thecurrent the student newspaper of green river community college
Nov18.2014
www.thegrcurrent.com
issue04 volume49
Green River Students Build Compact Solar Cells Instructor Chitra Solomonson Helps Students With This Unique Technology page5
currentcampus
currentsports
currenta&e
Pacific Raceway Owner Explains Reason for Selling Historic Track
Basketball Season Starts Soon at Green River
Local Bands Play at Green River for Fundraiser
Green River has no plans for alternative parking if new owner doesn’t continue previous contracts page2
Map of Washington spotlights the NWAC West colleges and their records page6-7
KGRG attempts to raise money for the radio station to remain on the air
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Campus Editor | James Ristig campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
Alina Moss | The Current
The PGP Motorsports Park near the parking lot. It is going to be sold as a part of the Pacific Raceway.
Family Sells Raceway after Decades of Ownership GRCC Wants New Owners to Continue Parking Contract By: Taylor Lopes Staff Writer
Pacific Raceways that Green River Community College students park at on a daily basis is up for sale. The Friorito family has been involved with Pacific Raceways since its construction and have owned the raceways for decades. John Ramsey, the general manager of Pacific Raceways, said around 700 cars are parked by Green River students at Pacific Raceways every day. If the new buyer decided not to renew the arrangement, Green River could quite possibly burst at the seems. The parking situation is beneficial to both the college and Pacific Raceways and they are hopeful that any new buyer will see the mutual benefits of the arrangement, Ramsey said. Although a lot would change with the new owner, Ramsey and Jason Friorito, the president of pacific raceways, do not foresee any change with Green River’s parking at Pacific Raceways for some time. Friorito’s preference is to sell to somebody who would like to keep local obligations, but there is no way for Green River to know what will happen with their parking arrangement. Director of Business Services Debbie Knipschield said in an email that the college is talking with the current raceway owners
about the parking contract. Knipschield said that the contract with the raceway ends on June 30, 2017. The contract with the raceway has the option for five year renewals over an additional five years. Whether the contract is renewed depends upon what the new owners want to do with the parking lot. Knipschield said that she spoke with Ramsey and he said that the intent would be to continue the parking agreement with Green River. There are no plans for an alternative parking plan but Knipschield said that things could change by 2017. Without an immediate need or immediate risk to our current parking contract, the college is not actively looking into alternative options. However, Knipschield said that Green River is always looking for ways to address the limited parking. “The new buyer usually assumes the contracts through their due diligence,” Friorito said. However, once these contracts are fulfilled it will be up to the new buyer to determine whether or not they want to renew the arrangement. Friorito said, “My Grandfather was an automotive enthusiast.” Although he never raced, his grandfather was interested in sports car racing and had a collection of cars ranging from a 40’s Cadillac limousine to a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT, Friorito said. Friorito’s grandfather brought in most of the major construction equipment for Pacific Raceways
and ended up buying stock in it. As more and more of the investors began dropping out, Friorito’s grandfather bought more and more of their stock until he eventually owned all of it, Friorito said. The Friorito family mostly leased out ownership of the raceways until 2002 when Jason Friorito took over as president. “Its odd to drive on to the property,” Friorito said. After so many years of ownership and all the history of the raceways, selling the property isn’t easy Friorito said. On Sep. 26, it was announced that the raceway would be up for sale. According to the Washington State Parcel Viewer, the appraised value for all six properties that are being sold is over $7 million. The Friorito family decided to sell the Pacific Raceways because they could no longer enhance it. Washingtonians deserve a great racing facility, Friorito said. John Ramsey, the general manager of Pacific Raceways, said the track is now in the best shape it has been in years. “You’d be hard-pressed to find anybody who would complain now,” Ramsey said. About 1/2 of the drag strip and portions of the road course have been repaired, Ramsey said. However, Friorito has plans for a bigger improvement. He has made arrangements for the building of the Pacific Innovation Center (PIC), which would upgrade the road course so that it could be professionally sanctioned.
Alina Moss | The Current
The parking lot near the raceway. Students can park here during the day. The PIC would also build a tech campus at Pacific Raceways that would bring state research and skilled labor in one place, working together efficiently, Friorito said. The PIC would also house personal garages and shops that would cater to anybody building, repairing or maintaining cars, Friorito said. The University of Washington, Western Washington University and Central Washington University have expressed an interest in the project. It would only be natural to have Green River involved, as well, Ramsey said. However, a plan of this kind requires an enormous amount of resources and the Friorito family have exhausted their own resources in getting the development teed up, Friorito said. “To build that on one site is a great opportunity to set Washington apart in coalescing this industry,” Friorito said. “It would create a magnet that the Department of Commerce could use.”
Friorito said that Milt Reimers, the first vice president of the Wash. CBRE, told him that this project could redefine the evergreen state and that Washington could easily become a national and international hub for clean energy. This has helped in making the PIC a Project of Statewide Significance for the Department of Commerce. This distinction has only been granted twice before in Washington. “We as a family just do not have the horse power- no pun intendedto realize this,” Friorito said. “This is a great investment for somebody who has the resources.” The Friorito family is in negotiations with a buyer right now, Ramsey said. Although neither Ramsey nor Friorito could say who this buyer was, they did say that they are looking for an owner that would use the space and resources to their full potential. “They’re looking for a new owner to take it to the next level,” Ramsey said.
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James Ristig | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
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GRCC Prepares for Next Disaster By: Sean Chounlamany Staff Writer
Ian Lobdell | The Current
The catalogue of classes for winter quarter.
Limited Classes Offered During Winter Quarter By: Madeline Wentz Staff Writer
There are 67 classes only offered winter quarter at Green River Community College. Many different instructors from all different departments teach these unique classes. There are many different reasons as to why these instructors only teach certain classes during the winter quarter. Dan Roaok, part time education planner, said some of these reasons include that the class is part of a sequence, and that it is more likely for the advanced classes or specialty classes to be offered winter and spring quarter. Other reasons include the time frame does not fit and the instructor is unavailable or the class did not fill the quarters before. Green River has to offer these classes at some point because many of them are required for degrees, Roaok said. Marianne Jacobs, a tenured anthropology instructor, said that the anthropology department offers Religion and Culture every other winter quarter switching with Medical Anthropology. She said that the department has a policy where they try to offer the introduction anthropology classes like Biology, Cultural, and Anthropology 101, which are in higher demand every quarter. Many departments do the same thing as the anthropology department, Jacobs said. They try to offer introduction classes fall quarter to allow new students to find an interest or find an understanding of the
class before moving to higher-level courses. “If there was an increased demand for a class like the Religion and Culture class then we could offer it more often than every other winter quarter, perhaps even, every year,” Jacobs said. For the anthropology department the schedule is made by her and another professor in the division. Together, they decide what classes are going to be offered and when. The Director of Enrollment services and the head of the departments also have a choice on what classes are going to be offered and when, Roaok said. Carsh Wilturner, a psychology instructor, said some classes are only offered winter quarter because they are a specialty class and only students going into that major would be interested in those classes. He said that the classes do not fill up so they can only be offered once a year, like in the case of his physiological psychology class, which will be offered this winter quarter. Wilturner said psychology students planning on applying at the University of Washington during winter quarter are required to declare their psychology major. This is why the physiological psychology is only offered winter quarter, said Wilturner. There are a large amount of classes offered only during winter quarter, and are taught by a variety of teachers at all three campuses. There are a total of 67 classes offered that are only taught winter quarter by around 47 different teachers, according to the winter course catalog.
Green River Community College is dedicated to providing a safe learning and working environment for all students and faculty members. Green River has implemented methods to prepare, respond and recover from emergencies that affect the college. On Oct. 27 the college went into lock down after a threat was made against the school. An unidentified person made the threat to a faculty member at about 10:15 a.m. “I didn’t know there was school that day, and when I arrived at the college all I saw was SWAT and Auburn police at the premises,” Ryan Siji said, a Green River student. Catherine Ushka, marketing and communications manager, said the person who made the threat then walked to the parking lot area of the campus, then it was believed that they left the campus. The campus went into lock down and police conducted a sweep of the campus as a precautionary measure. The Emergency Operations Committee (EOC), is a committee of campus personnel who come together to manage emergency
or crisis situations of emergency management. When the lock down occurred, the EOC relayed all necessary information out to students and faculty members. Students and faculty are able to receive these alerts, from the use of a mobile phone, tablet, or other supported device to access information in your Office 365 or other Microsoft Exchange-based mailbox. The information that you may access includes email messages, voice mail messages, calendar items, contacts, and task data. Ushka said the primary focus was on the health and safety of staff and students throughout the event, and the EOC worked collaboratively to meet objectives. “As this was my first time being ‘on deck’ for EOC activation, I was impressed with the calm and professional manner each of the EOC members maintained throughout the event, including members who were out of state on business and assisting via conference call,” Ushka said. The EOC identified gaps through-out the process and received and requested feedback from many sources after the event. In any event, the best trained personnel, including first responders, do the best they can with the resources at hand, knowing that
every situation is different. However, the information that was essential to be sent out to students and faculty was delayed. During the time from the incident being reported, APD came on campus and lock down procedures began. At that time, the EOC were waiting for more specific information, although conclusive details were approaching. The EOC did not have as many communicators available on campus as they normally do, so they compliantly dealt with the human resources they had on campus that day. In the future the EOC’s plan will include sending out regular messaging even if there is no further information so that people are aware that EOC is continuing to work on obtaining updates. “The campus needs to opt-in to all emergency alert systems. We will be going over every gap and implementing solutions and continue to be available to accept feedback,” Ushka said. EOC has already met more than once to review the events of the lock down, and has done specific outreach with students, staff and faculty both in person and via email. The EOC has developed a list of both identified gaps and improvements that we will share with the campus in the coming weeks.
TRiO Tutors Low Income or Disabled Students By: Kaylee Markonich Staff Writer TRiO is a federally funded program that has been offered to students for 20 years. Green River is just one of 2,800 colleges that provide this program nation wide. TRiO was created in 1965 in order to give students the extra help they needed. Green River first offered this program up in 1994. According to the Green River website, TRiO is offered to participants who meet at least one of a certain set of criteria. The potential student must be new to college, they must be a low income student as defined by the federal guideline, or they must be disabled in some way that impedes their learning. All participants must have the intent on obtaining an associates degree and later transferring to a four year college. Also, they are required to be a U.S. citizen and have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Although there may seem to be several requirements in order to be eligible for TRiO, this program has shown to be very successful and beneficial for students. Kiah Brown, a Green River student, said, “TRiO matters because they really and truly care. These
people really want you to succeed. It is just as important to them as it is to yourself. They give you many wonderful resources and great presentations. I love them.” Kiah enrolled in the TRiO program during winter quarter of 2009. Members of TRiO encourage feedback from students and are open to other topics to improve student learning. TRiO offers several different methods in order for students to succeed. This includes tutorial assistance, workshops, the textbook lending library, field trips and financial aid application assistance. All the services provided are free. There is a computer lab provided and student tutors available throughout the day. Statistics have shown that this program has proven to be successful. In Sept. of 2007 to the end of Aug. 2008, 201 students participated in TRiO. The following year had a count of 211 students. At the end of summer quarter in 2009, 34 Green River TRiO participants graduated with a degree. That number increased by over 10 compared to previous years numbers. These facts were provided by the 2010 report of TRiO. “There are plenty of students that come in,” Betty Vera, office assistant
at the TRiO center, said. Students are welcome to walk in whenever and are open to all resources. They may also request for tutors specializing in a certain subject. Since 80% of TRiO students qualify for low income, saving money is always a priority. Students saved $27,730 using the book lending program from Sept. 2008 to Aug. 2009. That’s almost $10,000 more than the year before. With the encouraging rate of success, the federal government fully supports this program. Chelsie Taresh Ciscell, educational planner and transfer specialist, said there has never been a problem with the funding of this program. The government provides a grant every 5 years if the program shows to be progressing over the years. Ciscell said the government completely supports TRiO. TRiO is only funded to work with 200 students per year because of the number of staff members and money offered to the program. The TRiO center is located in the Lindbloom Student Center in room LC271. It is open everyday during regular business hours. On Mon. - Thurs. it is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Fri. from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Applications are accepted during fall quarter each year.
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4 2014-2015
James Ristig | Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
Other Countries 15% Taiwan 3%
China 36%
Japan 7% Indonesia 7% Ian Lobdell | The Current
Ian Lobdell | The Current
An unknown person has been spray painting “SUFA” around the Green River Community College campus. The word SUFA doesn’t appear to have any meaning. A pole that has been tagged (top left). An electrical box that has been tagged (top right). A garbage can that has been tagged (right).
South Korea 9%
Vietnam 15%
Percentage of International Students from various countries
Green River Recruits in Foreign Students in Person and Through the Internet Ian Lobdell | The Current
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Hong Kong 8%
By: Renno Jeon Staff Writer The fame of Green River Community College is spreading with an increasing number of international students. GRCC currently has eight staff members who travel around, on a regular basis, recruiting students from all over the world. “We divide up the world,” Lansing Bryan, a recruiter and regional contact for Western Europe, said. Each recruiter has their own region and has been to a lot of countries including countries in Western Europe, Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Wendy Lee Stewart, the dean of international programs and extended learning, said some recruiters whose job is full-time recruitment travel to foreign countries almost every quarter. Jennings Ross, vice president of international programs and extended learning, goes to other countries to recruit new students a month at a time, two times a year. Alvin Tai, a director of international outreach international programs, travels six times each year. “It depends on how much recruiting is in balance part of their jobs,” Stewart said. Tai said there were two main ways for students to come to GRCC. Agencies can walk international students through the process of enrolling in GRCC from their own countries. Some students are contacted through Facebook and online websites where students can ask GRCC recruiters directly about the process. Mainly coming from Asia, the number of international students at GRCC has consistently increased over the years. The total number of international students in 2000 was 469 and it, in 2005, rose to 592, a mere increase by 123. In 2010, the number doubled to 1,180. For the 2014-2015 school year, GRCC is cur-
rently home for 1,715 international students from 64 countries across the world. The largest number of international students at GRCC is Chinese, with 624 (36%) of the students, followed by Vietnam with 261 (15%), South Korea with 156 (9%), Hong Kong with 135 (8%), Indonesia with 120 (7%), Japan with 113 (7%), and Taiwan with 45 (3%). Other countries account for 261 (15%). Tai said the reason behind a huge number of Asian students is because Asian parents place great emphasis on education. It can sometimes be a hard time for him, as a recruiter, when dealing with parents in other countries. “[The parents] see education as getting a piece of paper,” Tai said. GRCC provides many various programs that attract students from all over the world. University Transfer 2+2 Program helps students transfer to top universities in the U.S. The High School Completion Plus Program is for highly motivated students who have not finished high school and are planning to transfer to a university. It requires a intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) courses for those with a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score below 61/173/500 or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) band score below 5.5. International College Experience is required for new international students to help them achieve success in the classroom. The Foundation for Success Program is required for all new international students. Peer mentors and program staff help students learn how to manage their academic and daily lives. Business is the most popular major among international students, accounting for 37%, followed by Engineering 15%, Social Sciences 7%, Communication/Journalism/Broadcasting 6%, Biological and Biomedical Sciences 5%, Computer and Info Sciences/Technology 5%, Fine and Performing Arts 4%, Physical and Life Sciences 4%, Health Professions 3%, Liberals Art/Humanities 3%, Aviation 2%, Architecture 2%, and Hospitality 2%.
James Ristig| Campus Editor campus@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
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Courtesy | Chitra Solomonson
A student working in the science center on the Organic Photovoltaics.
5 2014-2015
Courtesy | Chitra Solomonson
A beaker of chemicals that will be used to make the Organic Photovoltaics.
Students Working on Experimental Solar Cell By: Brent Gibson Staff Writer Organic Photovoltaics (OPV’s), are a new, less costly alternative to silicon solar panels. These panels are being fabricated and studied by students here at Green River Community College. Although OPV’s are currently lacking in efficiency and longevity when compared to their solar panel predecessor, they are superior in the way of flexibility and cost effectiveness. “These are made of organic, carbon based materials,” Chitra Solomonson, a physics instructor, said. “You can flex it. You could put it on a band aid, or put it on another surface.” Solomonson said there are multiple different applications
for this type of technology. They have put it on curtains, powering a home without needing to raise any large silicon solar panels. Soldiers can wear it on their backs to power their devices. In Germany, they’re starting to put it on the roofs of cars, like a smart car, and they’re using it to charge the battery of hybrids. Solomonson said it starts with, “Two slides made up of special glass and coated in something called Indium Tin Oxide. The great thing about this material is that it’s transparent, which is essential because you want to let light in. It’s also conducting, and can transport charges and conduct electricity.” If you sandwich them together with two materials inside, spin it really fast, it will create a thin
layer between the slides. When light comes in, this layer produces “charge carriers”, which help produce the current in the circuit. The process is more technical than that but in Layman’s terms, that is basically the process. But that is not the only important part of the “Solar Cell Project.” Students are actually experimenting different ways of improving results. Solomonson said students in the class need to “optimize one of the parameters.” Whether it be the thickness of the material, the temperature you heat it at (anneal), or the composition of the active layer. Basically, they had to figure out what formula made the cell work at optimal efficiency. Some of the other successful experiments with OPVs have shown
that the material used can be interchanged with blackberry juice, as the molecules that give blackberries their color can also be used to harness light energy and transform solar power into electrical power. Keith Clay, instructor of physics, also had a hand in the Solar Cell Project. As one of the professors teaching the course, he was responsible for writing the material that students read to learn about solar cells. “It’s really exciting.” Clay said. “It’s great that students have the opportunity to work with cutting edge technology.” Another big contributor to the program was Christine Luscombe, a professor at the University of Washington who has been working closely with Green River on this
Chitra Solomonson undertaking. According to Solomonson, the program has been funded since 2012, by a grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant is supposed to last three years and is for approximately $250,000.
New GRCC Board Member to be Chosen from Group of Five Applicants By: Ed Ali Staff Writer The Governor expects the board of trustees seat to be filled by early December. The Green River Board of Trustees is getting its first new member since 2011 after Tom Campbell resigned in July 2014. Executive Director of Communications for the Governors Office David Postman said there are five potential candidates that have applied for the unpaid volunteer
position. “Community college board appointments are voluntary positions, not paid employment, so we consider this an appointment process not an employment process”, Postman said. A potential candidate for the position is Tim Clark, former Kent city councilman, former Kent School Board member and former mayoral candidate of Kent. Clark also taught at Green River between 2001 to 2003 and at Highline between 2004 to 2011, along with stints at Bremerton and Edmonds school districts. Clark says that
he has been in contact with the Governor’s office about the board member position. The United Faculty at Green River has not declared a preferred nominee yet. With that said, United Faculty (UF) president Mark Millbauer supports Tim Clark. Millbauer said in an email, “As the UF president, I feel comfortable in supporting Tim Clark. From what I have learned of him and his experience, I believe he will be a staunch supporter of education and someone that will put the community and our students first.”, Millbauer said.
Auburn city councilwoman and former executive director of Special Services and Federal Programs at Auburn School District Largo Wales is another candidate. Wales won the Auburn Reporter’s Person of the Year in 2010 for her support of children in social services. Wales retired from teaching in 2000. MultiCare Auburn Medical Center Chief Operating Officer David Nicewonger is also an applicant for the position. Nicewonger was an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Scranton in 1992. According to Nicewonger’s LinkedIn
profile, his positions are more in the healthcare management. Hematologist Xinda David Wang of the Auburn MultiCare Regional Cancer Center, another candidate in the appointment, has no prior experience in educational boards. The last candidate is Marjorie Norman from Auburn, WA. The school has had a constant core of Trustees. Green River has had Pete Lewis, Claudia Kauffman, Mark Albertson and Linda Cowan since 2011. The same core that appointed president Eileen Ely to the position back in 2010.
Highline College Tacoma Community College 6501 S 19th St Tacoma, WA 98466
Distance: 24 miles Travel Time: ~35 minutes
Green River @ Tacoma, Jan 17, 2 p.m.
Championship Titles: Distance: 11.3 miles Travel Time: ~22 minutes 1997 1998 2001 Green River @ Highline, Feb 25, 8 p.m. 2006 2400 S 240th Des Moines, WA 98198
Championship Titles: 1971 1974 1982 1983 1986 2002
Green River Community College 12401 SE 320th St Auburn, WA 98092
Pierce College 9401 Farwest Dr SW Lakewood, WA 98498
Distance: 29.5 miles Travel Time: ~50 minutes
S. Puget Sound Commutiy College 2011 Mottman Rd SW Distance: 49.3 miles Travel Time: ~1hour 2minutes Olympia, WA 98512
Green River @ Pierce, Jan 14, 8 p.m.
Grays Harbor College Championship Titles: 1620 Edward P Smith Dr Distance: 98.5 miles Travel Time: ~1hour 58minutes 1952 Aberdeen, WA 98520
By: James Ristig Campus Editor
Edmonds @ GRCC, Nov. 25, 7:00 p.m. Green River @ Bellevue, Nov. 28, 2:00 p.m. Spokane @ GRCC, Dec. 5, 8:00 p.m. Green River @ Edmonds, Dec. 12, 7:00 p.m. Green River @ Shoreline, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. Green River @ Columbia Basin, Dec. 19, 2:00 p.m. Shoreline @ GRCC, Dec. 30, 6:00 p.m.
Green River @ Grays Harbor, Feb 21, 7 p.m.
Centrailia College 600 Centrailia College Blvd Distance: 71.5 miles Centrailia, WA Travel Time: ~1hour 26minutes 98531 Green River @ Centrailia, Jan 28, 8 p.m.
Lower Columbia College 1600 Maple Longview, WA 98632
Distance: miles Travel Time: ~1hour 26minutes
Green River @ Lower Columbia, Feb 11, 8 p.m.
Clark College Distance: 153 miles Championship Titles: Travel Time: ~2hour 38minutes 1947 1953 1955 Green River @ Tacoma, Jan 17, 2 p.m. 1956 1995 1933 Fort Vancouver Way Vancouver, WA 98663
Number of league wins
Other Games to Attend
S. Puget Sound @ GRCC, Jan 7, 8 p.m. Lower Columbia @ GRCC, Jan 12, 8 p.m. Grays Harbor@ GRCC, Jan 21, 8 p.m. Highline @ GRCC, Jan 24, 5 p.m. Clark @ GRCC, Jan 31, 5 p.m. Pierce @ GRCC, Feb 14, 5 p.m. Tacoma @ GRCC, Feb 18 8 p.m. Centralia @ GRCC, Feb 28, 5 p.m.
Green River @ S. Puget Sound, Feb 4, 8 p.m.
Profiles of the 9 Basketball Teams in NWAC West Division Through the Years Players work hard for the chance to gain both a scholarship and train under the guidance of dedicated coaches. They play hard, representing the place that has taken them in and teaches them to be better people. These dedicated players work long and hard every day for the chance to go on to something better. College sports are not integral to learning, but to those athletes on the court or in the field it’s a chance at something. Basketball season is fast approaching and the Green River Gators are working hard to bring home the gold. The team is aiming high and working hard. Can they make it to the championship and take home the trophy for Green River? Sports at Green River is struggling to draw in a crowd. The athletes that represent our illustrious college are playing their hearts out without their fans. Our teams need to hear the cries and shouts of loyal fans supporting their players. Fans that attend games also benefit the college. It brings in a little extra revenue for the athletics programs. You’re not only supporting the team and telling the athletes that they’re doing a good job, you’re also ensuring the future teams have the resources to make it to the top. No one in our division has won a champion since 2006. Green River and the various colleges nearby that make up the west division. Every team in the west division has been defeated before moving onto the championship game. Maybe, with the supports of students and faculty attending these games, our losing streak can be broken. Our team needs to know that they’re appreciated and supported by the people at this college. With that little push, the basketball team can go on to do great things.
Championship Titles: 1969
.500 win ratio
Basketball season
Campus location
Basketball Info and Stats: Northwest Athletic Conference Distance and Travel Times: Google Maps
Championship Titles: 2004 2005
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A&E Editor | Rachel Wood a&e@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
International Students Experience Thanksgiving By: Samantha Ward Staff Writer Every fourth Thursday in November, families across America gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. This year, it will take place on Thur. Nov. 27. Thanksgiving is often associated with turkeys, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Even the White House and Presidential family celebrate and pardon one
turkey each year. However, the traditions and festivities of this well known holiday may be unknown to the international students at Green River Community College. Thanksgiving is one the few holidays that is fairly unique to the United States and is only celebrated in a handful of other countries. The traditions of Thanksgiving span back to its creation, when the Pilgrims and Indians shared a community dinner. There are some traditions that have developed over Rachel Wood | The Current
Pumpkin pie is one of the most well-known, and favored desserts during the holiday season. Some GRCC international students will try pumpkin pie for the first time this Thanksgiving.
the years, and although the holiday has remained fairly close to it's original roots, there are a few experiences that are now known to go hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving. One of the best known examples of this is Black Friday shopping. Black Friday takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, and is noted as the first official day of holiday shopping. Customers start to line up in front of malls and stores before they even open, in hopes of being the first to shop doorbusters. The average American spends their Thanksgiving break spent with football, family, and the infamous feasting. The meal usually consists of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and everyone's favorite, pumpkin pie. Green River student Becca Wilcox has a unique take on one of the well know dishes. “The whole family comes home and it's pretty standard. However, we actually make cranberry relish rather than cranberry sauce.” This innovation provides a unique twist to the tradition. Another GRCC student, Jennifer Schmunk, likes to bring her family heritage into the celebration. “My family is actually Canadian, so we like to have a bit more of a Canadian Thanksgiving.” The traditions and rituals of a Canadian Thanksgiving are mostly the same as the American version, apart from the date of the celebration. Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in early October. For many students at GRCC,
Thanksgiving is an annual tradition that has been celebrated for as long as they can remember. So what is it like to experience Thanksgiving for the first time? Milou Tromp is an international student who came from the Netherlands to study at Green River. “There is nothing like Thanksgiving at home, we mostly celebrate Christmas,” Tromp said. The host family that Tromp is staying with throws a party every Thanksgiving for their family and friends, and this year, Tromp will have the opportunity to participate in the festivities. Before coming to the United States, Tromp knew very little about Thanksgiving. “I knew there was a turkey involved. Mostly everything I know is from television or movies.” She sees this as an opportunity to experience our culture. “I think it is very different, but I am excited for the experience,” Tromp said. Some international students that live in campus housing were even invited to spend Thanksgiving with other international students at the homes of host families in the area. Sayaka Nishi, an international student from Japan, is looking forward to the festivities. Similar to Tromp, Nishi also knew very little about the holiday, only that there was a turkey somehow involved. Nishi was invited to spend the evening along with a few other students at the home of a host family. However you choose to celebrate, the spirit of giving and sense of tradition always remains the same.
Peppermint Bark Recipe By: Rachel Wood A&E Editor Ingredients: 1 bag white chocolate chips, 1 bag milk chocolate chips, 3 full size candy canes.
Step 1: Prep ingredients. Unwrap candy canes.
Step 2: Combine milk and white chocolate chips in a bowl and melt in microwave on half power. Stir every 30 seconds.
Leavenworth Provides Authentic Holiday Atmosphere By: Sayaka Nishi Staff Writer During the upcoming Christmas season, Leavenworth turns into a festive town where visitors can enjoy the holiday season. Leavenworth is a small German village that provides its visitors
with traditional holiday cheer throughout Thanksgiving and Christmas. Green River Community College is hosting a day trip to Leavenworth on Sat. Dec. 6, where students can experience the unique and authentic feel of the German culture. Students will be able to see the annual festivities, including Christmas Courtesy | Leavenworth
During their annual Christmas Lighting Festival, the streets of Leavenworth will be illuminated with over half a million Christmas lights.
lights, music, and displays. Leavenworth’s Christmas Lighting Festival will begin on Fri. Dec. 5, where the village will be filled with over half a million Christmas lights. Christmas songs will fill the streets, and at noon, a Santa Parade will take place. During this Thanksgiving season, Leavenworth will have the Christkindlmarkt, which is a Bavarian-style Christmas market. It will take place on Nov. 28 – 30, from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will include entertainment, handmade crafts, a lantern parade, and appearances from Santa Claus. “Leavenworth is magic at Christmas time. It is impossible not to fall in love with the town - it is a true winter wonderland,” former running start student Emily Wood said. Leavenworth is a great opportunity for international students to experience the holiday atmosphere. Bratwurst and beer commonly come to mind when thinking about
Germany, and Leavenworth offers restaurants for those who are interested in trying these traditional German fares. Chiyoon Won, an international student, has only been to Leavenworth once over the summer. She said that the village is filled with unique stores and houses, and she is looking forward to seeing it during the holiday season. Students who wish to attend the Leavenworth day trip should contact the International Programs and Outdoor Programs. The event cost $20 for GRCC students, and $30 for non-students. This includes transportation to and from Leavenworth, but students are advised to bring extra spending money for food and shopping. For those who are interested in going to Leavenworth on their own time this holiday season, it is located at 1016 Commercial Street, Leavenworth, WA 98826, and takes about 2 hours and a half to get there from Auburn.
Step 3: Crush candy canes in a bowl.
Step 4: Pour chocolate mix into a pan lined with wax paper. Sprinkle candy canes on top and let cool.
Rachel Wood | A&E Editor a&e@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
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2014-2015
Green River Stu By: Alanna Argudo Staff Writer
Courtesy | TimmyShoes Photography LLC
Courtesy | TimmyShoes Photography LLC
Moments (above) and The Bomb Shelter (below) in the new music showcase benefiting KGRG’s fall pledge drive For more photos go to www.timmyshoesphotography.com
Local Bands Perform for KGRG Fundraiser By: Megan Tilton Staff Writer On Nov. 14, Green River Community College hosted a new artist showcase concert in the Lindbloom Center at 7 p.m. The show was held in the Glacier room on the first floor of the Lindbloom Center. KGRG, the on-campus radio station, hosted the event. It served as a fundraiser for the Fall Pledge in order to raise money for the station, which is a non-profit organization. The idea behind the Fall Pledge was to make donations, or buy merchandise, in which the proceeds were donated to KGRG. The merchandise items included t-shirts, hats, balloons, packages with stickers, beanies, and merch from the KGRG show, Psychedelic Saturdays, hosted by Psyduck and Tugboat. The point of it was to make a donation and get something back in return. The new artist showcase featured
six local bands and artists - Bomb Shelter, Moments, Oranges from the President, Neema, and Deshawn Carter. “People come out and support the local scene,” KGRG Promotions Director Katie Bozeman said. As the Glacier room isn’t equipped with a stage, the performing artists occupied a section of the floor, lined with electric cords. The floor was lined with colored spotlights. At the beginning of the show, the audience stood a couple yards away from the band and the make-shift stage, but by the third act, they were beginning to move closer to the performers. The setup could be considered simple, but it got the audience involved. The headliner and the final act, Harvest States, did not perform at the event. One of the members of the band came to Green River to inform the members of KGRG that the band would not be able to perform due to a car accident. Trevor Jastad, director of productions and the person behind orga-
nizing the event, wanted the show to be intimate, in a small room setting, to begin building a bit of a following before expanding with larger shows. He hoped to draw people in with the “smaller room environment,” especially since there was a volleyball game the same night competing for attention. There was a “mix of hip-hop and ambience rock,” Jastad said about the performing artists as he explained about the attraction of the event. According to Bozeman, it was supposed to be a “small show,” and in fact the Glacier room was not exactly packed, but people trickled in as the night went on. Approximately 42 people attended the event. At the beginning of the night the audience was made up of members of the band, people affiliated with the bands, and radio station members. But by halfway through, there were a handful of regular bystanders in the audience. The event cost $5 for a GRCC student to get in, and $6 for a nonGRCC student.
person you can be to your significant other, and do not be cruel to each other. As long as you can try to express the way that you are feeling College is a place where relato your significant other, then you tionships become more serious, should be able to resolve any proband happen more frequently. lems you may encounter. Single students often look longingFor GRCC student Naomi Wine, ly at couples on campus. However, remaining close to her significant anyone in a relationship will say other is not a problem, even in their that it is no walk in the park. long distance relationship. Green River students Cecilia Chiu “I go out of my way to text him and Michael Cho have definitely and talk to him when he is online,” had their relationship tested. Chiu Wine said. even said, “The most difficult situa“The hardest part of the relationtion we had is having our relationship has been, so far, the distance ship long distance, since one of us in our relationship. Sometimes, was serving in the army overseas both of us are too busy to see each for a year.” Trying to schedule work, other, and physical touch is an school, and their relationship is important part of any relationship,” certainly a balancing act. Wine said. She stresses that phys“Since we are both taking classes ical touch helps your significant at GRCC right now, schoolwork other to understand how you feel is our first priority. We both have about them. more than one job and we do take Though college is a time when them seriously, which is the second relationships become more serious, most important thing in our lives. it is also a time for having fun and Therefore getting to dating has know other actually people. Re“Since we are both taking member that become the last thing classes at GRCC right now, though being we do in our in a relationschoolwork is our first daily life, ship can be a but we don’t priority.” great experimind,” Chiu - Cecilia Chiu ence, college said. relationships They cerare not for tainly have everyone. arguments, financial struggles, and One tip to remember is to make differences in opinion with many time for your friends, even though things, but according to Chiu and the excitement of a new relaCho, those are just a few of the neg- tionship can be time consuming. ative things that come with all of Keeping close to your friends is the positive things that a relationimportant because you don’t want ship has to offer. to weaken the friendships that you "We accept these facts and try our already had. best to make them better,” Cho said Throwing away a meaningful with a smile. friendship for a new boyfriend or Chiu and Cho would advise girlfriend is not worth it. couples to never go to sleep without A college relationship can be very resolving a disagreement, always rewarding, especially at this age. It be honest to each other, and have is not uncommon for individuals to faith. The most important thing find the person that they are going according to them is to always trust to marry in college. It is importyour significant other, even in the ant that you find someone who most difficult situation. And last, respects you, and likes you for you. don’t give up a relationship. You should never have to change to "Never stop trying," the two said. get someone to like you. Another on campus couple are College should still be a time for students Mai Mizuno and Djorgi fun, too, so being with someone Sunoto. When they have difficulwho keeps you smiling and laughties, Mizuno turns to her friends ing only makes the relationship and family for advice on how to that much more worthwhile. handle any problems she might be If you feel that a relationship and experiencing in her relationship. school are too much to handle, However, her number one priority simply focus on yourself and your is her schoolwork. studies. Schoolwork should never Mizuno expressed that they be put on the back burner. Keep sometimes struggle with commuyour educational needs at the top nicating, considering that she does of your list, and don't let a relationnot speak English very well. Her ship distract you from showing off best advice is to try to be the best your full potential.
opinion
thecurrent
David Price | Opinion Editor opinion@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
10 2014-2015
Editorial: Opinions Are For the Opinion Section
Last issue of the Current the article, “Inappropriate Attire for Young Women is Becoming Mainstream,” caused much controversy among females on campus. We received a couple of emails complaining that the article was shaming women for dressing how they want to dress. The content in one of these emails was also posted to the Current’s Facebook page. It’s true that the articles content was harsh but that particular article was in the opinion section; the goal of this section is to facilitate varying perspectives on a variety of subjects, both school and not school related. Therefore it is important for people to be able to express themselves free from derision when they write in this section of the paper. This is from the Facebook post. “I have never been so utterly offended by something that was published on my collage’s campus. They are
out of line in telling the whole female student population that they need to fix themselves.” The article was written by a female staff writer for those who don’t know so this article is clearly not out of line. If the article had been written by a male then the outrage would be more understandable. No women wants men telling them what they should wear. When people truly do take offense at material in the Current then we appreciate hearing this because that opens up a dialogue for a discussion. Write a letter to the editor, get your voice out there. However, we certainly are not going to stop publishing controversial material out of fear that we might offend some people There are a lot of horrible things we could publish that don’t need mentioning here, much worse than the article being discussed. No one would advocate that we have the
freedom to take things that far, provided we want to keep a readership. Having said that though this article is not that bad and as far as opinions are concerned is perfectly legitimate. Are there things that maybe could have or perhaps should have been taken out. Sure, but this does not mean the article shouldn’t have been published at all. If it had been saying women should dress slutty then it would have incited a far angrier reaction and that is an opinion we would never facilitate. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing but to take offense at an opposing perspective is a choice. If every once in a while someone takes offense at articles we publish, there is not much we can do to allay people’s sensibilities. When people are offended they should just get over it and move on. We do not all have to be in agreement all the time.
We’re not trying to make people agree with us. We’re not trying to control people. We’re not trying to change people. We’re not trying to do any of that. People can either agree or disagree and take from it what they will. When someone tries to prevent another from voicing perspectives they find disagreeable, this shows they don’t really believe in freedom of expression. To claim otherwise is hypocritical. Expression and varying opinions is what freedom of the press is all about. Freedom of speech is one of the most important rights, possibly the most important right outlined in the U.S. constitution. If our readers dictated what we couldn’t publish there wouldn’t be many stories to tell. We can’t please everyone. Chances are if you take offense at something in the Current someone else will be step for step in agreement with it.
Prepared or Paraonid: Being Ready For a Natural Disaster By: Alexis Ball Staff Writer
You never know when a natural disaster could strike. March 22 saw the collapse of an unstable hill, sending mud and debris across the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. This large mudslide engulfed an entire neighborhood, tragically killing 43 people. On the evening of Nov. 11, a rapid 60 mph wind storm caused trees to fall, which in turn caused a major power outage to South King County as well as Pierce County. Komo News reported roughly 50,000 people lost their power on Tuesday evening. This affected schools and businesses, resulting in the cancellation of all Green River classes on Wed. Nov. 12. Mt. St. Helens has been active in the recent past, causing necessary
Editorial Policy
worry. This volcano, or the much closer Mt. Rainier, could erupt at any time. These circumstances are proof that Washington’s citizens need to be prepared for any type of catastrophe. However, there is a large difference between being prepared and being paranoid about possible disasters. So-called “Doomsday Preppers” go above and beyond to prepare for any type of disaster, from tornadoes to nuclear wars. Preppers all over the world are building sheltersincluding years worth of food rations and weapons- to protect themselves from future occurrences. They even build some intense shelters underground, to protect from fallout from nuclear bombs as well as volcanic eruptions. While it’s good to be prepared, this is over the top. According to nationalgeographic. com, Doomsday Preppers might even have another back-up dwelling at another location, in the event of a fire, attack, or another disaster.
The Current is a public forum for student expression. Student editors make all content decisions without censorship or advanced approval.
Lizett Mella-Salas, a student at Green River said, “Doomsday Preppers are paranoid. We don’t know when a disaster will strike, but we can still be prepared without over exaggerating.” This all seems quite extreme for any catastrophe. It doesn’t seem realistic to spend so much time, money and energy on something that in the end, is not guaranteed to be successful. Anyone can take these extravagant precautions, but the reality of it is you might not even make it to the shelter in time. It’s better to simply have relief kits prepared, and just drive as far away from the disaster as possible. According to www.redcross.org, the Red Cross responds to 70,000 natural and man-made disasters each year, including home fires. However, it can take the Red Cross days or even weeks to respond after a natural disaster has occurred. Even if they do make it to the disaster site quickly, the Red Cross is not guaranteed to find everyone
Theft Policy
that needs help. They could arrive within a few days, and some will not be able to get help until days after that. Jessica Veliz, a running start student said, “I think that it’s really important to be prepared for a natural disaster, because if something happens unexpectedly, you should at least be able to care for yourself and your family.” Simply putting together a “gobag” with a couple days worth of supplies can keep an entire family safe until help arrives. A basic supply kit should include water, non-perishable food items, local maps, prescription medication, cash, feminine products, sleeping bags, and a complete change of clothing. A list of recommended disaster supplies is listed on www. ready.gov. These are very simple steps any person can take to be prepared for a possible catastrophe. Citizens can be prepared without being anxious or over exaggerating the need for preparation.
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thestaff Jesse Torres Editor-in-Chief 253-388-3457
Ian Lobdell Managing Editor Ads Editor Design Editor 253-833-9111 x2376 James Ristig Campus Editor
Rachel Wood A&E Editor Copy Editor
David Price Opinion Editor
Jesse Maiwald Sports Editor
Staff Writers: Alanna Argudo, Alexis Ball, Megan Tilton, Sean Chounlamany, Kaylee Markonich, Taylor Lopes, Mari Regalado, C.M. Warnke, Job Williams, Megan Hopper, Samantha Ward, Madeline Wentz, Brent Gibson, Nicholas J. Rasmussen, Renno Jeon, Sayaka Nishi, and Ed Ali Photographers: Ian Lobdell, Alina Moss, and Job Williams
Corrections
In the last issue of the current in the article “Drama Preparing for Play” Director Bowles last name was misspelled Bowels once below a picture depicting a scene reenactment. If you find and error in our facts or simply a name spelled wrong, please contact us at: editor@thegrcurrent.com 253-288-3457 or come in to our office in: OEB room 17
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opinion
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thecurrent
2014-2015
David Price | Opinion Editor opinion@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
Changes to Lockdown Procedure Needed These Changes Couldn’t Come Soon Enough
By: C.M. Warnke Staff Writer
Tec building to do school work. After sitting for a while at a computer I was bothered by a student worker and I’m told to come with her because the campus has just been put on lock down due to a potential threat and its not safe to stay in the computer lab. I followed the student worker into a room that I noticed has a wall on one side that is all glass and another that is covered in windows. At first this didn’t bother me because the lock down is likely just a warning. Later the same student workers asked all the students in the room to get on the floor and stay away from the windows because of a gun threat on campus. Then I look again and see that those glass windows are not
By: Ian Lobdell Managing Editor Many people at Green River rely on the King County Metro Transit (KCMT) buses to get to the campus before their class. However, there is an issue not being addressed. The buses are making many students late to classes. I am one of these students. I have been riding KCMT buses for about 7 years now and have a good amount of experience dealing with problems that arise with public transportation. Buses are often late or never show up. I’ve had bus drivers pass me while waiting at the bus stop, adding potentially an hour to my commute time. I have dealt with quick transfers that are nearly impossible to make. Plus I’ve dealt with commutes that are twice, sometimes three times the duration you might find when diving on your own. Now, many of these problems seem to be compounded into one. My daily trip to GRCC using
going to protect me or any of the other twenty students and three workers in the room trying to hide from the gunman. However, with the student worker holding the key leaving the room to go to the staff room across the hall it would have been easy for any gunman to get into the room where we students were supposed to be safe. For example in case there was a gunman on campus they would ask that staff and students stay locked in the room they are in. Ushka says that on campus this process is called a “Shelter In Place” form of lock down. However, the lock down quickly moved to a modified lock down. The security staff didn’t truly understand what was meant by
that term, and there was a moment of hesitation during the lock down as the security staff had to check in with head of security to define the term. This is understandable considering that depending on where you go and what the threat, all lock down procedures are different. This begs the questions as to whether or not our lock down procedure is good enough? What if there was a gun threat at Greenriver? Now knowing this, for those students on campus, would I feel safe knowing someone could still find and shoot me at any moment having been in the recent lock down? Using this as a chance to make changes to the lock down process I don’t think those changes to procedure could come soon enough.
Reading: A Better Way to Pass the Time
Students Late
Buses Making GRCC
The college needs to be better prepared in emergency circumstances. According to Catherine Ushka, marketing and communications manger, the recent lock down that occurred on October 227 was something that Campus Safety learned a lot from. From my experience during the lock down, I know that even though Campus Safety is all well trained, in some cases that doesn’t matter because much of the time there are situations no one can prepare for. Though some threats are well handled by our staff, in a lot of cases personal judgment comes into play in emergency situations.
For students who were on campus during the time of the lock down, they maybe know what its like not feeling safe. The thought of a lock down happening at any moment and being put into that place again is enough to make anyone nervous. In reality what precautions are they taking to keep us safe? That depends on what the threat is, but is that good enough? I rushed up to campus because the prospect of missing class again doesn’t appeal to me. However, I realized when I found the parking lot 90 percent empty for the first time in my year and a half at Greenriver Community College that its advisory day and most students are asleep at home at 7:30 in the morning. I went to the computer lab in the
By: Alanna Argudo Staff Writer
KCMT’s buses 168 and 164 has even found new issues I have yet to experience before. My average daily commute takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes. I leave my house 15 minutes before the hour and head to the bus stop, a 6 min walk. This leaves me with anywhere from 2 to 17 minutes to wait for the bus; usually the wait ends up being 7 minutes. This first bus ride takes an average of 16 minutes depending on traffic. If I’m lucky i can get off at the 272nd and 132nd bus stop and still have 3 minutes to cross two crosswalks to catch the 164 to head towards green river. 9 times out of 10 this does not happen and I end up waiting 28-35 minutes in a near by coffee shop. At the point when I actually catch the next 164, I have another 22 to 28 minute ride to school. This wild variation in bus times can often cause my arrival on campus to be up to 5 minutes after the hour and still with an extra long walk around construction ahead of me. Late to class again.
Many would say the easy solution would be to take an earlier bus. However that would tack on an additional 30 minutes to my commute time, bringing it close to an hour and 50 minutes. That is ridiculous compared to the 20 minute jaunt from Covington by car. I often hear people tell me that I should get off my ass and get a car. Sometimes it’s not in the funds. The disadvantaged often find them selves without transport. It is reasonable to think that those working two jobs to put themselves through community college without debt, might find them selves with no car. Those that find them self riding the bus to school do not deserve hours taken out of their day, that they could be using toward more productive things. Solutions exist, many on KCMT’s end of things. Adjust the bus schedules of the 168 and 164 to make the bus transfer’s easier. Move the bus arrival for the 164 at GRCC to a reasonable time before the hour. Finally recommend to teachers that students arriving late due to buses be given leeway.
Students often do not read novels or other types of books, unless it is for a class assignment. Instead, they prefer to stare at a screen for entertainment or feel they do not have the time due to a busy schedule. Green River student, Cheryl Tam, says she is not, “a big reading person,” but that she does read magazines and online newspapers, “I read quite a bit, almost every day. I read one or two books every month.” Student Joonyoung Chong says, “I don’t have time to read. I’m busy with homework all the time.” However, just because he cannot find the time to read does not mean that he dislikes reading. Chong believes that, “Reading is very important. Students should stop watching T.V., and they should read books.” He also says that people seem to prefer watching television to reading, which is becoming a problem. Our society has made it very easy for people to find entertainment through a screen because it is faster and easier than reading. We want a “quick-fix” just like everything else in life. According to Chong, “By reading you can develop the ability to
think and imagine.” Not having the ability to enjoy reading means not having the ability to imagine. Every book you read helps strengthen vocabulary and imagination and in the case of nonfiction books they’ll help improve education as well. Oscar Donis, a student, admitted that he prefers to watch television over reading, though he tries to read at least once a week, but reads, “Things like The Hunger Games and manga.” So even if you do not enjoy reading, you should still try, because this way you can at least find something you enjoy. It might even be that you simply not found topics or genres that interests you, rather than disliking reading all together. Duck Nguyen, another student, has admitted to only ever finishing three novels in his entire life. Nguyen says, “I only read comic books,” and that he does not often find reading enjoyable, “I don’t feel like it, not the right stuff or hobbies, [plus] media is better. I’m too easily distracted to read.” He prefers to watch television because it is quicker, though he said, “reading is kinda important. I read when the information is intriguing.” Finding something that interests you is the key to finding pleasure it reading. If you have not found that special topic keep looking and you will find it.
Jesse S. Maiwald | Sports Editor sports@thegrcurrent.com www.thegrcurrent.com
sports
thecurrent
12 2014-2015
Alina Moss | The Current
Maelynn Lautalo (above) delivering the game winning ace to defeat Clark College in the final set, 18-16.
Volleyball Splits Last Two Games, Clinches Playoff Berth By: Edi Ali and Alina Moss Staff Writer/ Photographer The Gators visited the Highline Thunderbirds on Nov. 12, then faced Clark College at The Swamp on Nov. 14. The playoff bound Gators fell to the Thunderbirds in four sets. However, the Gators were able to pull out a victory in the final rounds of the Clark game. Coach Kyle Densley predicted a tough match against the Penguins and he felt that the outcome would swing his way prior to the game. “We just need to be motivated and play our best volleyball at this point. Right now, we’ve earned the right to play in these championships and everything that has happened at this point is history,” Densley said. The match started off with Clark winning the first set 25-13, and the second set 25-19. The women were able to turn things around and finish strong for the final three sets, 2725, 27-25, and 18-16. In the first set of the Clark game, the Gators were their own worst enemy due to self-implicated mistakes, the Gators committed 11 errors of the 25 recorded points for the Clark Penguins. Green River quickly fell behind 2 sets to 0. The Swamp really heated up and the flat atmosphere turned in the third set. The crowd was into the game and took on as the “10th man.” Noise was definitely a factor, as Clark assistant coach Matt Becker reacted in the 5th set by pointing and telling his players to ignore one rowdy fan. The Gators were able to win the last three sets. Gators’ middle blocker, Faith Faamausili had an excellent game with 20 kills. Audra Koke had 38 of 53 Green River aces. The Gators caught a roll early 3-1 in the first set against Highline, but the Thunderbirds caught a 5-0 run that gave them a 12-10 lead. Kills were the lead storyline in the game for Green River. The Gators’ Rochelle Middlebrooks, Faith Faamausili, Maelynn Lautalo,
and Deidreanna Laban all had double digit kill totals. The results of the Highline match are as follows: 24-26 Highline, 26-24 Green River, 23-25 Highline, 19-25 Highline. In the second set, strong competitive play along with Audra Koke landing 4 of her 22 aces allowed the Gators to equalize the match. The Thunderbirds took over a commanding 17-10 lead before Green River called timeout. The Gators attempted a rally after the timeout. “Timeouts for me is a time to motivate them and make them believe in themselves,” Densley said. The set point of the second set with the score being 25-24, resulted in several hits back and forth over the net with Middlebrooks finally scoring and winning the set. The third set started with a Gator kill, tying it 3-3, four of the next eight points among both teams were the results of attacking and serving errors. Both teams were tied at 20 as the result of each team getting an answering kill. Green River then had a blown serve, followed by a net violation which gave Highline a 22-20 lead. Then the Gators scored but there was a miscommunication by one of the officials not awarding Green River their point, they deliberate and decide to award the Gators their earned point bringing the score to a 22-21 Highline game. After the point was awarded, the Thunderbirds called two consecutive timeouts. These two consecutive timeouts along with the miscommunication deflated Green River’s momentum, and Highline was able to score three of the next five points to capture the set. Highline now led 2-1 in sets going into the fourth. The fourth set started with the T-Birds catching an 8-4 run to start. The close match was ultimatly decided by a streak of kills by Highline outside hitter Kristen Anderson, who had four in the final set. The Gators qualified for the 2014 NWAC Volleyball Championship Tournament on Nov. 20-23 at the Tacoma Convention Center.
12912 SE Kent Kangley Rd NW Corner of Lake Meridian Market Place Shopping Center - Behind Shari’s -