Vol. 92, Issue 4

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Amarillo College's News Source Since 1930 Volume 92, Issue 4

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November 11, 2021

COVID Fewer male students are enrolling in higher education delays campus disability access updates

Where have the men gone?

By JO EARLY

Online Editor

There are nearly twice as many women enrolled at Amarillo College this semester compared to men, according to the AC Decision Analytics and Institutional Research dashboard.

For the past five years, the graduation rate has been around 60% women and 40% men. These numbers are not unique to AC; nationwide, men are not attending and graduating from higher education institutes at the same rate as women, and the gap increased further during the pandemic.

“Even though some role expectations are changing, the ‘old’ expectations still prevail,” Dr. Elizabeth Rodriquez, a psychology professor, said. “Men are supposed to be the providers. I do believe that many males are leaving high school and entering the job force to help the family, whether it be their own family or parents’ family,” she said.

In addition to the pressure of traditional gender roles, studies show that while women are more eager to pursue higher education, men remain behind in educational readiness.

“Gender equality has opened the door for women to seize the opportunity to pursue a college education when they may not have had that chance in previous generations, and the reading comprehension rates of males in early education has not improved, meaning the male ‘college readiness’ percentage has remained unchanged while more women pursue

By JO EARLY Online Editor

AC International Research Dashboard Infographics by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

college opportunities,” Cassie Montgomery, director of outreach services, said.

The lack of male students is a cause for concern according to Bob Austin, vice president of enrollment management.

“If there are young men who would otherwise qualify to be enrolled in college, but are choosing not to go into higher education, it effects the bottom line for the college,” Austin said. “We are missing part of the population.”

Younger generations question the purpose of higher ed-

ucation and may require more concrete incentives to attend, according to Rodriquez.

“If we want more men in college, then we need to show the relevancy of a higher degree,” Rodriguez said. “For a long time, students, children and individuals listened and did what they were told because that is what you do, but the newer generations have to know why they are doing what they are being asked to do; what is the purpose.

I believe that if we can give people a defined purpose, we may see the numbers shift.”

Montgomery pointed out that current data may not reflect the true gender identities of students, and therefore could be inaccurate.

“There are students who do not identify as male or female,” she said. “That could be skewing the data a bit as well, where we may have less females, or more, than we think we do, represented in our data. Nonbinary students are misrepresented when we whittle our data down to just male and female, so that’s at least something to consider in this conversation.”

Amarillo College is on the path to becoming more accessible for students with disabilities.

Construction is underway across all AC campuses thanks to a $90 million bond passed before the pandemic.

Part of that bond was set to go toward construction projects that would ensure every campus meets Americans with Disabilities, or ADA, compliance. The construction was projected to be finished in 2025, but COVID-19 has caused some delays.

“There is still possibility of finishing by 2025, but COVID virtually costs us a year before we actually got going well,” Danny Smith, master plan project manager, said. “No real changes have been made to the master plan.”

ADA compliance is an ongoing goal for the college according to Pam Jackson, disability services coordinator. “Our office along with our physical plant team work continuously to make sure that all of Amarillo College’s campuses are in compliance with ADA requirements,” she said.

Ali Ramos, a therapist and See ADA, page 4

Need for child care creates challenges Students who are parents experience financial, emotional stress

By SEASON CRAVEN Student Reporter

One of the greatest challenges facing Amarillo College students who are also parents is finding affordable child care for their children. Multiple resources are answering that chal-

lenge by providing much needed assistance.

Denese Skinner, vice president of student affairs, said, “In the spring of 2021, AC conducted a study of student parents to find out about their needs and how we can better support our student parents,” Skinner said.

In that study, 76% of student parents said they experience quite a bit of stress to a huge amount of stress, with child care being one of the top three reasons, along with finances and finding balance.

Carrie Hughes, an education major, works two days a week and home schools her two school-age children. “I returned to school two years

ago to work on my teacher certification. The most stressful part is just getting the house quiet enough. However, I have learned to prioritize and schedule so that I am able to take care of my schooling and everything else,” Hughes said.

Often, students have to call on family to help with child care while they attend college. Corie Rincon, an education major, said, “I have four girls, the youngest being three weeks old. My source of stress in being a student and a parent is trying to make time to do my homework and still be there for my girls. Being a full time mom, working full time and going to school

is really hard for me, but I find ways to make it work.

My three older girls are in school and my baby will start staying with my grandma when I return to work.”

Federal financial aid records reveal that 23% of the AC student-body are parents, and 59% of those are also single, making child care even more crucial. Skinner said the study also found that parents need child care that is not only affordable, but also available after-school and in the evenings.

There are options availSee CHILD CARE, page 4 Illustration by RAYGAN LOPEZ | The Ranger

November 11, 2021

WHY DO YOU THINK THERE ARE MORE WOMEN THAN MEN IN COLLEGE? BRIANA HERNANDEZ Drafting

“I’m taking a psychology class and I’m thinking it has something to do with how our brains are wired differently. Women are more detail-oriented.”

JOSE GARCIA

Physical Therapy “I think it’s because men follow careers and women are deciding what they want to do. Or it could be the opposite.”

KIRA TAYLOR

General Studies “Because women are smarter, duh. I think women have more drive.”

Naps improve life OPINION

By RAYGAN LOPEZ Co-Editor

Being a college student throws off my sleep schedule by nature. I go to sleep late and wake up early, which causes me to take naps between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Now that the weather is getting colder and the clocks have gone back an hour, I’m even more tired than usual and was in need of a solution to my problem.

I recently learned that the time of day, how long you nap and the reason for your nap are factors to a beneficial nap. According to the Sleep Foundation, 20-minute naps are better than long naps.

The longer you sleep, the longer you feel drowsy after you wake up. Also known as sleep inertia. I usually have other things to do after I wake up which means I can’t be groggy after my daily nap.

Sadly, I go to bed late and take naps because I will get grumpy if I don’t and I decided to log my nap schedule. I take recovery naps around noon for about 30 minutes. After I identified my daily slumber, I

Co-Editors

Raygan Lopez, Ruth Martinez

Design Manager Shawn McCrea

Page Editors

John King, Rylee Moore, Isaac Galan

Online Editor Jo Early

noticed I wake up less moody and I am more productive after. Which is why I continue to set aside time for my nap.

However, taking naps after 3 p.m. can interfere with nighttime sleep according to the Mayo Clinic, which once again I used to do all the time.

Planning your naps ahead of time can improve learning, increase memory, reduce fatigue and improve mood.

This provides more reasons to schedule a 20 minute nap because no one wants to feel sleepy during the day.

Whether your nap is a recovery, prophylactic or appetitive 20 minutes is the ideal amount of time to diminish your homeostatic sleep drive, or the feeling of pressure to sleep, says the Sleep Foundation. I am always tired and if a 20-minute power nap can make me feel more awake and perform better during the day, then I will do it.

Since I am constantly pulled in every direction everyday, my 20-minute slumber provides daily self-care as well as accomplishing more tasks throughout the day.

Staff Reporters

DeMarea Hill, John King, Arine Garin

Columnists

Nick Bandy, Raygan Lopez

Graphic Designers Isaac Galan

Photographers

Nick Bandy, Shawn McCrea

For a complete staff listing, visit The Ranger online at www.acranger.com Student Media exists to serve you — the students. The Ranger staff urges you to get involved by submitting ideas, photos, videos at therangereditor@gmail.com.

The Ranger is an independent student publication. Material published in the Ranger does not necessarily reflect the views of Amarillo College administrators or employees.

Illustration by ANTHONY KISER | The Ranger

Daylight saving ruins everything EDITORIAL In many ways, fall is a beautiful time of year. The air starts to cool as leaves rustle in the wind. You get to spend more time with friends and family as the holiday season approaches. And many people even see it as a particularly comfortable and cozy season.

However, other people see it as the most difficult time of the year. The daylight starts to fade, and to make it worse, another hour of evening light is lost due to daylight saving.

The evenings become unusable to people who value their time outdoors, as that is generally the only free time available to them as the clocks are turned back.

Daylight saving is an outdated concept that no longer needs to be observed.

The most common justification that you will hear in defense of daylight saving time is that it helps farmers have an extra hour to work.

Not only is that not true, but

daylight saving is actually obstructive to many farmers.

According to Ag America Lending, “What it actually does is disrupt a farmer’s carefully-orchestrated schedule. For instance, if dairy cows are used to being milked at 5 a.m., moving the clock back an hour in the fall actually moves their milking time back an hour, and livestock cannot understand waiting another hour to be milked. Then, just as the cows get used to it, the milking schedule gets changed again in the spring. The milk truck is likely still coming at the same time per the clock, meaning dairy farmers can’t just change their milking times to keep it consistent for the animals.”

Daylight saving time does not help out farmers, but it does save energy. However, the amount of energy saved ends up being negligible. According to the Department of Energy, “electricity savings from the four added weeks

of daylight saving time were small compared to the national total for the year, representing about 0.03% of the total national electricity consumption.”

Along with being a hindrance to farmers and frustrating to many people, daylight savings time creates a confusing patchwork of time zones.

Not only do many other countries not observe it, but some states in the United States don’t even bother, resulting in a broken time system in relation to other states across the country.

Many of the reasons used to justify daylight saving no longer cut it. Enough time has passed to see that it is not necessary, and that it is time to reconsider. It’s an obstacle to important economic groups like farmers, and an annoyance to citizens at best. If most of the world does not need daylight savings, neither does the U.S.

Work + college = struggle OPINION

By JO EARLY Online Editor

The cost of attending college has risen faster than the average family income.

Loans and scholarships may cover the majority cost of education for some, but students face more obstacles outside the classroom.

Child care, housing and transportation are necessities not only for attending college but for life, and these necessities cost more than most loans can cover.

A 2017 study from the U.S. department of education found that 10% of full-time undergraduates also work more than 35 hours a week.

I’m juggling 13 semester hours and a full-time job.

When I decided to return to college, I knew I wouldn’t be able to quit my job and find something part-time.

I need the health insurance that full-time employ-

ment offers, and I have bills to pay. I’m paying tuition out of pocket and I nearly cried when an entire paycheck went toward books for a single semester.

Working and studying full-time means working on assignments during my lunch break, staying late at the office to make up for time spent in a classroom and going weeks between meeting with friends.

It looks like a dry-erase calendar, color coded sticky notes and the largest sized iced coffee sold at Roasters. It sounds like a television program I was interested in going unnoticed in the background while I study and hushed phone calls when I need to call the school at work.

Those nights I wake up from nightmares about missed assignments, I must ask myself: is the effort even worth it? Being unable to find work with a

degree is common enough that it’s turned into another meme of millennials.

The current conversations about worker shortages and tax-evading billionaires are leading to an increase in an anti-work attitude.

I don’t think most students attend college under the assumption that things will be easy. Some of us attend for upward social mobility, or because the idea has been sold to us since childhood that if you just work hard, in four years you’ll be handed a six-figure salary. Many of us actually find ourselves choosing between hard-torepay student loans or working for tuition.

In the end, we have to remain hopeful. I’m pursuing a degree for many of those reasons, but also because I wanted to learn. I wanted to change my path. In a few years, I hope to look back on all the hard work and be able to say, “It was worth it.”

November 11, 2021

Refugees find connection through language

By SEASON CRAVEN Student Reporter

With the crisis in Afghanistan rising to the forefront of the news cycle, many have turned their focus to the plight of refugees. Since 2010, Amarillo has received more than 1,500 refugees from all over the world, according to the Refugee Language Project.

They define a refugee as someone who, “has a well-founded fear of persecution.” They also state that, “War, as well as ethnic, tribal and religious violence, are leading causes of refugees.”

Two organizations in Amarillo help in the rehoming process for refugees:

Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle and Refugee Services of Texas.

Other Amarillo organizations also step in to provide necessary resources, including housing, medical care and social services. One great need that might go underappreciated is the need for a common language.

“I would say language acquisition is the first and largest challenge of a refugee coming to Amarillo,” Mandi Garcia, RLP community programs coordinator said. “Learning English will help with adjusting to and functioning in the community and will help as well with education and employment aspi-

rations,” Garcia said.

The Refugee Language Project focuses on addressing the language barriers that refugees face.

“RLP assists refugees by teaching literacy classes, arranging one-on-one relationships with English speakers to facilitate language acquisition and cultural exchange, and providing opportunities for the broader community to interact with refugees and vice versa at regular potluck meals,” Garcia said.

English Second Language programs are vital to non-English speaking refugees.

There are many public as well as private organizations that are meeting this need in Amarillo. According to the

RLP, Amarillo College was the greatest provider for ESL classes in 2019-2020, with 23% of the total adult enrollment, followed closely by Paramount Baptist Church.

AC offers ESL noncredit classes for citizens, permanent residents and refugees for low-beginning to advanced levels. Classes are available both in the morning and evening, with specific class times that can be found on the AC website.

Paramount Baptist has a program called LEAF, Learning English Among Friends, has classes that meet Wednesday mornings 9:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m. or evenings 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

“I think the people of

Amarillo need to know that the refugees are people, just like we are, but some of them have been through some very hard times,” Ann Clark, who has taught ESL at Paramount Baptist for the past 25 years, said.

“Yes, they need to learn English and they need many opportunities to practice.

They also need a friend, someone to help them learn the culture here and how to do things like buy school supplies for their children, make doctor’s appointments, and many other things we do automatically and don’t think about,” Clark said.

Classes can be found on the AC website.

Blackboard users be like:Lorem Ipsum Campus club reaches

out to LGBTQ+ students

By ERICA VANBUSKIRK Student Reporter

Illustration by RAYGAN LOPEZ | The Ranger

Online experience creates complaints

By RYLEE GLAZNER Student Reporter

Amarillo College’s learning management system, Blackboard, will be getting an upgrade this January. The upcoming change is designed to make the online class delivery product easier to use.

Regardless of major or class schedule, it is likely that in a typical Amarillo College student’s day they will encounter the all too familiar Blackboard classroom. Every Blackboard class is a little different, but officials say there is a method to how classes typically are set up.

“Each instructor has the freedom to do what they choose to do, but we do have a good lineup, like for instance we would recommend that stuff be under the content page,” said Michaela Dodson, an AC instructional designer. “We also recommend that if a professor’s class is set up differently that there is some orientation page or video to show students how to navigate and work their way through the course.”

Professors say they strive to build Blackboard classes that are clear and easy for students to use.

“I like my classrooms pretty streamlined so it is pretty easy for the students to navigate,” said Jacqueline

Llewellyn, a speech instructor and dual credit coordinator of speech communication.

“There is a content tab where I put everything and I split it up by week, and everything goes there. I think it makes it easier for students to access, especially if there is a day they have to miss.”

However, students say sometimes they find Blackboard frustrating.

“I do not think that all of my professors utilize Blackboard to its fullest extent because some professors do not know how to use all the features Blackboard offers and sometimes it affects grades,” said Sayre Widener, a nursing major.

Additionally, for some students although the classroom is accessible from anywhere, it is difficult to keep up with when posts are made or updated.

“One thing I really dislike is the fact that neither your professors nor Blackboard will notify you when a class is updated,” said Sara Clinesmith, a music major, “so I get frustrated that Blackboard doesn’t have any notifications like Google Classroom does.”Some of these issues can be solved through improved communication between students and professors, or through professors seeking help when learning how to

better use the platform.

“My department and I help faculty design their courses in Blackboard,” said Lori Petty, director of AC’s Center for Teaching and Learning. “We also help faculty when they have questions about assignments, tests or other items in Blackboard.”

Students say they appreciate some of the steps faculty take to simplify and streamline Blackboard.

“Some trends that I do like about professors setting up their classes on Blackboard is that if I am on the go and I need to look at an assignment without my backpack or anything, I can just easily look under content or announcements,” said Clinesmith.

Additionally, the timing of when a professor posts assignments can improve a student’s experience.

“I like when my professor sets up all the assignments in weeks with all of it posted at once,” said Widener. “It really helps ease any stress I might have and allows me to take the course at my pace.”

Petty said that faculty will be receiving training and information about the update over the next few months.

She emphasized that the navigation changes will make Blackboard easier for students to use and will enhance student success.

Some students in Amarillo College’s LGBTQ community may need support and encouragement. That is where the AC Pride Club steps in.

“It is Amarillo College’s LGBTQ gender inclusive and ally club,” Micah Smith, the AC Pride Club sponsor and Academic Success Center supervisor, said. “A longer version is that it’s an opportunity for students and even staff or faculty to collaborate in an inclusive environment to talk about things that we don’t normally get to talk about in the classroom, and kind of create that sort of kinship.”

AC Pride Club exists to support those in the community who are considered nontraditional. Club members plan to take the steps needed to become a bigger voice for those who need support, during a hard and vulnerable time in one’s life, and their allies.

“Breathe. It’s going to be okay,” Jazmyn Mullins, a club member, said. “It may not seem like it, but it will get better, and our AC Pride Club is always welcoming new members.”

The president of the club, Junior Deleon, said the club wants members and nonmembers to know that there are people willing to help. Information and a reservoir of aid is always available for those in need.

“It’s really great to engage with those students and provide resources for them, so they know it’s not just students that share the same experiences and want to listen, be a part of your life and care about you.

It’s staff and faculty members as well,” Smith said.

She added that AC Pride offers a safe space for students to be themselves. “I like to let people know it’s something they can rely on and gain support from, especially if they are nontraditional,” Smith said.

“We have families that want to come, married couples and people with kids. It’s not just your traditional college students. It’s all sorts of people from all different walks of life that want to join.”

The club holds many events to spread information and welcome the community, including a bracelet and informational handout on National Coming Out Day. “We get to celebrate people coming out. We get to do that and we get to celebrate being us,” Mullins said.

When navigating life there are many roadblocks, and being alone doesn’t have to be one of them, Deleon said, noting that AC Pride is there to help you through the many stages of finding and accepting your true self.

“There’s no rush and there shouldn’t be any pressure.

We’re here regardless. The club is going to be here long after we’re gone, but it is always going to be a safe place,” Deleon said. “If you don’t feel comfortable being a part of it that’s fine, but if you need someone to talk to just reach out to one of us. We’re always here to talk.”

Find a safe space with AC Pride Club Thursdays 11:50 a.m.- 12:20 p.m.

Bryd 408 Illustration by SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

November 11, 2021

Honor society makes difference

By TANNER HART Staff Reporter

COURTESY PHOTO

Viral TikTok dog, Noodle, helps predict what kind of day people are going to have by holding himself up or falling down.

Bones or No Bones

That is the question

By RYLEE GLAZNER

Student Reporter

With the rising of the sun each day, some TikTok viewers ask themselves whether it is a bones day or a no bones day as determined by one 13-year-old pug, Noodle.

“It’s a TikTok series where every day, a guy talks about whether or not his pug woke up with bones, some days he does, some days he doesn’t,” Courtney Milleson, an associate professor of speech communication at Amarillo College, said.

However, whether a day is a bones day or a no bones day is not simply a question of if a pug can stand, rather it is a question of how good or bad a day might be.

“I think if I wake up in the morning and I find his video, it can influence how my day goes because even if something goes wrong I can just say, ‘Well it’s a no bones day’,” said Cadence Lowery-Hart, a music major.

Noodle’s predictions do not always ring true. For some, the opposite of his predictions are true.

“I don’t know if it actually predicts what kind of day it

will be, because I feel like if it’s a bones day I’m having a no bones day,” said Riley Riggan, a criminal justice major.

While Noodle’s predictions may not always be accurate, fans say that does not discredit Noodle’s efforts. “We all have those days, the pug is totally relatable,” said Milleson.

She added regardless of Noodle’s accuracy, his predictions can encourage people to alter the course of their own day.

“My bones and no bones days do seem to line up with the pug’s, but when I’m having a no bones day it makes me want to have a bones day,” said Myka Vallejo, a psychology major, “Like seeing the pug is a little reminder that I should try instead.”

This sentiment is reinforced by the encouraging words of Noodle’s owner, who puts a bright spin on every day regardless of whether it is a bones day or not.

“I think it’s uplifting, even if it’s a no bones day, the guy in the videos will say things like be more patient with yourself today, or go out and make the most of today,” Lowery-Hart said.

Amarillo College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Beta Eta, is shining a light on an important issue.

Miranda McHugh, PTK sponsor and student life administrative assistant said students are researching human trafficking.

“They have one project that is called ‘Honors in Action, which is a research project, and this year the topic is human trafficking,” McHugh said. “We’re supposed to look at how it affects our community. They have been doing a lot of research on statistics, and stuff in Amarillo. They found an organization that helps the victims of human trafficking. We are putting on a supply drive Nov. 1-12.”

The supplies they collect will go to ‘No Boundaries International,’ a local organization who reaches out to those affected by human trafficking, as well as those strug-

gling with homelessness, addictions and brokenness.

Supplies can be dropped off in the blue bins on the first floor of the Ware Student Commons, Byrd and the Student Service Center. The chapter also hosted a presentation by guest speaker David Zach, w ho worked undercover to end human trafficking.

The Beta Eta chapter is part of a nationwide community college achievement program for high achieving students.

Joshua Pavez is a chemistry and math major and the chapter’s executive vice president. He said there are many advantages to joining PTK. “On average PTK members receive $2500 in scholarships and can get to meet with several other colleges at our events. PTK is a great way to stand out in your resume for other colleges,” Pavez said. “PTK membership not only shows a capa-

ble student but shows a student willing to go above and beyond with their academic abilities. PTK has given me a lot of leadership opportunities and ways to be involved with the community. I also get to meet several more passionate students who care about their grades and community service,” he said.

Raygan Lopez, the chapter president and a mass media major, said she is working to spread the word about PTK. “It is an honor society filled with students who want to make an impact wherever we go in the world; not only is PTK an honors society but also a place to make friendships and become more involved on campus. We have fellowships where we can just relax and hang out with each other,” Lopez said.

Lopez said one of the most common questions about Phi Theta Kappa is how to pronounce the name. “Fie Thaytuh Ka-puh,” she said.

PTK’s current officers, from left to right, President Raygan Lopez, mass media major; Exexcutive Vice President Joshua Pavaz, chemistry and math major; Treasurer Karla Arenas, business administration major; Vice President of Fellowship and Service Osyris Padilla, education major. Not pictured: Secretary Autumn Carroll, biology major.

ADA: AC’s progress toward ADA compliance stalled by COVID Continued from page 1 disability advocate, attended AC up to 2014 as a psychology major. “As I attended, there were several curbs that were inaccessible on 22nd and Washington,” she said. “Overall, the campus was one of the most disability-conscious universities that I have attended.”

The ADA requires adequate space for wheel-

chair users to be able to turn around, including 5 feet clearance in restrooms.

Some restrooms on campus were built before the ADA requirement passed and will need renovations to meet with current code. These renovations will begin soon, according to Smith.

“We are in the process of signing the contracts

for our ADA restroom upgrades,” he said. “This project should take about 180 days to complete.”

Additional construction to serve students with disabilities are in the plan. “We are going to provide access across 24th street to the Byrd/ Parcells Building from the Oeschger Patio,” Smith said.

“Underneath the bridges, a

curb height path will be constructed from curb to curb.”

Jackson said she is looking forward to the completion of the renovations. “I am excited about the upcoming ADA compliant upgrades that will happen on our campuses,” she said. “The upgrades will make it safe for all students who attend Amarillo College.”

Ramos praised the college for their advocacy and encouraged current students to speak out. “AC had a great disability services department when I attended, and I know that the same standard is set in place today,” she said. “If you need accommodations, then please make sure that your voice is heard.”

CHILD CARE: Balancing work and parenthood leaves students overwhelmed Continued from page 1 able to help take the strain off parents. There are currently two AC day care facilities, the Child Development Lab School and the Hagy Center for Young Children. According to the AC child care website, “It is a simple process to be put on the waiting list and requires the

centers to obtain general information such as a child’s date of birth and contact information of the parent.” Grants are available and will be administered by Dennis Sarine, director of teacher preparation and early childhood education, who can be reached at 806-371-5188.

Skinner said there are other resources available also. “AC’s Advocacy and Resource Center can help students identify day care centers in the Amarillo area. AC’s Advocacy and Resource Center’s Adult Students Program has resources to assist in funding a portion

of a student’s day care expenses,” Skinner said. Jordan Herrera, director of social services in the ARC, can provide students with more information about the program. She can be reached at (806) 371-5439.

There is also a club at AC for student parents. According

to AC, “S.W.A.P, or students who are parents, is a collaborative organization who aspires to provide support and resources to current Amarillo College students who are parents or guardians of children.”

For more information, contact Renee Stovall 806-371-5099.

November 11, 2021

COURTESY PHOTO

‘The Starling’ flies past expectations REVIEW

By SEASON CRAVEN Student Reporter

‘The Starling,’ a newly released Netflix original film, stars Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd and Kevin Kline.

While McCarthy may be known for her comedic roles in ‘Gilmore Girls’ and ‘Bridesmaids,’ she gets to show off her dramatic muscles in an endearing role as a grieving mother.

The film begins with new parents, Lilly and Jack, playfully painting a baby’s room. It’s fortunate that the audience never sees the in-

fant’s face though because we find out in the first 10 minutes that the baby has tragically died.

This sets the tone for the movie, which attempts to explore a serious subject while not becoming overly somber or dismal.

The rest of the film follows the grief process by examining the themes of loss, marriage, depression and healing.

Following the death of their child, Jack has been admitted to a psychiatric facility, and this leaves Lilly to navigate her grief alone.

The movie may sound

heavy, but McCarthy works her magic by bringing a sense of self-deprecating humor that carries the film and prevents it from becoming too dark.

The title of the film comes from the name of the bird who torments the character of Lilly, with painful regularity.

The bird seems to represent grief itself, which is unwelcome, intrusive and wounding.

Even with this said, the scenes with McCarthy and the bird are entertaining and full of metaphors.

The best parts of the film for me were the scenes between McCarthy and Kline,

who portrays a cynical yet kind therapist turned veterinarian. Kline’s character is genuine and fatherly, to the point that I wished there had been more backstory about his character.

This was a lost opportunity on the part of the writers, who could have made this role more three-dimensional and relatable.

Still, Kline is the therapist everyone wishes they could find in real life, direct, sincere, tender and honest all at once. His character is immensely likable.

I was wary of this film in the beginning, because I do

not enjoy films about the loss of a child.

Often, this kind of film can become a heavy-handed tearjerker that feels manipulative with the audience’s emotions, but ultimately it was the starling that convinced me to stay with the movie.

From the first scenes with the bird, I believed that the film had something important to say, and that I would find whimsy and humor along with some expected heartache.

I was not disappointed, and instead I can say that I enjoyed this movie and didn’t even shed one tear.

Sony scores success Ditch coffee for healthier alternative REVIEW

By NICK BANDY Columnist

Since its launch back in November 2020, Sony’s Playstation 5 has faced criticism that players have not been given a strong enough reason to buy into the new hardware.

Many games that players have looked forward to have faced delay after delay as the video game industry tries to recover from the organizational nightmare caused by COVID. After all, why would players want to spend $500 on a new console when they can play the same game on the machine they already own?

Sony was in need of an exclusive experience that you could only find on the PS5, and they’ve found just that.

‘Deathloop’ is a PS5 console exclusive first person shooter developed by Arkane Lyon and published by Bethesda Softworks. In ‘Deathloop,’ you take the role of a man stuck on a mysterious island where every day repeats, making death irrelevant.

You don’t know what’s causing this phenomenon, but you know that it is your job to stop it. To do so, you must eliminate all eight of the island’s leaders in same day.

If you fail, you wake up and

relive the loop again.

The gameplay of ‘Deathloop’ is based on first person shooting mechanics, as well as fantastical powers such as telekinesis, teleportation and invisibility. The mechanics of the game truly allow you the freedom to play the way you want. Want to accomplish your goal with a bang? Grab a big gun and use telekinesis to throw your enemies across the room. If that’s not appealing, use invisibility to sneak by your enemies.

The game’s true innovation comes from how it challenges you to solve the island’s problem. You must eliminate all eight leaders within the same day, and that’s going to take some planning.

As you play loop after loop, you learn where they are, what they are doing, and how you can manipulate them so that you can make a clean sweep of all eight.

‘Deathloop’ will be remembered for a long time.

Whether within player communities, industry developer circles or educational game design, it will be part of the conversation for its exceptional gameplay and structural innovation. Sony has found a game they can stick their flag in, and now you’ll need to find a PS5 to play it.

Lower cost option offers benefits REVIEW

By ELIZABETH CHUNN Student Reporter

Completing daily tasks feels impossible with the never-ending checklist called life.

Throw in the burning need to eat healthy, stay active and get enough sleep and the weight becomes too much to bear.

A $5 latte from the nearest coffee joint gives a quick boost of energy but breaks the bank and results in the desire to nap soon thereafter. I spent close to $30 most weeks on sugary beverages at coffee shops during college.

In search of an alternative, I stumbled across a health-friendly energy drink on the official Instagram page of Molly Valentine, a registered dietitian.

Celsius beverages are now my energy drink of choice due to the health benefits I’ve experienced and minimal purchase cost.

Celsius is a clinically proven, dietary supplement known for its science-backed, sustainable energy. Six studies conducted showed Celsius produces a thermogenic effect, which reduces body fat and increases resistance to fatigue.

Celsius works with the body’s physical activity to produce long-lasting energy.

An absence of sugar sweet-

ELIZABETH CHUNN | The Ranger

ener also ensures consumers stayed energized during the day. The Harvard Medical School said sugar often contributes to inflammation — a common link in heart attacks, strokes and chronic fatigue.

While energy drink companies and coffee shops often market their products’ energizing effects, sugar is their primary sweetener, and drinking their beverages may result in a temporary energy spike followed by a prolonged sugar crash. Drinking Celsius has the opposite effect thanks to its alternative sugar sweetener, sucralose.

The use of sucralose also means it is calorie free and

available to a wider range of individuals, especially diabetics who frequently monitor their sugar levels.

In contrast to the average $5 cup-of-joe, Celsius is far more affordable and available across a variety of locations. Individual cans are found at Pak-A-Sak, Toot’n Totum, United, Drug Emporium and online.

In the past, I’ve purchased individual cans from Drug Emporium for $1.89 each and spent $2.79 per can at Pak-A-Sak. Out of the 12 available flavors I’ve tasted sparkling peach vibe, orange, wildberry, watermelon, kiwi guava and my personal favorite, fugi apple pear.

From my experience, drinking Celsius throughout the workday and before workouts, I can say with confidence these energy drinks are light, energizing and sweet to the taste.

They are also an affordable option, especially for college students and recent graduates.

Though the energizing effects backed by science and the low purchase costs speak for themselves, I encourage you to sample Celsius and see just how much your energy levels improve.

November 11, 2021

Coding students take CTRL

By ELIZABETH CHUNN Student Reporter

Amarillo College’s full stack coding bootcamp is in full swing, and officials say it’s intense.

Classes are held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, for 10 weeks to fast-track the learning process.

“Students are wiped out working extra hard at night and on weekends but seeing their progress after only two weeks is pretty amazing,” Mark Nair, career accelerator consultant, said.

Students are learning

dynamic information responsible for creating responsive and modern websites including, webpages, JavaScript and the web programming language known as HTML, Nair said.

“There are times in class when I’m like, whoa what just happened, but I am grateful we have Mark to teach us,” Netty Ramirez, a student in the program, said. “He’s like Yoda, the master at what he teaches.”

Some students compare the program to a roller coaster with no option get off the ride, but future job opportunities

keep them going. “Almost every organization employs someone with a degree of knowledge about full stack coding,” Nair said.

Ramirez said her eyes were opened to the countless possibilities of coding beyond the stereotypical setting of “kid hacker who lives in the basement,” and hopes to apply what she learns to external affairs in the Amarillo community.

Other students are excited to embark on a new journey. “I built kitchen cabinets for a living and was tired of doing physical labor,”

Nels Bjork, a student in the program, said. “I have no background in coding but want to be a part of the world Mark keeps telling us crazy stories about.”

Thanks to a $15 million gift AC received this summer, students are turning their coding dreams into a reality. Those accepted into the bootcamp receive $2,500 per month to offset living expenses.

“When I was building kitchen cabinets, I was barely getting by and paying bills going to school,” Bjork said.

“This helped make it to

where I could participate in the coding bootcamp and not work.”

Overall, student reactions to the bootcamp are positive, and there is already a waitlist for the next session.

For those who feel intimated to take the leap and enroll in the program, Nair had a word of advice. “This is no different than a sheet of paper and a typewriter, it’s simply a computer and technology,” he said. “If you are looking at the world and are interested in this part of technology, this is the perfect place for you.”

High tech program computes in the Cloud

By NICK BANDY Columnist

Amarillo College is now offering a new career accelerator program that teaches Amazon Web Services Cloud Skills Certifications.

“Our career accelerator program is like a boot camp in which it’s a 10 week program, where students are gaining the knowledge necessary to pass the Amazon Web certification for cloud practitioner and for solutions architect,” said Keegan Ried, career accelerator instructor.

The program not only focuses on preparing students for certification, but also on preparing them for work in the tech industry.

“During those 10 weeks, the students are getting the knowledge that is Amazon geared, but it’s also a holistic program,” Ried said.

“So they’re also getting human skills. They are meeting with industry experts who are their mentors during the 10 weeks. The mentors are talking them through interview techniques and career pathways, because there are 1,000 different things you can do with

Amazon Web Services.”

Many students said they are happy with the practical skills and industry knowledge that the class is equipping them with.

“I thought it was just like a boot camp kind of thing where you get knowledge and they hammer that into your brain,” said AJ Cunha, an AWS cloud skills student.

“Now I understand that the intention is more like creating these new individuals that are capable and able to apply whatever we are learning here. They are doing very well to prove that what I

said before, is that they are not only focusing on knowledge, but also on human skills, soft and hard skills,” Cunha said.

Many of the students within the program were not shy expressing their satisfaction for the course. “For people that are thinking of taking it, I think it’s awesome what they’re doing here.

I mean, they’re all the way committed with this program,” said Justin Tingler, an AWS cloud skills student.

For those who are interested in the program but do not feel confident in their tech skills, the course

Illustrations by ISAAC GALAN | The Ranger

may still be an option.

“We have individuals who have very little experience with computers all the way up through people who are currently working in cloud computing,” Ried said. “So the course doesn’t assume that you have any prior knowledge. It just assumes that you have some basic computer skills, and then we go from that to the solutions architect level, associate level K” The courses will continue to run every 10 weeks for the near future, with the possibility of new courses as well.