Jan 24, 2013 (44.6)

Page 1

Tattoos PG. 6

The skinny on Spokane’s tattoo scene

Jan. 24 - Feb. 7 , 2013

Dia de San Valentin PG. 5

Crime Watch PG. 2

The Spanish Club talks ‘el amor’

January crime report

Volume 44 | Issue 6

COMMUNICATORONLINE.ORG

Students volunteer, earn college credits Emily Norton

The Communicator Since 1998, SFCC has incorporated academic service learning in various courses offered, which gives students the opportunity to use what they learn in the classroom in reallife settings through assigned community service hours. Academic service learning combines community service with classroom learning and focuses on reflective thinking and civic responsibility. The programs get students involved with events and activities that help connect them to the community they live in, while simultaneously gaining academic skills. “SFCC is a community college, so we are connected to the community around us,” said Darlene Rickett, an instructor at SFCC who heads the Service learning program. “Service learning really helps students become aware of the community they

live in and connects them to the people around us who need legitimately need our help.” Students are able to learn beneficial life skills during their community service work, including career experience, critical thinking skills, interpersonal skills and the opportunity to work with diverse populations. Students are able to witness and experience real-world issues like poverty and homelessness and develop better understanding of the root causes of these issues. “I didn’t realize how much people needed help until I worked for SNAP last quarter,” said Drew Henry, first year student at SFCC. “The four hours of service learning work I did for my calculus class really opened my eyes to how good volunteering can actually be.” The service learning program at

VOLUNTEER | Page 2

Mireesha Huff | The Communicator

Alfred Lapierre and a student at Holmes Elementary School discuss the nutrition facts on a box of cereal; the students were learning about which snacks are healthy to consume.

Early Alert to identify, help at-risk students Jacobe Flansaas

The Communicator

Katie Bordner, Randy Breedlove and Madeline Tuflija | The Communicator

This Quarter, if you don’t show up to class and participate in class activities, it may be reported. On Jan. 15th SFCC released a new system, Early Alert, to help identify students who may be at risk of academic difficulty. Early Alert spawned out of the Achieving the Dream initiative, a program that SFCC put together with a grant from an organization called College Spark. “Last year we came up with two interventions: Early Alert and Academic Advising,” said Jim Minkler, the Vice President of Learning at SFCC. According to Minkler, a survey was done in 2011 to assess what the students thought of advisement; the ad-

MMA Page 8 PERSPECTIVES

Grammy predictions

Page 7 The Communicator

FOCUS

CULTURE

Roses are red, violets are blue... Page 6

Yuzen: traditional Japanese food

509.533.3602

visors did not get good results, which is where the Achieving the Dream Initiative came from. “Academic advisement is not just to help students register for classes, but to help them throughout their college career,” Minkler said. “Early alert is not only to help students quarter to quarter, but year to year. “You won’t see the full impact of the Early Alert, and Academic Advising until next year.” Early Alert is new, but students and faculty are already putting the system to use. “As of January 30th, there have been 85 alerts,” said Connie Carlson, the Student Achievement Manager at SFCC.” If faculty or a student notice someALERT | Page 2

SIDELINES

Snowboard Spokane Page 4

Page 8 www.twitter.com/_communicator


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.