thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college
February 26, 2020
www.thegrcurrent.com
History of Green River College Pg. 2
Taylor Robertson | The Current
issue 7 volume 54
2 Feburary 26, 2020
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thecurrent
Dakota Farnsworth | Campus Editor thecurrent.Campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Green River College Campus Provides Insight to History
Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current
By: Hanna Yuzyuk Staff Writer
Many aspects of the Green River College campus hold history and give students a look into what the college used to be like. Old buildings of the Green River College keep a lot of historical moments from the past. They are not as modern as new complexes on the campus. They look like a pleasant memory of the time when Green River College was utterly different from the contemporary college with massive constructions and a number of computers. Green River College has become a supportive home for many gener-
ations of students who spent their years here. Lovely nature, a beautiful campus, fantastic instructors, and a lot of unforgettable moments of the student life: the name of Green River College connects all those descriptions. “It was the best education time in my life,” said Hillary Pittenger, the Curator of Collection in the White River Museum. “I loved the quiet and beautiful campus. There were not so many new buildings when I was studying. I graduated in 2006. Definitely, it was the best time for me, much fun of the student life. I loved the small class, where I could make many friends.” She demonstrated the collection of historical pictures about the development of Green River College from the evening classes for adults to the college with many exciting programs offered to students today. Looking at the pictures, it becomes evident that some families work in the college for several generations. Today Rutkowski Learning Center is hidden among green trees in the middle of the college. It is a beautiful building with comfortable classrooms for English for Second of Other Languages classes and TC classes. This building was named in honor of the third President of
Green River College, Richard A. Rutkowski. He devoted 35 years of his life to developing the Green River College Campus. In 1965, 1,500 students were registered for the evening program in Green River College. Those people were working all day. Then they came to the classroom in college in the evening to get an education and make better contributions to the community of areas around the college. Their challenges were enormous, no internet and no personal cars. They spent hours in the library to find answers for their assignments, but their eyes on the pictures are shining with the warm light of hope to get such necessary knowledge and skills. Harold Taylor, the first Director of the evening classes at Green River College, believed the goal of the school is to provide an education for all who came. It is hard to comprehend how many competent specialists were raised by the educated and opened to help the staff of Green River College. Those people created the community in which students live today. This campus is still breathing in their dreams and daily efforts. Their energy helps students today to keep the good name of Green River College.
Many clubs were acting on the campus in the past, such as the Political Action Club, Spanish club, etc. Even in that after WWII time, student life was full of exciting events, sports games, meetings. “Green River College has changed a lot today, but it is still my family,” said Pittenger. 1965 is the beginning of the Green River Community College. People put their hearts to raise this school to a professional college, which it is today, providing for student’s equal rights for access to a good education. Modern college today is built on the hope and beliefs people, who present lives for this development. In 2000 the Green River College was selected to participate in the “Faces of America” project, which was sponsored by the Community College Humanities Association grant through the National Endowment for the Humanities and with support from the Green River Community College Foundation. Green River College demonstrates a real “face of America” with hardwork and developed the community to the best result. The information for this article was collected from Faces of Green River and Knonahi.
Students Sleep Schedules do not Reflect a Healthy Amount of Sleep Needed
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A student falling asleep after a long day of studying for their classes. By: Jase Wanlass no sleep mixed with long days and high stress, which is affecting the Staff Writer A healthy amount of sleep is quality of their schoolwork and important to students in college, their everyday life. but seems like such an impossi“When I don’t get enough sleep, ble thing to achieve. it’s hard for me to focus in class,” Staying up into the early hours said Sunghyeon You, a first-year of the morning to finish an essay Green River College student from may seem like a normal routine to South Korea. “I like to hang out many college students. However, with friends at nighttime, and even when there is not homework sometimes we stay up too late. to be finished, many students are Then I am really tired the next day still staying up until 2 a.m. to binge and don’t do well in my classes.” on Netflix or surf social media. As an international student, You Leaving many with just a few hours is not only adjusting to his college for sleeping followed by an early life as a freshman, but also adjustmorning class. ing to the American culture. He The result is sleep deprivation. also faces the daily challenge of Many Green River College students speaking and learning English as are caught in this vicious cycle of his second language.
Sleep for You is essential, as he balances his many responsibilities as an international college student. He feels that getting better sleep would help him be more successful in his schoolwork. “I think that getting more sleep would help me do better in my classes, especially in English class because it’s so hard.” For college students like You, sleep can sometimes be underrated. A majority of students often feel that sleep can wait. That it is actually better to get a few more hours of studying in instead of getting the proper rest that they need during the night. A recent study performed by the University of Georgia found that on average most college students get six to seven hours of sleep per night. This is not enough, considering that experts recommend eight hours of sleep consistently each night. Tanner Nygren, a student and member of the basketball team at Green River College, feels sleep is crucial for a student’s overall physical and mental health. “As a student athlete, establishing healthy sleeping habits is important,” Nygren said. “I need to make sure I go to bed at a good time, get good rest, and wake up at a decent hour so that I’m ready for my schoolwork that day and for my practices. To help me get good proper rest I try to stay off my phone at night, and I also make sure I get all my homework done during the day.”
Researchers say proper sleeping habits are important for a variety of reasons. Some of the key benefits of developing healthy sleeping habits are improved cognitive performance, better memory capacity, boosted social competence, and improved decision-making skills. These are attributes that are crucial in becoming a successful college student and being able to handle different daily tasks. Like Nygren, there are many possible things students can do to get the sleep needed to be successful in their daily endeavors. The Student Health Services of Oregon State University compiled a comprehensive list of tips for getting good sleep. The list includes maintaining a regular wake and sleep schedule, not eating within two or three hours of your planned bedtime, limiting afternoon naps to one hour or less, and other helpful tips for developing healthy sleeping habits. If students create healthy sleeping habits while they are in college, not only will it help them become more successful in schoolwork, but it will also help them retain their health for the many years to come.
Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current
thecurrent Green River College 12401 SE 320th St., Mailstop: SU Auburn, WA 98092-3699 NEWSROOM DIRECT LINE 253-288-3457 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CAMPUS EDITOR Dakota Farnsworth thecurrent.EditorinChief@ mail.greenriver.edu thecurrent.Campus@ mail.greenriver.edu 253-508-2555 ext. 2375 MANAGING EDITOR ONLINE MANAGER Taylor Robertson thecurrent.SocialMediaManager@ mail.greenriver.edu A&E EDITOR Connor O’Boyle thecurrent.AE@mail.greenriver.edu OPINION EDITOR Maddie Farnsworth thecurrent.Opinion@mail. greenriver.edu SPORTS EDITOR Efrain Pardo thecurrent.Sports@mail.greenriver. edu PHOTOGRAPHER Rakesh Kommanagunta mkommanagumta2@mail. greenriver.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga thecurrent.PageLayout@mail. greenriver.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elsa Finkbeiner efinkbeiner@mail.greenriver.edu STAFF WRITERS:
Alini Daniel, Hanna Yuzyuk, Jackie Nguyen, Jase Wanlass, Josh Jazmati, Madi Trepus, Mustafe Abdulahi, Nick Cresia, Riley Cottingham
Corrections
If you find a factual error or simply a name spelled If you find a factual error incorrectly, orplease simply contact a name us spelled at: incorrectly, - editor@thegrcurrent.com please contact us at: - 253-288-3457 - editor@thegrcurrent.com - or find us OEB 17 - 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 - or find us in SA218
Dakota Farnsworth| Campus Editor thecurrent.Campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
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Janitors are the Heroes of Everyday Life we Take for Granted
Josh Jazmati | The Current
One of the janitors, Michael Clark.
By: Josh Jazmati and Isaiah Graham Staff Writer Janitors work tirelessly day in and day out to clean the college and to provide a friendly environment towards students. The janitors of Green River Community College have a job that no one expects anyone else to do, which includes cleaning out the bathrooms, picking up trash and doing any other unspecified work around the campus. The job of a custodian is often forgotten about but is a necessity for our campus. Their job impacts all of us, while students are in class or studying. They are working hard making sure everything on campus is clean, safe and sanitary for students while they are on campus. From dusting to sanitizing, there is more to being a custodian than just cleaning toilets.
The day starts for custodians as they go to their stations and begin to sanitize, dust and clean them. They are also ready and on call for any accidents around campus that have to be cleaned up for the safety of the campus, staff, and students. Janitors are most likely to be found in the student union building, quickly moving through every crevice, cleaning the upper and lower floors faster than anyone else on campus ever could. Make sure to offer them a space in the elevator, especially when they have a cart full of cleaning supplies. The janitors are known to be friendly and patient with students, even when they have to ask students to leave the student lounge when it closes every night at around 5 p.m. They typically let students finish whatever it was they were doing so long as they start getting ready to leave. Michael Clark has been a custodian at Green River College for the past four years. Prior to that he spent time working at Tacoma Community College and soon will be moving on from Green River to work at Evergreen State College. Outside of work, Clark enjoys motorcycles and is often at his BBQ restaurant located in Tacoma. When asked about his best experience as a custodian at Green River College, Clark said that he has nothing but good things to say about the students and how respectful they have been to him and the other custodians, and that for students to keep up the good
work. He has never really had a bad experience here before. Clark said that working at the college has been a great experience and he will miss the students and how nice they were. Green River College students share their appreciation for what the janitors go through every day, and respect the work they put in to keep buildings nearly spotless and tidy at all times. “I think the janitors at Green River are great because I’ve never found the bathrooms to be messy and it always has paper towels,” said Eric Rodriguez, a Running Start student at Green River College. “And Green River overall looks very clean and very inviting to new students such as myself.”
While Janitors can tend to go unnoticed, the tireless effort they put into the school is part of what gives Green River College such a welcoming environment for new and returning students alike. “Honestly, it feels good to walk into a bathroom that’s not completely littered with paper towels everywhere like the high school I go to,” said Miguel Gonzaga, a another Running Start student. “Frankly, I won’t say I know them well,” said Jerry Chow, a Green River College student. “But they do their work and they do it with a good amount of dedication. I can appreciate that.” Janitors are responsible for basic tasks such as taking out the trash, cleaning up after messes, or
mopping the floor for any spills and other incidents. Despite all the work janitors do, it is easy to miss them. They are swift, silent, and skilled at their craft. It is as if the messes they clean up were never there to begin with. “I hate to admit it, but they never really cross my mind, if I’m being completely honest. I only really think of them if I actually see them or they do a very poor job at cleaning the bathroom, but I’m pretty sure they’re doing okay since everything is usually fairly clean,” said Running Start student Samantha Alfonso. So the next time a Janitor sweeps by with a floor mop in one hand and a cleaning cart in the other -do not be afraid to say hello.
Dakota Farnsworth | The Current
The giant staircase in the student union where students hang out and leave a mess for the janitors to clean up.
Green River College Provides Access to Toiletries to Those in Need By: Mustafe Abdulahi Staff Writer
Toiletries are a need that everyone should have access to, and the Benefits Hub at Green River College works to give all students access to this. With a multitude of resources readily available to students across campus, the lack of toiletries on campus is not an issue that is brought up nearly enough. An inability to afford essentials such as deodorant, shampoo and other personal care products can cause a real issue on college campuses. It is another “hidden crisis” that urgently needs addressing. Poor hygiene leads to different risks such as increased bacterial, viral, or parasitic infections. Bacteria multiply quickly when hands or the body are not properly washed. And lack of teeth brushing can lead to gum disease and other unpleasant diseases and infections. These risks call for access to hygiene products for all. Easy access to things like toilet paper and tampons has the potential to improve the quality of life for a large portion of the Green River College’s student population.
Green River College already distributes other necessities such as food and clothing free of charge; including hygiene products would simply be an extension of the services that are already provided. Not being able to shower or brush your teeth is not something most people will readily admit to outside the context of a festival or big night out, so it is impossible to know how many people are truly affected
by the issue. Moreover, University-provided hygiene products would significantly decrease the financial burden that they pose for many students. The National Association of College Stores (NACS) estimates that the average college student will spend $655 per year on personal care products alone. Erica Chang, one of the Benefits Hub Campus Coordinators, explained the conception of the toi-
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A multitude of toiletries that are used for basic hygiene and care of oneself.
letries drive. “In early September, a student came into the Benefits Hub and that particular student needed access to showers,” Chang said. “We had showers on campus, but at the time we didn’t have any towels. So I was calling different campus partners to see if they had any towels available and we finally tracked one down. But I realized we didn’t have any toiletries.” Chang explained that because the Benefits Hub existed to cater to students, they realized that they needed to do something about this lack of toiletries. Chang partnered with the Violence and Prevention Center and told them what she was seeing around campus. They then organized the toiletry drive and kept it going for two weeks and it did extremely well. “We also partnered with the Foundation to have student helpers make toiletry kits, so you don’t really have to ask for a specific item since it’s already in the kit,” said Chang. “It’s great as well because they could just come in and take what they need as well.” The reception was also great from students. Chris Salinas, a third year student at Green River College
was surprised to hear about these options on campus. “You don’t really see those things offered on campus honestly,” Salinas said. “It’s a really great thing as well because as a college student, you sometimes don’t have the funds to get personal care products. Basic hygiene is a really important thing and goes all the way in measuring your self-worth and confidence.” As a society, people do not really think of basic toiletries as luxuries, but they are. With the rise of prices on everything, it is harder for people to afford such things. With the toiletry drive, Green River College is providing these basic necessities to those who would otherwise have no way to get a hold of them and have proper hygiene. If you are having trouble with financial aid or need assistance in general, make sure to contact the Benefits Hub. Schedule an appointment or stop by the Career and Advising Center (SA-104) during the drop-in hours. Benefits Hub offers one-stop financial assistance and enrollment in benefits, including: FAFSA/WASFA Assistance, Utility Assistance, Homelessness Prevention and much more.
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Febuary 12, 2020
Campus Crime Blotter Campus Safety responded to the following incidents from January 24 to Febuary 6 among others. All information is from Campus Safety incident reports.
2/11/20 12:45 p.m. Salish Hall Vandalism
Vandalism. Facilities reported a missing thermostat off the wall in the men’s restroom of Salish Hall.
2/11/20 12:45 p.m. Science Center Vandalism
Vandalism. Campus Safety found writing on the wall in Science Center.
2/11/20 1:40 p.m. Parking Lot 15 Liquor Law Violation
Hit & Run. A student reported her vehicle was involved in a hit and run while parked in parking lot P-15.
2/12/20 11:47 a.m. Technology Center Vandalism
Vandalism. A staff reported vandalism in the men’s restroom of the Technology Center
2/17/20 4:56 p.m. Student Union Conduct Violation
Student Conduct Violation. A student was reported being denied a ride on Safety Ride.
2/18/20 8:57 a.m. Technology Center Assault
Assault. A student reported he was hit by another student on campus.
2/19/20 11:58 a.m. Parking Lot 15 Hit and Run
Hit & Run. A student reported his vehicle was involved in a hit & run while parked in parking lot P-15
Dakota Farnsworth | Campus Editor thecurrent.Campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
ESL Classes Assist International Students By: Hannah Yuzyuk Staff Writer
For many years, people came to the USA following their dreams. Some people ran away from suppression, which they faced in their native country. Some people wanted to make more money. One thing that united people into coming to the USA though was the desire to make their dreams come true. While following their dreams, people sometimes have no idea how many challenges are waiting for them in a new, attractive country. People leave their relatives at home, where everything was familiar. They leave native culture and jump into a completely new environment with different habits, lifestyles, and laws. The vast portion of these changes is an unfamiliar language. No doubts that language is a part of human society. We need it to communicate with people who are living around us. After coming to the USA, many immigrants faced problems as they are isolated and alone. Green River College has a fantastic platform to help people not just learn English, but also to understand and adapt to a new culture and a new environment. The college has a program, which includes English Language Learning(ELL) classes for people who need help with learning English. These classes are not only a tool for learning language, but it includes much more sophisticated advice for students-immigrants. “We start from level one literacy, and we also have community classes,” said Amanda Walsh, the ELL instructor at Green River College. “We spend a lot of time doing community building and making sure students know what resources are available on the campus.” It can be scary to come to class when your level of English is zero. Even if the person is at some English level, it is still challenging to overcome fear. An old Russian proverb says: Fear has large eyes. It means the person who
is suppressed by fear can see things more dramatically. People with minimum knowledge of English can feel that people will laugh at them if they open their mouths to talk. “I was afraid to talk to people before I came to this class,” said Komalpucet Kaur, an ELL student at Green River College. “I thought people would laugh at me because of my wrong pronunciation.” According to Walsh, students with any English level can join this program. They need to come and register for the CASAS exam, which is designed to determine the English level of students and identify them into appropriate classes. It helps people to feel more comfortable during the education process. “We start our classes by asking each other how the day was and talk to each other about different things,” said Van To, another ELL student. Creating a lovely, family like environment helps people to grow with their skills better. An old Chinese proverb says: “A single beam cannot support a great house.” ELL classes are a great community to support each other and make new connections with people who have similar problems. “We study a lot about new cultures in this class because we have people from different cultures in the class,” said Appandeer Kaur, another ELL student. “We help each other and support each other, and it helps us to feel better outside the class.” People should be aware that this program does not include international students with visa F-1, M-1, and J-1. To join these classes, the student must follow three steps: 1. Register in RLC 125 and schedule the appointment 2. Pass CASAS test, bring ID and $35 3. Students are ready to start. If a student needs help to improve their English skills and become a part of a fantastic family, use the chance to join the ELL classes at Green River College in the Spring quarter.
2/20/20 Harassment. A staff member reported being harassed by four (4) 7:35 p.m. Rutkoski Learning Center unknown individuals. Harrassment 2/21/20 9:32 a.m. Student Union. Assault.
Vandalism. A staff reported her vehicle was vandalized while parked on the North side of Student Union.
2/21/20 6:24 p.m. Parking Lot 1 Burglary
Burglary to Motor Vehicle. A student reported his vehicle was broken into in parking lot P-1.
2/22/20 4:00 p.m. Holman Library Theft
Theft. A student reported her laptop and car keys were taken from Holman Library
2/24/20 3:15 p.m. Parking Lot 8 Vandalism
Vandalism. A student reported vandalism done to his vehicle while parked in parking lot P-8.
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A teacher teaching a class of international students about the English language.
a&e Mattaya Miller Combines Art With Self Meditation
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Connor O’Boyle | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com
February 26, 2020
Mattaya Miller
Artist Mattaya Miller Holding up her painting.
By: Connor O’Boyle A&E Editor When everyday life knocks the wind out of the world, Mattaya Miller offers serenity to all through her ceramic work and oil paintings. Miller is an artist from California and from a very young age, the expansive beaches and mountains that surrounded her childhood home effortlessly sparked a curiosity within her to bring this nature indoors using her unique gifts in visual arts. “I had this feeling inside of me that I could try to recreate in the picture,” Miller said. With the hustle of growing responsibilities, it is easy to forget the simple yet inspiring landscapes that encase human societies. Miller wishes to highlight these wide-ranging parts of the world that would otherwise be ignored using one soft brushstroke at a time. She believes that her ability to tell stories through rushing streams, dipping cliffs, and grey skies would not be possible without the supportive environment of the art department at Green River College. “It’s like this give and take relationship in art you definitely need people to bounce ideas off of because if you’re alone in art you just… you’re stuck,” Miller said. She would not have a true foundation in her skill if it was not for her mother, who was the featured artist of our first winter issue. She is primarily known for her ceramic fish work and wishes to one day become an art teacher after she gets her degree. Miller’s work is not only a personal meditation to work through her own troubles but a way to give back to the community and the people who inspire her. “Someone or something would inspire me to think of someone else and then I would just make something for [them],” Miller said. Unfortunately, Miller’s life did not always reflect the serene worlds she delicately creates. During the latter half of her high school career, she contracted a devastating illness that made her bedridden; leaving her
separated from the outdoors that she held so deep in her heart. Fortunately, she found that art was a way to bring the indescribable peace of the outdoors back into the home in which she eventually recovered. “I remember the only thing that would get me out of bed in the morning [were] these art challenges,” Miller said. A 30-day art challenge that she strictly accomplished gave Miller a reason to keep finding hope despite living with a lifealtering illness. The process of expressing herself and refining her technical skills gave her an opportunity to become an even better artist despite this hard time. The family and friends that carried her through this long stretch in her life are exemplified through her work. The oil painting of her father against a bright blue background is contrasted by the warm tones of his beard, while the luminous greens of her stark landscapes are juxtaposed by sharp grey skies based on the harsh beauty of Scotland’s cloudy skies. Miller said that following her recovery, Scotland had kept showing up in her life, so she decided to learn more about their culture, art, and notable landmarks. “There’s these churches over there that are built really close to the water, as close as they can get because they believed that there is healing and power in the water,” she said. Miller wishes to travel to Scotland one day in order to appreciate its intimidating magnificence in person and paint its far-reaching landscapes surrounded by reflective ocean blues. Until then, she has been working on a project of small ceramic churches that mimic the country’s gothic architecture and marine aesthetic. Even though Miller has refined her abilities in art, this does not mean there were not points in her career in which she doubted her abilities. Comparing her own output to that of popular painters on social media, she would become critical with her work ethic. “It makes you feel like you’re not doing anything if they’re making pictures every day and you’re not,” Miller said. But over time, she realized that it did not matter how many posts she could make in a day that would determine her ability as an artist. Rather, it was all about the dedication
Mattaya Miller
and love she put into every last one of her pieces, and the enjoyment she gained from the process of creating them. Even though Miller has been through a lot of pain throughout her life, art has become her reason to keep fighting, no
matter how bleak her world may seem. She wishes to share her work as an invitation for the general public to meditate away their troubles through her stylistic interpretations of nature’s majesty. Miller’s story is one of many to prove that art can save lives.
Mattaya MattayaMiller Miller
Mattaya Miller
Connor O’Boyle | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com
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February 26, 2020
Trippy Art Revives the Hippie Design Movement of the ‘60s
Jonathan Linn
A Trippy Art Street Mural shows off the colorful and animated aesthtetic of the new genre.
By: Madi Trepus Staff Writer The free-spirited artwork of the mid to late ‘60s takes a modern twist with the Trippy Paintings movement founded through social media communities. The psychedelic art movement of the 1960s makes a modern reappearance in the social media art world of today. The primary artists of the Trippy Painting movement, such as Trippydraws, Thisuniquevibe, and Joleecaitlinart share their work on TikTok as a way to quickly grab the attention of viewers using vibrant neon colors and creamy textured backgrounds. These paintings usually consist of a main focus, such as an alien, a famous cartoon character, or planets, surrounded by various neon colors and abstract shapes. Some
artists use the video aspect of TikTok to add movement to their work. A cheap and popular method is to use paints that go with flashing LED lights, making certain colors disappear or pop out more depending on the LED light color, giving an even more hallucinogenic experience for the viewer. The influence of Trippy Paintings can be traced back to the talented yet forgotten artists and designers of the hippie movement, including Vicor Moscoso and Wes Wilson. Their use of bright, colorful, and contorted bubble art immediately brought attention to the events their posters were advertising, which were primarily for psychedelic rock concerts of the time, such as Woodstock. While the mind-bending artwork of the 60s advertised rock concerts, Trippy Paintings has a deep association with the electronic dance scene of today. The audience of rave concerts
often totes fashion of Trippy Painting artwork, which primarily references cartoon characters from “Rick and Morty” or “The Simpsons”. As a result, the Trippy painting genre has been becoming more popular among the art subculture of college and high school. Jena Howard, a Green River student, has been using this style in her art ever since she got inspired by the movement. Howard was initially treated her work as a casual hobby but was encouraged to continue painting by her best friend’s dad, Chad Fairburn. She learned to use medium and thick acrylic paint, medium-sized canvases and large paint brushes to make the colorful and stimulating trippy art produces today. A lot of painters use the same supplies to do their trippy painting, adding black and white details or checkerboard designs to contrast against the neon colors. Howard had mentioned that while this movement was fun to become a part of, she still finds herself comparing her own work to the work of others who established this popular community. “I’m not the best artist and I mess up quite often,” Howard said. However, she still finds an immense amount of joy in creating these vibrant and extra-terrestrial universes for her own entertainment as well as for others. Howard said that she does not have a set technique, but simply does what feels right. A lot of people have started to sell their trippy paintings online, mostly on Instagram or Etsy, and some of the more popular artists sell their art for prices between $20 and $60, depending on how big the paintings are. Howard is yet to sell her own work. “I create my art for myself right now, but when I expand my portfolio I may sell some
pieces but I would price them quite low,” she said. Howard is taking her first Green River art class this spring quarter. Her favorite piece that she has done is a large painting of Bart Simpson, with swirling neon colors around him. Trippy Paintings have shown that the surrealist techniques of artists like Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol are still popular ways for artists to express themselves and to make their work pop out among the overwhelming output social media allows. While the trend may fade soon, it is never too late to experiment with unconventional styles to create original and inspiring works of art. Stay weird, Gators.
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Birds of Prey Offers an Entertaining Viewing Experience for the Public By: Connor O’Boyle A&E Editor
Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey fleshes out Margot Robbie’s interpretation of Harley Quinn, while also taking advantage of a mostly female cast to make social commentary on the patriarchy. The following includes spoilers. Once the film’s fast-paced animated intro fades into view, it is not long before Harley Quinn wittily narrates the night in which The Joker broke her heart. The choice to omit the Joker from the film beyond his appearance in this cartoonish introduction demonstrates Yan’s approach to make a feminist statement rather than just another blockbuster. With films such as Joker, Avengers, SpiderMan dominating the box office, it is refreshing to see a film directed, written, and starring nearly all women. The comic book violence and colorful environment act as a vehicle to spread a feminist message, which is exemplified in the story itself. Following Harley Quinn’s break up, every person that Harley ever wronged attempts to take advantage of her due to her lack of a powerful and clinically insane man to protect her. However, Harley’s skillful acrobatics, quick wit, and dumb luck help her prove that she can make it through the harshest alleys Gotham throws her way. The atmosphere that director Cathy Yan and company display for the film does not fail to envelop the viewer in the black comedy
Marico Silvia
that is Gotham city. Wailing police sirens, endless waves of industrial smoke, and characters dressed as if they had just escaped from an insane asylum fill almost every scene. While the film’s score can tend to compete with this stark atmosphere, it does enhance the high energy of Jon Valera’s visually appealing fight choreography to an extent. On the other hand, the choice of introducing Black Canary through Jurnee Smollett-Bell’s haunting cover of John Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s World” further reinforce the social statements the film expresses in between its well-produced action scenes. As the story hustles along, Quinn’s initial doubt in herself following the break up is shrugged off with unrelenting determination, making her empowered transition into single life. However, once she gets captured by the malevolent Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, her problems are too much to handle on her own.
Without The Joker around to protect her, the eminent threat on her life took a while to sink in. Yan was not afraid to show the true menace that was Roman Sionis. In a previous and graphic scene, he cuts off the faces of virtually innocent people as if it were a mundane chore. While Yan could have easily panned the camera away during this gruesome scene, her camera crew held steady as Black Mask sliced each victim up with glee. Including this part in the film helped prove to the audience what he was really capable of. And yet, Quinn is far from crying for her dazzling and psychotic man in laughing armor. Instead, she overhears their desperation to find a diamond that contains the codes to a vast fortune and offers to help out. Unfortunately for Harley, a pick pocket by the name of Cassandra Cane had already stolen and swallowed the very diamond that she needed in order to stay alive. After breaking the
kid out of custody, the two develop a siblinglike chemistry, which makes up the majority of the second half. However, some fans argue that this choice strays too far from the comics. “While it’s fine to put an original spin on comic book characters, there were problems with Cassandra Cain’s character. Cain is mute in the comics. It would have been nice to see a character with a disability instead of filmmakers erasing that aspect of them like Marvel did with Hawkeye’s deafness,” said Taylor Robertson, managing editor of The Current. Other characters make their way through Harley’s desperate journey to stay alive, including Renee Montoya, a detective that is consistently suppressed by her male colleagues, and Huntress, the daughter of a wealthy family who was brutally murdered by the mob. In the final act of the film, these women team up for a final showdown against Black Mask. The set where this took place was the most visually stimulating set of the entire film. Funhouse mirrors, laughing puppets, and giant hands-on spinning platforms littered the immaculately designed house of horrors. Classic action films such as “Enter the Dragon” came to mind. The squad’s eventual triumph seals the film with a somewhat satisfying conclusion that does seem to linger in a half-hearted improvisation between the main cast. Despite its flaws, “Birds of Prey” is still an enjoyable spectacle that was not only made to entertain its audience, but to empower women and reveal the misogyny that lingers throughout everyday society.
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a&e
thecurrent
February 26, 2019
Connor O’Boyle | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.com www.thegrcurrent.com
thecurrent A&E Editor
Would you like to be a part of The Current? Apply now for the 2020 year!
Qualifications needed:
1. Must have journalism knowledge 2. Must be taking six or more credits each quarter
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Madison Farnsworth| Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
opinion
thecurrent
9 February 26, 2020
The Stigma of Self-Expression Through Hair Color
Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current
By: Alini Daniel Staff Writer There are many ways for people to express themselves, and hair color is definitely one of them, this is why in the last few years colorful hair has become more popular, especially among the youth. Colored hair can say a lot about a person’s personality. Especially
what color they dyed their hair, or how dark or light they made it. It all just depends on who the person is and how they choose to express themselves. Students like Kyra Donnor are challenging this age-old beauty standard with bright colors and bold, ever-changing looks. “For me, [dying my hair is] a
means of self-expression, the same way that you would change what you wear, your shoes, or your outfit,” Donnor said. “I’m a very closed off person, so most of the time I’m not super open through speaking and through voice. But, I can definitely be more expressive through my clothes and how I look.” “A lot of people stopped staring at my eyes, and started staring at my hair instead; I get weird looks from people just because I’m different. It can hurt, but I also know that I’m just being myself. And there’s nothing wrong with that, so I kind of go with the flow and live my life” continued Donnor. But what happens after you do something so “drastic” and “out of the ordinary?” Many of the common fears that accompany a new hair color are centered on perception. “What will people think of me?” “What will be different?” The awareness of the stigma surrounding colored hair is especially prevalent for those who only partake in more “outside of the box” hair colors such as Shannon Griffin, a Running Start student.
“If you have a vibrant hair color, then you’re putting yourself out there,” Griffin said. “It depends on how you are, but for me personally, I’m more insecure about what people might think. So, a lot of the time, whenever I dye my hair and go to school with it vibrant, I don’t have it for very long. It’s something that you must learn to live around and work with and sort of embrace, so I think that’s really empowering. And that’s the fun part of dying your hair.” This idea that people who don’t conform to the ideas of natural beauty are less desired in professional fields carries over to the stigma that hovers above the heads of students on campus. Even though there is still a stigma felt by people who have less natural colored hair, it has become more socially acceptable. There will still be people who look down at others who happen to have more colorful hair but people should not be judged so harshly for having pink, blue, or green hair. Just because someone has a wild hair color, does not mean they are
weird, freaky, or strange. It is just who that person happens to be. In essence, everyone, no matter what age, gender, or occupation, should be able to rid themselves of the stigma pressured by society. Everyone else who chooses to change their appearance, no matter what the reason, do it for the confidence it provides. Self-expression is about feeling good, and when you feel good, you look good. That is how things should always be no matter what. People will always be themselves.
Flickr
A row of boxed hair dye at a store.
Photo by pxhere
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opinion Enlisting Should Not Guarantee College Tuition thecurrent
Madison Farnsworth| Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
February 26, 2020
By: Madison Farnsworth Opinion Editor
Editorial
The involvement of the military paying for college tuition for those who cannot otherwise afford to go to college is helpful; however it does show a problem this country has when it comes to paying for college education for young Americans. The reason the military is even allowed to help pay for college is through the GI bill. There are also two separate versions of this bill. The post 9/11 GI bill and the Montgomery GI bill. Both bills have two different sets of benefits and requirements separating them from each other. The GI bill allows college benefits to either in-service members of the military or veterans up to four years. The benefits allow them to attend college, training programs, vocational schools, or trade schools. The post 9/11 GI bill is used by soldiers or veterans who have served at least ninety days of active service after 9/11. It allows them the same type of benefits the regular GI bill allows, along with paying for needed books and housing.
The Montgomery GI bill is used by soldiers or veterans who served at least two years in the military and allows soldiers or veterans up to 36 months of basically the same type of education benefits the regular GI bill. It is important that the government has these types of bills in place for struggling Americans. However it is pretty ridiculous that GI bills are necessary in the first place. If the government knew how to spend money more accordingly, then there would be no such need for any of the GI bills. It is a shame that a lot of enrollment into the military is because they will personally pay for student’s college tuition. With the rise of tuition costs, it has become harder for students to afford college. Some see joining the military as the only option in order to be able to attend college. There are still plenty of people who see joining the military as a way to honor their county and carry on family traditions, but that number has dropped low. It is sad that people enlist in the military just so they can get enough financial support to afford college.
Lowering college tuition by raising taxes and organizing how they are distributed could allow students of low socioeconomic status the ability to afford a higher education without forcing themselves to enlist even if they do not want to. Many young people who want to be educated look to the U.S. military to pay for their overpriced education. It is great that the military is willing to do this, but it sheds light on the many problems that exist within the economy and education system. In the meantime, it is still important to note that there are still other ways besides joining the military that can help any student get what they need to gain a degree. Grants, academic scholarships, and financial aid are just a few of these methods. The main problem is that the U.S. gives way to much money to the military. The 2020 defense budget was $738 billion. While a part of this money rightfully goes to the men and women who serve our country, another part of it goes to unnecessary things like Trump’s proposed border wall. If this money was better budgeted
and put towards education it could make a difference for young Americans looking to go to college. Education, especially higher education, for Americans should always come first. The military does not need the type of budget that it has now. Some people do see the significance of enlisting just to get a degree and think it is important that it stays that way, however there has to be a more sound way to fix the tuition issue this country has gotten itself into in the past decades. The country should be more worried about the rising college tuition and how that affects young Americans than how much money the military has. That unfortunately says something about how the American government prioritizes its funding for certain things. The military should not have to provide tuition money in order for Americans to get a decent education. And likewise Americans should not feel like they need to enlist in the military in order to get said decent education. It should not be that hard to understand.
Editorials reflect the opinions of the entire editing staff of The Current.
Serenity Moon Tea Provides a Traditonal Chinese Atmosphere
Taylor Robertson | The Current
Serenity Moon Tea’s drink menu.
By: Taylor Robertson Managing Editor Serenity Moon Tea, formerly Xiu Xian Tea, is a Chinese tea shop located in the Crossgate Shopping Center in Kent; the tea shop prides itself in providing customers with traditional and authentic Chinese tea in a enchanting little shop. Service: 5/5 Since the shop is so small, there was only one one very kind woman behind the counter. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about tea and how it is made. Her name is Mako Carlson and she is the owner of Serenity Moon Tea. She made sure to greet every customer that walked in and let me know that she was available to answer any questions they had. While customers are deciding what drink they want they want to order, they can browse the seemingly endless amount of tea for sale.
Atmosphere: 5/5 The atmosphere was very mellow and cozy. The outside of the shop had aesthetic neon signs and a large red logo. The inside of the shop had lots of traditional Chinese decor. There were large wooden shelves of jars containing different types of herbs that could be used in tea. Along with fine china sets and tea sets. The customers seemed to know the owner and come to the shop frequently, giving it a personal, small town feel. Quantity vs. Quality: 3.5/5 The menu had tea drinks, tea
Taylor Robertson | The Current
A shelf wall containing tea blends.
lattes, and bubble tea. The bubble tea was $4.95. Some would argue this is overpriced for a cup of tea. However, the tea is authentic Chinese loose leaf tea. They go directly to the source and work with Chinese pickers, so it makes sense for the price to be that high. Also, they actually had a sign that said “Focus on quality not quantity.” Other drinks that were for sale were teas that claim to help with digestion, headaches, diabetes, detoxification, inflammation, cholesterol, blood pressure, cold and flu, and allergies. Customers could also buy a flower art tea ball for $3 that you put in boiling water and make 10 (8oz) cups of tea. Distance from Campus: 2/5 Serenity Moon Tea is located at 136 Washington Avenue N, Kent, WA 98032, at the Crossgate Shopping Center. It is 6.7 miles away from Green River and will take aproxeminelty 14 minutes to get there. A customer said that when they tried to use Google Maps to get to the shop, it accidently took them to a bar instead. If any students are looking to go, make sure to go to the Crossgate Shopping Center by Little Caesars Pizza. It is pretty far from campus, but if you are looking for some great quality tea, it is worth it. Overall: 3.5/5 The experience at Serenity Moon
Tea was fantastic. The shop owner was very bubbly and helpful to customers and the tea tasted great. The service was quick and the shop had lots of interesting items for sale other than tea. Whether a customer is a tea expert or has never had tea in their life, Serenity Moon Tea is a won-
derful place to grab a tasty drink that is worth every penny. With an owner that puts pride into her job, customers will not be disappointed when they visit. It is important to support local and small businesses, especially when those businesses are restaurants that serve delicious drinks.
Taylor Robertson | The Current
A shelf containing many blends of tea, used by the owner for taste testing.
Efrain Pardo | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
sports
thecurrent
11 February 26, 2020
Qualls Breaks Three-Pointer School Record Once Again
Nick Creasia | The Current
By: Nick Creasia Staff Writer Nicole Qualls, a sophomore from Sumner, was about to get the ball on offense with her team up 21-17. With an opportunity to make a shot from outside the perimeter, not only did Nicole send the ball through the net for a triple to put her team up 24-17, she sent the Gator followers into hysteria with her 79th three-pointer shot. Breaking the school record for most threepoint shots made in a season, “It really was a relief for me, I wanted to break the record a game or two ago, but I’m glad I was able to get it done last week. I’m happy we got the win too,” Qualls said. Qualls broke the school record with 78 three-pointers made in a season her freshman year back in 2015. She seems to have never missed a beat with her return, “I took some time off from school and basketball because I wasn’t quite in the right spot mentally, I was losing my love for the game as well. My dad played a big part in getting me back into school and playing for Green River once again,” Qualls said. Qualls currently has 85 three-pointers made this season, ranking top 3 in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC).
Head Coach Karim McDonald praises Qualls and the major contributions she has provided to the team with her record-breaking season, “It was a really good moment,” McDonald said. Coach McDonald was thrilled initially to find out prior to the season that Qualls would be making a return. “I personally wanted to call a timeout after she made the shot because it was a big deal. She’s such a competitor that her first priority was to win, but it was still very special and I’m proud of her,” McDonald said. When the game finished everybody was amazed, including the coach. “She’s phenomenal. We had a great conversation on the phone beforehand. She has such a great shot, she’s a gym rat, and she’s vastly improved. I was ecstatic to find out she was returning. Her track record from Sumner High and freshman year [at Green River College] speaks for itself,” McDonald said. Her statistics this sophomore year back her
coach’s words, with over 300 points, exceeding 150 rebounds and playing the role of a workhorse making NWAC’s top five list averaging 37.1 minutes played per game. “Coach McDonald just gets me as a player and as a person, he really understands how to get people on the team motivated and he’s a huge part of why I love being here,” Qualls said. Women’s basketball for Green River College has seen an improvement from the year before, with a couple wins on the season and just recently defeating Grays Harbor last week 65-50. Coach McDonald continues to keep his eyes forward in his first season following this special record-breaking event. “Changing the culture has been a big part of making a difference with this team and being a part of a great team involves an environment of competitiveness,” McDonald said. Keeping the team focused on the sole purpose of winning, Qualls and Coach McDon-
“Our goal now is to finish the season strong. I really want to beat Pierce when we get down there too,” - Nicole Qualls
ald are both on the same page for finishing aggressive and strong. At the same time, however, making sure this year’s veterans lead by example and allow the young players to develop for the final few games to play in the season. “Even in a game of Bingo, I want to win every time. Practice translates to confidence and that’s how we’ve been treating our work,” McDonald said. Coach McDonald explains that he is looking forward to the last couple of games and the next season, “I’d really like to see our freshmen get prepared for a leadership role and we’ve got about four or five freshmen that I’d like to see step up and get prepared for next year,” McDonald said. Qualls is not worried about coaching decisions for the tail end of the season as they are aready focusing on next year’s tournament. “Well, we only have a couple of games left,” said Qualls. “Our goal now is to finish the season strong. I really want to beat Pierce when we get down there too,”. How many more three-pointers Qualls will get is the last thing on her mind at this point “I don’t care how many more I get, I just want to win,” Qualls said. The Green River College women’s team will finish the season playing vs Centralia College at home followed by a season finale on the road against Pierce College.
Green River College | Facebook
Nicole Qualls (top row, third to the right), became a record setter and led the Green River College Gators a victory in a game full of exciting plays.
12 February 26, 2020
sports
thecurrent
Efrain Pardo | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com
Rugby: Emerging Opportunity for GRC to National Level
Wikimedia Commons
The scrum is one type of play that decides which team will get the ball possession in the game.
By: Efrain Pardo Sports Editor Rugby Union, commonly known just as Rugby “is a game for barbarians played by gentlemen while Football is a game for gentlemen played by barbarians,” said by the famous writer Oscar Wilde. It became more popular in the U.S.A. during the last 15 years than it was in the last four decades even with it being played here since the 19th century on both coasts. When Rugby was at its prime in our country, the American Olympic Team was Champions in 1920 and 1924 with players from teams mostly from all over the State of California. The Rugby World Cup is the fourth most popular televised event in the world after the FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Olympics, and the Superbowl. In some areas like New Zealand All Blacks and South Africa Springboks, this sport became popular from
national pride rituals and historical events. Just like the All Blacks, thanks to the ‘Haka’ done on every game has made their country popular worldwide with the Maori ritual and the Springboks united their nation after they won the 1995 Rugby World Cup when Nelson Mandela was president of the host nation. The end of apartheid was of such world relevance that the South Africans’ victory during that world championship had Hollywood produce a movie called ‘Invictus’. Since then, this sport has continued to grow in our country. Both the men and women categories of the US National Rugby Teams have taken part in international tournaments like the last four XVs Rugby World Cups and participated in the Sevens Rugby World Tour competitions, including the two most recent Olympics and the Pan-American Games. The USA, according to the International Rugby Board rankings, is always one of the top two, for women’s, or three, for men’s
best-ranked teams in the Americas. This is just above or below teams like Canada or Argentina respectively. An example of how much the sport has grown in our nation has been the start of a professional level Major League of Rugby (MLR) in 2018. Especially, in the State of Washington Rugby has become very popular with the Seattle Seawolves professional team who has been national champions back to back during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 tournaments. Last season, our Seawolves even won the tournament final as the visiting team in the last 20 seconds of the Game 2326 against the San Diego Legion after they were losing 23-19. Today, Green River College (GRC) has a emerging opportunity to start a seven aside or a 15 aside women’s and men’s college-level varsity program and play in NCAA division tournaments against universities like the University of Washington (UW), Washington State (WSU), Central Washington University(CWU), Western Washington University (WWU), and Notre Dame College (NDC) just to name a few. These universities still have a
level that can be easily reached by our school and GRC has the capacity to recruit a pool well-trained male players who were not able to continue playing football after high school as well as athletically driven female players who wish to practice a contact sport. Rugby is one of the few sports that find every single member of the team useful, from every shape and size of body that plays sports. As the rugby college programs from smaller schools have proven in the past years, they do not require more infrastructure than a baseball or a soccer program including a trainer, uniforms, the pitch, and the sports gear. In fact, many of the non-football schools in our state like CWU which have benefited from the NCAA incentives and have put their school in the spotlight thanks to this sport. Many smaller schools than ours have achieved the goal so far and Green River College can take advantage of Rugby to introduce a new sport on our campus and participate in an NCAA tournament, encourage diversity and opening the door to an opportunity which can be a new era in the history of sports of our Gators.
University of Calgary | Facebook
Women’s rugby tournaments are very important in today’s world competitions like the Olympics.
Wall Street Journal
The ‘Haka’ is a Maori tradition that became part of the New Zealand All Blacks during the match and has made the sport and country famous worldwide thanks to the tradition druing tournaments.