Issue 6 Volume 53

thecurrent the student newspaper of green river college

February 8, 2019

www.thegrcurrent.com

豬年快樂!

Green River Welcomes in the Year of the Boar - page 1 Margo Mead | The Current

issue 6 volume 53

2 February 8, 2019

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Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Green River Students Celebrate Lunar New Year

thecurrent Green River College 12401 SE 320th St., Mailstop: SU Auburn, WA 98092-3699 NEWSROOM DIRECT LINE 253-288-3457 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Margo Mead thecurrent.editorinchief@mail. greenriver.edu 253-833-9111 ext. 2375 MANAGING EDITOR CAMPUS EDITOR Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker thecurrent.campus@mail. greenriver.edu

Margo Mead | The Current

The Lind Bloom Student Union, decorated, lit up, and packed full as students crowd onto the dance floor to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Green River.

Dance” take place as well. The Lion Dance is when performers in lion costumes dance around to a drum beat to ward off evil spirits and bad luck. 2019 is the year of the pig, which means luck and fortune is on everyone’s way thanks to the pig.

Green River hosted its Lunar New Year party Feb. 1 from 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the Mel Lindbloom Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current Student Union (SU) Building.

When asked how he felt about By: Simren Singh the upcoming Lunar New Year Staff Writer party, Lwin said that he was “beyond excited that we are able to The Lunar New Year, otherwise provide this wonderful New Year known as the Chinese New Year, Celebration to the students here has finally begun. are Green River College. Here, we The Lunar New Year is celebrated are so blessed to have people from the first 15 days of the Chinese so many cultures and we strongly calendar. “Mostly everyone uses believe that it is our responsibility the solar calendar instead of the to celebrate such a blessing.” lunar calendar,” said International The party was put together Student Ambassador and Senator

by Green River’s International of Student Government, Sia Zin Student Ambassaders (ISA) and Phyo Lwin. Lwin also stated that International Programs (IP), who The Lunar have been New Year planning the holds “a lot of event since “We are so blessed to significance December. have people from so many meaning” ISA officer cultures, and we strongly to families Rae Moon all around stated that believe that it is our China, Korea, “it was nice responsibility to celebrate.”

Vietnam, Laos, to see people Singapore, and - Sia Zin Phyo Lwin getting other Asian involved,” countries. It who are gives them an originally opportunity to cleanse the bad luck from places where Lunar New Years from the past year and a chance to is celebrated. bring in good luck for the New Year.

International Student Since the Lunar New Year Ambassador Bravo-Rodriguez said is celebrated by many Asian that her favorite part in planning countries, there are various ways the event was the rehearsal and to celebrate it depending on the auditions for the performances. country. These traditions include Marwa Al Musawi, Director of family reunions and dinners (which University, Equality, and Inclusion are considered to be the most was the advisor for the event whom important meal of the year) and a Rodriguez spoke highly of. Musawi practice in which red envelopes are said that “everyday you learn filled with lucky money, given out something new from her.” by adults to children for good luck.

The party included delicious food Customs such as the “Lion and “Coco” bubble tea as well as live

performances from various Green River students and organizations, including a Tae Kwon Do performance by Xin Yue Lu, the Bermese Club, Green River’s Dance Club, “Bobalust”, the “TAMBAL” band from Indonesia, as well as a live lion dance.

Board member Arlene Pierini appreciated the lion dance, stating that she “had seen the dragons on TV” but had never seen them

live. “I also like seeing the student community gathered together,” said Pierini. “Bringing the student community together is important.”

“I love all these cultural events, especially the martial artists,” said President Suzanne Johnson.

“Currently, I’m one as well.” When asked how she was enjoying the celebration, Johnson said she loves “enjoying the talent of all our students [and their celebrations].”

Margo Mead | The Current

A&E EDITOR Danielle Kim thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu OPINION EDITOR William Baliton thecurrent.opinion@mail. greenriver.edu SPORTS EDITOR Christina Praggastis thecurrent.sports@mail.greenriver. edu LAYOUT EDITOR Dee Senaga ksenaga@mail.greenriver.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Elsa Finkbeiner efinkbeiner@mail.greenriver.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER Taylor Robertson ads@thegrcurrent.com PHOTOGRAPHER Christina Praggastis cpraggastis@mail.greenriver.edu

Green River’s International Student Ambassaders pose by table of bubble tea.

STAFF WRITERS: Christina Praggastis, Dakota Farnsworth, Connor O’ Boyle, Humza Sindu, Satinder Rehal, Jen Kistner, Kellyn Costello, Angelina Cardin, Olivia Reed, Lucas Bohannon, Abby Perkins, Alexis Mallory, Sydney Despain, Simren Singh, Alexia Howard-Mullins, Isaac Rubio

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

Margo Mead | The Current

Student break dances in a dance circle at Green River’s Lunar new year party.

Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

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3 February 8, 2019

Teacher Spotlight: An Attorney with a Passion for Pedagogy

Lisa Voso, head of Voso Impact and professor.

By: Connor O’ Boyle Staff Writer

After working as an attorney for 16 years, Lisa Voso finally decided that practicing law was not for her.

Lisa had been through a lot before becoming an adjunct communications professor here at Green River College. While growing up in Frederick, Maryland, Voso had been the proclaimed ‘lawyer’ of the family.

“I used to negotiate for more popsicles, later going-to-bed times, I used to negotiate to get my sister out of trouble,” said Voso, upon recalling her childhood. She

remembered being called out for her given ability to make up someone’s mind with nothing more than her way with language.

Thus, she decided to put this gift to use— and fast. So fast in fact, that she got her first law job at the age of 16. She not only convinced the judges, but also her high school to give her school credit along with an internship at the circuit court of Maryland.

Voso continued with a job at the law library, then another during the summer, then another, and another. By the time she had finished her application for the University of Maryland School of Law, she had seven different law related internships on her resume, and still hungry for more.

After pushing through university and passing the bar exam, Voso was ready to begin practicing as a lawyer. However, once she got further into it, she realized that the profession was not a good fit. “I don’t love fighting just to fight. I love being an advocate and working hard for people, working hard for stuff I believe in,” said Voso.

Becoming an advocate proved to become more and more difficult, as the judicial system continued to change, and did not seem to follow in Voso’s empathetic approach to communication. However, Voso found an outlet that would give her hope amongst the many frustrating days and nights working as a lawyer; this was none other than teaching.

Voso got her first teaching gig when she was 24 at the community college in her home city of Frederick. She taught civil procedure and evidence part time while practicing law

Event Calendar: Winter Quarter Event: Asia PCC New Year Celebration Date: Feb. 9, 2019 Time: TBD Cost: TBD

Be part of the diverse culture while celebrating New Year! The event is featuring the beautiful island and culture of Hawaii.

Entertainment is, of course, provided.

Event: Ski Trip #2 Date: Feb. 16, 2019 Time: 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Cost: Student-$160 | Non student-$180

Come to ski and snowboard at Crystal Mountain. Lift ticket with/without rentals are offered. Price includes transportation and snack bag.

Event: Flying Circus Date: Feb. 22, 2019 Time: 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Cost: GRC-$15 | Non-GRC student-$30

The Flying Circus in Tukwila has plenty of things enjoy, such as trampolining, rope climing, and other activities to unlock your inner child.

Event: Snoqualmie Falls Exploring Date: Mar. 2, 2019 Time: TBD Cost: GRC-$5 | Non-GRC student-$10

Explore the beautiful hiking trails of Snoqualmie Falls with your fellow classmates.

Event: Thunderbirds Ice Hockey Date: Mar. 3, 2019 Time: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Cost: GRC-$10 | Non-GRC student-$25

Come and watch a hockey match between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tri-City Americans. Go Thunderbirds!

Event: Portland Shopping Trip Date: Mar. 23, 2019 Time: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Cost: GRC-$25 | Non-GRC student-$50

A one day shopping trip to Portland, Oregon. Wear comfortable walking shoes for this shopping trip to the tax-free state.

and continued working these two jobs in various colleges and law offices for the rest of her career as a lawyer.

While Voso did enjoy teaching law classes, the subjects she taught did not exactly match with that of her passions. What she truly wanted was to teach public speaking. She went through quite the journey learning this subject herself, as she had two speech impediments—which she fixed on her own, but still copes with to this day—and a physical defect that sometimes changes the dynamic between her and her audience.

A key inspiration to finding her voice was a speech coach at St. Mary’s college of Maryland, Umar Hussan. Voso described him as skilled, strict but caring. “When he said that you did something good, it resonated with you at a level that’s hard to articulate...I pay that forward in my classes,” said Voso.

Sadly, by Voso’s sophomore year at St. Mary’s, Hussan passed away. As terrible as it was to be faced with mourning a great hero of her own, she knew that he would continue to be apart of her for the rest of her life. Everything Hussan taught her is deeply rooted in everything she does today, and in many ways he never left.

“He believed in me as a communicator and as a performer far beyond by own belief system. I didn’t think I was good enough to do some of the work that we were doing [but] he never deviated his faith in me,” said Voso.

The last thing Hussan said to her before he died was to keep going, to keep debating and pursuing public speaking. Thus, Voso

started Voso Impact, a corporate and private communication and speech training class.

She finds great satisfaction in helping people find their voice and has coached over 4,000 people to date.

For the past three years, Voso has moved on from law and became a full-time professor and corporate trainer. She classifies her teaching as linear yet complex, creative and spontaneous, but altogether a safe place for any student to completely change their ability as a speaker and communicator.

“I think it’s pivotal that I do my job to show you how powerful your voice can be. You got this instrument that you carry around with you all day, what you do with it and how you use it is really in your control,” said Voso about the fundamentals of communication.

Voso wishes to be an advocate for positive, empathetic communication to solve human conflicts in a mature and effective way. She can see each of her students improving in

The Voso Impact logo for Lisa Voso’s course. their ability to use their voice with each interactive lesson and hopes for them to use this power to make the world, as hopeless as it may seem, a better place to live.

ISA Hosts a Vast Range of Winter Adventures By: Dakota Farnsworth Staff Writer Green River College hosts many trips that the student ambassadors put together for students’ enjoyment.

The goal of the activities department is to provide students with opportunities that will enhance their college experience. They offer the opportunity to explore Washington and its culture, geography, and make new friends along the way.

Students who are a part of the International Student Ambassador program can plan trips for other students to enjoy. The ambassadors must provide a budget and reason for the trip, coordinate ticket prices, reserve transportation and promote the event to students. They plan events such as camping, hiking, snow sports, different kinds of festivals and much more. And since they are students themselves, they have an insight on what other students would like to do.

“It’s a great learning experience for the students,” said John Spurgin. Spurgin is the international programs activities assistant.

Event planning gives students skills that are useful in other parts of their lives. “It’s a great experience for our student leaders to be involved and to promote their trips and encourage other students to come along,” said Spurgin.

And when it comes to gear for the trips, the department has a plan. They go to the Washington Trail Association for the equipment needed for each trip.

The Washington Trail Association lends equipment to schools that want to go on trips such as camping and snowshoeing for free.

That helps cut down costs for the college and makes sure that the trip can be as successful as possible. They also assist with planning to better prepare the schools for the trips.

These ventures are open to everyone.

Students can bring their friends and family members on the trips. There are age limitations based on who is providing transportation, but anyone willing to pay the fee and fill out liability waivers can participate in any upcoming event.

“We’ve had international alumni that were back in town to visit friends and they come on trips,” Spurgin said.

There are many trips that the department hosts every year, such as the skiing, camping, and whale watching. “There’s some events that we repeat every year just because they’re really cool and we’re getting new students all the time,” Spurgin said. The ski trip is repeated twice in the winter quarter, and there are four camping trips because of how popular they are.

The ski trips have been successful in the past and this recent trip was just as successful. “We had some of the best weather, excellent snow conditions and no injuries,” Spurgin said. “It was almost a perfect trip.”

One of the highlights of the trip was the view from Crystal Mountain. On a clear day all of Washington is visible. Students got to see 300 miles of Washington and they said it was quite the view.

There are always opportunities to go on the trips hosted by the student. There are flyers hanging around Green River with upcoming activities. Each flyer includes information about each event, such as date and pricing.

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Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor kwhitaker3@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Confiding in Furry Friends to Create Calming Environments By: Kellyn Costello Staff Writer Emotional support animals, such as trained canines, could help college students manage their stress and anxiety.

Dogs have been man’s best friend for thousands of years, and only recently are people really beginning to understand how much our furry companions could help us. The potential of the canine is broad; detecting drugs and bombs, herding, detecting cancer, and emotional support, among dozens of other services dogs provide.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), 18.1% of adults, or 40 million Americans, aged 18 or older have anxiety. College is not a great place for destressing, and certainly not for people with anxiety, but emotional support dogs might change this.

Jennifer Pond, a student at Green River College, is in favor of emotional support animals on campus. “I think emotional support animals are so important and should be recognized as such,” said Pond.

Emotional support animals could help students who are nervous test takers feel more comfortable, and in general provide a sense of security in situations outside of test

taking. Pond said emotional support animals help ease all these issues.

It might be worth considering having these animals on campus regularly available to all students because, aside from anxiety, the implications of long-term stress on people’s physical health are concerning.

According to the American Psychological Association, “Chronic stress, experiencing stressors over a prolonged period of time, can result in a long-term drain on the body.”

Poor mental health, including stress, can impact not only a student’s lifestyle, but every physical system and can result in longterm damage to a body’s overall functionality.

Having a pet can help alleviate some of this stress. The ADAA also claims that about 75% of pet owners say their mental health has improved with pet ownership.

Even if one might find dogs unappealing, cats, birds, and other domesticated animals are a great source of companionship and are also helpful with relaxation.

Pond also said, “There’s nothing better than seeing happy puppies on campus”. It is always a joy to see a creature on campus that is not only cute but beneficial to the mental well-being of the Green River community.

Anxiety and stress are not the only things animals can help people with. Pets can help

motivate people to get outside and exercise more, which is good for long term health. It is thought that people should get around an hour or more of exercise each day, and pets can help their humans achieve that goal, because animals need exercise too.

There are resources available to students with the Counselling and Health Services, but not everyone knows about it. If students are not comfortable with talking to a person about their stress, depression, or anxiety, perhaps Green River should consider providing emotional support animals to help students feel at ease talking with someone.

People who do not have mental healthrelated issues may also want to have the extra support. Everyone is human, and humans get stressed, sad, and might just need a little help from time to time.

Possibly all students who are interested could benefit from emotional support animals or pet ownership, and it would be a worthwhile investment for Green River.

The college would be producing academically and emotionally well-rounded students and graduates ready to transfer or enter the workforce. Faculty would benefit by seeing their students grow not only as learners but as individuals, and these animals could also be made available to the staff and

Elsa Finkbeiner | The Current

faculty, yet again benefitting faculty both personally and professionally.

Most importantly, students would benefit from being a part of a community that cares about their well-being and their success in academics and in life.

Gator Cast Promotes New Venues for Communication at Green River Green River College

By: Abby Perkins Staff Writer Gator Cast is a podcast ran by Green River College President Suzanne Johnson, where every student at Green River is welcome to subscribe.

These podcasts are expected to contain information across many topics: Running Start, campus life, how to complete academic goals, how to manage stress, and other useful information. These podcasts are available to subscribe to on every-day listening networks.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, and on Green River’s ebsite.

Johnson used the first podcast to introduce the overview of Gator Cast’s ideas to Green River’s students and staff. When asked

what gave her the motivation to create a podcast, she said that there were multiple reasons why this idea became a reality. One of those reasons is to open a new way of communication across campus.

Johnson talked about how she has heard from students that it is often hard to get necessary information because of busy schedules. With a podcast, students can tune in at their convenience.

She also says that this is an opportunity “to bring people into the sound booth here with me that have information and experiences that we can learn from, students can learn from, staff and faculty can learn from.”

Gator Cast gives each person the chance to help one another. Allowing to hear success stories and tips from students themselves lets everyone understand that their questions

have answers and problems have solutions.

One of the ideas going to be talked about in future Gator Casts that she loves is life hacks. These life hacks are said to include time-management ideas, study skills, stress management, fighting depression, and more.

She wants this podcast to be a tool for not only students but faculty as well.

Since this podcast was made for students, students were asked how they felt about the new feature. Victoria Kendall, a second-year student at Green River College, seemed to like the idea. She says that she has “struggled to make events at Green River” and that this is a way she can stay involved. Kendall agrees that the idea will bring a new sense of community to the campus. She said that she was not aware there were monthly Pizza with the President meetings until being showed the first podcast in the Student Union.

Many of the students that were interviewed discussed that their main problem with college classes is lacking information on how to be financially stable as a student.

They discussed their difficulties with paying for classes and planning to live on their own. Along with this, they still struggle with knowing how to move to a University on their college-student budget. Johnson expresses in the first podcast that these are some of the ideas that will be discussed in the weeks to come.

This podcast encourages students to ask questions and speak out about their experiences, which may lead to positive changes on campus. Putting student ideas on the radar makes the campus feel like a place that is open to change for the success of its students. It also allows for connections to be made with Green River’s President, leading to a sense of community on campus.

Students and staff can submit their own questions, podcast ideas, and subscribe at greenriver.edu/gatorcast.

Episode 1: Welcome to Green River College’s Official Podcast!

Suzanne Johnson: This podcast will be another venue for all of us as a Green River College community to communicate out important initiatives, important priorities, important focus work, that’s underway.

Right now we’ve been having big conversations around student completion, big conversations around student retention, and big conversations around where we’re going in our future.

Episode 2: Academic Planning With Allison Warner Allison Warner: Spend some time exploring what you wanna do. Even if you think you have a degree goal in mind, it’s okay to pause and take advantage of some of the career assessments and career exploratory resources we have at Green River College.

Episode 3: A Place Where I Belong Dr. C Nicole Mason: I don’t know who I think I am, but I’m going to figure it out.

And that, I think, has been the fuel. This idea that there’s a place for me, a place where I belong, and if I’m not in that place then there’s a problem. And I said well, my place is wherever I want it to be, so I want to leave, I want to go to college, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Kaedyn Kashmir-Whitaker | Campus Editor thecurrent.campus@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

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5 February 8, 2019

A Look Into the Associated Students of Green River College By: Christina Praggastis Staff Writer

The president and vice president of the Associated Students of Green River College (ASGRC) are both hardworking and valuable individuals to Green River.

The president and the vice president of ASGRC have many responsibilities they must accomplish; they must work together to keep the student affairs office running smoothly.

Zhaowei “Floyd” Chen is the student government president.

Some of his responsibilities include writing up the student report for the monthly board of trustees’ meetings, selecting the student representatives for the tenure committee, participating in student senate meetings as well as student affairs budget meetings, and being present during interviews such as for the book store manager position and committee candidates.

Emoji “Rosie” Son is the Vice President of ASGRC, and her job description is slightly different.

Son is the chairperson of the student senate and serves on the executive board of ASGRC. She manages and informs the president of all committee activity, and she recruits senators with the help of the president and chief of justice. Son is also part of the commencement speaker committee and the tech fee committee.

Chen enjoys his position as

president because “my job is a fantastic opportunity for me to get excellent experience.”

Son also likes her position as vice president. “My position allows me to embrace students’ opinions and to empower them to approach their desires and goals with active enthusiasm,” said Son. Both Chen and Son have faced difficulties throughout their time in student government.

Chen faced the struggle of balancing school and studying with his job as president. Son’s difficulties arose from constantly thinking about how best to contribute to the development of Green River.

Something that Chen has accomplished while being president is: “I recently participated in the advocacy day, I went there as a student representative with President Johnson. We talked with many senators, legislatures, and even the leader of the house majority; we delivered our propositions for this year.”

“I discussed with President Johnson and the executive committee to find improvements after hearing from students about their inconveniences and desires for our college,” said Son, responding to an iquiry of her accomplishments. “[She is] communicating with students to show that their voices are powerful in changing our community.”

Chen is an international student from China. This is his second year

Green River College

From left to right: Chief Justice Veronica Chaplin, President Zhaowei “Floyd” Chen, Vice President Emoji “Rosie” Son. at Green River and he plans on majoring in aviation in pursuit of his professional ambitions. “I want to be an airline dispatcher in the future,” said Chen.

He takes a piano class at Green River, a skill he has been perfecting for eight years. He is also a big fan of basketball.

After this year, Chen plans on going back to China to get a job as an airline dispatcher. Chen hopes that in Green River’s future there will be a cut in tuition fees and a

more organized food pantry.

Son is an International Student from South Korea. She is majoring in international relations and has a deep interest in learning new languages such as Japanese and Chinese. “I believe language and culture are intimately linked together,” said Son. Son would like to continue her research on international exchanges and globalization and to develop a better understanding of her chosen field.

As student body vice president, Son will “work tirelessly with students and faculty members at our school, across a wide and inclusive span of peers, to provide a space for their opinions and feedback to be heard.”

With their formidable dedication to Green River College and its students, it is apparent that Chen and Son are valuable assets to the community at Green River College.

ASGRC is in secure hands with this year’s set of board members.

Safety Training Turns Victims into Survivors Campus Safety Holds Active Shooter Training for GRC By: Lamee Ahmed Staff Writer Director of Campus Safety and Transportation, Derek Ronnfeldt, is holding an Active Shooter Safety Event on Feb. 1, 2019.

Ronnfeldt has been the director for three years now. He was a police officer in Chicago before starting this position. He has considerable knowledge about the crime and safety environment so this position fits just right.

“Most victims of active shootings aren’t sure what to do,” said Ronnfeldt. He explains how most victims are unprepared and mostly confused in an event such as this.

Guns are typically loud and cause misleading, echoing sounds, which causes the victim to not know where to run or even if to run.

Guns are dangerous and gun safety is not taught to the public which leads to people being unable to protect themselves in life-threatening situations. Such as a situation where running away would be a better decision than hiding, or if attacking the suspect is better than escaping. The public

is simply unprepared for these intense situations.

Active shooting is a phenomenon that took academies by surprise.

Victims generally do not know how to react. Gunfire in a public place causes major panic and distress, leaving those afflicted vulnerable.

When people run in different directions and are not trained for these events, it becomes apparent that they are unprepared. This is one of the biggest reasons why police academies have a hard time controlling these situations.

Evidence from recent shootings show that active shooters choose locations and times one would least expect, such as in malls on a family day out or in many cases, schools.

These often-crowded locations make it difficult to take the active shooter down because of the mass amount of people. However, Ronnfeldt said, “It’s like lightning, its rare, but you still train for it.”

All police academies star¬ted numerous active shooter trainings, although, very few will experience it out in the field.

Crime in general moves in waves.

Ronnfeldt stated that it works in

a ripple effect. When they start up, they build quickly until law enforcers make a change in that area and the wave dies down.

Sometimes they even make that change before the wave occurs, preventing it in the first place. In some situations, these changes could be to prepare the people that could potentially be affected. That is what this event is for.

An active shooting has not occurred at Green River College, so Ronnfeldt is holding this event to prepare the students and staff at Green River, giving them the critical thinking skills they need in the moment’s notice when an emergency occurs.

In a community like Green River where everyone is connected, information reaches more than just to the people attending. Those participants are most likely to pass around information they receive.

Emergency Action posters that give general instructions on what to do will be put up in all classes.

Although Ronnfeldt has high expectations for this event, there is no way to measure it. Regardless, Green River will be ready.

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February 8, 2019

Danielle Kim | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Tyler Hilton Charms College Students with Unique Style By: Alexis Mallory Staff Writer Former One Tree Hill actor and singer, Tyler Hilton, performed in the Student Union at Green River College on Jan. 28.

Tyler Hilton is an American musician born in Palm Springs, California. He began his professional music career in 2000 and has only gotten bigger and better since then. He picked up the guitar early on and by the age of 17, he was beginning to write his own music.

One might know him from the Teen Drama Series One Tree Hill, where he played the musician Chris Keller. Although many people believe he took on music after his acting career, it was actually the other way around.

Due to his acting career, Hilton gained a lot of attention from the media, but this also caused many people to overlook him as a musician and only see him as an actor.

What a shame it is to overlook someone so talented, whose music is so powerful and moving.

Tyler Hilton seemed “very genuine and authentically himself,” said Julia Farmer, a student at Green River. There is something about Hilton’s personality that draws people in, whether that be his interactions with the audience, or his fun and joking spirit. Either way, Hilton has a lot of charisma and many fans find that particularly appealing.

Through his performance, one

could see how devoted Hilton was to his fans and audience.

Farmer explained how his main goal seemed like he wanted to make everyone feel welcomed, comfortable, and present at that moment with him. He would frequently pause in between songs to tell a joke or to ask the audience how they were doing.

“His style continued to change between songs, which was nice because often times you will hear an artist stick with the same style, causing all of their songs to sound similar,” Jaritzy Esquivel, a student at Green River, said.

“Some of Hilton’s songs occasionally used cliché lyrics, like those found in many stereotypical pop songs. These clichés went undetected due to the unique and bold way he presented them,” - Julia Farmer

Tyler Hilton is one of the few artists that cannot be confined to just one genre of music. His performance showcased many different genres ranging from pop to country, and a little bit of alternative and indie rock. This differentiates him from many of the modern professional musicians. With each song, came a different style implemented and a new sound.

Everyone was tuned in and intrigued because no two songs sounded alike. Many students seemed captivated by the passion in his voice and style. He does not write a song around a single genre but creates a unique sound for each individual song he writes.

Each song Hilton sang, was perfectly crafted, consisting of catchy hooks and unique backstories that were told through his powerful lyrics. His full and raspy voice sounded beautifully with the strong instrumentation behind him.

“Some of Hilton’s songs occasionally used cliché lyrics, like those found in many stereotypical pop songs. These clichés went undetected due to the unique and bold way he presented them,” Farmer said.

Furthermore, his tone throughout his everchanging genres stayed soft yet powerful at the same time.

This really showed how talented he was, with his ability to stay consistent throughout his show. Even he had tackled many different styles, the integrity of his music and voice never faltered and upheld itself for all of his creative songs.

For those that have not heard of Tyler Hilton, overall, he is an amazing performer with a genuine heart and a free spirit. Hilton is funny guy who loves to make others around him smile.

Anyone who listens to artists like Kate Voegele, Train, or Jason Mraz should give Tyler Hilton and his musical style a shot.

Alexis Mallory | The Current

Tyler Hilton on the stage, performing a song in Student Union with his guitar.

Nintendo’s Zelda: Breath of the Wild Garners Student Approval By: Jennifer Pond Staff Writer Zelda, Breath Of The Wild (BOTW) is a truly refreshing game.

With breathtaking graphics, beautiful story, and amazing open gameplay this video game for the Nintendo Switch takes its audience away from their normal everyday life and puts them into a fantastic post-apocalyptic world of fantasy.

Imagine, when you first start out and immediately you are immersed in a continued storyline from the past Zelda games, combined with an element of mystery.

Link meets an old man. He explains to you that 100 years ago, “Calamity Ganon” destroyed the kingdom of Hyrule and its people.

They were unable to defeat him, although they did manage to seal away his essence in the castle. Only, in the last 100 years, he has grown stronger and is ready to break loose in order to destroy Hyrule and the world for good. Only Link is their last hope for salvation.

“The plot of Breath of the Wild is really interesting and exciting. The memories, which you can find by exploring the Hyrule Kingdom, will show you a flashback of Link’s past and will explain various elements of his love life, the fall of Hyrule, and Princess Zelda’s struggles. It’s very elaborate and immersive, which makes the game all the more fun,” said Kellyn Costello, a 18-year-old Green River student.

Having been out since March 3, 2017, this game took about five years of production. It was a launch game for the Switch and the final Nintendo game for the Wii U. The game has won numerous awards, including the game awards (2017) Game of the Year award, Game Critics Awards Best Console Game and Best Action/Adventure Game.

By Sept. 2018, they had sold 11.7 million copies worldwide.

“The graphics are extremely high quality and very picturesque,” Costello said. “Everything, down to the way the water moves and how the grass blows in the wind is

Pettycon | Pixabay

exceptionally realistic. The detail of the graphics really goes above and beyond anything I expected.”

Breath of The Wild has received many praises for their open-ended gameplay and all of their great attention to detail. The technical problems that BOTW once had has been worked out.

In this game, players can interact with its environment through various methods of movement, such as climbing, running, swimming and gliding. The trees even bear fruit and players can scavenge or hunt for food. You may find yourself somewhat limited by your stamina, but this will grow as the game goes on. Weapons and shields will become broken over time, so you

will need to raid monster camps for more weapons and other supplies.

Cooking to create meals is another possibility in this game.

The dishes you will make can boost some special abilities, such as increased sneaking ability or stamina.

You will also find that objects have more than one use, allowing room for creativity. For example, wooden things can be used to light a fire or shields can be used as a snowboard in the snowy regions.

One cool aspect of BOTW is the Sheikah Slate, which you receive in the very beginning of the game.

This will give you powers as you work your way through the games many temples. Powers such as: remote bombs, the power to manipulate metal, the ability to grow blocks of ice from water and temporarily stopping objects in time.

Jose Otero, previous associate editor from IGN Entertainment, said that the “sheer freedom and sense of adventure is a remarkable achievement. Right from the start, the vast landscape of Hyrule is

thrown completely open to you, and it constantly finds ways to pique your curiosity with mysterious landmarks, complex hidden puzzles, and enemy camps to raid for treasure and weapons.”

Some of these hidden puzzles lead to unexpected results, such as the interaction between the “forest children” who can not be seen by regular people. If players chose to help them out, they will find themselves with some mysterious effects.

“With Breath of the Wild, it’s hard to define the ‘end’ of the game, because there are around 900 Koroks to find, 120 shrines to explore and solve, 18 memories to find, dozens of side quests, and several phases to the main quest,” Costello said. “With all that said, I am nowhere near the end of the game and I think it will take a lot of time before I complete every part of the game.”

With no end in sight, players can spend just about as many hours as they want to enjoy this open world game. For many, that is just fine.

Danielle Kim | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

a&e

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thecurrent

February 8, 2019

“Camera Obscura”: The Stylish Photography of Artist Gavin Meyer Gavin Meyer | Artist

his passions lie in photography and exploring the different aesthetics it offers.

“I never really had any background in art, and I was never good at it,” Meyer said. “I needed to fulfill a fine art credit in order to graduate my senior year, so I took a Photography 101 class because I had some interest in photography.”

In fact, it was this single class that Meyer was able to discover a passion that he never thought he would find.

“I still surprise myself by looking at my photos and further realize how beautiful this world is,”

- Gavin Meyer

By: Lucas Bohannon Staff Writer Artist Gavin Meyer has sought to master the form of Camera Obscura, the method of photography that takes a darkened box with a convex lens or aperture for projecting the image of an external object onto a screen inside.

Meyer is a Running Start student who is getting his general AA degree at Green River College. Although Meyer is studying to become an engineering major, another one of

“Throughout the quarter I fell in love with the process of film photography and decided to dedicate a lot of my time to learn and improve on my skills,” Meyer said. “I still surprise myself by looking at my photos and further realize how beautiful this world is,” Meyer has been involved with all types of photography since that class during his senior year. In spite of all these styles, Meyer said that his favorite form of photography is his work with “Camera Obscura”.

Meyer likes to invest a lot of time into understanding the process of how Camera Obscura works. When asked what work he was most proud of, Meyer went on to talk about his photography shot in his favorite style and his artistic process.

“I blacked out a room and made a hole in the wall to project the outside world inside the room… I think the obscura work turned out exactly the way I wanted it,” Meyer said.

This style takes an immense amount of dedication and time to perfect, but Meyer was willing to make that commitment in order to produce high quality work.

“I spent a week or so testing the different exposure times on my digital and film camera using timers as well as experimenting with different sized holes in the wall,” he said, explaining the process of his photography style further. “I spent hours each day trying to get the perfect picture until I finally got it, and it is now my favorite.”

Meyer’s work with Camera Obscura is a prime example of how dedication and perseverance can be very rewarding if when someone strives for greatness.

Meyer has always found that capturing the beauty of nature and life’s simplicities is the most important thing to him, stating that he strives “to capture the beauty that is everpresent in nature, such as lakes and animals, as well as give purpose to life’s simplicities,” Meyer is always on the lookout for the “perfect photo”. However it, according to artist and photographer Meyer, does not always turn out that way.

“I normally have a specific idea set up in my mind, but when I get to actually taking the picture, my idea is forgotten and I tend to improvise and take pictures of what I think would look good even if it has nothing to do with my original idea,” Meyer said.

Meyer appreciates the small things that life has to offer and he wants to show the world how important everyday people are.

Meyer believes that inspiration isn’t hard to come by, but one artist in particular that he looks up to is the American landscape photographer, Ansel Adams.

of how his landscape pictures connect with my love for nature.”

Meyer seeks to find the beauty in whatever he is taking a photo of, regardless of the subject. With this view of life, he does so in a powerful way that he hopes will also send a message to those who view his work.

Finding success in the world of film and photography can always be challenging.

Meyer is no exception to this, but constantly strives regardless.

When asked about what challenges Meyer faces with his work, he commented that “I think the most challenging thing about my work is that it’s mostly black and white film photography and people in the world today have digital photography and Photoshop to edit their photos online so many of my pictures don’t appeal to a lot because people are all used to colored and digital photos.”

Despite the obstacles that come with his style of photography, Meyer believes that his work can reach the lives of many people and he hopes he can empower them as well.

“I spent hours each day trying to get the perfect picture,”

- Gavin Meyer

“I mostly get my inspiration from different kinds of photographers whose work stand out to me,” Meyer said. “However, Ansel Adams’ work appeals to me the most because

Gavin Meyer | Artist Gavin Meyer | Artist

Gavin Meyer | Artist

8

thecurrent

February 8, 2019

submission

Danielle Kim | A&E Editor thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

The Love We Find

By: William Baliton Opinion Editor “Do you even know what love is?” Her shattered, sorrowed voice echoed. Threnody filled the beat of my sinking heart as I witnessed her oaken eyes begin to rain. A torrent of bitter, unspoken truth filled the uneasy silence between us as she took the leap. Not even a second passed before my feet left the ground and my lungs embraced the sting of winter’s frozen breath and what followed was nothing but a grey blur.

Time slowed and with each step I began to wonder why I’m saving a stranger with a death wish. I wasn’t supposed to be on the roof of the school in the first place. On a Friday, that’s the last place anyone would

expect a teenage boy. Still, here I am, with a letter in my back pocket and a balloon looming somewhere in the clouds above.

Somewhere between now and a couple days ago, the idea of attaching a letter to a balloon made it into my head. I figured it’d somehow find its way to the one I’d one day marry; a far shot from reality, but I’d always been a sucker for those kinds of things, so I decided to give it a shot. Fast forward a couple days and a few badly written letters later and I found myself driving around town, waiting for the rain to clear up. When it finally did, and I stepped out of my car, the wind decided to take the balloon for a trip and like a fool, I chased it to the roof and

that’s where things got…interesting. Soaked in rain and looking out into the west, a lone girl stood atop the concrete railing.

As I stood on the squeaky metal landing leading to the roof, not entirely knowing what to do, I called out to the girl, “Hey! I don’t think you should be up here!”

“You shouldn’t be up here.” She uttered with desperation in her voice.

“Okay well, maybe we should both leave then?” I reasoned.

“Just go, forget that you saw me here and just leave.” She replied.

“I can’t leave you up here like this, not if I’ve got something to say.”

“Why not? Am I a burden to your conscience? Is that it?”

“No! It’s just that…” I fought to find the right words to say.

“Just what!? It’s just an inconvenience? Just something that will keep you awake at night?

Leave me the hell alone!” She screamed at me.“I’m not leaving you here!”

“Why!? Why can’t you act like everyone else and ignore me?”

“Because I’m not like everyone else!

Whatever you’re going through, this isn’t the solution.” I argued zealously.

A short silence fell between us before she growled, “You have no idea what I’ve been through. The shit I put up with at home, the bullies at school. How dare you tell me this isn’t the solution!”

Ultimately, she was right. I didn’t know a thing about what she was going through and who am I to say what’s going to solve her problems. I just finished chasing a balloon up a flight of stairs after all. Something inside me, however, told me to keep fighting.

“Please, don’t jump.” I pleaded.

“Like anyone would care.” She responded.

“Listen, there are people who love you and who will help you through this.” I refuted desperately.

“Do you even know what love is?” She spoke with hopelessness in her eyes.

So here I am, a freaked-out boy running to save a stranger who just took a dive off the school’s roof. I couldn’t help but wonder if I really knew what love was for myself. Was it just what I saw in romcoms and in Valentine’s Day letters? At this point, I didn’t know.

I tried to come up with a solution to the enigma of love, but my mind was almost jolted from my brain when a sudden, and blunt pain surged through my arms.

As I lay, bent over a concrete railing, with a stranger’s teary, brown eyes looking up at me, I found my solution. Wincing from the pain, I gripped onto the girl’s hand like a sinner to holding onto salvation.

“Why?” The girl implored as frustrated tears welled up in her eyes.

“Because neither of us knows what love is, but if we give up like this, we’ll never know!” I cried out through the pain.

Moments turned into what felt like an eternity as slowly, the girl reached up to grab the railing beside me. Together, we pulled her from the jaws of death and onto the cold, wet roof. There she fell into my arms and cried more than I thought a human was capable of crying. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she spoke of the things that weighed on her soul and for a few minutes, I was her diary. After she had calmed down and her tears dried, she asked, “So why are you up here anyway?”

“I’d rather not say” I said with an embarrassed smile on my face.

“I just told you my life’s story, I deserve something from you.”

“Well…promise not to make fun of me.”

“Promise.”

“So, I thought it’d be a good idea to attach a letter to a balloon and send it off, so some girl could find it and maybe one day we’d meet and get married.” I responded almost dying of embarrassment.

The girl, failing to hold back laughter replied, “That’s so cheesy! What if a guy picked up your letter?”

“I guess that means I’ll marry a guy then?”

“So, what happened to the balloon?”

I didn’t say a word as I pointed to the now pink hued sky. She looked up and asked, “Are you going to try again with another balloon?”

“I don’t think so.” I said.

“Why not?” She pried.

“Honestly, I don’t think that’s the kind of love I want to find,” I said with a smile, “Come on, let’s get off this roof.”

The girl stood up, reflecting the smile on my face and helped me to my feet. I winced as she pulled at my sore, throbbing arms. A melody of laughter filled the gaps between the light footsteps that resonated between us.

As we gazed out at the now rose-gold sunset, I witnessed the girl’s oaken eyes light up like the sun. Together, we disappeared into the hazy afternoon with a new lease on life; neither of us knowing what love really is, but both of us willing to find out.

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

Not guaranteed to be published.

Must be sent to: thecurrent.ae@mail.greenriver.edu We encourage students to submit whatever they wish and to use this as a creative space.

Deadlines: Feb. 21 and March 7

opinion Trade School Certificates and Two Year Degrees Today

William Baliton | Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

thecurrent

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February 8, 2019

By: Chi Pang Staff Writer

Will the investment undertaken to get a certificate, or an associate degree prove to be worthwhile and profitable in the near or foreseeable future?

After graduating highschool, most people are not sure what education or career path to follow.

At this point, it is advisable to either choose a certificate degree or an associate degree. During enrollment into higher learning institutions, most individuals may not be sure of what exactly they want to pursue. However, a substantial number have their mind made up depending on their reason to take on a specific course. For some, the pay grade matters and for others passion and commitment in the given industry is the highest priority.

The financial factor is important to consider; however, it should not be the major determinant when it comes to choosing between the certificate and associate degrees.

Both have their pros and cons; for a certificate degree, it is easy to get government funds and courses take a shorter time compared to an associate or bachelor’s degree.

It is also considered cheaper than the latter in terms of fees.

Pursuing a certificate degree

U.S. Airforce

Pixabay

however calls for a decisive person, who has already spotted an area of interest worth chasing. “A certificate degree promotes further growth and development which contributes college graduates to be more prepared for entering the job market than high school graduates,” said ZiJia Chen.

The down-side of this path is that it limits what you learn and what you practice once you are certified.

For instance, if you spent the course duration learning how to be a fitness trainer, that will be the only skill you will be applicable for.

A certificate degree is, however, a wild card, and if not wellthought, the certificate holder could jeopardize their career path.

Pursuing an associate degree, on the other hand, gives the graduate a set of diverse skills to apply in a variety of ways once in the market.

An associate degree can be practical and highly valuable alternative for those who do not want to go through the four-year bachelor’s degree program. It presents better opportunities for two types of persons; those with definite plans and those still exploring their options.

Pursuing a degree takes an individual four to five years while an associate takes two years or less depending on the discipline. This means, during those four years an individual is not applicable for any jobs since course work is ongoing, unlike an associate degree holder.

Therefore, the associate degree is considered ‘half a degree done’.

Compared to a certificate degree, the associate degree holder gets the benefit of gaining a well-rounded education during the two years of course work which directly

translates to higher employment chances in the job market and a higher pay too. Besides earning handsomely once in the market, an associate degree opens an individual to better education opportunities. It is a stepping stone to earning a bachelor’s degree in a shorter time once an individual applies credits earned in the associate program to a bachelor’s degree program.

“Not all majors benefit equally in the job market. It also depends on what major students choose, some jobs may just require technical training. Engineering, Math, computers, business are part of majors which tend to have a higher return,” said Zimhers Lao. The number of employers seeking workers who have an associate degree over other degrees is increasing. In today’s

dynamism, employers prefer an associate degree to break in over a bachelor’s or higher. It makes financial sense to the employer and the return on investment is higher.

This means the graduate has a low unemployment risk compared to others in various levels.

Considering associate degrees also present flexibility for the learner, one can enroll online and manage pursuing the course while still working. This gives individuals an even better perspective in knowing what exactly they want for their career and what areas they should try and advance on.

While choosing a course to pursue, it is important to consider in-demand fields to obtain a lucrative entry-level job. Due research provides a better window to what the requirements are and salary expectations.

Green River College Combats Climate Change in Light of UN Announcement By: Satinder Rehal Staff Writer

Facility members of Green River shared their opinions and concerns on how to make GRC a more eco-friendly environment during a time of global warming and climate change.

Recently the United Nations released an announcement stating that the in twelve years the earth will undergo a global warming of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit. This is brought on by human made damages such as air and water pollution. To see if Green River is doing the best it can to keep the environment in shape and climate change at bay, members from the Facilities were interviewed. They were asked about the conditions of Green River College’s ecological status from the inside out.

Mack Litton, a daytime lead facility worker, who has worked at Green River for four years and has been a state employee for 28 years has worked for several schools in Washington and knows the importance of recycling and says Green River is doing a good job at it. When asked about the conditions on campus he says that Green River “…is one of the cleanest colleges in the state of Washington”. Litton mentions a

group of students who go through the campus gathering cardboard to help recycle it separately are one of the groups that help keep the college stay eco-friendly.

When talking about the trash on campus and how it affects the wildlife here, Litton explains how smart the squirrels and the crows are. And how the squirrels go into the trash cans and pull trash out and how the crows go after the carts and pull things off them. Mack says, “we can’t do too much about it, they are just as important to the environment than anything else”.

One aspect of Green River Litton hopes to improve are the smoking areas. He wishes that there would be some other area where students smoke, because of the debris of the cigarette buds left at the bus stop.

Litton shares that the Facilities try their best to clean up around those areas and would like to see more trash cans or smoking containers the students can use after they are done smoking and help keep those area a bit cleaner. The Facilities wish to do their best to continue promoting Green River College as a clean and safe environment.

Another Facility member, Michael Clark, who has worked at Green River for three years says “Green River is already doing a great job with recycling,” when

asked about the status of trash on campus. Clark, who has also previously worked at Tacoma Community College for 12 years, says the students do a great job of separating the recycling with the cardboard programs and the metal recycling bins where metal and other materials are separated.

Programs like these “lead me to come and work here,” said Clark.

When asked about what students can do to help contribute to the healthy environment at Green River, Clark recommends that if you see something point it out to the staff because “…you guys can be our eyes and ears.” If you hear something that can be done on campus or if you have any suggestions, feel free to let the staff know or let somebody on campus know. The facilities department is always a good place to let your concerns be known and we can all work together to make things on campus run a little smoother.

Even with the human made problems contributing to global warming and climate change, it is comforting to know that a College like Green River is doing its part in being more environmentally friendly. Along with the help of the Facilities and student led programs, Green River can continue to stay a clean and self-aware campus.

NASA

Hurricane Irene making landfall on the East Coast of the United States in 2011. foreignpolicy.com

World Leaders convening in the United Nations to discuss global events.

Photo by pxhere

opinion The Food Atlas Brings Authentic Flavors to Auburn 10

thecurrent

February 8, 2019

Food Atlas Facebook

By: Satinder Rehal Staff Writer “The Food Atlas” is a new family owned restaurant that is gaining popularity in the Auburn Community.

The Food Atlas is a new restaurant that features authentic dishes inspired by flavors from all around the world. Not too long ago, owners of The Food Atlas Emilie and Yuvi were regular people with a dream to open a restaurant. It would feature authentic foods and dishes that would draw customers in with their rich flavors.

For some people, dreaming of building something up from the ground would have seem to be just that. A dream, but now, that dream has soon become a reality for these young business tycoons.

The owners of The Food Atlas approached Green River’s, Small Business Center for help. Here, Emilie and Yuvi were able to receive business advice from experienced advisers at no cost to them.

Formerly known as the Business Assistance Program, the SBC gives counseling and advice to those searching for ways to achieve and advance their business goals.

SBC offers a large range of programs set into place for potential clients. the programs include that of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center, which helps clients in gaining the government papers needed for their businesses. In addition, the Corporate Training included helps to train business employees, while saving the business owners money at the same time, and if that was not enough, the Small Business Center is that which focuses on business counseling.

But it is not limited to such. The Small Business Development Center helps potential business owners to create business plans.

This includes assisting clients in finding financing, and anything else they are in need of help with and connects Green River College to the business community and helps their clients in getting a foot out into the world in which they are making their way to.

The owners of The Food Atlas had a dream. They went to Green River College’s Small Business Center and formed into a reality.

When they approached the center, they received their advice from Small Business Development Center’s Certified Adviser,

William Baliton | Opinion Editor TheCurrent.Opinion@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Taryn Hornby. “I was able to put everything in perspective, based on my past experience with other businesses,” Hornby said. “So, they were confident in moving forward with their final decision.”

Walking in, Emilie and Yuvi knew that all information regarding finances and business shared with advisers from the Small Business Center would be kept confidential.

There, they were able to construct a plan to build their business into the kind of restaurant that would keep people interested and coming back.

With the selection offered by The Food Atlas, it seems to have become a hit among customers.

Take Green River student, Rahzia Johnson for example. She and her family are frequent consumers of authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine. Johnson says that she often finds it difficult to find restaurants that are truly authentic in nature and stay true to flavors and the traditional recipes and foods.

Often, their roots sacrifice themselves to better fit the palate that has become such a staple in America. Johnson was glad to report that this was not the case.

When at the restaurant with family, Johnson sampled a number of different dishes featured within

The Food Atlas. These included the Original Indian Style Tandoori Chicken, the Dal Makhani, and the Saag Paneer. And in her opinion, it is because of The Food Atlas’ ability to achieve those aspects of traditionalism that makes the food as amazing as it is. It was after sampling their menu that she was able to come to this conclusion.

“If you are looking for authentic and affordable Indian and Pakistani cuisine, I will speak on behalf of my people and say that Atlas is definitely the right place for you,” said Johnson.

With their dishes being such a hit among customers, it is no wonder that The Food Atlas has begun to do so well for itself. Customers searching for a place that offers an authentic palate are sure to find their place here. And perhaps, soon word will spread from its locality and become known on a and even larger scale so that others might enjoy everything that The Food Atlas has to offer.

For many people, dreams stay dreams, but for others, when nurtured and sought after and fought for, the ripples of their dreams disturb the waters. And now, The Food Atlas’ ripples have become tidal waves.

Letter From the Editor: The Benefits of Finding the Right Treatment By: Kaedyn Kashmir Managing Editor In Issue 3 volume 53 of The Current, I wrote a letter describing my horrific experience in a mental institution. I was degraded, ignored, and isolated. I was at ye-who-shalt-not-be-named-dueto-legal-reasons hospital, which ultimately made my psychological and physical health worse.

As my situation worsened, I knew I had to be admitted once more.

My parents spent the weekend with me, keeping me distracted from my tumultuous thoughts, holding out until Monday. When the day arrived, my dad drove me to Children’s Hospital, which is, in fact, quite the lovely place.

The nurses who checked in on me were nothing but patient with my nervous tics and scattered responses. They tested everything they could get their gentle hands on. I felt so cared for—like I genuinely mattered to them.

Being in Children’s Hospital was such a jarring experience in contrast to my prior circumstances.

After a day of reassuring words and delicious meals, I was transferred to Overlake Hospital by ambulance for a five-day luxurious resort stay.

Well, not quite. Overlake is still a mental institution.

I cannot easily describe how wonderful Overlake is. Initially, dark halls and a flickering light overhead scared the pants off me. I panicked. How in the world is this place a better than the institutionthat-shalt-not-be-named? (Later I learned that because I arrived at one in the morning I should have expected near-total darkness).

The in-patient department contained 14 rooms, six occupied, including myself. There were a total of two halls, a conference room, and a common area. The entrance of the building was warm, pleasant, and welcoming.

Minor PTSD from the previous institution experience put me in a tailspin of anxiety and frustration, my thoughts racing and my palms sweating like Eminem’s retro years.

However, my panic turned into disco. They gave me a light dosage of sleeping medication to calm my anxiety and led me to my room that contained a personal shower and a stuffed alpaca all for me.

I awoke to a doctor requesting to take my vitals. He had a thick accent that was difficult to decipher at 7 a.m., yet his empathetic nature put me at ease. He asked me a few questions about my mental health history and let me go back to sleep briefly. At nine, a nurse woke me for breakfast. I couldn’t eat. My

head pounded and I just really, really wanted to have a heart attack and die right on the spot.

I slept through the second therapy session, curled up in a wallowing ball of self-pity, shutting the world out suffocating-pillow style. My urge to stretch forced me out of bed and onto carpeted floor.

Feet dragging and mood in the gutter, I trudged to the conference room, waiting for me were tired eyes and grey faces.

“Welcome, sleepyhead,” said the gentlest woman on this Earth. She gestured to an empty seat, and I plopped next to a skinny woman with a “suicide watch” bracelet, same as the one I adorned. The seven of us introduced ourselves and why we were here. We had all arrived the day before, though the other five patients seemed much more well-adjusted than myself.

The next hour passed. I cried my eyes out the second we rated our own mental stability.

We had lunch and quick game time. My fellow inmates were either incredibly depressed or absolutely manic. I felt reassured, as I knew I was with people just like me. Our ages ranged from 18 to 36, yet we formed a quick bond.

Our friendship grew every day we spent together, in which we built a positive support system for

Wikimedia

A photo of Overlake Medical Center located in Bellevue, Washington. ourselves. We have a group chat which is still going strong a whole three months later.

Overlake provided warm meals, six group therapy sessions a day, one-on-ones, common room time to interact with other patients, comfortable beds, and an empathetic staff. They treated my wounds and ensured I took my medicine. I was in bed by 11 p.m., up by seven. The strict routine the hospital set me on got me back on track. I have never been so comfortable and cared for in a hospital before.

All in all, I rescind my statement that mental institutions don’t help its patients. I just needed to find a

place reliable enough to ensure my safety. I am three months clean of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.

I never believed I could be in this position again—relaxed, timely, clean, and positive. Overlake truly had my best interests in mind. I made a mistake overgeneralizing the nature of hospitals and the good they can do for anyone seeking help; I encourage individuals with depression to do extensive research on treatments to find the best fit for them.

Once again, if readers are contemplating suicide or committing any acts of violence, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is +1 800-273-8255.

sports

thecurrent

Christina Praggastis | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

11 February. 8, 2019

Green River’s Women’s Basketball Team Welcomes New Changes By: Alexia Howard-Mullins Staff Writer The women’s basketball team is undergoing major changes this year, both in strategy and in the team itself.

Women’s basketball was added in 1978, resulting in Green River dominating the sport in the 80’s under head coach Mike Willis.

Green River is a founding member of the North West Athletic Association of Community Colleges (NWAACC) for women’s basketball, but has not won the NWAACC championship since 1987.

After losing several players this year, those who remain are working hard to build a better team for the future. The players are using this season to regroup and develop better team chemistry in order to do well in the upcoming season.

Head coach Regina Rogers-Wright said, “Compared to preseason we have added 5 players for the season. That can be difficult for a new team. When you play on a team, chemistry is key and when you add new players it can mess with the team chemistry.”

The team is working hard to improve and that takes time and energy. While team rebuilds can be difficult, they’re not uncommon; such motions within a team exist even at the highest level—many WNBA teams have gone through periods where their veteran players are inspiring younger atheletes.

pixabay Wright singled out a few girls and said, “Ashley Duranleau is a great guard for us and has stepped up a lot as far as scoring. Mari Lilly is probably one of the best point guards in the NWAC; she’s fast and can get past anyone. Kaylin Fietz is small, but powerful, she has the heart of a lion.”

In the upcoming game against Lower Columbia College, we will see how many points the girls can put up using the special-

ized strategy created by Wright. “I switch up the defense depending on the other teams we play. I am constantly watching films and asking other women’s basketball coaches for plays and advice,” said Wright.

Wright has several idol coaches that influence her coaching style, including: Kevin McGuff, women’s basketball head coach from Ohio State University, and Lorenzo Romar, men’s basketball head coach from Pepper-

dine University. Wright uses their strategies of changing the defense and working the outside to the guards.

All of the girls have stepped up this year as far as skills go, and Wright is sure that there is “a great recruiting class coming in.”

With a promising future, the Green River women’s basketball team is sure to make an incredible rebound; for these girls, it will only be a matter of time.

sports

thecurrent

12 February. 8, 2019

Christina Praggastis | Sports Editor TheCurrent.sports@mail.greenriver.edu www.thegrcurrent.com

Maysen Tinney: a Driven and Talented Multiple Sport Athlete Maysen Tinney

By: Jennifer Kistner Staff Writer Second year student athlete, Maysen Tinney, competes on both of Green Rivers volleyball and women’s basketball teams while majoring in business.

Tinney has been playing volleyball and basketball since fifth grade. Her introduction to these sports came from her parents who experienced the sports at a junior college level. Tinney played both basketball and volleyball all throughout high school and she was on the varsity team for each sport from sophomore year to senior year.

After graduating from Auburn High School, Tinney continued her education and passion for sports at Green River College.

Fall quarter of her freshman year she joined the volleyball team and her second year she continued playing volleyball in the fall as well as joining the the basketball team in winter quarter. As of this year she is the only sophomore student on each team.

When coming to Green River, Tinney found it challenging to not having her close friends with her like she did in high school.

“Athletics really helped me out with that because I was able to get really close with my teammates,” Tinney said.

This past fall quarter Tinney found balancing school and sports to be more challenging than the year prior. “It got a little bit harder because I had some tougher classes, more classes pertaining to my business degree rather than just basic classes,” said Tinney.

Study halls became beneficial for completing homework, she added.

As the only sophomore in both of these sports teams, Tinney has the opportunity to gain leadership skills. “I feel like I have been able to step into a position where when I do end up having an opinion, it gets heard,” said Tinney. She also says she has a voice on the team and that it is important to have communication with her teammates and coaches.

She was the captain of the volleyball team,

and now she is one of the captains for her basketball team. “I have stepped up since the first day that I joined,” Tinney said.

For basketball, Tinney plays center. The center position is generally the tallest player on the team, and even though Tinney mentioned she is only 5’9” she owns her position.

Tinney’s favorite part of basketball is how aggressive it is, even though it is not cinsidered a contact sport. “More hands on,” mentioned Tinney during an interview.

Volleyball is Tinney’s favorite of the two sports. Even though she has played a variety of positions, she prefers right side hitter. She enjoys the technical nature of the game and how important communication is because it forces the team to play for each other and work together on the court.

“I really enjoyed the environment, we always had a lot of fun at practice,” Tinney said.

“We would always play the game to learn during the game, instead of doing repetitive drills.” She said they would have music playing during practice giving it a postive energy.

Tinney was chosen by her volleyball coach to be a part of the Student Athlete Leadership Committee(SALC). “It is an opportunity for the athletes to be able to voice any concerns or issues that may be going on in the athletic program or maybe even draw more attention to getting more people to our games,” Tinney said.

Although the SALC is just getting started, there are many collaborative ideas. “So far it seems like a good group of people,” Tinney said. She mentions they are trying to improve the enthusiasm and support in hopes that they can get a larger audience at the games.

Not only does the SALC improve school morale, it is beneficial for her future by add-

ing it to her resume. She is inspired to run her own business one day, and this committee can help her reach her goal. The meeting’s that SALC hold brings Tinney closer to her fellow athletes and allows her to boost school and team spirit.

After Tinney completes her second year at Green River, her hope is to transfer to another college to continue her education. Central Washington University and Evergreen State College are two potential options she has in mind. If she gets the opportunity, she may walk-on the volleyball team to further her love of the game.

If Tinney could give one piece of advice to incoming student athletes it would be to, “go too each other’s games, it’s cool to be able to see other people succeeding and doing the same things you’re doing.”

Another suggestion Tinney would have is, “don’t fall behind on your school work because we have had so many people be academically ineligible and not be able to return.” It is already difficult to recruit athletes for junior colleges, so it is crucial to have all the athletes stay academically afloat.

Tinney has many additional talents other than volleyball or basketball. She is passionate about different types of music and she sang in high school and plays guitar. In one of her previous classes, their final assignment was a performance. She and one of her volleyball teammates sang a duet and the collaboration with someone she was comfortable with, made for a successful final.

Tinney is a remarkable individual with many talents. She has a bright future moving forward with all her work that she has accomplished thus far. She will most likely be successful with all her future endeavors.

Maysen Tinney

Maysen Tinney Tinney serves the ball to her other teammates.