Eastfield Et Cetera December 7, 2022

Etera Dallas College Eastfield Campus

Ceramics event benefits North Texas Food Bank See page 6 Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Volume 54, Issue 4

UPHILL BATTLE Steep ramps, broken doors hinder some students with disabilities

See page 2

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NEWS

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

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Student learns to navigate campus obstacles

By MOIRA MCINTEE Managing Editor @TheEtCetera

Every Tuesday and Thursday, business major Jose Cardosa is dropped off in front of the F Building at Eastfield. It’s his first semester of college and all his classes are in that same building, so he’s still figuring out which entrance is the easiest for him to navigate on his own.

Cardoso makes his way slowly up the wheelchair-accessible ramp but struggles to keep the momentum in his manually powered chair because of the steep incline.

Taking his time, he finally makes it to the door and into his 9:30 a.m. class.

Luckily, he wasn’t running late this morning.

“I just have a hard time getting up with my wheels,” he said. “I almost fell [today], but thankfully I had enough muscle to overpower it.”

The F Building entrance isn’t the only challenge for students with mobility challenges. Currently, onethird of the elevators on the Eastfield campus are missing at least one railing, and only two elevators are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act size requirements. The N Building doesn’t have an elevator at all.

To be ADA compliant, an elevator must be a minimum of 68 inches wide and 51 inches deep. The elevators on campus range in size from 72 inches by 45 inches down to 55 inches by 35 inches, according to measurements taken by the Et Cetera.

Facilities manager Adam Qualkenbush said his department is aware of the missing elevator handrails and tries to fix them promptly.

“We replace those as they come off,” Qualkenbush said. “Unfortunately, some students are a little rough with them and seem to like to take them down on a regular basis.

So that’s a continuing battle that we fight.”

Over half of the ADA automatic door buttons on campus also do not work properly or will only open from either the inside or outside of the building. Neither automatic door is currently functional in the G Building, which would require any student in a wheelchair to ask for assistance to enter the building.

“The buttons might be out of batteries or there might be a malfunction in the opener,” Qualkenbush said. “Our doors are constantly hav-

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ing issues one way or another, whether they’re accessible or not.”

Cardosa has been in a wheelchair his entire life. He has navigated inconvenient ramps and elevators for as long as he can remember. While the Eastfield campus is far from the least wheelchair accessible space he’s been in, he said there are some changes that would help students with mobility issues.

The Accessibility Services Office helps students when these things happen. If they are aware of an issue on campus that is affecting mobility for students with disabilities, they make sure to escalate it to facilities immediately so it can be taken care of.

“If there’s a student upstairs that can’t get downstairs because the ADA elevator is out, we would alert facilities and possibly campus police to see if they can get them down,” said Robin DuLaney-Heerdt, coordinator of Accessibility Services.

Chancellor Justin Lonon said he had not been made aware of the accessibility issues on campus.

“Certainly anything that is around the ADA compliance, there is a specific defined timeline where we are required to make sure that we’re paying attention to that technology and addressing any repairs that need to

be addressed,” Lonon said. “Clearly, we have commitment to our disabled students and community members.”

Since 1990, the ADA has prohibited discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including institutions of higher learning. Dallas College must adhere to the ADA to provide its students with accommodations they need to learn at the same level as everyone else.

“We are overseen by the Department of Education and the Department of Justice, through the Office of Civil Rights,” Dean of Accessibility Services Beverly Neu Menassa said.

“They monitor institutions of higher education to make sure that we’re doing what we need to be doing for our students. And if we’re not, there can be pretty severe consequences.”

Despite some obstacles, Cardoso knows how to navigate inside the campus easily. He’s found the quickest ways to get from class to class and into the Hive to meet his friends.

“I’m pretty good at moving with my chair,” he said. “For other kids that have a disability, like a wheelchair, it could be a lot more difficult than it is for me because I’m more experienced.”

Cardosa uses a standard size manual wheelchair that holds his legs out

Jose Cardoso says he encounters obstacles navigating the campus, such as small elevators and broken automatic doors.

at a slight angle. To fit into one of the smaller elevators in the C building, he positions himself with his feet pushed into the corner and the back of his chair facing the elevator door.

Without handrails to help him make small adjustments to his positioning, it requires a lot of small movements back and forth with his wheels to fit in.

“I’ve not personally been involved with a student who’s in a wheelchair that is too large to get into one of the smaller elevators,” DuLaney-Heerdt said. “You can do it, and I have done it personally with some students. It’s a tight squeeze, but as long as they’re not panicked, and you can get in the elevator and maneuver, we can certainly do that.”

According to the Dallas College website, during an emergency evacuation, elevators may not be available.

“People requiring physical assistance to evacuate the building should make their way, if possible, to the stairwell exit of any campus building,” the webpage reads.

From there, the person requiring assistance is to report to a College Emergency Response Team (CERT) member who will contact first responders to facilitate the evacuation.

“Any accessibility issue is handled

as quickly as we can, but there is no timeline associated,” Qualkenbush said. “Depending on the problem, the severity of the problem or parts available, sometimes it’s five minutes to change out a battery, sometimes its four weeks to wait on a part.”

Some employees have suggested that staffing shortfalls could be contributing to the delays. However, these concerns were refuted when brought up to Lonon.

“There is a new ticketing system that facilities is utilizing, so if it’s not working and causing long gaps or delays, I want to make sure that we follow up on that,” Lonon said. “I’m not aware if there’s been facilities staffing concerns, but I’m hoping it’s just some process challenges that are going on.”

Cardosa says starting college was intimidating for him because he was leaving the comfort of high school.

But he’s learning to enjoy some of the freedoms that come with adulthood and looking forward to experiencing more at Eastfield.

“I just wish the ramps outside made it easier to get in and out,” he said. “Instead of having to ask someone to push me around, I want to do it by myself. I want to be independent.”

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eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Brightspace to replace Blackboard online platform

By PAOLA MARTINEZ Staff Writer @TheEtCetera

Brightspace is replacing Blackboard as Dallas College’s new online Learning management system starting next fall.

A modern interface and a wide range of device accessibility were some of the main factors that led to the change.

Brightspace is built on a SaaS based platform, so it remains current, unlike Blackboard.

Students also had difficulties navigating Blackboard, and faculty criticized its lack of functionality..

Shani Suber, dean of e-Learning, brought up this challenge as one of the reasons why Dallas College will be switching over to the new learning system.

“Anyone born after 2000 has been raised with Wi-Fi and technology right at their fingertips,” she said.

“Modern life is intimately connected to mobile devices and the digital world.

And at Dallas College, we must plan to meet the needs not only of our current students, but our future students.”

At a Nov. 1 meeting, Education and Workforce Committee members heard from staff and faculty about the challenges presented by Blackboard, which has been the college’s e-Learning management system for about two decades.

The pandemic highlighted these challenges as students shifted from traditional in-person classes to online learning.

Suber said more students are still enrolling in online classes than faceto-face.

Dallas College chose Brightspace

by D2L to allow faculty to better connect with their students and ensure success.

“I feel very confident in this plan as well as in the engagement by the faculty and staff that this will be a successful project,” Chief Information Officer Jim Parker said.

Sixty percent of students enroll in strictly online or hybrid classes while 40% attend face-to-face classes. Prior to the pandemic, 70% of students took in-person classes, according to Provost Shawnda Floyd.

This transition from in-person to online classes made it difficult for faculty to use the data from Black-

ILLUSTRATION BY VERONICA TREJO

board to improve a student’s success.

“In terms of analytics insights, we want to use data to improve our students’ success, and while our current system provides some insights, they are limited,” Suber said.

Brightspace has been used by universities such as Texas Christian University, Purdue University, the State University of New York, the University of Minnesota and Southern New Hampshire University.

“It’s accessible and easy to use,” Suber said. “It has a modern design,

focuses on our student success and analytics and has a comprehensive solution that supports our students.”

According to its website, Brightspace is focused on creating unique learner-centric platforms backed by learning science that increases retention, engagement and delivers learning outcomes.

Online classes becoming the norm also means that faculty will be required to complete online teaching training.

“Clearly, when March 2020 hit,

some of our faculty didn’t miss a beat,” Chancellor Justin Lonon said.

“Others needed some additional support, and that’s what this ultimately provides, to ensure that they do have that proficiency and have that level of support they need to be able to do this.”

The demand for online classes has been increasing since the pandemic, and Dallas College is finding ways to meet students’ preferences and needs when it comes to classes they want.

“All of our faculty members are hired with the idea that they’re able to teach in any modality given they follow through with whatever requirements we put on the books for them to do so,” Floyd said.

Chief Digital Engagement Officer Pamela Luckett said that some integration of Brightspace could happen as early as Spring 2023.

“We will also be piloting some of our students to make sure we’re not missing anything,” Luckett said. “To make sure that we’re meeting their needs and making adjustments to the learning platform as it relates to training and how they will access and maintain and be comfortable with utilizing the system.”

Campuses plug in to virtual desktop, upgrade Wi-Fi network

By CARMEN GUZMAN Editor in Chief @TheEtCetera

Dallas College is completing upgrades to run virtual desktops on campus computers, which means students can access software and save files to a cloud, then load them from any computer.

Virtual desktops were part of a slew of technology upgrades issued by the Strategic IT Modernization Program. The new system requires upgrading every campus Wi-Fi network to meet higher demand.

“What we are essentially trying to do across the board is what I call ‘getting out of the hardware business,’” Chief Information Officer Jim Parker said. “And part of that is going to the cloud.”

Before virtual desktops, students had to manually save files and download memory-intensive software onto their personal computer.

The new setting forgoes device limitations by running items from a cloud.

“They’re really helpful,” said Ana Torres, a dual credit student studying architecture. “It’s a better experience for [classwork.]”

Dallas College computers across libraries and computer labs didn’t have matching software before the upgrades began. Previously, students could only use Dallas College’s ma-

chines during lab hours.

Torres said she uses virtual desktops “all the time” now, no longer limited to running Adobe products on one computer.

Virtual desktops were initially implemented in computer labs during Spring 2022. During a Nov. 1 meeting, Dallas College’s finance committee moved forward with a campus-wide rollout of virtual desktops.

“Last semester, when we used it, it wasn’t so great,” digital media instructor Sandra Evans said. “But this semester, it’s actually a lot more helpful.”

Evans found difficulty with the initial virtual desktops due to a technical set-up process.

Under the Strategic IT Modernization Program, device updates no longer have to be done on an individual basis.

The program was implemented to standardize Dallas College’s data center after all campuses merged.

However, the team leading it discovered most campuses had equipment beyond repair or incompatible with other campus hardware.

Total replacement would be a multimilliondollar undertaking, according to Parker.

“It’s not just the computers,” Parker said. “It’s also the power, [firewall] suppression, back environments and air conditioning supporting that environment – all of that infrastructure

was aged.”

Campuses such as El Centro had equipment upwards of 20 years old. Eastfield had more modern equipment due to an annual replacement system for its data center, according to Parker.

Initially, all campuses ran on respective broadband networks built for the needs of one.

“What we want to do is advance our technical status,” Parker said. “We need to have twoway or multipath access to broadband internet.”

The goal is to create a broadband network all campuses can share, especially if one campus’ network goes down.

Several of the upgrades are built upon a higher demand for reliable broadband, which became a “valid concern” in Parker’s review of the network. That includes virtual desktops, which were initially limited to digital media and computer science students.

“Finding [virtual desktops] was the much greater hurdle for dual credit students,” digital media instructor Don Huff said.

Dallas College will create dedicated IT desks in campus libraries, helping students acclimate to the new technology.

“It’s kind of hard, but once you have a teacher there to walk you through it, they’re really helpful,” Torres said.

Since virtual desktops started getting mar-

keted to students, digital media instructors have noted more students flocking to labs.

“I have one student…they don’t have a computer at all,” Evans said. “She comes to me after class and works on her lessons. And then if she needs to work after hours, she goes to the library.”

The college also plans to increase the number of computers available to check out. According to Parker, the end goal is to have computers available for all students on financial aid.

More changes include reshaping how many computers classes and computer labs get in relation to student count.

“At El Centro, they use the labs for math,” Parker said. “Some of those classrooms had 30 computers in them, but the math classes are capped at 20,” Virtual desktop upgrades are slated to be complete Dec. 20.

“We just need to get the word out to all students that it’s there and they can use it,” Huff said.

As upgrades near completion, instructors such as Evans find it easier to run class as more students learn about virtual desktops.

“It’s very helpful,” Evans said. “If [students] don’t have access to the software on their own…they’re able to log in and use the website online.”

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LULAC empodera la comunidad hispana Por LONDY RAMIREZ escritor del personal @TheEtCetera

Después de una larga ausencia, la Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos Unidos (LULAC) vuelve a tomar fuerza con nuevos miembros y consejero en Dallas College Eastfield Campus.

Alfonso García, entrenador de éxito estudiantil en Eastfield, es ahora el nuevo consejero de la organización. Junto a las alumnas Cecilia Cruz, presidenta, Angela Rodríguez, vicepresidenta y Paola Esparza, secretaria, intentan crear de LULAC una comunidad donde se encuentre apoyo.

“En estos momentos me doy cuenta que hay una necesidad muy grande de apoyar a nuestros estudiantes de herencia latina en esta escuela”, dijo García. “He ido a otras escuelas como Cedar Valley. La influencia latina es muy fuerte ahí, obviamente por la locación también, pero sabiendo que [Eastfield] tiene una población muy grande de latinos. No había visto realmente algo que identificara a los latinos, fueran mexicanos, centroamericanos, suramericanos.

No había nada. Entonces se presentó esta oportunidad”.

LULAC es una organización que fue creada en 1929 para defender los derechos y mejorar el bienestar de los hispanos americanos en Estados Unidos.

García y Cruz comenzaron su aventura con LULAC el 27 de Agosto con 4 miembros. Ahora cuentan con 24.

“Para tener 24 estudiantes, es un trabajo en equipo. No es Cecilia, no es Angela, no es Paola, somos todos juntos”, dijo García. “Todos hacemos un producto que los hace sentir cómodos. Muchos estudiantes buscan ponerse al día y dicen ‘es que me gusta venir acá, me siento parte de esto’. Lo más importante es que se sientan cómodo. Me he dado cuenta que muchos clubs se desaparecieron a través de la pandemia. Pienso que somos un ejemplo”.

Por lo que llevan como organización, LULAC ya ha sido parte de eventos en Eastfield.

Alguno de ellos siendo el evento creado por Battleground Texas, que es un comité que buscaba hacer de Texas un estado decisivo invitando a jóvenes a votar en las pasadas elecciones del 2022.

Cruz fue la encargada de presentar América Ferrera, quien fue la actriz invitada para animar a los jóvenes de inscribirse a las votaciones.

Otro evento que hicieron fue el altar de el Día de Muertos, que estuvo en exhibición en The Hive, el área común de Eastfield, durante la semana del 2 de noviembre.

Para Raquel Román, estudiante de psicología y miembro de LULAC, hacer la ofrenda de Día de Muertos ha sido uno de sus mejores momentos con la organización.

“Organizamos todo para hacer. Compramos las calabazas y pusimos a las personas que para nosotros han fallecido. Fue muy bonito porque no solo nosotros lo apreciamos, sino que vimos que otras personas también valoraron eso. Era

FOTOS DE RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

Los estudiantes se reunieron adentro del G-222 en Eastfield para la junta de LULAC.

repitan todas las cosas. Es como para más que nada los estudiantes pierdan ese miedo a hablar [inglés]. Es muy interactivo, utilizamos lo que es inglés improvisado, que es como actuar. Y de esa manera comienzan a practicar, se divierten, se ríen. Existe una dinámica y una armonía muy bonita ahí”.

Edith Cervantes es una mesera en Mijas Taqueria ubicada en Lake Highlands. Apenas tiene 2 años de haber llegado a Texas. Un día

García fue a comer al restaurante y le contó sobre las clases de inglés gratuitas que iba a proporcionar.

“Yo en México estudié inglés, nací aquí, pero toda mi vida he estado en México. Tengo una licenciatura y una maestría, entonces ahora que me vine anduve buscando clases de inglés porque quiero revalidar mi inglés y estudios” dijo Cervantes.

Ella ahora tiene un mes y medio estudiando con LULAC todos los sábados y siente que le ha ayudado porque ya familiariza su oído con lo que le dicen.

En un futuro, García mira a LULAC en eventos más grandes, con patrocinadores que les ayuden con dinero y también con oportunidades de trabajo para los miembros, pero más importante, viendo a sus estudiantes siendo líderes.

LULAC se reúne todos los viernes de mediodía a 1 p.m. en el aula G 222. Todo el que desea ser parte de la organización es bienvenido.

“Ser parte de una organización como LULAC trae mucho nombre porque estás envuelto en muchas cosas y no solamente eres parte dé.

Te hacemos líder”, dijo García. “Nos aseguramos de que tengas la capacidad para hacer las cosas bien. Más que nada que creas en ti. Me voy a encargar de que seas líder. No que solamente seas una persona que sigue, no. Yo quiero que seas líder”.

Elena Martinez, la coordinadora financiera trabaja enconjunto con LULAC.

muy elegante, muy bonito, fue un buen momento”, dijo Román.

Román tiene una hermana, Gilda Román quien también es parte de LULAC. Gilda es estudiante de arquitectura.

Ambas tienen seis meses de haberse mudado a Estados Unidos de Perú y han encontrado ayuda en LULAC. “LULAC me ha ayudado hacer conexiones más que todo. He conocido a personas nuevas, tengo más amistades...De repente hay personas que saben de diferentes cursos como matemáticas, ciencias o literatura supongamos y si es que no sabes de algo ellos te pueden ayudar”, dijo Gilda.

LULAC en Eastfield no solo intenta ayudar a sus estudiantes, sino que también a la comunidad.

Cada sábado de 10 a.m. a mediodía en el aula G 222. García, Cruz y Esparza brindan apoyo a personas de la comunidad que les gustaría aprender inglés.

“Estas clases de inglés son muy diferentes”, dijo García. “No son estructuradas para que

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Wednesday, December 7, 2022

LGBTQ students seek community after tragedy

By CARMEN GUZMAN Editor in Chief @TheEtCetera

When news broke of a far-right gunman opening fire on an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado, killing five and injuring 17, members of Eastfield’s Prism chapter looked to each other for support.

Despite a rise in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation, the student-run organization is slowly rebuilding itself, reaching 10 members as of this month.

“It’s a very tough time and that’s why I think offering our community is important,” Prism president Sarah Smith said.

The organization had no members when the Fall 2022 semester began, prompting Smith to take the reins of leadership.

“What we’ll do is play little games, hang out, have a laugh to get away from the stress of the world,” Smith said.

Although the organization’s presence provides a hangout spot to members, attacks on LGBTQ rights from the outside sour the mood.

Gov. Greg Abbott has pledged to “stop pushing woke agendas” by passing laws in the next legislative session that starts Jan. 10. The gesture was prompted by national discourse that club members say negatively stigmatizes LG-

BTQ individuals.

Prism’s members attributed the Colorado shooting to a culmination of hate speech. As a nonbinary student, the tragedy strikes home for Prism vice president Jace Crosby.

“I feel very angry. This was a safe place for people to go to,” Crosby said. “Not only are [LGBTQ] people going to be traumatized with it, but this is going to affect everyone in America.”

Colorado state officials, as well as President Joe Biden, say the rise in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric played a key role in the shooting.

Crosby’s mission involves combatting attacks on the LGBTQ community and promoting discourse at Dallas College.

The college supported LGBTQ students by creating a pro-LGBTQ space known as the Lavender Lounge.

In October, the college hosted its first LGBTQ student summit at North Lake, complete with a drag show. Faculty have taken part in supporting LGBTQ students by displaying “safe space” stickers on office doors.

“I’ve talked to faculty who are part of the community or allies,” said game design major Anthony Reyna, who is gay. “It’s nice that I don’t have to feel weird or judged.”

Reyna said the reason tragedies like the Colorado shooting occur is to encourage LGBTQ

erasure.

“Considering where people were targeted, it’ll push [closeted] people further into that closet,” Reyna said.

Republicans introduced the ‘Stop the Sexualization of Children Act’ in October, which would prohibit exposing children to “sexually oriented” topics in K-12 on a national level.The bill targets topics such as transgenderism, gender identity and sexual orientation.

“If someone can just come into a club, what’s to say they can’t come into other queer spaces?”

Crosby said.

Despite being targeted by hateful dialogue, students such as Crosby are inspired to promote their presence on campus.

“Some people don’t want to see people who are different,” Reyna said. “They are trying to push us down.”

The shooting took place on Nov. 20 on the night of Transgender Day of Remembrance.

“It’s very jarring to see that, while remembering transgender individuals lost due to violence, we lost some at the same time,” said Cheyenne Murray, program lead for Inclusive Excellence, which tries to promote inclusivity at Dallas College.

Murray said she talked with students frightened by the shooting and its potential for inspiring additional violence. However, she

doesn’t have time to be there for every student.

Dallas College only has four Inclusive Excellence leaders who rotate between campuses.

Murray has run into a few occasions where an Eastfield student reached out for support, but would be working at Richland that day.

“We’re doing the best we can, but that doesn’t mean we’re doing a good job,” Murray said.

Additional concerns include training staff and faculty on knowledge of LGBTQ dialogue.

Dallas College staff are required to fulfill a certain number of hours for training, but ally training is optional.

Although Murray praises events such as the LGBTQ summit, she wants to see more events and people fostering their presence.

“What’s important is that we are also supporting these students, making sure they are accepted,” Murray said.

As the vice president, Crosby looks back at the history of LGBTQ activism for inspiration on how to move Prism forward.

“We need to keep pushing, pushing and pushing until we can be heard, and something can change,” Crosby said.

Growing numbers is the current objective, followed by hosting events.

“I want more people. I don’t want just queer people,” Crosby said. “I want allies to start coming and help people feel like they’re accepted.”

Turning over a new leaf: Volunteers refurbish campus garden

By CARMEN GUZMAN Editor in Chief @TheEtCetera

Eastfield’s gardening committee is preparing the campus garden for reopening next spring.

Amber Pagel, English instructor and garden committee head, organized the cleanup effort on Tuesday. Student volunteers, including the Eastfield Harvester Bees baseball team, cleared two years’ worth of overgrowth from the unkempt gardening plots between the W and T building.

“Everyone is helping to clear it, so it’s a good start,” Pagel said.

“In the spring, we’ll be able to do a good planting.”

The garden was used to educate students about growing crops before closing due to the pandemic in 2020. When the campus shut down, no one could maintain the area.

“So sad that, after COVID, nothing was happening,” Pagel said. “The sustainability office has been in contact since the summer and we talked a lot.”

Faculty and student organizations showed interest in revitalizing the campus garden, according to Pagel. She proposed clearing the garden – which gained the administration’s approval.

The committee plans to use the garden as an educational experience for students interested in gardening, and at least 10% of the harvests will go to the campus food pantry - The rest will go to the North Texas Food Bank.

“This is an amazing gift the school can give the community,” biology lab specialist Yolanda Shepard said.

Additional plans include a “butterfly garden to bring back the monarchs,” Shepard said.

Construction for a community beehive started in 2019, but those plans folded when Eastfield temporarily closed. The gardening committee intends to expand the garden and increase

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Members of the Eastfield Harvester Bees baseball team and other organizations work on the community garden.

its visibility.

Students discarded brush onto large mounds, which will be converted into compost – more than enough to supply the current plots.

“Shoveling dirt isn’t always fun, but it’s for the community and beautiful campus,” baseball player Payton Poole said.

Students took to the soil with shovels and pickaxes, removing layers of neglect within the hour.

After removing all the deep roots and grass, Pagel instructed students to put weed barrier down.

“It’s cold already, but the goal is for students to have the experience of gardening and learn a skill they could use,” Pagel said.

With several students tilling the soil, Pagel lost count of all the student organizations present. The gardening committee is working to regrow the committee’s numbers ahead of the first planting.

“I’m really proud of them doing this,” Pagel said. “Seeing so many students coming out to do it is not only heartening, but also a testament to their eagerness and interest in being involved with something like this.”

Life &Arts Wednesday, December 7, 2022

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Instructor and students sculpt for charity

By MOIRA MCINTEE Managing Editor @TheEtCetera

More than 34 million people in the United States are food insecure, according to Feeding America. Eastfield ceramics instructor Eric Thayer understands that feeling because he’s been part of the statistic.

Burdened by student loan payments, low pay and inflation, Thayer found himself struggling to keep bills paid and food in his stomach many times in his adult life. Now he’s making it a priority to help others facing these same challenges.

Thayer spearheaded a Bowl-athon event on Dec. 3 at Eastfield to address the hunger crisis. Faculty, staff and community members crafted handmade soup bowls in F-217.

The dishes crafted will be donated to the North Texas Food Bank Empty Bowls event on Feb. 23 in Plano.

Each bowl will be sold to an attendee, complete with a serving of soup or stew.

All proceeds will support the food bank.

“I’ve been a poor artist for most of my adult life,” Thayer said. “I’ve utilized food banks; I understand their value. And this is where my skill set fits perfectly. This is the thing that I love to do, and I can use it to benefit the people who don’t have the things that I have. And I think that’s incredible work.”

Thayer produced 15 bowls himself, plus two other larger art pieces to be auctioned off.

Each other participant created an additional six to 10 bowls.

Trinity Ceramic Supply donated 250 pounds of clay to the Bowl-AThon.

The Empty Bowls event is the first since 2020. The last one raised more than $210,000 and provided 630,000 meals to hungry Texans, according to the food bank website.

The Bowl-a-Thon ceramists ranged from novices to professional artists. A few first-timers got to confront the power struggle between their hands, the clay and the spinning pottery wheel.

“I just want to participate,” parttime art lab specialist Peter Chao said. “And to try to figure out how to

make a bowl for the first time ever.”

A seasoned freelance artist made it look simple just a few feet away.

“I take [ceramics] classes for the community side of community college, not really the college side,” continuing education student Tori Solis said. “I have a studio at home, but I like to work with other people in the mediums that I work within. There’s a lot of value in working around and with other people.”

Other attendees were pottery hobbyists. Falling somewhere in the middle in experience level, they said they enjoyed the process of creating, even if the bowl fell flat as soon as it was removed from the wheel.

“I’m happy if it at least looks like something you can eat off of, drink out of or just set around the house,” continuing education student Katy Hubener said.

Taking ceramics classes at Dallas College has turned into a family affair for Hubener.

“When I first got out of grad school I took a class at Cedar Valley,” she said. “Then my husband was like, ‘I hate my job and life is terrible,’ and I said, ‘Well, Dave, I think you should go and take a ceramics class.’ So, he took it at El Centro and he loved it.

He loves the glaze chemistry.”

Supporting the North Texas community with his specific expertise makes Thayer feel like the Empty Bowls charity was tailor-made for him.

“It’s so personal,” Thayer said. “I’ve been in the situation that a lot of people don’t want to be in. I can say with great confidence that without food banks I probably wouldn’t be in the position that I am now.”

He says that contributing to the community in a creative space might not be for everyone, but encourages people to figure out where helping NTFB and food-insecure individuals can fit into their own lives.

“I think that if people are intimidated by this process, there’s still a way for them to be involved and to help out,” he said. “I really encourage people to do this. This is an at-home situation. It affects your neighbors and affects the folks in your family.

I hope that people take time out of their day to go and support these endeavors.”

PHOTOS BY RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

Art instructor Kim Russell shapes a piece of clay into a bowl inside Eastfield’s ceramics studio.

Ceramics instructor Eric Thayer organized a Bowl-a-thon on Dec. 3 at Eastfield.

Thayer shows Laila Cruz how to flatten clay with a clay press.

Spread the Holiday Volun-cheer

The spirit of giving is upon us. What better way to spread the holiday cheer than to help those in need? Whether you need volunteer hours, want to help your community or seek an activity your family can do together, here are ways you can make a difference in Dallas.

Inspired Vision Compassion Center

Location: 2019 N. Masters Drive, 75217 Time: 9:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday - Friday Phone: 214-484-6393 This local food bank helps thousands of families each year with their free grocery and annual Christmas Blessing Toy Giveaway. Around this time of year, volunteers are needed to help sort and give away donated toys to children in needy families.

Dog ‘n Kitty City (Humane Society of Dallas County) Location: 2719 Manor Way, 75235 Time: 11:45 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, closed Tuesdays Phone: 214-350-7387

This no-kill shelter takes in abused and neglected animals while also educating the community on responsible pet ownership.

As a volunteer, you can help dogs and cats socialize and get them accustomed to humans or help with the adoption process.

You can also help organize the holiday raffle and set up events. If you’re good with social media, you can help take pictures to share news to support the cause.

Eastfield’s Clothing Closet and Food Pantry Location: Eastfield-C104A and C105 Time: 9 a.m.- 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Friday Phone: 972-669-6400 Dallas College’s clothing closet helps students and the community shop for free clothing based on their needs. Whether it be for an interview or something casual, the clothing closet has what they need.

Volunteers can help clients in the clothing closet with choosing their clothes and organize the closet with new donations.

Dallas College’s food pantry has helped students and the community bring food to the table. In addition to giving access to free meals, diapers, snacks and more, the food pantry has a drive-thru and ongoing holiday drives where volunteers can help.

Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support Location: Benefit Thrift Store at 3419 Knight St., 75219 Time: 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday Phone: 214-520-6644 Genesis helps women who have escaped domestic violence take back their lives. The thrift store helps each client pick out what they need based on their situation, whether it be furniture or business clothes for free. Volunteers can help at the thrift store or the office. They can also organize the shelter or help sponsor meals.

Angel Trees Angel trees are in almost every church, shelter and charity organization. The first three charities listed here also participate online and in person. Each angel ornament represents a family or person and includes a list of what they want for Christmas. Even if it’s for a dog or cat who can no longer be adopted, a child whose family has gone through the worst or someone who has lost everything, a gift can bring back a bit of joy back in their lives.

Websites: ivcompassion.org genesisshelter.org dognkittycity.org

Sharing Life Location: 3544 E. Emporium Circle, Mesquite, 75150 Time: 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. Monday-Friday Phone: 972-285-5819 Sharing Life provides food, clothing, financial resources and educational programs to thousands of people in need.

Volunteers can help in the clothing closet, food pantry or donation center. Sharing Life also has an annual Thanksgiving basket giveaway and Christmas Fair during the holidays when support is critical.

Words and Design by April Calvo

8

LIFE&ARTS

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

@TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

Lamborghini takes charge, drives automotive career forward

Q& A

Peter Lamborghini, Honda PACT coordinator and automotive mechanic at Eastfield, is certified to work on just about any car. Sharing his name with a popular luxury sports car makes his career choice seem like fate despite starting off in a different field. Lamborghini sat down with Et Cetera staff writer Blake Dickerson to talk about his experience working to become a technician in the automotive field.

cars from the dealerships. We can buy hybrid cars. There’s a hydrogenpowered car that you can lease in Los Angeles and in Miami. There’s more ways to run a car than a gasolinepowered engine, and nobody knows what the future holds. We will see what people are driving in 20 years and see how people are building them and how consumers will buy them.

Q A

Q

I can’t but help but to ask about your last name. After some research, I learned that you have worked on Lamborghinis. Is there a correlation between the two?

A

It’s a cool last name. I was trained as a scientist and people would say to me, “You’re in the wrong business.” And you can’t argue with that. It’s a great car name, and eventually I decided I wasn’t going to stay in the science field. Then I asked myself “what do I like?” That was cars. With a last name like this, I gotta explore what that’s like.

Q

So how did you get experience applying for a job like being a Lamborghini technician?

A

Well, I grew up in New England.

It’s a conservative area, and people don’t want to take risks. It’s one of those “Catch-22s” where we won’t hire you if you don’t have experience.

So I had to leave New England to get hired as a Lamborghini technician.

I found a place that allowed me to start out and got hired by a guy in Iowa who was the technical trainer for Lamborghini in the American dealership network. He relocated to Dallas and that’s what got me to Dallas.

So I worked in an independent shop that was doing Lamborghinis and gained experience that way.

Q

Were Lamborghinis your first real experience with cars or did you

What kinds of certifications do you have and how have you obtained them?

RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

Peter Lamborghini works on a van’s engine inside the T building garage.

gain experience working on other cars first?

A

I worked on my own cars. My first car was a used MG (former British car maker), and I just learned how to fix it myself. You learn and make mistakes and do it on your own car. My first job getting paid as a mechanic was with BMW. That was an independent shop, and I was the kid in the shop. I would get the parts, the coffee and sweep the floors. Eventually, I would start doing oil changes and tune-ups. Then when I came to Texas to do the Lamborghini work, which was very exciting, I still didn’t know much about cars and I was the kid in the shop again. When that job ended, I felt I needed more technical knowledge. I went to work at a Honda dealership, and Honda has excellent training for their technicians. They send you to a training center a week at a time. Almost everything I learned about cars came from that center.

Q

Honda has been rated one of the most reliable car companies, so is there different training they put you through compared to other car companies?

A

I think that all Japanese car companies have a high regard for quality when they build and engineer the cars. They then ask their owners to do maintenance on their cars, which is something a lot of American car owners and dealerships don’t really emphasize.

Pretty much all Japanese cars are reliable and very cheap to own. They get very good gas mileage and are very economical.

Q

Considering that most companies are going fully electric soon, how do you think that will impact consumers?

A

We’re getting more alternative

Some of my certifications are from Honda. If you pass the training, you get certified. That’s how I learned most of my technical knowledge, through the Honda training center and working on the cars at the dealership for many years.

Outside of the manufacturers, the only body that certifies the industry is called the ASE (Automotive Service Excellence), and you take a test.

It’s sort of like the SAT to test out of college. You take a test and if you pass the test you can be certified in a subject area like engines, brakes or transmissions. There are eight general tests for entry level. The more certifications you have, the more valuable you are in the industry.

Q A

What was the hardest part of getting these certifications?

Automatic transmissions gave me the most trouble. I had to take that test five times to pass, and I could rebuild automatic transmissions at the Honda dealership. After studying how American transmissions work, I finally passed that test.

Sometimes it does take a while to get all your certifications.

Q

This is a question everyone loves to ask mechanics: What is your dream car that you would love to own one day?

A

I would love to have an older Lamborghini. It’s just because the V-12 engines sound so amazing.

Also, my name is on the car.

LIFE&ARTS

9

The Et Cetera

eastfieldnews.com

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

er

irez, Staff Writ

By Londy Ram

With inflation on the rise, students are feeling the pinch. “When [my family goes] to buy food, like a small amount of groceries, we spend more than $100 and sometimes we don’t even buy

Angelika Film Center 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas Students can enjoy independent films in this eight-screen complex.

By showing a Dallas College student ID at the box office, students can receive a discounted admission of $9.

Prices for adults are $14, kids $9 and seniors $10.

Some of the cinema luxuries include a cafe/lounge, stadium seating, wheelchair accessibility, Dolby Surround 5.1, 2K digital projection and Dolby 3D, according to the center’s website.

The discount is not valid for special engagements such as operas, ballet and live theater, concert films and limited engagement screenings.

Also, 3D movies are subject to upcharges.

Purple Trail Website: purpletrail.com Students can find a variety of invitations and cards for each special occasion.

Students get a 15% discount with the coupon code: GET15OFF.With this discount, students can customize their graduation invitations and announcements.

students with a list of vendors who offer discounts to students and employees on merchandise, services, events and more. Here are the top 10 businesses that offer students discounts.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Dallas Museum of Art 1717 N. Harwood St. Dallas General admission to the Dallas Museum of Art is free and includes viewing the museum’s collection galleries and most exhibitions.

General admission is available from 11

everything we need,” biochemistry major Elba Rubio said.

But being a student has its advantages. The Student Resource Guide (dallascollege.edu/help) provides

a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday to Friday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Students with their Dallas College IDs receive a $4 discount on special exhibition tickets, which drops them to $12.

Cole Haan Website: colehaan.com Cole Haan sells shoes, bags and outwear for men and women.

Students and employees receive a 20% discount at Cole Haan stores.

The discount is available for in-store purchases and at colehaan.com. For store purchases, students need to show their Dallas College IDs or their email logins. For the website, students need a valid school email address.

The discount is “not valid on phone orders. Offer cannot be applied to previous purchases or the purchase of gift cards and cannot be redeemed for cash. Not combinable with other promotions and offers. Exclusions apply.

Enter the unique code provided in the promo code box at checkout to redeem.

Offer valid in the U.S. only. One code redemption per 30 days,” according to the Cole Haan website.

Opening Bell 1409 Botham Jean Blvd. #012, Dallas Students and employees can enjoy the coffee bar and live music at Opening Bell. Students and employees get a 5% discount on drinks by showing their Dallas College IDs.

2301 Flora St., Dallas Students can see free performances by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra with a Dallas Symphony Orchestra student card.

To get the card, students should go to the Student Life Office in C-216 and pick up the DSO college card.

They will need to show their student IDs and have their enrollment status verified.

Each student with a DSO college card

Sweets Detailing Website: sweetsdetailing.com Sweets Detailing is a mobile unit that brings car detailing services to you.

Choose a service, then pick a date and time.

It can be exterior or interior services.

Students only need to mention they are Dallas College students when scheduling the service.

Randall Reed’s Planet Ford 3333 Inwood Road, Dallas Students can get discounts on select Ford vehicles by showing their Dallas College student IDs. For more information, visit the dealership.

Dallas Mavericks Website: mavsgroups.com/dallascollege The basketball season is in full swing for the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas College employees and students can purchase discounted tickets at the website above.

can only get one free ticket, but they can also get a 25% additional discount on tickets for friends and family.

College card holders access their free and discounted tickets by logging in to their online accounts.

Once they are logged in, the discounts will be automatically available for included concerts, according to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra website.

Camp Gladiator Website: campgladiator.com Certified personal trainers and nutrition coaches are dedicated to transforming people’s lives through dynamic, fun and challenging outdoor and virtual group workouts.

Students and employees can get a 10% discount at Camp Gladiator.

If any student or employee is already a member, they can add Dallas College to their account to apply the discount.

Did you know?

Consumer prices increased by

0.4% 7.7%

in October and were up from a year ago,

according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

OPINION Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Etera Award-winning member of: • Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • Texas Community College Journalism Association • Associated Collegiate Press • College Media Association

Dallas College Eastfield Campus 3737 Motley Drive Mesquite, TX 75150 Phone: 972-860-7130 Email: etc4640@dcccd.edu Editor in Chief Carmen Guzman Managing Editor Moira McIntee Presentation Editor Mattheau Faught Photo Editor Rory Moore Graphics Editor April Calvo Page Designer Breanna Hernandez Graphic Designers Andrew Miller Michael Ray Natali Calderon Veronica Trejo Staff Writer Londy Ramirez Paola Martinez Blake Dickerson Contributors Deebs Lyon Valeria Guzman Publication Adviser Elizabeth Langton Student Media Adviser Natalie Webster Faculty Adviser Lori Dann The views expressed on the opinion pages and other opinion pieces and cartoons in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of The Et Cetera, Dallas College. The Et Cetera is published by a student staff.

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

Letters to the Editor Letters must be typed, signed and include a phone number. Letters will be edited for profanity and vulgarity, Associated Press style, grammar, libel and space when needed. The content will remain that of the author. Letters should be no longer than 250 words.

ABOUT THE COVER Students with disabilities have trouble navigating campus with ADA accommodations in disrepair.

Illustration and design by Mattheau Faught.

10 @TheEtCetera

The Et Cetera

OUR VIEW

Campus accessibility needs more attention Pushing for online accessibility is a great thing, but it shouldn’t overshadow campus accessibility.

While instructors are held accountable for their own classes’ accessibility, accommodations on campus, such as the elevators and automatic door buttons, don’t seem to receive the same kind of inspection.

If the college focused on physical accommodations as much as they do online accessibility, they could make a difference for students with mobility challenges such as wheelchairs.

As students slowly return to inperson classes, the college should be making sure that all members of its community are welcomed and can access services. That means upkeep.

It’s good to see new clubs and organizations, but students with disabilities will have a hard time accessing these opportunities because of the current state of many Americans with Disabilities Act accommoda-

tions.

Eastfield’s missing elevator handrails and inoperable ADA entry points leave much to be desired.

We see elevators frequently out of service, and the G Building currently does not have any working accessible doors from the outside.

And some entry points, such as the ramp to S Building, are steep enough to pose a challenge to wheelchairbound students.

Prioritizing ADA compliance should take precedence over nonemergency items, but neither seem to be getting much attention.

The college has been proactive about addressing online accessibility, but the same effort needs to be made onsite.

Accessibility Services is an invaluable resource on campus.

The employees follow quick timelines to get students the accommodations they need, whether it is for physical, psychological or learning

impairments.

Dallas College prides itself on having open arms for anyone who wants to learn.

It’s an important part of the culture on campus.

Following through with the actions to support these statements, and the staff in Accessibility Services, is the heavier task.

Making a disabled student feel demotivated to come and learn because the campus doesn’t feel welcoming is no different than turning them away.

MATTHEAU FAUGHT/THE ET CETERA

It’s a student’s prerogative to select online classes, but we’ve seen how the pandemic affected engagement when online courses became the only option due to elements outside one’s control.

We urge Dallas College to take a step back to re-evaluate campus navigation for students who have mobility challenges such as wheelchairs, braces or crutches.

We believe in Dallas College’s ability to make its doors open easier to students, both literally and figuratively.

Improving organization soothes test anxiety The end of the school year is here and many events are coming up, among them final exams. It is a strange combination that always shakes us as students because there are many mixed feelings: nerves, shock and insecurity. But there is a more powerful enemy that can be stronger than us if we fail to control it: anxiety.

Many young people will be affected by this feeling that generates fear and tension. According to a study conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 41.6% of college students who receive counseling services are treated for anxiety.

But do we honestly know what anxiety is? Or is it the exams that cause such an unpleasant feeling in students?

The American Psychological Association describes anxiety as a “feeling of tension, nervousness and other physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure,” which means that there are several factors that overwhelm our minds daily.

VALERIA GUZMAN @TheEtCetera

Students naturally experience test anxiety, a common result of feeling pressured to get the best grade and get the most out of academic endeavors.

Anxiety can bring even more grave consequences if it is not treated properly.

Undoubtedly, the arrival of final exam week increases anxiety levels due to the important weight that the grade has on our performance.

Our stress levels rise to such an extent that we cannot concentrate, and we feel like there is not enough time for us.

Anxiety happens because we do not plan our time. it spreads because we leave everything to the last minute and try to learn everything

in record time. The simplest and most practical recommendation is to keep track of the subject from the beginning of class, make a calendar that is always visible and write down the main ideas.

This will allow us to keep in sight what we have learned, and when that great moment of testing arrives, everything will be easier to understand.

Do not forget all the resources

that exist to help ease this anxiety, such as counseling services, which provide us with all the tools we need to help us complete the semester.

And never feel weak for asking for help. Feel stronger for knowing how to recognize that we can handle all that life throws at us, but not at the same time. As Michelle Obama said, “Asking for help is not synonymous with weakness, it is synonymous with strength.”

NATALI CALDERON/THE ET CETERA

Sports The Et Cetera

Dec. 14 Jan. 10 Jan. 16 Jan. 21 Jan. 25

Basketball vs. Mountain View Basketball vs. Loyalty College Prep Basketball at Paul Quinn JV Basketball vs. Cedar Valley Basketball at Mountain View

eastfieldnews.com

3 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

1 p.m.

6 p.m.

11

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Harvesters move up to No. 2 in nation

By NATALI CALDERON Graphic Designer @TheEtCetera

The Eastfield basketball team heads into the winter break having won 11 of 12 games, with its only loss coming against Division I Southwestern Christian by eight points.

Eastfield leads all Dallas Athletic Conference teams in wins and secured the No. 2 ranking in the Nov. 28 Division III national poll.

North Lake (6-6) is ninth, Richland (4-6) is ranked 10th and Mountain View (9-3) is 15th.

Sophomore guard Jacore Williams leads the nation in scoring, averaging 22.1 points per game. The Harvesters also lead the nation in team scoring, averaging 129.4 points per game, and have already made 172 3-pointers, which is almost twice as many as the next closest team, Northern Essex, with 91.

Things will get more difficult after the break, however. Eastfield will begin the intense conference season at 1 p.m. Jan 21 with a home game against Cedar Valley. The Harvesters defeated the Suns 119-65 on Nov. 16 in a game that didn’t count in the conference standings.

I liked playing them, beating them and making the conference know we’re here. We’re coming to win.

— Dexter Young, basketball coach “It wasn’t a conference game, but it means a lot to get out to the conference that we’re a serious threat,” first-year head coach Dexter Young said. “I liked playing them, beating them and making the conference know we’re here. We’re coming to win.”

Several Harvesters have had big offensive games this season. Sophomore guard Jacob Sanders scored 22 points and sophomore forward Tylan Harris had 39 points against Creating Young Minds Prep, while freshman guard Jamille Barnett and Williams scored a combined 45 points against DFW Prep.

“Every game is a different player or group leading us in scoring points,” Young said.

The Harvesters finished second in the conference behind North Lake last season but still advanced to the national tournament, where they finished fourth. This year, Young wants

RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

Jacore Williams dribbles the ball past a Dallas Premier Prep player on Dec 1.

Eastfield to play with more pressure and score even more points each game.

“At the end of the day, we all want to win nationals,” Williams said.

For more information

WRAP-UP

12 Wednesday, December 7, 2022

@TheEtCetera

VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Guitar group amps it up with guest artist

New Pokemon game is bug-ridden gem

By DEEBS LYON Contributor @TheEtCetera Pokémon Violet/Scarlet Released: Nov. 18, 2022 Developer: Game Freak Platform: Nintendo Switch Let me cut to the chase: This is the best Pokémon game you can play right now.

However, it has flaws. Some with gameplay, many more with performance. This game has great onboarding for new players, letting players attend classes that teach the systems in the game. The rock, paper, scissors aspect also makes it easy for anyone to pick up and play.

The story is decent but not memorable. The legendries treasure had me in tears, but the other arcs were not very original.

This is the first Pokémon game to open the world immediately for the player to traverse, letting them choose their adventure and pick the “treasure” they want.

First, you are told of three paths: collecting gym badges, collecting legendary treasure or fighting the game’s main antagonist, Team Star.

However, you need to complete these tasks in a linear order.

You need gym badges to control higher level Pokémon and treasure to traverse different landscapes, while Team Star blocks your path.

This can lead to confusion, as the game does not provide proper direction. It can be frustrating to figure out where to go next.

One of the best things about a Pokémon game is the tremendous number of Pokémon you can catch and train.

This game has 400 Pokémon in the local PokéDex and will have a national PokéDex added later.

Another update to the series is a school to attend classes about the game and its world. I thought I had little to learn, being a veteran of the series since it started in 1997, but I was astonished to learn lots of new things.

There are also social options that add more story and depth to the characters but don’t affect the game.

This is disappointing as it seemed like a great way to add new features.

This game also has a solid multi-

player, allowing you to invite up to three people to your party to catch and battle Pokémon, and progress their stories.

If they have the other version of the game, pokemon from both games will appear in the world.

One disappointment is that there is not a drop-in and drop-out aspect.

Once you start a game, you cannot add any new members, requiring everyone to save the game, disband and then create a new group.

While playing online with friends, I had several connection issues, but nothing bad enough to make me avoid the process.

Raids have also returned to the game. Raids are special Pokémon battles where four players or computer-controlled teammates battle a Pokémon simultaneously, and once beaten, the Pokémon can be captured.

The raids are identified on the map, so they are easy to find. However, they seem a bit lackluster compared to the previous game.

After two weeks of playing, I’ve found that these battles are mostly failing, but this could be because the game is so new and not everyone has fully developed their team despite raids being the focus.

Unfortunately, the game also just doesn’t look very good. Many of the colors are bland and would benefit from a more vibrant choice.

The biggest issue, though, is technical. I cannot think of a game in the last two decades that has performed so poorly. The framerate drops drastically when there are more than a few things on screen.

You will frequently get pop-in, and this is made worse when you run into a Pokémon that hasn’t populated the screen yet.

Just standing in the later cities has characters passing you a single frame at a time.

Overall, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a game where you collect and battle. With over 100 hours of game time, I don’t feel like I have completed everything I want to accomplish.

Completing the collection of the Pokémon in a game has not been a goal of mine since the first release in 1997. However, I find a deep desire to complete this one.

The Et Cetera

The Eastfield Guitar Ensemble performed for an audience inside F-117 on Nov. 16. Music faculty member Eddie Healy led his students in a recital playing classical music and recent songs, while guest artist Jay Kacherski joined them for a few numbers.

PHOTOS BY RORY MOORE/THE ET CETERA

From top, guest artist Jay Kacherski performs a solo concert inside the recital room. Faculty member Eddie Healy leads the guitar ensemble. Healy performs with the ensemble during the guitar recital.

“All According to Plan” by Mattheau Faught