Love in a snap for KC photo grad Instagrammers’ love story featured in national spotlight ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor A former KC student made it to the “Good Morning America” stage and a nationwide audience Monday. Elizabeth Wisdom’s Instagram romance and engagement to Denis Lafargue caught the attention of news outlets from Buzzfeed to television’s “Today” show. A year ago Lagargue – then a stranger to Wisdom – left a comment on the KC photography graduates Instagram post. Wisdom had posted several pictures of Crater Lake in Oregon where she was on vacation with her family when Lafargue left a four-word comment that would spark their relationship. “I miss this place!” Lafargue said.
That comment paved the way to more comments being posted to the point where Wisdom looked forward to notifications of Lafargue’s comments. After more comments and chatting, the two exchanged phone numbers and decided they wanted to meet in person. Wisdom drove seven hours from her home in Mineola to New Orleans to meet with Lafargue, who named her his “Instalady.” The two dated for nine months before Lafargue proposed to Wisdom in a romantic setting in her grandmother’s barn. Wisdom and Lafargue’s story began when Instagram found their story and contacted the pair by phone. See GMA on Page 3
ABC Television
Former KC student Elizabeth Wisdom
The Flare
Friday, November 8, 2013 Vol. 77 No. 9
Spring advising begins ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor Students can make an appoinment with faculty advisers on both the Kilgore and Longview campus from now through Nov. 26 to register. Registration opens Nov. 11 for new and transfer students or students returning to KC after taking a semester or more off. All first-time students or students who are currently enrolled in developmental courses must register with an adviser or counselor. Course information is available on the KC website, under the tab titled “Available Courses.” The payment deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 4. Students who have not paid or have financial aid in place will have their schedules dropped Dec. 5. Web registration reopens 6 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 until midnight, Jan. 8 for spring classes. The next payment deadline is Wednesday, Jan. 8. The counseling centers will open registration again Dec. 6 - Dec. 11 in Kilgore and Longview. Appointments fill quickly so students need to make an appointment soon. Late registration will be from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 by walk-in only in Kilgore and Longview. The Christmas mini will begin on Dec. 16. The three-week classes end Jan. 3 and the four-week classes end Jan. 10. The payment deadline for the Christmas mini is midnight Dec. 4. Students must be paid prior to class on the first class day. Late fees apply to students who register or pay on the first class day. For more information, visit www.kilgore. edu and review the spring registration guide.
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Features
Pun Barclay displays the
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ASHLEY MORALES • Executive Editor
un Barclay moved to the United States from Thailand and used John Wayne western movies to improve her English. A little more than a year ago, she enrolled in KC’s Intensive College Ready Program after completing her GED. Now after three semesters she has a perfect grade point average and will speak at the “Faces of TRiO” luncheon noon today in the Devall Student Center Ballroom. Pun will encourage students to believe in themselves and have a good attitude about education. “A positive attitude always works, and of course studying
hard,” Pun said. “I always do extra studying and no procrastination. I have done it. I always work ahead…I’m not a fast learner, I’m a slow learner so I like time to study.” Pun is working on her nursing degree and hopes to be a pediatric nurse. “I feel happy when I’m around kids; they make me feel relaxed,” Pun said. Being in America has changed Pun’s life. She has had opportunities here that she would never have had in Thailand, like going to college. “Having family, friends and neighbors to support me in college is a wonderful feeling,” Pun said. In her native Thailand, Barclay attended school through the sixth grade, which is common so students can leave school to work and help support their family. When she was 20, in 1999, Michael Barclay, an American businessman working for Coca-Cola, approached Pun in a park. He knew how to speak a little Thai, because of his job, and asked if he could send her an email or write her a letter. Although she thought this stranger coming up to her was a little crazy, she told him she did not have a computer so he See PUN on Page 3
SUCCESS BASKETBALL STORY PAGE 4
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NOTEBOOK Nov. 8 - Dec. 7
FRIDAY, Nov. 8 RANGER BASKETBALL CLASSIC 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Masters Gym SATURDAY, Nov. 9 RANGER BASKETBALL CLASSIC 5 p.m. - 7 p.m., Masters Gym
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MONDAY, Nov. 11 SPRING ADVISEMENT/ REGISTRATION FOR ALL STUDENTS Nov. 11 - Dec. 4 VETERANS DAY APPRECIATION CELEBRATION Noon - 4 p.m., DSC Ballroom
Sara Holmes / THE FLARE
Scholarship luncheon Thursday
TUESDAY, Nov. 12 KILGORE COMMUNITY CONCERT BY ANTHONY KEARNS 7 p.m., Dodson Auditorium KC RETIREES LUNCHEON 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Devall Student Center
ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13 KCEOPA MEETING 2 p.m. - 3 p.m., DCS Ballroom THURSDAY, Nov. 14 KC FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP APPRECIATION LUNCHEON 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., DSC Ballroom KC FOUNDATION BOARD MEETING 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m., Devall Room
Charity Mezell / THE FLARE
Sara Holmes / THE FLARE
Paul Wills
Psychology Instructor
English Instructor
Class favorites
FRIDAY, Nov. 15 LAST DAY TO DROP A CLASS OR WITHDRAW WITH A “W” LAST ISSUE OF THE FLARE FOR THE SEMESTER SATURDAY, Nov. 16 VICKI BOWDEN MOBBS MAJORETTE CLASSIC 7 a.m. - 5 p.m., Dodson Auditorium / Rangerette Gym
3 win Excellence in Teaching awards
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TUESDAY, Nov. 19 JOB SEARCH SEMINAR 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., DSC Ballroom FRIDAY, Nov. 22 EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER THANKSGIVING FEAST 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Early Childhood Center BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT THANKSGIVING LUNCHEON 11 a.m. - 1: 30 p.m., ES 131 SATURDAY, Nov. 23 LADY RANGERS VS. MCLENNAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2 p.m., Masters Gym RANGERS VS. NW STATE JV 4 p.m., Masters Gym TUESDAY, Nov. 26 CAMPUS CLOSES (NO EVENING CLASSES) 4 p.m. RANGERS VS. ANGELINA 7:30 p.m., Masters Gym WEDNESDAY, Nov. 27 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY THURSDAY, Nov. 28 THANKSGIVING FRIDAY, Nov. 29 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY SATURDAY, Nov. 30 RANGERS VS. EAST TEXAS FLIGHT 6 p.m., Masters Gym TUESDAY, Dec. 3 CHRISTMAS KEYBOARD ORCHESTRA 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Van Cliburn Auditorium WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4 SPRING REGISTRATION PAYMENT DEADLINE THURSDAY, Dec. 5 EAST TEXAS OIL MUSEUM FAMILY CHRISTMAS DINNER 5:30 p.m., DSC Ballroom BAND CONCERT ON THE MALL 12:30 p.m., Mall area GUITAR ENSEMBLE 7:30 p.m., Van Cliburn Auditorium SATURDAY, Dec. 7 BREAKFAST WITH SANTA RANGERS VS. LEE COLLEGE 4 p.m., Masters Gym
Kristopher Dobbins / THE FLARE
Speech Instructor
he Excellence in Teaching award is student-generated and sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa. Students cast votes for their favorite instructors. Winners are determined by a committee based on number of votes cast, as well as a few additional criteria. The instructors awarded will be recognized at the Spring Convention in January, at which time they will each be presented with a certificate of their accomplishment.
Guests help to promote child literacy KASSIDY TAYLOR Web Editor Each semester, KC’s Early Childhood Center holds a Guest Reader Program to promote literacy. “When children see grown-ups reading, it helps them know that reading is important,” Janet Baxter, support specialist said. “Reading aloud to children helps promote language development, listening skills, and cognitive thinking.” The guest readers vary from KC staff to KC athletes. The reading sessions at the Early Childhood Center are between five and 10 minutes long. Children’s books are read aloud to children ranging in age from 18 months to 5-years-old. “Toddlers and preschoolers do not have long attention spans,” Baxter said. For more information about becoming a guest reader for ECC’s Guest Reader Program, contact the Early Childhood Center at 903-983-8293.
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reads a Halloween book to the children at the Early Childhood Development Center on Nov. 1.
Funds available for transferring students ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor Transfer scholarships are available for students through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The foundation offers a variety of college scholarship for promising high school seniors to undergraduate transfer scholarships. Transfer scholarships are offered to community college students planning to complete a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. The student must be currently enrolled at an accredited community
college, or at a two-year institution with sophomore status or have graduated within the last 5 years. A cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher is required. Students can receive up to $30,000 per year. The college must be accredited in order to receive the award. Recipients must use the award for tuition, housing, books and other required fees. Applicants must demonstrate significant unmet financial need, which would be defined by a FAFSA and supporting documents. For the transfer scholarship,
the foundation will select up to 75 undergraduate recipients from a nationwide applicant field. Applicants must show the educational expenses at the school of choice are greater than the scholarships or grant awards of the applicant, or the student/ parent financial resources are insufficient to meet educational costs. A student may pursue any area or discipline of study. Deadline to apply is Nov. 5, and recipients are notified in April. More information can be found at jackkentcookefoundation.com.
The Annual Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon is at noon Thursday, Nov. 14 in the Devall Student Center Ballroom. “We host [the event] every year to thank our scholarship donors and give them the opportunity to visit with the students who have received their scholarship that year,” Leah Gorman, director of development, said. Students who have received scholarships from an institution or a KC Foundation source should have received an invitation by mail to the event, but anyone is invited to attend. Current students will speak at the event and share how they have benefitted from scholarships at KC. If you have not received an invitation and think you should have, contact Gorman at 903-9837521.
Veterans Day celebration set Monday FROM STAFF REPORTS KC will host a Veterans Appreciation Celebration Monday, Nov. 11, to give employees and the community an opportunity to thank local veterans and remember those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. The event is set for 1 p.m. in the Devall Student Center Ballroom. Dr. Mike Jenkins, Vice President of Student Development, and Rebekah Metcalf, KC’s Veteran Certifying Official and organizer of the event, said all community members are welcome to attend the celebration. “It will be our honor to show appreciation for veterans for their service to our country and the college,” Metcalf said. “We are especially thrilled to honor our KC students who are veterans.” The celebration will be a comeand-go event with refreshments and door prize drawings (for all in attendance) and grand prize drawings exclusively for veterans. “We would like to show all of our veteran students just how much we appreciate their service and that of all the colleges they could have chosen to attend – they chose Kilgore College,” Metcalf said. Metcalf urged KC students, faculty and staff to attend the event. “Please help make this a great celebration for these men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom,” she said. All area secondary schools and KC students were invited to participate in an art contest last month. Winners of the art contest will also be announced at the event. For more information, contact Metcalf at 903-988-3733.
EDITOR’S NOTE A series that began last week on women in the KC Fire Academy will not be continued because of logistical difficulties. We hope to report on professional women firefighters who have graduated from the program next semester.
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Surgical Technology spreading the ‘gLOVE’ ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor Paula Carter, the Surgical Technology program director, wants to teach her students to be more than a person behind a mask. Each year the program participates in a community service project. This began in 2010 when Carter heard Cindy Mask, who at the time was Program Director for Surgical Technology at Tarrant County College, speak at an event. Mask spoke about the
importance of giving through the gLOVE project. The gLOVE project works to teach students societal awareness to help create and maintain a future group of citizens who can count on each other for safety and security. “History has proven that a tightly knit community celebrates the success of its residents and is far more productive and actively involved in its growth and unification of values,” Mask said in the PowerPoint used during her speech. Carter was watching
station KLTV one morning in September and saw that the House of Hope shelter in Longview had run out of food, their air conditioning had gone out and the women in the shelter were talking about the upcoming government shutdown. “You know a lot of these women are on disability,” Carter said. “They didn’t know if they were getting a check or when they would receive one.” The organization was asking for food and winter clothing. “That kind of stuck with
me, so when I came to class that morning. I actually pulled it up and showed it to the students and asked ‘Would y’all mind if we donate there this year instead of Newgate Mission?’” Carter said. The student response was a definite yes. “Normally when I explain what this is about, the students overwhelm me with donations that they gather from their churches and boxes that they put across campus,” Carter said. All students are required
to decorate at least one box and donate one item. “You think about surgery, and you think about ‘my cousin is getting a [gallbladder] or normal routine surgery,’ people think about that,” Carter said. “They don’t think about the spousal abuse cases or the child abuse cases that we as surgical technologists witness.” Carter said in her experience she has operated on more than one person who needed surgical intervention because of abuse. She worries about
where this person is going afterward — back to the abusive situation or to the women’s shelter to get help. “We’re the face behind the mask. They don’t really see us when they come to surgery, but we wanted to make sure they know there are people out there in the community that wanted to help in those situations.” The gLOVE project will run through the middle of November. For more information, contact Carter at 903-9888163 or email pcarter@ kilgore.edu.
PUN FROM PAGE 1
THE FLARE
Former KC student Elizabeth Wisdom
GMA: Former KC student, FROM PAGE 1 “After we told her the story, she said she could see this being on GMA or the Today Show,” Wisdom said. “We laughed it off and didn’t really think anything of it at the time.” The Instagram contact called the couple later and informed them she was pitching the story to several different networks. Wisdom said she and Lafargue were not expecting anything to actually happen. Buzzfeed was the first to break the story, donning it “a modern love story” on their website and before they knew it, their story was on several other sites such as Today.com and Yahoo! Shortly after, the couple were receiving a flood of comments on Instagram, Facebook messages and emails from people who read about their story. “Almost any show you can think of contacted us in some way,” Wisdom said. “The ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ and the ‘Rachael Ray Show’ are two examples.” When the couple agreed to appear on “Good Morning America,” no other interviews were possible because GMA said they could not talk to other networks until after it aired. “They were all competing to get us on their shows,” Wisdom said. Appearing on national television was quite different for the couple than having an article on the Internet written about them. “It was very surreal, getting the opportunity to tell our story on national television,” Wisdom said. “I love GMA and to be able to sit with the anchors and have that experience was probably a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.” The couple had coffee in the GMA green room with people they recognized and got their hair and makeup done with the British boy band The
Wanted. “It was definitely all a whirlwind, especially Monday morning when we were live on the show,” Wisdom said. “The best part for us was getting to share our faith with the country. That was most important to us before GMA happened, and we knew we wanted to make that known every opportunity we get to share our story.” Since the story broke on national news, both Wisdom and Lafargue’s followers on Instagram have increased and they both receive new comments from people who saw or read about their story. “I try to read as many as I can. They all have been extremely positive, which I was surprised about because the comments from people on Buzzfeed and other articles were very negative,” Wisdom said. Through all of the sudden exposure Wisdom is trying to enjoy every moment as it happens. She has not had time yet to think about the millions of people that know about her relationship with Lafargue. “We got comments from people in France, Germany, Australia and literally everywhere else in the world saying they heard about us somehow,” Wisdom said. “I haven’t fully comprehended that yet.”
could write her a letter. Pun knew a little English from school so that helped the two communicate. Michael proposed in 2000; they married in 2001 and in 2002 had a baby boy, Ty Michael. The couple had planned to move to the United States after marrying, but it took a few months because Pun needed to prepare to apply for a visa. In the meantime, Michael returned to the United States, bought a house and then returned to Thailand for his wife, who was pregnant. Three months after their son was born, the couple relocated to Longview where Michael had a business opportunity. They endured a 32-hour flight with three layovers. “Sometimes you have to stop at some place at 2:30 in the morning and wait for the next hour or two,” Pun said. “It was really hard, but it was worth it.” Pun went back to Thailand three months into living in the United States because of her mother’s death. That was the last time she visited Thailand. When she arrived to the United States she was frightened because it was the first time she was out of her parent’s house, and she had a baby. Pun had always thought about going to school, and her husband often told her he wanted her to acquire more education. What made Pun skeptical about returning to school was English not being her first language. “For me, I was always afraid that I was not smart enough,” Pun said. She worked to learn English through
her husband talking to her and correcting her and also by watching television. Pun would put together what the actors were doing to understand what they were saying. “I would watch westerns, John Wayne movies,” Pun said. She watched them even before she met her husband. “A lot of people had a hard time understanding me back then, but now they say they understand me,” Pun said. When her son entered the second grade in 2011, Pun decided to enroll in the Adult Education Course at KC-Longview to earn her GED. She finished in five months. “Thanks to the assistance of my instructors I earned membership in the National Honor Society,” Pun said. She picked KC because of its location and it seemed like the right place for her. “It’s a good place to start and my husband had attended Kilgore College before, so it seemed like a logical place for me to continue,” Pun said. “I’m from the countryside and I don’t like big cities. [KC is] perfect for me, it’s not too big, it’s a good place to learn, you get to know your teachers... It’s really nice.” After completing her GED, she enrolled in KC’s Intensive College Readiness Program in the summer of 2012. “My GED teacher, Tonya Russell, told me she wanted me to take that class to prepare myself for college,” Pun said. “She’s a really, really, wonderful lady. She believed in me
and always told me I could make it in college.” When she went to orientation for the summer program, her orientation leader spoke about TRiO. She did not join until her first semester, when one of her classmates told her about TRiO and how it helped students get through college. When Pun realized how many services TRiO provided, she applied and was accepted. “I was excited when they accepted my application; it made me feel at ease,” Pun said. “I didn’t have to go through the whole college thing by myself.” Pun has received a 4.0 for all three semesters, nominated for National Honor Society and inducted to Phi Theta Kappa. “I feel like, ‘Yes, I can do anything.’” Pun said. TRiO has been a critical part of her path toward gaining a degree in nursing. “I could not have navigated my way around all the courses, professors, hours and campus choices without the help of the TRiO staff,” Pun said. Pun said TRiO has made college a level playing field for her being in a foreign country, speaking a non-native language and trying to understand a new culture. “I will always remember their help,” she said.
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O. Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE
Jamison (Gibby) Gibson pulls a cable to unveil the banner Monday night at the season opener.
Rangers unveil banner to honor last year’s team MILES MARABLE III Staff Writer The 2012-2013 KC men’s basketball team was honored before Monday’s tip-off with a banner ceremony. Last year’s team compiled a 27-6 overall record that earned them a trip to the NJCAA
national tournament for the first time since the 1993-1994 season. KC advanced to the second round of the tournament by knocking off Shelton State, 80-58. KC fell short of a second-round win, losing 53-51 to Spartanburg Methodist. Making it to the second round of the
tournament, along with winning the Region XIV Conference regular season championship, resulted in KC’s most successful season in 55 years. Head Coach Brian Hoberecht was named 2012-13 Region XIV Coach of the Year and had multiple players sign to four-year schools to continue to play basketball.
Quinton Upshur, of Norfolk, Va., signed with Northern Arizona University; Chinedu Amajoyi of Rancho Cucamonga, Cal., signed with University of Louisiana at Monroe; Maurice Taylor, of Toledo, Ohio, signed with Bethune-Cookman University; and Lonnie McClanahan of Oak Ridge, Tenn, signed with the University of Texas at Arlington.
Rangers host Kilgore Classic MILES MARABLE III Staff Writer KC will host the Kilgore Classic starting at 5 p.m. Friday and will continue at 3 p.m. Saturday in Masters Gym. In the first game Tyler Junior College will play Tomball. The second game will be at 7 p.m. between the No. 6 KC Rangers and Cedar Valley. The Kilgore Classic continues Saturday, as TJC will play Cedar Valley at 3 p.m. The final game will be at 5 p.m. between KC and Tomball. KC is 1-0 coming off a 52-point win over Stephen F. Austin State University Club Team. Head Coach Brian Hoberecht is looking
forward to the classic. “I think we have got two really good teams to play against. It gives us more opportunities to develop our team and get a chance to play,” Hoberecht said. “We need to play other people, we need to play people that don’t run the same stuff that we do and make us guard different things, and we need to play with officials. This weekend should give us an opportunity to get all of that underneath our belt and just continue to take steps forward and continue to develop our identity as a team.” After the Kilgore Classic the Rangers will head to Tyler for the Tyler Classic. They will play Weatherford at 6 p.m. Friday Nov. 15 and Northwestern State JV at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 on Saturday.
Kristopher Dobbins / THE FLARE
Center of Jalla Johnson has been playing softball since she was seven.
Attention
KC sophomore Jalla Johnson a mainstay of softball team Sophomore
DEVIN BROOKS Sports Writer
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scores on a fast break layup in KC’s 52-point win Monday night. O. Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE
Rangers rough up SFA Club Team MILES MARABLE III Staff Writer The KC men’s basketball team dominated its season opener Monday against Stephen F. Austin State University Club Team, 10957. The No. 6 ranked Rangers proved sound defensively, holding SFA to 31.3 percent shooting from the field, and accounting for 55 stops in the game. After scoring 48 points in the first half, the Rangers offense exploded in the second half, scoring 61 points, shooting 75.9 percent from the field — including 64.3 percent from beyond the 3-point line. Leading the way for the Rangers was sophomore guard Stefan Moody who shot 8 of 13 with 22 points, grabbing 9 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. Also contributing with a hot hand coming off the bench
was freshman guard Trevin Joseph with 22 points, shooting 8 of 9 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. The Rangers held SFA to 8 points in the paint and just 2 second-chance points, while scoring 34 points in the paint and 21 second-chance points. Head Coach Brian Hoberecht thought his team did very well in getting used to playing a full game. “I thought the SFA game was a good start for us,” Hoberecht said. “I thought our guys competed. It gave us a chance to play somebody else and get the season started. We got a chance to play everybody, so I thought those were real positives in getting things started.” The Rangers will host the Kilgore Classic starting at 5 p.m. Friday in Masters Gym and will continue at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
ife is all about decisions. Sophomore Jalla Johnson believes she made a great decision in choosing KC as her next step in life. Johnson is an outfielder for the Ranger softball team. She previously attended Grapeland High School where she was a standout softball player. Grapeland went to the state softball tournament her junior year and finished second in the state finals. Johnson said she has been playing her favorite sport since she was 7. Johnson was a center fielder in high school, the position she plays for KC. Softball was not the only sport that Johnson played in high school. She played volleyball and started as point guard/shooting guard for the basketball team. Basketball was actually going to be Johnson’s primary sport to play in college. She liked the basketball
atmosphere and after high school considered playing for Ranger College. Even so, softball has always been in her heart, so she decided to pursue playing softball rather than playing basketball. In the spring of 2012 she came to the first Ranger softball tryouts, and head Coach Leslie Messina took care of the rest. “Coach Messina believed in me and told me that I would be a part of the first-ever softball team at Kilgore College, so I couldn’t pass that up,” Johnson said. Messina offered Johnson a scholarship to play for KC and she accepted it. “I was a part of the first softball team at KC, so I know that we will all be in the Hall of Fame one day. It’s a very great honor, and I am proud to be a part of it.” Coach Messina has nothing but nice things to say about Johnson. “She is a pleasure to coach, and she is very respectful and hardworking. She made a great transition from playing outfield for this first time ever last
year and developed into the starting center fielder,” said Messina. “She is the kind of athlete we want to establish a new program.” Johnson is a physical therapy major at KC. She originally wanted to major in nursing, but she would not be able to play softball because she could not do both at the same time. She still hopes one day to be a registered nurse. “All I want in life is to be successful and make it. I want to be the girl that has done exactly what she has set out to do,” Johnson said. This fall season Johnson played 22 games. Out of 51 plate appearances she had 13 hits, 12 singles, one double and eight RBIs. Her batting average was .277, while her slugging percentage was .292 and her on-base percentage was a .586. Johnson has plenty of offers for softball after KC, but the college she really wants to play for is Mississippi Valley State. “I believe that I can play Division-1 softball and the college that I love the most is Mississippi Valley State,” Johnson said.
Lady Rangers get first win in Shreveport TORY VAN BLARCUM Features Editor The Lady Rangers defeated Southern Shreveport Lady Jags, 53-43, on Wednesday in Shreveport to capture their first win of the season. Two players achieved double-doubles in rebounds and points. Danesha Richardson, Houston sophomore, was 5 of 10 with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Destiney Coley, Benton, La. sophomore was 5 of 9 with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Lady Rangers started off strong in the first half with a shooting percentage of 51.9 from the floor. The team shot weaker in the second half with a shooting percentage of 23.5 from the floor. Lady Rangers had a total shooting game percentage of 36.1. The team will play in the
TJC Classic Thursday Nov. 14 through Saturday Nov. 16. The Lady Rangers will open at home at 4 p.m. Saturday Nov. 23 against McLennan Community College in Masters Gym. |–––| The Lady Rangers basketball team opened the season last weekened on the road when they traveled to Waco to play in the McLennan Community
College Classic. They lost to Temple College, 60-45, and lost to the host team McLennan Community College, 54-41. KC was extremely short on players at the event. Four players did not travel with the team. Freshman posts Pre’Fanz Dominick and Harlie Greer both have concussions, and guards Sha’Georgia Williams and Keshyana Cooper had the flu.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013
YOUR VIEW
Take advantage of TRiO
What services do you think TRiO offers? Have you ever used any of TRiO’s services?
RESULTS
“NO, I am not sure what TRIO offers, I’m in the nursing program.”
“YES, they help you when you are ready to transfer to a fouryear college.”
Jude Abam Arlington sophomore
Austin Sewell
“NO, tutoring services.”
“NO, tutoring I’m not sure.”
Daija Chumley
Selene Ramirez Kilgore freshman
Longview freshman
Photographs by Destinye Turner / THE FLARE
Longview freshman
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ucked away in the Student Support Building is an organization called TRiO whose goal is to help students earn a Bachelor’s degree. With roughly 3,000 student eligible on campus, the Department of Education has only awarded TRiO a grant to serve 160 students per year. Currently, applications available and we believe students need to take advantage of this odd occurrence. “We usually are filled at this point,” Bindy Tice, director of TRiO, said. Students who are accepted to TRiO have access to one-on-one academic advising, personal, career and transfer counseling, money management workshops, assistance with completing FAFSA and
scholarship applications and more. Requirements for acceptance are first generation college students, students who meet low income guidelines for federal financial aid, students with documented disabilities and permanent residents. The TRiO Student Support Services program began in 2001 with funding provided by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. In the nation there are about 1,110 TRiO programs in universities, so students can continue to receive their services throughout their college career. Applications are available online at kilgore.edu/trio.asp. For more information, contact Bindy Tice at 903-988-7590 or email btice@ kilgore.edu.
After divorce, two supportive dads G
rowing up, I always wanted that perfect family you see on TV with a mom, dad, sister and brothers all under one roof. Until I was 12, I thought I had just that, but that’s when things twisted all around for my family. My parents divorced, and my mom married my stepdad, Steve, while my dad stayed single. I was mad at my parents instantly for tearing apart my family and always told myself I would never accept Steve as a father figure. As I began to mature, I realized that it was all right to accept Steve as a father figure. It is accepted in the world today to not have the perfect family everyone dreams of. I have grown up over the past few years having both my dads and mom by my side supporting me through everything I have done. I have begun to find myself lucky to have
two great men in my life that I can call dad. I often feel sorry for people my age, or younger, that do not have a dad or mom to support them, while I have two dads and a mom. I now have a great relationship with Steve where I can tell him anything and have him be there to help me do what is best for me. Without him, I would have never gotten to where I am in life today. TORY VAN He has helped me make BLARCUM important life decisions Features Editor and been there for me whenever I’m down. We have had our ups and downs just as every parent and child does, but we often have more ups than downs. My father and I also have a good
The Flare EXECUTIVE EDITOR Ashley Morales
COPY EDITOR Miles Marable III
ASSISTANT EDITOR Dezirae Burnett
ILLUSTRATOR Cody Davis
WEB EDITOR Kassidy Taylor FEATURES EDITOR Tory Van Blarcum SPORTS WRITERS Devin Brooks Jeffery Jamerson
LAB MANAGER Jamie Maldonado ADVISER Gary Borders PHOTO ADVISER O. Rufus Lovett
VOL. 77, NO. 9
relationship, but it is more difficult to have since he lives several hours away in Corpus Christi. Even though I know he is hours away, I know all it takes is a phone call, and I can talk to my dad about whatever or whenever I need. Most of the time when I talk to someone about my family I say that I have two fathers, which is always better than just one. To me it means twice the love, twice the punishment, twice of everything. When Steve and my mom got married they brought two families together into one. I went from having a sister and two brothers to a family with eight kids. It was a hard adjustment for me to go from having a average family to a huge family of five brothers and two sisters — plus me. As most siblings do, I rarely ever see eye to eye with all them but I always know
Friday, November 8, 2013
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ADVERTISING MANAGER Sonia Garza SENIOR WRITER Maegan Mitchell STAFF WRITERS Christine Ritter, Jordan Baird PHOTOGRAPHERS Shelbi Crews, Kristopher Dobbins, Sonia Garza, Laura Hernandez, Destinye Turner, Randi Vinson-Davis and Maria Zapata. WEB DESIGNER Geoffrey Dubea
that I have the biggest support team behind me. When I graduated from high school I had almost my entire family there, and I will never forget looking up in the stands and seeing my dads, mom and majority of my siblings all there to watch me accomplish my biggest goal at the time. I feel lucky to have two extremely supportive fathers and a wonderful mother who push me to be the best I could ever be, along with seven siblings there to have my back when I need them to catch me. As I continue on in life I cannot wait to see how my family changes once my parents become grandparents, and my children get to have two wonderful grandfathers and an awesome grandma. Tory Van Blarcum is freshman communications major from Corpus Christi.
LETTERS THE FLARE welcomes any letter to the editor and encourages all readers to use this as a sounding board to express thoughts and opinions on current campus-related topics. We also welcome news or feature ideas. Due to space limitations, letters should be as concise as possible and may still be edited for space. Letters must be signed and include an address and telephone number so that we can verify their authenticity. Letters should be delivered to the newsroom in Communications-Automotive Building, Room 125, mailed to
DISCLAIMER THE FLARE is the student newspaper of Kilgore College and is published every Friday by the journalism department, except during examination periods and vacations. First copy is free, subsequent copies are available for 50 cents. THE FLARE is a member of the Texas Community College Journalism Association and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. All people holding editorial staff positions are Kilgore College journalism students.
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SPOTLIGHT
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2013
HOW TO TRANSFER IN 5 STEPS
1 2 APPLY! Students should apply to their
backup school. Make sure you are aware of any GPA or other requirements to be accepted. Students transferring in the spring should apply now; students transferring in the fall may wait until the spring to apply.
FINANCIAL AID! Completing the FAFSA as soon as possible should be one of the top priorities for students. Jack Kent Cooke Scholarships are available for transfer students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Students can ask the college within the university in which they are applying if any scholarships are available.
$
5
TRANSCRIPT! Students need to send a current transcript as they transcript when they have completed their classes.
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CONTACT UNIVERSITY! As soon as a student is accepted into a university, they should contact the transfer make an appointment with a transfer or program adviser. They will be able to help you with any questions you may have.
CONGRATULATIONS! You are on the path to earn a bachelor’s degree! According to Columbia University only 15 institutions in 2006 completed a degree at a Making the transition from a community college to a university can be stressful and overwhelming, but if you work hard and get help when needed, you can be the 15 percent.
Transferring can be overwhelming, we are here to help out ASHLEY MORALES Executive Editor
B
y this time in the semester, students who are planning to transfer should be in the process of completing the necessary steps. If you have no idea what to do or are stuck, here is what you need to know about transferring from a community college to a four-year university.
APPLYING
“Students wanting to transfer need to apply now to the university they are wanting to transfer to,” Pam Gatton. ApplyTexas lists many options students may have never thought of. Most universities require a necessary GPA score before admitting students. Then each program or college within the university may have their own GPA standards. “If a department or program is very competitive, you not only need to look at what the minimum GPA is to get into this program, but what is my competition?” Gatton said. “What kind of GPAs do they have?”
TRANSCIPTS
Next, students need to contact the registrar’s office and have them send a transcript to the university to which they are applying. “If a student is wanting to get into a university in January, they need to go ahead and apply now and have a transcript sent now,” Gatton said. “The transcript that they send now will have the classes they are currently enrolled in, in progress. But that will show the university that they are Kilgore College students, it will have their test scores, show if they are college-ready, core complete or they will be.” Once the semester is over, students need to send a second transcript that will have grades posted. Students transferring in the fall can wait until they graduate, complete the
Spring Semester or summer classes to have that transcript sent when grades are posted.
FINANCIAL AID
To ensure students can attain financial aid, they need to research financial aid deadlines and specifications. Students who have started college at community colleges may apply for transfer scholarships available at most universities that are tied to GPA. Phi Theta Kappa scholarships are also available. The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible. After completing any financial aid information, students planning to transfer in the spring need to contact KC’s Financial Aid office to stop aid in order to receive aid at the university.
CONTACTING UNIVERSITY
Students should contact the transfer admissions office and make an appointment with a transfer or program adviser. Many universities count students with fewer than 30 hours a beginning student, making them subject to all freshman rules. “Depends on the university, but typically if you have 30 hours or over they consider you a transfer student, so what you have to do to get in is different than them considering you a freshman,” Gatton said. If you are being considered a freshman student you have to have your high school transcripts; transfers do not. “In the counseling center we will look up information for the universities and do our best to help you see what classes are going to be transferring, but we’re not the experts,” Gatton said. “The experts are the university people. We are giving you our best advice according to what we see, but you really have to get the information directly from the university.” Gatton said whenever a student makes an appointment with a university, they need to take their transcript and ask what else they need to take. For more information contact Gatton at 903-988-8208 or pgatton@kilgore.edu.