[I use] Hulu, mostly,” Madison

Kruger said. “I get episodes sooner than Netflix.” Kruger was the only student who answered Hulu, where most of the others chose Netflix or even Amazon.

Many other students also choose a music service over a video service. “My favorite streaming service is Spotify” said Kruger.

There was also Nianchu Shen, who was the only international student in the group of students interviewed. Unlike most students at Green River, she does not like using video streaming services.

Instead she prefers music streaming services.

“First of all, I like music and I believe that most students like it” Shen said. “Secondly, some public places often play music by speaker.

These music songs are different [genres and languages], it could be English songs, Japanese songs, Korean songs and so on.”

For Shen, music brings people together from different cultures to communicate.

Prices For TV and Movie Streaming Services

Many of the students interviewed had also mentioned they had a favorite music streaming service.

Most of them choose Spotify, although there were a couple of outliers who enjoy using services such as iTunes or Apple music.

Music streaming services seem just as popular as video streaming services for students at Green River.

Students really enjoyed using the streaming service that worked best for the what they cared about, whether it be videos or music.

Chrys Behnsch

There are many different streaming services that students use to watch their favorite TV shows and movies.

There is a wide range of prices for separate services. First, there is Amazon Prime. It is a one stop shop with only one plan that costs $8.99 a month. It comes with access to all of their selected movies and TV shows, all without ads and the ability to be downloaded.

Another service is Hulu, which has three plans. The first plan is $5.99 a month to stream any TV show or movie. This plan comes with ads and no live TV availible.

The second option is $11.99 a month, in which any TV show or movie can be streamed, without ads, but still does not offer live TV. The final option is quite expensive at $44.99 per month, which includes all features from the previous plans plus live TV. Then, there is the most popular streaming service, Netflix. This comes with the ability to have the first month free, no ads, unlimited movies and TV shows, and the option to cancel at any time. The first option is $8.99 and then goes up to $12.99 a month with the second plan. The second option allows you to watch it on two screens at time with HD. The third and highest price is $15.99 a month and you can watch it on four screens at a time in Ultra HD. There is also the music streaming service Spotify, which has a premium plan at $4.99 that comes with free use of Hulu’s cheapest plan and SHOWTIME. All of these streaming services have different features, and choosing which service to use will be based on what the viewer finds most important.

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submission

Ode to Halloween By: Kaedyn Kashmir Volunteer Writer

I MET DEATH IN MY SKIN I gaze into the mirror-My skin is clear and perfect Besides a minuscule hole On my cheek I pick and scratch at my face Erase the imperfection!

It grows greater and deeper When I dig Gouge my finger in the hole Generates a gush of blood As I’m peeling back my flesh It is warm My tender skin keeps tearing All the way down to my chin The meat is red and juicy And I watch I am dazed from all the pain Yet still, I keep on shredding My shaking hands are bloodied I know now My face is mutilated My flawless dermis is gone I reveal the hole to be Just a smudge On my skin

I witnessed a man die today He jumped from three stories above His son could only watch and pray I thought the man was shoved I caught the tail end of his fall Like he had a heart attack As he lied down in a sprawl The sound of a spine is “crack” His son called out his name From three stories up ahead I know he’ll never be the same After seeing his father dead The EMTs arrived Yet it was all in vain The man’s breath was depraved He was released from pain We stood in shock and stared As the men took him away That’s not what made me scared For there was something in the way She wore a white cloak That cascaded down her back I realized by the time she spoke She was Life’s attack She looked stunning from behind But when she turned her face What horrors did we find Her beauty fell from grace I wish I could relay the sight Of her sunken eyes, proof of age Glowing pupils, much too bright Burning suns trapped in a cage “My child, be not afraid In time, we all must leave Many mistakes will be made I give you time to grieve” I drew in a shaking breath Her distorted face I did not mind I proudly say that I met Death And she was very kind

TO THE CROWS The Crows peer through your window Bleak, piercing eyes drilling their way into the barren wasteland you call your mind “The eye is a window to the soul” Yet, where are they?

No trace, no evidence of any remorse Their beaks show no hint Of willingness Of kindness No verification of distress or serendipity Quickly-Frantically-Close your shades and lock your windows For the Crows are not what they appear to be Look away: they, too, lie in wait

Jappy Bilder | BizPic

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

opinion

thecurrent

9 October 16, 2019

Free College Tuition: A Curse in Disguise By: Tatiana Vila-Ferreri Staff Writer Washington has been talking about passing an initiative to abolish tuition in colleges.

Tuition has been the dread of students for as long as it’s been around and highly contributes to the ever-growing list of reasons people have to not attend college.

In May 2018, Gov. Jay Inslee signed off on a law that would lower the cost of tuition or even rid it completely. TThere is always something for every student. his initiative was specifically for low income families that would not be able to attend college otherwise.

Many students find such approaches to the issue of tuition to be crucial. To most, tuition should be free, or at the very least reduced for those in lower income families. “[Free tuition] sounds great for students,” said Lance Simons, a 16-year-old Running Start student at Green River College. “Lots of students struggle with student debt.”

However, is that solution so cut and dry? Is it so easy to approach this sort of issue with the idea it could possibly help everyone?

Free tuition is a lovely idea in hindsight. To attend college for a minimal or non-existent price is an American dream come true.

But what does abolishing the cost of tuition mean for the rest of the college? There is a flaw that lies within this thinking: a fear that,

without the support colleges get from tuition, there is no saying that the quality of tools and resources will be the best it can be.

Students greatly need these sorts of options; testing centers, equipment to check out, libraries to borrow books from, and these all only exist due to the support that the price of tuition offers. Who’s to say that this necessary quality will remain with the absence of tuition?

“In an ideal world, it’s a good solution to make education accessible…with the caveat to maintain the quality [of the college],” said Professor Sarah Dillon Gilmartin, director of the Green River College arts department.

It becomes a lesser-of-two-evils kind of situation. Is it preferable to pay a lot of money, breaking your bank and placing you in loan debt, or going to the mercy of scholarships and financial aid? Or is it more convenient to embrace the idea of minimal or no tuition, but deal with the probability of having to cut costs on items that the college needs to have?

To clarify, there is nothing wrong with the idea of free tuition in colleges. It would benefit so many people and would open new doors to those who never would have gotten a fighting chance for their education otherwise.

It brings to the table a very real problem, which is the accessibility to education for those who cannot afford to go to college.

However, the anxiety lies particularly in how free or reduced tuition would affect the rest of the school, and how it could be approached without diminishing quality.

To obliterate tuition is a start, but it isn’t the most ironclad of solutions when it comes to maintaining the school’s current quality of life, and certainly should only be applied depending on the student.

“If a student comes from a less advantaged or undeserved community, they should have free tuition and those that come from wealthier backgrounds should pay tuition,” said professor Brazell Carter, a history professor at Green River College. “Tuition plays a key role in paying for vital services, which is why tuition should be applied based on real economic conditions a given student and his/her family comes from.”

Ultimately, free tuition is an issue that needs to be worked on thoroughly before it is actively implemented in student’s lives.

Once Washington finally has the accessibility to free tuition, it could possibly make the college experience for thousands of students much simpler.

An optimistic view on America’s tution problem could be the answer that student’s and senators’s are looking for. Hopefully future generations will no longer have to face this heavy-hitting problem and able to go on with their lives and not be held back.

Rocky Duke | The Current

A Green River student looking the insides of their wallet, finding little.

Flickr

Gator’s Favorite Grub on and Around Campus By: Abdi Sidali Staff Writer

When it comes to food and restaurants near campus, students and staff have a lot to choose from.

Let’s face it -- college students are hungry. So, new students may be wondering about the tastiest and cost-effective ways to stay full and still be able to pay their tuition. For those who want to stay on campus, there is the Gator Grille. Their options include various cuisines inspired by a palate of different flavors from all around the world.

There is always something good to eat for every student.

They have everything from the Gator Burger -- a hamburger with everything and a fried egg -- to customizable street tacos and burritos that can be filled to the heart’s content. There is also freshly made Asian inspired food, including staples such as fried rice, teriyaki chicken and noodles.

Aisha Abdirazak, a student at Green River, can personally attest to the meals served at the Gator

Grille, as she finds herself eating there on a daily basis. However, she believes that the quality of the food does not always live up to the price.

“Sometimes the food tastes like it was left out too long” Abdirizak said, “and sometimes the fries taste stale,” she added.

For those who prefer going out to eat, there are plenty of restaurants within a 5 to 10 minute drive from the campus. Anthony Yefimchuk, another student at GRC, likes to drop by the popular fast-food chain Chik-fil-A after he is done with a long day worth of classes. “They’re fast, have good quality food while being affordable, and have excellent customer service,” Yefimchuk said.

For those pizza lovers out there who also happen to love convenience, Green River has its own cafe which serves fresh pizza from a hot stone oven, along with homebrewed coffee and other caffeinated beverages. But for students who love to get out of the house, there is always the popular customizable pizza kitchen, Mod Pizza.

Ibrahim Diis, yet another student, eats at Mod at least three to four

times a week and sincerely recommends the food there, seeing as he is a bit of a regular. “The prices are fair, and the overall experience so far is superb,” said Diis.

Whether or not a student prefers the convenience and variety of the

cafeteria, the sense of adventure and relief from going out, or the simple and sometimes healthier choice of bringing food from home, they can always know that food options are always available on and around campus. Green River

also has options for students who struggle to find the money for food, such as the Benefits Hub or The Gator Pantry.

It is a lot more difficult to study on an empty stomach, so find the best places to eat and dig in.

Rocky Duke | The Current

A student is making a healthy choice by having a fresh salad from the gator grill salad bar.

Photo by pxhere

10

opinion The Price Actors Pay for the Perfect Performance thecurrent

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

October 16, 2019

Editorial

By: Madison Farnsworth Opinion Editor

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

Jared Leto is a vampire, or he will make you believe this thanks to the power of method acting.

Leto is planning on playing a vampire in the 2020 Marvel film, Morbius. This isn’t the first time that Leto has suited up for the big screen.

In 2016 he played one of the most recognized and notorious villains in comic book history. The Joker for the film Suicide Squad. His portrayal was met with mixed reviews. People were not sure what to make of his performance both on camera and off.

Some of the instances behind the camera left his co-stars shook

to the core. Leto reportedly gave his castmates dead pigs, live rats, used condoms, and anal beads, but worst of all, he went fully method. He absolutely refused to be anyone except the Joker on and off set. He isn’t the only actor who has suffered mentally due to a role.

“When actors have to put themselves through a lot of preparing of their mind and body to accurately portray a character, I can understand that this can have some consequences on their mental state,” said Dakota Farnsworth, editor-in-chief of The Current.

Is it fair to expect an actor to put themselves in hell just for the sake of entertainment? Even if it cost the actors their sanity or worse their lives.

One of the most famous instances of this is Heath Ledger’s portrayal of The Joker for the film The Dark Knight Rises. The role ended up torturing him inside and out. Ledger locked himself in a hotel room for six weeks, only letting himself sleep for four hours a night, and took many pills and ended up overdosing, which lead to his death.

During 2016-2018, Ben Affleck played Batman in two films, Batman VS Superman and Justice League. Then in 2019

he announced that he would no longer be working with the DC Universe, citing that he checked himself into rehab on two different occasions, possibly due to the stress of the role.

“When it was announced that Ben Affleck would become the ninth actor to become Batman, he faced extreme pressure to give a great performance as Bruce Wayne,” said Taylor Robertson, the managing editor of The Current.

“It’s clear that Affleck’s mental health was negatively affected by this role.”

While many people who are a part of a superhero franchise end up in the dumps afterwards, they are not the only ones who suffer mentally.In the 1999 biopic film, Man on the Moon, Jim Carrey portrays the late comedian Andy Kaufman. While filming, Carrey decided to go fully method. That eventually made him lose his mind as the role of Kaufman took hold of him.

This is explored in the 2017 documentary Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond.

Carrey once said “That’s the moment when Andy Kaufman tapped me on the shoulder, and said, ‘sit down. I’m doing my movie...’ What happened afterwards was out of my control.”

“Method acting can lead some actors to becoming so comfortable in the skin of their character, that they struggle to get back in their own skin, and can thus result in emotional or physical stress,” said Connor O’Boyle, the campus editor of The Current.

Hollywood is a powerhouse that is taken too seriously at times. Its driving force is a bunch of actors whose performances are also taken too seriously at times. The actual actors not so much though.

“There shouldn’t be a force in Hollywood that causes actors to be so sucked into a role in order to be considered great in the industry,” said Chrys Behnsch, the copy editor of The Current.

Method acting is highly praised in the film industry by both audiences and critics alike, however its is also highly toxic and can lead to severe consequences. Such as mental breakdowns, drug use, overdose and even an unessary fatal end for a beloved actor/actress. If this is the end result then perhaps the art of method acting should no longer be.

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

French Montana’s Album Cover Causes Uproar Over Muslim Representation By: Marian Mohamed Staff Writer French Montana, one of the biggest names in the rap genre, has for the past couple of years gotten himself in hot water with his latest album cover release.

It started with a post created by Khaled Beydoun on Instagram calling out French Montana, a rapper, for objectifying Muslim women wearing the niqab on his new album cover. French Montana is sitting in the middle of the row of women wearing niqabs and red thigh high boots. Which other muslim women saw as Montana surrounded by strippers A niqab is an Islamic form of clothing in which everything is covered including the head, neck and face except the eyes which are shown. Each of these women who are wearing the niqab is also wearing bright red, knee-length boots.

In Islam, it’s required by both men and women to display modesty through their clothing. Hijabs, niqabs, and burkas are the many forms of modest clothing for Muslim women around the world.

The main message for the niqab is about modesty, a Muslim women’s choice in deciding how much she wants to cover up. Yasmine Hussein and Mulki Mohamed

wanted to share their opinions on the cover and the general issue of Muslim media representation.

Hussian was asked how she felt when seeing the album cover and this was her reply. “It made me confused almost in a sense where it’s like society has always built this almost factual oppression that doesn’t exist in Muslim women and tries to make them almost freeing when they do something against the religion.” I could understand how she felt when I first saw the album cover. It made me think even more about the media representation of Muslim women.

There is a problem with how little correct representation there is of Muslim women in media. Even though there are a growing number of Muslim women who are creating their narrative through modeling like Halima Aden. It was rare to see a Muslim woman proudly wearing the hijab as she modeled on the cover of Vogue.It wouldn’t be possible decades ago for a Muslim model to exist because of the fashion industry’s ideal image of beauty. If you were to go back to 2004, that ideal image of beauty is mostly western and doesn’t include the hijab in the fashion industry.

What is French Montana trying to do with this album cover? Is it meant to be a political statement or

was it to primarily have people confused about what they’re seeing?

Or was Montana just not thinking straight? Mohamed pointed out that seeing the album didn’t make her feel angry nor frustrated in any way. “It’s the way that the artist is expressing himself.”

People will never understand what he’s trying to say and all they can do is just consume it. Is it possible to discuss about the meaning between each other.

As Hussein described, “I guess it’s somewhat artistic and visually confusing as to like seeing a niqabi in red boots. But when I see him standing there just smoking and looking at them as though they’re prostitutes just being covered until they’re sold. That’s what I see.”

Hussein is referring to the video that French Montana posted of his album trailer. But, if Montana, who is also a Muslim, were to use his platform in representing the Muslim community then he should educate himself with people with the right information and message.

In order not to further fuel steryotypes about Muslim women, Montana should have more cautious with his album cover. It would have been in his best interest to cover less senstive subject matter and not cause such an uproar in his own commuinty.

Wikipedia Creative Commons

French Montana, the Muslim rapper who created this controversial album.

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

sports

thecurrent

11 October 16, 2019

Goedde Joins Green River, Breaks School and Personal Records By: Romeo Buckley Staff Writer Samantha Goedde is a 19-year-old Green River College runner who joined the track and field team in August 2019.

She is a very hard working and determined athlete who has excelled throughout her career. Goedde enjoys running the one and two-mile cross-country events. Goedde started running track in seventh grade and continued until the end of high school. She only ran for her school and not for any professional organized team.

Goedde also runs outside of track season with her friends. They run at least 30 miles a week during the winter. Her best meet and proudest moments were during Saint Martin’s NWAC Preview Meet where she beat her Samantha Goedde personal record. Her new personal record is Samantha Goedde enjoying off-time.

18 minutes and 52 seconds.

In high school, her school’s cross-country This year, Goedde’s season improved record was 19 minutes and 32 seconds at compared to the last year. Last season, she Auburn Mountainview meet. She broke the attended Central Washington University, record with 19 minutes and 14 seconds. After where she became sick and wasn’t able to breaking this personal record she said that perform to the best of her ability. She moved she “finally felt accomplished for breaking home and joined the Green River track and the high school record.” field team. Since her return, her health Goedde has lots of memorable moments improved and she is now able to perform at a from track but the things that she really higher level in college competitions. enjoyed are “traveling, bonding and the team As the season goes on, she keeps breaking dinners.” Her team during their travels and some personal records in every event she bonding period enjoys has participated in. Goedsport activities like de’s team has improved over volleyball, bowling, season as well. They all “I began running for the and ultimate Frisbee. started to create new personal personal reasons and records. “Everyone had PR in As the team progressed athletically, they all fothe love for the sport every race so far,” Goedde said. cused and worked hard Goedde also said that her keeps me going,” towards breaking their - Samantha Goedde teammates are motivated with own personal records. the training and that everyone Goedde also said wants to succeed as a team. that she is successful The growth of the overall because of her strong family support. Her team must focus on good eating habits and parents came to every meet that she has good sleeping habits. All so having a positive ever competed in. Their strong support both mind set and just being positive will help a financially and emotionally aide her drive runner succeeded. These are key things that to win. Without the support of her parents make winning teams. behind her, pushing her and encouraging her Goedde plans on continuing running track success, she would be stagnated. & field while she earns her degree to become

a vascular ultrasound technician. She is fascinated with the human body and its complex biological functions.

She once studied sports medicine while in high school. This encouraged her compassion for helping people. She’s empathetic towards people that are sick or in need of help.

However, she foresees a transfer in the future to Tacoma Community College, Bellevue College, or Northwest University. These schools offer complete course work for a vascular ultrasound technician. She is all so looking into Northwest University because it is close to home so she can with her family.

“I began running for personal reasons and the love for the sport keeps me going,” Goedde said. She feels good when she runs. “It’s a great way to clear my head,” Goedde said. It’s a great way to soothe and relax her.

Goedde’s love for running has given her many opportunities in her athletics. Her perseverance shows everyone to not give up and to find something that they love to do.

Wkimedia Commons

Track atheletes run to try and claim gold.

Wkimedia Commons

The race starts with a lot of top competitors from different colleges, with the same goal.

12 October 16, 2019

sports

thecurrent

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

KGRG Begins Broadcasting High School Football By: Lance Simons Staff Writer

program for the radio. “We started this program just this year,” said Creasia. “We started broadcasting KGRG Radio recently began these Kent [High School] games at broadcasting Kent High School the beginning of the season and it Football games at French Field. will be over by the end of October.”

For the first time, KGRG Radio Everyone on the team has a job has began covering the games live that is vital to broadcasting the on their radio station. “We contactgames. Both Boelter and Creasia ed the Board Director of the Kent provide analysis and interviews School District and we made an with high school football players. agreement to broadcast the games Leslie Fenn, an engineer, controls [live] for the first time this season,” the scoreboard and manages music said Nick Creasia, sports director mixing and other equipment to and assistant director of KGRG1. keep the broadWith word from cast running the Board of smoothly. Ashley Directors and the “It helps us relate to Ackerman is KGRG Radio crew, them and connect more the main board the radio station director for the was able to make with future students,” team. KGRG it possible for - Nick Creasia, KGRG Radio Radio has a few the Kent Footsports-related ball games to be social media covered. accounts that are run by Calvin Creasia, Noah Boelter and a few Domingo and Johnny Jackson. others work at the games. When Domingo releases game dates and broadcasting football games, times, score updates, and other there is a lot of work involved. The game-related notifications through team has many people for all the different jobs required to effectively social media platforms Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram. cover the games.

“We broadcast the home games Creasia and Boelter are the for Kentwood, Kentridge, Kentlake, sports directors, commentators and Kent-Meridian High School and broadcasters for KGRG Radio. out at French Field,” said Creasia.

They’ve helped start up the new

With home games of four different high school teams, KGRG Radio is out broadcasting games multiple times each week which allows students to tune in and follow up with the Kent High School Football games. Why did KGRG Radio decide to cover these games?

“To spread the word of the

station and connect more with the audience. It helps us relate to them and connect more with future students,” said Creasia.

The radio station has many good reasons to cover the games. With Kent High School Football games being scheduled multiple times each week, the station makes use of

their opportunities to draw in the community and connect with the audience through broadcastings.

KGRG Radio plans on continuing to bring live broadcasts throughout the season and into future years.

The broadcasts can be found on the KGRG Radio app and games are held every Thursday and Friday.

Dakota Farnsworth | The Current

The KGRG team that broadcasts the highschool football games at French Field Stadium for all to hear.

Coach Explains Cross-Country Running is More Psychological Than Physical By: Chris Sundet Staff Writer It is cross-country season, and as the weather turns, new runners are lacing up their shoes and hitting the roads.

Robert Bartholomew is the head of Green River’s cross-country team. Bartholomew has been coaching cross-country for six seasons, with this year being his first stint with a collegiate program.

Bartholomew has a special reason for coaching the cross-country

team: “I want to give back from what I got from junior college level running, and I want to give students to have a second chance because I got a second chance.”

He plans to leave the Green River program and continue his coaching career after this season elsewhere to broaden his coaching experience.

Aidan Vlasaty, a student athlete on the cross-country team, enjoys running because of his team.“We get along really well and we all share a common goal,” said Vlasaty.

“We want the season to go really

well and we want to see everyone be achieve their goals, they are bound successful.” to fail, or the sport is too Bartholomew says that running difficult. To “In my experience, is more mental overcome this usually you’re a lot than a physinegative thinkcal sport—he ing, Vlasaty better than you think shared his words believes that it you are” has more of a psyof wisdom for - Aidan Vlasaty fellow stuchological aspect to it. The athletes dent-athletes.

Bartholomew “In my expecoaches tend to psych themselves rience, usually you’re in a lot better shape than you think you are,” said out when they run.

Vlasaty. “I struggle mentally someThey believe that they cannot

times and I think ‘wow, I’m going to have a bad race’ or something like that. The key that I found is you just have to block all that stuff out, and just go out and run. Usually, when you do, that’s when you perform your best.”

The team’s next meet is The Northwest Region Championship which will be held on Saturday, October 26 at McCollum Park in Everett. Check out the athletics page on the Green River’s website for more information about upcoming events.