Fall 2022 - Issue 1

E agl E T h

COLLEGE FUNDING

NTCC receives grant to further student success

BY SKYLAR FONDREN Co-Editor-In-Chief

Northeast Texas Community College is now a recipient of a multi-million dollar grant, which will fund new resources on campus for mental health and more. This grant of $3 million is awarded to colleges that are named as Hispanic serving institutions, which means that more than 30% of the student population is of Hispanic descent.

The Title V grant, according to Executive Vice President for Advancement Dr. Jon McCullough, will be awarded over the course of five years, and will finance new staff. Some of those positions include two full-time success coaches, two high school transition coaches, a full time mental health counselor, and a grant writer for the Work4College program.

“[The grant] provides financial resources for us to be able to hire employees to do things above and beyond what a college is normally able to do,” said McCullough.

Student success coaches are able to give students assistance throughout their time at NTCC, and with the Title V grant, there will be two more full time coaches joining the team.

The current option for students dealing with mental health issues is limited only to virtual therapy, which is free for students to use. However, McCullough expressed that the number of students who use this resource is much lower than they had anticipated. This is where the new on-site mental health counselor will come in. The application for the position will be opening soon, and depending on the number of applicants, they may be hired by January or a little later. This person would have an office on campus and will be available for anything related to mental health. McCullough emphasized that the virtual therapy option would not go away with the hiring of the in-person therapist, but it might look different from what is available now. For students living in the dorms, there is the possibility for the counselor to be available after regular school hours for crises. They will not be able to formally diagnose any students, but can give them a referral to a psychiatrist if necessary.

“It’s more for crisis intervention. There are many students who may need more, and this person will serve as a resource for them,” said McCullough.

For high school students who need guidance on their future, two more high school transition coaches will be hired to work in the local high schools and assist students with the transition to college.

Care Center presents at MIT First Gen Summit

New campus club aims to assist first generation students with navigating college life successfully.

BY DOC ANDERSON Co-Editor-In-Chief

The Care Center at Northeast Texas Community College gave a presentation at the 10th Anniversary First Gen Summit hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, on Nov. 5.

The Care Center discussed the NTCC First Gen mentor program and the importance of student-led initiatives and peer mentoring. Twenty colleges participated in the event, but NTCC was the only community college to present.

Madia Arredondo, First Generation Success Mentor, said her experiences as a first generation student motivated her to create a First-Gen club at NTCC.

QEP adds new student success course

BY DOC ANDERSON Co-Editor-In-Chief

Beginning in the 2023 fall semester, Northeast Texas Community College will implement a new course designed to assist and acclimate first time college students as part of the college’s “Sowing SEEDS for Success” Quality Enhancement Plan.

The course is one-credit hour and is a part of NTCC’s Quality Enhancement Plan, QEP. Jennifer Sparks, Director of QEP and Interim English Faculty, said the class is designed specifically for first year students with a successful acclimation to college life during their first year of school.

“The course is geared towards students who have less than 12 semester hours, are first time students and have a general studies major,” Sparks said

The class will help those new college students learn how to navigate the campus, take advantage of available services, learn good study skills, explore career options and more.

The overall goal of the QEP is to increase student success by educating and instituting a sense of personal responsibility and pride in new students. NTCC plans to integrate the QEP course into other degree plans over the course of five years.

The QEP is a major part of NTCC’s re-accreditation process, which affects the college’s eligibility to offer financial aid, receive grants, offer transferable courses and more. The QEP

December Graduation

The 2022 Commencement Ceremony will be held on Friday Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Whatley Center for the Performing Arts.

Seating is limited, so only guests who have tickets will be admitted into the auditorium.

Graduation will be streamed live on Youtube and Facebook for those who are unable to attend in person.

is a large undertaking that is developed and implemented over several years.

The process in developing “Sowing SEEDS for Success” began in Aug. 2019 and was developed after NTCC conducted research asking about the biggest barriers to student success. Input from students, faculty, staff and community members indicated that personal responsibility was a theme that stood out.

The QEP committee then sought proposals for QEP ideas and, eventually, the “Sowing Seeds for Success” first-year experience course was born. This name is a nod to NTCC’s roots in rural Texas where agriculture is well known and a large part of the community. SEEDS is an acronym for Show Up, Engage, Experience, Develop, Succeed. These characteristics tie back to the QEP’s primary goal of improving student success.

Anna Ingram, Associate Vice President for Instruction, said the course is a great opportunity to further assist the success of the students.

I think this is a very good opportunity for our college to do something that will be very beneficial to students,” Ingram said.

The QEP course will take its pilot flight in the fall semester 2023. Details on the curriculum for the class have not been released. For more information on the QEP course contact Jennifer Sparks at jsparks@ntcc.edu.

“I am a first generation student, and I went through the process of going to college for the first time and registering for classes all while having the sense of not really belonging,” Arredondo said.

Arredondo said watching the other colleges’ presentations inspired her to continue her work. She said it affirmed her course of action.

“Knowing that there are other people who feel the same way and also want to see a change in supporting first gen students gave me the extra push,” Arredondo said. “It confirmed that I am on the right track.”

Tonya Elmore, Care Center Advocate, said interacting with students and mentors at the conference was an emotional experience.

“I’m first gen and seeing these students, in some of their eyes I saw myself. Not knowing what to do,” Elmore said. “It makes me emotional because I’m going to be able to pave the way for my kids and grandkids. We want everyone to be successful. That’s our goal.”

NTCC’s chapter for First-Gen students is still in the early stages of development. Elmore said she wants the club to form as soon as possible. The club isn’t limited to first generation students only, any NTCC student can join the First-Gen club.

The Care Center posted fliers with QR codes on the bulletin boards around campus. Student interested in joining the FirstGen club can scan the QR code or click the link on NTCC’s landing page,

For more information on the First-Gen Club contact Tonya Elmore at trelmore@ntcc.edu or by visiting NTCC’s main landing page.

Honors Northeast Firefighter Academy

For the first time in the history of NTCC, three sophomores have won the Portia Gordon Award of the East Texas Historical Association.

The award was a highly competitive achievement. In 2019, four top undergraduate scholars from Texas A&M at College Station won the award.

The NTCC Continuing Education Department is now accepting applications for the 2023 Firefighter Academy. Classes begin January 17th, 2023 and will be held at the Mount Pleasant Central Fire Station. The program meets on evenings during the week and on alternating Saturdays.

The Title V grant will help secure funding for personnel such as student success coaches, advisers and a mental health counselor.

skylar fondren | staff photo

Northeast Texas Community College’s Quality Enhancement Plan, otherwise called QEP, has been heavily promoted across campus as an effort to emphasize the importance of student success in college and life.

NTCC Student Paisley McGee consults with her Student Success Coach, Abraham Ramirez, for advice on the transfer process in anticipation of her graduation in May 2023.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Electric Vehicles come to Carroll Shelby Program

New automotive certification program offers students complete curriculum and manual training.

BY IAN GRIFFIN Feature Editor

Northeast Texas Community College’s Carroll Shelby Automotive Program has teamed up with Legacy EV to become the first electric vehicle (EV) automotive technician certification program.

In the fall 2022 semester, NTCC incorporated a pilot program that includes the Legacy EV curriculum and provides students with a level I certification.

The program is the first of its kind in the nation to be offered by an accredited college.

Students work on EV systems and conversions through comprehensive curriculum and hands-on training. The certification will be a part of the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program offered at NTCC.

Zach Strawbridge, Shelby Automotive Technology Instructor, said the conversion is

SAFETY AND SECURITY

underway for one of America’s classic cars.

“We have a 1979 Mustang, Fox body Cobra we are going to turn into an EV,” Strawbridge said.

The Mustangs transition from gas to electric will conclude in the Spring 2023 semester.

Weston Johnson, NTCC Carroll Shelby student, said he is happy the program is evolving with the times.

“It is nice to know that the program is steadily evolving along with the evolution of the automotive industry,” Johnson said. “We are not being held back in time.”

The automotive industry is experiencing a dramatic change. It’s been around since the 1860s and since its inception, the primary mode of power has been an internal combustion engine that usually utilizes gasoline or diesel.

Recently, Tesla made a major presence in the electric vehicle market, pushing innovation. Now, Legacy EV has come in to perpetuate a niche market that is often overlooked.

Legacy EV fills the market and offers a

Eagle Emergency Alert System helps maintain campus safety

NTCC’s Eagle Alert System is a way for students to stay up to date on emergency notifications.

BY PAISLEY MCGEE Staff Writer

Rain, sleet, or snow, the Northeast Texas Community College staff does not deliver messages door to door like the U.S. postal service. However, the college does reach students through email, texts and calls with the updated IRIS Eagle Alert System (EAS).

With new student enrollments happening each year, NTCC is urging students to keep phone numbers and contact information updated in the system.

“This is about safety and security,” Director of Marketing and Public Relations Committee Jodi Pack said. “So, the only times we’re going to use this system is to test it or if there’s an actual emergency.”

The Eagle Alert System is only used for emergency notifications in case of school closure, severe weather, fires, to run a test on the system, and for active shooter situations. The EAS not only alerts students of emergencies but also what to do when an emergency takes place.

Pack also mentioned the potential for the EAS to include notices of missing or kidnapped students.

Among the channels of communication, NTCC also uses SMS, short message services, to keep students engaged in activities happening around the campus. The difference between SMS (short message services) and emergency alerts is that the EAS was designed for emergency use only. On the other hand, the SMS is to remind students of events and to keep up with important dates such as when the Student Success/transfer team sends reminders to fill out FAFSA and when and where transfer week will be held.

“This is not a marketing thing, this is not us trying to sell anything,” Pack said.

One perk for NTCC students is they don’t

have to worry about downloading different apps for EAS because once they create their my eagle portal they are already in the system. However, if students are not getting the alerts on their phone, then it might be time to update their phone number. “Make sure those phone numbers are up to date so we can communicate with you,” Pack said.

Below are the steps to update your information.

1. Sign into myEagle Portal.

2. Click the student/staff tab at the top of the page.

3. Then on the left-hand side, under student/staff, click on “Emergency Alert Contact System.”

4. After clicking on the tab, students can enter or update their phone number.

Although, there is an opt-out option if the alerts are too disruptive, once a person opts out, it’s harder to get back into the messaging system. Students are advised to contact the IT department if they need to be re-entered into the system. To opt-out of EAS: Text ‘stop’ to 903-434-8114. For students who are reluctant to keep the system in place, Pack said that the alerts are not for any purpose other than emergencies.

“If you want to know when things happen, if you want to know when school is canceled, this is going to be your fastest way to get that information.” Pack said.

Pack said with new students coming in and out, it’s important to reiterate this information so students stay aware and informed of what’s happening on their campus. And with winter just around the corner, EAS is prepared and ready to go.

To contact IT (Information Technology) call 903-434-8140. The caller ID for the EAS is 903-434- 8114. Students are advised to save this number so their phone does not register it as a scam.

Contact Jodi Pack for further questions: jpack@ntcc.edu

Workers resurface the NTCC tennis courts, giving them a needed face-lift and adding a new sport, pickleball. Pickleball will be offered as a PE course in 2023.

Campus tennis courts get upgrade, pickleball expansion

Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in America, made its appearance on the NTCC campus this fall.

BY YANET CASTRO Staff Writer

The Northeast Texas Community College tennis courts have been renovated and are now able to facilitate tennis and pickleball matches. As pickleball becomes more popular NTCC is including it to the physical education curriculum.

Pickleball classes will be offered as a physical education credit and in Continuing Ed. Classes will be available spring semester of 2023. Dr. Johnathon McCullough, Executive Vice President for Advancement, said the demand for pickleball has increased drastically.

“We have had a huge demand from potential people in the community and potential students for us to offer pickleball classes,” McCullough said.

McCullough said the equipment will be provided for students who take pickleball as a P.E class and options are being explored to facilitate students who need to borrow equipment recreationally.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America with 4.8 million players in the United States according to Pickleheads.com.

“We are trying to get ahead of the curve and not behind,” said Dr. McCullough.

The outdoor/indoor sport is similar to tennis and pingpong using wood paddles and a perforated ball. The second largest age bracket of pickleball players in 2021 was ages 18 to 34 in 2021 making the first largest age bracket 55 and up. McCullough said the sports accessibility was also a contributing factor.

“Pickleball is a sport for everybody,” McCullough said.

One of the benefits of pickleball is that it brings

people together.

Carter Erickson, pitcher for NTCC’s baseball team, says pickleball brings his neighborhood together.

“I love pickleball. During the summertime we have a whole neighborhood competition. We all come out. It’s fun, it’s competitive, and you’re laughing the whole time,” said Erickson.

Chapel Hill High School uses NTCC’s courts for UIL tennis. McCullough said Chapel Hill is thinking about adding pickleball as an official pickleball sport.

“Chapel Hill has recently started talking about adopting pickleball as an official UIL sport. If they do that we would be ahead, having the courts already,” McCullough said. “I can see small pickleball tournaments being held on our campus.”

The tennis/pickleball courts are available for use immediately. For more information on pickleball classes contact McCullough for information needed.

Firefighter Academy accepting applications for 2023

The Northeast Texas Community College Continuing Education Department is now accepting applications for the 2023 Firefighter Academy. Classes begin January 17th, 2023 and will be held at the Mount Pleasant Central Fire Station. The program meets on evenings during the week and on alternating Saturdays.

The Fire Academy is a partnership between Northeast Texas Community College and the Mt. Pleasant, Texas, Fire Department. It prepare trainees for a career as a firefighter. The academy is an authorized training facility for structural firefighting under Texas

Commission on Fire Protection (TCFPFDID #107). Trainees who successfully complete the academy will be eligible for the certification exam given by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or the State Fire-men’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas.

Tracks are available for both career and volunteer firefighters! Financial assistance is available for those who qualify and payment plans are offered. Visit the website for more information and to download the application. You can also call 903-434-8134 for more information.

ian griffin | staff photo

conversion of classic cars. This conversion offers a transition to the future while keeping the old classic look.

According to the Legacy EV website, Legacy EV is the market leader in aftermarket EV applications.

Legacy offers fully integrated EV systems from top manufacturers, certified

EV technician training programs, and EV design consultation for businesses around the world.

The completion of the Mustang into an EV is the Carroll Shelby Program’s first leap into the future. For more information about the Carroll Shelby Program contact Ron Luellen, rluellen@ntcc.edu.

yanet castro | staff photo

Students in the Carrol Shelby Electric Vehicle collegiate certification program will transform this old mustang, circa 1979, into an electric vehicle.

fondren | staff photo

MENTAL HEALTH

NTCC expands virtual care initiative

JOURNALISM AND FINE ARTS

Lagniappe celebrates 10 years

The NTCC journalism staff is currently underway with it’s 11th edition. Lagniappe has been in publication since 2013.

BY DOC ANDERSON Co-Editor-In-Chief

Northeast Texas Community College’s literary magazine, “Lagniappe, recently celebrated the release of its tenth volume.

The literary and art magazine prominently displays the work of creative writers, traditional and digital artists throughout its pages.

Since its inception in 2013, Lagniappe has consistently published a new and unique volume each year. Writings and artwork are submitted to the staff and the publication is entirely put together by the Lagniappe editors.

Mandy Smith, Professor of English and Journalism, said the magazine consistently wins awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) against major Universities. Smith said the awards speak to the caliber of artists and writers attending NTCC.

“When we go to that conference it’s like yeah, our kids did that,” Smith said.

“We are a little two-year school out here in the middle of nowhere but look at the works our kids produce. We have the best of the best.”

Mileah Hall, Assistant Professor of Art, said Lagniappe gives her art students a building block for their future endeavors. She said it gives her students a taste of what it’s like to be a professional artist.

“It gives them such a professional look,” Hall said.

“They’ve got their picture in there, they’ve got pictures of them in process and even quotes from the artists.”

Hall said artists often get stuck in their works and have difficulty taking a step back. She said the magazine allows the students to view their art through a different lens.

“I think sometimes as artists, we get so into what we are doing,” Hall said. We don’t step back and see the art for the beauty that it is. We are our own

worst critics.”

The magazine’s name, Lagniappe, is of Louisiana French and Spanish origin and means “something given as a bonus or extra gift.” Smith said the title accurately represents the ethos of the magazine.

“The name is perfect for what it is,” Smith said. “It’s that special little gift we give to NTCC from our students.”

Copies of the 10th edition of Lagniappe are out now and can be obtained from the journalism department in H-108. A digital version is also available on Issuu.

The staff is already underway with the 11th publication and is in search of art and writing from any current NTCC students. Submissions can be sent to lagniappeeditors@gmail.com.

For more information about Lagniappe contact advisers Mandy Smith at msmith@ntcc.edu or Daniel Sanchez at dsanchez@ntcc.edu.

BY DOC ANDERSON Co-Editor-In-Chief

Northeast Texas Community College has expanded its Virtual Care Initiative to reach and better serve the student population.

In the Fall 2021 semester, NTCC introduced its Virtual Care Initiative via the Eagle Assist App. The program initially allowed the student to access a counselor for 10 free sessions. The program has since been revamped and now allows students an unlimited amount of sessions with a counselor or a therapist.

Sheila Eddy, Associate Director of Academic Advising, said the initial launch’s success led to the expansion.

“The process started last year, taking baby steps, it was our pilot program,” Eddy said. “This year it was refunded by the college to make a larger push to reach students.”

NTCC’s push for mental health services comes at the head of a mental health crisis on colleges and universities in the U.S. According to the American Psychological Association website, “During the 20202021 school year, more than 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health problem.”

To access mental health services, students need only check their student email. The Virtual Care Group periodically sends out emails with instructions on how to access services. Students must click on the provided link and fill out the necessary information. After the student has completed the registration portion, they are allowed to select the services needed.

Lyndi Rawlings, NTCC student, said the overall mental health Generation Z is in decline and thinks the Virtual Care Initiative is a great idea.

“I think that it’s [mental health] become worse throughout the years. There seems to be a higher rate of depression or anxiety within our generation,” Rawlings said. “I think it’s good the college is putting an effort into reaching out to students.”

For more information on the Virtual Care Initiative, contact Sheila Eddy at seddy@ntcc.edu.

NTCC Presidential Scholars win Portia Gordon Award

Dr. Andrew Yox Special to The Eagle

For the first time in the history of Northeast Texas Community College, three sophomores have won the Portia Gordon Award of the East Texas Historical Association. The Executive Director of the ETHA, Professor Scott Sosebee, on 15 October in Nacogdoches presented Evan Sears, Jordan Chapin, and Skylar Fondren checks for $100 for representing the best undergraduate student panel at the annual meeting. The award was a highly competitive achievement. In 2019, four top undergraduate scholars from Texas A&M at College Station won the award. In recent years, groups from the University of Houston, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M at Commerce, and Jacksonville College have competed vigorously for the prize.

“Evan, Jordan, and Skylar” have reached a new apex of achievement at NTCC” noted Honors Director, Dr. Andrew Yox. “As a team, they topped university upperclassmen at a professional scholarly conference. The judges of the ETHA appreciated the novelty, argumentation, and documentation of three works that have made it through all the rounds of our traditional scholarly endeavor in honors at NTCC. I was elated for

them, and thankful that we at NTCC can once again point to some very special backing that we are able to deliver on behalf of student success.”

Chapin, Fondren, and Sears presented their panel on “Milestones in the History of Modern Northeast Texas” on 14 October. The Raguet Room was sumptuous, and cool as they began their talks in an afternoon session within the boutique hotel, the Fredonia, in Nacogdoches.

Chapin’s presentation on “Legendary Housewives of Northeast Texas,” based on a series of local interviews, showed how some stay-athome moms have resisted the culture of feminine employment. They have concentrated instead on the success of their offspring, who, in fact, have attained notable achievements.

Fondren presented her work on the development of

a news desert in Northeast Texas. Through time, the local “news” has lost its functions as a watchdog, a scorekeeper, and gatekeeper. Finally Evan Sears presented his film research on Carroll Shelby, who he argued was the true emissary of the muscle car in American culture. Shelby won as a racer of muscle cars, he won as a developer, he fought for the muscle-car idea within corporations, left a legacy for their development, and developed a muscle-car persona.

NTCC Sophomore Victor Diaz was not given an award, and did not present research, but he did chair the student panel, making the award possible. Diaz kept the session moving with interesting puns and flourishes in introducing the speakers. He also presented the NTCC trailer on Carroll Shelby at the end of the session.

All four of the NTCC Scholars in this award-winning panel not only receive institutional support, but also private support through the NTCC foundation. Sears is NTCC’s first Dr. and Mrs. Bradley Witt Scholar. Fondren is NTCC’s seventh Texas Heritage National Bank Scholar. Chapin is NTCC’s second Russell Mowery Scholar, and Diaz is the 2022-23 James and Elizabeth Whatley Scholar of Honors Northeast.

Work4College application open for summer 2023

Jodi Pack Special to The Eagle

The Work4College Program has given many students the opportunity to attend NTCC without acquiring debt and provides a hands-on learning experience through a department on campus.

The application is available to fill out and submit online at www.Work4College.com. The deadline to apply is April 14, 2023.

In the Work4College Program students may get their hands dirty working on the college farm. Or, they may spend the summer painting classrooms and dorm rooms or pulling weeds and mowing. Some might work in the student services area giving tours, recruiting new students, or even helping other students fill out financial aid forms. Students will earn $15 per hour and work up to 15 hours per week, for 10 weeks.

Students receive $7.50 per hour as spending money while the other $7.50 per hour is applied toward future tuition and fees at NTCC.

The Work4College Program is intended for students planning to attend NTCC for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you have any additional questions about the program, visit website www.Work4College. com. If you have questions that the FAQ does not answer, please feel free to reach out to Mason May, Work4College Director at mmay@ntcc.edu or stop by the CARE Center in IA 105.

skylar

Students have unlimited access to doctors and therapists plus on-demand crisis counseling. Students can scan the QR code above and use zip code 75455 to get started.

the care group | courtesy photo

“ I think sometimes as artists, we get so into what we are doing. We don’t step back and see the art for the beauty that it is. We are our own worst critics.”

Mileah hall

Honors students presented their work at the East Texas Historical Association this past October and won the Portia Gordon award for best student panel. Their panel featured works on news-deserts, housewives and the famous racer, Carroll Shelby.

krisan sears | courtesy photo

Lagniappe co-editors Skylar Fondren (left) and Liliana Torreblanca (right) admire their work that took the entire summer semester to complete. Copies of Lagniappe can be found in Humanities Room 108.

Wesley Fellowship Center welcomes new director

By Ian Griffin Feature Editor

Allyson Penny recently joined the Wesley Fellowship at NTCC as its new director.

Penny has been in the position since August 2022.

She resides in Maud, where she also began serving as the minister for the Methodist Church in August. Penny became a Methodist minister in 2018.

Now that she is also serving as the Wesley director, Penny said she enjoys helping all students. “Some students have plans for the future and are really on target and on top of their schoolwork,” Penny said. “Then some of them are still figuring stuff out. I love being able to help those individuals that know where they are going and have goals and help them reach their goals. I love being with other individuals that are maybe just changing things up as they speak.”

On Tuesdays, NTCC students are invited to stop by and meet with Penny and other community members for a free lunch and bit of fellowship. The center is located on FM 1735 just to the left of the main NTCC campus.

The Wesley Fellowship is an extension of the United Methodist Church ministry as it shares fellowship, service & discipleship with people of all backgrounds, denominations and ages.

Penny, no stranger to the Wesley Fellowship, has previously been involved with the student ministry group at Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler.

Her background of helping others has a unique path.

Originally from Houston, Penny “did an internship with refugees and immigrants that were coming mainly from the Congo,” Penny said. During this internship, she met with families and farmed with

them. This ministry allowed Penny the opportunity to work with others and give back to those in need.

Regarding students coming to Wesley, Penny said, “College can be one of those times there are so many influences coming at you,” she said. “To have a space that’s just safe, a Christian environment that is pushing you for that Christian lifestyle is really something that excites me.”

Penny said she is excited to have the chance to offer her support to college students. “Being able to be with these students, some of them are in very vulnerable positions just in the world being able just to raise them up. Raise them up to be the next leaders in our country, and all. That is really what excites me about this place.”

Penny explained that the regulars come in each week, and then some students just pop in and out of the Wesley

Title V grant expands services

Cont. from pg. 1

Though they will be paid by NTCC, they will not be pushing students to attend NTCC, simply giving them assistance with the college process as a whole.

In regards to the transition coaches, McCullough said he is excited for the impact on the community.

“It’s really going to benefit the community significantly,” McCullough said. “If there’s a young man who’s wanting to get an engineering degree at Abilene Christian, they can help him go through the process, filling out financial aid and everything. We’re helping the whole community, with an emphasis on NTCC benefiting from it too.”

Not only will this money go towards hiring new employees, it will also go towards a new student center, which will allow for students to have an outdoor central gathering space. The location for the space is still undetermined but there is a committee being put together that will finalize these plans. McCullough also mentioned that there would be at least one student representative on the committee, to give the students some voice when decisions are being made. The center will

“Somewhere on the college grounds will be some sort of outdoor covered area that is user friendly. [The space will be] a place that really

attracts people, because we believe that if you can get people to want to stay somewhere and be more involved then they’re going to be more successful,” McCullough said.

Following the continued success of the Work4College and Summer Success programs, both of these functions will be getting more financial support through the grant. Work4College will receive a resource development grant writer, as well as funds for more personnel. The summer success program will now be able to completely cover meal plan costs. Before, students living in the dorms over the summer had to pay for breakfast and dinner.

Another improvement for students and faculty is the modification of the advisers area in the student services building. The current desks restricted the advisers from easily showing students their computer monitor, so they will be receiving new desks to better fit their needs. The old desks will be moved to resident housing to be used as study pods for the dorm students.

McCullough expressed that this grant will not only benefit the college and its students, but the surrounding community as well.

“Grants like these provide an economic impact to your community,” McCullough said. “Every person that we are able to hire with this grant brings money to this community.”

Professor encourages others to pursue their own love of music

By Doc Anderson, Adrian Avila Co-Editor-In-Chief, Staff Writer

Prior to the COVID-19 lockdowns, the music department at Northeast Texas Community College was filled with eager students. After the pandemic, however, students declaring a music major saw a decline like so many other fields of study.

Andrew Daniel, NTCC music professor, said new classes and music-related extracurricular activities are now being added to help create a renewed interest for students.

Daniel emphasized the importance of strengthening the NTCC music program for everyone on campus

“Having a shared experience together through music is so important for our sense of community and sense of belonging,” Daniel said. “Outside of that shared experience with others, music has the ability to help people solve puzzles. It changes our brainwaves.”

Daniel personally understands the “shared experience” that he speaks about so often. He began his journey into the arts as a young boy after being introduced to music through the tutelage of his mother.

“I started with piano when I was five, my mom is a pianist. I switched to guitar at about 10,” Daniel said. “Twenty or so years ago music morphed from an activity I enjoyed into having a shared experience with others. Music is a vehicle we use to have a shared experience.”

He graduated from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and then moved to Europe and toured for 10 years. After returning to the United States, he went to visit his father who had recently bought a ranch in Cookville, and said at one time he even considered possibly becoming a rancher.

But as fate and his love for music would have it, Daniel met NTCC President Dr. Ron

Clinton, who at that time was a member of the NTCC music faculty. Clinton offered Daniel an adjunct position. And of course, as the old cliché goes, the rest is now NTCC history.

Along with his work as the faculty member and Fine Arts Division chair, Daniel is also well known for hosting faculty concerts in the Whatley center. His son, Andre, an accomplished violinist, performed with him during his most recent concert in October.

Daniel played the classical guitar and performed “Dance in a Madhouse” based on a lithograph by George Bellows.

Daniel mainly focuses on the guitar but is capable of teaching beginning piano, ear training and music theory. Daniel said music is incredibly important to human society offering overlooked benefits of unification and cognitive ability.

As Daniel moves forward with his goal to renew interest in the music program, he is focusing on getting more students to major in music and complete a music degree. Recruiting efforts began in some of the high schools around the Northeast Texas area during the spring.

Another new initiative is the hiring of a new adjunct choir director. Daniel said the new director is already recruiting students to form a small show choir.

Daniel said the show choir will likely begin rehearsing performing during the upcoming spring semester. Students not enrolled in the music program are also encouraged to utilize the resources the music department has to offer. Daniel is hoping to start a band with students that will cross many genres. Daniel said students who are vocalists can apply for

For

Allyson Penny welcomes all students to the Wesley Fellowship each Tuesday for a free meal and a time of fellowship. The center is located on FM 1735 adjacent to the main NTCC campus.

scholarships through the music department as scholarships are currently available.

more information on the music department or for inquiry about bands and instruments contact Andrew Daniel at adaniel@ntcc.edu.

center. Those serving the meals are able to interact with the students on a personal basis. There are quite a few from the arts design classes,

and she finds it rewarding to witness the progression of their work.

Seeing students overcome their challenges is also

rewarding to Penny. “To see that and even pray with some of them and be with them is something that really excites me.”

ian griffin |

Music Professor Andrew Daniel shares his love of music with students and the campus community. He is looking to renew students’ interest in pursuing a degree in music.

courtesy photo

Professor’s service dog retires

By Ian Griffin Feature Editor

Anyone making their way around the Northeast Texas Community College campus over the past few years probably remembers seeing Adjunct History Instructor John Russo and his seeing-eye dog, which most of the faculty and staff affectionately referred to as the “Poodle Man.”

Recently, however, some may have thought they were seeing double when Russo suddenly appeared on campus with not one, but two almost identical, white standard poodles.

So the question arises. Does “Poodle Man” have a twin? As is often the case, things are not always what they seem. Anyone taking a closer look might have noticed a slight difference between the two dogs.

“Poodle Man” has a longer snout and is a bit taller than his counterpart. The other dog also has a younger appearance than Russo’s constant companion. The truth is that instead of being “Poodle Man’s” twin, the other dog is simply his successor.

After eight years of service, Russo’s seeing-eye dog retired this past summer, and a new service animal, trained by Pilot Dogs out of Columbus, Ohio, was brought in to take his place. The good news is that Russo and his wife, Cheryl, were allowed to keep his original service dog as a pet.

So, does that mean the secret is out and the “Poodle Man’s” true identity can finally be revealed? For years Russo’s companion made his way around the NTCC campus incognito almost like a secret agent working under the guise of an alternate name.

With the animal’s retirement from service last summer, his name could finally be known. Some folks may have been a bit surprised to learn that “Poodle Man” is actually just a dog named Rosco.

Russo said it was a bittersweet moment when he met his new service dog and realized that Rosco’s role was about to change.

“When I was at the guide dog school and faced the moment when the trainers tell you to go back into the room, and we will be bringing your dog to you, I had to hold back tears,” Russo said. “I thought, ‘You know this really is the end now because Rosco is

retired and whoever this new dog is will take his place.’”

Russo said things became a little easier when he introduced the dogs and they quickly became fast friends.

To ensure there were not any territorial issues between Rosco and Joey, he had the two dogs meet each other on the sidewalk instead of an area that Rosco had already established as his territory.

The two dogs got a chance to get to know each other, and then they became instant buds from that initial meeting.

“Thankfully when I brought my new dog home, the two of them met and sniffed each other, and they was just like ‘Hey man, nice to meet ya’,’” Russo said. “They were so quick to adapt. It made it so much easier for me. I really did feel a sense of loyalty to my first dog, and it was kind of sad. But the two of them love each other. They lay together and they eat right by each other and every day, I mean every day, wherever I am, both of them are by my side.”

Russo recalled some of the early days when he first received Roscoe eight years ago and attended the training at Pilot Dogs. According to the company’s website, Pilot Dogs “Helps people who are blind or visually impaired achieve greater independence and mobility.” Their program is based on three phases of training, “Puppy Raising,” “Formal Dog”and the final phase, “Team Training.”

Russo met Rosco for the first time during the Team Training phase of the process. Rosco had already completed six months of training before Russo showed up at Pilot Dogs to begin his training.

After two days of lecture, Russo finally got to meet his new service dog.

“It is a bit of protocol. They will bring the dog into the room,” Russo explained. “They want you to stay still as a statue, with no reaction because one of the basic instincts in the mind of the dog is dominance and submissiveness. That is the first instinctual concept they have. So, when they bring this dog to you, and it doesn’t know you, if it barks or growls or whimpers or anything like that and you respond, from its perspective you obeyed it, you’re submissive.”

Russo said it is important to make sure the dog quickly learns to obey its new owner’s commands.

He had to make sure that Rosco followed his order to lay down before he

did anything else with the animal. “ Once the dog lays down, it has demonstrated submission. Once it has done that, you can reach down, say its name, pet it,” he said.

“The next thing you do is take the dog into the bathing facility and bathe the dog. They say that one of the most intimate ways to bond with the dog is to bathe it, groom it and brush it.”

Initially, Russo said he was reluctant to trust the dog during the training process.

“One day, the instructor said to me, ‘Mr. Russo, the dog is certified. You are in training,’” he recalled. By the third day of training, however, the two had created what became the first moments of bonding that continues until this day.

Rosco and Russo’s new service dog, Joey, were trained specifically for the instructor’s needs. Not only to find the safest path to lead Russo safely where he needs to go, but the dog must be able to obey and disobey accordingly.

Unlike other service animals, a seeing-eye dog must demonstrate intelligent disobedience. “This means the dog may be given a command to go, but the dog may see potential danger such as a passing car, and the dog will determine that it is not a good time to go, therefore intellectually disobeying the handler,” Russo said.

The level of maneuverability and travel changed for Russo once Rosco came into his life.

Over the years, the dog has successfully guided Russo across campus, to his classrooms, in and out of restrooms, and various other places on campus.

Russo said he even often interjected Rosco into his classroom activities. He said using the dog as a teaching tool helped add humor to the history class. Finding unique and creative vignette opportunities and inserting Rosco, and now Joey, into vignettes of the lecture helps break down barriers in learning for some students.

“I absolutely consider the dog as a partner,” Russo said. “I make jokes about him all the time…It adds to the comfort level in the classroom.”

He said his dog also serves as a calming and comforting effect for some of his students. While a service dog should not be petted while he is in his harness, Russo would often allow people to pet Rosco when he wasn’t working.

“I had one student, who took three of my classes, and she frequently came by the office to pet the poodle,” Russo said. “She would ask to pet him, and I always would say yes.”

Russo said he didn’t realize just how much the dog’s presence meant to the student until she had transferred on to another school.

“She sent an email to me just a couple weeks ago and asked how Rosco was doing? I said, “Oh nice, good to hear from you. How is life on your end?’ She responded and said, ‘That dog gave me so many moments of decompression. I used to look forward to petting that dog to relieve stress.’ Even after she was no longer in my classes, in a different semester I would hear a knock at the door. She would look in and say, ‘Can I pet Rosco? I need my poodle fix.’”

Although most people on campus did not know Rosco’s true identity, about two years into his service, he shared the dog’s real name with Humanities Administration Assistant Delbra Anthony, who had developed a bond with the dog.

She often played with him in her office at times when Russo removed his harness. She said Rosco’s retirement was sad, but she understood that his body was aging and it was time.

“I had such an interaction with Rosco, and I knew that Rosco didn’t want to retire, he still wanted to work,” Anthony said. “When John and Rosco would come into the building, Rosco would look into my office to see if I was here, and then he would take John on to his office.

The relationship that Rosco and I developed in those first the years, he was like one of my dogs, only he just visited me here instead of at home. I was sad to see him go.”

The logic behind keeping Rosco’s true identity from the campus community was not sinister. Since Russo is blind, it was suggested by the trainers at the time that the dog’s name remain unknown by anyone but his owner.

Withholding his real name ensured that only the dog’s owner would be able to call out to the dog. This prevented Russo’s service animal from becoming distracted and potentially leading him into harm’s way.

As Rosco neared retirement, Russo traveled back to Pilot Dogs in Ohio last May to train and pick up his new service dog.

Russo discovered that the training procedures had changed some over the past eight years. It was now advised not to give the dog an alias but instead let people know the animal’s real name.

This change requires

some responsibility from the community, who are still asked to allow only the handler to say the dog’s name. This practice is to prevent any confusion for the dog. With that understanding, Russo is openly sharing the new dog’s name with the campus.

The bond that developed between Russo and his first seeing-eye dog, Rosco, continues to be immeasurable. The dog has now moved on from his service to simply enjoy a peaceful life with Russo and his wife.

Shortly after the arrival of Joey, Russo took both dogs to Home Depot, a place that he frequently visits. Quickly into the trip, Joey was energetic while walking the aisle, whereas Rosco, who is older, quickly wore down. He would take a rest. After a few trips to routine places, it seemed Rosco understood the role of stepping aside and letting young Joey do the work.

Now Rosco no longer needs to run around incognito, instead he is able to simply enjoy being part of the Russo family without any guiding responsibilities. The family has grown nicely with the addition of Joey. Who has gladly taken over those duties from Rosco.

The only major difference is, Joey does not have to run around under an alias name.

courtesy photo

Russo’s former service dog, Rosco, and his successor, Joey, share a little bonding time. The two dogs are now living with Russo and his wife Cheryl.

Steve La Vallee of Pilot Dogs in Columbus, Ohio, works with Russo and his new service animal, Joey, as the dog makes his way around the NTCC campus for the first time during the summer semester.

mandy smith | staff photo

teresa flores | eagle archives

Russo and Rosco make their way around the NTCC campus in 2015. Rosco served as Russo’s service dog for eight years before retiring from service this summer. Since retirement, the dog has joined the family as a pet.

Political divide stresses an already tenuous peace

By Doc Anderson Co-Editor-in-Chief

The divide between the political left and right is bigger than it has been in recent history. In fact, mainstream journalists sometimes portray the country as though we are in a modern day “civil war.”

MSNBC’s Tiffany Cross, “The Cross Connection,” said, “These days, it feels like we are not just at the brink of a civil war, but that one has already begun.”

At first, I believed Cross was being hyperbolic, but now, I’m not so sure. The use of political violence is slowly becoming more acceptable amongst the politically initiated. Where once politicians condemned any violence in the name of party affiliation, now there is silence, especially if the violence committed is considered “righteous.”

The country I grew up in is vastly different from the one I stumble through today. Debate has become a form of violence. If a person raises concerns with a piece of legislation or even gives a negative review of a TV show, they are quick to be branded as racist, homophobic, etc. The dehumanization of political adversaries has become commonplace.

It is no longer enough to beat a political opponent in a democratic election. Now, long after the elections have ended, political operatives set out to destroy or imprison their bested foes. This behavior isn’t isolated to our corrupt and irreparable government. The fomenting of political hacks has trickled down to the American people. The people I love and took an oath to protect are being tricked. Under the guise of “reunification” and “building back,” the current administration

has shifted to divide and conquer.

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, recently said, “When you are not where the majority of Americans are, then you know, that is extreme.”

President Joe Biden ran a campaign based on unity and now he gives sinister Stalin-like speeches with U.S. Marines looming in the wings.

Biden has given up on being the president of the United States and is content being the president of the people who voted for him. It almost seems like Biden wants the American people to hate each other. It’s easier to control a population if you make half of them believe the other half is out to get them.

Former President Donald Trump wasn’t much better at bringing the country together. He rallied his base, argued with everyone on Twitter at 2 a.m. and was content with being half the population’s president.

President Biden had a real chance at rebuilding the nation. Instead he took a page from Trump’s playbook and widened the divide between the left and right.

in newspapers. Eleven percent have some degree of confidence in television news.”

Our politicians want us at each other’s throats so they can enrich themselves and our media is aiding them in their journey. The only ingredient for civil war we are missing is major conflict. Or are we?

Doc anDerson

“ The use of political violence is slowly becoming more acceptable amongst the politically initiated. Where once politicians condemned any violence in the name of party affiliation now there’s silence. Especially if the violence is committed is considered righteous.”

Journalists tasked with delivering the American people with true information have been co-opted by political activists. You no longer have to be factually correct; you just need to be first.

A July 2022 Gallup poll shows the American people have little to no trust in journalism. The polls shows that“Sixteen percent of Americans have a great deal/quite a lot of confidence

Don’t forget to show the proper respect for our military veterans

By Ian Griffin Feature Editor

I reflect as I sit down and hold an old photo. The photo is of me returning from Desert Storm and embracing my oldest son for the first time. For many service members, this is a common experience.

As we recognized Veterans Day this year, I felt that it was important to remember its true meaning and why this year was unique.

Veterans Day is the time of year we acknowledge the men and women who took the charge to serve our great nation. Whether this charge was for one day in boot camp and they were discharged after that day or a lifetime of commitment spanning over 20 years, each service member took an oath to defend this nation at all costs. Rarely is such a dedication so profound as the dedication of the service member.

However, this past Veterans Day was a bit different because for the first time in over 20 years we did not have service members at war during Veterans Day. Did that change the value of the day? That may very well be an important the question of the day.

I remember my eight deployments for our nation, six of which I served deployed when Veterans Day occurred. I find it ironic that as a soldier forward deployed, sometimes, I didn’t even know Veterans Day had happened.

Honestly, I was oblivious to it. I was too focused on the mission or simply staying alive to give much thought to the day dedicated to those who had served. That seems strange when looking back at things. But, I cannot remember celebrating that day or thinking about it when I was in Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan or Liberia. Our posts or units would often celebrate Veterans

Day when in garrison and not deployed. Sometimes we would bring in warriors from previous wars to discuss the importance of Veterans Day to those who currently serve. Respect and admiration were always given to those great warriors. They are the ones who served and laid the foundation of whom our current service members have become. I find this ironic.

A few years back, while serving I would speak on the importance of Veterans Day in places like Detroit or Germany. Usually, I would introduce a warrior from the past. Now, I am the warrior of the past and had the chance to speak this year as the old warrior at my local ceremony in Pittsburg.

This year on Veterans Day, the Texas Community College Journalism Association held their annual conference on November 11, which I chose not to attend.

I felt their decision diminished the value of Veterans Day. TCCJA decided to have its fall conference on Veterans Day instead of taking the opportunity to honor veterans and allowing journalists to honor veterans in their communities.

Was this a simple clerical oversight? And if it was, that demonstrates the diminished value already present in the journalism field?

Since this is the first Veterans Day in over 20 years that we did not have service members fighting in a war, will Veterans Day lose its luster?

Will the pride for our service members diminish a bit, as those who don’t have service members in their lives don’t see their need or value?

These are fundamental questions that deserve our thoughts and reflection. This opportunity to think about these thoughts and debate them demonstrates, even more, the powerful significance of Veterans Day. The sacrifices of veterans allow us the opportunity to debate these things in peace.

The eagle

Layout & Design Editor Liliana Torreblanca

Staff Writers

The Eagle is the student newspaper of Northeast Texas Community College and is published online and in print throughout the spring and fall semester. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of the faculty adviser or the administration of the college.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to ntcceagleeditors@gmail.com, letters should be no more than 500 words.

Questions?

Comments? email our adviser Daniel Sanchez at dsanchez@ntcc.edu or visit us online at www.ntcceagleonline.com

The riots in 2020 often referred to as “The Summer of Love, coupled with the increase in violent crimes constitute conflict. After the raid of Trump’s Mar-aLago home, a 42-year-old man, Ricky W. Shiffer, attempted to attack the Cincinnati field office of the FBI. Political violence is on the rise and is becoming acceptable on both sides of the isle.

All of the turmoil and unprecedented infighting is leading us down a dangerous path. Pundits on the right and left have championed a peaceful divorce over a civil war.

But how would the country be divided? The major cities cannot survive without the heartland. Food comes from the flyover states. Would the red states break off and become allied with the blue states? Why would a state align with a nation they fought to leave?

These questions have no genuine answers. Those of us who have seen and fought wars on foreign soil do not want to see it replicated in the U.S. We are all Americans and America is still the land of milk and honey. We just need to replace our current quart as it has spoiled.

Raíces y Cultura

Embracing the differences in interracial relationships

By Yanet Castro Staff writer

I am walking home with my favorite human right next to me, my boyfriend.

We are smiling as he keeps joking around and suddenly we hear a woman yell, “Y’all always take our men.” My boyfriend is black, and I am Hispanic.

I felt angry. Why does race matter in my relationship? It doesn’t, but the world’s negativity is discouraging at times. Especially when it is not from family, but strangers. I see their judgy eyes while we walk down the Walmart aisles. Their eyes fixated on us makes me feel like I don’t belong. But our differences feel right, they make our relationship unique and fun.

He has welcomed me into his culture and has taught me new perspectives.

I like that we are different because it never gets boring.

We provide each other with something

new and learn new things all the time. Growing up in a Mexican household meant my first language was Spanish.

It also set the stage for watching Mexican TV channels, at least until I moved to East Texas at the age of 16.

Even though I was born and raised on American soil, it’s almost embarrassing not knowing the “American way of life.” I am not too familiar with many American movies, some vocabulary, and even the food.

But my boyfriend teaches me what I didn’t know before.

He makes me wiser every day. I teach him and he teaches me, it’s an ongoing cycle.

It’s meaningful when we introduce new food to each other.

It’s a bonding moment when he enjoys a dish that is important to me and my culture, a dish that we can now enjoy together.

When I think about our love and how our differences unite us, the judgy eyes and remarks don’t bother me as much. It’s all worth it.

Holding on to one’s cultural identity in multiple worlds

By Dulce Soza Staff Writer

I was only five when my eyes set on the beautiful sunrise in the state of Arizona. After traveling so far, I remember hoping to soon be with my family after years of being separated.

I don’t remember much of my childhood before then or my hometown in Guatemala, but I carry my heritage with pride every day.

Of course as an immigrant that hasn’t always been easy. There was always that small bit of embarrassment that I felt growing up, trying to hide the fact that I felt like I didn’t belong. It wasn’t until later that I realized why I felt that way.

I started to notice the way the media was so focused on people like me and my family. People who come to America to give themselves and their children a better future. People who were trying to make the most from what they had. Yet, that’s not what the media portrays.

Most of my years as a teen, I can remember sitting in front of the TV with my family as different news stations showed families being separated and being

deported. I sat and witnessed as the news and different articles painted us as the villains.

I kept my head down, worked hard, got good grades, and eventually was blessed with an opportunity to get a job and go to college just like every other kid in America. All thanks to DACA, without fearing that one day it would be me on the other side of the TV.

Still, it’s crazy to think that even though I was an immigrant for the majority of my childhood, my English is better than my first language. Some say it’s even better than most people whose first and only language is English.

Though I was five years old when I first stepped on American soil, America has always been home.

I’m grateful that my parents did what they could to give me a better life, but it saddens my heart to know that there are those who weren’t as lucky.

There will always be those who keep fighting to get a chance at a happy life full of opportunity, who mean no harm but work hard day and night to provide for their families and to prove to the American government that they deserve a chance in this country as well.

I see this every day and I am proud to be a part of them.

Adrian Avila, Abigail Barnard, Emma Burrows, Aiden Camp, Yanet Castro, Skylar Hodson, Paisley McGee, Adam Roseberry, Dulce Soza, Jacquelin Terrell

Eagle Adviser Mandy Smith

Co-Editor-in-Chief Doc Anderson

Feature Editor Ian Griffin

Co-Editor-in-Chief Skylar Fondren

Eagle Adviser Daniel Sanchez

Misrepresentation is worse than no representation

By Skylar Fondren Co-Editor-In-Chief

You might have heard the phrase, “Everyone’s a little autistic.” Incorrect.

Why is it that this particular disability is so misunderstood and misrepresented? Consider a character that you have seen on television who you might think is autistic. You might be thinking of Sheldon Cooper from “The Big Bang Theory,” or maybe Raymond Babbitt from “Rain Man.” Maybe you have fallen down the rabbit hole of neurodivergent characters and you have even found Abed from “Community” or Sam from “Atypical.”

All of these characters are either heavily coded to be autistic or are actually labeled as such, but they all share one common trait. They’re all males, and all but one is a white male. Considering the extensive diversity in the world, why is it that the large majority of representation for autistic people in television is white men? One might say it’s because autism is most prevalent in white males, when in reality, autistic people come from any and all backgrounds. Unfortunately, we live in a patriarchal society that gives privileges to those in power. What do I mean by that? I mean that white males are more likely to be diagnosed because doctors have only studied the symptoms of autism in white males. By only presenting the stereotypical expression of autism in the media, women and people of color are going through life without the support and accommodations they need, because they don’t realize there are more ways to be autistic. In turn, they feel alienated and unnatural because they are remaining undiagnosed. This is one reason why more autistic characters need to be included in media, with diversity in age, gender,

and ethnicity. These characters should be played by actually autistic actors because they are the ones who will be able to properly represent their disability.

From an uneducated perspective, this might seem impossible to do. How could an autistic person handle a chaotic set, learning lines, and fast-changing schedules? Well, that is exactly why more representation is needed because these actors should be given accommodations with no questions asked and no complaints made. Just like with portrayals of other disabilities, the best people to portray autistic characters are autistic actors. It can be very difficult for autistic actors to get cast in roles where they have to hide their disability, meanwhile, an abled

who is autistic herself. She brought her own experience to her character in a way that shatters the stigma around autism and shows autism in a positive light.

Throughout the show, Quinni has her ups and downs, she falls in love, and experiences being belittled, but still communicates when she needs to leave an overwhelming situation or has to do things a certain way. Quinni is expressive and has a best friend who understands her needs and helps her when she needs it but also pushes her to be her best self. When she has a nonverbal episode, whenever people begin to treat her as a child, they are quickly educated by Quinni and her best friend, who tells people to respect that Quinni cannot speak and work around it. I say all of this to make it crystal clear that actual autistic representation in the media is possible, and should be done more often. Quinni is a fantastic step forward in the right direction, but to truly rewrite those harmful stigmas, more must be done.

person is taking the roles that they would be most suited for.

Now, it may still seem like accommodating an actually autistic actor is too much work when a less “needy” actor could do the same job, but there are already a couple of shows that have been very successful in representing an autistic character. My personal favorite example of this is Netflix’s new series, “Heartbreak High.” In this show, there is a character named Quinni, who is autistic. She is played by the wonderful Chloe Hayden,

Can you hear us? Disabled people need a voice too

By Emma Burrows Staff Writer

I was born with moderate cerebral palsy, which is a disability that affects motor ability, and in my case, it makes me walk a little differently.

Growing up in a world of inclusivity, where society makes sure everyone’s voice is heard, I’ve noticed a lack of disabled people being included in the same ways that others are.

Seeing someone just like you on a billboard, or winning an award, creates a sense of possibility for people with disabilities, people like me. Watching television as a child impacted me more than I realized. I would always see characters that looked like a copy of my brothers and sisters but where was I?

Sure I tried to connect to characters as much as possible, but in reality my everyday obstacles run deeper than kid drama, friend groups, and fighting with your sister because she wore your favorite shirt without asking. There were very few times growing up that I saw a character that went through what I went through. No show that I watched had a character who cried because they didn’t feel “normal.”

No TV character had to face kindergarten with a walker, leg cast on both legs, and recover from three surgeries within one year. I thought as a little kid that I had to be cursed because I wondered why I was the only one who was going through this? I’ve always felt left out because I only saw what was considered by society as “normal.” No one other than my mom ever told me that I was normal.

Early depictions of the disabled community in television used “disabled” characters in an attempt to create a heartwarming relationship between able-bodied people. But, actors who play handicapped characters don’t tend to be from the disabled community themselves. They are able-bodied people portraying the disabled. This creates an inaccurate and stereotypical view that is portrayed poorly.

Take the character Artie Abrams from the drama series “Glee” as an example. Artie is a wheelchair-using teenager who expresses the hardships of not fitting in by not having mobility in his legs.

Though, in an episode where he has a dream sequence he gets out of his wheelchair and has a dance battle with his newfound ability to walk. Artie’s character addresses some of the problems and desires of a person with a disability (in a dramatic over the top way).

However, it does not make up for the misleading and offending nature of his actions as an able-bodied actor portraying someone in a wheelchair. This narrative asserts that he

should dream to be able-bodied. The story argues that disability is something that people should aim to escape. In reality, disabled people lead rich, enjoyable lives.

Personally, there has only been a handful of times that I have felt rightfully represented through characters. The recent Netflix series “Special” starring Ryan O’Connell, a man with cerebral palsy navigating life as a 20-something-year-old with a disability. O’Connell hits the target on many undervalued aspects of living with a disability.

He validates the emotional and physical struggles of being considered special in a world that wants everyone to be equal. O’connell does so by using his experiences as a person actually born with CP. While watching this show, I found myself connecting to the struggles of having cerebral palsy from the perspective of someone other than myself, which was a foreign concept to me.

I have struggled with different aspects of life that not even my family can comfort me from. Yet watching a show that addresses the issues that I deal with as a person with CP has helped me realize that, hey I’m not alone.

I’ve faced life feeling like my disability is something that I should be ashamed of or something that I should avoid talking about. One show, a show that I felt saw me for who I am, helped me deal with the truth that I did not want to face.

The truth is, having a disability has made me who I am. I don’t know who I would be without it and I never will. Little five-yearold me despised the small things that made me different. I was always jealous of the fact that I didn’t walk like my favorite character on TV.

Before “Special” no one I knew in the media and in life ever dealt with the sadness of missing out on important friendships and school trips all because of a disability that they couldn’t control.

Obviously there are people like me out there, but growing up I never saw anyone like me. The underrepresentation or misinterpretation of disabled people has been a problem throughout the growth of media as well as movies and TV shows.

This is a problem that is addressed on a very little scale. According to the un.org website, 15% of the world struggles with some form of disability, though only 3.1% of characters on screen are disabled.

Watching “Special” as a disabled person brought to light the importance of accurate representation to a community.

Of course, since I am a part of that 15% I have a different view on the issue. But maybe, just maybe, this is what we need to bring attention to the problem.

Even people who have no care for proper autistic representation should recognize how important it is to be represented in the media. Though most white neurotypical people can see themselves in the media, many other groups are not able to see themselves, and thus are not able to recognize that they are capable of the same things. Just like the breakthrough of Black Panther for black superhero representation, now autistic people will be able to truly see themselves in the media and know that they are not defined by society. The proper representation will also help to educate those who have never even considered that there might be diversity in disability. People need to see that autistic people should not be treated like children or overprotected, rather they should be included and given the respect everyone deserves.

Eagle Eye

How do you deal with stress and how do you plan to recharge over the winter break?

Ashley Rodriguez

How do you prevent stress from taking over?

“Most of the time I just listen to music. I like to listen to hip hop and R&B.”

How do you recharge?

“To recharge, I like to watch videos and draw.”

How do you prevent stress from taking over?

“I just make sure I have time to relax. Even when I’m busy, I make sure that I put a little time to the side to just chill and not do any work.”

How do you recharge?

“I like to listen to music and draw. I’ve been trying to read more. I read a lot of “Manga,” but I’m trying to get back into reading novels again.”

Alondra Garcia

How do you deal with stress?

“I don’t know. I guess I just go to the gym. I go to the gym twice a day and I guess that helps me. I don’t do cardio. I lift weights, and I guess that helps my stress.”

Ho do you recharge?

“I spend time with my family.”

Isai Ramirez

How do you deal with stress?

“I love to take a moment and just take a step back. I go to a little room and just read or play a game.”

How do you recharge?

“Family. I’ve been real busy working and hanging out with other people. I need to see my family.”

Alicen Bean

How do you deal with stress?

“I play games on my Switch.”

How do you recharge?

“I like to talk to my friends.”

How do you prevent stress from taking over?

Cailyn Harvey

How do you deal with stress?

“I don’t really think about it much.”

How do you recharge?

“I plan on playing games.”

“Mostly just calm down and take a deep breath. I’ll watch a couple episodes of “Sponge Bob” and be ready to go.”

How do you recharge?

“I mostly hang out with family. I’ve been missing out on family.”

Ro’shaun Allen

Breana Williams

The harm of fame

Does TikTok corrupt good judgment?

By Abigail Barnard Staff Writer

Social media apps have the power to connect people all around the world. Although there are many apps to choose from, TikTok is the 3rd most popular.

In terms of users TikTok garners some 1 billion users on the app, while Facebook (3.51 billion) and Instagram (1.38 billion) have a higher number of users, their popularity isn’t the same as TikTok.

What makes the app unique and appealing to its mass following is the quick-wit humor compacted in short videos. Any trends, reels, and drama first seen on TikTok then makes its way to other platforms like Instagram or Facebook within a week. TikTok is the center stage though.

The platform has made it easy to make anything a trend through the constant restructuring and recreating of certain videos. On the app, creators and influencers thrive off trends. By joining in on a trend and uploading videos into the sea of thousands of other similar videos means they are part of the group and that they belong.

The TikTok algorithm focuses on pushing trending sounds and creators, so participating in these challenges helps the creator reach a larger audience. However, on the internet sometimes safety is conjoined with “uninteresting” content and viewers may push the video’s or trends’ popularity because of the risk of being hurt simply because it’s funny or dangerous.

A big reason creators follow certain trends and go with what everyone else is doing is all part of the app’s random algorithm that could even lead to TikTok fame.

The desire to fit in and be liked is sometimes so strong that people don’t see the danger in some trends. While TikTok might seem like all fun and games, there are some real dangers that occur from partaking in some of these viral challenges.

Before TikTok, there were other dangerous challenges like the cinnamon challenge on Youtube in 2007, but because of the viral monster that TikTok has become, there is more visibility on some of these trends.

The Penny Challenge - This is when you slide a penny behind a partially plugged-in phone charger. It may be all fun in games at the beginning, but this leads to sparks and some fires.

Cha Cha Slide Challenge - This challenge may seem lighthearted like the dancing version of this challenge, but it is anything but lighthearted. A driver of a car will steer the car according to the lyrics, “slide left!” the driver will go to the left lane, and “slide right!” the driver will go to the right lane. Some creators will drive their cars on tracks to follow the other instructions like “cut through,” wobbling dangerously on the road.

NyQuil Chicken Challenge - This challenge includes pouring an entire bottle of NyQuil, a cough syrup that causes drowsiness, on top of the chicken and then cooking. Even if you don’t eat the chicken, smelling the cooking medication while it cooks/boils could cause high levels of the drugs to enter your body. It could hurt your lungs. The FDA said in its statement. “Put simply: Someone could take a dangerously high amount of the cough and cold medicine without even realizing it.”

Blackout Challenge - While this challenge has been around, the challenges of recreation are leading to the death of younger users. This challenge has many names “choking challenge” “pass-out challenge,” and the “blackout challenge” but the theme of the challenge has stayed the same. The challenge encourages users to hold their breath until they pass out. Some users just film or go live with this challenge. This challenge has been around for 16 years and has taken 80 young lives.

The Sandman adds another layer to Gaiman’s brilliant madness

By Skylar Fondren Co-Editor-In-Chief

The Sandman adds another layer to Gaiman’s madness Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller and has previously enamored audiences with the adaptation of his book, “Good Omens,” and his latest adaptation has only continued to illustrate his brilliance when it comes to storytelling.

The story is centered around one man, or being, called Dream of the Endless. He goes by many names, Morpheus, Oneiros, Sandman, Kai-ckul, etc., and yet, they all refer to the same person: Lord of the Dreaming. In Netflix’s adaptation of the graphic novels by the same name, Dream goes on several adventures that teach him how to feel for humanity again after being shown their inhumanity. The cast is stacked, with Tom Sturridge playing Dream, and appearances from Mark Hamil, Stephen Fry, David Tennant, David Thewlis, Jenna Coleman, and so many more. This series was amazing, with incredible writing, acting, and visuals, all of which work together to make this graphic novel from the 90’s come to life.

When Dream is captured by a man who yearns to bring his son back

from the dead, he is forced to spend 100 years in captivity. Those keeping watch over him are cruel, only wishing to take his powers and use them for the wrong purpose.

Meanwhile, they do not realize the trouble they have placed upon the rest of the world. Without the Lord of The Dreaming to control the nightmares and the dreams, many people fall asleep and never wake up, while some cannot ever sleep again.

After these years of being a prisoner, Morpheus gets freed, but he is not the same. His powers have dwindled, and the objects that increase his power have been stolen. Now, he must find his helm, his ruby, and his sand, and retrieve the nightmares that have deserted their roles to wreak havoc on those who are awake, no longer content to plague humanity in their dreams.

During this journey, Dream must come to terms with the things he has lost, but he must also realize what has changed while he was gone. His loyal subjects have continued without him, and are now much more independent, and this is hard to accept. His resident librarian has been the one maintaining his realm, and though she did the best she could, she was not able to keep his nightmares and dreams from leaving..

As Dream attempts to find his subjects and tools to repair his realm, he is faced with the best and worst of humanity. One of these is the man who has obtained his ruby, which has the ability to make dreams come true, and is torturing a small diner by getting rid of their ability to lie. Then, we meet a woman who has been separated from her brother and is desperate to find him, but she doesn’t realize the power she holds. The storyline jumps several times, but follows a chronological order as Dream rebuilds after escaping, and is then faced with another threat to him and his kingdom.

As for the cast and subsequent acting in this show, it was quite amazing to see the talent displayed not only by the actors on-screen, but off-screen as well. Tom Sturridge as Dream was phenomenal. He portrayed the look of a forlorn and forgotten god with such emotion while saying virtually nothing for the entirety of the first episode.

Following in his footsteps is the librarian of The Dreaming, Lucienne, played by Vivienne Acheampong. Kind and always obedient, poor Lucienne took care of Morpheus’ dimension while he was away, and what thanks does she get? None.

Meanwhile exorcist

NTCC theatre department performs “Almost, Maine”

By Skylar Fondren Co-Editor-in-Chief

A small town in Maine experiencing the romantic drama of a Hallmark romcom? Sign me up!

The play follows various couples, ex-couples, and soon-to-be-couples on their struggles with finding a connection and love. Some characters struggled with communicating their frustration with their partner, while others were a little too upfront. Through all the drama of the play, and the fast switches between couples, the overarching theme of relationship remains.

Though relationships may be difficult, sometimes honesty is the best way to spark some change in your life. From professing your love to a girl with confusing art to coincidentally meeting a girl whose name matches the one inscribed on your arm, this play is very entertaining.

However, none of this can compare to the talent from the actors. Not one actor stumbled, and if they did, nobody could tell. Lines were delivered flawlessly, even when the situation was getting steamy, the actors portrayed their characters’ emotions and nothing else.

Though I was a little surprised at the level of romantic connection displayed in this production, it is clear that there was a purpose behind it. Sometimes people need an unexpected kiss to profess their feelings.

I truly felt like these characters felt what they were displaying, which can be hard to do in real time, with the fickleness of our own minds. The actors proved they were up to the challenge. This play is another wonderful example of Page Petrucka’s ability to command the stage, and her actors, into perfection.

Johanna Constantine, played by the fabulous Jenna Coleman, exudes ferocity and an extremely strong will when dealing with a very annoyed Sandman who is looking for something she has.

The writing in this show is brilliant, but this is only because of Neil Gaiman. Why do I say that? Well, because this series followed the graphic novel almost word for word. There are some deviations, as is expected, but the two versions are essentially the same. Thus, any compliments towards the writing and dialogue must go to the main man himself.

The decision to input a narrator was another fantastic choice, as it carries over the same quality that was illustrated in Good Omens. Despite the show being on a different platform than Good Omens, which was released on (Amazon Prime), it still performed very well overall, remaining in Netflix’s list of top 10 series for several weeks.

The show was also renewed for a second season, and I will definitely be watching it immediately upon its release. The Sandman was a fantastic show that follows a morally gray character who must find his morality again, and I highly recommend this fantasy series.

netflix | courtesy photo

“The Sandman” follows the journey of a forgotten god, yearning for his past glory without thinking about the future. In order to return to power, he must realize his need for humanity and kindness.

Latest MCU installment learns how to deal with grief on, off the screen following Boseman’s death

By Skylar Fondren Co-Editor-In-Chief

The last film installment of 2022 for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has blown fans away with its ability to tackle the tough reality of death on and off-screen.

With the sudden loss of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 to colon cancer, Marvel fans were concerned with the future of T’Challa, who Boseman portrayed. Finally, it was announced that the character would not be recast. Instead, the title of Black Panther would go to a completely new person, with Boseman’s legacy intact.

Now, two years after his death, we finally get to see how the MCU handled the loss of the King of Wakanda, and I have to say, I was very pleased. The film not only paid tribute to T’Challa and Chadwick, but it was an excellent study of grief and love for family and community.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, takes place six years after the first movie, only a year after the snap has been reversed. As the marvel introduction began, the theater descended into silence - we were witnessing the life and light that was

Chadwick Boseman as the Black Panther. It was poignant, and tough to watch, especially as the movie jumped right into the death and funeral of T’Challa. This movie’s main character, Shuri, T’Challa’s little sister and resident genius (She’s canonically smarter than Tony Stark and possibly the smartest character in the MCU to date), does not handle the loss of her big brother with grace and love. Instead, she is ridden with anger at herself for failing to fix his illness and the world for letting it happen.

Grief is a very powerful emotion, and one that presents itself in a vast number of ways. While Shuri is bitter, growing ever more hard-hearted, her mother Queen Ramonda pushes forward, continuing the fight to protect Wakanda and its priceless resource - vibranium.

The plot of this movie centers around the metal that has made Wakanda famous and weary of outsiders coming into their country. Almost every country has made futile attempts to obtain this indestructible metal from Wakanda, and all have failed. However, new information arises that changes everything. Shuri, in her sorrow, is suppressing her feelings and hiding away in her lab. Her mother can see that she needs to process her grief and takes her out into the wilderness to talk about it. Unfortunately, they get interrupted by a stranger.

Normally, that wouldn’t be so shocking, except for the fact that Wakanda’s borders are impenetrable and this man is clearly not from Wakanda. The stranger who is wearing ancient Mayan dress tells Queen Ramonda that if she does not aid him, he will be going to war against Wakanda.

Wakanda has some strong moral beliefs, and mythology dictates everything they do. Shuri has lost faith in what her ancestors have taught her, and the arrival of this new god-like stranger does not help this.

Ultimately, Shuri is faced with some tough realities, more loss, and decisions that will affect the future of Wakanda and the entire world. If she had not been grieving, Shuri would have made better choices, but because she is driven by grief and a desire for revenge, she almost does something she cannot undo. At the last minute, though, she changes her mind and chooses kindness, like her brother would have done.

Though Shuri will never be like her brother or her mother, she realizes that emulating their traits and focusing on their memory will guide her in the right direction. She finds new friends and builds better relationships with those who lead Wakanda, and finally goes on the journey of processing her grief and personal beliefs.

Netflix docuseries uncovers the life of revered Texas baseball legend Nolan Ryan

By Ian Griffin Feature Editor

If you are looking for a movie that has a living legend in it, look no further than “Facing Nolan.”

The Netflix documentary covers the life of the legendary professional baseball pitcher, Nolan Ryan.

“Without a doubt, he is the most intimidating pitcher in the history of the game,” Randy Johnson explains during the documentary.

Johnson, no slouch himself when it came to prowess on the mound, affectionately discussed the legend, Nolan. “He’s mythical, something bigger than what it really is, but then we all know when you meet him, that’s Nolan Ryan.”

“Facing Nolan” dives into Nolan’s upbringing and humble beginnings. During the beginning, they interview classmates and teammates from his youth. The documentary even discusses the first date between Nolan and his wife, Ruth, who has known Nolan since the fourth grade. Nolan and Ruth’s second date comes into play when they see his idol from the MLB, Sandy Koufax. The same Ryan who would break all of Koufax’s records within the next ten years.

The documentary also plunges into Nolan’s early years with the Mets. At time, he was drafted relatively low and was used for relief pitching. Nolan didn’t expect to make baseball a career but he did plan on staying on the mound long enough to draw a pension. His lack of control in his pitching didn’t really offer him a promising future. So, he eventually found himself in California pitching for the Angels.

His career took a turn after arriving in California, where the documentary explains that he finally had a pitching coach. Here the legend’s notoriety would snowball. The accolades came from setting a record for his fastball and throwing three no-hitters in a short time. Several players in the documentary pointed out that his fastball was about 8 mph faster than the registered record he set.

His reputation as a fierce pitcher grew, and his time with the Angels came to an end. Nolan once again found himself on the move. This time he was moving close to home and setting a different record as the first professional sports player to be paid a million dollars. The documentary discusses his ups and downs as an Astro, sprinkling in some interviews with fellow

baseball players. Many of these interviews were either fellow teammates or Hall of Famers that faced Nolan.

Throughout the documentary there are short discussions with members of his family and even former President George W. Bush. Several members of his family expressed that Nolan’s wife, Ruth, was the most competitive, not Nolan. Instead, when he left the clubhouse, he was merely dad.

Several interviews from Tom Grieve and Bobby Valentine discussed the acquisition of Nolan Ryan by the Rangers. Ryan, already an older man in a sports sense, was a huge acquisition that saw him breaking more and more records even in the later part of his career. As many followed his career, his no-hitters

were not just a thing of his youth. Tom House, the Rangers pitching coach, even bragged that his pitching improved in his forties.

Throughout the documentary, interviews were carefully inserted to support the storyline. One thing that I noticed that was missing from the documentary was Nolan Ryan’s co-ownership with the Texas Rangers. The documentary regarding baseball stopped at the end of his pitching career, not his ownership career. This left a void towards the end of the documentary. Regardless of this shortcoming, this is a documentary that sheds a lot of light on one of the most feared pitchers in the history of baseball.

marvel studios | courtesy photo

After King T’Challa dies in the MCU’s Wakanda Forever picture, the storyline follows a band of women as they grieve the loss of their leader. The new leaders do everything they can to fight and protect their beloved nation in the wake of T’Challa’s death. Grief is a moving factor in as a new Black Panther steps up to the plate.

jose francisco morales | unsplash

The baseball documentary following the life of Nolan Ryan hits the sweet spot. The narrative paints the life of the legendary pitcher who set records for no-hitters and strikeouts.

‘Vive la France’ athlete brings talent to NTCC

By Adam Roseberry Staff Writer

To Enzo Camps, soccer is everything. That intense love of the game is why the soccer player left his home in Noyon, France, and made the 4,837 mile trip across the Atlantic Ocean and the Southeastern United States to play goalkeeper in rural Northeast Texas.

“When you love soccer like I love soccer, your life is about soccer. Your choices, your way of thinking, the way you see your future, everything’s about soccer,” Camps, NTCC soccer player, said. “I wanted to go away from my country to have a trip and discover a new thing. It’s an amazing experience. I think it’s the type of experience that you remember all your life.”

Enzo has been around the game since a young age, following in the footsteps of his father, who was also a goalkeeper in his time. However, Camps didn’t start his career back in goal.

“I started playing when I was 9, and I never stopped. From 9 to 13 I was a striker. At 13 I started being a goalkeeper,” Camps said.

“At a tournament, I went out as a goalkeeper to help the team, and I was pretty good, so I stayed goalkeeper and I have never quit this position since.”

One of the major turning points in Camps’ soccer career and life took place in 2015 when he met David Imbert while playing at a soccer event in France.

Imbert is a year older than

Camps, but the two hit it off and became the very best of friends. Imbert left France a year before Enzo to play forward for NTCC. While playing for the Eagles, Imbert met two other French players on the NTCC squad, an unexpected, but welcome occurrence.

With the French presence at NTCC, Camps’ friend felt like it would not be too difficult to recruit Enzo to come join the Eagles.

“He was my best friend in France,” Imbert said. “It was easy to convince him to come.”

Camps was ready to take on a new challenge in his life and his soccer career and head to America for a new adventure.

“I wanted to come,” Camps said.

Camps wanted to be an Eagle, but how would the coaches feel? Imbert sold them on his skilled friend from across the water.

“[Camps] played at a good level in France. I was like ‘He’s a good goalkeeper,’” Imbert said. “The coach was like, ‘I trust you’ and that’s why [Camps] is here.”

Imbert did a little more than that, helping his friend get in touch with the coach, who quickly offered Camps a spot on the team.

With his soccer dreams secure, Camps set out on his journey to the West, arriving in the United States for the first time in August. As Camps soon found out, life in America was just a little bit different than life in his native country.

Camps said he appreciates

American culture, acknowledging several pros and cons of the American way of life. One of the cons would be the food.

“Here there are some very good things. But basic things like vegetables, cheese, meats are the things that I miss from my home,” Camps said. “In France we love to eat, but we love eating good things, especially vegetables and cheese. Cheese here is not the same as it is in France.”

One common occurrence in America particularly surprised Enzo.

“Everyone here is drinking soda,” Camps said. “In France

it is water, and here everyone is drinking soda. That is the thing that surprised me the most.”

But there’s an even deeper virtue that separates American and French culture that also surprised Camps.

“The people here are really welcoming and nice. You can talk with everyone, listen to everyone,” he said. “My way of thinking is that you should listen to people and learn from them. In my opinion, it’s what makes you go in your life.”

One difference between American and French culture that stood out to Camps is

the way people interact with those around them.

“American people are more forthcoming,” Camps said. “In France, people don’t talk to you naturally. If you talk to them, they’re going to be nice, they’re gonna be open, but not unless you talk first. Here people come up to you and talk to you.”

Camps describes himself as open minded, and always welcoming to new ideas.

“You can talk to me about anything,” he said.

Camps, like most college students, values his parents above all. He is quick to talk

about what he says is the most important thing in his life.

“My parents, of course,” Camps said. “My friends and soccer. All the people I love that I have around me and soccer.”

As the holidays approach, Enzo will travel almost 5,000 miles across the ocean back to his childhood home in the French countryside to visit his family.

Although he has not added many physical possessions since he left his home, Enzo Camps has gained a lifetime’s worth of memories.

Sports Column by Adam Roseberry

Recognizing the dangers of concussions in soccer

By Adam Roseberry Staff Writer

The word “concussion” is one of the scariest things an athlete can hear after a blow to a head. Some who suffer concussions are back to normal in days. Others can deal with related issues for months.

Be it days or months, athletes who suffer a concussion receive a form of brain damage, the long-term effects of which modern medicine knows frighteningly little about.

Concussions are easy to define from a medical standpoint.

“A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth,” according to the CDC website.

Unfortunately, the short and long term damage dealt by a concussion is much more difficult to quantify.

The first sport the average person thinks of when hearing the word concussion is football.

In a game where violence is the product, not a byproduct, head injuries abound and have been well documented. Ice hockey and rugby also come to mind. Sports dedicated to violent hits rank atop a twisted

leaderboard.

One of the next highest concussion causing sports, however, might be a bit of a surprise. It’s the most popular sport on the planet, known for the grace and poetry of its movement.

The worldrenowned athlete Pelé famously called it “the beautiful game.” Soccer.

According to a PUBMED scientist peer review, nearly 22 percent of all soccer injuries are concussions, a not so beautiful number for a game that crosses borders and has an overwhelming global appeal.

“Soccer is a sport not traditionally identified as high-risk for concussions,” the PUBMED experts wrote. “Yet several studies have shown that concussion rates in soccer are comparable to, and often exceed those of, other contact sports.”

In another study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, it was determined that girl’s soccer had the second highest rate of concussions in high school sports, behind football.

Soccer concussions result from either body-to-body contact or the process of “heading” the ball.

In heading the ball, a player forcibly uses his or her head to hit and direct the ball.

“If the ball has too high of a pressure, gets too waterlogged, or both, it actually turns into a weapon,” Eric Nauman, Purdue University professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering, told Kayla Wiles, Purdue senior science writer. “Heading that ball is like heading a brick.”

However, a study by Purdue University engineers seems to suggest there may be a way to fix the problem of concussions in

soccer.

“Inflating balls to pressures on the lower end of ranges enforced by soccer governing bodies such as the NCAA and FIFA could reduce forces associated with potential head injury by about 20 percent,” Wiles said.

While there is no way to fully eliminate concussions in soccer, perhaps the solution is to slightly lower the pressure in an inflated soccer ball. Concussions have always been present in soccer, this is not new. Yet, the rate of concussions in the sport is truly terrifying given the relative unknown long-term effects of concussions.

In 2015, when asked about the seriousness of a concussion in terms of brain damage, neurosurgeon Dr. Greg Hawryluk told The Scope podcast the sobering truth, “we really don’t know.”

“We don’t think that a concussion implies a structural injury to the brain,” Hawryluk said. “We still think that it’s probably sort of a chemical imbalance. But there’s no question that we do think it puts you at risk for ongoing damage to the brain, perhaps over the rest of your life.”

Concussions are no laughing matter. Over one fifth of all soccer injuries are concussion. Perhaps there’s no way to rid the sport of concussions. But as acclaimed writer Robin Sharma once said, “The only failure is not trying.”

NTCC goalkeeper Enzo Camps prepares to kick the ball down the field and back into play. Camps traveled from his native country of France to begin playing for the Eagles this fall.

liliana torreblanca | staff photo

NTCC’s strong season ends in 1st round of playoffs

By Adam Roseberry Staff Writer

The Northeast Texas Community College men’s soccer team traveled to Lufkin in late October to take on Angelina College in the first round of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) region 14 playoffs.

The Eagles came into the match riding high off a playoff clinching 5-1 victory over Paris Junior College just a week before. In that game, goalie Enzo Camps held PJC to one goal on seven shot attempts and had six saves.

Five different Eagle players went on to score goals in what was a must-win game to keep their season alive.

Angelina College stood between the Eagles and a trip to the regional semifinals. Just a week prior, NTCC traveled to Lufkin, and came up short to this same Roadrunners squad, 5-4 in double overtime.

Eagles wing Jack Thomas had two goals and an assist in that contest, and fellow wing David Imbert had one goal and two assists.

In the regular season, Angelina rolled to a 15-3-1 record, and was ranked 6th in the country in the most recent NJCAA poll. By

contrast, the Eagles went 6-11 in the regular season.

However, with the recent close contest against Angelina, the Eagles had reason for hope of victory over the Roadrunners in the playoff game.

Unfortunately it was not to be as Angelina cruised to a 7-1 victory in the playoff match. Midfielder Carlos Quinones scored the only goal of the game for the Eagles.

Roadrunners forward Juan Lopez scored three times for a hat trick and fellow forward Aldair Chaves added two goals of his own as the Roadrunners eliminated the Eagles and ended their season.

The Roadrunners went on to lose in the regional finals to Tyler Junior College.

In Eagles Head Coach, JD Perales, first season on the job, the Eagles went 6-11 overall and 6-8 in conference play, an improvement on the previous season’s 4-12 overall record (4-10 in conference play).

The Eagles will look to improve and build upon the success for next season. For more information on men and women’s soccer teams, visit the official NTCC Athletics website at ntcceagles.com.

By Adam Roseberry Staff Writer

Brett Favre is synonymous with the National Football League. Fans everywhere recognize the name of the Super Bowl winning Hall of Fame quarterback.

Favre is still a name people connect with athletic achievement. He played in the NFL from 1991 to 2010, set several records for quarterback statistics, and was named the most valuable player of the league three times.

Nearly 13 years after retirement, Favre’s NFL reputation has all but faded as his name continually pops up in unflattering stories and headlines.

Recently, Favre has become embroiled in a huge and still unfolding story involving the embezzlement of millions of dollars from the State of Mississippi’s welfare funds.

According to the Associated Press, Favre received $1.1 million from the State Department of Human Services (by way of a nonprofit called the Mississippi Community Education Center) for several speaking engagements.

According to reports, Favre never made an appearance at any sort of speaking engagement and did not honor the contract.

Favre has since paid back the $1.1 million, although he still owes $288,000 to the state in interest. It is worth noting that Favre did not pay the money back until the State of Mississippi sued him and the issue became known to the public.

The AP also reports that Favre suggested the welfare money be used to invest in the biotech firm Odyssey Health. The state then funneled $2.1 million to the company as a result.

Favre is listed as “the largest individual outside investor” of Odyssey Health, so it is reasonable to infer that he was working with his own gain in mind.

The former quarterback’s actions notwithstanding, Favre is wrongly being portrayed as the face of this scandal.

Informed readers cannot ignore the fact that the scandal involves roughly $77 million misappropriated dollars. Favre is

estimated to be responsible for anywhere from $1 to $8 million in misused funds, which is only a small slice of a bigger issue.

Despite Favre’s relatively small involvement, most headlines on the subject of the scandal find a way to sneak in his name.

And it is easy to blame Favre. He did some despicable and selfish things. Favre’s fame, however, is blowing the coverage of his role in this scandal out of proportion.

His name grabs attention unlike anyone else involved in the issue. It’s not fair to make Favre out to be the main perpetrator of a problem that extends far beyond his reach.

As a natural result of connecting many stories in the scandal to Favre, the national media has failed to cover people like John Davis, the former executive director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, who recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the State of Mississippi of millions of dollars in federal funds according to Mississippi Today.

That’s not to say Davis and other members of the state government involved in the scandal haven’t been covered at all. The media has certainly given them attention, especially in Mississippi.

Yet, the national media appears to be grabbing attention by inserting Favre’s name into a number of stories and headlines about the welfare scandal when in reality he’ is not the main perpetrator here and shouldn’t be covered as such.

scorn of the court of public opinion?

Coverage of an event like this should be fair to all involved, giving blame in an equitable fashion. In an ideal world, the personal fame of those involved in a story such as this should not factor into the headline.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case in the real world. Whoever has the most fame will garner the most attention, both positive and negative. So, they are often used to encourage leadership or “get clicks.”

aDaM roseberry

The average headline skimming reader will no doubt connect this scandal solely to the former quarterback. Instead of the “Mississippi welfare scandal” it has become the “Brett Favre welfare scandal”

Why does that matter, anyway? Does it have any real consequence if Favre takes the brunt of the anger for the scandal while other people of less fame slink away from the

Focusing on the famous involved in a scandal can help larger contributors escape punishment or at least hide some of their wrongdoing.

While the general public focuses on the red herring of a celebrity involved in a minor part of a story, more involved perpetrators can push things under the table that may never see the light of day.

As readers, we should want coverage to be fair for that reason. Fairness to those involved helps readers know exactly what is occurring, which is the point of all news at its core.

As such, it should be our desire to see that type of reporting in the media.

Take the Jamal Lewis scandal of 2004. Lewis, then a star running back for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, was indicted in a large drug case.

Because of his fame, Lewis was the subject of nearly all the media’s attention to the case, even though he played only a minor part.

Favre’s situation is very similar to that of Lewis. He has done something wrong, but it’s a minor part of a major story.

While Favre is deserving of criticism and punishment for his role in the scandal, it is unfair to make this former hall-offame recipient the scapegoat for everyone’s wrongdoing.

“ While Favre is deserving of criticism and punishment for his role in the scandal, it is unfair to make this former Hall of Fame recipient the scapegoat for everyone’s wrongdoing.”

The Eagles fought hard throughout the season to earn their way into this year’s playoffs. The Angelina Roadrunners proved too tough, however, bringing their season to an end.

The Eagles started out strong in early season play and worked to move into the playoffs with several hard fought battles during this fall’s conference play.

Each Eagle athlete brought their own style of play and talent to this year’s team adding to the momentum going into this year’s playoffs.

liliana torreblanca | staff photo

liliana torreblanca | staff photo

liliana torreblanca | staff photo

CAMPUS

NTCC rodeo team member Peyton Cooper carries the American flag into the arena during the NTCC annual college rodeo held in October. Fellow teammate Harley Jo Chaffin follows behind with the Texas flag.

Cosmetology student Flor Salazar paints the face of a youngster during this year’s Scare Affair. The annual event allows students the opportunity to raise funds for their clubs and organizations each October.

Ghost and goblins and even a construction worker share some fun during the NTCC annual Scare Affair.

This little bunny tries her hand at the cupcake toss during this year’s Scare Affair.

Linda Forest, NTCC financial literacy coach, signs autographs after her performance in NTCC’s theatre department’s recent play, Almost, Maine.

Tonya Elmore, CARE Center advocate, presents NTCC Librarian Heather Shaw with her first place award for winning the Ugliest PJ contest. The event was held to help raise money for the Sociology Travel Club.

Left, NTCC’s Garrett Fields hazes for NTCC steer wrestler Jett Morris, right, during the NTCC annual rodeo held at the Mount Pleasant Rodeo Association arena.

mandy smith | staff photo

skylar fondren | staff photo

skylar fondren | staff photo

skylar fondren | staff photo

mandy smith | staff photo

yanet castro| staff photo

skylar hodson | staff photo