The Flare
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Special Edition FRIDAY November 20, 2015
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Blending traditions makes unique celebrations
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rowing up, I never had an “average” Thanksgiving until I was well into my teenage years. Instead of having the traditional turkey for Thanksgiving, my family always had lamb. The same applied for Christmas. In my younger years, I would always see cartoon depictions of turkeys and hear about turkey dinner in holiday cartoons. It seemed to be one of, if not the most iconic food DUSTIN TAYLOR for Thanksgiving. But, I was Staff Writer a teenager before I was to ever have turkey on either Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead, I was used to eating lamb on these special occasions, something that my childhood friends had never tried and thought was strange. But, this is a common occurrence for a first-generation American, being an American but having a twist on American traditions. My parents are, quite obviously, not from here, and I don’t just mean Kilgore or Texas. My father is from Scotland and my mother is from New Zealand. The two of them were set up on a blind date, and they’ve been together ever since. When my father decided to move to America, he asked my mother to marry him and they both made the leap of coming here after their marriage. My father had spent some time in America before, but for my mother, it was completely new. When they moved across the Pacific, they were committing to a lifetime of uncertainty. But, thanks to their courage, I was born in America and have lived a great life. Because of my parents’ courage to face the unknown while leaving almost every family member and every friend for support back in New Zealand. I was born a first-generation American, which allowed me to see and hear about the traditions of Americans and the more local traditions, the same as other kids my age. But unlike the other kids’ families, my family was rather unaware of these traditions until my brother came home from school when he was seven and talked to my parents about it. My parents had of course heard of Thanksgiving, but they didn’t see it as a big deal since the Pilgrims’ story had no real bearing on them. But after my siblings talked about it, my parents made the decision to put forth the effort and celebrate Thanksgiving, making my siblings, and eventually me once I was born, feel as though it was our tradition as well. As a first-generation American, your parents may try to learn and celebrate these newfound traditions with you so that you don’t feel as though you are excluded or different from your friends. My parents felt that since America was my siblings’ and my homeland that we should celebrate, and they did their best to make us feel like we were no different from our friends. We would dress up for Halloween and go out trick-or-treating, we would celebrate Thanksgiving - albeit with a lamb rather than a turkey, and do many other “American” things. I grew up as an American, because I was one, but also because my parents did everything they could to make sure that I grew up believing that; believing that America is my country. Even though my parents did their best to make me not feel unwelcome or out of place in this country, to some degree I have felt like a bit of an outsider, like I am out of place in this world. My heritage is from Scotland and New Zealand, and yet I have never been to Scotland and only a handful of times to New Zealand. I’m a stranger in those lands, being viewed by the people there as an American and a tourist, while being a stranger in America, and especially in Texas, as I have no interest in football, and I find the prom and high school graduation ceremonies to be strange. Parents are a major influence on us as we grow up, so of course my ideas and knowledge base would be a bit different than an American whose family has been here for over a hundred years and has a belief system that has been shaped and changed by their location and history over numerous generations. With my accent, I seem like just another American, yet the story of my family is a greatly different one than what most would think. They see me and hear what sounds like just another American, and it would never cross their mind, because there’s no reason to. I look and sound like an American because I am. But like the countless first-generation Americans that have been born here over the centuries, my families’ story began elsewhere, but mine begins here. Dustin Taylor is a Journalism major from Longview
Tina Marie Reed / THE FLARE
International students grow accustomed to American culture and learn how to cope with being far from home.
Shattering stereotypes ALEX JACOBO Staff Writer
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ost students had to start over when they began college; new people, teachers, classes and in some cases even a new home. Now imagine having to do all of those things but add a new language, country, time zone, culture and cuisine to the equation. It cannot be an easy task; however, it is exactly what so many students do every year. More than seven countries are represented here at KC. Most American students may be unfamiliar with the many struggles their fellow classmates have endured which is why five international students have decided to open up and speak of their experiences. Sophomore Monica Agathiartri from Jakarta, Indonesia; sophomore Aiko Orozco from Moroleon, Mexico; freshman Sayaka Komoriya from Tokyo, Japan; Yukito Yoshika from Hyogo, Japan; and freshman Yuta Kanna from Okinawa, Japan all moved to the US for a chance at a better life, education and more opportunities. However, once they found themselves here they encountered many obstacles along the way; the language barrier, lack of transportation and loneliness. Kanna explains that he felt nervous about studying English the first time he arrived at KC and felt insecure about his English skill. Agathiatri on the other hand was a bit shocked she continues to explain that in her country Indonesia she used to live in Jakarta where life is bustling and people
“...we’re just here to make a better life for ourselves.” are everywhere, so when she arrived at Kilgore the calm of the town and lack of attractions took her by surprise. Another issue the students addressed was the lack of public transportation in Longview and Kilgore. Many of them never had the need to learn to drive in their home countries since public transportation was readily available. Komoriya who is originally from Tokyo, Japan, explains that back home she used to ride the train everywhere so when she arrived here she was incredibly bored. However, she proceeded to describe how she felt when she realized she had no means of transportation, friends or family upon arriving. “I was so sad; every day I used to cry and call my mom telling her I wanted to go back as soon as possible” she said. Yoshika alternately looked forward to moving to KC and was not sad. He wanted to see the new landscapes the US had to offer. So what has helped all these students with their various struggles and obstacles? Every one of them had a different answer; Komoriya explains that her new found faith in God has helped her. Agathiatri and Orozco both said the fact that their families are here has aided their adaptation. Yoshika said Estonia Graves, KC’s international student counselor, and his roommate who he says has been really nice and answers any questions he may have. Kanna said other international students like Yoshika have helped. They unanimously agreed that getting involved on campus is one of the biggest helps in combating loneliness. Komoriya has become an officer in International Student Club. Agathiatri works at the Registrar’s Office. Orozco
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has been an orientation leader for two years in a row, and Kanna is a member of the Student Government Association. Getting involved has made it easier for them to meet new people, many of which have become their good friends. As Agathiatri said, “I’ve found friends; the ones who make me belong here; the ones who make me feel comfortable.” Unfortunately, American culture hasn’t always been kind and some of them have had a few negative experiences. For example, when one of the students complained about their roommate using something of theirs without asking and although that may not seem like a big deal to Americans it was definitely perceived as rude by them. Orozco remembered how her classmates wouldn’t talk to her because she wasn’t proficient in English. Overall the good outweighs the bad and their experiences have been good. In reality all they want is to be thought of as any other student. Agathiatri expresses her frustration with stereotypes. Specifically when people assume everyone from an Asian country is smart or really good at math. Others like Komoriya say “Don’t ask me about anime!”. But what Orozco says is very powerful. She begins by alluding to Donald Trump’s infamous statement about Mexicans by saying “We’re not all drug dealers and rapists; sadly some people really believe that but like everyone else we’re just here to make a better life for ourselves”. Native students are presented with an opportunity every day to learn and become culturally competent, so instead of letting such differences separate the student body why not let them bring us closer together?
POLICE RIDE ALONG Page 2B
PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY Pages 4B - 5B
ATHLETIC TRAINERS Page 7B
VOCALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE Page 3B
AGRICULTURE STUDENTS Page 6B
FEATURED ARTIST Q&A Page 8B
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THE FLARE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015
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Local police department opens doors to KC reporter Lucy Lopez • Staff Writer
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irens blaring, red and blue lights flashing, racing through the city, adrenaline pumping through my veins; cars scurry out of the way as we responded to a call. That’s how I spent part of my Saturday, and I’d definitely do it again. I rode along with Officer Rachel Mumford of the Longview Police Department during her 2-10 p.m. shift Saturday, Nov. 14. It was an interesting and eye-opening experience being on the other side of a police car. “Each part of Longview is like its own little city within a city,” Mumford said. “It’s a whole new, different world in each one.” Every officer is assigned a beat, or area of the city to patrol. At the beginning of my ride-along, Officer Mumford showed me the area we would be covering throughout her shift. It was not the nicest area in the city to say the least. “This is a nasty place,” Mumford said as she drove. “This is where you’ll find prostitutes and people selling and buying dope.” As I spoke with Officer Mumford, I understood what she meant when she said each part of the city was its own little world. Living in Longview, I know the city pretty well, but learning about specific things gave me a different perspective. “A fight in progress in the north end of the city might mean just arguing,” Mumford said, “But in
the south it usually means there are weapons involved.” After I became more familiar with our beat, Officer Mumford was called to escort a funeral. We arrived at the church and I met Mumford’s beat partner. Every officer has a beat partner, who assists the other when needed. “It’s important to have other officers that work in the same area because they are more intune with what is happening in a specific area,” said LPD spokesperson Kristie Brian. “The officers on a beat also work varying shifts so they can let those that may have been off know what is happening in a certain area and information that is important for their job.” While we were waiting for the funeral procession to begin, a call came in stating there was a fight in progress down the road from where we were. Officer Mumford’s beat partner went to assist, leaving her alone to escort. Not only was it my first experience doing so, but it
Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE
Lucy Lopez, Longview freshman, prepares for her ride-along during Officer Rachel Mumford’s 8-hour shift with the Longview Police Department. was also hers. We began the escort on our own and another officer joined us halfway to assist. You would think vehicles not in the procession would be courteous and respectful, but there was one that pretended to be part of it and turned off once arriving at their destination. “You see the kind of things we have to deal with everyday?” Mumford said after that happened. “You think people would see lights flashing and our police wrap and be courteous, but that’s not always the case.” Once we finished escorting the funeral, Officer Mumford responded to a traffic accident. This was one of my favorite parts of the ride-along. We raced across Longview, sirens wailing, lights flashing, and horn blaring. It was
“We don’t issue tickets ‘just because,’ and people think we’re jerks...”
an adrenaline rush. “Whoever is closest to the scene usually responds to the scene first,” she said. A food break was in order after we left the accident scene. However, all of officer Mumford’s 30-minute break was used in ordering and waiting for our orders. We had to rush out with our food. “Sometimes, we might have a chance to enjoy our lunch break,” Mumford said, “But a lot of the time we scarf down our food on our way out.” While we ate our lunch, we responded to a noise disturbance and did a bit of traffic patrolling. Officer Mumford ended up having to pull over a couple of people, and it was interesting to see the process, which is not as boring as it seems. “Our main goal is compliance,” Mumford said. “We don’t issue tickets ‘just because,’ and people think we’re jerks. Most of the time, when we explain to people what they did wrong, they’ll understand and we won’t have a problem.” Near the end of my ride-along,
we were in a parking lot meeting up with officer Mumford’s beat partner when a call came in that there was a fight in progress across from where we were. We were at the scene in literally 20 seconds. When the officers stepped out of the car to talk to the people involved, the manager began yelling at them and started recording. It was completely rude, but the officers did not retaliate in a negative manner. “We face these types of people every day,” Mumford said. She said the reason she became an officer was to “help make the community a safer and better place.” As I was driving home that night, I reflected on what I had experienced throughout the ride along. Officers aren’t just people in a uniform with a gun and the ability to give you a mini heart attack when you get pulled over. They are people like us who have stepped up to protect our community. I will definitely be going on another ridealong soon.
Tips, tricks help keep summer bod ELIJAH BANKS Page Editor
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o all of the fitness crusaders out there: Do not allow the Thanksgiving holiday to throw a Holly Holm one-two punch your way. Since it is so easy to get caught up in all of the thrilling football games on TV and over- indulge on Grandma’s great dessert recipes, many people find it hard to recover when it comes to remaining fit after the holidays. Staying in shape is 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise, so if you’re afraid of becoming another victim of the holiday blues, fear no more. There is a solution. Here are some simple rules and low-fat healthy dessert options that will ensure you don’t lose any
of your gains or take away from an enjoyable Thanksgiving. For starters, you should begin each morning of the break with a nice solid protein breakfast enough to give you energy for a one or two mile run around your neighborhood. You don’t necessarily have to run miles, but make sure to perform some type of light exercise to jump-start your day. You should not buy store-made desserts because of all the massive sugar that is contained in a single item. Instead of buying, why not whip up these five healthy sweets found on PopSugar Fitness? • Apple Crumble Pie - This pie is a combination of apple pie and apple crisp. Bonus! • Pumpkin Cheesecake Mousse - This sensational dessert cuts calories thanks to the use of low-
fat cottage cheese and low-calorie whipped cream. • Raw Pumpkin Bars - Not only are these bars a good dessert, they’re also good to grab on-the-go. • Gooey Apple Pecan Bars - These tasty bars combine two classics. • Gluten-Free Bread Pudding A mouth-watering dairy-free and gluten-free bread pudding that is Jessica Alba’s go-to dessert. You can also enjoy all the mustsee football games while still getting a legit workout on the side. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying some football with your family, but whenever a commercial comes on you have even more reason to get some intense 360 pushups in. The 360 pushups attack the obliques, chest and arms. To start these pushups, begin in wide grip pushup position. While in this
position, do 10 wide grip pushups. Then, keeping your lower body still, rotate your upper body 45 degrees to the left and perform 10 diamond pushups on that side. Now go back to regular pushup position. Then, while keeping your lower body still, turn your upper body 45 degrees to the right and perform 10 diamond pushups on that side. Don’t worry about not finishing a set before the game comes on. This intense workout doesn’t take more than a minute, so you will be done before the long holiday commercials have finished their course. In case you’re worried about losing your comfortable spot on the couch while performing your workout, worry no more. There is another great workout that doesn’t require you to leave your couch,
and it’s really great for the upper and lower abs. To perform leg trucks, all you have to do is move to the edge of your seat, hold your legs out in a straight position, and then tuck them into your chest. Repeat this cycle until the game is back on. The final thing I recommend for all of my fellow fitness crusaders to do over the Thanksgiving break is go see the new movie that’s coming out on Thanksgiving Day, “Creed”. It is a spin off of the popular, Oscar winning “Rocky” film series about boxing starring Sylvester Stallone. The film stars actor Michael B. Jordan with Stallone reprising his role as boxer Rocky Balboa. Even if you’re not a boxing fan or haven’t followed the “Rocky” series, this is sure to give you some pure motivation to continue to work hard.
Chanda Leak, Owner 209 E. Main St. Kilgore, Texas 75662 Facebook.com/theprimitivefarmhouse
Store- 903-331-4257 Cell-903-916-0979
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wanted to do. Then Frazier was in a car wreck that injured his back. “That put me down on my back for almost a year. It messed up three of my disks and I had a lot of pain and a lot of problems,” he said. His injury put a hold on his renovation work, and he and his family moved into the house that he was flipping at the time. Frazier says the wreck made him stronger in his faith and with his family. “It gave me more time because for almost a year I was just lying there,” he said. “I had more time to meditate, focus, read and pray.” Frazier also remembers the help his family gave him during the time of him being injured. “There were times when I was in excruciating pain when I wasn’t the most friendliest person,” he said. “But my wife stuck with me and cared for me and helped me.” He reflects on the negative and uses it as a learning experience. “There’s always things in life that do rock somebody and shake them, but that wasn’t one of those things,” Frazier said. One of the positive things that came out of the wreck was being able to become a full-time student at KC and become a part of the music program. But, like all students entering college, there were some difficulties. During these difficult times Frazier would use his wife as an example. “My immediate family had no college education whatsoever, so it was kind of slow going for both of us to get into the college system. But she stuck through and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in teaching elementary education,” Frazier said. “When things are getting hard for me, I look back and see how she pushed through and that example gives me strength to push through also.” One of the things Frazier wants to do in life is just help people. “One of the most influential people in my life is Ms. Johnson, and I think that’s because she’s
helped me become better and I want to be that person for other people,” he said. In the halls of the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts building, students are often heard talking about Ms. Johnson – how she can help you find the right note, and how she is a nice woman overall. “A lot of people call her Momma J, and in a lot of ways she’s like a mom figure to most all of us that we can just go and talk to,” Frazier said. “If we’ve got something we need to talk about, we can talk about it with her.” Frazier’s fascination with music came at a young age. “We used to have an oldfashioned record player and it was in the living room with those big, tall speakers. We would go in there and put records on,” he said. “My two favorite albums were a Beach Boys album and also a Funky Favorites album.” It was at these times Frazier began to feel as if good music can be turned into good feelings. “It had all these just fun, goofy songs, and I think that’s probably what instilled in me the love of music because it was a way to just get out of the slum of everyday life and just have fun,” Frazier said. “It transcends into something more.” Frazier said one of the things he would love to do in the future is work with special needs children in a hospital setting, using music therapy. “You get to work with kids who enjoy music,” he said. “They love it, and if it can help them and they don’t even realize all it’s helping them with … I think that would be awesome.” Frazier always tries his best to help people and do the best he can. He knows that to reach his goals he must remember to persevere. “When I question whether I should be doing this or not, I pray about it, and I realize that in different ways I can tell that it’s not just a passion,” Frazier said. “I think there’s a higher purpose in doing what I’m doing and that pushes me forward to keep trying.”
“I think there’s a higher purpose in doing what I’m doing and that pushes me forward to keep trying.”
Vocal major Kip Frazier sings alongside KC President Dr. Bill Holda
Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE
Healing through power of music Love of singing inspires vocal major’s return to college MEAGHAN MORTON Features Editor
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n old-fashioned record player and tall speakers fill the room with funky music and Beach Boys tunes, inciting laughter and dance in the heart of a young Kip Frazier. Skip ahead a few decades
later to him now, a vocal major performing with the KC Chorale during the Veterans Day program held last week. Before coming back to college, Frazier renovated homes and did flip work on houses on the side. He then realized he really wanted to pursue his passion — Music. “I climbed the ladder as much
as I could,” Frazier said. “I really wanted to go back to school, but working full-time and having a family wasn’t a possibility.” Before enrolling as a full-time student, Frazier had tried taking night classes. However, since being in the music program requires being a full-time student, he could not do what he truly
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“Leaf Still Life” - Tina Marie Reed
“Twilight” - Jessica Carrington
“Grandmother” - Victoria Gilchrist
“Mother
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hotography students at KC study and produce portfolios concerning a variety of photographic themes. These celebrated selected images by photography students represent portraiture, nature, landscape and the human condition.
and Child” - Marie Smith
“Rain” - Marie Smith
“Morgan” - Jessica Carrington
“Downtown Kilgore” - Jessica Carrington
“Self Portrait” - Kalvin Fitzpatrick
“Rangerettes” - Tiffany Johnson
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Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE
Instructor Dustin Law and Caitlyn Vickers , Whitehouse freshman, observe bull sperms through a microscope.
Animal Science dives into new studies KAYLA TERRAZAS Staff Writer
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e have an Ag-crisis. The world population is drastically increasing, yet the number of graduates from Ag-related programs is on the decline, according to Agriculture professor Aimee Law, who said there are more people in the world and less of them learning to produce food and other products. “It is a program designed to prepare students to be successful in life. Whether that is feeding their own family with a small garden or impacting an entire country by finding a new way to breed sheep more effectively, agriculture students make a difference,” Law said. Agriculture is a vital part of our world. KC offers an Agricultural program where students can practice farming, including cultivation of crops, rearing of animals and studying the industry of Agriculture. I conducted an interview with Law discussing KC’s Ag program and its future. If one were to be a part of the program, what could they expect? If a student joins the Agriculture program, they should expect to meet certain expectations. We want our students to excel in the classroom, to do the best that they can, all the time. We also expect our students to represent themselves in all areas to the best of their ability and to represent KC to the best of their ability. We give to the students as well. There is a family atmosphere where we hang out, have dinner, ride horses, go to events together, volunteer in the community, all through our student-led organization on campus called the Agriculture Student Association. There are scholarships available, as well as internship possibilities with Texas A & M Agrilife research center
in Overton. They receive top-of-the-line instruction as well as hands-on labs, which are taught on the 448-acre Ag demonstration farm in Overton. Animal Science is a huge part of the Ag department. What are you currently working with? Animal Science is just one of the courses we offer in the Ag department, which happens to be my passion. At the KC Demo Farm in Overton, we have predominantly Angus cows with a few Brangus (F1 Hybrids created as a result of a collaborative effort with researchers from Texas A & M, Overton) heifers who will be calving this spring. We also have eight horses on the farm, which we use in the Animal Science lab, and hopefully will be riding in a class in the very near future. We also utilize working dogs on the farm, border collies with a blue lacy in the mix. Our students who may be headed down a pre-vet track may have never had the opportunity to work with 1200 lb. animals like cows and horses, yet every Thursday they have a chance to literally touch both.
Science forces the student to take a hands-on approach to biology by applying biological concepts to livestock species we have here at the college. For example, we have discussed reproduction in biology class, but in animal science we put it into practice by taking the general topic and putting it into action with the cows at the farm. We breed the cows artificially. We check for pregnancy. We are there for delivery. Then we tag the calf. (We also) take a 24 hour weight, tattoo and check-up on the animal — all in a laboratory setting. What advantages do you feel students have with KC offering this program? There are several pluses to taking advantage of the ag program here at KC. F i r s t , students learn by d o i n g . Kilgore’s Ag program t a k e s extreme pride in putting their students in the place to participate in every facet of what they are learning. We very rarely demonstrate while students sit back and watch. Our class sizes are capped at 15, which means that every student has the chance to do as much or as little as they would like. For example, we rectally palpated pregnant cows a month ago and since every cow carries differently and was at a different day during gestation, every student had the opportunity to feel the fetus if they so desired. Larger universities simply cannot offer the hands-on experience that we can. Second, we have a group of some of the most world-renowned researchers at the
“It is a program designed to prepare students to be successful in life.”
Not many schools offer the program KC does. Could you explain what Animal Science is? Animal Science is the study of domesticated species. But the course is so much more than that. Animal Science allows a person to take all of the facts they have grasped from traditional biology and relate it to something large and tangible. Animal
Texas A & M Agrilife research center in Overton who happen to love to work with our students. They include us in research and allow our students to participate in research studies called an internship, which our Ag students can get credit for. This is an amazing opportunity that most other colleges do not have since they do not have such tools at their back door. Third, our students can get the hands-on experience with animals and researchers, and they can get science credit for it! All of our ag classes, save my Introductory Ag Industry class, is in the core curriculum and is acceptable at all public universities in Texas as a SCIENCE credit!!! What are your thoughts on the program? People learn by doing. Rather than be taught definitions about certain reproductive organs, let’s dissect a cow’s reproductive tract and examine those organs that are so distant from us in the classroom. Having an opportunity to apply concepts such as flight zone and predator/prey response in the pen with cows makes those terms so much more real to us. Instead of discussing epidemiology of disease and leaving it at that, let’s vaccinate and de-worm cattle so that the practice of prevention can be out into play. What projects are you are working on with SFA? We are working on an on-going epigenetics research project with Texas A & M researchers and a Ph.D. candidate who will examine how stress during pregnancy effects the life cycle in cattle. This is the first time anything like this has been performed in cattle and may eventually lead us to make speculations about stress during pregnancy concerning humans. KC has exciting things in the near future.
Supermom to the rescue
Wife, mom, and full-time student wears many hats while working way through nursing school TAYLOR STEWART Staff Writer
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eing a wife, mom of three, and fulltime college student seems like a lot to juggle. But for super-mom Cassidy Jones, she has it all together. “Once I figured out when to study and how much time to allot for homework, it became manageable,” Jones said. She decided to attend college after praying, letting God lead her to the realization that furthering her education would be the best for her family. “The thought of getting a job that would only pay for child care didn’t seem too logical,” she said. Outside of school, she and her family are active members of Forest Home Baptist Church. Between volunteering to help those in need and singing in the church choir, she also finds time to be the Girls in Action director on Wednesday nights. Being the director of children, most would think that would be her passion, as did she. Jones, now a first-year nursing student said she first applied to the KC teaching program. At the
time, teaching did not seem to fit God’s plan for Jones. “Spending most of my time diligently praying, asking God ‘why?’ I missed some of the signs that He needed and wanted me to do something more,” she said. “When my disappointment and frustrations were cleared out of my mind, I could see him speaking to me clear as day — Nursing.” When she got the courage to apply for the nursing program in Spring 2015, she was sure it was her calling. “The acceptance letter came in that summer and, to my surprise, everything else just fell in place,” Jones said. “Financial aid and my youngest starting school were among the few factors falling into place in order for my dream of going back to school to happen.” Being a nurse is not always something everyone is fit for, but for Jones, “being a mom can build up a tolerance to anything faster than sitting in an ER waiting to see something gross or exciting.” Even though Jones has more than enough to balance, she is excited to see what nursing has in store for her. “Hearing and listening to God call me to do something new like this is terrifying, but also so exhilarating!”
“Hearing and listening to God call me to do something new like this is terrifying, but also so exhilarating!”
Tiffany Johnson / THE FLARE
Cassidy Jones balances books and her children Jaden, Chance and Faith.
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Training the future of KC athletics Students learn to deal with the bumps and bruises that come with playing the game AJANI MCCOY Staff Writer
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t KC, sports is a big part of campus life. For many students, spending Saturday evenings attending KC football and basketball games is a big part of their college experience. KC happens to have an active sports program, which means there is much preparation, time, money and planning when it comes to KC sports. The Athletic Training program has a large influence on KC’s teams. Athletic trainers have a huge job. They sometimes go unnoticed, but their work never does. “This is the third year the school has had an athletic training program,” said Krystina Moore, Denison sophomore and athletic trainer. “Having an athletic program is such a big deal for schools. It not only shows professionalism, but it also shows that KC cares about their student athletes. Being a KC athletic trainer requires tons of skills.” Isela Guerrero, Chandler freshman, appreciates the science involved in athletic training. “We have to learn taping techniques, bones of the body and other things that we use for our job on a day-to-day basis,” Guerrero said. The two agree that it takes dedication to be an athletic trainer. When somebody is dedicated, it shows through the actions of the team. “I show up before and after the players,” Gurrero said. It may sound easier than one may think, but giving up quality time for the better sake of the players shows passion for their work. For trainers to give up their time not only shows dedication toward players, but also for KC. Part of the college experience is learning what the word “responsibility” truly means. Responsibility is sometimes challenging for the average student, but not for a KC athletic trainer. “I do evaluation for players and many other things,” Moore said.
Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE
Athletic trainers learn how to properly care for injuries players get while playing a game or during practice. Being responsible for a player’s well being is invaluable. Athletic trainers have a huge impact on players. “Trainers help athletes prevent injuries,” Guerrero said. A single player’s injuries can impact a whole team’s performance. Having someone aid players in preventing injuries is a necessity. To help prevent injuries, trainers have to have specific knowledge to help the players. Having interaction with the players and making a player feel comfortable are some of the most important things a trainer can
do. Trainers want the player to know that everything is going to be OK and they will be able to return to playing their sport without any worries. Trainers like Guerrero gain experience by interacting with players from different places. “I’m from Brownsboro, and I was an athletic trainer at Brownsboro High School,” she said, explaining the diversity of players from larger cities has helped. As far as dealing with the other athletic trainers, Guerrero said, “Here at KC, we are like a family.”
There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to successfully execute a KC game. Trainers work hard to provide the best care possible for KC athletes when they are in their most dire time of need. Trainers provide a necessary service to make sure players are healthy and can provide sports fans with a great show every weekend. It takes dedication, interaction, responsibility and knowledge to be an athletic trainer.
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‘Make For Home Sky’ MEAGHAN MORTON Staff Writer How did you begin as an artist? Casually, I have always been involved in creating in some way. In a more formal sense, I had a previous career in a different creative field, theatrical costuming. In my midthirties, I returned to art school to study fine art. Did your childhood influence your art today? In some ways, parts of my childhood seep into my work, more now than in the past. My grandmother taught me needle arts as a child and I find that recently I am allowing some of those old skills into the work, after resisting it for a long time. Also, I grew up in northeast Ohio, sort of on the edge of an aging industrial city, surrounded by a very rural agricultural area. That feeling of existing between two different realities is a theme that has recurred throughout my life, in different ways. I think it comes into play in my work, especially in the sense that so much of my current work deals with transition or travel between two different states of being.
unfamiliar ways. I hope the viewer tries to puzzle out, for instance, what it could mean for a three tined hayfork to be gilded and presented as an art object. Is it an artifact from a shipwreck ( the broken boat painting beside it)? weapon? a scepter? Triton’s trident? an homage to agricultural work? a tool needed to start a new life at the end of the voyage? What inspired the exhibit in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts building? Several years ago, I lost a very special person. The death was not unexpected or tragic; this person had lived an extraordinary and long life. This person was also incredibly spiritual and she had every confidence that her spirit would continue. Upon her death, I started to visualize the journey her spirit would take next. That really was the jumping off point for the theme of transition and travel. Later a close friend, much too young, died from a very long illness. During her final days, I found myself wanting to wrap everything in soft wool; a way of dealing with my feelings of wanting to protect and wrap her in softness. That is when the wool and fabrics began appearing in my work.
“It is important to get in touch with your own voice...”
What inspires you as an artist? Just the simple arc of life. Birth, growth, adaptation, aging, death, renewal. I’m inspired that none of us really knows where we came from or what happens to us after death or whether there is a purpose for all of it. I’m inspired that all the peoples of the world have wrestled and continue to wrestle with these same universal questions. I’m inspired that we humans are all fragile and vulnerable in the very same ways. You use different media in your work, what do you think that translates to the audience viewing your work? Well, that is a question that might be best posed to the viewers. I can say that when I include recognizable items, like pulleys or hayforks or quilts or clocks, I want to engage the viewers’ full associations with those items, even as I treat these items in
None of the artists yet have left a comment book, why do you choose to leave one? The reason I make artwork is ultimately for connection with the viewer. Usually, an artist is not present when a viewer takes it in. An artwork is like a note left behind for someone, anyone, who might happen upon it sometime in the future. And that note should say something. At its most basic, the message is something like this: “I was here. I felt something and so I laid it here. Now you are here, and perhaps you feel something too. In that way we are connected.” The comments left help me gauge what the audience is taking away. Also, it gives people the opportunity to be put on a list to be notified of my future exhibits if they so wish. Do any of the comments you
Kaelie Wike / THE FLARE
KC students view Peggy Epner’s exhibit ‘Make For Home Sky.’
Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE
Artist Peggy Epner’s work is currently on display in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts building. receive on your work make you change the way you work? No. The comments do not change the way that I work. But, they help me to understand whether the artwork is connecting with the viewer, and on what level, if at all, that connection is taking place. I strive for a balance between communicating a concept and also leaving room for the viewer to bring his/her own associations to the work. So, while there is no correct or incorrect reading of the work, when someone is engaged enough with the work to stop and think about it, and feel something about it, then I have succeeded in my goal to have a connection with the viewer. Comments do
not make me change direction, but it is valuable to me to have an opportunity to understand how my work is being perceived. I make art, first and foremost, to communicate and express something that Is the piece, “We searched all night, I search still,” about a relationship? Not a relationship. More of a wild goose chase for knowledge and insight. What advice would you give to aspiring artists? It is important to get in touch with your own voice, to discover your own visual vocabulary. It is
what makes your work yours and makes your voice unique. It takes time. Look at a lot of art. See as much of it in person as you can. You don’t have to like all of it, but you should learn to articulate why. By looking at a lot of art, seeing what you connect with and what you don’t, it will help you to understand your own aesthetic. Understanding who you are NOT as an artist is as important as understanding who you are. Otherwise, you will be pulled in a different direction every week. But having said that, you will grow and change and have experiences, and so your voice at 20 will be different than your voice at 40 or 60.