Eder heart out
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Crusader
Jordan Eder is crowned homecoming queen at the coronation, and students participate in last week’s homecoming activities. —Page 5
March 3 2010
SEWARD COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE/ AREA TECHNICAL SCHOOL www.crusadernews.com
Year 41, No. 8
Liberal, Kansas
Gas compressor program hires new instructor Zach Carpenter Crusader staff
Women win West
The Lady Saints claim the right to be called the best in the west by winning the Jayhawk West conference outright. See page 1B for more information.
An instructor to head the college’s projected natural gas and engine compressor program is in place and starting to lay the groundwork for the program. Seward County Community College / Area Technical School hired Ron Garber as the natural gas compressor technology instructor. Garber’s job will eventually entail providing instruction to students in the production of natural gas and engine
compressor equipment and overhaul maintenance. Students in this new program will learn the basics of engine overhaul, maintenance and operation. The program is designed to give students a long term, hands-on approach that will encompass all skills needed for the job so they will be thoroughly prepared for the natural gas compression field. To enhance the learning process of the students, models of various parts used in the natural gas compression field will be presented for dissec-
tion to give a more in-depth understanding of how the parts function. According to Garber, no actual date has been established as to when the program will be ready to start accepting students for enrollment. “I personally would like to shoot for August, but that is a real sketchy estimation,” Garber said. The non-certificate program will be operated out of the college’s Business and Industry office, which is located in the Student Union. “He’s building the program from the ground up,” said Reenie Jackson,
Business and Industry director, about Garber’s efforts towards the program. Business and Industry has set the enrollment process for the program the same as any tech program, but it is not for any credit hours, Jackson said. Because the program is a noncredit program, students will not qualify for financial aid. However, the natural gas industry may be willing to help with tuitions, according to Jackson.
• See Instructor page 3
Waxing poetic
Kylix and Pathways host fundraisers
Kylix art club will host its biannual Children’s Art Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 6 in the college art department. The art day is for children grades 1-6. The cost is $15 and reservations must be made by March 5. Call or e-mail Susan Copas to make reservations. Pathways science club will have a bake sale 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. March 10 in front of the library.
Crusader photo/Logan Green
Samantha Gillespie reads a poem written by her sister at the Coffee House Poetry reading Feb. 25.
Telolith deadline near
Students wishing to enter literature or art for the 2010 Telolith student art magazine need to have their entries turned in by March 12. Original poems, short fiction, personal essays, drawing, painting, sculpture, photography or two- or three-dimensional artworks should be submitted to Susan Copas or Bill McGlothing.
Poetry night successful Contributed to Crusader
w o n S s w o h s e v o l no
Student wins Miss Liberal Seward student Sheniece Morton is no quitter. It may have taken her three tries, but she finally achieved what she set out to do two years ago, be crowned Miss Liberal. Read Morton’s crowning story on page 6.
Scholarship application/ spring break dates set
The priority deadline for scholarship and grant applications is April 1. March 15 to 19 is spring break and there will be no classes, but campus will be open.
Seward goes Xtreme
The college is hosting the fifth annual Xtreme challenge March 24. The challenge is a series of competitions for area high schools that involves the accounting, agriculture, art, administrative technology, computer, cosmetology, criminal justice, English, health information, journalism, marketing and trade/industrial education departments. The top three high school students in each category will receive prizes and the school with the most points will get a trophy. For more information, call 620417-1351.
Pets help students adjust
Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest pets can lend a furry hand to students dealing with the transition between high school and college. Learn more on page 8.
Courtesy photo
Fanny Benincasa and members of the Saints and Lady Saints tennis teams shovel snow to clear the tennis courts as one of the hazards of spring sports in Kansas. The tennis teams will be dueling Concordia University and Bethany College Friday and Saturday in unofficial matches at Lindsborg.
HALO enjoys leadership conference in Chicago Joseph Hoffman Crusader staff
Top name speakers impressed and inspired Seward Hispanic American Leadership Organization members at a three-day national conference Feb. 17-20 in Chicago, according to students in attendance. Jimmy Cabrera, president of Success Through Excellence; Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico and former member of President Bill Clinton’s staff; and Pegine, president of PEGCO
Seminars, delivered inspirational and educational messages for HALO students gathered from across the nation. Cabrera spoke to HALO members about packing for success in their lives and careers. “Jimmy Cabrera was one of the best speakers at the conference,” Lizuly Monarrez said. “The whole week was a lot of fun filled with good food, desserts and speakers.” Frances Brown, HALO sponsor, also remembered her favorite session.
“Pegine’s ‘Be Feisty , Be Fearless, Be Focused, Have fun!’ seminar was a fun and exciting workshop,” Brown said. This was the fifth year that Brown has taken a group to the HALO convention. The main focuses and themes of the convention covered immigration reform, education and the 2010 Census. According to Stephanie Jacques, “The trip was an inspirational experience that makes you want to excel in everything that you do.”
Thirteen writers, two guitars, and one big steaming pot of coffee set the scene for the Coffee House/Poetry Reading Feb. 25, where approximately 60 people attended. Featured student poets included Bill Asmussen, Chris Bobeda, Marieka Ford, Gwen Friesen, Samantha Gillespie, Jessica Gomez, Ed Kentner, James Long, Antigoné Lowery and Jose Rodriguez. Original acoustic guitar music was provided by Bobeda and Lindy Kowalchuk. English instructors Bill McGlothing and Janice Northerns also read. Both are published poets and have read their poems at numerous conferences and events. “I think it’s the beginning of a new tradition,” art instructor Susan Copas said. While relaxing with hot coffee, chocolate or tea and gourmet desserts, the audience heard poems on subjects ranging from the universe to Twitter. The poetry was interspersed with music, and short breaks between readings to give folks time to grab a coffee refill and discuss the poems. “It exceeded our expectations in every way—in attendance, performance and enthusiasm,” Northerns said. “It was an amazing evening.” The poets said they enjoyed the chance to express themselves through words. “Writing can be an outlet for any emotion—frustration, worry, joy—it doesn’t matter,” said Gwen Friesen. “Poetry is music without the musical notes.” Of course, some writers do like to set their poems to music, so the audience was treated to original songs by Chris Bobeda and Canadian student Lindy Kowalchuk. Bobeba writes both poems and songs. “I’ve been playing guitar and bass ever since I was 14 and writing my own music just as long,” he said. Kowalchuk is majoring in music and has been writing her own songs since age 9. Several of the students had work featured in the Telolith, SCCC/ATS’s award-winning creative writing/art journal, including Bill Asmussen and Ed Kentner. Both writers recently won awards for Telolith fiction pieces from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. “I’m very pleased with the readers and performers,” McGlothing said.