the
Beacon
Issue Date 09|17|19
Lighting Our Community
Southern Maine Community College
"SMCC 9/11 Rememberance"
5
2
2
"Fire Science and you!"
"Joe Biden's Great Big Time Law Firm"
7
Vol. XVIII
No. 1
"Brunswick Keeping Busy"
Photo Credits: Celina Simmons
Success Starts with a BBQ By Celina Simons
A
Mohamed Matan
Hungry students line up for velcro wall that you hold on to through Sodexo's BBQ options. would take a running life, it is the notion start and catapult yourself to and stick. that you always have time to better (Enjoy the picture of me taking adyourself and go after what you want. vantage of this childhood dream.) One Liberal Studies major, Kim Gold, As I looked around, I saw a comdescribed her idea of success as being happy munity coming together with so much and getting good grades but ultimately potential. So, I decided to approach being a good person all around. I loved students with a few questions about this this response because yes, success can be a upcoming semester, such as “what are steady career or better grades, but being a you looking forward to this semester” genuine person in times where there aren’t or “what does success mean to you?” many of them, is a success few think about. It was refreshing to hear the feedback The Welcome Back BBQ was a hit. and each one’s determination and aspiraStudents got to have fun during what could tions for the coming months. I think it’s be a stressful week, but I truly believe we safe to say that we are all looking forward to all can take on this semester with success getting high grades and passing classes, but on our minds, no problem. With that it was motivating to hear people working being said, I’d like to wish you all the towards improving and doing better from best of luck for the next few months. previous semesters. If there is one thing to
Seawolves Come Back Kicking & Swinging
Joshua Paisley
Ethan Laverriere
romas of cotton candy and barbecue pulled pork filled the campus as SMCC students indulged in the festivities at the Welcome Back BBQ. I was blinded by the sun walking towards the dining hall, but the line of students waiting to feast caught my eye. Burgers, corn dogs, pulled pork, colegrilled goods. Sodexo served up some popslaw - it was your classic barbecue galore! corn, cotton candy, and snowcones which When you got to the end of the buffet, was, in my opinion, the perfect dessert. tables lined the outskirts of the parking lot, Last but not least, my favorite piece of left to right. Each table had an organization the day, the bounce set up that students house! Now, this have the potential wasn’t your average to become a part bounce house. of, such as Planned If you have ever Parenthood’s seen the movie Generation Action “Big Fat Liar” and Back in Motion with the charming Physical Therapy. Frankie Muniz, Migrating to then you should the right side of the know where this is lot after checking going. Essentially, out each table, you you would wear find the source of SMCC Student Taylor White a velcro bodysuit the sweet scents indulging in the festivities and at the end of combatting those the inflatable was a
Logan Pray
Chase Locke
campus news Speak Up To Senate!
By Celina Simmons
A
TTENTION ALL STUDENTS! The Senate is back and ready to hear what YOU want this year. Whether it is funding for a guest speaker or suggestions on how to make our campus a better and more productive environment, it’s pertinent to keep it within the loop of your student Senate. Most years in the past, students barely knew what our Senate does or how they could be a part of making a change. This year, that will change. Student Senate is generally the same concept as the one in our national government. We represent our student body and act as a liaison between pupils and Board of Directors. In other words, we work FOR you. We want to help you in any way we can to make what you want to
the
Beacon
Managing Editor Celina Simmons Art Director Morgan Dyer Copy Editor Bridey Boyle Webmaster Molly Poole
Production Manager Michelle Kapschull Graphic Designers Timothy Randall Benjamin Butler Madeline Rheaume Celina Simmons Illustrators Dan Elliot Timothy Randall
Contributing Writers Magella Cantara Leonid Eichfeld Dan Elliot Chris Hedgpeth Stanley Kimball James Little Tyler O'Brien Tori Penney Emma Rhodes-Armstrong Jessilyn Rich Lauren Ruby Celina Simmons Liam Woodworth-Cook Photgraphers Lauren Ruby Celina Simmons James Little Dan Elliot Tori Penney CONTACT US
see happen, happen. The best way for this all to go smoothly is by you becoming a Student Body Representative. The workload is what you make it to be. It could be as easy as just attending our one hour long weekly meetings in the Jewett Auditorium every Tuesday, or you could go above and beyond by running committees, clubs, or events. One thing is for sure, it is always YOUR CHOICE! We welcome all students to sit on during our meetings even if you aren’t a Student Rep. At the end of our meeting, we have a time called “Open Table,” which is dedicated for any one to bring anything to the Senate. Yes, that’s right. ANYONE can come to the meetings and be heard by the Senate!! So instead of being annoyed about something
on campus and feeling helpless about it, tell us so we can help! The new Executive Board members of Senate are determined to make our campus a comfortable, welcoming, and engaging environment. In order to do that though, they need your input on what this should look like! When you think of it, it’s not much of a democracy if the students we represent aren’t telling us what they want or what to stand for. I spoke with Jason Saucier and Lizz Tharpe about what they would like to see happen within the Senate this year. Jason’s response follows more along the lines of what I’ve been explaining: we want more students to join!! I cannot express enough how important it is to have an active and loud student body voice. Our goal is to give
SMCC 9/11 Remembrance
S
tudents and faculty gathered in front of the Campus Center in remembrance of the events of September 11, 2001. The ceremony began with Amy Lainoff, VA Certifying Official, talking about her experience with 9/11 and reminding the audience how the spirit of patriotism and remembrance should be year round and not just when life is bad. The President of SMCC, Joe Cassidy, stood up and said a few words as well. Afterwards, the American flag was lowered to half staff while a veteran and SMCC alumni played the bugle. The ceremony ended with a moment of silence in respect of the fallen heroes.
Welcome! Or maybe welcome back! Either way, we’re happy to have you aboard. Consider this your reminder that the Learning Commons is ready and waiting to offer assistance when you need it. In the meantime, let’s have some fun and make this a great semester. Here are some school themed jumbles to get us started:
C O I H Y T B O L G E N O H I R P A G R A Y D O S I V G N I A D S E E S A S S N M T S A T M I C T E M H A
mbeacon@smccme.edu @thebeacon.smcc
Where do surfers get their educations?
@thesmccbeacon @smccbeacon www.thesmccbeacon.com
2 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
you what you have been asking for!!Lizz’s response was similar but different. She has a vision for Senate to give more to clubs and organizations on campus than money for food at every meeting. We have set funding to be used at the Senate’s approval and there is almost an endless list of uses for this money. So, how can we use this money to make a big impact on our little community?These are just some things to think about while you are wondering how to spend the next few months on this campus. There are so many great organizations to become a part of and endless opportunities leading from that. And with that being said, if something on campus doesn’t sit right to you, SPEAK UP. We are here to not only listen, but help.
Fire Science and YOU! By James Little
W
hen we think of firefighting, we think of aiming a water hose and spraying water on a fire. Through the use of photo documentary this semester, I hopvve to show how Fire Science can and has changed and trained people in the profession of firefighting. There is more to firefighting then putting out fires, and different opportunities in this profession. Hazmat, forest, field fires, fires due to different accelerants, as well as rescuing people in car accidents and airplane - these are only a few scenerios!They have a great program where the students live at the fire station and can go on calls to help and gain experience. If you want to be able to get great satisfaction out of life or the feeling of joy in helping others and the community, then this might be a course that you might want to look at
campus news A New Nursing Student’s Perspective By Emma Rhodes-Armstrong
U
nparalleled.” This is how SMCC President, Joe Cassidy, describes the nursing program here. It’s a beautiful morning at the South Portland campus as the nursing program holds their forum for all students and faculty to attend. This forum is held on the first week of every semester, each with its own theme and discussion points. Students from all cohorts and stages of the program mingle and meet. A table outside the auditorium advertises the Nursing Club, with t-shirts and flyers. The auditorium fills up quickly with a steady line of students and faculty, until all seats are filled. Laughter fills the room as Dr. Nozdrovicky, the department chairman, says that maybe next year the forum will have to be held in the gymnasium. Clearly, the program is growing. It is encouraging as a first-year student to see how many of us are in the same boat. I share brief exchanges with students from my own cohort and some I have never met. The subject for this semester’s forum is civility. It is clear why this particular topic is relevant in today’s
age of internet arguments and political turmoil. Civility is not just for nurses and not limited to the scope of our practice. It has to be something we carry into every aspect of our lives. If we want to command respect as professionals, we must extend that same respect to the people we encounter without discrimination. “Civility is not a sign of weakness.” In large display on the projector screen, the words of John F. Kennedy serve as a striking reminder. Sometimes it is a radical and conscious decision that we must make, to remain civil in the face of challenging situations. The skills we are learning here will carry into our everyday lives. I know already, even as a first-semester student, that the skills and approaches I learn here will change the way I interact with others, and I will grow in personal and professional ways as I rise to meet the challenges I encounter. Every person in that room made sacrifices to be there. There is no disputing the fact that without hard work, long hours and strong commitment, we would not be able
to meet the demands of this program and the challenges of working in the medical world. But that is the beauty of pursuing a degree in a challenging field: everyone here is passionate about their work and driven to succeed. In a world where an increasing need for healthcare is creating nursing shortages, SMCC’s nursing program has consistently proven itself as a success. Last year’s graduates from the Brunswick campus achieved a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, the nursing licensure exam. But these factors are not necessarily what initially draws students here. As a young mother with a busy schedule and limited budget, SMCC felt like the right fit for me purely for logistical reasons. As I learned more about the program, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see the state-ofthe-art nursing lab at the Brunswick campus, which includes lifelike mannequins on which students can practice their skills. The school’s clinical partnerships with local hospitals and other practices are varied and exciting. The more I learn about the program, the
more I feel sure that this will set me up for success in a career in the fast-paced medical field. But for some, community colleges may still hold less appeal than traditional universities because of long-held stereotypes. The successful graduates and students here at SMCC intend to change that view. A couple months ago, we had the opportunity to speak to the graduating seniors from the Midcoast campus. They gave advice on managing workload and family responsibilities, and spoke on their experiences in the clinical setting. It was evident that they had formed close bonds with one another in the two years they spent here. Something that one student said stuck with me. She said that the second semester was when they started seeing themselves as nurses, and how that shift helped them take greater ownership of their learning and professional identity. If the success and testimony of those students is any indication, I expect the next two years will be intense, challenging, rewarding, and ultimately, life-changing.
A Club That is Out of This World By Tyler O’brien
MONDAY
16
TUESDAY
17
WEDNESDAY
18
8pm @ the Dining Hall
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
19
20
26
27
Tater Tots Trivia
23
24
8pm @ the Noisy Lounge
25
Open Mic Night
The SMCC Astronomy Club is a small group of stargazers here on campus with astronomical aspirations. We strive to be an open and accepting organization, with room for anyone with even a passing interest in the stars. We will be holding weekly meetings in the Campus Center every Thursday at 11:30am to discuss potential star parties, trips, and projects. Our first order of business for the semester is to hold a star-gazing party Thursday, September 26th, beginning at 6pm in the Campus Center. We will be able to provide up to 6 telescopes for the evening and will have access to movies, coffee, and warmth! (as needed). We also have aspirations to make a scale solar system model here on campus, as well as the opportunity to take part in actual research. If any of this interests you, please contact Tyler O’Brien @ tylerjobrien@smccme.edu or feel free to attend a meeting at 11:30 every Thursday in the Campus Center. You can also find our group on the SMCC social media app!
Reach for the stars and become an out of this world tour guide at SMCC! 11 EARTH AMERICAN DOLLARS PER HOUR
Contact: Brittany Williams at bwilliams@smccme.edu
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 3
other world
The Future of Health Care in Maine
by Chris Hedgpeth s you're sitting on the couch watching BoJack Horseman one night, you start to feel a dull pain right around your belly button. At first you think it's existential dread, but as it begins to migrate down and to the right, it becomes increasingly more sharp. You throw up. Before long you're in an ambulance, heading toward the emergency room to have your appendix removed. If you're one of the over a hundred thousand people in Maine who are uninsured, a laparoscopic appendectomy will cost you about $20,000, not including the fees charged by a team of healthcare professionals who worked on you. To most people, this would be financially devastating. We have insufficient health care systems in place here in Maine, and the United States at large. Maine’s eight percent rate of uninsured people roughly matches the nation's (~9%). Of the Mainers who are insured, many are in a position where they can't change jobs for fear of losing their employer-provided insurance. Business owners pay most (around 70-80%) of the cost of providing their employees with coverage. It's a system that affects employees and employers alike. Medical procedures must be approved by the insurance companies through their labyrinthine hierarchy of administrators. Each middleman between you and your doctor takes a cut, ultimately causing you and every other American to pay twice as much as the average human for health care. Insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyists spent over $430 million in 2018 to keep it this way.
A
Luckily there's a national movement to change this system. Possibly the most popular topic of discussion during the
Illustration by: Tim Randall
They Took Our Jobs!
By Jamil Roberts any years ago, Howard Burpee who taught in the Computer Science Department and taught an Information Senior Seminar course in the department approached the Beacon asking about the possibilities of his students submitting a column that explored technology interests. The Beacon was more than happy to help this become a reality. Last spring Howard Burpee retired. The following Tech Talk submissions didn’t make print. No slight was intended towards the student who wrote and submitted this columns and others that will be printed in future issues. The Tech Talk columns are highly appreciated and Howard’s intentions of “having a forum as such available
M
Democratic primary debates has been single-payer healthcare, or Medicare for all. The objective of single-payer
for his technology student’s work” respected. The Beacon is a fuller newspaper because of this and are hopeful that the Senior Seminar students will continue to submit Tech Talk columns. What is automation? Simply put, automation is having a machine perform a task with little to no human intervention. We typically think of these tasks as repetitive and mindless, like boxing materials in a warehouse. But with modern advances in technology, we are able to make machines automate more complex tasks that until recently, only humans could perform. There has been a lot of talk lately about people losing their jobs due to automa-
4 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
tion in the near future. The most at risk jobs discussed are in the service industry. What is alarming about this is that most Americans work in the service industry, over 70% according to the Pew Research Center (https:// tinyurl.com/gpcyrgm). Well, I am sorry to tell you that automated machines have already come out of the warehouses in a quest to take our jobs away. We have all seen self-serve kiosks at stores. Instead of having six human cashiers, now one person oversees a fleet of mechanical cashiers. Amazon has taken this even further with the opening of their experimental Amazon Go store, launched in Seattle earlier this year. A network of sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence allows shoppers to enter the store, grab what they want, and leave. Perfect for those who hate awkward social interactions while waiting in line! Fast food restaurants are also moving towards automation. According to this CNBC article (https://tinyurl.com/y9w78nz2), Greg Creed, CEO of YUM, which owns the well known, fast food restaurants such as KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, automation is coming to the fast food industry and his company is already investing in the technologies. He estimates that in the next 10 years, a large portion of the work performed by people can be replaced by automation. The transportation industry isn’t safe, either. Self driving vehicles are drastically improving with time, and realistically only have to be safer than humans. Given machines don’t have the same faults us lowly humans do, that shouldn’t be too
is to cut out the insurance companies and have a single, streamlined system funded by everyone for everyone. Canada, Taiwan, and South Korea all have a centralized health care payment system. Many other countries have localized or hybrid systems for medical care coverage. It may take a long time for the United States to adopt such a system, so individual states and municipalities are beginning to explore their own single-payer systems. One of those states is Maine. This June, Maine state Representatives Heidi Brooks and Mike Sylvester sponsored two similar bills, one to promote universal health care (LD 1611) and one to enact a state single-payer system (LD 1617), respectively. At the end of August, Governor Janet Mills sent a letter of intent to the Center for Information and Insurance Oversight to establish a state insurance marketplace. While it's not a step toward single-payer, the state marketplace is a step toward independence that would insulate Mainers from further cuts to the Affordable Care Act. If you are anything like me, you probably want to know what you can do to support the push for a more equitable and efficient way to pay for health care. First, make yourself heard. Contact your legislators. Send them emails. Call their offices. The more voices they hear, the more likely they are to support a change to our insurance system. Second, support non-profit organizations like Physicians for a National Health Program or Maine AllCare. You can find out more about each at pnhp.org and maineallcare.org. difficult to achieve. Companies like Uber, Google and Tesla already have self driving vehicles on the road today. Artificial intelligence is coming to life in ways that are hard to imagine. Artificial intelligence can create music and paintings that sound and look as if created by a person. Some are able to teach other machines, possibly jeopardizing jobs in the tech field. In fact, artificial intelligence is even being used in the creation of articles for news organizations. Not this one, though. In all seriousness, automation does have the potential to eliminate a large number of jobs, and we need to prepare for this possibility. Some have suggested implementing a “Universal Basic Income”, a system in which the government gives everyone a livable amount of money on a regular basis. Others suggest people change their marketable job skills to evolve with future changes, but this isn’t possible for everyone and jobs may be scarce. If automation takes over, a new renaissance could take place where we live easy lives off the backs of robots, with endless time to do whatever we want. Or this technology may be used for the benefit of a select few while the rest of us struggle to survive, at least until the robots completely take over. We will have to wait an see. The online version of this article can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/yclhcgh4 Jamil Roberts was a member of the Information Technology Senior Seminar Course and is planning on career in the field of Information Technology in a creative capacity.
opinions & editorials
Joe Biden's Great Big Time Law Firm
by Chris Hedgpeth verything is bigger in Texas. Except the pool of candidates in the third Democratic presidential debate. Instead of another two night affair involving 20 people, the debate at Texas Southern University was over in three hours and featured a scant 10 candidates. Conspicuously absent were Tulsi Gabbard and Marianne Williamson, both of whom met the 130,000 unique donor threshold but did not qualify for the debate due to the Democratic National Committee's cryptic rules about polling. Here are the candidates, in the order they were introduced during the debate, with brief summaries of their performances: Though he spent a bit too much time focusing on Joe Biden, Julian Castro brought up some important issues, like the need for intervention in Central America as a method to fix the border crisis, and how the persistence of segregation is affecting our school systems. While demonstrating how folksy a person can be, Amy Klobuchar used her relatively conservative positions on health insurance and gun control to sell her appeal to center and right leaning voters. Beto O'Rourke took a lot of bold stances during the debate, discussing a mandatory buyback of military style
E
From the Desk
By Celina Simmons
T
hree weeks into the semester and the pressure is on. By now, you and I should be no strangers to a full schedule. After all, isn’t that what we signed up for? First and foremos t, I’d like to welcome you back to another semester at the lovely SMCC. And for those new faces, welcome to your new pathway into a successful life. I think it goes without saying that college should be a place that gives you endless opportunities and, with the right mindset, will lead you to the success you have in mind. Being in my fourth semester here at SMCC, success seems more possible than it ever has. I’d like to accredit a big part of that to my advisors and the clubs and organizations I’ve become a part of, especially The Beacon. If the school paper isn’t for you, I highly recommend looking into the other clubs and organizations offered on campus. It is a great way to make friends and meet people with similar mindsets as you. The Bbeacon has always been an openminded environment. Persistent in nature, yes, but that’s just the nature of the game. In a two week span, we create a legitimate collection of student work that it’s gone beyond to South Portland in mid Coast campuses. There’res deadlines, production meetings, and sometimes long life, but that’s part of why we love it in the end. It is hard work paying off right before your eyes. I welcome everyone to check out our content meetings every other Tuesday night at the Ccaptain’s Hhouse - even if you don’t know how you want to be a part of the paper. One of our goals is to
weapons, a call for reparations for slavery, and a progressive environmental policy plan, including a pre-disaster relief fund for areas affected by climate change. His documentary may have lost
ronment and the many ways systemic racism is holding America back. Andrew Yang took a strong stance in favor of immigrants, and as usual, made his argument that money is
Illustration by: Daniel Elliot to "dag nab" penguins, but that didn't stop Cory Booker from addressing the affects of factory farming on our envi-
power and Americans need to be empowered in the form of a $1000 per month universal basic income. He
also decried standardized testing and our poor treatment of teachers. Continuing from Yang's section, Pete Buttigieg advocated for us to "respect teachers like soliders and pay them like doctors". He also said the only way to end systemic racism is to systemically dismantle it. From her opening statement, Kamala Harris spent entirely too much time talking to and about Donald Trump. Despite her strange behavior, she managed a gem with her line about exporting American products instead of American jobs. Through a hoarse voice, Bernie Sanders aggressively defended his Medicare for All policy against Joe Biden. He also distanced himself from Biden by saying he never believed Dick Cheney in the lead up to the war in Iraq. Continuing Klobuchar's folksy banter, Elizabeth Warren avoided talking about the cost of Medicare for All, but made an excellent point about how nobody likes their insurance companies. Her emphasis on foreign labor standards was refreshing. Poll front-runner Joe Biden scoffed at a question about segregation, ranted about how children
normalize conflict in a way that it is OK to disagree. We actually WANT to know your point of view and why you think that. Ultimately, Tthe bBeacon’s main objective is to give you, the student body, a voice. Whether it be through an opinion piece, general news pertinent to students, or drawing a fun guy comic. We want to see it! Seeing your name in the paper is rewarding within itself, but if you don’t want your name out there, we understand. That’s why we always allow students to send in anonymous submissions. We are always looking for new writers, illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers. If you’re interested in learning more about The Beaconto begin, please feel free to email me at celinamsimmons@smccme.edu. As of recently, you can now access all of the articles printed on our physical paper easily through the SMCC app or your desktop browser. If you scroll down the opening page of your student app, you’ll come across a black with an image of a lighthouse that reads the SMCC beacon. Click that and you’ll be redirected to our Wword Ppress page, which has all images and articles published in every issue. We are always looking for new writers, illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers. If you’re interested in learning more about The Beacon, please feel free to email me at celinamsimmons@smccme.edu or come to For those interested, our next few Content Meeting that are happening on 9/17,10/1, and 10/15 at 6pm in the Captain’s House. See you there!! Illustration by Daniel Elliot
the smcc beacon | lighting our community 5
arts & features The Eyeing
I
By Liam Woodworth-Cook
t is said in the world of photography one doesn’t “take” a photograph, but “makes” a photograph. The distinction is in the capturing, the striking moment when light is sealed within the camera’s walls. Likewise, one makes a poem, harvesting choice words to describe or explain a scene, feeling or event. Sunsets can be glorious yet the documentation, whether photograph or poem, can be done poorly. The beauty of the sunset is left undisturbed in actuality, though the translation doesn’t hold up to the actual sight in the view of the audience. This is not, however, a writing on poor art or the difficulty in capturing a sunset. Instead this is about the linking of photography and poetry. Vision is the tendril of dreams. To speak of the eye in photography is to speak of the lense in which the photographer views their world. The eye is the scope in which they perceive the world using the camera as an extension to capture what their eye has already envisioned. Of course this could be a moment to moment event. As Henri Cartier-Bresson writes “We have to be alert and know when to pick the moment which is significant.'' The blink, the shutter snapping, the eye in action. He writes of this as an instinct. For the poet, the eye is just as relevant. The poet’s eye scans the ground and corners for the mundane, the interesting, the unsaid, the joyous and the disturbing. The poet seeks to capture the essence of a thing and at the same time, invoke in us a release of emotion. It probes the viewers reaction to the words. The poet may look to arial view points, the wide broad
stroke. The poet may also fixate on the small. The eye of the poet largely looks inside the mind. The poem itself could be a page, two pages, or three lines. In both fields the artist has a fuel of curiosity - to search out truth, whether that is in framing a truth in a photo, or writing a self-reflection. Each artist turns a page around each corner for subject matter. The excitement of something new to uncover, or something old to rediscover. Bresson writes on self -discovery and the world at large saying, “A balance must be established between these two worlds: the one inside us, and the one outside us. As the result of a constant reciprocal process, both these worlds come to form a single one. And it is this world that we must communicate”. The eye of a poet is in search, whether writing internally or externally. Sarcastic or surreal, the poet writes with a view, through a lens of discovery. The photographer in turn is capturing emotion, whether through landscapes or portraits or the in motion blur of a city square. Surely a photograph can be worth a thousand words and I’ve read 20 words that a photo could not capture. Nor should there be a hierarchy between these two arts. They each blend off one another. The viewer is rolled through the blatant visual and their own imagery of their mind. The viewer describes the photo in words or feelings within in their own head and the viewer collages the words imagery.For from the sparked pupil is a tendril, a questioning, a truth.
Wind Therapy
James M Little n the Wind Therapy, when life seems to get you down. All the troubles make your head turn around. Everything yanks your chain. Clear your head and clear your mind. Know that it will take some time. So, get on the bike kick up the stand. Ref the engine, pick up your feet. Roar up in down the winding street. Asphalt fling
I
IT ends… Sloppily
A Review of IT Chapter 2 By Stanley Kimball
I
T Chapter 2 is based off half of the infamous 1,138 page novel by Maine's own Stephen King, is a sequel to the smash hit from 2017 "IT" (now named "IT Chapter 1"). The sequel stars James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough, Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom, James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak, and of course, Bill Skarsgård as the titular villain "Pennywise the Dancing Clown" back and better than ever. With the first film being the highest grossing horror film of all time, it's only fitting that the sequel breaks another record becoming the "Longest Horror Film of All Time," and you can definitely feel that runtime while watching. Bill Skarsgård truly shines as Pennywise. When he is on screen however, he is
What's Going on in Music Today?
By Magella Cantara hroughout 2019, there has been an abundance of new music released. Already we have seen the charts on Billboard make history, starting back in February. It’s artists ranging from Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Halsey, Taylor Swift,Camila Cabello, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, all the way to TOOL. I could go on, but no matter where you fall in these different genres, it’s the thing in common that matters: their art. Their lyricism is what’s worth connecting to. You may recognize them, especially if you are more into pop culture and though some are considered “Pop” artists, their music says otherwise. Halsey released her song “Nightmare”over the summer. This song represents a political message, narrowing in on women's empowerment represented in the music video. This was released around the same time as the abortion ban in Alabama. Halsey breaks out with new surprises for her fans, posting
T
6 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
benighted my feet. The wind in your hair, thoughts flowing my mind. Seeing the scenery, you left behind. All the bad thing starts `leaving your mind. You saved yourself money in time. Now that your body and mind have unwound. You have gotten rid of that awful frown. Now head home to solve the problem that made you down.
the song she’s featured on for Post Malone’s new album with Future, called “Die for Me.” She’s announced that she is releasing a new song on Sept 13th called “Graveyard” and for Halsey fans, this is exciting but how much longer will they need to wait for H3? Artists like Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus and TOOL have been known in the music industry for over a decade. These artists surprised us this year. TOOL released an album for the first time in 13 years. Avril Lavigne came back with a newly released album since 2013. Taylor Swift released her album “Lover” back in August, the first since her last album “Reputation” in 2017. Miley recently released her song called “Slide Away” which the music video is out, after performing it live at the VMAs. If you have not heard it, it is about her relationship with Liam Hemsworth and fair warning to any new listener, this is a tear jerker. Billie Eillish is considered to be one of the youngest, most successful, rising stars
severely underused. Instead, the film decides to focus on an absolutely ridiculous plan to take him down. This plant also requires the Losers to be split apart for a majority of the movie, which is a shame because the first movie had such a great chemistry between the kids but here, it's sorely missed. Speaking of the Losers, pitch perfect casting is put on display. Not only do they all look and act like older versions of the kids you loved in Chapter 1, but they're all talented in their own right, with a stand out being Bill Hader as Richie Tozier. He manages to capture the foul mouthed personality of Finn Wolfhard's take while still making it his own character Overall, IT Chapter 2 offers some great performances, decent scares, but lacks what made the first film special.
of our generation at 17 years old. She recently released a music video for her song “all good girls go to hell” off her latest album. You should check it out if you haven’t already! Don’t worry, this music video is beautifully dark, just like her music. Camila Cabello is teasing her fans with a newly released song called “Shameless.” In-fact, not even just 24 hours prior to today, the music video for her song called “Liar” has been released - also worth checking out! I could list so many more artists hot in the music scene right now in all layers of genres! This is just an introduction to the many more upcoming articles about music in today’s industry. Make sure to check back in to The Beacon for the next segment! We will be covering Billboard charts stemming from Spanish artists that aren’t Camila! Feel free to email The Beacon your feedback towards these artists and their work. Don’t be afraid to even suggest new music that you feel should be talked about and recognized!
midcoast Brunswick Keeping Busy
By Tori Penney
S
tudent Life staff and Midcoast student leaders worked around the clock during Welcome Week making sure there were plenty of opportunities for students. After new residents moved into Orion Hall on Friday August 23rd, Student Life's new Graduate Assistant Dawson Cooper and Midcoast Activities Assistant Patrick Remedis hosted a game of Trivia! After a competitive game of kick ball on Saturday, over 20 students attended Galactic Bowling at Yankee Lanes. On Sunday, 13 students went to Popham Beach and Fort Popham, creating new friendships and taking in the beautiful scenery. Although the weekend had ended, there were many more events to come! Midcoast's returning Senators and Activities Committee members worked hard the first week to get clubs up and running! Students gathered around the Orion Fire Pit on Monday night to chat and make s'mores. On Tuesday they offered a Club Nite, where students interested in joining, leading, or creating clubs could learn how. Crafters
showed off their skills Tuesday night at Craft Nite. On Thursday, Midcoast Senate offered a Senate and Activities Committee Social, where students could meet Midcoast Senators and learn about the benefits of getting involved. Friday night, queer folx gathered together for the LGBTQIA+ Caucus to make buttons and discuss the Philadelphia Flag. There was something for everyone! During the Spring 2019 semester, the Student Senate created the Midcoast Senate Committee, which permits
Midcoast students to host their own gatherings, induct their own Senators, and hold their own leadership positions. Two Midcoast Senate Committee meetings have occurred so far, and a number of new Senators are planning to join the team. Midcoast Gaming Club and Rainbow Landing have already held their eBoard elections and have had productive meetings, and other clubs are gearing up for a successful year. Thank you to our passionate students who are leading the way for their clubs.
Lastly, I would like to issue a special thank you to our Student Life staff Patrick Remedis, Lydia Thorner, and Maxine Grubb, who have worked above and beyond to make this all happen. We are currently planning trips to Maine Wildlife Park, and there are rumblings about hosting a prom! If you are interested in joining Senate, Activities Committee, a club, or have an idea for an event, please contact me at tpenney@smccme.edu. We hope to see more students get involved! Photo Courtesy: Tori Penney
Midcoast Memoral to September 11th
by Dan Elliott he tragic events of September 11th, time when risk to life was a very real threat. 2001 need no introduction. It will Like the rest of the nation, Maine forever remain a dark mark in the pages sprung into action by sending local fireof American history, and a grim reminder fighters and emergency medical staff to that we can never be guaranteed total safety assist survivors emerging from the wreckfrom terrorist forces, not even in our own age. Part of the team of first-responders country. Almost all of us can remember sent to help sift through the rubble to where we were that day when the towers locate survivors, Michael Clarke of the of the World Trade Center were attacked Bath Fire Department joined an amalin New York City: I was a sophomore gamation of fellow emergency personnel, in high school, having returned to class swept into the New York metropolis by from a morning of business administrapolice escort, to begin combing through tion at the local technical school. My shattered office equipment and toxic teachers were huddled around a television plumes of smoke for the living. It was sitting atop a roller cart, their tranceClark, a Long Island native, who was like gaze fixated on a screen depicting a instrumental in bringing back what would smoldering skyscraper upon a cerulean become a testament both to the horrors backdrop, broken up only by billowof the day, but also a symbol to human ing clouds of smoke emitting from it. endurance during one of the darkest moI was significantly more naive back ments in United States history: a fragment then, believing that the events unfolding of girder from the ground zero rubble. in the faraway land of New York City had Designed by Clark's son, Mikey, in little impact in my secure coastal bastion collaboration with local artist John Gaof Brunswick, Maine. I could hardly be ble, the girder sits in display at SMCC's blamed for my cloistered mentality, for Midcoast campus, a gift from firefighters of little exciting happens here—we enjoy a New York City in recognition of the City life of relative humdrum and safety. I was of Bath's contributions during the terrorist wrong, of course. The attacks on Sepattack. It greets the students attending tember 11th were a national emergency, classes in the Academic Building with the not relegated to a specific state or region. sober remembrance of a nation in peril, Instantaneously, a and a reminder miracle emerged of a community's from what seems act of heroism. like utter horror and The memorial has havoc. Men and double importance women, coming to students within from all walks of the Fire Science life, every race and program, as it is a creed, swarmed reminder of how upon New York to vital a role they will provide aid to their move on to fill, and neighbors in need. that the constraints People who would, of their service exunder the circumceed the boundaries stances of ordinary of our sleepy Maine life, never have towns. Perhaps associated with each most important other joined forces of all, the crossto assist in emerbeam which made Photo Courtesy: Daniel Elliot gency services at a its journey from
T
beneath the ash and metal of New York to the coastal satellite campus of SMCC tells a parable, a story with a lesson to all those who come across it---some day you,
too, may be called to aid strangers in a distant city, to be brought together as one under the most dire of circumstances.
the smcc beacon | lighting our community  7
Sports
SeaWolve forward, Callie O'Brien, ruffles the net in early first half action agaisnt Vermont Tech College
See Who? SeaWolves! Watch out YSCC... and How!
By The Beacon Staff s the SMCC South Portland campus came alive with the start of the fall semester, the fall season sports teams have been active squaring off against Yankee Small College Conference competitors, as well as non-conference teams. While the SeaWolves softball team is inactive this fall; baseball, the women and men’s soccer teams, and the golf team are on the field or course. To date, the SeaWolves baseball and soccer teams have posted an 11 and 1 overall record. After the men’s soccer team’s opening day 4-3 loss to the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the Seawolves squads have not dropped a game. As the Wolves baseball has walked off the diamond with high-scoring wins: 6-0 and 9-1 against New Hampshire Technical Institute and a 9-2 win against Central Maine Community College, both soccer squads have had to endure tension filled overtime and double-overtime games to build the winning streaks they now have. On the men’s side of the pitch, the Wolves traveled to Central Maine Community College last week for the first under the lights on artificial turf match in the team’s history. The game would last an hour, 46 minutes and 29 seconds when SMCC’s Joel Musess found the back of the net with a golden goal securing a 3-2 SeaWolf victory against conference rival CMCC. As quoted on the SMCC Men’s Soccer web page, Head Coach Brian Dougher summed up the match accordingly: "The environment was something that you look forward to as an athlete. Our guys showed grit and determination to weather the storm of momentum following a timely goal by Central Maine to push the game into extra time. Our positional depth gave us the edge in this one." The men’s soccer squad has also posted wins against: Northern Essex Community College (1-0), Vermont Technical College, and a 4-0 win against Paul Smith’s College this past Saturday. The men’s squad travels to NHTI on the 18th, then to Brighton Academy on the 20th, before returning to Wainwright Recreation Complex to take to the pitch against Hampshire College on the 22. On the women’s side of the pitch, the Lady SeasWolves only had to
A
Frederico Salianga fires off a shot in late second half action
endure three-minutes of overtime play against Paul Smith’s College this past Saturday for Katelin Bennett to deliver the golden goal. Bennett scored both of SMCC’s goal in the second half of play. Paul Smith’s would score first on a free kick inside of the 18 yard box minutes into the match, holding off SMCC until Bennett’s equalizer in the second half. After the contest, SeaWolves Head Coach Ethan Wells offered these thoughts. “Today the system broke down a bit. But on a more positive note, I’m proud of the way our women showed a tenaciousness to battle from behind and get a result in a tough road environment. Hats off to a well-organized Paul Smith's squad." The Lady Wolves travel to take to the pitch against the 2018-19 YSCC champions, New Hampshire Technical Institute who sports a clean record, on Wednesday the 18th. The Wolves then travel to CMCC on the 24th for an evening match, and end the road trip against the Community College of Rhode Island on the 28. The Lady Wolves return home on the 29th to play Bryant Stratton-Syracuse at Wainwright Recreation Complex. On the baseball diamond, Dylan Francouer returns for his junior year, leading the SeaWolves’ pitching staff. Catcher Peter Stauber, first basemen Caleb Burpee and Steven Ross, and outfielder Colby Gunter’s return looking to be the core of a dangerous offensive and solid defense. The Wolves opened their season at home taking to the diamond against the New Hampshire Technical Institute Lynx in a nine-inning game. Dylan Francouer threw a solid performance; pitching six innings, striking out 10, walking three and allowing one hit. Sophomore Cole Lawrence worked through the seventh and eighth inning collecting three strike outs and allowing one hit, as freshman Brayden Barlett finished the ninth giving up one walk and striking out the same. The bats were alive as Peter Stauber and Alexander Miller accounted for four
"To date the SeaWolves baseball and soccer teams have posted a 11 and 1 overall record."
8 lighting our community | the smcc beacon
of the SMCC hits. The Wolves would Sam Winslow and sophomore Robert open the game plating three runs after Caron the team is young with a potential keeping NHTI off of the scoreboard. to be competitive in a competitive league. With Francouer on the mound workIn the two tournaments to date, Sam ing towards his 14th career win, the Winslow as recorded rounds of 87 and Wolves would plate two more runs in 96. Freshman Ethan Laverriere opened the fifth and one in the sixth to start the season with a 99 and followed with the 2019 campaign off with a win. a team low score last Saturday of 93. Head Coach Dave Walsh summed Robert Caron opened the seaup the opening day game in the following son with a personal best of 94, as manner, "With a new group and limited Chase Ward hovered north of 100 preparation, I was impressed with our by a few strokes each week. execution. We are deep and talented When asked to reflect on the team’s at every position. Players understand first two weeks of YSCC play, Coach Ott their roles and showed positive enerstated, “all of the golfers have the potengy on the bench. First-years showed tial to be solid collegiate golfers. Howevdiscipline at the plate and Francoeur er to be that demands that you establish picked up right where he left off in a practice regiment that helps build golf 2018, mixing his pitches and keeping acumen and course management. I am hitters off balance. This group has a looking forward to helping a young squad bright baseball future ahead of them." build work towards their potential.” The Wolves baseball squad travels to The golf team travels to Augusta CMCC on the 17th for an early evening this Saturday for YSCC play at Augusta double-header with the games schedCountry Club. The Tournament is hosted uled for 5 and 7pm. The team returns to by the University of Maine-Augusta. SMCC for a three-game homestand as they take on Bridgton Academy on the 18th at 4pm, then NHTI on the 21st at 12:30 and complete the homestand against Holyoke Community College with the first pitch scheduled at 10am. Golf rounds out the fall season sports teams and has traveled to Concord, New Hampshire to complete in two tournaments hosted by NHTI at Peter Stauber crosses pads the score in the Beaver Meadow. late innings against the links of NHTI Lead by freshman
SMCC Pitcher, Dylan Francoeu, works the pitch count against NHTI in the season opener.