The Flare, issue 7 - Dec. 3, 2019

TuEsday

Vol. 83, No. 7 Serving Kilgore College since 1936

December 3, 2019 www.theflareonline.com

KC Fire Academy still blazing a trail KC Fire Academy to celebrate milestone Wednesday, Dec. 4

T

he KC Fire Academy will celebrate its 30th anniversary at a special graduation ceremony of the 108th class at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 4, in Van Cliburn Auditorium on the Kilgore campus.

Eighteen students are candidates for graduation from the academy.

The KC Fire Academy has trained more than 1,700 students from all over the world since its inception in 1989.

Special guest speaker will be Rick Lasky, an emergency services consultant, author, motivational speaker and former chief of the Lewisville Fire Department.

Former graduates, area fire department employees and the general public are invited to attend the ceremony.

The KC Fire Academy is recognized by the State of Texas as an Exemplary Program and is accredited by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association.

For more info, visit www.kilgore.edu/ fire-academy.

Candidates for graduation (by hometown):

• Bandera: Tanner Gooding • Crandall: Garret Gilcrease • Gilmer: Dessmen Wayne • Grand Saline: Timothy Waymire • Halifax, Nova Scotia: Brenan Nearing • Hallsville: Jacob Hatch • Hallsville: Cody Taylor • Lindale: Skyler Hearon • Longview: Ciaran Adamson • Mesquite: Cory Maxwell • Mississauga, Ontario: Christopher Ahn • Omaha: Emmalee Whatley • Royse City: Walker Armstrong • Rusk: Alex McIntyre • Tyler: Colt Hobbs • Tyler: Jesse Hobbs • Whitehouse: Michael Forrest • Whitehouse: Chloe Goff

Tricia Still/ THE FLARE

A cadet from the KC Fire Academy’s 108th group douses a demonstration fire at the Training Facility during the last week of classes. The nationally recognized academy has trained more than 1,700 firefighters from around the world since its inception in 1989.

Learn more about the KC Fire Academy Inside on pages 8-9

PAGE 2 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

Campus Calendar Dec. 2019 Wednesday, Dec. 4 Spring Registration Payment Deadline All day

News

Major: Psychology Hometown: Kilgore Age: 20

Thursday, Dec. 5 Unpaid Classes Dropped Today All day (No registration, schedule changes, or payment accepted today) Wednesday, Dec. 11 Final Exams for 2nd 8-Week Term All day Thursday, Dec. 12 Final Exams for 2nd 8-Week Term All day Thursday, Dec. 12 Residence Halls Close 10 p.m.

(Graduates may spend the night) Friday, Dec. 13 Associate Degree Nursing Pinning 9 a.m.

Dodson Auditorium Fall Graduation Ceremony 6 p.m.

Dodson Auditorium Monday, Dec. 16 December Mini Courses begin Three-week classes run from Dec. 16 to Jan. 3.

(No classes are held on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1)

Irene Lucas / THE FLARE

How did your experiences growing up impact your journey to college?

“At first I did not see myself going to college because I come from a family that has no college history so because of this, it made me think that I would have to go to the working field after high school. My parents are the ones who inspired me to keep going and remind me each day

that I can do it and how not to give up.”

Why did you choose your major, and what do you plan to do with it in the future?

“I chose this major because I simply feel that this is something I would love to do in the future.

I also hope to help as many of those in need. I would love to make a change in someone’s life.”

THE FLARE

Raquel Galvan What is your favorite part about your major/future career?

“I think my favorite part about choosing this field is getting to help those in need, especially children. I love working with children and I am glad that I am able to pass a smile to someone to help brighten their day.”

What does going to college mean to you, and why KC? “To me, personally going to college is showing independence.

It opened up a new journey for me. Kilgore is my birthplace, my hometown, and I knew I was not ready to move forward with my life, and I did not want to leave, so KC has been a great fit for me.

KC is leading me to success.”

What is the significance of being the second child out of ten to go to school?

“I can say that this is something very satisfying not only for myself, but for my whole family.

It is something I am very proud of doing and being able to manage through it. It makes me feel honored and blessed.”

What are you passionate about?

“Uplifting others and being able to help out.”

What inspires you and/or motivates you?

“My parents because they have taught me how to be thankful for all the opportunities I receive.”

What is your favorite thing to do in your down time?

“I love shopping, dancing, hanging out with family and friends, getting manicures and attending church.”

How would you describe yourself in five words?

“Reliable, caring, friendly, honest, and zealous.”

If you could have dinner with anyone, alive or dead, who would it be and where would you have it?

“My grandpa and it would be at Golden Corral. (His favorite).”

What home-cooked meal do you miss the most while being at school?

“Chicken soup.”

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you would like to pass on to someone else?

“Take as many opportunities as possible.”

“Live each day to the fullest.”

“Shine bright & reach the stars.”

“Do not give up. Good things happen to those who wait.”

“No matter your circumstance, stand up and smile.”

-Compiled by Bailey Kerns

Golden Z says NO! to gender-based violence MARIA BILOGO Staff Writer

Z

onta Says No” is a campaign against women’s violence. For 100 years, Zonta International has contributed to help achieve a world free of violence against women and girls through service and advocacy. Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive human rights violations and a global epidemic.

It knows no national or cultural barriers.

Violence against women and girls threatens countries, inhibits economic progress, and prevents women from contributing to their community and creating better lives for themselves and their

families. All Zonta clubs and districts are encouraged to take advocacy actions throughout the year — to promote the human rights of women and end violence against females.

During the 16 Days of Activism, 25 November-10 December, Zonta clubs and districts are encouraged to take part in the “Zonta Says NO to Violence Against Women” campaign and to take local, national and international actions to influence the making and implementation of laws, as well as changing gender-based attitudes and behaviors to end violence against women.

“This club is a community service based organization.

We are here to support women

Jon Frazier / THE FLARE

Golden Z members, along with several KC students, faculty and staff, take a stand against gender-based violence with “Zonta Says No.” who have been through many situations, we are here to stand things like sexual and domestic for them,” Robertson said. violence,” said KC’s Golden Z is open to both Tae Robertson, KC’s Golden Z men and women, and will president. celebrate its anniversary on “‘Zonta says No’ supports campus at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, women who have been in in the Devall Room. For more domestic and violence situations info or to get involved with the and sexual victims. Even if group, email sponsor René Wiley they did not make out of those at rwiley@kilgore.edu.

News

THE FLARE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 3

KC student groups compete for Best Chili Winners: #1 - Phi Theta Kappa #2 - Ranger Ambassadors #3 - Golden Z

THE ZONE Sunday: 5 p.m.- midnight Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-midnight Friday 8 a.m.-3:45 p.m.

Photos by Jon Frazier / The FLARE

Kilgore Screen Printing Co.

Far left: Latinos En Accion serve up a soulwarming soup on the chilly night. Top left: Judges Sgt. Sammy Wagner and campus security officer Brian Stover decide on their top choices of chili.

Bottom: The Student Organization group gains display points on their spirited table.

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Kilgore College seeks to provide equal education and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion national origin, sex, age, disability status or veteran status.

PAGE 4 n tUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

FAQs re: OCC n

What is Operation Christmas Child?

The Samaritan’s Purse project Operation Christmas Child collects shoebox gifts— filled with fun toys, school supplies and hygiene items— and delivers them to children in need around the world to demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way. For many of these children, the gift-filled shoebox is the first gift they have ever received.

n

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 168 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 160 countries and territories.

n In 2019, Operation Christmas

Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 11 million children in countries like Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda and Ukraine. More than 10.6 million shoebox gifts were collected worldwide in 2018, with more than 8.8 million collected in the U.S.

n

Scope

Shoebox gifts are collected in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Finland, Spain, New Zealand and Japan.

n

Nearly 500,000 volunteers worldwide—with more than 150,000 of those in the U.S.—are involved in collecting, shipping and distributing shoebox gifts.

News

THE FLARE

BSM Shoebox project reminds packer of the ‘Greatest Gift of All’ DOMINIQUE BURNETT Staff Writer

O

peration Christmas Child has a special place in the heart of KC international student Sammy Fernando.

As he packed shoeboxes for the nondenominational Christian relief organization one afternoon before Thanksgiving, he began to reminisce on the day he received a similar gift-filled box as a boy in Zambia.

Fernando, 27, is in the country studying diesel technology.

But his stop at the new Baptist Student Ministry building began with his birth in Sri Lanka.

Fernando’s family moved to Zambia when he was 6 months old, but he remembers the gift he received while attending church when he was about 10 years old.

“I received my box from the local church that I had been going to from a very young age,” Fernando said. “For me it was the excitement of receiving a box from overseas. I think for me that was the main source of joy with getting the gift, especially when I knew things in the boxes were those which we could not get in Zambia.”

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child, the world’s

largest Christmas project of its kind, has collected and delivered more than 168 million shoebox gifts to children in more than 160 countries and territories. These gifts are produced through the efforts of more than 500,000 people worldwide, and 150,000 volunteers in the U.S. The KC BSM has been packing upward of 300 boxes a year since Jaymi Blankenship became the BSM director in 2014.

Fernando was quick to point out the impact the latter ministry has had on him.

“The BSM is a place that my international advisors told me was full of helping hands and I started to hang out there a lot,” he said. “Getting to help pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child is something that I hold close to my heart.”

BSM director, Jaymi Blankenship, has also enjoyed having Fernando involved in the campus ministry.

“Upon returning from the international student retreat we have at the beginning of the school year, Sammy began to serve in leadership at the BSM. His joy is infectious and so many around the BSM love to be around him,” Blankenship said.

He added that it was during a Second Friday craft party that

the group learned Fernando had received a shoebox when he was younger. “He was so excited to see how we participate and pack them right here at Kilgore College. Sammy explained how the shoeboxes are so needed around the world and how he has personally witnessed it changing others lives.”

In 2009, Fernando graduated from a private high school in Zambia and moved to New Zealand to study for his automotive engineering certificates. After several years of school, Fernando earned his certificates and moved back home to start work in the commercial farming industry.

“After a good three years of work, I decided I wanted to do some more studying and that’s what made me want to come to the U.S.,” Fernando said. “While I was working in Zambia, I had a friend who had wanted to start doing the diesel technology program that was offered here at Kilgore, but never followed through. I thought that if he was able to start the process, I’m sure I could look into this as well, and look at me now,” Fernando said, proudly.

Fernando is also impressed with what he has learned at KC and the opportunities he’s had.

Sammy Fernando

submitted photo

“Even though I have my certificates in automotive technology, that took me four and a half years to obtain,” he said. “I believe that I have already learned twice as much in my last few months in my diesel program than I did in my automotive program, and I have only been here since August,” he said. “Kilgore College is filled with great programs and organizations. This includes the tech vocational courses as well as the Christian organizations.”

n Operation Christmas Child is

a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham.

Samaritan’s Purse currently works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty and famine.

n

Morgan Walker / THE FLARE Rainy Harrison / THE FLARE

Social Media

Get involved by following OCC on Facebook @ OperationChristmasChild | Twitter @occ_ shoeboxes | Instagram @ operationchristmaschild

The Baptist Student Ministry packed 370 shoeboxes before the Thanksgiving Break. The boxes were then dropped off at a central location in Longview for transport to the Processing Center in Dallas. Groups who participated in packing include all of the KC Athletic organizations, residents of Nolan Hall and students on campus during the Tuesday free lunch.

Morgan Walker / THE FLARE

News

THE FLARE

Radio Play to pull off Christmas ‘Miracle’

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 5

PRESENT THEIR 2019 CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA

East Texas’ only professional theatre company to put on classic holiday

BAILEY KERNS Staff Writer Warm lights, festive music and decorations are typically thought of when talking about the holiday season, but the town of Kilgore has one more festivity to add to the list this season. The Texas Shakespeare Festival will bring “Miracle on 34th Street” to life from Dec. 1315 in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center “We will do the show in the style of a 1940s radio drama,” said Meaghan Simpson, associate artistic director. “So the actors will be standing in front of forties-esque microphones that will actually amplify their voices a little bit, and they will be in costumes that are based off of 1940s looks.”

“Miracle on 34th Street” will premiere as the TSF’s sixth holiday production after doing “A Christmas Carol” from 2013-2015, “A Wonderful Life” in 2016 and 2017, and taking a break in 2018. The audience will get a first-hand experience in learning what goes into a production such as this one since it will be performed in the style of a radio-play.

“We really try to lean into letting people see how everything is done,” Simpson said. “A lot of the time there will be one devoted foley artist, the person who makes all of the sound effects. What we try to do is eliminate that position so that the actors have to do it which makes it more exciting and electric. We think it’s fun when a person has to say a line and then walk somewhere to ring a bell, because it creates a sense

of danger knowing ‘we could almost miss this thing, but we got it.’”

The cast is comprised of seven people, six of whom are TSF alumni who have been with the company for at least four years. The seventh member of the cast is 5th grader Lona Cole, from Kilgore.

“Lona has very clean and clear speech, and made it very easy to believe that sge was the character of Susan Walker,” Simpson said. “With a young person comes their siblings, their families, and their friends.

Our hope with this is to continue to build our audience, and also build up our younger audience because this is one of our favorite projects to do.”

Cole plays 9-year-old Susan Walker, a selfsufficient city girl who is wise beyond her years and doesn’t believe in Santa Claus.

Simpson says Cole brought a mature skepticism that Susan must have to be portrayed correctly.

“Honestly, I think the child actress aspect of it is really exciting,” Simpson

said. “We haven’t done anything quite like this for a young person, so it’s an opportunity for them that could maybe spark something in them that makes them pursue theatre more aggressively throughout the rest of their life.”

The production will be completed with the use of props that fit the festive style of the 1940s holiday season, and a live Christmas music set that will play for about 15 to 20 minutes before the start of the show performed by cast members Grace Abele, DJ Canaday and Simpson. General admission to the show is $25 per ticket. “We just want to put something on that is a ‘feel good’ and that everybody will enjoy,” Simpson said. “It’s sort of in the style of the forties to be standing at a microphone and looking at a script, and it’s charming. It’s so fun and cozy, and we love the way Christmas time and radio plays make us feel nostalgic.”

Tickets

q General admission is $25 qTo purchase a ticket, visit www.texasshakespeare.com/ miracle-34th-street-live-radio-play

Shows

q Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. q Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. q Dec. 15 at 2 p.m.

DECEMBER 8, 2019 2 P.M. & 5 P.M.

DODSON AUDITORIUM $15 RESERVED SEATING

Reserved seating tickets will be on sale Nov. 5-27 and Dec. 2-6 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Rangerette Box Office, or by calling (903) 983-8179.

Tickets also available in Dodson Auditorium 45 minutes before the start of each performance.

Rangerettes will present ninth annual Christmas show Dec. 8 The Kilgore College Rangerettes will host their ninth annual Christmas show on Sunday, Dec. 8, with two shows set for 2 and 5 p.m. in Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore campus.

The one-day-only Broadway-style show, “A December to Remember,” will feature the world-famous Rangerettes and guest performances by local dance groups.

Tickets are $15 each and all seating is reserved.

Tickets are available to purchase through Friday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the box office on the first floor of the Rangerette Gymnasium.

Remaining tickets will be sold at Dodson Auditorium 45 minutes prior to each show.

This year’s shows will feature the Rangerettes with guest performances by the Kilgore Hi-Steppers and Co-Ed Dancers, In-Step Dance Company, The Dance Studio and the Whitehouse First Ladies.

For more information or to reserve tickets, call the Rangerette Box Office at 903983-8179.

news

PAGE 6 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

THE FLARE

Friends, pumpkin spice and everything nice Quotes compiled by JUSTIN GILL -staff writer

N

ovember is the month of thanks, and giving, with lots of turkey trimmings. Every year at KC during this time, students prepare to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday. However,

there are some students who do not have that option and must survive a week without the cafeteria to provide food for them.

Phi Theta Kappa, supported by other student organizations, made sure these

students were acknowledged and taken care of by celebrating Friendsgiving this year.

On the Friday before Thanksgiving break, students were given a feast of turkey, stuffing, mashed

potatoes and many other traditional dishes. Supplies were also handed out to sustain students during the break. At the event itself, all who came were offered necessities such as, toothbrushes, toothpaste,

deodorant, socks, and more. During the event, some of the attendees were interviewed about what they were most thankful for during this season.

“I love Friendsgiving, Friendsgiving is awesome

to me. Mainly because what’s defined as family isn’t just who you’re born with or who you’re related to by blood.

I have adopted siblings and step-siblings and my mother does fosters every now and then, so we get a lot of kids that come through and if you’re at our house, you’re family.

Friendsgiving shows that you don’t just have to be related to express gratitude for people. I couldn’t get back home last Thanksgiving at one of my dorms, so one of my friends bought a giant turkey, we made makeshift stuffing which was not good, but we had so much fun, that was our family and that was our group. These people right here are my family. I love Friendsgiving there’s nothing better about it.”

— Aja Franklin, On-Campus Student

Jon Frazier/THE FLARE

Students enjoy a hot meal and share laughs in the Devall Ballroom. Some students took home a whole chicken.

“I feel like Friendsgiving is important

as well as Thanksgiving, because Thanksgiving you’re normally with family but you don’t really get to celebrate with friends a lot unless there’s a circumstance where you can’t be with family. When you’re with friends, especially ones that you consider family, it’s very important to celebrate — extremely important.”

— Connor Perez, On-Campus Student

“Thanksgiving is not the particularly popularized holiday in America but it is well received. It’s

all about family, right? You see a bunch of people who you haven’t seen in years or you don’t know in general. Friendsgiving is just like how we do every day.”

— Qara Thomas, On-Campus Student

“We’re thankful for all the people who were able to make it and for

those that weren’t, we are going to be doing another event at Christmas that’s similar to this. But we’re very happy with the turnout and we’re very glad that we can do this.”

— Jess Ronning, PTK

Jon Frazier/ THE FLARE

DeLancey Torres hands out warm fuzzy socks, coffee mugs and hot cocoa for Friendsgiving at the Devall Student Center Ballroom

“I am here supporting PTK and the amazing

event that they’re putting on for the students who are unfortunate to not get to go home for the holidays. I love what they’re doing by gathering everyone together and giving them supplies they need to make it through the holiday weekend.”

— Monica Smith, Black Students United adviser

THE FLARE

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 7

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feat Fighting fires one of many lessons

PAGE 8 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

TRICIA STILL Staff Writer Brothers Jesse and Colt Hobbs will graduate from the KC Fire Academy on Wednesday.

The brothers joined the fire academy as an opportunity to help save the lives of others.

“Working 9-5 didn’t give me the fulfillment I wanted. This [firefighting] gives a new brotherhood and meaning,” Colt said.

Jesse and Colt decided to attend the KC Fire Academy in order to be closer to their mother, Jackie, a nursing instructor at KC, and, at the same time, attend a nationally ranked program with great instructors.

During drills, the brothers are not put into the same groups because of “too much muscles” they said simultaneously.

They are not competitive with each other, but they do compare their times and oxygen levels of their tanks from the drills and build off of each other with advice.

“Trying to preserve oxygen and being mentally pushed to the limits are probably the hardest parts of the drills at the academy” Colt said.

Jesse countered, “the easiest part of the academy is being

Brothers Jesse and Colt Hobbs bring the boom to the 108th KC Fire Academy class. able to connect with everyone in class and going to a class where you can enjoy the people.”

After graduation, Jesse hopes to work full-time at either the Tyler Fire Department or the Longview Fire Department, and

also plans to open a gym in Tyler called Proflex.

Colt hopes to stay close to family and work alongside his brother if given the opportunity.

For anyone interested in joining the academy, “start working

Nadia Hill / THE FLARE

out early; cardio and weight training,” advised Jesse. Colt added, “Be mentally ready. You are going to be tired and sore.

No matter what, you have to be ready.”

Training drills at the academy’s field station TRICIA STILL Staff Writer

Irene Lucas / THE FLARE

Members of the 108th Fire Academy proudly stand in front of the Firefighter Memorial outside of the Woodruff Adult Education Center.

On Dec. 4, the Kilgore College Fire Academy will celebrate their 30th anniversary.

According to their director, Mike Simmons, 30 years of the fire academy is definitely a milestone.

“Not many fire academies hit this milestone. It’s awesome to see the footprints we’ve had,” Simmons said. “It takes teamwork in order to have

a 30-year The ac in 1989 instructor students. the colle to pay th teach, so teach volu Even instructor they still fire depar to help drills.

Simmon firefighte

ture s cadets carry away from Academy

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 9

Morgan Walker / THE FLARE

A group of cadets prepares to enter a burning structure as the final week of training heats up.

Morgan Walker / THE FLARE

n are an important part of becoming a certified firefighter and graduate.

history.” cademy started with only three rs and 18 In January 1990, ge was not able he instructors to o they decided to untarily. though the rs get paid now, have chiefs from rtments volunteer teach and run

ns has been a er for 22 years,

starting in November of 1997. Originally, he had a baseball scholarship at Dallas Baptist University.

However, during a conversation with his father, Simmons realized that his true passion was firefighting. His father was also a firefighter, so Simmons was around fire departments throughout his childhood.

Because of this, he decided to come to KC and later received an associate’s degree from

KC. He began his journey at the Garland Fire Department for 15 years and then transferred to the Kilgore Fire Department for five years.

“Waking up to help people makes this job rewarding. When someone is experiencing the worst thing in their life, you can help make it a little bit better,” he said. “It’s also a team aspect. I’ve always had a team when playing baseball and it was nice. In fire, you also have a team.”

Because he wanted others to experience this “team aspect,” he started training volunteer fire departments while working for the Kilgore Fire Department.

This is what led him to KC. With this inspiration and encouragement of his parents, Simmons became the director of the fire academy.

“Without the support of Dr. Kays, Dean Dwayne Shaw, and others, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Without the leadership and guidance of Chief Simmons, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” said lead instructor Mike Fennell.

Fennell was a firefighter in Longview, for 30 years. When he retired, he immediately came to KC to teach at the fire academy.

“I have the greatest job in the world. I get to teach

young people how to become firefighters. It’s my passion and I love it,” Fennell said.

For the 30th anniversary of the fire academy, there will be 18 students graduating in the 108th class.

In the future, the academies instructors hope there will be more volunteer fire department classes and high school dual credit classes for academic certification.

There is also a plan for building a state of the art fire facility for KC. For now, there is pride for the program and praise for the graduation students of the 2019 class. Graduation for the academy is 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec 4, in Van Cliborn Auditorium. The graduation will feature inspirational speaker and former chief of the Tricia Still / THE FLARE Louisville Fire Department, Chloe Goff does a walk-through to make sure Rick Lasky. the practice fire is fully extinguished.

PAGE 10 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

news

THE FLARE

The Flare keeps the heat on at state competition WACO — A team of nine KC Journalism students competed at the Texas Community College Journalism Association’s conference held on the Baylor University campus earlier this semester. Flare Photo Editor Jon Frazier, Gladewater sophomore, finished second in live competition for Best Dominant Photo, and received an Honorable Mention for Best Photo Story. Also in live competition, Adriana Cisneros Emerson, Longview sophomore and Flare Executive Editor, and Nadia Hill, Tatum sophomore and Flare Copy Editor, received 3rd for Best Headline. As a team, The Flare staff received an Honorable Mention for Best Cohesive Story Package.

KC was one of 13 community colleges that compete at the

state level. Flare adviser Rachel Stallard was elected TCCJA Secretary for Spring/Fall 2020.

In canned competition, KC students brought home 16 individual awards, including six first place finishes and two second places in Overall Excellence in their division: one for The Flare print edition, and one for The Flare Online website.

These were for stories, photos and page layouts published in the 2018-19 academic year.

Students are: • Adriana Cisneros Emerson, Caracas, Venezuela - 1st place column writing • Catie Denfeld, White Oak 1st place photo story/essay; 3rd place, feature photo • Jamie Hwang, Seoul, South Korea - 1st place news photo;

2nd place, advertising (single ad), 2nd place, sports photo; 3rd place, newspaper page design; 3rd place, news photo • Travis Noriega, Kilgore – 3rd place, news writing; HM feature writing • Alec Reyes, Diboll – 3rd place sports feature writing; 3rd place, sports news writing • Alexandria Wooldridge, Kilgore – 1st place, nonphotographic illustration; 1st place editorial cartoon • Sara Harris, Longview - 1st place environmental portrait • Anthony Williams, Houston, HM sports feature writing • Flare staff – 3rd place, headline writing; HM in-depth or investigative reporting; Adriana Cisneros Emerson was the Flare’s editor in Fall 2018/ Spring 2019.

submitted photo

Participating in the TCCJA competition held at Baylor University are Flare staff members, from left: Rachel Stallard- adviser; Jon Frazier, Dominique Burnett, Brandt Varnell, Bailey Kerns (back), Adriana Cisneros Emerson, Chris Pena, Jennifer Ibarra, Nadia Hill and Carrie Harris.

Don’t let life zoom past you.

Join The Flare staff today!

Be published in an award-winning newspaper/website. Learn about journalism and its effect on society.

Work toward an associate’s degree or take some electives to see if this field is a good fit for you.

For more info, call Rachel Stallard at 903-983-8193 (e-mail rstallard@kilgore.edu) or visit Career Pathways at www.kilgore.edu to explore this versatile career choice.

COMM COURSES: Spring 1: • COMM 1307 0H01 Intro to Mass Comm (a core curriculum class) T/TR 10-11:20 a.m.

16-Week Courses • COMM 2311 0001 Media Writing (Pre-Req for writing for The Flare) M/W 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.

•COMM 2305 0001 Editing & Layout M/W 1-2:20 p.m.

•COMM 2327 0001 Intro to Advertising T/TR 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.

•COMM 2315 0001 News Reporting T/TR 1-2:20 p.m.

•COMM 1316 0001 News Photography T/TR 2:30-3:50 p.m.

•COMM 2389 0001 Academic Co-Op Times To Be Determined Photo by Jamie Hwang & Catie Denfeld / THE FLARE

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 11

PAGE 12 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

SPORTS

Rangers named to SWJCFC All-Conference Team FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

WR - Omar Manning WR - Gabe Douglas OL - Steven Hubbard OL - Mose Jefferey C - Sidney Walker

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL - Sedrick Williams DL - Kelton Moss DB - Geovonte Howard

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB - Jacob Frazier RB - Scooter Adams K - Luis Reyes

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

LB - Quinton Sharkey

Jamie Maldonado/ Special to The Flare

Sedrick Williams, Houma, La. sophomore, finishes the tackle on a Tyler Junior College Apache runner during the last game of the regular season. Williams (#99) was named MVP of the 2019 SouthWest Junior College Football Conference in large part due to having 48 tackles, seven sacks, seven tackles for loss, three pass break-ups and three fumble recoveries this season.

Visit www.theflareonline.com to read favorite moments of the Ranger Football season from Tyler Sutton, Flare Sports Reporter, as well as his column highlighting the JuCo career of Sedrick Williams.

HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE

TE - Jordan Jacobs R - DeShawn Williams WR - Lucky Daniels

WR - Kevon Latulas WR - Chris Shaw L - Jamie Davis OL -Rod Chaney OL - Joe Hearvey RB - Earnest Crownover

RB - Melek Hamilton RET - DeShawn Williams RET - Geovonte Howard

HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE

DDL - Jadrian Taylor SL - Zacc Smith DL - Torey Zanders DL - Dominic Livingston LB - Keith Harris LB - Jacorian Barnes B -Antonio Brooks DB - Jabari James DB - Kamren Cuevas S - Brayden Grush

SWJCFC MVP

DL - Sedrick Williams

SPORTS

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 13

Drive into hoops season with KC Basketball Women’s Season Leaders

top scorers:

As Lady Rangers: GAMES-10 Points Per Game-79.8 Field Goal %-38.4 3-point %-24.3 Free Throw %-75.8 Rebounds Per Game-45.0

#5 Sarah Matthews, Atlanta, Ga. freshman -136 points #21 Ireneshia Johnson, Houston sophomore - 138 points #23 Annilia Dawn, Amarillo sophomore - 146 points

#24 Jada Hood, Roseville, Minnesota freshman - 135 points #33 Alba Garcia Carmarena, Barcelona, Spain sophomore, 79 points Total points = 798 / Opponent = 543

Men’s Season Leaders As Rangers: GAMES-10 Points Per Game-82.4 Field Goal %-52.4 3-point %-38.6 Free Throw %-66.1 Rebounds Per Game-36

top scorers:

#2 Cameron Gooden, Frisco sophomore -158 points #5 Tyron McMillian, New Orleans, La. freshman - 100 points #11 D’Rell Roberts, Dallas sophomore - 116 points #14 Michael Thomas, Lake Charles, La. freshman - 110 points

#33 Rodrigue Andela, Yaounde, Cameroon sophomore, 122 points Total points = 824 / Opponent = 701

Jon Frazier/ The Flare

Montrell Horsey, Edgewood, Maryland sophomore guard, moves past the defense before attempting a shot at Masters Gym.

Catch the double-header in Masters Gym Men v. Coastal Bend @ 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 Women v. Angelina College @ 7:30 p.m.

PAGE 14 n TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019

DACA program under attack JENNIFER IBARRA Staff Writer

O

n Nov. 12, the Supreme Court held in its hands the fate of 800,000 undocumented people, including myself. It has been two years since the Trump Administration tried to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, more commonly known as DACA. It’s been two years since I felt the fear of being deported and started looking over my shoulder for an ICE officer, and avoiding any police officer fearing they would question me — even though they knew nothing about my status. I was 4 years old when my parents crossed the border to provide a better life for me, as well as my two brothers who would be born in the years to come.

DACA is a program started by the Obama Administration granting protection from deportation and employment authorization for many undocumented youths who were brought to the U.S. as infants. So far, the courts have blocked all the attempts from the Trump administration from undoing DACA. The debate over immigration has always been difficult for politicians, regardless of their political stance. Democrat and Republican leaders in Congress have said they want to come up with a solution, including President Donald Trump despite his actions having an uncertain fate for Dreamers.

During the government shutdown in January, Dreamers were used as leverage by the Republican Party in order to

Opinion

get the Democrats to agree to reopen the government. Trump and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, were close to making a deal for funding the President’s proposed border wall in return for a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. But the deal fell apart, launching another roller-coaster of emotions for Dreamers across the country.

Texas has 234,350 people protected under DACA. Through it, many of us have been able to obtain a driver’s license and in-state tuition. Most are law-abiding, productive members of society, and extremely crucial to the state’s economy.

In November 2018, Rep. Kyle Biedermann proposed a bill to the Texas Legislature that would force Dreamers to pay for out-of-state tuition, making college more expensive and difficult to finance, which could result in lower enrollment rates among undocumented students. This will make things more difficult for myself and many other undocumented students who are simply trying to further our education and contribute to society.

Those who argue that Texas Dreamers are robbing their citizen peers from an opportunity to receive a higher education fail to recognize the $1.5 billion that undocumented students pay in state and local taxes annually, which partially supports Texas colleges and universities. They also fail to realize that out of all the students who received state assistance to pay for tuition, only 1.8 percent of them were Texas Dream Act students.

While Texas Dreamers received $10.97 million in state-funded grants, they paid $58.3 million in tuition and fees to institutions of higher education.

We should not penalize those who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. We are destined for greatness; we just need a chance.

THE FLARE

YOUR VIEW How do you utilize your Friday now that classes don’t meet on that day?

Aubrey Werner White Oak sophomore

Braydon Mason Troup freshman

“I still have one class on Fridays, but I get to sleep an extra two hours, so that’s a bonus.”

“I have more time to work and hang out with friends.”

Samantha Ritchey Gilmer sophomore

Yajaira Aleman Kilgore freshman

“I use my Friday to catch up on homework, get hours at work, or to just relax and hang out with friends and family.”

“I sleep all day, then wake up and go eat.

Then I do as much homework as I have left.”

Photo credits: Morgan Walker/ THE FLARE

Letters to the Editor I

was walking to class a couple weeks ago and saw that a new issue of The Flare had just been released. As usual, I picked up a copy to catch up on some of the events happening at the college when I stumbled upon a comic strip section that had recently been added.

The cartoon design is what first caught my eye; it is wonderfully drawn to say the least. Although this isn’t a professional newspaper, I was a little let down content wise.

What it is lacking is a good punch line or a twist in events at the end. I later learned that the comic strip section is actually an ongoing series on how a journalism student publishes an article in the paper, rendering my criticism invalid, and that’s great.

What I am advocating for now is to have a separate comic strip section dedicated to one thing, and one thing only; comedy.

Personally, my favorite part of any newspaper is the comic strip section, and I think many people can agree with me on that. Not only do I think it will add a beneficial dynamic to the newspaper, I think it will be something people look forward to with each new edition.

Comedy is one thing that everyone can agree on. When something is funny, it’s just funny. We don’t even have to know why we are laughing, but we laugh anyway. Comedy brings people together, and that is something we need now more than ever.

All in all, I would like to thank the newspaper staff for giving me an opportunity to voice my opinion about something I care about.

Sincerely, Kenny Kowis

C

ontrary to what the public has been told, Anarchism does not mean a lack of rules or order; in reality, Anarchism, an idea that goes all the way back to the time of the Gaelic Republics, is the political + economic idea that supports both the abolition of rulers and the abolition of all unjustified hierarchy.

Anarchism sees the State as an unnecessary and harmful concept, being more in favor of a decentralized network of communes, in which all manage the affairs of the nation and cooperate via Free Agreement.

When compared to Statist ideas like Marxism, one finds that Anarchism is the libertarian form of both socialism and communism, as Anarchism includes the individual’s wellbeing alongside that of the collective’s well-being.

- Austin Bundrick, founder of the KC Anarchist Club

OPINION

THE FLARE

Take time to enjoy the small stuff

I

t is hard to know how much one really is blessed with and not to take what we are fortunate to have for granted. In a world where hate continues to grow and the future of America seems uncertain at times, it is important to know that there is still something to look forward to. It is important to know that despite everything, we are still blessed to be in a country where we are allowed to express ourselves.

Similarly, it is important to acknowledge that those who are part of our lives, as well as everybody we meet on our respective journeys, create a lifelong impact on us. We believe that being thankful and showing gratitude shouldn’t be a once-in-a-year moment.

Nevertheless, it is good to have a day in which people have the time and space to show they appreciate having what they do. For example, our First Amendment, our self-expressions and the educational system

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 15

Vol. 82 • No. 7 Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Executive Editor Adriana Cisneros Emerson Sports Editor: Chris Peña Photo Editor: Jon Frazier Copy Editors Jon Frazier, Carrie Harris, Nadia Hill, Jennifer Ibarra Staff Writers Maria Ango Bilogo, Dominique Burnett, Jon Frazier, Justin Gill, Jennifer Ibarra, Bailey Kerns, Hunter Madewell, Chris Pena, Tricia Still, Tyler Sutton Brandt Varnell & Alaija Wilkerson Photographers Jon Frazier, Justin Gill, Rainy Harrison, Nadia Hill, Irene Lucas, Tricia Still, Morgan Walker & Daydrian Wells Cartoonist Alexandria Wooldridge Adviser Rachel Stallard

An artist reflects on thankfulness for family, the beauty of the world and nature.

we have are among the reasons we believe this country is blessed.

Our First Amendment stands among the most valuable privileges for us. It is because of it that we can enjoy having freedom of speech and the press, whereas other countries are not so lucky when it comes to this. In other countries, such as Venezuela, one could get punished or even killed for dissenting from the gover nment-imposed ideology.

In contrast, in America we are allowed and welcomed to voice our opinion, and although people may disagree, the Constitution demands for all opinions to be heard. The freedom of speech, religion and the press are crucial to what makes this country stand out compared to others.

According to pewresearch. org, out of more than 40.000 people in 38 countries surveyed about various forms of expression, the U.S. stood out as more supportive than any other country.

Nevertheless, we also believe that while it is important to preserve and make use of this right, it is also important to do this in a respectful, conscientious manner, so as not to promote hatred. We know this does not give us a green light to insult others or use inflammatory, hateful language.

Equally important, the way we express ourselves helps us thrive and takes us closer to that which happiness means to us as individuals. Whether we are aware of it or not, every step we take constitutes self-expression. Whether this means getting an education, going to the movies, hanging out with family and friends, or simply stay home reading a book, the fact that we have the opportunities to be a part of something no matter how simple or complex - is a blessing to us.

Where some people like to go out and explore their surroundings, others prefer to be alone and enjoy their own quiet

space. The beauty of this country is that each one of us has the space to be who we are and do as we wish. Although sometimes overlooked, these little things are key to our individual happiness.

Also, the strong educational system we have is another reason to be thankful. This includes the teachers we have who provide us with the tools to build our own path to success. Furthermore, we are also thankful for the relationships developed with them, which are built on respect, appreciation and care.

Similarly, the friends we make along the way, whether in or out of school, are something to be grateful for. These are people who have left a mark in our lives - people who have had an impact on us and who we have learned valuable lessons from.

Lastly, we are also thankful for our families.

We are blessed with them, for they motivate us, help us, and celebrate our

illustration by Alex Wooldridge

triumphs as their own. We believe it is important not to take them for granted and acknowledge their role of guardians, since not everyone is lucky enough to be unconditionally loved and looked after.

We are thankful for many things - things we often don’t think of, but definitely should.

Everything we are given the space to do and everything we have is a piece of us. All these blessings are part of who we are, what we are hoping to accomplish, and the reason why we should remain humble.

Because of this, we advise you to always count your blessings and keep in mind there are more people like us out there who could always use kindness, acceptance and support. So to everyone who has been a part of our journey and thus shaped us into who we are, we want to say thank you.

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 campusrelated 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 The Flare, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore TX 75662 or emailed to: kc_flare@ yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER

THE FLARE is the student newspaper of Kilgore College and is published every other Thursday 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. Comments and views expressed in THE FLARE reflect the thoughts of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of other students, staff members, faculty members, administrative officers or the Board of Trustees.

Copyright 2019, The Flare.

All rights reserved

THE FLARE

entertainment

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019 n PAGE 16

FaithFit offers students the best of both worlds BAILEY KERNS Staff Writer

A

welcoming place to work on homework met with health conscious treats are a college student’s dream.

This ideal experience was brought to Kilgore when FaithFit Nutrition opened its doors to the public last month. Completed with a menu full of energy teas, workout shakes, protein coffee and free Wi-Fi, I find myself wishing I could spend more of my time there.

I have visited the establishment twice - both at very different times of the day. The first, being at night when things were winding down, and the second, being on Halloween morning while they were offering a special from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. and the line

ran all the way to the door.

I can confidently say that both times I walked through the doors, I was greeted by a positive staff ready to serve customers.

Although I have yet to try the energy teas or protein coffee, the shakes are delicious and if I could get one every day, I would.

The two shake flavors I have tried taste just like a dessert, but give me the satisfaction of knowing they aren’t because they are created to provide your body with 21 Herbalife vitamins and minerals, 24g of protein, 250 calories and 13g of carbs. The supplements used in the shakes are from Herbalife Nutrition a global multi-level marketing corporation that creates dietary supplements, weight management, sports nutrition and personal

care products. Although Herbalife is not technically FDA approved due to the fact that they are a dietary supplement, the company does meet the necessary requirements as noted by FDA to create and sell their products.

The only two flavors I can confidently review being that I’ve had full servings of them are the Caramel Cheesecake and Cookies and Cream. Even though I typically consider myself to be a Cookies-and-Cream person, I would have to say that I prefer the Caramel Cheesecake because the flavors are balanced perfectly, and the sweetness of it is not overpowering.

Don’t get me wrong though, the Cookies and Cream shake was delicious.

The chocolate flavor was quite present, and it took me a little longer to finish

Kilgore’s hidden gem offers vegan treats that compete

HUNTER MADEWELL Staff Writer Personally, I am not vegan, nor would I consider myself “health conscious.”

But that doesn’t mean I do not understand the benefits of vegan.

However, after recently delving into the realm of vegan fast-food, I thought I would try the next best, 100 percent dairy, egg, and butter-free invention in the form of a Cookies and

Creme cupcake from 24 Karats in Kilgore.

I have to say that I was honestly surprised.

When I was first told the ingredients of the cupcake by the woman at the cashier, I had half expected to be served a lump of dry aliendough masquerading as a cupcake, but I was wrong.

I was surprised to see that my dessert did not resemble something that was squeezed from a tube, but instead appeared to be a regular, all-American Cookies and Creme cupcake.

Outwardly, the cupcake looked completely normal, but the taste was slightly different from what is usually expected. Whereas a traditional cupcake would have the advantage

of eggs and butter on its side, 24 Karats’s version had to opt for animal-free substitutes in order to create the same textures and tastes. So, naturally, the taste was slightly different, but good, nonetheless.

After inhaling the entirety of my healthy cupcake, I came to the conclusion that the cupcake was, in fact, not healthy at all, but rather full of sugar and calories.

So, while this is certainly not the option for anyone looking to avoid the extra calories, it is nice knowing that there is an animalproduct-free option that satisfies the herbivores and saves the occasional stick of butter.

than the other shake because of the sweetness, but I would get both flavors again any day of the week.

Honorably, the Teddy Graham is one of the most popular shake flavors and is known to be the owner’s favorite. The shakes are the perfect size with just the right amount to fill you up, but the last sip won’t push you over the edge to feeling the bad kind of full. And since the menu was created with such a wide variety, there is definitely a flavor for everyone.

The only critique I have for the establishment is the availability of their hours.

I’m elated that we have a place as special as this one in Kilgore, but I wish their doors were open longer.

The latest you can find yourself hanging out there is until 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday and Friday, they close up shop at 5 p.m., close on Saturday at 2 p.m., and are closed all day on Sundays.

As a college student, I’m typically doing homework well past 6 p.m. on most days, and I would love to be able to spend my time on the comfortable couches they’ve provided to do my homework somewhere other than my dorm room.

All in all, FaithFit Nutrition is a great addition to Kilgore, and I would give it two thumbs up to anyone who asked me. I’ve left the store with a smile both times, feeling more encouraged to take on whatever it may be that day.

Additionally, they offer discounts to KC students who show their KC ID when making a purchase.

If the nutritional value of the Herbalife supplements

concerns you, research the company or talk with the employees of FaithFit to gain an understanding of why the supplements are included in their products.

Personally, I just enjoy the tasty shakes, and the overall environment of the establishment. The cups are decorated with motivational messages, the storefront is right in the heart of downtown Kilgore, and the experience is always positive.

Whodunit takes a stab at awards season with legendary cast, creative plot twists CHRIS PEÑA Staff Writer “Knives Out” proves to be a killer film and one of the finest films of the year. The film, described by director Rian Johnson as a “whodunit murder mystery,” shows Johnson is one of the best directors in the business and is a much-needed relief after the divisive reaction to his previous film “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”

The plot follows a detective, played by Daniel Craig, as he investigates a dysfunctional family who, after celebrating their patriarch’s 85th birthday, finds him dead. Each member of the family, as well as the family’s caretaker, are considered suspects with secrets also being revealed.

Featuring an ensemble cast led by Craig, each

cast member shines in their role and gives some of their best career performances — thanks to a script that was just pure gold.

The film had suspense when needed and comedy was on point throughout the movie when shown. The stakes were high in wanting to know what happens next and it was filled with exciting twists that only elevated what was already an amazing film. The story was a throwback to older film murder mysteries, while maintaining its own identity and the director having his own take.

The film also comes from a genre that we don’t see in many movies today, but is sure to attract audiences thanks to making it a fun film that knows what it is aiming for from the start.

There are not many flaws in this film. Sure a few actors are under-utilized, but it

all fits the narrative of the story and does not force the actors to pop up more times just because they’re recognizable.

Ending just ten minutes over the two hour mark, the pacing is great and left me sad knowing the film had ended. As many Oscar hopeful films are starting to come out in this time of year, “Knives Out” is sure to be in many people’s best–of-theyear lists and will be one to watch come awards season.