The Commuter - January 2024

T H E

L I N N - B E N T O N

VOL. 55 EDITION 5

C O M M U N I T Y

C O L L E G E

JANUARY 2024

CS PROGRAM CUTS

The End of the Computer Science Program at LBCC

QUEENPINS

Girls' Wrestling Takes Off

LEAVING A LEGACY

Player Spotlight with Grace Boeder

LETTER EDITOR FROM THE

ABOUT US

I

hope you all had a wonderful holiday break, whatever you celebrate, if you celebrate at all.

Winter break always feels a little long for me, I usually find it a little jarring jumping back into the swing of classes after a month break. While we had time to relax and spend time with our loved ones, we at the Commuter have been hard at work putting together this magazine. Couldn’t be more thankful for the loyal team of outstanding individuals we have here at the Commuter who are willing to take time out of their vacation to grind out articles for you to enjoy. This edition is our longest magazine yet at 32 pages (we usually do 24), making that step up in page count over break was a tad ambitious but nothing the Commuter team can’t handle.

Gotta start off the new year with a bang right?

The new year is a time of change and new beginnings. I must say I’m of the belief that if you want to make changes or resolutions to your life, any day is the right day. That being said, New Year’s can be a great time to implement resolutions into your life. I hope you all have a goal you want to accomplish this new year and that you aim a little higher than you did in previous years. Whatever your goal, however big or small, progress is progress, and I wish you luck on your journey. Setting goals can be incredibly beneficial in more ways that may not be so obvious. Not only do you complete your goal, but you gain experience and build character getting there.

January is also mental health awareness month and whether or not you have medically diagnosed mental problems that holds you

back, mental wellbeing is important to everyone because we all face challenges and difficult emotions, it’s part of being human. Setting goals and meeting those goals can help you build confidence in yourself. You may have things from your past that haunt you and hold you back, you may have challenges you’re facing right now, you may not believe in yourself, but if you give yourself the chance to be courageous you may be surprised to see what you’re made of. I don’t want to trivialize your challenges and say all you need to do is apply yourself to overcome whatever obstacles you face.

Everyone has a different experience and not all roadblocks are the same. What I’m saying is that gathering the courage to try and fail is better than not trying at all.

As for the Commuter’s goals this term, we’re working on building up our social media presence to connect with a wider audience, aiming for more frequent articles, columns, and longer print magazines. We’ve also got a couple top secret ideas cooking involving new mediums of content for our website and Instagram. If you’re interested in working with us, drop us a line.

We’re always looking to build up our team and expand our wide variety of content. The support of our loyal readers is why we at the Commuter do what we do. What’s a newspaper without its following? As always, thanks for reading. I hope this year is fruitful, that you meet your goals and stick to your resolutions. Happy new year Roadrunners!

the Commuter is the student-run magazine for

JOIN THE TEAM

LBCC, financed by student fees and advertising. Opinions expressed in The Commuter do not necessarily reflect those of the LBCC administration, faculty and students of LBCC. Editorials, columns, letters, and cartoons reflect the opinions of the authors. LBCC is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

LETTERS WELCOME

The Commuter encourages readers to use its “Opinion” section to express their views on campus, community, regional and national issues. The Commuter attempts to print all submissions received, but reserves the right to edit for grammar, length, libel, privacy concerns and taste. Opinions expressed by letter submitters do not represent the views of the Commuter staff or the College.

Ryan Janowitz Editor-in-Chief

wanna get together? We’re really

nice and fairly cool and we’d love to hear what you have to say. Not big on journalism but love to journal? Perfect. Are you a STEM major with major opinions?

Let’s hear ’em. Like writing about ’80s film? Local animals?

Snack hacks? Maybe you have a hefty folder of flash fiction on your laptop, just dying to be published and printed. Drop us a line. We’d love to meet you, read you, and support you. Think your ideas might be too weird or too niche for submission?

Even better. The Commuter is an award-winning publication because of our wide range of contributions and our unique contributors. So reach out. We’ll be staring at our email inbox in the meantime, not an ounce of chill to be had.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RYAN JANOWITZ

DESIGN EDITOR

KAILYN MCQUISTEN

PHOTO EDITOR

SARAH ROSE LARSON

FEATURE EDITOR AVERY JADE

NEWS EDITOR

JOSH CANDÉ

SPORTS EDITOR

RYLAND BICKLEY

MARKETING DIRECTOR

CHRIS PATTERSON

REVIEWS

STEVEN PRYOR MASON WILLS

ADVISOR

ROB PRIEWE

CONTRIBUTORS

BRENDA AUTRY KACEY MONTGOMERY SARAH PRIETO KEVIN SANCHEZ JANA SVOBODA GIDEON WARREN SCARLETT WALTER

WANT TO SEE YOUR NAME HERE? JOIN THE TEAM! cover illustration by KAILYN MCQUISTEN

CONTENTS

STAFF

04

COMPUTER SCIENCE CUTS

The End of the Computer Science Program at LBCC

06

08

with Anne Magratten

Girls Wrestling Takes Off

QUEENPINS

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

10 12

PERIWINKLE

LB Set to Open Childcare Center

SERVING THOSE WHO SERVED

13

THIS YEAR I WILL

WEDNESDAY WELLNESS New Year, New Term

LBCC Vets Center Moves

14

15

Sarah Prieto

Colin Bradley

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

16 POETRY CLUB

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Sarah Prieto & Gideon Warren

19

LEAVING A LEGACY

20

with Grace Boeder

Natalia McBride & Cade Smith

24 26

27

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN

PHOTOJOURNALISM Kevin Sanchez & Scarlett Walter

ART WALL

Student Art Showcase

28

TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2023

Mason Wills Ranks Top Releases

STEVEN'S REVIEW Wonka (2023)

CS PROGRAM

CUTS:

THE END OF THE COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM AT LBCC words by KACEY MONTGOMERY photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

▲ Sisi Virasak

4

CAMPUS

G

regory Stutheit is an electrical and computer engineering student with dreams of developing audio manipulation and production equipment for music studios.

He started his education journey at LBCC because he knew it would take him a long time to get his computer science degree, but with the support the college has been known for he knew he could make it happen. Like many students, Stutheit is juggling work, school, and an extracurricular club.

With two terms left before computer science is slated to end, Stutheit and fellow computer science students can’t help but feel like they’re being left high and dry.

“After they cut the computer science program, it feels like it’s going to take 10 years for me to get a bachelor's degree at my learning pace, if at all,” said Stutheit.

Last school year, LBCC’s administration announced budget cuts that slashed a handful of impactful programs and positions, including the faculty librarians in the main campus library, adult basic skills, criminal justice, as well as the computer science and computer information systems programs.

In its final year, the computer science (CS) program has 91 students with a major declared in either computer science or computer information systems, seven faculty members, and is offering 20 classes this winter term. Seven of those classes were full with waitlists brimming with students hopeful to get in.

The CS faculty values teaching the hungry, driven students who enroll at LBCC, providing mentorship and opportunity to those students trying to pick themselves up by their bootstraps, and bringing equity into tech classrooms and career spaces of our community.

Computer science instructor Sisi Virasak’s voice wavered as she explained why the CS program is unique and important to the Linn-

Benton community. “We are a school of diverse learners; we are a community college working together as a community to help our students be successful.”

“We’ll help students get textbooks, allow extra time for assignments, and listen to what they need to succeed,” said Virasak, talking about necessary accommodations made to help students of all backgrounds flourish.

“Some of these students are high school students, some of these students are single moms or working-class people and they need that instructor that will work with them. That’s what we are about.”

“OSU is a big shark. Instructors are busy writing grants, teaching assistants are busy working on getting their master’s, and they just can’t provide the same level of support,” said Virasak, “We are here for our students.”

Since the budget cut announcement, Virasak, CS faculty Joseph Jess, and their colleagues have been working to get students to a place where they can either enter the workforce or transfer to another institution.

In an email, Jess predicted that 60-80% of CS/CIS students will be at a good transfer point where only 45-60% will have completed their degree requirements.

“Students have been doing what they can.

Most of them are trying to squeeze in as many classes as possible,” said Jess. “Many students have described their experience as anxious, nervous, confused, or concerned.”

“I have been trying to ease the students' feelings by being available for advising, tutoringlike work, and advising both academically and bits of career advice in areas that I have experience with that they show an interest in,” said Jess.

Nearly a year after the announced budget cuts, faculty and students still question the decision and the lack of transparency by LBCC's administration.

At the time the cuts were announced, administrators said computer science was an area of study where students can obtain training through online programs such as Coursera and Google. In addition, neighboring institutions, including Chemeketa and Lane Community Colleges and Oregon State University, offer computer science programs.

LBCC’s administration remains steadfast in its plans for program cuts, while some say it still stings that administrative raises last spring matched some of the cuts.

LBCC Board of Education Chair Kristen Adams echoed the sentiment presented by

college President Lisa Avery last spring.

“The statewide enrollment decline for community colleges, as well as a 10year funding disinvestment by the state, have forced all of the community colleges to look in the mirror and consider our role going forward,” Adams said. “It's never easy to end any program.

However, public institutions must be responsible with their budgets, and this decision was made with careful consideration for the college's overall health and sustainability.”

I

n 2023, President Avery projected that cutting the CS program would save the college around $612,000.

Jess noted the amount of tuition that has been brought in by CS and CIS classes since spring 2023 is over $450,000. According to Jess, that number does not include the tuition CS students contribute by taking non-CS classes such as math, sciences, and humanities that make up two-thirds of the required course load needed to obtain a transfer degree.

“If they really wanted to save our program they could,” said Virasak. “There is the Oregon Workforce Ready grant. Mount Hood Community College and Portland Community College were some of the recipients. It's for technology, healthcare, manufacturing.”

Virasak continued, “I recently attended the Oregon Cyber Resilience Summit, where (State) Rep. Nancy Nathanson discussed a statewide funding and education initiative to get students prepared for cybersecurity careers.”

Currently, there is a large job gap in the cybersecurity industry in Oregon with more than 5,000 positions going unfilled.

“Fields like cybersecurity, computer science, and AI are continuing to grow,” said Virasak.

CS/CIS student and faculty suspicion and distrust of the administration also stems from a lack of support and communication.

“When these cuts were first made, the school sent out an email asking us to reach out.

However, the burden ended up on instructors to help panicked students determine the best course of action,” said cybersecurity major Keri Grigas.

Grigas said students in her CS cohort feel depressed, disposable, and worthless. “This is stripping our community of (computer science) opportunities.”

“There are only two terms left and we still don’t have a teach-out plan,” said Virasak. “We are getting incoming students that are taking CS classes that don’t know the program is ending.”

However, that statement doesn’t align with the claim of Board Chair Adams, who said, “The teach-out plan for LBCC's computer science program was created last spring and updated each term with approval by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.”

LBCC Public Information Officer Matt Scotton also noted that LBCC is offering support to students as they prepare to transition to another institution or the workforce by “arranging advising meetings to discuss their plans for the upcoming academic year.”

What CS students say they want is to be heard and be given the hard facts as to why the computer science program is being eliminated.

“Learning online isn’t good for my learning style, so being told to complete my degree online is completely missing the point,” said Stutheit.

Stutheit said LBCC’s computer science program is important to so many because it is locally accessible with affordable tuition.

“Now that the CS program has been cut, I’m done with school,” said Stutheit, “I just don’t see another way for me.”

COMMUTER

5

beyond the

classroom: with Anne Magratten

words and photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

I

f you are an art major at Linn-Benton, you know the name Anne Magratten.

Even if you don’t, you have probably passed her seated at a table on campus across from a student. Anne is animated as she speaks to them, but mostly listens intently.

She sometimes has her laptop out as she searches for scholarship opportunities, explains residencies and open art calls, or sends an email on the student’s behalf.

On a student’s first day in one of Magratten’s classes, she uses the title “Artist” to address them.

Various mediums are freely offered to any artist showing interest; she will hunt down whatever surface a student dreams of creating. Magratten is not here just to teach but also to provide the best chance for students to fulfill their promise.

What is the variety of things you do at Linn-Benton?

Well, principally, I teach visual arts classes, and so that ranges from Design 1 and Drawing 1 all the way through all the drawing courses we teach and then painting as well. I am also the mentor for the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, and I also do different projects with different departments. For seven years, I was the curator for the galleries, but I've moved away from that now. So now I'm more focused on projects like murals, which have been funded through the Peace Grant. Then also I am part of the Communities Advocacy Commission, which is a faculty organization that is working on greater equity on campus.

A lot of what you do is focused on people and enriching and growing individuals.

But these other areas have a lot to do with giving people a better voice or creating more opportunities, right?

Yeah, I think that is one of the things that I came into teaching and I came to art for. I think of art as something that can enrich our lives as makers, it enriches our lives as viewers, and even our sort of passive experience of it during the day is something that can enrich our lives. I do think in art making, we have the opportunity to think about equity maybe in a way that is different from other disciplines.

We're in a creative discipline, we're in a discipline that allows people to envision things that haven't been before, so that's a huge part of where I see art contributing to social change because we have artists who are like, OK, we maybe have some grasp of how things have been before, and we have a new vision.

6

CAMPUS

Why did you choose teaching?

Oh, I chose teaching because I started at a community college in Northern California. I remember I always have to tell this story carefully because I started there and I remember the first day I was so sad because I had wanted to go to an art college, and I had been accepted and I had gotten scholarships. Even with the scholarships, it was an astronomical amount of money. I did not feel comfortable asking my parents for that. They would essentially have to co-sign for my debt, which would be enormous. Even at that time, I'm glad that I had the insight that having a lot of debt might be a kind of hamper to my creativity because of the pressure that it would put on me to make money to pay the debt. I was at that age, everyone was very in my face, saying, “How are you going to make money?” And I was like, “I don't know. One of the things I can do is try not to have too much debt.” So I started at community college really having this feeling I should be in art school. And then, “Oh, my professors are really nice. My instructors are really good.”

And then, “Oh, I can take all of the classes that I want to because of the fact that they're at a better cost.”

Then the more I thought about equity, the more it became really clear to me that I think the notion of the American dream as being able to get an education and make meaningful decisions to help the community because of that education is rooted in community colleges.

Certainly it's other places, but my favorite thing was I was in classes with people who were retired. I was in classes with people who had families and kids, and they were going back to school. I was in classes with, of course, maybe like traditional-age folks, with folks who were building English as a second language, with people who were experiencing just things outside of the uniform. Not that all four years are uniform or something like that, but that there's certainly, it just felt more expansive. And a lot of the people that I was going to school with, including myself, they were working. And I was like, “This feels like this opens college up to so many more people.”

And then, “I want to do this because I had such a good experience.”

You invest in students in a way that goes above and beyond. The amount of attention and care you give students who walk in your door and sit across from you is incredible and genuine. Where does that come from?

And what value do you find in that?

I think many people struggle with a sensation of belonging and many people struggle with a

sensation of imposter syndrome. And maybe what I actually mean is I struggled with both of those things. So when I think about that in an academic environment, I want to make sure that when I am interacting with people, they feel like I understand they're more than just a body in a chair somewhere.

One of my best experiences that I had in grad school was having my instructors treat me as though they saw a sort of exponential set of possibilities for me, all nested inside of me.

There was something about the enthusiasm and dignity that I was granted, where I was like, “I want everyone to feel this.” I have students, but I try to instead talk about those folks as artists.

It’s a strange thing because it's like, where is the threshold? When does somebody become an artist?

And in my mind, it's when we are making things, and we are able to see ourselves in that way.

You mentioned calling in sick to school when you were a kid.

So busted. So basically, throughout high school, I faked my own illness repeatedly so that I could stay home and paint and draw. It was just so funny because I would be like, you know, feigning my own illness in bed. Then everyone would leave, and I would be so delighted, I would spend the whole day making things. Then it was towards the end of the day when I knew I was about to get caught again I had to shuffle everything back together. Sometimes just hid things that were still wet underneath a bed or something like that, where it would have enough space to dry and then pretend I was like, “Oh, I'm feeling a little better now, but I might need tomorrow as well.” Because my project's not done. I think my parents had an idea that I might have been up to something, but they were really pretty understanding as long as I was passing my classes.

At the end of high school, I was enrolled in all

of the possible sections of art. And so my sick days, my studio days worked OK. How does that inform your ideas on high school art programs?

Oh, I mean, my God. So I think my teaching is an amalgamation of everything that has gone right for me with my teachers. And I had a fantastic high school art teacher. And I think for many students who feel isolated or just feel like they need a creative outlet, the studio is going to be a place that is pretty lifesaving for them. I do definitely have times when students come in, and they have experienced something that was harmful.

So there's some healing that needs to happen there.

But my high school art teacher had a transformative experience when she finally found a partner who recognized what a gem she was. Basically, she had been with somebody who didn't understand her brilliance and was somewhat abusive. And then she met a man who was teaching ceramics at the local community college. They really connected. He encouraged her, he was like, “Go ahead, take a test.”

Turned out she scored as a genius.

He got her a license plate that like celebrated this. Because of their love story, these two artists came in and she figured out innovative ways to fund our high school art program.

We were a poor community, but you would walk into the room, and you could have a box of pastels and work with them. You could work with them anytime you wanted. I have nothing but admiration for this woman who, for the first part of her life, was unable, due to a lot of things, to perceive her value and then came into herself, and then proceeded to be a boss for the whole community.

Is there anything else you'd like to mention?

If you are holding back on a creative pursuit or dream, I just really encourage you to take some of those steps toward whatever it is that you want to make. We have a beautiful variety of classes here and also through community ed.

I know that maybe – I probably sound totally bizarre expressing this – but there's something, I don't remember where I read it, basically, “Defining the difference between an imaginative person who has many wonderful ideas and a creative person who manifests them, who does them.” The moment I read that, I was like, “Oh.” Because I knew I was imaginative. That's a choice.

But I was like, I want to be the creative person. To me, that's what agency looks like. It’s that I can do these things.

COMMUTER

7

words & photos by BRENDA AUTRY

O

ver the last few years, high schools have seen an exponential surge in the number of girls participating in wrestling. In fact, girls wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country. In April 2023, the Oregon School Activities Association unanimously voted in favor of making girls wrestling an official high school sport starting with the 2023-24 school year.

This decision will provide girls wrestling teams with more funding, sanctioned events and it gives the girls a feeling of validation in doing what they love.

“When we started having girls on the team, they had to wrestle boys so they were out muscled. They took a back seat and never really got to grow,” said West Albany High School’s Head Girl’s Wrestling Coach Bryan Barker.

“Now we feel worthy. Girls actually have equal opportunities now.”

Though girls wrestling wasn’t officially sanctioned before last year, girls have been wrestling as a club sport, or an extension of the boys team for years. And every year, more girls join.

8

LOCAL

“Back in 2015 we had just two girls, now we have 22,” said Coach Barker.

This increase is typical across the state. Jessica Lister, the head coach of Hood River High School’s girls wrestling team, has experienced the increase in a unique way. “I wrestled all through high school at Hood River, and we had just four girls when I graduated in 2015. Now that I’m coaching, we have 16.”

Some schools in the state have had a full roster for years. Thurston High School has consistently had 30 or more girls on the team for the last six years. Head Coach Mike Simmons said, “We were one of the first in the state to have a full girls team, and this year we have 38.”

Wrestling is unique from other sports in that athletes don’t have to try out to be a part of the team, they just have to show up and try. But wrestling is a very demanding sport and not all the athletes who start the season finish it. WAHS wrestlers practice five days a week for over two hours at a time, and are expected to run and weight train in addition to team training.

“I like the feeling of accomplishment because wrestling is so hard,” said Josie Gaitaud, WAHS

varsity freshman.

“I like to work hard,” said Lacie Manning, WAHS varsity freshman. “When I win I feel like it was worth it to feel like I was dying. I know I worked really hard and I feel powerful.”

Wrestlers are divided into novice, JV and Varsity teams. The teams practice in different rooms, but all the male and female wrestlers on each team train together.

“The girls do the exact same training as the boys do,” said West Albany’s Head Wrestling Coach Casey Horn.

Coach Simmons from Thurston agreed saying, “I don’t have boys and girls, I have wrestlers.

They are treated the exact same and I think they appreciate that.”

Wrestlers in their first year or two compete on novice or JV teams while they learn the skills necessary to try out for a varsity slot. There are 14 slots available on the girls varsity team, one for each weight class (100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 155, 170, 190, and 235).

The WAHS girls varsity team has 11 of these slots filled this year.

W

eight classes have been a point of contention in the past. You used to hear stories from wrestlers and parents about coaches making athletes drop exorbitant amounts of weight in order to fit into a certain weight class. This could be done through starvation, excessive exercise, sweating out water weight in a sauna, or even taking laxatives to drop pounds before matches.

Back in the late 90’s early 2000’s, the National Federation of State High School Associations Wrestling ruled that every state must develop a weight monitoring program to prevent unhealthy rapid weight loss among athletes. At the beginning of each season, wrestlers must have their weight certified. The certification process includes a urinalysis to ensure the wrestler is satisfactorily hydrated prior to being weighed. Based on the wrestler's weight, age, height, hydration level and BMI, a minimum weight is determined, and the athletes are monitored to ensure that they don’t fall below it or lose more than 1.5% body fat a week over the season.

Even with these safeguards in place, some still worried about the effect so much emphasis on weight would have on young female athletes. Would it lead to poor self image? Eating disorders? Low self esteem?

“We see the exact opposite happening,” said Coach Barker. “These young women exude confidence. And their confidence no longer comes from how they dress; They have a whole different swagger about them. They are way more body positive and happy about how they look and feel.”

The consensus among the WAHS varsity girls was that they don’t really worry about their weight.

“I don’t feel pressure to lose weight, and I could just tell the coaches no,” said Chachi Miranda, WAHS varsity senior.

Far from feeling pressured about their bodies, what they feel is “badass!”

“I feel way more confident because I’m a badass,” said Macie Manning, WAHS varsity freshman.

“I feel badass,” said Kaydence Jeffreys, WAHS varsity Junior. “I know if anyone tried to mess with me I could take them.”

Women’s wrestling has been an olympic sport since the 2004 games and its rise in popularity could mean that many of these young women could have a real future in the sport. Or, the sport could provide them with a real future. Women’s college wrestling is growing at about the same rate as high school wrestling, which means wrestling scholarships are a real possibility for many of these girls.

“Each Division 1 team has 9.9 scholarships and 10 slots to fill,” said Coach Horn. “And with female wrestlers, there are more scholarships than there are girls. If the girls want it, it’s there” Ariana Marinez, two time state champion and two time triple crown winner, graduated West Albany High School last year and is now attending Life College in Georgia on a wrestling scholarship.

“About 10 of our girls have gone on to wrestle in college,” said Coach Simmons. “Right now I have three or four more who want to wrestle in college and they’ll always have that opportunity.”

Coach Jessica Lister from Hood River also wrestled on scholarship at Eastern Oregon University.

“I love wrestling. It’s the best sport!” said Coach Lister. “I love that it helped me grow as a person and as an athlete. And I hope that is what all these girls are getting out of it too.”

▲ Group photo left to right: Kyliegh Grieser-King, Kadynce Jeffreys, Macie Manning, Josie Gaitaud, Lacie Manning, Naudia Edmison, and Chachi Miranda

▼ Macie Manning, WAHS varsity freshman, (bottom) throws her opponent at the NW Duals Tournament in December.

▲ Chachi Miranda, WAHS varsity senior, and Lacie Manning, WAHS varsity freshman

PERIWINKLE: LBCC Set to Open Childcare Center words and photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

T

hrough Christmas break, as the rest of the Linn-Benton Albany campus slowed to a quiet rest, Kendra Votava could be found in her temporary office in the Luckiamute Center. Votava is the new director of the Periwinkle Child Development Center, where her future office is under construction, along with the rest of the facility.

The Periwinkle Child Development Center is a new childcare facility on the Albany campus.

It is set to open Feb. 5 in the same space as LB’s original childcare facility, located in the Periwinkle building on the northwest side of campus. Periwinkle will serve children ages 3-5 years old and add 2-year-olds in September.

Periwinkle will prioritize LBCC students and staff with applications open now for their 75 open spots. The center also will function as a lab for LBCC's Early Childhood Education students.

Votava, who has 30 years of experience, knew after helping in her church’s daycare that working with 2-year-olds was what she wanted to do with her life. Votava’s resume includes a wide range of experience, including serving as a court-appointed special advocate for children in the foster system, Head Start, and working at a preschool specializing in special needs. Votava was hired for the role of director of Periwinkle in August and came on board in October 2023.

When Votava walked into the Periwinkle building for her first day, it was down to the studs on the inside, she recalled. The extensive remodel is being done by the Portland branch of Swinerton, a national construction company. Swinerton trucks and safety orange-clad workers in hard hats have become a regular fixture behind the pickleball courts at the back corner of LB’s campus.

An official Linn-Benton sign clearly identifies the building as Periwinkle Child Development Center. However, the way to that sign, or the front door of the facility, has been blocked by a chain link fence and, recently, has been surrounded by building material.

Most any time Votava walks out of Luckiamute, she is drawn across the parking lot to look at that day's progress. An official walkthrough is conducted each Thursday. During this weekly visit, she and the director of operations discuss ongoing construction and progress toward the fastapproaching open date of Feb. 5.

Renovations on this building are extensive.

Historically, Periwinkle was operated by LinnBenton for around 20 years, providing year-round on­-campus childcare for LBCC students, staff, and other families from the community. During that

time, the Periwinkle Child Development Center was utilized by the Child and Family Studies program.

In February 2011, the college’s Board of Education announced a decision to close PCDC due to budget cuts. At this time, a contract was signed with Head Start, which then operated Kidco Head Start out of the facility for over 10 years. Childcare services were offered for families of LBCC and the community who met federal Head Start guidelines. LBCC’s Child and Family Studies Program was still able to partner with Head Start to continue being a lab for students.

After Head Start exited, the building remained empty until voters approved the college’s $16 million bond measure in 2022. Those funds were earmarked for the renovation of Periwinkle as well as a new agriculture education center, and upgrading facilities at both the Albany and Corvallis campuses.

The college explained the impetus behind the resurrection of PCDC as part of the bond measure: “There is a lack of access to childcare for our students and staff. LBCC has identified a facility to resume operations, but the building needs important updates and upgrades to meet industry standards for operations and safety.”

Not only will the reopening of Periwinkle open up childcare to students at Linn-Benton and the surrounding community, but it will also revitalize opportunities for LBCC students studying early childhood education.

At the center, students will be able to learn through observation. The three upgraded observation rooms will feature one-way windows.

Votava also pointed out during a tour of the facility that the one-way windows will be helpful for parents in the early days of dropping off their children. The observation rooms will provide a space to check in on how the transition goes without being seen by their kids. Other technology going into those rooms will allow observers to be able to listen with audio in targeted areas of a classroom.

Heading up a program that was literally gutted is no small undertaking. Hence the reason Votava can be found unpacking massive amounts of educational toys and printing program binders on the floor of her office. Voltava’s temporary office is filled with supplies and three-ring binders.

Voltava’s focus has moved from holes in the ceiling to the shifting storage of program supplies and recruiting staff. In between emails, conversations with the foreman, and taking a few bites of lunch, Votava sat down for an interview to discuss the program.

What brought you here, what did you do before?

When I first started working in early childhood education, that was nearly 30 years ago. I started working at a church-based preschool when I was in high school. I started working with 2-year-olds, which is my absolute favorite age group, and decided that that's what I really wanted to do the rest of my life -- teaching littles.

I did home-based childcare with my best friend. We did that when our kiddos were young.

Then I worked for a preschool that specialized in working with kiddos with special needs, and I did that for about 15 years where I was also a behavior specialist. I worked with the kids with really challenging behaviors, which was a lot of fun. That is also one of my favorite groups, just because they're like a puzzle to try to figure out.

Then when we moved up here to Oregon, I worked for CASA, which is the court-appointed special advocate, and worked directly with the kiddos in the foster care system. That was really interesting and heart-wrenching.

For the last five years, I've worked for OCDC, which is the Oregon Child Development Coalition, and a large Head Start program here in Oregon. Then I came here.

This is such a huge remodel, can you walk us through the building upgrades, and what is being added or changed?

The remodel has addressed and is resolving ADA compliance issues. Our observation rooms were multi-level before, so they put them down to ground level so that everyone can access them. We added a lactation space, which is really awesome.

That'll be available to students, staff, and parents of our preschoolers. Gosh, what else? All new lighting throughout the building. We've taken out all of the fluorescence, which is a really good thing.

Lots of renovations are happening to the cabinetry and things like that in the classroom spaces. It's been a massive undertaking. We have added access restrictions that make it so we are able to really restrict the people that are allowed to come in and out of the building, that wasn't something that they had before. It was kind of a key entry before. Now it will be all electronic, and you can only pass through the people that you want to pass through the building, which is really neat.

Who will the program serve?

We are primarily going to serve studentparents of LBCC and then staff and faculty of LBCC. If we don't manage to fill up all our slots with staff parents and student parents, then we will open it to the community as well. But we will be prioritizing students and staff of LBCC, and we have some really competitive rates.

What are the advantages to LBCC making this choice to bring back something that serves the students and staff?

A huge advantage to that is just being able to help support our students with being able to maintain college, right? I was once a student parent, and it's really hard to go to school, afford childcare for your kiddos, and have them someplace that you know is safe, licensed, and has qualified teachers.

That's a huge advantage right there just being able to have your kiddos on campus with you, real close to you, which would be really great, and also have it be a highly discounted rate from community rates so that you can afford it.

Our community rates are going to be

▲ Kendra Votava gets an update on construction progress.

slightly higher, obviously, than for our staff and our students because we wanted to make it super affordable. Student rates, just for example, are $250 per month, for any age 3 to 5. We won't get started with toddlers until September of 2024.

What kind of activities or programs or education will the kids be getting?

We are going to be working really closely with the Early Education Program that's here at LBCC, and they work on a constructivist approach. So that is more like kiddos driving the curriculum.

We won't have any boxed curriculum type thing, not a prepackaged curriculum of any kind. Kiddos learn through projects that they create, through exploration, identifying ideas that they want to learn about. Then the teachers kind of help support them in learning those things. It's a lot of investigation and estimating and hypothesis and all that kind of fun stuff.

You mentioned hiring bilingual teachers. What role does bilingualism play at Periwinkle?

LBCC wants to move towards being a Hispanic-inclusive society here. So, part of our mission is to be able to include families that are Latino or have Spanish as their primary language.

This is the first time that you're starting a program from the ground up. With your background, what have you gleaned that you're hoping to do here?

It’s been really exciting just kind of being on the ground floor of everything. I would say that one of the things that I've gleaned from that experience is wanting to make sure that all kiddos are incorporated into our program. A lot of programs, especially private preschool programs, have the ability to expel kiddos, and that is something that we definitely don't want to do. So making sure that we have a program that is adaptable for kiddos of all levels of ability is going to be really important to us.

We've intentionally hired people who have backgrounds in working with kiddos with special education needs, and intentionally hired people who have worked specifically with kiddos with challenging behaviors because we want to make sure that every kiddo can attend with us.

What excites you the most when you step back and look at the future of the program?

Everything is so exciting. Just seeing something built from the ground up and being

part of it as it is just emerging has been so exciting.

Yes, it's absolutely a lot of work because we have to create all the policies and procedures and all of the forms and everything for it because there wasn't anything, which is daunting and what I've been spending two months doing. But I think it's also been really exciting just to be part of building something that's going to be so incredible for families and for students. It's just amazing.

If I were taking a tour, what would you tell me about these classrooms?

So one of the classrooms will be toddlers, 2 and 3-year-olds, and then the other three classrooms will be preschool, 3- to 5-year-olds.

And all developmental ranges are accepted. All levels of potty training are accepted. We're open to everybody.

The very first kiddo that I had when I started working with kiddos with special needs was a kiddo with spina bifida, and he had not a cast, but a casing, and I remember trying to change his diaper for the first time. He was 2 years old, and I was scared that I was going to hurt him by accident. Just by having lots of experiences with kiddos of all different developmental stages, I've learned a lot about how we can make sure that we can support everybody.

What are some things that you would like to make sure that people know about?

I think probably just that we even exist.

That's always good. Being a brand-new center that's kind of getting up and running again. We really just need to get the word out to everybody about us being here. We have about 75 slots to fill.

What about the timeline? What do you want to tell the parent out there who reads this article and wants to know more?

Currently, we are accepting enrollment applications. There is a QR code that goes directly to our application. Then, we'll get you in the process of being enrolled. We are planning on opening on Feb. 5. That will be our opening day.

Then we will also be hosting a grand opening event to the community so that everybody can come and see our center once it's open. If they have any questions, they can email me.

Read the full interview on lbcommuter.com.

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Serving Those Who Served

The LBCC Veterans Center has moved to a new location, and added new services to help veterans and military-connected students.

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words & photos by BRENDA AUTRY

he LBCC Veterans Center has moved from their old location in the Forum to their new home in IA 233.

The LBCC Veterans Center is a resource for all veterans and militaryconnected students at LBCC. It was established in 2015 and is funded in part through grants from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs. The room includes a lounge area for students to hang out or do school work in as well as computers, a TV, video games, fridge and microwave.

“The space is mostly for making connections with other vets and military connected students,” said Rob Camp, who manages the Veterans Center.

“Those connections can be really helpful because some of our veterans have to navigate things that our everyday students don't, such as veterans affairs paperwork, and it can be helpful for new students to have someone who has already done that to help.”

The center is usually filled with students, all doing homework, or taking a break during their school day.

“It’s a great place to hang out with other vets who are like minded and have shared experiences,” said Kyle Elliot, Army Veteran who is studying nursing.

“It’s easy to make friends here.”

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▲ Kyle Elliot works on his homework in the LBCC Veterans Center

“I come in mostly to study,” said Samantha Elfering, a military dependent who is studying range land management.

“My kid is in daycare, so I come in and hang out while he’s napping.”

In addition to providing a place for veterans to study and hang out, the Veterans Center is also a place where veterans and military connected students can learn about resources.

“Because of a grant we received from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, we will be offering veteran specific academic coaching for math and science and tutoring in the veterans center,” said Camp. “We also want this to be a space for veterans to learn about things including outside resources for veterans.”

Representatives from the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, county mental health and other outside resources often visit the Veterans Center to help educate students about programs that are available to them. Keryn Neary, LB’s Veterans Specialist also holds office hours in the Veterans Center every week to make herself available to students.

If you are a veteran or military connected student who would like to access the Veterans Center, you’ll need to visit Karen Neary next to the financial aid office in Takena to be certified and receive a code for the door.

▲ Tyler Ancke, Brett Sandgren and Desiree Stevens

NEW YEAR, NEW TERM: words by JANA SVOBODA

TIME FOR FRESH STARTS

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elcome back for winter term, Roadrunners!

We’ve marked another circle around the sun.

The end of the old and start of a new year are often times of reflection. What went well; what didn’t? What are we hoping will be different? Our relationships, our productivity, our bodies, our habits?

About 38% of us in the US mark the New Year by making resolutions. Some students make them at the beginning of each term: “This time I won’t procrastinate/will reach out for help earlier/ get better grades”.

Research shows 80-90% of these promises to self are abandoned within a few weeks.

Most of us really do want to do better when we make these goals. Why is it so hard to keep them?

New habits are hard to form. They usually require a sacrifice of something we rely on to manage anxiety: dopamine-hitting foods or other substances, skin-picking or nail-biting, avoiding hard things.

Finding motivation to resist something that has inthe-moment benefits is hard. Future self wants to fit into last year’s clothes, and present self wants that amazing chocolate croissant. As we’re trying to acquire a new positive behavior, we’re giving up the cushion we used to face discomfort.

Sometimes changing means losing a piece of our identity. Can we be the life of the party if we don’t drink, the funny one if we stop being sarcastic, the always-available one if we make time for an exercise routine in out busy day?

C

hange takes effort. Habits usually don’t, once well-formed. If you brush your teeth regularly, you probably aren’t stopping to think about how, when or why you should do it before sticking the brush in your mouth. You just do it. Bad habits are the same way, though they may be followed by a lot of guilt and self-recrimination. They’re like a road with well-worn ruts where the tires go: easy to fall into. And it takes real effort to get and stay out of them.

Science is unclear about how long it takes to form a new habit. On average, to make it automatic—like the teeth brushing example—it’s over two months. Your mileage may vary. Here’s what can help: Break it down and make it small. If

1. your goal is a healthier diet, choose

one thing to focus on: eating more green vegetables, drinking more water, avoiding

sugar. If it’s improving fitness, you might pick walking ten minutes or dancing to a video every day. Even though these may seem too tiny to make a difference, making these automatic will help you reach your bigger goal. The success of accomplishment can keep you motivated and the smaller objectives remind you of what you want long-term, so you’re likely to make better choices in other areas that support it.

Tie it to a time or link it to a recurring

2. event. Your aim is building consistency for

the new behavior. If your goal is to be less sedentary, get up and walk or stretch every time a commercial comes on when you’re watching TV. If you’re working on improving your mood through journaling gratitude, write three things you’re grateful for each day right before you go to bed.

If you want to relax more while you’re driving in town, do belly breaths at every stop light. Or link to a pre-existing habit: put your vitamins by your toothbrush, etcetera.

Make success simpler. Keep your

3. gratitude journal on your nightstand to

write the day’s thanks. Put a “nanny” app on your laptop that locks you out of social media/ web browsing for a period of time when you are working. Keep a set of exercise clothes in the car so you can hit the gym after class or work. Keep hard to resist snacks out of sight and hard to get to. In other words, foresee and remove barriers that make it harder to develop the new habit. Add barriers that make it harder to engage in the old habit.

Find

your

some pre-determined short-term rewards to keep you going. Or get paradoxical: make a pact you’ll donate a few dollars to a cause you really hate for each week you break your pledge to yourself.

Seek support. Who will help you make

5. the change? Ask for it: schedule progress

check-ins, a reward they hold until you meet the goal, or gentle cues if you’re slipping.

Mark your progress! Record successes

6. and any benefits you’re seeing from

keeping your resolution, abstract or concrete. Example: if your goal is to save money for a future trip, pay attention to a feeling of accomplishment (abstract) when you repair your coat zipper instead of buying a coat, and putting the money saved into the bank (concrete).

N

eed more help? The Advising Center will offer a Habit-Changer workshop in February. Look for details on the LBCC events calendar or a bulletin board. Want help with academic goals? Talk with your advisor, or visit the Learning Center or Math Café’.

Have a great fresh start this term. And if you slip, remember: every breath is a chance to begin again.

THIS YEAR I WILL

motivation.

4. Write a letter to yourself

about why you want to change the behavior, being specific about the possible benefits. Remind yourself most benefits to behavior changes aren’t immediate, and things may feel awkward or undesirable at first. It’s easy to give up in the uncomfortable stage before any motivating benefits are obvious.

Consider building in

REEPIK

graphic via STORYSET/F

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

Sarah Prieto

interview by RYAN JANOWITZ photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

Can you tell me a little about yourself and why you decided to study English?

I've always been really interested in reading and how it just kind of takes you into another world that you could just temporarily live in as long as the book series is. My older sister learned how to read before I did so I just kind of always wanted to fall into reading. I went into kindergarten knowing my ABCs and my numbers. That's why I went into it because I just wanted to write and read forever. Have a career in it.

What's your favorite part about the English program here at LBCC? I like how diverse it is. We have a lot of different classes. I took African American literature and that was one of my favorite classes I've taken here. Just because I learned the reality of where writing comes from, especially poetry and things like that. The people who were the first to write it were African Americans, that was pretty cool to learn. The first publisher I believe was a woman who used a fake name and that was pretty cool. I love the diversity that it has and I also love the professors because they really get into it and you can tell that they're passionate about what they're teaching.

Where do you see yourself after graduation?

I'm going to transfer or move to Western because I heard that they have a really good teaching program. I want to get into that and after I graduate probably just work my way into being a high school English teacher.

What makes you want to be a teacher?

I love the look on people's faces when they realize things and when they learn new things.

It's kind of just satisfying to see them brighten up when they learn.

How long have you been a part of Poetry Club and how did you end up being the president of it?

I started last fall during my first semester and I was hesitant on going because I'm very anti-social. So I kind of wanted to just put myself out there. I joined a poetry club and Peer Empowerment Project. I kind of just fell in love with both of them. Chris Riseley made it really easy. Eventually, he told us about the poet laureate position. It was me and the last Poet Laureate Quinn, who were kind of up against each other and he ended up getting it but then he transferred so I got it for the remaining time. It was a big change from being like, quiet and antisocial and to being the one who has to be in charge. But I also have OCD so it kind of just makes it work that I kind of just want things a certain way and make them a certain way. While also still getting input from everyone else in the club, because I feel like it's important to build a community where everyone feels included.

Let's see. Is there anything you want readers to know about you or Poetry Club?

We meet every Tuesday at 3pm. We’re easy to get to know. Like I said I'm very antisocial so I'm very shy at first and that can put people off from wanting to join and but like once we actually kind of get into the groove that we're in it kind of just becomes more open, friendly, and fun. I feel like a lot of people don't think that poetry can be fun and that it's always just depressing. It's sad and fun poetry, but I try to make things as fun as possible. We have our list of prompts for the next semester, one week we write poetry using sarcasm. I tried to make the first week, midterm week, and finals week a kind of game week where I bring in board games so that way, finals and midterms are less stressful. We don't have a prompt, we don't have to write anything, we just kind of relax and have fun. I try to bring baked goods during that week, like brownies or cookies or something. We set the prompt for the following week at the end of every meeting but most of us are drowning in homework or work so we all forget sometimes. We take the first half to kind of just write and if we finish early, then I'll kind of just go in and we'll write quick five minute poetry.

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:

Colin Bradley interview by MASON WILLS photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

Can you tell me a little about yourself, your major, and what you do at LBCC? Sure, I live in Corvallis. I moved to Oregon six years ago from Bay Area, California, where I had lived for pretty much my whole life. I am 43 years old, I guess that's a prominent detail and I study mechanical engineering. I’m also a tutor for math and chemistry and I am in two clubs, the Space Exploration Club and the Peer Empowerment Project.

What originally made you interested in tutoring?

What made me interested in tutoring was Mike Storrs recommending it because I was frequently in the Learning Center helping people with their math homework. I think he kind of started saying it as a joke. He was like, “man, you gotta sign up to be a tutor” and then I don’t know it kind of just kept coming up and I realized that it would probably help me reinforce some of the things that I’ve learned in classes if I were to keep going over them with other people and help them learn better.

What do you like most about tutoring?

Probably helping people with getting over a difficult spot or getting them ready for a test that’s coming up. Hopefully they feel a little more secure about what they're doing.

What is the Space Exploration Club?

The Space Exploration team was a co-curricular club, where it was originally very space oriented, but we’ve kind of bent it to just be about engineering in general. We are working on a rocketry project right now, where we’re basically making our own rockets from scratch down to the fuel that goes into the engines.

What is the Peer Empowerment Project?

The Peer Empowerment Project is a weekly group where we get a safe space to open up about things that are going on. Chris Riseley, the founder and our faculty member, likes to cut it into 10 different readings that take place each week of the term. Every reading has a theme like toxic loyalty or fear of decisions, things that apply to struggles we all go through in college. After the reading we all have an opportunity to sort of share and open up about what’s going on in our lives.

How did you get involved with the Peer Empowerment Project?

I was in Chris’s Accelerated Learning Program course and part of that is the Peer Empowerment Project. They just went really well and I enjoyed it. I liked having that forum for talking about what was difficult and hopefully you know, allowing, or giving others the measure of comfort with that kind of thing as well. As I’ve noticed it’s really hard for a lot of us to open up and be honest about what’s going on and I feel that the more I do that, the easier it is for others to do so as well.

Do you think the Peer Empowerment Project is meaningful to student health?

It definitely gives us a sense of belonging and camaraderie. Even though they’re usually not folks that I typically have classes with very often or see around all that much, it’s always really good seeing them and having another friendly face. It really just helps everyone feel a little more at home here.

COMMUTER

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poems by Sarah Prieto

16 16

A+E SECTION TITLE CAMPUS

poems by Gideon Warren

Embarkment of the Cannibal Cold stony poker faces: Each grim and fell, Conceal all, and nothing; With their own kind of tell.

Each of us knowing, Contemplating the same: How long without feasting Does man remain tame?

In a wide awake nightmare, On their tables I'd wait.

Daydreaming of serving Myself up on a plate.

All being the menu, Who dares broach the question: Which course would make for an Excellent selection

Protein Powder My brother picks up heavy weights inking it will get him dates.

He'll never miss a single day And works his muscles every way To make big gains, He takes great pains Eating protein by the pound Or whatever can be found But more than muscles can result For my poor nostrils take assault From the smells that emanate Of what remains of things he's ate. e farts he rips both night and day Drive all the ladies far away

Seconds sapping strength, Is there weakness detected?

For most defenseless will surely Be the rst one elected.

Withering weeks Drifting farther to sea Longing for land or a ship at could save them from me When not one creature Nobly offers to die Do the laws of the jungle, On a life raft apply?

COMMUTER

17

Presented by ICAP, Accessibility Resources, and the SLC

COMEDY SHOW

with Hayden Kristal

27 February, 2024 | 11:00 am Tripp Theatre LBCC Find Out More about Hayden Kristal Here: https://www.kpcomedy.com/hayden-kristal.html For accommodation requests, contact Accessibility Resources at 541-917-4789 or accessibility@linnbenton.edu at least three business days in advance. LBCC does not discriminate based on any protected status in its programs or activities. For more information, visit linnbenton.edu/nondiscrimination

Leaving a Legacy Player Spotight with Grace Boeder

In the last two years, your record is 70-1; what do you feel made these teams so successful in terms of mindset and execution?

We trusted each other, we communicated effectively and were very resilient, especially when there was pushback from other teams. We knew there was (and still is) a target on our backs. We were all very competitive and were constantly pushing each other. Whether it be school, practice, weight room, we were always bettering one another. We also had the mindset, “One match, one set, one point, one mission.” And we stuck to it, and it has worked pretty well the last three years.

interview by JOSH CANDÉ photo by SARAH ROSE LARSON

U

ndeterred, unrelenting, undefeated.

Following three years of almost nothing but winning, the Linn-Benton volleyball team captured their third consecutive Northwest Athletic Conference title and completed their 36-0 season on Sunday, November 19, 2023.

Leading the charge was sophomore Grace Boeder, MVP of the NWAC Championship Tournament, NWAC Player of the Year and an All-American to boot, if not to spike.

A strong future candidate for Linn-Benton’s Athletic Hall of Fame, Boeder has left an indelible mark on the college with her leadership and winning ways.

What were your emotions when you won the final point and the season was completed?

All I could think was, “Wow, we did it.

Again.” I was in shock, excited, it was unreal.

There were two very different directions the season could have gone, especially with having 10 freshmen and five sophomores. And I’m so happy with the path we took. We worked so hard every single day to get to that point. I loved our resilience and wanted us to push each other and make each other better.

Linn-Benton has won its third consecutive NWAC title. How do you plan to pass the program on to the next generation of players?

I think a lot of them felt the high expectations I put on them, they all knew I wasn’t there to mess around. Of course we had fun times, but we also were competitive whilst having fun. I’m also highly competitive, so I feel like that will carry with them into next year. I was a silent leader, I didn't need to give speeches to let people know that my presence was there. As long as I was calm and confident on the court, I knew my teammates followed and I knew we had a mutual trust that we were going to get the job done.

You were named an American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team All American. What are your reflections on that as your two-year career comes to a close?

In the most humble way to say this… I’ve worked my butt off to be where I am today. I am so grateful to my parents for giving me the opportunity to dedicate a lot of mine and their time to this sport, and I thank them for all of their support. I thank Jayme for seeing my potential and helping guide and pushing me to become a better player, teammate, student, and person. And I’m especially grateful to God. My faith and spiritual path is very important to me and keeps me centered and reminds me that my self-worth is not defined by my sport but it is defined by Him. He has guided my path and has continually pushed me, as the phrase goes “God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers.” I resonate with this phrase, because He has challenged me and put me in some difficult

learning lessons, but I’m grateful for them, because I wouldn’t be who I am without those setbacks and challenges.

You were also the NWAC South Player of the Year and MVP of the NWAC Championship Tournament.

What do these accomplishments mean to you, personally?

These accolades are really rewarding. They are a symbol of a “job well done” (as Jayme would say) and it feels good. It feels good to be noticed for the hard work I’ve put in over the years and I could not be more grateful for receiving them.

Is there any moment during the year that inspired you to put in the effort to win these awards or pursue excellence?

During pre-season, when I saw how hard working the freshman class was, I knew it was going to be a good season. They came in and immediately started pushing the sophomores, because of how they came in and just got work done. I loved having the other middles on my heels all season, I know we were constantly pushing each other and supporting one another.

Do you have any plans for volleyball after LB? I plan to join Corban University this 2024 Spring Semester.

What is your philosophy in terms of preparation?

In August, for pre-season we will do daily doubles, with skill-specific sessions with setters, close to daily workouts, and a couple of mile runs to help with endurance. As challenging as all of this is mentally and physically for 2-3 weeks straight, it all teaches you how much more your body is capable of. Mental toughness is so important especially in the moments when you think you can’t but in reality you can, it's just hard.

What skill did you build most this year?

Mentally: my leadership skills, I feel much more confident as a person, and am able to communicate through my actions and body language a lot better than I could last year. I was put in a challenging spot as a sophomore with 10 freshmen. They needed someone that understood the awkward spot they were in as freshman, but also someone to keep them focused and on task.

I always wanted to see them succeed and was encouraging and pushing them to be overall better, not just in a volleyball aspect.

What was your favorite moment from the season?

My favorite moment was during one of our pre-season tournaments in Washington, and we were in a hotel room, just talking about our lives, experiences, hardships, and lots of funny stories.

We were all busting up laughing until our cheeks hurt and it was the closest I have ever felt with my teammates on any team I’ve ever been on.

These are all things I used to suffer from and have told myself many times over. I eventually started to believe in myself. But Jayme is the one who taught me that my self worth isn’t defined by my sport, or my performance, or my grades.

It’s defined by how much effort I am giving and sometimes there’s going to be off days and that's okay.

Is there a moment during the season that you feel brought the team together?

When we were on the charter bus during [the NWAC tournament] and we were dancing to music and having a great time in the back of the bus. It was so much fun to see and be a part of this group of goofy girls dancing and laughing together.

I

n her time at Linn-Benton Community College, Grace Boeder has been all that Coach Frazier and Roadrunner nation hoped that she could be, and more. With her accomplishments and leadership, the Linn-Benton sophomore leaves big shoes to fill. The school can only hope that those who follow in Boeder’s footsteps are as dedicated, humble, hardworking, and they represent the school with the same pride, respect and dignity that Grace Boeder has every time she has stepped on the campus and on the court.

Check out lbcommuter.com for the full interview with Grace Boeder.

COMMUTER 19

FANTASTIC

Natalia McBride and Cade Smith Excel in Their First Year of College Basketball

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words by RYLAND BICKLEY photos by SARAH ROSE LARSON

BCC’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have more in common than you might think. Besides representing the same school, both teams boast winning records to enter the new term with big goals for the rest of the season. And both have freshmen who have made big impacts early on in their Roadrunner careers. LBCC’s Natalia McBride and Cade Smith are both second on their respective teams in points so far in their freshman seasons, and they chatted with The Commuter about their experience playing basketball, their goals for the rest of the season, and what it’s like playing on an empty campus over winter break.

How did you first get into basketball and sports in general growing up?

NATALIA MCBRIDE: My whole family's sort of into basketball so I started playing really at like five.

CADE SMITH: My dad's a track coach at my high school. So he's always had me and my brother doing active stuff as we grew up and working out in the yard. I started off doing soccer and it was my first love of sports. And I got a really big concussion my eighth grade year and I had to medically stop playing. And that's when I transitioned into fully playing basketball. And because I was so tall, I think it was like, 6-foot-3, going into freshman year, my dad was like, ‘Hey, you should try and competitively do basketball.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I mean, I'm tall enough for it. I'm athletic enough for it.’ I just put my nose to the grindstone and really tried to hustle on the varsity team.

At what point did you realize that basketball could be something worth pursuing beyond just high school?

NM: I would say my freshman year of high school was kind of when I started to realize that I can do more than just play basketball and I can use it to also pay for my education and stuff. That's really when I started to drive to be able to do that.

CS: After freshman season because I had just started basketball in eighth grade, and I hadn't really done much of it throughout middle school.

And right when I picked it up, I knew I loved it and that I really wanted it bad. My coaches were telling me that I looked good out there and I had a lot of potential and I really just kind of bet on myself. And you know, it worked out.

How did you decide to come play basketball here at Linn-Benton?

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SECTION TITLE CAMPUS

NM: I was talking to a couple of schools and LB

just had the best community, and just the vibes overall when I came on my visit were so much better than all the other schools I went to.

CS: One of my teammates from AAU [Amateur Athletic Union] actually is on the team, Zach Donahoo, and he introduced me to Coach Zimmermann and from there on out it was really like a storybook. He ended up inviting me to open gym and I ended up coming to every one. He ended up offering me a scholarship and I took it and here we are.

What are you majoring in here at Linn-Benton and how has your experience managing being in school and playing sports been?

NM: I'm dual enrolled at Oregon State. My major is biohealth science. And yeah, overall it's been really easy because everybody's really flexible and really just makes it as smooth as possible to get through everything.

CS: My major is psychology right now with a minor in forensic science. And it's really just been a constant grind. You know, doing school literally right when I get off practice and doing homework. Straight to studying. When I wake up in the morning, that's what I do. You know, anytime I have off, especially with taking math and chemistry in the same semester. I had to really stick to the books. So it's just been hectic, but it's also been a fruitful experience. I learned a lot this semester. It's been fulfilling.

Do you have any hobbies or things you like to do outside of sports and school?

NM: I love music. I play guitar, piano, trombone, and clarinet. But other than that, there's not a lot of time for other stuff outside of school and basketball.

CS: I collect vinyl records. I’m a big, big music fan.

I love shoes. I love skate shoes. I love skating. I love tattoos. I'm really big into tattoos.

As a freshman, you've cracked the starting lineup here at LB, and you're second on the team in points so far this year. How does it feel to be contributing so much to the team this early in your college career?

NM: I like it, but it is kind of stressful to start a game knowing that I have to contribute or otherwise, it might not go as well as we want. So it's a lot of responsibility. But it's also fun because I know my teammates are there for me too.

CS: Honestly, it feels great. I've put in so much

FRESHMEN hard work into my conditioning and overall fitness and really honing my skills. I really just want to help out the team in any way I can. Whether it's a big role or small role, I really don't care. I want to be the glue guy. I want to be the energy guy. I want to be making big plays. I just want to win so bad.

What would you say are the strengths that you bring to the team?

NM: I think I'm really good at keeping the team together because I'm not so much like a loud leader. I just like to make sure that everybody's having a good time. Because it just goes better when everybody is.

CS: I crash the glass hard. I try to go after the ball.

Especially with larger guys that are guarding me that are usually slower than I am, I get to the ball super easily. I say rebounding is definitely one of my strong suits and attacking the basket. When bigger guys are guarding me I can really turn their hips and get them off balance. Inside scoring is really one of my strong suits.

Your team is 8-2 to start this season. How has that strong start felt and what are your team’s goals for the rest of the year?

NM: It's been a good start. It's always nice to win, but those two losses were also just as important as the wins because it showed us that we can't slack off. I think our goal going into the future is just to play as hard as we can because that's something that we can do is play really hard and super scrappy, and super fast. But we don't always do that because we lose focus. So keeping focus and just trekking forward.

Your team is 6-3 to start the season. How has that strong start felt and what are your team’s goals for the rest of the year?

CS: It feels good and it hasn't been without its ups and downs. But we've made strides since the beginning of the season. And in practice, you can definitely see it defensively and offensively. We're starting to really get into our rotation and just playing great defense to stop guys on transition and it just feels great seeing all these guys gel together.

This is my family. This has been my family for the past four or five months. And it's just great to see everything come to fruition. And see our potential really shine.

Do you have any personal goals for this season?

NM: I don't have any big, personal goals. I just like to see where the season takes us but I just think

staying together as a team and working really hard is a big one.

CS: I want to stay above .500. Just as a team, I really want to make the NWAC playoffs. That's always the goal. And I think we can do it. Personal goals, I want to stay within the top 50 [in NWAC] scoring. I also want to stay within the top 50 for my rebounding and I really just want to create for myself a good starter for next season if I potentially come back here so I can build off of what we're building on now.

It’s still early in your freshman year, but do you have any goals or plans for after LB? NM: I do want to transfer to a four-year school and hopefully I can play basketball there but if not, it is what it is. And I'm planning on going into premed.

CS: I really want to play at a four-year and I really want to go D1, so that's really been the ultimate goal since the start, but you know what? I'm really happy as long as I'm playing basketball.

Any four year schools in particular?

NM: I'm kind of toying with the idea of Oregon State but since I'm from Washington, the out-ofstate tuition is my only hang up on that one. But Washington State and the University of Idaho are other options for me.

CS: Oregon State would be one. If any NAIA school would pick me up that'd be good too.

Honestly, anywhere that offers a good education and offers me to play basketball. I'm blessed to have received a scholarship at any level honestly.

What has it been like having to show up to practice, play games, and be on campus when the rest of the school is on winter break?

NM: It's very dead. We walk in, there's no cars in the parking lot. There's construction workers there. And a lot of us hang out with the volleyball team. So that's also been kind of dead too. Because nobody's here and they've been home for twoand-a-half weeks, now three weeks. So it just feels empty and almost like a ghost town.

CS: I mean, it's challenging, but it also gives you a chance to really lock in on what you're doing.

There's less distractions. There's less hustle and bustle going around. And you know, when we're in the gym, everything else disappears. So it really doesn't bother me too much.

COMMUTER COMMUTER

21

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT? Written by the SLC

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The President’s Role - The Big Kahuna! They’re the official mouthpiece, leading the SLC pack, organizing events and meetings. Plus, they even have the power to make boss-level decisions for the betterment of the associated students of LBCC. The Vice President’s Role - They are the second in command and the first to go to when the president is out of office. Plus, they lead the Judiciary Board!

Required: 2.2 or Higher GPA Becoming the SLC president or vice president will give you ample leadership skills, networking skills, communication skills, resume building skills, influence and impact skills, advocacy skills, and an enriching personal growth experience.

Ultimately, the decision to pursue the role of student body president should align with your interests, goals, and passion for making a positive impact on the college community.

It's a significant commitment that comes with responsibilities, but the potential rewards in terms of personal growth and contribution can be substantial.

Your voice. Your campus. Your leadership journey.

Apply for SLC President or Vice President Here

S

o can you tell me a little about yourself?

Artist Spotlight:

Cheryl French interview by RYAN JANOWITZ

Well, I'm probably kind of an unusual student because I was an LB employee when I took all the art classes, and so I was just part time. I was a very part time student and wasn't really aiming for a degree, but it was an opportunity to take art classes. So I had never done any computerized art and so I took the whole series of classes on Adobe and Photoshop and had a great time in those classes. Then I started taking drawing classes and painting classes. So I kind of came at it from a different perspective in that I wasn't going for a degree, but I was looking for more formalized training in the area of art.

Last March I retired from my job at LBCC and I did a variety of things at LB. I started out there about six years ago and was asked to start a program that supported students who were also parents. I did that for about three years until the federal funding fell apart and COVID hit and that ended in June of 2020. Then when I came back under preferred hiring, I became the person who delivered the mail. So I ran around in my little electric cart and delivered packages and everything. It's quite a variety of things I did.

I'm one of those people who did not stay on the same track after college. It's good for you to shake things up every once in a while.

When did you start making art?

I probably started making art when I was in my mid thirties. So I'm not the typical person who drew all through their childhood. I started when someone gave me watercolor supplies and that kind of started me off. I realized in playing around with those that I didn't know how to draw. So I took some community ed classes in drawing and painting and really developed a love of it. Then my daughter was born when I was about 40, and when she got into elementary school. They had really cut the arts programs in the elementary schools pretty drastically so I volunteered a lot to teach art to her and her classmates. That developed into a job well, not really a job you know, independent contractor thing where I did artist residencies in the schools.

I developed a lot of information about different mediums, different types of things to do, kind of from the perspective of what would elementary school kids like and what could they be interested in. So painting is an odd way to get into art.

Is painting your primary medium now?

I would say painting is about equal with printmaking. I work with woodblock, prints and with linoleum cuts and with mono printing. I have an etching press in my garage and do stuff with that.

So can you tell me a little more about the paintings you chose?

Well, the show has about 11 or 12 paintings and they're all up in Chinook Hall in Corvallis right now. So anybody who's really interested can actually go see them. I was really honored to get picked as one of the two artists to do that,

to put out paintings in Chinook Hall for all of this year. The idea was to paint paintings or to produce works that somehow were on some kind of theme and I for many years have gone camping along the Pacific bird migration route and also along the Columbia River. I’ve done a lot of watching birds. I'm not a life list kind of birder, I'm just a person who likes to go out and look at birds. Then I did some research on the history of the Columbia River and its ecosystem and its influence in the lives of indigenous people mostly through something called the Confluence Project. So those were all things that I had been doing in the years leading up to getting this commission to paint these paintings. They just kind of flowed out of all of that.

I love birds, but I like showing them in their habitat so that was great fun, just showing how beautiful they are and how beautiful the places are. But I have to say that the climate change which people started talking about 30 years ago, is just getting closer and closer and maybe it's already here. That really influenced where some of the paintings went. I think you see that most clearly in the Waters is Life diptych.

The first painting, the bright one, was inspired by being on the Deschutes River and watching these Merganser ducks just fly up the river and then float down and then fly up the river again. It looked like it was just for the fun of it, it was just wonderful to watch. Then this spring we didn't go back to the Deschutes. We went down to the Klamath River Basin. There are parts of that that, ten years ago, were full of water and birds. Three quarters of it was dry this spring and there were dust storms. It just made me really think what will the Deschutes River, where all those beautiful Mergansers were playing look like when it comes down to a trickle. There were the big fires three years ago and I guess it was the right time to put some of that into my painting.

Anything else you want readers to know about your paintings?

Just a little bit of a pitch. I'm not part of the gallery anymore. I mean, I sort of dropped that membership about three years ago. But there is an art gallery in Albany that has a variety of artists in it, and I recommend that people go see it. It's the Gallery Calapooia in downtown Albany. I was one of the people who helped start it. I was the bookkeeper for a long time. If people want to see some of my other art, I did a number of murals for the Albany City Library in the main library. If you go into the children's room, you can see six column murals that I did. So if you want to see more of my work, that's a place to see it.

I guess from working with kids in art, I really, truly believe that everybody has an artist of some kind inside of them and that there are too many opinions about who should or shouldn't be an artist. Maybe you don't have time for it now, but it's a potential in you, whether it's music, whether it's poetry, whether it's the visual arts, everybody has that potential to express their content, their individual viewpoint, and they should never close that part of themself out.

COMMUTER

23

Photojournalism:

MATH CAFÉ

by KEVIN SANCHEZ

T

he Math Café is a great place to visit because it provides students with math support, has free coffee and has very friendly tutors. It is located at LBCC in Albany, upstairs above the library in the Learning Center.

The Math Café is open five days a week from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday. It is a tutoring place where students can drop in or have appointments. The Math Café helps with math homework and math packets. They provide study skills and will answer any math-related questions. It's also a study space to work and drink free coffee or tea, as well as hang out. They can point you in the right direction to develop a success plan to organize a math schedule to do homework and study for tests.

Anyone who goes to LBCC and has a student ID number and everyone is welcome to come in, even if you don't take math. Math Café helps more than 280 students do well on ALEKS online. ALEKS is an online math program where students have to get three answers right in order to move on to the next topic. For each topic, there are many specific math problems.

You might have to complete as many as twenty topics or as few as five. it depends on how you do on a knowledge check. A knowledge check tests you on how you have learned so far and see how much you remember. It will give you old topics to do again, and if you do well, you don't have to redo old topics. The Math Café helps you remember how to do old topics and new ones.

▲ Math Café on Dead Week - An overview of the students and staff in the Math Cafe on December 1, 2023. Most of the students are doing homework and studying for finals. Meanwhile, the tutors were available to help them.

▲ Zachery Gonzalez on the left and Diane Hunsaker

on the right. Diane is helping Zachery with a math equation. Gonzalez is from Albany and majors in Chemistry at LBCC. Gonzalez enjoys boxing and spending time hunting, and is looking forward to living in Alaska after graduation.

▲ Brie Wood, sitting down and doing some work

on her laptop while waiting for the next student to ask for help in The Math Cafe. Wood grew up in Corvallis and works for the Math Cafe.

She graduated with a math major degree from Oregon State and works as part-time faculty and an instructional assistant at LBCC.

⊲ Jasmine Bella, working on math by herself. If Bella gets

stuck on her homework, she will raise her hand, and the first tutor that is available will come up to her. They will begin solving the problem together, one step at a time.

After they solve one problem, the tutor will explain to her what’s going on and give her a few tips, then ask her to try one problem on her own.

▲ Sarah Whelchel helping a student in the Math Cafe.

Whechel is explaining a math equation in action.

Whelchel graduated from Oregon State with a master’s in Math. She now works for the Math Café and teaches Math 95 and 105.

Photojournalism:

REALLY REALLY FREE MARKET

by SCARLETT WALTER

S

o what is the Really Really Free Market? In O'Connor's own words, "The free market is a foundation for people to get into mutual aid and general leftist organizing. We're not a charity, we're not a nonprofit, and we don't want to be." According to him, this is because "there's a lot of things that stifle organizing in those models" - things that might work for other groups, but that they want to avoid.

"Everything we do here is inherently political," O'Connor says.

"There's conversations, there's zines, there's fucking, like, actions - there's a myriad of things, and it's all connected with the local organizing scene here in Corvallis." Or, in other words: "It's almost never just giving shit away - there's layers to this shit."

He then goes on to name Stop the Sweeps Corvallis, Sunrise Corvallis, Corvallis Antifascists, and Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) Corvallis as some of the groups they're connected with who are also working to foster mutual aid and political action in the area, as well as several Palestinian liberation groups.

"It's fucking turned into, like, a family situation," Riva muses. "It feels like [it's] extrapolating outwards from this point where like the free market is, like, the base level, and then if you just apply a lot of the principles that you see here out into your life and out into your friends' lives and stuff, it kind of builds that sense of community."

The RRFM in Corvallis began relatively recently, in April of 2021. However, the first thing to call itself a Really Really Free Market was in 2013 in Anaheim, California, Daley says. "The practice has been going on for decades," O'Connor clarifies. The Occupy movement in the early 2000s, he points out, as a prime example, specifically Occupy Wall Street; he also mentions the Black Panthers' distribution program in the 1960s, the big exchange fairs organized by different anarchist groups in big cities like Chicago in the early 20th century, and Seattle's long history of doing mutual aid.

"Once you get the label down, you can kinda see it where you see it," he explains.

▲ The Really Really Free Market in Corvallis is held in

Central Park every Friday from 1-4 pm. This specific photograph shows the market on December 1, 2023 at around 1:30 in the afternoon. Two of the market's primary organizers, Amethyst O'Connor (24) and Riva Daley (23), chat off to the side.

▼ Trevor Harris, an RRFM regular, tries on a scarf he found in one of the bins full of winter clothing.

⊲ The RRFM is just as much a place to eat snacks and

hang out with friends as it is a source of resources for many unhoused and/or low-income individuals. In the above photograph, Manny Borjas (center) jokingly accuses me of sneaking around with my camera. Tyler Nimchuk (right) is nicknamed "Gary" because "he looked like a Gary" when he got out of prison (i.e., when he had a mullet and a mustache), according to his friends Manny and Alex. On the left, Stevie Miller looks on with amusement.

▲ Christina Abram shows off a pair of pants that she

stumbled upon while looking through the bins of clothing for something to wear to an interview. She is especially excited - even offering to pose for a photograph - because the pants are brand new and still attached to the tag.

COMMUTER

25

ART WALL

▲ Kiandra Triplett

▲ Emma Sisler

▲ Aaron Mai

Want to be featured?

Send us an email! commuter@linnbenton.edu ▼ Sunny Pickett

▲ Sarah Prieto

▼ Ezra Berg

⊲ Daisy Zambrano-Gomez

Need help?

WONKA

Call the LBCC Mental Health Crisis Line.

24/7 Crisis Support

MOVIE: Wonka (2023) DIRECTOR: Paul King (Based on novels by Roald Dahl) STARRING: Timothee Chalamet, Rowan Atkinson, and KeeganMichael Key with Calah Lane and Hugh Grant RATED: PG words by STEVEN PRYOR OVERALL RATING: ★★★★★

onka is a musical fantasy film based on the Roald Dahl book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which was previously adapted for the screen in 1971 and 2005.

Serving as a prequel to the novel and previous adaptations; the film is an unapologetically whimsical origin story that respects the legacy of its source material while also putting a new spin on the tale for audiences and fans of all ages.

Featuring Timothee Chalamet (Dune: Parts One and Two) in the title role, his performance as Willy Wonka sees him go from globetrotting urchin to wizard chocolatier over the course of an easy-to-consume 115-minute runtime. Notably, Chalamet did not even have to audition for the part; being cast because of his school days in musical theater. His rendition of Wonka not only captures the boundless energy of the late, great Gene Wilder in the role; he makes the role his own in the grand tradition of musical actors such as Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly.

Director Paul King has assembled a crew that previously worked on

films in the Wizarding World and Paddington series; giving them plenty of experience in reimagining beloved children’s stories on film. The candy creations and world that combines elements of multiple different time periods gives the movie a deliberately timeless look and feel.

The visuals pay homage to not just the previous films, also including many scenes and sets would not be out of place in the illustrations of Dahl’s books. Experienced costume designer Lindy Hemming gives the entire cast a unique wardrobe; with Wonka himself treading the line between adventurous waif and enigmatic candyman from top hat to mailman’s dungarees. The songs not only contain reworked versions of beloved classics such as “Pure Imagination,” but a slew of new compositions alongside an orchestral score by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot.

Overall, Wonka is a “scrumdiddlyumptious” musical origin story that’s recommended as a deliciously sweet way to start off the holiday movie season.

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COMMUTER

27

THE IRON CLAW written and directed by SEAN DURKIN

T

he Iron Claw came out of nowhere for me and was surprisingly amazing. It follows the true story of the Von Erich wrestling family during their rise and fall.

The movie mainly focuses on the effects wrestling had on the brothers personal

lives and the emotional fallout from their abusive father. The director Sean Durkin found a way to create a deeply emotional story that packs multiple devastating moments throughout the runtime. One of the most emotional biopics I’ve seen in years.

09.

BARBIE

written and directed by GRETA GERWIG

G

reta Gerwig’s Barbie was a movie that I went in expecting to be so bad it’s good, but left pleasantly surprised at how great it was. It was absolutely hilarious and completely outlandish, but it still dealt

with real issues in tactful ways. Margot Robbie perfectly portrays the titular Barbie and Ryan Gosling stands out as Ken. By far one of the most rewatchable movies released last year.

SPIDER MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDERVERSE

directed by JOAQUIM DOS SANTOS, KEMP POWERS, JUSTIN K. THOMPSON written by PHIL LORD, CHRISTOPHER MILLER, DAVE CALLAHAM

A

feat in animation and a spectacular story. The continuation of 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse somehow makes a nearly perfect animated movie even better. The use of mixed media animation is really

THE HOLDOVERS directed by ALEXANDER PAYNE written by DAVID HEMINGSON

words by MASON WILLS

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T

10.

08.

well utilized, with plenty of different styles creating the feel of a real multiverse. All the returning characters are made better and all the new ones leave lasting impressions. This is by far one of the best animated movies released in 2023.

07.

he Holdovers is an unexpectedly heart warming and amazing holiday movie. It follows a professor and student who have to stay on a high school campus during winter break. The bond that flourishes between

them is amazing to watch develop as they become great friends. It feels like Dead Poets Society, but not nearly as sad, and The Breakfast Club mixed together.

It gives a very classic 80’s coming of age movie feel with amazing performances from everyone in it.

POOR THINGS directed by YORGOS LANTHIMOS written by TONY MCNAMARA

P

oor Things” is definitely the most unique movie I watched this year. Everything from set design, character interactions, and story are very different from other movies and create a very good atmosphere.

It’s incredibly funny with so many jokes

OPPENHEIMER

directed by CHRISTOPHER NOLAN written by CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, KAI BIRD, AND MARTIN J. SHERWIN

A

and visual gags. Even with the constant comedic moments there are serious subjects intertwined with them in tasteful ways. Emma Stone is an obvious stand out and gives a career defining performance as Bella. Definitely not for everyone, but nonetheless was astounding in its creative weirdness.

nother masterfully created movie by Christopher Nolan. Oppenheimer shows the impact of the atomic bomb on J. Robert Oppenheimer directly before and after it was used. Every single performance

is a powerhouse and even the small roles dictate specific emotions from you as you watch. The atomic bomb test was absolutely breathtaking and one of my favorite scenes of the year.

wirtten and directed by HAYAO MIYAZAKI his movie was a return to form for Studio Ghibli after the 2020’s lackluster Earwig and the Witch. It beautifully weaves together inspirations from the director Hayao Miyazaki’s life and a wonderful

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON screenplay and directed by MARTIN SCORSESE

K

04.

G

02.

odzilla Minus One holds a lot more depth than the United States “Monsterverse” movies and deals with the aftermath of World War Two in Japan. This truly instilled the absolute terror and helplessness that Godzilla emanates.

Outside of Godzilla we get to experience the main character, Koichi, grappling with his own mental fallout from the war through PTSD and survivor's guilt. There is also a found family aspect that was really nice and showed the hope that can be found in the most hopeless situations.

fantasy world. It never felt like it held my hand when it came to the themes and allowed me to find the meaning myself. Although this is by far Miyazaki’s least approachable movie it is still absolutely one of his best.

03.

illers of the Flower Moon tells the horrific true story of the Osage murders. The perspective of the movie isn’t from an Osage perspective, but from Ernest, an outsider who has come to strike it rich. This perspective creates an

GODZILLA MINUS ONE written and directed by TAKASHI YAMAZAKI

05.

THE BOY AND THE HERON

T

06.

interesting conflict in the viewer because of how sympathetic Ernest is even though he’s complicit in an ethnic genocide. It’s terrifying to watch the depths that greed can take people and it’s a story that I think everyone should see.

PAST LIVES

written and directed by CELINE SONG

P

01.

ast Lives was a gut punch of emotions and my favorite movie of the year. It chronicles the evolution of the relationship between Nora and Hae Sung over the course of 24 years. There is no spectacle to this movie, it is simply an insight into these characters' lives. We follow them while they fall in love, fall out of love, and have simple conversations. Everyone will find something they can relate to in this movie and it will without a doubt stick with you long after you finish watching.

Anthem of the Month Monthly music recommendations to keep you inspired.

Ten Billion People Explosions in the Sky

“Ten Billion People” by Explosions in The Sky is an instrumental track that captures the essence of the new year with its dramatic build and drum patterns that give the song a motivating energy.

Explosions in The Sky’s melodic genius doesn’t need lyrics to say, “the sun is rising on a new day, good things are coming.”

The Commuter Recommends: TheCommuter

Ten Billion People Explosions in the Sky

shanty Slowdive

Transmission - 2020 Digital Remix Joy Division

Loved Ones Explosions in the Sky

Teardrop Massive Attack, Elizabeth Fraser

Thunder Brooke Fraser

R U Mine?

Arctic Monkeys

Something in the Orange Zach Bryan

In Your Love Tyler Childers

Woman Mumford & Sons

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A&E

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so each row, column, and 3x3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit.

ACROSS 1. Seaweed used as food 5. Outer garments for Batman and Superman 10. Highest cards in poker 14. Soothing substance 15. "___ Mio" (Italian tune) (Anagram of LOOSE) 16. When doubled, a Pacific island 17. Wholesale change in leadership, often 19. Ship's prison 20. Do a surgeon's job 21. Pat's "Wheel of Fortune" partner 22. 'Scream' director Craven 23. Caesar's 1150 24. Chimp or orangutan 26. Like CSI and Hawaii Five-o 32. Roundish shapes 36. Spinal column bone 37. Cleopatra's river 38. Bubble wrap filler 39. Bank's property claim 40. Lumber blemish 43. Heavenly spots 44. Backyard building for starting plants that will be moved outside 47. It's "split" for soup 48. Prefix with Clean, in Billy Mays infomercials (also hidden in APPROXIMATE) 49. Sheep bleat 52. 10 ___ or less (supermarket checkout sign) 56. Courtroom testifier 58. Han Solo's love 59. They'll take you at the tables 62. Summoned, with "for" 63. Bay or cove 64. Away from the wind, at sea 65. Raises a question 66. Female college students 67. Small salamander (and fabled Witch's brew ingredient)

"Pot Shots" by Steve Faiella

DOWN 1. Sound of a comic-strip punch 2. Get hitched in secret 3. Acting brothers Rob and Chad 4. Person equal to you 5. Sam's Club alternative 6. ___ of one's former self 7. Hawaiian paste 8. Christmas toymaker 9. Movie filming spot 10. "Mamma Mia!" pop group 11. Food served on the cob 12. Dublin's land 13. Lengthy tale 18. Expressway exits 21. Third piece of a three-piece suit 24. Skillful server on the court 25. The "p" of m.p.h.

27. Wall-climbing plants 28. Hung on to 29. New York City theater award 30. Brownish songbird 31. Comic ___ (casual font) 32. Peeling potatoes, to a GI 33. Wine, in Italy 34. Tons (of) 35. Native of Latvia 38. Green growth, like 1A 41. What hula dancers sway 42. First number dialed when calling long distance 43. "All in the Family "wife 45. Emulated a moon-gazing wolf 46. Isn't imaginary 49. Uncle Miltie 50. Off-kilter 51. It's worth something 52. "Casablanca" heroine 53. Bagful carried by a caddie 54. What e-books are e-printed with 55. Cushions for gymnasts 57. Bread dipped in tikka masala 59. Movie or photo 60. Songstress Yoko 61. Cheer at a futbol match

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