News-Register March 7, 2022 Issue

MARCH 7, 2022

Th e N e w s p a p e r o f D a l l a s C o l l e g e N o r t h L a k e C a m p u s NewsRegisterOnline.com

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Gas leak halts construction City ordinance shuts down campus but leak proves unfatal

By Moises Martinez Managing Editor

News-Register | Moises Martinez

Officer Jon Plunkett introducing some of the 30 barber shops and salons that are in the “Shop Talk” program across the DFW.

Irving Police hosts “Shop Talks” at NLC Bringing officers and communities together

By Heather Sherrill Editor-in-Chief

The Irving Police Department and One Community USA hosted its “Shop Talk” event at North Lake Feb. 21.

Shop Talk is a community outreach program designed for residents who would not normally attend community town halls, but have a desire and need to have their voices heard.

Chief of police, Lauretta Hill welcomed all the police departments, barber shops, salons and

One Community USA to the campus, she said, “Our mission for the Dallas College system is transforming lives. And communities of higher education, which is a lot of what Shop Talk is.”

Officer Jon Plunkett has been an officer for 30 years and said, “When I grew up. We didn’t have a police come around in our neighborhoods. It just didn’t happen.”

“I felt there was a call for service. So we just had to deal with issues going on in our neighborhood until we call the police. So after seeing all of the violence.

I became a police officer,” said Plunkett.

By working in different cities over the years, Plunkett said he

saw the lack of police in the minority communities.

After the July 7, 2016, shooting where Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed Dallas officers and killed five police officers and injuring nine others. Plunkett said, “Enough is enough.

Why is this still happening?”

Later that same year, retired Chief Bobby pulled Plunkett from the gang task force to create the Shop Talk program.

“Barber shops have always been a sort of hang out place.

Especially in the African American community,” Plunkett said.

“We walk in to have a conversation with the community.

We answer questions openly and start a relationship with everyone,” Plunkett said.

After what happened to George Floyd the conversations started to change. “Today the conversations are a lot more serious,” Plunkett said.

However, the shop owners and customers started to ask to have Shop Talk in their cities Plunkett said.

Demetrius rancor, is the owner of the Five Star Barber Shop in Valley Ranch and said, “When I first went into his shop, he was nervous. It’s like police coming in now, come in their uniform and start talking to him about a program and he was like what is going on here?

But after a few months, he said, “You know, I’m opening up a

See SHOP, page 8

What began as a planned construction ended up turning into a four month-long problem for the campus.

The construction seen around campus since the beginning of the academic year is a multi-project aimed at fixing and updating the outside walkways of campus.

“Basically we’re repairing some concrete in the north parking lots. We’re repairing sidewalks,” facilities director Gary Hodges, said.

At first, the construction was delayed because of the pandemic, but then on Nov. 5, they were stopped because the project had encountered another problem.

“It was said it was accidentally cut by a contractor who was working on a drainage project,” Hodges said. “The contractor

was working on the strangest problem out here. He had all the gas lines marked, but [the gas line] didn’t show up on the survey the way that they thought it was and so he was digging, and he cut it.”

The drainage project began because of the constant stagnant water found between the C and M-building.

“So it’s been in the works for a couple years. Water stands out here whenever it rains, Hodges said. “And so it was to clean up this area and to get the drainage water to evacuate through the campus.”

After this incident, the gas lines were turned off by city of Irving ordinances and an investigation began. Each building on campus was thoroughly inspected for possible gas leaks.

“We had to test every building to make sure there were no gas leaks, so it took several weeks to get the gas back onto the boilers and heaters,” Hodges said.

See LEAK page 4

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Between the J-building and M-building lies the site of the main gas leak where the drainage project is in the works for completion.

Meaning of civil rights for modern kids Ilyasah Shabazz talks to students about her fathers movement

By Heather Sherrill Editor-in-Chief

Ilyasa Shabazz, one of six daughters of Malcolm X, spoke virtually to Dallas College students about her work, the importance of history and her fathers movement in support of Black History Month, Feb. 23.

Shabazz started the conversation with a prayer of hope and forgiveness.

“While these past few years have made us aware of collective wounds we must do more to teach every American child that Black history is American history, and that American history is also His-

panic, Native American and Asian history.” said Shabazz.

“There’s no American history unless each and every voice is heard on the pages of our textbooks,” Shabazz said, who teaches perspectives on justice at John Jay College in New York. “I think that this is really the beauty of our America.”

Shabazz said we are haunted by the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor.

“We will not be crippled by despair nor blind sided by decisive tactics that deprive us of liberty and justice.

Malcom X and Dr. King portrayed as polar opposites,” Shabazz said.

People often come up to her and say they were on the side of Malcom X or side of

King,” Shabazz said.

Shabazz told those people that we do not have to choose, one over the other.

“Both men challenged this unjust and immoral world.

Even though they had differences, my father’s view human rights,” Shabazz said.

When Shabazz was little she said she was made to believe we had to choose between Tupac or Biggy Smalls.

“Malcom X and Dr. King made the ultimate sacrifice for advancement for humanity,” Shabazz said.

“It is your turn to stand on their shoulders and take the baton further. Might be easier said than done,” Shabazz said.

After Malcolm X and Dr. King were assassinated Shabazzes mother and Mrs. King became best friends.

I n s i d e

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Artist expresses displacement through flowers Page 6 ­­­Founded in 1977

Shabazz was inspired by the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, known as the king Center. “We can either fight each other or fight for each other,” she said.

“When we fight for each other, our possibilities are limitless.”

In these challenging times Shabazz said we must become agents of hope creating a society that works for everyone and said to challenge systems that maintain disproportionate incarceration rates of young, black men.”

“What my father, Dr. King, Fredrick Douglas, Harriet Tubman and countless other activists knew is this: Even if you were not the officer who knelt on George Floyd’s

See MALCOLM, page 8

T h i s

E d i t i o n

VARIETY

News from the Fields Page 9

MENTAL HEALTH

COVID’s mental health toll spikes Page 8 Volume 44, Issue 7

OPINION / VIEWPOINTS 2 | News-Register

Editor-in-Chief Heather Sherrill Photo Editor Joanna Mikolajczak Managing Editors Moises Martinez

2015 National Magazine Pacemaker Finalist

NewsRegisterOnline.com

Founded in 1977

Contributing Photographers Amelie Baquero Gilberto Mbanza

Newspaper Adviser Juan Betancourt

Contributing Writers Barbara Miller Katie VonDrashek Linda Batson

Contributing Illistrator Audrey Hatter

2012 & 2013 National Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist

March 7, 2022

Produced by students — for students — for 40 years

2008 National Newspaper Pacemaker Winner

2004 National Newspaper Pacemaker Winner

News-Register | Audrey Hatter

STAFF EDITORIAL

Ghost of North Lake

T

wo years ago North Lake was full of students rushing to class, hanging out with friends or attending one of the many events being held.

The offices were full of professors grading papers, or trying to catch a break before their next class.

North Lake may have been a community college, but it was a college not just a campus.

There were even little cliques if you stayed and watched everyone long enough.

The "jocks" had their gym, the anime club had the student life center and the cafe, the "nerds" had their science and math wing, the "drama" students had their own separate area and then there were the writers and their corner of the campus.

There were no mask mandates or staying 6-feet apart at all times. Then the world came to a sudden holt for two years.

We watched as the news broadcasted what seem to be the end of the world on live television every day.

We watched loved ones die from afar and attended events or hung out with friends on

Zoom calls on our couches.

There were no blue skies in sight so to speak.

Then a new year came and slowly the world started to open up again. North Lake opened and everyone was excited to see familiar faces and get a sense of normalcy back in their lives.

Because how much can a campus really have changed since the pandemic?

However, it felt like another loss to all of us. You can sit in the office and feel like you are the only person in the entire school on any day of the week.

There are only one or two in person events and no one knows about them because they aren't advertised like they use to be.

Anyone who is on campus can only be reached by Teams now and students can't join certain groups on Teams because it is staff and faculty only.

So, the only way to know if something is happening on campus is to walk around at the right time and catch it.

Each campus, Brookhaven, Cedar Valley, Eastfield, El Centro, Mountain View, North Lake and Richland have created their own type of identity

or soul and then we were all expected to combine ourselves to help save students and make is easier to transfer credits.

In theory this sounds like an amazing idea. However, I don't think any of us had a clue of what combining would do to us.

Entire departments are gone or barely surviving such as the theatre department. If you ever walked down the Performance Hall hallway you could always hear students practicing their skits, building sets or see them running from room to room trying to prepare for that semesters big show.

Now the doors are closed and that hallway is like its own little ghost town.

For the first time in North Lake history, there will not be a show, but instead a stage reading.

Picture it, North Lake 2022, a program that once hosted full house plays and was renowned for its craftsmanship of its set and overall creativity now sits dark, cold and empty.

However the technician and his assistant can occasionally be found in the Performance Hall when they're not scrambling to

other campuses because they are also spread too thin.

The plays were a huge hit and taught students how to create their own stage, fix lighting, costumes, makeup and acting.

These values can be taken anywhere in any job that these students end up in.

Right before the theatre, there is the Gallery and North Lake took so much pride in it's art exhibits.

The art department would host an art reception for the artists to speak to attendees about their work.

There were refreshments and music while everyone walked around and soaked in the art.

There is currently a fantastic exhibit hanging up and for the longest time no one had any idea who the artist was because there was not a plaque hanging up in its usual spot.

Turns out the artists now have to hang all their art themselves and that includes bringing the plaque.

We were told it is because faculty is stretched thin with having to work at multiple campuses now instead of just one.

There are situations where being one is creating more is-

sues than solving and it will take time for everything to work itself out, but where is the line drawn?

We believe things are this way because of the changes when all the schools merged, not on any one staff or faculty member of the campus itself.

The only upside to any of this is now you can find parking, any time of the day.

Instead of having to plan to arrive at school an hour early just so you don't have to walk a mile to the front door.

This is a difficult transition for all of us and we hope it will get easier with time.

But there is a ghost wondering these halls where life once walked the halls and joy filled the air there is now just empty space.

The pandemic took so much from us and changed how we live our lives on a daily basis.

To come back to something that was suppose to feel so familiar and it be yet another loss is a tough blow to take.

So then the question becomes is this another pandemic death or a one college merge mistake?

From the Editor’s Desk:

Keeping the paper alive T he News-Register is back a year after the pandemic hit and Dallas County Community Colleges became Dallas College.

Heather Sherrill Editor-in-Chief

HeatherSherrill@dcccd.edu Neither of these things made being a reporter easy, with mergers and the unknown on whether or not all campus newspapers would become one as well.

Fortunately we all get to keep our own newspaper. However, we are all under the same budget. So, now it feels like it is the survival of the fittest.

Another change in this evolving world of media; to

print or to not.

I always told my mother that I grew up in the wrong generation, because I listen to '70s music, watch older shows and read newspapers.

Times have changed and every where I go someone says, "Print is dead." But is it really?

Is there no one left out there who enjoys holding the paper in their hands and reading it with their morning coffee?

I, honestly, do not believe that is the case.

Here at the News-Register we work hard every month to produce the best content for our paper that we can.

However, it is not an easy task. We have three weeks to come up with articles, complete interviews, gather photos and then lay everything out in the system.

Press day is the most fun for me, because I love the rush of everyone talking and editing while trying to fact check and page layout.

When you just have an online edition, your staff can just email you their articles and you

put it online.

I am glad we each There is no time still have our own, beframe, there is no cause each paper is difrush and to me you ferent in its own way. don't really get the Each campus has its hands on experiown personality so to ence you would if speak. you were going to I definitely felt the print.

News-Register is a huge The physical part of North Lakes copy can last forevidentity. er. When you read The pandemic took an article online do so much from us and I you really read the don't want to lose anyNews-Register |Heather Sherrill thing else. I hope that it entire thing? Do Coach Adrian Gonzalez pulls out binder to show brings more life to the you ever go back how the News-Register has affected him. and look at it? campus.

I take pride The students and Gonzalez said. in our paper and faculty need more posi"The girls love seeing all how hard my staff works every tivity in their life and not lose their hard work recognized in month. another part of something that the paper. Sometimes they even has been here since the start of Sometimes we feel we aren't sign their photos for me." noticed but in talking to head North Lake.

I started to cry when I got soccer coach Adrian Gonzalez, I will continue to fight for back to the office because it I learned how wrong we were. the paper and print, because it made me feel proud in a time He pulled out a huge white is a huge part of who I am and binder and showed us every ar- where it feels like everyone else I know that it is apart of a lot of is rooting against us. ticle we ever did on his soccer you as well.

During all of these changes team.

Thank you for the support we weren't sure if all the cam"They love coming to visit and I hope that everyone enjoys and remembering what all they pus newspapers would be com- our first print since the panaccomplished. So I pull out this bined into one or if we would demic. still have our own. binder and they get so excited,"

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” — United States Constitution, First Amendment

What do you think?

Let us know.

By Mail The News-Register North Lake Campus 5001 N. MacArthur Blvd.

Room A-234 Irving, TX 75038

By E-mail News-Register@dcccd.edu

By Phone 972-273-3498 or 972-273-3057

The N-R’s opinion on recent campus & world happenings THUMBS UP to more in-person events happening on campus.

It has been a long two years and North Lake is finally seeing some normalcy with in person events and classes.

The mask mandate was changed to recommended for students and faculty but not required while on campus on March 1.

THUMBS DOWN to there being no journalism classes this semester.

This semester journalism classes did not make the cut.

There was one online class for North Lake, but not enough students to keep the class alive.

THUMBS UP to the PSI Beta remodeling the garden.

The chapter is planning to remodel the garden with the purpose of offering mindfulness.

They are also going to fix the shadow boxes with QR codes for students to scan and receive a free experience of mindfulness practices in the garden.

Thoughts and ideas, either expressed or implied, in the News-Register, a designated public forum, are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent those of the administration, faculty, staff or student body of Dallas College North Lake Campus. The News-Register is one of several studentproduced publications at North Lake Campus.

Letter Policy The News-Register welcomes letters to the editor for publication.

Letters must be typed or legibly written and limited to 300 words.

Shorter letters are appreciated.

Fu l l na me a nd telephone number must be provided for confirmation. The editor and faculty advisor will decide if a name will be withheld upon request.

O b s c e n e , l i b e l o u s a n d /o r racially, sexually, or religiously offensive material will not be published. Letters may be rejected for style and taste and edited for length and clarity.

CAMPUS LIFE March 7, 2022

T

Fed up, tired workers protest inequality

he New Yorker Union announced they are ready to go on strike until an agreement has been reached with its parent company, Conde Nast.

Moises Martinez Managing Editor

mmartinez@dcccd.edu

Many times I have heard friends, family and even coworkers say, “People don’t want to work anymore,“ in response to the protests, completely unacknowledging the reasons why they even occur.

Comments such as these are the reason why the Fight for $15 organization evolved into a nationwide movement.

Just because people are paid to provide a service does not mean they lose their individuality and become property, but companies and individual people, alike, sure do act like it.

You as an individual would not like to be mistreated and disrespected,

so why does that change when it comes to being an employee?

The New Yorker Union is negotiating with the parent company for better wages, benefits and improvement in work-life balance.

“I’m ready to strike because our union’s first contract will affect every current and future New Yorker employee, as well as media workers beyond our workplace,” Genevieve Bormes, a New Yorker Union employee said. “We have a unique opportunity to change a company that historically hasn’t valued its workers, and, after two and a half years, we won’t settle for less than we deserve.”

However, the labor battle has been going on for centuries with the first recorded labor strike taking place in New York in 1768 when journeymen tailors were protesting a reduction of their wages.

According to History.com, “The early labor movement was a conception of the just society, deriving from the Ricardian labor theory of value… which fostered social equality, celebrated honest labor, and relied on an independent, virtuous citi-

zenship.”

Not too long after the nation’s first strike came the birth of unions in 1794 in Philadelphia. This was brought about by the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (Shoemakers), according to History. com.

Much like The New Yorker Union, early incarnations of organized labor unions “fought for better wages, reasonable hours and safer working conditions,” which lead to “stopping child labor, give health benefits and provide aid to workers who were injured or retired.”

Since its inception, leaders of labor unions saw how the industrial revolution in a capitalist economy does not have the best interest of the working class in mind and it was a way to raise up “two distinct classes, the rich and the poor.”

Examples of this can be found on the New Yorker Union’s webpage which states wages have been low and stagnant for decades; with many union workers only making $42,000 a year while long term union members make less than $60,000.

“The company has yet to correct many of these disparities and has resisted

annual wage increases that would keep pace with the cost of living.”

Now, a decade has passed since the Fight for $15 movement took hold in New York City in 2012 when 200 fast-food employees went on strike and demanded $15 dollars an hour and the right to unionize.

“We are underpaid workers everywhere. We can’t feed our families, pay our bills, or even keep a roof over our heads on minimum wage pay,” states the movement’s official webpage, fightfor15.org.

“McDonald’s and lowwage employers everywhere are making billions of dollars in profit and pushing off costs on taxpayers, while leaving people like us – the people who do the real work – struggling to survive.”

Similarly, The New Yorker Union’s webpage reports having found Condé Nast passing the burden of health-care cost increase onto its employees.

This and overworking without fair compensation have led fast-food workers, retail sales employees, freelance journalists and others in similar fields to demand an increase in payment, improved benefits

The perks of being a webflower

I

News-Register | 3

NewsRegisterOnline.com

f you ever had to attend a class through a Zoom call, raise your hand.

Most likely, every student reading this raised their hand because online schooling has become the norm in the past two years.

Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our education has had to adjust to a digital platform and learning style.

However, I believe the digital classroom is beneficial for multiple reasons, especially as a college student.

This semester, all of my classes are 100% online; it has relieved stress and made my schedule much more flexible.

It can be challenging to manage your time wisely when you want to keep your job, maintain a decent GPA, and have somewhat of a social life.

By Katie VanDresken | Contributing writer It is up to me to decide if I want to be an early riser and knock out my homework or complete assignments later that night; it is usually the latter.

I discovered that digital schooling reduces the cost of education.

Usually, online classes provide access to the textbook through my computer. This is so helpful because the curriculum can be crazy expensive.

I also save on gas expenses by not having to attend in-person lectures.

College is expensive if you don’t have the funds or financial aid to assist, so it is crucial to appreciate the little expenses saved.

Some people claim that digital school can cause students to become lazy or isolated. This is a possibility, yet some students who attend school in-person full-time can

still become introverts.

I have participated in both face-to-face and online classes, and my social life remained the same, but my selfmotivation increased from the online ones.

In my experience, online classrooms make you interact more with your peers and help develop valuable skills.

According to Northeastern University, Learning to work with others in a virtual environment can make you a more effective leader.

Communicating your ideas clearly, getting responses, and projecting a professional image are necessary skills in a virtual workplace, according to Northeastern University.

I know discussion boards can get repetitive and seem unnecessary at times, but they do help us achieve certain aspects

that assist us in our future careers.

I am currently sitting on my couch with an iced coffee by my side as I write this.

I could be sitting on a beach in Bora Bora, though, working on my digital assignments as long as I had my laptop and WiFi. Online schooling allows you to access your education almost anywhere at any time.

Flexibility, lower costs, and improved skills are only some of the beneficial factors from online schooling.

Instead of complaining about COVID-19 altering our educational experience, students should embrace the perks of the digital classroom.

Everybody’s learning style is unique, but I think online schooling is more beneficial overall.

and working conditions.

“In an industry known for overworking and underpaying workers, a strong contract is essential to ensure that we are treated and compensated fairly. I am fighting to demand that for my colleagues, with the hope that workers at other publications will do the same,” Blair Beusman said.

As seen these past two years with Black Lives Matter and the protests following the murder of George Floyd, the only way to create change in this nation is through protests and relentlessly demanding for justice.

“We didn’t listen. We organized and we fought for what we knew was right,” states FightFor15.org. “We didn’t win these increases because we elected supportive politicians to office.

We won because we made them support us. That’s the power of direct action, of taking to the streets, of organizing.”

Now, more workers across the country have begun protesting against companies’ working conditions; as seen with Rich Products’ workers. Bakery workers in one of their frozen foods facilities in southern California have been on strike since No-

vember.

When interviewed by Forbes, employee Cristina Lujan said they were fighting against the 1214 hour shifts and forced overtime which can last up to three hours. On top of this, she said a coworker was constantly denied permission to leave for chemotherapy appointments.

Their demands echo those of The New Yorker Union: asking for improved working conditions, an increase in pay and stable benefits.

But the unethical working conditions do not stop there. Amazon faces a lawsuit after their central warehouse in Illinois failed to take the proper precautions for an incoming tornado. This led to the collapse of the warehouse and resulted in the death of 26-year-old delivery driver Austin McEwen.

It is inconsiderate and wreckless leadership at companies such as at Amazon that leads workers to unionize.

With the different protests and strikes taking place, how much longer will it be until companies start to respect their workers?

Illustration by Joanna Mikolajczak

CAMPUS LIFE 4 | News-Register

NewsRegisterOnline.com

March 7, 2022

News-Register | Heather Sherrill

North Lake supporting survivors NLC creates workshops to spread awarness

By Heather Sherrill Editor-In-Chief

This spring 2022 semester, Title IX and the Counseling Center at North Lake created a series of online workshops to help spread awareness of domestic violence and create a safe place for survivors to come together and learn ways to heal.

In one workshop called Survivor 101: Self Care, speakers spoke about why it is important for survivors to understand their neurological impact and to create their own self care plan.

Dalia Blell, licensed clinical social worker, said, “The Neurobiology Impact of

trauma is important to understand because it helps break down common misconceptions and victimblaming about gender-based violence.”

This helps survivors to understand that their brain and body did work to protect them survive.

One author and MD, Bessel Van der Kolk, that they spoke about said: “Trauma is not the story of something that happened back then. It’s the current imprint of that pain, horror and fear living inside people.”

Blell said The National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine said, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thinking and remembering important information goes offline when a person is experiencing extreme fear.

The brain stem is critical in fast, defensive responses, its directly connected to the retina. Then the retina sends visual information to the brain stem immediately, before higher levels of the brain are even aware of the threat.

If the threat gets closer, the periaqueductal gray initiates a fight or flight response.

The periaqueductal gray activates the sympathetic nervous system. Heart rate goes up, blood flows to muscles, blood pressure increases, pupils dilate.

But it is not always safe or possible to fight or escape. A person may enter the freeze response or feigned death.

“Our neurobiology is constantly scanning the environment, via our nervous system and we have automatic, involuntary bodily responses to what’s happening. That is

why it is important to have a self-care plan in place for yourself,” Blell said.

A self-care plan can help prevent undue stress and emotional overload. Grenalda Spears, licenced counselor at North Lake, said, “Some people find it helpful to write their self-care plan down in order to hold themselves accountable.”

There are four types of self-care plans, physical selfcare, emotional self-care, spiritual self-care and mental health self-care.

For the physical self-care plan you can eat healthier, drink more water, walk for at least 15-minutes a day and do meditated yoga.

Blell said; “Students can go to the garden by the lake and meditate. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Sighing while

exhaling is even better.”

Emotional self-care can be journaling, a support system, creating boundaries to set limits with people who are not able to listen to you or want to dismiss or analyze your experience or leave you feeling depressed.

“Some people find that spiritual self-care is essential to their healing,” Spears said.

“This can include meditation, spending time in nature or prayer. This is an activity we engage in to find and nurture a sense of connection to a higher power.”

The mental health selfcare plan is important according to Blell. “Professional mental health services are necessary for your health and well being,” she said.

According to a study by Journal of Aggression participants who perceived uni-

versity-affiliated survivor resources as helpful had significantly better mental health outcomes than women who perceived resources as unhelpful. The most often used resources were mental health counseling and university health centers. Out of those the most helpful resources were survivor advocates, peer counseling and peer support groups and according to Blell, North Lake offers all of those resources.

“Here at North Lake we can help create a mental health self-care plan and offer cost-free, confidential, short-term, brief therapy, solution focused in person or virtual sessions,” said Blell.

The counseling center is located in A-311 and is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Are you ready for WorkReadyU?

T

he T-building on campus has a new resident.

Yes, one can still find several of the faculty and staff for the nursing, business and technology departments.

However, there is a new kid on the block. The Tbuilding is now home to the WorkReadyU department.

It is housed in room T-135 on the first floor towards the north-end of the building.

The overall mission of

Barbara Miller

North Lake Faculty bamiller@dcccd.edu

WorkReadyU is to help the community achieve an education level that will allow them to be employed at a livable wage.

Through government

grants, WorkReadyU provides assistance to those who qualify at no cost to the student.

This program offers free ESL classes to improve students English skills so that they may attend college, get a job or advance their career.

It also helps adults who have not graduate high school obtain their GED (General Educational Diploma) or HSE (High School Equivalency). Here they will receive hands on learning to increase their

academic skills.

WorkReadyU also provides free job training. So, students can further develop their skills to start a career or transition to college.

This could be the students stepping stone toward earning an associate degree.

These classes are available year-round during the day and evening at several Dallas College campuses and partner locations.

Students can download the WorkReadyU app or go to the Dallas College WorkReadyU website to

LEAK

Continued from page 1

Crime Log

Jan. 13 — Theft. 7:40 a.m. A building/Mens restroom. Pending.

Jan. 13 — Abandon Vehicle, 8:48 p.m. North parking lot. Closed.

Jan. 18 — Suspicious person/Disturbance 10:44 - 11:28 a.m. Walnut Hill. Arrest.

Jan. 26 — Severe weather drill 10:00 a.m. Central campus. Closed.

Jan. 27 — Burglary of vehicle 8:07 - 8:42 a.m. T parking lot. Active.

Feb. 8 — Fire drill 10:19 a.m. North campus B-building. Closed.

Feb. 9 — Welfare 5:24 p.m. Central campus library. Closed Feb. 10 — Fire drill 1:40 p.m. Central campus. Closed.

Feb. 15 — Fire drill 10:17 a.m. Central campus C-building 300 level.

Closed Feb. 15 — Suspicious Person/Public Intoxication 12:53 p.m. Central campus L-building. Arrest.

Feb. 16 — Fire drill 9:09 a.m. South campus. Closed.

Feb. 28 — Medical 11:54 a.m. Central Campus A-building. Closed.

The campus spent some time shut down so any and all leaks could be repaired. During this inspection, many minor leaks were found throughout the campus but were not hazardous.

“We had multiple buildings that we had to search for. Some of them were new leaks, but there were little small leaks all over the campus. Probably not enough to be harmful but enough that it wouldn’t hold 100%,” Hodges said. “It’s a long process, especially when a building like C has multiple valves, there’s a lot of gas in the building. You have to check every valve and check everything before the city will give you a permit to turn it back on.”

This incident caused slight inconveniences for a few departments that depend on the gas line for their projects

find out how to get started in one of these amazing classes.

I have worked in Adult Education for over 15 years.

I worked here at Dallas College North Lake Campus since 2016.

Serving our communities is the most rewarding position in my career.

Facilitating students with enhancing their career and education levels is gratifying!

Here at WorkReadyUvisitors will encounter staff and faculty waiting to guide

and coursework, like the ceramics department.

“We didn’t have gas for a couple of weeks, it’s not a big deal, so we couldn’t Raku [an ancient Japanese fire-glazing technique] for a couple weeks, which was like no big deal,” ceramics professor Jennifer Pilon said. “I just recorded some stuff and took pictures of it and sent it to the students. I think it’s like in any situation, you just redirect the situation and make the best of what you have.”

Once the gas line incident was corrected, focus shifted onto the ongoing construction projects.

“Basically we’re repairing some concrete in the north parking lots. We’re repairing sidewalks mainly, we’ll get new lighting and have another lighting project coming up hopefully in the next month,” Hodges said.

During the 2021 fall semester, repairs done to the

them towards the skills that will help them achieve their career goals.

Be sure to mention this department the next time someone you know needs help getting their GED/ HSE, learning the fundamentals of English or pursuing an industry recognized certifications.

So they can start their career in any one of the fourteen currently offered career pathway programs at Dallas College.

light posts in the A parking lot improved the lighting making the lot safer for students, faculty and staff during the night.

According to one of the crew members working on the installation, they are also more environmentally conscious with each light fixture only consuming 17 watts of power; a drastic decrease from the previous lights which consumed 400 watts.

While the current construction projects are going on, the walkways around campus will also be upgraded to provide better lighting for those on campus during the night.

Currently, the area between the A building and L building are being dug out to have a wheelchair accessible ramp installed. This allows students with disabilities to directly travel from the parking lot to liberty circle without having to use the elevator inside the library.

CAMPUS LIFE March 7, 2022

News-Register | 5

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Pride shines through tough times Pride club continues its mission of creating a safe space for all on campus

By Moises Martinez Managing Editor

Much like the other clubs on campus, Pride club continues on its mission of recruiting members and promoting themselves.

“It’s a good opportunity for officers and club members to develop themselves socially and professionally and understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. That’s my goal.” Daniel Birkblichler, Pride club adviser said.

However, fall semester saw an indirect attack on the Pride club. After hanging their posters around campus, members noticed many Pride posters being torn down.

“Being targeted is not

going to stop us from being who we are. If they’re after us or have something against us, we let people know that we are not scared,” Pride club President Tania Hortelano said. “We put more posters out there to let people know that we are here and want to build a safe community.”

Despite this attack, the club aims to continue to create a community on campus.

“It’s a safe space for a lot of students on campus, but it’s also an open door. It’s one of the things the previous adviser instilled that I wanted to continue: Being a club that also gathers for support,” Birkblichler said.

With their majority of meetings consisting of social gatherings, Pride club emphasizes the importance of community and building trust amongst each other.

“Teamwork and listening to people; if you’re in any

sense of a team you want to make sure everyone is included and listened to. I want to be the person you can talk to if you have a problem,” Hortelano said. “I want them to keep an open mind in the room and listen to each other.”

Even though the school year began with little student activity, that has not stopped the Pride club from growing in numbers. Last fall, when the club made the transition from the Gay-Straight Alliance to Pride club, there were only three official members. Now they have over 18 members consistently showing up.

“I’ve seen some drastic personality change over time, but it’s not a bad one,” Vice President Manuel Amaya said. “There’s kids that barely socialized at the beginning of the school year, and now they’re pretty open.”

Now the club is filled with

The event was hosted by the Student Life and Engagement Center. Their table had Mardi gras beads, masks and allowed attendees to play bingo for fun prizes.

Clubs such as the International and Pride clubs set up tables to recruit students and inform them of their upcoming events.

The Student Veterans Associations table had information for students about their services including their new free yoga class, Steady Warriors.

This class is for military

veterans, active military, reservists, National Guard and their families.

There were also crafts, food and music being played in the Gallery.

This semester the NLC Jazz Ensemble played during the event. Their set list included “Stand by me”, “Blue Bossa”, “Killer Joe”, When the saints come marching in and Night train.

Inside the student life center there was a king cake, balloons and a place for students and faculty to take photos with friends.

Music coordinator Jim Eger (right) conducts the Jazz Ensemble group during “Killer Joe”, as the trumpet players execute their solos.

News-Register | Gilberto Mbanza

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Pride Club Vice President Manuel Amaya (right) recruits members during the spring semester 2022 club fair event. diverse personalities from different walks of life and different majors Amaya said and they continue to try their best in recovering from the low enrollment of in-person students and overall school

morale.

“It is interesting, but it’s not fun. It seems very slow.

Currently, it doesn’t seem open to me, the school is dead,” Amaya said. “You’re not used to socializing after

being in lockdown for so long, being secluded on your own.

Kids need to feel like they can feel safe enough to talk, you see students bored, most of them are by themselves.”

NLC celebrates Mardi Gras Students attend fat Tuesday festival on March 1

By Heather Sherrill Editor-in-Chief

Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday was celebrated by faculty, staff and students March 1 at all seven Dallas College campuses.

Fat Tuesday is the last day of the Carnival season as it always falls the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

News-Register | Gilberto Mbanza

Karla J. Jones (left) at the Mardi Gras event in the Student Life and Engagement Student Life and Engagement calls out pictures for students to place their squares Center. on their bingo cards.

ARTS & CULTURE Seeds of hope: Flowers for displaced people 6 | News-Register

NewsRegisterOnline.com

March 7, 2022

A floral motif juxtaposed by a strong call to action for human rights and universal justice through “calligraffiti“

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ultidisciplinary artist Adnan Razvi’s “Floral Futurism” collection makes its debut in the North Lake main campus art gallery.

As a multidisciplinary artist, Razvi’s work incorporates sculptures, motion-art pieces, paintings and sound pieces. His work primarily focuses on cultural displacement and his experience in the U.S. as a child of immigrants.

“My work doesn’t have a direct translation to anything. It’s about form and akin to us coming here and sometimes we lose a part of our history, language, culture and our heritage,” Razvi said. “Being a displaced person, it’s why I make this work. It’s a parallel of my own journey of being a displaced person.”

Having been born in Chicago to a mother from Uganda and a father from India, Razvi said he felt the displacement early on as a child.

“We lose a part of our language and we may speak it fully, but it’s not like back home.

There’s a sense of loss that you feel and that’s displacement,” Razvi said.

“Floral Futurism” explores this feeling of displacement through the use of floral motifs, abstract figures and

By Moises Martinez | Managing Editor street-style calligraphy.

“My work right now is called “Floral Futurism” because flowers for me are kind of akin to memory and location. It’s this idea of comfort, growth and identity,” Razvi said.

Art gallery director Allison Starr said it reminded her of street graffiti and Razvi’s use of calligraphy on a large scale enveloped her and felt enveloped in the art because of its visual impact.

“The conceptual and visual impact is strong for me in that Adnan is utilizing font/text of his ancestral heritage, pushing, pulling, and stretching it as an evocative method of distortion and displacement,” Starr said.

With paintings such as “Namiri (Panther) 2020”, Razvi shares a piece of his maternal grandmother’s tradition from their tribe in Uganda.

Razvi said an incision would be made into the child’s wrist and have the lionheart inserted into the skin.

Once it healed over, anyone who tried to harm the child would then see the face of a ferocious lion.

“I’m calling attention to that cultural practice and how I was removed from that practice as I was born in America, but there’s still a strong linkage in

News-Register |Moises Martinez

“Future In Bloom” depicts a red bull to symbolize the strength and resilience of people of color and is surrounded by yellow flowers to represent prosperity and growth.

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Fragrance Of U, Mahatun, Mumtaz, and Sofia is a triptych art format by Adnan Razvi named after his grandmother, mother, and daughter representing cultural displacement across three generations.

memory and identity.”

Other works in the exhibit such as “Umoja Wa Makabila Yangu (Unity of My Tribes)” and 5949972- The Truest American, are pieces that call attention to unity, justice and acceptance of all humans no matter their physical appearance or ethnic background. “[‘Unity of My Tribes’] is not only a personal reflection piece, because it’s kind of a definition of my-

self being biracial and bicultural, it’s about unification of the world,” Razvi said.

“It’s a larger call to action: for us to recognize our differences. We as people can be a positive force for the world if we come together to make the world a better place.”

Hung by chain link chains and barricaded by metal pipes, “5949972- The Truest American”, is the more intricate piece of

the exhibit. Adorned by a Persian rug underneath its “petals,” it invites the audience to scan a QR code leading to a spoken-word created by Razvi.

“It’s a call to action to protest ICE. I want people to get involved because [those detained by ICE] are people, too,” Razvi said.

He said his art can inspire a change in perspective among his viewers.

“Children in certain cultures or subcultures have certain ideas indoctrinated, so if they see something like this, it’s going to turn their concepts and ideas of what’s normal and allowed,” Razvi said.

Although “Floral Futurism” marks his first solo exhibition, Razvi has been a part of many group exhibi-

tions such as Collective Bargaining at the University of Texas at Dallas, Working Title at Ro2 Art in downtown Dallas and most recently featured in the Zarafa Unfolding group exhibition at SP/N Gallery.

His credentials also extend internationally having participated in an exhibition at MOCAfest in Kuala Lumpur organized by the World Islamic Economic Forum, an international festival for emerging artists.

“Floral Futurism” will be on display until April 15 at the North Lake campus art gallery.

QR Code leading to Razvi’s spoken word sound piece on his website mr-rzv.com

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Panoramic view of “Floral Futurism” the new exhibition showcasing DFW artist Adnan Razvi’s latest work on cultural displacement with some works dating back to 2020 and many done within the last eight months. The exhibit showcases Razvi’s handling of mediums such as acrylic painting and spray paint combining an academic background in art with a loose street-style in what the artist calls “calligraffiti.“

ARTS & CULTURE

March 7 , 2022

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News Register | 7

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

“The Proof is in the Flowers“ mural completed by Brett Dyer with the help of Allison Gilles on display.

Hope blossoms in beauty North Lake artist and professor, Brett Dyer welcomes a new school year with optimism in the first mural on campus

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uick to catch the eye is the mural found on the sidewall of North Lake’s G-building.

This recent addition of the G-building mural is a long term passion project by art professor Brett Dyer and is part of a 10-year beautification project.

“The Proof is in the Flowers” made its debut in Fall 2021 after spending half a decade being planned and approved with the project originally dating back to 2015, when Dyer first volunteered the idea of a mural.

“I created the mural to celebrate and bring attention to all the quiet and small beauty around us everywhere,” Dyer said. “The mural was painted with the intention of giving hope and simply putting a smile on people’s faces, and time has only strengthened that meaning.”

In 2017 he submitted photographs depicting the potential mural on different walls around campus which he photoshopped.

The project was then approved

By Moises Martinez | Managing Editor Linda Batson | Contributing Writer

but delayed because of the ongoing pandemic and Dyer began painting the mural March 2021.

In spite of this, Dyer said the inspiration and meaning behind the mural continued to grow as it was planned pre-COVID-19.

“Flowers, butterflies, clouds, rainbows and so many other small ordinary things are so much larger than most of life’s daily stressors, yet some days they go unnoticed,” Dyer said. “These things show us the beauty and proof of creation; the magic and the science, and they delight our hearts and symbolize so much of our lives.”

Over the course of 150 hours in 22 days, and with art professor Allison Gilles helping with priming and background colors the project blossomed. “[The mural] shows the importance of the visual arts and its impact on the community, and what a little teamwork can do between us,” Gilles said.

Throughout the process, Gilles said she came across a quote from the Buddha: “Love is beauty and

beauty is truth, and that is why in the beauty of a flower we can see the truth of the universe. If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly our whole life would change.”

With this quote in mind, Dyer and Gilles said they hope the mural resonates within everyone who comes on campus and sees the artwork.

“Having the mural in the heart of the North Lake Campus is, hopefully, the perfect spot to inspire the campus, college and community. Sunflowers, and flowers in general, have always been a symbol of hope, inspiration, growth, and mortality,” Dyer said. “I hope this mural serves as a colorful and inviting welcome to our students and community, and inspires growth, creativity and hope.”

Although there are no official plans, there is a possibility for a second mural in the future and will most likely be placed on the side of the P-building and will have a similar visual as “in the flowers” with a butterfly motif.

Special to the News-Register | Brett Dyer

With a sketch of the pending mural in his hand, Brett Dyer analyzes how the mural will be painted on the G-Building wall.

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Art instructors, Brett Dyer (left) and Allison Gilles (right) take a break from painting to pose in front of the new flower mural on the G-Building wall facing the circle and library.

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

One of the actual flowers and design details of the finished “In the flowers“ mural

CAMPUS LIFE March 7, 2022

News-Register | 8

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COVID’s mental health toll spikes NLC helps students who experience mental health problems

By Heather Sherrill Editor-in-Chief

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, it had a profound negative effect on the mental health in the nation.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was on it’s second year of declining when the pandemic hit.

However, anxiety, depression, psychosis, loneliness and other mental health concerns started to rise.

“As the nation strives to mitigate the public health crisis introduced by COVID-19, there is even more responsibility to ensure a fast and coordinated response to address these mental health concerns,” Sally Curtin, from the CDC, said, according to cdc.gov.

“So we are not left with a mental health crisis long after the virus itself is under control,” Curtin said.

Mental Health America analyzed the data collected in 2020, from 725,949 individuals who took a depression screen in the United States. Of those individuals,

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

over 38%, reported experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

There are three states with the highest number of people reporting frequent suicidal ideation in 2020. They were California with 13,856 reports, Texas with 9,490 reports and Florida with 6,130 reports.

For 2020, the suicide rates decreased by 3% nationally.

However, the rates for Af-

rican Americans and Hispanics increased, according to the CDC. Although there is not a way to see the data on how COVID-19 impacted students, Dalia Blell, licensed clinical social worker for North Lake, said, “I can say based on the stories that students have shared with me that it has [impacted them] in so many ways.”

“Not just from getting

sick or taking care of a loved one that got sick and passed away, but from the social isolation, loss of experiences, financially, academically due to challenges of going remote, and their mental health.”

“We need to remain vigilant and proactive about prevention resources as we head into a recovery period,” Blell said.

When faculty and students came back to North Lake

SHOP

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shop in the colony. I want the police in my shop.”

Rancor and Plunkett went to talk to the chief and said we’re going to make this here happen in the Colony and we did.”

Then Rancor wanted one where he lives in Dallas.

“We all met with Chief Paul and he said that it was already in the works, so we expanded it further into Dallas,” Plunkett said.

One of the barber shop owners Larry told Plunkett that

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neck,” Shabazz said.

“Even if you were not a violent insurrectionist charging the capitol you may have been one of the officers who stood by as Mr. Floyd cried out to his mother with his last breath and turned a blind eye.”

Shabazz said we have allowed injustice to continue.

She says it is the key to become woke to injustice.

Joanna Mikolajczak Reporter and photographer

after the shut down, service dogs and chaplains were walking around comforting students who felt anxious, fear or stress.

North Lake offers many resources for faculty and students whom find themselves in need of mental health help.

“We try to bring in things that will relieve stress from students,” Debra Jenson, student programs development

specialist, said. “This time we thought of dogs to pet and play with.”

The counseling center is located in A-311 and is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Students have access to free in person or virtual therapy.

Call 972-669-6400 or email counseling@dcccd.edu to set up an appointment today.

Students can also go to the Dallas College website and look at upcoming workshops and events hosted by the counseling services throughout the year.

The Health Services Center is located in C-200 and provides students with access to over-the-counter medicines, selected education and screening programs, confidential health counseling, emergency care, acute care for illness and injuries and more.

The Health Services Center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

Registered Nurse, Alexandra Mejia, said, “Students have a variety of needs both medical and psychosocial. A trained medical professional can provide resources for students whether they are related to the pandemic or not.”

something was missing in the program. “We were missing the ladies” Larry said.

“So, what we did is we reached out to Heather Foster,” said officer Plunkett. This lead to recruiting Heather Foster,” a North Lake Alumni and the first female in the Shop Talk program.

One Community USA, a nonprofit organization became interested in making Shop Talk go all over the Dallas-FortWorth area. Working with Plunkett, after a couple months they had more than 30 barber shops and salons in the DFW join the Shop Talk Program.

That is when Plunkett told

chief Bobby that he wanted to expand the program to places such as Memphis, his hometown.

He received phone calls about the program from officers in California, Georgia and even a civilian in Miami. People all over the country want to implement Shop Talk into their community.

After Plunkett talked to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, on a trip to Washington, D.C., The Department of Justice became heavily involved and continues to work with the Shop Talk program.

“My mother, Dr. Betty Shabazz, taught me education is the most powerful tool to combat systemic racism,” Shabazz said. “I follow in her footsteps as an educator.

She then started writing memoirs about her family.

One of her most notably is memoir called “Growing Up X.”

loved creating, writing. I think words are healing and powerful. I would encourage anyone to keep writing. What my books for me, they enabled me to heal from many things.

“The Awakening of Malcolm X” is a powerful narrative account of the activist’s adolescent years in jail, written by his daughter Ilyasah Shabazz along with 2019 Coretta Scott KingJohn Steptoe award-winning author, Tiffany D. Jackson.

Her book can be found on Amazon.com or in any local bookstore.

Shabazz told one student, “My advice for writers is to keep writing. I started writing when I was a child. I never knew I would publish books. I

Roving Reporter

“How did you mentally cope with the lockdown?”

Breanna Fuentes

Christian Flores

“I actually enjoyed spending time with my family. So, we would go on the walks and make food together.”

“I watched shows that I like and I worked out at the gym.”

Shaineen Royal

“When there was lockdown, I was back in India. It was really hard to come back to USA. I was depressed and trying to convince my parents to let me come back here.

They saw me crying and finally they agreed for my return here.”

Boma Whyte “Academically it didn’t affect me I was taking online classes. I did some puzzles, crosswords with my brother and family.”

Josh B

Lux Haven

“I was still able to talk to all of my friends on line through Discord. That’s the biggest thing that helped me, to still be able to talk to my friends”

“I usually just draw. I am an artist, so I just create anything I wanted.”

SPORTS

NewsRegisterOnline.com

March 7, 2022

News-Register | 9

News from the fields

A new school year brings new fields and other updates to campus.

By Moises Martinez and Heather Sherrill Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief

This semester, North Lake Campus students will see changes around the campus.

Along with a new name, new logo and updated mascot, the campus will see updates throughout the gym facilities and its fields.

The gym has been updated with a new coat of paint with plans for an updated basketball court in the works for the spring semester.

“There’s no question we’re in the process of rebranding,” basketball head coach Tim McGraw said. “In fact, after our basketball season has ended, they’re going to redo the floor and get the new logo put on the floor” Updates such as these were already in the works but were delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s been 23 years ago since [the last updates] so it was definitely overdue,” McGraw said. “We’re used to this. We have been through many little projects around here for the 24 years that I have been here so you have a patient understanding about that.”

Despite going some time without access to the updated fields, the sports department has not seen a negative effect on enrollment.

“It’s nice to finally feel like we got some forward momentum and things are moving in the right direction,” head baseball coach, Corey Mercer said “I think [the renovations] help especially to give a little pride in what you have. Just having the new paint in the gym brought things up; it’s been long needed with some upgrades around here.”

The beginning of the semester saw an enrollment of at least 24 student athletes, many of whom are returning athletes.

“In terms of recruiting, we have had no problem recruiting people. Yes, the

facilities do impact us getting players, but one thing that helps us too is the overall beauty of the campus,” McGraw said “When they come to visit they’re not making a decision based upon how the gym looks. We take them on a campus tour and the entire campus factors into their being attracted to North Lake.”

Even with the newly manicured baseball fields and new bleachers on the soccer fields, more improvements are left to be desired. Patrons of the weight room have unanimously agreed that room should be the next focus after the currently planned renovations are complete.

“I think when we get News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak Fresh grass being installed on the baseball fields after dugouts received a long-awaited done with [the basketball update. court] in the spring, the next project would be to improve the weight room area; that’s working electricity and like we are definitely on the having new flooring installed. “[The upates] help make definitely in the plans. That’s the newly installed soccer right track,” McGraw said.

At the end of the semester, benches will have two the campus look good and definitely something that needs to happen and it’s new concrete slabs placed a remodel of the gym offices shows care for the studentand weight room will follow athletes and program,” already been discussed,” underneath. suit and be done over the athletic “Throughout the whole director Greg McGraw said.

After the upcoming decision we have a new summer. This will include Sommers said. “The upgrades basketball court remodels, facility manager who is really part of the weight room are great in terms of trying to the baseball fields will have dedicated to improving the having new equipment keep up with state-of-the-art their dugout updated with entire F-building, so I feel installed and the offices facilities.”

NLC coaches begin recruitment process

Tara Thomas, No. 12 serves against Mountain View on Sept. 20.

North Lake coaches never take a break

By Joanna Mikolajczak Photo Editor

Volleyball and soccer are finished with their seasons, but the coaches have been working on recruiting for next season since October.

The recruitment goal is to have about 12 to 15 volleyball women and about 22-25 soccer women.

Only six soccer players made the cut from the previous team to the 2022 team, according to head soccer coach Adrian Gonzales.

The soccer team ended their 2022 season 2-10.

“A lot of girls left before preseason started,” Gonzales said. “They find out how hard it is to juggle classes, work, personal life and being on the team.”

“What I learned after this

past season, is that I need to recruit more players,” Gonzales said.

Preseason training starts Aug. 1. “We are going to be good. We are going to be the team to beat,” Gonzales said about the incoming season.

The Lady Blazers Volleyball team finished strong this season despite their 3-12 record. They ended up defeating the No. 3 team, Richland Campus, at the conference tournament and only lost in semi finals.

“Right now I’m focusing on recruiting and building the program to buy in to my process,” head volleyball coach Cathy Carter said.

“Process being that every player needs to be on the same page,” Carter said. All have the same goal, and that’s to win conference and go to nationals as a team.”

The volleyballs team motto is WE over ME. “It means that we are working for today,

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

every day of the season and those are the type of players we need,” Carter said.

There is only one returning player and two transfers for 2022 volleyball team.

The main goal for Carter is to build the team before August, when practice starts.

“The coaches enjoy going out to recruit students in order to build the teams Recruiting is hard work and mostly in the evenings and the weekends,” athletic director, Greg Sommers said.

“I personally enjoy seeing all the different towns the students come from. Some of the students are from the metroplex, but a good number are from different areas. It’s just another form of diversity for our student population.”

The next volleyball and soccer season starts in August 2022.

Men’s Blazers Baseball Schedule March 7- @ Paris Junior College, 12:00 p.m.

March 26-vs. Richland Campus, 12 p.m.

March 8- vs. Rock Valley College, 3 p.m.

March 28- @ Dallas Christian, 12 p.m. and 3p.m.

March 9- vs. Brookhaven Campus, 12 p.m.

March 30- vs. Mountain View Campus, 11a.m.

March 11- @ Brookhaven Campus, 12 p.m.

April 1- @ Mountain View Campus, 11 a.m.

March 23- at Richland Campus, 12 p.m.

April 2- @ Mountain View Campus, 11 a.m.

March 25- vs. Richland Campus, 12 p.m.

April 4- vs. Sagu JV, 4 p.m.

SPORTS 10 | News-Register

NewsRegisterOnline.com

March 7, 2022

Coach inducted into hall of fame

A triumphant basketball season for the Blazers is topped of by a grand honor recognizing coach Tim McGraw on his successful career.

By Moises Martinez | Managing Editor

A

t last after nearly three decades of coaching and three national wins, head basketball coach Tim McGraw has been inducted into the hall of fame.

Along with a successful basketball season so far, a banner signed by athletes, coaches and others congratulating McGraw on his induction can be found in front of the trophy case in the F-building.

“It’s really a great honor because it’s selected by other coaches at that same level,” McGraw said.

“The fact that they can appreciate what you’ve gone through it’s a great honor because our level is extremely challenging with disadvantages like the lack of athletic scholarships to provide.”

He further recognized the talent in the many athletes that have played on the court for the Blazers.

“It’s an honor to all of the hundreds of kids that we’ve had play here,” McGraw said. “I mean, we’ve had some tremendous players that have come here and been extremely successful

News-Register | Joanna Mikolajczak

Head basketball coach Tim McGraw in his office holding the Blazers basketball Region V Champion plaque.

and really, really made us.

It made us do well.”

Mcgraw’s journey to hall of fame began back in high school when he started coaching a baseball program of 12-year-olds at the age of 16.

“I never really considered any other line of work to do and I was

a very average player, so I knew I wasn’t going to have the opportunity to be a professional player,” McGraw said. ”At that point, I realized that coaching was going to be a good opportunity for me.”

McGraw then found himself in Arkansas coaching for the first

time at a collegiate level from 1985 to 1989. Yet his career at North Lake did not begin until almost a decade afterwards when friend and former coach at North Lake, Jerry Trip left the school.

In the summer of 1997, McGraw received a phone call from Trip telling him he had moved to Houston to sell computers and asked McGraw if he agreed to a recommendation on his behalf to fill the new coach position.

“So I said yes because I’ve been trying for at least eight years to get another opportunity,” McGraw said.

Although he became the new coach it was only a part-time position which saw him working as a middle school coach as well.

“I had to teach middle school all day long before I came after school to coach the North Lake Blazers, and to say that was hard.

It was very hard,” McGraw said.

Despite having to balance both jobs, Mcgraw’s determination led him to coach the

basketball team to national tournaments in 2000. Then by 2001, he was promoted to full-time.

“That was the first time we ever went to a national tournament, but it was extremely hard to be able to pull it all together,” McGraw said. “Since that first time, we’ve been to national tournaments six times.”

After two decades of coaching and winning their last season, McGraw anticipates another championship win at the upcoming national championship tournament.

Even though almost half of the 27 games played last season were against schools with athletic scholarships, the team ended up defeating almost all of those schools.

“The one thing that’s different in our world is we have almost a whole different team every year. So that’s the biggest challenge of every year: to have very few guys that were with your team the previous year,” McGraw said. “What that means is you’re just constantly teaching. That’s been a fun

challenge at this particular level, as compared to four year universities, where coaches will have players for three or four years.”

McGraw’s dedication to the sport and team passes on to athletes and students alike, as seen with North Lake and Mountain View alumni Isom Cameron, who can be found assisting McGraw with coaching new athletes.

“He always teaches the true fundamentals of basketball, the fundamentals will always be shown off, so that’s what makes him a good coach. He teaches the real fundamentals of basketball,” Cameron said.

Forward shooting guard Cailean Ables said he believes the team’s success is owed thanks to their team chemistry being through the roof.

“We’ve got great coaches.

He’s a great coach, and he’s put together good teams in the past,” Ables said. “He just pushes me and my teammates to do better.

He expects greatness out of all of us, and he’s always pushing us to do better.”

Blazers make it to nationals The basketball team dominated this season with a near perfect winning streak

By Moises Martinez | Managing Editor

Despite having lost their last game of the season during the district tournament against Eastfield 84-83, the Blazers basketball team still qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association national tournament.

The Blazers will travel to Rockford, Illinois, March News-Register | Amelie Baquero News-Register | Gilberto Mbanza 8-12,for a chance to win a national title.

The team qualified at large as the No. 4 team in the tournament bracket after finishing with a 22-7 overall record that included five wins against five NJCAA Division I teams.

“I think that we have a chance to win the entire thing really,” head basketball coach Tim McGraw, said. “There’s about 10 other teams that are legit good. It’s nice just to go play teams from all over the nation. We’ve been able to go six times before, so it’s a good experience.”

Having won five of the six games in February, the team feels they will win this tournament thanks to their skills and teamwork North Lake alumni, Isom Cameron, said.

“They have a big shot of winning because I believe that most of these boys know they need to practice whatever part they lack and I teach them,” Cameron said. “I teach them some of the fundamentals that they need to work on, so I believe if they come in again with good fundamentals, good ball skills, and good defense, then they will have a hell of a shot.”

The team ranked third in the nation in the NJCAA Division III and were awarded NJCAA Region V champions.

News-Register | Amelie Baquero News-Register | Gilberto Mbanza The team ends the regular season with an average score of 84 points per game, having scored a total of 2,436 points Clockwise from the top left: Cailean Ables (#21) driving to the basket, Braeson Barrs-Richardson (#5) finishing a lay in their 29 games, according to northlakecollegeathleticss. up, Jacory Dawkins (#14) shooting a lay up, and Gregory Crawford (#24) driving to the basket against Dallas CollegeBrookhaven campus during the last home game of the season Feb. 16. com.