The Advocate, Issue 8, November 8, 2012

Gresham, Oregon | November 9, 2012 | Volume 48, Issue 8

advocate the

The independent student voice of Mt. Hood Community College

WWW. ADVO CATE -O NLI NE . NE T

Measure your state’s progress

College Night seeks to inform students Katelyn Hilsenbeck The Advocate

Mr. Gorsek goes to Salem John Tkebuchava The Advocate

Democrat Chris Gorsek, a MHCC criminal justice and geography instructor, has won the 49th District race for the state House of Representatives, beating incumbent and former MHCC student and Republican Matt Wand.

Gorsek won the Chris Gorsek seat with 54 percent of the votes (10,860) to his opponent Wand’s 46 percent (9,168), according to the Multnomah County website as of 8:06 a.m. Thursday.

The road to representative has been a tough but rewarding one, Gorsek said.

“My opponent was a formidable one. It was not an easy race, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I’m honored to have been elected and to represent the people of East Multnomah County and the students of Mt. Hood Community College,” said Gorsek.

“It happened because of all the great support and volunteers that came out and worked so hard for me,” he said.

One of Gorsek’s main focuses over the summer has been going door to door and speaking with county citizens individually, something he thinks really helped give him an edge.

“A lot of folks are like, ‘I never get a chance to talk to a representative or someone who is trying to get in-

volved as a representative,’ so it means a lot to them to make those connections,” he said.

Though Gorsek was just elected this week, his work with the government begins next Friday at a Democratic House meeting. Gorsek will be officially sworn in January.

With this week’s election, the Oregon House of Representatives was reconfigured with a Democratic majority. The house previously had been split 30-30.

Asked how the new Democratic majority might affect the process of pushing legislation through, Gorsek said, “I think it will help us move forward.”

“Even though I think it’s now easier for Democrats to move their agenda on things like education, I still want us to try and work as a whole body,” said Gorsek.

As for his next steps as representative, Gorsek said he wants to organize some forums on campus and in the community to hear some of the common concerns so he can address those first.

In general, transportation and education are two things Gorsek said he wants to get most involved with in government.

“Education is super important so I hope to get on one of the committees that has some connection and activity with education,” he said, adding he would like to join transportation-related committees as well.

With the representative position comes a new workload, but Gorsek, asked if he might put some things on hold to focus on his new position, said, “If I managed to do everything I was doing during the campaign, I can still continue doing everything I’m doing now.”

Nonetheless, Gorsek said he’s excited to get started.

“I want to get in there and do some solid public service,” he said.

“This is exactly the kind of thing I’ve been interested in doing my whole life.”

High school students and their parents can learn about MHCC and college scholarship opportunities at a free College Night event set for 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Vista Dining Center at the main Gresham campus.

Experts will field questions about college, costs and financial aid and will award a few scholarships. Refreshments are provided.

Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) has sponsored similar events throughout Oregon and Virginia since 2007.

MHCC was invited to host a College Night that year and has followed up each year. ECMC provides the information and trains the presenters.

Topics include: How college can change your life; choosing the right college; paying for college; and scholarship searches and scams.

The presentation is aimed at high school juniors and seniors, although Sydney Eustrom, MHCC manager of student outreach and recruitment, encourages all students to attend.

“It could be a student who already knows where they want to go... or it could be somebody who’s not even thinking that college is their next step,” said Eustrom.

“It’s intended for everyone.”

Students who attend are eligible for a drawing of four $500 scholarships, good at most colleges or universities in the U.S. Eustrom and MHCC Financial Aid Adviser Tracy Marshall will speak on Wednesday. Both received ECMC training, which encourages story telling to better engage visitors.

“It’s a really casual and comfortable format for high school students, their parents, high school counselors, community members, to come and get their general questions answered,” Eustrom said.

Student guardians and friends are welcome, also.

Questions will be taken throughout the presentations.

“You want the support of those you are surrounded by,” said Eustrom. “It’s also super-helpful to get the parents involved and informed.”

While a prime outreach opportunity for MHCC, the event is designed to be “hugely informative,” Eustrom said. She wants it “to be something where every single student in that room feels they can relate to some piece of info, whether they are coming to MHCC or not,” she said.

“It’s not the steps for getting started at MHCC, it’s the steps for getting started at college.”

Portland Community College and Clackamas Community College will host the same event, also on Wednesday.

Pizza and soda will be served to guests starting at 5:30 p.m. The presentation begins at 6 p.m.

‘MR. FOX’:

NO SCHOOL MONDAY

COMEDIC ACTING ENTERTAINS KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE

CAMPUS WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY

TODAY IS THE FINAL DAY TO

FOR VETERANS DAY. VETERANS

DROP A COURSE WITHOUT

MAY GET FREE LATTES OR MOCHAS

COMPLETELY WITHDRAWING

TODAY IN THE BOOKSTORE.

FROM SCHOOL.

page 5

LAST DAY TO DROP

2

Opinion Nov. 9, 2012

Editorial: Presidential campaign exhausting, needs change With the conclusion of another presidential election on Tuesday night, we at The Advocate are experiencing something akin to an electoral hangover.

The American presidential election is one of the longest and most expensive elections in the world. The United Kingdom (U.K.), as our most closely related Western country, would serve as an easily relatable example to contrast its rather shorter and cheaper elections to ours.

First off, the U.K. holds elections, called General Elections, every five years to elect a new body of Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons, which is analogous to our House of Representatives.

There are two provisions that allow for General Elections: if a motion of no confidence is called by Her Majesty’s Government (which includes the House of Lords) and passed with a simple majority that lasts for 14 days without a new government being voted in, or if a motion for General Election is agreed upon by two-thirds of the total seats in the House of Commons. This not only sets a firm timeline for elections, but also the provisions to change them as the government or people

see fit, whereas in the U.S. we have set election timetables for representatives, senators and the president unless there are vacancies on a scale that require a special election.

The U.K. General Elections are also relatively brief. The Queen dissolves the Parliament in mid-April and the populace has about a week to register to vote. The people vote by the first week in May, with the new MPs returning to Parliament in mid-May. For those keeping tally on your fingers, that’s about four weeks.

In contrast, the U.S. presidential elections for this year began in January 2011 and concluded just two days ago. A finger tally shows 22 months. This begs the question: How can an incumbent effectively get through his or her campaign goals when they end up spending just shy of half their term campaigning for re-election?

The Advocate would like to humbly offer up a solution: a single six-year term. If this were the case, presidents would no longer worry about politicking during their term with an eye towards re-election, would not spend approximately two years trying to get re-elected and should be able to better

execute their policy aims.

But wait, the ever-present contrarian would say: Wouldn’t putting one person in office for six years without re-election hand them unchecked power to wield?

Nay, we would respond, because the process for impeachment and removal would remain the same and could actually stand as a more menacing alternative. This should be the case, because if someone has six years in office and can’t follow through with their policies, then impeach his/her ass and elect a new leader. Simple!

Another major issue The Advocate has with the presidential elections is the sheer amount of money involved.

In a report by The New York Times, Obama and the Donkeys raised $934 million and spent $852.9 million of that while Romney and the Elephants raised $881.8 million and spent $752.3 million. That adds up to roughly $1.6 billion dollars spent on

the presidential election by both candidates.

What. The. Hell.

Shouldn’t this money be used for better purposes? Yeah, some money needs to be used for advertising and speaking trips; but, with the Internet, the dissemination of information shouldn’t be hard and speeches could be streamed and kept on file on YouTube, which would drastically cut down on the candidates speaking with Joe-the-Plumber types.

American politics was built on grassroots politics. However, there comes a time when antiquated procedures need to be put to rest. There’s a reason why no one uses typewriters, Polaroids and Walkman players anymore. The same should be said of such folksy grassroots political procedures that occur at the national level.

So, after eating several tacos to soak up all the bingeing of the presidential election, we at The Advocate are eyeing the aforementioned suggestions like an AA brochure and hoping for the best in 2016.

Veterans on campus spend holiday like many other students After five minutes, When a veteran shares a stoI was either invisible or ry of past combat it’s easy to apone of them; I wasn’t preciate. Honoring that person sure. They were laughis as simple as listening politely, ing, interrupting and applauding and hopefully shakteasing each other, ing hands and thanking them bringing to mind the personally. sense of family and caWhile attending classes, maraderie Stefanie had grabbing a coffee in the bookmentioned in our earlier store or studying in the library, interview. there may be no special physical “They’re bad-ass. distinction from the average stuJeff Hannig They’re fun to work dent and a veteran.

The Advocate with,” she said when “This is it,” said Tyson, a I asked what she liked man who clearly doesn’t fit the mold for the job he’s taken on, when I asked most about helping veterans.

“It’s like the military, but not so uptight – him what he did at the Veteran’s Office. Tyson looks like a heavyweight boxer, has a I’m allowed to put holes in my face.”

Stefanie, Tyson and Estevan are all going full beard and a disarming sense of humor. to MHCC and working in the Veteran’s OfHe does not look like a file clerk.

Stefanie interrupted Tyson: “That’s what fice. After graduation, Stefanie plans to be an English instructor, a profession she had we all do,” referring to filing duty.

“Filing and helping veterans get on file targeted since high school before deciding to and their benefits started,” said Stefanie, a join the Army.

“I was taking AP classes and needed polite mother with a bull-ring septum piercmoney for college,” she said adding that the ing.

Tyson worked intelligence, or “intel,” for job of interrogating was also enticing.

Tyson is headed for management leaderthe Navy, Stefanie did interrogations for the Army and the last veteran I interviewed, Es- ship, he says. He has always been interested in business. Last year, for Veterans Day, he tevan, did intelligence analysis.

Correction:

and his dad handed out clothes and box lunches to homeless veterans.

“This year, I’m going to try to write a paper. School has really ramped up,” he said.

Estevan spent five years in the Army and two in the Army reserves. He is studying geology, a subject he fell in love with during his first class with instructor Daina Hardisty.

He wants to go into economic geology.

He plans to spend time with his family over Veterans Day and said that if a veteran needed help, “I would help them.”

Worker Bees. Bad-asses. All-around cool people, as far as I could tell.

Each veteran I interviewed was calm, polite and above all more than happy to answer any of the questions I had. Mostly, thinking back, they seemed just like any other group of students that have spent a lot of time together — but they’re not just like other students.

Every veteran I talked to has done something I have not: served his or her country in the military.

They have all probably been in situations we all could never imagine or experience even through the best filmmaking. Yet, there they were, filing away, teasing each other about their clothes and going to school – just like you and me.

“How long should presidential terms be?”

Same terms as now One six year term One four year term

www.advocate-online.net

In the Nov. 2 issue of The Advocate, the article titled “State report shows inconsistencies in wilderness program” reported that Lizzie Montgomery was banned from campus.

Montgomery is allowed to teach on campus without any penalties, while Bryan and Kim Anaclerio are still on administrative leave from campus. The Advocate regrets this error.

the advocate Co-Editors-in-Chief

Sports Editor

Reporters

John Tkebuchava & Mike Mata

John Tkebuchava

Photographers

Daniele Caldwell

Tyler Heyl

Associate Editor

Copy Editors

Katelyn Hilsenbeck

Jonathon Long

Kylie Rogers

Kylie Rogers & Dorothy Ocacio

Living Arts Editor

Webmaster

Shelby Schwartz

Logan Scott

Assistant Living Arts Editor

Photo Editor

Dorothy Ocacio

Jeff Hannig

Brandon Kissir Shaun Lutz Aaron Marshall Cameron Miller Danny Perez-Crouse Lisa Sorenson

Opinion Editor

Kayla Tatum

Jeff Hannig

Jackie Garrity

News Editor Mike Mata

Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Bob Watkins

E-mail advocatt@mhcc.edu 503-491-7250 (Main) 503-491-7413 (Office) 503-591-6064 (Fax) www.advocate-online.net

Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

Submissions

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information.

Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission.

Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board.

The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length.

Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

News

the advocate

Park seeks to create outdoor classroom setting

3

Lisa Sorenson A new nature park is scheduled to open this month right around the corner from the MHCC Gresham campus.

The 5-acre park, officially named College Nature Park at Beaver Creek, stretches east of the campus to Troutdale Road, between Stark and Cochran streets.

“The park will provide easier access to the wetlands of Beaver Creek and continue to serve as an outdoor classroom for environmental classes (at MHCC),” said Rich Faith, community development director for Troutdale.

New developments include two trailheads on Troutdale Road – one at Stark Street and one at Southeast 34th Circle - that connect to a short trail leading to benches, a picnic area and an observation wall overlooking the wetlands. Most of the land in the park will be protected and restored as natural wetlands.

The property is part of a 62-acre site sold by the MHCC District board to Metro Regional Government in 2004, but is being developed and will be maintained by the city of Troutdale.

The $450,000 cost to develop the park was funded by voter-approved natural areas bond measures in 1995 and 2006, a grant from Oregon Parks and Recreation and an improvement fund from the city of Troutdale.

The bond measures were passed as a way to protect water quality, wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations.

Faith said there are no plans to extend trails further into the wetlands or through the park toward MHCC. Addition of the observation areas at the nature park is meant to protect and restore natural areas and to discourage people from hiking directly into the wetlands.

Photo by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate

The Advocate

The College Nature Park is under construction, but will continue to be used on a weekly basis for environmental education classes at MHCC.

Do something wonderful this holiday season

Book sale builds scholarship fund Jackie Garrity The Advocate

Kayla Tatum The Advocate

MHCC’s “Something Wonderful” Project 2012 is asking for staff, students, and those in the East County Community to be a part of the effort to help less fortunate families during this holiday season.

The “Something Wonderful” Project is a non-profit organization that has been in existence since 1994. Over the course of the 18 years, there have been approximately 900 families helped through the program.

In working with MHCC staff, students, and people in the community, the “Something Wonderful” project was able to continue to purchase winter clothes, holiday meals, toys and household items for many families.

The “Something Wonderful” project selects families through the applications they receive. The goal every year is to help about 40 families, but this year they are striving to help “about 60-80 families,” said Rich Duval, Project YESS Manager of Youth Workforce. Duval said one of the main ways people know about the project “is through word of mouth.”

The “Something Wonderful” project has had many success stories, “families that I’ve helped in the past have done well, finished college, [busy] with family and came back to me and wanted to give back,” Duval said.

“It’s like pay it forward,” he added. MHCC students who want to volunteer and “adopt” a family can get involved through a MHCC club or by contacting MHCC’s Student Union.

Those who want to apply for help can submit an application to Rich Duval, Project YESS Manager of Youth Workforce in AC49 (lower level of the Student Union) or apply to Administrative Assistant Katrina McNeal at the Business and Information Systems, Room 2655. There is no guarantee of families being selected after submission. Applications forms are available in the Student Union Office.

Deadline for applications is Nov. 13 by 5 p.m.

Families will be contacted within 2-3 weeks of submission.

For more information about the “Something Wonderful” project, contact Katrina McNeal at Katrina.McNeal@mhcc.edu or call 503-491-7515. Rich Duval can be contacted at Rich.Duval@mhcc.edu or call 503-491-7641.

Proceeds from the upcoming Shelie Macias Memorial Book Sale fund a scholarship for Hispanic/Latino students who study English as a second language.

The book sale is being held Thursday, Nov. 15, in the Vista Dining Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Shelie Macias Memorial Scholarship provides one year of tuition for a full-time Hispanic/Latino student.

Macias’ name can also be seen in a memorial garden on campus between the 1300 and 1500 wings. Macias was an MHCC employee killed by a vehicle on campus in December 1998 in the crosswalk between the 1700 block and what is now the ECC parking lot The root of the scholarship fund for Hispanic and Latino students comes from Macias’ work here at MHCC in the English as a Second Language (ESL) department. Macias had a long history with this campus and started coming as a child to “mom and dad’s work,” as both of her parents were employees here.

During high school, Macias learned both Spanish and Japanese and became Gresham’s first exchange student to visit their sister city of Ebetsu, Japan. After graduation, Macias started as a work-study student in the ABE/GED area and eventually became a full-time employee.

Macias not only helped Hispanic students with their English on campus but also went to a local prison to teach there. According to Joylynn Woodard, Shelie’s mother and fellow employee of MHCC, “Shelie was a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky individual who was loved by all. Her personality made a room glow when she stepped in and her love of people and helping people was overwhelming.”

“The American Association of Women in Community College (AAWCC) group decided to create the Shelie Macias Memorial Book Sale to help a non-native speaking student because of Macias’ love for the Hispanic community. The book sale was a way that we could build the scholarship fund in her honor as well as have an event that many students would enjoy on campus,” said Woodard.

Woodard added they successfully reached their monetary goal to make the scholarship fund self-sustaining several years ago but with the rising cost of tuition they need to fund-raise every year.

4

Living Arts Nov. 9, 2012

Artist paints object portraits instead of still-life paintings The Advocate

As the leaves outside change colors and drift away, we welcome a new artist with a new medium, color palette and subject into the Fireplace Gallery inside the Student Union.

Sarah Fagan is not the normal still-life painter. She paints all of her subjects in acrylics and gets to know her subjects before she paints and puts them in a unique setting, giving them a modern look. Her collection on display is titled “Objectified.”

“Traditionally, it would be still-life, but I don’t really like the term still-life. I think of kind of boring, baroque scenes of skulls and of flower vases and I definitely like there to be a little more life,” Fagan said. “Object portraits” is the label she prefers.

“When I’m painting something I like holding it in my hand really getting to know it and looking at photographs of it and trying to capture its essence the same way a portrait artist would,” she said. “I like to think of it more than just, ‘I’m painting a bowl of oranges on the table,’ I’m really getting to know the personality of this thing, like I would a human being.”

An East coast native, Fagan now lives in Portland. She attended a college for fine arts and earned her bachelor’s degree at Stonehill College near Boston, then moved to Portland specifically to attend the Oregon College of Art and Craft to learn bookbinding and earn a post-baccalaureate certificate.

“Even though I really loved painting I had gotten interested in artist books as well. So, I went and took some bookbinding classes and it was fun to learn that skill for about a year. But I found myself sneaking in paintings and I felt kind of guilty for doing it and then I realized I shouldn’t feel guilty.

It just means I have this yum factor from painting like I didn’t when I was using tools and book binding,” Fagan said.

Fagan is considering more graduate studies, but said, “The past year or so I just started applying to a bunch of painting shows and getting in.

“This past six months have been like the revelation, like,

‘Oh, I’m a painter, I have a body of work.’ It doesn’t even fit in I’ve been running where kids make their own art materials from scratch, like we make our own watercolor paints from my house anymore,” Fagan said.

Fagan has been hired by different schools and libraries to things like corn starch and vinegar and, like, scientific things. lead classes or residency sessions. She has contracted to teach I’m really into kids learning to make things from scratch, whatever that thing is rather than (teachafter school one day a ing them) a certain style of art. week for schools such as “I like my children’s classes to be Laurelhurst School and about letting them figure out how to put Atkinson Elementary. things together and know they don’t She teaches bookhave to buy all their art supplies, they can binding to children make them, they can make art with anyand has taught in the thing,” Fagan said.

Multnomah and WashFagan paints everyday objects in her ington county library works. She paints household items that systems. She also has most people own and brings them to life. taught morning classes “There’s just this kind of ‘yum factor’ at children-oriented caI feel that’s almost kind of synaesthetic fes in the Portland Area, (sensation of a sense other than the one and occasionally teaches being stimulated, such as a sound evokclasses at children’s ing sensation of a color). For a while, I bookstore, Green Bean was painting a lot of my bookbinding Books on Northeast Altools because I was a bookbinder and berta Street in Portland there are all sorts of weird hole punches “A book, if it’s like and X-ACTO knives that you use when kids writing their own you are bookbinding. stories and illustrating “In my free time I would go home and it and binding it, is a paint a picture of my X-ACTO knife benice amalgamation craft, cause I just loved being able to use like so I really do believe in the other side of my brain, the right side bookbinding and fine of my brain to paint something that I used motor skills,” Fagan The painting shown is of the lower half of Sarah Faganʼs piece entitled “Abundance.” with the left side of my brain. It was kind said.

Can be seen until Nov. 29 in the fireplace gallery in the Student Union. of fascinating, getting it right,” she said.

Even though she has Teachers have told her that many artists start with realism a degree and now paints full-time, she does not teach painting.

“I don’t really teach painting classes, ’cause I don’t like the in art school and as they mature, many to abstraction or difthought of teaching people to paint the way I paint and I’m not ferent things. “Who knows if I’ll move out of this? But I really have that yum factor in the realism,” she said. sure how else I would teach it,” she said.

“Objectified” will be featured in the Fireplace Gallery in “I like giving them structures like books and letting them fill them the way they want. Or I have a series of classes that the Student Union until Nov. 29.

Photo by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate

Shelby Schwartz

the day tripper your weekly event planner

SATURDAY 11.10

TROUTDALE

The Cyclocross event ‘Peddlers at the poor farm’ will be held at Edgefield McMenamins. The course preview will be at 8:30 a.m.; races begin at 8:50 a.m. Bicyclists are sure to enjoy the mud and high energy, and viewers are invited to come observe the fun. Food and drink may be purchased.

All ages are welcome; the event costs $15-$25. McMenamins Edgefield is at 2126 S.W. Halsey St., in Troutdale. Register for the event at obra.org.

SATURDAY 11.10

SW PORTLAND

The 39th Filmmakers Festival premieres tonight at 7 o’clock with Shorts I, from independent film and video makers, at the Portland Art Museum. Shorts II will be screened Saturday and Shorts III on Sunday. Admission is $6-9. The festival will run through Nov. 18. The Museum is at 1219 SW Park Ave. in Portland.

SUNDAY 11.11

Se PORTLAND

The Clinton Street Theater hosts weekly screenings of current episodes of the AMC hit television series The Walking Dead on Sundays. This week’s episode runs at 9 p.m. Admission is free, all ages welcome. The theater is at 2522 S.E. Clinton St. in Portland.

TUESDAY 11.13

Dan Edge, department head Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences 2012 National Excellence in Teaching Award winner

SW PORTLAND

Internationally bestselling author of “Black Hawk Down” Mark Bowden will share insight on his newest book “The Finish” about the killing of Osama Bin Laden, at 7:30 p.m. at Powell’s City Of Books on Burnside. The event is co-sponsored by the World Affairs Council. For more information or to preorder a signed edition of “The Finish,” visit www.powells.com or call 800-878-7323.

Learn from the nation’s best...online When Dan Edge created a fisheries and wildlife online degree program with Oregon State Ecampus, skeptics nationwide said it couldn’t be done. Three years later, Dan won the nation’s top honor for teaching excellence in online education, and his world-class program is a model for others to emulate. So that settles that debate.

ecampus.oregonstate.edu/cc13 800-667-1465

Experience it for yourself.

Choose from 15 online bachelor’s degrees.

Winter term starts Jan. 7.

Apply today.

Living Arts Photos by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate

the advocate MHCC production tells the tale of a sly fox and angry farmers

5

Review:

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ enchants and entertains all ages Dorothy Ocacio

Sydney Hope, chanting a rhyme about the horrible trio that is Boggis, Bunce and Bean. As they discussed each character, a spotlight shone on them and the audience heard a description The College Theater was filled with the babble of voices as of just how each is despicable.

So began the first performance of “Fantastic Mr. Fox.” the crowd waited for the play to begin. Children bounced, spun Alex Giorgi and clapped in anticipation of played the eluthe story soon to unfold before sive Mr. Fox with them. Although only about the right tone of one-third full, the theater was self-assurance packed with enthusiasm. and cockiness As the lights began to dim, to his speech, the noise level rose and then his movements subsided when the adults in smooth and fluid. the crowd shushed the chilEveryone is “my dren. A laugh here and there, dear” or “my more shushing, and the play darlings” to him. was ready to begin.

There did seem to Theatre artistic director be a few hesitant Jesse Merz entered from the moments during side door and took the stage. Several students rehearse as foxes during a scene at a dress rehearsal on Friday Nov. 2.

“How we doing?” his voice Performances for area elementary schools were held on Monday and Wednesday of this week and a performance will his dialogues, but also be held today, and on Nov. 14 and 16. they were barely boomed. When there was not enough response, he informed the kids the play was interactive noticed. He enchanted the children, who kept their eyes glued and he needed them to make the play complete. Merz again each time he was in sight.

When Mrs. Fox, played by Hope, put her children to bed, asked “How we doing?” This time, it was answered with a she asked the audience if it would also “go to sleep” and she loud, resounding “Good!” from the children.

Merz gave a rundown on what to expect during the play, would sing a lullaby. The children all agreed and she began to then announced the play to begin. The children clapped and sing “Close your eyes, say goodnight . . . .”

“Is she real?” a boy in the audience loudly whispered to the cheered as he left the stage and the curtain rose.

Onstage in low lighting stood three farmhouses with the adult next to him.

Several of the actors play multiple characters during the owners in front of them: Drew Pierce as fat Boggis; Ali Weiher as potbellied Bunce; and Zack Lewis as skinny Bean. Out came hour-long play. Because of the costumes, it is not evident, three “children,” played by Justin Wright, Matthew Rivera and however. Each character in the play has his or her own voice and movements, never giving away that Joshua Mather is The Advocate

Alex Giorgi as Mr. Fox, far left leads several other foxes during a scene at a dress rehearsal on Friday Nov. 2.

The only public performance will be held on Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. the cost is $2.

both Small Badger and the selfish Rat, or that Bean and Rabbit are both played by Lewis. Missy Paulson as one of the Foxes’ daughters takes on a completely different character type when she shuffles out as Mabel, the Bean’s housekeeper.

As should be expected in a play, especially one aimed at children, the movements are sometimes flamboyant and exaggerated, the actions sometimes goofy, like with the wacky Rabbit. It works very well, pulling you into the story and letting you know what kind of “person” each character is quickly.

The animal costumes are very good and eerily realistic.

They consist of heads and tails, and the actors move in them like they have no animal head covering them at all.

There came the part where the Fox family members have to dig for their lives, and the actors took to the floor, “burrowing” from one row of seats to the next. After a short while, they stop and ask Mr. Fox for some help from the “moles.” Three children were pulled from the audience and given hats, two of them with mole masks that covered their heads. One had trouble seeing with the mask on as the burrowers worked their way through. However, the children were quite happy to have been able to help out the charming Fox family, evident from their beaming faces as they returned to their seats.

Sound effects are used to portray actions being performed and to enhance other actions. For example, when Mr. Fox is lifting the floorboards in the barns with just his hands showing the motion, the creaking noise lets the audience know what it is he is doing. The motions were perfectly timed with the sound effects throughout the play.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” will be performed for area elementary school children only on Nov. 9, 14 and 16 at 10:30 a.m., with a general public showing at 2 p.m. on Nov. 17, in the College Theater. Tickets are $2 for the show on the Nov. 17; however, no one will be turned away for inability to pay. For more information, contact Jesse Merz at 503-491-6970.

Second-year student hits stage in first MHCC production The Advocate

transfer degree with hopes of majoring in education. “I just do it because it’s fun,” Lewis said of his acting, as he has no plans to pur-

A second-year student is portraying an angry farmer and channeling this character by using his love of voice acting in the Children’s Theatre production of ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox.” For Zack Lewis, this is his first MHCC production.

“I am Bean the cider and turkey farmer, I brew alcoholic cider and I am always drinking it. I’m this type, I would say, ex-military personnel so much so that I’m still wearing my uniform long out of service,” he said.

The story line for “Fantastic Mr. Fox” is centered on Mr. Fox who has been stealing food from three farmers, and the farmers are out for revenge. “He’s very bitter, they say he is the clever one out of the three killer B’s as we like to call them, (Boggis, Bunce and Bean),” Lewis said.

“I feel like Bean is the most obsessed, out of the three of getting this fox, so that by the end of the show he is losing it, you know, mentally as they are chasing this fox,” Lewis Zack Lewis, Shown at a rehearsal in October, portrays the character, of Bean, in the Childrenʼs Theatre Production of ʻFantastic Mr. Fox.ʼ said.

Lewis is working on his associate of arts sue it professionally.

Photos by Kylie Rogers/The Advocate

Shelby Schwartz

“I guess if I taught theater that would be When Lewis is in character for Bean, he fine, but I don’t love it enough to get a degree channels a raspy, creepy, cranky voice. “I just in it,” he said. threw this in. I’m sure I could do Bean in just Lewis got into acting during his freshman this voice but my voice isn’t very menacing,” year of Sam Barlow High School. “My mom he said. gave be an ultimatum: either “He’s growing I had to take a gym class as on me, really. When an extracurricular or I could I first was cast as do something artsy,” he said.

Bean, I was kind of “I fell in love with it, rebaffled, because I ally I did, and I did shows all like to think of mythroughout my high school self as a nice guy career, eventually ending my and a fairly kindsenior year with being presilooking person and dent of the thespian club, Bean is supposed to and getting leading roles. be this nasty, gross, While that does sound like just hateful person,” I’m very into theater — I do Lewis said. “It was love it — but I just feel like as actually once we got Zack Lewis a career choice, it’s not what I costumes that I rewant to do,” Lewis said. ally understood who this person “I’ve dabbled in the professional atmo- was. Because when I’m not doing my Bean sphere, but it’s not the same as everyone scowl, my costume looks like I’m a park who’s doing it because they like it. That’s not ranger; without you know investing in the to say that professional actors don’t like it, character, I look like I’m chasing after Yogi but they are so much more serious about it,” Bear, rather than the fantastic Mr. Fox, so it he said. was really a combination, I think, of voice “I love voice acting. If I was going to do and costume that helped me find this characting, it’d be voice acting. Cartoons, video acter,” he said. games, that kind of stuff. I really love doing Lewis may try out for the MHCC winter voices,” Lewis said. musical, “RENT.” After that, he said he may

6

News Nov. 9, 2012

Interim board member ready to help on key issues John Tkebuchava The Advocate

New MHCC at-large board member Paul Capell hopes to use his background in government and management to help bring the college to new levels with his fellow board members.

A former member of the MHCC Foundation board, current vice president of West Region Energy Lead at HDR Engineering Inc., and former mayor of Prineville, Ore., (1997-98), Capell has broad experience.

Appointed to the seat at an Oct. 21 board meeting, he came to campus the Friday before the Sunday meeting to interview for the

position.

“I went in on Friday of that week and met with the remainder of the board and president and just had a conversation with them,” said Capell.

The board called Capell after they met Sunday and told him that he had been selected, with Capell accepting the role the following day.

Capell said he resigned from the foundation board at MHCC last week after taking on the new assignment. “Because of my involvement with the new board, I really couldn’t do both, and do it well,” he said.

Capell was happy to be chosen, he said. “I was very pleased.

I was thankful that I for now. “I personwas able to sit down ally agree and supand talk to the board port what the board as a whole and get is trying to do, and to know them better want to support both and their decision MHCC and the board making processes and their future sucwere and what their cess with the large goals were.” number of issues and He joins the board challenges at the colas an interim memlege,” he said. ber. He must stand Capell is glad to Paul Capell for election next year, join the board’s curafter filling the vacant seat left by rent search for a new school presiRalph Yates, who resigned this dent. “I look forward to working summer in protest of alleged laps- for them both on the short term es in campus oversight. and as long as I can,” he said.

Capell said he intends to run In the spring, the board also to keep his seat, but wants to keep will lose board Chair Dave Shields his focus on helping on the board, and former chair Brian Freeman.

Both say they have decided not to seek re-election. This will leave three seats open, counting Capell’s, come the spring election.

Asked how he can contribute to the board with the limited time he has, Capell said his experience in management and union negotiations provide the means to contribute positively.

“I think I can add value with any discussions with any professors, as well as assisting in the search for the new president,” he said.

Capell will participate on the board for the first time at its monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday at MHCC. That will follow a 5 p.m. board orientation session for him.

News Briefs Earn half-off at Vista Dining through December

Several groups will be highlighted at board meeting The MHCC district board will honor several on campus groups at its meeting Wednesday.

There will be a preliminary meeting and dinner at 5 p.m., including a reception for Capell, unanimously appointed at an Oct. 21 meeting following an executive session.

The regular board meeting begins at 6 p.m.

The board will discuss the success of Head Start and the statistics from August to October.

An MHCC program parent, Landra Glover, was named National Head Start Parent of the

Year last month.

The board will hear monthly personnel and finance reports, and a budget transfer request will also be discussed.

Eric Juenemann, assistant manager of Mt. Hood’s TRIO Student Support Services Program, will discuss the program and highlight a student perspective.

There will follow a “Be Strategic” presentation and the president’s report by Michael Hay. Finally, the board will convene an executive session to discuss labor negotiations.

Foundation scholarship deadline is next week Wednesday is the deadline to turn in applications for 2013 MHCC Foundation scholarships.

Most scholarships are for Winter quarter but some cover the entire academic school year.

If interested in applying for a Foundation scholarship, contact the Office of Financial Aid or apply directly via the web at https://www.mhcc.edu/FinancialAid.aspx.

Students are encouraged to

apply for as many scholarships they may be qualified for, in different areas. In addition to the Foundation Memorial Scholarship for full-time students, there are also scholarships for parttime students and for English as a Non-native Language (ENL) students.

Applicants applying for Foundation Memorial Scholarship for the Winter 2013 term must be a full-time student at the time the scholarship is in effect,

with a 12-credit-hour minimum.

The applicant must also: have a minimum GPA of 2.75; have completed a minimum of 36 credit hours in a two-year, degree-granting program, or 12 credit hours in a certificate program at the time the scholarship is in effect; provide transcripts, if needed; and submit two letters of recommendation supporting academic and occupational promise in the selected program area.

Two part-time instructors honored with award Two MHCC teachers were honored this week with the 2012 Part-time Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching.

President Michael Hay and various cabinet members gave the news, surprising Zach Hudson and Andy Gurevich during their classes.

Hudson was praised in an all-staff e-mail for developing the special skill set, strength and dedication to help his students succeed in college.

Hudson is also running in a tight race for a position on the Troutdale City Council, narrowly trailing in ballots counted as of press time Thursday.

Gurevich was similarly praised as “a true professional and fine colleague who is generously flexible when it comes to taking on new assignments.”

“I guess I’d just like to say that I am humbled and kind of shocked by the idea that my colleagues and students would enjoy working with me even half as much as I enjoy working with them,” said Gurevich.

Both will be honored by the board of education at its Wednesday meeting, and again Nov. 28 when the MHCC Foundation will present them with a $250 check.

During November and December, customers may bring two nonperishable, non-expired food items to Vista Dining and get half off the price of that day’s special entrée.

“It’s to help the fellow man, it’s the holidays. That’s what you’re supposed to do,” said Pam Carbhaal of Vista Dining.

The food donated at Vista Dining helps fill Barney’s Pantry.

Barney’s Pantry is a free service for students provided by the Associated Student Government, located in the Student Union. The service gives students as many as three food or hygiene items per day.

ASG President William Miller said, “I’ve had several students come to me in distress, unsure where their next meal will come from.

At the end of the day, it’s wonderful to know you can help someone with such a simple service.”

Vista is open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday – Thursday, and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

Barney’s Pantry is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday – Friday 10 a.m., and 5 to 7 p.m. Monday – Thursday.

Preview

Day

Join us 5:30 p.m. Wed., November 14 Learn about Academic programs Paying for college

Application process Campus life

Find Agenda, directions and RSVP at vancouver.wsu.edu/preview the bout Ask a ill— it lets r B n ts B orde reside ion n o g Or e e tuit - sta t in dits. y a p 8 cr e o t p for u

Sports

the advocate

7

Volleyball wins Southern Region title; NWAACCs to follow Shaun Lutz The Advocate

The MHCC Saints volleyball team will enter next week’s NWAACC championships energized by winning their third outright Southern Region title under head coach Chelsie Speer and finishing the season undefeated in conference play (10-0).

The championship tournament will give the Saints an opportunity to defend their title on their own court. The NWAACC tournament is scheduled to go from Nov. 15 through Nov. 18, all at MHCC’s Gresham campus.

As the first seed out of the South Region, the Saints will face Wentachee Valley, the fourth-place squad from the Eastern region (7-7 in regional play; 14-17 overall), in their first game of the tournament Thursday at 2 p.m.

Two road wins topped off another successful Saints regular season. First was a trip to Clackamas. Winning all three games, the

Saints dominated the Cougars for the second time this season (25-23, 25-18, 25-11).

Several individuals stood out in Friday’s victory, including freshman hitter Tori Kemper, who had a game high 15 kills. Sophomore setter Alyssa Hall added 24 assists on the night, and as a team, MHCC out-blocked Clackamas eight to three.

The final game of the regular season came Wednesday night

the first game 29-27. Kemper had a game high 19 kills, hitting .372 on the night to go along with 20 digs.

Hall assisted on 33 balls, and freshman Keely Siegel had “a great blocking game for us,” according to Speer. Games two and three weren’t nearly as close (2515, 25-19) as MHCC finished their regular season perfect in regional play (10-0; 29-9 overall). This title goes along with a co-championship last season, giving Speer four regional titles in as many seasons.

NWAACC honors have yet to be handed out, but with a 10-0 record, there are sure to be a few familiar names after last night’s coaches meeting, determining the standout players from this season.

But, Speer warned, regular season honors aren’t important right now. “At this point, everyone is 0-0. It’s a new season,” she said.

“We can’t take anyone lightly being a number one seed,” she said regarding the NWAACC tournament.

“We can’t take anyone lightly being a number one seed.”

Chelsie Speer Volleyball coach in Salem against the Chemeketa Storm. Earlier this season, MHCC had no issues against the fourthplace Storm but that wasn’t the case Wednesday as Chemeketa came to play.

After falling behind 23-14, the Storm valiantly fought back to tie it up. However, the Saints would “weather” the Storm and win the

NWAACC Tournament Day 1

Thursday 2 p.m.

Mt. Hood (South seed #1)

versus Wenatchee Valley (East seed #4).

IF SAINTS WIN: Friday 12:30 p.m. versus winner of: Bellevue (North seed #2)/Pierce (West seed #3)

IF SAINTS LOSE: Thursday 8:15 p.m. versus loser of: Bellevue (North seed #2)/Pierce (West seed #3) For a complete tournament schedule: nwaacc.org/volleyball/championship.php

Alpine Racing Club offers competitive side to winter sports Aaron Marshall The Advocate

Students interested in hitting the slopes this winter, perhaps even to ski competitively, can look at joining the MHCC Alpine Racing Club.

The club’s mission is “to provide an avenue to train for competitive skiing and snowboarding,” said club adviser Thomas McCormack.

Not much helps more than having a few like-minded training partners, he said.

“A group of some sort is usually necessary to accomplish this kind of training, as it is a very difficult thing to do by yourself,” said McCormack.

Participating at the club level, participants compete as individuals but not as a team, he said.

It also pays to have an experienced instructor in the sport, which club members will find in McCormack.

“As a former high school, college, and USSA racing coach, I am currently a USSA-certified coach and can provide on-snow techni-

cal coaching in slalom and giant slalom to ski racing,” he said.

The club is currently inactive, something McCormack hopes to change.

“Prospective members need not have competition experience, but should be advanced skiers or riders,” said McCormack.

The club features both skiing and snowboarding, but more emphasis is placed on skiing.

When active, the club has usually trained at Mount Hood once a week during winter term.

McCormack said interested stu-

dents can look forward to a good winter sports season this year.

The weather on Mount Hood already looks good for skiing, he said.

“There is always skiing to be had somewhere on Mount Hood, no matter how bad the year,” he said.

“In a good year, we can be on snow in 45 minutes from MHCC. In a bad year, it takes about 60 minutes,” said McCormack.

Anyone interested in joining the club should contact him at Thomas.McCormack@mhcc.edu.

CROSS COUNTRY UPDATE Runners will toe the line Saturday in the NWAACC cross country championship at Plantes Ferry Park in Spokane, Wash. The men’s competition starts 11 a.m. and the women will race at noon.

On the women’s side, the Everett Community College women are defending champions and return six of their top seven runners from last year’s team. The Community Colleges of Spokane, and Treasure Valley Community College have a shot at the victory as well, with their top two runners contending for all conference honors.

MHCC’s Christa Collmer is coming off her

Southern Region victory and hopes to contend for the women’s title. Monica Amaro also hopes for a strong showing.

On the men’s side, three teams appear to have the best chance at the title. Lane Community College won the Southern Region Championship, Everett Community College is the defending champion and The Community Colleges of Spokane have shown an impressive 1 through 7 spread.

Top contenders from the MHCC team include Alex Seymour, Nathan Geiter and Vlad Ishenin.

— From the NWAACC website and staff reports.

8 Sports

Nov. 9, 2012

Men’s basketball uses scrimmage to prep for tournament

Photos by Jeff Hannig/The Advocate

The MHCC Saints basketball team played its last scrimmage game against Portland Bible College on Wednesday night. The team will take a break until Nov. 23, when they take part in the Red Devil Classic in Longview, Wash. After that, the Saints will take on Walla Walla Community College in Washington on Nov. 30. The womenʼs basketball team also held a scrimmage at home Thursday night against Lower Columbia Community College. The womenʼs team has one more scrimmage left on Nov. 16 against Reed College at 7 p.m. in Portland.

SC Sport�����entral Blazers’ Lillard helps team start off strong The Portland Trail Blazers are 2-2 so far on the season and their play has been surprisingly good.

Beating the L.A. Lakers is always nice, but also seeing your favorite team play on the road and win a game in overtime early in the season has a nice feel to it.

On top of that, the two losses have come from two very likely playoff teams.

It looks like Blazers guard Damian Lillard is the real deal. He is an athletic, quick guard who can shoot and pass the ball with a good basketball I.Q. In four games, Lillard is averaging 19 points and eight assists. As of now he is the clear favorite for NBA Rookie Of The Year honors, while another contender, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Hornets, sits out with a concussion.

Lillard is making this team exciting to watch.

You never know what’s coming when he steps onto the court. During the summer league games and the preseason it seemed like it took Lillard time to get comfortable on the court and take shots, and then in the second half, he would go off. During the regular season he has played well every quarter.

On Monday, though, he looked like a rookie, shooting 2-of-13 from the field and 1-of-8 from behind the three-point line. The Blazers ended up losing 114-91. Nonetheless, in games when Lillard plays well, expect the Blazers around him to play well, too.

Results of Thursday’s game vs. the L.A. Clippers were unavailable at press time.

- Aaron Marshall

- Portland Trail Blazers Atlanta Hawks at Portland Trail Blazers, 7 p.m. (CSNNW) on Monday

Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings, 7 p.m.

(CSNNW) on Tuesday

- Game of the Week San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers, 7 p.m. (KGW) on Saturday